The Broken Man

Season 6, Episode 7

Below bullet points are a very quick set of comments more or less written up live. Modifications in square brackets [like this].

• Hound's back! No real surprise. If you don't see them die...
• I went into this episode worried for Arya because of her act of kindness last week. I recall a portentous exchange early in the series (probably season 2 or 3) with Arya and the Hound. The Hound said something to the effect that she was kind and her kindness would get her killed someday. Is today the day? [It wasn't, but fuck I thought for a second there...]
• Cersi put in her place by Olenna Tyrell. She raises a good point - where can Cersi go from here? [Next week appears to be the 'I choose violence' episode, so we're about to find out.] I won't be surprised if Cersi gets killed off at some stage, but I very much doubt it will as the direct result of being slowly outmanoeuvred by a religious fanatic
• Lyanna Mormont of Bear Island. That was cool, and this time I can't criticise the show for not thinking to introduce this character far earlier. She's 10. 
• House Stark being reminded of its failings. I mean, Rob was a relatively good person, and the Red Wedding was played as tragic, but it's fair to say Rob made strategic errors and he at least should have prepared better for the possible repercussions. He was ultimately still too much like his father
• Yarra and Theon. I like these two. I put Theon second after Sansa as a character who started out not overly sympathetic but now we care about because of what we witnessed them go through and their development in response to the challenges they faced. [Both of them also had fairly realistic challenges and encounters, in that they didn't involve dragons or white walkers, or visions of destiny or magical intervention. What they went through was basically something a person in our world could have gone through.] Thank goodness that they're doing the sensible thing in reaction to what their asshole uncle did last episode, and heading to Slaver's Bay to try and work with Daenerys first
• [Arya. How did Arya not see that coming? Could you have got a more obvious disguise than a sweet old lady? She must have known that the Waif was after her. This was poorly constructed. It would have worked better if she spent a few moments avoiding every possible candidate for the Waif, only to be attacked by someone even she couldn't foresee, such as the ship captain]
• EDIT 8 June: Okay after discussing this, I realise I'm probably being a dumbass, and it probably isn't poorly constructed, and I fell for a set-up for some twist. Either:...
• The Now You See Me twist: Arya was expecting the Waif to come after her using the old lady mask, used blood pack from the theatre, pretended to walk the street nearly dying. All to lure the Waif into her hiding place where she will kill her with Needle (Waif not realising that Arya's at full capacity). Typing that out, it sounds extraordinarily elaborate and far fetched. Still more believable than Arya falling for 'sweet old lady' disguise
• The Fight Club twist: Arya saw and touched the 'sweet old lady' mask in the House of Black and White and then attacked herself as that mask and something something something. It's all explained in the link. I'm now leaning towards the Fight Club twist but hope I'm wrong as, well, it really is just like Fight Club. 
• [Hound's back one episode and he's already been given cause for revenge. I don't have supernatural powers like Bran, but I see a future involving axe murders.]

Overall, this episode and last episode - which Beyond the Thrones noted didn't feature anyone dying -were very much based on development without much pay-off. This is not a bad thing, and perhaps puts paid to my concerns expressed in my last GoT blog.

That said, with three episodes left, pay-off is coming.