A wedding where no one dies? What bullshit Game of Thrones episode is this?!
A new bride and groom, a new king, a new queen, and one old outstanding debt made for a pretty talk-heavy first half of “First of His Name.” The pace did take an unexpectedly fast turn into action north of the Wall, transforming what promised to be a huge detour from the books into a mere spin around the block. After the tantalizing speculation on what a jaunt to Craster’s Keep could mean for two Starks I have to admit that I feel a little silly for getting so excited.
But not as silly as Sansa must feel after meeting her aunt Lysa.
Major episode spoilers ahead. Book comments fair game in the comments. Tread carefully.
There’s a new king on the Iron Throne and he might not be a flagrant sadistic asshole! This is news worthy of jugglers and feasting, but it’s understandable that the mood in King’s Landing is still muted after Joffrey’s death. I loved how Tywin was the person saying “Long may he reign!” the loudest. I bet you do, Tywin. It’d be so much easier for the Lannister patriarch to have a nice little puppet listening to his advice, providing impending puberty bomb doesn’t blow up in his face. Tommen’s more advanced age in the TV series gives a… different tone to his secret glances with Margaery. But if we thought Cersei was going to be Queen Regent and Royal Cockblocker, she seems to have changed her tune about the Tyrells. (If only because she hates her youngest brother enough to remain blind to the ones who really poisoned her firstborn.)
It was strange and yet delightful to see Cersei share a little moment with Margaery, both recognizing that Joffrey was a nightmare and being truthful about Margaery’s desire to be a queen. At least we can’t say that Cersei didn’t learn a little from her mistakes with Joffrey, recognizing that it’d be better for her and Tommen if she could get along with Tommen’s future wife. But still, I had to chuckle at Margaery’s little dig. “I wouldn’t even know what to call you. Sister or Mother!” Considering that Cersei threatened to have you strangled in your sleep if you ever called her sister, I’d just bite my tongue, Margaery.
Across the Narrow Sea, Dany also wants to be a queen and actually rule the people of Meereen, instead of leaving another broken city in her wake. I’m glad the show finally touched on Dany’s naivety. Yes, she’s the badass Mother of Dragons, but she’s also really, really green. And yet, I wonder how the people of Meereen would feel, knowing that they’re just part of Dany’s epic training montage on the way to the “real” throne in Westeros.
I just realized that if Tommen is potentially “the first good man” to sit on the Iron Throne in decades, if he survives to rule long enough, he’d be the king going to war against Dany. And that would certainly muddy her claim, ethically speaking. But that’s getting way ahead of ourselves.
Meanwhile, Sansa arrives in The Eyrie with her “uncle” Littlefinger. Oh god, as if he wasn’t cartoonishly creepy enough? Good to see Sweetrobin is right where we left him in the first season, i.e. at his mother’s breast. Ha! Sansa’s red hair and love of dessert isn’t the only thing inherited from her mother: they both share the same “Oh shit. This bitch is crazy. Back away slowly” expression. Poor Sansa, trapped in the Eyrie with a desperate, jealous Lysa Arryn and no interrupting pigeon pie to save her from the awkward conversations.
Sansa just can’t catch a break. Lysa’s so terrible, I almost feel bad for Littlefinger. But he helped create this monster, so I’d say he got the bride he deserves for his hand in poisoning John Arryn and kicking off the war between the Starks and the Lannisters. Littlefinger’s game spans back to before the very first episode. What felt like a HUGE moment of admission in the books got rushed over in the show.
Speaking of rushed, I did think the build-up to a confrontation with the Night’s Watch and the mutineers at Craster’s would have taken longer. If the plan was to slow down Bran’s story from the books until other storylines catch up, it really didn’t buy Bran much more time. Kind of a strange diversion in that regard, but most disappointing to me was that this change from the books didn’t take enough liberties. I really wanted Bran and Jon to see each other. But so did Bran and the time spent captive at Craster’s forced him to really stay on his path to the Three-Eyed Raven. That’s commitment.
But it made my heart break a little.
At least I got to see Craster’s Keep burn to the ground with the skewered corpse of Karl Tanner inside. Burn it to the ground, salt the earth, and let Game of Thrones have at least 80% less rape for the rest of the season as this battle has ended and the real war — with Mance Rayder’s army — marches at Jon’s heels.
Final Thoughts:
- At least when Tyrion’s not in an episode of Game of Thrones, it doesn’t feel as torturous as a whole damned novel bereft of his wit and wisdom.
- “The greatest swordsman who lived didn’t even have a sword?!” Shut your cunt mouth, Sandor! Syrio Forel was the best. Just so.
