Last season we saw the Purple Wedding. Sansa leave with Littlefinger. Daenerys take a city. Tommen become king. Tyrion won and lost his trial by combat. Dany locked away her dragons after Drogon killed a child and flew away. Jon Snow return to the black brothers and Ygritte die in his arms. The wall come under attack, Stannis come to the Wall's aid. The Hound fought Brienne, and lost. Jamie release his brother and Tyrion murder his traitorous whore and his own father.
Every year has been bigger and better than the previous one, and the map or Westeros and the surrounding kingdoms have expanded yet again.
A pair of girls trudge in the mud. The brown haired one fears if the blonde's father finds out, but the blonde assures her that she doesn't have to fear her father. They come across a hut in the woods. The brown haired one thinks that they should not enter, but the blonde urges them forward. The blonde has that bratty Lannister superiority. Inside a woman sleeps, and the brown haired girl is jumpy. The woman awakens, and the blonde thought she'd be scarier. The woman is a witch, who is said to be able to see the future, but the girl thinks she's just boring. She demands to know her future, or the witch will be killed. The witch agrees to tell the girl's future. the witch gives her 3 questions, warning that she may not like the answers. She will never wed the prince, but a King. She will be Queen for a time, before she is put aside for a younger girl. She will have children, 3, the king will have 20, and her children's crowns will be shrouds. The brown haired one tells Cersei that they should go.
Now, Cersei arrives with a casket following. It's another Lannister death. She will have time with her father, no matter who is waiting. Tywin is placed for his viewing, with those creepy stones on his eyes. Jamie knows that once the people see for sure that Tywin is dead, they will begin to tear them apart. Cersei asks if he set Tyrion free. She's always hated him, thought him a monster. He killed their father on purpose, whereas Jamie did on accident, by setting Tyrion free. She tells him to look upon their father, he always loved him most, and yet he's been reduced to this.
Tyrion is finally released from his crate. he's been in there for a long time, and it hasn't been a pleasant journey. Varys has brought him to a friend's home, one he met as he tried to restore the Targaryans tot he throne. Varys thinks that Westeros needs to be saved from itself. Tyrion is faced with self-loathing, wondering if her is still a Lord after killing his father. The past is all shit, and he doesn't want to focus on the future yet.
White Rat and his men take down one of the harpy statues that use to sit above the city. After, he heads to a whore house. The woman undresses him, but he stops her. She asks if he wants the same as always, he does, but he reminds her that she doesn't have to take off her wrap. It's a habit. She crawls into bed behind him and hums to him. His throat is cut open by a man in a golden mask.
Dany is not pleased to hear of one of her unsully being killed by the Sons of the Harpy. She is reminded that new rulers always come under fire. She did not conquer the city by force. The slaves did it for her, and she supported them. She wants White Rat buried with honors. Her advisors warn that she will be sending out a strong message. She is sure she will, but thinks it will be easier to draw out those behind the resistance and cut off their heads. Missandei asks Grey Worm in private about the rumor she heard that White Rat was found in a brothel, that many of the unsully frequent them. She asks why the Unsully would visit a brothel, but he isn't sure.
Jon trains the new recruits, but they're young, and weak. Gilly wonders why Sam isn't training, he's not a new recruit but he's definitely not a great warrior. He's defeated Wildlings and killed a White Walker, not many others could say the same. The man who may be the new Captain of the Black Brothers doesn't seem to like her, and Gilly worries that he will send her away. He hates all Wildlings, but should he force her to leave, Sam will go with her and her baby, even if it would mean a death sentence.
Stannis asks for Jon to come and see him. Melissandre brings him to Stannis. The red woman doesn't look so red anymore, more black. Maybe its the lighting, or the bitter cold, but she definitely looks darker this season. Stannis tells him that Bolton now holds the North, and although Jon would like to kill him, he is a black brother now. The brothers take no sides in wars, only looking after the wall and protecting the realm from what lies beyond. Davos has heard about his dealings with the Wildlings. Stannis plans to take back the North and he wants Jon to contact Mance, to get him to help him take back the North, or burn.
