Violet provides a recap of Season 5 Episode 5, titled Kill the Boy, where Sansa runs into someone that she used to know in Winterfell, we find out the fate of Grey Worm and Ser Barristan, Jon Snow makes a decision about the Wildlings, and Jorah and Tyrion continue on their trip! Following the recap, both Violet and Josh share their thoughts about the episode.
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Episode Recap of Game of Thrones, Season 5 Episode 5: Kill the Boy
Meereen
We learn that although Grey Worm survived the attack by the Sons of the Harpy, Ser Barristan did not. Daenerys orders that all of the leaders of Meereen’s great families be rounded up and brought to her, including Hizdahr, then she brings them down to the catacombs where her dragons are being kept. She has Daario push one of the leaders toward the dragons, then one of the dragons breathes fire at him, and they both eat him. She has the prisoners brought back to their cells.
Missandei is by Grey Worm’s bedside when he wakes up. He tells her that he is ashamed that when he was stabbed and lay dying, he feared that he would never see Missandei again. She lays in bed with him and kisses him.
Later, Daenerys asks Missandei what she should do. Missandei tells her that although Dany listens to her counselors’ advice, she has ignored them because there was a better choice that only she herself could see.
Daenerys goes to Hizdahr’s cell and admits that she was wrong and he was right about tradition and bringing the people of the city together. She tells him that she will re-open the fighting pits, but to free men only, and that slavery will not return to Meereen as long as she lives. She also says that in order to forge a lasting bond with the Meereenese people, she will marry the leader of an ancient family — him.
Castle Black
Jon Snow goes to Maester Aemon to ask for advice about something that he wants to do that’ll make the men hate him. Without asking him what it is, Maester Aemon advises him to do it, saying that he needs to “kill the boy and let the man be born” in order to do what needs to be done.
Jon meets with Tormund, one of the Wildlings, and asks him to go north of the Wall to gather the remaining Free Folk and bring them back to Castle Black. Jon says he’ll find them lands to settle south of the Wall. He doesn’t want them to kneel to him, just to fight with him when the time comes. Tormund says he’ll need ships, and Jon says he’ll talk to Stannis. Tormund also says that Jon must come with him, or he won’t go.
At a Night’s Watch meeting, Jon reports his decision to make peace with the Wildlings. They aren’t very happy about it. Jon reminds them that if they don’t let the Wildlings come, then the Wildlings will be added to the army of the dead.
Stannis talks to Sam and asks how he killed the White Walker, and he says that he did it with dragonglass (obsidian), but doesn’t know why it worked. Stannis encourages Sam to keep researching.
Stannis and his men march in the morning, and he takes his wife and daughter with them. Before Stannis leaves, Jon Snow assures him that he’ll get his ships back.
Winterfell
Brienne tells Podrick thinks Sansa is in danger with the Boltons whether she realizes it or not. She speaks to a longtime resident of Winterfell and says she wants to get a message to Sansa.
Ramsay Bolton’s lover, Miranda, the kennel master’s daughter, is jealous about Ramsay marrying Sansa. However, he assures her that he’ll still have plenty of time for her.
An elderly woman visits Sansa in her quarters and tells her that she still has friends in the north, and that if she’s ever in trouble, to light a candle in the highest tower. While Sansa is out walking, Miranda introduces herself, and brings Sansa to the kennels to show her something. She walks down to the last kennel and finds Theon there, which upsets her.
Later, Theon/Reek confesses to Ramsay that Sansa saw him at the kennels. To Theon’s surprise, Ramsay forgives him for keeping secrets.
The next day, Sansa, Ramsay, Roose Bolton, and his wife, Walda, sit down to eat together. Ramsay seems to take pleasure in having Theon serve them, and informs Sansa that he has renamed Theon Reek. Ramsay then commands Reek to apologize to Sansa for murdering her two brothers. He complies. Ramsay says that since Reek is the nearest to a relative that Sansa has, that he will give her away. Roose and Walda announce that they are going to have a baby, and that it looks like it will be a boy from the way she is carrying.
That night, Ramsay expresses his concern to Roose Bolton about his position if the the baby happens to be a boy. Roose then tells Ramsay about his mother, who he had raped after he killed her husband. He was going to have the baby thrown into the river, but he looked at the baby and saw what he sees now: Ramsay is his son. Roose informs Ramsay about Stannis’s plans to come through Winterfell and take the North on his way to claiming the Iron Throne. Ramsay confirms that he will help Roose defeat him.
Valyria
As Jorah and Tyrion sail through Valyria, they see Drogon fly overhead. Then stone men attack the boat and Jorah has to fight them off. He warns Tyrion not to let them touch him. Tyrion ends up jumping in the water with his wrists still tied together, and one of the stone men in the water drags him down.
Later, Tyrion awakens on the shore. It seems that Jorah has saved him, but lost the boat in the process of fighting off the stone men. Tyrion confirms that the stone men didn’t touch his skin, and Jorah says the same. They have a long journey of walking ahead of them. Secretly, Jorah pulls up his sleeve, and we see that the one of the stone men must have touched him, as he has some greyscale beginning just below his wrist.
