Self loves the Gendry thread on Twitter. It is the most “fun” thread of all the different GoT character threads. Mostly because of the intensity of the viewers’ frustrations.
Likely the reason the showrunners brought Gendry back is because this and next season will be about battles. Self doesn’t mind seeing how mild-mannered, loyal blacksmith Gendry morphs into this fierce warrior. Any excuse to see Gendry in the series is great. So, battles, huh? She’ll take what she can get. Self will make this prediction: When — not if, when — Gendry finally puts on that bull helmet, the internet will just go wild.
Remember when Ned Stark visited the smithy, way back in Season 1, and Gendry refused to give it up? Self likes to think that D & D had this master plan for Gendry, from the very beginning. That D & D always planned to use the helmet as a red herring. Which makes them seem genius.
But, she also has a sinking feeling: because the longer it takes to get Gendry on-screen, the more his significance as a character is reduced. If he comes in during Episode 4 or 5, all he’ll be doing is helping Jon Stark prepare for war. (Which is why scenes like the one with Ed Sheeran and the puppy-ish Lannister soldiers was so excruciating.)
Self has been re-watching Season 3, Gendry’s scenes with Melisandre. Her telling Arya, “We will meet again” and telling Gendry, “You will make kings rise and fall” and “Haven’t you ever wondered where your strength came from?” Season 3 was so very, very promising — for Gendry, for Arya, for Melisandre, for Stannis, for Brienne, for Jaime.
Digression: There were other things about Season 3. Remember the hot tub scene that launched a thousand Brienne/Jaime ships? Remember the fight with the bear? Amazing to think: all of that happened in Season 3. Season 3 was really the last time the show focused so closely on these particular characters, and they were her favorite. After, it all got complicated and angst-y. We watched Danaerys’s (entirely predictable) rise and rise. Gendry disappeared.
Now Gendry’s return might simply be nothing more than a sign that the series has entered the mop-up stage. There’s definitely a bittersweet quality to his return.
She hopes there will eventually be a confrontation between Melisandre and Arya, and that Gendry is right there for it. Melisandre took Gendry and Arya turned into an assassin. The sweet girl Gendry used to know is no more. This is such a heartbreaking development. Each one of Arya’s kills comes at such great cost — to herself. Self keeps being reminded of the quote (she forgets the source): When you pursue the path of vengeance, dig two graves.
In revenge, self hopes Melisandre morphs into that weird crone thing that’s been popping up on Instagram, and self hopes it happens in front of Gendry and Arya’s disbelieving, horrified eyes. The transformation will be so powerful. Those three actors would act the heck out of such a scene: they’re all so great.
Stay tuned.
