Rain Varela
Staff Writer
This week’s Game of Thrones offers up a larger departure from the books than previous episodes before. Putting the series on a path, that may offer up surprises to the readers, who let’s face it, have been poker-faced with much of the show’s most shocking episodes. Whether this will be a good thing remains to be seen, but then Game of Thrones has never failed to please the fans, whether they have or have not read the books.
The latest episode opens up in the outskirts of Mereen in the Army camp of Daenerys, where Missandei and Greyworm are having a few lessons in language. There seems to be a form of romantic tension between the two when they are discussing their past, but that may prove difficult knowing that Greyworm is a eunuch. Whatever it is going between those two were interrupted by the entrance of Daenerys, who after a bit of chinwag with her two faithful servants, promptly tells Greyworm that it is time. The scene then cuts to the walls of Mereen, as Greyworm leads an army of Unsullied in the dead of the night. They infiltrate the city using a secret entrance.
Inside, a group of slaves are having a discussion on whether they should heed the call of Daenerys and rebel. Many are afraid and voice their concerns. This concerns are silenced with the arrival of Greyworm, who gives the slave motivation, and weapons to back it all up.
On the streets of Meereen, A slave master walks with two armed guards, when he encounters a wall plastered with ominous writings. The message is simple ‘Kill the masters’. Then one of the guards points towards the great pyramid of Mereen. On top, the golden harpy, which is the symbol of the city, has been draped by a black flag emblazoned with a red dragon with three heads, the banner of House Targaryen, the banner of Daenerys. And as if on cue, a mob of slaves, converge on the streets, killing the master.
Daenerys enters the city during the day. Without missing a beat, her first act as the city’s new Queen is to nail 163 masters to the cross. In retribution for the 163 slaves who were crucified along the road she took to Mereen. The scene is then cut to her atop a balcony on the great pyramid, looking down upon her domain.
Far away to the west in King’s Landing, Jamie is still training with Tyrion’s henchman Bronn, he gets a sound beating as he makes little improvement. After the tussle Bronn asks him, why he hasn’t yet seen his brother. A discussion ensues, and Jamie ends up going to Tyrion. In the dungeon, the brothers have a talk of their own, it bears little fruit though as Jamie is still powerless to do anything.
Meanwhile in the sea aboard a ship. Lord Baelish reveals to Sansa that he is taking her to the Vale to her Aunt Lysa, the same destination Arya is going. He also implies that he may have something to do with Joffrey’s death with a little help from a powerful family close to the throne.
We are then taken to King’s Landing, in the gardens of the Red Keep. Where Lady Oleyna is once again speaking with her grand-daughter Margaery, it is there that Oleyna confirms to Margaery that yes she also had something to do with Joffrey’s death. She then gives her advice on how to keep the new king and her intended husband Tommen close to her.
Far to the north, in the Wall. Jon Snow is seen doing his best to train the new recruits. But as usual he is scorned by the acting commander Ser Alisser Thorne who tells him to stop. Jon Snow moves away, but Ser Janos Slynt notes his popularity among the brothers so he advises Ser Alisser Thorne that maybe it may be wise to send Jon Snow to Craster’s Keep to apprehend the mutineers as he had requested. Meanwhile the man who was sent to kill Jon Snow and is disguised as recruit introduces himself to Jon as Locke.
Back on King’s landing, Jamie goes on to speak with his sister Cersei, but as usual after the death of her son and that love scene besides his grave . She is nothing but stone and is dismissal of Jamie. In the King’s chamber, the new young ruler of the seven kingdoms has trouble sleeping. Well maybe it has something to do with the fact that it was formerly occupied by his now dead sadistic older brother. Tommen then senses someone’s entrance, he is alarmed but relaxes when he sees that it is just Margaery. She proceeds to charm him, not with seduction, but with a certain maternal flair. She tells him to keep their meeting a secret, and kisses him on the forehead. She then leaves and he proceeds to sleep with ease.
In the tower of the King’s Guard. Breanne meets with Jamie, he presents her with the Valyrian blade his father gave to him and tells her that since this sword was forged from Ned Stark’s sword, that it should be used to protect Ned Stark’s daughters. He then bids Breanne to search for Sansa and Arya and use the blade to protect them. He gives her the sword and a new suit of armour. The scene then cuts outside where Jamie offers the service of Podrick Payne to Breanne as her squire. At first she is hesitant but Jamie convinces her. Bronn then gives Podrick an axe which Tyrion had used in the Battle of Blackwater Bay. Jamie then turns to Breanne and asks her what name she wishes to give her new sword. Breanne replies ‘Oathkeeper’. She and Podrick then leaves for their mission as Jamie watched on.
Back in Castle Black. Sam and Jon are having a discussion in the library of the Night’s watch. Jon seems keen on finding his brother Bran who is now north of the wall as revealed by Sam. But their talk is interrupted by Locke who tells Jon that he is being summoned by the acting commander. Jon reports to Ser Alliser Thorne, and he is told that he is being granted permission to journey to Craster’s Keep to face the mutineers, but only with volunteers, no one is to be commanded to go. Jon then asks for anyone to join him, not surprisingly his friends volunteers, but also Locke. Being a recruit he asks dispensation to take the oath so he could go, Ser Thorne grants the request.
In Craster’s keep, the mutineers are having a party. All things go still when one woman reveals a baby boy is born. A son of Craster, the women tell the leader of the mutineers that baby boys are sacrificed to the gods or as the mutineers guess; the white walkers. The baby is taken outside and left in the snow, one mutineer then proceeds to taunt Ghost, Jon Snow’s dire wolf who is now in a cage. The air then starts to chill in a supernatural way, prompting the mutineer to run as this signals the arrival of a white walker. The baby then cries into the cold air. A cry that is heard nearby where coincidentally, Bran Stark, Meera and Jojen Reed together with Hodor are encamped. Bran wargs into his dire wolf Summer to investigate. As the dire wolf scampers, he encounters Ghost in a cage, but is soon knocked cold. Bran awakens and tells everyone that Summer may have been captured and that he saw his brother’s dire wolf. They proceed to investigate Craster’s Keep, but is discovered and captured by the mutineers. When they are being questioned by the leader, Bran’s identity is revealed.
Somewhere in the far north, a lone white walker carries the baby with him. He stops at a circle of standing pillars of ice. And he lays the baby at the very centre where there is, what appears to be an altar of ice. He then moves away. In the horizon there is a crowd of white walkers one of them moves toward the circle. He takes the baby, and with his finger touches its cheeks. The eyes of the baby then turns frozen, like shattered ice, similar to the eyes of the white walkers.
So what do you think? Will Daenerys make a good Queen? Will Jon Snow rescue his brother in Craster’s Keep? And what exactly did the white walker do to the baby? This is something not in the books, so what sort of sorcery is it?
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