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S07.E04: The Spoils of War


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Episode Synopsis:

Daenerys fights back. Jaime faces an unexpected situation. Arya comes home.

 

Reminder: There is open air book talk here. If you are just watching the TV show and you don't want to stumble into any book talk you should leave now. Book Talk assumes you have read all the books to date. Any information from unpublished books, such as preview chapters should be in spoiler tags.

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Top five episode easily.

Can't mention Dragonstone without pointing out Davos was the best in a great episode. He had so many great lines, channeling Stannis with his “fewer”, after the talk with Missandei “saying he was going to switch sides” the on the nose comments that King Snow or King Jon don't sound right. Then him calling out Jon for staring at Dany's good heart and the chuckle about his joke. I finally get why his relationship with Jon works so well, he's the wise gruff uncle. He was that for Stannis but Jon doesn't have an iron rod shoved up his ass so he can be a little more colorful.

Jon and Dany have so much chemistry and props to them playing it as something they're both fighting. The scene in the cave was electric and then to have Dany basically say the same thing that Jon did to Mance was a great choice and call back. I have to think it was intentional that they had Missandei and Dany talked about her great night with Greyworm as she's about to go into a cave with Jon. Then the shot of them from the back leaving the cave, looked like a royal couple.

It was nice to see some of that Targ anger from Dany about all their plans falling apart but still listening. I do wonder if her going to Jon for advice will cause some conflict with Tyrion and company. I guess my only real complaint was that the advice sucks, how many people have and will die because for some reason they think torching the Red Keep is an evil act. I get why from a writing stand point they won't because then its game over and Dany wins. Just wish they came up with a different reason, hell just use wildfire as an excuse.

The North was probably the weakest part of the episode, it wasn't bad but compared to the rest it just didn't match up. Someone needs to make a gif of Littlefinger's reaction with the Sherlock computations after Bran uses “Chaos is a ladder” line. At this point he has to know he's screwed, all the money in the world isn't going to same him now. The Arya and Sansa reunion was nice but it almost felt like the actresses in the scene not the characters, it didn't feel authentic to me. I did love Arya's line about needing new guards. After seeing the Ironborn last week, the Lannister soldiers and Dothraki the northern soldier looks like bad cosplayers. Arya versus Brienne was total fan service but great at the same time. The grin after mentioning she beat the Hound, how taken aback she was at Arya's skill and Pod enjoying it. Logically I know Brienne with a bastard sword and her size should destroy her but hey its a show with dragons whatever.

Field of Fire redux lived up to my hype. The conversation with Jaime, Bronn and Dickon was cheap but in a good way. They really made him out to be a good guy with his honesty about killing men he hunted with and his struggle with it. It was the total opposite with dad and his suggestion of whipping soldiers. Probably my favorite part was when Jaime and Bronn were waiting for the Dothraki and then to hear Drogon's roar and him flying with them. Even without words you could tell they both knew they were screwed. Bobby B was right, “Only a fool would meet the Dothraki in an open field”. Even without dragons I like that they showed why the Dothraki are feared, they cut through the Lannister army like butter. Bronn and Jaime didn't survive by skill or tactics but on pure luck. And throwing a dragon into it just makes it even a bigger slaughter. If that's the damage one young dragon can inflict what could three mature ones do. The only issue I had was the ballista and Bronn's Green Arrow like aim. And the fact that it did any damage at all really. I know that's how the Dornish brought down Meraxes but it was a shot through the eye. I know they need to create some threat for Dany when it comes to Cersei but my book knowledge makes it hard to swallow.

Are they really going to bring in the Golden Company this late in the show? I can't believe Faegon will be included but maybe Connington? Hopefully if the do he's still has his Rhaegar obsession and immediately switches sides on Cersei.

  • Love 17
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Very solid episode (but too short!). The opening of that battle with Dany riding in on Drogon and the Dothraki horse riders was something else. Just fucking cool. Also great that they showed us neither Bronn nor Jaime could really win head on against a Dothraki. And Tyrion being there made absolutely no sense. He came along to stand on a hill and make sad faces?

I think Dany should chill on the "bend the knee" stuff with Jon. The North will follow her if she actually shows up and fights for them and wins. Girl needs to earn it, especially given that Jon has a front row seat to her making a lot of bad calls against Cersei. 

