Game of Thrones Season 8, Episode 4 recap: Rejection

One massive war down. One to go? The post-Battle of Winterfell theories are endless. It’s time to really find out who will win the Game of Thrones.

The Night King is dead and Arya is the current human race MVP. Game of Thrones, however, is named as such because of the humans battling for supremacy. Without White Walkers and wights, it’s down to the humans to do battle.

Battle lines appear to be drawn between two factions: the King’s Landing Axis Powers of Cersei Lannister, Euron Greyjoy, and the Golden Company versus the Allied Powers of the Daenerys Targaryen’s forces (i.e. remaining Dothraki (<5%), remaining Unsullied (~50%), dragon or dragons TBD), Jon Snow’s Northern forces (i.e. houses who supported Winterfell), and others (i.e. Jaime Lannister, Ser Brienne, etc.).

Intro

First of all, did the ice in the intro turn into water? It sure looks that way. If so, it puts to bed all those “someone else is really the Night King”-theories. Ain’t nobody got time for that. Game of Thrones has come down to the final few episodes, and it’s really about the throne.

Goodbyes

Jorah’s dead body, Theon’s dead body. Hundreds of dead bodies. Dany, Sansa, and others are mourning. Sansa puts a Direwolf pin on Theon’s shirt, accepting him back in the family, before the camera pans out to all the bodies on funeral pyres.

Jon Snow gives a speech about keeping all of those who have fallen in memory, but we could potentially keep at least one more in memory if that selfish wench Melisandre didn’t just kill herself because she believed her deed had been done. What about the times she was wrong? Maybe she was wrong again? Huh!? Did she ever think of that!? No. And it’s not like her fire really helped all that much anyway; the entire male Dothraki race is basically extinct. Nonetheless, the fires are lit.

After what had to be a disgusting smell in the field, everyone sits down in the great hall for a somber meal and heavy drinking. Gendry is looking for Arya, and the Hound calls him a twat for thinking about sex while the bodies are still extra crispy and stinking.

Rejections begin

As Gendry gets up to leave, Daenerys calls him out as Robert Baratheon’s son. Jaime Lannister clearly didn’t know. Dany asks who is Lord of Storm’s End now, and nobody in the hall has a clue. Gendry says he can’t be because he’s a bastard. And because Dany has a dragon, and is in charge of everything, she makes him Lord Gendry Baratheon of Storm’s End. Tyrion whispers to Dany about the ease with which she did that and created a loyal subject, and she replies that he’s not the only clever person in existence.

Despite the debauchery, there are some serious discussions occurring. Davos Seaworth and Tyrion talk about the Lord of Light, the purpose of religion in general, and the people who will ultimately ruin everything. Tyrion and Bran discuss wheelchairs and whether or not the Three Eyed Raven can be the Lord of Winterfell. It seems like Bran almost wants to deny his family name.

Debauchery

Tormund is the party animal. He’s nearly trashed, and toasts to the dragon queen. There’s a smattering of applause, but then Daenerys brings the house down: “To Arya Stark, the hero of Winterfell.”

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Brienne, Pod, Jaime, and Tyrion are playing a truth or drink game. Brienne has minimal tolerance, and all is going well until Tyrion says she’s a virgin. He’s right, she’s embarrassed, she doesn’t drink, and the game is over.

Meanwhile, Tormund is still celebrating Jon Snow, talking about how Jon cheated death. Everyone loves Jon, and Dany is feeling a little underappreciated. Maybe even threatened. Sansa exits the party when looking at Dany, and now the unloved Queen leaves. Varys circles like a vulture.

Tormund is getting absolutely blackout drunk and asks the drinking party, “Which one of you cowards s**t in my pants?” Then he notices Brienne leaving. And Jaime following. He whines to the Hound about Jaime taking his woman. The Hound wants no camaraderie. Luckily, a woman steps up to keep Tormund company, but the Hound rejects a second jezebel.

Sansa sees the entire exchange and decides to interact with the Hound. He’s surprised she can even look at him, because she couldn’t always do so. Sansa has seen worse, however, and mentions how she killed Ramsay: “Hounds.” If there were sunglasses in Winterfell, she could have put them on CSI: Miami-style.

Rejections continue

Newly anointed Gendry is searching for Arya. He finds her, gives her the good news, and drops to a knee. The Winterfell version of “It’s not you. It’s me,” follows. Arya can’t worry about love when she still has names left on her list. For those counting at home, that’s two rejections.

Thankfully, the entire episode is not somber and depressing. Jaime drunkenly stumbles to Brienne’s room, where they talk about how she likes the North, he hates it, and how hot the room is (i.e. he wants to take off clothes). Unwittingly following Arya’s lead, Brienne loses her virginity after confessing to it.

On a different note, Dany walks to Jon’s room (their room?), where chit-chat about Jorah’s love leads to a passionate kiss, second thoughts, then the awkward discussion we’ve all been dreading. “Hey, I still love you even though you’re my nephew.” “Sorry, but it’s really awkward for me.” She pours her heart out, and doesn’t understand why Essos loves her but Westeros does not.

Daenerys is terribly worried the peoples’ love for Jon will turn them against her. And she definitely doesn’t want Jon’s Targaryen roots to be known by anyone else. She thinks the secret will ruin everything, and demands he swear secrecy. Jon disagrees, and wants to tell his sisters. Jon thinks they can all live together after the news gets out. She has a response:

Daenerys: “We can. I just told you how.”