- Okay, maybe Syrio’s technique isn’t the best for every situation. But knocking him isn’t going to get Arya to take the Hound’s name off of her bedtime prayer shitlist.
- Damn, Locke’s death was brutal, even moreso because Bran did it through Hodor’s body. I felt so bad for Hodor when he woke up post-warging, looking down at his hands in panicked incomprehension. It’s so unsavory for Bran to warg into a human, but I won’t say it wasn’t necessary.
- If Tanner had raped Meera, I really think I might’ve quit watching the show.
- Not only did Cersei not completely bite off Margaery’s head tonight, but she actually swallowed some pride and showed a bit of vulnerability by asking Oberyn about her daughter Myrcella. “Everywhere in the world, they hurt little girls.” Too true, Cersei.
- I wish we got to hear Oberyn’s poem. Also: hooray! A Sand Snakes reference by the mention of his eight daughters. Will they ever be introduced?
- Pod’s face when he was trying to cook rabbit. Priceless.
Next week: Stannis goes to the bank. Seriously. First a wedding with no deaths, then this?! At least Tyrion looks to get some screentime.
Game of Thrones airs Sundays at 9pm ET/PT on HBO.
Theresa DeLucci is a regular contributor to Tor.com, covering True Blood, Game of Thrones, and gaming news. She’s also the resident Hannibal fannibal at Boing Boing. Follow her on Twitter @tdelucci
Speaking of Stannis, can we get him up north already? That message from the Night’s Watch came last season. How much packing does the man have to do?
And yea, Littlefinger’s confession of essentially being behind EVERYTHING was definitely rushed.
The highlight for me was Arya waterdancing. I think that the actress that plays her really pulled off a fluid and graceful routine. I was impressed.
Littlefinger and Lysa did not dance the Electric Slide. Therefore, the wedding is not official.
Ya, the poisoning confession seemed rushed to me too.
Is Marillion going to get the Ser Dontos treatment? Popped back on screen to advance the plot?
Ref: Bran’s plotline. Coldhands? Helllooooo?
I gotta say the actress that plays Lysa is terrific; She sought of looks like the female equivalent to what I picture in my mind of the hillbillies from Deliverance. Her smile creeps the hell out of me.
I know I should feel bad for poor Sansa, but the whole tortured princess story line is just annoying.
Marillion is gone – tongue cut out by Joff in Season 1. They’ll need to find themselves another singer.
Coldhands? Maybe but not looking hopeful. Guess they could add action to the trip north by having him save them from wights.
Dorne FTW. Oblique sand snake reference. Water Gardens reference. Multiple references earlier in the season to Price Doran and his gout. Looking foward to Season 5!
Meera rape scene – very icky but at least got the rule of cool beatdown that highlighted precision of Jojen’s powers.
My big fail for episode was Locke’s plan for taking Bran while leaving Jojen and Meera and Hodor behind. The NW would have figured out Locke’s lie about the hut in minutes and a big NW possee would have been on his tail pronto. He is also on wrong side of Wall – how was he planning to get home? At least, he should have killed everyone but Bran and then took some type of long way to get back to Bolton-land. As shown, his plan made no sense.
I was not a huge fan of Bran warging Hodor and then having him kill the guy through him – if I recall, in the books, a MUCH bigger deal was made about warging humans and how that was a Bad Thing to do. And, you know, there’s all sorts of crappy treatment and objectification to go around, but just becuase Hodor is mentally challenged doesn’t mean that Bran just gets to use him as his extra body and to kill people without any thought to how Hodor might feel about that. I think that scene would have worked better if he had warged Summer or Ghost and managed to break free/attack that way.
Arya/Sandor was the higlight of the episode for me, and maybe even the highlight of this season. They should get their own spinoff travel show ;)
I don’t mind things being rushed…the show is more compact than the books. Although I was kind of worried LF was going to throw her out the moon door right that second!
Also who else got a sick satisfaction seeing that chubby F&%K get eating by the wolf, if you’re gonna be an ass and torture an animal, better make sure is not one that can potentially eat your face.
Also, I hope Bran doesn’t get gangrene from that cut, ow!
Amazing how Benioff & Weiss can make such a great scene from the books, Lysa’s confession to murdering her own husband by the manipulation of Petyr Baelish, seem like nothing. And yet, Benioff & Weiss can add and add non-book filler scenes which dominant the time of these past two episodes.
I’m losing my faith in Benioff’s and Weiss’ “ability” to create an interesting adaptation of the books. If one is honest, one can see a steady degradation in quality from season to season.
