Now that the season is moving out of the introductory period and into the meat of its story, things are a lot more interesting.  Call those first few episodes the transitionary period between adaptation and extrapolation.  For all intent purposes, this season is a hybrid of stated intentions and creative supposition.  And because of the freedom that allows, things are working rather well.  There are a few hiccups here and there, but this is definitely the best episode of the season.

Castle Black: One of the most heartwarming moments of the entire episode?  The reunion between Jon Snow and Sansa Stark.  It’s about time the remaining members of the family found each other, and it’s the perfect time for Sansa to talk some sense into her soon-to-be-legendary sibling.  Jon has been dealing with some soul-searching (and well-deserved, coming back from the dead and all), but Sansa has a lot of rage to channel and Jon has what it takes to rally the North.  And now that Ramsey has demanded “his bride” upon threat of feeding Rickon to the hounds and letting her be gang-raped, well, something tells me Jon is going to get his groove back.

King’s Landing: Speaking of families getting their groove back, that’s what one could say of the Lannisters.  I suppose the enmity between the Lannisters and the Tyrells is logically set aside when it comes to the future of both Houses vs. letting the High Sparrow hold sway.  What kind of losses they might endure in the process is hard to predict, but I’m betting that it won’t be easy to get the Faith Militant out of the capital.  I still see both Houses weakened before all is said and done, because the Lannisters can’t be too powerful by the time other players finally come knocking at the door.

But like so many of those who come to hold power, the High Sparrow is bringing it on himself.  He might say that the trappings of power and influence are now beyond him, but that is clearly not the case.  He takes too much delight in bringing down his former brethren of the nobility, and has crossed the wrong people.  And by the wrong people, I clearly mean Lady Olenna and the future of the Tyrells.

Ramsey Snow: If there is one glaring irritation in this episode, it’s the fate of Osha.  Why bother bringing her back with Rickon if she was just going to be another victim of Ramsey’s thirst for blood and violence against women?  I suppose he had to kill someone every episode to keep his reputation intact, and just making threats to defile Sansa wasn’t enough.  On the other hand, Ramsey is absolute evil, so every time he adds to his list of offenses, we all want to see him die more and more painfully.

Littlefinger: It didn’t occur to me that we hadn’t gotten an update on Petyr’s machinations for so long until he stepped out of that carriage.  Watching him try to make something happen with Robin as Lord of the Vale is entertaining, if nothing else.  I can’t wait to see the moment Sansa leaves Petyr in the dust, making him wonder when he lost control of his own game.  For now, adding the forces of House Arryn to what Jon already has in hand will serve the best purposes of the Starks.

House Greyjoy: Theon Greyjoy has returned home, but he doesn’t exactly get a warm welcome from Yara at the start, does he?  I suppose that makes sense, given the attitude of their House, but one might also consider that he is now an ally of Sansa Stark, and depending on who takes command of the House, he could ironically come to the aid of his old “siblings”.  Then again, he’s pledged his support to Yara in the contest for the Salt Throne, so there’s a lot that has to happen before the Greyjoys are a true factor in the ongoing war again.

Meereen: If Tyrion couldn’t seem to communicate well with Grey Worm and Missandei in the previous episode, he’s really dug himself a hole now.  All things being equal, he’s playing a game of diplomacy that would probably be considered incredibly clever in Westeros.  He’s planting the seeds for a peace and standard of freedom that hasn’t been seen in the region for an age.  Unfortunately, he’s doing so by back-pedaling on the stated goals of the Queen he represents, and that’s not likely to win him any favors.

And because that’s all very much the case, the Slave Masters are probably willing to agree to anything right now, because it really doesn’t hurt them one bit to make an agreement with someone who may not be alive to see the end of the month, let alone seven years.  On the other hand, Tyrion’s role at the moment is keeping Meereen from erupting into complete chaos until Daenerys arrives with something more than more talk.  And as it happens…

Daenerys: The Mother of Dragons finally makes a major move worthy of the name.  I was wondering if Dany would ever be in a position to regain control over her own destiny, even as it seemed like she was intending to talk her way out of the trial among the Khals.  So by the time it became clear that she had a much more substantial coup in mind, I was all but fist-pumping as the fire raged.  This is the Khaleesi that has been missing since she whispered “Dracarys”!

The implication of the final moments is clear: the entire Dothraki horde is bowing down.  Which supplies her with an army that ought to be more than sufficient, along with the remnants of her forces in Meereen, to get her out of Slaver’s Bay once and for all.  She’ll need lots of ships, of course, but one step at a time.  There’s the small matter of those dragons being free and looking for something to snack on once Mommy is home, too.

Just like that, several seemingly unending plot threads look like they are on the verge of resolution before the season ends, and that would be one of the most welcome developments in quite some time.  One has to wonder how many of the plot twists have been lifted from the plans laid down by George R.R. Martin as opposed to the writers’ room, but that may not matter if this season continues to soar.