Game of Thrones, Season 5 Finale, Mother’s Mercy

This season has been a slow warm up to the explosive last three episodes.  Of the three, the season five finale almost felt a bit tame.  It seems completely unfair to have to wait another ten months to see what happens to our favorite characters. (The few who remain alive!) Nothing is ever certain in this world, no matter what the spoilers and social media try to preach. The Game of Thrones world is cruel and unpredictable and certainly this finale encompassed these elements.

The finale opens in the gray world of Stannis, especially since the “sacrifice” of his only daughter Shireen.  Melissandre gazes out at the melting icicles as she speaks to Stannis.  “The Lord of Light has melted the snow. He has shown me victory!”  But despite this reassurance, Stannis seems more defeated then ever.

Stannis leaves the tent to be informed half his army has deserted after Shireen’s execution.  The men led him to a tree where the Queen Selsye has hung herself. “Cut her down.”  But he doesn’t seem too surprised.  Melissandre takes to her horse and rides away.  Stannis commands his remaining troops to head to Winterfell and near certain defeat.

Jon and Sam share a quiet moment in the library at Castle Black.  Sam, being the intellectual, wants to know what can be done to better prepare for the upcoming battle with the White Walkers.  Jon is pessimistic, “All the dragon glass in the world won’t be enough.”  Sam is fascinated by the fact Longclaw killed a Walker.  Jon observes there is an unknown and quite finite quantity of Valaryian steel, using it won’t be practical.

Jon knows his recent actions have not helped his popularity as Commander.  Sam has a special request for his friend, to send him to Old Town to become a Maester. Sam observes his strengths are in research not fighting.  He asks if can take Gilly and young Sam with him.  Jon reluctantly agrees he wishes his friend luck with his relationship and studies.  “I’m glad the end of the world is working out for somebody!”

Stannis marches with his remaining horseless army towards Winterfell.  Sansa scurries around with her hair covered by a cloak.  In the hills above Winterfell, Poddrick spies the approach of Stannis’s rag-tag troops and alerts Breinne.  Sansa runs up the broken tower and places a candle in the window.

The Flayed-Men prepare for battle.  It seems they are going to leave Winterfell to bring the battle to Stannis. (Ramsay’s plan.)  Stannis leads the charge toward the Bolton troops.  In the next shot, we see the Baratheon banners in the dirt.  Stannis is wounded and stumbles around in a daze.  Two men approach the battered king. He still has enough grit to fight them off, but not before they seriously injury his leg.

Brienne of Tarth finds Stannis.  Stannis, sneers at her, “The Bolton’s have women fighting for them?”  Brienne explains she is not fighting for the Flayed Men but was a personal guard for his brother Renly.  Brienne recounts how she saw Renly murdered by a shadow with Stannis’s face.  Stannis confesses to killing his brother, and Brienne formally sentences him to be executed.  She asks him if he has any last words.  Stannis sighs, “Do your duty.”(It reminded me of Hank’s last words on Breaking Bad, “Do what you gotta do.”)  Brienne executes him, keeping her oath to avenge her dearly departed king.

Ramsay is busy at his favorite pastime, killing people. (This time on the battlefield.) Myranda finds Theon and Sansa running around the looking suspicious.  Myranda aims an arrow at Sansa and taunts how interesting Ramsay will make her torture.  Sansa seems to be daring Myranda to take her shot, “If I am going to die, at least kill me while there is some of me left!”  Theon throws the kennel master’s daughter off the high wall, killing her. (Death toll of characters with names is now at three!)

Ser Meryn Trant is busy at the brothel, whipping ten-year-old girls for fun.  It’s painful to watch, but one of the girls is resistant and he singles her out.  Arya is wearing another face and she starts to stab the man’s eyes out.  She tells him how he is responsible for killing her sword teacher then she stabs him in the heart with a sickly sweet smile on her face.

