Game of Thrones Episode 3.10: “Mhysa”
Mar. 31st, 2014 02:12 am![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
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scifi_rewatchSadly, this episode was somewhat blighted for many viewers by the final scene, where Daenerys was basically turned into a White Savior trope. Canon isn’t quite as bad—given that the slaves she liberates are racially diverse—but to an extent, I think the adaptation inadvertently highlighted the more problematic parts of Dany’s arc.
Most of the rest of the episode centered on family, and was stronger for it. The Stark children, now fully orphaned, must make do without the possibility of being reunited with loved ones. Tywin remains concerned with just the family legacy, not individual desires. Tyrion and Cersei chafe under this, seeking personal validation. Balon and his children find themselves in a similar position.
Jon tries to return to his sworn family—he uses the word “home” for the first time in discussing Castle Black—but not without new relationship complications. Sam, too, must deal with complications—not just with his own gal pal, Gilly, but with a surprising run-in.
As Stannis ponders how next he can utilize his “bastard” family for his own ends, Davos and Gendry (and later Varys and Shae) have some thought-provoking, though highly antecedal, talks about being outsiders amongst Westerosi nobles. As usual, an exposition-heavy end to the season. I mostly liked it, notwithstanding the Dany event, irritating quibbles with Sansa and Theon, and some smaller issues.
Summary
The Riverlands
Arya and the Hound
As the Stark army is defeated, bloodily, in their encampments, Arya, aboard a horse with the Hound, wakes in time to see men parade her brother’s corpse out. They’ve removed his head, and attached Grey Wind’s. Harrowing.
The next day, while riding in the woods, they overhear Frey men around a campfire, boasting about their involvement in the event. Arya slips from the horse, approaches, and in a girlish voice offers them money to sit by the fire, though they tell her to piss off. She drops her Braavosi coin, and when one man bends to retrieve it, she stabs him repeatedly until he is dead. The Hound joins the fray to kill his startled companions. Arya returns the weapon—his knife—to him. They establish that this is the first man she’s killed, and Sandor tells her that next time, warn him about her intentions first. He sits at the fire to eat. In the foreground, Arya holds Jaqen’s coin in bloody hands, and says “Valar morghulis.”
Roose and Walder
After surveying the raging battle from the rooftop the night before, Roose re-joins Walder in his great hall, where servants are cleaning up the blood. Walder gloats about Robb and Cat being dead, Edmure being his prisoner and he being Lord of Riverrun now. Roose counters that the Blackfish escaped—problematic—but Walder doesn’t care; he has Tywin backing him. With prodding, Roose admits that Robb didn’t heed his advice, being “a trifle arrogant,” and they drink to the Young Wolf, who will remain “forever young.” Walder asks about Roose’s plans now—to Winterfell? Roose isn’t sure; it’s a ruin, after all. But he divulges what happened there—he sent his bastard to collect Theon and to hold him for treason, “but Ramsay has his own way of doing things.”
The North
Theon and Ramsay (and Balon and Yara/Asha)
So now we know who’s holding Theon, and currently he’s eating pork sausage in front of his glaring captive. He mocks him about his castration, and Theon begs for death. Ramsay decides to give him a new name instead—Reek, because he reeks. He slaps Theon around until he stops calling himself by his birth name, and chooses Reek instead.
On the Iron Islands, Balon receives a package from Ramsay, and a letter warning the Ironborn to get out of the north. If he doesn’t comply to order his men home, “more boxes will come, with more Theon.” Inside the box is, well, pretty obvious.
Balon’s course of action is to do nothing. Disgusted by his son’s castration, he points out that the boy can no longer further the Greyjoy line anyway. Asha/Yara is horrified, and though her father tells her to drop it she comes up with a plan—she’s going to take her fastest ship and most lethal killers; she’s mounting on a quest to the Bolton seat, the Dreadfort, to save her brother.
Bran and…Sam??
Bran, Hodor and the Reeds find new shelter for the night, and Bran recalls a story associated with this place. The Rat Cook of the Night’s Watch quarreled with the king about something, and ergo cooked the king’s son in a stew. The gods punished him, not for murder or cannibalism, but because he did this after giving the king and his family guest rites—bread and wine in his home. It’s a sin, after offering such hospitality, to harm a guest under your roof. Foreshadowing, maybe?
When they’re sleeping, Bran is awakened by strange noises drawing closer. He gets his companions up, and Meera jumps on a large creature as it comes up through the floor. Turns out it’s Sam! With Gilly and baby right behind him. Sam quickly discerns, after seeing Summer, that Bran is Jon’s brother. Swearing his loyalty to any brother of Jon’s, Bran immediately asks for help on how to get beyond the Wall. Sam initially refuses, offering instead to take him to Castle Black, where Jon will surely be if he’s survived. He and Gilly promise that there’s nothing but death to the north, and Jojen explains that he knows the two of them faced White Walkers, thanks to his visions. Bran is convinced he has to fight them. Sam hands over his dragon glass, explaining it’s purpose. Although he tries to implore Bran again, the little boy is insistent. Night’s Watchman and Gilly watch Bran & co exit a gate through and beyond the Wall.
Later, he and Gilly stand before Maester Aemon, and have to explain that the baby isn’t Sam’s, though the mother has decided to name him after her friend. :O Sam explains his reasons for protecting her—guarding “the realms of men” means guarding her. The real enemy are the White Walkers, and they won’t discriminate between Westerosi and wildling. Gilly and her son are allowed to stay on, “since we certainly cannot send you back,” and Aemon tasks Sam with writing correspondence to all of Westeros, and sending out the ravens.
