‘Game of Thrones’ #ForTheThrone Countdown: “And Now His Watch Is Ended” (S3E4)

Previous Episode: “Walk of Punishment”

 

Episode: “And Now His Watch is Ended” (Season 3 Episode 4)

Original Air Date: April 21, 2013

Director: Alex Graves

 

Plot (via HBO)

The Night’s Watch takes stock. Dany exchanges a chain for a whip.

 

Best Moment: Daenerys frees the Unsullied

After an episode where Jaime loses his hand in one of the more shocking moments of the series, “And Now His Watch is Ended” raises the stakes with Lord Commander Mormont’s death and The Hound’s confrontation with The Brotherhood without Banners, but those moments both pale in comparison to the ending. The viewer doesn’t know what Daenerys is planning when she sells Drogon to Kraznys mo Nakloz in exchange for the Unsullied, but we quickly find out when she says the intimidating command (“Dracarys!”) following a reveal of her knowing what the slave master was saying the entire time when he was insulting her, as High Valyrian is her mother tongue. After the Unsullied kill the slave masters, she earns their loyalty by giving her new army a choice to fight for her as free men, which they do, and not because of the dragons, but because of the Mother of Dragons herself.

 

Best Quote

“My real father lost his head at King’s Landing. I made a choice… and I chose wrong.” – Theon Greyjoy about Ned Stark

 

Trivia (via IMDb)

Emilia Clarke’s performance in this episode got her a nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in the 65th Primetime Emmy Awards.

 

Character Deaths

-Bannen

-Craster

-Jeor Mormont

-Kraznys mo Nakloz

-Griezhen mo Ullhor

 

MVP: Daenerys Targeryen

It’s easy to see Daenerys making strides in her quest to take back the Iron Throne as she works her way to Westeros, but this was the best look yet at her power yet. Despite the dragons not being close to full size, they are still basically the Game of Thrones equivalent to weapons of mass destruction, and Dany has no problem using them to kill slave masters or other evilness that stands in her way. Also, she suddenly has an army that will fight for her out of love because she freed them, not because they are forced to. The Mother of Dragons might be ruthless, but her charisma makes her allies happy that they’re allies.

 

#ForTheThrone Moment: Daenerys gets her army

Daenerys was the big winner of “And Now His Watch Is Ended”, delivering one of her trademark moments showing she’s a worthy ruler of Westeros. Khaleesi now had her army—and a very good one of highly-trained Unsullied—to eventually help take the Iron Throne, and most importantly the army wanted to fight for her as free men after being given a choice. Dany isn’t shy to use “Dracarys” and her dragons if it means helping people or strengthening her position for the Throne.

 

Inside The Episode