Returning to the house of Black and White, Arya puts the face back on the strange columns of faces.  Jaqar and Nan interrupt her.  Jaqar scolds her by saying she has taken the wrong life and she was acting not as “no-one” but as Arya Stark.  Nan sneers that she knew Arya wasn’t ready.  Jaqar says a debt is owed and drinks poison.  Arya beats his chest crying, and she looks up to see Nan now has Jaqar’s face.  The body that has fallen begins to morph into many faces before Arya finally sees her own face.  The standing Jaqar says, “You are still someone.”  With that, Arya screams she can no longer see.

Arya’s adventure this season to Braavos has been one of the more complicated story arcs.  Unlike Westeros, the Braavosi worship the “Many-Face God.”  In the many faces, he is no one.  Akin to Buddhism, the goal of their faith is to achieve “nothingness.”  By doing so, these faithful take action in the world to right injustice.  Arya has struggled with the concept of being “no-one.”  She seeks justice for those who have wronged her family, but not in an impartial way.  When she took the life of Ser Trant it is clear she enjoyed being the blade of justice and even identified herself as Arya Stark.  Jaqar had tried to teach her humility by having her play the “lying game” and wash the dead.  But as Nan observes, she still wasn’t ready to serve the Many-Faced God as she was still following the desires of Arya.  For this she needed to be punished, to challenge the identity which she still clings.

Prince Doran and Ellaria Sand and her daughters have come to bid Jaime, Bronn, Myrcella and Tyrstane goodbye.  Tyne bites Bronn’s ear and whispers something naughty.  The sea shines beautifully and the scene seems too happy an ending for Game of Thrones.  Inside, Jaime and Myrcella have a heart to heart talk.  Jaime is trying to steer the conversation towards “unconventional” love.  Myrcella dons the necklace her mother gave her which was stolen.  She laughs, and says she had long suspected Jaime was her father and she is glad he’s her father.  As she utters these words, her nose begins to bleed and it’s clear she’s been poisoned.  (How? Maybe the silly necklace she has just put back on? Never loan your jewelry to the Sand Snakes!)  On shore, Ellaria’s nose begins to bleed and she smiles and swigs some antidote.  That was it?  All the storyline this season in Dorne seems to be as superficial as Tyene’s personality…

Dario, Tyrion and Jorah sulk in Khalesi’s throne room in Myreen.  They are sad and confused about what they should do.  Tyrion observes nobody can take Khalesi’s place.  Grey Worm and Missandei enter.  Grey Worm is angered by Jorah’s presence and by the fact Jorah saved her life, not him.  The “warriors” among them want to go find Daenery’s and bring her back.  Tyrion is the natural choice to stay back and govern.  Grey Worm must remain as he’s too injured and he needs to lead the Unsullied to keep order in the city.

Tyrion goes outside and there is his old friend Varys!  The Master of Whispers is a little upset at his old friend for being kidnapped.  Tyrion reports things went well with Daenery’s as evidenced by her not executing him.  Varys offers to help Tyrion govern Myreen.

Drogon lies listless on a green and rocky shore.  It looks as though all those Harpy masks have given him indigestion.  Dany is alone and desperate to get back to civilization.  She walks away from Drogon and suddenly she sees men on horseback.  A tribe of Dhothraki circle around the Queen of Dragons.  What will they make of her?

Cersei is visited again in her cell by the nun and given the opportunity to confess.  This time, Cersei decides she is ready to, stating, “I want absolution.”  She is given an audience with the High Sparrow.  Cersei asks for “The Mother’s Mercy”. (The Mother being one of the Seven Gods.)  But, Cersei only confesses to the affair with Lancel which is a small sample of her sins.  The High Sparrow warns her not to lie anymore and states there will still be a trial.  Cersei asks again for the “Mother’s mercy” to reunite her with Tommen.  The High Sparrow grants her wish to go home, after her “atonement.”

