HBO Game of Thrones Recap: Book of the Stranger

Well that was fun. This was both a transitional episode that set up later events and one which also moved the story forward in some very pleasing ways. I liked the balance displayed in this episode between talking and action. I hope that it continues. We open with Jon Snow packing up his belongings and preparing to leave Castle Black. Dolorous Edd is not super happy about Jon's decision, especially as Jon knows the dangers behind the wall. Jon is of the opinion that all of that is someone else's problem now especially since he has technically lived up to his vows. He gave his life to the Night's Watch. Jon still hasn't gotten over that whole my so-called brothers killed me thing. The quarrel between Edd and Jon has to be put on hold because FINALLY there is a Stark reunion. Brienne, Podrick and Sansa Stark arrive at Castle Black. Jon is shocked and happy to see Sansa. Later on they reminisce together about all the silly stupid things they did in those days before their parents were murdered, their family was scattered and war broke out. Sansa apologizes for looking down on Jon for his illegitimate status though Jon says no apology is needed. They both regret leaving Winterfell. But speaking of Winterfell Sansa tells Jon that they must take it back and eject Ramsay for otherwise they'll never be safe. Jon says he's tired of fighting and killing. Sansa says that Winterfell belongs to the Starks not Ramsay. She wants Jon to help her but she'll do it by herself if need be. In the courtyard Davos catches up with an atypically tired looking Melisandre to ask her what her plans are. She doesn't know. She says she will do whatever Jon (The Prince Who Was Promised) wants her to do. Davos says wasn't that what you called Stannis?  Now that the excitement has temporarily died down Davos finally (he's loyal but maybe not the quickest thinking fellow) asks Melisandre what happened to Stannis and by the way where is Shireen? Brienne is lurking about and interrupts, fixing both Davos and Melisandre with a cold glare. She says she was there when Renly was murdered by Melisandre's magic. She also says that she killed Stannis. She waits a moment to see if there's going to be any static from Davos or Melisandre over this. She also says she doesn't forgive or forget before stomping off. Ok then.

Littlefinger has returned to the Vale with a gift of a gyrfalcon for Lord Robin. Robin is ineptly practicing archery. Lord Royce wants to know how is it that Sansa wound up married to Ramsay Bolton when she was supposed to be under Littlefinger's protection. Littlefinger makes up the obvious lie that they were attacked by Bolton forces. He also insinuates that Royce was the only one who knew the itinerary. When Royce tells him to step into the Octagon and say that, Littlefinger adroitly hides behind Robin's "authority" and makes it look like Royce is challenging Robin, which of course would mean execution via the sky door. The previously bored Robin would have no problem executing Royce. Royce must back down. Littlefinger has apparently heard of Sansa's escape, and is easily able to manipulate Robin into agreeing to send some undetermined number of Vale soldiers to the North. In what I thought was a reference to difference of experience between politicians and the communities which they claim to serve or represent Tyrion has decided to negotiate with the representatives of the slaver cities. Tyrion claims to have experience being enslaved. Missandei scornfully notes that Tyrion was enslaved for all of five minutes. Tyrion proposes that the slavers can gradually wean themselves from slavery over a seven year period. They will also receive compensation for their economic loss. In return the slavers will withdraw support for the Sons of the Harpy in Meereen. To seal the deal Tyrion offers the slavers prostitutes. Grey Worm and Missandei especially hate this. Later when incredulous citizens (and former slaves) hear of the deal which Tyrion has made they are upset. From loyalty to Daenerys Missandei and Grey Worm offer razor thin support in public but they each make it clear to Tyrion that they don't think he knows what he's doing. Slavery is not just an economic process. The slavers can not be trusted, no matter how smart Tyrion thinks he is. More on this below in a moment.

Essos' famous Odd Couple Jorah and Daario have tracked their queen to Vaes Dothrak. Daario is apparently feeling either threatened or triumphant because he won't stop needling Jorah about the fact that Daenerys and Daario do this a lot, while Jorah doesn't. But Daario thinks that as old as Jorah is he likely couldn't keep up or keep it up with Daenerys for that matter. This finally seems to bring Jorah out of his Zen state. He says that after they find Daenerys that he and Daario can settle accounts but for now they need to prepare to infiltrate Vaes Dothrak. There are no weapons allowed in the city so Jorah starts removing his arms and demanding those of Daario. Daario notices that Jorah has greyscale and says he'll remove his own weapons thank you very much. During the night the two unarmed men are moving through the Dothraki city when they are accosted by two soldiers who see thru Jorah's flimsy story of being a wine merchant. A fight breaks out. Daario quickly kills his opponent. But apparently age and greyscale have caught up with Jorah. Jorah's getting a mudhole stomped in his behind, Dothraki style, when Daario stabs Jorah's opponent from behind. Daario never leaves his knives behind. They hide the bodies and attempt to cover up the knife wound. Daenerys claims to find the lecturing and the body odor of the older widows offensive. She says she needs to use the bathroom. She's accompanied by a younger widow who was abused by her khal. This younger widow wants to hear about the dragons and how Daenerys did things. And surprise, surprise, surprise up pop Jorah and Daario. They want to leave right now before the bodies are discovered and alarms are raised. But Daenerys has a plan.

In King's Landing a septa takes Margaery Tyrell to see the High Sparrow. He dismisses her desire to see her family saying that her family only represents sin. He details his own origin story to her. The point is that he's a very self-righteous man who may still feel guilt. He definitely feels disgust towards the wealthy. He claims that the poor and the beggars are closer to the truth than anyone else. The High Sparrow allows Margaery to see her brother Loras. Loras has been beaten and tortured. He's in a pretty sorry state of affairs. Margaery correctly intuits that the High Sparrow's only purpose in allowing the two siblings to briefly see each other is to rush their confessions. Loras says he can't hold out much longer, despite Margaery's admonitions to be strong. Pycelle is talking to King Tommen urging him to be cautious in dealing with the High Sparrow. Cersei arrives and is po'd to find Pycelle talking to her son without her knowledge or presence. She orders him out but a gloating Pycelle won't leave until Tommen tells him to do so. And even then he takes his sweet time about it, rolling his eyes at Cersei every step of the way. Alone, Cersei admits to Tommen that no she doesn't really like Margaery but that's not the point. The point is that the High Sparrow represents a much greater threat to the established order. It's a point that she and Jaime make again to their Uncle Kevan and Olenna Tyrell. It's time for the nobles to stop their bickering and come together against this religious, even revolutionary threat to their class interests. Olenna is non-committal initially but changes her mind when Cersei informs her of the High Sparrow's plans to have Margaery make a walk of atonement. The plan is to have the Tyrell armies take out the Faith Militant while Kevan and company pretend neutrality. Olenna is outraged at anyone doing to Margaery what was done to Cersei.

