Game of Drones: Season 8 Episode 6 (Series Finale)

It's official. Game of Thrones is the Mass Effect of television. For those that don't know, Mass Effect was a popular and loved video game trilogy, that ultimately became infamous for its completely botched ending. I see a lot of similarities between the two franchises, particularly in the response of the fans. Many fans of Mass Effect likewise were profoundly disappointed after it's remarkably lackluster conclusion. A large contingent were in abject denial well afterward, and devoted a great deal of energy to essentially fabricating their own alternative endings, to compensate for the bad ending they couldn't reconcile with their expectations. They seized upon all manner of subjective nonsense to imbue depth and meaning to an ending that ultimately had none. There was no "secret," or esoteric substance, behind it. It just sucked. 

I've been seeing the same from GoT fans for the last three episodes. "Game of Thrones fan theory says the White Walkers will play a role in the finale," says one fan. "I'm almost certain that this is a subtle clue that might strengthen a suggestion that Gilly and Little Sam have White Walker blood in their veins." Of course none of that happened. That's Season 1-4 caliber depth. Season 8, by contrast, was a narratively hollow simulacra that had none of the nuance endemic to its nascent content. It went out with a decadent and vacuous whimper, squandering virtually off of the goodwill it had accrued over seven prior seasons, in the paltry span of four episodes. My personal expectations were pretty much depleted after the battle with the Night King. That set the tone for the whole season for me. It was very ill portent. If they resolved something that ostensibly significant so shoddily the likely outcome going forward was more of the same. And that's exactly what happened. They didn't know how to resolve the conflict with NK coherently, so they didn't. They didn't know how to solve the conflict with Cersei coherently, so they didn't. They didn't know how to solve the conflict with Dany coherently, so they didn't. It was an almost nonstop spectacle of special effects, meant to distract you from the fact that on a narrative level, none of it made much sense.

It's no small problem either that endings tend to carry a disproportionate amount of significance and repute in stories of this nature. Mass Effect is remembered, more than anything else, for the trilogy's terrible ending far more than the mostly good content that preceded it. If you were to ask someone who played Mass Effect what they remembered, the botched ending would almost certainly be the first thing they mention. Why? I'll tell you why. If you ate an ice cream cone, only to find a dead cockroach at the bottom, would you care about the preceding 99% of the ice cream that was good? Probably not, or at least not nearly as much as you would have, if the conclusion was commensurate with the prelude. The ending is the last, and therefore most chronologically proximal, thing a person experiences. You botch the ending, and you often mar the memory as a whole, forever.

The last episode was, as those preceded it, a combination of visual splendor and narratively uninspired swill. The shot of Dany which appeared to show her unfurling dragon wings in particular was very nice. I wish they'd have done it long ago, when it might have mattered, and not been eclipsed by a story that had already driven off a cliff into contradiction and unfulfillment. It turns out Dany was just female Hitler all this time. (The arrangement of her troops in the courtyard immediately brought to mind The Empire from Star Wars.) She doesn't show an ounce of contrition for indiscriminately murdering civilians; it's all rationalized away as necessary collateral damage for achieving the greater good; i.e., her pursuit of global dominion. Like Hitler, she's not content with Poland and France, she wants it all. She makes it clear she's going to invade everyone, everywhere, until the whole world bends the knee. And she'll kill anyone who's an obstacle, because she alone is the arbiter of morality.

As stated previously, it's not the fact she ended up this way that bothers me, so much as the dearth of exposition surrounding it. It simply lacked development. There weren't enough episodes to make it feel organic, and so it all comes across incredibly shoehorned, having largely occurred in the span of four episodes. Much like her relationship with Jon. As mentioned in a previous installment, their "love" too was never really developed, and therefore lacks weight. Consequently, so does Jon's betrayal. I felt no more shock when Jon betrayed her, than I would infidelity from the spouse of some wayward relative or child, whom they wed after knowing only 6 weeks. That's how it was with Jon and Dany. We're supposed to feel something because the show tells us they're in love, but it never showed us they're in love in any meaningful way, and it's not evocative as such. Jon and Dany were never really together, or allied in the viewer's mind in that manner, and consequently the perfidy that sunders them feels as hollow as their relationship.

I literally felt nothing as Dany was stabbed, and died, and was carried off. I was actually scoffing mockingly for much of it, along with the rest of the episode. Because, again, their relationship never meant anything to me. I was also perplexed at why Drogon didn't kill Jon, but burns the Iron Throne for some reason. Am I to surmise Drogon has some comprehension of what the throne is, represents, etc? Is it some kind of socio-political statement? Is he burning it instead of burning Jon because he can't bring himself to kill a Targaryen? As usual, nothing is explained, nor makes much sense. Drogon then flies off with her corpse, to who knows where, neither of which are ever to be seen again. This is the conclusion to Dany's story we've been waiting to see for 8 years? She gets shanked inconspicuously, mere feet away from the throne she's been trying to obtain for years without ever sitting on it, before being hauled off into the fog by her giant fire chicken? It felt far too meager for a character of her scope.

The council that appoints Bran king, as well as the appointment itself, was farcical. Isn't this the guy that just two episodes ago said he didn't want to be the Lord of Winterfell? But now, not only does he agree to be ruler of the 7 kingdoms, he implies it was his objective all along. When asked if he would be ruler, he replies, "Why do yo think I came all this way?" This has a lot of implications. He can apparently see the future, after all, and just let it all play out, presumably knowing the ultimate outcome would be his ascendance to the throne, and his brother being once again banished to a monastic life of solitude. I wish I could say it didn't fit his character. But Bran has a history of exploiting people for his own purposes. He basically killed Hodor to save his own skin. It's not like Hodor was asked if he wanted to hold the door. He was forced to, against his will, at the expense of his life to save Bran's. He arguably knew how things would end up for Jon also and did nothing to alter that outcome. I'd like to think this has some deeper significance, and is perhaps indicative of some ulterior motive on his part, but that would just be me in denial like the others. That would be season 1-4 caliber story telling, and this is season 8, in which all such subtlety and nuance has been ostentatiously discarded. The reality is it doesn't mean anything. It's just bad writing. Another casualty of a story being told in too little time, with too little attention to detail to do it justice, and under the misconception that being "unexpected" and being good are the same thing.

The writers have never more flagrantly conflated these two things, and substituted the former for the latter entirely, than they have in Season 8. Bran becoming ruler wasn't because it was the best, or most satisfying outcome, but because it was an unexpected outcome. And to that I simply ask, what would you prefer? Would you prefer your favorite meal, knowing you'll receive it, or a meal that's awful which you weren't expecting? Does being unexpected make bad food good? Well, it doesn't make plots good either. And it seems writers are increasingly unaware of that fact. I'd rather have something I want and like, knowing it's coming, over a bad surprise pretty much any day. And a major problem with GoT's ending is that it provides virtually none of the former whilst delivering the latter in abundance. It's one thing for one, or maybe two things to not go as expected, and contrary to your wishes. But when most or all of it goes that way, it just becomes unentertaining, and even downright depressing.

