Episode 69: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

“She never fooled you. You’ve always known what she was. And you loved her anyway.”

Major Plot Points: Jon acts weird around his aunt.  Sansa and Dany have girl time.  Davos serves lunch.  Sam slays.  Arya and Gendry make up for lost time.  Jaime is a good guy now.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. Jaime did not stab Aerys in the back.  Figuratively he did, but he literally stabbed him through the front.  I feel like there is a big difference.
2. The Golden Company always had exactly 10,000 men, no more no less.  As soon as one was killed, one more joined.  Here they have 20,000 men. 
3. Daenerys telling Tyrion that she will find another Hand, is extremely reminiscent of her late father Aerys.  Aerys went through 5 different Hands during Robert’s Rebellion alone.  First Tywin, then Owen Merryweather, then Jon Connington, then Qarlton Chelsted, and finally a crazy pyromancer.  He actually burned Qarlton alive when he protested Aerys’ plan to burn down the capital.
4. Brienne was constantly tormented as a child, and as an adult.  Her father tried finding her a husband when she was younger, but they all jeered and rejected her.  She never outgrew this pain, and legitimately could not fathom Jaime being kind to her.
5. Tormund tells other ridiculous stories to Jon.  He claims to have at one time wrestled a she-bear, and mated with her.  It has to be true.
6. Brienne is a descendant of Ser Duncan the Tall, a legendary Commander of the Kingsguard who was the main protagonist of the “Dunk and Egg” series of novellas.  The name of this episode A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms is a reference to both Brienne, and Dunk.  The name of the Dunk and Egg anthology is A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
7. Jeor Mormont’s dying wish to Sam, was for Jorah to come home and take the black.  We did not get to see this in the show.  When Jorah takes Heartsbane from Sam, he says he will guard the realms of men.  A nice callback to the old crow. 
8. Podrick sings the song of Jenny of Oldstones.  This song is about a woman who fell in love with a Targaryen heir, and he abdicated the throne to be with her.  They both tragically died in a fire that killed almost all of the remaining Targaryens in their keep of Summerhall.  It was in this fire that Rhaegar Targaryen, Jon’s father, was born.  Seems oddly prophetic that the scene after this was where Jon tells Dany about his real dad.

Other Points to Notice

1. Daenerys is rightfully angry with Tyrion.  If you count season 6, he has now been wrong about: the slave masters, taking Casterly Rock, and negotiating with Cersei.
2. When did Arya learn how to throw daggers? I guess she learned a lot of things off screen in Braavos.
3. There may be a little of Bran Stark left inside the Three Eyed Raven, he seemed a bit personally invested with Jaime. It is possible him asking Jaime, “How do you know there will be an afterwards” foreshadows Jaime dying.
4. It seems like Cersei is really pregnant, or at least Jaime believes so. I highly doubt the child will live past birth though.
5. “At least Cersei won’t murder me.”  Tyrion may be surprised when Bronn arrives.
6. We had a great scene between Sansa and Dany.  These 2 characters have had similarly dark paths, and really should like each other.  But at the end, Sansa sticks to her guns and asks Dany questions that she is not ready to answer.  This plot is not over yet.
7. Theon has finally found the home and acceptance he’s always looked for.  He’s back in Winterfell, fighting with his real family.  Sansa embraces him, and in that moment we know his real struggle is over.  Of course, this is an absolute death sentence for him, and now he can die honorably in peace next week. 
8. The little girl with the facial scar is a clear callback to Shireen.  Davos almost cries just talking to her.  Of course, Davos wasn’t the only one to have loved Shireen, Gilly was also taught by her how to read.  She also notices the connection and shows kindness to her.  All the while, Shireen’s theme music plays over the scene. 
9. There is a chance that the Night King is not with his army marching on Winterfell.  We know that there are over one million people in King’s Landing.  That’s ten times the size of his current army.  He could be flying there alone, to get more recruits.
10. Tyrion hears Bran’s story about becoming the Three Eyed Raven.  We also hear many times this episode how his intelligence is still his greatest asset.  My personal theory is that before this all ends, Tyrion will have one last stroke of genius that allows Dany/Jon to defeat Cersei and/or the Night King. 
11. Sure it’s a bit weird to see Arya knocking boots with Gendry, but her character is 18 so it’s kosher.  Plus no one seemed to care when 14 year old Tommen banged Margaery. 
12. Brienne tells the group that she never wanted to be a knight.  Obviously she is lying, due to her constant fear of being belittled.  She doesn’t even believe Jaime when he first offers her knighthood.  It shows how much she respects Podrick, because she looks to him for advice. 
13. Jaime is a completely different character in this episode than we have seen before.  No jokes, no mask of arrogance, and most importantly no Cersei.  He is pretty much guaranteed to die at some point in a final redemptive act of sacrifice, but whether this will be during the battle at Winterfell, or while taking down his sister, remains to be seen. 
14. Dany’s first response to Jon telling her about his true parentage; is to get angry that he may be trying to steal her throne.  Jon clearly does not want the throne,  he was more concerned about their relationship.  He seems hurt by Dany’s reaction. 

