While many previous episodes of this season have revolved around the theme of power, this episode seems almost defined by randomness. For viewers who haven’t read the books, this episode presents a myriad of twists and turns and re-appearances, setting the stage for the next episode’s sure-to-be-excellent showdown.
After Tyrion’s dramatic declaration of his wish for a trial by combat after being betrayed by Shae, the opening of the episode sees him dealing with Jaime, who was willing to leave the Kingsguard so Tyrion could avoid execution. Tyrion admits that he loved Shae, and that it was this anger that caused him to once again go the “trial-by-combat” route.
The problem, of course, is who Tyrion’s champion will be. While it seems like Jaime would probably have fought for his brother, he explains that he is near-useless with his one remaining (weak) hand. He would certainly be no match for Cersei’s choice of champion for the prosecution — Gregor Clegane, the Mountain, re-introduced to the audience in a brutal and gory scene in which he slaughters about a dozen people.
With Jaime off the table, Tyrion sends for Bronn, who got Tyrion out trouble at the Vale back in season one. The play doesn’t go in Tyrion’s favour, and it’s foreshadowed almost immediately by Bronn’s entrance in svelte clothes. As it turns out, Bronn is to be married to Lollys Stokeworth, and so chooses to live a comparatively better life with her rather than risk his life fighting arguably the most fearsome man in Westeros. It’s a bittersweet conclusion to an unlikely friendship.
Tyrion does finally find a champion, though perhaps an unexpected one — Oberyn Martell, who says that King’s Landing is the perfect place to find justice for his murdered wife.
Arya and the Hound, meanwhile, come across a dying man, who seems resigned to his fate. The Hound soon grants the man peace, but is almost immediately wounded by Rorge and Biter, two men Arya freed. As it turns out, there’s a bounty on the Hound’s head, but the two men won’t collect it, as Arya and the Hound quickly dispose of them. Afterward, Arya insists that she burn off the infected flesh to stop Sandor from getting an infection, but he refuses because that method involves fire.
Elsewhere in Westeros, Brienne and Podrick’s quest to find Sansa leads them to a tavern where they meet none other than Hot Pie, a former friend of Arya. After Hot Pie talks at length about making a perfect kidney pie, he tells Brienne that while he’s never seen Sansa, he has seen her sister. After the conversation, Podrick wisely suggests Brienne stop saying they’re looking for Sansa — there appears to be a bounty on her head just like there is on the Hound’s.
A brief scene at Castle Black highlights Alliser Thorne’s increasing ability to push Jon Snow’s buttons, when Jon proposes that the Night’s Watch block their tunnel due to the growing threat of a wildling attack. Thorne says that the action is unprecedented and would be useless, and strong-arms the master builder into agreeing with him.
In Essos, meanwhile, Daario is eager to prove his worth and loyalty to Daenerys, and she sends him on a mission to Yunkai to kill every slave master — but first she sleeps with him, and when Ser Jorah hears about it he is understandably jealous. When she explains her plan for Daario, Jorah rightfully says what the audience is likely thinking — Daenerys is carrying out a very extreme form of justice that won’t make things better for the enslaved.
Finally, to end off an already dynamic episode, we go to the Vale, where Sansa is creating a snow version of Winterfell, and Robin Arryn asks her a few questions about her former home. After he wrecks part of the structure by accident, he throws a tantrum and Sansa slaps him. When he is carried off, Petyr says that Lysa should have done that to him long ago, and then tells Sansa how she’s even more beautiful than her mother was. In by far one of the creepiest moments this season, Petyr kisses her, and Lysa of course sees it all happen.
As Lysa is wont to do, she is furious and comes close to pushing Sansa out of the Moon Door, or, in simpler terms, to her death. Petyr talks her out of it, before telling her that he only ever loved one woman — Catelyn. He then pushes Lysa out the moon door.
Viewers can look forward to the upcoming clash between Oberyn and the Mountain on June 1, after a one-week break.
