Game of Thrones has never been short on brutality. This is a show that has featured, to name just a few atrocities, incest, rape, cannibalism, infanticide, castration, and tonight one of the Night’s Watch mutineers drank wine out of Jeor Mormont’s skull. But it’s all that baggage that the viewer brings to GoT that makes episodes like “Oathkeeper” so special. So much of tonight was surprisingly touching.
The strange thing is, most of tonight’s touching moments came courtesy of Jaime Lannister, a man who just last week raped his sister in the crypt of their dead son. Nicolaj Coster-Waldau is on fire, delivering his best performance since his bathtub monologue in season three. The Kinglsayer is, as has been said, “a man without honor,” but “Oathkeeper,” as the title implies, goes a long way to restoring what little he might have once had.
Jaime tasks Brienne with finding Sansa, who he knows is not responsible for Joffrey’s death (not that that will stop Cersei from wanting her dead). In one of the series’ most moving scenes, he gives her his Valyrian steel sword, as well as a suit of armor (and Podric, Tyrion’s former squire who immediately endears himself to his new employer by calling Brienne “sir”). Jaime also visits Tyrion in his cell, and plainly, sweetly asks him, “How can I help?” He knows there’s nothing he can do, but Tyrion needs to know that Jaime is in his corner. This scene comes after a helpful reminder from Bronn that the only reason he acted as Tyrion’s champion at the Eyrie is because Lysa Arryn wouldn’t allow time for Jaime to come. The relationship between Jaime and Tyrion has always been more hinted at than explained, but their bond is stronger now that Jaime, too, is a disappointment to Tywin. Luckily for us, and for Game of Thrones, Peter Dinklage and Coster-Waldau know their characters so well that the history and backstory don’t seem like they’re wedged in.
Which is a terrible, terrible segue to my next point: Game of Thrones‘ Daenerys problem. Don’t get me wrong, her storyline is great, and Emilia Clarke absolutely nails it, but it’s so far removed from the main events (both in the show and in A Song of Ice and Fire) that it sometimes feels like she’s in another show entirely. Tonight Dany liberates Mereen, after Daario Naharis made short work of their bitch-ass champion last week. She proves to be yet another “Oathkeeper,” as she tells Barristan Selmy, “I will answer injustice with justice,” and orders the slavers crucified in the same manner as the children she saw on her march to Mereen.
Elsewhere, Jon has gotten permission to march on Craster’s Keep. He gets a few volunteers, including Locke, who if you’ll remember is there on orders from Roose Bolton to see if Bran and Rickon show up. Noah Taylor exudes a queit, tangible menace as Locke, and his performance will make subsequent viewings of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, where he plays Mr. Bucket, deeply unsettling. But if Jon can make it to Craster’s fast enough, he might run into Bran! The kidnapping subplot didn’t do much for me, because if Bran and Jon do cross paths, not only will it be a radical and frankly unwelcome departure from the books’ narrative, but it would strain credulity, as it would be the second time in two seasons that they just run into each other in Westeros, which is FUCKING MASSIVE.
But I trust Game of Thrones. “Oathkeeper” was a great episode, ably written by Bryan Cogman and expertly directed by Breaking Bad vet Michelle Maclaren. Easily the best episode of the season.
A Few Thoughts
– After seeing what the White Walkers do to infants, I think I’d rather be the baby who got stabbed in the brothel in season two
– Sansa is much smarter than we give her credit for, and I’m so glad she’s finally out of King’s Landing, where she’s been since – holy shit, season one? Really?
– Can redemption be found for Jaime Lannister? This is a man who pushed a child out of a window in the fucking pilot, and undid a lot of his redemptive arc last week by raping Cersei. But he still seems determined to change. I love Game of Thrones for not taking the easy way out of anything
– Lastly, “Oathkeeper” was much more forthcoming about Littlefinger’s complicity in Joffrey’s death. A Storm of Swords almost dances around it, and to this day I have debates with fellow book readers who think that Varys might have been responsible. But Lady Olenna Tyrell implicated herself pretty heavily. Whatever the fallout from Joffrey’s death, if it means more Petyr Baelish in my life, I’m satisfied
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