Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 5 begins with Jaime washing ashore like Aragorn in
Two Towers, but instead of a sexy dream elf to wake him, he’s got Bronn – “Listen
to me, cunt”.
Bronn points out the obvious – the Lannisters can’t beat Daenerys with her three dragons,
so Jaime goes to Cersei and says they can’t win this war.
But Cersei won’t surrender.
She says there’s too much bad blood to make peace – Cersei won’t forgive Tyrion for
killing her father Tywin, Dany won’t forgive Jaime for killing her father Aerys, and Cersei
refuses to let go of the Iron Throne.
Tyrion Lannister walks through the ashes of his family’s army – he seems to feel some
regret.
Then again, Tyrion did promise Cersei that one day he’d turn her joy to ashes . Perhaps
that day has come – Tyrion turned Cersei’s power to dust.
The Lannister army was also the pride of Tyrion’s hated father Tywin . Maybe Tyrion feels some
satisfaction wiping the last trace of his father’s legacy.
Daenerys tells the surviving Lannisters that she’s not there to burn or murder, and then
she murders Randyll and Dickon by burning them in front of their men.
Tyrion’s worried that this sends mixed messages.
Good leaders sometimes have to kill disloyal lords – Robb and Jon both did.
But burning a father and son alive reminds people of Dany’s father Mad Aerys, who killed
Rickard and Brandon Stark.
It’s a delicate balance between being a strong leader and looking like a terrible
tyrant, especially with the memory of Aerys hanging over you.
Dany talks about making the world better, and breaking the wheel – a metaphor for
stopping the cycle of conflict in Westeros , and changing the political system – somehow.
It’s not really clear what kind of changes Dany wants to make.
Remember, this is her first day on the Westerosi mainland.
She’s a stranger to this country, she doesn’t know its problems – so how can she hope
to reshape society for the better?
Look at what she did in Meereen – she came to a foreign city, destroyed its social structure,
banned slavery, made herself queen, and tried to make everything fair.
And – it was a disaster.
The Sons of the Harpy revolted, the slavers attacked in force, and Dany ended up leaving
with Daario in charge.
Since we haven’t heard any updates from Daario’s Democratic Republic of the Bay
of Dragons lately, it’s probably fair to assume things have turned bad in Meereen – just
like they did in Astapor and Yunkai . The point is – Dany’s speech may be good political
rhetoric.
But we know ruling Westeros won’t be so simple.
Dany returns to Dragonstone, and Jon has a moment with her dragon Drogon.
In the books, it’s hinted that dragons tend to be more friendly to people who have Targaryen
blood – so maybe Drogon is nice to Jon because Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen.
Then again, the dragons were also cool with Tyrion, and he’s not a Targaryen – probably
– so this might not necessarily mean a whole lot.
Dany asks again about Jon’s death, and Jon avoids the question again.
Dany’s gonna have to find out about Jon’s resurrection sometime.
She’s had magical rebirth or two herself, so she’d probably understand.
Dany and Jon are fire and ice, and sometime they gotta recognise it.
They’re interrupted by the arrival of Jorah, now healed of his greyscale.
Dany and Jorah have a long and complex history.
Dany exiled Jorah in Season 4 for reporting on her to Varys.
He returned to her briefly in Season 5 but she didn’t forgive him for a while, they
reunited in Season 6, but Jorah had greyscale so he went got cured, and now, he’s back
once again.
Jorah loves Dany, and in the books, this comes off as creepy – Dany’s a teenager, and
Jorah’s this fugly middle-aged man who hits on her cause she looks like his ex-wife . But,
still, Jorah has stayed loyal to Dany longer than anyone else has.
They’ve been through a lot together, so Dany wants him by her side.
In the north, Bran uses his magic powers to take control of a bunch of ravens.
He flies them over the Wall and looks at the army of the dead, until the Night King seems
to break Bran’s control.
If the Night King can break Bran’s control of ravens, could Bran break the Night King’s
control of these zombies?
Just deactivate the whole army of the dead at once?
That’d be handy.
But we still don’t know how this magic works.
It does seem that Bran and the Night King use a similar kind of magic.
