*Spoilers for Game of Thrones up to this episode*

I’ve been having a lot of discussions lately about how much Game of Thrones has changed from the beginning.  If you go back to Season 1, it is an admittedly totally different show.  Not only character wise; obviously a lot of characters have grown and even more are dead.  But the tone, the visual style, and the stakes are all much different.  But, finally, something happened that made me feel like it was Season 1 again.  That’s right, it was the leader of the Starks being a fucking dumbass trusting someone.  At least this time it was just some of the other Starks, but for someone Tormund called a true man of the real North, Jon is certainly still a summer child in many respects.  That being said, the leaks from Jon via the less crazy Julian Assange (Bran Stark) to his actual cousins brought some real intrigue to last Sunday’s proceedings.  Arya would likely keep her promise to her grave, but ‘clumsy’ Sansa lets slip to Tyrion knowing full well everyone is kinda looking around pulling their collars at each other while Dany gets more ruthless.  Tyrion no doubt probably wished Jon had taken his advice and learned how to lie “just a bit” after consistently letting the truth get in the way of their progress…but hell, a lot of people have some big decisions to make now…

I really like what they’re doing with Varys; here’s a guy that has had the same motivations the entire game.  He’s bet everything on Dany from day 1 for the betterment of the realm, and now he’s gonna hedge to Jon (with good reason?).  I fear his day may come next week – remembering Melisandre’s prophecy that vaguely stated that he will die in Westeros – if he continues to question Dany or straight up double-crosses her.  At least, if he does, he can take solace that he lasted longer than Littlefinger or anyone else on the beginning Small Council.  I’m linking this just cause I miss Robert Baratheon.  Speaking of which…

Meanwhile, in Winterfell…

Gendry:  Aight, I’m gonna go see Arya so we can-

Dany:  Hey Gendry

Gendry:  GODDAMMIT WHAT

Dany:  Oh sorry, am I bothering you?

Gendry:  No…no sorry, Your Grace…its just…

Dany:  What, that it’s Fuck Night?

Gendry:  W-what?

Dany:  It’s Fuck Night!  Everyone knows it!  I know it, Jon knows it…

Jon:  Yup.

Dany:  Jaime knows it.

Jaime:  Yup.

Dany:  Brienne knows it.

Brienne:  Yup.

Tormund:  Wait…

Dany:  And, most definitely, Podrick knows it

Podrick:  Oh, you know that’s right.

Gendry:  So you were gonna say I can go see Arya then?

Everyone:  ARYA?!

Gendry:  What?

Jon:  Fuck you dude.

Gendry:  I LOVE HER!

Dany:  Aren’t you like 31?

Gendry:  I’m 23!

Bran:  In the show…

Jon:  I’m gonna kick you in the dick so hard, Theon Greyjoy is gonna look like Hodor next to you.

Gendry:  At least I’m not getting tied down to a bed with leaches all over me again…

Jon:  Wait what?

Lastly, pour one out for Rhaegal and Missandei, who both took a rough shot in the neck this week.  Who would have thought that Dany would’ve made the classic mistake of forgetting to look slightly to her left?  I get wanting to take away one of the dragons, but it felt like a shitty excuse just doing it out in the open when they really should’ve seen an entire fleet of ships.  Like they fire at the dragon there, but they don’t fire at Dany or Tyrion later when parlaying?  Well, regardless, I guess I was right after all with Missandei and Grey Worm not being able to be together, just it wasn’t last episode and it wasn’t Grey Worm.  Seems everyone close to Dany is dropping like flies.  If Daario came over now he’d probably burst into flames when his boots hit the sand.  Though she’s still got Grey Worm and Drogon, and they both can’t die next episode, right?  Right?

Quick Hits:

1) I also think it would’ve been funny if Missandei just tried to tackle Cersei off the side of the wall.  Like what’s the worse they could do, behead her again?

2) Tyrion:  You don’t want to be Lord of Winterfell?
Bran:  I don’t really want anymore
Tyrion:  YOU JUST SAID YOU WANTED THAT TARGARYEN DUDE’S WHEELCHAIR
Bran:  I don’t really want to look like a poor.

3) Varys has a completely throw away line saying “the new Prince of Dorne” has pledged to Dany…but like who the fuck is it?  The Martells are all dead…I think it’d at least have been funny if they cut to Dorne and it was just  Salladhor Saan.

4) The Bronn scene was weird.  Comes over after the fuck party (real missed opportunity for him) just to threaten the two dudes he’s closest with while also allying with them?  Felt super out of place and unnecessary, but like also kinda fitting with the character?  Also, I did like that it called back to the ‘pay double’, but poor Riverrun…just half a Highgarden.  Still, better than just giving it to some random prince.

5) Podrick Payne I see your sly ass taking two ladies to bed!  My god, what a fucking king, literally and figuratively.

6) People might have thought Jaime was lowering his bar when he sexually intercoursed Brienne, but dude’s literal only other sexual partner was his sister.  I’d like to think he was in the middle of it having an epiphany like “oh yeah, this is way better when you’re not related to the girl!”

Thanks to everyone who’ve been reading along so far, only two episodes left…and the penultimate episode of each season is always a banger!