Finally

"Finally" what?  We'll get to that.

Anyway, the second episode of the fourth season of Game Of Thrones, "The Lion And The Rose," written by George R. R. Martin himself, was pretty memorable.

We start at a hunt in a forest.  Turns out to be Ramsay Snow and his girlfriend, along with his servant Reek, the prince formerly known as Theon, chasing after a woman who made the girlfriend jealous.  She's brought down by an arrow and fed to the hounds.  You know, we get the idea that Ramsay Snow, in addition to being Roose Bolton's bastard, is just a bastard in general; still, at least it wasn't more torture of Theon, so I guess we should be happy it was something different.

At King's Landing Jaime and Tyrion dine. Been a while since we've seen them together.  Jaime is still sulking a bit, but wouldn't you if you were a great swordsman who lost his right hand?  He needs to practice with his left, but with whom?  If word gets out he's a novice how can he lead the King's Guard?  It's Bronn to the rescue.  Cross his palm with silver--or preferably gold--and he'll fight you and also keep it on the qt.

Over at Dreadfort (yes, it's Dreadfort, though I didn't know last week, where Ramsay keeps Theon) soft-speaking turncoat Roose Bolton drops by with his fat Frey wife and his nasty pet Locke.  He's not happy with his bastard.  Tywin made Roose guardian of the North, but what good is that if he still has to sneak in past the Greyjoys.  And now Snow has flayed Theon.  Boltons may enjoy flaying, but he's not much of a hostage now.  But Ramsay shows Reek will do anything now, including give out valuable information, like Bran and Rickon are still alive--can't have them still alive if you want to hold the North.  Maybe they're hiding with Jon Snow, who knows? (All bastards have such basic last names. Down in Dorne, we learn this episode, they're called Sand.) Roose tells Locke to chase down the kids and has Ramsay go with Reek to take back a castle or something from the Greyjoys.  If he does a good job, maybe he'll get to be a Bolton.

Back in King's Landing where most of this episode is set, Varys tells Tyrion that Shae has been discovered by Cersei, who'll soon tell Tywin.  And Varys won't lie about it when asked.

At the wedding breakfast, everyone's assembled and Joffrey, under the thumb of Tywin, seems to be on his best behavior, even graciously accepting a book from Uncle Tyrion. Then he gets that Valyrian steel sword we saw forged last week and he cuts loose, chopping up the book and once again, in case you forgot, proving what a dick he is.

Back in his chambers, Tyrion knows he must force Shae away or his uncle will hang her.  This time instead of trying to convince her she's in trouble, he acts the part of noble husband, saying he can't sleep with whores any more.  He has Bronn (who's pretty busy this episode) put her to a ship to Pentos (a city, not a mint) where she'll be provided for.  So she's off and out of the series? Somehow, I doubt it.

At Dragonstone, Melisandre is burning more people for the Lord Of Light, who apparently can't see well at night.  Stannis allows it, his wife loves it and Davos holds his tongue. At dinner, the queen fears for their disfigured daughter, who doesn't seem to get this new religion.  Melisandre visits her and tries to explain how the Lord Of Light works, but she's got to forget these Seven Gods. (They wouldn't dare burn that sweet girl, would they?  That's too much even for Game Of Thrones.)

Up north, Bran the warg is seeing things though his direwolf Summer.  Then he's awoken. Summer may be killing and eating a stag, but that doesn't nourish Bran's body.  He has Hodor carry him to a nearby tree with a face on it. He touches the tree and has visions, and when he comes to he knows where they have to go.  I thought he already knew where he had to go, but I guess he just knew they had to be north of the Wall. Now that they're there, he needs more specific directions.

Back in King's Landing, the wedding of Joffrey and Margaery takes place.  They grow up so fast.  Sansa may be married to Tyrion, but at least she escaped this.  A bit later Tywin complains about the extravagance, but Lady Olenna tells him to loosen up and enjoy life.

Then the massive reception. Everyone who's anyone is there.  Not that they're all thrilled.  There are a whole bunch of characters meeting up in interesting combinations.  Margaery gets to make her big announcement--the leftovers will be distributed to the poorest in the city.  It's good for the First Lady to have a project.

Jaime tells Loras he won't be marrying Cersei.  Actually, neither want this (though I'm still bothered Jaime has reverted to his season one character), but Loras has a good comeback--neither will you.

Lady Brienne presents herself. Still weird seeing this sworn enemy of all things Lannister in the middle of the celebration.  Cersei buttonholes her and thanks her for bringing back Jaime, but then gets a bit sharper.  She knows that Brienne loves Jaime.  Does Brienne?  I think she's conflicted, just like Jaime, who's watching the conversation from across the yard.

Cersei's on a hot streak and goes to see her favorite Maester, Pycelle. Well, he used to be--now she's into the more despicable Qyburn.  She sends Pycelle away to tell the kitchen to give the leftovers to the kennels--now that's the Cersei we know and love.  She's still not done.  She meets up with Tywin and they talk to Prince Oberyn and his wild gal Ellaria Sand.  They exchange barbed lines for a couple minutes and then move on.

Now Joffrey stands up and announces something important. He's bored with the entertainment so far, so he brings out five dwarfs to reenact the War Of The Five Kings. He certainly finds it funny, though some aren't so amused, especially Tyrion, not to mention others who lost dear ones in the war, such as Loras and Sansa.

As if that's not enough, Joffrey suggest Tyrion join in to see how he'll do, but the Imp refuses, and verbally jousts back.  Joffrey goes over and pours his wine over his uncle.  They had enough trouble at Tryion's wedding, but what will happen now?  Tyrion tries to be polite (and everyone else, even Tywin and Cersei, keep quiet), but Joffrey demands he be his cupbearer and refill his goblet. (Too bad Arya isn't there, since she'd know what to do.)

It's getting ugly when Margaery shouts that the pie is coming, one with four and twenty birds baked in.  This distracts everyone and Joffrey gets to cut it open with his new sword.  The new queen feeds him some pie, but he's not done.  Tyrion and Sansa hope to slip out quietly, but the King calls back his cupbearer, who pours him another round.  Then, as Joffrey's about to hurl another insult, he starts choking. It gets serious. Jaime, Tywin and Cersei rush over but it's too late.  The King is dead (long live who?  Tommen?).

In the madness, someone spirits Sansa away, saying, in effect, come with me if you want to live.  I didn't catch who it was.  But Cersei thinks she know who killed her son--Tyrion, of course, still fumbling with the goblet.  She has him arrested. But it doesn't seem to be him, so who?  Who'd want Joffrey dead, aside from most of the characters and every viewer. Perhaps Prince Oberyn, but more likely the Tyrells (who waited until after Margaery became Queen).

And we end on a shot of the dead Joffrey which will no doubt be a popular screen saver.  During the credits we get a mournful rendition of King's Landing's biggest hit, "The Rains Of Castamere." Fitting.

So that's the finally part.  Joffrey may have been the most loathed character ever on TV, and everyone has been wishing him dead almost from the start of season one.  Now their wishes have been granted, but what happens next?  After you get what you want you don't know what to do?  Whom should we hate now?

Tyrion is certainly in trouble, and Sansa better get away (along with Shae, or has she been captured already, or worse, will she foolishly return).  We'll find out next week, but all we know is Joffrey's dead--just like Melisandre said would happen, by the way--and, as we know, Westeros abhors a power vacuum.