Season 6, Episode 10: Winds of Winter: Recap and Review

Recap

Bells toll. People are dressed (nobody seems able to dress him or herself except the High Sparrow). People feed into the Sept of Baelor as Loras shivers and prays. The seven septons sit. Pycelle fails to pay his whore. A little bird passes a message to Pycelle and Loras is brought in for his trial. Loras confesses guilt to everything. He kneels before the mother and repents, giving up his lands and titles and committing to the faith. Then they give him that bad forehead tattoo.

Tommen goes to leave and the Mountain blocks him. Margaery asks why the High Sparrow mutilated Loras and where Cersei is. The High Sparrow sends Lancel for her, but Lancel spots one of the little birds, so sends the others for Cersei and follows the little bird down under the sept. Pycelle wonders where the King is, but all he finds is Qyburn. Qyburn’s birds attack. Lancel keeps following. And gets stabbed for his efforts, then left down in the tunnels. Margaery smells a rat as Lancel spots the barrels. There are candles ahead and he crawls toward them. Margaery warns the High Sparrow but he won’t hear here. Candles melt, bringing the flame ever near the pools of wildfyre they sit in. The Faith Militant blocks people from leaving. And wildfyre levels the place… Cersei smiles. Tommen watches in horror.

Cersei pours wine on Septa Unella telling her to confess. The Septa is tied to a table. Cersei confesses pretty much everything to her, telling her it felt good. The Septa welcomes death but it isn’t death Cersei has in mind, at least not yet. She calls in Ser Gregor. He takes off his helmet and Cersei leaves Septa Unella to him.

Tommen gets the news and proceeds to jump out his window.

Walder Frey raises a toast to houses Lannister and Frey. Jaime seems to have indigestion. Bronn admires girls, though he seems disgusted that all the girls want Jaime. Jaime calls over two girls to attend to Bronn. Walder sits down and gloats. He says Edmure is back in a cell. Jaime asks about Walder’s history fighting. Frey says he has defeated his enemies. He draws parallels with Jaime and Jaime looks disgusted. Jaime points out that it is the Lannisters people fear. And that if they have to ride north every time the Freys lose Riverrun, why do they need the Freys? Walder looks confused.

Qyburn shows Cersei Tommen’s body. There is no sept for his funeral. Cersei says to burn him and bury his ashes where the sept was, as that is where his family is.

Sam and Gilly arrive at Old Town. The white ravens are all being sent out en masse. At the Citadel they seem to be backed up on information. They still have Mormont listed as Lord Commander at the Knight’s Watch and Maester Aemon as the Maester. Sam is told the arch master will discuss the irregularities with Sam but in the meantime he can use the library. Gilly and baby Sam cannot—no women or children. And… LIBRARY!!!

A white raven flies toward Winterfell. Jon tells Melisandre about his history in the great hall and she reminds him he was lucky to have a family and feasts. Davos comes in and tosses the stag to Melisandre then demands she tell Jon who it belonged to and what she did to her. She admits to burning her. Davos asks why. She claims it was the only way and that her father and mother killed her, too. Davos points out they are all dead. She says she was wrong and he asks how many died because she was wrong. He asks for leave to execute her. Jon asks what she has to say. She says she has been ready to die for years but the great war is coming and the army of the dead with it. She says she can help win that war. Jon tells her to ride south. If she returns north he will hang her as a murderer. Davos says he will execute her himself if she comes back this way.

Jon tells Sansa he’s having the Lord’s Chambers prepared for her. She says he should take it, but he credits her for saving them. He asks if she trusts Lord Baelish and she says no. She apologizes for not telling Jon. He says they need to trust each other—they have so many enemies. She tells him a raven came—winter is here. They both smile. Winter is the time for wolves.

Lady Tyrell, all in black, meets with Ellaria and the Sand Snakes. She tartly shuts the Sand Snakes up and says the grown ups will talk. Ellaria suggests they need each other for survival, but Lady Olenna is not after survival. Ellaria acknowledges that it is vengeance they will get. Varys comes out and says “fire and blood”.

Dany tells Daario he’s not invited to Westeros—that she can’t take a “mistress”. She makes it a command—that the second sons will keep the peace. He pretty much begs, but she shuts him down.

Dany and Tyrion anticipate heading to Westeros. Dany admits she felt nothing telling Daario to go and that is what scares her—she is just eager to get on with it. Tyrion says people have been telling him to believe in things his whole life but he saw where belief got them. He made a life of cynicism, but he believes in her. He says he’d swear his sword to her, but he doesn’t have one. She has had something made for him… she pins the hand on his chest and names him hand. He kneels before her.

Walder sits alone in his hall as a serving girl brings him pie. He asks for his sons, Black Walder and Lothar. The girl says they are here. She points to the pie. He peels back the crust and the girl says they weren’t easy to carve, especially Black Walder. She peels her face and Arya introduces herself, telling him she wanted the last thing he saw to be a Stark face, smiling down at him while he died. She slits his throat.

