Violet recap Season 6 Episode 7 of Game of Thrones, titled The Broken Man, where Jon Snow and Sansa try to garner more troops, Jaime parleys with the Blackfish, and a character who we thought was dead turns out to be alive! Following the recap, both Violet and Josh share their thoughts about the episode
- His thoughts on The Broken Man, Episode 607 of Game of Thrones
- Her thoughts on Game of Thrones, Season 6 Episode 7: The Broken Man
The Hound Lives
The episode begins with a surprise – Sandor Clegane, aka the Hound, is alive! (Click here to read about the last time we saw The Hound.) He is working with a group of people to build a structure in a valley. We learn that when the group’s leader, Brother Ray, found the Hound, he thought he was already dead. Brother Ray asks the Hound what kept him going, and he replies Hate. They have a discussion, to which the Hound asks if the gods are real, why haven’t they punished him? Brother Ray tells him that they have.
Later, Brother Ray speaks to his followers about how he used to be an arsonist and a murderer, and how it still haunts him. He then delivers the message that it’s never too late to stop doing bad, and start doing good. 3 men ride up on horses, claiming to be protecting the people. Brother Ray says that they have no horses, no gold, no steel. He tells the men they are welcome to stay for supper. One of the horsemen tells Ray to stay safe, that the night is dark and full of terrors.
The Hound goes out to chop some wood. Brother Ray comes to talk to him. It seems the Hound is not happy with the way Brother Ray handled the situation with the horsemen. Brother Ray asks the Hound what he wants to do – fight them? Kill them? He tells the Hound that these people don’t know how to fight. But the Hound points out that Brother Ray does. He replies that he’s done fighting. The Hound opts to continue chopping wood, rather than join them for supper.
Later, the Hound hears screaming. By the time he makes it back to the village, everyone is dead. He then sees Brother Ray, dead, hanging from the structure they were building. The Hound grabs his ax and stalks off angrily.
King’s Landing
The High Sparrow goes to see Margaery. She admits that for years, she pretended to love the poor, but really, they disgusted her. The High Sparrow tells Margaery that the King has told him that since their reunion, she hasn’t joined him in the marriage bed, and reminds her about her duty. He tells her that the King must have an heir so they can continue their good work. He says that she has made great progress, and that he hopes her grandmother will follow her lead, as he fears for her safety if she does not repent.
Margaery goes to visit her grandmother, Olenna, but she is accompanied by a Septa. When Olenna tries to speak to Margaery alone, the Septa follows. Olenna can’t believe how compliant Margaery is being to the Sparrows, or what Margaery is telling her about Loras’s requirement to repent. Margaery urges her grandmother to leave and go home to Highgarden. Olenna starts to argue, but Margaery secretly slips a piece of paper into Olenna’s hand. They hug and say their goodbyes. After Olenna leaves the room, she looks at the paper. It’s a drawing of the rose of House Tyrell, their family.
Later, Cersei goes to see Olenna, having heard that she is leaving King’s Landing. Cersei admits that she made a mistake by letting the Sparrows take over. She tries to tell Olenna that they need each other, and they must defend their children and grandchildren. However, Olenna is not swayed.
The North
Some of the Wildlings don’t seem like they want to participate in Jon Snow’s fight. However, Jon Snow and Torumund convince them that they need to defeat Ramsay Bolton if the Wildlings want to survive.
Jon Snow, Davos, and Sansa then go to Bear Island to request troops from their leader, Lady Lyanna Mormont, who is a young girl. At first, she refuses, as House Mormont is only pledged to House Stark, while Jon nor Sansa are Starks. Additionally, based on past events, she does not want to fight others’ wars. However, Davos steps up and makes his plea, making it clear that the war is between the living and the dead. He tells her that a divided North stands no chance against the Night King. Lady Mormont agrees to keep faith with House Stark, and tells them they can expect 62 fighting men. She tells him that they are not a large House, and every man from Bear Island fights with the strength of 10 mainlanders.
Their next stop, to House Glover, doesn’t go so well, especially when Lord Glover hears that Jon Snow’s army is made up of Wildlings. Lord Glover says that he served House Stark once, but House Stark is dead.
Davos, Jon Snow, and Sansa make camp at the location where Stannis did when he was planning to overtake Winterfell. Jon Snow says that they need to march on Winterfell now, while they still can. It seems they were successful in acquiring 200 Hornwoods and 143 Mazins, in addition to the 2,000 Wildlings and 62 Mormonts. Davos says they still have a chance, if they’re smart. Then he notices a fight breaking out, and goes to stop it. Sansa tells Jon that they need more men, but Jon says there’s no time, and they fight with the army they have. Jon then goes over to help break up the fight.
Sansa notices some ravens, so she goes and writes a scroll, though to whom, and about what, we are not shown.
Riverrun
Jaime leads his troops to Riverrun, where the Blackfish has retaken the castle. He assigns Bronn the job of heading up digging trenches, assuring him that he can be the right hand that he lost. When they get to the castle, they see that Walder Frey’s men are outside, threatening to hang Edmure Tully if the Blackfish does not give up the castle. The Blackfish stares at them, unspeaking. They then take the noose off of Edmure Tully and threaten to cut his throat. The Blackfish tells them to go ahead and do it. They don’t.
Jaime tells them to have Edmure bathed and fed, telling them that he’s there under orders of the King to take command of the castle. The Freys are unhappy, but comply. Jaime tells Bronn to get word to the Blackfish that he wants to parley.
