The Dragon and the Wolf
Game of Thrones | Season 7 | Episode 7

The Dragon and the Wolf

TV-MA | 1 HR 20 MIN

Written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss

Directed by Jeremy Podeswa

From the battlements at King's Landing, Jaime and Bronn survey the formation of Unsullied and Dothraki outside the city walls. Tyrion, Jon, and the rest of Dany's supporters sail to the capital on Daenerys' flagship; below deck, the Hound inspects the locked crate containing the captured wight.

Bronn arrives with Brienne and Podrick to escort Daenerys' assembly to the meeting site, the abandoned Targaryen dragonpit. Pod, Tyrion and Bronn use the walk to reconnect. Brienne falls in step with the Hound and informs him Arya is alive and safe at Winterfell. The guests collectively enter the pit, and take their sides.

Cersei enters the arena with her entourage. The Hound immediately recognizes his brother. All eyes remain on the queen as she heads to her seat, throwing Tyrion a look of complete hatred on her way. Cersei asks impatiently after Daenerys as the sound of wings grows louder. Daenerys makes her entrance astride Drogon; Rhaegal circles in the air. All parties present, Tyrion begins but is interrupted by Euron's taunting. Cersei quiets the Ironborn king, and Tyrion continues: They will never see eye to eye, but on one point they must. Jon lays out the situation, "There is only one war that matters: the Great War. And it is here." To emphasize the seriousness of the problem, the Hound unlatches the crate.

The wight springs forward, heading straight for Cersei. The queen recoils, as the Hound jerks the wight back on its chain. He slices the creature in two. Qyburn, fascinated, picks up the wight's still-moving arm. Jon demonstrates how fire and dragonglass can stop the wights. Confirming the creatures can't swim, Euron announces he plans to sail to the Iron Islands and wait out the war, and suggests Daenerys do the same: "When winter's over, we'll be the only ones left alive," he says and exits.

Denouncing Euron's cowardice, Cersei accepts the offer of a truce, on one condition: Jon Snow must promise not to choose sides. Honest to a fault, Jon shocks everyone by confessing he has already pledged himself to House Targaryen. "Then there is nothing left to discuss," remarks Cersei, leaving. Brienne stops Jaime on the way out, advising him to forget loyalty and convince his sister to change her mind.

Tyrion and Daenerys are grateful for Jon's pledge, but everyone agrees his decision not to lie caused more harm than good. With only one option left, Tyrion heads to speak to Cersei. Jaime waits outside as his little brother enters the queen's office. Cersei and Tyrion discuss all there is between them: their father's murder and how his death exposed the family; Tyrion's sorrow for Myrcella and Tommen. The queen refuses to acknowledge Tyrion's grief, and won't accept her brother isn't out to destroy the family. Exasperated, Tyrion suggests Cersei just end him there, but she does not. As she speaks of the Northern threat, Tyrion notices Cersei's subtle gestures over her stomach and realizes she's pregnant.

As they wait for Tyrion to finish with Cersei, Dany looks over the dragonpit, and discusses her family history with Jon. She tells him about the witch's prophecy that she will have no children, and he teases her about this "reliable source of information." The levity ends when Tyrion returns ... followed by Cersei and her Queensguard. The Queen of the Seven Kingdoms declares the Lannister armies will march alongside the rest and fight the Great War.

Studying the Dragonstone map, Jon, Daenerys and company determine their plans to head north. Daenerys decides to sail with Jon to send a clear message of alliance to the Northerners. The meeting over, Theon catches up with Jon in the audience chamber. Theon confesses he has always wanted to do the right thing, but felt trapped in his allegiance to both the Starks and the Greyjoys. Feeling sympathy despite his anger, Jon tells Theon he doesn't need to choose. Theon realizes he has to try to rescue the one person who once tried to rescue him: Yara.

Theon tells the remaining Ironborn they are going after his sister. Harrag -- the Ironborn who voiced his disgust at Theon's decision to flee from Euron's attack -- confronts him in a brutal fight, but Theon gets back up each time he's knocked down. Finally, Theon tackles the large man to the ground and beats him senseless. The Ironborn follow their prince to the sea.

Cersei calls Jaime away from the Lannister generals to reveal her commitment to fight in the north was a lie. Jaime is shocked, and tries to rationalize with her -- even if they wait out the Great War they cannot beat Daenerys and her dragons. Cersei points out one dragon was missing from Daenerys' display, and so the beasts must be vulnerable. Furthermore, they have the Iron Bank on their side. She reveals Euron's exit from the meeting was a ploy; he is sailing for Essos to collect the Golden Company whom she has hired as mercenaries. Incensed by her duplicity, Jaime tells his sister he plans to keep his pledge. He dares the woman he loves to order him killed as he walks away.

No longer in his Lannister armor, Jaime rides a horse northward as snow begins to fall across King's Landing.

A lone raven struggles through the blizzard and heads towards Winterfell. Inside Jon's office, Sansa discusses the new scroll with Littlefinger -- Jon has bent the knee to Daenerys Targaryen. Littlefinger points out both rulers are young and unmarried, and an alliance would make sense. "He was named King in the North. He can be unnamed," he suggests. Sansa argues Arya, now a trained assassin, would never agree. Littlefinger suggests she play a little game: assume the worse when assessing a person's motives. He slowly coaxes Sansa to conclude Arya may have set her sights on becoming Lady of Winterfell.

Sansa has Arya brought to the Great Hall. Bran sits beside his oldest sister at the high table, while Lord Royce, the Knights of the Vale, and Stark soldiers line the room. Littlefinger watches the proceedings leaning against a wall. Sansa declares the charges are of murder and treason, then turns to Lord Baelish to answer the accusations. Littlefinger, caught off guard, struggles to defend himself. Sansa rattles off his crimes -- the murder of Lysa Arryn, conspiring to murder Jon Arryn, betraying Ned Stark, and initiating the conflict between the Starks and the Lannisters. Littlefinger denies it, until Bran recalls the exact words Littlefinger said as he held a knife to Ned's neck: "I did warn you not to trust me." Sansa thanks Littlefinger for the lessons he has taught her, and Arya steps forward to slits his throat with her Valyrian dagger.

The storm having passed, Arya and Sansa stand on the Winterfell battlements, remembering their father together.

Sam and his family arrive at Winterfell. Sam approaches Bran who tells him he is now the Three-Eyed Raven and can see everything. Bran shares Jon must be told he is not a Snow, but a Sand -- the bastard child of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. Sam, realizing that isn't correct, reveals the contents of Septon Maynard's diaries: Rhaegar's marriage to Elia Martell was annulled, the septon married Lyanna and the Targaryen prince in secret. Using his sight, Bran watches the wedding, and realizes the two were in love; the rebellion was built on a lie. He returns to Jon's birth at the Tower of Joy and listens as Lyanna whispers to Ned the name of her son, "Aegon Targaryen."

As Daenerys' flagship sails north, Jon knocks and enters Dany's chambers. The pair make love. From the hallway, Tyrion sees the door close before returning to his own room.

A horn blasts three times. Emerging from the frozen forest, the Army of the Dead arrives at Eastwatch. Tormund and Beric watch in horror as the Night King, riding Viserion, uses the dragon to blast blue fire at the icy Wall. Pieces of the Wall begin to collapse, as Tormund and his wildings rush to safety. The ice dragon continues until a breach opens, wide enough for the massive army to walk through into the realms of men.

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