BWW Recap: 'Blood of My Blood' Returns on GAME OF THRONES

We're over halfway done with this season of Game of Thrones, and last night's episode entitled "Blood of My Blood" should have probably been called "Home" (the title of Episode 2), considering more characters were reconnected with their past, began to discern who they are at the core versus who they are expected to be, as well as some literally returning home. However, we did get our mandatory dragon shot! Finally we found out where Summer's CGI budget went! Subsequently, we did get a lot of general plot development this week! Yay! Things happened! Arya was able to move past her stick training, Sam and Gilly got to their destination, we saw the return of two long gone uncles, and Jaime was forced out of the Kingsguard and into his book location.

We opened up the episode presumably where it left off last week, however Meera has got some serious arm strength considering she managed to drag Bran so quickly far and out of reach of the wights who were a mere 20 feet behind them! I guess whole the problematic "noble" sacrifice of Hodor that had everyone in tears last week was worth it! They got away! Though, Bran is still stuck in his warging comatose where we basically got a trailer for the last few seasons of Game of Thrones. It was a lot quick shots of scenes and characters that we've come to know, including an obligatory shots of everyone's long dead favorite Ned Stark. New visions start creeping and we start to see a flashback of Mad King Aerys Targaryen cackling and shouting his infamous line "Burn them all!" The visions continue and this time they feature snippets of White Walkers as well as another added shot of the Aerys flashback. This time we see a Kingsguard with his back turned, killing Aerys. This is of course Jaime Lannister doing the deed that earned him the title 'Kingslayer'. Either we'll be getting more of this vision later on or Nikolaj Coster-Waldau was too busy on this day of filming, but it seemed an odd choice to film this scene in such a detached and impersonal way by having Jaime's back turned.

These visions of Aerys really fell flat. This is one of the most talked about moments in the history of Westeros. It's a moment that is so fundamentally developmental for Jaimie's character and gave us the brilliantly delivered monologue where Jaime confesses the truth behind this infamous moment in history.
Bran's visions into the past have been mostly missed opportunity. They're treated like little plays going on for Bran to watch rather than scenes encompassing the history and lore of Westeros. This scene was messy all together. The CGI wildfire looked bad, the lighting was atrocious, and the camera work was remarkably static and theatrically staged. The lighting really was downright messy for a production like Thrones. The production aspects of this show have always been solid, but this felt like a glaring misstep. With Aerys' figure remaining shaded half in shadow in the dark room 'lit' by the two candelabras on either side of him, your focus is not on the central point of the scene but rather the background that is lit up. Then, there's an awfully strange and very bright cool light that shines from the top of the ceiling that is clearly a production light, and doesn't come across remotely as the naturally warm candlelight that is meant to be lighting the room. It's probably one of the central causes for the scene's cheap appearance that resembles more of a parody of Thrones rather than the high-quality production levels we are used to seeing. We saw this same set with Tommen in this episode and it just looked so much better. The set design here conveyed little else as well. Where was the grandeur of the Targaryen reign? Maybe those two candelabras in the back were meant to encompass that, but none of it translated. The prospect of looking back into the past and seeing these moments when the kingdom was truly at a time of wealth and prosper, when the throne room was filled with the dragon skulls Arya ran into below the Red Keep in Season 1, could be immensely exciting. Unfortunately, we didn't get any of that. These flashbacks don't do much to inform passed what we already know.

When Bran gets pulled out once more, we find out that actually maybe Hodor "holding the door" really didn't do much, for he tells Meera that the Wight's found them and they're coming. It would have been a bit more of a shocking transition to jump from a vision of Bran seeing the Wight's approach to an immediate cut of him being jolted awake, as I think the whole scope of Bran's visions and powers remain rather unclear, but it did it's job well enough. They're about to be surrounded as Meera desperately pulls out a blade in the hopes of somehow keeping them both alive, but a figure swoops in on horseback (I'm sure all book readers are a little peeved it wasn't a giant elk right?) and rescues them. After the escape, we find them sitting around a fire and the man is killing and draining the blood of a rabbit. He gives it to Bran to drink (who knows why?) and Bran questions who this strange savior is. The figure tells Bran he has known him since he was a boy, pulling away the cloth covering his face to reveal that it's actually long lost uncle Benjen Stark. Albeit, it's a very icy and facial scarred Benjen, but Benjen nonetheless! Bran asks him how he survived going missing beyond the Wall and Benjen replies that he didn't. The White Walkers killed him but he was revived by the Children of the Forest using the same methods they used to create the Night's King (dragonglass to the heart). In an interview with EW, writer and executive producer Bryan Cogman stated that "he's also decidedly not the Benjen of season 1, so that was fun to explore," when discussing the reveal. However, just like the recently resurrected Jon Snow, Benjen doesn't actually appear to be any different. Sure he looks a little different, but his personality doesn't seem intensely changed or effected, but it was nice to see this familiar face from so long ago back on our screens!

