Game Of Thrones Season 7: 10 Ups And 2 Downs From 'Stormborn'

8. The Spider And The Dragon

Last week made the interesting (but correct) choice to have Daenerys' arrival back home play out almost completely without dialogue. It was a bold move, because among her ranks Dany has some of Westeros' most loquacious inhabitants, and they do get to speak their minds this week.

Chief among them is Varys, who - despite plotting to put Daenerys on the Iron Throne for some time now - hasn't had too many scenes with the Mother of Dragons.

The one we get is a brilliant bit of verbal sparring, and one where Conleth Hill gives us a reminder of just how great he is in these moments. It's a real joy to watch the Spider spin his webs, especially when it speaks to his real motivations as opposed to simply playing the game.

It's an excellent back-and-forth exchange, and as the show hurtles towards an endgame it's an important one: the show's strength isn't just in its big battles, but in unspooling political machinations that lead to the wars.

Oh, and there's definitely a hint of the Mad Queen in Daenerys there, as she threatens to burn Varys if he does betray here. Maybe those dissenting voices in the North aren't so wrong after all.