The writers strike played havoc with this season. Next season is going to be epic.

I'd be curious what you think is going to happen next season. The Starks are crossing the twins into the riverlands, Daemon has his army at the Riverlands, The hightowers are on the march to the Riverlands with a dragon riding support? I'm guessing because I haven't read the books, but I think I remember that being the plan with Aemond supposedly giving aerial support. Ulf is a complete drunk and untrustable to make good decisions. I'd have killed him already and looked for another rider for his dragon. (I don't see why they haven't already - that is a big error in either the books or screenplay). Why would you trust your future in a drunk? Do you have any plans to do a what you hope will be in the next season and what you think they'll write into it?

Oh Stefani I just want to hug you! I get the frustration, and you aren't alone. It's been mentioned below the issues around the series being shortened at the same time as they were working around the writers strike, I'm just going to add that the shortened season was a decision made by the 'powers that be' at WB, not HBO. The purchase of HBO put a huge financial strain on WB, and it's easy to save a few million by cutting Hot D short. It's a dumb decision but I get why someone would make that call based just on the numbers. Sadly, the things going on in the background aren't common knowledge, and what's visible is a season that ends somewhere no-one really wanted, and it's an awfully long time to wait for the threads that should have been included in S2. All that said, I agree with Mesel. I give the episode 5 mugs. The final montage of the pieces moving 'on the board' was well done and gives a great impression of the scale of the war about to kick off. I'm not sure if you caught the dragon flying over the Hightower troops, that's Alicent's youngest son Daeron on his dragon Tessarion 'The Blue Queen'. The horned person you may(?) have seen capering behind the Weirwood at Harrenhal is thought to be a member of the 'Order of the Green Men', who you'll know Stefani from the main ASOIAF books, are committed to protecting the Weirwood trees and live on the Isle of Faces (all the Weirwoods) in the middle of The God's Eye lake (right next to Harrenhal). I loved the series of vision images given to Daemon, even if I agree with you and think the prosthetics for the White Walker shown were a bit naff. I think the sight of Bloodraven that includes the birthmark that gave him his name was *so good*, and they've tied the show together to GoT nicely with giving us such a clear image of Dany with her baby dragons. I think one of the reasons Hot D is working so well for *me* is that they haven't ignored the magics or how they effect the characters. Harrenhal in particular they've absolutely *soaked* in mysticism and spookiness and that goes a long way to show why it's called 'haunted' even centuries later. Hot D has shown us how quickly knowledge of Valyria was falling away even during peace, and the war will erode it even faster as the remaining Targs endeavour to wipe each other out. Looking forward to coming back to GoT with the girls, but I'll miss Mesel's quiet wit. Obviously the only solution is to stay subscribed so I don't miss his eventual return. 😉 Bye Mesel, Stefani, I'll see you next time. 😙

Friendly reminder, Rhaenyra, just as bad a leader as Aegon. In fact, if it wasn’t for that council everyone likes to criticize, she would have suffered the exact same fate as him at Rooks Rest.

As long as Aegon lives, there would always be some who would want Aegon back on the throne. Even if Rhaenyra takes the throne, it will be an uneasy rule as people who were loyal to the greens would be out to get her and Reseat the greens because the "old king" is still alive. It's kind of like when Danerys burned the Tarley's when they didn't bend the knee. If they weren't willing to accept her rule, they'd always be looking to overthrow her or they'd be in prison forever.

House of the Drag, amirite?

I agree that this was a good episode. Lots happen to set up for next season. When you are binging this series in the future in will just flow into season 3. I want to know what has happened to the 2 young Princes that left the Vale. Maybe they are the future of the blood line. Or is it going to be Helena’s child. Will that girl marry one of the Princes that sailed away somewhere. Joining the green and the blacks family line. 🤷🏼‍♀️

I loved Tyrone Lannister and his new friend from Essos

As I understand it, ten episodes were actually planned, but Warner Bros. wanted to make it eight. I think the showrunner also said that there was supposed to be a battle at the end of this season, which had to be moved to the third season. And unfortunately you notice that because the pacing doesn't seem on point. If there were two more episodes, this season would probably be fantastic.

