Margaery Tyrell

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Game of Thrones 4×05 – First Of His Name Review

Today’s lesson (adult) kids, is plan ahead. Game of Thrones has always delighted in seeing the best laid plans of Kings and men go awry. However sometimes, with enough know-how can-do cunning, your schemes will fall into place because you planted the seeds early and are a conniving son of a gun. The biggest reveal of “First of His Name” centered around one Littlefinger in a number of different pies from the get go- but where’s the kickback and when does the scheming end? Evidently it’s an ongoing endeavor. Something to keep one going.

But is scheming a better motivator than hate or vengeance? Motives, everyone has them. We’ve talked about how one’s motives can make or break a character, especially in a world where honourable intentions more often than not lead to your death. Just ask Ned Stark…or Robb. Oh wait.

Hate and a keen sense of justice/revenge fuels Arya, and this week in ‘The Hound Knows Best’ he clouts Arya over the head when she tries to stick him with the pointy end (Needle) and proceeds to tell her that her fancy footwork would be worth naught if confronted by someone whose will to win is stronger. The show pushes that idea at us like a street-corner drug dealer, the will to do anything is important and just having it is a damn gift. But what happens when others oppose it? What happens when your will comes up against anothers’? War, my dear. Conflict…everything that makes Game of Thrones such a cutt-throat environment. But what are the limits? Oberyn tells Cersei that they do not hurt little girls in Dorne, another dig at the fact that the Lannisters were involved in the murder of his sister and her children, and Cersei responds that little girls are hurt everywhere in the world.

Brienne seems to be suffering from an internal struggle, a little to do with ‘What To Do With My Unwanted Squire’ and a lot to do with ‘How The Bloody Hell Do I Find Sansa Stark?’. While Brienne and Pod’s scenes this episode were welcome, I didn’t particularly find them necessary beyond offering some comedic relief. Not that an episode with ample Hound and Arya time lack any comedic relief. Sure it’s undercut with moments of stoniness (when Arya says the last name on her list) but all in all the Hound and Arya’s segments never fail to give me a laugh or two.

Brann warging into Hodor (again) was awesome, except for the fact that Bran made Hodor kill a guy- sure Lock was ready to kill Bran but Hodor’s expression upon seeing the blood on his hands that fleeting impression of anguish- the confusion giving way to a the horror of realisation. Kristian Nairn does an impeccable job portraying our favourite gentle giant’s reaction and subsequent ‘compartmentalization’ as he hurries to cut Bran free at Bran’s orders. I like that this turn takes us closer to that moment where Bran and Jon’s paths almost cross but do not, it’s an interesting divergence from the book that Bran here is given the choice between reuniting with his brother and continuing on with the Reeds to his ‘destiny’. To find the three-eyed crow and that Weirwood tree, yes?

Favourite moment of the episode? Jon reunites with Ghost. After, you know, they kill all the mutineers.

This show is equal parts visually stunning and jarring, so many beautiful shots dispersed amongst harsh scenes of brutality.

 

The trailer sure did get me, I know Dany isn’t coming to King’s Landing any time soon but her putting the question forward about the possibility of taking it got me excited. And with the show, you never know. They’ve already, possibly, spoiled the bookreaders last week by introducing a character we only know in ‘myths and legends’. And throwing us some completely new-to-readers sequences and story-arcs so it wouldn’t surprise me too much if they change up Dany’s story even more than they already have. However Dany finally decides to do the responsible thing and ‘Do what Queens Do’ and rule. While Ser Jorah wonders how long before Daario gets his ins as he watches from the sidelines.

Until next week when we get to see Tyrion’s trial begin and YAAAAASSS YARA (Asha in the books) GREYJOY IS BACK TO BE A BADASSSSSS. KINGSMOOT KINGSMOOT KINGSMOOT. (We probably won’t get a Kingsmoot this early but at least she’s going to try to rescue her bro.)

Honourable Mentions:

- That scene where Lysa latches her face to Littlefinger practically screamed ‘He’s Just Not That Into You’.

- We’ve always known Lysa was crazy-cakes but wow. Interesting that they should have her reveal Littlefinger’s plot from the get go, but it gives us room for other dynamics I suppose.

