Two more DAYS!!

Teh bklurbs adn the full page ads are spectacular. Some are calling it "The Bets Hsow on TV" now. Most of the folks I knwo who read the books alst eyar are really stoked for teh season - and I hoep they stay with it. Its goign to get a little muddled here with teh various factions and different kings vying for the Throne. The story will start to expand, and if folks can stick with it through Clash - they probably will stick with ti for teh long haul.

Crossing my fingers that the numbers come in strong sunday night. HBO will still kill shows quickly - look at Luck which ahd Hoffman and Nolte satrring - and GREAT reviews to boot.

Luck got killed because one of the horses died and they were going to get sued, so I don't think it's analogous. Let's just hope they're treating the direwolves well

Well - that's the public stance. And it was three horses. But my industry is tied into the entertainment world - and what I am hearing si that HBO was disappointed in teh numbers: which were like 1.6 million at their peak. - so HBO will kill a show if ti doesn't get teh bizz they want.

Now the cool thing is that the Clash premiere knocked down the best numbers yet: 3.9 million, 77% up from last year's debut.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2012/04/game-of-thrones-season-premiere-hits-series-high-.html

I doubt tehy can sustain this - unless tehy cna keep the action moving since there will be several new characters introduced and all teh reviews are saying tis getting hard to separate king from king. The overall plot gets dense as well - you cannot watch this show casually and keep track of what is going on.

That being said: I really enjoyed the premiere. i thought Mel was smoking hot and the Dragonstone scenes were great. I also loved what they did with Cersei - teh scene where she shows Littlefigner what true power emans sums teh queen up pretty much perfectly in my opinion.

A great start to Season 2 - let's see if they can build upon it.

And we’re back! After many moons out here, it seems not much time at all has passed in Westeros…

Background: I’ve not read the books, although I did receive the first four in a box set recently as a gift. I have not played any of the games. I’ve seen Season One and adored it (obviously, or else why would we be here?). I AM NOT INTERESTED IN ANY SPOILERS OF ANY KIND. If you know what’s coming, feel free to laugh loudly to yourself at how off base I am.

A bit amused with the “Previously” scenes, as I found myself thinking, “Dead…dead…he’s dead too…dead…” The spectacular clockwork credits boast a new location: Dragonstone. Off the east coast, which I recall is House Baratheon’s home territory, but considering the name, I wonder if it’s an annexed Targaryen stronghold. At any rate, from whatever casting news I’ve skirted around, I’m guessing it’s Stannis’s headquarters (since Renly headed south).

Geez, where to start. The Starks are all over the place. Robb’s apparently not doing too bad against the Lannisters, probably due to that whole “love vs. fear” argument. The North follows Robb because they want to; I’m pretty sure I can’t say the same about the South and Tywin. He wants vengeance, but he seems content with just cutting Westeros off at the Neck, and to hell with the South. On the other hand, his terms are just for show; he knows the Lannisters will never surrender until long past time they should have, certainly not to the barbaric North. Robb’s playing a pretty good game, so far, I think.

And everyone involved knows it too: for the first time, Jaime Lannister uses his usual verbal tactics on his opponent, and LOSES, because Robb gives back as good as he gets, and throws a HUGE Grey Wind on top of it. Didja wet yourself just a little, Jaime? Love how Robb’s hauling a truly bedraggled Jaime along with his war camp.

The war is spraying out. I count four sides so far: Tywin, Robb, Stannis, and Renly, although I’m still not sure how those last two are planning to compete. Robb’s considering adding a fifth: the Greyjoys, for their ships. Looks like Theon will finally get to do something besides chasing tail he can’t have, and I’ll finally meet the infamous Balor. Meanwhile, Catelyn will head south to acquire Renly as an ally, which makes me wonder if that will finally get the last Sun faction of the card game involved.

