By Game of Thrones’ 8th Episode of the 6th Season, “No One”, picks up right where the previous one, “The Broken Man” had left us: Arya wounded in Braavos, the Hound about to go on a vengeful Rampage, and the Siege of Riverrun.
Lady Crane Saves Arya
Having no one (pun intended) to go to for help in Braavos, Arya hides behind the scene of the Mummer’s Troop’s where Lady Crane finds her. She attends to her wounds and gives her milk of the poppy to ease her pain. Arya is invited to join them and head to Pentos once their run of the play in Braavos is completed. Arya seems uncertain as she wants to go to West.
The Hound Begins His Rampage
Picking right back from where the last episode ended, the Hound, Axe in hand, begins his vengeful rampage on the Brotherhood without Banners, which he blames for the slaughter of the group of brothers he had been with since Brother Ray found him. A good sight to see Sandor Clegane back in his element, taking heads off and chopping men in half with any piece of steel he gets his hands on.
Varys Leaves On A Secret Mission
Mereen is relatively at peace, and the city is back to normal. A Red Priestess preaches the exploits of Queen Daenerys as Varys and Tyrion walk along. Varys is leaving Mereen to an undisclosed location(s), most likely in Westeros, to find a Fleet. Maybe he’ll begin with the Martells of Dorne, and cross path with the Ironborn currently in Volantis. Or maybe he actually is heading to the Iron Islands where he could join forces with Euron Greyjoy, all the while, his niece and nephew are on the way to Mereen as well for that very same purpose….
The Mountain Begins His Rampage (As Well)
Seven Sparrows of the Faith Militant, led by Brother Lancel (Lannister) infiltrate the Red Keep to escort Cersei to the Sept of Baelor where the High Sparrow wishes to speak to her. Cersei adamantly refuses and unleashes Ser Robert Strong on them. One of the Sparrows is foolish enough to dent his armor with his spiked bat. To everyone’s horror, the resurrected Mountain rips his head off his spine.
Brienne And Podrick Arrive At Riverrun
Brienne and Podrick arrive at Riverrun which is now under a complete Lannister/Frey siege. This rather changes the plans Brienne had to ask the Blackfish for his support in aiding Sansa retake Winterfell. Lannister men approach her and escort her to Jaime.
Brienne And Jaime Discuss
Brienne tries to find a middle ground between the Lannisters and the Tullys. She suggests talking to the Blackfish, convincing him to yield Riverrun and head North instead. Hints of “Jerk Jaime” from seasons 1 and 2 can be seen in this interaction, as Jaime would rather be in Kings Landing than in the Riverlands. When Brienne hands him Oathkeeper back, Jaime reminds her that it’s hers for good.
The Blackfish Refuses To Yield
Meeting with Brynden Tully doesn’t work as planned for Brienne. He refuses to yield and is ready to die in his castle rather than handing it to the Freys.
Cersei Is Denied Trial By Combat
A Royal announcement is held at the Throne Room, without Cersei’s direct knowledge. She is denied a seat next to her son and is forced around the galleries, where she hears her son, in the name of the Faith, disallow Trials by Combat in the Seven Kingdoms. This foils Cersei’s plans to use the Mountain as her champion. Cleganebowl has officially been Cancelled…
Cersei’s Rumor
Qyburn suggests another thing: his (formerly Varys’) little birds, that initially got the information on the Royal announcement, have dug some more information about a rumor she had heard. “Much More” as revealed by Qyburn. The contents of that rumor are most likely linked to the Mad King, and “could lay Kings Landing Low”.