Rhaenyra's choice of executing aegon or exiling him is not unusual at all in this world, and has been done both ways throughout its history with both good and bad results. The "ending of opposition" via death vs exile will become very important as this show (and everything after it) plays out.

i dont think he was saying he wants daemon to overthrow rhaenyra he wants daemon to lead the fight. the last time he saw rhaenyra she didnt have the new riders and was just sitting there doing nothing. he is saying he wants daemon to take over command of the war not the throne. all reactors are the same at this part getting all bent ot of shape because he wants a experienced battle tested person to lead the fight. i could be wrong but i dont see it the way you do.

😮 No reaction when Daemon said “Winter is coming “ that’s the biggest Tag Line ⚔️

what is left of the story is just war and trajedy so i areciate this season

Also keep in mind season 2 was written during the writers strike. They had originally planned for 10 episodes but the strike made them cut a lot and make changes that made some episodes feel slow

In Daemon’s vision we see Bryndan ‘Bloodraven’ Rivers who’s Aegon 4th bastard who ends up becoming THE Three-Eyed Raven We also see Dany and her dragons however the showrunner say “This isn’t us saying Dany is the Prince the was Promised that’s for GRRM to do himself”

Fun fact, during that Dinner scene with Rhaenyra, Baela, Jace and the dragonseeds the actor for Ulf are about 2 quails per attempt at that take and he ended up eating about 30 in one day! Damn crazy! He said “When you’re the bloke saying “And more of these little birds” and the little birds arrive, you have to fuckin eat them”

I think it will be like Season 1 of Breaking Bad. It randomly ends on an episode 7, and it's basically an unfinished storyline and a cliffhanger. This is because (similar to now) there was the writers strike in 2007-08. But when people react to it, they just go straight into S2 and the Tuco storyline gets a proper ending and things go on. Obviously, things will depend on how well they do S3, but if they do S3 well, it will be fine and maybe when people react to it later, we will have a neat story about all the strikes and funding and control over the show.

If you go back to the scene where Corly’s calls it “The Queen Who Never Was” the figurehead of the ship is Rhaenys holding the Targaryen Crown! Beautiful tribute!

Fun fact ‘The Realm’s Delight’ was Rheanyra’s nickname as a kid because the realm loved her. Aegon feels he’s never had the love the realm showed her and he wants it

Something I saw, Admiral Lohar I believe if a trans actor and his character is referred to as him accordingly which I think is fantastic!

🎆🎉 After his big night, his name is now 😫 *Tired* Lannister. 🧖‍♀🧖‍♀🧖‍♀ ♾

I'd give this episode a 4 out of 5, and probably the same for the season overall. I agree with Steph that I wanted a bit more resolution this episode but they have to try and keep you hooked in l guess. It's sucks that we'll have to wait 2 whole years for the next season but on the bright side we'll get A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and The Last of Us season 2 next year. Maybe by the time season 3 rolls around the girls will be caught up and you guys can do a group reaction.

Mugshotz Reacts, you guys have become my favorite reaction channel. You guys are the only ones who caught on how dark and grotesque Alicent selling her kids was, and the most disturbing part was the showrunners who said in the 'Inside of the Episode' that the moment was great, empowering and liberating for Alicent. This insanely inhumane, selfish and cruel act (Like Mesel said, selling her soul to the devil) from Alicent is morally 'good' for Sara Hess. Rhaenyra wanted Aemond tortured right after he lost an eye, starved a city, and her husband decapitated her grandson. But you sacrifice your kids yo her? Disturbing. This is fanfiction level of bad writing, Alicent and Aemond remained loyal in the book, so much so that Aegon built statues for Aemond and Daeron to immortalize their loyalty. (Please share this with Mesel too lol).

I know people are down on this episode, but I enjoyed it. But yes - it didn't feel like a finale. Mostly because it wasn't filmed as one. They had to cut two episodes for this season, likely due to budget - and big battles and dragon CGI are likely the two biggest expenses. I suspect a lot of scenes that'll be seen in Season Three have already been filmed, just not finalised.

This season was supposed to have 10 episodes instead of 8, but 1 month before filming began, hbo decided to cut it down to 8. Due to the writers strike they could not do rewrites to the script, so that’s why this feels like such a disappointing ending. next season will start w/ the 2 episodes that were supposed to be at the end of this season.

