Tikichick

That's what will be telling. If Dany ever gets the chance to really rule with authority for any length of time, will it corrupt her to the point she's driven to paranoia and madness as it did her father?

Seasons ago Dani was expecting Drogo's khalasar to follow and fight for her. This time she was prisoner of the khals who came upon her with their khalasar and took her prisoner. They died because they intended to keep her prisoner, or worse, not because she came to them looking to usurp their khalasars for her purposes.

But I think she has made efforts to make peoples' lives better. Remember, she lives in a time and civilization that more often than not lives with the expectation that they are to be ruled. Her upbringing has taught her she was born to rule. It's to her credit that she tries to give a measure of respect and decency to those she rules. I don't think the color of her skin is meant to communicate anything. The residents of Flea Bottom don't seem to benefit from their pasty complexions. Seems a stretch to try to drag that idea into the show and shoehorn it in.

Just another case of absolute power corrupting absolutely. In some ways Robert Baratheon was this way. Common phenomenon.

I don't really think we can view attitudes on the show in terms of modern civilization and society and assume that all "good and righteous" viewpoints should align with what people living in our day and age view as the right side of history and anyone who believes differently is therefore villainous.

The High Sparrow could be in fact playing his own game for the throne. Even if Dany were able to flee the city without walls and had accomplices to help her, how far is she going to get before hordes of Dothraki, on horseback, catch up with her? It's not as if her absence for a trip to the loo would go unnoticed for long. Her fate upon recapture would no doubt be even worse. If she wasn't going to live under the rule of others forever she had to finish her captors. Same rules they live by.

Fits perfectly with Jon's attitude and behavior in the books. Even back to the beginning of the story where they came upon the dead direwolf, Jon immediately told Ned there were enough direwolves for each of his children, before the existence of the runt was known. More and more I feel the symbolism of the direwolf and her pups has far reaching roots into the entire storyline, quite possibly even beyond the Stark narrative. Dead mothers, unclear number of offspring at first look, offspring being killed or said to be dead, offspring gone missing out of sight to possibly lurk in the shadows, offspring with fierce and often surprising strength and powers.

No, it's not like the Queen of Thorns not to have gotten out her abacus and double checked Cersei's math for herself.

Thank you. Lots of moving pieces in this episode. I try to enjoy the show and remember to pay attention to the intricacies where I can. I generally find I need a second watching to help me notice even a smidge more of what's going on.

It's like they had to return Jamie to KL because he had to return Myrcella/Myrcella's body, but now that they moved his piece into that position on the board they have no storyline for him so he just trails around in Cersei's wake. I cannot remember who it was, I'm thinking Cersei directed at Kevan, where there was a mention of the name Tully and referenced things beginning to fray. The mention of Tully caught my attention and shortly followed by fray made my mind hop to Frey, wonder what she might be trying to plot and then was lost because the episode kept marching along.

Precisely what I meant by my last sentence about their message of the last scene/image -- the one you didn't quote.

I wouldn't underestimate that storyline playing out on screen that way for budgetary reasons. It's unlikely the possibility of dragon rescue wasn't on the writers' minds. It's highly likely they have certain episodes budgeted for major CGI expenditures and this one didn't make the cut. There was also a loud outcry last season about how women are depicted on the show storylines, so writing it in a way where it's Dany's personal powers that overpower the Khols and free herself was also a nice placation of an outraged segment of viewers. I think this episode may have been intended to soothe those particular troubled waters in many ways. Of course the final scene was no doubt their not so very subtle message -- done under the plausible deniability clause where it was "storyline appropriate".

Completely agree that the High Sparrow has his own agenda. Will be interesting to see it revealed. IMO the battle of Kings Landing is going to deliver some more "Lannister gold".

Agreed. Bottom line she knew she was a prisoner and if they had their way she would never be free again. IMO she had the right to take her destiny into her own hands and fight back. She fought back with the only weapon at her disposal.

Always felt Sansa's relationship(non) with Jon was her response to her mother's cues about him. Once everything else has been swept away from her she now sees clearly how idyllic her boring, backwater life far from court at Winterfell was -- and how wonderful all the people there were. That informed her reaction to Jon now, and he couldn't help but recognize it and welcome it. Cersei and Jamie walking into the small council meeting felt like the lead-up to a plot to me. It's not a coincidence IMO that the Tyrells will be both footing the bill for and taking all of the risk in an attempt to eliminate the High Sparrow and his followers -- unless you count Uncle Kevan possibly losing his precious son that is. I'm quite sure Cersei and Jamie have done that math. The only wildcard will be the Queen of Thorns and whether or not she's onto Cersei's plans.

I was hopeful it was going to survive and make a turnaround next season. I'm so disappointed they couldn't do much better for such a great cast. I had a feeling things were bleak recently when there were some comments about the political climate in TN being problematic for those involved with the show.

I think part of the reason they didn't know each other well when they married was because Catelyn had been betrothed to Brandon Stark, not Ned.

