Knee-jerk reaction to “Book of the Stranger:” five best and worst moments
Here are my highly subjective, personal thoughts and feelings, delivered lightning-quick, after viewing “Book of the Stranger.” Let’s start with my five Valyrian Steel (Best) Moments and move on to the five Flea Bottom Brown (Worst) moments.
Things really got going in this installment! I’ll hang around the comments section for a while so please feel free to chime in and discuss.
VALYRIAN STEEL (BEST) MOMENTS
VALYRIAN STEEL FIVE: We got that loving feeling. That look…that lusty look Tormund gives Brienne over dinner at Castle Black. Man, I laughed. His look and her reaction: PRICELESS. Them getting together would be awesomesauce.
VALYRIAN STEEL FOUR: Ya gotta give it to the High Sparrow. You knocked it out of the park, Jonathan Pryce. The scene where the High Sparrow works Margery with the equally heartfelt and manipulative story of his spiritual epiphany is a masterstroke of both writing and acting. We feel the seductive power of his message, and understand how it might lure people in, especially the impressionable Tommen.
VALYRIAN STEEL THREE: Jon and Sansa hug. Man, I got tears in my eyes over this reunion. They’re both so battered. Their difficult past forgotten, they’re an automatic mega-team. And Sansa really steps up here, convincing Jon that their destiny is to avenge their family and return their house to Winterfell. Powerful stuff, and it kind of segues into my next point.
VALYRIAN STEEL TWO: A rising tide of girl power. This is more an overall sense than a moment, but wow, the girls are coming on like gangbusters! We see Brienne confronting Melisandre and Ser Davos, Sansa convincing Jon to lead the charge on Winterfell, Margaery salvaging Loras, Dany taking charge of her own rescue attempt, Yara sitting in her father’s chair, Missandei going toe-to-toe with Tyrion, and Cersei both assuming leadership of the Small Council and stiffening Tommen’s spine. Winning! I love it.
VALYRIAN STEEL ONE: Dany is back. Finally, after all of that puttering around since the end of Season 5, Dany takes the gloves off. She has always gotten some of the best episode cappers, and this one, complete with falling braziers, fountains of fire and echoes of Drogo’s pyre, gave her that Dothraki army we knew she was going to get. And kudos to Emilia Clarke for letting Dany’s clothes burn off (if that wasn’t a digital torso), because I was going to be annoyed if her dress made it through the inferno. Behold the Mother of Dragons. Westeros, beware.