This coming Sunday in “Blood of My Blood,” we’ll finally get to see a moment many Game of Thrones fans have been waiting for, for a long time: Samwell Tarly will be reunited with the harsh father who forced him into the Night’s Watch. With Gilly and the baby by his side, Sam is headed to Horn Hill and we can only imagine how this complicated family reunion is going to play out.
Luckily we have two interviews with John Bradley and Hannah Murray via IGN and The Hollywood Reporter to offer input and a few teases as to what we can expect, in “Blood of My Blood.”
Talking to IGN, Bradley discusses how seeing Horn Hill and the Tarlys sheds new light on Sam and his journey throughout the series:
What I really liked about it was seeing not only Oldtown, but seeing the south and where Sam comes from and his relationship with his family. It all puts everything into context. You see where was raised. It’s a very beautiful place. It’s a kind of bucolic place, and you realize how much of a fish out of water he was at Castle Black, just how hard life must have been there — but how hard life was at home as well. It all makes sense. All of the psychological, emotional, developmental boundaries that he’s got are because of this relationship with his father, with his family. […] You start to make sense of why he’s so damaged, why the journey to Castle Black for him was such a momentous one, and how he was wrenched out of that home life and how alien all of that world was to him. It feels like a different show because they’re such vastly different visual landscapes that they don’t feel like there’s any through line between them.
As for how Gilly handles herself against the imposing Randyll Tarly (James Faulkner) and his wealthy family, Murray explains to IGN:
I think she kind of figures out Randyll pretty quickly and decides he is not a good person, and she’s very clear on how she feels about people like that. Obviously the father kind of looms so large in this story, but it’s also Sam’s mother and Sam’s brother and sister. It’s quite a complicated family, and it’s a very interesting dynamic. It’s not all bad. There’s a lot about that that’s very positive and very interesting to her. I think she expects quite a different reception than she gets, actually.
Read the complete interview at IGN to hear more of their thoughts on the new episode, and about Game of Thrones‘ full-on embracing of fantasy!
In The Hollywood Reporter, Hannah Murray speaks more on Gilly’s mindset, on the journey south, far from the home she knows beyond the Wall.
“It’s so lovely to play somebody who is so excited about everything she experiences,” the actress says. “Everything is new to her. Her entire world just expands and expands. She was pretty thrilled about the Castle Black kitchen, for one. This adventure, going south for her, it’s like going to a fantasy land. It’s like a fairy tale, really. The fact that she gets to go, and it’s real? She’s blown away by it.”
“One of the things that’s beautiful about them, and they have in common, is that they’re both infinitely curious,” Bradley tells THR. “They both want to know about things. Knowledge blows their minds. With Sam, it’s dragonglass. With Gilly, it’s an orange.”
The actors agree that going back home is very scary for Sam, with his rough childhood under his father’s eye. Murray says, “We’ve seen Sam face these terrifying nightmares, but this is an incredibly different nightmare,” she says. “Your fear is very different when it comes to your family. You can be brave in one big situation, and completely afraid in another. No matter how much of a grownup you are in the world, you go back home and you can regress to being a kid again.”
“The things that scare you as a child tend to scare you your whole life,” John Bradley tells THR. “It’s because you wear the scars. There’s something about the scars that you wear and the regression that exists.”
For more on “Blood of My Blood” and Sam & Gilly, visit the article at the Hollywood Reporter!
Hold the door!
Hold the door (for Gilly when you bring her home to Horn Hill, Sam; be a gentleman in front of your family).
Randyll fuckin’ Tarly!!!!! Will we see Heartsbane? WE BETTER!
Sorry. Hype.
I know many don’t care for the Sam/Gilly storyline. But I always enjoy it. Would love to see some same at Oldtown/The Citadel too. But I’m not sure how much if any of that we’ll get his season.
I’m insanely hyped up for this. I just hope that they won’t play up the “oh this family dinner is so awkward and dysfunctional” aspect too much. I don’t want it to feel like a sitcom.
The Bolton family dinner in “Kill the Boy” was good but a little over the top in that respect, what with Ramsay making everyone super uncomfortable in his own goofy-psycho way. And that was a Cogman episode too.
And as someone pointed out in another thread, he does have some trouble with original material, not to mention the fact that aside from Randyll, we basically have no info from the books on what the other Tarly family members are like.
The show will have to choose how they characterize them, and I hope they won’t go for an excessively comedic approach.
I just hope the tone will be a bit more serious, and focus on Sam’s relationship with Randyll, rather than how odd it is for Gilly to find herself in these surroundings.
