Game of Thrones Season 6 continues to impress and improve with this episode. Filled with reunions and connections, main plots merge together, heading towards an clash of storylines built up from the start as Game of Thrones takes strides to the endgame. Pink Letters and active characters make this episode yet another great entry into the season.
Below, I will break down the episode by location, talking spoiler-heavy about the action and development of each storyline. After, I will quickly run through bullet points of the pros and cons of the episode, and finally I will predict where the show will go from here.
THE WALL
Like many episodes this season, it opens first on The Wall. Jon Snow is preparing to march South, with no plan of where to go or what to do when he gets there. Edd argues that he should stay and serve his vows, but Jon says his death released him from his vows and he can not serve as a leader of the Nights Watch knowing his own brothers had murdered him for his actions.
Their argument is interrupted when the gates are opened. Sansa Stark enters Castle Black, along with Brienne and Podrick behind her. In a much-needed moment of hope and light, Jon embraces his sister, reunited at least. The half-siblings reminisce of the day they left Winterfell and reflect on how much things have changed since then. Together again, Sansa declares there is only one place they can go now: Home. To Winterfell. Even if it takes a war to get them there. Later in the episode, Jon receives a letter from Ramsey, threatening the vicious rape and murder of the Stark family and the rescued Wildlings if Sansa is not returned to him. This ultimatum from Ramsey convinces Jon that a Battle of the North must be fought, for the protection of the Starks, and the Realms of Men.
Meanwhile, Melisandre reveals to Davos that she believes Jon is Azor Ahai, The Prince that was Promised. She is not open, however, about the fate of Shireen, the daughter of Stannis who she burned to death last season. Before Davos can push for an answer, Brienne approaches, telling them that she served under Renly and executed Stannis after he admitted to using blood magic to kill his own brother. This scene is tense and teases future problems and confrontation between Brienne and the Red Woman, who she rightfully blames for the death of her king.
The North continues to provide the most driving stories of the season, with the stakes feeling constantly high between the deadly Boltons and the increasingly-threatening White Walkers beyond The Wall. This episode provided emotional impact built from the first episode as we finally see Sansa and Jon reunited. This convergence of Stark plot provides a glimmer of hope for the future of the family and is truly exciting for the future.
Interestingly, when reflecting back to the day they left, Sansa says that she wishes she could go back and "scream at myself, "don't go.'" Could this be a reference to Bran's potential time travel moment last episode where he called out to his father in the past? Perhaps we will see one of the Starks get the chance to live out Sansa's wish with the ability to talk to themselves on that day and stop the terrible tragedies from befalling the Starks. I certainly hope not. I love a good time travel story, but Game of Thrones is not where I want it. A final twist that undoes the events that impacted and inspired us for the last 6 years would feel very dissatisfying and manipulative.
The scene between Brienne and Melisandre is perhaps just as fascinating as Jon and Sansa's reunion. It connects back to the stories of both characters, with Brienne being constantly motivated by her devotion to Renly and Mel's devotion to the Red God and magic. These powerful woman are almost opposite images of each other, with Brienne's manly appearance and incredible brute strength and Melisandre's gorgeous feminine appearance and use of dark magic. In a show that is often criticized for its portrayal of woman, seeing these two strong characters interact - and tease more intensity to come - is very exciting and a big sign of the quality this season is presenting to us.
WINTERFELL
This may have been a very female-powered episode, but that does not mean every woman in Westeros got off on top. Osha, the Wildling who had been with Rickon Stark, is presented to Ramsay. She plays with him, saying that she was not loyal to the Starks and only stuck with Rickon because of the payout he could provide. She attempts to seduce Ramsay, eyeing a knife on the table to attack him. However the scene turns as Ramsay reveals that, while he was torturing Theon Greyjoy, he talked about Osha and how she had been instrumental in the escape of Bran and Rickon. Her loyalty is revealed and her lead is crushed, as Ramsay reveals his own blade, stabbing Osha through the throat and killing her.
This may have been a very female-powered episode, but that does not mean every woman in Westeros got off on top. Osha, the Wildling who had been with Rickon Stark, is presented to Ramsay. She plays with him, saying that she was not loyal to the Starks and only stuck with Rickon because of the payout he could provide. She attempts to seduce Ramsay, eyeing a knife on the table to attack him. However the scene turns as Ramsay reveals that, while he was torturing Theon Greyjoy, he talked about Osha and how she had been instrumental in the escape of Bran and Rickon. Her loyalty is revealed and her lead is crushed, as Ramsay reveals his own blade, stabbing Osha through the throat and killing her.
