Is it hot in here, or is it just Game of Thrones?
Ever since Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) scored herself a trio of dragons back in season 1, it was only a matter of time until she took one into war — and on Sunday, August 6, that moment finally arrived.
In an episode titled “The Spoils of War,” Team Targaryen hit back and hit hard, in a blazing conflict with the Lannister army. Meanwhile, in the North, a bittersweet family reunion turned violent … but in a fun way! Read on for the best moments from this week’s Game of Thrones.
Starks Galore
At long last, Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has returned to Winterfell, and, well, it’s complicated, as she enjoyed a somewhat lukewarm reunion with Sansa (Sophie Turner) — never her favorite sibling — and a somewhat awkward one with Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), whose supernatural gifts have made him medium prescient but extra-strength weird.
Fortunately, she found joy in a hardcore sparring match with a fellow lady badass and the only person at Winterfell who beat The Hound in single combat. Watching Arya and Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) sparring in the courtyard was a pleasure, even if Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) kinda ruined the moment by smarmily watching them from that balcony where he’s always standing. On the plus side, there’s now a chance that Arya might learn about his role in her father’s death and knock him off her kill list as fast as she puts him on it.
Jon Plays Advisor
Meanwhile, Jon Snow’s (Kit Harington) adventures in the dragonglass mine on Dragonstone led to an exciting discovery: a secret chamber full of petroglyphs drawn by the Children of the Forest, who mostly communicated their history through vague sun-like symbols, except when it comes to White Walkers, who were conveniently painted on the wall in a photorealistic style worthy of Gerhard Richter.
The painting swayed Daenerys where Jon’s testimony didn’t; she promised to join his fight just as soon as he swears loyalty to her. But in the meantime, there were bigger problems afoot: Cersei’s (Lena Headey) people were preparing for a siege, stockpiling all the kingdom’s resources inside the walls of King’s Landing. Dany impulsively vowed to fly her dragons to the Red Keep but Jon, asked for his opinion, advised her that it would be counterproductive. But, hey, if you wanted to fly your dragons somewhere…
Fire and Blood
Overseen by Jaime (Nicolaj Coster-Waldau) and Bronne (Jerome Flynn), a wagon caravan containing the spoils of war was being slowly ushered toward King’s Landing. But not quickly enough. As the distant, thundering sound of the Dothraki army drew near, the Lannister men fell into formation — offering up a nice, fat, flammable clump of meat for Daenerys and Drogon the dragon.
Chaos and carnage ensued, as the wagons (and a fair few soldiers) went up in flames — all but Bronn, who had the sense to locate Qyburn’s (Anton Lesser) giant, dragon-piercing crossbow, load it, and fire. Wounded, Drogon plunged to the earth, where Daenerys struggled to remove the arrow. But wounded is not dead, and when Jaime Lannister thought to plunge a spear into Dany’s back, his assault ended prematurely in a blast of dragonfire … and a hasty plunge into the safety of the river. Last we saw, Jaime was alive, but we wouldn’t assume anything just yet. That water is awfully deep, and that armor he’s wearing is awfully heavy.
Game of Thrones airs on HBO Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.
