Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 7 Recap

Game of Thrones (2011-)
Season 6 (2016)

Created by: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillan, Gwendoline Christie

Plot: 
HBO's fantasy drama series adapted from George R.R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire follows the civil war of kings and usurpers in Westeros who wish to sit one the throne. The scale and scope of the story is staggering, fully realized with a large ensemble cast.

Previously
Episode six resolved another mystery from season one, what happened to Benjen. Is he going to be Bran's Obi Wan? I previously wondered what happened to Jojen, but he died back in season four. It's hard to keep up with the body count in this show.

Samwell stole his fathers sword and is on the run, yet going to be a maester and has Gilly. That's not going to work, so what happens? Will his father catch up to him and get the sword? There will definitely be a chase but with pervasive war will his father even reach him? This could be interesting and it could go almost anywhere.

Tommen played right into the High Sparrows hand. Will the trial by combat ever happen? The show has been teasing that since the first episode and we've yet to see it. I keep hoping, but I've been disappointed so far. Will it be the season finale? Better yet, who will the Mountain fight? That could be the most interesting twist about the trial by combat. Will the High Sparrow play a hand in who fights the Mountain?

Arya defied the Men of Many Faces and is now on the run. There is an assassin after her, but I'm nearly sure Arya will prevail.

The Blackfish made a brief appearance, not that we needed another character, but with his war advances and the Starks recruiting, the tides of war may be changing. We should see Jon Snow and Sansa next episode.

Check out my Game of Thrones season 6 recaps. 

Review: Episode 7 - The Broken Man
I wondered if this would be a filler episode, moving the pieces in place for the finale. While there is a lot of set up, it's very entertaining set up. This episode does have a big reveal. The episode isn't quite as good as episodes five or six, but it's still a good episode.

Another character back from the dead.

A whole lot of building is happening. It's Ian McShane playing Septon Ray building a church. We see two and three men carrying logs, but one man is carrying a log by himself. Guess what? The Hound is alive!
After Arya and the Hound journeyed together in season four, Arya left him for dead after he broke his leg and was defeated in a fight by Brienne of Tarth. We should have known when we didn't see him die.
Septon Ray provides exposition on finding Clegane close to death. Clegane wonders why he hasn't been punished for his misdeeds, though Ray says he is being punished.
Septon Ray preaches that it's never too late to change, to do good in the world. Will the Hound change? You see on his face that he's different, but he's a fighter. Even if he hides it for a while in this community, it will come out. He cautions Ray that they need to train and fight just for precaution.
While the Hound is out working, Septon Ray and all of his followers are murdered by opportunistic soldiers. He can't escape violence, but where will he go now? In the short term he'll kill a few soldiers, but what happens after that?

They bicker because they're so much alike.

Magaery is playing teacher's pet for the High Sparrow. I still have to wonder if this is strategy. The High Sparrow encourages Magaery to produce an heir with her king. It's her duty despite her lack of desire after her conversion. Magaery is encouraged to help convert her grandmother Olenna Tyrell, the Queen of Thorns. Magaery encourages her to go home while slipping her a note with a drawing of a rose. The rose is the symbol of House Tyrell.  Magaery is faking. I knew she was too smart to fall into the High Sparrow's rhetoric.

Cersei beseeches Olenna Tyrell for help against the High Sparrow. Cersei criticizes Olenna for planning to leave her grandchildren. Olenna responds that Cersei may be the most vile person she's met, though it's hard to remember since she's been alive for so long. Cersei has lost. There's nothing she can do at King's landing Olenna tells her.

The Snow and Stark tag team.

Jon Snow and Sansa Stark are recruiting wildlings with the help of Tormund Giantsbane. Tormund spins a rousing speech about Snow dying for the free folk and they should pledge to do the same for him. They agree to join the cause.
Their next stop is the Mormont house. The child serving as lady of the house is none to eager to waste another life on someone else's war despite Jon serving under Jeor Mormont in the Night's Watch. Ser Davos Seaworth stresses the importance of Jon serving under Jeor and the rising threat of white walkers. House Mormont pledges their sixty -two fighting men.
The Glovers reject Jon Snow outright. The Boltons just helped them get their castle back. Sansa reminds the Glovers of their pledge to House Stark. The Glovers served House Stark, but the Starks are dead. I'm glad they get a loss, it would be too easy if everyone readily joined them. This shouldn't be easy. The history the Glovers cite about Robb is important. Many men died serving the Starks. There are many good reasons to pass on the Stark offer.
Snow has a few hundred men from the houses and only a couple thousand wildlings. Sansa stresses the need for more men, but Jon tells her they'll fight with the men they have. She sends a raven anyway. Sansa has a few secrets hidden from Jon. I expect it's going to create a temporary rift, and then her schemes will work out and Jon will forget about it due to a victory.

Bronn is promoted to Jamie's right hand.

Jamie is leading the Lannister army against the Blackfish Brynden Tully at Riverrun, joining the Freys who have Edmure Tully. Jamie promises Bronn a high ranking position in the army. Bronn contests. He's gone from a sell sword to a knight with a castle. Jamie reminds him that a Lannister "always pays his debts."
The Freys aren't combat skilled. They threaten to kill Edmure Tully and the Blackfish calls their bluff. The Freys back down. Jamie takes over for the Freys, demonstrating that you don't make a threat you won't carry out by hitting one of the Freys in the face.
Jamie demands the Blackfish surrender, pledging to save the mens' lives and take them as prisoner. The Blackfish vows to never surrender.

The Greyjoys have docked and are enjoying their leisure. Yara demands the real Theon return. She doesn't want the cowering dog. She demands he returns to form or slit his wrists. She needs him when they sail to Meeren and make a pact with the dragon queen. A bit of ale is all it takes for Theon to pledge his allegiance and quit cowering for a few minutes. I'd think it would take a bit more ale. I guess the trick is to keep him drunk all the time. He may not have the coordination, but at least he'll have the attitude.

What is dead, may never die. Oops. Wrong body of water, wrong house.

Arya finds a captain from Westeros and pays for passage home. When you see a little old woman walk up behind Arya, you know it's one of the faceless men.  Arya gets stabbed in the gut a few times, but manages to escape and jump into the river. She stumbles around the market bleeding, no one offering help. I thought for a minute the show had killed her off. That would be a HUGE surprise. The show claims anyone can die, but it's been a few seasons since a main characters has been killed. Things look dire for Arya, but she'll make it. I don't see her dying yet.