Game Of Thrones Season 7: 10 Ups And 2 Downs From 'Stormborn'

7. Cersei Delivers Fake News

Cersei, having taken the Iron Throne and set about solidifying her hold on it, engages in the sort of speech-giving Donald Trump would be proud of.

To an audience including Randyll Tarly (who has apparently given up on reclaiming Heartsbane) and his son Dickon (now played by Tom Hopper, after Freddie Stroma left due to scheduling conflicts), she spreads lies and whips up anger about Daenerys Targaryen, her dragons, and the foreign armies she commands.

Lena Headey is great as ever here (she imbues Cersei with so much conviction, not to mention wickedness), and it's a delight to watch her now that she's fully unleashed (and somewhat unhinged), making her move into full-on villainy.

It's also good to see Randyll Tarly getting a bit more to do here, after his brief introduction in Season 6. He is supposed to be one of the greatest warriors and battle commanders in Westeros (he defeated Baratheon forces at the Battle of Ashford during Robert's Rebellion), so I'm glad the show is finally recognising that, while setting up some interesting political conflict too.

As for Qyburn's new toy, it could be a little deux ex dragon killer, though there's no guarantee it'll work. Meraxes, one of Aegon the Conqueror's dragons, was killed (along with Aegon's sister-Queen Rhaenys) after being shot in the eye by a scorpion (the real world equivalent of this weapon) bolt. Also, according to legend, the dragon Urrax was slain by a spear to the eye, but the crossbow here could end up feeling a bit too much like The Hobbit if it were to work. That said, it's necessary for the show to make these attempts at finding weaknesses in Daenerys' armour, since she is ostensibly so powerful, and it meant a visit below the Red Keep and the chance to feast our eyes on those dragon skulls.