Here’s why Gendry seeing the Brotherhood Without Banners again is important — and it involves, ugh, Stannis

Season 7 of Game of Thrones is progressing faster than we can say, “Winter is here.” If you haven’t the most recent episode “Eastwatch,” turn back and head south because there are some serious spoilers ahead.

Last night we saw the return of Gendry, a brief reunion between Jaime and Tyrion Lannister, and a *pretty* important reveal surrounding Jon Snow’s claim to the Iron Throne. But the episode was called “Eastwatch,” so it was only a matter of time before we checked in with the Night’s Watch outpost at Eastwatch-by-the-sea. Tormund and the wildlings have been guarding it; when we last saw Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, The Hound, and the rest of the Brotherhood Without Banners they were headed that way. Also moving towards Eastwatch are these guys:

Realizing that he needed to actually bring a wight from beyond the wall to show Cersei (and to an extent, Daenerys), Jon Snow, along with Ser Davos, Gendry, and Jorah Mormont, head north. At Eastwatch, a lot of longstanding bad blood and random connections are revealed — but none as tense as Gendry and the Brotherhood.

The scene is so intense and amazing that you can *practically* hear “Bad Blood” playing in the background:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjOnt15lizY?feature=oembed

Long story short, while most of the men in the room don’t like each other, Gendry really doesn’t like the Brotherhood Without Banners.

Let’s take a quick trip down memory lane to remember why Gendry and the Brotherhood don’t get along.

Way back in Season 3, Gendry, Arya, and Hot Pie escaped Harrenhal and were making their way North to safer ground. In the woods, the run into Thoros of Myr and other members of Brotherhood Without Banners, who give them food before taking them to Beric Dondarrion. While Arya’s cover is blown and she’s eager to leave the Brotherhood, Gendry is attracted to the sense of camaraderie and decides to join.

Even though he’s not aware at the time, Gendry is the last remaining bastard of Robert Baratheon — with the rest having been murdered at Joffrey’s command — and there are people who would do anything to get their hands on him, including Stannis Baratheon. Despite feeling like family with the Brotherhood Without Banners, Beric and Thoros quickly betray the young blacksmith and sell him to Melisandre, who wants to kill Gendry in a magical sacrifice in the name of Stannis’ claim to the throne.

Now, we all know that Gendry *doesn’t* die at the hands of Stannis and Melisandre, as Ser Davos intervenes and saves Gendry from certain death by freeing him in that row boat. However, Gendry has certainly not forgotten what the Brotherhood did to him and is definitely right to be wary about them volunteering for the mission beyond the wall.

Despite the many, many tensions at Eastwatch, the ragtag group of misfits decides to put aside their differences because now they’re all on the same side — which, as Jon puts it, “breathing” — against the army of the dead. Winter is HERE, you guys, and these people are taking it very seriously.

In next week’s long episode of Game of Thrones, we’ll see the Suicide Squad battle it out against the army of the dead. While it’s doubtful that Beric, Thoros, and Gendry all make it back alive, we hope they can maybe hash things out before one of them dies — and can’t be revived by the Lord of Light.