Westeros
The 'A Song of Ice and Fire' Domain
GoT
EP410: The Children
Circumstances change after an unexpected arrival north of the Wall; Dany must face harsh realities; Bran learns more about his destiny; Tyrion sees the truth about his situation.
Index
Recap
Jon Snow passes out through the gate, and into the wasteland that the Night’s Watch’s defense of the Wall have made of the ground outside of it—there are dead wildlings all about, and the corpse of a giant as crows feast on the dead. Atop the Wall, Dolorous Edd looks down to see Jon Snow retreating into the distance, picking his way among the bodies. Snow enters the eaves of the haunted forest and after going deeper into it the fires of the wildling camp can be seen. As Jon Snow approaches Mance Rayder’s tent, trailed by armed fighters and with grim-faced Thenns in front of him, he holds up his empty hands to show he’s unarmed.
Mance Rayder comes out of the tent and considers him. He points out that Jon’s in his black cloak once more, and Jon replies that he’s “been sent” to negotiate. Mance leads Jon Snow and some of his followers into his tent, and he and Jon sit across from one another. Mance remarks that his trusting nature got the better of him—it’s not the first time. Jon responds that Qhorin Halfhand had commanded him to join the wildlings so that he could bring information back to the Watch. He notes Qhorin forced Jon to kill him so that Jon could win the trust of the wildlings—Jon was always loyal to Qhorin and to his vows.
At that, Mance asks if he was loyal to all of his vows. Jon looks away, silent, as Mance suggests even Ygritte wasn’t enough to turn Jon… but was Jon enough to turn her? At that, Jon replies that she shot him with three arrows and almost killed him, but he got away. When Mance asks if he’s seen her again, Jon admits he did, and that she’s dead. “Your doing?” Mance Rayder asks, and Jon says no.
At that, Mance says they’ll drink to her. One of his men brings cups and pours a drink. Jon, suspicious, doesn’t drink as he looks at the cups. Mance seems amused, almost, and notes that poison is the last of the ways he could kill Jon. They raise their cups, and toast Ygritte. Jon drinks deep, then chokes on it, and says it’s not wine. Mance replies it’s a proper “northern” drink. Then he tells Jon, after a moment, that the Watch fought well and killed some of the strongest of Mance’s men. He points out one giant went into the tunnel and never came out again: Mag the Mighty, he was called.
Jon explains Mag was killed by Grenn. At that, Mance replies that Mag was the king of the giants, the last of a bloodline that “stretches back before the First Men”. Jon responds that Grenn was a farmer’s son. At that, Mance raises his cup, and the two toast Mag and Grenn. Then Mance asks for some food to be served by one of his men, suggesting Jon hasn’t had anything to eat for awhile. A wildling takes up a knife and cuts some roasting meat as Mance asks if Jon’s there to strike a bargain; Jon knows Mance is aware they’ll be low on arrows, oil, and men. He asks if there are 50 men left, and Jon stolidly repeats what he said to Tormund and Orell, that they’ve more than 1,000 men. The man cutting meat sticks his knife in a nearby table—Jon eyes it—and serves them food.
Mance is dismissive—he showed his force of 100,000 men, the Watch replied with everything it had, and what it had wasn’t much; he knows there’s not that many men, and that’s why he sent 400 men to an undefended stretch of the Wall just a few miles to the west. He admits many may die climbing, but most will reach the top of the Wall. His honesty then leads him to say that he believes the wildlings have bled enough, that they only want the safety the Wall provides. With winter coming, he says, if they aren’t south of the Wall soon they’ll be worse than dead.
And so Mance offers a bargain: let the wildlings through the gates, and no one else needs to die… but if the Watch refuses, they’ll kill every man at Castle Black. Jon looks at that knife again… and Mance realizes why, as do his men, who draw steel. Mance signals his men to hold still, and understands why Jon is really there. He tells Jon that he imagines Jon could kill him before his men can get to him… but that they’d kill him, and slowly. But he knows Jon knew that, too. He wonders if Jon is really capable of killing a man in his own tent when he’s offering him peace.
He asks if that’s what the Watch and Jon is… but further conversation is interrupted by the sound of horns blowing. A man runs in and shouts that riders are coming. Mance leaps up, grabbing the knife, and holds it to Jon’s throat when he asks if the Watch is attacking. Jon swears they’re not, and admits that Mance is right: they have too few men. Rayder leaves the tent and his men and Jon follow.
Outside in the camp, dogs bark, wolfs howl, and men shout and rush to confront the enemy. What they see is a very sizable force of armored men on horseback, charging in disciplined ranks. Mance’s men gather around him as he shouts at them to form and hold around him. But then we see as that army charges in, that another, equally-large cavalry force is attacking from the other side. The pincer attack meets at Mance’s camp, and the wildlings are beset on all sides and thrown into chaos as the mounted, better-armed men cut their way through them.
Mance watches the carnage, and then shouts at his men to throw down his weapons and shouts at his men to stand down. He’s seen enough of his people die, and he means it. Through smoke and mist, two men approach: Stannis Baratheon and Davos Seaworth. The two dismount, along with Stannis’s guard, and approach. One of the wildlings suddenly charges at them, shouting and brandishing a weapon and dies, suddenly, as a mounted horseman cuts him down as he gallops past. Stannis and Davos step around the body.
Pulling more weapons from his belt, Mance throws them down. Stannis and Davos stop before Mance, and Stannis asks if he’s the King-beyond-the-Wall. He asks if Mance knows who he is. “Never had the pleasure,” Mance replies. Davos informs him that he’s Stannis Baratheon, the one true king of the Seven Kingdoms. Mance replies that they’re not in the Seven Kingdoms, and they’re not dressed for the weather.
When Stannis notes it’s the custom to kneel when surrendering to a king, Mance replies that the wildlings don’t kneel. When Stannis responds that he’ll have thousands of wildlings in chains by nightfall, and he’ll have no place to put them or feed them. He’s not there to “slaughter beat dogs”... but their fate depends on their king. “All the same, we do not kneel,” Mance says again. Stannis has Mance’s men taken away by his soldiers, and Davos then look at Jon and wonders what a man of the Watch is doing at the heart of the wildling camp.
Jon responds that he was sent to discuss terms. Davos takes umbrage that Jon does not address Stannis as Your Grace, and at that Jon says he knows he’s the king—his father died for him. He informs Stannis that he is Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard Stark. Stannis looks at him and then says his father was an honorable man. Jon agrees. When Stannis then asks what Ned would have done with Mance, Jon steps forward between Stannis and the King-beyond-the-Wall. He tells Stannis that he was once Mance’s prisoner, and could have been tortured or killed, but instead his life was spared. He then says that he believes Eddard would have made Mance a prisoner, and would have listened to what he had to say.
At that, Stannis has Davos take Mance away as a prisoner. Then Jon addresses Stannis as “Your Grace.” Stannis turns to him, and waits. Jon Snow informs him that if his father had seen what Jon had seen, he’d tell Stannis to burn the dead before nightfall—all of them.
In Casterly Rock, Qyburn stares at an ugly wound, a wound belonging to Ser Gregor Clegane as he lies apparently comatose in bed. Grand Maester Pycelle and Cersei are present, looking disgusted at the smell from the wound and holding clothes near their faces. Pycelle, poking at Ser Gregor’s wounds with a stick as if to keep his distance, suggests that he’d have prescribed milk of the poppy for the pain, but Gregor is unconscious. Cersei curses the Martells. Pycelle goes on to claim it’s manticore venom, and there Qyburn speaks up, and names the particular species of manticore: Death’s Head manticore. Pycelle seems taken aback by Qyburn speaking, and then says it’s something he’s read about. He calls it a horrible poison, with its origins in Mantarys.
Using the long rod, Pycelle pierces the flesh of Gregor’s leg and then pulls it back to sniff at the end—and flinches back from the smell. “There’s nothing to be done,” he declares, but Qyburn contradicts him and purposefully goes to the shelves in the chamber, picking up a great metallic syringe, various vials and pots, and more. Pycelle asks what Qyburn is doing, and Qyburn insists he’ll save Gregor. Then Pycelle takes the matter to Cersei, telling her that Ser Gregor is beyond saving, and complains that Qyburn is not even a maester, much less the Grand Maester.
“That’s for the best,” Qyburn quips as he sets down his tools near Gregor’s body. “No maester knows how to save him.” Pycelle complains to Cersei that Qyburn’s arrogance is the sort of thing that led him to losing his chain and being thrown out of the Citadel, because he had dangerous and unnatural interests. But Cersei doesn’t care: she dismisses Pycelle. Shocked, Pycelle notes it’s his laboratory that they’re standing in. “Not anymore,” Cersei replies. Qyburn continues, setting a tube into Gregor’s arm, and Pycelle gives up his complaints in frustration, throwing down the rod and leaving.