This was a bit of a weak scene, although it was an inevitable one that was ultimately faithful to the characters as we know them, even if it is a bit disappointing. In previous seasons, we have seen Osha use her sexuality to her advantage, particularly against Theon when he held Winterfell. It makes sense with her character that she would attempt to do this again. She knows nothing of Ramsay's brutality or his knowledge of Theon, so underestimating him makes sense. We also know Ramsay as a cold killer with very little genuine interest in sex, so him playing along only to kill Osha fits within his character as well.
The disappointment grows from the same tree, however, because the scene ultimately felt mostly easy and predictable. From the start of the scene it is fairly easy to guess where it will end up, especially considering the lack of significance Osha would pose to the plot from within Winterfell. With so many characters in the north, she is no longer needed as an eye for the viewer. I would have liked to have seen more of her, however, and learn about what her and Rickon had been up to for the last few years. To have a somewhat significant character return to the screen after two full seasons of absence only to be killed in her second scene feels like a missed opportunity and perhaps was a victim of the shows quickening pacing or plot manipulation. A Stark needed to be in Winterfell to motivate Jon to march, and Rickon's arrival fills that spot. I also hope we get to see some different types of scenes with Ramsay in the future because he has already been deeply established as a violent psychopath who hate women and it could turn him into a joke if he keeps doing the same thing over and over again.
THE VALE
Last time we saw Littlefinger, he had left Sansa at Winterfell to be married and planted his seeds with Cersei in King's Landing, all while asserting himself as the new Uncle of Robin Arryn. Littlefinger returns to the show when he rides into the Vale, presenting a gift to Robin. When Lord Royce tries to question Littlefinger's role in Sansa's marriage to the Boltons, Littlefinger tells a false story of Sansa capture, implying that he was sold out by Royce. When Robin casually suggests that Royce be thrown from the Moon Door, Littlefinger slyly suggests that he be granted a second chance, as he could prove to be a strong leader in the wars to come. Littlefinger tells Robin that Sansa has been freed and that the Vale must use their armies to march on Winterfell to protect Sansa from falling back into Bolton hands.
Littlefinger has always been one of my favorite characters, especially early on. Seeing him play his political games and manipulate his way to the top has felt like an embodiment of the themes and storytelling this series does so well. This scene is yet another smart move from him as he slyly asserts himself as the political leader of the Vale even if not in name. When Royce sees Robbin so quickly side with Littlefinger, he realizes quickly just how he had been played and that he must submit to Littlefinger if he wishes to survive. Like many characters in Westeros, Royce sees the darkness of Littlefinger but knows there is nothing he can do about it.
The Vale fighting against The Boltons could provide a massive turning point in the coming battle. If they can join forces with the Wildlings and Jon Snow, the Boltons will have a hard war ahead of them, suddenly outnumbered and underskilled. Vale soldiers are known as being strong and devoted fighters and could, according to some book sources, raise up to 45,000 men to arms. Against the 10,000 men holding Winterfell plus the Umbers and other houses loyal to the Boltons, the upcoming Battle of The North could turn out to be one of the biggest battles in recent Westerosi history and change The North forever. This big Northern shift increases my suspicions that this series will not end with a unified kingdom.
THE IRON ISLANDS
In a brief but powerful scene, Theon returns how to Pyke. He speaks with his sister, Yara, who is angry at him for the loss their people experienced on his behalf. She is justly suspicious of him, returning suddenly right after his father had been killed. After his complete breaking, she is unsure if he is truly Theon or still a toy of Ramsay Bolton. Theon cries, telling her he is sorry and that he does not want the throne, he just wants to be home. Theon tells Yara that she belongs on the throne and that he will do what he can to get her there.
This was a strong scene where both characters acted in a believable way. Theon is shattered and does not know where to go from here. His interactions with his sister brings back all the mistakes and pain he went through and sends him spiraling into sadness. He is finally given the chance to slow down and look at what he was truly done and been through. Yara has lost a lot trying to save her brother and her anger and distrust towards him is very warranted. Last time she saw him, he was cowering silently in a cage, refusing to leave with her. And his timely arrival post-assassination would raise eyebrows from anyone. However they ultimately end on a common ground, heading into the Kingsmoot as a single force.
