Game of Thrones Season 4 Episode 2 Review
YAAAAAAYYYYYYY!
Finally, that sniveling, cowardly, sadistic, preening, smirking, annoyingly blonde, arrogant, evil, egotistical king is dead-dead-Dead!
And I miss him already. And then very much.
So at last we got what we wanted. Merely equally ever with Game of Thrones, we didn't get what we wanted the verbal way we wanted it. For starters, fan favorite Tyrion is now in deep trouble. We have much to discuss about this huge upshot, and you lot have come to the right identify for the occasion. Nosotros take an exclusive interview with actor Jack Gleeson (Joffrey) virtually this scene and his plan to retire from acting. There's also a deep-dive Q&A with the showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss about the making of this episode. Plus, in that location'southward an exclusive interview with author George R.R. Martin himself on why he killed Joffrey and the historical inspiration for the manner he died. Links to all those posts are at on the last folio of this recap.
Merely outset, there were plenty of intriguing scenes earlier Joffrey got his simply desserts — Ramsay's hunting party, Tyrion and Shae's breakdown, Bran's prophetic vision, and a agglomeration of intriguing character pairings at the wedding political party that nosotros've never seen before (and might never again).
The Dreadfort: Nosotros open with one of the ugliest scenes in Thrones' history. Ramsay hunting a terrified young woman with his dogs, his castrated slave Theon (now called Reek) literally in tow. There's a lot to dislike about this scene, but it is powerful. Patently, this retainer girl caused a lover of Ramsay'southward to feel jealous. So Ramsay used that as an opportunity to enact his own backyard version of The Hunger Games.
Later, Ramsay's father Roose Bolton returns from stabbing Robb Stark at the Ruddy Wedding. He brought along Locke, who chopped off Jaime'due south hand. Ramsay presents Reek and admits he took some parts off him, too. If in Westeros, this is a castle you really should avoid. Y'all would recollect Ramsay would have to effort extremely hard to really do anything this father would consider "incorrect," only he manifestly managed to disappoint pops. "Theon was a valuable hostage, not your plaything," Bolton scolds. Bolton wanted to trade Theon for Moat Cailin, a collection of towers that's considered a strategically valuable Northern stronghold, and at present he'due south damaged appurtenances. Ramsay shows off how well he's trained Theon by having him shave him while explaining his friend Robb Stark is dead. Theon's terrified and total subjugation effectively suggests all the torturing of Theon that we thankfully did not accept to witness, in addition to what we already saw final season. Bolton comes up with a mission for his bounder son — take Moat Cailin to prove his worth. (Ramsay, with his jutting looks and cheerfully psychotic demeanor, ever reminded me of somebody, and I finally figured information technology out — Alex, the protagonist of A Clockwork Orange every bit played by an impossibly young Malcolm McDowell).
King'southward Landing: Tyrion and Jaime are together over again for the showtime time since the get-go season. We've rarely seen Tyrion and so happy. "Why is no i eating … yous lost a hand not a tum," he cheerfully chastises. One wonders if Tyrion'southward loftier spirits are partly because of Jaime's misfortune — his older brother is now less-than perfect also. This seems specially true when Tyrion toasts "the proud Lannister children — the dwarf, the cripple, and the female parent of madness." But we also meet their strong bail when Jaime trusts Tyrion with his biggest underground, that he tin no longer fight. Once more, Jaime is really worried about what other people recollect of him, though this fourth dimension it's a valid concern. "Equally presently as someone discovers I tin't fight, he'll tell everyone," he frets.
Tyrion sets up Jaime with Bronn for left-handed sword training, assuring his sellsword buddy is discreet. They run across in a remote sea-side location. Bronn farther tries to clinch Jaime that he doesn't have to worry about people finding out nigh his fight lessons by telling him about a woman he's screwing in this very spot. He even names her hubby just to further demonstrate his discretion. Equally everybody who navigates part gossip knows, never trust people who testify they can keep a secret by telling you other secrets they're supposed to be keeping. Jaime tosses Bronn what Louis C.Chiliad. once dubbed a vague sack of coin.
