Game of Thrones has this uncanny knack of having one character mirroring another character from another continent, from another family, from another season. 

Perhaps that’s the only way it gives the feeling that this mammoth cauldron of biryani is made from the same grain of rice. 

So, when Daenerys pronounces the death sentence for her ex-slave adviser, for killing the Sons of the Harpy member who was awaiting trial, and says, “The law is the law”, she sounds exactly like Eddard Stark, looks like Joffrey Baratheon and acts like her father Aerys “The Mad King” Targaryen. And like all of them, Dany seems to have made a huge strategic blunder by alienating the Meereen masses who hiss in unison against the public beheading of one of their own and then start hurling stones at their “Mhysa”.

On the road to Meereen are the short and the stout. Not much plot development in that coach there as Tyrion keeps drinking and Varys keeps advising. In a scene put in almost like an add-on, the show continues to stress upon the fact that they are two sides of the same coin. “People don’t follow us. They find us repulsive; we find them repulsive,” whispers the Master of Whisperers.

Former Master of Whisperers that is, as Cersei Lannister is busy creating a new Small Council in King’s Landing and she’s picked the creepy Lord Qyburn to slip into Varys’s robes. But Tywin’s brother Kevan refuses to join her “sycophant-stacked” council of puppets when Cersei wants the Commander of the Lannister Armies to serve as the Master of War. “You are the Queen Mother. Nothing more.”

Arya Stark, who missed out on the season premiere, has reached Braavos — a stunning setting snaked with canals, reminiscent of Venice — and her search for Jaqen H’ghar ends in The House of Black and White (also the name of the episode). She is initially denied entry — left at the door, reciting her refreshed revenge list (The Hound and Joffrey out; Walder Frey in) — but soon she is reunited with the Faceless Man, who promises to make her one of them! 

The other Stark girl, Sansa, is starting to enjoy the company — and the conspiracies — of “Uncle” Littlefinger. Or so it seems. At an inn they bump into Brienne and Podrick, where the wielder of the Oathkeeper expresses her wish to protect Sansa. Lord Baelish makes a point: “This woman swore to protect Renly; she failed. She swore to protect your mother; she failed.” He’s right and Sansa rejects the protection plan outright but Brienne, who is the only important character to know Arya is alive, decides to follow them anyway.

Perhaps the most crucial development of the second episode of the fifth season is the induction of Dorne into the Game of Thrones map. With old characters getting killed off in every episode, the show needs new Lords and Ladies to sustain. And both Ellaria Sand and Doran Martell have a reason to be around — to avenge the murder of her lover and his brother Oberyn. They seem to have very different modi operandi, though. 

While Ellaria, played by Indira Kama Sutra Varma, wants to send Myrcella Lannister’s (shipped to Dorne by the then Hand of King Tyrion) body parts — one finger at a time — to her mother Cersei, Prince Doran has his own code of rule: “We do not mutilate little girls for vengeance.” Either way, the Lannisters have clearly stoked fresh flames of revenge in an old enemy.

Cersei, of course, is not taking any chances. She sends Jaime to Dorne “on a sensitive diplomatic mission” to protect Myrcella but not before they have a very husband-wife domestic squabble. He: “I’m going to make things better.” She: “You’ve never made anything better.” Jaime is all Cersei’s got left and sending him away so far south might leave her at the mercy of “that smirking girl from Highgarden”, Margaery Tyrell, who is sure to control the throne post her marriage to King Tommen.

The other King — there are so many of them now — Stannis wants Jon Snow in Team Baratheon by making him a Stark! But the Bastard of Winterfell has Ned’s blood and he would rather honour his oath to the Old Gods and protect The Wall. Buddy Sam springs a surprise by nominating Jon as Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch and he does win by Maester Aemon’s tie-breaking vote.

A lot more happens in this episode compared to the season-opener. Jon Snow becoming the big boss of the Night’s Watch means The Wall, the Wildlings and the White Walkers will continue to play a big part. Brienne being rejected by both the Stark girls means she has to work from the outside to protect them. Arya’s new training programme promises a master assassin in the making. And the Lannister twins are separated once more thanks to the looming doom at Dorne. 
But the Mother of Dragons is clearly at her weakest as she receives a visitor in the closing scene. What does the visitor have in mind? How does Dany interpret the visitor’s action? Will that impact her next move? Well, the night is dark and full of terrors. 

Pratim D. Gupta
Episode 3 of GoT Season 5  airs on  April 27, 6.30am on HBO Defined