S08.E02: A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms

[CherryMalotte]

It was a lovely lovely episode.  They needed this kind of episode before the AotD hits the walls of Winterfell.  Which now features bits of dragon glass.

I think the feelings between Theon and Sansa come from shared suffering and respect for each other.  Theon volunteering to stand by Bran is a suicide mission, he knows it, and really they all know it.   
 

Quote

You'll be safe in the crypts.  You'll be with the women and children in the crypts where it's safe.  I'll be in the crypts with my son Sam.  The crypts are the safest place in Winterfell...  Yeah, they're dead.  So many anvils dropping there.

  I am beginning to wonder about that myself.  Need to re-read the books, but I'll wait til after the series is done.  Where did they say the crypt tunnels lead to?

Oh Tormund, if Brienne doesn't want you, I'll take you.  I enjoy a man that can make me laugh.  Brienne being knighted is a highlight of all the seasons.  She is the truest knight that Westeros has had or at least numbers in the top ten.

This is one I can watch again over and over.  A whole lot going on but it was well written and directed, and delivered a whallop of an emotional impact.   Pass that box of kleenex please. 

[QuinnM]

2 minutes ago, Raachel2008 said:

I didn’t like try Arya/Gendry thing, but I get it. You are 15-16-17 and you are virgins and you can die soon? Why not give it a shot?

I’m fine with it.  It’s probably the second time we’ve seen a 21st century consensual sex, the first being Jamie/Cersei.  Sansa was raped at that age.  Dany was raped even younger. Caster and Lord Frey were really, really old with wives that age.  So this was really kinda nice.

[Conan Troutman]

17 minutes ago, FemmyV said:

Dany and Jon - at first I thought it was a truly wrong move, to tell Dany the truth, going into the battle. On second thought, though, letting her go into war against the NK with that knowledge allows her to process it in the background and put the most important thing up as a priority.

 

Good point. I have no idea whether that was intentional or not, but it was probably a good thing Dany couldn't say a lot. 

Fantastic episode, just lots and lots of great scenes. Next week is going to be brutal enough, this was just what everybody needed. 

[GraceK]

3 minutes ago, stagmania said:

I’m honestly so offended about the way they’re treating Ghost. He hasn’t been seen since early season 6. Jon never even mentions him, we didn’t get to see them reunite, and now he’s just randomly in the background? They have never understood or done justice to the direwolves. 

This infuriates me. And he was standing with SAM. Not even Jon. And Jon didn’t even acknowledge his presence. It’s like Ghost is a mannequin. Horrible, horrible horrible. My only complaint with the episode.

Otherwise, I LOVED it. And I LOVED Sansa in this episode . Finally they did her justice. She was so freaking awesome imo. She handled the Jaime scene great, she was honest and upfront with Dany and was absolutely valid in her feelings about the North, her reunion with Theon was everything, she was just great. Why can’t they always write her this way???

Omg and Jon and Dany so many feels!! I don’t blame her for being suspicious. His family  and best friend hates her and now they are setting him as a rival claimant. Makes sense from her end to be wary.   Also, to fight so hard and then put it all on hold to fight for someone you love to just get hit with “ he’s a male so your worthless now “ is like a slap . 

Too many things to say about this episode!!! It’s so good!! I think the whole Dany/Jon thing will resolve itself though.

[Nanrad]

9 minutes ago, FemmyV said:

Yeah, I just ... feel like she used him, a little.

She was straight to the point about why she did it. Arya didn't mention anything about romance.

[Lillith]

13 minutes ago, mac123x said:

You'll be safe in the crypts.  You'll be with the women and children in the crypts where it's safe.  I'll be in the crypts with my son Sam.  The crypts are the safest place in Winterfell...  Yeah, they're dead.  So many anvils dropping there.

I'm really wondering why that hasn't occured to anyone, especially those with experience of the White Walkers. Hello, you know they can raise the dead. Maybe they don't with those who are buried? Well, we'll find out. 

[Growsonwalls]

Arya is in her teens. She's a tomboy but she still has hormones. Gendry is hot. They are comfortable with each other. Why the hell not? 