This season, which started out with so much promise, seems like it could end up being the worst overall season of Game of Thrones
@1, He can’t afford to go North. Hence the trip to the Bank.
I really have to wonder what they are doing with Cersei. Is it just going to be that the events of this season just unhinge her, leading to a different attitude later? IDK, it’s just wierd.
And Lysa, I think they are establishing the truth now, so we won’t be confused when the “Only Cat” scene happens. It’s out there for the audience, and we can ponder the ramifications, while Sansa remains in the dark, and can learn later.
Anyone else think that boat is smuggling a rescue party for Myrcella?
Oh yeah, totally agreed about Cersei. I remarked to my husband that, based on this episode alone, you might think Cersei was a totes reasonable person – not somebody to underestimate, surely – but not the (somewhat crazy) villain I see her as in the book. I find her characterization to be a bit inconsistent throughout each episode.
@6, A big deal is made out of it, and it’s presented as a bad thing that distresses Hodor, but by ADWD Bran is doing it often. And I get that we are supposed to be disturbed by Bran doing it.
And I thought that we might get that scene too.
@5, I don’t understand why he didn’t just kill Bran. He’s a threat alive, in Bolton’s custody or not.
Also, what the hell did Jojen’s hands being on fire in his vision mean? Is he foreseeing his death, and the eventual burning of his body?
@11–I thought it was totally in character. She was uncharacteristically sympathetic and well-behaved, but only to very specific people…namely, the upcoming judges in Tyrion’s trial, who she very much wants on her side. (True, Margaery isn’t a judge, but her father is–and offering her power and sweetness now is the surest way to incline Mace to rule in Cersei’s favor.) What we saw last night wasn’t genuine. She’s putting on a deliberate show.
Cersei is going to go off deep end when Tyrion events happen – that will unhinge her.
Aeryl – need Bran to tell where Rickon is.
Hand on fire referred to Crasters (and Qarl’s body) being burned down at ep end.
@11, I agree. I heard they are making her “gentler”, but this is really messing with the whole plot of FoC.
More confused now than before.
And even more reason to accept that they two are no longer the same, at all. So I need to toss my book knowledge out the window.
EDIT: @13, good point.
@14, But then why his body. I could see it if the vision showed Tanner’s body on fire, but Jojen’s? I think there is more to it.
Good catch on the Rickon thing. I miss that kid, he was a hell of an actor.
@13, Excellent observation, I had completely forgotten that pointed comment about asking “her father” about the betrothal.
I do like how the show gave us the timeline for things to come. The wedding will likely happen before the trial ends, but the escape will happen in those next two weeks to prevent the Cersei/Loras “wedding”
Such a great episode, so much to say!
Re: Dany’s naivite: I did always feel that Dany was so incredibly naive in all the right ways. She stays in Mereen because she wants to learn to rule, and she feels she has to better these people’s lives. That’s noble and all (and we all know how noble turns out in GoT) but child, you need to either conquer while the time is right and then learn to rule, or give up. You learn to rule not just by doing, but by having advisors and teachers. There’s no one in Mereen who can teach her to rule, and learning by trial and error isn’t going to be doing these people any favors. She should just install a competent council/rulers and go on her way. If they end up corrupt well that’s no Dany’s fault – governments will do that without her help.
I always thought her idealistic attitude about “But I can save these people! I am their mhysa!” was so naive and really the root of all her troubles throughout ADWD.
@9 and the others who think the reveal was rushed: I completely disagree. I think you feel it was rushed because you’re so used to the tired old tropes – evil villian goes on 10 minute monologue to explain how he’s manipulated everyone. That is not Littlefinger. Him immediately hushing her and saying something along the lines of “speaking of it will only give it life” was absoultely perfect. They let you know the details but let you pontificate on the ramifications on your own time – Littlefinger already knows the biz.
As far as the Craster’s Keep scene, it played out exactly as I expected. Wrapped up neatly, I knew they wouldn’t let Bran actually talk to Jon. That would have diverted way too much from the books. I like the new action and such but I don’t think they want to have to rewrite a character’s entire arc.
@6 It did make me sad about Hodor, and I think you’re supposed to dislike Bran using him that way (since the books made a big deal about how evil it was through the wildling POV). However at the time, the wolves were still caged, so Bran didn’t have any other option.
@16 As to Jojen’s vision, yes I think he is seeing the way he will die, in fire. Remember in the books he knows how he is going to die, he’s seen it in his visions. So I think that’s what this was. It could also be a reference to the way the Seven Kingdoms might go down if Dany ever shows up. I really don’t think it was just a reference to them burning down CK, but I could be wrong *shrug*.
