Sons of the Harpy begins to get to the nitty gritty as the plots are in motion and the ride is about to begin.
Oberyn’s Sand Snakes are properly introduced, Dorne is explored and Jorah’s back! Yes, he still talks about Daenerys with the same longing lusty tone.
There are fight scenes on both sides of the Narrow Sea and plotting is rife.
Episode four has a lot to offer and is pleasantly balanced in terms of politics and action.
The lack of Tyrion allows a few other characters to come to the fore since he isn’t stealing all the best lines.
Despite its name, Sons of the Harpy has a lot of powerful women all vying for screen time: it seems the time of the women is now.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Jorah Mormont makes a thumping great appearance as Tyrion’s captor and Tyrion is exceedingly annoying. He shows off his famous brain, deducting his captor’s identity in a matter of moments.
Jaime and Bronn make land in the Vipers’ nest hot on the heels of Myrcella and quickly get ‘fucked in the arse’ by some vipers.
Bronn proves to be less skilled with his tongue than his blade but that is what Jaime’s paying him for. That and digging.
Finally! The Sand Snakes are revealed. Them and Ellaria are understandable bitter at Oberyn’s death and are spoiling for a fight.
Back in Kings Landing ‘the Small Council grows smaller and smaller’ as Cersei tries to tighten her grip on King Tommen.
She then proposes what could be an extremely foolish idea to the High Sparrow himself and Lancel scars himself for life. Literally, this time.
Kings Landing now has a similar vigilante problem to that of Meereen and the Faith Militants unceremoniously arrest the ‘sinner’ Loras Tyrell.
Tommen proves his ‘effectiveness’ at the steps of the Sept and learns what the people of Kings Landing really think of him.
The new King’s first taste of the game throws him into sharp relief against his brother’s own style of ruling.
Not only does the King have to gain the respect from his people in King’s Landing, a clueless Tommen also has to mediate the tension between his equally manipulative wife Margarey and his mother Cersei.
Meanwhile at The Wall, the Fiery Priestess is swanning around exposing herself to every bastard that comes her way.
Stannis becomes a little less wooden as he opens up to his own stone-faced daughter, revealing her back story to the audience and making her mother’s rejection all the more heart-breaking.
Down in the crypts of Winterfell Petyr Baelish gives Sansa a history lesson in the Stark legacy and the downfall of the Targaryens. Women have power here.
Once he’s promised Sansa a bright future, Littlefinger abruptly leaves to cross wits with Cersei down in King’s Landing.
Over in Essos another history lesson is being given. This time by Barristan Selmy to Daenerys, telling her more of her glorious brother and his unseen musical side.
It’s here in Meereen that the episode gets its name. The Sons of the Harpy make their move butchering the Unsullied and Second Sons, aided by the ever-deceitful whores of Meereen. See, women have power here.
The episode culminates in a bloody back alley face off where Grey Worm fights for his life and Barristan Selmy proves the legends are true.
The fourth hour is one of the best so far with the blood-red action of the series splashing back onto the screen.
There’s barely a wasted scene here and the cliffhanger is true to the George RR Martin style.
Purists will complain that Benioff and Weiss have done what they always threatened and thrown the books to the wind but they’re just sore they’re stuck in the same position non-readers have been in the whole time.
Enjoy the ride, the women are coming.
Image courtesy of HBO via YouTube, with thanks