Cersei asks Qyburn if he can save Gregor, and he says he can, though with difficulty. He believes his past work means they stand a chance. Cersei tells him to do all he can, and if he needs anything to come to her. He thanks her, and she turns to go but he speaks up to tell Cersei there’s one thing she should know: the process may “change him… somewhat.” Cersei considers that, and asks if it will weaken the Mountain. “Oh, no,” Qyburn replies. Cersei is satisfied, and leaves. Qyburn uses the tube to begin to drain blood from the Mountain, letting it drip into a beaker.
In Tywin’s chambers, Tywin says he does not want to hear Cersei any longer. He’s busy, rifling through and sorting papers, and insists that the matter—the matter of Cersei’s marriage to Loras Tyrell—is closed. Cersei insists on opening it. Tywin informs her that she is still betrothed to Ser Loras, and will marry him as soon as Tommen weds Maragery. Cersei refuses. Tywin goes on, pointing out that Jaime cannot inherit or marry, Tyrion is sentenced, and Cersei has said that she is committed to the family’s future, and that role is more vital than ever.
Cersei is unimpressed. She tells him she’ll stay in King’s Landing with her son, where she belongs. Tywin starts to remind her of a time he was called to court and decided to take Jaime, but not Cersei, and that she tried to argue… But Cersei stops him, and tells him she isn’t hearing another “smug” story about some victory of his; she’s refusing to let him win. He wonders if she believes she’ll be the first person dragged into a sept to be wed against her will. He moves away from Cersei, into his outer office, obviously attempting to dismiss her but she persists. She asks if he remembers when he entered the throne room after winning the Battle of the Blackwater, with her and Tommen on the Iron Throne. She informs him she was about to poison her son, a sign of how far she’d go when she thought someone would try to take her son from her.
Then she says that now someone awful is coming to take Tommen away. Tywin refutes with a curt, “No,” and Cersei throws back at him that Joffrey is dead, Myrcella has been “sold like livestock” to Dorne, and he wants to now ship Cersei off to Highgarden and “steal” her only surviving son, a boy whom Margaery and Tywin will be fighting over until he’s torn apart. “I will burn our house tot he ground before I let that happen,” she informs him.
Tywin asks how Cersei thinks she can do that… and then she replies that she’ll simply tell the truth. “What truth would that be?” Tywin asks. Cersei stares at her father a long time, and then asks how it’s possible that he never knew, never believed, the claims. Tywin seems incredulous as she steps nearer, and she says that of course it’s possible that he never did—he’s been so consumed with the idea of family, that he never really knew his own family. She tells him that if he had only truly looked at his children in the last twenty years, hew ould have known. “Known what?” Tywin asks. She replies that everything is true about Jaime and herself.
“No,” Tywin says immediately, denying it, turning away. Cersei says after him that his legacy a lie, and Tywin is in denial. Then he turns back to her and says he does not believe it. “Yes, you do,” Cersei says, finally, and leaves him alone to brood.
Jaime pores over the White Book in the chamber of the Kingsguard, staring at his own short entry in the book, when Cersei enters. She calls him by name, and he tells her with disgust in his voice that she “won”, with only one fewer brother left. As she closes the door, he supposes that made her proud. Cersei replies that for her family, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do, things Jaime couldn’t even imagine. Jaime responds that Tyrion is her family, and Cersei denies it, even when Jaime says that she doesn’t get to choose her family. Cersei insists that they can choose, and that Jaime can choose the “creature that killed our mother.” Flabbergasted, Jaime sits down and asks how she can be so mad to blame him for his birth.
“A disease doesn’t decide to kill you,” Cersei replies, and suggests that cutting it out before it does is the right solution. Then she approaches him, asking what he chooses. Jaime’s frustrated as he tells her the things he did to get back to her, to endure the things he endured, only to find her… But the sentence isn’t finished, as Cersei presses her lips to Jaime’s, silencing him. She whispers that she chooses him. He replies those are only words, and she agrees… just like the words she said to Lord Tywin. When he asks what she means, she informs him that she told Tywin the truth of their relationship when she said she wouldn’t marry Loras and would remain in King’s Landing “with Tommen, with you.”
Jaime can’t believe Tywin will accept it, and she tells him to go ask Tywin before kissing him again. They break, and Jaime asks what she actually told Tywin. She whispers in his ear that she doesn’t want to talk about Tywin, she doesn’t choose him, she doesn’t love him—she loves her brother, her lover. She slowly kneels down in front of him, caressing him, saying that she doesn’t care what people say, what jokes they make. She caresses his golden hand, and Jaime grabs her, kissing her passionately. Jaime whispers that someone may walk in. Cersei responds, “I don’t care”. Jaime takes her to the table, pushes the White Book away, and lays her on it as she presses herself to him.
In the Great Pyramid, an old, dignified Meereenese former slave named Fennesz listens as Missandei provides Daenerys’s full style: “Daenerys Stormborn, the unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons.” The man presents himself in Valyrian, and then switches to the common tongue of Westeros. Daenerys is impressed. He explains he was once owned by a Master Migdahl, and served as a tutor for his children. He notes they know much about the Targaryens because of him, and that the daughter admires Daenerys. Daenerys is pleased, and asks what she can do.
He explains that since her arrival, it was decided that he should leave the house and find his own life. But now he has no home, and lived in the streets. Daenerys notes she has shelters arranged for the homeless former slaves, and he admits that he went to such places but there the young preyed on the old and the weak, taking what they wanted and beating those who tried to stop them. Daenerys insists her Unsullied will put things to right, and Fennesz asks that even if that happens, what would he be there, what purpose could he server. When he had a master, he was a teacher, respected and loved by his pupils.
Daenerys, unable to answer that directly, asks what he wants. He asks for leave to sell himself back to his former master. Daenerys is incredulous, and he explains that the young may love this new world she has made, but the old who cannot change see only “fear and squalor”. He notes there are many more besides him, come to make the same request. Daenerys considers that, clearly troubled, and then says that she did not choose to rule the city to oversee the same injustices she had ended. However, with freedom must come the right of the people to make their own choices. She permits Fennesz to return to his old master, but as a contracted servant, with the contract lasting no more than a year. Fennesz thanks her, bows, and leaves.
However, Ser Barristan is concerned and tells Daenerys that the masters will use it to their advantage, and the men who take such contracts will be slaves in all but name. Daenerys has no response. A goatherd who awaits her is then called forward, holding a bundle, but he does not seem to understand as he holds a cloth-wrapped bundle and seems very distressed. Missandei addresses him in the low Valyrian of Meereen and calls him forward. The man approaches and weeps, and Missandei translates what he has to say. He stats that “he” came from the sky, “the black one”, and… He falls to his knees, and lowers the bundle and begins o unwrap it. “My girl,” Missandei translates, “my little girl.” To their horror, they see the burned bones of a young girl, as the shepherd sobs in grief.
In Daenerys’s chambers, she asks the girls name. It was Zala, Missandei informs her, a girl of three years age. In Valyrian, Daenerys asks if there’s been any sign of Drogon. She paces as Grey Worm responds that sailors had seen him over the Black Cliffs three days earlier. Coming to a decision, Daenerys tells them to meet her at the catacombs, and she leaves.
A great stone gate is rolled away from the entrance of the catacombs, and Daenerys’s two other dragons, the smaller ones, are with her. Screeching, they follow their “mother” as Daenerys descends into the darkness. They walk deep into the catacombs, shallow water splashing at their feet. At the end the dragons two charred goats, which the dragons hungrily eat… and beyond the goats, two large iron collars and heavy chains. As the dragons eat and squabble over the food, an emotional Daenerys moves to chain each dragon as it eats. The dragons don’t really notice.
Daenerys them walks away from the dragons, back to the steps. The dragons, finally noticing, try to follow after—and are stopped by the chain. They begin to screech and cry after her as she climbs the steps, and even snap at the heavy chains that hold them in place. Daenerys looks back and weep as the stone gate is closed.
Beneath the Wall, Maester Aemon speaks of the many places from which the men of the Night’s Watch who died defending the Wall and Castle Black came. Their bodies are placed together on a huge pyre, their surviving brothers watching, as are Queen Selyse and Shireen, and King Stannis and Davos. As Aemon says the traditional funeral words for the men, a torch is passed among the brothers and Jon Snow is among those who helps set the pyre alight after receiving a torch from Samwell. He passes the torch to Dolorous Edd. As the bodies burn, Melisandre can be seen watching… watching Jon Snow, who stares back at her through the flames.
In a room in Castle Black, Tormund lies on the ground, bound as a prisoner. Jon enters and Tormund informs him that the “old blind man” had patched him up, and asked why. Jon says Maester Aemon is sworn to treat all wounded men, friend and foe alike. Tormund, suspicious, asks if they want to keep him alive so he can be tortured, but Jon assures him that won’t happen. Then Tormund asks how he’ll die—hanging, beheading, dropped from the Wall—and Jon says he doesn’t know and guesses Stannis will decide. When Tormund asks if he’s Jon’s king, Jon replies he has no king. Tormund, amused, says that Jon’s spent too much time among the Free Folk, and he can never be a kneeler again.
