Clocking in at 50 minutes, "Spoils Of War" kept fans on their toes the entire time with its action-packed sequences and also some very emotionally laden scenes. Read on for our full recap.
Warning: This article contains spoilers from this point below.
‘The Lannisters Always Pay Their Debts’
The episode opens in the Reach, with Jamie Lannister supervising the transportation of wagons full of Tyrell gold back to King’s Landing.
He gives Bronn a small bag for his services but mentions that everything else belongs to the Iron Bank as payment for the Lannisters’ huge debt. Of course, 'GoT' fans sense a foreshadowing that something will go wrong here. More on that later. For now, Cersei is feeling very triumphant of her latest win.
A Time For Wolves
In Winterfell, Littlefinger attempts to befriend the recently returned (but certainly very different) Bran. He gives Bran Catspaw, the Valyrian steel dagger that was used in the attempt to murder Bran after his fall. By now the all-seeing Bran knows that Catspaw originally belongs to Littlefinger, but Peter Baelish feigns ignorance.
He also fakes concern and tells Bran he knows how it feels to come home only to find chaos everywhere.
“Chaos is a ladder,” Bran chillingly tells Littlefinger. The line was uttered by Littlefinger to Varys back in Season 1. If he has any good senses left, he should know that the best thing to do now is to stop his little games and flee.
Because not only can Bran see into his past, another Stark has returned! Arya is here! She runs past Winterfell’s guards and goes straight to the crypts. There, she sees Sansa for the first time in six seasons. The last time the two Stark girls were together, they were bickering kids who detested each other. Now, as adults, they look at each other with respect.
There were no tears shed, only a silent reunion between two sisters who have gone through so much. Maisie Williams (Arya) and Sophie Turner (Sansa) were at their best in this scene—saying almost nothing and so much at the same time. Elsewhere, we know 'GoT' fans are fighting back tears.
Arya and Sansa go to Bran in the Godswood. Bran gives Arya the Valyrian steel dagger. “It’s wasted on a cripple,” he says. We know this is an important scene, and surely this isn’t the last time we seeing Catspaw.
Another emotional and gratifying reunion is that of Arya and Brienne. Arya compliments Brienne for beating the Hound and proceeds to spar with her. This happens while Sansa and Littlefinger look on.
Arya spots Littlefinger and gives him a careful look.
Beware, Peter Baelish—the direwolves are grown, and they have come home.
Dragonglass
Jon Snow missed this happy Stark reunion because he is, of course, in Dragonstone trying to convince Daenerys to join the war against the Night King. He shows her a cave full of dragonglass. Inside, there are ancient markings drawn by the Children of the Forest depicting that they fought alongside the First Men versus the real enemy. Daenerys seems convinced, but she insists that Jon should bend the knee before she helps him.
Outside, Tyrion and Varys deliver the bad news---they’ve taken Casterly Rock, but they’ve been tricked by Cersei, and they’ve lost the Reach. In anger, Daenerys lashes out at Tyrion and plans to ride her dragons to burn King’s Landing.
However, Jon Snow wisely reminds that her people follow her because she can make a better world for them.
Another Reunion: Jon Snow And Theon Greyjoy
Theon, back from their defeat at sea, is met by Jon Snow at Dragonstone’s shores. Jon angrily grabs Theon by the collar and tells him that the only thing that’s saving him is because he helped Sansa.
“I came to ask the Queen to help me get [Yara] back,” Theon reports. But the Queen is gone, they tell him.
Field Of Fire, Part Deux
Queen Daenerys is in the Reach. With Drogon and a horde of Dothraki warriors, she catches the Lannister army by surprise. Jamie nervously commands his men to stand their ground, but whatever’s left of their confidence melts away once the Dothraki comes.
It’s the first time 'Game of Thrones' is showing how the Dothraki moves in battle. It’s beautiful. It's terrifying.
Dany and Drogon emerge from the sky. She burns Lannister soldiers. She burns their spoils of war. Suddenly, it’s Field of Fire all over again. Fans who have read the books know that this was how Aegon the Conqueror took hold of the Reach the first time he set out to conquer Westeros.
Bronn makes use of Qyburn’s dreadful invention, the dragon killer crossbow. He misses at his first attempt, but then he lands a sure shot to Drogon’s side. It’s awful to see and hear Drogon hurt. Luckily, his injury seems minor, and he safely makes a landing.
While Daenerys tries to take out the bolt from Drogon’s hide, Jamie charges with a spear to lunge at her.
At the last minute, Drogon senses danger and fires at Jamie. He is saved by Bronn (or is it Dickon Tarly?), who pushes him to a lake. We get a final scene of Jamie sinking into the water.
Lots of cliffhanger in this episode. Will Jamie survive? Will Bran tell Sansa and Arya the truth behind Littlefinger? What is Dany’s next move?
The fifth episode of 'Game of Thrones' Season 7 airs next Sunday, 9 p.m. on HBO.