Game Of Thrones Recap: C&C Style – Season 4, Episode 10

Game of Thrones – Courtesy of HBO

The Season Four finale of Game of Thrones was a bittersweet event as expected as it ended perhaps the best season of the series, which means that we must wait for more GOT goodness.

I was surprised to see the episode kick off at the Wall, considering last week was 55 minutes of Jon Snow madness, but seeing Mance Rayder (i.e. Julius Caesar from Rome) is always a pleasure. It was great to see Stannis Baratheon and his brilliant army mind finally put on display in the television show as from what I hear, he was made to look foolish in Blackwater compared to how the books depicted it.

The questions in the North are at least getting answered somewhat. The wildings appears to just want safe passage so they can hide behind the Wall when Winter finally comes and Stannis, understanding what it takes to lead, wants to start by securing the Wall and then perhaps gaining a following from former Stark bannermen in the North? That would be my angle, but I am not the one who has any claim to the Iron Throne. The last shot we see out of the North is Jon Snow looking at The Red Lady, which is an interesting way to end this story before next season. I wonder what their relationship will be and if we get to see Stannis’ black water vapor spawn appear again.

I understand the Bran Stark story line is very important but it has never peaked my interest. Even with Hodor kicking some skeleton hide, it just hasn’t made me care as much. JoJo has passed and I am pretty sure I may have laughed when he was stabbed in the stomach over and over. The Children and the old man in the tree have historical importance in Westeros and I have done some reading to learn more about them. All-in-all it makes me excited for the next season, but on Sunday night I found myself waiting for the next plot line.

Arya and the Hound have become one of the show’s classic road duos, while Brienne and Pod have been slagging a bit. So once they cross paths, you knew something had to happen between these two traveling parties. The fight between Brienne and the Hound was really gritty and extremely well done, and admittedly, I was shocked to see Brienne come out on top. That is the sexist in me.

Arya is able to escape, but not before we see the Hound humanized in a way we haven’t seen before. He pleads for Arya to end his life as his femur is sticking out of his leg, but she coldly takes his silver and walks away. Personally, I don’t think Mr. Clegane is dead, but we will have to wait and see. Arya then catches a ride to Bravos, where her story is almost as unpredictable as the Boston Celtics plans on draft night.

Before we get to King’s Landing, Dany was dealing with the blood on her hands that her “children” had splattered. It was obviously ironic to see her chaining her dragons up when she is the breaker of chains. Conveniently, one dragon was nowhere to be seen and we are being set up for Dany not being able to control them like she once was able to, and I mean on a substantial level. These dragons are going to start destroying villages and more etc…My question would be when is Dany going to make the trip across the Narrow Sea and what roles does Varys play in her future.

Now we get to the All-Westerosian family of the Lannisters. Tyrion is released from prison thanks to his brother Jamie, who now is in a consensual relationship with his sister again! They share a warm moment as Tyrion is about to leave the dungeon area and escape…until he decides he has some debts to pay. He heads to his father’s quarters and finds his former love in Tywin’s bed, looking like was either ready to get it on, or had just finished, I am rusty I can’t tell anymore. They have a short tussle before Tyrion strangles her and we are given one of the most poignant camera shots of the series with his face next to her lifeless visage.

Then it’s off to the bathroom where Tywin in pinching off a loaf and it looks like he is reading Westeros’s version of the New York Times. Again, more research was needed to be done as to the use of the word “whore” and how much it hurt Tyrion to hear it. I won’t ruin it for those who haven’t read the books like me, but a quick Google (or Bing?) search can help you out. I never thought Tywin was going to be murdered, let alone by Tyrion, so that scene had me with my mouth open. I am going to miss Tywin’s presence but now all heck can break loose in King’s Landing without the patriarch in play. Season Five is really setting up to be some fantastic TV and it is going to have to be after perhaps the best season of the show.