History Recap / GameOfThronesS5E5KillTheBoy

* VillainousFashionSense: Subverted; Sansa is back in her [[EvilIsSexy cleavage-revealing]] [[EvilCostumeSwitch Darth Sansa robes]], but is surrounded by the EvilerThanThou Boltons.

* ZombieInfectee: Jorah has been infected with greyscale which, true to the trope, he hides from Tyrion, even after making sure that none of them touched Tyrion. And from what we've seen of the stone men his fate won't be pretty if he can't find a cure; and as far as we know, exactly ''one person'' has ever been cured, and no one seems certain of how.

...

* ADayInTheLimelight: While Ramsay isn't exactly a "secondary" character (due to the series's large cast of characters) this episode very heavily focuses on the Boltons in the North, Sansa at Winterfell also dealing with the Boltons, Brienne and Podrick in the nearby town trying to get past the Boltons to reach Sansa, and Team Stannis departing from Jon Snow and the Night's Watch the Wall to head to fight the Boltons. The episode also focuses a lot on the relationship between Roose and Ramsay, and even includes an infodump in which Roose explains how Ramsay actually originated from a rape he committed. The only other storylines that even appear are Daenerys and Tyrion -- though they're all interlinked: Stannis is leaving the Wall to fight the Boltons, Aemon at the Wall receives a letter about his great-niece Daenerys in far-off Slaver's Bay, and Tyrion is heading to meet Daenerys. Notably, this is only the ''fourth'' episode in the entire TV series that does not feature any scenes in King's Landing at all.

* ManOnFire: The former Meereenese Master, after Dany's dragons decide that he would make a tasty treat.

* CuffsOffRubWrists: After being unchained, Tormund looks like if he'd strangle Jon with his bare hands, but takes care of his own wrists instead.

[[KillEmAll A fly upon a wall, the waves, the sea wind, that whipped and churned]]''

* ADayInTheLimelight: While Ramsay isn't exactly a "secondary" character (due to the series's LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters) this episode very heavily focuses on the Boltons in the North, Sansa at Winterfell also dealing with the Boltons, Brienne and Podrick in the nearby town trying to get past the Boltons to reach Sansa, and Team Stannis departing from Jon Snow and the Night's Watch the Wall to head to fight the Boltons. The episode also focuses a lot on the relationship between Roose and Ramsay, and even includes an infodump in which Roose explains how Ramsay actually originated from a rape he committed. The only other storylines that even appear are Daenerys and Tyrion -- though they're all interlinked: Stannis is leaving the Wall to fight the Boltons, Aemon at the Wall receives a letter about his great-niece Daenerys in far-off Slaver's Bay, and Tyrion is heading to meet Daenerys. Notably, this is only the ''fourth'' episode in the entire TV series that does not feature any scenes in King's Landing at all.

* AdultFear:
** For Maester Aemon, learning that his great-niece Daenerys, the only family he has left, is in huge trouble halfway across the world and that he's powerless to do anything to help her.
** Jon appeals to Tormund using this, pointing out that not working together will just leave the wildlings' non-combatants at the mercy of the White Walkers.

* NotSoDifferent: Roose Bolton gives a villainous one to Ramsay, revealing the horrific circumstances of his conception to reinforce that although he does want Ramsay to excercise caution, he approves of his viciousness, and reminding his bastard son that no matter whether the Frey girl is pregnant, Ramsay is the child in which Roose sees his brutal, merciless self.

* WellDoneSonGuy: Still a bizarre version in Ramsay, whose father reveals he's a ChildByRape ''as a way of expressing that he and his son are NotSoDifferent''. Whether Roose is manipulating him or not, Ramsay jumps at the call when his father calls on him to help fight Stannis.

* AdpatationalLocationChange: Tyrion and Jorah travel through Valyria is the episode, but the equivalent scene in the books takes place at the Sorrows, a section of the Rhoyne River around the ruins of a city once called Chroyane.

* AdultFear: For Maester Aemon, learning that his great-niece Daenerys, the only family he has left, is in huge trouble halfway across the world and that he's powerless to do anything to help her.

* InTheBlood: Daenerys makes an example of top nobles by having one of them roasted to a crisp and eaten by her dragons. Sounds an awful lot like her father, Aerys II "Mad King" Targaryen, or her great ancestor Aegon the Conqueror who would speak softly, present diplomatic solutions but was never shy of barbecuing his opponents if they spat on his mercy.

