Game of Thrones thoughts, speculations, and reactions – Spoilers, obviously.

This week’s theme: choices. There is a lot going on with our motley band of characters.

  • Dany decides where to bring the fight.
  • Arya decides to go home.
  • Nymeria (the wolf) decides she doesn’t need a man cub to tell her what to do.
  • Nymeria (the snake) decides to bring a whip into a frenzied battle because that just makes so much sense.
  • Missandei decides she is an exhibitionist. Shut the door girl!
  • Sam becomes even more Qyburn-like by yet again ignoring the other Maesters.
  • Theon decides he is still Reek afterall.
  • And of course, Jon decides to leave his sister to rule Winterfell and for some reason trust Littlefinger to not screw something up.

Now, I’m one of those weird Baelish fans out there. The dude is incredibly entertaining, and in a show of so many archetypes, it’s good having perspectives from people whose motives could take them anywhere. That said, I don’t think he’ll be the king of anything, not even the oft quoted ashes. He likely won’t even live out the season. But Jon’s choices this week were just painfully Ned-Starkian in their naivete. How do you choke hold a dude in your crypt, tell him to not touch your sister, and then be like “ok byeeeeee!”? It’ll sow some chaos in the north, but it’s a plot point that wouldn’t even exist if the characters just used some logical thinking.

Jon isn’t fully void of logic. He seems to be one of the few to actually see the wider picture. There is a war coming that is greater than the politics of men. He needs allies. But can’t he and Sansa like, have a closed door meeting before he proclaims things unilaterally and brings their sibling squabbles out into the open? Did they learn nothing from last week?

Speaking of learning. Yara. Yara my darling. I know you want to trust your brother, but PTSD is a very real, very horrible thing. And expecting him to save you was beyond foolish. That entire battle sequence was intense and completely unexpected. I fully anticipated the fleet sailing to Dorne and disappearing for an episode or two. Instead, we get Euron stepping up his villain game even further. Last time we get snarky quips and this week he kills two Sand Snakes? It’s like the show runners want us to like him or something.

Ellaria has to be the promised gift, and the loss of Yara’s fleet and the heirs to Dorne (I assume Tyene is also dead, though we don’t see that happen) shakes up Dany’s battle plans. Jon might actually have some leverage now, which should make next episode’s much-anticipated meeting all the more interesting.

I just hope Theon meets up with Gendry soon. Keep on rowing.

  • Cersei will die. Jaime will kill her. – Still alive.
  • The Wall will fall. Edd will die (RIP). – Still standing and alive.
  • Everyone else learns about Jon’s parentage. – Baelish knows. YOU KNOW HE KNOWS.
  • Jon + Dany = more weird Targ incest. – They meet next week… anything goes?
  • Other deaths: Littlefinger, Tormund, Qyburn, Ellaria Sand – All still alive, but Ellaria has been captured.