Grrrrrr…. That’s how I feel right about now, after watching this episode for the fifth time in three days. I’ll probably watch it a sixth, a seventh. Heck an eighth even because I am so addicted to this show and I often have to watch it several times before I am able to do my recap of it. With this episode there is only one thing left to say I WANT SOME ACTION. Bring on the blood and gore and fire spitting dragons. I want it all and I want it NOW! I want an EPIC finale and I pray to all the gods that it will be, all roads lead to it, all signs are pointing to this. All season long the producers and writers have teased us with bits and pieces of action to make us restless, itching for more but I am ready for a bloody, and I mean that literally, scene.
Who would’ve thought it possible that Sam would give us the single most memorable moment in this episode? Simple Sam whom I’ve often scorned. I am not worthy Master Sam. *bows*
Let’s take it from the top, Arya is heading home and the Westeros gods be praised. I knew I could trust the Hound, even if he is doing it for the reward he still has intentions of taking her home and that counts for something. I now have to say seven Hail Mary’s for their safe journey.
Melisandre has put her plan for Gendry in motion, after seducing him with fine wine and a three second totally awkward romp, she sets to work, tying him to the bed and using her leaches to suck his blood. Apparently, being the bastard of Robert Baratheon has its perks, “there is power in the blood of the king” err…more like gallons of wine. Gendry is being used to cast some sort of dark magic against Joffrey, Robb Stark and Balon Greyjoy, who I’m not sure how he ties into their little web of witchcraft. Stannis is a man who doesn’t give much thought to anything as long as he is guaranteed results but somewhere at the back of his mind, using Gendry in this way feels a little cheap, otherwise he wouldn’t have sought Davos’ councel in a round about way. Davos speaks his mind. Stannis releases Davos on his word that he will not try to kill Melisandre again, he swears this but makes no promise to hide his disregards for her. Not even a threat to his life from Stannis will hold his tongue. In this scene it almost feels as if Stannis wants Davos on his side but the old man is not a believer in his dark magic.
Stannis strikes as someone who doesn’t know exactly what to do, considering his wife had three still-born sons and a daughter with deformities, his action speaks of a man desperately mad at times and here comes Melisandre the shadow baby crapping goddess in red, with her powerful Lord who resurrects the dead… Stannis makes a good case for a desperate man who’ll stop at nothing to get what he thinks is rightfully his. Even if it costs him, his life.
Tyrion and Sansa tie the knot and we watched with heavy sadness for Sansa. Kudos to Sophie Turner, she plays this character so splendidly and is able to move the audience one way or another. We are either hating her, loving her or feeling sorry for her. We felt more love and sorrow for her in this episode. And Tyrion proves once again why he is the most honourable of the Lannisters. The scene at the wedding when he threatens to castrate Joffrey is just too good for words and the little bastard is incensed by it. On their wedding night Tyrion refuses to consummate his marriage to Sansa for two reasons;
1) He knows what hell she has been living in since her arrival at King’s Landing. He is one of the few that has looked out for her without any ulterior motives, possibly because he believes her family to be honourable and by looking out for her he is buying his family a modicum of reprieve because when the time comes, they will need it.
2) He loves Shae and by not sleeping with Sansa he makes a solemn promise to her. That look between them when Shae serves breakfast, and discovers they didn’t have sex, like “yeah boo I got chu” is so sweet.
Lady Olenna, God bless her! The smirk on her face when Tywin has to step in to caution Joffrey after Tyrion’s outburst is just everything. Her anaylsis of the family tree of the Lannisters and Tyrells in the wake of the wedding mergers is just absolutely brilliant. “but your brother will become your father-in-law, that much is beyond dispute…”
Those bastard Lannisters!! Besides Tyrion of course. Joffrey is a snivelling little bastard who manages to make everyone loathe him even more with every fibre of their being. Jack Gleeson is a fantastic actor I’ll give him that, but I don’t know that I wont slap him if I ever do meet him, for playing such a character so damn well to evoke such strong emotions of hate from the audience. There isn’t a person alive who likes Joffrey. His behaviour at Tyrion and Sansa’s wedding is appalling and pure evil and worse, Tywin let this happen. He could have put a stop to it but something tells me Tyrion’s discomfort gives Tywin glee, even if he doesn’t want anyone else laughing at his son, it gives him great pleasure to see him squirm.
Oh Sis Cersei, I don’t know what you mean but coming at Marge in that way. Cersei doesn’t take too kindly to being called “sister” by Lady Margaery and goes on to recount the story behind the song “The Rain of Castamere”, about a wealthy family, House Reyne, at one time the second wealthiest family in Westeros, slaughtered by the Lannisters when they tried to rebel against them. The Tyrells only happen to be the second wealthiest family… If she thinks this story would scare Marge, she has another thing coming; the Lady does not scare easy. Margaery will dine with the devil for however long if she knows she’ll get what she wants in the end so I’d be more careful Cersei she’s going to be your daughter-in-law.
Speaking of dear Cers I’m staying to tire of her one dimension. Something needs to be done with her character and fast.
Ooooh Dany may be getting some sexy time of her own with Daario; Dany and Daario sitting in a tree, K. I. S. S. I. N. G…no? Daario, of the Second Sons, who swears his allegiance to her by bringing the heads of his two brothers to her. Of course this is all kinds of trouble, you cannot trust a man who kills his brothers so easily for a stranger, even if she is the mother of dragons and a beautiful woman. The Second Sons have sworn their allegiance to the Yunkai which makes their word bond, breaking it in this way will only cause more harm than good. Besides he’s far too slick. Nonetheless, he is a nice addition to Dany’s story, which was becoming too formulaic. There’s only so much fire spitting dragon action scenes we can take. I hope she doesn’t get all googly-eyed weak kneed for him, because that would just suck so much. She does need some sort of ease to all that tension being mother of dragons can bring. If you know what I mean…
And then there’s Sam; the White Walker Slayer. I was happy not to see him on my screen this entire episode and was about to look away when he and Gilly came on because I find him rather annoying a character, with his simple minded clumsiness. But all that changed when I saw the murder of crows gather, cawing incessantly. Crows are bad omen. This was the perfect way to end this episode, Sam the unlikely hero who kills the White Walker with his dragon glass spear. Until of course he drops the spear on the ground. Sam, Sam, Sam. You idiot!
Still, this throws on a different spin on things and who knows where they’ll take it next.
All in all this was not a bad episode, it wasn’t anything fantastical but it was excellent story telling and little distractions. There is something simmering beneath the surface, coming to a boil and we can just feel it. Like a game of chess, patience will be rewarded I feel it. Don’t you? Only trouble is we have to wait another two weeks because of memorial day weekend…honestly, as if this making me wait eight days is not bad enough, TWO WHOLE WEEKS. Oh and here’s a teaser of what’s to come.