Jon returns home
Jon, exhausted and marked from Orell’s eagle, cups some water by a stream. He’s interrupted by Ygritte, who’s tracked him and now has her bow aimed. Jon pleads with her—he didn’t have a choice, and she’s always known who he is. “I have to go home now,” he says, but also admits that he loves her. Ygritte whimpers once, battling with her emotions, but then she shoots him in the back while he walks away! He manages to his horse, and begins to gallop off, but not before she nicks him a couple more times.
The Night’s Watchmen isn’t done for—he makes it to the gate of Castle Black, but then falls from his horse. He’s gingerly met inside where he’s met by Sam—and Pyp!—and others. Though obviously physically compromised, he opens his eyes and recognizes his friends. They send for help—looks like Jon’s gonna survive.
King’s Landing
Sansa and Tyrion take a walk through the royal gardens while a couple of noblelings turn to snigger at them. Tyrion starts reciting their names, and upon Sansa’s prodding he explains that he’s “making a list.” Of people to kill? Sansa asks, but Tyrion rebukes her—“do you think I’m Joffrey?” He’s more interested in minor terms of revenge. Sansa counters that he should ignore them, and when he points out that people have been laughing at him for a long time for being “the demon monkey” and etc, she reminds him that she’s “the disgraced daughter of Ned Stark.” Tyrion remarks that they’re a perfect match and Sansa actually chuckles; Tyrion just looks guiltily at Shae.
His young wife surprises him, however, by contributing a possible punishment for the noblings—they could sew dung into their mattresses and make their rooms smell, a tactic that Arya apparently used on Sansa often. She calls this “sheet-shrifting,” aka “the vulgar word for dung.” Tyrion and Shae share a mildly amused look, but at that moment, Pod darts through a crowd of giggling ladies to tell his superior that Tywin requests his presence.
Inside, the Small Council and a bouncily happy Joffrey wait with the Hand of the King. Tyrion reads a proffered note by Walder Frey about Roslin receiving “two wolf pelts” for her wedding. As he sits blandly Joff breaks the news—Robb “and his bitch mother” are dead. He turns to Pycelle, demanding a letter be sent back to Walder commanding him to send Robb’s head. Joffrey promises to serve it to Sansa at his wedding. Cersei tries to play if off; her baby is joking! Varys, appalled, reminds His Grace that Sansa is now his aunt through marriage, and Tyrion puts his foot down. “She’s no longer yours to torment.” “Everyone is mine to torment,” Joffrey counters, and he and his uncle engage in their usual banter—Tyrion slyly outwitting him and Joffers stomping about “I AM THE KING!” Tywin interjects to say that any man who must proclaim himself powerful at every turn has no power at all. Joffrey turns his power-tripping on his grandfather, daring, like a child testing his boundaries, to say that Robert was the one who won real battles, while Tywin hid under Casterly Rock. :O The small council grows silent and Tywin, his face stony, orders his grandson to bed. Cersei tries to hurry her tantruming son out of the room, and Tywin adds insult to injury, ordering Pycelle to give him sleeping potion. Everyone else—except Tyrion—is dismissed.
Alone, father and son discuss the Red Wedding more philosophically—it’s cheating, Tyrion says, which he isn’t necessarily against, but “the northerners will never forget.” (Obviously the Lannisters were involved in the RW; Walder Frey would never be so daring on his own.) Tywin shrugs this off; “let them remember what happens when they march on the south.” He also poo-poos any moral wrongdoing, challenging that instead of having thousands die in battle, he killed a dozen at dinner. Anywho, it’s all done now. Roose will rule as warden of the north until Sansa’s son by Tyrion comes of age, hint hint. Tyrion is appalled—murdering the remainder of her family isn’t exactly a turn on, and he refuses to rape her. Tywin remains unmoved, citing the importance of the family line over personal desires. Tyrion scoffs—it’s all well and good to say that, but when has Tywin actually done anything that wasn’t in his own self interest? Tywin seethes, “the day you were born!” He tells his silenced, unloved son that he wanted to kill the disabled infant off but didn’t—“because you’re a Lannister.” Small words of comfort. In his rooms he runs into Sansa, sitting at the window. She’s obviously heard the news—she turns her stony, tear-stained face to him, and he leaves her alone.
He finds Podrik and challenges him to a sullen drinking contest of sorts. Cersei comes in and sends the young boy away. Her advice is to give Sansa a child—children are a mother’s only source of happiness, she says. Tyrion points out that she’s not very happy; Cersei agrees, but says that her kiddies, “even Joffrey,” are what keeps her from jumping off a tower. They end by ruminating on war—how long does it go on? Seeing that every win incurs more enemies, Cersei suggests “for a very long time.”
Varys goes to talk to Shae, feeling sympathy for her position as a lowborn, un-Westerosi outsider. Shae reminds us of how complicated her situation is; not only does she love Tyrion, but also Sansa. Varys tries to get her to leave, citing that Tyrion is one of the only people out there who is actually good for Westeros, and that she is a “complication.” But Shae refuses to take the money. (I’m just gonna comment about this up here; not only does Varys never show Shae kindness like this, but it’s unlikely, in the books, that he’s so gung ho about Tyrion being “Mr. Right” for Westeros. But it certainly fits with the show’s world building up to this point.)
Jaime and Brienne enter King’s Landing through a front gate. They’re both obviously worse for wear; a passerby tells Jaime, “the country boy,” to get out of the way. The two travelers share a relieved, maybe hopeful smile. Inside the Red Keep, Jaime immediately seeks out his sister. Cersei sits alone, playing with a shell, when he calls her name. The two twins stare at each other—shocked, perhaps mutely overjoyed—and one of them quite obviously missing a hand.
