Hardhome (episode)


 * This article is about the episode. For the wildling fishing village north of the Wall, see "Hardhome."

"Hardhome" is the eighth episode of the fifth season of Game of Thrones. It is the forty-eighth episode of the series overall. It premiered on May 31, 2015. It was written by David Benioff & D.B. Weiss and directed by Miguel Sapochnik.

Plot
Arya makes progress in her training. Sansa confronts an old friend. Cersei struggles. Jon travels.

In Meereen
In the Throne Room, Daenerys ponders on what to do with Tyrion and Jorah. She asks Tyrion why she shouldn't kill him, since the Lannisters are enemies to her House. He claims to have killed both of his parents and by that he is an enemy to the Lannisters as well. Daenerys isn't convinced that killing one's own familiy is a good reputation for someone in her service. Tyrion counters by wondering aloud if she at least is worth his service. Ordered to tell her why he has come to her from the other end of the world, he explains how he learned about her own story from rumours and from Varys. He says that she – a lost girl born in a storm, who with virtually no assistance managed to acquire a barbarian horde, an effective army, conquer three cities, break the slave trade and hatch three dragons – might be worth living for when he lost everything he had lived for until then. He adds that Daenerys needs his advice despite having a powerful army and large dragons, as she lacks both political experience and practical knowledge of Westeros.

She eventually agrees to spare his life, but asks what to do about Ser Jorah. She seems poised to fulfil her promise of killing him if she saw him again, as it would not do at all for a queen not to keep her word. Tyrion defends Jorah, commenting that he is clearly devoted to her and quite possibly in love with her, but also that he did not trust her enough to inform her of his mission to spy on her for King Robert and that therefore he cannot be trusted to stand by her side. But, he argues, just as a queen should keep true to her oaths, she should also not kill those devoted to her.

Daenerys exiles Jorah from the city. Contemplating his greyscale, Jorah returns to Yezzan zo Qaggaz and offers to fight for him. He promises to lead Yezzan's team to the Great Pit and win the tournament for the Queen – after that Yezzan can make a fortune selling Jorah on the black market.

Later, Tyrion and Daenerys sit in her solar and have a talk about ambitions. When Tyrion mentions what a horrible father Tywin was, Daenerys admits that she no longer has any illusions about her own father. Daenerys is curious about the circumstances of Tyrion's murder of Tywin. He wryly promises that if she decides not to kill him then one day he will tell her, but on that day they will need a lot more wine than the large decanter they are drinking from.

They discuss the role of Varys in their stories and Tyrion assures Daenerys he trusts him, and that he's probably the reason she wasn't killed years ago. Tyrion was convinced by Varys that she could be a ruler who deserves his support.

Daenerys decides Tyrion will remain as her adviser, but confiscates the wine, as a drunk is of no use to her. When Tyrion asks Daenerys what she wants to be advised on, Tyrion nearly rolls his eyes at her desire for the Iron Throne. He suggests that she might want to stay in Slaver's Bay and build a new kingdom for herself in Meereen, complimenting her on reopening the fighting pits and her upcoming political marriage. She assures him that she will stay and help stabilize things, and make sure the slave trade stays broken, but Essos is not her "home." Tyrion counters that no one will support her in Westeros, but Daenerys somewhat idealistically declares that the common people will support her. Tyrion generously assumes that this will happen (which it generally doesn't), but then he reminds Daenerys that Meereen has been in a state of chaos without the combined support of the Great Masters and the smallfolk, and extends this to Westeros and its Great Houses. He notes that Houses Targaryen and Stark are effectively dead due to the combined actions of their "two terrible fathers." Neither House Lannister nor House Baratheon of Dragonstone will ever support her claim in light of their histories with the Targaryens. Tyrion says that this leaves House Tyrell who might be willing to switch sides due to Cersei's recent schemes against them but that still isn't enough. Daenerys stubbornly likens the Great Houses, including her own House Targaryen, to the spokes on a wheel, one on top and then others, and on and on, crushing the commoners beneath them in their struggle for supremacy. Tyrion sarcastically warns that others have dreamed of stopping the wheel, but Daenerys clarifies that she plans to break it.