The nuns prepare Cersei by giving her a rough scrubbing and shear her hair into an unflattering “crazy lady” haircut.  The High Sparrow addresses the crowd, “A sinner has come before you.  She has confessed to falsehood and fornication.”  Cersei is stripped of her gown and forced to walk naked through the streets back to the Red Keep.  Each step she takes is punctuated by the nun’s mantra of “Shame, shame, shame!”  The commoners throw garbage, urine and feces and spit on her as they make rude gestures and taunts.  She cries, but its in reaction to her punishment, not out of real change in her character.  Personally, I don’t feel there is one bit of regret or humility in Cersei. Like most sociopaths, she only cares she was caught.

When she finally makes it to the Red Keep, Qyburn introduces her to the “Newest member of the King’s Guard.”  There only could be one man in the history of Westeros of his stature.  The shady necromancer Qyburn has resurrected the Mountain to assist with taking down her enemies.  All those people who just threw poo at the Queen Mother better watch out!

Jon Snow and Ser Davos quarrel as Melissandre approaches Castle Black.  Davos anxiously asks about the fate of Stannis and Shireen. (Note he doesn’t ask about the Queen.) Melissandre nods her head “no” and walks away.

Theon and Sansa walk along the high walls of Winterfell.  They look at each other and jump. (Is this suicide or escape? Is there enough snow to break their fall?) I’m choosing not to presume their deaths until we know for sure.  It’s certain they are desperate enough to do anything to get away from Ramsay.

Jon is alone in his study looking at messages when he is interrupted by Olly reporting there is some new information about his long missing uncle Benjen Stark. Jon hurries outside to meet the Wildling who supposedly knows the details.  He looks up to see a sign with the word “Traitor”.  Ser Alliser leads the gathered crowd, stabbing Jon in the gut and yelling, “For the Watch!”  About five more men stab Jon this way until Olly finishes the job with the final thrust into Jon’s gut.  (It reminded me of Omar’s death from the Wire.)  Jon bleeds out onto the snow and the season has ended.

It was not clear from the books if Jon survives this attack.  Spoilers abound that this is the end of Kit Harrington’s tenure with the show.  He made the same mistakes as his father Eddard, he thought he could do what was right and hope the people would come to respect his decisions.  But, you can’t govern without soiling one’s hands with the deceit of politics.  That is why Varys and Tyrion and Littlefinger will probably outlive all the fools who are scrambling for the Iron Throne.  Even our beloved Daenerys couldn’t get the common people to embrace her vision of a world without slavery or fighting pits.

Overall, it seemed too short of a season to cover all the stories without the familiar feeling of Game of Thrones whiplash.  I do embrace some of the shows editing of the meandering books but there were several instances in which they change the fundamental personalities of the original.  Stannis doesn’t murder his daughter in the books and after he does on screen, it’s hard to care about him anymore.  If Jon is dead, it is a huge loss for the series.  Many have expressed hope Melissandre will resurrect our hero, but why would she?  Where is Jon’s dire wolf Ghost?  Ghost saved Sam, but not his master?  Will they burn Jon’s body?  Will he become a commander in the White Walker’s army?  Will Bran enter his body? He’s just sitting under the frozen ground anyway, and he could animate the hell out of his older brother’s body!   Ten months to ruminate, marinate and forgive those bastards who killed our favorite bastard!

Game of Thrones, Season 5, Episode 9 The Dance with Dragons

It’s hard to keep one’s head down and not listen to the swirling rumors regarding the final two episodes of Game of Thrones.  I thought I knew the order of events because of those pesky books I read. (Never be surprised again!) But, since the series has now caught up with most of the action in the books, its nice to be free of knowing what lies ahead.  Everyone has a theory of how this season will end and I declare my “ending” happened tonight and it was awesome and epic!

The episode opens in the North in Stannis’s camp.  Melissandre looks into the fire then leaves her tent to see fire erupt in the camp. (Has Ramsay made good on his promise to cripple Stannis?) In the morning it’s confirmed, a group of twenty men burned their stores and horses and about one hundred men died.  Stannis commands Davos to find the guards from last night and hang them.  Stannis reiterates his plan to not retreat in the face of these mounting difficulties.  Davos looks at the Queen and Princess Shireen with concern and pity.

