Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 4 Review and Recap: 'The last of the Starks'

The episode opens with screen bidding farewell to Ser Jorah Mormont, lying on his funeral pyre. Then we see that it a massive pyre and people have gathered to lay the dead to rest. Daenerys bids goodbye to Jorah and in the second frame Sansa is crying next to Theon. Jon gives a moving a moving eulogy for the dead heroes. The pyre is lit and the dead are

The next scene is of celebration of those who survived the Long Night. The feast at the Winterfell. People are getting drunk, joking around and making plans for getting laid, as nothing reminds you of surviving than these series of events. Daenerys is edgy though amidst all celebrating as she sees people praising Jon for being the savior. Now that she knows the truth, Jon is no longer the harmless lover calling her ‘my queen’ he is now a more rightful heir to the throne. Later she tries to persuade him to keep it a secret but he says he can’t betray his family. Well we know the on going cold war between Sansa and Daenerys.

Gendry, the last Baratheon alive is made Lord of the Storms’ End and he goes in search for his lady. But Arya, the Hero of the Long Night refuses as she did warn him she is no lady. Many people were imagining a happily ever after for Arya and Gendry. May be later. She is rather quick to leave Winterfell and head towards Kings Landing. “Cersei is on my list” remember.

The two Knights, who fought side-by-side spent their night together making love. Ser Brienne of Tarth and Ser Jaime Lannister, are the seen making love but this romance breathes its last by the end of the episode. Jaime leaves while Brienne begs him to stay with her. he says “I am as hateful as Cersei.” Jon leaves Winterfell with the rest of the Northerners to fulfill his promise to Dany. He bids farewell to Tormund, who is heart broken as Brienne left him cold and ha decided to move back home.

Jon being Aegon Targaryen is no longer a secret known to a few, now “it's an information” as Varys puts it. He is blatantly talking Treason now. But it's not a surprise as he always had his loyalty to the realm and its people, not the monarch who sits on the Throne. "I worry about her state of mind," Varys tells Tyrion later. Tyrion says that's their job, as advisers of a monarch, but he knows what Varys means. After all Daenerys is the daughter of the mad king. She is giving all the more reason to people to rethink their loyalties. We see how she dismisses Sansa’s advice to let the army recuperate first before they march towards Kinds Landing. 

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At the final leg of the battle, Daenerys is desperate or the throne, claiming herself to the ‘rightful queen’ again and again. This reminds us of Tywin Lannister saying “Any man who must say, ‘ I am the king’ is no true king.” Daenerys is rather impulsive and sends the rest of the army to march towards Kings Landing. Euron Greyjoy’s golden fleet awaits them. He lays a deadly blow to her army, washing them offshore and killing Rhaegal. Missandei is taken hostage and beheaded at the gate of Kings Landing with the both the sides waiting for the other to surrender and retreat. "You're not a monster," Tyrion tells Cersei but she proves to be just the one. She is "vile" as Jaime puts it, as he departs Winterfell. 

So far we see in this episode Arya rejecting Gendry , Jaime leaving Brienne, Jon saying goodbye to everyone,the death of Rhaegal ,the death of Missandei and how both the Queens are turning monstrous because of the power they command, one certainly less than the other. Jon has forfeited his claim but is emerging as the popular choice. Battle is definitely on but Cersei won't go down so easily. Lets see if Daenerys is able to take her out, by root and stem or we have Cersei ruling the seven kingdoms or Jon is the one to usher in a reign of peace or finally its Sansa who sits on the throne as the Queen who played her cards well? What end you have in mind?