Westeros
The 'A Song of Ice and Fire' Domain
GoT
EP505: Kill the Boy
Dany (Emilia Clarke) makes a difficult decision in Meereen. Jon (Kit Harington) recruits the help of an unexpected ally. Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) searches for Sansa (Sophie Turner). Theon (Alfie Allen) remains under Ramsay’s (Iwan Rheon) control.
Index
Recap
In the Great Pyramid, candles light the room where a bandaged Grey Worm lies unconscious, Missandei alone by his side. And in the throne room, laid out on a bier, is the corpse of Ser Barristan Selmy as Daenerys Targaryen and Daario Naharis look on. Hizdahr is brought into the room by a pair of Unsullied. As Hizdahr gives his condolences, Daenerys says without turning that he was called Barristan the Bold, a man who had crossed a continent to serve her, and a loyal friend… and now he is dead, killed in an alley by cowards who hide behind masks.
Daario tells Daenerys that they withdraw to the pyramid district, and once secured use it as a base to clean out the city quarter by quarter “until the rats have nowhere left to hide.” He looks at Hizdahr as he says it, but Hizdahr says nothing. Daenerys replies that she prefers Daario’s earlier suggestion. Turning to Hizdahr he orders the leaders of all the great families gathered together and brought before her. Hizdahr notes that he himself is the leader of a great family… and to his shock is seized by the Unsullied as Daenerys looks on silently. He protests his innocence as he’s dragged away.
Beneath the pyramid, Hizdahr and six other former Masters stare into the darkness where Daenerys’s dragons are kept. Daenerys joins them and orders them to walk, and the Unsullied urge them on with their spears as they beg for their lives. The rattle of great chains can be heard emanating from the dark. Daenerys urges them on still, and one of the men stumbles forward ahead of the rest. Daenerys moves to join him as she tells the men in Valyrian that the dragons might eat them at her command—might even do so without her command. “Children,” she says. She notes some want her to give up on them, but a good mother does not give up on her children. On the other hand, however, she says she might discipline them.
With a look, Daario comes forward to push the man forward. He falls to his knees as Daenerys says a mother will never give them up. And out of the darkness, a dragon’s mouth opens, and the light of its flame appears an instant before it blasts the former Master with dragonfire, setting him alight as he screams. Rhaegal is joined by Viserion, and the two tear the burning body apart and feast as Daenerys wonders who among them is innocent. She does not know if any of them are, and wonders if she should let the dragons decide as she places a hand on Hizdahr’s shoulder. Hizdahr, shaken, bravely says, “Valar morghulis” as the other former Masters cower and beg.
Daenerys lets that hang in the air, and then says she does not wish to overfeed her dragons. “Tomorrow, perhaps,” she says before the men are dragged out again and she watches her children feast on the firey remains. Then she turns and departs.
In Castle Black’s library , Samwell reads a note to Maester Aemon that talks of Daenerys’s control of Meereen and how forces “both within and without” challenge her, but she refuses to give up until the freedom of her freedmen are secured. He remarks that she seems remarkable, but Maester Aemon is concerned for her, how she’s alone, besieged without any family to guide or protect her, her last relation “thousands of miles away, useless, dying.” Samwell tells him not to speak that way, but Aemon speaks on as if he did not hear him, saying that Daenerys is a Targaryen alone in the world and shakes his head at the terrible fact.
Jon Snow enters then, and Aemon greets him. Jon dismisses Samwell so he can speak with Aemon alone, and asks him how he feels. “Like a hundred year old man slowly freezing to death,” Aemon replies. Jon explains that he needs Aemon’s advice about a thing he feels he must do, but it will divide the Watch bitterly and half of them will hate Jon as soon as he gives the order. Aemon retorts that half the men already hate him, and so he should do it. Jon starts to equivocate, saying Aemon doesn’t know what he plans to do, but Aemon doesn’t care so long as Jon knows. Then he tells him that there’ll be little joy in being lord commander, but with luck he’ll do what needs to be done. “Kill the boy, Jon Snow,” Aemon says, speaking of winter’s approach. “Kill the boy, and let the man be born.”
Jon later meets with a chained Tormund, asking him where the free folk are who escaped the battle, and wondering who leads them. Tormund says they followed Mance and wouldn’t follow anyone else, but Jon wonders if they might not follow Tormund instead. Tormund lifts his chained hands and replies that it’d be difficult to lead. Jon offers to release him, and Tormund questions his reasons. Jon explains that Tormund and he are not enemies, and Jon presses on despite Tormund’s retort that Jon seemed like an enemy when he was killing his friends, claiming that for 8,000 years the Watch have sworn their oath to guard the realms of men… and that they have failed that oath all along, because the wildlings belong to those realms just as the Seven Kingdoms do.
Tormund is dubious, but Jon claims things will change because he’s lord commander of the Night’s Watch. Tormund wants to know what he’s supposed to do, and Jon stands up to tell him that he wants Tormund to go north beyond the Wall, gather the remaining free folk, and bring them back to Castle Black. Jon swears he’ll open the gates and he’ll find them lands to settle. Tormund responds that neither he nor they will kneel to him, but Jon says all he wants them to do is to fight at his side when the time comes. Tormund can’t imagine asking such a thing, having free folk fight beside “crows”, saying that will be the day his people cut out his guts and make him eat them.
Jon wonders about the women, children, old, and sick, and how they’ll be condemned to death—to worse than death—because of Tormund’s pride… or perhaps, he suggests, Tormund is just a coward. Tormund rises then, looming over Jon. He speaks menacingly, telling Jon that’s an easy thing to say to a chained man. Jon proceeds to take off the shackles. Tormund feels his wrists as Jon tells him that the free folk need a leader, that they need to get south of the Wall before the white walkers come and hit them first. He insists that Tormund should make peace to save his people.
Tormund stares at him… and then replies that most are at Hardhome, which Jon recognizes as being at Storrold’s Point. Jon offers him ten horses, nine men, and says they can get there in a week. Tormund responds they’ll need ships, and Jon accepts that point, stating he’ll talk to Stannis to borrow his fleet. Tormund agrees… but says that Jon must join him, that as lord commander of the Night’s Watch the wildlings will need to hear his promise in person. Tormund insists that without Jon, he won’t go.
And later in the common hall, the news causes umbrage and disquiet and argument among the brothers of the Night’s Watch as Jon sits at the high table. The First Builder publicly questions his plan to bring widllings through their gates, while Ser Alliser Thorne shakes his head as Jon attempts to argue that thousands of wildlings—men, women, and children—will die if they do nothing. The First Builder says to let them die, that they have their own to worry about and it will mean “less enemies” for them. “Fewer”, Stannis—who watches with Davos—remarks to himself. Davos asks what he said, but Stannis dismisses the question.