** Stannis, of all people, manages to overcome his innate disdain for Sam Tarly's doughy physique in order to offer respect not only for his killing of a white walker, but for his intelligence in researching how to do so.

** Jon and Tormund discuss what will happen to the weaker wildlings once the white walkers take over.

-->'''Jon''': And how many of your people can't fight? The women, the children, the old, the sick, what happens to them? You're condemning them to death- worse than death-, all because you're too proud to make peace?!

South of the Essosi continent, Tyrion is waking up from the concussion he received at Jorah's hands. He has learnt his lesson however and he tells Jorah that he won't mouth off him but insists he be untied anyway. Jorah refuses and remains silent, forcing Tyrion to continue talking, asking for wine to drink which Jorah bluntly shuts down. Tyrion complains that as an alcoholic he can't continue if he doesn't drink more wine. At this point, Tyrion sees the landscape behind him, steaming river fords and shattered archipelagos. Tyrion knows where they are, the Ruins of Old Valyria[[note]]Actually a composite stand-in of the Sorrows on Mother Rhoyne from the books[[/note]]. Jorah confirms and states that their passage through the dreaded '''Smoking Sea''' is a relatively safe route since they can avoid the pirates who dare not approach.

* AintTooProudToBeg: Hizdar immediately drops to his knees and begs for his life when Daenerys comes to his cell; Dany notes that he actually displayed ''more'' courage when facing imminent death at the hands of her dragons.

* InstantlyProvenWrong: Looking upon the ruins of Old Valyria, Tyrion laments, "This is all that remains." Not two seconds later, Drogon, the mightiest dragon alive, flies overhead. ''He'' is what remains.

-->'''Queen Daenerys Targaryen:''' They will eat you - if I tell them to. They may eat you even if I don't. Children... Some say I should give up on them. But a good mother doesn't give up on her children. She disciplines them if she must, but she does not give up on them.

With an oblique glance at Daario she singles out one man to be forced ahead. In the darkness ahead of him, three lights appear — two glowing eyes over a mouth full of fire. The wretched man is burned alive by one burst of flame from Viserion's gaping maw, then ripped in two with help from his brother, and they begin to devour the char-grilled nobleman. Daenerys promises the others that trivialities such as innocence and due process are things of the past; not when she cannot trust a one of them as far as she can throw Drogon. She decides to let her dragons decide whether they are guilty or not, until Hizdahr grows a spine, stands straight and replies with a taut: ''"valar morghulis."'' All the while his fellows have knelt or attempted to make themselves as small as possible, cowering in a terrified show of obedience before the queen. Half amused, half impressed, Dany allows for [[LastMinuteReprieve a touch of mercy]], as she doesn't want to overfeed the children... At least not tonight. Tomorrow perhaps. And she stays behind to admire the spectacle of her children's power as her remaining seven hostages are imprisoned.

Jon comes in and asks Sam to leave. He needs advice, but first he politely asks Aemon how he's feeling. ''"Like a hundred-year-old man, slowly freezing to death."'' Jon gets on with it, ''"I need your advice. There's something I want to do, something I... have to do, but it'll divide the Night's Watch. Bitterly. Half the men will hate me the moment I give the order."'' Aemon interrupts him, saying that half of the men hate him already, and tells him to do it! Jon is taken aback, he doesn't even know what he- that doesn't matter, Aemon counsels. As long as ''he'' knows what to do.

-->'''Maester Aemon Targaryen:''' You will find, [[TheChainsOfCommanding little joy in your command]]. But, with luck. You will find the strength to do what needs to be done. [[TitleDrop Kill the boy]], Jon Snow. Winter is almost upon us. ''Kill the boy'' - and let ''the man'' be born.

Podrick Payne walks down the streets of the '''Winter Town''', and into an inn where Brienne is glowering in the direction of Winterfell. Pod tries to look on the bright side: maybe Sansa's better off here, away from the Lannisters. Brienne is incredulous. ''"Better off here, with the Boltons that killed her mother and brother?"'' She strikes up a conversation with a innkeeper old enough to have known both Ned and his father. After ascertaining that he's no friend of the Boltons, she enlists his help in getting a message to Sansa.

