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!
At least we're already in a crypt.
If we were up there, we might see something everyone else is missing. Something that makes a difference. [Varys scoffs] What? Remember the Battle of the Blackwater? I brought us through the Mud-Gate.
And got your face cut in half-
And it made a difference. If I was out there, right now-
You'd die. [Tyrion turns toward her] There's nothing you can do.
You might be surprised at the lengths I'd go to avoid joining the Army of the Dead. I can think of no organization less suited to my talents.
Witty remarks won't make a difference. That's why we're down here; none of us can do anything. It's the truth. It's the most heroic thing we can do, now: look the truth in the face.
...Maybe we should've stayed married.
[smiles] You were the best of them.
What a ...terrifying thought!
[smiles briefly] It wouldn't work between us.
The Dragon Queen. Your divided loyalties would become a problem.
[sarcastically] Yes, without the Dragon Queen there'd be no problem at all. We'd all be dead already.
CLEGANE! Clegane, we need you! Don't give up on us-
[utterly shellshocked] FUCK OFF! We can't beat them! Don't you see that, you stupid whore?! We're fighting death! I can't beat death.
Tell her that. [he points to Arya, who is single-handedly drawing off and destroying many wights]
[Clegane gets up and rushes to Arya's aid]
[As Beric Dondarrion lays dying next to Arya]
The Lord brought him back for a purpose. Now that purpose has been served.
You said we'd meet again.
And here we are, at the end of the world.
You said I'd shut many eyes forever. You were right about that too.
Brown eyes, green eyes, [Arya nods] and blue eyes. [Arya looks up at her in realization]
[The noise of the swarm of wights outside intensifies]
What do we say to the God of Death?
...Not today. [Exchanges a look with Melisandre, then leaves]
We're here to say goodbye to our brothers and sisters. To our fathers and mothers. To our friends. Our fellow men and women, who set aside their differences, to fight together... and die together, so that others might live. Everyone in this world, owes them a debt that can never be repaid. It is our duty and our honor, to keep them alive in memory, for those who come after us, and those who come after them... for as long as men draw breath. They were the shields that guarded the realms of men. And we shall never see their like again.
No. [stumbles] Well, only a little. I didn't know Ser Jorah well, but I know this: if he could've chosen a way to die, it would've been protecting you.
He loved me. And I couldn't love him back. Not the way he wanted. Not the way I love you. Is that all right? [they start to kiss, but Jon suddenly stops and steps away] I wish you'd never told me. If I didn't know, I'd be happy right now. I try to forget. Tonight I did for a while, and then I saw them all gathered around you. I saw the way they looked at you. I know that look. So many people have looked at me that way, but never here. Never on this side of the sea.
I told you, I don't want it.
It doesn't matter what you want! You didn't want to be King in the North! What happens when they demand that you press your claim, and take what is mine?
[crouches in front of her] I'll refuse. You are my Queen, I don't know what else I can say.
You can say nothing. To anyone, ever. Never tell them who you are. Swear your brother and Samwell Tarly to secrecy, and tell no one else. Or it will take a life of its own, and you won't be able to control it, or what it does to people! No matter how many times you bend the knee, no matter what you swear! [takes his hand] I want it to be the way it was between us.
[squeezes her hand] I have to tell Sansa and Arya.
Sansa will want to see me gone and you on the Iron Throne.
She's not the girl you grew up with. Not after what she's seen, not after what they've done to her.
Even if the truth destroys us?
It will. I've never begged for anything... but I'm begging you. [tearfully] Don't do this. Please.
You are my Queen. Nothing will change that. And they are my family. We can live together.
[coldly] We can. I've just told you how.
[on the Unsullied] Half are gone.
And the Golden Company has arrived in King's Landing, courtesy of the Greyjoy Fleet. The balance has become... distressingly even.
When the people find out what we have done for them, how we saved them-
Cersei will make sure they don't believe it. We will hit her hard. We will rip her out, root and stem.
The objective here is to remove Cersei, without destroying King's Landing.
Thankfully, she's losing allies by the day. Yara Greyjoy has retaken the Iron Islands in her Queen's name. The new Prince of Dorne pledges his support.
No matter how many Lords turn against her, as long as she sits on the Iron Throne, she can call herself Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. We need the capital.
I watched the people of King's Landing rebel against their King when they were hungry, and that was before winter began. Give them the opportunity, and they will cast Cersei aside.
We'll surround the city. If the Iron Fleet tries to ferry in more food, the dragons will destroy them. If the Lannisters and the Golden Company attack, we'll defeat them in the field.
Once the people see that Cersei is our only enemy, her reign is over.
The men we have left are exhausted. Many of them are wounded. They'll fight better if they have time to rest and recuperate.
I can't say for certain, not without talking to the officers.
I came north to fight alongside you, at great cost to my armies and myself. Now that the time has come to reciprocate, you want to postpone.
It's not just our people, it's yours! You want to throw them into a war they're not ready to fight?
The longer I leave my enemies alone, the stronger they become.
[firmly] The Northern forces will honor their promises, and their allegiance to the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms. What you command, we will obey.
So. If all are in agreement... Jon and Ser Davos will ride down the Kingsroad with the Northern troops and the bulk of the remaining Dothraki and Unsullied. A smaller group of us will ride to White Harbor, and sail from there to Dragonstone, with our Queen and her dragons accompanying us from above. Ser Jaime has chosen to remain here, as a quest of the Lady of Winterfell.
[locking eyes with Sansa] We have won the Great War. Now, we will win the last war. In all Seven Kingdoms, men will live without fear and cruelty... under their rightful Queen.
[As the Hound is leaving Winterfell, he notices Arya riding up to join him]
Not anymore. I don't like crowds.
Why not? They all love you now, you're the big hero.
Must've felt good, sticking your knife in that horned fucker.
[shrugs] Felt better than dying. [pause] You heading to King's Landing?
I have some unfinished business.
Me, too. [they glance at each other]
I don't plan on coming back.
Gonna leave me to die again, if I get hurt?
Probably. [Sandor chuckles]
