Game of Thrones- Season 5, Episode 7: The Gift (SPOILER Review/Recap)

Well, look who came crawling the fuck back!

No Arya today, but considering how much stuff happened in this episode, that’s probably a good thing. Shame about the Dorne storyline not really going anywhere tho-

*Brain short circuits*.

SPOILER ALERT. OBVIOUSLY.

The Wall

Jon Snow leaves with Tormund Giantsbane for Hardhome, which I assume is the home of the Wildlings North of the Wall. I dunno, Google it, I guess. Before he leaves, Sam gives Jon the Dragonglass he used to kill the White Walker, which I’m sure definitely means that Jon won’t have to use it. Now left attending an old and frail Maester Aemon Targaryen, Sam is left with Gilly as his only friend at Castle Black when Aemon dies in what’s actually a really touching death scene, especially in a show in which death is usually accompanied by head explosions and the audience’s’ screams of dismay. It was really well done, and quite sad, especially when he starts talking to his little brother, Aegon.

Sam gives a nice eulogy for the Maester before Alliser Thorne threatens him, like a dick. Who knew that giving him power would result in it going to his head? Later that night, Sam and Gilly are assaulted by a couple of the more rapey Brothers of the Night’s Watch, and are only saved by Ghost, who has been off doing whatever the fuck direwolves do in this goddamn show.

Somewhere, Nymeria is pulling all the strings. I’m calling it right now.

Anyways, Gilly tends to Sam’s wounds, and then they totally bang. Hey! Maybe this episode won’t be totally horri-

Winterfell

Oh, God damn it. Shit, let’s just get through this.

Sansa asks Reek to help her escape Winterfell. I call him Reek and not Theon, because he’s still being a sleazy little fuck, selling out Sansa to Evil Elijah Wood and getting a nice old lady flaid to death. I mean, I get that he was psychologically torn to shreds by Evil Elijah Wood, but there comes a point where he would display the slightest bit of a fucking conscience at least, right?

If I half-assedly defended that scene in the last episode for nothing, then I’m going to be pretty goddamn angry.

Anyways, Sansa steals what looks like a small, bladed tool, and if that means that EEW’s days are numbered, well, yes please.

I can only rewatch his death in Sin City so many times.

Miscellaneous Winter

Stannis is having a pretty rough go of it. Not only are his troops, used to fighting in warmer climates, having real trouble slogging through the Northern winter, but the Sellswords he paid for have abandoned him, and Davos is counselling a return to Castle Black. Stannis cordially tells him to fuck off and turns instead to Melisandre for help. She tells him that she is sure of his victory, but it would really help if we would go ahead and sacrifice his only daughter to the Red God. Fuck this lady.

To his credit, Stannis tells her to go soak her head. That’s Stannis for ya: A+ parent, thoroughly mediocre human being otherwise.

Meereen

Tyrion and Jorah are now officially owned by a noble named Yezzan no Qaggaz, who (Surprise!) is a complete and utter dickhead.

I know, slavers are dicks, it came as a shock to me, too.

The odd couple are destined for the fighting pits of Meereen, where, double surprise, Daenarys is visiting the smaller arenas before the main event, but not before enjoying a roll in the hay with Recast McFuckface. I guess she’s into him for his looks, because he’s spewing some garbage about murdering the nobles. Because that’s obviously going to end well. Wisely, she ignores him (For now!?!?) and goes to the fight, where she is disgusted, because she has at least some semblance of morals. When Jorah hears that Dany is watching the carnage, he rushes onto the arena and presents himself to her. Before she can feed him to one of her overgrown newts, Tyrion wanders into the arena, revealing himself to be Jorah’s gift to her.

Dayum. This is gonna be good.

Dorne

Bewbs.

Oh, and, uh, Jamie, Myrcella, something something.

I am a shallow pig. Mind as well admit that now.

King’s Landing

In the Sept of Baelor, Olenna Tyrell meets with the High Sparrow, trying to get him to release Loras and Queen Margaery after he and Cersei sicced the Faith Militant on them. When he proves headstrong, Olenna tries to bribe him, an, unlike literally anybody else in King’s Landing, the High Sparrow proves that he is not in it for himself. Scarily enough, he legitimately believes that he’s doing the god’s work, and cannot be dissuaded from doing what he believes is right. Wotta dick.

