This recap is largely spoiler free with a few juicy ones hidden away in a reveal box at the end. For the most part, it outlines the episode and positioning of the characters/plotlines. Forgotten what’s happened the past 4 seasons? Check out our reviews and recaps of past seasons of GoT.
With an episode title like “The Wars to Come,” you’d expect the season opener for Game of Thrones to be all about setting up future storylines, and you’d be right. This isn’t an explosive opener, but more of a slow burn. Its very much takes a step back, a calm before the approaching storm. That doesn’t make it any less gripping.
The episode deftly handles reminding the audience of where we last left their favorite, and not so favorite, characters while setting up the new threats for the upcoming season. New characters and factions are either shown or hinted at. Looking at the show as a whole it is a sprawl of intersecting tales and people, but its remarkable how coherent and clearly it is all presented. Visually, it is stunning. The show reaches new heights in levels of scale. The full length sequence of the destruction of the Meereen totem glimpsed in the trailers is impressive, but even the quieter moments can take your breath away. The simple sight of Stannis standing in contemplation on the Wall feels more epic that what has been done before. As the show gets more complex and ambitious it is reassuring that the visuals are keeping pace.
One of the main themes of the season seems to be faith and fanaticism. Two new aspects introduced bring these things to the fore. In Meereen, Daenerys is dealing with the fallout of her liberation of the slaves, as rebellion manifests with the emergence of the “Sons of the Harpy,” a group waging a guerrilla style war against her by striking at the Unsullied. To deal with this issue, Daenerys looks to reassert control of her imprisoned dragons. It’s not a spoiler to reveal that a giant fire-breathing creature chained up in the dark against their will for several weeks is not really receptive to friendly overtures. Back in Westeros, the Faith of the Seven seems to have spawned it’s own fanatical offshoot, the Sparrows. Piety and purity are guiding them after the Seven Kingdoms have struggled through some dark years. It’s suggested that the sins of Cersei’s past seem to be about to catch up to her.
Elsewhere we have Stannis Baratheon at the Wall consolidating his forces and determined to make Mance Rayder bend the knee, allowing him to fold the Wildlings into his army, with which he intends to rally the North against the Lannister/Baratheon throne. Jon Snow seems to be key to convincing the traitor to cooperate, and we also have the small matter of choosing a new High Commander for the Night’s Watch. We glimpse Lord Baelish and Sansa but learn little of their plans, just as Littlefinger would like it.
One of the best things in the episode and something I’m sure will delight many this season is the pairing of Varys and Tyrion. Their scenes together have always been marvelous, layered with wit and intrigue. It was hinted at the end of the season that Varys would accompany the most sought after man in Westeros in his trip overseas, and that is indeed the case. It’s a departure from the books, but a most welcome one.
There is still plenty left to glimpse this season. We know the fallout of the Viper’s death will bring a new round of characters, his daughters in particular, but also other members of the Martell ruling family including Prince Doran himself. Remember, these are the people holding the other surviving Baretheon heir, Myrcella. Wisely, this whole new region and host of players is not shown in the opener, but expect them to make a splash when they do.
The big missing piece in the episode is one Arya Stark, last glimpsed on a ship bound for Braavos. This should be a defining season for the character and what she is to become. She was sadly missed, but I’m confident we’ll be spending plenty of time with her in the upcoming episodes.
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- The episode does indeed open with a flashback -a young Cersei visiting a witch to obtain a glimpse of her future. Three children she will have, “Gold shall be their crowns and gold their shrouds,” an ominous foretelling for Tommen and Myrcella.
- The Sparrows look to be the main threat against the Lannister/Baretheon throne. The loss of Tywin clearly has set vultures circling; the other houses, notably the Tyrells, looking to fill the power vacuum. However, an old face reappears: Lancel Lannister, the young squire who was taken abed by Cersei a few seasons back and played a role in spiking Robert Baretheon’s wine on the fateful boar hunt that led to his death. Now reformed and a pious member of the Sparrows, he reaches out to Cersei to repent her sins. Her reaction, mocking him, is frankly going to bite her in the ass. The High Sparrow, to be played by Jonathan Pryce, will be having words to say on this one.
- Varys reveals his intentions to place a Targaryen back on the throne and requests Tyrion’s help in doing so. Their journey to meet Daenerys should be an interesting one.
- Brienne is glimpsed with Pod, still dejected after losing Arya, and suggesting they try and look for Sansa now. This is amusingly cut with the camera panning over to a carriage passing nearby containing the young Stark woman and Littlefinger.
- Rayder refuses to bend the knee to Stannis and as such is to be burnt alive. The ensuring immolation scene was particularly harrowing until Jon Snow nobly ends his life and indeed the episode with an arrow to the heart. The fallout from this between him and Stannis should be interesting. The usurped King needs the help of the bastard son of Winterfell and the Red Lady Melisandre seems to have already taken a keen interest in the man…and his sexual history?
Season 5 of Game of Thrones is not back with a bang, but with a calm and absorbing episode that exudes a confident swagger. This show has you by the balls and knows it. It is a superbly paced, funny, and deftly layered episode that hints at developments sure to excite even the most hardcore fans. It is a show that goes from strength to strength, long may it reign.
Game of Thrones Season 5 premieres Sunday, April 12th on HBO.
