‘Game of Thrones’: ‘Stormborn’ Recap With Spoilers

A storm gathers at Dragonstone. Dany is with Tyrion and Varys and they note how a storm just like this gathered around Dragonstone on the night Dany was born. Dany questions the loyalty of Varys, remembering all the times he previously betrayed his kings and how he was part of the plan to sell her to the Dothraki for Viserys. Varys makes it clear that his loyalty is not to the person who rules the kingdom, but to the people who live in it. They seem to come to an arrangement.

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Melisandre, the Red Woman, returns to Dragonstone, her former home when it was the castle of Stannis Baratheon. She meets with Dany and warns her of the Long Night that is coming to Westeros. Melisandre believes that Dany may be the “Prince that was Promised.” When Dany points out that she is not a man Missandei corrects them and says that the prophecy was genderless in its original High Valyrian. She tells Dany that she should meet with Jon Snow, the King in the North. Tyrion agrees. Dany orders for a raven to be sent to Winterfell instructing Jon to come to Dragonstone to bend the knee.

Missandei lets Grey Worm know that she is distraught at the idea of him going to war. They confess their feelings for each other and share some intimate time together.

The young of the North are training for war in the yard of Winterfell when Dany’s raven arrives. Sansa reads the message and believes it to be a trap, but Tyrion included a the phrase “dwarfs are bastards in the eyes of their fathers” in the message. Recalling this phrase from his previous meeting with Tyrion. Sansa does note that Tyrion isn’t like the other Lannisters, but she still believes it is too risky. Davos agrees, though he does note that dragons taht breath fire would be useful in battling the White Walkers.

King’s Landing

At King’s Landing, Cersei has summoned the remaining lords of Westeros to the Iron Throne room, including those loyal to the Tyrells. She warns that the Targaryens have returned and that Dany has brought Dothraki and Unsullied with them. She tells them that if they don’t show fealty to the crown then the Dothraki and the Unsullied will pillage their lands and rape their families. The Lords reluctantly agree to follow Cersei, though Randyll Tarly wonders how the crown expects to defend against three dragons.

As the lords depart, Jaime catches Randyll Tarly’s ear. He offers him the title of Warden fo the South in return for him acting as the general for the Lannisters in the coming war and to kill Olenna Tyrell. Randyll is reluctant to turn on House Tyrell, but he is eventually convinced.

Oldtown

At the Citadel, Randyll’s son, Sam, is with the Archmaester in Jorah Mormont’s cell. The Maester believes Jorah’s Greyscale is too advanced to cure, noting that Jorah will probably live another ten years but will be crazed long before that. The maester grant’s Jorah one more night’s stay at the citadel before he’ll be sent off to Old Valyria with the rest of the Stone Men.

Sam tries to convince the Maester to peform a banned procedure to cure Jorah’s Greyscale, the one that helped Shireen Baratheon as a baby, but the Maester dismisses the idea Sam is notably surprised to learn that Jorah is Lord Mormont’s son.

Back at King’s Landing

Qyburn and Cersei visit the dragon skulls beneath the Red Keep. Cersei remembers how Robert kept them as trophies. She even believes he brought whores there from time to time.

Qyburn recalls how history says Aegon the Conqueror rode Valerion the Dread across Westeros. However, he notes that while Valerion was powerful he was not invincible.

Qyburn shows Cersei the ballistic crossbow he built based on the information he learned of one of the dragons being wounded by spears in the fighting pits of Meereen. He has Cersei fire the weapon and it shatters Valerion’s skull. It seems they have a weapon capable of killing a dragon.

At Dragonstone

Daenerys and her advisers and allies are all gathered in the war room, including Tyrion Lannister, Varys, Olenna Tyrell, Ellaria Sand, and Yara and Theon Greyjoy.