Battle plans

Half of Unsullied are dead, and many of the North men are gone. Some of the Dothraki survived! The problem is, Dany wants to kill anyone and everyone to get Cersei. Tyrion reminds everyone the goal is to keep King’s Landing standing. Varys mentions support from Dorne. They even throw out a plan to starve out the supply line, forcing the people to hate Cersei like they once did Joffrey for the same reason. Nonetheless, the crazy side of the Targaryen bloodline starts to emerge.

This crazy side doesn’t sit well with either Sansa or Arya. The latter remains silent, but Sansa engages in a little disagreement about army fatigue. Jon nips that in the bud immediately, causing a little Stark/Snow tension. Meeting adjourned, but discontent creeps. In fact, at the end of the meeting Arya pulls Jon aside to have a family talk. The four Starks meet at the Weirwood tree to talk about family, and Jon spills the beans. Well, technically he has Bran do it, but the news is out. It’s just a matter of time to find out if Jon or Dany is right.

Negotiation

As Tyrion and Jaime discuss sex with Brienne, and how Jaime finally has to climb like Tyrion has always had to, in walks Ser Bronn of Black Water. With a crossbow. Bronn punches Tyrion to get him to shut up, and lays out Cersei’s offer of River Run. He thinks the dragons are the trump card, however, and is siding with what he believes will be the winning side…provided he gets a better deal. Tyrion’s standing offer to double any offer Bronn gets is mentioned, and suddenly Bronn will rule High Garden. Pleased, Bronn backs out of the room.

Speaking of sneaking out, both the Hound and Arya are on the move. They weren’t planning on being riding partners again, but it just happened. Off to King’s Landing they go, presumably for the Clegane Bowl and Arya’s list.

Off to war

TWO MF DRAGONS SURVIVE. Rhaegal is injured, but can fly. Drogon smiles. For real, he smiled.

Sansa and Tyrion talk on the Winterfell walls about Daenerys. They disagree about trust, obviously, and Sansa ends the conversation with a question: “What if there’s someone else? Someone better?” So much for the secret.

War heroes often say goodbye to loved ones before departing for battle. Westeros is no different. Tormund and Jon hug. Jon gives him Ghost. Tormund thinks Jon should come North with the Free Folk, because Jon has the “real north” in him. Then Jon says goodbye to Sam and Gilly, who is pregnant again. They plan to name a boy Jon, provided Sam isn’t crying in the corner during childbirth like he was during the Battle of Winterfell.

Round One: Fight

Dany’s ships sail towards King’s Landing. Missandei and Grey Worm hold hands and smile on deck, as Tyrion tells Varys about Jon Snow’s secret beneath. Good job, Sansa. They discuss which ruler to follow and what they can do long enough for the dragons to circle King’s Landing.

Out of nowhere Rhaegal gets absolutely blasted in the chest by a massive spear! Another to the face! Dragon down! The bolts came from Euron’s armada ambush. All with dragon harpoons. Enraged, Dany makes a horrible strategic move towards Euron’s fleet, right towards the weapons, but pulls hard left at the last second, narrowly avoiding the loss of her last dragon. That allows Euron to turn weapons and decimate the initial fleet. Survivors swim ashore, and nobody can find Missandei.

One more rejection

Back up at Winterfell, Jaime follows Brienne and Sansa into a secluded area. They tell Jaime of Euron’s successful ambush. Sansa thinks that means doom. Jaime slips out of Brienne’s room in the middle of the night, but she awakens. Walking into the cold, night air, she finds Jaime saddling up his horse. She tells Jaime he’s a good man, can’t save his sister, and pleads with him to stay in Winterfell. He tells her all the things he’s done for Cersei, and claims to be hateful, leaving Brienne sobbing and alone. Ouch.

Round Two: Fight

High atop King’s Landing, Euron and Cersei discuss their successes. Their current strategy is to bring all the people into the Red Keep, under Cersei’s protection, and force Dany to kill everyone to win the crown. And after the battle, Cersei believes her child with Euron (really Jaime’s) will rule the world.

Meanwhile, Daenerys wants revenge for Rhaegal, despite the disapproval from both Varys and Tyrion. The compromise is a demand that Cersei surrender, and death will be her fault if she doesn’t comply. A later conversation between Tyrion and Varys mirrors their previous one, but this time Varys implies he’s not only adamantly opposed to Daenerys ruling, but is fine if she dies in order for Jon Snow to take the crown.

Fifty or so Unsullied stand at the Red Keep front doors. Cersei has Missandei atop the castle walls. Multiple towers have dragon harpoons ready. The gates open, and Qyburn walks out to discuss terms. Tyrion meets him halfway. They each demand the other’s surrender. One extra stipulation is that if Dany doesn’t surrender, Missandei will die immediately. Tyrion pleads with Qyburn, but the offer is rejected outright. Qyburn talks about how Cersei actually has the upper hand, and Tyrion hears enough. He walks right past towards Cersei.

Tyrion attempts to reach Cersei’s cold, dead heart by talking about her dead children, and her unborn one as well (Euron: WTF?). Cersei fights back tears for a moment before approaching Missandei at the edge of the wall. Dany and Grey Worm lunge forward. Cersei asks for final words, and Missandei has one: Dracarys!

The command is given, and the Mountain beheads Missandei effortlessly. To quote Ramsay Bolton, “If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention.”

Game of Thrones is coming to an end. Watch the next episode Sunday on HBO.