WINNERS: The Bolton’s
Sansa Stark has arrived in Winterfell. Normally I’d declare her the winner due to all of that homecoming stuff, but the fact that she’s now expected to wed into the family that murdered her mother and brother, I think we can declare the Bolton’s as the winners here. One encouraging moment for Sansa comes when that old lady drops “the North remembers” on her, which leads me to believe not everybody is into the idea of the Bolton’s ruling Winterfell.
WINNER: Ser Alliser Thorne
Not only did Jon Snow rebuff the advice given to him by Stannis and NOT send Ser Alliser Thorne off, Jon went on to name Ser Alliser ‘First Ranger’. Given the way this scene shook out, with Lord Janos Slynt given command of Greyguard, only to toss it back and have his goddamn head chopped off, I’d say that the fact Ser Alliser lived, and not only lived but got a promotion, well that puts Ser Alliser Thorne into the running for this week’s biggest winner (close to Tommen + Margaery, but not quite there).
The chopping of Lord Janos’ head is a moment that’s needed to happen from the very instant Jon Snow as named Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. Much like Daenerys killed that bro last week to send a message, Jon Snow needed to show his brother’s that he’s a man who cannot be pushed around, and that he’s a leader. Unlike Daenerys’ statement that failed to sway anyone, and just made her look like an asshole, Jon Snow’s execution definitely made him look like a ruler who is not to be trifled with.
WINNER: the High Sparrow
I’m sure by now you were wondering about the episode’s title, and how the ‘High Sparrow’ name would come into play. Well, the ‘sparrows’ burst into Littlefinger’s brothel and pulled the High Septon out into the streets, buck naked, and made him walk home in shame. As the High Septon he’s not allowed to taste carnal pleasures, so he’d been shaming his post. The religious sycophants had enough with him besmirching their faith and made an example of him.
So Cersei heads on down to Flea Bottom to speak with the man known as the ‘High Sparrow’. The High Septon wants his justice, and Cersei’s willing to at least speak with the man:
Right away I think we all got the sense that the High Sparrow is a man who means business, and a character with a gravitas indicating that he’ll be around for quite some time. He talks in circles, and everything about him comes off as pious. Cersei sees this man as someone with which she can make an alliance. She sees him as a man she can bring up as a pawn in her Game of Thrones, but she needs to be quite careful here as religion can cause strange things to happen.
LOSER: Sansa Stark
She’s being used as a pawn, nothing more. Sure the name Stark holds more weight in the North than any other. But many moons will come and go before Sansa sees any sort of revenge. In the meantime she’s going to be forced to wed Ramsay Stark, and now Littlefinger’s heading back to King’s Landing to do whatever bidding Cersei needs him to do.
Littlefinger and Roose Bolton speak so frankly about the future of Westeros, who’s aligned with who, and which allegiances are worthwhile. Meanwhile Sansa’s wandering the halls of her childhood home, with no more freedom than she had when she was back in King’s Landing.
LOSER: Tyrion Lannister
Unless you’re a book reader you 100% did not see this coming. Tryion convinces Varys to go for a walk with him, to get out of the carriage and have a drink, to get down with some prostitutes in a brothel. But of all the people sitting in that brothel halfway across the world from King’s Landing, of ALL THE PEOPLE IN THE WORLD, there’s Ser Jorah Mormont. A former knight of Westeros who would have seen Tyrion in the past, and recognize his face. A knight who was cast aside by the Mother of Dragons for betraying her, even though he later went back on his betrayal.
So he snatches up Tryion in a potato sack, and whisks him away in the dead of night. How Varys allowed this to happen is unclear. But one thing is clear: Tryion’s path has veered away from that of Lord Varys, and he’s now in the hands of a drunk and dangerous knight who has no idea whatsoever as to what’s been happening all across the world.
And that’s it for this week, bros. This week’s episode definitely had more sizzle than last week’s, and I expect that we’ll see more of the same next week. If you missed last week’s recap of ‘House of Black and White‘ or any of the other previous Game of Thrones content here on BroBible, you can find that by clicking the link above.