Game of Thrones S05 E04

The Sons of the Harpy
by Nikole Gunn

Say whatever you want about King Robert Baratheon, the Seven Kingdoms was held it together under his rule.  Since his demise way back in season one, things have slowly been falling apart.

Episode four of season five illustrates just how far Westeros has descended into chaos. While the story line has veered away from the books, the HBO version has ‘fleshed out’ the perilous position the kingdom now finds itself in.

Cersei is a desperate woman, who’s not willing to give up control of her son.  Poor Tommen is caught between his mother and his ambitious wife; effectively a pawn to be moved in their own private Game of Thrones.

Cersei exercises her power by removing Margaery’s father from the Small Council and having Ser Loras Tyrell arrested by a new fanatical group known as the Faith Militant.

They’re drawn from the ranks of the Sparrows, Cersei able to remove her political enemies by telling the High Sparrow that they are tainted by sin and hiding behind their gold.

While Cersei scratches names off her hit-list, Jaime has journeyed to Dorne to retrieve his daughter/niece, telling Bronn that he must be the one to do it.

Myrcella is being held by the Martells, who have a long standing ‘blood grudge’ against the current regime and not just because Baratheons and the Lannisters killed Elia Martell; the wife of Prince Rhaegar Targaryen.

They’re also still morning the death of The Red Viper, Prince Oberyn, who met a grisly death at the hands of the Mountain in Tyrion’s Trial by Combat.

Oberyn’s lover Ellaria Sand and his daughters, the Sand Snakes, vow to avenge his death and kill Myrcella.  This will bring them head-to-head with Jaime and Bronn, who’ve already managed to see off four soldiers of Dorne.

The action returns to Castle Black where the new Lord Commander encounters the Red Woman, Melisandre, who tries to convince him to march south with Stannis.  She tells him “there’s a power in you, but you resist it and that’s your fault”.

She strips naked, but Jon rejects her telling he has his vows and still loves another, even though she’s dead.   

And here comes the scene stopper.. 

Melisandre dresses, walks towards the door, turns and says, “You know nothing, Jon Snow”. 

What?????  How did she know???

While we try to digest THAT cliffhanger, we return to Winterfell where Sansa and Petry are having a little heart-to-heart in the crypts.

She’s revolted by the idea of marrying Ramsay, but is told to manipulate him as he’s already fallen for her.  As for the father, Petry tell her to manoeuvre Roose Bolton as she’s learned to from the best (him).

He also tells her that Stannis is coming south and if she plays her cards right, she can become the Warden of the North as they only living member of the Stark family.

Careful, Sansa, power corrupts.  Never forget that.

Tyrion has certainly learned that power is a double-edged sword.  He finds himself in a boat, the captive of Ser Jorah Mormont and on his way to Daenerys in Meereen.  But he could be sailing his way into a hornet’s nest.

In Meereen, Dany is facing growing resentment and opposition to her rule.  The Sons of The Harpy are growing more daring and dangerous, murdering her Unsullied with growing regularity.

A company of he soldiers are ambushed and her loyal Grey Worm is in a fight for his life and it’s not going well until Ser Barristan Selmy enters the fray.

The old warhorse and loyal servant of Targaryen gives it all he’s got, but it’s not to be.  He and Grey Worm are slumped among the dead.. and the credits roll.

Even though the story line has been tampered with and there is no sign of Arya (or direwolves), episode four has taken GoT viewers back to basics: action, intrigue and a little bit of nudity.

And for those paying attention, there were potential hints alluding to a favourite fan theory about Jon Snow.  Or maybe it was just a series of red herrings to keep us watching.

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