- Poor Sansa, out of the pot and into the fire. So when does she find out that the person who’s just saved her, is likely to be the reason the majority of her family are dead?

- “Sister? Or Mother?” Margaery you are class, Cersei’s face though.

- The Reeds, putting it all on the line.

- Ramsay Snow you are a headcase but damn, looking forward to seeing more of you.

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Game of Thrones 4×03 – Breaker of Chains Review

GOT.CerseiTroubling episode, no? Well, more troubling than usual that is. Let’s talk about what transpired tonight on our favourite cutthroat show, Game of Thrones. Most of the episode consisted of the immediate aftermath of the Purple Wedding (a framed Tyrion, a Sansa on the run!) while the rest of it was spent playing catch-ups with some of our other favourites. Beware of SPOILERS.

‘Breaker of Chains’ sets us up for what is sure to be the trial of the century, preparing us for the far-reaching ramifications of Joffrey’s murder, interspersed with scenes of Dany at Slaver’s Bay, Arya and The Hound on their way to the Eyrie, Jon Snow, Samwell Tarly and Gilly at Castle Black- Littlefinger and- haha jokes, he’s no one’s favourite. Okay, maybe he’s someone’s favourite- but not mine.

But first thing’s first, should we get right into that scene? I think we should, because the fandom is split, I mean really split, about what occurred in the Sept between Jaime and Cersei. On one hand, this series has never shied away from using rape as a plot device, while it’s not pretty you should know what you’ve invested your time in, and on the other hand there’s a chance that something has been lost in the translation from the page to our screen that changed what occurred in the Sept from consensual sex to outright rape. As someone who sped-read through all five books in the span of a week after binge-watching the first season, yes it’s possible when you’re procrastinating, I won’t pretend to be an expert on the finer details. However having said that, this was one of the scenes that stuck in my mind for a bit after reading A Storm of Swords because of the ew factor. I mean, c’mon guys- nasty incest is already gross without the added factor of nasty rapey incest beside the corpse of your nasty inbred child in your world’s place of worship? Ya nasty.

In the book, the scene could be interpreted as consensual- although the fact that the chapter is told from Jaime’s POV kind of pulls that into question. All of the information that is given to us reflects his subjective perception of what’s going on, and upon a second/third glance at the scene, Cersei does also protest at the start in the scene on the page. So is it really consensual in the book? Portraying something completely from a particular character’s point of view is hard to do onscreen, the closest way to mimic the book’s format would be to have a voice-over narrating and that’s just all kinds of no, amiright? It could be that by simply taking what occurs at face value and translating it onto the scene, stripped of any internal focalisation, the show depicts a much more unbiased account of what went down in that Sept. Ya dig?

I don’t want to spend anymore time talking about it, because other things did happen in this episode, but I’m curious to see what others made of the scene other than the usual ‘ew, naaaasty incest again‘. I continue to lament Cersei’s lack of agency and how it’s informed the development of her character- and the continued perpetuation of the patriarchy and how shitty it is for women in Westeros. We’ve got fans yelling about how the Sept scene undoes Jaime’s development so far (losing a hand for saving Brienne from rape and all that jazz) but what of Cersei’s?

Say what you will about Cersei, but that woman loves her children. Her character is defined by the men around her, Cersei is the daughter of a power-hungry man who married her off to a drunkard that never really wanted her, and the female half of a twincestuous relationship- with the other half not hearing her say no on the occasions she does say no to nastiness- she hates her younger brother not just for his being a dwarf but for -in her eyes- killing their mother and perhaps one day bringing about her own demise. Not to mention the fact that she spawns a monster of a son- who by the very fact that he was male was given the power (if not the respect) she felt she deserved. She wants to be her father, but she can’t because she’s a woman. Oh to be a woman ‘of power’ in Westeros, huh? Kudos to Lena Headey for her performance. For someone who hasn’t read the books she sure can embody that haughty, crazily trying to make up for her complete lack of agency, ruthless and utterly protective of her children lioness rather well. Joffrey was a monster but, as I said last week, his death was a tragedy for someone- his mother.