Knowing the show’s penchant for comedy, I can see major Gilly awkwardness coming.
So it’s pretty obvious what’s gonna happen.. Sam reverts to his old blubbering wreck self when he encounters Daddy dearest, Gilly has none of it and stands her ground, Randyll threatens her and/or baby Sam and then Sam kicks seven hells of shit out of Daddy (perhaps even offs the guy accidentally). Then they bugger off to Oldtown with a certain Valyrian sword.
Might want to hold on to that pukin’ bucket Sam -_-
With Sam, it’s dragonglass. With Gilly, it’s an orange.
Oh John. Never change. ?
Pigeon,
Yeah, that was great, it seems like something Sam himself could have said when talking about Gilly. It´s always charming to see an actor having some quirks that are similar to the on-screen character. Now, if the storyline they present in this episode is as good as the chemistry between John and Hannah, things might get pretty interesting with them once again.
I enjoy it, too. These two have a sweet relationship – unique in GOT.
Really hoping that one of them give Randyll a verbal smackdown (hate him). I’m also interested in meeting Mrs. Tarly; Sam must have inherited his good nature from her.
Sam arriving home and us seeing his family for the first time onscreen is one of the things im lookin forward to the most this season.
I bet that there will be a moment next episode where Sam shows how much he has changed since his father sent him away to the wall.
And lets hope that we wont have to wait for Season 7 just to see Sam arriving at the citadel.
Hannah totally conveyed that excitement and curiosity in the shot of her grinning out the porthole at the lightning storm in her first scene this season. Everything is new and exciting to Gilly, and after growing up at Craster’s, there’s not much that fazes her. She’s game for anything.
She and Sam seem really good for each other on so many levels. If anybody deserves to end up a happy family after the war is over, it’s them.
I really love Gilly. I am never disappointed by Sam and Gilly scenes.
I have also been wondering if baby Sam has a role to play in the war to come seeing as he is a Craster son who got away ?
One of my two most anticipated scenes in the next episode (well, really THE most, if the other doesn’t happen – Drogon finally showing up to the party.)
So, looking forward to the Tarlys. May their dinner scene be infinitely better than the Bolton one, which was quite bad, in my opinion.
Gilly and the orange. This has viral potential.
Memes incoming.
See, quotes like exemplify why I love Gilly and Sam on the show, and why I’m so taken with the way that Hannah Murray and John Bradley portray them. The fact that Game of Thrones has room for a relationship like theirs amidst all of the blood, darkness, and incredible, world-shaking drama is not only sweet, it’s necessary, even if it doesn’t relentlessly drive the main storyline forward.
I’m really looking forward to seeing Horn Hill and the Tarlys. Even so, I’m ever-so-slightly worried about how this storyline will be received, as I expect there’s a section of the fandom that will resent spending a significant amount of time on it, especially if the Northern storyline takes the episode off. That’s fine – people feel how they feel. But I think the time we spend there will reward our investment, even if it winds up being more character-focused (though I do expect Heartsbane, the Tarlys’ Valyrian steel sword, will become plot-relevant).
That being said, I am curious to learn how Sam will tie back into the larger storyline. It does look like he’ll get to Oldtown by the end of the season, but if the show only has ~18 episodes left, he obviously isn’t going to forge his full maester’s chain. Something will draw him back North relatively soon. Maybe it’s the Ironborn. Maybe it’s news of conflict at the Wall. Maybe it’s something else entirely. Only time will tell.
Connor,
can someone (maybe you) please explain why people would actually like Randyll Tarly? He is by all we know a completely appalling human being… And yet there are always people who are like F YA RANDYLL. HYPPPRREEEEE.
Is it irony or what?
QueenofThrones,
I’m just excited to see him for the first time in the show lmao. I’ll still probably end up hating him like most people.
Is it wrong to be a little excited about a character finally appearing in the show?
Maybe he’ll manage to get his hands on a certain very important book kept carefully locked up at the Citadel, full of magical research done all over the known world by one Maester Marwyn… Knowledge is power!
Sam’s one of my favourite characters. I think intellect will win over brawn in fighting the White Walkers, and Sam is the one going to find the answer!
Sam and Gilly are an oasis of love in a hard world!
Jared,
I hope Sam straight up jacks Heartsbane from his dad, like Cameron stole that car in Ferris Buellers Day Off.
