‘Game of Thrones’ Season 5 Episode 6 Recap: “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”

Game of Thrones Season 5 Episode 6 Recap
Iain Glen and Peter Dinklage in ‘Game of Thrones’ (Photo Courtesy of HBO)

We open Game of Thrones season five episode six in the House of Black and White where Arya (Maisie Williams) is still on corpse-washing duty. She looks so grown up! It’s still a shock to see her wearing a dress with her hair clean and neatly brushed. She’s certainly learned to treat the bodies she’s preparing with reverence and care (corpse washing, after all, is a promotion from being a mere floor-sweeper). But she’s still Arya and demanding answers.

I don’t blame her a bit. I want to know what they’re doing with those bodies, but more importantly, where do they come from? Are they all victims of The Faceless Men?

Instead of providing answers, her workmate tells her a heart-warming story that sounds a lot like it’s written by the Brothers Grimm, about her happy childhood, further confounding Arya. Not only can she not tell how much of what the girl says is fact and how much is fiction, she gets no new answers.

Later, Jaqen (Tom Wlaschiha) finds Arya as she sleeps and wants her to tell him her story. Every time she lies he not only knows but beats her for it. “The girl lies to me, the many-faced God, and to herself. Does she truly want to be no one?” Most revealing is that Jaqen knows that Arya didn’t entirely hate The Hound (and that he may not be dead. I live in hope).

In Volantis, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) is arguing with Jorah (who is apparently subbing in for Varys. Tyrion just needs someone to argue with). During one of these discussions, Tyrion tells Jorah (Iain Glen) that he killed his own father, but also lets slip that Jorah’s father – Grand Maester Mormont of the Night’s Watch – was murdered by his own men. Jorah’s life sucks.

Back again to the House of Black and White, Arya is back to scrubbing the floor, perhaps as punishment, when a man brings his dying daughter to the house looking for help. Even I can see this is a trick or a test. Arya tells the girl a hopeful story about the healing powers of the water at the house fountain. Arya’s instinct may have been pure – she wanted to take the girl’s pain away and ease her suffering, but we know what happens to people who drink that water, don’t we? Cut to Arya washing the girl’s corpse. Oh look, the door is ajar! Is this a reward? Did she pass the test? We know Jaqen saw her give the girl the water. Will Arya find out what happens to the bodies? She follows a path lit by lamps and candles down below the house into a large chamber – the walls are rows and rows stacked to the 100-foot ceilings with faces.

Jaqen asks, “Is the girl ready to give up her ears, her nose, her tongue, her hopes and dreams, her loves and hates, all that makes the girl who she is, forever, to become no one? No, but she’s ready to become someone else.”

Back to Tyrion and Jorah walking and talking. Tyrion wants to know why Daenerys? He still doesn’t “get” Dany or her right to rule. Why should a girl who’s never spent a day in Westeros sit on the Iron Throne? Jorah tells Tyrion about the funeral pyre and the birth of the dragons. Before they can conclude their discussion, they are set upon by slave traders. They want to carve up Tyrion and sell him for parts, one part in particular. Luckily they need a bona fide “cock merchant” to verify his dwarf status before separating Tyrion from his most prized possession.

One of the slave traders had thought that Jorah might be fit to be a galley slave, but his companion thinks he’s too old and they should just kill him. Fast-talking Tyrion manages to get Jorah a reprieve with tales of his daring-do. The traders have heard that Dany is reopening the fighting pits of Meereen, so Jorah volunteers to be a gladiator. It seems the road to Meereen is their destiny.

Meanwhile Baelish (Aidan Gillen) has made it to King’s Landing. His first encounter is with weird cousin Lancel (Eugene Simon). Of course Littlefinger manages to antagonize the Sparrows, but not before discovering what the Faith Militant was up to while he was away. “Step carefully Lord Baelish,” says Brother Lancel. “You’ll find there’s little tolerance for flesh peddlers in the new King’s Landing.”

“We both peddle fantasies,” counters Baelish. “Mine just happen to be entertaining.” Oh snap!

Anyway, it’s Cersei he’s come to see. Discussing the arrest of Ser Loras Tyrell (Finn Jones), Cersei tries to sell the idea that Loras’ proclivities are an “insult, since he was promised” to her but instead “he chose the company of boys.” Baelish points out that “one’s choice of companion is a curious thing.” He’s obviously hinting at Cersei’s own depravity, you know, that her brother is the father of all of her children. (He didn’t actually say that. He never says anything outright). Cersei pauses but doesn’t blink.

Finally, he gets to the reason that actually brought him to King’s Landing. The slimeball tells Cersei that he’s “heard” that Sansa Stark (Sophie Turner) is alive and at Winterfell and that she’s probably going to marry Ramsey Bolton (Iwan Rheon), as if he had nothing to do with it! He’s riling up Cersei and playing both sides against the middle, as usual. He says he’ll get Robin Arryn to let him take the Knights of the Vale to Winterfell and fight whoever wins the battle between Stannis Baratheon and Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton). His ultimate goal? HE wants to be Warden of the North! (And take Sansa for himself I have no doubt, despite the fact that Cersei wants her head on a pike.)