Lord Aryn jousts as Little Finger, Sansa and Lord Royce watch. He's unskilled to say the least. He's already thirteen, and small for his age. Having been coddled by his crazy mother did nothing to help him turn into a fierce warrior. Lord Royce has quite the job ahead of him to turn him into a better fighter.
Podrick prepares to go on, but Brienne does not want the boy as her squire. He reminds her that she swore to find the Stark girls. She found Arya, but she did not want her help. Pod points out that Sansa is out there somewhere, and she may want her help. Brienne is feeling too sorry for herself after her battle with the Hound to Arya's reaction to see that. All she wanted was a good Lord to follow. All the good Lords are dead, and the rest are crazy. Pod sees a carriage coming their way.
It's Sansa and Littlefinger in the carriage. They're headed not where they told Lord Royce they were headed, but somewhere Cersei cannot reach them.
Cersei has little patience, at her father's wake, excusing herself where she can, and drinking heavily. Cousin Lancel is almost unrecognizable, he's a son of the sparrow now. His father apologizes for his son's appearance, find the whole organization full of fanatics. Again she leaves, with a fresh goblet in her hand. She tries to find quiet. Lancel approaches her. he wants her forgiveness for leading her into their unholy coupling, for his part in her husbands boar hunt. He's found forgiveness and thinks she can too.
Loras and Oliver roll around in the sheets. Margaery interrupts, they're late for dinner. With Tywin's death he thinks that there's no one left to force Cersei to wed. Loras thinks its unlucky for her, since that means she'll be stuck with Cersei, but Margaery has other ideas.
Tyrion wonder why Varys set him free, they're not family. Varys did it for the Seven kingdoms. Tyrion doesn't plan to be a soldier anymore. Whining doesn't suit him. He has a good head for politics though, and Varys thinks that he can be of help. He will never be King, but he can help him put someone else on the throne. They need someone Stronger than Tommen, but gentler than Stannis, someone with a good name and a large army.. He wants him to come with him to meet Dany in Meereen.
The Unsully no longer patrol the streets. Dany listens too a man trying to negotiate some terms. He asks for the fighting pits to be reopened, asking that free men could fight each other Dany refuses.
In bed, Dany cannot believe that she was asked to reopen the pits. Daario thinks that its a good idea. His mother was a whore, and she sold him into slavery. He fought his way to glory, winning so much money that he was set free, and eventually came to where he is now. Daario thinks that she needs to show her strength. She has the unsully patrolling, but he thinks she needs to do more, anyone can buy an army. She is not the mother of unsully, but of dragons. Dany doesn't want another child's bones brought to her. She cannot control them any longer.
Dany descends the steps to where her children have been caged beneath the castle. She calls to her dragons, and they come to the sound eventually. They do not give her the warm welcome she desired, and she is forced to flee.
Jon pays Mance a visit. Their first meeting was reversed, with Jon in chains. Mance knows what Stannis wants, he even thinks if Stannis has his men, he would be a better ruler than the guy on the throne now. Jon points out that he's spent his entire life gathering the Wildlings together. He tells him to put his pride aside to save his people. He's afraid for sure, but he's unwilling to bend his knee. He asks how they'll kill him, and Jon tells him that they will burn him. Mance doesn't want to burn, he doesn't want to die. Jon knows what comes next, he will die, and when Winter comes, the White Walkers will kill them all. Jon thinks he's making his own mistakes, but the freedom to make mistakes is all he ever wanted. Mance is lead out in shackles, brought to the platform where he will burn. Stannis asks the king beyond the wall to bend his knee for mercy. Mance looks over to Jon, before addressing Stannis. This was his home for many years, he wishes him good fortune for many years to come. Mance is tied to the stake. Melisandre addresses the crowd, they must all choose, light or darkness. She takes the fire, telling the free folk to behold the fate of darkness. She lights the pillars around Mance, and they watch as he burns. He remains as silent as he can, Jon cannot watch, and he walks away. Gilly turns her face, as the flames get intense. Stannis's wife watches gleefully. Jon pierce's Mance's heart, ending his misery before the flames makes him scream for mercy.
