[At the Dragonpit]
No one's less happy about this than I am.
I know. I respect what you did. Wish you hadn't done it, but I respect it. This place was the beginning of the end for my family. Zaldrīzes buzdari iksos daor. "A dragon is not a slave". They were terrifying, extraordinary. They filled people with wonder and awe, and we locked them in here. They wasted away. They grew small. And we grew small, as well. We weren't extraordinary without them. We were just like everyone else.
You're not like everyone else. And your family hasn't seen its end. You're still here.
The witch who murdered my husband.
Has it occurred to you she might not've been a reliable source of information?
You were right, from the beginning. If I'd trusted you, everything would've been different.
I can't forget what I saw, North of the Wall. And I can't pretend that Cersei won't take back half the country the moment I march North.
It appears that Tyrion's assessment was correct. We're fucked.
Are you sure you want to do this?
It's not what I want, it's what honor demands.
And what does honor demand?
That I defend my family from those who would harm us. That I defend the North from those who would betray us.
All right, then. Get on with it.
[seeming to speak to Arya] You stand accused of murder, you stand accused of treason. How do you answer these charges...[glancing over at Petyr Baelish] Lord Baelish?
Lady Sansa, I have known you since you were a girl. I have protected you...
Protected me? By selling me to the Boltons?
If we could speak alone, I can explain everything...
[quoting Petyr] "Sometimes, when I'm trying to understand a person's motives, I play a little game. I assume the worst." What's the worst reason you have, for turning me against my sister? That's what you do, isn't it? That's what you've always done. Turn family against family, turn sister against sister. That's what you did to our mother and Aunt Lysa, and that's what you tried to do to us.
I'm a slow learner, it's true. But I learn.
Give me a chance to defend myself. I deserve that. [to Yohn Royce] I am Lord Protector of the Vale and I command you to escort me safely back to the Eyrie.
[kneels before Sansa] Sansa, I beg you! I loved your mother since the time I was a boy!
And yet you betrayed her.
I loved you. More than anyone!
And yet you betrayed me. When you brought me back to Winterfell, you told me "there's no justice in the world, not unless we make it." Thank you for all your many lessons, Lord Baelish. I will never forget them.
[Arya steps towards Littlefinger]
[Arya slits his throat, killing him]
Come in. [Sam enters] Samwell Tarly.
I wasn't sure if you'd remember me.
I remember everything. You helped us get beyond the Wall. You're a good man.
Oh. Well, thank you, but, um, I'm not sure that I am. What happened to you beyond the Wall?
I became the Three-Eyed Raven.
Oh. I don't know what that means.
I can see things that happened in the past. I can see things happening now, all over the world. Why did you come to Winterfell?
Jon's the one to lead the fight against the dead. I know he is. But he can't do it alone. So I've come here to help him.
He's on his way back to Winterfell... with Daenerys Targaryen.
Y-you saw this... in a vision? [Bran holds up a scroll] Oh.
He needs to know the truth.
About himself. No one knows, no one but me. Jon isn't really my father's son. He's the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and my aunt, Lyanna Stark. He was born in a tower in Dorne. His last name isn't really Snow, it's Sand.
Dornish bastards are named "Sand".
At the Citadel, I transcribed a High Septon's diary. He annulled Rhaegar's marriage to Elia. He wed Rhaegar and Lyanna in a secret ceremony!
It's what the High Septon wrote in his private diary. I don't know why he'd lie. Is there something you can see?
[Bran has a vision of Lyanna and Rhaegar's wedding]
RTRhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark
Father, Smith, Warrior. Mother, Maiden, Crone. Stranger. I am hers/his, and she/he is mine, from this day until the end of my days.
Robert's rebellion was built on a lie. Rhaegar didn't kidnap my aunt, or rape her. He loved her. And she loved him. And Jon... Jon's real name...
LSLyanna Stark
[to Ned Stark, in flashback] His name...is Aegon Targaryen. You have to protect him. Promise me, Ned.
He's never been a bastard. He's the heir to the Iron Throne. He needs to know. We need to tell him.
Twenty thousand men, is it?
HSHarry Strickland
Yes, Your Grace. A few died in transit...
They cheated at dice! Or maybe I cheated? Somebody cheated. [shrugs] They weren't good fighters. You won't miss them.
HSHarry Strickland
Two thousand.
HSHarry Strickland
Erm...no elephants, Your Grace.
[Cersei seethes quietly for a moment.]
That's disappointing. I was told the Golden Company had elephants.
