Game of Thrones "The Gift" (Season 5, Ep. 7) [TV Review]

 Welcome back to the seventh installment of this season's Game of Thrones review. This weeks episode was "The Gift," and like all of the rest in the season the title presages the last few minutes of the episode. So next week during the eighth epsiode, we can expect Hardhome to occur at the end of the episode.

This scene was made for two reasons. So that Bron could sing,
and for pure titillation. Nothing more.

 I've said it before and I'll say it again. This season has me lost. They are not going by the books anymore, almost nothing matches up. People are not where they should be, nor doing the things they should.

4 out of 5 stars

Even saying that, this episode was a step up from last week.

This episode also had a major theme running through it. Imprisonment was the theme... some rare instances such as Tormund Giant's Bane being freed to travel with Jon Snow are showing people being freed from imprisonment. But mostly, the episode is all about shackles, bonds, and jails.

At the wall, these bonds are often being released. Tormund is freeded to go with Jon to save the rest of the Wildlings. Maester Aemon is freed from this mortal coil. Sam is freed of his virginity, "Oh. Oh my." Freedom Freedom Freedom Oy!

In the rest of the world, it is imprisonment and bondage. Theon is still imprisoned inside the cage of Reek. Sansa is literally imprisoned by Ramsay. In some ways even Brienne of Tarth is imprisoned by her vow to Lady Catelyn Stark...

Margaery in jail.

Stannis is imprisoned by the coming winter. He is also ensnared by the Red Priestess.

In Dorne Jamie is imprisoned due to his actions (and his loss of a hand), but it is in a nice cell. He is visited by his niece (daughter), who does not want him to 'free her' from Dorne (she is after-all a classic noble hostage). Bron and the Sand Snakes are literally imprisoned, although Bron gets a tease show that is literally worth his life.  

Tyrion and Jorah in chains.

In King's landing we see the Queen of Thorns held hostage to her assumptions and station (though I think she may well be on to something), and we see the High Sparrow bound by his faith, although he revels in it. We literally see Margaery in jail, and we know Ser Loras is in jail as well. It is here that we also see the real gift to the fans of the show.

Jorah once again captive of Daenerys.

In Essos, Meereen, we see Jorah in chains sold deeper into slavery. We see Tyrion fight to have his fate bound to Jorah's. He literally beats a man with his chains to stay a slave next to Jorah. Yes, it is to preserve his life, but it is slavery non the less. We see Daenerys willingly prepare to bind herself to Hizdahr zo Loraq, as she has been bound to those who follower her. Daario tells her that "You are the only person in Meereen that is not free." I'm not making this up, this entire episode was a giant metaphorical or literal description of imprisonment. At the fighting pits (something that was far less impressive than I imagined) we see the slaves to lie about being free...   

Now the gift in the episode was supposed to be Tyrion dbeing delivered to Daenerys. Fine, I can accept that. However the real gift, the one the fans are cheering over, was given by the High Sparrow. He turned on Cersei and threw her in prison. Sweet sweet sweet justice, not the Justice of the Seven, but real deserved justice. This is one of the few times that someone really gets what they deserve. She sowed the seeds of her own destruction. I do so hope we see her 'punishment' before the end of the season.

Hopefully we'll be back to Arya next week as well... I missed her in this episode. 

This was the true gift of the episode, Cersei's comeuppance.

This week's death count is a bit longer than last weeks.
- Maester Aemon Targaryen of the Night's Watch.
- The Old Lady who was helping Sansa, flayed by Ramsay.
- At least one pit figher.

Previous Game of Thrones reviews:

Season 5:
- The Wars to Come (Ep1)
- The House of Black and White (Ep2)
- High Sparrow (Ep3)
- Sons of the Harpy (Ep4)
- Kill the Boy (Ep5)
- Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken (Ep6)

Season 4:
- Two Swords (Ep1)
- The Lion and the Rose (Ep2)
- Breaker of Chains (Ep3)
- Oathkeeper (Ep4)
- The First of His Name (Ep5)
- The Laws of Gods and Men (Ep6) 
- Mockingbird (Ep7)
- The Mountain and the Viper (Ep8)
- The Watchers on the Wall (Ep9)
- The Children (Ep10)