Mother's Mercy

"Mother's Mercy" is the tenth episode of the fifth season of Game of Thrones. It is the fiftieth episode of the series overall. It will premiere on June 14, 2015. It was written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and directed by David Nutter.

Winterfell
As the snow begins to melt, Stannis believes his sacrifice worked and it is time to march on Winterfell. Selyse, however has hung herself out of grief for her daughter. Shortly after learning the fate of his wife, he receives word that Lady Melisandre has abandoned him and started back to the wall. Marching across the fields with less then half the men he once had, he is met in combat early by the Bolton's army. The Bolton army, which is mounted, easily defeats Stannis' tired and mountless army. Wounded and exhausted, Stannis fights off two remaining soldiers and collapses against a tree, and is met by a woman he does not know wearing armor.

Brianne was warned by Podrick of Stannis's arrival and leaves her watch for Sansa's signal. After the battle she waits and finds a wounded Stannis. She declares who she is and that her king was killed by his brother's shadow that bore his face. Stannis at this point has lost everything and bravely accepts his fate to die, he tells Brianne to do her "duty".

Sansa uses the cork screw to escape her room, and seeks out the tower to light her signal. After the candle is lit, she sees the Boltons clash with Stannis' army and sees this as a time to slip out of Winterfell. Desperately running through the hold, she is caught by Myranda and Theon. Myranda, threatens Sansa with a bow, however Sansa tells her to kill her while there is still a part of her left. She tells Sansa that Ramsay needs her to have an heir and nothing more afterwards, but he does not need all of her in one piece to accomplish that. Before she fires, Theon makes her miss and throws Myranda off the wall into the stables, killing her. Quickly Sansa and Theon run, and find themselves with no where to go but to jump off the high wall. Hoping to land in deep snow and survive the long fall, the two of them grasp the hands together and jump.

Meereen
With Daenerys gone, her council is unsure on how they should continue. Tyrion addresses both Jorah and Daario's feelings for her, understanding how one could love the wrong woman. The three argue about Jorah's betrayal, but they will not make any judgements without Daenerys first. The dragon was seen taking her north and that is where they need to search for their queen. Grey Worm makes his recovery and offers to go with Jorah and Daario, as does Tyrion. Grey Worm is needed to help keep the city under control and since Tyrion is no tracker or warrior, he is best to lead Meeren because of his political talents. Tyron watches Daario and Jorah take off on horses. It is then, Varys comes to Tyrion's side. While displeased that he was abandoned, he is surprised to see Tyrion accept a role as Daenerys' advisor. He reminds Tyrion that he has the experience of organizing a city in turmoil, but Tyrion says he will need Varys' help, and his spies.

Meanwhile, Daenerys finds herself far away from Meereen. Drogon is still weak from the battle dispite her attempts to ride him again. With no food, Daenarys wanders away to find something for them. She is ambushed by a hoard of Dothraki and is surrounded. Understanding what might happen to her, she quickly removes her ring and leaves it in the grass.

First

 * Ser Robert Strong

Deaths

 * Queen Selyse Baratheon
 * King Stannis Baratheon
 * Ser Meryn Trant
 * Faceless Man
 * Princess Myrcella Baratheon
 * Myranda
 * Lord Commander Jon Snow

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 Lord Commander Jon Snow
 * Stephen Dillane as King Stannis Baratheon
 * Liam Cunningham as Ser Davos Seaworth
 * Carice van Houten as Melisandre
 * Indira Varma as Ellaria Sand
 * Maisie Williams as Arya Stark
 * Sophie Turner as Lady Sansa Stark
 * John Bradley as Samwell Tarly
 * Hannah Murray as Gilly
 * Nathalie Emmanuel as Missandei
 * Michiel Huisman as Daario Naharis
 * Conleth Hill as Varys
 * Jerome Flynn as Ser Bronn
 * Alfie Allen as Reek
 * Iwan Rheon as Ramsay Bolton
 * Gwendoline Christie as Brienne of Tarth
 * Tom Wlaschiha as Jaqen H'ghar
 * with Iain Glen as Ser Jorah Mormont