NEXT: #KingsLandingBreakup
Later, Varys tells Tyrion that Shae is in imminent danger from his male parent Tywin. Fearing the worst memory of his youth repeating itself (his begetter torturing a prostitute he loved), Tyrion decides to dump Shae The Funny Whore. To do that, he has to exist quite cruel. This is some other scene that'due south tough to picket, like you're secretly eavesdropping on a couple having a painful, semi-public fight. I wanted to live-tweet the play-by-play to remove some of my own discomfort:
— She'due south calling him "my lion" and trying to seduce him once again. #KingsLandingBreakup
— He's just offered her servants, money, and a house in Pentos. I totally think she should have it. Run Shae! #KingsLandingBreakup
— Getting nasty: "You're a whore! I can't be in love with a whore. I cannot bear children with a whore." This is clearly hurting him even more than her. #KingsLandingBreakup
Can you believe that once upon a time, everybody had to interruption upwardly like this, arguing confront-to-face? Thankfully we can now just cease replying to somebody's text messages like civilized people.
Dragonstone: Tin can we skip Dragonstone? Is that okay? Don't tell the Recap Police force. Melisandre is executing non-believers (still), grumpy Stannis is grumpy nigh his defeat (still). Their story is boring and total of repetition. 1 expert line: "There is only one hell, princess, the one we alive in now."
North of the Wall: Bran uses his direwolf-vision to eat deer. Hodor takes him to the godswood tree, and he sees a agglomeration of things that got fans excited when watching HBO'south trailer. He's told where to find the mysterious "three-eyed crow" he's seeking, and we assume this person is a wizard of some sort. He'southward given flashes of the past (hey Ned Stark, don't become besides fastened to that sword) and, most interestingly, what we assume is the time to come: The King'south Landing Throne Room with the roof torn off and snow falling in the room — winter has come, bitches!
More than tantalizingly: A massive dragon shadow flying over King'due south Landing. Can we assume from this Dany eventually makes it to King'due south Landing and unleashes peppery wrath? Notation that Martin wrote this episode, and those flashes — correct me if I'm wrong — were not in Bran's visions in Martin's volume, A Trip the light fantastic With Dragons, suggesting these are brand new teases for what might happen in Books 6 and seven.
King's Landing: Okay, time for the really fun stuff.
Joffrey gets his presents. Information technology'south the first of several scenes where he demonstrates how incredibly cruel and petty he is right up until the moment he dies, and the commencement in a series of beats showing an escalating conflict between the rex and his uncle. Tyrion gives Joffrey a royal self-help book to make him a better king, Awaken the Dragon Within or something. Tyrion had to know this was a spectacularly poor gift pick as Joffrey is never going to appreciate a book, particularly one that suggests he needs leadership pointers. In an episode filled with awesome Jack Gleeson moments, I think I loved his delivery of Joffrey's condescendingly polite response to Tyrion'south souvenir the best: "Now that the war is won, we should all find time for wisdom."
Joffrey really loves Tywin'due south present, however, a badass Valyrian sword. He tests its sharpness by hacking the hell out of Tyrion'southward book. Of course, Joffrey wants to name it, too (as we were told by The Hound last week, "lots of c—ts name their swords"). Somebody yells out "Widow's Wail," which naturally appeals to Joffrey. "Every fourth dimension I use that it will exist like cutting off Ned Stark'south head all again," he says every bit Sansa looks on.
We get a super quick marriage ceremony. Margery has to kiss him, simply she presumably doesn't know that she only has to practise this once. "Better her than you," Tyrion tells Sansa, as if to say: "Hey, at least I'thou not that guy…right? I'm even so improve than him, correct?"
