April 09, 2019

Game Of Thrones S07 E04 - The Spoils Of War


The Lannister army is leaving after the successful takeover of High Garden. The place has been looted and all the Tyrell gold has been stolen. Bronn is a happy man when Jaime throws him a bag of gold. Bronn, at heart, is still an absolute mercenary. Bronn is great. No hidden depths to him at all.

He knows Jaime is rattled after his meeting with Olenna Tyrell but Jaime's giving away nothing. He always plays his cards close to his chest. The money they've taken from the Tyrell's is going to pay the Lannister debts. So this is why Cersei was so carefree about their debts when the Iron Bank came calling.

Randyll and Dickon (haha) Tarly were part of the High Garden battle too. Bronn gets great amusement from Dickon's name. As do we Bronn, as do we. Jaime's getting annoyed with him so sends him off with the newest Lannister allies to help them out.

In King's Landing, Iron bank debt collector Tycho Nestoris is delighted to hear the debt will be repaid in one go. This isn't the way things usually go, the bank thrives on the interest payments of those who owe them. Because of the rapid repayments Cersei and Tycho come to a new deal. Of course we don't hear what it is.

In Winterfell, Littlefinger (ugh) gifts Bran the Valyrian dagger that was once used to almost kill him. Bran, being the all knowing Three Eyed Raven, can see right through Littlefinger's bullshit. Bran's declaration of "Chaos is a ladder" unsettles Littlefinger. This is a phrase he once used himself when talking to Varys about his plans to sit in the Iron throne one day.

As Littlefinger does a runner, Meera enters to say goodbye to Bran. He's home, he doesn't need her anymore, so she's going. His extreme lack of emotion at her leaving upsets her. She lost her brother to get him where he was going and Bran doesn't seem to care. Being the Three Eyed Raven means you turn into a twat apparently. So long Meera.

Outside Winterfell another Stark is about to come home. It's Arya. Excellent. It's been far too long since she was here and she's a very very different girl to the one who left. The gate guards won't believe who she is and tell her to fuck off. She has no time for these dopes and manipulates them with ease.

In fairness they're lucky she leaves them alive. She's destroyed grown men for a lot less. I'd have liked to see her pick her teeth with these dopes bones. Ah well, a missed opportunity. Once they let her in see flits off.

Winterfell is a much changed place. Her parents and her oldest brother are dead. Sansa gets wind of her sister's presence and finds her in the crypt, the place where she used to like to hide as a child.

Their reunion is a strange one. It's happy and all but these are two very different people and Arya 2.0 is keeping her distance a little bit. She's disappointed Jon isn't there because he was her closest family member but she's happy Sansa is in charge. She's happy Sansa was there to see Joffrey die too.



She reunites with Bran as well. Oh man they've all changed so much. It's quite upsetting. Once again he's totally emotionless when he sees her. He's seen her journey and he knows all about her kill list, every single name. She's able to accept his new powers quicker than Sansa. Her time in Braavos thought her life is strange.

Bran knows she's a killer now so he gives her the valyrian dagger that Littlefinger gave him. A lovely new weapon for her that would be wasted on him. I've a feeling it won't be too long before it's blades taste blood.

The Starks are growing in number and Brienne and Pod are pleased to see it, knowing Catelyn Stark would be proud to see her family back together again. And proud of Brienne for keeping her vow. Littlefinger, is of course watching it all unfold. 

Daenerys also finds out Missandei and Grey Worm got it on and of course wants all the gossip. Nosy fecker. Then Jon Snow shows Daenerys to the dragon glass mines they've found under the island. Inside they find cave paintings drawn by the Children of the Forest 1000's of years ago. Paintings that depict the earlier battle against the White Walkers. 

Finally Jon has some proof to show her. The paintings show the Children and the First Men fighting together against the Walkers. 2 different groups fighting together against a common enemy. The significance of this alliance isn't lost on Daenerys.

Hmmm, Jon and Daenerys are starting to look at each other a bit deeply. Hmmm, by my reckoning they share the same blood. HMMMM. Meanwhile Daenerys decides to fight with Jon, but only if he will bend the knee to her. The people of the North won't fight for a southern ruler unless Jon bows first and Jon's pride is endangering it all.

