Shame of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 4

Yet another belter. This is getting difficult, folks.

This week, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) finally became interesting again, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Sansa (Sophie Turner) were reunited – it’s been six seasons since they saw each other last! – and it looked like the start of a blossoming romance between Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) and Brienne (Gwendoline Christie). That definitely would be an interesting match. Alas, no episode is without sin, so let’s get on with it.

Shame on you (i)

Bloody hell, those Tyrell siblings have been imprisoned a while, yet Margaery (Natalie Dormer) manages to shame the rest of us by effortlessly looking gorgeous despite living in a shit pit. Fair play to her though, she’s not broken despite the best efforts of the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce). Tough and resilient to the end, she even puts Cersei (Lena Headey) to shame.

The same cannot be said for her brother Loras (Finn Jones), who looks a little like I did when I came back from seeing Batman vs Superman. It’s good for Finn Jones that he’s been cast as Iron Fist in the upcoming Netflix show of the same name, because I don’t think Loras is long for this world. So much for the bad-ass warrior we’ve seen in previous seasons.

A special bonus shame to the Small Council, who are useless in the face of the Sparrows. King Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) is petrified at the mere mention of them, and even Lady Olenna (Diana Rigg) is doing sod all. This lot are going to be easy pickings for Daenerys at this rate. If she ever gets home.

Shame on you (ii)

Ah, Osha (Natalie Tena). Yet another cool character who dies at the hand of Ramsay Bolton (Iwan Rheon).

You could see it coming. Osha may have been pretty smart, but unstoppable Ramsay was smarter. Her tricks fooled Theon (Alfie Allen), but not him. I suppose it was inevitable that she was done for – you don’t tend to last long in Ramsay’s company if he doesn’t need you – but it is kind of crap to have a decent character return after an absence of three years, only to bump her off. Especially when author George R. R. Martin has praised the actress who plays her and hinted at giving her much more to do in future novels – arriving any time next decade. Ah, well. This is Game of Thrones.

Ramsay needs to be heading for a horrible, painful death. The thought of Jon leading the Wildlings against him isn’t half an exciting one. And Jon need not worry about diminished numbers. He may have some help coming his way. Which leads me to…

Shame on you (iii)

Littlefinger (Aiden Gillan) is back! As usual, he’s the man in control of any situation, wasting no time asserting his authority in the Vale. Lord Royce (Rupert Vansittart) had no chance against him. Hell, I don’t think anyone has. Maybe Varys (Conleth Hill) or Tyrion (Peter Dinklage). I do miss their old rivalries.

This shaming, however, goes to young Robin Arryn (Lino Facioli), who’s so weak and dense he makes Tommen look as brilliant a leader as Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance). He’s swapped depending on one parent for another and, as a result, his whole kingdom, the Vale, is incredibly vulnerable. Littlefinger is no blessing to them either, easily using them for his own devices.

I hope these Vale guys are tough enough to take on the Boltons. I say again: Ramsay needs to die.

But I’m taking away all shames thanks to that last scene. The Mother of Dragons is back, bitches. And she’s not messing around.

So, as things stand, Dany has a Dothraki army to add to her collection of Unsullied and Second Sons, Jon Snow and the Wildlings may soon team up with Littlefinger to take down Ramsay, King’s Landing is overrun with Sparrows, Dorne’s on it’s way with intentions of its own, and the Iron Islands are on the verge of a Kingsmoot. And, lest we forget, the White Walkers are still coming, though they need to seriously hurry up – even Jon Snow has tired of waiting now.

Keep it up, GoT.