Following last week's infanticide, Game of Thrones slows down somewhat this week as intrigue takes centre stage and claimants to the Iron Throne seek to expand their armies.
Picking up where we left off, Arya Stark is on the way to the wall with King Robert's only remaining bastard, Gendry (Joe Dempsie). When two men from the City Watch arrive with a warrant for Gendry's arrest, Yoren (Francis Magee) takes a dislike to their manner and tells them that his "recruits" belong to the Night's Watch and are beyond the King's authority. One of them moves to draw his sword but Yoren is too quick for him and puts a knife against the man's femoral artery. Confiscating his sword, he sends the men on their way, who promise to return with reinforcements.
In King's Landing, Tyrion returns to his chambers to find Shae (Sibel Kekilli) talking with Varys (Conleth Hill). After a conversation full of thinly-veiled references to her being a whore and Varys being a eunuch, Varys says that it's unfortunate that Tyrion's father didn't want her coming to the capital, adding that he's very good at keeping secrets for his close friends. Tyrion is having none of it, telling Varys that he is not Ned Stark: he is not a man of honour but he understands how the game is played, adding that if Varys threatens him again, he will have him thrown into the sea. Varys is unimpressed, telling Tyrion that big fish eat little fish and he always keeps paddling. At the Small Council meeting, Queen Cersei is unimpressed with Robb Stark's peace terms, tearing them up (giving Tyrion the best line, once again: "you've perfected the art of tearing up papers"). Cersei sends the messenger back with a message for Jaime that they are still thinking of him. A raven from The Wall reveals that the Lord Commander is asking for more men, telling them that the dead are rising. No-one believes the story except for Tyrion.
North of the wall, Samwell Tarly (John Bradley) intervenes when one of Craster's daughter-wives, a girl called Gilly (Hannah Murray), is frightened by Jon Snow's dire wolf, Ghost. She apparently takes a liking to him and the pair go to Jon, asking for his help in taking her with them when they leave. She is pregnant and scared about what will happen if she has a boy. Jon refuses and the girl runs off. Samwell chastises Jon for not wanting to help her and when Jon tells him that they can't steal her, Samwell naively says that people can't be stolen like goats. His words appear to have an effect on Jon, even if he doesn't say it.
The unbearable heat of the Red Waste is taking its toll on Daenerys and her retinue. The return of one of the horses momentarily lifts their hopes, until they find the rider's severed head in the saddle bag which Jorah says is a warning from a neighbouring Khal that doesn't like the idea of a Khal led by a woman.
Theon Greyjoy prepares for his triumphant return to the Iron Islands. He boasts to the daughter of his ship's captain that he will have a guard of honour waiting for him when he disembarks and that he will be King of the Iron Islands one day.
Meanwhile, Petyr Baelish is having trouble with one of his whores. Ros (Esme Bianco) is traumatised after witnessing Lord Slynt kill a baby in front of her. Baelish comforts her, to a degree, telling her a story of a beautiful and intelligent whore who he used to own. She would cry all the time and wasn't making him any money so he sold her to a wealthy man with "unusual" tastes. He gives Ros the rest of the day off to recover.
Lord Slynt (Dominic Carter), meanwhile, has just finished dinner with Tyrion. Tyrion questions him about the infanticide and asks him if he has heard of the rumours about Joffrey's parentage. Slynt says that Joffrey is his King and that's all that matters. Tyrion then questions him about the events in the throne room when the City Watch arrested Ned Stark and killed his men. Slynt says that he was glad to give the order because Ned was a traitor. Tyrion replies that Ned was foolish to try and buy Slynt's loyalty when it had already been bought. Slynt is outraged and Tyrion tells him that he has no honour, saying that he intends to serve as Hand until his father returns and that with Slynt around, he wouldn't feel safe. Slynt says that his friends at court will be hear of this and threatens to go to the King. Tyrion ignores him, telling him that his own men will escort him to a ship bound for The Wall, making Bronn (Jerome Flynn) the new commander of the City Watch. After Slynt is dragged out, Tyrion asks Bronn if he would kill a baby without question if he told him to. Bronn replies that he would not do it without question, he would ask how much.
Back on the road to The Wall, Asha asks Gendry why the City Watch were after him. Gendry tells him that he doesn't know and when the conversation turns to his parentage, Gendry reveals that both previous Hands of the King came looking for him before they died, asking about his mother. Gendry then tells Asha that while everyone else may believe that she is a boy, he can see through her disguise, prompting Arya to tell him who she really is.
