A one-way ticket girl
Across the Narrow Sea, Tyrion, Jorah, and Daario, as well as Missandei and Grey Worm, all argue about what to do in Dany’s absence. Eventually Daario (of all people!) puts his foot down and decides that he and Jorah will ride out to search for the queen. Tyrion, Missandei, and Grey Worm will stay and rule Meereen, because apparently the Meereeneese — who were really unhappy about being ruled by a full-blooded Targaryen with three dragons — won’t have a problem with her being replaced by two former slaves and a foreign dwarf.
But Varys arrives to give Tyrion a pep-talk, so it will probably all be okay.
Meanwhile, Drogon has deposited Dany in the literal middle of nowhere. Wounded and angry, the dragon refuses to fly Dany back to Meereen, so she is forced to start walking.
Her trip is not a long one. Horses and riders appear on the horizon, and soon, Dany is surrounded by hundreds of Dothraki. (Remember those guys?) Helpless, Dany drops her ring in the grass as the hostile horse lords close in on the dragon queen.
Garbage and gold
In Kings Landing, Cersei decides that the only way out is through and agrees to confess her sins. She kneels before the High Sparrow and confesses to sleeping with Lancel, though she denies doing the golden doodle with anyone else. The High Sparrow informs her that she must still stand trial for the sins she has not confessed — but he agrees to grant her the Mother’s Mercy and allow her to return to the Red Keep, and her son…
…as long as she does her penance.
Cersei’s penance is not being stripped naked and shorn by the nasty septas, though that does happen. Her penance is not to have her crimes announced by the High Sparrow to the commons, though that happens as well. Cersei’s penance is to walk from the Great Sept to the Red Keep — naked, barefoot, and surrounded by commoners hurling insults, trash, and their insensible rage.
Cersei does her penance.
Every step is dogged by Septa Unella, ringing a bell and chanting “Shame!” As her journey goes on, Cersei’s feet begin to bleed. She falls, and is painted with the garbage hurled at her. Screams of “slut” and “whore” follow her all the way to Aegon’s High Hill. Cersei’s composure breaks, and she weeps, but keeps going.
Finally, Cersei arrives at the Red Keep. Kevan Lannister and Pycelle eye her distastefully, but Qyburn swoops in to cover her nakedness, promising that all will be well.
After all, the Kingsguard now has an extra knight — “Ser Robert Strong,” eight feet tall if he is an inch. His swollen, purple face peeks through his helm as he sweeps Cersei off her feet. Qyburn says that he has “sworn an oath of silence,” and will not speak until her name has been cleared.
Cersei may be down, folks. But she is far from out.
The end of the Watch
At the Wall, Sam asks Jon for permission to go to Oldtown and become a Maester. He wants to take Gilly and baby Sam with him, unable to bear the idea of being unable to save them when the White Walkers come.
Reluctantly, Jon gives his assent, and Sam and Gilly take their leave — promising to return.
Later, Davos harasses Jon to help Stannis, not realizing that he really no longer serves that guy. Melisandre arrives at the Wall, looking hunted (for some reason) and refusing ominously to speak of Stannis and Shireen’s fates.
That evening, Jon reads letters in his room when Olly comes to fetch him. One of the wildlings has seen his uncle Benjen, he says, and Jon has to go and talk to him. Elated by this hope unlooked-for, Jon races into a circle of Night’s Watchmen, including Alliser Thorne.
But there is no wildling at the center of the circle, only a post painted with the word “Traitor.” Jon swings around to look at his sworn brothers. The response he gets is a dagger in his flesh, and the muttered words, “For the Watch.”
Jon is on his knees when the men part to allow Olly through. The young boy’s eyes burn against Jon’s; his silent entreaty goes unanswered.
“For the Watch,” says Olly, and stabs Jon for the final time.
Jon Snow, the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, bleeds to death in the training yard of Castle Black, with only the cold to keep him company.
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