With three episodes remaining in Game of Thrones’ sixth season, “No one,” was the first one of the remaining episodes that will have more than an hour of screen time, building up to the 69 minute series finale in two weeks, and this week set the wheels in motion.
We started off with Arya, wounded from being stabbed by the Waif last episode, being found by Lady Crane back in the actors’ tent. Arya is nursed back to health by rest and some supposedly horrendous soup (If only Khal Drogo all it took to save him was soup and sleep!). This doesn’t last for long as Lady Crane is murdered by the Waif. After a brief chase, however, Arya turns the tables on the Waif and kills her, before telling Jaqen H’ghar that she’s going home. As long as “needle” was still hidden away, Arya would always remain Arya Stark, and in this episode she re-embraces her name.
So what kind of home will she come home to? Sansa Stark, Jon Snow and Ramsey Bolton are not in this episode, but the impending Bastardbowl for Winterfell will feel the repercussions from this episode. Brienne of Tarth is unsuccessful in negotiating the safe passage of Tulley troops to Winterfell in exchange for Riverun, so Jamie Lannister is able to exchange Lord Edmure his freedom in exchange for the castle of which he is the lord. This leads to the death of the Blackfish and an uncertainty of the Tulleys as Lord Edmure now takes charge. This means that the fate of Winterfell could very well rest in the hands of Edmure, with Jamie Lannister pulling the strings.
With two deaths already this episode, the most tragic was the hype for Cleganebowl. The Mountain is as intimidating as ever, as he shows off by ripping the head and spine off of one of the High Sparrow’s goons. The Hound is alive, and apparently ready to kill as he racks up six kills in this episode alone. But that will have to wait. Cersei Lannister’s get out of jail free card is essentially shredded by King Tommen’s decrees that trial-by-combat will be forbidden. This puts Cersei at a significant disadvantage heading into the trial, and kills the hype for Cleganebowl.
In Mereen, Daenerys returns as Varys leaves. The masters arrive to attempt to take back their “property,” and their large-scale naval fleet is impressive, but the return of Daenerys and her dragon make me think that fleet attacking the city won’t last long.
Screw
I would say that Cersei is screwed. She lost her size advantage when Tommen decreed that trial-by-combats would no longer be allowed. The High Sparrow is too smart for her and it is very unlikely she’d be able to win in a real trial.
Marry
Jamie will never love another woman like he does Cersei, but there is something there for Brienne. The two exchanged a moment when they realized they may have to fight each other if it came to that at the siege of Riverrun, but then Jamie lets her go as she escapes down the river with Podrick.
Kill
The men who attacked the pacifist society were mutilated or hanged by the Hound, the Waif was bested by Arya, the Blackfish was heroically killed offscreen and Cleganebowl was brutally murdered by King Tommen.
Stray Observation
Catelyn Stark was mentioned A LOT. Jame and Brienne talked about vows to her, Jamie and Edmure talked about her mercy and the Blackfish drew a parallel between Sansa and her mother. For a character dead for three seasons, this seems either unnecessary or interesting.
Prediction
We will see a Stark sister reunion at some point. With Winterfell also comes Rickon Stark now, so if Arya makes it home, we’ll see three Starks and Jon Snow back together again, the most Starks in one place since Season 1. Either that or Brienne and Pod will bump into Gendry on the river.