Game of Thrones Episode 602 Recap at ComingSoon.net

Bran and the Three-Eyed Raven take a visit to the past, when his father was a boy. He watches Ned and Benjen practice their combat skills on one another, and Lyanna rides in on a horse. “Dad never talked about her,” Bran muses. Lyanna hands her reins to Wylis, the real name of Hodor – and he talks! The Raven pulls Bran out of the vision, much to Bran’s chagrin. Bran excitedly tells Hodor what he saw, and asks what happened to him. He can only answer “hodor.”

Outside, Bran finds Meera and warns her it isn’t safe outside: the Three-Eyed Raven says war is coming. Meera reminds him he can’t fight it from inside the cave, and Hodor takes him back inside. Leaf, a “child of the forest” is there, and tells Meera that Bran will need her.

At Castle Black, Alliser has given Davos all the time he is going to get. Davos draws his sword; his men do the same, and wait while Alliser and his men chop down the door. They get about as far as “Heeere’s Johnny” (from The Shining) before banging at the gates draws them away. The wildlings storm the gate, led by Wun Wun the giant and Tormund. Alliser demands that his men fight, but they are all frightened by the giant. One man shoots him with an arrow, which does little more than annoy Wun Wun. He grabs the man, flings him against the wall like a rag doll, and tosses him to the ground. Everyone drops their weapons, and Edd demands Alliser and his men be locked in cells. Tormund pays his respects to Jon, and goes out to gather wood for a funeral pyre.

In King’s Landing, a peasant takes great joy in bragging about how he humiliated Cersei during her walk of shame. While pissing in an alley, the Mountain comes up behind him and smashes his head against the wall. The Mountain returns to Cersei, splattered in blood. They walk downstairs and are met by guards, who won’t let her pass. Tommen wants her to remain in the Red Keep, for her protection. She wants to pay her respects to her daughter, but the guards seem ready to kill Cersei to keep her in the keep. Defeated, Cersei and the Mountain return to her quarters.

Tommen and Jaime pay their respects to Myrcella. Tommen suspects Cersei was behind Trystane’s murder, but he admits that the real reason he hasn’t visited his mother and won’t allow her out of the keep is because he is embarrassed. He didn’t do anything when his mother and his wife were seized. Jaime convinces Tommen to go visit his mother and make amends. He leaves before High Sparrow enters to pay his respects to Myrcella. He defends Margaery’s imprisonment over Cersei’s freedom because Cersei “sought mercy and atoned for her sins.” Jaime asks about his sins. “What atonement do I deserve?” He doesn’t mention the incest, but does bring up all the people he has killed. Jaime grips his sword, and High Sparrow eggs him on. “I deserve it; we all do.” The place fills with Faith Militant, and though Jaime has faced “worst odds,” he allows High Sparrow to leave.

Tommen visits Cersei, who is initially cold towards her only living child. Tommen apologizes for keeping her locked up, but he didn’t want to lose her again. He admits he should have had the Faith Militant executed. “You raised me to be strong. I wasn’t, but I want to be. Help me,” he begs his mother. Of course she will.

In Meereen, Tyrion drinks and spars verbally with Varys. He wonders about the dragons, and Missandei says they have stopped eating since Daenerys left. Tyrion knows why – dragons don’t do well in captivity. He believes they should be unchained, and he is the one to do it.

Armed with torches, Tyrion and Varys head into the dragon cave. Only Tyrion ventures down the steep steps and sees the dragons hiding in the shadows. They are too weak to spit fire, so they just growl and hiss. Tyrion assures them he is friends with their mom (which is exactly what strangers tell kids to get them to go with them – or so I was taught) and is here to help them. He sets down the torch and moves slowly towards them, telling them a story about how he asked for a dragon when he was a child. He pets one of the dragons, and when it doesn’t eat him, he slips the harness off him. He does the same to the other. The dragons circle each other, and Tyrion returns safely to the door. “Next time I have an idea like that, punch me in the face,” he tells Varys.

