Game of Thrones, “The House of Black and White,” was written by the creative team of David Benioff and DB Weiss and was directed by Michael Slovis. This episode continued to set the stage for the coming war. Several important themes wind through the storylines of the episode. Vows are important in various storylines. We also see while leaders are important, loyal and useful supporters are just as important.
The episode begins with Arya’s (Maisie Williams) arrival in Braavos as she seeks out Jaqen H’ghar (Tom Wlaschiha). She tells Ternesio Terys (Gary Oliver) that she’s not afraid and that the Titan is just a statue – but she’s clearly impressed by it anyway. He drops her at the House of Black and White, telling her that’s where she’ll find Jaqen. She is counting on him upholding his vow. However, when the gigantic black and white doors are opened by a black man (Cedric Henderson) in a white robe, he tells her there is no one there by that name. Arya tells him she has no where else to go, but he tells here “You have everywhere else to go!”
After he closes the door, Arya simply stays the night on the steps, turning over the coin Jaqen had given her and repeating the mantra of her own vow: Cersei (Lena Headey), Walter Fray, the Mountain, Meryn Trant. All the people she has vowed to kill. She draws strength and determination from it, so that come morning, she throws the talisman into the water and strikes out on her own.
We don’t see her again until the end of the episode when she kills a pigeon. Three young men are about to fight her for her pigeon and her sword. She tells them that “Nothings worth anything to dead men.” Her steely response almost has them thinking twice but when the man from the House of Black and White shows up they flee. She follows him back to the House of Black and White and discovers he actually is Jaqen – actually, when she asks him who he is, he tells her, “No one.” He then invites her in.
Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) once again tries to fulfill her own vow. She and Podrick (Daniel Portman) stop to eat at a tavern, and Podrick spots Lady Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) at another table. Brienne immediately starts to think in strategic terms, wanting to know how many men they have, and sending Podrick to get the horses ready for a speedy exit. When he points out they only have one horse, she charges him with getting more. She then goes off to accost Sansa and Baelish.
We only get a very brief scene between Sansa and Baelish before they are joined by Brienne, but it’s long enough to see that the two have developed an easy rapport. Sansa asks Baelish about the message he received earlier. She’s uneasy because of her mother’s old saying, “Dark wings, dark words.” Baelish assures her that it’s good news – his latest marriage proposal has been accepted. But is this good news for Sansa? It hardly seems likely as what new bride wants her husband carting about the woman he’s obsessed with? They also discuss the effects of ale as Sansa decides to try it, and Baelish, who naturally would never give up complete control of his senses, declines.
Brienne introduces herself, and Baelish immediately recognizes her. He remembers Renly Baratheon declaring that her “loyalty came free of charge.” Baelish takes in the expensive armor that Jaime (Nikilaj Coster-Waldau) gave her and remarks that it looks like someone has bought her loyalty since then. Brienne all but ignores him, going down on one knee and speaking to Sansa: “Lady Sansa. Before your mother’s death. I was her sworn sword. I gave my word I would find you and protect you. I will shield your back and keep your counsel, and give my life for yours if need be. I swear it by the old gods and the new.” Brienne is finally able to discharge the vow she made to Catelyn Stark – or so she thinks.
Baelish is not about to give up any of the control he’s garnered for himself over Sansa. He immediately sets about discrediting her by bringing up her failures to protect either Renly or Catelyn. When Brienne questions why he should have any say over who protects Sansa, he plays his trump card revealing that he is now her uncle: “We’re family, but you’re an outsider.” Brienne attempts to talk to Sansa alone, but Sansa continues her history of making bad choices based on the misinterpretation of events. Sansa tells her that she saw her bowing to the King at Joffrey’s wedding. Brienne points out that neither of them wanted to be there and that sometimes one doesn’t have a choice. Sansa replies that sometimes you do, and chooses to spurn Brienne.
