Episode 1: "Valar Dohaeris"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• Season 3 picks up pretty much where we left off in Season 2. There's a cold open with Sam running in fright after seeing the White Walkers and their army. He's attacked by a wight (how was he not attacked BEFORE this though?), and Ghost and Jeor Mormont show up just in time to rescue him. The Night's Watch lost a lot of men in the battle with the White Walkers, but there are still some left (again, HOW? I understand they could destroy wights, but did the White Walkers just get bored and ride away?). Sam was meant to send ravens but didn't, so no one knows what's happened. The survivors head back towards the Wall to warn people that WINTER IS COMING and the dead are coming with it.
• Jon arrives at the wildling camp and sees his first giant – and Tormund! Jon convinces Mance he wants to join the freefolk by telling the truth within his lie: he's pissed that Jeor knew about Craster sacrificing his sons to the White Walkers.
• Bronn is no longer commander of the City Watch, but he has been knighted Ser Bronn of the Blackwater. He demands a payrise from Tyrion. Tyrion, meanwhile, wants Tywin to make him heir to Casterly Rock, but he refuses.
• Littlefinger tells Sansa that he saw both Cat and Arya safe and alive – he's either lying about the latter, or he really did recognise Arya at Harrenhal and didn't blow her cover. Sansa finally admits she wants to escape King's Landing, and Littlefinger promises to help.
• Margaery visits an orphanage in Flea Bottom and has already won over the people. Cersei is suspicious and unimpressed.
• Davos is rescued from a rock he presumably washed up on after the Battle of the Blackwater by Salladhor Saan, who begrudgingly returns him to Dragonstone. He finds Stannis more in Melisandre's grip than ever, with Melisandre blaming the fact she wasn't at the Blackwater for Stannis' defeat. Davos ends up attacking her and Stannis throws him in the dungeons.
• Robb Stark plans to attack Harrenhal, but when he arrives he discovers the Mountain has abandoned it, slaughtering all the prisoners still held there before leaving. The only survivor is Qyburn. Cat is still imprisoned over her treason of letting Jaime go, but Lord Karstark and a lot of other Stark men are getting more and more furious about their lack of progress or vengeance.
• The dragons have grown, but not "enough". Dany decides she needs an army (I guess that whole "you only need one ship" idea was really dropped after last season?). She travels to Astapor, where she visits the owner of 8,000 Unsullied and meets Missandei, who translates for them (Dany keeps the fact she can speak Valyrian a secret). Dany is also attacked by a warlock from Qarth and rescued by Ser Barristan Selmy, who has tracked her down because he wants to serve her and lead her queensguard.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• This is the first time we see a different Winterfell in the opening credits – it's a smoking ruin with no sigil.
• Cersei says "I'm not afraid of you, little brother", which is interesting because in the books (it's never been directly referenced in the show), Cersei is somewhat afraid of Tyrion because she believes he is the valonqar ("little brother") prophesied to kill her. Also, when Cersei sees Tyrion's injuries, she says "they said you'd lost your nose but it's not as gruesome as that", which is a nod to the books, in which Tyrion actually does lose his nose. She also says "you're a clever man, but you're not half as clever as you think you are", which is similar to what Tywin says to her later in the season.
• Cersei has always worn armour as part of her costumes, but she really steps it up here. It seems she's feeling a little more threatened now that the Tyrells are circling.
• Tywin says to Tyrion "you brought a whore into my bed" which is hypocritical considering he literally brings the same "whore" into his bed (with HIMSELF in it) in Season 4. He also says "the next whore I catch in your bed I'll hang", but it's Tyrion who finds Shae in HIS bed and who strangles her.
• I totally forgot about Tyrion requesting Casterly Rock – it certainly makes the personal stake he has in suggesting the Unsullied capture it in Season 7 even murkier.
• Ros warns Shae to watch out for Sansa with Littlefinger, which is excellent advice that doesn't really help Sansa much at all in the end.
• Jorah says to Dany, "you'll have a true khalasar when you prove yourself strong, and not before", which makes her big moment in Season 6 when she finally wins over all the Dothraki even more meaningful.
• Dany is wearing her iconic blue outfit for the first time here. The dragon scales embroidered on it are a display of her Targaryen heritage, while the colour is a nod to Khal Drogo.
Stray observations:
• I wonder who the people are that Shae met in Dorne, who "weren't so beautiful and warm"?
• Mance says to Jon, "I think what you want most of all is to be a hero." He nailed him in one.
• I totally forgot Jon mistakes Tormund for Mance when he first meets him, and kneels before him. It's very funny.
