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Sansa ([[Sophie Turner (actress)|Sophie Turner]]) is informed by Lord Petyr Baelish ([[Aidan Gillen]]) that they are bound for the Vale of Arryn, as he will soon marry her aunt, Lysa. Sansa accuses Baelish of having a hand in the murder of the |
Sansa ([[Sophie Turner (actress)|Sophie Turner]]) is informed by Lord Petyr Baelish ([[Aidan Gillen]]) that they are bound for the Vale of Arryn, as he will soon marry her aunt, Lysa. Sansa accuses Baelish of having a hand in the murder of the king, but he denies any direct involvement. He points out to Sansa that a stone was missing from the necklace Dontos gave to her, and she deduces that the stone was likely the poison used in the murder. Sansa says she does not believe Baelish would murder Joffrey, as he made him the Lord of Harrenhal and gave him wealth and power, but Baelish claims that by having no motive to kill Joffrey, he will not be suspected of the crime. He also claims that his new allies can offer him more than the Lannisters would. |
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===At the Wall=== |
===At the Wall=== |
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Revision as of 03:39, 13 May 2014
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"Oathkeeper" is the fourth episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 34th overall. The episode was written by Bryan Cogman,[1] and directed by Michelle MacLaren.[2] It aired on April 27, 2014.[3] The title refers to the new sword gifted to Brienne by Jaime Lannister[4] and the themes of duty that propels the episode.[5] The episode focuses on the aftermath of Joffrey's wedding, the Night's Watch attempt to deal with the mutineers, and Danaerys' continued conquest of Meereen.
Plot
In King's Landing
Ser Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) continues his sword training with Bronn (Jerome Flynn), who urges him to visit his brother, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage). In the dungeon, Jaime and Tyrion discuss Joffrey's murder. Tyrion claims he had no role in the murder, but knows that nothing will change his situation, as Cersei (Lena Headey) will not rest until he is dead. Jaime tells Tyrion that Cersei has offered a knighthood to whoever captures Sansa, but Tyrion is also confident in her innocence. In the gardens, Lady Olenna (Diana Rigg) tells Margaery (Natalie Dormer) that she will soon depart for Highgarden. Olenna encourages Margaery to bond with Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) before Cersei can turn him against her, and assures Margaery that she never would have allowed her to marry cruel Joffrey. At night, Cersei speaks to Jaime in her chambers. She chastises him for failing to protect Joffrey, and for his capture and release by Catelyn Stark. Jaime tries to tell her of Tyrion's innocence, but she will not listen, dismissing him after ordering more men to guard Tommen. Margaery visits Tommen in his chamber to discuss their impending marriage, and begins to form a relationship with him, per her grandmother's advice.
In the morning, Jaime gives his Valyrian-steel sword to Brienne (Gwendoline Christie), along with new armor, and charges her with finding and protecting Sansa. He also has her, though reluctantly, take on Podrick Payne (Daniel Portman) as a squire in order to prevent him from becoming involved in Tyrion's trial and to keep him safe. When she is ready to depart, she names the sword "Oathkeeper", of which Jaime approves.
At Sea
Sansa (Sophie Turner) is informed by Lord Petyr Baelish (Aidan Gillen) that they are bound for the Vale of Arryn, as he will soon marry her aunt, Lysa. Sansa accuses Baelish of having a hand in the murder of the king, but he denies any direct involvement. He points out to Sansa that a stone was missing from the necklace Dontos gave to her, and she deduces that the stone was likely the poison used in the murder. Sansa says she does not believe Baelish would murder Joffrey, as he made him the Lord of Harrenhal and gave him wealth and power, but Baelish claims that by having no motive to kill Joffrey, he will not be suspected of the crime. He also claims that his new allies can offer him more than the Lannisters would.
At the Wall
In the courtyard at Castle Black, Jon (Kit Harington) spars with Grenn (Mark Stanley), and instructs several Night's Watch brothers on how wildlings fight. Ser Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale) breaks up the training, ordering Jon to get back to his steward duties. Janos Slynt (Dominic Carter) tells Thorne that it may be wise to send Jon on an expedition to Craster's Keep, as he earlier requested, so the mutineers can kill him and prevent him from being elected as the new Lord Commander of the Night's Watch. While getting his sword he speaks with and befriends Locke (Noah Taylor), a new recruit of the Night's Watch who, unbeknownst to Jon, is secretly an agent of Roose Bolton on a mission to kill him, Bran, and Rickon. Later, Samwell (John Bradley) and Jon discuss Bran's group moving beyond the Wall, before being informed by Locke that Thorne wants to see Jon. Thorne tells Jon that he will allow him to lead a group to Craster's Keep, and Jon rallies several of his brothers to his cause, including Grenn, Edd (Ben Crompton), and Locke.
