Here is the episode recap.

Spoiler

Does this mean that Myrcella will be featured? Probably not. But I'm curious as to whether they'll be setting something up for later books. 

HULKDOR!!

Hodor! could not resist.  So weird to hear so much about the Iron Bank.  Tywin chatting with Cersei about funds? Really? Ugh, so, liked the Aerie, that was fun.  The actress who plays Lysa is wonderful. And thank the Seven, no breast feeding so far, so we could all keep our dinners down. Glad they let Snow take Rast and be with Jon again, feels for that. Don't know how I feel about Karl dying by the Crastor wife, but liked Jojen reading his future for him.  And loved Pod burning the poor bunny . 

Pretty solid episode IMO. Nothing earthshaking, but solid.

Ok, so thought the Craster's Keep sequence was pretty awesome, but, it felt like Locke was pretty much wasted, I was expecting so much more from him. He was real wildcard, it kept things tense. Hodor snapping his neck was cool I suppose. It seems like he barely had any impact on the story, though I suppose it could potentially land the Night's Watch in hot water with Bolton.

As for the rest, I liked the Eeyrie scenes, thought the Arya-Hound scenes were hilarious. Pod+Brienne was nice too. Some of the Cersei stuff felt a bit flat to me, but it'll probably improve on re-watch

Oh and the Lannisters are broke! Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch! I think I read some speculation about that, and I thought "naw, not likely."

Yay Danaerys!  For the first time, she shows wisdom.  And she treats Jorah as her most trusted adviser, just as she said before taking Myreen.  I'm so pleased with this turn of events.  I was just complaining about her need for wisdom and evolution last week, and I'm happy to have gotten what I hoped for.

I love the shots of the Aerie!  Wonderful!  Lysa and Little Finger and Robyn are so deeply disturbing.  Ugh.  I've already seen enough!  Poor little dove just can't seem to escape her cage...poor dear thought she was finally in a safe place.

On an entirely different note, the show has switched gears from last season's torture to this season's rapes.  I'm not a fan.  At all.  They're going places they absolutely don't need to go in order to stay controversial.  Enough already.

-- Edited by Black as Snow on Sunday 4th of May 2014 11:49:21 PM

Probably my least favorite episode this season. I thought it was average. I think this is the first episode we dont get a bit of Tyrion.

I was bored by the Cersei and Margarey scene. They looked like two cozy sisters about to trade recipes and romance novels. Also thought the Arya scene was off. I dont recall her moving like that previously. She seemed well practiced. I'm sorry but Burn Gorman is so laughably bad as Karl. I am glad he's gone.

I thought it was smart to end Locke there. He went from player to pawn. Deftly done.

-- Edited by Rygar on Monday 5th of May 2014 08:51:27 AM

I don't understand the surprise at finding out the Lannisters are busted down to their toes. It's canon, right there in black and white in the books. Not a hint, or clue or suggestion: a smoking gun. I won't quote the relevant passage because SPOILER!

Great EP! Lots to cover, impressions on my rewatch!

Rygar wrote:

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I wonder if Tyrion doesn't know as well. Being Master of Coin you would think he would.

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Tyrion was on to Littlefingers shady finances, but they did not explore it further as Pod's bedroom antics took president. 

I don't know that a notation that money was borrowed from the Lannisters would contain any information about where the Lannisters got the money. But the gossip thing...I can't believe it isn't common knowledge by now.

Overall yeah, this was probably my least favorite episode also, but it wasn't all bad. Some random bits that stood out and I really loved:
- Cersei trying to manipulate the judges by actually allowing herself to be honest. How fucking ironic, and what clever writing.
- The music. Littlefinger's theme and the theme at the end, luuuuved it.
- Bran looking at Jon, I almost teared up. Isaac's acting is weird this season though, oh well, must be puberty. And a bad wig.
- The sound effect when Jon pulls out his sword from Rast's mouth. Lol, don't think I'm creepy, but that was a fantastic and very realistic sound. I imagine. I wouldn't know.
- Crater's wives - THANK YOU WRITERS. I liked how their story ended.
- Jorah, baby! I missed you saying stuff other than "they're dragons, khalessi" and stupid shit like that.
- Locke aaaawwww don't leave us now! That scene made me laugh.
- Jojen's hand on fire - Ok am I'm allowed to speculate here because I have no idea what that means and the books aren't helping? Could that have been a reference to the keep and all the bodies burning or was that an answer to Meera's question "how will we know when it's the end" as in the end for their party/their lives that has to do with fire? That was creepeeeeeeey.

And on an unrelated note, that gate guard at the Eyrie looked exactly the same as how I imagined my second character in the "Tales" thread to look like. Da fuuuuq!

BaS are you not annoyed about Dany choosing to stay in Slavers Bay instead of heading to Westeros? Personally I understand her reasons for staying and don't mind it.

Episode was over in a blink of an eye and that always is a good thing.
Nothing struck me as particularly weak.

I respect Dany's decision to stay for a while in Meereen, her point is correct, how can she rule 7 kingdoms when she can't control 3 cities. I think it is a very interesting discussion as to what happens to places once a power vaccuum occurs, yes you can kill evil rulers and free the slaves. But it is not all sunshine and lemoncakes after you leave.

