**Spoiler Alert** The following contains spoilers for Game of Thrones up to episode 4×04.
This was a good episode. With a strong opening and fascinating ending, it was my favorite installment of season 4 yet.
We started with Daenerys’ invasion of Meereen. The speed and efficiency in which the city fell showed off her empire’s growing threat. The empowering method (arming the slaves) established her as a benevolent force to commoners. But the ending shot of that sequence, where Daenerys climbed to the top of the city’s pyramid and looked over her spoils, displayed something else.
It would have been a triumphant scene if it wasn’t drenched in the screams of the crucified masters below. With that grisly soundtrack the camera panned out to show the Targaryan flag draped over Meereen’s golden harpy, one proud symbol replaced by another. Daenerys may present herself as a kind and just ruler, but never forget that the Targaryens were conquerors. By taking Meereen, Daenerys truly lived up to her ancestors, with all the fire and blood that implies.
The episode was called “Oathkeeper,” the new name of Jaime’s (now Brienne’s) sword, so naturally the bulk of the episode centered on his internal conflict. He was torn between love and loyalty to his sister, his brother, Brienne and himself. We see him weigh his reputation, the expectations laid on him and the person he wants to be and finally come to a decision. Against impossible odds, against what he knows is good for him, he’s going to be a man of honor for once in his life.
It was a great episode for Jaime. It’s like they were trying to make up for that appalling scene (you know which one) last episode. As far as I’m concerned, that never happened. It was in direct opposition to the books, it was unnecessary, disgusting, confusing and wildly out-of-character. I know one can’t actually erase something like that, and there’s really no coming back from raping your sister in a temple in front of the corpse of your dead son, but as long as the show continues to ignore it I’m willing to play along.
Speaking of unnecessarily violent scenes: Craster’s Keep. These scenes were original to the show and writers took advantage of that freedom to parade more gratuitous rape and abuse against women. I don’t even know what to say at this point. It’s like they see rape as a way to draw audiences in. They seem to think if they aren’t shocking or controversial enough, people won’t watch the show. It’s a cheap and exploitative move. If your content isn’t strong enough to get attention without shock tactics, you shouldn’t be in this business.
But the thing is, the content is good enough to stand alone. None of this is necessary at all. So what gives?
And while Burn Gorman’s despicable and charmingly hammy Karl was delightful, the segment was stressful to watch for other reasons, too. Usually book readers are unfazed about most things on the show, but here their knowledge couldn’t protect them. In the books Bran was never captured. Not to mention Jon doesn’t know he’s alive and is too busy preparing for wilding invasions to take a field trip to Craster’s Keep. This means that no one can predict what will happen next. Nothing good, I’m sure.
The episode was pretty good overall, but it was the last few moments that left me breathless. A White Walker on horseback carried a baby to an altar of ice. Another Walker came, touched the baby’s face and turned its eyes blue and icy.
That’s it. Short. Mysterious. Perfect. It’s just a glimpse, a hint at the lore behind White Walkers, something George R. R. Martin has kept in the dark even in the books. Just that tiny scene, explaining so little but showing so much, whet avid viewers’ appetites and left them starving for more about the Walkers. Here’s hoping this season will deliver on that end.
Next week’s episode, “First of His Name,” will show us Tommen’s coronation and the reappearance of Lysa Arryn, Catelyn’s sister and Sansa’s aunt. See you there at 9 p.m. on HBO.
