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Game of Thrones – Episode 50

Jun19

MelisandreShow: Game of Thrones

Genre: Fantasy

Watched: Episode 50 – June 14, 2015

Title: Mother’s Mercy

Summary: Grim but great

ANY CHARACTER HERE

NOTE: SERIOUS SPOILER WARNING. This review/discussion contains tons of spoilers about the episode and even ones crossing over from the books. It’s really my free-for-all musing given all the information at my disposal.

Stannis – We start our series of thread wrap ups with Mr. Grim and and Grammar, Stannis. Things are thawing at Camp Snowbound, and Melisandre claims success in her murderous spells, but Stannis isn’t showing her any love. Still, he is a man on a mission and commands they march. But some officer informs him half the men have deserted and taken the horses with them. Another comes and leads him to the forest where they find his wife, the unlikeable Lady Selyse, who has hung herself. Obviously she isn’t as good at compartmentalization. He cuts her down but Melisandre is somehow realizing that she either misread the Lord of Light, or his divine brightness urgently wants her elsewhere, as she hops on a horse and gets out of town fast.

Later, Stannis’ ragtag remainder of an army marches up toward Winterfell. I guess it was right over the ridge as they supposedly had no food or horses. This is intercut rapidly with Brienne and Sansa’s threads, but I’ll leave the Love Luckless Stark’s for a second. But Pod notices the Stannis forces and runs to tell Brienne. They gather weapons.

Stannis orders up a siege, but he gets instead a big cavalry charge from the Boltons (presumably under the command of Ramsay). The horsemen surround and outflank his meager forces in a nice CGI maneuver and we are left with a few quick shots of this horrendous defeat. Oh, and in case we had any doubts that Ramsay was a sadistic scum, we see him torturing a few helpless Baratheon soldiers.

Stannis is fight off a few Bolton troops in the forest. He’s tough, so he kills them, but he takes a bad wound to the leg and slumps against a tree. Out of nowhere Brienne appears. Ready for revenge at last. She accuses him of using blood magic to kill his brother Renly, and Stannis, ever in character, admits it. Really this is just sad sad for Stannis. He’s made the most horrible sacrifice ever for what he wants, and it’s proved to be worse than useless. He’s done. When Brienne sentences him to death he almost welcomes it with another typical droll Stannis one-liner, “Go do you duty.” She swings the sword, but we are left without seeing the death itself. It’s enough to make us wonder.

This is all slightly advanced of the completely unclear bit in ADWD. Consistent though, even though Brienne has no part in the book version of those events. And it’s so grim and dark. Bad choices. And what the hell was the Red Lady’s game? Did she read things wrong? Or is this how she wanted to to play out?

Sansa – meanwhile has used the corkscrew (barrel tap or whatever) she snagged during Ramsay’s walk of horrors to pry open her door while Evil Bastard (literally) is away playing hide the sword in the back with Stannis. She sneaks all over the castle, avoiding looking anyone in the eye, takes note of the Broken Tower and climbs. But she runs afoul of Myranda, Reek, and a bad case of bow-pointed-at-face. Myranda is psyched, to get a little revenge in before taking her back to her room, and somehow this pushes Theon over the edge where watching Sansa get wife-raped does not. He knocks Myranda’s bow aside and tosses her down into the courtyard. She isn’t as lucky as Bran and there is a distinctly satisfying smack as she hits the pavement. He hauls Sansa up onto the battlements and they are confronted with a 50 foot drop to some snow below. The pair is desperate enough to leap for it. We can presume that because Theon and Jeyne Poole made it out in the books, so do they.

Arya – We watch Meryn Trant get ready for another evening of brothel fun. This time he has three young girls and a stick to hit them with. Not only does he hit women. Not only is he a total jerk. Not only does he like little girls, but he wants to hit them too. This is about 3 extra reasons to kill him off. The last girl doesn’t scream when hit, and when we see her face it’s not Arya. Trant punches her in the gut and she changes into Arya Faceless Man style and goes all Hannibal Lector on him. She stabs him in the eyes and jumps all over him. Not only is it pretty crazy but it does make sense as a way for a smallish woman to take down a big warrior like Trant. She torments him for a bit and tells his who she is, calling him no one. This of course isn’t by accident as clearly she isn’t no one herself, but still Arya Stark. Then, unlike with Oberyn and the Mountain, his luck is up and she slits his throat.

Back in the basement of the House of Black & White she slips the girl’s mask back on the rack. Jaqen and the waif are there, however. Uh oh, caught unmasked. Jaqen tells her that she killed the wrong man and that the Faceless God demands a death, threatens her with the poison, then takes it himself and dies. She crouches down and rips off his mask to find a pile of other faces, and finally her own. They the waif changes her face into Jaqen and continues chastising her. Arya’s sight melts away and she is left blind — and more or less where she is at the end of A Feast of Crows. We have reordered slightly but this is all consistent enough with her isolated storyline.

All and all an excellent sequence, and while dark, at least not as bleak as some of the other threads. The magic of the Faceless Men is a little confusing. Did Jaqen put the wait up to playing him for a bit? Is he a spirit that may possess any of them? How did Arya’s face, symbolic as it was, end up on the bottom of the face pile? She after all isn’t dead and didn’t pass through the mask masking process.

Jaime – is getting ready to depart for Kings Landing with Trystane and Princess Myrcella (way too many M girls: Melisandre, Missandei, Myrcella, Myranda, Margaery!). For some reason the whole gang is there, including Doran, Hotah, Ellaria, and the sand snakes. Ellaria gives the Princess a big smooch on the lips and they get on the boat. Then in a cabin below decks Jaime has a nice bonding scene with his daughter where he awkwardly tries to admit she is his daughter, but she already knows. It really is very well played on both sides and you feel for him finally connecting to his children he’s had to ignore… then it all goes bad and her nose starts to bleed and she slumps into his arms.

