Game of Thrones S5E5 Review: "Kill the Boy" By Greg Hernandez

First off, the title of this episode, "Kill the Boy," was solid. Fantastic name for an episode. A lot of metaphorical and literal meaning to the title. I guess it's time for many of our main characters to grow up. Let's dive in.

We begin in Meereen with Daenerys. Ser Barristan is dead. For those of you who were fond of this character, do not worry too much, he's a POV character in "Winds of Winter." I'm assuming Ser Barristan was the book character who the show runners teased would die this season. Will he be the only book character to fall this season? I doubt it...

What a shame, no song or tales from the renowned warrior. His last fight was in an alley against former slave owners who hide behind masks and ambush their enemies. Hey, at least Greyworm is still alive. I found it very telling that Hizdahr Zo Loraq approached Dany as she was mourning Ser Barristan.

Dany's reaction is impulsive. She has the head of every noble family brought down to the dungeons for some hot bonding time. I enjoyed how this scene played homage to the book version. This is how true adaptation works. You can only fit so many characters onto a season of television. So. What do the showrunners do? They merge plots or take storylines from a book character and give it to a character that is already on the show.

In the book, "A Feast For Crows," "Quentyn Martell," is the one who gets burned alive by one of Dany's dragons. I like this version, because it gives Dany more agency. In the very next scene, Dany tells Hizdahr, who's macho bravery act evaporates upon Dany's reprisal, apologizes to him and still lays down the law. She tells him that she will in fact open up the fighting pits to free men only. She will also marry Hizdahr. On the surface this looks like a terrible decision. In reality it's bold and compromising. These two actions will calm the violence and allow her time to get closer to her enemies. Her enemies will be appeased, yet confused. The ambushes will most likely stop. It has to, because well, it's television, you can only repeat so much in one season. Should the attacks continue, they will do so from a different approach.

Dany is in a vulnerable position. Daario advised her to kill all her enemies, Barristan cautioned mercy and Missandei...yes Dany went to her for caution, advised her to follow her own instincts.
The show has set up the primary advisor role for Tyrion, should he make it to Dany of course.

On to the North...where we spent the majority of the episode. No King's Landing, Dorne, or Braavos...a very concentrated work. 

Maester Aemon, gives a brilliant speech,  in which he implores Jon Snow  to "kill the boy and let the man be born." Also...who didn't notice this? C'mon!

Sam is briefing Maester Aemon on Dany's situation when Jon Snow walks in on that very line.
A song of Ice and Fire.

Jon seeks Aemon's council. A wise move. Aemon gives him the straight dope. "Half the men will hate me," Jon Snow says about a difficult decision he has to make. "Half the men already do." Aemon cuts him off. He advises Jon to do what is needed. Jon and Dany are both in tough spots. As those in power with good intentions so often are, difficult decisions must be made, no matter the opposition. Jon has a better sense of direction than Dany, however his danger is more imminent than hers, due to the fact that the Night's watch is mostly manned by rapists, thieves and murders. Not to mention the free folk. Remember, we already saw one mutiny a couple of seasons back.

No reason that cannot happen again. Earlier episodes of this very season have hinted at that possibility. We keep hearing about how the men do not like Jon Snow. Now we finally see it. We see men vehemently disagree with his plans. We even see his staunchest allies oppose his views. Dolorous Edd and Olly.

The scene between Jon and Tormund was such a delight. I recommend everyone watch that scene again. I still do not enjoy Kit's acting, but that scene was driven home by Tormund. Very bold of Jon to untie Tormund and look him in the eyes as he does it. Tormund and Jon will be going to Hardhomme to bring the other Wildlings back. That's if, those very Wildlings do not kill them.

As Jon makes his plans to leave next episode, this episode Stannis rides south for Winterfell. He will not be taking any of the Wildlings with him, instead he's taking Melisandre. A departure from the books. Perhaps a twist of Stannis' fate. 

 I liked the brief scene between him and Sam. I believe the show runners have already showed us the victor of the battle at Winterfell. Sam tells Stannis that he killed a walker with obsidian or "Dragon glass." Why would Stannis get to learn such valuable information if he didn't have need of it for a future awesome episode for perhaps next season?

I also liked the respect Stannis gave Sam. You're the one who killed the walker. And your father was the only one defeated Robert during his Rebellion. Stannis also remarked how he had warned Robert not to go out so far west so soon. Stannis is a brilliant military commander. Perhaps the finest one left in all the seven kingdoms. It's pretty funny how the characters in the show now refer to the white walkers as walkers...it sounds so much like, "The Walking Dead."

