Knee-Jerk Reactions to “The Last of the Starks”
VALYRIAN STEEL FIVE: Sansa chats with the Hound.
This was a lovely little scene between two characters who had never shared much time together. She’s a match for him now, and he likes it. Despite his violent nature and flaws, the Hound has always been protective of the Stark girls. He’d never admit it, but he’s impressed and proud of both Sansa and Arya.
VALYRIAN STEEL FOUR: Arya puts an arrow through Gendry’s heart.
This was a wonderfully conceived and executed scene, even though it’s ultimately a sad one. We all knew that Arya would refuse the newly-appointed Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm’s End once he asked for her hand in marriage, because she would never be a lady.
What’s interesting is how Gendry, a man who has lived in a fairly normal environment for much of his life, can find good fortune and react with excitement and happiness, welling up with a sense of hope for the future. Arya, on the other hand, is a woman forged by tragedy and revenge who has lived anything but a normal life, and who does not expect to survive the next chapter of her journey.
VALYRIAN STEEL THREE: Tyrion and Varys finally get a decent scene together.
I’ve been complaining that these two guys haven’t had a decent meaty scene together since they parted in Meereen, and tonight they got two. It reminded us of how effective Tyrion and Varys are as partners, and it feels like Daenerys for a long time hasn’t been afforded the wealth of their combined efforts. But it was a short-lived joy for me because now (since Tyrion blabbed about Jon’s true bloodline) Varys is being all weird and spidery about everything.
VALYRIAN STEEL TWO: Arya and the Hound go solo once again.
While most everybody else wants to revel in wine and human contact after the brutal Battle of Winterfell, Arya and the Hound remain faithful to their natures as lone warriors. They’re certainly human — Arya takes comfort in Gendry’s arms, the Hound in alcohol and food — but the ranks of armies are not where they ultimately belong.
These two are now traveling south together, each on an individual quest: the Hound to face his brother the Mountain, and Arya to stick the pointy end in Cersei. Neither seems to expect to survive.
VALYRIAN STEEL ONE: Tyrion makes one last appeal to Cersei.
It was crushing to watch Tyrion march up to the gates of King’s Landing and make his last, heartfelt appeal to Cersei’s better nature. Despite his sister’s cruelty towards him, Tyrion has always believed there was good in her heart, even if she only capable of showing it to her children.
With Cersei’s refusal to capitulate, along with her order to execute Missandei, Tyrion’s long-held hope that he might be able to negotiate with Cersei is wiped away; it looks like Tyrion loses a piece of himself with that realization, as well.