Theon's grand return to the Iron Islands doesn't go exactly as he planned. No-one is there to greet him and the dock hand doesn't seem to know or care who he is. A woman (Gemma Whelan) offers to take him to the capital, Pyke, and she at least knows who he is. On the ride to his father's capital, Theon attempts to impress her, groping her whilst telling her that he will be her King one day. Theon's father (Patrick Malahide) is even less impressed than the dock hand, mocking Theon for wearing a cloak fastened with a necklace that he bought rather than taking from a man he had killed. He tells him that he has turned into a Stark and when Theon says that Robb's offer comes at his behest, adding that they think of each other as brothers, Balon is not amused, accusing his son of besmirching the memories of his late brothers. Theon hands over the offer and tells his father that he will lead the fleet himself. The woman from earlier walks in and reveals herself as Yara Greyjoy, his sister. Theon makes clear that she will lead the attack but that he will not go to war to be given his crown back by Robb Stark. Rather, he will go to war against Robb Stark to win his crown back.
On Dragonstone, Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham) and his son Matthos (Kerr Logan) are trying to convince the pirate Salladhor Saan (Lucian Msamati) to join Stannis Baratheon's army. He is reluctant, citing Renly's greater numbers, but Davos dismisses that, saying that while Joffrey and Renly are untested in war, Stannis is an experienced tactician. He then successfully appeals to his greed, telling him that if he joins Stannis, he can leave the easy pickings behind and join them in taking King's Landing. Salladhor agrees to join Stannis' army, asking for only one more thing in return: he wants to fuck Queen Cersei. Matthos is indignant that he would go to war only to rape the Queen but Salladhor is quite insistent that it will be consensual, adding that he is very persuasive. On their way back to the castle, Matthos tries to convince his father that the Lord of Light is the one true god but Davos is unconvinced, telling his son that he has seen men pray to every god and that despite never praying to any of them, he always came home. I was praying for you, Matthos says. Davos replies that Stannis is his god and the reason for his success. His son tells him that Stannis is only a man and his father warns him not to tell Stannis that.
Back in King's Landing, Cersei chastises Tyrion for exiling Slynt. Tyrion warns her that she is losing the people and when winter comes, starving peasants will turn against her, adding that having a reputation for infanticide wouldn't help matters. At first disgusted by her refusal to deny giving the order, he quickly realises that she did not give the order. Cersei, clearly upset, tries to justify Joffrey's order and tells Tyrion that neither he nor his brother ever took ruling seriously, saying that everything has fallen on her. He jokes that according to Stannis, Jaime also fell on her repeatedly. She tells him that his funniest joke was his first - when their mother died giving birth to him.
Davos gives Stannis (Stephen Dillane) the good news that Salladhor Saan will join them and Stannis sends him and his son out so that he and Melisandre (Carice van Houten) may talk in private. After he asks her to get the Lord of Light to smite his enemies for him, she reminds him that she does not ask, she listens and obeys. When he complains that his brother commands one hundred thousand men who should owe their loyalty to him, she tells him to keep faith and he exasperatedly tells her that he can't beat his brother and he can't take King's Landing without the men his brother commands. Melisandre tells him to give himself to the Lord of Light. He replies that he said the words and burnt the idols but she tells him it isn't enough, opening her gown to him. He protests that he has a wife and she reminds him that she has given him no heir and lies infirm in a tower. "I will give you a son, my King", she tells him and he takes her roughly on the table.
Night has fallen north of the wall and Jon sees Craster (Robert Pugh) taking a newborn child out into the woods. Following, he sees him leave the baby and walk back. Retracing Craster's steps, he sees the baby being taken by a colossal figure with bright blue eyes: a white walker. Before he can do anything, Craster grabs him and knocks him unconscious.
Although the episode was disappointingly short on Daenerys action, it's two other female characters who prove to be the most intriguing - Melisandre continues to entice Stannis Baratheon, making one wonder what her motivations are and Yara Greyjoy will surely have a significant role to play. Elsewhere, storylines remain in holding patterns.
I do sometimes wonder if the sheer number of characters will prove too many for a series of just ten episodes. In this episode, we didn't see Joffrey, Jaime, Tywin, Renly or any of the Starks (apart from Arya) and Daenerys and Jon Snow took a back seat as focus fell on two usurpers from islands on opposite sides of Westeros, Stannis and Balon. As I've said before, I haven't read the books so I don't know how much stuff they've got to cram in but I trust that it will be both faithful and effective on the small screen. Peter Dinklage has stepped into Sean Bean's shoes very comfortably to take on the role of series lead and the extraordinary landscapes, sweeping cinematography and top-notch performances ensure another great episode.
8 out of 10.
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