Theon has arrived at the Iron Islands but his sister Yara is not happy to see him. She is embarrassed by his weakness, angry that she lost men trying to save him and suspicious that he's going to try to make a play for leadership. He was dead to her. She's surprised to hear that he escaped. Theon semi-apologizes. He says that Ramsay broke him. At this point he just wants to assist Yara to sit on the Salt Throne. Osha is brought in to see Ramsay who is peeling apples. Osha claims to be unimpressed with Ramsay and to have no special love for the Starks. Ramsay wants to know why he should keep her around. Osha says don't you want what all men want. She jumps on top of Ramsay. She's reaching for Ramsay's dagger which is tantalizingly out of reach. While she's trying to wake up Ramsay's little Bolton, Ramsay tells Osha that she's not as talkative as Theon, who for example told Ramsay all about who seduced him and helped Bran and Rickon Stark to escape. Osha lunges for the knife but Ramsay is quicker. He stabs Osha in the neck with his paring knife. While Osha bleeds out on the floor, Ramsay wipes off the blade and goes back to eating his apple. At Castle Black Jon and company are eating in silence. In a bit of silent humor Tormund is sizing up Brienne. Whether he is thinking about fighting her or doing something else is anyone's guess. The food isn't very good. They receive a letter from Ramsay. In typical Ramsay fashion he insults everyone. He says give Sansa back to him or he will kill Rickon. And then he'll rape Sansa and pass her along to his soldiers. He calls himself Lord of Winterfell. This gets Jon's goat. Sansa says they must fight this monster. Jon silently agrees. But Tormund only has maybe 2000 fighting men, not enough to win against Ramsay's 5000.

In the episode's last and most powerful scene the assembled Khals are discussing what to do with Daenerys. She is brought before them. Some men think she should stay with the widows. Some men want to sell her to Yunkai. Others think that since she is a foreigner and left the Dothraki she deserves no widow's protection. But all of the men are shocked and offended when Daenerys dares to speak for herself, a big no no. Khal Moro says that ok that's it then. Daenerys will be gang-raped to show her her proper place. Daenerys says that this is the place where Khal Drogo promised to conquer the world on her behalf. The other Khals say she was a dummy to believe it. Daenerys says that the current Khals are small men with no imagination and have no right to lead the Dothraki. So she will lead the Dothraki. When they laugh at this and say they will never serve her, Daenerys replies "You're not going to serve. You're going to die." She overturns the lit braziers. The whole place goes up in flames. Just so it's quite clear to everyone that Daenerys is special there are closeups of her grasping the hot metal of the brazier for relatively long periods of time. No one escapes because Jorah and Daario have barred the doors. Eventually the whole place crashes down in flames. Daenerys walks out nude and unburnt. Everyone kneels.

What I liked

• No Arya storyline or Dorne storyline. Until Arya gets back to Westeros somehow I'm not all that interested in what she's doing. And I was never interested in Dorrne.
• The "Pink Letter" from the last book (Ramsay's letter to Jon) was nicely done.
• Davos, if somewhat belatedly, trying to discover Shireen's fate. If he does that has to fracture the seeming alliance between Jon, Davos, Melisandre and the wildlings.
• Tyrion's assumptions that slavery is not that different from feudalism, he can negotiate with anyone, and that he knows slavery better than people who were born into it or suffered it for years. I think he's going to learn that he's made mistakes with all of those premises. It's hard being unyiedlingly righteous as Daenerys is and perhaps Ned Stark was, but there are some compromises which can't be made. I'm looking forward to seeing  what happens next in this storyline.
• Daenerys' showing why they call her "Unburnt". It's maybe a repeat of previous storylines but I liked it. It also moves the narrative forward. Let's get her out of Essos now.
• Missandei stepping in to translate for Tyrion. I thought it a foreshadowing and callback to the idea that Tyrion doesn't understand the culture he's dealing with.
• A more forceful Sansa. I'm not sure it made sense this quickly when we looked at the frightened woman who couldn't cross a river an episode or two ago but I'm glad to see it.

What I didn't like

• Not much. I thought maybe Royce backed down too quickly but Robin is unstable while Littlefinger is dangerous.
• The whole idea of Jon going south by himself is sort of silly. No one outside of the The Wall knew he was dead so wouldn't he have been seen as a deserter subject to execution?

Book Reviews: Traitor's Blade

Traitor's Blade
by Sebastien De Castell

I buy a lot of books and other items from Amazon. It's quick and convenient. Often the prices are better because Amazon doesn't have the well paid labor force, tax liabilities or property, plants and equipment that your local big box or independent bookstore has to carry. However the issue with Amazon or other online retailers is that it's not really easy to just browse books online. Usually when I go online to purchase something I already know exactly what I want. So there's not a big reason to spend a lot of time online. With a physical bookstore it's easier for me to drop in and browse. I can spend hours in a bookstore. And as a result I can find and enjoy books which otherwise I would never ever have read. Traitor's Blade is such a book. It really was as simple as wandering through the fantasy section of my local bookstore and just happening to have my eye fall on this 2014 fantasy novel. That was good luck. This is a solid read. Yes it does initially heavily rely on some tropes and cliches which are well known to any reader of heroic fantasy. It's a crowded field with a long history. But I thought that the author was strong enough to find his own voice. So this book simultaneously feels very comfortable and familiar while being just different enough to justify reading. This book is the first in a trilogy, but I thought it stood on its own. I want to know what happens next. However De Castell ended his story in such a way that I would be content even if I weren't soon going to purchase the next two books. I hope that the remaining books live up to the first one. There are a tremendous number of heroic stories in which the protagonists have been cast out from their promised land, been betrayed in some cruel fashion, or simply have to grow up quickly in a cold cruel world. In Traitor's Blade, the three heroes, Falcio, Kest and Brasti, (the story is told in first person from Falcio's point of view) are Greatcoats. A Greatcoat is effectively a superhero in the low magic Italian Renaissance world which De Castell has created. A Greatcoat is something of a paladin. He, or more rarely she, is a person responsible only to King Paelis. A Greatcoat's job is to travel the land, settle disputes, dispense justice, provide/share education and ensure that everyone understands that the King's Law applies equally to everyone, rich or poor, noble or commoner. Everyone deserves dignity and protection of the law. Fighting is a Greatcoat's last option though they are incredibly skilled at combat. The Greatcoat is so called because of his titular clothing, which serves as a signifier of status, insulation and protection during bad weather, armor, and storage space for all sorts of hidden weapons, papers, devices, potions, etc.

