Ships sail, siblings clash and winter is coming for Westeros… and they have an ice dragon! Which leaves us much to discuss in our final Game of Thrones Roundtable for the season.

What a ride Season Seven has been! And it all came crashing down to this final hour and a half roller coaster that left us all out of breath. Although it wasn’t the most action packed episode, it was loaded with information bombs, long awaited moments, and some of the best character interactions of the season. With big moves from Sansa and the death of a major character (and a very satisfying one!), to a scene that brought almost the entire main cast together, this finale certainly had the makings of one of the best episodes of the series. Not to mention the whammy of a reveal that this whole mess started with one big fat lie: that Rhaegar Targaryen didn’t kidnap Lyanna Stark, but loved her. And thus, the rightful heir to the Iron Throne came into the world, Jon Snow, who’s real name just happens to be Aegon Targaryen. Now that was one hell of a HOLY CRAP moment…

BEWARE ALL WESTEROSI! For the Wall has come down and the dead are coming for you… with a motherf*cking ice dragon! As winter finally starts falling on King’s Landing and Jon and Dany have a romp in the sheets, the world will never be the same. As the story of the war for Westeros throws itself into the final stretch, this finale left us all wrapped in excitement and terror with plenty of fangirling on the side to fill in the gaps.

So without further ado, let the theorizing, fangirling and ugly crying begin:

• Frankie (@frankieiswell) – Partial hermit, very occasional blogger and Maester in training.
• Austen (@doctorbasill) – All around awesome person and Game of Thrones enthusiast.
• Agus (@JonerysStydia) – Aspiring Argentinian Mother of Dragons and a huge fan of GoT and GRRM.
• MizTish (@HelloTish) – An experienced Public Relations professional by day and a not-so-secret connoisseur of television shows by night.
• Tess (@ScribblingBlind) – Writer for TV After Dark and Mother of her own three little dragons.
• Stacey (@staceyoneale) – Writer for TV After Dark
• Candace (@jaxthevampire) – Writer for Nerdeek Life, professional nerd, book fan and Faceless Man in training.

1. Theon finally voiced his pent-up thoughts about his betrayals of the Starks to the King-in-the-North. Was Jon too hard on him? Not hard enough? Or should he have forgiven him?

Frankie:

I personally can’t stand Theon, so I would have liked to see Jon tear him a new one (to go with his newly crafted vagina). However, the fact that Theon has survived everything, including becoming a human Ken doll, shows that he’s pretty much indestructible. Surely they’ve kept him alive this long because he has an important role to play, right? RIGHT?! I’d be happy if he dies saving Yara at the very least.

Austen:

I really loved the interaction between Jon and Theon. The fact that Jon didn’t make him choose between being a Stark or a Greyjoy but told him to be both was really moving, and it was exactly what Theon needed to hear.

Agus:

He was exactly the way he should be. That is Jon. He believes people and inspires them. Good pep talk. For me, it was foreshadowing about embracing his own parentage. “You’re a Greyjoy and a Stark.” He is a Targaryen and a Stark.

MizTish:

Theon has had a difficult time on GoT and I actually felt a little bit of pity for him. However, Jon does have plenty of reasons to hate Theon. He could have been even harder on Theon for his betrayal of the Starks which lead to a series of unfortunate events for the family. In the end, Jon Snow is a decent individual who often tries to do the right thing by everyone.

Tess:

I think the patience that Jon showed Theon was amazing. He was neither too harsh or too soft. Jon showed heart by letting Theon know that what he had done in the past was indeed unforgivable but that he was trying to forgive what he could. It’s nice to know that he still considers him family despite his evil deeds.

Stacey:

Jon gave the answer we’d expect. Theon did terrible things. But he also suffered quite a bit for his poor choices. And he saved Sansa. I wasn’t surprised that Jon forgave him.