Speaking of Lemoncakes, it is so much fun to be back in the Eyrie with Lysa "crazy bananapants" Tully, poor Peytr, you reap what you sow my friend, and now you have a stage 5 clinger buddy! And poor Sansa, I think she brought out the tears and "I am a stupid girl" speech on purpose to disarm Lysa, I think Sansa is cleverly using her "stupid silly girl" mask as an effective mask when she needs it.

Pod and Brienne aww love those to, they are both good people and good things always happen to good people in Westeros...wait...

The hound and Arya scene was a bit throwaway, I did like that she remembered her moves and Rory sure can play a troll with the best of em.

I thought the Crasters keep scene were great, loved Jojens visions. His burning hand was telling as only one enemy needs to be burned to kill north of the wall. Hodor's HULKDOR moment was just epic, I feel bad that Locke is outta the show, but I guess it is good the show leaves you wanting more of a character ( Sorry Cary! )

Jon vs Karl was an intense and well-choreographed fight. Jon was clearly at an disadvantage using longclaw in a confined space, but in the end Karl's abuses came back to haunt him...and that sword through the back of the scull has to be one of the best deaths of the show ( that sound when the sword got pulled out...grrrrody!)

Can't believe half the season is done already.

 

Black as Snow wrote:

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Al Swearengen wrote:

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BaS are you not annoyed about Dany choosing to stay in Slavers Bay instead of heading to Westeros? Personally I understand her reasons for staying and don't mind it.

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 Not in the slightest.  I'm pleased to see her developing wisdom and good instincts.  She has Barristan Selmy telling her to make a premature strike on King's Landing just because Joffrey is dead, and she has the sense not to heed his counsel.  She has Jorah making his usual non-commital recommendations, and then chooses her own third path.  And she's absolutely right.  She needs to learn how to rule, not just how to win.  She seems to realize how much she has to learn.  I'm happy at this sudden change in course and this new introspective Dany. 

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Well if I was her I'd listen to Selmy he's a wise counselor. He's only in exile because of a petulant monster of a ruler, Jorah on the other hand was exiled for enslaving people which is kind of ironic given Dany's new quest.

Was just curious cause a lot of book fans are bothered by Dany's lack of urgency when it comes to Westeros.

No book quotes in this thread, take it to the other one please.

happyplace.someecards.com/31126/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-4-episode-5

Cary Storm wrote:

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Just read this on boiledleather's tumblr feed:

jolietj asked:

Interesting connection the show created with this episode: Bran, in control of Hodor, kills the man who maimed the man responsible for crippling him. And neither Bran nor Jaime will ever realize it. Very Martin-esque of Benioff and Weiss.

Huh — I hadn’t thought of that. And I’m glad you did, because I was striving mightily to come up with a poetic-justice framework for Bran/Hodor killing Locke in that fashion. That works, sure.

 

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 That shit is deep.

I agree!!! Ry, that wig deserved it.

So disagree Peep. Ser Waymer Royce was premature. Robert was premature. Viserys was premature. Ned was premature. They all are. That's the point. I know we all love Noah Taylor but you gotta let the fanboy go.

Sorry, not the same. Well, Royce was more than premature, we knew nothing about him but all the others had arcs and more or less development and they had it coming, as you Ry said in another thread about Ned, but all the others you named too.

Not the same with Locke. D&D created him, used him splendidly in season 3 so he stick around and again he was great to create intrigue and tension in season 4 and blahblahblha, that´s why you use Noah Taylor I guess. The tension inside Castle Black would have been amazing. Honestly, I think they realized that this new character was too interesting and problematic for the writing of the show (the fucking butterfly effect Gurm is talking about all the time), so they killed him. Was not a Gurm´s kind of death (hate to admit, that I´d probably like).

And, btw, I`m not a fan of Noah Taylor, I only think is a good actor. You´ll see mefangirling, exclusively, for Louie CK, because I like fat,  funny, clever, and pervert gingers, m´kay?

 

 

Rygar I disagree.
Locke being there is what makes this scene stupid in my eyes. That and the fact that it is a second near-miss for Jon and Bran. Any mutineer could have taken Locke's role at Craster's (who wouldn't run off with a highborn hostage when your allies are getting slaughtered outside). His presence there was entirely pointless. Now if they would have made him find out Rickon's whereabouts through Bran and go hunt him or something then it would have had some impact. Or if he was under the impression Bran was dead and returned to the Boltons. Or if he fought Jon at any point. But they chose to kill him in the weirdest way... I expected him to end up fighting Brienne at first, which would have been much better and less of an ass-pull since he wouldn't have to go halfway across the world just to get killed.

And I really think they should have given the scene either to Jon or to Bran (+Coldhands?) and not both. And since they did give it to both they should have made sure it's not repetitive and stupid with another near miss. I would rather they meet, Bran explain that he needs to go North and needs to remain dead to the world, Jon understands and walks away. Not many consequences there, I don't think.

I did love Karl's death, though.

Don't worry, wightLock is coming. And he and Jon have some unfinished business after all the sexual tension.

Alester and Janos sexual tension? I didn't feel it, but it's a really interesting concept. I'll have to chew on it.

I'm being serious that Locke wasn't necessary to add more tension to the Night's Watch due to a deficiency in uneasiness. There is already tension with Thorne and now Sylnt.

-- Edited by Rygar on Friday 9th of May 2014 05:14:43 PM