Game of Throne "Book of the Stranger" (S6 - E04) [TV Review]

This episode surprised me.
A lot happened, things actually have begun to move forward. Not everything... but enough.
And we keep returning to events from book 3...

Not completely sure why their arrival shocked me.
I guess I thought we'd see more travel scenes...

This was one of the better Game of Thrones episodes I've seen... and I realized something. The action was rather limited. Aside from two quick stabbings and some arson, there was not all that much action.

4.5 out of 5 stars

This is the first time since Rob met up with his mother that we've seen
two Starks re-united. (Even though I do not believe that Jon is actually
Ned's bastard... but hopefully we'll see more of that this season).

However I still cannot give it a full five stars. There are two issues to talk about... but I'll get to those later.



Here's your one and only
SPOILER ALERT.

We actually get to witness one of the more touching scenes in all of Game of Thrones. Actual family moments, with real feeling and apologies and humor. We do not get to see this side of the characters very often. There is some tension, but still... scenes like this are few and far between.

Ah yes... Robin Arryn. This kid still bugs me deeply. 

Jon and Sansa are talking about the day they left Winterfell and Sansa says, "I want to scream at myself, 'Don't go you idiot!'" A sentiment that was echoed by many readers and watchers alike in the early seasons. Well... just calling Sansa an idiot in the early season really. Because she was a spectacular idiot. She has come a long way. She has had one of the best character growths in the series so far.

And oh shit do we have a nest of people who have issues all lumped together. Brienne hates the Red Woman, who is no longer loyal to Stannis (but that's okay, he's dead at Brienne's hand). Brienne admits to executing Stannis in front of Davos so there is bound to be some animosity there, and once he finds out that the Red Woman burned Shireen... well, she might die at his hand. We'll have to see how this pack of animosity turns out.

Another uncomfortable family meeting...

Is Tyrion pissing away what Daenerys has fought for, or is he actually
securing it. This is going to be interesting...

Now, then. Is this the first episode we've seen Petyr Baelish in this season? I also think he missed out on the last few episodes of season 5... meaning it has been six episodes at least since we've been graced with his scheming personality. He's been missed.

The question becomes - is he doing what he is doing, plotting a war between the Arryns and the Boltons for Sansa's sake or for yet another hidden purpose? So hard to tell with him. But that is what makes his character so damned good. 

I was kinda shocked by the whole scene with Tyrion in Meereen. He was very political... which is precisely his skill set. But I cannot see Daenerys being even slightly happy with this direction... so this whole thing could blow up in his face.

The best part of the whole Daario and Jorah scene was Daario telling Jorah that he would not survive riding the Dragon and him not meaning any of the three giant lizards. Oh, and the bit where Daario kissed the ass of the naked woman on the hilt of his dagger. So very Daario. Jorah fingers appear to be slowly going grey as well... he is not going to have a happy end. Everything in this scene is very much in the way I perceive Daario. From his lethality to his libido. I just wish he had the colorful beard he wears in the books... that would be crazy.
Just one damn complaint. It was way too easy for Daario and Jorah to find Daenerys. Yes... they know that she would be in the temple... but they were just TV lucky to be the right place when she went to 'make water.' Such a little thing, but so bothersome.

I still hate the High Sparrow with all of my being.
His little speech he gives to Margaery can be boiled down to something very simple.
He tells the story as thus: he worked hard, partied hard, lived a wild life. He threw a feast, and invited friends. They partied hard drinking and debauchery through the night. When he awoke, before everyone else, he saw them in their nakedness. He smelled them. They were no different than the beggars and poor he was trying to escape from.
So what does his little speech boil down to?
It's a lie. Plain and simple. (No I do not know this factually - but the motivations are a lie). Let me elaborate on this. He worked, partied, and lived wildly. Now that he feels that time is over for him, he enters religion and what does he do with religion? Make sure no one can do what he did. It's a classic case of 'Do as I say, not what I did.' I may have been living it up, may have had fun and finery, but now that I'm religious my only goal is to ensure that you cannot live it up, that you cannot have fun and finery. I call this the 'I've got mine, eff you' attitude.

So for once, I actually support House Lannister in ending the High Sparrow. But I fear that this is more Lannister backstabbing. No matter what occurs, I expect that somehow this is going to get Tommen killed. Not sure I care... he's a weak king.

There's a touch of talk on Pyke... Theon returns and says he will support Yara's claim for the throne. I'm not sure that will help her much.

Ramsay is Ramsay... I'm waiting for him to get his comeuppance. That will probably not be soon in coming. Seems like that might be a season ending event. Right now he may well be the most evil character in the series. (I'd also like to see Walder Fray get his comeuppance as well...)

Did anyone else think that Tormund Giantsbane was making eyes at Brienne of Tarth over dinner? Dolorous Edd certainly seemed to think so... I personally thought it was very funny. Of course this scene was all about setting up the coming battle between Jon and Ramsay, or so we can hope. Also, Jon looks somewhat weird with short slicked back hair. I kinda miss Kit Harrington have uncontrolled wild black locks. I wonder if this will somehow bring White Harbor back into the scheme of things... It does look as if an Army from the Wall and an Army from the Vale are both going to be marching on Winterfel. Good.

And then at last we come to the Khalar Vezhven, or a meeting between Khals, to decide on the fate of Daenerys. Will they sell her to the Wise Masers of Yunkai, or shall she join the Dash Khaleen?
Neither.
Instead she's going to burn them, and walk out of the fire unscathed.

Now I swear that somewhere I read that GRRM had said that was a one time power of hers. I could be wrong, and honestly do not care. This worked. Well it almost worked... save for one thing.
Why were the dirt floors so fast to catch fire? I thought about this long and hard... and what I came up with was the idea that perhaps Jorah and Daario prepared the floors beforehand. Daenerys did say that none of them would get out alive... perhaps this was her plan? She told them that she needed help... I guess they must have prepared the room. That's about the only explanation I can think of aside from magic gasoline soaked floors.

It needed just a tiny touch more exposition to be clear. I like the result, as it moves the story forward again, but we needed something to fill the gap there.

I thought Emilia Clarke had it in her contract that she did not have to
do any more topless scenes. Maybe she failed to mention full frontal?
Here's some more info on that...

Death Count for season six episode four, Book of the Stranger:
- Aggo (a Bloodrider)
- Some other Dothraki with Aggo.
- Khal Moro
- Khal Rhalko
- Khal Forzo
- 10 other Khals (roughly).
- Osha (Asha in the books), the Wildling woman protecting Rickon.


Previous Game of Thrones reviews:

Season 6:
- The Red Woman (Ep1)
- Home (Ep2)
- Oathbreaker (Ep3) - No Review

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)
- The Gift (Ep7)
- Hardhome (Ep8)
- The Dance of Dragons (Ep9)
- Mother's Mercy (Ep10)

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)