Game of Thrones Recap: Hold the Door

Game of Thrones delivered its best episode of the season that answered a major question.

Five episodes into its sixth season, it’s obvious that Game of Thrones knows what it’s doing. Season six just hit its halfway point, and it did so blazing. “The Door” achieved something that Game of Thrones episodes rarely do; it was powerful, emotional, and it answered questions. Game of Thrones is typically in the business of asking more questions than it cares to a answer, which is a problem it inherited from the source material.

To kick things off, this was a big episode for Arya. After taking one-too-many beatings, she’s given a “second chance” to kill a target. We don’t actually see Arya do the deed in this episode, though we do see some of the problems that are in the way. Seemingly to test Arya’s emotional stability — and whether she really is “no one” — her mark is an actress in a play that isn’t exactly kind to her father.

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This will be Arya’s first major test. Jaquin assures her that there will be no other chances, so it’s kind of a big deal. This is the most screen time that Arya has gotten this season, and it looks like the second half isn’t going to disappoint. So far, however, it’s all set-up.

The two were just reunited and the show has enough drama to go around without pinning them against each other.

The preview for this episode didn’t feature Ramsay, and the episode didn’t end up having him at all. Which, at this point, is totally fine. We do get to see Littlefinger have a tense reunion with Sansa that does not go as planned, at least as far as he lets on. Littlefinger gives Sansa advice to find her own army in the Tully’s, who are apparently now led by her uncle, The Blackfish. He also attempts some last minute Littlefinger magic by making sure that Sansa remembers that Jon is only her half-brother.

Hopefully that point won’t end up meaning much. Not only would it be satisfying to see Littlefinger’s manipulation fail, it would also stop a possible Jon vs. Sansa plot line. The two were just reunited and the show has enough drama to go around without pinning them against each other.

Over in Meereen, Tyrion’s deal with the masters is working out. They also welcome a Red Priestess to aid them, and Varys is not happy about it. He is laid silent when she tells him things that nobody else could know. She is very reminiscent of Melisandre, especially from the earlier seasons. She has the same religous zeal as well, and it will be interesting to see how Deanerys takes to her.

Speaking of Dany, she’s making her way back to Meereen. In an emotional scene, Jora reveals his Grey Scale and is ordered to cure it and return. We know that it can be done, as Stannis’ daughter, Shereen, was cured, though the odds are not in his favor.

For the first time in a long time, the best part of the episode comes form Bran. Bran finds himself in a nasty vision face-to-face with an army of undead and White Walkers. It’s made worse by the fact that they can see him, and when one the White Walkers touches him he becomes marked, meaning that they’re hiding place is no longer safe.

The dead come, and when they do Bran is in a vision back at Winterfell. The brilliance of this scene cannot be underestimated — this may be the single greatest reveal that Game of Thrones has ever had. While the cave is being raided, Mera, Hodor, and a Child of the Forest attempt to escape. Summer loses his life in the fray, though we have’t seen Summer all season. When we do, it’s for a quick splash of CGI. This particular moment is robbed of its emotional weight, so it’s a good thing there is more to come.

Back in his vision, Bran can hear Mera yelling for a warged Hodor to bar the door outside from the horde of undead. Wylis, as Hodor was once known, has a seizure and yells “hold the door!” over and over. Eventually it turns into “Hodor.”

It’s as shocking as this show has ever been, and it works to great effect.

Hodor does not survive, and it makes for one of the most emotional deaths of the entire series. Right after we learn that Hodor was cursed from the very start, he’s gone.

It’s as shocking as this show has ever been, and it works to great effect. How Mera and Bran will be able to survive alone in the North is anyone’s guess.

In terms of weaknesses, this episode only had one: the Iron Islands. The Kingsmoot is over before it even really began, with Euron Greyjoy taking the throne. Yara, Theon, and their men make an escape afterwards with Euron gleefully giving chase to kill them. The Kingsmoot could have been a1\ major event, but instead it’s over in less than ten minutes. The conclusion to the Iron Islands storyline could be something worth seeing, but expectations are not high at this point.

Next: Watch the preview for Game of Thrones' 'The Door'

“The Door” will go down as one of the most shocking episodes in Game of Thrones history, right alongside Ned’s death and The Red Wedding. And it deserves it. This is Game of Thrones at its best, firing on all cylinders. It’s amazing to think what the future could hold.

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