Absolutely loved the Arya/Brienne scene. A bit of much needed fun, and I loved Sansa and Littlefinger watching and reacting. Her probably wondering what the hell her sister's been getting up to, and him recognizing that Arya is a threat.  

The problem with Sansa being the main Stark getting to do all the reunion scenes is that she wasn't close to any of her siblings, so they don't really resonate much. The reunion with Jon was still the most affecting to me, but that was because it was the first, not because of their relationship. I'm holding out hope that Arya/Jon, if it ever comes, will be the one that inspires real feeling. 

Edited by stagmania
  • Love 12
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O.M.G. OMG.OMG.OMG. My heart was in my mouth that whole battle. It's getting good. I didn't want the episode to end. I am worried for Drogon, though.

Also, I defy anyone to say Dany and Jon don't have chemistry, after that scene in the cave.

Edited by peggy06
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"Fucking idiot." Truer words were never spoken, Tyrion.

Too bad that wasn't Jamie's last episode. I'm as sick of him as Littlefinger. Unfortunately, I think he'll last until the final episodes. But if he ever does kill one of the dragons, he's a dead man.

The Stark siblings are all together again. But they've changed so much from their own ordeals that it will never be the same.

  • Love 20
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Kind of annoyingly ridiculous that all that heavy gold in slow wagons made it all the way to King's Landing before the swift-footed Dothraki and the freakin' flying dragon managed to catch up to the Lannister army...

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Not going to lie, second week in a row  10 / 10.

I know many liked the battle scene ( I'll get back to that in a bit ); what I really cared for was the Starks, plain and simple.

 My favorite part had very little dialogue; Bran, being pushed by Arya, with Sansa walking behind them and the old man along with Brieene and Pod looking on. Podrick telling her how pleased Cat would be and Brieene checks herself and thanks him.t Those kids in that scene was a  emotional peak to me.

 

Quick question why did Danny not save the food? She had plenty of people to catch and protect that train.
 

  • Love 19
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Okay, as soon as I heard galloping I was on my feet and watched the rest of the episode standing and screaming.

Gods that was good.

  • Arya sparring with Brienne was made of win.
  • The scenes in the cave were great for heightening the tension.
  • Jon’s reaction to seeing Theon was perfect.
  • But the battle of the supply train -- (is that what we’re calling it?  Really?) – well that was fucking EPIC.  And the best/worst part is that I didn’t want anyone to die  -- not Dany, not Jaime, not Bronn – not even the new guy Dickon (snicker).  So that made it SO hard to watch and impossible to look away from.

So . . . who do we think went into the water with Jaime?  I’m betting Dickon.  Bronn is all about self-preservation but Dickon seems to be one of those people who rises to a challenge and finds courage under fire. 

ETA:

8 minutes ago, SeanC said:

the VS dagger appears for the first time since Season 1

I don't know what "VS" stands for but that dagger is Chekov's gun.  It will play a key role in the future and given that they went to the trouble of reminding us it that it is Valyrian steel, I feel certain that Arya will be offing a White Walker with it before the series is over -- perhaps even this season.

Edited by WatchrTina
  • Love 13
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I screamed tonight. Neighbors either hate me or were doing the same thing! What an episode! Wow!!!

Arya got a hug from Bran. More than Sansa did last week. He's freaking cold to people though. Poor Meera.

Arya and Brienne, one of my favorite combinations ever. And Arya hugging Sansa back, hope that means her damage is healing. I shed a few tears there.

Speaking of great combos, Jaime and Bron. Damn. I love Jerome, but I was rooting for him to be ashes. That battle was everything a battle should be. 

Dothraki need to be protecting their Khalessi better. She's on the ground, you go to her. The Unsullied should have kept a guard near her, or held some people back from storming the Rock.

Jon, you should have hit Theon. I don't care how he helped your sister, he was responsible for the death of a lot of Northerners.

Edited by dbell1
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Sansa and Arya was beautiful. Sort of awkward, as its been so long since the sisters were together and they didn't get along while growing up, but sincere and heartfelt. Also loved Sansa acknowledging the bond of Arya and Jon. It shows growth on her part. Also loved Arya becoming more girlish. Even her fight scene with Brienne was more like the girl Arya who just wanted to be tough.

A part of me will always love Jaimie, even if he's not book Jaimie. I wish he could have spoken with Tyrion one last time. They had a beautiful bond in the book, something the show never captured.

