The Wars To Come

"The Wars to Come" is the first episode of the fifth season of Game of Thrones. It is the forty-first episode of the series overall. It premiered on April 12, 2015. It was written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and directed by Michael Slovis.

Prologue - 25 years ago
A young Cersei Lannister and her wary tag-along Melara Hetherspoon, are creeping through the woods of The Westerlands. Melara doesn't want to continue, but young Cersei eggs her on. They reach a hut within the woods, which belongs to a witch named Maggy. Unafraid, Cersei walks in first. Upon meeting this "witch", Cersei demands to have her future read. Maggy is hesitant at first, but after Cersei threatens to have her eyes gouged out, the witch relents. After Cersei cuts her thumb on an athame, Maggy tastes her blood and offers the young girl three questions. Cersei's first question was if she will marry the prince. Maggy says she will not marry the prince, instead she would marry the king, and become queen. When asked about children, Maggy tells young Cersei that the king will have twenty children and she would have three, and that "gold will be their crowns, and gold, their shrouds". Lastly, she told the youth that her reign will not last: a younger and more beautiful queen is fated to take her place.

In King's Landing
In the present, Cersei arrives at the Great Sept of Baelor to pay respects to her deceased father Tywin. Once inside the Sept, she chastises her brother Jaime for freeing their brother Tyrion and indirectly causing their father's death. At Tywin's wake, Cersei is approached by Lancel Lannister. He has become a devout member of the Sparrows, a religious cult, and asks Cersei's forgiveness for their adulterous relationship, as well as getting her husband Robert Baratheon obscenely drunk on the day he died. Cersei denies any knowledge of her husband's murder, and shrugs off Lancel.

While in bed together, Loras and Olyvar contemplate a mark on Loras' skin which looks a little like Dorne. Margaery walks in on them, complains about his lack of discretion and sends Olyvar away. Loras retorts that since his sexuality is an open secret anyway, there isn't much point in discretion. He also opines that as Tywin is dead, no one will force Cersei to marry him anymore. He points out how this will leave Cersei in King's Landing, free to harass Margaery. Margaery simply replies with "perhaps."

In the Free Cities
Tyrion arrives in Pentos, with the aid of Varys. Varys tells Tyrion that he and Illyrio Mopatis had worked together in secret to restore House Targaryen to the rule of Westeros, but that their errors have left them in Pentos, unable to return to King's Landing. Tyrion has descended into bitterness and self-loathing, seemingly determined to drink himself to death, but Varys angrily snaps him out of his self pity, telling Tyrion that he still has talents that may yet be of use; talents that he could use to seat the right candidate on the Iron Throne. Varys states that Westeros is mired in chaos and on the brink of ruin; the Seven Kingdoms requires a ruler, one stronger than Tommen yet gentler than Stannis, beloved by the people, able to please the common folk and keep the nobility in line. When Tyrion retorts that such a man does not exist, Varys points out that he never said this ruler would be a man. Varys offers Tyrion the choice of either drinking himself to death in Pentos, or travelling with him to Meereen to support Daenerys Targaryen. After a moment, Tyrion agrees.

In Slaver's Bay
The Unsullied remove the large gold harpy from the top of the Great Pyramid in Meereen to show the Meereenese people they are under Targaryen rule now and their old traditions are gone. One of the Unsullied, White Rat, is seen walking into a brothel and pays a prostitute to lie with him and comfort him. He is subsequently murdered by a member of the Sons of the Harpy, a resistance group operating in Meereen. Upon being presented with the murderer's mask (left at the scene), Daenerys orders Grey Worm to find those responsible, and for the murdered soldier to be buried in the Temple of the Graces as a statement.

Hizdahr zo Loraq and Daario Naharis return to Meereen and declares that their mission to Yunkai has been successful, and that the Wise Masters will turn over power to a council of former slaves and former slave owners. In exchange, the Wise Masters have asked that Daenerys consent to the reopening of the fighting pits, an arena where slaves used to fight to the death. Daenerys denies the request. Later, Daario convinces her to reconsider, as his youth fighting in the pits gave him the fighting skills necessary for him to join the Second Sons, where he met Daenerys. Upon hearing that Drogon hasn't been seen in weeks, Daario muses on the irony of a dragon-queen with no dragons.

Later, Daenerys attempts to visit Viserion and Rhaegal, whom she locked underground in the Meereenese catacombs to prevent them from killing innocents or fleeing (both of which Drogon did). When she approaches them, they attempt to attack her, forcing her to briskly escape the room.

In the Vale
Littlefinger and Sansa watch over Lord Robin Arryn struggle while sparring with a young boy. While watching Robin spar, Sansa witnesses Baelish receive a message, which he quickly hides. Lord Yohn Royce has agreed to take Robin as his ward and train him to fight, but is not optimistic of his abilities, stating "he swings a sword like a girl with palsy." Though Littlefinger told Lord Royce that he and Sansa would be traveling to the Fingers, they instead head west. Sansa asks if they have anything to fear from Lord Yohn; Littlefinger explains that he doesn't trust the retainers and soldiers who saw them, and is taking Sansa somewhere the Lannisters will never find her.

