Emilia Clarke's acting has always been a roller-coaster in GOT and the start of this episode is yet another example. The pros and cons of a stage actress means that at one moment Dany can be fierce and the other she can be annoying or detached. We've seen one end of it when she liberates Yunkai in a very impressive fashion and tonight when she threatened the heads of the slaver families we saw the other. While the sound design and visual effects of the dragons are remarkable, Clarke's tone sounds little like a reaction to the death of an adviser and close friend. Furthermore it's a stunning backflip on the justice she deals out earlier in the season by sentencing Mossador to death after he himself kills a Harpy. Once Dany believed in a fair trial and the crowd and her reaction to that execution made us aware that this was a heavy issue, yet suddenly she is prone to roasting this slaver without a moment to spare and flaunting the beasts she suddenly can control with ease (despite only 2 weeks ago failing to appease Drogon, or the traumatic scene in which she locks up Rhaegal and Viserion). And you can't even chalk it up to an act of passion because she is surprisingly calm during the whole affair.
And what about Greyworm? His and Missandei's relationship advances another level as they contemplate the Harpy's latest attack which left a legendary knight dead and the commander of the Unsullied severely injured. They've managed to add a romantic angle which isn't necessarily bad but it's a unconvincing explanation which trivialises the ending of that fight scene even further than it already had been with the poor choreography and such. Now then what happens to the whole Daario speech about the Unsullied forgetting how to fear? Or do the writers simply apply a certain degree of ambiguity and hope it all sounds okay? "To forget how to fear is to forget how to hide" and "it takes courage to admit fear" all sound a lot less meaningful when the show has failed to create a mood of fear itself in Meereen. There's barely any shots of the streets or civilians of the city, the skirmishes (3 at last count) take place in crowded and dark locations and the entire slaver body is represented by a few old men and Hizdahr zo Loraq. The compartmentalisation and streamlining of the entire storyline means a lot less dramatic tension. What's the loss of Barristan if the handy replacement in Jorah is on his way (although he himself may have some grayscale problems)? What's the loss of a few Unsullied soldiers when she still has eight thousand? And who else could be the leader of the Harpy rebellion but Hizdahr himself? They certainly haven't given us any other options because they've simplified the arc so much.
Kill the boy is the title of this episode and the underused Aemon Targaryen gives a short but dramatic speech to the new Lord Commander in an attempt to help him trust his own judgement. Jon makes the same offer of peace that he made to Mance Rayder to Tormund. Although their relationship has never been as fleshed out as it could have been, even he understands the importance of the offer for the free folk. So with the chains off it's not pride or revenge he chooses, but compromise. If the Night's Watch was divided before it is even more so now. Even long time supporter Dolorous Edd cannot look past the deaths of his brothers. Yet it is hard to ignore the bigger issue of the White Walkers' wight army which will only get larger with so many helpless wildlings to feast on.
You have to blink twice to believe it but Ramsay Snow is actually being nice. We saw a similar scene last season with Reek's bath but this one lacks the tension of that. It's a lot less subtle and the dialogue at the dinner scene and also Sansa's overall seems to just tell the viewer what a strange and alien place this is compared to the warm Winterfell we know from season 1. Myranda's conversation with both her and Ramsay seem to be guilty of this too. On the other hand, Roose and Reek's acting is still as stellar as they have always been and I think they have nailed the casting of Fat Walda Frey. Her character presents a few dilemmas and questions for Ramsay; although this nice guy persona has been brought about by the promising engagement to Sansa Stark, the baby in her belly stands a future threat.
"The North Remembers" is an iconic line in the series and its disappointing to say the least to have it reduced to this. Although we have always known that some remnants of the North are still loyal to the Starks, it's a little less comforting to have it come from the mouth of an old serving lady. Who knows what will come when and if Sansa lights that candle? It's certainly less inspiring than how I would have envisioned it and I'm sure Sansa feels the same. For now it's not even a question that needs answering because Ramsay and the rest of the Boltons recognise her value. What will Littlefinger think of this secret Northern conspiracy? Or is he even aware?
