Game of Thrones SN6 E9 – ‘Battle of the Bastards’

Welcome back Knights of the Vale, to your weekly review of Game of Thrones. The episode I shall be recapping is episode 9 of season 6 — ‘Battle of the Bastards,’ which just happened to be on Father’s Day. Nice one HBO. Let’s get started!

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Meereen 

Daenerys argues with Tyrion about how to deal with those attacking Meereen. Tyrion thinks that Meereen is under attack because it is seen as a threat as long as it has no Master(s). Daenerys says that she’s glad that it’s seen this way, as we all know she doesn’t approve of slavery. She believes in a different method of “negotiating”… killing all those who oppose her. On a stretch of land overlooking Meereen, Daenerys along with her trusted advisers and small group of Unsullied meet with the three Masters leading the attack. They seem to think that she is here to negotiate the terms of her surrender, but she quickly clears away the confusion. Drogon lands behind her, and she rides him to Meereen. Daenerys’ other two dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion, free themselves from the pyramid and take to the sky following the mother of dragons. They begin burning the ships attacking Meereen. Back on the stretch of land overlooking Meereen, Grey Worm tells the Masters’ soldiers that they can leave and be with their families or die fighting, they choose to leave. The Masters are then given a choice: choose one among them to die, as to send a message to never attack Meereen and break their truces again. Grey Worm approaches but kills the other two masters. Tyrion warns the surviving Master to warn the others that if they seek retribution they will be met by the wrath of Daenerys Stormborn and her dragons. The Dothraki army arrives led by Daario Naharis and they slaughter the Sons of the Harpy. Later on, Theon and Yara arrive and speak to Daenerys in her throne room. They suggest an alliance as Yara has the ships Daenerys needs to cross over to Westeros. In return, Daenerys will give Yara the right to be Queen of the Iron Islands. Daenerys agreees, noting that both their fathers were horrible, and both Westeros and the Iron Islands have not been ruled by a Queen yet.

Winterfell

A small party including Jon, Tormund, Sansa, Davos and Lady Mormont talk with a party of Ramsay Bolton and a few other Lords. Ramsay declares that he has 6,000 men at his disposal which is double than what Jon has. Jon suggests that he and Ramsay battle it out one on one, but Ramsay admits that he knows Jon is superior in fighting skills, and therefore is safer letting his 6,000 men kill Jon’s. Sansa tells Ramsay to sleep well, as tomorrow he will die. Later that night, Jon discusses strategy with Tormund and Davos, while Sansa watches. After the meeting is over, Sansa and Jon argue about her opinion on Ramsey’s tactics. Both of them do not seem to know any other better plan, as they don’t want Rickon to die but it’s inevitable. Sansa knows that because Rickon is a true born Stark, neither bastard nor a girl, he is a greater threat to Ramsay and will be killed weather or not they fight. Jon visits Melisandre and asks her to not bring him back to life if he dies this time, but she says she will do whatever the Lord of Light will command her to do. Ser Davos wonders off from the camp because he can’t sleep the night before a battle, and comes across a pyre. Shireen’s bones are still in the pyre along with the wooden carving Davos made her (someone is out for blood, Melisandre watch your back). The war horn is blown signalling to arms! The Bolton army has a stare down across the snowy field with the Stark army. Ramsay releases Rickon Stark from his neck rope, and tells him to run to his brother Jon. Ramsay begins firing arrows at Rickon, who continues to run in a straight line (WHY?!), Jon mounts his horse in the hopes of making it to his brother in time, the distance is closing, but a few metres apart Ramsay’s arrow hits home. Blood sputters from Rickon’s mouth, he is dead. The battle commences with the archers, followed by the mounted soldiers and finally the pikemen using the phalanx formation. Ramsay doesn’t risk getting his hands dirty. Jon Snow nearly dies TWICE, leaving us all forgetting to breathe. It looks like Jon Snow and the survivors are going to die as they are completely surrounded, but suddenly a horn sounds. The Knights of the Vale (really predictable move) arrive led by Sansa and Littlefinger, to save the survivors. Jon leads the final attack against a retreating Ramsay. Wun Wun the giant breaks down the gate of Winterfell, taking countless arrows, and eventually dying because Ramsay shoots an arrow through his eye. The army kills Ramsay’s remaining men, and Jon bashes Ramsay’s face in, only stopping after seeing Sansa watching nearby. Later on Jon takes Rickon’s body to be buried in the family crypt beside his father. Sansa talks to Ramsay shortly, before his hounds tear into him, after not being fed for several days.