HSHarry Strickland
They are excellent beasts, Your Grace. But not well-suited to long sea voyages.
In any event, you are most welcome here at King's Landing, Captain Strickland.
HSHarry Strickland
We look forward to fighting on your behalf, Your Grace. [bows and takes his leave]
You are a true friend of the Crown. And an honored guest.
Good. So, as a true friend and an honored guest...
[He takes a step forward. Ser Gregor Clegane moves to bar his way.]
I was hoping we could talk in private.
After the War. That was our agreement.
[impatiently] Wars sometimes last years.
[firmly] You want a whore, buy one. You want a Queen, earn her. [she rises and makes to leave]
How? I've given her justice. An army. And the Iron Fleet. And yet, she gives me no sign of affection. My heart is nearly broken.
You're insolent. I've executed men for less.
[Cersei moves to the door, then stops and sighs. She turns to Euron with a resigned look. Grinning lustily, Euron joins her.]
[Jon is visiting the Heart Tree in the Winterfell Godswood]
You used to be taller. [Jon spins around]
How'd you sneak up on me?
How did you survive a knife through the heart?
I didn't. [They both grin, run to each other and hug. Jon nods at the sword in her belt] You still have it.
Once or twice. [sheaths it, Jon draws Longclaw and hands it to her] Valyrian steel.
[smirks] Too heavy for me.
[sheaths Longclaw] Where were you before? I could've used your help with Sansa.
She doesn't like your Queen, does she?
Sansa thinks she's smarter than everyone-
She's the smartest person I've ever met.
Oh, you're defending her? [chuckles] You?
I'm defending our family. So is she.
[Arya embraces him]
[Tyrion, Varys and Davos observe more Northerners arriving at Winterfell]
One of the better sigils. Beats an onion, anyway.
Can't argue with that. [they walk away] Not so long ago, the Starks and the Karstarks were slaughtering each other on the battlefield. Jon Snow brought peace to their Houses-
And our Queen is grateful.
Her gratitude is lovely, but that's not my point. The Northmen are loyal to Jon Snow, not to her. They don't know her. The Free Folk don't know her. I've been up here a while, and I'm telling you, they're stubborn as goats. You want their loyalty? You have to earn it.
I sense that you're leading to a proposal.
A proposal is what I'm proposing. On the off-chance that we survive the Night King...what if the Seven Kingdoms, for once in their whole shit history, were ruled by a just woman, and an honorable man?
[Tyrion and Varys follow his gaze to Jon and Daenerys, who are talking together arm-in-arm.]
They do make a handsome couple.
You overestimate our influence. Jon and Daenerys don't want to listen to lonely old men.
I'm not that old. [glances at Davos] Well, I'm not as old as him. [Davos smirks] Our Queen respects the wisdom of age.
Of course she does. Respect is how the young keep us at a distance, so we don't remind them of an unpleasant truth.
[Bronn is in the middle of an orgy with three prostitutes]
Ser Bronn of the Blackwater.
Apologies for the interruption, but the Queen did urge me to hurry.
[sighs] Sorry ladies. Another time perhaps. [the prostitutes gather their clothes and leave. One stops to proposition Qyburn as she goes]
PProstitute
If you ever get lonely, I am partial to older gentlemen. [Qyburn watches her leave as Bronn pours himself wine]
Poor girl. Pox will take her within the year. [Bronn chokes on his wine]
The Queen's brothers made promises to you and then broke them. Her Grace wants to rectify their mistake.
She once gave me a castle and a wife, then rectified me right out of them.
That was Ser Jaime's doing, not hers. When Queen Cersei wants something, she pays in advance and in gold...several chests of it, in fact, waiting for you in a wagon, just outside.
So she wants to murder someone, but she can't send her soldiers? If it's the Dragon Queen she's after...
She has other plans for the Targaryen girl.
Yeah, well good luck with that!
Our Queen's brothers are unlikely to survive their northern adventures, but in the event that they do... [a Lannister soldier enters and hands Qyburn Joffrey's crossbow, the same one Tyrion used to kill Tywin] She has a keen sense of poetic justice.
[flabbergasted] That fucking family.
When the Citadel expelled me, I thought I would die poor and alone, but in exchange for my service, Queen Cersei made me her Hand. What would she do for the man who rids her of her treasonous brothers?
What are you doing in Winterfell? Or did you read every book in the Citadel already? [pause, sees Sam's expression] What's wrong? Gilly? Is she alright?
Daenerys. She executed my father and brother. They were her prisoners. [pause] She didn't tell you.
I'm so sorry. But we need to end this war.