Watching Jon be sent back to the wall was one of the most anticlimactic and unsatisfying things I've ever seen in a television show (or any form of entertainment) I've followed. And as stated above, it was the grand finale, and will therefore linger with me more prominently than other parts of the show. What I will remember going forward, above all else, is that the show left me dissatisfied. That it wasted hours and hours of my life leaving me with angst in the end. And I will never forget that. It will always imbrue my memory of the series as a whole. John saved the world from tyranny and was basically sent to an internment camp for his troubles.

Weiss himself somewhat acknowledges this issue in an interview in which he seems to be preemptively defending what he anticipated would be a received as an epic stink bomb.

It's true, what he said. You can't please everyone. But far from trying to please everyone the conclusion of GoT feels far more like it tried to please no one. It feels like virtually no effort was made to produce an ending that would be well received. It's not bitter sweet, it's just plain bitter, and thus the excuse "you can't please everyone" falls flat. If you were a Dany fan, and wanted her to end up on the throne, you'd have been disappointed if Jon did (and vice versa). I wanted Jon to end up on the throne, personally, and I would have been disappointed if the converse happened. But that's not what happened here. Instead we got an ending that frankly sought to satisfy as few people as possible, and the writers have the audacity to imply those who dislike it, dislike it because they were expecting perfection. I wouldn't have necessarily hated the ending if Jon didn't win the throne, but the notion this was the "version that worked better than any other version," is simply farcical. No, I hated this ending because the person who got the throne, being the product of a deliberate narrative trolling effort, was one of the worst choices for the position. So, why should I feel any differently about this, than I do an election that sees someone who's nowhere close to the best candidate being appointed?

I mean, who the hell wanted Bran to end up on the throne? To whom, but some tiny fringe minority, was that ever a hope or source of satisfaction? Again, it seems like the objective was purely to produce an unexpected outcome, with no regard for whether or not it was a good outcome. Why would Bran be a better ruler than Jon, or even Dany, anyway? Bran (by virtue of his powers) may have superior knowledge, but by his own admission he's scarcely even human anymore, lacks the natural human affections from which virtue (as much as vice) are derived, and is effectively naught but an amoral spectator. He's flagrantly exploited others, even unto their deaths, to achieve what he deems the greater good. (Sound familiar?) Both Dany and Bran have used people to their own ends and then discarded them in pursuit of their own agendas. The only difference is perhaps the scale to which each did so. But he's the best guy to rule because Tyrion said so. And everyone just listens to Tyrion, despite the fact he completely misjudged the last ruler he followed, because reasons.

From the viewer's perspective this should be particularly unsettling. The viewer is made aware, numerous times, that Bran can see the future. It's implied the NK's demise was a result of Bran manipulating events all along to achieve that outcome. At the very least he had precognition of the outcome. He implies he knew he would be offered the crown and that's the reason he traveled all the way to King's Landing. He tells other characters repeatedly that their actions and fates are part of some grander scheme. So, basically Bran knew King's Landing would be razed, and said/did nothing to stop it. He didn't warn anyone. He didn't warn Tyrion. He didn't warn Jon, that if he told Sansa and Arya his true lineage, that he'd end up back at the wall for the rest of his life. At best this makes Bran the consummation of human indifference, willing to forfeit thousands of lives and see his brother miserable for the rest of his life, in service to some agenda he deems more important. At worst it was all his plan, allowing thousands to be killed and his brother to take the fall, so he could acquire the throne. 

So at best Bran's neither bad nor good. He's overtly indifferent to the circumstances, bad or good, of other human beings; even his family. He spends most of his time in a state of apparent catatonia, again by his own admission, because he mostly lives in the past. How does that make for a good ruler? It's things like this that make me question how I'm even watching the same show. Characters are contradicting themselves from episode to episode much less season to season. And given that people who merely spend an hour with the show are noticing this, it leaves one baffled at how people working on it for the better part of a decade failed to notice. Surely they did notice. They just didn't care anymore. I was saying quite some time ago that the show began to feel like its makers no longer wanted to make it. The quality began to noticeably dip, indicating a diminishing interest from its makers, at least from a writing perspective. If I had to bet money I would wager this waning interest is proximal to their being given approval to make the next Star Wars film. They got what they wanted out of GoT; a launchpad to bigger and better things. They were simply done with it at that point and wanted to get it over with. Hence why they chose to make a 6 episode final season despite allegedly being given approval to make 10.

So Jon (The Prince that was Pointless) gets shipped off to the wall to spend the rest of his days in ignominy. His extraordinary birth, life, death and resurrection amounting to nothing. Of what significance is it that he was a secret Targaryen? It played no meaningful role in the battle against the NK. Was it so he could ride dragons? He barely did that at all and accomplished nothing of substance when he did. To kill Dany? She loved him before she knew he was a Targaryen, so it was completely unnecessary toward that end. He would have procured her trust and been able to exploit it either way. Why was he resurrected from the dead? To kill the NK? Again, he did nothing in that regard. To kill Dany? That makes no sense. The god that resurrected him was a fire god, and one of its servants (a red priestess) implied that Dany was an instrument of that god, in a previous episode. Had she fulfilled her purpose? Had her usefulness expired? We'll never know. I'd frankly rather see Dany on the throne than what we got (and that's despite never really caring for her). At least that would have made a modicum of sense. 

I also couldn't help but observe that the Unsullied and Dothraki, who demanded Jon be punished, apparently leave the continent after it's decided he'll be sent to the wall. So, who will be there to know if Jon doesn't in fact go to the wall or remain there? None of it makes much sense. And the more the you think about, the less sense it all makes. People will no doubt claim they were trying to "honor" the source material, but that's a strawman of the worst order. They arbitrarily made significant changes on a regular basis for their own purposes. There was nothing stopping them from doing the same to give the fans a good ending. They chose not to. They didn't even leave us with anything. No Drogon with freshly laid dragon eggs. No allusion to White Walker activity north of the wall. Nothing but "subverted expectations."

Ultimately, it was a mixture of displeasure and relief. Displeasure at how it all played out, and relief the show was put out of its misery, and I won't have to watch being butchered on a weekly basis anymore. From Episode 3 onward it was kind like watching someone you care about being tortured to death, as each succeeding episode was narratively worst than the last. When the last episode credits rolled, I was like, "at least you won't suffer anymore."

So long Got. Some of it was good while it lasted. 

Game of Drones: Season 8 Episode 5

***SPOILER WARNING***

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

It's amazing how rapidly Game of Thrones has transitioned into the art of unmet expectations. "Subverting expectations" is plainly a synonym for disappointment. If the lackluster conclusion of this series accomplishes nothing else, I hope it finally exposes subverting expectations to be the specious crutch of bad writers, and the poor excuse for such from consumers with no standards, it has become.