Which might suggest that this human who became the Night King years ago was originally a
greenseer, like Bran and Bloodraven.
In the books, Bran sees a vision of the bones of other dreamers impaled on ice – maybe
the other white walkers were originally greenseers who turned to the icy dark side of old gods
magic under Night King Darth Vader…
Or something.
After all this time, the walkers are still super mysterious, so it’ll be awesome to
find out more about what they are and what they want.
Bran sees that the walkers are marching on Eastwatch, the easternmost castle on the Wall.
Emphasis on the Wall – Eastwatch is behind it, and the Wall is protected with magic which
apparently stops the dead getting through – so they prolly can’t just bash down
the gate with an undead giant.
How, then, will the walkers pass the Wall?
In the opening credits of past episodes, the ocean by the Wall has looked frozen-over,
so some people think they could maybe just walk around atop the sea, or maybe do an underwater
Pirates of the Caribbean thing.
It probably would have been easier, though, for the dead to go west instead.
Cause to the west, the Wall ends, and there’s a bridge across a gorge.
Why not cross there?
The walkers must have some special plan to get past Eastwatch.
So Bran sends out letters to warn everyone.
Down at the Citadel, the maesters want to see evidence before they freak out about magic
zombies.
Which in the real world would be very reasonable – but in fantasy, sceptics are wrong.
The maesters mention other prophets from the past, like Jenny of Oldstones.
Jenny was a mysterious common woman who married a Targaryen prince bout fifty years ago.
Jenny was friends with a witch now known as “the ghost of High Heart”, who said that
the prince that was promised, or Azor Ahai, would be born of the line of Aerys and Rhaella
– which means that either Daenerys or Jon could be the hero to save the world – looks
like Jenny was probably right.
The maesters also mention a guy called Lodos.
Three hundred years ago, when the Targaryens took the Iron Islands, Lodos claimed he was
the son of the Drowned God, and that krakens would rise up to destroy Aegon’s fleet.
That didn’t happen, and Lodos led a mass suicide.
But in the books krakens have been seen recently , and it’s looking like book-Euron might
just turn himself some kinda Cthulu, so maybe even Lodos was onto something.
Point is, both of the archmaesters’ examples of prophecy being wrong might actually have
elements of truth – but they still don’t believe in white walkers.
This frustrates Sam so much that he abandons his dream of becoming a maester, steals some
books, and heads north to somehow help in the war for the dawn.
He presumably brings the sword Heartsbane with him – Sam’s father Randyll won’t
be needing it any more.
There’s not much love lost between Randyll and Sam – but Dickon seemed alright, so
Sam might mourn the loss of his brother.
Before Sam leaves though, Gilly quietly drops the biggest revelation in the season.
She reads in a book that a septon annulled the marriage of Prince ‘Ragger’ and married
him to someone else in a secret ceremony in Dorne . What this means is that Prince Rhaegar
Targaryen – Daenerys’ older brother – set aside his marriage to Elia Martell and secretly
married Lyanna Stark, who gave birth to Jon Snow in Dorne.
Fans have speculated for years that something like this had happened, cause this means that
Jon Snow is not really a bastard.
He’s the legitimate child of Prince Rhaegar, making him the legitimate heir of King Aerys,
meaning Jon Snow should be King of Westeros.
This complicates the situation with Jon’s aunt Daenerys, who also claims the Throne.
No one in the story knows all of this though – so we’ll have to wait until Bran or
someone figures it out.
At Dragonstone, Tyrion and Varys worry that Dany might become a bad ruler like her father
Aerys – and Varys doesn’t quite know what to do about this.
Varys used to seem so powerful.
A secretive schemer, spymaster and Spider, who knew everything and made everyone his
puppet . But now that he’s revealed his hand, and made his loyalties clear, Varys
is just a bald guy in a dressing gown hoping for the best.
He did always say that power is an illusion . Jon and Dany and Tyrion work out a plan.
Jon will lead a team beyond the Wall to capture a zombie, and bring it down to King’s Landing
to show Cersei, so that Cersei will help them or at least not attack them or something when
they go back north to fight the dead.
And this plan is… bad.