Also I think it was hilarious that Arya walked away from the convo with the Hound so quickly. We know why -- she was planning her booty call!

[GrailKing]

33 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

Sansa and Theon - two of the most despised characters in GoT history hugging and crying and reminding us why they are the way they are -- only they know each others' traumas.

UMMM, I don't despise her, Don't hate him either torn between two fathers, he chosed wrong.

Paid a heavy price.

[Raachel2008]

4 minutes ago, GraceK said:

This infuriates me. And he was standing with SAM. Not even Jon. And Jon didn’t even acknowledge his presence. It’s like Ghost is a mannequin. Horrible, horrible horrible. My only complaint with the episode.

Wolves >>>> dragons. I loooooathe how D&D can GCI the fuck of three dragons most regular viewers can’t even tell one apart the other, but can’t spare a few bucks for Ghost.

[Scarlett45]

16 minutes ago, cambridgeguy said:

Nice to see that Dany and Sansa can bond over how short Jon is.  I wonder if Kit Harrington has a complex about being surrounded by a bunch of people who are a lot taller than him.

At least Dany pointed out how incredibly convenient it is for Bran and Sam to say that Jon, their brother and BFF respectively, is the true heir to the Iron Throne.   Where's Howland Reed when you need him?

I don’t think Kit has a complex. He’s always happy and smiling in all his photos with Sophie and Gwendoline- I think he’s just happy to take photos with such talented beautiful women. Yes he’s short, but there are a lot of short men in this world, most of them are not as handsome as Kitt, and he’s taller than his wife so.......

[GrailKing]

34 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

Jenny's Song. I wish I knew if those lyrics were given to them by GRRM or if they made up the rest.

They said they had the first few lines and gave it to Ramin.

[Scarlett45]

6 minutes ago, Growsonwalls said:

Arya is in her teens. She's a tomboy but she still has hormones. Gendry is hot. They are comfortable with each other. Why the hell not? 

Also I think it was hilarious that Arya walked away from the convo with the Hound so quickly. We know why -- she was planning her booty call!

Yes!!! She was not spending her possible last night on earth with those grumpy men. Plus she’d been giving Gendry “come fuck me eyes” since he showed up. I’m glad they hooked up. 

[GrailKing]

34 minutes ago, anamika said:

Bran remains Bran. Jaime continues to justify all the shit he did - correct me if I am wrong, but when he attacked Ned in the streets, Lannisters and Starks were not at war.

Cat took Tyrion prisoner, I would think to house Lannister they consider that an act of war.Neither side knew it was a setup.

[GraceK]

Next week is gonna hurt so bad 🥺🥺🥺😭😭😭😭

[TobinAlbers]

Bran's interaction with Jamie cracked me up.  Jamie has one moment of confused relief that Bran didn't rat him out only for Bran 'Three Eyed Raven' to drop the boom of 'We need every man we can get and uh....yeah who says you survive any of this crap?' The look on Jamie's face as he realized he was spared to likely die in battle with white walkers was great.  Cold.blooded.

[YaddaYadda]

8 minutes ago, Raachel2008 said:

Wolves >>>> dragons. I loooooathe how D&D can GCI the fuck of three dragons most regular viewers can’t even tell one apart the other, but can’t spare a few bucks for Ghost.

I really don't understand their aversion to the direwoves. I get they decided to forgo Jon's warging abilities, but Ghost is still important, so they can fuck right off with that.

I'm sure they're looking forward to killing him off.

[LanceM]

2 minutes ago, YaddaYadda said:

I really don't understand their aversion to the direwoves. I get they decided to forgo Jon's warging abilities, but Ghost is still important, so they can fuck right off with that.

I'm sure they're looking forward to killing him off.

Well Dany is going to need  a new coat soon.

[GrailKing]

38 minutes ago, FemmyV said:

Sansa and Dany - wow, a lot of yanking us around on that one. They hate each other. They're okay with each other. They hate each other.

I really don't think they hate each other; but I do think Sansa is concern for the North aftermath, and Dany ( pulling hand away ) isn't quite ready to let that go or think of it.

They both agree and love Jon, Sansa trust him; Dany is still a question mark for her.