With that being said the scenes between Jon and Dany are crossing dangerously close to the ick territory. Dany's attraction to him is just ... no, don't go there. He's her nephew. I hope the show makes them work together and respect each other because they do have many similar views towards governing. But don't have them get Biblical. Please, just no.

  • Love 11
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3 hours ago, SeanC said:

In terms of the larger strategic picture, though, the show’s continued acting like Dany should refrain from nuking the Red Keep makes no sense.  She could do that without burning the rest of the city, and KL would surrender immediately afterward.  But the showrunners need to keep Cersei in the game.

I find it really pathetic and honestly it takes away from my enjoyment of the show a bit. Instead of having Daenerys defeat Cersei, then take on the Night King. They are leaving Cersei for last because they are in love with Lena Headey.

Edited by SimoneS
  • Love 18
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5 minutes ago, aquarian1 said:

I was trying to decipher what Sansa and Littlefinger were thinking during that.  Obviously, thinking different things, but I couldn't quite make it out.  Also, loved Sansa's expression when she realized Arya's list was real while talking to Brann.  I loved everything about the Stark family reunions, even not-quite-so-human-Brann.

LF- OH Shit, need her out of the way first.

Sansa looked surprised and I think a wee bit proud.

  • Love 4
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I'm sorry but I'm not impressed. Either bring all three dragons or don't bring any of them. Dany damn there lost her best dragon in that war. There goes people's answer about the saddle, she don't need one.

On one hand I get what Jamie was going for by trying to kill Dany, on the other, Tyrion was right, such a fucking idiot.

Great acting by Dinkelage in that war scene.

Who was responsible for hiring such incompetent guards in Winterfell? And while we're at it, why are they pushing the sister jealousy angle?   Is there no other drama available?

More Jon Dany we're gonna bang soon scenes, yay!

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Arya visiting Ned like Jon. Aww. Hopefully Jon's heart does not give out when they meet. The writers suddenly remember that Jon and Arya share a special relationship.

Nice call back to the Jon-Mance conversation - isn't their survival more important than your pride? Jon finds himself on the other end of that conversation.

 Is it King Snow or King Jon?

 Wait, no one remembers what Ned looks like in the North? How long has it been since Ned went south?

3 minutes ago, stagmania said:

The problem with Sansa being the main Stark getting to do all the reunion scenes is that she wasn't close to any of her siblings, so they don't really resonate much. The reunion with Jon was still the most affecting to me, but that was because it was the first, not because of their relationship. I'm holding out hope that Arya/Jon, if it ever comes, will be the one that inspires real feeling. 
 

I am also confused with what they are trying to do in these scenes. Sansa  seemed annoyed or jealous with Brienne swearing her services to Arya as well. Why? She was definitely not pleased with that whole Arya-Brienne scene. What's the deal there?

The whole LF plot continues to be a mess.

  • Love 5
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This was an awesome episode and dragon warfare lived up to the hype in my opinion.  I wonder how Dickon feels about that smell!

The Stark children reunion made me happy, but it was noticeable lowkey. I get it. They have been forever changed.

Jon and Dany work for me. I feel the heat.

  • Love 13
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So, I watched this on Friday when it leaked but rewatched tonight because I thought, hey, Drogon deserves the 60-inch 4K ultra HD. And MAN! Did he ever deserve it!

I loved this episode to pieces. Loved every character. Even Jaime, because Bronn makes Jaime tolerable. And no, Jaime's not dead but how the hell is he going to survive a plunge into a river with all that armor on? Also how the hell did characters like Jaime and Bronn stand around amidst all the smoke and fire without dying of asphyxiation? 

Jaime: You fought well, Rickon
Dickon: Dickon
Bronn: HAHAHAHA!

Partly I loved this episode because Dany got to show off the firepower of the dragons and finally won a battle (and did the smart thing by attacking the Lannister wagons, not the Red Keep), but it showed that her dragons are NOT invulnerable. They can be damaged. One of the things we have bitched about relentlessly was that everything will come too easy for Dany with the dragons and the Dothraki horde. So a-ha! The dragons can be hurt! She can't just come and dracarys everything and bam, claim the throne.

And the other reason I loved this episode: Yay for three Starks in Winterfell! Loved the Sansa/Arya reunion. Loved Sansa's little "you're joking" laugh when Arya said she had a list of people who she was going to kill, then later like "Who else is on your list?" when she realizes Arya is serious about killing people. I've enjoyed how they've made the Stark reunions all different. And I loved Arya sparring with Brienne and then saying "No one" when Brienne asked her who taught her how to spar like that. Awesome.

