The Winter of Our Discontent - Game of Thrones - Season 5, Episode 10

I wish I could feel sorry for Cersei.  And, I can't help wondering why Lancel didn't have a similar penance.  Anyone remember if he had to do this walk?  But, Cersei has gone to so much trouble to earn our hatred.  She's spent most of the series keeping her illegitimate children on the throne.  She held Sansa prisoner for 2-1/2 seasons, giving her to Joffrey to torment.  She took every opportunity to undermine and execute her own brother.  Plus, there's the whole incest thing.  It might not creep Myrcella out, but no one in Westeros knows what recessive genes are.

Cersei's story didn't have to turn out this way.  In the season's premiere, she boasts of being promised to a prince, which was Rhaegar, Daenerys' oldest brother and son of the Mad King.  Tywin had hoped to join the Lannisters to the Targaryens, decades ago, but Dany's father, the Mad King, turned him down flat.  Instead, Rhaegar was married to Oberyn's sister Ellia Martell, in a pretty conventional medieval-type marriage.  Ellia turned out not to be Rhaegar's love, but instead of preferring Cersei. Rhaegar fell hard for Lyanna Stark, Ned's sister, leading to the revolt that killed the Mad King and most of Dany's family. Instead of marrying her prince, Cersei was married off to Robert Baratheon after he killed Rhaegar and was crowned king. And we all know how their marriage went.

Both the man Cersei planned on marrying, and the man she did were in love with Ned's sister; is that why she's hated the Starks from the beginning?

GOT, once again, has a first; a scene so shocking, the locals almost didn't allow it to be shot; it was filmed in a conservative Catholic country, where public nudity is a scandal.  Maybe the fact that it was an atonement scene, with an adulteress being shamed by peasants, rotting food, spit, and whatever else was handy, made the local authorities okay it, anyway.  The whole walk is certainly made as awful as it can be; septas roughly wash her, then give her what will one day be called a pixie cut.  To be brought before the people of King's Landing in a dirty shift is bad enough.  But the septas rip the shift off of her.  And one septa will follow her the whole way, ringing a bell and yelling "Shame" all the long way home.

I'm sure this will go totally fine

At first, the crowd parts for Cersei and her dishonor guard.  The Sparrows are there to keep people from beating Cersei, and they do their job as well as they can in a city that would love to tear Cersei apart.  The first insult begins once Cersei is swallowed by the crowd.  The crowds quickly escalate, pulling out every insult for a woman known to humanity.  Peasants flash her, throw food, spit on her.  Her bare feet bleed from the stone walks.

What's sad about this scene is that it's based on history; medeival France used this punishment. What's sad about this scene is that little has changed for women. It's easy to feel nothing for Cersei; but what about today's teen girls?  One photo, taken even without her knowledge, can be posted and go viral, making her the butt of strangers' misogyny for weeks following.  What about women flogged or murdered for adultery in countries like Saudi Arabia and Afghanistan?   This scene is important for Cersei; it hardens her against the people of King's Landing as never before.  But, this scene is important for us; who are you to judge other people's sex lives?  And why do females bear the brunt of the public shaming?

Cersei's arrival home is greeted by Maester Pycelle, whose face makes it clear he's no longer her servant, and her Uncle Kevan, now acting as Regent.  Cersei may be home, and may be able to beat the rest of the charges, but who will want her anywhere near the Small Council now?  Tommen's absence confirms that her shaming has reduced her to powerlessness.  Kevan doesn't say it, but he doesn't look happy to see that Cersei has turned the capital over to religious fanatics that could depose Tommen.

There's no word on whether Margaery  or Loras made bail in the Westeros style; but Qyburn is at least there with a blanket and a new Kingsguard, which indicates that they've heard about Meryn Trant.  The newest knight keeps his helmet on, since the little we can see indicates the guy has severe health problems.  But he's a real gentleman, lifting Cersei off her ruined feet, and sworn to defeat all her enemies.

He's a fitting replacement for Meryn Trant, who Arya dispatches using one of the Faces.  Meryn's taken completely by surprise, and covered in blood before he can even get a weapon.  So, Arya decides to make sure Meryn knows that he's being cruelly murdered by a little girl, over a Braavosi water dancing instructor he probably doesn't remember.

Totally not used to his victims fighting back

Arya returns the Face, content that the first name on her list is finally dead; maybe she has plans for taking down the others, but Jaqen and the Waif confront her.  She's broken the rules, and she's in big trouble.  Arya is ready to maybe be grounded, or denied TV privileges for a week, but the Waif makes it plain that a vial of poison awaits.  Instead, it's Jaqen who drinks it, collapsing while Arya screams for the only protector she currently has.  Instead, it was another Game of Faces, with Jaqen appearing behind her in the Waif's place, and the new body turning out to have Arya's face.  Remind you of a certain lightsaber duel in a cave on Dagobah?

As Arya panics, Jaqen informs her that using the Faces to break the rules is a great way to poison oneself, which Arya finds out for sure when her vision goes black, and we see her eyes fail.  Will Arya be kicked out of the House of Black and White, blind to boot?

Tyrion ends the season well; he's left with Missandhei and Grey Worm to run Meereen and work on his High Valyrian.  On Dany's terrace, he ponders how he's been left to govern a city he literally just arrived at in the name of a Queen facing outright revolt who's been flown who knows where, and that he's now caretaker to two very pissed off dragons.  But it's all okay, because Varys shows up, and tells Tyrion that at least Meereen will be able to keep no secrets from him.

  The Bromance continues

Tyrion watches Daario and Jorah, reunited but not really trusting each other, ride off to follow Drogon north, in search of Dany.  Last week, we saw Dany fly away from danger, from death, from her troubles.  Well, this week we see that Drogon has flown her into to even more danger and trouble.  She makes it worse by wandering away from her only protector, so she can be surrounded by the first Dothraki khalasar that rides up.  The shouts and riding in circles around a lone prisoner remind one of the cheesy and insulting Indian scenes in Westerns of the 1960s.  We know that Daario and Jorah are good enough trackers to find the ring she leaves behind; will Drogon find her first?

Let's hope so; she's got dirty laundry and needs shampoo

Melisandre wakes to thawing icicles and puddles.  She all but beams as she contemplates how Stannis' sacrifice and her god have come through, and she'd like a little recognition in Stannis tent.  But, he's even more taciturn than usual.  Stannis, more than ever is Richard III, both from history and Shakespeare's tragedy.  He's accused his nephews of being illegitimate; he wants their throne for himself, and he's prepared to lose everything on one field of battle.  Richard III, unlike Stannis, enjoyed the throne for a brief time; but he was a terrible ruler.  Stannis would probably have been even worse; since he murdered his innocent daughter by fire, half his men snuck away during the night.  Since no one raised an alarm, the guards were no doubt with the deserters.

I'm sure losing everything so you can fight one battle is a good idea

Another soldier has even worse to show him: Selyse's body.  If Stannis is Richard III, Selyse is Lady Macbeth, consumed with the grief and guilt over where her ambitions for her husband led them.  Like Cersei, I can't feel anything for her; she was Melisandre's biggest fan.  She was stoic as she burned her own brother to death at the beginning of Season 4.  And she betrays no emotion as her lifeless body hangs from a tree I don't know how she climbed in the dark and snow.  Stannis certainly doesn't show much emotion; he's already lost his daughter for a lousy thaw.  She's just one more loss.

Stannis also betrays no emotion as he finally reaches the field outside Winterfell, only to be met by the Boltons' much larger army, led by Ramsay.  Ramsay's wolves make short work of the burning stags, and Stannis is left to wander alone in the woods until he's finally so exhausted he has to collapse.  Where he's found by Brienne.  Only one thing could get her to abandon her post, just as Sansa took her only chance to light a signal.  The threat of getting caught in a battle plus the promise of justice for Renly???  It's too much, and Brienne snears a little at Stannis as she acts as judge, jury, and would-be executioner.  Stannis has no regrets, but he's ready to go; he's lost and he's just content he went down with his sword in his hand.  I'd love to think Stannis is dead; but modern TV has taught me one thing well:  no one's dead until you see the fucking body prepared for burial.

Seriously, it's a flesh wound

That includes Reek and Sansa.  Reek just might get the name Theon back after pulling a Darth Vader and throwing murderous Myranda down a shaft at Winterfell.  She kind of had it coming, gleefully informing Sansa that Ramsay plans on mutilating her, saving her reproductive organs for last.  Reek's been able to put up with whatever Ramsay wants to do; but Myranda's just the kennel-master's daughter, and Sansa's made it clear servants don't give the threats.  We hear the awful crunch sound as she hits stone, but we don't see what Sansa and Reek will hit after they peer down over the outside wall, grasp hands, and jump together into the snow.  Are we seeing the beginning of a great friendship?  Will Brienne, already wandering in the woods Sansa and Reek will no doubt make for, find them?

It's Ramsay, we don't even have to debate it

Book note:  Sansa is supposed to still be in the Vale, promised actually to Robyn Arryn's heir.  Ramsay is married off to a Northern Girl who was Sansa's lady companion in King's Landing, and was willing to pass herself off as Arya Stark.  The girl's real name is Jeyne Poole, and Ramsay was just as awful, if not more, to her.  The show does get right that Reek helps Jeyne escape by jumping over Winterfell's outer wall to the snow below.

Other book note:  the seige lasted much longer, as the snow trapped everyone gathered for Ramsay's wedding at Winterfell for weeks.  The nobles left in the North fell to suspecting each other when a serial killer (not Ramsay, surprisingly) struck.  Stannis was just stuck in the snow; the Boltons had a murder mystery and hostile nobles on their hands.

I swear, last book note:  Shireen and Selyse end the novel at Castle Black, waiting for another Night's Watch castle to be made livable for them.  Shireen is her usual kind self; but Selyse is bitchy about everything and everyone hates her.