Bran is now Lord of Winterfell, which is now a kingdom of whiny old men since every able body went to war. Administration is BORING, but that’s okay, because at night, you can keep having weird prophetic dreams about being a direwolf (I’m assuming it’s HIS direwolf, Summer) under a comet. Still have no idea what the hell is inside Bran’s head, but where I once thought there was a decided lack of mysticism (magic) in Westeros, now I’m not so sure. (“Yer a wizard, Harry!”) In addition to his cyborg saddle, Bran now rides Hodor (“MASTER BLASTER!”) for shorter trips(?), and receives Wildling advice from Osha. I’ve been in the fantasy game for many years now, and with all the circumstances thrust upon him, I’ll be darned if Bran ain’t being set up to be some kind of Chosen One for something.

Arya is still on the run, but I barely got to see her. Mostly it was just Cersei complaining about finding her.

Which brings us to Sansa, our segue to King Joffrey. She is now a parrot for her Lord, with what must be several standing orders for her to recite horrible things about her family and agree with everything that little $@!% says, even if he’s only going to berate her for saying what he told her to say! But she is getting rather clever at manipulating him when absolutely necessary (to save the new Fool) by basically appealing to his arrogance.

King Joffrey is, of course, a monster, and now he’s even worse than he was when he ordered off Ned’s head, because now EVERYONE is afraid of him, even the poor fools who were on his side putting him in power. This is a classic case of “believing one’s own hype.” Because he can have anyone killed by his loyal guard, he thinks that everyone will follow him without question. No order is too ridiculous, because it is his wish, and everyone wants to do what the King wants. He thinks that they will win the war, because…well, because that’s what he thinks, and thus it must be so.

In reality, the whole of King’s Landing probably just wants him dead, or at least gone, but to say so means Joffrey will wish you off into the Cornfield, so no one says anything. Best example of this is when Cersei slaps him. For a second, you can see the anger and delight on her face for disciplining her son, but then her face just FALLS as her brain realizes that her light and joy could have her burned to ash with a word, and oh my god he doesn’t care that I’m his mother he just might actually DO IT. (Headey played that dawning terror BEAUTIFULLY.)

And now Joffrey’s pulling a King Herod, as the knowledge that Ned spent a season uncovering is turned into a dozen blades into a dozen bastard children. When do we get to start calling Joffrey the Mad King? (Probably after he’s dead…hope hope hope.) Well, I suppose this allows me to stop worrying about all those unknown heirs, and focus solely on Gendry. (Is this where Arya’s headed? The tiny defender of the last true king?)

Cersei’s finally achieved her goal, and victory tastes of ash. She’s actually gotten NOTHING that she wanted out of her son on the throne. Tyrion’s laughing at her, and delights in knowing that she knows he knows she knows he’s right. Joffrey doesn’t listen to her at all anymore; why should he have to? Even Baelish takes his shot at her, forgetting that even without respect, she still commands the same power as her idiot boy. I can’t say she doesn’t deserve it, but man, you can’t help feeling a little sorry for the cold witch.

Ah, Tyrion. Still so fun to watch, especially now that he’s been given his due. I can’t wait to see him take Varys’ lies apart.

Now for the new players: Stannis, Melisandre, and Davos. (Oh, and some old man who seeeeeemed to be important oh wait never mind.) This was NOT what I expected at ALL. From what little scraps I could gather on Stannis from last season, I envisioned another Robert but devoid of humor, maybe even a little bloodthirsty. What I got was…Uncle Stan under the thumb of some cult? Stannis isn’t intimidating AT ALL. He’s almost as mousey as Renly! His greatest concern is proper language! He’s got conviction, to be sure, although it seems to be veering awfully close to the same delusions of entitlement that Joffrey suffers from: “I am King, therefore…I am King!”

But is he really in charge at all? Melisandre (quite hot) is some high priestess of the “Lord of Light”, which I guess is the “new” god (as opposed to the seven old ones)? There was some talk about this last season, mostly near the Nightwatch Oath, but I honestly wasn’t thinking it was important. Now, with Melisandre, the war seems to have a “holy” aspect to it. However, EVERY time no one is looking at Mel while she preaches, her entire countenance drops to the level of CON ARTIST. Stannis (and most of his people, it would seem) have swallowed this girl’s proclamations hook, line, and sinker. Like so many other evangelicals, is she just spouting opium for the masses for her own benefit? Or does she have real power, the kind that she seemed to shove into that poor old man’s skull with her eyes? “I find your lack of faith disturbing.” (Couldn’t help noticing that gem on her neck glowing red, and wondering if that was more than just lens flare.) My mind is really not buying her at all, but she seems pretty sure that Stannis’ little band of zealots can win this war. (She better not have a **** Ark.)