Jaime and the Blackfish meet at the drawbridge to parley. Jaime tells the Blackfish that if he surrenders, he’ll spare the lives of his men. The Blackfish says that as long as he’s standing, the war is not over, that this is his home, where he was born, and he’s not leaving. The Blackfish tells Jaime that he can either attack, or starve them out – but they have provisions for 2 years. Jaime wonders why the Blackfish agreed to meet with him if he had no intention to compromise. The Blackfish answers that he wanted to see Jaime in person and get the measure of him. The Blackfish tells Jaime that he’s disappointed.
Theon and Yara
Theon and Yara seem to be at a brothel, where Theon is understandably uncomfortable. They are aware that their uncle Euron will be after them. She tries to give Theon a pep talk, saying that she needs the “real” Theon Greyjoy, having him drink ale, hoping to find him that way. But she tells him that if he’s so broken that there’s no coming back, then to end his life. However, if he stays, she needs him. They will sail to Meereen, make a pact with the Dragon Queen, and take back the Iron Islands. When she asks if he is with her, he nods.
Braavos
Arya hears a man talking and recognizes his accent as Westerosi. She books passage with him, and tells him they’re leaving at dawn. She goes to walk on the bridge and is attacked by an old woman, who stabs her repeatedly. The woman turns out the be the Waif, wearing another face. Arya jumps off the bridge into the water. The Waif, believing Arya is good as dead, walks away satisfied. However, Arya has swum away, and resurfaces a little ways away. She then walks down the streets of Braavos, soaking wet and bleeding, while people just stare.
Her Thoughts on Game of Thrones, Season 6 Episode 7: The Broken Man
The Hound lives! He lives! Didn’t see that one coming. I guess I never really thought about it. I suppose you should never assume someone is dead in this show, unless you actually see them die. And even then, they might come back, as in the case of Jon Snow. I’m not quite sure what purpose bringing him back will serve, as it felt like his story arc had been completed when Arya left him for dead. At the same time, I guess we should have seen this coming, when the Waif was testing Arya, and she brought up the Hound. Through her line of questioning, we learned that in the end, Arya had actually taken him off of her kill list, suggesting that she actually cared for him. Maybe they will meet up again.
As for Arya, oh my gosh, I knew that old woman was the Waif! Okay, so I’m pretty sure everyone else probably knew it too, since we all knew she was after Arya, to kill her. I was a little disappointed that Arya wasn’t on guard, since she knows that they’re after her (hence the booking passage and insisting on it leaving so soon), and she knows that they’re capable of assuming any number of faces. But I guess it happened so quick that she didn’t have time to be on guard. But when it happened, I was like noooo, because I thought for sure she was a goner, as many times as she was stabbed. I thought it was over, right then and there. I was surprised that Arya was able to not only swim away, but then walk down the street. I’m assuming (hoping) she gets saved (I’m betting that she does, otherwise she wouldn’t have made it so far after the stabbing), but I have no idea how it will happen, so I’m really looking forward to seeing that.
Okay, so who’s Sansa sending the raven to? My guess is Littlefinger, asking for his help after all, since she was so adamant about needing more men. Last we heard, the Knight of the Vale were camped at Moat Cailin, which isn’t too far away, and they could meet up with them to overtake Winterfell, since Jon Snow is so set on fighting right away.
I’m also not sure what to make of Margaery. At first, I thought she was just playing along, to save herself. But then it seemed like she was really buying into this religion, based on the things that she said. However, in this episode, she slips a drawing of the House Tyrell rose to her grandmother, which implies that she is just doing what she has to do. But what of Tommen? Where does he really stand on all this? Honestly, I kind of don’t really care, and am waiting on something really interesting to happen with that storyline. Any episode now, please. Thanks.
His Thoughts on Game of Thrones, Season 6 Episode 7: The Broken Man
First of all, as I suspected, I thought that the Hound might still be alive. I am curious know more about his coming into this new group he was with, but it doesn’t look like we will be getting more answers there. I have a feeling that he will be enacting some swift vengeance shortly though. But after that what is next for him? Will he meet up with Arya? Or as some people around the internet hope, will he be participating in the trial by combat against Cersei to have him face off with his (undead) brother? Hmm…
Speaking of Arya though–She took some pretty viscous stabs. I wonder what happens to her next. I also wonder if Waif might be in trouble now with Jaqen, because she did not make it quick, as Jaqen requested. If Arya dies, it looks like it could be a grueling, slow death. I feel it would be odd of the script to have Jaqen say make it quick, but then have Arya bleed out slowly. Hmm…
As for Jon Snow and Sansa, They aren’t quite getting the military they need. I am curious to who Sansa is enlisting help for. Littlefinger? Robin perhaps? Either way, I really want to see Jon Snow take out Ramsay finally.
Regarding Theon and Yara, it looks like it will be a race between them and Euron as to who can get Daenerys on their side. I would hope that Daenerys sides with Yara and Theon, but there is a chance she might side with Euron. I am hoping we get this meeting sooner than later.
I am also excited to see how this conflict with Blackfish goes. I have a feeling Jaime will be able to crush them, but there could be some surprises. But speaking of surprises, I wondered if Margaery was playing “possum” with the High Sparrow, and it could be true, given her note. I wonder what this drawing actually means though. I guess we will have to wait and see…
Scenes from Game of Thrones, Season 6, Episode 8: No One
Preview of Season 6 Episode 8 of Game of Thrones
