Welcome to Game of Thrones: MVP of the Week, a weekly feature in which we crown the character who stands out most during each episode of season eight. The MVP may have had the most kills, given the best monologue, or died the most heroic death. (Hey, we're just covering all our bases!)
I generally try to give the characters of Game of Thrones [1] some leeway when it comes to the insanity of their choices because of the circumstances of their situation. They're dealing with dragons, red witches, and Night Kings, after all. Someone is bound to make a few mistakes along the way. But season eight's fourth episode, "The Last of the Starks," was beyond my comprehension. So many bad decisions are made and so many characters seem to forget themselves over the course of its 80 minutes.
I mean, yay for Jaime finally realising that Brienne [2] is all that and a bag of chips, but boo on him for hurting her after she opens up to him so vulnerably! Did Jon really leave Ghost behind [3] after the direwolf fought for him in the Battle of Winterfell, without so much as a pet or a "Good boy?" And, finally, did Missandei really have to die in chains for the sake of "pushing" Daenerys into attacking King's Landing with no regrets? At this point, it's hard to justify calling any of these people an MVP.
So, in light of all the characters' (and showrunners') failure to make sense on Sunday night, I'm forced to give this week's award to the real star of episode four: the random coffee cup [4] that makes an unexpected and unintended cameo during the celebration scene in Winterfell. No, it may not have any lines, but its presence speaks volumes.
Our First Runner-Up of the Week Is . . . the Stark Sisters!
Look, it's not my fault that these ladies continually kill it with every episode! It's as if the sisters have become the most level-headed of the entire cast of characters — though that might be because neither of them are fighting for the Iron Throne that everyone is so obsessed with. Sansa is fighting for freedom of the North and Arya just wants her revenge. Maybe their personal goals are what's keeping them from getting caught up in the big wheel that never stops turning.
While Daenerys and her advisers plot their journey to Dragonstone immediately, Sansa suggests that the soldiers be allowed to rest before they embark on another war. Dany interprets this as Sansa attempting to keep the Northerners from joining the fight, but she clarifies that she's referring to Daenerys's men, too. It makes sense — they've barely over the heinous battle against the White Walkers and it's safe to assume that any able-bodied soldier is still recovering from some wound. Time to recuperate would mean that Daenerys has more time to work out a plan of attack (with some contingencies plotted) and even send some scouts ahead to get the lay of what lies ahead. But Daenerys quickly shoots her down, asserting her dominance, and Jon fumbles in his attempt to show loyalty to the Dragon Queen.
The Stark sisters pull Jon aside (with Bran tagging along) to take him to task, the two standing together opposite their brother cousin. It's a beautiful show of sisterhood for the two to have each others' back and speak as one. "We don't trust her," Arya says, and it really makes my heart swell to see how far these two have come. Then of course, Jon has Bran reveal his true parentage, though we never learn how the sister react to the news because Game of Thrones loves their offscreen revelations.
The next time we see the sisters, Sansa is spilling the Ageon Targaryen tea to Tyrion and Arya is leaving Winterfell to journey South. Since we don't know the conversation that resulted from Jon's news, I'm not really sure why either sister decided on the route she took. But I have some theories and I have a feeling that neither Sansa or Arya are planning on bending the knee to the Dragon Queen anytime soon.
Our Second Runner-Up of the Week Is . . . Varys!
In episode four, Varys is picking up what Sansa has indirectly put down and he's following the breadcrumbs she's laid out for him. It's obvious that Varys was already second guessing his Queen's choices; we see as much during season seven after she executes the Tarly men by dragonfire. Now, he's realising that there are other options and he's not afraid to handle the situation like he's done before.
While I admire Varys confronting Tyrion about the concerns they both share and bringing up said worries to Daenerys when she reveals her plans to burn down King's Landing, I'm worried about how brazen he's being. It's one thing to talk in riddles and sly remarks that convey a tease of what you might be plotting, but it's another thing to straight up tell someone, "Hey, I'm plotting treason." Considering how hard Tyrion is clinging to his loyalty for Daenerys, it seems clumsy for Varys to play his cards so openly, no matter how friendly the two are. Here's hoping his honesty with Tyrion doesn't result in his untimely end.
Our Third Runner-Up of the Week Is . . . Ghost!
The disrespect to our main doggo Ghost needs to be discussed. My boy stands beside Jon through all the bullsh*t, even keeping his body from being burned after he's killed in the mutiny at Castle Black, and THIS is how Jon repays him? He tells Tormund to take Ghost up to the North where he'll be happier? He was happy with you, fool!
Jon could have at least left Ghost at Winterfell with the remaining Starks so they could take care of him well into old age. Ghost didn't go through all those battles for Jon to shuttle him off with Tormund's milk-guzzling behind (though I love him, I do). Ghost should be the damn King in the North for all the work he's done for Jon! To leave him without a single head scratch or letting him know he's a good dog? Unforgivable! Ghost deserves better.
Our Special Mention of the Week Is . . . Rhaegal!
Poor Rhaegal. Been through all of this just to be taken down by a pirate that looks like a Lifetime original version of Pacy Witter. He didn't have to go out like that. He was a good dragon, possibly the most gentle of them all. He should have dropped Jon during the Battle of Winterfell and never looked back! Just flown to Essos and been a boss b*tch out there.
Personally, if I was dragon and my mother didn't let me rest after I got entire HOLES in my wings from fighting with a bunch of wights, I wouldn't be flying with her. But that's just me. Rhaegal was a real one and he went down like one. RIP.
So, MVP of the Week Has to Be . . . Random Coffee Cup!
This cup did more work in this episode than most of the characters. It stands out in a scene [6] it doesn't even belong in and it catches everyone's attention. Having this cup in a scene makes about as much sense as anything else that's happened so far, but we'll take it.