Ser Davos seems to be Stannis’ Ser Barristan. Loyal for the sake of being loyal, even though he’s not sure that the King is in his right mind. I think he’s just gotten used to being cornered by the will of Stannis, and there doesn’t seem to be any fight left in him. It’s getting pretty weird that the only Ser who actually believes in his leader is Jorah?

And now the outliers. Jon Snow is now north of the Wall with this contingent of Night’s Watch looking for First Ranger Benjen Stark. All I really got out of this was: Mance Rayder, the mythical uniter of All Forces North, could very well be a SIXTH entry into this war (or maybe the one that makes the other five stop bickering amongst themselves for survival); Craster is an even more disgusting lord than that jerk at the Twins, and I hope someone buries that axe in his head; and Jon Snow is still having trouble keeping his big mouth shut.

Starting Over, by Daenerys Targaryen. She’s got dragons!!! That anyone could step on, really. And so what’s left of her horde is running away from the other Khalasars that would destroy her, and the Lamb People who hate any Dothraki. Apparently no one travels too far into the Red Waste, so there just might be something on the other side. (Reminds me very much of Elfquest, as the Wolfriders braved the desert to stumble into the Sun Folk). I suspect they will find something soon, or else what’s the point of her story? But this also makes me wonder exactly how long the Targaryen story will continue to fail to integrate with the rest of Westeros. (How long does it take for a dragon to get big enough to defend itself?) Conceivably, all of Westeros could unite to defeat Mance Rayder, just in time for Daenerys to finally show up and burn whoever’s left.

jgt7771 said:

Dragonstone is where Aegon Targaryen started his conquest of the seven kingdoms. Stannis won it for Robert during the Rebellion and has held it ever since. The Stormlands are traditional Baratheon holdings.

Just wait on Stannis, JGT.

The language of the letter thing goes to show his unyiedling resolve and his attention to detail. Stannis folows the law to the letter, never deviates an iota from what his internal law tells him and is the most resolute man in the Kingdoms. The first espisode is just giving you a taste.

Great synopsis byt eh ay. i lvoe your reviews and to see the perspective of a newcomer to Westeros.

Stag Lord said:

Although, if you ever get Davos' backstory, that will do a lot to clarify who Stannis Baratheon is.

Something else I noticed from a rewatch: The Hound is still sweet on Sansa. This is the second time he had her back, and the first time he did it to the King's face. Now, as far as I can tell, the Hound is blindedly devoted to the Throne, whomever happens to be sitting there at the time. (During his duel with the Mountain, he bowed the SECOND Robert protested, at full risk of his LIFE.) Which means he either really despises Joffrey to speak up to his King, or else he reeeeeally digs Sansa and keeps throwing his heart out there where only she can see it. (Probably both.) I really hope I'm onto something here, because (A) the Beauty and the Beast potential tryst is ten times what it was with Daenerys and Drogo, and (B) if anyone could get close enough to nail Joffrey's head to a wall, it's the Hound.

Later in the same scene, Bronn throws out the tag-along, "Can't imagine why", when Tyrion comments that the Hound doesn't like him, but it isn't all that obvious how jesting he's trying to be. Granted, it could easily be dismissed as elbow-jostling man-ribbing--"Yeah, you suck, dude! Ha ha!"--since Tyrion is much the same way, but somewhere in the Hill People lands, some dialogue could have indicated that Bronn could be reconsidering hitching his wagon to the dwarf's star. I mean, being Tyrion's champion against the frightfully DERANGED Bird-Lady of the Eyrie could have just been doing a favor for a man against a fortress of d-bags, but then that led to the confrontation with the Stone Crows, sudden drafting into the **** Lannister army, and now a position two steps to the left of the new Mad King who might have you kiled "just because". Even for a merc, there comes a time when "no amount of gold is worth this." The Tyrion and Bronn Traveling Vaudeville Show spinoff may be in jeopardy. (Sure I may be reading too much into three stupid words, but that's what extra viewings are for: unreasonable scrutiny!)