MEREEN
Last week, Tyrion sent a message to the slave masters of Essos, and this week we see that message has lead to a meeting. The Masters Danny had defeated in seasons past come to Mareen to meet with Tyrion. He offers to make peace with the Masters, giving them 7 years to free their slaves in exchange for peace and unity in Essos. Tyrion claims to talk on behalf of the Queen, but his views and actions strongly contradict with what he knows Danny would be doing. Messande and Greyworm are well aware of this and express their disagreement after the meeting, Tyrion tells them that he is doing what is necessary to maintain the peace and that he cannot end slavery and war at the same time. While Messande and Greyworm are not fully convinced of his tactics, having been slaves themselves, they ultimately defend him when the people question his actions.
I was very pleased with this scene for a few reasons. It was nice to see the actions of Danny feel important and that the show addressed the unrealistic optimism of her campaign. As Tyrion said, she destroyed an economic system without bothering to put another one in its place. Her actions were certainly noble, but leaving the cities in the way she did was leaving them destined for chaos and a return to slavery. It is also satisfying to see Tyrion being entirely out of place is not unintentional and that problems between Danny's top tier is growing. The Eastern plot has been falling in quality for many seasons now, but this episode was a very interesting shift for both of the big Eastern plots and foreshadow them finally heading West to connect to the main story. Where Messande and Greyworm will ultimately fall in Tyrion's argument will be fascinating in the future of Mereen's plot, especially with Dany on her way home, potentially with some guests of her own.
VAES DOTHRAK
Darrio and Jorah have made their way to Vaes Dothrak, knowing that Danny would be taken into the temples and a Khaleesi widow. Outside the city, Darrio and Jorah are growing impatient with each other. Darrio is joking about his sex life with Danny and teasing Jorah for his old age. When Jorah insists of Darrio leaving his weapons outside the city, Jorah accidentally reveals his Greyscaled arm. Darrio notices and simply asks "do you know what's going to happen?" Jorah says he does, and they move past it, focusing on their rescuing of Dany. Later that night, they enter the city covertly. When they run into two Dothraki, Jorah's knowledge of Dothraki buys them time and Darrio's combat prowess ultimately saves them.
This was a fun scene. Not only with their banter early on, but by seeing them working strongly together in synch. Jorah's book knowledge helps outmatch his aging and sick body while Darrio's skill in battle takes the Dothraki down. The tension between the pair will be cool to see in the future when we see things calm down for them with Danny. Will they come to a common ground or will their mocho bashing continue? I also wonder if Darrio will reveal Jorah's Greyscale to Danny or keep the secret. If he keeps it and Danny inevitably finds out, this could draw a rift between Danny and both Jorah and Darrio, leaving her to end up with neither one of them.
Meanwhile, Danny is with the Khaleesi Widows, preparing to be judged on her fate. She shows a friendship with one of the widows, who hopes that she can join them in the temple. They connect momentarily over their love for Dragons before Darrio and Jorah enter the scene and capture the Dothraki. They are ready to break her out, but she tells them that there is no way they will make it out and that she has a plan of her own.
We later see Danny facing her trial. She is belittled by the Dothraki as they joke about having sex with her and selling her to slavery. However this is not the Danny we knew in season one. She stands up for herself, asserting that she is the Mother of Dragons and that they will die. In a massive theory-blasting moment, she knocks down torches into the temple, burning it to the ground and killing the Dothraki. However Danny is unphased, walking out from the flames, naked and unburnt. Standing in front of the flames, she looks over the dothraki army as they bow to her.
I have been open about my dislike for Danny's storyline this season and how it felt like it was going too slow and felt predictable. I was convinced she would have Darrio save her or her dragon swoop in and that we were only waiting for the inevitable. However I was really happy to see that, ultimately, she saved herself. Her own power and assertiveness as a person saved her without the help of anyone else. A character that was once nothing but a victim is now the creator of her own story and the savior of herself. No man needed.
Of course, this scene called directly back to the season one finale where Dany's dragons were born and she was also unburnt in a large fire surrounded by Dothraki. At the time, she seemed like the ultimate queen and leader of the Dothraki, however we saw her quickly lose these followers next season as the patriarchal Dothraki refused to follow a woman, especially one who relied on blood magic. Could the loyalty seen in this scene be yet another rug set to be pulled out from under us? I hope not. Danny with a Dothraki army on top of her Unsullied is a massive force to be reckoned with both in Essos and in Westeros. As the series moves towards its endgame, Danny will soon make her move West, and with Dothraki at her back she will not be going quietly.
