Spoiler alert! Watch before reading!
Reunions! This episode was full of them. Jon and Arya's was perfect, and she hugged him the same way she did when she was a kid. We really waited 8 seasons for this, and it did not disappoint. Finding him alone and doing it privately? Perfect. Teasing him about his height? Yes girl. Defending Sansa even though years ago they both didn't like her? Fucking right. The last of the Starks are back together, and it feels good.
Arya's reunion with the Hound was nice too, him commenting on how she left him for dead and her answering how she robbed him first. He called her a cold bitch, saying that's why she was alive. Doesn't sound like a happy interaction... but they were happy to see each other.
Arya and Gendry's was adorable though! "You don't know any rich girls" and then Arya's flirty twirl as she left. She's grown a lot since they last met, and he sees it.
Theon saving Yara happened pretty suddenly, I believe last season was left off with Theon telling the other iron born's that they needed to go after her. We missed out on the build up and planning, but it was still an emotional scene, especially when Yara understands Theon loves the Starks and wants to be with them. He no longer needed to choose between his family - he's finally accepted as both.
Dany's arrival in Winterfell was to be expected, cold. She sucked up to Sansa with the "it's beautiful and so are you" line, but was still met with suspicion. If we hadn't seen Dany's side of the story, I might feel the same. Some just entitled girl with dragons, daughter of a crazy man, who tried to make Jon give up his crown in order for her to fight alongside him. But with both side's, we know that Dany does care about the war too, and even if she's gotten power hungry now, she's not all bad. And her and Jon, well, it's complicated.
The scene with them riding on dragons was a little extra and unnecessary, but badass. The northerners got to see the two of them doing the impossible. Nice display of power, if I say so myself. When they came to the waterfall and Dany suggested staying there for 1000 years, it reminded me a lot of him and Ygritte. For some reason, women just want to hide somewhere and be alone with Jon. I wonder what it could be.
What I really loved about this part is that Dany did want to stay there. She wanted to be with the man she loves and her dragons, and leave the world behind. Even though she has been getting power hungry and obsessed with taking the iron throne, for a moment she wanted to forget all of it. I believe this shows how her claim to the throne is more of a 'duty' and lately she's felt more threatened, which is why she's getting defensive of it. ("bend the knee!") She hasn't completely forgotten who she used to be - someone who wanted to return to her home, have a family, and to put an end to injustice.
Let's hope she doesn't become part of the wheel she used to wish to break.
Feel free to discuss with me below!