Stray Observations:

1. Jaime’s face when Bran tells him “The things we do for love.” is hilarious.
2. I think Sansa is wearing armor in this episode.
3. Jaime losing the blonde color in his hair could be a way for the writers to symbolize him losing his ties to the Lannister house, and Cersei.
4. If Jorah lives,  he could be the one to help Daenerys see reason in the end before she totally loses it and burns everyone alive.
5. It’s wild to me that Davos is the lunch lady of Winterfell.  What a guy.
6. Tormund really stole that hug from Dolores Edd.
7. Grey Worm gives the classic “when this is all over” speech that almost certainly means he is going to die.
8. GHOST SIGHTING!  The fact that none of the characters mention him makes me think that the directors really just expected us to believe he was always in the background.
9. Tyrion’s whore abstinence is due to Shae’s death still weighing on him.
10. “I fought for you, didn’t I?”
11. First time we see someone being knighted in the television series.
12. Unfortunately, the trailer ruined the fact that Jorah receives Heartsbane.  It’s still a cool moment to see Sam giving the sword to Jorah.
13. Podrick singing right before a battle is eerily similar to Pippin singing to Denethor before the Battle of Pelennor Fields in Return of the King.
14. The crypts were mentioned 4 times as being safe this episode.  I counted.  Seems foolish to keep women and children by corpses that could be re-animated.

RIP: Probably 80% of the main cast next week.

Episode 68: Winterfell

“You gave up your crown to save your people, would she do the same?”

Major Plot Points: Daenerys arrives in Winterfell.  Sansa lets everyone know how dumb they are.  Arya rekindles an old flame.  Jon finds out he has even more dad issues than he thought. Jaime meets an old friend.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. For the first time in the show, we see the town outside of Winterfell, aptly known as Winter town.  It’s hard to tell in the show, but most people in the area actually live in the farms and fields outside of Winterfell, since the actual keep could not hold a large population.  During summer, the town is mostly empty, then when winter comes, the people all move back to Winter town and set up camps and houses.
2. When Sansa left Tyrion, it was clearly established that they were still legally married.  It was never officially annulled, and this was brought up a handful of times by both of them in POV chapters.  The show never really brought it up, and Sansa was married to Ramsey without a second thought.  When her and Tyrion meet up here, it is still technically as husband and wife.
3. Harry Strickland, the leader of the Golden Company, is the great-grandson of an unnamed general who died in a Blackfyre Rebellion.  He is recruited by Jon Connington on behalf of Aegon Targaryen (not Jon Snow, Rhaegar’s other son who may be a fake) and invades the Stormlands in Westeros late in the series.  He is reluctant to fight and appears quite cowardly.  Either way, he doesn’t fight for Cersei.
4. A dragon will only take one rider in its lifetime, unless that rider dies. When Jon rides Rhaegal, that means no one else will ever ride him.  Also, it is said only someone with Targaryen blood can tame and ride a dragon.  These points are hugely significant but neither Jon nor Daenerys seem to know them.  It is very fitting that Jon rides the dragon named after his true father. 
5. If Jon has his heritage revealed in a similar way, it would be very hard to prove this claim.  Why would anyone believe Sam’s reading or Bran’s visions?

Other Points to Notice

1. Right off the bat we are treated to a new opening theme.  We see a more intimate look into both Winterfell, and King’s Landing. We also see on the ring different depictions of scenes from the show.  They are hard to make out, but I believe one shows a flayed man holding a wolf head, which of course describes the Red Wedding.
2. The first scene mirrors one of the first scenes of the show’s pilot.  We see a queen and her army entering Winterfell, as a young boy climbs up high to get a closer look.  Robert Baratheon’s theme music even plays.
3. Tyrion calls Dany’s army “the greatest army the North has ever seen.” This is very similar to when the late Mance Rayder once claimed to light “the greatest fire the North has ever seen.”  Hopefully it works out better for this crew.
4. Arya does the same running hug to Jon that she did back in Season 1.  This is the most real emotion we have seen from her since Robb died.  It’s pretty sad to think about how she has to lie to Jon about how many people she’s killed. 
5. I wonder what Cersei’s motive for sleeping with Euron is.  Maybe to make it seem like her new pregnancy is not from her brother?
6. We hear the whores Bronn is with talk about a ginger Lannister soldier named Eddie who had his eyelids melted off.  Ed Sheeran’s character was a ginger soldier named Eddie.  This is the showrunners apologizing to us.
7. If it wasn’t obvious, the crossbow given to Bronn by Qyburn is the same one Tyrion used to kill Tywin in Season 4.
8. If you are wondering why it was so easy for Theon and company to rescue Yara, remember one key fact about Euron Greyjoy.  His entire crew is composed of mutes.  This strategy has some serious downfalls.
9. Such a heart warming moment between the Hound and Arya. He even calls her an icy little bitch. Love those two.  Also the weapon Gendry makes her is going to be sick.  My guess is a quarterstaff with dragonglass on one end, the valyrian steel dagger on the other.  And it can come apart into 2 separate weapons.
10. I absolutely hate the scene with Jorah, Dany, and Sam.  It’s a great scene, but fuck does Daenerys come off psychopathic.  Sam is justifiably distraught about finding out his father died, and Dany just stands there.  Sam is the one that has to ask for privacy, and Daenerys tells him about his brother so coldly.  I feel more and more strongly that she will end up being the villain.  For those wondering why Sam was so upset about his awful dad dying, John Bradley, the actor who plays him, said he based his performance on studies that children grieve even harder for parents they had bad relationships with.  This is because they die and you feel like so much was unresolved and unsaid.
11. Another incredible Sam scene when he tells Jon about his real father.  First, you notice Jon by Ned’s statue, then when he finds out, he walks right in front of Lyanna’s statue, his real mother.  Sam also brings up an incredible point about Daenerys that Jon needed to hear.  Unfortunately, I doubt she would ever give up her crown, since to her it’s become all she really cares about at this point. 
12. When Tormund is standing in front of Ned Umber’s corpse, you can see the eyes turn blue before he screams.  I found that even better than the jump scare.
13. Jaime’s entrance into Winterfell could not have gone worse.  Looking forward to his conversation with Bran.

