What binds people together? Simple words? Are oaths only words, or do they carry special meaning that help define who we are? What happens when those oaths unravel?
Enjoy the viewpoints of three fans from very different perspectives: Laura Fletcher, a casual fan of the TV and book series; Corrin Bennett-Kill, a hardcore fan of the book and television series (she has read all the books four times!); and Cheryl Collins, a television show watcher who has never read the book series.
Please join the discussion in comments!
Cheryl Collins
So, have we recovered from last week?
I felt like this was a slower-paced episode that was setting the pieces in place for later developments — wait, am I back in Season 3?
Corrin Bennett-Kill
Well, a lot to talk about. It certainly was a mid-season type episode we have come to know and … love? Loathe?
Cheryl
Maybe a necessary catchup after all the drama in King’s Landing.
We started in the warmest clime, at Meeren, with fire — the opening shot was of flames — and over the course of the episode traveled north until we ended with, um, ice. What about what was happening in Meereen?
Does anyone really care about Dany yet?
Laura Fletcher
Maybe I’m reading into it, but Meereen seems like the first time Dany’s crew has had to persuade the slaves into revolting. They had reasonable concerns, mainly allayed by Grey Worm and company providing swords, but it took a former slave to convince them this could really happen. Dany’s big speech was great, but it wasn’t enough on its own. And then of course we get the justice versus mercy talk between her and Ser Barristan.
Cheryl
Yes, Grey Worm had to sneak in and foment rebellion. I like the way he is becoming a less-silent presence.
Corrin
They certainly didn’t fling open the gates like in Yunkai and Astapor. But Dany’s decision to choose retribution rather than mercy for the Masters of Meereen is going to bite her in the ass. Barristan has experience of many years in one of the most fraught courts in their world: King’s Landing. His wisdom regarding ruling doesn’t yet suit Dany the Conqueror, but she won’t be able to dismiss it as easily if she means to rule Meereen. Which, by the Roman Empire-esque banner over the harpy of Meereen, is likely.
We also get to see Dany’s inexperience in action. She believes that conquering and ruling require the same tools. ’:’
Cheryl
Right. She has not had to actually rule yet.
Laura
True, and Dany thinks justice is “an eye for an eye,” as she counted each and every dead child at the mile markers and matches them with masters.
Cheryl
Her world is all black and white and no greys.
Shall we move to a more moderate clime: King’s Landing?
Laura
And on to the shamelessly Debbie Downer portion of my opinion, aka, “Why Is Jaime Lannister Still a Hero?”
Though Jaime raped Cersei last week, the director of that episode has (infamously, I say) come forward to say it wasn’t meant to be rape. Obviously the rest of the season has already been completed, and for us book fans we knew Jaime had some more character arc to fill, including his quiet siding with Tyrion and his effort to help Sansa via Brienne. The whiplash I felt in seeing both of these “hooray Jaime” scenes right after last week was … strong, and infuriating. Plus, in his scene with Cersei, I could easily read into it that Cersei was angry (and interpret that as pain after Jaime’s violence last week), but she was also shown as completely unreasonable in her desire to hunt down Sansa. If, in our most generous reading of the rape, we viewers were meant to see Cersei as more of a powerless victim than a scheming queen and start empathizing with her, this foil with Jaime put that to rest. Not to skip ahead, but later on we got the mass rape at Craster’s Keep, so … I’m losing faith, frankly. I still love the story, but I can’t say I love the show anymore.
Oh, and “Oathkeeper” was directed by a woman. throws hands up in air
Cheryl
Rape certainly was a focus — and obviously meant to be one — in this episode. But yes, we’re back to “good” Jaime, who wants to save Brienne and help Tyrion.
Corrin
I think it’s certainly clear that the intention of the Cersei–Jaime scene in last week’s episode was to convey something less than rape, even though they failed spectacularly at it. However,
I think that it is a disservice to the complexity of these characters that Jaime is now so easily dismissed. Cersei as well. She is now a rape victim and he is now a rapist. With no grey area.
Those are their defining characteristics. I want it to be clear that I am not being an apologist. Nor do I dismiss the impact of the scene or the reality of sexual assault. What I am saying is that horror and good deeds can exist in the same person. The character of Jaime is neither a monster nor a hero.
The character of Cersei is neither solely cruel nor virtuous. They are both. And the moral ambiguity that extends from that is what the book and television series have striven to show from the beginning.
I also think that the story is poorly served by shoving the kind of sexual violence that is rife in the books into the background. That, to me, would make it a backdrop issue rather than bringing it to the forefront and acknowledged for the horror that it is.
Laura
I can certainly see that Jaime doesn’t think himself a rapist. The show only feels ready to condemn rape when it’s done by strangers, violently, by evil terrible men. While I do think the show does a great deal with grey areas, they don’t do it well with rape. And with the way we went straight from Jaime’s rape to Jaime’s heroics in this episode, where he took up quite a bit of screen time, I don’t think they get it. Once more, with feeling, I say: we didn’t need rape to advance either of these characters. They’re plenty grey without it.