Candace:

Jon was well… Jon. He is right, he grew up to be exactly like Ned Stark, but a far better version. A smarter one. Unlike Ned, Jon suffered a dire betrayal and was killed, but he also came back. Since coming back from the dead he’s been smarter. I’m not surprised that Jon forgave him. However, at first, I was surprised that he basically gives Theon permission to claim the Stark name. Like Jon, Theon spent his childhood in Winterfell in a bit of an identity crisis, and he understands that more than anyone being unable to claim his own name. (Even though that won’t be a problem anymore) And I think the only thing that gave him that clarity was his death. If Jon hadn’t been betrayed and came back from the dead I think that conversation would have gone differently. But he gave Theon closure, and permission to not just move on, but a way to redeem himself.

2. Wow! Sansa, Arya, and Littlefinger. I’m speechless. What are your thoughts on how that played out?

Frankie:

SISTERS ARE DOING IT FOR THEMSELVES! I definitely screamed “YES BITCH!” when Sansa twisted it around on him – I knew Sansa wasn’t as stupid as we all thought and wasn’t really wrapped around his Littlefinger (pun intended). It’s crazy to think that he was responsible for so much for the conflict, but I kind of love his character for it. I will miss that slimy little man, although I thoroughly enjoyed Arya’s savage dispatch of him.

Austen:

Justice!!! Oh, how I’ve been waiting for this moment since season 1. When Sansa called out Lord Baelish the viewing party I was at collectively lost our minds. All season I was frustrated at the unnecessary and forced tension between the Stark girls and yet they were controlled and had a plan the whole time.

Agus:

It was quite good. Arya was meant to kill that horrible, horrible person. I enjoyed seeing him on his knees and begging for his life.

MizTish:

I did not see that coming at all! The tables turned quickly for the always smug Littlefinger and the manner in which it played out was brilliant! I literally was laughing out loud when Littlefinger was begging for his life to be spared. His demise was long overdue. #SisterPower

Tess:

This happened so fast that my head was left spinning. The end result of this little liaison was utterly and completely satisfying. Sansa and Arya should above all be a team. They’re the incredible sister duo that the North and we all deserve.

Stacey:

Honestly, I saw it coming. Arya is a faceless man. There’s no way Littlefinger could follow her, and she’d not know it. Also, when the sisters argued, they did it in a place where their voices carried for anyone that happened to be listening. Not to mention that Sansa told Jon at the end of season six that only a fool would trust Littlefinger. It ended as I predicted and I loved every second of it.

Candace:

I started this scene muttering “You stupid bitch…” (because what makes her think Arya couldn’t destroy half those people in that room, let’s be real) and ended the scene clapping and yelling at my television “YES BITCH!” As a fan of the books, I’ve been waiting for the moment for about 12 years. Not just for Littlefinger to die, but for Sansa to finally step into the shoes of a more powerful and confident position. I’ll be honest, my relationship with Sansa has been very rocky. But finally… FINALLY, Sansa saw through Littlefinger’s double talk and outsmarted the smartest man in Westeros. And how damn poetic that he dies by the very dagger that started it all. This moment has been building since the first season and just WOW, it was so incredibly satisfying to see that bastard get what he deserves. As inappropriate as his love for Sansa was, it was his undoing. He trusted her with too many secrets and taught her far too well. To see Sansa finally come into her own, in her own home, was a blessing. Sansa is officially in the game of thrones and she’s here to stay ya’ll!

3. Tyrion and Cersei had a long overdue heart to heart. Did that go as you expected it to? Or were you expecting more bloodshed and less wine?

Frankie:

Cersei is no fool. At first, I was surprised at the supposed display of emotion when Tyrion asked her to finally kill him, but you have to remember that everything she does is calculated. She’s always thinking about the long game and she knows appearing to be on his side, at least for the time being, will benefit her in the end. I also really want to see what’s going on under The Mountain’s metal.

