TV Review - Game of Thrones (S06E04) "The Book of the Stranger" (Spoilers)

The latest episode of Game of Thrones gives us one of the long-anticipated Stark reunions, with Sansa, Brienne and Pod meeting Jon at the wall. What I liked about Sansa reuniting with Jon was that it was not exactly the reunion one would have expected. We've never seen these two interact before, and one would think that Jon and Bran, or else Jon and Arya, or Sansa and Arya would have been more appropriate, given that we've seen those character interact before. This odd pairing also made the emotion of their reunion all the sweeter. With all the grim happenings of late, this show has been begging for a little happiness.

Jon and Sansa's dynamic here gives a glimpse into the past lives of the Starks, building on last week's flashback to the Tower of Joy. Learning his family is not completely dead gives Jon a purpose again, as he struggles with his second chance of life. But it's Sansa who's shown to have changed the most in this episode. This isn't just shown through her regret for looking down on Jon before, but also through her demands that they return to Winterfell with arms to save their home and their little brother. With Jon, Davos and Melisandre all adrift, not knowing what to do with their lives, it's Sansa who tries to provoke them to action. This suggests that Sansa may become more a political force in the future.

The ground is also laid for plenty of complications: how will the Watch react to the call to march south, when they know a much greater threat is building to the north? How will Sansa take it when she learns Jon has been resurrected through magic (it's unlikely she already knows, given that she's yet to encounter any supernatural forces, unlike her siblings)? How will Brienne react to Jon being a product of the same magic that killed Renly?

Meanwhile, there's another force preparing to march on Winterfell to the south. Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) returns to the Vale to persuade young Robert Arryn to mobilise to “save” Sansa, while also carrying out Littlefinger's plans to spread his influence to the north. Watching his standoff with Lord Royce made me wonder “What the heck is up with these guards?” First Dorne and now the Vale! What's with this sudden scourge of disloyalty guards have towards their employers? I'm starting to wonder if the Others cleansing Westeros would be such a bad thing, given how there's only about ten sympathetic characters left there.

I'm hoping the clash at Winterfell provides the catharsis denied in last year's anticlimactic Baratheon-Bolton showdown. Odds are at least one unpleasant character will be offed, perhaps Sansa killing Ramsay or Littlefinger, or Ramsay killing Littlefinger or Sweetrobin.

In King's Landing, we get another uncomfortable audience with the High Sparrow, this time as he tries to persuade Margaery Tyrell (Natalie Dormer) to confess her crimes. Pryce's benevolent smile throughout this whole scene continues to be one of the most unsettling things about this season, moreso than Ramsay in all his eye-bulging glory. The fact that his arguments about the nobility's debauchery carry a lot of weight only adds to the insidiousness of the character.

It's also a great scene for Dormer, who conveys through her huge doe-eyes that she's starting to be taken in by his arguments . . . only to show her real mettle when she tries to talk Loras into staying strong. Margaery's balance of firmness and humanity has made her one of the most fascinating characters on the show, and I hope she gets to do a lot more this season than just sit in a cell being lectured to.

From Cersei and Jaime alas, it's more of the same sniping with the small council and generally being ostracised by everyone. There is one tiny exception with the possibility of a brief alliance between the Lannisters and the Tyrells to undermine the Faith Militant's authority. These are two other characters that I hoped are utilised better in the second half of this season.

In Meereen, Tyrion is finally back in the saddle as he cuts a deal with the slavers to wean them off of slavery, rather than snatch it away from them like Daenerys tried to do. This subplot is based around the gap between compromise and ideals, with Tyrion being the pragmatic foil to Grey Worm's dogged loyalty to his queen, with Missandei mediating between them.

I have to say, I found Grey Worm and Missandei far more interesting in this one episode than I have in their three seasons on the show. For them, the deal with the slavers is of greater emotional significance, yet Tyrion (who's had plenty of experience working with and for people who despise him) can see the bigger picture and knows that compromise is sometimes needed. We never had this sort of ideological conflict when Daenerys was in charge. By being placed at odds with Tyrion, Grey Worm and Missandei are forced to assert themselves more, leading to more of their personalities being enforced into the show.

