Directed By: David Nutter / Written By: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss

Original Airdate: June 14, 2015

When half of his army desert him and another tragedy strikes as result of Stannis Baratheon’s sacrifice of his daughter, he decides to march on and attack Winterfell anyway. After Samwell Tarly and Gilly decide to depart Castle Black, Jon Snow deals with the Night’s Watch men who disagree with his actions in bringing back the wildlings. Meanwhile, in Braavos, Arya Stark pays the price for abandoning her mission when she visits Meryn Trant with intention to strike another name off of her list. In Meereen, Jorah Mormont and Daario Naharis set off to find the missing Daenerys Targaryen, while Tyrion Lannister stays behind to govern the city. In King's Landing, the High Sparrow presses Cersei Lannister to confess as she pays a heavy penance.

main cast

meereen

Following the ambush by the Sons of the Harpy, Queen Daenerys Targaryen has gone missing from Meereen since escaping the fighting pit with Drogon, leaving her council unsure of how to continue. Tyrion Lannister addresses both Ser Jorah Mormont and Daario Naharis’ feelings for her, understanding all too well how one could love the wrong woman. The three then argue about Ser Jorah's betrayal, but won’t make any judgments without Daenerys first. Drogon was seen taking her north and that is where they need to search for their queen. Grey Worm, still recovering from his injuries from the Harpy’s previous attack, offers to go with Jorah and Daario, as does Tyrion. Daario firmly nixes both ideas, however, stating that Grey Worm is needed to command the Unsullied in keeping the city under control, while Tyrion is the only one of them to have any actual political experience. Daario expresses confidence that with Missandei's assistance, the pair of them should be able to keep Meereen under control. As Tyrion watches Daario and Jorah depart the city, Lord Varys suddenly appears and calmly walks up to Tyrion, teasing about his abandonment back in Volantis. Varys is pleased to see Tyrion already settling into a role that suits him and reminds Tyrion that he has experience running a city full of people trying to kill each other, implying that he and his “little birds” are there to help.

Meanwhile, the missing Daenerys Targaryen finds herself far away from Meereen after fleeing with Drogon. The dragon queen finds herself in the Dothraki Sea standing atop an impressive hill in a sea of green grass. Drogon is still recovering from the multiple spear wounds he received from the Harpys inside the Great Pit of Daznak and although his mother is insistent on returning to Meereen as soon as possible, the dragon is uninterested in flying back. Daenerys notes this as further proof that, with Drogon especially, she has lost control of her growing dragons. To Daenerys’ disappointment, Drogon unfortunately is also not interested in helping her find them any food. Daenerys then wanders away to find something for them to eat, but is startled to see a horde of Dothraki bloodriders suddenly emerge on horseback. Understanding what might happen to her, a fearful Daenerys quickly removes a ring and drops it in the grass, determined to leave a trail if searched after. Within minutes, an entire khalasar, larger than Daenerys has ever seen before, surround her. The wounded Drogon does not come to her aide this time.

dorne

Along the docks of Sunspear, Jaime Lannister, Bronn, Myrcella Baratheon and Trystane Martell bid their farewells to Prince Doran Martell, Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes as they begin their voyage from Dorne towards King's Landing. Upon saying goodbye, Ellaria kisses Myrcella on the lips, while Ellaria’s youngest daughter, Tyene Sand, shamelessly flirts again with Bronn. After departing and onboard the ship, Myrcella and Jaime talk about arranged marriages, as Jaime approves of Trystane and finds him a nice boy. When Myrcella asks if her mother Cersei Lannister will like him Jaime asks her if she’s known her mother to like anyone aside from her children. Jaime then begins to come clean to Myrcella, awkwardly telling her that you cannot choose who you love, as he tries to find the words to confess her true parentage. Myrcella then reveals that she knows that Jaime is her real father, something she believes she’s always known deep down, and that she is glad that he is. As they properly embrace for the first time as father and daughter, Myrcella’s expression suddenly changes when the smile fades on her face and her nose starts to bleed. A terrified Jaime holds her in his arms after she collapses to the floor, convulsing. Meanwhile, still standing on the docks, Ellaria and the Sand Snakes watch the vessel sailing away in the distance. Ellaria then wipes a thin stream of blood from her nose and drinks an antidote for the poison that is coated on her lips. They head back towards the city with a look of retribution on Ellaria’s face as the Martell-Lannister rivalry reaches new heights.

