Brought to you by bad aim, flexible concubines, uncauterized amputations, chairs and The Hold Steady.
Spoiler Alert!
Only two episodes of Game of Thrones have had more apt names than this one – “Blackwater,” from Season 2, and “Baelor,” from Season 1, aka THE ONE WITH THAT THING THAT HAPPENS TO NED STARK. While it directly refers to a street in the city of Astapor where Daenerys sees slaves whipped, tortured and crucified for the slightest offenses, it is also emblematic of journeys of self-loathing or grief that many of the episodes’ characters go through.
The most obvious of these paths of self-hatred would be Jaime Lannister and Brienne, now both captives of the vicious Brave Companions – men who claim to serve Roose Bolton (and therefore, the Starks). Both Jaime and his ex-captor start the episode proud on the surface, though their faces betray their inner conflicts: Brienne is at war with her own feminine nature, and she is beginning to see that the noble soldier’s life she aspires to is an illusion.
Jaime is unable to contain his cocky, brash demeanor, developed from privilege and remarkable combat skills, but he’s starting to know it will not – when push comes to shove – save him. It won’t help him in the world that Westeros has become, where loyalty and honor mean little to many, none to others and everything to too few.
The last ounce of his insouciance is taken away with the knife that severs his sword-hand after an ill-advised attempt to buy his freedom. Yet, at the same time, he successfully lies to the Companions’ leader to prevent Brienne from being raped. As such, Jaime is easily the show’s most interesting non-Tyrion character.
Catelyn Stark, meanwhile, is continuing her own internal “walk of punishment,” burying herself in painful memories and self-hatred. Her son, Robb, continues to deal with a war that looks less likely to be won every day.
Far in the North, the remaining men of the Night’s Watch have endured a literal 100-mile walk of starvation and cold. They’ve arrived at the heathen Craster’s retreat, punishing themselves further by allowing his incest and, um, child-rationing, to continue. Not far off, Mance Rayder orders Jon Snow to climb the Wall with a contingent of wildlings. As such, Jon will have to punish himself by maintaining his cover as the men he’s with plan to kill his brothers on the other side.
Of the major storylines featured in this episode, the only characters who aren’t subjecting themselves to punishment are Tyrion and Daenerys. The former seems to have regained his swagger, as he deals with his new role as Master of Coin, purchases limber whores for his squire Podrick and stands up for himself in front of his terrifying father without saying a word. (I can’t even adequately summarize this scene – it must be seen to be believed.)
Daenerys bargains to trade a dragon to the Astapori for 8,000 Unsullied slave soldiers to serve as her conquering army. While this seems like an unwise move, the unflappable confidence during her scenes leads you to believe that her plan is more complex than that.
All told, this episode was a series-best, on par with the aforementioned “Baelor” and “Blackwater.” This undoubtedly has to do with the fact that they were written by both showrunners, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and directed by Benioff, who took to the task with astonishing panache for a first-timer.
The brutal cut to credits after Jaime’s maiming, followed up by the even more jarring, but nonetheless excellent, Hold Steady version of one of the book series’ signature songs, “The Bear and the Maiden Fair,” left me thoroughly shaken, but also thrilled. This season of the show has now kicked into overdrive, and it’s not likely to slow down from here on in.
Missing from the episode: Bran Stark.
Almost missing: Stannis Baratheon/Melisandre (one weird scene of horniness with no actual sex).
Best off: Daenerys, Tyrion Lannister (tie)
Worst off: Jaime.
Liam Green can be reached at lgreen@thoughtpollution.com.