Stray Observations:

1. What does Bran mean when he says he is almost a man?
2. Hilarious that lil Lord Umber was hiding behind a large man.
3. We never really see the agreement Tyrion and Cersei came to last season.  Sansa finds it obvious that Cersei isn’t coming to help them, and it is weird Tyrion isn’t suspicious.  Maybe he knows something.
4. Good to see Yara isn’t a mute.  Euron is growing soft.
5. No way Bronn kills Jaime or Tyrion right?
6. Man, they are foreshadowing Daenerys running to Pyke.  I expect a devastating loss against the Night King this season.
7. There is a strong possibility that Tyrion is in love with Daenerys, which explains his upset look when he sees them about to bang in season 7.  This, coupled with his weird decisions around Cersei, and the face he makes when he sees Jon riding Rhaegal, give fuel to the theories about Tyrion betraying Jon.
8. Lol at Bran “waiting for an old friend.”  Poor Jaime.
9. In the end, I hope Jon understands why Ned kept his real father a secret.  In a way, it actually was the most noble thing Ned ever did.
10. Every single point Sansa made this episode was correct. The dragon’s food consumption, Cersei’s betrayal, and Jon’s true motives for siding with Dany. People should probably listen to her.
11. Guys. Where the fuck is Ghost? Remember him?

RIP: Lord Ned Umber.  Poor lil guy.

Episode 61: Dragonstone

“Tell them, winter came for House Frey”

Major Plot Points: Jon and Sansa argue over kingly affairs. Cersei and Jaime meet their new ally. The Hound sees a vision in flames. Sam enjoys Maester life. Daenerys Stormborn finally arrives in Westeros.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. “Dolores” Edd Tollet was the best comedic relief character in the series.  At some points he would outwardly remark how unfortunate he was to still be alive. 
2. The Umbers were still loyal to the Starks.  They pledged to the Boltons but it was clear they were plotting with the Manderlys to take down Roose and Ramsey.  However, the Karstarks sided against Stannis for the Boltons, mostly because they were still mad that Robb killed their leader. 
3. Cersei was completely unraveling after her walk of atonement.  GRRM made a point to show how unstable her mental state was.  I highly doubt she ends up queen, and instead I think Aegon Targaryen will be the southern enemy for Daenerys and Jon. 
4. Euron was very different.  Quiet and menacing, he rarely had to raise his voice to get people to do what he told them.  Tales of the horrible things he did on his journeys caused most to fear him to the point of submission. 
5. The song Ed Sheeran sings (ridiculous), was actually written by a bard in King’s Landing.  He threatened Tyrion that he would sing it in public if he was not paid handsomely.  The song was about Tyrion and Shae sleeping together, and Tyrion had the bard killed and thrown into a stew pot before it could get out.

Other Points to Notice

1. Arya plays the part of Walder Frey well.  When she prompts all of the men to a toast, she says “We stand together” which are their house words.  However, it doesn’t completely make this scene believable.  It seems a bit of a stretch that Arya was able to orchestrate this mass killing.
2. Almost immediately we see Jon and Sansa publicly fight over affairs of the North. 
3. It annoys me a greatly that Jaime still sides with Cersei.  He killed the Mad King because of his plans to burn down the city, and yet seems totally fine with Cersei doing it.  At this point in the books he had already given up on her, and it is hard to believe that he is still on her side
4. Euron is a completely different person this season.  Pilou Asbæk decided to change his persona when he found out that Euron would be a major character in seasons 7 and 8. 
5. The Hound visits the same house he once stole from.  At the time, he justified his theft by telling Arya they would die either way.  This gives him no comfort when he actually sees it, and when he buries them it is a major turning point for his character.
6. It is hard to tell if we should support the Red God.  I hope that in Season 8 we finally learn a bit more about it.  Miracles and atrocities have happened in its name throughout the series, but it is clear that this god actually exists. 
7. We haven’t seen Dragonstone since early season 4, when Stannis still held it.  We even see Dany tear down his banner.  It is fitting that Daenerys begins her conquest there, as her descendant Aegon Targaryen once did.

Stray Observations:

1. Giant Zombies.  Pretty cool.
2. This is the first season Sophie Turner wears a wig.  It is ridiculously obvious. 
3. I hate to admit this, but I prefer Beric being alive over Lady Stoneheart. 
4. The Maester Sam works under, is played by the same actor that portrayed Horace Slughorn in the Harry Potter films.
5. Damn. Poor Jorah.