Sansa simply tells Brienne to leave, but Baelish recognizes the threat she poses and attempts to have her detained. What follows is a brilliant chase/fight scene. Brienne essentially pushes Baelish’s men out of the way, releases their horses and takes off at a dead run with Podrick following, completely out of control. Apparently, Podrick’s riding skills have not improved significantly – but then he’s been walking for a while. Brienne skillfully loses her followers and arrives in the nick of time to save Podrick – say what she will, he’s growing on her! I never tire of watching Brienne best her male attackers – and that Valerian steel really does slice through anything. This particular fight was supposed to have taken place completely in the water. However, after spending a great deal of time choreographing it, the entire fight had to be re-choreographed on the fly the day of the shooting because massive rains left the creek too swollen for them to safely shoot the original! Check the puddles you can see on the ground.
Podrick asks after Sansa. Brienne say her and Baelish making off in another direction, but tells Podrick, “Wary of strangers as she should be.” Oh, if only Sansa was that discerning! Podrick suggests that “If neither Stark girl wants you – maybe you’re released from your vow?” One should never forget that Podrick started out in the service of Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Bronn (Jerome Flynn) who would have had very different views on the sanctity of a vow. Brienne simply asks Podrick if he thinks Sansa is safe with Baelish. So, she might have considered her vow discharged had she deemed that Sansa was under safe protection. Podrick knows enough about Baelish to know that Brienne is right – Sansa is still far from safe.
Mothers and their children is taken up in several storylines, in addition to Brienne’s vow to Catelyn about her children. Cersei receives Myrcella’s (Nell Tiger Free) necklace on a snake’s head from Doorn. She recognizes it as the threat it is. Jaime is quick to want to help, though he also reminds Cersei that he can never be named as their father lest they “be stoned in the streets” as the product of incest. Not to mention, they would lose their status as Baratheons. Cersei continues to be cruel to him, telling him he’s never acted like their father anyway. Despite Myrcella being promised in marriage to Prince Duran’s (Alexander Siddig) son, Trystane (Toby Sebastian), Jaime vows to rescue her. Cersei mocks him – what can a one-armed man do alone? He tells her while he’s not taking an army, he’s also not going alone to bring Myrcella home.
Jaime enlists Bronn to come with him. It’s clear that Bronn isn’t really all that happy with his lot in life and it’s great to have Flynn back in a primary storyline. He’s hilarious as he is clearly plotting to get rid of his future sister-in-law to secure the castle for himself. However, he’s also clearly happy to see Jaime ‘fucking’ Lannister waiting for him – despite what he says to the contrary. Jaime promises him a better bride and a better castle on their return.
It’s clearly not going to be easy to get Myrcella back, particularly because Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma – who I also had the pleasure of seeing last summer in the Globe Theatre, London, in Titus Andronicus) is clearly out for revenge. She goes to Doran asking what he plans to do to avenge Oberon’s death. She tells him the Sand Snakes – Oberon’s children – are with her. But Doran must be a ruler first and a brother second. She wants to send Myrcella back to Cersei one finger at a time. Doran echoes Oberon’s own words that we see in the previously on clips when Doran tells Ellaria, “We do not mutilate little girls for vengeance here. Not while I rule.” It’s unlikely that Doran even knows of the threat sent to Cersei. I’m betting that he won’t welcome Ellaria’s interference.
Cersei, meanwhile takes steps to protect her last remaining child by settling the Little Council for Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman). The men assembled each think they’ve been called to act as the Hand of the King, but it’s clear that Cersei isn’t going to let anyone wield that kind of power over either her son or the kingdom. She replaces Varys (Conleth Hill) with Qyburn as Master of Whispers, she makes the buffoonish Lord Tyrell (Roger Ashton-Griffiths) Master of Coin in addition to Master of Ships, and she tries to appoint Kevan Lannister (Ian Gelder) Master of War.
Grand Maester Pycelle (Julian Glover) can only sputter ineffectually when completely passed over. Kevan, however, proves he’s going to be a problem. He insists that Tommen should be present and should be learning how to rule, and he refuses to recognize Cersei as anything more than the Queen mother. He leaves to go back to Casterly Rock, but I’m betting he’s not going to stay there.
