The best episode in each Game of Thrones season

Game of Thrones season 7, Episode 4: “The Spoils of War”

Whooooowee.

Pretend you’re chilling with the Lannister army, thinking you’ve just had a big win, when suddenly the air rings with the unmistakable sound of a dragon’s roar. Before you know it, Daenerys Targaryen swoops down, riding Drogon like the dragon queen she is, and the whole scene turns into a barbecue, and the Lannisters are on the menu.

This episode gives us the raw and beautiful dragon action we’d been waiting years to see. Full of random soldiers dying on each side, fire everywhere, Bronn running around avoiding death with amazing Natural 20 rolls for stealth and agility checks, and Jaime almost getting a face full of fire.

And the battle is only part of why this episode is so good. “The Spoils of War” takes pleasure in playing with our emotions. But that’s the beauty of Game of Thrones: it introduces characters you fall in love with, and then pits them all against each other and pokes them while saying, “Do something.” One minute you’re cheering for Dany, and the next you’re holding your breath hoping Jaime and Bronn survive her assault, only to be left looking at the TV once the credits roll, deep in thought about your personal feelings on characters and plot points.

Gah, I love this show.