Game of Thrones “What is Dead May Never Die” [Review]
“What is Dead May Never Die” is a vast improvement over last week’s slow-moving “The Night Lands”, not a terrible episode but not up to the standards I hope for in an episode of Game of Thrones as it continued to ramble through character introductions and exposition with a heavy serving of boobs.
In “What is Dead May Never Die” I could see the gears beginning to move and this season’s stories taking shape. The focus on the political machinations intertwined with the personal relationships of the powerful was captivating while it organically introducing new characters into the fold of the central narrative of power.
The highlight of the episode for me was the sequence in which Tyrion held private meetings with members of the small council to assess their loyalty to him. Tyrion is justified in his paranoia as the position of Hand of the King has proved to be a perilous one. It is no secret that the loyalties of the council are divided between him and his determined sister, and he learned from Ned Stark not to blindly inherit someone else’s council, their loyalties usually linger. Tyrion has a very simple yet effective plan. He tells variations on a story about his plans for the Queen’s daughter, Myrcella, with the caveat that the “Queen mustn’t know”. Then he just has to sit back and wait to see what story he gets in return. The sly cutting between the conversations with Littlefinger, Varys and Maester Pycelle (who turned out to be the spy) was so fluid and provided a visual punch to match Tyrion’s wit.
As always the scenes between Cersei and Tyrion are emotionally charged with resentment and guilt, and are expertly executed. Shortly after presiding over an uncomfortable dinner where the discussion of the possible death of Sansa’s relatives by the hand of her fiancé, King Joffrey, was a topic of conversation that Sansa was forced to participate, Cersei was forced to face the reality of what may happen to her own daughter in these uncertain times. Myrcella could end up a hostage in some man’s home sold off for marriage, or far worse.
As we know, in Westeros power and personal relationships go hand in hand. King Renly Baratheon and his new bride Margaery Tyrell, sister of Renly’s secret lover, Loras Tyrell are presented in a scene that is a less extravagant mirror is Joffrey’s birthday celebrations in the season premiere. Catelyn arrives as Tyrion did in King’s Landing in “The Night Remembers” an honoured guest and a bearer of uncertain news. She comes as a representative King Robb’s army, discussing an alliance against the Lannisters. Catelyn knows how to command an audience, she is gracious, but is quick to point out that Robb is hardly hiding behind his mother’s skirts, but is a leader of men, taking a quick jab at Renly, “My son is fighting a war, not playing at one.” She also makes to correct Renly with Robb’s proper title, Lord of Winterfell yes, but also King of the North.
In that short scene of jousting the show has economically introduced a new King, his wife, and Brienne of Tarth, the tough as nails new member of Renly’s King’s Guard without once resorting to naked ladies or (excessive) violence. Natalie Dormer does an amazing job as Margaery, she appears poised and powerful from the moment we lay eyes on her. She has feminine beauty but is not timid in the face of the violence in front of her as she cheers on the knights. Immediately we recognize her as an equal to her husband as she approves of Brianne. She is there to be the powerful woman behind the man, and she knew what she was getting into when she married him.
Running a close second in episode highlights to Tyrion’s masterful plot was the bedroom sequence between Renly, Loras and Margaery. In case you’re a little fuzzy from last season, Renly has been carrying on a secret relationship with his squire Loras Tyrell. The couple is adorable together though I’m assuming Westeros is not particularly tolerant of gay people, particularly when it comes to their kings, and like most things in GoT their relationship seems doomed.
As Renly fawns over his handsome knight in shining armor, Loras is upset after being upstaged by Brienne at the joust earlier that day. It seems the resentment runs deeper than that as their relationship is forced farther into the background now that Renly has married. Loras brushes off his lover telling him that he should probably spend a night with his wife two weeks into marriage, people are beginning to talk. When Margaery arrives she let’s Renly know that she knows his secret and is willing to accommodate him however he needs, but he is a king and they need a child. She is the big guns, she will be the brains behind the strategy in this operation. There are opportunities for the women of Westeros to be in positions of power, and this is the way Margaery grasped onto it. “You are a King” she tells Renly.
“What is Dead May Never Die” saw the introduction of Brienne of Tarth, a strong fighter who accomplished her goal of becoming a Knight of the King’s Guard, as she tells Catelyn Stark “I’m no Lady” almost echoing Arya’s denial last week with Gendry. Last season the women who wielded power primarily did so using behind the scenes tactics, achieving their power through marriage and using their wit to manipulating the situations around them. This is another case of the old guard versus the new. Women like Cersei and Catelyn stood behind their men in their power. Daenerys first achieved her taste of power through her marriage to Khal Drogo and breaking out on her own has left her in dire straits. Arya and her desire to shoot, to fight with a sword and with her dreams of becoming a knight was the harbinger of the women we meet in season two.
