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scifi_rewatchThe title of this one refers to how the wildlings view red hair as blessed. Particularly applies to Yigritte, but here’s to holding out hope about other northern redheads? :P *cough*
Overall, a very strong episode. Might like it better than last, where the plot was more about grandiose feats, whereas here there’s lots going on but it’s more character based. Only a few, largely small quibbles.
Beric Dondarrion’s line about losing bits of yourself really ties a lot of this episode together. Arya is losing her new family, Tyrion is so brow-beaten that Olenna runs circles around him, Stannis is so broken that he actually seeks out the other women in his life. Jaime, undoubtedly, has the best “breakdown” moment as he reveals the truth about his kingslaying (but Brienne gets in some Renly feels right before it.) Robb is forced to kill an ally for treason, Cat and Davos are still in limbo, and Jon loses something bittersweet. :P Because even when you think things are going well..they kind of aren’t. Sansa’s plans to find happiness with the Tyrells are promptly dashed. Cersei and Tyrion are both unhappily betrothed by their father who thinks they’re being ungrateful chattel. Daenerys continues to negotiate her place among the Unsullied, as Jorah and Barristan have to do with each other. No one’s position is ever fully secure here.
Summary
Arya and Gendry
Beric and the Hound prepare to fight. Looks like Beric might have the upper hand when he douses his sword in flame. But they seem pretty evenly matched. The crowd—Arya especially—starts calling for Sandor’s blood. But ultimately, it’s Beric who goes down. Thoros rushes to him, muttering Red God prayers, while Arya lunges for the Hound, dagger in hand. Sandor taunts her as other men hold her back—“looks like the gods like me more than your butcher’s boy.” “Burn in hell!” Arya screams, only, shockingly, to be answered by a revitalized Beric. “He will…but not today.”
No one really ends the day happy…Arya knows the Hound is guilty, therefore he should die no matter what “the Red God” says. Or he certainly shouldn’t be released, at least. Sandor wants his gold back, but the BwB says they’re holding onto it to help with the poor; he’ll be reimbursed after the war. Gendry is happy—well, at least his decision to stay with the BwB feels better than serving despotic people like his old apprentice master or Tywin Lannister at Harrenhal. Arya begs him to come with her to Robb’s but Gendry is tired of serving kings. He wants a family. “I can be your family,” Arya says tearfully, but Gendry poo-poos the idea, gently. Their class difference makes that impossible. Arya is a noble born hostage—Thoros explains to her how they will ransom her to Cat and Robb, for well-needed money. Arya is not impressed. Beric stops by to explain how the Lord of Light, through Thoros, brings him back to life, but it leaves him as “less” each time. Arya wants to know if Thoros could bring back a man without a head, to which Thoros is contrite. Beric says it’s not a life he would wish on anyone, let alone Ned Stark, but Arya disagrees. “You’re alive,” she points out. No major deviations from canon, except perhaps that Arya is too young (9 in the books) to make such a passionate request of Gendry. But for her adaptation age, it really works.
Robb and Cat
The Lannister hostages sleep peacefully at Riverrun—until Karstark and his men burst in and kill the stunned boys. Their bodies are laid to rest in front of the shocked royal family before Robb commands Karstark and his men in to explain themselves. Karstark is unmoved by Robb’s anger about killing innocents. He blames Catelyn more than himself for their deaths, citing that she started the treason. Catelyn looks stricken but Robb defends his mother—she didn’t do this. Karstark taunts Robb for being young, foolish and “the king who lost the north.” Robb sends him to the dungeon and has his men executed. Catelyn, Edmure and Talisa meanwhile urge him not to do the same to Karstark; they can’t afford to lose those men as allies. But Robb stands firm on honor—how can he say he serves justice if he refuses to execute murderous traitors?
In the next scene, Robb personally executes his own bannerman, tense and unhappy in the rain. Karstark’s final words are: “kill me and be done with it. You are no king of mine.” Sure enough, the Karstarks then leave with half of their army. Robb spends the night trying to figure out his next move. Talisa fishes for suggestions—go home and wait out the winter being the biggest one—but Robb fears his men would never march south again. However, as he explains Westerosi geography to his wife he’s struck by an idea—attack the Lannisters where they’re weakest—Casterly Rock. “I’m going to take their home away from them,” Robb vows. But first he needs help from the only army that hasn’t joined with the Lannisters—the Freys.
Jaime and Brienne
Jaime and Brienne are deposited rudely in front of Roose Bolton, who seems none too pleased at Locke’s conduct. He commands his man to keep his trap shut about the hand thing, immediately frees Brienne and tells Jaime to get to Qyburn. He does have one moment of fun, however, when Jaime asks for news of the capital. He mentions the Blackwater battle before teasing out that Cersei…dun dun duuuuuun…is ok. Tywin arrived in time. Jaime drops in exhaustion and relief.
Qyburn assesses the wound and although Jaime isn’t in danger from death, it would be best to amputate the whole arm. Jaime is forcefully against this, and they settle on clearing the rotting flesh—without milk of the poppy. Guess Jaime is still punishing himself. Before all that, he accuses Qyburn of not being a real maester—no chain—and Qyburn admits that his “experiments” didn’t go over so well with his colleagues.
