Game of Thrones 3.7: The Bear and the Maiden Fair

Daenerys Stormborn: Abe Lincoln of Westeros

I cannot believe there are only three episodes left. I am excited to see how the season is going to end but also incredibly sad because I don’t want to have to wait another year for this show to return. Daenerys returned this episode and I have got to say she is more bad ass than ever. I know I have said this in previous posts, but I am so happy that she is actually going through with her threats and not just screaming at people that she is the Mother of Dragons. I am intrigued by the campaign she is currently on. Though she wants to sail the narrow sea and conquer King’s Landing she does not seem to be in any hurry to get there. She has taken on a different cause: free all the slaves in the slave kingdoms. It is very Abraham Lincoln of her. I will say I liked the speech she gave in Astapor much better than I liked the Gettysburg Address. 

I guess it is only fitting for the episode that airs on Mother’s Day to announce that Robb Stark will become a daddy. I don’t know, but out of all the characters in Game of Thrones, I think Robb has to have the best luck. He manages not to have to marry an ugly Frey daughter without much consequence to himself (his uncle on the other hand is bearing the brunt of the punishment). He also seems to be a very successful General though this is his first time at war. Now he is going to become a daddy. I feel like his luck has to run out soon. Also on a side note, it is weird to see Richard Madden (the actor who portrays Robb Stark) doing a pretty graphic sex scene knowing that he just got cast to play Prince Charming in the Disney readaptation of Cinderella. I have a feeling, the audience of Cinderella was never supposed to picture him like that. Then again if Disney casts an actor from Game of Thrones, they are probably aware of the nudity and sex in the show. I guess they are banking on their target audience not being fans of the series. 

With each week, I begin to love Margaery Tyrell more and more. She is not a naïve character. She knows the situation she is in. She knows of the evil Joffrey can do but she wants to be queen so she will work around it. I loved her comforting Sansa after Sansa laments about her current marriage arrangement. At first, it just seemed like Margaery was doing the required comforting, all of the while not really understanding the situation Sansa is in. Then again, if anyone knows about loveless marriages and marrying for duty it is Margaery. Though Renly was not a mean husband, having your husband prefer your brother over you must not have been easy. Now Margaery is going to marry Satan incarnate. Luckily for her, right now Joffrey is set on making her love him and takes his aggressions out on prostitutes.

Speaking of Joffrey, the scene between him and Lord Tywin was classic. Joffrey tries to get the intimidation factor going by summoning Tywin to the Throne Room, but Tywin cannot be intimidated. He steps right up to the throne, so he towers over Joffrey letting him know who really is in charge. While Cersei and Tyrion have to slap Joffrey to make their point, Tywin can do it with a stare. I wonder when it comes down to it, who really rules the kingdom? Tywin I think forgets how sadistic Joffrey can be so if Joffrey decides to kill his Grandfather, do his guards really obey him or do they obey Tywin. My guess they obey the money and since Tywin is rich and controls the finances of the kingdom, sorry Joffrey but your Grandfather has you beat.

Melissandre delivered a piece of shocking news to Gendry this episode. He finally knows that he is the heir to King’s Landing. He accepts this information as only a person who grew up with nothing could: he says it doesn’t matter he is only a bastard. I actually wouldn’t mind seeing Gendry on the throne. I think he would bring a bit of world perspective to ruling. This will never happen. Knowing Melissandre, though she says Gendry can do great things with King’s blood, I think Gendry will be doing things with his King’s blood to make Stannis great. 

The budding romance between Jon Snow and Ygritte continued this episode. This relationship is getting interesting. Jon is beginning to see what the Wildlings have in store for The Wall and I think Ygritte is beginning to suspect that Jon might not be on their side. I do believe they care for each other so it will be interesting to see where their true loyalties lie: with their people or with each other. Jon seems pretty confident that the Wildlings won’t be able to take The Wall. Though he knows his history and that The Wall has never been defeated, I think he forgets that the whole kingdom is currently at war so The Wall does not have the man power it had in the past. 