I admit I don’t like watching rape onscreen. I don’t think it has to be gone entirely, but Game of Thrones is doing no service to reality by making rape awful only if it’s violent, obvious, and done by evildoers like the Mountain or the mutinous Night’s Watch brothers.
Cheryl
The relationship between Cersei and Jaime is now one of love and hate, and that is playing out now, it seems.
So Jaime sends Brienne away — with a sword, a suit of armor, and Pod.
Corrin
The look on Pod’s face when it cut to him made me giggle.
Cheryl
We assume Jaime sent him away to protect her from Cersei. Brienne calls that sword “Oathkeeper,” but there are a number of oaths she is referring to.
And by saying she is going off to find Sansa to keep her oath to Catelyn, as well to serve Jaime — was this her way of finally declaring her feelings for Jaime?
Corrin
Cheryl, I read that as encompassing Brienne’s oaths to Jaime and Catelyn Stark, as well as Jaime’s attempt to keep his oath to Catelyn regarding returning the Stark girls safely to their mother.
Cheryl
Yes, so did I, and I thought it was intended to remind Jaime of his duty to honor it.
Corrin
I think it was as close as we’ll get to Brienne declaring any feelings to Jaime.
I do have to say that I appreciated the contrast to how Jaime saw himself reflected by Cersei, as a killer, and what is reflected back to him in Brienne’s eyes: an honorable man.
Laura
Yes. Jaime certainly doesn’t see himself as a rapist, but he doesn’t think he’s such a great guy, either. He wants to be the man that Brienne sees in him.
Cheryl
And this episode, he complied. He now believes that Tyrion did not kill Joffrey. And Lady Olenna admits that to Margaery, who then sets about seducing, er, bewitching Tommen.
Laura
In fact, Margaery’s two scenes have made her a much more intriguing character, I’d say.
First, her look of genuine shock when her grandmother Olenna admitted she played a role in Joffrey’s poisoning. Then, her clever and manipulative turn as Tommen’s special friend.
Cheryl
Are you saying that shock was feigned?
Laura
If it was feigned, then she’s even better than any of us thought.
Cheryl
I don’t want to know. But yes, she is using what used to be called her “womanly wiles” without the stops to get to Tommen — anything to be queen.
Corrin
The scene between Margaery and Olenna revealed much more of Olenna’s character, I thought, than Margaery’s. Her willingness to steal a man from her sister, her role in Joffrey’s murder. She is far more like Tywin Lannister in her willingness to do whatever it takes to see her family safe and advancing in power than previously observed. She is just as ruthless, but not scorned for it. Because it is hidden.
Cheryl
Yes, Olenna is fascinating because she revealed it all in such a nonchalant manner. She does whatever she needs to, whatever it takes — and uses sex to her advantage, just like her granddaughter. Olenna’s face to the word is all “golden rose” and yet she deals in thorns.
Laura
True! Olenna is so damnably interesting. I suppose I was focusing on Margaery because she’s clearly Olenna’s mentee, and Margaery was surprised that she was out of the loop on the murder plot. We saw Margaery grow a bit, to realize she isn’t as good as her grandmother — but she wants to be someday.
Cheryl
And Margaery’s opposite in the worldliness department — Sansa — seems to be wising up, finally. S.
Corrin
Yes, Sansa, thanks in part to the Queen of Thorns’ willingness to hear the truth about Joffrey, is finally putting a good mind to use. Her naiveté has been stripped steadily from her. The scene with Littlefinger (so glad he’s back!) and her defense of Tyrion show that she has grown up a bit in her view of the world. She’s also astute enough to realize that the place to which she has been delivered is anything but safety.
Cheryl
And Littlefinger was intrigued with the fact that she was becoming more worldly, more sophisticated in her view of the world.
Laura
Sansa is, finally, getting some good character development. Although they aged her up in the show, they left her emotionally at the same level she was at in the books. (Otherwise plots would’ve been different, so I do kind of get that.) I loved her explanation of why Tyrion wouldn’t do it: she just knew.
Corrin
Littlefinger is more than a little intrigued by Sansa’s wordliness. He has always seen his lost Catelyn in Sansa.
Cheryl
But it’s like he was testing her, seeing how true her instincts were.
Now, to the Wall?
Corrin
Yes! The north!
Cheryl
At Craster’s, we have a new psycho in Karl. Picking up slack now that Joffrey is dead. Someone has to try to fill his shoes — but drinking from Mormont’s skull?
Laura
So for all Karl’s bragging about never losing a fight, goading on his yes-man who refused to rise to the bait, he did manage to get caught, presumably, and sent to the Wall a while back, right?
Cheryl
And then there’s Locke.
So many sadists, it’s hard to keep track.
Laura
Yes indeed. Locke the sneaky hand-chopping infiltrator sent by Roose Bolton. So slimy!
Corrin
So many sleazeballs, so little time.
Locke certainly was masterful at ingratiating himself into Jon Snow’s good graces. Not surprising, though. Jon is needful of allies and likely to take anyone who seems competent.