Then Jon informs him that they’ll burn the wildling dead, and asks if Tormund wants to say any words over them. This is a concept foreign to Tormund, and Jon explains it as a way of saying farewell. “The dead can’t hear us, boy,” is Tormund’s succinct reply. Jon nods at that, and turns to go. But then Tormund calls after him, “Snow.” Jon turns, and Tormund asks if he had loved Ygritte… because Ygritte had loved Jon. Jon asks if she told him, and Tormund says no. “All she ever talked about was killing you,” he tells Jon. “That’s how I know.”
Then he tells Jon that she belonged in the North—the real North, the lands beyond the Wall. He asks if Jon understands, and Jon leaves. Later, Beyond the Wall where there’s snow on the ground, Jon builds a pyre near the weirwood where men who follow the old gods have sworn their oaths. Ygritte is on the pier, peaceful in death, her red hair fanned about her. When he’s done, Jon retrieves a lit torch and sets the pyre alight. As the flames fan up, Jon walks away, dropping the torch. There are tears in his eyes.
Beyond the Wall, Hodor drags a sledge with Bran on it, and Meera helps her faltering brother, who uses a staff to help him as they walk through a snow storm. Meera urges that they can stop and rest, but Jojen presses on and says that they’ll rest with the three-eyed raven. He struggles on and then falls, and Meera rushes to his side, sure that they won’t make it. Jojen looks ahead… and says that they have. Bran calls to Jojen and tells him to look. Meera helps Jojen up and they crest a hill to see the great weirwood tree that Bran saw in his vision.
We see them in the final stretch to the tree, Jojen trailing behind. As they walk, a skeletal hand bursts from the snow and grabs at Jojen, making him fall with a groan. A second hand bursts out, grabbing his other leg, and begins to drag him back. Meera, screaming, runs to help him, trying to pull him away, as Bran yells at Hodor to help them. Another hand breaks through the ice as Hodor runs to help. He stops, frightened, looking back to Bran and then back to the struggling Reeds as a skeletal figure bursts from the snow and starts to run toward them. Bran shouts at him to help again, just as Meera pulls Jojen free from the grasp.
But then one of the skeletal wights is on Hodor’s back, and the one that grabbed at Jojen climbs out of the snow, an ax in hand, and rushes at the Reeds. It knocks Meera away, breaks Jojen’s staff, and then has its head knocked off by a thrust of Meera’s knife. More fighting follows as more wights appear. One wight bursts from the snow just in front of Bran, and crawls its way to where he lies, when Summer rushes at it and knocks it away. As Hodor is beset by a second wight, Bran slips into his skin, and with Hodor’s strength he’s able to fling the creatures away and destroy another with a hammer.
The fighting continues with the Reeds, Meera fending the ones off successfully… but as more wights burst from the snow, Jojen screams for Bran to save himself. Just as he does, the beheaded wight’s arm moves, takes a knife, and as Meera kills one wight, the headless corpse repeatedly stabs Jojen in the belly where he lies on the ground. Screaming, Meera runs to her brother, destroying the wight. Hodor turns then to see the wights rushing at Bran… only for them to explode in sudden flames, and then another. A voice calls from the tunnel into the hollow hill, a woman’s voice, but it belongs to a small, dark creature, no bigger than a girl. “Come with me, Brandon Stark,” the child says. As Meera holds Jojen in her lap, shocked, terrified for her brother, the child tells Bran that Jojen is lost, but Bran will die too if he does not come with her.
Jojen, dying, tells Meera to go with them as more wights burst from the ice and snow. Meera, holding her brother in her lap, grabs the knife she left in the wight’s skull… and uses it to cut Jojen’s throat. Weeping, she runs to join the others as Jojen falls back dead. The child stops near the cavern and turns, and throws one last ball of fire toward Jojen’s corpse. Its light is reflected in his eyes as it falls toward him. There is another explosion, his body burned to cinders, as his dreams foretold. The wights spring and run after the fleeing children… but at the threshold to the cavern, the magic that holds them together falters and their dead bones fly apart.
The survivors look back, and the child says that they cannot follow because the power that moves them is powerless in the hill. Bran asks who she is, and she expalins that the First Men called them children—she is a child of the forest—but they were born long before they were. Then she tells them to follow, that “he” waits for them. She leads the way through the root-lined caverns to a great cavern beneath the weirwood tree. There at it’s center, enmeshed in the pale roots, is an aged, bearded man. A raven sits on the cavern floor, and there are many old bones on the ground. The raven hops on the ground as Bran begins to drag himself to the center.
He asks, “You’re the three-eyed raven?” The old man replies, “I’ve been many things,” and says they can see what he is now. Meera speaks, saying that Jojen had led them to him, and now he’s dead. The three-eyed raven replies that Jojen knew what would happen, but he went anyway. When Meera asks how he knows, he responds, “I’ve been watching you. All of you. All of yours lives. With a thousand eyes and one.” He says to Bran—calling Brandon Stark—that he’s come at last, “though the hour is late.”
Bran tells him that he didn’t want anyone to die for him, and the last greenseer replies that he died so that Bran could find what he had lost. Bran asks if he’ll help him walk again. “You will never walk again,” the three-eyed raven says, “but you will fly.”
In the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, Brienne wakes up from where she sleeps on the ground. Getting up and looking around, she calls to Podrick, waking him. He looks around groggily, and Brienne asks where the horses are. Podrick replies he hobbled them just the way she taught him, with a figure eight. Brienne testily replies that if he had used the hobble she’d taught him, the horses would still be there. Podrick suggests it might hav ebeen thieves, as Brienne—clearly annoyed—takes up her sword and informs him it’s at least 30 miles to the Eyrie, and he’ll be carrying their saddlebags.
Later, climbing over the crest of a hill, Brienne spots a girl practicing with a narrow sword—Arya Stark. Arya turns, and seeing her stops suddenly. She whispers to the Hound, who is hidden behind some rocks, telling him, “You can shit later. People are coming.” But there’s no response. Brienne offers a good morning, and Arya responds in kind before complimenting Arya on her sword. Arya just stares, and she asks if they’re close to the Bloody Gate. Arya responds it’s about 10 more miles, and Brienne turns to Podrick—who now appears with the saddle bags—and tells him it’s only 10 more miles.
Arya asks if Brienne’s a knight, in a friendly way, and when Brienne says no, she asks if she knows how to handle her sword. Brienne admits she does, and when asked by Arya she tells her it’s named Oathkeeper. Arya replies, “Mine’s Needle,” as she shoves it through her belt. Brienne says it’s a good name, and when Arya asks her who taught her how to fight, Brienne explains it was her father. Arya says her father never wanted to, as fighting was for boys. Brienne admits Lord Selwyn said the same, but she kept fighting the boys anyway until he decided that if she was going to fight, she might as well learn how to do it properly.
Just then, the Hound appears from behind the rocks, fastening his sword belt. Brienne calls a friendly greeting, naming herself and Podrick, but does not see that behind her Podrick recognizes the Hound and starts to set down his bags. The Hound wonders what they want, when Podrick tells Brienne that he’s Sandor Clegane. Arya moves behind Sandor’s back, coming into view on his other side, her expression flat. Brienne realizes who she is, and says that she must be Arya Stark. The Hound again asks what they want, gripping the hilt of his sword. Brienne ignores him and tells Arya of the promise she swore to Lady Catelyn, Arya’s mother.
“My mother’s dead,” Arya replies. Brienne explains that she wishes she could have protected her. When Arya notes she’s no northerner, Brienne admits it, but that she swore a vow to protect her. Arya asks why she didn’t, and after a hesitation she explains that she was commanded to bring Jaime Lannister to King’s Landing. At that, the Hound states that she’s paid by the Lannisters, that she’s there for the bounty on his head. Brienne denies it, and the Hound approaches her, hand still on his sword. He notes her own sword, and wonders where she got it, because he’s looked at Lannister gold all his life and he knows its look. “Go on, Brienne of fucking Tarth,” he says, “tell me that’s not Lannister gold.”
Brienne admits the sword is from Jaime, and at that Arya repeats that it’s 10 miles to the Bloody Gate. Brienne persists, speaking to Brienne, again stating she swore to Catelyn—Arya interrupts her and says she doesn’t care what she swore. Brienne shouts after her, and the Hound tells her that Arya’s not coming with her. Brienne insists she is. The Hound draws his sword, and Brienne partially draws her. He tells her she’s not a good listener, and then notices her blade is Valyrian steel. “I always wanted some Valyrian steel,” he tells Brienne. Brienne again urges Arya to come to safety with her, and at that the incredulous Sandor angrily asks where there’s safety to be found for Arya: her aunt is dead, her mother is dead, her brother is dead, Winterfell is a pile of rubble. “There is no safety, you dumb bitch,” he concludes, saying that if Brienne doesn’t realize it she’s not the person to watch over Arya.
