Continuing to be untraditional, the season three finale of Game of Thrones didn’t wrap up any stories, nor did it end with any type of shocking realization like the first two seasons finales. In this season, the Red Wedding was the shocking moment and the finale was more like a collection of previews involving each character, set to prepare audiences for season four. Even after death, story arcs within the Game do not merely end. Rather, they continue to build. After seeing the finale episode entitled “Mhysa,” viewers are left to wait for the next season, which will most likely involve thousands of White Walkers and more blood on snow than 30 Days of Night.
Tyrion Lannister
King Joffrey is all smiles at the news of the death of Robb Stark and mother. Like a boy with a magnifying glass over an anthill, he plans to serve Robb’s head on a plate to Sansa during his wedding feast. Recently marrying Sansa, Tyrion tells King Joffrey that Sansa “…is no longer yours to torment.” With his usually spitefulness, Joffrey replies, “Everyone is mine to torment. You’d do well to remember that, you little monster.” In one of Tyrion’s most blunt remarks, he replies, “Oh, I’m a monster? Perhaps you should speak to me softly then. Monsters are dangerous and just now kings are dying like flies.” Outraged, Joffrey continues to yell like a toddler having a temper tantrum, screaming, “I am the King.” To end the childish argument, Tywin finally steps in and tells him that anyone who must say ‘I am the King’ is not a king at all. Joffrey fires off a few more insults and then his mother escorts him to bed.
Everyone is sent away when Tywin asks Tyrion to stay. The two discuss the Red Wedding—Tyrion feels it was wrong but Tywin claims it’s more sensible to murder a few people over dinner than 10,000 on a battlefield. The next topic fell on Tywin’s expectation for Tyrion to impregnate Sansa as soon as possible so their newborn could one day inherit Winterfell. Tywin commented, “The house that puts family first will always defeat the house that puts the whims and wishes of its sons and daughters first. A good man does everything in his power to better his family’s position, regardless of his own selfish desires.” When asked what he did for his family, Tywin revealed one of the most evil things he has told his dwarf son: “I wanted to carry you into the sea and let the waves wash you away. Instead, I left you alive, and I brought you up as my son because you are a Lannister.”
Cersei Lannister
After seeing Sansa mourn after the death of her brother and mother, Tyrion mounted a familiar horse—one of complete drunkenness. Trying to find a drinking partner, Tyrion reveals that it’s hard to be drunk all the time. If it were easy, everyone would do it. Approaching her drunk brother, Cersei tries to convince him to impregnate Sansa. Defensive, Tyrion feels that she only speaks to him so she can tell their father she is the one that convinced him to sleep with Sansa. In a moment of truth, Cersei revealed that having children changed her life and helped her with the loneliness she felt throughout her marriage. “If it weren’t for my children, I would have thrown myself from the highest window in the Red Keep. They’re the reason I’m alive.” Tyrion asked if she even felt that way about Joffrey, to which she replied, “Whenever he was with me, he was happy. And no one can take that away from me, not even Joffrey—how it feels to have someone. Someone of your own.”
In another minor scene, Jamie Lannister and Brienne finally make it to King’s Landing. While looking at Brienne, the Kingslayer seems to have changed from the arrogant two-handed self that once left King’s Landing. Covered in dirt, the infamous son is even mistaken as a common “country boy” in the streets of town. Moments later, he steps into Cersei’s chambers and lightly whispers her name. Turning around in awe, Cersei looks at him fondly, but almost as if he is now someone else.
Jon Snow
Bent over, Jon Snow drinks water from a reservoir when he hears the strap of a bow being pulled back with an arrow. Looking up, he sees Ygritte aiming at him. Knowing that the two love one another, Snow reminds Ygritte of how much he loves her as he backpedals to his horse. On his face, he seems unsure of what she will do but lays his cards on the table and says that she will not kill him. Reminding Jon Snow that he knows nothing, she shoots him the back as he approaches his horse. Climbing onto the horse, Ygritte reloads and sticks an arrow in his leg. As he rides off, she hits him once more and then stands alone in tears, bow in hand. Back at the headquarters of the Night’s Watch, Snow falls off his horse at the entrance and is carried inside by his fellow brothers. Barely alive, he makes eye contact with his old friend Sam as he is chartered off for medical care.
