Game of Thrones: Season 5/ Episode 6 “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken” – Recap/ Review (with Spoilers)

Overview

As Arya progresses, and Sansa and Tyrion regress, Cersei seemingly has all but started a war with House Tyrell.

Review (with Spoilers) – Below

Characters & Story

Arya continues to try to appease Jaqen and become one of the faceless men. However, being that she can never passed the test, which seems to be telling a convincing lie, she is repeatedly denied. That is, until she lies to a dying girl about her past and with this it seems Jaqen believes that while she may not be ready to become no one, she maybe ready to become someone else.

Being that Tyrion and Ser Mormont are on the outskirts of where Daenerys’ power lies, naturally they find themselves found by pirates who wise to turn Mormont into a slave, and cut off Tyrion’s member since dwarf penis is supposed to be magical. Thankfully though, Tyrion has the gift of gab and talks the slavers out of both options and, instead, talks them into taking them to the fighting pits where Ser Mormont can prove himself, face Daenerys once more, and hopefully win her back. As for Tyrion? Well, while he maybe going for the ride alive, it seems finding a cock merchant to verify what the slavers took was a dwarf penis is the sole thing keeping him alive right now.

Leading us to Dorne which Jaime and Bronn finally find themselves in the heart of. However, before they can rescue Myrcella and kick rocks, they end up encountering the sand snakes. All of which who seemingly were going to kill or kidnap the girl for their mother, but with Dorne’s army showing up, all the fun and battles end. Leaving us unsure how the prince may handle his bastard nieces, or the uninvited guest from King’s Landing.

Thus leading to the many dramas of Westeros. To begin, Sansa finally weds Ramsay and is forced to realize that as many friends as she may have in the common folk, those who are lords, ladies, or those close to them, see her as no friend. Hell, even the closest thing she could have to a friend in Theon reeks of past crimes to her family. But between Ramsay forcing her to submit to him sexually, as Theon is forced to watch, and Lord Baelish trying to fool Cersei into thinking his loyalty more so is with the crown than Sansa, it seems Sansa is about to regress to a state of suffering and vulnerability once more.

Leaving us with the topic of Margaery and the issue which has come with Ser Loras being taken in by the Faith. Something which is such a scandal that Lady Olenna has come from Highborne to oversee the inquest. After all, Ser Loras is the heir to their throne and, despite his liking of men, he can still have children and continue their line. However, being that Cersei isn’t like her father and doesn’t know how to be diplomatic among equals, she tries her best to undermine, and destroy, whatever relationship that exist between House Lannister and Tyrell. But, as we have seen, she isn’t going to get her hands dirty. No, she has equipped the faith to do her bidding, which is known, and this leads to her killing to birds with one stone. First, she frees herself of Loras since Olyvar testifies and knows of Loras’ inner thigh birthmark, and then she rids herself of Margaery who lies before the High Sparrow and is taken away for such perjury. Leaving Olenna infuriated and surely on the brink of doing much more than trying to speak to Cersei, but possibly bring House Lannister, if not King’s Landing, to the end of its significance in history.

Praise

Right now, the main thing worth focusing on arguably is Sansa. For while Cersei setting up a grand betrayal to House Tyrell is certainly intriguing, there is but the question of when her and Jaime’s relationship will be questioned. So even with Ser Loras and Margaery arrested, unless they meet the fate of Ed Stark, which for this show could be possible for at least Loras, what we are witnessing is just politics.

Refocusing on Sansa though, everything about her storyline represents a possible turning point. For whether it is Reek calling himself Theon, Ramsay basically raping Sansa in front of him, Stannis’ threat of domination, or the fact Lord Baelish plans to defeat whoever conquers Winterfell, it seems all of the action is going to take place there.

Criticism

Leaving much of the other stories without much hype in my opinion. For Arya’s story, dealing with becoming one of the faceless, seems to almost drag on episode by episode and really brings little to know anticipation or excitement. The same goes for Tyrion who, even with the prospect of meeting Daenerys, really has lost his place outside of King’s Landing. To the point it almost seems to have led Peter Dinklage to perform the character in such a way where something seems off. For when not battling politically, it seems Tyrion loses a bit of what makes the character so likable. That alongside not having someone to truly battle wits with.

Thus leading to the subject of Dorne. Now, being that we got to see the sand snakes in combat, I was hoping for a real show. However, what we were given was a sad affair. Three women vs. two men, one with only one hand, and the supposed strongest warriors of the world could barely take them. To me, that killed any momentum the girls could have had, and really made them into girls who may look tough, and may have Oberyn’s flair, but certainly don’t have the viciousness required to do more than make grunts and scrunch their faces to seem serious.