They say that time waits for no man, or at least no man that’s ever waited for an Avatar sequel but that certainly seems to be the feeling in Westeros this season. As rumors circulate over the show’s impending conclusion following an extended seventh season, it already feels like this year’s offering isn’t hanging about. Last episode saw half of the cast of Dorne meet a brutal end and this week also doesn't shy away from big changes. It’s a departure from the show’s typical steady pace but also a welcome one because by keeping some locations at a more leisurely pace, it doesn’t feel like we’re losing any of the existing value, only gaining.
Home – The standoff at Castle Black comes to a conclusion. After his sister’s funeral, King Tommen seeks to become a strong ruler with Cersei’s help. When Lady Walder gives birth Ramsay’s position at Winterfell changes, and as the fleeing Theon looks to return home to Pyke, things there become somewhat unsettled.
Returning director Jeremy Podeswa (like last year, all episodes will be directed in pairs this season) continues some of the prior episodes themes in terms of vengeance and ascension. The biggest case comes from the Lannister’s in Kings Landing as we catch up with King Tommen in the wake of his sister’s funeral. There’s an immediate and fascinating shift in Tommen’s character in that for the first time ever, we see hints of Joffrey within him as his anger and frustration manifest but from an entirely different point of motivation. Dean-Charles Chapman does a great job of showing us that the sweet cat-loving boy Tommen is still within him but Tommen, the man, is now coming forth with the yearning to protect those he loves. The Sept exchange between Jaime and Tommen draws a curious parallel between mother and son. Just and Cersei walked her path of shame through the streets, so did he suffer in shame for his inaction: for failing to protect those he loved, “You raised me to be strong and I wasn’t.... but I want to be”. This also builds well on Cersei’s position of striking back at those who wronged her via an interesting circle back to the earlier seasons. When Joffrey became king, Cersei believed she could force him under control to make herself the real ruler of the Seven Kingdoms, only to find that the evil little bugger was entirely uncontrollable. Now she has Tommen willingly seeking her guidance and instructions enabling her to control him without a fight. Just like Brienne coming to serve Sansa, it’s the idea of things ultimately working out for characters, just not in the ways they expected. However, what’s really great about this is that through their prior sufferings, the show has successfully built the Lannister’s into protagonists while at the same time, making the Sparrows just sinister enough to side against. The battle between Church and State is set to be a great one! Plus, we even get to see The Mountain/Robert Strong in full face-squishing action.
After a full season, we finally get reunited with Bran. Even once we’ve settled into his new older appearance, it doesn’t become the best of reunions despite having plenty to enjoy. The vision flashback sequence is excellent as Bran spies on prior generation of Winterfell Lordlings, including our first look at Lyanna Stark. There’s a great sentiment to Bran witnessing a happier time like none he’s known while also setting up some future story points. The story of Lyanna and Ned looks set to continue via Bran and to a good reward. Learning that Hodor once had an actual vocabulary is a fun drop-in, but doesn’t need to be taken much further. Some lesser characters are better off staying that way. The real point of frustration here though is the implications over just what exactly Bran has been doing all this time. If you’re going to write a character out for some time, at least make it look like they’ve doing something when they return. Implying that Bran has spent over a year doing nothing but having funky visions Netflix-binge is incredibly disappointing.
Elsewhere on the Stark front, the episode delivers. Ayra’s presence is still brief but there is a sense of purpose to her actions; like her blind beggar occupation was ultimately some form of test or penance from The House of Black and White. Sansa too, gets some good moments as Brienne fills her in on her encounter with Ayra. She continues her theme of growing in strength and responsibility by admitting that she was wrong to turn Brienne away the first time.
Despite getting Bran back, the most enjoyable reunion of the episode by far is returning to the Iron islands for the first time since the end of season 3 (yes, I had to look that up). The stormy night conditions really compound the idea of the Iron Born falling on harder times after their incursion into the North ended in massive failure. Balon Greyjoy stands the War of Five Kings victor by default (with Joffrey, Rob, Stannis and Renly all dead) yet with absolutely nothing to show for it. The long awaited introduction of his brother Euron is almost the best moment of the episode as the two cross paths on the swinging rope bridge. It’s immediately gripping and tense, and that everything that follows implies a great story to come. The events in Winterfell at Castle Black are interesting cases in that both have the same problem but one handles it much better than the other. That problem is predictability. As soon as Roose Bolton mentions that his big bag o’ silver wife has given birth, we know Ramsay will take action but that crucially still manages to achieve shock value via unexpected timing.
By contrast, everything that takes place in Castle Black is completely foreseen, and though it transpires with some enjoyable spectacle and humor (Davos’s apology and the giant’s Hulk Vs Loki moment) because so much of it is slow and drawn-out, it loses much of its impact. Having the desired result helps with things, of course, but it really should have been done better. That was definitely not the case for Tyrion and the dragons. That was sheer perfection as the little man achieves more with words than anyone could with force, complete with stunning visuals and still managing to be funny, “Next time I have an idea like that, punch me in the face”.
So Home is an episode with subtle problems to some of its stories but magnificent triumphs in others. More than any prior season, there is an excellent feeling of these early episodes being meaningful and making things happen rather than just building things up for the first of half of the season. It looks like the real game has finally begun.