Unsullied Recap—Game of Thrones, Episode 706—“Beyond the Wall”

Spoiler note: “A girl says nothing. A girl keeps her mouth closed. No one hears.” —Girls, boys, and everyone alike, Jaqen H’ghar has spoken, so please remember: This recap is primarily for non-book readers. If you’re a book reader, please avoid posting any spoilers here, and instead take those thoughts to our book-reader’s recap. Thank you!

The bulk of the action this week takes place in the North, with a major concentration on the rather unnecessary battles the Starks are fighting. Between Jon’s wight hunt and Sansa and Arya’s apparent inter-family feud, I can hardly decide which is more of a waste of time. But as there’s nothing to be done about it, I might as well suck it up and start with the goings-on at Winterfell.

Arya begins with a seemingly heartwarming tale about how their father once caught her practicing shooting in the yard. But the purpose of this tale, however, isn’t fond reminiscence, but a cruel segue into another argument. “Now he’s dead. Killed by the Lannisters. With your help,” Arya accuses her sister of betraying the family, and proceeds to read aloud the letter she found in Littlefinger’s room last episode.

Sansa attempts to appeal to any sense of reason Arya may have left, defending her actions as those of a child manipulated into making them. All the same, Arya continues to remember to the Sansa she used to know, rather than the woman she’s become, and the letter only brings the past into sharper, more immediate focus.

"SANSA: “They told me it was the only way to save Father.”ARYA: “And you were stupid enough to believe them. I remember you, standing on that platform with Joffrey and Cersei when they dragged Father to the block. I remember the pretty dress you were wearing, I remember the fancy way that you did your hair.”"

The accusations seem to snap something in Sansa, who claims that Arya “should be on your knees thanking me. We’re standing in Winterfell again because of me.” This is a rather undeniable truth, as Sansa’s procurement of the Knights of the Vale is what turned the Battle of the Bastards in the Starks’ favor. She goes on to say that Arya “never would have survived what I survived.” That’s another truth; while arguable, if the Stark sisters’ journeys were swapped, it’s unlikely that either of them would have survived. Therein lies the core source of conflict: Both Arya and Sansa suffered so much so differently, and they can’t quite imagine what the other’s been through.

Later, Sansa expresses her unease to Littlefinger. Her concern isn’t for her reputation, as Arya inferred, but rather that their armies will abandon Jon if Arya shows them the letter.

"They turned their backs on Jon when it was time to retake Winterfell, then they named him their king, and now they’re ready to turn their backs on him again. […] If they found out I wrote that letter, a woman who’s already married not one, but two enemies of her house, by the time Jon comes back he’ll have no army left."

As usual, Littlefinger has a solution—and, as usual, it’s a terrible one. In not so many words, he suggests that Brienne could execute Arya if necessary. While she’s pledged to both Stark daughters, she would be “honor-bound to intervene” in the event that one of them tried to harm the other. Sansa agrees that Brienne would indeed be so obligated, but the possibility seems far-fetched to me. It’s far more likely that Brienne would try to reconcile the sisters before she went for the kill.

But the point is rendered moot when Sansa receives a summons from King’s Landing, and declares that Brienne will go in her stead. She’s been invited to the armistice, but “I will not set foot in King’s Landing while Cersei Lannister is queen. If they want another Stark prisoner, they can come take me. Until then, I’ll remain where I belong.”

Helen Sloan – HBO

This totally baller moment is superseded by Sansa’s harsh dismissal of Brienne, who doesn’t want to leave her unprotected while Littlefinger continues to slither around. It seems to me that sending Brienne as an emissary is a bid to keep Littlefinger’s suggestion from becoming an actual possibility. It’s conveniently placed within the narrative, as Sansa likely wouldn’t have gone to King’s Landing under any circumstances, but the point remains that Sansa does it to keep Arya safe and to keep Brienne’s honor intact. She doesn’t want Brienne, who’s sworn to protect them both, to compromise her morals in a choice between the sisters.

The next scene at Winterfell begins with Sansa searching Arya’s room for no particular reason—unless, perhaps, it’s to find the letter? Whatever the case, what Sansa does find is Arya’s collection of super-realistic Halloween masks, i.e., her bag of faces. She doesn’t seem as horrified as a normal person would be in such a situation but, then, between resurrected Jon, psychic Bran, and assassin Arya, there’s probably little left in the world that’s going to shock her.