Violet’s Thoughts on Season 5 Episode 5 of Game of Thrones: Kill the Boy
At the end of the previous episode, I wasn’t sure what happened to Grey Worm and Ser Barristan after they fought the Sons of the Harpy. Right away at the beginning of this episode, we find out that Grey Worm lived, but Ser Barristan died. I am glad that Grey Worm lived, because I felt like there should be more to his story, especially since last season they were hinting at a romantic involvement between him and Missandei, plus he’s the leader of the Unsullied, so I wasn’t sure who would take over. Sure enough, this episode reinforced that romantic interest between Grey Worm and Missandei, though Grey Worm is ashamed of his feelings for her, which is sad, because he shouldn’t have to feel ashamed. I also felt like Ser Barristan’s story had more to it as well. Up until last episode, he was someone who was more in the background, and for the first time, we were finally starting to get to know him. Also in the books, I remember there being some question or mystery about who he really was, and his background, and whether he had some sort of sneaky ulterior motive. Last episode, for the first time, I was beginning to like the guy.
But of course, that’s always a mistake on Game of Thrones, because if you start to like a character, that means they’ll get killed off soon. But of course, the big shocker of this episode was Daenerys telling Hizdahr that she was going to marry him — whaaat? Oh, and that she’s going to re-open the fighting pits. Interesting. I am curious to see whether this will in fact have the desired effect. How soon will this wedding take place? Will she continue to sleep with Daario? Is this just a business transaction, or will she actually grow to love Hizdahr, like she did will Khal Drogo?
Jon Snow makes the unpopular decision to round up the Wildlings north of the Wall and bring them South, so that they may join the fight when the time comes. Tormund says that he’ll need ships, and that the only way he’ll do it is if Jon Snow comes with him. In the end, we find out that Stannis has indeed agreed to loan his ships out, so I guess that means Jon Snow is going too? How soon?
A large portion of this episode takes place in Winterfell, and Sansa is unexpectedly reunited with Theon, who she believes killed her brothers Brann and Rickon. Ramsay makes a big show of parading Theon around in front of Sansa and making him apologize for killing her brothers. But I think the big takeaway from this portion of the episode is seeing that Sansa still has friends in the North who are willing to help her. This will probably come into play later this season, as Stannis arrives in Winterfell with his troops and battles against the Boltons. There’s also Brienne and Podrick, who are camped out in Winterfell, and Brienne wants to get a message to Sansa. I wonder what that message is, and if Sansa will be more willing to accept Brienne’s help when all hell breaks loose in the near future?
Lastly, Jorah decides to sail through Valyria, where if you’ll remember, those with greyscale are sent. It’s where Stannis was advised to send his daughter, but he instead did everything he could to cure her. Until now, we never really knew the extent of the greyscale disease, but it looks pretty bad, and that it can turn you crazy. Unfortunately, Jorah seems to have caught it from their attackers. How quickly will it spread? Will he find a cure to it? How long until Tyrion finds out? Also, how much will this loss of Jorah’s sailboat set them back on their journey to Meereen? I was looking forward to Jorah’s reunion with Daenerys, but it looks like it’ll take the entire season before they get to Meereen now!
Nothing from King’s Landing, Braavos, or Dorne this episode. I suspect we’ll get a good dose of all three next time.
Josh’s Thoughts: Game of Thrones, Season 5 Episode 5: Kill the Boy
I feel like we have some more deaths in our future after the events of this episode. Jorah now has the stoneskin disease, so I think he is eventually going to bite it. I really hope he doesn’t spread it like a jerk, and end up wiping out a whole lot of people. From last episode when Stannis talked about the disease with his daughter, it seemed contagious, so that is a big concern. That would change me from really liking Jorah to really despising him really quick.
The second person I see dying pretty soon is Jon Snow. He is making huge waves not only with the Night’s Watch, but soon with the Wildlings. Now he is going to go on a journey with a guy who doesn’t like him very much, to a group of men who really don’t like him. Someone is going to put a sword through him, from one of these groups of people. Making too many waves in Game of Thrones generally leaves you dead in the end.
Ramsay Bolton seems to be a bit concerned about his place in the world after his dad mentions a new child is on the way. His father tries to get him past that, but if I know this show, people say a lot of things when they really mean or do another. Just because he says Ramsay’s line isn’t in jeopardy doesn’t mean it isn’t. Also, Sansa is in a really terrible position at the moment. She has a mistress who hates her, a creepy, demented man she will likely have to marry, and Theon who she thinks killed Brann and Rickon. I foresee her going down a darker path soon, unless Brienne is able to provide some sort of solution for her.
It looks like Daenerys will be settling down though! All that conquering must have made her want to settle down. If Jorah makes it back to her, which I imagine he will for dramatic effect, he is going to be heartbroken when he finds out. Maybe that will send him over the edge, and he will try to infect everyone he sees with his stoneskin disease? Hmmm….
Game of Thrones, Season 5 Episode 6: Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken
Scenes from the next episode of Game of Thrones, titled Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken:
Even though it was a great episode, I do have to admit I was a little shocked by the end. Though to be fair, I wasn’t really surprised..