Dragonstone
Davos goes to visit Gendry, who at first is very cynical—Davos is a knight, after all, and Gendry, like all lowborns, is just “a way for [you nobles] to get what you want.” Davos counters with his own low birth, and the two of them play a little “Flea Bottom geography.” Pacified, Gendry explains how he fell into Melissandre’s trap; he’s never been with a woman, and she comes at him with “big words, no clothes.” Davos admits that his opponent does have a way of “getting into men’s heads.”
Later, he receives the Night’s Watch scroll that Sam wrote—he’s reading better, with Shireen’s help (though she suggests that her books are more interesting than the scrolls.) The bells toll, and Davos tells the princess to lock herself inside. Stannis and Mel are in the war room, explaining how Robb is dead. Mel claims no credit; just “her belief has been rewarded.” But now it’s time for Gendry to die for real. :O Davos is appalled—just look what a drop of blood did! Besides, he’s your nephew, Stannis! Stannis is dismissive of his connection to the “bastard” boy, and Mel agrees that with great power comes great sacrifice. (Somehow I doubt Uncle Ben would have advocated for this. :/) So Davos makes up his own mind, and ferries Gendry off of the island. He gives him a boat and some food and water, plus directions on how to get the hell out.
His life now forfeit, he returns to an enraged Stannis and Mel. Davos is at peace with his decision to save an innocent, but Stannis sentences him to death. :/ Before he’s completely dragged away, though, Davos notes that he’s still technically Hand of the King, and ergo has some news for Stannis by way of Sam’s letter. (Stannis is a bit surprised that Davos can read, but the Onion Knight doesn’t mention Shireen.) The Night’s Watch is requesting help for the return of the White Walkers. Mel takes it, and throws it into the fire. She declares that indeed “this war of five kings means nothing” and that the real conflict is in the north. Stannis is sated about his new destiny, but he won’t undo his death sentence…until Mel tells him that Davos has a part to play in upcoming events. :O Stannis chuckles; Davos may hate the Red God, but “you’re in his army now.” Davos suddenly doesn’t look too happy to have his life back.
Yunkai
Daenerys and her mighty crew, including Unsullied and dragons, wait near the entrance of the city for the former slaves to come out. Jorah is optimistic, but Dany is uncertain; “some people learn to love their chains.” But lo and behold the gates open and liberated people start pouring out. They stop near the Mother of Dragons, stopped by the actual dragons and the Unsullied spears. Dany speaks to them in Valyrian, saying that freedom is something that they will have to choose for themselves. After a pause, a child cause out “Mhysa!” and then others slowly follow until it becomes an uneven chant. Missandei explains that this is an old Ghiscari word that means “mother.” Dany tells her guards to stand down; “these people will not harm me.” Her dragons take flight, and she enters the crowd to be hoisted above their heads and passed along. The music is wonderous and hopeful about Dany’s latest humanitarian feat, and the camera pans up, to see her white form amongst a sea of brown bodies, dragons flying over head.
Thoughts
Wow. Yeah, that ending was like biting down into something and getting an unexpected toothache. This season’s had it’s share of problems, but only at the very end did a racist depiction skyrocket to the top of the list. It’s a shame, because most of the rest of the episode (and season) were strong. Then to fade out on such a cringe-worthy note…though I admit, Mhysa might be my favorite of Djawadi’s music.
I’m a little flabbergasted by the gamble the show runners were willing to take on this one; this is likely the most visceral depiction of the white savior stereotype ever. Yes, I know you were shooting in Morocco and most of the extras who answered the casting call were people of color. Frankly, this might have been a good time to use some CGI to introduce some diversity…or maybe just film it on a soundstage in Belfast, or in Croatia. Mainstream media isn’t going to quibble about character and thematic changes the way I do, but they do notice when a blonde woman is crowdsurfing in a sea of worshipful people of color.
All of this being said, and even if the show runners had gone with a more canonically diverse slave pool, this scene in general takes me out of the moment, as it were. At best, Daenerys’s “Alexander the Great” arc, as I call it, is rare enough to be unbelievable—all of the reverence by everyone, calling her “mother,” reaching up to touch her reverently on her horse (at least she’s not crowd surfing in the book.) At worst, it’s boring. None of the other characters are so adored and so over-powerful that their biggest concern is “how do I sack this city?” No, it’s when Dany has to make tough decisions, when her best intentions are fallible and her worst are moral flaws, that she becomes human. And I can buy into (and root for) her story again. With that, I’ll zip my lips on spoilers. :P
On Dragonstone, changes from the source material were pretty minor. This is a great set of scenes in showcasing complexity. Melissandre is a fanatic, but she’ also correct about the true danger coming from the White Walkers. I also really like that Davos owed his life to Mel and her god—also that Stannis took such enjoyment out of it. It’s a great complication for Davos’s character, given all of his own opinions. Liam Cunningham continues to nail it, but kudos to Stephen Dillane and Carice Houter as well. Also nice to see Davos bonding with Shireen and Gendry. Just makes the world, and peoples’ places in them, seem more real.
I mentioned having some quibbles with Sansa and Theon. With Theon, well first we know who his torturer is now, though canonically we’d been aware since book two. :P But what doesn’t work here, again, is the torture. I just don’t buy that Ramsay slapping Theon (who was stubborn to begin with) three times would result in such a defeat. In book five, Theon thinks back on Ramsay’s dehumanizing treatment, which works, in part with some other canonical elements, to make him take on the name of “Reek.” We’re talking months of torture and starvation. Theon’s been through a lot this season, sure, but if he started the day being sure of his identity, he wouldn’t end it by giving it up.
Sansa is more complicated. In the book, Sansa kept a stalwart emotional distance from her husband at all times, but given Tyrion’s whitewashing, plus Sansa being able to prepare, long in advance, for her marriage, it could make sense to me that she’s kind to him. It’s also a very visceral way, in this visual medium, to showcase Sansa’s attitude when she still believes she has a family out there, vs when she knows that she doesn’t. :/ And sadly, that’s all we get with her mourning her mother and brother. Frankly, I ccould’ve done without the Tyrion and Cersei scene. None of it was really new material. I’m really disappointed that Sansa losing her family wasn’t more about Sansa. Badly done, show.
The small council meeting is largely true to form, particularly Joffrey’s outburst and Tywin’s response. In the book, Tywin orders Cersei out as well whereas on the show she goes willingly (choosing Joff over asserting her right to remain with the council; little bit of a character edit.) Tywin’s argument about the Red Wedding is true to form but also disingenuous—most prominently because the majority of Robb’s army was actually slaughtered, not just “a dozen at dinner.” Also, if Tywin truly cared about saving lives, he would have sued for peace. He’s no hero. He has his fans, but nothing in canon or the show has convinced me that he’s anything more than a tyrant. Charles Dance does a great job with him, including another harrowing scene where he lets Tyrion know how little he cares for him personally.
Tyrion refers to forcing Sansa to have sex as “rape,” which he wouldn’t have in the books because Westerosi society has no notion of the category of marital rape. And yet, since Tyrion in the books also refuses to rape her (coded in different language,) this is not a complete whitewashing. I have to respect the show runners for calling rape what it is—sadly, this is not something that all ASOIAF fans respect.
A final note about King’s Landing—someone cued Jaime and Brienne early! :P They arrive on the show earlier than they do in the books, before some key events happen. I won’t spoil, but…I sense the possibility of some ripple effects. :P
Surprises on the Iron Islands as well; we don’t get a scene, in the book, of Balon receiving any package or word from Ramsay (actually, this scene wouldn’t be possible at this time due to spoilery reasons.) And Asha does not mount a rescue mission for Theon at this time (when she does, it’s not for purely altruistic reasons, either.) Obviously, the show runners are trying to build up new story for her, because these next couple of books are where some characters’ arcs get relatively thin. Have to fill in some time! (Personally…I’m kind of a sucker for Asha/Yara wanting to save Theon. At least some siblings do this for each other. :/)
The Jon/Ygritte scene is invented. He’s hit by arrows, possibly hers, but when he’s escaping the wildlings, not after. I rather enjoy this scene, though, because I think it expands Jon’s character and gives Kit Harington more to play with. Jon can be pretty one note, stuck in the emo. :P But now, he painstakingly admits conflicting emotions for the woman he’s grown to love, and his “home” (first time he’s even called it that,) where he’s sworn not to take a lover. And this relationship, much like Shae with Tyrion and Sansa (by the way, I enjoyed her noncanonical chat with Varys, too,) seems more interesting and complex on screen, actually.
In the novel, Sam isn’t there to greet Jon. But he does greet Bran! In fact, he’s more guided to his destination with Bran, unlike the show where it was coincidental. Also, Bran makes him swear not to tell Jon (or anyone) where he’s gone, but since that doesn’t happen on the show it kind of mucks up character expectations for me. :/ But for now, Sam is focused on the White Walkers and the threat they pose; actually, in the book, the Night’s Watch at this time is more concerned with Mance Rayder. Also there’s no concern about Sam being the baby’s father, nor does Gilly name her son. But for the purposes of the show, these scenes worked for me. And I appreciated that Sam might have a greater understanding of the real danger out there. Also nice to see Aemon again!
Bran in the novel understands that Robb is death via Summer feeling Grey Wind’s death. :/ The show has left this vague, but Bran retelling the Rat King story might be a hint that he has some inkling of what happened. Or maybe it’s just there to remind the audience that the Red Wedding is really bad, even in the context of morality on the show. Anywho. Relatively small changes otherwise, and Bran ends season three, like book three, by walking out of Westeros and beyond the wall. Pretty ominous, no? :/ I should zip my lips. :P
The Roose/Walder stuff is rather perfunctory. It’s worth noting that the Blackfish survived in the books because he (along with Robb’s wife) stayed behind at Riverrun. In fact he’s not missing at this point in the novels. But it makes sense for the show to make him a refugee at this point. Other than that, Roose and Walder were relatively perfunctory.
Speaking of refugees, I’ll end with Arya. Witnessing her brother’s corpse being paraded around sort of replaced one of the most harrowing scenes in the books—where she saw her mother’s body through Nymeria’s eyes. (Too complicated for the show to explain at this point, if they will even go there at all.) Very effective, and heartbreaking.
The scene where she brutally stabs the Frey men replaces a scene in the novel where she stabs the Tickler (already dead.) Her reasons in the book are not so tied directly to family, but is obviously the result of post-traumatic stress. It’s also not the first time she’s killed a man in the novels (in both books and adaptation she killed the stableboy.) Her murderous journey is less far along, but her psychological one seems about on par with the books. Maisie does an amazing job playing this shattered little girl.
She recalls the end of last season at the end of her scenes in this one, by picking up the coin Jaqen gave her and uttering the words for All Men Must Die: “Valar Morghulis.” Sounds foreshadowing, no? :P You only have to watch the second season four trailer to realize that yes, indeed they are. The Starks, which were more or less our primary family for three seasons, are pretty decimated. War tends to have that effect on lots of seemingly strong families, so maybe some others should watch their backs…yes yes. One of the constants of “Game of Thrones” is the inconstancies that the characters face. You can be down on your luck and then up again—or vice versa.
There is one constant, perhaps—the magical menace to the north. I’m enjoying how the show is slowly hinting at their growing importance. This season they terrorized most of the Night’s Watch—and now Stannis and co are heading there. Will we see this “battle in the snow” that Stannis talked about? Stay tuned for next year’s reviews, and beyond!
___
Most of the rest of the episode centered on family, and was stronger for it. The Stark children, now fully orphaned, must make do without the possibility of being reunited with loved ones. Tywin remains concerned with just the family legacy, not individual desires. Tyrion and Cersei chafe under this, seeking personal validation. Balon and his children find themselves in a similar position.
Jon tries to return to his sworn family—he uses the word “home” for the first time in discussing Castle Black—but not without new relationship complications. Sam, too, must deal with complications—not just with his own gal pal, Gilly, but with a surprising run-in.
As Stannis ponders how next he can utilize his “bastard” family for his own ends, Davos and Gendry (and later Varys and Shae) have some thought-provoking, though highly antecedal, talks about being outsiders amongst Westerosi nobles. As usual, an exposition-heavy end to the season. I mostly liked it, notwithstanding the Dany event, irritating quibbles with Sansa and Theon, and some smaller issues.
Summary
The Riverlands
Arya and the Hound
As the Stark army is defeated, bloodily, in their encampments, Arya, aboard a horse with the Hound, wakes in time to see men parade her brother’s corpse out. They’ve removed his head, and attached Grey Wind’s. Harrowing.
The next day, while riding in the woods, they overhear Frey men around a campfire, boasting about their involvement in the event. Arya slips from the horse, approaches, and in a girlish voice offers them money to sit by the fire, though they tell her to piss off. She drops her Braavosi coin, and when one man bends to retrieve it, she stabs him repeatedly until he is dead. The Hound joins the fray to kill his startled companions. Arya returns the weapon—his knife—to him. They establish that this is the first man she’s killed, and Sandor tells her that next time, warn him about her intentions first. He sits at the fire to eat. In the foreground, Arya holds Jaqen’s coin in bloody hands, and says “Valar morghulis.”
Roose and Walder
After surveying the raging battle from the rooftop the night before, Roose re-joins Walder in his great hall, where servants are cleaning up the blood. Walder gloats about Robb and Cat being dead, Edmure being his prisoner and he being Lord of Riverrun now. Roose counters that the Blackfish escaped—problematic—but Walder doesn’t care; he has Tywin backing him. With prodding, Roose admits that Robb didn’t heed his advice, being “a trifle arrogant,” and they drink to the Young Wolf, who will remain “forever young.” Walder asks about Roose’s plans now—to Winterfell? Roose isn’t sure; it’s a ruin, after all. But he divulges what happened there—he sent his bastard to collect Theon and to hold him for treason, “but Ramsay has his own way of doing things.”
The North
Theon and Ramsay (and Balon and Yara/Asha)
So now we know who’s holding Theon, and currently he’s eating pork sausage in front of his glaring captive. He mocks him about his castration, and Theon begs for death. Ramsay decides to give him a new name instead—Reek, because he reeks. He slaps Theon around until he stops calling himself by his birth name, and chooses Reek instead.
On the Iron Islands, Balon receives a package from Ramsay, and a letter warning the Ironborn to get out of the north. If he doesn’t comply to order his men home, “more boxes will come, with more Theon.” Inside the box is, well, pretty obvious.
Balon’s course of action is to do nothing. Disgusted by his son’s castration, he points out that the boy can no longer further the Greyjoy line anyway. Asha/Yara is horrified, and though her father tells her to drop it she comes up with a plan—she’s going to take her fastest ship and most lethal killers; she’s mounting on a quest to the Bolton seat, the Dreadfort, to save her brother.
Bran and…Sam??
Bran, Hodor and the Reeds find new shelter for the night, and Bran recalls a story associated with this place. The Rat Cook of the Night’s Watch quarreled with the king about something, and ergo cooked the king’s son in a stew. The gods punished him, not for murder or cannibalism, but because he did this after giving the king and his family guest rites—bread and wine in his home. It’s a sin, after offering such hospitality, to harm a guest under your roof. Foreshadowing, maybe?
When they’re sleeping, Bran is awakened by strange noises drawing closer. He gets his companions up, and Meera jumps on a large creature as it comes up through the floor. Turns out it’s Sam! With Gilly and baby right behind him. Sam quickly discerns, after seeing Summer, that Bran is Jon’s brother. Swearing his loyalty to any brother of Jon’s, Bran immediately asks for help on how to get beyond the Wall. Sam initially refuses, offering instead to take him to Castle Black, where Jon will surely be if he’s survived. He and Gilly promise that there’s nothing but death to the north, and Jojen explains that he knows the two of them faced White Walkers, thanks to his visions. Bran is convinced he has to fight them. Sam hands over his dragon glass, explaining it’s purpose. Although he tries to implore Bran again, the little boy is insistent. Night’s Watchman and Gilly watch Bran & co exit a gate through and beyond the Wall.
Later, he and Gilly stand before Maester Aemon, and have to explain that the baby isn’t Sam’s, though the mother has decided to name him after her friend. :O Sam explains his reasons for protecting her—guarding “the realms of men” means guarding her. The real enemy are the White Walkers, and they won’t discriminate between Westerosi and wildling. Gilly and her son are allowed to stay on, “since we certainly cannot send you back,” and Aemon tasks Sam with writing correspondence to all of Westeros, and sending out the ravens.
Jon returns home
Jon, exhausted and marked from Orell’s eagle, cups some water by a stream. He’s interrupted by Ygritte, who’s tracked him and now has her bow aimed. Jon pleads with her—he didn’t have a choice, and she’s always known who he is. “I have to go home now,” he says, but also admits that he loves her. Ygritte whimpers once, battling with her emotions, but then she shoots him in the back while he walks away! He manages to his horse, and begins to gallop off, but not before she nicks him a couple more times.
