At least once a season, Game of Thrones opts to spend an episode reminding us how the odds are stacked against women in Westeros and Essos, and the different ways they retain or reclaim their agency.
The gender gap is not the only topic on “High Sparrow’s” mind – it also has plenty to say about the many faces of religion in modern culture – but it’s the most striking thematic thread of the episode. (Only Jon’s plot avoids the topic of gender politics.)
As I take a look at ten particularly noteworthy characters in “High Sparrow,” I’m going to consider especially how women attempt to take control of their situations.
Margaery
As she and Tommen seal their marriage, Margaery continues her rise in The Game. Her passive aggressive war with Cersei, each trying to wrest control of Tommen’s favor, was a particular highlight. Margaery has been married to three kings, and the show has given us ample hints that she knows how to use her sexuality to control her surroundings – in this case, her husband and her king. Tommen rules Westeros, Margaery rules Tommen.
Cersei
Cersei was famously one of the most beautiful and seductive women in the Seven Kingdoms, using her beauty and body to her own advantage just as Margaery is doing now. But Cersei is well past her prime (even if Lena Headey is still in her prime). The Queen Mother (or whatever title she lands on) has to return to the thing that makes her a Lannister – her political – to gain some upper hand of power. Here, she recognizes the High Sparrow as a rising power figure and is quick to try and land on his good side by giving him a high position in Kings Landing.
Sansa
I found Sansa’s plot this episode worrisome for obvious reasons: You pity anyone betrothed to the awful Ramsay, especially when she may not be clear just how awful Ramsay really is. (She knows he’s a Bolton, which is probably enough, but still.)
And yet – as Littlefinger points out – a marriage is really her best way to regain some control of her own destiny. She can’t be a runaway “niece” her whole life. Why not settle down and rebuild the castle she grew up in? And if some cold-served revenge is on the menu, too, the better?
Littlefinger
Oh boy. Look out, North. Two of the show’s biggest (often meanest) conspirers are in an uneasy truce. Roose-on-the-loose Bolton and Petyr Baelish have a lot in common; Roose may be a bit more genocidal than Littlefinger, but both know how to climb the “ladder of chaos.”
The obvious wrinkle here is that Littlefinger was long in love with Catelyn, who Roose had unceremoniously murdered. Surely he has some plan for vengeance cooking. Roose, though, probably knows this… So who will outmaneuver whom? I’m psyched to see it unfold.
Reek
We have some early hints that Theon could be a lynchpin should some combo of Littlefinger, Sansa, Brienne, and Pod could topple the Bolton regime. He’s been so dehumanized by Ramsay and Roose that they don’t hesitate to spill tactical secrets to Theon… like their concern that they don’t have the armies to hold the North.
It’s tough to say how Sansa would respond to seeing the mangy, castrated Greyjoy. I don’t remember just how privy she was to his role in bringing down the Stark-controlled Winterfell, if she’d fume at his presence. Perhaps she’d just be happy to see a familiar face, even if it’s a broken, emaciated face. Regardless, I was actually like 5% intrigued about what’s next for Theon, which is a major step up from the torture-fest of his and Ramsay’s storylines the past two seasons.
Brienne
There aren’t many women in Westeros who can overcome the gender gap through pure warrior power. Brienne is one of them. And, as Pod points out, she’s not just a great warrior for a woman, she’s one of the greatest fighters in the entire land, Y chromosome or no. (Her duel with The Hound remains one of the greatest fight scenes in TV history.)
Her story about how Renly swept her heart away was yet another wonderful scene for Gwendoline Christie to play. She’s really been outstanding for this show; can you imagine Kit Harrington or Emilia Clarke wringing that sort of emotion out of a monologue about a Westerosi prom?
Pod
Podrick “Ladykiller” Payne is the quiet MVP of this season so far, at least in Likability Index. The fact that Brienne is the “knight” he squires for doesn’t hesitate him. Perhaps it was his time with Tyrion, or perhaps it’s his solid upbringing, but he knows that great things often come in unexpected packages.
And, other than his tone-deaf remark about Renly’s gayness, he’s always had the right thing to say and do this episode. I enjoyed his backstory, and I’m excited Brienne is going to train him to be a knight. The realm needs more good fighters who are also good people.
Jon
Ned Stark taught his bastard many things about honor and leadership and service. Jon Snow puts many of them on display here. When a man commits treason, he swings the blade himself. When he’s won a narrow victory over a rival, he honors and flatters the rival rather than further humiliate him. He has a long way to go to really controlling the wall: He has to figure out how to handle the Wildlings and the Stannis’ army and the lingering threat of the treacherous Boltons in the North. He also has to keep in mind that nearly half his colleagues voted against him just a few days earlier.