Also, Petyr plots with Olena about probably some wretched shit.

In the Sept, Cersei visits Margaery in the Queen’s cell in order to gloat, flashing her shit-eating grin in unrepentant glee. God, I can’t wait till someone gives this PsychoBitch the defeat she-

Oh. OH.

OH DAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYUUUUUUMMMMMM!!!!!!!!

I’m really hoping someone around you was using an air horn when you were reading that. You know, for effect.

Overall: Probably the best episode of the season so far, “The Gift” does a good job setting up what I can only hope are the earth-shattering (And hopefully not horrible) events to come.

The perfect accompaniment, I think.

Game of Thrones- Season 5, Episode 6: Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken (SPOILER Review/Recap)

You’ll get yours, you motherfucker….

I’ll be honest, I really wanted to skip this review. I feel like the tone that I set in these recaps is not one that is well suited for the controversy surrounding the last sequence of this episode. But, I also feel like I have an obligation to, y’know, actually follow through on something. So, I will review this episode, but I will avoid talking about the scene that has set the internet ablaze. There are many places to rationally discuss the benefits (If there are any) and drawbacks of said seen, but I don’t think the comment section of somebody who’s about to comment on how much a dick joke made him laugh is the best place to do so. That said, I may touch on it when I do my (moderately) more serious overall review of the season once all the episodes have aired. For now, the two things I have to say about the controversy are A) I don’t think that, technically speaking, the scene was done very well, and B) If people think that Game of Thrones has gone too far just now, they haven’t been paying attention.

Alright, let’s get on with it.

SPOILER ALERT. OBVIOUSLY. 

Braavos

Arya continues her illustrious career of washing dead bodies for some reason. In between corpse-bathing sessions, she is tormented by Jaqen H’ghar and that other girl (Who I guess is called The Waif. Okay then, maybe I just wasn’t paying attention), who seem to be training her to lie believably in order to make her a more effective assassin, one would assume. She doesn’t do particularly well, and gets increasingly frustrated with the fact that not a damn thing has happened since joining the Faceless Men. Not to get too whiny, but that makes two of us.

That is quickly remedied, however, when she euthanizes a sick young girl using the poisoned water from the Well. Her bedside manner and newfound skill in the art of lying her damn face off in order to comfort the girl convince Jaqen that she’s worthy, I guess, because he takes Arya downstairs underneath the temple, where the spires double as storage areas for all the faces of the people who’ve died in the temple.

The Joker would be envious.

As Arya does what any rational, clear-thinking human being would do in the situation (Poke the faces), Jaqen explains to her that he does not believe she is ready to become “No One”, but that she must become “Someone else”. I hope the rest of the storyline isn’t just them playing Second Life for four episodes.

“A Man thinks A Girl may be getting into this a little too much.”

Spain  Dorne

Not to make assumptions, but Myrcella doesn’t look all that unhappy in Dorne.

Not to say that many teenage girls would like to be desired by someone who looks like a boy band reject, but…

That presumed not-unhappiness is proven short-lived, however, when Jaime and Bronn show up to rescue her from the, um, tyranny of Trystane Martell. While Trystane doesn’t prove to stand up very well to a swift punch to the face, the rescue attempt goes awry when the Sand Snakes show up, presumably to butcher Myrcella for no good reason, because this is what Spanish Dornish people are like, apparently. The fight comes to an abrupt halt when Dornish Minister of Fucking Badassery, Areo Hotah, arrives on the scene, arresting Jaime, Bronn, the Sand Snakes and even Elia Martell. Sure, why not?

Across the Narrow Sea

Tyrion and Jorah trade Dead Daddy stories. Shortly afterwards, they are captured by slavers. Hilarity ensues.

Seriously, there’s no way I could do it justice. Just watch it again.

King’s Landing

Petyr Baelish returns to King’s Landing, where he is immediately confronted by Lancel and a group of Sparrows, who inform him in no uncertain terms that they will not tolerate his prostitution business anymore, as if he gives a shit about a fucking brothel at this point. And why is it that the Faith Militant don’t arrest him outright? It’s not like power and influence stopped them from arresting Loras Tyrell.

