The paths we choose have farther reaching implications than the simple destinations they lead us to. Take the name sake of last night's penultimate episode of "Game of Thrones," "The Dance of Dragons," a reference to the Targaryen civil war which indirectly led to the dynasty's collapse 100 years later. In "Game of Thrones," we rarely know what type of domino effect any given choice will have and we don't really need to know upfront. For us, the viewers, it is the process of choice that draws our attention. Stannis' internal struggle, Arya's quest for vengeance, Dany's campaign for control; every major story line last night put forth a choice of paths for our characters. Which direction they ultimately decided on and what impact it will have we cannot know for sure.
While our characters face difficult dilemmas of direction, so does "Game of Thrones" itself. In what can be described as a lackluster season overall, the show appears to be relying on explosive final moments to salvage slow starts. In the past, it was the collection of small but powerful scenes that provided the emotional lining for the "wow" segments later on. Recently, it's as if the showrunners are attempting to manufacture that feeling instead of letting it grow organically. Last night's episode was far from sub-par television; it was even exhilarating in parts. But the lapses between highs are growing and I'm worried about the path of the show long-term.
North
Stannis' forces are camped out in the cold when a series of fires sprout up. Melisandre sensed something was about to go wrong moments before. It appears as if Ramsay's guerilla warfare plan is working.
"If we can't march forward and we won't march back...," Ser Davos says to Stannis before trailing off. He sees that his King is placing his faith in other sources besides logic. That should have been his first warning of the episode. His second? Being sent back to Castle Black during a crucial time in the campaign. Stannis wants him to return with food and supplies, but what he really wants is to send away his only voice of reason and consistent moral compass.
Davos' third warning? Sharing a nice moment with Princess Shireen. On "Game of Thrones," any moment of genuine emotional connection is followed by tragedy. Unfortunately, this trepidation proved to be accurate.
I said last week that Stannis' quest for power may be linked to his daughter. His fading strength is forcing him to reconsider Melisandre's sickening request to sacrifice her to the Lord of Light.
"Sometimes a person has to choose," Stannis tells his daughter. "Sometimes the world forces his hand. If a man knows what he is and remains true to what he is then the choice is no choice at all. He must fulfill his destiny and become who he is supposed to be. No matter how much he hates it." This is just a cowardly justification for his acts. At the end of the day, Stannis' lust for power outweighs his morality and honor.
It is that lust for power that has him sacrifice Princess Shireen by burning her at the stake. It's a hard sight to watch and even the cold Queen Selyse tries to stop it. But there is no stopping it. Stannis has chosen his path.
The Wall
Jon returns to Castle Black with the Wildlings. For a moment, it seems as if Ser Alliser Thorne isn't going to let them pass. But he reluctantly opens the gate. "You have a good heart, Jon Snow...It will get us all killed," he tells the Lord Commander.
Will it? Jon has chosen to serve the greater good but it continues to be misunderstood by his Brothers (Ollie doesn't appear to have come around at all). How will Jon handle this and what will it mean for the Night's Watch?
Dorne
Ellaria and Prince Doran are still at odds. Her boldness is not a wise strategy in this setting.
Jaime explains that he came to protect Myrcella after the Lannister's received a threatening message from Dorne (sent by Ellaria). Doran exhibits patience and strategy by picking his battles wisely. Speaking more to Ellaria than to Jaime, he explains that he is not looking for a war. He does, however, insist that if Myrcella is to be taken back to King's Landing that Tyrstane, her betrothed and Doran's son, will accompany her and replace Oberyn on the Small Council. Doran is handling this with political savvy instead of brute force (although he does give Ellaria the choice between death and allegiance later on).
For the first time this season, "Thrones" has made Dorne interesting. Instead of half-baked warrior women (the Sand Snakes are beyond boring) or a general lack of screen time, the showrunners finally committed the necessary space to explore the inner workings of Prince Doran. But my question is: why now?
They've had all season to make this exotic background location important and have chosen to give it the short end of the spear every time. At this point, with just two seasons to go, the show shouldn't be stalling or debating decisions. There should be a concentrated effort to consolidate and conclude story lines as the clock continues to tick. It just doesn't make sense to give Dorne, which the show has revealed not to be a critical piece of the puzzle right now, the most screen time to date in a critical episode.
Still, Ellaria does seem to have some keen insights on Jaime's, err, relationship status. "It's always changing - who we're supposed to love, who we're not - the only thing that stays the same is that we want who we want."
What does Prince Doran want?
Braavos
It's important to note the two random Braavosi "gentlemen" that hit on Arya while she's undercover. Although it's disturbing to think about since we've known her since she was a little girl, Arya is growing up and will soon be able to use sex as another weapon in her arsenal. In fact, she may be able to use it as soon as next week.