However as you might imagine the powerful nobles of the land really don't like the idea of being subject to the King's law. They are big believers in ducal rights. They think King Paelis is getting too big for his britches. They scorn the concept of protecting the poor. They deny that law is or should be greater than a noble's desire. As one duke says "The law is what I say it is." The dukes firmly believe in the divine rights of nobility to be unfettered by moral or legal concerns. They think that might makes right, at least as long as they have the might. To make this point clear to King Paelis they overthrow him and chop his head off. The Greatcoats have since been disbanded and fallen into disrepute. People think they behaved dishonorably since for some reason they didn't die with their king. Shamefully allegedly some Greatcoats have even gone over to serve the Dukes or turned bandit against the people they were sworn to protect. Falcio, Kest and Brasti may be the last remaining Greatcoats who attempt to live with some modicum of honor. Falcio is the Greatcoat former leader. Normally quite levelheaded and fair minded, Falcio can go berserk if anyone mentions his deceased wife. Kest has been Falcio's best friend since childhood. Kest is also the world's best swordsman. The over serious Kest does not joke and tends to take things literally. Brasti is a good looking ladies man, a humorist and the world's best archer. He does not miss. Ever. Neither Kest nor especially Brasti are shy about letting enemies know how good they are. Brasti brags and boasts. Kest just flatly lets people know. These three men all have secret instructions from the deceased Paelis. They need to find a hidden treasure. But for now they work as bodyguards for merchants. With the death of the king, the realm has fallen into crime and chaos. When a mysterious woman murders their client via apparently magical means and sets them up as patsies, the trio must find other work while staying one step ahead of the authorities. This kicks off a swashbuckling adventure featuring intrigue, wicked femme fatales, wise but irascible old women advisers, political manipulation, magic, incredible duel scenes, and maybe a little love.

The obvious comparison is to Dumas' work like The Three Musketeers or The Count of Monte Cristo but the narrative is not as complex and the description is not as dense. I think there's also a shout out to The Princess Bride. Kest and Brasti are not fleshed out as much as Falcio. De Castell details the essentially arbitrary nature of authority based on hereditary inheritance and/or violence. There are plenty of bad guys and bad girls in this story but there's also good as well. To Brasti's annoyance, Falcio usually insists on doing the right thing even when it doesn't make sense, no one else is watching or it's downright suicidal. This is not uber dark reading. At about 400 pages it's not super long either. I enjoyed this story.

HBO Game of Thrones Recap: Oathbreaker

Jon Snow is back! And that is exactly the reaction that Davos and Melisandre (attired again in her normal revealing dress) have upon seeing him. Davos is the first to see Jon alive again. Both Davos and Melisandre are interested in knowing what Jon saw or remembers during his time in the afterlife but Jon remembers nothing. All he knows is that his fellow Night's Watch members murdered him and that Olly stabbed him in the heart. Jon is shocked and disoriented. He thinks he shouldn't be here. Melisandre thinks that if Jon is back he must be part of the Lord of Light's plan. Melisandre thinks that Jon is the Prince Who Was Promised. Jon doesn't know anything about that. Jon says he tried to do the right thing and got murdered for it so it must mean that he failed. Davos says that Jon must continue to do the right thing even he thinks he's failed. The Night's Watch members and Free Folk are suitably shocked and impressed to see Jon up and walking. Some of them think that Jon is a god. Sam and Gilly are on a ship to Oldtown. Sam is seasick. A lot. Gilly is watching him with big goo goo eyes. She is proud of being able to read. She explains to Sam her previous confusion about homophones like sea and see. Between upchucks Sam explains to Gilly that as women aren't actually allowed to be maesters he intends to take her to his former home, Horn Hill, where hopefully his kind mother will take her in. His mother doesn't actually make the decisions though. Sam's martinet father, Randyll Tarly does. So that plan is sorta iffy. Gilly doesn't care about Sam's well intentioned deception or his changing of plans without consulting her. She's like whatever Sam, just as long as I am around you. Gilly has absolute trust in Sam. Cute. Given this show's history though you wonder how long that is going to last. I must say Sam, if someone looks at you with love while you're puking your guts up then that woman is probably a keeper. Even if her son is her brother. Gilly has told Sam that she considers him to be the father of her child. And if's that not love then I don't know what is.

Bran and the Three Eyed Raven (TER) are time traveling again. They are watching as Ned Stark and six of his bannermen go to fight three Kingsguard members, including Arthur Dayne, at the Tower of Joy. After some boasting from both sides about what they're going to do to each other and some leading questions about why the Kingsguard weren't at the battle with Rhaegar and why Rhaegar instead ordered them to be at the Tower of Joy, the fight begins. It's not anywhere near as epic as I imagined it but nonetheless it's soon evident that the Kingsguard are more skilled than Ned and his men. But numbers tell. Eventually it's Ned, Howland Reed and two others against the last standing Kingsguard, Arthur Dayne. Just because he apparently wants to signal to viewers that he's a bada$$, Dayne fights with two swords. Dayne takes out Reed, kills two others and then turns his considerable talent against Ned. Bran, like most young children would be, is a little discomfited to learn that dear old Dad is not actually the best in the world at everything. There is a significant skills gap between Ned Stark and Arthur Dayne when it comes to swordsmanship. Ned's no punk but he's just not on Dayne's level. Dayne has disarmed Ned and is about to go in for the kill, when just like a WWE wrestling match here comes the wounded but not dead Howland Reed back from the mat! He stabs Dayne in the neck from behind; Ned finishes him off. The whole thing gets Bran upset since that's not how he heard the story. Ned hears a woman screaming from the tower. He runs into the tower but temporarily stops as he seems to hear Bran yelling his name. The TER intervenes and pulls Bran back to the present. He again reiterates that the past is the past and can't (or is that shouldn't) be changed. Ned only heard Bran's voice as wind. The TER also says that if you stay too long in the past you will get lost there. To Bran's objections the TER says that Bran is there to learn. He doesn't have to like it or like TER. He just has to learn. The TER says that he's been there for a 1000 years which is a pretty interesting statement as it would seem to rule out someone I thought the TER was.