Later, still feverish but relatively cleaned and such, he joins a perturbed Brienne in the bath. “Not interested,” he scoffs as she covers herself, though she’s less modest when he insults her service to Renly. He immediately apologizes, and feels resigned to the look she gives him. Everyone just sees him as a kingslayer, oathbreaker…what if the truth is more complicated? He spins his yarn about what happened when Robert’s rebellion ended—he warned Aerys to surrender the city to his father’s superior forces, but not only did the Mad King demand that Jaime bring him Tywin’s head, he was also keen to burn down the whole city and rise as a dragon. Trapped between oaths to family and king, plus basic morality, Jaime stabbed him in the back, then slit his throat to make sure he wouldn’t be reborn. Brienne, enraptured, slowly asks him why he didn’t tell Ned immediately once he arrived. Jaime scoffs—“do you think the honorable Ned Stark wanted to hear my side? …by what right does the wolf judge the lion?” Overly excited, he stumbles and Brienne cradles him, calling out for the guards to help “the kinglsayer.” “My name is Jaime,” the man rasps at her.
Beyond the Wall
Brienne and Jaime aren’t the only people to enjoy a nice bath this episode. :P But before Jon and Yigritte get too comfortable, our Nights Watchman has to deal with some pointed questions from Orell about security on the Wall. Would help if I knew exactly where we were going, Jon points out to the distrustful crew. Orell accuses him of inflating some numbers, and words come to blows. Tommund repeats Mance’s threat from earlier—I like you but I’ll kill you if you cross us.
Jon is pissed at Yigritte for trying to stand up for him with Orell; she responds by stealing his blade and running to a cave. In privacy, she asks him if Orell is right about him still being a crow, and she has a test for him to find out. She starts stripping from her clothes, suggesting that he break some vows. Jon, at first, is hesitant, then turned on, then…really into it. He even shocks Yigritte by going down on her, aka “the lord’s kiss,” which she later asks him about. Although she’s had experience (something Jon immediately regrets asking,) seems like this was a first. They get into the hot spring together, and say they wish they never had to leave. Aww, young romance. Only minor deviations from canon.
Dragonstone
A woman lights a candle and prays to the Lord of Light in a dark tower. As Stannis enters to talk with her, we learn that this is his wife, Selyse. Stannis is awkward, almost apologetic—it’s been awhile since he’s come to visit and he has something important to tell his wife: “I have wronged you.” To his surprise, Selyse, who is obviously religious and already close to his other female companion, already knows. “The Lady Melissandre’s told me everything.” Stannis is a bit freaked out by this admission, and also Selyse’s lack of upset that he’s cheated. Instead, she blames herself for have never given him a living son—though there are some dead ones set up in creepy, margarine-colored fetus jars. When Stannis points out that it’s not true that she’s “given him nothing,” we learn that he does have one living daughter. Selyse is surprised that he wants to see her, and insists that there’s no need to trouble himself, but Stannis wants to.
He climbs up further into the tower where we hear a young girl singing in a bedchamber. Stannis calls her Shireen, and the child leaps up to hug her awkwardly stiff father. When she pulls back, we see that she has a dry, gray scar covering most of her face. They catch up quickly and awkwardly about the Blackwater battle and then Shireen asks about “the Onion knight.” She calls him her friend and even takes out a toy that he’s made for her, against her mother’s wishes (Selyse is not a Davos fan.) Stannis is awkward around the subject of his former friend, first praising his bravery but then abruptly shutting the door on it—“Ser Davos is a traitor,” he says firmly as his daughter grows quiet and sad. He tells her to forget about him and leaves her alone.
Shireen, obviously, has a bit of the rebellious streak because the next time we see her she’s whispering to the “Onion knight” outside of his cell. Davos is shocked to see her and implores her to leave, but she’s insistent, at least, on sneaking him books. Davos admits that he’s illiterate and Shireen quickly switches tactics—she’ll teach him. His resistance grows more frail—obviously nice for him to have some company—and Shireen settles in about the story of the Targaryen conquest.
Essos
Daenerys’s army continues to march towards a new destination. Her Westerosi knights ride separately from her, at first catching up about battles from the past (Thoros is mentioned, along with his flaming sword.) Barristan admits that Robert was a great man but a terrible king. He’s spent his life serving terrible kings and wants to know if Dany is someone whom he might be proud to fight for. Jorah obviously believes so, looking at her fondly. But the next time we see the knights, their conversation is a little more tense. Jorah is trying to discern if Barristan sat on Robert’s small council and what he might know of his former charge to spy on Dany. Seems like Barristan stayed away from all of the politics, but he’s less certain that Jorah should be so close to Dany—his reputation has suffered at home, Barristan knows that. The dudes snipe a little more about each other’s intentions and honor. Sheesh, they’re like mini me versions of Littlefinger and Varys. :P
Daenerys and Missendei are meeting with men whom the Unsullied have chosen to lead them. Dany is introduced to their superior officer, a man who calls himself Grey Worm. Missendei explains that the Unsullied have to take names that remind them that they are vermin. Disgusted, Dany tells her new officers to tell their names to pick new names for themselves, names of which they can be proud. Grey Worm counters that he’s proud of this name—his birth name brought him to slavery, but this one was the one he had when Dany freed him. Dany looks slightly overwhelmed by this position she’s in.