Tywin, not too bothered by the death of his eldest grandson, merely points out to the next in line (the sweet-tempered Tommen) that he is the next in line and gives him a history lesson on what makes a good king- over Joffrey’s grave and in the face of his grieving mother. Cersei’s expression as they walk off is one of sad-realisation that her role, after everything she’s put in or sacrificed, is so reduced that she can’t even keep her children from dying or at the very least in her own care.

Someone, for whom Joffrey’s death was not a tragedy was the Queen of Thorns. While Margaery is unsettled by what she witnessed, further strengthening the idea for viewers that she wasn’t involved in her new husband’s early demise, the Queen of Thorns is quick to say what we we’re all thinking, “You may not have enjoyed watching him die, but you enjoyed it more than you would’ve been being married to him, I can promise you that.” Lady Olenna needs to be around to show me how to life like she does- and how to poison kings without any of the backlash.

It’s good to see Arya and the Hound doing well- and the Hound continually teaching Arya the facts of their hellish life. Even if it means smashing and stealing from a farmer and his daughter who did nothing but take them in and give them food- after Arya’s quick wits saw her easily lie to the poor man about the Hound being her father and fighting for the Tullys. Which brings me to a very important question that’s gnawed at me since the Red Wedding, what happened to the Blackfish? Catelyn’s uncle? I mean I know what happens to him in the books, sorta, but we haven’t heard a word about Arya’s baddass great uncle. If the larger theme of this episode is the idea of ‘survival of the fittest’, the Blackfish is sure to have survived the Red Wedding. The Hound really hammers the idea that the weak die and the strong survive into Arya’s head- reminding her that most of her family is without a head for thinking that their world was an honourable place where justice prevails and the good come out on top.

Closer to the wall we’re confronted with the danger of the Wildlings breach and what it means for those poor folk caught in the crossfire. Once again, the Wildlings are the fittest in this case and when those Thenns tell that young boy they’re going to consume his mother and father the idea that being part of ‘the fittest’ perhaps means losing most of your humanity. We get to see Jon Snow! And he’s showing some sound judgement in regards to how the Night’s Watch should approach the ‘Wildling Problem’. Seeing Ygritte exercising her right as a free woman was great, but man the brutal killing of innocent folk is always a difficult thing to watch.

Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones - Breaker of Chains

And finally Daenerys Targaryan, ending the episode with a bang. She catapults barrels full of broken slave collars, a symbolic move and one that should prove fruitful, working in her favour as she diplomatically navigates herself, again, into the position of the people’s champion- she has the eyebrow down pat. It doesn’t hurt that she is also a rousing orator and her champion, Daario, basically owned the slave masters of Meereen’s champion. Dany doesn’t use her dragons this time, choosing the simpler avenue- her words. For a young Queen who initially began with less agency than Cersei, she has become one of the main power holders of the show. Sure, it’s all the way across the Narrow Sea- but everyone knows that eventually Dany will find her way to Westeros. Eventually.

Honourable Mentions:

- Because I spent so much time up there on other things I didn’t get to discuss my favourite heartbreaking scene from the episode. Tyrion’s conversation with his squire, Podrick. You come away heartbroken and fearful- both for Tyrion and the most loyal squire in all of Westeros- because it’s just not fair, is it? I’m sorry, but if you didn’t feel anything during this scene you’re a monster. Because Pod not only tries to smuggle Tyrion all the things he refuses to betray him- thus putting a bulls-eye on his own back. Honour is a dangerous thing to have in Westeros, especially in King’s Landing.

