GoT Ep 804 "The Last of the Starks"

Image via HBO

Even though our favorite characters made it through the war against the dead, this week's episode began on a somber note as they held a massive funeral for the people that were lost. Sam says goodbye to Edd, Sansa says goodbye to Theon (laying a Stark direwolf pin on his chest), and Daenerys says goodbye (and also a secret whisper) to Ser Jorah. Jon gives a moving eulogy saying that the world owes these people a debt that cannot be repaid and that it is their duty to make sure they stay alive in memory for as long as men draw breath. They were the shields that guarded the realms of men and we shall never see their like again.

After the massive funeral, the group decides it's time to take a short break and celebrate. It takes a little while for people to let their guards down and start to have some fun, but it eventually happens. Gendry is sitting with the Hound and is anxious to know where Arya is. After the Hound gives him the third degree about his relationship with Arya, Gendry tries to leave the Great Hall to look for her when Daenerys stops him. So far, he has gone unnoticed by the Dragon Queen and everyone looks a bit concerned until she tells him he will now be the trueborn son of Robert Baratheon and the lord of Storms End, thereby assuring his allegiance to her.

Tyrion and Ser Davos discuss Melisandre's sudden demise after the battle and Ser Davos even seems to feel a little sorry for her. She did all of these things for her god and he just let her die at the end of it. Where the heck is the Lord of Light now? Tyrion has an exchange with Bran, congratulating him on being lord of Winterfell. Bran tells Tyrion that's not who he is. Tyrion is envious that Bran doesn't seem to want power until Bran tells him not to be envious because he mostly lives in the past.

Tormund begins a round of toasting to the Dragon Queen, who in turn toasts Arya. Sansa sees Jon and Dany exchange looks of love and walks off mad. Tormund then begins to joke about Jon's height, his coming back to life, and how awesome it is that he rode a dragon. And who does that? A madman, or a king? Well, Daenerys did it first, so props due to her for that. However, Dany sees how much people love Jon and she feels out of place. She finally leaves, feeling isolated.

Jaime, Tyrion, Brienne, and Pod play Tyrion's question game from season one. It's all fun and games until Tyrion guesses that Brienne is a virgin. That hits a soft spot for her and she tries to excuse herself when Tormund comes up. He tries to lay his charm on her but she barrels past him with Jaime running after her. Tormund is completely heartbroken and Tyrion fills his cup with more wine. The Hound ends up being the unlikely shoulder Tormund cries on about this heartbreak until a northern girl puts the moves on Tormund and he somehow seems to forget all about his tall, blonde crush all together.

Another northern girl tries her luck with the Hound, but he's not thinking about that. Sansa sees him scare the girl off and asks him why he did that. He says he's got other things on his mind. He doesn't clarify what those things are, but it's pretty easy to guess that his mind is set on killing his brother, the Mountain. That has been his main goal throughout the entire series. The Hound turns things back around on Sansa and says he heard she got broken in rough. She says it's true, but she gave Ramsay what he deserved in the end. When the Hound finds out she fed Ramsay alive to his hounds, they both have a good laugh. He tells her that none of those horrible things would've happened to her if she had just taken him up on his offer to take her back to Winterfell in season one, but Arya says she would still be that "little bird" he first met if she hadn't gone through what she has.

Gendry finds Arya at target practice. He asks why she isn't celebrating and she says she is. He informs her of his new lordship, professes his love for her, and proposes marriage, but she has to refuse him and break his heart because she can never be the lady of a castle. That's just not her. Poor Gendry.

Jaime finds Brienne in her room attending her fire. He brings a pitcher of wine and complains about the heat while taking off layers of clothes. He tells her poor Tormund was sad when she left and asks how she feels about him. She says that Jaime sounds a little jealous and he agrees that he does. They finally decide to jump each other's bones as Jaime declares he's never slept with a knight before and she says she's never slept with anyone.