braavos

Meanwhile in Braavos, Ser Meryn Trant is looking upon three young girls in the Braavosi  brothel while brandishing a whip in his hands. Of the three girls, two begin to cry and scream when they are whipped by Meryn, however the last girl has no reaction when whipped. Meryn sends the two weak girls away, and punches the last in the stomach as she bowls over to the floor. Trant stands over the girl balled up on the floor as she still has yet to make any sound of pain at all, something that unnerves Meryn but also begins to be trepidatious of. The girl’s head remains down, her hair covering her face, as she crouches on the floor. As she quietly moves her hand over her face Meryn suspects something is not right with the girl and is astonished when she is revealed to be Arya Stark herself, after removing her face mask she received from the Hall of Faces. As Meryn’s eyes widen Arya quickly pulls out a knife and lunges at him. She knocks him to the ground with the force of her tackle and swiftly stabs Meryn in both eyes and chest repeatedly. Arya also puts a gag in his mouth to silence his cries and, as she circles around a dying Trant, she then reveals her identity and reminds him of how he killed her dance master, Syrio Forel. Once Arya places herself behind him, she grabs his head and upon telling Trant that he is 'no one' she slits his throat.

Afterwards, Arya triumphantly returns to the Hall of Faces and discreetly places the face that she used to hide her identity back onto the wall. However, Jaqen H'ghar and the Waif appear and say that Meryn's life was not hers to take, insisting that a debt must be paid. The Waif grabs Arya as Jaqen pulls out a vial, presumably containing the same poison he gave her to assassinate the Thin Man. However, instead of poisoning Arya, Jaqen himself drinks the poison and quickly collapses. Arya rushes to his body on the ground, screaming for him to stay alive. Amidst her anguished crying and screaming Arya hears Jaqen's voice behind her say “he was no one”. She turns around to see that the Waif now has Jaqen's face. Arya asks who the person on the floor with Jaqen's face is. Jaqen, in the Waif's body, says that he is no one. Arya begins to remove multiple faces from the person on the floor, until she sees her own face. A terrified Arya then begins to lose her sight as her eyes turn completely white as she screams in panic.

the north

In the North, as the storm has ended and the snow begins to melt, the Red Priestess Melisandre  is elated, as she understands this as a sign that the Lord of Light has accepted King Stannis Baratheon’s ultimate sacrifice. Although still guilt-ridden and in mourning over the loss of his daughter, Princess Shireen Baratheon, Stannis prepares to march on and finally attack House Bolton at Winterfell. However, one of his generals informs him that nearly half of his men have deserted his cause- mainly the sellswords, who have also run away with their horses. Another  soldier then urgently arrives with more bad news: Stannis’ wife, Queen Selyse Baratheon, has hanged herself in the nearby forest out of grief over her actions against her daughter and the life she has led for herself. Further into the woods, as he views his wife’s lifeless body, Stannis’ general then reports that Melisandre has also now fled his cause.