In season two we have met women like Yara, a commander of men, and Brienne, a Knight of the King’s Guard. Women for girls like Arya to look up to when they decide to reject their status as a lady but wish to be something else instead. Yara and Brienne have taken the power that they wanted on the same playing field as the men. It doesn’t appear to be common for women fighting as knights and commanding fleets in Westeros, but these women are proving their worth and demanding respect.
Themes of mentorship continue to be prevalent in this episode. Jon Snow has another heart to heart with Commander Mormont after his rash decision to investigate what happens to the male children lands them all in trouble. A grim realization that sacrificing children was commonplace and known beyond the wall in order to maintain peace for the greater good weighed heavily on Snow. Making difficult decisions and living with the consequences is a burden that a leader must bear. Arya’s conversation with Yoren during a sleepless night on the way to the wall took a slightly different tone. In a scene beautifully played by both Maisie Williams and Francis Magee, Arya, haunted by the death of her father is unable to sleep, Yoren explains how the death of his brother haunted him too, and revenge on the murderer didn’t bring much solace. This is why we drink, offering Arya his wine. It is up to Arya to decide how the death of her father will shape the person she will become.
As Joffrey’s King’s Guard attacked the camp shortly afterwards Arya saw a sort of father figure fall to his death. This was the most grisly scene of the episode, and needle forced through the throat of a preteen boy was nearly comparable to some of the images of the slaughter at the end of episode one. Arya made a decision; she is going to be a survivor like Syrio taught her. I don’t think that for a moment anyone watching believed that Arya would rat out her new friend Gendry, the writing was already on the wall for the poor kid who picked up the bull helmet; the scene still carried weight without that suspense. She has to carry the burden that people are dying for her, and her friend. They have escaped alive this time, but hardly unscathed by the violence.
A Few Other Thoughts on “What is Dead May Never Die”:
. While the other men claiming the title of King; Joffrey, Renly, Stannis; they are laying claim to all of the kingdoms of Westeros where Robb is wearing the title bestowed upon him by the people, one that only asks for some, not so ostentatious to take it all. I think that in the brutal world of Westeros compromising for some rather than all is the honourable downfall of the Starks. Without controlling all the power it leaves you open to weakness against the other powers who are less willing to share.
. Theon’s relationship with his father continues to break my heart. His loyalties are truly tested when the family that held him hostage treated him with kindness and respect, and the family that he longed to return to rejects him and treats him with disgust. Absolutely wonderful work by Alfie Allen as he breaks down in front of his father and sister, he returned to the family that threw him away to find no comfort, no homecoming, no place. I hardly think this is the end of Theon’s conflicted loyalties. It’s bits like this that make me wish for more hours in the season, the characters have such juicy stories begging to be told.
. Continuing with Theon, I like that he was actually bothered by the accidental incest. Though I wonder if it bothered him that it was his sister or that she promptly emasculated him afterward
. Hodor!
.“I’ve always hated crossbows, they take too long to load” – Yoren was a total badass until the end, he went down fighting fending off several men even after he was impaled by a crossbow.
. “These are the knights of summer and winter is coming” Winter will eventually arrive, but for now it seems a long way off so I’ll take this in a metaphorical sense. These young knights and boy-kings are rash and don’t know how to conduct themselves. War is here and it is harsh, it will not be pretty.
. I have always had a soft spot for Bran; it was great to see some momentum on his weird Direwolf dreams even if it’s just Maester Luwin telling him the magic isn’t real. From the persistence and the look in his eyes we know that Bran isn’t taking Maester’s word for it.
. As much as I LOVE Dany and the Dragons they were not missed, they are so far outside the central story there just wasn’t room for them in this episode and I look forward to getting back to them when there is something for them to do
. Tommen asks his mother if Joffrey is going to murder Sansa’s brother with such innocence that it even touched Cersei’s closed off heart. She may have ruined Joffrey but at least her youngest understands that he doesn’t want people to die.
. I enjoyed the Sansa and Shae pairing, Shae could is smart and insightful and could prove to be a very helpful ally for the would-be Queen.
. “A very small man can cast a very large shadow” – Varys is fantastic, I always wonder what his plan is.
“Which King would that be?” Which holds the real power?
What did you think of “What is Dead May Never Die”? What were your favourite moments?
