Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 10 Recap

Game of Thrones (2011-)
Season 6 (2016)

Created by: David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Starring: Emilia Clarke, Peter Dinklage, Kit Harington, Sophie Turner, Lena Headey, Maisie Williams, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Aidan Gillan, Gwendoline Christie

Plot: 
HBO's fantasy drama series adapted from George R.R. Martin's book series A Song of Ice and Fire follows the civil war of kings and usurpers in Westeros who wish to sit one the throne. The scale and scope of the story is staggering, fully realized with a large ensemble cast.

Previously
The last episode had the greatest Game of Thrones battle yet. Jon Snow defeated Ramsay Bolton to claim Winterfell.

Daenerys defeated the slavers in Meereen as well but I don't think we'll see more of those stories this season since this is the last episode.

This will be a King's Landing centric episode. Will Olenna Tyrell return? How is Cersei going to weasel out of her sentencing now that trial by combat has been outlawed by King Tommen?
We know we'll see zombie Mountain in action. I wouldn't be surprised if the Hound appears either.

I bet Bran shows up in this episode too.

Check out my Game of Thrones season 6 recaps. 

Review: Episode 10 - The Winds of Winter
This is a great finale to a great season. This episode especially has a number of great images and moments.

The trial of the century begins.

In King's Landing, everyone is getting ready for the trial of Cersei Lannister and Loras Tyrell.
Loras confesses to his crimes. The High Sparrow urges him to confess them all. He admits to laying with Renly Baratheon and perjuring himself. Loras abandons his Tyrell name, his lordship, claims to Tyrell land, and children. The sparrows carve their seven pointed symbol into his forehead as his father cries out in dismay.

Cersei is late to her own trial. The Mountain stops Tommen from going to the trial as Lancel follows a child deeper underground. He's stabbed before realizing he's in a vault full of dragon fire. Qyburn has a half dozen children stab Pycelle to death.

Magaery points out to the High Sparrow that Tommen and Cersei are absent. She urges everyone to escape immediately. Cersei knows the consequences of skipping her trial, and would only do so if she could avoid the repercussions.

Dragon fire is no joke.

Lancel witnesses a lone candle in a pool of dragon fire. It ignites and the Sept of Baelor crumbles, ostensibly killing everyone inside. Cersei sips wine, a smile crossing her lips. This was a very likely possibility based on the restrictions in place. I am disappointed we didn't get to see the mountain in action.

Cersei, content to be a mass murderer.

Cersei tortures the Septa Unella, the very one that tortured her during imprisonment. Cersei admits to killing Robert Baratheon  and sleeping with Jamie, all because it felt good. She doesn't kill the Septa, she gives her to the Mountain.

This was a wild opening. It was geared to be theatrical, with a score as the backdrop to the action. Tommen can't be happy that his mom killed his wife... Just as I think that, we see a pained look on Tommen's face before he silently jumps from his window, killing himself. That's going to torment Cersei, but she's also created a power vacuum that I'm sure she's all too happy to fill.

Jamie and Bronn drink with the Freys. celebrating the Riverrun victory. Walder sits with Jamie, and Jamie mocks Frey's victories, taking Riverrun and killing the Starks. Jamie asks him why they need him, if they have to continually ride out to save him.

Walder Frey complains that his sons haven't arrived, but the servant girl informs him they are. This is the same servant girl that was making eyes at Jamie earlier, much to Bronn's chagrin.
The servant girl insists his sons are here and points to the bread. Walder begins to feel sick and sees a finger protruding. The servant tells him  it wasn't easy to carve them up, before she removes her face. It's Arya. BOOM! Looks like she picked up a few tricks from the faceless men. She sure traveled to Westeros quickly. I didn't expect to see her again this season. She kills Walder Frey out of revenge for season four's red wedding. She could be poised for an epic killing spree over the next couple of seasons. Did she kill the servant and steal her face? I have to imagine she did.

Tying up that story about which no one really cares.

We get an update on Tarly's story. He's arrived at the Citadel, but they aren't a cordial bunch. Samwell does get to see the famed library, though Gilly has to stay behind. If it takes five to ten years to become a maester, will Samwell become the de facto maester for whoever is left alive that proclaims her or himself ruler of the seven kingdoms?

Jon Snow is back at Winterfell. He recounts to Melisandre how he was relegated to the kids' table. Davos marches in and tosses a toy horse to her and demands she tell Jon where it came from. The lord of light commanded her to burn a child, princess Shireen, at the stake. It served no purpose as Stannis lost anyway. Davos asks Jon to carry out a sentence against her. Melisandre petitions Jon. He's seen the power of the lord of light.
Jon orders her to ride South. If he sees her again she'll be charged with murder. Davos submits he'll carry out the order himself.

Jon acknowledges that Sansa won the battle for them with the armies of the Vale. She apologies for not telling Jon about her ruse. Jon urges her to trust him. They have too many enemies not to.
Sansa informs Jon that a white raven arrived from the Citadel. "Winter is here."

Peter Baelish tells Sansa he wants to sit on the iron throne with her by his side. She tells him it's a pretty picture. He replies that the North will rally around her based on her lineage. That has to be a subtle joke. Jon Snow has a lineage we don't know about it.

Lady Tyrell is in Dorne talking to the sand princesses. We haven't seen Dorne since episode one. They asked her to Dorne for an alliance. Olena wants revenge on Cersei for killing her son and grandchildren. Varys is also in Dorne.

Daenerys commands Daario to stay in Meereen. Peace has just been achieved and he must maintain it. Daenerys can't bring a lover to Westeros, a marriage is the easiest way to form an alliance. Daario pleads to go with her, proclaiming his love. He's happy to be her mistress, but Daenerys rejects him.

The queen and the hand of the queen.

Tyrion tries to console Daeneyrs, though she chides him that he's not very good at it. She's in the great game he tells her. Everything she ever wanted is nearing closer. Daenerys is upset not that she rejected a man that truly loved her, but that she felt nothing when she did it.
Tyrion tells her he's always been a cynic, but he believes in her. He swears his council to her, and she makes him the hand of the queen. I like Tyrion, an I'm glad he gets this victory. I hope it lasts.

Benjen Stark has to leave Bran and Meera. He can't pass through the wall, but he'll keep fighting. Bran touches a tree and has another vision. It's the one with his father Ned Stark outside of a tower with Lyanna inside. Lyanna died in childbirth. She asks Ned to promise to protect her child. It's just as we guessed. The child between Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryan is Jon Snow. The show jump cuts from Ned promising to a close up on Jon's face. We guessed this was the case, and now it's confirmed. Somehow Bran will have to reveal that information to the world, because no one else knows.

"The king of the North."

Jon attempts to quiet the troops. Little bear Lyanna Mormont stands and calls out the houses that didn't fight with Jon. House Mormont fought. She proclaims him the king. He's a Stark and she will follow him until his last day. Little does she know how strong Jon's right to kingship is.
The houses of the North proclaim Jon "The king of the North!"

Cersei has now taken the throne.

Jamie returns to King's Landing and sees it in ruin. He enters the throne room to see Cersei take the iron throne. I thought Cersei would struggle to overturn her charges by the High Sparrow, I didn't expect to see her crowned queen.

The episode closes with Daenerys and her fleet sailing to Westeros. Great episode, great season. Until next year...