GoT Recap: Daenerys Brings the Heat on 'Game of Thrones'

*spoilers ahead*

This week's episode of "Game of Thrones" will leave you gobsmacked, as Daenerys finally mounts her dragon and rides into her first battle in Westeros. The episode is an obvious standout, with the best battle sequence since the Battle of the Bastards. In other news, Arya comes home to Winterfell and some longing gazes between Jon "Puppy Eyes" Snow and the Mother of Dragons hint at future romance. Here's a recap of the fourth episode of Season 7, and if you need to catch up on previous episodes, recaps are here and here.
Jamie Brings Home a Bounty; Cersei Deals With the Iron Bank


Jamie, having just robbed an old woman of all her food and money, is seen going back to King's Landing. He stops on the way to pay Bronn for his help, but the bag of gold doesn't satisfy the sellsword. He asks for a castle, which he'd previously given up to help Jamie. Jamie tells him to wait until they've secured Westeros, after which he can claim any castle he wants. Bronn isn't pleased, but he has no leverage with which to weedle the noble.



In the meantime, the Iron Bank's representative is practically drooling over the gold he's about to get. He tries to cozy up to Cersei in order to secure some future deals with the Crown. The deadly queen is receptive to the banker's cloying overtures, intimating that there might be some future deals on the horizon. The banker is pleased as Cersei looks out onto her map of the world, plotting something worse than murdering the elderly.
Littlefinger Skulks, Bran Huddles Down Into His Moody Teen Phase


Littlefinger skulks into Bran's room uninvited, and brings the moody teen a present: the dagger wielded by his assassin in Season 1. Lord Baelish attempts to draw Bran into some false sense of security with him, positioning himself as some sort of fatherly figure for the youngest Stark. Bran, now the clairvoyant three-eyed raven, sees right through the man, and doesn't seem to care that Baelish is there at all.

Littlefinger is eventually chased off by Bran's protector, Meera Reed, who tells Bran she's leaving Winterfell. Bran, again, has no reaction, and repays for her service like the deadpan, moody teen he is: a "Thanks," given with absolutely no emotion. When Meera becomes frustrated by his lack of empathy, Bran replies that he's no longer the Bran she one knew, as that man died in the cave when the young three-eyed raven was reborn. He then returns to brooding in silence. Insert massive eyeroll here.
Arya Returns to Winterfell, Reunites With Her Family


The prodigal daughter returns to her Westerosi home, where two guards at the Winterfell gates hem and haw until she talks her way in. She looks around her home, which is much changed since her last time there in Season 1. Arya eventually slips away from the guards and goes down to the crypts, where Sansa finds her. The pair embrace, for once happy to see each other, and look at the statue of their father, which is a poor likeness of the man they knew. The pair are tentatively cordial, a vast change from their adversarial relationship as children.



The sisters then go off to see Bran, who's found sitting beneath the nearest Heart Tree. Arya embraces her longlost brother, who shows marginally more emotion than he did during his homecoming to Sansa. Bran soon reveals the Valyrian steel dagger Littlefinger gave him and gifts it to his warrior sister, who's more likely to use it. Sansa watches the exchange, trying to find the siblings she knew before their separation. All have found their roles in life, but they've become strangers to each other.
A Cave of Dragonglass Reveals Past War, Jon and Daenerys Share *Looks*, and Bad News Comes Knocking


Daenerys is summoned by Jon to the cave of dragonglass, and spend her time in transit grilling Missandei on her relationship with Grey Worm, which was finally cemented during the last episode. Missandei's lips are sealed, but Daenerys seems to know something's happened between the pair.

When they reach the cave, Jon beckons them in, where Daenerys is astounded by the wealth of obsidian. He quickly pulls her attention to etchings drawn on the cave walls deeper inside the place; the Children of the Forest had left a mishmash of circular patterns and records of their alliance with humans during the last war with the Night King. Daenerys finally seems to understand the White Walkers are a true threat, and the pair continue grow closer, judging by Jon's puppy eyes and Daenerys' wide-eyed wonder at the sparkling cave. Still, neither one can "bend the knee," though the torchlight adds a certain romantic ambience to the standoff. I get the distinct feeling that a marriage is in the future for the two leaders, if either can stomach a formal alliance.