The Night’s Watchmen isn’t done for—he makes it to the gate of Castle Black, but then falls from his horse. He’s gingerly met inside where he’s met by Sam—and Pyp!—and others. Though obviously physically compromised, he opens his eyes and recognizes his friends. They send for help—looks like Jon’s gonna survive.
King’s Landing
Sansa and Tyrion take a walk through the royal gardens while a couple of noblelings turn to snigger at them. Tyrion starts reciting their names, and upon Sansa’s prodding he explains that he’s “making a list.” Of people to kill? Sansa asks, but Tyrion rebukes her—“do you think I’m Joffrey?” He’s more interested in minor terms of revenge. Sansa counters that he should ignore them, and when he points out that people have been laughing at him for a long time for being “the demon monkey” and etc, she reminds him that she’s “the disgraced daughter of Ned Stark.” Tyrion remarks that they’re a perfect match and Sansa actually chuckles; Tyrion just looks guiltily at Shae.
His young wife surprises him, however, by contributing a possible punishment for the noblings—they could sew dung into their mattresses and make their rooms smell, a tactic that Arya apparently used on Sansa often. She calls this “sheet-shrifting,” aka “the vulgar word for dung.” Tyrion and Shae share a mildly amused look, but at that moment, Pod darts through a crowd of giggling ladies to tell his superior that Tywin requests his presence.
Inside, the Small Council and a bouncily happy Joffrey wait with the Hand of the King. Tyrion reads a proffered note by Walder Frey about Roslin receiving “two wolf pelts” for her wedding. As he sits blandly Joff breaks the news—Robb “and his bitch mother” are dead. He turns to Pycelle, demanding a letter be sent back to Walder commanding him to send Robb’s head. Joffrey promises to serve it to Sansa at his wedding. Cersei tries to play if off; her baby is joking! Varys, appalled, reminds His Grace that Sansa is now his aunt through marriage, and Tyrion puts his foot down. “She’s no longer yours to torment.” “Everyone is mine to torment,” Joffrey counters, and he and his uncle engage in their usual banter—Tyrion slyly outwitting him and Joffers stomping about “I AM THE KING!” Tywin interjects to say that any man who must proclaim himself powerful at every turn has no power at all. Joffrey turns his power-tripping on his grandfather, daring, like a child testing his boundaries, to say that Robert was the one who won real battles, while Tywin hid under Casterly Rock. :O The small council grows silent and Tywin, his face stony, orders his grandson to bed. Cersei tries to hurry her tantruming son out of the room, and Tywin adds insult to injury, ordering Pycelle to give him sleeping potion. Everyone else—except Tyrion—is dismissed.
Alone, father and son discuss the Red Wedding more philosophically—it’s cheating, Tyrion says, which he isn’t necessarily against, but “the northerners will never forget.” (Obviously the Lannisters were involved in the RW; Walder Frey would never be so daring on his own.) Tywin shrugs this off; “let them remember what happens when they march on the south.” He also poo-poos any moral wrongdoing, challenging that instead of having thousands die in battle, he killed a dozen at dinner. Anywho, it’s all done now. Roose will rule as warden of the north until Sansa’s son by Tyrion comes of age, hint hint. Tyrion is appalled—murdering the remainder of her family isn’t exactly a turn on, and he refuses to rape her. Tywin remains unmoved, citing the importance of the family line over personal desires. Tyrion scoffs—it’s all well and good to say that, but when has Tywin actually done anything that wasn’t in his own self interest? Tywin seethes, “the day you were born!” He tells his silenced, unloved son that he wanted to kill the disabled infant off but didn’t—“because you’re a Lannister.” Small words of comfort. In his rooms he runs into Sansa, sitting at the window. She’s obviously heard the news—she turns her stony, tear-stained face to him, and he leaves her alone.
He finds Podrik and challenges him to a sullen drinking contest of sorts. Cersei comes in and sends the young boy away. Her advice is to give Sansa a child—children are a mother’s only source of happiness, she says. Tyrion points out that she’s not very happy; Cersei agrees, but says that her kiddies, “even Joffrey,” are what keeps her from jumping off a tower. They end by ruminating on war—how long does it go on? Seeing that every win incurs more enemies, Cersei suggests “for a very long time.”
Varys goes to talk to Shae, feeling sympathy for her position as a lowborn, un-Westerosi outsider. Shae reminds us of how complicated her situation is; not only does she love Tyrion, but also Sansa. Varys tries to get her to leave, citing that Tyrion is one of the only people out there who is actually good for Westeros, and that she is a “complication.” But Shae refuses to take the money. (I’m just gonna comment about this up here; not only does Varys never show Shae kindness like this, but it’s unlikely, in the books, that he’s so gung ho about Tyrion being “Mr. Right” for Westeros. But it certainly fits with the show’s world building up to this point.)
Jaime and Brienne enter King’s Landing through a front gate. They’re both obviously worse for wear; a passerby tells Jaime, “the country boy,” to get out of the way. The two travelers share a relieved, maybe hopeful smile. Inside the Red Keep, Jaime immediately seeks out his sister. Cersei sits alone, playing with a shell, when he calls her name. The two twins stare at each other—shocked, perhaps mutely overjoyed—and one of them quite obviously missing a hand.
Dragonstone
Davos goes to visit Gendry, who at first is very cynical—Davos is a knight, after all, and Gendry, like all lowborns, is just “a way for [you nobles] to get what you want.” Davos counters with his own low birth, and the two of them play a little “Flea Bottom geography.” Pacified, Gendry explains how he fell into Melissandre’s trap; he’s never been with a woman, and she comes at him with “big words, no clothes.” Davos admits that his opponent does have a way of “getting into men’s heads.”
