The ninth episode has been the "big" episode in the past fro Game of Thrones, both from a story standpoint and in describing the scale of bringing it to television. "Baelor", "Blackwater", and "The Rains of Castamere" are all the zenith of the previous three seasons. With so much going on this year, with the writers pulling material from, or working toward, three different novels (and an unwritten one, per our glimpse into the White Walkers) Season Four has had a different flow, with "big" moments spaced throughout, rather than follow the conventional plotting of cable dramas today.
Due to the logistics of shooting episodes using the large units on several continents*, the producers still need to make a story fit the ten episode season. This is probably the most difficult time of the entire Ice and Fire series to transfer to a television season. In short, Season Four tells three stories, Jon at the Wall, Sansa in the Eyrie and Tyrion in Kings Landing. It also checks in with the North (both sides of the Wall), the East and the Riverlands, somewhat treading water until the two main stories can play out, but also providing a lot of great and informative character moments in the meantime. It's like, if you're in the waiting room you want to use your time productively, and read or answer emails so the time isn't a loss.
* Also probably why it makes sense to shoot Dorne none at all this year and lots next year. It's a whole separate shooting location
The most complete story beyond these is Sansa's which managed to have a beginning, middle and end, and did so with somewhat limited screentime. More than anyone, her character has changed and she is gearing up to be a real factor in the neverending struggle for control and revenge in Westeros, a far cry from the put upon hostage/Lannister wife she began the season as.
Still, episode nine makes its case for inclusion in the pantheon of memorable Game of Thrones episodes. It will easily be remembered as the one with the battle at The Wall, partially because it's the only locale we see, a departure from the rest of the series. It tells the story of one night in Westeros, with a peek into the next morning. I would not be surprised to see criticism of the episode as all style and no substance, but I would take issue with that argument. While it's completely action packed (and you largely have to take the episode for what it is), it still manages to have a few good character moments between, or even during, the bloodshed. Its singular focus allows it to do both. Even the credits are sparse, with Kit Harington getting top billing. Of the previous Episode Nines, it is most similar to "Blackwater" not only because it is a large battle attacking a castle, but because the status quo is largely maintained at the end.
While the events at the Wall have been drawn out a bit, aided by a sortie to Craster's Keep, it's been at the behest of giving Jon a larger leadership role. The difference here is with Mormont gone, his leadership role is assumed and unofficial, rather than actually built into the hiearchy at Castle Black. By being competent, it's natural for the other brothers to look to him for guidance, as they so often do. When Slynt the charlatan is left it charge, it's immediately apparent he has no idea what to do, and the boys know this. It's like Easy Company knowing they are eventually going to be toast in Europe if they stay under Captain Sobel's command*. When they get rid of him, no one says that Jon is in charge. Slynt does not hand command to anyone. But everyone immediately looks to Jon for leadership. Sometimes you get to be a leader by being a leader. I've never been so high on Jon Snow, often wanting to fast forward his scenes north of The Wall. But he and Sansa have undergone the biggest changes and most growth in the cast this season, and both are the better for it.**
* Another work it brings to mind is Braveheart and its battle scenes.
** Rather than think in terms of books or sequential pages, it's better to think about the storylines in terms of the arcs of the characters, picking a start and end. Some of the characters in a holding pattern (Dany, Arya) have simply had -more- of where they ended last season. While Tyrion has obbviously undergone a change, the real arc to track is that of King's Landing as a whole. Joffrey and Littlefinger are gone. Cersei is not queen, Margarey is. Tommen is king. Tyrion is awaiting execution. Even Jaime is largely estranged from his sister and father. It is almost a 'throw the bums out' type thing in the capital.
I'm unclear if Ser Alister survived the battle. I'm guessing he did not per Jon's comment about no one being around to give orders. Alister is softened at the last minute, as he shares with Jon the burden of being in charge, and admits Jon has an I-told-you-so regarding the gate. It makes no difference at this point so Jon doesn't rub it in, even though Alister is looking forward to him and Jon hating each other. I think he's saying it to provide some levity and normalcy as they prepare for battle, and most likely to die, but I cannot imagine many brothers who fight together in this battle will keep their squabbles with each other. Or at least not pick them up immediately after. Alister rings very familiar to Major Rawls post-Kima shooting, both taking command at the crime scene so the lead detectives can work and speaking to McNulty in his own special way. Plus Alister was fearless leading men directly into the heart of battle, not unlike Stannis. Or how I imagine Ned and Robert were. *
* Here's a good example of how the show conveys the same ideas from the books, but in a different manner. Take this exchange: Bran thought about it. “Can a man still be brave if he’s afraid?”
“That is the only time a man can be brave,” his father told him. and think about it compared to how the Night's Watchmen feel with their impending doom. There's no talk of fleeing, but they do admit how scared they are. Specifically, look at Sam's scenes all the way back to his introduction. He admits to being a coward then, but now, while he matter-of-factly speaks to how scared he is, he is still willing to defend the Wall and his brothers.
Besides Jon's leadership and Alister's softening, we're also treated to Sam committing random acts of bravery, devotion to the order from people like Edd and Pyp who were originally sent to the Wall for nothing more than "crimes" and the internal, excruciatingly painful conflict of Ygritte and Jon.
Stewards and Builders
- Sam and Jon have the strongest male friendship in the entire series
- The elevator appears to be the most advanced technology in the entire world so far
- The oldest Previously only goes back to Jon's early days with Mance
- Speaking of, Mance doesn't actually appear in the episode, but his shadow looms large.
- How do the top dogs always manage to find each other? (Alister and Tormund, Jon and Styr)
- You have to appreciate how nearly all the weapons used are unique. Both the Night's Watch and the Wildlings are a hodgepodge that use what is available. It would get old watching limb severing after limb severing, but the different styles and weapons used keep it fresh in what would otherwise grow stale in the singularly focused 60 minutes.
- Best weapon though? The scythe. Bloody brilliant.
The Star Wars Expanded Universe
Star Wars novels often took a character who had a line or two, maybe none at all, and gave them whole stories and novels and sometimes series. For example, Wedge Antilles appeared in three movies, probably had eight lines and carried about nine X-Wing novels in the Expanded Universe. Tycho Celchu spawned from an unnamed pilot in Return of the Jedi, but in those same X-Wing novels, he was given a name and background and became one of the leading characters in the series. Random aliens and bounty hunters appearing in the background of scenes are given whole stories in other collections like Tales from Jabba's Palace.
Game of Thrones does this in reverse. Time doesn't allow us to get the whole story on people like Yarwyck, but we do get to see that guy who has a lot of text devoted to him name dropped in a scene here or there. Pyp calls for a "Hill" to join him at the gate, and while we don't know the story, we know he's a bastard from the Westerlands. Little things like this make the show even more enjoyable. Call it the Westeros Contracted Universe.
Isolation
It's easy to forget that communication is limited between the locales that we jump around and get to view. Few in the seven kingdoms even acknowledge its worthwhile to defend The Wall. Cersei views it like a skeptic may view the space program. Oh that's still around? And we're spending what on it? It puts you in the shoes of the Crows and the singular focus. It is similar to Theon in Season Three, neither he nor the viewer know where he is or what is going on.
With the whole episode taking place at the Wall our attention gets devoted to it an only it, just as the Night's Watch view it. None of the nonsense plaguing the kingdoms below matters, and neither do any squabbles between the brothers. They say there are no atheists in a foxhole. In this case, there are no Houses at the Wall.
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