RIP: House Frey. They were shitbags but hey they were on top for a while.

Episode 62: Stormborn

“You are a dragon, be a dragon.”

Major Plot Points: Daenerys and her new allies plan her conquest.  Jaime recruits Randyll Tarly.  Sam helps Jorah with his skin condition.  Missandei bangs Grey Worm. Jon heads south.  Euron attacks.  Reek returns.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. Daenerys is called Stormborn, due to the fact that she was literally born during a crazy thunderstorm at Dragonstone.  Not really sure why she can use this for bragging rights.
2. Missandei speaking about how the prophecy refers to either a prince or princess, confirms an old book theory.  For years book fans claimed that it would eventually be revealed that the prophecy was mistranslated, and that Dany would be the savior.  I still think the prophecy refers to Jon.
3. Jaime was correct, Randyll Tarly was the only man to ever beat Robert in battle.  He broke Robert’s host and forced him to retreat and head north a different way.  This victory allowed the Tyrell army into the south, where they laid siege to Storm’s End, held by Stannis at the time. 
4. I do not believe there were ever cases recorded of greyscale being reversed.  Only in children was it documented that the spread could be stopped, but even then it could begin again in adulthood. Sam being one of 2 people to cure it while reading out of a surgery 101 textbook, will almost certainly not happen. 
5. Euron’s crew were all mutes.  He had all of their tongues taken out, and named his black ship Silence.

Other Points to Notice

1. While it makes sense that Daenerys does not want to be “queen of the ashes”, it does almost feel like D&D made this line as a way to nerf Dany.  Can’t have it being too easy
2. Tyrion assures Dany that they wont be in Dragonstone long, and yet now they must wait for Jon to get there, which would be months.  At this point of season 7, time spent traveling is basically thrown to the side.
3. Cersei breaking the skull of Balerion seems so wrong to me.  That skull was an incredible piece of history, and it is now irreparably damaged just to show how a crossbow works. 
4. Many years ago (about 2-3), there was another young ruler that planned to take over Casterly Rock.  He died before he could accomplish it.
5. When Daenerys tells her councilors that she will not be queen of the ashes, you can see Tyrion glance at her, proud that she is listening to him and even using his phrase.  Of course this advice is later contradicted by Olenna, who basically encourages Dany to ignore Tyrion and take over as violently as she needs to.  Dany ends up going both ways a bit. 
6. Finally, after years of waiting, years of praying, and years of fan fiction, we get to see the most important romance in the series reach its climax.  Grey Worm, and Missandei get it on, and it’s the best 45 minute sex scene in tv history.
7. Why did they give Jorah greyscale, just to have it cured?  He immediately reunites with Dany, and the plot line accomplishes nothing.  If he died beyond the Wall, even that would make a better story, since it would be hilariously tragic. 
8. Jon is completely motivated by his fear of the Night King.  Nothing else really gets through to him or affects his decisions.  This is probably why he has 0 patience for Littlefinger.  When he chokes him, it mirrors Ned choking him in Season 1 when he was outside his brothel. 
9. We see another season 1 reference.  Arya smiles as Nymeria runs from her, and remarks “It’s not you.” She told her father “No, its not me.” when he spoke of how she would eventually marry a lord.

Stray Observations:

1. Varys doesn’t break down under Daenerys’ questioning, and it is refreshing to see. 
2. Arya and Bran went from seemingly normal, to completely monotone and psychopathic in season 7.  But Arya’s makes more sense to me.  She has killed so many people.
3. Euron killing Obara  and Nymeria Sand made him an instant fan favorite. 

RIP: Obara and Nymeria Sand.  Not too mad about this one.

Episode 63: The Queen’s Justice

“Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me.”

Major Plot Points: Jon tells a crazy story to Daenerys.  Cersei gives Tyene the kiss of death. Bran returns to Winterfell. Littlefinger monologues to Sansa. The Unsullied take Casterly Rock. Jaime takes Highgarden.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. The idea of Jon and Daenerys meeting up is one of the main reasons I need book 6 to come out.  I imagine their meeting goes similar to how it does on the tv show.
2. Dragonstone was briefly mentioned as having obsidian underneath the castle.  Many have theorized that this stockpile will be used in the fight against the White Walkers, and it seems this season validates that theory.
3. The Iron Bank most likely does not invest in the slave trade.  This is because the Iron Bank is based in Braavos, the most anti-slavery state in Essos.  Any mention of slavery there is enough to have a man killed. 
4. I hope that we get to see Olenna go out in a similar fashion. She wasnt in the books nearly as often, but she did carry the same power in every scene.

