'Game of Thrones' Season 5, Episode 8 - 'Mother's Mercy' Recap

Did you catch that little flashback to Syrio Forel, Arya's old swordfighting instructor, in the "previously on" segment? Remember that for later.

Winterfell

We begin outside of Winterfell, where Melisandre is claiming that Shireen's sacrifice is melting the snow and allowing for Stannis' advance. She's a lot quieter when Stannis learns that nearly half his men deserted in the night, and that his wife hung herself over Shireen's death. In fact, she rides out of camp without a warning.

Moral of the story: don't burn your child alive. That one should've been obvious.

Meanwhile, inside the city, it turns out that Sansa was holding onto that corkscrew for lockpicking purposes, as opposed to murder purposes. Frustratingly, she manages to light a flame in the tower window JUST as Podrick warns Brienne about Stannis' army, causing her to give up her watch. Dammit, Pod!

Stannis readies his siege, but it turns out there won't be one. Instead, the forces of the Bolton army ride out to meet Stannis, and completely annihilate them. Only Stannis left and, badly wounded, he takes out two lingering Bolton soldiers. It's then when Brienne shows up to take revenge on Stannis for Renly's death.

So it's off with Stannis' head, but that need for revenge is Brienne's fatal flaw. In pursuing Stannis, she gives up Sansa, who runs into Myranda and Theon on the way back to her room. Thankfully, Theon saves Sansa's life, and escorts her out of Winterfell by way of jumping over the wall.

Braavos

Meryn Trant continues his despicable behavior at the brothel. It turns out that he beats the children he gets from the brothel. The third one, though, refuses to scream...and it turns out to be Arya, who has her disguise trick down.

She jumps Trant, stabbing out his eyes and giving him plenty more stabs and a nice monologue before finally finishing him off by slitting his throat. With that, Arya has officially taken care of one name off her list.

Arya is caught returning the face she stole from the hall by Jaqen, who says that she took "the wrong life" and that "a debt must be paid" to the Many-Faced God. He drinks a vial of poison and dies...only to reveal that it wasn't him. Then again, who is Jaqen H'ghar? He's no one. And Arya needs to be no one. She pulls face after face from the dead man until she sees her own, then she starts to lose her vision as her eyes turn white.

Dorne

Jaime and Myrcella head back to King's Landing with Bronn, and Jaime tries to reveal to her the "complications" of love and the truth about him and Cersei, but Myrcella stops him and tells him that she always sort of knew. She's glad about it too, and they have a sweet moment together.

Of course, any sweet moment is reason to fear for a character's safety on this show. Myrcella starts bleeding from the nose, as the poison that Elia administered to her with her goodbye kiss takes effect.

Meereen

Tyrion, Daario and Jorah get tired waiting for Daenerys' return and decide to go after her, but Daario decides that Tyrion should stay and help Grey Worm and Missandei govern the city in Dany's absence, seeing as Tyrion doesn't ride, fight or track. He does talk. And drink.

Later, Varys shows up and gives Tyrion a bit of a pep talk, reminding him that Meereen isn't that much different from King's Landing at present as far as murder and corruption goes.

It turns out that Dany is trying to return to Meereen, but Drogon is being lazy about it and refusing to fly her back. Dany wanders off on her own to find food, which turns out to be a rather stupid move considering she's out in the middle of nowhere. Soon enough she's surrounded by a Dothraki tribe.

King's Landing

Cersei seems to have finally been broken, as she goes to the High Sparrow and confesses that she has sinned. She confesses to sleeping with Lancel, but stops short of confessing to her relationship with Jaime. The High Sparrow says she will go to trial, and grants her Mother's Mercy, which allows her to go back to the castle and see her son...after her "atonement," that is.

She's seated naked on a chair while the nuns take a razor to her hair, cutting it short. She's then forced to walk naked through the city while the crowd shames her, yelling obscene things, calling her "whore," spittin on her and throwing things at her.

It's a long scene, probably longer than it needs to be, but Lena Headey's performance is both brave and impressive, with her disposition changing entirely over the course of it.

As a welcome back gift, The Mountain has completed his recovery and been given some King's Guard armor. So, at least Cersei gets her Frankenstein monster.

Castle Black

Sam asks to go to the Citadel with Gilly and baby Sam, in an effort to keep the two of them safe. "I'll come back," he says, which is exactly the kind of thing that someone who isn't actually going to come back would say on this show.

Later, Davos arrives and tries to convince Jon to send the Wildling troops, but Melisandre shows up and reveals that Stannis has been defeated.

Olly comes to Jon and tells him that one of the Wildlings has revealed that he knowswhere Jon's uncle is, and that he's still alive. When he follows Olly, though, it turns out to be a complete lie: instead, Jon is led to a sign that reads "traitor" and Alliser Thorne and other Night's Watch members take turns stabbing him, Caesar-style, and saying "for the Watch" each time. Olly delivers the final blow.

And that is why you never try to do anything good in Westeros.