The Iron Islands is the most intriguing place to begin. Theon returns home to Pyke with a note from Robb Stark full of promises for Balon Greyjoy, his father, that he'll return to the Seastone chair should he help the North win their war by sending a fleet of 200 ships to him. The Starks took Theon as a hostage nine years ago at the end of the rebellion to quell any impulse of Balon to rebel again. As a ward of the Starks, Theon grew accustomed to the ways of the North. Balon scorns Theon's clothes and the gold he used to buy his them. What happened to paying the Iron price? The first image of Balon is of him sitting in front of a large fireplace, staring into the flames, and he reproachfully addresses his son, wary of the man returned to him, a man who reeks of Stark and the North. Theon is like a frat boy, brash and cocky; when he sets foot on the docks of Pyke, he expects people to bow at his feet for Balon's lone heir has returned to reclaim what's his, but no one cares about Theon-the-heir. Heck, no one cares about Theon at all. The Iron Islands are a different beast than the North and South lands of Westeros; this is land formed by the storms and the sea, centuries of it. Balon doesn't forget the crimes done to him (his perception) nor does he forgive them. Balon lives for the thought of vengeance, of Iron justice. Balon will piss on Robb Stark's letter. Balon will piss on Theon's triumphant return as well because he's raised Yara, Theon's sister, to be the heir of the Iron Islands, a woman who we're told is as formidable a warrior as any man. A moment of masculine triumph for Theon earlier is reduced to an embarrassing moment: he met this woman on the docks of Pyke and she offered him a horse, and on the way to the castle, he fondled her and made promises that she could be wife to a future king. Yara teased and indulged him and then, later, she walked through her father's doors and asserted herself as the true heir of Pyke and the Seastone chair. As his boat made its way home, Theon went below deck and sexually dominated a salt-wife, which is another word for 'whore.' The effects of Balon and Yara on him are yet to be seen, but someone as Theon with such a brash and cocky attitude is bound to react poorly. Indeed, Pyke is different. I love the contrast of the Iron Islands to the rest of Westeros and look forward to more time spent with Balon, Yara and Theon on Pyke.
Tyrion Lannister is the star of "The Night Lands." The Hand of the King is a powerful title; however, it's a vulnerable position to hold within the council: the last two Hands are dead. Varys visits with Shae in the Tower of the Hand in a daring power move. Tyrion walks in, keeps his cool, and pours a cup of wine, converses with the Master of Whisperers, before bidding him adieu. As Varys leaves, Tyrion quietly tells him, "I know how this game is played." Tyrion tries to depart with a threat, but Varys responds with a threat of his own: no matter what happens, he'll be around, which is both chilling because of the delivery and intriguing because it makes one question even more about this eunuch. Tyrion decides to be an active hand. Tywin wanted order restored in King's Landing and justice is a fine remedy for the unrest. Over a bountiful feast complete with Dornish wine, Tyrion brings justice to Lord Janos Slynt, who only became a Lord after his betrayal of Ned Stark in the throne room. Tyrion plainly tells Janos that he cannot trust the man who bears responsibility in the death of the last Hand of the King so he sends him to The Wall. Bronn becomes commander of the city watch but not even he can be trusted as Tyrion learns after asking him a simple question. Tyrion knows this and he's trying to combat these truths with his power as Hand.
Justice, of course, is tricky business. Tyrion's punishment of Janos Slynt is more about his own self-interests and sense of security than it is about administering justice for what happened to Ned Stark. Tyrion's on hand when Cersei rejects the terms of Robb Stark's trade proposal from their cousin Lannister, though he suggests Cersei return Ned's bones to Winterfell. Tyrion needs to play the game though. Tyrion and Cersei have an emotionally charged scene which ends with Cersei blaming Tyrion for the death of their mother. The conversation is a chess match. Buttons are pushed. Accusations are made. The Janos scene wasn't just about justice; it was about sides and how quickly an ally can become an enemy. Tyrion is scrambling to assemble a trustworthy group of allies while Cersei has been in King's Landing for a very long time. Cersei states belief in herself citing her brothers never had the interest in ruling she did, thus everything falls on, which takes the conversation to an unpleasant place. When the politics disappear and brother and sister sit as family, there's just pain and resentment. Cersei hates Tyrion and the venom with which she accuses Tyrion of killing their poor mother gets to him.