Jon leads the refugees from Hardhome, including the giant Wau-Wau.  They look broken and frozen as they come to the Wall at last.  Ser Alliser looks down on them with scorn. (He doesn’t really have any other looks!)  For the moment, he holds all the power to turn away Jon Snow and his band of broken men.  Alliser commands, “Open the gates.”

As the men file inside, Jon and Sam speak. “It was a failure.” Jon admits.  Sam, the eternal optimist, points out the lives he has saved noting, “It mattered to him.”  (It reminded me of the fable about throwing starfish back into the ocean, “It mattered to that one.”) Alliser delivers a near compliment to Jon, “Your good heart will get us all killed!”

Stannis orders Davos to return to Castle Black to get more supplies. (How are they going to feed all the Wildlings, Crows and Stannis’s army?) Davos probably senses something is wrong and asks if he can take Shireen with him.  Stannis says he needs Davos to persuade Jon to continue to back Stannis and he will be rewarded with full funding for the Wall when Stannis is king. (This seems like a big IF, not when.)

Davos goes to Princess Shireen to say goodbye.  She is excited about the book she’s reading, “The Dance with Dragons.”  Davos give her a carved stag as a present.  Does he fear he isn’t coming back or does he suspect something may happen to Shireen? He thanks her for teaching him to read, making their parting seem final.  Davos leaves with a kiss.

In an opulent room in Dorne, Jaime has an audience with Prince Doran.  The Prince doesn’t want violence, just an explanation of Jaime’s actions.  He explains Cersei received a “threatening” message from Dorne including Myrcella’s locket.  Mycella explains her necklace was stolen.  The Prince declares his allegiance to King Tommen and offers him a toast.  Ellaria Sand pours out her drink.

Jaime wishes to take Myrcella back to Kings Landing and Prince Doran agrees, as long as his son Tyrstane accompanies her and is awarded a seat at the Small Council. Jaime agrees to this, but will his sister? Jaime asks what will happen to Bronn. The Prince decides to let Tystane decide since he was the one who was assaulted.

The Sand Snakes are playing slapping games as Bronn is brought out of his cell. Tyene asks him to tell her again that she is the “most beautiful woman in the world.” Bronn is nervous as he enters the Prince’s sitting room.  Tyrstane has decided to let him live, but first the Prince’s guard knocks him off his feet.  This seems a fair price given the severity of Jaime and Bronn’s crimes.

Back in Braavos, Lanna and her cockle cart make way down the docks.  She has been given a “special” sauce for thin sea captain but there is someone more important arriving, Mace Tyrell.  Several King’s Guards escort him on his mission to renegotiate the terms of the Crown’s loans with the Iron Bank of Braavos.  She follows the flame-haired man around town until they inevitably end up at the “best brothel in Braavos.” 

Lanna is able to enter the establishment by tempting the women and their clients with her shellfish.  She spies on the banker’s room where he is assessing the women for his entertainment.  The guards become increasingly nervous as he requests younger and younger women.  There is a moment in which he makes eye contact with Lanna and hope he doesn’t fancy her. (Can’t deal with all the Stark’s girls getting raped.) At last, the Madame finds an eleven-year-old girl for the old bastard. He wants a “fresh one” tomorrow.

Lanna returns to the House of Black and White to tell Jaqar she didn’t poison the thin man, but she saw other things.  He tells her to get back to work washing a newly deceased man who lies on the floor near the pool.  He seems pleased with her observations.

Prince Doran scolds Ellaria privately.  He is tired of her insubordination.  He demands she swear allegiance to him or die.  She kisses his ring.  Elia finds Jaime busy trying to write a letter home to Cersei with his left hand. Ellaria knows about Jaime’s relationship with Cersei.  She isn’t shocked about their relationship, as she is familiar with “forbidden love.”  She ponders whether Jaime is culpable in the death of Oberon, but it’s implied she thinks Cersei is culpable for the death of her lover.