Back on the docks Ellaria, nose also bleeding, is swigging some of Tyrene’s antidote. So the whole bit with Bronn and the poison now makes some sense, as it existed only to explain the whole poison/antidote thing. No wonder it felt strange. And all in all a very sad tragic thread in the middle of a sad tragic episode. Myrcella, although we didn’t know her well, was so sunny that it’s all the more depressing.

Tyrion and crew – hang out in the throne room (boy do they love that set). We have to wonder who mopped up the Harpies too. This scene is a bit of a throw-a-way as Grey Worm comes in and they all haggle about who will go after Dany and who will stay. In the end, it’s decided that Jorah & Dario go, and Ty, Grey Worm, and Missandei will stay and “rule.” There is a great line from Dario though, calling Grey Worm the “toughest man with no balls he’s ever known.”

After, Tyrion surveys the city and Varys teleports in behind him. Obviously he offered sexual favors to the guards. They have a typical fun exchange in which it’s agreed that Varys will lend his little birds to the cause of ruling Meereen. Clearly Ty and Varys are taking over for Barristan’s boring chapters in ADWD (while Dany is away).

Dany – speaking of the great Queen, she’s hanging out in North Ireland with Drogon who is doing his best to rest up on a bed of bones on top of a cliff. She tries for awhile to roust him and get back in the saddle but he’s having none of it, so she sets off to find some food. Interestingly, the show decided to keep her clothes on (in the books Drogon roasts them off her back). Anyway, somehow she climbs down the steepest cliffs ever and reaches the valley where she meets, one, three, then about a thousand Dothraki. They swirl about her in a CGI horde better looking than the season 1 horde ever was. She drops a ring as a breadcrumb (presumably Jorah/Dario will find it next year) and is surrounded. Second monarch to be surrounded by cavalry this episode alone!

Cersei – kneels before the High Sparrow/Septon to confess her crimes in the big scene we’ve all been waiting all season for. She actually isn’t very contrite or convincing and only confesses to boinking Lancel’s skinny ass — with excuses all the way. She blames the incest “lie” on Stannis, which the Septon seems not to mind (the maybe late king is after all a Lord of Light worshipping infidel). Perhaps the Septon is a fairly political after all. He tells Cersei they’ll sort it out during her “trial” but she can visit with her son back at home after her “penance.” So here comes the real work for Lena, as she is stripped naked (body double) and has her head shaved. Outside, in front of the Sept, she is made to walk naked through the entire city to the Red Keep. Some Sparrows keep the ugly (literally and figuratively) crowd at bay, the annoying nun chants “shame shame” over again. They trudge through Dubrovnik, particularly spending a lot of time in that stair lined square right inside the uphill gate. It’s a hard walk and the show lingers on it. We have a lot of fake Lena full frontal (and back frontal) and she is pelted with dung and rotten food. Lena nails it. Cersei’s resolve slowly melts and crumbles until she nearly breaks and runs into the keep.

There, she meets the hard faces of uncle Kevan, Pycelle, etc. But Qyburn is there on her side. Not only does he have a blanket for her, but he has another gift: Mecha-Greggor or Franken-Greggor, or Ser Robert the Strong: the enormous silent (I like the vow of silence), rotting eyed, Kingsguard version of Greggor. Cersei gets that old nasty gleam back in her eye.

Given that the show has no access to Cersei’s inner monologue, this scene was extremely well done. As good as I could imagine.

Jon – has a final powwow with Sam, giving us a quick recap of the disaster from 2 weeks ago (Hard Home). He makes sure to point out that Longclaw is Valayrian steel, but that this still probably won’t be enough. Sam asks to be sent with Gilly and her baby to Old Town to study and be a Maester, skipping Bravos clearly, but getting him back on track with the books and setting us up for some Tarly action next season. I know that line about Old Town in the middle of the season meant something. And Sam’s reasons for leaving make sense enough (for him). Their chemistry is great as always, probably mostly because of Sam’s likability and acting chops. Jon knows they “did it” and they make some jokes about it. Like the Davos/Shireen convo this is setup as a sad farewell. Next, Sam and Gilly ride out of the gates because GOT loves to show people come and go — really people do it so much they kinda need too.

Much later, Davos shows up to pleads for help for the now probably dead Stannis. And after him the Red Lady shows too, which is all too convenient and Davos asks after the Queen and Princess. The silence he receives isn’t encouraging. We have to continue to wonder, what is her game? Why is she here? Is she on hand to raise someone who might soon be dead?

Speaking of which, Jon is having a hard time concentrating on his letters when Olly enters with news that Benjen Stark might still be alive. Sneaky, and very sneaky of the show to tease Benjen in the “previously on.” Straightforward guy that he is, Jon charges out Ned Stark style and runs into a crowd and Throne’s knife in his gut. They each say “For the Watch” as they stab him, Julius Caesar style. Olly puts the final blade in his heart. Sigh.

No sign of Ghost at all, not since he saved Sam and Gilly, so I think the Warging is off the table.

The Melisandre does the Dondarian on him option is still very much on the table. The producers and actor have gone to great lengths to declare him dead and gone. But the R+L=J breadcrumbs strewn liberally through this season seem really important. It just wouldn’t be like George (and even more so of D&B) to set that up for no purpose. So I have hope.

All in all, a awesome TV, but so dark. Hands down the darkest hour of GOT yet, even worse in some ways than the Red Wedding. The bodycount was high: Jon (probably), Stannis (maybe), Selyse (2 inches taller), Myrcella (likely), Myranda, Trant (good riddance), and the Waif. Even worse are the unsettled endings:

Jon probably dead, wall has exactly 1 friendly face: Edd
Stannis probably dead
Margaery, not even mentioned
Sansa/Reek in a snow drift
Myrcella poisoned, war with Dorne up in the air
Dany circled by hostile Dothraki
Cersei/Kings Landing balance of power
Bran, playing the tree
Rickon AWOL
Ramsay still alive!

