‘Game of Thrones’ The Laws of Gods and Men Recap: Burning Down the House

The Lannisters are clearly the most powerful family in Westeros but as Tyrion’s trial showcases, this house is slowly smoldering and burning from the inside out….

By Damon Martin — Editor/Lead Writer

Justice in Westeros is a risky proposition.

Ned Stark attempted to find justice for his friend and king Robert Baratheon when he outed Cersei Lannister as an incestuous cheater who bore the children of her twin brother while passing them off as her husband’s offspring. What did Ned get for his valiant effort? It cost him his head.

For the biggest part of the last 20 some odd episodes of ‘Game of Thrones’, Tyrion Lannister tried his best to counsel and teach his wayward nephew Joffrey the difference between ruling and being a king. He never bowed and scraped at the king’s feet, no matter how much Joffrey demanded it, and that defiance was unleashed in slaps to the face, threats of death and a general demeanor that left most of King’s Landing believing that when Joffrey fell to the ground, clutching his throat in agony, that the one that put him there was none other than the dwarf he called ‘uncle’.

This week, Tyrion finally stood trial for the murder of King Joffrey and while it’s been clear for weeks that the former hand of the king was not guilty, this proceeding had nothing to do with guilt or innocence. It was about justice. Not the right kind of justice, mind you, or even a just ruling. It was about finding closure.

For Cersei, this was closure to a tumultuous and tenuous relationship with her brother Tyrion that goes back dozens of years. She already attempted to have him killed once under the guise of war. What difference does it make if he didn’t actually kill Joffrey this time? Cersei has a thirst for revenge and she needs a person to pin all of her rage and anger, and Tyrion is the target she’s been aiming at for years and still never hit.

For Tywin, it was clear that this was about family. Now you might ask how is Tyrion being tried and convicted of the king’s murder going to help his family? Well as Tywin has explained on numerous occasions, if he had his way Tyrion would have been washed away in the water surrounding Casterly Rock the minute he was born, but his brother Jamie has been the family pride and joy since he entered the world. Tywin asked Jamie to leave the Kingsguard once already this season to assume his rightful place as the Lord of Casterly Rock, where he would then take a wife and bear more children with the Lannister name. When he refused, Jamie was cast out, but Tywin wasn’t done with him yet. Tywin finds closure by quietly securing his family’s future by forcing Jamie into a situation where he will sacrifice himself (in a way) to save his brother’s life.

For the witnesses in this trial, it’s closure because it means their continued existence on this Earth or some semblance of revenge. Ser Meryn Trant was threatened by Tyrion when he followed Joffrey’s orders to beat and torture Sansa Stark in front of a room full of people, and he was more than happy to remember the happenings of that day when he sat and gave testimony in the trial. Cersei followed suit as did that treacherous pervert Grand Maester Pycelle, who was more than happy to sell Tyrion up the river after he was imprisoned in season two. The more shocking testimony came from Lord Varys, who expressed time after time how important Tyrion was to the future of Westeros, but also made it clear earlier this year that lying or keeping things from the crown was the only sure way to end up with your head on a pike. So instead of speaking to Tyrion’s greatest virtues, he instead extolled his shortcomings and vitriolic relationship with King Joffrey.

Only Prince Oberyn of the House Martell seems to be seeing through this smoke shade of hypocrisy while looking at each witness and spotting revenge in their words, not any kind of hope for actual justice. He’s outweighed by both Tywin and his new lap dog Mace Tyrell, but it’s clear Oberyn is well aware of who’s guilty in this trial and who is not.

Just as everything was already painstakingly dark, the real hurt set in when Shae appeared out of nowhere and testified against her former lover. Just like when he first fell in love and married a girl only to find out she was a whore bought and paid for by his brother, Tyrion sat saddened as his former lover lied over and over again about the planning and execution of this plot to kill King Joffrey by the imp and his wife, Sansa Stark. Tyrion could only muster the simple plea to Shae saying ‘please don’t’ but it was too late. She was bought and paid for while also striking back at Tyrion after he sent her away while only looking out for her own well being.

The stage was set by his brother Jamie knowing that the court would obviously find Tyrion guilty (as the plan had been made all along), but that he would beg for mercy and Tywin would sentence him to the Night’s Watch, where he would live out the rest of his days while Jamie took over as the Lord of Casterly Rock and became the rightful heir to the Lannister name. Even when Tywin tried to pretend that this was a legitimate trial because Tyrion killed Joffrey, Jamie reminded him ever so kindly that he once slayed a king, yet still here he stands.

