Game of Thrones season 7 episode 5 preview: Daenerys’ path of pain

On Game of Thrones season 7 episode 5 next week, one of the things we could see is the downfall of Daenerys the liberator. Remember the version of her who wanted people under her who loved her, as opposed to those who feared her? That may be gone.

In the aftermath of tonight’s epic conquest of Highgarden, one so brutal and violent that it almost cost her one of her prized dragons in Drogon, the preview that airs features her warning the remaining Lannister soldiers/people of the region that they either bend the knee to her or suffer the consequences. She claims that she doesn’t want to kill anyone … and yet she also just had her army plus one of her dragons murder an unspeakable number of people for the sake of taking over the territory.

There is no question now moving into this episode that Daenerys has so much more of the upper hand in the war. After all, she has taken one of its biggest strongholds and has a number of resources that go along with that. Unfortunately, in doing so she lost further some of her humanity. She was warned against causing additional violence in this way by both Tyrion and Jon Snow, but she did not listen and continued along with the path that she saw fit.

Now, the preview features Varys appealing to Tyrion to find some way to appeal and convince her that the way in which she is doing things is wrong. There has to be a better way to win over the people and take over the land. The only thing that she is going to cause with such rash conquest is what she was warned against: Ruling a kingdom of bones. If she conquers, more will die, and to go along with that, those who live will count down the days until she is gone to go along with it.

As for elsewhere…

Remember The Night King and how terrible he is? While he hasn’t had much of a physical presence onscreen in the first four episodes of the show, the preview signals that the White Walkers are going to be continuing their march through the north. Bran will have detected their presence, and the people of Winterfell have to find a way to prepare for this.

If there is a clear and very-present problem, it is that Sansa Stark is going to be thrown to the fire in one of her first true tests in a leadership position. She’s shown some proficiency for it already, but this is different and it doesn’t seem like Jon Snow will be heading back in the near future.

Do you think Daenerys is in too deep now?

Is she a conqueror more than a liberator in your eyes? Be sure to share one way or another in the attached comments!

Meanwhile, head over here to secure some additional news on the HBO series, including our full review for this week’s new episode “Spoils of War.” (Photo: HBO.)