Season 6, Episode 3: Recap and Review

Recap

Davos watches as Jon breathes, then sits. Sadly he covers him… Jon remembers being stabbed, but there was nothing in between. Melisandre says he was brought back for a reason. She suggests he needs to be the Prince who was Promised. Davos gives him some practical advice. Doesn’t matter why he’s back. He just needs to keep going.

The men gather to see him come out. He has a moment with Tormund and Edd. Edd double checks it is still Jon.

~

Sam is sea sick. Tells Gilly he is taking her to his family. They’ve finally allowed baby Sam to not be a newborn anymore, though he still is aging slowly. It was also sweet that Gilly referred to Sam as baby Sam’s father.

~

Ser Gerold Hightower sharpens his sword. Ned and his men ride up and Bran begins to narrate. The dialogue goes a bit differently than the book, but gets across more clearly that they were commanded to be HERE (at the Tower of Joy). Ned asks where his sister is and the King’s Guard don their helmets. Fancy fighting ensues. There is a tense moment where Ned faces Arthur Dayne in single combat. Bran is stunned how much better Ser Arthur is because he knows his father wins, but it turns out Howland Reed saved him with a (dishonorable) knife through the back of the neck. Screaming is heard from the tower.

[Ned hears Bran] *cue spooky music*

~

Dany is marched into Vaes Dothrak and the House of the Dosh Khaleen. She’s stripped and given different clothes. We’re reminded this is where she ate the stallion heart. She is scolded for not coming right after her Khal died and told they ALL thought they would ride with a great Khal who took over the world. There seems to be some doubt whether Dany deserves to be there (as a wise crone who guides the Khals) since she didn’t come right away.

~

Varys meets with the whore who was killing Unsullied. He offers her a deal… for information, he will send her and her son to safety with silver. Or she can stay and her son may… come to harm… though he doesn’t actually make the threat—just implies it. I wonder where the ship came from, since all of them burned in episode one…

~

Tyrion tries to start a conversation with Grey Worm and Missendei. Varys comes in with news of who is funding the Harpy (all the cities Dany conquered).  Grey Worm and Missendei urge conquering—it is all they (the masters) understand.

~

Qyburn talks to the children formerly known as “little birds”. Turns out Varys was paying them in sweets. Qyburn happens to have candied plums and offers regular sweets for whispers. Ser Gregor comes in (they aren’t even trying to pretend he’s someone else) with Cersei and Jaime. The children run off and Jaime suggests Ser Gregor march into the sept and smash the High Sparrow, but the faith militant are too many. Cersei mentions her trial by combat, then asks Qyburn to make sure he has little birds everywhere else, too.

~

Pycelle complains about Qyburn in the Small Council Meeting. Cersei, Jaime and Ser Gregor enter. Cersei and the Queen of Thorns engage in some banter about imprisoned queens.  Ser Keven challenges their presence. Jaime notes he is Lord Commander of the King’s Guard who has traditionally sat on the Small Council. Pycelle hems and haws. Cersei sits and brings up Myrcella’s death and Jaime adds the same women have overthrown the Martells and taken over Dorne. Kevan walks out and the others follow, leaving Cersei, Jaime and their guard.

~

Tommen goes to talk to the High Sparrow, who talks of Mother’s Love (Happy Mother’s Day!). Cersei must stand trial for the other things she is accused of before she can attend Myrcella’s grave. The HS then talks about Kings listening to wise counsel and it rings true for Tommen, as it echoes what Tywin said. (it looks a bit like he is getting through to Tommen)

~

Arya’s training montage… NICE!  The game of lies, the fighting, the testing of other senses, the progress… And then she gets her eyes back!!!

~

The Smalljon stands before Ramsay and the Karstark. He is frustrated that wildlings have been let through the wall. They need help but will not swear loyalty. He just wants an ally and has a gift. He brings in Osha and Rickon, and to prove he’s Rickon, they toss Shaggy Dog’s head on a table.