Dorne ends well, there's even a raunchy joke about how Bronn just can't resist the bad girls.  And when I say it ends well, I mean it ends with someone dying.  Of course it would happen just after Myrcella and Jaime have a heart to heart about who her dad really is.  I have to say, Myrcella takes confirmation of the whole incest/bastard thing much better than I thought; her whole claim to live in a palace and marry a prince rests on a lie. And what does she think of the body count over her family holding onto the Iron Throne for dear life?  We probably won't know, as it becomes obvious that Ellaria risked her own life with Tyene's poison to kill little Myrcella.  Will Trystane and Bronn figure it out, risking more violence between Lannisters and Martells?  Did Bronn manage to scrounge any poison antidote before leaving Dorne?  Does Prince Doran Martell know about this?   Ever since the season premier, with the forest witch prophesying that Cersei's three children will die, we've wondered which kid will get it.  How long will it take for Jaime to realize he sucks at protecting people?

Two down

Sam ends the season well, getting a free trip to Oldtown for himself and Gilly.  The plan is for him to leave Gilly with his parents in Southeastern Westeros, near Oldtown.  Oldtown is literally the oldest city of Westeros, built by hands now unknown.  It's also the site of the Citadel, where Maesters are trained and chained.  Sam plans on studying there, and coming back as Maester for Castle Black.  And he admits to Jon that he may have broken a vow.  About sexy time.  Notice how, instead of marching Sam through Castle Black naked while ringing a bell, Jon just congratulates Sam on getting some nooky before Armageddon.  I repeat that; instead of shamed, Sam is congratulated, even though he literally fucked a wildling.  Heck, Lord Commander Snow even waves Sam and Gilly off.

And they get out just in time.  Davos shows up, and not only does he want supplies, he wants what few wildlings Jon managed to bring back from Hardhome.  Jon is in the process of refusing him when the only other survivor of Stannis' army rides in, to Jon's complete disappointment.  Melisandre is back! (One wonders how Melisandre would have fared on the walk of atonement.  Would she have scoffed at the judgement of infidels, condemning them to darkness as she passed by?)  And for once, she's speechless.  She can't even tell Davos that Stannis and Shireen are dead- he figures it out by her dreadful silence.

What will Davos and Melisandre do?  Stay for the real fight with the dead?  Stannis' bid for the throne is completely finished, which means Davos is guilty of treason.  And he's already at The Wall, so why not take the black? The Wall will need him, and soon.  Like, that very night soon.

Jon is left at night time with his very disappointing mail, and no one to complain about it with.  Sam is gone; Ghost is somewhere, we haven't seen him for two episodes.  Which, makes it the perfect time for Ollie to lead Jon right into his enemies' trap.  Was Jon really fooled with Ollie's excited news?  It seems he was, because the effigy he finally finds is the first blow.  The rest are just cuts.  In a scene that comes right out of Julius Caesar, Jon's brothers stab him one by one, declaring it's for their own survival as they give Jon wound after bloody guy wound.  It's Ollie's betrayal that hurts most of all; Jon probably saw something of himself in the boy.  But Ollie is as hardened and unrepentant as Alliser Thorne, and his blade finally finds the left side of Jon's chest.

The brothers remaining walk away, silently, leaving Jon in the snow.  The last shot of the season is Jon's body, unblinking, motionless, and spilling dark red blood all around.

Last thought in Jon's head?

He looks dead.  And Kit Harrington has stated Jon's dead.  And the show's producers have stated "Dead's dead".  Is everyone lying to cover up a last-second rescue?  Martin, the books' author, is mum about Jon's fate entirely.  Davos isn't going to be so blase about this death.  And Melisandre is right there in the camp, and fully aware that her god can bring the dead back to life.  Will Jon, with his last thought, enter the mind of Ghost, and spend his remaining days hunting and terrorizing his killers?

This finale, unlike others, creates more questions- 2 to 3 characters are very likely dead, but we don't know for sure.  Reek and Sansa may find themselves trying to flee Winterfell with broken bones.  Arya can't even see, for fuck's sake.  Tyrion has hope for the future, and Cersei is even more committed to being a cunt than ever.  So, go Lannisters?

Shireen Needed A Dragon Too - Game of Thrones - Season 5, Episode 9

I'm going to address the plotlines a little out of sequence.  For the record, I get why they ended with Dany riding Drogon for the first time.  It's from the books, and sets the stage for a very interesting episode in Mereen next week.  Most 9th Episodes of the GOT season end horribly; this one put the shocking death squarely in the middle, and let us end on a, literally, soaring note.

One thing to note is how female-dominated almost each plotline this week is.  Only the Night's Watch plotline is only guys talking.  And even in that one, the orphaned daughters of Karsi the Brave One-Episode Character are front and center, under Tormund's personal protection.  Maybe they're there because Alliser Thorne, asshole that he is, won't let children die.  He repeats his opinion that Jon's kindness towards the defenseless of the Free Folk is suicidal, but who opened the tunnel to Jon's suicidal move?

Samwell tries to console Jon, basically with a Free-Folk version of the Saving Starfish story.  It doesn't work once Jon looks over his men and Ollie, obviously resenting every single new mouth to feed.  Especially when Wun-Wun the Giant enters. Come on, guys, Jon brought back a zombie-destroying giant.  Show some fucking appreciation.  Ollie is unmoved, even after the sight of so many children who lost their home just as horrifically as he did his.  In case you still haven't figured it out, the season is preparing us for whatever betrayal Ollie's got in mind.

The season is also preparing us for Arya crossing another name off her Revenge List.  Meryn Trant is a member of the Kingsguard, and one of his least appealing acts was when he and some fellow "knights" arrived to arrest/kill Arya near the end of Season 1 on Cersei's orders.  Remember Sylvio Forel, her "dancing instructor", sending her away, reminding her to always pray "Not today", to the one god?  Well, it's time for Meryn Trant, one of the first names on Arya's list, to pay.

Arya quickly forgets the "Thin Man", the crooked, non-paying insurance agent at the docks, once she sees Meryn arriving as Mace Tyrell's escort to Braavos.  Mace Tyrell is convinced that a good bottle of wine, some poetic complements and some impromptu singing will warm Tycho Nestoris' heart and get a smaller bill from the Bank of Braavos; doesn't Westeros know the Bank is already backing Stannis?  Probably not, or Cersei would have sent someone to make the Bank fear her, instead of sending Mace away so she could imprison his children.

Arya eventually follows Trant and his junior guards to Trant's favorite Braavos brothel, where she slips inside, once again selling seafood.  The managers want her out, but her seafood's a hit, getting her access, if she's quiet enough, to a private chamber where Trant's penchant for teenagers makes even the Madame uncomfortable; the girl Trant eventually brings to his room, is obviously not even a prostitute yet.  And, Madame is ordered to get Trant another one for tomorrow night.

Arya's chased away, but she's seen enough.  Now, not only does Arya need to kill him, but we need Arya to kill him, too.  Back at the House of B&W, Arya's simple lie to Jaqen H'ghar actually goes uncaught, or at least, unpunished; he even turns her lie into a joke.  And then gives her a body to wash.

A girl does indeed have work to do

Maybe it's time to ask why the House of B&W feels any need to kill outside its door.  While we know Jaqen is an assassin, and that he is training Arya to become one, why does the House of B&W need them?  Plenty of people show up every day to become part of their basement art installation.  Is there a dogma of balance that Arya hasn't been instructed in yet?

The Dorne plotline is all but sewn up.  Prince Doran Martell has a tea party.  He scolds Jaime for sneaking into his house and trying to whisk Myrcella away.  Jaime comes clean about the threat and the locket Cersei received.  Myrcella confirms her locket has been missing, and everyone decides she can go back to King's Landing and get it, as long as she brings Trystane, his curly locks, and his gorgeous robes with her.  Oh, and Bronn gets smacked in the face.  But Doran is totes nice after that, offering him soup. 

Doran also has Ellaria Sand, in full view of the Sand Snakes, re-pledge allegiance to Doran.  She cries while doing this, mostly because her dream of revenge for Oberyn is dying and even veiled threats to Jaime can't console her.  Doran also puts the fear of a Dornish spear in her, telling her this is her freebie.  Next time, she gets a traitor's death.  The Sand Snakes watch, probably mindful the warning's for them as well.  They're too busy playing the Slapping Game to notice much else.

All's well that ends well and this could have been a Shakespearean comedy.  Will Episode 10 turn it into a tragedy?  Because the idea of Trystane on the Small Council is ridiculous.  And Jaime and Bronn can't get this season back if it turns out to have just been a wacky bromance for them.  Will we at least get to see their reactions when they return to the shitshow that is King's Landing?

Now, let's get to the kid burning!  Ramsay ends up keeping his promise to his dad, sneaking twenty men into Stannis' camp and starting a few fires.  He knows what to burn too, including the food.  Melisandre looks equal part thrilled and sad at a horse galloping away while engulfed in flames.  As Ser Davos is going over the damage with Stannis, Melisandre has found Selyse and the look the two women give Stannis and Davos leaves Stannis with no doubt what they want, and Davos with a sense of danger.

Stannis sends Davos away shortly after, and Davos knows something is up.  He tries to argue to stay, then he tries to argue to send Selyse and Shireen to Castle Black with him.  He parts from Shireen as if she is his daughter.  He gives her a little toy stag he carved himself; he tells her that he took her reading lessons as a tribute to his son, killed at the Blackwater Bay Battle; and he kisses her forehead before leaving her, all clear signs that Shireen isn't living past this episode.  Why don't we pay attention to these signs? 

Because we think the show won't actually kill a little girl.

