Game of Thrones season 5’s sophomore effort saw reunions, revenge, and revolt.
After a record breaking premiere episode, Game of Thrones upped the ante this week by pushing several of its main characters’ storylines in intriguing new directions. With Arya making her season 5 debut by finally reaching Braavos and the House of Black and White, Jon being offered parental legitimacy and Daenerys facing one of her most difficult political conundrums yet, there was a lot to love.
Nevertheless, we’ve narrowed down this week’s numerous wonder-scenes into our five favorites. Don’t forget to share your favorite moment in the comments!
“Sometimes we don’t have a choice..”
Game of Thrones has always been adept at bringing its characters tantalizingly close together, before ripping them apart just before they meet. For example, remember when Bran and Jon were a matter of meters away from each other, and Arya missed her mother and brother’s final moments by a matter of minutes — all in the same episode? Last week, we saw Brienne and Podrick camping infuriatingly close to the road Sansa was travelling down. Thankfully, this week saw Brienne come face to face with the girl she swore an Oath to protect.
Unfortunately for her, there was more loath than oath about Sansa’s reaction to the sworn-sword’s appearance. And after some manipulation by Littlefinger, Renly’s former King’s Guard found herself chased through the woods on horseback. The momentum built throughout the tense meeting scene, and all of that anticipation boiled over in a short but sharp battle sequence. Sansa may not want her help, but the loyal Brienne is still determined to keep her safe. We hope Sansa comes around to the idea, as she could certainly use the protection that the Tarth fighter promises.
Sexiest Scene
In an episode unusually devoid of nudity, the sexiest scene must go to Drogon’s return. It may not stimulate us in the same way some of the show’s steamier scenes do, but seeing the huge dragon again definitely got us unusually excited. Even if he is playing hard to get.
“We do not mutilate little girls for vengance. Not here. Not while I rule.”
The Red Viper was one of the highlights of last season, and this writer’s personal favorite character in the series so far. So naturally, he was killed off after only eight episodes in one of the most brutal deaths so far. Though Oberyn Martell may be gone, his paramour Ellaria Sand is still around — and desperate for revenge.
We only caught a quick glimpse of Dorne and a few of its characters, but Doran Martell came across as an older, wiser version of his late younger brother. With Jaime and Bronn heading to Dorne and Ellaria hellbent on revenge, we’re sure Prince Doran will have his work cut out in trying to maintain the delicate balance of peace in the episodes to come. And if future scenes feature the same level of rich dialog and beautiful scenery as the Dornish debut did, they’ll be among our highlights of the season.
“One can not exist without the other.”
You have to feel for Dany. After trying as hard as she could to avoid the mistakes of her father the Mad King and offer any criminal a fair trial, she had her prisoner’s life snatched away by a former slave. And the resulting execution saw the subjects who had called her “Mother” just moments before revolt against their liberator.
This particular sequence was expertly achieved, leading us to believe that the Breaker of Chaines would show the loudly-requested mercy to the master’s assassin right until the moment he was beheaded. A heavy silence immediately followed his execution, before the people of Meereen hissed at, then rebelled against their Queen and attempted to attack her. It looks like Dany will be forced to learn a lot of lessons about ruling people before she leaves Meereen, and we’re sure there’ll be plenty of difficult decisions on the way.
“No one – and that is who a girl must become.”
After taking the season 5 premiere off, Arya Stark made her Game of Thrones return this week when she finally landed on Braavos and went about trying to gain entry to the House of Black and White. She’s initially rebuffed by the mysterious doorkeeper, and we were almost worried that her journey to become a master assassin would be put off for another season.
But boy were we wrong, as in one of the episode’s closing scenes we see the door keeper tear off his face to reveal Jaqen H’ghar! We hadn’t seen the Faceless Man since the season 2 finale, so it was great to see the badass killer back on our screens. It may have been a short sequence in the grand scheme of things, but this scene made the list because of our sheer excitement at Jaqen’s return — and the promise of things to come for Arya…
Most Gruesome Death
One of Littlefinger’s unfortunate men, who Brienne stabs through the neck after he and his accomplice (also dispatched) attack Podrick.
“He may be young, but he’s the commander we turned to when the night was darkest.”
In season 1, several members of the Night’s Watch mocked Jon’s noble heritage by calling him “Lord Snow.” But in the latest episode of Game of Thrones, the Stark bastard fulfills their prophecy by being elected Lord Commander. And that wasn’t the only title offered to him in this episode, as Stannis offered Jon what both he and the audience had been longing for — the chance to become a legitimate Stark and the new Warden of the North.
But ironically, it’s the commitment to honor that Jon inherited from his father which prevents him from inheriting Ned Stark’s title. It’s still early days, but so far this is looking like Jon Snow’s season as Kit Harrington puts in his second great performance in a row. Despite stiff opposition from Alliser Thorne and his slimy sidekick Janos Slynt, the crows of the Wall turn to Jon to lead him in their time of need. An odd choice, considering he knows nothing.
What was your favorite moment of Game of Thrones 5×01?
– Related: Game of Thrones season 5: The best moments of “The Wars to Come”
– Related: Game of Thrones season 5: 5 things we want to see
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