Unlike with previous season finale's, this one seemed to rely less on setting up next season, as it did on giving a definitive ending to some of the character arcs of the season itself. However, one of the ways it did manage to make sure we tune in again for next season was through the introduction of a new set of characters known as "The Children"; a mysterious group of beings, who taught the first men about The Old Gods and carved the faces into the weirwood trees. Although child-like in appearence, they are in fact an entirely different species to humans, and existed before the first men arrived in Westeros. "The Children" are shown to be able to harness magical abilities, such as producing fireballs from their hands, and it is also revealed that they helped the first men build "The Wall", which was originally constructed as a barrier to keep out the white walkers. "The children" may also portend to Tywin's children, who collectively lead to his death, both directly and indirectly. After Jaime breaks him out of his cell, Tyrion proves that "A Lannister always pays their debts", by killing Tywin whilst he is on the throne, although this one is made of porcelain, rather than the Swords of his defeated enemies... The murder also crosses yet another Chekhovs gun off the list, this time in the form of the late Joffreys crossbow, used in his absence, by his uncle Tyrion, to kill Joffreys grandfather... on both sides.