King’s Landing
Cersei corners Littlefinger in a courtyard and asks him to gather intel on the Tyrells—she’s certain that they’re working against the crown. LF asks if she’s talked to Tywin about this, to which Cersei explains that her father prefers facts to rumors. LF has always found facts to be overrated—he and Cersei are speaking the same language today. :p But the Queen does warn her man not to screw it up, like he did with the finding Arya business last year.
Tyrion, meanwhile, meets with Olenna to discuss the massive wedding expenses. After harping on Pod for lingering and taking too long with her figs, she points out that the crown usually pays for royal weddings. Tyrion counters that they’re at war, to which Olenna doles out the numerous ways that her House is already helping, from infantrymen to food for the city. And a wedding is just as important to peasants as food—it’s a distraction from their problems, a way to make sure they don’t rise up in rebellion. (Things are sounding a bit Hunger Gamesesque here—bread and circuses to distract folks from the real issues.) Tyrion hems and haws and Olenna admits her disappointment that he’s a “browbeaten bookkeeper” rather than the debauched individual whom she was expecting. She ultimately acquiesces to pay for half of the wedding expenses, just to get out of there.
Sansa and Margaery watch Loras and other gentlemen practice their moves. Sansa is smitten with her future husband’s skill and asks Margaery how soon they might be married. Marg promises to plant the seed once she and Joffrey are married, promising that it’ll grow quickly. Joffrey won’t let her go to Highgarden; he has too many reasons to keep her, Sansa says shyly. And only one to let her go, Margaery counters, that it’ll please his new wife. Meanwhile, Loras is assisted by a new squire, one for whom there’s obviously some sexual attraction.
They end up in Littlefinger’s brothel, going at it, even though Loras admits that his fiancée has no idea about his true passions. Later, we see that the squire/prostitute was also a spy for Littlefinger, and he divulges the name of Loras’s intended bride. So Littlefinger goes to see Sansa, who is on a balcony overlooking his ship. He sits down next to her and notes that once we get something, we always want more. He also comments on her new hairstyle—“Lady Margaery wears hers that way,” to which Sansa counters that many ladies do. She asks him if he still wants her to go with him, as he’s ready now to spirit her away from the capital; Littlefinger counters isn’t that what you want? Sansa says maybe it’s better to wait, besides she’s worried something might happen to him if their plot is discovered. LF says he’s touched by her concern and hopes she thinks of him as a friend. He kisses her hand in goodbye, and Sansa sighs, perhaps in relief or perhaps in confusion about whether or not she’s made the right choice.
Tywin meets with Cersei and Tyrion at his table; he has important matters to discuss and isn’t even interested that Tyrion’s saved them half the wedding costs. LF has come to him with the Tyrell plot to marry Sansa to Loras. Tyrion doesn’t see much of an issue with this, but Tywin feels betrayed that they’d steal “the north” out from under the Lannisters. He rehashes that with Sansa’s younger brothers dead, and Robb’s days “numbered,” she is the heir to Winterfell, and needs a Lannister husband. It slowly dawns on Tyrion that his father has him in mind. He protests—she’s finally free of Joffrey and now she has to marry him? That’s cruel! The girl’s happiness shouldn’t be your concern, Tywin counters. Remember how you wanted a reward for your valor in battle? Well, it’s time you were wed. Tyrion briefly, but angrily, brings up that he was once wed, to which Tywin grows extra stony. Cersei gets in her gloating while she can, but her father has news for her as well—she will marry Loras in Sansa’s place and secure the Reach for the Lannisters. She’s still fertile, right; it’s time for her to “breed” again. “I’m Queen Regent, not some brood mare!” Cersei gripes, to which Tywin thunders: “You’re MY DAUGHTER!” Ownership has been claimed. Cersei tries begging—don’t make me do this again—and Tywin gets up in disgust. “My children,” he seethes, before leaving Cersei and Tyrion to mull in his lack of love and their respective fates.
Thoughts
Good grief, that was a long summary! Lots going on. :P Will try to make my thoughts short.
Undoubtedly, I think the strongest part of the episode was Jaime’s bathtub confession. It was taken almost directly from the book, but the real magic here was Nickolaj’s acting. Frankly, I think his turn this season deserved an Emmy nomination. At least he was able to do for show fans what the books did years ago, and force people to consider that maybe he’s not just a black and white villain. He’ll never be one of my favorite characters, but Jaime is compelling for his shades of gray.