Sam and Gilly...nobody cares about Gilly...

At Winterfell....things begin to boil in superior soap opera fashion. Rough sex between Ramsay and Myranda hits a sour note when her jealousy reaches maximum capacity. Ramsay's a Bolton now, so he must marry the Stark bitch.

Myranda seeks out Sansa in a creepy scene by a very familiar broken tower. If you don't recall that tower, it's from season 1 when Bran saw Jaime and Cersei deep into twincest and was promptly pushed out of the window.

I actually yelled at the television when Myranda touched Sansa. I would never let any stranger touch me like that...their bland conversation hit a nerve both characters as both were obviously covering up their suffering. Myranda cannot harm Sansa physically like the girl from last season, but she can break her emotionally by stirring up chaos. As the kennel's daughter, she shows Sansa where Theon, I mean Reek is. He sleeps with the dogs...at last these two characters meet.

Sansa knows all about what Theon did at Winterfell. She believes that he murdered her brothers. She's disgusted, angry and shaken all at once at the sight of this betrayer. Theon has been broken. I love how Ramsay noticed the difference in smell of Reek. Sansa, must have a strong fragrance.
Ramsay gets the truth out of Reek, who believes he's about to taste another thin, sharp, Bolton knife.

Instead, Ramsay forgives and later parades his creature and his sins at dinner. He "disgraces himself."
It was quite the episode for Ramsay, who can now be considered a main character. He has the screen time to back up that claim. Ramsay's fun ended when Roose and Fat Walda made their announcement that they were pregnant. Sansa's glare was priceless. That shut Ramsay up. 

Roose turns the game upside down. He does this to squash Ramsay's cockiness. His son has grown too comfortable and cocky in his new position as heir. He was much better at proving himself when he was a Snow. Now that he has nothing to lose and only to gain, he's been weakened. He didn't even torture Reek! Roose, says that the way Fat Walda is carrying, it will be a boy. That stings...

Ramsay's conversation with Roose was hilarious, brutal and most of all...fun to watch. Ramsay may have to do something to Walda..."Kill the boy," in the literal sense or kill his father...
Revenge for his mother hmmm? This episode aired on Mother's Day? Roose's revelation of how Ramsay was conceived was straight out of the books. I loved it. A bastard born of rape - that explains Ramsay. With Stannis the Mannis on his way in a few short days, provided the snows do not trap him, Ramsay may not have a chance to do anything to Walda or Roose...



Lastly, "The Doom of Valyria,"  This sequence was similar to the books.  It cemented the fact that the show will not be doing the "Young Griff," storyline. Tyrion will go straight to Daenerys. Now if you paid attention to last weeks episode, you remember that Stannis talked quite a bit about "greyscale," with his daughter Shireen. Many of Stannis' advisors begged him to send his daughter to the Doom, where she would live out her life, brief or not among those who were similar to her. The stone men, one touch and you receive their gift, the gift of a slow and painful death. Jorah has contracted greyscale, it's not a definitive death sentence, Shireen is alive, but Jorah needs help quickly.

I really enjoyed the moment when Tyrion and Jorah saw Drogon fly high above them. A wonderful shit yourself moment. Drogon is huge! Jorah knows that the's gotten even bigger since the last time he saw him. Tyrion no longer needs wine. Seeing a dragon will sober you up and keep you sober!

Best takes from this episode-

- Stannis being a grammar nazi, "Fewer," "What?" "Nothing."
- Daenerys' line. "A mother never gives up on her children."
- Hizdarh uttering the words,  "Valar Moghulis."
- Tyrion's line, "Long sullen silences and an occasional punch in the face. The Mormont way...
- Ramsay asking his father about sex with Fat Walda, "How did you find it?"
Try not to picture Roose Bolton having sex with Fat Walda....
- Brienne and Pod arriving at an Inn to recuperate. There's still people in The North who remember. Brienne manages to get a message out to Sansa. The woman tells her that should she ever be in trouble, to light a candle in the tallest window of the broken tower. Brienne will definitely see that.
I guess we'll have to wait till next episode to see some cool training sessions with Brienne and Pod.

- SO. How will Daario take the news of Dany's impending wedding? Another wedding on Game of Thrones...this season? Watch out Mother of Dragons.

- Wedding in Winterfell next episode? How many casualties will we have?

Here's the promo for this Sunday's episode: GOT: S5E6: "Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken