#moral of the story is resurrection is THE hottest thing a bitch can do

[pochapal]

mood for the evening

[sheikah]

7.02 Thoughts

"Stormborn” exceeded my expectations in every way. There is so much I absolutely loved about this episode and I think that there was something incredibly moving in each storyline. I think my favorite thing about this episode is that it finally confirmed some things that I have been thinking and also arguing for quite some time! The rest is under the cut because those of you following me know brevity is not my strength haha.

Our first scene was intriguing to me from the very beginning. The sounds of the storm raging outside Dragonstone fit well with the episode title, “Stormborn.” I like that because it emphasizes how far Dany has come! She got that name from being born on Dragonstone during the worst storm in memory, and now she has returned to her birthplace at last.

It was interesting to me that she said it didn’t feel like home at all, that it wasn’t really her home. This lined up with aspects of Dany’s character I have been trying to show her detractors for a long time. Dany cares about taking the throne not because she is hungry for power but because she craves a home and a sense of belonging. 

I’ve been arguing for months that after the war, Dany might realize that the throne isn’t what she wants. That restoring her family’s good name and legacy and righting the wrongs of Westeros is enough for her. What she really wants is “the house with the red door,” a place where she can feel safe, secure, and rooted. And while she might have thought Dragonstone would be that place, it isn’t. I don’t think King’s Landing will be either. Because home to Dany will be family and security, something that has always eluded her and something that she will (I strongly believe) find in the long run with Jon. 

Anyway, moving on! Let’s talk more about the storm. I have seen anti Dany people arguing that the storm foreshadows a turbulent rule for her. I disagree. First and foremost I think the function of the storm is what I have just been talking about--a callback to Dany’s famous birth. She’s Stormborn and this is the birth and beginning of her conquest. But additionally the storm is meant to show the tension of her conversation with Varys. 

This is the one and only negative thing I have to say about the episode--this conflict was very poorly timed and strange to me. Varys has been working for Dany for months now, and while she was a Dothraki prisoner for most of that time, they spent an entire sea voyage together. Why is she choosing this moment to angrily confront him and doubt his loyalty and sincerity?

But we can’t judge Dany for not knowing what we, the audience know: that apparently Varys is a genuine and good man who truly does seek to serve the realm and the realm first. 

But aside from the timing I really enjoyed this exchange and think it was a necessary one. I am tired of seeing arguments that Dany is an evil, murderous tyrant when in reality she is a strong and righteous ruler. This scene confirmed that. When Varys told Dany bluntly that his loyalty only lasts as long as her goodness, she didn’t dismiss him from her service. She ASKED HIM TO CALL HER OUT WHEN SHE STEPS OUT OF LINE! You guys, this is huge! Dany is humble enough to admit that like any human, she can and will make mistakes, and she wants her advisers to be honest with her instead of tiptoeing around issues. Because she genuinely wants the same thing Varys wants--whatever is best for the people. 

Yes, she said she’d burn him if he betrayed her. Is that so bad? People who commit treason die in this society. That rule is by no means unique to Dany. 

So overall I really enjoyed this conversation and what it revealed to us about Dany as a queen in Westeros and Varys’s loyalty.  But my favorite part about the Dany scenes was actually Tyrion! Dany and Tyrion have become my favorite GoT brotp, sadly replacing Davos and Shireen (RIP sweet baby girl, you deserved better). Dany needs Tyrion. I am a crazy Dany fangirl but I’m humble enough to admit that. She’s still young and she needs him to talk her off the ledge when she gets a little too “fire and blood,” and I’m glad she has him. 

The scene in the meeting room when she defended him to Ellaria Sand was really rewarding and I loved how moved Tyrion was when she quoted him and said, “I am not here to be queen of the ashes.” He admires her so much and she is taking his teachings to heart. I love it. 

I also love Dany’s council!!! She has a council of mostly badass women including WOC, a bisexual pirate, and a grandma. Like everyone is represented hahaha it’s AMAZING. And even her men--all three of them have some sort of physical disability. It makes me happy to see so many different people represented in her inner circle. And the moment when she asked if they were with her and they all said yes was wonderful. I almost cried. 