Season 2 blows. Too bad they did so good in season 1 and now this season have ****** it all up. I cannot believe George allowed them to ruin the books

WHAT? April Fool's, right? I think the acting and character devellopment have been even better this year - and they are making the (mostly) boring middle filelr book of the first trilogy really pop and be compelling.

You must be kidding.

I wasn't happy that they explicitly showed the relationship between Stannis and Mel that, while plain, is entirely done through innuendo and observation in the books. But, of course, a book can take more time, using internal dialogue and specific description of details, to highlight things that a screenplay adaptation can't. So while disappointed, I understand it.

Other than that, and not quite getting why they changed Asha's name (too close to Osha, I guess), I think they've done pretty well with the second season so far.

From what I am reading - you are exactly right on the Asha-Osha thing.

Rhakaro loses his head (pff screen) but - big deal: he is more morable in the card game than he ever is in the pages of the series

And yeah: the Stannis-Mel thing took me by surprise: but its HBO and if they want to keep eyeballs tuning in, there are things they can't imply and ahve to show. all in all - i am very pleased with their creative decisions to date.

A somewhat quiet episode. Not a great deal of “piece moving”; more like the “play new cards” phase of any card game, before the “conflict” phase. Several characters pull a complete fade this week.

I guess the big highlight would be the long-expected introduction of the Kraken: Pyke, the Iron Islands, and Balon Greyjoy. I was a bit taken aback by the “Iron” philosophy: I knew they were a raiding culture, I just never realized that the act of raiding was so fiercely regarded. It doesn’t matter what you have, it only matters how you got it, and if you didn’t get it by taking it from someone else (the “Iron way”), then who the hell cares? It doesn’t seem all that practical to me, since it doesn’t look like Pyke has much at all. What happens to a raiding culture if all they have to raid…are themselves? (“Where’s the frying pan?” “The neighbors took it.” “Well, go take it back, or take someone else’s!”)

Which makes for a pretty bitter king. Balon mocks Theon the moment he shows up, apparently writing him off as a Stark ages ago. I would guess that the only reason Theon wasn’t killed at the docks is that somewhere in the back of Balon’s mind, he realizes that his only chance for a continuing bloodline lies through Theon, as repulsive as that thought is.

Homecoming slaps Theon in the face almost immediately. Theon has always been operating under the delusion of his own importance, but eventually realizes that, really, nobody’s been giving a crap about him for years. (Except maybe a few Starks.) I laughed my ass off when it was revealed that the ruggedly attractive horsewoman Theon hand-raped on the way up to the (precariously balanced) castle was his younger sister, who’s been showing him up for years. I’d sympathize with the poor insignificant speck if he hadn’t been such a indecisive schmuck all this time: “I was raised a Stark…but I’m not a Stark…except I’m totally a Stark for you, Robb…but I’m the last Greyjoy heir…rather be a Stark, though…when I’m not impressing whores with my Greyjoyedness…”

Balon has no interest in helping Robb Stark, but I’m given the impression that he’s still planning to mobilize (and may have been the moment he heard Robert and Ned were dead). It’s just not clear for whom he’s planning to mobilize for or against; it’s merely unlikely that it involves the Lannisters on either count. He seems to hate just about everyone, and seems fairly self-assured with his naval might.

Tyrion takes to being the Hand. First, a duel of passive-aggressive conversation with Varys, who has easily conned the light-brained Shae into chatting away her anonymity. Shrouded insults back and forth between the Imp and the Spider—I especially liked the exchange around Shae’s “fish pie”—culminating in a undisguised post-game at the door. Tyrion may have met his match in the Smartest-Man-In-The-Room game. Perhaps I could say the same thing to Varys, but I think this round goes to him: Varys knows Tyrion’s skeleton (Shae) while any of his remain in the closet.