And speaking of Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), whom I've avoided up until this point due to the lack of momentum in her subplot, well . . . it looks like we're back to the Season 1 finale all over again. Of all the characters in this show, Daenerys is the one I'm the least invested in. This is partially because all the show's attempts to make her impressive feel like Telling not Showing, and partially because Emilia Clarke just doesn't sell it for me. When she's supposed to look powerful and frightening as she burns the khals alive, she instead comes off as weirdly detached from everything.

I didn't dislike the climax to this episode, but I didn't feel much of anything else either. It was just a thing that happened. But I suppose the fact that Daenerys' plot is once again progressing could form some interesting conflict down the road.

My prediction for the rest of the season is that Daenerys will try to retake Meereen, and will be shocked and angered at Tyrion's compromise. Daenerys will try to have Drogon incinerate Tyrion, but Rhaegon and Viseryon (whom Tyrion released whereas Daeneys imprisoned them) will fight for Tyrion, leading to a showdown between the three dragons. Last season, Shireen Baratheon mentioned the bloody Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons, which may have been a setup for a second Dance.

And no, that does not mean I hope Tyrion is secretly a Targaryen, although it might look a lot more likely if my prediction comes true.

TV Review - Game of Thrones (S06E03) "Oathbreaker" (Spoilers)

Episode 3 of Game of Thrones introduces us to one of the most crucial moments in the whole series: the infamous battle at the Tower of Joy where a young Lord Eddard Stark (Robert Aramayo) and his friends fight to save his sister Lyanna from the remnants of Aerys II's Kingsguard. I thought Aramayo's performance was an interesting one, as it showed the uncertainty the young Ned must have felt during Robert's Rebellion. Unlike Sean Bean's composed authority, Aramayo doesn't seem to quite suit the role of a dashing knight.

That actually works in his favour though because it shows the young Ned as more vulnerable than we're used to seeing him. Instead of ruling the North with a firm but caring hand, he seems quite out-of-his depth when faced with the uber-confident Kingsguard. This is highlighted when Ned only survives because of Howland Reed's trickery, than from actual fighting prowess.

In the modern day, we see the less diplomatic players continue to dominate the stage when Winterfell is visited by the brusque Smalljon Umber (Dean S Jagger). Umber promptly chews out Ramsay for his cruelty and his father's treachery, then makes it clear that he's only here out of a need to beat the wildlings than for any semblance of feudal loyalty. It's the last thing you'd expect anyone to say to someone of Ramsay's temperament, and Jagger's unabashed frankness makes for a pretty amusing scene.

It quickly takes a shocking turn however when we see that Smalljon has delivered Rickon Stark (Art Parkinson) and Osha (Natalia Tena) into Ramsay's hands, along with what appears to be the severed head of Rickon's direwolf, Shaggy Dog. Like with the Ironborn, I'm glad to see the show has not abandoned all its past plotlines. The questions now arise as to whether this really is an amoral sell-out from the Umbers, or if the show is paralleling the Manderly plot from the books. Perhaps Umber is planning to sneak an army into Winterfell and needs someone who knows the layout on the inside. I also wonder if the show is going to try to give Rickon some depth, or will it just leave him as a plot device so as not to intrude on the characters we already have.

In King's Landing, Qyburn (Anton Lesser) has recruited Varys' little birds as his own intelligence network. The scene where he bribes a horde of ragged, wide-eyed orphans to do his bidding has a weirdly Dickensian feel that's very out of context for a medieval-style show. But I admit I actually liked the scene for this reason. Like the bloodriders' absurdly macho dialogue in episode 1, the scene is somehow endearing in its oddness.

