RECAP: GAME OF THRONES S6EP7 - CHURCHES, GIANT STATUES AND 62 MEN

This week’s episode saw the return of the Hound, whom many of us presumed dead. He looks to have found some sort of peace as well as religion, before his defenceless companions are brutally slaughtered.

Margaery continues to preserve her convincing act of obedience and devotion to the Faith. After the High Sparrow appears to threaten the safety of her grandmother, accusing Olenna Tyrell, of being a sinner, we see a flicker of her old self. Margaery urges Olenna to go back home with such determination that the indomitable matriarch actually listens. Unbeknownst to Septa Unella, Margaery manages to slip her grandmother a note with a rose drawn on it, representing the Tyrell sigil. I’ve always admired how cunning Margaery has been throughout the show, and I’m hoping that she’s trying to gain the trust of the Sparrows in a larger plan to dismantle them from the inside, or at the very least save Loras. Septa Unella, however, may be getting suspicious.

Olenna’s appearance never fails to delight me. She gives zero fucks and is pretty much on par with Bronn in terms of sass queen, unapologetically telling Cersei “I wonder if you’re the worst person I’ve ever met”.

Speaking of Bronn, he’s accompanying Jamie on his mission to seize Riverrun. Not a lot of action in this scene, but Jamie is ditching the idiotic approach of the Frey brothers and opting to parley. Of course, it’s always good to see anyone related to Walder Frey get shit on.

Meanwhile on Bear Island, Sansa and Jon manage to secure an ally in House Mormont with the help of Sir Davos. The young Lady Lyanna Mormont is reluctant initially, but, thank God for the Starks, an intelligent leader, and one who responds to reason. I am absolutely obsessed with her, and I think Davos is right when he says that if the 62 Mormont men are "as half as ferocious as their Lady, the Boltons are doomed."

There are still obstacles for the premeditated battle at Winterfell, namely the Wildlings. Not only does there appear to still be some distrust of Jon, but their presence is also making it difficult for the Starks to form alliances. The scuffle that ensues at their camp makes me think that they are extremely ill-prepared in taking down Ramsey. I'm with Sansa on this one, as Jon will surely be following in Stannis' footsteps if he tries to take Winterfell with his joke of an army. Taking things into her own hands, Sansa send a plea of help on a Raven. I'm not sure to whom, but I'm willing to bet she gets an army in return. 

And finally for this week’s jaw-dropper, the damn Waif is back for an assassination attempt on Arya. Just when I thought that this was too easy for Arya, that she couldn’t possibly leave Bravos otherwise all this time would have been a waste. She’s last seen stumbling unnoticed through the streets of Bravos, bleeding to death. I think we were all expecting this to some extent, since Arya did rock the boat last episode. I'm just hoping that she doesn't have to pay for that actor's life with her own. But if we know anything about Arya Stark, it’s that she’s a fighter, and that this isn’t how she goes down.