Game of Thrones' Season 4 is starting off remarkably strong, since the second episodes are usually the weakest, relying more on build up for the climaxes that will come later on in the season. But "The Lion and the Rose" ends with one of the most shocking moments in the series to date, and Season 4 is just getting started. MAJOR SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT.
As you might guess by the title, the main focus of "The Lion and the Rose" is the wedding of Joffrey and Margaery. The show does a fantastic job of showing just how obscenely decadent the wedding reception is, and Joffrey succeeds at being just as hateable as ever, including destroying one of the most valuable books in existence for his own amusement.
Episode 2 also brings us up to speed with Bran, Stannis and Theon's arcs. Theon, now nothing but a slave for Ramsay Bolton, is shown hobbling after his master, who is hunting down a young woman for his own amusement. Iwan Rheon does a fantastic job of showing us just how mad and sadistic Ramsay truly is, and the scenes at the Dreadfort are very well acted. Michael McElhatton returns from the Red Wedding with a new, plump wife and the scenes between him, Ramsay and Theon (or should we say Reek) bring out some of the most solid acting of the season so far. I didn't think it was possible for there to be a more insane family than the Freys or the Lannisters, but the Boltons seem to be vying for that title as well.
Bran and Stannis' arcs are somewhat boring, but at this point we're just being brought up to speed with where they are at this point. Bran's visions prove interesting, but his scenes are where the episode lacks the most.
The rest of the Lion and the Rose focuses on the royal wedding, which consists of about half the episode. The production values are fantastic, and you could really tell that a lot of money was spent on the wedding ceremony. There is some excellent exposition with several characters, who we haven't really seen interact with one another much. Pedro Pascal continues to impress with during his rather hostile conversation with Tywin and Cersei and Diana Rigg amuses with her sarcastic one liners. Natalie Dormer and Peter Dinklage are also quite strong in this episode, especially Dinklage, who we're all still secretly rooting for.
But Lena Heady and Jack Gleeson are the true stars of the episode. Jack Gleeson has one last hoorah as the sadistic and petulant boy king Joffrey, who effectively manages to offend almost all of his wedding guests. But our distaste for Joffrey quickly turns to joy when we realize that his wine has been poisoned, and what follows is easily one of the more grotesque death scenes in the series. I must commend the makeup department for the spectacular job they did, because Joffrey's face looked truly horrifying as he died. It almost made me feel sorry for him, almost. And Lena Heady is spectacular, showing a fantastic combination of anger and sadness as her eldest son dies in her arms.
The episode closes with Cersei screaming at her guards in anger, ordering them to seize Tyrion, who she believes poisoned Joffrey. The final shot is of Joffrey's grey, lifeless face, with blood and vomit trickling down the sides, and a cold cut to black with Sigur Ros' cover of the "Rains of Castamere" playing. A great parallel to the Red Wedding, and one of Game of Thrones' most solid episodes. 10/10
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