Brienne sneers at that, asking if he thinks he’s watching over her. A hesitation, and the Hound says he is. Brienne pulls her sword then, and a fight’s inevitable. The two cross blades, and the Hound knocks Brienne tumbling down a slope as Arya and Podrick run after them to watch what happens. The two fight with the intent to kill one another, not holding back a bit. Brienne proves faster with a sword, bringing the Hound to his knees eventually, and knocking the sword from his grasp. Brienne holds him at swordspoint and tells him that she has no wish to kill him, addressing him as “ser”. The Hound, at that, grabs the blade in both his hands, blood flowing from the sharp steel. Shocked, Brienne watches as he forces the blade up as he stands, still gripping it. Then he strikes her, knocking her down. “I’m not a knight,” he informs her.
More fighting, now hand-to-hand follows, as they punch and kick at one another. Brienne screams from one particularly brutal kick as she lays on the ground, and as the Hound climbs up on top of her he begins to pummel her until she’s able to forces him to roll over after he tries to stab her with a knife, and suddenly she bites at his ear and tears it off. He cries out, and the two separate and stumble to their feet. Brienne spits out the ear. With a rock in her hand, she begins to strikes the Hound over and over again in the head. He tries to fight back, but she has the better of him, screaming as she strikes him again and again and again until he suddenly plummets off a cliff and rolls down a rocky slope. Brienne falls to the ground, exhausted and bloodied.
Getting up, Brienne calls for Arya, but doesn’t see her. Podrick insists he saw her, and Brienne asks why he didn’t watch her. Podrick replies he was watching her fight with the Hound, thinking she might need his help. As they call after Arya, Arya sits behind a rock, hidden from view. She picks her way away from them, staying out of sight, and loops back around to where the Hound lies, gasping for breath, legs broken. He informs Arya that the “big bitch” saved her, but Arya says she didn’t need it. The Hound sarcastically replies that Arya’s the real killer, with her waterdancing and her Needle. Arya asks if he’s going to die, and Clegane admits he is, unless there’s a maester hiding behind a rock.
Commenting that he’d skin Arya alive for a cup of wine, Arya starts to reach for a skin. “Fuck water,” the Hound replies. Then, with a morbid chuckle, he remarks on being killed by a woman. He bets Arya likes that. Then he tells her to go on and join Brienne, that Brienne will help. Arya shakes her head, but the Hound persists, saying that alone Arya won’t last a day. “I’ll last longer than you,” Arya says matter-of-factly.
Then the Hound asks if she remembers where the heart is. She nods solemnly. After a moment, gasping with pain, the Hound says he’s ready, and urges her to take another name off her list as she promised. She just stares. He tells her how he cut down Mycah, the butcher boy, as he begged, and how the blood from his body left his horse’s saddle stinking “of butcher’s boy”. He adds that he should have taken her as the Blackwater burned so he’d have at least one happy memory. But there’s no response from Arya. Then he asks if he needs to beg, and suddenly be begins to weep as he does so.
Arya stands up and approaches. She stoops beside him… and takes his purse of gold; he makes a half-hearted attempt to stop her, to no effect. She walks away, then, leaving him. He cries after her, “Kill me. Kill me! Kill me!” Arya does not turn back.
In the black cells beneath the Red Keep, Tyrion lies awake. He hears a door open and then close, and approaching footsteps. Expecting his executioners, he says aloud, “Get on with it, you son of a whore.” And then Jaime enters and asks if that’s any way to speak about their mother. Stunned, Tyrion asks what his brother is doing, and Jaime asks what Tyrion thinks he’s doing. Then, leading him out of the cell and through the dungeons with a torch in hand, he tells him that a galley awaits to take Tyrion to the Free Cities. Tyrion asks who is helping him, and Jaime explains its Varys. Surprised at that, Jaime adds that Tyrion has more friends than he thought.
As the two continue through the passage, they stop at a staircase. Jaime tells Tyrion that there’ll be a locked door, to knock according to a certain signal, and Varys will open it. Tyrion, moved, supposes this is their farewell and Jaime drops down to embrace his brother. “Farewell, little brother,” Jaime says, and starts to leave. Tyrion calls his name, and Jaime turns. “Thank you for my life,” Tyrion tells him. Jaime takes that in, awkward, emotional, and tells Tyrion to hurry on.
Tyrion pauses at the staircase, staring up it…. and then decides to go in another direction entirely. He finds a secret passage opening into the small council chamber. He walks through the empty room, on to the Hand’s bedroom… and finds Shae in the bed, drowsy and half-asleep. “Tywin? My lion?” she murmurs as she turns and looks… and sees Tyrion. The two stare at one another for a long beat, and suddenly her eyes flash to a knife on a plate of fruits and cheese. She grabs it, and Tyrion reaches for her arm, grabs at her, climbs atop of her. He overpowers and disarms her, and she claws and slaps at him as she struggles. He reaches for the golden necklace she wears and begins to strangle her with it. She slaps him in her struggle, knocking him off the bed but his whole weight goes behind his effort to choke her.
A few moments more, and she’s dead, draped over the bed’s edge with Tyrion in shocked silence beside her. “I’m sorry,” he says, releasing the chain. “I’m sorry,” he says again… and his eyes turn to the wall, where his father’s weapons are kept… including a crossbow.
We see Tyrion taking the crossbow and its loading hook down a dark hall. He sees light, and with the crossbow loaded opens a door—it’s a privy, occupied by Tyrion. Tywin is surprised, and tells Tyrion to put down the crossbow, but Tyrion doesn’t answer. Then he asks who released him… and supposes it was Jaime, who always had a soft spot for him. He nonchalantly tries to get up, telling Tyrion they’ll take in his chambers—but Tyrion hefts the crossbow, and Tywin stills. Tywin supposes that’s how Tyrion prefers to speak to him, shaming him for his own pleasure.
“All my life,” Tyrion says, “You’ve wanted me dead.” It’s a statement, not a question, but Tywin answers it: “Yes.” But then he goes on to say Tyrion refused to die, and he respected that, even admired it—Tyrion fought for what he wanted. Then he notes he was never going to allow Tyrion to be executed, that he’d never have Ilyn Payne take his head. “You’re a Lannister,” he explains, “you’re my son.”
Tyrion seems almost not to have heard. He tells him that he loved “her”, and when Tywin asks who, Tyrion explains he means Shae. It’s clear Tywin understands what he means. Again he tells him to put down the bow, but Tyrion replies that he murdered her with his own hands. “It doesn’t matter,” Tywin explains, and at Tyrion’s surprise at that, he explains, “She was a whore.” But that angers Tyrion, who threatens with the bow again, and tells him not to say that word again.
“And what?” Tywin asks. “You’ll kill your own father in the privy?” Tywin doesn’t believe that, and says Tyrion is his son. Then he tries to get up again, but Tyrion keeps the bow on him and tells him that Tywin sentenced him to die, even though he knew he had nothing to do with Joffrey’s death. He asks why Tywin did that. Tywin refuses to answer, insisting they go to his chamber to speak with some dignity. Tyrion matter-of-factly states that he can’t go there, that Shae’s in there. “You’re afraid of a dead whore?” Tywin asks…
The bow looses its bolt, and it sinks into Tywin’s belly. Shocked, Tywin fumbles with the bolt and then tells Tyrion that he shot him. Tyrion, unphased, slowly loads the crossbow with another bolt. Groaning, Tywin tells Tyrion that he’s no son of his. Tyrion replies that he’s wrong—he is his son, and always has been. He pulls the trigger, and the second bolt takes Tywin in the chest, flinging him back against the privy wall as he dies. Dropping the crossbow, Tyrion leaves without a word.
A door opens, and Varys sees Tyrion, his face scratched from his struggle with Shae. He asks what Tyrion has done as he lets him into the chamber and closes teh door. Then he hurries Tyrion into a crate with holes in it, and tells him to trust him. We later see Varys with the crate as the crate is lowered onto a ship. Varys turns and starts to go back to the city when bells begin to toll… and Varys, nonplussed, turns around and goes on to the ship. We see him sitting beside the crate in silence.
Riding past a waterfall, Arya Stark sees a harbor town in the distance and rides to it. At the docks, men are busy working, with one man shoveling salt into boxes. Arya walks down the dock toward a ship and asks to see the captain. The man she speaks to replies that he’s the captain. When she says she wants to go to the Wall and the North, he replies that she does not want that, that there’s nothing there but ice, war, and pirates. Arya begs, saying she won’t need a cabin, that she’ll scrub floors, but he insists he isn’t going north, but instead he’s going home.
Arya asks where home is, and he says, “The Free City of Braavos.” At that, Arya starts and then tells him to wait, that she has something else. She fishes for something at her belt. As the captain says silver won’t make any difference, she offers him a coin, saying, “It’s not silver. It’s iron.” He looks at it, shocked, and begins to ask how Arya got it when she says, “Valar morghulis.” He stares at her, and then with a salute replies, “Valar dohaeris.” Then he tells her that of course she shall have a cabin.
Arya watches the town retreat into the distance as the purple-sailed ship sails east. Then, running up toward the bow, Arya watches the wide open sea ahead as her journey away from Westeros begins.
Recap
Jon Snow passes out through the gate, and into the wasteland that the Night’s Watch’s defense of the Wall have made of the ground outside of it—there are dead wildlings all about, and the corpse of a giant as crows feast on the dead. Atop the Wall, Dolorous Edd looks down to see Jon Snow retreating into the distance, picking his way among the bodies. Snow enters the eaves of the haunted forest and after going deeper into it the fires of the wildling camp can be seen. As Jon Snow approaches Mance Rayder’s tent, trailed by armed fighters and with grim-faced Thenns in front of him, he holds up his empty hands to show he’s unarmed.
Mance Rayder comes out of the tent and considers him. He points out that Jon’s in his black cloak once more, and Jon replies that he’s “been sent” to negotiate. Mance leads Jon Snow and some of his followers into his tent, and he and Jon sit across from one another. Mance remarks that his trusting nature got the better of him—it’s not the first time. Jon responds that Qhorin Halfhand had commanded him to join the wildlings so that he could bring information back to the Watch. He notes Qhorin forced Jon to kill him so that Jon could win the trust of the wildlings—Jon was always loyal to Qhorin and to his vows.
At that, Mance asks if he was loyal to all of his vows. Jon looks away, silent, as Mance suggests even Ygritte wasn’t enough to turn Jon… but was Jon enough to turn her? At that, Jon replies that she shot him with three arrows and almost killed him, but he got away. When Mance asks if he’s seen her again, Jon admits he did, and that she’s dead. “Your doing?” Mance Rayder asks, and Jon says no.
At that, Mance says they’ll drink to her. One of his men brings cups and pours a drink. Jon, suspicious, doesn’t drink as he looks at the cups. Mance seems amused, almost, and notes that poison is the last of the ways he could kill Jon. They raise their cups, and toast Ygritte. Jon drinks deep, then chokes on it, and says it’s not wine. Mance replies it’s a proper “northern” drink. Then he tells Jon, after a moment, that the Watch fought well and killed some of the strongest of Mance’s men. He points out one giant went into the tunnel and never came out again: Mag the Mighty, he was called.
Jon explains Mag was killed by Grenn. At that, Mance replies that Mag was the king of the giants, the last of a bloodline that “stretches back before the First Men”. Jon responds that Grenn was a farmer’s son. At that, Mance raises his cup, and the two toast Mag and Grenn. Then Mance asks for some food to be served by one of his men, suggesting Jon hasn’t had anything to eat for awhile. A wildling takes up a knife and cuts some roasting meat as Mance asks if Jon’s there to strike a bargain; Jon knows Mance is aware they’ll be low on arrows, oil, and men. He asks if there are 50 men left, and Jon stolidly repeats what he said to Tormund and Orell, that they’ve more than 1,000 men. The man cutting meat sticks his knife in a nearby table—Jon eyes it—and serves them food.
Mance is dismissive—he showed his force of 100,000 men, the Watch replied with everything it had, and what it had wasn’t much; he knows there’s not that many men, and that’s why he sent 400 men to an undefended stretch of the Wall just a few miles to the west. He admits many may die climbing, but most will reach the top of the Wall. His honesty then leads him to say that he believes the wildlings have bled enough, that they only want the safety the Wall provides. With winter coming, he says, if they aren’t south of the Wall soon they’ll be worse than dead.
And so Mance offers a bargain: let the wildlings through the gates, and no one else needs to die… but if the Watch refuses, they’ll kill every man at Castle Black. Jon looks at that knife again… and Mance realizes why, as do his men, who draw steel. Mance signals his men to hold still, and understands why Jon is really there. He tells Jon that he imagines Jon could kill him before his men can get to him… but that they’d kill him, and slowly. But he knows Jon knew that, too. He wonders if Jon is really capable of killing a man in his own tent when he’s offering him peace.
He asks if that’s what the Watch and Jon is… but further conversation is interrupted by the sound of horns blowing. A man runs in and shouts that riders are coming. Mance leaps up, grabbing the knife, and holds it to Jon’s throat when he asks if the Watch is attacking. Jon swears they’re not, and admits that Mance is right: they have too few men. Rayder leaves the tent and his men and Jon follow.
Outside in the camp, dogs bark, wolfs howl, and men shout and rush to confront the enemy. What they see is a very sizable force of armored men on horseback, charging in disciplined ranks. Mance’s men gather around him as he shouts at them to form and hold around him. But then we see as that army charges in, that another, equally-large cavalry force is attacking from the other side. The pincer attack meets at Mance’s camp, and the wildlings are beset on all sides and thrown into chaos as the mounted, better-armed men cut their way through them.
Mance watches the carnage, and then shouts at his men to throw down his weapons and shouts at his men to stand down. He’s seen enough of his people die, and he means it. Through smoke and mist, two men approach: Stannis Baratheon and Davos Seaworth. The two dismount, along with Stannis’s guard, and approach. One of the wildlings suddenly charges at them, shouting and brandishing a weapon and dies, suddenly, as a mounted horseman cuts him down as he gallops past. Stannis and Davos step around the body.
Pulling more weapons from his belt, Mance throws them down. Stannis and Davos stop before Mance, and Stannis asks if he’s the King-beyond-the-Wall. He asks if Mance knows who he is. “Never had the pleasure,” Mance replies. Davos informs him that he’s Stannis Baratheon, the one true king of the Seven Kingdoms. Mance replies that they’re not in the Seven Kingdoms, and they’re not dressed for the weather.
When Stannis notes it’s the custom to kneel when surrendering to a king, Mance replies that the wildlings don’t kneel. When Stannis responds that he’ll have thousands of wildlings in chains by nightfall, and he’ll have no place to put them or feed them. He’s not there to “slaughter beat dogs”... but their fate depends on their king. “All the same, we do not kneel,” Mance says again. Stannis has Mance’s men taken away by his soldiers, and Davos then look at Jon and wonders what a man of the Watch is doing at the heart of the wildling camp.
Jon responds that he was sent to discuss terms. Davos takes umbrage that Jon does not address Stannis as Your Grace, and at that Jon says he knows he’s the king—his father died for him. He informs Stannis that he is Jon Snow, the bastard son of Eddard Stark. Stannis looks at him and then says his father was an honorable man. Jon agrees. When Stannis then asks what Ned would have done with Mance, Jon steps forward between Stannis and the King-beyond-the-Wall. He tells Stannis that he was once Mance’s prisoner, and could have been tortured or killed, but instead his life was spared. He then says that he believes Eddard would have made Mance a prisoner, and would have listened to what he had to say.
At that, Stannis has Davos take Mance away as a prisoner. Then Jon addresses Stannis as “Your Grace.” Stannis turns to him, and waits. Jon Snow informs him that if his father had seen what Jon had seen, he’d tell Stannis to burn the dead before nightfall—all of them.
In Casterly Rock, Qyburn stares at an ugly wound, a wound belonging to Ser Gregor Clegane as he lies apparently comatose in bed. Grand Maester Pycelle and Cersei are present, looking disgusted at the smell from the wound and holding clothes near their faces. Pycelle, poking at Ser Gregor’s wounds with a stick as if to keep his distance, suggests that he’d have prescribed milk of the poppy for the pain, but Gregor is unconscious. Cersei curses the Martells. Pycelle goes on to claim it’s manticore venom, and there Qyburn speaks up, and names the particular species of manticore: Death’s Head manticore. Pycelle seems taken aback by Qyburn speaking, and then says it’s something he’s read about. He calls it a horrible poison, with its origins in Mantarys.
Using the long rod, Pycelle pierces the flesh of Gregor’s leg and then pulls it back to sniff at the end—and flinches back from the smell. “There’s nothing to be done,” he declares, but Qyburn contradicts him and purposefully goes to the shelves in the chamber, picking up a great metallic syringe, various vials and pots, and more. Pycelle asks what Qyburn is doing, and Qyburn insists he’ll save Gregor. Then Pycelle takes the matter to Cersei, telling her that Ser Gregor is beyond saving, and complains that Qyburn is not even a maester, much less the Grand Maester.
“That’s for the best,” Qyburn quips as he sets down his tools near Gregor’s body. “No maester knows how to save him.” Pycelle complains to Cersei that Qyburn’s arrogance is the sort of thing that led him to losing his chain and being thrown out of the Citadel, because he had dangerous and unnatural interests. But Cersei doesn’t care: she dismisses Pycelle. Shocked, Pycelle notes it’s his laboratory that they’re standing in. “Not anymore,” Cersei replies. Qyburn continues, setting a tube into Gregor’s arm, and Pycelle gives up his complaints in frustration, throwing down the rod and leaving.
Cersei asks Qyburn if he can save Gregor, and he says he can, though with difficulty. He believes his past work means they stand a chance. Cersei tells him to do all he can, and if he needs anything to come to her. He thanks her, and she turns to go but he speaks up to tell Cersei there’s one thing she should know: the process may “change him… somewhat.” Cersei considers that, and asks if it will weaken the Mountain. “Oh, no,” Qyburn replies. Cersei is satisfied, and leaves. Qyburn uses the tube to begin to drain blood from the Mountain, letting it drip into a beaker.