  • Love 17
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Just now, GrailKing said:

LF- OH Shit, need her out of the way first.

Sansa looked surprised and I think a wee bit proud.

I think Sansa looked jealous as shit that Arya can bond with  Brienne in a way that she never can, while Littlefinger is happy because he just found an opening to worm his way into.

 

Why would Littlefinger tell Bran such a transparent lie about the dagger? He's really off his game nowadays.

  • Love 13
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5 minutes ago, WatchrTina said:

I don't know what "VS" stands for but that dagger is Chekov's gun.  It will play a key role in the future and given that they went to the trouble of reminding us it hat it is Valyrian steel,

You answered yourself there in that sentence :)

  • Love 15
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2 minutes ago, GrailKing said:

LF- OH Shit, need her out of the way first.

Sansa looked surprised and I think a wee bit proud.

I like it, and it makes sense.  LF is just such a schemer though, I suspected there was more going on.

  • Love 1
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5 minutes ago, WatchrTina said:

So . . . who do we think went into the water with Jaime?  I’m betting Dickon.  Bronn is all about self-preservation but Dickon seems to be one of those people who rises to a challenge and finds courage under fire. 

Definitely Bronn - there was the moment after the scorpion was destroyed when he was staring at the riderless white horse, and it was a man on a white horse that saved Jamie from Drogon.

  • Love 8
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9 minutes ago, SeanC said:

Haha, get fucked, Lannisters!  The show never had the budget to show Robb’s victories early on, so it was very satisfying to see the Lannister armies finally get the shit kicked out of them, particularly after several episodes of rather contrived plot gifts for Cersei and co.  Too bad Cersei wasn’t there to be incinerated along with her men.  The show does spectacle well, invariably, and at least in this instance the plot didn’t get in the way of my enjoying it.

In terms of the larger strategic picture, though, the show’s continued acting like Dany should refrain from nuking the Red Keep makes no sense.  She could do that without burning the rest of the city, and KL would surrender immediately afterward.  But the showrunners need to keep Cersei in the game.

Yes. I am so glad the Lannisters lost in a big way. I know that this is not the full battle but still!

 

And it is war! What is Dany supposed to do if not use all her weapons, especially here. There were no civillains wandering around.

  • Love 13
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5 minutes ago, anamika said:

Jaime looking at his men burning while a sad version of rains of castamere plays. Boo Hoo! Cry Jaime, cry!  You have been shacking up with and supporting a sister who exploded the sept killing several hundreds.  I don't see how anyone could feel sorry for them. They have been fucking people over for years. About time they get a taste of their own medicine. I actually wanted Drogon to burn Jamie. At least Cersei is self aware and knows that she's a monster. I dislike Jaime and his faux honor.

I ain't going to lie after tonight I want Jaime, Tyrion, and Bronn dead. Yes I said, Tyrion. Tonight just confirms my belief that he has been trying to either save his family or minimize their losses. All three of them deserve to burn with Cersei. I hope Drogon roasts them like pig on a spit.

  • Love 16
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3 minutes ago, doram said:

Oh my God. THIS. I wanted Jaime to get roasted by dragon-fire at the end. That kind of last minute save (since when has Bronn ever put himself on the line like that?) was sheer fan servicey plot armour. 

I think Bronn wants to keep Jaime alive so that he can get castles and gold.

  • Love 14
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Wow!  What an amazing episode!  This is one of the benefits of not knowing what is going on.

I can see why the CGI fighting looked weak last week...they were saving it for this week.  Really awesome to see Dany using the dragon like the weapon it is and roasting Lannisters alive.  It was great to see the Dothraki finally in action.  Pretty dramatic scene at the end but that CANNOT be the end of Jaime.  Even if I don't like what they've done to him.

Ah, Bronn...definitely missed you, buddy.  The Dickon scene was a cheap laugh but I thought it was funny.

Reunions aplenty!  Definitely think they handled the Sansa and Arya reunion well and getting to see all three of the Starks together was amazing.  Nice to see Arya and Brienne interact too and I liked Brienne not getting upset with Pod calling her a lady.  And for good measure, we even get Jon and Theon's reunion (saw a picture of that last year).

I'm glad to see Littlefinger get unsettled by something supernatural (I do wish Lady Stoneheart would confront and kill him in the books) but Bran, fuck you for that good-bye to Meera.  She deserved a lot better.  Don't know if she would have left Bran though.  At the very least, I think she'd bring her family back up to defend the North.

