Ep 4.8 "The Mountain and the Viper

QUICKLOOK:  Daenerys finds out she has an enemy in her lair.  Petyr faces the nobles of the Eyrie over Lysa’s death, and the Red Viper (aka Prince Oberyn) fights the Mountain (aka Ser Gregor Clegane, aka the Hound’s evil older brother).

We had to wait an extra week for this episode, but I’m sure it will have been worth it.  Finally, we get to see the showdown between Oberyn and the Mountain.  They actually recast the role of the Mountain this season, specifically because of the difficulty of shooting this episode.  He is now played by Hafpór Július Björnsson, a 6’9’ 420 lb. Icelandic strongman competitor.  Good casting, but more on the fight later…

We open in Moles Town where some men of the Night’s Watch are being entertained by some classy whores who can burp out songs.  One of them gives Gilly a hard time about her baby crying.  Gilly hears something outside and knows it is the wildling army about to attack.  Tormund Giantsbane, the Thenn’s and Ygritte enter the brothel and it’s a bloodbath.  Ygritte finds Gilly and her baby, but leaves them in hiding after telling Gilly to keep quiet. Nice to know that the wildling women will stick together.

Back at the Wall they hear of the attack.  Sam feels guilty for leaving Gilly in Moles Town.  His friends tell him to be positive because she’s faced worse things before and made it through alive.  Jon tells them Mance’s army must be close and the Night’s Watch only has 102 men to guard Castle Black against Mance’s thousands.

In Mereen, while bathing in the river, Grey Worm catches a peek at a naked Missandei.  She mentions it to Daenerys, who thinks the Unsullied can’t be interested in women that way.  Missandei tells her he was definitely interested.  Daenerys asks if they take everything when they castrate the Unsullied, “the pillar and the stones”.  Missandei says she does not know.  I’m sure desire doesn’t just lie within missing appendages though, there is also a feeling called love.  Grey Worm later apologizes to Missandei, but she says he has nothing to apologize for.  He says that he enjoys her lessons and doesn’t want to frighten her.  She asks if he remembers being cut and he says he doesn’t.  She says it is a horrible thing that was done to him and she wishes it hadn’t happened.  He says if it hadn’t, he wouldn’t be an Unsullied and wouldn’t have been in the Plaza of Pride when Daenerys Mother of Dragons ordered them to kill the slavers and he wouldn’t have met Missandei.  She tells him she is glad he saw her.

In the North, Ramsay prepares Theon to enter Moat Cailin and persuade the ironborn there to surrender.  They let him inside where he finds a handful of soldiers, most of which are wounded or sick.  He carries a paper that says if they surrender the Bolton’s will let them go home.  The leader of the garrison says they will not surrender and Reek starts to unravel, but one of the ironborn soldiers stabs the man in the head.  He wants to go home.  Unfortunately, it was all a lie and the men end up flayed on spikes outside the holdfast.

Petyr faces the nobles of the Vale.  Their opinion of him is not very good.  Petyr claims that Lysa committed suicide, but they don’t believe it.  They know that Sansa (Petyr’s “neice”) witnessed what happened and call her to testify.  Sansa tells Lord Baelish she’s sorry, but she has to tell the truth.  She tells council that she is Sansa Stark of Winterfell and that she met Lord Royce (one of the council) one time when he escorted his son to the Wall.  She says Lord Baelish told many lies, but they were all to protect her from the Lannisters.  They tell her they will protect her secret, as they knew her father when he was a boy at the Eyrie.  (Remember that Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon were wards to Jon Arryn, Lord of the Vale and later on Robert’s Hand.)  She tells them that Lysa was so worried that Petyr would leave her for a younger woman.  Lysa saw Petyr give Sansa “a peck on the cheek” and got jealous, so she held Sansa over the Moon Door.  Petyr tried reasoning with her, but she accidentally stepped back through the Moon Door to her death.  The noble’s apologize for treating Petyr so harshly, but he says he understands they wanted justice.  He asks them who’s side they are on and if they want to get revenge for the Lannisters cutting off Ned Stark’s head.  He wants them to back Robin Arryn, Lord of the Vale.  They know he is a sickly child.  Petyr says he wants to take Robin under his wing so he can learn sword fighting and visit his liege lords.  He will teach him to become Lord of the Vale.