Juxtaposed with the images of warm, candlelit tents for the nobles is the sight of Southern soldiers without gloves in freezing temperatures.  The cold looks like their number one hatred, and the cold alone, with only horse meat to stave it off, looks like reason enough for them to mutiny any second.  Is this why Stannis does it?  He won't go back; he can't, yet, go forward.  Melisandre's magic killed Renly, and it kind-of killed Joffrey and Robb (Balon Greyjoy is still alive).  Is it desperation by a march in weather he never planned for?  Stannis has never presented himself as True Believer like his wife; he didn't care if Shireen converted to his new god; and he has a tendency to whine if he feels the Lord of Light isn't coming through fast enough for him.  

But, he has gone through with every awful idea of Melisandre's, and maybe it's her he's devoted to.  When he finds Shireen in her tent, reading up on Targaryen history, the two discuss the risks of civil war, and destiny.  Basically, about 160 years before the series' events, two Targaryen half-siblings duked it out over the throne when their father died. Rhaenyra Targaryen, daughter of the first wife, was the chosen successor; but she was off giving birth on Dragonstone, and her half-brother Aegon II had himself crowned instead.  Rhaenyra was also crowned by her supporters.  They went through dragons, fellow Targaryens, and a bunch of noble houses.  Eventually, they both died and Rhaenyra's son married Aegon II's daughter.  Rhaenyra's son ruled as Aegon III, and the joining of the sibling's lines settled the matter.  Their civil war, which was the beginning of House Targaryen's long decline, is called the Dance of Dragons.

Stannis seems actually interested in who Shireen favored for the crown. But, Shireen is like Prince Doran; why make a choice that brings about a horribly destructive war?  Stannis gives her a bit of wisdom that is the deadest giveaway ever that Shireen's about to die; sometimes, you have to choose to become who you were meant to be.

This means, for Stannis, watching from right outside his tent while his daughter is led, hands shaking in the cold while she innocently clutches her toy stag (reminding us, that, yes, Stannis is killing a fucking kid).  Poor Shireen, she doesn't realize until she's in front of the pyre, with Melisandre awaiting her and telling her that she'll get there when she gets there.  The soldiers show no hesitation in dragging her to the pyre and tying her up, despite the sound of her little voice crying out for her father, and then her mother.  Melisandre shows no sorrow as she lights the pyre.  

And Stannis shows no emotion as he watches with Selyse.  At first, Selyse is devoted to the cause.  But it only takes one screaming plea from Shireen to break her religious resolve.  Shireen is the only adult to openly oppose this; Davos is already gone.  I don't know what's worse; the sound of Shireen screaming for her parents before being horribly murdered, or the silence once she's consumed by the flames.  Stannis' men either look down out of shame or can't look away out of morbid dread.  Stannis finally gets the burning he was denied at the Season Premiere.  Melisandre gets her King's Blood sacrifice.  

Shireen's end echoes two other great child-sacrifice stories:  Isaac and Iphigenia.  Isaac is almost sacrificed at Yahweh's command, with his Dad Abraham placing him on the pyre and about to slash the kid's throat.  Right before, Isaac was helping his dad set up the sacrifice, still completely oblivious to the impending doom, even asking his Dad why they didn't bring a lamb to burn?  Abraham dodges the question by stating that Yahweh's going to provide one, and Yahweh ends up doing that after stopping Abraham at the last second.

Is Stannis' choice different?  Is Stannis' god different?  Yahweh specifically and directly demanded that Abraham sacrifice his son.  The Lord of Light, aka R'hllor, doesn't really care whose royal blood is spilt; Shireen is picked because she's the only one eligible.  Yahweh calls the thing off, telling Abraham it was just a test.  R'hllor, the Lord of Light, has no use for tests, only blood.

Still a fucking cunt

Iphigenia was the daughter of the Greek King Agamemnon. When Dad insults Artemis the Goddess, Artemis demands the sacrifice of Iphigenia so Agamemnon can finally get his ships to sea and invade Troy.  Agamemnon tricks Iphigenia into coming to him, but he eventually has to admit that he's going to sacrifice her for his war.  Iphigenia balks at first; but she finally agrees to be killed, as it's the only heroic thing she would ever be allowed to do in Ancient Greece.  Stannis tricks Shireen, too; but her screams at the end indicate she had much bigger dreams.  Shireen wants to be a hero, and when she tells her dad that she would love to help him, his face breaks a little and our hearts break a lot, because she doesn't know what she's agreeing to.

Will Davos get to find out the truth?  How could it be concealed, happening in the open and Melisandre completely unashamed of anything she ever does?  Will Davos still support Stannis?  Or, will it just be too much?  Davos has made it clear that he isn't just loyal to Shireen; he clearly likes and respects her more than he does Stannis, and maybe it's the chance to be her Hand that he's in it for.  Shireen, like Dany, didn't want to be constrained by the old choices.

Which is why Dany looks absolutely crestfallen to be opening the Games of Bloody Death in Mereen.  Her mood doesn't improve when Hizdahr zo Loraq shows up late, claiming to have been making sure everything's in order, including his eventual betrayal of her.  Dany is resigned to watching more bloody fighting, and she's even more sickened by the fighters' claims to be doing it for her glory.  Hizdahr's insistence that not only must she watch, she also has to start each fight with her own hands, leads to the slowest Royal Hand Clap Ever, which is greeted by hysterical cheers from both former masters and slaves.  It's not as rabid as a World Cup match, but maybe they just need some face paint.

Notice: only Grey Worm is missing- is he still recovering?

Dany is as horrified by the local love of The Games as she is by The Games; she still has no use for Hizdahr's argument that traditions deserve respect for the simple fact that they're popular.   Hizdahr does win in his bet on the larger fighter with Daario, but Dany, Daario and Tyrion are all committed to the idea that Hizdahr must be shown as the untried courtier he is.  Daario unabashedly amuses Dany by simulating his fighting skills on Hiz; Dany openly dismisses his philosophy; and Tyrion gives us, probably, his most classic burn yet.  When Hiz asks if the war-scarred Tyrion is okay with the fighting, he replies that he's seen enough of it to know it's not a leisure activity.

That leads to Hiz showing he supports death and cruelty if it leads to greatness, so Dany points to the just-beheaded "athlete" now bleeding all over the arena floor in front of her.  Hiz sticks to his point, that traditions are great because they outlive us and produces awesome positions of power for awesome people like himself and always will.  Tyrion doesn't even bother hiding his disgust when he tells Hiz that good ol' Tywin Lannister would have been his BFF.  Hiz goes back to the Games, not even aware that Tyrion just delivered an insult.

It's a great conversation, so the characters can suss out their feelings for each other and their current situation.  Daario and Hiz both like The Games, Dany and Tyrion are disgusted.  Hiz loves traditions, as does everyone else in that arena.  Dany and Tyrion think that aristocrats should maybe encourage better behavior rather than bloody and morbid spectacles.  Dany threatens that one day, she may burn down Mereen instead of saving it, and now Hiz cares about human life.  Dany says dying for her crusade is a good way to go; Hiz says the fighters in the pit are willing to go, because it's on their terms.  Tyrion complements his eloquence, but insists that good words can still be horribly wrong, to Dany's appreciation.

The whole thing becomes moot when the next match brings Ser Jorah, who we knew would be here today, but Dany obviously didn't.  Tyrion hates the idea of watching him slaughtered today, too, but Dany visibly shakes as she bravely claps her Royal Hands.  Hizdahr may be her fiancee, Daario may be her lover, but Jorah is her heart. He literally believed in her when almost no one else did.  And she hates sitting there watch him fight in the arena out of love for her in a fight that already fills her with disgust.

Lucky for her, Jorah manages to defeat both his opponents, the second after a cute somersault move in the dirt. The crowd is livid that all the local talent won to a knight from Westeros; Dany looks like she has no idea what to do next, especially when Jorah suddenly decides to yank a spear from the ground and throw it at her.  Daario pushes her out of the way, only to see the spear land in the Son of the Harpy behind them.  And a bunch more masked men appear in the stands.  So, now there's a third fight plotline.

The Sons of the Harpy immediately start slaughtering the audience, commoner and nobleman alike, and Hiz stands, proclaiming that he knows a way out.  Was this whole thing so he could appear a hero?  Maybe not,   A Son immediately stabs Hiz in the chest repeatedly, and while he writhes in agony, Jorah holds out his hand, for Dany to gently take, so he can whisk her away.  Daario follows, and Tyrion only stays long enough to grab a dagger, and rescue Missandhei.  Hiz is left to, hopefully, die.

It's not the hand with Grayscale, is it?

Dany, Jorah and Daario find the way out blocked, and all five of our heroes regroup together in the middle of the arena, perfect for being surrounded in.  There's a moment where everyone just needs to breathe heavily, and Dany needs to make her peace with dying.  She does after she and Missandhei join hands, friends to the end.

A semi-familiar screech interrupts everyone, and Drogon appears as a flying black streak inside flames.  He's a fearsome warrior, and we can see how a herd of them, all flown by past Targaryens, could have taken over Westeros from seven Kings three hundred years ago.   But there are so many spears, and a few have landed in his back.  He's still going, the spears just seem to piss him off, but it's not hard to see that he could be overwhelmed, and soon.

Dany looks with a mother's love at Drogon as she calls out to him, and gently steps right up to Drogon.  She yanks out a random spear; he turns and shrieks at her, but no flame swallows her up.  He just wants to vent, literally.  Dany weathers this calmly, without a sign on her face of what dragon breath must smell like, and Drogon calms down, letting himself be petted for once.  But a new spear hitting him ends their Beauty and the Beast/King Kong moment.

Mommy, hear me scream at you!

As the fighting continues, Dany decides it's time to go.  She's the one character who gets to fly away from danger, who gets to mount a dragon, chant "Vla" and feel Drogon gain speed and then soar away.   We see her on Drogon's back, holding on easily, enjoying a smooth flight from the hell below.  It's a scene straight from the books, one we've been waiting for.  And it's everything we wanted; Dany claiming another bit of her traditional, yet radical destiny.  Tyrion's face as he realizes that sometimes good does triumph, that Dany is for real.  It's not until we see all the faces Dany has left behind that a few important questions pop up, like: how the fuck are they going to get out of there?  And where is Drogon taking her?

