[Review] Game of Thrones Season 7: Rushed Plot, Yet Still Thrilling!
Game of Thrones Season 7 concluded its seven-episode run last week, leaving viewers to wait at least another year for the six-episode final season. For fans, this coming year will undoubtedly feel incredibly long!
The most significant difference in Season 7 compared to previous seasons was its length, with only seven episodes, three fewer than usual. Undeniably, the plot this season was much more intense, with significant story progression in almost every episode. Yet, simultaneously, the plot seemed to move too quickly, almost unnaturally so, leading to some logical inconsistencies. For example, many netizens joked that in previous seasons, it would take characters several episodes to travel across the Narrow Sea, from Westeros to Essos; but in Season 7, many characters seemed to cross oceans in just ten minutes. Honestly, with proper editing, such plot development wouldn't appear too jarring. However, in the sixth episode, "Beyond the Wall," Gendry (played by Joe Dempsie) managed to run from beyond the Wall back to Eastwatch in an incredibly short time, then used a raven to notify Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), who then arrived in time to rescue Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and his companions. Of course, viewers understand that this was done to heighten the drama and serve as a climax for the season. But this approach sacrificed logic, making the plot appear quite absurd, becoming a weakness for the entire season.
Furthermore, because this season primarily focused on the conflict between Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey) and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) with Daenerys and Jon Snow, other storylines and characters lacked in-depth development, with some feeling very underdeveloped. In particular, I found the weakest storyline this season to be the plot involving Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner), Arya Stark (Maisie Williams), and Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen) in Winterfell. Compared to previous seasons, this season's conflicts were on a larger scale, concentrating on large-scale military clashes between various factions, thus leaving Littlefinger, who is usually adept at scheming, with little opportunity to shine this season. Over these seven episodes, Sansa and Arya experienced reunion and conflict, ultimately uniting against Littlefinger. However, the plot dragged on for the first few episodes, lacking tension or suspense, only to suddenly pivot in the final episode, hastily executing Littlefinger. In retrospect, this storyline seemed primarily intended to resolve Littlefinger's character, without deeply exploring his machinations or the Stark family's responses. Bran Stark's Three-Eyed Raven powers (Isaac Hempstead Wright) conveniently provided an easy solution to the plot.
Despite Season 7's plot shortcomings, several action sequences in the series more than compensated for these weaknesses, significantly boosting the season's entertainment value and satisfying fans. As I mentioned in another review, the large-scale battle scene in this season's fourth episode, "The Spoils of War," was the most shocking and thrilling action sequence of the season, perhaps even the entire series. In this season, we witnessed for the first time three massive dragons engaging in a real major battle. The special effects and sound design for these scenes were outstanding, especially the deep bass during "Dracarys" and Daenerys's theme music, which truly elevated the entire sequence. Similarly, despite the plot issues in "Beyond the Wall," that snow battle was still incredibly exciting and breathtaking, with a truly heartbreaking ending. And, it's impossible not to mention the show's consistently excellent set and costume design. Seeing the main hall of Dragonstone and the costumes worn by everyone at the "Meeting of the Centuries" in the final episode, I deeply admire the production team's dedication. The outdoor shots in Northern Ireland for "Beyond the Wall" were simply breathtakingly beautiful.
As I mentioned earlier, this season focused heavily on Cersei, Jaime, Daenerys, and Jon, whose storylines occupied a significant portion of the season's runtime, relegating some previously prominent characters to major supporting roles. This impact was most evident on Tyrion Lannister (played by Peter Dinklage). In previous seasons, Tyrion's background and personal flaws fueled his internal struggles, providing Peter Dinklage with numerous opportunities to shine. However, this season, as Daenerys's Hand, he seemed to spend the entire season offering advice by her side, lacking true opportunities to showcase his abilities. Fortunately, in the latter part of the season, after witnessing the might of the dragons and the Dothraki, Tyrion began to worry about the safety of his family and other common folk, leading to complex psychological struggles. Furthermore, his meeting with Cersei in King's Landing at the finale was exceptionally well-acted, moving me deeply and proving that Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey are indeed a fantastic on-screen duo. Similarly, I felt Littlefinger and Brienne of Tarth (Gwendoline Christie) were somewhat dispensable this season, though they both had good opportunities to shine in the final episode. However, the MVP of this season must undoubtedly be the consistently outstanding Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg); her brief dying scene alone fully displayed her superb acting.
One of the crucial themes of Season 7 was the various factions putting aside their differences to jointly fight against a common enemy for the survival of humanity. In the series, the various houses initially viewed each other as enemies, hoping to defeat each other and unify Westeros. However, upon realizing that the Night King and the White Walkers would pose a grave threat to everyone's existence, they decided to temporarily set aside their differences and stand together against a common foe. In the series, everyone makes important choices, letting go of things they previously valued in order to cooperate. For example, Jaime abandoned his loyalty to his family; Jon sacrificed his family's dignity; Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) shed his animosity towards other religions. This precisely resonates with conflicts in the real world: when faced with global threats like climate change and terrorism, can our leaders set aside their self-interest, glory, and religious differences to find opportunities for cooperation?
After watching the entire season, I felt that this season indeed advanced the plot significantly, preparing for the grand final war. Although this season might feel entirely like a setup for the next, wasting certain storylines and characters, it still delivered many long-awaited moments for fans, such as the meeting of Daenerys and Jon, the reunion of the Stark family, and the "Meeting of the Centuries" in the finale. I believe audiences would still find these scenes incredibly thrilling and satisfying. And the ending of this season truly set up a very compelling prelude for the ultimate war in the next season, making one impatient to watch the next season.
Winter has come, and it will be long.