We saw some not-so-familiar and completely new faces this week at Horn Hill, when we caught up with Sam and Gilly for some quality RomCom dialogue about trees on the way to the Tarly family home. Sam tells Gilly that she must pretend the baby is his and that she is not a Wildling in order to secure her and Little Sam's safety in the wake of one of the worst men in Westeros, Randyll Tarly. Right there you know they are setting it up for this plan to fail. Another oddly misstep in production were the costumes in Horn Hill. They really highlighted the change over of costume designers this season, as their store-bought Renaissance-esque garb seemed very out of place. Sam's sister and mother were there to greet Sam, Little Sam, and Gilly, an incredibly considerate action considering Gilly is parading as a low-born mother of Sam's bastard. Just look at how Jon Snow was treated. He was always an outsider, and the fact that Ned even brought him home to raise him was considered mad for the time. It's common practice to possibly toss the mother of your bastard money, but so rarely are they allowed into the family home of an honorable house, especially not one like the Tarly's. Sam's mom and sister were so friendly when they met Gilly and were immediately quite kind and compassionate towards her. It's nice to know 'asshole' doesn't run in the entire family. It was rather sweet to see and Sam's mom told her she was beautiful, something I'm sure she hasn't heard much in her life living as one of Craster's daughters and wives. All that sweetness and beauty is ruined when it's time for dinner with good old Randyll Tarly. The whole dinner goes from awkward to disastrous as he begins to pick on Sam for his weight and his measure of masculinity. Gilly jumps to his aid and proclaims that Sam is a better warrior than Randyll or Dickon (Sam's brother) would ever be and that he defeated a Thenn and a White Walker. Sam keeps quiet through it all, and eventually it escalates completely when Gilly lets slip that she is a Wildling, ensuing a large, hateful, and racist rant against her people. Sam's mother cannot take it though, the lovely lady she is, as she sticks up for Gilly and Sam and leaves the room. I'm all for these powerful females who aren't afraid to speak wisdoms of truth to their misogynistic male counterparts, but this seemed quite out of place. Where did the patriarchy go? If it's going to be in there, and if it's going to be used to defend gratuitous scenes of rape and sexual violence, then it needs to be consistently explored on all levels. Also why is the lowborn mother of the bastard son of an heir who cast aside his house and name by joining the Night's Watch allowed to dine with this powerful and wealthy family? It's okay though because mama Tarly leaves Randyll to consider his disappointment of a son and relent, allowing Gilly to work in the kitchens and the baby to stay. However, Sam must go. One must commend John Bradley-West for his performance as Samwell Tarly in this scene, as he fidgeted and refused to look his father in the eye, clearly frightened and on the verge of a panic attack. Or so it seemed.

In the next scene, Gilly is settling in and Sam is meant to be saying his goodbye. He tells her that the only reason he didn't defend her was to save her a safe place in Horn Hill. Though I do believe John Bradley-West's performance conveyed a beautiful amount of fear and anxiety at the dinner table, seconds away from tears but holding it all in to protect Gilly, all of that started to fall away in the writing, as he burst back into the room after the goodbye. He tells Gilly they need to be together, which virtually means he's deserting THE WATCH or at the very least, breaking his oath. I hate to break it to you Sam, but you just put the people you "love" in more danger by taking them away from a safe and stable position with you to places where they would have to remain hidden, directly going against oaths you have sworn. In one last moment of the toxic masculinity version of Sam that we've been fed for the past few seasons, he takes his father's Valyrian steel sword 'Hearstbane' off the shelf, telling Gilly not worry about Randyll inflicting his wrath upon them. "He can try," he says. Just a few moments before, we seemed to get a glimpse of the beautiful duality within Sam's character in the dining scene, but it was lost not long after. Sam is supposed to renounce the title given to him jokingly by THE WATCH of "Sam the Slayer." He doesn't want to be a "slayer" and is okay with that. He's not the picturesque version of toxic masculinity that Randyll so prizes and his strength comes from his knowledge, care, trust, and compassion. When Sam is sent off to the Citadel by force in the books, Jon literally orders him to be brave, and seeing Sam struggle to do so but keeps on for the greater good and wellbeing of others and those he cares for is the sheer power of the kind of strength Sam has. For as Ned Stark once said, the only time a man can be brave is when he is afraid.

