For all the virtual ink spilled on "Game of Thrones"'s so-called women problem, particularly about the sexual sadism to which so many of the female characters have been subjected, it may have been to throw the ascendancy of women in Westeros and beyond into even greater relief.
For all the virtual ink spilled on "Game of Thrones"'s so-called women problem, particularly about the sexual sadism to which so many of the female characters have been subjected, it may have been to throw the ascendancy of women in Westeros and beyond into even greater relief.
In Sunday's episode "The Book of the Stranger," we see the degradations suffered by Sansa Stark, Margaery Tyrell and Daenerys Targaryen forged (by actual fire, in the latter's case) into a searing determination to claim their own agency. On the Iron Islands, Theon Greyjoy promises to back his sister Yara's claim to the Salt Throne. In Kings Landing, Cersei Lannister and Olenna Tyrell plot to bring the High Sparrow low — Kevan Lannister's acquiescence is almost an afterthought.
Let's begin with Daenerys, stuck in Vaes Dothrak as Khal Moro and his Khal Stooges debate whether or not she should be permitted into into the sorority of the Dosh Khaleen, and where Daario Naharis and Jorah Mormont believe they're plotting a mission to rescue their khaleesi.
When Daenerys is called before Khal Moro in the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen, he and his underlings bicker about whether to retire her, trade her to Yunkai, or rape her. She mocks meager ambitions. "None of you are fit to the lead the Dothraki. But I am. So I will." And with that, she grasps the iron braziers and tips them over, setting the temple and kthe hals ablaze. (Daario and Jorah locked them in; men can be useful at times.) Daenerys, her clothes burned away but otherwise unhurt, walks out of the burning temple. The Dothraki drop to their knees. Mission accomplished. Now kill the masters of Slaver's Bay and sail for Westeros, I beg of you.
After so many missed connections over the years, we finally have a Stark reunion. Jon Snow didn't leave Castle Black at the end of the last episode, it turns out, and is on hand when Sansa, Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne arrive. Beautiful moment between Sansa and Jon. They catch up offscreen, and then it's Sansa who has to convince Jon to take Winterfell back from Ramsay Bolton, telling him, "I'll do it myself if I have to."
When Jon receives a taunting letter from Ramsay with the news that Rickon is his prisoner (along with a list of the various and sundry depravities to which the Starks will be subject if Jon doesn't return Sansa), he can't even finish reading it aloud. Sansa does, though, and starts marshaling the wildling troops. "A monster has taken our home and our brother," she tells Jon. "We have to go back to Winterfell and save them both."
In Kings Landing, the High Sparrow talks of his conversion to Margaery and allows her to see her brother Loras, who has given up. "You are the future of our house," she tells him. "I don't care about that," Loras cries. "I just want it to stop." It's Margaery who refuses to be broken.
And back at the Red Keep, Cersei finds Tommen of a mind to appease the High Sparrow to prevent escalation. So she and Jaime confront Kevan and Olenna and tell them that the High Sparrow has plans for Margaery to do a walk of shame like Cersei's. (Is that true, or is she playing them?) Cersei convinces Olenna to have Highgarden march on Kings Landing to free Margaery and Loras and take down the High Sparrow. "Many will die if things don't go as planned," Kevan frets. "Better them than us," Olenna says.
On Pyke, Yara confronts Theon about all the good men she lost trying to rescue him from Ramsay's clutches, and how suspicious it is that he returns just after their father has died and a kingsmoot has been called. "Stop crying," she tells Theon. "Tell me what you want." Theon: "You should rule the Iron Islands. Let me help you."
Things didn't work out so great for poor wildling Osha, who is called to Ramsay's chambers and expects to make quick work out of him, eyeing the knife by his side as she mounts him. But Ramsay isn't fooled by her claims of disdain for the Starks; Theon told him how she helped Bran and Rickon escape, and he plunges a knife into her neck before she can reach for her own weapon. She dies on his chamber floor as he calmly peels his apple.
In other developments:
— Jon and Sansa may have help from the Vale. Petyr Baelish returns to Runestone where Lord Royce has been attempting to school Robin, and plants a plan in Robin's admittedly weak mind to come to Sansa's aid. He also masterfully plays the isolationist Royce into backing the war plans by pretending that Royce must have leaked Sansa's whereabouts to Ramsay, leading to her capture. Of course, you can't trust Littlefinger.
— Daario discovers Jorah has greyscale.
— Brienne confronts Davos and Melisandre about their role in Renly's death. That's past now, Davos tries to insist. "It doesn't mean I forget," Brienne says. "Or forgive." And she reveals that she's the one who killed Stannis. Davos and Melisandre are suitably cowed.
— Back in Meereen, Tyrion tries to cut a deal with the masters of Yunkai and Astapor, allowing them to end slavery over the course of seven years if they stop funding the Sons of the Harpy in Meereen. Grey Worm and Missandei are not fans of the plan, but back Tyrion in public.
