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“Blood of My Blood” was a bloodless episode (for once) missing several of our major characters, but contained a lot of important build of for what’s still to come. Check out House TGON’s recap below.
Spoilers ahead!
BRAN
Source: Esquire.com
This week’s episode picks up where we left off (R.I.P. Hodor). Meera drags Bran through the snow fleeing from the army of wights while Bran has a million visions at once. Thanks to an excellent YouTube video where the visions are in slo-mo, here’s some of what he saw:
- The Mad King screaming “Burn them all” before Jaime Lannister kills him and becomes The Kingslayer.
- Pyromancers storing wildfire under King’s Landing, and the wildfire burning.
- A lot of Stark deaths: Ned, Robb, Catelyn, and possibly Lyanna.
- Dany and her dragons, with Drogon flying over King’s Landing.
- The Night King making a White Walker out of one of the Craster babies.
- The battle at Hardhome and the Night King’s army marching on the Wall.
- Bran falling from the tower at Winterfell.
As if that wasn’t enough to process, in rides a mysterious stranger to save them. The stranger ends up being Bran’s uncle, Benjen Stark, who was lost beyond the Wall during an expedition for the Night’s Watch. Benjen tells Bran and Meera that the Night King stabbed him and left him to turn into a wight. The Children of the Forest saved him the same way they created the Walkers in the first place: dragonglass in the heart. He says that Bran is the Three-Eyed Raven now, and that he must be ready when the Night King’s army comes to the realm of men.
SAM & GILLY
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In the carriage on the way to see the Tarlys, Gilly notices that Sam is nervous. He just makes sure that she knows to say that Sam Jr. is his son, or else Lord Randyll won’t take them in. The truth also comes out that Sam never told his family Gilly was a wildling – his father hates wildlings.
They arrive at Horn Hill and are greeted by Sam’s kindly mother Melessa and excited sister Talla. Introductions are made, and Melessa tells them that Sam’s dad Randyll and brother Dickon are on a hunt and will join them for dinner. Talla whisks Gilly away to get her ready for the meal.
Later that evening, Sam sees Gilly bathed and in a proper dress for the first time, and proclaims her to be beautiful. They make their way to dinner, where Sam and Dickon make awkward smalltalk about hunting. Sam is trying to brag but has no idea what he’s talking about. Melessa offers Sam some bread, but Randyll calls him fat enough and he refuses. Randyll then rants about how the Night’s Watch was supposed to make Sam a man, but it didn’t. Gilly points out that he killed a White Walker on their way down to Castle Black. Randyll realizes that Gilly is a wildling, and asserts that Sam will never receive Heartsbane, the family’s ancestral Valyrian steel blade. During his tirade, Melessa gets upset and leaves. Randyll says that he will take in Gilly and Sam Jr., but this is the last night Sam will ever spend at Horn Hill. Sam does nothing.
In Gilly’s chambers, Sam apologizes. They kiss and say goodbye, before Sam barges back in and tells Gilly to pack. They decide to leave in the middle of the night, and Sam takes Heartsbane. Gilly asks if Randyll will come for it, and Sam responds that he can “bloody well try”.
KING’S LANDING
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We find Tommen speaking yet again with the High Sparrow. The boy king pleads with him, hoping to somehow save Margaery the embarrassment and dangers of The Walk Of Atonement. The High Sparrow tells Tommen that, unfortunately, it must be done. However, he does allow the two young loves time to speak. As Tommen expresses his joy at seeing her, Margaery shows signs of being truly devout to the faith, and goes on about how the High Sparrow saved her. Meanwhile, in a back alley of Kings Landing, Mace Tyrell has met up with Jamie Lannister, and behind them marches the Tyrell Army. Just before Margaery’s walk, the army interrupts and demand that she and Loras be released, and threaten to kill any sparrow that gets in their way. The High Sparrow reveals that Margaery will not have to atone, because she converted Tommen to the faith. Tommen strips Jamie of his title as Lord Commander of The Kings Guard and tells his father/uncle that he is no longer allowed in the city. Cersei convinces him to lead the Lannister Army and take back the castle that Brynden “The Blackfish” Tully captured, and that they will soon find a way to exterminate the High Sparrow.
ARYA
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We find Arya yet again watching Lady Crane perform in the play, though this time the actors are portraying Joffery’s death. While the crowd boos at his death, Arya laughs and finds it entertaining. Lady Crane, acting as Cersei Lannister, delivers a speech about losing her soon that moves Arya emotionally, and during the speech Arya spots the actress who plays Sansa mouthing the words as well. While another scene is playing out, Arya sneaks backstage and pours the poison into Lady Crane’s rum. By the time she’s done, the play has ended and the actors are coming back to relax. Lady Crane stops Arya and says she’s seen her in the crowd. She also confides in Arya that she thinks Cersei’s speech is rubbish and Arya suggests she change it. She tells Lady Crane that Cersei would be angry and vengeful, to which Lady Crane responds that Arya is very expressive and has beautiful eyes. Moments later, and surrounded by the rest of the troupe, Arya returns in time to slap a cup of rum out of Lady Crane’s hand before pointing to the actress who plays Sansa. “Careful of that one,” she says. “She wants you dead.” Back at the house of Black and White, The Waif informs Jaqen H’ghar of Arya’s failure, and he tells her to make sure Arya doesn’t suffer. Knowing of her fate, Arya retrieves Needle the sword from it’s hiding spot and finds a dark place to sit and wait in.
WALDER FREY
Not this piece of crap Walder Frey again!
Walder Frey got himself back on the playing field this week, he was upset with some of his, seemingly 5000 offspring. They lost control of Riverrun when Brynden Tully took it back. It was slap to Walder’s face as Brynden not only slithered out of the red wedding but is able to march in and kick out his hold of Riverrun. Walder Frey tells his excuse driven offspring to gather the troops and take Riverrun back. The old sneaky veteran knows exactly how he is going to do it by using Brynden’s nephew Edmure who he has kept from the red wedding. Walder vows to get the last laugh at all those who laugh at him behind his back.
DAENERYS
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While Dany didn’t get a ton of screentime this week, the little that she did get was visually stunning, and well-used. After deciding with Daario that she will need at least 1000 ships to get her contingent of Dothraki, Second Sons, and The Unsullied to Westeros, the Khaleesi goes AWOL for a while. Returning on Drogon’s back to give the most epic political speech that ever was; everything is more dramatic from dragon-back. She named the whole Khalasar as her Blood Riders, and they pledged to cross the Great Back Sea and help her take the Iron Throne.
Now that she only needs to worry about transportation, Dany next step is obvious to viewers. Last week, the Ironborns were told to build a thousand ships with which to conquer the world. All that’s needed is an alliance – or a hostile takeover – and Dany is on the Throne. By naming her entire Khalasar as Blood of her Blood, she reminds us why we all started rooting for her character in the first place: she’s a fair ruler. And it’s nice to finally see her plotline picking up, as she moves towards her rightful title in Westeros.
