Game of Thrones: Sons of the Harpy, season 5 episode 4, review: 'scintillatingly high-octane'

Well, well, well. The Targaryens and the Lannisters are both in crisis. From East to West, it was all kicking off in episode four, and now the dragons and the lions are both staring into the abyss, their rulers separated from their all-important advisers and protectors. The previous episode's action got several plots spinning, but this time the pace accelerated with ferocious new characters, a sprinkling of sex, the start of two separate coups from spooky figures in long flowing robes, and good men dying horribly – in short, everything a Game of Thrones fan could want.

After a slow start to season five, episode four hurtled by in a flash, blows flying and swords blazing, with interesting power vacuums opening up all over the place. The best moments were the enormous street battles in Meereen, scenes thrown into bloody relief against understated scheming and sexual tension between Sansa and Littlefinger in gloomy caverns, the re-ignited bromance between Jaime and Bronn, and the ominous Sparrows seizing power in King’s Landing.

This episode was all about sheer virtuoso choreography. In Meeren, suddenly we were in the midst of a breathless action thriller as Daenerys’s two must trusted advisers, Grey Worm and Barristan, were apparently killed by the Sons of the Harpy. Daenerys was in serious trouble now, and her queenly decision-making was already on the shaky side. If they both really are dead, she might actually welcome the imminent arrival of Tyrion.

The fights were so scintillatingly high-octane that I half-expected Liam Neeson to show up with his very particular set of skills, clad in medieval armour and swinging Sons of the Harpy thither and yon. Not that we needed any more action heroes to make things explosive.

Apart from the dire situations facing the Lannister and Targaryen camps, the most interesting things about this episode were the religious storylines. Malevolent priestess Melisandre is getting more intriguing, and more powerful, with every episode. And the creepy Sparrows swept into King’s Landing on a fresh wave of fire and brimstone, like particularly horrifying extras from The Da Vinci Code.

You know nothing Jon Snow: but how does Melisandre know that Jon Snow knows nothing?

Confusingly sexy-but-evil Melisandre used her plentiful feminine attributes on Jon Snow to tempt his noble Night’s Watch mind towards all sorts of mystical filth, before dropping a plot bomb on us all by telling Jon Snow that he knows nothing. We’ve heard that before, of course. But how did Melisandre come to know this phrase? And why was she saying it now? Not only has Melisandre stolen Ygritte’s catchphrase, and in fact the last words she said before she died, but this recurring “You know nothing” business had better start to mean something soon.

Are Jaime and Bronn a match for the Sand Snakes?

In this episode we met the Sand Snakes, Oberyn Martell’s venomous-looking daughters who seem to have taken no small amount of fashion inspiration from Xena, Warrior Princess. They certainly looked handy with a weapon or two. But could they beat the dream team of Bronn and Jaime Lannister? Jaime is down to one hand, after all, and it’s been a while since we had a really major character death. Jaime should probably watch his step.

Or could Tommen be for the chop?

Tommen has seemingly no power at all against the High Sparrow, and rumours about his incestuous parentage are getting harder to ignore in King's Landing. Surely his days are numbered? Even Cersei seemed unconvinced that his rule was worth fighting for, half-heartedly telling him to stick up for himself before tucking into yet another vat of wine. Cersei used to be a magnificent figure of hatred, but now she’s just starting to look like the drunkest person at the party.

Was the Sansa/Littlefinger kiss Stockholm Syndrome or something more?

Finally Littlefinger’s plan for Sansa’s marriage was sketched out in more detail. The Starks may yet rise to power. Fine, but what did that kiss mean? Have Sansa and Littlefinger been secretly canoodling as they tramped across the North this whole time? And is Sansa’s fondness for Littlefinger the reason why she refused to go away with Brienne? Most importantly, why is she even interested in a slithery brothel owner with a hilarious wandering accent?