Significant Moments from The Bells, Game of Thrones – S8E5

Le Sigh. I can’t even say that I had too many favorite moments from The Bells episode of Game of Thrones. So I’m just going to go with significant moments that happened in the episode so let’s jump right in and get started.

The Bells toll for Varys

At the beginning of the bells episode, Varys writes letters that reveal the truth of Jon’s lineage. Varys feels the realm may have a better choice for a ruler and wants to inform the people. He chats with one of his little birds who is concerned for their safety. Unbeknownst to Varys, Tyrion is basically snitching to Dany about their knowledge. The Unsullied take Varys and he must die for his ‘betrayal’. Tyrion admits that he was the one to turn him in and Varys bids him farewell and is consumed by dragon fire. I’ve liked Varys’ character very much because he stayed true to his purpose from the very beginning. All he ever wanted was to serve the realm and give them the most peaceful and competent leader.

Between Brothers

Dany informs Tyrion that his brother has been captured by her forces for trying to get past their lines. She also warns him that if he disappoints her again it will be the last time. Tyrion finds his way into Jamie’s holding tent and they have a little brotherly chat. Tyrion is thankful to Jamie for always treating him like his brother and not a monster like everyone else. He frees his brother with the knowledge that he will die but possibly save many if his brother can get to the bells and ring them indicating the surrender of Kings Landing.

This goodbye is a little heartbreaking. I love Tyrion and say what you want about Jamie, but he was always a good and loyal brother to Tyrion.

What Iron Fleet?

We begin the war with Dany blowing through on her Dragon Drogon and completely decimating the Iron Fleet. Whereas the last episode Euron miraculously hits and kills Rhaegal with three very accurate shots, suddenly, no one can even get a shot off before they are all set alight and the Iron Fleet is rendered useless in a matter of seconds. Dany then proceeds to burn every other scorpion, ensuring hers and Drogon’s safety.

The Bells Toll Madness

The war is won. The Iron Fleet and the Golden Company didn’t last long and Cersei’s troops have surrendered. Jamie makes it to the bells and sets them to ringing. I honestly don’t know what at this moment made Dany snap, but she takes off on Drogon and proceeds to destroy Kings Landing and the people in it. Grey Worm, the Unsullied, and the Dothraki also rampage and kill off the surrendered soldiers and any innocents in their wake.

While I get that they were leading up to the whole Mad Queen arc, they could have done a MUCH better job in showcasing this throughout the seasons so as this would not have been such a shocking event. The build-up to her madness was entirely too subtle, and her snap was too abrupt. It just doesn’t speak to the character we have grown to know and love. I want to say, I have no issues with her madness, I have issues with the execution of her madness.

Sandor and Arya

The city is on fire and the red Keep is crumbling. While the Hound is intent on facing off with his brother, he warns Arya about the perils of revenge. He pleads with her not to become like him and to turn back and go home. Arya listens to Sandor, thanks him, and turns away from the one thing she has wanted since the beginning of season two. Killing Cersei has been on the top of Arya’s list since she witnessed her father beheaded in season one. EVERY night before sleep she recites her list of people she is going to kill. Cersei was always at the top of the list. So Arya turning away to go home just seems completely implausible to me.

Clegane Bowl

Well, we’ve known this moment was coming since season one. Sandor, The Hound, Clegane faces off against his older brother Gregor, The Mountain, Clegane. After Gregor shoved his little brother’s face into a fire long ago for simply playing with his toy, Sandor has held a long and deep hatred for his brother. With the Red Keep falling around them, they finally face off. But because of the tampering, Qyburn has done to the Mountain, Sandor finds him much harder to kill than he expected. Finally, in a fit of finality and desperation, Sandor takes hold of Gregor and pitches them both headfirst into the raging fires below. Effectively facing and defeating both of his longtime fears in one fell swoop.

Death to the Twins

This is the moment in the show I hated most. Cersei and Jamie find each other in the Red Keep and fall into each other’s arms. Jamie then leads her underground and hopefully out of the red keep. But they are trapped and Jamie holds and consoles her as they eventually meet their demise under a pile of rubble. After eight seasons of this vile woman getting away with her fuckery and shenanigans, I am completely and totally disappointed in her death scene. This scene also completely trashed Jamie’s whole redemption arc.

People are trying to say what poetry her death was. That she died under the building that she ruled from and thought would always keep her safe. How her death was unremarkable and that is the real coup de grace. I call absolute bullshit on that. I give zero damns about poetry in this case. Out of ALLLL the characters in this series, Cersei was one of the most despicable yet had one of the easiest deaths and I’m not here for it. And for those comparing Jamie holding her saying well the prophecy came true, she died with the valonqar’s arms around her, again I call bullshit! That particular prophecy states,

“When your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you.”

There is nothing to be read into or interpreted in that prophecy or any of Cersei’s prophecy really. Her’s was straightforward and not metaphorical at all. So the valonqar, which is high valyrian, for little brother, did not do any of this. So let’s stop trying to make this a thing. That part of the prophecy did not occur in the least bit.

The Ashen Horse

I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death, and Hades was following with him. Authority was given to them over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by the wild beasts of the earth. — Revelation 6:7-8 NASB.

I was texting with my friends and they asked what the significance of the white horse was. The first thought I had was the pale horse of death. I found this scripture that seems to be quite fitting for this scene considering Arya’s relationship with death. I think after witnessing that kind of destruction caused by the new Queen, Dany has most likely made it to the top of Arya’s list.

Overall Thoughts

I’ve been giving this show the benefit of the doubt because I love it so much. But there are so many things going on in this episode that I cannot reconcile myself with at all. I feel like the characters have completely been changed from who they have grown to be and the complete 180 in many of them have me so annoyed and baffled. I’m going to just leave it at that before I start ranting. Let me know what you all thought of this week’s Game of Thrones episode The Bells!

If you’d like to read my recaps of the previous episodes find them here, here, here, and here! To watch my recap videos, you can find the playlist here!