The Last of the Starks (S8x04)
Airdate: 5 May 2019
Written by: David Benioff & D. B. Weiss
Directed by: David Nutter
Running Time: 77 minutes
The Last of the Starks, the fourth episode of Game of Thrones' eighth season, serves as a stark reminder of the show's turbulent journey during its final stages. While The Long Night held the distinction of being the longest episode in the series, its length was undeniably justified by the monumental, high-stakes battle it portrayed and the relentless tension that defined it. In contrast, The Last of the Starks runs for a similarly considerable duration, yet its feature length often feels more like padding than purposeful storytelling. The content, when examined closely, lacks the density of significant events to warrant such runtime, and the writing of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss—previously a source of epic grandeur—begins to reveal cracks that leave much to be desired. The episode attempts to balance the aftermath of the Great War with the political machinations required to reach the finale, but it stumbles under the weight of its own conflicting priorities.
The episode, directed by David Nutter, opens with a solemn acknowledgement of the cost of victory. The human alliance has survived the Night King's army, but the toll has been catastrophic. Thousands of bodies, those of Northerners, Dothraki, Unsullied, and wildlings, are gathered and arranged into massive funeral pyres. It is a powerful visual tableau that captures the sheer scale of the loss. Jon Snow delivers the eulogy, drawing from Night's Watch funeral rites, which offers a moment of catharsis and solemnity. The episode does not rush past this grieving process; instead, it allows the characters a moment to process the unimaginable horror they have survived. However, the transition from this sombre ceremony to the celebration within Winterfell is where the episode's tone shifts dramatically, marking the beginning of its uneven pacing.
Inside the castle, the survivors allow themselves to exhale, loosening their rigid postures to drink, tell jokes, and attempt to find comfort in each other's company. This respite is a rare opportunity for the actors, particularly Gwendoline Christie, who plays Brienne of Tarth. For much of the series, Brienne has been the most serious and reserved character on screen, but here she finally allows herself a genuine smile. It is a moment of humanity that feels earned by the collective trauma the characters have endured. Tormund Giantsbane remains fascinated by Brienne, though he ultimately settles for a serving girl, while Brienne shares a romantic moment with Jaime Lannister. This scene is a significant nod to the fans, acknowledging the unresolved sexual tension between the two characters—a narrative thread that many viewers found far more compelling and uplifting than the toxic and exhausted relationship between Jaime and Cersei.
As the celebration winds down, the focus shifts to political matters. With the White Walkers permanently extinguished, Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen turn their attention to the real war: the conquest of King's Landing. However, the balance of power has shifted back in Cersei Lannister's favour, primarily due to the massive losses the alliance suffered at Winterfell. Most of the surviving forces are exhausted and require rest to recover, yet Daenerys insists on an immediate march south. She argues that Cersei has fortified herself with the Golden Company and that Euron Greyjoy controls the sea lanes. This disagreement comes to a head at a council of war, where Sansa Stark, now Lady of Winterfell, does not hide her distrust and antipathy toward the Queen. Her resistance highlights the growing rift within the alliance, serving as a precursor to the larger conflicts to come.
The personal dynamics among the characters further complicate the situation. Daenerys, acutely aware of the political danger, begs Jon not to reveal his true parentage—the fact that he is the actual heir to the Iron Throne—to anyone. Yet, Jon feels a moral compulsion to share this truth with the people closest to him. He confides in Arya and Sansa, and the secret quickly spreads to Varys and Tyrion. This revelation sets the stage for a dangerous game of political intrigue, as Varys and Tyrion begin to debate whether Daenerys or Jon would be the better ruler. The trust between Jon and Daenerys, already fragile due to the weight of his secret, begins to erode under the pressure of these revelations.
Strategically, the alliance decides to divide its forces. Jon will lead his troops to King's Landing by foot, while Daenerys and her Unsullied will approach by sea from Dragonstone. This plan is sound in theory but is quickly undermined by a catastrophic failure of execution. As Daenerys' fleet approaches Dragonstone, they are ambushed by Euron Greyjoy's Iron Fleet. Euron has now equipped his ships with advanced, numerous scorpions—experimental weapons of devastating power. These weapons manage to hit Rhaegal, one of Daenerys's dragons, causing absolute mayhem in the fleet. The attack forces Tyrion, Varys, Grey Worm, and many others to swim to safety in a desperate bid for survival. Missandei is not seen after the attack, and it is later revealed that she has been captured by Euron, adding a layer of personal tragedy to the military defeat.
Meanwhile, Jaime Lannister faces a crisis of identity. Despite enjoying moments of happiness and genuine connection with Brienne, he admits that he is still in love with Cersei. This confession is a pivotal moment for his character arc. He decides to leave Winterfell to reunite with his sister in King's Landing, a decision that feels increasingly out of character given his journey toward redemption and his relationship with Brienne. It is a decision driven by a lingering, irrational love that undermines the progress he has made, leaving viewers feeling disappointed rather than moved by his choice.
The episode concludes in King's Landing, where the final scene sets the stage for the series' dramatic finale. Cersei has deliberately allowed citizens to take shelter in the Red Keep, effectively using them as human shields. This strategic move guarantees that any attempt by Daenerys to storm the city will result in massive, unnecessary loss of innocent life. Tyrion, desperate to prevent this bloodshed, makes another attempt to negotiate his sister's surrender. Cersei, however, reacts with disdain. In a cruel twist of fate, she has Missandei beheaded at the city's walls. The sight of Missandei's execution is a defining moment of the episode; her final shout of "Dracarys!" to her queen is a powerful act of defiance. Daenerys, having lost one of her beloved dragons, her most trusted confidant, and facing the prospect of killing thousands of civilians, shows no willingness to show mercy or listen to reason. The episode ends on a note of intense tragedy and impending bloodshed.
