Well, well, well, the thrills keep on coming in Game of Thrones don’t they? After last week’s landmark episode left us breathless, this week’s, entitled Oathbreaker, managed to do the exact same, only through different, yet equally fascinating, means. More than ever, this season has brought about a renewed emphasis on examining the show’s vast universe; all three episodes thus far have jumped to different areas on the map with nearly every passing scene. The end product, while patchy in the first episode, has simply been enthralling over the last two.
In Oathbreaker, the main storyline focus was predictably on the new lease of life that Jon Snow has been afforded at Castle Black. His form after returning to life has thus far been the plot twist that we deserve; only time will tell if it’s the one that Westeros needs. Here at eniGma, we found it especially intriguing that the show kept directing us to ask ourselves if Jon felt like himself after his unexpected return. In doing so, Thrones unmistakably referenced the only other revival template examined over the show’s run, Beric Dondarrion’s in Season Three. While both cases aren’t identical, Dondarrion was brought from the dead more than once for instance, the similarities between them are very real. Both of them were supposedly brought back by the Lord of Light; both of them claimed that they saw nothing before their return to life; and both of them appear to have been somewhat altered by their reawakening. In Dondarrion’s case, he admitted to Arya that every time he returned back from limbo, he lost a bit of himself along the process. Consequently, when we apply such evidence to Jon’s case, it is evidently clear that he wasn’t fully himself when he seemingly decided to break his vows and leave the Night’s Watch towards the end of the episode. Jon’s apparent guilt, however, stayed consistent with Jon’s pre-death nature. As such, after some inevitable reconsideration pleas, we don’t actually expect Jon to leave the Watch after everything that he’s given to it; that same guilt should bring him right back. As for his decision to leave his post as Lord Commander, that’s a whole other story. We expect him to take his brethren’s betrayal into heart, and remain steadfast in his choice to not be Lord Commander, with him possibly being named First Ranger after Alliser Thorne’s execution.
While the Wall’s events stole all the headlines in Oathbreaker, more developments in the Bran story further north will arguably have a more telling impact on the show’s future. Indeed, for the second episode in a row, the as of yet unnamed Three Eyed Raven, played by the marvelous Max Von Sydow, took Bran to a journey in time to examine scenes from his father’s past. While both episodes featured historical pretexts that focused primarily on Ned Stark, it is not a coincidence that both are also shedding light on one of the show’s most mythical figures, Liana Stark. Showrunners know by now that the interest in Liana, especially now that Jon Snow is alive again, is very high among viewers. In using Bran’s storyline to shed light on her previously untold story, Thrones has deftly ensured that not only will all of us remain interested in the storyline’s future due to the continuous teasers, but will also fully acclimate ourselves with the full scope of what it is exactly that Bran can or can’t do. After all, the sky is the limit both literally and figuratively.
The same can’t be said for Bran’s younger brother, though. The last time we saw Rickon in Season Four, he and Osha were being sent away by Bran for their own safety. Pun unintended, we think it’s now safe to say that their plan hasn’t exactly worked. They’re the best inauguration present that Ramsay could’ve ever hoped for in his continued plan to go after Jon at Castle Black. Rickon’s value to Ramsay isn’t merely through the gained legitimacy that the Stark name still commands in the north, but is also useful as a strategic leveraging tool in the conflict that Ramsay plans to initiate with Jon. Rickon could be just as valuable to Ramsay as Sansa ever was.
Across the narrow sea, Arya has seemingly fully relinquished the stature that comes with her Stark last name. Her latest training session and her subsequent regain of her eyesight pointed towards a girl who’s fully committed to the Many Faced God’s message. Where that leaves her in the overall scheme of things remains unclear. What we do know, however, is that the tender-hearted, yet fierce girl that we knew and loved throughout the years is gone. Moving forward, her narrative arc needs to be soon relinked to other storylines so that her storyline doesn’t seem as distant as it’s felt over the last two seasons. Here’s to hoping that showrunners have learned their lesson from the detached nature of Daenerys’ storyline over the years, one that despite being boosted by the arrivals of Tyrion and Varys in Meereen last season, has nonetheless remained firmly in second gear, with both lovable characters used mostly for comic relief, rather than being utilized to ignite its apparent staleness.
Over at King’s Landing, the palpable tension between the Lannisters and the Faith Militants continued to gradually brew, pointing to an explosive encounter between the two contrasting powers. In anticipation of the unavoidable confrontation, Oathbreaker presented us with several interesting indicators about the conflict’s nature. Of note among them were the High Sparrow’s intelligent attempt at seducing King Tommen to the faith, Qyborn gaining more power in his partnership with the Lannisters, and the developing alliance between Kevan Lannister and Lady Olenna Tyrell. All of these tidbits seem poised to impact an overall tasty puzzle that will have a direct impact on the fate of the Iron Throne. In fact, the only missing element in this wonderful storyline is the conspicuous absence of renowned chaos-ladder-climber, Lord Baelish. Given the interests at stake, though, the results will be equal parts invigorating and surprising regardless.
Indeed, Oathbreaker has done a remarkable job at moving the wheels of the Thrones engine forward; not only did the episode succeed at building on last week’s palpable intrigue, but also managed to deliver considerable narrative clout that will have a bearing impact on both the show’s immediate and long-term futures. Birds are being used and created; trials are being held and executed; alliances are being forged and tested. Bit by bit, Season Six looks poised to finally present us with a full picture comprised of all the scattered puzzle pieces. Sometimes, connecting the dots could be just as fun as imagining them.
In one sentence: A strong, well rounded episode that built on the season’s continued intrigue, while presenting the audience with key indicators of the show’s future.
Episode Score: 80%