Finally, Jaime Lannister is my hero. I am sorry, I love his character transformation and who would have thought it would be an ugly woman giving back his honor. I do not know if it is the bond they formed while traveling together or if it is the fact that Brienne represents the ideal knight: the knight he could never be. I do not think it is a romantic attachment but some kind of friendship or bond. He has transformed into the heroic knight that everybody said he wasn’t. Not only did he go back to Harrenhal to make sure she was ok, but he jumped into a bear pit with no sword and only one hand to try and save her. Luckily he is worth more alive than dead so they are both able to get out. Now Jaime with his sharp tongue managed to convince Brienne’s captors to let her go with him to King’s Landing. This could be an interesting union. Though Brienne is nothing but honorable, she will go to King’s Landing and return the Stark girls to Catelyn; however, after she finishes her duty, I see her possibly swearing some sort of oath or loyalty to Jaime. I am definitely glad, we get to see their relationship build over the next view episodes. Until next week….

Game of Thrones 3.6: The Climb

Lady Tyrell Combats Tywin

Sorry for the delay in this week’s Game of Thrones post. It is finals, so I have gotten a little behind on my television watching. This episode, however, was a much needed distraction from all of the work. It is official, Olenna Tyrell is my favorite Game of Thrones character. I thought the previous week’s confrontation between Tyrion and Lady Tyrell was going to be the ultimate dual of words, but I did not even think about a showdown between Tywin and Lady Tyrell. I think she is the only character that can make him speechless. Perhaps Diana Rigg brought a little bit of her bond girl power to the role allowing her to manipulate Lord Tywin just like she can manipulate James Bond. I was disheartened to see that Tywin did hold the Ace, however, having the power to draft Loras into the King’s Guard and thus ending the Tyrell line. Though he may have won that hand, I do not see Lady Tyrell giving up so easily and giving the heir to the Tyrell name over to Cersei. I don’t think we have seen the last of this sharp tongued granny.

Theon did not have a good time this episode. I thought the ripping off of fingernails was repulsive until seeing his torturer slowly skin his pinkie finger. I was excited to finally figure out who Theon’s captures are but sadly his torturer was not eager to share the details. It is nice to know that the mystery of who has Theon is supposed to be there and not just a plot hole left out of the series but in the books.

I was also surprised this episode of how easily Robb got off for reneging on his betrothal to one of Lord Frey’s daughters. Lord Frey seemed quite forgiving since when we first meet him in Season 1 he seems harsh and would not take betrayal lightly. I guess wars make people more opening to bargaining. Sadly for Robb’s uncle, Edmure Tully, has to bear the brunt of the appeasement and marry one of Lord Frey’s daughters. This scene told a lot about the power Robb has as King in the North. Now his relatives, who when growing up he had to respect and obey, are falling down on their swords to serve him and make up for his missteps.

 

Melisandre managed to find the Brotherhood without Banners. Arya once again always smart and perceptive knew this woman was trouble. I was surprised with how willing the brotherhood was to give the priestess Gendry. Especially since it seems like Thoros has more connection to the Lord of Light and thus more power than Melisandre (since he has been able to bring back Beric from the dead six times). I also wonder how Melisandre knew about Gendry and where he was. She obviously wants him so she can kill him since he is the only person that stands in the way of Stannis obtaining the Iron Throne. 

Finally, this episode had the heart wrenching scene of Tyrion going to Sansa’s room to explain that they were now going to marry each other. Though the episode did not show Tyrion actually informing Sansa, you could see the pain it caused Tyrion to not only have to be the bearer of bad news for Sansa but also have to tell his secret lover, Shae, at the exact same time. I will say that Tywin forcing his children to wed people they do not want is beginning to form an interesting relationship between Tyrion and Cersei. I do believe that thought these two  are in fact enemies, their present circumstances will bring them to join forces against their father. I cannot wait to see where the rest of this season goes!