Maybe it's as simple as they were laboring under the belief that Ned would never let his sister's connection to a Targaryen stand and therefore were doing what they believed necessary to protect it, while Ned was acting to free his sister from the Targaryens. Neither side had the true understanding of the realities until Ned actually spoke to Lyanna. Anybody else have any feeling about Melisandre's attempts to resurrect Jon specifically including his hair in order to allow Kit to cut his hair in an attempt to throw the audience off by having him demonstrably walking around with a haircut to prove he was off the show?

Completely disgusted at the idea that an eight-look (clearly NOT eight-piece!) collection was in any way supposed to be created in four days. Talk about no bueno. I loved Ken's collection, color me shocked, but knew it could not win because it wouldn't be labeled as enough "original design". Didn't like his work in his season, didn't like most of his work this season, and surprise, surprise, when most of the concept constraints are removed, guy's got great ideas. His choice of fabrics, design and workmanship were tasteful and gave each piece a very expensive feel. I was sure he was brought back simply for the drama factor. Utmost respect for his humility and openness about his desire to not only up his design game, but to improve his interpersonal skills. Fabulous job! Dom's garments disappointed, both for shape and construction, as well as her use of pattern this time around. She covered up the very best detail in the collection when she put that kimono-type jacket over the top of that jumpsuit with the cut-out cap sleeve detailing. That high-low/asymmetrical hemline concept has to go. Love her, love her eye for mixing patterns normally, did not enjoy what she did here and despised the handpainting. Kini, victim of a bad edit this season -- and in need of serious editing when free to design as he chooses. The two collections Kini has made in finales prove to me he needs a partner to collaborate with, one who will help guide fabric choices and put the kibosh on the over the top design details. Kini is talented and has great ideas, he's suffering from the intimidation writers feel facing a blank page when they feel like they cover up inadequacies with six-syllable words. The right partner to balance him out and Kini could be a superstar designer in the real world -- a fashion icon to outshine Isaac by a longshot. A new challenge idea I freely offer up to the folks at PR: designers must design a look one could wear to judge a PR finale runway. I want to hear the unedited commentary when a designer sends the getup Georgina wore down the runway.

I understand that we've been pushed to accept Olly went over to the dark side and betrayed his friend, however I have to remember he was a child, a child who watched his parents not only murdered, but eaten by the Thenns as well. Whenever they showed them on the screen I got the same feeling I get watching Ramsey's escapades or when Joffrey was playing with the crossbow or toying with Sansa and Tyrion. Honestly I feel like the show is burning me out with that completely out of control malevolence and evil. As bad as Tywin and Roose were and as much of a threat they may have been to some of the characters I care about, I at least felt like there was a fair fight possible -- unless you accepted a wedding invitation, of course. ; )

Very relieved to find a relatively normal Jon Snow. Really ready to be done with the Ramsey storyline, I just can't anymore. Hopeful that Rickon is a gift Ramsey will be wishing he gave back and Shaggy will in fact be making a surprise appearance. Definitely noticed the doubletake of her "trainer" when Arya spit out Walder Frey's name. Curious where that's going. A small detail that stood out to me was the shot of the horses' hooves when Ned & Co. were on the way to the TOJ. For about ten seconds I was confused simply by the display of flora and fauna and wondering where in the world these horses were where it was so distinctly summer. Really drives home the whole "winter is coming" thing. Bran's reaction to Howland taking out Ser Arthur really stood out. He cannot seem to accept it based on what he's always been told -- but of course it's likely that skirmish is tied to a very big lie his father told him and everyone else for the rest of his life, so who's to say Ned lying about that victory really means anything.

I don't believe Joanna ever attempted to dissuade Tywin from drowning Tyrion, she died giving birth to him. I can't get past the irony that we may finally be getting the answer to who is Jon Snow at precisely the same time those around him might want to be wondering, who is Jon Snow NOW? I'm wondering if he will be behaving as if Lady Stoneheart is his mother in the days going forward, no matter if his true parentage is finally revealed to the audience at long last.

Question for the Judge, bit of clarified thinking for the writers: Why would you approve a plan for emancipation wholesale to remove a mother's rights to parent, including parental oversight of the child's participation in the notoriously tough entertainment industry when the child's stated plan is to put her career under the management of a 20-something with no credentials of management and no real successful personal experience in the industry herself? We'll leave aside the elephant in the room that said 20-something harbored the teenager's flight from home, in fact helped engineer the flight and the altercation that led to it, an altercation in a club where alcohol is served and now the 20-something stands to profit handsomely from the emancipation -- and is arguably in control of the profit machine at this time. The production and writing staff needs a serious overhaul or the plug needs to be pulled. It's sad when you have a variety of talented and capable cast and cannot manage to give anyone some decent material to work with.

Gendry himself is a sword maker of some note, and a character already known to the TV audience. Mikken is sadly dead in the book, and it would seem very likely in the show as well.

Just some random thoughts I've had about the situation with Jon and references to Lightbringer. A lot of camera focus was spent on Jon's blood, a lot. Several characters touched it and looked at their fingers or simply looked very consideringly at the blood in particular. Ghost licked Jon's body in episode one. Melisandre touched Jon's cheek in episode one and then was able to feel the cold. Even if the show doesn't cover details as fully as the books, time has been spent on getting to know an expert sword maker with a notable pedigree and making sure the audience knows Needle is significant for some reason.