- Ugh, Littlefinger returns. That slimey slimey man. Sure he saves Sansa- but why? Also, he knew what would occur at the wedding, because he had something to do with it? Why does he crush the necklace? Why have it given to her to take it, crush a stone and throw it down onto Dontos pin-cushioned corpse? Spoiler alert, I do believe the foreshadowing is strong in this one. Alayne Stone?
- “When it comes to love, I don’t choose sides.” Oberyn explaining bi-sexuality in less than ten words tho’. I will admit, while his seksi time scenes may be lulz- I feel it detracts from his overall baddassery. When Tywin interrupts to speak to Oberyn about poisons, serving as the third judge in Tyrion’s trial and whatnot you find that Oberyn’s poison backstory is really stripped down. There’s more to this Dornish man than seksii-times with both men and woman and his excellent wordplay- he founded his own sellsword company for Stranger’s sake. So here’s to the show giving us more bamf and less fudgery.
- Samwell and Gilly and little baby Sam join us, hi Cassie, this week. It’s understandable that Sam would be protective of Gilly- he’s a decent bloak if a bit of a dunce- so duncey everyone thinks he’s bullshitting about killing a Wight. However he just comes off as patronising and his efforts a bit in vain.
- BOOK SPOILERS AHOY! Seeing Gilly’s baby again makes me wonder, have they completely shafted the so-called Wildling Prince storyline? Mance Raydar’s wife, Dalla, his baby (the Wildling Prince) and Dalla’s hot sister Val are noticeably absent- both onscreen and unmentioned. It’s an odd choice considering the large part played by Val at the Wall, which involves the Wildling Prince- Gilly’s baby and the Red Woman and an eventual trip across the Narrow Sea.
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Game of Thrones 4×02 – The Lion and the Rose Review

PurpleWedding

Here’s the thing, the end of ‘The Lion and the Rose’ made me rather happy and yet somewhat sad. I won’t lie, there’s a certain satisfaction that comes with the sort of ending that the Purple Wedding (deemed so by the fans) provided us with this episode. Because as Joffrey started to really struggle, and you realise that David Benioff and D. B. Weiss had pulled the glorious Purple Wedding forward and you start to feel that each cringe you endured before this point in the episode may not have been felt in vain, there’s a triumphant swelling as you recall just how much you hate this kid with the power of Seven Hells. And yet, as Cersei’s tears rolled down her face and the brutal final wheeze squeezes itself out of Joffrey’s purple, red-splattered, lips- you get the sense that this is heartache even if it isn’t yours, the audience’s.

The episode could be summed up nicely by Melisandre’s words to princess Shireen, “There’s only one hell, princess, the one we live in now.” The episode is tied together by this idea that the world our characters live in has always been hell and that in order to move through it they need to make sacrifices. So many sacrifices, whether for self-preservation or at the expense of others; sacrifices must be made. Valar Morghulis and all that jazz. The very principle on which George R R Martin, who also penned this episode, has always seemed to operate.

We start with Bolton’s bastard, Ramsay Snow, and Reek- oh Theon. I’m still on the fence about the identity of Reek being known from the get go. But seeing as there’s no reading Theon’s thoughts and putting two and two together for that satisfactory ‘a-ha’ moment for television, one must make do. And Alfie Allen’s brokenness is so well portrayed that the sympathy you feel for Reek in the books manages to manifest from the moment you see him on the show with Ramsay Snow in the woods. “If you can make it out of the woods, youuuu win!” Iwan Rheon’s complete glee is unnerving and a little frightening in a way that Joff’s hateful spite never was.

Who’s that female psychopathic archer with Ramsay, hunting down some poor girl, in the woods? Her name’s Miranda and she’s petty, we know that. I suppose we’ll discover more about her in episodes to come. Seeing just how cowed Theon’s become makes you realise that he’s sacrificed his dignity and the bare minimum of what made him human, in order to survive. Theon has become Reek, Ramsay’s ‘plaything’ as Roose Bolton puts it. However Bolton is more annoyed than amused by Ramsay’s flaying and maiming of the heir Ironborn who hold Moat Cailin, the only thing standing in his way of total control of the North. Not realising that Bran, Rickon are still alive and would post the biggest threat to taking the North.

Bolton sending his rabid bastard after Bran and Rickon upon discovering via Reek (reek rhymes with speak) that they’re alive should serve to keep those lamenting the loss of one of our most unsympathetic characters- for the sake of having someone to hate for their complete lack of redeeming qualities- placated. I mean until we get more of The Mountain, anyway.

Lannister brotherly bonding, I’ve always liked Jaime and Tyrion’s relationship. Which will become so complicated after the end of this episode, because you know Cersei’s always hated her little brother but Jaime’s always seemed to be Tyrion’s advocate, no?