• I also forgot/blocked out that the Unsullied have to kill a newborn baby as part of their training. Grey Worm murdered a baby. :(
• THE NIPPLE THING IS SO DISGUSTING UGH.
• It's so weird that the warlocks are just never mentioned again after apparently pursuing Dany to Astapor.
Episode 2: "Dark Wings, Dark Words"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• Bran (who has been hit with the puberty stick), Rickon, Osha, Hodor, Summer and Shaggydog are still heading towards Castle Black when Jojen and Meera Reed find them. Jojen says he's been looking for Bran and that he has a "long way to go". He reveals that Bran is a warg.
• Robb and Cat learn that Roose's bastard didn't get to Winterfell in time, and the Ironborn had massacred everyone and burned it down, with no sign of Bran or Rickon to be found (we later learn this is a lie, and Ramsay actually killed all the Ironborn and burned Winterfell himself). Cat's father is also dead, so they all head to Riverrun for the funeral. Lord Karstark thinks the funeral is too much of a distraction, and tells Robb he lost the war the day he married Talisa.
• Cat reveals to Talisa that she once prayed for Jon when he got the pox as a child, and promised that she'd love him as a mother if he survived. She thinks everything bad that's happened to her family is because she couldn't keep her promise.
• Jon gets a costume change and is in wildling gear. He meets his first warg – Orell.
• Theon is tied up and being tortured. Ramsay, disguised as a servant, says he's there to help him.
• Brienne and Jaime are still on the road (or rather, off it – cutting through the woods). Jaime manages to get one of Brienne's swords and the two of them fight, but neither are particularly trying to hurt the other. Locke, one of Roose Bolton's men, captures them after a farmer reports seeing them.
• Sansa thinks Littlefinger is too old to want anything from her, but Shae warns her otherwise. Sansa meets up with Margaery and Olenna Tyrell in the gardens, where they feed her lemon cakes and convince her to reveal the truth about Joffrey – that he's a monster.
• The Brotherhood Without Banners find Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie and take them to the Inn at the Crossroads. They're about to let them go when Anguy brings in a captured Hound, and he recognises Arya.
• Margaery proves she is very skilled at manipulating Joffrey, which Cersei of course hates.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Bran has a vision in which Jojen says "You can't kill it...because the raven is you", which is more true than any of us realised at the time. The vision also calls back to the first episode of Season 1, with Jon and Robb appearing and commenting on Bran's archery technique.
• Bran tells Jojen that his father Howland Reed saved Ned's life during the war – Bran will later see this happen in a vision/flashback.
• Cat talks about Jon's "brown stranger's eyes" – in the show, Lyanna Stark also has dark brown eyes, as we learn later. Cat also says that when Jon was sick, Maester Luwin said "if he made it through the night, he'd live. But it would be a very long night." Which could be FORESHADOWING.
• The conversation Jon has with Mance about how hard it was to unite the wildlings when half of them "want to massacre each other" and they speak different languages is really interesting in light of the fact Jon would later do that himself, with the even harder task of uniting Northerners with wildlings. And in Season 8, he and Dany will have to bring all of their "teams" together somehow.
• The cross Theon is tied to should have been a huge clue as to who his captor was. It's right there on Roose's sigil, after all!
• Jeor says to Sam "I forbid you to die". I wonder if his order will carry through all the way to the end of the series.
• The farmer who dobs Brienne and Jaime in says he recognised Jaime because he saw him at the tourney at Willem Frey's wedding. This is the same event in which Jaime's cousin Alton (the one he murdered last season) was his squire.
Stray observations:
• I LOVE OLENNA TYRELL SO MUCH. Especially her devotion to cheese.
• Cat's story just makes my heart break for poor little baby Jon Snow.
• I get why they did it, but I kind of wish the show hadn't cut out Jon and the other Stark kids' ability to warg.
• Jojen talks about how when his father, Howland Reed, heard of Ned's death, it was the only time he'd seen him cry. I wish they'd included his character in the show beyond the flashbacks to the Tower of Joy. Maybe they will in Season 8, but at this point I doubt it.
• It really hurts to see the direwolves so frequently and easily in these episodes, considering how they were then all either killed off or not deemed important enough any more to even show on screen. It's a huge loss.
• The scene where Gendry is mocking Arya for her choice of who to kill in Season 2 is very funny, especially because I had THE EXACT QUESTIONS about some of her decisions.
