Game of Thrones: The mountain & the viper

The physical brutally in Game of Thrones is a deflection. A trope designed to distract from the emotional violence that the show regularly inflicts on us, particularly in the latter half of each season. The latest episode of the series, entitled The mountain and the viper, is exemplary of this harsh fact. 

 

We all expected the fight between Sir Gregor and Prince Oberyn - especially with Tyrion's life at stake - to be unusually brutal. But not like this. This was not just a fight, it was a trial within a trial. The beloved slick-tongued prince wanted to bring Gregor to justice for killing his sister. Game of Thrones, because of its setting and story, is a perfect setting for allegory and this set-up was exploited perfectly. 

 

Oberyn's insistent chanting several times to Sir Greogor as he fights him "You raped her! You murdered her! You killed her children!" makes the fight not just a mere testosterone-filled battle but it elevates killing to the level of ritual. We are given insight into the fact that in Westeros, revenge is a tradition. The violence of the scene is unsettling but is a necessary tool to making us understand why Oberyn hates the Lannisters so much. 

Additionally it's not the gore of the scene or even how Prince Oberyn eventually lets his guard down and dies that disturbs us. It’s how much we enjoy the whole spectacle. The uncertainty and thrill that comes with death as sport. It’s for the same reasons that we are able to stream videos of people committing crimes online. Having a fetish for the perverse is a human flaw and we are only able to see this in ourselves when we watch the people of King's Landing cheer at the sight of Prince Oberyn's bashed-in skull. 

 

The implications for Tyrion are equally dire. He has been sentenced to death and the likelyhood of his escaping this one seem slim. This moment and how the next two episodes are handled will prove pivotal for Tyrion and ultimately the show and its future. The producers have already announced that the series will return for at least another two seasons, but the problem is how will they deal with Tyrion. The show has built its reputation on the deaths of lead characters, but surely with most of the Starks now gone, adding Tyrion, arguably the most entertaining character in television, to the casualty list would be - for lack of a better word - overkill?

 

Tyrion is a character who is not just comic relief in an otherwise cynical world, his moments of humour and fits of anger and depression and acts of kindness make him a multi-dimensional, fully developed character. We relate to him because he is the closest we can ultimately get to bridging the gap between our world and the show's imagined reality. I never thought I would defend a Lannister, but here I am appealing to King Tommen to set aside the sentence and show some mercy. If for no reason other than that Tyrion did not actually kill Joffrey. 

 

In yet more devastating news, Ser Jorah has been banished from Meereen for having spied on our beloved mother of dragons. His ride of shame out of the city left me devastated on a personal level, because he has always presented himself to be an honest man and I feel silly for having misjudged him. Of equal importance, his departure from Daenerys' camp means that her army will not have a fierce commander to strategize for it and she has lost a trusted advisor and longtime friend.

 

I only wish that he rides off into the sunset with the little dignity he has left and spends the rest of his days feeling appropriate amounts of shame. But this being Game of Thrones, that is very unlikely. 

 

In the midst of all this darkness, however, this episode was not without its usual touch of homour. Daenerys asking Missandei about Grey Worm and "The pillar and the stones" has to be right up there with one of the most awkward/funny moments in the series. I'm glad that both Missandei and Grey worm got more screen time and we were able to explore their back story a little bit. I certainly hope their 'relationship' is something that develops further.  

 

To stand a chance to win a Game of Thrones DVD box set, tell us which Lannister Sihle is defending. Email your answer to [email protected]