The forces vying for control of the Seven Kingdoms continue to push and prod each other with new and dangerous results.
What They Say:
The Old Gods and the New – Arya gets a surprise visitor; Daenerys takes a stand for what she believes is rightfully hers; Joffrey meets his subjects; Jon must prove his mettle to Qhorin.
The Review:
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers)
With the first half of the season largely meant to be setup, events are now starting to move forth more now in the second half now. It’s made pretty plain at the start with Theon arriving and taking over Winterfell, with some sort of weird sense of pomp to it. What makes it odd is that he does this with the bedridden Bran who still views Theon as being with Robb. Theon’s in an odd situa-tion to be sure after what happened with his father and sister, but Bran is seeking advantage with it even at his young age and knows just how to tweak him. Bran’s giving up of Winterfell almost has a sense of humor about it, especially since most of the people seem to not really believe it. At least until things start to get a little more violent towards them.
But there’s darkness here as well, things that are definitely challenging Theon’s position with those of Winterfell and those from Pyke who have come with him. Rodrick’s simple move of dis-respect has put him in a tight spot that he can’t find a ay out of and has to go down the path that bites back hard against those that he lived with for years and was essentially raised and trained by. Watching how Theon had to pivot so hard from when he forced Bran to give hand of Winterfell to cutting the blade deep and hard through his own past, severing not only a head but also his real connection to Winterfell, you can see the madness in his eyes.
One of the sequences that had me grinning from start to finish is when Baelish arrives at the Lannister headquarters and in a very private meeting, Arya is kept there to keep serving while trying to stand just outside of Baelish’s view so that he doesn’t realize who she is. It’s a sequence that’s both wonderfully tense and almost comical in nature, especially as her master watches on with such a small but great little grin. There’s a good deal of nuance and information that comes through here as Baelish reveals parts of what’s gone on back at King’s Landing as well as with Renly while also talking of ways to gain some allegiances elsewhere for the time being, saving revenge for slights after the war is won.
A good bit of time is spent with those in the North as well as Jon is along with Qhorin and a few others to deal with the Wildlings. There is a continued reinforcement about how important it is to be part of the Watch but also to accept that there is nothing that will ever be known about their work and sacrifices. When they actually do deal with the group that was discovered, Jon ends up saving a wildling woman named Egrit that he can’t bring himself to kill. This puts him on a very different path that’s open to a lot of potential.
The events in King’s Landing are really starting to boil over as well, now that Cersei’s daughter has been sent off and the people within the city have started to reach their limit when they see Joffrey walking through it afterward. It devolves to such chaos so quickly, especially with how Joffrey just makes it worse in quick fashion, enough so that Tyrion really takes at him when they’re safe for the moment. The one in most danger as it progresses though is Sansa and that’s something that Tyrion really understands as being a bigger problem than Joffrey can even grasp. Tyrion has the grasp of events but sometimes there’s little he can do when such strong, idiotic forces are at work like his King.
In Summary:
This episode has the feeling that events are picking up, even with some of the quieter moments that exist. There’s a growing unease about things, movements of various forces in small ways but also some significant changes as well, such as with Winterfell and what unfolds there. The subtle moments are great, with Arya and Tywin, especially when Baelish arrives but also elsewhere. Jon’s time in the North continues to move in intriguing directions while Theon himself is showing that his rule of Winterfell is going to be a chaotic period no matter what. There’s a lot to like about this episode and it feels like it’s doing more than just moving the pieces around the board but rather forward. The best seems to continue to be with Tyrion though, not a bad thing this season in the slightest, and seeing how he handles Joffrey and the way that King’s Landing is boiling over with anger and violence is a thing of beauty. Add in the way things reveal themselves near the end here with Winterfell and Bran and you’re left with a big grin and a new appraisal of all the Stark children.
Grade: B+