Sansa sits in the Godswood. Littlefinger interrupts. She asks what he wants. He says he thought she knew, but she thought she did but she was wrong. He says she wasn’t then tells her of his image of him on the iron throne with her by his side. He tries to kiss her but she stops him and says it’s a pretty picture and walks away. He tells her word will reach the south that he has declared for House Stark. She reminds him he has declared for houses before, always serving himself. He says she is the future of House Stark and plants the seed she deserves it more than Jon.

Benjen notes the magic in the wall that will not let him through, so he leaves off Meera and Bran at a heart tree with no mode of transportation. He will keep fighting as long as he can. Bran touches the tree for the last images he needs… or something… He ends up at the Tower of Joy and follows youngish Ned up to Lyanna in her bed of blood (but no roses). She is dying. She whispers and what I got is “if Robert finds out, he’ll kill him. You have to protect him”

Screen cuts to Jon… Bronze Yohn Royce grumbles about not fighting for wildlings and somebody suggests going home, but Jon lays out the reality of the real enemy. Lady Lyanna brings out a can of whoop-ass for all the houses who failed the call and then says House Mormont remembers and calls Jon king. The Houses stand one by one pledging to Jon. Littlefinger looks like he has something stuck in his craw. Sansa smiles at times, but also looks unsure… Littlefinger’s seeds of doubt are taking root.

Jaime and Bronn reach a burning King’s Landing. Cersei takes the Iron Throne and Qyburn crowns her. Nobody we recognize is in the audience. Jaime watches from the side, confused look on his face.

Mad Queen Cersei

Oh, the ships… Kraken sails and dragon heads… dragon sails… hundreds of them… Horses, dothraki, dragons…


Review

Anybody notice Loras had more hair in that opening sequence than at any other time this season?

The decision for all those little birds to kill Pycelle was definitely creepy, but also a little odd. Making killers of children is very disturbing. The decisions though on the wildfyre—Lancel following a little bird and being there to see it (so we could) but incapacitated so unable to stop it—all of that was done beautifully. I can’t believe though, that they wiped out the entire Tyrell family, other than Lady Olenna. Holy cow! I mean I think most of us guessed, but I somehow thought SOMEBODY would get away.

Leaving Septa Unella to Gregor *shivers* I’m glad they didn’t show this—we all know what he is capable of. I’m surprised Qyburn didn’t get her, but the show hasn’t built on his need for women for his experiments.

And holy crap, Tommen! Fly little bird, fly! *splat*

When Walder says he couldn’t go killing his son by law because it would give his family a bad name, Jaime’s look is priceless… Reminds me of the books where Manderly says it was a mercy the Frey boys died, because if they hadn’t, they would have grown up Frey.

Loved Jaime’s tone with Walder. Man Walder is smug. What a horrible ass. Jaime also seeming disgusted really helps with not being too pissed at Jaime for being there at all.

Man, Cersei is COLD regarding Tommen’s death. No bells. Apparently no funeral.

Anybody else have a library-gasm? OHMYGAWD. It was spectacular!!! Gilly and baby Sam are going to be waiting a long time because Sam is going to lose himself in there.

Melisandre banished. CALLED IT! I figured she still has story ahead, but Jon couldn’t very well keep her there. Liam Cunningham was terrific in this scene. Lots of feels with him talking about Shireen.

Loved Jon acknowledging Sansa saved them and Sansa knowing she should have told Jon. This scene where they welcome winter is a nice moment of unity.

Lady Olenna shutting down the Sand Snakes was a beautiful thing. And VARYS! So Dany will have not just the Iron Islands but also Dorne and the Reach… And with no Baratheons left… probably the Storm Lands, too…

I was surprised Daario actually used the word love… seems sort of soft for him. Begging, even. This had to happen, and the part of me with a crush on Michiel Huisman is glad he didn’t betray her.

Naming Tyrion hand made me cry—someone truly acknowledging his wisdom as an advisor—recognizing his worth… beautiful. These two are great together. They both get a lot wrong on their own, but together they seem to hit it just right. I think maybe Tyrion has never knelt before. I can’t wait to see them learn they are actually brother and sister (I know… just a theory… still…)

While the time travel bit is annoying, I LOVED Arya’s kill—Black Walder and Lothar in pies and telling Walder it was her before killing him. They Frey house is going to be a messs, killing each other for the right to be heir. Also, Arya was engaged to a Frey—that was part of the deal Robb made to cross the bridge… guess this means the engagement is off…

Oh, Littlefinger, you evil bastard, you. Jon and Sansa were united and you just may have ruined it… I’m glad Sansa refused the kiss and walked away, but that conversation is going to have repercussions.

