Raw Data: Second Sons

These are initial observations for Game of Thrones episode 3-08 "Second Sons" written by showrunners Benioff & Weiss and directed by Michelle MacLaren, who directed last week's episode.

Probably the slowest episode of the season, including longer scenes, but still not without major events/payoffs including:

• Stannis cursing his enemies: Balon Greyjoy, Robb Stark and Joffrey
• Significant because we know this god is real and has special powers.  We've seen them in action twice already
•  Davos gets out of jail
• Sansa and Tyrion got freaking married, and his goal is to not treat her terribly.  Also, Tyrion sets a new life goal to become an alcoholic
• Holy effing ess!   Sam KILLED AN OTHER
• Obviously Sam doing so is big, but even bigger is discovering the true use of Dragonglass.   
• They found the cache of Dragonglass a full season ago, wrapped in the Night's Watch cloak.  Lost used to pay stuff off like this, where something was introduced so long ago that you don't even realize when the payoff happens

The rest of the pieces appear to be more about putting things into motion, figuratively and literally, toward the annual episode nine climax

• The Hound taking Arya to the Twins
• Cersei threatening Margery.  Not even in a subtle manner.
• Margery should have known better than to try to curry favor with Cersei the saem way she did with Sansa.  She's way too savvy to make a mistake like that
• Featured some exposition that wasn't sexpostition
• Daenerys secures a mercenary company, growing her army
• Almost as important she has another member of her entourage and maybe more, in Daario

Each scene ran a little longer than your typical Game of Thrones scene so fewer storylines going on.

Ever since season one, Joffrey's been a little pyscho who everyone roots for to bite it in the worst possible manner.  He's completely despicable with no redeeming qualities.  For GRRM to let Joffrey survive all this,he's have to be as sadistic as, well, Joffrey.

It stands to reason they would either double down on his terribleness or soften him a bit.  Both would still leave the door open for him to die soon.  We all hope sooner rather than later of course.  While after his encounter with Tywin showing warranted concern for dragons, I thought the show may take the sympathetic route.  After the Sansa-Tyrion wedding though, it's clear they doubled down.

Hodor!

Raw Data: Kissed by Fire

These are the unprocessed thoughts and observations for Game of Thrones episode 3-05 "Kissed by Fire". Written for television by  Bryan Cogman who has the credit on two previous episodes "Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things" and "What is Dead May Never Die".  Directed by Alex Graves, who also did last week's episode which is not uncommon for this show.  You'll often see the same director for two and three episodes at a time.  We're at halftime of Season Three folks...

• Title refers to Ygritte's hair and that whole demographic which requires more anesthesia than your average bear when they go to the dentist
• Regarding the two seemingly superfluous scenes from previous weeks: both paid off in this episode with Tyrion's betrothal and Karstark's vengeance.  
• Jaime continues to soften his character 
• Selmy: It's going to be great when you leave.  Jorah: WTF?
• Hound: Where's my gold? Anguy: Here's an IOU.  Hound: WTF?
• Cersei's an early frontrunner for Schadenfreude of the Week with the hilarious cycle of wedding meddling.  What goes around...
• Lyssa: "I breast feed my kid even though he's like eight."  Celyse: "I keep three fetuses in formaldehyde jars in my bedroom."   
• Stannis is going to attempt what you call "hu-man" interaction with his daughter
• Speaking of Stannis' daughter, how is Game of Thrones the only show on television with tolerable child actors?

Robb erred by beheading Karstark.  While he's winning battles, to say he's having trouble in his backyard is an understatement.  Robb's unbending sense of honor, obviously derived from Ned, gives him little flexibility in dealing with Karstark.  While Ned and Robert were close a lifetime ago, Ned is more like Stannis than any Baratheon.  Unwilling to give an inch.  Here Robb could have taken a page from Cersei and remembered a tame enemy is more useful than a dead one.

Jamie shed some light on the source of his nickname, explaining how and why he killed King Aerys years ago.  He's been softened the last few weeks and for perhaps the first time gave viewers a reason to be upset with Ned Stark (beyond Ned's own naivete).  The guilt trip played on him by Ned, or at least as it was perceived by Jaime, gives a different point of view** to those early days of Robert's reign.  Would the unbending nature of Ned, and now Robb, have allowed them to make a similar choice?

Meanwhile, Sansa remains a hostage in Kings Landing despite the Tyrells best efforts.  Another parallel with Ned, who had his his own ward/hostage Theon Greyjoy.  While Ned raised him properly, and the Lannisters constantly torture Sansa, they are both effectively hostages who are there for leverage and may be executed at any time.

Which leads to the motif that started this all, beheading.  One of the first scenes in the series is Ned beheading a deserter ** from The Wall.  In Season Two, Theon makes a hack job of a beheading after he betrays everyone who ever cared for him.  In Season Three, Robb takes it upon himself to execute the sentence.  He doesn't appear to do it because he thinks he should but because he feels he has to.  While he has much better beheading skills than Theon, he seems to have damaged himself *** in the process.