Unfortunately, it was Shae’s appearance as she spewed out a barrel full of lies that forced Tyrion’s hand in the trial. He lashed out and told the people of King’s Landing where they would be right now if not for his actions at the Battle of Blackwater Bay. He screamed once again that he didn’t lift a finger to murder Joffrey, but the fact is the kingdom is better off with him dead. Following all of his chest puffing and the Emmy slinging performance was done, Tyrion demanded the only thing left to either ensure he’s free or dead was to ask for a trial by combat. He did the same when appearing before Lysa Arryn in season one, knowing full well that he wasn’t going to get a fair trial there either, but now he rolls the dice with his life once again.

Something tells me that Tyrion doesn’t want to die, but he no longer has any fear of it. Tyrion saw what happened when Ned Stark opted for a similar judgment when trusting that the right thing would be done when he asked for mercy and within minutes the court was painted with his blood. It seems Tyrion would rather let steel clashing with steel decide whether he lives or dies because at least then he has a fighting chance.

A Kingdom for a Pot of Gold

If there’s one king who has been beaten down more than most it’s Stannis Baratheon. Sure, by the letter of the law he’s the one who should be seated on the Iron Throne, but even his younger brother Renly thought he was such a schmuck that he wouldn’t even call him king when their sibling Robert died. Stannis’ last attempt to gain control of Westeros ended with all but 32 of his ships and 4000 of his men buried at the bottom of Blackwater Bay. So for the past few months, Stannis has sat with his tail between his legs, toiling away at Dragonstone, staring at a table crafted by a Targaryen while wondering how did this all go so wrong.

Stannis should be thanking his lucky stars that Ser Davos Seaworth is actually a good and loyal servant who wants nothing more than this king to finally wear his crown. He came up with the idea a few weeks back of reaching out to the Iron Bank of Braavos in hopes that they were finally fed up with a laundry list of IOU notes from King’s Landing promising repayment for a war they helped to win with their funding. The Iron Bank quickly shoots down Stannis request because staring at him across the table with his sullen eyes and droopy complexion, he just carries the complexion of a loser.

Quickly defeated and denied, Stannis gives in and gets ready to walk away, but Ser Davos isn’t nearly ready to throw in the towel. He pleads with the council in Braavos to fund their mission to retake the Iron Throne, while reminding them with visual evidence of his lopped off digits that Stannis Baratheon is a man who truly ensures all debts are paid. He also reminds them that Tywin Lannister — the real power in Westeros — can’t live forever and with a bastard child on the throne, a one-handed son unwilling to sire children he can actually call his own, and an imp on trial for murder, the lions may not roar for much longer.

Moments later we see our favorite scurvy pirate Salladhor Saan, who joined Stannis’ cause in season two with the promise of riches and Cersei Lannister as a reward for his loyalty — along with a fleet of ships to help attack King’s Landing. Obviously that attempted failed miserably, but Ser Davos arrives with a new offer for his old friend. A pile of gold coins and supplies awaits Salladhor, which gives proof that the Iron Bank of Braavos has decided to back Stannis in his effort to retake the throne.

While this is all well and good, I’m still lost with whatever happened at the end of season three when he received the raven’s note from the Night’s Watch begging for help at the Wall, and Melisandre told him the real war would take place to the North. Since the beginning of this season, Stannis hasn’t mentioned a fence, much less the wall, and has mostly been one pillow short of a good emo cry for how he almost had it all and lost it in a sea of fire and bones. Call it Stannis Confessional — which is fine, but apparently the great threat to the North really wasn’t all that important after all.

Theon But Not Theon

Witnessing the complete dehumanization of Theon Greyjoy by way of the utter dismantling of his psyche courtesy of Ramsay Bolton has been a tough watch over the past season and a half, but the latest episode really showcased the kind of turmoil he’s gone through since being captured by Roose Bolton’s bastard son. Theon was mutilated and eventually castrated before he finally succumbed to Ramsay’s will by becoming his loyal servant named Reek. Whether it was a clean shave or giving up vital information, Reek has turned into Ramsay’s pet, which is why he sleeps with the dogs when he’s not out of the cage tending to his master.

Following an arduous journey across the sea, Yara Greyjoy finally arrived at the Dreadfort looking for her brother, but what she found there was only a shadow of the Theon she only got to know briefly when he returned home from Winterfell. This Theon, better known as Reek, was so frightened by the sheer prospect of freedom being dangled in front of his eyes like a bone, that he bit his way out of a release so that he could scurry back to the confines of his cage. Yara’s attempts to take her brother home failed, and as she left to go back to the Iron islands, she admitted that Theon Greyjoy was truly dead.

