Game of Thrones Season 6: “Blood of My Blood” Review

SPOILER WARNING: If you have not watched Game of Thrones Season 6, Episode 6: “Blood of My Blood,” do not read on.

“Blood of My Blood” is a much needed breather in a season that’s been a blaze so far; we see more of Bran’s vision-state, more of the past, and the High Sparrow now has control of King’s Landing.

All seems lost as Meera pulls Bran through the wintry trees, the Wights close in behind them. She apologies to the boy when he wakes,“they’ve found us” he says. She cries, hugging him close as to prepare for the end. Luckily, a masked saviour rides in and fights off the dead with flaming steel and they quickly escape.  “The dead don’t rest,” says the mysterious rider, who is later revealed to be Bran’s long lost uncle, Benjen Stark, resurrected from the dead  — and living dead, before he could become a White Walker controlled Wight — by the Children of the Forest.

Benjen claims he was called upon by the Three-Eyed Raven who “lives again”, which alludes to Bran being the new Raven. It will be interesting to see how Bran harnesses these powers and if he will be able to stop the Night’s King from entering the realms of men.

Bran’s still a beginner, but he’s able to interact with the vision-world in ways the Three-Eyed Raven said was impossible. We witnessed this first when a young Eddard Stark heard Bran call to him in a vision, and later, last week, when we learned about Hodor’s devastating reveal. It appears Bran is even more powerful than the original Greenseer.

However, Bran’s time in the vision-world is still a volatile mix of danger and sordid memories. The Night King appears frequently; we see the Mad King, Aerys II, moments before his death, green fire swarming: “burn them all!” he yells, his famous last words according to the Kingslayer himself. It’s unclear if the Night’s King is still able to follow Bran, but the Others are a few steps away from entering Westeros. And with Daenerys stuck in the Dothraki sea, Bran may be all that’s standing in their way.

The Starks are finally coming together and realizing their place in this story after years of tragedy. It’s cathartic to see them rise up and regroup as a family. Arya decides to spare her the talented Lady Crane’s life, and rejects the Faceless Men of Braavos. Another member of House Stark realizes her destiny, although she will now have to fend off the Faceless Men, as Jaqen and the Waif want her dead.

Sam, Gilly and Little Sam reach Horn Hill. His mother, Lady Tarly, is pleasant enough, but Lord Tarly is extremely cruel to his son and his new family. He agrees to let Little Sam and Gilly stay at Horn Hill under certain circumstances, but continues to shun Sam, demanding that he leave the next day. Sam, realizing his family must stay together, decides to bring Gilly and her baby with him.

The biggest event this week was Jaime’s confrontation with the High Sparrow. At the Great Sept, Queen Margaery’s planned Walk of Atonement is interrupted by Mace Tyrell’s army.  Jaime triumphantly rides up the Great Sept stairs and demands that Queen and Loras Tyrell be released. The High Sparrow claims Margaery has already atoned for her sins, and reveals that she convinced King Tommen to join the High Sparrow, unifying faith and crown. Jaime, Olena and Mace Tyrell look on in horror as the common folk cheer for Tommen and the High Sparrow’s control of King’s Landing. Cersei’s plans for revenge are further thwarted as Tommen forces Jaime to leave the city and aid the venomous Walder Frey in taking back Riverrun.

This leaves Cersei alone in King’s Landing, an outsider surrounded by a cult of murderous extremists. She goes to trial soon, planning to send her last protector, the zombified Mountain into combat.

Indeed a simmering, slow-burning episode that introduced some forgotten characters, and set the wheels in motion for what will surely be an explosive end to the best season of Thrones yet.