Other Points to Notice

1. Melisandre remarks that she brought ice and fire together.  This further bolsters the idea that the series name “A Song of Ice and Fire” was really about Jon and Dany the entire time.  She then tells Varys that both of them will die in Westeros.  Based on what she once told Arya, we know they will meet again, and it seems likely Arya will take her down.
2. Daenerys asks Jon if his father was aware that his best friend sent assasins to kill a child.  Jon doesn’t know this, but Ned actually was aware of this.  It made him so upset that he quit being Hand in protest.  Even during the rebellion, when Ned saw Rhaegar’s children presented to Robert, he was so angry that he stopped speaking to Robert for almost a decade.
3. Yara doesn’t speak to Euron while she is marched through the streets of King’s Landing.  This could indicate that she had her tongue taken out, since Euron is known to do this.
4. Cersei gives perhaps the most evil monologue in the entirety of the show.  I understand where she was coming from, but making a mother watch her daughter slowly die while being chained up is insanely extreme.  Who thinks of this shit??
5. Killing a young woman, and making her mother watch, apparently got Cersei horny. This mirrors stories we hear from Jaime in the book about the Mad King. He became obsessed with killing people who spoke against him with wildfire, and the act would get him aroused enough to force himself into his wife’s bed.
6. Littlefinger gives a quote to Sansa that is surprisingly poignant.  That every possible series of events is happening at once.  This is an interesting insight into his character, and also reminds us that for Bran, these events are all happening at once.  Fittingly, Bran appears right after this speech.
7. If Bran wants Sansa to believe him, he literally could have used any other example than reminding Sansa of the night she was brutally raped. 
8. How does Jaime still not see how horrible Cersei is?

Stray Observations:

1. Davos trying to be friendly with Missandei was hilarious, but not as hilarious as his introduction of Jon to Daenerys and her court. 
2. I wonder if Varys purposely waited to tell Daenerys about Euron’s fleet.  He expertly diffused the tension in the room.
3. The finger in the bum comment was a bit jarring.  Kinda funny though.
4. I wonder if Cersei managed to clean all the poison off her lips before kissing Jaime.
5. Daenerys calling Tyrion out for quoting himself was hilarious. 

RIP: Tyene Sand.  This one was dark.

Episode 64: The Spoils of War

“Men shit themselves when they die. They didn’t teach you that at fancy lad school?”

Major Plot Points: Bran scares Littlefinger.  Arya returns home.  Jon shows Daenerys some cool paintings.  Jaime tries to end the war.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. Since Randyll Tarly remained loyal to the Targaryens until the bitter end during Robert’s Rebellion, it remains to be seen who he sides with in the final war.  So far, the only major house aligning against the crown are the Martells who are trying to help Aegon or Daenerys.
2. The Golden Company were known as the world’s greatest mercenaries.  More a private army than sellswords, they were formed by Aegor Rivers, a Targaryen bastard who fought with the Blackfyres in the Blackfyre Rebellion.  They were famous for never breaking a contract, and costing extreme amounts of money.
3. Littlefinger originally brought up to Robert the idea of using Faceless Men to kill Daenerys.  Due to this, people speculate that when Arya tells Brienne that “no one” taught her, he knows exactly who she is talking about.
4. Tales of Balerion in battle say that he alone was worth more than 10,000 men.  Seeing it on screen, I finally see why this was always written.

Other Points to Notice

1. Littlefinger tells Bran the dagger started the War of the Five Kings.  This is partly true, but in actuality it was just Littlefinger who started the war.  Bran obviously knows this, and unnerves Littlefinger when he tells him “Chaos is a Ladder.” 
2. After all they’ve gone through, all their adventures and losses, it is heartbreaking to see Bran toss Meera to the side.  I hope we see her again in Season 8, because her character needs a real send-off. 
3. Arya outsmarting the 2 castle guards, is yet another throwback to season 1.  She did the same thing to the Goldcloaks after returning to the Red Keep from the dungeons. 
4. Sansa has had a pretty crazy ride, but seems way more human than Arya or Bran.  Their reunion is hardly heartwarming, but they never were close as children.
5. The cave paintings are hilarious.  They literally look like a 7 year old drew them.  I’m surprised Dany didn’t accuse Jon of drawing them.  Also why would the Children of the Forest draw these instead of writing stuff down? And why in this cave?  But it is interesting to see the symbols that they drew are the same symbols we see the White Walkers arrange corpses in. 
6. I get that Arya is super cool now, but it was insane to see her beat Brienne, one of the best fighters in the series.  When did she get this good? Every time we saw her fight in Braavos she was garbage.  Plus needle would break in half against Oathkeeper. 
7. It is rare in a show or movie to be rooting for people on both sides of a battle.  It really helps to raise the stakes and actually make you feel tension.
8. An amazing battle was semi ruined by the Jaime death fake out.  We knew he would survive, why did it have to be such a fake cliff hanger?  If he were captured, that would be a great storyline.   It also bothers me that Tyrion saw him there, and didn’t inform Daenerys to look for him after the battle.

Stray Observations:

1. Arya now has Chekov’s dagger.  I’m sure she will kill a white walker with it eventually.
2. Missandei implies to Dany that she and Grey Worm got it on.  I am certain Dany has just as many questions as the audience does.
3. I’m not the biggest battle guy but holy fuck does this one do it for me.  Drogon steals the show in every single way, and we finally see Dothraki vs Westerosi soldiers after literally 10 years of waiting.

RIP: The Lannister guard that was played by Noah Syndergaard.  Dude can throw a spear that’s for damn sure.