It goes a little better during his next quiet conversation as he slyly maneuvers the Commander of the City Guard into hoisting himself on his own petard about the massacre of all the Baratheon heirs, although it seems less about justice and more about how the Gold Cloaks were integral in the downfall of the last Hand. So out with the old—I never liked that jerk anyway, the Joffrey brown-noser—and in with the Bronn. I had just been questioning Bronn’s motivation for his current position, but I was really giving him too much credit: Bronn is a true mercenary, and it really is all about who’s paying him. He believes what you pay him to believe, and if whatever internal code he has questions it, just pay him more. (Oddly, I find myself now questioning Tyrion’s faith in their association: Tyrion may be realizing that after just one bigger wallet, his head could join Ned’s.)

Cersei is losing her composure more and more: every time Tyrion pokes through a hole she knows full well exists, she counters with either disregard or disparagement. I don’t know if she absolutely believes that the North is not a threat, but I know she thinks she can’t afford to, and it’s not like the wacky zombie reports aren’t easy to repudiate. But Tyrion cuts a little too close to the bone when they’re alone—she knows she’s losing control, and can’t figure a way out of it, not to mention the complete loss of her support system—and she lashes back with probably the one thing that disturbs Tyrion to his core: that their mother died during his birth. Ouch. Hard mark to grow up with, especially in this screwed-up family.

Back to Arya, as we open on her peeing into a creek. Delightful. But I suppose it makes a pretty stark (heh!) statement about how far down she’s hiding. A bunch of little vignettes here “on the road to the Night’s Watch”:

• Three “hard” prisoners, sentenced to Castle Black rather than beheading, I wager, although one of them seems a bit more “rogue” than the other two bastards. I would guess I’m supposed to take note of him.
• Arya still can’t tolerate dishonesty or stupidity, nor can she seem to keep her mouth shut when either is happening in front of her. Neither of her plumpish companions are nearly as endearing as Samwell Tarly. ("Hot Pie"? Really?)
• An encounter with the Gold Cloaks dispatched to remove Gendry from Joffrey’s world, proving that Yoren is as capable as Bronn when it comes to facing down knights. (Although I doubt that Joffrey will believe in the autonomy of the Night’s Watch from his domain.) If they do indeed return, next time may prove to be the moment Arya must break from her intended return to Winterfel. (Not that I know anything; it just doesn’t seem like G.R.R. Martin’s plan for her…it’s too easy.)
• Arya likes Gendry, although she’ll never admit it, and she’ll kick your ass if you bring it up again. She opens up to him way too desperately, once she gives up insisting she’s a boy. I can’t tell if Gendry’s behaving earnestly towards My Lady, or just teasing Her Worshipfulness. But her frustrated shoving of him is as telling as a kiss. (Yeah, I could be way off base here, but at least he should be a friend.)

Davos may be a knight for Stannis now, but he came from much darker beginnings, apparently. Once a smuggler (caught by Stanis, he’s using those “underworld” connections to secure the alliance of a pirate fleet as one of the first steps to acquiring an army to take King’s Landing. Even this pirate knows that Stannis is lacking manpower, but Davos’ persistent belief in Stannis’ command capabilities and potential plunder (and perhaps Cersei’s body) win this guy over.

Stannis is dubious that this pirate’s forces are going to matter. I’m not certain if Stannis’ intent is using his army against King’s Landing, or as some kind of bargaining chip to win back Renly and his army of 100,000(!!!) and THEN take on King's Landing. But Melisandre’s intent is clearly splayed out all over the little toy soldiers on that map table, as Stannis totally falls for her son promises and leaves thoughts of his wife in that tower.

This is the vaunted Stannis resolve you guys are trying to assure me of? This redhead just looks at him and whispers Light God dogma, and he’s burying himself in her. I got more consistency out of Robert, and he was a drunken whoring lout. There’s still plenty of time to turn me around, but I’m sorry, I’ve never had any great faith in House Baratheon, and the two brothers that are left aren’t getting any points up on the scoreboard either.

