OnScreen Recap: Game of Thrones Eastwatch
Brittany Strelluf
The following contains spoilers for Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 5
Bran wargs a flock of birds and sees the vast army of the dead that is looming closer and closer every day. He is obviously shaken and orders ravens to be sent at once.
Over in Westeros, Bronn has saved the Kingslayer from a fiery death. He insists that no one gets to kill him but him until Bronn is paid adequately. Jaime reminds Bronn that Dany has two more dragons at her disposal. In a later scene, Jaime goes to Cersei. He tells her about the Dothraki and he claims that they will beat any army that the Lannisters throw at them. Cersei learns the extent of the damage from the field of fire. A thousand wagons, and the scorpion weapon is gone. Jaime also informs her that Olenna was Joffrey's true killer.
Tyrion walks through the scorched battlefield. The scene effectively drives home to horrors of war. The Khaleesi addresses the surviving soldiers. She tells them to that she isn't there to murder them. She insists that she wants to make the world a better place. Then she insists that they must bend the knee or die. This is such a contrast to the woman who strategically earned her the love and devotion of the unsullied, whom she offered freedom and swore that no man who left would be harmed.
Randyll Tarly refuses to yield. Tyrion and Tarly trade words. Lord Tarly stands firm in his decision not to bend to Dany. Randyll’s son steps forward to stand by his father. Tyrion tries every tactic he can to save the two men. Dany has made the decision to kill them with dragonfire. Tyrion begs her to reconsider, but her choice is made. Dany sets them ablaze and the remaining Lannister soldiers submit to her will. Book readers might see a parallel of when her father killed Rickard Stark and his son Brandon Stark.
Dany returns to Dragonstone. Jon connects with Drogon, and strokes the creature. This might be a crucial detail if many fan theories about Jon Snow are correct. The silver queen asks Jon about what Ser Davos said about Jon taking a knife to the heart. He dismisses it and before it can be discussed further, the two are interrupted by Dothraki scouts. They have Ser Jorah Mormont with him.
Tyrion and Davos arrive back in King’s Landing. Jaime and Bronn stride through the dungeons where the skulls of dragons lay around. Tyrion and Jaime are reunited at last. The reunion is not one of brotherly love. Tyrion tells Jaime that Dany will suspend all military actions if Cersei meets her. In a later scene, Jaime goes to Cersei. He tells her that he has met with Tyrion. Cersei informs him that she is pregnant.
In WInterfell, Arya lurks in the shadows as she spies onLittlefinger as he meets s meeting with variouspeople. In the shadows lurks Arya. She spies on Baelish as he meets a Maester. She breaks into his private quarters and finds a scroll from Sansa. It appears to be Sansa's letter home that Cersei forced her to write, telling Robb Stark that their father Ned was a traitor and urging him to bend the knee to Joffrey. Arya doesn’t know that her sister was forced to write this, and it makes it appear that Sansa betrayed their father. When Arya exits the room, we now see Littlefinger is waiting in the hallway. Littlefinger might be attempting to drive a wedge between the Stark sisters.
If you couldn’t read the letter, here is what it said:
"Robb, I write to you with a heavy heart. Our good king Robert is dead, killed from wounds he took in a boar hunt. Father has been charged with treason. He conspired with Robert’s brothers against my beloved Joffrey and tried to steal his throne. The Lannisters are treating me very well and provide me with every comfort. I beg you: come to King’s Landing, swear fealty to King Joffrey and prevent any strife between the great houses of Lannister and Stark."
Arya walks into a meeting, the people of WInterfell are addressing Sansa. They seem to be behind her as a leader. Sansa reminds the rabble that Jon is the King. The sisters exit to Sansa’s chambers. Arya realizes that her room was once their parents' quarters. The two argue and it is very tense between them.
Tyrion and Varys are throwing back wine in the empty throne room. Varys talks about his experience with the Mad King. Tyrion insists that Dany is not her father. The Spider tells Tyrion he must make Dany listen to him. In the war-council room, Jon has received a note from a raven. He now knows that Arya and Bran are alive and well back in Winterfell. Tyrion tells Jon to bring a Wight to King’s Landing. Tyrion tells the small council that Cersei will only listen to Jaime and Jaime might listen to him. Ser Davos plans to smuggle Tyrion into King’s Landing. Ser Jorah volunteers to go north and bring back a walker. Jon insists on going as well. When Dany claims that she hasn’t given him permission to leave Dragonstone, he calmly tells her that he does not need her permission. He is a king. He put his trust in her for the sake of his people and asks her to do the same.
Ser Davos finds Gendry. Gendry is one of Robert Baratheon's bastard children. They are scattered all over Westeros. Ser Davos is such a joy whenever he is on screen. The Onion Knight takes Gendry with him. Their departure is interpreted by Cersei’s guards. Davos attempts to talk the Lannister guards away, but Tyrion appears and the don’t back down. Gendry kills them with a hammer. Gendry will be fun when the war comes. Jon and Gendry meet. Their meeting was the beginning of a beautiful friendship that the audience didn't know they needed. Gendry is completely honest about who he is and why he is there. He offers his services to help Jon grab a Wight and bring it back to King’s Landing. It is interesting to see Gendry back in play.
At the Citadel, the Maesters are reading Bran Stark’s scroll. Bran warns of the Night King and the Army of the dead. The Maesters clearly don’t believe him. Sam speaks up and claims that the news is truth. Tarly begs them to believe him and to tell everyone in Westeros that Winter has arrived. The Maesters dismiss him, and after Samwell exits, the audience learns that they have yet to tell Sam that his father and brother are dead, murdered by dragonfire. This also means that Samwell is in fact, the new Lord of the Reach.
Sam Samwell is growing weary of his menial tasks. Gilly finds an annulment between Dany’s older brother, Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and his wife Elia Martell and remarried another in a secret ceremony in Dorne. This is actually an incredibly important find for Jon Snow. Sam takes some books and scrolls and the little family leaves the Citadel.
Jon arrives at Eastwatch. The power team to retrieve a Wight consists of Jorah, the Hound, Tormund, Ser Beric Dondarrion, Gendry and Jon Snow. The men go beyond the wall and seek out the Army of the Dead.
After last week’s massive battle scene, this episode was much more muted. The best scenes in this episode were the quiet moments surrounding the King in the North. It is nice to see Davos playing a bigger role again. The meeting between Gendry and Jon was fantastic. The most important moment was finding out that Rhaegar Targaryen was in fact married to Lyanna Stark. Indeed, when Jon said “I am a king.” He does not yet know how true that statement is.