I'm not ready to let Game of Thrones get away. I'm not! Come back, show! But alas, the series is off to hibernate for nine months while we wait very impatiently to find out exactly where Gendry is in that rowboat.
However, just because the show is going away for a while it doesn't mean I'm going to shut up about it. This week I'll be reliving various memories from the show's fifth season, starting with my five favorite moments. Let's go!
[SPOILERS AHEAD, duh-doi]
The Battle of Hardhome
Well duh, right? Not only was this the best scene from Season 5, it's probably the best scene from the entire series. Jon Snow spinning around to obliterate a wight, Wun Wun crushing enemies underfoot, Jon dissolving the White Walker with Longclaw, the Night's King raising his arms and triumphantly resurrecting the dead... there were so many individual moments in the entire sequence that were amazing, and stringing them all together was the year's quintessential hold-on-to-your-butts moment.
More: Let's relive the Battle of Hardhome with .GIFs!
Arya murders Meryn Trant
This was a long time coming, and even though Arya's revenge on Meryn Trant had been building since Season 1 and the actual killing of Meryn happened quicker than we expected, it was still so damned satisfying!
Drogon fires up some Sons of the Harpy
Not to be confused with Drogon being Dany's bus out of Troubletown (which happened moments later), Drogon breathing hot fire all over the idiot Sons of the Harpy was spectacular. I mean, look at that .GIF! The effects were some of Game of Thrones' best and really stood out considering Dany's bareback ride on Drogon a few seconds later were some of Game of Thrones' worst.
Cersei licks the floor
The culminating moment in Cersei's fall from power was the former queen's butt-naked walk of shame from the finale, but the moment we truly knew that Cersei was having a hard time was when she licked spilled water off the floor of a dungeon cell that people definitely peed on before. This was a woman who would probably have servants carry her over a floor that hadn't been washed in five minutes, and here she was, like a desperate alley cat shlurping up a few drops.
Stannis BBQs Shireen
Yep, this will be the controversial inclusion in this list, but I'll do my best to argue why it should be here while simultaneously understanding why you think it shouldn't be here. I get it. This scene sucked, but it was also immensely moving and crucial to Stannis' tragic arc. The direction of the scene was impeccable, and the acting—particularly young Kerry Ingram and Stephen Dillane—was brave and perfect. Emotion, even anger, is key to the viewing experience, and boy was I angry while watching this. Do I ever want to see this scene again? Hell no. Am I glad I did see it? Absolutely. I really wanted to put Stannis' "You're my daughter" speech to Shireen here, but given how things turned out, I couldn't.
What were YOUR favorite moments from Game of Thrones' fifth season?
[SPOILERS AHEAD, duh-doi]
The Battle of Hardhome
Well duh, right? Not only was this the best scene from Season 5, it's probably the best scene from the entire series. Jon Snow spinning around to obliterate a wight, Wun Wun crushing enemies underfoot, Jon dissolving the White Walker with Longclaw, the Night's King raising his arms and triumphantly resurrecting the dead... there were so many individual moments in the entire sequence that were amazing, and stringing them all together was the year's quintessential hold-on-to-your-butts moment.
More: Let's relive the Battle of Hardhome with .GIFs!
Arya murders Meryn Trant
This was a long time coming, and even though Arya's revenge on Meryn Trant had been building since Season 1 and the actual killing of Meryn happened quicker than we expected, it was still so damned satisfying!
Drogon fires up some Sons of the Harpy
Not to be confused with Drogon being Dany's bus out of Troubletown (which happened moments later), Drogon breathing hot fire all over the idiot Sons of the Harpy was spectacular. I mean, look at that .GIF! The effects were some of Game of Thrones' best and really stood out considering Dany's bareback ride on Drogon a few seconds later were some of Game of Thrones' worst.
Cersei licks the floor
The culminating moment in Cersei's fall from power was the former queen's butt-naked walk of shame from the finale, but the moment we truly knew that Cersei was having a hard time was when she licked spilled water off the floor of a dungeon cell that people definitely peed on before. This was a woman who would probably have servants carry her over a floor that hadn't been washed in five minutes, and here she was, like a desperate alley cat shlurping up a few drops.
Stannis BBQs Shireen
Yep, this will be the controversial inclusion in this list, but I'll do my best to argue why it should be here while simultaneously understanding why you think it shouldn't be here. I get it. This scene sucked, but it was also immensely moving and crucial to Stannis' tragic arc. The direction of the scene was impeccable, and the acting—particularly young Kerry Ingram and Stephen Dillane—was brave and perfect. Emotion, even anger, is key to the viewing experience, and boy was I angry while watching this. Do I ever want to see this scene again? Hell no. Am I glad I did see it? Absolutely. I really wanted to put Stannis' "You're my daughter" speech to Shireen here, but given how things turned out, I couldn't.
What were YOUR favorite moments from Game of Thrones' fifth season?