Who’s left?

Baelish is a ruthless businessman and a heartless ass. Not sure what else I was supposed to get from that whole scene.

BZZZ! Sorry, Daenerys. Try again.

Ghost is BEAUTIFUL.

Samwell’s thinking with the wrong head, even though his heart is probably in the right place.

Jon Snow keeps trying to be a proper Night’s Watchman—he even talked a great Devil’s Advocate to Samwell—but his true personality keeps getting in the way. This time he follows Craster, as the wanker takes his newly rejected infant son to...??? Weird White Walker whisperings (and scuttling too). Obviously, there’s some organization behind these “creatures” and Craster’s either cooperating or conscripted. Is this where Mance has been acquiring his army? From donated Wildling babies?

And a boot to the head for Jon. Thunk to black.

Yeah - your criticism of the Stannis character is a complaint I have been reading a lot on the fan sites for the past hour. That scene never happens in the books - it is implied, but never shown. I know HBO is trying to keep viewership coming back with sex scenes, but I am starting to get the nerd rage now. it does make Stannin break his vow - and we have been telling you he is all about iron resolve etc.

There is a bit of a disconnect here between how the character is written in the books and how he is shown in the TV show. Basically, i think he has rationalized that he needs to take the Throne and secure the succession by any means necessary, for the good of the Realm - and if eh breaks his marriage vow, well; Duty Comes First.

Stag Lord said:

Now that someone has said it like that, I can buy that. And maybe the creators thought that that intent was going to be clear from the acting in the scene...except obviously it wasn't.

jgt7771 said:

My problem is it made him seem like Robert, gave in to his emotions and that is not Stannis at all. He is iron, piss, and vinegar.

The Asha name change is just ridiculous. How could people confuse her with Osha when you can see they are different people on the screen. Makes no sense other than they must not have very high opinion of their viewership.

Rakharo's death really annoys me as, again, it was not necessary. Okay the guy got a different role in a movie, not like you have to kill him. Just don't have him any scenes on screen. He can still be there and not on screen.

HBO just renewed Game of Thrones for a third season, based on the 8.3 million viewers of the first episode.

Seriously, I dont know what you people are complaining about. As a diehard Jacelyn Bywater fan, I am very distressed he has been written out of the series.

playgroundpsychotic said:

Have just made my way to this section of the forum for the first time, I'll just fill people in with my thoughts on things up to now for a bit of context.

Was incredibly excited when I heard this was going to be made- got Sky so that I could have Sky Atlantic just for this show.

First series was fairly good. There were several complaints but it could have been worse.

• Robert wasn't convincing enough - Mark Addy plays a good drunken fool, but he wasn't convincing as a mighty warrior gone to fat- could never envisage him winning the iron throne in the first place.
• The series feels like it's directed by Cersei - Lena Headey plays her much more like Cersei sees herself, and much less bat-****-crazy than everyone else thinks.
• It needed flashbacks- would have provided much more context for the rebellion, how things came to be where they are, etc. and raised some of the questions that fans of the books spend forever debating (Promise me, Ned...)
• Sexposition

generally though, it was good, some great pieces of casting - Viserys, Tyrion, Bronn. I frequently wanted Jack Gleeson to die painfully, so he must be good in the part (I really hope he's a good actor, because if not, he's a horrible person)

Season 2 though, has been a major disappointment. I'll keep watching for now, but the way things are going, I could easily not bother renewing my sky subscription for next year, and wait till it reaches terrestrial in ten years time.

The names thing is just getting ridiculous. Alton Lannister, Yara Greyjoy, Kovarro- all totally unnecessary. I get it that they have to leave bits out, but the assumption that the audience are completely incapable of dealing with two characters with vaguely similar names is just idiotic.

The extra scenes are getting more divergant. A few people have already mentioned the Mel & Stannis scene, making that relationship very explicit where in the books there are hints (and very strong hints later on) but it's not made so blatant. I'm also concerned in this light that a lot of stuff about Margaery will be made clear where there's a fair amount of ambiguity in the books.

