Television Review: High Sparrow (Game of Thrones, S5x03, 2015)

High Sparrow (S5x03)

Airdate: 26 April 2015

Written by: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Directed by: Mark Mylod

Running Time: 60 minutes

The third episode of Game of Thrones’ fifth season, High Sparrow, continues the season’s trend of solid, deliberate plot advancement, delivering arguably one of the more devastating and depressing twists for a major character while also featuring some effective, if occasionally pedestrian, worldbuilding. Written by showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and marking the series directing debut of British television veteran Mark Mylod, the episode functions as a pivotal chess move, repositioning numerous pieces across the board with chilling consequences. While it expertly weaves together the sprawling narratives, as noted by critical consensus, it also exposes some of the series’ growing reliance on conventional television tropes and significant deviations from its source material that would later prove contentious.

The episode’s title refers to the ascendant force that reshapes politics in King’s Landing following the royal wedding. After Tommen Baratheon and Margaery Tyrell consummate their marriage—leaving the young king ecstatic at losing his virginity and Margaery finally able to satisfy her own needs after two unconsummated marriages—a new power dynamic crystallises. Margaery swiftly weaponises this intimacy, securing a firm grip over her husband, who gently suggests his mother, Cersei, might be happier at Casterly Rock. This leaves Cersei isolated and desperate for allies. Her opportunity arrives via the Sparrows, a radical religious movement whose members, including her cousin Lancel Lannister, storm Littlefinger’s brothel to catch the High Septon (Paul Bentley) engaging in a mock ritual with prostitutes dressed as the Seven. The Sparrows drag the naked High Septon through the streets, a brutal act of mob justice that he later complains about to Cersei. Rather than punish the Sparrows, Cersei shrewdly seeks out their leader, the eponymous High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce). In a significant adaptation choice, this meeting is far more polite and deferential than its book counterpart, where the Sparrows are more confrontational and seize power independently. Cersei hints at an alliance, positing that the Seven Kingdoms need both temporal government and spiritual guidance, thus setting in motion a fatal pact that will engulf the capital. This plot thread is the episode’s strongest piece of worldbuilding, deftly introducing a ‘Jesus-figure’ antagonist whose humble austerity masks a formidable political power.

Meanwhile, the episode delivers its most devastating narrative blow in the North. As Sansa Stark travels with Petyr Baelish, viewing Moat Cailin in the distance, she realises his plan: to bring her to Winterfell and marry her to the Boltons—the family whose leader, Roose, helped murder her brother and mother at the Red Wedding.This is a cold political ploy to forge an alliance between Littlefinger’s Vale and the Bolton-held North. Roose Bolton, wary of his sadistic son Ramsay’s cruelty and need for a legitimate claim, is desperate for a closer ally than the weakened Lannisters. The arrival at Winterfell is a bittersweet moment for Sansa, returning to a home now being rebuilt but occupied by her family’s butchers. The only faint comfort is an old servant woman (Stella McCluskey) who whispers “the North remembers,” a haunting promise of enduring Stark loyalty.The true horror, however, is reserved for the audience, who, unlike Sansa, know Ramsay is a monstrous sadist. This knowledge makes the betrothal a masterclass in dramatic irony and viewer dread, compounded by the hostile glare from Ramsay’s jealous lover, Myranda.This major twist, invented for the series, replaces the novels’ more elaborate scheme involving Jeyne Poole posing as Arya. Benioff and Weiss would later justify this departure by citing their desire to give actress Sophie Turner more substantial material, a decision that remains controversial for its brutal implications.

At Castle Black, Jon Snow faces the first serious test of his leadership as Lord Commander. Stannis Baratheon, preparing to march south due to supply shortages, once again tries to recruit him and leaves the wildling prisoners in the Night’s Watch’s care.Jon’s commitment to his oath is unwavering, but his authority is challenged by Ser Janos Slynt. When ordered to restore an abandoned castle on the Wall, Slynt refuses, sneering that he “won’t take orders from a bastard.” In a calm, decisive display of power, Jon has him arrested for insubordination and publicly beheads him in the courtyard, ignoring Slynt’s tearful pleas for mercy. This moment is a crucial turning point for Jon, highlighting the unexpected qualities of command, and it stands as one of the episode’s most starkly executed sequences.

In Braavos, Arya Stark begins her gruelling apprenticeship in the House of Black and White. Forced to work as a cleaner and subjected to abuse from a bigger, older girl known as the Waif (Faye Marsay), she is told by Jaqen H’ghar that to become “no one,” she must discard all her worldly belongings. She reluctantly throws her cherished possessions into the sea, including Needle, though she secretly hides the sword—a small act of defiance that preserves her identity. This segment, while necessary for her arc, feels somewhat pedestrian, consisting largely of mundane chores and cryptic dialogue that lacks the narrative momentum of other storylines.

Across the Narrow Sea, Tyrion Lannister and Varys arrive in Volantis. Tired of confinement, Tyrion ventures onto the famous Long Bridge, where he witnesses a Red Priestess (Rila Fukushima) preaching support for Daenerys Targaryen. Later, in a brothel, Tyrion is recognised and captured by the exiled knight Ser Jorah Mormont, who declares he will take him to “the queen.” This cliffhanger is arguably too convenient and ambiguous, leaving the audience to wonder whether Jorah intends to deliver Tyrion to Cersei as a trophy or to Daenerys as a gift. The CGI rendition of the Long Bridge, modelled on ancient Roman and medieval bridge settlements, also fails to impress visually, looking somewhat less substantial than previous location introductions.

From a production standpoint, Mark Mylod’s direction is solid, competently handling the episode’s multiple storylines and maintaining a steady, ominous pace. The casting additions are excellent, particularly Jonathan Pryce, who brings a quiet, unsettling sincerity to the High Sparrow. A notable, if salacious, piece of trivia is the dual appearance of British pornographic actress Samantha Bentley, who plays both the prostitute dressed as the Stranger in Littlefinger’s brothel and a prostitute dressed as Daenerys in the Volantis brothel—a subtle nod to the series’ penchant for meta-commentary through costume.

The episode also necessitated a significant age-up for Tommen Baratheon compared to the novels to make the consummation scene with Margaery palatable for audiences, another example of the show streamlining and altering source material for dramatic expediency.

High Sparrow is a structurally sound episode that advances key plots with grim efficiency. Its power derives from strong emotional moments: the chilling betrothal of Sansa, Jon Snow’s grim execution, and the ominous rise of the Faith.However, it is not without flaws. Arya’s Braavos storyline feels like a narrative placeholder, and Tyrion’s abduction relies on a contrived coincidence that reeks of conventional television plotting. Furthermore, while the adaptation changes serve to condense the story and elevate certain characters, they also begin to chart a course away from George R.R. Martin’s intricate tapestry, a divergence that would become more pronounced and divisive as the season progressed. As a piece of television, it is compelling and well-acted, but it also signals the beginning of the show’s more direct—and occasionally less nuanced—march towards its own conclusion.

RATING: 6/10 (++)

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