Podrick Payne attempts to plan the next move for himself and Brienne of Tarth, but Brienne tells him that she doesn't want anyone following her. He reminds her of the oath she swore to Jaime to find the Stark girls, but she states that Arya did not want her protection. Brienne also points out that Pod was not safe in King's Landing and now they are far away from the capital, he is safe and they can go their separate ways. Littlefinger and Sansa's carriage passes them, Brienne unaware of how close her goal is.

At the Wall
Jon Snow's attempts at training Olly are interrupted by Melisandre, who has been sent to fetch Jon for an audience with Stannis. On the ride to the top of the Wall, Jon is discomfited by Melisandre's presence and questions. Stannis explains that he intends to retake the North from Lord Roose Bolton, but needs an army, and desires the Free Folk to fight for him. He wants Jon to get Mance Rayder to bend the knee and have the wildlings fight for him; in exchange, he would set them free and give them their own land within Westeros. Jon relays this message to Mance, but he refuses to bend the knee; to do so would be to show unforgiveable weakness in the eyes of his people. Because he will not fight for Stannis, his punishment is death by being burned alive. On the night of his execution, Mance stands before Stannis, and although he cannot bend the knee, he offers him luck in the wars to come. Mance is led to the stake. Melisandre lights the pyre, and Mance slowly begins to feel the agonizing pain of the fire. Unable to watch him suffer any longer, Jon turns and storms off. Others turn away from the scene as well, including Gilly and Shireen. Just as Mance begins to give in and start screaming, an arrow pierces directly into his chest. It is Jon, giving the man he respected an easier death. Mance dies before he feels the agony of the flames.

Appearances

 * Main: The Wars to Come/Appearances

First

 * Melara Hetherspoon
 * Maggy
 * White Rat
 * Meereenese prostitute

Deaths

 * White Rat
 * Mance Rayder

Cast
Starring
 * Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister
 * Nikolaj Coster-Waldau as Ser Jaime Lannister
 * Lena Headey as Queen Cersei Lannister
 * Emilia Clarke as Queen Daenerys Targaryen
 * Kit Harington as Jon Snow
 * Aidan Gillen as Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish
 * Charles Dance as Lord Tywin Lannister
 * Natalie Dormer as Lady Margaery Tyrell
 * Stephen Dillane as King Stannis Baratheon
 * Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth
 * Carice van Houten as Lady Melisandre
 * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly
 * Sophie Turner as Princess Sansa Stark
 * Kristofer Hivju as Tormund
 * Hannah Murray as Gilly
 * Conleth Hill as Lord Varys
 * Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth
 * Michiel Huisman as Daario Naharis
 * Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei
 * Dean-Charles Chapman as King Tommen Baratheon

Guest Starring
 * Ciarán Hinds as Mance Rayder
 * Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne
 * Ian McElhinney as Barristan Selmy
 * Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle
 * Tara Fitzgerald as Selyse Baratheon
 * Roger Ashton-Griffiths as Lord Mace Tyrell
 * Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm
 * Finn Jones as Ser Loras Tyrell
 * Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne
 * Jodhi May as Maggy
 * Dominic Carter as Janos Slynt
 * Joel Fry as Hizdahr zo Loraq
 * Ben Crompton as Eddison Tollett
 * Eugene Simon as Ser Lancel Lannister
 * Will Tudor as Olyvar
 * Rupert Vansittart as Lord Yohn Royce
 * Ian Beattie as Ser Meryn Trant
 * Ian Gelder as Ser Kevan Lannister
 * Brenock O'Connor as Olly
 * Kerry Ingram as Shireen Baratheon
 * Paul Bentley as the High Septon
 * Reece Noi as Mossador
 * Michael Condron as Bowen Marsh
 * Lino Facioli as Lord Robin Arryn
 * Nell Williams as Young Cersei Lannister
 * Isabella Steinbarth as Melara Hetherspoon
 * Marcos James as White Rat
 * Allan Gildea as Sam Stone
 * Meena Rayann as Meereenese prostitute
 * Stephen Brown as
 * Joe Hewetson as Helliweg

Cast notes

 * 20 of 29 cast members for the fifth season appear in this episode.
 * Starring cast members Indira Varma (Ellaria Sand), Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Maisie Williams (Arya Stark), Jerome Flynn (Bronn), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton), Michael McElhatton (Roose Bolton), Diana Rigg (Olenna Tyrell), Tom Wlaschiha (Jaqen H'ghar) and Iain Glen (Jorah Mormont) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.
 * This episode is the final appearance of starring cast member Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) due to the death of his character at the end of the previous episode.
 * Michiel Huisman, Nathalie Emmanuel and Dean-Charles Chapman are all added to the main cast with their names appearing in the opening credits, starting with this episode. They all previously appeared in recurring roles, Huisman and Chapman in the fourth, and Emmanuel in the third and fourth season.
 * Nathalie Emmanuel's name in the opening credits is accompanied by a butterfly icon, a reference to Missandei's native island of Naath, which is also known as the "Isle of Butterflies".

