(Spoiler alert: Do not keep reading if you have not seen this week’s episode of “Game of Thrones”)
“Game of Thrones” saw Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) return to a familiar land this week, but her circumstances are drastically different this time around. But first things first as we dive into our recap, and make sure to put on something flame retardant…
At Castle Black, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is preparing to leave the Night’s Watch, but his plans are interrupted when Sansa (Sophie Turner) arrives with Brienne (Gwendoline Christie). They share an incredibly emotional reunion — good pre-hug dramatic pause! — marking the first time any of the Stark children have been together in quite some time.
After Jon says he will guard over Sansa from now on, she tells him they must retake Winterfell. Turner is wonderful in the scene, as Sansa finally begins find her strength.
Later, we finally get some much needed time with Littlefinger, Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen). He continues to exert his control over Robin Arryn (Lino Facioli), which makes him the de facto ruler of The Eyrie. He convinces Robin to assemble an army to march on Winterfell and save Sansa.
Across the Narrow Sea, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) invites the leaders of the other cities in Slaver’s Bay to make peace in Meereen. He tells them that he will allow the cities to phase out slavery over several years. The proposal does not go over well with the former slaves, unsurprisingly. He explains that slavery is awful, but so is war, and that he can’t stop both on the same day.
In Vaes Dothrak, Jorah (Iain Glen) and Daario (Michiel Huisman) slip in under cover of darkness to find Daenerys. But when they find her, she doesn’t want to leave. Rather, she has a plan. A hot plan.
And back at Kings Landing, Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) has another meeting with the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce), in which he reveals that his own experiences, and his regret after a major rager, led him to try to live a more righteous life. He quit partying, so everyone else has to quit partying, too, basically. Pryce’s acting talent is on full display in the scene, as he reveals his truth to the captive queen.
After he tells his story, he allows her to visit her brother, Loras (Finn Jones). But the great Knight of the Flowers is all but broken down. Margaery begs him to be strong, but he has given up hope.
Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) confesses to Cersei (Lena Headey) that he has been regularly talking with the High Sparrow, and that Margaery is to make the same walk of atonement that Cersei was forced to make. To stop this, Cersei and Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) plot to bring troops into the city.
In Winterfell, Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) has a private meeting with Osha (Natalia Tena). He asks her why she continued protecting the Starks even though they put her in chains. She does her best to seduce him — while reaching for a knife — but Ramsay, ever the charmer, stabs her in the throat.
Ramsay then sends a letter to Castle Black and tells Jon that he has Rickon captive. He taunts Jon and tells him to come and fight him at Winterfell. Jon has fewer men, but he agrees with Sansa that they must fight.
And so we go back to Daenerys. She goes before the Khals and tells them that none of them are strong enough to lead the Dothraki, but she is. She then sets the temple of the Dosh Khaleen on fire, stands in the flames — and watches as they die.
She steps out of the raging inferno and the whole city bows before her, essentially making her the new queen of the Dothraki. Solid episode.