We end with Tyrion and Jorah sailing through the ruins of Valyria. It's the first time since the fantastic ending of season 1 where we have really seen the look of amazement and wonder at the sight of the dragons who were thought to have been extinct. That quickly changes to horror when the fabled Stone Men attack them, with the threat of the very contagious grayscale that Shireen Baratheon also bears. Suddenly the stakes for Jorah reach new heights. How will this affect his actions and loyalty to Dany's cause?
And what about Greyworm? His and Missandei's relationship advances another level as they contemplate the Harpy's latest attack which left a legendary knight dead and the commander of the Unsullied severely injured. They've managed to add a romantic angle which isn't necessarily bad but it's a unconvincing explanation which trivialises the ending of that fight scene even further than it already had been with the poor choreography and such. Now then what happens to the whole Daario speech about the Unsullied forgetting how to fear? Or do the writers simply apply a certain degree of ambiguity and hope it all sounds okay? "To forget how to fear is to forget how to hide" and "it takes courage to admit fear" all sound a lot less meaningful when the show has failed to create a mood of fear itself in Meereen. There's barely any shots of the streets or civilians of the city, the skirmishes (3 at last count) take place in crowded and dark locations and the entire slaver body is represented by a few old men and Hizdahr zo Loraq. The compartmentalisation and streamlining of the entire storyline means a lot less dramatic tension. What's the loss of Barristan if the handy replacement in Jorah is on his way (although he himself may have some grayscale problems)? What's the loss of a few Unsullied soldiers when she still has eight thousand? And who else could be the leader of the Harpy rebellion but Hizdahr himself? They certainly haven't given us any other options because they've simplified the arc so much.
Kill the boy is the title of this episode and the underused Aemon Targaryen gives a short but dramatic speech to the new Lord Commander in an attempt to help him trust his own judgement. Jon makes the same offer of peace that he made to Mance Rayder to Tormund. Although their relationship has never been as fleshed out as it could have been, even he understands the importance of the offer for the free folk. So with the chains off it's not pride or revenge he chooses, but compromise. If the Night's Watch was divided before it is even more so now. Even long time supporter Dolorous Edd cannot look past the deaths of his brothers. Yet it is hard to ignore the bigger issue of the White Walkers' wight army which will only get larger with so many helpless wildlings to feast on.
You have to blink twice to believe it but Ramsay Snow is actually being nice. We saw a similar scene last season with Reek's bath but this one lacks the tension of that. It's a lot less subtle and the dialogue at the dinner scene and also Sansa's overall seems to just tell the viewer what a strange and alien place this is compared to the warm Winterfell we know from season 1. Myranda's conversation with both her and Ramsay seem to be guilty of this too. On the other hand, Roose and Reek's acting is still as stellar as they have always been and I think they have nailed the casting of Fat Walda Frey. Her character presents a few dilemmas and questions for Ramsay; although this nice guy persona has been brought about by the promising engagement to Sansa Stark, the baby in her belly stands a future threat.
"The North Remembers" is an iconic line in the series and its disappointing to say the least to have it reduced to this. Although we have always known that some remnants of the North are still loyal to the Starks, it's a little less comforting to have it come from the mouth of an old serving lady. Who knows what will come when and if Sansa lights that candle? It's certainly less inspiring than how I would have envisioned it and I'm sure Sansa feels the same. For now it's not even a question that needs answering because Ramsay and the rest of the Boltons recognise her value. What will Littlefinger think of this secret Northern conspiracy? Or is he even aware?
We end with Tyrion and Jorah sailing through the ruins of Valyria. It's the first time since the fantastic ending of season 1 where we have really seen the look of amazement and wonder at the sight of the dragons who were thought to have been extinct. That quickly changes to horror when the fabled Stone Men attack them, with the threat of the very contagious grayscale that Shireen Baratheon also bears. Suddenly the stakes for Jorah reach new heights. How will this affect his actions and loyalty to Dany's cause?