WARNING: This post contains spoilers for season 8.
So much went down on Game of Thrones during episode 3 of season 8, and we are still recovering while we remain in utter shock. The Night King was killed, (go Arya)!, and a handful of beloved characters died in the Battle of Winterfell. The episode titled “The Long Night” is so incredible that if this were the last episode of the series, fans of the epic HBO saga would feel satisfied. Not only was it arguably the best episode in the entire series, but episode 3 of season 8 in itself can easily be noted as one of the greatest episodes of any TV show in television history.
Although so much has been resolved in this episode alone, there are still several more things that we need answers to before Game of Thrones is over. What still needs to be resolved?
CERSEI KILLED BY ONE OF HER BROTHERS
The thought of Cersei being killed by one of her brothers is shocking, yet the “shocking” moments on the HBO series are all part of what makes Game of Thrones so incredibly epic. Why do we think she could be killed by one of her brothers? In the books, a young Cersei visits a fortune teller named Maggie The Frog and she reveals this information to the future queen: “And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.”
What is valonqar? It turns out the word is high valyrian for “little brother”. Will this play a part in the HBO series? When we hear “little brother”, we automatically think of Tyrion, yet Jaime is also younger than her. He was born shortly after Cersei while holding her foot.
Honestly, in the world of Game of Thrones, it would make sense for her to be killed by the person she loves the most. Leave it to George RR Martin to create the harshest death scenes.
ARYA’S STATUS
“What do we say to the God of Death?”
“Not today…”
Well, it happened. Arya Stark has proven yet again that she is the most badass character on Game of Thrones. We knew it when she killed Walder Frey and we know it now that she straight up saved the day by stabbing The Night King. All she had to do was take her Valyrian steel dagger and “stick em with the pointy end”. This action alone led to the rest of the White Walkers crumbling to their demise and if that doesn’t deserve a giant reward, what does?
Arya deserves some kind of praise or position of higher status for her actions, so what will it be? Only time will tell, but we can’t wait to see next week how people will react to Arya’s game-changing moment. How will Sansa react? What will The Hound say? Will Gendry be thrilled that his girl saved the day?
All will hopefully be revealed on Sunday night.
JON AND DAENERYS
Relationships are complicated. Sometimes you find out your significant other isn’t everything you have always pictured them to be. Maybe they’re lazier than you expected. Maybe they never do their laundry even though you have asked them to countless times. Maybe they’re actually your nephew/aunt and you don’t realize it until it’s too late (and too awkward). This is the case with Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen, who are both of Targaryen blood. Yikes! I sense trouble in paradise.
If the two were on Facebook, their relationship status would more certainly be “It’s Complicated”. Lord Varys says it best as he gazes at the “handsome” couple, Daenerys and Jon. He says “nothing lasts”, which could indicate some major foreshadowing into the future of their relationship.
THE TORMUND/BRIENNE/JAIME LOVE TRIANGLE
The love triangle between Brienne, Jaime, and Tormund, is perhaps the funniest and most light-hearted element in the entire series. Fans howled with laughter when Tormund tried to impress the knight with his “giant’s milk” monologue, and hopefully, we will see more of these hilarious interactions in the next three episodes.
Although Tormund sees Brienne as this magical unicorn goddess, it is unclear whether or not Brienne returns any of his feelings. We do know however that she is in love with Jaime. It looks like Jaime is starting to fall in love with Brienne as well, so only time will tell what will become of their relationship. The big question is, how will Cersei react?
BRAN AND JAIME’S RELATIONSHIP
“The things we do for love.”
In the very first episode of Game of Thrones, premiering April 17th, 2011, Bran catches Jaime and Cersei making love while climbing to the top of the tower. Jaime famously reacts by pushing Bran off the tower, yet before pushing him he says in his cocky way, “The things I do for love.” A whole lot has changed since that moment with Jaime. Back then, his hair was longer, he had two hands rather than one, and he was a lot more selfish. It’s interesting when Bran decides not to rat Jaime out to join their side in the Battle of Winterfell, but that doesn’t mean he has forgiven him quite yet.
DAENERYS VS CERSEI
“We rip her out, root and stem.” - Daenerys, season 8 episode 4 trailer.
It seems as though we have been waiting for the entire series to see Cersei and Daenerys finally interact. They are easily the most ambitious characters on the show with perhaps the most hunger for power as well. It’s hard to tell who will win the final battle because both have a lot going for them. While Cersei may not have her elephants, she has a huge army on her side that is left safe and unharmed for the time being because she refused to send the Lannister soldiers to fight the Battle of Winterfell. Cersei might still have some wildfire left as well, yet as seen from previous seasons, Daenerys seems to be fireproof as the Mother of Dragons.
Who will “rip out” who?
ARYA AND GENDRY
Gendry: I’ve never had a family
Arya: I can be your family
Genry: You wouldn’t be my family. You’d be my lady.
In episode 2 of season 8, we were all cheering for Arya who finally got to experience romance for pretty much the first time in the show’s history. Arya and Gendry always seemed to have a certain spark between them which is why it was so rewarding to see the two go from friends to lovers in one night. What else are you gonna do when the world is about to end? Arya deserves all of the love she can possibly get, especially after killing The Night King! It will be exciting to see how Gendry will praise his old friend/newfound lover for saving the day. In the trailer for episode 4 of season 8, the two are seen kissing, so it looks as though there will be more to their love story in the final episodes of the series.
CERSEI AND EURON
Season 8 has brought up a lot of steam between Cersei Lannister and Euron Greyjoy. As we can see in the trailer for the fourth episode of this season, it looks as though Euron is about to propose to Cersei. Will anything come out of this relationship? They seem like a healthy match considering how destructive and ruthless they both are, yet what about Cersei’s love for her brother Jamie? The entire series has been set on their forbidden love for each other so what will become of their romance? Perhaps the siblings have both moved on from their incestuous relations and Jaime will end up with Brienne while Cersei will end up with Euron. Yet realistically, the chances of either of them “ending up” with anyone seems highly unlikely, considering how many people will be killed in the upcoming episodes.
DAENERYS VS. SANSA
Daenerys to Sansa: I can’t help but feel we’re at odds with each other… why is that?
Daenerys and Sansa have had a pretty cold start. From their first interaction, it seemed as though Sansa had a strong disliking towards the Mother of Dragons and this hostility never seemed to fade as the episodes progressed. Sansa refuses to bow down to anyone which means she refuses to bow down to the breaker of chains.
What will become of the two characters? Will they be able to resolve their differences or is that just way too unlikely for Game of Thrones? It seemed as though the two were almost warming up to each other during their chat about Jon, yet their conversation quickly turned sour which ultimately led to Sansa and Daenerys having more anger and hostility towards each other than ever before.
THE IRON THRONE
The biggest question still remains. Who will win a seat on the Iron Throne? It seems so impossible to tell who on Game of Thrones will get to sit on the most powerful throne because there are so many possibilities and outcomes. Game of Thrones is known for throwing giant twists our way so as much as we might think it will be Jon or Daenerys, perhaps George RR Martin and the team of writers on the HBO series will throw us a giant curveball and take us all by full surprise. It wouldn’t be the first time for the show to do something of this nature. We will just have to sit tight and wait for the last three episodes to see who will take the spot.
