“Thrones reiterated its core conflict between righteousness and realpolitik. But it also turned its attention back to a fascinating uniter of those two approaches: Varys.”
“Daenerys’s interrogation of the so-called Spider served as a history refresher on his character, but it also clarified what’s made his strategy special all along. He’ll stab any regent in the back, but he’ll do it with a noble purpose.”
“The (lovely) scene between Grey Worm and Missandei seemed to serve the same purpose this episode, presenting a moment of vulnerability and connection between two people that was genuinely moving.”
“For once, the nudity didn’t feel gratuitous so much as pivotal, and Grey Worm’s description of Missandei as his “weakness” emphasized the episode’s constant tension between humanity and strength.”
“So did the encounter up north with an old friend, as you noted. Nymeria had enough of her former self (good dog!) left to recognize Arya, but not enough to abandon her new pack and accompany Arya north. “That’s not you,” Arya murmured as she left. But Arya isn’t the same person she was either—she’s arguably just as fearsome and potentially predatory a figure as her direwolf has become.”
“Sophie Gilbert:”
“Spencer Kornhaber:”