Guest Starring
 * Jonathan Pryce as the High Sparrow
 * Owen Teale as Ser Alliser Thorne
 * Tara Fitzgerald as Queen Selyse Baratheon
 * Ian Beattie as Ser Meryn Trant
 * Anton Lesser as Qyburn
 * Julian Glover as Grand Maester Pycelle
 * Alexander Siddig as Prince Doran Martell
 * Jacob Anderson as Grey Worm
 * Daniel Portman as Podrick Payne
 * Faye Marsay as The Waif
 * DeObia Oparei as Areo Hotah
 * Keisha Castle-Hughes as Obara Sand
 * Rosabell Laurenti Sellers as Tyene Sand
 * Jessica Henwick as Nymeria Sand
 * Brenock O'Connor as Olly
 * Charlotte Hope as Myranda
 * Ian Gelder as Ser Kevan Lannister
 * Nell Tiger Free as Princess Myrcella Baratheon
 * Toby Sebastian as Prince Trystane Martell
 * Hannah Waddingham as Septa Unella
 * Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson as Gregor Clegane
 * Brian Fortune as First Builder Othell Yarwyck
 * Michael Condron as First Steward Bowen Marsh
 * Nigel O'Neill as a Baratheon General
 * Maggie Hayes as TBA
 * Mary Jordan as TBA
 * Hattie Gotobed as Ghita
 * Ella Tweed as TBA
 * Isabelle Jones as TBA
 * David Fennelly as TBA
 * Jason McLaughlin as TBA
 * Tristan McConnell as Gordy
 * Laurence O'Fuarain as TBA
 * Ralph R. Clemente as TBA
 * Anthony John Crocker as TBA
 * Kirsty Nicholls as TBA
 * Munro Graham as TBA
 * Ben Kelly as TBA
 * Rebecca Van Cleave as TBA

Uncredited
 * Unknown as Boake

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 5, Samwell I: Jon sends Sam, Gilly and the baby to the Citadel at Oldtown so that Sam can become a maester and replace Aemon, and to ensure the safety of Gilly and the baby.
 * Chapter 34, Cat of the Canals: While disguised as the clam-selling orphan who wanders the canals, Arya kills a man she despises. When she goes back to the House of Black and White, the Faceless Man finds out about the killing by Arya Stark and makes her drink a poison which blinds Arya.
 * The episode is adapted from the following chapters of A Dance with Dragons:
 * Chapter 38, The Watcher: The Sand Snakes are released, and Cersei’s Kingsguard is sent in his way to King's Landing with Princess Myrcella and her betrothed Trystane.
 * Chapter 51, Theon I: Theon agrees to help Ramsay’s wife escape Winterfell. In a hurry, with Bolton soldiers approaching, they are forced throw themselves over the castle's battlements.
 * Chapter 54, Cersei I: Cersei decides to confess, asking Septa Unella to take her to the High Sparrow. She drops to her knees in front of him, pleads the Mother’s mercy, and admits to fornicating with Lancel. However, she defends herself by claiming she felt lonely and afraid, and she does not admit to the charges of murdering Robert or the incest and adultery with her brother Jaime, arguing it is a lie propagated by Stannis Baratheon to make himself appear the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne. The High Sparrow says the Gods will be who decide with a trial the truth of the charges she still denies.
 * Chapter 55, The Queensguard: In Queen Daenerys’ absence, her council agree to take charge of Meereen, send out a party in search of Daenerys, and prepare the city against its enemies.
 * Chapter 57, Tyrion XI: Tyrion witnesses the aftermath of Daenerys’s disappearance on Drogon.
 * Chapter 65, Cersei II: Cersei realizes the only way to escape the Great Sept until the trial is to atone for her confessed sins, which means she must perform a walk of atonement from the Sept to the Red Keep. She is stripped naked, her head shaven, escorted out by the Faith Militant, and announced to the crowds as a sinner who has confessed and begged for absolution, and who must demonstrate her repentance by putting aside all pride. During the walk, the Septas ring a bell and shout “Shame!”, all the while the people insult her and throw garbage at her. Although Cersei resolves herself to endure the humiliation, at the gates of the Red Keep she breaks down and collapses to the ground. She is covered and picked up by an enormous man who Qyburn introduces as a new Kingsguard member who has taken a holy vow of silence and sworn not to speak until all of Cersei’s enemies are dead.
 * Chapter 66, Tyrion XII: Tyrion and Jorah decide to side with and help Daenerys’ reign in Meereen, which is crumbling after she flew away on Drogon’s back.
 * Chapter 69, Jon XIII: Jon receives news that King Stannis has been defeated and killed in battle. Suddenly, a Night's Watch man attacks him with a dagger. The attacker is then joined by many other black brothers, including Bowen Marsh, who stab Jon repeatedly while saying “For the watch.”
 * Chapter 71, Daenerys X: In the Dothraki Sea, Drogon finally lands in order to nourish himself. Since the dragon is uncooperative, Dany decides to walk back to Meereen by herself. Suddenly, a Dothraki scout appears and is soon joined by a whole khalasar under the command of one of Khal Drogo's former lieutenants.
 * The sixth novel, The Winds of Winter, remains unpublished, so there are some events brought forward from it that will occur in the story, yet the specific chapters are unknown. This includes the battle for Winterfell between Stannis and the Boltons, and may include Stannis', Selyse's and Myrcella's deaths. The episode is adapted from the following chapters of The Winds of Winter:
 * Chapter unknown, Mercy: Arya fools a Lannister lackey in her kill list into believing she is a child prostitute, reminds him of his crimes and kills him. She reminds herself of who she truly is: Arya Stark.