Daenerys reaches Vaes Dothrak. She is stripped of her clothes by the other widows (as with the opening scene with Jon Snow this is done with no frontal shots) and informed that if she's lucky she will get to live out her days with them. There is a Khal council about to start. No doubt Daenerys' status will be on the agenda. And no the other widows do not care one bit that she is Daenerys Stormborn, Breaker of Chains, First of Her Name, blah, blah, blah. Here's a quarter. Call someone who cares, honey. They all used to be bigshots. In Meereen Varys is showing his worth. He has identified the woman who set up the Unsullied and Second Sons for their massacre last season. It's a prostitute named Vala. In what seems like a shout out to any number of Western wars in the Third World, most obviously Iraq and Afghanistan, Vala and Varys go back and forth about Daenerys and her foreign (colonial) intervention. But Varys mentions Vala's son and offers her money and safe passage to Pentos for information. Meanwhile Tyrion, Grey Worm and Missandei wait. Tyrion learns that Grey Worm and Missandei are not big on small talk with him, don't drink or appreciate his wit, take everything literally and don't completely trust him. Well that's awkward. Finally Varys arrives and informs the group that the slaveowners of Yunkai, Astapor and Volantis are funding the reactionary Sons of the Harpy. Thank you Captain Obvious. It's questionable as to whether Meereen has the muscle to go back and conquer all three cities. But Missandei says the slaveowners understand only one thing. Tyrion says that we will send a message.

In King's Landing Qyburn has taken over Varys' network of child spies or little birds. Cersei approves. Cersei wants to know anything and everything that happens in King's Landing. Anyone who speaks against her needs to get got. In fact she wants this intelligence program expanded throughout Westeros by yesterday. With that made clear, Cersei and Jaime and FrankenGregor crash the Small Council meeting. Pycelle has transferred his loyalty from Cersei to her uncle Kevan. Pycelle is talking greasy about Qyburn. No one is happy to see the Lannister siblings or their pet monster. Kevan just stares while Olenna Tyrell makes incest jokes and reminds Cersei that the Queen Mother is not the Queen. Mace Tyrell is his usual blustery ineffective self. But the incest doublemint twins aren't leaving. They cite precedent for each of them to be on the Small Council. They also want to know what Kevan and the group intend to do about Dorne where as we saw not only have Ellaria and the Sand Snakes murdered the Martells but apparently now rule. Since he can't make his niece and nephew go away Kevan decides to leave the room. Everyone else departs with him. Tommen, accompanied by Kingsguard and soldiers, goes to see the High Sparrow. He wants to know why his mother and wife must still be tried and why his mother can't see Myrcella's resting place. King Tommen is very angry. Fortunately for the High Sparrow King Tommen is of an age and personality type such that the last person to talk to him gets to change his mind. The High Sparrow plays humble, claims that none of this is personal and that true wisdom comes from the gods. He's on Tommen's side you see. He says he appreciates Cersei's love for Tommen. Once again Tommen doesn't use the force that he has at his disposal. The overall experience was exactly like someone walking into their boss's office angry about being underpaid or disrespected and walking out 30 minutes later feeling happy at getting a 10% pay cut. The High Sparrow is quite the game player.

In a montage that will be familiar to anyone who's seen a kung fu movie in the past half-century Arya is finally learning to fight blind, despite some horrific beatings from the waif. In fact, to the waif's evident surprise Arya not only holds her own but gives it back a few times. She's also learning how to identify and mix potions by smell alone. After being tested again over the whole no name thing and telling the truth Jaqen H'ghar gives her a drink. This drink restores Arya's vision. The Umbers, led by their new lord, have come to see Ramsay at Winterfell. Presumably this new lord is SmallJon Umber? In any event Lord Umber refuses to kneel or pledge to Ramsay. He reminds Ramsay of Roose's oaths to the Starks and his treachery at the Red Wedding. He plainly states that Ramsay murdered Roose. He insults Lord Karstark as a homosexual pedophile. All the same though Lord Umber apparently intends to support Ramsay as he has brought Asha and Rickon Stark to give to Ramsay. As proof of Rickon's identity Lord Umber provides the head of Rickon's wolf, Shaggydog. It seems that Lord Umber is very upset with Jon Snow's decision to let the wildlings through the Wall. As one of the families closest to the Wall the Umbers expect to bear the brunt of any problems that arise. Speaking of Jon Snow, at Castle Black Jon Snow is about to execute the four ringleaders of his murder. Obviously this includes Alliser Thorne and Olly. Jon is not really looking forward to this. Jon gives all of them a chance for last words. One man says it wasn't fair because Jon was dead. Why didn't he stay dead. Another says get word to my family that I died fighting wildlings. Alliser says you won I lost but if I had it to do over again I'd do the same thing. Do what you gotta do. Alliser is at peace with his decisions. Olly doesn't say anything. As Melisandre watches from the balcony like Stannis before her in a similar situation, Jon cuts the rope. The drop is not long enough to cleanly break the neck. All four men dangle, choke and kick. It's nothing less than they deserve. After the four die and we see their blue bulging faces Dolorous Edd reminds Jon Snow that he needs to burn the bodies. But Jon has had enough. He tells Edd that Edd can burn the bodies. Jon gives the Lord Commander's cloak to Edd. He's quitting. As he says his watch has ended. Jon leaves. Technically this is not desertion as death ends all commitments.

What I liked

• I liked the High Sparrow's ability to gauge whether a rival needs to be threatened or cajoled. He very quickly sized up Tommen and correctly chose the later approach. He's not afraid of Tommen. He just recognizes what will work.
• Cool competent Kevan. He's no Tywin but neither is he Cersei. I'm looking forward to seeing how he interacts with a rejuvenated Cersei.
• Jon leaving the Night's Watch.
• Sam and Gilly as a reminder, albeit a queasy one, that not everything is horrible in Westeros.

What I didn't like

• Forget about the books. Just in the show we've have both Roose and Ramsay worried about the possibility of a Stark showing up and having the other Northern Houses rally around a Stark. A unnamed Northern Lord was willing to be flayed and burned rather than deny a Stark King in the North. We had the peasant woman muttering that the North Remembers. She was also willing to die to help Sansa Stark. The Umbers have been one of the Houses most loyal to the Starks and most in support of Northern Secession. And now we're supposed to believe that the Umbers, who have just about as many men as the Boltons and had a Stark whom no one knew about, just hand over Rickon Stark to Ramsay Bolton? It doesn't make any sense. Even if the Umbers have some self-interest to play out wouldn't it seem that they would keep Rickon's identity and location a secret from Ramsay. I hated this. I think it's a result of bad writing and bad decisions from earlier seasons to not name and detail the other Northern Lords who were murdered at the Red Wedding. It wasn't just Robb Stark and his personal retainers and soldiers. The entire North is supposed to hate and despise the Boltons. And once again another wolf dies. My only hope is that I didn't see what I just saw and the dead wolf is not Shaggydog. But that seems unlikely. Seriously though why does Ramsay keep going from success to success or Stark to Stark. I don't want to see a season of Ramsay "playing" with Rickon Stark or Osha. What happened to all this fierce Northern loyalty to the Starks? Maybe we're supposed to be like Bran watching his father lose a fight, shocked and upset to learn that the truth never was the story we were told.  
• The whole point of sending Mace Tyrell to Braavos was to try to make a deal with the Iron Bank. Well what happened? Also per Tywin, Casterly Rock was broke? So how are the Crown and the Lannisters paying troops? Are the Tyrells still helping? The Iron Bank is supposed to be relentless about recouping debts.
• Again, doesn't it seem that Davos would want to know exactly what happened at the battle with the Boltons and where Shireen is and hey why is Melisandre still alive?
• No Littlefinger
• I thought the Arya stuff all could have been done in one episode.
• Another short episode.

Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Tow Trucks and The Right to Refuse Service

This story below caught my eye because (a) it occurred near a city where I used to spend summer vacations as a child and (b) there is so much in the news these days about this or that group trying to financially harm another group with whom they disagree. It has almost become a tenet of faith among some on both the left and the right that you should not do business with people who do not see the world as you do. Obviously boycotts and the associated right to refuse service are important tools which citizens and businesses can use to bring about change in the world. I agree with some boycotts. But sometimes these tools can be used in the wrong way. I was always taught not to spend my money with people who make it clear by word or deed that they do not respect me. It is a simple thing to take your business elsewhere or if you are so inclined to start your own business to fill an unmet market niche. But what seems to be more in the news these days is that people are very angry about the very possibility of spending money with people who do not see the world as they do on every little issue. That's a completely different kettle of fish. It's one thing to decide that you're going to boycott a business because they are doing something you find objectionable or which actually harms someone or something in the world. But boycotting them because their CEO said something with which you disagree or has revealed himself to be politically aligned with THEM is not something I automatically support. Similarly a business has the right to refuse service to a customer for any number of reasons. The usual exclusions to this right are the things a customer can't do anything about-race, sex, age, ethnicity, nationality, religion etc (although even in those instances there are occasionally valid reasons for refusing service along those lines). But most businesses are trying to make money and usually don't go out of their way to refuse service for arbitrary reasons. But North Carolina tower Kenneth Shupe had what he thought were very good reasons for refusing to assist a woman whose car had broken down.
A North Carolina tow-truck driver is defending his decision to abandon a woman on the highway after noticing she was a Bernie Sanders supporter when he arrived to help her with her car.
Cassandra McWade experienced a minor car accident outside of Asheville on Monday, and local tower Kenneth Shupe was dispatched to the scene after she called for assistance. Shupe was about to load up the car, but then he noticed that McWade’s car had Sanders bumper stickers on it, and told her that he wasn’t going to help her after all.
“Something came over me, I think the Lord came to me, and he just said get in the truck and leave,” Shupe said. “And when I got in my truck, you know, I was so proud, because I felt like I finally drew a line in the sand and stood up for what I believed.”

I didn't know the Lord was speaking through damaged vehicles to tow truck drivers. I guess burning bushes are just out of style. Shupe is a Trump supporter and claims he's had bad experiences with "socialist minded people". So he told McWade to "call the government for a tow" and departed. As it turns out McWade was disabled but Shupe says that wouldn't have made any difference in his actions.


FOX Carolina 21

There are a few takeaways from this. It is not illegal to refuse service for political beliefs. And I don't think it should be. I think it is stupid though. I work every day with people who have worldviews and political beliefs which to put it mildly, I think are cretinous. But I'm not at work to debate or discuss politics or punish people with different beliefs than I. I'm there to make money. Why, absent being backed into a corner somehow, would I let politics get in the way of that? The other thing is, and there may be more written about this later, is that people who enjoy hearing about travel bans or boycotts launched at states who do not adhere to the latest NYT approved socio-sexual customs should remember that boycotts and service refusals can go both ways. The bad publicity that Shupe's business is receiving may cause him to rethink his policy of not helping self-identified Sanders supporters. Or it may not. He may get more business from Trump supporters. I don't know. What I do know is that as a culture and country we need to step back from the idea that we should only do business with people who think like we do. Or we're going to need to split up.

What's your take?

Movie Reviews: They're Watching, Black Dynamite

They're Watching
directed by Micah Wright and Jay Lender

This is another found footage film. Obviously there is an immediate credibility issue with found footage films because (a) who is going to be taking pictures and video while they're running for their life and (b) who has time or interest to capture everything they're doing on a day even when they're not trying to stay alive. They're Watching rather adroitly steps around those issues by saving most of the mayhem for the ending and by offering a reasonable explanation for why all events before then are captured on video. You see the protagonists of this tale are a production team for a real estate show, imagine House Hunters International, who have traveled to the far reaches of Moldova to chronicle the adventures of an American woman, Becky (Brigid Brannagh), a pottery artist who has fallen in love both with a Moldovan soccer star, Goran (Cristian Balint) and a run down home in the forest that she intends to renovate. So obviously the production team and the Home Hunters Global star will always be recording. The team doesn't necessarily like each other all that much. The host and star of the show Kate Banks (Carrie Genzel) is a nerve grating phony when she's on camera and an annoying bully when she's not. Her cameramen and production/sound assistants Greg (David Alpay) and Alex (Kris Lemche) have learned to tune out the worst of Kate's rants, usually by ingesting copious amounts of alcohol and chocolate but also by seeking companionship with local women. Well that last part is mostly Alex, who is unafraid of being rejected or making a fool of himself. Greg's a bit more sensitive. He's haunted by his time in Afghanistan. The group is led around Moldova by the local louche real estate agent Vladimir (Dimitri Diatchenko) who translates for them. The team returns to Moldova six months later to document for the show what Becky and Goran have done with their home. 

Well they want to see what Becky has done with the home. She's the member of that duo who is most interested in home improvement.  And Becky is the one who was most excited by the home. This time on the return to Moldova the team also includes the production assistant Sarah (Mia Faith) an eager new film school graduate who is also the niece of a network big shot. Sarah was hired over Kate's strenuous objections. Kate doesn't like Sarah one bit. It's mostly unstated but Kate resents what she sees as nepotism. Kate also views the younger and more attractive Sarah as simultaneously too weak to succeed and a possible threat to her position. Have you ever made a mistake at work and had a supervisor or someone senior to you immediately brutally correct you in such a way that you know they have long been anticipating and salivating over the chance to take you down? That's how Kate responds to Sarah's mistakes. And as a newbie Sarah makes her share of errors. During their down time the team tries to enjoy the local sights but there's not much to see or do other than drink and make goo-goo eyes at each other or some sullen locals. A few "ugly American" incidents occur. There's some local history which is backstory but still very significant to the city residents. You ignore it or make fun of it at your peril. You can guess what the American protagonists do. For most of the movie the Americans' worst problems are hard stares and uncomfortable silences. And the danger isn't necessarily coming from where you think. The ending is insane but in a good way. If you like thriller or horror movies this one is just entertaining enough to recommend. It's competent but not much more. It plays on the familiar fear of the unknown which most of us have dealt with at some point. This could be something you run into by traveling to a foreign country or by doing something as prosaic as making a wrong turn and winding up in a dangerous neighborhood at night. 