So bleak it left me with that catharsis. But it was so well executed, and it’s rare that TV works this many emotional ups and downs. Sigh, the 9 month wait will be tough.

If you liked this post, follow me at:

My novels: The Darkening Dream and Untimed

or all my Game of Thrones posts or episode reviews:

Season 1: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Season 2: [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]

Season 3: [21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]

Season 4: [31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40]

Season 5: [41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50]

Season 6: [51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57]

HBO’s official inside the episode videos:

By: agavin
Comments (1)

Posted in: Television

Tagged as: a game of thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, Episode 50, Game of Throne, Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin, HBO, Jon Snow, Mother's Mercy, Season 5, Season 5 Episode 10

Game of Thrones – Episode 48

Jun01

Show: Game of Thrones

Genre: Fantasy

Watched: Episode 48 – May 31, 2015

Title: Hardhome

Summary: Zombie attack!

ANY CHARACTER HERE

Dany – entertains Ty and Jorah in you guessed it, her favorite, the throne room. And thus begins some first rate work by the ever excellent Mr. Dinklage. Dany is trying to tease out this new opportunity. A chance to string up an enemy? Or, as he offers, a new advisor to fill the roll vacated by Barristan and Jorah (even if he is in the room). Having perked up from his post murder funk, launches into an enthusiastic self sell. Dany puts him in the difficult spot of advising on what to do with Jorah (right in front of him) and Ty, using that perceptivity he (and the writers) are well known for, does what he does best, telling the truth as he sees it. He sings Jorah’s praises at the same time convincing Dany that she out to exile the poor guy again. So for a second time the (newly) old bear is given the boot and stuck back on the original GRRM track. He notes his grayscaled arm, decides he has little to lose, and marches right over to the gladiator boss to sell himself as the new great pit champion. Why he thinks showing off in the arena will win Dany back is anyone’s guess, or maybe he just hopes to die fighting where he can make her feel guilty.

Tyrion-and-Daenerys-in-her-throne-room-Official-HBO

Back in the lego throne room

Meanwhile, Ty and Dany sup in her second favorite set, the bedroom. Ty, long deprived of his favorite beverage pounds back the wine They bond over they’re shared shitty fathers. Tyrion does an amazing job with his little speeches and comes off perceptive as usual. Dany feels a bit more like the innocent girl. He talks about the different houses, weighing this one and that for what advantage it might yield her, and she retorts with her “I’m not going to stop the wheel, I’m going to break it” line that we’ve heard 1000 times on the previews. Interesting how these quotes are almost always in a slightly different context in the show itself. But Ty does his job and she takes him on as advisor, although not without getting a good joke in (about his drinking).

This dining scene was one of those awesome typically GOT banter scenes that rocked, much like Ty and Varys, or Olena and Tywin, etc.

This is the nicest chair Ty has sat on since Joff’s wedding night

Arya – is in the House of Black & White practicing her lies. Jaqen watches, switch in hand, ready to whack her at the slightest crack in her story. She imagines “Lanna” (Cat of the Canals in the books) as an orphan girl selling oysters and the like. The way in which Arya’s story segues into the visual coverage of her new roll though felt a bit odd for GOT. Was the first clip on the streets something that happened — flashbacks being very rare in the show — or her imagination of how it might happen. This POV inconsistency jolted me out of the moment, as much as I enjoyed seeing “Lanna” in her new outfit and hair. Her smile even seemed like a different girls, coming more freely then Arya’s mischievous smirk. Anyway, Jaqen steers her to the fish market and to what appears to be a cold-hearted naval insurance salesman with a taste for oysters. She is told to further investigate and given a Nameless God special brew for the guy. The jealously angle with the blonde initiate comes up again as she complains to Jaqen that Arya isn’t ready.

In not entirely clear on the role of the temple here — other than in setting up this guy’s death, which is obvious. Did one of his wronged customers pay them to knock him off? Is it an assassination business? Or is there a justice component? But regardless, even at 2-3 minutes, this was a fun little bit of Arya time.

There is a girl under there!

Cersei – Is not loving the dungeon time. The obnoxious Septa Unella has a simple but effective torture method of holding out water and demanding she confess. Loving Cersei getting a taste of the bad life. Eventually, Qyburn is admitted as a guest. We haven’t seen him in a while but he remains the only one strongly in the ex-queen’s camp and proceeds to info dump the goings on in King’s Landing so we can save the minutes and the money for the big zombie battle to come. Apparently Tommen is sulking in his room and not eating and Pycelle has summoned Kevan back from Casterly Rock to serve as hand of the king. Qyburn hints that Cersei should consider confessing to buy her freedom. He for one agrees with Karl Marx, faith is the death of reason. Cersei, however, hasn’t hit rock bottom yet.

Then Septa Unella gets back to withholding water again and she slips a few notches down. Her pride holds while the giant woman stays in the room, but she isn’t too proud afterward to lick the water from the filthy floor.

I still am not totally sold on this takeover by the faith of the normal apparatus of power. Yes, this kind of thing has happened historically, but it requires a complex infiltration of the fanatical in said power structure. The normal mode of this is that established rulers would surrender individuals at the second tier of power to the church in order to appease the fanatics and avoid excommunication and other political/social nastiness that the church hierarchy threatened. I can’t think of a scenario where (two) reigning queen(s) were imprisoned against the wishes of the king. But there are limits to showing this kind of religious fear in a the context of a show, particularly one with other focuses.

Not the Ritz

Sam and Gilly – continue to bond as works some salve onto his wounds. He asks how she is after their bone in encounter, and while she deflects his question, it’s a sweet evasion. Then Olly interrupts to help remind the viewers as to the purpose of Jon’s mission and the fact that he hates the wildlings because they ate his parents. Sam does a good job with the defense and I can’t tell if Olly has turned the corner or is being set up as a major ringleader in the et tu brute action that is to come.

