'Game Of Thrones' Season 7 Episode 5 Title Was Revealed, Here's What It Could Mean

Ever since the debacle of Game of Thrones Season 5, when copies of the advanced screeners of the first four episodes were released on the internet the night before the season premiere, HBO has clamped down tighter and tighter on information. There have been no screeners released for advanced reviews since, and the press releases with show information have been fewer and farther between as the years progress. This season, there's been no press releases at all for the August episodes, and the Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 5 title was only released via a website update.

By the end of Season 6, HBO stopped releasing synopses altogether but was still putting out press releases with the titles, in order to make sure outlets saw it. This season, it seems that they've decided that's unnecessary, all they have to do is entitle the page for it, and we'll all notice. (Hey, it worked.)

The title had been rumored to be "Blood of the Dragon," but it turns out those sites that discredited that info were correct. The title of this week's upcoming episode is far more interesting, as it's not related to anything that's been happening down south so far this season. The title is instead a reference to a place we've never been*: "Eastwatch."

But what does it mean? Eastwatch-By-The-Sea is one of the three Night's Watch Castles that is acknowledged on the Westeros map put out by HBO (above).

(*Interestingly enough, I thought with the reduction of castles to three, Eastwatch must have been where Sam and Gilly ran into Bran and company at the end of Season 3, meaning the audience has been there before. But the 'GoT' wiki assures me it was the Nightfort, just like in the books, suggesting the show decided to streamline down to three castles sometimes after that.)

Eastwatch was referenced at the beginning of this season by Jon Snow, as an abandoned Night's Watch castle, as he assigned Tormund Giantsbane and the rest of the wildlings to man it. The Hound's vision in the flame in that same episode was also identified as Eastwatch. He saw the Wall and a castle by the ocean, suggesting that this might be where the Brotherhood is headed if they're not going to Castle Black.

More importantly, it's referenced in our trailer for this week:

Jon: "Bran saw the Night King and his army marching towards Eastwatch."

Clearly, Jon's got Dany's attention when it comes to fighting the Night King this past week during their scene in the cave. But, though he is clearly presenting to her some sort of fight plan in the Chamber of the Painted Table, I have trouble believing she's going to take his presentation seriously.

Dany's just had her first victory in the War against the Lannisters, it's hard to believe she's not looking to tie up the score 2-2 before putting this defeat of Cersei away. And besides, no knees have been bent by anybody so far. Why would she consider redirecting her armies northwards towards Eastwatch?

Unless there's a major plot point that will direct everyone's attention that way beyond Bran's visions? For that, it looks like we'll have to wait and see.