Arya appears and acts vaguely threatening again. She tries to engage her sister in the Game of Faces—wherein one person has to tell a series of truths and lies, and the other has to determine which are which—but Sansa’s like “Nah” because this whole situation is horror movie-esque enough as it is. Arya, however, wants to up the ante just a little bit, so she slowly advances on her sister with Littlefinger’s dagger:

"I can become someone else. Speak in their voice. Live in their skin. I could even become you. I wonder what it would feel like, to wear those pretty dresses, to be the Lady of Winterfell. All I’d need to find out is your face."

But instead of cutting off Sansa’s face, Arya flips the dagger so it’s hilt-first and offers it for Sansa to take. This seems less of a warning now, and more of an acknowledgment that they both know who the real enemy is and what has to be done about him. Maybe that’s wishful thinking on my part, but it makes far more sense than the notion that either Arya or Sansa would actually kill the other. As mastered in the art of lies as she is, Arya would know better than to assume the worst of Sansa, and she would know that Littlefinger’s not to be trusted. They probably could have come to this conclusion without all the orchestrated dramatic tension, but it is what it is.

Helen Sloan – HBO

Between the Northern scenes, there’s one at Dragonstone between Daenerys and Tyrion that begs attention. Daenerys is lamenting the nature of heroes—Drogo, Daario, Jorah, Jon—who insist on doing one stupid thing after the next to outdo themselves, to prove their bravery. Tyrion takes this opportunity to draw a comparison between these men that’s irrelevant to the conversation they’re having.

"TYRION: “They all fell in love with you.”DAENERYS: “Jon Snow’s not in love with me.”TYRION: “Oh, my mistake. I suppose he stares at you longingly because he’s hopeful for a successful military alliance.”"

Uh, yeah, probably? That is, if Jon looked at her in such a way at all; but frankly, the only thing he stared at longingly during his time at Dragonstone was the horizon. Methinks Tyrion is either projecting his own feelings onto someone else, or he’s using Daenerys’ obvious affection for Jon to some sort of benefit. Varys did tell him in “Eastwatch” that he needs to “find a way to make her listen,” and we’ve already seen Daenerys appeal to Jon’s counsel over Tyrion’s. What better way to distract someone from their pyromaniac tendencies than with the pangs of true love, or whatever? Daenerys is used to men falling in love with her, accustomed to them bending to her will because of it. If she believes Jon’s in love with her, perhaps she’ll listen to him—until she finds out that her birthright is actually his, anyway, but that’s a problem for another season.

Tyrion and Daenerys discuss what to do about Cersei, which devolves into a disagreement over Tyrion’s loyalties. He urges her to rule without as much fear as she’s incited, because fear is all that Cersei, Joffrey, and Tywin had in their favor, and “It makes their power brittle, because everyone beneath them longs to see them dead.” He goes on to say that burning the Tarlys was not, as Daenerys claims, “necessary,” as there were other, less homicidal avenues to consider: Take them as prisoners, give them time to reconsider their allegiances, spare Dickon—anything but burn them alive on the spot.

"You need to take your enemies’ side to see things the way they do. And you need to see things the way they do if you’re going to anticipate their actions, respond effectively, and beat them."

Winning the war isn’t the only item on Tyrion’s agenda. He’s thinking about what to do afterwards, and what to do if Daenerys doesn’t make it out alive. While Tyrion tries to approach the subject with some sensitivity, Daenerys sniffs him out and asks, with an increasing level of paranoia, “You want to know who sits on the Iron Throne after I’m dead, is that it? […] You’ve been thinking about my death quite a bit, haven’t you? Is this one of the items you discussed with your brother in King’s Landing?”

Daenerys refuses to acknowledge or discuss her own mortality, and says they will talk about succession once she wears the crown. She does not for a moment entertain the possibility that she’ll never wear it, and what then? What of that “better world” she wants to leave behind? Daenerys wants to break the wheel, but just as it was in Meereen when she freed the slaves, she has no plans regarding the wheel’s replacement. She wants victory, but doesn’t know what to do with it afterwards. When Tyrion suggests some premeditated planning, she takes it as evidence of his lack of faith in her, or a desire to see her fail.

And yet, later in the episode, when Daenerys leaves Dragonstone to rescue the wight hunt party, she pays no mind to Tyrion’s insistence that it’s too dangerous. She leaves him with the declaration that “You told me to do nothing before and I listened to you. I’m not doing nothing again.” In this case, Daenerys’ refusal to take Tyrion’s counsel is on some level heroic. But it doesn’t change the fact that Tyrion no longer has her ear, and I think we’ll see this play out through the remainder of the series to Daenerys’ detriment.