Good stuff on the Jon and Dany front.

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Good gods, the first half of this was slow.  Is Littlefinger ever going to have a point beyond lurking and thinking he's being cryptic?  The only good thing was seeing yet another major character in Arya suddenly gain a bit of Valyrian steel for herself.

The battle scenes were well done but I was at a loss as to what I was supposed to be wanting to see there.  I'm not rooting for Cersei to continue to win, but I don't find the most special of special nuking nameless foot soldiers who march where they're told to march and what we've been told is the only major food supply as winter is setting in all that rootable either.  Good job self-declared queen, now you all can starve together.

  • Love 11
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1 minute ago, Oscirus said:

I think Sansa looked jealous as shit that Arya can bond with  Brienne in a way that she never can, while Littlefinger is happy because he just found an opening to worm his way into.

 

Why would Littlefinger tell Bran such a transparent lie about the dagger? He's really off his game nowadays.

Yeah, I saw small pang, not sure jealousy though .

Well until Bran mentioned chaos is a latter, he probably thought Bran had no memory of the event.

He is so screwed .

  • Love 1
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1 minute ago, GrailKing said:

Sansa looked surprised and I think a wee bit proud.

I thought so as well.

I also liked the three Starks discussing the dagger and wondering about Littlefinger's motive. Other than, you know, being creepy.

  • Love 14
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5 minutes ago, GrailKing said:

LF- OH Shit, need her out of the way first.

Sansa looked surprised and I think a wee bit proud.

Proud? I don't think Sansa looked proud at all when she saw what Arya could do and how Arya and Brienne interacted. She looked worried -- maybe jealous.

  • Love 8
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10 minutes ago, anamika said:

Good bye Meera.  Thanks for all the help!

What a sad end to her sad arc. #JusticeForMeera

8 minutes ago, peggy06 said:

O.M.G. OMG.OMG.OMG. My heart was in my mouth that whole battle. It's getting good. I didn't want the episode to end. I am worried for Drogon, though.

It played to me like Drogon was fine, just totally caught off guard by the spear. Probably the first time he's ever been hurt.

6 minutes ago, WatchrTina said:

So . . . who do we think went into the water with Jaime?  I’m betting Dickon.  Bronn is all about self-preservation but Dickon seems to be one of those people who rises to a challenge and finds courage under fire. 

It was Bronn, right? He dove to knock him into the water when he saw Drogon was about to blow.

5 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

With that being said the scenes between Jon and Dany are crossing dangerously close to the ick territory. Dany's attraction to him is just ... no, don't go there. He's her nephew. I hope the show makes them work together and respect each other because they do have many similar views towards governing. But don't have them get Biblical. Please, just no.

Seems clear they're gonna go there.

  • Love 10
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10 minutes ago, anamika said:

Jaime looking at his men burning while a sad version of rains of castamere plays. Boo Hoo! Cry Jaime, cry!  You have been shacking up with and supporting a sister who exploded the sept killing several hundreds.  I don't see how anyone could feel sorry for them. They have been fucking people over for years. About time they get a taste of their own medicine. I actually wanted Drogon to burn Jamie. At least Cersei is self aware and knows that she's a monster. I dislike Jaime and his faux honor.

I do think it's the show's ham-handed way of trying to give Show Jamie the nuance and depth that Book Jamie has.

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7 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

 

With that being said the scenes between Jon and Dany are crossing dangerously close to the ick territory. Dany's attraction to him is just ... no, don't go there. He's her nephew. I hope the show makes them work together and respect each other because they do have many similar views towards governing. But don't have them get Biblical. Please, just no.

Genetic sexual attraction is a real phenomenon, and they don't know about their relationship. 

  • Love 10
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Just now, screamin said:

I think Sansa looked frightened, having realized that Arya really wasn't kidding about the list of people she wanted to kill, and realized it was quite credible she HAD killed people on that list, and worried what had happened to her to turn her into that adept killer.

Except Bran already all but confirmed that Arya killed people earlier. If you notice, she didn't walk away until she saw the look on Brienne's face.

  • Love 4
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3 minutes ago, aquarian1 said:

I like it, and it makes sense.  LF is just such a schemer though, I suspected there was more going on.

Noticed Sansa's two side looks at him, she knows he getting ready I think.

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