In Kings Landing, things are taking off as Tommen is visiting with the High Sparrow before Margaery is forced to do her walk of shame. He gets to see her and it's still rather confusing as to what the writers want us to feel regarding the situation. Margaery basically declares she's seen the light and is now incredibly religious, convincing Tommen of the Sparrows' cause. Judging by Margaery's determination to stay strong the other week, one would think this is another fake out, but the timing of it went on for far too long for us to continue thinking that her devotion is false. It also spoke miles as to how horrific of a relationship the pairing of Margaery and Tommen is, as it's most certainly statutory rape which is basically illegal for the very reason you see here on our screens. Margaery, the much older figure in the relationship, coerces Tommen into believing what she wants him to believe, taking advantage of his young age and naivety.

As evident, Tommen was thoroughly manipulated, for when the Sparrows were about to go head to head with the power of the Tyrell forces led by Jaime Lannister, demanding to release Margaery and Loras, the High Sparrow proves he has the upper hand. Tommen walks through the door of the Sept with his newly armed and dressed faith-militant doubling as his Kingsguard and the Sparrow declares that Margaery atoned for her sins by converting Tommen. I'm not sure how this all really works, especially considering the crown already had an alliance with the faith in the first place with Cersei's appointment of the High Sparrow and the implementation of it's faith militant, but Jaime and the Tyrell's feel totally defeated.
In fact, the High Sparrow has Tommen so wrapped around his finger that Tommen decides to dismiss Jaime from the Kingsguard in the throne room, declaring that a move against the faith is a move against the crown. He tells him he can serve his crown, but he must do so outside of this city. Jaime immediately goes to Cersei (number one incestuous power couple still going strong!) and rants about not wanting to go to Riverrun where he is being sent to deal with the Blackfish, claiming his identity as Tommen's father, and insisting that he'd rather kill all the High Sparrows. Cersei assuages his frustration though, insisting that the best thing for him to do would be to go to Riverrun and lead the Lannister forces just as their father always wanted him to. Cersei was actually incredibly level headed in this scene, just furthering the overtly sympathetic Lannister point-of-view of the writers. They then proceed to share an intimate moment, insisting to one another that they are the only ones in the world that matter. That might sound familiar because we've already heard that same sentiment expressed by these two this season, but also because it reinforces the fact that Jaime has not changed from the Jaime who pushed a child out of a window proclaiming "The things I do for love." Where is his character growth? Where is the most astounding piece of character work Martin did in his novels, taking a man we despise and turning him into a fan favorite as he rides along his reluctant hero's journey, attempting to reclaim his personhood and redeem himself? The man that wants to make a knightly and noble name for himself in the White Book of the Kingsguard while combatting with the pressure to be his father's son is an interesting man. This Jaime is not. It's not interesting to watch a character stagnant, and certainly not one who was on the path for the most interesting arc of growth and development in the entire series.

