For a Game of Thrones Season 6 episode with “blood” in the title (twice!) “Blood of My Blood” was a surprisingly bloodless hour in a season that until tonight has killed off known characters every single week. Hell, we even gained a Stark! The return of Benjen Stark after being absent since the show’s pilot was just one pleasant surprise the episode, which also included a glimpse of the Mad King’s death and the High Sparrow seemingly check-mating the Lannisters.
Meera drags Bran through the snowy forest. Bran is still deep in his greenseer trance. He sees flashbacks to many moments from Game of Thrones so far, as well as some from before the series began, including the Raid on the Tower of Joy and the moment Jaime Lannister slew the Mad King. Meera collapses to the ground and hunches over Bran. Bran sees the battle at Hardhome and the moment the Night King touched him. He wakes and tells Meera that they’ve found them. Meera apologizes and they embrace as the wights come for them, but the wights attack a cloaked rider who slays them with a flaming flail and sickle. The rider tells Meera and Bran to come with him. He lifts Bran up with one hand. He places both Bran and Meera on his horse and they ride away.
Sam and Gilly are being taken to Horn Hill. Sam says he never believed he’d come back after his father, Randyll Tarly, sent him to the wall, let alone with a woman and child in tow. Sam stresses that Gilly has to say little Sam is his child so that they’ll take him and her in. Sam didn’t tell his family that Gilly was a wildling because his father hates Wildlings. Servants greet Sam and Gilly as they enter. Sam’s mother, Melessa, and sister, Talla, hug Sam when he enters. Sam introduces them to Gilly and little Sam. Randyll is out on a hunt.
Tommen lights a candle at the Great Sept. Tommen is afraid for Margaery, but the High Sparrow assures him that she will be protected during her walk of atonement, and that he believes the common folk will be much kinder to her than they were to Cersei. The High Sparrow allows Tommen to visit Margaery. She tells him that everything will be okay soon. Margaery and Tommen are both surprised to find that the other has been affected by the High Sparrow. Margaery says that the Sparrow has helped him see how vain her previous acts of charity were. Tommen asks about Loras. Margaery says she loves her brother, and that his soul is pure, but that he needs to atone for his sins like everyone else does. She says the gods have a planf or them all.
After bathing, Sam meets Gilly, who has put on one of his sister’s dresses. They link arms and walk into the dining hall for dinner. Randyll Tarly is there, observing his son and Gilly with hard eyes as Gilly struggles with her silverware. Sam compliments the venison, and his brother, Dickon, points out that it’s a week old. His family is surprised to hear how poorly Sam eats at the Wall, and are disappointed with how little Sam hunts for himself. They’re even more surprised when Sam mentions that Gilly can hunt, but Melessa assumes it’s a Northern thing. Randyll is disappointed that the Night’s Watch hasn’t managed to make a man out of Sam, and that they’re instead sending him to bury himself in books at the Citadel to become a Maester. Gilly points out that Sam is capable enough with a sword, having killed a Thenn and a White Walker north of the Wall. This gets Randyll wondering where Gilly is from, and she reveals that she is a wildling. Randyll is upset to find himself hosting a wildling. He points to the sword above the fireplace. The blade is Valyrian steel, called Heartsbane. He said it was supposed to be passed down to his first born, but Sam will never have it. Randyll assumed that Gilly a whore, but wonders if bedding a wildling was an act of revenge by Sam. Melessa is angry an gets up from the table and takes Gilly away. Randyll says Gilly can work in the kitchen and that little Sam will be raise at Horn Hill, but this is the last night Samwell will ever spend there. Later, Sam apologizes to Gilly and says his goodbyes. Before he goes, Gilly reminds him that he’s not who his father says he is. After a few moments, Sam bursts back into Gilly’s room and tells her that they’re leaving. He says they all belong together. Sam returns to the dining hall and takes Heartsbane off the mantle. He says his father can just try to come for it.