Stannis visits his daughter.  She explains how in her book, “The Dance with Dragons” the brothers Aegon and Rhaegar fought each other and how it destroyed the Targaryeons.  She wisely sees parallels between their war and her father’s.  Stannis asks who would she have chosen in such a war, and then goes on to talk about destiny.  Shireen bravely says she wants to help his cause; she’s the Princess after all. (If she only knew what Daddy had in mind!)  He accepts her offer and leaves saying, “Forgive me.”

Shireen is led outside clutching the wooden stag Davos gave her.  She looks frightened and confused.  But then she sees the pyre and starts screaming, “Where’s my father!”  Her mother and father stand in the back of the crowd as she’s brought before Melissandre who promises her “suffering will be over soon.”  Melissandre gives a speech about the sacrifice needed for the Lord of Light.  The fire is lit, and the Queen begins to finally react.  The Queen runs for the pyre but its too late, Shireen is dead.  The crowd looks stunned and bewildered.  How can we ever forgive Stannis for this?  If a man would sacrifice his own family, does he have any honor left?

Deanery’s, Hizdar and Tyrion wait for the big day of fighting in Myreen.  The first two fighters come out: one large and muscular, the other smaller and quick.  The fight begins when Dany claps her hands.  As the men parry, Dario recalls his days in the fighting circuit and how fast beats big every time.  As he finishes this sentiment, the large man beheads the smaller man.  Dany is visibly a bit repulsed and so is Tryion.  Hizdar speaks eloquently about the necessity of cruelty if the world is to have order. Tryion scoffs, “The world has quite enough death without it being part of my leisure time.”  Tyrion notes his father Tywin would have liked Hizdar.

The next fighters are introduced and Jorah is among the eight men in the field. Daenerys tenses, obviously she still has feeling for him but she is compelled to begin the fight with the clap of her hands.  Jorah is able to kill his first opponent by impaling a dagger in his chest.  Next, he parries with a Braavosi looking “water dancer.”  The other man seems to have the advantage as Jorah falls, as the Braavosi pauses for the kill; a heavily armored man kills him from behind. The crowd goes wild, as Jorah and the armored man are the last ones standing.  Finally, Jorah runs him through the back with a spear. As Daenerys starts to clap, he extracts the spear and throws it towards her, hitting a would be assassin!

Masks of the “Sons of the Harpy” appear everywhere in the crowd.  The masked men kill Hizdar with a dagger to the heart.  Tyrion defends Missandei by slitting the throat of another.  Dario desperately tries to clear a way for Khalesi as they run towards the center of the stadium.  More Sons appear from the bowels of the fighting pits and Khalesi with her small group are surrounded.  Daenerys takes Missandei by the hand and closes her eyes. (Is she bracing herself for certain death or calling for her children?) She opens her eyes upon hearing Dhrogon flying overhead.

The dragon swoops down on the crowd, eating and roasting Dany’s enemies. The dragon is taking enemy spears. Daenerys approaches Dhrogon, reverently removing a spear from his back. The Sons are still attacking, Khalesi decides to mount her dragon and gives him the command to fly. She flies away from the nightmare of death and destruction below, as her loyal friends look up in awe.

I thought this is how the season would end, but it was a breathtaking penultimate episode. The audience felt all the wonder and horror of the scene through Tyrion’s eyes. (Hands down, my favorite character!) To most of this world, dragons are the stuff of children’s storybooks, in Myreen the people now know the dragons are back and on the side of their Queen.  The previews show the Northern battle and Cersei’s fate will be addressed in season finale.  But, can But, can anything top Dany’s amazing exit?

