In Winterfell, Sansa Stark is proving an able ruler, organizing supplies and food stores
as they prepare for Winter, even overseeing production to ensure their armor is crafted
properly to deal with the cold weather.
Littlefinger then has a private word with Sansa giving her advice about planning for
every possible situation, telling her to see everyone as an enemy, and everyone as a friend.
To imagine all scenarios so that no matter what happens, it will be something she’s
seen before.
But their conversation is soon interrupted by the arrival of Bran Stark and Meera Reed,
at last returned to Winterfell after so many years beyond the Wall.
Sansa is overjoyed to see her brother alive, but he is visibly changed, no longer the happy
boy he’d once been, now a serious and emotionally absent young man, fully committed to his role
as 3 eyed raven even renouncing his claim to Lord of Winterfell as the last true born
son of Eddard Stark.
When they are alone Bran explains to his sister that he has the ability to see everything
that has ever happened and is happening now, but the images are scattered and fragmented,
making them difficult to place together.
Bran, therefore, must work to improve his abilities so he can do his part during the
coming Long Night.
Sansa then learns what these powers truly mean, as Bran explains that he saw what happened
to her at the hands of Ramsay Bolton.
Arriving at Dragonstone, King Jon Snow and Davos Saeworth are greeted by Tyrion Lannister
and Missandei on behalf of Queen Daenerys Targaryen.
As they walk to the fortress, Tyrion catches up with his old friend, explaining that his
marriage to Sansa was a sham and never consummated.
Along the way, Jon and Davos dive to the ground in terror as one of the Queen’s dragons
fly near, making a tremendous impact on the men, who are seeing the creatures for the
first time.
Far from the guests, Varys speaks privately with Melisandre, and issues veiled threats,
suggesting she leave Westeros and never return.
Melisandre says that she plans to go to Volantis but will return one last time as she is fated
to die in Westeros, as is Varys.
When at last they arrive in the throne room, Daenerys and Jon finally meet.
The Mother of Dragons wastes no time in referring to the Northerner as a Lord and asking him
to bend the knee.
She even references his ancestor Torrhen Stark, who knelt to Aegon Targaryen during the War
of Conquest 300 years earlier.
Jon reminds the claimant queen that it was her father the Mad King that burned his grandfather
and uncle alive.
Yet rather than make excuses, she immediately recognizes his grievance, referring to her
father as evil and offering a formal apology to House Stark on behalf of house Targaryen.
Jon responds by saying he will not judge a daughter for the actions of her father in
the same way he is not bound by an oath sworn by his ancestors.
Jon then explains that he has come to seek an alliance so they might unite to take on
the army of the dead gathering beyond the wall.
Daenerys dismisses his claims, then recounting the various horrors she has faced in her life,
telling Jon that she survived being sold, shamed, betrayed, raped, and defiled by having
faith only in herself.
Dragons had not existed for centuries until she brought them back.
The Dothraki have never crossed the sea, but did so for her, she was born to rule the seven
kingdoms and would accept nothing less.
Davos then explains the various hardships and accomplishment of Jon Snow, speaking of
how he rose from a bastard without birthright to the lord commander of the night’s watch,
making peace and allying with the wildling for the first time in history before being
declared king in the north.
Jon Snow, he says, has faced the myths and legends Daenerys does not even believe in
and has survived it all.
He then starts to slip and nearly mentions Jon’s death and resurrection, until a look
from the king cuts him off before he finishes.
Still, Daenerys asks him to bend the knee, and Tyrion explains that he will get the help
he requires if he does so, but Jon refuses, stating that her claim is based on a father
who was deposed in part by his own father.
And that the Northerners chose Jon as their King and no one else.
Daenerys then accuses him of being in open rebellion, before they are interrupted by
Varys, who whispers in the queen’s ear.
Alarmed by his words, she dismisses Jon, allowing him to travel throughout the Island but not
to leave.
When they are alone, she learns that the fleet on its way to Dorne has been attacked and
crushed by Euron Greyjoy resulting in the loss of their ships and the death or capture
of their allies.
Danerys wants to mount her dragon and start hunting the seas for the enemy, but her adviers
all agree it is to dangerous.
Instead they must hope that the second part of their plan succeeds, with the Unsullied
capturing Casterly Rock.
Later, Jon and Tyrion have a private discussion, where the Hand of the Queen points out how
unreasonable it is to think Daenerys will be persuaded to wage war against the white
walkers after a single conversation, and so they agree to make a simpler request in order
to lay a foundation for a productive relationship.
Tyrion then brings the request to the Queen, explaining that the North requires Dragonglass
to fight to dead, which exists on dragonstone in abundance.
Daenerys and Jon Snow then speak again, with neither willing to relent on their position
as monarchs, however the Queen agrees to his request for dragonglass, offering to provide
any men or resources he requires for its extraction.
In the waters of the narrow sea, Theon Greyjoy is rescued by surviving Ironborn sailors,
loyal to his sister.
In King’s Landing, Euron Greyjoy returns to parade his captives before the people,
then presenting Elaria and Tyene Sand to Queen Cersei.
Impressed by the gift he offers, she agrees to marry Euron, but only after the war is
won.
The other prisoner, Yara Greyjoy is taken by Euron, while Cersei imprisons Elaria, forcing
her to watch as Tyene is poisoned to death, using the same substance they used against
Myrcella.
Cersei then orders that Elaria be kept alive, so that she can watch her daughter die and
rot away.
Cersei, invigorated by the capture of her enemies reignites her relationship with Jaime
and is no longer concerned about hiding their relationship, even letting a servant see Jaime
in her bed.
She then has a meeting with a representative of the Iron Bank, who reminds her of the kingdoms
debt.
She makes it clear they would be unwise to support her rivals, and asks that he stay
in King’s Landing as her guest for a couple, at which time the Queen’s debts will be
paid in full.
In the Citadel of Old Town, Jorah Mormont is examined by the Archmaester, who is surprised
to find him fully cured of Greyscale.
He is then released from their custody and says goodbye to Samwell.
Although Jorah did not name Sam as his healer, the Archmaester already knows he is responsible
and scolds him for disobeying orders, however he also commends him for being successful.
Although there is no reward, the Archmaester is impressed with his skills and does not
offer a punishment either, instead getting back to Sam’s training by tasking him with
making copyies of a table full of books and scrolls.
In the Westerland, the Unsullied arrive on their ships and attack Casterly Rock, expecting
to face an army of 10000 and strong defenses.
Yet it was Tyrion Lannister who designed the sewers of the fortress in his youth, as his
father Tywin felt the job beneath his station.
And so the Unsullied take advantage of the underground system, using it to infiltrate
and capture the seat of House Lannister.
However, the Unsullied find far less resistance than originally anticipated, and after the
battle learn they have fallen into a trap, with Euron’s fleet appearing behind them
to burn their ships, stranding them in the Westerlands and forcing them to march across
the continent to reunite with their queen, leaving them vulnerable to attack.
In addition, the bulk of the Lannister forces and their supplies left the westerlands before
the Unsullied arrived, following Jaime Lannister alongside the army of Randyll Tarley, who
march against the Tyrells of Highgarden, taking their home in a surprise attack and capturing
Lady Olenna.
Rather than face a more viscious death at the hands of Cersei, Jaime poisons her drink
to ease her passing.
But before she dies, Lady Olenna looks Jaime in the eye and admits that she was behind
the death of his son Joffrey, asking that he relay the information to Cersei.