History Recap / GameOfThronesS5E2TheHouseOfBlackAndWhite

* AdaptationalAttractiveness: Lollys Stokeworth is thinner, though still rather plain.
* AdaptationalVillainy: Novel!Ellaria would never have dreamed of killing Myrcella to MakeAnExampleOfThem.

* ContinuitySnarl: Arya suddenly doesn't have Ilyn Payne in her revenge list anymore, due to the actor not being able to work on the show at present.[[note]]Wilko Johnson, who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, is happily now cancer free after an epic 11-hour operation, but is still recovering. He has expressed a hope that one day he'll be able to return to the show.[[/note]] She's also left off Melisandre for unexplained reasons.

** Littlefinger keeps his cool when Brienne identifies Sansa and swears her protection. He instead bringing up Brienne's role as a FailureKnight.

At '''The Wall''', Princess Shireen teaches Gilly her alphabet in the library, while Sam researches the history of past Lord Commanders. Shireen and Gilly open up to each other and talk about Shireen's greyscale and Gilly's sisters, who were also afflicted with the wasting disease. Queen Selyse interrupts them and orders them to leave, before warning Shireen to stay away from Gilly as she's a wildling, and that the wildlings could strike at Stannis by striking at Shireen. Jon and Stannis discuss the free folk and who they would follow now that Mance is dead, and Stannis shows Jon a reply from Lyanna Mormont, the ten year old Lady of Bear Island, after asking her to commit her house to his cause. The message reads: ''"Bear Island knows no king but the King in the North, whose name is Stark."'' They then discuss the upcoming election for Lord Commander, and Stannis, knowing that Ser Alliser is likely to win and will make Jon's life even more of a hell on earth than it already is, offers to legitimize Jon and raise him to true-born status and eventually Lord of Winterfell, joining with him to crush the Boltons, just as Stannis' brother and Jon's father were allied years ago. Sam and Jon discuss this offer, and Sam says that Jon deserves it. Jon tells him that he will refuse the king, as his oath to his brothers is sacrosanct and a disavowal would reflect badly on his ability as a lord. [[HonorBeforeReason He is Ned's son through and through it would seem.]]

** Played with, when Jon declines Stannis's offer to legitimize him as Jon Stark and release him from his vows to the Night's Watch. Jon directly explains to Sam, however, that it isn't just for honor that he declined but more pragmatic concerns: while a king can ''technically'' release a man from the Night's Watch it happens very rarely, and is always controversial as the vows are ''meant'' to be taken for life. Thus Jon doesn't think he'd be very useful to Stannis even if he did accept: no one would take his word seriously as Lord of Winterfell if he was perceived as worming his way out of the, in principle, lifelong vows of the Night's Watch.

** Littlefinger keeps his cool when Brienne identifies Sansa and swears her protection, instead bringing up her role as a FailureKnight.

* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: Littlefinger tells Brienne the roads are dangerous, and invites her to stay with them. When his knights try to stop her leaving, Brienne slugs and hacks her way out, fleeing with Pod on horseback.

** Downplayed when Stannis deviates from his PrinciplesZealot routine for once and does not punish Jon for killing Mance before he burned, partly because Stannis needs Jon to control the North.

** Littlefinger gives a rather nasty one to Brienne, prompting Sansa to refuse her offer of protection.

* StunnedSilence: Briefly, the entire crowd falls dead quiet when Daenerys has Mossador executed. Then they start rioting.

** Specifically, the majority of Northern houses are still holding out for the Starks, even ''without'' knowing that most of the Stark children are still out there. (As Arya, Bran and Rickon are all assumed dead at this point). Stannis even acknowledges that the North will follow Jon - a bastard, who is legally a Snow - long before him, simply because he's Ned's son and had Stark blood. It really hits home when a ''ten year old girl'' responded to Stannis's claim as King with "eh, it's really Starks or nothing to be honest."

We cut to somewhere in '''The Vale''', where Brienne, now with a new mount, and Podrick, still walking, arrive at a wayfarer's rest and they stop for bite. Co-incidentally, Littlefinger, Sansa and their Arryn entourage have stopped at the same inn, and Petyr mentions that the scroll we saw him open last episode mentioned the acceptance of his marriage proposal... [[LeftHanging His own?]] Podrick recognizes the pair, pointing them out surreptitiously to Brienne. The Lady of Evenfall quickly makes a contingency with her companion to get out of dodge, then stands up and confronts the men-at-arms. Petyr lets her through after making several transparently [[StealthInsult pointed remarks]] but undeterred, she kneels and offers Sansa her service [[DramaticIrony as one of the only true knights in all the realm]]. The Mockingbird inquires into who truly murdered Renly, since ''she'' had in fact been accused of his murder by elements of the Southern Alliance. He then derides Brienne's honest but admittedly outlandish answer of a Stannis shade and swiftly turns Sansa against her. Yet allows for her to ''stay'' with them, as the roads aren't ''safe''... the implications are quite clear. Brienne bulls past Littlefinger’s knights, knocks one down and rushes outside to where Podrick has the horses ready and cuts some of her pursuer's steeds free, slays one man then mounts up, culminating in a chase. Brienne is separated from her attendant, only to save Podrick at the last second, slicing up two of the pursuing soldiers like so much soft cheese, through mail, blade and plate, with Oathkeeper's magical properties. Podrick asks Brienne if she hasn't been released from her oath, seeing how both Arya and Sansa both personally rejected her vows of protection. Brienne answers that whatever Littlefinger is planning to do with Sansa, it can't possibly be a good thing, and she will not give up her promises.

