GOT Episode Review: The Queen’s Justice

Season 7, Episode 3

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There literally aren’t any other TV shows in history that could make a 15 minute conversation between two characters as thrilling and revealing as the opening of The Queen’s Justice. After six long seasons we are finally rewarded with the coming together of ice and fire. The meeting between Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen is central to the entire lore and ethos of the show and it did not disappoint. Jon Snow is finally becoming the character that the book readers wanted him to be. Selfless, assertive, strong. Dany’s arrogance in the face of Jon Snow’s desperate pleading was an interesting development and one that perhaps marks the start of Daenerys becoming a heel rather than a face.

And so Cersei has her terrible revenge. There have been many dark moments on Game of Thrones over the years but the realisation that Ellaira will have to slowly watch her daughter succumb to deadly poison is right up there with the Red Wedding. It was a case of out of the frying pan and into the iron bank for Cersei however as it became apparent that the endless reserve of Lannister wealth may be at an end. It seems they haven’t paid their biggest outstanding debt despite their oft stated favourite saying…

At Winterfell, we see Sansa once again becoming more confident and in turn more sassy. It’s nice to see she can still pop off a zinger despite being raped a bunch of times and all those other terrible things that have happened to her. We see Bran and Sansa reunited but the character of Bran has become so aimless that it has little impact. Does anyone really care what happens to Bran at this point? I’d swap a vowel to have Bronn instead of Bran in a heartbeat.

Samwise Tarly has saved Ser Friendzone at Old Town so that’s something I guess but again they are two characters that I have literally no interest in. Not when the Hound is still riding around somewhere eating all the fucking chicken and we now haven’t checked in with him for two weeks! Focusing on Tarly and Jorah at this late stage in the game seems a bit of a waste.

Finally, the Lannisters swapped Casterly Rock for Highgarden in an unpredictable move that led to the seasons best moment when Olenna Tyrell called out Joffrey for being a cunt. Truly magical. Game of Thrones is indeed becoming more like an actual game and for this week at least, Jamie and Cersei played the right move.

Some people, idiots,  will complain that this is an episode in which nothing happens. In reality, GOT once again shows that you don’t need explosions and melodrama to produce a truly epic episode of television. The Queen’s Justice was the best episode of season 7 so far.

 

Stray Observations

  • It is interesting and satisfying to see the red witch admit that the brutal slaying of Stannis’ daughter was a ‘terrible mistake’. This is the first time the character has really been fleshed out as anything other than a cold, pious monster.
  • Ser Davos glumly proclaiming Jon Snow as King of the North after Dany reeled off her never ending list of titles was the kind of moment of levity that sets Game of Thronesaside from many of it’s darker peers. This season in particular has made the most of this technique.
  • I’m still not sure about Euron Greyjoy but anyone who can get away with asking Jamie Lannister if Cersei likes a finger up the bum deserves some kind of warped respect.
  • Speaking of Cersei’s, her Queen outfit really is fabulous.
  • Always nice to see Mark Gatiss or indeed anyone fromLeague of Gents in something as prestigious as Game of Thrones. How good would it be to see Reece Shearsmith strolling through Westeros by the way.
  • Hearing Tyrion quote Bronn and subsequently seeing him in the background at Highgarden was genuinely thrilling and brought into sharp focus one of the most missed characters. I don’t want to keep banging on about this but his return really was long overdue. Welcome back.