Game of Thrones - Scum and Villainy

I remarked to my colleagues at work that nearly every subplot in Oathkeeper seemed to feature some dirtbag, scumbag, or cretin. Awful behavior in Westeros is commonplace, of course, but it just seemed extra noteworthy in this episode.

Alliser Thorne of The Night's Watch, acting Lord Commander after Mormont was killed by NW mutineers, until a new one is "elected" makes it common practice to bully and diminish Jon Snow due to his relationship to Ned, commanding him to quit training fellows at Castle Black. Janos Slynt quietly convinces Thorne he should let volunteers go with him to Craster's Keep to kill the mutineers, as they think Jon will never return. Underestimating Jon remains their problem. Thorne's distaste for Jon, reminding him that Mormont is no longer around, isn't hid in the slightest. Oh, and Locke, entrusted by his Lord, Roose Bolton, to find and kill Starks, arrives and proves his fighting skills, volunteering to follow him to the wilding keep once occupied by Craster.

Speaking of the Keep, Karl Tanner seems to have ascended among his fellow mutineers as the leader, with a limited vocabulary with c-nt seemingly his favorite word. He loves to gulp ale from the cleaned skull of Lord Commander Jeor Mormont! /1/  Rast, equally as repulsive, reasons against a challenge offered by drunk and braggadocios Karl, despite verbal abuse and ridicule, emasculating and vicious. Rast even agrees to take the final son of Craster's outside to be removed by the White Walkers, as Karl is encouraged by the women they repeatedly rape and assault as an offering to appease their *gods*. The cute little baby weeping in fear quietens for a bit once carried by hands by the White Walkers to their own leader...The Night King. The sweet baby boy's eyes turn blue once The Night King fingernail brushes lightly against his face!

Of course, not just Oathkeeper should get all the credit for its company of scum. In Breaker of Chains, Giantsbane and Y'gritte with their wilding team are accompanied by Thenn cannibals who allow a boy, Olly, to go tell those at Castle Black his mother and father would be eaten by them! /1/ Styr is his name, not particularly well considered by Giantsbane. Y'gritte killed Olly's farmer father with an arrow to the head while the family was laughing and enjoying their day. Olly's mom got a quick bloodletting from Styr's curved blade. Just like that innocents unfortunately living too close to Castle Black are destroyed. Olly, obviously, wants revenge.

Samwell realizes that Gilly will not be safe at Castle Black, calling out each member's notorious crimes, many of which were rapes and assault. No place seems unoccupied without scum and villainy. Dragonstone certainly has its candidates. Davos criticized for letting Gendry go so he wouldn't be burned alive as Stannis laments their lack of army. Melisandre certainly doesn't hesitate at the chance to please her Lord through the burning of anyone that might serve as an advantage to Stannis' cause. No one is safe. Renly sure wasn't. How far will Stannis and Melisandre go? Is Shireen, Stannis' darling innocent daughter even safe? Davos could not read if it wasn't for her...






1_It reminded me that no matter what kind of honorable and / or respected man you might have been, reputable and of significance in rank or presence, or maybe just a family man with a simple life and farm without a real enemy at all, in Westeros or close or thereabouts, your end and afterward could be treated with no dignity, care, or respect. Because scum and villainy is of greater substance than integrity or true regard in Westeros. Maybe all of them should be victims of the Night King.

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