I enjoyed the episode it wasn't entirely surprising but still had shock value nonetheless.
I saw the burning of KL as the culmination of Dany's arc. She has had a messianic streak right from the start, this has grown to an authoritarian streak as things have gone on and an increasing intolerance to dissension. Whilst she freed the slaves the process only reinforced her own sense of destiny and the outcome of that is where we've arrived. If I'm not loved I'll be feared but either way I'm in charge.
Jon and Tyrion have made their choices and both in their own ways have always been men of their word. They have spent this season struggling against the growing realisation that their adherence to their commitment is causing problems. Jon has done little because he has willingly made himself subordinate to Dany, Sansa hates that because she is on a path to regaining control and throwing off the fetters others placed on her. Tyrion has forsaken his house and committed to Dany's cause and is unwilling to forsake this cause even as it troubles him. As we saw with Randyll Tarly Dany brooks no dissension even when she has no right to demand Tarly's loyalty, she doesn't respect honour she values subservience.
Jamie and Cersei's ending whilst low key I thought was their story in a nutshell, their selfish choices and commitment to each other limited their future choices one after another until they only have each other standing in a room waiting to die unremarked. Whilst I had hoped for a completed redemption arc for Jamie killing Cersei to stop the slaughter, I accept maybe this was too far even for him. He still died a different man to the one we met in season 1.
It will be interesting to see how they wrap this up. This is the Game of Thrones maybe mad Dany will win, but my boy Gendry is still in the game ready to be proclaimed when every other bugger is dead. Good old King Robert's son seems like the safe candidate after all the mad buggers.
Having watched it again pretty much this for me too. Really not completely getting the hatred.
Dany's always shown that ruthlessness to her enemies. Her Brother, the witch, the folks in Quarth she locked up to die of hunger and so on throughout. Sure a lot of those people weren't good and possibly deserved their comeuppance but maybe not the agonising deaths they got! Always shown a petty vindictive side. Fire and blood etc.
Then you have her getting to Westeros. Turn after turn she's slapped back, usually by bad advice from her own Westerosi advisers. It's all chipping away at her. Takes things into her own hands, wins a battle and then burns anyone who doesn't bend.
Then she loses literally everyone who's been with her from Essos aside Grey Worm. Certainly anyone who's council she'd listen to. Then she finds out the only thing she has in her life, to be Queen, isn't even hers by right. Even worse it belongs to Jon, a man she loves who has now rejected her.
Then Cersei is the reason for the death of her 'child' last and then her last best friend. So she took another leaf out of Ollena's book, be the dragon, and proceeded to burn the city leaving the Red Keep for last to ensure Cersei feels the fear and pain she's had.
Fairly obvious she'll not be placated by having done that, probably too far gone for remorse because if she realises what she'd done she'll probably go truly mad. Actually, that could be a rather sad/fitting end. Her locked away wittering away - going from wailing remorse to screaming about burning everyone.
I really liked the Jaime/Cersei ending, leaving the world alone but together. In a normal, classical show Cersei would have had a 'bigger' ending at the hands of her nemesis Dany.
Cleganebowl was pure fan service and I for one am happy about that. Cleganes manic laughter at the craziness of his brother not going down was great. Ending him by pushing him out into the fire was poetic justice. Nice for him to get a goodbye with Arya too.
Criticism of Jon for not doing anything isn't really fair either, once a sack has started they take on a life of their own. Nothing at that point he could have done and if he'd magically stopped it and somehow shot down Drogon/Dany then GoT really would be a generic fantasy show. They only pulled out when the wildfire started going off.
Couple comments about Danys army still having lots of people, sure after episode three it looked like about 12 people were left so they messed up there. But in this episode she wasn't attacking where her own troops where. It was a complete rout, their losses would have been negligible. That would easily explain the Dothraki horse being there for Arya to ride out on.
The bad for me... crazy pirate guy washing up next to Jaime. As someone else said having Jaime stabbed wasn't needed unless it brought about a situation where Cersei could escape but doesn't to stay with him because he can't go on. Should have just given just Jaime of old one last flash of brilliance by making very short sharp work of crazy jack sparrow.
I didn't mind the scorpions missing, they've only ever hit Rhaegal who was flying on a straight course. Dany and Drogon have faced them a few times now.