The Rewatch Project: Season 5, Episode 1: The Wars to Come

Recap

Young Cersei and her friend Malara traipse through the woods to the house of a woods witch. They wake the woman and Cersei rudely lets her know she is not nearly as impressive as she's heard, then demands the woman tell their future. The witch gives her a knife and says she needs to taste her blood so Cersei slices her thumb and the woman sucks it, then says Cersei can ask three questions. Cersei asks when she will marry the prince. The witch says she will marry the queen. Cersei confirms she will be queen, and the witch confirms, but finishes that it will be until one younger and more beautiful replaces her and takes all she holds dear. And finally Cersei asks about children. The king will have twenty and Cersei three. Gold will be their crowns and gold their shrouds. Meaning they will die before Cersei.

Adult Cersei rides in a litter to the sept. She demands to go in alone and finds Jaime standing watch over Tywin's body. Jaime says the vague “they” will try to tear them apart now, but Cersei puts the blame solidly on Jaime for letting Tyrion go. She kisses Tywin's head and leaves again.

Tyrion peeks out a hole in his crate as Varys pries it open. Tyrion dives for the wine and feels sorry for himself. They are at the home of Illario Mopatis (where Dany and Viserys lived for a time). Varys gives a pretty darned good sales pitch for at least meeting Danaerys.

The slaves and Unsullied pull down the harpy in Meereen, then an Unsullied goes to a whore for a snuggle. Unfortunately, as they settle in, she slits his throat. He looks up to see the Harpy's mask. When Dany learns she insists he will have a burial in the Temple of the Graces. This will piss off the Sons of the Harpy, but she says that is good. Angry snakes stick their necks out, which makes it easier to chop off their heads. Missendei then finds Grey Worm, trying to understand why Unsullied would seek prostitutes.

Jon trains Ollie at Castle Black. Gilly asks if Sam should be training, then they fret about Ser Alliser's views of wildlings. If Ser Alliser is made Lord Commander, Gilly won't be allowed to stay. Sam says where she goes, he goes. Melisandre comes to Jon and says the King wants to see him, then she rides the lift with him, asking awkwardly if he is a virgin.

Jon kneels before Stannis. Stannis asks if Jon knows who rules at Winterfell and asks if he doesn't want to root the Boltons out. Jon says he wants a great many things, but he is a sworn brother of the Night's Watch. Davos says some of the brothers feel Jon has too much affinity for the Wildlings. Jon says they are not monsters. Stannis shares his plans and says he needs men. At first Jon misunderstands and says the Night's Watch don't take sides, but Stannis means the wildlings—he will forgive them and give them land if they fight for him. He asks Jon to make the case to Mance.

Sansa, Littlefinger and Lord Royce watch Robin pathetically sparring and discuss his lack of skill, but at least he has an important name. They leave Sweetrobin with Lord Royce to tour the Vale, supposedly to go to The Fingers, though Sansa notes they are going West. He says they are going somewhere Cersei cannot get her hands on Sansa.

Loras Tyrell gives words of comfort to Cersei. She thanks him and blows him off. Lancel shows up, head shaved and in monks robes. Kevan explains that he is a sparrow—a group of religious zealots. Lancel finds Cersei and apologizes to her for leading her to temptation. He also mentions the incident with Robert and his wine. He has found peace in the Light of the Seven and tells her she can too.

Olivar the whore outlines Loras's birthmark, noting it is shaped like Dorne. Margaery burst in, scolding Loras for his lateness. When Olivar leaves she tells Loras he should be more discreet. They discuss Cersei. Margaery sounds like she has a plan.

Tyrion and Varys make jibes, Tyrion still feeling sorry for himself. He asks why Varys freed him. It was for the Seven Kingdoms. Tyrion says he's done with them but Varys points out his skills. He gives his pitch for Danaerys.

Hizdar and Daario return to Meereen and give a positive report. It sounds good, but the Masters want some concessions. They would like to re-open the fighting pits. Dany says no. In bed later Daario says she should open them. He made his way in the world starting in the fighting pits. He also suggests she needs to use her dragons. A dragon queen with no dragons is not a queen. She goes to see them but they're pissed at her.

Jon goes to Mance to tell him what Stannis wants, but Mance already knows. Jon tries to present the importance of saving all his people but Mance ends it with one of the best lines ever: The freedom to make my owns mistakes is all I ever wanted.

Surprise ending...

Mance is walked out to the pyre, tied to a stake and Melisandre gives her pedantic zealot speech then lights him afire. Everyone watches as Mance gets uncomfortable, then the flames reach him. He manages not to scream. Jon leaves, Gilly hides her face and Selyse has an orgasm. Then Jon shoots an arrow into Mance's heard from a walkway.


Discussion

Of course when Cersei asks when she will marry the prince, she is referring to Rhaegar, and when the woods witch says she will marry the King, she thinks that is still who it refers to. And the younger more beautiful queen who will take it all from her? Of course this informs so much about how Cersei behaves first toward Sansa, then Margaery. Finally, I'm disappointed the prophecy didn't mention the Valonqar from the books. The last line in the book is: And when your tears have drowned you, the valonqar shall wrap his hands about your pale white throat and choke the life from you. Powerful stuff. A valonqar, in old Valyrian means “little brother” (both Jaime and Tyrion are younger than Cersei) but it says THE valonqar, not YOUR valonqar, so it may not even be HER little brother. It may be the little brother of anyone she has harmed (the little brother of that queen?) and because High Valyrian is gender bendy, it may not even be a male, but any younger sibling (my money is on Arya).

I am so not a fan of pouty Tyrion. I like Varys here, but Tyrion is hard to watch until later in the season.

Also not thrilled with it being Stannis who wants the Wildlings to come through the wall. Jon makes that decision in the books—he asks for one of ten men to stay and serve at the wall, desperately trying to replenish the men at the Wall. It is a huge part of the reason for what happens at the end of the season.

On watching this episode again, there are only a few things HERE that bug me. Mel's come on to Jon, Tyrion the pathetic depressed imp, Loras so glibly having his fling with Olivar (Loras of the books truly loved Renly. He wasn't some randy slut). But what actually bugs me is stuff they skipped or changed.