[Happy Harpy]

To absolutely no one regular off-season poster's surprise, I love that Arya/Gendry happened and I'm going to enjoy it while it lasts (probably a week, sigh). Of course I'd have liked it better if it happened in 8x06 since, well, obvious flag for death. Nah, I just liked that it happened. It was in the making in the books, it was in the making on the show, I kept on repeating for years that they were a potential couple, so there's a tiny bit of vindication. 

I LOLed when I saw that HBO tweet on Freefolk, stressing that Arya is 18 on the show without naming her (or good job if it was a fake).

The chemistry/attraction was there (aaalll the eye-fucking). Gendry is turned on by Arya's strength, that's my boy. I'm also satisfied that it wasn't a traditional romantic scene with undying declarations of love. It would have been unrealistic and it wouldn't be Arya, less as she is now, reconnecting with her feelings. She never manifested any interest in sex -or in love stories when she was younger- so the suddenly not wanting to die a virgin would have come out of left field, but for Gendry. I don't think that he was the convenient guy to satisfy her curiosity or scratch her itch. I think her curiosity arose from meeting Gendry again, stirring the old budding attraction she felt for him and prompted her to make that particular move. Imo, her pensive expression in the end means that she realizes she has feelings for him, but it means another loss to suffer re: Jenny's song.

[chaos is welcome]

33 minutes ago, CherryMalotte said:

It was a lovely lovely episode.  They needed this kind of episode before the AotD hits the walls of Winterfell.  Which now features bits of dragon glass.

I think the feelings between Theon and Sansa come from shared suffering and respect for each other.  Theon volunteering to stand by Bran is a suicide mission, he knows it, and really they all know it.   
 

  I am beginning to wonder about that myself.  Need to re-read the books, but I'll wait til after the series is done.  Where did they say the crypt tunnels lead to?

Oh Tormund, if Brienne doesn't want you, I'll take you.  I enjoy a man that can make me laugh.  Brienne being knighted is a highlight of all the seasons.  She is the truest knight that Westeros has had or at least numbers in the top ten.

This is one I can watch again over and over.  A whole lot going on but it was well written and directed, and delivered a whallop of an emotional impact.   Pass that box of kleenex please. 

Did anyone notice that the crypts of Winterfell and several underground parts of Kings Landing were included in the opening sequence? It was very, very different and I commented to my hubs that it is super odd that they changed up the sequence that much and that it seemed significant. Hm.

[HeySandyStrange]

Just now, chaos is welcome said:

Did anyone notice that the crypts of Winterfell and several underground parts of Kings Landing were included in the opening sequence? It was very, very different and I commented to my hubs that it is super odd that they changed up the sequence that much and that it seemed significant. Hm.

Between the credits, the promo showing Jon, Sansa, and Arya walking through the crypts, and all the in show mentions of the crypts, something is definitely up down there and we are likely to see it next episode. I wouldn't be surprised if it blows our expectations of of the water, though. My guess the secrets in the Winterfell crypts (and Kings Landing) will turn the tides. Maybe some kind of hidden magics or even dragons, who knows.

Lot of great moments this episode. Weirdly, I think I feel most sad for Grey Worm and Missandei, as I fear one or the other, or both, isn't going to make it. Both characters have had really tragic lives and it's sad that now that they have a sliver of hope for a happy ending together, it probably won't happen. I suspect the body count will be high next week.

[TaurusRose]

1 hour ago, Lemuria said:

So...he should never tell her?  Because the dragon stuff ain't gonna change.

Thank you.  Nothing good would come from Jon telling Dany he is the rightful heir of the Iron Throne later.  

Edited April 22, 2019 by taurusrose

[anamika]

What was with Sam's random monologue in the war council meeting? I was confused about what he was trying to say. I think even Bran was sitting there going ....wat?

[Raachel2008]

3 minutes ago, taurusrose said:

Thank you.  Nothing good would come from Jon telling Dany he is the rightful heir of the Iron Throne later.  

He is Jon Snow. There was no doubt that he would tell her. Also what good would come for him not telling her? Bran or Sam or even Jon himself could spill it later and Dany would be pissed - and rightfully so.

