Ep 602 "Home"

Woohoo! Jon Snow ain’t dead no more! Melisandre finally did something right. I may have to convert to serving the Red God R’holler for that one. Fans of the show have been hoping and wishing for Jon Snow to be resurrected for a year and book readers have been waiting even longer. And, it looks as though more prayers may be answered in next week’s episode. (As in, we may finally find out the promise Ned Stark made to his dying sister Lyanna!)

Some things to correct from last week’s recap: 1) Trystane was in Kings Landing, not Dorne. I thought Prince Doran had sent his son to Kings Landing with Jaime and Myrcella and a couple of the Sand Snakes, but I had to rewatch episode 49 “The Dance of Dragons” to be sure. Which brings me to this question, if they are in King’s Landing, how does nobody know the Sand Snakes killed Trystane? Did the two women tuck tail and run back to Dorne? 2) I called Miranda, Kyra in last weeks post. Sometimes its hard to keep the names right when they change them from the book. At least, I think that was her name in the books. Regardless, when I mentioned the name Kyra I was actually referring to Miranda.

This episode begins as a much older Bran and a new Bloodraven (now played by the infamous Max von Sydow) are visiting Winterfell past where they see a young Ned and Benjen Stark sparring in the courtyard. Ned bests his younger brother before turning to a boy named Wylas (also known as Hodor!) and asking him to come spar. Wylas says he probably shouldn’t join them (OMG, young Hodor talks?). He finally musters up some courage, but Old Nan appears and says he’s got more important things to do. He is just a stable boy, not a little lord. Poor Wylas leaves to help his old grandmother. After that a young girl enters the courtyard on a horse. She runs around the boys showing off her skills and Bran finds out that the young girl is his aunt Lyanna. He is excited to see her because his father would never talk about her. But, as is always the case when you get interested in something, the lesson is over and they return back to their physical form in the cold cave. Bran tells Hodor that he saw him when he was a young boy and that he could speak. He asks Hodor a few questions and what answer do you think he gets? If you said “Hodor” you just won nothing, Jon Snow. I do hope we find out one day what happened to poor old boy Wylas and why he no longer graces us with his pearls of wisdom. Maybe he already has, if “Hodor” actually has a meaning. Bran inquires after Meera and finds her outside the cave looking at the vast expanse of the north beyond the Wall. She is sad because her brother is dead and she doesn’t know what her place is anymore. Bran tries to make her feel better, but it doesn’t help so he goes back inside. Once he is gone, the sprite-like child of the forest tells Meera that Bran will not stay in the cave forever and when he goes back out there he will need her help.

Ser Robert Strong works to keep Cersei’s reputation in tact. In the streets of Kings Landing, a commoner regales his friends at a the tavern with the tale of how he whipped his thang out in front of Cersei during her walk of shame. He boasts that she liked it because she had never seen one quite so large. When he goes off to take a restroom break in an abandoned alley, Ser Robert Strong comes out of the shadows and bashes his head in. Cersei is not allowed to attend Myrcella’s funeral per King Tommen’s orders. When she tries to leave her chambers escorted by Ser Robert Strong she is blocked by a group of guards from the city watch. They explain that King Tommen gave them the order. She is upset, but doesn’t cause a scene and returns to her chambers. At the Great Sept of Baelor, Jaime and Tommen stand over Myrcella. Tommen tells his uncle/father that he thinks his mom had Prince Trystane murdered. Jaime is not so sure. There is no mention of the two Sand Snakes who accompanied Trystane to Kings Landing. Jaime urges Tommen to visit his mother, but Tommen hesitates because he feels guilty that he could do nothing against the Faith Militant after they took Cersei and Margaery away. The High Sparrow enters and Tommen asks to be allowed to see Margaery. The High Sparrow assures Tommen he can see his queen once she confesses her sins and takes her own “walk of shame” to the Red Keep. Tommen departs to visit his mother leaving Jaime and the High Sparrow alone. Jaime asks the High Sparrow when he will be called upon atone for the many sins he has committed. He killed a king he swore to protect, freed his brother who “allegedly” killed Joffrey and then he helped that same brother escape justice, which led to his father being killed. Jaime places his hand on the hilt of his sword and the High Sparrow tells him to go ahead and strike because he’s not afraid to die. Jaime stays his hand as soldiers of the Faith Militant come sneaking out of the shadows. He remarks on the amount of followers the High Sparrow has and the High Sparrow replies that he and his followers are enough to overthrow an empire. Tommen arrives at his mother’s chambers and apologizes that he didn’t visit her when she was imprisoned. He was embarrassed that he could not do anything to save her, Margaery or Ser Loras. She stays pretty quiet which makes me kind of nervous. He says he should’ve executed the Faith Militant, as she would’ve done for him. He wants to be strong and needs his mother’s help. Let’s hope he doesn’t turn into another Joffrey.

