The Game of Thrones Awards, Season 6, Episode 6: Church and State

Greetings, and welcome! My name is Ben, and you have stumbled upon the ONLY Game of Thrones recap on the entire internet. Week to week I will be breaking down each episode of season 6, giving out highly prestigious awards, and wrapping everything up with a haiku.
Season 6, Episode 6: “Blood of My Blood”
The King’s Landing storyline seemed to be barreling toward a bloody conclusion for weeks, and the preview for this episode implied the highly anticipated battle was upon us. Surely the combined Tyrell and Lannister forces would be able to take down the Faith Militant and rescue the queen and her brother, right? That it didn’t happen is not the problem—I rather like the idea of what happened instead, as it further emphasizes Cersei’s catastrophic miscalculation in shoring up the Faith. The problem is, the show didn’t sell it to me in a way that makes sense.
When Jaime Lannister says that every last one of the Faith will die before Margaery makes her walk of atonement, the High Sparrow relents and reveals why it isn’t necessary: King Tommen has formed an alliance between the Crown and the Faith. Part of this makes sense—Tommen’s entire world view could be reshaped by a strong breeze. The real mystery is why Margaery is buying the Sparrow’s eloquent speeches. Don’t get me wrong, Jonathan Pryce’s performance has been a highlight of the season. But the last we saw her, she was urging her brother to be strong and not give in to the fanatics.
It’s possible that Margaery seized the moment to manipulate the boy king and drive an even bigger wedge between him and Cersei. Yet this relies on the queen being okay with leaving her brother in the dungeons alone, and with the very public humiliation of her family. While that seems a great deal more likely than her genuine conversion, it doesn’t make sense to me either. No matter which way you slice it, one of the most determined characters in the series has fundamentally changed course for unclear reasons, and I’m not particularly fond of it at the moment. As always, I reserve the right to say, “holy crap great idea” at a later date if this all turns out to be part of a brilliant stratagem.
In Braavos, we once again see past King’s Landing events acted out in a play, which reminds us of the disconnect between how we interpret the events of the series and how the average commoner might—especially one who doesn’t live in the Capital. In their eyes, Ned and Tyrion are traitors and Joffrey’s death was tragic. Arya’s smile as she watches a dramatic reenactment of Joffrey’s fatal wedding toast made me chuckle, but it’s her reaction to Lady Crane’s performance as Cersei that is really worth discussing. Her smile quickly turns to anguish as she watches a mother lament the death of a son. It’s a nice moment of maturity from Arya, who is maybe starting to realize how many shades of gray make up the characters she has encountered along her journey.
Speaking of the late, unlamented king, in a moment that mimics the Purple Wedding, Arya poisons Lady Crane’s rum. However, after talking to the actress backstage, A Girl has a change of heart and knocks the drink out of her hand just before she takes a fatal sip. The Waif is all too happy to inform Jaqen H’Ghar of the betrayal, and is given permission to hunt down and kill the youngest Stark girl (ever the nice guy, Jaqen asks that Arya not be made to suffer unduly). In slightly related news, I just bought a t-shirt that says, “If Arya Dies, We Riot.”
Horn Hill, home of house Tarly, seems untouched by the wars and unspeakable acts that encompassed the first five-and-a-half seasons of this show. There is an odd calm and civility to the time we spend there. Sure, Samwell’s father Randyll is a major buzzkill, and irrationally ashamed of his eldest son…but when compared to how Walder Frey treats guests, he isn’t such a bad guy. But seriously, bringing Gilly and little Sam home was not the brightest idea Sam has ever had. Stealing Heartsbane, his family’s ancestral sword, on the other hand? That will likely pay off later, at least enough to make up for the emotional abuse everyone suffered during dinner.
Speaking of Walder Frey, everyone’s favorite Red Wedding architect appears on screen so suddenly. it is a jarring experience. It seems that he is only here to remind us of past events (it feels like he says “Red Wedding” a hundred times in two minutes) and to catch us up on what is happening in the Riverlands. With the Blackfish taking Riverrun, he is sending his sons (with a rather sad looking Edmure Tully in tow) to take it back. It feels like there could have been a more efficient way to handle this exposition, but I will admit to being happy to see the vile old sourpuss again (though I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone had told him about Walda’s unfortunate end at Ramsey’s hand). Jaime Lannister, freshly stripped of his Kingsguard duties by Tommen, is also being sent to smoke out the Blackfish. Riverrun is suddenly a pivotal location for several storylines and characters, including the off screen Jon Snow and Sansa Stark.
Speaking of, Sansa and Jon aren’t the only ones to experience a Stark family reunion this season. Ned’s brother Benjen comes to Bran and Meera’s aide, just before a horde of Wights devours them. The showrunners have already confirmed that the popular fan theory of Benjen being “Coldhands” (a mysterious stranger who helps Bran in the books) was accurate (despite inconclusive evidence from George R.R. Martin that the book Coldhands is someone else). Like we really need the Reddit community to feel more smug! I kid, I kid. The Children of the Forest apparently used their magic on Bran’s uncle to counteract the White Walker’s corruption and keep him among the living. You get all of that?
Speaking of the new Three-Eyed Raven, here’s a new temporary feature I like to call…
Bran Flashback Corner
Before Benjen made the save, Bran experienced a number of visions. Because not all of you are crazy/bored enough to watch the episode frame by frame, here’s the important stuff…

• A dragon flying over what looks like King’s Landing
• A baby dragon on Dany’s shoulder. Aww!
• The Night’s King touching one of Craster’s babies
• Pyromancers making Wildfire
• The Mad King yelling “Burn them All!”
• Young Ned at the Tower of Joy (oh come on!)
• All of those delightful Red Wedding deaths!
• Jaime earning the nickname Kingslayer by stabbing the Mad King in the back
• Robb and Catelyn dying at the Red Wedding
• Jaime stabbing the King some more—let it not be said the guy isn’t thorough
• Bran falling at the end of the pilot episode
• Jaime sitting on the Iron Throne
• Repeated shots of Hardhome, birds flying, and Wildfire exploding

What does it all mean? I have no idea.
Quotable Quotes
“You’re not fat enough already?” – Randyll Tarly, scolding his son for taking a dinner roll
“Madness has had its day!” – the delightfully theatrical Mace Tyrell
Awards!

• The “Alright, Enough Already” award goes to the closing scene, in which Daenerys reunites with Drogon and gives another speech about sailing to Westeros. This is supposed to make us feel like there is progress being made, but as was already established in the scene…they don’t have the ships to do this yet, and they are planning to head back to Mereen first. Yay.
• This week’s “We Miss You and Wish You Weren’t Murdered in Horrifying Fashion” award goes to Robb Stark. Seeing him in the flashback reminded me of how my old neighbor and I used to scream “The King in the North!” at each other from across the courtyard. I think that was all we ever said to each other. I drink sometimes.
• The “Iconic Moment Alert” award goes to our first vision of the Mad King. That was a long time coming.
• The “Alright, Finally!” award serves as a bookend, and it goes to Tommen for firing Jaime from the Kingsguard. I might not think this is a good idea, but wasn’t it refreshing to see Tommen sit on the throne and actually give an order for once?

And Now, a Haiku by Edmure Tully
So I was thinking
My wedding totally sucked
No cake in dungeon
I will be back at it next week. In the meantime, try not to get stabbed in the back by your sworn protector.