Game of Thrones Recap: Reunions and More Reunions

Game of Thrones continues to give huge revelations in its sixth season, though not everything is smooth sailing.

There really wasn’t going to be any way for Game of Thrones to top the death of Hodor in “The Door.” Instead of brining a calmer episode for the follow-up, “Blood of my Blood” attempts to keep up the same pace. Some of it works, and some of it doesn’t. What does work, however, makes sure that season six continues Game of Thrones’ current winning streak.

The new episode wastes no time in following up with Bran and Meera after the traumatic events of the previous episode. This is in stark (heh) contrast to how Game of Thrones usually operates, as it held onto the secret of Jon Snow’s fate for longer than it really needed to. Not this time. Meera and Bran are in a bad way without any protection and soon come under attack.

Readers of the book may know what comes next, but that doesn’t really make it any less of a surprise. A rider chargers forth and saves the two from certain death only to reveal himself as one Benjen Stark. We haven’t seen Benjen since the first season, and his fate became one of Game of Thrones’ longstanding questions that slowly became tedious before being pushed entirely to the side.

Benjen is now part White Walker after being stabbed by one and then being saved by a Child of the Forest. He knows all about Bran’s powers and The Three Eyed Raven, so there’s very little to catch up on in that department. Including the origin of Hodor’s “Hodor” that’s two major revelations back-to-back, which is practically unheard of for this show. Bran once again proves that his story is the one to pay attention to this season.

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Back at King’s Landing, Cersei and co. are ready to storm the Citadel to free Margery. The best scene here is Jamie riding his horse up stairs to meet the High Sparrow head-on in classic Jamie “I’ll do whatever I want” fashion. It’s all for naught, however, as both Tommen and Margery have secretly given themselves over to the Sparrows. When Tommen pledges to unify the faith and the crown, Cersei and Olenna know they have lost.

This could spell disaster for King’s Landing, though it’s unlikely that Margery isn’t trying to play the long game here. Tommen could be fully turned by the High Sparrow, but Margery knows what she’s doing. All of that is good stuff, but it also means that the showdown that the season has been building two for the past several episodes doesn’t go anywhere at all. In the end it feels like time was wasted.

This could prove to be a promising lines or Jamie to follow since he has been mostly useless since he got back to King’s Landing.

Tommen banishes Jamie for leading the resistance in a situation that’s not entirely unlike what happened to Barristan Selmy. Cersei convinces him to travel to the River Lands to take back Riverrun from The Black Fish, Catelyn Stark’s uncle. We haven’t seen The Black Fish since the Red Wedding, and the episode is aware of that fact. This could prove to be a promising lines or Jamie to follow since he has been mostly useless since he got back to King’s Landing.

Sam and Gilly finally (seriously, finally) make it to Horn Hill. It’s not exactly a sweet reunion. Sam’s father is a famous jerk, and is especially rude to Gilly when he learns that she’s a Wildling. Gilly stands up to him, but it doesn’t matter. Sam is forever banished from his home, while Gilly and “the bastard” are allowed to stay. You know, because he’s such a nice and reasonable man. This was set up to be a bittersweet farewell, but Sam decides that he has had enough. Him and Gilly run off, but not before stealing the Tarly Valerian steel sword. Good on Sam, and good on Gilly for trying to wear that dress to fit in. Seeing Sam steal his father’ sword is deeply satisfying. He has, after all, killed a White Walker. Sam the Slayer is probably going to need it.

In Braavos, Arya finds that she can’t go through with her mission after all. She becomes somewhat attached to the actress and makes sure she doesn’t drink the poisoned wine before telling her that it was the other actress who wanted her killed. This scene also features another killer performance from Richard E. Grant as the playwright. News of the failure travels back to the Waif, who is all too eager to dispatch Arya after her failure. Jaquen reluctantly gives her the go-ahead.

This is a major turning point for Arya, in which she realizes that she can’t be “no one.” She is, after all, someone. She’s Arya Stark. Her “no one” persona and her real life of Arya have finally merged, and she is ready to do whatever is necessary. We get the most powerful scene in the episode when Arya fetches her sword, Needle, back from its hiding spot and blows out her candle, waiting for the Waif to come for her.

Really, the episode should have ended there

Really, the episode should have ended there. It was an exciting, emotional scene that would have made for a perfect cut. Instead, we have to check in with Daenerys. Dany’s storyline is back in travel mode, which is where it has been for the vast amount of the series. Out of all the other characters, Dany’s storyline moves the slowest. With Bran back in business, she currently comes in last.

Her scene is basically an excuse to show Drogon, whom she rides around to impressive her new Dothraki soldiers before making one of her patented epic speeches. There are many tropes in Game of Thrones, but few are as grating as a Daenerys speech filled with proclamations. It ultimately robs the episode of some of its power. It’s obvious now that the title refers not only to Daenerys’ situation, but also the reunion of Benjen and Bran.

There is also quick flash to Walder Frey, a character that hasn’t been seen in a long time. He reveals that he has Edmure Tully in captivity. Remember Edmure, Cat’s brother? No? Well, here is is. The problems of Riverrun could become the main event of the second half of the season, but it could also spill into the next season.

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We didn’t see Jon or Sansa this episode, but there was enough going on that they weren’t missed. It’s become and more obvious, however, that Game of Thrones needs to find something to do with Daenerys. And soon.

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