The slave masters have taken back the cities of Astapor and Yunkai in Dany’s absence and reinstituted slavery. Slaver’s Bay is once again awash with boats full of slaves ready to buy. Tyrion warns Varys, Missandei and Grey Worm that the dragons are in danger. They don’t do well in captivity and will waste away if they are not unchained. Dragons are extremely smart and show affection to their friends and destruction to their enemies. He decides to bite the bullet and visit the dragons because he believes he can convince them he is their friend. As Varys waits by the door, Tyrion picks up a torch and descends into the darkness. He sees a flicker of flame come out of the darkness as one of the dragons comes out to greet him. The dragon almost roasts him, but hesitates. Tyrion introduces himself and says he is a friend of their mothers and that he only wants to take care of them while she is away. He says he is there to help and “you don’t eat the help.” He shares with them that when he was a young boy he wished for a dragon, not knowing they were extinct. As he tells the story he moves closer, putting a hand on one of the dragons and pulling off its collar. Then the other dragon comes out and bends its neck so that Tyrion can remove its collar as well. The dragons knew what Tyrion was doing! They crawl away back into the darkness and Tyrion decides he has visited with them enough for one day. When he returns to the door and sees Varys, he tells him the next time he comes up with an idea like that Varys should punch him in the face.

The anonymous girl from the House of Black and White shows up again to spar with Arya. She continues to ask Arya what her name is, but doesn’t believe Arya when she says she is no one. Arya gets another thrashing. Then the girl says Arya can come back home if she says her name, but Arya says she is no one. Then the girl offers to restore her sight if she will say her name, but Arya still refuses. Then the girl turns into J’aqen Hagar and tells Arya to follow him back home because she is not a beggar any more.

Brienne shares with Sansa that she accidentally stumbled upon her sister, Arya. She tells her that Arya was traveling with the Hound and ran away from her. She spent a few days looking for her, but could find no trace so she continued her search to find Sansa instead. Sansa now has hope that she is not alone in the world. Her sister may be alive and her little brothers might still be alive as well. Brienne asks Sansa what happened at Winterfell, but Sansa doesn’t feel very much like sharing. She says she wishes she had gone with Brienne and Pod when she had the chance. They are going to continue on north to the Wall, but Theon will not be joining them. He knows Jon will kill him on site for betraying Robb and for thinking that Theon really killed Bran and Rickon. Sansa tries to talk him into going with them and taking the black so his sins will be forgiven. He says he doesn’t want forgiveness because he doesn’t deserve it. He can’t make up for what he has done to her family. He says he would’ve taken her all the way to the Wall and died to get her there, but now she has Brienne and Pod and they can take better care of her. His place is back on the Iron Islands.

Lord Bolton and Ramsay find out there hunting party was killed in the woods. They figure Sansa and Theon must’ve had some help. Ramsay wants to march on Castle Black to kill Jon Snow since he’s the last Stark alive other than Sansa. The Karstarks have pledged their house to the Bolton’s because of Robb cutting off their father’s head after he killed two Lannister prisoners of war who were only young boys. Roose is against this madness of marching on Castle Black and the Nights Watch and says it may be a good thing that his wife has just given birth to a brand new son. Ramsay tells his father that he is right and his plan is crazy. When he embraces his father he stabs him in the gut killing him. Then he tells the master to send ravens telling everyone Roose was poisoned by their enemies. He also wants a visit with his stepmother and his new baby brother. Poor unsuspecting Walda meets Ramsay in the courtyard of Winterfell. She inquires after his father and hesitatingly follows Ramsay as he leads her to her husband. He leads her into the kennels and sets the dogs loose on her and the baby. Poor Fat Walda never had a chance. She pleads with him to think of his baby brother, but he says he prefers being an only child. So no one is around to keep crazy Ramsay in line. May the gods have mercy on the North.

