[Re-Watch Project 6x06] Blood of My Blood - Discussion

One of my favorite passages in ASOIAF is Bran's Dream from AGOT.  In the opening of this episode, we see so many different images from Bran's visions, racing across locale and across time, and it's the image of that cold wasteland that reminds me of that dream. We also see, twice, Bran watching his fall from the Broken Tower (as he felt himself falling during his dream).  It also makes me think that he will in time remember all of the circumstances occasioning his fall.  Wonder how/if that will impact his interaction with Jaime or Cersei at some point.

As much as I've yearned for Coldhands to show up, and for Benjen, this segment fell a bit flat with me, I'm not sure why.  I wasn't crazy about the blood Benjen gave Bran to drink, though I guess that took the place of the Jojen paste.  I think I expected that there would have been more of a 'reunion/long lost uncle' quality in his reveal to Bran and I would've liked for him to stick around a little longer.  Interesting, though, that the dragon glass plunge into the heart that created the WWs in the first place could also act as a sort of 'anecdote' for Benjen.  Might just be a handy little piece of information to have going forward. 

Couldn't believe how massive Horn Hill was. Randyll sure lived up to his cruel, machiavellian-ish reputation. Loved the family dinner table scene and how Gilly stood up for Sam (and that we could almost see Sam trying to shrink into his chair when Gilly slipped and said they were north of the Wall).  Loved how Sam's mother and sister welcomed Gilly - and so funny when Talla asked Gilly what "her color" was (and when Gilly emerged, she was wearing brown).  The part I really loved was after the dinner scene when Gilly said the reason she was angry was that "horrible people can treat good people that way and get away with it".  What a treasure that Gilly Flower is.  But, yay, Sam got Heartsbane!

I love the storyline of Arya and Lady Crane.  Arya is so strongly Arya that she'll never be no one.  

One of my favorite parts of this episode is seeing Mace Tyrell prance about in his helmet of gigantic plumes!  I love Mace, and love Olenna and Mace interacting.

Magnificent ending - Dragon is good, but Dany making every Dothraki her blood rider and the way she gets them psyched for what's ahead is just fantastic.

I have no idea if I'll have time to watch this tomorrow but I'll try. Work is crazy at the moment and I promised to spend the night with my grandma on saturday as she's moving to a new place.

Did not realize that music was once Robert's theme, but it was great - thanks for that.  I didn't pay that much attention to the music for a long time, but there was a Game of Thrones concert here this spring which featured all of Ramin Djawadi's music performed by an 80 piece orchestra conducted by Djawadi himself.  The best part of it was the group of players that travelled with him who played exotic instruments from all over the world.  Huge screens playing scenes from the shows which fit the music he played.  It was fantastic!

This is a really great episode. It's hard to outshine some of the previous ones (and ones to come) so this episode tends to sit in the middle for a lot of fans though in any other season it would have been in the top 5 best I'm sure.

One curious thing I don't remember from the first time around is now Benjen said The Three Eyed Raven sent him and when Meera points out he's dead, Benjen says "now he lives again" and gives Bran the cup of rabbit's blood. Most people don't do a lot of thinking on that cup of blood but I've read some seriously deep theories on it too.

Like most blood sacrifices or blood magic, death and life (or the transference of either) seems to be a running theme in this story. Was "Bloodraven" literally being transferred to Bran physically somehow by Benjen? Benjen was saved by The Children of the Forest, so we have to assume he's been around The Three Eyed Raven too and knows what's going on with them and their magic, right?



Definitely a curious mystery there yet to be unraveled and I think we'll find out a bit more in Season 7 what's going on with Bran!

The Tarly dinner was definitely another great example of dysfunctional Westerosi family ties, eh?

I loved feisty Gilly standing up to that evil twat Randyll Tarly. You go girl!



The best thing about the King's Landing High Sparrow power play scene was Mace Tyrell's magnificent armor and plumage!




And last but certainly not least ... introduce Drogon's shadow flying over the Dothraki Khalasar with Dany's theme playing and I'm instantly welling up in tears. Does it to me Every. Single. Time.

Damn that little Targaryen Queen can sure belt out a lot of awesome Dothraki motivational words from dragon-back.

Absolutely Majestic.