I planned on writing this this yesterday afternoon to have it in before the new episode aired, but you know the many things people say abut plans and how they never work out. In any case, I think this is the strongest episode of the season so far, due to some great maneuverings in King's Landing.
The episode opens with Jon being drug back into Crastor's tent by the man himself to give us some resolution on last week's cliffhanger. Turns out the Lord Commander knows about the sacrifices and Jon learns another hard truth about survival at and beyond the Wall. The music has never stood out on this show, but the White Walkers theme (one of the few themes I've been able to pick out) always gives me chills when it plays. I think I'm loving Sam more and more as time goes on. The way that he gives Gilly some hope was very sweet, and you can tell he really belives that he'll be able to help her. His arc so far has been a good watch. When we first met Same he was scared to be on top the Wall, now he's not only gone beyond it, but trying to save damsels in distress.
Moving south some to Winterfell and Bran is having another wolf dream, and this time he realizes exactly what is going on. Maester Luwin may not believe that magic has returned to the world, but we've seen that the White Walkers have returned, dragons have been born, and Melisandre can somehow avoid dying when drinking poison.
Catelyn has arrived at Renly's camp to ask for aide. She's right in her assesment of them being summer knights. They may have numbers, but they do not have the strategy of Stannis, the ruthlessness of Tywin, or the cunning of Robb. We see that Renly has charm though, and while that makes him a good king, it won't win him any battles. Renly seems to have lost his charm in the bedroom failing to bed either Tyrell sibling. Margaery turns out to be a wonderful queen, though. She knows full well about Renly and Loras, but can't be bothered, as long as Renly give her a child to make his kingship legitimate. Margaery was never a POV character in the books, nor spent any great lengths with a POV character to give us much insight into her character. This is welcomed change, giving her a much stronger characterization. Well cast, as well, her delivery of the line about turning over so he could pretend it's Loras was wonderful. Brienne is also perfectly cast, we don't know much about her yet except for her undying loyalty, and also she is very large for a woman. I have no idea how they found someone to fit the profile that also acts this well, but superb job.
On Pyke, Balon Greyjoy has his sights set on the North now that all its armies have gone south to fight with Robb. Theon finds himself now caught between two families, the one tied to him through blood and the one tied to him through upbringing. This story has given Theon some of his most human moments throughout the series, now that his father has broken down the bravado he puts up to everyone else. To be human is to err, though, and in our eyes, Theon makes a big mistake by burning the warning he penned to Robb in a evocatively dark scene. In the end the pull of his blood leads him to side with the Greyjoys and go against the people who have raised him.
Now the best parts of the episode, King's Landing. Tyrion continues to delight in everything he does, but nothing has been more conniving than the marrying off of Mycella ploy to find out who he can trust and who is just Cersei's lap dog. The way those three scenes, with Pycelle, Varys, and Littlefinger, were intercut was very fun and the only time in the series I can think of that used camera tricks as a narrative device. We also get a better look at the prison that Cersei has placed Sansa in. Sansa may not be locked in a black cell with Grand Maester Pycelle, but she is locked to marriage to the horrible Joffrey and forced constantly to reaffirm her love for him. Sansa lashes out at the only person she can, her new handmaiden (and secret Tyrion whore), Shae. The scene with Shae would have at this point last year played as entitled Sansa being stuck up, but now plays as her only form of venting after going through any string of time with Cersei.
Arya continues her trek north, but happens upon a deadly sidetrack. Yoren gets one last showing of badassery before being cut down by Tywin Lannister's man, Ser Amory Lorch. He also gets a touching speech about his backstory before the aforementioned badassery that should have had even the non book readers thinking that his time in this world may be coming to an end. The bravery of Arya continues to impress, even after watching Yoren killed (in many ways her new father figure) she finds a way to get Gendry off the hook by fingering the casually slain Lommy as the bastard with the bull helm.
After complaining last week about not enough forward movement with Dany, her khalasar is a no show this week. This is actually better than before, it gives the other stories more room to breathe without having to have that lone scene reminding us that she's still in the desert. Our Dragonstone friends of Stannis, Davos, and Melisandre are also out of action this week.
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