SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from Season 5, Episode 5 of Game of Thrones.

10) Keep reading, Samwell Tarly.  -Lord Stannis Baratheon concludes w/ this in his scene w/ the (literary) steward

Stannis is surprised when he realizes that Sam is the son of a great warrior, Randall Tarly, the man who defeated his brother Robert once in a battle.  Sam (humbly) tells Stannis that he has killed a Whitewalker, like the crows said.  Now, he’s going through all the books in Castle Black to find ANY reference of the creatures.  In a world where all men must serve, some serve better by using their brains NOT brawn (or Bronn- pun intended). 

Sidenote: Wasn’t it funny when Stannis corrected the grammar of one of the Night’s Watch? Here is the scene, along w/ one from Season 2, Episode 4.

9) When the battle comes, promise you’ll protect me.  -Ser Davos jokes w/ Shireen Baratheon as they prepare to leave Castle Black

Aww, I LOVE the little light-hearted moments in this (mostly serious) show!  I liked how Shireen had time to make friends w/ Sam (a bright bulb like herself) and Gilly (who she was teaching to read).     

8) What would make our time together truly enjoyable would be some wine.  -Lord Tyrion Lannister explains to Ser Jorah Mormont

If YOU saw a dragon, you’d probably need a drink, too!  Jorah is surprised to see how big Drogon has gotten; Tyrion is speechless (for a change). 

7) We don’t want to overfeed them.  -Daenerys Targaryen comments to the Meereenese noblemen in the dragon cave

Barristan the Bold is indeed dead, which means that Dany is short of ANOTHER advisor.  She rounds up the heads of all the noble families (including Hizdahr zo Loraq), shows them her other two dragons, and then one of them gets eaten- YOWZA!  I did NOT expect that to happen, BUT Dany is full of surprises this season.  See more below…

6) This isn’t a strange place.  This is my home.  It’s the people who are strange.  -Sansa Stark corrects Walda Bolton at the dinner table

Sansa is at Winterfell, BUT it’s not like home at all.  Ramsay’s freaky/VERY jealous girlfriend, Myranda, shows her to the kennels where Reek (formerly known as Theon Greyjoy) is sleeping.  Of course, Sansa is shocked to see the state of her adopted brother-turned enemy.   

5) That was getting… very tense.  -Ramsay Bolton comments at dinner

Wow, was that dinner awkward?!  Ramsay says that Reek will give away Sansa (being the closest to family).  Roose announces that Walda is expecting their child, possibly a boy.  Oh yeah, that shuts Ramsay up fast!  Did you notice the look on Sansa’s face?  It was golden!

4) Sure, I’m your son.. until a better alternative comes along!  -Ramsay declares to his father, Roose

That unborn son will do Roose no good in the battle to come — he’ll tell Ramsay whatever he needs to in order to keep him flaying folks for Team Bolton.  -Jeremy Egner (The New York Times)

We (finally) learn Ramsay’s origin story- it’s a HORRID one, of course!  Hmmm, I wonder- does Roose love Ramsay?  Or is he just using the sick, sinister young man to further his ambitions.  Ramsay (as MANY critics/viewers have written) is worse than his father. 

3)  Kill the boy, Jon Snow.  Winter is almost upon us.  Kill the boy… and let the man be born.  -Maester Aemon counsels

Jon worried what the other crows will think if he makes a certain decision.  Maester Aemon (How cool is he!?) says that Jon’s the one that must make the decision, and it doesn’t matter what he or anyone else thinks!  It’s time for Jon to put aside his doubts and lead, as a Lord Commander should.

2) Thankfully, a suitor is already on his knees.  -Daenerys Targaryen says to Hizdahr zo Loraq in his jail cell

A woman who began this story as a matrimonial offering to a barbarian ruler is now using a political marriage to her own advantage.  -Jeremy Egner (The New York Times)

I was VERY surprised by Dany’s sudden decision to ally w/ the former slaveowners of Meereen by marrying one of them- Hizdahr (Joel Fry)!  Then I recalled how Hizdahr (though afraid) stood tall in the cave w/ the dragons.  Also, he served as Dany’s ambassador to Yunkai, and made some valid points at court.  Looks like ANOTHER wedding is coming up…

1) Don’t let them touch you!  –  Ser Jorah Mormont warns Lord Tyrion Lannister after the Stone Men attack their boat

The BEST parts of this ep involved Jorah and Tyrion, two noble men from Westeros traveling through a (rather spooky) area of Valyria.  They admire the ruins, recite a poem together, before being attacked by the Stone Men.  Whoa, those dudes were kinda scary!  Jorah fights with several of the zombie-like men.  In the commotion, Tyrion falls out of the boat.  As he struggles w/ the rope binding his wrists, he sinks lower, then the screen goes black for a few VERY tense moments.  No worries, Tyrion is safe!  He and Jorah (one of my faves) are on an empty beach, but the knight has contracted Greyscale- OH NO!!!