The rationale behind show-runners limiting Game of Thrones season 7 to just 7 episodes has now become clear – they’ve packed four episodes’ worth of juicy revelations and plot development into one meaty hour. Hurrah!
As expected, episode 5 of Game of Thrones season 7 – “Eastwatch” – opened with a very much alive Jaime Lannister who thankfully survived last week’s dragon fire-ball attack, thanks to Bronn.
Their partnership now seems to be coming to an end (Bronn drew the line at dragons, which is fair enough really), but this didn’t stop him from arranging a secret meeting between Jaime and Tyrion later in the episode.
Jaime Lannister, played by Nikolaj Coster-Waldau
The emotional reunion captured the brothers’ sincere but conflicted bond, which is perhaps the only potential bridge between warring Houses Targaryen and Lannister.
Meanwhile, Daenerys is precariously straddling the line between murderous dragon lady and peace-loving revolutionary. After demolishing the bulk of the Lannister army, she announces that she isn’t actually here to murder anyone but “destroy the wheel that has rolled over the rich and poor”.
She then, however, burned Randyll and Dickon Tarly alive when they refused to bend the knee. Some conflicting messages there, Dany. Although, in the words of a pre-cooked Randyll Tarly; “There are no easy choices in war”.
Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow, played by Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington
This unsettling opening was followed by one OMG moment after another, starting with the return of our favourite rowing champion, Gendry. (Thanks, Ser Davos, we appreciated the reference.)
Last seen rowing off into the sunset in season 3, Gendry is back in Fleabottom blacksmithing and wielding a warhammer.
He’s also ready for more action, and quickly took the opportunity to head back to Dragonstone with Ser Davos and team up with Jon Snow.
Cersei is once again pregnant with Jaime’s child and seems pretty chuffed about it considering the timing couldn’t be worse. Realising that the enemy is closing in on her, she is now prepared to fight – and die – in the war to come, and also hints at a possible temporary alliance with Daenerys in order to stategically destroy her later on. Cunning as ever, but would we have her any other way?
Ser Jorah finally returned to the eternal friendzone at Daenerys’ side and she seemed genuinely happy to see him. The same can’t be said for Jon Snow, however, who has been engaging in vaguely amorous eye contact with the Mother of Dragons.
A romance could potentially be on the cards, but at this rate things needs to seriously heat up before we become emotionally invested in Jonerys.
Down at the Citadel, a group of old white men are determining the fate of the country (shocker). The Maesters bickered amongst themselves after receiving a raven from Bran Stark warning them that the army of the dead are almost at the Wall.
They believe it might simply be a ploy by Daenerys to distract them and don’t take it too seriously, despite Sam’s (the new Lord Tarly) pleas to the contrary.
Infuriated by the Maester’s careless indifference to the threat of the Wights, Sam finally leaves Oldtown with a few stolen scrolls, but not before Gilly alludes to Rhaegar Targaryen’s secret marriage. This was presumably to Lyanna Stark, Jon Snow’s mother, but only time will tell if this holds much significance in the revealing of his heritage.
Up North, an ominous tension is rising between sisters Arya and Sansa Stark.
In fact, Arya is giving her the type of evils she throws out when adding to her kill list – accusing Sansa of not sticking up for Jon in front of the council and harboring a secret lust for power over Winterfell.
Throwing a further spanner in the works, Arya finds the letter Sansa was forced to write when she was Cersei’s prisoner, demanding that the North bend the knee. Of course, Little Finger was behind it and he has likely succeeded in driving a dangerous wedge between the siblings.
It’s about time we knew what his long-term strategy is, although I’m guessing it involves covering his own back and bedding Sansa somewhere along the way.
Back at Dragonstone, it’s decided that Jon Snow will bring a White Walker to Cersei as proof of the real threat to the Seven Kingdoms. Tyrion’s plans have all ended pretty disastrously this season so he is due a comeback of sorts, though this particular recommendation will be a tough one to pull off even for White Walker-savvy Jon.
“Eastwatch” ended with Jon setting off beyond the Wall along with his new best mate Gendry, Tormund, the Hound and his Lord of Light gang to somehow kidnap a zombie and march it back to Cersei. What could possibly go wrong?
Find out next week when Game of Thrones season 7 episode 6 airs at 9pm BST on Sky Atlantic.
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