Then Samwell stands up and does say that the Gift has good farm land, unused land with a dozen abandoned villages. Men laugh at that, and the First Steward notes that the land is abandoned because of wildlings raids over many years. He points to Olly and reminds Sam they did just that to Olly’s village. Sam sits, and Ser Alliser notes that they’ve fought for thousands of years, that the wildlings have slaughtered villages, and Jon responds they’ve done the same to the free folk. Dolorous Edd Tollett stands up at that point and tells Jon that he’ll follow him anywhere, but the wildlings killed Grenn and Pypar, and fifty of their brothers besides.
Jon tells him that Edd was at the Fist of the First Men, and knows what will become of the wildlings when the walkers come for them. Raising his voice, he tells the gathered brothers that they can either learn to live with the wildlings, or they can add them to the army of the dead. Jon says that no matter what the free folk are now, they’re better than that. Back in his chamber, Jon paces and seems uncertain of what he’s done. A door knocks, and Olly enters carrying in food. Jon thanks him as he starts to go, but Jon tells him to say what he needs to say.
Olly steps forward and, reassured he can speak freely, asks if Jon’s simply tricking the wildlings rather than genuinely making peace. Jon tells him it’s no trick, and Olly recounts the horrors he personally witnessed when the wildlings wiped out his village. Jon steps to him and says he knows what it’s like to lose your loved ones… but winter is coming, and they know what’s coming with it and that it can’t be faced alone. Olly stares at him and then flatly asks if Jon needs anything else. Jon says no and Olly departs. Jon sighs.
At a village near Winterfell, Podrick brings bed rolls into a tavern. On the second floor, Brienne looks out a window at the great Northern castle as Podrick enters and sets down their equipment. Podrick tells her that Sansa is far from the Lannisters and that Winterfell is her home, so perhaps she’s safest where she is. Brienne turns and replies with disgust, asking if she’ll really be safer with the Boltons who murdered her mother and brother. Then looking back to Winterfell, she says Sansa is in danger even if she doesn’t realize it.
Just then, a servant of the inn enters the room to deposit an ewer. Brienne thanks him and then asks if he’s lived near Winterfell for long. He admits he does, and that he knew Lord Eddard, and his father before him. “The Starks are gone now,” he finishes, but Brienne reveals that she knows Sansa is in the castle. The man responds that everyone knows—the Boltons. But Brienne needs to get a message to Sansa Stark, and when the man asks who she is, she says she was someone who swore to keep Sansa safe. He asks whom she swore too, and when she replies “her mother,” he responds that she’s dead. But Catelyn’s death, she says, doesn’t release her from her oath. She serves Catelyn still, she argues… and asks who he serves.
In Winterfell, a naked Myranda stares out a window while Ramsay—naked in bed—calls for her to come to him. She ignores him and says she saw him staring at Sansa, to which he replies that he’ll be marrying her and that will involve looking at her occasionally. Myranda, clearly upset, tells him that he said he’d marry her. Ramsay claims he meant it when he was Ramsay Snow, but now he’s a Bolton and he must marry as his family requires. Myranda looks back and asks if he thinks she’s pretty, and he laughs and says that of course he does, as he’s not blind. Rising out of bed, he moves to join her, grabbing her as she resists.
Telling her that he knows she thinks Sansa is pretty as well, and then says he’s looking forward to the wedding night… but she shouldn’t worry, he’ll have plenty of time for her. She replies that she may marry as well, which leaves Ramsay incredulous. He turns her around, and points out she’s the kennelmaster’s daughter and wonders if she’s going to marry the stablekeeper’s son.
She angrily raises her arm to try and slap him, and he easily grabs it and pins her to the wall. Then he emphasizes that she’s his and that she’s going nowhere… unless he needs to listen to her jealousy any further, because it bores him and she knows what he does to those who bore him. She kisses him… and then bites his lip, drawing blood. Myranda says, “Never.” Turning her around, he thrusts into her as she stares out the window.
In her room, Sansa sits in silence, lost in thought when the door is knocked. She opens it and the aged serving woman begs her pardon, saying she’s come to refill the washbasin Sansa starts to say it’s unneeded, but the woman enters, shuts the door behind her, and tells her that Sansa still has friends in the North. She informs her that if Sansa is ever in trouble, to light a candle in the window of the broken tower in the castle. Sansa tries to ask who will help her, but the woman only says that she’s not alone before she departs.
Sansa later walks to the broken tower—the same from which Bran “fell”—and stares up at its window when Myranda approaches her and tells her she likes her dress. Sansa, startled, just stares at her. When Myranda asks who made it for her, Sansa claims she made it herself. Myranda seems surprised. When Sansa asks her who she is, Myranda gives her name and the fact that she’s the kennelmaster’s daughter. Myranda then asks if she can look more closely at the gown. She looks at the sleeve, marvelling at the stitching, and asks who taught her. “My mother,” Sansa replies, pulling her arm away.
Myranda offers her condolences for what happened to Catelyn, but says it was good that she taught her, that it was a gift and that whenever she wears something she made she can remember her mother. Sansa admits she’d rather have a mother, and Myranda admits it’s not the same… but still, it’s good to remember how things were. Then she claims she almost forgot something, and says that there’s something else that can help Sansa remember.
We see that she’s led Sansa to the kennels, and tells her to go down to the end. Sansa asks what it is, and Myranda sweetly smiles and says it’ll ruin the surprise. She tells her it’s perfectly safe, but that Sansa won’t believe it when she sees it. The dogs bark and snarl as Sansa walks the length of the kennels… and comes to the last kennel, where Reek sleeps. She stares at the figure, and suddenly he sits up and she sees his face. “Theon,” she says, disbelieving. He shakes his head, and then musters the will to say that she shouldn’t be there. Overcome by the sight of him, a look of pure hate on her face driving him into a corner, she turns and angrily leaves.
Later that evening, Reek laces Ramsay’s jerkin as Ramsay says he smells particularly ripe, and then prompts him to pour some wine. Reek does so under Ramsay’s watchful gaze. When prompted by Ramsay, Reek admits he has something to say: that Sansa saw him in the kennel. Reek begs forgiveness, and Ramsay has him approach. He tells him he must not keep secrets from him, and has Reek kneel and give him his hand. Terrified at the punishment he’s about to receive, Reek does as he’s told. Ramsay grabs the hand… and after a long moment, places his other hand over it and forgives Reek. Reek stares at him, stunned, and Ramsay smiles slowly.
Dining in Winterfell’s great hall, Roose tells Sansa that he hopes she finds her chambers suitable, and Sansa thanks him. Ramsay pours for Sansa, and then for his father’s wife, Walda Frey. Ramsay proceeds to stand and offers that they’re all a family, that the blood ties between the Northerners go back thousands of years, and he offers a toast to their wedding in hopes that their joy will spread from Moat Cailin to the Last Hearth. After the toast, Walda tells Sansa it must be difficult being a strange place. “It’s not a strange place, it’s my home,” Sansa responds somewhat sharply. “It’s the people who are strange.”
