Season 7, episode 2; Explained (Game of Thrones)

What do you think? What struck you most about episode 2? And do you have any questions for my Q&A video?

Samwell Tarly an omage to
Samwise Gamgee
Yes – Frodo and Bilbo Started, but it was Sam who Finished the Chronicles

Watching Little Finger beg for his life with sharp point of longclaw at his throat is going to be great. The hand holding it will be Sansa's. His punishment won't be execution, He will be stripped of his stature and all his belongings, and his tongue will be ripped from his throat. He lives, but loses all the power and influence he has gained. He will not be given a ceremonial passing like the lords, someone or something will end him.

The only disagreement I have with your very good analysis is with the judgments on Arya for her judgments on House Frey. With Lord Frey's face on, she is congratulating them for the crimes and they are taking credit for them. They are admitting guilt for all the horrible murders to her family. Even when the producers talk about this episode they state, "It's not just about killing this one guy, cause he might have ordered the assassination of her family, but all these other Freys carried it out." and "She needs to send a message, which is that 'the North remembers'."
Arya and Jon are not at a point of contention regarding the sons of the fathers being innocent for the actions of their father in the case of the 'Red Wedding', in my opinion. The Frey sons murdered people they had invited into their own home as guests. The men look to be adults and all seem to know and agree with what they did. It is one thing to be in a battle where both sides are prepared for war. It is another to be slaughtered at a celebration, which is exactly what happened to those who committed the act had committed back on them by Arya.

I like the parallels you drew between Arya's interaction with Hot Pie at the inn and a lone wolf who is not socialized. At first, I thought of her behavior as an emulation of The Hound because the line, "Got any ale?" was also uttered by The Hound upon meeting the farmer and his daughter.

Helló.. Love yÓur voice; sÓ soothing! Gratitude fÒr great videos Robert.
Question: Do yÓu think óbara; poísoned eurÓn (known to coat weapons, like dad) when she cut him? álso .. do yÓu feel his (eurÓn) days aré numbered & then.. áll of á sudden; eurÓn drop dead?
Let me know yÓur thoughts, please and gratitude.
Blessed day!!
#R.I.P; Sänd🐍's🌹

Anyway for you to do a critical review whether good or bad or both about the episodes? I would like a review and a critical one about what worked and what was pure contrived plot driven substance less writing.

I feel sorry for Jon Snow as Kalesi is going into full Fire and Blood mode.

Great video! Arya didn't kill all those men just because their last name was Frey. They all participated in the slaughter at the red wedding. But yes when she first meets up with Hot Pie she is emotionally detached and withdrawn. She believes she is alone in the world without a home so she has fallen back on her assassin persona. When he tells her Winterfell is back in Stark control it reaches her. Then meeting with Nymeria further awakens her to the knowledge that SHE also needs to rejoin her pack.

I like the way you go deep into the psychological, emotional and human aspects of these characters and not taking simply a fan reaction to this plot and fictional twists and turns – very nice. You let your voice trail away at a few points at which times I had to replay them at louder volume to understand. Yes, I do think Daeny will become the dragon next time and fire up the Lannister cavalry and infantry as well as the Tarley archers upon their return from High Garden with supplies. But this season is turning out to be quite meaningful and powerful.

Why is Ned's tomb not the same as other Winterfell lords … seated with dire wolf at his feet and sword across his lap?

I'm not an expert on GOT, but if the Whitewalkers make it to Winterfell, could they raise Ned, and the other Starks in the crypt, from the dead?

I wonder if Theon will try to rescue Yara just like Yara tried to rescue
Theon. I think she may be tortured just like Theon was. He will
attempt to save her — if it works? I do not know — Maybe Theon will
die trying to save her.

Hey so I had this theory about Gendry, everyone keeps bringing him up and I recall reading or hearing about Cersei getting pregnant once with Robert's child, a child with black hair, and I can't recall exactly what the "story" was whether she lost the baby or miscarried or killed it…anyway I think being that Cersei's love for her children was her one humane and redeeming qualities, I don't think she ever would've had the heart to kill the baby. I think she took it to an orphanage or dumped it somewhere after he was born so she didn't have to raise him or see him and be reminded of Robert. So if that's true with Gendry then he's of pure blood and the actual heir to the throne. Obviously if Dany doesn't take it for herself that is.