Episode 65: Eastwatch

“But that’s alright, isn’t it? We can all become slavering, murderous imbeciles in thrall to evil incarnate as long as we can have access to the full records of High Septon Maynard’s 15,782 shits!”

Major Plot Points: Daenerys roasts the Tarlys. Jaime meets with Tyrion.  Jon plans to head back to the Wall. Davos returns to Flea Bottom. Sam leaves the Citadel.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. There have been a few moments in the series that make it seem like Daenerys has too much of her father in her.  Notably, when she crucified all of the Masters from Meereen.  Burning the Tarlys alive is definitely something I could see her doing. 
2. Cersei claimed to have loved her children equally, but she clearly favored Joffrey over Myrcella and Tommen.  She almost looked at those two as possessions, or symbols of how great a mother she was. She was a complete narcissist.  Show Cersei definitely cared about them more.
3. During Arya’s POV chapters, we know that she does truly love and miss Sansa.  However when they meet again, there will almost certainly be friction between the two, just because of how different they are.  But man I hope it won’t be as forced as it is this season. 
4. If you think Jaime was angry at Tyrion in the show, just wait till they meet again in the books, where Tyrion is also mad at Jaime.  Since Tyrion’s escape, neither has gotten over their last confrontation. 
5. Gendry is still working as a smith for the Inn at the Crossroads.  The last time we saw him, he saved Brienne’s life as she was getting attacked by Biter, the man Arya once freed from a burning jail cart.  Not sure if he will end up being a player again like he is in the show. 
6. Gilly, of all people, stumbles upon a secret in a book that readers have been fixated on for 20 years.  That Rhaegar had his first marriage with Elia annulled.  From there it was easy to imagine he and Lyanna were actually married, and that Jon was an actual heir to the throne.  The one thing I need more information on is how Rhaegar could have a marriage that produced 2 children annulled. 

Other Points to Notice

1. How did Bronn pull a man in full plate armor from the bottom of that gigantic lake, and emerge a mile away from Drogon?  Why not at least make a point of showing Jaime taking his armor off so it makes sense.  And again, why does Tyrion not tell Daenerys to look for him?  Capturing him would essentially end the war, since Cersei has no commanders left
2. Randyll Tarly was a despicable father, and not a great guy, but him and his son go out like total fucking bosses. 
3. It was said that only Targaryens could tame dragons.  Jon petting Drogon was a big step to proving this theory.  But it does make Tyrion taming Rhaegal and Viserion seem odd, unless of course the theory about him being a secret Targ is true.
4. Dany really wont let the “knife in the heart” thing go.  The only weird part about this is that no one else seems to have found it bizarre.
5. We finally get to the most nonsensical plotline of all time.  Capturing a wight, to bring to Cersei, to convince her that they are real.  Because Cersei will totally be chill after this.  From the beginning, this plotline really seemed like a harebrained plot to get Jon and company north of the Wall to fight the Night King again this season.  And to give the Night King a dragon. 
6. Gendry tells Jon that their fathers trusted each other, and that they should too.  What a nice moment between bastards.  Of course, in reality Gendry’s father killed Jon’s father, and allowed the murder of Jon’s 2 half siblings. They then get to Eastwatch in about 5 minutes, a trip that would normally take several weeks.

Stray Observations:

1. Jaime gets to King’s Landing in record time.
2. Daenerys looked extremely surprised at the way Drogon completely melted for old Jonny boy.
3. Tyrion and Davos get to King’s Landing and back in record time.  And Jon gets to Eastwatch in record time.  For real have like 4 months passed in this episode?
4. Of course Gendry uses a hammer, just like his old man.  But it is weird to me he is motivated by his father’s death, when he only found out late in life who his father was.
5. Not sure why we needed the fermented crab scene.
6. What did Littlefinger whisper to Alys Karstark?  Also why would that letter he tricked Arya into finding be so important?  It was obvious to everyone at the time it was written that Sansa was forced into writing it.  This shit’s dumb.
7. I guess the gold made it to King’s Landing ahead of the other cavalry and army? This is never explained again.

RIP: Randyll and Dickon Tarly.

Episode 66: Beyond the Wall

“Death is the enemy. The first enemy and the last. The enemy always wins and we still need to fight him.”

Major Plot Points: Jon, Tormund, Gendry, Beric, Thoros, Jorah, and Sandor go beyond the Wall to capture a zombie.  Arya and Sansa get in a sister fight.  Tyrion has a fun conversation with Daenerys. 

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. The Westeros 7 will never march beyond the Wall together.  This is mostly because Beric is already dead, the Hound is presumed dead, Thoros serves Lady Stoneheart, Jorah is still a slave, Gendry is in the middle of the country, and Jon is also dead. D&D admitted that the “wight hunt” is a show only invention.
2. It is definitely possible that the White Walkers will get an undead dragon, since it seems unlikely D&D would do something as dramatic as killing off a dragon without knowing it would happen in the books.  But I think before that happens we will get to see all 3 dragons have riders.  It has been talked about in the books more than the show, but the saying goes “the dragon has 3 heads.”  In the House of the Undying Dany has a vision of her brother Rhaegar repeating this obsessively. It could even be the reason he left his wife for Lyanna, since his wife was only able to give him 2 children and couldn’t have any more.
3. I’ve brought this up before, but it annoys me how Daenerys tells people in the show she cant have kids, when it was the show that omitted this part of Mirri Maz Duur’s prophecy.  Obviously she thinks this in the books too, but at least there we know why.
4. Stannis also fought with a flaming sword, which was not in the show, with the exception of his introductory scene back in Season 2.  In the books, he showed it at Castle Black.  Maester Aemon did not believe he was Azor Ahai reborn, because the sword was on fire but gave off no heat. 