The trio are called back out to the beach, where Lord Varys and Tyrion await their queen. Daenerys learns of the Battle of Highgarden, Olenna's demise, and the taking of the now useless Casterly Rock. The Mother of Dragons is ready to burn down some castles and take Westeros by force, though her advisors caution her against it. In a break of humility, Daenerys asks potential allies Jon and Ser Davos to stay during the meeting, and soon turns to Jon to ask his opinion. He replies that the people of Westeros need to believe in the impossible (which is Daenery's whole life story), but going scorched-earth on her enemies is "more of the same" Westerosi have weathered for years.
The Badass Female Fighters of Westeros Club Gains a New Member


Arya comes across the impressive Brienne of Tarth, who stops grinding poor Podrick into the snow long enough to greet her. Brienne is intrigued by Arya's new dagger, which she promptly hands to the knight for examination.

The pair quickly decide to test each others skill with a friendly duel between the best swordswomen in the land. Brienne, who usually dominates her opponents, is surprised by Arya's quick-footed skill. The pair end up checking each other by the end of the fight, a big feat for the shorter, younger Arya against such an experienced knight. Brienne is pleased by the young warrior, and slips a rare smile to her.

On the catwalk nearby, Sansa and Littlefinger watch the duel unfold. Sansa is surprised by her sister's skills, and seems to wonder where her baby sister learned to fight so gracefully. Littlefinger continues to skulk, though he bows and hurries away when Arya catches sight of him. Hopefully, Arya can make sure Littlefinger doesn't sink his claws into Sansa again.
A Conversation on Bastards; Theon Returns to Dragonstone


For once in his life, Jon Snow meets someone who doesn't care about his lineage. Ser Davos and Jon are out walking the Dragonstone steps, where Davos teases the young king about his longing looks at the beautiful blonde queen. Jon shrugs him off, though it doesn't seem to put off Davos.

They run into Missandei, who calls him Lord Snow. Davos, always quick to defend an ally, also struggles with the appropriate title for Jon until the King of the North waves them both off. Missandei is puzzled by Jon's last name, which is not that of his father, Lord Eddard Stark. When Jon explains he was born a bastard- a child born out of wedlock- Missandei is still puzzled by the designation. Apparently, in Naath, bastards aren't a thing. The trio talk about Missandei's past as a slave and her loyalty to Daenerys; Missandei tells the Northerners Daenerys is her chosen queen, a rarity in the bloody, oath-bound folk of Westeros. The Northerners come away understanding a bit more about Daenerys and her people's love for her.



Meanwhile, Theon's ship is seen in Dragonstone's bay, and the Greyjoy soon lands on the beach. Theon is nearly tackled by Jon, who's still seething over Theon's betrayal of his family. The traumatized Greyjoy is saved only by his kindness to Sansa, which allowed her to escape her psychotic husband Ramsay a couple seasons back. Theon quickly gets down to business, and asks to see Daenerys in hopes of getting his sister back from Euron. But where is the Mother of Dragons?
Lannisters vs. The Mother of Dragons, A Dragon, and the Dothraki


Daenerys finally ran out of patience, and woe be to anyone who challenges her. The Mother of Dragons, riding her most bloodthirsty child, leads the Dothraki in an ambush on the Lannister loot train. The Westerosi had just ferried all the Tyrell gold to King's Landing, but most of their other supplies and men find themselves in Daenerys' path. She lays into the group, with Drogon blasting fire upon the poorly prepared men. The Dothraki also come in hot, taking down the Lannister men who weren't burnt to a crisp by their queen.



The battle is horrific and terribly one-sided. Bronn and Jamie are nearly killed by Dothraki warriors, with Jamie saved by a quick-thinking Dickon (yes, his name is Dickon, Bronn thinks it's hilarious too.) After an internal struggle between money and loyalty, Bronn leaves his gold on the battlefield and races for Qyburn's Scorpion, the only weapon that can injure a dragon. He hits Drogon on the second shot, causing the black dragon to fall from the sky.



However, by this point, the act is a lost cause. The Lannister men are outmatched by their opponents, and die horrible, painful deaths. Tyrion watches Daenerys massacre his brother's troops from a distance, as saddened as Jamie by the loss of life.

But, as always, Jamie has to be stupidly, suicidally brave. As Tyrion curses under his breath, he watches Jamie grab a Scorpion spear and race towards the wounded Drogon and his rider. As Jamie nears the dragon, Drogon lets out a burst of fire; Jamie is tackled from his horse, by a well-meaning ally, and both fall into the nearby lake. The episode ends with a cliffhanger, as Jamie sinks to the bottom of the lake. Will Jamie's savior dive down to rescue him, or will the stupidly handsome Lannister finally bite the dust?

"Game of Thrones" airs Sunday nights at 9 pm EST on HBO. Watch the preview for next week's episode below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NNY73_YcZVY
Any pet theories confirmed by Sunday's episode? Let us know in the comments below!

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