‘Game of Thrones’ Season 6, Episode 2 recap

SCREENGRAB from Game of Thrones Season 6: Episode 2 Preview (HBO)

“Home” is indeed a fitting title to capsulize the second episode of the ongoing season. And many characters deserve our “Welcome back!” greetings.

The past episodes saw the crippled Bran Stark fleeing from Winterfell, escaping from the hands of the wildlings, and reaching the north beyond the Wall. His prophetic visions (the greensight) led him to finally meet the Three-eyed Raven who resides in a cave under the Weirwood tree.

The Raven who is actually an old man now begins to teach Bran to hone his greensight, aside from his power to be a warg (a human who can see through the mind of animals).

With the Raven by his side, Bran time-traveled to revisit the past. He saw the younger versions of his father Ned, his uncle Benjen and aunt Lyanna training at the courtyard of Winterfell. He saw Wylis, too, whom he recognized as Hodor.

However, the Raven pulled Bran back to reality, saying that “it’s beautiful beneath the sea, but if you stay too long, you’ll drown.” Bran replied: “I wasn’t drowning, I was home.”

Bran later asked Hodor what happened to him, after discovering that his gigantic friend could talk back then. However, all Hodor could utter was “Hodor.”

Outside the raven’s cave, they met Meera Reed, who seemed to be mourning the death of his brother Jojen. Bran told Meera there is a war coming as the Raven foresaw. Meera deemed the visions as futile before the Child of the Forest asserted that Bran needs her help.

At Castle Black, Alliser Thorne and the other mutineers tried to break into the room where Ser Davos Seaworth and Jon Snow’s friends were holed up.

Refusing to surrender, Ser Davos and company drew their swords, ready to fight the mutineers who at this moment were already smashing the door of the room. However, the activity was stopped short when the wildlings, led by Edd Tollett and Tormund Gianstbane, invaded the Castle Black.

When the giant Wun Weg Wun Dar Wun began to wreak havoc around the place, Alliser’s minions dropped their weapons in surrender. “Traitor!” Alliser told Edd, to which he retorted, “The only traitors here are the ones who shove their knives into their Lord Commander’s heart.”

Edd then directed his allies to journey the mutineers “to the south where they belong.” Tormund, meanwhile, asked a funeral pyre for Jon’s body.

In King’s Landing, Ser Robert Strong crushed a commoner’s head against the wall after hearing him mocking Cersei Lannister. He later stood beside her queen on their way to Myrcella’s funeral when they were blocked by the knights of the Kingsguard as ordered by King Tommen Baratheon. The king wants Cersei to stay at the Red Keep for her safety.

Jaime Lannister and his son King Tommen stood in front of Myrcella’s remains at the Great Sept of Baelor. Jaime told the King to ask for her mother’s forgiveness after keeping her from seeing Myrcella. The High Sparrow arrived and the King demanded to see his wife Queen Margaery.

When the King left, Jaime rebuked the High Sparrow for jailing and humiliating Cersei on the streets. He threatened to kill him when the faith militants surrounded the two. The High Sparrow reminded him of the capability of the Faith of the Seven and its military order to overthrow an empire.

King Tommen apologized to Cersei, telling her he doesn’t want to lose her. He felt guilty over his weakness to protect her loved ones from the religious zealots. He was furious towards the High Sparrow and the way her mother was shamed. He promised to himself that from then on, he would be a strong king.

In Meereen, Greyworm told Tyrion Lannister that no one knows who burned the fleet of the city. As Varys reported, Astapor and Yunkai stopped asking them for aid and the masters had retaken their cities. And outside of Meereen, the whole of Slaver’s Bay returned to the slavers.

Tyrion asked about the dragons, their valued asset. Missandae told him that the two dragons are not eating since Daenerys left. “The dragons do not do well in captivity,” said Tyrion. “How do you know this?” asked Missandei. “That’s what I do. I drink and I know things,” Tyrion quipped.

He expressed his desire to see the dragons, relating to his friends that dragons are intelligent as they would know if he is an enemy or not. He then went to the catacombs where the dragons are confined.

“I am here to help. Don’t eat the help,” he told the dragons Rhaegal and Viserion. When the dragons eventually became comfortable in his presence, he unbuckled the metal collar that bonded the creatures’ necks. As he left the catacomb, he told Varys, “Next time, if I have an idea like that, punch me in the face.”

In Braavos, the Waif attacked Arya again with her stick. When the Waif left, Arya kept whipping the air with her stick when Jaqen H’gar arrived. As a trainee of the Faceless Man, Jacqen tested Arya by asking her name several times. “A girl has no name,” Arya answered repeatedly. When Jaqen got satisfied with her answers, he told Arya to follow him, saying “The girl is not a beggar anymore.”

Roose and Ramsay Bolton were talking about how Sansa and Theon escaped their hunters and hounds. Ramsay said Sansa’s company is headed to Castle Black where Jon Snow rules as the Lord Commander. He proposed raiding the place and killing Jon Snow. However, Roose disagreed, saying they might be getting every house in the north against them. Ramsay said there are enough houses to support them and none can challenge them.

A maester interrupted and told Roose that her wife gave birth to a baby boy. Ramsay congratulated his father, “I look forward to meeting my new brother.” “You will always be my first boy,” Roose said. Ramsay then stabbed his father in the gut but not before he said, “Thank you for saying that. It meant a great deal to me.”

Ramsay told the maester to send a raven to every house bearing the news that Lord Bolton is dead and was poisoned by the enemy. “I prefer being the only child,” he told his stepmother Walda later as she carried her newborn in a chamber. He whistled to his hounds to devour the mother and son.

Somewhere in the snowy woods, Theon told Sansa he is not coming with them (Brienne and Podrick) to the Castle Black. He isn’t ready to face Jon Snow in spite of his betrayal against  the Starks. He said he is coming home to Iron Islands.

At Pyke, Balon Greyjoy and Yara were talking about the Deepwood Motte, their last stronghold in the mainland which was retook by the House Glover. Balon expressed his renewed desire to attack the North, much to her daughter’s dissent.

Balon then stumbled upon his long lost brother Euron Greyjoy in the middle of the bridge that connects two towers. “I am the storm, brother. The first storm and the last, and you’re in my way,” Euron told Balon before pushing him off the bridge to his death.

During Balon’s funeral, Yara vowed to take revenge once she takes the position of her father. However, the Damphair reminded her that the new ruler is yet to be chosen by the Kingsmoot.

Back at the Castle Black, Davos pleaded Melisandre to bring Jon back to life. The red woman doubted herself as she hadn’t resurrected a dead man before. Davos voiced his trust and belief in the priestess, recalling he saw miracles she did before.

With the presence of Davos, Edd and Tormund, Melisandre began wiping the dried blood off Jon’s body. While chanting a prayer, she cut a tuft of hair from his head and beard and threw them in the fire. She then put her two hands on Jon’s torso while muttering her spells.

When the ceremony ended, the group filed out the room. And as if sensing a reanimation of life around him, the direwolf Ghost stirred from his sprawled position.

On the spur of the moment, Jon opened his eyes and gasped for breath. He is alive. Again. RAM

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