The dust has settled, blood has been shed, action was packed, and the plot has plateaued. Most importantly, winter has come.
The most recent installment of “Game of Thrones” finished with a bang, and just as the cold has arrived, with it brings a blizzard of questions, theories, and a longing for closure.
After the seemingly never-ending 15 month wait, we finally got to delve back into the mythical world of Westeros, and see our beloved characters in action.
Dean Cavaliere, an engineering student, shared his thoughts on the season; “with the shortened season, it seemed significantly more action packed than prior seasons.”
One of the most noticeable things from the season was just how quickly paced it was from start to finish.
From the opening scene, with Arya single handedly murdering the entire House of Fray, to the Loot Train Battle, where we get our first glimpse at the destructive capabilities of the Dothraki, Daenerys and her dragons.
This season was littered with confrontations, but amid all of the fireworks, this season also delivered some of the greatest performances in the show’s illustrious history.
Tyler Weber, 18, a film major at Bucks gave some insight into his thoughts. “One thing I noticed was there were certain characters that had tremendous growth in this season.”
We saw Jaime Lannister go from a mercenary for the queen, controlled by love and family, to a man disenfranchised with the acts done by that very same woman he’s always adored, culminating into a broken man unsure of his place in this war.
Arya Stark turns from a meek, vengeful little girl, to a skillful and cunning faceless assassin with initiative.
But none more so than the much-anticipated depth from Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragons and major character in the world of Westeros.
Between her ruthless message to those who oppose her, “bend the knee, or die,” to her grief of losing a dragon-child, the profundity of the character’s ascension and growth was brilliant.
As adept as this season was with appealing battles, CGI, and character development, it did leave a few things to be desired.
While the action never seemed to cease, the provocative story-telling felt rushed and at times forced.
The show didn’t rise to its current prominence with dragons, explosions, and visual effects, but with raw, emotional story-telling.
It makes you fall in love with the heroes, utterly despise the villains, and hang on every word spoken by either side.
As Tyrion Lannister put it, “a true history of the world is a history of great conversation in elegant rooms.”
This season leave us with the classic cliff hangers, leaving loose ends for the upcoming conclusion of the series.
Question arise regarding the inevitable Hound vs Mountain showdown, Bran’s connection to the Night King, the resolution of Dany and Jon’s unique relationship, and of course, the culmination of The Great War.
Despite its flaws, the seventh installment of “Game of Thrones” was chock full of unbridled action from beginning to end.
As much as we would love to see that continue, we also hope that the final season rekindles the flame that made us fall in love with this world.
We will all be waiting with bated breath, for the final adventures within HBO and Martin’s world of ice and fire.