Spoiler Alert! My brother and his wife are visiting from the
Netherlands this week. We were discussing GOT and trying to deduce if they were
“caught up.” Unfortunately, my brother disclosed key dialogue and plot points
of this episode! As one of those annoying book readers, I wasn’t too concerned
with this in the past but now the series is taking its own path. I’m looking
forward to being as surprised as a non-reader.
Please be warned, if you haven’t seen the episode don’t read this yet.
The episode begins on the shore with Ser Jorah Mormont busy
securing a fishing boat to transport the still bound and gagged Tyrion. On
another boat, Jaime and Bronn sail to Dorne. Jaime inquires which island they
are sailing passed and is told it’s Tarth. (Hopefully he’s thinking of
Brienne.) Below deck, Bronn voices concerns over the plan to rescue his “niece”
Mycella. He wonders why Jaime, who could
easily have raised an army to kidnap her, has decided to go with just him. Jaime can’t reveal the true reason so simply
says, “It has to me.” Bronn observes
Jaime must have been the one who released his brother. Jaime reveals it was Varys, and if he sees Tyrion
again he will kill him for patricide. (It’s a little surprising, since there
was no love lost between Jaime and his father.)
Cersei sits with the small counsel discussing the crown’s
debts to the Iron Bank. Mace Tyrell is now the “Master of Coin” and Cersei
offers to send him to negotiate a debt plan. (Also Cersei is trying to punish
Margery by sending her father away.) Cersei also offers Tyrell Ser Myryn to
escort him to Braavos. Pyrcelle
observes, “The small counsel grows even smaller.” (Meaning there are less
people for Cersei to work at manipulating.)
Cersei’s next visit is with the High Sparrow. She encourages
reforming the militant branch of the faith. (A Knights Templar type army?)
Cersei states the High Sparrow, “the chosen” one, should lead them. H.S.
replies all sinners are equal. Cersei purrs, “I know a great sinner.”
A band of black robed monks run through the streets and
brothels terrorizing “sinners.” The warriors in this religious army are marked
with a seven-pointed star cut into their foreheads. Lancel approaches Loras and
they arrest him. Littlefinger’s brothel is raided and homosexual men are
separated for a special torture. Olyvar flees, leaving his employees to death
or permanent maiming.
Margery storms into Tommen’s room demanding he release her
brother at once. Tommen is surprised and promises to confront his mother about
the situation. Cersei denies any direct part in the arrest of Ser Loras. She
chides her son, “You’re the King, talk to the High Sparrow yourself!” Cersei is
also punishing her son for trying to send her away to Casterly Rock. This
action will also kill any newfound happiness Tommen is enjoying with Margery.
Tommen travels alone to the Sept. Religious guards block his entry, reporting
the High Sparrow is busy praying. The King’s Guard encourages the King to force
their way through the monks, but Tommen is no Joffery. Tommen demurs and leaves
saying, “I’ll find another way.” Returning without success does not go over
well with Margery. Tommen’s vague answers stoke her anger further.
At Castle Black, Queen Salsye speaks with Stannis as he
observes Jon Snow. The queen sighs, “I should have given you a son. Not a
daughter who is deformed.” Melisandre interrupts, “Scars mean nothing to the
Lord of Light.” The queen leaves. Melisandre continues to Stannis, “You should
have put your faith in me, not Ser Davos.” (Referring to his plan to leave soon
for the North.) “What do you need?” replies Stannis prickling. “I need to serve
my Lord.” Melisandre replies.
Jon Snow sits at his desk working, writing letters to Lords
asking for them to send recruits to Castle Black. Sam suggests he include Lord
Bolton and Jon bristles. “He murdered my
brother!” Sam reasons he’s the Warden of the North and they can’t afford to
ignore him. Melisandre enters and Sam quickly exits.
“Come with us to Winterfell, help us chase the rats out.”
Melisandre suggests. Jon recalls his Night’s Watch vows and says he can’t take
part in the King’s war. She offers, “There are not wars but the war between
light and dark. Let me show you what you’re fighting for.” She opens her gown
to reveal nothing underneath. She takes Jon’s hand to her breast and coos, “The
Lord of Light makes us male and female. There is power in life and shadows.”
Jon tries to control himself, “I swore a vow. I loved another and love her
still.” Melisandre closes her dress and before departing says, “You know
nothing, Jon Snow!” Is Melisandre able to communicate or see Ygritte, or did
she learn of the words some other way? Either way, she has succeeded in
rattling the Lord Commander.