@5 I thought the bard Joff punished was a different one. In the books there were several bards that met bad ends – the one at King’s Landing was the Blue Bard I thought, or at least a reference to that. Marillion was a different one. That doesn’t necessarily mean he’ll show up, but it does mean he could.
@10 I also felt the actions from Cersei were off, but I think they are trying to show that she’s still rational, capable of sort-of intrigue as @13 says. She was putting on a show for the possible judges. And I think she’ll still lose it after the you-know-what happens so that it shows just how much she’s lost it. Keep in mind in the books we only get her POV after all of these events, so we only see her as the mostly ineffectual, hyper paranoid person she’s become. The show has to play it up a bit more dramatically. Especially if you consider the scene with Tywin telling her about the Iron Bank – in the books she later rebuffs them and basically says the Iron Bank can suck it. So if she does still do this in the show it will make her irrationality all the more apparent.
And final note, the Pod scenes made me LOL so hard. I heart Pod forever.
@17, No that was Marillon. After the events at the Inn, he goes to KL and sings for them. Joff then offers to cut off his fingers or his tongue.
We must create the We Heart Pod Fanclub.
I was intrigued by Brienne’s response to Pod trying to help with her armor. I wonder if they will touch on her stories about her life in Renly’s camp. In the books, those thoughts are all internal, perhaps here she will share them with Pod.
I think the Jon Arryn reveal seem to miss its mark is because nobody outside of the book readers have any idea who Jon Arryn even is at this point. That all happened 3 seasons ago and we never really cared in the first place. I bet most watchers couldn’t even tell you who her husband is. My friend assumed it was someone we hadn’t been introduced to yet but that might be important later.
@19, Did your friend watch the “Previously On”
I understand why people don’t, as they kinda spoil for the upcoming episode, but on GOT they are kinda necessary. The one this week, jumped all the way back to the scene of Jon Arryn dead and Cat recieving the letter from Lysa, to help jog memories.
On the other hand, they clearly telegraphed Bran Hodoring because they showed you the scene where he did it last season.
Great review. Thanks Theresa.
I read Cersei the way 13 did: she was working the judges. Tywin clearly understood that; Margaery did, as shown by her “sister or mother” response; and I suspect Oberyn did, though that was less clear. Cersei isn’t nearly as smart as she thinks she is, which is why IMO she becomes so unhinged after the trial.
Regarding Cersei, that does make more sense. Duh. ;)
As for Hodor and the warging – I do understand why, in-story, he had to do it (although Hodor was restrained as well so I think they could have structured the scene such that one of the wolves was already free, or was able to free himself), it just kind of bugs me that the story was crafted such that he had to do that. Although it’s probably supposed to bug me.
@23, With how they focused on Hodor’s fear and confusion, I definitely think it’s supposed to bug me. This is the first step on a disturbing road Bran goes down. I mean seriously, in ADWD, I hated Bran just non chalantly Hodoring when he wanted to get away from everyone more than I did what happened to Cersei, who empowered the very people who did that to her.
I thought the manner of Tanner’s death was an homage to Biter who probably won’t be seen again – and probably won’t be killed by Gendry with a sword for a tongue.
@18 Good point about the armor scene with Brienne. I took it more as just a reaction to her being irritated with having a squire and not wanting to be doted on. But in the context of the book I think you’re right, they might reveal it would have more to do with her being extremely uncomfortable around men (justifiably so). Reminiscent of her short scene with Jaime in the tub.
In the book Pod is younger and she seems to trust him pretty quickly, or at least doesn’t seem so uncomfortable. But with him being older in the show I think it’s a good opportunity for the creators to explore some of her issues with men.
@24 Yea I’m with you on Bran. I never really liked him a lot in the books. After the accident he’s just a whiny “poor me” kid. And then he constantly abuses his warging powers and seems to have no care other than “I want to be able to walk again”. He’s a lot younger in the book so it’s understandable, but it doesn’t really endear the character to a reader. I’m hoping with him being older on the show he might have a little more inner turmoil over it.
@26, Well if the great accomplishment of my life was to grow up and become a tree, I might be a little “poor me” too.
Does that implication bother anyone else? I always had hopes that Bran’s story would conclude with him still being integrated into Westerosi society, but now that becoming a tree is supposed to be the best thing for him now that he can’t walk, it just seems insulting to disabled people.
Was there really no better way to say that?
@28
In the context of the show, no.
