For real, though.
This was for me what Battle of the Bastards seemed to be for everybody else. This was like a condensed and perfect example of why I love this series. Amazing interconnecting character arcs and story lines, well-developed and laid out plotlines paying off beautifully, acting that's both subtle and commanding, unbelievably beautiful and cinematic in scope and scale visuals and settings, and, good Lord, that score -- that score was unbelievable. For a show that's always had wonderful music, that was a peak.
That whole episode felt like it was peaking. It could've ended on "Shame!" and I would've considered it a top 5 for me. Lena Heady had goddamned better get an Emmy for this role. The entire King's Landing story was, without a doubt, one of the most incredible and satisfying things of the entire and complete series. Cersei's church BBQ. Tommen's big scene -- that was so visually rich, and I was both gawking at the painting-like framing and visuals, the incredible colors and yet just feeling stunned by what was happening. That evil bell lady's comeuppance (I guess I DO support waterboarding after all, huh). All of that was utterly, unbelievably perfect. That was everything I wanted from her story line for ages now and it was done better than I ever anticipated it to be.
And that's not even getting into any of the other plot lines because they were just to numerous in their perfection to count. Lady Mormont needs to be president already. Kit Harrington has come into his own as an actor like never before. The shot of Peter and Sansa at the Weirwood was one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen on TV. Tyrion and Dany legitimately made me cry -- his face when she put that pin on him was, just, ugh. Amazing, amazing stuff. Amazing writing, beautiful imagery and cinematography that looked more like a major movie than anything I've ever seen on a TV, a score that's to die for and some of the most incredible pay-off I've ever seen. I could gush forever about it.