GAME OF THRONES Season 4 Episode 7
Episode Title: “Mockingbird”
Writers: David Benioff & D. B. Weiss
Director: Alik Sakharov
Previously on “Game of Thrones”:
Even though some “fans” of George R.R. Martin’s novels seem to enjoy spoiling the events of the story, the vast majority of the book readers have thankfully remained quiet about the upcoming twists. “Mockingbird” was refreshing to watch because the three major twists of the episode weren’t spoiled for me ahead of time. I suspected two of them, but watching them play out on screen was still thrilling.
At this point, Lord Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) aka Littlefinger is looking more and more like the main villain who isn’t a Lannister or an undead creature from beyond the Wall. I wouldn’t have guessed that Littlefinger would get his hands dirty, but he gleefully commits murder in the closing seconds of this episode. That puts Littlefinger firmly in charge of his new home and Sansa (Sophie Turner) in a whole new world of trouble.
From this point on, there are full spoilers ahead for “Mockingbird,” so if you happened to miss last night’s episode of “Game of Thrones” then you should probably skip this review or else Littlefinger will open the Moon Door for you.
In retrospect, I should have seen the death of Lysa Arryn (Kate Dickie) coming. Lysa was already bats*** crazy, but her monologue about what happens to people who fall from the Moon Door was a big indicator of her fate. After saving Sansa (Sophie Turner) from Lysa at the edge of the Moon Door, Littlefinger told his wife that he only ever loved her sister before pushing Lysa to her doom.
Of course, Sansa was only endangered because Littlefinger couldn’t keep his hands off of her. A few weeks back, I had guessed that Littlefinger saw Sansa as a potential replacement for her mother. When Littlefinger acts on those feelings of lust and kisses Sansa, it’s creepy as hell. This could be far worse than Sansa’s captivity at King’s Landing. Joffrey’s brand of terror didn’t include any real sexual desire for Sansa. I doubt that Littlefinger will show Sansa any restraint now that Lysa is gone
I’m very curious to see how Littlefinger plans to sell Lysa’s demise to her knights of the Vale. Robin (Lino Facioli) may be expendable now, although Littlefinger could spare him if he is his actual son. But if Littlefinger’s plan was to take the Vale and control the North, forcing Sansa into a marriage goes a long towards accomplishing that goal.
But first, Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) has to die. In the dungeon at King’s Landing, Tyrion is disappointed to learn that neither his brother Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) nor Bronn (Jerome Flynn) will fight as his champion in his trial by combat. Jaime is willing, but physically unable. However, Bronn has sold out to the Queen. In return for an arranged marriage and potential wealth, Bronn refuses to stand for Tyrion. But out of friendship, Bronn allows Tyrion one last chance to beat the Queen’s offer.
As soon as Bronn walked into the dungeon in his new clothes, it was clear which side he had chosen. Left unsaid was whether Bronn allowed Shae (Sibel Kekilli) to betray Tyrion by keeping her off the ship heading out of King’s Landing. There’s such a charm to Flynn’s performance that not even Tyrion can stay mad at him. Bronn was always open about why he was friends with Tyrion and what it would take to sway him. Yet it’s still a heartbreaking betrayal on par with Shae’s testimony.
Dinklage has never stumbled on this series, but his performance in this episode was on another level. Coster-Waldau and Flynn were also excellent when playing against Dinklage. Jaime appeared to be truly distraught by the way that Tyrion had thrown his life away. The older Lannister brother was also partially tempted by Tyrion’s suicidal plan of letting Jaime face Gregor “The Mountain” Clegane (Hafþór Júlíus Björnsson) and lose just to spite their father, Tywin (Charles Dance).
Who do we know who hates the Mountain more than his brother? The Red Viper, Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal). In a late night visit with Tyrion, Oberyn shares a story with Tyrion about their first meeting when Tyrion was still a baby. Once again, “Game of Thrones” relies on the words of the performer to revisit the past without using a flashback. Pascal easily pulls off the scene and his story has a ring of truth to it. I can absolutely see young Cersei (Lena Headey) nearly castrating her baby brother. Cersei has never had any real concept of how cruel she is.
Oberyn makes Tyrion relive a humiliation that he can’t even remember before telling him the news that may save his life. Oberyn will be his champion and face the Mountain in a duel to the death for Tyrion’s freedom. It’s not about saving Tyrion for Oberyn. He wants to avenge his sister and her children. This is just the most legal and public way to do it.
Look at it this way: Tywin was so eager to get Oberyn as one of Tyrion’s judges that he made him a member of the King’s Small Council and promised him a “meeting” with the Mountain. Oberyn could have had his vengeance without standing for Tyrion. But pursuing his revenge this way also allows him to metaphorically spit in Tywin’s face. Although I wouldn’t put it past Oberyn to actually spit on Tywin.
