Plot

Bran and Meera find a new ally. Gilly meets Sam's family. Arya makes a difficult choice. The Lannisters and Tyrells march against the High Sparrow.

The white walkers reach Meera and Bran but they are saved in the last minute by a mysterious black rider who turns out to be Benjen Stark. Sam and Gilly arrive at Horn Hill, where Sam introduces Gilly and Crastor's son to his family. Defending Sam, Gilly confesses that she is a wildling, which is appalling to Randyll. Nevertheless, Randyll accepts the baby into his home. However, Sam changes his mind in the last moment and decides to take Gilly, the baby as well as the Valyrian sword of his father with him and leave his home for good. King Tommen is allowed to see Queen Margery. Instead of killing the actress playing Cersei by poisoning her, Arya recovers her Needle and makes different plans. Jaime and the Tyrell army march into King's Landing, trying to stop Margery's planned walk of shame but the High Sparrow already thought this event through, making sure he will succeed in the end by manipulating King Tommen to take his side. As a result, Tommen fires his father from his job as lord commander of Kingsguard. Daenerys reunites herself with Drogon.—Andreea D

Beyond the Wall, Bran and Meera are rescued from a wight attack by a mysterious stranger. Gilly and Sam go to Horn Hill and are welcomed by his mother and sister. However when they are having dinner, his father Randyll discovers that Gilly is a Wildling and insults the couple. Tommen meets the High Sparrow that allows him to visit Margaery and she confesses that she repented her sins. Out of the blue, Jaime commands the Tyrell army through King's Landing to release Margaery and Loras, but he is surprised by the revelation of an alliance of the Faith and the Crown. In Braavos, Arya meets Lady Crane and they have a conversation about acting. Then Arya saves the actress from poisoning. However Waif witnesses her behavior and reports to Jaqen that asks her to kill Arya. Meanwhile Arya retrieves the Needle from the hidden place on the rocks and brings it to her room. Daenerys and Daario have a conversation about the number of ships she needs to cross the Narrow Sea with her army. Then she leaves him and returns riding Drogon.—Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Having escaped the cave, Bran is immersed in the Three-Eyed Raven's transferred visions, urged to take his place before the ultimate battle which will also decide their kind's fate. In the forest, the wights attack his party, but a mystery man on horseback saves them. At stately Horn Hill, Sam is welcomed warmly by his mother with Crastor's son 'little Sam', whom Sam wants to leave there with Gilly while he is on mission to become a Maester, but his father Randyll, who dotes his hunter brother, scolds Sam a cowardly bookworm and rejects Gilly as he finds out over dinner she's a Wildling. That night, Sam takes House Tarly's ancestral Valyrian steel sword Heartsbane, and leaves with his family. Jaime and the foolish vindictive guard commander attempt to rescue Margaery from the Faith Militant and Loras from the dungeon, only to find she has repented and see Tommen forge a holy alliance with the High Sparrow. King Tommen dismisses Jaime from the King's Guard and orders him to lead an army from King's Landing to help Walder Frey, who holds Edmure Tully hostage, to retake Riverrun from Brynden Tully. Arya saves star actress Crane from her planned poison assassination and retrieves Needle. Jaqen H'ghar allows the Waif, who spied on them, to find and kill Arya. Uncle Benjen Stark, who saved Brandon and Meera, says he was turned by the White Walkers but un-turned by the Children using Dragonglass. Daenerys mounts Drogon to give a rousing speech inspiring the Dothraki to cross the Narrow Sea and conquer Westeros, despite having no clue how to find a fleet.—KGF Vissers

Meera escapes the cave with Bran, who is immersed in the Three-Eyed Raven's transferred visions. In the forest, the wights attack, but a man on horseback saves them. At Horn Hill, Sam's father, Randyll, demeans him as a soft bookworm and insults Gilly for being a Wildling. That night, Sam takes House Tarly's ancestral Valyrian steel sword, Heartsbane, and leaves with Gilly and Little Sam. Arya warns Lady Crane of her planned assassination, then retrieves Needle. H'ghar allows the Waif to find and kill Arya. Jaime attempts to rescue Margaery from the Faith Militant, only to find she has repented and Tommen has forged an alliance with the Faith. Tommen forbids Jaime to serve as a King's Guard in King's Landing and orders him to aid Walder Frey, who is holding Edmure Tully hostage, to retake Riverrun from Brynden Tully. Benjen Stark, the man who saved Meera and Brandon, says he was turned by the White Walkers but later unturned by the Children using Dragonglass. Daenerys mounts Drogon and gives a rousing speech inspiring the Dothraki to cross the Narrow Sea and conquer Westeros for her.

