Written by Hiram Martinez And Ti Mikkel And Ira Parker
Directed by Owen Harris
Baelor: "Be vigilant. Don't die."
That's perfectly sound advice. Then again, when you're taking part in a Trial by Seven, it's also advice that's hard to take. Oh and as it's a penultimate episode, a sympathetic character had to die. Baelor, we barely knew you.
The consequences of Baelor choosing Team Dunk meant that his own brother inadvertently killed him. Maekar struck a fatal blow and Baelor made a point of telling Dunk that the realm needed good men. Bertie Carvel might not have had a lot of screen time this season but he made the most of what he was given.
As for the battle itself, I love how green Dunk truly was as a wannabe knight. He looked completely out of his depth and it took very little for Aerion to actually incapacitate him. It also led to the majority of this episode being rather flashback heavy for Dunk.
In flashbacks we saw a younger Dunk (Bamber Todd) and his friend Rafe (Chloe Lea) trying their best to get out of Flea Bottom. This meant stealing from dead nobles but it also resulted in getting on the wrong side of Alester (Edward Davis), resulting in the death of Rafe and Dunk going with Ser Arlan.
As flashbacks, they're good and did add a bit more to Dunk's backstory. In the present though, things got even more vicious between Dunk and Aerion with the former forcing the latter to yield. I can't see Aerion letting that public humiliation slide in the future.
Last but not least, there was also Egg. His role was smaller in this episode but Dunk kept him on as a squire and Egg panicked when he thought Dunk was dying. Egg also was clearly upset when he realised that Baelor had also died by the end of this one.
- A few moments where characters were sick in this one to add to the bodily fluids list for this season.
- Beesbury and Hardyng seemed to be the other deaths of the episode, though Raymun took a battering as well.
- Aerion's dragon armour looked fantastic on the battlefield. It really did say a lot about his character.
- Chronology: The flashbacks said it was after Daemon's rebellion.
In The Name Of The Mother was another triumph as an episode. Great use of flashbacks, brilliant battle moments and a death that genuinely impacted in spite of being telegraphed. I really hope the finale sticks the landing.
Rating: 9 out of 10
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