Stormborn! We have seen and heard about Dany's being Stormborn.
Euron claiming to BE the Storm….
However, Jon was a slow Build Up to a Storm when down in the crypts with Littlefinger.
Then Jon brought the Thunder Down on Littlefinger…a Slow Brewing 'Storm'.

On a side note Nymeria was bittersweet. I am wondering since Nymeria has been for the most part 'Wild' all this time and not Kenneled like Ghost has been if she is a LOT larger than Ghost.
I really wished they cut 8 out of the damn 10 minutes they had (wasted) with Grey Worm and Missandei to at least give Jon a good bye hug to Ghost so we can 'see' how large he has gotten.

When it comes to Arya killing the Frey's, the idea that Arya crossed a line and has become a wanton murderer seems to be the common interpretation on YouTube. Everyone seems to feel that killing only the guilty (Walder Frey and his two eldest sons) was sufficient justice, but they were not the only guilty that day. If one looks back at the Red Wedding; the balcony was filled with Frey archers and Freys were embedded amongst the guests at the tables. (They couldn't have been regular soldiers because Rob Stark and his banner men would have picked up on that because why would soldiers be at a wedding of allies?) On cue, the Frey archers began shooting and the embedded Freys began stabbing. Arya did not murder the innocent; she served justice to the guilty. To reinforce this idea, when Arya meets the Lannister soldiers, she does not kill them. (One can assume she didn't since they didn't show it.) She understood they were regular guys who would rather be home with their families and would prefer not to participate in Cersei's wars. If she had murdered them, then one might justly say she has crossed the line.

Robert, I agree with all your conclusions except the one on Theon. He really had NO choice! If he were, as you said, to act the hero, it would have killed Yara. To meet the on-coming Theon, Euron would have needed to relieve himself of holding Yara, and the ONLY way to do this would be to slit her throat! The anguish we see in Theon's eyes is his realizing he had, as in any approaching check-mate, only one move, and that his only option was to resign- or in this case jump overboard -and hope for another day.

I wanna know what you thing of Qyburn, his role in the bigger plot. And I also wanna know what you think of The Faceless Men. Arya spend so much time with them so it feels like they should play some kind of role in the overall story. Ps. I think Deanerys will turn "Dragon" when she is met with more resistance…

I think Tyrions plan is foolish, Cersai will never surrender and the people in Kings Landing will starve.

The quick glance Sansa gave Littlefinger after she gets the North from Jon was pretty weird. And Varys strongly advised Danny's father to not open the gates to the Lannisters yet the Mad King took Pycells advice to trust Tywin. Turns out Pycelle was on Tywin's payroll. And Varys had nothing to do with Robert Baretheon's death – that was Cersei. He's not that bad

Sam will get kick out of the Citadel for having Grey Scale

Love your videos..thank you. I have a question. What is the meaning/purpose of metal chains hanging over book shelves at Citadel?

Bran wasn't in this episode… do you think he will show up at winterfell next and hole up in the roots of the white tree there?

Do you think arya will kill little finger and take his knife? the one meant for Bran in season 1. Or how do you think she gets it? There is a picture on an entertainment magazine with it on her waist

I think we'll see a reverse rescue attempt, where Theon likely dies freeing and saving Yara. Could be that he kills Euron in the process.

Your emotionless, calm, monotone voice almost made me fall asleep, mate. No offense.

What do you think Jon would do if he came across Theon on the way to Dragonstone?

any1 else get pissed off at that sex scene considering there is much to uncover

LF said "I loved your mother". This is what set him off more I think than wanting Sansa. Cat was not Jon's mother she just was not an evil step mother. And, this might make Jon think that his mother was a whore.

The naval battle greatly diminished my enjoying the episode. Tyrion was brilliant at Blackwater but we saw him make a gross and I think uncharacteristic tactical error. I have several questions probably best directed to the show writers, but I'm curious what you think. Why weren't invasion plans made during their weeks at sea? Why sail the entire navy past Dorne through the Stepstones north to Dragonstone only to send part of the fleet south again when Dorne is closer to Highgarden and Casterly Rock? Why were all the high value targets on the same ship, and how did Euron know which ship that was? It all felt so contrived I just didn't buy it. I'm willing to suspend my disbelief for dragons and ice zombies but I don't like having my intelligence insulted for plot conveniences. I'll be disappointed with the rest of the season if the writing doesn't improve.

