Whew, what an episode!
Game of Thrones season 7 has been moving along at a very brisk clip, but last night’s “The Spoils of War” ostensibly delivered on all fronts, reining in to focus on three primary locations: Winterfell, Dragonstone, and Highgarden. In the north, Arya Stark returned to her rightful home, and showcased some of her newfound skills – much to the chagrin of Brienne, mind you. Meanwhile, Jon Snow took Daenerys on a tour of Dragonstone’s cavernous mine, one decorated with cave paintings and other sketches depicting the Children of the Forest and their sworn nemesis, the White Walkers.
And finally, in saving the best for last, “The Spoils of War” reached its climax at the foot of Highgarden, where Dany and Drogon rained down hell from above. Not since “The Battle of the Bastards” have we seen a fight of this scale, and the addition of Dany’s full-sized dragon – the first to soar over Westeros in many years, no less – only cranked the spectacle up to 11. And that ending.
Thankfully, it won’t be too long before Jamie’s fate is revealed, as our first look at this Sunday’s episode, “Eastwatch,” has roared online. In it, you’ll find the increasingly unpopular Dragon Queen address the remnants of the Lannister army (“bend the knee and join me…or refuse and die”), along with Jon Snow informing those on Dragonstone that the White Walkers are closing in on the Wall – Eastwatch, to be specific, thereby fuelling those theories suggesting that the Walkers and their Wights will be able to shuffle around the far eastern side of the towering edifice, as opposed to climbing over it.
And remember, only three episodes of season 7 remain, so we’re inclined to believe that Game of Thrones will end on a cliffhanger before wrapping things up with an eighth and final season in 2018. But don’t worry, HBO and franchise mastermind George R.R. Martin are currently mulling over a successor series.
The Mother of Dragons will continue to stomp her authority when Game of Thrones returns on Sunday, August 13th. “Eastwatch” is the name of the latest instalment, so we assume the White Walkers will (finally!) have a prominent role to play in a few days’ time.
