Game Of Thrones Season 6 Finale: The Winds Of Winter Recap With Spoilers

The primary payers in the trial of Cersei Lannister and Loras Tyrell prepare for event and make their way to the Great Sept. Grand Maester Pycelle is stopped by a child who whispers something in Pycelle’s ear. Loras is brought in chains to the center of the sept. He admits to his crimes, including sleeping with Renly Baratheon. Loras kneels and offers to devote his life to the Seven, which means abandoning the Tyrell name and his claims to Highgarden and any prospect of marriage and having children. The High Sparrow has Loras swear an oath and the sparrows carve the seven-pointed star into Loras’ forehead. Margaery is angry that they mutilated Loras, saying the High Sparrow promised. The High Sparrow says he’ll keep his promise that Loras can leave after Cersei’s trial.

Cersei has not left for her trial and the Mountain has kept King Tommen away. Lancel takes other sparrows to fetch her. They see a child running away and Lancel follows. Another child bring Pycelle underground to Qyburn’s laboratory. Qyburn asks for forgiveness, saying he bears Pyccelle no ill will. Qyburn’s child spies draw daggers and surround Pycelle and stab him to death. Lancel follows the child to a storeroom underground. The child stabs him, dropping Lancel to the ground. The child runs away. Lancel crawls through the cavern and finds casks of green liquid stacked on both sides. Margaery tells the High Sparrow that something is wrong and encourages him to evacuate the sept. Lancel sees three candles burning town in a puddle of wildfire. Margaery begins trying to empty out the sept, but the Sparrows block the exit. A candle reaches its end and the room full of wildfire ignites and explodes beneath the sept, destroying it and sending green flame through the streets of King’s Landing. Cersei smiles at the sight, but Tommen is dumbfounded.

Cersei has Septa Unella as her prisoner and begins torturing her and demanding she confess to enjoying how she treated Cersei at the sept. Unella says she is ready to meet the gods, but Cersei says she is not going to die today. Cersei plans to keep her alive for quite a while. She cals in the Mountain, who removes his helmet to unveil his disfigured face. Cersei says Gregor is Unella’s god now, and repeats “shame, shame, shame” as she closes the dungeon door behind her.

Tommen is given a report about what has happened. After the messenger leaves, Tommen removes his crown and jumps out the window.

Jaime and Bronn are feasting at the Twins as Walder Frey makes a toast. Bronn leaves with two women as Walder takes his seat next to Jamie. Walder Frey mocks the Blackfish, but Jaime returns the favor at Frey. Walder doesn’t mind much, as he’s still standing after the Starks and Tullys have fallen. Jaime reminds Frey that he only has Riverrun because of the Lannisters, and that he should keep control better or they may no longer have a need for the Freys.

Cersei demands Qyburn show her Tommen’s body. She tells Qyburn to burn Tommen and bury the ashes in the rubble of the Great Sept.

Sam and Gilly arrive at Oldtown. They go to the Citadel and present Sam’s orders from Castle Black. The receptionist says their records have Jeor Mormont as Lord Commander, not Jon Snow, and they haven’t received any word from Maester Aemon. Sam explains the situation. The receptionist says its irregular. The archmaester will discuss this with him later. In the meantime, Sam can use the library, but Gilly and little Sam must wait outside. Sam is brought to an enormous library of chained books.

A white bird flies over the North. Jon reminisces to Melisandre in the great hall of Winterfell. Davos enters and tosses Shireen’s stag at Melisandre. He demands she tell Jon who it belonged to and what she did to her. Melisandre tries to explain herself. Davos is furious, accusing Melisandre’s god of being evil. Melisandre reminds Davos that Stannis and Selyse went along with it as well. He accuses her of lying about Stannis being chosen, but Melisandre says she didn’t lie, she was just mistaken. Davos wants permission to execute Melisandre. Melisandre says she’s been ready to die for many years, but the Lord of Light isn’t done with her. She reminds them of the coming war with the Night Kinga and the White Walkers. He tells her to ride south today. If she returns to the North she’ll be hanged. Davos promises to execute her himself if she returns. Melisandre rides away from Winterfell.

