Even better...



• It looked like GoT might pull a move from "The Walking Dead" comic with Ramsay kept in a jail cell, but no. The plan was much, much better. Sansa visited the tied-up Ramsay and told him he'd be forgotten soon, then showed him his killers would be his own hounds. Ramsay had starved them for seven days, expecting to turn them on the Starks, but instead Sansa sicced them on their daddy. Ramsay thought they'd be loyal, but no starving hound is loyal to anything other than his or her stomach. Hearing his screams as she walked away = priceless. Happy Father's Day, Ramsay. Happy Revenge Day, Sansa.




• The Stark banner flies once more above Winterfell, where it belongs.



• Daenerys Targaryen saved the day in burning Meereen by riding Drogon while Viserion and Rhaegal finally got to see some action, burning enemy ships. She also compromised, no choosing total Death By Fire, ala her father the Mad King, showing she can be diplomatic. (Also, that wildfire reference will probably come into play in the finale, since it's most likely the "rumor" Qyburn and Cersei were talking about.)



• Two of the three masters were killed, with Tyrion Lannister telling the living one to go home and spread the word that Queen D is a BAMF and maybe stop trying to make slavery happen in Meereen.



• Yara and Theon Greyjoy beat Euron to Meereen and Dany and Yara shook hands (and flirted?) on a deal for the Greyjoys to give Dany ships and back her claim for the Iron Throne, in exchange for her support for Yara as queen of the Iron Islands.



However...



LOSSES



• Sansa was right: They were never going to get Rickon Stark back. Ramsay played one of his games, setting Rickon free, then shooting arrows at him as the youngest Stark ran for his life, trying to get to Jon in time. Ramsay shot him dead, and there went the heir apparent. Even if Sansa knew it would happen, losing Rickon was huge for the Stark family. Ned. Robb. Catelyn. And now Rickon. This would affect us, as viewers, more if we had been able to follow Rickon and Osha when they parted from Bran's group. But that was not the choice. RIP, little man, we wish we had known you better. Shaggydog is waiting for you in Westeros heaven.



• Wun-Wun died after breaking into Winterfell to prevent a siege. He had so many arrows in him. RIP, hero.



• Davos now finally knows what Melisandre did to Shireen, or at least suggested that Stannis do. He's not happy. But what is he going to do about it?



• Yara agreed to no more reaving, raping, and roming from Iron Island-ers, but will she stick to that, when that's pretty much their thing? Same question to the Dothraki, though. That's probably what they're looking forward to when they cross the Narrow Sea to Westeros. Dany is anti-rape and pillaging, though, so how is that going to work?



• The North is still in disarray, after so many casualties. Plus, the finale promo (see end of recap) showed the Freys and the Lannisters are working together again. Can everyone somehow come together to face the real threat, the White Walkers? And who will rule Winterfell -- Sansa or Jon?



• Meereen is also still in disarray, after casualties and an unclear future. How is Dany going to dis-engage from this -- leaving Grey Worm and Missandei in charge and leave for Westeros?





BATTLE OF THE BASTARDS: WINTERFELL



About 15 minutes into the episode, we head to Winterfell for, at first, a meeting between Sansa and Jon's small group and, on the other side, Ramsay and his team of Umbers and Karstarks. Ramsay says "bastard" Jon doesn't have enough men, don't lead his men into slaughter when there's no need. "I am a man of mercy." Jon says he's right, there's no need for a battle. "Thousands of men don't need to die. Only one of us. Let's end this the old way: You against me." Ramsay doesn't know if he'd beat Jon, but he knows his army of 6,000 men will beat Jon's. Jon makes a good point to say, will Ramsay's men fight for him when they know he wouldn't fight for them. Ramsay counters by asking if Jon is too proud to save his little brother. Sansa wants proof. They show Shaggydog's head again. Sansa decides it's a fight, tomorrow morning, and rides away. Ramsay tells Jon he's looking forward to having Sansa back, and feeding Jon and his men to his own dogs.



That night, there's a strategy meeting with Jon, Davos, Tormund, and others. Tormund is worried about all of their horses. Jon has a strategy plan, but the terms are clearly foreign to Tormund. Davos says it's crucial that they let Ramsay's army charge into them. They have the numbers, so Team Stark needs the patience. Jon wants them coming full tilt, angry. Sansa jumps in afterward, saying Jon made a quick decision with his advisors but didn't he consider asking her? She's the one who knows Ramsay. He loves to hurt people, he won't fall into a trap. Jon thinks Ramsay is overconfident, but Sansa doesn't think so. She also doesn't think they'll ever get Rickon back. Rickon is the biggest threat as a trueborn son, she knows Ramsay will never let him go. Sansa doesn't want Jon to do what Ramsay expects, and she didn't want to fight with so few men. Sansa says, if Ramsay wins, she's not going back there alive. Jon promises he will protect her, he won't let Ramsay touch her again. Sansa is more jaded now, she says no one can protect her, "no one can protect anyone." Speaking of No One, Arya Stark should step in and save the day.



Tormund and Davos have a nice chat about how they've been wrong in the past, believing in kings. Jon Snow is not a king. Convo ends with Tormund laughing, "happy sh-tting."



