Enter the Drogon: Dany's favourite arrives just in time to save her life. But another dragon fan was not so lucky. More brutality in Game Of Thrones, by Jim Shelley

By Jim Shelley for MailOnline

Published: 20:21 EST, 8 June 2015 | Updated: 02:44 EST, 9 June 2015

In Game Of Thrones, it was a night of contrasting fortunes for two girls fascinated by dragons.

Having sweetly explained to her father the story of the book she was reading (‘A Dance of Dragons’), Stannis Baratheon’s young daughter Shireen was burnt alive – pleading and screaming as her mother and father watched on.

On the other hand there was a happy ending (of sorts) as meanwhile in Meereen the original Mother Of Dragons, Daenerys ‘Khaleesi’ Targaryen, was re-united with ‘Drogon’, flying away on his back after her eldest progeny had swooped out of the sky and saved her life.

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Reunion: Game of Thrones' A Dance Of Dragons saw the Mother Of Dragons reunited with Drogon, in the penultimate episode of the fifth season

Reunion: Game of Thrones' A Dance Of Dragons saw the Mother Of Dragons reunited with Drogon, in the penultimate episode of the fifth season

You couldn’t help wondering how many viewers’ over-riding feeling was not one of horror but relief.

Yes, we had seen (and, harrowingly, heard) Shireen poignantly/heartlessly torched at the stake as her father commanded.

But on the plus side, Daenerys had lived to fight another day and the not-terribly-realistic CGI of her favourite dragon had not died after all. The REALLY upsetting prospect of the dragon’s death had been averted when Drogon’s groans of agony from the spears in his back had proved a false alarm. Phew.

The soppy violins and corny rescue scene worthy of Black Beauty, King Kong and The Neverending Story combined suggested that ultimately we were meant to care more about Dany and her dragon than the fate suffered by poor Shireen, whose afflictions and loneliness were such she had almost been put out of her misery.

Drogon returns: Daenerys had lived to fight another day and the not-terribly-realistic CGI of her favourite dragon had not died after all

Drogon returns: Daenerys had lived to fight another day and the not-terribly-realistic CGI of her favourite dragon had not died after all

Epic scenes: Emilia Clarke's Daenerys had a touch of Neverending Story about her 

Epic scenes: Emilia Clarke's Daenerys had a touch of Neverending Story about her 

Still it was pretty chilling, even by Game Of Thrones’ standards.

With its rich history of incest, rape, bloody carnage and brutal cruelty, Game Of Thrones is associated with controversy its scandals are almost in danger of becoming passé.

So if the manner of Shireen’s passing was undeniably savage, it was encouraging to find GoT still had the power to shock. You could say she died for a good cause.

Here are five other lessons we learnt from this episode.

1.Sacrificing his daughter in his quest to ‘fulfil his destiny’ shows Stannis has become desperate

The loss of their food supplies and horses after a sudden, spectral, set of fires in the Baratheon camp (presumably from a raid by Ramsay Bolton) led Stannis to offer his daughter as a sacrifice to the ‘Lord of Light’ so fervently endorsed by Melissandre.

The scary, sexy, sorceress needed no second invitation when it came to carrying the torch that lit the pyre.

Game Of Thrones, as brutal as ever: Stannis Baratheon’s young daughter Shireen was burnt alive

Game Of Thrones, as brutal as ever: Stannis Baratheon’s young daughter Shireen was burnt alive

Bad father much? Cold-hearted Stannis ignored his daughter's cries as she burned alive, pushing the boundaries of GoT to the limit

Bad father much? Cold-hearted Stannis ignored his daughter's cries as she burned alive, pushing the boundaries of GoT to the limit

The touching scenes in recent episodes of Stannis uncomfortably bonding with his daughter predictably proved premature.

Shireen was dragged screaming through the snow not long after she told him the story of her book ‘A Dance With Dragons’, also the title of the episode.

His response didn’t bode well.

‘Sometimes a person has to choose, sometimes the world forces his hand,’ he said darkly. ‘If a man knows what he is and remains true to himself, the choice is no choice at all. He must fulfil his destiny and become who he is meant to be, however much he may hate it.’

We soon found out why he had muttered ‘forgive me’ when he had hugged her.

‘Let me see my father please!’ she screamed from the pyre. ‘Mother! Father! Don’t do this please!’

‘It’s what the lord wants, it’s a good thing, it’s great thing,’ her mother joined in, as if trying to persuade herself.