Sansa – puts the emotional/verbal flaying knife to Theon next time he brings her dinner. She asks him why he did it, and she lays into him. Reek, for his part has sufficient self-loathing, and lays it bare, which lets him slip out the important little fact that the boys he burned weren’t actually Bran and Rickon. Uh, oh, bad Ramsay wouldn’t like Sansa knowing that little factoid.

But the Boltons – are busy downstairs plotting their defenses against Stannis’ invasion. He has cavalry, but they have tall walls. Ramsay isn’t one for sitting around waiting and suggests that if dad gives him 20 good men he might take the fight to the enemy (and leave a Feast for the Crows in an obvious book nod).

Guilt trip!

Jon – finally heads to Hardhome. I like that instead of making this a “Hardhome” only episode (like Blackwater or The Watchers on the Wall), the battle is essentially the second half. Anyway, Jon, Tormund, Edd, etc row into Hardhome. In the background is an armada of CGI ships and their destination is a giant glacier-front resort. The show pulls out the big bucks from the get go and really shows off the scope both in terms of extras and the vast CGI host.

One way boat trip?

The Wildlings for their part look on grimly as the party disembarks and the Lord of Bones marches up to provide a bit of opposition to the idea of getting together for a friendly chitchat. Tormund reacts to this, and importantly a personal insult, by literally beating the life out of the man. This serves the dual purpose of moving them along to their goal and of putting the Lord of Bones right back where GRRM had him (in the grave). Now some might say this is gratuitous writing, but really it isn’t so off from medieval Danish warrior code (aka Viking).

Speaking of Vikings, the big wooden building the pow wow moves into looks right off the set of that other less fantastical show. Inside are the “elders” including show invention “Karsi”, tough Wildling woman, a big Thenn, the remaining giant, and the like. Jon intros himself and like Tyrion early does a sales pitch. For Jon, he does a pretty good job of it. He and Tormund tag team back and forth selling the move south of the wall as the Wildling’s only chance at survival and the rest of humanities best bet at defeating the dead. Jon hands them over the dragon glass daggers from last week as a gift and confesses to killing Mance. At first this goes over badly, but Tormund leaps in with a save. Eventually, the woman comes over to their side, then the giant, leaving only the Thenn to balk. Well, apparently Karsi “fucking hates Thenns” too.

Kick ass and die

So about half the Wildlings load up on the army of CGI boats and start off for the bigger CGI boats in the distance. Karsi has a couple little girls that she packs off too, laying on the emotional baggage (uh oh for her).

Then the dogs start barking. If you’re living in a movie/show/book with monsters, get really worried when the dogs start barking.

A storm, or an avalanche, or who knows what form of white graphics is boiling over the far glaciers and pouring toward them. People start to rush the boats, the big Thenn slams the stockade gates shut, locking out hundreds of Wildlings who scream and cry then suddenly vanish. He peers through into the storm to be shocked by — surprise! — the undead! And so begins TV’s most epic zombie attack. Frantically, zombies hurl themselves at, through, over, and under the walls. Jon, Torund, the Thenn, Karsi, etc all hustle to the fight.

Wights-and-White-Walkers-coming-Official-HBO

Here come the dead!

What ensures is quite the epic battle, if a tad divorced from the political maneuvering that often dominates the show. World War Z combined with Dead Alive! Inside the Viking hut the giant and Edd fight another wave that pours through the ceiling. The shots of the giant pulling the skeletons off himself and stomping them, then bursting through the walls and stomping some more are totally awesome. Karsi slays, slays, then is finally confronted with a wall of the creepiest kid zombies ever, they overwhelm her physically and emotionally.

Super creep!

Up on the ridge line above stand the White Walkers on their dread steeds (my WOW Warlock has one of these!)

The Thenn and Jon go back into the hut after the dragon glass, but a White Walker joins the fray. After a bit of valiant effort, the Thenn crosses weapons with the creature and has his shattered by the cold, then is speared himself. Thus the principal that White Walker weapons can freeze and shatter normal ones is established. Jon looses his own sword, Longclaw, and spends a bunch of time dodging and bending away from the walker. Finally he grabs back his sword and blocks a blow — but it doesn’t freeze! As we know from the “previously on”, Longclaw is Valayrian steel. Apparently good stuff to have when fighting White Walkers because Jon slashes into the monster and HE shatters. So now in the show, two things do that, obsidian and Valayrian steel. I doubt that will be the case in the books, but who knows? (GRRM)

The Night’s King (that Walker with the icicle crowns on his head) glowers down at Jon and calls forth his signature move. A new army of zombies pours over the cliffs like water (or WWZ) to fall still below, then rise again. Very effective both for the Walkers and as a theatrical move. They just swarm the camp and anyone not on a boat heads toward one at full speed or ends up hacked, bitten, or clawed to death. The giant grabs up a huge burning pole and plays zombie cricket. Then covered in the creatures wades into the bay, which is a pretty great shot. Jon, Tormund and Edd manage to get on the last boat (good) thing and row out into the water. Seems zombies and Walkers aren’t much for swimming, but the Night’s King strolls out onto the docks, raises his hands, and in terrifying silence raises all the dead.

The series ultimate villain?

All in all, a pretty awesome episode. We have Arya, Cersei getting the shaft, Tyrion at his best, and then the ultimate TV zombie fest. Sure, the giant scale of the attack distances it a bit from the more intimate creepy of a scene like the one where Sam killed the Walker. That big action scene operates on a different vibe than the more personal or political scenes. Still, it’s an element that has always been a part of the show, all the way back to the very first scene of episode 1.

One of the most exciting hours this year!