[TaurusRose]

1 hour ago, anamika said:

Sansa and Theon was really beautiful. If Theon was not so obviously doomed, they would make a nice pairing.

Sansa and Dany finally made up over Jon jokes and hopefully the bickering dies down.

Jon has apparently accepted everything Sam told him and moved on.

The show CGI'ed Ghost behind Jon for 2 seconds possibly because of fan complaints. Watch as he dies killing some wights next episode and Jon does not even react.

Bran remains Bran. Jaime continues to justify all the shit he did - correct me if I am wrong, but when he attacked Ned in the streets, Lannisters and Starks were not at war.

Loved the NW boys being together again for one last time!

Jenny's song!

And finally , Arya and Gendry! - definitely did not see that coming. Hope Gendry makes it out alive next episode.

Well, yeah, they were.  Catelyn had kidnapped Tyrion and hauled him off to the looney bin, I mean the Eyrie (sp?).

[tangerine95]

2 minutes ago, anamika said:

What was with Sam's random monologue in the war council meeting? I was confused about what he was trying to say. I think even Bran was sitting there going ....wat?

Same lol.I didn't get it and it was a bit weird in the middle of a war council

[Delete]

Gorgeous episode. 

Sometimes a picture is better than words.  

I’ll leave this here:  😭

[GrailKing]

50 minutes ago, Nanrad said:

She was straight to the point about why she did it. Arya didn't mention anything about romance.

If it wasn't for the flirting scenes, I might agree more ( not totally disagreeing ), Sansa said it to Danny, men do foolish things for girls.

[GrailKing]

53 minutes ago, Lillith said:

I'm really wondering why that hasn't occured to anyone, especially those with experience of the White Walkers. Hello, you know they can raise the dead. Maybe they don't with those who are buried? Well, we'll find out. 

I think as long as Bran stays away from the crypts while people are in there, they may be protected,

He stays away from the crypts and nothing can raise as the magic may not be broken.

We'll know next week.   ( some concern in my thinking ).

[GraceK]

@SilverStormm the Title of this episode has been updated to The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms according to HBO ❤️

[Growsonwalls]

Another picture to give you the feels ... Love the body language between the two.

[SimoneS]

2 minutes ago, GraceK said:

@SilverStormm the Title of this episode has been updated to The Knight of the Seven Kingdoms according to HBO ❤️

Primetimer should give HBO the finger and give the episodes their own names.

[nenya]

Good call on the crypts.

There has to be something significant there. After all, the name of the castle is Winter + Fell. Maybe it is still protected by old magic (First men or Children of the Forest?).

I wish I remembered more of the books - I'll need to reread them again, to remember more of the history of Winterfell.

[maystone]

19 minutes ago, GrailKing said:

I think as long as Bran stays away from the crypts while people are in there, they may be protected,

He stays away from the crypts and nothing can raise as the magic may not be broken.

We'll know next week.   ( some concern in my thinking ).

I believe that wights have to have been killed by other wights or those under command of the NK.

7 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

Primetimer should give HBO the finger and give the episodes their own names.

Normally I'd agree, but their title is just about perfect.

[bluvelvet]

I loved that episode purely because of the character beats.  We know next week is the big battle, this week we saw the people. 

Arya and Gendry have chemistry, but I do think she used him a bit.  She is attracted but not in love, she may die and wanted to have this one experience.  I do think he is the one man she would trust, if he wasn’t around she wouldn’t ask that of someone else. 

Who knew the Sansa/Theon reunion would be so emotional.  I also see familial love, they understand each other in a way that no one else can.  Dany did look suprised but she does not know about Sansa and Ramsey.  She may view Sansa differently if she knew.

Liked that they made up, then they were frosty again.  Dany isn’t giving up the North no matter how much she loves Jon. Also interesting that Khal Drogo was referenced, I wonder what that means?

Surprised Jon told Dany so soon, she looked as if she had been slapped in the face.  Her whole identity has been as heir to the iron throne. 

LOVED Jaime/Brienne, the knighting gave me all the feels.