I've executed men who've disobeyed me-
You've also spared men. Thousands of Wildlings, when they refused to kneel!
But you were. You've always been.
I gave up my crown, Sam. [starts to leave] I bent the knee, I'm not King in the North anymore.
I'm not talking about the King in the North, I'm talking about the King of the bloody Seven Kingdoms! [Jon turns back] Bran and I worked it out. I had a High Septon's diary, and Bran had... whatever Bran has.
What're you talking about?
Your mother... was Lyanna Stark. And your father... your real father... was Rhaegar Targaryen. You've never been a bastard. You're Aegon Targaryen, true heir to the Iron Throne. [Jon starts toward him] I'm sorry. I know it's a lot to take in-
[angrily] My father was the most honorable man I ever met. You're saying he lied to me, all my life?!
[shakes his head] Your father- well, Ned Stark- he promised your mother he'd always protect you. And he did, Robert would have murdered you if he knew. You're the true King. Aegon Targaryen, Sixth of his Name, Protector of the Realm, all of it.
It's the truth. You gave up your crown, to save your people. Would she do the same?
When I was a child, my brother would tell me a bedtime story about the man who murdered our father. Who stabbed him in the back and cut his throat. Who sat down on the Iron Throne and watched as his blood poured onto the floor. He told me other stories as well. About all the things we would do to that man, once we took back the Seven Kingdoms and had him in our grasp. Your sister pledged to send her army north.
I don't see an army. I see one man with one hand. It appears your sister lied to me.
She lied to me as well. She never had any intention of sending her army north. She has Euron Greyjoy's fleet and 20,000 fresh troops. The Golden Company from Essos. Bought and paid for. Even if we defeat the dead, she'll have more than enough to destroy the survivors.
I promised to fight for the living. I intend to keep that promise.
Your Grace, I know my brother...
Like you knew your sister?
He came here alone, knowing full well how he'd be received. Why would he do that, if he weren't telling the truth?
Perhaps he trusts his little brother to defend him. Right up to the moment he slits my throat.
You're right, we can't trust him. He attacked my father in the streets, he tried to destroy my House and my family the same as he did yours.
Do you want me to apologize? I won't. We were at war! Everything I did, I did for my House and my family. I'd do it all again!
"The things we do for love."
So why have you abandoned your House and your family now?
Because this goes beyond loyalty. This is about survival.
You don't know me well, Your Grace, but I know Ser Jaime. He is a man of honor. I was his captor once, but when we were both taken prisoner and the men holding us tried to force themselves on me, Ser Jaime defended me. And lost his hand because of it. [addressing Sansa] Without him, my lady, you would not be alive. He armed me, armoured me and sent me to find you and bring you home, because he'd sworn an oath to your mother.
You would fight beside him?
I trust you with my life. If you trust him with yours, we should let him stay.
What does the Warden of the North say about it?
We need every man we can get.
Lady Sansa, I was hoping we could speak alone. [Yohn Royce bows curtly to her and leaves] I thought you and I were on the verge of agreement, before. About Ser Jaime?
Brienne has been loyal to me, always. I trust her more than anyone.
I wish I could have that kind of faith in my advisors.
Tyrion is a good man. He was never anything but decent towards me.
I didn't ask him to be my Hand, simply because he was good. I asked him to be my Hand because he was good, and intelligent, and ruthless when he had to be. [Sansa nods, conceding that point] He never should have trusted Cersei.
You never should have, either.
I thought he knew his sister.
Families are complicated.
[smiles] Ours certainly have been.
A sad thing to have in common. [they both sit]
We have other things in common. We both know what it means to lead people, who aren't inclined to accept a woman's rule... and we've both done a damn good job of it, from what I can tell. [Sansa smiles briefly] And yet, I can't help but feel... we're at odds with one another. Why is that? Your brother?
He loves you, you know that.
Men do stupid things for women. They're easily manipulated.
All my life, I've known one goal: the Iron Throne. Taking it back from the people who destroyed my family, and almost destroyed yours; my war was against them. Until I met Jon. Now I'm here, half a world away, fighting Jon's war, alongside him. Tell me, who manipulated whom?
I should've thanked you, the moment you arrived. That was a mistake.
[takes her hand] I'm here because I love your brother... and I trust him. And I know he's true to his word. He's only the second man in my life I can say that about.
Someone taller. [they both chuckle]
And what happens, afterwards? [Dany looks at her questioningly] We defeat the Dead, we destroy Cersei... what happens then?
What about the North? [sharply] It was taken from us, and we took it back. And we said, we'd never bow to anyone else, again. What about the North?
