Poor Meera drags Bran Stark in a sled to flee the wights and the Night King who previously stormed their cave in the last episode. Bran is heavy and Meera is tired and the wights are closing in. Out of nowhere comes Benjen "Cold Hands" Stark to the rescue. After the customary slicing and dicing of the undead, they exchange pleasantries and he tells Bran and Meera how he was rescued by the voodoo magic of the Children of the Forest from becoming a wight himself.
Samwell Tarly and Gilly arrive at Horn Hill, Sam's home. The plan is for Gilly to stay there while Sam goes ahead to Old Town to become a Maester, as per Jon Snow's orders. Does Snow even remember is old pal Sam or why he sent him there? Not a single mention of Sam coming from Jon Snow this season...yeah, I know he has been dead for the first two episodes, but still, where's the camaraderie? I thought they were best buds. Tarly's mission is such an offshoot of the whole Long Night end battle, it seems so unimportant now. But his return to Horn Hill is cringe worthy only for the fact that is daddy turns out to be a giant turd. Probably the only dude who is benefiting from joining the Night Watch in the first place, Sam has to sit through the most awkward family dinner this season so far, while his dad hurls insult after insult at the poor Sam. Daddy Tarly doesn't appreciate his son's weight, his bookishness and his choice of bride ("you bring a wildling to the table, boy?"). I bet this is kinda the experience of bringing your African American girlfriend to your KKK dad.
Sam's mother and sister are ineffective in this obviously patriarchal, macho household, Gilly is basically the only one trying to stand up for poor Sam telling his dad that he actually killed a walker. Dad is a disbeliever. Sam has second thoughts about leaving Gilly and her baby at Horn Hill (you don't say...) and decides to take off with Gilly, baby and his daddy's Valyrian steel family heirloom sword. You go Sam!
Meanwhile, grandma Olenna Tyrell and Cersei Lannister's plan to save Margaery from the walk of shame administered by the Faith Militant is turned over its head. Instead, Margaery and king Tommen the first (and the last...huehuehue) declare the Faith and the Crown to be the two pillars of society on which the Seven Kingdoms stand. No walk of atonement for Margaery since she has been reborn and brought the High Sparrow a juicy, wide-eyed king to manipulate. Jaime Lannister and the Tyrell forces stand down, helpless, in the face of this unexpected turn of events. They cannot attack the fanatics now that Tommen declared his fealty to the faith. Margaery does a particularly good job of faking piety and repentance. She appears to be almost genuine. It must be a challenge for the actress to portray such a good actress herself. The Sparrow's influence grows which in turn means that Cersei's influence over the kingdom's affairs and her son diminishes. Cersei is in a pickle now that she is still looking forward to her public trial before the Faith for her "misdemeanors". A blast from the past - Walder Frey - makes an appearance and he is sulky and salty as ever. Surrounded by mounds of his dunce-looking kids, he complains about his sons' inability to capture Riverrun, which is currently being held by none other than Brynden "The Blackfish" Tully, Catelyn Stark's uncle. After the famous Red Wedding, The Blackfish with the remnants of Tully faithfuls have occupied Riverrun and although the Crown has given Reiverrun to the Freys as a gift for squashing Robb Stark's rebellion, The Blackfish is not going to give in without a fight. I'd rather see Walder Frey unhappy than see him happy any day. Last time he was happy bad things happened. I wish him long years of sulkiness to come.
As part of Tommen's new found zealotry, he is "advised" (more like gently coerced) into letting Jaime Lannister go from the King's Guard and send him to the Riverlands to deal with the siege on Riverrun. Jaime's absence is tantamount to throwing Cersei to the dogs basically. She counted on her brother/lover's support in her upcoming trial, but the Sparrow is cutting all the branches she is perched on to see to her downfall. Cersei tells Jaime that him being let go from the Kings' Guard is for the best and that he can lead and army and all sorts of lovey-dovey incest goes on. It feels like Cersei is more of a pawn than she had ever been before. When Tommen was anointed unexpectedly as king, she probably thought she had the reins of the Seven Kingdoms with her more innocent, less-sadistic kid in charge, but lo' and behold comes the Sparrow to thwart these plans as well.
Meanwhile in Braavos, Arya "No One" Stark is now a regular theater attendee. She watches again and again the play about the throne wars and Joffrey's death and Cersei's lament for her child by Lady Crane, the actress she is supposed to assassinate. The actress does such a good job of portraying emotions, Arya actually feels bad about having to kill her. She gets close to her target and instead of letting her drink her poisoned drink like she initially intended to do, spills the beans and tells the actress that the younger, less talented actress wants her dead. Meaning, she just blew her last chance to be part of the Faceless Men "No One" squad and is now on their hit list. As much as Arya tries to renounce her name and identity, she can't give up her idea of morals. It just doesn't feel right to assassinate a good actress to let a less worthy actress take her place. Definitely a moral lesson we should all learn. It's all about the Craft.And finally, Daenerys Targaryen is slowly riding back to Meereen with her huge khalasar and Daario Naharis. She then decides to change a mode of transportation to something a bit faster, cooler and dragonier. As a mommy of cutesy dragons she senses with her sixth mommy sense that Drogon is nearby, leaves the khalasar to bask in the pleasant desert sun in midday to reconnect with her favorite child, who is all grown up now. She comes back and delivers yet another inspiring speech about taking her khalasar all the way to Westeros to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. The dragon produces the main effect here, as the CGI on that beast is awesome. The speech is also cool.
Overall, meh episode. Plot progression and not much else. Not a lot of interesting camera angles, shots cinematic effects apart from Danny's dragon. He is knows also as The Winged Shadow and it is beautifully shown why when he comes down with his massive wings and Danny on his back.
I'd give this episode a 7.1.
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