Game of Thrones Season 5 Episode 10 preview: Expect the unexpected

As we get to the finale of Season 5, Game of Thrones fans should know that the director for the last episode is David Nutter - responsible for all the heartache in the Red Wedding. So, expect a bucket full of drama thrown at you come tomorrow.

HBO has a very bland synopsis of the last episode titled Mother's Mercy. It reads, 'Stannis begins to march; Dany is surrounded by strangers; Cersei seeks forgiveness; Jon is challenged'. As expected, they do not want to give you anything more before the designated time of sobbing, cursing and general befuddlement, depending on how the episode will unfold.

With the exception of the last episode of Season 4, all other GoT season finales have been cool-down episodes after a whirlwind of a series. Be it after the Battle of Blackwater or Red Wedding. Last season's finale was the one with the fireworks. Given the build up so far, let's hope this will turn out to be in the same vein.

So far we know that Stannis Baratheon has made his sacrifice. He set his daughter on fire after advice from the red priestess Melisandre to please the Lord of Lights. In the promo, Melisandre tells Stannis, "The Lord of Light has made good on his promise, my king." This power, from the first look of it, has helped Stannis as he plans to begin the siege at sunrise. But Stannis has someone else apart from the Boltons to deal with, if he reaches Winterfell.

Brienne and Podrick are in Winterfell, waiting for Sansa to finally light that candle in the broken tower. Brienne has an old score to settle with Stannis. So far, the lady has failed to save everyone she swore to protect. Let's hope she will get to avenge the ones she lost.

Sansa has been through a lot in this season. She married Ramsey for god's sake! From the promo, it looks like she is going for the Hail Mary pass. She might make a run for her freedom as Stannis closes in on Winterfell. For once, it will be exciting to see her take charge of her life even if it is leading to her death. Will Brienne and Podrick come the save her?

In King's Landing, the Tyrell siblings and Cersei are prisoners of the High Sparrow for the abomination they have committed against the gods. Cersei will need to confess to get out of the punishment intended for her. In the promo, we see her kneeling before the High Sparrow saying, "I was lonely and afraid." To which he responds sympathetically, "We don't choose whom we love." 

In the last episode, Qyburn had come to visit Cersei and had assured her a way out of this without confessing to the Faith Militant. We know that the disgraced maester has been playing Frankenstein to Gregor 'The Mountain' Clegane since he was pushed to near death after the dual with Oberyn. This re-made man could be Cersei's ticket out of the dungeon. But not before she is shaved, stripped and forced to walk naked from Baelor's Sept to the Red Keep.

Jon Snow survived Hardhome and the Night's King to get the Wildlings to Castle Black and form an alliance. But all the evidence from the last episode, the synopsis for Mother's Mercy and the promo point towards an inevitable mutiny in the Night's Watch. Will Jon survive? Will the Wildlings take his side? Ser Davos is there to procure food, men, and horses for Stannis. Maybe his expertise will help Jon survive because his trusted friend Samwell Tarly is not at the castle.

If 'leaked' footage and rumour mills are to be believed, there are chances that the Night's King (who very well could be Jon's uncle Benjen we saw disappear in Season 1) will get to the current Lord Commander and turn him into one of them. That would be quite a twist in the plot!

Arya is torn between the path she chose and her past that has now caught up with her in the form of Ser Meryn Trant. Jaqen H'ghar already has doubts about her capability to commit to the House of Black and White. Here, she will have to choose ticking another name, after The Hound, off her 'To-Kill' list and become the faceless assassin by killing the thin man at the docks.

In the last episode, the Sand Snakes looked like they let go of their revenge quest very easily when Ellaria Sand surrendered. But if the interviews of the cast members are to be believed, in the last episode they are up to something extreme. Sound the alarms for Jamie, Myrcella, Trystane and Bronn, who are on their way to King's Landing.

In Meereen, Tyrion, Daario and Jorah are without their Dany, who rode Drogon out of the fighting pits. The synopsis says that she will be surrounded by strangers. This could be really taxing for her. Drogon was subjected to spears by the Sons of the Harpy as he heroically swooped in to save his mother. A lone Dany with the wounded Drogon amongst strangers suggests a few steps back from the plan to march towards Westeros.

I, for one, would like to see some other stories come to a sort-of conclusive point where the season finale is concerned. I would like to know the whereabouts of Baelish, who was last seen in The Gift plotting with Olenna Tyrell. Also the plans of Lady Olenna to get her grandkids out. I would also like to know if Lord Varys has yet realised that Tyrion has gone missing from that brothel in Volantis!

Now watch the promo posted below, while I sit back and watch the clock tick until tomorrow!

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Game of Thrones Season 5 airs on HBO Defined every Monday at 6:30 am IST with a repeat telecast on the same day at 10 pm.