Last night’s Season 5, Episode 9 of Game of Thrones, The Dance of Dragons, kicked butt! I had been waiting to see the scene where Daenerys rides Drogon away from the fighting pits since I first read it in the George RR Martin book A Song of Ice and Fire, four years ago, and it didn’t disappoint. As she is surrounded by the Sons of The Harpy, Daenerys wills Drogon to her side. When she strokes his head and he opens his fiery jaws, Daenerys is not afraid. Drogo expels a long, warm hiss into her face (most cat owners have experienced this) and she smiles. And the look in Tyrion’s eyes as Daenerys escapes on the back of her most powerful dragon is priceless.
On the other hand, Stannis Baratheon, you suck! Sacrificing the life of your only daughter (and letting her be burned at the stake) for your own power and glory is a shameful. Of course, the religious fanatic Melisandre is a villain who is willing to sacrifice anyone for her Lord of Light but Stannis had been an almost likable anti-hero. But no longer. The death of his daughter Shireen has not happened in the books, at least, not yet. In fact, in the books, Shireen isn’t even with the army on this mission. I’m hoping Melisandre decides to sacrifice Stannis next.
I was, however, glad to see less of a focus on Jon Snow during last night’s episode. I know people enjoyed Jon Snow’s battle with the White Walkers in last week’s episode but I didn’t much care for it. Yes, the special effects were awesome, but I would much rather have seen more of Cersei’s torment in the dungeon at King’s Landing or Jaime and Bronn’s toils in Dorne. Kit Harrington is an amazing actor but the Jon Snow character is just not my cup of tea. I didn’t enjoy him in the books and I don’t particularly care for him in the TV series either.
