Welcome to Burning Questions of Game of Thrones, a weekly re-cap with theories, speculation and yes, questions. Theories include show and book spoilers, because although I’ve only read the first ASOIAF book, on occasion I’ll refer to book wiki for deeper interpretation of things that happen in the show. So watch where you step because
I won’t refer to any leaked plot information for season 7. Feel free to jump in the comments to give me your two cents, agree, disagree, or correct a mistake. Have a question I didn’t ask? Leave it in the comments.
Shall we begin? 😀
Why doesn’t Dragonstone feel like home to Daenerys?
Daenerys’ arrival at Dragonstone is a huge moment in the story and the show, and rightly so. Her objective for years has been to return to Westeros and claim her birthright. When she arrived on the island of Dragonstone, she bent down to touch the ground in obeisance to her ancestors. It seemed like she was having a spiritual experience. As if she felt their energy. As if they were speaking to her. At least that’s what it looked like. Daenerys was born on Dragonstone during a storm near the end of Robert’s Rebellion. Her mother was killed, but she and her brother were smuggled away by servants in the midst of the storm. It’s really jarring to hear her say that it doesn’t feel like home. She’s not talking about Westeros at large, because when Tyrion tells her that they won’t stay on Dragonstone for long she responds, “Good.”
Why and what does this mean?
How Cool Was this War Council?
All the women were urging immediate and bloody attack of King’s Landing, but Tyrion convinced Daenerys to use caution, in order to limit civilian casualties. This seemed like a negligible concern to the other women at the table.
Tyrion’s plan proposes a siege at King’s Landing and an attack at Casterly Rock. Daenerys agrees because she doesn’t want to be accused of being a blood-thirsty despot like her father. “I’m not here to rule over the ashes,” she says. Sometimes you need to be ruthless. Like when you’re dealing with Cersei, the Queen of Wildfire. The women at the table understand this. In the interest of getting on with it, they all agree to support Daenerys’ adoption of Tyrion’s plan.
Why Does Tyrion’s Plan Make no Sense?
Is this just bad writing or is there an ulterior motive? It was a groan at the screen moment when Tyrion said that the Yara’s fleet had to go back to Dorne to pick up an army. Excuse me, what? Remember this?
Were those Dornish ships empty?Let’s suspend disbelief completely and say they were. Wouldn’t it be easier (and safer) to send a raven (or several, because spies) with orders mobilizing the army? Wouldn’t it be safer to send emissaries? Sending the Queen with all her heirs on the same ship to get an army that should have been with them in the first place is RIDICULOUS. Perhaps it’s the Dornish Curse. Every frigging’ scene involving the Dornish princes has been trash since the beginning of the series. It’s like the writers hate Dorne and hand those scenes to some clueless intern to write.
Regardless, you don’t have to be a military genius to know that moving the fleet out again after the enemy knows you’re there is exposing you to attack. It’s obvious, and it’s stupid. Tyrion isn’t stupid (usually). I don’t get it. And don’t get me started on the other half of the plan.
Why Attack Casterly Rock Now?
Casterly Rock, ancestral seat of the Lannisters, blah blah blah. But the Lannisters aren’t at Casterly Rock. Neither is the government, the treasury, the food supply, or the any other valuable resource that would give Daenerys a serious advantage. They could easily take Casterly Rock after King’s Landing, when there would be more houses behind them. It’s purely symbolic. Why take such a needless risk without a payoff? I’m glad you asked, because the night is dark and full of theories.
- Is there something of value at Casterly that no one but Tyrion knows about? It’s hard to fathom what this might be, since Tywin told Cersei in season 4 that all their gold mines had dried up a few years before. Is there a stash of gold somewhere in there that no one knows about? Money? Something else?
- Perhaps Tyrion wants to take Casterly Rock by force to stick to his family and to his father Tywin’s memory. Tywin refused him, the eldest son and rightful heir, ownership Casterly Rock. It’s one of the most painful scenes in the show, because of the way Tywin denigrated him.
I would let myself be consumed by maggots before mocking the family name and making you the heir to Casterly Rock. -Tywin Lannister
3. It could be a set up for another plot twist later in the story that can’t happen any other way. Ugh, I hope it’s not this.
How Did Euron Know Where Daenerys’ Fleet Was?
He was probably headed to Dragonstone to get Tyrion as a gift for Cersei, but ran into the Yara’s fleet leaving the island and attacked. Not magic. Cersei’s already taking credit for the attack in the next episode saying “I drew first blood.” Bitch, please.
Will Daenerys be a Dragon ?
After this episode, if she doesn’t unleash her inner dragon, she’s a fool. Lady Olenna is right. Dany needs to trust her instincts. Not that she shouldn’t consider loss of life, but that she should strike forcefully and quickly, the first instinct of all the women at the table.