Other Points to Notice

1. It’s interesting how we hear from Tormund of all people, the same thing we heard from Dany, about how pride can cause innocent people to die.  This does help explain Jon’s eventual decision to bend the knee, since he looked up to Mance for never kneeling.
2. We get some fun character moments while the Westeros 7 march north.  Jon offering Longclaw back to Jorah was touching, but of course he gave it back.  It’s more Jon’s than Jeor’s at this point.
3. I hate this forced sibling rivalry plotline.  Very clear they had no idea what to do with these 2 while waiting for Jon to return, and that they also needed to get rid of Littlefinger because they had no idea what to do with him either. 
4. I wish that Beric and Jon talked a bit more about how they lost part of themselves when they returned from the dead.  Jon was dead longer than Beric ever was, and we still have yet to hear him talk about it making him feel different. 
5. Daenerys was a bit harsh with Tyrion in my opinion.  She asks for his advice then sometimes gets mad about it. 
6. I think I would like this episode a bit more if another character or 2 died.  For a show that prided itself on being able to kill anyone, they liberally used unnamed wildling extras as cannon fodder.
7. The Night King seems to have abilities similar to Bran.  He knew the dragons would arrive to save everyone, which is probably the reason he trapped the Westeros 7 by the chains, and didn’t use his sick spear tossing skills to execute them one by one.
8. Arya tells Sansa about how she was taught to take a face in Braavos.  This sounds nice, but it makes no sense.  She was never taught how to do this, Jaqen specifically told her she was not ready.  She basically just figured it out on her own I guess?  I feel like we never saw her learn it, because D&D themselves don’t understand how it works.
9. People that were rooting for Jon and Dany to hook up must have been really excited by their final scene here together. 

Stray Observations:

1. Tormund is incredible.  I can’t believe when I first saw season 3 that I didn’t like the casting.  I was very wrong.
2. I’m surprised Tyrion didn’t approach Dany with the idea of a marriage proposal between her and Jon.  It would solve many of their issues, and it was pretty obvious at this point that Dany had a lil crush on him. 
3. The zombie bear was pretty cool I guess.
4. You can see the chain in a few quick scenes throughout the confrontation with the Night King
5. Is Gendry really the fastest? Everyone seemed to agree with this immediately.
6. So if Gendry got back to Eastwatch later that night, then sent a raven, and Dany left immediately, that still means Jon and crew had to have been on that island for a few days at least.  If you assume a dragon is faster than a raven, I could buy this process maybe taking 3 days minimum. The raven network is supposed to be slow, and the speed of dragons is not really established. Of course the writers claimed we shouldn’t care about minutia like raven speed in a show with dragons, but that is a ridiculous stance to take. You’re allowed to have fantasy elements in a show/book, but when you set up rules for them, they should be followed. By this logic, why didn’t Olenna send a raven to Dany when the Lannister army was approaching her?

RIP: Thoros of Myr, the drunken Red Priest of R’Hollor. Benjen Stark, for real this time.

Episode 67: The Dragon and the Wolf

“Maybe it really is all cocks in the end.”

Major Plot Points: Tyrion tries to convince Cersei to have a truce. Arya and Sansa execute Littlefinger.  Theon kills Reek.  The Night King melts the Wall.  Jon and Daenerys bang.

Observations from a Book Reader:

1. The Dothraki generally raped and pillaged where/when they pleased.  Even under Drogo’s command, some resisted the no rape rule.  It would be quite the feat if Daenerys is able to use them as foot-soldiers.
2. Some believe that Aegon Targaryen (the potentially fake targ in Essos) will hold King’s Landing in the end, not Cersei.  This is due to the fact that it seems unlikely book-Cersei could ever hold onto power, as she is a completely druken lunatic near the end of book 5.
3. One of the main reasons that readers believe the Hound is still alive, is due to them having an unshakeable belief that he and the Mountain must fight to the death before the series ends.  We call it the Cleganebowl.  This episode just fueled the fire.  Get Hype.
4. We finally find out that Rhaegar and Lyanna actually had a legit marriage.  This of course means Jon is no bastard at all.  However, him being named Aegon could be a show only addition, since Rhaegar already had a son named Aegon.
5. Alliser Thorne was at one point sent to King’s Landing with the still alive hand of a wight.  The hand decomposed before it could get south.  I guess they kept this one on ice.
6. Cersei is not pregnant in the books, that we know of.  If she is, it could be Jaime’s or one of the other people she’s banged in his absence.  There were way more in the books, male and female.
7. We don’t know if Littlefinger was behind the knife, and the attempted assassination of Bran.  Best guess currently is that it was Joffrey’s and he wanted to kill Bran in a misguided attempt to impress his father, who he once heard say that it would be a mercy for Bran to die, instead of living as a cripple. 