Austen: 

I had no idea what to expect during this scene. I knew Cersei wouldn’t just let The Mountain kill Tyrion so I was looking for any other way. For a moment I really thought she had poisoned the wine and it was going to being Lady Olenna all over again. I was pleasantly surprised to be wrong. I didn’t know if Cersei would kill Tyrion but I didn’t expect the meeting to go over as well as it did all things considering. Of course, Cersei can say she was lying and was playing a game the whole time but I do believe at the end of the day the meeting was truly brother and sister having a heart to heart.

Agus:

I think it showed a side of Cersei we haven’t seen before. She does care too much about her blood. She totally blew it up later on, but not killing her two only brothers showed some humanity in her.

MizTish:

I did not have any preconceived notions about what would happen between Tyrion and Cersei when they finally had a face-to-face chat with each other. However, I did expect things to be really intense (and it was) with the possibility of Tyrion losing his life. One key observation I made was that viewers did not get to see how the conversation ended. Was there a compromise made between the two? Did Tyrion promise anything to Cersei in exchange for letting me walk out of her chambers alive? We may possibly find out in Season 8. Remember that Tyrion was hiding/spying on Jon Snow going into Dany’s room. Was he doing reconnaissance for Cersei?

Tess:

I was expecting Cersei to politely listen to her brother and then politely order him to be disposed of, to be perfectly honest. Hats off to Dinklage who played this scene perfectly. You really had the sense that Tyrion himself did not know what to expect or if he would even come away from this talk alive. That being said, I don’t think we saw everything that went on between them from that abrupt cut after he mentions the pregnancy. I’ll be interested to see what kind of deal he made with his sister and if he by any chance has betrayed his Dragon Queen.

Stacey: 

That conversation was one of the best moments in the entire show. I was completely engrossed. But I had a feeling something was up when Cersei didn’t kill him. At that moment, I knew she was playing him. I never expected her to join forces with Dany and Jon. That’s not her. Cersei’s banking that the northerners will kill the undead and she’ll deal with whoever’s left.

Candace: 

I hate Cersei with an absolute passion, but I also adore and root for her at the same time. She’s been held back and been told no her whole life, and now she’s finally in control of the reins and I’m loving it. She is everything that is true about the statement ‘Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned’. But even with her hatred for Tyrion, he is still her family, and there’s nothing Cersei loves and cares about more than her family. I was terrified, honestly terrified that Tyrion was about to die, and from his reaction, he was expecting it as well. It’s definitely one of the best scenes of the series and all of my hats are off to Lena Headey for this episode and so many other moments in past episodes. She conveys so much power and fear in just one look and I am truly baffled she hasn’t won an Emmy yet. GIVE THIS WOMAN AN AWARD.

4. Cersei and Jamie have had a serious falling out. Is there still hope for them or is this the final nail in the coffin for their relationship?

Frankie:

Probably. At least she’ll soon have a new inbred Aryan monster to keep her company, although part of me hopes that The Mountain is the real baby daddy – what the hell would that kid look like? A baby hulk with a blonde wig?! Jaime going on his own to help fight in the North, although noble, is pretty unhelpful. He could have at least taken Bron with him! I’m hoping for a Tormund/Jaime/Brienne love triangle at the very least.

Austen: 

All season there was this tension between Jaime and Cersei and you just had to know this was the only possible conclusion. That being said I don’t think this was a final nail in the coffin moment. But I don’t think Jaime is going to have the chance to go back to Kings Landing to reconcile. So I do think this was the end for them.

Agus:

I hope it is! It’s toxic! She manipulates him as she pleases and that’s not cool. Jamie can be a hero on his own and not a villain.

MizTish:

As we all know, the relationship between Cersei and Jaime is not a traditional brother/sister one. Jaime has put up with a lot of Cersei’s antics because of his romantic love for her. However, I am not sure if she really felt that way about him. She is very manipulative and Jaime was just a pawn in her game to gain ultimate power. I believe that Jaime and Cersei are done. However, I do believe they will cross paths again but as adversaries.

