By The fifth episode of the sixth season of Game of Thrones, titled “The Door” aired on May 22nd 2016. The title’s meaning comes at the end of the episode where the door itself reveals the origins of one of the characters in the series. The show also centered on the origins of the most prominent threat in the entire story; how the White Walkers became what they are. All the while, fights of holding or regaining power, despite their insignificance in the grand scheme of things, continue in both Westeros and Mereen.
Sansa Confronts Littlefinger
After reading a message sealed by the Baelish hummingbird, Sansa heads with Brienne to Mole Town near Castle Black to confront Littlefinger. Asking him whether he knew about Ramsey’s behavior, along with hi current intentions in the North, she lets him know how unwelcoming she is to his presence. She firmly believes and tells him how she feels she was saved from one family of Monsters that killed her family, to another family of Monsters that betrayed her family.
The Tullys Are Back In The Fray
Littlefinger, despite feeling the threat of Brienne chopping his head at any moment, reveals a very important piece of information to Sansa: her uncle, the Blackfish, Bryndyn Tully, which we haven’t seen since he escaped the Red Wedding, has taken Riverrun. He could prove a powerful ally to Sansa, who is half Tully herself.
Arya Continues Her Training, Gets A Second Assignment
Arya continues her training with the Faceless Men, still getting beat by the Waif, despite having regained her sight. The kindly man gives her a mission to eliminate an actress from a mummer’s troop. This is her second chance to prove she has become “no one”, and there will not be a third.
The Mummer’s Troop
While researching her target, Arya attends to their play: a grotesque version on how the War of Five Kings began. As they portray King Robert Baratheon, killed by a pig, Queen Cersei without anyone to raise her son Joffrey, and a buffoonesque Ned Stark wanting the throne for himself, Arya seems to enjoy the first bout of the play. It is when her father’s portrayal and execution are being portrayed that the smiles disappear. A hint and reminder that she is still Arya, having witnessed the execution and Joffrey’s betrayal with her own eyes in Season 1. Nevertheless, she carries on her mission, and deducts that her target, the actress portraying Cersei, is on the way of the younger actress portraying her sister Sansa in the play. Will “No One” be able to fulfill this task? Or will Whatever’s left of Arya’s conscience step in and interfere with the objective later on?
Bran Learns About The Dawn Age
Bran and the Three Eyed Raven travel back in time during the Dawn Age, when the Children of The Forest roamed in Westeros. The patterns surrounding the trees are reminiscent of the patterns the White Walkers left with their dead in both the Pilot, and at the Fist of the First Men in Season 2. They witness a key moment during their war with the First Men, where the birth of the Night King, and subsequently, the White Walkers, both occur. An evil that was created to fight the First Men, and eventually became a threat for all living in Westeros.
The Kingsmoot Elects Euron Greyjoy, Theon And Yara Flee With The Fleet
The Kingsmoot in the Iron Island is under way and Yara presents herself as the next in line for the Salt Throne. Never has a woman ever led the Ironborn, but with the help of her brother Theon, the true heir to Balon, she presents a solid case that has most of them convinced. That is until the Crow’s eye himself, Euron Greyjoy, steps in and makes his claim, confessing to having murdered his older brother Balon along the way. His ruthless take no prisoner approach to uniting the Ironborn with Daenerys Targaryen’s army convinces them to elect him as their new leader. As he’s being baptized before the Drowned God, Yara and Theon steal the majority of the Iron Fleet and sail off away from Pyke.
Jorah Reveals His Grayscale To A Forgiving Daenerys
Jorah reveals his Grayscale to Daenerys after she admits not being capable of getting rid of him again; he did come back and save her twice, despite having banished by her, twice. She commands him to get healed so she can advise her once she conquers the Seven Kingdoms.
Daenerys Will Head To Westeros
A heartbroken Daenerys has finally set her mind on grabbing her Unsullied, her Dragons, her Second Sons, and newly reacquired Dothrakis to Westeros to reclaim what is technically is by birthright.
Tyrion Finds An Unlikely Ally
Tyrion realizes that the people of Mereen need to be reminded of not only rescued the slaves, but also who is maintaining the current peace in the city. No incidents have occurred since the meeting with the Masters, and the peace needs to be attributed to Daenerys. Because the Faith of R’hllor runs rampant in Slavers Bay, Tyrion calls on Kinvara, the lead Red Priestess of Volantis to carry this mission. A skeptical Varys brings in the failures of Stannis Baratheon, guided by a Red Priestess himself, once at the hands of Tyrion himself in Blackwater Bay, the second time in Winterfell, at the hands of the Boltons.
Bran Meets The Night King, Jeopardizes Everything
Bran decides to venture on his own while everyone sleeps and returns to the Weirwood Tree where he witnessed the birth of the Night King. This time though, it’s Winter, and an army of Wights are there staring at him, although not acting on it. He sees the Night King and his 3 Horsemen staring back at him. Only when the Night King grabs a hold of him, does he wake up and realize his mistake. The White Walkers are now coming for him.
Jon And Sansa Begin Building Their Army To Reclaim The North
Sansa and Jon plan their attack to reclaim their home and save their little Brother Rickon. The Umbers and Karstarks have sided with Ramsey, yet the Manderlys, Glovers and Mormonts are still there to potentially side with the Starks. Having them on board could make the difference they need, along with the Tullys in Riverrun. Sansa and Jon will carry on this recruiting mission while Brienne is given another task.
Sansa Sends Brienne To Riverrun
As it was shown in the trailer for season 6, Brienne is heading to Riverrun, where a Tully banner stands in the background. Her mission is given to her by Sansa herself: get a Tully army to come aid her in reclaiming the North.
The White Walkers Attack The Weirwood Tree
As predicted by the Three Eyed Raven, the White Walkers attack the Weirwood Tree to kill both Bran and the Raven. The Fire that Meera and the Children of the Forest is not enough to hold them back, and they eventually head in. They manage to kill the Three Eyed Raven while he and Bran roam through the past. Bran’s direwolf Summer also succumbs to an army of Wight while trying to protect a fleeing Meera, Bran and Hodor.
Hodor’s Origins Revealed
While the Weirwood tree is being attacked, Bran and the Three Eyed Raven are witnessing a young Ned Stark’s departure to the Eyrie. As they take note of the attack, Bran wargs into modern day Hodor to help them escape. Connecting the current moment with the visions of the past makes young Wylis hear Meera’s voice instructing him to “Hold the Door”, in order escape and hold off the Wights. Young Wylis panics at the sound of Meera’s voice in his head, creating a time paradox where he’s left saying “Hold The Door” many times, eventually leaving it to the shortened “Hodor”. A sad moment in the likes of the Red Wedding…