Ramsay smiles at her and admits that she’s right, that they’re “very strange.” He calls for more wine, and Reek comes out of the shadows. Ramsay goes on to say that he heard of their reunion. He says he likes to suppose that the last time they spoke was in the great hall. He asks a silent Sansa if she’s still angry with Theon, for what he did. Then he says not to worry, the North remembers, and he punished him—he’s not ironborn anymore, not Theon Greyjoy, a new man—new person, anyways—and calls him Reek, noting it’s his new name. When Sansa asks why he’s doing it, he says Reek has something to say to her. Calling him forward, he tells him to give her an apology for the murder of her brothers Bran and Rickon, and then makes him repeat it when he doesn’t look her in the eyes. Sansa has nothing to say to that.
In the silence, Ramsay suddenly says that it’s over and done with, and now everyone must be feeling better because it was “getting very tense.” Then Ramsay notes that with her brothers dead (and the rest of her family gone) Reek is the closest thing to family she has left, and announces that Reek will give her away when they marry. Ramsay doubts there’s a better person, and asks if the rest agree it’s good. Then Roose speaks up, dismissively calling it good and then revealing that he and Walda have good news as well. With a look, he has Walda reveal that she’s with child. Sansa politely says she’s happy for her, and Roose adds that Maester Welkin says it looks like a boy while giving Ramsay a look. Ramsay drinks wine, and seems upset.
Later, Ramsay and Roose are alone before a map of the North marking out their forces. Ramsay asks how his father can be sure that Walda is pregnant, and wonders how one can tell when Walda is so fat. Roose replies that the maester has reassured them beyond any doubt. Ramsay gets up, cup of wine in hand, and asks how his father managed to get Walda pregnant, meaning how he could find “it”. Roose dimisses his son’s rude japes, saying that he disgraced himself at dinner by parading “that creature before the Stark girl”, but Ramsay is stuck on the question of Walda’s pregnancy. What if it is a boy, he wonders, and Roose observes that he’s concerned about his position. Ramsay replies that his position is clear: he’s Roose’s son, until some better alternative comes along.
Ramsay drains his cup and moves to refill it when Roose tells him he’s never asked about his mother. Ramsay doesn’t see why he would: she had him, she died, and there they are in Winterfell. Roose informs him that she was a smallfolk girl, pretty in a common way, the miller’s wife… but they had married without Roose’s consent, so he hanged the miller and raped her beneath her husband’s corpse. Roose flatly states that she fought the entire time, and she was lucky he didn’t hang her too. A year later, he notes, she came to the Dreadfort with a baby she claimed was his. He was going to whip her and throw the child in the river, but looking on the infant he saw then what he sees presently: “You are my son.”
Ramsay seems surprised by that. Roose moves to the table and informs him that Stannis has an army at Castle Black but he will march on King’s Landing… and to do that, he must go through Winterfell. Stannis will plan to take the North, Roose says, but “the North is ours. It’s yours and mine.” He asks Ramsay if he’ll help him defeat him, and Ramsay replies, “Yes.”
In Castle Black’s library, Samwell is reading while Gilly is walking among the books. She asks if the library contains every book there is, and Samwell says no, there’s many more books than the castle’s small library has. She asks if Samwell’s home had more books, and Sam replies his father was not very interested in books. Then Sam offers that the Citadel is said to have the world’s largest library, and when Gilly asks, he explains it’s located in Oldtown. Gilly apologizes for being ignorant, but Samwell insists she knows hundreds of worthwhile tasks—but she complains that they’re simply household, domestic tasks. Then she asks why the Citadel has such a library, and Samwell explains it’s where the maesters are trained. He admits he wanted to be one in his youth, but instead he became a man of the Watch. “Far more adventure up here, anyway,” he jests, and adds that he wouldn’t have met her otherwise.
Then Stannis Baratheon enters. Gilly scurries out without a word. Stannis addresses Samwell, remarking that his father Randyll Tarly was the only man to ever defeat Robert, at the Battle of Ashford. He adds that he had told Robert not to go so far west so quickly, but that Robert never listened. Stannis adds to a silent Samwell that Lord Randyll is a fine soldier, but that Samwell doesn’t look like a soldier at all. Samwell looks down at that, but when Stannis shares that he’s heard that Stannis killed a white walker, Samwell admits he did. Stannis asks how he did it. Samwell explains that it was with the dragonglass dagger, and starts to explain it’s called obsidian by the maesters when Stannis says that he knows what it is, that they have it on Dragonstone.
Stannis asks why obsidian would kill a walker, and Samwell reveals he has been reading all the old manuscripts to try and find something and the only thing he’s learned is that the children of the forest used to hunt with dragonglass. Stannis informs Sam that Melisandre has stated that death marches on the Wall. Samwell says he personally saw the army of the dead. Stannis says they have to know how to fight them, and then departs but not before telling Sam to keep reading.
Davos sits alone, carving a piece of wood when Stannis enters and tells him it’s time. Stannis starts to leave after that announcement, but Davos stops him, questioning their leaving so soon before Jon Snow can return with the wildlings who could add thousands of men to their army. “If Jon Snow returns with the wildlings,” Stannis says, and explains they can’t wait. They have all the advantages of more men, horses, and supplies… but every day they wait, winter can come at any moment and shift things in Roose Boltons favor. Stannis insists they must act now, and tells Davos to give the order that they’ll march at sunrise.
Davos steps forward to suggest selecting a dozen men to act as a guard for Selyse and Shireen at Castle Black, but Stannis dismisses it: they’re coming with the army. Davos can’t understand it, thinking they’ll be safer at the castle, but Stannis notes half the Watch is made up of killers and rapers. Davos agrees to do as he was told, and as Stannis leaves across the yard Davos sees Melisandre watching.
The next day, in Castle Black’s yard, the host gathers to march. Gilly with her child and Samwell watch, among others. Shireen, mounted on a horse, asks Davos if her father will go down into the crypts of Winterfell where the old Kings of Winter lie at rest. Davos tells her that there’s a long march ahead, and they must take the castle, before that can happen. Shireen asks if there’ll be a battle, but before Davos can say more than that she will be nowhere near it, Shireen silences him and tells him there’ll be no more talk of battles because it will scare Shireen. After her mother leaves, Shireen offers that she isn’t scared, and Ser Davos replies that he is, and he hopes she’ll protect him when the battle comes. She promises that she will.