Episode 3: "Walk of Punishment"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• At Riverrun, we're introduced to Cat's brother Edmure and uncle The Blackfish at her father's funeral. We learn Edmure was supposed to draw the Mountain out so Robb could attack him in his own territory, but instead Edmure captured a worthless mill and took two teen Lannisters, Willem and Martyn, as hostages.
• Tywin has moved the Small Council meetings to a room near his own chambers, because he's all about the power moves. Littlefinger is to leave for the Eyrie to marry Lysa Arryn, so Tyrion becomes the new Master of Coin. Tyrion learns the crown owes millions to Tywin, and tens of millions to Braavos. On a lighter note, Tyrion rewards Pod for his loyal service with an orgy at the brothel – which Pod gets for free because apparently he's that good.
• The Brotherhood Without Banners take Arya with them after learning who she is. Gendry goes to, but Hot Pie stays at the Inn to work in the kitchens.
• Mance, Jon and the wildlings learn the Night's Watch fought the White Walkers, and Mance realises it means the Wall is less defended and now is the perfect time to make a move.
• The remains of the Night's Watch party make it back to Crasters, although Ghost refuses to enter and wanders off into the woods. Gilly gives birth to a baby boy.
• Ramsay frees Theon and tells him to ride east because his sister is there waiting for him. His hope is heartbreaking. Theon is captured once again and almost raped, but Ramsay shows up and kills his own men because he's still pretending to be on Theon's side.
• Melisandre leaves Stannis to go off on a mission she saw in the flames, and Stannis isn't happy about it because he's really horny for her.
• Dany says she'll buy all 8,000 Unsullied, plus any boys in training, plus Missandei – and pay for them with one of her dragons. Jorah and Barristan both question her decision, and she tells them never to do so again in front of strangers.
• Locke and his men are about to rape Brienne when Jaime convinces them that she's worth more if they keep her safe, because her father is super rich thanks to the sapphires on Tarth. He's completely lying, although Locke doesn't know that yet – what he does know is that he doesn't like Jaime's elitist attitude. He CUTS OFF JAIME'S HAND to teach him a lesson. It's brutal.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Martyn Lannister is played by Dean-Charles Chapman, who will later be cast as the slightly older version of Tommen.
• At the Inn, Arya says to The Hound "do you remember the last time you were here?" She's of course referencing when he murdered her friend Mycah.
• Mance says the White Walkers are "always the artists" after seeing the pattern they make in the snow using dismembered dead horses. The circular pattern is different to the one we saw in Season 1, but it's a pattern that crops up again and again throughout the series in association with the White Walkers – and also in connection with Jon and Dany.
• Melisandre says to Stannis "You will sit on the Iron Throne. But first there must be sacrifices. The Lord of Light demands it." We know she was wrong about Stannis being the chosen one, but is she right about everything else? Will whoever ends up on the Iron Throne have to make sacrifices? (Although, tbh, what character hasn't already made sacrifices?!)
• The conversation Dany has with Jorah and Barristan about Rhaegar is significant, not only because it's one of the first clues we get that Rhaegar wasn't some evil guy who'd kidnap Lyanna, but also because it sums up how people actually feel about both Dany and Jon: "men died for him because they believed in him, because they loved him." Ominously, Jorah says, "Rhaegar fought valiantly, Rhaegary fought nobly, and Rhaegar died." And, of course, Dany finishes the conversation by noting that Rhaegar was not the "last dragon".
• Barristan also says to Dany that "a dragon is worth more than any army. Aegon Targaryen proved that." Here's hoping two dragons are worth more than an undead army and an undead dragon.
Stray observations:
• The ~musical chairs~ scene with the Small Council is SO GOOD.
• When Missandei says "Valar Morghulis", Dany replies "yes, all men must die. But we are not men." Which made me scream YES at my TV.
• How is Gilly's son STILL a baby in the current show??!! It seems like several years have passed since Season 3.
• What DID Pod do in that brothel?!??!??!
• Jaime pulling the "my father" card gave me Draco Malfoy flashbacks. Also, the scene where he gets his hand chopped off makes me scream every time.
Episode 4: "And Now His Watch Is Ended"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• Varys tells Tyrion about how he was cut, and reveals he has the sorcerer who did it captured in a box.
• Bran has a vision in which he's climbing, then he sees Cat and she urges him to stop, and then he falls – it exactly mirrors what happened in Season 1, Episode 1. The way Cat keeps repeating "promise me" is interesting, considering those are the words Lyanna said to Ned about Jon before she died, which Bran sees in a vision in Season 6.