@28 Eh, not when you want to use the Hounds own words/tone against him. It’s not like I talk like that normally!
@26 When you put it that way, I had to laugh. No one wants to be a tree when they grow up, true. You bring up an interesting point about whether or not it’s insulting to disabled people. I think it’s still too early in his story (after 5 books. *cries/whines) to see what Bran’s endgame might be. You’re right though, I don’t see him ever going south of the Wall again, not even if he wargs into Dany’s dragons or something.
It is a strange, ableist way of thinking, in the bones of his story. “Oh hey, you lost use of your legs? You just may as well give up your whole physical body and any potential for love and making your own family and be a sacred tree-monk. FOREVER. There’s really nothing else for you.” However, I think as a Stark, Bran was sort of destined for this role, whereas another disabled nobleman would continue to be at court in some capacity. (Like Willas Tyrell and his club foot. Not that they’re the same, but GRRM takes pains to point out that as a rich disabled boy, Bran’s still got it a lot easier than most in the harsh reality of this world.)
@13 I really like the idea of Cersei behaving out of character (i.e. nicely, sympathetically) because she was going after the judges and their families. Of course. I feel very dumb for not catching that. It makes total, savvy sense.
The comments on the episode go so fast, I can’t check in as much as I like, because ye olde day job keeps me so busy this time of year (Comic-Cons everywhere!) but I love reading everyone’s theories.
However, I think as a Stark, Bran was sort of destined for this role,
Well, if we’re going for destiny, then perhaps the twincest was destined, so Bran could catch them, be broken and perhaps willing to become a tree? And the ensuing war was destined to place the nation in the worst possible position when Dany and her dragons arrive? And then, going even further back, Lyanna and Rhaegar were destined to die, so Jon could be the offcast bastard son sent to The Wall. And that Robb was destined to die in the South(Stark family tradition, after all). And that Lysa was destined to be forced to abort Baelish’s child, so Robin would be sickly, so Jon Arryn could be murdered by Lysa for plotting the fostering….
Oy, my head hurts.
Blech. I take it back because I don’t like thinking of destiny like that either!
Just let Bran be a tree. The Three-Eyed Raven picked him because yeah, you know, that’s just, like, his opinion, man.
@26: One doesn’t become the Kumquat Haagen-Dazs without transgressing a few moral boundaries.
@16 I took it as Jojen foreseeing his own demise, as well. Perhaps of Melisandre’s doing, somehow; a showdown between the Old Gods and the Red God.
Anyone consider the unnecessary ‘Butterfly Effect’ created with this preposterous invention of the mines at Casterly Rock having long gone dry.
Tyrion’s future path has long gone a seemingly different way. His incorporation into the Second Sons looks now, to actually be beyond implementation. I wonder if Tyrion’s role in Seasons 5 & 6 will be a contraction to a destination book readers don’t know about yet …
… Or will it be an extended journey into the realms of Showrunners’ invention?
Perhaps I’m going off too early, but does the way inventions are being inserted now, time after time, signal a two year long period of resetting with currently unpublished book events to serve as the climax of Season 6 ?
As for the return of Lysa Arryn … Well played by her and LF both, but I mourn once again for the loss of filmable moments. Others have already mentioned the absence of Lysa’s suggestion Sansa change her hair.
For mine, the change of beat here just doesn’t make sense so early in the season. If they had gotten to this point in Episode 8, I could understand the compression, given the climax we know is coming, but here in Episode 5. Why change events?
I enjoyed the scenes in isolation, and I like the reasoning posited above, regarding giving viewers a chance to stew on a reveal. I just don’t understand why it had to happen now, without the easily filmable beats in between to introduce it and let them stew specifically on reflection.
IMO even TV ONLY fans are well aware of LF’s skeevy ‘Cat thru Sansa’ romantic aspirations. I don’t see why the beats of reminding everyone just what a fruit-loop Lysa is, had to be paradiddled in this way, when how it’s laid out in-book is not difficult to film and works better IMO.
But then I suppose all this is predicated on my wish for two particular words being the last two we hear for Season 4. That would have been the ultimate ‘cliffhanger’ to end a Season full of signposted moments, giving everyone plenty to stew reflectively on, not just hope for, wrt next year.
And a perfect moment for LF to shed his skin, so the enormity of his influence could be both blazingly obvious and subtly revealed.
Oh well…
grl
I echo this sentiment with EVERY FIBRE OF MY BEING. :P
(Getting sick of this shite. I’m going to start avoiding everything in which I see a hint of Burn Gorman’s name appearing, which is sad because I don’t think it’s the actor’s fault, and I know it’s not all he’s capable of, buy my own mental self-preservation is going to outweigh any concerns of being “fair” to him.)
