The Second Watch is a weekly “Game of Thrones” recap column by Focus Editor Erin Yarnall. Read more here.
This week’s episode was titled “Kill the Boy.” While the only boy that was killed was symbolically Jon Snow (as he became a man — and a real leader of the Night’s Watch), this episode took “Valar Morghulis,” which means “All men must die” in Valyrian to the extreme.
“Game of Thrones” has never been shy in killing off its characters, but Daenerys began to take control over the city of Meereen this week, as she killed off leaders of the great Meereenese families left and right by feeding them to her dragons. It was encouraging to see Daenerys, once a strong leader who lately has been afraid to take control of her city, to ruthlessly kill those who have gone against her rule. It’s also refreshing to see her connect with her dragons once again, and fitting for the episode which aired on Mother’s Day, as she remarked “A good mother never gives up on her children.”
The Bolton family are all ruthless killers, but the deaths they bring down to everyone around them aren’t encouraging or exciting, just cruel. Ramsay is easily one of the most cruel characters, but “Kill the Boy” gave us a glimpse at where he got his mean streak from. In comparison to Stannis’ adorable speech to his daughter last week, Roose Bolton tries to do the same with his son, but instead of inspiring love and adoration, Roose told Ramsay the story of how he killed his mother’s husband and then raped her under the three where his body hung.
A twisted psychopath, Ramsay took this as a story of how his father cares for him. Still, he’s one of the most interesting characters because of his insane cruelty, especially to Theon (his transition into Reek is one of the most heartbreaking things to happen on the show), and it’s exciting to see what showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss will do with the character since the show is diverging from the books series so much.
At the end of the episode, we witness the shocking start to the eventual death of a beloved character from the first season, as the viewer finds out Jorah Mormont has greyscale, after saving Tyrion Lannister’s life in an eventful journey throughout Valyria.
In the book series, another character traveling with Tyrion had contracted greyscale, but the with the changes the television show is making, Jorah is the unfortunate one destined to become a stone man. A beautiful contrast within this scene is when Tyrion marvels at the ruins of what was once a great city in the “Game of Thrones” world. Valyria was once a capital of the Valyrian Empire, and is the ancestral home of the Targaryen family, and while passing through Tyrion notes “I suppose this is what remains,” while looking at the ruins of the former empire. Moments after he says this Drogon, Daenerys’ free dragon flies overhead — one of the first dragons to fly over Valyria in centuries. It was a stunning comparison of old and new, and symbolic of the fact that the old rule within their world is dying out, and it’s time for a new leader to emerge.
Prediction: The men of the Night’s Watch will never feel comfortable Jon Snow’s feelings towards the Wildlings. Although Jon Snow is possibly the best leader they will ever have and it’s obvious that his acceptance of the Wildlings is a good thing, the Night’s Watch will revolt against him. They’ll see his acceptance of the Wildlings as weakness, instead of humanity and a need for help when real problems occur, like the White Walkers and whatever else Winter is going to bring them.
Marry: No marriages this week, but Daenerys’ engagement to Hizdahr zo Loraq is disappointing.
Screw: It was a relatively calm episode this week, no one really screwed each other over, besides Ramsay perpetually screwing over Theon.
Kill: No major casualties this week, surprisingly. Just a few stone men and some leaders of great families in Meereen — who needs them anyways?