Obviously if you don't like these sorts of films then this movie isn't for you. There are a fair number of comedy moments.  There are only a few "gotcha" moments. Mostly there is just unease which is slowly turned up to dread. The camera work does make you believe that you are there.
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Black Dynamite
directed by Scott Sanders

The older movie Black Dynamite is a loving homage to and parody of a number of movies which were made from say 1967 to about 1975 and have become linked together under the category of "blaxploitation". These movies didn't necessarily have super high budgets. They weren't necessarily financed by, directed by or produced by Black people. The quality of writing and acting could vary dramatically. Some of the directing and camera work was sublime; other directing on display could make you think that you were watching work done by someone who had flunked film school multiple times. Like any other type of film genre, obviously quality varied. What these movies did tend to have in common was black protagonists, who to paraphrase football player and genre star Fred "The Hammer" Williamson, "survived until the end of the movie, won most or all of their fights, and got the girl". This was almost revolutionary for audiences who were still used to seeing black actors and actresses onscreen in subordinate or stereotypical roles or not at all. Of course some of these movies were pure pandering and cheap catharsis in which noble black heroes stood up to evil white racists and as often as not beat the everloving daylights out of them, after being suitably provoked of course. Other movies in this genre had some very negative messages packed within. These films could be formulaic, stereotypical and trite just like any other movies could. But as we've discussed before people like seeing themselves on screen. If you are dying of thirst you're not going to tell someone offering you some spring water that no thanks you only drink distilled. Black Dynamite pulls off the trick of being simultaneously serious and as silly as can be. The lead actor playing the titular hero, Michael Jai White, also wrote the film. White is also an accomplished martial artist. So the action and there's a lot of it in this movie is definitely in White's wheelhouse. The entire film is a tongue in cheek reference to too many blaxploitation films to mention but the plot will be immediately familiar to anyone who's ever sat through an action film. Black Dynamite is a semi-retired bada$$ veteran secret agent community leader player who tells everyone that he's out of the game. Of course you know that when someone says he's done and only wants to look out for himself that sooner rather than later he's coming back. Black Dynamite's wake up moment comes when his brother Jimmy (Baron Vaughn) is murdered. 

Black Dynamite comes back with a vengeance to find out who was responsible and deliver some righteous justice. He finds out that his brother's murder may be connected to a drug ring that is pushing dope into black orphanages. And that's just the outer ring of the conspiracy. But no matter how high the corruption goes or what evil plans are exposed, Black Dynamite will not let anyone prevent him from completing his roaring rampage of revenge. Black Dynamite is assisted by Gloria (Salli Richardson).  Nicole Ari Parker is the undercover Panther Mahogany Black. Other actors featured include Nicole Sullivan, Tommy Davidson (both MadTV veterans), Arsenio Hall, Obba Babbatunde, Mykelti Williamson, Mike Starr, Miguel Nunez, and Richard Edson. This film is full of gags like visible boom mikes, continuity errors (actors who were clearly killed in a previous scene show up just fine in later scenes), people who repeat their lines, bad dubbing, misspelled credits, and of course revolvers that never need to be reloaded. And that's just the obvious stuff. Although the humor is not as relentless and as over the top as say Airplane, it's still pretty out there. This movie was shot on old Kodak film. It lifts footage from seventies movies and television shows. I think you will enjoy this movie immensely if you are familiar with the films it spoofs but even if you've never seen the source material I think you may find this humorous. White holds everything together by taking everything seriously, even in the most ridiculous situations. But you shouldn't take anything seriously in this movie.
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Larry Wilmore, President Obama, The WHCD and Racial Slurs

Let's say that you invite a guest to your home. He says he needs to relieve himself. You inform him where the restroom is. But he says "No thanks, I keep it 100!" He then proceeds to remove his lower clothing and joyously defecate on your living room carpet. When you inform him that you have a BIG problem with what he just did he self-righteously accuses you of hypocrisy. After all, everyone has body functions. Why should he hide his? How dare you impose your hypocritical standards on him. He's a better person than you because he's honest. That admittedly imperfect analogy describes my feelings when I read that comedian and writer Larry Wilmore had used a form of a racial slur at the Saturday White House Correspondents Dinner to describe President Obama and his appreciation for the President. Wilmore, the host of Comedy Central's "The Nightly Report," used the term at the close of his comedy monologue at the annual glittery gathering of politicians, journalists, celebrities and dignitaries. He ended his 20 minutes of barbs with sincere personal remarks about what it means to see a black president in his lifetime. “When I was a kid I lived in a country where people couldn’t accept a black quarterback,” Wilmore said. “Now think about that: A black man was thought by his mere color not good enough to lead a football team. And now to live in your time, Mr. President, when a black man can lead the entire free world. Words alone do me no justice. So, Mr. President, I'm going to keep it a hundred. Yo Barry, you did it, my n---a." Wimore pounded his chest in a "peace out" gesture. Obama returned the gesture, laughed and rose from his seat to shake Wilmore's hand.

What sort of Jedi mind trick have racists done on black people so that not only do we call each other a racial slur that they created but we are proud to do so and consider it daring and revolutionary to do so in front of white people? In fact a big part of the reason that some of us want to use that word is just so we can go na-na-na-na at white people and say you can't say it so there!

No other group routinely does this.

No Jewish person would go to a ceremony and congratulate Ruth Bader Ginsburg by calling her a k**e.

No Italian would speak in mixed company about how proud they are of Rudy Giuliani, their d**o from way back.

No South Asian would give a shout out to their street s***** comrade, US Attorney Preet Bharara.
No East Asian would tell US Ambassador Gary Locke that they are proud that he's a g**k just like him. Why? Because those communities all seem to have enough self-respect and common sense to realize that a) you don't insult your own in public that way and b) some words can't be reclaimed.