Loved getting to see Maisie Williams show off her dance training. I’m looking forward to seeing Myrcella again. And — Jojen’s hand I instinctively took as an omen about the world, or at least everyone present, not just Jojen himself. And that was instinctive, but thinking it over in retrospect, it’s also probably easier to pull off in budget.
@GregorLewis. I’m racking my brain to remember if the thing about Casterly Rock has been mentioned. If it hasn’t, it’s still a better reason for Cersei’s later refusal to pay their debts, than “Nuh-uh Dont Wanna” which is what the books did, to Cersei detriment. She’s unhinged not a moron.
I think the Jon Arryn reveal works on TV, too much information thrown at the TV audience during the Moon Door scene, they won’t absorb it. Now, everyone has a chance to remember who Jon Arryn was before the big scene where Sansa learns the truth, and so many other damning things.
I do hate that they ignored Lysa’s reason for wanting Jon Arryn murdered, his proposed fostering of Robert at Dragonstone, not just at LFs behest.
I know the next ep is named for Littlefinger, but I don’t think the Moon Door is next episode. Flying through their invented story at Craster’s is one thing, flying through Sansa’s introduction to the Vale is something else. They have to hold court with some of the Lords of the Vale, or else LF can’t hold power, it’s a close thing in the books. Also think how much cooler “Only Cat” will be, when the final scene is of Lady Stoneheart.
But as far as Lysa not demanding she dye her hair yet(it’s coming, I’ve seen the brown hair in previews) I imagine that’s because in the books, Sansa had the same hair color as Cat, inviting the parallels, whereas Michelle Fairley and Sophie Turner do not.
Couple of miscellaneous thoughts:
1) I was torn between “Hodor snapped Locke’s neck? Awesome!” and “Poor Hodor!”
2) I want a show about Podrick and Brienne. Also a show about Arya and the Hound.
3) Westeros could do a lot worse than a kindly puppet king following Tywin Lannister’s advice.
@37 — actually, the show has been true to the book in terms of hair color. I remember being pleasantly struck by it in the pilot, especially since neither actress is a natural redhead. In “Clash of Kings” Catelyn either remarks (or thinks, I’m trying to look it up) that Sansa was “a lady at three years old” and that Sansa’s hair is lighter in color and more beautiful than her own (at least in her opinion). But both of them are said to have prominent “Tully hair” — I take this to mean that Tully hair comes in a range of red shades, but, especially in the area of the world Sansa is in now, she would definitely be picked out as one of that family.
Ah, okay, Clash of Kings, Chapter 55 (Cat to Brienne, backeted cuts made by me):
@38:
2) I want a show about Podrick and Brienne.
Me too! I might like them better than Brienne and Jaime, my favorite road-movie-within-a-TV-drama from last season.
@OP:
If Tanner had raped Meera, I really think I might’ve quit watching the show.
I don’t think I would have, but I can definitely sympathize with that position after the last two episodes. I did like the opportunity for Jojen to go all creepy with his foreknowledge, though. I’m digging Meera and Jojen.
I liked the reveal about Jon Arryn. Show watchers who missed the “previously on” would wonder what that was all about. The offhand reference gives them a chance to refresh their memories–I’m fairly certain it’ll come up again.
Also, is it just me or did Sansa play dear Aunt Lysa there, just a little? Tears may not be the best weapon, but sometimes they’re what you have…I keep hoping that Sansa becomes the Catherine de Medici of Westeros. I mean Olenna Tyrell has to die sometime, right?
Oh yeah, Sansa totally played her. She saw reason wasn’t working, so went with emotion.
It’s also a good thing that they introduced her crazed jealousy now, so her reaction to the kiss makes more sense.
@40, 41 — Oh, I got mad, I got verbally mad out loud and embarrassingly in my apartment all by myself. Just — of ALL the people I never associated with the sexual violence (or general violence, really!) of Westeros!! (I also have a habit of thinking of the Reed children as quite young — definitely younger than their actors, by a wider margin.)
(And, yes, I agree — I think a little line drop of the fact that Lysa didn’t want her husband to send away her sone would have been nice — and would have reinforced the oddness of Sweetrobin.)
Superficial me is curious to see how Sophie Turner pulls off dark hair.
Pod and Brienne was just the best. The show is about a very grim and violent world, and without little comic touches like that, it would become oppressive. Plus, we need to see that not everyone is manipulative, greedy and power-hungry. There are decent people in Westoros, and not all of them exist to be victims. I look forward to how the relationship between Pod and Brienne develops.