So… not sure why Benjen didn’t leave the horse with Meera and Bran—surely it is easier for him to get another one than for those two to get the rest of the way to the wall, but whatever… The rest of the Tower of Joy was good. I would have liked ALL of what Lyanna whispered, but with: “if Robert finds out, he’ll kill him. You have to protect him” we get 1) BOY baby, and 2) ONE baby and 3) Robert would kill him (aka: not Robert’s baby, probably a Targaryen)… and then the transition to Jon… seems pretty obvious to me.

Man, I love Lady Mormont… What a badass little girl. I’m a little disappointed Jon didn’t point out that it was Sansa who won and Sansa who should be queen, but these things do seem to take on a life of their own. I liked Manderly calling Jon the White Wolf.

Couldn’t they find ANYBODY with more legitimacy than Qyburn to crown Cersei? I guess with all the septons dead… and all the nobility, because they were at the trial… sheesh… Mad Cersei, queen of the small folk? And man… Jaime throwing shade… I’ve thought the Valonqar in the books would be a complicated, elegant twist, but this looks a whole bunch like Jaime is going to do the deed.

And Dany and company are on their way back to Westeros…


So to sum up…

Dany has the Iron Islands, Dorne, the Reach, possibly the Stormlands.

The Starks have the North, The Vale.

Cersei has the West and the Riverlands. But how long will she have the Riverlands with no Frey to hold it.

Now everybody hates Cersei, that much is clear, but Dany and the Starks could feasibly make common cause… the Starks will need her… and in fact Theon being with her—he owes the Starks some atonement, eh? And Tyrion can help pave the WHY for the Starks being key in Robert’s rebellion—Aerys II DID burn Rickon and set it up so Brandon was strangled… And Jon is Targaryen AND Stark… I think these two can work together.

Several houses have been demolished: Lannister has only Cersei and Jaime, Tyrell has only Olenna, Baratheon is done, Martell is done, Tully has only Edmure, Arryn has only Robin. Stark family is actually looking pretty good with four living children…

So is this the death of nobility? Once upon a time it seemed absurd to think of someone like Littlefinger taking the throne, but if all the great houses are wiped out… And who is going to inherit House Frey?

And so much for the season ending with the wall falling… didn’t happen. Yet.


So in the next week or so, I plan on making book predicitions based on the show, meaning I will discuss where I think the books have been spoiled, versus what I think will happen differently. Depending on how much there is, it may be two posts… so watch for that!

What did all of you think?

Season 6. Episode 9: Battle of the Bastards: Recap and Review

Recap

Daario leads the Dothraki screamers

We open to fireballs catapulted at Meereen. Tyrion attempts to update Dany but he sounds like a ninny. Dany has a plan, but it sounds an awful lot like Aerys “burn them all” plan… Tyrion suggests an alternative. They meet with the representative masters to discuss terms of surrender. The masters give terms but Dany points out it is THEIR surrender they are discussing. Drogon arrives and Dany climbs on board. Rhaegal and Viserion break out, and the Dothaki arrive at the gates to kill some Harpy… Ships burn and Grey Worm explains to the soldiers that they can serve masters who will never serve them, or go home to their families. They flee. Tyrion then explains one of the masters must die. Two push the third forward saying he is low born. He drops to a knee to plead and Grey Worm cuts the throats of the two still standing. Tyrion then tells the third to go back and tell the people what happens when the masters rebel against the Queen.

Parlay parties for the Starks and Boltons meet. Ramsay is his glib, charming, psychotic self. He thanks Jon for returning his wife and asks for surrender. Jon offers instead to settle this with single combat. Ramsay laughs, refusing, since he might lose single combat but knows his army will defeat Jon’s. Ramsay asks if they will let their brother die then pulls out Shaggy Dog’s head to prove they have him.

Back in the tent they discuss tactics. Jon uses a lot of vocabulary that Tormund has not clue about. They discuss patience and letting the Bolton Army come at them from the front, as the ditches will keep them from getting surrounded. When the others leave Sansa scolds Jon, since she is the one who knows Ramsay. She warns that he is more cruel than Jon can imagine. That Ramsay won’t fall into a trap—he lays traps. She admits they will never get Rickon back. Rickon has a better claim than Jon or Sansa, so Ramsay can’t let him live. They argue about men, Sansa insisting they should have waited for more, Jon pointing out no one else would help—this is what they have. Sansa says if Ramsay wins, she will not go back to Winterfell alive.

Tormund and Davos discuss the pending battle and the kings they believed in. Mance and Stannis are gone. Tormund invites Davos for a delicious round of fermented goat's milk, but Davos wants to walk—says it clears his head before a battle. Unfortunately, his wandering brings him to Shireen’s pyre, identified by the partially burned stag he carved for her.

Jon asks if Melisandre has advice, but all she says is “don’t lose”. He says if he falls not to bring him back. She argues that she has no choice—the Lord of Light gives her the power if he wills it.