Firannion,
One could only hope … 🙂
Connor,
Haha fair enough. I certainly hope he gets the smack down, will be fun to see. 🙂
Ive loved Sams character from the beginning – a fish out of water at home and at Castle Black, but he manages to survive both and at CB, able to be part of it in a big way. Love him with Gilly, and love how she is showing her natural curiostiy and intelligence. I bet the two of them are just going to shock the daylights out of the family, or if not, maybe knock some sense or humanity into one of them
Slightlyoff topic – In an interview with Bradley, a fan asked him ”why are you still so fat? You’ve been walking north of the wall for weeks, you should be a lot thinner.” Ever since then, I’ve wondered the same thing. Not to say that Jon should lose weight but I think he has a point. . Still, its a fantasy show, so…..
anyway, looking forward to what happens on Sunday
And I loved Bradley’s response, which was something to the effect of: “People can get their heads around dragons and direwolves and ice zombies, but not a fat guy who has trouble losing weight?”
In the books, if I remember correctly, Sam actually does notice his blacks fitting a bit more loosely following the treks north of the Wall and his weeks of seasickness. But you can’t expect an actor to lose weight on cue.
Gilly’s orange meets Renly’s peach?
QueenofThrones,
Not a lot different from Stannis fans in that respect.
Hahahaha! Perfect comparison!
I can’t wait to see Oldtown and finally get some hints about the Maesters’ Conspiracy.
Lyanna_Targaryen,
Hah! That’s what I’ve been hoping for, since I feel pretty good about his dad still being a jerk. Take it, Slayer! And some jewelry too, you guys need to eat in Oldtown. These are desperate times. 🙂
Count me in the Sam and Gilly fan club too. I love these guys, and for exactly the reasons stated here.
I wonder whether Sam will need to go north again, though, or whether the north is going to come south, to him.
Lyanna_Targaryen,
Loooved Ferris!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I’m a fan of Sam and Gilly too! Love when they are onscreen. Samwell is just a big teddy bear and Gilly is awesome.
Randyll Tarly hype!
Oldyown hype!
Well as much as u can expect for a glorifed Library, but hype nonetheless if we see Marwyn perhaps and especiallu.if we see Euron sack the joint
that was Hannah, I think
Firannion,
Oh yeah, I get that, and wouldnt expect him to (heaven knows Im not much good at it myself!) It was just funny coz it was a question that I never thought about, and now that its out there, I still wonder about.
Firannion,
They actually use a lot of padding to make Bradley look fat. He is a stout guy, particularly next to typical actors, but he would not stand out in a crowd
Ashara D,
Well…. If there is a Maester’s Conspiracy! I, for one, am very skeptical of this.
Firannion,
They actually use a lot of padding to make Bradley look fat. He is a stout guy, particularly next to typical actors, but he would not stand out in a crowd
I’ve always been a big Sam/Gilly fan, and I too am delighted at the way Gilly is loving every new minute she’s experiencing. To hell with anybody who complains about the time spent on them – I believe they will be somehow important to the outcome at the end. At the very least, it’s a necessity to see a loving relationship shown that is based on true affection, and not dominance or abuse or duplicity.
I’m one of those who are anxious to see how such a character as Randyll Tarly will be portrayed and what effect he will have on the other appalling characters in the show. Not that I approve of anything that it’s been reported he has done, especially in regards to his horrifying treatment of Sam. Seeing Faulkner’s face in the preview was exciting because it looks like it’s perfect casting – that stern, disapproving, dismissive side glance says everything about the man. He’ll be another villain, but a different sort than Ramsay, so yeah, hype.
Randyll looks as strict, severe, unmerciless and authoritarian as I pictured him from Sam’s telling at Caste Black. I’m quite excited to learn more about how his family reacts when they see him coming back. As Bradley said in the interview quoted above it will be somehow tragic to see that he didn’t leave a place behind that was fully evil but in contrast was a lovable place to grow up with a loving mother. This will make us as viewers understand even more how horrible it must have been to have been exiled by his father and sent to the Night’s Watch. I also hope that now that Sam comes back, Sam can communicate some his grown-up personality and honorable deeds that he already achieved to his father, not just to impress him – as impressing his father shouldn’t be his goal anymore -, but to make him maybe regret or at least reconsider his view of his eldest son a bit. If this doesn’t happen, I wish Sam just gets over this and leaves his father behind more prouder and self-confident than ever.
We’ll see in a few days!! 🙂
I’m not sure if this has been already posted here, Kit on BBC Radio:
Who’ve got to be kidding me. It cannot even be considered just a hypothesis anymore; Marwyn literally spelled it all out for Sam, and for us. I know you can’t stand AFFC and barely remember any of it, but come on, just go read a summary of Sam’s last chapter if you don’t believe.