Speaking of which, after getting her dumb ass manipulated by Littlefinger (Phrasing…), Cersei, along with Tommen, Margaery and Olenna Tyrell, oversee the interrogation of Loras Tyrell, and, surprisingly, Margaery herself. The siblings both deny accusations of Loras’ homosexuality, and all seems to be reasonably okay… Until Olyvar (Google him) testifies, pointing the finger at Loras, and testifying that Margaery is fully aware of Loras’ flirtations.

Ruh roh!

The High Shithead decides to arrest not only Loras, but also Margaery. Fuck Cersei. And fuck the High Sparrow, man, I thought he was cool.

Mind you, I also thought Littlefinger was cool, so fuck me, right?

Overall: Aside from that scene I mentioned, another great episode. Not that I’m complaining, but I hope something amazing happens soon. Something preferably not horrifying.

Rating: 8/10

Seriously though, die.

Game of Thrones- Season 5, Episode 3: Sons of the Harpy (Review/Recap)

Rumours of her demise have been greatly exaggerated, unfortunately.

It’s episodes like this last one that really bring out both the vengeful, raging sociopath and blubbering neurotic in me.

SPOILER ALERT. OBVIOUSLY. 

King’s Landing 

“You will never see a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”

The Queen’s amiable, if somewhat bumbling, father, Mace Tyrell, tells the other members of the Legion of Doom Small Council that the almighty Bank of Braavos is calling in ten percent of the debt owed to them by the Seven Kingdoms. Cersei sends Tyrell, the Master of Coin to Braavos in order to negotiate a new deal with the Braavosi, along with Kingsguard Ser Meryn Trant, who I admit to not remembering from previous seasons, but who, for the sake of convenience, I will just go ahead and assume to be a morally reprehensible dumpster fire of a human being. Don’t tell me that’s not a safe assumption. you’re watching the same show that I am.

After the meeting, Cersei meets with the High Sparrow, who I had mistakenly assumed to be a semi-cool guy before this episode. I should really learn to follow my own goddamn rules.

Cersei authorizes the use of a violent religious fundamentalist militia known as the Faith Militant, which immediately gets to work attacking anybody who they deem to be sinners, or disrespecting the gods. And people ask me why I’m not religious.

One of the many “sinners” incarcerated by The Faith Militant just so happens to be Loras Tyrell, Cersei’s fiancee and the Queen’s brother, and also noted gay dude. Surprisingly enough, the super-religious Faith Militant doesn’t take very kindly to gay people. Who’da thunk it?

Queen Margaery doesn’t like this and tries to get Tommen to do something about it, but he doesn’t allow the Kingsguard to attack the Faith Militant and the countless poor people that the Sparrows are sheltering, and ends up leaving empty-handed. To be fair, I probably would’ve done the same thing. At least he proved himself better than…. That Other Guy when he didn’t respond to the rabble yelling abuse at him.

Just thinking about the Other Guy makes me want to sterilize all blonde people. You know, just to make sure.

Frustrated with Tommen’s inability to do as she says, Margaery decides to call upon her grandmother to help. I’m repeating myself here, but…. There’s no possible way this ends well, is there?

The Wall

Jon Snow fights off the Red Woman’s attempt to seduce him in the name of the Lord of Light, or some shit. This would be a more impressive feat if I wasn’t mentally equating her with that old woman from The Shining, at this point.

Also, A+ parenting from Stannis. No sarcasm intended, that was actually pretty cool of him.

Winterfell

Scheming n’ shit. Also, we get some interesting backstory on the war that took place prior to the events of Season 1. And Littlefinger frenching Sansa. Yeecchh.

The sad thing? Out of all of Sansa’s suitors (Betrothed or otherwise), this guy is the least off-putting.

Dorne

Jaime and Bronn arrive in Dorne, and waste no time in awesomely murdering a bunch of Dornish soldiers. It’s not so much that I want to see Dornish people dead as it is that I want to see Myrcella saved from, uh, this lady who wants to see her mutilated in order to start a war with the Lannisters. Why are the pretty women on this show all either dead, bereft with grief, insane or some combination of the three?

