Game of Thrones, Episode 4.04: “Oathkeeper”

[chavalah.livejournal.com]

I remember the first time I watched this episode feeling disjointed by it. In Meereen and with the aftermath of the Purple Wedding, we were still rather focused on familiar political and social situations. The Night’s Watch is a little trickier, particularly with the way it subverted some canon in surprising ways that strain credulity for some fans, myself included. But the plot beyond the Wall moved, most likely, into horror-style spoiler territory from book six. :O It’s the first time that I reacted with the open-mouthed “a-whaa?” since Arya and Melissandre met (and promised a future meeting) in season three. Maybe the showrunners are easing us in slowly, because as the published book material runs out, there’s going to be more of this. Some of it, undoubtedly, will just be an invention of the show, but other parts might mirror spoilers to which Martin made Benoiff and Weiss aware. There obviously has to be some kind of common end game here, and unfortunately (not casting blame, just stating a likelihood!), the show seems primed to outpace the books at this point.

And again, I have to bring up issues concerning the show and rape. An intentional depiction this time, but I have to wonder at the broader implications. We don’t know the women in question as people—they have no names, no individual backstories, no lines except in unison and in service to the plot. The audience can’t identify with them, and ergo grapple with the rape culture around them, the way we grappled with the machinations of war and nihilism last episode, because we got to see the peasants Arya, the Hound and Ygritte interacted with as people. I think it’s worth noting that Martin doesn’t so often depict rapes directly, but instead shows their after-effects. It’s also worth noting that the said rape depictions on the show, obviously, had to stop once a child actor entered the scene. This, to me, further proves that they were unnecessary. as We still understood, in those later scenes that violence against women ran rampant, and in general the order in that storyline was breaking down. I’ll divulge the specifics under the cut.

For now, suffice to say that I love where Sansa’s arc went this episode. Even the showrunners noted her behavior in the behind the scenes segment, meaning that her character growth is on the rise. :D Also, this is the ep where we officially solve the “who dunnnit” aspect of Joffrey’s murder, not that it will stop the dominoes already in motion. Finally, SER POUNCE SIGHTING! :D *awkward cough* Um, carry on. :P

( Episode Summary and Spoilers )