Benjen Stark is back. That was basically the only thing anybody could talk about after Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 6 aired, and honestly, can you blame them? It had been years. Literally years since we saw Ned Stark’s brother ride off into the frozen wasteland of the North, leaving Jon Snow (and us) wondering if he’d just become a permanent Popsicle.
But "Blood of My Blood" is doing a lot more heavy lifting than just fan service.
It’s an episode about legacies. It’s about the heavy, often suffocating weight of being a "scion" of a Great House. Whether you're Samwell Tarly trying to survive a nightmare dinner at Horn Hill or Arya Stark deciding she’s done playing the "No One" game, this hour of television is where the endgame of the series actually starts to crystallize.
The Long-Awaited Return of Benjen Stark
Meera Reed is exhausted. She’s dragging Bran through a blizzard, the White Walkers are closing in, and everything feels hopeless after Hodor’s devastating sacrifice in the previous episode. Then, a masked rider appears. He’s swinging a flail of fire like he’s auditioning for a heavy metal album cover.
It turns out Coldhands—a character book readers had been obsessed with for a decade—was finally being merged with Benjen Stark for the show. This wasn't just a cool cameo. Benjen explains that the Children of the Forest saved him from turning into a Wight by shoving a piece of Dragonglass into his heart.
It’s a bit of a "deus ex machina," sure. But it anchors the supernatural stakes. Benjen tells Bran he is now the Three-Eyed Raven. There’s no more training wheels. Bran has to master his powers before the Night King makes it to the Wall. The pacing here is frantic, which contrasts wildly with the rest of the episode, but it works because it keeps the threat of the Great War humming in the background while everyone else is busy with family drama.
Horn Hill and the Worst Father in Westeros
If you thought Tywin Lannister was a bad dad, Randyll Tarly says "hold my ale."
Samwell Tarly’s homecoming to Horn Hill is one of the most uncomfortable sequences in the entire sixth season. We get to see where Sam comes from, and suddenly, his timidity makes perfect sense. Randyll Tarly is a man who values martial prowess above all else, and seeing his son return with a Wildling woman (Gilly) and a baby is his literal nightmare.
The dinner scene is a masterclass in tension. James Faulkner plays Randyll with such cold, calculated cruelty that you actually feel Sam shrinking in his seat. But then something happens. Sam, the man who usually runs from conflict, decides he’s done being bullied. He doesn't just leave; he steals Heartsbane, the Tarly family’s ancestral Valyrian Steel sword.
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This is huge. Valyrian steel is one of the few things that can actually kill a White Walker. By taking that sword, Sam isn't just reclaiming his manhood; he’s stealing a literal weapon of war for the fight that actually matters. It’s a quiet victory, but it’s one of the most satisfying character beats in the show’s later years.
King’s Landing and the High Sparrow’s Masterstroke
Meanwhile, down south, things are getting weird.
The Lannisters and Tyrells finally team up to stop the High Sparrow. They march an army to the steps of the Great Sept of Baelor to prevent Margaery Tyrell’s "Walk of Atonement." Jaime Lannister looks iconic on that horse. He’s ready for a massacre.
And then the doors open.
Tommen Baratheon walks out. He’s joined the Faith.
The High Sparrow didn't need a sword. He used words. He manipulated a lonely, soft-hearted boy-king into a "Holy Alliance" between the Crown and the Faith. It’s a total defeat for Cersei and Jaime. In one move, the High Sparrow renders the Lannister army useless. Jaime is stripped of his Kingsguard cloak and ordered to leave the city to deal with the Blackfish at Riverrun.
This is where we see the cracks in the Lannister power dynamic really start to spider-web. Cersei is losing her grip on her last living child, and the institution she relied on—the military—can’t help her against a religious populist movement.
Why Arya Choosing "Arya" Matters
Over in Braavos, Arya Stark is supposed to kill Lady Crane, an actress in a traveling theater troupe.
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She watches the play, which depicts the death of her father, Ned Stark. It’s a meta-commentary on how the world perceives the "Game of Thrones." To the common people, Ned was a fool and Joffrey was a hero. Arya sees the farce, but she also sees the humanity in Lady Crane.
She can't do it.
She stops the assassination, retrieves her sword "Needle" from its hiding spot in the rocks, and hides in the dark. She knows the Waif is coming for her. This is the moment Arya Stark stops trying to be a nameless assassin and remembers she’s a Stark of Winterfell. It’s the climax of her Braavos arc, even if the actual fight doesn't happen until the next episode.
The Dragon Queen’s Graduation Speech
The episode ends with Daenerys Targaryen riding Drogon.
She’s leading the Dothraki toward Meereen, but she stops to give a speech that would make any general sweat. She tells them she won't choose three "Bloodriders" like a typical Khal. She chooses all of them. She asks them to cross the "Black Salt Sea" in "wooden horses" to take back her kingdom.
It’s a massive, sweeping cinematic moment. But if you look closely, it’s also a bit terrifying.
Daenerys is leaning into the "Fire and Blood" side of her heritage. The Dothraki are screaming, the dragon is roaring, and the music is swelling. But she’s promising to tear down a civilization. It’s a reminder that while we’re rooting for her, she’s bringing an army of nomadic raiders to a continent that has no idea what’s coming.
The Legacy of Blood of My Blood
What most people get wrong about Game of Thrones Season 6 Episode 6 is thinking it’s a "filler" episode. It’s not.
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It’s the pivot point.
Without the events of this episode, Sam doesn't have the sword that eventually helps save the North. Without the High Sparrow’s move, Cersei doesn't become desperate enough to blow up the Sept. Without Benjen, Bran dies in the snow.
It’s an episode about parents and children.
- Randyll and Sam.
- The High Sparrow and Tommen (a surrogate fatherhood).
- Ned’s legacy through Arya.
- Aerys II’s legacy through Daenerys.
Every character is defined by the blood in their veins, but in this specific hour, they all make a choice about what to do with that blood.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Rewatch
If you’re going back to watch this episode, keep an eye on the background details.
- Watch the play in Braavos closely. The actors are actually telling the story of the first few seasons from a distorted perspective. It’s a brilliant nod to how history is written by the survivors (or the highest bidders).
- Listen to Randyll Tarly’s dialogue. He mentions the sword Heartsbane has been in the family for 500 years. This highlights the weight of Sam’s "theft." He didn't just take a sword; he took five centuries of history.
- Observe Tommen’s face. During the reveal at the Sept, Tommen looks terrified but also relieved. He finally feels like he belongs to something bigger than his warring parents.
The show was often criticized for its fast pace in the later seasons, but "Blood of My Blood" proves that even when the plot is moving at light speed, the character work can still be incredibly dense. It’s not just about who sits on the throne; it’s about who you have to become to get there.
Next Steps for Fans: If you want to understand the deeper lore of the Tarly family or the history of Valyrian steel, look into the "Fire & Blood" companion books. They provide context on why a sword like Heartsbane is more valuable than a castle. You should also re-examine Bran’s visions from the beginning of the episode—they contain split-second flashes of the "Mad King" Aerys, which was the first time we ever saw him on screen. This connects the Targaryen past directly to the "Burn them all" mentality that haunts the series’ finale.