Game of Thrones and the Women of Westeros 4/3
Breaker of Chains
Previously…
I talked about The Lion and The Rose here and everyone rejoiced at the death of King Joffrey, The Sadistic (I’m pretty sure that’s how the history books of Westeros will remember him).
The credits are taking us to Dragonstone, Mereen , and The Dreadfort today as well as the usual places for this one. But did we even visit The Dreadfort? Were Roose and company even mentioned? Credits, you disappoint me.
In a nutshell…
Cersei is having Tyrion seized and taken away, but can’t find Sansa, who is spirited away by Ser Dontos, who rows her to a ship where she finds Littlefinger, who promptly kills Ser Dontos for being a drunken fool and points out that Sansa’s necklace is more than it seems. (We know. Oh, how we know!) Olenna convinces Margaery she might be the queen yet. Tywin gives Tommen a pop quiz on the qualities that make a good king and very obviously takes him out of Cersei’s hands. Cersei reaffirms the idea that Tyrion did the deed to Jaime, who doesn’t know if he agrees. They then consummate their sick, sad bond in a troubling way (something I talked about at length here.
Arya and The Hound come upon a farmer and are taken in and fed and offered more of the same if The Hound stays to work and protect them. He refuses by hurting and stealing from the farmer, breaking the only code he seemed to have, over Arya’s strong objections. She has no choice, however, but to stay on the road with him. Back at The Wall, Gilly has been working as kitchen help while taking care of Little Sam. But Big Sam is afraid one woman, stuck here with all these men, is in danger. He takes Gilly to a brothel in Molestown to work as a cleaning lady and nothing else. He is very clear on that.
Stannis has a hissy fit all over Davos about whether Davos setting Gendry free (because he wanted to be bleed him more and sacrifice him, I guess?) has lessened his chances about killing more of his enemies through blood magic. Davos thinks they should just get some sell-swords to fight for them, but they’re broke. Davos goes to Shireen for his reading lesson (how cute is that?), and she inadvertently gives him the idea to borrow from the Iron Bank of Bravoos to back Stannis’ claim to the throne. Tywin interrupts Oberyn and Ellaria’s swingers party to kinda, sorta, maybe accuse him of poisoning Joffrey… except not at all. It’s just some power-playing between them as Tywin tries to get Oberyn on his side and offer him a seat as the kingdom (meaning Tywin right now) needs allies. He even offers Oberyn the chance for revenge against The Mountain.
Podrick visits Tyrion and smuggles in some comforts while Tyrion goes all Hercule Poirot about who exactly killed Joffrey. Not that he, or anyone else, misses Joffrey. The Wildlings and the Thenns slaughter an innocent village together and the Thenns only spare one little boy to get their message (That they like to eat the parents of orphaned boys?) to Castle Black. The Castle Black crowd wants to go out and slaughter them right back. But Jon Snow thinks Mance Rayder has too many men for that. Two of the captive men return from Craster’s Keep and tell of the horrors there. Jon thinks they should kill the mutineers at the keep so they don’t tell Mance and Friends how unmanned they are. Not because they’re beating and raping Craster’s daughters even more than Craster was. Oh, no. That’s no biggie.
Finally, we get to Daenerys again, outside the walls of Mereen. They send a warrior to battle her best man. She sends the least necessary: accomplished flirt Daario Noharis. He kills the man. Daenerys makes a kick-ass speech, and the slaves of Mereen reevaluate the terms of their employment.
The Women of Westeros…
There seems to be a theme of powerlessness among the women of this episode, but I’ll get into that in a moment…
Daenerys is still on top. Every city she visits, she gains followers. Mereen is no different. On a side note, Emilia Clarke’s command of thoroughly-made-up languages is impeccable. I’d listen to her much like the slaves of Mereen did, but what I love more is the way she chooses the man to be her champion against the Mereneese soldier. She rejects Greyworm for being her priceless commander, Ser Barristan for being a priceless renowned warrior, and Ser Jorah for being her most trusted advisor and friend. But that guy that flirts with her and tries to give her flowers? Sure, let that jerk do it. Oh, Dany! As much as I know this is more a part of their meet-cute than some sign that Dany isn’t ruled by attraction to this frat boy, I still love it.