Oh, who gives a fuck, let's just fly!

The Iceman Cometh - Game of Thrones - Season 5, Episode 8

Okay, so some interesting conversations happened.  AND THEN THERE WAS AN AWESOME ZOMBIE BATTLE!  Cersei licked dirty water off a dirty stone floor.  AND THEN THERE WAS AN AWESOME ZOMBIE BATTLE!  Roose tries to explain proper seige strategy to Ramsay.  AND THEN THERE WAS AN AWESOME ZOMBIE BATTLE!  Sansa took her pain and anger out on Reek, learning her younger brothers were alive in the process.  AND THEN THERE WAS AN AWESOME ZOMBIE BATTLE!  Tyrion and Danaerys tested each other for intelligence and loyalty and human decency.  AND THEN THERE WAS AN AWESOME ZOMBIE BATTLE!

Okay, we'll spend a little time on the conversations, more because of what was implied.  Cersei is right where about 90% of the audience hoped she'd be since Season 1.  The Septas (basically, nuns) are trying to slap and thirst a confession out of her.  The one who interviews her has no response to Cersei's mixture of pleas and threats.  Nothing is wanted from Cersei but a confession.  Even Qyburn, her only visitor, gently nudges her that way.  But, a confession is the only thing Cersei won't provide anyone.

Couple of interesting notes:  Tommen has cut off all contact with anyone who could advise him.  Has Tommen realized how useless he is?  With Cersei charged for everything, including conceiving Tommen through incest, he's basically a lame duck king.  If Cersei is convicted, Uncle Kevan will need to whisk Tommen away from King's Landing.  Best-case scenario for Tommen: he spends his days at Casterly Rock.  Worst-case:  a mob gets him and delivers mob "justice".

Qyburn informs Cersei that Pycelle has basically abandoned Cersei, probably out of spite for all her insults to him.  Kevan is coming to take her place, which means that no one expects her to be vindicated soon.  Indeed, no one seems to want her to be vindicated at all.  No wonder that spilled water on the floor looks so good.

Roose briefs the defenders of Winterfell on his strategy for defeating Stannis.  Basically, he'll just let Stannis and his army die in the North's Winter.  Roose points out that they have months of food, proper fortifications, and soldiers used to the cold.  There's no real reason to even fight them, and Roose is totally okay with digging out their corpses years from now when Spring finally comes.

Ramsay is bored with this idea.  And, we all know that Ramsay needs something to do.  Ramsay wants to literally strike at Stannis, leaving his well-defended castle for the snow and cold and a fight while Stannis still has an army.  Roose tries to patiently explain that it's a stupid idea, but Ramsay offers to only need twenty fighters.  Roose only takes the bait when Ramsay sells it as a message to any other possible invaders.

Neither man knows that Littlefinger is probably in the Vale right now raising an army that will also march on Winterfell, and something tells me that he has no intention of making sure the Boltons keep Winterfell or that Stannis wins it.  Soldiers of the Vale are from mountains that are almost as snowy and cold in winter, and won't balk at the weather.  They're battle-hardened and Littlefinger has earned the submission of their lords.  And Littlefinger plays to win.  Ramsay is sure he'll win; Roose is sure he'll win.  Stannis is pressing forward even as battle looks worse.  Will Littlefinger let Baratheon and Bolton weaken each other, and seize Winterfell for his own?  My guess is he wants Sansa to be a widow and free to marry him.  He's already negotiated to be the Warden of the North if he wins; and he's demonstrated he wants Sansa as his eventual prize.

Speaking of Sansa, she's getting dressed and patiently waiting for meals now, a sign that she intends to keep on going until some other idea for escape comes to her.  You and I know that Brienne is still waiting, but Sansa may suspect her way out abandoned her after so long without a signal and the coming Winter.  Reek explains his newest betrayal with the news that no one escapes Ramsay.  To try to is provoke him into retaliation.  Does Reek think he's doing Sansa a favor by advising her to simply accept Ramsay's cruelty?

Notice:  both Qyburn and Reek counsel Cersei and Sansa to comply with the unthinkable.  Notice:  neither woman gives in.  Was this all women had back in the Dark and Middle Ages?  Their only allowed defiances were these small ones.

While arguing over just why Reek is such a shitty person, Sansa manages to pick open one of Reek's equivocations and gets him to admit he never killed Bran and Rickon.  He doesn't realize it, but he's just given Sansa a reason to live, and some secret knowledge she can use, if she can figure out how and when to use it.  Keep in mind, Sansa doesn't realize that Ramsay and Roose already know the younger Stark boys are alive.  She has a good card, but she doesn't know all her opponents' cards yet.

Dany and Tyrion face each other in Dany's throne room, Jorah standing to the side and enduring hearing about himself and what a desperate wretch he really is.  It breaks him, but it also breaks Dany to send away someone who she relied on so completely for so long.  She does it on Tyrion's advice, after hearing him unwittingly tell her something she foolishly learned the hard way.   While Dany tries to cow Tyrion into proving himself as an advisor, he reminds her that he's going to have to decide whether she's worth advising.  He makes it clear that she's racked up some impressive wins, but they've only made him curious, not convinced him to serve her.

It unsettles her that this criminal from Westeros, from a family that should be begging for her forgiveness, is on the fence about her.  Later, Tyrion finally gets some wine and he and Dany can relax and discuss how they've both resolved not to be their fathers' duplicates.  He tries talking her out of taking the Iron Throne; he reminds her her work in Mereen isn't done and isn't likely to be done anytime soon.  

Dany is still convinced that the common people of Westeros want her to return.  Tyrion humors her, only to point out that the common people, if she does has their support, aren't enough.  Tyrion advises by asking questions.  Does your hoped-for strategy work where you've tried to apply it? When the look on Dany's face tells him he's got a point, he reminds her that the rich, though bastards, are needed to really secure a realm.

 He runs through the noble houses of Westeros, pretty sure only the Tyrells will support her.  He leaves out House Martell of Dorne, but they would likely support her- Dany's eldest brother was married to a Martell, and the poor woman was the cruelly murdered Ellia that Oberyn tried to avenge.

Dany doesn't dismiss the nobility of Westeros.  But she describes them to Tyrion as the problem that she feels she will finally solve by taking the Iron Throne.  Tyrion is a little surprised- is Dany plotting to destroy every noble house, even ones that might support her?  Well, she was fine with killing the Masters of Astapor.  And killing off the noble houses will remove the most troublesome part of ruling as a monarch.  But, can a crown effectively govern each region after removing that region's long-time lord?

AND THEN THERE WAS AN AWESOME ZOMBIE BATTLE!  It starts innocently enough, with Tormund openly beating the Lord of Bones to death so he can call for a meeting with the elders and the elders will actually show up.  Lord Commander Jon Snow makes his case, and offers dragonglass (obsidian) daggers as a gift in exchange for taking his already-generous deal.  The Free Folk basically get what they wanted in the first place, as long as they'll send fighters to end the armies of the dead to the Night's Watch.

The lone giant, maybe the last of his kind, sulks in a corner.  I can't blame him for not trusting the Night's Watch, although he looks tormented by the fact that he knows there's no hope for him North of the Wall.  The Thenn leader, scarred and bald (once again- it's fucking cold and NO ONE is wearing a hat) just gives Jon ugly threats.  Only Karsi remembers what the original goal was, and just can't believe that they'll get it despite losing the war and her male relatives anyway.

In the end, Tormund defends Jon, telling them that he helped Mance Rayder die a quick death instead of the fiery torture Stannis wanted.  Calling the leaders of Westeros "Southern Kings" as if they can have the South and nothing else, Tormund talks up Jon.  Little advice: maybe it's not a good idea to admit that Jon is as pretty as a girl after he's just been accused of sucking Jon's cock.  But otherwise, it's a good speech that convinces Karsi, though not the Thenns or the giant.

The dragonglass daggers, stupidly, are left behind in the cottage with only Dolorous Edd to make sure only Free Folk coming along get them.

The lackluster evacuation starts.  Karsi gets her daughters on a boat, and promises that she's coming right behind them with the elderly, a sure sign she won't survive the episode, especially when she gets a long, last look at her daughters floating away.  Tormund isn't as worried at the small number of evacuees as Jon, saying he needs patience with the Free Folk, and that winter and death will bring more of them sooner that Jon's words can.  They both seem resigned to slowly moving people until dogs start barking.  Every dog.

The Free Folks are in their only known town of Hardhome, a settlement built out of logs.  There's a couple buildings, a couple docks and a log gate that stretches between two mountains.  The log gate only guards a small portion of the whole thing, with Free Folk camped out outside the gates.  Their dogs are their only warning system, and it's too late.  Jon and Tormund watch as a brown dust storm starts from the surrounding mountains.  The Thenn leader wanders to the open gate, ordering it shut as soon as he sees a brown whirlwind advancing through the camp outside, and Free Folk running away from it.

Jon and Tormund know it's the dead right away, making more wights.  And we know the fate of the Free Folk locked outside when the gate is finally closed.  But the Thenn can't help watching for the dead to attack, which he gets close up.  The wights immediately storm the wall, punching thru holes between the logs, trying to climb under, trying to climb over.  Jon wastes time looking to the top of the mountains at the edge of Hardhome, making out four riders.  Four Horsemen, bringing the Apocalypse.

The Free Folk respond with archers and the brutal violence they've always relied on.  But that wall isn't going to hold back an army of bloodthirsty dead.  Jon and the Thenn scramble to find the dragonglass daggers that Edd weirdly left behind when the building he and giant were in is attacked.  And it's here that we see the White Walker Warrior come for both fighters.  The Thenn goes down quickly, his weapon actually whacked apart easily by the White Warrior.  Jon tries to get back his daggers, but Lord Whitey decides to take his time killing Jon.  Jon loses Longclaw, his Valyrian steel sword, and tries another.  Lord Whitey easily hacks it apart.  Jon stumbles away, managing to grab Longclaw back, and looks as amazed as his enemy when the Valyrian steel holds against his spear.  Longclaw easily hacks Lord Whitey apart with one strike, making Jon the luckiest bastard in Westeros.

