FAQ: Game of Thrones — Ep. 5

We're five seasons deep into Game of Thrones and at this point, details get lost, references go unnoticed and it's tough to keep up with all the intensive interactions that happen week to week.

So, we thought we'd go over a few of the things from last night and provide a bit of context.

And let's make this interactive! If you have any additional questions, speak 'em in the comments and we can update this piece with questions that are frequently asked.

1
What the hell this Valyria place?

Jorah Mormont's scampy kidnapping of Tyrion Lannister took them through some old ruins on last night's episode and anyone who hasn't read the books or missed some clues in previous episodes might wonder what caused all the quick subtext and awe.

As the boaters mentioned, around 5,000 before a large and advanced Valyrian empire ruled those ruins. Through training dragons and being badasses, they were able to capture an enormous swath of the continent, though never moved on Westeros.

Only 400 years ago, The Doom of Valyria, a catastrophic volcano thing, destroyed everything including the dragons. Only House Targaryen survived and went on to conquer Westeros, leading to Dany and the return of the dragons and yada yada yada....

One of the other references that you might know from the show is the continued reverence and reference to Valyrian steel. Like little Long Claw here:

Made through some lost process with dragon fire and alchemy, Valyrian steel has not been produced in the time since the DOOM.

Via Cheezburger
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2
Who the hell are these stone men?

While taking a booze cruise through the Valyrian ruins, stone men start dropping from the sky and you may have wondered what that was all about.

They suffer from Greyscale and are way into the late stages. Contracted through touch, as a shrieking Jorah announces, the disease calcifies the skin and hardens it to the touch. As Georgie R. R. Martin says in the below featurette, it then affects the mind, creating mad monsters wanting to drag people down into the watery depths for some reason.

Greyscale is also what's wrong with Stannis Baratheon's daughter Shireen.

Stannis said he cured her by bringing all sorts of medical maesters and what not to save the rest of her face. But that still sounds fishy.

Given Stannis' disposition towards weird weirdness to fulfill his goals (read: Melisandre), I can totally believe that he pulled some black magic together to make sure his daughter never became a rock biter.

Via comicbook.com
3
Who the hell is this pregnant woman?

If you were wondering, let's fill you in.

Walda Bolton NÉE Frey is one of the many daughters of Walder Frey.

You know, that old guy who kept trying to marry off all his daughters on the Starks and anyone else who retained their bachelorhood. Oh, and he was also the dude who KILLED EVERYONE AT THE RED WEDDING.

Anywhoo, back in season three, Roos Bolton told Catelyn Stark that the crazy old loon wanted Bolton to marry one of his daughters and would pay her weight in silver as a dowry.

Sooo....

She was shown again in season four, being introduced to a bouncy Ramsay, but she hasn't had any other integral role until last night's reveal.

Via fat-walda