I haven’t had much to say about Missandei, but that’s mostly because Missandei hasn’t had much to do. She translates and Daenerys listens. She makes a face here and there, but we don’t know much about her other than that she might enjoy her position of prominence next to the Mother of Dragons more than being a slave. I hope we learn more about her. Incidentally, she was about ten years old in the book. I don’t know if that matters here, but just saying. We’ll see if that figures into other book events with Dany’s maids dead before their book time. I miss them!
Margaery is mourning the loss of her crown. She did marry the creeper, but since it wasn’t consummated (lucky girl), her position is not secure. She’s a bit horrified from having seen someone die, even if it was Joffrey. But she’s more upset by the idea that she’s got some bad juju on her as one husband “preferred the company of men and was stabbed through the heart, another was happiest torturing animals and was poisoned at our wedding feast.” Even having read the books, I didn’t know if Margaery was in on the purple wedding. I suppose that’s because the book is done in POV chapters and we only see Margaery and Olenna through others’ eyes in passing bits. This is one thing I enjoy so much more about the show. We get to see Margaery, a seemingly sweet and pleasant cipher in the book, smiling blandly and sweetly in front of everyone, then letting it drop just a little for granny in their little garden chats.
Olenna doesn’t disappoint, either. I wanted more of her than I got in the books and this show is making my dreams come true! She’s just as sly and scheming as I dreamed she was with just a dash of sweetness to make it all go down easy, but with the privilege of age… something that seems to turn off filters for almost everyone. Anyway, Olenna comforts Margaery by telling her all about her dead grampy. Olenna also seems to have been more upset over being subjected to her husband’s body than over the man dying. Olenna assures her watching Joffrey die was a probably a cakewalk compared to being married to him. Olenna’s pretty darned sure the Lannisters still need the Tyrells and “the next one,” meaning Tommen, “should be easier.
We finally get more from Ellaria Sand, by way of nekkid people. We’ve already established Ellaria and Oberyn are the Westerosi equivalent of swingers. It’s a strange dynamic so far. I can’t decide if Ellaria has all of the power in this relationship or none of it. Oberyn assures her she comes first for him, but she is sent out of the room when Tywin comes in to discuss serious matters. Oberyn does seem to check with her first, but I can’t help wondering if Dorne, while claiming it is a safer place for women and girls, is just as dismissive of their contribution to “serious matters” as the rest of Westeros.
Shireen doesn’t have much to do in this episode, but what she has tells us a bit about her and the way she is perceived by people aside from the father who ignores her and the mother who barely tolerates her. She smiles when Davos kisses her forehead and calls her a smart person. He has good reason. She has been teaching him to read and is quite the little schoolmarm about it. I love how she bosses him around. I really would like to see her out of her little tower and for everyone else to see how awesome she is. Seriously, Stannis? She has a few scars. Let the poor girl get some sun!
Arya is proving to be quite the little survivor, lying so much more easily and even sweetly when she and The Hound are taken in (I adore her little gasp of “Father!” when The Hound is blasphemes The Seven). The Hound continues to be the worst babysitter ever. He’s even taught her to scarf down her food like a dog. Arya, like most of the Starks left, still knows what’s right and wrong and hasn’t become so jaded by this world that she would hurt the innocent even to survive. I think she would like to refuse to go along with The Hound after he hurts the very people who took them in, but he’s still the best option right now. He’s a gigantic, scary man who can protect her and he’s taking her to what family she has left, after all.
Sansa has traded in her usual dead stare of resigned misery for a dead stare of resigned confusion. She doesn’t like that Littlefinger had his men kill Dontos, who’d been good to her, but she has no alternative but to go along, much like Arya above.
Cersei is having the worst time in this episode. First Tywin comes in and very obviously snatches Tommen away from her influence. Then Jaime comes along all “So… sex now?” at the worst time and in the worst possible place. I already discussed that scene. So I won’t go into it… except to say that it was meant to look and be taken as consensual and his priorities at this time show he doesn’t grieve for Joffrey on the same level as Cersei does. I don’t think he liked the kid. Who did? But, more than that, I honestly think Jaime could care less about any of the children as compared to Cersei, herself, and keeping her all to himself. I also think she has to know that by now and it’s something she will make use of.