Arya’s scenes, also, were very strong. The Brotherhood story is diverging a fair bit from canon—we’ve not seen them helping any poor people, so it seems like their extortion of our young Stark is just to clothe their own backs. Some “purist” fans take umbrage; I’m kind of on the fence. Showcasing BWB’s worser traits—fanaticism and greed—plays well into Arya’s growing cynicism, which will drive her character arc this season (and beyond.) And there’s nothing quite as heartbreaking as Maisie playing up Arya’s emotional vulnerability—pleading with Gendry or indirectly asking to restore Ned’s life.
I’m a fan of Jon/Ygritte—it’s a breath of fresh air, really, to see a healthy, consensual relationship on this show, especially one where the woman is more sexually experienced (although since the wildings apparently don’t know about “the lord’s kiss,” I don’t know why she bothered! :P) Granted, in the book, Jon was slightly more coerced into the sex, as a way to publicly disavow the Night’s Watch. But in both cases, his feelings for this woman complicates how he sees himself, so he’s ripe for some character growth! :P
Stannis’s time with wife and daughter were a welcome treat—the Selyse/Stannis relationship was never this fleshed out in the books, and he’s never shared a scene with Shireen. That one’s my favorite, which I think paints Stannis as more three-dimensional—he’s also the awkward, stand-offish father. Kerry Ingram really holds her own against him, and later with Davos, with whom in the books she’s also friendly but not to that degree (someone else teaches him to read, for example.) For the purposes of the show, mother and daughter are also obviously meant to mirror the Davos vs Melissandre debate, with both coming down on one side or the other. The only thing I didn’t like about these scenes were Selyse’s dead fetuses. They weren’t from the books, and frankly I think we have enough “crazy mothers” running around. Usually I’m a fan of Bryan Cogman episodes (including this one!) but in that instance I think he went too far with making a caricature.
Most of King’s Landing I really liked, from Cersei and Littlefinger’s manipulations to get their way to Olenna pwning Tyrion, cos really, you can’t be the King of Sass all the time. :P None of this is particularly true to the book (except for LF ragging on the Tyrell/Sansa plot; he heard about it from Dontos,) but I think it speaks well to character and simplifies plot. I liked Sansa’s scene with LF, too—it worked well with this “older” character they set up for her. Considering that she’s been plotting with him directly, rather than with Dontos, and considering what Shae has warned her about, it makes sense that she’d try to back out of their plans once another chance at escape presented himself. I like that she’s courteous, too; very true to character. (And there were some parts of Aiden Gillen’s acting that made me shudder with the “creepy sex offender” vibe…eeeesh!) I also appreciated Cersei and Tyrion’s very character true, largely canon railings against their father about their prospective matches. The Lannister acting was in fine form this week! :P
Some purists were against the idea of Loras taking a lover—in the book, there’s a very lovely, chivalrous line about how, in the wake of Renly’s death, “the sun has set” on love. But I’d note that satiating a sexual urge isn’t quite the same as finding a soulmate. Maybe Loras the libido-driven human and Loras the idealistic knight can live in the same body. Of course, it also serves as a plot point for LF to find out about the marriage ploy (and finally, we see some MALE nudity on this show! :D)
I enjoyed the Jorah/Barristan interaction, which we couldn’t see in the books since neither were POV at the time, but it speaks well to their respective issues—Barristan wants to serve with pride and Jorah doesn’t want Dany to find out that he worked for Robert. A slight alteration from canon, because the Lord Commander would never sit on the small council; guess it added more tension if he could (and ergo would know Jorah was a spy.) I’m not huge into the Dany stuff—it’s true enough to canon, but this part of her journey, where people continue to fawn over her for being “the savior,” isn’t as interesting to me. Dany comes off as somewhat one-dimensional in an episode filled with more complicated characters.
My least favorite part was the Robb/Cat storyline—surprise, surpriiiise. :P Most of it was ok. Karstark’s treason and fate were true enough, and spoke to Robb’s canon stubbornness about what his duty entailed. (In the book the death wasn’t so clean, but methinks it was meant to counter Theon’s guilty, hacking death of Ser Rodrick last season.) I was depressed because Catelyn was somewhat marginalized—mostly because Talisa is more outspoken than her canon counterpart. But my real MEEEEH in this storyline is how Robb chooses to fight his war. It just…doesn’t make sense. Never mind that Casterly Rock isn’t impenetrable. I mean that canon Robb makes more sense by deciding to turn towards home, because Karstark kinda implied a good point—what are we fighting for if you’re the king “who lost” the north?
The show’s intention was obviously to introduce the notion that Robb needed the Freys—which he does anyway, if he’s to keep fighting anything. In the book he lost their allegiance once he broke his marriage contract; they’d been fighting with him beforehand but now they’re gone. And I’m rather irked that, beyond Karstark griping about it a couple episodes back, tv Robb hasn’t had to face any real consequences thus far for his actions. Instead of having to deal with a personal conflict (which could make his relationship with his mother more canon,) he decides to ignore his homeland, even though it’s overrun with invaders, and focus more punitively on revenge. It makes him even more one dimensional than Dany—at least she’s negotiating, a little, with the different cultural norms of the Unsullied.