This episode suffered the same rampant narrative inconsistency as the last two episodes; e.g., villains being crack shots when the writers want a dragon killed, for example, and then never being able to hit anything again. The very same ballistas that were used with stunning precision and efficiency to kill Rhaegal in Episode 4, are now useless against dragons. You know, cause reasons. Drogon, unlike his siblings, has a de facto immunity to projectile weaponry; dodging them like a Jedi deflects blaster fire; evading them like Benioff and Weiss evade narratively consistent scripts. As though Thanos had snapped his fingers, Qyburn informs Cersei that the Scorpions in and around King's Landing have "all been destroyed," without ever posing any tangible threat to Drogon or Daenerys Targaryen (Mother of Plot Holes) whatsoever. The very weapons from which Dany had to flee in the last episode, she obliterates with impunity in this one, despite the fact she's facing many more of them than in the previous episode. The Scorpion ballistas, along with the men manning them, are suddenly impotent in Episode 5. So, in the span of a few episodes dragons have ostensibly gone from unstoppable super weapons, to highly vulnerable and providing little if any strategic advantage, to unstoppable super weapons again. Their disposition being determined by whatever the writers need at the time. In one episode the writers need a dragon to die, so the Scorpions (much like the Night King's first spear) basically become sniper rifles firing homing rounds, and then once the writers no longer need a dragon to die they suddenly become hopelessly inaccurate. They may was well have been made of papier mache.

It needs to be observed that this completely negates the narrative significance and purpose of the preceding battle with the Night King. The whole reason things occurred in the order they did, was so the Night King would cull Dany's forces, in order to preclude a one sided battle in which Dany easily trounced Cersei. Which is precisely what happened anyway when Dany practically single-handedly defeated Cersei's army. So the battle against the Night King now served no purpose. The outcome was the same. 

Varys was obviously going to die after the last episode. Dany told him she'd burn him if he ever betrayed her long ago, and he made it clear to her long ago that he would betray her, if he ever thought she went off the rails. It's also obvious Dany is going to pit Jon against his own family (Sansa). If I had to guess either Tyrion (mourning Jaime), or Jon (to protect his family) will kill her in the series finale, to prevent Winterfell from suffering the same fate as King's Landing. Dany's decision to commit genocide was disappointing also. Not so much that it happened, that was always the obvious outcome, but rather what induced it. Dany basically committed genocide at King's Landing, becoming no better than Cersei and her father in the process, because Jon refused to have sex with her. Sure, that's a bit hyperbolic (it's a little bit more complicated than that), but not much.

Given the magnitude of the destruction occuring, I couldn't tell if I was watching a city being attacked by a dragon, or San Andreas featuring Dwayne Johnson. Dragon fire in GoT seems to behave more like a tsunami than actual fire, producing not only conflagration but acting as a bulldozer in addition. When a dragon breathes fire on a wall, it's more like a bomb detonating, than a flamethrower. Thus, when Arya was running through the city streets, I got the impression King's Landing was the epicenter of a 20.0 quake on the Richter Scale as opposed to a dragon attack. Normally, I'd be more forgiving of such things, but the show has pretty much exhausted my magnanimity with the extent of its transgressions against the viewer's intellect and expectations.

Like when they flagrantly and lazily retconned a prophecy by Melisandre, foretelling Arya's training by the faceless men, to justify their decision to have her kill the Night King. The writers clearly perused past episodes after the decision was made to have Arya kill the Night King, looking for something they could cite as a narrative basis and explanation for that travesty, and found what they were seeking in Melisandre's incredibly ambiguous prediction (which was accurate whether Arya killed the NK or not). "We can just say the 'blue eyes' were the Night King's derp derp derp," is probably the gist of how that discussion transpired.

Or when they blatantly ripped off Vikings (aired December 26, 2018) in the battle against the Night King (aired April 28, 2019), and had the audacity to do a worse job than Vikings did in many respects.

Sure, it's not exactly the same, but the visual similarities of the cavalry charging in as catapult fire rains down like falling comets is rather conspicuous. Though in Vikings the trench fire preceded the charge and it was all on a smaller scale. Perhaps the biggest difference is that in Vikings the charge, the trench fire, etc., serve a logical strategic purpose. The catapults, for example, are behind the troops and cavalry employing them as opposed to in front of them. The cavalry isn't squandered in some asinine suicide charge into an enemy they can't even see. The trench fire trammels the enemy army, limiting its ability to flee or circumvent the charge, instead of being a redundant barrier that obstructs your own retreat. The fire trench in GoT literally does the exact opposite of the one seen in Vikings, and ends up working against the side that used it, just as much if not more than it does the Night King's army.

The Hound's death was neat, I suppose, though "Clegane Bowl" was never really something I wanted to see that much. I can't say it moved me. It was cool and all but it ultimately felt like just another instance of spectacle over substance. And thus the only man left in the show not enthralled to a woman met his end. I also feel compelled to state, there was perhaps no one I wanted to see die a horrible and painful death more than Cersei Lannister, but I was once again robbed of satisfaction. Her and Jaime (the virgin slayer), arguably two of the worst people in the show, die together in a rather mundane manner and cast in an almost sympathetic light. Trapped in the royal cellar, the exits of which have all caved in because as mentioned earlier dragon fire is basically an earthquake in addition to fire, the roof comes down upon them as they embrace. Once again I was left feeling unfulfilled by a show that now seems to take that as a challenge. Jaime went from a-hole, to hero, to a-hole again. Cersei dies a death far too kind given all she's done. 

Game of Thrones: Where the heroes die monstrous deaths, and the monsters die like heroes.

An exorbitant amount of time in this episode is spent on Arya, who for the better part of (what seemed like) 10 minutes runs around King's Landing, after she decides not to do the one thing for which she went there in the first place. (Although I was actually relieved by this. If she played a part in killing another major villain I'd have lost it.) Meanwhile the Prince that was Pointless, or Jon Snow, once again does nothing of substance for the entire episode. Bran, having apparently outlived his pertinence and usefulness to anything, sits alone by the weirwood in Winterfell being a living magic eight ball, and for the lucky few, occasionally predicting winning lottery numbers. 

All I can say at this point, is with one episode left, how can this possibly be salvaged? The ending thus far is just plain awful. And I'm saying that as a Mass Effect 3 survivor.

Game of Drones: Season 8 Episode 4

***SPOILER WARNING***

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

"Subverting expectations" being all the rage is turning out to be a real drag. As stated in my last contribution on the series, there's a difference between being unexpected and good, and the writers for Game of Thrones no longer seem to know the difference (if they ever did at all). Things are happening and being resolved in increasingly unexpected, and therefore rather random, and therefore unfulfilling ways. The death of yet another dragon wasn't entirely unexpected, but the way it occurred was pretty much completely random and ridiculous, and therefore incredibly unfulfilling. The writers clearly conflate defying expectations with adroitness, and sacrificed the latter in pursuit of the former some time ago.

At this point nothing would "subvert" my expectations more than a coherent script. 

Conversely, the things playing out as expected were often very predictable; e.g., Dany's descent into despotic myopia and the resulting perfidy of her advisers. As I observed years ago.

"Jon, having that same pervading integrity and indefatigable sense of justice as his surrogate father, Ned, would frankly be the better 'ruler;' a Targaryen with a Stark's honor." - - Me, May 23, 2016.

"Jon Snow should end up the ruler of Westoros. [...] Dany's character [...] sounds ever more like the pretentious, entitled Viserys. Jon has no interest in power, it's always imposed upon him, whereas Dany now covets it above all else just like her insufferable brother (to which everyone around her is absurdly oblivious). She's becoming a more one-dimensional segue for the dragons getting from one continent to another with every episode.

