Game of Thrones Review: Season 7 Episode 6

Welcome to my Game of Thrones reviews posts which are an episode by episode guide of season 7. The entire post will be nothing but spoilers so don't read it if you intend to watch it! The format will be done as a house by house analysis, not a minute by minute report. 

Arya confronts Sansa about the message she sent Robb asking him to bend the knee to her beloved Joffrey. Sansa is angry at the accusation that she was doing Cersei's work and tells Arya that she has no idea what she has suffered through. Sansa is concerned about what Arya will do with it and Arya realises that Sansa fears losing the support of the Northern Lords, some of whom have already questioned her marriage to Ramsay Bolton. Sansa turns to Littlefinger, wondering where Arya found this letter but he doubts her sister will betray her. Sansa doesn't trust the Northmen anyway but Littlefinger reminds her that Brienne is sworn to keep both sisters safe and may be useful. Sansa however, chooses to send Brienne to the meeting at King's Landing with Cersei, fearing she might be taken hostage again if she goes. Sansa finds the faces when she searches Arya's room for the note and is freaked out by how creepy Arya is when they talk about it. Arya points out that to become Sansa, she just needs her face. She then gives Sansa Littlefinger's dagger.

Brienne is far from happy with her instructions to go to King's Landing, declaring it is not safe. Sansa misunderstands and says that Jaime is unlikely to let anything happen to her as they are friends. An irritated Brienne says she is not worried for herself, but doesn't want to leave Sansa alone with Littlefinger. Sansa says she has plenty Northmen to protect her and Brienne asks if she is certain that Littlefinger hasn't already secured their service. She wants to leave Pod but Sansa tells her to get going and Brienne reluctantly agrees.

Dany and Tyrion wait for news and she berates the men she knows for playing the hero and ending up dead. Tyrion points out that all the men mentioned in the conversation have fallen in love with her and she is sure that Jon has not. They start discussing the upcoming meeting with Cersei and what traps she will want to set and Dany wonders if they should be setting any for her. Tyrion is critical of Dany killing the Tarlys and she gets angry when he says he promised Jaime he would stop her doing anything rash. She questions his loyalty, his planning and turns cold over the subject of who will rule after her if she has no children. When the plea for help comes by raven, Tyrion begs her not to risk herself for any of them but she ignores him and leaves on Drogon, taking the other two dragons with her.

 

The Fellowship march north with a few men extra as cannonfodder/backup. Gendry becomes alarmed by Tormund's plans for keeping warm without women, and he challenges the Brotherhood about selling him to a witch to be killed. The Hound is not impressed by his whining. Jon tries to give Longclaw back to Jorah but he says it was given to Jon and Jorah himself lost all right to it when he brought shame on House Mormont. Tormund tells The Hound of his desire for Brienne, and The Hound realises who he is talking about. Beric tells Jon that Ned sent him after The Mountain and that all they can do after being brought back is keep fighting. When a blizzard hits the men as they see the mountain from the Hound's vision, they are suddenly ambushed by a dead bear and during the fight, Thoros is maimed defending The Hound from the fiery bear. 

This however, is just the beginning for the men. They see an advance party of the Army of the Dead and fight the White Walker and his creatures, winning the brawl and taking one alive. Jon spots the rest of the army approaching and sends Gendry back to Eastwatch to get a message to Dany for help. The men run for the refuge of a rock formation in the middle of a frozen lake, and after losing a wave of creatures to the icy waters, a standoff begins. Thoros dies during the cold night and the lake freezes again. Beric wonders if he and Jon should try to kill the Night King and end the battle before it starts. The Hound throws a large rock which does not break the ice...and the enemy sees this and starts to advance. Gendry has reached Eastwatch and Dany is alerted.

What follows is the Battle of Beyond The Wall, so to speak, and the army close in on the stranded men. The Hound saves Tormund from the dead. Dany arrives with her dragons and starts taking out the army. The Night King throws his ice spear and kills one of the dragons to Dany's horror, leaving it crashing into the lake. The men and the captured wight are loaded onto Drogon as Jon hold off the dead. When he sees the Night King getting ready with another spear, Jon tells Dany to go without him and she reluctantly does. Jon ends up surrounded...but Benjen rides to his rescue. Benjen gives Jon his horse and sends him riding for Eastwatch while he is buried under the dead. With Jon finally recovering from his ordeal, he makes it clear that he will bend the knee to Dany.

The Night King resurrects the dead dragon...

My thoughts:

I loved the male bonding within the group of men especially Tormund raving on about Brienne to The Hound. I loved how proud he was that together he and Brienne would make monsters to rule the world! Loved Jorah bonding with Jon and Thoros. Loved the bear fight and the battles with the army of the dead. Loved how creepy Arya was when dealing with her sister. Finally, Dany understands exactly what danger Westeros is in-about time she got with it! I liked that Thoros risked his life to save The Hound who freezes up at seeing the bear on fire running at him. Can't really blame him!

The Noooo! moments were there as well. My heart was in my mouth when the dead grabbed poor Tormund! I thought he was a goner and the panic in him was getting to me. It's the first time I've ever seen him afraid and I could have kissed The Hound for saving him. The death of the dragon and the resurrection were something I had known about for a while but it was still shocking to see it happen. I'm not sure I approve of Arya giving that dagger to Sansa...

Random thoughts...

Where is Ghost???!!!
Why is Littlefinger still slithering around?
Why did Sansa really send Brienne away?
Is Ellaria's daughter not dead yet and why aren't we seeing it?
Where is Yara?
Did Theon ever get to request help from Dany?  
Does an undead dragon retain it's flames or will it breathe ice?