Theon and Yara stand before Dany and Tyrion. Tyrion questions Theon pretty sharply. It goes rather poorly for the Greyjoys until Theon says it is Yara’s claim they are there for, not his. Dany and Yara bond over this and discuss what it is they want and that Euron wants to make the same offer, but with a marriage required to seal the deal—that he would kill Dany as soon as he has the Seven Kingdoms. Dany agrees to give them rule of the Iron Islands provided they are also part of Westeros and they cease the reaving, raping, and pillaging of the rest of Westeros. Yara says it is all they know, but it is a condition Dany won’t budge on. They shake on it.

Armies in the north form up, the rag tag mixed army of Jon’s and the uniform army of the Boltons, Umbers and Karstarks. There are burned crosses between them—flayed men—who knows who they are? Ramsay leads Rickon on a rope, frees him, then tells him to run. Jon rides for him as Rickon runs and Ramsay begins shooting arrows at him. One finally gets him and Jon charges as Tormund wills him not to. But then they all charge.

Battle battle battle. Jon kills oodles of people. Bodies pile up. Battle battle, GIANT ACTION! And suddenly they are surrounded by Bolton shields and spears coming at them. The Boltons push in, making the space narrower and narrower. Jon gets trampled under dead bodies and more and more people keep getting piled on him. He struggles and finally claws his way up from under. And finally the war horns sound and the Vale has arrived!!!! Littlefinger sits next to Sansa as she smirks, having saved the day. The Vale demolishes the Bolton army. Jon goes after Ramsay who flees.

Ramsay makes it back to Winterfell and shuts the gates, but they are no match for Wun Wun. He is filled with arrows but has let in Jon’s army. Ramsay shoots Wun Wun in the eye and “accepts single combat” with Jon. Jon gets a shield up to catch the arrows as he comes at Ramsay, then he bashes him good. The Stark flag is hung from Winterfell.

Davos throws Melisandre shade, Jon tells the men to bury Rickon in the crypts next to Ned, Sansa asks where Ramsay is.

So satisfying

She goes to see him. He claims she can’t kill him because he is part of her. She says his words, his house, his name and all memory of him will disappear. The dog kennels begin to ease open… Seems he shouldn’t have let the information about starving his dogs out… he claims they are loyal. She claims they are starving. She has the right of it. They eat him and she smiles.


Review

Loved how things went down in Meereen—the dragons burning ships, the Dothraki killing Harpies. The meeting with the masters was great—I particularly loved how the decision as to which to kill went.

I wanted to ring Ramsay’s neck, but that is normal. So smug. But also so typically Ramsay. There was also a bit of an echo here—this offer to end this with single combat is what Jaime did to Robb back in season 2. Now Robb and Ramsay have very few things in common, and it isn’t clear how much Jaime and Jon have in common, but it does seem like a smart choice, when the leader with the bigger army is offered this choice by someone who is rumored to be a superior fighter, that letting the battle happen is smarter. I liked Sansa’s contribution at the end—telling Ramsay he would die.

It was funny watching Tormund not knowing the battle terms in a way, but at the same time really brought out how different the wildlings are in their training—I worried that miscommunication might come into play since the training is so different.

Sansa and Jon’s argument seemed realistic to me. Both were right and both were wrong, as is so often the case. Sansa DOES know Ramsay better, and while Ramsay is only a pink little man and not a white walker, he is also more cunning than anything Jon has faced. Jon, however, is right, at least given the information he has, that their army is not going to grow. Best get on with it, as their situation is rougher than that of people sitting comfy in a castle.

Really loved Tormund and Davos and their discussion of kings. I liked Davos recognizing Stannis as his own worst enemy and liked the bit of ironic foreshadowing of Jon not being a king… because of course he is who has a right to it…

Tyrion dressing down Theon was sure a mixed bag of emotion… remember what a dick Theon was? He totally deserved that, but he’s been through so much and changed so much that it was still hard to watch him have to take it. I adored the Dany/Yara interaction… two queens seeing common cause.

As hard as this Rickon scene was to watch and as totally gripped as I was, this also reminded me of the Holy Grail and running at that castle when the castle just never seems to get any closer. Also… Rickon… arrows… bob, weave, roll. Make yourself a more difficult target, dammit… make sure if you get hit, it is somewhere less lethal. Guard the heart and head, man… But seriously—so sad. And Jon totally fell into Ramsay’s trap—completely… Because Ramsay did it just right—the lethal arrow when hope was so close--by design, I believe--he wanted Jon to hope first, as that would have maximum impact.

Battle questions
* Why do none of Jon’s men have shields? They seem handy in defense of arrows.
* Where is Ghost? (though I guess he probably would have died—too obvious a target in the open like this—so maybe this was better)
* Notice Jon in the fray and Ramsay sitting back behind the battle lines not actually doing a damn thing, though his battle commands are pretty effective. Did you notice the arrows were strategically fired to build up that wall of bodies?
* Why did nobody sneak around behind the lines and murder Ramsay? (Ghost even)
* Why does nobody roll under those spears to cut off Bolton feet?
* Why does no one sneak between spears and then pull shields down from the top… a coordinated effort at this would have helped a lot.