As I said before Jon Snow's character is the only one that personifies unadulterated goodness. He's the one paragon of decency and virtue, in a sea of characters that are habitual, self-serving conscience compromisers, or even abject evil. The reason for this difference, and why Jon is the more suited to rule, is obvious; Jon was raised by Ned Stark; a man of indefatigable honor. Dany was not. She's not evil, but she's not entirely good either, and lacks the temperament to be a "great" ruler; contrary to the sentiment all the sycophants that surround her." - Me, July 31, 2017.

"I believe he (Tyrion) has begun to question Dany's worthiness as a ruler, particularly when she burned Sam's father and brother (despite his repeated appeals to spare them). He saw what every viewer should have seen long ago. Dany is more like her father than those around her will admit. She's obsessed with power, vindictive, egocentric, etc. I think Tyrion realized that truth on some level in that episode, and that he was perhaps merely trading one despot for another." - Me, May 4, 2019.

Dany is a walking contradiction at this point, ridding the world of tyranny (in her own mind) through increasingly tyrannical acts. "I've come to free you. Now bend the knee or die." Despite having arguably "good" reasons for her increasing austerity and vindictiveness, she's blind to the inherent contradiction and increasing hypocrisy of her agenda. The real irony is that Dany already had everything she wanted, just not in the place she wanted it. She could have done in Essos what her ancestors did in Westoros. She was already a ruler there, and even loved by many of the people, but that wasn't enough for her. Had she been content with that kingdom and stayed there, she eventually probably would have become one of the most powerful rulers in the world. And later her, or her children, or their children, could have taken Westoros after they'd raised a legion of dragons. But it wasn't the kingdom she wanted, on the continent she wanted, with the people she wanted. So here we are, two dragons down, and her claim to the throne becoming weaker by the day. 

As for the show there's this weird thing going on now, in which it's bouncing back and forth between extremes of unpredictability and predictability, but both are often disappointing and unfulfilling. Both the things I expect to happen, and the things I don't expect to happen, end up being disappointing. I anticipated Dany would distrust, if not seek to murder Jon for being a potential rival, the moment his true lineage was revealed. But that's a disappointing outcome on a personal level. There only seem to be those anymore. 

And once again, as in the last episode, poor decisions abound. Dany after losing another dragon, makes the worst decision possible and flies directly into the line of fire, and somehow survives. And much like the Night King, after nailing one dragon three times, her attackers inexplicably can't manage to hit the other one (even when it presents itself on a platter) for anything. The entire time Dany and her small attachment of escorts were appealing to Cersei to surrender, I just kept asking myself why Cersei didn't murder them all right then and there, effectively ending the war. Dany was about 150 yards from the gates and virtually defenseless. Her dragon was of little use and also seemed far too close, sitting on the ground within range of the ballistas mounted on what appeared to be every tower surrounding the city. Tyrion again stupidly tries to reason with his genocidal sister.

I mean, I don't even understand how this dragon killing ambush happened in the first place. Dragonstone is basically a stone's throw away from King's Landing. Cersei would have had ample time to annex the apparently abandoned island and castle, place assassins lying in wait, plant with wild fire caches, or garrison troops there while Dany was up north fighting the NK. How Dany, and especially Tyrion, seemingly never suspected a thing, given its proximity to King's Landing, seems quite absurd. But they needed an excuse to kill a dragon, and further level the playing field in Cersei's favor, and so we got another lazy deus ex machina via crack shot Euron's ambush at sea.

I used to think the show was too slow in the beginning, and now conversely, it seems to be racing by with little thought given to nuance. The attention to detail, and therefore the quality, has significantly diminished. The writing seems just sufficient enough to segue the characters from one scene to another, with overall narrative credibility having fallen almost completely to the wayside at times. For example, there appeared to be about 20-30 people left alive in Winterfell at the end of Episode 3. Yet in Episode 4, Dany's forces have regenerated, and we're told that apparently thousands remain alive. The Dothraki, which were ostensibly obliterated, it's implied will be a factor in the upcoming battle; which means they're not only still alive but survived in significant numbers.

Again, it reminds me of another show I shan't name here. (But it rhymes with The Walking Dead.) But I will provide you with an example for illustrative purpose.

I will never forget the episode in which Carol uses a bottle rocket like a mortar to blow up a fuel tank. It's just one of countless and wildly absurd things that occurs in TWD. Like characters taking cover behind pieces of plywood or sheets of aluminum during battles with high powered rifles. But I post this in particular, because not only was it a deus ex machina that saved multiple main characters (whose captors were distracted by the explosion), but because it's also only slightly less ridiculous than Rhaegal's death in Episode 4. Much like TWD, when GoT's writers need a projectile to hit something it's a homing missile, and when they don't those some weapons become essentially useless.

In order to maintain the narrative integrity integrity, I feel like the battle against the Night King should have unfolded over several episodes, if not a whole season (not unlike The War of The Five Kings). Jon and the living being forced to retreat repeatedly, and more of Westoros joining the conflict out of necessity. The battle against the Night King should have also killed either Jon or Dany, ultimately determining who ended up on the throne, with the survivor seeking revenge against Cersei for her betrayal (if she was to be the last conflict).

Dany, in her abject vanity this episode, has never been more odious. She sits in the corner sulking like a brat because someone else is getting attention and praise instead of her. All these people just survived the end of the world, and she can't allow them one night to let loose, and let family and friends celebrate together. It's all political for her and she therefore sees only opportunity or perfidy in everything occurring. She has no qualms about asking Jon, whom she knows to be an honest man, to deceive those closest to him purely for her own political benefit. And speaking of that Dany and Jon's relationship, their "love" for one another, feels entirely artificial. Unlike Ygritte, at least to my recollection, Jon and Dany have never really spent any time together on screen growing closer and bonding romantically. We watched Jaime and Brienne grow closer on screen over an extended period. But with Jon and Dany it pretty much all happens off screen, and we're basically just supposed to believe they're in love because they're depicted in bed together and kissing a few times. The credibility of their relationship being yet another apparent victim of the show's drastically accelerated pacing and therefore inability to provide adequate character development. It's hard to care about a couple being sundered when you never really cared about them being together in the first place. Meanwhile, two characters you do care about are split apart in a very unsatisfactory way, when Jaime reverts back into a scoundrel by smashing and dashing on Brienne. (Honestly, what woman deserved that less than Brienne? She's spent her entire life a paragon of virtue, and Jaime robs her of it and promptly bails.)

There is one thing of note that occurred at least to me personally. Bran's brief dialogue with Tyrion.

I'd really like to believe there's some greater significance to this brief exchange. That sharp look over his shoulder (at what appears to be the Maester), and the ostensible worry or fear on his face, is the most Bran has emoted in what feels like years. He didn't even look that worried when he was about to be killed by the Night King. His statement, "mostly I live in the past," seems to be more than mere garrulous banter. Or maybe I'm reading it all wrong, and it's just typical stoic Bran, stating a fact. Even if it was something, with two episodes left, it will never be developed in any meaningful way. So I hope it is nothing.

In closing, I feel like I've been vindicated, when I said in my contribution about the last episode that they deliberately underwhelmed us with the battle against the Night King to bolster the subsequent battle with Cersei. I thought all the deus ex machinas in Episode 3 were bad. But it turns out that entire battle was a deus ex machina serving purely to deplete Dany's forces enough to make the subsequent battle with Cersei plausible. It was never meant to be meaningful or intended to live up to its narrative potential. Thus, the anticlimactic order of events makes complete sense from a lazy writing perspective. Eight years of building up a villain, and the battle with that villain, just to use it as a cheap plot band-aid. Why? Because "subverting" expectations is a lot easier than meeting them. 

