Game of Thrones Refresher: Season 5 recap
Game of Thrones season five, when the War of the Five Kings is basically over, and women emerge as the true power players.
After the amazing Game of Thrones fourth season, which may have been the best of the series, fans were likely at an all time frenzy waiting for the fifth season to drop.
Does any of it really matter now that the undead are on the move? Is it just a matter of time before the living get overtaken?
Season Intro
Marriages. Deaths. Executions. Betrayals. This season provided shock after shock. The battle for King’s Landing is truly uncertain, and new powers emerge.
Episode Highlights
B+. <ul><li>Young Cersei gets her fortune read. She’ll be queen, but the rest is bad.</li><li>One of the Unsullied is killed by a member of the Sons of the Harpy</li><li>Mance Rayder is immolated after refusing to submit to Stannis; Jon Snow shows mercy</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S5E1. The Wars to Come
Game of Thrones. S5E2. The House of Black and White. A. <ul><li>Arya enters the House of Black and White, is about to become no one</li><li>Ellaria Sand asks Doran Martell to permit Myrcella Baratheon’s murder</li><li>Daenerys begins to lose control of the former slaves and Meereen</li><li>Jon Snow becomes the 998th Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch</li></ul>
Daenerys had three dragons, two are locked up, none are happy with her, and she can’t control the cities she has freed. It’s too bad, because King’s Landing is ripe for the taking, with Lannister turbulence and dissension within the ranks, and Margaery edging Cersei out. Balance of power has changed. Meanwhile, Varys offers Tyrion a modest proposal: serve a woman ruler.
High Sparrow. B+. <ul><li>The Sparrows and the High Sparrow assert King’s Landing power</li><li>Littlefinger sells Sansa off as a bride for Ramsay Bolton</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S5E3
Game of Thrones. S5E4. Sons of the Harpy. A+. <ul><li>Cersei rekindles the Faith Militant who apprehend Loras Tyrells</li><li>Ser Barristan saves Grey Worm from the Sons of the Harpy</li><li>Ellaria Sand and the Sand Snakes plan to kill Myrcella Baratheon</li></ul>
There is an interesting side story ongoing through the past few episodes. The Crown is in debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos. That debt makes the Lannisters weaker, and the Tyrells stronger, because the Tyrells are the only ones who can support that loan.
Similarly, Littlefinger appears to be investing in the future by planting Sansa with the Boltons. It’s odd because he also appears to be romantically interested in her, but handing her over like property. Clearly, he doesn’t know about Ramsay.
Game of Thrones. S5E5. Kill the Boy. A+. <ul><li>Jon Snow offers to forge a wildling & Night’s Watch alliance</li><li>Sansa Stark/Baratheon/soon-to-be Bolton sees Reek</li><li>Dany feeds a Meereen leader to her dragons as revenge</li></ul>
A+. <ul><li>The Waif proves Arya is not ready to become “no one”</li><li>Tyrion offers Jorah up for recently reopened Meereen fighting pits</li><li>Ramsay rapes Sansa to consummate their marriage</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S5E6. Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken
A+. <ul><li>Sam & Gilly have sex after Maester Aemon Targaryen dies</li><li>The Sand Snakes prove poisonous prowess with Bronn</li><li>The High Sparrow has Cersei join the Tyrells in prison</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S5E7. The Gift
Jaime, Bronn, Ellaria and the Sand Snakes are all in the middle of either killing or saving Mycella. Pure turmoil. On the other hand, things are not much better at King’s Landing. The High Sparrow betrayed Cersei, and now has Tommen’s women in custody.
While some are separated, others reunite. Jorah dominates the Meereen pits to make his way back to an unsatisfied Daenerys, who is down a man after Ser Barristan Selmy dies at the hands of the Sons of the Harpy.
A+. <ul><li>Dany employs Tyrion and saves Jorah</li><li>Septa Unella demands Cersei to “confess”</li><li>The Night King & his army of undead attack the wildlings</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S5E8. Hardhome
A+. <ul><li>Ramsay Bolton attacks Stannis Baratheon’s supplies</li><li>Stannis allows Melisandre to sacrifice his daughter</li><li>Drogon saves Dany after the Son of the Harpy ambush</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S5E9. The Dance of Dragons
<ul><li>Stannis loses Melisandre, his wife, and half his soldiers</li><li>Brienne executes Stannis after his army loses to Ramsay</li><li>Arya is blinded after using a face to kill Ser Meryn Trant</li><li>Ellaria Sand poisons Myrcella with a kiss on the lips</li><li>Cersei makes the walk of shame, for revenge purposes</li><li>Jon Snow is killed “For the Watch.”</li></ul>. Game of Thrones. S5E10. Mother's Mercy. A++++
End of season recap
Wow! “Mother’s Mercy” might be the best episode of all time. Daenerys is in Dothraki hands and fairly powerless. King Tommen is powerless. Jaime is powerless to save his daughter. Arya is suddenly blind. Stannis is dead. Jon Snow is dead. The only two who appear to be on the upswing are Cersei and Sansa, who have both been brutalized in their own way.
House Rankings
Lannister – Being pushed out by Tyrells, but Cersei is back
Baratheon – Tommen is King in name only
Stark – Sansa has escaped, but Arya is blind – Jon Snow building an army
Targaryen – Dany has lost nearly all control
Arryn – Mysteriously stronger
Frey – Still holders of a strategic point in Westeros
Greyjoy – Theon grew a pair to help Sansa
Martell – Nearly extinct
dark. Next. Season 8 Preview
Game of Thrones returns to HBO Sunday, April 14 at 9/8c.