— There has been a lot more humor this season than usual, and my favorite small moment came during dinner at Castle Black, when Tormund Giantsbane was making eyes at Brienne of Tarth. Go for it, Brienne. You're too good for Jaime.
In Sunday's episode "The Book of the Stranger," we see the degradations suffered by Sansa Stark, Margaery Tyrell and Daenerys Targaryen forged (by actual fire, in the latter's case) into a searing determination to claim their own agency. On the Iron Islands, Theon Greyjoy promises to back his sister Yara's claim to the Salt Throne. In Kings Landing, Cersei Lannister and Olenna Tyrell plot to bring the High Sparrow low — Kevan Lannister's acquiescence is almost an afterthought.
Let's begin with Daenerys, stuck in Vaes Dothrak as Khal Moro and his Khal Stooges debate whether or not she should be permitted into into the sorority of the Dosh Khaleen, and where Daario Naharis and Jorah Mormont believe they're plotting a mission to rescue their khaleesi.
When Daenerys is called before Khal Moro in the Temple of the Dosh Khaleen, he and his underlings bicker about whether to retire her, trade her to Yunkai, or rape her. She mocks meager ambitions. "None of you are fit to the lead the Dothraki. But I am. So I will." And with that, she grasps the iron braziers and tips them over, setting the temple and kthe hals ablaze. (Daario and Jorah locked them in; men can be useful at times.) Daenerys, her clothes burned away but otherwise unhurt, walks out of the burning temple. The Dothraki drop to their knees. Mission accomplished. Now kill the masters of Slaver's Bay and sail for Westeros, I beg of you.
After so many missed connections over the years, we finally have a Stark reunion. Jon Snow didn't leave Castle Black at the end of the last episode, it turns out, and is on hand when Sansa, Brienne of Tarth and Podrick Payne arrive. Beautiful moment between Sansa and Jon. They catch up offscreen, and then it's Sansa who has to convince Jon to take Winterfell back from Ramsay Bolton, telling him, "I'll do it myself if I have to."
When Jon receives a taunting letter from Ramsay with the news that Rickon is his prisoner (along with a list of the various and sundry depravities to which the Starks will be subject if Jon doesn't return Sansa), he can't even finish reading it aloud. Sansa does, though, and starts marshaling the wildling troops. "A monster has taken our home and our brother," she tells Jon. "We have to go back to Winterfell and save them both."
In Kings Landing, the High Sparrow talks of his conversion to Margaery and allows her to see her brother Loras, who has given up. "You are the future of our house," she tells him. "I don't care about that," Loras cries. "I just want it to stop." It's Margaery who refuses to be broken.
And back at the Red Keep, Cersei finds Tommen of a mind to appease the High Sparrow to prevent escalation. So she and Jaime confront Kevan and Olenna and tell them that the High Sparrow has plans for Margaery to do a walk of shame like Cersei's. (Is that true, or is she playing them?) Cersei convinces Olenna to have Highgarden march on Kings Landing to free Margaery and Loras and take down the High Sparrow. "Many will die if things don't go as planned," Kevan frets. "Better them than us," Olenna says.
On Pyke, Yara confronts Theon about all the good men she lost trying to rescue him from Ramsay's clutches, and how suspicious it is that he returns just after their father has died and a kingsmoot has been called. "Stop crying," she tells Theon. "Tell me what you want." Theon: "You should rule the Iron Islands. Let me help you."
Things didn't work out so great for poor wildling Osha, who is called to Ramsay's chambers and expects to make quick work out of him, eyeing the knife by his side as she mounts him. But Ramsay isn't fooled by her claims of disdain for the Starks; Theon told him how she helped Bran and Rickon escape, and he plunges a knife into her neck before she can reach for her own weapon. She dies on his chamber floor as he calmly peels his apple.
In other developments:
— Jon and Sansa may have help from the Vale. Petyr Baelish returns to Runestone where Lord Royce has been attempting to school Robin, and plants a plan in Robin's admittedly weak mind to come to Sansa's aid. He also masterfully plays the isolationist Royce into backing the war plans by pretending that Royce must have leaked Sansa's whereabouts to Ramsay, leading to her capture. Of course, you can't trust Littlefinger.
— Daario discovers Jorah has greyscale.
— Brienne confronts Davos and Melisandre about their role in Renly's death. That's past now, Davos tries to insist. "It doesn't mean I forget," Brienne says. "Or forgive." And she reveals that she's the one who killed Stannis. Davos and Melisandre are suitably cowed.
— Back in Meereen, Tyrion tries to cut a deal with the masters of Yunkai and Astapor, allowing them to end slavery over the course of seven years if they stop funding the Sons of the Harpy in Meereen. Grey Worm and Missandei are not fans of the plan, but back Tyrion in public.
— There has been a lot more humor this season than usual, and my favorite small moment came during dinner at Castle Black, when Tormund Giantsbane was making eyes at Brienne of Tarth. Go for it, Brienne. You're too good for Jaime.
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