In most Game of Thrones seasons, the plotting for war happens in the beginning and the actual battle takes place in the last two-three episodes. In season seven, however, it started off with a war between Cersei and Daenerys and now has the Night King included. His war is the biggest of all, with an army of dead marching on from beyond the walls, just like in the fables that most of the characters have heard of.
The fifth episode titled ‘Eastwatch’ appears to be like that episode that prepares the audience for something. There’s a lot of talk and dialogue thrown in, with fewer deaths but lots of thinking.
The episode, continuing from last episode’s terrific battle won by Dany and her Dothraki men, has Jaime and Bronn coming out of the Blackwater. With their men standing before Dany, her army, and Drogon, Jaime looks on to see what this other queen has to offer.
Dany introduces herself and makes the men on the other side an offer they cannot refuse.
“Bend the knee and join us. Or refuse and die.”
Everybody bends the knee except for the Tarlys. Randyll Tarly and his son, Dickon, have pledged their allegiance to Cersei who grew up in Westeros while Dany is merely a “foreigner” with her savage army.
“Alright then. Dracarys,” she says, paying no heed to Tyrion’s counsel. Everybody’s shocked and immediately bending the knee. Tyrion and Varys, too, have no words to say. Particularly Tyrion, who drinks and tries to justify why she had to burn them alive when there could’ve been an understanding. It’s clear he’s trying too hard to convince himself that she did the right thing. Perhaps he might be having second thoughts now?
***
At Dragonstone, Jon and the Drogon have a moment that looks something straight out of How To Train Your Dragon. Dany’s heart melts when she sees how one of her children takes to Jon. A soft corner for the man from the North, evidently.
But that’s interrupted by Ser Jorah Mormont’s voice. He’s returned, all cured, and all in for his Khaleesi.
The next step, they plan on how to overthrow Cersei. But Jon reminds the team of how they have bigger problems aka the Night King and his zombie army whom Bran watched them march from beyond the wall. There isn’t much time but Dany does understand that it’s time to use that and fight off Cersei at the same time.
“Why don’t we take one White Walker and show it to Cersei?” Dany says. Jon and Jorah volunteer, and thus leave Dragonstone.
Night King
***
At the Citadel, the archmaesters receive a scroll from Bran warning them of what he saw beyond the wall. They all laugh it off. Samwell, who fought a white walker in Season 3, tries to convince them but no one is buying it.
Frustrated, he heads back to his room only to have Gilly spewing random facts that High Septon Maynard recorded in his books. To any experienced GoT watcher, there are always clues hidden in the most boring scenes. Like in this one, Gilly stumbles on the word ‘annulment’. Upon learning the meaning, she reads out what Maynard wrote about a “Prince Raggar” who married someone else in a secret ceremony in Dorne.
That random record almost confirms Jon’s legitimacy as king, fueling hopes that there could be an answer to the White Walkers in Maynard’s boring records.
Sam, tired of “other men’s better achievements”, packs his bag full of books from the library, and leaves the Citadel with Gilly and the child.
***
Davos and Tyrion head to King’s Landing secretly. Jaime and Tyrion meet in a cave, where Tyrion gives his reasons for killing their father. Jaime, however, is having none of it. He listens but tries hard not to give in to Tyrion’s story.
“He thought I chose to be born like this! His little monster,” says Tyrion, still trying to implore Jaime to have Cersei agree to some of Dany’s conditions.
Davos, meanwhile, reunites with another character. And his hammer.
“I wasn’t sure I’d find you here. Thought you’d still be rowing,” he says.
Gendry smiles and packs his weapon – a massive hammer. He seems prepared, waiting to whip it out for a long time.
***
Jaime tells Cersei about his little meeting with Tyrion. He knows she has already lost the war given Dany and her dragons. But Cersei thinks there’s still a way out.
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Looking at her brother/lover intently, she goads him to continue the fight for ‘this one’s’ sake, while touching her belly. For the fourth time, Jaime is fathering one of Cersei’s children and gets the motivation to fight for her yet again, even if it appears as though she’s using him for her battles.
“Don’t ever betray me again,” she whispers into his ears after giving him the news.
***
Petyr Baelish is back to his sneaky ways at Winterfell. Having caught Arya’s attention, Baelish is found secretly speaking to many helps from the house and finally obtaining a scroll. He quietly leaves it in his room while Arya secretly watches.
Arya, as predicted, tries to find out and reads the scroll. It’s a scroll from Season 1, where Sansa wrote to Robb Stark about what was happening at King’s Landing, right before Ned’s infamous execution.
Incensed, she leaves. Baelish, meanwhile, watches all this from behind, visibly glad that he managed to trap Arya in his little game.
Eastwatch
***
Jon, Gendry, Jorah, and Davos meet with the new prisoners – Beric Dondarion and his men back in the North. The Hound is there, too. Together, the seven of them ready themselves and prepare for the biggest battle on Game of Thrones.
Armed in proper warm clothes, wine, and obsidian – the seven and their posse march towards Eastwatch. Amid the snow, one can sense the dead lurking on the other side.