The popular TV series "Game of Thrones" (GoT) Season 5 was full of flurry (literally and figuratively) as its gripping Episode 8 titled "Hardhome Battle" showcased intense scenes. Dubbed as the show's "season's best episode" so far, Episode 8 combined all the elements a "GoT" fan could ask for: revelation of secrets, a glimmer of hope, a slight feel of revenge and a whole lot of action sequences that are comparable to those in the movies. [Spoiler Alert!]
The much-talked about "Hardhome" episode started off with a lot of promise for the well-loved Stark characters, Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Arya (Maisie Williams). While Episode 8 saw Arya officially starting out her first "mission" as one of the Faceless Men, it also showcased Sansa's discovery that her brothers Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and Rickon (Art Parkinson) are still alive, as revealed by Theon Greyjoy a.ka. Reek (Alfie Allen). The latest episode also featured a "job interview" scene between Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), with the latter finally deciding to "hire" Tyrion as one of her advisers.
Fans also got to enjoy a slight feel of revenge as "GoT" Episode 8 moved to the events on the other side of Westeros, particularly in King's Landing, where Cersei (Lena Headey) was seen suffering as she refused to confess to the High Septon (Jonathan Pryce) for the "sins" she was accused of in the previous episode.
However, the highlight of the entire episode is the riveting battle scene of the Night's Watch and Wildlings against a swarm of White Walkers or "ice zombies." The "Hardhome" episode ended on a high and intriguing note as it showed thousands of casualties from the battle rise up with frozen eyes, clearly as new White Walkers, as Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and his men sailed away from the devastated Hardhome, which served as the refuge of the surviving Free Folk.
As "GoT" "Hardhome" episode provided a lot of promise and upcoming plot twists for the show's two remaining episodes, HBO has released a sneak preview of Episode 9 titled "Dance of Dragons." Comic Book reports that "GoT" Episode 9 will see Stannis Barratheon (Stephen Dillane) facing a difficult decision, Jon Snow retreating to the Wall and Arya coming across someone from her past.
Meanwhile, the "Game of Thrones Season 5" finale, titled "Mother's Mercy," is speculated to feature a former character, Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley), as Lady Stoneheart. Fans will remember that Catelyn died during the controversial "Red Wedding" episode in Season 3, but in George R.R. Martin's books, from which the TV series is based, the character was brought back to life and eventually killed those who murdered members of her family as revenge.
Such Stoneheart speculation was made based on the episode title alone, but fans of the show are yet to see if the character will actually come to life in the Season 5 finale. Based from the book, the Lady Stoneheart character should have come back in the previous season, but the "Game of Thrones" producers obviously decided not to follow the same plot in Season 4.