• Ros tells Varys that Littlefinger is planning to take Sansa with him when he leaves the capital. Varys meets with Olenna Tyrell to propose a betrothal between Loras and Sansa. Sansa is overjoyed at the prospect, and at the idea of being Margaery's sister.
• Margaery is a PR wizard, it seems – she's even got the people celebrating Joffrey. Cersei is angry, and tells Tywin the Tyrells are a threat. He dismisses her.
• Theon believes Ramsay is taking him to Deepwood Motte, and confesses that it was two orphan boys, not the Stark kids, who were killed at Winterfell. He then discovers he's right back in his torture chamber.
• Brienne is worried about Jaime, who is ill and depressed after losing his hand. She tells him to snap out of it.
• Craster isn't sharing much food with the Night's Watch, and they're practically starving. Karl Tanner and Rast mutiny and kill both Craster and Jeor Mormont. Sam uses the chaos to escape with Gilly and her baby.
• The Brotherhood Without Banners arrive at their cave headquarters with Arya, Gendry and the Hound, where they meet up with their leader Ser Beric Dondarrion (now played by a different actor from Season 1). Arya tells them how The Hound murdered Mycah, and Beric sentences him to a trial by combat.
• Once Dany has swapped Drogon for the Unsullied, she orders them to kill the masters and reveals she can speak Valyrian after all. She does her "dracarys" thing and Drogon burns the slave-owner alive. Dany tells the Unsullied they're free, and asks if they'll fight for her of their own freewill. Of course, they do.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Varys mentions he heard a "voice in the flames" when he was cut that's always haunted him. Here's hoping we learn exactly what he heard before the show is over.
• Brienne tells Jaime that he must live in order to get his revenge – which is exactly what Cat said to her after Renly was killed.
• Tywin makes Cersei wait, just as he did to Tyrion – a move Cersei herself will later steal. Tywin also says to Cersei, "you're not as smart as you think you are", which is what she basically said to Tyrion earlier in the season.
• Thoros says "House Clegane was built upon dead children. I saw them lay Prince Aegon and Princess Rhaenys before the Iron Throne." He's referencing the fact that the Mountain murdered Rhaegar's two children with Elia Martell during Robert's Rebellion.
Stray observations:
• The horse piss scene made me actually want to vomit.
• Grenn and Edd really do talk literal shit a lot.
• Theon's confession, especially when he says "My real father lost his head at King's Landing", legitimately made me sob.
• Gods, I despise Ramsay Bolton.
• Sansa is still hopeful and romantic here. It's so heartbreaking.
• It's cute that Missandei and Dany are now wearing matching outfits.
• JEOR MORMONT DESERVED BETTER.
Episode 5: "Kissed by Fire"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• The Hound and Beric fight. The Hound is terrified of Beric's flaming sword, but he still wins, killing Beric. PLOT TWIST, Thoros revives Beric. They let the Hound go free. Gendry tells Arya he wants to stay with the Brotherhood, and they both get emotional.
• Jon tells the wildlings only three of the 19 castles on the Wall are manned. He and Ygritte then bang in an cave and he does THAT THING with his tongue.
• Locke arrives at Harrenhal, which Roose Bolton is holding for Robb, and presents Jaime and Brienne. Qyburn treats Jaime's wound and reveals the citadel stripped him of his Maester chain. Jaime then joins Brienne in the bath and tells her he trusts her, then reveals the truth about what happened with the Mad King, and how he was going to blow up the whole city with wildfire.
• Tyrion gets Olenna to agree to pay for half of the very expensive royal wedding between Margaery and Joffrey.
• Stannis visits Selyse (who is portrayed by a new actor) and she reveals she knows he slept with Melisandre and she's happy about it. Stannis also goes to see sweet precious baby Shireen, who deserved better parents than the ones she got. He tells her that Davos is in the dungeons, and Shireen secretly goes to visit him. She brings him a book and promises to teach him to read.
• The Unsullied pick Grey Worm as their chosen leader. Jorah tries to subtly grill Barristan on how much he knows about Jorah's role as a spy for Robert – turns out he doesn't know anything.
• Lord Karstark kills the two young Lannister hostages, and despite Talisa and Cat telling him to spare Karstark's life, Robb executes him for treason. Talisa's prediction that the Karstarks would desert Robb if he executed their lord turns out to be true, and Robb loses half his army as a result. He decides Walder Frey is the only one who could repopulate his army.
