Daenerys strikes back. Jaime faces an unexpected situation. Arya comes home.

Director: Matt Shakman
Writers: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Stars: Peter Dinklage, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Lena Headey

Review by Mary Cox

Tonight was an episode focused on both reunions and revenge. There haven’t been this manyStarks in the same room since the first season. We’re finally getting to see the plots we’ve been following for close to a decade now intertwine, and it is SO rewarding. Seeing Arya go one-on-one with Brienne of Tarth was incredible! Jon, who still believes that Theon murdered Bran and Rickon, barely manages to control himself when the last of the Greyjoys wash up on Dragonstone.

An obvious highlight of tonight’s episode is the battle between the Lannister army and Daenerys’ dragons. The tension between Bronn at the Scorpion and Daenerys on Drogon was incredible. After a close call with Drogon, some unknown person shoves Jaime out of the path of fire and into the bottom of a lake. Is this really how the Kingslayer dies? Probably not.

One question I keep having is: what is Littlefinger up to? His character seems almost undirected while he’s surrounded by a court of pragmatic Northerners who don’t give into manipulation as easily as the nobles at King’s Landing. Obviously, his long-term goal is Sansa, but how is he planning on getting there?

Something to watch out for in future episodes: Tyrion seems to be having his doubts about which side he wants to be on while watching his fellow Lannisters fall victim to the flames of Daenery’s dragons, but is he willing to throw away his alliance with the Targaryen queen for the sake of his blood? I doubt it.

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“Mary Cox is an entertainment writer from the United States. Her hobbies include making good beer and bad decisions, watching drag queens fight on the internet, and overanalyzing everything. Mary one day hopes to be the person shouting “World Star” in the back of a Waffle House brawl video. She is currently tolerating life in Toronto. You can follow her on Twitter at @M_K_Cox”