I am looking forward to the Tarly scenes this year more than anything else this season, with the exception of ToJ (that first scene was a 9.5/10). Looking forward to Sam fainting after Gilly 2.0 is presented by his mother after she works her cosmetic magic, and the viewer reactions, because I’m sure the casual fans have no idea how beautiful Hannah really is, being the show de-glamours her.
Concerning the quick look at Horn Hill from the trailer, if I’m not mistaken, The Reach is the oldest power in Westeros, existing long before Kings Landing, Casterly Rock, Riverlands and what not. Oldtown is like Constantinople/Alexandria rolled into one, therefore I can see Horn Hill being one of the great Byzantine palaces of that ancient power. Consider The Reach being Europe to our current America.
Finaly Randyll Tarly. The guy who makes Tywin look like “Father of the year”. Can’t wait to see his interactions with Sam. This, Daeny and Bran with Meera + mysterious person saving them.
Can’t wait to see James Faulkner as Randyll. I found him scary in Downton Abbey. Haha.
I’m a part of the minority that likes Sam and Gilly scenes (based on what I read from around the internet after they appear in an episode). Gilly cracks me up with her enthusiasm for learning new things. I still laugh when I remember her thinking Sam was a Wizard. She’s a fun, strong, optimistic character and I have really grown to like her show character and hope things turn out well for her.
Can’t wait to see how this dinner goes. I bet she won’t take too kindly to somebody bad mouthing her baby daddy. 😀
I think that the great Sam and Gilly upposed to reveal willlated to some s error, at leastsecretGilerrorealrelatedspellingters are hinting towards that.
QueenofThrones,
You mean just like people were hyped up to see Tywin, Euron, the Night King and others ? How is this even a question ?
Obviously people get excited for certain epic/important/badass/memorable/terrifying characters, whether those characters are “likable” or not as people isn’t really relevant. The question is are they an interesting character. If so, people will be excited.
For me Sam and Gilly are the most ‘normal’ people in the series, the only two who have had to deal with some horrible things but have come through them with baby and relationship intact and the two of them still mentally strong. I doubt that Randyll Tarly could be worse than Craster for Gilly, so I think she will deal with him just fine. I am hoping that Sam will see his father in a different light when they meet again. After slaying a White Walker, Sam couldn’t possibly find anything Randyll might threaten him with as harrowing as that.
I also believe there is plenty of foreshadowing for Sam to become one of the heroes of the story in the end, and one of the most important characters in the series.
Jared,
“That being said, I am curious to learn how Sam will tie back into the larger storyline. It does look like he’ll get to Oldtown by the end of the season, but if the show only has ~18 episodes left, he obviously isn’t going to forge his full maester’s chain. Something will draw him back North relatively soon. Maybe it’s the Ironborn. Maybe it’s news of conflict at the Wall. Maybe it’s something else entirely. Only time will tell.”
I’ve been wondering the same thing. It doesn’t often get discussed here on the message boards. It seems with the advanced progress of the story line, there has to be a more defined reason why Sam would be down there. I hope it moves along quickly. I’m anxious to see how he fits into the bigger battle to come. I bet he learns something quickly that is key to battling the white walkers and rushes back to the wall with that knowledge as fast as he can, foregoing his training.
Yes! Even if the Maesters’ Conspiracy comes to naught (or, more likely, results in unintended dire consequences), there is some key info in Oldtown that Sam will discover (in the books, I think it will take much longer for Sam to discover) via Marwyn and his travels. Marwyn is one of the most intriguing characters left hanging by GRRM, so I’m excited for him to enter the story in the show.
Plus, Oldtown is closer to the Daynes. 🙂
Markus Stark,
I, for one, am glad that Cogman appreciates humor. If GoT was po-faced and melodramatic 24/7, it would be a less bearable show.
So bring on the awkward dinners! It’s excellent humor, and not at all sitcom-ish. It’s real. Awkward dinners are a fundamental part of the human condition.
ArgonathofBraavos,
That’s a funny statement, but I do see your point. I’m really not sure who said anything about melodrama. The last thing I want is “melodrama”. I loathe melodrama. What I do want however, is character drama. Good, smart, crisp writing, that illuminates the characters and makes the viewer feel compelled. The meeting between Sam and Randyll is the perfect opportunity for some interesting character drama, but more importantly, for genuine tension in Sam’s storyline. You want viewers to care about Sam’s personal arc, and how his relationship with his father impacted him.
I have no problem with some comedy, but I prefer it to be sprinkled in, in an organic manner, rather than for it to be the entire point of the scene. I also like wit, rather than just sheer awkwardness.
