A Game of Thrones (HBO)

[Darby]

I have a suspicion that Arya will kill him and assume his identity to keep the Knights of the Vale aligned with the North.

This is a cool idea. I've seen some reaction to the episode complaining about Arya's sudden switch from cat to mouse in LF's game, but I'd wager she and Sansa are running an elaborate con on him. As Sansa said, LF is critical because he is responsible for the Vale and its troops, so she can't simply dismiss him. LF probably thinks he's sowing some doubt between the two sisters, while they are playing along, luring him into a trap where he exposes himself.

[Nicklab]

I think I was just as astounded to hear that Prince Rhaegar news come from Gilly as anyone else.  She has no idea of the implications of that, and neither does Sam.  Only Bran knows.  And Jon went straight from Dragonstone to Eastwatch, bypassing Winterfell.  Things are getting interesting on this end.  Especially in light of Jon's encounter with Drogon.  But we're still left wondering when he might actually learn the truth about his parents.

Glad to see that the bastards of Westeros are banding together, and the return of Gendry.  He seems eager to get on with things.  As for him having a war hammer, like his father?  It's an interesting nod to Robert, especially since it was something that was probably discussed more in the books than on the show. 

I genuinely have to wonder if the mission to capture a Wight will yield the response that Jon wants from both Dany and Cersei.  And seriously, trying to capture a Wight seems like just about the most dangerous thing you could do.  Especially after seeing the "Hardhome" episode from season 5.  As for the group making the expedition beyond the Wall?  It reads like the Magnificent Seven of Westeros.  Jon Snow, Tormund, Jorah Mormont, Gendry, the Hound, Beric Dondarion and Thoros of Myr?  That's an interesting assembly of characters if there ever was one.  If only they could add Tyrion for comic relief!

[McMetal]

Do we know where Sam is heading? It appears he is now Lord Tarley. Def a step up from maestering.

I'm thinking if he is heading North, he could hook up with Bran and they could piece the whole thing together. Then again, since Bran can be anywhere he could have just witnessed the second marriage himself.

I thought the whole point of getting Gendry was to have him oversee the construction of the dragon glass weapons, but I guess that can wait.

Do the Baratheons even have an army anymore?

[Nicklab]

It looks like Sam had his Night's Watch clothing on, so I'm thinking that he's heading back to the Wall.  Especially after all the study of the Long Night that he had done.  He's also got the Tarly family Valyrian steel sword with him, Heartsbane.  Considering we know that Valyrian steel can kill a White Walker, I could definitely see it being put to good use.  Again though, the pieces need to be put together.

I don't know that Sam really has any interest in returning to Horn Hill.  Especially after taking Heartsbane.  The Maesters didn't seem all that eager, or at least sympathetic enough to let him know what had happened to his father and brother.

[Jayson]

I think Sam's statement about not wanting to read about the achievements of other men any longer could be a bit of foreshadowing and he may seek to return to Horn Hill.

Best line of the show: Nothing ***** you harder than time.

[Rob]

Best line of the show: Nothing ***** you harder than time.

I thought the line was:  Nothing fooks you harder than time.

[Nicklab]

So.... next week's episode leaked.  Not because of a hack, but because HBO in Spain aired NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE instead of "Eastwatch".  WTF?!?!

[Matt_Fury]

Do we know where Sam is heading? It appears he is now Lord Tarley. Def a step up from maestering.

He's headed to Castle Black.  He has taken the black and cannot be a Lord.  Unless he's killed and brought back.

[McMetal]

Usain Gendry FTW 

[Jeff]

I watched it twice...  I tried to like it... but that might have been my least favorite episode of GOT.   

Jon making it out of the water was even more laughable than Bronn/Jaime's excape last week.  And then the last minute save by Benjenn seemed like a giant cheat too.  I know the lord of light has plans for Jon or whatever, but his ability to escape these death situations is getting ridiculous now.  Same goes for the rest of the super-seven.  The only one to die was Thoros of Myr and a bunch of redshirt wildlings?  I guess I should have seen it was coming, but come on - at least kill Beric or Jorah or someone too. 

And the time issues... I know it came up last week and I've been able to just go with the flow, but now?  Gendry runs all the way back to Eastwatch AND sends ravens to Dany AND she flies all the way up there in like what, half a day?  That all seemed way too fast....

And finally, as soon as Dany left with all THREE of her dragons, I knew there were only two possible outcomes - the white walker stuff ends tonight or one of the dragons was going to die.  Since they spent so much time setting up a meeting with Cercei, I knew they wouldn't have the balls to end the night king then and there... which meant they had to find a way to make it believable that she would leave without finishing off the white walkers right then and there with her three dragons.... 