 

Game of Thrones, Season 5 Episode 8, Hardhome

The eighth episode of Game of Thrones has gotten a reputation for severe violence. (Ned Stark, Red Wedding to name a few.) This week’s “Hardhome” certainly lived up to the jaw-dropping standard.  It’s hard to believe there are only two episodes left in the season.  But after tonight’s episode, it’s clear why they can only produce ten episodes a season at this epic movie budget level.  (Quality wins over quantity.) The closing battle of the episode had a good balance of action and suspense.  It reminded me a little of the “Battle of Helm’s Deep” in the Lord of the Rings or the historic drama of Braveheart. The stakes have never been higher for some of our favorite characters.

The episode opens in Myreen with Daenerys interviewing her “gift.”  She asks why she should spare Tyrion and of course he has good reason. “I killed my mother the day I was born. I killed my father with a bow. I’m the greatest Lannister killer of all time!”  Tyrion goes on to flatter Daenery’s by recounting her life’s story and struggles.  He observes what she needs most is advice about how to wage her attack and rule Westeros.  Danny seems to see reason in having Tyrion’s counsel.   What will she do about Jorah?  Tyrion sees the value in Jorah’s devotion despite his betrayal.  Danny decides to have him banned but not killed.  For Jorah, he may prefer death to being far from Khalesi.  He is led out of the palace in despair as he looks again at his spreading greyscale lesion.

Cersei is served up some parochial school discipline as the nun tries to get her to “Confess!”  Cersei offers up her typical Lannister threats and is rewarded by being hit by the nun’s spoon.

Arya and Jaqar are playing the “lying game.”  Arya is perfected her technique as she describes her life as Lanna the oyster girl.  (Jaqar only has to hit her once this time.) He is intrigued by this character and encourages her to live as Lanna, and see what she can learn.  We follow “Lanna” sporting some hideous braided horns, as she sells oysters to a salty sea captain.  She notes the captain is a gambler and this information may prove useful.  Jaqar commands her to observe and report on the activities down by the docks.

Qyburn, the mad maester, visits the dehydrated and desperate Cersei.  He tells her she is facing charges of incest and fornication. (But, that may mean they don’t know about Jaime and the children’s true parentage.)  He reports Tommen has isolated himself and refuses to eat.  Cersei’s hated Uncle Kevan sits as head of the Small Council.  Qyburn cautions she will not be able to sidestep these charges and her best recourse may be confessing prior to the trial.  Cersei refuses to lower herself before the High Sparrow.  Apparently, she’s still not thirsty enough to see reason.

Sansa waits in quiet rage for Theon.  When he appears, she seizes on his loyalty to Ramsay.  Theon tells her there is no escape from Ramsay.  He tells her of his torture by the bastard.  Sansa is unmoved, “Good!”  Theon moans, “I deserved everything! I deserve to be Reek!”  Sansa wants him to answer for what he did to her family, including murdering her younger brothers. Theon confesses the brothers are alive!

Roose and Ramsay discuss strategy for facing Stannis’s army.  Roose’s plan is passive, stay inside Winterfell as Stannis’s troops die in the harsh winter. Ramsay is eager to bring the battle to Baratheon.  Roose cautions him to never give one’s strategic advantage. Ramsay asks his father for twenty men to defeat them!  What is he trying to prove and do I care as long as he’s defeated!

Daenery’s and Tyrion are bonding over their terrible dead fathers.  Danny says she knows her father was completely mad.  Tryion muses, “The right kind of terrible prevents people from being more so.”  He observes Khalesi’s good political decisions to reopen the fighting pits and marry an aristocrat like Hizdar.  Tryion tells her his most trusted friend Varys encouraged him to seek her.  Danny has utter distain for the “Spider” who actively sought to kill her in her youth.  Tyrion credits Varys with Danny’s life.  Tryion says he trusts Varys and his brother Jaime exclusively.  Danny reminds him Jaime killed her father. (Awkward!)  However, Danny is convinced of Tryion’s insight and says she’s not going to kill him if he will be her advisor.

