Welcome to Burning Questions of Game of Thrones, a weekly re-cap the show with theories, speculation and yes, questions.

Theories include show and book spoilers because on occasion I’ll refer to book material for deeper interpretation of things that happen in the show. So please watch where you step because

I won’t refer to the Season 7 leaks in any way. Ever.

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Holy dragon fire people, what an episode!

This is easily one of the best episodes of the whole series. I didn’t stop screaming until after my screen went black. There is so much to unpack here even though it’s one of the shortest GoT episodes ever made.

What do the Cave Drawings Mean?

A lot more than we’ve been told.  Last season we were told that the Children of the Forest created the White Walkers to fight the first men thousands of years ago. They lost control of that weapon and inadvertently created a permanent threat to humanity. Right? That’s what it seems like, but again, we don’t have details.

If this is true, then why are the first men and the Children of the forest were at war, how and when did they team up to fight the White Walkers?

Did the First Men join the CoF at Dragonstone to mine the stone to fight the threat? Were they using the cave as a hiding place?  Was it a case of the enemy of my enemy is my friend?

I think the only person who can answer all these questions is Samwell. With his access to all the history within the Citadel, he’s the only one in a position to untangle all of this.

What do the Geometric Patterns Mean?

We don’t have all the facts about this either. We know that a couple of the patterns have been used by White Walkers to communicate who knows what by placing bodies and body parts in pattern formation. We 

know that at least one of the patterns originated with the Children of the Forest, as we saw during the flashback of the creation of the first White Walker.

However, the various circular and spiral motifs in the cave drawings have popped up everywhere in the story since season 1, and this can’t be a coincidence. Nothing in Game of Thrones happens by chance.

The motifs have appeared most often in adornments on clothing, and more significantly, in huge set-pieces within major episodes. Khal Drogo’s funeral pyre in season 1 is in the shape of a Theta when Daenerys emerges unscathed with her three dragons hatched. Her Mysa moment in season 3 and Jon’s emergence from the battle pit in season 6 are both circle shapes with them at the center of the circle-in-circle shape on the cave. The masters in Astapor and Mereen all wore circular motifs that they threaded their robes through. Sansa is the only major character who has worn a related motif. First in season 4 episode 10, in her “dark Sansa” outfit, there is a large thet at her throat as a choker. This season, she wears a circle with a chain that wraps through her clothes. But all the motifs have been omnipresent during the series. 

There’s enough material about these motifs for an entire book, but check out this video by vlogger Secrets of the Citadel for a brilliant and comprehensive breakdown of everything you should know about the figures in the caves.

Daenerys + Jon?

Yes, they’re digging each other, it’s obvious in the cave scene. But maybe it’s just Jon recalling what it was like the last time he was in alone with a woman in a cave.

How Did I Not See This Coming???

After all the anticipation for the Arya and Sansa reunion, the best part turned out to be her sparring match with Brienne of Tarth, which obviously had to happen. One of the best fights on the show ever and it was just perfect. Particularly the ending: “Who taught you how to do this?”

“No one.” 

Now that she has a Valyrian steel dagger, it’s almost certain that she’ll be fighting off (and killing) a White Walker or two. Or a Wight or two. Cannot wait.

What about the Balls on Littlefinger?

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw Littlefinger gift the Cat’s Paw dagger to Bran. The audacity. The subtext screaming throughout this scene is does Bran know?  

Does Bran know that Littlefinger orchestrated the murder of Jon Arryn (King Robert’s Hand) which caused King Robert to appoint Ned Hand of the King?

Does Bran know that Littlefinger instigated the letter sent to his parents (by his aunt Lysa Arryn) in episode 1 falsely accusing the Lannisters of the murder, causing the conflict between House Stark and House Lannister, which led to the deaths of his brother Rob and his Father?

Does Bran know how Littlefinger betrayed Ned and caused his execution at the hands of Joffrey?

It’s hard to watch how obsequious Littlefinger is in trying to connect with Bran in this scene. All because he wants to be in a position to influence him in case Bran was taking up his duties as Lord of Winterfell.

It was chokingly suspenseful to wait for Bran’s response to Littlefinger, as he held the knife. There was a moment when I was almost sure he was going to plunge it into the reptile’s chest. But he asked Littlefinger if he knew who the dagger belonged to. We only know that it belonged to the reptile, but it’s sure to be a huge revelation to learn who had it before, and how he obtained it.

Bran doesn’t accuse Littlefinger of anything, but when he calmly repeats the reptile’s own words from season 1 back to him. “Chaos is a ladder,”  it was excellent. Littefinger looked like he crapped his pants a little. Bran knows.

Is This the Last of Meera Reed?

Poor girl, she deserved a better send off than this. She spends two seasons freezing her ass off dragging this little bastard around and all she gets for her loyalty and devotion is “yeah thanks, I’m not a human anymore, bye.”

This was brutal to watch, and I hope we see her again kicking ass and in love with a great guy. Right now she needs a bikini and a ticket to Vegas for a crazy weekend. Love you, Meera.

Oh btw: Howland Reed, Meera’s father, was at the Tower of Joy. He was also at the Tourney at Harrenhall. He knew Lyanna Stark, Rhaegar Targaryen and Robert Baratheon. We need to hear from him. In person. And

Are We Getting a Rhaegar and Lyanna and Tourney at Harrenhall Flashback? Huh? Huh?