Back in the tent, Jon wonders why Melisandre wasn't at the War Council meeting. Her advice? "Don't lose." If he falls, Jon says, "don't bring me back." She says she'll have to try, but he orders her not to. She serves the Lord of Light and does what he commands. If the Lord didn't want her to bring him back, why did it work? Maybe He brought Jon here to die again. What kind of God would do something like that? "The one we've got." Nah. Jon is the ice master of "A Song of Ice and Fire."



Davos finds what he gave Shireen. He pieces together what happened. Gorgeous scene, visually, in the early morning light, even if the context is tragic.



That morning, the armies face each other for battle. Jon's small group gets a look at what they're facing. Flayed people burned?



Ramsay drags Rickon behind him, tied up like a slave. Jon watches. Ramsay breaks out his knife and frees Rickon's rope. However, he asks Rickon, "Do you like games, little man? Let's play a game." Run to your brother. The sooner you make it, the sooner you get to see him. But as Rickon runs, Ramsay does his favorite thing, and treats Rickon like a hunting target. Jon rides out as fast as he can, but it's not fast enough. Ramsay casually takes a few arrow shots, misses the first couple, then kills Rickon.




Sorry, little Rickie.



Sansa was right. And Jon reacted the way Ramsay wanted -- by being the one to get mad, taken by surprise. He took the bait. The armies charge, and it is BEAUTIFULLY shot. "The Revenant" and "Battle of the Bastards" -- ugly things depicted at their most gorgeous. Jon stands in front of the charging army, looking ready to be killed, when forces on his own side charge from behind, saving his butt. We see Jon go FULL POWER STARK on the Boltons, slaying on the field, with blood on his face. Love that head-butt at one point. And it's awesome to see Longclaw in this game, Valyrian steel on the field. Ramsay watches from a safe distance and orders more arrows every so often. He doesn't need to break a sweat to win at this point, so he won't bother.



Davos was with a group in the back, but said they may as well be chicken sh-ts back there, so they charge. Ramsay stays put, but the Umbers (and Karstarcks?) burst forward and surround Jon, Tormund, Davos, and that army. Very clever, you have to give Ramsay points for strategy even if he's the most evil piece of filth that ever didn't quite exist.



It looks hopeless, but our team puts up a fight to break their ranks, with Wun-Wun swatting away shields, and -- ugh -- people climbing over dying bodies is brutal. Tormund is hurt! Team Bolton charges forward with shields, with no exit behind them. Goddamn Jon looks hot with that dirt and blood and armor. Just saying. Jon and others are trampled in the fight. Tormund takes on Umber. We barely see anything from Jon's perspective, being stepped on from the ground. Such amazing cinematography. What a horrible way that would be to die -- to be trampled to death in battle. But it doesn't happen to Jon. He gets up and almost crowd surfs in the crush. Ramsay, of course, watches it all from a safe distance. Poor sweet Wun-Wun is covered in arrows. Love the Tormund/Umber battle, which goes to our ginger hero.



Suddenly we hear horns. It's the knights of the Vale! They charge in just in time, as Ramsay looks on in surprise. Haha. Avenge them. That was the plan. We flash to Littlefinger, smirking, next to Sansa, who also looks pleased. She's finally going to get her revenge. Jon stands with sword in hand, facing a shocked Ramsay. Dirty Jon is ready for blood. Ramsay, coward to the last, tries to ride away. Jon has to follow on foot. Where can you go, Ramsay? Where can you hide? Or does he want one last bit of revenge before the end?



Ah, he wants a siege. But it doesn't work. Not like Riverrun, 'cause Riverun never had Wun-Wun. It's Wun-Wun's last great act. He dies. Ramsay tries for one last attempt at one-on-one combat and breaks out his arrows, but Jon has a shield and just keeps coming. Suck it, Ramsay. Jon gets him down and beats the crap out of him. Yes! He loves it, though, the sicko. Jon punches and punches and punches and there's blood everywhere. Jon looks up at Sansa. What does she want? Jon walks away, leaving Ramsay on the ground. Alive?



The Stark banner returns to Winterfell. Davos glares at Melisandre. Jon tells them to bury Rickon in the crypt next to Ned Stark. Sansa wants to know where Ramsay is. He's alive, tied up. Beat up. But alive. Sansa goes to see him. She lets him speak. Jesus, just kill him already. He asks if this is where he's staying now. She says nothing, but he says their time together is about to come to an end. But he's inside her now, forever. (Nasty. But no one ever said rapists were charming. She's not pregnant, I hope. It's just Ramsay playing his mind games.) Sansa says his words will disappear, his house will disappear, his name will disappear. All memory of him will disappear. His hungry hounds are there. Ah, that's a fitting fate. "My hounds will never harm me." Sansa reminds Ramsay that he said he hadn't fed them in seven days. They were loyal, but now they're starving. Genius. He tells them to get down, but they attack and eat him, as Sansa walks away. Brilliant!





WHAT'S NEXT?

It's finale time! Episode 10 is called "The Winds of Winter," which is also the title of the next book coming from author George R.R. Martin, so if you weren't worried about the show spoiling the book before, it's now time to worry. Here's the description for "The Winds of Winter": "Cersei (Lena Headey) faces her trial."



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