Outside the cave Tyrion and Varys inform her of the Casterly rock victory but also of the problem it has caused them. She's wondering how Cersei outwitted her and she starts questioning Tyrion's loyalty to her. She decides to take matters into her own hands.

She asks Jon what he thinks of her plan to burn King's Landing with her dragons. He informs her a senseless act like that will just make the people look at her as another tyrant. He's speaking sense. She'll have to think of something else.

In Winterfell Brienne is training Pod still. He's getting better and better. She's a fine teacher but he still has a lot to learn. Arya is watching it all and asks for a chance to spar. Her small stature gives Brienne pause but she decides to let her try. What harm could it do?

As Sansa watches Brienne and Arya swing at each other. Arya more than holds her own and eventually gets the upper hand. Brienne is amazed. It's a brilliant scene. Sansa is troubled by how much Arya has changed and scumbag Littlefinger sees it as a chance to get between them and cause some strife. Man i fuckin hate him.



On Dragonstone a bedraggled Theon arrives back with a few Iron Island survivors. After Jon's chat with Missandei about Daenery's good heart he confronts Theon. The only reason he doesn't disembowell him there and then is because he helped Sansa escape Ramsay Bolton. Theon's here to ask Daenerys' help to rescue Yara. But Daenerys is gone. Where?

The Lannister army is on the Rose Road on the way to King's Landing. They are resting and taking count of their supplies. Randyll Tarly is showing himself to be a helpful battle commander, great at organising. You can see where Sam gets his patience and persistance from.

While Jaime and Bronn talk, Bronn senses something is amiss. Something in the air, a rumble in the distance, a slight shake in the ground. Then in the distance the Dothraki hoard appears. There's a humongous amount of them. Jaime is rattled. They've been caught rotten. And it's not just the Dothraki horde.

In the skies above them Daenerys appears on her dragon, Drogon. Jaime and Bronn are astounded and then terrified. His flames rip the Lannister lines apart and shred the Tyrell gold they've taken. So much for Cersei's plan to repay her debts. 

An immense battle scene kicks off. Drogon above and the horde below decimating the unprepared Lannister soldiers. THIS IS FUCKING AMAZING. It's brilliant to see just what exactly a dragon can do. 



Finally we get the see the full and petrifying power of the Dothraki's too. The Lannister's in their suits of armour haven't a hope against them. These men were raised from birth to fight. The Rose Road is soon red with blood and the air fills with screams.

Bronn fights his way through the battle. You'd forget how good he is with a sword. On a hill above the fight Tyrion watches it all unfold. He has a hand in both camps. His Queen in one and his brother Jaime in the other. He's terrified for them both but you get the sense his heart lies with big bro.

Bronn finally gets to where he wants to be. Qyburns giant harpoon gun. He loads up and after 3 shots hits his target. Drogon falls from the sky injured but alive and manages to take out the harpoon gun with a blast of flaming breath before he lands. Thankfully Bronn jumps clear in time. He's lost his gold though

Jaime spots his chance while Daenerys tends to her injured dragon. He picks up a spear and makes a suicidal run at her. Tyrion pleads from above for him not to do it. Just as he gets to her Drogon turns to face him and breathes a huge wall of flame.

Bronn knocks him out of the way just in time. He's chosen Jaime over his money. He does have a heart. They land in the water and Jaime's golden hand and his armour drag him deep into the murky depths.



WOW. WOW. WOW. A stunning episode. That last 20 minutes puts the battle in Hardhome and the Battle of the Bastards in the shade. Easily the most epic battle yet. On a more personal level the reunion of Sansa and Arya was great but i sense trouble ahead. The Arya-Brienne scene rocked too. An all round brilliant hour of TV.

Next up - Eastwatch

Series 1 - 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10


Series 2 - 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10


Series 3 - 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10


Series 4 - 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10


Series 5 - 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10


Series 6 - 1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8  9  10


Series 7 - 1  2  3

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