‘Game of Thrones' Breaking the Laws of Gods and Men

Faith is an interesting concept in the world of Game of Thrones. It is sometimes mentioned in loose terms by those discussing “the old gods and the new,” but the importance of having faith has really only been explored obliquely through characters like Melisandre, Stannis, Jaqen, and a handful of others. There’s certainly value in having faith in a religious sense – as Melisandre and Berric Dondarrion appear to have proven on more than one occasion – but what about those who have faith in another sense? What is the value in having faith in myths and legends, or, for the truly brave (and perhaps reckless), like Sansa or Ellaria and her Sand Snakes, future plans?

That seems to be the theme of ‘The Sons of the Harpy,’ which examines the idea of faith, from the fanatical to the guileless, by asking nearly every character to use faith in one way or another to their advantage. Jaime believes that his trip to Dorne with Bronn is the right thing to do for his niece. There’s an inflection in Jaime’s tone when he says the word “niece” that suggests he knows it’s hopeless for him to believe that Bronn is going to just let that one slide.

Bronn’s response is to repeat the word, but with a very pointed question mark tacked on to the end. Bronn’s inflection is more telling than someone simply buying into the gossip that Cersei’s three children are the product of an incestuous relationship; it implies that Jaime has been made considerably less dangerous after having his hand removed, and the Lannisters as a whole, especially in the wake of Tywin’s death, have lost a considerable amount of power. And with that loss of power comes the loss of any pretense of respect someone in Bronn’s position might grant a man like Jaime.

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