TV Review: This Week on Game of Thrones (S5 Episode 4/ May 3, 2015)

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

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EPISODE 4: Sons of the Harpy

THE PLOT : The long summer is at an end, winter truly is coming and with it the cold winds of war as five self proclaimed Kings claim dominance over Westeros, but there can be only one winner when you play the game of thrones.

THE LOWDOWN: (The following column contains MAJOR SPOILERS, so I don’t recommend reading this if you haven’t watched this episode). And the wait is over, Cersei starts to close in on the Tyrells. Her first few moves are indeed subtle (for Cersei), but I highly doubt Mace Tyrell will make it back from The Iron Bank—if he makes it there at all. Anything can happen in the dungeons of King’s Landing, so I’m not liking Loras’ chances of survival either. Margaery’s initial reaction was expected, but I don’t understand why she didn’t accompany Tommen to see the High Sparrow. She’s clearly the brains of that duo, so I’m sure she could have at least got them in to see him. Poor Tommen. That’s what makes me scratch my head about Cersei’s approach to all this. Surely she realizes that Tywin was the only thing keeping the wrath of her and Jaime’s little secret at bay. It’s like calling the kettle black at this point. When the crowd starts yelling ‘abomination’ without remorse or regard of their well-being, that’s a red flag. Love him or hate him, at least Joffrey would’ve sliced and diced those mofos and head-piked anyone who said shit.

Bronn and Jaime’s assault of Dorne is a mixed bag for me. Don’t get me wrong, I love these two characters, and their pairing is the very definition of epic entertainment, but I’m starting to look outside the box here and can’t help but think poor Bronn won’t make it back alive. I know this voyage didn’t happen in the books, but it’s hard to tell if that’s a good thing or bad. It pains me to see Jaime fighting like a gimp—loved the sword catch though, and maybe it was the specific situation, but Bronn seems to be outshining him for witty comebacks too, and that’s a damn shame, because Jaime is supposed to be the king of smartass comments. I found it interesting that he and Jaime both entertained the ruse of Marcella being Jaime’s ‘niece’, when it’s abundantly clear that not only does Bronn know the truth, Jaime knows that he knows. They better stay on their toes, because Oberyn’s daughters looks deadly as hell and out for as much blood as Ellaria. I hope to see some cool fight scenes from that group before season’s end.

You know nothing Jon Snow. What in the name of the Red God did all that mean? Melisandre is by far the coolest wild card character on the show. She has power, influence, and knows how to get her point across. That said, she’s also prone to kidnapping, birthing shadow babies, getting naked at the drop of a dime, and conveniently knowing everything before it happens. Jon Snow doesn’t fall for her seduction, but hearing her say those words creeped him the hell out. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for her character, because it’s one of the biggest mysteries still on the board (in my opinion). I don’t think Stannis has a large fan base, but I’m hoping tonight won some people over. The conversation he has with his daughter is beautiful, and the hug was especially nice. It’s good to see the guy’s got a heart.

GAME OF THRONES SEASON 5’s fourth episode officially gets the party started. We get a small dose of Tyrion and Jorah’s pairing—which will be awesome I’m sure. How could it not be? There’s a disturbing goodbye kiss shared between Littlefinger and Sansa, but in all honesty (as I mentioned last week), him heading to King’s Landing may mean he won’t see Sansa again—especially now that the Faith Militant are ripping through his brothel. The real highlight tonight was in Meereen. The Sons of the Harpy make a bold move against Grey Worm and his men, leading them into a trap and killing them down to just him and Sir Barristan. Let me just say this, I don’t know their fates, but if those two die, my respect for Daenerys dies with them. I’m so mad at how ridiculous she’s acting this season. These Harpy guys should have been dealt by now, swiftly and without mercy. This blood is on her hands, and I hope to God this will be the slap in the face she needs to wake her ass up. It’s time to be Queen or step the hell down.

SEX/NUDITY: There’s a lot of T&A (wang too) scattered around Littlefinger’s brothel when it gets ransacked. And Melisandre goes all Mrs. Robinson on Jon Snow, who bitches out like a pansy.

VIOLENCE: The Faith Militant go ape shit on Littlefinger’s brothel and everybody in it. The Sons of the Harpy wreak the same havoc in Meereen, killing at the streets, the brothel and then in their trap.

MOST EPIC SCENE: On the ship, when Jaime asks about the isle in the distance, and the guy replies ‘The Sapphire Isle.’ That moment is a testament to Jaime’s journey as a character. There’s so much going on in his eyes as he looks out into the sea. I’m curious to see what becomes of him and Brienne, if anything, but it’s obvious she means something to him.

FINAL VERDICT :

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