Tess:

I’m gonna say Jamie is probably not Cersei’s boyfriend anymore. I so desperately want him to start acting on his own thoughts and code of honor here that we have seen a change from Season One. Somewhere between our first glimpse of him at Winterfell to the man he has become now in Westeros, he has grown a heart and sense of what is right versus what is right for him and his sister. I’m hoping Jamie will emerge an honest hero from all of this.

Stacey:

That was the coffin. When Brienne is around, she seems to remind him of who he is. In his heart, Jamie is a good guy. He knows they should go North and aid them. When Cersei played another one of her games, he’d finally had enough. It was well overdue in my opinion.

Candace:

Anyone that knows me, knows how much I love Jaime and how much I’ve been praying for him to get away from his Lady Macbeth of a sister. Jaime is so misunderstood because she’s always been the pants in the relationship and pretty much does everything that she asks him. (This isn’t exactly the case in the books and is one of the only things I’ve been disappointed about in the show, but that’s another story). So to finally see an honorable Jaime (YES, I SAID IT. JAIME IS HONORABLE) stand up to Cersei and refuse to go against her madness… well, it scared the ever living sh*t out of me because I was so sure there was no way that she was going to let him walk away. But yet again, Cersei’s love for her family cancels out any kind of hatred she can have for any of them and she let him go. AND I HOPE HE NEVER GOES BACK. I need Jaime to be the honorable man that I know is inside him, that we’ve seen flashes of, and I need everyone to see it.

5. By the gods! Bran revealed that there’s another Targaryen whose claim is better than Dany’s. And he just happens to formerly be a bastard named Jon Snow. What do you think of that reveal?

Frankie:

We all knew this was coming, surely? It was good to have it confirmed, which worked particularly well over the incest display. The question is – will they tell Jon as soon as he reaches Winterfell or will the awaiting battle delay the big reveal? It’s not something you can really shout out over a raging war with the undead. Some Westeros-style Jeremy Kyle is sorely needed.

Austen:

I liked the reveal. I hated what transpired during the reveal but I’ll save that for later. It’s nice to finally have confirmation on who Jon truly is and what that possibly means for season 8.

Agus:

Particularly, as a fan of the books, it was clear to me that Jon was a Targaryen. I loved that they show it was out of love. I think he will be a great ruler but won’t do it alone.

MizTish:

I was not surprised by Bran’s reveal because the entire Season 7 has been leading up to who had the legitimate claim to the throne. The TRUE reveal, in my opinion, came from the conversation between Sam Tarly and his girlfriend Gilly when she discovered Jon Snow’s lineage by reading a journal.

Tess:

I was cheering at this reveal. It’s been shown to us previously that Jon is the son of Ned’s sister and indeed a Stark but what wasn’t shown was the nature of how he was also a Targaryen. We all knew it, but until last week when Gilly mentioned that marriage annulment we didn’t have a clue that it was legitimate and that Jon was conceived out of love rather than an act of selfish wrong. What I took most from this honestly, was pride in Sam for actually paying attention to his girl when I thought what she was saying was going in one ear and out the other.

Stacey:

I wasn’t surprised at all. I’ve read the books, and that’s been a popular theory for a long time. The only thing that confused me was the name. I’m still not sure if he’s named after Aegon Targaryen or Maester Aemon. They were brothers. It could be kind of awesome if he’s named after someone he knew.

Candace:

As a book reader, the popular theory for ages has been that Jon was the son of Prince Rhaegar and Lyanna Stark. Obviously, that was confirmed last season. However, I never thought for a second that he would end up being the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne. Even though we learned this information a few episodes ago thanks to Gilly (Oh boy did I do some flips in celebration during that scene), I was actually hoping that Sam would arrive in Winterfell and have an enlightening conversation with Bran and VIOLA, IT HAPPENED. Oh man, Ser Davos is sure going to have a bigger list when he introduces Jon…I mean Aegon from now on.

