Season in review: “Game of Thrones”

BY TAMARAH WALLACE

When the long-awaited premiere of the seventh season of the hit television series “Game of Thrones” was delayed for several months, fans across the world were devastated.

Now that the shortest season in the show’s history has ended in an actual song of fire and ice, audiences generally believe that it was well worth the lengthy wait.

While “Game of Thrones” has always been a whirlwind of unexpected casualties and engrossing moments that incite utter disbelief, this season takes those qualities and amps them up about 500 notches. Viewers were finally gifted with the scenes they had been craving since the end of season one, such as the satisfying demise of master manipulator Petyr Baelish. A few of the more novelty scenes that excited the show’s audience were Daenerys’ first steps in Dragonstone, Jon’s first interaction with a dragon, the Stark children’s return to Winterfell and even Cersei’s face at seeing a White Walker for the first time.

Some of the most notable progressions include the true identity of Jon Snow and his budding relationship with Daenerys Targaryen, the large army of White Walkers who have made significant headway in their march on Westeros and Cersei Lannister’s incessant, truce-breaking dishonesty. Towards the end of the season, it was also clearly noted that winter is no longer “coming” anymore, but that it is actually now within the Westerosi border.

From the set design to the graphics, season seven was a visual masterpiece. Some sets were even reconfigured the day before shooting, such as the set in episode six where Jon and his team are saved by Daenerys and her dragons beyond the wall.

The acting itself was also worthy of praise, as the characters were able to bring a level of intensity to the show that, coupled with the atmosphere, drew the viewer directly into the storyline. Actresses Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams succeeded in their roles as Sansa and Arya Stark in positions of power, roles for the two that had never been explored before. Their plausible portrayal made the filter sequences within the series feel vital to the overall piece.

From season one to seven, “Game of Thrones” has been in a league of its own; both “Gossip Girl” fans and “House of Cards” experts, two extremely different sets of watchers, can enjoy the series equally in spite of their typical preferences. The producers have also excelled at keeping the magical entities from seeming childish, a common problem that has beaten the likes of “The Mortal Instruments” and “Percy Jackson,” whose visuals and plot were too underdeveloped to carry any considerable interest.

From the cinematics to the content, the series continues its clever use of scenery to develop and maintain the complex plot, relying on its storyline and actors to consistently deliver jaw-dropping entertainment.  

Photo courtesy of Game Of Thrones TV series