The gold cloaks of King's Landing found the Night's Watch at a rest stop. Arya hid near a stream because she thought they were there for her. Gendry is the man they want because he's one of Robert's bastard. Yoren is amazing in the scene; he reduces the gold cloaks to cowards, but they promise to return for Gendry and for Yoren's head. Later, Gendry confronts Arya about her actual gender. Before that happens, Gendry tells Arya about how he knew Jon Arryn and Ned Stark. Arya's expression is full of pain, anger and sadness. She looks so small, smaller than Maisie Williams actual height, as she forces herself to silence. Arya's a little girl who lost her father, on the run from the King's men, utterly powerless to defend herself. People like her and Gendry and Hot Pie and Lommy Greenhands are the ones who need protection from the King against the evil of Westeros. When Gendry confronts Arya about her being a girl, she's angry and defensive because she cannot let anyone know who she really is or it'll be death of her (in her mind). Gendry's sweet and playful about it. Arya's just mad.
Stannis is the most just man in Westeros. Sallador Saan makes a remark to Davos about his missing fingers. Stannis chopped them off and, in turn, Davos loved him. Saan also refers to Davos as the most honest smuggler in Westeros. Davos' love for Stannis is a product of his just nature. Anyway, Stannis is sickened by the thought of his brother assembling an army of men who should be his. Melisandre urges him not to be bothered by these masses of men nor by his brother because the Lord of Light chose him, Stannis, and that should bring him peace. It's not long before Melisandre opens her robe to reveal her bare breasts to seduce him. Stannis resists because he's a married man; but his wife never bore him an heir, just stillborns, and Melisandre promises him a son. Plus, sleeping with her is the last thing he needs to do to fully embrace the Lord of Light. The thought of an heir increases Stannis' desire, and he takes all of Melisandre on his beautifully designed and built table.
Meanwhile, across the narrow sea, in the red waste, Daenerys, Jorah, and everyone continue to waste away in the unrelenting desert. Rakharo's horse returns without Rakharo; in fact, Rakharo's head is the only part of him returned. Dany looks around in despair, in search of some sign, but soon she's consoling a grief-striken dothraki woman who despairs that Rakharo's soul has been killed because his body hasn't been burned; therefore, he cannot ride forever in the Night Lands. The scene is, in a way, a microcosm of the episode: people need to answer for their crimes but others are powerless to do so. The good struggle whilst the evil flourish. Admittely, this is a bit reductive but this is where we are. Justice is like a candle flame: it burns for just a few hours before it goes out.
Other Thoughts:
-The Night's Watch remain at Craster's Keep. Game Of Thrones, and its source material, is rich with mysteries. Among the mysteries is just exactly how does Craster remain where he is while the other wildlings have fled their villages. Gilly hopes Sam and Jon will rescue her baby. Jon refuses to help Gilly for fear of inciting Craster's wrath, but Jon wonders what happens to Craster's sons. Jon finds out what Craster does with them: he uses them as sacrifices to The Others. The scene is one hell of a piece of directing and editing and acting. I thought it was an utterly magnificent reveal. Hard to believe I relegated it to my 'Other Thoughts' but there isn't much to write about the Night's Watch yet. Also, I thought Sam meeting Gilly was perfectly rendered from the books.
-The Tyrion/Janos Slynt scene is one of my favorite chapters in the series. Janos is such a piece of shit and the way in which Tyrion owned him delighted me to no end.
-Maisie Williams increasing growth is going to be distracting. She's grown alot since season one. This will be a problem in later seasons. Her line delivery is still amazing and I can't wait to see Williams in more dramatic scenes like the ones she had in season 1. As for Arya, she met Jaqen H'Ghar in a basically perfect scene of Game Of Thrones. Jaqen's two buddies seem like a true bastards. Jaqen's different; he definitely exudes a different aura; but he's in the cage, which means he's very dangerous.
-Theon's homecoming in Pyke is a beautifully written chapter in A Clash of Kings. Alan Taylor's direction was beautiful in the scene before Theon went below deck. Theon and Yara's(guess I can't call her Asha) reunion was crazy in the books and more so filmed. I remember re-reading some pages twice once Theon realized this woman was his sister.
-Littlefinger and Ros had a rather odd scene. I would've included in my whole 'justice justice justice' bit above. Ros is understandably upset by the massacre. Littlefinger essentially tells her to straighten and fly right in the creepiest way possible.
-Cersei admitted to Tyrion that Joffrey ordered the deaths of the bastards without her consent. Eh. I'm not going to comment on it.
-I loved the Hot Pie/Lommy scene. Delightful.
-No Cat. No Renley. It DOES take a bit of time to travel to Storm's End. Also, there wasn't any Robb or Jaime.
-David Benioff & D.B. Weiss wrote "The Night Lands." Alan Taylor directed it.
THE YOUTUBE CLIP OF THE WEEK
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