If you liked this post, follow me at:

My novels: The Darkening Dream and Untimed

or all my Game of Thrones posts or episode reviews:

Season 1: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Season 2: [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]

Season 3: [21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]

Season 4: [31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40]

Season 5: [41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50]

Season 6: [51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57]

HBO’s official inside the episode videos:

By: agavin
Comments (3)

Posted in: Television

Tagged as: a game of thrones, A Song of Ice and Fire, Episode 48, Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin, George RR Martin, Hardhome, HBO, Jon Snow, Season 5, Season 5 Episode 8, TV review

Game of Thrones – Episode 47

May25

Show: Game of Thrones

Genre: Fantasy

Watched: Episode 47 – May 24, 2015

Title: The Gift

Summary: In motion

ANY CHARACTER HERE

First off, I wanted to put forth my perspective on the flack that’s been flying around the internet with regard to the demon in the room at the end of last week’s episode: namely, Sansa’s rape. Regardless as to whether it was a necessary plot point or not, the objections to this scene feel to me like a bunch of pseudo-feminist posturing. True: rape is a horrible thing. But when you place this particular event in the context of the show’s characters and narrative it’s also a complex thing — and besides, why can’t shows show horrible things? GOT doesn’t try to paint the act as a righteous one! First of all, Sansa CHOSE to be in this situation. Now, that doesn’t mean she deserves it, but she chose to go North with Littlefinger. She chose again (and the show paused on that choice) to say the words when marrying Ramsay. She knew full well that she was absolutely definitely certainly without a doubt going to have to sleep with the foul creep that night. She didn’t know she’d have an audience, but she chose to take one for team Stark for her own (more sympathetic) purposes. Second, and in the context of the “historical/cultural” period, there is no such thing as rape inside the confines of a marriage bed. This is incredibly important. I’m not defending this, but it was (and still is) a pervasive way of thinking. In the late middle ages (and that includes Westeros) there really wasn’t any other way of thinking to be had. Marriage was an economic transaction and women and their sexual availability were on the balance sheet. Period. Pointing that out, in contrast to our more “enlightened” modern perspective, is interesting and useful. Everyone should know where we have come from and how far we still have to go. Anyway, I don’t think anyone is confused about the fact that Ramsay is a sadistic, evil, bastard in both the literal and figurative sense. That’s why he’s a VILLAIN. We all hope Sansa gets him up on that red cross herself.

The Wall – GOT sure loves a good departure scene. Jon packs up his men and horses, and trots Tormund out. Thorne and Oly give him the stink eye. Jon, plays the adult and even gives Thorne command. His one fan is Sam, who gives him a jiggly hug and some obsidian daggers (could come in handy if things get creepy).

Even when leaving, Jon gets in a good brood

Meanwhile, Maester Aemon is lying on his death. Sam and Gilly attend, and he compares Gilly’s baby to Egg (who grew up to be the mad king Aegon — get it). Gilly knows he is dying but Sam lingers on a long river in Egypt. But he fades anyway. This might be Westeros’ first natural death. Some have been deserves, some sudden, some slow, many violet, but I can’t remember one from old age or natural disease. Anyway, Sam delivers the eulogy, which is well handled, and the crowd lights him up. How come he burns? Are all dragons immune to fire? Or just Dany? Or only when alive? Afterward, Thorne makes sure to remind Sam that he’s a bit short on friends. We book readers all know where this thread is going.

Next, Gilly is doing laundry when a couple (drunk?) black-shirts wander in and start up that lecherous prelude to bad stuff routine. Sam appears with a sword but is easily disarmed and takes a vicious kicking for it. The redouble their efforts to compromise Gilly’s virtual and Sam stands to courageously defend her (with what? he had a sword and that didn’t work for him). But Ghost materializes and chases the scum away. Nice to see Ghost but we have to wonder why he didn’t go with Jon. Also, for that matter, now that Jon is Lord Commander why haven’t we seen more of Ghost? Why doesn’t he have a nice wolf-bed in the Lord Commander’s office?

Sam finally gets lucky

Anyway, Gilly cleans up Sam later in his chambers. Their chemistry is good. They both don’t want the other to come to any harm. Gilly knows he means it and kisses him. Which leads to a highly clothed sex scene as she clambers on top of him for a little ride. I think she might find it a little suffocating the other way around. But truth is, in its way, this is a tender little scene. They really are alone. With Jon, Aemon, and their better friends gone, Sam is left with the thugs — and Gilly. But he’s going to have a hard time protecting her from the scum, so I wonder if they will head out to Old Town.

Stannis – Is taking his sweet time crossing from the Wall to Winterfell, and is now stuck in the snowstorm. Things are cold and grim — horses are dying. Davos councils retreat, but Stannis won’t have it. The Red Lady suggests she can fix the problem and ensure his victory if he just serves up Shireen as a nice BBQ. Stannis is not happy with that choice.

How many times can they argue

Dorne – Are somewhat pointless Southern episode continues with Jaime “imprisoned” in a fine room in the Watergardens. Hotah brings in his daughter/niece so she can prove to him that she really doesn’t want a rescue. The girl does a pretty good job of it and it’s a bit of a shock to poor Jaime, who had hoped to do the “right thing” by her. Now she’s all grown up and a petulant teen who he truly “doesn’t know.”

Not the reunion he was looking for

Bronn has less appealing accommodations down in the dungeons, but he does have a trio of attractive neighbors in the Sand Snakes, who he delights with his musical talents. One of them (I don’t bother keeping them straight), but the prettiest of the bunch, oddly decides to give him a through the bars lap dance. Why, I really have no idea. When he rises, it’s clear that the little dagger slice we saw last week — and in the previews — meant he was poisoned. And she tells him point blank. And gives him the antidote. All without him having to do anything or say very much. Why? Why poison him then cure him? Is he cured? Hmmm. Like many interactions that are written without much source material from GRRM it feels a bit hollow.

Dany – is getting on her own sexy time with Dario. In fact, this episode has a lot of that, with various levels of gentleness. Their in bed chemistry is fine, but he doesn’t actually do much from a plot perspective, just continue to offer hawkish suggestions like “round up all the masters and slaughter them.” Dany isn’t up for that style of ruling. Dario is also, not in the least surprisingly, jealous of Hizdahr zo Loraq (shades of Myranda, but different). Dany assures him she’ll keep putting out.

