TV Review - Game of Thrones (S05E05) "Kill the Boy"

(This review contains spoilers from episode 5)

This week's Game of Thrones builds on last week's as more plotlines hurtle towards one another. The big one is Stannis beginning his march on Winterfell for his confrontation with the Boltons. Of all the contenders for the Iron Throne, Stannis is probably the one I'd be most inclined to root for. That's not say I root for him entirely – he does after all burn people alive for their religion, which is not cool to say the least. But there's no other person I'd rather see punish the Boltons. Not only does Stannis have more principles, he's also a hardened veteran who can hold his own in a fight. We've yet to see Roose or his bastard kill an armed man or woman, and Roose's favourite strategy seems to be attaching himself to more accomplished generals like Robb Stark or Tywin Lannister.

Of course, you should never take anything for granted in Game of Thrones. Maybe Stannis' army will be slowed down by the coming winter, which could leave them hungry and exhausted. The toll could cause them to lose men and leave them unfit for a siege. There is of course Lady Melisandre, who could send another shadow demon into Winterfell to take out the Boltons. But that seems a little too obvious a solution. And it certainly wouldn't be as satisfying as the Boltons meeting their fate at the hands of humans.

Another possibility is that the Northern peasantry will rise up to avenge the Starks. Brienne's little moment with the Northerner at the inn certainly seems to suggest a coming revolution. It would reflect the Sparrows' revolt against the nobility of King's Landing.

A character I'm particularly attached to is Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham). Like Brienne, he's managed to survive without having to sacrifice his humanity. We all know Davos is utterly loyal to his king – maybe he'll die defending him. I'd hate to see it happen, but once again, you can't take anything for granted on this show. His little bonding session with Shireen may be a cause for concern. It could be the show's way of humanising him one last time before killing him off.

We also see Jon struggling to make peace with the wildlings so the Watch will have a sufficient army when the White Walkers come. His parlay with Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) gives the two actors a chance to shine. Hivju's restrained performance is a marked contrast with his chest-thumping warrior from last season's battle, and it shows a considerable development in his relationship with Jon as he's now willing to hear him out instead of killing every Crow he sees. Jon calling Tormund's bluff is another great moment, when he takes off Tormund's shackles after calling him a coward. This, and his execution of Janos Slynt, are clear signs that Jon has “killed the boy”.

Another huge change is Jon's relationship with the men. While before, Jon had a considerable following, now he's being questioned by his friends and even his own squire. It's nice to see the show acknowledge Olly's trauma after the wildlings destroyed his family. Giving the smallfolk a voice gives the world of the show a much richer feel, instead of focusing on the nobility all the time.

In Winterfell, Sansa struggles to make sense of her world which has now been invaded by the Boltons. Her visit to the tower where Bran was pushed was a nice touch. It gives a sense of the story beginning to come full circle, and hints that plot threads from long ago are going to come back into play. This is reinforced by her reunion with Theon, who's been forced to sleep in the kennels. Turner's expression in this scene is sublime – there was shock, pity and fury all at the same time. I actually felt like she was going to attack Theon in a fit of rage.

We also get more time with Ramsay – which is always a delight, I'm sure. We get more gratuitous nudity (isn't Winterfell meant to be, y'know, cold?) and we see that Ramsay's despotism is causing friction with his current paramore. Ramsay also abandons his earlier act of chivalry and parades “Reek” in front of Sansa, and even vowing to let him give her away at their wedding. I don't know about Roose, but I definitely feel like Ramsay is not long for this world. Viserys, Robert and Joffrey all met their ends because their vanity eclipsed their good sense. It would certainly be satisfying to see Ramsay be the victim of his own Red Wedding, although I do sort of miss the more calculating Ramsay from last year. His capture of Moat Cailinn with a brainwashed Theon shows that Ramsay is more than just a mere sadist, but now it seems his power is beginning to go to his head. Even his father is starting to give him a cold(er) look. Roose promises never to abandon his son – I'm sure he promised Robb the same thing.

Also, Theon apologizing to Sansa. Jesus Christ that guy needs a hug.

Across the Narrow Sea, Jorah Mormont sails down Valyria-way. Finally Tyrion is given more to do than mope all the time – not that he doesn't have reason to, but still ...

The voyage through Valyria, with its dead silence and foggy passes, is definitely one of the most visually gorgeous scenes the show has ever done. It's great to finally see the place where that famous steel comes from. Tyrion and Jorah's joint recital is not only a beautiful bit of worldbuilding (I can't remember if that poem was from the books or made up for the show) but it's a wonderful character moment for both of them. They're certainly not buddies, but they've both been beaten down by the world and are struggling to find some meaning in life.

The Valyrian sequence is dominated on multiple levels by the theme of decay. We have the exiled knight and the fugitive genius. We have the tumbledown city. We have the Stone Men, driven mad by their disease (and if not for Stannis, Shireen would have been one of them). Everything on screen is a shadow of its former glory, stripped of humanity or glory.

But sailing over it all is a black dragon, a creature thought to be extinct, ignoring the ruins below. Tyrion's reaction to it is hugely significant. His hard stare is a reminder of the old Tyrion, who tried to be the best he could be despite the contempt of everyone around him. It hints a resurrection of Tyrion's old determination, just as the dragons have returned despite everyone's disbelief.

I feel this could be the most important moment of the whole season – the moment where Tyrion Lannister realises there is something in this world worth fighting for.