Mockingbird (TV)

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Mockingbird
Game of Thrones
Episode # Season 4, Episode 7
Airdate May 18, 2014
Director Alik Sakharov
Episode chronology
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"The Laws of Gods and Men" "The Mountain and the Viper"
List of Game of Thrones episodes

"Mockingbird" is the seventh episode of the fourth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 37th overall. The episode was written by David Bennioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Alik Sakharov. It aired on May 18, 2014.

Plot

At King’s Landing

In his cell, Tyrion and Jaime Lannister discuss Tyrion's refusal of admitting guilt and being send to the Wall. Tyrion tells Jaime that he couldn’t stand there and listen to Shae's lies, and that he had fallen in love with her.

Tyrion tells Jaime that the deal he had struck had been everything Tywin had ever wanted: Jaime as heir at Casterly Rock, Tyrion out of sight at the Wall. Tyrion claims that it felt good to take all of that from Tywin, as their father knows he is innocent, yet is willing to sacrifice Tyrion anyway. When Jaime says Tywin would sacrifice any of them, Tyrion counters that no matter what Jaime does – killing his king, sleeping with his sister, losing his hand – he will always be Tywin’s favourite.

They discuss Tyrion's trial by combat, and Jaime informs him he can't be his champion, as he is unable to fight properly with only his left hand. Tyrion points out the irony, that when Jaime dies fighting for Tyrion, Tywin's family name would disappear with a single sword stroke. Tyrion suggests that Bronn might be willing to fight for him, and asks Jaime to find him. When he asks Jaime who Cersei plans to ask as her champion, suggesting Ser Meryn Trant, Jaime is forced to tell him the truth.

Cersei approaches Ser Gregor Clegane, the “Mountain that Rides”, who is killing prisoners with his greatsword. She welcomes Gregor to the capital, and thanks him for arriving so quickly. Gregor asks who he will be fighting. When Cersei asks whether it matters, Gregor shakes his head.

Bronn visits Tyrion, dressed in new clothes. Tyrion had send for him days ago, but Bronn insists he has been busy. He has been betrothed to Lollys Stokeworth, and Tyrion guesses correctly that Cersei has arranged the match. Tyrion reminds Bronn that Lollys has an older sister, Falyse, who is forty, and Bronn counters by stating Falyse is barren. Bronn agrees that Falyse would inherit Stokeworth upon the death of her father – unless she dies before her father, in which case Lollys would inherit. Bronn reminds Tyrion that he had once stated that, should anyone ask Bronn to sell Tyrion out, he would double the price. Tyrion sarcastically asks whether Bronn wants two wives, or two castles, and states he can offer gold and gratitude. Bronn has gold, and can't buy anything with gratitude. A Lannister always pays his debts, but Cersei is a Lannister too. Tyrion suggests that he might one day rule the North as Sansa's husband, but Bronn finds too many uncertainties in the story. He admits fear for Gregor, and states that one misstep could be the death of him. He likes Tyrion, but likes himself more, and won’t fight for Tyrion. They say their farewells, and Bronn leaves. “I suppose I'll have to kill the Mountain myself. Won't that make for a great song?” Tyrion remarks.

Tyrion is later visited a third time, now by Prince Oberyn Martell, at night. When Tyrion remarks he had imagined Oberyn in the brothel at this hour, Oberyn tells him that he had spend some time with a beautiful blonde the other day: Cersei, who had confided in Oberyn how worried she was about Myrcella, and had tried to pretend she hadn't come to sway Oberyn against Tyrion. Oberyn remarks that Cersei might almost have believed it herself, revealing that it had been difficult for Cersei to hide her true intentions.

When Tyrion remarks how Cersei has been wanting Tyrion dead for quite some time, Oberyn tells him about the first time they had ever met: as children, when Oberyn and his sister had visited Casterly Rock when Tyrion had just been born. Oberyn hadn’t liked the trip, as everything had disappointed him, the women, the food, etc. Tyrion had been the biggest disappointment, he insists, as they had heard tales about the “monster” that had been born to Tywin during their entire voyage, giving a detailed description. Cersei had promised them she would show Tyrion, and together with Jaime, eventually she did. Oberyn states he hadn’t even tried to hide his disappointment, as Tyrion was not a monster, but just a baby. Cersei insisted to Oberyn that Tyrion had killed their mother, and assaulted Tyrion until Jaime stopped her. Cersei had even stated that Tyrion would die soon anyway, as everybody had been claiming that he should not have lived as long as he already had. Tyrion becomes emotional by the tale, stating that Cersei, sooner or later, always gets what she wants.

“And what about what I want?” asks Oberyn. He wants justice, but Tyrion informs him that King's Landing is the wrong place for that. Oberyn disagrees, as all those who have wronged him are right there. He intends to start with Gregor Clegane, and offers to be Tyrion's champion.

In the Riverlands

Arya Stark and Sandor Clegane approach a ransacked village. Hoping to find food, they enter, and find a dying man. When Sandor remarks that his wound won't be getting better, the man agrees. He asks for water, as dying has made him thirsty, and Sandor gives him some. He then stabs the man in his heart, and tells Arya that's how you kill a man. From behind, Biter jumps on top of him, biting him in his neck. Rorge is there as well, and when Sandor remarks that this is what happens when you tell the king to go fuck himself, Rorge reveals that Joffrey is dead, and that there is a price on Sandor's head. Arya recognizes Rorge, from Yoren's travel to the Wall. Sandor wonders whether Rorge is on Arya's list, but she explains that he can't be, as she never learnt his name. When he reveals it, she thanks him, and stabs him in the heart with Needle.

When Sandor later clumsily tends to his wound, Arya suggests that he burn the wound, to prevent infection. Sandor refuses fire, and when Arya approaches him with a burning branch, shrieks away. He tells her to shut up, and that nothing is worth this much trouble. He tells her how Gregor burned his face when he tought Sandor had stolen one of his toys. The pain was bad, the smell was worse, but worst of all was that it had been his own brother. Their father had protected Gregor, lying to cover up Gregor's involvement. Arya asks to be allowed to wash out the wound and help stitch it up, and he allows her to do so.

Meanwhile, Brienne and Pod are eating in an inn, where a boy called Hot Pie serves them their food. When Brienne compliments him, he joins their table, to explain how to find the right ingredients. He asks Brienne whether she is a knight, and reveals he's from King's Landing. Brienne states that they are looking for Sansa Stark, and Hot Pie, recognizing the name “Stark”, says he doesn't know anything. Brienne reveals the oath she made to Catelyn Stark, to bring Sansa and Arya home, but Hot Pie says nothing helpful.

When Brienne and Pod are preparing to leave the inn, Pod suggests that people would kill for money, and that it might be a bad idea to tell people they are looking for Sansa. Hot Pie approaches them, and tells them that he doesn't know Sansa, but met Arya. She had been heading north the last time he spoke to her, dressed as a boy by the name "Arry". He tells them that the Brotherhood had taken them, and had planned to sell Arya to her mother at Riverrun. He reveals that Sandor Clegane had also been a prisoner of the Brotherhood. He gives Brienne a bread in the shape of a direwolf, and asks her to give it to Arya when she finds her.

With Arya's mother and grandfather dead, and Walder Frey as the new lord of Riverrun, Pod suggests they go to the Eyrie, as Lysa Arryn is Arya's aunt, Catelyn's sister, and Arya's last living family member with money, who happens to hate Lannisters. While Pod reveals he is not certain about it, Brienne decides to trust his judgement anyway.

At the Wall

The rangers from the Night's Watch return from Craster's Keep, and Alliser Thorne addresses Jon, ordering him to lock Ghost away, as Castle Black is no place for "wild beasts". The Black Brothers gather, and Jon tells them what happened. Mance's army had been advancing the keep when they left, and will be at the Wall before the next full moon. He insists they need to prepare, but Thorne insists they have been preparing. Jon suggests sealing the tunnels, but that would prevent them ranging north. Thorne, angered when Grenn states they cannot hold the gates, reminds them that the Wall has stood for thousands of years, and that, in all that time, the tunnels have never been sealed. Jon insists that the gates won’t stop the giants. Thorne reminds Jon that he is a steward, and that it is the job of the builders to manage the tunnels. First Builder Othell Yarwick is asked whether he agrees with Jons plan, which he does not. Thorne orders both Jon and Sam to stand guard on top of the Wall, until the full moon, to the amusement of some of the brothers.

In Meereen

Daenerys Targaryen find Daario in her private rooms, to her surprise. He managed to sneak past the guards by climbing through her window. Giving her flowers, Daenerys tells him that, when she has need of him, she will summon him, and he shouldn't come on his own. He explains that he came to ask a favour. Daario tells her that he has two talents, fighting, and sleeping with women, and in Meereen, he can't pursue either. Daenerys states that the Second Sons have been ordered to patrol the streets, and that there are thousands of women in Meereen for Daario to persue. Daario tells her there is only one woman, but that she isn't interested. He begs to be send to war, to do what he does best. Dany instead focusses on Daario's other talent, and orders him to take off his clothes.

Daario bumps into Jorah when he leaves Daenerys's rooms the next morning, and informs him that she is in a good mood. Jorah does not approve, nor trust, Daario. Dany informs him she had ordered Daario and his Second Sons to go retake Yunkai. Jorah tells Dany that, without her there to rule, the master will simply wait until the Second Sons have left, and retake control over the city. Dany informs him that she has ordered Daario to kill all the masters, because they treated men like beasts, but Jorah tells her she is doing the exact same thing to them. The slaves she has freed, have only known brutality, and know nothing else. If she wants them to learn, she'll have to show them kindness.

Jorah reminds her he once sold men into slavery, and that he wouldn't have been here with her, had Eddard Stark done to him what Dany plans to do to the masters. Dany decides that Hizdahr zo Loraq will accompany the Second Sons as her embassador, to explain that they have a choice: live in the new world Dany is creating, or die in the old one. Dany orders Jorah to go tell Daario he has changed her mind regarding her previous orders.

At Dragonstone

Queen Selyse Florent visits Melisandre, who is enjoying a bath. Melisandre jokes to her that the Lord of Light had told her to enjoy her bath, as it would be the last in a long while. The joke goes over Selyse's head. Melisandre tells her that most jokes are lies, and that Selyse didn’t see it as she is devoted to the truth. Selyse suggests lies are best avoided, but Melisandre disagrees, telling her that most of her potions are lies, tricks she uses to convert men. A bit of deception to help convert them. She states she even has a potion which will drive men wild with lust. When asked if she used it on Stannis, Melisandre answers "no", but that Selyse shouldn't be upset. Selyse tells Melisandre that Stannis wants to bring Shireen along, and does not agree. Melisandre assures Selyse that it is impossible to leave Shireen behind, as the Lord of Light needs her.

In the Eyrie

Sansa Stark is wandering around the Eyrie's courtyards, which are covered in snow. She is building a snow castle of Winterfell, when Sweetrobin arrives. They speak of Winterfell and the Eyrie, and get along fine. Sweetrobin asks where the Moon Door is, and Sansa explains how Winterfell is down on the ground, not up in the mountains, which sounds dangerous to the young boy. Sweetrobin wonders what Sansa used to do with the people that she didn’t like, and tells her that, when they are married, they can both make anybody fly whom they don’t like. Sansa likes the sound of that, and agrees to add a Moon Door in her snow-Winterfell. Sweetrobin knocks over a tower and Sansa accuses him of ruining it, greatly angering the boy, who proceeds to break the remainder of the castle. This angers Sansa so much that she slaps him, causing him to run away. Petyr Baelish saw it, and tells her that Sansa doesn't have to worry about Lysa, and that he feels Robin could use some more disciplining. Sansa inquires as to why Petyr killed Joffrey, and he admits to her he loved Catelyn more than she could know. He muses about how he could have been her father, and tells Sansa she's more beautiful than Catelyn had ever been. He then proceeds to kiss her, which is witnessed by Lysa from afar.

Sansa is later summoned by Lysa, who explains some crude details about the Moon Door executions. Sansa thinks that Lysa is angry for her hitting Robin, but Lysa admits that she had seen her kissing Petyr, and holds Sansa over the Moon Door in anger. Petyr intervenes, telling Lysa to let Sansa go. Lysa breaks, screaming that Sansa, like Catelyn, will never love him, confessing how she has lied and killed for him. Petyr assures Lysa that he will send Sansa away, and Lysa pushes Sansa aside. Carefully, Petyr approaches Lysa, and holds her up, assuring her that there has been only one woman he ever loved – her sister – before he pushes her out of the Moon Door.

Production

Writing

"Mockingbird" was written by David Bennioff and D.B. Weiss, based on the original series by George R. R. Martin.

The episode is adapted from the following chapters from the A Song of Ice and Fire series: Tyrion V, Arya XII, Tyrion IX and Sansa VII from A Storm of Swords, Brienne IV, Brienne VI, Brienne VII from A Feast for Crows, Daenerys I and Daenerys VI from A Dance with Dragons.

Regular cast members

Fourteen out of twenty-six of the cast members for the fourth season appeared in this episode. Alfie Allen (Theon Greyjoy), Liam Cunningham (Davos Seaworth), Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister), Stephen Dillane (Stannis Baratheon), Natalie Dormer (Margaery Tyrell), Isaac Hempstead-Wright (Bran Stark), Conleth Hill (Varys), Kristofer Hivju (Tormund Giantsbane), Rose Leslie (Ygritte), Hannah Murray (Gilly), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Snow) and Sibel Kekilli (Shae) are not credited and do not appear in this episode.

Guest cast

References