After the heart-stopping insanity of last week’s “Spoils of War,” it’s not surprising that Game of Thrones (and to a large extent their VFX budget) spent the subsequent week in a much quieter place, setting up its final two episodes of the season. What is surprising is how quickly we can take for granted the payoff of seven seasons worth of conversations and world building, as things which used to take 10 episodes to happen (a person moving from one area of Westeros to another) now happen instantaneously. The amount of reunions and interactions we’ve witnessed in this season alone would have seemed unfathomable in Seasons 3 or 4. Things are moving fast, and it’s important, as I noted last week, to really pause and bask in that. Even an episode that feels as plot-serving as “Eastwatch” has, embedded within it, some fantastic moments.

On a macro level, “Eastwatch” detailed for us how the dragons, the White Walkers, and the quest for the Iron Throne are getting organized as far as priorities go. Jon has successfully convinced Dany, her advisors, and potentially the Lannisters via Tyrion, that the threat of the Night’s King is real. To that end, until his army of the dead is defeated (or kills them all), that needs to be their focus, and the quarrels regarding the Iron Throne seems very, very insignificant. So, Dany has asked Cersei for an armistice in light of that fact.