Game of Thrones Episode 34: Oathkeeper

Daenerys captures **Meereen** and orders the **163 masters** crucified in retaliation for the slave children killed along the road. Jaime gives **Brienne** armor, a horse, and the Valyrian steel sword forged from Ned Stark’s blade, then sends her to find and protect **Sansa**, while Jon is authorized to lead volunteers north to **Craster’s Keep**, and Bran’s group is captured by the mutineers there.

At the start of the episode, Daenerys is outside Meereen with Grey Worm, Missandei, and the Unsullied. Missandei continues teaching Grey Worm the Common Tongue, and the two speak more openly with each other than before. Grey Worm and other Unsullied infiltrate Meereen disguised as slaves, enter through a servants’ route, arm the slaves, and help spark an uprising inside the city. The revolt overwhelms the masters, and Daenerys takes control of Meereen.

After the city falls, Barristan argues for mercy, but Daenerys chooses a harsher response. She orders 163 masters crucified, matching the number of slave children crucified on the road into Meereen.

In King’s Landing, Jaime trains with Bronn and has improved enough that the sparring is no longer one-sided. Bronn presses Jaime to visit Tyrion in his cell, and Jaime does so, leaving more convinced of Tyrion’s innocence than before. Jaime also visits Cersei, who is angry and disgusted by his support for Tyrion. Later, Jaime meets Brienne and gives her armor, supplies, and the Valyrian steel sword made from Ice, Ned Stark’s blade. He asks her to protect Sansa and, if possible, Arya too, in fulfillment of her oath to Catelyn Stark. Brienne accepts the mission, takes Podrick as her squire, and names the sword **Oathkeeper**.

In the castle gardens, Lady Olenna speaks with Margaery and says she is returning to Highgarden. Meanwhile, in the aftermath of Joffrey’s death, Sansa and Littlefinger travel by ship and speak on the journey toward the Vale. Littlefinger tells Sansa that he plans to marry her aunt Lysa.

At Castle Black, Jon Snow is still dealing with the consequences of his actions beyond the Wall. He trains recruits in swordplay, is mocked by Alliser Thorne, and is told not to forget his place. Janos Slynt points out that Jon is becoming popular and could be chosen as Lord Commander, and he encourages Thorne to approve Jon’s request to lead a mission to Craster’s Keep so Jon can be sent into danger. Jon makes a speech asking for volunteers, and several men step forward to go with him. Among them is Locke, a new recruit who appears eager to join the expedition.

At Craster’s Keep, the mutineers are already living in the abandoned stronghold. Karl continues to encourage their brutality, and when Craster’s last son is brought out, he decides the baby should be given to the White Walkers. The cries of the child reach Bran’s group nearby, and Bran wargs into Summer to investigate. Summer finds Ghost but gets caught in a trap, and when Bran’s companions try to rescue the direwolves, the whole group is captured by the mutineers. Once they are brought before Karl, Bran reveals that he is a Stark to save his friends, and the group is spared temporarily.