In Tywin’s chambers, Tywin says he does not want to hear Cersei any longer. He’s busy, rifling through and sorting papers, and insists that the matter—the matter of Cersei’s marriage to Loras Tyrell—is closed. Cersei insists on opening it. Tywin informs her that she is still betrothed to Ser Loras, and will marry him as soon as Tommen weds Maragery. Cersei refuses. Tywin goes on, pointing out that Jaime cannot inherit or marry, Tyrion is sentenced, and Cersei has said that she is committed to the family’s future, and that role is more vital than ever.
Cersei is unimpressed. She tells him she’ll stay in King’s Landing with her son, where she belongs. Tywin starts to remind her of a time he was called to court and decided to take Jaime, but not Cersei, and that she tried to argue… But Cersei stops him, and tells him she isn’t hearing another “smug” story about some victory of his; she’s refusing to let him win. He wonders if she believes she’ll be the first person dragged into a sept to be wed against her will. He moves away from Cersei, into his outer office, obviously attempting to dismiss her but she persists. She asks if he remembers when he entered the throne room after winning the Battle of the Blackwater, with her and Tommen on the Iron Throne. She informs him she was about to poison her son, a sign of how far she’d go when she thought someone would try to take her son from her.
Then she says that now someone awful is coming to take Tommen away. Tywin refutes with a curt, “No,” and Cersei throws back at him that Joffrey is dead, Myrcella has been “sold like livestock” to Dorne, and he wants to now ship Cersei off to Highgarden and “steal” her only surviving son, a boy whom Margaery and Tywin will be fighting over until he’s torn apart. “I will burn our house tot he ground before I let that happen,” she informs him.
Tywin asks how Cersei thinks she can do that… and then she replies that she’ll simply tell the truth. “What truth would that be?” Tywin asks. Cersei stares at her father a long time, and then asks how it’s possible that he never knew, never believed, the claims. Tywin seems incredulous as she steps nearer, and she says that of course it’s possible that he never did—he’s been so consumed with the idea of family, that he never really knew his own family. She tells him that if he had only truly looked at his children in the last twenty years, hew ould have known. “Known what?” Tywin asks. She replies that everything is true about Jaime and herself.
“No,” Tywin says immediately, denying it, turning away. Cersei says after him that his legacy a lie, and Tywin is in denial. Then he turns back to her and says he does not believe it. “Yes, you do,” Cersei says, finally, and leaves him alone to brood.
Jaime pores over the White Book in the chamber of the Kingsguard, staring at his own short entry in the book, when Cersei enters. She calls him by name, and he tells her with disgust in his voice that she “won”, with only one fewer brother left. As she closes the door, he supposes that made her proud. Cersei replies that for her family, there’s nothing she wouldn’t do, things Jaime couldn’t even imagine. Jaime responds that Tyrion is her family, and Cersei denies it, even when Jaime says that she doesn’t get to choose her family. Cersei insists that they can choose, and that Jaime can choose the “creature that killed our mother.” Flabbergasted, Jaime sits down and asks how she can be so mad to blame him for his birth.
“A disease doesn’t decide to kill you,” Cersei replies, and suggests that cutting it out before it does is the right solution. Then she approaches him, asking what he chooses. Jaime’s frustrated as he tells her the things he did to get back to her, to endure the things he endured, only to find her… But the sentence isn’t finished, as Cersei presses her lips to Jaime’s, silencing him. She whispers that she chooses him. He replies those are only words, and she agrees… just like the words she said to Lord Tywin. When he asks what she means, she informs him that she told Tywin the truth of their relationship when she said she wouldn’t marry Loras and would remain in King’s Landing “with Tommen, with you.”
Jaime can’t believe Tywin will accept it, and she tells him to go ask Tywin before kissing him again. They break, and Jaime asks what she actually told Tywin. She whispers in his ear that she doesn’t want to talk about Tywin, she doesn’t choose him, she doesn’t love him—she loves her brother, her lover. She slowly kneels down in front of him, caressing him, saying that she doesn’t care what people say, what jokes they make. She caresses his golden hand, and Jaime grabs her, kissing her passionately. Jaime whispers that someone may walk in. Cersei responds, “I don’t care”. Jaime takes her to the table, pushes the White Book away, and lays her on it as she presses herself to him.
In the Great Pyramid, an old, dignified Meereenese former slave named Fennesz listens as Missandei provides Daenerys’s full style: “Daenerys Stormborn, the unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the Rhoynar and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains and Mother of Dragons.” The man presents himself in Valyrian, and then switches to the common tongue of Westeros. Daenerys is impressed. He explains he was once owned by a Master Migdahl, and served as a tutor for his children. He notes they know much about the Targaryens because of him, and that the daughter admires Daenerys. Daenerys is pleased, and asks what she can do.
He explains that since her arrival, it was decided that he should leave the house and find his own life. But now he has no home, and lived in the streets. Daenerys notes she has shelters arranged for the homeless former slaves, and he admits that he went to such places but there the young preyed on the old and the weak, taking what they wanted and beating those who tried to stop them. Daenerys insists her Unsullied will put things to right, and Fennesz asks that even if that happens, what would he be there, what purpose could he server. When he had a master, he was a teacher, respected and loved by his pupils.
Daenerys, unable to answer that directly, asks what he wants. He asks for leave to sell himself back to his former master. Daenerys is incredulous, and he explains that the young may love this new world she has made, but the old who cannot change see only “fear and squalor”. He notes there are many more besides him, come to make the same request. Daenerys considers that, clearly troubled, and then says that she did not choose to rule the city to oversee the same injustices she had ended. However, with freedom must come the right of the people to make their own choices. She permits Fennesz to return to his old master, but as a contracted servant, with the contract lasting no more than a year. Fennesz thanks her, bows, and leaves.
However, Ser Barristan is concerned and tells Daenerys that the masters will use it to their advantage, and the men who take such contracts will be slaves in all but name. Daenerys has no response. A goatherd who awaits her is then called forward, holding a bundle, but he does not seem to understand as he holds a cloth-wrapped bundle and seems very distressed. Missandei addresses him in the low Valyrian of Meereen and calls him forward. The man approaches and weeps, and Missandei translates what he has to say. He stats that “he” came from the sky, “the black one”, and… He falls to his knees, and lowers the bundle and begins o unwrap it. “My girl,” Missandei translates, “my little girl.” To their horror, they see the burned bones of a young girl, as the shepherd sobs in grief.
In Daenerys’s chambers, she asks the girls name. It was Zala, Missandei informs her, a girl of three years age. In Valyrian, Daenerys asks if there’s been any sign of Drogon. She paces as Grey Worm responds that sailors had seen him over the Black Cliffs three days earlier. Coming to a decision, Daenerys tells them to meet her at the catacombs, and she leaves.
A great stone gate is rolled away from the entrance of the catacombs, and Daenerys’s two other dragons, the smaller ones, are with her. Screeching, they follow their “mother” as Daenerys descends into the darkness. They walk deep into the catacombs, shallow water splashing at their feet. At the end the dragons two charred goats, which the dragons hungrily eat… and beyond the goats, two large iron collars and heavy chains. As the dragons eat and squabble over the food, an emotional Daenerys moves to chain each dragon as it eats. The dragons don’t really notice.
Daenerys them walks away from the dragons, back to the steps. The dragons, finally noticing, try to follow after—and are stopped by the chain. They begin to screech and cry after her as she climbs the steps, and even snap at the heavy chains that hold them in place. Daenerys looks back and weep as the stone gate is closed.
Beneath the Wall, Maester Aemon speaks of the many places from which the men of the Night’s Watch who died defending the Wall and Castle Black came. Their bodies are placed together on a huge pyre, their surviving brothers watching, as are Queen Selyse and Shireen, and King Stannis and Davos. As Aemon says the traditional funeral words for the men, a torch is passed among the brothers and Jon Snow is among those who helps set the pyre alight after receiving a torch from Samwell. He passes the torch to Dolorous Edd. As the bodies burn, Melisandre can be seen watching… watching Jon Snow, who stares back at her through the flames.
In a room in Castle Black, Tormund lies on the ground, bound as a prisoner. Jon enters and Tormund informs him that the “old blind man” had patched him up, and asked why. Jon says Maester Aemon is sworn to treat all wounded men, friend and foe alike. Tormund, suspicious, asks if they want to keep him alive so he can be tortured, but Jon assures him that won’t happen. Then Tormund asks how he’ll die—hanging, beheading, dropped from the Wall—and Jon says he doesn’t know and guesses Stannis will decide. When Tormund asks if he’s Jon’s king, Jon replies he has no king. Tormund, amused, says that Jon’s spent too much time among the Free Folk, and he can never be a kneeler again.
