Game Of Thrones Recap: 12 Things You Learn Rewatching Season 5

10. Braavos Had So Much Potential (And Feels So Wasted)

Game Of Thrones Arya
HBO

Another storyline that felt like it had reams of potential was Arya heading to Braavos: the hope and freedom that was in the final moments of Season 4 as she sailed to this foreign land promised great things to come in Season 5.

Unfortunately, her storyline at the House of Black and White doesn't live up to that. The first mistake is taking the Jaqen of Season 2 - an undeniably cool character - and making him decidedly Not Jaqen. While that's always a factor in the character's mystique, he acts completely differently here, and it makes for a much worse storyline as a result. For a character being trained to be a deadly assassin, there's an awful lot of floor mopping and general boredom.

That's deliberate to a degree, since Arya herself is supposed to be frustrated with it - up to the point she kills Meryn Trant, which is indeed brilliant - but that itself shouldn't be boring to watch, especially when you know the end result is going to be her realising she is Arya Stark, not No One, after all. The Faceless Men are an ancient, powerful, and mysterious group, and seeing more of them fleshed out on the show should've been thrilling, but instead is mostly quite dull.

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NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far. A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.