Now that is how you do television people. Check out five thoughts on this week’s episode of Game of Thrones, titled “Blackwater,” below.
1. “Any man dies with a clean sword I’ll rape his fucking corpse.” – The Hound
That is all.
2. The Hound dominates
Okay, that isn’t true. That isn’t all. This episode was one hell of a showcase for the man we call “The Hound.” From that quote before, to his line to Joffrey and Tyrion about his thoughts on going back to the line (“Fuck the King’s Guard. Fuck the city. Fuck the King.”), to his showdown with Bronn towards the beginning, this was a highlight reel for him. For a show with such a sprawling cast, they really do an incredible job of giving characters the spotlight and then having them run with it, unless it’s across a field covered in fire.
3. Sansa being strong for once
I have to admit, out of the not purely evil people on the show, Sansa is my most disliked character. Mostly because she sold out Arya for Joffrey in season one, but also because she’s one of the few characters that very rarely has time to shine. In this episode, she had a number of chances and she took them and ran with them. This was an episode that was great as a whole, but had a lot of fantastic moments for an array of characters. Sansa being included in their number was hugely surprising, as was when she eventually rejected The Hound’s offer to take her North with him when he left King’s Landing. She went from being a character I disliked to one I am fascinated by, and I’m looking forward to where she goes next.
4. Tyrion stands tall, gets his face slashed
Tyrion always is a joy to watch, but this episode was great even for him. His speech to the men towards the end was textbook inspirational, and when they began chanting “Half Man!” I was positively overjoyed. But then Joffrey’s man, left behind on the battlefield to represent him, turned on him and slashed his face. When the show ended, he was on the ground, alive only because his squire saved him but desperately grasping towards a tenuous consciousness. It was both a high point and a low point for the character, and I can’t wait to see where he goes next.
5. That was…something
Seriously, “Blackwater” was one of the best episodes of this show yet. It was a tour de force with huge moments around every corner – the Wildfire gambit, Tyrion leading the charge, everything with The Hound, Cersei confronting Shae – and incredible lines as well (I was personally a big fan of Davos’ line in response to his son suggesting that King’s Landing didn’t know they were there, “Lord Varys knows what you had for breakfast three days ago.” It was an epic episode for a show that does it better than anyone. I can’t wait to see what is next, with Tywin in King’s Landing, Tyrion down, The Hound on the run, and Stannis in hiding. A perfect follow up to last week’s episode, and a perfect lead to the finale.