In Dorne, Trystane Martell (Toby Sebastian) and Myrcella Lannister (Nell Tiger Free), the Romeo and Juliet of The Seven Kingdoms, are canoodling in the gardens of Dorne (which looks like Paradise), and discussing their future, watched by Prince Doran (Alexander Siddig) and his axe-man. (Doran is too reasonable to last long I fear.) Say, Bronn (Jerome Flynn) can sing! Of course, he’s driving Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) batty. They’re dressed in the garb of the Dornish soldiers they killed last week and riding to the city, slipping into the gates unnoticed. They spot our young lovers right away.

Meanwhile Ellaria (Indira Varma) is giving the Sand Snakes (Keisha Castle-Hughes, Jessica Henwick, and Rosabell Laurenti Sellers) a pre-battle pep talk, “unbowed, unbent, unbroken…for Oberyn,” before sending them out to capture Myrcella. Jaime and Bronn at least get to her first. (Like a good father, he sizes up his “niece’s” suitor.) Uh oh, too late, The Snakes have arrived to the party.

Jaime and Bronn have to battle three “girls” armed to the teeth and very, very skillful. Not too subtle these Sand Snakes. They pick a fight in broad daylight in what looks to be the town square, and right under the Prince’s nose. One of them (it’s nearly impossible to tell them apart) grabs Myrcella and tries to flee before Doran’s axe-man breaks up the fight.

Her plot foiled, Ellaria is under guard.

Queen Margaery is seen with Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) who has been called back to King’s Landing by the Queen after Ser Loras Tyrell (Finn Jones) was arrested. Despite the fact that they both know Cersei is behind the whole thing, Olenna seems to think they can still make it go away. She goes to see Cersei and they spend a few minutes trading threats and insults and neither of them learn anything they didn’t already know or take any ground from the other.

So Loras is with the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) having to deny his “crimes” – lying through his teeth – about his relationship with Renly Baratheon, among others. The High Sparrow then calls Margaery to “testify”. She, of course, backs up her brother, swearing to the gods that Loras is innocent. In walks Loras’ last lover, whom we know that not only did Loras sleep with him, but Margaery witnessed them together.

Cersei gets to sit there and pretend to be outraged at the proceedings, but of course, the lover knows of a birthmark. This was only a preliminary hearing, but of course, the High Sparrow decides that not only is there enough evidence to hold Loras for trial but Margaery as well, for giving false testimony. While Margaery screams for Tommen to DO SOMETHING, Cersei sneers at Olenna. Cersei wins again. (I thought there was supposed to be some comeuppance this season?! There are only four more episodes. It better happen! *shakes fist*)

Oh crap. Looks like Sansa was right. At Winterfell, Myranda is giving Sansa a pre-wedding bath and warning her about the dangers of “boring” Ramsey, including a list of his past girlfriends and the fates that befell them once he grew tired of them. She asks if Sansa has ever seen a body destroyed by wolves and giggles that “Ramsey let me come with him on that hunt.” (She is nearly as sick and twisted as Ramsey.) Sansa turns around and asks how long Myranda has been in love with Ramsey. That shut her up and Sansa threw her out, every inch the Lady of Winterfell.

Theon comes to escort Sansa to the God’s Wood for her nuptials. Sansa is not having it. When Reek says Ramsey will punish him if she doesn’t come with him, she replies, “Do you think I care what he does to you?” Dark Sansa ROCKS! (The dark is only spiritual now, since the color was rinsed from her hair.)

They do walk together to the wood, which actually looks beautiful. There are lanterns in the trees and snow is on the ground. Then Roose Bolton starts to speak and we realize that this is the wedding and it is happening! And Theon is actually giving her away! This is the grimmest wedding EVER! No one is smiling, especially not the bride. Sansa finally says “I do” (I was so hoping she’d start killing people) and then Ramsey smirks the same smirk he smirked when he started slicing off parts of Theon.

Now we’re in the honeymoon suite. Ramsey is grilling Sansa on why she’s still a virgin. Theon is still in the doorway. Ramsey is cranking up the creep factor and Sansa, who so recently had grown a spine is reduced to a scared whisper. He orders Sansa to take off her clothes and Reek to watch. When she doesn’t move fast enough he rips her dress and proceeds to take the spoils of his wedding night. How much more must Sansa endure?! She needs to smother Ramsey with a pillow in his sleep. No, that’s too good for him. She needs to disembowel him with a spoon. From the look on Reek’s face, he would gladly hold him down for her. (The enemy of my enemy is my friend.) And fade to a very quiet black.

As usual this episode raised more questions than it answered. Since we got no Jon Snow, Stannis, or Dany, I’m assuming we’ll catch up with them next week. The preview for episode 7, “The Gift”, takes us back to the Wall, as well as Winterfell and King’s Landing. See you then, same bat time, same bat channel.

A few memorable lines from Season 5, Episode 6:

“I am Sansa Stark of Winterfell. This is my home and you can’t frighten me.” – Sansa (to Myranda)

“Would you were whole, it would have been a good fight.” – Doran’s axe-man (to Jaime Lannister)

“You fight pretty good for a little girl.” – Jaime Lannister (to Obara Sand)

“If they arrested all the pillow-biters in King’s Landing, there’d be no room in the dungeons for anyone else.” – Olenna Tyrell (to Margaery)

“You’ve known Sansa since she was a girl. Now watch her become a woman.” – Ramsey Bolton (to Theon)

“Have you ever heard baby dragons singing? It’s hard to be a cynic after that.” – Jorah Mormant (to Tyrion)