In Braavos, Arya is again greeted by the Waif, who beats her up. Arya fights mightily, but misses the girl at every turn. Then she is gone. Jaqen H’ghar shows up and questions her about who she is. “A girl has no name,” is her response. She answers correctly, and Jaqen leads her back to the temple. She is not a beggar anymore, and he hints that she may even get her vision back.

Harald Karstark reports back to the Boltons that his men have all been killed, and he suspects Sansa is heading north to seek sanctuary with her brother at the Night’s Watch. Ramsay suggests they storm Castle Black and kill Jon Snow (too late) which Roose laughs at. Maester Wolkan interrupts to bring news that Lady Walda has given birth – to a healthy baby boy. Ramsay tries to hide his nausea by hugging his father. “You will always be my first born,” Roose assures him. Too little, too late: Ramsay stabs his father dead. The others in the room just stare. Ramsay instructs Wolkan to send out announcements that Roose was poisoned by his enemies, and sends for Walda and the baby.

Walda and the baby greet Ramsay outside. Ramsay asks to hold him, and she hands the baby over – a bit hesitantly. I fully expect him to rip the baby in half, but he just looks at the baby and hands him back. Walda has to go; she says Lord Bolton sent for them. Ramsay leads her away, promising to take her to Lord Bolton. He takes her to the kennels, locks the gate, and without a word, opens each and every dog cage. Then he reveals to Walda that he is now Lord Bolton. Walda begs him to let them leave Winterfell, playing on Ramsay’s emotions. She just doesn’t take into consideration that Ramsay doesn’t have any emotions. He whistles, and the dogs tear Walda and the baby to pieces.

Brienne tells Sansa about the last time she saw Arya, which brings a smile to Sansa’s face. Sansa admits she should have gone with Brienne when she had the first chance, but Brienne doesn’t take offense. Sansa checks in with Theon, who doesn’t believe that Jon will protect him, even after Sansa explains what happened. Sansa has forgiven Theon, but Theon doesn’t want to be forgiven; he wants to make amends. He would have died to get her to the wall, but since she has Brienne now, he is going home.

In Pyke, Yara insists that she will never stop trying to find her brother Theon. Her father, Balon, instructs her to obey or he will “make another heir who will.” He goes outside, crossing a rickety rope bridge in a downpour. A man in a cloak blocks his way, and reveals himself to be Euron, Balon’s younger brother, there to claim the throne. Balon heard he lost his mind; “what kind of an Ironborn loses his mind in a storm?” Euron responds, “I am the storm.” Balon attacks, but it is useless. Euron Kylo Rens him over the bridge to his death. At Balon’s funeral, Yara vows to avenge her father’s death, and points out her uncle Aeron that her father would have wanted her to rule. He reminds her that she must be voted to the throne. “Perhaps you will be the first woman to rule the Iron Throne. Perhaps not.” By his tone, it seems clear that Aeron will do everything to make sure that it is “perhaps not.”

Back at Castle Black, Davos visits a sad Melisandre. He is nervous, but finally comes out and asks her if she can bring Jon Snow back from the dead. There are some with this power, Melisandre admits carefully. She doesn’t know how, and doesn’t believe it should be possible. Melisandre admits that she is shattered by the great victory she saw (or thought she saw) in the flames. It was all a lie. Davos persists a little more, and Melisandre agrees to try.

In his chambers, Melisandre cleans Jon’s body, then clips off his hair and beard, tossing the hairs into the fire. She washes his hair and chants constantly. Her chanting becomes more fervent, and she sighs before murmuring, “please.” Nothing. Tormund leaves in disgust, followed by Melisandre. Edd leaves next. Davos waits the longest, but even he gives up and leaves. Ghost sleeps peacefully beneath his master. Suddenly the wolf wakes up – and Jon springs to life.

You can watch previews for the next episode, titled “Oathbreaker,” by clicking here.