Later, he receives the Night’s Watch scroll that Sam wrote—he’s reading better, with Shireen’s help (though she suggests that her books are more interesting than the scrolls.) The bells toll, and Davos tells the princess to lock herself inside. Stannis and Mel are in the war room, explaining how Robb is dead. Mel claims no credit; just “her belief has been rewarded.” But now it’s time for Gendry to die for real. :O Davos is appalled—just look what a drop of blood did! Besides, he’s your nephew, Stannis! Stannis is dismissive of his connection to the “bastard” boy, and Mel agrees that with great power comes great sacrifice. (Somehow I doubt Uncle Ben would have advocated for this. :/) So Davos makes up his own mind, and ferries Gendry off of the island. He gives him a boat and some food and water, plus directions on how to get the hell out.
His life now forfeit, he returns to an enraged Stannis and Mel. Davos is at peace with his decision to save an innocent, but Stannis sentences him to death. :/ Before he’s completely dragged away, though, Davos notes that he’s still technically Hand of the King, and ergo has some news for Stannis by way of Sam’s letter. (Stannis is a bit surprised that Davos can read, but the Onion Knight doesn’t mention Shireen.) The Night’s Watch is requesting help for the return of the White Walkers. Mel takes it, and throws it into the fire. She declares that indeed “this war of five kings means nothing” and that the real conflict is in the north. Stannis is sated about his new destiny, but he won’t undo his death sentence…until Mel tells him that Davos has a part to play in upcoming events. :O Stannis chuckles; Davos may hate the Red God, but “you’re in his army now.” Davos suddenly doesn’t look too happy to have his life back.
Yunkai
Daenerys and her mighty crew, including Unsullied and dragons, wait near the entrance of the city for the former slaves to come out. Jorah is optimistic, but Dany is uncertain; “some people learn to love their chains.” But lo and behold the gates open and liberated people start pouring out. They stop near the Mother of Dragons, stopped by the actual dragons and the Unsullied spears. Dany speaks to them in Valyrian, saying that freedom is something that they will have to choose for themselves. After a pause, a child cause out “Mhysa!” and then others slowly follow until it becomes an uneven chant. Missandei explains that this is an old Ghiscari word that means “mother.” Dany tells her guards to stand down; “these people will not harm me.” Her dragons take flight, and she enters the crowd to be hoisted above their heads and passed along. The music is wonderous and hopeful about Dany’s latest humanitarian feat, and the camera pans up, to see her white form amongst a sea of brown bodies, dragons flying over head.
Thoughts
Wow. Yeah, that ending was like biting down into something and getting an unexpected toothache. This season’s had it’s share of problems, but only at the very end did a racist depiction skyrocket to the top of the list. It’s a shame, because most of the rest of the episode (and season) were strong. Then to fade out on such a cringe-worthy note…though I admit, Mhysa might be my favorite of Djawadi’s music.
I’m a little flabbergasted by the gamble the show runners were willing to take on this one; this is likely the most visceral depiction of the white savior stereotype ever. Yes, I know you were shooting in Morocco and most of the extras who answered the casting call were people of color. Frankly, this might have been a good time to use some CGI to introduce some diversity…or maybe just film it on a soundstage in Belfast, or in Croatia. Mainstream media isn’t going to quibble about character and thematic changes the way I do, but they do notice when a blonde woman is crowdsurfing in a sea of worshipful people of color.
All of this being said, and even if the show runners had gone with a more canonically diverse slave pool, this scene in general takes me out of the moment, as it were. At best, Daenerys’s “Alexander the Great” arc, as I call it, is rare enough to be unbelievable—all of the reverence by everyone, calling her “mother,” reaching up to touch her reverently on her horse (at least she’s not crowd surfing in the book.) At worst, it’s boring. None of the other characters are so adored and so over-powerful that their biggest concern is “how do I sack this city?” No, it’s when Dany has to make tough decisions, when her best intentions are fallible and her worst are moral flaws, that she becomes human. And I can buy into (and root for) her story again. With that, I’ll zip my lips on spoilers. :P
On Dragonstone, changes from the source material were pretty minor. This is a great set of scenes in showcasing complexity. Melissandre is a fanatic, but she’ also correct about the true danger coming from the White Walkers. I also really like that Davos owed his life to Mel and her god—also that Stannis took such enjoyment out of it. It’s a great complication for Davos’s character, given all of his own opinions. Liam Cunningham continues to nail it, but kudos to Stephen Dillane and Carice Houter as well. Also nice to see Davos bonding with Shireen and Gendry. Just makes the world, and peoples’ places in them, seem more real.
I mentioned having some quibbles with Sansa and Theon. With Theon, well first we know who his torturer is now, though canonically we’d been aware since book two. :P But what doesn’t work here, again, is the torture. I just don’t buy that Ramsay slapping Theon (who was stubborn to begin with) three times would result in such a defeat. In book five, Theon thinks back on Ramsay’s dehumanizing treatment, which works, in part with some other canonical elements, to make him take on the name of “Reek.” We’re talking months of torture and starvation. Theon’s been through a lot this season, sure, but if he started the day being sure of his identity, he wouldn’t end it by giving it up.
Sansa is more complicated. In the book, Sansa kept a stalwart emotional distance from her husband at all times, but given Tyrion’s whitewashing, plus Sansa being able to prepare, long in advance, for her marriage, it could make sense to me that she’s kind to him. It’s also a very visceral way, in this visual medium, to showcase Sansa’s attitude when she still believes she has a family out there, vs when she knows that she doesn’t. :/ And sadly, that’s all we get with her mourning her mother and brother. Frankly, I ccould’ve done without the Tyrion and Cersei scene. None of it was really new material. I’m really disappointed that Sansa losing her family wasn’t more about Sansa. Badly done, show.