Features of a Christian Document

United States Constitution

The Constitution is dated "in the year of our Lord." What significance does this expression hold, and from whence is the practice derived? The word "Lord" is used in reference to Christ repeatedly throughout the Bible.

"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." - Rom 6:23.

Indeed, by dating a document "in the year of our Lord" that document both acknowledges Christ, and His dominion by explicitly declaring He is the mutual Deity ("our Lord") of those who produced it. Benjamin Morris, in his gnostic tome illustrating the Christian basis of American governance, observes in 1864.

"An examination of the present constitutions of the various states, now existing, will show that the Christian religion and its institutions are recognized as the religion of the government and the nation. The recognitions of Christianity in the state Constitutions are of three kinds. 1. These instruments are usually dated in the year of our Lord. 2. Nearly all of them refer to the observance of Sunday by the Chief Executive Magistrate, in the same way in which such observance is referred to in the Constitution of the United States."

As the Senate Judiciary Committee observes, on January 19, 1853.

"How comes it that Sunday, the Christian Sabbath, is recognized and respected by all the departments of the government? In the law, Sunday is a 'dies non;' it cannot be used for the service of legal process, the return of writs, or other judicial purposes. The executive departments, the public establishments, are all closed on Sundays; on that day neither House of Congress sits. [...] Here is a recognition by law, and by universal usage, not only of a Sabbath, but of the Christian Sabbath, in exclusion of the Jewish or Mohammedan Sabbath."

The Christian Sabbath has been addressed before, however, and more on that can be found here.

This language was used in official government proclamations and documents (including those issued by multiple Founders) at every level of government local, state, and federal. Its meaning at the federal level, and in the Constitution, is plainly no different than its meaning at the state level or in proclamations of fasting and prayer. It is the same acknowledgement of Christ, just as it is the same observance of the Christian Sabbath, in all of them. Presented below are numerous examples of this truth.


Washington.

"Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor-- and whereas both Houses of Congress have by their joint Committee requested me to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. 

Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be-- That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the course and conclusion of the late war--for the great degree of tranquility, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us. 

And also that we may then unite in most humbly offering our prayers and supplications to the great Lord and Ruler of Nations and beseech him to pardon our national and other transgressions-- to enable us all, whether in public or private stations, to perform our several and relative duties properly and punctually--to render our national government a blessing to all the people, by constantly being a Government of wise, just, and constitutional laws, discreetly and faithfully executed and obeyed--to protect and guide all Sovereigns and Nations (especially such as have shewn kindness unto us) and to bless them with good government, peace, and concord--To promote the knowledge and practice of true religion and virtue, and the encrease of science among them and us--and generally to grant unto all Mankind such a degree of temporal prosperity as he alone knows to be best. 

Given under my hand at the City of New York the third day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and eighty-nine." - Proclamation of thanksgiving by President George Washington, 1789.

Hancock.

"In consideration of the many undeserved Blessings conferred upon us by GOD, the Father of all Mercies; it becomes us no only in our private and usual devotion, to express our obligations to Him, as well as our dependence upon Him; but also specially to set a part a Day to be employed for this great and important Purpose: 

I HAVE therefore thought fit to appoint, and by the advice and consent of the Council, do hereby accordingly appoint, THURSDAY, the seventeenth of November next, to be observed as a Day of Public THANKSGIVING and PRAISE, throughout this Commonwealth:—Hereby calling upon Ministers and People of every denomination, to assemble on the said Day—and in the name of the Great Mediator, devoutly and sincerely offer to Almighty God, the gratitude of our Hearts, for all his goodness towards us; more especially in that HE has been pleased to continue to us so a great a measure of Health—to cause the Earth plentifully to yield her increase, so that we are supplied with the Necessaries, and the Comforts of Life—to prosper our Merchandise and Fishery—And above all, not only to continue to us the enjoyment of our civil Rights and Liberties; but the great and most important Blessing, the Gospel of Jesus Christ: And together with our cordial acknowledgments, I do earnestly recommend, that we may join the penitent confession of our Sins, and implore the further continuance of the Divine Protection, and Blessings of Heaven upon this People; especially that He would be graciously pleased to direct, and prosper the Administration of the Federal Government, and of this, and the other States in the Union—to afford Him further Smiles on our Agriculture and Fisheries, Commerce and Manufactures—To prosper our University and all Seminaries of Learning—To bless the virtuously struggling for the Rights of Men—so that universal Happiness may be Allies of the United States, and to afford his Almighty Aid to all People, who are established in the World; that all may bow to the Scepter of our LORD JESUS CHRIST, and the whole Earth be filled with his Glory. 

And I do also earnestly recommend to the good People of this Commonwealth, to abstain from all servile Labor and Recreation, inconsistent with the solemnity of the said day. 

Given at the Council-Chamber, in Boston, the fifth Day of October, in the Year of our Lord, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-One, and in the sixteenth Year of the Independence of the United States of America." - Proclamation of thanksgiving by Governor John Hancock, 1791.

Adams (Sam).

"Forasmuch as the occasional meeting of a People for the exercise of Piety and Devotion towards God, more especially of those who enjoy the Light of Divine Revelation, has a strong tendency to impress their minds with a sense of their Dependence upon Him and their Obligations to HIM. 

I have thought fit, according to the ancient and laudable Practice of our renowned Ancestors, to appoint a day of Public Thanksgiving to God, for the great benefits which He has been pleased to bestow upon us, in the Year past. And I do by the advice and consent of the Council, appoint THURSDAY, the Nineteenth day of November next, to be observed as a DAY of PUBLIC THANKSGIVING and PRAISE throughout this Commonwealth: Calling upon the Ministers of the Gospel of all Denominations, with their respective Congregations to assemble on that Day, to offer to God, their unfeigned Gratitude, for his great Goodness to the People of the United States in general, and of this Commonwealth in particular. 

More especially in that he hath in his Good Providence united the several States under a National Compact, formed by themselves, whereby they may defend themselves against external Enemies, and maintain Peace and Harmony with each other. 

That internal Tranquility hath been continued within this Commonwealth; and that the voice of Health is so generally heard in the habitations of the People.
That the Earth has yielded her increase, so that the Labors of our industrious Husbandmen have been abundantly crowned with Plenty. 

That our Fisheries have been so far prospered.—Our Trade notwithstanding obstructions it has met with, has yet been profitable to us, and the works of our Hands have been established.

That while other Nations have been involved in War, attended with an uncommon profusion of Human Blood, we in the course of Divine Providence, have been preserved from so grievous a Calamity, and have enjoyed so great a measure of the Blessing of Peace. 

And I do recommend that together with our Thanksgiving, humble Prayer may be offered to God, that we may be enabled, by the subsequent obedience of our Hearts and Manners, to testify the sincerity of our professions of Gratitude, in the sight of God and Man; and thus be prepared for the Reception of future Divine Blessings. 

