Villordsutch reviews the fourth episode of Game of Thrones Season Four…
Oathkeeper
Directed by Michelle MacLaren
Script by Bryan Cogman
“Sansa’s not a killer — not yet, anyway.”
‘Oathkeeper’ is a very muted episode after the previous episodes of freedom, marriages, King assassinations and rape. Here we’re given an episode that expands our story, but at the same time doesn’t expand our excitement levels to anything above interested. Don’t get me wrong – the episode was far from bad, and I enjoyed it; the fault of this not being exciting lies more with me that it does with anybody else, as I’m behaving like a spoiled Princess that wants my Throne and of course my dragons.
We had a fair amount of good moments which played with the characters on the Westeros board in front of us and tugged on a number of emotions, the main one being “Confusion” with Jaime Lannister piece. After the scene last week either down to poor editing, direction or script the transformation of Jamie from “Arsehead” to “Hero (of sorts)” took a rather awful backwards step, and now in ‘Oathkeeper’ we rather drunkenly stumble forward again as the transformation seems to be back on track as the time with Jaime shows – the practice, the brotherly jail meeting and the most important scene with Brienne and the giving on the soon to be named sword Oathkeeper. I sat silent through this scene and the following outside King’s Landing with Pod and his slip of the tongue with the “Sir!” moment. Pod you arse!
One part I found rather amusing and I failed to mention above was the Cersei and Jaime argument. Not because of the venom being spat towards Jaime (you could say well deserved), but the demands that more guards were needed on Tommen’s (the future king) door, to which Jaime initially laughed and insisted that they don’t as they are the Royal guards etc. Moments later we see Margaery enter Tommen’s room to discuss their special secret and how they should be BFF’s and never tell anyone, rather uncomfortable to watch and knowing GoT as we do, but luckily it resulted in nothing more than a kiss on the head and Margaery left by the front door again.
Other than the Icecrown (loaned from Warcraft as it seemed fitting) scene where we find out what happens to Craster’s male-born children, which albeit a very short blast of excitement (as here be magic), the moment that really stuck out for me was the Craster’s Keep mutineer scene itself. Namely Karl Tanner from Gin Alley (played by Burn Gorman); in my earlier days of being in pubs and clubs I’ve seen ilk like him and thankfully never made eye contact with the psychotic wandering eyes that Burn Gorman managed to give off so well as he swigged wine from his Commander’s (deceased) skull. The whole of Craster’s Keep has become Hell for those women – far worse than before – and watching it you could believe it by just the fire pit scene alone.
One question that did bother me was where has Khaleesi (Princess Stampyfeet) hidden her dragons during this entire slave freeing? We have been without them now for two weeks. We want our dragons!
Villordsutch likes his sci-fi and looks like a tubby Viking according to his children. Visit his website and follow him on Twitter.
Originally published April 30, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
