My love-hate relationship with Book of the Stranger

It’s time for my weekly who/what to love and who/what to hate in Game of Thrones post. I feel like there’s not much diversity here, I mostly cheer for the same people and since they don’t really meet and affect each other, there are no changes in the force. Book of the Stranger included two wonderful scenes, but I’m a bit annoyed with the rest. This episode was the 4th, so we are almost halfway through the season and it still feels like they are just setting up.

I loved…

• I’m probably not the only one who was waiting for a Stark reunion for years… So that scene with Sansa and Jon made me all warm and fuzzy, smiling happily for a minute. Just to remind myself in the next one that it won’t last long. However, the whole thing was sweet, Sansa apologising about how awful she was to Jon - she really was one of the most annoying characters in the first seasons - and Jon saying, they are going to stay together. I also loved how strong Sansa became, figthing and living on her own terms. And the possibility of reuniting with Rickon as well - I’d say they deserve some happiness. Also, somebody needs to kill Ramsay.
  

• I’m not sure how good of a deal is Tyrion’s this time, but as usual, I loved the way he presented it. He is such an awesome strategist, I really appreciate his brains in a violent show like this. And he has the best jokes of course.
  

• Margaery’s sass - it’s a shame she is not really making any progress. She is one of the characters I like the most, so I feel like her potential is wasted. I know it’s an important storyline but maybe they could hurry up a bit? Now at least I’m interested in her next move - she would never let the sparrows win, but she loves Loras a lot…
  

• Cersei’s diplomacy is quite inspiring. She is just as good with her words as Tyrion - they were raised by the same people after all.
  

• Olenna Tyrell is also amongst my favourite people in the Seven Kingdoms - it’s a shame she doesn’t have more time on the screen. I was waiting for her and Cersei to join forces - as much as it is entertaining when they are facing each other in their little games, it’s gonna be interesting to see them on the same side.
  

• Dany! Finally! I was complaining about her storyline being too slow last week so I’m glad something finally happened. I haven’t read the books so it didn’t bother me that she wasn’t supposed to survive the burning alive thing twice. Mostly I was just really happy to see the badass Daenerys again.
  

This time I don’t know how to feel about Brienne. I’ve had this ambivalent relationship with her for a while because on one hand I’m all for the girlpower and I love how she wants everyone to treat her equally. But on the other hand I feel like she is trying to hard. These might not be the right words but she is so official all the time. Anyway that look on Tormund’s face was quite hilarious!

I hated…

• House Arryn - I never liked these guys. Robin is especially annoying and he is just getting worse and worse. And of course Petyr wants something again… He is the most disgustingly manipulative on this show. Although I love clever schemes and I know they often hurt people, this guy is just awful.
  

• The Yara and Theon reunion. I know there’s a lot of - in my personal oppinion not so interesting - history there but the way she handled the situation was not something I liked. I mean letting Theon off the hook only when he says he wants to help her shows how hungry for power she is. Not that that’s such a huge problem - let’s be honest, almost everyone in Westeros is fuelled by a desire for power - but still, I don’t like her all that much.
  

• Okay, Ramsay is always included in the hated section - because he is an awful monster. I love him though and as much as I want him killed, I’m going to miss him when that happens. He is the perfect example of the characters we love to hate. I was cheering for Osha but it would have been too easy. And he ate the apple with the same knife - so disgusting!
  

• No Bran?!