It’s a huge risk to King Jon, and he’s the guy uniting the north and the wildlings
and Daenerys.
And if they succeed in catching a zombie, there’s no guarantee it’ll stay animated
on the long journey south.
It might rot, or get out of range of the walkers’ magic, or just stop moving.
Even if all that works, all they’d achieve is to show Cersei a zombie.
Why would she be impressed, when she’s already got a zombie, the Mountain.
One zombie doesn’t prove the threat of the army of the dead.
Even if Cersei does believe it, does anyone really think Cersei would make peace with
her enemies for the sake of the greater good?
Even if she does, what will her help be worth?
Dany just roasted a Lannister army, how many men can Cersei have left?
How useful will soldiers be against the army of the dead anyway?
The best way to beat the dead would surely be Dany’s dragons – why not fly up and
burn them all now?
Or if you just want to capture a zombie, why not swoop down with a dragon and just grab
one?
The answer, of course, is the same reason the eagles don’t fly Frodo to Mount Doom.
It’d be too easy, and too quick.
But part of what makes Game of Thrones special, and different to fantasies like Lord of the
Rings, is that behind all the dragons and zombies, there’s usually a strong logic
to the plot.
People make decisions that make sense.
And this convoluted, dangerous, probably pointless plan – does not make sense.
At Winterfell, the lords of the north and the Vale speak in support of Sansa.
It almost sounds like they want to declare her their Queen , when only last season they
declared Jon their King.
Before that, they mostly supported the Boltons, and before that Robb Stark.
Seems they can’t go a season without wanting to switch sides.
Arya accuses Sansa of undermining Jon, and wanting power for herself.
Sansa tries to be reasonable, but Arya just won’t listen.
It makes sense that Arya doesn’t get the politics – she’s spent seasons training
with assassins, not learning diplomacy.
But this seems rooted in something deeper for Arya.
She criticises Sansa for loving pretty things and feeling superior , which connects to the
jealousy and resentment Arya had for Sansa growing up – over how Sansa was perfect
and pretty, while Arya never fit.
Maybe the real reason for Arya’s aggression is all this old anger.
Whatever the reason, Littlefinger sees an opportunity.
He manipulates Arya into finding the old letter that Cersei made Sansa write supporting King
Joffrey and condemning the Starks.
This wasn’t really Sansa’s fault – she was just a kid, she had no real choice.
But this might work as a way for Petyr to isolate Sansa from the rest of her family
– to create chaos and division which he can use to gain more influence.
This is some classic Petyr Baelish evil scheming, and in the short term, it much just work.
But in the long term, Sansa can just explain how she was forced to write the letter, Arya
can figure out that Petyr misled her, and Bran can reveal he’s magically seen every
evil thing that Petyr’s ever done.
So Littlefinger’s fucked – but at least he gets one last lurk in.
Tyrion and Davos arrive at King’s Landing, and Davos mentions the death of his son Matthos
in Season 2.
Davos has a wife and kids back home, and he often thinks about them in the books . But
while everyone else complains about their personal drama all the time, Davos usually
keeps things to himself, and carries on his duty.
But he remembers his friends.
Davos goes and meets with Gendry, the bastard son of King Robert who was last seen rowing
in Season 3 after Melisandre tried to burn him.
Gendry wields a warhammer, just like his father did, decorated with the stag of his house.
It looks like Gendry identifies with his father’s family, the Baratheons – maybe after the
war is won, he’ll rule the Baratheon seat of Storm’s End – since every other Baratheon
is dead.
As the son of King Robert, though, Gendry could also potentially have a claim on the
Iron Throne – which, as Davos says, complicates the situation with Jon and Dany.
Meanwhile, Tyrion goes to meet Jaime.
Tyrion tries to justify his killing of their father Tywin, but Jaime doesn’t want to
hear it, and threatens to kill Tyrion.
The brothers’ relationship in the books is even worse – they parted on bad terms,
with Tyrion lying and saying he killed Joffrey.
So their reunion in the books might be a lot darker.
Anyway Tyrion gets to the point and asks Jaime to convince Cersei to peacefully meet with
Dany and Jon.
On the way out, Davos and co.
have some trouble with gold cloaks.
