‘Game Of Thrones’ Recap: Was Arya Killed In ‘The Broken Man’ ?

Game of Thrones “The Broken Man” included the return of The Hound, a revelation about Margaery’s faith, Jon and Sansa’s struggle to build an army and Arya’s possible demise.

Game Of Thrones Recap: Was Arya Killed?

The Hound, who Arya (Maisie Williams) had left for dead awhile back, is proving himself worth the strength of many men, helping a peaceful community build a home. The leader of the community (Ian McShane) had found the Hound already rotting and on the brink of death. Driven by hate, he had survived to come out the other side. Despite his miraculous recovery, he’s no more pious than ever. Knowing what he’s done, if the gods are real, he believes he would have suffered greater punishment.

The community eventually gets a visit from three men on horseback from the Brotherhood Without Banners, who want for provisions. They’re offered a meal, but declined anything further. They turn away only to return to slaughter the lot of them. Saved from death by gathering food in the woods at the time, the Hound returns to find everyone dead, including the leader, who was hanged. Picking up an axe, the Hound takes off

King’s Landing

Margaery (Natalie Dormer) is in the sept, her crown firmly fixed on her head, when the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) enters. Margaery is deep in a religious text, which she recites to him. She admits to the High Sparrow that when she had visited the poor in the past, it was without any true affection, that it was all for appearances. When the High Sparrow turns the conversation towards her sex life with her husband, Margaery claims that she’s no longer driven by such desires. The High Sparrow persists that she try for a child with Tommen (Dean Charles Chapman). Before he leaves Margaery, he delivers a subtle threat about her grandmother, Lady Olenna Tyrell (Diane Rigg).

Without wasting time, Margaery goes to visit her grandmother – with the company of a septa. Margaery defends the septa’s presence, the High Sparrow’s treatment of Loras, the faith and the kingdom. Margaery then pleads with her grandmother to leave for Highgarden. Lady Olenna resists until Margaery presses a note into her hand. When she opens it, it’s a drawing of a rose, the sigil of House Tyrell.

Cersei (Lena Heady), accompanied by The Mountain, pays Olenna a visit after learning of her impending departure. Olenna squarely places the blame for the rise of the Sparrows on Cersei’s shoulders. Cersei accepts her responsibility in the matter, but insists that it’s imperative that they join their houses to defeat them. Olenna, who believes that Cersei could be the worst person she’s sever met, is immovable; she’s leaving. She then points out that Cersei, with no family supporting her at King’s Landing, with the people despising her, she’s lost, and would be best off leaving as well.

Riverlands

Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) arrives at the Riverlands with the strength of the Lannister army, Bronn (Jermone Flynn) at his side. When they arrive, they see the Frey army’s poorly executed siege, which includes a bluff about killing Edmure Tully (Tobias Menzies), which Brynden the Blackfish (Clive Russell) doesn’t fall for. Jamie walks up to the Frey leaders and commands them to wash and feed Edmure. When they put up a fight, he points out their horrible inefficiency and his willingness to eliminate them if need be. He then arranges a parlay with Brynden.

At the parlay, Jamie admits that he does not have Arya or Sansa (Sophie Turner) with him, as he had promised Catelyn Stark he’d save them. Jamie urges Brynden to surrender, and that if he does he’ll spare all of the Tullys and the Tully army. Brynden, not keen to trust the oathbreaker, has no plans of surrendering. He welcomes the attempts to storm the castle or to starve them out, as they have two years in supplies.

The North

Jon Snow (Kit Harrington), Sansa Stark and Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham) approach the Wildlings, asking for them to take up swords alongside him to storm Winterfell and wrest it from the Boltons. At first they’re reluctant, but he explains to them that if they don’t help him beat the Boltons, they’ll have no chance of surviving. Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) also delivers a speech to rally his men, and it works. The Wildlings promise to fight beside former Lord of the Night’s Watch Jon Snow.

The next stop is Bear Island, the seat of the Mormonts. There they meet the 10-year-old Lady Leanna, who is now in charge. Finding her far wiser and sterner than her years, Jon and Sansa struggle to make a case for her to send her men to fight. In the end, it’s Davos who’s able to open her up to the idea by empathizing with the tough choice she has to make, and by informing her – in no uncertain terms – that the White Walkers are coming and her uncle had trusted Jon Snow in that matter and others. While Lyanna promises them her men, unfortunately she only has about 60 men to give them.

House Glover is not as keen to take up arms for the Starks, mostly because of the reality that the bulk of the force is Wildlings. Without House Glover or any other of the Northern houses, Jon Snow’s
army is relatively thin. Sansa does not believe that they have enough men to take on House Bolton. Unable to convince Jon, Sansa decides to go rogue and send a raven, likely asking someone –perhaps Littlefinger – for help.

The Seven Seas

Yara (Gemma Whelan) and Theon (Alfie Allen) and the salt men and women who chose to remain loyal to them instead of joining up with their uncle Euron have stopped at a port. Theon wishes that they could be anywhere else but a brothel, but Yara and the Iron-born men in their army, still enjoy the company of women, she points out. Yara forces Theon to down his ale, and urges him to stop acting so broken so that he can help her join up with the Dragon queen. Convinced that Theon has the strength to be her right-hand man, she goes back to the prostitute of her choosing.

Bravvos

Arya books passage back to Westeros with a man at the docks in Bravvos, who didn’t think she could afford the trip. Not only can she afford passage, she can afford a cabin, and to dictate when the ship leaves. Looking out from Bravvos for one the last times, Arya is caught unaware when an old woman comes up to her and stabs her in the gut. Once she realizes it’s The Waif (Faye Marsay), she headbutts her and flings herself into the water. The Waif leaves, thinking she’s drowned, but she emerges. Bleeding out from her stomach, Arya walks through the Bravvosi market, pleadingly searching for help.

GET Complete Game Of Thrones Seasons 1 – 5 Here!