At 79 minutes, “The Dragon and the Wolf” is the biggest episode in Game of Thrones history, but it also represents an intense narrowing of focus, as what seems like the entire living cast gathers in King’s Landing to contemplate a path forward in the Great War. These opening scenes have the feeling of a reunion. There are friendly pats on the back between Tyrion, Podrick, and Bronn; even Brienne and the Hound, last seen battling ferociously in season four, exchange a wry smile about little Arya Stark.
The meeting between Daenerys’s and Cersei’s teams takes place in the Dragonpit, a huge, abandoned arena that once imprisoned the last of the Targaryen dragons. Will history repeat itself, as another empire — this time, the empire of the living — fails to prevent its own demise?
The kidnapped wight demonstration proves surprisingly effective: Cersei is visibly shaken, Euron ups and leave for the Iron Islands. Cersei declares that she will accept the request for a truce, but only if the King in the North promises he won’t choose sides between the two queens. She bids him promise as Ned Stark’s son, whom she trusts to keep his word — but because he is Ned Stark’s son (in spirit, at least), Jon confesses that he’s already pledged to Daenerys, surprising even his compatriots and sending Cersei storming off.
Tyrion goes back to her chambers to try to reason with her. Tyrion, so off his game lately, seems to really have his sister’s number this time; he stands up to her, he placates her with wine; she rails at him, but almost seems to relax a bit in his presence. When he brought her back to the Dragonpit and she told Jon and Daenerys that she would ride North with them after all, viewers’ heart lifted. Alas, typical of Cersei, it was all an elaborate double cross. Euron’s departure was planned from the beginning, and he’s now sailing to Essos to pick up the mercenary company the Iron Bank’s funds have purchased.
Back in Winterfell, Sansa is irritated that Jon pledged the North to Daenerys without consulting her first. Littlefinger sees the opening he’s been waiting for. “I’ve heard gossip that the dragon queen is quite beautiful,” he says, implying (correctly) that Jon is thinking with his feelings. Littlefinger also wants Sansa to believe Arya is plotting to kill her. So what’s his endgame here? Get Sansa to strip Jon of his title and execute her sister, obviously. Arya is called to the great hall, where all the northern lords have gathered. It seems Sansa is about to have her executed. “You stand accused of murder. You stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges……….Lord Baelish?” she says. It takes Littlefinger about five minutes to figure out what is going on, but when he does, the squirming is exquisite to watch. He tries lying. He tries begging. None of them stop Arya from cutting his throat.
Sam and Gilly arrive at Winterfell, and Sam makes straight for Bran room. And so two of Westeros’ biggest know-it-all come together to geek out over royal lineages. “Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen, and my aunt, Lyanna Stark,” Bran says. This causes Sam to remember the diary he transcribed (that Gilly read from, a few episodes back), in which a Septon confesses he secretly married Rhaegar and Lyanna in Dorne. Suddenly, Bran is standing on a riverbank watching that very ceremony in a vision. Meanwhile, on Dany’s ship, Jon stops by her cabin and something led to another and viola! there was sex. We see the scene from the Tower of Joy again: Lyanna dying in childbirth, whispering to young Ned. This time, we hear what she’s whispering: Jon Snow’s true name. Aegon Targaryen. The heir to the Iron Throne. Daenerys just had sex with his nephew.
Like most episodes this season, “The Dragon and the Wolf” ends with some big, story-altering climaxes. The Night King and his dragon arrives at the Wall. The dragon spews blue fire at The Wall until it crumbles, letting the entire army of the dead march through into the land of the living. Given how slowly the White Walkers shuffle, they should reach Winterfell for the climactic final battle by about season 14. The stage is set for Season 8.
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