The Rewatch Project: Season 4, Episode 3: Breaker of Chains

Recap

Cersei has Tyrion taken and calls for them to grab Sansa but she's gone. Dontos leads Sansa to a cover and helps her into a rowboat, then rows her out to a ship hidden by fog, which somehow takes until it is dark outside.

Petyr pulls her onto the ship, then has a bolt shot through Ser Dontos. Sansa is shocked but Petyr explains how Dontos was only a pawn. He tells her his role in Joffrey's death.

Margaery asks if she's still queen. Lady Olenna talks of her own husband's death and how much better off Margaery will be with Tommen instead of Joffrey.

Cersei and Tommen stand over Joffrey's body. Tywin talks to Tommen of what makes a good king, especially listening to those who know more. He then explains that the king needs to marry. On their way out Jaime checks with Tommen, then asks the guards to leave. Cersei says it was Tyrion and asks Jaime to kill him. Jaime says they will get to the truth and then he basically rapes her.

The Hound and Arya are found by the landowner and Arya's tale gets them invited for supper and told they can sleep in the barn. They pray over stew, to the Hound's annoyance, then eat as if it is the first time in days. The man invites the Hound to stay on—protect the farm, fair work for fair wages. The Hound agrees, but then robs them in the morning. Arya is furious.

At the wall Ser Alliser is telling the crimes of the various men to Janos, then Janos asks Sam if he is going to see his whore. Sam frets to Gilly. The men don't believe Sam killed a whitewalker. Sam and Gilly pluck geese and Sam tells her he worries about her. He suggests she'd be safer in Mole's Town.

Stannis has Davos read that's Joffrey's dead. He credits the blood of the bastard Davos sent away. He says he needs him now. They discuss which houses they can count on and it's not enough. Davos suggests sellswords.

Davos comes to read with Shireen. As they discuss pirating and Bravos. Davos comes to the Iron Bank and an idea sparks. He asks Shireen to write a letter.

Sam and Gilly get to Mole's Town and make an agreement for Gilly to do laundry at the Whore House. Sam insists no other work.

Ellaria, Oberyn and the whores have a romp at Littlefinger's. Tywin interrupts. Oberyn expresses condolences about Joffrey. Tywin asks Oberyn about poisons and what Oberyn and Tyrion discussed. Tywin denies being involved in Elia's murder and offers Oberyn a chance to question the Mountain if he will sit on the judging trio over Tyrion's trial and sit on the small counsel.

Pod visits Tyrion's cell. He brought candle, quill, paper and snacks. Pod says there will be a trial in a fortnight and the judges are Tywin, Mace and Prince Oberyn. Pod is to get a list of witnesses. When Tyrion names Sansa he learns she has disappeared. Tyrion mentions Varys and learns he's been called for the prosecution. Bronn is under suspicion himself. Finally Pod agrees to find Jaime. Pod says a man approached him to get him to testify for the crown. He refused, so Tyrion tells him he has to leave King's Landing for his own safety. They have a touching parting.

Ollie's village is attacked by wildlings. Fucking Thenns. The main Then tells Ollie to go to Castle Black and tell them what he saw. At Castle Black they argue, go after the Wildlings or stay to defend the Wall. Grenn, Edd, and others get back from up north and tell them the mutineers hold Craster's. Jon says they have to go get them or the Wildlings to the north will know how few men man the Wall.

Dany reaches Meereen outside the wall. They send out a champion who does the Monty Python French Taunting in Valyrian. Dany allows Daario to be her champion. He throws a knife and kills the man. Then Dany speaks to the slaves telling them they need to take their own freedom. She then fires barrels of slave collars into the city with catapults. You can see the slaves processing that these came off freed men.


Review

I liked much of this episode, but the scene with Jaime raping Cersei really tarnishes it. The problem for me is not so much that it happens—it also happens in the book. But in the books the timing is really different and it makes much more sense. Here Jaime has been back for weeks and Cersei and he have interacted—he could have pressed her before this and so it messes with his redemption arc a lot. In the books it is the first time he has seen her in many months and there is a component of “too overjoyed to control himself” to her, and he has not yet had time to talk to Cersei to realize his feelings about her have changed. So his redemption arc keeps moving.

I'm also not a fan of Sam taking Gilly to Mole's Town or the Wildling attack on the village, and this Arya/Hound scene is less awesome than most.

On the other hand, there was some fabulosity, too. I liked Sansa's escape, the Davos scenes, and I liked the “French Taunting” from the Meereen champion, though am glad he also lost to Daario. I also really loved Tyrion's meeting with Pod.