It really was a big risk coming here in broad daylight with the recognisable Imp – they
all could easily have been caught and killed by Cersei.
But Gendry solves their problems with his hammer, and they get away.
Jaime reveals to Cersei that he met Tyrion, and Cersei reveals to Jaime she already knew,
and allowed it to happen.
Which is pretty surprising.
Cersei hates and fears Tyrion more than anyone else in the world.
You’d think she’d take the chance to kill him . But apparently, Cersei’s decided she
needs to make peace with Daenerys to beat her in the long run.
Cersei tells Jaime that she’s pregnant, and the twins share an emotional moment, which
Cersei immediately exploits to tell Jaime to never betray her . So this is some classic
emotional manipulation from Cersei, using a tender moment for strategic gain.
But there’s probably also some sincerity here.
Cersei’s pregnancy might help explain why Cersei went from wanting to fight to the death
to wanting peace within one episode.
She has a child to protect now.
But the pregnancy also raises questions.
Maggy the Frog predicted that Cersei would have three children – a fourth child would
go against that prophecy.
In the show, Cersei did have a short-lived baby with Robert , so maybe that number’s
out the window anyway.
But it still would be weird if Cersei had another child.
Maybe she’ll die before it’s born – but if the valonqar theory is true and Jaime kills
Cersei, would he kill his own unborn child along with his twin?
This baby raises the stakes.
At Dragonstone, Jon meets Gendry.
Gendry’s father Robert, and Jon’s supposed father Ned were close friends, and their bond
inspires a friendship between Gendry and Jon.
Gendry’s keen to join the fight against the dead, which is a little surprising given
he has no experience with white walkers or the north – but Gendry has seen some mystical
shit, what with Beric and the red witch, so it’s plausible enough he believes in the
dead – if it gives him something to swing at.
Tyrion farewells Jorah, and hints at their rocky past – remember that one time Jorah
dwarfnapped Tyrion?
And Dany farewells Jorah for the umpteenth time – maybe the last time.
And finally Dany farewells Jon with a longing gaze.
It’d save a lot of hassle if these guys just admitted that they wanna bone, cause
a marriage alliance between Dany and Jon would be hugely powerful – it’d clear up the
problem of their competing claims on the Throne – they could rule together as King and Queen.
Chuck Gendry in there for a threesome, and you’d solve the whole succession crisis
in one go.
But might have to leave that for the fanfic.
At Eastwatch, Jon forms the greatest squad of warriors Westeros has ever seen.
There’s Jon Snow – the white wolf, the resurrected King in the North.
Gendry, “the Bull”, bastard son of King Robert.
Thoros – the “red wizard” of Myr, and Beric Dondarrion – the Lightning Lord, six
times reborn.
There’s Jorah Mormont, Ser Friendzone, survivor of greyscale.
Tormund Giantsbane, “Husband to Bears”, “Mead-King of Ruddy Hall” . And Sandor
Clegane – the Hound, gravedigger, eater of chicken.
It’s an amazing team, which ordinarily would be impossible.
Cause these guys are knights and wildlings, northerners and southerners, followers of
the old gods and of R’hllor – there’s a lot of bad blood.
Gendry was sold to Melisandre by Thoros and Beric.
Beric was killed by the Hound then resurrected.
Tormund’s people were hunted and killed by Jorah’s father Jeor Moment.
Any other time, these guys would be enemies.
But because of the threat of the dead, none of these grudges matter any more . Which kind
of says it all about this new season.
There’s no time for the complexity, the history, or the logistics – the story is
hurtling towards its climax.
There is something lost when the show moves so fast – but it is fucken fun to watch.
The heroes step beyond the Wall to face the night.
This scene when Cersei made Sansa write a letter against the Starks is a really interesting
chapter of the Game of Thrones books.
It shows how naïve and trusting Sansa once was, and how manipulative Cersei is, using
love to assure loyalty – just like she does with Jaime this episode.
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Thanks to translators for translating captions, and thanks to Patrons Kara Schutter, Valentin
Degen, DscoDan, Gerald Callaghan, Bruno Zorzi, and Samantha Sauve.
Cheers.