Admittedly, if I had experienced what she had experienced…

For help in her anti-Lannister crusade, she enlists the help of Oberyn’s daughters, the Sand Snakes (Only one of whom is her daughter, because Dorne is a country of swingers), all of whom look like badasses. Oh, and they know Jaime and Bronn are in Dorne to rescue Myrcella. Fucking brilliant.

Across the Narrow Sea

Ha-ha, Jorah Mormont is a dumbass and Tyrion is smarter than him.

Meereen

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU SONS OF HARPIES SHITHEEL MOTHERFUCKERS!!! I DIDN’T KNOW HOW MUCH I LIKED THOSE TWO UNTIL YOU POSSIBLY KILLED THEM!!!

Overall: This is the episode where everything starts really going downhill, isn’t it?

Rating: 8/10

Again, why must they be crazy?

Game of Thrones- Season 5, Episode 3: High Sparrow

“OH, COME THE FUCK ON!!!”- Sansa Stark, at this exact point in the episode.

Why do I insist on spending an hour staring at my laptop screen, trying to come up with an opening blurb? It’s not like this is an actual review or anything, I’m basically just saying what happened and swearing a lot.

Eh. Let’s just get going.

SPOILER ALERT… OBVIOUSLY

King’s Landing

Margaery Tyrell bags her third king, hoping to have a husband that isn’t gay, murdered by his brother, sadistic, or murdered by her family. Knowing that Cersei is her mother-in-law, the possibility of this marriage ending in anything other than the worst way possible is pretty slim, but hey, maybe third time’s the charm.

Margaery and Tommen consummate their marriage. which is actually pretty disturbing, but admittedly, as a heterosexual male, I can’t be too grossed-out about any scene that involves Natalie Dormer in near-nudity.

How non-shallow of me, I know.

As she does, Margaery tries to manipulate Tommen into having his mom go back to Casterly Rock, where she convinces Tommen that Cersei will be happier. Tommen, bless his heart, tries to do so, but Cersei immediately sees this for the Tyrell manipulation that it is, and declines, shortly before heading off to confront Margaery. While Cersei has always had at least a semblance of authority over Margaery in previous verbal duels, that authority is pretty much gone now that Margie is Queen, and Cersei is Dowager Queen, as the former points out not-so-subtly in this encounter. Also, not that I feel sorry for PsychoBitch in any respect, but it was kind of shitty of Margaery to rub her son’s horniness and ability in the sack in her face.

….There’s definitely a less icky way to phrase that. Anyways, I’m betting Margaery doesn’t survive much longer.

Later, in the illustrious King’s Landing Brothel, the High Septon (Like the Pope of Westeros, I guess) is engaging in a fetish of his in which he fucks a/some prostitute(s) dressed as one of the Seven Gods of Westeros. Yeah, it’s weird, but Margaery’s a pedophile, Cersei and Jaime fuck each other, and that Wildling creep fucked his daughters, so you’ll excuse me if this comes off as somewhat tame to me.

Dear god, what has this show done to me?

Anyway, before he has his way with a particularly creepy-looking god known as The Stranger, he is interrupted by Lancel Lannister and a few of his cult buddies from the Sparrows. Calling him a sinner (Of all people in that fucking city) they strip him naked and parade him through the street. Enraged, the Septon demands that the Small Council find the High Sparrow (The head Sparrow, obviously) and execute him. Oddly enough, Cersei not only does not do this, she imprisons the High Septon, ha a pleasant chat with the High Sparrow, and appoints him as the new Head of the Faith.

Interesting….

Meanwhile, in Qyburn Mengele’s lair, Cersei tells him some boring shit about sending a letter to- OH MY FUCKING GOD THE MOUNTAIN’S CORPSE JUST MOVED!!!! OH SHIT!!!!

Frankenstein just shat himself.

In the North

As Reek looks on in growing horror, Bolton & Son continue skinning dissenters in Winterfell with psychopathic glee. However, Reek overhears them talking about how the Lords of the North do not recognize Roose Bolton as Warden of the North, and how they must forge alliances through marrying off Ramsey. Roose mentions that he’s found the perfect bride for his son, and the camera pans to…

Oh….Oh no….