The tv show is pretty great when it chooses to portray characters in all of their shades of grey—but I suppose there’s never enough time to do that for everyone. *sigh* This is why novels are superior! Always.
___
Overall, a very strong episode. Might like it better than last, where the plot was more about grandiose feats, whereas here there’s lots going on but it’s more character based. Only a few, largely small quibbles.
Beric Dondarrion’s line about losing bits of yourself really ties a lot of this episode together. Arya is losing her new family, Tyrion is so brow-beaten that Olenna runs circles around him, Stannis is so broken that he actually seeks out the other women in his life. Jaime, undoubtedly, has the best “breakdown” moment as he reveals the truth about his kingslaying (but Brienne gets in some Renly feels right before it.) Robb is forced to kill an ally for treason, Cat and Davos are still in limbo, and Jon loses something bittersweet. :P Because even when you think things are going well..they kind of aren’t. Sansa’s plans to find happiness with the Tyrells are promptly dashed. Cersei and Tyrion are both unhappily betrothed by their father who thinks they’re being ungrateful chattel. Daenerys continues to negotiate her place among the Unsullied, as Jorah and Barristan have to do with each other. No one’s position is ever fully secure here.
Summary
Arya and Gendry
Beric and the Hound prepare to fight. Looks like Beric might have the upper hand when he douses his sword in flame. But they seem pretty evenly matched. The crowd—Arya especially—starts calling for Sandor’s blood. But ultimately, it’s Beric who goes down. Thoros rushes to him, muttering Red God prayers, while Arya lunges for the Hound, dagger in hand. Sandor taunts her as other men hold her back—“looks like the gods like me more than your butcher’s boy.” “Burn in hell!” Arya screams, only, shockingly, to be answered by a revitalized Beric. “He will…but not today.”
No one really ends the day happy…Arya knows the Hound is guilty, therefore he should die no matter what “the Red God” says. Or he certainly shouldn’t be released, at least. Sandor wants his gold back, but the BwB says they’re holding onto it to help with the poor; he’ll be reimbursed after the war. Gendry is happy—well, at least his decision to stay with the BwB feels better than serving despotic people like his old apprentice master or Tywin Lannister at Harrenhal. Arya begs him to come with her to Robb’s but Gendry is tired of serving kings. He wants a family. “I can be your family,” Arya says tearfully, but Gendry poo-poos the idea, gently. Their class difference makes that impossible. Arya is a noble born hostage—Thoros explains to her how they will ransom her to Cat and Robb, for well-needed money. Arya is not impressed. Beric stops by to explain how the Lord of Light, through Thoros, brings him back to life, but it leaves him as “less” each time. Arya wants to know if Thoros could bring back a man without a head, to which Thoros is contrite. Beric says it’s not a life he would wish on anyone, let alone Ned Stark, but Arya disagrees. “You’re alive,” she points out. No major deviations from canon, except perhaps that Arya is too young (9 in the books) to make such a passionate request of Gendry. But for her adaptation age, it really works.
Robb and Cat
The Lannister hostages sleep peacefully at Riverrun—until Karstark and his men burst in and kill the stunned boys. Their bodies are laid to rest in front of the shocked royal family before Robb commands Karstark and his men in to explain themselves. Karstark is unmoved by Robb’s anger about killing innocents. He blames Catelyn more than himself for their deaths, citing that she started the treason. Catelyn looks stricken but Robb defends his mother—she didn’t do this. Karstark taunts Robb for being young, foolish and “the king who lost the north.” Robb sends him to the dungeon and has his men executed. Catelyn, Edmure and Talisa meanwhile urge him not to do the same to Karstark; they can’t afford to lose those men as allies. But Robb stands firm on honor—how can he say he serves justice if he refuses to execute murderous traitors?
In the next scene, Robb personally executes his own bannerman, tense and unhappy in the rain. Karstark’s final words are: “kill me and be done with it. You are no king of mine.” Sure enough, the Karstarks then leave with half of their army. Robb spends the night trying to figure out his next move. Talisa fishes for suggestions—go home and wait out the winter being the biggest one—but Robb fears his men would never march south again. However, as he explains Westerosi geography to his wife he’s struck by an idea—attack the Lannisters where they’re weakest—Casterly Rock. “I’m going to take their home away from them,” Robb vows. But first he needs help from the only army that hasn’t joined with the Lannisters—the Freys.
Jaime and Brienne
Jaime and Brienne are deposited rudely in front of Roose Bolton, who seems none too pleased at Locke’s conduct. He commands his man to keep his trap shut about the hand thing, immediately frees Brienne and tells Jaime to get to Qyburn. He does have one moment of fun, however, when Jaime asks for news of the capital. He mentions the Blackwater battle before teasing out that Cersei…dun dun duuuuuun…is ok. Tywin arrived in time. Jaime drops in exhaustion and relief.
Qyburn assesses the wound and although Jaime isn’t in danger from death, it would be best to amputate the whole arm. Jaime is forcefully against this, and they settle on clearing the rotting flesh—without milk of the poppy. Guess Jaime is still punishing himself. Before all that, he accuses Qyburn of not being a real maester—no chain—and Qyburn admits that his “experiments” didn’t go over so well with his colleagues.