Dany visits Jon. He's just a little drunk. He tells her he is sorry about Ser Jorah and she explains that Jorah was in love with her, but she couldn't love him back the same way, not the way she loves Jon. She asks him if her feelings are okay and they kiss until Jon remembers she's actually his aunt and backs away. She tells him that she wishes he had never told her the truth so things would still be the same between them. She also confesses that she is envious about the way people in Westeros look at him because she's never had anyone on this side of the sea look at her that way. Then, she gets to her true intention. She wants Jon to swear Bran and Sam to secrecy about his true identity. He assures her he doesn't want the crown, but she warns him that if people find out, it will take on a life of its own despite what he wants. This is totally true, as we find out later in the episode. Jon being Jon wants to tell Sansa and Arya, but Dany thinks that is a bad idea. Especially since Sansa doesn't like her. Jon believes that he can have both ways though and promises she and his family can coexist. Dany isn't satisfied with that answer.

The next day they all discuss the hits they took from the Night Kings army. Dany is ready to head for Kings Landing as soon as possible. Sansa makes a good suggestion that the troops, and Dany's dragons, should rest before making the trip to assure their victory. Dany thinks Sansa is trying to back out of Jon's promise that the north will fight for Dany. Jon steps in and says the north will honor their promise and do what Dany commands, even if that means heading to Kings Landing immediately. After the meeting, Jon's family surround him and Arya says they need to speak NOW. Of course, Sansa doesn't want to fight for Dany. Arya concedes that Jon made the right decision to bend the knee because they needed Dany's troops, but she doesn't trust Dany unconditionally either. Jon thinks they have reservations because they don't know her, but they are more concerned about the Stark family sticking together. They push until he finally decides to tell the women the truth about who he is, but not before swearing them to secrecy. However, once both of them agree he asks Bran to tell them and the scene cuts away and the viewers are not allowed to see their reactions.

The armies will begin their trip to Kings Landing the next day. Jon will march the northern troops down the kingsroad while Dany goes back to Dragonstone with her troops by ship. Jaime will stay with Brienne in Winterfell while she protects Sansa. When Jaime and Tyrion are having a last drink together, Bronn shows up, somehow having snuck into Winterfell. He tells them why he is there. Of course, neither brother thinks he will do it, but he proves that he is willing, unless they offer a better price. Cersei has promised him Riverrun, so Tyrion decides to offer him Highgarden. Tyrion can't deliver until they beat Cersei and suggests Bronn join their fight, but Bronn's had enough of fighting. He's going to wait the war out somewhere and find them when the fighting is over. So, crisis averted for now. We all know Bronn's cunning and isn't really a loyal guy, heck, that's what we love about him, but it still hurts to see him consider the possibility of betraying the brothers.

The Hound sneaks out of Winterfell, hoping to go to Kings Landing on his own. Arya isn't going to let him go have all the fun by himself though. She catches up with him and they decide to ride together since they both have unfinished business. (The Hound with the Mountain and Arya with Cersei). Neither of them plans on making it back north again.

Sansa keeps Jon's secret for about five minutes before spilling to Tyrion before he leaves with Daenerys. Before she spills the beans she asks him why he is backing Dany. He tells her Dany is a good person and will be a good ruler, but she thinks he is really afraid of Dany and, because he doesn't want to back Cersei, he thinks Dany is the only choice. Sansa tells him there may be someone else though, someone better.

Sam and Gilly tell Jon goodbye, almost as if he won't make it back to Winterfell. Gilly reveals she is pregnant. Tormunds tells Jon farewell as well and also says he plans on taking the free folk back up north after the winter. He tells Jon that's where he belongs as well, but Jon disagrees. Jon asks Tormund to take Ghost with him since direwolves don't belong in the south. However, poor Ghost doesn't even get a pat or a hug before Jon heads out, just a fleeting look. (WTF?) And, Ghost looks so sad.

Tyrion tells Varys about Jon's true identity on their way back to Dragonstone. Varys asks how many people know at this point and Tyrion tells him eight. Varys says that's no longer a secret, that's information and they can't stop it from coming out now. Tyrion suggests Daenerys and Jon get married, or perhaps Cersei will win and that would be the end to all their problems.

