Game of Thrones season finales always feel like they need more time than the hour theyre given, but Mothers Mercy felt like a particularly packed episode. Not in a bad way, but more in the feeling you get when youve just stuffed your face with a huge starter and main course, and are obviously still going to get dessert even though itll make you sick later because its going to be so delicious right now. The ending of the fifth season was a banquet of everything thats great about the show. There was action, political intrigue, mystery, humour, and death, with the writing, directing and acting all of the standard to which viewers are accustomed. It ranged from The Wall to Dorne, Braavos to Meereen, and Winterfell to Kings Landing, powering through storylines and hardly giving pause for breath. While it provided some moments of resolution to the the stories it has spent the season building, most fates were left over to be picked up again when the show returns in April next year. Those characters in need of a resolution most likely wont be getting a happy ending, and certainly the show wasnt willing to give them out here. Games are supposed to be fun, but the game of thrones only seems to bring misery to those who play it. There were a few brief moments of hope or happiness (at least as close as you can come to it in this world, anyway), but most of the characters continued on a path downwards. How theyll fare in season 6 remains to be seen, but heres a look at who was up and who was down as the fifth season came to a close.
NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
