The Rewatch Project: Season 4, Episode 2: The Lion and the Rose

Recap 

Ramsey and Miranda hunt Tansy with Reek hobbling along behind.

Tyrion and Jaime share a meal. Or rather Tyrion eats and Jaime mopes. He says he can't fight left handed. Tyrion says he needs a discreet sparring partner and he has just the one. Jaime and Bronn are then seen sparring, Bronn using dirty tricks to get across what a one-handed man might need to stay alive.

Roose arrives at Winterfell with his new bride. Ramsey and Locke bond over their mutual sadism. Ramsey brings Reek to Roose who is angry over the flaying. Theon admits to Roose he didn't kill the Stark boys, then as he is shaving Ramsey, learns Roose killed Robb. Because all the names have to start with R. Roose sends Locke to find the boys and suggests starting with Jon at Castle Black. He then sends Ramsey and Theon to take back Moat Cailin.

Varys warns Tyrion that Shae has been noticed.

Mace Tyrell gives Joffrey a wedding cup. Cersei points Shae out to Tywin. Tyrion gives Joffrey a book all kings should read. Joffrey is surprisingly gracious. Tywin gives Joffrey a Valyrian Steel sword. Joffrey uses it to cut the book, then asks for help from the crowd to name it. They settle on Widow's Wail.

Tyrion ends things with Shae—she is particularly obstinate so he has to be mean about it. He then sends her with Bronn to get on a ship.

Lady Melisadre burns Selyse's brother as a sacrifice. Selyse is giddy about it, swearing she sees their souls freed to the Lord of Light. Ser Davos criticizes but Stannis insists they were infidels. At dinner Selyse tells of the siege at Storm's End and Melisandre shares of her childhood hunger. Selyse frets over Shireen and wants to beat her, but Stannis says no. They compromise by sending Melisandre to talk to her. Shireen was upset about the burning of her uncle. They discuss religion. Mel claims the only hell is the one we are living in.

Summer hunts and then Hodor wakes Bram. Jojen warns of spending too much time in Summer's skin. They find a weirwood and Bran asks to go to it. He sees a string of visions including where they need to go.

Margaery walks the aisle, takes Joffrey's arm, then he cloaks her, the septon binds their wrists, and they kiss.

Outside at the giant reception party Lady Olenna and Tywin discuss extravagance and money. The camera pans it all. Bronn assures Tyrion Shae got on a ship. Olenna adjusts Sansa's necklace and gives sympathy about Robb's death. She invites Sansa to High Garden, then excuses herself. Musicians play. Joffrey throws coins. Margaery suggests it's time for the announcement, so Joffrey announces HER and she announces the leftover food will go to feed the poor.

Loras and Jaime discuss Loras's pending marriage to Cersei. Jaime warns him off of it. Cersei stops Brienne to thank her for returning Jaime, then calls her on being in love with him. Cersei then demands Pycelle make sure the extra food goes to the hounds, not the poor. Dontos juggles. Cersei and Tywin talk to Oberyn and Ellaria. Cersei comments on “Sands” but Oberyn gets the better of her, reminding her she should be glad Dorne is different from King's Landing and finds rape and the murder of children distasteful.

Joffrey calls for the Historical Reenactment of the War of Five Kings. As played by dwarfs. Through the performance most everybody is offended at some point. Sansa looks devastated. Even Margaery looks disgusted. Joffrey holds the purse but then suggests Tyrion spar with them. Tyrion makes a joke of it but Joffrey takes offense. He comes over and pours wine on Tyrions head. Tyrion says it is good—too bad it spilled. The interaction keeps escalating with Tyrion offering repeated chances for Joffrey to walk away with dignity, but Joffrey keeps upping the ante, finally forcing Tyrion to act as his cup bearer. Tyrion fills his goblet then Joffrey sets it aside and cuts the pie.

Doves fly out. A piece is brought for Joffrey and Margaery. Tyrion and Sansa try to leave but Joffrey insists they stay, then Joffrey drinks. And coughs. He is choking. Jaime and Cersei run for him. Ser Dontos tells Sansa it is time to leave. Joffrey points at Tyrion as he dies. Cersei calls to seize Tyrion.


Review

I loved all the wedding-related stuff of this episode. A lot. And most of the other stuff was fine, too. But there are two scenes in this episode that bug me quite a lot. I hated the Ramsey hunting Tansy bit. I would rather have heard that as a story, I think. I mean I get it. But it's hard to watch. And then I had Melisandre burning Axyl Florent. That one I am more convinced we needed to see, but I still didn't like it. Everything about the wedding though, was SO top notch that the couple things that bugged me don't take down my overall rating of the episode all that much.