Game of Thrones ramped things up to a whole other level this week, so much so you can imagine the internet being filled with Ron Burgundy-inspired memes. While the first-half was dedicated to following and expanding upon the stories that have been established throughout the season - Tyrion and Daenerys, Sansa and Theon, Aryas training etc - it was the second-half of the episode that drew all of the attention. As Jon Snow and Tormund Giantsbane reached the titular Hardhome, the slow-burning, scheming, political nature of the show gave way to become an all out action-packed epic. It managed to exceed even its own high standards, with action that outdid what we saw in Blackwater and Watchers on the Wall. Amid all the zombie-like wights, wildlings, giants and so on, were two key points that are likely to have major implications on the future of the series and these characters. The first is when Jons sword defeats a White Walker, to his surprise as much as anyone elses. The second is at the very end, as the surviving Nights Watch and wildlings sail away, and the apparent leader of the Others raises the dead. They were both great moments, and within the context of the show both served as examples from one character to the other - Jon to the Others leader and vice versa - as a display of power. Here, then, is a closer look at Valyrian steel, from which Jons sword is forged, and the leader of the White Walkers the Nights King, and why theyre likely to matter later down the line
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.
