Game of Thrones’ Episode 501: “The Wars to Come” was enjoyable to watch since various interesting details were given to the audience. The episode did not attract me much the first time I watched it. After a re-watch I realized it is a masterpiece.
The episode opens with my favourite scene: a young Cersei and her friend, Melara (name from the books). What I like about this scene is that it begins like a fairytale that ends in complete subversion. Both characters are in the woods somewhere in the Westerlands and they are going to visit a witch, Maggy the frog, reputed to be a foreteller. The actress playing young Cersei nailed the role by portraying an impulsive and spoiled lady. She pushes Melara to accompany her after hearing her objections. Melara’s concern hints the end result of this scene and also her fate, something that I will reveal in a subsequent post. Cersei also uses her status as Tywin’s daughter to force Maggy to tell her the future. The scene ends with a detrimental effect on Cersei, something escalated by Maggy’s scornful laugh:
- She will marry a king not a prince (Cersei was expecting to marry Prince Rhaegar Targaryen and not King Robert Baratheon)
- She will have three children
- Her husband will have many illegitimate children
- She will be displaced by a younger and more beautiful lady (her primary suspect is Margaery Tyrell).
- Her kids will die before her.
Will this scene be the only flashback this season? So far the given prophecy is not complete. Cersei might refer to it again in a subsequent episode to reveal more details.
Maggy looks a lot younger and prettier in the show than in the books. It makes me wonder whether the producers would be introducing the “glamour” concept in the show.
For the rest of the episode, here is a geographic distribution of the events.
Events at King’s Landing
- At the sept, Cersei accuses Jaime of doing a big mistake: releasing Tyrion. Jaime is more concerned of the lords outside wanting confirmation of Tywin’s death. He is aware that House Lannister has many enemies, and their allies do not have the best reputation (House Frey and House Bolton). Basically Tywin’s death has caused a more rapid decline of House Lannister’s power. Cersei seems not to be concerned with Jaime’s fears. She tells him that the real enemy is the one that he helped escape, and that she has been telling him that for the longest time (for TV viewers only, this is part of Maggy’s prophecy).
- Maester Pycelle’s comment about never trusting Varys is an interesting one. Obviously everybody has realized that Varys helped with Tyrion’s escape. More subtle is his role in Tywin’s assassination by his son in the books – did he set up Tywin to be killed?
- After a long time, Lancel Lannister makes an appearance, and he is now a member of the Sparrows, religious fanatics that have arrived at the capital. His father, Kevan, is not pleased with this. By becoming a Sparrow, Lancel has been seeking for forgiveness for certain deeds he committed in the past: his affair with Cersei and his role in the death of Robert Baratheon (the boar hunt reference). The leak of these details could put Cersei in big trouble.
- The cheesy scene between Loras and Margaery reveals two interesting details: Loras will not be marrying Cersei thanks to Tywin’s death and the fact that Margaery will be stuck at King’s Landing with a nasty in-law. I love Margaery’s “hinting” reply to her fate at King’s Landing – “perhaps.” Is Kevan working or planning to get Cersei back to Casterly Rock at this stage?
Events at the Eyrie
- Robert Arryn is criticized by Lord Royce about his lack of fighting skills. Westerosi society has this poor conception about non-warriors. The fact is that fighting abilities are not indicative of leadership and political abilities (Tyrion Lannister is a good example). Robert is left as a ward to Lord Royce by Littlefinger.
- Sansa and Littlefinger are travelling west. This is interesting because it is a major deviation from the books. Some fans have speculated that Sansa might be heading north (where Cersei would not reach her) and take “partially” the role of Fake Arya from the books. The other part of this role might be fulfilled by TV Miranda. Everybody at the Eyrie has been informed that she will be travelling to The Fingers (hopefully Lord Royce would question that).
- Brienne is experiencing some disillusion with the duty that Jaime assigned her especially after Arya’s rejection of her protection. Her comment about her not wanting to be a leader but fighting for a good lord is revealing and foretelling: the remaining lords are monsters. The Seven Kingdoms are all going down.
Events at Mereen
- At Mereen, Daenarys is destroying cultural landmarks probably as a retaliation to the actions of the Sons of the Harpy. After the assassination of one of the Unsullied, she decides to have him buried in a public and honourable manner in the Temple of the Graces to insult the killers.
- Hizdahr zo Loraq tries to convince Daenerys to open the fighting pits. Basically the fighting pits are a long tradition in the Ghiscari culture of Mereen, and even former slave fighters would like them to be open again. Hizdahr even mentions to Daenarys that it is better to keep the subjects happy instead of angry. Obviously Daenarys needs some advice when it comes to ruling the Mereenese people regardless of her dislike for their culture – she needs to get a little bit more familiar with their ways.
- Daario Naharis is supportive of the opening of the fighting pits since he was a pit fighter and made a living out of it once he became free by joining the Second Sons. He tells Daenarys that she should show her strength as the Mother of Dragons – she cannot show weakness because that would signify the end of her power. As a result, Daenarys visits Viserion and Rhaegal, and concludes that she cannot control them at all. I guess that riding dragons would be a role assigned to wargs and skinchangers.
Events at Pentos
Varys reveals that he has been working to restore the Targaryen dynasty for a while. Supposedly he wants prosperity and peace in Westeros, and he requires men with compassion and political savviness, qualities that Tyrion has, to put the Targaryens back in the throne. It seems they are both heading to Mereen. The consensus among book readers is that Varys is a Blackfyre who might also be a descendant of Aerion Brightflame. However, it is still not clear how Varys’ end game will be adapted to the TV show.
Events at the Wall
- Melisandre is attracted to Jon Snow and it seems she wants to create shadow babies with him. Her actions towards him are “creepy.” She removes his mitten and makes him touch her cheek. She even asks him whether he is a virgin. To her relief, he is not.
- Jon tries to convince Mance Ryder in order to save him from burning. It is obvious that Stannis needs the Wildlings to fight the Boltons, so they are not at risk. Stannis offers them land and freedom. However, there are people in the Night’s Watch that would like to send them away, Ser Allister Thorne and Janos Slynt. Obviously they do not see the threat beyond the Wall. Mance refuses Stannis’ conditions and is burned. However, Jon kills him with an arrow to end his agony out of respect.
Outlander fans, a small post about the last episode is coming soon. The featured image is from Game of Thrones Wiki.