Edd finds Jon after he's won, and the two witness the final invasion of Hardhome.  With wights literally jumping off the mountain and into Hardhome, to rise and storm the place, and the log gate finally collapsing, it's time for the few remaining fighters to desperately run to the dock and the last boat.  Karsi has gone down, her heart and spirit broken by children converted into wights, one of whom looks like one of her own daughters.  A few look like they've been dead a while, while a few are new.  And all of them look hungry.  Karsi is swallowed by a heap of them, biting her to death.

Jon and Tormund and Edd and a few other unnamed fighters manage to row away, but stop rowing once away from shore to watch the lone giant slowly walk into the bay, toward their waiting ships.  They can also watch the last few humans of Hardhome be viciously killed by wights.  The shoreline quiets down, until no more killing is needed.  No more humans remain.  Hardhome is wiped out.

One figure emerges, walking calmly along the dock Jon and Co. just left.  While the last survivors float just out of his reach, and you are screaming at Jon to fucking row, Jon and Tormund and Edd can only watch in horror as The Night's King simply extends him arms, raising all the last kills of Hardhome from death, to rise with pale blue eyes.  The shore is still so quiet that you can hear the sound of waves and wind as the camera pans out to see an entire shoreline covered in wights.  The Night's King can't wait to see Jon again, even with Jon's Valyrian steel sword.

Row, you stupid fuckers, row!!!!

Who is the Night's King?  This article is a handy guide.  Last time, it took a Stark and a Free Folk King to defeat him.  Enemies why this are why Starks are always preparing for Winter.  With a world more concerned about a fucking sword-chair in King's Landing, what hope does a decimated Night's Watch and untrained, undisciplined and almost-wiped-out Free Folk have?  Little known fact:  Brienne of Tarth is carrying, possibly the only other Valyrian steel in the North, Oathkeeper.  She's also not far, just outside of Winterfell. Will she eventually join the fight of the millenium?

Because this battle showed just what the great fight of this story will be.  Even Littlefinger's long-game threat to Westeros pales (sorry for the pun) in comparison.  A non-human foe, with a past of evil, horror and death, threatens all of Westeros.  And he's coming soon.  Every other plot thread seems weak now, after a foe even the Thenns feared doesn't even let Jon get in one lousy evacuation.  The only other characters who seem at all concerned about the coming War of Night are Stannis and Melisandre.  And both are basically pinning their hopes on Stannis becoming king of Westeros first.  Maybe Wintering at Castle Black is where Stannis should be.  If Stannis can kill Ramsay Bolton before heading back to save all of Westeros, will he be everyone's favorite for the throne?

It Can Always Get Worse - Game of Thrones - Season 5, Episode 7

If there is a Murphy's Law of Westeros, it's that things Can Always Get Worse.  You can be a teenaged girl imprisoned in your husband's bedroom, covered in bruises and raped every night.  But it can get worse, because you can be hauled out of your prison to see your partially flayed maid and the candle you thought was going to save you in your cruelly abusive husband's hand.

Sansa appears to have only two things in her favor right now; Ramsay still doesn't know it's Brienne of Tarth who waits for a signal, and Stannis is coming.  She also has a bit of hard-lost knowledge: Reek is not her ally, even if it could mean his own freedom.    When Ramsay showed her the bloody, strapped up body of her maid, complaining the woman died before his torture could get any information, who wasn't reminded of Joffrey showing her Ned Stark's head?  Sansa certainly was.

Stannis and Davos bitch and moan about the weather holding up their march towards Winterfell, killing horses, and driving sellswords to sneak away.  Stannis is desperate not to spend winter at Castle Black.  He's also desperate to win, because while he rejects Melisandre's request for Shireen as a human sacrifice to the Lord of Light, he knows that Melisandre's last spell with king's blood killed two of his enemies.  Or, so he thinks.  Is her magic worth his daughter?  Not only is Shireen his beloved daughter, which we know; he's also Stannis' only legal heir.  If he wins the Iron Throne by spilling Shireen's blood, who will reign after him?  Stannis has shown himself a good long-term thinker; surely, this occurred to him?

The Queen of Thorns tries to have it out with the High Sparrow.  It take a few seconds to register that King's Landing's Pope is scrubbing floors, but is that really a surprise?  We saw, last week, that he still dresses in the same simple coarse and loose clothes he wore on the streets.  The High Sparrow, who still lacks an actual name, wields moral authority likes it's the King's Seal.  The High Sparrow threatens to expose that the noble families of Westeros don't really believe in the gods they appear to worship, if Margaery and Loras don't go to trial, and don't pay for crimes that have nothing to do with the running of the Realm.

Olenna Tyrell tries every trick; she tries to see if the High Sparrow can be bribed.  Look at him, Olenna, what do you think?  She tries pointing out how little she cares about the rules they broke.  To be fair, Loras's homosexuality isn't a crime anymore and the audience completely understands why both he and Margaery have lied about it.  But, the High Sparrow is obsessed with using the gods' laws to bring down the nobles of Westeros who think they're above those laws.  He makes that clear when Olenna threatens to stop feeding King's Landing.  High Sparrow points out that class warfare won't go well for her.  When desperate, hungry people outnumber you 100 to 1, don't stop feeding them.

Olenna, brushed aside by the guy scrubbing the floors, sneaks off to Littlefinger in his vandalized, closed brothel.  Olenna wonders what the point of killing Joffrey was if her own grandchildren face execution by religious fanatics.  Littlefinger offers her something to prevent her despair. Does he have Olyvar, the prostitute who incriminated Loras?  Without Olyvar, High Sparrow has very little of a case.  Notice how everyone has to go to Littlefinger to get their problem solved.  Olenna is right to suspect Littlefinger's appearance in the capital just as she needs a favor.

Tommen appears just as lost as Olenna, fasting and brooding about his own helplessness while he beloved wife rots in prison.  Cersei tries to rein Tommen back in as her baby boy, but Tommen openly declares his love for Margaery and that he can't live without her.  Cersei's face visibly cracks as she realizes Margaery can work on Tommen even when she's languishing in a prison cell.

Cersei decides to visit Margaery herself, to make sure that Margaery really is in prison and not traipsing around Tommen's chambers.  Margaery is bitter and dirty and angry and defiant, throwing Cersei's leftover venison back at her, openly calling her Dowager Queen Mother-in-law a bitch.  Cersei is riding high as she returns to the High Sparrow, as the two confer on whether the Tyrell kids will get the Mother's Mercy or the Father's Judgement.  Cersei is all for Judgement.

The High Septon may scrub the floors of the main, ornate, Sept above-ground.  But it's in the dark and dank-looking stone chamber underground that he actually worships in, and it's here that he and Cersei confer.  High Sparrow has shown in two episodes that he's not the kind of guy to be used by the powerful; he all but declared moral war against the rich to Olenna.  So, why is he so nice to Cersei?

Oh, it's so he can do what we've been waiting for for four seasons now:  throw Cersei into prison.  Lancel, who we all know was going to confess the affair and the murder of Robert Baratheon, stands next to his new leader while septas (basically, nuns) drag Cersei away.  They are stern and unafraid when Cersei threatens them with death for having the nerve to make the shows' audience wildly happy.  One wonders when Margaery will know that Cersei is her new neighbor.  One wonders when Tommen will find out his whole family has either left him or been thrown in prison.  Will he turn to Olenna for advice?

Jaime, while his son Tommen struggles in King's Landing, must now deal with his daughter while calling her his niece.  Jaime insists that she's not safe in Dorne; Myrcella tells Jaime that she's done obeying her mother.  Juliet, I mean Myrcella, insists that she loves Romeo- I mean, Tyrstane.  Notice how both Baratheon kids are pulling away from their elders to favor their own loves.

Bronn thinks he's making a similar love connection with Ellia Sand, who turns out to be quite the poisoner.  Bronn nearly dies in a Dornish prison, saved only because he knows when to tell a woman she's the fairest of them all.

Dany is enjoying some pillow talk with Daario, despite being engaged to Hizdhar zo Loraq.  Daario admits being jealous, but Dany reassures him with promises and nuzzling that he's still the man she wants.   Dany thinks marrying Loraq will cement a bond with Mereen's old families.  Daario suspects Loraq is running the Sons of the Harpy himself.  Now that he's got an impressive fiancee, Loraq would suspend the gang's violence to cement his bond with Mereen's new ruler.

Dany isn't convinced Loraq is her secret nemesis, but it's entirely believable that Loraq's willingness to get along with the new queen and new order is an act.  Maybe his act is believable enough to keep Dany from considering Daario's advice to simply murder all of the old, noble families of Mereen when the Main Fighting Pits re-open, and they're all assembled out of tradition.  Dany doesn't want to be her father.  Daario insists that playing fair will get her killed.

Jorah and Tyrion are still alive, thanks mostly to Tyrion's quick thinking and talking.  When Jorah is auctioned off, a humiliation he bares stoically, Tyrion manages to convince Jorah's new owner to buy him as well, by managing to beat his young captor with the chain holding him.  Mildly impressed, the new owner buys Tyrion on a whim and hands both new slaves some pocket change that's supposed to last them...  forever.

We soon learn that forever isn't supposed to be that long, maybe a day at most.  Jorah and Tyrion will be the opening act of the big Games of Mereen.  These opening acts are expected to kill most of the "fighters", while the truly brutal will survive to be the Main Attraction.  The Games are probably held in honor of the re-opening of the fighting pits, and it's important to see how Mereen has just ignored Dany's rule that only free men can fight there.

