Last week was ice and this week was fire! Wendy and the Small Council discuss the events of Game of Thrones episode 509 “The Dance of Dragons.”
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Read on for links and images.
Links:
HBO’s Inside episode 509 The Dance of Dragons
Inside filming episode 508’s massacre at Hardhome
Coldplay’s Game of Thrones The Musical (for Red Nose Day)
Liam Cunningham (Davos) discusses episode 509
Iain Glen interview about Jorah’s journey
Showrunners discuss why they did that thing to Shireen
Hosted by Wendy Hembrock. Recorded on 6/8/2015. Edited by Brent Barrett.
Music by Break of Reality used with permission.
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How the Season 5 finale should answer the musical question:
What do you do with a problem like Arya?
Simple: We find out that Arya CAN “change faces”–for a limited amount of time, say a few minutes or so. That allows the show to keep a fan-favorite of the cast, Maisie Williams, on the show.
Arya uses her power for … if not evil, then for herself, her list. Starting with whatshisface, fresh off the boat from Westeros, with a “taste” for young girls. Yes, Arya does become the “fresh girl” he demanded of the madam. When they are alone, Arya reveals her true identity as the Arya, the sole surviving member of House Stark andr he ends up on the wrong end of Needle, the pointy bit.
But he has a surprise for her. He reveals his sources informed him of many things, including Castle Black, that her half brother, Jon Snow is alive and well there, but that a Wildling horde had been massing outside The Wall for a major attack. Poor Jon is likely to end badly at the hands of the uncivilized Wildlings. With that taunt delivered and Arya shocked, he dies.
Arya takes off Castle Black, but sensibly takes a ship to edge of The Wall so she can travel on the *South* side of it, the side Castle Black is on. However en route, Arya bumps into Brienne and Podrick who had went there to seek help from the new Lord Commander, Jon Snow, to rescue Sansa. Overjoyed at the news, Arya reveals he’s her half brother and Sansa’s her sister, so she agrees to help petition her brother.
Jon is ecstatic at the news but he can’t spare any men, with the White Walkers and Winter almost there, but he arms them to the teeth. Brienne asks Podrick to wait in Castle Black, where it’s safe, and that it’s easier for a “mother and daughter” to travel without raising suspicsion. Podtrick reluctantly agrees. So Brienne and Arya head back to Winterfell. Fortunately, Arya knows the place like the back of her hand, including many ways to sneak in and out (during her rebel youth days to sneak out and about).
They are almost at Sansa’s quarters when they bump into two of Bolton’s guards, but Arya and Brienne pretend to be helpless, confused, frightened women, to help the Lady Sansa with mending her clothes. Arya, noticing they’re alone, shows them her Needle, the pointy bit, and suggest Brienne drag the other one out of sight.
Meanwhile … Sansa wakes nervously, looking around for Ramsey who had not “visited” her the previous night–only to see Reek doing his morning ritual preparation of the room. She demands answers from Reek and he only says that The Master went on a special mission and that he would return tonight. Sansa says “Good, we shall prepare myself to welcome him home–at the front entrance.”
Arya and Brienne finally make their way to Sansa’s and Ramsey’s bedroom and burst in–to find Theon lacing up Sansa’s winter boots. Everyone is surprised, overjoyed, and Arya’s also infuriated and confused by Theon Greyjoy! the man who betrayed her family!!! lacing up Sansa’s boots?!?!
Arya pounces on him, but Sansa stops her from showing him the pointy bit of Needle, explaining they need him to get out of Winterfell before Stannis Baratheon’s forces attack. Brienne explains they had went around that army, that had been in the midst of punishing someone, execution by fire. Arya reveals she can get them out without Theon’s help. Sansa counters if his body is discovered, it could raise alarm. Arya relents and says he’s coming with them.
The four successful make it outside Winterfell’s defenses when Ramsey comes running toward them–in absolute terror! He grabs Sansa who stabs him–three times.
“You, you,” Ramsey, struggles to speak, “Don’t understand.”
“What, my husband, that your reign of terror is over? Winter has arrived–but you will not live to see the worst of it.”
“That’s … just it … we have! We had sabotaged Stannis’ army and on the way back, we were ambushed–by a White Walker! It tore through my men and horses like paper. It’s sword instantly shattered any sword, axe or blade, raised against it. I have to warn … my father.”
“Ssssh, my husband, no need to worry anymore about anything–except me!” and then Sansa stabs him in the neck.
“Don’t worry, Lady Sansa, Lady Arya, I will not abandon you, even before a legion of-.”
“White Walker! Sansa, stay back. Brienne, behind you!”
The White Walker charges out of the fog of mist and snow right for Brienne. She barely has time to draw Oathkeeper to block the overhead sword strike. The walker looks surprised at her sword not shattering, even more twirls her sword and chops off its hands and then and does a full 360 spin to slice the walker in two–only the walker completely shatters.
Arya, Sansa and Theon was dumbfounded, almost as much as Brienne, but she recovers first. “Finally, a bit of good news. Come your graces, we need hurry to Castle Black. After Stannis’ attack we can return to relative peace. As I have said, I made an oath to keep you safe and I aim to keep it.”
[And so concludes tonight’s Game of Thrones: Fan Fiction Theater!]
Ken – this is awesome! Of course the show would never, never give us this much happiness in one episode but I love the way your are thinking. – Jesse Master of Depression