Sansa approaches Jon on the walls of Winterfell. He says he’s having the lord’s chamber prepared for her. She says he should take it. He says he’s not a Stark, but she says he is to her. He gives her credit for the victory against the Boltons. Sansa says she doesn’t trust Littlefinger and that she should have told Jon about the knights of the Vale. Jon says they need to trust each other and kisses her forehead. Sansa says a white raven has come from the citadel, meaning that winter is here. Jon remembers their father always did promise it would.

Olenna Tyrell meets with Ellaria and the Sand Snakes in Dorne. She quickly puts the Sand Snakes in their place. Ellaria wants an alliance between the Martells and the Tyrells against the Lannisters in order to survive. Olenna does not plan to survive. Ellaria offers vengeance and rings a bell. Varys enters and offers fire and blood.

Daario tells Dany that her ships are nearly ready. Dany says Daario cannot come with them to Westeros. She wants him and the Second Sons to maintain peace in Meereen during democratic elections. Daario has no interest in the people of Meereen, only in Dany. She says she’ll need to make alliances in Westeros and the best way to do that is through marriage. She can’t bring a lover to Westeros. Daario would settle for being kept a secret. Dany refuses him. Daario sense this is Tyrion’s idea, but says he’s not angry. She renames Slaver’s Bay as “The Bay of Dragons.” She bids Daario farewell and he leaves.

Tyrion asks how Daario took it. Dany says “no tears.” He credits her self-sacrifice as the mark of a good ruler. She says it isn’t much consolation. Dany says she is frightened that she said goodbye to a man who loves her but felt nothing. Tyrion completely fails to console her. He tlls her that he believes in her and swears and counsel to her now and always. She names him Hand of the Queen and pins a recreation of the Hand’s badge to his chest. Tyrion kneels.

Walder Frey dines alone in the hall at the Twins. He wonders where his sons are. A serving girl tells him they’re already here. He’s confused. She tells him to look in his food and he discovers a lump of brain. The girl tells him they weren’t easy to carve. She pulls off her face to reveal Arya Stark beneath. She tells Walder her name and then slits his throat and lets him bleed out as she holds his head back and smiles.

Petyr finds Sansa sitting in the Weirwood. Petyr tells Sansa about his ambitions to claim the Iron Throne with Sansa by his side. He leans in to kiss her but Sansa stops him. She says it’s a “pretty picture” and then walks away. Petyr tells her he’s declared publically for House Stark. She’s still apprehensive. He says she’s the future of House Stark and that the North should rally behind her rather than Jon Snow. She leaves him alone in the Weirwood.

Close to the Wall, Benjen tell Meera and Bran that this is where he will leave them. The magic in the Wall that keeps the White Walkers and the dead out of Westeros will also keep him away. He plans to do what he can to fight the White Walkers, wishes them good fortune, and rides away. Bran sees blood tears coming from the eyes of a Weirwood tree. He reaches out to touch it.

He flashes back to Ned Stark at the Tower of Joy. He barges in and Lyanna in a bed and covered with blood. She’s happy to see him and that she’s missed him. She says she wants to be brave and that she doesn’t want to die. She whispers something in Ned’s ear, asking him to promise to protect her child. The child is placed in Ned’s arms.

As Ned focuses in on the child’s face we cut to Jon Snow’s, who is trying to unite the Northmen, the Free Folk, and the Knights of the Vale. He tells them of the coming enemy from the North who brings winter with him. There’s lots of talk and disorder in the hall until Lyanna Mormont rises and silences them, calling out each house who refused the call. She proclaims Jon Snow King in the North, bastard or otherwise. Lord Manderly rises and backs Lyanna and Jon, crediting Jon for avenging the Red Wedding and calling him the White Wolf and King in the North. Lord Glover follows. The room begins chanting “King in the North!” Sansa meets Littlefinger’s gaze. He doesn’t seem thrilled.

Jaime reaches King’s Landing and sees the smoke rising from the city. He enters the throne room as Qyburn crowns Cersei Queen of the Seven Kigndoms.

The Iron Fleet and Daenerys’ ships set sail from Meereen as Dany’s dragons fly overseas.