Mixed feelings about this episode, and I'm sure I'm not alone.
First up was Arya's story. Sorry, no, all of our conspiracy theories were wrong. Arya really was that careless. Waif really was that much of a fail assassin. Actually, back that up. Arya's stab wounds were fatal, given the state of medicine available to her. Waif put the dagger in to the hilt, and Arya is thin. We're talking about multiple liver lacerations and bowel perforations. Worst case scenario, dead in minutes to hours. Best case scenario, dead in a few days. This bothered me so much it overshadowed an actually very good action sequence, the chase through the streets of Bravos. Oh, and then we get nothing of the final fight. Although, to be fair, if they're fighting in the dark, we would only hear it, wouldn't we? That might have been an interesting way to play it. Anyway, I guess the waif should have taken a few more credits in blindfighting during her Faceless Man training. She gets her ass (and face) handed to her.
Riverrun -- good and bad here. Edmure telling Jamie off was gold, but in the end he capitulates. Strange that he feels so attached to the baby and wife he never/hardly met (never mind how it would go over with Walder Frey if Jaime insulted him by killing a relative). I also wasn't totally buying the Tully soldiers immediately submitting to Edmure and turning on the Blackfish so quickly -- throwing off a senior, well respected military commander for a guy widely known as a joke -- in the end Blackfish was left to die alone and we didn't even get to see him go out with a bang.
My feelings for the Blackfish aside, what did we get from this Riverrun detour? A meet up of Brienne and Jamie that didn't do much, except Brienne gets a pat on the back for completing her mission and official confirmation that she can keep her sword.
Mereen - less said the better. Tyrion's drinking with Grey Worm and Miss was painful -- he's had so little to do season, and if he's still applying to be Dany's advisor in Westeros, he's going to have an unpleasant performance review coming up. And again, Drogon is just Essos' fanciest Uber, shuttling Dany around but never hanging around to help by, you know, being a dragon and torching those ships in the bay.
On the other hand, Sandor Clegane was on fire (not literally -- he wouldn't let that happen). Great action, great banter. Loved seeing the Brotherhood without Banners is actually still a force for good and Thoros and Beric are still alive. Beric is one of my favorite minor characters in the books and I like how he is portrayed in the shows, so I'm not too heartbroken about there not being a Lady Stoneheart, although I guess anything still possible.
Last thought -- wonder if Jaime's baby catapult idea was inspired by the historical story of William Marshall? Read about it here.
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