Man, it was good of the Vale to show up. Such a relief. And dammit Sansa deserved that damn smirk. She called it—they needed more men and she delivered. And of course Ramsay, having done nothing but command and shooting arrows at Rickon, never in a speck of danger, flees. The coward. And thank goodness for Wun Wun. Though that also was the very saddest moment for me, Wun Wun dying after how much he had helped. Also loved Jon getting the better of Ramsay, but I was very glad Sansa got to deliver the final blow. Erm… bite…

I found this episode really satisfying. I loved this end for Meereen, probably compounded by being glad to be at the end of Meereen. And I didn't want Rickon or Wun Wun to die, but I sort of expected those. I am just really glad it wasn't Tormund or Davos. A lot of people are saying best episode of the season or ever, and I am not quite there. I tend to like but not love battles. I like the interpersonal stuff more, so episode 4 with the Jon/Sansa reunion or The Door are probably my favorites of the season, but this was still very good.

So what did all of you think?

Season 6, Episode 8: No One: Recap and Review

Recap

First mothering Arya has received in years

Lady Crane has added Arya's suggested anger at the end of her speech. When she gets back to her dressing room she finds Arya and helps patch her up. She apparently has some experience with patching up knife holes. Lady Crane invites her to Pentos but Arya says nobody will be safe with her. She is given milk of the poppy as she needs sleep to heal.

The Hound finds some of the Brotherhood and slaughters them in vengeance for the village. 

Meereen seems to have found some order. A Red Priestess preaches how Dany saved them. Tyrion is proud, Varys skeptical. Varys is leaving for friends in Westeros and Tyrion will miss him.

Qyburn lets Cersei know several members of the faith are there to see her. The king allowed them in. Cersei goes to meet them. The High Sparrow wants to see her at the High Sept but she refuses and “chooses violence”. The Mountain kills the faith militant guy who attacks him.

Brienne and Pod look down on Jaime's siege. Brienne asks the men to speak with Ser Jaime Lannister. Bronn nabs Pod and teaches him a few tricks about dirty fighting, pondering what Jaime and Brienne are up to—he points out the mutual attraction between Jaime and Brienne. Jaime is surprised Brienne found Sansa. He points out Cersei still wants Sansa for Joffrey's murder. The two bicker about Tully's, castles, and politics. Brienne calls on him to be honorable and convinces him to let her try to convince the Blackfish to give up the castle to go north to fight for Sansa. They make a deal. She tries to give Oathkeeper back, but Jaime says it's hers. She admits if she fails and he attacks, that honor compels her to fight with Sansa's kin.

Oh, come on, you stubborn old goat...

The Blackfish is not yielding. He doesn't want to hear the plea and even if Brienne finally convinces him to read the letter and note Sansa is exactly like Catelyn, he still refuses. Brienne sends a note back to Sansa that she failed. 

Cersei enters the full throne room but is denied access to stand beside Tommen. The other ladies of the court act like she is contagious. Tommen announces that Trial By Combat is no longer a thing... Qyburn tells Cersei the rumor he investigated is much more than that.

Tyrion is smug, plying Greyworm and Missendei with wine. He dreams of having his own vinyard one day. He tries to convince them to tell jokes, but it goes rather poorly, though Missendei is giggly with wine when they hear the bells that they are under attack. The masters have come for their property.

Straight from the books (but easier to read as Jaime is bluffing)

Jaime talks to Edmure, promising to let him see his family. Edmure is skeptical, asking how Jaime lives with himself. The two discuss their sisters and the love the two had for their children. Jaime makes threats for what he will do if he must to get back to Cersei. But then we see Edmure approach Riverrun and demand entry. The Blackfish commands they refuse, but the men let him in because he is the lord. He then yields the castle to Jaime. His men obey but are clearly disappointed.

The Blackfish helps Brienne and Pod flee, but stays to fight. Jaime waves as Brienne and Pod sail off.

The slavers are firing flame into Meereen. So much for Tyrion's peace. Greyworm says the pyramid is the only defensible place, so they will wait. A noise alerts them of something... Dany is back...

The Hound finds the REAL Brotherhood hanging the violent pretenders. They have a common mission. They bicker but agree The Hound can kill two of them, but not by ax. He knocks the block out from under two. He then takes Lem's boots. The Brotherhood tries to convince him to join them. They remind him how it went when he walked away from the fighting.

Lady Crane checks on Arya then stands on a chair to get some potion and somebody comes in. It is the waif, who kills her. Arya is awoken, sees her, then leaps off the balcony to escape the waif. There is a long tense chase involving a lot of falling, jumping and bleeding. Many market goods are knocked about and a bathhouse is trespassed upon. Arya makes her way to a room and the waif asks on her knees or on her feet. Arya stands with Needle and slices off the candle.

Arya is going home!!!!

Jaqen follows the blood in the House of Black and White, past the pool, down the stairs, and to the Hall of Faces where he finds the dripping face of the waif. Arya holds Needle to Jaqen. He says, “Finally a girl is No One.” Arya says “A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell, and I am going home.” He looks pleased.


