Off Topic: Everybody’s making poor decisions on “The Last of the Starks” (Game of Thrones S8E4)

Tonight’s Game of Thrones episode may have followed one of the biggest episodes of the whole series, but that doesn’t mean it didn’t still have a major impact on the story to come.

Obvious warning: Spoilers follow below. Continue reading at your own risk.

Going into tonight’s episode, there was a feeling of unease — we’d seen three episodes, but there were still three episodes left. And unlike the battle with the Night King — which, barring a total surprise in which the undead had won — we don’t really know anything about what will happen going forward. Turns out, going forward is likely going to feel a lot more tense than anything the Battle of Winterfell gave us.

After a joyful celebration at Winterfell in which basically everyone except Dany, Varys, and Arya get drunk, we move into what Game of Thrones does best: Political plotting. Beginning with a scene that moves from “Oh right, they’re still related… but love?” to “…That doesn’t bode well” real quickly, we jump from “Jon tells his siblings” to “Sansa tells Tyrion” to “Tyrion tells Varys” in a series of events that likely would have taken a whole season to work through in the past. The final event in that series takes place as Dany is sailing toward King’s Landing — and is surprised by bad-boy Euron and some catapults.

Beginning with one giant-sized arrow to the belly, followed up quickly by an arrow to the wing and a kill shot through the face (ow…), Dany loses a dragon before anyone really knows what’s happening. And even though she takes her one remaining dragon and turns around before it can get shot down, Euron still has a fleet of giant-arrow-bearing ships who take aim at Dany’s fleet. The fleet is decimated, and the next we see of anyone, Dany’s troops are washing up on shore… but Missandei is noticeably not among them. While it briefly seemed like she might have been killed in the attack, the reality is much worse — she’s been taken captive by Cersei.

Speaking of Cersei, her plan to best Dany involves putting thousands of innocents between the two of them. To take the Iron Throne, Dany must kill them. As Dany seems more and more intent on taking the Throne no matter what, Varys and Tyrion discuss what — as Tyrion quickly points out — amounts to treason against their Queen. Tyrion believes in Dany, but Varys leaves with the not-so-subtle implication that he’ll be fine with Dany being out of the picture if it best serves the realm.

As we approach the end of the episode, Dany and Cersei have their Hands of the Queen meet to discuss terms of surrender. Dany insists that Cersei surrender in exchange for her life, Cersei insists Dany surrender or Missandei will be killed. Given her previous scene in which she only agrees to this so “the people know she tried everything,” it seems obvious she knows this will not end in agreement. And even though Tyrion tries his damnedest, no one surrenders. Cersei gives Missandei a chance to say her last words — which, frankly, seems like a surprisingly kind gesture coming from her — and Missandei has but one thing to say: “Dracarys.”

Then Missandei is beheaded right before their eyes.

After a lingering look on Dany, who has become the definition of “if looks could kill,” the episode ends. Two more to go.

Misc. notes:

• Jon is the worst dog owner ever. But at least Ghost is alive (somehow).
• After being declared Lord of Storm’s End, Gendry moves way too fast and asks Arya to be his Lady. She shoots him down harder than a dragon with an arrow in its face. OOF.
• Gilly is preggers! If it’s a boy, they’ll name the child Jon after their good friend… Aegon.
• Jaime takes Brienne’s virginity in what looks to be a genuinely nice turn for both characters, only to immediately turn around and be a total ass.
• Cersei tells Euron her baby is his (it’s not), only to have Tyrion come up and already know she’s pregnant. Euron would have to be a complete idiot to not pick up on that, but he may very well be a complete idiot. And even if he’s not, will he care?
• Dracarys.