I personally do not believe the Bolton family dinner was “excellent humor”, but that is of course subjective.
My point is that the scene should feel real and organic and tense, and if there is any humor it should be earned and feel natural. I don’t want the scene to be bogged down by an explicit intent on the writer’s part to make it as awkward and funny as possible. That should not be the goal of the scene, and the jokes should be used parsimoniously, rather than thrown in our faces.
Otherwise we would indeed be watching a sitcom, not a drama. And GoT has a tendency to take it a little too far for my taste (with scenes such as the absurd Grey Worm/Missandei and Tyrion awkwardness in episode 3, or Pod the sex god in Season 3, just to name a few). If you like that stuff, great, but I’m just stating my preference.
Maybe Sam is destined to become “maester” to Dany, not Jon, and he’s the one who teaches her about the white walker threat and convinces her to join forces with Jon.
I have a feeling that the photos of Tommen being shocked are because of the HS potentially telling him of his parentage, thus creating animosity towards his parents? Leading the “Valonqar” theory at some point??
Either way, other than a potential replacement for a man who lost his gloves (if you get my drift) I have no idea what to expect this episode.
That’s a great, laid-back and funny as interview with Kit (and Maisie). Especially with Maisie sorting out tickets for Sophie and her and making sure that Kit is down for an after-party. 😀
It was, but did you hear the last question the interviewer asked? “Do you think you will end up on the Iron Throne as King?” Kit answered, straight-faced, “yes.”
Tommen has to have heard the stories by now. Stannis’ accusations happened years ago.
I have to think that it is going to be yet different from those. The tale does not need to learn about some Sammath Naur: they now know of two ways to “melt the Ring.” Moreover, why would people who do not believe in White Walkers have any useful information about them? (They might be more apt to have something about R’hllor: but even that seems a stretch.)
My suspicion is that it’s going to be much less about what Sam learns at Oldtown than it’s going to be about getting Sam to the South, and possibly getting him to Daeny. The Walkers are going to get through the Wall soon. However, convincing the people in the south that this is not just some over-reaction to a Wildling invasion is going to be very difficult. Now, obviously, one medieval version of a nerd is not going to convince anyone. However, it is possible that Sam will be the right person in the right place at the right time to get Daeny to want to help regardless of exactly what is happening.
I love Sam and Gilly! I’ve been rooting for them from the start. One of the sweetest scenes in the show was Sam singing to Gilly and the baby. I hope they don’t take any bs from Randyll.
Cersei cannot see Tommen in his golden shroud if he is her killer. Cersei is going to outlive all of her children.
The Citadel’s information isn’t related to the White Walkers, but to the dragons. There’s been tons of setup for that.
Sean C.,
Sure: but there are not any open questions about Dragons in the way that there are about Walkers. Really, the only way that it could be pertinent if we learn that dragons are the weasels to the Walkers Cane Toads. However, given that dragons have not been even worse than Walkers or humans, and given that we never see any indication that dragons were employed against the Walkers, this does not work.
That written, it had vaguely crossed my mind that the origin of the Valyrians (who seem to have something odd about them) might be the Children doing what humans have done throughout our history: repeat their mistake by thinking that they can “get it right” this time. This certainly would jibe with GRRM’s love of riffing on real history for his plots, just as he is doing with the Walkers. However, MB&W should have hung some important guns by now that have not been hung. The only one that has is how Valyrian steel actually is made. However, 1) the characters know this (we saw Stannis emulate it in Season 2) and they simply have to sort out the truth from the fiction; and, 2) this tale is not one about tossing Ring analogs into figurative fires.
Can someone explain to me why Sam was going back to his father again? His furious father who treatened Sam to death before he went to the wall? The mother and sister sure can’t protect Gilly when Randyll is about
TFT,
Because women and babies aren’t allowed in the Citadel and he thinks they will be safer with his family.
There are open questions like how best to control or kill dragons.
Ashara D,
I absolutely agree Sam will find some sort of pertinent information in some book at the Citadel. Whether it be about dragons, or WW’s, or both, I couldn’t say. However, given the Citadel is the biggest book repository in the 7 Kingdoms, I’d guess there’s at least some information there on the WW’s. I’m sure there’s information there about dragons, too.
Kamali,
I love Sam and Gilly scenes. I’ve often thought they will have far more to contribute to the end game than may be expected.
Randle Tarly better watch it,one way for Sam the slayer to come to light would be if Gilly or babe were threatened. Sometimes it takes a good woman for the man to be born.