In Braavos
Arya assumes the identity of Lanna, a clam-seller, and shows Jaqen H'ghar she can convincingly become a different person, developing an elaborate and very believable backstory. The Faceless Man sends her, as Lanna, to the harbor where she observes someone referred to as "the thin man" refuse a contract to insure a man's boat, leaving the man in desperate circumstances. Jaqen explains the thin man's business is a sort of gamble yet he does not honor his agreements; when a ship captain dies at sea, he is supposed to make good on his promise and pay the family, but he often doesn't. Jaqen instructs her to kill him, and hands her a "gift" for the thin man — a vial of poison. The waif is skeptical of Arya/Lanna's success.

In King's Landing
Septa Unella continues to demand Cersei to "confess" in return for her freedom. She remains defiant, despite being obliged to drink water from the floor out of sheer thirst. Qyburn visits her in her cell, and informs her that her trial will begin soon for the crimes of fornication, treason, incest, and Robert's murder, all of which Cersei furiously dismisses as "lies." Qyburn tells her that Grand Maester Pycelle has summoned Kevan Lannister to serve as Hand of the King. Kevan has, at this point in time, already arrived, and he has refused to visit her in prison. Qyburn also tells her that Tommen has become reclusive, refusing to see anyone and refusing to eat in his emotional state. Before leaving, he tells her "the work continues" on their secret project.

In the North
A bitter and determined Sansa confronts Reek about his latest betrayal. Reek apologetically affirms he was helping her and that there is no escaping Ramsay. He tells her that Theon Greyjoy tried to escape but Ramsay caught him and tortured him until there was no Theon left. Sansa coldly expresses approval and reminds Reek of the role he played in her family's downfall, and that if she could do to him what Ramsay did, she would. Reek shamefully admits he deserved his torture as he did terrible things, specifically killing "those boys." Enraged by his dismissive reference seemingly to her brothers as "those boys" rather than Bran and Rickon, Sansa vehemently demands to know why they should be dead while he still breathes the air, forcing Reek to finally admit that they were not in fact Bran and Rickon, only two farm boys. Stunned by this admission, Sansa's anger towards Reek cools but when she presses him as to where they might have gone, calling him Theon again, he breaks down and runs out the room, crying, "Not Theon! Reek!"

Roose Bolton maintains that his army must wait inside Winterfell, thus starving out Stannis' forces, as Winterfell had enough supplies to last 6 months under siege. Such conditions would cause a mutiny in the ranks of the Baratheon force and break them down. Ramsay, on the other hand, has a plan to defeat Stannis decisively and asks his father to lend him "just 20 good men."

At the Wall
Gilly continues to tend Sam's wounds. Olly enters with some food, having heard what happened. Once Gilly leaves, Olly expresses concern at joining forces with the wildlings, particularly Tormund, who led the raid in which his parents were killed. Sam reassures Olly that Jon knows what he is doing, and that unless he is successful, neither the Night's Watch nor Westeros stands a chance against the White Walkers. Sam explains this is a hard choice Jon had to make, however unpopular, and then tells him not to worry, as Jon always comes back.

At Hardhome
Jon Snow and Tormund Giantsbane, along with other members of the Night's Watch and the Free Folk, arrive at the wildling town Hardhome to convince the rest of the wildlings to join them in the upcoming war against the White Walkers and their armies of Wights.

Insisting on never being an ally with a Crow, The Lord of Bones insults Tormund for being at the side of an enemy like Jon Snow. Tormund seizes the Lord's staff and beats his former ally to death with it. The wildling elders decide to gather in the Townshall to hear out Jon's proposal; an alliance between the Free Folk and the Night's Watch in the face of their common enemy, the undead.

Having not seen Mance Rayder since he was taken prisoner at The Wall, the Wildlings question his whereabouts. Snow reluctantly informs them that he is dead and that he shot him personally with an arrow. The group is infuriated, but as they move in to kill him, Tormund vouches for him, describing how Rayder was about to be burned at the stake as a warning from Stannis Baratheon, and how Snow defied Stannis by ending his life quickly instead of humiliating him and making him suffer in the flames. Some leaders are convinced, such as Karsi and the giant Wun Wun, but others like the Thenn warrior Loboda begin to leave. Jon offers them the dragonglass daggers, telling them that his friend had killed a White Walker with one. The Wildlings still seem unconvinced.