6. So Jon and Dany’s relationship has certainly… escalated a bit. What did you make of that development?

Frankie:

Again, not a big surprise! The sexual tension between those two was wetter than the narrow sea. We all knew it was coming, but we also all knew she was his Aunt. Still, the precedent for incest on the show was set long ago, so maybe everyone will be cool with it? I did feel for poor Jorah though. We’ve affectionately nicknamed him “Friendzone”. You just know he has tucked away in his cabin somewhere, eating Ben and Jerry’s and having a little weep while they were going at it.

Austen:

All season I’ve been against this forced sexual tension between Jon and Dany. Because that’s what it is. Forced. It’s fan fiction writing and it’s such a disservice to both characters. I refuse to get behind incest when that’s what it is. THAT scene we’re talking about literally takes place as we’re getting told Dany is Jon’s Aunt. I really don’t have a whole lot else to say about it. I’m frustrated.

Agus:

F***ing amazing! I’ve been shipping these two since 2011. The books foreshadow them together and so did the show and both of them being Targaryens just makes it better. It means that somehow the family name won’t be extinct. So tender and so loving. How they just look at each makes me cry.

MizTish:

I predict that Jon and Dany’s “encounter” and romantic attraction to each other will be problematic as viewers will probably see develop in Season 8. Jon does not know that he is the rightful heir to the throne and he does not know he is directly related to Dany. He has willingly “bent the knee” to Dany as his queen so when it is revealed that Jon is the rightful king, it could cause a huge riff. On the flip side, Jon and

Tess:

I wanted to be happy about this because I hardcore shipped these two as far as loving secretive glances and the chemistry between them is hotter than dragon fire. However, what I liked most about this was that they do NOT know they’re related when they’re looking at each other that way. I’m having a hard time getting over that they’re Aunt and Nephew and now intimate. I guess it could be worse, they COULD be brother and sister. All in all, I’m confused about my feelings on this. I cheer, yet I cringe weep all at the same time.

Stacey:

I have mixed feelings. Okay, the incest portion is terrible, I admit. But that’s how the Targaryen’s do things. I’m more concerned about what happens when Dany finds out he has a stronger claim to the throne than she does. It’s not going to go well. I’m hoping that since she loves him, she may not kill him. Also, I think she’s going to be pregnant.

Candace:

You can sue me, disown me or crucify me all you want BECAUSE THE SHIP HAS SAILED AND JON AND DANY ARE OFFICIALLY CANON. This has been my long, secret wish since I finished the first book 12 years ago and WOW what a beautiful scene. From the moment they met earlier this season, the tension was obvious and the chemistry was absolute fire, whether sexual or otherwise. And I couldn’t honestly care less about them being related. Targaryens have been marrying sibling to sibling for centuries. The man that Jon is named after, the first Aegon Targaryen, is the one that made the incestuous marriage popular. Now, I’m not saying I’d be okay with it in real life, but this is Westeros we are talking about and it’s nothing new when it comes to Targaryens. (And she’s also probably going to be pregnant and I really need to see Dany with a baby bump being badass while on Drogon’s back.) Of course, it will cause issues, because this is Game of Thrones and no love story has ever ended well. But for now, I’m going to stew in absolute happiness until this is taken away from me.

7. Goodbye to the Wall. Hello to the Night King on an undead Viserion breathing blue flame. And now there are thousands of wights marching south. How about that cliffhanger?

Frankie:

Pretty good! My main concern, as always, is for Tormund’s safety – surely his fire-kissed face will melt a few white walkers? If the next season doesn’t open with the biggest battle of the whole show, I will be throwing a Joffrey-style hissy fit. I’ve heard rumours that we won’t be getting another season until 2019, so we’d better all start praying to the Lord of the Light for a faster turnaround!
Austen: This was the only way this season could’ve ended and by god was it glorious. Seeing all the wights walk right on past the now destroyed wall while the Night King rides on Viserion (also was Viserion faster because he seemed much faster) really puts into perspective how screwed everyone is. Like there’s just no way this ends well. For anyone.