Meanwhile, both themes continue on when she accompanies Hizdahr to a trashy looking “lesser pit” to witness some good old gladiator action. More on this in a second, but let’s just say Dany isn’t a fan.

What’s with the white this season?

Jorah and Tyrion – are marched in chains to some slave auction in front of a lovely CGI background. Jorah is bid up for a high price, and when it looks to Tyrion like he’ll be left behind, he does what he does best, and talks. He does manage to win himself a (cheaper) buyout and head on with — but learns his place with a bit of a slap. Not sure I totally bought this sequence, but okay.

Next, in the fighting pits, Jorah is arming up and we learn that leading up to the Superbowl, men fight in the playoffs at lesser pits for a spot in the big event — or die. Reminded me of Spartacus. Some other guys are chosen and have a bit of a lame fight in front of Dany (above). Jorah, down in the dugout, hears them calling her name and rushes out with a helmet over his head. He makes short work of the whole lot of them while Tyrion desperately tries to get out of his chains. A mystery guy helps him by chopping them in half. Why? There seems to be a bunch of why in this episode. Anyway, he runs out too just as Jorah is pulling of his helmet to show himself to Dany. That’s quite the surprise (gift) and she isn’t pleased, but he offers up Tyrion, he is all for some gift wrapping (as opposed to chains). He tells her his name…

This is all much faster than in the books, and further along too because Tyrion and Jorah really miss her as she “takes off” at the end of ADWD. That part is good as the miss was very frustrating. But I would have liked to see Tyrion in the dwarf troop! I guess we will have to wait until next week to find out how this plays out.

Dynamic Duo

Winterfell – Theon brings a tray to Sansa’s room, unlocking the door (i.e. she’s locked inside). He finds her crying in her bed. She gets up and she’s tear stained and her arms are all bruised. Apparently, Ramsay has been abusing her by night and locking her up by day. A sad sight actually 🙁 I’m still a little confused why she isn’t trying to get more a handle on Whack-a-doodle’s twisted psyche, but it sure is a raw deal anywhichway. Sansa asks Theon to light a candle for her in the broken tower. She begs him, reminding him of who is was. It seems she reaches him a bit. Next he is out in the courtyard, looking at the tower. He heads that way… to Ramsay. This is one of those classic TV/movie fake outs like with the door to Buffalo Bill’s house in The Silence of the Lambs.

So this brings us to Sansa being brought to Ramsay on the wall of Winterfell. He does his usual pretend nice while the snow pours down on them. She does grab a corkscrew. He blabbers on for her and the audience’s benefit about the storm, about Stannis, about Jon as Lord Commander. Now she starts in a bit on his weaknesses by reminding him about his pregnant mother-in-law — which does bug him, but it isn’t enough because he’s all excited to show him his latest project: the nice old lady who was on her side, all flayed up. This is rather grisly (as it usually is with Ramsay). Sansa now REALLY understands what a pickle she is in with Lord Nut-job. Makes Joff look like a kitten. But while I do understand that Theon spilled the beans, I don’t understand how that lead to the lady. Sansa never mentioned the lady. She either should have, or Ramsay should have said: “I did a little digging around the castle” or whatever. Like many other bits in this episode, a little off in the writing.

This state of affairs is quite grim, and we can only hope that Brienne and/or Stannis busts in and Ramsay gets what he deserves — preferably from Sansa’s hand. She needs to take more agency though.

Not the husband she was looking for

Olenna – not one to rest while her grandchildren are in prison, stomps into the Sept looking for the High Sparrow. She finds him quick, swabbing the floors. She pretends she doesn’t recognize him and then offers him gold. This is confusing. She’s no dunce, and while I can readily buy that Cersei doesn’t recognize his fanaticism, she should. He gives her more blah blah about everyone being judged under the Seven. She threatens the food. He threatens her soul. She stomps out and gets a note from someone…

Presumably… Littlefinger, who she next visits in his ruined brothel. She tries to use her leverage on him for Joff’s murder, and he offers information, apparently “another boy” just like he gave Cersei. This is all a little loose but I have to assume that means that he told Olyvar to spin his tale for the High Septon, which explains why he looked so un-tortured. I still don’t buy it totally. It also presumably means that he is telling Olenna about Lancel, which I also have problems with, but more on that in a second.

Plots with the best of them

Cersei – is “consoling” her son about his missing wife. This is yet more of what she’s done a lot of this season, playing the calm innocent while plotting up a storm. It’s just more boring than her confrontations of prior seasons with Tyrion, her father, Ned or Robert. Tommen has grown, he’s taller than her. And he’s in quite a frustrated uproar about his lack of power with regard to freeing his wife. Now what happened to the military forces he commands? I’ve read quite my share of military history, and while the church often gave monarchs a lot of trouble they rarely managed to imprison them. It feels a touch light. “Innocent cersei” offers to talk to the Sparrow on Marg’s behalf. Right.

All this playing the innocent is growing old

So she hikes on down to the Sept and pays a visit to Marg in her dungeon. Not the loveliest conditions, as the girl is chained barefoot in a filthy pit. Worse by far than even Bronn’s cell. No naked ladies either. Cersei continues her acting — which is boring, I liked her

better with venom — but Marg is not fooled, nearly spits at her.

After, Cersei stops by the Septon in some stony chapel. He announces that Loras and Marg will be tried separately by seven septons (including him). He then launches into a long diatribe about his philosophy of simplicity by using the metaphor of the gilded church and the simple chapel. This part I actually liked a lot and I felt consistent with religious reformer. There is a consistent pattern where religion becomes entrenched with the establishment and power structure and new more “minimalist” sects urge reform. Martin Luther was one such. Jesus preaching against the temple establishment another. It’s a prevalent but important duality in religious thinking.