In the end, Stannis couldn’t watch. Melisandre of course had no such difficulty, watching the girl go up in flames, mesmerised.

2. Daenerys and her dragons have to head for King’s Landing

Having been persuaded to re-open the fighting pits to appease the people of Meereen, Daenerys’ first experience of ‘the Great Games’ ended in carnage as Game Of Thrones followed up last week’s 15-minute war between the Wildlings and the White Walkers with another frenzied bloodbath.

Saved! Luckily Drogon returned during the Great Games to save Dany's life

Saved! Luckily Drogon returned during the Great Games to save Dany's life

Emotional moment: There's relief, and there's utter devastating overwhelming joy

Emotional moment: There's relief, and there's utter devastating overwhelming joy

Luckily for Dany, Ser Jorah had re-entered the city as a gladiator, saving her from assassination by the masked Sons of The Harpy before the organised fights descended into chaos and the slaughter of her soldiers and her people, including Hizdahr zo loraq, the man she was going to marry.

Only the arrival of Drogon saved her, Ser Jorah, Tyrion, Missandei, and Daario, although only the Dragon Queen flew away to safety. With the Meereen no longer with her or safe, she surely has no choice but to head for King’s Landing now – even without the massed ranks of the army she had planned on.

3. Jon Snow, Tormund, and the Wildlings’ Giant made it back to The Wall

The best-laid plans tend not to turn out well in Game Of Thrones, as Daenerys (with the people of Meereen) and Cersei (and the High Sparrows) had discovered to their cost. Last week, Jon Snow’s bright idea of going with Tormund to recruit the Wildlings to defend The Wall against the White Walkers had resulted in a massacre.

‘It was a failure,’ ‘Jon Snow’ told Sam about his plan – something of an understatement considering their losses and the terrifying lessons he had learned about their foe.

Jon looks good in Snow: Jon Snow's mission to head to Tormund to recruit the Wildings was a failure

Jon looks good in Snow: Jon Snow's mission to head to Tormund to recruit the Wildings was a failure

‘It wasn’t,’ Samwell Tarly tried to reassure as the survivors, including the Giant, trudged in to Castle Black.

No, it was.

4. Jaime Lannister is taking Cersei’s daughter back to King’s Landing

Despite Ellaria Sand’s threats to kill Mycella Lannister and despite being captured by Prince Doran’s men, the mission Cersei had sent Jaime on (the bring back their daughter Myrcella) looks like being a ‘success.’

The Prince gave his assent for Jaime, Bronn, and Myrcella to return to King’s Landing - on certain conditions: her fiancé/his son Tristane went with them and took a seat on the small council; Bronn was smacked in the chops by the Prince’s huge bodyguard; and Ellaria abandoned pledged her allegiance to him.

‘The queen will be thrilled to know you’re bringing her daughter home. You love her very much don’t you?’ Ellaria conceded to Jaime.

‘Of course. She’s my niece,’ he replied.

‘I wasn’t talking about Myrcella,’ she said, showing him that she knew Myrcella was offspring of him and his sister, but on Dorne this was not something considered worthy of disapproval.

Nearly the end: Fans will be gearing up for the big finale of the fifth season after the latest epic shocker of an episode

Nearly the end: Fans will be gearing up for the big finale of the fifth season after the latest epic shocker of an episode

‘It’s always changing – who we’re supposed to love and who we’re not. The only thing that stays the same is that we want who we want,’ she suggested – which in this show at least is probably true.

Unfortunately for Jaime, any feelings of satisfaction or triumph he had are, of course, destined to be short-lived when he gets back to King’s Landing.

When she dispatched him to retrieve their daughter, her return there was all Cersei wanted.

Given Cersei’s current imprisonment and King Tommen’s powerless position after her disastrous deal with The Sparrows, she might not thank him for it after all.

5. Game Of Thrones has found the perfect person to direct it

After yet another disturbing, dream-like, and demented episode it was only apt that ‘A Dance Of Dragons’ was directed by a certain David Nutter.

As shocking as ever: With its rich history of incest, rape, bloody carnage and brutal cruelty, Game Of Thrones is associated with controversy its scandals are almost in danger of becoming passé

As shocking as ever: With its rich history of incest, rape, bloody carnage and brutal cruelty, Game Of Thrones is associated with controversy its scandals are almost in danger of becoming passé

 

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