Cheryl
While Jon is leading fighting lessons at Castle Black, a face in the background seems vaguely familiar. After knocking an opponent out cold, he speaks — and we immediately recognize Locke! He goes on to introduce himself to Jon as the camera focuses on his outstretched hand — a visual reminder that it was he who cut off Jaime’s sword hand. As if we needed reminding.
Laura
Poor Jon. How easily he’s read by someone like Locke. We’ll see how this goes down now that Jon and his Merry Men (plus Locke) are en route to Craster’s.
Cheryl
Thorne is so highly short-sighted to hope for Jon’s death by allowing him to go to Craster’s, as the Night’s Watch is desperate for fighting men. His own hatred is blinding him, and that I am guessing will be his undoing. Sending off his best fighter. Pah!
Last week Jon kept his mouth shut as his nemesis Thorne hatched a plan — for the good of the team, as it were. Thorne cannot. Jon is emerging a real leader now, and he’s trying to track down Bran. So dare we talk about what is going on inside Craster’s?
Laura
THESE POOR WOMEN. It takes quite a monster to make Craster look preferable, right?
Cheryl
“Fuck ’em til they’re dead” was the chilling phrase Karl kept repeating.
Corrin
It takes quite a monster to do all of the things that are happening there.
Also, it shows what a monster in a position of leadership can do to men who may otherwise have a bit of a conscience (read: Rast, who took the baby into the clearing).
Led by a good man, they can behave … sort of. Led by an evil man, they do evil.
Cheryl
Right, he is a lesser evil. It’s what can happens when you are isolated and have power. Karl seems to be literally going insane with the power and the ability of having all of his needs met.
Corrin
Also, oathbreakers, one and all.
Laura
Oh yes, let’s get ‘round to that title and theme, shall we?
Corrin
I think the madness at Craster’s, because madness it is, was also geared toward showing what men who are willing to break a sacred oath are capable of. Once one bond is broken, others fall so easily to the side. In fact, it’s the chaos that can spring out of the violation of guest right, much like the Red Wedding.
Cheryl
Once you pull free of that bond — which engenders civil behavior —anything goes.
Laura
There are also the oaths/bonds of slaves and masters, which are good ones to break.
Cheryl
So into that nightmare house comes an innocent newborn, plus Bran and his crew — and Summer.
Laura
And Ghost was there all along! How had I not noticed he was missing?
Cheryl
It certainly feels like we are being set up for another thwarted reunion.
Laura
I assume you mean Jon and Bran?
Cheryl
It was interesting to me that as Bran is interrogated by Karl the skull-drinker, a sword is right behind him, carefully framed in the shot. We want him to grab it and stab Karl. And terrible to see the gentle Hodor being bear-baited. I want retribution NOW.
Laura
Maybe what we’re seeing are those to whom oaths mean something, even if they are broken. Jon broke his vows, but he still believes in them. Jaime broke his vows by killing the Mad King, yet he remains in the Kingsguard — and wishes he could be a better man, like Barristan Selmy.
Corrin
What about the baby and the white walker?
I have to say, it was especially exciting to me because I HAD NO IDEA WHAT WAS GOING ON!
Laura
Oh boy oh boy! That sceeeene!
Cheryl
It looked like they used a set from Planet Krypton.
Corrin
This is stuff that GRRM hasn’t revealed even to book readers.
Cheryl
It was beautifully shot. That baby was so innocent. We feared for him … and then … the last shot. He becomes one of them.
Corrin
As enthused as I was by something new, I have to admit that I was so sad about that baby. I kept thinking about how cold he would be, and that ever-escalating cry when he’s left in the woods and the camera pulls back. I was near tears. Poor little bugger.
Corrin
My assumption was that all the figures in black were his brothers.
Cheryl
Perhaps he will turn into an arch-nemesis of the people of Westeros.
Laura
Same thought here, Corrin. The fuzzy figures in the background were grown-up stolen babies, I figured.
Corrin
Perhaps even the one who held him.
Laura
That gives me a good type of shiver.
Cheryl
Also, that last shot of the close-up of the baby’s head was so like the last shot of Joffrey’s pale face
when he died — which leads me to think there might be some kind of connection, but what?
Laura
Good question!
Is there a thematic connection? A literal one? I suppose we can see the death of Joffrey as a major upset to the balance of power in King’s Landing and Westeros broadly, while the birth of the baby White Walker (or whatever he will be, since the one who touched him looks slightly different than the horse-riding Walker we’ve seen a lot) is about a rise of power in the North?
Cheryl
Something to chew on.
One last thing:
There were many references to losing a hand: Karl at Craster’s says he would have “lost” a hand for slapping a little lord. Locke lies and says he chose to come to the Wall instead of “losing his hand” for stealing food for his children (does everyone lie about why they end up there?). Jamie himself balances the sword on his golden hand as he gives it to Brienne — this was soon after Bronn pulls Jaime’s hand off and clubs him with it. Hands lost and gained.
Overall, this episode seemed to be about set-up for the next one.
Join us in comments! But please — no spoilers!
