‘Game of Thrones’ season 6, episode 7 review: Arya attacked, Ian McShane and… the Hound?

The last episode of “Game of Thrones” took a very interesting turn for Tommen and Margaery as they both seem to have been brainwashed into combining the kingdom with faith and now the High Sparrow sits by Tommen’s side as the hand of the king. The first act we saw Tommen command was to strip Jamie of his title of the Kings guard and send him out of King’s Landing. Will Olenna and Cersei be able to pull these kids out of the High Sparrow’s clutches and even if they do, are they really any better?

The Hound: First off the big news… the Hound is alive!!!! We had a nice cameo from Ian McShane (from “Deadwood” fame) who found the Hound on death’s door and helped nurse him back to health through religion. Is he going to be coming after Arya or is spending time with Ray going to turn him into a better man? When a group of soldiers show up to Ray’s camp, the Hound wants to fight to protect the camp, but Ray doesn’t want any more violence. While the Hound is off cutting wood, the camp is slaughtered by the soldiers and his anger comes back full force. The Hound is back and he’s pissed.

Kings Landing: Since Tommen and Margaery became reunited, she hasn’t joined him in their marital bed, but after speaking to the High Sparrow she is inspired to help create an heir. He also wants Margaery to introduce Olenna to the godly ways, but she is resistant, especially when she pushes for Loras to repent. When Margaery pushes for Olenna to go home (and hands her a paper with a rose on it) we realize that she hasn’t been turned after all and Olenna agrees to leave the kingdom and let Margaery work whatever plan she has brewing.

Jon Snow: He asks for the Wildlings to fight for Winterfell saying that if they don’t defeat the Bolton’s then everyone will die and they agree to fight with him. Later Jon and Sansa goes to the Bear Island asking for House Mormont’s army and after some help from Davos explaining that the white walkers are coming and that this fight is bigger then just the houses squabbles they agree to help, but they only give 62 men to help in the fight. They continue their quest across the North to gather more forces, but other houses like House Glover refuse to fight with Wildlings and saying that Robb let them down when their home was attacked. After their round up, they don’t have enough men to march on Winterfell and while Sansa wants to hit up one more house, Jon wants to fight with what they have and move on them now. Sansa sends a letter to another house asking for them to meet them at Winterfell to fight with them, but will they make it in time?

Jamie: Edmure is a prisoner of house Frey, but using him to try to take back the castle that the Blackfish took was of no use. Jamie brings his army to the castle to try to take it over for King’s Landing, but after telling the Blackfish that the castle belongs to Walder Frey and that he’s taking the castle back either by surrender or by force, the Blackfish make it clear that there is a battle ahead.

Arya: She’s trying to book passage home and has found some men to take her the next morning, but will she make it to the dawn? Just when she thinks she’s finally on her way home, she is stabbed multiple times by The Waif. Is she going to die? Arya throws herself into the water and escapes, but she’s not doing well.

What has been the most interesting part of this season of “Game of Thrones” is that while in seasons past House Lannister usually takes the spotlight, this season there hasn’t been a lot to talk about. yes, there is the High Sparrow storyline, but it’s not nearly as interesting as we thought it would be. And where is Tyrion? He has been in maybe 20 minutes of this entire season and his storyline has been very weak. What we were happy to see tonight was the return of the Hound and Arya finally getting her head on straight and heading home, and for the first time (in a long time) we are actually interested in what’s happening to Arya! Episode grade: A-

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