It's also nice to get a glimpse of how Qyburn goes about his business when Cersei isn't around, giving the background characters just a little bit more life. The scene however does make me wonder how loyal the children are to Qyburn. Varys' influence can stretch across whole continents, so I wouldn't be too surprised if Qyburn one day vanishes down some dark alley somewhere.

Speaking of Varys (Conleth Hill), he seems to be coming into his own in Meereen. The scene where he threatens the son of a Meereenese woman for her conspiring with the Sons of the Harpy restores some menace to a character who's been greatly lacking any for several seasons. I thought the throne room as a setting for this scene was curious on a symbolic level. We open with Varys sitting near the throne but not on it, symbolising how he controls the fate of monarchies despite not having kingly status himself.

I wonder what this could mean for his relationship with Tyrion. Obviously Vary only helps people if they're useful for his plans (whatever they might be), but Tyrion is clearly smarter than to be led by the nose as easily as Joffrey or Tommen might be. Perhaps the scene isn't meant to mean anything, except show how ruthless Varys can be in dealing with his enemies. But given that the scene is directly followed by Tyrion playing house (thus leaving the important work to Varys), I wonder if we might start seeing Varys being more direct and forceful in his ambitions.

While this is going on, Tyrion struggles to make conversation with Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) and Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson). I thought this was a nice character moment that shows that Tyrion, despite being a brilliant diplomat in Westeros, isn't so skilled when it comes to dealing with people from a country entirely different from his own. That said, I do hope Tyrion starts to regain his politicking mojo, as he's spent far too much time on the sidelines. This is even more important in case Varys really is planning to undermine him.

Speaking of characters who haven't done much of late, Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) finally makes some headway with the Faceless Men when Jaqen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha) gives her back her sight. This comes at the cost of Arya's old identity, which apparently has been completely rejected by now. I wonder though how long that will last when Arya returns home and sees the utter ruin her old home has become.

I was particularly glad to see some development here, as Arya's time in Braavos has been one of my least favourite parts of the series due to repetition and lack of momentum. With the ambiguity surrounding Arya's “identity” (What will the Faceless Men have her do now that they seem to think she's ready?), this plotline finally has a new lease of life.

Game of Thrones (S06E02) "Home" (Spoilers)

I know this review is over a week late. Exams and whatnot have been wreaking havoc with my schedule of late.

This week on Game of Thrones, Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon) crosses yet more lines of depravity by murdering his way to becoming Lord of Winterfell. I've noticed an odd change in Ramsay since last year. He doesn't seem to enjoy killing as much as he usually does, showing what could almost be regret as he watches his father Roose (Michael McElhatton) die before him. I wonder if the death of Myranda has shaken his confidence somehow, as he realises that his pet Reek isn't as helpless as Ramsay thought he was.

I'd say Ramsay is starting to realise that he's pushing his luck more and more. He's marked himself out as a kinslayer, and by killing Lady Walda, he's eliminated one of the Boltons' allies in the Riverlands – who also happen to be one of the most prolific families in the realm. This is Ramsay's fourth season of murder and butchery, and by law of averages I'd say this will be his final one. Joffrey didn't last much longer than three seasons; perhaps the producers are thinking of getting rid of Ramsay to replace him with yet another psychopath (Euron Crow's-Eye just happens to debut in the same episode). These murders could well prove the beginning of the end for Ramsay, something I'm sure we can all agree can't come too soon.

Perhaps his murders are also meant to parallel Ellaria and the Sand Snake's betrayal of Doran last week. From Dorne to the Wall, all the more cautious, level-headed players are being removed from the equation, leaving the way open for their reckless replacements. Across the realm, we're seeing the game of thrones devolve into a rage-fuelled stab-a-thon, which of course leaves Westeros even more vulnerable to the Others . . .

This episode also sees the return of the Ironborn, which I was glad to see. They may be a pack of salty, grim-faced bastards, but it's nice to see the show hasn't entirely forgotten its old subplots. Having Yara Greyjoy (Gemma Whelan) and her men utterly fail to save Theon would have been a pretty ignominious note to end on, and I can't wait to see how the power struggle between Yara and her uncle Euron (Pilou Asbæk) ties into the wider struggle for the realm.