Selyse Baratheon (Tara Fitzgerald) continues to be an appalling mother to Shireen (Kerry Ingram). At least by locking her away in a cell, it appears that Shireen has learned empathy rather than prejudice, and she’s clearly taken to the other outcasts Gilly (Hannah Murray) and Samwell (John Bradley). Shireen is teaching Gilly to read and having more success than Sam did. They discuss Shireen’s Grey Scale – something they don’t have a name for in the North even though two of Gilly’s sisters died horribly from it. We’re reminded of Shireen’s miraculous recovery and the basic brutality of the Northerners. Selyse warns Shireen to stay away from her new friends, maintaining the Wildlings could go after her in retaliation for Mance’s execution. She tells Shireen that she has no idea what people will do, and this is a nice parallel to Sansa’s equally sheltered upbringing. However, it would seem that Shireen, who is “ugly” on the outside is smarter on the inside than Sansa who is “beautiful” on the outside. One got all the looks and the other all the brains.
Another vow is tested in the North. Stannis (Stephan Dillane) is not happy with Jon (Kitt Harrington) for showing mercy to Mance. Stannis tells Jon, “Show too much kindness, people don’t fear you. They don’t fear you, they don’t follow you.” Jon points out that neither the free people nor the Northerners will follow Stannis anyway. Davos (Liam Cunningham) steps in to point out that the Night Watch is about to elect a new Lord Commander and that it’s most likely to be Ser Alliser (Owen Teale) who will make Jon’s life a living Hell. Stannis tells Jon that Ser Alliser will punish him for being brave and thus making Alliser look weak. Stannis then offers to make Jon a Stark and Lord of Winterfell. The benefit to Stannis is obvious – he thinks that Jon can deliver both the free people and the Northerners to his side.
Sam is genuinely thrilled to see Jon get the thing he’s always wanted most in the world, but Jon tells him he’s not going to accept it. He tells Sam, “I swore a vow to the Knight’s Watch. If I don’t’ take my own word seriously what Lord of Winterfell would I be?” It’s no less than we would expect of Jon though it’s clear it costs him to make the sacrifice. How soon can we get Jon and Brienne together??
Naturally, Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan) presides over the election. There are two candidates and Slynt (Dominic Carter) speaks for Alliser, while one of Ser Denys’ (JJ Murphy – who sadly died a mere four days after shooting this scene) speaks on his behalf. It seems there are no other candidates and Maester Aemon begins the voting instructions, when Sam finally calls out – much to Jon’s consternation. Aemon tells Sam to speak as Jon vehemently shakes his head no.
The crowd mocks Sam as Sam the Slayer – but Sam the coward seems to be gone, and this Sam – the Sam who pointed out to Gilly in the last episode that mock as they liked he still did kill a Walker and a Fen – this Sam is eloquent and poised. Slynt calls out that Sam is a Wildling lover just like Jon and asks after the Slayer’s lady love. Sam immediately humanizes her by naming her and the crowd grows quiet. Sam then goes on to expose Slynt for what he is – a true coward who hid with a woman and a baby while the others fought, telling the crowd that Slynt hid in the larders: “I found him there after the battle in a puddle of his own making!” This brings real laughter from the crowd. Even Aemon is shown smiling.
Unlike the others, Sam doesn’t take cheap shots. He acknowledges the bravery of Ser Allister, but then he lists all that Jon has done. He further points out Jon’s handling of the raid to avenge Lord Commander Mormont and that Mormont himself had chosen Jon to be his steward and successor because he saw something in Jon. Sam finishes his speech with, “He may be young, but he’s the Commander we turned to when the night was darkest.” They vote, and it’s a tie. It’s Aemon who breaks the tie in favor of Jon. While it softens the blow of giving up being Lord of Winterfell, I suspect that Jon is going to find leading the Watch no easy task, especially when half of them voted against him.
