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The letdown some people are feeling over the big #GameofThrones episode is that GoT became famous for reinventing the epic fantasy wheel, but it appears to be ending as just a regular old wheel, albeit spinning fast and with a terrific set of shiny rims.
The episode was incredibly intense in the moment, edge-of-your-seat stuff, a 90-minute rollercoaster ride, because GoT long ago demonstrated anything could happen. A terrific sense of the unknown hung over the long-heralded Battle of Winterfell. They could ALL have died.
The unknown is inherently fearful. Having no idea what could happen, never knowing which moment could see a popular and long-established character die, having the fate of the world hanging in the balance is exhilarating.
It's not easy to create that feeling of dangling over the abyss in an audience. Usually they're just politely agreeing to feel in suspense, especially in the epic fantasy genre, where drama tends to follow certain moral arcs.
That's one reason fantasy tales tend to build up supernatural enemies as unbeatable. It seems like there's no way the heroes could possibly win! That's important because you need to gently convince the audience to forget that they probably will, perhaps with a few casualties.
GoT seemed to be playing by a different set of rules for a long time, but after a really well-made and tense climax to the supernatural menace, it turns out it really wasn't. It's a spicy remix of a meal you've had before, with dramatically appropriate deaths and triumphs.
The feeling that not enough major characters died, that the victory was too easy, is a proxy for the feeling that the victory was too CONVENTIONAL. (Clearly none of the survivors would agree that battle was "easy!") It was fantastic in the moment because we didn't know that yet.
A seemingly unstoppable evil has one incredibly devastating weakness and arrogantly exposes it so a brave hero can complete her mythic journey and score the impossible win? Yeah, we've heard that one before. It's a fine story, but it's not new.
Of course, the BIG story isn't over yet, but last night marked the last moment when it could have ended in an unimaginable way. It turned out to be a roller coaster after all, not a plunge into the void. A bit disappointing, but I loved the ride right up till it stopped. /end
