Game of Thrones
Season 6, Episode 9
– Recap –
(SPOILER ALERT: This recap contains details about last night’s episode of “Game of Thrones”. If you haven’t watched it yet, you may want to stop reading!)
by Kyla Brewer
The Recap Sequence
Naysayers who’ve been complaining about the slow pace of the past few “Game of Thrones” episodes were shut down with an action-packed episode 9, which aired Sunday night on HBO.
Many likely expected the episode — aptly titled “Battle of the Bastards” — to open with Jon Snow (Kit Harington, “Pompeii,” 2014) and Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon, “Misfits”), but the show opened in Meereen where Daenerys (Emilia Clarke, “Terminator Genisys,” 2015) and Tyrion (Peter Dinklage, “The Station Agent,” 2003) handily disposed of the Great Masters, with the help of a few dragons and the Dothraki of course.
It also helped that Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson, “Adulthood,” 2008) convinced the Masters guards to leave before offing two of them. Tyrion then told the one survivor to spread the word not to mess with Daeny and her dragons. Well, duh.
When we finally did see Jon and Ramsay, Lord Bolton tried to demand Snow kneel before him while Jon offered Ramsay the opportunity to settle the dispute like men, one on one. Of course, chickensh*t Ramsay refused, preferring instead to risk hundreds if not thousands of lives in battle. Not to worry, Sansa (Sophie Turner, “The Thirteenth Tale”) told him: “You’re going to die tomorrow Lord Bolton – sleep well.”
Cameras cut to Davos (Liam Cunningham, “The Numbers Station,” 2013), Jon and Tormund (Kristofer Hivju, “After Earth,” 2013) discussing strategy while Sansa looked on silently. When she later complained that they didn’t consult her (Hello? Do you think you could have given them a heads up that you potentially had thousands of troops coming from the Vale?), she begged Jon not to do what Ramsay wanted him to do. Sigh.
Meanwhile, Melisandre’s (Clarice van Houten, “Valkyrie,” 2008) had some advice for Jon as well: “Don’t lose.” Slow clap for Melisandre. When he asked her not to bring him back if he dies, she explained that she must do what the Lord of Light commands.
As Davos took a midnight stroll, he discovers the charred remains of the stag toy he gave Shireen Baratheon (Kerry Ingram, “Les Misérables,” 2012), and quickly put two and two together, realizing Melisandre burned the young girl in sacrifice.
Meereen was the site of a reunion as Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen, “Soulboy,” 2010) encountered Tyrion in Daenerys’s throne room. There, Yara (Gemma Whelan, “Gulliver’s Travels,” 2010) offered Daeny her fleet if she agreed to support her claim to the Iron Islands. It’s apparent that Daeny respects Yara, and Tyrion even moreso when she looked for his approval before taking Yara’s hand.
Back at the battlefield outside Winterfell, the battle began when Bolton brought out Rickon (Art Parkinson, “Dracula Untold,” 2014) on a leash and made him run to Jon, playing with millions of viewers’ hearts as he carelessly let arrows fly before piercing Rickon through the head just before Jon reached him. Tsk, tsk Jon, what was it Sansa told you not to do?
Jon foolishly forged ahead (was this a suicide mission Mr. Snow?) and ended up slicing and dicing the enemy in an epic battle that seemed over when Ramsay’s forces surrounded Jon and his wildling allies. All appeared to be lost as Jon was buried in bodies, but when he emerged from the morbid mosh pit Petyr Baelish (Aiden Gillen, “The Dark Knight Rises,” 2012) arrived — clean as a whistle — with reinforcements from the Vale.
Ramsay fled to the refuge of Winterfell, but it wasn’t long before Jon’s giant friend broke down the door, despite Bolton forces peppering him with arrows like a pincushion. Sadly, he died when Ramsay put an arrow through his eye, but at least the Starks are back in Winterfell baby!
Millions of fans who’ve fantasized about Ramsay getting his comeuppance were rewarded – not when Jon beat the crap out of him – but when Sansa released his own starving hounds upon him in the dungeon. It was his fault, really – he was the one who gave the dogs a taste for human flesh.
In the end, Sansa bitterly proclaimed that Ramsay’s words would disappear, his house would disappear and all memory of him would disappear, but with such a memorable episode, it’s unlikely.
Don’t miss next week’s “Game of Thrones” season finale, Sunday, June 26, on HBO. In the meantime, check out “Speaking of Thrones.”
The Recap Sequence 