Game of Thrones Season Four – Episode 2 Review

The Lion and the Rose.

Directed by Alex Graves.

Written by George R. R. Martin.

Nobody major usually dies in these earlier Game of Thrones episodes. The big plot events are often kept until the close of a season, historically episode 9. So don’t worry, you can relax for a moment, just sit back and enjoy th-

“Written by George R. R. Martin”

Crap.

Theon

Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), or ‘Reek’ to his friends/masochistic torturers, is having a bad time of it up North. After appearing sporadically in Season 3, and not at all in last week’s series opener, the reminder of how frail and subservient the once-cocksure character has become is rather distressing. You actually feel empathy towards the guy – the same guy who betrayed his adopted Stark family and had the most annoying sneer this side of King Joffrey *kisses fist, holds in air for minute silence* “R.I.P. Your Grace.” More on that later…

The Lion and the Rose opens on Theon and his best friend/sadistic torturer Ramsey Snow (played with manic delight by Iwan Rheon). Rheon has uncovered a dimension to Snow absent from the books. Martin writes him as an out-and-out sadist. Rheon’s faux-politeness, twinkling eyes and eerily permanent smile, however, give the character more of a Heath-Ledger’s-Joker edge. Snow and Myranda (Charlotte Hope) chase a girl through the woods, with the bastard’s dogs in tow. What’s most disturbing, though, is Theon limping along behind, twitching like an abused cat, a whole different person to his Winterfell days.

Theon’s submissiveness has him spill the fates of the younger Stark boys, Bran and Rickon. The returning Roose Bolton (Michael McElhatton) sends his men to track them down. He wants the North for himself, and that means wiping out the Stark lineage…

Bran

Which isn’t amazing news for Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and co., North of the Wall. This storyline has been somewhat ignored since Bran revealed his super-charged Warg-powers (he controlled a person), and is one of the weaker narratives running through Game of Thrones. It’s soon to pick up, though, as evidenced in this episode.

In a flashforward vision/trailer for Season 5, Bran sees a a three-eyed crow, the shadow of a dragon flying above a King’s Landing-like city, Ned Stark’s forehead and a glimpse of a White Walker. Exciting stuff. This episode also had the season’s first “Hodor,” always a highlight, bringing both the season and episode’s Hodor Tally to ‘1’.

Joffrey (R.I.P.)

Rest in peace, King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson) – the Seven Heavens gained a new angel today. In a tour de force episode showcasing the personality traits that made Joff such a wonderfully intolerable prick – being rude, his stupid face, getting bored really quickly – he has finally perished, being poisoned on the day of his wedding.

The Lion and the Rose was an odd episode for Game of Thrones, in that the last half was entirely focused on one scene. Usually the narrative jumps around from character to character (of which there are many), or place to place, but here the last half hour all occurred at King Joffrey (RIP) and Margaery Tyrell’s (Natalie Dormer) wedding. Every second longer the scene continued compounded the sense of dread. The last Westeros nuptials that took place didn’t end so well…

I’ve got a lot of notes on this scene – how the books made the wedding seem grander (the television version appeared budget by comparison); the giant, oddly tacky lion’s head (or “Brian Gibb sculpture,” as my housemate put it); Sigur Ros’ rendition of the Rains of Castamere (The National’s was better) – but this space is reserved for something else: a celebration of Gleeson’s interpretation of King Joffrey.

Tyrion’s (Peter Dinklage) your favourite character. That’s easy. If you say otherwise, you’re lying. He’s the most empathetic, well-written and best acted of the bunch. But who’s your second favourite character? Jon Snow (Kit Harrington)? Daenerys (Emilia Clarke)? All solid answers. Mine was Joffrey.

In the books, Joffrey is a phenomenal dick. But the television series somehow improved on this, and in a world where so much is reduced or taken away by adaptations, this should really be applauded.

Gleeson’s performance of Joffrey is…*sniffs, wipes eye*…was the best in Game of Thrones. Dinklage already had the best dialogue, Gleeson had to work more. He was used sparingly, but to devastating effect. His presence was increased in the television series, which I strongly believe is down to how well Gleeson played the character.

He had these evil mannerisms, facial sneers, but beneath it all was an overwhelming insecurity. He broke down whenever challenged, and then responded in the most immature, wounded way possible. I hated him with a smile on my face.

It’s all typified by one moment in The Lion and the Rose, when he cuts the wedding pie with his new Valyrian sword. On slicing the crust, he recoils in genuine fright – it’s etched on his face – when a half-dozen birds take flight from within. But birds in pies is a normal tradition for big celebrations like these. Surely he knew what was inside. But he still jumped back, surprised.

The crowd decide to overlook their King’s insecurity and erupt in applause. On hearing the claps, Joffrey looks up with the most abhorrent confidence, cockily swiveling on his heel to look at his beautiful new wife. That transition encapsulates the King, and Gleeson’s pitch perfect execution. His death might not have been as shocking, or as poignant, as Ned’s or those at the Red Wedding, but Joffrey’s passing might arguably be the most cataclysmic in terms of Westeros politics…and my own heart. The Iron Throne is once again vacant.

And, of course, it provides a delicious cliff hanger for the next episode. Cersei (Lena Headey) has accused Tyrion of poisoning her son. The way Joffrey treated him during the ceremony certainly gives him motive. A murder mystery is afoot. What do you think, Joff?

 

Christ, I miss him so much already.

Oliver Davis is one of Flickering Myth’s co-editors. You can follow him on Twitter (@OliDavis).