Bran and Meera continue to flee the wights. Bran, still in his visions, has visions of events past and future, including Jaime Lannister killing King Aerys Targaryen, the Night King's attack on the wildling settlement Hardhome, a dragon flying over the Red Keep, and wildfire exploding beneath King's Landing. As the wights close in, a rider appears and pulls Meera and Bran onto his horse, allowing them to escape.

Bran awakens to find the rider is his uncle, Benjen Stark, who had gone missing beyond the Wall. Benjen explains that he was stabbed by a White Walker during a ranging, but was saved by the Children of the Forest. He tells Bran that he is now the Three-Eyed Raven, and that he must learn to control his abilities and be "ready" before the Night King comes south.

The High Sparrow, along with Tommen, prepares for Margaery's walk of atonement. The High Sparrow allows Tommen to visit his wife, where he discovers that Margaery has become a devout follower of the Faith of the Seven and repented for her sins.

Jaime and Mace Tyrell lead the Tyrell soldiers to the Great Sept of Baelor, where the High Sparrow is presenting Margaery to the people of King's Landing. Jaime orders the High Sparrow to release Margaery and Loras, threatening force against the Faith Militant. The High Sparrow declares that Margaery will not have to perform a walk of atonement, and instead presents Tommen, who announces that he has agreed to unite the Faith and the Crown. When Mace asks Olenna what this means, she bitterly replies it means the High Sparrow has won.

Tommen relieves Jaime from the Kingsguard as punishment for taking up arms against the Faith, to Jaime's dismay. Jaime is instead given orders to oust the Blackfish from Riverrun. Cersei counsels him to use the campaign to show their force to their enemies. Cersei expresses no concern about her upcoming trial, as it will be a trial by combat and she has chosen the Mountain as her champion. Cersei and Jaime then passionately kiss.

Lord Walder Frey receives word that House Tully's former seat Riverrun has been retaken by Brynden "Blackfish" Tully. Walder orders his son Lothar Frey and Black Walder Rivers to recapture the castle. He brings in Edmure Tully, held as a prisoner since the Red Wedding, and declares that they will use him to retake Riverrun.

Samwell, Gilly, and Little Sam arrive at Horn Hill, the seat of House Tarly. Sam warns Gilly not to mention that she is a Wildling, due to his father Randyll's hatred of Wildlings. At dinner, Randyll insults Sam. Gilly defends Sam, but in doing so accidentally reveals her Wildling heritage. Disgusted, Randyll tells Sam that Gilly and Little Sam can remain at Horn Hill, but that he must never set foot in Horn Hill again. Sam bids farewell to Gilly, but then changes his mind and decides to bring her and Little Sam with him to the Citadel. As they leave, Sam takes House Tarly's ancestral Valyrian steel sword, Heartsbane, as well.

Arya returns to watch the play featuring Lady Crane. She sneaks backstage during the last act and poisons Lady Crane's rum. As she attempts to leave, Lady Crane stops her, and they discuss acting and Lady Crane's early life. Arya stops her from drinking her rum, and warns her that her rival Bianca wants her dead. The scene is witnessed by the Waif, who returns to tell Jaqen of Arya's failure. Jaqen gives the Waif permission to kill Arya. Meanwhile, Arya retrieves her sword, Needle, from the rocks where she had hidden it and goes into hiding.

While riding, Daenerys notices an unusual gust of wind and rides out alone to investigate. As Daario, impatient, prepares to follow her, Drogon flies over the khalasar, having grown much larger, with Daenerys riding on his back. Daenerys lands nearby and rallies the Dothraki by stating that she chooses them all to be her bloodriders, rather than the traditional three chosen by khals. She then asks if they will cross the Narrow Sea with her and help her retake the Seven Kingdoms and they shout their agreements, while Drogon roars.