The new season of Game of Thrones starts July 16. In preparation, I’m re-watching the first six seasons of the show. Below are 10 thoughts I had while watching the tenth episode of season five, “Mother’s Mercy.” Spoilers for the entire series, but for this episode in particular.

1. I’m so glad Brienne killed Stannis. He deserved it, after what and Melisandre he did to Shireen.
2. Every time I watch Theon push Myranda off the wall I feel like doing a little jig.
3. So not only is he a pedophile, Meryn Trant is also a sadist. What a lovely guy.
4. I know it was an abuse of the skills the Faceless Men had taught her, but I’m glad Arya killed Meryn. The world is much better off without people like him in it.
5. Poor Myrcella. She was a sweet girl who never did anyone any harm.
6. I stand by my previous argument that seeing Oberyn die caused Ellaria to lose her mind. Only a crazy person would be so desperate to kill someone else that they would actually poison themselves in the process.
7. So now Daenerys is right back where she started. I swear, with this woman it’s two steps forward one step back.
8. If it was anybody but Cersei, I would feel sorry for them having to do the walk of atonement. But Cersei made her own bed and now she has to lie in it.
9. I think it’s interesting that Jon dies from being stabbed in the heart, just like Robb did. And, of course, both were killed by men who were supposed to be loyal to them.
10. I forgot how high the body count was for this episode until just now. I count six dead major or recurring characters.

Save