The battle of Stoke Field and the Game of Thrones finale

June 16, 1487 is the date of the battle that can be considered the true end of the Wars of the Roses, in which Richard’s nephew, John de la Pole, and his good friend, Francis Lovell, were defeated by Henry Tudor (boo, hiss) at the battle of Stoke Field . John was slain in the battle, and when I wrote Sunne, we did not know Francis Lovell’s fate, the story most accepted by historians being that he drowned trying to cross the River Trent. I am happy to report that we now know he made it to safety in Scotland, and then disappeared from history’s notice. So we’re free to assume he lived on, wisely deciding to keep under Tudor’s radar. Or we can decide that he died soon thereafter –in case you think not enough men died in the Wars of the Roses.
And speaking of dying, that brings us to the season finale of Game of Thrones, which can always be counted upon to have a higher body count than those Texas Chainsaw horror films. I guess I am inured to violence by now, having killed off so many of my own characters; or maybe I’ve just learned how to look away at the worst moments. But I loved the finale. It made quite a few changes from the ending of Storm of Swords, all of which I heartily approve. I thought it was a powerful, suspenseful episode, and why even bother voting for the best actor Emmys? I’d just mail it in to Peter Dinklage for that moment in which he says “I am your son.” Here is the link to my favorite reviewer’s commentary, and he includes links to interviews with many of the key players. http://insidetv.ew.com/2014/06/15/gam...