Across the Narrow Sea
At Daenerys's (Emilia Clarke) request, Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel) teaches Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) to speak the common tongue by talking about how they both became slaves. At nightfall, Grey Worm leads a group of Unsullied into Meereen through the sewers, where they come upon a large group of slaves discussing Daenerys and her army. The Unsullied group arms the slaves with swords, and through the night, the slaves kill their masters and free themselves. In the morning, Daenerys orders 163 of the remaining masters executed, having them nailed to posts as they had slave children killed to mark each mile to Meereen.
Beyond the Wall
At Craster's Keep, Karl (Burn Gorman) orders Rast (Luke Barnes) to feed "the beast", as he drunkenly insults him and tells tales of his own legend in King's Landing. One of Craster's former wives enters the Keep and presents Karl with Craster's last child, a son. The women call for the baby to be given to the gods, and Rast goes out and leaves the child in the forest. On the way back, he taunts Ghost, Jon Snow's direwolf, who the mutineers have caged. Nearby, Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright) and his companions hear the infant's cries, and he uses his warg abilities to send Summer in search of the baby. As Summer, Bran sees Ghost caged, but before he can help, the wolf falls into a trap and Bran awakens in his own body. The group spies on Craster's Keep, but before they can free Summer, they are captured by the mutineers. Bran, Jojen (Thomas Brodie-Sangster), and Meera (Ellie Kendrick) are taken to Karl, who forces Bran to admit his true identity.
Meanwhile, a White Walker is seen riding a dead horse and carrying Craster's last son. It places the baby on a small altar of ice; after a moment, another White Walker picks up the boy and touches his face, causing his eyes to turn blue.
Critical reception
| Publication | Score |
|---|---|
| The A.V. Club | B,[6] B[7] |
| IGN | 8.8/10[8] |
"Oathkeeper" received acclaim from critics with Rotten Tomatoes giving it a score of 97% based on 36 critics. The site's consensus is that "If it's a bit more subdued than its predecessors, 'Oathkeeper' is nonetheless a rock-solid installment of Game of Thrones -- one that features assured direction, strong action scenes, and intriguing plot developments."[9]
Eric Goldman and Roth Cornet of IGN commented on the episode being a "game changer" because it diverges from the book series more than any other Game of Thrones episode; a few of the changes include Jon's and Bran's storylines, how Daenerys conquered Meereen, and new information with regard to how White Walkers multiply their army. Goldman and Cornet stated that much of the episode feels like a spoiler for readers of the series because of the changes, including the show creators, who know how the ongoing book series will end, possibly having incorporated aspects that happen later in the books. Though Goldman and Cornet indicated that significantly diverging from the books could be detrimental to the show, they credited "Oathkeeper" with adding an element of surprise and intrigue for all viewers.[10]
Writing for The A.V. Club, Todd VanDerWerff (writing for viewers who have read the books) and Erik Adams (writing for viewers who have not) gave the episode a B.[6][7] VanDerWerff commented that the scenes between Jamie and Cersei "seems to truly want us to think that what happened last week wasn’t, in any way, rape" and wondered "whether the show is going to acknowledge it at all."[6]
Ratings
"Oathkeeper" established a new series high in ratings, with 6.95 million people watching the premiere airing.[11][12]
See also
References
- ^ "Here is your season 4 writers breakdown". WinterIsComing.net. February 26, 2014. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
- ^ Hibberd, James (July 16, 2013). "'Game of Thrones' season 4 directors chosen". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
- ^ "(#34/404) "Oathkeeper"". The Futon Critic. Retrieved April 25, 2014.
- ^ "Game of Thrones Season 4 Episode 4". Crave Online. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ Cole, Jack (April 28, 2014). "Game of Thrones Recap: Season 4, Episode 4, "Oathkeeper"". Slant. Retrieved May 6, 2014.
- ^ a b c VanDerWerff, Todd (April 27, 2014). "Game Of Thrones (experts): "Oathkeeper"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- ^ a b Adams, Erik (April 28, 2014). "Game Of Thrones (newbies): "Oathkeeper"". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- ^ Fowler, Matt (April 27, 2014). "Game of Thrones: "Oathkeeper" Review". IGN. Retrieved April 28, 2014.
- ^ "Game of Thrones: Season 4: Episode 4". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
- ^ "Game of Thrones - The Biggest Change in Oathkeeper". IGN. April 28, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|authors=ignored (help) - ^ Bibel, Sara (April 29, 2014). "Sunday Cable Ratings: 'Game of Thrones' Wins Night, NBA Playoffs, 'Real Housewives of Atlanta', 'Mad Men', 'Devious Maids' & More". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 29, 2014.
- ^ Bibel, Sara (April 28, 2014). "'Game of Thrones' Hits Series High in Total Viewers; Solid Start for 'Last Week Tonight With John Oliver'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 28, 2014.