Lady Crane’s troupe in Braavos is putting on a reenactment of the “purple wedding.” While most of the crowd boos, Arya laughs at Joffrey’s death scene, but she is moved by Lady Crane’s performance as a grieving Cersei and notices the younger actress who paid for Crane’s gift watching intently from side of the stage. The crowd applauds as the performance jumps to Tywin Lannister’s death at Tyrion’s hand. Arya sneaks backstage. Arya pours poison into Lady Crane’s rum. The actors go backstage after the performance. Lady Crane notices Arya as she is leaving. Arya introduces herself as “Mercy.” Crane says she remembers seeing Arya in the crowd, and asks if she paid. Cane recalls sneaking in to see the players when they came to her town when she was a girl, and then joined them the next day. Crane speaks poorly of the material. Arya tells her to change it, and Crane asks how. Arya tells her that the queen wouldn’t just be sad about her son’s death, she’d be angry and vengeful. Arya says she has to go and leaves, but returns to slap the rum out of Crane’s hand before she can drink it, and tells her that the actress wants her dead. Arya retrieves Needle from the seaside where she hid it. At the House of Black and White, the Waif informs Jaqen of Arya’s failure. Jaqen tells her the Waif not to let Arya suffer. Arya finds a place to hide in the dark.
Mace Tyrell, joined by Jaime Lannsiter, leads a Tyrell army into King’s Landing as the High Sparrow prepares Margaery for her walk. Olenna Tyrell stands behind the Army as they stand in front of the Sept. Jaime demands the High Sparrow hand over Loras and Margaery, but the High Sparrow says neither of them have the authority to make that exchange. Jaime warns that every last sparrow will die before Margaery takes her walk. The High Sparrow announces that there will be no walk of atonement this day. The Sparrow says Margaery has already atoned by bringing another into the full light of the Seven. Tommen and the Kingsguard walk out of the Great Sept. The High Sparrow announces a new age of harmony brought on by a holy alliance between the crown and the faith. The crowd applauds. Tommen proclaims the crown and the faith the twin pillars that will restore the Seven Kingdoms to glory. Sitting on the Iron Throne, Tommen strips Jaime of his rank as lord commander of the Kingsguard. Jaime tries to talk him out of it, but Tommen says he must answer to the gods. Tommen will not punish Jaime beyond sending him away from King’s Landing.
Walder Frey is furious that his sons managed to lose Riverrun to the Blackfish. He orders them to take it back, but his sons say they don’t have enough men to take on the Blackfish now that the Malliser’s have joined him and the Brotherhood without Banners is rallying the commoners. Walder Frey tells them to remind him of the Red Wedding and bring Edmure Tully back to Riverrun.
Jaime tells Cersei that he’s being sent to help Walder Frey take back Riverrun. Jaime has other plans He wants to hire Bronn to gather mercenaries and kill the High Sparrow, but Cesei tells him that’s a foolish plan, and that he needs to stand at the head of the Lannister army to remind everyone to either be loyal to or to fear the Lannisters. Cersei tells him not to worry about her trial, since it will be a trial by combat. They kiss, and Cersei tells him they’ll always be together.
The mysterious rider prepares a meal for Meera and Bran. Meera asks why he helped them. He says the Three-Eyed Raven sent for him. Meera says the Raven is dead, but the rider says he lives again. Bran wakes, and the rider says the last time he saw Bran was when he was a boy. Bran asks who the rider is. The rider removes him hood to reveal Benjen Stark, though his face is cold and slightly decayed. He recalls being stabbed with a sword of ice to turn him into a Walker. The Children found him and used dragonglass to stop the transformation from completely taking hold. Benjen tells Bran that he will be ready and waiting for the Night King when he makes his way to the world of men.
Dany and Daario ride in front of the Dothraki back towards Meereen. They pause and Dany asks how many ships they will need to take her army to Westeros. Daario says at least a thousand, but wonders what Dany will do once she gets there. She says Dany is a conqueror, not made for sitting on a throne. Dany is alerted to something and rides off alone. Some time passes and Daario says he’s going after her, but just then a dragon screeches. Drogon flies overhead with Dany on his back. They land in front of the Dotthraki. Dany announces that she is no Khal and she will not choose three blood riders. She says they are all her blood riders, and that she will ask more of them than of any khalasar before, to ride to Westeros and as her army.
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