So there was no Daenerys this week nor was there Robb Stark or Joffery. While these characters were left out this episode, it was still a great episode. The storyline has continued to move forward at an incredible pace. Again, complements to the writers for suppressing a thousand page book into a single season.
The episode begins where it left off. Jon Snow is brought to the Lord Commander of the Night's watch after snooping around his host's business. When Jon tells the Commander about what he is doing to the children, Jon realizes that he already knew. It turns out that wildlings serve other Gods as well and have to do with sacrificing sons as apart of some ritual. While Jon nor the Lord Commander couldn't figure out what the beast was, we were able to figure out that it was the White Walkers who were receiving the babies.
Meanwhile, Theon is at a cross roads. Still at his homeland Pyke, he is trying to figure out who to help: Robb Stark and his war against the Lannisters or his father who has just declared war on the Starks. It was interesting to see how Theon's mind was so split on the idea of going against the family he was born with and the family who raised him. In the end, Theon writes out a warning note to Robb but then immediately sets it on fire to signify that he will stay with his father and sister. So this another plot twist in this episode that will become major as the season continues.
Back in King's Landing, Tyrion continues to have his "fun" as Hand of the King. It is quite clear from the get go, Tyrion is far more intelligent than Ned as the King's Hand. In this episode he was telling Littlefinger, Varys, and Grand Maester what his plans are for the princess to get her out of the capital before the war arrives. However, he tells each person a different location he wishes to put the princess. Later in the episode, Queen Cersei comes up to him and yells at him for sending the princess off to a certain location. While he had no intention of going about his plan, he was able to find the Queen's rat: the Grand Maester. During the interrogation, Tyrion is told that the Grand Maester went against Jon Arryn (the hand of the king before Ned Stark) and might have poisoned him to keeps his secrets safe.
While the trickery was great, the scene between Varys and Tyrion was very well done. The discussion was about where power resides. Not only was the dialog fluent and easy to comprehend, it was great to show that Kings sometimes don't hold all the power but the people who fight for him. Fantastic dialog and scene.
Also in this episode, Catelyn Stark arrives at the camp of Renly who has declared himself King. We also see Brienne of Tarth, a great character, but more on her in later reviews. Catelyn asks for Renly's allegiance with Robb. Though we don't quite get an answer, we do know that Renly plans on attacking King's Landing with his 100,000 men at his back.
The ending was probably the most suspenseful part of the episode. Arya and Yoren are talking about the day Ned was killed which led to someone attacking their camp. However, it was the Gold Cloaks (army from King's Landing) that attacked but Red Coats under the control of Tywin Lannister, the actual Hand of the King. Of course, a battle broke out and it was graphic and emotional that led to the death of Yoren. The real bad news is that Gendrick (Robert's bastard son) and Arya are now under Lannister forces.
Again . . . a lot of story was told this episode. Having said that, it was still a great episode. The real entertainment comes from the twists and turns that the story unfolds to the viewers with the nudity and violence being extra. "Game of Thrones" has become a great series to watch. It's dialog driven; something that is somewhat rare for the fantasy genre. This was yet another great episode to watch.
Now if you are loving this season so far . . . from a person who has read the second book this season is based on, you haven't seen anything yet.
9.1/10
The episode begins where it left off. Jon Snow is brought to the Lord Commander of the Night's watch after snooping around his host's business. When Jon tells the Commander about what he is doing to the children, Jon realizes that he already knew. It turns out that wildlings serve other Gods as well and have to do with sacrificing sons as apart of some ritual. While Jon nor the Lord Commander couldn't figure out what the beast was, we were able to figure out that it was the White Walkers who were receiving the babies.
Meanwhile, Theon is at a cross roads. Still at his homeland Pyke, he is trying to figure out who to help: Robb Stark and his war against the Lannisters or his father who has just declared war on the Starks. It was interesting to see how Theon's mind was so split on the idea of going against the family he was born with and the family who raised him. In the end, Theon writes out a warning note to Robb but then immediately sets it on fire to signify that he will stay with his father and sister. So this another plot twist in this episode that will become major as the season continues.
Back in King's Landing, Tyrion continues to have his "fun" as Hand of the King. It is quite clear from the get go, Tyrion is far more intelligent than Ned as the King's Hand. In this episode he was telling Littlefinger, Varys, and Grand Maester what his plans are for the princess to get her out of the capital before the war arrives. However, he tells each person a different location he wishes to put the princess. Later in the episode, Queen Cersei comes up to him and yells at him for sending the princess off to a certain location. While he had no intention of going about his plan, he was able to find the Queen's rat: the Grand Maester. During the interrogation, Tyrion is told that the Grand Maester went against Jon Arryn (the hand of the king before Ned Stark) and might have poisoned him to keeps his secrets safe.
While the trickery was great, the scene between Varys and Tyrion was very well done. The discussion was about where power resides. Not only was the dialog fluent and easy to comprehend, it was great to show that Kings sometimes don't hold all the power but the people who fight for him. Fantastic dialog and scene.
Also in this episode, Catelyn Stark arrives at the camp of Renly who has declared himself King. We also see Brienne of Tarth, a great character, but more on her in later reviews. Catelyn asks for Renly's allegiance with Robb. Though we don't quite get an answer, we do know that Renly plans on attacking King's Landing with his 100,000 men at his back.
The ending was probably the most suspenseful part of the episode. Arya and Yoren are talking about the day Ned was killed which led to someone attacking their camp. However, it was the Gold Cloaks (army from King's Landing) that attacked but Red Coats under the control of Tywin Lannister, the actual Hand of the King. Of course, a battle broke out and it was graphic and emotional that led to the death of Yoren. The real bad news is that Gendrick (Robert's bastard son) and Arya are now under Lannister forces.
Again . . . a lot of story was told this episode. Having said that, it was still a great episode. The real entertainment comes from the twists and turns that the story unfolds to the viewers with the nudity and violence being extra. "Game of Thrones" has become a great series to watch. It's dialog driven; something that is somewhat rare for the fantasy genre. This was yet another great episode to watch.
Now if you are loving this season so far . . . from a person who has read the second book this season is based on, you haven't seen anything yet.
9.1/10