Why Did Cersei’s Appeal for Support to the Lords of the Reach Seem So Familiar?
Because it was exactly the kind of racist, xenophobic apocalypse espoused by the current U.S. President. Queen Cersei’s speech was reminiscent of 45’s Inauguration Speech.
Randall Tarly isn’t Buying it. Will He Stick with the Mad Queen?
Tarly’s face during Cersei’s “foreigners are coming to rape your women and pillage your houses” speech wasn’t even trying to hide his disdain.
He could care less about the Dothraki hoards. He asks Cersei how she plans to deal with Daenerys’ WMD. The dragons. Then Qyburn comes to the rescue. I thought he was dead or locked in a cell somewhere, but there he is, bringing more mayhem to the table. More on that later.
Tarly wasn’t exactly receptive to Jaime’s racist appeal for fealty; “The Dothraki hoards. In Westeros,” hissed Jamie. As if the Dothraki were some communicable disease. What is wrong with him?
If you hated Tarly last season for how he treated Sam, you love him this season for how he spoke to Cersei and Jamie.
“I’m a Tarly. That name means something. We’re not oathbreakers, we’re not schemers. We don’t stab our rivals in the back or cut their throats at weddings. I swore an oath to House Tyrell.”
Translation: You’re low-life killers who turn on your allies without a qualm. Why would I soil my person fighting for you?
he didn’t respond when Jamie asked him to be his commander, even after Jaime (I want to smack him so hard) offered to make him Warden of the West. He will turn on the Lannisters when it will hurt them the most. I can’t wait.
Why isn’t There a Larger Public Outcry about the destruction of the Sept?
It’s apparent that everyone in Westeros knows that Cersei is responsible for burning down the Sept, but there is no public outcry? No demonstrations or revolt in King’s Landing, not even by the elite?
Maybe it’s just that everyone’s afraid to death of her. Cersei’s aware that people fear her to the extent that she asked Jaime if he was afraid of her. So perhaps that’s the reason for the silence. Not acceptance but fear.
Will We See Nymeria and Her Wolf-Pack Again?
Seeing this reunion was emotional and brought to mind how long it’s been since Arya pushed her wolf away in order to save her from Cersei’s wrath. After years in the wild Nymeria has grown wild and ferocious. She’s a predator, not a companion, much like Arya herself. They’re both killers. Arya’s statement “that’s not you,” after the wolf leaves her is a call back to this scene from season 1. I’m hoping that the wolf pack returns to help in fight against the dead sometime next season, but can they fight the dead? Tearing head off wights may help but can they fight White Walkers? And suppose the wolves are turned into Wights?
What is This About?
This is an odd thing to say to a friend you haven’t seen in ages who gives you great news. Hotpie is a deadman, poor guy. It is known. When he tells her he’s a survivor, she’s like, “yeah okay bye.” Poor guy.
Will Arya and Jon Ever Reunite?
As of right now they’re heading in opposite directions, but towards each other, so they may very well meet on the road…unless Jon and Davos turn east to the coast, to sail for south to Dragonstone. I doubt it though, because the they’d need a ship with a crew and supplies, which they don’t have. They left on horseback with the clothes on their backs. So this means they’ll probably ride to the Inn at the Crossroads where we last saw Arya, and then head east from there to Duskendale or further out on the Cracklaw Peninsula, where they could easily hire a rowboat at Rook’s Rest and have a short ride to Dragonstone. Check out possible routes on this interactive map of Westeros. They should meet on the King’s Road at some point, but knowing how this show loves to rip our hearts out, we’ll probably get a near-miss, with Arya and Jon unknowingly passing each other. They haven’t seen each other since season 1, when he gave her Needle as a parting gift. “Stick ’em with the pointy end,” he told her.
Will Samwell’s Bad-assery Get Him Infected?
Let’s pray to the old gods and the new that Sam stays safe. He should get a pass just for the bravery of performing the surgery on Ser Jorah. But he didn’t cover his face (what the heck is he thinking?) or head. All he needs is a drop of flying pus to land in the wrong place and he’s done. But I suspect there’s something more painful in store for Sam. He could unwittingly spread the infection to Gilly or the baby, but most likely Gilly. Why do I think this? Because of a conversation between Gilly and Sam (I can’t remember which episode) in which she remarks “if anything happens to me, promise me you’ll take care of him,” or something like that. I thought at the time “Oh no, she’s going to die,” because this show is brutal with the foreshadowing. But also, the baby is still in the show, which means he has a role to play in the conflict to come. A random baby doesn’t remain in this show without a purpose. Two entire families have been killed two seasons in a row. Also: the baby is related to all of the White Walkers.
Stay tuned for Part 2 of Burning Questions of Stormborn which will tackle:
Grey Worm & Missandei
Qyburn and his Weapon
Yara and Theon
Jon Snow and Littlefinger
Sansa and the North
