The mountain stomps on the viper in a trying trial by combat which defies belief.
1. Sansa Stark reveals her true self.. I didn’t think she had it in her but Sansa Stark has begun to play the game. After her ordeal in King’s Landing I would be surprised if she hadn’t learned a few tricks but the dots seem to have been connected all at once this episode. Emerging for the tour of the veil in dark colours looking very much like her mother, not so much in dress but in the way she carries herself, Sansa has made a physical transformation from girl to woman. Watch out Westeros, there is a new player in the game.
2. The massacre at Molestown.. The marauding Wildlings strike again! Lucky for Gilly she was found by Ygritte, who decided to spare her and young Sam.
3. Theon takes on a new role in the Bolton scheme.. Reek…ahem Theon has been put into the field as a bargaining chip. Sent to convince his fellow Iron born to surrender only to then be flayed, Theon is now ever more valuable to crazy Ramsay, who by the way is no longer a bastard. Why the hell couldn’t Ned Stark be so forthcoming for Jon Snow!
4. Daenerys banishes Sir Jorah.. Whoah Danny is angry this week. To be fair though, Jorah spying was an unbelievable breach of trust considering his close relationship with the Mother of Dragons. Their whole friendship crumbled before her and you could see the doubt in her eyes. How much of his kindness was just to gain her confidence? Where was the line between friend and spy drawn? Sad, but totally understandable that he had to go.
5. Greyworm is horny.. Seems Greyworm has the hots for Missandei! Watch this space. There has to be more coming with this plot line.
6. Arya arrives in the veil.. Poor Arya or should I say poor Arya’s relatives. Everywhere the Hound takes her for ransom her relatives happen to die. Sucks to be Arya right now. She found it so unbelievable that she laughed hysterically. Hopefully Baelish and Sansa will pick her up.
7. Trial by combat.. Now we all know there are two kinds of logic in books and television. There is narrative logic, whereby good triumphs over evil 99.9% of the time and evil characters do not excel in the world. Then there is Martin logic where good characters continue to be set back and questionable characters excel and conquer. MAJOR SPOILER ALERT. I have to admit, I thought this would be one of those occasions where the constant battle between these two forms of logic would be won by narrative logic. I should have known, things are never so easy in Westeros. I cannot believe Oberyn Martell was killed, sending Tyrion to the execution block and leaving minimal hope of revenge for Elia and her children. This is the Red Wedding of the fourth season; one major character has had his eyes gouged out and another lined up for execution. Poor Tyrion, he just can’t catch a break.
Conclusions.. This was one hell of an episode. The mountain and the viper indeed. The mountain sure did stomp the viper. This was clearly an episode of endings. Jorah and Daenerys are no longer friends. It seems the journey of Arya and the Hound has come to a close. Sansa Stark is no longer in hiding. The Wildling army is closing in on the wall. Just when you think a character is safe George Martin makes you think again!
Check out what’s in store next week:
-JoelE
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