海角大神

As the world of聽Game of Thrones聽becomes a larger and seemingly more diverse place, and as characters spread out, roaming great distances between locations worthy enough of being named and animated in the opening credits, it would seem that the spaces need to be joined by something, just to keep the series from becoming too disjointed. And so, as things progress, it becomes clear no matter how many miles are between this location or that, there is always a single driving notion that manages to unite them. Lately, that notion calls back to last season, when Petyr Baelish first mentioned the idea that聽鈥淐haos is a ladder,鈥�聽and then essentially adopted it as his own personal axiom; something to go along with the black mockingbird from which the episode gets its title.聽

In that sense, 鈥楳ockingbird鈥� is Petyr Baelish鈥檚 episode, even though Aidan Gillen only appears in the final moments, to ostensibly prove his maxim by speaking the utter truth one moment 鈥� yes, Robin鈥檚 mother should have smacked the moon door lust out of him years ago 鈥� and then, like flipping a switch, throws whatever good standing his previous sentiment earned him to the wind, by stealing a kiss from young Sansa, seemingly knowing it would provide him with the opportunity to shove his new bride Lysa from the moon door her obnoxious, snow castle-stomping son was so obsessed with.

Now that鈥檚聽not the move that a Stark would have made聽in their usually honor-bound way of acting in the world, but, then again, that may be why the Starks are an endangered species in Westeros. If anything, writers D.B. Weiss and David Benioff wisely used this episode to highlight the actions of Petyr Baelish because it was the moment in the season they wanted to illustrate that the world has seemingly been thrown into a state of imbalance, and how those who can manage chaos the way some can wield a sword are the first, and often times,聽the only ones who will survive, if not thrive.

Sure, the idea that聽the world is in utter disarray聽is a common one on the show, but every now and again it鈥檚 nice to see the writers demonstrate it, and then underline it as exquisitely as they did during the scene where Arya and the Hound come upon a dying man. The sight itself is nothing uncommon for聽Game of Thrones, but it is peppered with some of the best dialogue a consistently well-written show has seen in a while. It can be tricky to underline meaning the way Weiss and Benioff did, as the old, dying man talks about the way things used to be, and even explains to Arya why it is that he鈥檚 bothering to hold onto a life he knows is literally slipping through his fingers.

It is a poignant scene that segues into an even better one between Clegane and his young captive, but it plays out so memorably because, for a moment, it is just a conversation between three people. No one has a specific agenda 鈥揳 rarity for this show. The three of them are just talking their way around the idea of death 鈥� which Arya sums up by saying it is聽no better or worse than anything; it鈥檚 just nothing. And then things briefly turn chaotic once more, until the order of the moment is restored when Arya slays a man who threatened her in the past. The interchange between the Hound and Arya is incredibly well done, as it points out their understanding of the other 鈥� which is seen again when Arya tends to the Hound鈥檚 wounds after he regales her with the tale of why his face is burned 鈥� but it also emphasizes what the dying man was saying about there being no balance anymore.

And certainly, from the perspective of an old dying man of seemingly little importance, that notion may ring true. It may even be strengthened when the last two people he sees are a child honing her skills as a killer with the man planning to ransom her off. As unbalanced and chaotic as it may outwardly seem, the unlikely duo of Arya and the Hound have somehow made it work.

In fact, a great deal of what makes the episode work so well comes from the small ways individuals make meaning of the chaos or imbalance around them (deliberately or otherwise). Melisandre asks her聽鈥渜耻别别苍鈥�聽to fetch something for her while she bathes and then confesses her witchy potions are mostly tricks intended to deceive men and force them into thinking what she wants. Meanwhile, Jon Snow鈥檚 words of warning continue to go unheard at Castle Black. This again ties Jon鈥檚 thread in (thematically, at least) with Daenerys鈥� rule of Meereen, but it also works with what Petyr says to Sansa:聽鈥淚f you want to build a better home, first you must demolish the old one.鈥�聽Jon could simply let Mance鈥檚 army do what needs to be done, and聽raze Castle Black, and, if he survives, Jon can build a better one.

Allowing others to do what needs to be done, or cannot be done by one person calls to mind Tyrion鈥檚 predicament, and his inability to find a champion who will take on the Mountain for him. After Jaime and Bronn prove unsuitable or unwilling to handle the task,聽Tyrion鈥檚 unlikely champion聽winds up being Oberyn Martell. And, in聽Game of Thrones聽fashion, Oberyn鈥檚 motives are driven not by a desire to see an innocent man go free, but by a need for vengeance, a need to bring a little order to the chaos of his life.

Kevin Yeoman blogs at Screen Rant.