Ros has been promoted from Sexposition to having scenes of her own, which have no effect on the actual plot. Hopefully soon HBO will give her her own spin-off show, and she'll leave the main series. Not sure who Theon and Reek will be planning a visit to at the end of the series though.

I'm particular baffled/annoyed by what they're doing with the character of Littlefinger. The scene with Cersei - Knowledge is Power/Power is Power was crazy. That's what Littlefinger things, but it's the last thing he'd do. Apart from a few comments to Sansa later on, the whole reason Littlefinger does so well for himself is because he portrays himself as so unassuming and unthreatening, he would never have goaded Cersei like that.

Doing away with Jacelyn Bywater annoyed me, not so much because of doing away with a minor character, but because I think it skews Bronn's chracter arc. His rise to independent prominence/drift away from Tyrion should be more gradual- I also feel like Tyrion wouldn't give him that much independent power. It doesn't seem in his nature, or particularly likely to secure the goldcloaks - promoting one of their own/imposing an outsider.

I guess they didn't have much choice with killing Rakharro after the actor said he wanted to go, but along with everything else, it just made it feel like the show is increasingly losing the plot.

ktom said:

Definitely agree with this. I think just one scene of Stannis refusing Mel's advances would have done wonders. Just wait one or two more episodes before depicting their actual coupling. That would have helped to illustrate the iron will and resolve that are so central to Stannis's character, which in turn would have made the eventual sex scene all the more shocking and significant. I could care less about the name changes (although I think they could have done better than Yara), but I just would have preferred more narrative buildup before this particular reveal.

starhawk77 said:

Excellent analysis. I'm generally Ok with the Painted Table scene - but that woudl ahve been better. Tehy just may not have ahd room to develop ti given the ten episode constraint - but this would have been much better.

They are really doing hte Theon storyline justice. i always sympathized with him in Clash - and I think they have shaded his character nicely in teh adaptation. The scene of him buring the warning note to Robb was poignant.

Love what they have done with Margaery as well.

I suppose it’s just the nature of the saga, but it seems like once Ned was lost, the ACME Universal Screw was removed, and the rest of this contraption just blew apart to the four winds. Everyone is so spread out that characters I expect to see are suddenly taking a week off. No Stannis, no Robb, no Daenerys...okay, that last one is maybe just bitterness, as her story has hit such a dry spell anyway (and I do mean DRY).

The “newest” information is finally catching up with Renly. His location doesn’t warrant a clockwork cog castle in the credits, but I imagine he’s headquartered himself in official Baratheon territory, aka the Stormlands (which would explain the rather rocky terrain). Renly says he’s got the loyalty of all the men of the Reach, which is, what, all the plains south of the line between King’s Landing and Casterly Rock? If that’s true, then I rather wonder what the hell Renly is waiting for, as Catelyn tries to bring up. Is he worried about Stannis? Or his lack of an heir? (Stannis seems to share this concern.) Or is he just a wuss? I’m inclined to believe this last one; no sense for me buying into the grand Baratheon name now.

Ser Loras beaten by a girl...a six-foot-three mountain of a girl. Brienne was a bit of a shock, and she’s quite grim. Very focused on becoming a Kingsguard. Reminds me a lot of a pint-sized Stark lost in the forest.

Natalie Dormer, yay! (Her...modesty...was legendary on The Tudors.) Stuck in a convenient marriage with her brother’s lover...maybe not “stuck” per se, since she seems more than willing to do anything for, with, or around her brother to get knocked up by his lover. All I can say is: wow, how gay is Renly? Way to salt the titillation: the collective attitudes of this royal triumvirate kinda creep me out. (Not that I don't want to see more of Margaery.)

Balon Greyjoy is an immense @$$hole. I understand him holding a grudge against the Starks, but it wasn’t like he wasn’t asking for it when he revolted in the first place. Maybe I’m not being fair, because I'm obviously biased toward House Stark, but as far as I can tell, this jerk seceded from the kingdom after Robert took the throne, pissed all over the Lannister navy, and started throwing his “iron rules” onto the west coast. When Robert retaliated, Balon got deservedly spanked HARD, losing just about everything. (Gotta love the look on Balon’s face as Theon shouted at him how he was abandoned to the Starks, like some unwanted mongrel. Yeah, you know you suck, you ironborn bastard.)