Just because he has no shoes doesn’t mean he can’t kick your ass

But then the Septon brings out the real surprise. He trots out Lancel, clearly he knows (presumably as agency of Olenna/Littlefinger) about at least her incest with Lancel himself, maybe the poisoning of the king, and possibly (but less likely) about the whole Jaime/Cersei thing. Uh oh for momma queen. She is grabbed by nuns and dragged off — threats or no — to her own homey little cell. This overall miscalculation I buy. She is so cynical and manipulating that she was unable to see the Septon for what he was all along — true to his word. (clip below)

All in all an episode with a lot going on, but with serious flaws. The Dorne part was a little better, Tyrion good as always, Gilly/Sam pretty good, Winterfell excellent, and Cersei’s stuff half decent. But I had all these “why” problems. There were just a whole bunch of happenings that felt more like D&B needed the characters to do something more than their motivations warranted, or just connective arcs they wanted to draw but didn’t have enough space to make entirely clear.

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By: agavin
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Posted in: Television

Tagged as: A Song of Ice and Fire, Episode 47, Game of Thrones, George R. R. Martin, HBO, Jon Snow, Season 5, Season 5 Episode 7, The Gift

Game of Thrones – Episode 46

May17

Show: Game of Thrones

Genre: Fantasy

Watched: Episode 46 – May 17, 2015

Title: Unbowed Unbent Unbroken

Summary: Mostly great

ANY CHARACTER HERE

First off, this week I was watching the titles and realized that the little symbols next to the cast names are the houses. How I never noticed that before I will never know, having watched every episode 2-4 times. Goes to show. There are even made up symbols of the writers and producers.

Arya – We open we house fave in the house (of Black and White). She’s washing a body, but we presume some time has gone by because Arya looks different. Her hair is longer, more girlish, she wears new clothes (after years!). She wonders what they do with the bodies, a thought conveyed by images (the slightly ajar door). When she goes for it, the door is slammed shut by the blonde acolyte. They argue, Arya is impatient. She asks how the other girl got here, and she tells a story of having poisoned her stepmother. But is it true?

Next, Arya is awoken in the middle of the night by Jaqen H’ghar and questioned. Who is she? She tells her story with carefully inserted lies. At each lie, he knows and whips her. But when she gets to the Hound, she lies to herself. Thinks she hated him. An interesting and painful testing.

Later, she is scrubbing the floors upstairs again and a man brings in a sick little girl. He has been trying to heal her, but she suffers continually. Arya goes and tells her a convincing story of how she was healed and serves her the water. Dr. Kevorkian junior. Jaqen having looked on, continues to spy on her while she then cleans the body downstairs. He leaves the door to the next level open and Arya follows him down the same flight of stairs as above to the next giant chamber, this one held up by enormous columns filled with death masks (presumably of everyone serviced by the house). It has me wondering, when Jaqen collected deaths outside on his travels, do those faces end up there. Also gives meaning to the term “many faced god.” NOTE: according to GRRM these are actually the skinned literal faces of the dead, and they magically pull them over their own — I guess they carry around a pouch of “options”.

A boy very much likes Jaqen, and particularly when he intones,”A girl is not ready to become no one, but she is ready to become someone else.”

Overall, an effective and slightly creepy yet serious advancement of Arya’s story. I have to assume next week she’ll be out selling seafood and presumably murdering Meryn Trant.

A girl has leveled up

Jorah and Tyrion – Are washing up waterside. They haven’t come to any villages yet and Ty complains about his diet of berries (and presumably lack of wine). Jorah apparently never asked why Ty is here, but they get into it and the sordid tale of Patercide and Tywin sleeping with Shae is slipped out. Ty mentions that at least Jorah had a good dad (because he new him), and then Jorah learns that dad is dead (Ty didn’t know he didn’t know). What he get here is one superlative bit of speechless acting on the part of Jorah, who’s look says it all. Some nice moments between the two.

Hard not to like this bromance

Later, as they saunter past some lovely Croatian cliffs, they discuss belief and Jorah confesses to also being a non-believer until he say Dragon’s born in flame. He doesn’t get into his super crush on Dany, but who blames him. They discuss the Targaryens until Jorah notices that same ship (the one pictured below with me — it’s a rental in Dubrovnik). Pirates instantly ambush them.

Jorah and Ty aren’t the only one to spot that pirate ship

Poor Jorah seems to take the brunt of the interrogation, as these Summer Islanders use his face as a punching bag. But he at least will fetch a press. The conclude Ty is only good for his “special parts,” but in typical Tyrion fashion he uses his best asset (his tongue) and talks his way into slavery instead — even upgrading it to sell Jorah as a fearsome warrior fit for the fighting pits of Meeren. Classy escort right to where they are going.

Littlefinger – Enters Kings Landing only to be confronted by brother Lancel and schooled on the new boring no-fun order of things. Which does ellicit the awesome, “We both peddle fantasies, Brother Lancel.” But by the time he reaches Cersei he is well informed as usual on the whole situation. They trade barbs about incest and lady Lysa, but then get to the point. Cersei wants to know if he will fight for “the king” and he tells her what she wants to hear — then “spills the beans” about Sansa and the Boltons, leaving out only his own role. She goes ballistic and after he suggests various solutions he knows full well she doesn’t have the power to use (like Uncle Kevan or Jamie) he suggests his knights of the vale can pick up the pieces — if he is named Warden of the North. Of course he also probably has in mind picking up Sansa too. But clearly Littlefinger always serves only Littlefinger, and his naked ambition is there for us to see.

Dr. Evil is back!