Ygritte lost major points with me in this episode. She is going full-force with her Wildling pals and killing innocent farmers. I guess that’s what Wildlings do, kill those in their way and take the spoils. But, possibly because I had not seen it happen with her outright until now, I had more sympathy for her. I guess I still have some. She grew up with this crowd and she doesn’t know anything else, but bad move, Ygritte. Bad move, Wildlings. I thought you had a point about not being forced to “bend the knee,” but I really can’t buy you as oppressed freedom fighters when you run around slaughtering innocents. I officially root against your people.
As for Gilly, she seems happier than she did at Craster’s keep, though that’s not saying much. She smiles a little at the idea of being called a Wildling (“makes me sound a bit dangerous, doesn’t it?”). It’s sweet to see her something close to content after a lifetime of being beaten and raped by her horrible father while treated as a slave. She still has to work, but at least she’s not being harmed. And, sadly, that’s good enough for Gilly. Though it may just be gratitude on her part as he saved her and her son, she cares for Sam and is miserable when he sends her away to Molestown. Whether it’s for her protection or not, she’s had a life with no decisions of her own making. I think she feels a bit betrayed by Sam, being just another man who doesn’t let her choose. Also, I can’t help thinking her accommodations at Castle Black have to be better than the sad pit of a brothel she’s left to raise Little Sam in.
It’s interesting, the power and lack thereof among the women in this episode. Dany is gaining power and allies and is in complete control of her life and surroundings. She’s breaking chains while most others wear them without complaint
- Gilly is put away in Mole’s Town “for her own good” despite that she would rather stay at The Wall.
- Margaery is forced to sit and wait to know what her fate is, who she’ll have to marry next, while Olenna talks about suffering husbands till they do you the courtesy of dying
- Sansa has no choice but to go along with Dontos, then Littlefinger, with no time to protest and despite any misgivings, especially in light of Littlefinger killing Dontos and mansplaining why he had to do it
- Arya is forced to go along with The Hound robbing the farmer who helped them, despite how morally repugnant she finds it, because she is still too young to protect herself.
- The farmer prays to protect his daughter’s virtue with the kind of men roaming around. And she’s about eight years old!
- Cersei has lost her first-born and has to watch her father snatch influence over her remaining son away from her.
- I’m not sure if Ygritte is having morality issues with what she does, but, even if she were, how likely do you think the Wildlings, let alone the Thenns, are to listen to “Hey, guys. So do we need to kill everyone in this village or are we cool?”
Passing The Bechdel Test…
It’s a squeaker and I’m only giving it a pass by the smallest margin. Not a lot of ladies conversing in this one. Olenna and Margaery’s talk is about the deaths they’ve seen, but are about two very specific men and about marriage prospects. I can’t really count Arya and the farmer’s little daughter as most of her words were directed to the farmer as well and were making excuses for The Hound. Gilly and the lady of the night with the horrible teeth talk very briefly about her baby, but he’s also a male. But it passes in that they briefly discuss whether she’s a Wildling. It’s more of an accusation, but it’s something. Honestly, I’m always a bit on the fence about using the Bechdel test here as all the women in this world are rich characters and are about so much more than being love interests. I dread the day I have to fail an episode. But I know that day will come.
In other notes…
I like Tommen, from what little I’ve seen of him. He loves his Uncle Tyrion, he cried when his sister went away, and he answers Tywin’s little quiz thoughtfully, so that’s all in his favor as king. Whether or not he gets to rule is another question.
Fangasms…
Ah, Littlefinger! How I missed your smarmy, scheming, smirky ass!
I giggled at every moment of Arya and The Hound playacting as father and daughter. Well, Arya did all the work. The Hound just groaned and grunted and scowled at people. They are still the best good cop/bad cop team in all the seven kingdoms!
Davos: “I was never a pirate. I was a smuggler.”
Shireen: “What’s the difference?”
Davos: “Well, if you’re a famous smuggler, you’re not doing it right.”
Tyrion seems to think whoever killed the king wanted him blamed. I don’t agree. I just think he was in the right position to be accused, but no one could predict the way Joffrey suddenly decided to humiliate him up to that moment. I think Tyrion was just a lucky patsy for Olenna… and Littlefinger.
Up next: Oathkeeper