The show runner confirmed it wasn’t the night king, but was one of his generals.

I understand that this episode can be a bit underwhelming for some folks as a finale, but you guys literally talked through the entire final scene and missed the incredible score, cinematography, build up … and then say that you are disappointed. 🤷🏼‍♂️ It doesn’t always have to end with a big bang, there are lot of other amazing things in this episode for those who look.

Prediction I don´t like: After Season 3 we will say: what a great exposition for season 4!

it wasnt the night king in the vision, it was just a normal white walker soldier :)

You are correct, out of all the dragons that lived most will die in this war and only like 5 survived, and 2 were the wild ones and some other I wont mention cause of spoilers, who died of old age without issue. The last one that survived and laid eggs well... the dragons that hatched from those eggs were sick and feeble, and the last dragon was small and only lived one year. And with her death the race of dragons was officially extinct.

I agree, I liked the episode and the season overall and i'll be here to watch the full show and all its seasons haha but I am disappointed specially with the finale. I expected more. Also we wont be waiting 2 years, it will come out sooner. Probably early spring 2026. In the meantime we can watch Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, a show coming next year so it would ease the wait.

You missed out on the blue dragon flying over the hightower army hehe. It was Daeron's dragon, the little brother of Helaena, Aegon and Aemond. And well, Rhaenyra haha but he's on green side.

Joffrey spoiled what happens at the end of the war, so you might not want predictions from non book readers either...

I agree with your husband. Having read the book, the last two seasons have a lot of ground to cover. It will be ALOT of action. I can think of at least 6 major action set pieces off the top of my head.

The season was cut short due to budget. The showrunner said going into the season that there would be two major set pieces. I assume that was the Battle of Rooks Rest and the Red Sowing. There was at least one major battle that they moved from season 1 to season 2. That said, GoT almost always had the biggest action in the penultimate episode. The finale usually set up the next season.

I think when Alys Rivers said you will die here she meant the old Daemon as he was so that a new one could be born or released. Just a theory not based on the book which I have only just acquired so not read yet! This was a great episode but clearly wasn’t ever meant to be the finale which is why it didn’t feel like one which was disappointing. Even one more episode would have been awesome!

The guy with the antlers is likely a green man. They guard the Isle of Faces. Howland Reed met them before the Tournament at Harrenhall.

Could be the Night King from the first Long Night, not the one we saw from Game of Thrones

Thank you Stefani for your honest reaction! All the other reactors are trying to hype the finale, even calling it "amazing". Just because you have a reaction channel, doesn't mean that you cant be honest. The finale was a disappointment. The whole season was a disappointment. Its not even close to GoT quality.

Somehow I completely overlooked the Night King in the flashbacks, I must have blinked or looked away, but when I saw him in this reaction I laughed. He looked way too short and had one eye bigger than the other! Otherwise it seemed like a good set up episode, though not what we usually expect from a GoT universe season finale. It tied things up enough that I expect the next season to be a lot more action packed.

Didn?t you hear the whisper in the wind when Daemon talked to Sir Broome? Rewatch and listen

They cut out 2 of the Muppet Tullys: Oscar Tully´s father and grandfather Elmo and Kermit Tully.

Even if Rhaenrya is on the throne, it's still a patriarchy. The UK had a queen as well as a female prime minister in the 80s. It didn't stop being a patriarchy because women were in charge.

In the book, a character named Nettles claims Sheepstealer. She does so by giving him sheep. She is rumored to be Daemon's bastard daughter. The show seems to be giving Rhaena Nettles's storyline... which is an interesting choice... Rhaenyra suspects Daemon is banging Nettles and tries to have her executed...

Viserys said it in the first season: The belief that Targaryens control the dragons is false. The only thing that binds a dragon to a human is the blood of Old Valyria, and to the dragons, these Targaryen bastards still have that same blood.

Cercei deserved a million slaps.

If your looking for justice, you’ve come to the wrong place - Tyrion Lannister

Jorah had plenty of opportunities to come clean with Dany. He should have before the pardon.

Stef ! That reaction was awesome, they barely even flinched, eyes wide open with shock. OMG that was insane. Great job ladies ><

The point of the beetle story is how men in power can destroy things and not give a second thought to it as long as it's what they want. It's a curious thing.