* ContinuitySnarl: Arya suddenly doesn't have Ilyn Payne in her revenge list anymore, due to the actor not being able to work on the show at present.[[note]]Wilko Johnson, who was diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer, is happily now cancer free after an epic 11-hour operation, but is still recovering. He has expressed a hope that one day he'll be able to return to the show.[[/note]]

* VillainousDemotivator: Defied by Cersei, surprisingly. When two hunters show up with another dwarf's head, she doesn't have them imprisoned, saying it will discourage the other hunters. It's implied she doesn't care ''how'' many dwarf heads show up at the Red Keep as long as one of them is eventually Tyrion's.

* HonorBeforeReason: Played with, when Jon declines Stannis's offer to legitimize him as Jon Stark and release him from his vows to the Night's Watch. Jon directly explains to Sam, however, that it isn't just for honor that he declined but more pragmatic concerns: while a king can ''technically'' release a man from the Night's Watch it happens very rarely, and is always controversial as the vows are ''meant'' to be taken for life. Thus Jon doesn't think he'd be very useful to Stannis even if he did accept: no one would take his word seriously as Lord of Winterfell if he was perceived as worming his way out of the, in principle, lifelong vows of the Night's Watch.

* SwipeYourBladeOff: Brienne wipes her blade on her arm before sheathing it, but given that her arm is covered in scaled armor rather than cloth it wouldn't have been very effective.

* SwipeYourBladeOff: Brienne wipes her blade on her arm before sheathing it.

* DeterminedWidow: Ellaria isn't technically Oberyn's widow because they weren't married, but she otherwise fits this trope perfectly. Garbed in [[WomanInBlack black mourning clothes]], she demands vengeance for his death.

* WomanInBlack: Ellaria is still in mourning, which reflects in her attire.

* HonorBeforeReason: Played with, when Jon declines Stannis's offer to legitimize him as Jon Stark and release him from his vows to the Night's Watch. Jon directly explains to Sam, however, that it isn't just for honor that he declined but more pragmatic concerns: while a king can ''technically'' release a man from the Night's Watch it happens very rarely, and is always controversial as the vows are ''meant''' to be taken for life. Thus Jon doesn't think he'd be very useful to Stannis if he declares him Lord of Winterfell: no one would take his word seriously as Lord of Winterfell if he was perceived as worming his way out of the, in principle, lifelong vows of the Night's Watch.

Above '''The Water Gardens''' next to the Summer Sea, Ellaria Sand watches Myrcella Baratheon and Trystane Martell larking about below, clearly smitten. She storms off to find Prince Doran Martell, brother to the late Oberyn and even later Elia and father to Trystane. She seeks vengeance for Oberyn, and her daughters, the Sand Snakes, are with her on this, as is the general populace. Yet when he makes it quite clear that open war is off the table, she settles for sending Myrcella, piece by piece, back to her mother in the capital. Doran is disgusted and spurns the suggestion point-blank, saying that it will ''never'' happen while he rules. Ellaria leaves, but warns Doran that he might not be ruling for long, to which Areo Hotah, captain of Doran's guard, responds by wordlessly running a finger along the blade of his glaive. Questioning whether steps have to be taken... Of course, [[TheFettered Doran, unlike Petyr, is unwilling to consider going to such lengths against his countrywoman either.]]

-->'''Barristan:''' [[WhamLine About your father]]. About the Mad King.

-->'''Barristan:''' Your Grace. I served in his Kingsguard. I was at his side from the first. [[MyMasterRightOrWrong Your enemies did not lie]].

-->'''Barristan:''' No, Your Grace. Thank the gods. [[PayEvilUntoEvil But the Mad King gave his enemies the justice he thought they deserved]]. [[JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope And each time, it made him feel powerful and right.]] Until the very end.

Back in '''King’s Landing''', a dwarf's severed, mutilated head is presented to Cersei by two bounty hunters eager to claim the prize money. She rejects the token, and Ser Meryn Trant suggests throwing them in a cell for trying to deceive the queen. Cersei refuses as this might dissuade other hunters, and orders them to take the sight away. However, Qyburn asks for it, as he says that it might be... [[MadScientist useful for his work.]]

-->'''Arya Stark:''' [[PreAssKickingOneLiner Nothing's worth anything to dead men.]]

* AnOfferYouCantRefuse: Littlefinger tells Brienne the roads are dangerous, and invites her to stay with them. When his knights try to stop her leaving, Brienne slugs and hacks her way out, fleeing with Pod on horseback.
* ASharedSuffering: Varys invokes this in an effort to get through to Tyrion, lampshading how they're the NoRespectGuy, despised due to their deformities.

* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: When Jon literally becomes ''[[GameOfThronesS1E3LordSnow Lord Snow]]''.

* TheDeterminator: Pod points out that both Stark daughters have rejected her protection, so doesn't that free Brienne from her oath to their mother? Brienne is resolved to follow Sansa regardless, knowing she's not safe with Littlefinger.

* SnarkToSnarkCombat: Varys and Tyrion continue to snark at each other on the way to Volantis-then-Meereen.
* SomethingTheyWouldNeverSay: Cersei putting words in King Tommen's mouth, using elaborate praise that a boy his age wouldn't use.

* TheReasonYouSuckSpeech:
** Littlefinger gives a rather nasty one to Brienne, prompting Sansa to refuse her offer of protection.
** Kevan lays into Cersei in front of the entire small council (in what's actually a quite toned down piece of adaptation, as in the book he also brought up her sleeping with Jaime).

* YouKnowTooMuch: Littlefinger's knights try to kill Brienne and Pod after they identify Sansa. Fortunately Brienne is smart enough to see this coming, fights them the moment they lay hands on her, and has already had Pod fetch an extra horse for a quick getaway.

* BringMeMyBrownPants: Sam reveals how he found Janos Slynt "in a puddle of his own making."

* NeverMyFault: Cersei says that Dorne blames the Lannisters for the death of Prince Oberyn. It doesn't seem to dawn on her that it is indeed the fault of a man hired by the Lannisters with the express agenda of killing the prince.

* NoSell: Kevan Lannister makes it clear to his niece that she won't boss him around like the rest of the small council.

* AdaptationalVillainy: Ellaria would never have dreamed of killing Myrcella to MakeAnExampleOfThem.

* DeadpanSnarker: When Hizdahr zo Loraq says Daenerys [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim should have just cut the Harpy's head off]], Daario casually replies that's exactly the advice he gave her regarding Hizdahr.

* DeadpanSnarker:
** When Hizdahr zo Loraq says Daenerys [[WhyDontYouJustShootHim should have just cut the Harpy's head off]], Daario casually replies that's exactly the advice he gave her regarding Hizdahr.

* ContinuitySnarl: Arya suddenly doesn't have Ilyn Payne in her revenge list anymore, due to the actor not being able to work on the show anymore.

* IAmTheTrope: Averted; Mossador argues to his queen that She Is The Law, but Daenerys rejects the idea.

Daario Naharis and Grey Worm patrol the back alleys of '''Meereen''' together, and Daario points out that the Unsullied are too conspicuous, unsuited to rooting out the insurgents threatening the queen's rule while his mercenaries blend in easily and are able to obtain information on the dissidents through shakedowns. Daario leads them to investigate a suspected hideout for the Sons, but they find it deserted. Much to Grey Worm's annoyance. Daario asks the General of the Unsullied if he is afraid, and Grey Worm replies that Unsullied fear nothing. [[TrainingFromHell As it was conditioned out of them.]] Daario points out that that is their problem as those who have forgotten fear have forgotten how to hide. He pulls his stiletto out and drives the blade into a dry wall, and the leg behind it, he pulls it free, causing the cubbyhole to crumble and for its occupant to tumble out. ''"fear is useful that way."'' Daario claps Grey Worm on the shoulder and the Unsullied take the hobbled man captive, then Grey Worm discovers a couple of knives and a gold mask within the dead-drop, incriminating the man as a Son of the Harpy.

A congregation is held, with most of the city turning up to see their queen. On one side of the stage stand the former masters, and on the other side, the freed slaves. Daenerys makes a speech to the masses, arguing for both freedom ''and'' justice, and that such egalitarianism must be blind. Mossador is escorted out and made to kneel. Dany tells the people of his crimes against a citizen, who was denied fair process by his actions and that the law is the law. Death. The freed men and women cry out for mercy for their brother, as they are all her children. Despite the will of her subjects, Daenerys stands firm and decides not to play favourites like her father, though the decision is an unwinnable one and with one micro-nod from her, Daario beheads her former adviser. The lower classes are shocked silent and disillusioned for a brief moment, before they begin to hiss at Daenerys, adjuring her, cursing her. One picks up a stone and lobs it at the privileged, scoring a hit and causing a riot to break out between the factions, the event devolving into anarchy. While most are restrained by Dany's Second Sons, certain pockets of the former slaves rain a barrage of rocks down on Daenerys but her Unsullied have formed a Tortuga formation over her and she is protected as they withdraw back to the Great Pyramid.

Safe in her quarters, Selmy declares that he will watch over and protect her, as will Grey Worm and Daario, but, shaken from the experience, she tells them to leave her for tonight. Alone, she hears a disturbance outside and walks out to her balcony. A low soft rumbling greets her and Dany turns to see that the most fearsome of her dragons, [[WhamShot her black and red child has finally returned to her]]. Freedom agrees with him. He is massive. Easily the size of the Harpy statue that was recently pulled down, if not bigger. ''"Drogon."'' Daenerys exclaims in both gladdened wonder and a dash of understandable trepidation. But he purrs and snuffles gently as he leans down to greet his mother, he has not forgotten her, and she responds tentatively, hushing the massive beast.