In Between

The latest episode of Game Of Thrones, "The Last Of The Starks*," threatened to be a breather, coming between the war to save humanity and the war to rule the Seven Kingdoms. Instead, it turned out to be the best episode of the season so far, filled with intrigue, emotion and action.

It starts where we left off.  The battle with the Night King over, the living are putting the dead to rest in a huge pyre.  All those who died gloriously last week get their moment, with the biggest reserved for Daenerys crying over Jorah.  (It's also a chance for the actors still employed to say goodbye to their costars.)

This is followed by a night of revelry, where those still around can have some fun before the next battle. (This would be a good time for Cersei to attack Winterfell, though I guess she's mostly concerned with holding King's Landing.)

We get another chance to see those intact interact.  Gendry is looking for Arya (and the Hound knows why).  Dany calls him out, and declares he's no longer a bastard, but a true Baratheon who will be in charge of Storm's End.  Good strategy, but she still can tell she's not accepted in the North.  Everyone's backslapping Jon, but don't seem to appreciate what she did. (And those who do appreciate her have been dying in large numbers.) And what did she do?  Oh nothing except lend the North her troops and her dragons, allowing them to defeat the Night King.  But they still don't trust her.  Those damn, stubborn Northerners. (And now without Jorah by her side she seems more alone than ever.)

Meanwhile, among many other mixings, Jaime, Brienne and Tyrion are playing drinking games.  Tormund makes his move, but it's clear he's the Ralph Bellamy here.  There's also a reunion we haven't had yet, one that would be easy to forget--Sansa and the Hound.  There was a time when he was sweet on her, and asked her to run away.  That would have saved her a lot of trouble, but she wouldn't be the woman she is now if she hadn't traveled that other path.  The Hound himself needs to do something, but he doesn't tell her what--though we've got a pretty good idea: Clegane Bowl.

Gendry runs off and sees Arya shooting some arrows.  He's been made a Lord, and asks if she'll be his Lady.  We're thinking no, we don't want her and Gendry together, we want her and the Hound.  Happily, Arya knows (as she has from the Stark start) that she's no lady.

Speaking of proper couples, Jaime comes into Brienne's room (pretty sizable place, not bad for a guard) and seduces her.  Well, it's not so much a seduction as a long-term relationship finally clicking. (It's not the first time they've been naked together.  Remember the bath?) I don't think anyone was hoping for Arya and Gendry to do a couple episodes ago, but this they've been waiting for almost since these two met.

Then the meeting that had to come--Jon and Dany.  He says some nice things about Jorah and Dany says she never loved him like she loves Jon.  Good thing Jorah's not alive because this would kill him.  They kiss but then pull away.  No, still not because they're nephew and aunt--it's the claim he's got to the Iron Throne.  He says he's got to tell his sisters. He'll support Dany no matter what, but she explains if word gets out there'll be an unstoppable movement to place him on the throne, since that's how it works with him--he says he doesn't want anything and then they put him in charge.  Sounds like she's right, but will honest Jon be able to curb his tongue?

Next day, in the war room, they look at what they've got left.  Still enough to beat Cersei, they hope.  But it's close (even though Yara has taken back the Iron Islands and Dorne promises to support Dany).  There's a debate over whether to attack now or catch their breath.  Worse, the Stark gals don't seem too happy about supporting Dany.  I'm sorry, but Dany gave up almost everything to save Winterfell, and now they don't want to help her because she's an outsider?  Jon reminds them what they promised, and, as always, bends his knee to the queen.  Jon, Davos and the troops will march down the King's Road while Grey Worm and Dany's advisors will come by sea, with Dany flying her dragons. (Jaime will stick around Winterfell, since that's where his main squeeze works.)

The Stark kids meet outside to discuss what's going on.  Arya and Sansa don't trust Dany, but Jon vouches for her.  And then he needs to come clean, and has Bran (who says it's Jon's choice to tell) spill the beans.  So much for that secret.  But don't worry, he has them swear not to tell anyone else.  So who knows now? Only Jon, Dany, Bran, Samwell, Sansa and Arya.  No problem then.

That night Tyrion and Jaime are having a heart-to-heart before the Imp (how do you like that?) leaves for battle.  Then in bursts Bronn, who's been charged with killing both. Guess it was easy enough for him to get in.  He holds them with his crossbow, explaining the deal.  He's been promised Riverrun, but he's not sure if Cersei will survive, considering those dragons.  So Tyrion promises him Highgarden.  Bronn is truly a wild card--there was no guarantee both Lannisters would survive--but for now, he's with them and not their sister.

Outside, the Hound is on the road when he runs into Arya.  They're both going to King's Landing, apparently.  He to kill his brother, she to kill Cersei. (Can she kill Cersei?  She's already killed the Night King, so even though she's got a talent for assassination, it seems a bit much.) Anyway, it's good to have them back together.