[Dany's expression hardens and she lets go of Sansa's hand]
[The defenders of Winterfell lay out their battleplans]
They're coming. We have dragonglass, and we have Valyrian steel...but there are too many of them, far too many. Our enemy doesn't tire, doesn't stop, doesn't feel. We can't beat them in a straight fight.
The Night King made them all, they follow his command. If he falls...getting to him may be our best chance.
If that's true, he'll never expose himself.
Yes, he will. He'll come for me. He's tried many times before, with many three-eyed ravens.
An endless night. He wants to erase this world, and I am its memory.
That's what death is, isn't it? Forgetting, being forgotten. If we forget where we've been and what we've done, we're not men anymore, just animals. [to Bran] Your memories don't come from books. Your stories aren't just stories. If I wanted to erase the world of Men, I'd start with you.
His mark is on me. [Bran shows the claw marks the Night King left on his arm] He always knows where I am.
We'll put you in the crypt where it's safest.
No. We need to lure him into the open before his army destroys us all. I'll wait for him in the godswood.
You want us to use you as bait?!
We're not leaving you alone out there!
He won't be. I'll stay with him, with the Ironborn. [to Bran] I took this castle from you once. Let me defend you now.
We'll hold off the rest of them, for as long as we can.
When the time comes, Ser Davos and I will be on the walls to give you the signal to light the trench.
Ser Davos is perfectly capable of waving a torch on his own. You'll be in the crypt.
Your Grace, I have fought before, I can do it again, alongside the men and women risking their lives-!
There are thousands of them and only one of you. You can't fight as well as them, but you can think better than any of them. You're here because of your mind; if we survive, I'll need it.
The dragons should give us an edge in the field-
If they're in the field, they're not protecting Bran. We need to be near him; not too near or the Night King won't come, but close enough to pursue him when he does.
Dragon fire will stop him?
I don't know. No one's ever tried.
[Gendry nods and hands her the spear. She looks it over, spinning it around experimentally.]
Last time you saw me, you wanted me to go to Winterfell. [grins shyly] Took a long road, but-
What did the Red Woman want with you?
She wanted my blood. For some kind of spell.
I'm Robert Baratheon's bastard. [Arya stops, surprised] I didn't know until she told me. Then she tied me up, stripped me down, and put leeches all over me.
Was that your first time?
[sarcastically] Yes, that was the first time I had leeches put all over my-
I mean, your first time with a woman.
[taking off her gloves] Were you with other girls, before that, at King's Landing? Or after? [Gendry sputters] You don't remember?
[Arya draws near to Gendry.]
We're probably going to die soon. I want to know what it's like before that happens.
[They stare at each other.]
[Arya cuts him off by kissing him, which he returns. She pushes him down on the bed and starts to undress. Gendry looks startled by the scars on her hip.]
[noticing his gaze] I'm not the Red Woman. Take your own bloody pants off.
[They make love.]
It's strange, isn't it? Almost everyone here has fought the Starks, at one time or another... and here we are in their castle, ready to defend it. Together.
At least we'll die with honor.
I think we might live. [everyone snickers, including him] I, I do! How many battles have we survived, between us? Ser Davos Seaworth, survivor of both the Blackwater and the Battle of the Bastards.
All without a shred of combat ability.
Ser Jaime Lannister, fabled hero of the Siege of Pyke-
Fabled loser of the Battle of Whispering Wood.
Hear, hear! Ser Brienne of Tarth, defeated the Hound. Pardon me, Lady Brienne.
She's not a "Ser?" You're not a knight?
I don't even want to be a knight.
I'm no King. But, if I were... I'd knight you ten times over.
You don't need a King. Any knight can make another knight. [sets down his cup, walks around their chairs and draws his sword] I'll prove it. Kneel, Lady Brienne. [Brienne stares at him, then scoffs] Do you want to be a knight, or not? Kneel.
[Brienne looks first at Podrick, then at Jaime, who both nod to her; she comes over and kneels. Davos, Tormund, Tyrion and Podrick all turn around to watch]
[resting his sword on each of her shoulders, in turn] In the name of the Warrior, I charge you to be brave. In the name of the Father, I charge you to be just. In the name of the Mother, I charge you to defend the innocent. [lowers his sword] Arise, Brienne of Tarth... a knight of the Seven Kingdoms.
[As Brienne stands, smiling, Tormund begins applauding, followed by the others]
[raising his cup] Ser Brienne of Tarth! Knight of the Seven Kingdoms!