Sansa experiences a truly strange dinner in the company of [[TheStoic Roose]], [[NiceGirl Walda]], and [[MaskOfSanity Ramsay]]. The Bolton heir starts slipping into his [[FauxAffablyEvil outwardly playful self]] throughout the course of the dinner. First, to [[ThisIsGonnaSuck Roose's dismay]], he stands up and gives a speech about how all Northmen are one big, happy, extended family, ending with a toast to Sansa's marriage. Walda tries to make nice with her soon to be daughter-in-law, likening how they are both in a strange place but Sansa rebuffs Roose's wife. It's not the surroundings, this was her home after all. It's the inhabitants that are strange. Of course, Ramsay is only too eager to agree with her in his own twisted way. ''"You're right of course. ''Very'' strange."'' Then he calls in Reek to serve the family some wine. He enters the hall, an effeminate serving shift thrown over his usual rags. Ramsay cheerfully tells Sansa not to worry, the North remembers, and Ramsay has punished the Greyjoy scion personally for his transgressions. Now he's a new man, well, a new person... anyway, what with the - never mind. With the air of a parent nudging a child, Ramsay announces that Reek will apologise to Sansa for murdering her brothers, who unbeknownst to everyone save Jon, Sam, Roose and Ramsay himself: could both still be alive. Eventually, Reek gets through the stilted apology, and Ramsay seems to think he has made a grand romantic gesture to his fiancee. But it doesn't end there! Why, poor Sansa's family is dead, what with Reek killing her brothers and all, making Reek here the closest kin she has left. Reek should be the one to give Sansa away at the wedding ceremony. Wonderful! At least it's a step up from Joff.

Missandei's vigil ends in '''Meereen''' when Grey Worm regains consciousness from his three day healing coma. He asks, weakly, as to what became of Ser Barristan... And when Missandei shakes her head sadly, bemoans that he failed him. Not only him, but his men, his queen. Missandei insists that he failed no one. He and his men were ambushed, there's no dishonor in that. Grey Worm is unresponsive and Missandei asks whether he is ashamed. He clarifies, he's not ashamed because he was wounded in battle but because he felt fear when the knife went in. Missandei says that everyone fears death. No, not ''that'', Grey Worm says, what he was scared of was that he'd never see her face again, and they kiss.

Later, Missandei congratulates Dany on giving the Masters what they deserved. Daenerys responds that if she did that, she'd have no one left to rule, and asks her handmaiden for advice. Missandei balks at this, as she's little more than a language-savvy ex-slave and not a military expert like Grey Worm or Daario or a well-bred informed aristocrat like Hizdahr, but Dany needs her unique perspective. Finally, Missandei says that she has observed her for a long time. She's watched as Dany took advice from all her various counselors, and leant on them when her experience was lacking. She has also seen her ignore her advisers... But not out of arrogance. Each time she did, she came up with a plan all her own, better than the ones pitched to her. Daenerys, taking this advice to remember her own strengths and decisive powers much as Aemon urged for Jon to do, [[TakeAThirdOption comes up with a truly radical plan]].

In the jails beneath the Great Pyramid, Daenerys approaches Hizdahr's cell, who. expecting death, gets on his knees and begs her not to do this. She asks him what happened to valar morghulis? He says that he didn't want to die a coward and, after thinking about it, realized that he doesn't want to die at all, sniffling as he is rather pathetically. Dany responds that it takes a certain kind of courage to admit to that, and also to admit that one was wrong. She's decided to meet the traditions of Meereen halfway. Thus, she shall reopen the fighting pits to free men only, and, in order to forge a lasting bond with the Meereenese, she shall take an ancient family's head as her husband - why, one suitor's already on his knees for her right this moment. She leaves his open cell while he can only sit on the prison floor, stunned.