• Olyvar seduces Loras and learns he's secretly betrothed to Sansa. But Olyvar is a spy for Littlefinger and tells him everything. Sansa, not realising he knows, tells Littlefinger she wants to stay in King's Landing so she doesn't risk his safety, but really she just wants to marry Loras. Meanwhile, Littlefinger reports the news to Cersei, who tells Tywin, who orders Tyrion to marry Sansa – and Cersei to marry Loras.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Beric tells the Hound "the Lord of Light isn't done with you yet" – we saw some of what the ~Lord of Light~ had planned in Season 7.
• When Arya says to Gendry "I can be your family" and he replies "you wouldn't be my family, you would be m'lady", he's referring to the conversation they had when he found out she was a Stark and pointing out the class difference between the two of them. It'll be interesting to see how their dynamic plays out now they'll both finally be at Winterfell (and have also been through so much in the meantime).
• The fact Jaime is somewhat free at Harrenhal should have been a huge warning sign the first time around that Roose's loyalty did not lie with Robb.
• It's significant, given what happens later, that the first word Davos learns to read is "Aegon" – Jon Snow's real name.
• Jorah and Barristan talk about the siege of Pyke and Thoros of Myr charging into the breach with his flaming sword. Jaime also talked about this moment in Season 1.
• As Littlefinger points out, Sansa has started wearing her hair like Margaery rather than Cersei.
• We'll get a first-hand look at Jaime's story about the Mad King in Bran's visions in later seasons.
Stray observations:
• Gendry holding Arya back from attacking the Hound in order to protect her gets me every time.
• It seemed a lot quicker/easier for Thoros to revive Beric than it was for Melisandre to revive Jon. Maybe because Thoros did it immediately?
• Arya's list in this episode is: "Joffrey. Cersei. Illyn Payne. Ser Meryn Trant. The Hound."
• "Could you bring back a man without a head? Not six times. Just once." :(
• The bath scene with Jaime and Brienne is one of my favourite moments in the whole series. It's so powerful, and a real turning point in both character's arcs and also in their relationship.
• I guess Jon really did know where to put it.
Episode 6: "The Climb"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• Ygritte tells Jon she knows he's still loyal to the Night's Watch, but she wants him to be loyal to her. He says he'll never betray her, which is one of the biggest lies he's ever told. They climb the Wall, and at one point Orell tries to cut both Jon and Ygritte loose, but they manage to hang on together. They make it to the top of the Wall and get their smooch on.
• Melisandre arrives at the Brotherhood Without Banners camp, and accuses Thoros of failing at his mission to convert Robert to the religion of the Lord of Light. She's shocked to discover Thoros has the ability to resurrect Beric. She then buys Gendry off them, much to Gendry's heartbreak and Arya's fury.
• Ramsay reveals he was the one blowing the horn in Season 2, and then he starts flaying Theon.
• Robb meets with two of Walder Frey's sons, who offer an alliance if Robb apologises, gives Harrenhal to Frey, and promises Edmure to Frey's daughter Roslin.
• Roose tells Jaime he's sending him back to King's Landing as "restitution" for the way Locke treated him, but Brienne must stay at Harrenhal, despite Jaime's protests.
• Olenna tells Tywin that Cersei is too old for Loras, but Tywin threatens to appoint him to the kingsguard if he doesn't marry Cersei.
• Tyrion realises it was Joffrey, not Cersei, who tried to have him killed in Season 2. He then has to break the news about their impending marriage to Sansa – with Shae in the room! Awk-ward.
• Littlefinger gives Ros to Joffrey to kill as punishment for betraying him to Varys. The fuckhead. He then leaves for the Eyrie without Sansa. THE FUCKHEAD.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Jojen has a vision that Jon Snow is "on the wrong side of the Wall and surrounded by enemies." Which could describe where he's at in Season 3, and also what happens in Season 7 – and maybe in Season 8?
• Anguy tells Arya, "you're good, you're not as good as you think you are" (with a bow and arrow) – it seems to be the theme of the season.
• Melisandre learning about Thoros and Beric is CRUCIAL for what happens later with Jon. Also, Beric tells her there's only "darkness" after death, which is basically what Jon tells her too.
• Melisandre tells Gendry he will make kings "rise and fall". Now, his blood was part of the spell that possibly cursed Robb, Balon and Joffrey, so the "fall" aspect is down, but has he made a king "rise" yet? Perhaps in Season 8?
• Melisandre predicts Arya will "shut forever" many eyes – an indication of the killer she'll become – and she also says "we will meet again". So far they haven't, but with everyone meeting up at Winterfell this season, perhaps Melisandre will venture North again too.
• Ramsay makes Theon guess where he is, and he says "Last Hearth" and "Karhold" – interestingly, the respective seats of the Umbers and Karstarks, the two families who will betray the Starks and side with the Boltons in Season 6.
