Kit Harington as Jon Snow
Last week saw: Cersei’s reasons for allying with The Sparrows (partly) revealed, Jaime and Bronn arriving in Dorn, weird sexual tension, and the lives of two major supporting characters on the line. The action continues as: Dany and Jon Snow both face difficult decisions, Sansa tries to adjust to life with the Boltons, and Jorah and Tyrion face a new threat.
The episode begins with Grey Worm recovering from his battle wounds, and Dany and her remaining advisors watching over the body of Barristan Selmy. The last Targaryen quickly devises a punishment for potential members or allies of the Sons of the Harpy, by having the heads of Meereen’s great families arrested. They don’t have to wait too long in their cells before coming face-to-face with two of Dany’s ‘children’, to kick-off of barbecue season in style.
Only one leader of the great families is fated to become the dragons’ meal, as the others are spared for now. The whole scene reinforced Dany’s power and the fear she needs to demand from her enemies to be an effective ruler, and how far much more assured she has become since fleeing her ‘children’ at the beginning of the season.
After speaking with Melissendei, Dany decides to make more decides to reopen the fighting pits for free men only and to further her standing in Meereen she plans to marry Loraq; who is clearly unsure of how react to such a romantic proposal. Grey Worm and Melissendei also have a moment, sharing a kiss for the first time.
In Westeros, at Winterfell Sansa finds it difficult to adjust to life with the ‘strange people’ occupying her home. She encounters Ramsay’s ‘girlfriend’ Miranda in front of the tower which Bran was pushed from in the series premiere, who toys with the eldest Stark by leading her to the kennels and leaving her to stumble upon ‘Reek’. This leads to one of the most awkward meals with the soon-to-be-in-laws in the history of awkward meals with the in-laws. As Ramsay parades Reek in front of Sansa and taunts her, going so far as to nominate the former Theon Greyjoy to walk her down the aisle.
Michael McElhatton; Elizabeth Webster as Roose Bolton; Walda Frey
Roose Bolton doesn’t take too kindly to his son’s behaviour revealing that he and his wife are expecting a chid, which may be a son and rightful heir. Ramsay’s gleeful smile quickly turns upside down. As they discuss this development in privacy it becomes clear that Ramsay isn’t above making fat jokes (shock), and Roose reveals the identity of his mother to him.
A little further north at the Wall, newly appointed Lord Commander Jon Snow receives some advice from Maester Aemon to help him with his new post: ‘KiIl the boy, so the man can grow’; Which helps him to make a tough decision’ one that could have disastrous for the whole of the Night’s Watch and beyond. Jon and the new leader of the Free Folk Tormund Giantsbane plan a mission to find and recruit the remaining free Wildlings to fight against the White Walkers.
The plan doesn’t go down too well with the rest of the Night’s Watch, who are unable to view the Free Folk as anything but enemies. The men of the Night’s Watch lack of respect for grammar are an insult to Stannis, who can’t leave for Winterfell with much more haste.
Far away on a boat in the middle of an ocean somewhere, Tyrion and Jorah continue on their journey to Meereen by passing through the ruins of Valyria. The city itself is beautifully post-apocalyptic: desolate, overgrown, seemingly abandoned, and shrouded by a by an atmosphere of melancholy and impending doom. As Jorah steers through the city and Drogon flies overhead, the scene is set for disaster.
Before Jorah or Tyrion can even turn their heads from the sky, Stone Men drop into the water and attack their boat. The Stone Men themselves are terrifying, driven only by the urge to spread their infection, they’re sober zombies: able to move quickly, walk in straight lines, and occasionally pass breathalysers. They quickly overwhelm the boat trying to infect both protagonists, leaving Tyrion with only one option: jump overboard. He does so but is dragged below by one of the Stone Men. Fade to black.
Now breathe, as everyone’s favourite Lannister has not met his end! Jorah managed to save Tyrion but at a cost, the banished knight is on borrowed time as a Stone Man touched him.