Jorah and Tyrion sail between a narrow pair of cliffs, not noticing several strange figures skulking on the edge, as they are too entranced by Drogon's fleeting form through the cloudy sky. Suddenly one of the gargoyles ''moves'' and jumps into the water. And the spell is broken. Both Tyrion and Jorah are on the alert and as they sail underneath the ravine, a grotesque figure drops onto the deck. It's one of the stone men, who were discussed throughout the previous episodes of this Season. They are what's left of human beings in advanced stages of greyscale, suffering severe brain damage that leads to rampant aggression, their skin entirely covered in elephantine, weeping sores which camouflaged them as statues among the necropolis. Jorah warns Tyrion not to let them lay a hand on exposed flesh, as their condition is highly contagious and manages to bash the first over-side with an oar, before shoving the second off that was shadowing them and losing the long range weapon in the process. Tyrion screams to be untied but can only scrabble out of the reach of a third stone man as best he can, while Jorah manages to get access to his sword and starts to repel the tougher one. Tyrion however is cornered by another falling stone man who drags himself towards the cornered dwarf. Not wanting to catch the hideous disease, he takes his chances with possibly boiling water instead and hurls himself into the lagoon. This too fails when one of the earlier stone man Jorah knocked into the drink grabs his foot underwater and starts dragging him down. Tyrion struggles breathlessly and seems to lose consciousness. The scene FadesToBlack.

* AdultFear: For Maester Aemon, learning that his great-niece, the only family he has left, is in huge trouble halfway across the world and that he's powerless to do anything to help her.

* ChildByRape: Roose finally explains to Ramsay who his mother was: a commoner who married without her lord's consent, so he essentially exercised a horribly twisted version of DroitDuSeigneur - which he boasts of practicing in the novels - on her.

* ADayInTheLimelight: While Ramsay isn't exactly a "secondary" character (due to the series's LoadsAndLoadsOfCharacters) this episode very heavily focuses on the Boltons in the North, Sansa at Winterfell also dealing with the Boltons, Brienne and Podrick in the nearby town trying to get past the Boltons to reach Sansa, and Team Stannis departing from Jon Snow and the Night's Watch the Wall to head to fight the Boltons. The episode also focuses a lot on the relationship between Roose and Ramsay, and even includes an infodump in which Roose explains how Ramsay actually originated from a rape he committed. The only other storylines that even appear are Daenerys and Tyrion - though they're all interlinked: Stannis is leaving the Wall to fight the Boltons, Aemon at the Wall receives a letter about his great-niece Daenerys in far-off Slaver's Bay, and Tyrion is heading to meet Daenerys. Notably, this is only the ''fourth'' episode in the entire TV series that does not feature any scenes in King's Landing at all.

** Hizdahr, showed more courage and presence of mind than we could have ever believed. He shows himself a bit of a CowardlyLion.

* InTheBlood: Daenerys makes an example of top nobles by having one of them roasted to a crisp and eaten by her dragons. Sounds an awful lot like her father, Aerys II "Mad King" Targaryen, or her great ancestor Aegon the Conqueror who would speak softy, present diplomatic solutions but was never shy of barbecuing his opponents if they spat on his mercy.

* NecessarilyEvil: Jon's plan to perform an Enemy Mine with the Wildlings, they have killed many people, both the Nights Watch and Northern Lords would oppose allowing them to pass the wall, but Jon knows that having them added to the army of the dead is the worse option, so it must be done.

* YouAreNotAlone: A mysterious old serving woman tells Sansa there are still Stark sympathizers and how she might summon help.

* ZombieInfectee: Jorah has been infected with greyscale, which true to the trope he hides from Tyrion, even after making sure that none of them touched Tyrion. And from what we've seen of the stone men his fate won't be pretty if he can't find a cure; and as far as we know, exactly ''one person'' has ever been cured, and no one seems certain of how.

This encounter soon makes it's way to Ramsay that very same evening. And he [[HyperAwareness senses something off about Reek as he's being dressed for dinner]]. He cuts off Reek's apologies when he reveals that Sansa saw him and demands he get on his knees... and just when we are sure Ramsay is about to flay another finger when he asks for his hand... he takes Reek's maimed mitt gently and forgives him with a [[PsychoticSmirk terrible smile]].

** Ramsay presents Reek as the person who killed Sansa's little brothers, who are very much aliv.

** Ramsay presents Reek as the person who killed Sansa's little brothers, who are very much alive somewhere north of the Wall.

* CompleteMonster: If there was any doubt about Roose Bolton, his matter-of-fact account of executing a peasant [[DisproportionateRetribution for marrying without his consent]] and then raping the man's widow under his hanging corpse should put it to rest. Why was Robb Stark [[TokenEvilTeammate allied with the guy again]]?