Game of Thrones season 7, episode 5: Eastwatch recap

Game of Thrones fans were left hanging last week, although few of us thought Jaime Lannister was in any real danger. He may not survive the entire show, but he’s not going to die by drowning off-screen. Death by dragon would have made a much stronger statement if the writers wanted him off the show; knowing Bronn knocked him away from the flame killed the suspense.

And yep, this week’s episode began with Bronn pulling Jaime to the shore. “That was just one of them,” Jaime says of Dany’s dragons. Behold the new board on which everyone plays.

And the pieces are changing as well. Daenerys doesn’t seem like a just ruler as she asks for allegiance under the threat of death, and Tyrion seems like he’s beginning to see just how bad things can get under the rule of his queen. He wanted ... what? A better ruler? He’s not getting it. He’s seen a lot of blood, and he’s going to see a lot more on this path.

Cersei may know who killed Joffrey now, but Jaime was unable to explain the true horror of what he had seen. Even if he could, what choices would she have available to her? The great houses are falling, and no one seems to be able to do anything about it. Game of Thrones is doing an admirable job of showing what power brings you, and proving that it’s a narrowing of choices as often as it’s a broadening of them.

But we learn later in the episode that maybe Cersei knows better than anyone on the show how to react to unexpected news ... or at least to make sure news is rarely unexpected.

Macall B. Polay/HBO

Also, look! It’s Gendry! Because what this show needed was someone else with a claim to the Iron Throne! It’s not like we’re going to be introduced to any more of them, at least. It’s not like Cersei is ever going to ... wait, shit. Never mind.

Intermission: Arya and Littlefinger teleport around Winterfell for a bit. And now, back to your main story.

At this point, there is intrigue, there is politics and there is also Jon realizing that all of this is going to get everyone killed if they can’t bring people together against the White Walkers. Bran is trying to warn everyone, but no one is listening.

That’s why Jon is willing to stand next to this group of unlikely allies and head to perhaps the most dangerous place in this fictional world to do the most dangerous thing possible. We just saw what amounts to the Game of Thrones version of the Suicide Squad, and they are ready to do some damage.

Or at least try to bring a wight back ... alive?

Odds and ends

• “You weren’t gone long.” “No.”
• The dragons like Jon, just in case you didn’t catch the fact that he’s part Targaryen. Very subtle.
• Jon and Dany need to stop monologuing at each other and just KISS already. You know you want to see it.
• What’s it feel like to have a sibling constantly question your decisions, Sansa? Not great, is it? (That outfit, though.)
• “Last time I was here I killed my father with a crossbow.”
• “Nothing fucks you harder than time.”
• “Nobody glowers quite like you.”