• Like the cross, the fact that Ramsay stars flaying Theon should have been a big neon flashing sign indicating who he was. And between that and Roose sending Jaime back to King's Landing, it's obvious in hindsight these guys were NOT FOLLOWING ROBB'S ORDERS.
Stray observations:
• The scene where Sam sings a lullaby to Gilly and her baby is quite sweet.
• As is the moment when Jon and Ygritte enjoy the top of the Wall together! It's much-needed relief from a pretty bleak season.
• I am so upset that there is no more Gendry and Arya scenes after this and THEY BETTER REUNITE IN SEASON 8.
• Watching Theon be tortured is excruciating. Or should I say not-watching through my fingers.
• The Freys demand the wedding between Roslin and Edmure take place "within a fortnight" and, beyond a day's delay in their journey because of rain, there's never an indication that any extra time passes. But Talisa goes from not showing in her pregnancy to being somewhat obviously pregnant very quickly???
• The way Jaime and Brienne low-key help and protect each other in this episode is EVERYTHING.
• Loras' character is really watered down here and borderline offensive.
• Littlefinger just sitting there staring at the Iron Throne is both creepy and pathetic.
• ROS DESERVED BETTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Episode 7: "The Bear and the Maiden Fair"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• Talisa tells Robb she's pregnant.
• Tywin intimidates Joffrey and pulls a power move in the throne room by standing over him.
• Dany arrives in Yunkai and decides she wants to delay her trip to Westeros in order to free the Yunkish slaves.
• Tyrion gives Shae a golden necklace so she can use it to buy passage across the Narrow Sea. She isn't impressed.
• Melisandre tells Gendry he's actually Robert Baratheon's bastard.
• Arya is still mad at the Brotherhood for selling Gendry, and when they delay their planned trip to Riverrun, she runs away. She doesn't get far before the Hound catches her.
• Jaime regretfully farewells Brienne and swears to return the Stark girls to their mother. He leaves Harrenhal and tells Roose to inform Robb "The Lannisters send their regards" (*shudder*). On their journey away from Harrenhal, Qyburn reveals he was experimenting on dying men and that's why he lost his chain. He also tells Jaime that Locke refused Brienne's father's ransom for her safety because he thought he was being cheap – and Jaime realises this is his fault, as he convinced Locke that Brienne's father was much richer. Jaime races back to Harrenhal and finds Brienne in a pit with a bear and nothing but a wooden sword to protect her. He jumps straight in and helps her out, and then she pulls him up. They save each other. Jaime leaves with Brienne this time, to Locke's displeasure.
• Theon is sexually assaulted by Ramsay's girlfriends and then Ramsay castrates him. It's truly awful.
• Osha is wary of Jojen and his "black magic", but Bran is beginning to think he fell from the tower for a reason. Osha reveals she fled south when her partner was turned into a wight and tried to kill her. She had to burn her own hut down to get away from him (maybe something similar will happen at the Battle of Winterfell???).
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Ygritte and Jon's conversation reveals the wildlings don't have the discipline of an army and don't understand the use of things like rhythm in fighting. The wildlings later learn about how important it is as a tactic the hard way in the Battle of the Bastards.
• Also, the fact that Ygritte successful shoots a far-off animal confirms she deliberately doesn't kill Jon later in the season. Her aim is always true.
• Tyrion will later strangle Shae with the necklace he gives her here.
• Arya says her god is "Death", indicating she's already on her ~spiritual~ journey towards the Faceless Men.
• The fact that Brienne calls Jaime "Ser Jaime" after calling him the "Kingslayer" for so long is significant and indicates how her attitude towards him has changed. She now sees him as a man with honour – this is a huge moment for him, because no one has ever seen him in that light before and it's a source of deep pain for him.
Stray observations:
• Tormund giving Jon sex advice is hilarious.
• I also love Margaery and Sansa's little sex talk.
• Engrave Jon saying "so I can tear it off you" on my tombstone.
• The first time I watched Game of Thrones, the moment Jaime dives into that bear pit is the moment he became one of my favourite characters. Which was a shock after I hated him in the early seasons.
• I can't believe we had to deal with both Ramsay AND Joffrey in this season. I've always thought of it as one of the best seasons, but honestly rewatching it this time has been pretty tough on the whole.
Episode 8: "Second Sons"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• The Hound tells Arya he's taking her to the Twins, because that's where her mother and brother are. He also says he saved Sansa from rapists, and I'm pretty sure it's the first Arya has heard of her sister since Season 1.
