September 16, 2018

Sansa grapples with new information. Yara races to reunite with Theon.

INT. SANSA'S CHAMBER - DAY

SANSA STARK is wearing a look of total shock. Jon watches her face as Sansa processes what she has just heard.

Finally Sansa collects herself. She looks Jon up and down.

35.

SANSA

You don't look like a Targaryen.

Jon smiles sheepishly.

JON

Aye, I suppose Stark blood runs thicker.

SANSA

You're certain it's true?

Jon gives a wry half-laugh and nods.

JON

That's the strangest part of all this.

He stares pensively at the wall.

JON

Try to imagine being completely surprised. And in the same moment, completely certain that it's true. It explains a hundred and one little things that never made sense, growing up.

SANSA

I can't believe father kept it secret from all of us.

JON

Wish he could've told your mother.

SANSA

You don't think he ever did?

JON

Never.

A beat.

SANSA

She was awful to you, wasn't she.

JON

(downplaying)

I'm sure it wasn't easy for her. Being constantly reminded how her husband broke his honor.

36.

SANSA

Except he didn't.

JON

(echoing)

Except he didn't.

There's a somber, contemplative silence. Then Sansa shakes her head wonderingly.

SANSA

Jon, this...

She trails off, at a loss for words.

SANSA

This is really quite incredible. You're...

She stops, then an "oh shit" look comes over her face.

JON

What.

SANSA

What do we do about Daenerys?

JON

What do you mean?

Sansa gives him an impatient look.

SANSA

Don't you think she might object to someone else having a claim to the Iron Throne?

JON

No. I promised her I'd support her claim.

SANSA

You...

(beat)

You've told her already?

JON

Aye.

37.

SANSA

When?

JON

Earlier today.

Sansa's "oh shit" deepens.

SANSA

(wary)

Who else have you told?

JON

...you?

SANSA

(incredulous)

You told her before you told anyone else?

JON

What's wrong with that?

Sansa makes a face like she's trying to explain something to a hopelessly slow child.

SANSA

What's wrong , is that she could've killed you , and nobody would've known to suspect her.

JON

Bran and Sam know.

SANSA

Did you tell her that as well?

(off his silence)

Wonderful, so she might kill them too. Well done.

JON

(exasperated)

She's not going to kill anyone. Why are you so suspicious?

SANSA

Experience.

Jon sighs.

JON

You're right. She could have. But she didn't.

(off her look)

38.

Can you not accept that occasionally I'm right about people?

SANSA

You weren't right. You were lucky.

Jon is frustrated. He looks away.

SANSA

Jon, I think the world of you. I think you're great at what you do...

Jon nails her with a "please just get to your point" look.

SANSA

...but you have to admit, better rulers than you have failed, because they never enjoyed the second chances you've had. You came back from the dead , and (you still think--)

JON

(snapping)

You think that was lucky? Why don't you try it and tell me what you think?

A long beat. Sansa looks chastised.

SANSA

(soft)

I didn't mean it like that.

JON

I know. I'm sorry.

SANSA

Don't be.

A pause. Sansa leans toward Jon.

SANSA

You trust her? You really, really trust her?

Jon turns his head, looks at Sansa a bit. Then nods.

Sansa sighs.

39.

JON

You don't.

SANSA

Well spotted.

JON

Sansa, you don't know her like I know her.

SANSA

I don't need to. I know power. If you start looking like a serious threat to her claim, she will find a way to remove that threat.

(beat)

It doesn't even have to come from you. If other people start favoring you, that's bad enough.

JON

Which is why I'm telling everyone the truth tomorrow morning.

Sansa stares at him in confusion.

JON

I'm going to publicly reaffirm my support for her claim. I'm going to make clear that I won't tolerate conspiracies on my behalf, and that I'll behead anyone who tries.

SANSA

That was an interesting thing you just did.

JON

What.

SANSA

You moved your lips and Tyrion's words came out.

Jon sighs.

JON

Yes, we talked. His advice makes sense.

40.

SANSA

So Tyrion advised you to tell everyone. He probably advised you not to tell anyone early.

JON

Everyone has to know that everyone else knows.

SANSA

Or maybe it's so they can kill everyone who knows tonight, while the number is still small.

JON

(really frustrated now)

Sansa.

SANSA

Do you think that would be anything close to the most shocking thing someone has done for a crown?

JON

We have to trust them.

SANSA

Jon, you haven't seen what I've seen.

JON

No, I was only murdered by my own men!

A ringing silence.

JON

Do you think it's easy for me to trust people now? It's a choice, Sansa.