Later, still feverish but relatively cleaned and such, he joins a perturbed Brienne in the bath. “Not interested,” he scoffs as she covers herself, though she’s less modest when he insults her service to Renly. He immediately apologizes, and feels resigned to the look she gives him. Everyone just sees him as a kingslayer, oathbreaker…what if the truth is more complicated? He spins his yarn about what happened when Robert’s rebellion ended—he warned Aerys to surrender the city to his father’s superior forces, but not only did the Mad King demand that Jaime bring him Tywin’s head, he was also keen to burn down the whole city and rise as a dragon. Trapped between oaths to family and king, plus basic morality, Jaime stabbed him in the back, then slit his throat to make sure he wouldn’t be reborn. Brienne, enraptured, slowly asks him why he didn’t tell Ned immediately once he arrived. Jaime scoffs—“do you think the honorable Ned Stark wanted to hear my side? …by what right does the wolf judge the lion?” Overly excited, he stumbles and Brienne cradles him, calling out for the guards to help “the kinglsayer.” “My name is Jaime,” the man rasps at her.
Beyond the Wall
Brienne and Jaime aren’t the only people to enjoy a nice bath this episode. :P But before Jon and Yigritte get too comfortable, our Nights Watchman has to deal with some pointed questions from Orell about security on the Wall. Would help if I knew exactly where we were going, Jon points out to the distrustful crew. Orell accuses him of inflating some numbers, and words come to blows. Tommund repeats Mance’s threat from earlier—I like you but I’ll kill you if you cross us.
Jon is pissed at Yigritte for trying to stand up for him with Orell; she responds by stealing his blade and running to a cave. In privacy, she asks him if Orell is right about him still being a crow, and she has a test for him to find out. She starts stripping from her clothes, suggesting that he break some vows. Jon, at first, is hesitant, then turned on, then…really into it. He even shocks Yigritte by going down on her, aka “the lord’s kiss,” which she later asks him about. Although she’s had experience (something Jon immediately regrets asking,) seems like this was a first. They get into the hot spring together, and say they wish they never had to leave. Aww, young romance. Only minor deviations from canon.
Dragonstone
A woman lights a candle and prays to the Lord of Light in a dark tower. As Stannis enters to talk with her, we learn that this is his wife, Selyse. Stannis is awkward, almost apologetic—it’s been awhile since he’s come to visit and he has something important to tell his wife: “I have wronged you.” To his surprise, Selyse, who is obviously religious and already close to his other female companion, already knows. “The Lady Melissandre’s told me everything.” Stannis is a bit freaked out by this admission, and also Selyse’s lack of upset that he’s cheated. Instead, she blames herself for have never given him a living son—though there are some dead ones set up in creepy, margarine-colored fetus jars. When Stannis points out that it’s not true that she’s “given him nothing,” we learn that he does have one living daughter. Selyse is surprised that he wants to see her, and insists that there’s no need to trouble himself, but Stannis wants to.
He climbs up further into the tower where we hear a young girl singing in a bedchamber. Stannis calls her Shireen, and the child leaps up to hug her awkwardly stiff father. When she pulls back, we see that she has a dry, gray scar covering most of her face. They catch up quickly and awkwardly about the Blackwater battle and then Shireen asks about “the Onion knight.” She calls him her friend and even takes out a toy that he’s made for her, against her mother’s wishes (Selyse is not a Davos fan.) Stannis is awkward around the subject of his former friend, first praising his bravery but then abruptly shutting the door on it—“Ser Davos is a traitor,” he says firmly as his daughter grows quiet and sad. He tells her to forget about him and leaves her alone.
Shireen, obviously, has a bit of the rebellious streak because the next time we see her she’s whispering to the “Onion knight” outside of his cell. Davos is shocked to see her and implores her to leave, but she’s insistent, at least, on sneaking him books. Davos admits that he’s illiterate and Shireen quickly switches tactics—she’ll teach him. His resistance grows more frail—obviously nice for him to have some company—and Shireen settles in about the story of the Targaryen conquest.
Essos
Daenerys’s army continues to march towards a new destination. Her Westerosi knights ride separately from her, at first catching up about battles from the past (Thoros is mentioned, along with his flaming sword.) Barristan admits that Robert was a great man but a terrible king. He’s spent his life serving terrible kings and wants to know if Dany is someone whom he might be proud to fight for. Jorah obviously believes so, looking at her fondly. But the next time we see the knights, their conversation is a little more tense. Jorah is trying to discern if Barristan sat on Robert’s small council and what he might know of his former charge to spy on Dany. Seems like Barristan stayed away from all of the politics, but he’s less certain that Jorah should be so close to Dany—his reputation has suffered at home, Barristan knows that. The dudes snipe a little more about each other’s intentions and honor. Sheesh, they’re like mini me versions of Littlefinger and Varys. :P
Daenerys and Missendei are meeting with men whom the Unsullied have chosen to lead them. Dany is introduced to their superior officer, a man who calls himself Grey Worm. Missendei explains that the Unsullied have to take names that remind them that they are vermin. Disgusted, Dany tells her new officers to tell their names to pick new names for themselves, names of which they can be proud. Grey Worm counters that he’s proud of this name—his birth name brought him to slavery, but this one was the one he had when Dany freed him. Dany looks slightly overwhelmed by this position she’s in.
