The Small Fries

Death is only the beginning...

Last night’s episode of Game of Thrones was the episode I have been waiting for all season. It was the most action packed episode of the season, and I hope in the next few episodes we see more of that. So much has gone on in the last few episodes that I haven’t had the chance to review, but this episode topped them all.

Tyrion and Jorah are finally at their destination; Cersei is getting what she deserves; Sansa and “Reek” finally have a conversation long overdue; Arya is “No One”; and Jon Snow makes his case to the rest of the Wildlings. Things that have been set up all season are finally coming together, leading to an increase in the body count and characters’ paths finally crossing.

Tyrion and Jorah facing the Queen

Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), after much convincing, becomes an advisor to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) all while saving Jorah’s (Iain Glen) life. He ends up returning to the fighting pits to fight for her. However, it looks like Tyrion will be serving as “Hand of the Queen” now. He tries to convince Dany to stay in Essos, because she is making a difference there. However, our Dragon Queen thinks otherwise. “Lannister. Baratheon. Stark. Tyrell. They’re all just spokes on a wheel...I’m not going to just stop the wheel. I’m going to break the wheel.” This is by far one of the most powerful quotes in the entire series, and from what we know of Her Grace, I predict she will indeed break the wheel.

One of the spokes on the wheel is falling, and fast. I am talking about the Lannister house. Tywin is dead, and Tyrion is a fugitive. All that is left of the major players of House Lannister are Jaime and Cersei. With Jaime in Dorne, Cersei (Lena Headey) has no allies to help her now. She is FINALLY getting everything she deserves. Cersei has been arrested by the High Sparrow with three charges being held against her: treason, incest, and adultery. We saw her arrest at the end of the last episode, so this episode focuses on her imprisonment. Everyone keeps telling her the only way to be free is to confess her “sins.” We all know Cersei, and she is entirely too proud to admit to anything. She’s certain that people will come to her aid. Well, none of her family is coming to help. Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) won’t see anyone, because he is distraught with not only her arrest but also Queen Margaery’s (Natalie Dormer) as well. I can only hope that whatever takes place at the trial will bring everything full circle for Cersei, and Karma hits her where it hurts. Sorry, not sorry, Cersei, but I just love to hate you.

Sansa confronting "Reek" about him betraying her to Ramsay

 We see glimpses of our two favorite Stark sisters for a brief moment, because the majority of the episode is dedicated to their bastard brother, Jon Snow. Sansa (Sophie Turner) has a confrontation with “Reek,” (Alfie Allen) where he finally explains that he did not kill Bran and Rickon. I can only hope that “Reek” finally breaks and Theon is somehow reborn. With being married to Ramsay (Iwen Rheon), Sansa could really use a friend right about now. However, it seems Ramsay may be leaving to lead an attack on Stannis Baratheon’s army that is just north of Winterfell. Meanwhile, Arya (Maisie Williams) is becoming a true servant to the Many-Faced God. JaQen H'ghar (Thomas Wlaschiha) has tasked her with watching and then ultimately killing “the thin man,” a terrible man who makes bets that his crew will fail, only to screw those who win the bet out of money in the end. We will have to wait and see if Arya is ready for this task.

Arya growing accustomed to Braavosi life

Now, the most exciting part of the whole episode was the last twenty minutes. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Tormund (Kristofer Hivju), along with several other Night’s Watch, have made their way to Hardhome. After lengthy discussions and a few threats, Snow and Tormund convince most of the Wildlings to ban together with the Night’s Watch, because “Winter is Coming” and only together can they defeat it. Everything sounds so promising, right? They’re all going to just hop on a boat, sail down to Castle Black, and prepare together for the Army of the Dead. Yeah, if only.

The Wildling settlement, Hardhome, under seige

While Wildlings are being boated to the ships in the bay, the Army of the Dead attacks, forcing them to close the gates, leaving thousands of the Wildlings unprotected on the other side. This, then, makes the Army even larger as they crash through the gates and attack those safely on the other side. Tormund and Jon try to fend off as many as possible. However, the White Walkers arrive and change everything. Jon faces off against one of these creatures, and with a swing of his sword, defeats it. Now, I thought only Dragons’s Glass could defeat a White Walker...hmmmmm. I guess there’s more to learn about the Walkers than we thought. Jon and Tormund make it back to a boat, all while a White Walker comes forward with the ultimate “come at me bro” (or should it be “come at me crow?”) gesture, as it raises the dead to join its army.

What did I say? "Come at me, Bro."

With Jon safely on his way back to Castle Black, we are left with the question, “Now what?” What’s to come with the inevitable face off at the Wall? What about Stannis and his attack on Winterfell? Winter is coming, and the people of Westeros are hardly prepared. They have been too concerned with who sits on the Iron Throne to bother worrying about the Long Night that is upon them. The ninth episode of a season is famously known as the episode where a major battle or plot twist occurs. Seeing as that is the next episode, I don’t know what to expect. This episode was very jaw dropping and full of several nail-biting moments. I have the statement from the beginning of the season “this will be the bloodiest season yet” playing in the back of my mind. Seeing as the body count is just now starting to climb and there are only two episodes left, I am now sufficiently worried about many of my favorite characters.

Jon Snow defeating a White Walker

Dear GoT Producers and GRRM,

 Please show some mercy.

 Sincerely,

 Can’t Take The Feels

 P.S. I know this message is futile, but it’s worth a shot.

Tune in to Game of Thrones Sundays on HBO at 9ET or on HBOGo.

-Kasey