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'Game of Thrones' recap: It's Jaime vs. High Sparrow; who triumphs?

The High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) presents Queen Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer), center, to a crowd of commoners on "Game of Thrones." (Macall B. Polay / HBO)

By Alan Eyerly

Just when it looks like the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) and his fanatic followers are about to be driven from King’s Landing, their power grows greater than ever on “Blood of My Blood,” Episode 56 of HBO’s “Game of Thrones.”

Queen Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) once despised the High Sparrow and mocked his Faith of the Seven religion. After being imprisoned to ponder her many sins, however, Margaery has a change of heart. She embraces the ancient faith she once scorned.

“It’s not an easy thing, admitting to yourself what you really are,” Margaery confesses to her husband, King Tommen Baratheon (Dean-Charles Chapman).

“I’ve had lots of time to think about how good I was at seeming good,” she adds, referring to her self-promoting excursions to help the poor. “It’s such a relief to let go of those lies.”

When the High Sparrow presents Margaery to a throng of common folk, it appears she’ll make the infamous Walk of Atonement. This deeply humiliating exercise requires her to be stripped naked before passing through a jeering crowd.

No way that’s happening, Margaery’s grandmother Lady Olenna Tyrell (Diana Rigg) vows.

Olenna summons her troops, guided by Lord Mace Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) and Ser Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), to save Margaery and her still-imprisoned brother Ser Loras (Finn Jones).

“Every last Sparrow will die before Margaery Tyrell walks down that street,” Jaime threatens.

“To die in the service of the gods would please each and every one of us. We yearn for it,” the High Sparrow replies. “But there is no call for it today.”

Margaery has already paid for her sins, the High Sparrow reveals, because she persuaded her husband to join the faithful.

“The Crown and the Faith are the twin pillars upon which the world rests,” Tommen announces to the startled onlookers. “Together, we will restore the Seven Kingdoms to glory!”

As for Jaime, he’s no longer fit to serve as lord commander of the Kingsguard, Tommen declares.

Instead, Jaime must lead an army to recapture Riverrun Castle from Brynden “The Blackfish” Tully (Clive Russell), who escaped the bloody “Red Wedding” orchestrated by Lord Walder Frey (David Bradley). Now Frey aims to retake the castle with Jaime’s assistance.

In other developments:

• Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) plans to study at the Citadel while his Wildling girlfriend Gilly (Hannah Murray) and her baby stay at Horn Hill, the Tarly’s ancestral home. But after being cruelly rejected by his father, Randyll (James Faulkner), Sam, Gilly and Little Sam slip out during the night. “We belong together, all of us,” Sam emphasizes.

• Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) has orders from the Faceless Men assassin’s guild to poison actress Lady Crane (Essie Davis). But when Arya realizes her target’s understudy paid for the killing, Arya refuses to follow through. She retrieves her sword, Needle, from its hiding place and awaits the consequences of her actions.

• Arya’s “warg” brother Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) and his companion Meera Reed (Ellie Kendrick) are nearly killed by “wights,” undead minions created by the White Walkers. Riding to the rescue is Bran’s uncle Benjen Stark (Joseph Mawle), a Night’s Watch ranger who’s mastered the art of slaying supernatural beings.

• Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) solidifies her leadership of the Dothraki by performing a flyover on the back of Drogon, her awesome dragon. “Will you ride the wooden horses across the black salt sea?” she asks her followers. “Will you kill my enemies in their iron suits and tear down their stone houses? Will you give me the Seven Kingdoms?” Judging by the wild shouting that ensues, the answers are “yes, yes and yes.”