Game of Thrones Review: The Bells (Season 8 Episode 5)
On Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 5, “The Bells,” Daenerys sinks to the low expectations thrust upon her since arriving in Westeros.
Blame it on genetics, getting unceremoniously dumped, PTSD, or PMS, but Dany brings winter to King’s Landing. Her heart turned to ice by a lifetime of getting screwed over whenever she does the right thing, She and Drogon cover the capital in blankets of ash, further tarnishing the Targaryen name forever.
Dany’s always been a risk when it comes to having a psychotic meltdown, and we’ve never been allowed to forget it. Her homicidal tendencies are often hidden behind genuinely good intentions; far more so than what motivates Stannis, Robert, Cersei, or Joffrey.
Varys: Men decide where power resides, whether or not they know it.
But after years of creating a complexly-layered character who is always judged more harshly against her male counterparts when she plays hardball, Dany is reduced to an embittered, tantrum-throwing, daddy’s girl. Instead of making a living on the pole, she lays waste to a city full of people who she’s convinced will never love her.
This is a woman who risks everything to help defeat the Night King and his zombie army. She loses her closest allies and beloved friends in quick succession and learns the man she loves has a stronger claim to the Iron Throne than herself.
The final insult is although Jon claims to not want to rule, all of his actions indicate otherwise, and while he loves Daenerys, it’s become a passionless affection.
There are plenty of us who understand Dany’s been done dirty. There’s a difference between being mad as in crazy, and mad as in justifiably pissed off. Undeservedly cast out of the sunlight and into the shadows when a supposedly worthier candidate enters the picture, Dany’s destiny becomes doing something so horrifying, even her supporters have to take a pause.
But in an effort to shove a square peg in a round hole, Dany’s character is completely decimated, and she’s rebuilt as a monster, much like Qyburn’s personal Frankenstein, Ser Gregor.
So now Dany will die. She’s going to be put down like a dog, and the only real lingering question is who will do the deed and emerge as the Prince That Was Promised. Prophecies have proven to be dangerous, living, breathing, evolving things.
Throw in a show that no longer resembles what it once was in the interest of becoming and remaining a cultural phenomenon, and all that’s left is an ending unlikely to satisfy anyone while trying to placate everyone.
Game of Thrones belongs to those of us who haven’t read the books now. We take a lot of what’s going on at face value, and we’re not digging as deep as our book-loving brethren.
Dany’s meltdown is the catalyst for tying up several storylines and answering some burning questions. Cersei is pregnant. The “Queen of Mean,” gets off easy, her reign coming to an abrupt end under a pile of rubble alongside her brother. Dying in the arms of the woman he loves is exactly how Jaime wants to go.
Game of Thrones does succeed in instilling a real sense of inner turmoil when it comes to seeing major characters meet their grim fates. It’s impossible to not feel conflicted by Cersei’s vulnerability, Varys’ self-destruction (although his ever-changing alliances were due to catch up with him sometime), Tyrion’s waning idealism, Arya’s red-rimmed eyes full of shock and awe, and Jon’s wavering loyalty.
“Cleganebowl” arrives and is surprisingly cathartic and funny. Unmasked like Darth Vader to reveal a surprisingly pitiable face, Ser Gregor’s indestructibility becomes so absurd, The Hound can’t help but be amused.
Jon, who spends most of “The Bells” looking extremely constipated, is just going to have to suck it up and accept his birthright or die trying. The Lord of Light didn’t bring him back to defeat the Night King. Jon’s fate is akin to an election being decided by the electoral college or the popular vote.
What did you think of this episode of Game of Thrones? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
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Game of Thrones series finale airs Sunday, May 19 at 9/8c on HBO.
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Jennifer Lind-Westbrook
Jennifer has been working as a freelance writer for six years, contributing to BuddyTV, Screen Rant, TVRage, Hidden Remote, Gossip On This, and PopMatters. She prefers binge-watching old episodes of The Office (British and American versions) to long walks on the beach. She's still holding out hope that Happy Endings will get a revival.