It was Renoir who said, "the pain passes, but the beauty remains." Renoir obviously had never seen an episode of Game of Thrones. And though I believe George R.R. Martin had released at least the first book during Renoir's life time, sadly, we have no proof that he read that either. If the last season of Thrones was largely about villains starting to get their comeuappance whether it be by wine or crossbow bolt on the privy then you might hope as a viewer that this season would start to be about redemption for the Stark clan. However, this episode through some shade on the idea that Arya and Sansa 2.0 were going to have an easy road to redemption. (This is only partially true of Jon Snow, who has such beautiful hair from the first episode that we knew things were going to turn out okay).
Though the first two episodes were good this was the first episode where I started to feel at home again, and I realized it was because this was an episode about the Starks. It's a testament to Eddard Stark that his ghost and legacy still haunt the show. Whether it's one of his former banner men being flayed by good old Ramsey Bolton, or his daughter coming home to roost in Winterfell, the episode felt full of the legacy of Eddard Stark, and I haven't even gotten to Jon Snow, who's beautiful hair is the real hero of this show.
The episode begins with the trials and tribulations of Cersei. Though she's been promised that she'll be replaced by a younger and more beautiful woman the replacement happens quickly as Tommen and Margery are wed within the first five minutes. From there Margery begins to work her uh, magic on Tommen, subtly pushing Cersei out the door. Despite knowing that she'll be replaced, Cersei, ever the grasper, isn't going without a fight. She aligns herself with religious fanatics known as the sparrows. A wise move reminiscent of the classical power moves that played throughout Europe for hundreds of years. Guess who found religion? The woman who was about to lose all her power. (A special thanks to the GOT staff for inserting a random scene of many naked bodies. Why else would people tune in week to week? For character development and plot?)
The power struggle between Margery and Cersei is more complicated than first blush would have us believe. It is GOT after all. Cersei sends a raven to Littlefinger, who is busy marrying Sansa off to the Bolton's, and Littlefinger says that the new queen loves Sansa. Littlefinger knows that his switching of allegiances is a risk, (a risk that seems even more steep when Stannis Baratheon is about to descend on the North) but it also seems like a risk to assume that Margery's love of anyone will stop her from consolidating power. She's no Olenna for witticisms, but she's certainly as power hungry as Cersei, but she uses honey where Cersei uses wine.
People who have both read the books and watched the show have cataloged the ways in which Brienne's story in the books has been like watching grass grow only slightly less interesting. This episode gives us a glimpse into her past and her allegiance to Renly Baratheon. It was kind of like the ball in Cinderella if the prince had wound up fancying men and the girl had been the least pretty girl in the room, so pretty much like Cinderella. Podrick gets a brief back story, yet another reminder of Tywin's kindness.
Here's where things get knotty. Or rather, they are always knotty on GOT. Brienne wants to kill Stannis, who wants to kill Roose Bolton, who has now married his son to Sansa, who Brienne wants to protect, Cersei thinks she is in league with Littlefinger and theoretically with the Bolton's, and Littlefinger is now in league with the Bolton's instead. It appears that everyone is headed for disappointment.
But not quite the disappointment of Sansa Stark, who is being wed to Ramsey Bolton. Ramsey, who yes spent a season torturing poor Theon, but who also, let's be honest, looks almost exactly like a hobbit. I keep waiting for him to ask about Levensees or to complain about his big feet on the long walk. Someone needs to give that actor a haircut or a part in the 85 part Simillarion that Peter Jackson is directing. This particular choice doesn't exactly have the ring of truth. It seems unlikely that Sansa would be willing to commit herself to marriage, even with vague promises of revenge from Littlefinger. I'm not entirely sure what she's going to do in the home of a bunch of sado-masochists. Even Sansa 2.0 feels a bit overmatched. Though we did have that lovely moment of the servant saying, "Welcome home. The North remembers." And Sansa gazing around her childhood home now turned into something else. It's heartbreaking.
Meanwhile, Arya is sweeping floors and exchanging slaps in the House of Black and White. It turns out that a man is interesting when he's silently assassinating everyone with his roguish good looks, but less charming when he's washing dead bodies to inhabit them like a ghoul. It seems like her training is going to move quickly, which is good because it's not particularly interesting. It turns out that sword fighting and exchanging pithy quotes is more exciting than sweeping floors in silence. Who knew? Of course, Arya also had her come to Stark moment, shedding herself of her sword and her belongings. If Sansa if finally coming home to exact revenge, Arya is leaving hers behind in an effort to accomplish the same. It was moving to watch her drop needle into the River Styxx and reenter the death house.
There's a brief visit to see what Tyrion and Varus are up to. And wouldn't you know it, the two of them wind up in the same whore house as our old friend Ser Jorah. I'm happy to see him back on the show after he was pushed out of the scene by younger women on Downton Abbey and GOT. Now he does the only thing you can do to get yourself back into the good graces of a woman: by kidnapping someone and binding them with rope.
Of the Starks in this episode only one seemed to follow the hero's journey.((Props again to Kit Harrington for turning in his best acting performance as the role has grown) This usually ends in death in GOT, but at least he's had five good seasons! Jon Snow turns down the offer to be made into a Stark and then sets about ruling his men after a charming chat with one of my favorites, the Onion Knight. The Onion Knight tells Jon that Stannis sees something in Jon and warns him that leaving the Bolton's as commanders of the north is also not protecting the people. How is Jon supposed to keep the wall safe from ice zombies and march south on the Bolton's? I'm not sure. But I am sure that we are to feel the echoes of the very first episode when Jon lops Lord Janus's head off in a cloak that mirrors Ned's in the first season. As the first real moment on the show, it's easy to see and feel the resonances as Jon pronounces his sentence and then carries it out with aplomb. There is no time for mercy to the weak. Perhaps he will succeed where Lord Stark failed? We can only hope...and then watch him get roasted by dragons or something.
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