41.

She stares back at him.

JON

You always talk at me as if I don't understand that the things I do are dangerous. Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm just a lucky fool.

SANSA

(conciliatory)

I don't think (you're a fool--)

JON

(interrupting)

Or maybe I understand that sometimes there are no better choices available. The Night King will be here in a fortnight. How well do you think we'll stand against him if we let this divide us?

(beat)

Sansa, I've united wildlings. I've united Northmen. I've united Starks and Targaryens and Lannisters. What do you think holds them all together? If I start mistrusting my people, then they start mistrusting me, and this all comes apart around us.

(beat)

We tell everyone tomorrow, with the rest of the morning announcements. Like Tyrion and I agreed.

SANSA

Jon...

JON

I made one exception. Because I choose to trust you. I need you to trust me now. Can you do that for me?

A long silence. Sansa takes a deep, tortured breath. Jon watches her face intently.

Finally she looks at him. This isn't easy for her. But she nods.

42.

INT. TYRION'S CHAMBER - NIGHT

Tyrion sits at a table in his chamber, reading a book. There's a knock on his door. He goes and opens it, revealing Sansa.

TYRION

(taken aback)

Lady Sansa...

SANSA

May I speak with you?

A beat.

TYRION

Yes, of course. Come in.

Sansa enters and takes a seat at the table. Tyrion closes the door behind her, casts her a fleeting, nervous glance, then walks over to the wine stand. He pours one goblet, sets it aside, starts pouring a second one...

SANSA

(re: wine)

No, thank you.

Tyrion eyes her, nods, then puts the wine pitcher down. He hesitates, then drinks the second goblet down, still standing there by the wine stand. Then he picks up his own still-full goblet and joins her at the table.

They look at each other a moment.

TYRION

I worried about you, you know. When you disappeared.

SANSA

Littlefinger stole me away.

TYRION

(grimacing)

I knew I was right to worry.

SANSA

Yes. You were.

Tyrion gives her a sad look.

TYRION

I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, Sansa.

43.

SANSA

Don't be. No one can protect me, I've made my peace with that. My father couldn't, you couldn't. Jon can't.

TYRION

Mm. Your brother thinks very highly of you, by the way.

SANSA

My brother? Or my cousin?

She gives him a significant look. Tyrion stares.

TYRION

Jon told you.

SANSA

Don't look so worried. I promised him I wouldn't tell anyone else.

TYRION

...and will you?

Sansa smiles wryly.

SANSA

Jon trusts me, Tyrion. Which means you'll have to too.

TYRION

Which means we'll have to trust each other .

He gives her a pointed look. She regards him.

SANSA

Do you remember our wedding night?

Tyrion grimaces uncomfortably.

TYRION

You probably remember it better. Myself, I was rather drunk.

SANSA

You said your father insisted that you consummate the marriage. You asked me how old I was.

44.

TYRION

(very uncomfortable)

I am deeply, deeply sorry (for all of that--)

SANSA

And then you said that you wouldn't share my bed, not until I wanted you to. You were kind to me, when you had no reason to be.

(beat)

Why?

TYRION

What do you mean "why"?

SANSA

All my brothers and sisters were dead, or presumed dead. Our child would have been heir to Winterfell. Heir to the North.

TYRION

(incredulous)

Are you really asking me why I didn't rape you?

SANSA

(calm)

It happens all the time to ladies like me. You're a political man. Would that really have been the worst thing you've ever done, for the sake of power?

Tyrion stares at her, disturbed by the calm way she asks this question, and by the ugly truth of the question itself. He struggles with it for a time. Finally:

TYRION

(near-whisper)

I couldn't. I just couldn't. You started taking off your dress...

45.

He grimaces painfully.

TYRION

I just couldn't do it. No more than I could've sprouted wings, or touched my nose to my own asshole.

(beat)

I don't have a clever answer for you, I'm sorry.

Sansa regards him.

SANSA

What other sorts of things would you not be able to do?

Tyrion stares back at her.

TYRION

Sansa, you know I won't ever harm you. And I won't harm the people you love.

SANSA

I don't know that.

TYRION

Well, I won't. Whether you know it or not. I promise you.

Sansa looks back at him. A hint of vulnerability peeks through her dispassionate facade. She really wants to believe him.

She reins it back in.

SANSA

And I promise you... that if you ever do, winter will come for you. Even if none of us are alive to bring it. The North remembers.

There's a heavy silence after that, as Tyrion gazes back at her. He is disturbed and saddened and more than a little intrigued.

TYRION

You've changed.