• Dany meets with the leaders of the Second Sons (including Daario Naharis!) to try and convince them to fight for her against Yunkai instead of the other way around. The leaders (except Daario Naharis) decide to kill Dany, but Daario kills them instead, and pledges his sword, life and heart to Dany – as well as the service of the Second Sons.
• Melisandre and Gendry arrive at Dragonstone. Stannis visits Davos in the dungeon and offers him his freedom if he promises not to attack Melisandre again. Stannis also reveals that Melisandre will sacrifice Gendry, and Davos calls him out. In order to "prove" to Davos that her magic is worth the sacrifice, Melisandre seduces Gendry, uses leeches to draw his blood, and gets Stannis to throw the leeches into the fire while naming the enemies he wants dead – Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy and Joffrey Baratheon.
• Tyrion and Sansa are married, Shae is pissed, Joffrey is a turd, and Tyrion gets VERY drunk and threatens Joffrey in front of everyone. Tyrion tells Sansa he won't sleep with her until she wants him to. Shae is relieved to learn they haven't had sex.
• Sam and Gilly take shelter near a weirwood, but a flock of ravens disturbs them. A White Walker approaches and Sam does the very un-cowardly thing of fighting it, killing it with dragonglass.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Stannis says "what's one bastard boy against a kingdom?" which basically sums up Jon Snow's whole character arc.
• Tyrion says to Sansa "I promise you one thing, my lady – I won't ever hurt you." Which just seems important to note ahead of Season 8, since the pair will be reunited and all.
• The embroidery on Sansa's wedding dress shows a lion overpowering a wolf, and it also has a big lion on the back of her neck – indicating the Lannisters now "own" her.
• Tyrion jokingly says "and so my watch begins", but if I recall correctly, he has basically been celibate from this point.
• Daario bent the knee to Dany REAL quick. I wonder if she expected Jon to be that ~easy~.
• All three "usurpers" Stannis names are now dead. But then, so is Stannis.
• Sam running towards the White Walker rather than away from it is such an important moment for him, considering he's always been a "coward". And the dragonglass discovery has massive implications for the whole show, obviously.
Stray observations:
• Arya's hope when she hears the Hound is taking her to Cat and Robb is crushing.
• The leech scene is SO uncomfortable to watch.
• Olenna's speech about how incesty everything is is perfect.
• Sansa is only 14 here!! I wonder how old she's meant to be now?
• No offence to Daario 1.0 but I'm kinda glad he was replaced.
• When I first watched the show, I thought the ravens were there FOR the White Walker, but now I realise they were there to warn Sam and Gilly, courtesy of the Three Eyed Raven.
Episode 9: "The Rains of Castamere"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• Robb and his party arrive at the Twins and Walder Frey "welcomes" them and forces Robb to apologise to the daughters and granddaughters he slighted.
• Gilly sees the Wall for the first time.
• The wildling squad attack an old man who breeds horses for the Watch, but Jon makes a noise of warning and then prevents Ygritte from shooting him.
• Bran and his squad take refuge during a storm in an old windmill (the one Ygritte thought was a castle two episodes ago). The old man the wildlings attacked arrives outside the windmill with the wildlings in pursuit. Hodor is afraid of the thunder and making too much noise. Bran accidentally wargs into him and knocks him out. Outside, the wildlings pressure Jon into killing the old man, but he can't. Ygritte shoots the old man, and then Jon fights the wildlings. Bran wargs into Summer and helps Jon fight. Jon kills Orell and then escapes on a horse. Tormund has to hold Ygritte back from going after him – she is furious at his betrayal.
• Bran decides he's definitely going north of the Wall, and sends Osha, Rickon and Shaggydog to Last Hearth because the Umbers will "protect" them (SOB!!!).
• Following Daario's plan, he, Jorah and Grey Worm take Yunkai for Dany and enable the slaves to free themselves.
• The Hound and Arya steal a food cart heading to the Twins in order to sneak in. Of course, they only make it in time to see everything turn to shit.
• Edmure marries Roslin, and is delighted to find she is beautiful. At the feast, Edmure and Roslin are escorted from the room in the bedding ceremony, and then the Rains of Castamere start playing and THE RED WEDDING IS ON. Y'all don't really need me to give a blow by blow, right? IT HURTS TOO MUCH. EVERYONE WE LOVE DIES. IT'S AWFUL.
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• On Robb Stark's war map, it looks like the Starks have the backing of the Freys and the Boltons against the Lannisters, but really it shows the Starks are surrounded on all sides.