That God would be pleased to Guide and Direct the Administration of the Federal Government, and those of the several States, in Union, so that the whole People may continue to be safe and happy in the Constitutional enjoyment of their Rights, Liberties and Privileges and our Governments be greatly respected at Home and Abroad. 

And while we rejoice in the Blessing of Health bestowed upon us, we would sympathize with those of our Sister States, who are visited with a Contagious and Mortal Disease; and fervently supplicate the Father of Mercies, that they may speedily be restored to a state of Health and Prosperity. 

That He would in His abundant Mercy regard our Fellow Citizen and others, who are groaning under abject Slavery, in Algiers, and direct the most effectual measure for their speedy Relief. 

That He would graciously be pleased to put an end to all Tyranny and Usurpation, that the People who are under the Yoke of Oppression, may be made free; and that the Nations who are contending for Freedom may still be secured by His Almighty Aid, and enabled under His influence, to complete wise Systems of Civil Government, founded in the equal Rights of Man, and calculated to establish their permanent Security and Welfare. 

And Finally, that the Peaceful and Glorious Reign of our Divine Redeemer, may be known and enjoyed throughout the whole Family of Mankind. 

And I do recommend to the People of this Commonwealth, to abstain from all such Labor and Recreation, as may not be consistent with the Solemnity of the said Day. 

GIVEN at the Council-Chamber, in Boston, the fourteenth Day of October, in the Year of our LORD, One Thousand seven Hundred and Ninety-five, and in the Twentieth Year of the Independence of the United States of America." - - Proclamation of thanksgiving by Governor Samuel Adams, 1795.

Adams (John).

"AS the safety and prosperity of nations ultimately and essentially depend on the protection and blessing of Almighty God; and the national acknowledgment of this truth is not only an indispensable duty which the people owe to Him, but a duty whose natural influence is favorable to the promotion of that morality and piety, without which social happiness cannot exist, nor the blessings of a free government be enjoyed; and as this duty, at all times incumbent, is so especially in seasons of difficulty and of danger, when existing or threatening calamities, the just judgments of God against prevalent iniquity are a loud call to repentance and reformation; and as the United States of America are at present placed in a hazardous and afflictive situation, by the unfriendly disposition, conduct and demands of a foreign power, evinced by repeated refusals to receive our messengers of reconciliation and peace, by depredations on our commerce, and the infliction of injuries on very many of our fellow citizens, while engaged in their lawful business on the seas: —Under these considerations it has appeared to me that the duty of imploring the mercy and benediction of Heaven on our country, demands at this time a special attention from its inhabitants. 

I HAVE therefore thought it fit to recommend, that Wednesday, the 9th day of
May next be observed throughout the United States, as a day of Solemn Humiliation, Fasting and Prayer; That the citizens of these states, abstaining on that day from their customary worldly occupations, offer their devout addresses to the Father of Mercies, agreeably to those forms or methods which they have severally adopted as the most suitable and becoming: That all religious congregation, do, with the deepest humility, acknowledge before GOD the manifold sins and transgressions with which we are justly chargeable as individuals and as a nation; beseeching him, at the same time, of his infinite Grace, through the Redeemer of the world, freely to remit all our offences, and to incline us, by his holy spirit, to that sincere repentance and reformation which may afford us reason to hope for his inestimable favor and heavenly benediction; That it be made the subject of particular and earnest supplication, that our country may be protected from all the dangers which threaten it; that our civil and religious privileges may be preserved inviolate, and perpetuated to the latest generations; that our public councils and magistrates may be especially enlightened and directed at this critical period; that the American people may be united in those bonds of amity and mutual confidence, and inspired with that vigor and fortitude by which they have in times past been so highly distinguished, and by which they have obtained such invaluable advantages: That the health of the inhabitants of our land may be preserved, and their agriculture, commerce, fisheries, arts and manufactures be blessed and prospered: That the principles of genuine piety and sound morality may influence the minds and govern the lives of every description of our citizens; and that the blessings of peace, freedom, and pure religion, may be speedily extended to all the nations of the earth. 

And finally I recommend, that on the said day; the duties of humiliation and
prayer be accompanied by fervent Thanksgiving to the bestower of every good
gift, not only for having hitherto protected and preserved the people of these
United States in the independent enjoyment of their religious and civil freedom,
but also for having prospered them in a wonderful progress of population, and
for conferring on them many and great favours conducive to the happiness and
prosperity of a nation. 

Given under my hand and seal of the United States of America, at Philadelphia,
this twenty-third day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand seven
hundred and ninety-eight, and of the Independence of the said States the twenty-second. - Proclamation of fasting and prayer by President John Adams, 1798.

Madison.

"WHEREAS the Congress of the United States, by a joint resolution of the two Houses, have signified a request, that a day may be recommended, to be observed by the People of the United States, with religious solemnity, as a day of public Humiliation, and Prayer; and whereas such a recommendation will enable the several religious denominations and societies so disposed, to offer, at one and the same time, their common vows and adorations to Almighty God, on the solemn occasion produced by the war, in which he has been pleased to permit the injustice of a foreign power to involve these United States;

I do therefore recommend the third Thursday in August next, as a convenient day to be set apart for the devout purposes of rendering to the Sovereign of the Universe and the Benefactor of mankind, the public homage due to his holy attributes; of acknowledging the transgressions which might justly provoke the manifestations of His divine displeasures; of seeking His merciful forgiveness, His assistance in the great duties of repentance and amendment; and especially of offering fervent supplications, that in the present season of calamity and war, He would take the American People under his peculiar care and protection; that he would guide their public councils, animate their patriotism, and bestow His blessing on their arms; that He would inspire all nations with a love of justice and of concord, and with a reverence for the unerring precept of our holy religion, to do to others as they would require others to do to them; and finally, that, turning the hearts of our enemies from the violence and injustice which sway their councils against us, He would hasten a restoration of the blessings of Peace. 

Given at Washington the 9th day of July, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and twelve." - Proclamation of humiliation and prayer by President James Madison, 1812.

Lincoln.

"Whereas the Senate of the United States, devoutly recognizing the supreme authority and just government of Almighty God in all affairs of men and nations, has, by a resolution, requested the President to designate and set apart a day for national prayer and humiliation; And whereas it is the duty of nations, as well as of men, to own their dependence upon the overruling power of God, to confess their sins and transgressions in humble sorrow, yet with assured hope that genuine repentance will lead to mercy and pardon, and to recognize the Sublime truth announced in the Holy Scriptures, and proven by all history, that those nations only are blessed whose God is the Lord; [...] In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed. Done at the city of Washington this thirtieth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-seventh." - Proclamation of prayer and humiliation by President Abraham Lincoln, 1863.

State of New York.

"In compliance with a resolution of the Senate and Assembly of this State, I do hereby set apart the second Thursday of April next, to be devoted to public prayer, thanksgiving, and praise; and I do most earnestly recommend to the good people of this State, of every denomination, [...] to meet in their respective places of worship, and there unite their hearts in fervent prayer to the Most High, in humble acknowledgment of his all-protecting influence, and in consideration of his goodness manifested to us, a nation. [...] In testimony whereof, I have caused the privy seal of the State of New York to be hereunto affixed [L.S.] at the city of Albany, the seventeenth day of March, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifteen." - Proclamation of prayer, thanksgiving, and praise by the State of New York, 1815.