While approximately five thousand Free Folk gather to set sail to the Wall, the Night's Watch starts gathering the dragonglass daggers in the tent. Edd approaches Wun Wun who holds one of the daggers, examining it curiously. The giant appears unwilling to hand it over and asks Edd "The fuck you looking at?" in the giants' rudimentary form of the Old Tongue. Edd walks away quietly, without collecting the arrowhead. Suddenly, dogs begin barking and the sounds of a storm are heard. Recognizing the sign of approaching White Walkers, Loboda orders the gates of Hardhome to be shut, abandoning many of the Free Folk on the other side to their fate. As the storm reaches the village, the screams of the people shut outside the walls of Hardhome quickly fall silent. A moment later, a large host of undead wights begin breaking through the gates and climbing over the walls. Jon, Tormund, Loboda and Karsi fight alongside others to give as many people as possible an opportunity to make it to their ships. Eddison Tollett, Wun Wun, and others are trapped inside the townhall, which is set upon by wights and catches fire – in the confusion, the bag of dragonglass weapons is lost. On top of a hill overlooking Hardhome, several White Walkers mounted on undead horses observe the battle, including the Night King. Noticing them, and realizing the need for dragonglass, Jon and Loboda go to the burning townhall, only to be confronted by a White Walker warrior. While Loboda faces the threat, Jon Snow goes for the dragonglass. Loboda is quickly killed after his axe shatters immediately upon contacting the White Walker's ice blade. Jon just manages to grab a dragonglass dagger but is tossed aside by the White Walker. Jon retrieves Longclaw and defends himself against the White Walker and both combatants are astonished to see the Valyrian steel remain intact after colliding with the White Walker's blade. Seizing the opportunity, Jon strikes the White Walker, shattering his body into fragments of ice, confirming that Valyrian steel is just as lethal to them as dragonglass. The Night King, watching the entire battle from a distance, seems at least mildly intrigued by this turn of events.

Meanwhile, Karsi fights off multiple wights before being confronted by a pack of undead children. Frozen by the horror, she is unable to resist as she is mauled to death. The White Walkers deploy another large host of wights, letting them hurl themselves over the cliffs above Hardhome. Jon, Edd, Tormund and the remaining defenders flee for their lives. Shielded by Wun Wun, who throws several wights off himself and wields a burning log as a club before walking into the sea with them, they manage to get to the last remaining boat and quickly row out to a safe distance. As Jon and the others look on in horror, the Night King raises his arms triumphantly; all around it, the slain wildlings rise up as undead wights, including Karsi. The Night King and his army continue to stare in silence as they retreat.

Appearances

 * Main: Hardhome (episode)/Appearances

First

 * The Thin Man
 * Karsi
 * Loboda
 * Wun Wun
 * Duncan Liddle
 * White Walker
 * Johnna
 * Willa
 * Wildling elder

Deaths

 * Lord of Bones, beaten to death by Tormund
 * Loboda, impaled through the gut by a White Walker
 * White Walker, killed by Jon Snow
 * Karsi, torn apart by a pack of wights

Cast
Starring
 * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
 * Lena Headey as Queen Mother Cersei Lannister
 * Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys Targaryen
 * Kit Harington as Lord Commander Jon Snow
 * Sophie Turner as Lady Sansa Stark
 * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
 * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly
 * Hannah Murray as Gilly
 * Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane
 * Alfie Allen as Reek
 * Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei
 * Tom Wlaschiha as Jaqen H'ghar
 * Michael McElhatton as Lord Roose Bolton
 * Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton
 * with Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont

Guest Starring
 * Anton Lesser as Qyburn
 * Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollett
 * Faye Marsay as The Waif
 * Birgitte Hjort Sørensen as Karsi
 * Enzo Cilenti as Yezzan zo Qaggaz
 * Zahary Baharov as Loboda
 * Hannah Waddingham as Septa Unella
 * Brenock O'Connor as Olly
 * Richard Brake as The Night King
 * Ian Whyte as Wun Wun
 * Ross O'Hennessy as the Lord of Bones
 * Murray McArthur as Dim Dalba
 * Will O'Connell as Todder
 * Oengus MacNamara as the thin man
 * Sarine Sofair as Lhara
 * Morgan C. Jones as a Braavosi captain
 * Tim Loane as a White Walker
 * Ali Lyons as Johnna
 * Karla Lyons as Willa

Uncredited
 * Brann Dailor as a Wildling
 * Cassie Friel as a Wight
 * Brent Hinds as a Wildling
 * Bill Kelliher as a Wildling
 * Bobby Marno as a Night's Watch Man
 * Barrie Martin as a Wight
 * Simon Millar as a Wildling
 * Kristy Robinson as a Wildling
 * Jessica Stevenson as a Wildling
 * Michael Stuart as a Night's Watch Officer
 * Unknown as Boake

Cast notes

 * 15 of 27 cast members for the fifth season appear in this episode.
 * Starring cast members Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime Lannister), Aidan Gillen (Petyr Baelish), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Stephen Dillane (Stannis Baratheon), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), Indira Varma (Ellaria Sand), Conleth Hill (Varys), Gwendoline Christie (Brienne of Tarth), Jerome Flynn (Bronn), Michiel Huisman (Daario Naharis) and Dean-Charles Chapman (Tommen Baratheon) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.