Some time later, marching across the fields with less than half the men he once had, King Stannis has his dwindling army start preparing for the siege. However, to their surprise, the Baratheon army is instead met in combat early by the larger Bolton forces. Meanwhile, Brienne of Tarth still waits across the field in Winter Town where she is suddenly warned by Podrick Payne of Stannis' arrival with his army. Having to decide between two separate oaths, Brienne chooses to leave her watch for Sansa Stark's signal and pursue Stannis herself. Just as Brienne departs, Sansa uses a corkscrew she pocketed some time ago to escape her room inside Winterfell. She urgently seeks out the broken tower in order to light the candle. Once Sansa arrives at the tower and the candle is lit, she witnesses the Boltons clash with the Baratheon army and decides that now is the time to slip out of the castle, hoping to escape on her own without assistance. The Bolton army easily defeats Stannis' tired and mountless army. Wounded and exhausted, Stannis fights off two  remaining soldiers in the aftermath of the carnage and collapses against a tree in the Wolfswood. After the battle, Brienne finds the wounded Stannis propped up against the tree and declares who she is and that her king, Renly Baratheon, was killed by his brother's shadow that bore his face. Stannis, having lost everything, simply accepts his fate to die: he tells Brienne to “do her duty”. After a moment's hesitation, Brienne swings her sword, killing him and finally avenging Renly. Elsewhere, Ramsay Bolton finishes off the few remaining Baratheon soldiers and heads back to Winterfell.

Desperately running across through the courtyard and then up onto the ramparts of Winterfell, Sansa is stopped by Reek and Ramsay’s jealous lover Myranda, who is sporting a bow aimed directly at Sansa’s head. Myranda threatens Sansa with her bow but Sansa, weary and realizing she can't escape a shot from a bow, tells her to kill her while there is still a part of the real her left. Myranda tells Sansa that Ramsay needs her to have an heir and for nothing more afterward - but says Ramsay does not need all of Sansa in one piece to accomplish that. Sansa braces herself for the worst as Myranda tenses her bow. However, Reek finally breaks out of Ramsay’s hold on him and when Myranda releases her arrow at Sansa, Theon causes her to misfire by pushing her and then knocking the bow out of her hands. He then grabs and hurls Myranda over the ramparts as Myranda then screams and falls to her death, being killed instantly upon impact with the stone floor of the courtyard far below. Sansa and Theon run, but with Ramsay just returning from the battle, they find themselves with nowhere to go. They step up onto a ledge on the ramparts and hoping to land in deep snow and survive the long fall, the two of them grasp their hands together and desperately jump off the castle walls.

king’s landing

In the capital of King’s Landing, Septa Unella enters Cersei Lannister’s cell and orders for her confession again. A desperate and starved Cersei finally gives in and decides to confess to the High Sparrow when her hunger and thirst become too much to bear. Cersei is then escorted before the High Sparrow to make her confessions, asking aloud to the pious leader how she could have been “so blind for so long?” She then admits her desire for “absolution,” and eventually confesses to her former adultery against her late husband King Robert with her cousin Ser Lancel Lannister. Upon the High Sparrow’s inquisition, Cersei defends her behavior when asserting that Robert’s frequent acts of adultery left her lonely and afraid. However, the High Sparrow declares that the king’s sins does not pardon her own. After further questioning, Cersei denies any claims of an incestuous relationship with her twin brother Jaime, defending herself again when proclaiming that these rumors are falsehoods spread by Stannis Baratheon. Asking for “one drop of mother’s mercy,” she then begs to be allowed to go to the Red Keep and visit with her son King Tommen Baratheon, whom she was informed has been hiding away in his quarters since her imprisonment. The High Sparrow does grant her request to see Tommen but then informs her that a trial will still be held in order to ascertain the truth behind the other charges that she still denies, which includes the regicide of King Robert. However, in the meantime, the High Sparrow explains that she will still have to atone for her admitted confession of adultery with her cousin Lancel. Cersei is then suddenly brought to an empty cell where she is stripped naked and roughly washed before her hair is then quickly cut short.