The small council meeting is largely true to form, particularly Joffrey’s outburst and Tywin’s response. In the book, Tywin orders Cersei out as well whereas on the show she goes willingly (choosing Joff over asserting her right to remain with the council; little bit of a character edit.) Tywin’s argument about the Red Wedding is true to form but also disingenuous—most prominently because the majority of Robb’s army was actually slaughtered, not just “a dozen at dinner.” Also, if Tywin truly cared about saving lives, he would have sued for peace. He’s no hero. He has his fans, but nothing in canon or the show has convinced me that he’s anything more than a tyrant. Charles Dance does a great job with him, including another harrowing scene where he lets Tyrion know how little he cares for him personally.
Tyrion refers to forcing Sansa to have sex as “rape,” which he wouldn’t have in the books because Westerosi society has no notion of the category of marital rape. And yet, since Tyrion in the books also refuses to rape her (coded in different language,) this is not a complete whitewashing. I have to respect the show runners for calling rape what it is—sadly, this is not something that all ASOIAF fans respect.
A final note about King’s Landing—someone cued Jaime and Brienne early! :P They arrive on the show earlier than they do in the books, before some key events happen. I won’t spoil, but…I sense the possibility of some ripple effects. :P
Surprises on the Iron Islands as well; we don’t get a scene, in the book, of Balon receiving any package or word from Ramsay (actually, this scene wouldn’t be possible at this time due to spoilery reasons.) And Asha does not mount a rescue mission for Theon at this time (when she does, it’s not for purely altruistic reasons, either.) Obviously, the show runners are trying to build up new story for her, because these next couple of books are where some characters’ arcs get relatively thin. Have to fill in some time! (Personally…I’m kind of a sucker for Asha/Yara wanting to save Theon. At least some siblings do this for each other. :/)
The Jon/Ygritte scene is invented. He’s hit by arrows, possibly hers, but when he’s escaping the wildlings, not after. I rather enjoy this scene, though, because I think it expands Jon’s character and gives Kit Harington more to play with. Jon can be pretty one note, stuck in the emo. :P But now, he painstakingly admits conflicting emotions for the woman he’s grown to love, and his “home” (first time he’s even called it that,) where he’s sworn not to take a lover. And this relationship, much like Shae with Tyrion and Sansa (by the way, I enjoyed her noncanonical chat with Varys, too,) seems more interesting and complex on screen, actually.
In the novel, Sam isn’t there to greet Jon. But he does greet Bran! In fact, he’s more guided to his destination with Bran, unlike the show where it was coincidental. Also, Bran makes him swear not to tell Jon (or anyone) where he’s gone, but since that doesn’t happen on the show it kind of mucks up character expectations for me. :/ But for now, Sam is focused on the White Walkers and the threat they pose; actually, in the book, the Night’s Watch at this time is more concerned with Mance Rayder. Also there’s no concern about Sam being the baby’s father, nor does Gilly name her son. But for the purposes of the show, these scenes worked for me. And I appreciated that Sam might have a greater understanding of the real danger out there. Also nice to see Aemon again!
Bran in the novel understands that Robb is death via Summer feeling Grey Wind’s death. :/ The show has left this vague, but Bran retelling the Rat King story might be a hint that he has some inkling of what happened. Or maybe it’s just there to remind the audience that the Red Wedding is really bad, even in the context of morality on the show. Anywho. Relatively small changes otherwise, and Bran ends season three, like book three, by walking out of Westeros and beyond the wall. Pretty ominous, no? :/ I should zip my lips. :P
The Roose/Walder stuff is rather perfunctory. It’s worth noting that the Blackfish survived in the books because he (along with Robb’s wife) stayed behind at Riverrun. In fact he’s not missing at this point in the novels. But it makes sense for the show to make him a refugee at this point. Other than that, Roose and Walder were relatively perfunctory.
Speaking of refugees, I’ll end with Arya. Witnessing her brother’s corpse being paraded around sort of replaced one of the most harrowing scenes in the books—where she saw her mother’s body through Nymeria’s eyes. (Too complicated for the show to explain at this point, if they will even go there at all.) Very effective, and heartbreaking.
The scene where she brutally stabs the Frey men replaces a scene in the novel where she stabs the Tickler (already dead.) Her reasons in the book are not so tied directly to family, but is obviously the result of post-traumatic stress. It’s also not the first time she’s killed a man in the novels (in both books and adaptation she killed the stableboy.) Her murderous journey is less far along, but her psychological one seems about on par with the books. Maisie does an amazing job playing this shattered little girl.
She recalls the end of last season at the end of her scenes in this one, by picking up the coin Jaqen gave her and uttering the words for All Men Must Die: “Valar Morghulis.” Sounds foreshadowing, no? :P You only have to watch the second season four trailer to realize that yes, indeed they are. The Starks, which were more or less our primary family for three seasons, are pretty decimated. War tends to have that effect on lots of seemingly strong families, so maybe some others should watch their backs…yes yes. One of the constants of “Game of Thrones” is the inconstancies that the characters face. You can be down on your luck and then up again—or vice versa.
There is one constant, perhaps—the magical menace to the north. I’m enjoying how the show is slowly hinting at their growing importance. This season they terrorized most of the Night’s Watch—and now Stannis and co are heading there. Will we see this “battle in the snow” that Stannis talked about? Stay tuned for next year’s reviews, and beyond!
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