Then Jon informs him that they’ll burn the wildling dead, and asks if Tormund wants to say any words over them. This is a concept foreign to Tormund, and Jon explains it as a way of saying farewell. “The dead can’t hear us, boy,” is Tormund’s succinct reply. Jon nods at that, and turns to go. But then Tormund calls after him, “Snow.” Jon turns, and Tormund asks if he had loved Ygritte… because Ygritte had loved Jon. Jon asks if she told him, and Tormund says no. “All she ever talked about was killing you,” he tells Jon. “That’s how I know.”
Then he tells Jon that she belonged in the North—the real North, the lands beyond the Wall. He asks if Jon understands, and Jon leaves. Later, Beyond the Wall where there’s snow on the ground, Jon builds a pyre near the weirwood where men who follow the old gods have sworn their oaths. Ygritte is on the pier, peaceful in death, her red hair fanned about her. When he’s done, Jon retrieves a lit torch and sets the pyre alight. As the flames fan up, Jon walks away, dropping the torch. There are tears in his eyes.
Beyond the Wall, Hodor drags a sledge with Bran on it, and Meera helps her faltering brother, who uses a staff to help him as they walk through a snow storm. Meera urges that they can stop and rest, but Jojen presses on and says that they’ll rest with the three-eyed raven. He struggles on and then falls, and Meera rushes to his side, sure that they won’t make it. Jojen looks ahead… and says that they have. Bran calls to Jojen and tells him to look. Meera helps Jojen up and they crest a hill to see the great weirwood tree that Bran saw in his vision.
We see them in the final stretch to the tree, Jojen trailing behind. As they walk, a skeletal hand bursts from the snow and grabs at Jojen, making him fall with a groan. A second hand bursts out, grabbing his other leg, and begins to drag him back. Meera, screaming, runs to help him, trying to pull him away, as Bran yells at Hodor to help them. Another hand breaks through the ice as Hodor runs to help. He stops, frightened, looking back to Bran and then back to the struggling Reeds as a skeletal figure bursts from the snow and starts to run toward them. Bran shouts at him to help again, just as Meera pulls Jojen free from the grasp.
But then one of the skeletal wights is on Hodor’s back, and the one that grabbed at Jojen climbs out of the snow, an ax in hand, and rushes at the Reeds. It knocks Meera away, breaks Jojen’s staff, and then has its head knocked off by a thrust of Meera’s knife. More fighting follows as more wights appear. One wight bursts from the snow just in front of Bran, and crawls its way to where he lies, when Summer rushes at it and knocks it away. As Hodor is beset by a second wight, Bran slips into his skin, and with Hodor’s strength he’s able to fling the creatures away and destroy another with a hammer.
The fighting continues with the Reeds, Meera fending the ones off successfully… but as more wights burst from the snow, Jojen screams for Bran to save himself. Just as he does, the beheaded wight’s arm moves, takes a knife, and as Meera kills one wight, the headless corpse repeatedly stabs Jojen in the belly where he lies on the ground. Screaming, Meera runs to her brother, destroying the wight. Hodor turns then to see the wights rushing at Bran… only for them to explode in sudden flames, and then another. A voice calls from the tunnel into the hollow hill, a woman’s voice, but it belongs to a small, dark creature, no bigger than a girl. “Come with me, Brandon Stark,” the child says. As Meera holds Jojen in her lap, shocked, terrified for her brother, the child tells Bran that Jojen is lost, but Bran will die too if he does not come with her.
Jojen, dying, tells Meera to go with them as more wights burst from the ice and snow. Meera, holding her brother in her lap, grabs the knife she left in the wight’s skull… and uses it to cut Jojen’s throat. Weeping, she runs to join the others as Jojen falls back dead. The child stops near the cavern and turns, and throws one last ball of fire toward Jojen’s corpse. Its light is reflected in his eyes as it falls toward him. There is another explosion, his body burned to cinders, as his dreams foretold. The wights spring and run after the fleeing children… but at the threshold to the cavern, the magic that holds them together falters and their dead bones fly apart.
The survivors look back, and the child says that they cannot follow because the power that moves them is powerless in the hill. Bran asks who she is, and she expalins that the First Men called them children—she is a child of the forest—but they were born long before they were. Then she tells them to follow, that “he” waits for them. She leads the way through the root-lined caverns to a great cavern beneath the weirwood tree. There at it’s center, enmeshed in the pale roots, is an aged, bearded man. A raven sits on the cavern floor, and there are many old bones on the ground. The raven hops on the ground as Bran begins to drag himself to the center.
He asks, “You’re the three-eyed raven?” The old man replies, “I’ve been many things,” and says they can see what he is now. Meera speaks, saying that Jojen had led them to him, and now he’s dead. The three-eyed raven replies that Jojen knew what would happen, but he went anyway. When Meera asks how he knows, he responds, “I’ve been watching you. All of you. All of yours lives. With a thousand eyes and one.” He says to Bran—calling Brandon Stark—that he’s come at last, “though the hour is late.”
Bran tells him that he didn’t want anyone to die for him, and the last greenseer replies that he died so that Bran could find what he had lost. Bran asks if he’ll help him walk again. “You will never walk again,” the three-eyed raven says, “but you will fly.”
In the foothills of the Mountains of the Moon, Brienne wakes up from where she sleeps on the ground. Getting up and looking around, she calls to Podrick, waking him. He looks around groggily, and Brienne asks where the horses are. Podrick replies he hobbled them just the way she taught him, with a figure eight. Brienne testily replies that if he had used the hobble she’d taught him, the horses would still be there. Podrick suggests it might hav ebeen thieves, as Brienne—clearly annoyed—takes up her sword and informs him it’s at least 30 miles to the Eyrie, and he’ll be carrying their saddlebags.
Later, climbing over the crest of a hill, Brienne spots a girl practicing with a narrow sword—Arya Stark. Arya turns, and seeing her stops suddenly. She whispers to the Hound, who is hidden behind some rocks, telling him, “You can shit later. People are coming.” But there’s no response. Brienne offers a good morning, and Arya responds in kind before complimenting Arya on her sword. Arya just stares, and she asks if they’re close to the Bloody Gate. Arya responds it’s about 10 more miles, and Brienne turns to Podrick—who now appears with the saddle bags—and tells him it’s only 10 more miles.
Arya asks if Brienne’s a knight, in a friendly way, and when Brienne says no, she asks if she knows how to handle her sword. Brienne admits she does, and when asked by Arya she tells her it’s named Oathkeeper. Arya replies, “Mine’s Needle,” as she shoves it through her belt. Brienne says it’s a good name, and when Arya asks her who taught her how to fight, Brienne explains it was her father. Arya says her father never wanted to, as fighting was for boys. Brienne admits Lord Selwyn said the same, but she kept fighting the boys anyway until he decided that if she was going to fight, she might as well learn how to do it properly.
Just then, the Hound appears from behind the rocks, fastening his sword belt. Brienne calls a friendly greeting, naming herself and Podrick, but does not see that behind her Podrick recognizes the Hound and starts to set down his bags. The Hound wonders what they want, when Podrick tells Brienne that he’s Sandor Clegane. Arya moves behind Sandor’s back, coming into view on his other side, her expression flat. Brienne realizes who she is, and says that she must be Arya Stark. The Hound again asks what they want, gripping the hilt of his sword. Brienne ignores him and tells Arya of the promise she swore to Lady Catelyn, Arya’s mother.
“My mother’s dead,” Arya replies. Brienne explains that she wishes she could have protected her. When Arya notes she’s no northerner, Brienne admits it, but that she swore a vow to protect her. Arya asks why she didn’t, and after a hesitation she explains that she was commanded to bring Jaime Lannister to King’s Landing. At that, the Hound states that she’s paid by the Lannisters, that she’s there for the bounty on his head. Brienne denies it, and the Hound approaches her, hand still on his sword. He notes her own sword, and wonders where she got it, because he’s looked at Lannister gold all his life and he knows its look. “Go on, Brienne of fucking Tarth,” he says, “tell me that’s not Lannister gold.”
Brienne admits the sword is from Jaime, and at that Arya repeats that it’s 10 miles to the Bloody Gate. Brienne persists, speaking to Brienne, again stating she swore to Catelyn—Arya interrupts her and says she doesn’t care what she swore. Brienne shouts after her, and the Hound tells her that Arya’s not coming with her. Brienne insists she is. The Hound draws his sword, and Brienne partially draws her. He tells her she’s not a good listener, and then notices her blade is Valyrian steel. “I always wanted some Valyrian steel,” he tells Brienne. Brienne again urges Arya to come to safety with her, and at that the incredulous Sandor angrily asks where there’s safety to be found for Arya: her aunt is dead, her mother is dead, her brother is dead, Winterfell is a pile of rubble. “There is no safety, you dumb bitch,” he concludes, saying that if Brienne doesn’t realize it she’s not the person to watch over Arya.
