[MASSIVE spoilers throughout. Do not pass GO, do not collect $200 if you haven’t watched the episode.]
It’s paramount to again look at the title of the episode this week, The Lion and the Rose, as a telltale for what the current situation is in Westeros. The “Lion” is House Lannister, and the “Rose” House Tyrell, joining together this week in a spectacular wedding meant to seal alliances, join armies, and fill coffers of gold.
The lion is a powerful animal, a king and a fierce protector. The rose is delicate, beautiful, and frail. But it’s also one other thing: it’s also very deceiving. Though the lion seems like it could use its power to be in control, a simple thorn can bring it to pain and tame it. There is more than one family that the Lannisters are having troubles with, but for the most part they’ve been momentarily subdued. Right now, the Tyrells are the thorn in the side of the Lannisters, and no one is there to pull them out.
It’s important to mention that this episode is again written by George RR Martin. He’s penned one each year, and it has usually proven to be the most important/earth shattering of the seasons. Having one so early means that things can only get more shocking from here on out.
There are a lot of threads winding through Game of Thrones this week, and many of them come together at the very end.
Throughout the episode Lady Olenna Tyrell, introduced to us last season as the “Queen of Thorns”, seems to be at the center of all of it. We’ve been given hints as to her true purposes throughout the last two seasons, but this week they’ve been outright. In a conversation with Tywin she emphasizes that the money keeping the Lannisters afloat is coming from House Tyrell. When she comforts Sansa (and awkwardly brushes her hair) she reiterates that anyone who would kill a man at a wedding would be a monster. And, throughout the episode in key scenes, she seems to appear in the background and keep her watchful eye of the situation. She’s a mysterious woman, clearly holding the reigns of the Tyrell horses, and in effect advancing machinations toward advancing Margaery’s position to Queen.
Margaery herself seems to work behind Joffrey’s back. She asks that the leftovers from the wedding are given to the poor (something that Cersei puts a stop to shortly after). When in season two she replied to Petyr Baelish that she wanted to be a queen, he told her that she should aim to be *the* Queen. And so, she kills with kindness, clearly winning the favor of the kingdom through her acts of compassion toward the impoverished.
Though Oberyn Martell isn’t a rose, he still manages to poke at Cersei. He tries to verbally break her by referring to her as the Former Queen Regent, now that there is a new Queen, and that her daughter Princess Myrcella is still in the hands of Dorne. Snakes don’t seem to fear lions.
If anything, the entire ordeal seems to be bringing Jaime and Tyrion closer together. Jaime, having gone through his odyssey last year, seems to be understanding that his life is now changed forever. Losing a hand is one thing, but that hand seems to have taken away his manhood, his purpose. He confides in his equally afflicted brother, whose dwarfism has defined him. Tyrion, seeing Jaime struggle arranges for the fallen knight to train with Bronn.
But in the end, The Lion and the Rose seems to converge all of its King’s Landing threads together into into one series of fantastic moments. Joffrey, the wicked King, the youthful equivalent of Mad King Aerys, chokes to death in the arms of his mother, having drank from a poisoned cup of wine that was served to him by Tyrion. As shocking as the Red Wedding was last season, this has the potential to be far more important to the many plots.
What will happen to the throne now? Will Tommin become King? Will the Tyrells finally get the upper hand? Will Oberyn take his revenge? Can Stannis step forward and claim further ownership? Remember that in the second season, Melisandre promised that three kings would die to give Stannis the throne. Renly + Robb + Joffrey.
The Lannister family is now becoming unraveled. The lions are pricked and bleeding, and the thorny roses grow stronger.
A few more tidbits from the show…
Bran is still alive, becoming more animal than man as he’s takes more and more control of his dire wolf. He’s now headed North to find the 3-eyed crow, which is surely a good idea with all the Wildlings running mad. Melisandre’s sacrifices still irk Davos, and his attempts to convince Stannis to leave the Lord of Light and return to the religion of the Seven is falling on deaf ears. However, Stannis is clearly becoming impatient with the lack of spiritually-powered results. He’s also disappointed in his brainwashed wife, who seems to have disowned their only child. Stannis has some of his humanity coming back, showing concern for little Shireen.
Shea is on the way out, apparently on a boat to nowhere thanks to Tyrion’s begging, and Sansa (Tyrion’s legal wife) escapes with Ser Dontas, who seems oddly prepared for all of the chaos. Theon is now referred to as Reek, the slimy, nasty slave to the supremely psychopathic Ramsay Snow, hovering around him as he performs disgusting things. I’m really enjoying how despicable Ramsay is, and what he manages to do to Theon. We hated Theon for what he did to the Starks, but now we’re growing the slightest more sympathetic toward him.
Roses are tougher than we thought.
Images courtesy HBO
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