So yep, dead dragon.      Now I can't help but feel that the whole point of the stupid idea/plan to go get a whight to bring to Cercei was just to a) give the night king an ice dragon and b) put off the eventual end of the war until next season.

I was really hoping that this season would end one of the wars and then next season would end the other.  It seemed like Cercei was screwed, but then they wiped out Dany's Dorne/Highgarden/Pyke allies.  Then, last night, they had a chance for Dany and her dragons to roast the Night King, but nope - he's a world class ice javelin thrower!  So now where are we?  Dany and what's left of her gang headed to KL next week to beg/ask for Cercei's help to team up against the night king?  Ugh.

And I didn't even get into the whole "Arya's been trained to tell lies from the truth but she fell for Littlefinger's stupid trap" nonsense.  Stupid Starks.  Maybe they all do deserve to die.  Ugh.

Maybe I need more time to digest.  Maybe I'm just disappointed since there are only a few episodes left, but what the hell did we accomplish this season?  Dany's army chopped in half, a bunch of her westeros alliances dead, Jon being a wuss, a dragon dying and now we have to go meet with Cercei to team up for next season?  Ugh.

[Matt_Fury]

I liked the episode.  It really showed to Daenery's how much of a threat the Night King and his army of the dead are the true threat to Westeros.  Need to pour one out for Viscerion.  I thought we would lose more of the magnificent seven....there was that bit where I thought for sure for sure Tormund was going to be lost.  I have a feeling Berric Dondarion will be dying at some point during the war.

Next week's episode is nearly an hour and a half long...I'm hoping to see some cool stuff.

[Dave]

I kind of agree with you Jeff, but I think half the problem is that all of this feels super rushed at this point.  They had six different big story lines going and need to wrap most of them up quickly.  I too am bugged with all the miraculous life saving coincidences and think its largely unnecessary.  Do they have different writers this year?

I'm kind of glad the seven kingdoms are now essentially three, plus the White Walkers.  But I agree that with only eight episodes left they need to focus, and that might mean bringing a quick end to one of the big threats (Cercei or White Walkers).  The White Walker threat is bigger, but ultimately isn't all that nuanced or interesting.  I find the human side much more interesting.

[Darby]

Well, that happened.

I also agree the speed of all of this is betraying the stupidity. The plan to capture the wight is utterly foolish and best outsourced to men at Eastwatch, or - if you're going to ring the dragon bell anyway, which Jon had to have anticipated - go up there full force. The show spent no time on grounding the reality of what was admittedly a very cool set piece. Like Jeff said, we skipped to the end of the series and I knew the second he sent Gendy running we were getting fire on ice and one or more of the dragons were dying.

The wight capture is actually backwards in the plot; it should have been a product of the meeting next week between the powers. Cersei does not care if there are white walkers or not, and she won't next week. She would care to potentially expose Jon and Dany to certain death by having them go on an absolutely foolish mission beyond the wall for her sake - remember this is all to convince a woman who is at best a political obstacle, risking kings, queens and dragons to prove what will be inevitable - and the moment to end all moments for the final episode would have been what we got last night with that blue eye.

Arya / Sansa - still think it's a long con for LF, but wow this is completely pointless and uncharacteristic for both of them.

Jon / Dany - it's mostly the actors. I like them both, but they don't sell much of anything and given how much weight the series is pinning on their eventual union / child that Jon's parentage is still somewhat iffy. But probably not.

[Dave]

The only really relevant part from the whole episode was learning that killing a white walker will kill all the undead that it created.  I'm guessing that is going to be a critical plot point in the near future.  The Hound suggested it, but I'm guessing that is the only way they'll ultimately be able to stop the ice dragon and the whole zombie hoard.

[Rob]

I'm with you Jeff. 

While I do think the undead Dragon is pretty awesome, and levels the playing field quite a bit, I thought the storytelling in this episode was lazy, even if it was kind of exciting from an action standpoint.

Having Jon face certain death twice only to be saved in two implausible ways was lame.  I know we've talked about the timeline liberties they've been taking lately, but in the time it would take to get a raven to Daenerys and have her get back with dragons, they'd all have long since frozen to death. 

Having Jon's uncle show up after a few seasons just at that moment was equally absurd.  I'm looking forward to the drama of the meeting next episode, and I'd assume that we'd have the battle with the walkers this season, and then the real battle next, but it looks more and more like the cliffhanger is going to be that the walkers get dealt with early next season, and then the rest happens for the 4 or 5 episodes that are left.

It's a shame that there's only 6 episodes next season, because it seems like there's a TON left to figure out and I'm worried that it won't have any pacing at all, that it'll just be rushed.  Hopefully that's not the case.