Westergoss – Game of Thrones Season 7, episode 2: Stormborn recap

NME's weekly breakdown of everything Game of Thrones

Welcome to Westergoss, our weekly analysis and recap of Game of Thrones. Season 7 is well underway now, and in its second episode, Stormborn, we saw several strings beginning to draw our various plot points together. Here’s the big talking points.

The best bits

1. Euron’s attack

Clearly the best thing about this episode was the moment Euron Greyjoy surprised his niece and nephew, Yara and Theon, who were travelling with the Sand Snakes and Ellaria Sand to raise the armies of Dorne. His brutal, cackling villain breathed life into what was otherwise a pretty staid episode. More Euron, please.

2. Samwell Tarly’s greyscale treatment

This was hard to watch, but it was satisfying to finally see Jorah getting treatment for his horrible affliction – trusting that everything goes well. Living in the Citadel, Sam Tarly has totally come into his own as a knowledgeable, kind person who takes action and does the right thing. Hopefully he doesn’t catch greyscale in the process.

3. Arya’s meeting with Nymeria

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A slight letdown to see Nymeria totally reject Arya, but she’s a wild direwolf now. Arya appealed to Nymeria to join her on her way to Winterfell, but ultimately came to terms with her wildness: “That’s not you”, she said, recognising in her wolf the same spirit she has. Longtime viewers will remember Arya said the same thing to her father in season 1, when he showed her a painting he’d drawn of her as a lady married to a lord. “That’s not me.”

4. Daenerys telling Varys how it is

Dany has never really talked to Varys before, but here she gave us a taste of her fiery scrutiny, looking at Varys’ shifting loyalties and saying: “If you ever betray me, I’ll burn you alive.” He responded calmly, at which she made him promise always to tell her like it is. A beautiful relationship is born.

Fan theory of the week: Did Olenna tip off Euron about the Greyjoy fleet? 

Somehow Euron found out about the Greyjoys’ mission to Dorne, and ambushed them. Some fans are guessing it was Olenna Tyrell, who only wants Cersei dead and hopes to provoke Daenerys into crushing Cersei as soon as possible with her dragons. This would be just the sort of thing Olenna might do – she did of course poison Joffrey and frame Tyrion for it – but it seems unnecessarily brutal, getting rid of her own allies in the process and not really gaining anything. It’s likely Euron had spies in the Greyjoy fleet, or just had some decent scouts posted around Dragonstone – but we’ll have to wait and see.

Notes

  • The sea next to Eastwatch by the Sea has frozen over, if the opening credits can be trusted. Could this means the white walkers can simply walk around the Wall now?
  • Daenerys isn’t going to stay in Dragonstone long. “It doesn’t feel like home,” she said, despite being born and raised there.
  • The Prince that was Promised isn’t gendered: so it could be Daenerys.
  • Cersei has been mythologising Daenerys’ brutality – she tells the Tarlys that she’s been crucifying nobles in Slaver’s Bay and feeding them to her dragons. It’s not untrue, either – but if only they could hear her side.
  • Maester Qyburn’s dragon crossbow was a bit… disappointing. Anyone could have thought of that
  • Arya’s meeting with Hot Pie proves how cold she’s become: he asks questions, and she asks for ale. And she eats like The Hound these days.
  • Can Sansa and Jon start talking about their plans before the meetings, please? These mid-meeting arguments are unnecessary.
  • Euron is crushing it as a villain, quite literally. What was that jaw thing he landed on?

Quotes of the week

  • Jaime: “Rickon, isn’t it?” Dickon: “Dickon.” Jaime: “That’s it.”
  • Olenna: “The lords of Westeros are sheep. Are you a sheep? No. You’re a dragon. Be a dragon.”
  • Euron: “Give your uncle a kiss.”

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Next episode predictions

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The above trailer suggests we’re going to see:

  • Euron parading through King’s landing with his prisoners
  • Presenting the prisoners to Cersei and bowing
  • Cersei saying she’s “drawn first blood” – which could mean the prisoners get the chop
  • Grey Worm leading the Targaryen fleet to Casterly Rock and taking it
  • Jaime possibly defending Casterly Rock?
  • Sansa doing something at Winterfell’s heart tree
  • Jon Snow and Davos meeting Cersei. Finally!

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