In any case, Tyrion’s toast to Jaime wins this week’s ‘straight up’ award. “A toast, to the Lannister children; The Dwarf, the Cripple and the Mother of Madness.” Followed up very closely by his response to Joffrey trying to make him take part in the dwarf farce, an uncomfortable scene on all fronts. It’s so obvious from everyone’s expressions that Joffrey as king was never going to be in anyone’s best interest. Kid was batshitcray. Margaery appeared to have the hardest time concealing her distaste for her new husband.

How about the subtle (not so subtle at all!) clues as to who could be responsible for the regicide. See below in the Honourable Spoilers section. Poor Tyrion, now he’s being framed for the murder of his nephew and boy-tyrant, I mean king.

When Joffrey seemingly accepted Tyrion’s gift I held my breath and waited. Didn’t have to wait long for him to use Tywin’s gift of a sword made of Valyrian steel (the other half of Ned Stark’s sword- Sansa totally noticed) to needlessly annihilate the history book gifted to him by his uncle and former betrothed. Trust the deplorable little git to rub it in her face even farther, “Every time I use [Widow’s Wail], it’ll be like cutting off Ned Stark’s head all over again.” Sophie Turner has mastered the art of masking anguish while simultaneously exuding it.

Tyrion trying to get Shae off safely, was heartbreaking. In the books it’s clear, when we discover what we discover, that Shae never really loved Tyrion. In the show, well. They really made us like her, didn’t they? I really just don’t want this character development to not have been in vain. There’s something about Bronn’s demeanour when he assures Tyrion that Shae got onto the boat that just screams ‘lies!’ However we’ve known from the get go that Bronn’s a sell-sword through and through, he goes where the money goes. I know it’s not fair to think he might have been paid a handsome amount of money to look the other way should Shae not have safely been put aboard the ship to Pentos- but well, this is Game of Thrones. We don’t cry for spiders, or whores. Oh I don’t know, I think I’d cry for Varys and Shae, especially show-Shae.

Stannis warning Selyse about punishing Shireen was probably one of my favourite parts of the show. “She’s my daughter, you will not strike her.” Because Selyse doesn’t seem to like their daughter very much. And if she can’t burn Shireen at the stake, she seems happy to have Melisandre speak with the princess, who’s understandably upset about her mother’s brother being burned alive. “My uncle, he was kind to me.” The Red woman’s attempts to manipulate the girl fail a bit. As she doesn’t readily, like her mother, accept the Red Woman’s explanations.

“Afterword they aren’t ash and bone.” Shireen even has some on-point comebacks in response to Melisandre comparing a mother’s love after the pain of childbirth to those people being sacrificed to R’hllor. There’s no denying that Melisandre has power, I mean we’ve seen her birth the creepiest man-shadow-baby.

Speaking of creepy power, it was good to see some warging! Even if it mean more sullen Bran. Sullen Bran is the worst, however you can’t help but sympathise with the kid. Lacking legs, food and safety why wouldn’t he want to lose himself in the body of a direwolf? How about that weirwood premonition! Methinks I know what, or who, is a’comin’! Look for me, beneath the tree. North. (West?)

As we move forward, non-readers beware that the death of one tyrant is only the beginning. There are no winners here. Well, unless you’re the Red Viper- with quips like his Cersei’s going to need some salve for them burns. Hopefully she’ll share with Jaime, who made the mistake of warning Loras, like Loras doesn’t already know, off of Cersei.
Until next week, friends of the realm. Here’s to hoping Sansa gets the hell out of dodge successfully and we discover who’s pulling Dontos’ strings. Joking, I know who it is, if you’re curious you’ll find the answer below.

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Honourable (Spoilery) Mentions:

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- In the book Jaime doesn’t make it back to Kings Landing before the Purple Wedding, am I right? I swear I remember because Cersei blames him for Joffrey’s death- saying it was his fault for not being their to protect their son and Jaime thinking he didn’t really like the kid all that much. I like that change, in the series, that the last two people to be cradling the little monster are his biological parents.

- Oh look, Sigur Ros- singing…The Rains of Castamere? Just any chance to pull that song back into syndication huh?

