After the shocking end to the previous episode, where Jaime Lannister lost his sword hand we see him as a much weaker man; there is no more banter; he knows that his fate is entirely in the hands of his captors; Brienne tries to encourage him but he doesn't appear to be listening. Things aren't going well for Theon either; his rescuer tells him that he is going to be taken to his sister when in fact he is taking him back to his cell and further torture; his escape was nothing more than a cruel ploy to give him hope before taking it away. Back in King's Landing Tyrion visits Lord Varys to ask if his sister is still trying to kill him and hears the story of what happened to Varys when he was younger. Later Varys schemes with Olenna Tyrell to ensure that Lord Baelish doesn't get Sansa Stark. North of the wall tensions rise at Craster's camp to the point that members of the Night's Watch turn on him and each other. Across the Narrow Sea Daenerys buys her Army of the Unsullied
and their previous owner gets quite a surprise!
This episode was great even by the high standards of this series. It started well, if somewhat downbeat, with Jaime's humiliation at the hands of his captors then got increasingly better. Lord Varys's story was somewhat disturbing but one couldn't help smile when we learn of his ongoing revenge against the man responsible for his suffering as a child. The events that take place in Craster's camp were sudden, violent and led to one surprising death and another that was not so surprising. The highlight though was the purchase of the Unsullied which came just as I was thinking we wouldn't be seeing Daenerys this episode. When she agreed to give up one of her dragons I feared that it would ultimately prove to be a mistake but it was hard not to cheer as Daenerys first showed that she understands Valyrian, so understood every insult directed at her, then orders the Unsullied to kill the slavers just as their seller learns that dragons aren't something one can own. The acting was solid throughout; Emilia Clarke as Daenerys and Conleth Hill as Varys were particularly impressive. Overall a thrilling episode that, to use a cliché, is a real emotional roller-coaster.
This episode was great even by the high standards of this series. It started well, if somewhat downbeat, with Jaime's humiliation at the hands of his captors then got increasingly better. Lord Varys's story was somewhat disturbing but one couldn't help smile when we learn of his ongoing revenge against the man responsible for his suffering as a child. The events that take place in Craster's camp were sudden, violent and led to one surprising death and another that was not so surprising. The highlight though was the purchase of the Unsullied which came just as I was thinking we wouldn't be seeing Daenerys this episode. When she agreed to give up one of her dragons I feared that it would ultimately prove to be a mistake but it was hard not to cheer as Daenerys first showed that she understands Valyrian, so understood every insult directed at her, then orders the Unsullied to kill the slavers just as their seller learns that dragons aren't something one can own. The acting was solid throughout; Emilia Clarke as Daenerys and Conleth Hill as Varys were particularly impressive. Overall a thrilling episode that, to use a cliché, is a real emotional roller-coaster.