In fact, Dany would have little idea of how The Games actually go if Hizdhar hadn't cajoled his new fiancee into going to these introductory "fights".  Hiz insists that Mereen's leaders always go as a PR stunt for the fighters who are hastily assembled for her, their "manager" completely desperate to please Dany.  Dany walks in like a fashion designer attending a WWE event.  She's bored at first, until the blood is spilt so close her it's a wonder her dress isn't stained.  Mereen's noblemen, including Hizdhar, enjoy the slaughter.  Dany is horrified, and is about to walk out in a huff when one fighter decides to emerge from the dugout in an unholy rage that defeats every other warrior in the pit.

While Jorah fights his way back to his Khaleesi, Tyrion fights to get off the bench and to see the queen he's journeyed so far for.  He flails until an enterprising fellow helps him with his chain.  Tyrion manages to emerge from the dugout just in time to save Jorah; Jorah and Tyrion both insist that Tyrion is Jorah's offering to Daenarys Targaryen.  She's repulsed at first, until she hears the name "Lannister".  She may not know much about Westeros, but she knows the family name of the Kingslayer.

Sam Tarwell manages to do well at Castle Black, even after Jon parades a peaceful and unchained Tormund Giantsbane to the ships that will bring the Free Folk to Westeros.  Alliser seems content to just air his opinion, one last time.  When Aemmon Targaryen's watch ends during the night, as he mistakes Sam for his younger brother, Aegon The Unlikely, Sam knows that Aemmon's death is the end of an era for Westeros.  Aemmon would be Dany's great-great-uncle, the brother of her great-grandfather.  He would have remembered hearing of not just the fall of the Mad King, but the fiery death of Aegon The Unlikely, with most of the Targaryen royal family, almost two generations ago.

Alliser decides to bully Sam a bit about losing his mentor, but the real trouble comes from two of the younger Brothers, who decide that it's time to rape Gilly.  Both she and Same try to fight them off, and fail.  Her spirit and Sam's bravery are the only good things happening until Sam stands and shows them that he was just stalling for time.  Jon may have left, but Ghost didn't!  Maybe realizing how vulnerable his friend would be, Jon left someone behind to guard his allies.

Despite the fact that Ghost saved them, not Sam, Gilly decides that tonight is the night for Sam, and we leave them having the first consensual sex either has ever had.  Will their love last?  Or, will Gilly be driven away?

And, where the fuck is Rickon?  We know, from a season and a half ago, that he was bound for Last Hearth, the home of the Umbar family.  Hasn't Stannis reached that place, yet, to discover there's a Stark to put back in Winterfell?  Rallying for Rickon has the potential to put the North in Stannis' hands.  The bold and tough men of the North haven't risen against Roose, but would they if they all knew a male Stark lived?

Pants On Fire - Game of Thrones - Season 5, Episode 6

An entire episode about lies.  Arya learns how to lie, Tyrion remembers how to lie, Cersei actually gets Loras and Margaery to lie.  Ramsay turns out to have lied to Littlefinger, who lies non-stop to Cersei.  At this point, the only honest people of Westeros are in Dorne.  Really.

Arya has been washing body after body after body.  And she's good at it. But there's always a door she doesn't get to go through.  This one leads farther down, below the House of Black and White.  And Mean Girl won't let her cross through to see what happens to bodies she washes.  Arya decides that learning how to play the Game of Faces will get her through that door.

So, she tries playing with Mean Girl, only to find that it's basically a game where you lie and try to get away with it.  Mean Girl is kind of a master of it, and Jaqen demonstrates later that Arya can't even sneak in a little lie with him.  That's a lot of hits with a switch, and they hurt worst at statements Arya thought were true.  Jaqen accuses her of lying to herself.

When Arya is free from Jaqen's switch and scrubbing floors, a father brings his sick, suffering daughter to the House of Black and White.  It's a terrible choice he's making, and he knows it.  But no healer has ever been able to heal her.  And she's clearly suffering.  Her face shows she gets no sun and no rest.  Unable to even sit up, she lounges along the side of the pool of "water". Does this kid know what's going to happen?  Apparently not, because she swallows whole Arya's story of being healed by the water from the pool.  Jaqen watches as Arya manages to lie successfully and gently gives the kid her release from sickness.

Arya is washing the girl's body as Jaqen approaches.  He says nothing, but leaves the door to the downstairs squarely open.  Arya doesn't need an engraved invitation, she descends into the bowels of the House of Black and White after him.  Stair after stair is lined with pots of candles, lighting the walkway but not much else.  It's quiet.  The chamber at the bottom is dim, with fewer candles illuminating a series of structures.

Each structure contains numerous niches, all displaying a human head.  Vast numbers of heads fill the room, and you realize, The House of Black and White is making a many-faced god.  Jaqen asks her; is she ready to give up what makes Arya Arya?  Is she ready to give up her face, her loves, her hates?  No, Jaqen says, she's not ready to become no one, but someone else.  Maybe after becoming enough other people, Arya will eventually be nobody.

Why not just join Facebook?

Tyrion and Jorah are rediscovering who they are.  Barristan Selmy left Westeros before news of Jeor Mormont's death could reach King's Landing; but Tyrion would have heard of it all.  And it's his sad job to tell Jorah how his father died.  Does Jorah feel any guilt?  That was supposed to be him on The Wall, not his father.  Instead, Jorah strides along the coast, towards Mereen,  Tyrion follows, and wants to know what happens when Jorah has put a teenager who hasn't seen Westeros in ten years on the Iron Throne.  And he wants to know what's in it for Jorah?  Jorah's answer, that Dany will rule, short and curt, reveals that he's still super devoted to her.  Dude, Jorah, she's totally moved on.

Tyrion can't point this out, which is just as well, since they've got slavers to deal with.  They're captured by some real jerks, who want Jorah for a galley slave and Tyrion dead.  But, it's Tyrion who saves the day with his fast tongue, playing the massive-not-to-be-believed-dwarf-cock card.  Who, exactly, pays for the cock of a dwarf?  And would you really want to touch the money after they've handled it?

I'm a tripod, dude

Way back in Dorne, teen lovebirds Trystane Martell and Myrcella Baratheon make googly eyes at each other and Trystane tries to get to second base.  It's hard to say if he really loves her, although she clearly hearts him.  Jaime and Bron manage to get to the Water Gardens, just outside of the Martell home Sunspear, at the same time that Ellaria Sand, and her lover's daughters don the stupidest veil/masks ever.  They're going to they're uncle's house, and they think no one will recognize them?  Jaime and Bron's disguises are even more outlandish, especially when their plan is ride in behind some merchants, and then try to sneak the horses away.  In real life, we can hear the horses wandering away, through the estate.

The awkward confrontation is cartoonish, and it's hard to say what Myrcella should do when her "uncle" and some unknown friend show up to break up Trystane and Myrcella.  Myrcella doesn't understand why she's being whisked away, Trystane tries to take out his sword.  But, sadly, the thing's mostly for show and Jaime quickly knocks Tigerbeat Martell to the ground.  Jaime is ready to whisk Myrcella away when the Sand Snakes strike.  The fight between the three women and two men while Myrcella frets over Trystane resembles a fight scene from an early 80s television show.

Does this sword go with this robe?

Thank the gods that Areo Hotah, bodyguard to Doran Martell, breaks up the whole thing quickly before it can get any more trite.   Ellaria turns out to be the most incompetent ringleader when she surrenders, trying to look scared and helpless. The Sand Snakes question Areo's loyalty to Dorne, but Areo is from Norvos, a city across the sea.  His only loyalty is to Doran Martell.  Who, wants Myrcella to stay with his son as he was promised by the Lannisters.  Bronn tries getting in a snide compliment to Ellia Sand, who will try to rip him apart later.

Olanna, the Tyrell matriarch, returns to King's Landing, shit-smell and all.  Confronting Cersei is useless, as Cersei feigns having no power in anything at all.  Olanna reminds Cersei who provides the money and food to King's Landing.  Cersei looks unconcerned, but maybe she should be.  If she gets the Tyrell heir killed, Tommen might find himself divorced.  And Cersei will be left to rule a starving city.

With her uncle returning to the Lannister's home, Casterly Rock, her allies are dwindling and she's pissing off the most important one.  Olanna reminds Cersei that this is not how her dad rolled. Cersei has more important scheming to do with Littlefinger, who returns to intimidation tactics by the Faith Militant, Lancel in the lead.  Lancel tries threatening Littlefinger, as he owned the city's most expensive brothel.  But, Littlefinger's not scared, especially since he doesn't even believe in Lancel's gods.

Littlefinger sits down with Cersei and assures her he's got total control of the Vale, which is mostly true.  He's got the other lords and ladies of the Vale in his pocket.  He then proceeds to totally sell out Sansa Stark, detailing that she's, somehow, back at Winterfell and about to marry into the Boltons.  Cersei hasn't heard anything of Sansa's whereabouts, and is desperate to have her head on a spike.  Littlefinger says she needs only a little patience; Stannis has departed The Wall and is heading toward Winterfell.  Littlefinger tells her to let Stannis and Roose duke it out, and attack the weakened victor.  And then she can have Sansa's head on a spike.

Littlefinger, knowing Cersei lacks an army, offers the warriors of the Vale to do the job.  Is his plan to march the soldiers of the Vale north in time to defeat Stannis, then cement his deal with Roose?  Or, is his plan to march on Winterfell, arrive just in time to claim it and Sansa for himself?    Either way, his price for doing all this for Cersei is to be named Warden of the North.  Cersei agrees, thinking she's ahead on the deal.

Whatever Littlefinger wants to do to bring down the Lannisters, he better do it soon, and in coordination with the Queen of Thorns, because Margaery and Loras Tyrell are in deep shit.  The High Sparrow has Olivar, from the raid on Littlefinger's brothel, and Olivar uses his knowledge of Loras' birthmarks to incriminate Loras in homosexual sex.   Olivar also testifies that Margaery knew of Loras' secret sex life, despite her testimony that she knew nothing of any of the charges against her brother.

