Game of Thrones "Hardhome" (Season 5, Ep. 8) [TV Review]

This is the eighth episode of the fifth season, Hardhome.
This is also the most divergent episode from the source material.
It may also be the best episode of the season so far.

Meet Lanna, an oyster monger. Perhaps a soon to be murderer. 

I'm being very serious.
This episode diverges the most from what we know in the books, more than any other so far, and unlike the other ones who have diverged... this one is very good.

4.5 out of 5 stars

Every scene, well most every scene, is powerful in this episode. I'm not certain about what Jorah is up to... and Cersei was not nearly broken enough yet... so those scenes were less powerful. (Yes, Cersei slurping water from the dirty stone floor was a nice start... but for all the things she has done, it is not enough). 

So lets begin. As per usual...

Spoiler Alert!

In Braavos Arya's training as a 'faceless man' is progressing. She has adopted the persona of Lanna and is being given tasks by the Faceless Man. She must see, and then perhaps... deliver a 'gift.'

I'm deciding if you are worth advising.

Then a quick jump over to Essos, where Tyrion and Jorah meet with Daenerys. There is back and forth conversation, eventually resulting with Tyrion becoming her advisor and Jorah being exiled again. He rejoins the pit fighters.

Here we actually see Daenerys' real plan for Westeros... the end of the conversation with Tyrion is powerful, and very interesting. Actually all of the scenes in Essos were interesting since none of that has occurred in the books yet. 

There is a small scene were Sam talks to Olly, convincing the younger crow that Jon's actions to save the Wildlings may not be in error. It remains to be seen if Olly actually believes Sam.

In Winterfell there are two separately important scenes. The first scene has Sansa confrotning Reek, and Reek admits that he did not kill Rickon and Bran. He instead burned two farm boys. The second scene is one where Ramsay lays out a rather dubious plan to deal with Stannis' army. We will have to see what becomes of that little plot point.

While all this is going on, Cersei is in the Faith Militant's prison awaiting her inquisition. Qyburn visits her and she pleads to see her son... to no avail. She is being denied water by the sisters, and sucks it off the floor. This should be only the start of her punishments, the list of crimes for which she must pay is long. While I still despite the Faith Militant, this at least I do not fault them for. They are the first people to really bring her some 'justice.'

All of this is just a lead up to Hardhome itself. It is a small coastal village filled with Wildlings. Jon Snow and Tormund Giantsbane arrive with a fleet of ships to evacuate the Wildlings. Things do not start off well as the Lord of Bones meets them, insults Tormund, and gets beaten to death by Tormund. Then Tormund summons the elders to hear out Jon Snow. After much discussion, some decide to follow him, but others like the Thenns choose not too. They begin loading the boats.

... Creepy undead children of the snow. Creepy.

Then everything goes to hell.

The wind kicks up, clouds roll in, and suddenly panic grips the Wildlings left behind. They rush the gates, but the gates close. The press up against the wood making it creek when suddenly all goes quiet. The people outside the gate are gone. But there is movement in the fog and blowing snow.

Wights.

I've gotta ask, why do the white walkers look like they
are extras in Demolition Man. I mean they are wearing
what appears to be car tires.

The undead are assaulting. Wildlings rush for the boats. Some fight back as the wights crack the wood open, climb the walls, or force themselves beneath the gate. They are coming, hundreds of them. The town hall where Jon met with the Wildling Elders is set afire with Edd and the giant Elder inside. Jon rushes over to rescue them, but the giant breaks out, crushing wights beneath his feet. Suddenly a White Walker enters the burning building, the fire retreating from his presence. Jon tries to get the Dragon Glass daggers as a Thenn attacks the Walker. The Thenn's axe shatters upon contact with the White Walkers blade and he is soon impaled. Jon is thrown from the building and almost loses Longclaw. The White Walker presses down upon him and Jon instinctively parries with Longclaw, when the sword (made of Valyrian steel, also known as dragon steel) does not shatter they both stand amazed. Jon strikes down the white walker which shatters like ice. Dragon steel or Dragon Glass, they both appear to kill White Walkers.

But the dead are not deterred. There are many White Walkers, including their King (?). After Jon Snow and a few others escape on the remaining boats, and the rest of the Wildlings left ashore are killed... the King resurrects them as new wights for his army. The army of the dead will never be depleted as the fallen of the armies of the living become soldiers for the dead.  

Things do not look good for the south.
The White Walkers are coming.

Classic 'come at me bro' pose.

This week's death count:
- The Lord of Bones
- Loboda, the Thenn 'elder' who would not follow Jon Snow.
- Karsi, a female 'elder' who was going to follow Jon Snow.
- a White Walker 

Previous Game of Thrones reviews:

Season 5:
- The Wars to Come (Ep1)
- The House of Black and White (Ep2)
- High Sparrow (Ep3)
- Sons of the Harpy (Ep4)
- Kill the Boy (Ep5)
- Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken (Ep6)
- The Gift (Ep7)

Season 4:
- Two Swords (Ep1)
- The Lion and the Rose (Ep2)
- Breaker of Chains (Ep3)
- Oathkeeper (Ep4)
- The First of His Name (Ep5)
- The Laws of Gods and Men (Ep6) 
- Mockingbird (Ep7)
- The Mountain and the Viper (Ep8)
- The Watchers on the Wall (Ep9)
- The Children (Ep10)