Also appreciated that Jaime did not cower and basically said that he wasn’t apologizing to either Sansa or Dany. He did what he did.

I will take Ghost in the background to no Ghost.  Also did Lyanna’s statue always have a direwolf next to it ?

Appreciated the scene between Jorah and Lyanna Mormonts and reference to Commander Mormont.

Edited April 22, 2019 by bluvelvet

[GraceK]

https://ew.com/tv/2019/04/21/game-of-thrones-bryan-cogman-knight-seven-kingdoms-interview/

[SimoneS]

26 minutes ago, maystone said:

Normally I'd agree, but their title is just about perfect.

I would have called the episode, "The Thirsty Girl Loses Her Virginity." Ha.

[Callaphera]

Tormund Giantsbane: clumsy seducer of big women, ruiner of heartfelt moments, and the best fucking thing ever.

[Raachel2008]

2 hours ago, Growsonwalls said:

Hmm I think it was an eye opener for Dany in that I think she thought people of the North were just naturally closed off and cold. It was a good dramatic turn for Dany to see how warm people can be with each other if they care about each other.  I think the warm reactions between Brienne/Jaime, Tyrion/Jaime, Brienne/Sansa, Sansa/Theon were just sort of surprising for Dany and gave her an insight on how much work she has to do to really be accepted into their hearts as ruler.

I think it was a reminder that those are *people*, with feelings and stories and other stuff she knows nothing about. They are not just the North, they are people.

[GraceK]

Very interesting article about the song Jenny of old stones. Not a big fan of Joanna Robinson, but she is extremely knowledgeable on book lore.

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2019/04/game-of-thrones-song-podrick-jenny-song-meaning-books-jenny-oldstones

[Minneapple]

Tormund is pretty much the best thing to happen to anything, ever. 

Love the conversation between Dany and Sansa, though it ended on an inconclusive note.

I love how Maisie Williams' sideboob is more traumatizing to everyone than Arya becoming a teenage assassin.

HEY GUYS, I HEAR THE CRYPTS ARE REAL SAFE. EVERYONE HEAD DOWN THERE SO THEY CAN BE SAFE. JUST SO EVERYONE KNOWS, THE CRYPTS ARE SAFE. BRING ALL THE WOMEN AND KIDS, THE CRYPTS ARE SAFE.

[SimoneS]

2 hours ago, Growsonwalls said:

Hmm I think it was an eye opener for Dany in that I think she thought people of the North were just naturally closed off and cold. It was a good dramatic turn for Dany to see how warm people can be with each other if they care about each other.  I think the warm reactions between Brienne/Jaime, Tyrion/Jaime, Brienne/Sansa, Sansa/Theon were just sort of surprising for Dany and gave her an insight on how much work she has to do to really be accepted into their hearts as ruler.

Too bad that unlike Dany, the people in the North only care about each other and have no use for people who don't look like them or are different from them.

2 hours ago, Happy Harpy said:

I'm glad that Daenerys showed that she was listening to people including those she was on frosty terms with, during Jaime's "trial". I'm glad that she listened to Jorah, showed she was mature and went to talk to Sansa

But this is who Daenerys has always been despite the attempts by some people to claim she is a mad queen obsessed with power.

[MadMouse]

One of the best episodes of the series. Not perfect though.

Jon has accepted his Targ heritage too quick imo. Don't buy it and feels like they've ignored some tough questions.

Arya/Gendry was awkward, don't know if that's what they were going for or not.

Loved Jaime's trial. Brienne standing up for him. And Bran using Jaime's own words "The things we do for love" to explain and help him . Glad they didn't give Dany amnesia concerning Aerys.

Sansa and Dany was really good. Nice they were both shown as focusing on the politics of what happens after.

 Jorah is so dead, just should have him said it's his last day on the job. Don't know which one but either Missendai or Greyworm is dead sorry guys no planning for the future. Podrick was praised by Brienne and he got to sing? Yeah he's dead too.

Even Northern kids are racists, hope the survivors all have to marry Dothraki. 

Screw Sam for trying that again, loved Jon wasn't having any of it.

