This episode rubbed me the right way, I certainly feel it upstaged the other aired episodes of season 4 so far. Positives: - Ser Pounce: All must pay their regards to the greatest of knights, champion of the Kingsguard. So glad they included him after all! - Sansa foreshadowing: Littlefinger's explanation of power and motives were an excellent inclination that Sansa may be joining the game in a powerful way, which I feel could be a much needed factor in regards to the events of Winds (Sansa choosing to support a potential claimant to the Iron Throne.) - Bran and co: I actually think their new arc is an interesting and engaging addition to the story. All these plotlines converging at Craster's will certainly make a very unique fifth episode, and in regards to people complaining about "filler material," it does seem preferable to Bran not appearing/walking North for multiple episodes. - Something Other: Much like the scene at Craster's prior, this one really reinvigorated that old sense of surprise from reading the books. The look into the Land of Always Winter was fascinating; beautiful and mysterious, but laced with a certain atmosphere of foreboding. If anything, this scene just left me with more questions about the Others, so the payoff worked out. - Margaery/Tommen: Their dynamic could certainly become interesting. It'll be fun seeing the two queens become solid rivals so early. - Jaime/Brienne: Their relationship has changed completely in spectrum since season 2, and it's great seeing the influence they've both exerted on eachother. Negatives: - Meereen: Dany's takeover was too hurried; with all the action acenes this season, one would think they could allocate a little more budget to the actual slave revolt, and perhaps some shots of the damage caused. (That being said, the city of Meereen itself is gorgeous, and the great Targaryen flag shot offered a good precedent.) All around, ignoring minor nitpicks, Oathkeeper earns a solid 9/10 from me.