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Watch the trailer for the finale, episode 10 of season 6, below:

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Wow. Our insider scoop about Ramsay’s death was spot on. Terrific acting Iwan Rheon, you really brought Ramsay Bolton to life. I absolutely loved the scene between Daenerys and Yara, talk about powerful women. The Starks have Winterfell again, but at what cost? Will the Lannister army come knocking before the White Walkers? Or is it Littlefinger they have to watch out for? Comment, share and like below, or tweet me @SohoDoll. And as always, “Winter is coming.”

 

Predictions: Game of Thrones SN6 E9 – ‘Battle of the Bastards’

Tonight’s upcoming episode of Game of Thrones is bound to be intense. As the episode’s name suggests, we will witness the ultimate battle between Jon Snow’s army and the Bolton army. With perhaps a surprise from a House you may have forgotten exists: House Reed.

Jon Snow’s army is really small in comparison to the Bolton army. They are outmanned even taking into account the giant Wun Wun. Bolton’s men are trained to use the phalanx formation —think Spartan formation with shields and long spears. We see Tormund and other wildlings have no idea how to counteract this strategic method of fighting once they reach the front line, since Wildlings attack in a surge of strength. That’s just the front line though. It’s followed by lines and lines of archers, pikemen, and mounted soldiers. Despite these odds, we know Sansa wrote to a House. House Reed swore fealty to House Stark thousands of years ago when the Starks were Kings in the North. If you recall when Robb Stark’s army was heading South, the crannogmen of the House Reed were instructed to protect the Neck from the Lannisters. They did not help Stannis during his battle on Winterfell, nor did they swear fealty to House Bolton. Therefore, we can assume they remain loyal to House Stark. When Lord Howland Reed finally meets Jon he’ll tell Jon who his parents are, since Howland was with Eddard the day they saved Lyanna Stark.

Skatronixxx received a hot little tip that a main character will die. Who could this character be? It’s likely to be Ramsay Bolton himself. In the preview of tonight’s episode we can hear a male character (presumably Jon Snow) say, “Thousands of men don’t need to die. Only one of us.” Jon wants to spare the lives of his men, because he knows the odds of winning are less against such a great force. The question is, will Ramsay take him up on this offer? Both Jon and Ramsay are seasoned fighters and strategists. While we can hope that Jon kills Ramsay in combat, we can also expect Ramsay to only agree to the fight if he believes himself to be superior in fighting skills.

In an interview on the 26th of May, 2016, with This Morning, actor Iwan Rheon who plays Ramsay Bolton gave what might’ve been a little clue about his character’s death.

Interviewer: “I mean however it happens, I think it should be pretty grizzly, shouldn’t it?”

Rheon: “Yeah I think he’s got it [a grizzly death] coming. I think he deserves it.”

On a side note, I for one will be sad to see such a talented actor leave the show. Iwan Rheon and Jack Gleeson, who played King Joffrey, were superb in their roles of much hated characters.

If Ramsay does die, it will be at a cost. Jon can’t die again, not so soon after being resurrected. Most likely it will be someone dear to House Stark. So who will it be? Ser Davos, Tormund, or Brienne all seem likely suspects.

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There are quite a few Northern Houses that might change their minds last minute and turn on the Boltons. I’m still holding out hope that Arya appears and stabs Ramsay, that would be epic. What are your predictions? Comment, share and like below, or tweet me @SohoDoll. And as always, “The North Remembers.”

Game Of Thrones SN6 E7 – ‘The Broken Man’

Welcome wildlings, to your weekly review of Game of Thrones. The episode I shall be recapping is episode 7 of season 6 — ‘The Broken Man.’ Let’s begin!

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Riverlands

Sandor Clegane is alive and swinging… at wood. He’s taking out his aggression, and defeat, by helping a small community of people build some sort of wooden monument to the Seven. The leader of the group, Brother Ray, who saved the Hound after mistaking him for dead, speaks to him frequently believing that the gods aren’t done with him yet. Later on, while chopping wood at a distance from the rest of the group, the Hound hears screaming in the direction of the people. He abandons his work and heads over, but he’s too late. The villagers have all been killed by the Brotherhood Without Banners, and Brother Ray has been hung from the wooden structure. Angry, Clegane ends his peaceful life, retrieves his axe and heads off seeking revenge.

King’s Landing

Queen Margaery and the High Sparrow have a talk about Margaery’s marriage duties. King Tommen really wants her back in the bed, but Margaery confesses to the High Sparrow that she just hasn’t felt the need in a long time. The High Sparrow states that she took sacred vows, and must fulfil her duties to him as a King by producing an heir to carry on the way of the Faith. The High Sparrow really is smarter than he lets on, he knows that Margaery is avoiding producing an heir as to protect her family. Before departing the room, the High Sparrow makes one last remark, a threat really, that Olenna Tyrell is in physical and spiritual danger unless she adopts the new way. Later on, Margaery meets with her grandmother, while Septa Unella stands watching, and advises her to leave King’s Landing. Olenna keeps refusing so  Margaery slips a piece of parchment in her sleeve, a drawing of their house sigil, after which she reluctantly agrees to leave. Cersei hears that Olenna is leaving and comes asking her to stay, that they need each other. Olenna tells Cersei that she has lost everything, all the control she once had, and advises her to leave King’s Landing while she still can.