Davos Seaworth
In a heroic scene, Davos vocally fights for the life of Gendry. Losing the battle to his superiors, he decides to free the boy himself, despite the consequences. Leading Gendry to the shore, he puts him in a small row boat and tells him to keep the coast to his right and not stop until he reaches King’s Landing, despite how tired he will become from the endless rowing.
Back in the castle, Stannis sentenced Davos to death for his subordination. With one fianl trick up his sleeve, Davos reveals that Stannis will need him for an upcoming battle. He then shows Stannis and Melisandre a note from the Night’s Watch that reveals the truth about the approaching White Walkers. After burning the letter and seeing a message in the fire, Melisandre admits that they will need Davos for the upcoming battle and she tells Stannis to spare his life for now.
Theon Greyjoy
While book fans knew all along, television fans can finally place a name on the torturer to be Ramsay Snow—Roose Bolton’s bastard son. Despite being tortured, forced to admit his name is now “Reek” (due to his smell), and dismembered in the genital area, there is still a bit of hope for Theon. Ramsay sent a message to Theon’s father, along with Theon’s “favorite toy.” In a we-don’t-negotiate-with-terrorists sort of way, his father seems to abandon him, but his sister Yara steps up and takes control of their fastest ship and their fifty strongest warriors in an effort to find her brother. Whatever happens from this voyage will surely be intriguing television. Hopefully the potential saviors will make it to Theon while there is still something left of him on that crucifix.
Arya Stark
After nearly reuniting with her mother and brother, young Arya is back in the arms of The Hound and slowly turning into a stoic killer. Stark soldiers are being killed all around her and then she witnesses her brother’s dead body strapped on top of a horse and paraded through the battle area, with the head of a direwolf strapped on top of the body—resembling the “Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” scene from season six of Dexter.
After escaping the bloodshed, Arya and The Hound ride up on a handful of Frey soldiers that are eating around a campfire in the woods. After hearing the discussion from the men about the difficulties of mounting the direwolf’s head on the former King of the North’s body, Arya gently dismounts her horse and approaches the fire. Playing defenseless, Arya begs for food as she approaches one of the men. Offering him payment, she drops a coin in front of the man who then bends over to make out the origin of the coin. While bent over, Arya grabs the back of the man’s head and begins to stab him repetitively in the neck, spilling his blood on the ground.
Shocked, the other soldiers stood up to avenge their dying comrade when The Hound steps in and takes care of the rest of them with his blade. Afterwards, the two stand amongst fallen bodies. Arya picks up the coin and examines it. She whispers the phrase, “Valar Morghulis,” which is what Jaqen told her to say in order to see him again. Overall, Melisandre was correct about Arya when she said, “I see a darkness in you…and, in that darkness, eyes staring back at me. Brown eyes. Blue eyes. Green eyes. Eyes you’ll shut forever.” The young girl has abandoned her youthful innocence. Hardened by the Game, she has now killed her first man, with many more to follow.
Daenerys Targaryen
In the final moments of the episode, Daenerys stands outside of the recently liberated city of Yunkai, surrounded by her free-slave army. Somewhat hesitant, Daenerys watches the closed gates of the village, wondering if they will ever open while Dragons purr at her feet. Discussing the difference between conquering and liberating, she commented, “People learn to love their chains.” A moment later, the gate opens and hundreds of freed slaves approach the Mother of Dragons. The translator begins speaking to the masses and Daenerys stops her once she says that the group owes their freedom to the Queen—the “Unburnt.” She then tells the savages that they are free to do as they wish with their freedom. The group begins to chant “Mhysa,” over and over. Once the translator reveals that the word means “Mother,” Daenerys tells her dragons to fly and her men to let her pass, as she makes her way out into the crowd of newfound children, only to be lifted on their shoulders while the thousands of people continue to praise their new mother.