Your voice reminds me of bloodborne. Like the game. In a good way. Keep up the good work!

QUESTION:: Varys showed a side of himself I was not prepared for. He seems to be very sincere in his actions of supporting Daenerys believing she is the best candidate to rule over the kingdom and provide a peaceful life for all. He even goes as far to share a terrible period in his life and the suffering he has seen. This is a side of Varys we''re not used to seeing. He stands to gain nothing from the events he has orchestrated {that we know of}.

Could Varys be someone other than Varys? A long lost bastard son of a king or lord who was tossed out and left for dead by a rulers jealous wife? I figure him to be around the age of Ned Stark, Robert Baratheon. No, I'm not trying to bring in yet another long lost or presumed dead Targaryen into the picture. It's just that the character Varys has done a complete turn around from the character of Seasons 1-6 and I can't accept that all along all he wanted was peace between all the kingdoms.

Im calling it here. Danerys takes the advice of elenna at some future point and takesthe dragons to kingslanding. She gets shot from the sky and captured. John returns to save her on the back of a dragon. Ha!

I think the scene with Theon really was beautifully shot…also credit goes to Alfie for emoting so beautifully without any dialogues.

Arya has been vilified as turning into a murderer but she stopped the Fray girl at the Twins from drinking poison. I would like to see her kill Little finger, take his face and command his troops to follow Sansa in future.

Thank you again Robert for a great and detailed video…
The Nymeria situation… Ok…I get it…. But it's one of the 3 theories I have backed whole heartedly for years and unlike my others it only became HALF true… I wish she would've at least had a warmer or more happier reunion….

I really like the idea that it might be a meta written story, especially since the name matwin is pretty close to martin (as in george rr martin 😉 )
About sansa, i don't think it's the prospect of power, he just put her (brillantly) in a corner position. After he told her, and everyone else, that he leaves everything in capable hands, every other argument would have to be an insult to herself, or admitting that she can't lose another brother, both things she can't do!
And i do believe, the most important moment in the varys dany confrontation was her asking the promise: tell it to my face! I thonk it shows a lot of growing in her, admitting to the fact that she has sides in her that are not peoplefriendly and also thinking that a ruler can also take harsh advise.
Thx for the video, it is great!

Theon only had 3 options. 1 charge Euron and get Yara's throat cut and probably die himself. 2 Surrender himself, and both he and Yara become prisoners. 3 Jump off the ship, survive, and save Yara's life, for the short term at least. He chose option 3. I think he will try to save Yara later, die trying, or succeed. Of course he did "Reek out" but that may have been his only chance, he couldn't face the thought of being a prisoner again.

Did he say Randyl Tarly will be fighting with or against the Lannisters?

"He sounds like quite a man."

Q: WHO WILL DANY WED, TO MAKE AN ALLIANCE BY MARRIAGE?* She told Daario, last season, that she planned to do exactly that, when she arrives in Westeros. So who, potentially, is in the line-up? Here's a list of the nuptial suspects:

#4: ME

(Okay, that one's a long shot)

#3: TYRION

The Dinklage has said, in interview, that Tyrion is "smitten" with the Khaleesi. But is that really a thing, or just how the actor chose to play it? It could be said that when all is over and done, a Lannister/Targaryan match-make could unite the people's of both sides. But this relies on Dany not just surviving, but ultimately winning, the game of thrones. And, for purely practical reasons, the time for alliances is NOW, not after.

Since I think the breaking of the wheel will also break HER – her mad queen destiny righteously ending in fire and blood – Targaryan blood – it's safe to say there'll be no bed of roses for the big man.

#2: JON SNOW

For all the obvious reasons, the union of Ice and Fire makes tactical/political/poetical sense. But the response this idea gets is that it's too obvious, a fantasy novel cliche.