Finally, the scenes beyond the Wall are interspersed throughout the episode. Before the action takes place, there’s plenty of male bonding between Jon, Tormund, Gendry, Jorah, Beric, Thoros, and the Hound to tide us over. If only the Stark sisters had been allowed to bond in the same way, but I suppose I’ve beaten that dead horse quite enough for one recap. In any case, it’s not the action that caught my attention so much as these conversations, which pave the way for Jon’s decision at episode’s end.

Tormund asks after Jon’s meeting with Daenerys, to which Jon tells him, “She’ll only fight beside us if I bend the knee.” At first, Tormund laughs it off, claiming that Jon’s spent too much time with the wildlings to ever kneel again, but then:

"Mance Rayder was a great man. A proud man. The King Beyond the Wall who never bent the knee. How many of his people died for his pride?"

Jorah and Jon talk about the former’s father, the late Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. Jon tries to bequeath Longclaw to Jorah, who refuses.

"JORAH: “He gave it to you.”JON: “I’m not his son.”JORAH: “I brought shame to my house. I broke my father’s heart. I’ve forfeited the right to claim this sword. It’s yours. It’s served you well, and your children after you.”"

You know, if Jon wishes to return the sword to its family, you’d think he would have tried to pass it on to Lyanna Mormont. But it’s just as well. Who tries to give up their Valyrian steel weapon when they’re on a mission bound to pit them against White Walkers and wights? Come on, Jonathan, use your head.

Helen Sloan – HBO

Jon’s future children aren’t the only ones discussed, as Tormund declares loud and proud that he wants to make babies with Brienne. His conversation with the Hound on the matter serves no greater purpose. But who doesn’t like a little Tormund-mooning-over-Brienne to cleanse our palate of this poorly constructed plan to capture a wight in order to convince Cersei of their existence, when they don’t actually require her assistance in the war against the dead?

But back to business. Beric tells Jon that his resurrection was made possible by the Lord of Light. But Jon serves no gods, as he tells Beric. “I serve the North.” But the North and the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, Beric implies, is only one small part of the bigger picture.

"BERIC: “We’re soldiers. We have to know what we’re fighting for. I’m not fighting so some man or woman I barely know can sit on a throne made of swords.”JON: “So what are you fighting for?”BERIC: “Life.”[…]BERIC: “You and I won’t find much joy while we’re here. But we can keep others alive. We can defend those who can’t defend themselves.”"

I’ll come back to the significance of these conversations, but for now, let me summarize the action sequences and what we learn from them.

• Wight bears take out some of the unnamed wildlings who accompanied the more important characters on this mission.
• Beric and Thoros have magical fire swords. The Hound is decidedly not into it, as is demonstrated when he’s unable to rescue Thoros from a flaming wight bear’s attack. Incidentally, “flaming wight bear attack” is about as ridiculous as it sounds. It doesn’t manage to kill Thoros, but he does eventually succumb to death by way of freezing.
• The men encounter a White Walker and a small retinue of wights. When Jon kills the White Walker, the wights are destroyed with him. One somehow manages to live, and the men detain it to bring to King’s Landing. Later, Jorah and Jon come to the probable realization that wights die when the White Walker who turned them does. Conclusion? Go for the Night King, because he turned most of them. I’m pretty sure this was a plotline on The Vampire Diaries.
• The Night King and his army descend upon the wight hunt party. Gendry runs back to Eastwatch to get word to Daenerys in the hopes she’ll swoop in to save them. No, seriously, Gendry just literally runs back to Eastwatch while his fellows are stranded in the middle of a frozen lake. Unaware that the frozen water is safe to cross, the wights stand sentinel around them.
• The Hound throws a rock at a wight’s face out of sheer boredom and calls him a “dumb cunt.” It’s pretty hilarious. His next rock doesn’t hit the mark, instead skidding across the ice, which goes to show that it’s solid enough to cross. The wights make their way to the men, and it’s not so hilarious anymore.
• In the midst of the ensuing battle, Daenerys arrives with her dragons and burns most of the army. This is a situation where I can really get on board with the dragons doing their thing. She lands Drogon so the men can climb to safety, but Jon keeps fighting wights even though he could have just escaped instead. My dude has a death wish.
• The Night King hits Viserion with a javelin. The dragon falls beneath the ice, and to be honest I’m not all that fussed. I mean, the White Walkers and the dragons are both forces that need to be taken out to prevent further destruction. The scene itself tugs at your heartstrings, but if I’m being reasonable, those dragons gotta go sometime.
• Jon bids that Daenerys and the rest of the men leave him behind. He falls through the ice, the Night King fails to hit Drogon, and Jon emerges after his party has escaped. He’s about to face off with more wights when Uncle Benjen appears out of nowhere and saves him. It’s overly convenient, but at least Jon makes it out alive. Benjen, however, does not.

