*Spoilers for Season 7, Come back after you’ve finished it and feel free to join the discussion in the comments.*
This was basically the season of fan service but it’s mainly because there was only so much else they could do without just finishing the series. A lot of people complained about the breakneck pace and some people said that certain scenes were more predictable then they should’ve been. I disagree with a few of these things and here’s why :
*Seriously, last chance on spoilers.*
Pace
Alright, now I do agree that the pace was very different this season but I don’t see it as a problem in the same way that a lot of people did. The first three episodes were actually fairly traditional in the sense of the show. A few big shocking moments here and there, a lot of great final scenes and of course, plenty of exceptionally written dialogue. Where it differs is in the second half of the season with episodes 4 and 6 being more so action oriented and incredibly fast paced and then episodes 5 and 7 being a bit slower in dealing with the previous episodes fallout and setting up things for the future of the series. For me, I was perfectly fine with this system because each episode was still done with the level of Quality that we’ve come to expect from Game Of Thrones.
Lastly, many people said that the finale was way too slow for the rest of the season and I personally just don’t see it. I understand there’s a big discussion but this is something that we’ve waited for since the first season. We have just about every major character in the series on screen together. It’s just a phenomenal setup for the final season and I really enjoyed the last episode.
Lack of Shocking Moments/Too Predictable
Once again, I just don’t see this as a valid complaint primarily because two of these episodes left me on the edge of my seat nearly the entire run-time.
Let’s face it, none of us saw the annulment being an actual thing or the death of Littlefinger coming. I personally was very surprised by both of these cause I thought Jon was going to forever be a Bastard and I thought that Petyr Baelish was gonna make it to the last season. I was perfectly fine with being wrong on both of these counts though.
As for other things such as Jon and Daenerys getting together, Viserion being killed and the wall falling in the season finale, I did see most of them coming about halfway through the season. It didn’t take away from the impact of any of the scenes though. Viserion being killed, resurrected and used by the night king was heartbreaking and there’s really no way around it.
I didn’t see Jon’s name actually being Aegon, I genuinely thought it was going to be Jaehaerys but I’m perfectly fine with him being the next conqueror.
Favorite Episode : “The Spoils Of War.”
Between the Stark reunion and the Dragonglass cave, this episode was just full of great moments. It also features Daenerys taking Jon’s advice and shows their relationship progressing further. They’re smaller moments in comparison but they’re still great.
So throughout the entirety of the series you’ve had different battles but typically you’ve only been rooting for one side. Tyrion at Blackwater, Daenerys at Meereen, Jon at the Wall or Jon at Winterfell. These were all fairly one-sided from the stance of choosing sides…Unless you were a fan of Stannis, which I never was.
But this episode finished with a scene that I was confused about because I didn’t know how to feel about it. I love Jaime and Bronn and I love Daenerys and Drogon, I didn’t wanna see either side get hurt in this fight. This tension is what made this scene work and it’s why the show works. Half the time, you don’t know who to root for anymore and this was a primary example of your feelings being in very different places until the very last scene. Perfect episode ending.
Favorite Quote : “We’re Breathing”
I know it’s a simple moment but whenever these seven men all have reasons to hate each other, it takes Jon to make everyone realize that working together against the White Walkers and the army of the dead is the ultimate point of the show and he does it with two simple words.
Favorite Scene : The Meeting at The Dragon Pit.
Like I said, I know a lot of people thought this scene was boring but I loved it. It was basically GoT’s version of the Council of Elrond and it just worked really well. Phenomenal performances from every actor and it was everything I wanted it to be. Perfect Setup for Season 8.
Most Shocking Moment : The Death Of Petyr Baelish
This was clearly the most shocking moment. I just never really thought that he would die. He was honestly one of the few characters that I thought would make it to the series finale episode. Now, of course, I was just as happy as everyone else to see him go. When we finally heard the truth of him being the one to start basically everything in this series was one of the highlights of the show.
Overall
I loved this season but my favorite parts were many people’s issues with the series. But to me, the strength of this season was it’s ability to show people so many of the things that they’ve been waiting for. Jon and Daenerys meeting for the first time, Jaime leaving Cersei, The Dragons versus the Army of the Dead. I mean, it was just a great season overall.