State of Georgia. 

"Whereas it has pleased almighty God to smile upon us as a people, in much mercy, another year, to crown our labors with rich blessings, to protect and preserve us from war, hunger, and pestilence, and to pour out his holy Spirit upon us in copious showers; and whereas these manifestations of his protecting care and loving-kindness admonish us of the debt of gratitude which we, as the people of a great State, owe to the Giver of every good and perfect gift, and of our duty to be humble and thankful, rendering praise to his great name 'in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in our hearts to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things;' I do therefore issue this my proclamation, setting apart Thursday the twenty-fifth day of the present month, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. And I do earnestly invite the different congregations composing all the religious denominations of every name in this State, to meet at their respective places of worship on that day, and unite in returning thanks and singing praises to our God for his wondrous works in the past, and in fervent prayer for his protecting care in the future, remembering that the Psalmist has said, 'Let the people praise thee; then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our God, shall bless us.' Given under my hand, and the seal of the Executive Department, at the Capitol, in Milledgeville, this fourth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and the independence of the United States of America the eighty-third." - Proclamation of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise by the State of Georgia, 1858.

State of South Carolina.

"Whereas, whilst we humbly bow before the Almighty, in meek submission to the will of his inscrutable providence, chastening us with disappointment of some of our cherished hopes, [...] wherever diminished, are still greater than we deserve at the hands of a bountiful Benefactor, 'to assemble and meet together to render thanks for his great benefits that we have received at his hands, to set forth his most worthy praise, to hear his most holy word, and to ask those things which are requisite and necessary as well for the body as the soul.' Now, therefore, I deem it meet to appoint and set apart Thursday, the twenty-fifth of November instant, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer. Accordingly, I do invite all persons on that day to assemble at their respective places of worship to return thanks for our numerous blessings, past and present, and to pray for the Divine guidance and blessing in our future life. Given under my hand and seal of the State, at Columbia, this eleventh day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-eight, and in the eighty-third year of American independence." - Proclamation of thanksgiving and prayer by the State of South Carolina, 1858.

State of Massachusetts.

"The example of the fathers, and the dictates of piety and gratitude, summon the people of Massachusetts at this, the harvest-season, crowning the year with the rich proofs of the wisdom and love of God, to join in a solemn and joyful act of united praise and thanksgiving to the bountiful Giver of every good and perfect gift. I do therefore, with the advice and consent of the Council, appoint Thursday, the twenty-first day of November next-the same being the anniversary of that day, in the year of our Lord sixteen hundred and twenty, on which the Pilgrims of Massachusetts, on board the Mayflower united themselves in a solemn and written compact of government-to be observed by the people of Massachusetts as a day of public thanksgiving and praise. And I invoke its observance by all the people with devout and religious joy. (Several Psalms are then quoted.) For the 'redemption of the world by Jesus Christ, for the means of Grace, and the hope of glory.' (More Psalms are quoted.) Given at the Council-Chamber, this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and the eighty-sixth of the Independence of the United States of America." - Proclamation of thanksgiving and praise by the State of Massachusetts, 1861. (Parentheses mine.)

State of Virginia.

"Now, therefore, I, Francis H. Pierpoint, Governor of Virginia, do hereby recommend to the good people of the Commonwealth the observance of Thursday, the twenty-eighth instant, as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God for the blessings of the year. [...] In testimony whereof I have here set my hand, and caused the great seal of the Commonwealth to be affixed, at the city of Wheeling, this fourteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, and of the Commonwealth the eighty-sixth." - Proclamation of thanksgiving by the State of Virginia, 1861.

State of Pennsylvania.

"Whereas it is a good thing to render thanks unto God for all his mercy and loving-kindness: therefore- I, Andrew G. Curtin, Governor of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, do recommend that Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, be set apart by the people of this Commonwealth as a day of solemn prayer and thanksgiving to the Almighty, giving him humble thanks that he has been graciously pleased to protect our free institutions and Government, [...] and especially praying him to give to Christian Churches grace to hate the thing which is evil, and to utter the teachings of truth and righteousness, declaring openly the whole counsel of God. [...] Given under my hand and the great seal of the state, at Harrisburg, this twentieth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and of the Commonwealth the eighty-seventh." - Proclamation of prayer and thanksgiving by the State of Pennsylvania, 1862.

State of New Hampshire.

"The revolution of the seasons has brought again the period when it is the usage to set apart a day for public thanksgiving to Almighty God. In accordance with a time-honored custom, inaugurated by our forefathers, and so much in harmony with the convictions of all Christian people, I do, by the advice of the Council, appoint Thursday, the 27th of November next, to be observed as a day of thanksgiving and praise. [...] Let us adore and bless his holy name for that Christian civilization which is our inheritance. [...] Let us humbly and gratefully thank and praise the Disposer of Events that such examples of reliance upon his providential care have not been lost to succeeding generations, but are now abundantly developed among a great people, in a year the painful record of which will soon be closed; a year when the patriotism, courage and Christian faith of our fathers has been fully realized in their children. [...] Given at the Council-Chamber in Concord, this thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-seventh." - Proclamation of thanksgiving by the State of New Hampshire, 1862.

State of Connecticut.

"I therefore recommend the people of this State to observe Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, as a day of public thanksgiving and praise, and would urge them to such acts of benevolence and religious worship as will manifest their heartfelt gratitude to Almighty God. [...] Given under my hand and the seal of the State, at the city of Hartford, this, the thirty-first day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and in the year of the independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh." - Proclamation of thanksgiving and praise by the State of Connecticut, 1862.

State of Rhode Island.

"Thus blest, it is fit that we should render thanks to the Supreme Ruler of the universe; and I therefore appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November instant, to be observed in this State as a day of public thanksgiving, prayer, and praise. On that day let us assemble in our places of worship and in our family circles, and render to a beneficent Creator the adoration of grateful hearts. [...] In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand and affixed the seal of the State, at Providence, this sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord 1862 of independence the eighty-seventh, and of the founding of the State two hundred and and twenty-six." - Proclamation of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise by the State of Rhode Island, 1862.

State of Maine.

"By advice of the Council, I appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, to be observed by the people of this State as a day of public thanksgiving and praise. And may they all regard it as a day consecrated to emotions of gratitude and good will, to deeds of benevolence and love. [...] May they be unfeignedly thankful for the blessings of material prosperity and health which have been so largely vouchsafed to them; [...] for the Christian charity and brotherly kindness... may they be moved to praise and bless their heavenly father, the Lord of all things. [...] Given at the Council-Chamber at Augusta, this seventeenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-seventh." - Proclamation of thanksgiving and praise by the State of Maine, 1862.

State of Maryland

"The return of the season in which, in obedience to a custom well becoming a Christian community, we have been taught to render annually to Almighty God our tribute of prayer and thanksgiving for the bounties received at his hand, naturally calls to mind the propriety of again designating a day for the discharge of that expected duty. In conformity, therefore, with this established custom, I, Augustus W. Bradford, Governor of Maryland, do, by this my proclamation, designate and appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, to be observed by the people of the State as a day of general thanksgiving and prayer. ... Given under my hand, and the great seal of the State of Maryland, at the city of Annapolis, this twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and of the independence of the United States the eighty seventh." - Proclamation of thanksgiving and prayer by the State of Maryland, 1862.