So, like that one computer ***** who makes its move while you’re focusing on a different front in any strategy game, Balon wants to sneak up to the Neck, choke it off, and...what? Take Winterfell? Just how big are the Pyke forces anyway? The Kraken’s got a bunch of rocky islands, and the Wolf has about HALF of Westeros’ real estate. Someone needs to teach this twit about Napoleon and Russia in winter. I can’t see how this can end well for Balon, but I guess so long as he clings to his idiotic philosophy of take-take-take-no-compromise, he just won’t care.

It’s quite disheartening to see how brainwashed Yara is with Daddy’s mottos—I rather like her fire; too bad her fireplace is broken—but it’s thoroughly discouraging to watch Theon choose murky blood over honor. Dude, you don’t even LIKE your family! Get the hell over yourself and do the righ…never mind. I liked you, Theon; you were still kind of a medieval ******, but you were our medieval ******. Now I just hope you find your conscience before it’s too late.

(“What is dead may never die”? Drowned God? I think Balon is playing the wrong FFG card game.)

Tyrion's still playing mind games to keep the target off his back by removing every potential archer that could hit it. (I love how they ran all three “secret” conversations together.) Surprisingly, he caught Pycelle! For a second, I wanted to believe the old man—maybe Varys did figure Tyrion’s gambit out and played his own end-around to implicate Pycelle—but once he started claiming his devotion to the Lannisters (which fits with his crappy behavior at the end of Season 1), I was fine with his betrayal and removal. First mention of House Martell by name, I think, and yet another house that hates the Lannisters. I wonder if Tyrion does actually plan to marry Myrcella off (over Cersei’s dead body, I suppose), and if that’s how Dorne finally shows up. Tyrion and Varys seem to have gotten chummy—the “Where Power Lies” speech was nifty—but I’m thinking Baelish is getting a bit fed up with Lannisters. There is really only one side in King’s Landing: your own.

Jon Snow learns that the Night’s Watch has crappy-but-necessary allies. Just like America.

Bran seems to be projecting inside his direwolf when he sleeps (possibly Rickon too). Luwin brings up the actual word “magic”, but like any adult who grew out of a non-magical kid, he tells Bran it’s just crazy dreams. “The dragons are dead, the giants are gone, and the children of the forest are forgotten.” Well, we out here in the omniscient audience know that that first one is now officially crap, so it's not hard to believe the others are too, and that Bran is some kind of mutant throwback to some old druids.

Sansa is apparently bullied by Mommy Lannister every **** day, I guess whenever Joffrey’s too busy killing children to do it. So of course a deeply despondent Sansa is going to lash out at her new servant girl Shae, since it’s her ONLY venting outlet. Shae’s much too even-tempered to bite, though, and Sansa eventually gives up. A shaky association to keep an eye on, but at least it’s better than listening to Shae WHINE about being bored.

Finally, Arya has her last conversation with Yoren before he is killed by the return of the Gold Cloaks. (Another Jory: I LIKED HIM!) This goes badly for just about everyone in the caravan, except for the three hard cases that Arya hands a axe (took her a second with that choice) and, in one big way, Gendry, who remains anonymous (and now thought dead), thanks to some poor broken kid and one bad cop. So much for going home. I just hope karma catches up to these rats before they get Arya all the way back to King’s Landing.

Nice synopsis.

RE: the War in the North. Yes: the North si a big chunk of terrain - and has a decnet sized popualtion comparatively. But It not the South adn Robb has taken just abotu everyone of figthing age south with him. The Iron Islands can field more than enough men to hit several aplces in teh depeleted North and plunder and loot as they will.

Given teh circumstances: Balon sees an opening and is more than prepared to reave right throught it. You'll find its a pretty common trait for the Krakens.