I despair of seeing a flashback this season, but Dan & Dave can’t bring us this far and make us aware of all these elements of the story and then not show it to us. Right? RIGHT? Please, guys, I’m dying here.

When Littefinger Sees Arya, Does he Sense Imminent Death?

It was fabulous to witness Arya’s death stare at Littlefinger, but if you think about it, isn’t it a little out of context? We have plenty of reason hate the crap out of him, but she doesn’t know all the dirt he’s done. Or does she?

When was the last time she saw Littlefinger? Season 2, when she was working as a “cup-bearer” for Tywin Lannister during the War of the Five Kings. Arya’s scenes with Tywin are some of the best in the series (go rewatch them), and things get really interesting when Littlefinger, fresh from betraying houses up and down Westeros, drops in on Tywin to propose that House Lannister form an alliance with the Tyrells. 

Arya tries mightily to keep him from recognizing her, but eventually, he does get a good look at her and realizes who she is. He didn’t tell Tywin, but it’s possible that Tywing already knew who she was. Watch their scenes together, they are gold. Anyway, that’s the last time Arya saw Littlefinger. He was plotting with the Lannisters against her brother Robb which I suppose is reason enough to hate him. When she hears what he did to Ned and Sansa, she’ll not only slit his throat, she’ll decapitate him and use his skull as a paper weight.

What do You Mean the Gold arrived in King’s Landing Safely?

I get that Daenerys had to strike back at Cersei and get a win after losing on so many fronts since her arrival in Westeros, but without the gold, this is basically the equivalent of a fly buzzing Cersei’s face. We were all excited because we thought that Daenerys’ attack would leave Cersei without gold and unable to repay the Iron Bank and thus without backers for the ensuing conflict. But nooooooo. She has the gold and told the banker that she will hire The Golden Company, an elite group of sellswords, to fight for her.  With the Tyrell gold Cersei buys time and power to wreak much more havoc in Westeros than anyone (well, me) anticipated this season. And at the moment, the person everyone expects to end her rotten life for good, may just be dead. Which means she could be around for a very long time. Yikes.

Is Jaime Dead?

I hope so. He so disgusts me right now. Lady Olenna told him last week that Cersei would be the death of him, and he agreed. It would be the fastest foreshadowing in the history of Game of Thrones. His death now would also give us Queen Cersei as a completely unfettered psychopath, a frightening but thrilling prospect. And there are still plenty of “little brothers” around to fulfill the prophecy and strangle her to death when the time comes. Notice that neither he nor Bronn (not Bronn!) appears in the preview scene for episode 5 in which Daenerys is demanding loyalty from the Lannister forces that are left. They could be prisoners already or they could be at the bottom of the lake. I want Bronn to survive. After he tries and fails to free Jaime from his armor.

 

If Jaime’s Alive, Can Someone Hit Him in the Head with his Gold Hand? Repeatedly?

I’ve said before that Jaime Lannister has shit all over whatever redemption arc he was supposed to be on when he didn’t challenge Cersei about blowing up a church full people. I’m done with him. He disgusts me.

But oh, look at him get all outraged and upset when he sees his men roasted by dragon fire.  Oh, the pain. Oh the loss of life. How dare that bitch — and then he rides for Daenerys, spear in hand. I was hoping Drogon would bite him in half. Seriously Jaime, F.U. I loved that Tyrion could tell what Jaime was about to do from all the way across the battlefield (siblings). “Jaime you idiot,” he whispers. Truly.

Wildfire is worse that dragon fire because wildfire is impervious to water. Wildfire is what your sister and lover, Batshit-Crazy-Queen Cersei used to fry a church full of religious fundamentalists (scary people, but hardly armed combatants). But by all means, feel indignant and outraged at your own soldiers being roasted by dragon fire during an armed conflict while they were looting gold and food. Because priorities.

Will Drogon Survive? Is there Another Scorpion?

Drogon will survive this time, but there are rumors one of the Dragons will be killed this season. Dany rides Drogon exclusively, but she has 

attacked using all three at once (like on the Master’s fleet in Mereen). If she does this again, she’ll be exposing all three of her babies to whatever threats await. Surely there is another Scorpion somewhere because Qyburn is always prepared. And Cersei plays to win.

Can We Talk About Field of Fire 2.0?

Every Battle on Game of Thrones gets better and more intense, and truly, I’m afraid I’ll have a stroke watching the season finale. This was beautifully shot

and choreographed. The special effects were spectacular, and the dragon fire scream-worthy (doesn’t everyone scream when dragon fire happens?). My favorite touch was the close-ups interspersed with the wide shots of the battle, showing characters emotions. I’ve never seen Bronn scared of anything, but his face when he heard and then saw Drogon cross the horizon was priceless. Dickon Tarly’s face, and especially Tyrion’s reactions, gave the sequence so much depth and meaning beyond the pyrotechnics. It was a stunning sequence.

Why Doesn’t Daenerys Wear a Harness?

I thought she would fall out of the sky when Drogon got hit, but no she held on, thankfully. So how does this work? Thigh-master? Magical

Targaryen powers? Velcro? Someone needs to explain because the dragons themselves are completely logical. 😀

Come back next week for more Burning Questions of Game of Thrones!