Shireen gives a last look to Gilly and Samwell, but Shireen’s scornful gaze makes her look away. Climbing steps, Jon Snow joins Stannis as he’s preparing to join his men. Stannis mutters that he hopes he knows what he’s doing, because he needs those ships. Jon promises to bring them back. Stannis starts to leave, and Jon stops him to wish him a safe journey. Stannis offers his thanks, and goes down to the yard. Mounting is horse, the Lady Melisandre mounted beside him and giving Jon a last look, the host rides out to join the rest of the army, thousands of horsemen stretching away into the distance.
In the Great Pyramid, Grey Worm finally awakens with a start. Missandei eases him back down, saying he’s still too weak. Missandei tells him he has been unconscious for three days. Then he asks about Ser Barristan. Missandei sadly shakes her head, and Grey Worm turns away from her, saying that he failed him in Valyrian, and he failed his men and his queen as well. Missandei refutes this, saying he fought bravely and he will fight again. Then she asks in Common Tongue if he’s ashamed, arguing that under the circumstances there was nothing more that he could have done.
He turns back to her to say that that was not why he is ashamed. He states that there is no shame in being wounded… but when the knife came in and he fell to the ground, he was afraid. Missandei replies all men fear death, but Grey Worm replies that what he feared was that he would never again see Missandei from the island of Naath. Missandei weeps silently, then sits on the side of the bed. Caressing his cheek, she brings her lips down to his, kissing him.
Later, Daenerys speaks with Missandei in her royal chambers. Missandei tells her that she’s given the former masters what they deserve, but Daenerys replies that if she gave everyone in the city what they deserved, she would have no subjects left. She tells Missandei how Barristan counseled her to be merciful right to the day he died, while Daario wants to kill all the former masters and leave the city to fend for itself. She turns to Missandei, asking her view, and Missandei feels she isn’t fit. Daenerys sits and tells her that Missandei knows she is fit, that she knows why Daenerys came to Meereen and who will suffer most if she fails.
Missandei joins her and says she’s seen her listen to her councillors and trust to them… and she has seen her ignore them when she saw a better way that no one but Daenerys could see. Daenerys is left thoughtful.
Later Daenerys descends into the dungeons of the Great Pyramid, and enters Hizdahr zo Loraq’s self. Falling on his knees, Hizdahr begs Daenerys not to kill him. She asks about his having said “all men must die”, and he explains that he did not wish to die a coward… but as he wipes his eyes, he admits he doesn’t want to die at all. Daenerys says it takes courage to say that, and to admit a mistake… and she admits she made a mistake about tradition and how to bring the people of Meereen together. She agrees to open the fighting pits, but the fighters must all be free—slavery will not return while she lives.
Furthermore, she reveals to him that she will marry the leader of an ancient family. Hizdahr nods… but it surprised when Daenerys reveals that her suitor is already on his knees. She leaves him in his cell, but the door is left open.
On a wide river, Jorah and Tyrion sail on their way to Meereen. With trembling hands, Tyrion says he’s fine, that nothing is broken. Jorah remains silent. Tyrion asks where they are, and notes it’s not the Rhoyne. Jorah remains silent. Tyrion remarks on the silences and the “occasional punch in the face” as the Mormont way. Then Tyrion offers to start over, and apologizes for before while suggesting it need not be an unpleasant trip. Jorah remains silent, until Tyrion notes they’ll spend a good deal of time together. “We are,” Jorah replies.
Tyrion tries to get wine, claiming it will make their time more enjoyable, but Jorah refuses him. Tyrion insists he must drink, but Jorah stands and looks into the distance. Tyrion turns to see a mist-enshrouded city, and he realizes where they are: Jorah will take them through Valyria, which he’s never sailed through before. Tyrion wonders if he means to bring a gift to Daenerys from her ancestral homeland, in case Tyrion himself is not enough of a prize, but Jorah replies that he thinks Tyrion will be plenty. Tyrion notes that it’s said the Doom still rules in Valyria, and wonders if the demons and flames don’t scare Jorah. He replies that it does not… but it frightens pirates.
They sail on, and the city is revealed to be an empty ruin shrouded in the mists of the “Smoking Sea”. There are the sounds of birds in the distance, amidst the trees, but no sight of them. Tyrion wonders how long before men can build such cities again, because the Valyrians had been better at almost everything for thousands of years… and then, Jorah finishes for him, they weren’t. Tyrion agrees. Tyrion begins to recite a poem, a poem about two lovers in Valyria who turn their backs on the Doom so that they do not see the ruins and horror of it: hills split asunder, dragons burned by the flames that shot into the sky, the black clouds that ate the sky.
And then Jorah finishes it for him as they approach a great bridge or aqueduct: “The city of a thousand years and all that men had learned, / the Doom consumed it all alike and neither of them turned.” Tyrion claims he would clap, and looks out to say that that’s it, then, that that is what remains….
… when he and Jorah see the great wings of Drogon, flying above and past them. Both marvel at the sight of the dragon as it flies past them and away into the distance. Their gaze follows it, and they both miss the dark shape that rises from the ruins and then drops into the water. The splash makes them turn, and Tyrion wonders what it was. And then a second shape, falls directly into the boat, his grey stony skin having made him seem like a part of the ruin. The greyscale-afflicted stone man screeches, and Jorah shouts not to let the Stone Men touch him. Another jumps into the water and tries to climb aboard while Jorah fights the first.
Tyrion shouts to be cut free as Jorah fights on using an oar and other implements, as yet more Stone Men appear. Finally Jorah has his sword and cuts down two of the stone men, but Tyrion is driven to throw himself over the side as a Stone Man almost takes hold of him. Tyrion tries to free his hands… when a Stone Man beneath him that had been driven into the water grabs his ankle and begins to drag him down into the darkness.
Later, eyes fluttering open, Tyrion awakens with a wet Jorah Mormont above him, shaking him awake. They are both on a deserted shore. Jorah cuts Tyrion’s bonds and tells him he’s heavier than he looks. Jorah asks if anyone touched Tyrion, and Tyrion shakes his head and then asks if Jorah was touched. Jorah too shakes his head. Tyrion remarks that he’s seen greyscale before, but nothing like the amount that afflicted those men. Jorah supposes that’s why they were sent to the ruins of Valyria, and Tyrion retorts that it would have been kinder to put daggers in their hearts.
Jorah spits out water as Tyrion thanks him for saving his life, but Tyrion adds that if he hadn’t been kidnapped in the first place it would have been unnecessary. Tyrion asks what next, and Jorah replies that they’ll walk up the coast, find a fishing village and perhaps another boat if they’re lucky. Tyrion wonders what happens if they aren’t lucky, and Jorah replies that it will be a long walk. He goes to find wood for a fire, and tells Tyrion to find some rest. “That’s the best idea you’ve had all day,” Tyrion replies. Jorah walks away, staring in the distance at the great structures of a city (possibly the ruins of Valyria that they have now left behind).