KING'S LANDING
Queen Margaery Tyrell is locked with the High Sparrow, who is continuing his manipulation of King's Landing. He bring her to her brother, Loras, who is also imprisoned. She finds him shattered and broken, begging for her to make them stop. She tries to talk him up and inspire him to not let them win, but he is uninterested in winning and just wants it all to end.
Cersei is also feeling more and more desperate as her grip on her son Tommen is weakening. Tommen's loyalty to her is beginning to fall as he wonders if fighting against the High Sparrow is the right move. He tells Cersei that, according to the High Sparrow, Mrgaery is soon to face her atonement. Cersei takes this news to Lady Olena, Margaery's grandmother, and Kevan Lannister, the Hand of the King. She proposes that fighting head on against the Sparrow must happen sooner than later. Kevan and Olena agree, and they begin to plan their attack against The Faith, well aware of the chaos that will engulf Kings Landing if they fail.
King's Landing felt like a weaker entry this week. Many of these scenes feel more or less like the same conversations we have heard all season where Cersei insists on taking action and everyone around her doubts. We have been given this story in short bursts, so perhaps much of this is falling victim to the time limitations of these almost-an-hour episodes. It was not all repetitive as we finally see Olena and Kevan agree to take action, but it feels mostly like many of these scenes could have been put into a single King's Landing heavy episode rather than spread out among the first half of the season. Seeing Jaime and Cersei working together is satisfying to someone who has always been a fan of their complex and shifting relationship, but Jaime needs to begin taken a leading role in his scenes as he is starting to fall into the background.
Tommen's quivering loyalty feels significant and fuels some of my personal theories over where the Lannister story will end up and it will be great to see where his loyalty falls in the coming weeks as the assault against The Faith finally begins.
WHAT I LIKED
Cersei is also feeling more and more desperate as her grip on her son Tommen is weakening. Tommen's loyalty to her is beginning to fall as he wonders if fighting against the High Sparrow is the right move. He tells Cersei that, according to the High Sparrow, Mrgaery is soon to face her atonement. Cersei takes this news to Lady Olena, Margaery's grandmother, and Kevan Lannister, the Hand of the King. She proposes that fighting head on against the Sparrow must happen sooner than later. Kevan and Olena agree, and they begin to plan their attack against The Faith, well aware of the chaos that will engulf Kings Landing if they fail.
King's Landing felt like a weaker entry this week. Many of these scenes feel more or less like the same conversations we have heard all season where Cersei insists on taking action and everyone around her doubts. We have been given this story in short bursts, so perhaps much of this is falling victim to the time limitations of these almost-an-hour episodes. It was not all repetitive as we finally see Olena and Kevan agree to take action, but it feels mostly like many of these scenes could have been put into a single King's Landing heavy episode rather than spread out among the first half of the season. Seeing Jaime and Cersei working together is satisfying to someone who has always been a fan of their complex and shifting relationship, but Jaime needs to begin taken a leading role in his scenes as he is starting to fall into the background.
Tommen's quivering loyalty feels significant and fuels some of my personal theories over where the Lannister story will end up and it will be great to see where his loyalty falls in the coming weeks as the assault against The Faith finally begins.
WHAT I LOVED
- Jon and Sansa reunited. As the showrunners pointed out in the post-episode special, this was actually Jon and Sansa's first scene on screen together. Despite this, we are given huge emotional punch and the feeling of seeing long lost family members reunited again. This moment of optimism was needed in a dark series and the collision of major plotlines is huge, teasing that the Showrunners have a solid and strong endgame planned and that every moment we see is taking a step closer to that. The setup for the Northern War is exciting and I can't wait for more.
- Danny's plot rising from the flames. After being a weaker storyline recently, Danny's plot pulled a big fun surprise this week with a scene that is going to shift the view of the character as a whole and fuel many fan theories to come. Many theories about Targaryian's relationships to fire and burning will need to be overhauled as readers and viewers question what they have been told by outside sources. I can't to see what happens when Danny leads these Dothraki back home.