Review 

Lady Crane inviting Arya to come be the new actress is a nice book nod—in the books Arya plays the Sansa character in the play as the actress did who has disappeared.

Varys can't go off on a secret mission in the company of the most famous dwarf in the city... Tyrion corrects the world. I just like the meta-moment here—Peter Dinklage is probably the most famous dwarf in the world... Man I hope Varys is off to meet his book plot.

I adore the dynamic between Jaime and Brienne—so much sexual tension. He admires her, even if he feels compelled to play Lannister loyalist.

Cersei is devastated by Tommen's ruling, betrayed by her son.

While it is frustrating to watch Edmure play into Jaime's hands, it is exactly how the book plot goes (less Brienne). It is all good for Jaime, and it is spot on for both Edmure and Blackfish's characters. I just wish Edmure had a spine.

Missendei and Greyworm are the exceptions that prove the rule about Tyrion making scenes fabulous. These scenes have been a bit painful. I'm not sure why the writers can't manage more here. To top it off, Tyrion's plan has backfired. But at least at the end Dany is back.

I really liked the Hound's interactions with the real Brotherhood. There was a bit of put down banter, but actual respect underneath. And I feel like The Hound is leaning toward joining them—maybe he will be the person to set the Brotherhood onto the Frey/Lannister punishment.

I've seen a lot of people really disappointed with this Arya sequence. A lot of far out speculation as to what was going on raised expectations, but I really felt like the show was never going to go that far outside the box anyway. This went exactly the way I thought it might. I was sad Lady Crane was killed, but it made sense and while some feel cheated at not seeing the actual fight, I thought slicing off the candle was fitting, and they could hardly do that AND show us the fight. And then I really liked that final Arya Jaqen scene.

Overall I've seen a lot of grumbling about how bad this episode was and I just didn't think so. If it had been in season 5 it would have been one of the best. This season has just kept the bar so high. And next week should be epic. So what did you think?

Season 6, Episode 7: The Broken Man: Recap and Review

Recap

At a camp of poor faithful people productively work together with the little they have. It looks like they may be building a simple sept. And then we spot an enormous man carrying a log by himself... The HOUND! The Elder Brother talks to him some and we learn how the Hound was found and saved. He claims God has work left for Sandor Clegane. They discuss faith and the Elder Brother claims he doesn't know this god from that, but what matters is there is some greater power that has plans.

 Margaery reads from the Seven Pointed Star. The High Sparrow asks her why she hasn't returned to the marriage bed. She claims to no longer have those base desires but he reminds her of duty and the need for an heir. She promises to try and then he threatens her grandmother.

Septa Unella hovers as Margaery and her grandmother talk. Her grandmother is unhappy and huffing and puffing. Margaery tries to calm her. Margaery talks the talk and tries to convince her grandmother Loras can be free if he repents. She tells her grandmother she must leave and slips a note in her hands. Outside Lady Olenna sees it is a rose. Margaery is still herself. Just playing the game.

The Wildlings grumble and posture about helping Jon, as this wasn't their plan, but he convinces them if they want help against the dead, they need to help Jon now, so he is in a position to return the favor later. Wun Wun stands and says Snow, and the others agree.

Cersei comes to see Lady Olenna. She's heard she is leaving King's Landing, but not without blaming Cersei for all this crap first. Cersei claims they need each other. Says things to coerce Olenna to stay, but Olenna has no patience for Cersei.

Jaime and Bronn approach Riverrun. Jaime tells Bronn he will be his right hand. Bronn is put out with all the fighting and the payoff still has not come. They march into the Frey “siege” which is a pathetic thing. The Freys are threatening to hang Lord Edmure, then stick a knife to his throat. The Blackfish calls their bluff and of course they can't—he is the only leverage they have. Jaime lectures Lothar Frey about not keeping a perimeter. 8000 men have just marched through it. He commands Lord Edmure be bathed and fed. He says he is taking over command of the siege. Bronn orders them to dig trenches and set pickets. The Frey's bristle and try to claim dominion, but the king has demanded Jaime take the castle. Jaime then asks Bronn to get word to the Blackfish that Jaime wants a parlay.

Sansa, Jon and Davos arrive to present their case to Lady Mormont, who is all of eleven. Sansa points out she is named for her Aunt Lyanna, a great beauty. She is sure Lady Momont will be too. Lady Mormont doubts it. Her mother was no beauty, but she was a great warrior who died fighting for Robb. Jon says he served under Lord Commander Mormont at Castle Black. She cuts off the small talk and asks why they are there. Jon asks for House Mormont's allegiance. Lady Lyanna points out Jon is a Snow and Lady Sansa is a Bolton or a Lannister. She says she is responsible for the lives of the people on Bear Island and asks why she should sacrifice one more life for somebody else's war. Lord Davos steps forward. He explains that if the houses are squabbling they will not be able to stand against the Dead—the real war—all of their war. Lyanna promises this is not the day the Mormonts desert the Starks. She has 62 men.