Then, Jorah glances back at Tyrion, who sits staring away at the sea, and turns back to lift his sleeve from his left wrist. There is revealed the beginning of greyscales, and proof that Jorah lied about not having been touched by the stone men while fighting them. Jorah stares at his arm, looks grim… and then proceeds to go look for wood.
Recap
In the Great Pyramid, candles light the room where a bandaged Grey Worm lies unconscious, Missandei alone by his side. And in the throne room, laid out on a bier, is the corpse of Ser Barristan Selmy as Daenerys Targaryen and Daario Naharis look on. Hizdahr is brought into the room by a pair of Unsullied. As Hizdahr gives his condolences, Daenerys says without turning that he was called Barristan the Bold, a man who had crossed a continent to serve her, and a loyal friend… and now he is dead, killed in an alley by cowards who hide behind masks.
Daario tells Daenerys that they withdraw to the pyramid district, and once secured use it as a base to clean out the city quarter by quarter “until the rats have nowhere left to hide.” He looks at Hizdahr as he says it, but Hizdahr says nothing. Daenerys replies that she prefers Daario’s earlier suggestion. Turning to Hizdahr he orders the leaders of all the great families gathered together and brought before her. Hizdahr notes that he himself is the leader of a great family… and to his shock is seized by the Unsullied as Daenerys looks on silently. He protests his innocence as he’s dragged away.
Beneath the pyramid, Hizdahr and six other former Masters stare into the darkness where Daenerys’s dragons are kept. Daenerys joins them and orders them to walk, and the Unsullied urge them on with their spears as they beg for their lives. The rattle of great chains can be heard emanating from the dark. Daenerys urges them on still, and one of the men stumbles forward ahead of the rest. Daenerys moves to join him as she tells the men in Valyrian that the dragons might eat them at her command—might even do so without her command. “Children,” she says. She notes some want her to give up on them, but a good mother does not give up on her children. On the other hand, however, she says she might discipline them.
With a look, Daario comes forward to push the man forward. He falls to his knees as Daenerys says a mother will never give them up. And out of the darkness, a dragon’s mouth opens, and the light of its flame appears an instant before it blasts the former Master with dragonfire, setting him alight as he screams. Rhaegal is joined by Viserion, and the two tear the burning body apart and feast as Daenerys wonders who among them is innocent. She does not know if any of them are, and wonders if she should let the dragons decide as she places a hand on Hizdahr’s shoulder. Hizdahr, shaken, bravely says, “Valar morghulis” as the other former Masters cower and beg.
Daenerys lets that hang in the air, and then says she does not wish to overfeed her dragons. “Tomorrow, perhaps,” she says before the men are dragged out again and she watches her children feast on the firey remains. Then she turns and departs.
In Castle Black’s library , Samwell reads a note to Maester Aemon that talks of Daenerys’s control of Meereen and how forces “both within and without” challenge her, but she refuses to give up until the freedom of her freedmen are secured. He remarks that she seems remarkable, but Maester Aemon is concerned for her, how she’s alone, besieged without any family to guide or protect her, her last relation “thousands of miles away, useless, dying.” Samwell tells him not to speak that way, but Aemon speaks on as if he did not hear him, saying that Daenerys is a Targaryen alone in the world and shakes his head at the terrible fact.
Jon Snow enters then, and Aemon greets him. Jon dismisses Samwell so he can speak with Aemon alone, and asks him how he feels. “Like a hundred year old man slowly freezing to death,” Aemon replies. Jon explains that he needs Aemon’s advice about a thing he feels he must do, but it will divide the Watch bitterly and half of them will hate Jon as soon as he gives the order. Aemon retorts that half the men already hate him, and so he should do it. Jon starts to equivocate, saying Aemon doesn’t know what he plans to do, but Aemon doesn’t care so long as Jon knows. Then he tells him that there’ll be little joy in being lord commander, but with luck he’ll do what needs to be done. “Kill the boy, Jon Snow,” Aemon says, speaking of winter’s approach. “Kill the boy, and let the man be born.”
Jon later meets with a chained Tormund, asking him where the free folk are who escaped the battle, and wondering who leads them. Tormund says they followed Mance and wouldn’t follow anyone else, but Jon wonders if they might not follow Tormund instead. Tormund lifts his chained hands and replies that it’d be difficult to lead. Jon offers to release him, and Tormund questions his reasons. Jon explains that Tormund and he are not enemies, and Jon presses on despite Tormund’s retort that Jon seemed like an enemy when he was killing his friends, claiming that for 8,000 years the Watch have sworn their oath to guard the realms of men… and that they have failed that oath all along, because the wildlings belong to those realms just as the Seven Kingdoms do.
Tormund is dubious, but Jon claims things will change because he’s lord commander of the Night’s Watch. Tormund wants to know what he’s supposed to do, and Jon stands up to tell him that he wants Tormund to go north beyond the Wall, gather the remaining free folk, and bring them back to Castle Black. Jon swears he’ll open the gates and he’ll find them lands to settle. Tormund responds that neither he nor they will kneel to him, but Jon says all he wants them to do is to fight at his side when the time comes. Tormund can’t imagine asking such a thing, having free folk fight beside “crows”, saying that will be the day his people cut out his guts and make him eat them.
Jon wonders about the women, children, old, and sick, and how they’ll be condemned to death—to worse than death—because of Tormund’s pride… or perhaps, he suggests, Tormund is just a coward. Tormund rises then, looming over Jon. He speaks menacingly, telling Jon that’s an easy thing to say to a chained man. Jon proceeds to take off the shackles. Tormund feels his wrists as Jon tells him that the free folk need a leader, that they need to get south of the Wall before the white walkers come and hit them first. He insists that Tormund should make peace to save his people.
Tormund stares at him… and then replies that most are at Hardhome, which Jon recognizes as being at Storrold’s Point. Jon offers him ten horses, nine men, and says they can get there in a week. Tormund responds they’ll need ships, and Jon accepts that point, stating he’ll talk to Stannis to borrow his fleet. Tormund agrees… but says that Jon must join him, that as lord commander of the Night’s Watch the wildlings will need to hear his promise in person. Tormund insists that without Jon, he won’t go.
And later in the common hall, the news causes umbrage and disquiet and argument among the brothers of the Night’s Watch as Jon sits at the high table. The First Builder publicly questions his plan to bring widllings through their gates, while Ser Alliser Thorne shakes his head as Jon attempts to argue that thousands of wildlings—men, women, and children—will die if they do nothing. The First Builder says to let them die, that they have their own to worry about and it will mean “less enemies” for them. “Fewer”, Stannis—who watches with Davos—remarks to himself. Davos asks what he said, but Stannis dismisses the question.