WHAT I LIKED- Merreen and Tyrion. In the start of this season, Tyrion's scenes in Mareen were short and mostly meant to give Peter Dinkledge some comedic screen time. However this episode we got back to the Tyrion I loved earlier in the series. The political leader and big talker, able to stand up and turn a conversation in the direction he wants it to go. He also pointed out some of the realistic questions I have been asking about Danny's actions throughout the series, showing that the writers are not unaware of these issues. He knows the Masters do not take him seriously, and standing his ground despite that shows the strength that the character is known for.
- Theon back home. This scene was powerful and showed just how much has happened to the character throughout the series. He went from a hated character causing nothing but problems to a tragic character trying to make up for his mistakes in any way he can. The only think I did not like was that they seem to be speeding quickly through Greyjoy plot and sidelining major players. If the teaser is any indication, we may be getting a Kingsmoot soon which means they have a lot of character building to do if they intend for it to have any of the impact that the book had.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
- King's Landing walking in circles. Jaime and Cersei are great together as a power couple of Westeros, but King's Landing is starting to struggle to maintain relevance as the focus of the series moves north. I liked what happened here, but most of it felt like it was not anything we had not seen in previous episodes and that they are almost forcing these scenes in to remind us that the characters are there before the big plot movement in the second half of the season.
- The increasing lack of Dorne. I did not like Dorne in the series and was not overly interested in it in the books. But the complete abandoning of it feels like a cheap excuse to get rid of a plot that people did not like. The writers should feel the confidence that they could turn Dorne around in the same way they have turned many other plotlines around. Their inevitable clash with the Lannister will feel less impactful without the buildup.
WHAT I HATED
- Ramsay's Repetition. With an episode this strong, it is hard to hate anything. But the weakest moment of the episode was easily Ramsay's killing of Osha. This came off as a rushed and mostly unsurprising moment that could have been done better. Osha was given maybe 10 lines this whole season and could have provided some insight on life in the North and how the Umber's really feel towards the Boltons and the Starks. Ramsay's actions are mostly the same thing he has been doing for seasons now. This repetition could get old fairly quick and I hope we can see him take more dynamic action as the Northern Battle grows closer.
WHAT GOES AROUND...
Another great episode of Game of Thrones. Characters are reunited and plotlines converge as many of the scattered stories begin to take aim for a specific goal. It continues this season trend of high-speed progress, sometimes at the sake of more thoughtful moments. Next episode is called "The Door." It's description reads Tyrion seeks a strange ally. Bran learns a great deal. Brienne goes on a mission. Arya is given a chance to prove herself. In the teaser, we see Sansa confront Littlefinger over sending her to Ramsay, Arya being sent out by the Faceless Men, The Greyjoys holding their Kingsmoot, a Red Priestess confronting Tyrion and Varys, and Bran stuck in a vision, surrounded by the White Walkers.
I predict that next episode will have Tyrion attempting to use the Red Priestess to hold over the people as Danny is away. Maybe he expects her to endorse Danny. Dragons breath fire and The Red God does tend to love that sort of thing. From the teaser, it may not go well for Tyrion. I predict that Brienne's mission will be given to her by Jon, having rally Northern Houses to Jon's side in the war. This will separate her from the tension time bomb with Melisandre and possibly bringing her to the Riverlands to reunite some characters from her past, but that would be getting into potential book spoilers.
Arya's mission will probably have her going undercover as a new person and having to assassinate somebody. I think it will be Walder Frey as a test to see how she will react to killing someone Arya has such a passionate hatred for. Will she be able to maintain her No One persona? I think this time it's a safe bet. Bran will learn a lot about the white walkers and their power, but he will also learn the dangers of staying "underwater" too long. In the trailer for the season, we see the Night's King reach out and grab Bran. Could this mean that Bran's interactions with past are not just windows? This is a concept that can go very badly, so they need to walk carefully.
I hope you liked my finger-numbingly detailed review of the fourth episode of Game of Thrones Season 6. This blog is going over very well and I hope I can keep giving you what you like. If there are any format changes or suggestions you would like to give as we enter the second half of this season, you can let me know here or on Facebook at Facebook.com/TheFilmFanAwakens . If you want to read more of my writing, including a spoiler-free review of, The Witch, a shocking horror drama featuring a Game of Thrones actor, you can check out the rest of my blog, The Film Fan Awakens, here on blogspot.
Thanks for reading and I'll see you next week!
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