But for "obvious", maybe read "intuitive"? Anyone reading the books must have had a sense that these are the two most eligible characters, both on a similar trajectory, both destined to meet somewhere down the line.

But, after years to process it, most seem to have decided to jump back from this conclusion. We all, sometimes, choose to reject the idea which instantly gives us that instinctive, gut-reaction, feel-good feeling; second guessing ourselves to avoid the "obvious" answer. How many times have we seen the epic fail this can lead to on a quiz-show, let alone when the stakes are much higher, real-world? And, lets be honest, is GRRM's fantasy world of witches, dragons, and walking ice-statues, really a place devoid of cliche?

THE #1 SUSPECT: GENDRY

At this point, it's not just the Lannister's who might see Daenerys as a conqueror with designs on ALL Westeros. Great the fear when news of her taking Dragonstone reaches the other Houses; even those in the North. How to legitimise her claim to the old seat of House Targaryen AND allay those fears?

Melisandre, the old leecher, knows this suspect's lineage all too well. Varys undoubtedly had a hand in the hiding of Roberts Flea Bottom bastard. And Davos, currently the defacto Hand of the King in the North, is another with the inside track on Gendry. So, a seal of approval, then, from the royal advisers on both sides.

Jon recently broke with the tradition of natural-justice and chose instead to forgive traitorous Houses, leaving their castles, keeps and titles intact, IF they again swear to bend the knee. House Baratheon would be so-pardoned, if any could be found alive to take up the name…the name of the family most recently ruling from Dragonstone, the family with ties and alliances to so many others already in place.

Gendry could be coming to Dragonstone as head-bladesmith, forging weapons from dragonglass. But I think he could have a much bigger part to play, publicly and politically. As Gendry, First of His Name, Lord of Dragonstone – allied to the North – with Daenerys Targaryen (the real power) by his side.

A: I'm not breaking out the confetti just yet, but after a week of gauging responses to my rebooted Jon + Dany theory (a thankless task) and rewatching a few Gendry-centric scenes, I'm going with suspect #1 as the future Mr Targaryen. May I be the first to wish them both every happiness and a fruitful marriage (until death – or by dragon – they do part  .' )

*This comment previously posted (and unread – unsurprisingly enough) on Nerd Soup : (

Woot! 6k subscribers!! 👏👏👏 Didn't I just congratulate you on 5k subs?? Hahaha Congratulations! You deserve it. 👍

Look at Daenerys at 15:45. She is holding her hands in the same way Cersei uses to. Also Dany's dress resembles the way Cersei uses to dress since Tommen's death. Could that mean something or is it just a coincidence?

Yeah, the encounter with the wolves tells Arya she is "nobody" more now
than Stark.. Interesting, the bond between Jon and Tyrion still exists
and is very strong, Tyrion says he trust Jon, and Jon says he trust
Tyrion.. Tyrion didn't like the sound of Jon bending a knee to Dany,
she sounds more like his sister these days since she landed on
Dragonstone.. I predict that before the end both Tyrion and Varys will
chose to follow Jon over Dany..

Sam in his own way is shaking up the world the Maesters are all set in their ways.

Loved
the shock on Sansa's face when Jon put her in charge, easy to be
critical when it isn't you who has to give the orders.. Now she does..

Thank
goodness for the conversation between Jon and Sansa back in season six
about Little Finger! His slimy kissing up to Jon in the crypt, he
brought Ned's bones home indeed, and how much he loved Catlynn and
Sansa, trying to pee up Jon's back and call it rain… Jon should have
killed him instead of merely warning him, because Little Finger will do
his best to betray and see him killed just as he did Ned.

I am
wondering if there is a spy in Dany's camp.. It just seems to me that
Euron found Yara's fleet way to easily, it was a clear surprise
ambush… The sea is a big place and no matter how big, fleets are not
that easy to find.. Seemingly Theon was playing the coward and
escaping, but what if his escape was planned?

Beautifully done.

danearys will lay waste to kings landing with her dragons but at least one of them will die..but it won't have the end result she wants…

Excellent as always🐺

Q&A Will we see Nymeria again because she will have a role to play in the War for the Dawn or was her appearance in this episode simply fan service? I for one could have done without her in this episode.