When Dany hung back with Olenna I was surprised by the conversation. I am someone who read the plot leaks and they suggested that this conversation would feature Olenna trying to lure Dany off of the more peaceful and level-headed path Tyrion has set her on and instead try and make her go crazy and be more violent. To me the fact that the leaks interpreted it this way just shows how uncomfortable people still are with assertive women. Especially old, assertive women since Olenna was doing the talking. That talk was harmless and sweet and I loved how Olenna was taking Dany under her wing, telling her to be true to herself, and schooling her in how to play the Game. Because at the end of the day, what she said is true. It doesn’t matter if you’re loved. It didn’t matter that Margaery was. Toughness is just as important as love. 

Okay last part of Dany scenes. Melisandre meeting was really cool. The fact that “prince” is gender neutral is fantastic and huge, and I love that Missandei got to step in and say her piece. A friend pointed out (and it’s true) that this makes no sense because Dany is like a native speaker basically (I know she didn’t live in Valyria but she calls it her ‘mother tongue’) so she should have known this better than Missandei. Anyway, I like that now a theory I’ve been supporting for awhile is basically confirmed--Dany and Jon are both TPTWP. Or rather, Dany is Azor Ahai (having sacrifice Drogo and Rhaego to birth the dragons as Lightbringer) and Jon is TPTWP--and those two are not the same person. Melisandre told us they both have a part to play, and it would be fitting with the story so far for us to have multiple heroes of the Dawn, not just Jon. 

Which brings me to the most important moment of all: Dany already crushing on Jon Snow courtesy of the apparent new captain of this ship, Melisandre. Dany saying, “He sounds like quite a man,” is all of us. Let’s face it. I am so excited for them to meet. This is something I’ve wanted for YEARS. Y E A R S.

Oh and speaking of important meetings at Dragonstone, Grey Worm and Missandei were absolutely adorable. I loved it so much. Grey Worm’s declaration that he never feared anything until meeting her was so sweet and such a memorable line. And as far as GoT sex goes, I thought it was loving and tasteful and much better than what we had in earlier episodes between other characters. I am so happy for them :’)

So moving on to Jon. His scenes were great again this episode. We can now safely say that resurrected!Jon is a much more assertive man than he was before. This isn’t to say he was ever a coward. But I wouldn’t call Jon quiet anymore.

I am so happy that he has fond memories of Tyrion. Their friendship is one of my favorites and I love them both dearly so I am glad that he still trusts him, which we can see from his reaction to Tyrion’s summons. I also really liked that Davos basically told Jon that he has good reason to visit Dany. It’s good to hear one person in favor considering what happened next. 

I am annoyed but not surprised by the Northern lords being so opposed to Jon’s journey South. I really have to wonder what they think they could do against the WW on their own. I know that like Jon said, they haven’t seen the Army of the Dead for themselves. But the North’s forces are seriously depleted ever since the War of the Five Kings and the events thereafter. We know how small the Night’s Watch is, too. 

So they should know that they need all the help they can get, and they should be grateful that Jon is brave enough to ride South in a time of so much uncertainty and political turmoil. I didn’t like Sansa saying that Dany wants to take the Seven Kingdoms and the North is one as if that’s a problem. I don’t think she realized the irony of this statement. The North IS one. They only rebelled because of the Lannister/Stark conflict. Otherwise, the North would be just as much a part of the kingdoms as everyone else, and I don’t think that Northern independence needs to be a priority at a time like this. Northern independence wouldn’t matter if the person ruling the Seven Kingdoms was just, and I firmly believe that Dany will be. (But I also believe that if Sansa is still in charge when Dany comes to power, she will gladly GRANT Northern independence as she promised to do for the Iron Islands for Yara).

But I think overall Sansa has good decision-making and has grown a lot from her experiences. In other words, I think it’s a good idea Jon chose to place her in charge of Winterfell while he visits Dany. She will do a good job, though Littlefinger will do his best to make sure something goes wrong. That bitch. 

Speaking of, Jon choking him out will go down as one of my favorite moments in the history of this season haha it was AMAZING. And not to further reveal my weird Jon thirst but him being angry and rough is pretty much the hottest thing I’ve ever seen so. We are very lucky to have gotten this scene haha. 