Cersei is most definitely aware of the various vials of Wildfire spread across Kings Landing by the Mad King during Robert’s Rebellion. Bran’s vision as he ran off the wights two episodes ago revealed that he had planned to “Burn Them All”, only to be stopped by Jaime Lannister before hand. He also saw a future vision of Kings Landing burning to the ground. Add that to Daenerys’ vision in the House of the Undying and we got one big (very likely) speculation going: that Cersei is considering burning Kings Landing to the ground. That is, unless her (slightly younger) twin brother returns to the Capital and prevents her from doing the very same thing that made him break his oath once. It will also fulfill the final segment of Maggy the Frog’s Prophecy to Cersei: Her doom at the hands of the “valonqar” (Little Brother in Valyrian)
While Tyrion Jokes with Grey Worm and Missandei, The Siege of Mereen Begins
Tyrion manages to get Grey Worm and Missandei to have a drink with them. Trying so desperately to interact with them the way he did with Bronn and Shae, even though they are nothing like Bronn and Shae, they manage to exchange some jokes and a few laughs, until the inevitable happens:
The Masters’ fleet have arrived at Mereen and are preparing a Siege. Tyrion may have been wrong this whole time…
Jaime Confronts Edmure Tully
Jaime meets with his prisoner to let him know of his son and wife that he hasn’t seen since his (Red) Wedding. The discussion turns rather sour when Jaime lets him know that he’s willing to kill them all, if it means going home to his sister sooner. Jaime is definitely not “No One” in this segment, and might be the only character in this episode who knows who he is and what his intentions are. Even after Edmure calls him out on his cruelty, the Kingslayer doesn’t budge, as it’s the ends that to him, justify his means…
Edmure returns home, surrenders to Jaime
Edmure walks to the gates of Riverrun and orders his men to let him in. An internal conflict between Tully men and the Blackfish occurs where the Blackfish is now standing alone against the Lannisters and Freys. While it did seem like a trap at first, it turns out that Edmure has agreed to Jaime’s demands, and asks all of the Tully fighting men to surrender their arms, and apprehend the Blackfish.
The Blackfish dies defending his honor
In the meantime, the Blackfish helps Brienne and Podrick escape by small boat and heads off to his death, fighting for the honor of his fallen house.
Brienne and Podrick escape Riverrun
Brienne and Podrick are escaping in a small boat while Riverrun is being taken over by the Lannisters. After Jaime learns of the Blackfish’s death, he spots Brienne and Podrick rowing away from the doomed castle. True to his honor and his oath, he lets them sail away, and waves them for good luck.
Mereen Is Under Attack, Daenerys Returns
Understanding the strategic position that they have in the Pyramid, Grey Worm commands to have the Unsullied remain inside it where they can more easily defend an oncoming attack. All the while, the Master’s fleet is attacking the city, catapulting its walls and its Great Pyramid.
When they hear something crawling on the roof, the Unsullied are quick to prepare their defense. But alas, they kneel, as their Queen has returned, with her Dragons, and a whole new army by her side.
The Hound (Might) Join The Brotherhood
The Hound finds the three brigands that slaughtered his group, held captive by Berric Danderrion, Thoros of Myr, and the rest of the Brotherhood without banners (That means no Lady Stoneheart for all the Book Fans). They’re about to be hanged for the crimes they committed, but the Hound wants to unleash his own justice on them. They agree to give him two, one of them Lem Lemoncloak.
They share a meal when they’re done, and Berric invites Sandor to join them in their crusades to fight for the commoners. The Hound is a Natural Born Fighter, and has still a lot in him left to contribute for the greater good…
Arya Kills The Waif
Lady Crane gets ambushed by the Waif. This wakes Arya, and has her on a wild chase across Braavos, with the Waif running after her. Even though her wounds open during a bad fall, she is able to lead the Waif to her secluded dark room where she has Needle ready to be picked up and do some serious damage to the Faceless (Wo)Man.
We then cut to Jaqen in the House of Black and White following trails of blood which leads to the Hall of Faces: The Waif’s eye pierced face has been added to the Wall. While he congratulates Arya on her achievement, worthy of being “No One”, she reluctantly proclaims that she IS Arya Stark, and is heading home.
