That was a pretty interesting episode for all of the things it
didn't show. All the build-up and theories resulted in a whole lot of non-crazy and standard plot-development. Considering the title, No One, leads one to believe this episode was all about Arya, I find it especially amusing how little that whole story actually gave us. Outside of a ridiculous chase through Braavos, and some incredible suspension of disbelief in terms of her wounds, I find it rather funny how in the end she, after all of this long, drawn-out training, build up of the FM mythos, multi-season arc, presumably Jaqen just wants her to find herself and go back to being Arya in Westeros. The Waif was nothing but a mere MacGuffin on the show, seemingly so with all of the FM's wisdom and skills. So she somehow gets all of her fighting skills back, is #1 ninja assassin in the dark, and cuts off the Waif's face. Case closed. Yuup.
That leads me to point out how the entire episode was a giant FU to book fans screaming for certain things to happen, at one point with
actual pissing [on]. I give you: Lem's completely meaningless death after his... ooOOOOhhh shocking reveal.
The BWB still being led by a very sensible (and alive) Beric Dondarrion, ostensibly crushing any hopes for a murderous revenge-bent LSH reveal. This is highlight incredibly by the Hound actually relieving himself all over the river where LSH would have been rescued. I am not saying that the showrunners might not still pull it out at the end of the season as a shocking 'twist' but if that wasn't a visual cue aimed squarely at the LSH fans, I don't know what is.
Further, probably no Cleganebowl, which I am just fine with. One, I would rather see the Hound head north anyways, for an eventual reunion with Sansa and/or Arya (and possibly fight off some WWs), then waste any time with foolishness in KL. And Zombie Gregor is much better served with proper menace taking on serious threats than more silly trial by combats eating up too much screentime. And for all the Brienne-Jaime 'shippers out there, I am pretty certain that was a final goodbye for those two; time to move on to other stories.
All in all, actually a good episode, if a bit overly consumed by reflecting on its own intelligence (I can just see all the writers high-fiving themselves over their brilliance). What it ended up giving us was very much GoT, as well as wrapped up some storylines - even if you have to wonder whether those storylines added anything to the overall tale or not.
assorted thoughts:
- Dany walking through the door was highly anti-climactic; I am just so glad that they did not end with this scene for once
- the 'good' actress Arya saved was clearly anything but, if he experience in repeated stabbings and whatever she did to her younger rival are any clue; I think the show missed an opportunity to give Arya some development and inner struggle more with how she was interpreting the coda of the FM
- if Cersei goes full Aerys on KL now, will it turn to Jamie to stop her (thus possibly completing the prophecy, though Tommen's end would have to precede it) or will it be one twin rescuing the city from wildfire, only to have another burn it all down
- while I wasn't exactly a fan of all the 'mystery' of who was who and whether that was the real Arya, it was still preferable to the contrived plot armour we ended up with I think; but
man that chase scene....
- one other rumour that might finally have also been killed off was Syrio; though I thought that from Martin's words this would have always been a long stretch; I just think his character was far more effective and appealing on the show, and hence why he became such a crowd favourite. I give a lot of credit to Miltos Yerolemou for that.
- if KL is about to go to hell by the end of this season, and we won't have any more trial by combat, I wonder if they will make use of the Mountain as a defence mechanism for Cersei, i.e. automatically coming to her aid against those around her in the city who are a threat [for whatever instant reason]; specifically Tommen. In his blind obedience, I could see it going this way, and the very tragic end this would bring would seem like a way the show would seem to 'fit' with punishing Cersei one final time.
- logic. That pesky thing that writer's don't like to acknowledge.