As fate would have it, Mace Tyrell and, more importantly, Ser Meryn Trant (who is on Arya's death list), arrive in Braavos just as Arya is approaching the gambler with the vile of poison Jaqen H'ghar gave her. Once again, a path must be chosen: the way of the Faceless Men or the way of Arya Stark. You can guess which one she chooses.
She tails Trant to a brothel where he sickeningly requests a young girl. Arya can use that to her advantage down the road.
When she returns to the House of Black and White, Jaqen wants to know how her mission went. Arya lies and says the gambler was not hungry today. Jaqen doesn't call her on it (remember, the Game of Faces is about deciphering truth) though he does give her a suspicious look.
One thing is for sure, Arya will never truly be a Faceless Man. She is going to use her training to further her own agenda and will never relinquish her Stark identity.
Mereen
In an echo of the Coliseum of ancient Rome, the Fighting Pits of Mereen have reopened in spectacular fashion. Dany looks despondent at her concession, but the path of tradition seems to be a wise one to honor at this tumultuous moment of her reign.
Dany, Daario, Tyrion and Hizdahr engage in a bit of a debate: the strong vs. the quick. They are directly referring to the two gladiators in the Fighting Pit, but they are really discussing the approach to leadership and the most effective use of power. "Large men triumph over small men," Hizdahr says to the disagreement of the others. "My father would have liked you," Tyrion responds. Ultimately, it is the large man who wins the fight. Interesting, yet it doesn't do anything to ease the palpable tension between Dany and Hizdahr. A match made in heaven this is not.
The next bout features a surprise appearance by Jorah. Dany may still feel betrayed by him, but one look at her face (and Tyrion's) is all the evidence we need to know that she does not want to see him die. Give credit to "Thrones" for once again establishing some real dramatic stakes to a beautifully choreographed fight scene. Jorah comes out victorious (though not without some battle scars) and just when we think it's over, he hurls at a spear at Dany's royal box seats. But this is not an assassination attempt, it is a rescue mission.
The Sons of the Harpie are scattered throughout the stadium, killing everyone in their path and closing fast on Dany. Hizdahr is killed in the mayhem. Tyrion manages to save Missandei. Jorah offers Dany his hand in protection (literally and figuratively) and to the momentary delight of fans everywhere, she takes it. But a horde of Harpies surround the small group in the center of the Fighting Pit.
I don't know if Dany manages to warg right here or if her connection is just that deep, but as all appears lost Drogon comes flying into the Fighting Pit. Majestic and fearsome doesn't even begin to describe his appearance as he lays waste to the Harpies. Everyone is in awe of his power as he burns the attackers en masse.
Dany approaches Drogon slowly despite his fit of rage. Yet there is no fear behind Dany's eyes. She tames him not with force, but with still confidence and the power of non-action. It's as if she is controlling him with the love she has. And then she mounts him. This is power. This is control.
"Fly" she whispers and Drogon beats his massive wings to take flight high above the chaos and destruction below. In that moment, Tyrion knows beyond a shadow of a doubt that he made the right choice; that Daenerys Targaryen, the Mother of Dragons, is worth everything it took to get here.
What is the next step on Dany's path after such a monumental game changer?
Random Thoughts
-Based on the books and some independent research, it sounds as if mounting a dragon was the difficult part. Anyone who tried to train a dragon was usually killed before they got within 10 feet. But kind of like the weird hair connection in "Avatar," once you do it a single time you are in control of the dragon. That means that Dany has likely finally weaponized her biggest asset. But this brings up an important question: who will ride her other two dragons?
-I had an inkling that Hizdahr was possibly working for the Sons of the Harpie this whole time. Clearly, I was wrong.
-Davos is sent on a critical mission, even if the true nature of it is to assuage some of Stannis' guilt. But once he reaches Castle Black, will Jon provide him with resources? The Night's Watch swore not to take part in the wars of the realm. Can/will Jon refuse? What will his men think of this? Also, what will Davos do when he learns of Shireen's death? A lot of questions dealing with dissension at the moment.
-The merciful yet just man we knew as Stannis Baratheon is dead. To borrow the words of Ser Rodrick, now he is truly lost.
-The last two episodes have really crystallized the major arcs and themes of the show: light vs. dark. Good vs. evil is a theme as ancient as Old Nan, but the interesting thing about it is the line between the two is constantly blurred. Sometimes, good people have to do bad things and bad people end up doing good things. Last week, we saw the darkest part of this chaotic world as the dead threaten the very existence of everything. This episode, we saw a whole new kind of darkness. We saw the worst parts of the humans that inhabit this world. And yet, amongst all of this tragedy, there are rays of hope. There is light and goodness out there. We see it in Jon as he puts his own position of power at risk for the greater good. We see it in Dany as she is the physical embodiment of a brighter tomorrow. I'm ready for the next phase of this epic tale.