Then Samwell stands up and does say that the Gift has good farm land, unused land with a dozen abandoned villages. Men laugh at that, and the First Steward notes that the land is abandoned because of wildlings raids over many years. He points to Olly and reminds Sam they did just that to Olly’s village. Sam sits, and Ser Alliser notes that they’ve fought for thousands of years, that the wildlings have slaughtered villages, and Jon responds they’ve done the same to the free folk. Dolorous Edd Tollett stands up at that point and tells Jon that he’ll follow him anywhere, but the wildlings killed Grenn and Pypar, and fifty of their brothers besides.
Jon tells him that Edd was at the Fist of the First Men, and knows what will become of the wildlings when the walkers come for them. Raising his voice, he tells the gathered brothers that they can either learn to live with the wildlings, or they can add them to the army of the dead. Jon says that no matter what the free folk are now, they’re better than that. Back in his chamber, Jon paces and seems uncertain of what he’s done. A door knocks, and Olly enters carrying in food. Jon thanks him as he starts to go, but Jon tells him to say what he needs to say.
Olly steps forward and, reassured he can speak freely, asks if Jon’s simply tricking the wildlings rather than genuinely making peace. Jon tells him it’s no trick, and Olly recounts the horrors he personally witnessed when the wildlings wiped out his village. Jon steps to him and says he knows what it’s like to lose your loved ones… but winter is coming, and they know what’s coming with it and that it can’t be faced alone. Olly stares at him and then flatly asks if Jon needs anything else. Jon says no and Olly departs. Jon sighs.
At a village near Winterfell, Podrick brings bed rolls into a tavern. On the second floor, Brienne looks out a window at the great Northern castle as Podrick enters and sets down their equipment. Podrick tells her that Sansa is far from the Lannisters and that Winterfell is her home, so perhaps she’s safest where she is. Brienne turns and replies with disgust, asking if she’ll really be safer with the Boltons who murdered her mother and brother. Then looking back to Winterfell, she says Sansa is in danger even if she doesn’t realize it.
Just then, a servant of the inn enters the room to deposit an ewer. Brienne thanks him and then asks if he’s lived near Winterfell for long. He admits he does, and that he knew Lord Eddard, and his father before him. “The Starks are gone now,” he finishes, but Brienne reveals that she knows Sansa is in the castle. The man responds that everyone knows—the Boltons. But Brienne needs to get a message to Sansa Stark, and when the man asks who she is, she says she was someone who swore to keep Sansa safe. He asks whom she swore too, and when she replies “her mother,” he responds that she’s dead. But Catelyn’s death, she says, doesn’t release her from her oath. She serves Catelyn still, she argues… and asks who he serves.
In Winterfell, a naked Myranda stares out a window while Ramsay—naked in bed—calls for her to come to him. She ignores him and says she saw him staring at Sansa, to which he replies that he’ll be marrying her and that will involve looking at her occasionally. Myranda, clearly upset, tells him that he said he’d marry her. Ramsay claims he meant it when he was Ramsay Snow, but now he’s a Bolton and he must marry as his family requires. Myranda looks back and asks if he thinks she’s pretty, and he laughs and says that of course he does, as he’s not blind. Rising out of bed, he moves to join her, grabbing her as she resists.
Telling her that he knows she thinks Sansa is pretty as well, and then says he’s looking forward to the wedding night… but she shouldn’t worry, he’ll have plenty of time for her. She replies that she may marry as well, which leaves Ramsay incredulous. He turns her around, and points out she’s the kennelmaster’s daughter and wonders if she’s going to marry the stablekeeper’s son.
She angrily raises her arm to try and slap him, and he easily grabs it and pins her to the wall. Then he emphasizes that she’s his and that she’s going nowhere… unless he needs to listen to her jealousy any further, because it bores him and she knows what he does to those who bore him. She kisses him… and then bites his lip, drawing blood. Myranda says, “Never.” Turning her around, he thrusts into her as she stares out the window.
In her room, Sansa sits in silence, lost in thought when the door is knocked. She opens it and the aged serving woman begs her pardon, saying she’s come to refill the washbasin Sansa starts to say it’s unneeded, but the woman enters, shuts the door behind her, and tells her that Sansa still has friends in the North. She informs her that if Sansa is ever in trouble, to light a candle in the window of the broken tower in the castle. Sansa tries to ask who will help her, but the woman only says that she’s not alone before she departs.
Sansa later walks to the broken tower—the same from which Bran “fell”—and stares up at its window when Myranda approaches her and tells her she likes her dress. Sansa, startled, just stares at her. When Myranda asks who made it for her, Sansa claims she made it herself. Myranda seems surprised. When Sansa asks her who she is, Myranda gives her name and the fact that she’s the kennelmaster’s daughter. Myranda then asks if she can look more closely at the gown. She looks at the sleeve, marvelling at the stitching, and asks who taught her. “My mother,” Sansa replies, pulling her arm away.
Myranda offers her condolences for what happened to Catelyn, but says it was good that she taught her, that it was a gift and that whenever she wears something she made she can remember her mother. Sansa admits she’d rather have a mother, and Myranda admits it’s not the same… but still, it’s good to remember how things were. Then she claims she almost forgot something, and says that there’s something else that can help Sansa remember.
We see that she’s led Sansa to the kennels, and tells her to go down to the end. Sansa asks what it is, and Myranda sweetly smiles and says it’ll ruin the surprise. She tells her it’s perfectly safe, but that Sansa won’t believe it when she sees it. The dogs bark and snarl as Sansa walks the length of the kennels… and comes to the last kennel, where Reek sleeps. She stares at the figure, and suddenly he sits up and she sees his face. “Theon,” she says, disbelieving. He shakes his head, and then musters the will to say that she shouldn’t be there. Overcome by the sight of him, a look of pure hate on her face driving him into a corner, she turns and angrily leaves.
Later that evening, Reek laces Ramsay’s jerkin as Ramsay says he smells particularly ripe, and then prompts him to pour some wine. Reek does so under Ramsay’s watchful gaze. When prompted by Ramsay, Reek admits he has something to say: that Sansa saw him in the kennel. Reek begs forgiveness, and Ramsay has him approach. He tells him he must not keep secrets from him, and has Reek kneel and give him his hand. Terrified at the punishment he’s about to receive, Reek does as he’s told. Ramsay grabs the hand… and after a long moment, places his other hand over it and forgives Reek. Reek stares at him, stunned, and Ramsay smiles slowly.
Dining in Winterfell’s great hall, Roose tells Sansa that he hopes she finds her chambers suitable, and Sansa thanks him. Ramsay pours for Sansa, and then for his father’s wife, Walda Frey. Ramsay proceeds to stand and offers that they’re all a family, that the blood ties between the Northerners go back thousands of years, and he offers a toast to their wedding in hopes that their joy will spread from Moat Cailin to the Last Hearth. After the toast, Walda tells Sansa it must be difficult being a strange place. “It’s not a strange place, it’s my home,” Sansa responds somewhat sharply. “It’s the people who are strange.”
