Game of Thrones
Season 6, Episode 10
– 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
Anyone who thought they knew what was going to happen on the season finale of HBO’s “Game of Thrones” were surely in for a surprise as the jumbo-sized episode delivered plenty of shock and awe.
A somber scene opened the finale as the nobles of King’s Landing dressed in their finest for the trials of Loras (Finn Jones, “Sleeping Beauty,” 2014) and Cersei (Lena Headey, “300,” 2007). Of course, High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce, “Tomorrow Never Dies,” 1997) donned his very best potato sack for the proceedings in which Loras flat out confessed to all of his so-called crimes and declared he would accept whatever punishment the gods deemed just. He also renounced his claim to Highgarden and abandoned the Tyrell name.
Meanwhile, Ser Gregor (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) ominously intercepted Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman, “Man Up,” 2015) on his way to the trials, leading some to speculate whether or not Cersei would dare assassinate her own child, thereby fulfilling the fortune teller’s prophecy from season 5. Maggy (Jodhi May, “A World Apart,” 1988) once told Cersei all three of her children would die before her.
As Cersei waited in the safety of the Red Keep, Qyburn (Anton Lesser, “Endeavour”) had his “little bird” warrior children murder both Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover, “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade,” 1989) and High Sparrow’s right-hand man, Lancel Lannister (Eugene Simon, “House of Anubus”) before lighting a hidden cache of wildfire beneath the Sept of Baelor. Everything and everyone inside were blown to smithereens, including High Sparrow (good riddance) and (gulp!) Margaery (Natalie Dormer, “The Tudors”). What a waste of a great character – but, alas, it is “Game of Thrones.”
It was clear at that point that Ser Gregor was there to keep Tommen safe, but for all her efforts Cersei still lost her remaining child when an overwhelmed Tommen committed suicide.
Elsewhere, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, “Black Hawk Down,” 2001) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn, “Ripper Street”) enjoyed a feast courtesy of Lord Walder Frey (David Bradley, “Captain America: The First Avenger,” 2011), but the Kingslayer wasn’t exactly the most gracious guest when he told off his host.
In a lighthearted moment, Samwell Tarly (John Bradley, “Shameless”) lived every book nerd’s dream when he walked into Citadel’s massive library. Where on earth will he begin?
The next stop was Winterfell, where Davos (Liam Cunningham, “The Numbers Station,” 2013) confronted Melisandre (Clarice van Houten, “Valkyrie,” 2008) about burning young Shireen Baratheon (Kerry Ingram, “Les Misérables,” 2012) at the stake. When she confessed to her “mistake,” Jon (Kit Harington, “Pompeii,” 2014) showed his loyalty to Davos by banishing the Red Witch.
A mourning Olenna (Diana Rigg, “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” 1969) received Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma, “Human Target”) who wanted to forge an alliance. In a surprising twist, Varys (Conleth Hill, “Goodbye Mr. Chips”) emerged from the shadows offering Olenna “fire and blood.” Nice.
After breaking up with Daario (Michiel Huisman, “Treme”), Daenerys (Emilia Clarke, “Terminator Genisys,” 2015) had a heart to heart with her new bestie, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage, “The Station Agent,” 2003), before naming him hand of the queen. Let’s hope it works out better than the time he served as the hand for Joffrey (Jack Gleeson, “Batman Begins,” 2005).
In one of the season’s most satisfying moments, Arya uses the magic of the Faceless Men to assassinate Frey.
Speaking of Stark women, Sansa (Sophie Turner, “The Thirteenth Tale”) finally learned Littlefinger’s (Aiden Gillen, “The Dark Knight Rises,” 2012) true intentions when he told her of his dream to sit on the Iron Throne with her at his side, convinced no one would take Jon seriously as king.
After Uncle Benjen (Joseph Mawle, “In the Heart of the Sea,” 2015) parted ways with Bran (Isaac Hampstead-Wright, “Closed Circuit,” 2014) and Meera (Ellie Kendrick, “An Education,” 2009), Bran touched another weirwood tree and returned to the vision of his father ascending the Tower of Joy. There, Ned (Robert Aramayo, “The Tourist,” 2006) found his sister Lyanna (Aisling Franciosi, “Legends”) had just given birth to — what is presumed to be — Robert Baratheon’s son. Could the little one be none-other-than Jon Snow?
Back in Winterfell, Lady Mormont (newcomer Bella Ramsey) called out the North’s other leaders for not supporting Jon, after which they all pledged allegiance to the new King of the North.
While Jon was being declared king in Winterfell, Cersei – still rocking the pixie cut – was declared Queen just as Jaime arrived back in King’s Landing.
However, it looks as if her victory may be short lived. By the end of the episode Daenerys was on her way across the sea with her dragons, Dothraki and Unsullied in tow. Oh, and Varys apparently – how did he get there so quickly?
Fans will have to wait until next April to see what happens next in Westeros. Keep an eye out for HBO’s “Game of Thrones” in the spring, and in the meantime, check out the last “Speaking of Thrones” of the year.
The Recap Sequence 