Back in Mereen a boy delivers a note to Ser Barristan Selmy with the seal of the Hand on it.  He takes the message to Ser Jorah.  It is a royal pardon signed by Robert Baratheon.  Ser Barristan knows Jorah spied on Daenerys and says he will tell her, but he wanted to let Ser Jorah know first.  Ser Jorah asks to speak with her in private, but Barristan says he will never be alone with her again.  Daenerys confronts him and asks why the Usurper pardoned him.  He tells her he sent letters to Lord Varys about her and her brother before he got to know her.  He says that this is the work of Tywin Lannister to divide them, but she must not pay attention.  She asks if he told Varys she was pregnant with Drogo’s child.  He admits that he did.  She says he betrayed her from the start and she wants him to leave, otherwise she will have him killed.  He leaves by the next morning.

Ramsey lets his father know that he took Moat Cailin.  Roose Bolton tells Ramsey that the North is bigger than all six other kingdoms combined and he is Warden of the North.  He legitimizes Ramsey as his son and heir.  Ramsey promises to be worthy of him. 

Petyr visits Sansa and asks why she helped him.  She says that if she told the truth and they hanged Lord Baelish what would they have done to her.  She gambled on him rather than on those she did not know.  She tells him she know’s what he wants.  Later, Robin tells Petyr is fear of leaving the Vale, but Petyr tells him he must live his life.  Sansa appears in a sexy dress made with feathers and asks if they are ready to go.

Arya tells the Hound she wishes she could’ve killed Joffrey.  They arrive at the Bloody Gate (entrance to the Eyrie) where they are told that Lysa Arryn died three days before.  Arya bursts into laughter, but the Hound wasn’t quite in the mood.

Jaime brings Tyrion a drink before the big fight.  He asks Jaime if he thinks Oberyn can win.  After all you don’t get a name like the Red Viper for being tame, but Tyrion is afraid he will lose.  They reminisce about a cousin who was slow and killed beetles continuously until he was kicked by a mule and died.  Tyrion tried to figure out why the boy did it, but never could.  The bells ring signaling it is time for the fight.  Jaime tells Tyrion good luck and leaves.

Everyone comes out the the mock arena.  Tyrion notices that Oberyn isn’t wearing much armor and is also drinking, which he doesn’t think is wise.  The Mountain strolls out and Ellara asks “you’re going to fight that?”  To which Oberyn replies, “I’m going to kill that”.  She asks him not to leave her alone in this world.  Oberyn picks up his spear and shows off his skills of quick feet and great maneuvering.  He tells the Mountain that he is the brother of Elia Martell and is there to get justice for his sister and her children.  Oberyn knocks off Ser Gregors helmet and is a pretty kick ass spear fighter.  Unfortunately, the Mountain breaks Oberyn’s first spear.  He gets another and manages to stab the Mountain through the gut and then cuts his leg before stabbing him in the gut a second time.  The Mountain falls and Oberyn thinks he’s done for, but he won’t let him die yet.  He wants him to confess what he did to Elia and tell everyone he was ordered to do it by Tywin Lannister.  We get shot of everyone.  Jaime looks happy that his brother’s life may be saved.  Cersei looks like a spoiled child who has had her doll taken away, and Tywin looks pissed that Oberyn is bringing it up and making a scene.  Oberyn continues to walk around the Mountain kicking him for a confession.  Apparently, the Mountain was playing possum because he grabs Oberyn’s leg and knocks him down.  The he hits him in the head hard enough for blood to fly out of his mouth.  The Mountain climbs on top of him and pushes his eyes into his skull and squeezes Oberyn’s head until it explodes.  All while confessing to the crimes he was accused of.  Jaime is crushed Cersei and Tywin look like they just won the lottery and poor Ellaria screams in terror.  I mean who wouldn’t, seeing anyone’s head smashed in, especially if it is the man you love.  Lord Tywin declares that the gods have made their judgment and Tyrion shall be beheaded.

End credits…

Okay, c’mon.  We all know the good guys hardly ever win in Game of Thrones.  The Mountain is still severely wounded and Tyrion’s head isn’t on a spike yet.  So there is hope, even if fan-favorite Oberyn Martell is dead.  I don’t think Dorne is going to be a big supporter of the Lannisters anytime soon.  It looks as though next week we are going to see the wildlings reach Castle Black.  Let’s hope the few smart and brave men of the Night’s Watch can somehow pull off a miracle.  And where is Stannis planning to travel to with his army?  Perhaps North???  He received a letter from Lord Commander Mormont a while ago just as all the other “kings” did asking for help against the wights.  I think they are going to make us wait until the finale to find out if Tyrion really loses his head and even then I’m sure we’ll be left wanting more.  What did you think of the fight, Tyrion’s outcome, Ramsay as a legitimate lord now? 

Until next week…

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