Stannis broods in another part of Castle Black. His young
daughter Shireen interrupts him, complaining of boredom. Stannis snaps back, “My father used to say
being bored was due to a lack of inner resources.” Shireen cleverly replies, “So you were bored
a lot too?” Stannis wonders if he should have brought her with him. Shireen
says she’s happy to come but wonders if her father is ashamed of her. Stannis
tells her of when she was an infant and a Dornish man presented him with a doll
as a gift for her. By the time he realized it was a trick, she had already
pressed it against her cheek and contracted the Greyscale. He explains some advised him to send his
daughter away but he refused and instead sought maesters from all over the
kingdom to help her. They succeeded in saving her life. Stannis states, “You
are the Princess and you are my daughter.” It’s a touching moment and deep in
his heart Stannis is a good person who cares for his family. He would make a
good King but not a popular one. (Al Gore?!)
Sansa is visiting the crypts under Winterfell. She lights a
candle at the marker of her aunt Lyansa Stark. Littlefinger enters. He tells
her the story of how Rhaegar presented her and not his wife with a crown of
winter roses after winning a joust. Sansa scoffs, “Then he kidnapped and raped
her.” (Did he? It wasn’t clear in the books. It seemed they loved each other and had Jon as
the result, but Lyansa died giving birth.) Littlefinger reports he’s leaving
for King’s Landing at Cersei’s request. Sansa
is disgusted but Littlefinger explains, “We can’t arouse her suspicion.”
Littlefinger tells her Stannis is on his way to Winterfell. Sansa wonders if he can defeat the Bolton’s.
Littlefinger seems confident he can. He
wishes her “luck” with her marriage to Ramsey and cautions her about Roose. (If
he only knew the son is so much worse then the father.) He advises her to use
her feminine power to control him, and he knows she’ll succeed because she
“learned from the best.” He leaves her saying, “The North will be yours.”
Bronn and Jaime arrive on the sandy shores of Dorne. Jaime
is awakened Bronn standing over him with a blade. Then he sees Bronn swiftly
killing a snake at Jaime’s side. They
have snake for breakfast. (Wonder if it taste like chicken!) This begins a
discussion between the men of places and ways to die. Jaime is surprised Bronn
wants to die “a fat Lord with my sons arguing over my fortune.” Bronn explains
he’s had an exciting life, so he’d like a boring death. Jaime’s wish is more universal, “To die in the
arms of the woman he loves.” Jaime of course can’t say whom he loves.
Dornish soldiers approach, ending the men’s breakfast. Bronn
figures he can take four and Jaime thinks he could take one slow one. The conversation
begins friendly but quickly turns deadly. Bronn takes four of them but leaves
one man for Jaime. Jaime nearly is overcome by the soldier but is saved by his
golden hand, which he uses to stop the man’s sword. After the melee, Jaime suggests they bury the
men or it will arouse suspicion. Bronn will have to dig.
Elia Sand speaks to her daughters, aka the Sand Snakes. They
are riled that Prince Doran will do nothing to avenge the life of their father,
the Red Viper. Obara uncovers the exposed head of the ship’s captain, whom they have buried in the sand and placed
scorpions around. He has already revealed he brought Jaime Lannister to Dorne.
Obara fiercely declares her willingness to avenge her father through violence.
Tyrion is loudly humming though his gag. Jorah finally
relents and releases it. Tyrion wastes
no time requesting wine and telling his captor they are headed the wrong
direction. Jorah reveals he’s not taking
him to Cersei in Westeros, but to Khalesi in Myreen. Tyrion laughs and says that’s where he was
going himself, and he’s saved him a trip. Tyrion tries to puzzle out his captor’s
identity, observing he is a Lord and has been exiled. He guesses he’s Jorah Mormont and he’s been
caught spying, and is hoping to win back Khalesi by offering Tyrion as a gift.
Jorah, tired of this talk, hits Tyrion.
Danny stares out at the city she is trying to tame. Ser
Barrister joins her and speaks fondly of her brother Rhaegar. He tells her how he used to disguise himself
as a minstrel and sing in the streets, and collect money. Danny never knew her
brother and is always hungry to hear stories of him. Danny is needed to speak to Hizdahr zo Loque
about the ongoing issue with the fighting pits.
Ser Barrister leaves to patrol the streets. Danny says wistfully, “sing
a song for me.”
Hizdarh states, “Today is the traditional opening day for
the fighting pits. Without traditions there is nothing to unite the servants
with their masters.” Khalesi denies his
request. (At her peril, as we soon learn.)
In the streets, the Sons of the Harpy are terrorizing the
locals. The Unsulllied are directed, by the same prostitute who assisted in the
murder in episode one, to follow the Sons down a narrow alleyway. Soon, the
Unsullied are ambushed and Grey Worm is in the middle of the melee. He is
wounded and then Ser Barrister joins the fight. But, there are too many Sons
even for these seasoned fighters and they fall to die side by side.
Khalesi may need Jorah at her side yet. There are few people
to assist her besides the mercenary armies she’s bought. True loyalty is much
harder to find. What will she make of Tyrion? Where is Varys, still at the
brothel? In the North will there be another unhappy wedding for Sansa? Will
Theon be able to help her defeat the Boltons? So many questions, but I’ll wait
for next week. (Unlike some of you pirates!)
No comments:
Post a Comment