Snow Ghost [Jaime Lannister]

Chapter XI. Tail: V. The Iron Throne

In King's Landing main gates, day. Snow has begun to fall and will continue to fall throughout this day. King's Landing is a smoldering wreck of a city. Tyrion Lannister steels himself and heads inside the ruined capital.

Son of Saul style, tight on his face as he passes through the gates. Where the main gate once stood there is only melted steel and crumbled stone. There is no score to soften the horror. Aside from a few distant shouts and screams, the broken city is eerily quiet.

Much of the victorious army is behind him, but we'll only see them incidentally as he passes through the gates with a small honor guard. Smoke, shallow focus. Jon Snow and Davos Seaworth follow him with a small group of Northmen at their backs, but we stay with Tyrion's perspective for the whole of this opening sequence: on his back, on his face.

On the periphery of the frame, scorched bodies lie on the sides of the main street where they fell. Tyrion sees them (and Jon and Davos behind him), but they keep walking.

People baked in their brick homes as if in an oven. And a child sitting out front, crying, alone. Another dead child, face down on the ground.

A Northern soldier sits on a pile of rubble in front of a stairwell, weeping amongst the wreckage. Human silhouettes on the dragon-scorched ground where the ashes have blown away, the negative image of the Hiroshima silhouettes.

A walking wounded man passes without acknowledging Tyrion and his party. As if he does not even see them. A small, charred hand pokes out from underneath the rubble, holding a tin horse. The same little girl Arya tried to help in 805.

They all stop to look at what remains of the dead little girl.

Tyrion glances at Jon "I'll find you later."

Jon says "Let me send some of my men with you." Jon gestures to his men to go with Tyrion, but:

"I'm going alone." Tyrion stares at Jon for a beat. He outranks everyone here.

Jon finally nods and steps aside. Jon watches him walk through an archway framing the devastation beyond. We tilt up to reveal the distant Red Keep.

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In King's Landing Alley, Jon, Davos and the Northmen come across Grey Worm and a platoon of Unsullied standing over a group of Lannister officers on their knees.

Grey Worm says "In the name of the one true queen, Daenerys Targaryen, I sentence you to die."

Jon calls out "Grey Worm!" Grey Worm turns and watches Jon approach. He seems neither surprised nor pleased to see his queen's lover "It's over. These men are prisoners."

Grey Worm says "It is not over until the queen's enemies are defeated."

Davos incredulous "How much more defeated do you want them to be? They're on their knees!"

Grey Worm says "They are breathing."

Davos says "Look around you, friend. We won."

Grey Worm says "I follow my queen's commands. Not yours."

Jon wonders "And what are the queen's commands? Grey Worm "Kill all those who follow Cersei Lannister."

Grey Worm draws his knife "These are free men. They chose to fight for her"

As Grey Worm steps behind the first officer in the line, Jon grabs his arm. A dozen Unsullied level their spears at Jon. The Northmen behind Jon draw their swords, prepared to defend their commander.

Davos says "Easy, men! Easy!"

Grey Worm pulls his arm free and stares at Jon. He is quite ready to fight the Northerner if further provoked. Jon stares back, but unlike Grey Worm he is plagued with doubt. These men are his allies. How did it come to this?