Brienne sneers at that, asking if he thinks he’s watching over her. A hesitation, and the Hound says he is. Brienne pulls her sword then, and a fight’s inevitable. The two cross blades, and the Hound knocks Brienne tumbling down a slope as Arya and Podrick run after them to watch what happens. The two fight with the intent to kill one another, not holding back a bit. Brienne proves faster with a sword, bringing the Hound to his knees eventually, and knocking the sword from his grasp. Brienne holds him at swordspoint and tells him that she has no wish to kill him, addressing him as “ser”. The Hound, at that, grabs the blade in both his hands, blood flowing from the sharp steel. Shocked, Brienne watches as he forces the blade up as he stands, still gripping it. Then he strikes her, knocking her down. “I’m not a knight,” he informs her.
More fighting, now hand-to-hand follows, as they punch and kick at one another. Brienne screams from one particularly brutal kick as she lays on the ground, and as the Hound climbs up on top of her he begins to pummel her until she’s able to forces him to roll over after he tries to stab her with a knife, and suddenly she bites at his ear and tears it off. He cries out, and the two separate and stumble to their feet. Brienne spits out the ear. With a rock in her hand, she begins to strikes the Hound over and over again in the head. He tries to fight back, but she has the better of him, screaming as she strikes him again and again and again until he suddenly plummets off a cliff and rolls down a rocky slope. Brienne falls to the ground, exhausted and bloodied.
Getting up, Brienne calls for Arya, but doesn’t see her. Podrick insists he saw her, and Brienne asks why he didn’t watch her. Podrick replies he was watching her fight with the Hound, thinking she might need his help. As they call after Arya, Arya sits behind a rock, hidden from view. She picks her way away from them, staying out of sight, and loops back around to where the Hound lies, gasping for breath, legs broken. He informs Arya that the “big bitch” saved her, but Arya says she didn’t need it. The Hound sarcastically replies that Arya’s the real killer, with her waterdancing and her Needle. Arya asks if he’s going to die, and Clegane admits he is, unless there’s a maester hiding behind a rock.
Commenting that he’d skin Arya alive for a cup of wine, Arya starts to reach for a skin. “Fuck water,” the Hound replies. Then, with a morbid chuckle, he remarks on being killed by a woman. He bets Arya likes that. Then he tells her to go on and join Brienne, that Brienne will help. Arya shakes her head, but the Hound persists, saying that alone Arya won’t last a day. “I’ll last longer than you,” Arya says matter-of-factly.
Then the Hound asks if she remembers where the heart is. She nods solemnly. After a moment, gasping with pain, the Hound says he’s ready, and urges her to take another name off her list as she promised. She just stares. He tells her how he cut down Mycah, the butcher boy, as he begged, and how the blood from his body left his horse’s saddle stinking “of butcher’s boy”. He adds that he should have taken her as the Blackwater burned so he’d have at least one happy memory. But there’s no response from Arya. Then he asks if he needs to beg, and suddenly be begins to weep as he does so.
Arya stands up and approaches. She stoops beside him… and takes his purse of gold; he makes a half-hearted attempt to stop her, to no effect. She walks away, then, leaving him. He cries after her, “Kill me. Kill me! Kill me!” Arya does not turn back.
In the black cells beneath the Red Keep, Tyrion lies awake. He hears a door open and then close, and approaching footsteps. Expecting his executioners, he says aloud, “Get on with it, you son of a whore.” And then Jaime enters and asks if that’s any way to speak about their mother. Stunned, Tyrion asks what his brother is doing, and Jaime asks what Tyrion thinks he’s doing. Then, leading him out of the cell and through the dungeons with a torch in hand, he tells him that a galley awaits to take Tyrion to the Free Cities. Tyrion asks who is helping him, and Jaime explains its Varys. Surprised at that, Jaime adds that Tyrion has more friends than he thought.
As the two continue through the passage, they stop at a staircase. Jaime tells Tyrion that there’ll be a locked door, to knock according to a certain signal, and Varys will open it. Tyrion, moved, supposes this is their farewell and Jaime drops down to embrace his brother. “Farewell, little brother,” Jaime says, and starts to leave. Tyrion calls his name, and Jaime turns. “Thank you for my life,” Tyrion tells him. Jaime takes that in, awkward, emotional, and tells Tyrion to hurry on.
Tyrion pauses at the staircase, staring up it…. and then decides to go in another direction entirely. He finds a secret passage opening into the small council chamber. He walks through the empty room, on to the Hand’s bedroom… and finds Shae in the bed, drowsy and half-asleep. “Tywin? My lion?” she murmurs as she turns and looks… and sees Tyrion. The two stare at one another for a long beat, and suddenly her eyes flash to a knife on a plate of fruits and cheese. She grabs it, and Tyrion reaches for her arm, grabs at her, climbs atop of her. He overpowers and disarms her, and she claws and slaps at him as she struggles. He reaches for the golden necklace she wears and begins to strangle her with it. She slaps him in her struggle, knocking him off the bed but his whole weight goes behind his effort to choke her.
A few moments more, and she’s dead, draped over the bed’s edge with Tyrion in shocked silence beside her. “I’m sorry,” he says, releasing the chain. “I’m sorry,” he says again… and his eyes turn to the wall, where his father’s weapons are kept… including a crossbow.
We see Tyrion taking the crossbow and its loading hook down a dark hall. He sees light, and with the crossbow loaded opens a door—it’s a privy, occupied by Tyrion. Tywin is surprised, and tells Tyrion to put down the crossbow, but Tyrion doesn’t answer. Then he asks who released him… and supposes it was Jaime, who always had a soft spot for him. He nonchalantly tries to get up, telling Tyrion they’ll take in his chambers—but Tyrion hefts the crossbow, and Tywin stills. Tywin supposes that’s how Tyrion prefers to speak to him, shaming him for his own pleasure.
“All my life,” Tyrion says, “You’ve wanted me dead.” It’s a statement, not a question, but Tywin answers it: “Yes.” But then he goes on to say Tyrion refused to die, and he respected that, even admired it—Tyrion fought for what he wanted. Then he notes he was never going to allow Tyrion to be executed, that he’d never have Ilyn Payne take his head. “You’re a Lannister,” he explains, “you’re my son.”
Tyrion seems almost not to have heard. He tells him that he loved “her”, and when Tywin asks who, Tyrion explains he means Shae. It’s clear Tywin understands what he means. Again he tells him to put down the bow, but Tyrion replies that he murdered her with his own hands. “It doesn’t matter,” Tywin explains, and at Tyrion’s surprise at that, he explains, “She was a whore.” But that angers Tyrion, who threatens with the bow again, and tells him not to say that word again.
“And what?” Tywin asks. “You’ll kill your own father in the privy?” Tywin doesn’t believe that, and says Tyrion is his son. Then he tries to get up again, but Tyrion keeps the bow on him and tells him that Tywin sentenced him to die, even though he knew he had nothing to do with Joffrey’s death. He asks why Tywin did that. Tywin refuses to answer, insisting they go to his chamber to speak with some dignity. Tyrion matter-of-factly states that he can’t go there, that Shae’s in there. “You’re afraid of a dead whore?” Tywin asks…
The bow looses its bolt, and it sinks into Tywin’s belly. Shocked, Tywin fumbles with the bolt and then tells Tyrion that he shot him. Tyrion, unphased, slowly loads the crossbow with another bolt. Groaning, Tywin tells Tyrion that he’s no son of his. Tyrion replies that he’s wrong—he is his son, and always has been. He pulls the trigger, and the second bolt takes Tywin in the chest, flinging him back against the privy wall as he dies. Dropping the crossbow, Tyrion leaves without a word.
A door opens, and Varys sees Tyrion, his face scratched from his struggle with Shae. He asks what Tyrion has done as he lets him into the chamber and closes teh door. Then he hurries Tyrion into a crate with holes in it, and tells him to trust him. We later see Varys with the crate as the crate is lowered onto a ship. Varys turns and starts to go back to the city when bells begin to toll… and Varys, nonplussed, turns around and goes on to the ship. We see him sitting beside the crate in silence.
Riding past a waterfall, Arya Stark sees a harbor town in the distance and rides to it. At the docks, men are busy working, with one man shoveling salt into boxes. Arya walks down the dock toward a ship and asks to see the captain. The man she speaks to replies that he’s the captain. When she says she wants to go to the Wall and the North, he replies that she does not want that, that there’s nothing there but ice, war, and pirates. Arya begs, saying she won’t need a cabin, that she’ll scrub floors, but he insists he isn’t going north, but instead he’s going home.
Arya asks where home is, and he says, “The Free City of Braavos.” At that, Arya starts and then tells him to wait, that she has something else. She fishes for something at her belt. As the captain says silver won’t make any difference, she offers him a coin, saying, “It’s not silver. It’s iron.” He looks at it, shocked, and begins to ask how Arya got it when she says, “Valar morghulis.” He stares at her, and then with a salute replies, “Valar dohaeris.” Then he tells her that of course she shall have a cabin.
Arya watches the town retreat into the distance as the purple-sailed ship sails east. Then, running up toward the bow, Arya watches the wide open sea ahead as her journey away from Westeros begins.
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