Cersei is relaxed as she watches her plan to get both Tyrell kids executed.  Tommen is completely useless, perhaps worried that he's got to look like he cares about morality so the word "incest" is never uttered in his presence.  Margaery is livid when she looks back to Tommen, who looks like he'd rather be hearing about anything else than his brother-in-law's sex life.  Olanna looks at Cersei, shocked that she'd conspire against her own daughter-in-law.  And, furious that Cersei means to eliminate any ally who might become more powerful then Cersei.  Olanna, in one look, decides it's on.

You wanna' play, bitch?  Let's play.

Was using the High Sparrow and the Faith Militant this way a good idea?  She certainly thinks so, as she can simply say she's doing the will of the king in giving them weapons and judicial power.  Tommen will lose a shitload of popularity with the people for executing a popular queen, and he'll have to rely on his mother and her protection even more.  But, Lancel, as we saw in the premiere episode, has a ton of shit on her.  And, he's the most militant of the Faith Militant.  It's only a matter of time before he decides that Margaery needs a cellmate.   And, it's only a matter of time before Olanna decides to use the uncertain parentage of Tommen against him.

Winterfell gets to see a wedding.  It's not as ornate as a wedding at Baelor's Sept in King's Landing.  It starts with Sansa getting a bath before the big wedding night, courtesy of her betrothed sending Miranda to do the honors.  Miranda takes the opportunity to scare Sansa with stories of Ghosts of Ramsay's Girlfriends Past, but Sansa grows tired of hearing a maid try to threaten her.  She only puts up with abuse from other nobles, not serving girls.

Reek shows up, allowed to be Theon for a night, and Sansa is reminded that this traitor to her house has to escort her to wed the son of the guy who killed a brother they both loved very much.  Theon looks like he gets no joy out of any of this, and only wants to do it to avoid a beating.  Sansa marches along with him trailing after.  It's not that she doesn't want an arm to hold on to; but all the arms available belong to men she will never trust.

The wedding is just as creepy as can be, taking place after sunset, with lanterns along the way, not unlike the candles that lit Arya's descent earlier.  The godswood, where Northerners worship, has a small group, including her future in-laws.  No one looks happy.  Theon has to give away his foster sister to a guy he wouldn't give a dog to.  Ramsay has to appear gentle and loving.  And Sansa has to fight every instinct to run away and hide from the whole world when she takes forever to accept Ramsay as her husband.

Still trying to figure out what I'm getting out of all this....

Ramsay, now married forever to Sansa, escorts her to his chamber, which is going for that 70s love hideaway look.  Ramsay himself has decided that it's totally time to break his promise to Littlefinger and become the Bolton version of Joffrey, which Sansa realizes a little too late.  Sansa reminds Ramsay that Tyrion, her first husband, was a kind man.  Ramsay takes that in for a second, then lets Sansa knows that kindness isn't his thing.  It's like old times when Sansa has to take whatever a powerful man dishes out to her.  And, Reek has to watch as Ramsay crudely rapes Sansa.

It's painful and worse because it's in the home they shared together in past happiness. He watched Sansa grow up, he probably feels she's more his sister than his own sister is.  And, now he has to watch Ramsay treat her like property good for only her name.

Is Sansa done being threatened in her own home?  Can she deal with her hatred of Reek long enough to get his help getting out of there, or getting rid of the Boltons?  Sansa wants to be done being abused; is she willing to act, even if it's a risk?  Look for the highest window in the broken tower to get some use.  And soon.

Her Biggest Supporter - Scandal - Season 4, Episode 22

Imagine a version of Sleeping Beauty in which Aurora frees herself from Malificent's curse, slays the dragon, and gets her Prince in the end.  Maya Pope feels that Olivia's story has been too much about Olivia needing a dragon to slay.  Half the last three seasons has been Olivia realizing she even had a dragon to slay in the first place.  Then she wavered between trying to remove the dragon from her life or make her peace with it.

Halfway through Season 4, she realizes she will just have to end B-613 and bring a hammer down on Rowan.  Olivia used her Gladiators, always happy to help, she brought Fitz on board, she even tried to get a KGB agent to finally end Rowan's reign over American espionage and her own life.  In the end, she ended Rowan the same way the Feds busted Al Capone:  the money.  And she played a little dirty.

Rowan starts the episode in fine form, at the top of his game, blackmailing Mellie the Senate candidate right in front of Lizzy Bear with Lizzy not even realizing what was happening.  And Mellie, trained for years in smiling through catastrophe as a politician's wife, uses that to try to bluff her way through Rowan's takeover.  Rowan, however, has a red button that will trigger the end of Fitz's career and her dream of a career.

You know all that bad shit you've done?  So do I!

She manages to get away from Rowan, but only after Rowan browbeats her into finding out what exactly Rowan wants.  And while Fitz and Lizzy Bear complete their last-minute veteran strategizing, both seem confident the race is theirs to lose.  Only Mellie looks like she's losing.  With so much at stake, she decides to make Lizzy Bear complicit in her crime by have her provide her the list of names Rowan wants so much.  What names?

Olivia is pacing the lobby of a Federal building while Rosen's attentive and horrified grand jury gets the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth from Jake Ballard.  Olivia tells them to expose Operation Remington, as the downing of a civilian airliner after the terrorist had been removed but the bomb hadn't is probably the most shocking of B-613 and Rowan's orders.  The grand jury's reaction is so intense Rosen is already anticipating their indictments.  No one has warned Fitz this is coming.

In fact, Olivia does just opposite.  She calls Fitz, in what is to presumably be the last of their phone chats.  He's on his way to signing his police camera law, named for Brandon Parker, with Clarence watching, where Brandon was shot down.  Fitz is glad he got a law passed that will mean something; Olivia is glad his Presidency will be remembered for more than Fitz's resignation.  She sounds nostalgic for their friendship already as she says good-bye.

She said good-bye too soon.  Huck is panicking as he brings Olivia to the Federal Building's garage where, Jake is speechless, Rosen is openly puking (looking like he's been poisoned for a second, but no), and the jurors are all seated in their bus, presumably going somewhere for lunch or something.  Blood spatter from the massacre is all over the seats and windows and victims.  The entire fucking grand jury is horribly dead.  The entire list of them.

Rosen freaks out.  He survived the cover-up of Project Defiance.  He survived Jake killing James and two whistle-blowers right next to him.  He survived Rowan's attempt to kill him with his own secretary.  Rosen may have the country's biggest case of survivor's guilt.  Ever.  Especially when the stenographer from the grand jury hearing room is killed while walking a dog she never had.  Rosen is finally, fearfully, ready to call it quits.  He can't even keep the grand jury safe.  How could he ever take any of this to trial?

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go wet my pants

Lizzy Bear and Mellie are having their own panic attacks as the news of a grand jury massacre goes live on TV;  they realize why "Damascus Bainbridge" wanted that list of names.  They've just made themselves accessories to a major homicide.  As the person who got Lizzy Bear into this mess, Mellie has little choice but to roam the White House halls, desperate to explain to Cy.  Cy is barking orders and threats to people, in fine form, until Mellie gives him his emergency of the day.

Cy stops his routine long enough to sit Mellie down in his office and decline to do anything.  Mellie is supposed to be transitioning to being someone else's problem.  Until Mellie mentions Operation Remington, one of "Damascus's" blackmail points.  She has no idea what Remington was, but Cy does, and the realization that Damascus is going for Fitz as well as Mellie puts him in the zone.  He shoos Mellie away, telling her he'll deal with it.

Olivia doesn't know what to do as she paces the corridor outside her office.  Comforting her is useless.  She's angry, she's desperate, she knows that she can't live her own life until Rowan is removed from it.  She is a tiger pacing her cage, wanting her prey but unable to pounce.  So, she decides to visit the one person who's managed to fool Rowan, even if only briefly.

Maya Pope has no desire to be helpful.  She instead tells Olivia that this crusade is entirely manufactured.  Olivia is only trying to end Rowan because she's making a big deal out of everything.  If she would just accept that her parents had priorities other than her childhood, she wouldn't be so worked up about Rowan now.  Olivia is about to walk out on her mother when Maya finally offers something she can use; find Rowan's enemies, and expose Rowan to them.

Cy is making his own visit, confronting Rowan, or, rather, Elijah Pope, humble paleontologist at the Smithsonian, while working on some bones.  Cy wants to be judgemental, but Rowan points out killing the grand jury was as much a favor for Fitz as protection for himself.  Cy can't disagree with this, and also can't turn down Rowan when he demands that Cy shut down Olivia's next attack on him.

Which turns out to be at CIA headquarters.  Holding one of Rosen's remaining banker's boxes of B-613 files, Olivia's plan is to go to Rowan's competition, CIA Director Lowery, she of the horrified shock during Olivia's captivity.  Lowery won't like that B-613 infiltrated her own organization.  Lowery pretends to not believe Olivia's story, but file after file turns out to explain something Lowery couldn't, and Olivia realizes Lowery always knew B-613 was in her organization.  Lowery knew, but she had no idea it was so extensive and when Cy tries to get her to help him cover it up, she resists on the grounds that she feels her toes were stepped on.

So much of Olivia's importance finally makes sense, as well as Cy's desperation that Olivia be killed rather than turned over to any enemy of the US.  Cy isn't successful, at first.  But he plays on Lowery's fears of people more powerful than her, and Olivia and Jake are hauled off to Federal Prison.  The files Olivia brought in are no doubt destroyed while Jake and Olivia stew in separate cells.  Is Olivia reminded of her kidnapping?  She should be, especially when she's brought into an interrogation room facing a video camera, not unlike the one Ian used.

