'Game of Thrones' Recap: "Stormborn"
Kyra Power ’19 / Emertainment Monthly Staff Writer
Spoiler Warning: This recap contains spoilers for episode 2 of Game of Thrones season 7.
Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) ended last week asking, “Shall we begin?” and let’s just say, Game of Thrones began. Drama in the North, drama in the South, and drama on Dragonstone. This episode seemed to cover a span of months sped through the build-up to what we can hope will be some great reunions and meet-ups.
So, there are couple major things we need to address. Number one: Arya (Maisie Williams) is going home. Plus, that surprise Hot Pie reunion. Honestly, I’m so happy it’s Hot Pie that tells her that Jon (Kit Harrington) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) are at Winterfell, and the rendition of “Goodbye Brother” that plays when she turns North is beautiful. This episode also blessed us with an Arya-Nymeria reunion, I think. After last episode, when Arya was hanging round by the inn again, rumors of a Nymeria return were at a high. And, it seems like she did return. The moment Arya’s horse starts to freak out, I was waiting for the wolves to pop up. After a beautiful little speech from Arya telling Nymeria she’s going home, Nymeria turns and walks away and Arya says, “That’s not you.” And what’s that supposed to mean? Are we supposed to believe that was a fake reunion?
But the most intense part of the episode came quite unexpectedly at the end. Following Tyrion’s (Peter Dinklage) advice, Dany sends Yara (Gemma Whelan) to escort the Dornish people towards King’s Landing. Their journey is interrupted by crazy Uncle Euron (Pilou Asbaek) and his fleet. It’s a great battle scene on burning ships. But again, the end is confusing. Obara and Nym die (R.I.P. sand snakes plotline), and Euron gets a hold of Yara, knife to her throat. He tells Theon to come and save her, but Theon can’t deal with the battle and jumps into the water (can someone give Alfie Allen an Emmy already?! He’s fantastic). Season 6 sort of brushed past the fact that Theon had been tortured for years at the hands of Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) and you can call him a coward all you want, but this scene was important in showing that he has not escaped what was done to him. The next cut shows a woman’s body hanging from the ship, but no close-up. Is it Yara? Or, did he take her as his gift to Cersei (Lena Headey)? And what is Theon going to do now that he’s floating in the middle of the ocean?
With Daenerys’ plan of a peaceful takeover in ruin, will she have to turn to fire and blood? I know the seasons are shorter and the plot needs to move forward, but how fast is it going to go? Most likely, months passed over the course of this episode alone in most of the plotlines. Where everyone is in each timeline is getting confusing. If Arya makes it to Winterfell (that’s not a lot to ask for, please let her make it to Winterfell) will she get to see Jon? Probably not. But, at the rate the show is going we will probably find out next episode.
I think the “It’s not you” comment to Nymeria meant that what Area had just described (about going back to Winterfell) is no longer what Nymeria needs. She’s a free spirit now.
“But it was just a warning strangle” f-ing brilliant