After episodes 5 and 6, what has happened? I have absolutely loved this season and felt each episode was building in quality and story, and I've rated most of them a 10, only for episode 7 to happen. Very confused about Lan's countryside retreat the entire season only to find out that key events have happened off-screen and he suddenly has all of this knowledge about Age of Legends male shields? At least show some of the threads here because it just doesn't make sense otherwise. Donal Finn is wonderful but seriously did someone in the writing department have a stroke the day that decision's about Mat's arc were made? And Siuan... ahh this felt so completely 'off' for her character compared to the Siuan we were introduced to in season 1. Way off. Almost as bad as when Brienne of Tarth slept with Jamie Lannister just 'coz'. The dialogue and directing and key character moments in this episode had none of the magic from earlier episodes sadly.