Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 3 The Queen’s Justice was aired on HBO on July 31 in the US. (Source: HBO)
In a major upset for team Daenerys, Euron Greyjoy defeated Yara Greyjoy’s Iron fleets during the last episode. Euron has also captured Yara and Ellaria Sand who were until recently planning to attack King’s Landing. The move easily gave Cersei leverage and forced Daenerys to rethink her strategy.
Euron Greyjoy smoothly distorted the balanced equation of power games. And his smart move sent everyone scheming and manipulating. The new episode, The Queen’s Justice, opens with the hope of a new alignment and sees one of the most anticipated meetings of the series. Jon Sow finally meets Daenerys. Tyrion tries to instil some wisdom to Jon who is still treading a thin ice. Bran arrives at Winterfell and meets his sister Sansa. Lord Varys asks Melisandre to leave Westeros and never come back. Cersei took the revenge of the death of her daughter Myrcella. And Olenna Tyrell died but not without confessing to Jamie that she had killed his son Joffrey. Here’s how things unfolded:
Daenerys and Jon Snow:
(Source: HBO)
Did Jon Snow go down on his knee in front of Daenerys? No, he didn’t. Frankly, Jon Snow and Daenerys met as perfect strangers, not knowing much about each other as individuals. Of course, they share a common history and both Jon and Danny were busier stating it for the sake of their convenience.
Danny reminds Jon that Starks swore a fealty to Targaryens and he must do the same. Jon reminds Danny of her father Mad king’s brutalities and says he’s not responsible for keeping his forefather’s vows. Fair enough.
Danny wants to take the iron throne, while Jon Snow is more interested in tackling white walkers. But Jon and Danny also share similar characteristics. Both have struggled hard to be where they are. Despite their first rough meeting, the two are able to come to terms with each other. And one should thank Tyrion for endeavoring to forge this new alliance.
But Danny has enough to worry her and that makes her consider Jon’s solicitation. Even though Danny isn’t fully convinced about Jon’s belief of white walkers, she has no other choice. She has lost her two crucial allies- Yara and Ellaria. And she will need Jon’s help if she plans to take over King’s Landing. For now, Danny permits Jon to mine dragonglass, a weapon to kill white walkers. But, Jon isn’t exactly free to go where he wishes as his ships and weapons are taken by Dothraki. For now, it’s safe to say that both Jon and Danny have arrived at an impasse. But, we will have to wait and see how long that will hold on.
Cersei and Ellaria Sand
The revenge runs deep through this season. Cersei, for all her evilness, is turning into a bigger monster with each passing day. Euron Greyjoy submits a captured Ellaria Sand and her daughter to Cersei. Remember, how Euron promised Cersei that he will give her a gift. As we go ahead, let’s also tell you that there is a lingering moment where Euron flirts with Cersei and says he wants only one thing from Cersei that clearly leaves Jamie angry. But, that can wait.
Ellaria Sand murdered Cersei’s only daughter Myrcella by poisoning her. Cersei meets Ellaria and her daughter in a cell. Both mother and daughter are chained. Cersei revisits the horrors of finding her only daughter dead and surviving with that truth every single day. If you thought you knew Cersei well, no, you didn’t not. Cersei poisons Ellaria Sand’s only surviving daughter as Ellaria watches the whole scene silently, helpless to do anything.
(Source: HBO)
But, that’s not enough to satisfy Cersei’s hunger for revenge. After poisoning her daughter which will take days to slowly kill her, Cersei whispers to Ellaria in a deeply satisfying voice, “Your daughter will die in this cell. And you will be here watching when she does. You’ll be here for the rest of your days. You will live to watch your daughter rot, to watch her beautiful face collapse.”
This easily makes it to a long list of more brutal scenes that GoT has witnessed so far.
Jamie and Olenna Tyrell
We see the Unsullied Army capturing Casterly Rock. But that doesn’t necessarily mean a win for team Daenerys. It’s revealed that Jamie has intentionally taken a major chunk of his Lannister army and headed to Olenna Tyrell- a trick that has paid so far. Lannister army defeats Tyrell army and captures the castle. The final scene makes a very satisfying viewing as Olenna negotiates different ways of dying with Jamie. Olenna, who can’t do much as she is on the verge of dying, shares her last words of wisdom with Jamie. Olenna who hates Cersei tells Jamie that her sister is a monster, a disease and she will be the end of him. Jamie’s blind devotion to her sister surprises you, but that can wait.
The kind-hearted Jamie gives a poisoned glass of wine to Olenna to drink and choose an easy way of dying. She immediately gulps down and we don’t need to tell you why. Yet, she leaves Jamie angry faced when she requests him to tell Cersei that it was she who killed their son Joffrey. “Tell Cersei. I want her to know it was me,” Olenna says her last words as a flummoxed Jamie looks on.
(Source: HBO)
Overall, the episode saw Cersei getting an upper hand and surprising Daenerys at every turn. Danny who was earlier looking stronger lost her major allies – Tyrell, Greyjoy, and Ellaria Sand – to the cunning strategy of Cersei. While Cersei seems to funnel all her energy in manipulating each and every step of her enemy with three dragons, Danny and Tyrion are blinded by their own internal problems and tasks.
Tyrion who proved to be a brilliant political strategist in previous seasons seemed to lose his sheen in this episode. Remember, how he defended King’s Landing against the attack of Lord Stannis. But the episode saw him making blunders one after another.
(Source: HBO)
Daenerys once again tasted failure after the Unsullied army took over Castery Rock, only to taste defeat eventually. In a smart move, Lannisters left the castle petty to take hold of Highgarden. This particular defeat at the hand of Lannisters made Daenerys look weaker than ever.
Meanwhile, Bran returns to Winterfell and reunites with sister Sansa. Bran also tells Sansa that he is the three-eyed raven who can see past and present. Littlefinger is still lurking in Winterfell, suggesting Sansa to fight the battle always in mind. We have to wait and see what will that mean in long term. Lord Varys and Melisandre have a little chit-chat. In a comic turn of events, Melisandre informs Lord Varys that they will both die in Westeros. We also get a glimpse of Theon Greyjoy, who is fine and saved by his people.