Other Points to Notice

1. The name of this episode follows a common naming convention that has been used throughout the show, in which symbols of 2 houses are listed to indicate a significant interaction between 2 major characters.  Season 4’s “The Lion and the Rose” had Joffrey and Margaery’s wedding and Joffrey’s death.  Season 4 also had “The Mountain and the Viper” and we all know who died in that episode.
2. The Hound and Brienne were surprisingly cordial.  When Brienne tells him how Arya can now protect herself, it may be the first time we ever see old Sandor smile
3. The Tyrion, Bronn, and Podrick crew finally meet each other again.  I was really hoping Bronn would rejoin him.
4. I still can’t believe Tyrion thought Cersei would be convinced.  Also how annoying would it be if the wight was no longer alive when they tried showing it off. 
5. Jon mentions that the whole world is in danger.  I guess now that they have a dragon, they could cross the Narrow Sea.   He also gives a great speech and shows that even though he is a Targaryen, he is Ned’s son. 
6. Peter Dinklage and Lena Headey put on an absolute acting clinic.  Perfect representations of their characters. 
7. Again, we never heard Mirri Maz Duur tell Dany that she couldn’t have kids.  But I guess it is still canon.
8. There is a major internet theory going on that Littlefinger is still alive.  We saw him consulting with someone a few episodes ago, and through subtitles we hear “Your time has come.”  The theory is that the real Littlefinger paid a Faceless Man to pretend to be him, and die in his place.  Definitely a bit far fetched, but he is a smart guy and it would make more sense. 
9. I really wish we got a scene with Arya, Sansa, or Bran that showed them working together to unveil Littlefinger’s treachery.  Especially since Sansa charges Littlefinger with things that only Bran would know.
10. Jon was extremely kind to Theon, and I don’t think anyone would have blamed him for not forgiving him.  But Jon is too honorable for that petty shit.  Side note, Theon gets kicked where his balls used to be, and shows no signs of pain.  I feel like getting hit in the mangled remnants of your genitalia would still hurt. It is worth it for the scene of him being reborn in the ocean.  I think Reek is finally dead.
11. Jaime FINALLY leaves Cersei.  He should have done it years ago, but this is basically the culmination of his redemption arc.  Very interested to see him and Jon on the same team, Jaime is by far the better commander. 
12. I am worried at Tyrion’s disapproving glance when he sees Jon and Dany banging.  Hopefully he is just worried that this will effect their goals, and he isn’t secretly in love with Dany or some dumb shit like that.
13. I do not believe Beric and Tormund were killed when the Wall came down. I expect them to arrive in Winterfell in early Season 8.

Stray Observations:

1. The Unsullied traveled quite fast from Casterly Rock.
2. Man I really think that Tyrion’s wight plan is going to work!
3. Damn, Dany does dragon displays dramatically.  (intended)
4. I love how interested Qyburn was in the undead zombie.  He really is a sick fuck.
5. You could see Daenerys completely fall for Jon when he stands up for her.  I’m a huge Jonerys fan.
6. Fuck Cersei, she killed Tommen, and she let the High Sparrow destroy her plans.
7. Littlefinger is actually 100% correct about Jon and Dany.
8. Ayyy I know the real reason Dany and Jon are so eager to sail together.
9. Wow, I can’t believe Cersei actually is not going to help Daenerys!
10. It’s hilarious to me that Sam is able to instantly have a rapport with emotionless Bran.  He even gets Bran to make a little joke.  Fuck it, idk how but I’m a huge Sam fan after this series re-watch.

RIP: Lord Petyr Baelish.  From a scrawny boy with a scrawny family, to one of the most powerful Lords in Westeros.  Undone by his weird obsession with Catelyn Stark. 

Daenerys Boob Counter: 1

Overall Count: 4.5

Season 7 was an extremely unbalanced season.  Tyrion’s entire “wight-capture” plan was a huge waste of time, and served no purpose other than giving the Night King Viserion.  Plus the double dose of deus-ex-machina, with Dany and then Benjen saving Jon, felt decidedly un-thrones like.  But there were incredible moments as well, and major plot reveals.  And even a weird unbalanced season of Game of Thrones, is still Game of fucking Thrones. I can’t believe that the rewatch is now over. I didn’t think I was actually going to finish it, but it ended up making me relearn all of the things i had forgotten since last season. It’s bittersweet though, because once this show is over, I don’t really see anything taking its place. Maybe the new Lord of the Rings show won’t suck though, who knows.

Things I Liked: Olenna Tyrell has the best exit in television since Hank Schrader was killed in Breaking Bad.  She downed that poison and immediately started poisoning Jaime’s brain.  And the loot train battle was perfect in every way.  We finally saw what 1 dragon can do, along with a horde of Dothraki.  There were many great character interactions as well, from Tyrion/Cersei, to Jon and Dany finally getting it on.  The anticipation for the last season could not be higher

Things I Did Not Like: I have said it so many times, so I won’t get into it again, but Tyrion’s plan, Gendry sending an instant raven to Dany, and the wildly fast travel were the worst parts of the season for me.  Also, the forced Arya and Sansa conflict that felt like it was written because those characters had nothing left to do.