In the books

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


 * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Storm of Swords:
 * Chapter 71, Daenerys VI: Daenerys Targaryen orders the harpy statue at the top of the Great Pyramid of Meereen to be pulled down.
 * Chapter 75, Samwell IV: after the Battle of Castle Black, Sam notes that Ser Alliser Thorne and Ser Denys Mallister are candidates for the impeding Choosing of the next Lord Commander of the Night's Watch.
 * Chapter 76, Jon XI: Jon Snow is training a young black brother in the yard of Castle Black when Melisandre comes and tells Jon to meet Stannis at the top of the Wall. On the way up, Jon asks her if she isn't cold, and she claims she never is. They find Stannis on the edge of the Wall, where he asks Jon for his help to reclaim Winterfell and the North from its Lannister-appointed Warden, Roose Bolton, who betrayed Jon's brother. However, Jon declares his loyalty is to the Night's Watch. Stannis says he needs the wildlings to pledge their fealty to him, for which he would let them through the Wall and settle. However, if their King Mance Rayder does not bend the knee, he will be burnt.
 * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Feast for Crows:
 * Chapter 7, Cersei II: Cersei arrives at the Great Sept of Baelor, escorted by Ser Meryn Trant, for Tywin's funeral. Cersei feels surrounded by Tyrells. She talks to Kevan, Tywin's brother, and encounters Kevan's son Lancel, who looks unrecognizably ragged. He has become a member of a new religious fanatic movement, the Sparrows. Cersei fears what Lancel may tell the High Septon about King Robert's death in an apparent hunting accident, which Lancel had helped stage.
 * Chapter 8, Jaime I: Jaime stands over Tywin's body and feels incredible guilt for releasing Tyrion.
 * Chapter 36, Cersei VIII: Cersei looks back on how, when she was young, she and her friend visited a fortuneteller called Maggy in the woods. Cersei pressed Maggy for her fortune, and Maggy answered her questions: yes, she would be queen, until one younger and more beautiful replaced her; no, she would not have children with the king, but he would have many; and her own children would die before she did. Scared, her friend urged her to flee.
 * Chapter 41, Alayne II: having descended from the Eyrie, Littlefinger discusses his own plans and Cersei's reign with Sansa Stark, who is disguised as Alayne.
 * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Dance with Dragons:
 * Chapter 1, Tyrion I: Tyrion arrives drunk in Pentos, at Illyrio's manse. Tyrion's new benefactor convinces him not to drown himself in wine and instead go on to to serve someone stronger than Tommen, gentler than Stannis; the only one who he claims can save the Seven Kingdoms.
 * Chapter 2, Daenerys I: an Unsullied soldier visits a brothel alone to cuddle with a prostitute, but is then killed by a Son of the Harpy, which enrages Daenerys. Grey Worm is asked why a eunuch would go to a brothel. Hizdahr zo Loraq asks Daenerys to reopen the fighting pits, which he argues are a part of the cultural heritage of Slaver's Bay.
 * Chapter 5, Tyrion II: Tyrion heads to Meereen in order to serve Daenerys Targaryen and help her win the throne. He is told that Daenerys needs men such as him, and that Varys and Illyrio are old friends.
 * Chapter 10, Jon III: Mance Rayder is sacrificed in a pyre by Melisandre, who denounces him as a King of Lies, and claims Stannis is the one true ruler in Westeros. As Mance burns, Jon has him shot full of arrows in order to end him mercifully.
 * Chapter 11, Daenerys II: soon after imprisoning them, Daenerys visits Viserion and Rhaegal in the catacombs of the Great Pyramid, but they are growing more savage every day and are out of control.
 * Chapter 23, Daenerys IV: Daario Naharis returns to Meereen from his mission. Daario urges Dany to loose the dragons on her enemies before they attack her.
 * Chapter 36, Daenerys VI: Hizdahr suggests terms of peace with Yunkai which the Wise Masters will accept, though it would mean reestablishing some of the practices the Queen has abolished, including the fighting pits.

Memorable Quotes
Maggy: "Oh yes, you'll be queen...for a time. Then comes another, younger, more beautiful, to cast you down and take all you hold dear."

Maggy: "Gold will be their crowns, gold their shrouds."

Brienne of Tarth: "I don't want anyone following me. I'm not a leader. All I ever wanted was to fight for a lord I believed in. The good lords are dead and the rest of them are monsters."

Tyrion: "Good luck finding him." Varys:  "Who said anything about him?"

Daario Naharis "A Dragon Queen, with no dragons, is not a Queen."

Lord Yohn Royce: "He swings a sword like a girl with palsy."

Daenerys Targaryen: "I'm not a politician, I'm a Queen."

Loras Tyrell: "He was a force to be reckoned with..."

Loras Tyrell: "Everyone knows everything about everyone."

Mance Rayder: “The freedom to make my own mistakes was all I ever wanted.”

Cersei Lannister: "I doubt you ever led anyone anywhere."