That said, I thought the pacing for this segment was a bit off. It zips from Balon (Patrick Malahide) gloating about surviving the War, to him being assassinated, then to his funeral, and the promise of a Kingsmoot. This all happens within the space of ten minutes, almost as if the show's trying to make up for two years of neglect by speeding through the Ironborn plot. I think it might have worked better to kill off Balon in the pilot, then cut to his funeral for this week, just to give a better sense of the passing of time. Maybe D&D been planning on that, only for the scenes to get shuffled around for whatever reason.

It was also pretty sweet to watch the odious Balon get bumped off so unceremoniously, and frankly if you walk on a rickety bridge in a storm you deserve everything you get. Though come to think of it, what makes Yara think he was murdered at all? I mean, just look at those bridges!

In King's Landing, Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) seems to be venturing down the path to becoming another Joffrey, vowing to punish the people who've humiliated his wife and mother. I personally think Tommen was more interesting when there was a chance he and Margaery might actually bring some stability to the realm after the chaos of the past few years. Likewise, I think it's a shame that Jaime's (Nikolaj Coster Waldau) possible redemption has turned into yet another revenge quest after Myrcella's murder.

Cersei (Lena Headey) by contrast has become more intriguing since her release from the sept. Her quiet, soft-spoken performance makes it almost impossible to predict where she's going to go from here – or it would if the trailer hadn't added that “I choose violence” line. It'll be very interesting to see how these three characters negotiate the dark urges within them, which no doubt will be provoked even more in the coming war with Dorne.

There's also the building confrontation between the Lannisters and the Faith Militant. Jonathan Pryce continues to shine as the High Sparrow, combining gentle paternalism with an unshakeable zeal that makes him more unnerving even than Ser Robert Strong. The High Sparrow's another character who's hard to predict, but I'm wondering if all this fanatacism is going to burst forward into some frenzy before the season's out.

His brief conversation with Jaime set this conflict up decently, though I thought the dialogue was a bit weak, between Jaime informing the people who came in late that he's a Kingslayer, or the High Sparrow explaining why they adorn their corpses with open eyes. That latter infodump felt more like a blatant foreshadowing of Jon's resurrection.

In the North, Theon decides now's a good time to leave Sansa in the protection of Brienne and Pod. I was a bit disappointed with this development, given how Sansa and Theon's complicated relationship gives a lot of potential for interesting drama. Theon is Sansa's only connection with her past, something she doesn't have with Brienne or Pod since her connection to them has been tangential up to this point. I'm not saying it was a bad decision on part of the writers, but I do feel Theon staying could have led to a more interesting plotline. I'll have to wait and see how this develops before I can judge properly.

I also don't understand Theon's desire to go back to Pyke all of a sudden. It's not like his family treated him any better before he lost everything. It felt more like the writers just wanted a segue into the Ironborn plot.

Meanwhile in Meereen, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) decides that Daenerys' dragons need to be released or else they'll wither and die, like the last dragons in Westeros. I liked the little callback to history here, and I'm wondering if that could be foreshadowing stronger ties with Targaryen history. We also get a scene that has been building since the series started, where Tyrion gets to see the dragons up close and personal.

Dinklage's acting in this scene is of course marvellous, with his usual dryness giving way to unashamed wide-eyed wonder. I admit I kind of like the dragons' design as well. Although their reptiles, the animators give their faces some expression as well. They almost come across more as giant scaly dobermans, which I thought was an interesting way to go.

But my God, how stupid would Tyrion have to be to think that just by walking up to the dragons and saying “I am your friend”, they wouldn't burn him alive? This is right up there with Tyrion and Varys' casual stroll around Meereen last week, seemingly unconcerned with the xenophobic death cult that's out to get them.

Tyrion is certainly showing a lot more confidence in himself if he can do all this. Let's hope this translates into some confident politicking in the coming weeks.