This week's Game of Thrones was a step-up in quality for me from last week, which is surprising because many reviews I have read regarding this episode didn't like it as much and called it "slow" or "meandering." I have to disagree with this, simply because the episode laid some great new plot developments with some amazing sequences.
The episode started with Daenerys saving the slaves Meereen by starting a revolution against the slave masters. Those who read my reviews know that I am not a Daenerys or Emilia Clarke fan, but these sequences of the episode were arguably the best scenes in the episode. I loved Michelle MacLaren's directing, with the fast cuts of the masters being crucified and the bird's-eye-view shot of the slaves stabbing that one master. The scene concluded with Daenerys looking over her revolution with pride and confidence, the camera zooming out to show her on top of a great pyramid, akin of a great queen looking over the vast empire she has claimed. It was a great scene, filmed magnificently, and it provided the episode with some of its greatest scenes, despite its little plot development.
We also had a huge development in Jaime's story. He has given Brienne the titular Oathkeeper, and makes her promise to find and protect Sansa. It's a great plot development (but knowing this show, it'll be three seasons before Brienne actually makes it to Sansa). As great as the plot was, it provided some questionable motives regarding Jaime. After last week's internet uproar about Jaime's "rape" of Cersei, it was weird to see him resort back to his character progression, going against the Lannisters and helping out Tyrion and sending Brienne to rescue a Stark. I love Jaime's development and the path his character is progressing in, but it was conflicting to see him so different than he was depicted last week.
We also received the answer to who killed Joffrey! I admittedly spoiled this for myself, reading the novel synopsis on Wikipedia, but it was surprising and exciting for first-time viewers to have it revealed that both Littlefinger and Olenna were behind Joffrey's death. It's great to see these two characters behind it, as I've always loved Littlefinger and his duplicitous nature.
The last huge plot development was Bran's. I've never liked Bran, and I've hated his story since the end of Season 2 when he rode away from the burnt Winterfell. His story has been very plodding, meandering, and arguably pointless, but it was exciting to see his story take an exciting and dramatic turn by being captured at Craster's Keep. It's even more exciting to know that Jon is on his way, so it's possible that he meets Bran again, but knowing this show, that won't happen. I'm excited to see where this story at Craster's Keep goes, but one thing is for sure: it's not going to end in peace. The people at Craster's Keep are despicable people, raping women to death and sacrificing babies to the White Walkers, and I'll be glad to see them get their comeuppance at the hands of Snow.
And that led to this week's haunting and exciting ending with the White Walker. It was intense seeing him ride away with the baby, as we didn't know where he was going and what he was going to do. I think I figured it out when he lifted him up and went to touch his forehead, and my prediction was confirmed when the baby's eyes turned blue, revealing how White Walker's are made and the growing Walker army that is enlarging, one baby at a time. It was an exciting and haunting ending to a similarly exciting and very plot-heavy episode that progressed the story in new and exciting ways.
+ Great new plot progressions
+ Exciting sequences – Daenerys and the White Walker
+ Great cinematography and editing
Overall: A
The episode started with Daenerys saving the slaves Meereen by starting a revolution against the slave masters. Those who read my reviews know that I am not a Daenerys or Emilia Clarke fan, but these sequences of the episode were arguably the best scenes in the episode. I loved Michelle MacLaren's directing, with the fast cuts of the masters being crucified and the bird's-eye-view shot of the slaves stabbing that one master. The scene concluded with Daenerys looking over her revolution with pride and confidence, the camera zooming out to show her on top of a great pyramid, akin of a great queen looking over the vast empire she has claimed. It was a great scene, filmed magnificently, and it provided the episode with some of its greatest scenes, despite its little plot development.
We also had a huge development in Jaime's story. He has given Brienne the titular Oathkeeper, and makes her promise to find and protect Sansa. It's a great plot development (but knowing this show, it'll be three seasons before Brienne actually makes it to Sansa). As great as the plot was, it provided some questionable motives regarding Jaime. After last week's internet uproar about Jaime's "rape" of Cersei, it was weird to see him resort back to his character progression, going against the Lannisters and helping out Tyrion and sending Brienne to rescue a Stark. I love Jaime's development and the path his character is progressing in, but it was conflicting to see him so different than he was depicted last week.
We also received the answer to who killed Joffrey! I admittedly spoiled this for myself, reading the novel synopsis on Wikipedia, but it was surprising and exciting for first-time viewers to have it revealed that both Littlefinger and Olenna were behind Joffrey's death. It's great to see these two characters behind it, as I've always loved Littlefinger and his duplicitous nature.
The last huge plot development was Bran's. I've never liked Bran, and I've hated his story since the end of Season 2 when he rode away from the burnt Winterfell. His story has been very plodding, meandering, and arguably pointless, but it was exciting to see his story take an exciting and dramatic turn by being captured at Craster's Keep. It's even more exciting to know that Jon is on his way, so it's possible that he meets Bran again, but knowing this show, that won't happen. I'm excited to see where this story at Craster's Keep goes, but one thing is for sure: it's not going to end in peace. The people at Craster's Keep are despicable people, raping women to death and sacrificing babies to the White Walkers, and I'll be glad to see them get their comeuppance at the hands of Snow.
And that led to this week's haunting and exciting ending with the White Walker. It was intense seeing him ride away with the baby, as we didn't know where he was going and what he was going to do. I think I figured it out when he lifted him up and went to touch his forehead, and my prediction was confirmed when the baby's eyes turned blue, revealing how White Walker's are made and the growing Walker army that is enlarging, one baby at a time. It was an exciting and haunting ending to a similarly exciting and very plot-heavy episode that progressed the story in new and exciting ways.
+ Great new plot progressions
+ Exciting sequences – Daenerys and the White Walker
+ Great cinematography and editing
- Some weird and conflicting character work with Jaime
Overall: A