Why Arya Mad at Thrones?
The Long Night leaves some fans longing
This is it. The culmination of years of hard work and storytelling. So many characters. The end is near and it all comes down to a Stark.
Sorry, wrong franchise. I’m talking about Game of Thrones and if you haven’t seen episode three, The Long Night, and don’t want to be Unsullied, I suggest you make like Gendry and disappear for a while.
***WARNING: SPOILERS BELOW!!!***
What Happened?
The Night King and his army of the dead march into Winterfell after decimating all of the living and turning them into wights. As Bran predicted, the Night King comes for him.
They face off in front of a tree with a face. All hope is lost. Dany is busy getting saved by a man who dies in the friend zone and Jon is screaming at a dragon till he’s about to get blue in the face. Theon takes a stab and is rewarded with one. Everyone is f*cked!
Out of the darkness springs Ayra, but she’s caught in mid-air by the Night King. She performs the old switcheroo and stabs the Night King in the heart. The same spot that was used by the Children of the Forest to create him. The king goes down along with his armies. Winter is no longer in season.
The Problem
As satisfying as this end was to many, some found it terribly underwhelming. A conflict that’s been brewing since the first episode of Thrones is cut short by a short character no one expected to do the cutting.
Where was the rematch between Jon and the Night King? Why didn’t Bran warg into a dragon and instead chose some ravens to get a birds-eye view of events?
This is the problem with expectations. It irks us when things don’t go to plan. Then again, when has Game of Thrones ever stuck to a plan?
Game of Thrones has built a fanbase around subverting expectations. Fantasy tropes are used as playthings. Why is anyone surprised they’d play with our expectations once again in the final hour?
Too Dark
Another issue the episode seemed to face was its darkness, and I don’t mean the subject matter. If it wasn’t for Melisandre lighting various weapons we’d be staring at a black screen all night. I had to check if the TV on a few times.
It’s a pity. HBO must have spent a fortune bringing the Night King and his armies to life, so to speak. All three dragons had a reunion this episode. The special effects were the best we’ve never seen!
Perhaps they’ve saved the best for the final battle which I suspect will be lit up like a football stadium. There should be fighting on foot, sea, and air. At least one dragon survived. There could even be elephants if Cersei gets her way.
Defeated Too Quickly
Another complaint from fans of the show was how quickly Winter had passed. The Night King didn’t really put up much of a fight. Really? Are you watching the same show?
The Night King dominated Winterfell for most of the episode! It wasn’t until Bran was within arm’s reach that the Night King got his comeuppance.
It’s a good thing too. Fancy going after a disabled person!
What About Azor Ahai?
What about it? Prophecy has always been a tricky thing in Game of Thrones.
“Prophecy is like a half-trained mule. It looks as though it might be useful, but the moment you trust in it, it kicks you in the head.” – Tyrion
The prophecy of Azor Ahai or The Prince That Was Promised has baffled fans since the first time it was introduced. Who will this mythical hero who will save us from Winter be? Melisandre, queen of prophecy, believed Stannis was it. Even burning an innocent child to prove it. Sorry, he dead.
At one stage, Jon’s father Rhaegar thought he was the chosen one. Then changed his mind and thought his kid would be it. For a long time, both Jon and Dany have been hinted to be Azor Ahai, then we thought that burden might go to their child. If they have one! Who knows with this show?
Now, it looks like we were all wrong and Arya is Azor Ahai reborn! Argh! I need a drink.
What Now?
The best thing to do with expectations is to leave them at the door before you go in.
Game of Thrones built a name for itself shocking people and they may have saved the best for last. Forget trying to guess how it will go down and let the show do what it was meant to do. We’re not at the finish line yet and the prophecy may ring true by series’ end.
Or not. Just enjoy the ride.
*All images courtesy of HBO and Marvel.
Thanks for reading. How do you think it ends? Leave your thoughts below.