They regard each other in silence some more. Then Sansa rises to leave.

46.

SANSA

I'll see you in the morning, Lord Tyrion.

Tyrion's eyes follow her as she departs.

EXT. NARROW SEA - UNDERWATER - MORNING

Beneath the waves of the Narrow Sea, the OLD SAILOR's drowned corpse drags through the water by a rope bound to his wrists. His mouth gapes open lifelessly, showing the mutilated flesh where his tongue used to be.

We follow the rope up and out of the water in one smooth shot, and keep following it up...

EXT. THE SILENCE - CONTINUOUS

...onto the deck of the Silence, where the rope is secured by a winch.

[N.B.: the same winch that the old sailor had used to help Yara escape.]

There is frenetic activity on deck as EURON'S CREW work the sails. Additional topsails and gennakers are being deployed, unfurling in the wind and pulling taut against their lines. The spars groan under the load as the sails swell. The Silence leaps forward. They are moving at maximum speed and power.

EURON GREYJOY stands at the bow of his ship, a still point amidst the urgent activity around him. He stares out ahead with a cold, hungry focus, like a shark on the hunt.

EXT. SEA - YARA'S ROWBOAT

YARA GREYJOY pulls desperately at the oars. She's exhausted, and her lips are cracked from wind and thirst.

[N.B.: a rowboat moves "backward" relative to the oarsman, so Yara is facing her pursuers.]

Yara's POV: the Silence is gaining fast. It's big and dark and mean, a Goliath to her David.

She grits her teeth and redoubles her efforts through sheer force of will, crying out with exertion.

47.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - THEON MOMENT

THEON

Yara!

THEON GREYJOY stands at the bow of his own ship, leaning out against the head rail as they sail toward Yara. Behind him on deck, THEON'S CREW shout and scurry. Some of them work the sails, others prepare a rope to shoot to Yara.

Theon's POV: Yara is rowing for her life, with the Silence in hot pursuit.

[N.B.: Yara is closer to Theon's ship than the Silence, but because of the direction of the wind, the Silence is closing the gap faster.]

THEON

(to the first mate)

They have the wind! They're going to catch her.

FIRST MATE

(snapping)

Get out of the way, Theon!

The FIRST MATE brusquely pushes Theon aside as he shouts orders to the crew.

FIRST MATE

Haul to!

Theon looks around helplessly, useless and ignored. He goes to the railing again and stares out at Yara with pain in his eyes.

EXT. SEA - YARA MOMENT

Yara cranes her neck to look behind her as she rows. She is so close , close enough to pick out Theon's figure standing at the rail. Tears spring to her eyes as she sees her brother again.

Then a dark shadow falls over her, and she looks up. The Silence is upon her, its black sails blotting out the sun. Euron smiles down at her from the deck.

Yara throws down her oars and dives overboard, not a moment too soon. A heavy rope net lands on the rowboat just as she disappears under the waves.

48.

EXT. UNDERWATER - CONTINUOUS

Yara holds her breath, swimming hard beneath the waves until she is forced to surface for air. She comes up, gasping.

EXT. THE SILENCE - euron moment

Euron sees her surface, then dive under again. His eyes follow her path and fix upon Theon's ship. His smile grows sadistic.

EURON

Prepare the corvus!

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - first mate moment

FIRST MATE

Ropes! Now!

An IRONBORN ARCHER draws a longbow -- the arrow has a padded float in place of an arrowhead, and a rope affixed to its shaft. He looses the arrow.

EXT. SEA - YARA MOMENT

The arrow splashes into the water some distance ahead of Yara. Yara sees it as she surfaces again for air. With grim determination, she takes in a deep gasping breath and swims for it.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - THEON MOMENT

THEON

(to first mate)

They're going to board us!

The first mate looks up. The Silence is slicing through the water toward them, its corvus raised high in the air. Euron is standing on the end, with battleaxe in hand and bloodlust in his eyes.

FIRST MATE

(to crew)

Prepare to fight!

A battle cry goes up as the Ironborn draw their weapons.

Theon slowly draws his sword. He looks at his crew, then out at the Silence. It's close enough now to see their crew brandishing their own weapons and crying out for blood.

49.

It's obvious that Theon's crew is badly outnumbered. We see the hopelessness of the situation in Theon's eyes.

Theon's sword falls from his hand. He turns away, trembling, and begins climbing the main mast, up and away from the action.

EXT. THE SILENCE - EURON MOMENT

EURON

Get ready!

