SPOILER ALERT: Do not keep reading if you have not seen Season 7 Episode 2 of “Game of Thrones”
This week’s episode of “Game of Thrones” opened at Dragonstone, the new island home base of Daenerys Targaryen. The island is beset by a storm, which Tyrion remarks is not dissimilar from the storm on the night Daenerys was born. She and her advisers plot the best way to take over Westeros with the smallest number of lives lost. But Daenerys is weary of Varys, due to his repeated changes of loyalty throughout his life. But Varys delivers an impassioned speech in his defense, saying he lives to serve poor people, like he once was, and that he has only ever worked for the good of the realm. Daenerys accepts his answer, but promises that if he betrays her, she will burn him alive.
Grey Worm then informs her that Melisandre has arrived to speak with her. Melisandre tells her that the long night is coming and that only the “prince who is promised” can save the world. Missandei informs Daenerys that in the original Valyrian, the word for prince has no gender, so it could mean either prince or princess. Melisandre then tells Daenerys of Jon Snow, and implores her to make an alliance with him. Tyrion vouches for Jon and Daenerys agrees to send a raven summoning him to Dragonstone.
Jon discusses the summons with Sansa and Davos. Sansa is uneasy, saying traveling that far south at this point is dangerous. But Davos points out that fire kills wights, and Daenerys’ dragons could prove very useful.
In King’s Landing, Cersei summons a number of lords to the throne room and tells them Daenerys is coming to conquer Westeros and burn their castles to the ground. Randyll Tarly, Samwell’s father, is among them. Jaime approaches Randyll after the meeting and asks him to be his general in the war to come. Randyll is hesitant, but Jaime promises to make him Warden of the South if he agrees.
At the Citadel, Jorah is examined by Sam and Archmaester Ebrose. Jorah asks how long before his mind is destroyed by the greyscale disease, to which Ebrose tells him six months. Sam asks about Shireen Baratheon and how she was cured of the disease while living at Dragonstone, but Ebrose shuts him down. Jorah is told he will get one more day in Westeros before he is shipped to Valyria to live with the stone men.
In the halls below the Red Keep, Qyburn and Cersei discuss how they will kill Daenerys’ dragons. Qyburn shows her a giant crossbow that his men have been working on, capable of piercing a dragon’s hide.
Back at Dragonstone, Tyrion plots to use the Dornish and Tyrell armies to lay siege to King’s Landing, while the Unsullied will capture the Lannister city of Casterly Rock. Daenerys pulls Olenna aside afterwards, with Olenna telling Daenerys to ignore Tyrion’s advice and instead forge her own path.
Later that night, Missandei visits Grey Worm before he leaves for Casterly Rock. The pair share tender words before he passionately kisses her. They undress each other, with Grey Worm allowing Missandei to see him nude for the first time.
Sam tells Ebrose that there are two recorded cases of greyscale being cured in an advanced case like Jorah’s, but Ebrose says the procedure is too dangerous and is now forbidden. Sam visits Jorah that night, regardless, and offers to treat him. The treatment involves removing all the infected tissue on Jorah’s body. It takes all of Jorah’s strength to keep from screaming.
Arya sits in a pub, where she runs into her old friend Hot Pie. After scarfing down some of his food, Hot Pie tells her that Jon has retaken Winterfell from the Boltons. She immediately rides off upon hearing the news, heading north.
Jon then gets a raven from Sam, telling him that Dragonstone has a mountain worth of dragon glass underneath it. He summons the northern lords and tells them he plans to travel there to speak with her. But Sansa reminds Jon that Daenerys’ father killed their grandfather and uncle years before. Other lords voice their displeasure at partnering with a Targaryen and a Lannister. Jon reminds them that the White Walkers are coming and they will need strong allies if they plan to survive. Before he leaves, he gives control of the North to Sansa, much to Lord Baelish’s delight.
In the crypts beneath Winterfell, Jon stands at the grave of his father. Baelish approaches and says he was sorry that Ned had to die. Jon says he has nothing to say to Baelish, but Baelish reminds him that Jon would be dead without him. He then professes his love for Sansa and Catelyn, prompting Jon to drive Baelish into a wall, telling him that if Baelish touches Sansa, Jon will kill him.
In the wilderness, Arya tends a small fire, but something spooks her horse. She looks around in fear, only to see a pack of wolves surround her. But leading the pack is her direwolf Nymeria, whom was last seen in Season 1 after she released the wolf into the woods to keep from being killed for biting Joffrey. She implores Nymeria to come back to Winterfell with her, but instead Nymeria simply walks off with her pack.
At sea with the Greyjoy fleet, Ellaria and Yara begin to flirt with one another, with Ellaria openly groping Yara in front of Theon. Suddenly, the ship is under attack. Euron has found them and is destroying their fleet. He boards their ship and a fierce battle ensues. Amidst the fighting, Yara sees her fleet in flames. Euron kills two of the Sand Snakes and captures Ellaria before fighting with Yara on deck. He captures Yara and puts a knife to her throat, goading Theon into attacking. Theon shows his cowardice once again, jumping overboard instead of saving his sister.
