*rewinds for a rewatch*
Recap
Meera drags Bran through the snow, exhausting herself. Bran is still having his visions, flashes that make sense to us because we've seen some of the events or know the history—the deaths of his mother, father, and brother, his fall—events surrounding his grandfather and uncle Brandon's death—Hard Home and what Jon faced. Wights are chasing them and Meera has run out her strength. She wakes Bran up. He says, “they found us” and in fact they have. Wights are coming at them. A horseman arrives with fire weapons and kills the wights, then puts Bran in front of him and helps Meera up behind.
Gilly is amazed how green Horn Hill is. Sam nervously rambles about trees. He reminds us how awful his father is, but shares that they will take Gilly and Little Sam in. Sam has failed to inform his family she is a wildling because his father is prejudiced. They arrive and it's enormous and elegant. His mother and sister greet them—they are sweet and happy. Sam barely recognizes his sister. Lady Tarly tells Gilly she is lovely. Little Sam is enchanted with his grandma. (Grandmas are special that way) Sam's father and brother have gone on a hunt.
Tommen lights a candle in the sept and discusses Margaery with the High Sparrow. He lets him in to talk to Margaery. Margaery seems to have been drinking the Seven-Ade. She has that wide-eyed “believer thing" going like she has found peace. She confesses to Tommen how she has opened her eyes to what she was—how she did good to be seen doing good.
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| She looks so pretty! |
Gilly comes down in Talla's gown with her hair done and looks really pretty! Dinner is awkward, Sam's dad as big an ass as you'd expect of a guy who threatened to have his own son killed if he didn't take the black. First it is hunting, then calling Sam fat. He criticizes the idea of being a maester. Gilly says Sam can wield a sword, but in telling them of Sam killing a white walker she confesses she is from north of the wall. Lord Tarly is all kinds of rude about wildlings. He points out Heart's Bane, the Tarly Valyrian steel sword. He calls Gilly a wildling whore. Lady Tarly takes Gilly and Talla and tells Lord Tarly he dishonors them all. Lord Tarly says he will take in Gilly and the baby but this is the last night Sam will spend at Horn Hill. Gilly is upset over Sam's treatment. She tells Sam he is not what his father thinks he is and Sam says good-bye. Then he comes back in and says they are leaving—he is taking Gilly and the baby... and Heart's Bane.
We are back to the play and Lady Crane makes a brilliant final scene mourning the dead Joffrey. Arya is the only one in the audience laughing as Joffrey dies. She then spots the Sansa actress off sides mouthing Cersei's lines and you can see Arya's task weighing on her. She goes back stage and after a pause, poisons the rum. Lady Crane catches her on the way out and they discuss theater. Arya compliments her and then leaves. Lady Crane has a Joey moment (you never criticize the writers if you don't want them to write you out) and then Arya knocks the glass from her hand as she is about to drink, warning Lady Crane about the girl who wants her dead. The waif has overheard. Arya fetches Needle. The waif tattles to Jaqen as he peels a face. The waif says “you promised me,” to which Jaqen says, “don't let her suffer.” Arya sits with Needle and blows out a candle.
Mace leads his army through King's Landing and Jaime joins him at the front of the troops. The High Sparrow stands with Margaery in front of the masses. He describes her sins and then Jaime and the Tyrell army ride through the crowd. Jaime says if the High Sparrow gives them Queen Margaery and Ser Loras they will be on their way. The High Sparrow says he doesn't have the authority to give them. Jaime says every Sparrow will die before Margaery walks down that street. The High Sparrow says they yearn for it, but there is no call for it today, as Queen Margaery has already atoned—by bringing another to the Light of the Seven. Tommen comes out. The Lannisters and Tyrells have been defeated, as the King and Queen have made a holy alliance with the faith. The people cheer as Jaime looks on in dismay.
Tommen strips Ser Jaime of his title as Lord Commander of the King's Guard. Jaime argues but Tommen stands firm. Jaime asks if he is to be paraded naked or put in the sept dungeons (as the Tart crosses her fingers for a naked Jaime scene) and Tommen says he will continue to serve the crown and his house, but not from King's Landing.