Tyrells – Nice view of Dubrovnik/Kings Landing as Lady Olenna’s coach (which is one of those old, almost Roman style wheelhouses) rolls up. The Queen of Thorns wastes no time catching up with Margaery and the Loras situation. Thinking she has things in hand she braces Cersei. Things don’t go as smoothly or as amusingly as they did with Tywin. This season the dour Cersei hasn’t been a very amusing foil. She just blames things on the Faith, trying to play it down as a minor inquest. Olenna, oddly enough, is stymied. Where is the master manipulator that took out the diabolical Joffrey?

Game-of-Thrones-Preview-Unbowed-Unbent-Unbroken-VIDEO

The queen of thorns isn’t prickly enough this episode

Later, we are in the inquest itself, with the High Septon/Sparrow interrogating the chief Tyrell Pillowbiter (Olenna’s words, not mine — at least she didn’t call him a feather spitter). Everyone important is there, including Tommen and Queen Marg. Loras denies the charges. The queen is called and denied the charges (and I know where this is going), oh Cersei you dog you. Then they roll in Olyvar or whatever Littlefinger’s brothel manager’s name is and he contradicts both their stories — with the Dorne-shaped birthmark as evidence. Marg is arrested for lying to the church.

I was not a big fan of this whole sequence. Being a student of church/religious history I think they could have handled it better. First of all, at the very least Olyvar shouldn’t have looked so spiffy and happy to spill the beans. In those real situations, a witness like him was dragged in from a filthy prison and a bit of hard handling from the rack. This would have lent more weight to it, been more plausible. I thought this was effective in the Tudors when Marg’s (did I say that, I meant Anne Boleyn) was put on trial for infidelity. The musician’s “confession” (pulled out of him on the rack) was used as creepy evidence there. Even at his execution he couldn’t walk, joints pulled out of the sockets you know. Plus, GOT never sells the full religious take over of Kings Landing effectively — although I admit it would be a costly and difficult thing to sell in a short amount of screen time.

Uh oh, pillowbiting AND purgery

Dorne – Finally, after a couple bits of foreplay we get to the main event in Dorne, but the foreplay was pretty rushed and so is the coupling. First, Doran Jr (Trystane) and Myrcella are having a heart to heart. He wants to ask his father about marrying her right away. She asks him if it’s because they are betrothed and he kisses her all hot and heavy — apparently they are supposed to be a love match. They are a cute couple if nothing else.

Nell-Tiger-Free_Toby-Sebastian-photo-Macall-B.-Polay-HBO

The cute couple

Doran and Hotah look on, and Doran tells Hotah to watch out for them, all too timely given the events that are coming. Why they call his guandao-like thing an axe is beyond me.

Meanwhile, Jaime and Bronn, dressed as Dornish warriors are riding all hot and heavy up to the Watergardens. Their jokes are good as usual. Jaime: “I like to improvise” Bronn: “That explains the golden hand.”

Seems the triple timing thing is dead on. Ellaria Sand is with the Sand Snakes in the basement swearing some battle oaths. The snakes then sneak out into the Gardens and this is intercut with Jaime/Bronn in the very same gardens — obviously Andalusia. Jaime catches up with Myrcella and Trystane considering if they want to sneak from first to second base and he tries to get her to come with. He’s surprised when she isn’t interested and things go sideways as Bronn knocks out the Prince and the Sand Snakes whip into the scene.

The ensuing 3 on 2 whip/sword/knife/spear fight is okay, but feels a bit unrealistic. Why doesn’t Bronn just slice that whip? In any case, one snake almost gets away with Myrcella only to have Hotah show up and arrest everyone. Even Ellaria, as we see a half scene later.

I wasn’t thrilled with this whole sequence either, and it and the Kings Landing stuff is definitely the weakest in the episode. Drone, despite the marketing build up, hasn’t turned out to be that exciting. It wasn’t in the books either, but I was hoping that Jaime and Bronn would spice it up.

Don’t mess with the big guy

Winterfell – brings us to new fave Sansa in her room. Myranda comes to “draw her bath,” supposedly sent by Ramsay, but it doesn’t really seem that way. While washing out Sansa’s dark hair die for her wedding night she gets all psycho (no wonder she and Ramsay are so close) and talks about Ramsay’s other girlfriends and their sad ends. Sansa isn’t fooled by all this, and taking a page from Tyrion/Littlefinger turns it around asking how long she (Myranda) has been in love with Ramsay. She puts on a good show, and after the other girl leaves lets it all out in private.

And she does look splendid in her white wedding dress with furry shoulders when Theon/Reek (actually cleaned up for a change) comes to get her. She shows him no kindness but follows him out to the Godswood. This is a smaller, northern wedding, more like Robb’s. It looks lovely though in the snow with the lanterns. Theon announces her and Roose Ramsay, and they exchange words. Theon even names himself, in which it’s not totally sure if that was planned/allowed. Sansa hesitates to “take her groom” but eventually does.

The bridal chamber is nicely decked in candles and furs. Let’s hope it wasn’t by Myranda or there might be some dog shit in the bed. Ramsay gets all creepy as usual. First he talks about being honest with each other, grills her on her virginity, then orders Theon to stay and watch (which is borrowed from, but much milder than in the books). Next he orders her to strip, and Sansa plays along. It would also be in character for her to stick up for herself a little more here, but she submits pretty meekly. But still, here she is knowingly taking one for team Stark (on which she thinks she is the only player). It’s pretty sad and hard to listen too as Ramsay just takes her. Everyone else is pretty much crying.

Man three is not the charmer

All in all a great episode, but not entirely perfect. The Arya, Jorah/Ty, and Sansa sections (which make up 2/3) are great. Kings Landing was so-so. I had higher hopes for the return of the Queen (of Thorns). Dorne was a decided disappointment and the Wall and Dany had the week off. I do want to see what Sansa is going to do in her new situation and how the whole Stannis army thing shakes out!

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or all my Game of Thrones posts or episode reviews:

Season 1: [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10]

Season 2: [11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20]

Season 3: [21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30]

Season 4: [31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40]

Season 5: [41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50]

Season 6: [51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57]

HBO’s inside the episode: