Villordsutch reviews Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 2 – ‘Stormborn’…
Written By Bryan Cogman
Directed By Mark Mylod
Tyrion (to Daenerys) – “On a night like this you came into this world.”
Varys – “I remember that storm. All the dogs in King’s Landing howled through the night.”
After last week’s slightly ‘lukewarm’ introduction to Season 7, along with the ‘Sheeran Cameo Scandal’ stealing all the column inches of this premiere, I’m hoping that Episode 2 “Stormborn” will see a return to the Game of Thrones I know and love, with backstabbing, sneaky politics and without sounding too lowbrow plenty of swearing and nudity.
With Daenerys now in her rightful home of Dragonstone, all doesn’t appear to be well, both outside the walls and within her head as she begins to question the loyalty of Varys, plus the fact that the welcome home hasn’t been as mighty as she foresaw. With numerous allies however descending upon the castle including the Lady Olenna Tyrell, Ellaria Sand and the true heirs to the Iron Island – Theon and Yara – opening maneuvers are discussed. The first strike includes taking Casterly Rock, the Lannister’s true home.
Arya is still on her journey to King’s Landing and still advertising the fact Cersei is top of her list for offing, as she speaks with old-time friend and pie-maker Hot Pie, who we last saw back in Season 4 as he passed a pie over for Arya to Brienne. During Arya’s devouring of a rather tasty looking pie, Hot Pie delivers the news that the Boltons no longer rule Winterfell and her brother Jon Snow is now King of the North. With this Arya takes flight and rides off.
Later as we see her camped, things seem to take a turn for the worst for our assassin as she becomes surrounded by wolves, then to a direwolf appears, to which Arya recognises her old friend Nymeria.
Back in the Oldtown and Sam has gone from cleaning out the privvy to a far more gruesome role. Discovering that the person with greyscale is none other that Ser Jorah, Son of the Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, Sam defies Archmaester Ebrose by attempting to treat this disease and it’s really not nice to watch.
Back up North, Jon Snow has received two Ravens – one from Sam about the Dragonglass underneath Dragonstone and the other from Tyrion Lannister inviting him to an audience with the Queen of the Dragons also at Dragonstone. After much deliberation within the great hall of Winterfell, he announces that he is placing Sansa in charge whilst he and Ser Davos travel to visit the Queen in hope of forming an allegiance. Later in the Stark crypt Littlefinger approaches Jon, reminding him that he has yet to thank him for saving him during the Battle of the Bastards and then continues to stoke Jon by mentioning the feelings he has for Sansa. To this Jon begins to throttle Littlefinger, echoing Ned Stark from years back, abd threatening to kill him if he touches his sister.
Further south and mid-ocean, just when all seems to be looking good between Theon and Yara, mand ore so between Yara and Ellaria Sand, Euron begins to deliver his gift to Queen Cersei. After burning numerous vessels, he turns his attentions to the Sand Snakes, brutally murdering the two that stand in front of him, before taking Ellaria and the remaining Sand Viper hostage. With the battle rapidly going south Euron also grabs Yara and challenges Theon to make a move, with his mind clearly racing back to the days of Bolton, the Greyjoy boy instead flees and jumps into the sea. As the episode closes we see the mayhem caused by the possible future King of the Iron Islands.
Well. Here’s an episode of memorable things, yet here’s also an episode of really nothing that memorable. All the pieces on this board are moving far too quickly and seem to have no weight behind their movement either. It’s rare for myself to turn my phone over during a film or TV show. I purposely have it facing down to ignore notifications, but mid-episode I wanted to check the time, I’d begun to lose interest in this great show.
Things are wrong. Arya Stark, skilled assassin who served under the Many-Faced God, she who beat the brutal waif at her own game, is now travelling through Westeros advertising the fact she’s on her way to kill the Queen and she’s sitting in the open for everyone to take a shot. Qyburn has had constructed – for Cersei – a special crossbow that can smash through the skull of a dragon, as long as the dragon is very still, isn’t flying, hasn’t caused maximum devastation and/or destruction – with flames and what not – also isn’t more than 50 metres away. These are a couple of things that sing “Silly!”.
Though the biggest crime of this episode comes from the fact that the writers haven’t had a clue with what to do with the Sand Snakes, nor the Dornish Culture ,since the death of the charismatic Prince Oberyn. Here in Stormborn it’s clearly shown in a GoT/Soap Opera style killing – “We’ll have this man, who is little more than a psychotic pirate, murder these two highly skilled, trained assassins. Then his pirate mates will kidnap two other trained assassins too.” Where’s Unella when you need her?
It’s fair to say Stormborn hasn’t impressed me. Everything is moving far too rapidly, the writing and care taken over the previous series doesn’t seem to have been given in these initial two opening episodes. I can only hope that everything falls back into place again very soon.
SEE ALSO: Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 2 – ‘Stormborn’ – Top 5 Moments
SEE ALSO: Check out the promo for Season 7 Episode 3 – “The Queen’s Justice”
Rating: 5/10
Originally published July 25, 2017. Updated December 16, 2019.