Some time later, Cersei is brought outside on the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor where the High Sparrow announces to the gathered masses that a “sinner comes before you”. He declares to the crowd that Cersei has confessed to her charges of falsehood and fornication and will now demonstrate her repentance by casting aside her pride and artifice. Cersei is then forcibly stripped naked by the septas in front of the entire city that she once had ruled over. As her atonement, she is then forced to walk naked through the streets of the capital, traveling from the Great Sept to the Red Keep. Cersei is escorted by Septa Unella, who repeats the word "shame" throughout the walk while ringing a bell every few steps. Cersei walks through the masses and attempts to proceed with as much stoicism as can be displayed, however, the leering crowds immediately begin pelting her with filth and vicious insults, such as "cunt" and "brother-fucker". With the rough terrain and filth of the streets, Cersei’s bare feet then start bleeding which causes her to collapse to her knees. She eventually lifts herself up and slowly arrives at the Red Keep, bursting into tears once she eventually surpasses the crowd. Upon entering the gates of the keep, Cersei finds Qyburn, Grand Maester  Pycelle, and her uncle Kevan Lannister waiting for her. Qyburn attempts to comfort Cersei by quickly covering her body with a cloak. Heavy footsteps are then heard, as Qyburn introduces Cersei to the newest member of the Kingsguard: an eight-foot tall man in golden armor. Qyburn insists that the colossal knight has sworn a vow of silence until all their foes are defeated. Even through his helmet, Cersei can recognize that the new Kingsguard member is the re-animated corpse of Ser Gregor ‘The Mountain’ Clegane, whom Qyburn declares that he’s finally found a way to bring back from peril following Clegane’s fight against Prince Oberyn Martell. Qyburn then suggests for Cersei head inside the keep where Ser Gregor can attend to her feet, which are badly injured. The Mountain then lifts Cersei up and carries her away, as her expression begins to harden, already contemplating revenge on her enemies in King’s Landing.

castle black

Meanwhile, at Castle Black, Jon Snow discusses with Samwell Tarly the battle at Hardhome against the White Walkers, including their lost stash of dragonglass and how his Valyrian steel sword was able kill one. When Samwell asks how many Valyrian steel swords are left in the Seven Kingdoms, Jon replies by saying “not enough”. After discussing the Night Watch’s increasing hatred towards Jon, Samwell asks for leave to take Gilly and Little Sam with him to Oldtown, where he will train to become a maester. Sam reasons that he is better suited to the life of a maester than a warrior, and that the Night's Watch eventually needs to fill the gap left by the late Aemon Targaryen. Jon is reluctant, as he has few friends nowadays, and also points out that, as a maester, Sam's vow of chastity will be doubly prevalent. Samwell informs Jon that he and Gilly have already slept together, much to Jon's amusement. Jon then expresses that he is happy the end of the world is working out well for someone. Jon eventually agrees to Sam's request and they share a final drink to his eventual return. Outside in the courtyard, Jon sees Samwell off as he leaves by horse and carriage with Gilly and her son.

Some time after, Ser Davos Seaworth returns to Castle Black and he and Jon get into a heated argument with regards to Stannis’ request for more soldiers. Jon points out that the Night's Watch won’t be enough and the wildlings will not fight for Stannis. Their argument is broken up by the arrival of a wearied Melisandre - who abandoned Stannis when it became apparent he would lose to the Boltons. When Davos questions her about Stannis and Shireen, she says nothing yet her sorrow is manifest, all but confirming the demise of Davos’ king and the beloved princess. At a loss for words, Melisandre heads inside the castle, leaving both Jon and Davos horrified at the news. Later that evening, while reading letters, Jon’s squire Olly comes to him to inform that one of the wildlings knows the whereabouts of his uncle Benjen Stark, who has been missing for years now. Jon then quickly follows Ser Alliser Thorne to a gathering of his brothers, only to find a sign marked "traitor". He turns around to find his brothers staring him down as Thorne makes the first move and stabs the Lord Commander. "For the watch" Thorne declares, as well as the others while they close in and continue stabbing their commander. One after another, the wounded Jon is betrayed, gasping for breath on his knees and paralyzed with shock. Olly then tearfully comes forward and after a few moments of pause, delivers the final blow into Jon’s heart. Jon collapses to the ground, as his brothers then exit the courtyard to let him bleed out in the snow to his death.

*Episode descriptions from GOT Wiki