Game of Thrones SE06EP05 Blood of My Blood (Retrospective)

This episode felt like an apology for the big shock of last week. Not only did two primary characters realise how bad ass they are, but we also had a HUGE question answered both from the books and the TV show. So was it good? You bet your prized dragon egg it was!

I want to get it out of the way first since it is by far the biggest shock of the episode. Benjen Stark (Joseph Mawle) is back and is revealed as the Wight and White Walker hating undead warrior, Coldhands. Now this was something I did wonder when reading the books and Benjen being the mysterious Coldhands certainly went through my mind at least once and was a theory I had also seen others jump to online. It was cool (see what I did there) to get this theory confirmed and how he became an undead badass is also pretty interesting as it shows that maybe not all of the Children of the Forest perished. They saved his life and ensured that the corruptive White Walker substance in his body did not turn him all the way, so now he wonders as an odd hybrid. Explains why he didn’t go back to Castle Black, imagine trying to explain that away over a cup of mead. His addition to the roster of candidates who will one day fight the Night’s King is a welcome one. Something the good guys need is an undead warrior on their side with inside knowledge of their enemy.

Arya (Maisie Williams) was also a nice surprise this episode as she turned against the wishes of the House of Black and White and purposely botched an assassination. She then turned tail and retrieved her sword Needle that Jon Snow (Kit Harington) had given her back when everything was nice and happy back at Winterfell. This, I believe, is a sign that Arya has remembered who she is and will try to return to Westeros. Not if the Waif (Faye Marsay) has anything to say about it. She spoke with her Many Faced God mentor and seemed to get his approval to have Arya killed. Imagine the possibilities of being able to ‘wear’ the face of a surviving Stark. Arya is more valuable dead than she knows. Fingers crossed that she doesn’t meet a sticky end as her family seems to often do.

Another face slapping moment came courtesy of the boy-King Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman). In an seemingly odd and unexpected alliance, the Tyrells’ and the Lannisters’ teamed up to rescue Margaery (Natalie Dormer) and Sir Loras (Finn Jones) from the clutches of the fanatical Faith Militant. This did not go well as The High Sparrow (Jonathan Price), High Priest of the Faith, had already converted Tommen to his way of thinking (Margery too, although I’m pretty sure she is playing a game). The King’s Guard now have the Seven Pointed Star on their chestpieces and Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), for marching on the Sept, was stripped of his rank of Lord Commander. I dislike the Lannisters but my disdain for the High Sparrow and his Zealots is building every episode.

Other developments included Daenarys (Emilia Clarke) showing her now giant Dragon Drogon to her Dothraki horde but for an episode entitled ‘Blood of my Blood’ (a Dothraki expression) this episode had very little of the Targaryan Queen. The last sidenote was Sam’s (John Bradley) surprising courage after taking Gilly (Hannah Murray) and ‘his’ son to meet his family. After his father called her a ‘Wildling Whore’ Sam decided that it was no fit house for his lady and the trio, stealing his father’s prized Valyrian sword as they made their way to the exit. It was surprising and applaudable for a character who has seemed to lack a back bone for the majority of six seasons.

What are your thoughts on the latest revelations in Game of Thrones and are you enjoying Season 6 so far? Tweet your thoughts @Celebritycutout.