Atop Benjen’s horse, Jon arrives at the Wall unconscious. While he’s laid up in bed to heal from his injuries, Daenerys sees his old stab wounds, which should make her wonder but she doesn’t ask after them. Instead, she watches him sleep like she’s Edward Cullen or something. When Jon awakens, he apologizes for the stupid decision to go on the wight hunt that resulted in Viserion’s death. He makes no mention of the wildlings they lost, Thoros, or his Uncle Benjen; Jon isn’t particularly forthcoming with Daenerys about his own feelings, however much she is with hers:

"If we hadn’t gone, I wouldn’t have seen. You have to see it to know. Now I know. The dragons are my children. They’re the only children I’ll ever have. Do you understand? We are going to destroy the Night King and his army. We’ll do it together. You have my word."

Okay, so, let me get this straight: Daenerys has finally agreed to help save the world, not out of a desire to save the world, but because the Night King took something from her personally. Maybe it doesn’t matter why she agrees, only that she does, but if she’s operating out of a sense of vengeance, those motives aren’t going to serve her well later.

For now, in exchange for her help, Jon offers to bend the knee. On the outset, this seems like an even more questionable decision than the wight hunt. As grateful as Jon is that Daenerys saved them, one heroic act won’t sway the North, no matter how Jon insists that his men will “come to see [Daenerys] for what [she] is.” That’s a vague reassurance if I ever heard one, not to mention Jon can’t even make eye contact when he offers to swear fealty. When Daenerys says he should get some rest, Jon feigns immediate sleep; but once she’s gone, he opens his eyes with a sort of heavy, resigned sigh, as though he regrets his decision, but knows there’s nothing else for it.

The whole scene rings like some sort of game to me. It calls back to Jon’s conversations with Tormund and Beric beyond the wall, which essentially boiled down to: Being prideful will get you and your people killed; and right now, it’s not about fighting for one kingdom over the others. It’s about fighting for the living, no matter the cost. If Jon’s truly not repeating Ned and Robb’s mistakes, he’ll know that the North won’t accept Daenerys as their queen, but Jon also knows Daenerys better than they do—he’s seen her reaction to Tyrion when his “clever plans” went awry, which is precisely what happened with the wight hunt (although that one wasn’t so clever to begin with). If Jon wants to secure this alliance for all it’s worth, he needs to keep Daenerys happy. I’m far more willing to believe that Jon is being as duplicitous as he was with the wildlings in seasons 2-3, than the notion that he’d betray the North’s wishes and sacrifice their independence. Whatever the aftermath of the war against the White Walkers, they’ll cross that bridge when they come to it. It’s not the most thorough of plans, but it’s all Jon has to defend his people the best way he can.

Robb Stark did not die for the North’s independence to be so compromised, so I’m going to believe the best in undercover Jon Snow unless proven otherwise.

The episode ends back beyond the Wall, with the wights pulling Viserion from his watery grave, and the Night King turns him. So much for destroying the dragons, but at least Viserion will get some attention when he’s not in the shadow of the blatant favoritism bestowed upon Drogon.

With only one week left in the season, what can we expect? Is Jon playing Daenerys in order to secure her dragons and armies? What does Daenerys’ refusal to listen to Tyrion mean for the remainder of her arc? What will transpire at King’s Landing, when enemies meet and reunite? How will Arya and Sansa reconcile their differences, and what will they do about Littlefinger and his attempts to cause strife between them? Where has Theon been since we last saw him in “The Spoils of War”? Now that the White Walkers have a dragon in their midst, will the creatures destroy each other in the end? How many questions can possibly be answered in the finale, and what will have to wait until season 8 for resolution?

Next: Watch the trailer for the Game of Thrones season 7 finale!

Remember—speculation is encouraged, spoilers aren’t! Please refrain from posting book spoilers here! Feel free to discuss the episode in the comments or Tweet me @kattymaj, but don’t ruin any surprises for the viewers who haven’t read the books. While the show has largely diverged from its source material, you never know what details will crop up later. Thanks, and see you next week!

To stay up to date on everything Game of Thrones, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.

Watch Game of Thrones for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels.