“Eastwatch” Throws Subtelty Out of the Window
With just over a season left to go, the show decides it’s time to stop playing cultural archeologist in Westeros
Leave to a show like Game of Thrones to follow up an episode where a literal dragon burned literal thousands of soldiers to smouldering powder with an episode that was largely all talk and make it seem more significant and exciting than its predecessor. “Eastwatch” was packed with reveals big and small, shifts and alliances and is the most important episode in the seasons because of its implications down the line for like… literally everything.
Over the first five seasons, the show’s creators and George R. R. Martin (FINISH THE BOOKS!!!) have carefully laid out clues and hints throughout the Westeros universe about the true identities of certain characters. The most prominent theory that was around is that of Jon Snow being The Prince That Was Promised. While never overtly stating this out loud, the show left clues big and small for fans to discover, sprawling copious reddit arguments and counter theories and sustaining the reddit conspiracy economy almost all on its own. It’s season six and now ain’t nobody got time for that.
Overall, “Eastwatch” felt like a compendium of /r/GameOfThrones greatest hits. Whether it’s ending the world’s longest wait for the world’s most obvious punchline or the groundbreaking reveal that Jon Snow, a proper lad, is in fact an heir to the Iron Throne and the legal son of Rhaegar Targaryen. And if you didn’t quite catch that fact, it’s because it was so quickly brushed over by peak mansplainer — Sam Tarly.
So what does this mean to the show? Does Jon Snow care that he is the prince? Given his personality, I don’t think he does. He has transcended caring about petty bullshit like the throne and is now focused on a more imminent and clear danger — the army of the dead, which is still around in case you forgot (which you can be forgiven for given, you know, dragons). I don’t know if the reveal in the books will be as obvious and in your face (it might not, but then again, we might not even get to read them like ever), but with just under 10 episodes left, it’s time to start wrapping up the loose ends.
Jon’s true identity, while still unbeknown to him shifts the show’s dynamic from a “merry misadventures of a diverse group of characters with various motivations” to “the Jon Snow story.” Everything that happens in this show is now firmly in the Snow orbit. Sure, there are many others still in play and we’ll get to them shortly, but Jon Snow, his heritage, his special bond with Drogon (which seemed to kind of turn Dany on, which is weird that GRRM made us ‘ship relatives for six seasons given that you know, he’s known all the time) and the fact that he seems focused on saving the realm with his band of merry merry men (which, you know, I think warrants at least a 5 season spin off). Speaking of which, as they revealed Jon Snow’s companions for his journey of death my excitement rose proportionately. Sassy Gendry?! TORMUND?!! THE HOUND!!!!!!!
But what about everyone else? This episode managed to give it’s MAJOR (all caps) reveal all of 3 seconds of screen time because there was so much else going on. The Dragon’s are finally in play and staring one down may be something that pushes Jaime Lannister to if not switch sides at least reconsider his course of action, which may speed up another theory that has been circulating reddit for a while now. His moment with Tyrion was poignant and powerful. Tyrion not only got to remind Jaime what kind of monster his father was, but he also finally broke and in no uncertain terms admitted that he was the only one who got to see that side of Tywin. Was it a subtle jab that Jaime is oblivious of negative qualities of those closest to him? Is that the subtle push to position him against Cersei? We didn’t get enough time to contemplate this.
In Winterfell, Littlefinger cannot stop playing the game. Seemingly dead in the water for most of the season, he seems to have regained his footing in playing two sisters against each other. Chaos is indeed a ladder and he seems to be manufacturing chaos in order to put himself back in the position of power. It once again does feel like Sansa is not as innocent as she seems, but it would be weirdly poetic and so very Game of Thrones for Arya’s actions be what pushes her sister to the life of Cersei the sequel. The dynamic between the two hasn’t been the same and it’s clearly driving a wedge between them. If only there was someone in their family line who you know, did lots of mushrooms which granted him an ability to transcend space and time and discover everyone’s motivation by simply rummaging through their past. Nope. Can’t think of anyone.
Speaking of Bran. Stay trippy my dude.
Finally, we can’t wrap up a discussion of “Eastwatch” without bringing up the fact that Davos has steadily built a case for being the Season 6 MVP so far. He was not only the one with the best lines, he also has been subtly pulling all the right strings to facilitate plot advances. He’s the smuggler they needed to get into King’s Landing. He’s the one line king. He knew where Gendry was. And he went full Deadpool to deliver the best callback to reddit the show has ever had.
See you next week.
