Airing in the UK at 2am and 9pm Mondays on Sky Atlantic
Writers: Bryan Cogman
Director: Mark Mylod

Essential Plot Points: 

• The episode opens at Dragonstone, which is enjoying the same terrible weather as the current UK ‘summer’. The red priestess has come to visit, revealing a prophecy that may or may not involve Daenerys, or Jon Snow, in a Harry Potter/Neville stylee.

• She also reveals that Jon is now King of the North, and Tyrion is pleased to hear this. Daenerys is keen to meet him, so he can “bend the knee”.
• Jon weighs up the invitation by raven, but worries it might be a trap.
• Jorah Mormont is not a well man.
• Maester Qyburn assures Cersei’s lords he is looking into the problem of the dragons, as she tries to win their aid in the coming war. Surveying the dragon remains in the catacombs, he describes Balerion the Black Dread, whose very breath forged the Iron Throne, as “powerful, but not invincible.” He demonstrates a new weapon.
• Daenerys and Tyrion lay out their plan, which has shades of Rob Stark, who wanted to hit the Lannisters where it hurt by taking Casterly Rock.
• Grey Worm and Missandei say goodbye. Properly.
• Sam thinks there might be a cure for greyscale. It’s a harsh procedure, but he tries it anyway, in memory of Jorah‘s father, Jeor Mormont, who he served with at the wall.
• Hopper recognises ‘Harry’ in his inn. It’s Arya Stark on her way to King’s Landing to kill the queen. He tells her Jon Snow is in charge of Winterfell, so she decides to head there instead.

• Jon gets Sam’s message about the dragonglass and decides to take up Daenerys’s invitation.
• Little finger wants a chat with Jon. It ends with Jon’s fingers around his throat and a threat of death: “Stay away from my sister.”
• Arya has an encounter in the woods with her wolf Nymeria.
• A ‘foreign invasion’ takes place on the voyage to Dorn. But before it can progress, Euron Greyjoy attacks.
• Euron meets two of the Dornish And kills them. He holds a knife to Yara’s throat and Theon Greyjoy reverts to being Reek, and abandons ship.

Review:

Much talk of dragons. Much movement of pieces on a chess board. Not so much as a glimpse of the White Walkers. Episode two looks like it’s going to be as placid an affair as the first outing – a room full of poisoned Fray’s notwithstanding.

That’s not always a bad thing. There’s character on show in its best moments, as Sam steps up to treat an untreatable Jorah. This isn’t hubris, with Sam wanting to show how clever he is. It isn’t bravery either – he looks genuinely scared his efforts, which have been forbidden, will be discovered. And while it might save Jorah, who was contemplating suicide and writing a final note to his beloved khaleesi, it obviously really hurts.

The eve of war, as the (oddly unseen) Unsullied prepare to ship out to Casterly Rock, also gives Grey Worm and Missandei the chance to declare their feelings for each other. And, for once, Thrones holds back on a gratuitous shot.

There’s also a deadly encounter in the woods for Arya Stark, which turns curiously touching as she recognises her old wolf, Nymeria. Last seen when she was sent away after savaging Joffrey, if you’re looking for explanation about why Arya says, “That’s not you” as they part, it’s a callback to a conversation with her father.

But we said back in our review of Game of Thrones S07E01 “Dragonstone“ that Euron might out-Lannister the Lannisters, and he’s giving it a good go. And if you heard his speech last week and took away that he was a coward, watching the battle from above as the Kingslayer killed his kin, you were wrong. He’s the first to attack and as bloodthirsty as the Mountain, with a penchant for cutting the tongues out of his foes. He’s also nail hard, dispatching two of the Dornish princesses, despite their skills in battle.

This thrilling encounter, no less bloody for being shot in firelight, is gripping and Thrones season seven has finally arrived.

The bad:

• The image jump to food following Sam’s brutal treatment of Jorah, which was enough to make us gag.

The good:

• You can move all the wargaming pieces on the board that you want to, but it’s important to remember that the enemy isn’t standing still. Euron’s surprise attack is just the shot in the arm this seventh series needed.
• Those icy breaths Arya lets out in the woods. You think the danger is going to be walkers but it’s something much more interesting. And we can’t help thinking we haven’t seen the last of Nymeria.
• The sisters choosing who they’re going to kill. Classic Thrones pride before a fall.
• We can’t wait to see the look on Cersei’s face when Euron delivers his present – the woman who poisoned her daughter.

Review by Matt Chapman

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