Jaime rides in for his parley with the Blackfish. The Blackfish says he assumed Jaime was there to fulfill the oath Jaime made Catelyn, but he doesn't see Sansa or Arya. He then asks if Jaime wishes to resume his captivity. Jaime doesn't. He insists the war is over and the castle belongs to the Freys, but the Blackfish insists as long as he is living, the war is not over. Jaime asks why he met then, and the Blackfish said “sieges are dull and I wanted to get the measure of you. And now I have. I'm disappointed.” [oh, Blackfish, you da boss]

 Lord Glover tells Jon and Sansa No. The Boltons helped him get his castle back from the Ironborn. He wants to know who is in the army then bristles that the bulk of the forces are wildlings. Sansa reminds him of the Glover oat to House Stark, but Lord Glover throws Robb's mistakes back in her face.

Yara enjoys a Volantine Whorehouse while Theon looks uncomfortable. Yara jokes at first, but then apologizes. She tells him she needs the real Theon and talks him up, telling them they will get revenge. She tells him if he is so broken he can't come back to slit his wrists and be done with it, but if he can come back they will do this—take back the Iron Islands.

 Jon, Sansa and Davos come into camp. Davos talks of the good location but Jon says the snows may come—they need to attack. They are fewer than 2500. Davos leaves to break up a fight and Sansa questions Jon trusting Davos. Sansa insists they need more men and Jon insists they need to fight now. Jon goes and Sansa sees the Maester with his ravens, so she writes a scroll, presumably to Littlefinger.

 The Elder Brother tells his stories of what he was willing to do and what it made of him. A trio of riders comes, men of R'hollor—the Brotherhood men. They ask for horses, gold, steel, food. The Elder Brother invites them for supper, but says they have mouths to feed, too. After he finds Sandor shopping wood and Sandor says “Seven save your friends.” They wax philosophical about fighting and what good (and bad) it does. The Elder Brother invites Sandor to dinner, but he keeps chopping.

Arya buys passage on a ship to Westeros. She shows them enough coin for a cabin and insists they leave a day early (tomorrow at sunrise). She looks out over Bravos and an old woman approaches., then slices at her, spins her, removes her face (it's the waif) and stabs her. Arya throws her head back into the waif's face and jumps over the bridge into the water. When she climbs out she wanders through the streets bleeding.

 Sandor is breaking branches for kindling and hears screams. All the people have been slaughtered. The Elder Brother hanged. Sandor takes an ax and goes.


Review 

 I half expected Gendry to be the smith in that opening scene, eh? Too much to ask, I suppose, but THE HOUND! Man, it was nice to see him again. Many of us suspected it was coming, but still...

I do, however, wish the elder brother had given his full broken man speech. He gave an abbreviated version, but for those of you interested in the full thing, I've included it below the review.

Margaery tips her hand a bit to us, if not the High Sparrow or Septa Unella. She is playing the game, doing what she needs to to bide time and work through (work out?) a plan. She manages to get that across to her grandmother. I suspected this was what Margaery was up to, but it was nice to get a bit of confirmation. I think her main priority is helping Loras.

 Loved that Wun Wun was the first to stand up for Jon. And oh, Lady Mormont—what a fierce joy you are. Loved her. Sharp, bright and true. New when to ask questions and when she had made up her own mind. Pretty darned impressive at ten. But man... 62 men... so funny.

The Blackfish was TEH AWESOME!!!! Called Jaime at every turn. I'm still on Book Jaime's team, but Book Jaime is trying to avoid the death of Tullys. Show Jaime has lost his redemption arc, possibly for good. So GO Blackfish!

House Glover's refusal is disappointing, but it does seem fitting Robb's mistakes would bit them here and there.

 Loved Yara and Theon's talk—it was a very Greyjoy route to encouragement, but it got there in the end. I do have a little trouble with Yara being the character the show has as a lesbian, not because I object to lesbian characters, I am all for them. But book Yara is a different kind of liberated woman the show really doesn't have—a lusty, taking men because she enjoys it, not giving a damn about traditions, so I hate losing that. And then as a tough fighter woman, she is a stereotypical choice as the lesbian. Probably just me being too sensitive on the matter, but I would have preferred they make a less obvious choice and left Yara the "manizing" woman.

Jon's urgency for “now” feels a little forced to put Sansa in a position of asking Littlefinger for helped. I don't object hugely, just a quibble. I would have liked more than fear of snow to push the timeline.