We also checked in with another long lost uncle of the Stark children when we get a quick scene of Walder Frey belittling his Frey decedents for losing Riverrun, reminding the audience who was married at the Red Wedding, in case we all for got. He calls in a worse for wear looking Edmure Tully.
Across the Narrow Sea, Arya finally upgraded from stick training and getting beaten to a pulp in Braavos. She was once again viewing the mummer's farce recounting past events of the series, all from a rather Lannister-sympathetic version of events, not too dissimilar to the current narrative of the show. This time, they recapped the ;Purple Wedding', and Arya took joy in watching Joffrey's death, a name on her list she didn't get to kill. However, as the Cersei actress delivered her impassioned speech about loving her son, Arya's feet began to get cold at the thought of killing this woman who has done no wrong, a woman she is starting to like. She still plucks up the courage to pour the poison in though, and slips backstage to do so. This is the point where she should be wearing a face from the Hall, but alas, it's apparently okay that she is not disguised while doing the work of the assassins guild in Braavos. In fact, her face is so recognizable that the actress, Lady Crane, who she targeted, stops her on her way out of the backstage area, recalling seeing her in the audience at several of their shows. Arya slightly panics but Lady Crane eases her worry and begins opening up to the young girl she feels she can relate to. Arya's nerve begins to crack the more she begins to sympathize with Lady Crane and perhaps even like her, so she quickly runs out. The actors continue to joke around and Richard E. Grant, playing the head of the troupe, delivers delicious banter and dialogue as the brilliant actor we know him to be. Thrones could do with some more Grant, he's always a joy to watch. Lady Crane then begins to lift the poisoned wine up to her mouth for a sip when Arya bolts back in and smacks it (and every chance of BECOMING "no one") out of her hand. She even tells her that the young actress playing Sansa is one to watch out for, and that she wanted Lady Crane dead.

Arya was not the only assassin sneaking backstage without a face disguise. The Waif was also there and smiled the biggest smile when she saw Arya fail to complete her task. She was so happy actually that she ran right to Jaqen and told him of the events, insisting that he promised her the ability to kill Arya should she fail. The cattiness forced between these two is really ridiculous. Why does the Waif hate Arya so much that she was fantasizing about her death to the point where she even had a conversation with Jaqen about it and made him promise to let her be the one to do it? The "all girls are catty" trope is at an all time high in these scenes and it just doesn't make any sense. There's no basis for the antagonization between the two and it feels so incredibly unmotivated. It looks like Arya knows there will be a fight next week though, because she removes Needle from it's hiding spot, reclaiming her identity as Arya Stark of Winterfell.

Lastly, as is quite the norm, we end on a Daenerys scene. Her and Daario are leading the Dothraki through the land when suddenly they stop for no reason. Or rather, a reason isn't given to us, but they stop and they talk while still on horseback. They basically go over the amount of forces Dany actually has, for it's rather unclear to show watchers. Apparently she does have all of the Second Sons and a lot of Unsullied left, even though we never see them, but alas, she doesn't have the ships she needs. How Daario knows this is a mystery, considering he wasn't in Meereen when her fleet was burned. Then, Dany has a sudden impulse to ride off alone and Daario, her right hand man in this situation, lets her. Granted, he saw her walking out of a fire, but still, she's your queen! She needs to have a proper guard. She is taking a long time though, so Daario decides to go after her, but a shadow passes over them. It's Drogon! And Dany is riding him! I guess she must have learned to tame him off-screen, but she's got full control of him now! So much so that she lands him square in front of her people, and proceeds to deliver a completely random speech to the Dothraki in an attempt to convince the people who are already following her to follow her. David Benioff and D.B. Weiss referenced the Khal Drogo speech he delivers in Season 1 as a reference for this scene and as inspiration for Dany's delivery of this speech, but it falls flat. This should have either come during the episode where she acquired her Dothraki forces, or at least, right after in sight of a great deal of trepidation and distrust on the part of the Dothraki. If this was done to win them over, her echoing a speech of a past great Khal, I think it would actually be quite compelling. However, this scene which was meant to appear to be an epic ending (Emilia Clarke really is great at delivering lines in made up languages though), just felt like a rather forced speech that the writers fell in love with, couldn't bare to see it go, and squeezed it in somewhere to ensure it made it in.

This episode was an improvement on the past few considering that it really seemed like things were taking off, plot lines and people were moving forward, gearing us up for an action packed ending to the season. Next week should continue down that path and be rather exciting as Jaime faces off with Brynden 'Blackfish' Tully at Riverrun, Olenna is absolutely fed up with Cersei, and Sansa, Yara, and Theon all make powerful moves to take back their homes.

Check out the preview for next week's episode below and be sure to share your thoughts and reactions to this week's episode in the comments!

Photo Credit: HBO

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