In the books

 * See: Differences between books and TV series - Season 5


 * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Feast for Crows:
 * Chapter 22, Arya II: The Faceless Man tells Arya she must leave the temple and adopt a new identity.
 * Chapter 34, Cat of the Canals: Arya gets used to making a living in Braavos under the identity of an orphan girl who wanders the city's canals and sells oysters, clams and cockles from a cart. Every day, Arya comes back to the House of Black and White and informs of her daily routine to the Faceless Man.
 * Chapter 43, Cersei X: Cersei remains imprisoned at the Great Sept of Baelor, where Septa Unella continuously asks her to confess her sins. She has been stripped of her garments and is made to wear rags. A septa offers Cersei a bowl of soup, which she finds disgusting and throws at her face. Later, however, she is too thirsty to refuse the water she is brought. Qyburn visits her and tells her the Faith will try her for murder, treason, and fornication, and that Grand Maester Pycelle sent a raven to Casterly Rock asking for her uncle Ser Kevan to take over the small council.
 * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Dance with Dragons:
 * Chapter 7, Jon II: Jon discovers that Valyrian steel may kill White Walkers.
 * Chapter 31, Melisandre I: A Free Folk settlement beneath a great cliff is prophesied to become engulfed in snow and ashes while men shoot flaming arrows at the dead things on the other side of the palisade. Then the wind rises and the cold white mist comes in, until no wildling remains alive. Jon learns about the death of the Lord of Bones.
 * Chapter 35, Jon VII: While ranging Beyond the Wall, Jon Snow meets the giant Wun Wun and some wildling men, all of whom Jon convinces to come back to Castle Black with him.
 * Chapter 51, Theon I: Roose Bolton reluctantly decides to let out a host to fight Stannis in the snow.
 * Chapter 54, Cersei I: Ser Kevan comes back to King's Landing and now presides over the small council.
 * Chapter 58, Jon XII: A senior officer of the Night’s Watch leads an expeditionary force to Hardhome in order to bring the Free Folk south of the Wall and save them from the White Walkers, but they are met with distrust and aggression, the seas become wrecked by storms and, worse of all, the settlement is surrounded by wights.
 * Chapter 64, The Ugly Little Girl: Arya is charged with her first assassination target: a man who sells insurance to ship captains. Arya is to follow him in her disguise of the clam-selling orphan and learn as much about him before killing him. When the captains die at sea, he is supposed to make good on his promise and pay the family, but sometimes doesn't. The man is always protected by two guards, and counts his coins jealously. Arya is given a poison to accomplish the task silently.
 * Chapter 66, Tyrion XII: Tyrion Lannister talks his way out of his bondage to Yezzan zo Qaggaz and comes to an agreement with Queen Daenerys’ side.
 * Chapter 69, Jon XIII: Jon is to lead a rescue mission to Hardhome with Tormund.
 * The sixth novel, The Winds of Winter, remains unpublished, so there are some events brought forward from it that may occur in the story, yet the specific chapters are unknown. This may include Sansa’s wedding and her return to Winterfell, both of which are also part of Littlefinger's plan in the books but have not happened yet, and the specifics of the events at Hardhome. The meeting of Tyrion and Daenerys has been confirmed to take place in the sixth book.

Memorable Quotes
Daenerys Targaryen: "How do I know you are who you say you are?"

Tyrion Lannister: "If only I were otherwise!"

Daenerys Targaryen: "If you are Tyrion Lannister, why shouldn't I kill you to pay your family back, for what it did to mine?"

Tyrion Lannister: "You want revenge against the Lannisters? I killed my mother, Joanna Lannister, on the day I was born! I killed my father, Tywin Lannister, with a bolt to the heart! I am the greatest Lannister killer of our time!"

Daenerys Targaryen: "So, I should welcome you into my service because you murdered members of your own family?"

Tyrion Lannister: "Into your service? Your Grace, we have only just met. It's too soon to know if you deserve my service."