Lord Frey badgers his sons for losing River Run to the Blackfish. He orders them to take the castle back, then brings out Edmure, who looks to have been not treated kindly. Jamie is being sent to deal with the Blackfish, but Jaime says he's not going—that he is going to get Bronn and assassinate the High Sparrow, but Cersei urges caution. She says to lead the army. Her trial will be by combat and she has the Mountain.
Meera and Bran's savior drains blood from a rabbit and answers questions. It turns out he is Benjen Stark. He explains how he (sort of?) survived—the children found him and stopped the walker magic. He tells Bran Bran is the 3-eyed raven now. That he must learn to control it before the Night King comes and he gives Bran the blood to drink.
Dany leads her enormous Khalassar, discussing with Daario how they get to Westeros with them all. She senses something and rides ahead. She returns on Drogon and gives an inspirational speech asking their dedication. She chooses all of them as her blood riders.
Review
Bran and Meera's saving went about as I guessed it would, though if anybody has seen a nice screen by screen analysis of Bran's vision, please share the link. [added: I can always count on Bar de Porto at Bar Tube. She has done this fabulous analysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tnf1f4w23Ic] Interesting that we are going to have Benjen acting as a sort of mentor to help him master his visions. Did you all notice that was blood Benjen gave Bran to drink? Drinking blood is a book connection, though in the books it is a bit darker--suggestion is it is Jojen's blood.
Sam's family also went about as expected—I really loved his mom. His father though... man... what an ass. Of course readers know that. I am hoping he heads to the Riverlands, as he does in the book. There is an interaction between him and Brienne that is painful, as he is awful to her, but would make an excellent scene. I'm curious what Sam is going to do with Gilly and Little Sam in Old Town—as a man of the Night's Watch he can't have much money at his disposal. But I am glad he left with Heart's Bane. I wonder if he will keep it, or send it north to Jon.
Margaery's conversion seemed too fast for me the first time through—by a lot--it was jarring. But the second time I spotted the “previous episode” with Loras and him saying “let them win”--and I am wondering if she didn't see the wisdom in that... that by converting, the danger would lessen (at least in the short run). What I am left wondering is if this is Margaery truly committing, or Margaery doing what she has to to save them--playing the necessary game.
So Arya can't bring herself to kill Lady Crane. I love the irony of this whole thing—that Arya saves Cersei from Sansa... But I am glad Arya has her moral grounding and am very excited, as this has to mean to stay safe she needs to flee for Westeros.
The confrontation between the armies and the Sparrows was terribly anti-climactic, but I think the aftermath will be better. It sets up tension between the King and Queen and their families. Less messy than the chaos after a war, but just as interesting or more so. So I am trusting the momentary disappointment is payment for the promise of good stuff going forward.
Jaime getting dismissed was totally unexpected. I am not a fan of the Jaime/Cersei book departure—I like the book redemption arc for Jaime and Jaime at this point is completely disillusioned with Cersei. Tyrion gave him a parting gift of telling him about Cersei's infidelity (in the books it was more than just Lancel) and Jaime keeps running suspicions through his head. But I do like that he is headed to the Riverlands to join his book plot. I hope that his thoughts will be NOT killing Tullys. He swore to Lady Catelyn to take up no arms against her family (again—books) and I hope he lives up to that—diplomacy over violence. Funny that in this episode, it is Cersei urging caution... telling Jaime to do what he is told...
Oh, man... in case I'd forgotten how much I hate Walder Frey... what an ass. Unfortunately an ass with an ace up his sleeve. He has Edmure Tully, the rightful heir to Riverrun. So chances of him getting his way are better than I care for.
And I liked Dany's moment to show her Khalassar how boss she is. She made them ALL her bloodriders and definitely inspired their loyalty, so cool... now who do we know with some boats?
And that's a confirmation. Bran's vision had Mad King Aerys' death and some wights died, but no real time deaths of living people... I guess this is only the second episode with no deaths in the series... It wasn't the TOP episode in my opinion, but there was nothing that bothered me much and I do feel like it was a good set up for the second half of the season, so I was happy with it.
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