Game of Thrones 5-9 "The Dance of Dragons"

   So, Stannis officially gives away his Father of the Year award to Ser Jamie. Why Stannis, why? It's not fair that princess Shireen, the only truly innocent character, should go in such a way.
It's not fair.
No, no it's not.
Yet...
Don't be surprised by what people do in the name of religion in this series.
   Stannis, unlike his wife, is no true believer in R'hollor (even she appears to be having second thoughts now). But, he is is the Macbeth of the series. He is vain, stubborn, has an exceedingly overdeveloped sense of destiny, and he is under the sway of a highly manipulative priestess. She takes full advantage of his many faults. Melesandre, of course, is convinced that any horrors she inflicts on the world are for the greater good because they are in the service of her god.
   In Braavos, Arya is caught up in a feared cult spoken only of in whispers, which, (valar dohaeris) serves the god of death. Arya is no true servant, either, but seems to have made a personal deal with the many-faced god to accomplish her own agenda. What will a girl do now that Meryn Trant (who is on Arya Stark's personal list) is in town? A girl plays a dangerous game.
   Meanwhile, back in Kings Landing, we find something akin to a grand inquisition run by the fundamentalist sect known as the Faith Militant and their deceptively soft-spoken evangelist leader, the "High Sparrow". "The Sparrows", as they are called, are popular with the common folk through their works of charity, but don't dare be caught doing anything that might be construed as offending The Seven, or you may find yourself in a dungeon and being visited regularly by Sister Hardass.
   If the writers allow us to see Victorion Greyjoy next season, we will, perhaps, get a better view of the followers of the Drowned God.

Things have been going downhill for Daenerys, breaker of chains, since she freed slaver's bay. Her attempts at nation-building in Meereen have gone just as well as anyone who keeps up with current events would expect...pretty much an utter failure. It all comes crashing down, finally, in the attack of the harpies in the stadium, and it really looked like the end of the line for Daenerys.
Just a quick commentary on the fight: Jorah was lucky. The spearman ran the Braavosi through the back thinking the beaten Jorah would be an easier opponent to deal with face to face. The waterdancer could have won the contest.
GRRM, isn't a big fan of having the hero gallop in at the last moment to rescue the maiden, but an exception was made. The hero of course was Drogon, who flew in just in time to to cook up a most excellent harpy barbecue.
Thus the title of the episode: Daenerys is the first dragon rider since the "Dance of the Dragons", the old civil war which Shireen was reading about early in the episode.