- Jaime training with his left-hand with Bronn, Tyrion’s bestie sell-sword. “He tells me you shit gold, just like your father.” Times like these I bet Jaime curses not being ambidextrous.

- Totally the Queen of Thorns doing! No doubt about it, she doesn’t want her grand daughter married to a psychopath, and there’s no way Margaery wasn’t aware. There’s a particular shot where we see Lady Olena intensely staring at Joffrey with his goblet of wine not too far from her at all. “War is war, but killing a man at a wedding, horrid. What sort of monster would do such a thing?”

- Methinks we’ll see Littlefinger next week, for some awkward interaction with his former obsession’s daughter for the rest of the season.

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Game of Thrones Renewed for Seasons 5 and 6!

HBO

HBO

Oh like we didn’t know Game of Thrones was going to be renewed for another season. But yay it’s been renewed for another two seasons!

Confetti it’s a PARADE!

Although there’s still no word on when we’ll see George R R Martin’s The Winds of Winter, the sixth book in the series. However if you need a fix, head over to his site where he keeps posting excerpts.

Okay fine, just one.

 

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Game of Thrones 4×01 - Two Swords Review

Oh hi- annnnnnd we’re back.

‘Two Swords’ is a premiere much like the others, a lot of back and forth between characters as we try to check in with almost every one of them- including any newcomers. And what wonderful newcomers they are. The episode manages to strike a balance between the different storylines, tying them all together through some overarching theme or plot that sometimes works and other times fall flat. In this instance we have a ding ding ding as we take a look at how the events of last season (and wars passed) have permeated the lives of those affected with ideas of revenge and reason being threaded throughout each plot-line.
But first, shall we have a quick rundown of where everyone’s at?

Well Tywin’s melted down a sword that don’t belong to him (Ned’s Ice) because Valyrian steel is hard to come by, okay? Tyrion’s being barraged by everyone for things his family have done while trying to do his diplomatic wizardry and keep peace with Dorne- via Dornish prince Oberyn Martell (helloooooo RED VIPER!) Which proves difficult, for good reason. Oberyn (Pedro Pascal) in all his sexiness has come a’seeking his own vengeance for the cold-blooded murder of his sister, Elia, and her children. Pascal plays Oberyn with just the right amount of sensuality and unrestrained rage which seems to be exactly what we didn’t know Oberyn needed. The Spanish accent is delightful.

Jaime’s trying to get his ins back with his twin while trying to reconcile his new-found sense of morality and his old life of twincest and not giving a damn- but Cersei is all ‘you took too long to get back to me even though you were captured’ and she’s now betrothed to Loras whom she calls a pillow-biter because everyone knows he was Renly’s buh-buh-buh-buh. Meanwhile Dany’s on her way to Meereen with her army of former-slave-Unsullied- fighting slavery and injustice every step of the way. Daario’s changed actors but he’s still trying to get his ins- while Ser Friend-Zone Jorah tries to warn Dany about her Dragons never ever being tamed and Dany -being all regal and shit- doesn’t curr one bit. Also they’ve chucked in a hint at Greyworm-Missandei which is weird but cute but sad because Greyworm’s a eunuch. Jon Snow’s alive but under Castle Black scrutiny because he’d previously been hanging out with them Wildlings- deep undercover a la DiCaprio’s character in The Departed- while the Wildlings continue to rally- even if they want to rip each other to shreds when it comes to other factions of Wildlings. Ew Thenns.

Margaery and her Grandmother have sass sessions and Margaery talks about how Joffrey would probably give her a necklace of sparrow heads which is hilarious and true. Jaime and Brienne have honour sessions that dissolve into sass sessions- while Sansa’s accosted in the Godswood while notpraying by drunken former-Ser-now-Fool Dontos she once saved. Speaking of blasts from the past remember Polliver? The douchebag who took Needle and then killed Lommy? Well Arya does and when she sees him again she bides her sweet time until she can exact her revenge in the best way possible. They’ve diverged from Book-Arya slightly (plot-wise) however there’s one thing about the younger Stark girl that prevails, her outright badassery.