Tyrion, now secure in his survival ask her pointedly, “Why do you want the Iron Throne?”  He theorizes even if the “common people” of Westeros supported her, how do you rule without the rich?  Danny scoffs, comparing the wealthy ruling families as spokes in a wheel, each with a time they are on top. (How Buddhist of her.) She says she wants to break the wheel.  Whoa there, sounds like dragon mom wants a full on class revolution.

Jorah, rejected, returns to the slaver who bought him.  He begs him to have another chance to fight in the Great Pit in front of his beloved Khalesi.  Jorah would rather die in front of her then be banished.

Cersei has her periodic visit from the angry nun.  The nun again urges her to confess. Cersei talks big about how the nun will be tortured for treating a Lannister this way. The nun doesn’t seem worried and splashes the precious water on the cell floor. Once alone, Cersei laps up the spilt water like an animal.

Sam’s head wound is attended to by Gilly.  They both seem a little sheepish about what happened after the attack. (Wink-wink.) Olly interrupts this awkward moment with some concerns about Jon’s mission to Hardhome.  Sam counsels the orphan. All Wildings aren’t bad people. (Especially, a brown- haired lass named Gilly!)  Sam speaks of the Army of the Dead and how the Night’s Watch will need all the fighters they can muster.  Sam says leading is about making hard choices.

Jon Snow and Tormund arrive on a boat to the port of Hardhome where the Wildling refugees have gathered.  The “Lord of Bones” comes forward and quickly insults Tormund, roughly saying he’s a puppet for the Crowes.  Tormund kills him savagely and demands to speak to the Wildling Elders.  Everyone gathered listens to Jon’s speech about the coming battle with the undead.  He is interrupted by hate and suspicion but tells the assembly they are not friends, but need each other for their mutual survival.  Jon presents them with a gift of dragon glass, to any Wildling who joins their cause.  He offers them refugee in lands South of the Wall for farming, if they will fight the White Walkers.

A question is raised about Mance and how he died.  Jon confesses to shooting him with an arrow and the meeting nearly breaks out in anarchy, until Tormund explains the circumstances.  Tormund explains how Stannis ordered Mance’s execution by fire; Jon’s arrow defied Stannis and was a mercy to Mance.  Jon asks them to think of the survival, as a people as the “long night of the dead approaches.”  The crowd calms. They trust Tormund.  Even the Giant Wau-Wau decides to accept Jon’s offer. The Thenns will not join with the plan, but Tormund explains the Wildlings are a stubborn people who took Mance twenty years to unite.

Wau-Wau plays with a piece of dragon glass as a thundering avalanche is heard in the distance.  Everyone stops to stare at the mountains above Hardhome.  They rush to shut the gates, cutting off many Wildlings closer to the mountain.  The Wildlings and Crows ready themselves as the dead begin to attack the gate.

The next ten minutes are intense pandemonium as the first real battle erupts between the living and the dead. The White Walkers have raised an infinite army of wights. (The wights operate on an almost zombie like frequency but are able to fight with weapons, and aren’t interested in brains.) According to GOT wiki, within the White Walkers ranks are the elite who sport a subtle crown of ice and have the ability to reanimate the dead.  Jon meets an “elite’ inside the fort which overtakes the reluctant Thenn, and then seems to toy with Jon almost like a cat with a mouse.  Jon is able to evade him as he retrieves his Valyarian blade, and is able to slay the White Walker with his weapon.

A small minority of Crows and Wildlings are able to flee Hardhome in small boats. As Tormund and Jon look back, the beaches are littered with bodies.  Another “elite” White Walker seems to stare intently at Jon Snow as he raises his arms in an almost Biblical gesture, reanimating the dead. There are rumors this Walker may be the infamous thirteenth Commander of the Night’s Watch, who fought on the side of the Dead. Are the White Walker’s capable of reason?  It appears this Walker has a clear message for Jon, “I control death and you can’t win.”  Given the limited Valaryian steel and dragon glass in the world, the Undead clearly seem to have the upper hand.  Kind of makes Cersei’s dehydrated indignation seem downright foolish.