Somehow the Enemy has convinced us that by using his language to describe each other we're doing the right thing and keeping it real. Real stupid. Again. My rant is not about that hoary foolish dance that blacks and whites engage in where whites self-righteously claim to be mightily offended and oppressed that they can't say n******. Besides although I am by definition not privy to exclusively white conversations, some friends of mine who are tell me that some whites have no problem letting racial slurs fly once they feel comfortable and safe. That's not what it's about. My question is why are black people still saying it? Because I tell you the fact that we still routinely refer to each other with racial slurs is probably not unrelated to the fact that we have such a high murder rate. It's probably not unrelated to the fact that people just off the boat who can barely speak English often dominate such businesses in the black community such as hair care or gas stations or grocery stores. It's probably not unrelated to the fact that every day there is news about how this or that white billionaire/millionaire is making a deal in downtown inner city USA or is being asked to save some inner city while somehow after 45+ years of black civic leadership the black businesses in inner cities are disproportionately wig shops, church affiliated businesses or cell phone franchises. It's probably not unrelated to the fact that even the black professional class has a tough time finding black clients because several black people prefer white money managers, agents, lawyers, doctors, accountants, real estate agents,etc. So the black community can't offer regular employment to either its professional class or its knucklehead class, with dire albeit different consequences for both. Is this all because of self-hate and using racial slurs with each other? Well no. Obviously not. But self-hate plays a part. You can not trust, love or work well with someone when you use dehumanizing language to describe them. Dehumanizing someone makes it easier to hate them or kill them.

What message does it send the world to have a black man referring to the most powerful black man in the word as a racial slur? Netanyahu and Putin probably loved that scene.

How did flaunting our supposed ability to call each other racial slurs in public become principled defiance to racist white power? I missed that memo. No one's perfect. White supremacy has done a number on us all. But we should fight against that mindset, not celebrate it. When I hear people go out of their way to call each other n******s and b****s when brother and sister should be used, I hear someone who deep down inside is still terrorized and mentally defeated. Such people are so scared of being free and independent that they'd rather hold on to the language of submission and enslavement. There are times, when contrary to the modern zeitgeist, the street people, the common man, the poor man, etc gets it wrong. Wilmore and Obama both know better. They should set a better example, not pander to low class stereotypes. Wilmore was tactless and tasteless. And worst of all, he just wasn't funny. 

But that's just my take. What's yours?

HBO Game of Thrones Recap: Home

Hey there. Remember Bran Stark? Well he's back. And he's apparently somewhere around 24. Ok well not really but his aging is quite noticeable. The show creators said that after this season they only think that they need maybe another 13 episodes to complete the story. They had better hurry because Bran and to a lesser extent Arya are really growing up quickly. I have a friend who is a bit perturbed that Bran's big plan seems to be to become a tree. Well there's more to it than that I hope but that is where we open up this episode. Bran and his creepy sensei the Three Eyed Raven (Max Von Sydow) are in the weirwood tree roots. They are exploring the past together. Bran and the Three Eyed Raven watch a young Ned and Benjen Stark in the courtyard of Winterfell spar as their older brother Brandon offers pointers. Their sister Lyanna rides in to show off her equestrian skills before trying to get a young Hodor to practice with her brothers. It seems that Hodor was always large and good natured but he wasn't always simple. His name is Willas. He can speak as well as anyone. Old Nan puts the kibosh to Lyanna's idea, saying that Willas is just a stablehand and needs to focus on that. Bran wants to stay in the past longer and find out what happened to Willas/Hodor but the Three Eyed Raven pulls him back to the present. The Three Eyed Raven says there is danger in remaining for too long in the past. Meera is sitting outside, no doubt upset about her brother's death. Bran asks after her but Meera doesn't want to be bothered with Bran at the moment, even as a feral looking Child of the Forest girl tells her that Bran needs her. At Castle Black it's showdown time. Thorne tells the diehard Snow loyalists that either they come out or he's coming in. Davos and crew draw their swords. Ghost bares his very long and very sharp teeth. Thorne has his people start to break down the door. It's a very tense scene. But just as Thorne and company are about to kick through the damaged door, Dolorous Edd, Tormund and the wildlings arrive. They brought along one of their giant friends (Wun-Wun?) in case anyone starts to act stupid. Actually, someone does act stupid but after the giant decides to play racquetball with that man's head just about everyone else gets with the program. There's some skirmishes but Dolorous Edd orders Thorne and Olly and a few other people sent to the cells. Upon seeing Jon Snow's corpse a saddened Tormund says he will burn it.

In King's Landing some peasant low lives are talking about seeing Queen Cersei naked. One man boasts about exposing himself to her and goes on at length about what he would do to her and how much she would like it. Ser Robert Strong (the modified and reanimated Mountain) tracks down that man and kills him. Right. Because no one in the slums noticed an eight fool tall zombie Kingsguard wandering around. Cersei is prevented on Tommen's orders from attending Myrcella's funeral, a command that almost causes some Lannister-on-Lannister violence. But as we see both with Jaime and later with Cersei, it's not disdain for his mother which inspired Tommen's order. It's guilt and self-hate. He can't face her. Tommen is very angry with himself for not standing up to the Church and preventing his mother and wife from being imprisoned and mocked. In fact he's so furious that he's starting to channel some of his brother Joffrey. Tommen is ready to start chopping heads and burning people. Tommen apologizes to his mother for being weak and begs her to help him to be strong. In the chapel there is a showdown between Jaime and the High Sparrow. When the High Sparrow gives his spiel about Margaery and Cersei needing to repent for their sins, an enraged Jaime steps into the High Sparrow's personal space and asks him "What about my sins?"  In short you're dealing with a full grown man now. Jaime has his hand on his sword. Gangster move. But the High Sparrow is not intimidated. Not only does he appear to be unafraid to die he points out to Jaime that the High Sparrow's bodyguards are actually all around them. Jaime wouldn't make it out alive. The High Sparrow can't resist boasting that the numbers of the faithful mean they could overthrow an empire. Hmm. The pride seems pretty strong with this one. Well you know what the Bible says about pride.

In Meereen Tyrion is drinking and listening to a litany of bad news provided by Missandei (looking quite fetching), Varys and Grey Worm. Because they didn't receive any help from Daenerys her loyalists in Astapor and Yunkai have been crushed. Those cities have re-instituted slavery. No one knows who burned Daenerys' ships. And the two chained dragons, Rhaegal and Viserion, aren't eating. On this last Tyrion thinks he can provide a solution. His research has convinced him that chained dragons will refuse to eat and ultimately become weak and even possibly die. He decides to free the dragons. He theorizes that they are smart enough to know he means them no harm. It's touch and go for a while as the dragons are apparently considering whether to make a quick snack of Tyrion but as Varys watches from a safe distance the dragons apparently smell enough of Daenerys on Tyrion to trust his intentions. Or maybe as Tyrion surmised they're just smart. Either way, after some threat displays, they allow Tyrion to remove the bolts from their chains. In Braavos Arya is attacked by the waif again, and doesn't do much better than before. However this time Jaqen H'ghar comes to her after the attack. He offers all sorts of inducements for Arya to claim her identity again. But Arya says she's no one. Not even the promised of returned eyesight will tempt Arya. Pleased, Jaqen tells her to follow him and leave the beggar's bowl behind.