• Jorah throws Barristan's earlier words about being Dany's "loyal servants" despite not agreeing with some of her decisions back in his face.
• Gilly, amazed at how much Sam reads and knows, says "you're like a wizard", which is lovely considering he told Jon in Season 1 that he always wanted to be a wizard.
• Bran warging into Hodor is not the first time he's done it, in a weird way. It's even more brutal to watch when you realise how Hodor became, well, Hodor.
• The scene where Ygritte urges Jon to chop the old man's head off echoes when Jon was meant to chop her head off and couldn't bring himself to do it.
Stray observations:
• Jon totally sees the wolves – he must have realised Bran was close by, but it's never really addressed again.
• NOOOOOO, not Jon's pretty face!!!!
• The scene where Bran and Rickon say goodbye absolutely ruins me. Especially when Rickon says "I'm your brother. I have to protect you." Oh, my heart.
• You can actually see the moment Jorah's heart breaks in two when Dany asks where Daario is.
• I just can't even talk about the Red Wedding. I can't.
Episode 10: "Mhysa"
The Big Plot Stuff:
• We pick up at the end of the Red Wedding (OH GOD WHEN WILL IT END), with the Stark army being slaughtered and Robb and Grey Wind's bodies being abused (WAAAAAAHHHH).
• The Hound whisks Arya away. They see some Frey men celebrating and Arya gets all stabby.
• Roose and Walder gloat. It's revealed that Edmure is in the dungeon and the Blackfish escaped – and Roose also reveals the truth about Ramsay's actions at Winterfell.
• Ramsay, meanwhile, is still torturing and tormenting Theon, and dubs him "Reek". He sends Theon's dismembered penis to Balon and Yara. Balon DGAF, but Yara is upset and vows to get her little brother back.
• A Small Council meeting is held and the Red Wedding news is revealed. Varys and Tyrion are horrified, Cersei and Joffrey are delighted. Tyrion threatens Joffrey. Again. Tywin sends an overexcited Joffrey to bed (lol). Also, Roose Bolton is named Warden of the North.
• Bran, Hodor, Meera, Jojen and Summer reach the Nightfort, as do Sam, Gilly and baby Sam. Sam tells Bran that any brother of Jon's is his brother too. Before they part ways, Sam gives Bran, Meera and Jojen some dragonglass and tells them it kills White Walkers.
• Varys gives Shae diamonds to buy herself a better life and she is furious, thinking Tyrion is breaking up with her through his best friend. It's all very high school.
• Davos bonds with Gendry in the dungeon and then sneaks him out of Dragonstone and puts him in a rowboat. Gendry rows out of the plot for nearly four whole seasons.
• Aemon gets Sam to send 44 ravens out warning everyone about the White Walkers. Stannis, Davos and Melisandre are the only ones who pay any attention (and it's what saves Davos' life after setting Gendry free, because Melisandre convinces Stannis he's needed).
• Ygritte tracks Jon down and Jon emotionally tells her he loves her but he has to go "home" to Castle Black. Ygritte shoots him with arrows, but nowhere that can kill him. He escapes on a horse and makes it to Castle Black.
• Jaime, Brienne and Qyburn arrive in King's Landing. Jaime goes straight to Cersei, but she isn't entirely thrilled to see him.
• The freed slaves of Yunkai celebrate Dany as their "mhysa" – "mother".
Symbolism, foreshadowing and callbacks:
• Tyrion says "the northerners will never forget", which is great and all except THEY KIND OF DO (yes I'm still mad about this).
• Bran tells the story of the Rat Cook who "killed a guest beneath his roof...something the gods can't forgive". It not only connects with the Red Wedding, it also foreshadows Arya's future revenge and the way she cooks and feeds Walder Frey's sons to him
• Cersei says her children are the reason she's alive. We know how that turns out. I have a feeling she'll lose the baby she's currently pregnant with in Season 8 (if she actually is pregnant), and then she really will be beyond hope.
• Melisandre says Davos "has a part to play in the war to come". AND HOW.
• Dany says "people learn to love their chains" which is probably a reference to how she came to love Drogo.
• The imagery of Dany in the centre of a circular crowd of people is connected with Jon's experience in the crush in the Battle of the Bastards, and both scenes connect with the circular imagery of the White Walkers.
Stray observations:
• I wonder who actually told Sansa about Robb and Cat?
• The Mhysa scene – and the whole white saviour plot – is so problematic and gross.
• RIP Theon Greyjoy. For now.
• This season was even more brutal than I remembered.