Cy, before confronting either Olivia or Jake, lines Rosen up.  Already scared, Rosen expects Cy to arrest him.  Oh, no, Rosen.  You're too useful.  Cy instead threatens to do terrible things to Abby while going on about pressure points, leading one to wonder, what's Cy's pressure point?  The daughter he never sees?  No, it's Cy's job and access to power.  Cy likes running the country behind the scenes, accountable only to Fitz, serving him and himself and no one else.

Does Rosen go between Jake and Olivia repeatedly, or does he manage to convince Olivia to sign first, then trudge to Jake's prison to spend some time with him?  We know Olivia signs first, mostly because Rosen tells her they'll make Jake and his family's life miserable until she does.  What a reversal.  Rosen was, for so long, the moral impetus to stop Rowan.  Now he's thoroughly beaten and trying to get Jake and Olivia beaten, too.  

Lizzy Bear pops in on Mellie, wondering if that whole conspiracy-to-commit-murder thing has been handled.  Mellie lets her know they're off whatever hook Mellie got them on.  It's not enough for Lizzy Bear, who gently nudges Mellie to tell her of the bullet they dodged by giving Damascus Bainbridge that list.

While Mellie tells all, Cy finishes up the clean-up job; he sends Jake and Olivia home after getting their ironclad vow of silence; he gives Maya a deal she doesn't even have to think about.  She's happy to sign and be released and free and probably out of the country by dinnertime.  Back at the White House, situation handled, Abby tries asking questions, wanting to know just what he's been up to all afternoon on such short notice.  Cy brushes her off.  He swears off having a soul, which is where he's been going ever since getting over his grief at losing James.  

Mellie and Lizzy have done all they can do; Fitz puts the finishing touches on their campaign, which the two look like is already won.  His speech to important backers the night before the election is everything a devoted husband would say, and it's easy for Mellie to think that, at last, she and Fitz could have a real marriage.  Or, at least, a real partnership.  That there's still some affection down there that they could nurture again.

While Fitz congratulates Mellie and heaps praise on her, Rowan has his own congrats for a recovering-from-prison Olivia.  While trying to relax in bed, Rowan lets her know over the phone that she's won, in a way.  Rowan has decided to kill B-613 for his sake.  Yes, an agency Rowan claimed was vitally important to The Republic, without which representative government would fall, can now be dismantled for the convenience of Command.  Rowan's liquidation strategy is to let Not-Virgil do all the work of killing what few agents remained.  This, I assume, includes Russell.  Although, if it did, why bother freeing him?  Why not leave the body for Huck and Quinn to fluff 'n fold?  

Not-Virgil then gets to torch the boxes of B-613 files stolen at the mid-season finale.  Yes, those finally make a brief appearance until they're up in smoke.  Didn't Not-Virgil realize that Rowan wasn't going to stop liquidating B-613 until Not-Virgil was dead too?  The guy is walking away without a care, making it easy for Rowan to shoot the last person who could ever testify against him.  Free of his pesky criminal past, Rowan is just going to ride things out as his original identity, Elijah Pope.  Old, doddering paleontologist at the Smithsonian.  It's a nice retirement, if you're willing to kill for it.  

Olivia promises her father that she'll get him, somehow.  Rowan almost laughs at her, telling her that there's no more B-613 and no more Command to ruin.  He tells her she won, but she doesn't feel like a victor.  He gets to leave a trail of dead bodies and retire to his museum. Olivia assembles Huck and Quinn, more to commiserate than anything else.  Quinn points out that they have one last bit of evidence; the 2 billion dollars Huck stole during the original shut-down of B-613 a season ago.  Huck complains that he found it after so many digital re-routes that it's impossible to say where it really came from.

That sounds like a dead end.  But, Olivia has learned how to turn a problem into a solution.  That money could have come from anywhere.  So, she'll decide it came from the Smithsonian.  And that Elijah Pope, humble, doddering paleontologist, embezzled it.  

Eli Pope tries to bluff the cops who show up to arrest him for embezzlement.  But, like he said before, he's just some anonymous old guy now.  Or, rather, a garden variety crook.  So, Elijah Pope is stewing in a holding cell when Olivia and Jake show up to let Elijah know that now they have won.

Eli scoffs at their confidence; he thinks he'll be out soon.  But, Olivia reminds him that now, he's nobody.  With no agents remaining to spring him, or high-level status to slip him away.  Now, he's just like the guys crowding the benches in his holding cell.  Eli Pope realizes that the Last Man Standing has no allies.  It's wonderful watching him freak out as Olivia strides away, a life to live.

Mellie has her own big, life-affirming win tonight, too.  Fitz watches, satisfied that he helped make this happen, that his and Mellie's partnership produced something for a change.  Lizzy ruins it, accidentally at first.  But once Fitz sees the photograph of Command, smiling next to Mellie, he needs to know all, and Lizzy is perfectly willing to tell him every cringe-inducing detail she knows.  Fitz is horrified, all while Mellie is fifty feet away telling everyone that Fitz is her biggest supporter.  Like a proper supporter, he manages to smile big for the cameras.  He even manages to hug Mellie.  The crowd is totally fooled.  Mellie is totally fooled.  

Quinn interrupts Huck's solo reverie back at Gladiator HQ.  For some reason, she's been to the morgue to see the bodies of the jurors; she recognized the "style" in it.  And she demands an explanation from Huck- why would he do it?  This grand jury was going to free him.  Except that he was already free- he killed to protect that immunity he got from Rosen.  Huck tries to use his family as an excuse.  Quinn, almost in tears, tells Huck that he can't possibly go back to his family, not as what he's become.  He's a killer, practically an animal.  She breaks down as she tells him that she can't pretend he's okay anymore.  She can't even pretend he deserves to live.  Huck, beat down, with no friends left and only hoping Olivia doesn't find out how low he's sunk, ends up agreeing with her.  We don't see if she pulled the trigger on the big gun she's pointing at him.  We don't know if they find a way for Huck to live.

Mellie has given her victory speech, and now, the only thing left is for a quiet, three-way toast in the Oval with Cy and Fitz.  Cy, loving a winner no matter what, enjoys the job prospects of maybe being in the White House for another eight years in the not-so-distant-future.  And Mellie wants Fitz to comment on her being President.  Fitz is calm as he informs Mellie he wants her nowhere near the Presidency.  He doesn't want her near him, not after what she's done.  Not after who she helped.  

She doesn't know it, but she helped the man who killed their son, and she doesn't even know why that grand jury was marked for death, does she?  It's not so much that she did it, but that she didn't know anything that would have explained why Damascus Bainbridge wanted that list, yet helped him anyway.  It's a little hypocritical from the guy who invaded West Angola for his former mistress, but it's what we feel, so it's okay that Fitz feels this way, now, too.

Mellie can't believe it.  This was supposed to be Victory Night.  And Fitz is now trying to make her feel like a bad girl.  She tries to explain what she did- she was trying to protect them both.  Fitz can't believe how easily she crumbled to blackmail.  And how weak she seems right now.  And he can't live with her.  Not for another minute.  Mellie tries to reconnect to him; he won't even let her touch him.  She can take her Senate seat.  It was a parting gift.  But that's the last of Fitz's help.  That's the last of him.  She can go to Virginia.  That's where her life is now.  She doesn't argue. She doesn't shout.  She doesn't erupt.  She just disappears from the room.  Leaving Fitz with Cy.  

Does Fitz know how much Cy did today to shut down Olivia's crusade?  Did he maybe call Rosen, who would have known what the grand jury was hearing?  Fitz does know that Cy, somehow, covered everything up.  Without telling him.  It's like Project Defiance all over again- dirty deals done behind his back on his behalf and he's supposed to be grateful.  And it's the same people doing it.  And it's too much.  Fitz quietly fires Cy.  Ah, so this was Cy's pressure point.  And it hurts him to lose his job, his power, his Fitz.  They guy he spent a decade saying "Yes, sir" to.  Abby tries real hard not to gloat as she oversees Cy turning in his badges.  Cy looks back to see Lizzy Bear moving into his old office.  The woman Cy loved besting is getting his job.  I bet that's a pressure point, too.

Mellie looks sad, but calm as she carts a suitcase out.  She doesn't look like she particularly needs to ever return.  As Mellie leaves home, Olivia returns home, thinking she's going to celebrate with Jake.  But he can only stand in her hallway.  He points out that their quest is over.  And that she's now safe and sound at home, no worries about her father.  Rowan can't hurt her now.  Is Jake's part in her life really over?  Olivia doesn't want to believe it.  But, Jake insists that the man she loves is now hers for the taking.  And he loves her enough to get out of her way. 

Where will Jake go?  And, will there be good cheeseburgers and beer there?  We don't know.  Jake looks like a man whose life gets to start now, probably somewhere far from Olivia.

Fitz is alone in the residential wing.  The house is quiet.  And dark.  And Fitz, for the first time since Mellie left briefly in Season 2, is alone.  But, this time is permanent.  This time, he's going to get used to the solitude, drink it up, maybe even enjoy it- oh wait, he's not alone on the balcony.  You know, from the moment Nina Simone starts to sing about the sun coming out, that Olivia and Fitz are now going to let themselves be happily in love.  Olivia looks happier and more relaxed than she's looked in years.  She looks like she knows she's no longer being watched, and judged.  And now, neither is Fitz.  Which makes this time, finally, right for them to have their moment.  And for us to leave them to it.

At this point, Fitz is surrounded by:  Olivia, Abby, David Rosen, Lizzy Bear, and Susan Ross.  Is this new team, acquired over the course of a Season, a signal of a better President to come?  Of a better Fitz to come?

Where's Jerry, Jr.? Did Mellie leave her baby with Fitz?

Did Maya get away soon enough that Fitz can't put her back in prison?  Does Fitz even know she's loose?  Does Olivia?  Will that be a fun episode in Season 5 when they find out?

Huck! Are you still alive?!?!?!?!?

Charlie?  How 'bout you?  You still there????