L-R: Ser Davos Seaworth and Jon Snow arrive at Dragonstone; Macall B. Polay/courtesy of HBO(NEW YORK) — (SPOILERS AHEAD) In this week’s episode of Game of Thrones, “The Queens’ Justice,” Daenerys and her team try to recoup after their brutal defeat on the sea in last week’s episode. Meanwhile, a triumphant Euron Greyjoy returns to King’s Landing, Jorah Mormont finds himself in a much better state of health and we have another Stark reunion. But first, we start in Dragonstone, where ice will finally meet fire.
Dragonstone
After last episode’s invitation, Jon Snow arrives in Dragonstone to meet Daenerys. He’s greeted by Tyrion, and they make awkward small talk involving whether or not Tyrion consummated his marriage to Sansa (they didn’t). The conversation livens up considerably when one of Dany’s three dragons swoops down, very much surprising Jon, who stares at the flying monster in disbelief.
Conspicuously absent from the Jon Snow greeting party is the Red Woman Melisandre. She tells an inquiring Varys that she didn’t leave on good terms with Jon. She adds that she’s planning on traveling to Volantis, and the Varys says she should probably never return, Melisandre assures him that she will come back eventually.
Finally, Dany and Jon meet, but it doesn’t go as smoothly as internet fan fiction has predicted. In the Dragonstone throne room, Dany reminds Jon that his ancestor pledged loyalty to her father the Mad King, so therefore, Jon should bend the knee to her. Jon, however, refuses. He said he didn’t come to Dragonstone to pledge loyalty — instead, he’s here to ask Dany’s help in defeating the White Walkers.
He tells Dany that she may well be the rightful ruler of Westeros, but that won’t matter if the Night King and the Army of the Dead kill everyone and everything. Dany is quite skeptical of Jon’s claims, but their conversation is interrupted when Varys arrives to inform her that Euron Greyjoy destroyed their fleet.
The last ship of the fleet finds a swimming Theon, who cowardly jumped overboard last episode when Euron captured his sister Yara. Back in Dragonstone, Dany wants to go hunting with her dragons to find Euron, but Tyrion advises it’s too dangerous for her.
Later, Tyrion goes to talk with Jon. After commenting on his brooding skills, Tyrion asks Jon is there’s anything he can do to help bridge an alliance with Dany. He informs Tyrion of the mountain of dragonglass located on Dragonstone, which can be used to kill White Walkers. Tyrion advises Dany to allow Jon and his people to mine the dragonglass, and she does. Jon asks Dany if she believes him now about the White Walkers, but she doesn’t answer.
King’s Landing
Euron arrives in King’s Landing with Yara, Ellaria and the surviving Sand Snake, Tyene, in tow. He presents his prisoners to Cersei, telling her he’s brought her what “no other man can,” complete with a pointed look at Jaime. Cersei tells Euron that he will be rewarded with what he desires — her hand in marriage — once the war is won. Euron’s pretty happy about this, and decides to brazenly ask Jaime about Cersei’s bedroom preferences. It’s about as uncomfortable as you might expect.
Later, Cersei turns her attention to Ellaria. She taunts her prisoner over her late lover Oberyn’s death at the hand’s of her bodyguard, the Mountain. Cersei ticks off a litany of sadistic ways she can kill Tyene to avenge the death of her own daughter, Myrcella. She then kisses Tyene with same poisoned lipstick Ellaria used to kill Myrcella. Cersei sentences Ellaria to helplessly watching Tyene painfully succumb to the poison.
Following that horrifying scene, Jamie and Cersei sleep together. The next morning, Cersei has a meeting with a representative from the Iron Bank in Braavos, who informs her that her funds are running dry. She’s not worried though, since, of course, Lannisters always pays their debts.
Winterfell
With Jon in Dragonstone, Sansa is left in charge of Winterfell. She takes pretty quickly to being a ruler, planning for food shortages and inspecting armor of the soldiers. She has a moment alone with Petyr Baelish, who advises her that she needs to “fight every battle everywhere.” Just like with most Littlefinger speeches, this one teeters between being creepy and genuinely insightful.
Their moment is interrupted though, when Bran arrives at the gates of Winterfell. Hooray, another Stark reunion! As they catch up, Sansa tells Bran that, as the only surviving non-bastard Stark son, he’s the rightful Lord of the North. Bran says he can’t be Lord of the North, since he’s the Three-Eyed Raven. Sansa asks what that means, and Bran says it means he can say everything all the time. Not really knowing how to communicate with her now mystical brother, Sansa awkwardly ends the conversation.
The Citadel
Thanks to Sam’s medical heroics, Jorah appears to be cured of greyscale. Jorah lies to Archmaester about said heroics, and says he was cured by rest and the great climate. The Archmaester is not fool, and can easily tell what Sam did. Instead of being angry at Sam, though, he tells him he should be proud. However, he won’t go so far as to reward Sam, and orders him to return to his grunt-work.
Casterly Rock
While Dany’s army took a hard defeat on the sea, they’re hoping for a better result on land — specifically, the invasion of Casterly Rock. Grey Worm leads the army to the Lannister castle, and, by using the sewers that Tyrion himself designed, they’re able to pretty easily take the stronghold. Too easily, in fact. Jaime and Cersei had anticipated the attack on Casterly Rock, and instead of using their army to defend it, Jaime led an attack on the Highgarden, the homestead of House Tyrell. Euron then arrives to burn Grey Worm’s ships.
At Highgarden, Jaime and his army take an easy and brutal victory. He finds Olenna Tyrell, and he pours poison in her wine glass. She drinks it, but before she dies, she taunts Jaime over the death of Joffrey at the Purple Wedding. She tells Jaime to make sure Cersei knows that she was the one that killed their son.
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