Knee-jerk reaction to “Oathbreaker:” Five best and five worst moments

FLEA BOTTOM BROWN (WORST) MOMENTS

FLEA BOTTOM BROWN FIVE: Dany mentions her titles again. I understand why Dany has to keep repeating her titles to every new clutch of Dothraki she meets, but it didn’t help this sequence where she rolls into Vaes Dothrak and enters the widow’s hut. Why didn’t Drogon show up yet? I’m a Dany fan, but it feels like something bigger needs to happen soon in this storyline. I’m sure it will, but do I have to feel like I’m waiting for it?

FLEA BOTTOM BROWN FOUR: Suitable for family viewing. It enjoyed the sweet scene where we see Sam, Gilly, and Little Sam making their way across the sea, and Sam’s barfing was a nice touch. But it felt like a placeholder as well, because absolutely nothing happened.

FLEA BOTTOM BROWN THREE: Beware a woman scorned. I understand that Cersei is traumatized and mad about a lot of things, but obsessing over going after every pipsqueak in the kingdom who might make a joke at her expense seems a little unhinged. Perhaps she should be worrying more about the way she and Jaime crash Small Council meetings and not letting Tommen wander off into the clutches of the High Sparrow.

FLEA BOTTOM BROWN TWO: Like father, like son. Another Lannister walks into the High Sparrow’s web and this time it is Tommem. He arrived as did Jaime to threaten the poorly-dressed one on his own turf. At least Tommen had the good sense to bring a handful of guards along with him. But do any of these guardsmen have any sense at all? Who in their right mind is going to leave the innocent and inexperienced boy king alone in a room with a powerful fanatic who is obviously their family’s enemy? And where the heck are Cersei and Jaime at this point? Are they so busy wandering around King’s Landing with the FrankenMountain alienating themselves from everyone else that they are unaware of Tommen doing such stupid things on his own? What’s left of the powerful and cunning Lannister clan is looking more and more like sick ducks waiting to be slaughtered every week, and I didn’t expect that.

FLEA BOTTOM BROWN ONE: Ramsay wins again. Yeah, I know the nasty guys win a lot on this show. But Ramsay seems to be getting away with too much even for me to stomach. The formerly Stark-loyal Umbers ally with him? Okay. But then Lord Umber serves him up our beloved and betrayed Rickon and Osha on a plate and Shaggydog’s head on a stick? (If you remember, Osha, Rickon, and Shaggydog were headed off to the assumed safety of Umber household at the end of Season 3.) I’m putting this moment here not because I thought it was a poor scene, but rather because (in my opinion) it went outside the bounds of cosmic fairness, even in a world as dark and awful as Westeros. Seeing Osha and Rickon in the hands of the sausage-lopping little monster made me feel sick. Maybe that means the story is working exactly the way the producers want it to work. Maybe it belongs in Valyrian Moment One. But it rubbed me the wrong way, no matter the eventual outcome.

BONUS FLEA BOTTOM MOMENT: Is it just me or is the music surging in certain sequences feel a bit too cheesy for Game of Thrones?

BEST QUOTE: “Hold off on burning my body for now.” (Jon Snow to Edd)

WRAP IT UP AND PUT A BLOODY BOW ON IT: Those are my thoughts, emotion and reflex-bound, unhindered by enough time to really think it all over. This episode provided both highs and lows for me, and in different contexts. I enjoyed it, especially the bits at the Tower of Joy. I hope Bran is going to get to crack open more secrets. What did you think?