GODDAMMIT LITTLEFINGER, YOU FUCKING PIECE OF SHIT!!!!

Help may be on the way, though, as Brienne and Podrick are following Littlefinger and Sansa to Winterfell (It’s nice to be see Winterfell again, skinless corpses notwithstanding). We get some nice backstory from the two of them, which is always welcome, but I personally wouldn’t mind skipping to the part where Brienne lops Evil Elijah Wood’s head off.

Don’t tell me you don’t see the difference.

The Wall

Jon Snow declines Stannis’ offer of the name of Jon Stark, as his duties as Lord Commander are more important than helping a religious nut take over the kingdom. Stannis is unpleased with this and Jon’s suggestion that he does not want the army there any more, and reveals that he intends to attack Winterfell within a fortnight, which… Yeah, we’ll see how that goes.

Ser Davos tries to get Jon to reconsider, suggesting that the Night’s Watch would be better served taking the North than protecting the Wall, and bringing up the valid point that the North is suffering under the Boltons. Fair enough, but a) Stannis kind of sucks too and b) magical ice zombies so, no, stay at the wall, Jon.

Also, Janos Slynt is a whiny little shitheel. Now he has no head. Fuckin’ A!

Braavos

Not all that much to talk about here. Hey, at least she didn’t get rid of Needle!

Volantis

Oh, fuck me, not another goddamn Red Priestess!!!

Although the fact that this one is rallying the masses in support of Daenarys Targaryen, which is inter- OH, FUCK, TYRION NO!!!!

Overall: Yep, Game of Thrones still really freaking good, you guys.

Rating: 8.5/10

My thought exactly, good buddy.

Game of Thrones- Season 5, Episode 2: The House of Black and White (Review/Recap)

Frustrating as she may be, at least Emo Sansa is still more badass than Emo Spider-Man.

It’s Tuesday, and we all now what that means…

That’s right! I’m two days late with the Game of Thrones post again! In the interest of getting right into it, let’s, uh, get right to it!

SPOILER ALERT….OBVIOUSLY

King’s Landing 

Cersei and Jaime, still reeling from Tywin’s death, receive a dire warning from Dorne, the southernmost region of Westeros, which has lost its prince, Oberyn Martell, to the trial by combat that plunged many GoT fans into unfathomable depression.

“JESUS H. FUCK, NO!!!!!!!”– Me, about a year ago.

Oberyn’s wife and daughters, the Sand Snakes, have a small viper statue with a necklace in its fangs. Cersei tells Jaime that the necklace belongs to their daughter (Gross), Myrcella, who was sent to Dorne by Tyrion in order to marry some prince, or whatever. Feeling a twinge of… something for Cersei, Jaime offers to go to Dorne in order to take her away from the beautiful climate, progressive attitudes towards women and general pleasantness of that country in order to bring her back to the squalor, corruption and flat-out misogyny of King’s Landing. I don’t know about you, but that seems like a good idea to me!!!

Where this scene gets real good, though is when we discover who Jaime’s travelling partner is….BRONN!!! I FUCKING LOVE BRONN!!!! OHMIGOD, JAMIE AND BRONN ARE GONNA BE TRAVEL BUDDIES!?!?!?! THIS IS THE BEST NEWS EVER!!!!

….

One of them’s gonna die horribly, aren’t they?

Anyways, what’s PsychoBitch doing while Jaime and Bronn are having their playdate? Well, she’s attending to a couple of hunters who are trying to trick her into thinking that the head of some random dwarf they murdered is the head of Tyrion Lannister. God, Westeros is just the fucking worst.

Uncharacteristically, Cersei shows mercy towards the hunters (I’m sure the dead dwarf would appreciate that), and gives the head of the dwarf to Maester (Sort of) Qyburn, who I’m pretty sure is Westeros’ equivalent of Josef Mengele. During a Small Council meeting, she appoints Mace Tyrell Master of Coin and Qyburn Master of Whisperers (Much to Grand Fuckface Pycelle’s dismay). She tries to appoint her uncle Kevan to the position of Master of War, but he not-so-respectfully declines, calling the rest of the Council members sycophants and demanding that King Tommen appoint him himself. Fuckin’ A, Kevan!