The group debates strategy. Yara, Olenna, and Ellaria favor a swift and total strike on King’s Landing. Varys and Tyrion believe that Dany must first win the hearts and minds of some of the lords of Westeros and Dany agrees. She wants the Greyjoys to take their fleet to Dorne and the Tyrells to begin a march from the Reach so that a Westerosi army will attack Casterly rock rather than the Unsullied and Dothraki first could send the wrong message to the lords of Westeros. Meanwhile, the Unsullied and Dothraki will attack Casterly Rock.

Olenna advises Dany not to hinge too hard on the advice of clever men like Tyrion, saying that she has outlasted many clever men by ignoring them and keeping her own counsel. She tells Dany to be a dragon and not a sheep.

Missandei lets Grey Worm know that she is upset about him going to war. Grey Worm confesses his feeling to her and they share some intimate time together.

At the Citadel

Later in the library, Sam tries to convince the Maester to perform a banned procedure to cure Jorah’s Greyscale. The Maester says the procedure is far too dangerous and the maester who performed it contracted Greyscale himself and refuses.

Later still, Jorah is writing a letter to Dany when Sam enters the room. He tells Jorah that he knew his father and that he’s training to serve the nights watch. Sam has decided that he’s going to perform the forbidden procedure even without permission, though he warns Jorah that it’s going to hurt a lot. Also, Jorah needs to remain quiet or they’ll be caught and it will be the end for both of them.

Sam begins the procedure of removing the entire upper layer of infected skin, which stretches across most of Jorah’s torso.

Arya Meets With Hot PIe

Arya is enjoying some of Hot Pie’s delicacies and gaining information about where Brienne is.

Hot Pie wonders where Arya is headed. She tells him she’s going to King’s Landing because Cersei is queen. Hot Pie wonders why Arya isn’t headed to Winterfell. When Arya notes that the Boltons have Winterfell, Hot Pie tells her that Jon came down with an army and killed the Boltons and that he’s the King of the North now.

Arya decides to leave immediately. She mounts her horse and considers which direction to go for a moment. She makes a decision and then heads off.

Winterfell

Back at Winterfell, Jon receives a raven from Sam. The message informs Jon that Dragonstone is rich with Dragonglass that can be mined and weaponized for use against the White Walkers. Jon feels like he now has no choice but to go to Dragonstone and meet with Daenerys. He meets with the other Northern lords to inform them of his decision and none are pleased with it. They all remember the madness of King Aegon and how Robb Stark was killed riding south. Jon reassures and leaves Sansa in charge in his absence.

Jon visits his father’s statue in the crypt beneath Winterfell. Littlefinger finds him there. Things quickly become tense between Jon and Littlefinger. They go back and forth until Littlefinger tells Jon that he loves Sansa the way he used to love Catelyn. Jon slams Littlefinger up against the crypt wall and tells him that he lays a finger on Sansa then Jon will kill him.

Jon waves farewell to Sansa before riding off with Ser Davos for White Harbor and Dragonstone.

Arya in the Woods, Sand Snakes on the Sea

Arya is stopped in the woods and trying to keep warm. Her horse seems nervous. Suddenly they are surrounded by a pack of wolves.

One massive wolf, a direwolf, is in the lead. Arya recognizes her as Nymeria, her own direwolf, fully grown. She tries to reconnect with Nymeria, but the Direwolf and its pack turn away from her. Arya whispers “that’s not you” after the wolves are gone.

Ellaria Sand and her Sand Snakes are aboard Theon and Yara’s ship. The Sand Snakes debate over who will kill which Lannister once they reach King’s Landing.

Ellaria and Yara flirt and are about to do a bit more when the ship is attacked by Euron’s ship. The ship rams Yara and Theon’s and Euron’s Ironborn board. A fight breaks out between the two Ironborn factions. The Sand Snakes join the fray and Tyene to keep Ellaria safe.

Euron Greyjoy kills both Obara and Nymeria while his men take Ellaria and Tyene captive.

Yara finds Euron and the two fight. Euron takes Yara as a human shield and calls for Theon’s attention. Euron taunts Theon. Theon looks around the ship at the carnage and jumps overboard. Euron takes Yara.

Theon floats on the wreckage in the seas and watches his other ships burn.