Game of Thrones season 8 episode 4: Daenerys vs Cersei just got more personal

After the whirlwind third episode, the fourth episode of the final season of Game of Thrones begins with mourning. All the major characters have gathered before the walls of Winterfell for the funeral of everybody who died in the Battle of Winterfell.

Daenerys Targaryen mourns Jorah Mormont and Sansa Stark weeps over Theon Greyjoy. Jon Snow gives a generic speech pointing out the importance of sacrifices, and the pyres are lit. Everybody gets drunk later in the Great Hall. Daenerys names Gendry the Lord of Storm’s End, the ancestral castle of the Baratheons. Elated, Gendry asks Arya to be his lady. Arya replies she is not a lady and has never been one.

Daenerys is upset to find the loyalty and love Jon inspires in the north. She leaves. Tormund Giantsbane makes another move for Brienne, who also decamps. Jaime follows her and they hook up.

Sansa Stark and the Hound talk and the latter marvels at how much she has changed. Daenerys Targaryen talks to Jon Snow and urges him to keep his parentage secret. Jon pledges fealty to her again but says he would have to tell Sansa and Arya as they are his family.

Daenerys says no matter how many times he bends his knee, if he lets the secret slip beyond Samwell Tarly and Bran Stark, it will take a life of its own. Jon insists he owes them the truth.

In the war room, they all discuss facing Cersei Lannister and her newly acquired group of mercenaries called the Golden Company. Lord Varys removes the pieces from the map to show the loss to Daenerys Targaryen’s forces in the Battle of Winterfell. Daenerys says Cersei will make sure most people of the Seven Kingdoms do not believe they saved the realm from the Night King and his army of the dead.

It is decided that Daenerys Targaryen, Tyrion Lannister and their fleet will sail to Dragonstone, while Jon Snow, Davos Seaworth and the bulk of their forces will march to King’s Landing via land.

Daenerys and Sansa clash over the decision to immediately attack King’s Landing. Sansa says the soldiers need rest, and Daenerys is of the opinion that Sansa is going back on her word.

Jon (through Bran) tells Arya and Sansa about his Targaryen lineage. He makes them swear they will never tell that to anybody else.

Bronn arrives with the crossbow in his hands and meets Jaime and Tyrion Lannister. Ever practical, he says he knows Cersei Lannister will die and that she does not have an answer to Daenerys Targaryen’s dragons. So he does not have any hope of getting Riverrun like she promised. He asks them what can they give him. Tyrion offers him Highgarden. Bronn says he will return to claim his gift.

The Hound quietly leaves Winterfell for an “unfinished business” (Cleganebowl?). Arya catches up with him and says she has some unfinished business as well (almost certainly Cersei’s assassination.

Sansa Stark tells Tyrion Lannister about Jon Snow’s parentage, almost immediately breaking her promise to Jon. Samwell Tarly and Gilly bid farewell to Jon. Jon, strangely, asks Ghost to go with Tormund to the North. Ghost, who is not the dog that was used in earlier seasons to play the role of the direworlf, appears disappointed.

Tyrion discusses Jon’s lineage with Varys, who claims Jon would be the better king and he also has the stronger claim to the throne. Tyrion says he is talking treason. Varys replies his loyalty, as always, is to the realm and Daenerys will not be a good ruler.

Daenerys Targaryen is riding Drogon, with Rhaegal flying alongside her on the way to Dragonstone. Her fleet is down below. An arrow rips through Rhaegal, and then another skewer his neck. He falls into the water and dies. It is Euron Greyjoy, Iron Fleet and their huge catapults, and let’s not ask how they know Daenerys will come to Dragonstone and how they hid themselves from two dragons. Logic has not been the show’s strong suit for the last couple of seasons.

Daenerys is angry but retreats when she realises Drogon’s life, and hers, may be in danger too. Her fleet is destroyed. Tyrion, Grey Worm and others somehow reach the shores of Dragonstone. Missandei is captured by Euron.

Jaime leaves Winterfell for King’s Landing to fight alongside Cersei. So much for redemptions. Will he end up killing her like Cersei fears?

Daenerys Targaryen takes them to King’s Landing with Drogon at a safe distance. Cersei Lannister, Euron and others are standing on the battlements. Tyrion Lannister requests Cersei’s surrender, pointing out her child will also die alongside her. Cersei, who has not cared for anybody for quite a while, asks the Mountain to behead Missandei. He does, and she falls from the battlements.

Daenerys is quite angry, and this war has become very personal.