The Wall

Gilly is being tutored by Stannis Baratheon’s daughter, which is cool, whatever. Also, Stannis chastises Jon for mercy-killing Mance Rayder, andtries to recruit Jon to his cause, even offering to name him Jon Stark, which, all due respect to Cathryn Stark, should’ve probably been done ages ago. Being the badass that he is, though Jon tells Sam right before the election that he’s gonna decline Stannis’ author, because fuck Stannis, fuck the Red Woman, and fuck Stannis’ creepy wife, that’s why.

Also, Jon gets elected Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, which is probably going to end poorly, but hey, for the moment, Fuckin’ A Jon!!!

The Vale

The Dynamic Duo (Podrick Payne and Brienne of Tarth) trudge on, eventually ending up in some shithole pub where, surprise, surprise, Sansa and Littlefinger are also hanging out! Remembering her mission, Brienne awesomely confronts Littlefinger, who, being Littlefinger, acts like a giant prick.

My day isn’t complete without imagining Ned Stark wringing his goddamn neck.

Sansa, being Sansa, acts like a brat and rebuffs her, leading to Brienne murdering several of Littlefinger’s men and escaping with Podrick into the woods. Like the badass she is, she resolves to get Sansa out of the clutches of Littlefinger, whether Sansa wants it or no. Fuckin’ A, Brienne!!!

Braavos

The biggest Fuckin’ A of all goes out to Arya, because she is Arya fucking Stark, and she doesn’t have time for some pissant thief’s bullshit.

Dorne

Ellaria Sand kinda seems like a hateful bitch. I totally get being pissed, but killing Myrcella, of all people? Jesus.

Across the Narrow Sea

Tyrion doesn’t get much screen time this time around, but hey, I can’t complain.

Meereen

Noted Dickhead Daario Naharis finds one of the members of the Sons of the Harpy, the anti-Mhysa resistance movement who have been murdering the Unsullied. While emancipated slave Mossador suggests he be killed outright, Ser Barristan reminds Danearys of the behaviour of her shitheel of a father, and she wisely decides to let the Son of the Harpy have a fair trial. However, this being the Game of Thrones world, Mossador fucks it up for her, murdering the S.o.H. in his cell. When Daenarys executes Mossador publicly, the unwashed masses turn on her in a really terrifying fashion, and she was to flee back into her castle.

Boy, it’s hard to do the right thing in this show.

Finally, Dani sees Drogon (The giant black dragon) and tries to reconnect, but he flies away like the ungrateful little brat that he is. He’s Dragon Sansa, is what I’m trying to say.

Overall: Fuckin’ A.

Rating: 8.5/10

Game of Thrones- Season 5, Episode 1: The Wars to Come (Recap/Review)

Drunken cynicism has never looked so good.

OHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGODOHMYGOD!!!!!!!! IT’S BACK!!!!!!! PRAISE JEEBUS, IT’S BACK!!!!!

…

You may not have guessed, but I’m excited for Game of Thrones. It is probably my all-time favourite TV show, ahead of such masterpieces as Breaking Bad, Avatar: The Last Airbender and Pokemon: Indigo League.

In case you’re wondering, yes, I know I don’t watch enough TV.

Since the fifth season premiered on Monday, I’ve decided to do a fairly quick review and recap of each episode. Or, rather, every scene from the episode (Since I’m gonna be here all fucking day if I try to repeat what I did when I tried to review Gotham and Flash).

Also, this will have SPOILERS, so if you haven’t watched the episode or caught up, I encourage you to do so and will accept zero responsibility if  details get spoiled for you.

..Yeah. That’s it. Let’s get going.

25 Years Ago

A young blonde girl and her friend visit a fortune teller. But who is this mysterious girl? Perhaps her dialogue will give us some hint of – Oh, she’s being an entitled bitch? Then it’s probably Cersei.

