‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6 Finale Review: Wildfire, Lyannas, R+L=J theory and Daenerys Targaryen’s glorious fleet [SPOILERS]
GOT 6 Ep. 10 ‘Winds of Winter’ original air date on HBO: June 26, 2016
“Game of Thrones” Season 6 finale (“Winds of Winter”) aired June 26 on HBO, validating Bran Stark’s (Isaac Hempstead Wright) wildfire vision and almost confirming the R+L=J theory. Lyanna Stark (Cordelia Hill) and Lyanna Mormont (Bella Ramsey) show love for Jon Snow (Kit Harington), while Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) sails from Dragons’ Bay to Westeros with her fleet and the Hand of the Queen, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage).
Spoiler alert: This GOT 6x10 review contains major “Game of Thrones” Season 6 spoilers. Several characters died in this episode of HBO’s adaptation of George R.R. Martin’s “A Song Of Ice And Fire” (ASOIAF). While book readers are still waiting for the “Winds of Winter” release, the developments on HBO should be enough for now.
‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6, Ep. 10: ‘Winds of Winter’ wildfire as Cersei Lannister’s explosive revenge
Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) is now officially childless as a result of her vengeful move against the High Sparrow and her enemies. Her beloved Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) arrives in King’s Landing just in time to see her sit at the Iron Throne as the Queen of Westeros. Jamie does not look thrilled to see Cersei get this so much power. After all, their son Tommen has just died of suicide.
As evil as Cersei may have been in the past, viewers have not seen the worst. Cersei is now in uncharted waters after losing three children and earning the crown. How will her wildfire protect her from Dany’s dragons, though?
Cersei’s wildfire left Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) a lonely and vengeful woman. Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) dies in GOT 6x10 along with her father and brother. Varys a.k.a. the Spider (Conleth Hill) comes along just in time to seal an alliance with Olenna and Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma) to make sure that Danerys will have friends in Westeros when they arrive in their glorious fleet.
Cersei’s reign has just begun, but it is not looking good for the queen in the Iron Throne. After all, Maggy the woods witch once told her that she would be queen, only for a while. A younger woman will take away everything she held dear – and it’s not Margaery. It’s the khaleesi, and as Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman) said, no one know what’s coming to Westeros.
In ASOIAF, Maggy also warned Cersei about valonqar (High Valyrian for "little brother"), who now happens to be Daenerys’ most trusted counsel. Cersei’s enemies are lining up nicely. Meanwhile, her other enemy, Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), is back home in Winterfell.
‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6 Finale: R+L = J Theory (almost) confirmed as Jon Snow becomes King of the North
In a vision, Bran Stark learns that his Aunt Lyanna died of childbirth, and she entrusted the baby to Ned Stark (Robert Aramayo). Although Lyanna does not mention Jon’s name, the words “promise me” were enough for fans to conclude that Lyanna asked Ned to protect Jon at all cost. A close up shot of Lyanna’s baby segued to present-day Jon Snow in Winterfell, who was then moments away from being declared King of the North.
After admonishing Northern leaders for not supporting Jon Snow in his fight against the Boltons, the 10-year-old ruler Lyanna Mormont declares Jon is the only king she would recognize until his last breath. For the fans, two Lyannas in the GOT 6 finale confirm that Jon Snow is the son of Lyanna Stark.
It was long implied in “Game Of Thrones” that Prince Rhaegar Targaryen has abducted Lyanna, but some fans are convinced that the two were in-love. If Rhaegar is indeed Jon Snow’s father, the King of the North really knows nothing.
Winterfell is not going to submit to Cersei’s rule, which means an alliance with Daenerys Targaryen, Ellaria and Olenna is coming in the final seasons of the HBO adaptation. It is believed that there will be only two shortened seasons left to look forward to. The end is near as more questions get answered and more deaths come to pass.
“Winds of Winter” astounds in many levels – from the opening music to big developments, to last moments featuring the Targaryen fleet. This could be the most difficult wait for GOT fans who know the HBO series is ending and they would be in a terrible state of great separation anxiety.
The “Game of Thrones” Season 6 finale was written by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss, and directed by Miguel Sapochnik. GOT 7 is expected to air sometime in the first half of 2017.