At the wedding political party, we're treated to a series of unique grapheme pairings and nearly all ended with a devastatingly great quote-able line. Let'south class each:
Bronn and Tyrion: Tyrion wants reassurance Shae is gone and feels rather awful almost the whole #KingsLandingBreakup. Bronn assures he put her on a ship for Pentos. "Now go beverage until it feels like you did the correct thing." Form: B+
Next: six royal smackdowns
Tywin and Olenna Tyrell: The point of this chat is the reminder that the crown is heavily in debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos, which has a rather fearsome collection policy — if y'all don't pay, they fund your enemies. Tywin claims he's not worried. "Come Tywin, allow us celebrate young love," Olenna cheerfully says to a heartless man, referring to a king who cannot feel love, and his married woman that doesn't love him. Grade: C+
Olyenna and Sansa. The Queen of Thorns has an amazingly ironic line, referring to the Red Hymeneals: "Killing a human at a wedding! Horrid. What sort of monster would exercise such a thing? As if men need more reasons to fright marriage." Form: B
Jaime and Loras: Awkward, since Loras is committed to marrying Jaime's lover/sister, something neither of them desire. Nosotros see, for the showtime fourth dimension in a long while, Jaime beingness charismatic and threatening. He tells Loras of the tearing doom that awaits him should he marry Cersei, then reassures: "Lucky for you, none of this volition never happen, considering she will never marry you lot." Loras gets a rare winning moment with a knowing comeback: "And neither will yous." Grade: A-
Brienne and Cersei: Brienne tries to pay her respects to Joffrey, and he dismisses her with an irritated wave. Just Cersei wants to chat. Notice Cersei and Jaime use the exact same family tactic in their frenemy discussions. First they strike up a conversation with cheerful pleasantries then, once their target is relaxed, they stick a knife in their heart. Cersei is so very jealous of Brienne. Not just of her fourth dimension with Jaime and their tight bond, only the fact that Brienne has what Cersei wants — freedom and the power to defend herself. As nosotros've previously learned, Cersei wishes she were born a human being then she wouldn't be "weak" and rely on men and take to follow their orders. Now here comes Brienne, a woman who is such a great fighter that she's even a lucifer for Jaime, and she can do any she wants. Naturally, Cersei hates her. "I don't serve your brother, your grace," Brienne tries to clinch. Cersei shoots back: "Just you dearest him," and Brienne'southward looks utterly stricken, similar Cersei just nuked her internal switchboard the fashion no man with a sword always could. You see, Cersei is a warrior, likewise, of sorts, and Brienne is not used to people who fight this manner. Grade: A
Cersei and Pycelle: Margaery appear that the leftovers from the feast would exist used to feed the poor in Male monarch'southward Landing. That's what a cruel identify this city is — giving the poor your tabular array scraps is considered a assuming gesture of purple charity. Cersei threatens the maester and overrides Margery'due south gild, telling him to requite the food to the dogs instead. "The leftovers will feed the dogs, or you will," she says. Between stunning Brienne, stomping on Pycelle, and overthrowing Margaery, the erstwhile Queen Regent looks so very proud of herself … for the moment. Form: B+
Oberyn, Ellaria, Tywin and Cersei: At that place's not much pleasantries here. Things quickly turns nasty as Prince Obyern pokes the king of beasts with barbs about bastards (of which Oberyn's lover Ellaria is proudly one), the queen's diminishing power, Tywin's wealth and, most sensitively, the Lannisters' alleged wartime crimes against Obyern'south family. Tywin knows all virtually Oberyn's vendetta and tries to coast above this. Information technology's a new tactic from Tywin equally normally we meet him cracking people. Only Tywin doesn't desire anything from Oberyn and he knows beingness antagonistic toward the prince would only prepare him off, and then he largely shrugs this off. Oberyn reminds Cersei that her immature daughter Myrcella is in Dorne, making the well-nigh indirect and vaguest of threats. "People everywhere take their differences," Oberyn says. "In some places the highborn pout upon those of low birth, in others, the rape and murder of women and children is considered distasteful. What a fortunate thing for you, former Queen Regent, that your daughter has been sent to alive in the latter sort of place." Thankfully Oberyn and Ellaria didn't seduce Tywin and Cersei into the almost world'southward well-nigh bad-mannered four-way. A dandy scene, though Pedro Pascal's Dorneish emphasis feels distractingly mannered here compared to final week's intro. Form: A-
Next: The play's the thing to uncover the jerkishness of the rex
Now we plow back to Joffrey, who is going to command our attention for the rest of his life. He throws coins dismissively at the band playing a mournful version of "The Rains of Castamere" (the musicians are the Icelandic band Sigur Ros, and the song goes on auction tomorrow; they mentioned on ready that Gleeson kept giving them "a really sorry face" later on each take). Joffrey then makes an announcement: "A majestic wedding is not an amusement," he declares and gestures to a twenty-foot mock lion'southward head. When that jaw opens and the carpet rolls out like a giant tongue, you have no clue what's going to happen. This next scene is something the producers wanted to keep secret (because, in their words, "It'due south such a 'what the f–thou'").