The Last of the Starks suffers significantly because of the conflicting priorities of its showrunners. On one hand, the episode attempts to show the consequences of the pivotal battle and offers fan service by emphasising beloved characters. On the other hand, it must also advance the plot and set the stage for the final two episodes. Unfortunately, the episode is more successful in the former than the latter. The scenes set in Winterfell generally work because the characters, having survived the unimaginable ordeal, can finally loosen up and interact naturally. This authenticity is a rare treat for the audience. The romantic scene between Jaime and Brienne is a masterclass in fan service, validating the emotional investment many viewers had in their story.
However, the episode stumbles when it tries to advance the plot. Jaime's decision to return to Cersei looks so out of character or so disappointing because it contradicts the narrative trajectory established over eight seasons. It looks quite irrational, especially in the context of another scene involving Bronn. Bronn, who had been hired by Cersei to kill both Tyrion and Jaime, encounters the brothers armed with crossbows. They survive only through Tyrion's negotiating skills; offered Riverrun by Cersei, Bronn is counter-offered Highgarden by Tyrion. Yet, Jaime, despite effectively redeeming himself for his past wrongs and finding a better alternative, irrationally chooses to reunite with a sister who wants to kill him. The only thing that could justify this decision is a desire to protect Cersei's unborn baby, but the episode does not dwell on this emotional complexity, leaving the choice feeling hollow.
Furthermore, the episode displays an annoying tendency to sacrifice plausibility for the sake of spectacle and melodrama, even when the characters act incredibly stupid. Daenerys, by this point in the series, should have learned better than to underestimate Euron's naval combat skills. Nevertheless, she allows her fleet to be ambushed again, a narrative convenience that feels contrived. Meanwhile, Euron has somehow acquired experimental scorpion weapons—previously used in utter desperation—that are so advanced and used with skill that they would make many 21st-century SAM battery crews envious. Most of the important characters end up in the water, and conveniently swim ashore, except Missandei, who is the one used for the final melodramatic sacrifice. This inconsistency weakens the narrative integrity of the story.
Cersei also acts incredibly stupid when she deliberately spares Tyrion's life despite having him in her archers' sight during negotiations. It would have been an easy opportunity for Cersei to achieve what Bronn and many others failed to do: rid herself of her despised brother. By sparing Tyrion, she not only fails to eliminate a threat but also deprives Daenerys of a valuable ally and the Hand of the Queen, a role she has played competently throughout the series. This decision highlights a lack of strategic coherence in Cersei's characterisation during the final stretch of the show.
What Daenerys calls "the Last War" had all but certain outcomes, even considering Euron's naval skill, Daenerys's mercenary reinforcements, and the losses suffered by the anti-Cersei coalition at Winterfell. The showrunners, therefore, attempt to make the outcome uncertain through coincidences and by artificially fueling internal divisions within the alliance. It does not matter that Jon is the actual true heir to the Throne, or that Daenerys, as a loyal Targaryen, should have acknowledged him long ago. Instead, she is shown to become increasingly petty, stubborn, and prone to turning into a latter-day version of the Mad King. This shift feels rushed and unearned, driven more by a need to create conflict than by logical character development.
David Benioff and D.B. Weiss later explained that they began writing Daenerys's character arc specifically to give Emilia Clarke more range on screen. They also brushed aside criticisms about characters' actions by claiming that Daenerys and everyone else "simply forgot" about Euron's fleet during the planning phase. This explanation does little to excuse the tactical incompetence on display. It feels like a cop-out that reveals a lack of attention to detail and continuity.
The episode was also heavily criticised for several retcons and imprecisions, the most glaring being Gendry using a bastard's surname for himself when he is now a legitimate lord. There is also the usual disregard for travel distances, a persistent issue throughout the final seasons. The showrunners, by this point, stopped bothering about details entirely. For instance, a character who is potentially important is simply referred to as "the prince of Dorne," making his appearance completely inconsequential to the plot.
In the end, The Last of the Starks is an episode that epitomises the downward trajectory of Game of Thrones in its final seasons. With only two episodes remaining, the issue was no longer about whether the series would end on a high note, but simply whether it would be ruined beyond repair before the finale. While it contains moments of genuine warmth and character interaction, the overall execution is marred by a lack of logic, rushed pacing, and a disregard for the established rules of the world. The episode sets the stage for a chaotic finale, but it does so at the cost of the show's narrative integrity, leaving fans to wonder how a show of such epic proportions could fall so far so quickly.
RATING: 4/10 (+)
==
Blog in Croatian https://draxblog.com
Blog in English https://draxreview.wordpress.com/
InLeo blog https://inleo.io/@drax.leo
Substack https://draxster.substack.com
LeoDex: https://leodex.io/?ref=drax
InLeo: https://inleo.io/signup?referral=drax.leo
Hiveonboard: https://hiveonboard.com?ref=drax
Rising Star game: https://www.risingstargame.com?referrer=drax
1Inch: https://1inch.exchange/#/r/0x83823d8CCB74F828148258BB4457642124b1328e
BTC donations: 1EWxiMiP6iiG9rger3NuUSd6HByaxQWafG
ETH donations: 0xB305F144323b99e6f8b1d66f5D7DE78B498C32A7
BCH donations: qpvxw0jax79lhmvlgcldkzpqanf03r9cjv8y6gtmk9