Go back to the Vale in Season One...honor weighs heavily, like a suit of armor, and may leave you vulnerable to those playing by different rules.

Hodor!

* Not a better point of view, or even able to redeem Jaime's later actions.  But different.

** By the way, wouldn't everyone have been better served to pay some heed to this guy before separating his head from his body?  But no, there's no flexibility.  And that's why Robb's army is smaller by half and these guys are shorter by about twelve inches.


*** Looked like he hurt his hand while doing the deed.  A portent for his war effort?  Nah, there's no symbolism in this series.  Pay no attention to the wolf killed by the stag.

Raw Data: And Now His Watch is Ended

These are the unprocessed thoughts and observations for Game of Thrones episode 3-04 "And Now His Watch is Ended". Written by  Benioff & Weiss (under the interesting credit of "Written for television by"), series creators and executive producers.  Directed by Alex Graves, executive producer and oft-director of The West Wing

• Currently on page 528 of A Storm of Swords
• Episode title refers to the words said at the funeral of a Night's Watch brother.  Effectively his "End of Watch" or EOW
• Nothing new in the credits, but is there another opening credits a viewer watches so diligently?
• Doctors agree, episodes without Jon Snow are 98 percent less angst-y
• A viewer is not surprised a group of murderers and thieves turns to murder and thievery.  Less a mutiny by the Night's Watch and more of a riot.
• Old man strength transcends realms and Mormont has it in spades.  He's like one of those giants on PCP you see on police dash cameras.
• Deadwood often was described as a 'mud and blood' western.  Game of Thrones is a 'mud and blood' medieval epic.
• A viewer is confounded by the Theon storyline.  Tortured without being asked questions, then broken out and returned the same day?
• Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime) spoke on Conan recently of all the mud they threw him around in in this episode.  Basically one guy's job was to water the mud, non-stop.
• Nothings puts a smile on Joffrey's face like talking about people's violent deaths.  He and Todd Bowden would get along swimmingly
• The Dowager Countess of Highgarden's contempt for her own family, their words and their sigil continues, this time even coupled with some admiration for the departed King Robert.  Tired of roses, she reminds me of someone who got a gift once and people continued to give her such a gift assuming she found them pleasant, when in reality it's only inertia.  A lady at a place I once worked had several dozen toy cows on her desk due to such inertia
• An old trope present in Game of Thrones is obscuring the faces of bad guys while showing the good ones.  The Lannister guards, Daenerys' army and even the Ironmen all wear helmets that partially or totally keep their faces hidden.  Think Imperial stormtroopers versus rebel soldiers.
• The Night's Watch brother who observed it's mostly about shoveling...hilarious
• Varys' view of Littlefinger in the past has been of a worthy adversary, but presently he seems more alarmed than intrigued by Littlefinger's growing power

Speaking of worthy adversaries, much of the focus this week was on the Tyrells and their (Margaery's) growing influence in King's Landing, providing a foil to Cersei and the Lannisters.  But mainly Cersei.  Her influence has a half life each day between now and the royal wedding, and she needs to make a play.

• Margaery has almost fully asserted control of Joffrey from his mother.  The fickle masses not long ago threw a cow pie at Joffrey and now cheer for him and his wife-to-be on the balcony, albeit mainly for Margaery.  They like Margaery and may grow to tolerate/like Joffrey by association.
• The approach she took last week, when Joff explained the crossbow more closely resembled how a babysitter may ask a child to show his toys than a lady showing interest in her betrothed
• As the Northman pointed out to Jaime, Tywin and his wealth are very much a crutch for his children.  In this episode, Cersei runs to her father with her concerns about Margaery controlling Joffrey, but is only greeted with scorn for her own inability to control her son
• In the same conversation, Tywin pointedly told her she is not as smart as she believes herself to be.  The second time Cersei's been told this in Season Three.
• The more the Tyrells want to be friends and share trust, the less one should befriend and trust them.  Margery knows full well her own brother's, er, preferences, and chose not to share them with Sansa when she proposed their betrothal.  Then again, anything is better than having any association with the psychopath-in-chief.  
• The "porridge plague" seemed like test to gauge Sansa's gullibility.
• Margaery is protected in ways Sansa never was
• The Tyrells are schemers who know how to position themselves.  They are willing and able to play a game the Starks did not like nor understand
• Physically, Loras is there too.  Doubtful Margaery is going to be stripped and have a crossbow pointed at her in the throne room.
• Love of the people.  The Lady Di of Westeros has all the common people behind her and they already would not stand for any shabby treatment directed toward her

Raw Data: Walk of Punishment

These are the unprocessed thoughts and observations for Game of Thrones episode 3-03 "Walk of Punishment".

