The Baratheon rivalry ends, driving Catelyn to flee and Littlefinger to act. At Kings Landing, Tyrion's source alerts him to Joffrey's defence plan - and a mysterious secret weapon. Theon sails to the Stony Shore to prove he's worthy of being called Ironborn.
What I Liked:
As usual, it is impossible not to be impressed by the high-quality production value, as well as the meticulous attention to detail. Again, acting all around is solid.
While there are many characters and arcs to establish, it is truly remarkable how this show manages to balance them all out, giving each one an appropriate amount of screentime.
What I Disliked:
The shadow killing Renly is, to this point, the most far-fetched and ridiculous scene in this show. I am not a fan of the magical elements of late, removing the sense of realism this show has built, even in the fantasy genre.
Daenerys' storyline has been uninteresting up to this point. There is no sense of agency to any of her scenes, feeling more like filler when compared to the best storylines of this sophomore season.
Overall:
While still a good episode, this is perhaps the most flawed instalment in this fantastic show so far. However, one cannot deny that this has been a high-quality sophomore season to this point.
7/10
King Cadmium.