Overall I’m happy that 1. Jon was able to sway the Northerners to a grudging agreement with his course of action and 2. He didn’t let them talk him out of going. Isolationism is a sure way to get them all killed. 3. Jon finally admitted what I’ve been saying all along. I have gotten into so many arguments where people claim that now that we know that Jon is a Targaryen, learning this will lead him to challenge Dany for the Iron Throne in season 8. We can now lay that argument to rest where it belongs. (Although while we’re on the subject, even if Jon didn’t confirm that he dislikes ruling, I’m pretty sure that won’t matter in the long run anyway since I am 99% sure he and Dany are getting married at some point).

Meanwhile, the most boring plot point to me was at King’s Landing this week. Cersei’s long speech of lies about Dany was a very “fake news” moment and I hated it. I do think it was interesting that Randyll Tarly, certified douche, tried to gain the moral high ground on Jaime about the Red Wedding. This is the man who threatened to murder his own son if he didn’t go to The Wall because he didn’t want him to be the heir to his house. I think it’s interesting that he and the Lannisters will have this alliance though. But as someone who has read the leaks I know how this all pans out so I won’t say more on the subject. 

Cersei and Qyburn with the dragon skulls PISSED ME OFF. This is such a messed up scene for so many reasons. First of all, that weapon is obviously scary considering what it might do to our dragon babies and I hate that. But the fact that they had a whole room of dragon skulls to test it on, and they chose to destroy the priceless relic that is the skull of the largest and most famous dragon in history, Balerion the Black Dread, is NOT OKAY. I was so angry and I think my friend drew an interesting parallel when he said it reminded him of Isis destroying priceless artifacts. Balerion is a huge part of Westerosi history as the dragon that Aegon used to conquer the Seven Kingdoms and unite them as one kingdom for the first time. He was so cool and Drogon is sort of like the next best thing, so I hate that possible foreshadowing that comes from destroying Balerion’s remains. 

After the Lannisters we got to see what Sam is up to and I have to say this week was much more intriguing than last. Sam has become a certified badass, from stealing Heartsbane, to basically having a woman live with him against the rules of not one but two patriarchal institutions, to PEELING A MAN WITH NO ANESTHETIC. This scene was so brutal and disgustingly gory. I was gagging. It was needed though because it showed us the depth of Jorah’s love for and devotion to Dany. That he would undergo this procedure for her instead of just putting himself out of his misery as--the arch maester not-so-subtly suggested he do--is admirable. Also, Sam’s face during the surgery was one of the funniest things I have ever seen and such great acting from John Bradley-West. INTENSITY! And of course, the cut from the close-up of Jorah’s pus-filled surgery to the creamy pot pie was nauseating and brilliant. Such great editing/directing. 

Speaking of pie, Arya reuniting with Hot Pie was absolutely adorable! I loved this scene so much. It was sweet when Hot Pie called her pretty because Arya is a girl who grew up being compared to Sansa and called ugly and “Arya Horseface” by pretty much everyone but her parents and Jon. So I like that he paid her this compliment :) It was a funny callback, too, when she said she’s made a pie or two herself--something Walder Frey was unlucky enough to sample :P

But the best part was the moment that Hot Pie told her that Jon and Sansa are still alive. Maisie Williams’ face in this scene was absolutely heartbreaking. Such real and believable shock. And about time, too! I think Arya needed some good news. We could see that she was broken and sad leading up to this scene. When she saw Hot Pie, who she hasn’t seen in years, she barely even reacted. She just said hi as if it was normal to run into him. So I think she needed a win, and finding out that her family, especially Jon, is still alive AND in Winterfell, was really satisfying to see. 

Of course the show gives and it takes, so right after this we got the wolf scene. I didn’t know what to make of it at first. But in retrospect I really like it. Seeing Nymeria of course was super emotional and I’ll freely admit I cried a lot when Arya asked her if she recognized her. I was just weepy thinking that finally my fave badass little murder weapon was getting her doggy back. It hurt bad when Nymeria turned from her and walked away. I was devastated. But then Arya brightened and her saying, “That’s not you,” is such a significant moment and I am so glad it was included for a few reasons. 

First one is the one D&D mentioned in the post-episode commentary. In season 1 Ned laid out this scenario for Arya of her growing up to marry well and be a proper lady and have babies. Arya said, “That’s not me.” So like Arya, Nymeria is too wild for this domestic life. This confirms something I’ve been speculating for a while--that whatever happens, the series probably won’t end with Arya happily settling down in Winterfell with her family. I think she’s going to be an adventurer for life. Like her wolf, she’s a leader, not a follower. 

But I also like this scene because I feel like it tells us that “that’s not you” also applies to the argument I keep seeing that Arya has become cold, heartless, or “too far gone” since her training as a Faceless Man. Some people were saying after she killed the Freys that she was dark!Arya now and possibly irredeemable. But I think the Lannister soldier/Ed Sheeran scene + this one showed us that Arya is still fully aware of and in control of her identity and that she’s just as much the Arya Stark we’ve always known and loved. 

This brings us to the Greyjoys and the Sand Snakes on their ship. At first this scene was frustrating to me. I’ve never liked Ellaria and her taunting Theon was really irking me. I think Theon has suffered more than enough and I really like him. I feel horrible for what he’s been through and just want him to be happy and well-adjusted. The punishment he’s received has far exceeded his crimes in my opinion. But I think this episode showed us that Theon will never really stop being Reek.

The romance that was about to start between Yara and Ellaria is cute I guess. I did laugh a lot when Ellaria started feeling Yara up and Yara just looked over at Theon and gave this massive shrug like, “I can’t help it that I’m irresistible, fam.”

But I’m glad it got interrupted because Yara can do better. I think she has more honor than someone like Ellaria.

But the Sand Snakes definitely got some karma for what they did to Myrcella and Trystane. WOW was the battle scene crazy. It was everything I wanted action-wise and the choice to do it at night with the flames just made it terrifying and so cool to watch.

Euron is every bit the deranged killer I was hoping to see and his ship, is SO BADASS OMG. I hated what he was doing but loved watching him do it?!????!

It does suck that two of the Sand Snakes are already dead because I was hoping their story would get better and now it can’t. But honestly they always bored me on screen so I guess at least that won’t happen anymore. Their plot was by far the worst adaptation the show has done yet. 

The fighting during the sea battle was brutal and jarring and the Theon scene was absolutely heart-wrenching. I cried again when Euron had Yara. Because 1. I love Yara more than I can even describe. She is my sexy, badass, patriarchy-smashing pirate goddess. But 2. It really hurt to see Theon so conflicted. I know he wanted to save her but he is clearly suffering from PTSD from his time with Ramsay. 

He was looking around at Euron’s men literally cutting parts off of and out of the defeated soldiers in what was grisly, screaming torture. He was triggered and reminded of being flayed by Ramsay, I’m sure. So I was surprised to see him jump ship (literally) but not angry with him. I totally understand why it happened. But it didn’t make it hurt any less to see that one, lone tear roll down Yara’s face as she realized he wasn’t going to help her, that she was doomed. And seeing Theon floating in the water churning in his own failure was awful.

Overall it was a horrible blow for the Greyjoys and for Dany’s forces in general and I am interested to see how she is going to try and manage damage control.

Lastly, the promo for next week!!!!!!!!!!

I can’t believe we are FINALLY getting Jon and Dany meeting after all this time. I just. I can’t believe it. And that one brief shot of Jon looking at her on the throne . . . You guys, he’s in awe. Seriously I couldn’t ask for more in terms of his very intrigued reaction when he laid eyes on her for the first time. 

Also, as I mentioned earlier, we have the most outspoken and self-assured Jon we’ve ever seen and a Dany who has finally reclaimed her birthplace. They are both at their prime and they get to meet each other that way and I CANNOT WAIT FOR IT. You could see how much Dany’s interest was piqued when Mel described Jon liberating the wildlings the way she liberated slaves, when Tyrion told her about Jon’s family being butchered by the Lannisters the way hers was by the Lannisters and Baratheons. 

The romance I have been waiting the better part of a decade for is about to happen and I am so blessed :’)

Anyway, as a whole I loved this episode so much, better than last week. And I think it’s only going to get better from here!

If you actually read all of this thanks haha sorry for the EXTRA! LONG! POST! What did you guys think of the episode? :)