A little people theater troupe rushes out of the lion's head riding mock representations of Westeros family sigils. Each passenger is playing one of the v kings who recently vied for the Atomic number 26 Throne. They perform a bawdy reenactment of the terminal couple seasons of Thrones war drama, consummate with a beheading of Robb Stark and jokes virtually Renly being gay.
This is Joffrey's crowning moment in asshole-dom. He manages to offend his dwarf uncle Tyrion, along with his married woman Sansa, whose brother was Robb Stark. His bride Margaery was married to Renly, so she'due south surely offended too (though knows better than to prove it). Brienne was sworn to Renly and Loras was Renly's lover, then they're upset besides. The act is almost genius-level in its across-the-lath tacky offensiveness, reopening old wounds and insulting several people in dissimilar and personal ways. Loras storms out. Joffrey laughs and spits wine. In the crowd, Varys and Oberyn are not amused (Oberyn's expression is like, "Yeah, this is exactly what I expected you Lannisters to be similar"). Among our regular cast, only Joffrey, Cersei, and Joffrey's younger brother Tommen (who'south too young to know any improve) seem to enjoy this.
Tyrion'due south reaction is particularly interesting, I'm not certain we've always seen his face look quite like this — bare cold anger. "Pay each of them 20 gold when this is done," he murmurs to Podrick. "I'll take to detect some other style to thank the king" — that line will probably come back to haunt him afterward.
But Joffrey is non done. He puts Tyrion on the spot, suggesting he fight with the dwarfs. Tyrion should accept quietly demurred. But no. Tyrion has too much Lannister king of beasts pride. He mocks the king with a thinly veiled contempt — "I think yous should fight, this was merely a poor simulated of your ain bravery in battle…" he says. Joffrey then tries to humiliate Tyrion in other means. However at every plow Tyrion refuses to accept Joffrey'southward beliefs as humiliation. He pours vino on his head, but Tyrion dismisses information technology as a "spill." He orders him to be his cup bearer, but Tyrion calls it a "great honour." Both of them should know better. Joffrey shouldn't try to outwit his far smarter uncle, who is extremely practiced at treatment bullies. While Tyrion shouldn't outshine a psychopathic king in front of a oversupply on his wedding ceremony 24-hour interval (ever read The 48 Laws of Power? The starting time is: "Never Outshine the Chief").
Tension mounts. We know something game-changing is going to happen. We recall one of them is finally going to snap. And maybe they would have. Joffrey orders his uncle to kneel — to demonstrate submission and respect physically considering trying to get it from him verbally is not working. Tyrion outright refuses. It would have been interesting to see how this scene would accept ended if that insane pie hadn't been wheeled out.
"Oh expect, the pie!" exclaims PR-expert Margaery, hilariously breaking the stand up-off.
Next: Pie a' la dead
Out comes an obscenely large pastry. Joffrey readies his sword and preens like a rock star, approaching the pie similar he'south about to execute a defeated foe. He smacks it open with the sword. Many white birds fly out, while others died inside the pie from the blow (on the set while staging this scene, 1 of showrunners muttered about the expressionless vs. living birds, "In a manner, that'south a metaphor for the show").
And still, Joffrey is non done tormenting Tyrion. He asks him to serve him more than wine.
"Bustle upwards, this pie is dry out," Joffrey says. Information technology'southward actually a rather suitably lame final sentence for Joffrey to declare before his expiry scene begins. Somebody should brand a T-shirt with a sneering prototype of The Joff and the legend: "This pie is dry."
Joffrey coughs.
And we lean forward. We know the rule, even if only unconsciously: In movies and telly, at that place is never an accidental cough.
He starts to asphyxiate, or then it seems. "He's choking!" Margaery yells.
"Assistance the poor male child!" cries Oleynna. "Assistance your male monarch!"
Joffrey chop-chop descends into a mix of panic, fear, and blindness. He gasps, his face turns violently cherry. Jaime rushes in, trying to help his secret son, and a rex he's again failed to protect. Tyrion looks concerned and confused. Even Sansa, as much equally she hates Joffrey, looks worried for him.
The idea behind this scene, is that we're reminded in these terminal moments that monstrous Joffrey is at his core only a scared little boy. It's all rather horrible, fifty-fifty though it couldn't have happened to a more than deserving person.
Dontos rushes up to Sansa and gives her the Kyle Reese line — Come with me if you want to live…
Cersei, naturally, is losing her listen. This is her worst fear coming truthful. Joffrey reaches out and points, seemingly accusingly, at Tyrion. I hope Joffrey believed in his final moments that Tyrion really did poison him. Tyrion looks suspiciously at the wine cup, putting it all together.
For Cersei, at that place is no incertitude. She knows her son was poisoned, and she is most certainly correct. But she's also equally certain of Tyrion's guilt, which does not seem to be the case. All of Tyrion's vague threats against her and Joffrey are now coming back to haunt him. And with his last act, that pointed finger, Joffrey has perhaps managed to kill one last enemy. Guards seize Tyrion. And at present yous know why he's wearing chains and appearing in a dungeon in the Thrones ads this season.
The twist changes things. For the first time since flavour ane, the Iron Throne is open. Sansa scurried away with Dontos, what'due south that about? And at that place is a skillful onetime fashioned murder mystery — Who Killed Joffrey Baratheon? Everybody except Cersei has a motive for that one.
There'southward the usual question when trying to effigy out a murder: Who benefits? There's wartime rivals like Stannis Baratheon and Balon Greyjoy. Margaery, perhaps — if the dwarf joust is what Joffrey planned for her wedding party, can you imagine what he had in mind for her wedding night? At that place volition be no widow wailing for her. Then again, it makes Margaery seem tainted — 2 dead kings in a row is enough to give whatsoever prospective suitor break. And there'south Tywin, who was conspicuously losing control of Joffrey. Oh, and pretty much everybody in Westeros (subsequently all, anybody else in that chair, including the person who's next in the line for the throne — young Tommen — could hardly be worse).
Who loses? Cersei, obviously. And Tyrion, ironically.
But what about us viewers — are we winners or losers? This was absolutely a great episode. Merely will Game of Thrones be better or worse without Joffrey to kicking around? We lost a truly bully villain tonight. Only the death of Ned Stark rivals this one in its importance. Robb and Catelyn, every bit compelling as they were, did not inspire the enormous outpouring of fan emotion that Joffrey does. And neither did Ned Stark, really, since we were yet getting to know him. From the very beginning of the series, fans really loved to hate Joffrey. In a story full of complex shades-of-grayness characters, Joffrey was an old-fashioned hissable villain who wasn't saddled with redeemable qualities to make united states of america experience conflicted most him. He was a full unrepentant wildly entertaining s–tbird. And we loved him for that.
Plus, every bit satisfying as it is to see Joffrey go some comeuppance, the decease denies us some satisfaction, likewise. We all wanted Arya to calibration the walls of Rex's Landing and fight Joffrey with her Needle vs. his Widow'south Wail.
Notwithstanding, as I point out to Martin and the showrunners in the Q&As, what's amazing about Joffrey's death is the creative disrespect of information technology. Thrones just infamously killed several chief characters at a wedding. The concluding thing you would look of this story, a tale whose creator prides himself on being unpredictable and avoiding repetition, is to kill some other main character at another nuptials!
At present permit's turn things over to those who know this show far better than I — Martin, Benioff and Weiss, and Gleeson. Each brings a different and uniquely fascinating perspective to Joffrey'southward demise.
EW'due south full coverage of Game of Thrones majestic wedding:
Here's a movie I took on the ready in Croatia from the royal banquet, a niggling memento…
As well: Do you call up the dogs still got the leftovers? Just wondering.
Beyond-the-Wall
Game of Thrones
HBO'south ballsy fantasy drama based on George R.R. Martin's novel serial A Vocal of Water ice and Fire.
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Source: https://ew.com/recap/game-of-thrones-joffrey-wedding-recap/
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