 The Elder Brother's second speech is STILL not the broken man speech, but I think it did remind Sandor of the shame he eventually felt about killing Micah, a butcher's boy, when all he did was run. I loved the Elder Brother's clan and Ian McShane was a great Elder Brother. I liked the Hound's reintro—all well done. My only issue here is with the Brotherhood. The Brotherhood is meant to be taking revenge on Frey and Lannister armies. It bothers me that seems to have been totally swapped in exchange for this religious war. I know they followed R'hollor from the start (Thoros saving Beric Dondarion and all) but they never killed others for not following, and they were not the sort of thieves who killed (and in this case they left all the stuff—so this wasn't thieving, just murder). On the plus side, while it isn't book canon, I can see some great potential with the Hound roaming as a free agent again. I'd like him to overhear something about Sansa needing help and to jump into that fray. (or is he a potential Lady Stoneheart sub?--that would be one way to twist the Elder Brother's “try to do some good” --I mean it can only be good to rid the world of Freys and Lannisters, right?) 

NOOOO! Arya buying passage is a good thing, but the waif stabbing her is a complication! I wonder who she will go to for help—the acting troop maybe? Lady Crane would help her. Lara the whore? But think of the ramifications here... Arya is going to have to spend the rest of her life thinking anybody could be a faceless man, come for her.

The Broken Man Scene [From Brienne V, Feast for Crows] 

 "Ser? My lady?" said Podrick. "Is a broken man an outlaw?" 

"More or less," Brienne answered. 

 Septon Meribald disagreed. "More less than more. There are many sorts of outlaws, just as there are many sorts of birds. A sandpiper and a sea eagle both have wings, but they are not the same. The singers love to sing of good men forced to go outside the law to fight some wicked lord, but most outlaws are more like this ravening Hound than they are the lightning lord. They are evil men, driven by greed, soured by malice, despising the gods and caring only for themselves. Broken men are more deserving of our pity, though they may be just as dangerous. Almost all are common-born, simple folk who had never been more than a mile from the house where they were born until the day some lord came round to take them off to war. Poorly shod and poorly clad, they march away beneath his banners, ofttimes with no better arms than a sickle or a sharpened hoe, or a maul they made themselves by lashing a stone to a stick with strips of hide. Brothers march with brothers, sons with fathers, friends with friends. They've heard the songs and stories, so they go off with eager hearts, dreaming of the wonders they will see, of the wealth and glory they will win. War seems a fine adventure, the greatest most of them will ever know. 

 "Then they get a taste of battle. 

 "For some, that one taste is enough to break them. Others go on for years, until they lose count of all the battles they have fought in, but even a man who has survived a hundred fights can break in his hundred-and-first. Brothers watch their brothers die, fathers lose their sons, friends see their friends trying to hold their entrails in after they've been gutted by an axe. 

 "They see the lord who led them there cut down, and some other lord shouts that they are his now. They take a wound, and when that's still half-healed they take another. There is never enough to eat, their shoes fall to pieces from the marching, their clothes are torn and rotting, and half of them are shitting in their breeches from drinking bad water.
 "If they want new boots or a warmer cloak or maybe a rusted iron halfhelm, they need to take them from a corpse, and before long they are stealing from the living too, from the smallfolk whose lands they're fighting in, men very like the men they used to be. They slaughter their sheep and steal their chickens, and from there it's just a short step to carrying off their daughters too. And one day they look around and realize all their friends and kin are gone, that they are fighting beside strangers beneath a banner that they hardly recognize. They don't know where they are or how to get back home and the lord they're fighting for does not know their names, yet here he comes, shouting for them to form up, to make a line with their spears and scythes and sharpened hoes, to stand their ground. And the knights come down on them, faceless men clad all in steel, and the iron thunder of their charge seems to fill the world . . . 

 "And the man breaks. 

 "He turns and runs, or crawls off afterward over the corpses of the slain, or steals away in the black of night, and he finds someplace to hide. All thought of home is gone by then, and kings and lords and gods mean less to him than a haunch of spoiled meat that will let him live another day, or a skin of bad wine that might drown his fear for a few hours. The broken man lives from day to day, from meal to meal, more beast than man. Lady Brienne is not wrong. In times like these, the traveler must beware of broken men, and fear them . . . but he should pity them as well." 

 When Meribald was finished a profound silence fell upon their little band. Brienne could hear the wind rustling through a clump of pussywillows, and farther off the faint cry of a loon. She could hear Dog panting softly as he loped along beside the septon and his donkey, tongue lolling from his mouth. The quiet stretched and stretched, until finally she said, "How old were you when they marched you off to war?"

 "Why, no older than your boy," Meribald replied. "Too young for such, in truth, but my brothers were all going, and I would not be left behind. Willam said I could be his squire, though Will was no knight, only a potboy armed with a kitchen knife he'd stolen from the inn. He died upon the Stepstones, and never struck a blow. It was fever did for him, and for my brother Robin. Owen died from a mace that split his head apart, and his friend Jon Pox was hanged for rape."

"The War of the Ninepenny Kings?" asked Hyle Hunt.

"So they called it, though I never saw a king, nor earned a penny. It was a war, though. That it was."

Anybody want to just join me for a moment of awe. That is why George is the master. What a great speech. And I think it gives us some insight into his views on war.