I was glad to see that they did not have Brann and Jon meet, and that the Locke situation was resolved quickly. What looked like they could become major deviations from the plot turned out to be different ways to a similar end. That scene with Bran using Hodor to kill was nasty. Morally ambiguous at best, and it felt like a non-sexual equivalent of rape.
And, speaking of rape, it was good to have a show without any being portrayed (well, it was attempted, but fortunately, not completed). And the rapists got their just desserts in the end. Although, in portraying the relationship of Lyssa and Littlefinger, the show runners ended up portraying consentual sex in about as disgusting a manner as possible. That is one sick couple. Poor Sansa, to be stuck with them.
Speaking of Stark girls, the young actress who plays Arya was just the best this week. That water dancing must have taken hours and hours of practice and drill to make it look so smooth. She is one of the high points of the show–that kid is a real talent.
And, in defense of the show runners, TV is not books. They are two different media, that require different approaches. One tells, and reveals inner thoughts and motivations. The other shows, and reveals through action. It is like the difference between movie acting, which is based in subtle expressions, and stage acting, where you have to use broad expressions so the folks in the balcony can see. While I might quibble with the portrayal of sex, rape and the like, other than that, the show is a very compelling and well constructed television drama.
I love Maisie Williams, but I suspect the water dancing came pretty easily for her. She was a dancer before she auditioned for GoT. Search her name on youtube and you can find videos of her dancing.
@44, Whether it was specifically for the role, or like you say, skills developed before the role, that young lady did a lot of work to learn to move like that. How do you get to Carnagie Hall? Practice, man, practice.
@37-
You’re right Aeryl. Given how the show has gone softer on Cersei, I guess a less abrupt approach had to be found. I just don’t appreciate Tywin being made to look less imposing at a time in the books when he was seemingly invulnerable.
Made the shock of what happens all the more delicious IMO.
As for book Cersei. I don’t think she’s that simplistic (but my memory’s shaky here). I remember the moment as more like the Iron Bank will have it’s due when I’m good and ready and not at the expense of my family’s wealth.
Seemed to me to be a ‘lion now loose on the high plains’ – to steal a phrase – not willing to immediately kowtow to the restraint of responsibility the supposedly ‘weaker’ power (in Cersei’s mind), of the Iron Bank represents.
Maybe I am giving her too much credit but her self-justification – though wrong – didn’t seem as egregious to me as other instances.
Lastly, ABSOLUTELY AGREE. Lady Stoneheart reveal has to be the last scene of Season 4. In my delusion of creative control of the show, my ‘dream’ triptych of closing scenes would be something like –
1) Merrett Frey (i think he’s the one but not sure) reeling back in horror after the outlaws tell him they have a witness, with the last words from them asking that witness the pointed question…
…Cut away to the Eyrie for …
2)… The confrontation between first Lysa and Sansa, after Lysa witnesses ‘the kiss’ , extending into THE MOMENT for LF when ALL is revealed…
… After ‘Only Cat’ with an initial close-up of the falling Lysa’s horror filled face and impotent scream fading away to silence and nothing …
3)… The screen is filled with the silent horrifying vision of Catelyn’s face, with the camera pulling back to reveal her pointing …
J’ACCUSE!
Fade to black / End Credits / Silence
Delusions, delusions, I know.
Oh well…
grl
(Moderator note: whited out spoilers.)
@35 I love the change and I don’t considered it proposterous. GRRM is all about the harsh realities of war, and one reality is that you eventually run dry. I never bought into the never-ending gold of the Lannisters. If they were that incredibly rich, there would be no previous debt at the Iron Bank.
good job putting that in the show.
If Tanner had raped Meera, I really think I might’ve quit watching the show.
What I really want to happen was for Bran to warg into Tanner, and make him slit his own throat, pulling out jsut in time to let him realise what had happened. That would have been fitting revenge in my mind.
(roll over for possible spoilers)
Lady Stoneheart is something I’ve been trying not to spoil for my non-book-reading freinds. Somehow we kept the red Wedding a secret for years, I hope we can do the same in this case, because I for one can’t wait, to see people’s reactions to that little reveal. Especially as they’ll think that the Tyrion/Tywin showdown is the biggest twist of this season.
“Only Cat” might be a surprise, but it’s not as if Littlefinger has been painted as a trustwrothy character, so I don’t think people will be too freaked out by that. When m’lady Stoneheart arrives, though, man, the internet is going to shit bricks.