Agus:

RIP Westeros. I mean, sh*t is coming. I guess next season will be quite scary. Hoping for heroes to make it out alive! It was an amazing episode!

MizTish:

Now that was a cliffhanger that I did NOT see coming! Of course, we all knew the wights were marching south and that the undead Viserion was going to play some role in their migration towards The Wall, but I did not expect the dragon to spew blue (ice?) flames that would eventually bring down The Wall. It was awesome!

Tess:

We all knew the Ice Dragon was coming. What we didn’t know was that the NIght King would go straight for the gold and take down the wall so readily and efficiently. All of those undead soldiers mean business and it looks like they’re determined to take over the world as quickly as possible with little to no fuss involved. They’re invincible (or at least they think they are) and they know it. The real cliffhanger for me though? IS TORMUND ALIVE? IS HE OKAY? I will not be able to sleep soundly until I am assured of his safety! He cannot live Brienne a war widow!!

Stacey:

The showrunners said they were going to end things on a negative because they ended on a positive in season six. Knowing that I assumed the wall was going to come down. I thought they were going to use that horn (if you’ve read the books you know what I’m talking about) so the dragon aspect was a complete surprise. Overall I thought that was a cool scene from a visual standpoint.

Candace:

WINTER IS HERE AND IT HAS AN ICE DRAGON. I’m so glad they went with the blue fire. This war just got super real, super fast and seeing as Cersei is refusing to help, Dany and Jon and company have on hell of a fight on their hands. As Beric stated in episode 6, they have to kill the Night King and the entire army will fall. The question is, how many more dragons will die before that happens? I think it’s clear that Drogon and Rhaegal are going to be instrumental in their fight against the Night King, and I’m hoping that means that Rhaegal finally gets a rider, and by that I mean Jon. As for Beric and Tormund, I have a feeling we haven’t seen the last of them yet. It was one hell of a cliffhanger.

Final Verdict: Kings, Queens and Ice Dragons, OH MY! – This rollercoaster of a finale leaves your heart pounding, all the breath knocked out of her lungs and wishing we didn’t have to face such a long hiatus.

This is not only one of the best episodes of the series, but overall, it has definitely been the best season. HBO has always shown a superior class of entertainment, and Game of Thrones has once again proven itself to be worthy of that title. The writing was powerful and compelling, bringing together nearly all the main characters in one scene that was more like a subtle hunger game of intimidation than a peaceful negotiation. We have watched these characters for 7 years and seeing them finally come to head in one scene left emotions high, unable to choose who you wanted to root for. No matter what, someone you love is going to end up on the losing side. It just goes to show how absolutely exceptional the writers have been with their patchwork.

The best part of the episode is how many long awaited moments we were served on a silver platter. The death of Littlefinger, the redemption of Theon, the reunion of Cersei and Tyrion, Jaime leaving King’s Landing, the union of Jon and Daenerys. These are all things that have been building up for multiple if not all seasons and they all concluded in ONE. SINGLE. EPISODE

Flawless. It’s not an easy word to achieve when it comes to television. But when it comes to Game of Thrones this episode is one of the closest examples of flawless that the series has. Superior writing, excellent performances, and a damn cool ice dragon: it’s hard to even nitpick little things that went wrong. Some complain that Jon and Daenerys have a forced sexual tension, I call it chemistry. Some say that the passage of time is hard to follow throughout the whole season and there should have been more episodes, I call it great editing. When it comes down to it, storytelling is about emotion. And this episode, this whole season, was one hell of an emotional hurricane. I cried, I laughed, I pulled out my hair and I was terrified. That’s what great television does, and Game of Thrones is one of the best at it.

Rumor is the final season isn’t slated until 2019.

In the face of this coming hiatus, I plan on filling it with as many Game of Thrones marathons as possible. Maybe even reading the books again. Yo, GRRM, book six would be nice to pass the time. But when the time finally comes, I’ll be there with my GOT parties every Sunday night, stress eating ice cream, as the end of the story unfolds.