Ramsay smiles at her and admits that she’s right, that they’re “very strange.” He calls for more wine, and Reek comes out of the shadows. Ramsay goes on to say that he heard of their reunion. He says he likes to suppose that the last time they spoke was in the great hall. He asks a silent Sansa if she’s still angry with Theon, for what he did. Then he says not to worry, the North remembers, and he punished him—he’s not ironborn anymore, not Theon Greyjoy, a new man—new person, anyways—and calls him Reek, noting it’s his new name. When Sansa asks why he’s doing it, he says Reek has something to say to her. Calling him forward, he tells him to give her an apology for the murder of her brothers Bran and Rickon, and then makes him repeat it when he doesn’t look her in the eyes. Sansa has nothing to say to that.
In the silence, Ramsay suddenly says that it’s over and done with, and now everyone must be feeling better because it was “getting very tense.” Then Ramsay notes that with her brothers dead (and the rest of her family gone) Reek is the closest thing to family she has left, and announces that Reek will give her away when they marry. Ramsay doubts there’s a better person, and asks if the rest agree it’s good. Then Roose speaks up, dismissively calling it good and then revealing that he and Walda have good news as well. With a look, he has Walda reveal that she’s with child. Sansa politely says she’s happy for her, and Roose adds that Maester Welkin says it looks like a boy while giving Ramsay a look. Ramsay drinks wine, and seems upset.
Later, Ramsay and Roose are alone before a map of the North marking out their forces. Ramsay asks how his father can be sure that Walda is pregnant, and wonders how one can tell when Walda is so fat. Roose replies that the maester has reassured them beyond any doubt. Ramsay gets up, cup of wine in hand, and asks how his father managed to get Walda pregnant, meaning how he could find “it”. Roose dimisses his son’s rude japes, saying that he disgraced himself at dinner by parading “that creature before the Stark girl”, but Ramsay is stuck on the question of Walda’s pregnancy. What if it is a boy, he wonders, and Roose observes that he’s concerned about his position. Ramsay replies that his position is clear: he’s Roose’s son, until some better alternative comes along.
Ramsay drains his cup and moves to refill it when Roose tells him he’s never asked about his mother. Ramsay doesn’t see why he would: she had him, she died, and there they are in Winterfell. Roose informs him that she was a smallfolk girl, pretty in a common way, the miller’s wife… but they had married without Roose’s consent, so he hanged the miller and raped her beneath her husband’s corpse. Roose flatly states that she fought the entire time, and she was lucky he didn’t hang her too. A year later, he notes, she came to the Dreadfort with a baby she claimed was his. He was going to whip her and throw the child in the river, but looking on the infant he saw then what he sees presently: “You are my son.”
Ramsay seems surprised by that. Roose moves to the table and informs him that Stannis has an army at Castle Black but he will march on King’s Landing… and to do that, he must go through Winterfell. Stannis will plan to take the North, Roose says, but “the North is ours. It’s yours and mine.” He asks Ramsay if he’ll help him defeat him, and Ramsay replies, “Yes.”
In Castle Black’s library, Samwell is reading while Gilly is walking among the books. She asks if the library contains every book there is, and Samwell says no, there’s many more books than the castle’s small library has. She asks if Samwell’s home had more books, and Sam replies his father was not very interested in books. Then Sam offers that the Citadel is said to have the world’s largest library, and when Gilly asks, he explains it’s located in Oldtown. Gilly apologizes for being ignorant, but Samwell insists she knows hundreds of worthwhile tasks—but she complains that they’re simply household, domestic tasks. Then she asks why the Citadel has such a library, and Samwell explains it’s where the maesters are trained. He admits he wanted to be one in his youth, but instead he became a man of the Watch. “Far more adventure up here, anyway,” he jests, and adds that he wouldn’t have met her otherwise.
Then Stannis Baratheon enters. Gilly scurries out without a word. Stannis addresses Samwell, remarking that his father Randyll Tarly was the only man to ever defeat Robert, at the Battle of Ashford. He adds that he had told Robert not to go so far west so quickly, but that Robert never listened. Stannis adds to a silent Samwell that Lord Randyll is a fine soldier, but that Samwell doesn’t look like a soldier at all. Samwell looks down at that, but when Stannis shares that he’s heard that Stannis killed a white walker, Samwell admits he did. Stannis asks how he did it. Samwell explains that it was with the dragonglass dagger, and starts to explain it’s called obsidian by the maesters when Stannis says that he knows what it is, that they have it on Dragonstone.
Stannis asks why obsidian would kill a walker, and Samwell reveals he has been reading all the old manuscripts to try and find something and the only thing he’s learned is that the children of the forest used to hunt with dragonglass. Stannis informs Sam that Melisandre has stated that death marches on the Wall. Samwell says he personally saw the army of the dead. Stannis says they have to know how to fight them, and then departs but not before telling Sam to keep reading.
Davos sits alone, carving a piece of wood when Stannis enters and tells him it’s time. Stannis starts to leave after that announcement, but Davos stops him, questioning their leaving so soon before Jon Snow can return with the wildlings who could add thousands of men to their army. “If Jon Snow returns with the wildlings,” Stannis says, and explains they can’t wait. They have all the advantages of more men, horses, and supplies… but every day they wait, winter can come at any moment and shift things in Roose Boltons favor. Stannis insists they must act now, and tells Davos to give the order that they’ll march at sunrise.
Davos steps forward to suggest selecting a dozen men to act as a guard for Selyse and Shireen at Castle Black, but Stannis dismisses it: they’re coming with the army. Davos can’t understand it, thinking they’ll be safer at the castle, but Stannis notes half the Watch is made up of killers and rapers. Davos agrees to do as he was told, and as Stannis leaves across the yard Davos sees Melisandre watching.
The next day, in Castle Black’s yard, the host gathers to march. Gilly with her child and Samwell watch, among others. Shireen, mounted on a horse, asks Davos if her father will go down into the crypts of Winterfell where the old Kings of Winter lie at rest. Davos tells her that there’s a long march ahead, and they must take the castle, before that can happen. Shireen asks if there’ll be a battle, but before Davos can say more than that she will be nowhere near it, Shireen silences him and tells him there’ll be no more talk of battles because it will scare Shireen. After her mother leaves, Shireen offers that she isn’t scared, and Ser Davos replies that he is, and he hopes she’ll protect him when the battle comes. She promises that she will.
Shireen gives a last look to Gilly and Samwell, but Shireen’s scornful gaze makes her look away. Climbing steps, Jon Snow joins Stannis as he’s preparing to join his men. Stannis mutters that he hopes he knows what he’s doing, because he needs those ships. Jon promises to bring them back. Stannis starts to leave, and Jon stops him to wish him a safe journey. Stannis offers his thanks, and goes down to the yard. Mounting is horse, the Lady Melisandre mounted beside him and giving Jon a last look, the host rides out to join the rest of the army, thousands of horsemen stretching away into the distance.