At Winterfell Roose, Ramsay and the new Lord Karstark are having a meeting. They deduce that Sansa will probably go to Castle Black. Ramsay wants to attack Castle Black and kill Jon Snow. After all if The Crown can legitimize Ramsay then who's to say that something similar couldn't be done for Jon Snow. If the North has a male Stark to rally around there's no telling what could happen. It's better to kill Snow now and take that possibility off the table. This idea is too much even for an evil old dude like Roose. He says that killing the Lord Commander is a stupid idea. All the other families will line up against us Sonny!! Roose tells Ramsay that if Ramsay doesn't do something about his growing mad dog reputation, eventually he'll be put down like a mad dog. Ramsay counters that as long as the Boltons have the largest families in the North they can do what they want. This meeting is interrupted by the Bolton maester who brings news that Lady Walda has given birth to a healthy baby boy. Roose is a new father. Roose is happy to hear this. Karstark, being a slimy toad of a kissa$$ offers his insincere congratulation. Ramsay's congratulations are even less believable. But he hugs his father. He also stabs him right in the gut. Roose dies just like Robb Stark. Lord Karstark seamlessly switches his alliance to Ramsay. Ramsay tells the maester to tell everyone that Roose was poisoned and by the way send for his stepmother and new half-brother. In a scene that has a very strong horror movie vibe Ramsay slowly walks with Walda and the baby into the kennels as Walda keeps asking where Roose is. Ramsay silently opens the kennels but has trained his dogs so well that they won't leave their cages. It's finally starting to dawn on Lady Walda what went down.  Ramsay says that he is Lord Bolton. Walda begs for her life and that of Ramsay's baby brother. But Ramsay is merciless. He whistles and the dogs attack their prey. Thankfully this is kept offscreen. 

Brienne and Sansa catch up as Podrick does his best to try to light a fire despite Theon's fears that a fire will draw unwelcome attention. It could be inferred that Brienne knows Sansa was raped as Sansa looks away and doesn't say anything when Brienne asks what happened at Winterfell. But that's up to the viewer. Sansa is, well maybe excited is the wrong word, but relieved to be going to Castle Black and seeing someone from her shattered family again. Theon is not so sanguine. He points out that Jon Snow would kill him on sight. Sansa says she would tell Jon that Theon didn't really murder Bran and Rickon but Theon isn't having it. He asks Sansa what about those children he did murder? He feels he's done too much wrong to ever be forgiven by the Starks. And though he's glad he helped Sansa he doesn't think he can make amends. He's going home--to the Iron Islands. At the Iron Islands Yara tells her father Balon of all their losses. The Iron Islanders have officially been ejected from the North. Balon isn't happy to hear all this bad news. He and his daughter trade insults before Balon pulls the "I'm your father so shut the f*** up and do what I say!" card. Patriarchal peace thus restored Balon leaves the tower by way of a rope bridge. But who should be at the end of that bridge but Balon's crazy younger brother Euron. There's apparently a kinslaying/regicide fever in Westeros because after a few insults and allusions to past events Euron throws Balon over the side. At the funeral Yara swears vengeance by the Salt Throne on whoever killed Balon but the head priest (I believe this is another uncle) sharply rebukes her. The Salt Throne is not hers to swear by. There must be an election or Kingsmoot. Maybe Yara will be the first woman to lead this band of Cthulhu worshipping Vikings and maybe she won't. That's not important. What's important is that proper procedures are followed.

Davos goes to see Melisandre (attired again in her normal incredibly resilient/revealing gown) to ask if she can bring Jon back. Melisandre is rather obviously dealing with a serious crisis of faith. She thinks that everything she's done has been lies. Davos disagrees and reminds her of some magic he's seen her do. Melisandre still doesn't think she can bring Jon back. She has given up on faith. She's a broken woman. But Davos is insistent. He tells her he's not asking the Lord of Light. He's asking her. So Melisandre decides to try. In a scene which I suppose almost by definition has Biblical allusions, Melisandre gently washes the blood and muck from Snow's corpse and cuts his hair. Tormund, Dolorous Edd, and Davos all watch. Ghost lies down and closes his eyes. Melisandre prays over the body and/or casts her spell. She burns some of Jon's hair This goes on for a while. The ritual reaches a crescendo and then comes to an end. 
Nothing.
Jon Snow is dead.
Melisandre says the words again and looks pleadingly at Jon's corpse and at Davos.
Nope.
Dead is dead. 
Wash, rinse and repeat. Melisandra says "Pleeeeeeeeeeease!"
Nada.
There's silence. Tormund is the first one to leave the room. With some sad glances Melisandre and then Dolorous Edd leave. Davos stays for a while longer. He can't believe that it didn't work.How could this be. With a sigh he too finally leaves. During all this time Ghost has been lying on the floor unmoving and quiet with his eyes closed. It's almost as if he was dead.
The camera zooms in on Ghost. Ghost wakes up and opens his eyes.
And so does Jon Snow!

What I liked

• Jon Snow is back. And he has a list of who's been naughty and who's been nice.
• IIRC Thoros of Myr also said that he was able to resurrect Beric when he was at his lowest ebb spiritually. So Melisandre being in that same valley of doubt was a nice touch.
• I'm looking forward to learning if Jon Snow will be the same or will he be a completely different character.
• Tommen's anger and doubt were nicely done. I think everyone has had some confrontations when they didn't say or do what they wanted to do. I don't think Tommen will have too many more of those.
• For all the High Sparrow's talk about piety and faith and the people, he's clearly a man who loves power and control. I think that is going to harm him soon. He's made enemies of the two largest and most powerful families in Westeros.
• No Dorne
• I think that the Red Wedding made a lot of people think that none of the rules applied anymore. We have had multiple acts of regicide and kinslaying. I like that the show is showing how throwing out the rules can have negative unforeseen consequences. I think the execution could be a little better but all in all there are reasons for rules against kinslaying and murdering guests.

What I didn't like

• I try not to compare the books to the show but Book!Roose was a cold and calculating man whose default behavior was paranoia. He didn't eat anything unless other people ate it first. He had body doubles posing as him to divert any assassination attempts. He had his own people pretending to be Ramsay's friends to keep an eye on Ramsay. So it just seemed a little out of character for him ever to let his guard down around Ramsay. He was fully aware of Ramsay's nature. I did appreciate that Roose died the same way he murdered Robb Stark.
• Murdering Walda makes an enemy of the Freys, which as Robb Stark, Catelyn Stark and Edmure Tully could tell you, is not a very wise idea.
• I appreciate Davos' loyalty to Jon but where does it come from? Shouldn't he be more interested in finding out about how Stannis, Shireen and Selyse died?