Two Ironborn hurry to the corvus' winch, standing ready to release it on Euron's signal. Above them, the sails strain against their wooden spars in the strong wind. The helmsman steers hard, angling the prow toward Theon's ship. The Silence leans hard off the wind, the corvus extended outward like a grasping claw.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - FIRST MATE MOMENT

The first mate sees the Silence nearly upon them, and grimaces. His anxious eyes pick out Yara in the water, still swimming for the rope they'd shot out to her. His eyes flit again to Euron atop the corvus, nearly on top of them now. They ought to be fleeing, but Yara is so close...

EXT. SEA - YARA MOMENT

With one final desperate stroke, Yara grabs hold of the rope. And now several things happen in very quick succession.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP

IRONBORN

We have her!

FIRST MATE

Bear away!

The helmsman steers hard and their ship tacks aggressively, her stern swinging through the eye of the wind as they turn to flee.

EXT. The SILENCE - EURON MOMENT

EURON

NOW!

50.

The winchmen release the corvus. It comes scything down as the Silence leans hard with the wind, grasping for her fleeing quarry...

EXT. THEON MOMENT - simultaneous

...just as Theon leaps from his ship's rigging into theirs. He collides with the Silence's main sail and pierces it with a knife, tearing a vertical gash all the way to the deck as he falls.

EXT. The SILENCE - coNTINUOUS

The torn sail flaps viciously in the wind, and the sudden release of tension causes the Silence to lurch windward. Sailors are thrown off their feet...

...and the corvus misses Theon's ship by a yard. Euron just barely manages to hang on as the corvus jerks sideways with the rest of the ship.

As he regains his footing he looks up to see his quarry sailing away from him, fast. He stares at it, his expression darkening into a terrifying snarl of vengeful murderous obsession. Then he slowly turns that murderous stare around, back toward the deck of the Silence.

EXT. The SILENCE - THEON MOMENT

Theon is struggling to get up. Euron's Ironborn quickly pounce on him, dragging him to his feet.

Euron slowly walks up to him. Theon cowers under his stare. Above them, the torn main sail flaps and snaps uselessly in the wind.

EURON

Hello, little Theon.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - YARA MOMENT

IRONBORN

Pull! Pull!

The Ironborn hoist Yara out of the sea and onto the deck. She's gasping for air -- soaked, shivering, and exhausted. With a great effort of will, she pushes herself to her feet, swaying unsteadily.

51.

The men stare at her breathlessly -- their queen, returned to them against all odds. Yara looks around at her loyalists with searching eyes.

YARA

Where's Theon?

EXT. The SILENCE - Euron/theon moment

Euron drags Theon to the end of the corvus, still extended out over the open water. He seizes a handful of Theon's hair and presses a knife to his throat. Theon whimpers and tries to pull his head away from the knife but Euron just presses harder.

EURON

Ah. There she is.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - yara moment

Yara walks slowly up to the taffrail at the edge of her ship's stern and stares out. She sees Theon being held hostage by Euron.

EXT. The SILENCE - Euron/theon moment

EURON

(to Theon)

This feels familiar, doesn't it? "Come and get her," I said. And you ran, like the cockless coward that you are. Do you think your sister will run?

Theon stares out at Yara with tears in his eyes, silently imploring her to flee, to escape, to leave him behind.

EURON

You've played your trick. But I've got a thousand more ships. Here they come. And there's your sister. I think she would die for your worthless skin.

(sadistic glee)

And you're going to watch her.

52.

Theon is truly coming apart now. He shakes and whimpers and stutters, reverting back to Reek -- terrified, traumatized, helpless in the face of Euron's psychopathy.

EURON

You're going to watch, as I cut your sister into a thousand (little pieces--)

Theon makes his move.

He cuts his own throat on Euron's knife and throws himself off the corvus and into the sea.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - yara moment - conTINUOUS

YARA

THEON!

EXT. UNDERWATER - theon moment - CONTINUOUS

Theon splashes into the water, his momentum carrying him down below the waves.

Blood streams from his slashed throat and billows out in cloudy tendrils like ink in water, mingling with the salt of the sea. Bubbles stream toward the surface as his lungs fill with seawater. Light filters down through the seaweed and onto his upturned face. And the waves rock his body in gentle circles as the light goes out in his eyes.

EXT. THEON'S SHIP - yara moment

Yara stares in shocked horror at the spot where Theon disappeared. She cries out his name once more, then crumples in grief as his blood blooms to the surface.

Behind her, her men set the ship to full sail. The wind catches them and bears Yara away as Theon's body comes up to float facedown in the sea.

END OF EPISODE 803