Spoiler alert! The following contains spoilers for Game of Thrones season 6 episode 8, “No One.” To read our recap of episode 7, click here. And for a GoT novice's view, read our colleague's take over at For The Win.
In six seasons on Game of Thrones, the world and the political realities of that world have changed quite a bit. Wars have been fought, kings have died, cities have been conquered. But, when you put all the pieces on the board and really look at who’s with who and where and why, you realize that despite all the death and bloodshed, not very much has changed at all since the end of season one, when Ned Stark and Drogo’s deaths upended the political order on their respective continents. Dany has a Dothraki army ready to die for her. A young Lannister is wreaking havoc from the throne. The Stark/Tully coalition is losing the war. The Lannisters are winning.
The true difference between where things stood five years ago and where they stand now is that after all this time and all the tiny conflicts that have come up in between, it’s time to decide who you are and what you want. It’s not just about fighting for your lord or your house or your blood, that kind of thing can get you killed. It’s about making your own choices.
This episode forced Jaime, Brienne, Cersei, the Hound, Tyrion and, of course, Arya to confront their own identities. Some of the outcomes were victorious (we’ve been waiting for this, Arya), some less so (come on, Jaime), but regardless, it’s becoming clear that our characters are nearing the end of their journeys. Learning is over. Time for action.
A girl has a plan
Arya was never going to bleed out on the streets of Braavos after one confrontation with the Waif, so the question from last week’s cliffhanger was not so much if she was going to survive but how. It turns out, with some help from Lady Crane, who it seems it paid off to save. The actress doubles as a decent nurse and helps Arya recover, but not before she ends up inthe middle of the fight with the Waif.
The Waif is a character that most fans are more than happy to see go, after endless (and it did feel endless) hazing of Arya in the House of Black and White. But the young Stark was able to best her in the end, by luring her to an enclosed space and snuffing the only candle. It seems that this half-season Arya spent training to fight blind paid off.
Arya takes the Waif’s face back to the House, to have one last word with Jaqen, the man who ended up being such a disappointment. If you think about it, all of Arya’s paternal figures have let her down or left her, from Ned to Syrio to Yoren to the Hound. They all tried and failed to tame and protect her in some way. But Arya Stark isn’t someone who can be controlled.
Nobody said it better than she did: “A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell and I’m going home.”
Choosing violence
Even a Mountain can be brought down.
It’s something Cersei should have thought about before she placed all of her eggs into zombie Gregor Clegane’s head-ripping basket. Physical strength can only get you so far in this world, as Cersei herself has learned, working and playing the game from the sides. But I suppose it makes sense that the presence of a man who can literally rip people’s heads off of their bodies (never getting over that, sorry) would make you feel confident. Pro tip: Just don’t piss off your pubescent son.
Tommen effectively cuts off The Mountain’s head after the zombie quite literally rips a Faith Militant’s off, declaring that trial by combat is outlawed in the Seven Kingdoms, and Cersei and Loras (don’t forget about Loras, guys) will be tried by a council of septons. This is especially bad news for Cersei as she is not what one would call a “people person.” Her last vestige of hope resides with a “rumor” that Qyburn may or may not have confirmed. A rumor about a way to kill the High Sparrow? Because we’d be down with that.
Sidenote, these developments also mean the fan-theorized “Cleganebowl” is very, very unlikely. It will live on in the world of incorrect fan theories, like my theory that this is all secretly an episode of Doctor Who and Bran’s the 13th Doctor (hey, he is traveling in time).
A potent man
When Jaime reminds Edmure that he doesn’t need to apologize for the Red Wedding, because their two houses are at war, it’s a jarring reminder to the audience that hey, in various forms that War of Five Kings is still happening. There were just more important things to worry about for several seasons.
It’s also easy to forget that when that war started, Jaime was not on the side that we were rooting for, and that he has gone through a lot of redemption over the past five years, become a man that Brienne can trust and Bronn can bond with. But he is still the man who threw Bran off a tower to protect Cersei, and he is a man who will make threats about murdering infants to do the same (this version of Jaime, it's worth noting, is much more akin to where he is in the books at around this time) .
Jaime is easily able to get Edmure on his side, to take Riverrun and to take out the Blackfish, all things the seriously ineffective Freys could not do. And now that he’s accomplished his goal he is free to head back to King’s Landing and fight for Cersei, although since the trial by combat is outlawed, exactly how he can fight for her is up for grabs.
The less productive trip to Riverrun was Brienne and Pod’s who got no men and lost the Blackfish entirely, to boot. But hey, at least the Jaime/Brienne bond is strong and adorable, still. We need some things in this world to draw happiness from.
Deal with the devil
Everything is swell in the city of Meereen. The sun is shining, the Red Priestesses are preaching the gospel of Dany, Varys is off on a secret mission and Missendei and Grey Worm are making jokes. Jokes I tell you! There are actually a few minutes in that god forsaken city where you can sit back, enjoy some wine and rest.
Well, that didn’t last very long.
Tyrion’s big plan of negotiating with Astapor and Yunkai to give them some slavery back and stop the terror from the Sons of the Harpy spectacularly backfired, in that he gave them concessions and now they’re attacked Meereen in full force, rather than just funding an insurgency. Tyrion was wrong (hey, it can happen), and while it’s great for him psychologically that he can identify and own up to that, that does not really help stop catapults.
You know what can easily deal with wood catapults and a bunch of ships? Dragons. Isn’t it lucky that Dany just walked through the door. Now let’s take care of those slavers and get to Westeros. If you’re really going to do it this time. Like everyone else, you have to ask yourself what you want. Otherwise you’re just grabbing at nothing.
Not too late
Did you miss the Hound? Because the saner Clegane brother is really back and he is picking up precisely where he left off, taking on the entire world all by himself. Sandor tracks down the men who massacred the village he was staying, finding himself once again face-to-face with the Brotherhood Without Banners (the murderers were rogue members, so at least their not all slaughtering civilians on whims, but also they're not hanging around with a certain fan-desired character, which is a bummer).
Still leading the brotherhood are Beric Dondarrion and Thoros of Myr, who both look even more world-weary and dirty this time, if that is possible. The pair tries to convince The Hound to join them, alluding to a fight with a different enemy (cough White Walkers cough cough) that is “bigger” than them. The Hound is unimpressed, but that’s just his most relaxed state. And the fact that Beric and Thoros both repeat the mantra Brother Ray espoused last week has to help. “It’s not too late for you,” Beric says to him. And he’s right. The Hound could do so much for this world. He just has to decide he wants to.
Death watch
Jon Snow: Neither Jon nor his glorious locks of hair were in this episode.
Who we lost in this episode:
- The Waif (meh)
- Lady Crane (the new monologue was so good we're so sorry!)
- Seven outlaws (just don't mess with the Hound and especially not the one dude the Hound likes.)
- Member of the Faith Militant (sorry about your head, bro)
- The Blackfish (you could have been SO helpful at the Wall, dude.)
You can scroll through more photos from the season below.
