Loyalty and a Dangerous Mission

We have just two episodes left in this season seven before we settle in for the long night, and it’s fair to say things haven’t exactly gone the way I thought prior to the start of this season. Episode six will be 75 minutes, and episode seven will be the longest in the history of the series so far, but it might be more of a prologue of what’s to come than a wrap up of anything.

After the close of season six, it seemed clear there were two battles left to be fought. On was for control of Westeros, with Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) sailing for home and Cersei (Lena Headey) having taken control of King’s Landing. The other was the battle for humanity, as the army of the dead was marching on the living. My suspicion, with 13 episodes left, was that season seven would be that battle for Westeros and, when the dust settled, season eight would be the battle against the Night King.

The first four episodes of the season seemed to bear that out. After the premier set things in motion, episodes two through four each concluded with a battle sequence and Cersei and Daenerys traded blows. But last night’s “Eastwatch” marked a shift in direction. In fact, it played a bit more like a season premier than a middle of the season episode. We picked up the threads left dangling in “The Spoils of War” then set about putting more pieces in motion.

And next week we’ll likely return to new battles, as the frozen seven head north of the wall. But it also seems that the war between Cersei and Daenerys will be put on hold as everyone faces the real threat in the north. That leaves a lot to think about during that long night as we await the final six installments of the series.

In comparison to what came before it, “Eastwatch” was a slower paced, quieter episode. Which isn’t to say nothing happened. In fact, it was a fascinating episode because it was tied together by the thread of loyalty, and what it means for these characters going forward. That began early in the episode. While Bronn (Jerome Flynn) claims to be motivated solely by money, his actions show something else. He has a sort of loyalty and affinity for Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and even Tyrion (Peter Dinkledge), and we saw that on display last night. Bronn saved Jamie, then plucked him from the water. And, later, he helped arrange a covert meeting between Jamie and Tyrion that will be key moving forward.

But that wasn’t the only display of loyalty we saw last night. Randyll (James Faulkner) and Dickon Tarley (Tom Hopper), we hardly knew ye. We saw them once in season six, then again in a few episodes this season (albeit played by new actors). The battle in “The Spoils of War” didn’t go there way. In the aftermath, Daenerys offered both a chance to bow to her and live. But Randyll remained loyal to his idea of duty and honor, and to the queen — Cersei — to whom he’d sworn his service. And his son, Dickon, remained loyal to his father. It was admirable, and foolhardy. Both were quickly dispatched by Drogon. Now Sam (John Bradley) remains the last hope for the household, but more on him later.

Perhaps the greatest display of loyalty was the return of Jorah Mormont (Iain Glenn) to his queen, Daenerys. Jorah has been loyal for years, though it wasn’t always appreciated. Sure, he was originally sent to spy. But his love and admiration for Daenerys overcame that mission. Still, she sent him away, but he fought his way back. She sent him away again, and he fought his way back again, only to be stricken with an incurable disease. But she commanded him to be healed and return to her service, so he did that, too. Jorah endured an immense amount of pain for that healing and, indeed, returned. His loyalty is something she no longer takes for granted because it’s proven so rare in the world. And now, out of loyalty and duty, Jorah is headed north of the wall on a mission that seems as absurd as it does dangerous.

Speaking of that mission North of the Wall, it is loyalty that has led Jon to undertake this duty. His loyalty, as it always has been, is to the people that put their faith in him. That means all of the northern houses. He carries that weigh and burden like an anchor around him at all times. Jon doesn’t want to go north of the wall and face the Night King, but he knows that’s the best chance to rally the soldiers he needs to his cause, to the cause of the north. So as we ended last night’s episode, that’s exactly where he was headed.

Which brings me to my final thought on loyalty. It seems that, though their time together has been short, Jon and Daenerys are starting to have that bond of trust and, yes, even loyalty between them. He is going to get what she needs to have proof and to get and armistice. And she, in turn, has shown faith and trust in Jon to do what he says and to return to her. It’s a fascinating dynamic that we have to assume is about to get even more interesting.

Advancing the Plot:

A lot happened in the episode, but there are three things that can’t be overlooked. Two are small conflicts, and the third is the most important reveal in the history of the story so far.

• Trouble in Winterfell. Arya (Maisie Williams) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) are reunited, but it doesn’t feel that good. At least it doesn’t appear to feel that good. The two weren’t exactly BFFs before heading to King’s Landing, and their years apart haven’t strengthened that bond. They are different people with different approaches to the world. And, to this point, they don’t seem to be on the same page. Will that come to a head soon?
• Speaking of conflict, Arya has her eye on Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), but he seemed to have pulled a fast one on her last night. But did he? Arya didn’t go through that Faceless Man spy craft for nothing. I still feel like she’s a step ahead of where he thinks she is, and that weak attempt to further the rift between her and Sansa isn’t likely to have the desired effect.
• Finally, the show has been subtly dropping hints about Jon’s true lineage for years, especially this season. But last night had arguably the two most important scenes in the show’s history. First, Jon’s interaction with Drogon, which didn’t escape Daenerys’ gaze. Drogon sniffed Jon and seemed to have a recognition, allowing the King of the North to put his hand upon him. That’s no small sign that there’s more to Jon than what everyone thinks. Of course, thanks to Bran’s (Isaac Hempstead Wright) visions last season, we know that Jon is not the son of Ned Stark (Sean Bean). But last night, in a quick scene between Sam and Gilly (Hannah Murray), we got the clues we need to know that Jon is the true heir to Westeros. Well, we would have if only Sam had let Gilly finish. She was reading a Maester’s scroll about prince Rhaegar having annulled his marriage and secretly re-married right away in Dorne, you know where the Tower of Joy is located. That could potentially mean that Jon is not only the son of the crown prince, but not a bastard at all. That would make him the true heir to the kingdom. Of course, Jon is about the last person left in the show that doesn’t know who his real parents are, so it’s just a matter of time until that changes.

The Wars To Come:

We have two episodes left, but that leaves plenty of time for prognostications. Here’s a few of my guesses about what we see the next two weeks.

• There will be blood. We saw a group of heroes head north of the wall at the close of last night’s episode, and we know there will be an encounter in episode six, but I doubt they all survive. Jon will make it back, because he has to, and I still think The Hound (Rory McCann) makes it back, because he’ll have to encounter his brother one last time. The rest are fair game. And my prediction is that, if nothing else, Jorah will be lost. Last night’s scenes with Daenerys felt like an ending.
• Cersei will live to see season eight. The War of the Queens will not be concluded this season. I also don’t believe that she is really pregnant, and that betrayal may be the last straw for Jamie.
• We will see all four remaining Starks together. Jon will return to Winterfell and will see Bran, Arya and Sansa. And I will cry when that happens.
• Jon will learn the truth about his lineage. They’ve teased it out too much. Jon may not learn he’s not a bastard, but he will learn that he’s not Ned Stark’s son before this season ends.

That’s it for this week. Have thoughts, a favorite scene or predictions? Hit me up in the comments.