She told them outright: Your freedom is not mine to give.

Here we have a character who strives to do right by people, who seeks to build her kingdom with those who freely choose her rule, and who gives dignity to those who were abused.

Yes, it plays into a white stereotype with a motif we've seen all to often. I personally didn't catch those vibes here, though I immediately saw the correlation. I don't view a white person freeing all the darkies, I view it as a person was once herself subject to tyrannical rule freeing others as she had been freed.

Remember her brother? He once told her he'd let every Dothraki and their horses fuck her to get his crown before essentially selling her to a barbarian for an army. She's trying to earn her throne by proving herself *worthy* of such position, not merely holding on to a birthright like the entitled brat her brother was.

There's depth and thoughtfulness in this character freeing slaves that really doesn't justify being reduced to a basic Dances With Wolves, er, Dragons tale. Sure, we're all sick of *that* story, but this one has meat on it's bones.

Personally I loved this episode. Every scene increased my appetite for next season very well. A LOT happened. Is this not enough?

-Asha Greyjoy setting forth to rescue Theon?

-Joffrey reminding us how sadistic he is and getting sonned by his Hand and Treasurer- his grandfather and uncle, respectively?

-Jaime and Cersie reunion?

-Brans story about how the gods do not forgive harming a man while a guest in your home? For those who say they didn't address the red wedding, this was the first thing we saw.

-Arya prison shanking someone she hears mocking the murder of her brother and mother?

-Barratheon bastard gets set free?

-Everyone gets warned about the White Walkers?

-Jon returns to Castle Black?

-Roose understanding the weight of what they've done while Walder maintains his arrogant defiance to it?

The whole episode was a series of cliffhangers that wrapped up this season while setting up season 4 nicely. The dialogue was well written and biting in all the right places. I saw someone make mention of the Jamie and Cersie scene being "thrown in", but it was perfect. More was not needed, though it would have been nice. It's not as though we won't get to that story next year.

It was a satisfying end, really.