Meanwhile, Sansa and Tyrion talk about what Dany will do if she becomes queen.  Sansa, of course, knows a secret, and before too long, she spills it.  At this rate, Cersei will find out before Jon gets there.

Tormund tells Jon he's leaving the south to go home. (Winterfell, Dorne, it's all the same.) Once again, while I understand the Free Folk don't care about the Seven Kingdoms, didn't Jon and Dany just sacrifice a whole lot so these guys could live free.  Don't they owe them a little?  Jon also says goodbye to Samwell (he's not coming?) and pregnant Gilly.

Dany's fleet is traveling south.  Tyrion and Varys discuss Jon's parentage.  Oh great, now Varys knows, too.  The Spider mentions J and D can't serve together because they're aunt and nephew.  Thank you!--it finally matters to someone.  Varys seems all too ready to abandon Dany and support Jon for the throne.  He may claim he serves the realm, but he sure is quick to give up on her.

Suddenly, and unexpectedly, they run into Euron's fleet. (Why is this unexpected?  It's amazing how Dany has been outmaneuvered every step of the way.) The last time Dany faced Cersei's troops, they had a contraption to take down dragons, so of course Qyburn has made improvements and they've got a bunch of these weapons, and manage to kill another one of Dany's dragons.  These dragons once gave her superiority, but now she's only got one and it doesn't seem that hard to kill. Drogon isn't exactly a liability, but if you're too scared to fly him close to Cersei's troops, how much help is he?  (What Dany really needs is more dragon eggs.  Is it too late for that?)

Dany's fleet is decimated, though some manage to make it ashore, including Grey Worm, Tyrion and Varys.  But no Missandei. Hmm.  Over in King's Landing, Cersei discusses her plans with Euron and Qyburn.  And, in chains, there's Missandei, a hostage.  Cersei's plan, by the way, is to open the door and let Dany kill thousands of innocent people.  Okay, whatever.

Meanwhile, Dany has made camp, and discusses what to do with her advisors.  Varys tells her not to storm the city--it's wrong to kill all those people.  Dany will have none of it (and after what just happened, I can understand).  But she does agree with Tyrion that she should at least offer Cersei a chance at unconditional surrender--this will buy them time (while Jon marches) and, more important, show the world that she was willing to do it all without bloodshed.  After that, Varys and the Imp have another talk, and Varys seem even more willing to go against Dany--but how far will he go?

News of Dany's disaster has reached Winterfell.  Now the battle is all or nothing (presumably with Cersei dying at the end). That night, Jaime leaves Brienne's bed and saddles up. He has to go to save Cersei.  Really, he still cares?  Brienne follows him, telling him he's a good man, but he tells her all the rotten things he's done, always for Cersei.  He leaves her behind, blubbering--no one asked you to fall in love, Brienne. (So he's going to save Cersei?  How, exactly?  Or is he going to get her--I wasn't entirely clear on this.  I should add if it's dramatically wrong for Arya to kill her, it would be pretty cool if the Kingslayer did it.)

The next day, Dany stands outside the walls of King's Landing.  She's got all her close advisors with her and a ridiculously small complement of troops.  We understand this is a parley, and everyone is allegedly protected, but since when does Cersei respect any rules.  Why doesn't she just kill Dany now and end this?

The gates open and out walks Qyburn. He's met by Tyrion.  Both will accept unconditional surrender. (They don't raise their voices, so do the others have any idea what they're saying?) When Qyburn says he's only speaking for the Queen, Tyrion walks on and addresses Cersei directly.  Okay, you don't care about your people, they don't care about you, but what about your soon-to-be-born child?  That's one thing you do care about. You can survive, as can your child, if you end this now.

No go.  Cersei asks Missandei if she has any last words.  She knows a bunch of languages, so she probably has plenty, but she says "dracarys," which means dragonfire.  Okay.  Won't do a lot of good right now, though, since Dany left Drogon behind.

Cersei gives the word and zombie Mountain slices off Missandei's head.  1)  Apparently word had gotten out about this death before the show aired, though luckily I hadn't heard about it (not that by the end you couldn't see it coming).  2)  I like Missandei, but the whole romance with Grey Worm was going nowhere, so I'm glad that's over, though I wish they'd have taken him out instead.

Anyway, that's where things stand.  The final war is going to start, and the odds seem about even.  Maybe more important, even if Dany wins it's not clear if she'll be the one to take the Iron Throne.  Only two more episodes left, and we're primed for some high adventure.

* Don't think I get the title. (Could it refer to Sansa?  Theon is dead, Jon is leaving and not the son of Ned, Arya isn't hanging around and Bran isn't even human.)