Last week GAME OF THRONES Season Five kicked off with bloodshed, conflict, death, nudity, the return of some almost forgotten characters, and the end of the King Beyond the Wall. This week continues with a little less death and two more returns.
‘The House of Black and White’ begins as Arya Stark approaches Braavos, and makes her way to the episode’s titular house in the hope of finding assassin Jaqen H’ghar. As she travels through Braavos Arya smiles for the first time in seasons: having survived the slaughter of the majority of her family, Lannister soldiers, and travelling with the Hound. It is no surprise that the character hopes to embrace a new life far from Westeros.
At the doors of the House of Black and White, Arya is turned away and left on its steps by a robed figure. Day and night through sun and rain, Arya sits on the steps reciting the names on her hit list, again and again. The passing of time and sound of the rain accompanied by Arya’s voice repeating the names of her could-be victims like a twisted nursery rhyme, highlights the character’s conviction and strength.
In King’s Landing, Cersei received a serpent statue from Dorne she believed was sent by Prince Doran; as a threat against the life of Princess Myrcella in retribution for the death of his brother Oberyn Martell. She convinces Jaime to mount a mission to Dorne to rescue their daughter.
Unwilling to undertake such an obvious suicide mission alone Jaime enlists the aid sell-sword come noble, Bronn. His leverage for Bronn leaving his new found dull life being a prettier betrothed and a bigger castle, if they should somehow survive.
In Dorne, it soon becomes clear that Prince Doran views the death of his brother at the hands of the Mountain as lawful and is unwilling to go to war with Westeros. The threatening statue was actually sent to King’s Landing by Oberyn’s paramour Ellaria, seething with rage and demanding vengeance for the death of her lover.
Elsewhere, Brienne and Podrick come face to face with Sansa and Littlefinger both enjoying the cuisine at one of Westeros’ infamous establishments. Pod uses his remarkable skills of observation to identify Sansa through her masterful disguise (black hair dye). Upon confronting the Stark’s eldest daughter, Brienne’s failures are laid out by Littlefinger before Sansa rejects her help.
As Brienne and Pod leave they are pursued by a number of Littlefinger and Sansa’s armoured entourage, as the latter two continue on their way to an unknown destination. Pod comically loses control of his horse in the fracas, leaving Brienne to either dispose or escaper their pursuers alone.
Brienne and Pod continue to be the show’s unlikely buddy cops, the former being the blunt ‘straight man’ and the latter the inept, almost unbearable kind-hearted sidekick. A kind of ‘Starsky and Hutch’ without the flashy fashion sense, Ford Gran Torino, or detective skills.
Far away in Meereen, things go from bad to worse for Daenerys as a member of The Sons of the Harpy is caught by Daario and the Unsullied. The Queen decides that he should face a fair trial after receiving some home truths about her father (the ‘Mad King’) from Barristan Selmy. Unfortunately for Dany a member of her inner council (and former slave) Mossador decides to kill their prisoner.
This forces the last of the Targaryen’s to make one of the most difficult decisions of her short reign, she has Daario publicly execute Mossador causing a riot and more unrest to he her new territory.
At the Wall things take a more positive turn as Samwell Tarly defends his love for Gilly, and Jon Snow is pronounced the new Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch.
Near the episode’s end things begin to look up for Arya as Jaqen finds her in the streets of Braavos and allows her entry to the House of Black and White. Whilst in Meereen, Dany is reunited with rogue dragon Drogon, his return either promising reconciliation with his ‘mother’ or more fiery deaths and destruction.
‘The House of Black and White’ primarily focuses on the disappointments or failures of some of the show’s major characters, specifically personal those of a personal nature: Brienne failing to protect both Renly Baratheon and Catelyn Stark, Cersei’s failure to protect her children, and Dany’s failure to uphold justice and protect her subjects. These failures define them but they do not leave them without hope. Brienne continues in her pursuit of Sansa Stark, Cersei continues to be Cersei, and Dani hopes for reconciliation with her most unruly ‘child’.
You can watch the rest of GAME OF THRONES season 5 on Sky Atlantic on Monday’s at 9pm.