Dany is riding Drogon above the fleet and watching Rhaegal since he's still healing from his fight with Viserion. Then, it seems out of nowhere, Rhaegal is hit with three arrows from a scorpion. He falls into the sea, dying, and Dany is beside herself as she watches another one of her children perish. When she sees where they came from (good old Euron) she dives towards him, looking as though she is going to burn him up, but she thinks better of it and flies away at the last minute. It was a good call, considering all of his boats are outfitted with the modified weapon and he fires away at her again. Many fans wondered how no one on her fleet, or even she on her dragon, could not see Euron's ships coming. Dragonstone is an island and I'm assuming he hid and sailed around when he knew they would be arriving, thereby sneaking up on them. Euron starts firing the scorpions at the boats, tearing Dany's small fleet to shreds. Grey Worm tells Missandei to get on a skiff and Tyrion has to jump overboard. When they all wash up on shore, Grey Worm can't find Missandei because Euron has captured and delivered her to Cersei. Dany has now had it with restraint. She feared that Cersei would strengthen her army while she was up north and that is exactly what happened. And what's worse is that Dany lost another dragon and now also possibly her best friend. She wants to storm Kings Landing and almost refuses to be talked out of it. Varys warns her against becoming the evil she's always struggled to defeat and Tyrion says they should offer Cersei terms to surrender while they wait for Jon and the northern troops to arrive. Dany reluctantly agrees.

Varys is concerned that they can no longer control Dany. She is making some emotional decisions, but put yourself in her place. You'd probably be just as mad. (I know I am and the rest of the episode didn't help). Varys asks Tyrion if Jon would be a better ruler, but Tyrion doesn't want to betray Dany. He suggests again that Jon and Dany marry, but Varys says Dany is too strong for Jon and she will bend him to her will. Tyrion thinks Jon can temper her worst desires though, as Jorah was able to, but Varys is seriously thinking about switching sides in order to protect the realm.

Jaime finds out about Cersei's latest move and breaks Brienne's heart by trying to sneak off to save his sister in the middle of the night. Brienne tells him he is a good man and he doesn't need to die with his sister, but he confesses to pushing Bran out of the window, killing his cousin, and threatening to kill everyone at Riverrun to get back to Cersei. She's hateful and he is too. While I'm sure Jaime partly believes this, I also believe he was ready to move on until he got a hit of that drug known as Cersei. So, he was a complete ass to Brienne hoping to ease the blow of abandoning her. I'm still hoping that before the end of this he kills Cersei, although I think he'll go down with her.

Before Dany arrives at Kings Landing, Cersei tells Euron she's pregnant with his child. He is happy and a complete sap for falling for her lies. If she is pregnant it's got to be Jaime's. Cersei has also fitted all the battlements at Kings Landing with the new scorpions. Dany has arrived with a small party of Unsullied. Qyeburn comes out to parley with Tyrion. For some reason, Tyrion thinks he can urge the sociopath to talk some sense into Cersei. Qyeburn tells him he is the queen's mouthpiece and he is Cersei's until the end. Tyrion heads towards the walls, begging Cersei one last time to surrender and save her child. (I wonder if Euron picked up on this, because if Cersei just told Euron she was pregnant, with his baby, how could Tyrion possibly know that)? Tyrion also begs his sister to protect the people of Kings Landing. Of course, she's opened the gates to the commoners, who she cares nothing about so that she can use them as a shield. Cersei also has Missandei up on the walls and says that if Dany doesn't surrender, Missandei will die there. Cersei makes an attempt to act like she's thinking about Tyrion's plea, but we all know better. Cersei tells Missandei if she has any last words, now is the time to speak them. Missandei shouts "dracarys" before the Mountain beheads her. Grey Worm is understandably upset and this is the absolute last straw for Dany who walks away with a look that says so many things without her saying anything.

So, a lot of people are over Dany. I'm an avid Dany fan and I just can't give up on her. Plus, every time we underestimate her and think she will make a bad decision, she ends up surprising fans by making a power move that puts her back on top. We can also see from next week's preview that Jon has joined her for the fight for Kings Landing. Who knows how it all will end. Not everyone will be satisfied, we will definitely lose more beloved characters, and there will be more surprises to come.