Knight of the Seven Kingdoms..what a title. Ser Duncan's family (Brienne) gets knighted by Jaime who sung his praises. And then Jenny's Song about a Targ prince giving up his crown. A Targ prince named after Ser Duncan.

Edited April 22, 2019 by MadMouse

[ElizaD]

I can't believe I loved a setup episode this much. Maybe I'm just a sucker for pre-Helm's Deep stuff. All the character interactions after seasons of buildup, no quick trips between storylines of varying quality, the sense of doom that makes characters more inclined to be honest and vulnerable. I need some time and rewatches to be sure, but this might be one of my top 5 episodes of GOT.

Sansa/Theon was the best of this season's reunions, thanks to Alfie Allen (IMO one of the show's best actors) and Sansa who's been become very cold and cynical and now just let herself feel the pure familial love she has for Theon. I agree that in a way he's now closer to her than any of her blood kin, they've been there for each other at their lowest and most damaged. I'm going to be a wreck if Theon dies fighting for Bran and Sansa finds his corpse.

I'm actually loving Bran this season. He's now interacting with more urgent storylines and important characters, and everyone gets to be various degrees of WTF'd in response to his weirdness.

[bubble sparkly]

11 minutes ago, SimoneS said:

Too bad that unlike Dany, the people in the North only care about each other and have no use for people who don't look like them or are different from them.

It doesn't exactly paint the Starks in the best light that all their subjects in the North are so blatantly racist that even little girls are basically like "eww brown people" when Missandei got too close to them.  I mean...... yikes.  No wonder Grey Worm and Missandei want to get as far away as possible when the war is over.

[quarks]

3 hours ago, Eyes High said:

Was Tyrion saying that whoremongering was no longer an option for him (and not elaborating) supposed to mean something?

I took that as a callback to the 5th season episode when he made Varys take him to a brothel, and then he realized he couldn't do brothels any more, after Shae.

[SimoneS]

1 minute ago, bubble sparkly said:

It doesn't exactly paint the Starks in the best light that all their subjects in the North are so blatantly racist that even little girls are basically like "eww brown people" when Missandei got too close to them.  I mean...... yikes.  No wonder Grey Worm and Missandei want to get as far away as possible when the war is over.

I know right. I am not even rooting for them to survive much less get their independence.

[Callaphera]

4 minutes ago, bubble sparkly said:

It doesn't exactly paint the Starks in the best light that all their subjects in the North are so blatantly racist that even little girls are basically like "eww brown people" when Missandei got too close to them.  I mean...... yikes.  No wonder Grey Worm and Missandei want to get as far away as possible when the war is over.

I mean, part of me wonders if they mean for the North to come off that way or if they just mean for them to glare at anyone from Dany's side of the army. These are the same people who gave us that super cringe-y Dany the White Saviour scene at the end of S3. But it's certainly coming off as the North being racist as fuck. 

[mac123x]

3 hours ago, stagmania said:

I didn’t read it as romantic, but I do think her response was over the top. She’s guarded and reserved with everyone now and I didn’t really buy that outburst of emotion just for Theon, especially in front of Dany.

I was referring to the dialog-free montage near the end that showed how everyone was passing their last night (Arya in bed with Gendry, etc.).  Sansa was with Theon, and the look she gave him had some heat to it.

[spaceghostess]

This was so, so great. Most of my thoughts have already been better expressed by others, but a few anyway:

1. Brienne's smile after being knighted was everything.

2. To me, Sansa's (absolutely not romantic) reaction to Theon's arrival wasn't just about their common experience w/Ramsay and/or Theon's pledging to fight for House Stark. It was that the last time she saw Theon, he'd only just barely shed his "Reek" skin. He was still such a shattered man when they parted, and now . . . I don't want to say he's the Theon of old, because he most definitely isn't that arrogant dick. But he's whole again, and I don't know if she imagined she'd ever see him that way. They both survived and came out stronger on the other side. It was a beautiful moment.

3. I was totally fine with Arya/Gendry. Didn't think she was using him--he was there for it, and I'll bet they both enjoyed it. Her expression afterward was maybe about having an attachment other than family now, and therefore more to lose.

Edited April 22, 2019 by spaceghostess