We get our first glimpse of the Iron Islands after a long break. Balon Greyjoy is still as stubborn as ever. They have lost Deepwood Motte, but he will not give up the fight for his iron crown. He wants his warriors to go back and try to take more land this time. Yara tries to reason with him, but that never works so he storms away. All of the towers on Pyke are joined by these crazy scary rope bridges. So, it is storming outside and Balon goes to cross the bridge when he is blocked by a cloaked figure. He demands to know who the trespasser is and tells them to get out of his way. The visitor pulls his hood off to reveal himself and it’s Euron “Crows Eye”, his younger brother (and new character to all of you non-book readers). He says he is back to take the Seastone Chair and pushes Balon off the bridge and into the rocks and sea below. At the funeral, Yara and her uncle Aeron Damphair, try to figure out who killed the king. Yara believes she is now the ruler on Pyke, but her uncle tells her that is not certain. They must have a kingsmoot first. BTW, a kingsmoot is a gathering of everyone on the iron islands, mostly soldiers, lords, captains who put forth names for the ruler of Pyke and then it’s sort of voted on. The Iron Islands has never had a female leader so Yara is at a slight disadvantage here.

At the Wall, Ser Alliser tells Davos his time is up and he must open the door or they will open it up by force. He promises to set the wolf free north of the Wall where a beast like that should be. (Sure give it to the white walkers. Add him in to the thousands of wildlings you mean to put on the other side of that wall and then bitch when you have more wights that you can kill at your doorstep.) Ser Davos grabs a sword off the wall as one of Ser Alliser’s men start trying to break through the door. Suddenly a large noise is heard and giants break through the gate with Tormund Giantsbane and Dolorous Edd. They are prepared to fight, but now the Night’s Watch is in no hurry to hold up their weapons to this enemy. One man shoots a crossbow arrow at a giant. The giant picks out the arrow as if it is a sewing pin and annoyed he grabs the man who hit him and throws him across the courtyard. That took care of any others thinking about being brave. The rest of them drop their swords and bows and axes. They throw the men of the Night’s Watch in the ice cells where they belong. Tormund goes to see Jon and says they should burn the body soon. Ser Davos wants to try something first. He goes to see the Lady Melisandre. She is wallowing in self-pity as she sits by the fire. He feels a little awkward because he has never seen her this vulnerable and he’s about to put a bunch of faith in her. He asks her if she can bring Jon Snow back to life. She says there are some with that power and she saw another priest do it, but she’s not sure that she can. She says everything she saw in the flames was a lie and that the Red God never spoke to her. Ser Davos says “fuck em.“ He’s not asking the lord of light for help, he’s asking her. He begs her to try. She cleans Jon’s body and cuts off some of his hair to put in the fire as she recites a spell. The she pours water over his head like a baptism. Then she lays her hands upon him and continues her spell. She continues for a moment more, but nothing happens. So she stops and apologizes to Ser Davos and leaves. Dolorous Edd and the others leave with her, leaving only Ser Davos and Jon’s body in the room Finally, Ser Davos concedes and leaves the room closing the door. And Jon’s eyes open as he sucks in a big gasp of air. He’s back, hopefully without the black and ready to take back what is rightfully his!

Holy white walkers! Will Jon be the same? If not, what will have changed about him and can he give up those crazy vows now and go kick some Bolton ass and reclaim Winterfell?!? I surely hope so, though I know he won’t forget about the Nights King and his army. Someone has to stop Ramsay though. The scenes for next week look incredible. We may finally find out about Jon Snow’s actual lineage and the answer to a theory that has been around for years!!!! What do you think? Will Jon be different? Will he now be Lord Stark of Winterfell? Will we finally find out if R+L definitely equals J?