Not brutal in a gory way, but emotionally tough (though 4.09 and 4.10 are SO MUCH TOUGHER OMG -- the ending is perfect and brilliant and utterly satisfying, and in some ways much less DOOM than you may be expecting by that point, but also heartrending).

(And now I can't wait to hear what you made of the start of S4! Except I have to go to bed. *g*)