[Review] Game of Thrones Season 8 Episode 5 - The Bells: Out of Control

After watching "The Bells," I can't help but feel a profound disappointment with the writers of Game of Thrones. In just a few episodes, they managed to dismantle a legendary series and many of its beloved characters.

This episode picks up immediately after the previous one, with Cersei (Lena Headey) having killed Daenerys's (Emilia Clarke) dragon and trusted advisor, Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel). Jon Snow (Kit Harington) has finally reunited with Daenerys and her forces, poised to confront the Lannisters and the Golden Company at King's Landing. This was likely the anticipated plot progression, but the writers chose a different path, reverting to other storylines from the previous episode—Jon Snow's identity and Varys's (Conleth Hill) betrayal. Focusing on these storylines at this crucial moment not only slowed the pace and sapped the momentum from the previous episode but also left me utterly bewildered. Why would Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) expose Varys at this point? Or perhaps, why would Tyrion expose Varys at all? We understood Varys's motive for betrayal in the last episode, but we've never truly understood why Tyrion remained so loyal to Daenerys despite everything that's happened. In fact, Tyrion has had virtually no character development in the past two seasons, beyond making a slew of mistakes. So, as I watched him clasp Varys's hand before his execution in this episode, it was hard to grasp his motivation for exposing Varys and the loyalty behind it. Later, witnessing Tyrion's stunned face as Daenerys laid waste to the city, I couldn't help but wonder why the usually intelligent Tyrion would make such a monumental error again. After all these mistakes, has he changed? Or is he still the stagnant Tyrion of the past few seasons, with almost no character progression?

If Tyrion's storyline was perplexing, then the arcs of Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Cersei were truly regrettable. Although Game of Thrones features a vast and complex cast, and some characters have committed heinous acts from opposing factions, they have consistently garnered equal appreciation and affection from the audience. In this episode, Jaime and Cersei's story finally reaches its end. After Jaime left King's Landing in the previous episode, the two never met again until this episode, and their reunion was brief before they met their deaths. This scene was incredibly moving and romantic, thanks to Lena Headey's outstanding performance. Facing death, Cersei finally showed a rare glimpse of vulnerability, and Headey's portrayal here was not only convincing but also made this irredeemable villain sympathetic. At the same time, their excellent performances highlighted how regrettable it was that they lacked character development and opportunities this season. Cersei had already been absent for two episodes, and her screentime in the previous episode was very brief. It's surprising that her role in Episode 5 was still so minimal; she was "executed" by the writers shortly after appearing, with no significant character development throughout the season. As for Jaime, he left Cersei this season, fought alongside the North against the common enemy, and developed a deeper bond with Brienne (Gwendoline Christie). Then, in the span of a single episode, his entire season's arc was erased as he hastily rushed to his death to save Cersei. Admittedly, we know it was all for love. However, this transition felt incredibly rushed, with almost no build-up, making it difficult to accept.

Speaking of unconvincing turns, Daenerys's storyline undoubtedly takes the cake. While other series typically take several seasons to transform a protagonist into a villain, Game of Thrones accomplished this in a mere two or three episodes this season, once again highlighting the rushed plot. In previous seasons, even when Daenerys didn't appear heroic, and at times seemed ruthless, her actions were always logical and understandable to the audience. But here, watching her choose to raze a city even after the enemy had surrendered, her thoughts and motivations are utterly incomprehensible. One minute, she's riding her dragon, destroying enemy ships and annihilating the Golden Company, and the audience is rooting for her; the next, she transforms into a terrifying, cold-blooded villain senselessly slaughtering innocents. How are viewers supposed to react to this? All along, she claimed she wanted to liberate the oppressed by Cersei and become the queen of the people. Now, because of the deaths of her dragon Rhaegal and confidante Missandei in the previous episode, she completely loses her sanity. This portrayal is simply too hasty. Most viewers can surely understand that the death of Rhaegal deeply affected her, but the series never seemed to establish Missandei as so critical that her death would cause Daenerys and Grey Worm to become completely different characters consumed by rage. Moreover, Daenerys has faced betrayal and death among loved ones and subordinates in the past, yet she never became this deranged. If these events are enough for her to completely lose her mind and mercilessly kill unarmed citizens, then she is simply unfit to be a ruler. This feels like it erases the storylines of the previous seven seasons entirely. At this point, I even suspect that the revelations about Jon Snow's identity, Jorah's death, and Tyrion's incompetence in these two seasons were all just a rushed setup for Daenerys becoming the "Mad Queen," but the final outcome still feels too abrupt and unconvincing. If even the audience struggles to comprehend these shifts, how can we sympathize with these characters and immerse ourselves in the plot?

Indeed, this episode's visuals and technical execution were quite excellent, but unfortunately, everything was dragged down by the script. This episode was once again directed by Miguel Sapochnik, known for "Battle of the Bastards," and he once again masterfully used visuals to convey the brutality, horror, and chaos of war. As Daenerys begins her rampage, we see innocent people burned by dragonfire, crushed by crumbling ruins, and slaughtered by merciless soldiers. It seems the living are more terrifying than the dead and the Night King, and far more heartbreaking. "Battle of the Bastards" depicted the chaos of war from Jon Snow's first-person perspective; this episode used Arya's (Maisie Williams) perspective to illustrate the terrifying scene of the city's destruction. Before the rampage, Arya and The Hound (Rory McCann) slowly ride into King's Landing, their calm demeanor contrasting sharply with the fear of the other citizens, a moment that was the most impactful for me in the entire episode. However, I felt Arya's subsequent escape scenes were too prolonged, with too many disjointed cuts, such as during collapsing buildings and dragonfire. This approach made the plot feel somewhat drawn out and affected the pacing, while also making Arya seem to possess plot armor, surviving all disasters.

As the plot armor shifted to Arya, Jon Snow was relegated to a major supporting role, doing little in the past few episodes except repeatedly stating that he doesn't want the throne. Like Tyrion, he lacked character development and change. During the city's destruction, the plot attempted to use him to contrast Daenerys and Grey Worm, who had lost their sanity and were indiscriminately killing, showcasing his shock, helplessness, and regret. However, the focus quickly shifted to Cersei, Jaime, The Hound, and Arya. I expect his storyline will only continue in the next episode, which is also the last chance, making it difficult to fill the void of these past few episodes.

As I will be traveling abroad next week and will have no signal in the mountains, I won't be able to watch the series finale until the end of the month at the earliest. When this season premiered, I was deeply disappointed that I couldn't watch the finale on its broadcast day. However, with the consistent disappointment of the past few episodes, I now feel less regret. Regardless, this will be my last episodic review for this series. I hope to have time to write a full season review upon my return. Thank you all for your continued support.