Cersei demands to know her future (Which, as we know, always ends well), and, after a pretty bizarre ritual that involves a grown woman sucking on a 12-year old’s bleeding finger, the fortune teller tells Cersei that she will marry not the prince, but the king (Check), she will have three children while the king will have twenty (Check), and while all of her children will wear golden crowns, they will die in golden shrouds (I’m fine with 1/3 of that part coming true, frankly).

Finally, the fortune teller foresees that Cersei will eventually be cast out by a younger, more beautiful queen, which is a bit Snow White-esque, but whatever, make it happen, Margaery!

Margaery Tyrell can cast me out whenever she wants. I don’t know what “cast out” means.

King’s Landing

In the Sept of Baelor, Cersei and Jaime Lannister pay their respects to their dead asshole of a father, who is sporting the always popular “stone eyeball” look.

Whatever. Joffrey wore it better.

Cersei chastises Jaime for letting Tyrion escape from prison, which, awesomely, led to Tywin’s murder. Jaime looks mopey, but doesn’t do or say all that much, as the writers probably caught wind of the fan reaction to his previous hijinks at a family member’s grave.

At the wake, Cersei meets her ex-lover/cousin, Lancel (The curly-haired little shit who was Robert Baratheon’s squire), who has joined a religious cult known as the Sparrows. During their conversation, it is heavily suggested that Lancel poisoned Robert’s wine under Cersei’s orders way the hell back in season one. Cersei denies this but, honestly, if Cersei isn’t at the very top of your list of suspects, then you haven’t been paying attention.

Elsewhere, Cersei’s fiancee, Ser Loras Tyrell hangs out with his boyfriend (There’s a hackneyed joke about marriage somewhere in there) and is maybe plotting with Margaery to kill Cersei? Sure, why not!!!???

Pentos

Tyrion Lannister and Varys arrive in Pentos after hightailing it out of there. Tyrion has looked better both physically and mentally, having sunk into a drunken depression (Admittedly, I’d feel pretty shitty about myself after strangling my traitorous ex-girlfriend after learning she was schtupping my dad, who I then murdered on the john). Varys reveals that he has been supporting Daenarys Targaryen’s claim to the throne, to virtually no one’s surprise. After much delicious verbal sparring, Tyrion agrees to go meet the Khaleesi (Is she still being called that?).

Slaver’s Bay

One of the Unsullied, expecting a nice, relaxing, uh, lullaby with a hooker gets his throat cut by said hooker, as a fucking creepy masked figure watches on.

“You. Reader. I can hear your flesh screaming to be liberated from your body.”

Meanwhile, Dani is taking a page from the ISIS textbook by destroying the giant idol on the city’s pyramid. That’ll probably end well for her.

To her credit, she denies the Masters of Yunkai’s request to bring back the fighting arenas. Then, she allows Recast McFuckface to change her mind after he gives her some sob story about him growing up there. Fuck Daario Naharis. I hope the creepy mask guy gets him next.

Full disclosure: I actually really like the “new” Daario Naharis actor. I just think Daario Naharis is a dick.

At Daario’s suggestion, Dani tries to reconnect with her two dragons, who she’s kept locked up in a dark, dank underground area for god knows how long. The reunion goes about as well as one would expect.

In the Vale

Ha. Robin Arryn fucking sucks.

Also, Sansa, Littlefinger, something something.

At the Wall

Melisandre  summons Jon Snow, although not for a creepy religious fuckfest, thank god. No, instead, she takes him to her pawn  liege, Stannis Baratheon, who commisions him to try to convince Mance Rayder, the imprisoned leader of the wildlings, to help him re-take the North from the Boltons. As one would expect, Rayder tells him to go fuck himself in the most respectful, yet also badass way possible.

Ciaran Hinds is fucking fantastic, by the way.

As is par for the course at this point, Mance is sentenced to be burned alive in a religious ritual that is pretty disturbing, given how much I came to care for the guy in the episode. Thankfully, Jon, being the beautiful, beautiful man that he is, grants him a quick, painless death via arrow to the heart.

Overall: If you’ve been following Game of Thrones since the beginning, you know that some episodes, while still great, are more or less only there to build up the events to come. This is one of them.

8/10

This kid better be the next one to bite it.