At last Dany found time to watch ‘How to Train your Dragon’ –in between ruling Meereen and visiting fighting pits- and fully embraces one of her children once again. The climatic moments of the episode are Game of Thrones at its best, your hooked like a fish on a line. Dany and her entourage (minus her former husband to be) are surrounded by the faceless, sibilant loving Sons of the Harpy. All is lost. The Sons of the Harpy are a bit too ‘let’s throw ourselves on a spear’ happy but they’d eventually get to the last of the Targaryen’s. They would have. Until Drogon showed up and ruined their plans with a few fireballs.
He’s magnificent! Awe inspiring! Utterly amazing! A fearsome dragon that appears to be a perfect ‘mummy’s boy’, burning and chewing his way through dozens of gold mask wearing cannon fodder like that’s what he was born to do. The Sons of the Harpy never even stood a chance. Ever. They just burn or run, or both.
The episode ends with Dany riding away on Drogon, a moment seasons in the making; a moment that’s just a little strange as the Mother of Dragons doesn’t even spare a wave for who would give their lives for her. The CGIs a little shakey too. Although, if I’d just had to watch the Great Games; listen to my lover’s far too obvious ‘look at what I can with my knife’ metaphors; my was-going-to-be husband’s idiotic leadership tips; and the friendzoned one’s ‘look at me, I’d die for you’ fights. I’d probably bugger off on a dragon too.
As Dany flies away, Jon Snow returns to the Wall alongside the ‘Free Folk’ who survived the White Walkers attack last week. Not too many of his ‘brothers’ are happy about that and rebel by looking as sullen an aggressive as possible as the Wildlings walk through the gates. Alliser Thorne treats the Lord Commander to another staredown, which he loses again. He should probably challenge Jon to a thumb war and see how that works out.
No less tense and awkward is Ellaria’s reaction to Prince Doran allowing Jaime to return to Westeros with Myrcella and Trystane. What a waste of wine. Though the Dornish prince is far too eager to prove his loyalty to the throne, no one seems to have told him that with Tywin dead and Cersei imprisoned; the Lannisters just aren’t allies worth having anymore.
In Braavos, Arya goes about trying to complete her first assignment for the Faceless Men but is distracted by the arrival of Meryn Trant in the company of Mace Tyrell. The Lannister dogsbody whose key cast member of Arya’s kill list mantra. Instead of poisoning the gambler, Arya chooses to follow her own enemy. Again proving to be unready to truly become a member of the elite assassins.
As Arya follows him to a brothel, Meryn Trant gets an upgrade from being an irritating twit to one of the most despicable characters on the show. A catwalk of prostitutes are paraded before him but they’re all ‘too old’ leading to his choosing an unfortunate young girl. Arya is unable to do anything as she is thrown out of the establishment. Hopefully, he dies next week.
That’s not as grim as the episode gets. Not even close. Camp Stannis has had tents and horses set aflame by Ramsay and his twenty men, and not one to take a hit like that lightly orders the deaths of those whom stood guard. Inspiring loyalty the Stannis Baratheon way.
Things don’t improve from there, Stannis orders Davos to the Wall for more supplies and horses; a job he quickly points out isn’t his. Never in the mood to argue Stannis sends him anyway, denying his right hand man request to take the ladies of the Baratheon family with him.
Shireen is one of the most innocent and sweetest characters in the Game of Thrones universe. She’s bright, kind, optimistic. A beacon of light within all the darkness and grimness. Her relationship with Davos, as he presents her with a gift shines. She’s a character that truly sees the best in everyone without realising her own value or importance.
To Stannis she’s important in all the wrong ways. His daughter agrees to do anything to help him, without being told or realising what she’s agreeing too. After weeks of defining himself a stern but loving father, shit hits the fan. Stannis makes the decision to sacrifice his daughter and only living heir to the Lord of the Light. He ignores her screams for help, obsessed with his pursuit for the Iron Throne. The Red Woman smirks like the cat that got the cream.
The episode ends on a hopeful note with Dany flying pm Drogon’s back but the screams of Shireen Baratheon will fill your dreams.