In the Great Pyramid, Grey Worm finally awakens with a start. Missandei eases him back down, saying he’s still too weak. Missandei tells him he has been unconscious for three days. Then he asks about Ser Barristan. Missandei sadly shakes her head, and Grey Worm turns away from her, saying that he failed him in Valyrian, and he failed his men and his queen as well. Missandei refutes this, saying he fought bravely and he will fight again. Then she asks in Common Tongue if he’s ashamed, arguing that under the circumstances there was nothing more that he could have done.
He turns back to her to say that that was not why he is ashamed. He states that there is no shame in being wounded… but when the knife came in and he fell to the ground, he was afraid. Missandei replies all men fear death, but Grey Worm replies that what he feared was that he would never again see Missandei from the island of Naath. Missandei weeps silently, then sits on the side of the bed. Caressing his cheek, she brings her lips down to his, kissing him.
Later, Daenerys speaks with Missandei in her royal chambers. Missandei tells her that she’s given the former masters what they deserve, but Daenerys replies that if she gave everyone in the city what they deserved, she would have no subjects left. She tells Missandei how Barristan counseled her to be merciful right to the day he died, while Daario wants to kill all the former masters and leave the city to fend for itself. She turns to Missandei, asking her view, and Missandei feels she isn’t fit. Daenerys sits and tells her that Missandei knows she is fit, that she knows why Daenerys came to Meereen and who will suffer most if she fails.
Missandei joins her and says she’s seen her listen to her councillors and trust to them… and she has seen her ignore them when she saw a better way that no one but Daenerys could see. Daenerys is left thoughtful.
Later Daenerys descends into the dungeons of the Great Pyramid, and enters Hizdahr zo Loraq’s self. Falling on his knees, Hizdahr begs Daenerys not to kill him. She asks about his having said “all men must die”, and he explains that he did not wish to die a coward… but as he wipes his eyes, he admits he doesn’t want to die at all. Daenerys says it takes courage to say that, and to admit a mistake… and she admits she made a mistake about tradition and how to bring the people of Meereen together. She agrees to open the fighting pits, but the fighters must all be free—slavery will not return while she lives.
Furthermore, she reveals to him that she will marry the leader of an ancient family. Hizdahr nods… but it surprised when Daenerys reveals that her suitor is already on his knees. She leaves him in his cell, but the door is left open.
On a wide river, Jorah and Tyrion sail on their way to Meereen. With trembling hands, Tyrion says he’s fine, that nothing is broken. Jorah remains silent. Tyrion asks where they are, and notes it’s not the Rhoyne. Jorah remains silent. Tyrion remarks on the silences and the “occasional punch in the face” as the Mormont way. Then Tyrion offers to start over, and apologizes for before while suggesting it need not be an unpleasant trip. Jorah remains silent, until Tyrion notes they’ll spend a good deal of time together. “We are,” Jorah replies.
Tyrion tries to get wine, claiming it will make their time more enjoyable, but Jorah refuses him. Tyrion insists he must drink, but Jorah stands and looks into the distance. Tyrion turns to see a mist-enshrouded city, and he realizes where they are: Jorah will take them through Valyria, which he’s never sailed through before. Tyrion wonders if he means to bring a gift to Daenerys from her ancestral homeland, in case Tyrion himself is not enough of a prize, but Jorah replies that he thinks Tyrion will be plenty. Tyrion notes that it’s said the Doom still rules in Valyria, and wonders if the demons and flames don’t scare Jorah. He replies that it does not… but it frightens pirates.
They sail on, and the city is revealed to be an empty ruin shrouded in the mists of the “Smoking Sea”. There are the sounds of birds in the distance, amidst the trees, but no sight of them. Tyrion wonders how long before men can build such cities again, because the Valyrians had been better at almost everything for thousands of years… and then, Jorah finishes for him, they weren’t. Tyrion agrees. Tyrion begins to recite a poem, a poem about two lovers in Valyria who turn their backs on the Doom so that they do not see the ruins and horror of it: hills split asunder, dragons burned by the flames that shot into the sky, the black clouds that ate the sky.
And then Jorah finishes it for him as they approach a great bridge or aqueduct: “The city of a thousand years and all that men had learned, / the Doom consumed it all alike and neither of them turned.” Tyrion claims he would clap, and looks out to say that that’s it, then, that that is what remains….
… when he and Jorah see the great wings of Drogon, flying above and past them. Both marvel at the sight of the dragon as it flies past them and away into the distance. Their gaze follows it, and they both miss the dark shape that rises from the ruins and then drops into the water. The splash makes them turn, and Tyrion wonders what it was. And then a second shape, falls directly into the boat, his grey stony skin having made him seem like a part of the ruin. The greyscale-afflicted stone man screeches, and Jorah shouts not to let the Stone Men touch him. Another jumps into the water and tries to climb aboard while Jorah fights the first.
Tyrion shouts to be cut free as Jorah fights on using an oar and other implements, as yet more Stone Men appear. Finally Jorah has his sword and cuts down two of the stone men, but Tyrion is driven to throw himself over the side as a Stone Man almost takes hold of him. Tyrion tries to free his hands… when a Stone Man beneath him that had been driven into the water grabs his ankle and begins to drag him down into the darkness.
Later, eyes fluttering open, Tyrion awakens with a wet Jorah Mormont above him, shaking him awake. They are both on a deserted shore. Jorah cuts Tyrion’s bonds and tells him he’s heavier than he looks. Jorah asks if anyone touched Tyrion, and Tyrion shakes his head and then asks if Jorah was touched. Jorah too shakes his head. Tyrion remarks that he’s seen greyscale before, but nothing like the amount that afflicted those men. Jorah supposes that’s why they were sent to the ruins of Valyria, and Tyrion retorts that it would have been kinder to put daggers in their hearts.
Jorah spits out water as Tyrion thanks him for saving his life, but Tyrion adds that if he hadn’t been kidnapped in the first place it would have been unnecessary. Tyrion asks what next, and Jorah replies that they’ll walk up the coast, find a fishing village and perhaps another boat if they’re lucky. Tyrion wonders what happens if they aren’t lucky, and Jorah replies that it will be a long walk. He goes to find wood for a fire, and tells Tyrion to find some rest. “That’s the best idea you’ve had all day,” Tyrion replies. Jorah walks away, staring in the distance at the great structures of a city (possibly the ruins of Valyria that they have now left behind).
Then, Jorah glances back at Tyrion, who sits staring away at the sea, and turns back to lift his sleeve from his left wrist. There is revealed the beginning of greyscales, and proof that Jorah lied about not having been touched by the stone men while fighting them. Jorah stares at his arm, looks grim… and then proceeds to go look for wood.
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