And that’s what you missed on… Thrones.
Deciding to end with Arya and the Hound riding out toward the ravaged land on their way to sell Arya back to some kind of family member who’ll pay for her return, after we witness Arya sink further into mercenary-psyche territory, with Needle back in her possession is rather perfect. It’s nice that we end on a ‘win’ for Arya, but in the end it’s not really a ‘win’ for anyone is it? When the coolest girl in the series has been molded into a killer by her circumstances.
What ‘Two Swords’ shows us is that on one hand there’s winning battles and on the other there’s losing a small piece of what makes you human.
Although it also pulls that central theme of honour that’s gotten more than one character killed. Brienne is an honourable soul, she’s still trying to get justice for what happened to Renly- and will continue to try to get Sansa out safe and perhaps look for Arya, to keep her word to Catelyn Stark. All the while trying to help Jaime continue on the honour track- which can prove difficult when back in King’s landing- or anywhere in Westeros really. Decisions made in this series are difficult and frought with uncertainty.
This also manifests itself in Arya and Clegane’s strange relationship that yields some suspenseful moments where you wonder whether Arya’s going to make a break for it or not- however as she says so before the run-in with the Lannister men- she can’t survive without him at this point.
And to be honest, neither would we.
Honourable Mentions:
- That Thenn’s gonna want to tread lightly around Ygritte aye.
-No Stannis and Melisandre this episode- so none of that ‘Lord of Light’ nonsense that I love so much. We also didn’t get any Iron-born- do we get the Kingsmoot this season, does anyone know? No Bran or Hodor and so no wolf-warging or Reeds. The lack of Theon is comforting, slightly. Because seeing him will freak me out, I bet. Also, not ready to go in that direction- the Bolton bastard direction- the ‘reek reek rhymes with meek’ direction.
- Nothing like a bunch of foreshadowing to start the season, am I right? Sansa mentioning her mother’s throat slashing and where she’s dumped, Arya’s every move foreshadowing her eventual fate, Dany’s interactions with her dragons perhaps telling of the direction in which her relationship with her ‘children’ will develop and evolve along with their temperament and size.
- Until next week! Where it looks like we’ll be getting ALL of what I’ve said was left out this episode AND a wedding!

BOOK SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT! DON’T SAY I DIDN’T WARN YA!

In New Zealand we brought down a big statue of Joffrey today, by tweeting using the hashtag #bringdowntheking, we were pretty chuffed about it. As you can see. The more we see Joffrey alive the more I want to fast forward to the Purple Wedding- but all in good time I suppose.

It’s also probably not what I want to rush into especially considering what follows the Purple Wedding. Because it’s not an all-round fun time for one of my favourite characters. I do see how the show-runners are building up to the point that we’re waiting for in Tyrion and Shae’s relationship- and where it converges with Tywin. I remember last season hating how much the show was making me like Shae, they’d taken quite a bit of liberties with her portrayal, so much so that how her storyline ends in the book would not have been a sufficient way for her to end in the show. I do believe they’re starting to work on changing peoples’ perceptions- however it’ll take more time. Which, incidentally we have.
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Arya’s still with the Hound, but at this point he should be mortally wounded but he isn’t. They’re gonna stick together for the duration of this season aren’t they? She’s gotta be on a boat to Braavos soon- for her destiny awaits. Also, we have not seen her warg in her dreams like Bran does yet. Gawd, will she EVER see Nymeria again?! It’s interesting how in the book Arya doesn’t kill Polliver herself, I like how they’ve deviated in this regard.
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Oberyn mentions Rhaegar falling for another woman, could this be talk of Lyanna? Her abduction triggered the war- but was it an abduction? Because the moment Oberyn mentioned his sister being slighted for another woman I thought about Rhaegar crowning Lyanna the queen of love and beauty at Harrenhal while his wife (Elia) was RIGHT THERE. Could this be more foreshadowing of the reveal of a huge series mystery… Jon Snow’s parentage?
Leave a comment Posted on by Mata A Song of Ice and Fire, Game of Thrones, TV Talk

Game of Thrones Season 4 Trailer…Sneak Peek

We get a full trailer in two days, but in the mean time the Game of Thrones marketing team have utilised their Vine page to give us some sneak peeks of the trailer.