~

Edd comes for Jon. Time to hang the traitors who stabbed him. He asked for last words. Cotter Pyke says he shouldn’t be alive. Othell Yarwick asks that his family be told he died fighting wildlings. Alliser Thorn says he’d do the same thing again and Ollie gives a petulant look. Jon looks torn but cuts the rope that knocks their feet out from under them. He then gives his cloak to Edd and says Castle Black is his. Jon’s watch is ended.

Book Notes

Tormund-HAR! Book Tormund talks about his pecker a lot, so that nod of his about Jon’s being small was too funny.

I really wish they’d done the full dialogue at the Tower of Joy so I am just going to share it here…

“I looked for you on the Trident,” Ned said to them.

“We were not there,” Ser Gerold answered.

“Woe to the Usurper if we had been,” said Ser Oswell.

“When King's Landing fell, Ser Jaime slew your king with a golden sword, and I wondered where you were.”

“Far away,” Ser Gerold said, “or Aerys would yet sit the Iron Throne, and our false brother would burn in seven hells.”

“I came down on Storm's End to lift the siege,” Ned told them, and the Lords Tyrell and Redwyne dipped their banners, and all their knights bent the knee to pledge us fealty. I was certain you would be among them.”

“Our knees do not bend easily,” said Ser Arthur Dayne.

“Ser Willem Darry is fled to Dragonstone, with your queen and Prince Viserys. I thought you might have sailed with him.”

“Ser Willem is a good man and true,” said Ser Oswell.

“But not of the Kingsguard,” Ser Gerold pointed out. “The Kingsguard does not flee.”

“Then or now,” said Ser Arthur. He donned his helm.

“We swore a vow,” explained old Ser Gerold.

Ned’s wraiths moved up beside him, with shadow swords in hand. They were seven against three.

“And now it begins,” said Ser Arthur Dayne, the Sword of the Morning. He unsheathed Dawn and held it with both hands. The blade was pale as milkglass, alive with light.

“No,” Ned said with sadness in his voice. “Now it ends.”

Reactions

I like their minimal dialogue decision for Jon’s awakening.

No particular thoughts on Sam and Gilly, but I see the point of showing them in progress.

A little annoyed Arthur Dayne didn’t have Dawn—it is a legendary blade and how hard would it be to have included it? And the scene seemed more abbreviated than I’d hoped, and it followed what we literally know from the books, but I hope when we read it, it is a bit more subtle (I always hoped Howland Reed saved Ned with words rather than a sword (so Dayne allows himself to be sacrificed, as he knows the baby will be safe)

I liked the scene with Dany and the Dosh Khaleen well enough. And for once Dany manages to keep her mouth shut. These are smart women. Better to figure things out and find an intellectual solution… or wait for dragons. One or the other…

The Varys scene was fantastic. I like how he plays that… carrot, stick. And how he understands torture may get answers, but not the true answers. Expert manipulation on his part. Though the scene afterward with Tyrion, Missendei and Grey Worm was a little annoying. Like they were trying to hard when they wrote Tyrion’s dialog.

Loved Varys’s Little birds and the lead in to Qyburn with Varys’s former little birds. Qyburn is smart—he will figure this out. And the division between Cersei and the small council… that is book stuff, though book Cersei is smart enough not to lay her cards all on the table. I suspect though, this is the easier way to get to that story.

I really think Arya’s training sequence was nicely done. Not a ton to say about it, but it got across a ton of stuff elegantly.

Shaggy Dog—NOOOOOO! Bad enough to turn Rickon over to Ramsay, but I literally shouted at the TV when they threw down the direwolf head. So sad.

So I figured Ser Alliser had to die, but part of me really wanted to see a reveal that Jon was a Targaryen first. Ser Alliser was sent to the wall by Robert because of his support for the Targaryens. I am also surprised they killed all of them (but not all of them)--I would have thought just the leader or all 8 or 9. Very glad to see Jon walk away (will Davos go with him?)

Overall I was not quite as impressed with this episode. It was good, but not great. The Tower of Joy was great but ended far too soon. The Arya sequence is the only one I really found satisfying. I think though, the Jon stuff and the Bolton stuff is set up to be really exciting soon.