When they slowed things down about half way in with that tension build before and during the bells and surrender, the quality really ramped up into a masterpiece of shock and terror, starting with that first flaming of the citizens. You had to rub your eyes for a moment to really believe it was happening. Dany going full mad queen I think was more effective shell shock than Cersei winning would've been, which would've just been a continuation the losses we'd witnessed piling up for her already. It was a different kind of terror and one that was extremely uncomfortable. When you don't know who's good, and which side is safe any more, it leaves not only characters like Tyrion and Jon in distress, but the rest of us too.
They've literally been following Dany wrestling with the "what type of queen will she be?" dilemma for the better part of the show, and she's been tested and cautioned on that very clearly at several points this season. For people thinking it was a total unexpected u-turn in her character I think have somehow missed all of that. It really wasn't. We know she had poor impulses, and her last defenses keeping her from those died with Jorah and Missandei. But most of all when, as a poster above pointed out, her certainty of having legitimately the best claim (and the love of the people) was truly threatened by Jon. Everything she's believed to be true and in her destiny is in peril, and it only makes sense that now with everything on the line, that the final straw breaks.
Never thought I'd feel sympathy for the population of kings landing after the mobbing, throwing feces, and attempted rape over the seasons, and much more so for let's-wildfire-my-enemies queen Cersei, but for a fleeting moment I did and I hate yet love GOT for pulling that off.
This one was up to the standard that was hoped for. Hopefully the next continues that with some surprises none of us will see coming.
|