Awkward, they won’t embed for us. Well here’s a link to the HBO Vine.

Although everything is under 30 seconds it’s enough for us to be completely amped for the trailer. What are you most looking forward to? For me it may be the Red Viper. Gah, Oberyn Martell! Who’ll be played by Pedro Pascal.

I am Oberyn Martell, a Prince of Dorne. Princess Elia was my sister, Princess Elia of Dorne. You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children. You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children. You raped her. You murdered her. You killed her children. I came to hear you confess. Now say her name.
Leave a comment Posted on by Mata Game of Thrones, TV Talk

Game of Thrones 3×01 - Valar Dohaeris Review

Valar Dohaeris, which of course means a whale’s vagina. I’m kidding, and if you didn’t catch that Anchorman reference then son of a bee sting what’s wrong with you!? Valar Dohaeris means All Men Must Serve in High Valyrian, which I suppose is a running theme for this episode, maybe even the entire show? All men… and women, hell even animals, must serve at some point. Who or what you serve can be your undoing or your survival. However I feel it isn’t just a character’s actions and loyalties at question here but their existence. In the Game of Thrones the idea of who you serve can have an impact on or is impacted by what purpose you serve. All men must also serve a purpose. Why do they even exist? Roslin, for example, it seems they’ve kept her around for more…exposition? Not sexposition- heh. I don’t know, remember when they gave us the drunken knight in season 2? SPOILER: he’s supposed to have a big part in getting Sansa out of King’s Landing in the books, however we’ve yet to see him since. They’ve changed it so that Sansa, from the get go, knows that Lord Baelish (however untrustworthy you the audience may find him) is behind her prison-break.

Dany’s dragons, (bit of a spoiler alert) enjoy that freedom, guys. Astapor and the unsullied. Am I happy with what I saw of the Unsullied? I suppose. Can’t wait for Dany to lose her shit. Already sick of what’s-his-face. WOO SER BARRISTAN!!! I liked how they portrayed the assassination attempt on Dany’s life by those pesky Warlocks. Just because they want the D. D for Dragons.

Margaery Tyrell. Seeing some Tyrell love after today’s episode. Just remember, she’s a hardball player. She knows what she’s doing. Politically, she’s got her head in the game and I like that it’s more overt in the TV series.

Joffrey’s cowardice is such a great feature. I wonder, did Joff turn out the way he did because he came after Cersei killing off Robert’s true heir? I mean, his siblings are a lot more sympathetic.

Speaking of sympathetic characters, my poor Tyrion. Sidenote: I always love a good banter between Cersei and Tyrion because he’s got the wits but she’s got the haughty bitch quips.

Oooh BURRRRN.

Right, Tyrion’s daddy issues, for good reason. Gawd Tywin’s such a douche- which is funny because (spoilers) you’ll find out if they don’t alter what happens to Tywin in the TV series. Speaking of possible outcomes, will Shae’s fate in the book series come to pass? I’ve found her characterisation on the TV show to be much more likeable than in the series so I don’t know how it’ll happen. Especially considering what happens in the book sort of fuels Tyrion to go full on rogue- well along with the events that occur at the Purple Wedding.

Review in the style of the TV show: I don’t like that Jon doesn’t have Ghost with him. Um, is there a reason? I actually can’t remember. Also, where is Mance’s missus and her hot sister? Robb, she’s your mother listen to Jeyne, wait that’s not Jeyne. Davos, you poor sod. Although I for one like that you stepped Melisandre out from the get go rather than tip toe around it. There was no Bran, Arya (and so no Gendry!), Jaime or Brienne this episode but I trust we get to see them in the next.

It was a tad hard to get a handle on this episode due to all the jumping about from character to character, location to location. I can only imagine how non-readers of the series would have felt. At least with the novel you could settle into a character a bit before the point of view changed again. However all in all I liked it, mostly because of the feels. Everyone’s susceptible to the feels and I know it’ll only get worse as the season progresses.

Special Mentions:

- You had one job, Sam Tarly, ONE JOB.
- I couldn’t help myself. The people of facebook are just way too easy!

- Now go watch the second episode’s trailer you crazy kids! HERE