Game of Thrones returned on Sunday night to deal with the aftermath of Joffrey’s death during the Purple Wedding to Margaery Tyrell.

Game of Thrones Recap

As Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) gasped his last breaths, Ser Dontos swept Sansa (Sophie Turner) away – and just in time, as after Cersei (Lena Headey) ordered Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) shackled she called for his wife. Dontos brought Sansa towards the sea where a skiff was waiting for them. Hurriedly, he convinces her to trust that this is her only option and he begins rowing out into the waters. Eventually they arrive at a massive ship and meet no other than Littlefinger (Aiden Gillen).

Littlefinger makes fast work of having Dontos killed and explains to Sansa that it was he, not the drunkard knight, who’d arranged for her escape. All along, Littlefinger was paying Dontos to do his bidding. Even the necklace that Dontos had given Sansa was a forgery that Littlefinger had given him along with a story to go along with it to win the Stark girl’s trust. Sansa has run from Joffrey and the Lannister’s grasp and into Littlefinger, who barely hides that he’s shifted his affections from her mother Catelyn to her.

Joffrey’s widow Margaery (Natalie Dormer), meanwhile, chats with her grandmother Olenna (Diana Rigg). She wonders if it’s she who’s cursed – first marrying a man who prefers other men and then the sadistic Joffrey and never consummating either union. Olenna assures her that the Lannisters still need them, so she’s still in a good position and safe from harm. Will her next marriage be to the young Tommen, who is destined to succeed Joffrey on the Iron Throne?

Over Joffrey's Dead Body

Cersei hovers over Joffrey’s body, lain out on an altar in the Sept of Bailor, mourning for her son. Tommen is beside her. When Tywin (Charles Dance) walks in, he begins talking to Tommen about becoming king and what it means to be a good king. Through his skilled manipulation, he gets Tommen to see that a wise king is a good king, and a wise king listens to his advisors who are more learned than he, a mere boy. Tywin escorts Tommen away from his dead brother to talk more of being a wise king, leaving Cersei alone.

When Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) enters the sept, he tells the guards to leave his sister as he goes up beside her. Cersei tells Jamie that she wants him to kill Tyrion and avenge their son’s death. Jamie suggests they wait for the court to determine their brother’s fate. They start to kiss but Cersei recoils as he grazes her with his golden hand. Jamie then forces himself on her on the altar beside their son’s dead body.

Riverlands, Castle Black & Dragonstone

In the Riverlands, Arya (Maisie Williams) and the Hound (Rory McCann) are still making their way towards the Eyrie and her aunt. As they get their horses a drink of water, they meet a farmer and his daughter. The good-natured man offers them food and shelter, and then suggests that the Hound help him with the farm work for a fair wage. The Hound agrees, but then steals the silver from them. Arya is incensed with his depravity and then he tells her, "I just understand the way things are … how many Starks do they got to behead before you figure it out.”

At Castle Black, Sam (John Bradley) is still worrying over how to protect Gilly (Hannah Murray) and her baby boy. While the rest of the men of the Night’s Watch are trying to figure out how to foil the massive Wildling army, Sam is trying to prevent Gilly getting raped by one of his comrades. Sam’s solution is to set Gilly up in the brothel village of Molestown.

Over at the ever-bleak Dragonstone, Stannis (Stephen Dillane) rails at Davos (Liam Cunningham) about the state of his army. He’s still intent on pressing his claim to the throne, but needs an army to do so and he’s woefully short on men. Davos tells him the names of the houses he’s gotten to support their cause, but their men don’t amount to much. When Davos suggests they hire men from the free cities, Stannis scoffs. Boldly, Davos says that while the Red Woman might be able to cause certain deaths and provide premonitions, she can’t do battle. He tells Stannis he will get the money for the swords – then has Stannis’ daughter Shireen pen a letter to the Iron Bank of Braavos.

Tywin Lures Oberyn, Tyrion Remains Imprisoned

Back in King’s Landing, Oberyn (Pedro Pascal) and Ellaria (Indira Varma) are rolling around in bed with a male prostitute and two women when Tywin and a few guards barge in. Tywin wants a word with the Red Viper. Oberyn says he’s sorry for Joffrey’s death and claims to only want the blood of those who’ve offended him, not a boy who was nothing to him. Tywin isn’t there to accuse him of Joffrey’s murder, he just wants Oberyn to be a judge in Tyrion’s trial and that he can be assured he finds his short-statured son guilty. In exchange, the Red Viper will get a duel with the mountain and a seat on the small council.

Tyrion, meanwhile, is shackled in a dungeon cell. Podrick (Daniel Portman) pays him a visit, providing him with some food and information about the goings on above ground. Tyrion learns that his trial is to be in two week’s time, that Oberyn has been lured on as a judge and that his wife Sansa has fled, which makes him look all the more guilty.

Mereen

Dany (Emilia Clarke), finally in Mereen, faces a massive protective wall and a soldier with a loud mouth that’s spewing nonsense about her. Since he needs to be silenced, she has Daario (Michiel Huisman) square off against him in man-to-man battle. The Mereen champion rides his horse towards Daario, who’s on foot. He tosses a dagger that hits the horse in the head, and as the rider struggles to get up from the sand, he slashes his throat.

Without lingering too much on the success of her champion, Dany turns towards the congregated citizens and slaves of Mereen and gives a speech that has the intention of sparking an uprising. Then, she has barrels fired over the city walls. When the barrels shatter, out fall the collars of the slaves that Mereen had used as signposts to the city.

Game of Thrones airs Sundays on HBO at 9/8c.

– Chelsea Regan

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