Meanwhile, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) continues to struggle with ruling. I loved the scene in which Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) and Daario (Michiel Huisman) work together to find the Son of the Harpy (Curtis-Lee Ashqar). Daario’s men succeed where the Unsullied don’t because the Second Sons can blend in with the crowd. Grey Worm fails to find the hiding Harpy because Grey Worm no longer understands fear, which means he’s forgotten how to hide. This is another example of basic misunderstandings – such as Sansa’s, and indeed is reflected in Daenerys’ failure to understand the various people she is ruling.
Daenerys is faced with a council that gives her passionate but very conflicting advice when it comes to how to deal with the Harpy. She tries to heed Barristan Selmy’s (Ian McElhinney) advice not to become like her father – giving out justice that made him feel powerful but ultimately lead to his being overthrown by his people. She determines to give the Harpy a fair trial, but Mossador (Reece Noi) takes matters into his own hands and murders the Harpy. He believes it’s truly what Daenerys wants – it’s the bloodthirsty example she’s taught them. But she’s lost her edge – which is nicely symbolized by Drogon coming to her at the end of the episode and them almost having a moment before he flies off and leaves her.
Daenerys tries to uphold the law – “the law is the law” she tells Mossador. She tells the gathered crowds that he must die because he committed murder: “You opened your gates to me because I promised you freedom and justice. One cannot exist without the other.” The crowd identifies with Mossador – not the man he murdered. Daenerys goes on to tell them, “A citizen of Meereen was awaiting trial, and this man murdered him. The punishment is death.” The crowd cries for mercy, and Daenerys has the opportunity to do what Barristan has tried to tell her. It’s also nicely in opposition to Stannis’ speech to Jon about using fear to make people follow you. It also contrasts with Doran’s refusal to take vengeance on a child. What kind of ruler will Daenerys be? Here she is immediately faced with a crowd that turns on her hissing and then pelts her with rocks for not showing mercy.
Daenerys will soon be joined by two new advisors, and we get only a very short scene between Varys and Tyrion as they make their way slowly to Meereen in a closed carriage – another box that Tyrion again rails against. Varys tells Tyrion that he’s looking for a leader in Meereen and compliments Tyrion on having been very good at leading as the Hand. Tyrian admits that Shae had begged him to leave King’s Landing but wouldn’t because he enjoyed the power, even as a servant. Varys laments that neither of them will ever rule because people find them outwardly repulsive – like Shireen. Varys continues though, saying that he and Tyrion find those people repulsive and erect boxes to keep them away. Varys concludes, saying, “people like you and me aren’t every really satisfied in the box for long.” In Meereen, Varys is likely to be in very good company with the Unsullied and less an anomaly. Tyrion is all for breaking their bonds in the moment and at least going for a walk, but Varys reminds him that Cersei has put a considerably bounty on his head – and apparently Qyburn has some weird use for the extra heads in his “experiments.”
This was another beautifully shot and well-acted episode. The crowd shots in Meereen may not have been the best of the show’s run, but the scenes with Drogon more than made up for them. Many of our characters seem to have formed new alliances and all the leaders seem to be experiencing growing pains. What did you think of the episode? What should Daenerys’ next move be? Should Jon simply have accepted being appointed Lord of Winterfell? How much trouble do you think Ser Allister is going to be? Do you think Jaime and Bronn stand a chance of getting Myrcella out of Doorn? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below!
About the Author - Lisa Macklem
I do interviews and write articles for the site in addition to reviewing a number of shows, including Supernatural, Arrow, Agents of Shield, The Walking Dead, Game of Thrones, Forever, Defiance, Bitten, Glee, and a few others! Highlights of this past year include covering San Diego Comic Con as press and a set visit to Bitten. When I'm not writing about television shows, I'm often writing about entertainment and media law in my capacity as a legal scholar. I also work in theatre when the opportunity arises. I'm an avid runner and rider, currently training in dressage.