State of Missouri.

"In view of the multiplied blessings conferred upon us as a people of Divine Providence, I, Hamilton R. Gamble, Governor of the State of Missouri, do appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of this present month of November, as a day of thanksgiving to God for his goodness manifested to us during the year; and I do earnestly recommend to the good people of the State to assemble on that day in their respective places of worship, and present to God the homage of grateful hearts, in view of his abounding goodness, and invoke his protection for the future. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand, and caused the great seal of the State to be affixed, this sixth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two." - Proclamation of thanksgiving by the State of Missouri, 1862.

State of Minnesota.

"Whereas it is meet, and in accordance with a good and cherished custom of our fathers, worthy to be 'a statute forever in our dwellings,' that the people, 'when they have gathered the fruit of the land,' should 'keep a feast unto the Lord,' in commemoration of his goodness, and by a public act of Christian worship acknowledge their dependence as a community upon Him in whose hands the kingdoms of the earth are but as dust in the balance; Therefore, I, Alexander Ramsey, Governor of the State of Minnesota, do hereby set apart the twenty-seventh day of the present month of November as a day of thanksgiving to Almighty God for his wonderful mercy towards us, for all the good gifts of his providence, for health and restored domestic peace, and the measure of general prosperity which we enjoy. [...] Given under my hand, and the great seal of the State, at the city of St. Paul, this third day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two." - Proclamation of thanksgiving by the State of Minnesota, 1862.

State of Michigan.

"The destinies of nations and individuals are in the hand of God. For bountiful harvests, for general health among the people, for the civil and religious liberty and the diffusion of knowledge and education, for the time continued existence of the republic and the triumph of its arms, and for all the great and good gifts of a benign Providence, our acknowledgments and praises are due to him alone. That we may suitably acknowledge our dependence upon Almighty God, and with reverent thankfulness give glory to him, I do hereby set apart and appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh instant, as a day of public thanksgiving and praise. I request that upon that day the people may assemble in their places public worship, and in their homes and keep the day in the spirit in which our fathers kept it, with pure, religious and patriotic hearts, full of faith and hope. Given under my hand, and the great seal of the State, at the Capitol, in the city of Lansing, on the fifteenth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two." - Proclamation of thanksgiving and praise by the State of Michigan, 1862.

State of Illinois.

"It is the sacred duty of nations, as well as individuals, to acknowledge the manifestations of God's enduring mercy and loving-kindness. In view, then, of these and all other evidences of his continued care and protection, and more particularly for the purpose of giving the people of the State an opportunity of uniting together and thanking God for his mercies. [...] I do hereby appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, as a day of thanksgiving and prayer, and recommend that the people on that day, laying aside ordinary avocations, meet in their several places of worship, to render up the tribute of grateful hearts to the Almighty Ruler of the universe. In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, adorned the great seal of the State of Illinois to be affixed, this twenty-seventh day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two." - Proclamation of thanksgiving and prayer by the State of Illinois, 1862.

State of Delaware.

"The duty of a Christian people, and the observance of a long established custom, alike demand that a day of thanksgiving and praise be set apart to almighty God for his wonderful goodness and mercy extended to us during the past year. [...] In view of these and countless other manifestations of his loving-kindness so graciously vouchsafed unto us, and in grateful recognition thereof, I, William Burton, Governor of the State of Delaware, do hereby appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, as a day of public thanksgiving and praise to Almighty God, and do earnestly request that the people of this State will on that day abstain from their usual vocations, and, assembling in their accustomed places of public worship, unite in fervent prayers of thanksgiving and praise to the Giver of all good and perfect gifts, and especially that with humble and contrite hearts they devoutly beseech him to restore a speedy and honorable peace to our distracted country. In testimony whereof I have hereto set my hand, and caused the great seal of the State of Delaware to be affixed. Done at Dover, this twenty-ninth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two and in the eighty-seventh year of the independence of said State." - Proclamation of prayer, thanksgiving, and praise by the State of Delaware, 1862.

State of Iowa.

"In token of our dependence upon the Supreme Ruler of the universe, [...] fervent thanksgiving to him that no pestilence has prevailed in our midst, that the labors of the husbandman have been measurably rewarded, and for the many blessings vouchsafed us as individuals and citizens; in devout acknowledgment of his sovereignty and overruling providence. [...] I, Samuel J. Kirkwood, do hereby appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, as a day of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise, and do hereby entreat the people, abstaining from their usual pursuits, to assemble together on that day in their chosen places of worship, and offer up their earnest prayers to Almighty God, humbly acknowledging their short-comings and dependence upon him, thanking him for the manifold blessings on them by his hand, [...] that we may prove ourselves worthy of the institutions bequeathed us by the fathers of the republic. [...] In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the great seal of the State to be hereto affixed, this first day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two." - Proclamation of thanksgiving, prayer, and praise by the State of Iowa, 1862.

State of Vermont.

"Through the Almighty, in his providential dealings both with nations and individuals, mingles adversity with prosperity, discipline and sorrow with love and mercy, and his ultimate designs are often kept in a sacred reserve which we cannot penetrate, still enough is revealed to inspire a humble trust in his providence, and we are led to feel that even in times of trouble and calamity 'it is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord.' In obedience to custom and the universal sentiment of our people, I do, therefore, appoint Thursday, the fourth day of December next, to be observed by the people of this State as a day of public prayer, praise, and thanksgiving; and I invite them to lay aside the ordinary employments of life on that day, and to assemble in their usual places of worship, to render thanks to Almighty God; [...] Let it be our special prayer to Almighty God that he will, in his good time, [...] dispose all men, everywhere, to accept the mild reign of the Redeemer, and will hasten the promised time when universally there shall be 'peace on earth, and good will towards men.' [...] Given under my hand, and the seal of the State, in Executive Chamber, at Montpelier, this seventeenth day of November, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-seventh." - Proclamation of prayer, praise, and thanksgiving by the State of Vermont, 1862.

State of New York.

"From the depth of national affliction we come, with stricken hearts and chastened spirits, to own our dependence upon the Most High, and to render, with grateful sense, our thanksgivings for his mercies, countless in number and infinite in extent. [...] That we may fully acknowledge dependence upon the Supreme Being, and hear anew from his specially chosen servants that Judgments follow those nations wherein his prerogatives are usurped, and who give not God the glory in all things; [...] I do hereby appoint Thursday, the twenty-seventh day of November next, as a day of praise, thanksgiving, and prayer to Almighty God; and I do recommend that, [...] the people of this State do meet together in their own chosen places of worship, and that the said day, throughout, be appropriately observed. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, and affixed the privy seal of the State, at the city of Albany, this first day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two." - Proclamation of prayer, thanksgiving, and praise by the State of New York, 1862.

Et cetera.

I will stop here as the task of transcribing this material is quite laborious. In conclusion the inclusion of "in the year of our Lord," and the observance of the Sabbath in the U.S. Constitution, are explicitly Christian features.

"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. [...] Done in Convention by the Unanimous Consent of the States present the Seventeenth Day of September in the Year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and Eighty seven and of the Independence of the United States of America the Twelfth." - United States Constitution.