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Game of Thrones Season 5 Episode 7 Review: The unlikely 'Gift'

Everything seems to be steadily adding up to one cracking finale which is just 2 episodes away.

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“All rulers are butchers or meat”. This rather prophetic comment made by Daario to the Khaleesi pretty much sums up the essence of Season 5's seventh episode, titled 'The Gift'.

Stannis Baratheon will have to decide if power runs thicker than blood and the sacrifices needed to be made at the altar of the Iron Throne. Is Theon 'Reek' Grejoy now part of Ramsay Bolton's filthy plans or is there a twist at the tale? Will Jorah Mormont finally get a royal pardon? Has Cersei played one hand too many? Will Jamie Lannister reveal family secrets to his 'niece'? Episode 7 rakes up all these intriguing questions and possibilities. 

The episode started essentially where it left last time around. Sansa Stark is bruised and hurt, but there seems to be no respite from Ramsay Bolton's atrocities. While Sansa may claim that she has friends in the North, Theon 'Reek' Greyjoy is clearly not one of them. Sansa's grand plan of escaping ends in a tepid manner but more misery is likely to come her way. Ramsay slips in the information of Jon's promotion to Sansa, for what reason we can only wonder. 

Jon Snow's journey towards meeting Wildlings to fight against the White Walkers had a mildly dangerous feeling. Almost every brother of the Night's Watch had an unsaid expression on their expression which suggested 'You know nothing Jon Snow'.


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As soon as Snow is away, almost inevitably Gilly is attacked by two delinquents. Sam Tarly tries to defend valiantly and holds fort till direwolf Ghost saves the day and, dare we say, make Sam's night. Master Aemon is dead and surprisingly it is a natural death! He must be one of the few Targaryens to die naturally. God bless his soul.


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Nothing good happens to good men in Game of Thrones and keeping true to that tradition, Stannis Baratheon has run into rough weather literally while en route to attacking the Boltons to take Winterfell. Red Lady Melisandre wants to spill royal blood to win the impending battle. But will Stannis sacrifice his daughter Shireen for the Lord of Light? How different will he be from the Mad King Aerys if he does so?


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Down South, the mask of civility is fast escaping. Lady Olenna has two epic encounters first with Little Finger and second with High Sparrow. Little Finger pulls a fast one on Cersei Lannister and now Brother Lancel stands against her. High Sparrow in his lust for power promptly puts Cersei behind bars. Now both the Queen and Queen Mother are locked in dungeons awaiting trial. Will the real King stand up now that there is no one to pull his strings?


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Another person locked behind bars but admittedly having much merrier time is Bronn in Dorne. He sings, and one of the Sand Snakes takes a liking towards him. But snakes are dangerous beings. Between gratuitous a play of of peek-a-boo, she poisons him and then throws over an antidote to fit. Bronne gets much more than he would have bargained for perhaps.

Jamie though is cut off unceremoniously by his kid Myrcella. She is in love and blissfully unaware of the problems that may come with it. Well if it is any consolation, at least Jamie can totally relate to the situation.


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But the most significant development is probably Daenerys finally meeting Jorah and Tyrion in the fighting pits of Mereen. Dany's stop and start quest towards the Iron Throne may finally get some steam. However, the scene where Tyrion was bought by a trader looked far from convincing. The Lannister didn't do much to pass off as a valiant warrior. 

The simple title of the episode has multiple layers. But it seems to be steadily adding up to one cracking finale which is just 2 episodes away. Does Sansa has an exit strategy? What will Stannis do? Will Tommen finally stand up? All this and more needs answers. The set-up is delicious and these set of seemingly disjoint sequence of events may finally unveil one giant pattern about which side finally finds favour with the old gods and the new.

Your move episode 8.  

Game of Thrones Season 5 airs on HBO Defined every Monday at 6:30 am IST with a repeat telecast on the same day at 10 pm.

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