King’s Landing
Cersei corners Littlefinger in a courtyard and asks him to gather intel on the Tyrells—she’s certain that they’re working against the crown. LF asks if she’s talked to Tywin about this, to which Cersei explains that her father prefers facts to rumors. LF has always found facts to be overrated—he and Cersei are speaking the same language today. :p But the Queen does warn her man not to screw it up, like he did with the finding Arya business last year.
Tyrion, meanwhile, meets with Olenna to discuss the massive wedding expenses. After harping on Pod for lingering and taking too long with her figs, she points out that the crown usually pays for royal weddings. Tyrion counters that they’re at war, to which Olenna doles out the numerous ways that her House is already helping, from infantrymen to food for the city. And a wedding is just as important to peasants as food—it’s a distraction from their problems, a way to make sure they don’t rise up in rebellion. (Things are sounding a bit Hunger Gamesesque here—bread and circuses to distract folks from the real issues.) Tyrion hems and haws and Olenna admits her disappointment that he’s a “browbeaten bookkeeper” rather than the debauched individual whom she was expecting. She ultimately acquiesces to pay for half of the wedding expenses, just to get out of there.
Sansa and Margaery watch Loras and other gentlemen practice their moves. Sansa is smitten with her future husband’s skill and asks Margaery how soon they might be married. Marg promises to plant the seed once she and Joffrey are married, promising that it’ll grow quickly. Joffrey won’t let her go to Highgarden; he has too many reasons to keep her, Sansa says shyly. And only one to let her go, Margaery counters, that it’ll please his new wife. Meanwhile, Loras is assisted by a new squire, one for whom there’s obviously some sexual attraction.
They end up in Littlefinger’s brothel, going at it, even though Loras admits that his fiancée has no idea about his true passions. Later, we see that the squire/prostitute was also a spy for Littlefinger, and he divulges the name of Loras’s intended bride. So Littlefinger goes to see Sansa, who is on a balcony overlooking his ship. He sits down next to her and notes that once we get something, we always want more. He also comments on her new hairstyle—“Lady Margaery wears hers that way,” to which Sansa counters that many ladies do. She asks him if he still wants her to go with him, as he’s ready now to spirit her away from the capital; Littlefinger counters isn’t that what you want? Sansa says maybe it’s better to wait, besides she’s worried something might happen to him if their plot is discovered. LF says he’s touched by her concern and hopes she thinks of him as a friend. He kisses her hand in goodbye, and Sansa sighs, perhaps in relief or perhaps in confusion about whether or not she’s made the right choice.
Tywin meets with Cersei and Tyrion at his table; he has important matters to discuss and isn’t even interested that Tyrion’s saved them half the wedding costs. LF has come to him with the Tyrell plot to marry Sansa to Loras. Tyrion doesn’t see much of an issue with this, but Tywin feels betrayed that they’d steal “the north” out from under the Lannisters. He rehashes that with Sansa’s younger brothers dead, and Robb’s days “numbered,” she is the heir to Winterfell, and needs a Lannister husband. It slowly dawns on Tyrion that his father has him in mind. He protests—she’s finally free of Joffrey and now she has to marry him? That’s cruel! The girl’s happiness shouldn’t be your concern, Tywin counters. Remember how you wanted a reward for your valor in battle? Well, it’s time you were wed. Tyrion briefly, but angrily, brings up that he was once wed, to which Tywin grows extra stony. Cersei gets in her gloating while she can, but her father has news for her as well—she will marry Loras in Sansa’s place and secure the Reach for the Lannisters. She’s still fertile, right; it’s time for her to “breed” again. “I’m Queen Regent, not some brood mare!” Cersei gripes, to which Tywin thunders: “You’re MY DAUGHTER!” Ownership has been claimed. Cersei tries begging—don’t make me do this again—and Tywin gets up in disgust. “My children,” he seethes, before leaving Cersei and Tyrion to mull in his lack of love and their respective fates.
Thoughts
Good grief, that was a long summary! Lots going on. :P Will try to make my thoughts short.
Undoubtedly, I think the strongest part of the episode was Jaime’s bathtub confession. It was taken almost directly from the book, but the real magic here was Nickolaj’s acting. Frankly, I think his turn this season deserved an Emmy nomination. At least he was able to do for show fans what the books did years ago, and force people to consider that maybe he’s not just a black and white villain. He’ll never be one of my favorite characters, but Jaime is compelling for his shades of gray.
Arya’s scenes, also, were very strong. The Brotherhood story is diverging a fair bit from canon—we’ve not seen them helping any poor people, so it seems like their extortion of our young Stark is just to clothe their own backs. Some “purist” fans take umbrage; I’m kind of on the fence. Showcasing BWB’s worser traits—fanaticism and greed—plays well into Arya’s growing cynicism, which will drive her character arc this season (and beyond.) And there’s nothing quite as heartbreaking as Maisie playing up Arya’s emotional vulnerability—pleading with Gendry or indirectly asking to restore Ned’s life.