For his servitude and continued loyalty, Ramsay allowed Reek a real treat — a warm bath. Even when his master offered to sponge him clean, Theon trembled and quaked just waiting for Ramsay’s hand to come crashing down on his face instead of scrubbing away months worth of filth. But even the bath comes with a condition. Ramsay — now knowing even in the face of release that Theon was truly his loyal servant — decides to have him play a new role in a mission he has to complete for his own father’s approval. Theon has to become Theon again for at least a few days because it appears he’s going to once again be sent off in the name of his ruling lord to act on his behalf.

Remember, Moat Cailin currently sits with the Iron born laying siege to the castle, which cuts off Roose Bolton from his home and also from his true rule of the North. Ramsay has been charged with retrieving the land for his father, and now it appears he’ll use Reek aka Theon to reclaim it without drawing nearly as much blood as would seem necessary for such a task.

A Queen’s Work is Never Done

In Meereen, Daenerys is beginning her rule as queen, but this job isn’t as easy as conquering three slave cities ill equipped to battle her Unsullied and army of Second Sons. She now has to hear the requests of her citizens, and with more than 200 waiting in line there are a lot of questions that only she has answers to. The first comes from a goat farmer whose entire stock was burned down when one of Daenerys’ dragons decided to fire up the barbecue for a snack. Her decision is to pay the goat herder three times what the flock was worth as restitution.

The second visitor was a man named Hizdahr zo Loraq and he comes from Meereen royalty because his father was one of the masters who helped rule the city before they were all crucified and left up as a reminder what crossing the queen will get you. His plea is simple — he wants to be able to bury his father and give him a proper burial. Despite the fact that his father apparently voted against the inhumane display of nailing children to crosses at each mile marker on the way into Meereen as a warning to Dany to stay away, the other masters overruled him and the deed was done. Now, his father sits rotting on a cross, a victim of the queen answering injustice with justice.

Daenerys takes her time in decided, but gives the man what he requests and allows him to bury his father in a proper way. She’s got a long list of people who need her help, but she may soon want to look to the west where another threat is looming.

It appears Daenerys’ exploits in conquering three slave cities and building an army of nearly 10,000 soldiers has finally landed on the radar of Tywin Lannister. The Lord hand gets all of the information he needs thanks to Lord Varys, who has spies rooted in deeper than ticks in every corner of the world, and hearing that she’s being advised by two knights (one of which includes Lord Friendzone, who used to spy on here for the king in Westeros) and the other being Barristan Selmy, a proud member of the Kingsguard who was dismissed unceremoniously when Joffrey first took his seat on the Iron Throne, doesn’t sit well with Tywin at all.

His plan to deal with Daenerys includes sending more of Varys’ little birds into the heart of Meereen before he tells Mace Tyrell to fetch the most dangerous weapon in his entire arsenal — a quill and paper.

You have to remember the kind of damage Tywin is capable of when just putting his words in written form. If you need a refresher just go back to season three, episode nine and see how the fate of Robb Stark, his wife, his mother and the entire army from the North were dealt with following Tywin’s last scribbling session. The Lord hand didn’t lift a sword or ride a horse into battle. He wrote names, made promises, maybe offered some gold, and in the end an entire kingdom was slaughtered. This time one can only tell the kind of madness he’ll unleash on Daenerys and her new kingdom with the letter he sends by way of Varys’ couriers.

It’s a Family Affair

For the first time in the history of ‘Game of Thrones’ not a single Stark appeared in this episode, and maybe that’s the precursor we should really be paying attention to when understanding who wins and who loses in this competition. The Starks were about truth and justice and now they are scattered to the wind, butchered and splintered with no hope of reconciliation. Daenerys says she answers injustice with justice, but in reality she’s still learning how to rule in a trial by fire. Meanwhile the Lannisters, for all their faults and misgivings, have continued to come away victorious through cunning, tactical planning and meticulous plotting.

But the house is slowly burning from the inside out. Tyrion will now risk his life on a trial by combat while Jamie looks on in dismay, hoping his brother makes it out alive. Cersei has nothing but ice in her heart and revenge flowing through her veins. Ser Davos pointed out very astutely that Tywin can’t live forever and the family that is currently sits as the king of the jungle will soon have to defend its territory. They say the Lannisters always pay their debts, but the bills are mounting and collection is coming due very soon.