Game of Thrones: The Dance of Dragons, season 5 episode 9, review: 'new depths of brutality'

The books behind Game of Thrones are called A Song of Ice and Fire. If the previous episode was about ice, with the White Walkers finally revealing their unspeakable power, this episode was all about fire. The story was set alight with the heat of Dorne, the flames of Daenerys’s most volatile dragon, and a young princess burned at the stake.

Princess Shireen’s death, burned alive by her own father Stannis Baratheon (on Melisandre’s suggestion) as a sacrifice to the Lord of Light, was one of the most upsetting scenes this series. It was so horrific that there was even a “distressing scenes” warning shown during the mid-episode commercial break immediately preceding it, but nothing could prepare me for Shireen’s screams of terror and pain as she pleaded with her own parents not to murder her. It was heartbreaking.

Shireen was a sensitive, intelligent and brave character, so it’s a miracle she survived this long in Westeros. More surprising was the decision not to show her final moments. We heard only her screams, and then awful silence. The effect was intense. The moment that her mother dropped to the ground and emitted a low moan of despair, far too late to save her, was almost as bleak as Sansa’s rape earlier in the season.

Murdering his own daughter was a new depth of brutality for Stannis to plumb. Formerly he seemed a relatively principled leader, but now I don’t really care whether his army of child-murdering fire worshippers defeats the Boltons' regime of torture and flaying in the North. I just want Dany’s dragons to arrive and turn them all into toast.

Speaking of which, fast on the heels of Shireen’s demise was a stunning action set-piece in Meereen. Daenerys’s presence at the fighting pits ended in a heart-racing ambush from the Sons of the Harpy, and Dany had what seemed like the entire city turning on her.

The scale was awe-inspiring. Hurling Hollywood-level budgets behind a multi-season TV show paid rich rewards, from the enormous Gladiator-style sweep of the crowded coliseum arena to thrillingly choreographed fights to the death before a huge, baying audience. Best of all was the fantastic reveal as Ser Jorah launched a spear seemingly right at Daenerys’s heart, but in fact at a terrifying lurking figure waiting to assassinate her.

Drogon the dragon made a scene-stealing appearance to scatter the Sons of the Harpy, who were suddenly everywhere, masked and terrifying, with Daenerys and her council outnumbered. As Dany climbed onto Drogon’s back and flew away in her own Neverending Story moment, she was glorious, poised somewhere between bruised fugitive queen and mythical dragon goddess. Emilia Clarke’s defiant, ethereal beauty as Daenerys in these final moments felt historic. What a character.

As she soared into the clouds, her story arc lifted with her: she has been stuck in the unwinnable politics of Meereen for too long, and it was sheer joy to see her take flight. The season finale has lots to cover (we didn’t see Sansa or Cersei in episode nine, for starters), and where the series will end is anyone’s guess. This episode burned bright with action and twists, but the night is still dark and full of terrors.

Arya’s hit list is coming along nicely

With Ser Meryn Trant arriving in Braavos, Arya has a perfect opportunity to kill him, and finish a job that’s needed doing for a long time. Finally, she can stop lurking around in the shadows and get a sweet taste of revenge. After his merciless treatment of Sansa under Joffrey’s orders, and being responsible for the apparent death of Syrio, karma has a lot in store for him. Watching Arya take satisfaction in killing him is something to look forward to.

Myrcella is heading back to King’s Landing

Petulant and sassy, young Myrcella is already an uncanny mini Cersei. Her return to King’s Landing could provide some fireworks, especially as she’ll be joined by a new Martell to sit on the small council. But if the High Sparrow is still imprisoning every Lannister who looks at him askance, Myrcella and Jaime may not last long. Is the Lannister history of incest, already the worst-kept secret in Westeros (and everyone seems to know about it in Dorne, too), going to be blown wide open? And will Tommen then be forced from the throne before the series is over?

What will Daenerys’s followers do without her?

Dany barely even hesitated before leaving her most trusted friends and advisors in the dust as she fled to the skies on her dragon. What are they going to do without her? Surely it's time for a buddy comedy spin-off where Tyrion, Jorah and Daario roam around Essos getting into drunken scrapes.

The dragons are vulnerable after all

Previously Dany’s dragons have been a trump card for any combat scenario, but the spears thrown at Drogon during the ambush wounded him fairly significantly. Those scales are more sensitive than they look. Does this mean that Dany has more of an uphill struggle towards power than we previously thought?