Loved the scene at Craster’s. I liked that the show veered off from the books a little bit, but they were able to bring it back to the main storyline almost seamlessly (I still wonder about Jon though – Is he going to look for Bran, or has he given him up for lost already).
@27 Aeryl: No, you’re not the only one. I always found it annoying that someone else got to decide Bran’s fate for him when he was only seven years old. And that apparently the only choice for him after being crippled is to go become a tree? What?
Re: The Cersei/Margaery line. I thought Margaery was being rather sly when she gave Cersei the mother/sister line. She’s letting Cersei know that she knows that Cersei is trying to play her. And that she isn’t fooled one bit. Margaery knows that Cersei has threated to kill her before for the sister comment. She’s bringing that up here to let Cersei know that Cersei can try to pretend “nice” and flatter Marg all she wants, but Marg isn’t buying it. She knows who Cersei is. She’s heard it from Sansa, and she’s also seen it firsthand from Cersei herself.
I also laughed when Cersei gave Tywin that line about Tyrion setting his legacy on fire. From Tywin’s perspective, I can almost see him being silently content with Joffrey’s death, since it gave him a malleable, good-intentioned boy king to follow his every order. Surely from his point of view, Tommen is a much better candidate to carry on the “legacy” than a deranged sadist like Joffrey.
@48 – They freak out as much as they did with Cold Hands, Strong Belwas, Sandor’s death, etc…
I’ll believe it when I see it.
I didn’t think they were softening Cersi’s character this week. She is manipulative. She wants something. So she was manipulating by trying to play the ‘nice’ card.
I’m sitting here wracking my brain trying to figure out who got married on this episode. I really can’t think of who. I remember Tommen getting crowned, Danny deciding to queen, the Hound being a hilarious dick, and the shennanigans north of the wall. Where was there a wedding?
Loved this episode, especially the scene with Cersei and Oberyn.
Also, Where the hell is MARK GATISS. I have been dying to see him ever since this season started. He is to play the head of the Iron Bank of Braavos, and might make an appearance in the very next episode.
Can’t wait to see what dialogues they have written for him!
OH! *smacks forhead* friggin Littlefinger and Lysa. I must have blocked it out because Lysa makes me so uncomfortable on screen and page, I try very hard not to think about her. Ever.
@53 he appears in the promo for the next episode
@52 – Littlefinger and Lysa get married, offscreen, in this episode. As Littlefinger is talking about needing to arrange for a Septon, Lysa opens the door to reveal the septon and witnesses ( description of scene from memory ). We then cut to Sansa trying to sleep with the screams in the background.
@49 – I can’t help but think of Bran as a young Charles Xavier, and the tree as Cerebro. Might have something to do with marrying an X-Men fan…
Why do I get the bad feeling that Stannis (not Arrya) will be sailing under the Titan of Braavos?
Arya will eventually, but yes, the next episode it will be Stannis.
The dumbest scene was when Littlefinger and Sansa were entering the gate of bones on their way to the Erie. Seriously? All those men just standing their, with bows drawn at a single man and woman? So many things wrong with this picture. If it was the wheel of time world, sure, I could see it. Littlefinger looks like an Asha´man, and Sansa looks like an Aes Sedai.
I don’t know if its been mentioned in the comments… But what Bran does to Hodor, neccesity notwithstanding, isn’t any less of a violation than rape. It may even be more so.
It is certainly a violation within the story.
But I would hesitate to compare it to rape.
Rape actually happens. Warging does not.
@61: Story world they both happen. And it is a mental rape.
@59: WoT reference! Woot! And yes, they did in that scene.
The following where they are throwing Sansa’s real name around also violates Littlefinger’s warning of “there are always little birds around.”
Why are they playing her off as his niece? That’s easier to disprove than natural daughter. Makes me fear the path that relationship will take in the show more than in the books.
@62, But part of the issue in how rape has been portrayed in the show, has been in how it disregards survivors and their experiences, and in how it perpetuates rape culture.
There are no survivors of warging to be upset by the treatment of warging within the show. Secondly, the warging of Hodor is portrayed as a serious ethical issue, not something that Hodor “deserved”, nor is it used to titillate.
As far as Sansa, it’s been explained to me that saying “niece” was a polite way of saying “bastard”. Also, it can signify a familial type bond, without the actual relation. I called several people aunts and uncles that I wasn’t related to.
Poor Arya needs – snd deserves – a proper sword, too. Must have been humiliating how she stabbed The Hound and he didn’t even feel it.
@64, No she needs to be taught the weak points in armor to make her strike more effective, her sword is fine for her size and fighting style.