Lots of answers in one episode. Lots of emotional changes inside the characters. In my point of view I saw:
*Arya to try to split from the hound. Yet not strong enough, yet full of wrath. However the storyline keeps frozen, like in the books and it should be like that.
*Littlefinger / Sansa / Lysa: Lysa seems to me as one of the most distasteful characters (the actress is bringing her up in a fantastic way) in the world of Westeros. Her character made her kill her former husband. Her son Robin is a psychopath, if you look what he did with his gift. The scene with Sansa lying in her bed and hearing Lysa's love screams, which is absolutely identical to the storyline in the books, shows Sansa's new desperation. For Sansa it seems to have entered a new hell where absolutely no one can be trusted, if you see the conversation with Lysa and Sansa afterward. It seems to me that the directors of GoT shortened this story of the books to a reasonable degree. This short plot also shows that Sansa's character is about to change.
*Tommen as new king, who looks like a victim for the future as he will be "controlled" by all forces surrounding him.
*Margaery Tyrell the queen of many, who allies in a pact with vicious Cercei.
*Dany sticking to "rule" instead of conquest - sadly also her most exciting journey now ended. Actually I was sad that the takeover of Meereen was just presented in little 10 minutes. It was ~far~ more exciting in the books.
*Brienne and Pod on their start to travel - and yes it will be a ~long~ one and yes unfortunately I didn't enjoy their plot of loyalty, faith and honor in the books.
* The development in the north - Jon Snow attacking. Nothing else as expected.
As mentioned in earlier reviews I see this episode as turning point of GoT. It will be questionable whether the future plot of the books with the main characters of the future (like Brienne, Sam, Bran, Lysa, the Boltons etc.) can be presented in the fashion they did it with season 1 - 4.5.
My point here is that the main actors of seasons 1 - 4.5 key characters which were Eddard Stark, Cat Stark, Rob Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, Khal Drogo, Tywin Lannister, Shae, Varys, Robert Baratheon, the Greyjoys and even Ranley Baratheon did such a great performance that the new "setup" will have a very very hard time to match ~their~ performance. With the current actors I don't expect it as possible. I see this like a theater where the actors are changing, yet still continue to play the same story. It will be tough for the directors to get the future of the "Song of Ice and Fire" as attractive as its past. To be fair the actors of Sam, Brienne, Lysa, Ramsey, Pod might not have the "attraction" of the crew before. However I will keep watching and I hope for the best after Tyrion's trail.
Yet again the past got covered up, while the future just started.
For me still this episode deserves a top star rating!
*Arya to try to split from the hound. Yet not strong enough, yet full of wrath. However the storyline keeps frozen, like in the books and it should be like that.
*Littlefinger / Sansa / Lysa: Lysa seems to me as one of the most distasteful characters (the actress is bringing her up in a fantastic way) in the world of Westeros. Her character made her kill her former husband. Her son Robin is a psychopath, if you look what he did with his gift. The scene with Sansa lying in her bed and hearing Lysa's love screams, which is absolutely identical to the storyline in the books, shows Sansa's new desperation. For Sansa it seems to have entered a new hell where absolutely no one can be trusted, if you see the conversation with Lysa and Sansa afterward. It seems to me that the directors of GoT shortened this story of the books to a reasonable degree. This short plot also shows that Sansa's character is about to change.
*Tommen as new king, who looks like a victim for the future as he will be "controlled" by all forces surrounding him.
*Margaery Tyrell the queen of many, who allies in a pact with vicious Cercei.
*Dany sticking to "rule" instead of conquest - sadly also her most exciting journey now ended. Actually I was sad that the takeover of Meereen was just presented in little 10 minutes. It was ~far~ more exciting in the books.
*Brienne and Pod on their start to travel - and yes it will be a ~long~ one and yes unfortunately I didn't enjoy their plot of loyalty, faith and honor in the books.
* The development in the north - Jon Snow attacking. Nothing else as expected.
As mentioned in earlier reviews I see this episode as turning point of GoT. It will be questionable whether the future plot of the books with the main characters of the future (like Brienne, Sam, Bran, Lysa, the Boltons etc.) can be presented in the fashion they did it with season 1 - 4.5.
My point here is that the main actors of seasons 1 - 4.5 key characters which were Eddard Stark, Cat Stark, Rob Stark, Joffrey Baratheon, Khal Drogo, Tywin Lannister, Shae, Varys, Robert Baratheon, the Greyjoys and even Ranley Baratheon did such a great performance that the new "setup" will have a very very hard time to match ~their~ performance. With the current actors I don't expect it as possible. I see this like a theater where the actors are changing, yet still continue to play the same story. It will be tough for the directors to get the future of the "Song of Ice and Fire" as attractive as its past. To be fair the actors of Sam, Brienne, Lysa, Ramsey, Pod might not have the "attraction" of the crew before. However I will keep watching and I hope for the best after Tyrion's trail.
Yet again the past got covered up, while the future just started.
For me still this episode deserves a top star rating!