Shane Ryan and Josh Jackson review Game of Thrones each week in a series of letters.
Shane,
Last week, Lysa Arryn was tossed through the big hole in her palace floor and dropped hundreds of feet to her death. At the time, it seemed horrifying. But now? Not such a bad way to go.
During the plummet, for instance, no one put their thumbs in her eyes until her eyeballs were squished back into her brain. And no one then proceeded to squeeze her head with mailed gloves until it exploded into a gruesome mess.
Poor Oberyn.
And what a loss for us all. Not only was the Red Viper a charismatic presence every time he appeared on screen, he was the most entertaining fighter since Syrio Forel protected Arya from the Lannisters’ men with a wooden sword.
It was another breathless ending, but the rest of the episode sometimes lacked the intensity of last week’s non-stop action.
“The Mountain and the Viper” opened in Mole’s Town, the dirty den just south of the wall where Sam Tarly moronically left Gilly and her child—at least he now realizes the stupidity of that decision. She was miserable among the whores and roughshod men, but had enough wits about her to realize the Wildlings were coming before they slaughtered the rest of the town. In a departure from the book, it’s Ygritte who spares her life.
But we then get sidetracked by eunuch warrior love, as Grey Worm has feelings for Missandei. Either an attempt to add some spice to the otherwise stalling out in Mereen or to give HBO an excuse to film a bathing scene, it’s a rare bit of superfluous drama not found in the book. Things don’t really pick up again until we see Petyr Baelish taking one of his first risks—trusting that Sansa won’t betray his murder of Lysa to the noblemen and woman of the Vale. But he knows exactly what he’s doing—even when he’s manipulating the emotions of a troubled teenager.
Arya’s reaction to her aunt’s death was priceless—all she could do when she found out that the Hound was three days late to collect his ransom was laugh hysterically. Her relationship with Gregor Clegane is so complex and intriguing right now, I don’t want their journey to end, happily or otherwise.
But the writers saved the best for last: Tyrion and his brother in the wait leading up to his trial by combat. Tyrion recounts the story of a mentally challenged cousin who would sit outside all day and crush beetles. Young Tyrion did all he could to try to understand why he found joy in the misery of others. It’s a obvious-but-touching window into Tyrion’s heart. For all his cynicism, he truly doesn’t understand the cruelty so often directed at him and has lived with a real empathy for the pain of others.
And then there was the battle. Oberyn was a marvel to watch with that spear, once again doing his best imitation of Mandy Patinkin. “My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my sister. Prepare to die.” But George R.R. Martin is neither William Goldman or Rob Reiner. Righteous as Oberyn’s desire for vengeance was, it was his overconfidence that undid him in the end. It wasn’t enough to kill his opponent; he tried to keep him alive to implicate Tywin Lannister in his sister’s murder. Instead, he lost his head.
—Josh
Josh,
It’s morning, and I’m still living the Oberyn death scene nightmare. I can’t believe we had the discussion of the worst ways to die in Westeros last week, when this was waiting in the pipeline. I’m not sure why this is the case, since I knew it was coming, but Oberyn’s death hit me harder than any GoT surprise tragedy since Ned Stark (which I didn’t know about, at the time). It even beats the Red Wedding. Part of it, I think, is the simple, frustrating fact that HE HAD HIM, JOSH. HE F***ING HAD HIM! Hasn’t he ever watched a damn action movie? Any of them? You don’t gloat when the guy’s almost dead! You finish the job!
And that head explosion was just the worst thing I’ve ever seen. It was almost so extreme that it was comical, but it wasn’t. It wasn’t comical at all. I don’t know where the line is where tragedy becomes gruesome farce, but HBO managed to walk right to the brink without crossing over. I won’t be forgetting that final image for some time.
I realize we’re recapping an entire episode here and are expected to talk about other scenes from the hour, so I’ll grudgingly drag myself away from King’s Landing. I thought this was a strong episode, particularly with Jorah’s drama in Meereen. He’s been spying since the beginning, even if those days are over, and Barristan Selmy, despite his “honorable” man-to-man talk with him when he receives the letter, is only too happy to remove him from Dany’s sphere of influence. I thought the Khaleesi was a little cold, but then again, she just realized the man she had trusted most helped others ascertain information that led to her near assassination. The fact that he staved off an event he helped set in motion wasn’t a very compelling point in his favor, and I get that.
On the other hand, the Grey Worm—Missandei, like a lot of the action we see out in Daenerys-ville, left me cold. Her adventures have been the show’s biggest weakness this season, and here again we see them desperately trying to stir up human drama in the absence of any forward progress in her character arc. So, okay, fine, the eunuch wants to experience love. I guess that should be interesting?
The fact that it’s not may be a tribute to the rest of the show, which is unfailingly interesting. Petyr Baelish, as you mentioned, finds himself at the mercy of Sansa this week, although to my recollection, he has not yet become that vulnerable in the book. In the books, he invites the nobles of the Eyrie up for what he knows will be a confrontation, and pays one of them to behave so boorishly and aggressively in his accusations that the others are forced to apologize and take a step back, buying him crucial time to secure his place as Robin Arryn’s man-behind-the-man. It’s one of the cooler bits of psychological chess played by Baelish, but I can see how it would be a little subtle for television. Unfortunate, but understandable. Instead, Sansa is left to bail him out, which she does by telling the best kind of lie—one composed of verifiable truths. Turns out she’s been learning from Baelish after all, not sitting idly by and looking pretty. Finally, a Stark with some nuance and the ability to play the game of thrones!
As for Jon Snow and Sam and Gilly, clearly this was a placeholder episode from them. A modicum of advancement, sure, but I have a feeling their drama will take center stage over the season’s final two episodes. With 100,000 enemies advancing from the north and a Wildling horde wreaking have from the south, it looks bleak for the Night’s Watch, who have only 102 men and a wall for protection. I can’t wait to see how this plays out.
Okay, I’ll toss it back to you. Are you as psyched as I am that Ramsay Snow got promoted? Great guy, wonderful to see the good people finally rewarded, right??
—Shane
Shane,
Don’t underestimate how hard it is to be Roose Bolton’s bastard. You have to be more of a bastard figuratively than you are literally. All that hard work torturing Theon Greyjoy, ignoring treaties, flaying Iron-born. I mean, daddy had a hand in the Red Wedding, and that kind of ass-holish treachery takes a certain kind of talent and dedication to emulate. To see him finally rewarded was, well, I have no words.
But you’re right about Jon Snow. Winter is coming to The Wall, and it’s now coming at them from both sides. Daenerys has lost her trusted advisor, The Hound is running out of ransom options, Tyrion has lost his trial, and the 102 men of the Night’s Watch are facing an army 1,000 times their size. But Petyr Baelish is sitting in the catbird’s seat. And Ramsay Snow finally got approval from his dad!
To think people say that George R.R. Martin is too ruthless to his characters. You’d have to completely ignore Ramsay Snow to make that argument.
Pouring out some Bell’s Oberon for Prince Oberyn. You left us way too soon.
As always, please don’t die Ser Martin.
—Josh
Follow Shane Ryan, Josh Jackson and Paste TV on Twitter.