Bear Island

Jon, Sansa, and Ser Davos meet with the Lady of Bear Island, ten-year-old Lyanna Mormont. Sansa tries to start the conversation with her by commenting on Lyanna’s name coming from Sansa’s beautiful aunt, but Lyanna quickly shuts down the conversation. She wants to be a strong warrior like her mother, who died fighting for Robb Stark. Jon tries to begin the next conversation by talking about how he served as steward for Lyanna’s uncle, Jeor Mormont, but that conversation is quickly ended too. Ser Davos ends up saving the day by commenting on how difficult is must be to have such a responsibility and burden thrust upon her. Lyanna quickly takes a liking to him, as he seems to truly understand her situation. She finally agrees to give her support to the cause, offering 62 men.

Deepwood Motte

Jon, Sansa, and Ser Davos meet with House Glover’s lord to urge them to join their cause. They are met with a resounding no, as the House only recently recovered Deepwood Motte from the Ironborn. They have to remain loyal to the Boltons, or suffer the consequences. Sansa tries to remind Robett Glover of their loyalty to House Stark, but Robett asks where House Stark was when his wife and brother were both slain, then dismisses them from Deepwood Motte.

The Gift

Jon, Sansa and Ser Davos meet with the wildling leaders who have settled into the Gift (the area south of the wall stretching from coast to coast). They request that the wildlings join their cause, to take back Winterfell, because when the dead come they will need all the Northern Houses to stop the Night King. If left under the control of the Boltons, then the North shall remain divided. Tormund agrees that Jon has his support, as does the giant Wun Wun, and eventually another leader. Later on, Jon and Sansa argue — Jon says they need to fight now, while Sansa disagrees saying they need more support. Sansa hastliy writes a letter to an unknown Northern House in the hopes of support, while Jon continues to break up fights between Wildlings and Northern men.

Sunspear

Yara and Theon make their last landfall at Sunspear, as they plan to head out the next day to Meereen to meet Daenerys before their uncle proposes his plan to her. Yara talks to Theon in a sisterly but stern fashion, advising him on how to get over what he’s suffered the past few years. She tells him to slit his wrists if he cannot go back to being Theon Greyjoy, but if he can change and pull himself together then be the Theon he once was. Theon agrees to live, and Yara goes off in the company of a lady she fancies leaving Theon to his thoughts and his drink.

Riverrun

Jaimie, Bronn and the Lannister army arrive at Riverrun to recapture the castle. They walk straight into the Frey camp as the Freys are novices at sieging  it seems. After watching the Freys repeatedly fail on their attempts of threatening the Blackfish with his nephew’s life, Jaimie announces he will now lead the siege. He orders trenches be dug, patrols set up, and Edmure Tully bathed and fed. Later on, Jaimie meets with the Blackfish on the drawbridge to negotiate. He soon discovers that the Blackfish would rather die than give up the cause, and they have enough supplies to stand a two-year siege. So long as the Blackfish lives, the cause is not dead.

Braavos

Arya discovers that a ship is sailing to Westeros the next day, and speaks to the captain, offering him two bags of coinage to pay for a cabin and passage. He agrees and she walks around Braavos, taking in her last day there. An old lady appears and calls out to her, but suddenly stabs Arya multiple times. It’s the waif, and she’s not in the mood to kill Arya quickly. Thankfully Arya knows a few moves of her own and head-butts the waif, before rolling over the ledge into the river below. The waif watches overhead, but sees no sign of Arya. Pleased with herself, the waif walks off. Arya surfaces on the steps of a street leading to the water, and clutches her stomach splattering blood onto the street. People watch her go by, but no one attempts to help.

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Your next episode of Game of Thrones will be SN6 E8, as previewed here.

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Hopefully we’ll see the Hound take on his brother. Don’t worry about Arya, she won’t die from a little boo-boo like Drogo. She’s too bad-ass, and Jaqen H’ghar did say that the girl has many talents. Fingers crossed regeneration is one of them. Hopefully the waif will get in trouble for not killing Arya quickly and painlessly. What are your thoughts on tonight’s episode? How do you think the Northern battle will turn out? Comment, like and share below, or tweet me @SohoDoll. And as always, “Stick ’em with the pointy end.”