I’m a fan of Jon/Ygritte—it’s a breath of fresh air, really, to see a healthy, consensual relationship on this show, especially one where the woman is more sexually experienced (although since the wildings apparently don’t know about “the lord’s kiss,” I don’t know why she bothered! :P) Granted, in the book, Jon was slightly more coerced into the sex, as a way to publicly disavow the Night’s Watch. But in both cases, his feelings for this woman complicates how he sees himself, so he’s ripe for some character growth! :P
Stannis’s time with wife and daughter were a welcome treat—the Selyse/Stannis relationship was never this fleshed out in the books, and he’s never shared a scene with Shireen. That one’s my favorite, which I think paints Stannis as more three-dimensional—he’s also the awkward, stand-offish father. Kerry Ingram really holds her own against him, and later with Davos, with whom in the books she’s also friendly but not to that degree (someone else teaches him to read, for example.) For the purposes of the show, mother and daughter are also obviously meant to mirror the Davos vs Melissandre debate, with both coming down on one side or the other. The only thing I didn’t like about these scenes were Selyse’s dead fetuses. They weren’t from the books, and frankly I think we have enough “crazy mothers” running around. Usually I’m a fan of Bryan Cogman episodes (including this one!) but in that instance I think he went too far with making a caricature.
Most of King’s Landing I really liked, from Cersei and Littlefinger’s manipulations to get their way to Olenna pwning Tyrion, cos really, you can’t be the King of Sass all the time. :P None of this is particularly true to the book (except for LF ragging on the Tyrell/Sansa plot; he heard about it from Dontos,) but I think it speaks well to character and simplifies plot. I liked Sansa’s scene with LF, too—it worked well with this “older” character they set up for her. Considering that she’s been plotting with him directly, rather than with Dontos, and considering what Shae has warned her about, it makes sense that she’d try to back out of their plans once another chance at escape presented himself. I like that she’s courteous, too; very true to character. (And there were some parts of Aiden Gillen’s acting that made me shudder with the “creepy sex offender” vibe…eeeesh!) I also appreciated Cersei and Tyrion’s very character true, largely canon railings against their father about their prospective matches. The Lannister acting was in fine form this week! :P
Some purists were against the idea of Loras taking a lover—in the book, there’s a very lovely, chivalrous line about how, in the wake of Renly’s death, “the sun has set” on love. But I’d note that satiating a sexual urge isn’t quite the same as finding a soulmate. Maybe Loras the libido-driven human and Loras the idealistic knight can live in the same body. Of course, it also serves as a plot point for LF to find out about the marriage ploy (and finally, we see some MALE nudity on this show! :D)
I enjoyed the Jorah/Barristan interaction, which we couldn’t see in the books since neither were POV at the time, but it speaks well to their respective issues—Barristan wants to serve with pride and Jorah doesn’t want Dany to find out that he worked for Robert. A slight alteration from canon, because the Lord Commander would never sit on the small council; guess it added more tension if he could (and ergo would know Jorah was a spy.) I’m not huge into the Dany stuff—it’s true enough to canon, but this part of her journey, where people continue to fawn over her for being “the savior,” isn’t as interesting to me. Dany comes off as somewhat one-dimensional in an episode filled with more complicated characters.
My least favorite part was the Robb/Cat storyline—surprise, surpriiiise. :P Most of it was ok. Karstark’s treason and fate were true enough, and spoke to Robb’s canon stubbornness about what his duty entailed. (In the book the death wasn’t so clean, but methinks it was meant to counter Theon’s guilty, hacking death of Ser Rodrick last season.) I was depressed because Catelyn was somewhat marginalized—mostly because Talisa is more outspoken than her canon counterpart. But my real MEEEEH in this storyline is how Robb chooses to fight his war. It just…doesn’t make sense. Never mind that Casterly Rock isn’t impenetrable. I mean that canon Robb makes more sense by deciding to turn towards home, because Karstark kinda implied a good point—what are we fighting for if you’re the king “who lost” the north?
The show’s intention was obviously to introduce the notion that Robb needed the Freys—which he does anyway, if he’s to keep fighting anything. In the book he lost their allegiance once he broke his marriage contract; they’d been fighting with him beforehand but now they’re gone. And I’m rather irked that, beyond Karstark griping about it a couple episodes back, tv Robb hasn’t had to face any real consequences thus far for his actions. Instead of having to deal with a personal conflict (which could make his relationship with his mother more canon,) he decides to ignore his homeland, even though it’s overrun with invaders, and focus more punitively on revenge. It makes him even more one dimensional than Dany—at least she’s negotiating, a little, with the different cultural norms of the Unsullied.
The tv show is pretty great when it chooses to portray characters in all of their shades of grey—but I suppose there’s never enough time to do that for everyone. *sigh* This is why novels are superior! Always.
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