“The demolition of the Sept of Baelor would seem to be a major milestone in the ongoing, somewhat submerged narrative running throughout Game of Thrones about the brutal relationship between lords and peasants. The show has long hinted at a popular revolution, and Cersei either just quashed it or ignited it.”
“the increasingly supernatural significance of the Starks and Targaryen also imply bloodline hierarchy to be just and divinely willed”
“Though the High Sparrow had scene after scene of sermonizing to imprisoned royals, his motives always seemed suspect—in a world where callous pragmatism rules, was he actually a true ideologue?”
“Was he working for someone else, or was he really, as he said, a cobbler turned ascetic after a night of partying? Because we could only experience this lowborn character through the eyes and ears of our noble protagonists and antagonists, we never felt like we fully knew him, nor did we get a sense of the texture of the popular sentiment behind him.”
“Certainly this mirrors the ignorance of the higher class within the show. But just one scene of the High Sparrow and, say, Septa Unella or Lancel discussing strategy with each other would have had a powerful effect on the viewer’s understanding of what was really going on.”
“In that season-two scene where Tyrion and Cersei discussed the commonfolk, her younger brother warned, “You might find it difficult to rule millions who want you dead. Half the city will starve when winter comes, the other half will plot to overthrow you.” As of last episode, winter has arrived.”