But in the meantime, Jon has had a promising start to his career as a Lord Commander. Here’s hoping that the happenings at the Wall stay interesting.
Tyrion
A tipsy Tyrion Lannister, cooped up and frustrated during his road trip with Varys, escapes his carriage in Volantis. Despite Varys’ warning that Essos has just as many curious ears as Westeros, Tyrion runs his mouth. He all but proclaims: “I am Tyrion Lannister, and I murdered my father.”
Though several eyes turn his way – notably a mysterious preacher for the Lord of Light – the one who ends up kidnapping him is a surprising face we haven’t seen in several episodes: Ser Jorah Friendzone. Jorah apparently spends his days in a brothel with a Daenerys lookalike.
Despite its brief playtime, there’s plenty going on in these Tyrion scenes. Perhaps the best moment of character development: He gets a sharp reminder of Shae as he woos a pleasant, clever whore, which momentarily debilitates him. Heartbreak and murder apparently linger on the soul, even for a Lannister.
Arya
The House of Black and White again provides a jarring contrast to the rumblings across the narrow sea. Here in the spooky Braavos cathedral, Arya’s high name is meaningless. In fact, she’s must shed her name and her material attachments to continue to train. Margaery has her marriage, Cersei has her conniving, Sansa has her Stark name, Brienne has her sword… Arya takes agency by rejecting all of these.
Her training starts quietly and spookily: She performs chores as she watches people come in and die (note to self: don’t drink the water in the House of Black and White). After a feud with another apparent apprentice, Arya is tasked with ditching her possessions. This is a challenge, especially with her beloved Needle, which she hides instead of abandoning in the water. It’s a reminder that – even if she becomes a faceless No One, she’ll always be Arya Stark underneath it all.
“High Sparrow”
Another strong episode for this extremely promising season. Though I had a slight preference for last week’s thoughtful episode, there was plenty to love this hour. Particularly noteworthy is the fact that Game of Thrones is contracting its storyline count. Familiar faces are on course with each other and congregate to central locations – Winterfell, Meereen, Kings Landing.
The past couple of seasons, Game of Thrones has had about ten running plotlines, about seven of which were really compelling. But as those threads overlap, the less rushed and extraneous each story feels, giving these early season episodes an enticing, satisfying quality that I hope the show can continue.
Extra Credit and Other Thoughts:
- Good riddance, Janos Slynt!
- Ramsay's ladies don't look pleased at Sansa's appearance.
- Are we supposed to know who the other girl in the House of Black and White is?
- Great callback -- Grand Maester Pycell arguing that a man's business should be his own after someone is caught in a brothel... a place we know Pycell frequents
- Cersei+Wine is borderline fan service at this point... it's brought up every episode
- Some favorite fan theories of book readers are guessing if certain characters are actually Faceless Men in disguise; Jaqen's reference this week to a favorite Season 1 quote has some speculating that Syrio Forel was also a Faceless Man.
- How old is Tommen supposed to be?
- I really like Ser Jorah as a character. I'm glad he's back. There's no doubt that when he said he's bringing Tyrion to the queen that it's Daenerys, right? He wouldn't sail to Westeros, and there are no other queens in Essos of note.
- This episode had plenty of great directing moments, my personal favorite being when Littlefinger went up a step so he could be eye-to-eye with the taller Roose.
- Qyburn's Frankenstein-esque Mountain Monster gave me the willies.
- Ser Alliser, the new First Ranger, has evolved from a jealous misanthrope into a character with some shading. I'll be intrigued to see how his relationship with Jon unfolds: Will they get along? Will they respect each other?
- Am I the only one who feels like the show has been noticeably funnier this year? Lots of great, witty banter.
Demerits:
- For an episode with so much consideration of female agency, Daenerys's absence stuck out. Next week's episode is titled "Sons of the Harpy," though, so I predict plenty of Meereen action.
- Last week we had about one minute in Dorne, this week we have none. If it's going to play a crucial part in this season, we better start getting to know the characters there better.
- (Potential spoiler:) I suspected this, and a few things I've read have confirmed this: Bran's arc is expected to be out for the whole season. It's a strange choice, but I've loved the focus so far, so I guess I'm okay with it.
- I love Davos; he's very well acted and likable. I wanted to write about him this week. But it just feels like the show doesn't give the character much to do than to temper Stannis' harsh edge with a few lines per episode.