Necrotongue

If it weren't for Bran's annoying storyline, this could've been a five-star episode. I really can't stand that crew. The most interesting events took place in King's Landing — Cersei's talk with Tywin and Tyrion's revenge were fantastic, as was the ending with Varys. Even at the Wall, things were exciting with another solid fight scene. Downsides: Tywin's death — Cold as he was, I enjoyed him. Upsides: Jojen and Shae — I'm thrilled I won't have to watch them anymore.

I wish I had actually seen the battle. I get that only a madman would attack the Wall during daylight, but sometimes I got a bit lost in the darkness. And of course, there had to be a heart-wrenching scene with a dying character we were emotionally invested in. The fighting almost stops for a moment, just so the viewer can shed a tear. The creators sure know how to play that cliché.

A mixed bag for me. There were significant events, but the less important ones didn't lag behind, making the episode feel unbalanced. On the positive side, the final scene with the perfect duel was fantastic. Sansa Stark’s character finally showed some development (and I don’t mean just aging another year), and Arya and the Hound once again reached their destination. On the downside, I’m pretty indifferent to the Theon/Reek storyline, and most of the conversations in this episode felt pointless.

I have to admit, this episode resonated with me more than the previous one. Arya and the Hound have become an odd yet dynamic duo that just works for me — they've been the most entertaining part of the show for a while now. Tyrion is amusing even in his cell, and Brienne’s quest has a new direction. However, Daenerys and the Wall are still stagnating. I also have this nagging feeling that the Mountain has changed his face for the second time, but I might be wrong.

I was going to give this episode just three stars due to the abundance of unnecessary conversations and the pointless Ironborn attack on Moat Cailin. Seriously, what purpose did that scene serve other than being filler? However, the trial and Tyrion's flawless performance made me change my mind.

The episode was so unremarkable that I really have to think hard to remember what it was about. I suspect that George R.R. Martin created the character of Bran Stark just to ensure that he’d constantly get on my nerves if his books were ever turned into a series. That was a pretty sneaky move on his part.

I’m not quite sure why the second episode started the way it did. To remind us that something’s off with Ramsay Bolton? I got that last season, so... why? After that, I thoroughly enjoyed Jaime’s training with Bronn and especially the royal wedding surprise. I just wish Bran Stark would wander out of the story.

The episode maintained a solid standard. What stood out to me were the conversation between Tywin and Jaime, the adventures of Arya and the Hound, and the introduction of Prince Oberyn. I’m curious about the sly guy claiming to be Daario Naharis and why everyone seems to believe him.

The conversations between Jaime and Bronn, and Tyrion and Brienne were a highlight, as well as the final scene and some moments from Daenerys’s Lincoln-esque campaign. As usual, I found Jon’s scenes boring, Bran’s storyline downright annoying, and the remaining dialogues unnecessary.

A surprisingly good episode. The Hound has always been a favorite of mine, but he's becoming even more entertaining as time goes on. For some reason, watching him reminded me of Terminator 2 and the whole idea of teaching an old cyborg new tricks. After some slow pacing, Daenerys's storyline is picking up again, and hopefully, things will start to get more exciting at the Wall too.