Daenerys Targaryen: "I know what my father was. What he did. I know the Mad King earned his name."

Tyrion Lannister: "So, here we sit. Two terrible children of two terrible fathers."

Daenerys Targaryen: "I'm terrible?"

Tyrion Lannister: "I've heard stories."

Daenerys Targaryen: "Why did you travel to the far side of the world to meet someone terrible?"

Tyrion Lannister: "To see if you were the right kind of terrible."

Daenerys Targaryen: "What kind is that?"

Tyrion Lannister: "The kind that prevents your people from being more so."

Tyrion Lannister: "When you get back to your home, who supports you?"

Daenerys Targaryen: "The common people."

Tyrion Lannister: "Let's be generous and assume that's going to happen. Here in Slaver's Bay, you had the support of the common people and only the common people. What was that like? Ruling without the rich? House Targaryen is gone. Not a single person who shares your blood is alive to support you. The Starks are gone as well. Our two terrible fathers saw to that. The remaining members of House Lannister will never back you, not ever. Stannis Baratheon won't back you either. His entire claim to the throne rests on the illegitimacy of yours. That leaves the Tyrells. Not impossible, not enough."

Daenerys Targaryen: "Lannister, Targaryen, Baratheon, Stark, Tyrell...they're all just spokes on a wheel. This one's on top, then that one's on top, and on and on it spins, crushing those on the ground."

Tyrion Lannister: "It's a beautiful dream...stopping the wheel. You're not the first person who's ever dreamed it."

Daenerys Targaryen: "I'm not going to stop the wheel. I'm going to break the wheel."

Sansa Stark: "Why? Why Theon?" Reek: "Not Theon. There is no Theon. Reek!"

Sansa Stark: "Reek. Why did you tell him, Reek?"

Reek: "I was helping you. You wanted to escape. There is no escape. Not ever. Theon Greyjoy tried to escape. The master knew. He knows everything. He hunted him. He caught him, strapped him to a cross, cut away piece after piece until there was no Theon left."

Sansa Stark: "Good. If it weren't for you, I'd still have a family. If I could do to you what Ramsay did right here, right now, I would."

Reek: "I deserved everything. I deserve to be Reek. I did terrible things. Turned on Robb...captured Winterfell...killed those boys."

Sansa Stark: "They weren't 'those boys', they were Bran and Rickon. They were your brothers. You've known them since they were born!"

Reek: "They weren't! They were only..."

Sansa Stark: "Only what?"

Reek: "I can't!"

Sansa Stark: "Tell me!"

Reek: "I can't! Not unless the master says..."

Sansa Stark: "Tell me! They weren't what?"

Reek: "They were only..."

Sansa Stark: "Tell me why Bran and Rickon should be gone while you still breath the air!" [Grabs Reek by the face and shakes his head.] "Tell me to my face, Theon! TELL ME THAT THEY WEREN'T YOUR BROTHERS!"

Reek: "They weren't Bran and Rickon!" [Pause] "I couldn't find them. It was two farm boys. I killed them and burned them so no one would know."

Sansa Stark: "You didn't?" [Theon shakes his head.] "Do you know where they went? Bran and Rickon?"

Reek: "I can't talk to you anymore."

Sansa Stark: "Theon, you have to tell me. Do you have any idea where..."

Reek: "Not Theon! Reek!"

Ramsay Bolton: "Stannis isn't from the North. You are, father. I think you're missing an opportunity to show the people of the North how House Bolton treats southern invaders."

Roose Bolton: "And what do you recommend?"

Ramsay Bolton: "That we not sit and wait for Stannis to decide what sort of fight this is going to be. That we hit fast, and hit hard, and leave a feast for the crows."

Roose Bolton: "A smart commander does not abandon a defensive advantage. As long as we stay behind these walls, they can't touch us. Not to mention the snow is so deep, we couldn't get an army through to engage them even if we wanted to."

Ramsay Bolton: "I don't need an army. I need 20 good men."

Jon Snow: "The Long Night is coming, and the dead come with it. No clan can stop them. The Free Folk can't stop them. The Night's Watch can't stop them, and all the Southern kings can't stop them. Only together, all of us, and even then, it may not be enough, but at least then we'll give the fuckers a fight."

Tormund: "He's prettier than both my daughters, but he knows how to fight. He's young, but he knows how to lead. He came because he needs us, and we need him."

Loboda "My ancestors would spit on me if I broke bread with a crow." Karsi "So would mine, but fuck 'em. They're dead."