Game of Thrones: High Sparrow Recap

Synopsis of 5×03: Margery weds Tommen and begins her rise of power and ignites the “game” for the throne between Cersei and her. Arya begins her work to become a Faceless Man, while her sister finds herself in an interesting marriage proposal. Jon begins his work as Commander of the Wall and Tyrion finds himself wrapped up in a tricky situation.

Rating: ★★★☆☆

Marriage was an important theme this weekend. Margery and the young now-King Tommen have finally wed and let’s just say Margery knows exactly what she’s doing. Tommen made it further than Joffrey and was able to celebrate their wedding night in the expected fashion and the now-Queen was able to plant some very crafty seeds of doubt into her young husband’s mind about his mother and her constant coddling of him. In one of the best scenes of this episode, Margery is approached by Cersei, who had just met with Tommen and was shocked to hear her baby boy tell her that he wanted her to leave. Margery is giggling with her servants about Tommen’s constant desire for sex and invites the King’s mother to join her as they discuss future grandchildren and other ideas of that nature.

But of course, Cersei, the former Queen herself, cannot stand up against the biting comments and degrading glances of Margery and retreats as the other woman laugh merrily at her shrinking figure as she realizes that Margery knows a lot more than she lets on. For real though, when Margery casually remarks that it’s too early in the day for wine for them but she knows Cersei would like some the look on Cersei’s face was wonderful.

King’s Landing is also facing a problem on the religious front. The Faith of the Seven, and the High Septon himself, have been facing rising criticism and assault from the detractors of the religion, who believe that it has become corrupt and ruined by the elite. Cersei goes to find the High Sparrow, and she finds a man dressed in poor robes feeding the sick, who calmly says that their enemies give them names like this and that he is simply trying to keep the faith going.

But back to marriage, and to a plot point that had me screaming because of its divergence from the books and because of just how messed up this plot point has the potential of being. Remember last week when Littlefinger was all like, “Yeah Sansa I got a marriage proposal and it’s going well you’ll find out soon?”

Yeah. YEAH. I KNOW RIGHT? Littlefinger is marrying off Sansa (who is still technically married, need I remind you) to Ramsay Bolton. That’s right, Ramsay Bolton, who’s turned Theon Greyjoy into Reek. The son of Roose Bolton, who killed her brother and mother. Yeah. Sansa is as horrified as we all are, but her time in King’s Landing and with Littlefinger have taught her well. She is able to play off her horror and go willingly into the family’s home. I’m really hoping that Sansa has some sort of interaction with Reek soon, since he’s still wandering about and deliberately avoiding eye contact with her.

Arya is working in the House of Black and White and learns that she has to reinvent herself to truly be someone without a name, a “No One.” But she has trouble parting with Needle and hides him in the rocks near the ocean. Arya’s journey is truly beginning and it’s interesting to see the firey child in a position where she cannot be a leader in the typical sense.

As for the other “Stark,” Jon Snow faced the proposal from Stannis once more before he turned him down to remain as Lord Commander of the Watch. His first time leading a meeting led to a departure from the usually merciful Jon. When he orders Janos Slynt to go to another fort and rebuild it, he repeatedly refuses until Jon demands that he’s brought outside and that his sword is brought to him. As they prepare Slynt to be beheaded, he cries out for mercy, and cries that he’s nothing but a coward and has always been scared  – but Jon brings the sword down anyways, a departure from the man we had only seen two episodes ago.

Tyrion and Varys are still heading towards Meereen and are quickly approaching it when Tyrion demands that they take a break since he’s about to lose his mind in the carriage. As they go about the town, they learn just how much Khaleesi means to the people – especially in the brothel, where the Khaleesi look-a-like is the most popular woman in the group. But guess who is in the same brothel? Jorah Mormont. And he wants to bring The Imp back to his Queen.

The episode ends with the drunken Tyrion being captured and heading to Khaleesi but with a different crew than moments before.

All in all, a good episode with good exposition. The Sand Snakes are making their first appearance next week though and I am more than excited to see the sisters show their true strength. What did you guys think of this week’s episode?