After the huge events at the end of “The Lion and the Rose”, it was a given that this episode would focus a lot more on the fallout.  And sure enough, that’s exactly what it does.  While a lot of book-savvy fans are screaming about some of the changes made to certain scenes, I’m going to take the less-traveled view and accept that this makes a lot more sense given the “on-screen” canon.  Not unlike the Harry Potter films, one must be able to decouple the source material and the adaptation sometimes.

               

The viewers get the first clues about the true nature of Joffrey’s assassination right from the start.  If Littlefinger’s presence on that boat wasn’t enough of a hint, his casual decision to kill Ser Dontos and boast about creating that necklace only a couple weeks earlier ought to tell that side of the story.  Indeed, this is one of those little clues that was neatly underplayed in the reception scene.

 

One might note, when Ser Dontos gave the necklace to Sansa in “Two Swords”, that there were seven jewels on it.  At some point during the reception, there are only six.  And what color are those jewels?  Purple!  So, that might be something to take into consideration.  The point is that Littlefinger clearly was part of the plot against Joffrey, but given that he wasn’t at the reception, there had to be someone else involved.  For his part, taking Sansa away to the Eyrie and letting her fall under suspicion fits into whatever plans he might have in mind, in a Westeros where the Lannister power base is more in doubt.

Not that Tywin is about to let Joffrey’s death get in the way.  I was wondering whether or not he was really comfortable with Joffrey as king, and I think we got his answer.  Using this as a way to eliminate an inconvenient son (Tyrion), while also getting a new and far more malleable king in the process (Tommen) sounds like a reasonable strategy.  One must wonder if it’s enough of a positive outcome to put some measure of suspicion on Tywin himself.  (Though the thought of being instructed on the “birds and the bees” by Tywin Lannister is a terrifying prospect!)

 

Cersei is beside herself, but Jamie has other things in mind.  This would be the scene that has angered so many fans; in the source material, Jamie has only just returned, and he and Cersei have a much more consensual moment beside the dead body of their firstborn.  In this version, Jamie is far more the aggressor, forcing himself upon Cersei.  While the rape is reprehensible, and clearly borne of Cersei’s rejection of Jamie in earlier episodes (also not in the source material prior to this moment) and his anger at her desire to kill Tyrion without so much as a trial, is that really more disturbing than the fact that, regardless of why, the two had sex on the floor beneath their dead son?  I’d say this is more a matter of shades of ugliness.

 

Others have said that this paints Jamie in a much nastier and less redeemable light than in the source material.  I would point out that this is a man that was willing to kill a young boy for seeing what he shouldn’t have, has killed plenty of people for little cause and less hesitation, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.  Jamie may have the potential to redeem his many sins, but he’s not yet on that path.  He’s desperately trying to reclaim his old world, and that is not a pretty sight.

 

Meanwhile, Tyrion is getting deeper and deeper into the hole of justice.  Tywin has managed to stack the deck against him, convincing Oberyn to be the third judge in Tyrion’s trial next to Tywin himself and Mace Tyrell.  The promise to allow Oberyn to have a nice little chat with the Mountain doesn’t bode well; Oberyn’s interest in repayment was front and center from the moment he was introduced.  Sending Pod away for his own good is another example of how Tyrion, even in this situation, has a code of honor.

 

Speaking of rapists and some (perhaps) unfairly judged, things are getting troubling up at the Wall.  Sam sends Gilly away when he suddenly realizes that she’s surrounded by the highest concentration of convicted rapists in Westeros.  His alternative does not exactly make her happy, though, and I think Sam let his own lack of confidence in keeping his vows overcome his empathy for her situation.  It’s easy to forget that Gilly was one of Crasters’ wife/daughters and has endured far worse than any of the Night’s Watch is likely to have time for (and just saying that says a lot about how messed up Westeros is).

 

Meanwhile, Ygritte and her cannibalistic friends are marauding the North, even as a new crisis emerges.  Because the Night’s Watch needs another crisis, of course.  They can’t let their numbers be divided to deal with Ygritte, because Jon points out that the traitors hiding at Craster’s place know that there are only about 100 brothers at the Wall.  Jon tried to fake out Mance Rayder by saying there were thousands.  The only thing buying them what little time they have to prepare is Mance’s belief that the resistance is that stiff.  The only way to maintain the illusion is to ensure the traitors at Craster’s don’t talk.  So, that’s fun.

 

Every episode of Game of Thrones has to have a moment that feels like it does little to add to the episode, it seems, and this time it was the Zany Adventures of Arya and the Hound.  I’m not saying I didn’t enjoy it, and on some level, it continues to underscore that Arya and the Hound are never going to be on the same page when it comes to right and wrong.  But didn’t we already know that?

 

Over on Dragonstone, Stannis gets word that Joffrey is dead, and wants nothing more than to start pressing his claim before the rest of Westeros forgets he’s a contender and assumes the guy just likes starting human bonfires now.  Just one problem: Stannis needs an army, and for that, he needs coin.  And that means he is less than thrilled with the progress of his Hand, and he lets Davos know this in no uncertain terms.

 

Davos is in a bad way, but he gets the idea that contacting the wealthy of Braavos might help resolve at least one of those issues.  And that’s an interesting thought, because it might justify showing us a bit of Braavos, which logically is going to factor into the future of the story (because if it’s been mentioned at least once, chances are it’s going to be important).  It’s not a lot of movement, but like real history, if a rival claimant to the throne is out there and still alive, he or she will find a way to get back in the game.

 

Which brings us to Daenerys, who continues to look fine and lead a growing slave rebellion across the southern coast of Essos.  It’s still unclear how this is actually going to help her raise the army that she needs to launch her claim to Westeros, and I doubt very much that she is preparing to give that up and set up her own kingdom across the Narrow Sea.  One would think that one or more of those advisors might mention as much before long.

 

One point to all of this could be to remind the audience that Dany is relatively young and inexperienced in the ways of war and conquest.  She comes from a long dynasty that has never had much reason or need to explain why they should be in charge, after all.  Her experiences in Essos serve to teach her a few important lessons, both in terms of victories and missteps.  So far, she has been successful, but what happens when delays and setbacks come her way?  After all, Meereen looks to be a lot more difficult a nut to crack than Yunkai or Astapor.