Kill the Boy

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"Kill the Boy"
Game of Thrones episode
280px
Tyrion and Jorah sailing through the ruins of Valyria.
Episode no. Season 5
Episode 5
Directed by Jeremy Podeswa
Written by Bryan Cogman
Featured music Ramin Djawadi
Cinematography by Gregory Middleton
Editing by Crispin Green
Original air date May 10, 2015 (2015-05-10)
Running time 57 minutes
Guest actors
Episode chronology
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"Sons of the Harpy"		 Next →
"Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken"
Game of Thrones (season 5)
List of Game of Thrones episodes

"Kill the Boy" is the fifth episode of the fifth season of HBO's fantasy television series Game of Thrones, and the 45th overall. The episode was written by Bryan Cogman, and directed by Jeremy Podeswa.[1] It aired on May 10, 2015.[2]

Plot

In the North

Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) and Podrick (Daniel Portman) arrive at an inn not far from Winterfell. When their conversation is interrupted by a servant, Brienne speaks to him and determines he is still loyal to the Starks. She arranges for a message to be delivered to Sansa (Sophie Turner) that if she is ever in trouble, she should light a candle in Winterfell's highest tower, and help will arrive.

In Winterfell, Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) has a tense conversation with Myranda (Charlotte Hope) regarding her jealousy of Sansa and their impending marriage. Later, Myranda speaks with Sansa, and shows her to the kennels where Reek, formerly Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen), lives. At dinner, Ramsay forces Reek to apologize to Sansa for murdering Bran and Rickon, despite being aware that Reek did not kill them. Annoyed by Ramsay's petty cruelty, Roose (Michael McElhatton) announces that he and Walda (Elizabeth Webster) are expecting a child. Ramsay feels his claim as Roose's heir is threatened, but Roose later reassures him and asks for his support resisting King Stannis Baratheon's impending attack on Winterfell.

At the Wall

News of the events in Meereen reach Sam (John Bradley) and Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan). Aemon laments that he is Daenerys's only remaining relative, and that he is too old and sickly to help her. Jon (Kit Harington) arrives and speaks privately to Aemon, asking his advice with regards to gaining the wildlings as allies. Aemon tells Jon that he must "kill the boy and let the man be born," indicating that as Lord Commander, Jon must do what he feels is right.

Afterward, Jon meets with Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) and frees him. He offers to allow the wildlings to settle south of the wall, in return for an alliance with the Night's Watch. Tormund tells Jon that most of the wildlings have made their way to a settlement called Hardhome, and that in order to unite them and forge an alliance, Jon must accompany him to speak with them himself. When Jon presents his plan to his men, they reject it, citing the numerous brothers and innocents killed by the wildlings, including Jon's friends Grenn and Pyp, and Olly's entire village. Regardless, Jon decides to go forward with the plan.

In the library, Sam tells Gilly about how he had always wanted to become a Maester before joining the Night's Watch. Stannis (Stephen Dillane) then enters and asks Sam about dragonglass, which is capable of killing White Walkers. He mentions that Dragonstone has large supplies of dragonglass, and that Sam should continue researching the White Walkers' weaknesses. Later, Stannis tells Ser Davos (Liam Cunningham) that they will march toward Winterfell in the morning. Davos suggests waiting for Jon to come back with the wildlings, but Stannis wishes to march before winter arrives. He also decides to have Selyse (Tara Fitzgerald) and Shireen (Kerry Ingram) march with them, since he does not feel they will be safe at the Wall.

In Meereen

Though badly wounded in the battle with the Sons of the Harpy, Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson) has survived, and rests under the watchful eye of Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel). However, Ser Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney) has succumbed to his wounds. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) and Daario (Michiel Huisman) mourn Barristan in the Great Pyramid, and Daenerys orders the leaders of the great families of Meereen to be brought before her, including Hizdahr zo Loraq (Joel Fry). She has her dragons Viserion and Rhaegal burn and eat one of the leaders, and imprisons the others. Three days later, Grey Worm awakens and tells Missandei how he felt fear that he would never see her again; the two share a passionate kiss. Later, Daenerys consults Missandei on how to deal with the Sons of the Harpy, and Missandei points out that Daenerys has always had the ability to find solutions that nobody else could see. Inspired by Missandei's words, Daenerys meets with Hizdahr in his cell, and informs him that she will reopen the fighting pits, and that in order to make peace with the people of Meereen, she will marry him.

In Valyria

Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) deduces that Jorah (Iain Glen) is taking a shortcut through the ruins of Valyria. They see Drogon fly overhead before they are attacked by a group of stone men, victims of the leprosy-like disease greyscale, who have been turned feral by the disease. Tyrion is forced overboard but is saved from drowning by Jorah, and the two set camp on a small sandbar. Jorah leaves to gather firewood, and checking his wrist, finds the beginnings of a greyscale lesion.

Production

Writing

This episode was written by the series producer Bryan Cogman, and contains content from two of George R. R. Martin's novels, A Feast for Crows, Samwell I, and Samwell IV, and A Dance with Dragons, chapters Jon II, Jon III, Jon XI, Jon XIII, Reek III, Daenerys V, and Tyrion V.[3][4]

Reception

Television ratings

"Kill the Boy" was watched by an estimated 6.56 million American viewers during its first airing.[5] With Live+7 DVR viewing factored in, the episode had an overall rating of 9.35 million viewers, and a 5.0 in the 18-49 demographic.[6] In the United Kingdom, the episode was viewed by 2.220 million viewers, making it the highest-rated broadcast that week. It also received 0.130 million timeshift viewers.[7]

Critical reviews

"Kill the Boy" was received positively. Mike Hogan of Vanity Fair said that the creative team "just keeps cranking up the tension,"[8] while Joshua Yehl of IGN rated the episode 8.4/10 and wrote that the season "reaches its midway point with refreshed plot-lines and a rare moment of fantasy beauty."[9] Christopher Orr of The Atlantic called the episode "superb" and described it as "crisply written, directed and performed."[10] On Rotten Tomatoes, all 28 critic reviews collected were positive. The site gave the episode an average rating of 8.1/10.[11]

References

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External links

  1. REDIRECT Template:Game of Thrones and House of the Dragon episodes
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