This sequence is the concession in the premiere toward the knowledge that we've entered the endgame. After all, Game of Thrones season premieres are notorious for their stately and regal pacing. And while this episode mostly maintains that heavy emphasis on exposition-a bit too much during the King's Landing scenes if we're being honest-as a whole, the hour flew by with extra tender loving care given to character dynamics. Presumably, it comes with the territory of nuking half the cast with green fire and ended contracts. The episode does not play coy. Every viewer has the image of Arya in sheer ecstasy etched into their memory as she held Walder Frey's body, convulsing in each wondrous death rattle. As soon as Walder Frey's face opens this evening's festivities, it's obvious this is Arya, and she is going to take the entire Frey family line with her. And special props to David Bradley, who slyly inhabits a different character in spite of relishing Walder's familiar, booming awfulness. N any event, as Arya steals the whole show, at least during the premiere, I hope that she also made sure to off that nasty little band from the Red Wedding too. That way Will Champion could've also enjoyed his very own cameoing Game of Thrones death. Arya can't resist telling them that she still intends to kill the queen. It's fascinating to watch Maisie Williams in this moment for there is noticeable disappointment flickering in her eyes as they laugh it off. Surely, what kind of teenage naive would actually volunteer a penchant for treason? But these boyos take it in better stride than protestors at a production of Julius Caesar. This is a disappointment to the she-wolf, because even after hearing their sob stories, Arya seemed to covet the idea of them taking offense or raising a sword against her. Nothing like a good workout of fencing and dismemberment. Daenerys now owns the world's largest supply of Dragonglass and actual dragons. The weapons needed to vanquish her foes, both human and dead. She will be the arbiter of all's fate. And even if she has heard nothing of White Walkers, she is clear on this fact as she stands above Stannis' very own Dungeons & Dragons tabletop layout (it's almost like this show was created by nerds). And then she says, "Shall we begin?". To make matters worse, his headmaster isn't Dumbledore, nor is he even Professor Slughorn, despite being played by the same actor. Aye, Grand Maester Jim Broadbent adds a magical touch to the proceedings, but as Game of Thrones writers have teased, this ain't Hogwarts. This teacher sounds more like Michael Crichton's Ian Malcolm, and not the cuddly fun one that Steven Spielberg and Jeff Goldblum softened for viewers. Nay, this is someone who looks at ecological Armageddon, be it climate change or White Walkers, and shrugs just as Crichton did to the real existential threat, or as how Malcolm would at human extinction. "Meh, history goes on, the world goes on, and life will find a way, even if it kills us all in the process."
Review of Dragonstone