• Currently at page 341 of A Storm of Swords.
• "I'm a monster!" - Buster Bluth
• This week more than made up for last week's lack of GoT's trademark gratuitious nudity and incredibly graphic chopping of cats, er, limbs  Wooooo!
• For the second week in a row, the episode includes a seemingly superfluous scene.  This time it shows Talisa with two young Lannisters, captives of the Starks.
• Not every scene can be a winner, but it's rough knowing there's so much to do, coupling that with every excruciatingly boring minute at or beyond The Wall
• Hot Pie declining to continue with hijinks, but instead work peaceably as a baker brings to mind Clyde chastising the boys on South Park for constantly getting into their own hijinks when hijinks are so easily avoidable 
• The worst end-of-episode-tone to music-over-credits transition since the DVD version of "Take This Sabbath Day"
• This week's episode follow up will focus mainly on a single, telling, scene.  This scene says so much so quickly through the medium of television that it deserves its own analysis

Early in "Walk of Punishment" Lord Tywin holds a Small Council meeting.  Grand Maester Pycell is apparently restored to his position.  Varys makes his first appearance in season three and Littlefinger and Tyrion are also present.

Interestingly, Tywin holds the meeting in a new location, with a set up of table and chairs.  It is not clear if this is different to intentionally throw off the small council members, but it is difficult to imagine Tywin doing anything that does not have a purpose.  The table is smaller than the previous one with a chair at the head next to a standing Tywin and five chairs together on the same long side of the table, Last Supper style.  Everyone hesitates upon seeing the new arrangement, but their reactions are all wonderfully in character. It turns into a literal 'game of thrones'.

Littlefinger
Lord Baelish, an ambitious climber who has made quite a career and name for himself despite relatively humble beginnings, is the first to react.  He's made his name by being available to please the Crown.  When Robert wanted to spend money he didn't push back, talking about responsible budgeting, but instead found a way to make the money appear, for tournaments or whatever the king pleased.  Betting on the Lannisters, he's done as much as anyone to solidify their position at King's Landing.  (And didn't you just cringe last week when Tyrion mused aloud just "Who would trust Littlefinger?")  To continue being there to raise his hand and do the Crown's bidding, Littlfinger brusquely cuts in front of Varys and makes his way to the chair closest to Tywin, even angling it toward him.

Varys
Varys makes his living by flying under the radar.  Everyone in King's Landing knows he's not to be trusted, yet he seems to also make everyone think is a friend to them, giving them the true truth his spies find.  Varys takes the safe second/middle seat.


Pycelle
Varys knows he need not move as purposefully as Littlefinger, as Pycelle isn't going to beat him out of a seat.  Pycelle, who it is clearly known to us know that he is in the court of certain Lannisters, must maintain the illusion that he is infirmed, and takes the next available seat so ever slowly.

Cersei
Cersei has been queen for seventeen or so years at this point.  She is used to people waiting on her, and having her way.  Not only that, but we know that she does not believe rules apply to her, as evidence by her relationship with Jaime , how the Lannisters gain and hold power and her penchant for ripping up documents, as though to invalidate them.  Arriving late, Cersei finds all the chairs occupied save the two fartheest from her father.  Rather than operate within the constraints of the current paradigm, Cersei creates a wholly new arrangement by picking up a chair and moving it to the empty side of the table, flanking her father and sitting as close as Littlfinger.  Tywin is clearly pleased by her relatively unconventional approach and the thought bubble above his head says "That's my daughter for you..."

Tyrion
Tyrion no doubt would've taken another approach even without Cersei moving her chair.  Still a bit perturbed at the way he's been treated since "Blackwater" and no doubt unhappy sharing a table with someone who tried to kill him, someone he previously jailed and deposed from his position and someone who denies him his lawful inheritance, Tyrion knows he is capable of making an impact on the Council and announces his arrival as such.  He manages to accomplish both a better seat and pissing everyone off by hilariously, slowly, loudly and incredibly passive aggressively dragging his chair to the opposite head from his father.  In doing so he simultaneously annoys everyone, makes them wait for him (not unlike Cersei's tardiness) and has a bit of fun at everyone's expense.  But what can he do?  He's but four feet tall and the chair is so large!

As for Tyrion's new job as Master of Coin, it is unclear whether this is a promotion and honor, an insult, or a way to keep a leash on him (or some combination of the three).  Cersei's apparent joy at the prospect probably means this is bad for Tyrion.  He's going to be stuck with the blame for fixing the treasury which was run into the ground under Littlefinger who got praise and promotions.  Sounds like a certain former OPM director.  No doubt Tyrion will find a way to make it work to his advantage in a heretofore unrealized manner.  Step one is to establish a Night's Watch-type order to protect the realm from bond vigilantes.