In many ways, “The Broken Man” is an episode that is perfectly emblematic of Game of Thrones‘ sixth season. By which I mean, a ton of shit happens. This is a busy episode, and yet it never feels rushed, or scattered, or aimless. It avoids the feeling of “checking in.” Characters like Tyrion, Daenerys, and Littlefinger get no screentime because it isn’t time to tell their stories just yet. It just further proves that this might be GoT‘s most eventful season yet.
I mean, two resurrections? Jon Snow we all saw coming, but the Hound is a pleasant surprise. Don’t get me wrong, it was heavily implied in the books that he wasn’t really dead, but with the show’s diversion from its source material, it was unclear if that would bear fruit on screen. But it’s a distinct pleasure to have the Hound back, and as a bonus, he gets to act opposite Ian McShane, meaning our long national nightmare is over: Ian McShane Watch is done.
As someone who has watched all of Deadwood multiple times, it’s strange seeing McShane play someone so…well, nice. And you can tell it’s strange for Sandor Clegane, as well. The Elder Brother is someone who tells the Hound that his sins don’t define him, saying pointedly that “it’s never too late to come back.” The Hound’s return is just another example of the show’s affinity for longform storytelling: here, someone we haven’t seen for over fifteen episodes has a chance at redemption.
Of course, to idiots, the Hound’s return signifies the inevitability of the Clegane Bowl, as Twitter has dubbed it, wherein the Hound fights the Mountain. But why would he do that? It could be argued that the Hound would be the Faith’s champion in Cersei’s trial by combat, but when has the Hound done anything he didn’t want to? Even being around the Elder Brother didn’t make him devout. Also, when has Game of Thrones indulged in such shameless fan service? Was it when Ned died? Or the Red Wedding? Or when Oberyn died? Also, if the Hound returned to King’s Landing, wouldn’t Cersei tell Tommen to tell the Faith Militant to attack him on sight? Not to mention, it would require him to know, somehow, that Cersei was going to trial, that the Mountain would be her champion, and that the Faith needed a champion of their own. ALSO, in the wake of the Elder Brother’s murder, the Hound certainly looked as if he was going to exact revenge on the Brotherhood Without Banners, whom he had previously warned the Elder Brother about? My point is, #CleganeBowl is a bunch of horseshit. I’d love to be proven wrong, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.
Okay, rant over. Let’s move on to talk about my new favorite Game of Thrones character: Lyanna goddamn Mormont.
Lyanna is the best example I can provide for my argument that “The Broken Man” is all about two great subclasses on GoT: badass old men and badass young women. As played by Bella Ramsey, who absolutely commands the screen opposite Kit Harrington, Sophie Turner, and Liam Cunningham, Lyanna Mormont takes less bullshit than any other Mormont we’ve seen so far (i.e. Jorah and Jeor). Her dialogue with Davos is some of the episode’s best writing, and it immediately leaves the audience not only wanting more, but wondering if we’ve wasted our time on the wrong Mormonts.
So: badass young women. First, there’s Margaery, who plays devout so well even I wondered if she was faking it. Such is the magnitude of Natalie Dormer’s performance. Then there’s Arya, who is unable to separate the No One she wants to be with the Arya Stark that she is. She books passage on a ship bound for Westeros, but finds herself stabbed repeatedly the Waif, another scene that proves GoT hasn’t lost its edge. Then there’s Sansa, who doesn’t get as much to do this episode as I would have liked, but that in and of itself shows how majorly GoT has course-corrected: I wanted more Sansa Stark.
So: badass old men. There’s Davos, who has been discussed, but it worth mentioning again because Liam Cunningham might have the best delivery on the show. There’s the Blackfish, who remains just incredible, and in one scene manages to make Jaime look like a villain again (such is the moral complexity of Game of Thrones). Then there is the High Sparrow, who in no uncertain terms tells Margaery to produce an heir to his stranglehold on the city isn’t lessened.
I have no real complaints about “The Broken Man.” In a lot of ways it was the perfect summation of season six of Game of Thrones. It was thrilling, nerve-wracking television, and like all great episodes, it got me excited for the next installment. Brave.
A Few Thoughts
- This was the show’s first cold open since, when? The pilot? Interesting choice.
- The Elder Brother was a great contrast to the High Sparrow. He wasn’t nearly as dogmatic.
- Maybe my favorite scene, which I didn’t get to above, was Lady Olenna’s thorough rebuke of Cersei. “You’ve lost, Cersei. It’s the only joy I can find in all this misery.”
- Another important point about Davos as a father figure: he’s never actually seen the Night King, yet he warns Lyanna of him. Davos just trusts Jon’s account that much and that implicitly.
- Yara is into girls. That’s a nice detail.
- “Sixty-two Mormonts.”
- Sorry I didn’t get to last week’s episode. Blame the long weekend. For what it’s worth, I would have given it 4 stars.
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