5 Thoughts on Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4: Who is Good? Who is Bad? [Spoiler]

Here are five key thoughts from last night’s epic episode of Game of Thrones. This story includes spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4. 

Did Jamie break bad?

One of the most discussed topics from last night was the scene when Jamie told Brienne he was not a good guy and was leaving the North. Some took it as Jamie, who has spent the past several seasons transforming who he is, turned back into a villain. That wasn’t the way I took it here. To me, this was Jamie realizing he can’t truly be a good person while knowing his sister, the only woman he has ever loved, is still out there (as this came right after he heard what she did). It looked like the King Slayer was traveling South to kill Cersei. Whether or not he kills another evil ruler, it would be astounding if Jamie and Cersei don’t get one more moment together. Dying together, like they came into the world together, would be a fitting end to their story.

Daenerys has been tested

Clearly, one of the main directions of the past two seasons has been the tease of Daenerys turning into the “Mad Queen” by showing signs of her father. Episode 4 did a phenomenal job of not only teasing it once again, but also providing that alternative perception that has been brewing. As the penultimate episode approaches, there is just enough reason to now feel Daenerys isn’t the good person we all thought as there is to feel she should ignore her advisors and light the city on fire. The latter comes as she has now lost her two best friends Jorah and Missandei, two of her dragons, and key soldiers in her army for a war she never cared about. Her facial expression at the end of this week indicates people are about to burn alive and the reaction is going to be as mixed as ever. This is now split and has been well done from all angles.

The ending has begun

As I said on SEC This Morning Morning Friday with Peter Burns, outside of who is living and who is dead, nothing that has happened lately feels it will play much of a role in the ending. Based on the way the showrunners are talking after the episodes explaining what they were trying to do, as well as the way the story has flowed, it appears they are no longer following George R.R. Martin’s bullet points. But we do know, due to an interview on 60 Minutes with Martin, the ending will be similar to how the book series ends. Over the past two seasons, last night very well could have been the first real step toward whatever ending is planned. That would explain the much faster pace, death of the dragon, and variety of emotions spread around Westeros.

Varys has a plan

Tyrion isn’t giving up on his queen, but Varys either begun to or already has. A cryptic exchange took place between the advisors when Varys tried to convince Tyrion that Jon, who they just found out is the rightful heir, would be a better ruler. The most telling part of the conversation came when Tyrion realized Varys had a plan and terrifyingly said, “Don’t.” The guess here is he will look to turn the North against Daenerys by revealing something. This wouldn’t bode well for Mother of Dragons, whose days seemed numbered. But those in the North inevitably finding out who Jon’s parents are raises the question if an unexpected leader could be in the cards…

Cersei could actually win this

For the first time, really ever, we must at least consider the fact that Cersei could win this war. Now, I’m not predicting that, but would put it at about a 40 percent chance. As previously mentioned, they are supposedly using an ending very close to what Martin has planned, which is not going to consider how the audience would handle a Cersei victory. Daenerys’ army has been depleted, she is losing support, and it turns out her dragons are not all that hard to kill. Game of Thrones, at least the portion based off the novels, has never followed tropes. Ned died in the first season. The good guys losing, and the bad guys winning, has always been a threat. It was just always thought it could be the Night King, not Cersei.

Also, if Cersei dies, but kills: her brothers, Jon, Arya, Daenerys, and another dragon…. She won, right?