Breaker of Chains - Game of Thrones

Episode 4-03
"Breaker of Chains"

Taking a page from True Blood or Alias, the episode picks up on the same frame from last week, Joffrey's beautiful purple dead face.  And boy is Tywin mad!  Sansa makes a break for it, doing her best Melisandre impresssion of a redhead wearing a hooded cloak at night.

The Reign of King Tommen I (i.e. Tywin's in charge)
Tommen is already thirty steps ahead of Joffrey in terms of being a king.  It's been a day and he hasn't chopped anyone's head off, so that's quite a good start.  Tywin reminds me of Ganondorf from Ocarina of Time.   He gives a professorial talk to Tommen about what it is to be king asking him what it takes to be a good king.  And Tommen even names a few good qualities (holiness, justice, strength) that it takes.  He leaves out being a psychopath and sadist.  While Tywin doesn't lead him all through the Triforce (courage, power, wisdom) it is close.  He gets to wisdom and it's apparent that his entire talk is framed to make it so Tommen does whatever Tywin says.  It is like when Don Draper gives advice and his advice always boils down to "Be more like Don Draper."  Basically, listen to Tywin when you are young, and then you may as well listen to Tywin when you are old as well.

Interestingly, he refers to "King Robert" rather than "your father" as though Robert was some sort of abstract figure who he never met.  I imagine that's not far off from the truth, but still...there are times when the Lannisters aren't even pretending like they have a legitimate claim.  Tywin ends the talk doing something all sides can agree is a good thing, he pulls Tommen away from his mother.

Later, Tywin also acknowledges the real threat of Wildlings in the North and the dragons in the East, as well as the Greyjoys who are probably the least of their worries at the moment, as he'll allow Roose Bolton to deal with that as his reward for betraying the Starks.  

The Faith of the Seven
This episode more than any other in the series has a religious overtone, and maybe that's not by accident this Easter Sunday (also Orthodox Easter).  Tywin and Tommen discuss Baelor's holiness.  The Sept provides a setting.  The Riverlands family that takes in the Hound and Arya are devout and say an excruciatingly long grace before chow.  There's talk of the gods and their vengeance.  Besides the Faith, there's more talk of the Red God and even Davos is acknowledging its power.

Braavos
Braavos got a mention earlier this season.  This episode saw a few more.  There's talk of the Iron Bank again.  And Arya and the Hound both discuss going there.  Perhaps to make it a little more real in our minds, and bring back some memory of it, Davos mentions he was almost beheaded by the First Sword of Braavos...our friend from Season One, Syrio Forel (who I refuse to believe is dead despite Meryn Trant still talking about).  Most significantly, Davos sends a letter to the Bank on behalf of Stannis after his boss rings him out for not rallying enough people to his cause.

"The Iron Bank will have it's due" is kind of a relation to "A Lannister always pays his debts" (no mention of a female Lannister paying back debts though).  The Bank gets paid one way or the other, either from the loan recipient, for by funding the enemies of the deadbeat debtor.

Oberyn
If Oberyn didn't already hate the Lannisters, he sure would now after they keep barging in on his whorehouse time.  Ellaria is discussed for a third week in a row.  One of the things that makes Oberyn so awesome/dangerous are the zero shits he gives about everything coupled with the restraint he's able convey.  It is so much more dangerous than someone like the Mountain who Robb Stark described as "a mad dog without a strategic thought in his head" as Oberyn is probably one of the few people in the Seven Kingdoms who could hang with the intrigue of Kings Landing and fight as a warrior.


Daario
The New Daario is a sellsword much closer to Bronn, fighting dirty, than whatever they were going for last season.  The wink was a bit much, but that seems more of a directing choice than an acting one.  Anytime you can win a duel in the vein of Indiana Jones though, you have something working.

Sir Not Appearing in this Film

• Brandon Stark, righful Lord of Winterfell (and company)
• Brienne 
• Ironmen, still not found in Season Four which is quite all right
• Roose & Bastard

Come to think of it, this episode packs quite a lot of characters and settings in.  Hound/Arya, Jaime/Cersei, Tywin, Tyrion, Oberyn, Stannis (and Davos) making his first appearance, the Wildlings and the Wall, all punctuated by the East.

Heads chopped off this week: 1

Raw Data: The Bear and the Maiden Fair

These are initial observations for Game of Thrones episode 3-06 "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" written by GRRM and directed by Michelle MacLaren,who will also direct next week's episode.  She has been a executive producer and often director on Breaking Bad.

• Like Han Solo, the hero doubles back.  At this point Jamie is really working his way from villain to hero.  He doubles back to Harrenhall when his spidey-sense tells him something is wrong with Brienne.  Actually, it is more common sense knowing they are not satisfied with the random, and they are the same Bolton men who like torture and hacked off his hand.  It all basically amounts to a heel face turn
• You have to love Margarey's pause at Sansa.  "So your mother taught you?"  "...Yes.  Sweet child."  They often use "sweet" as a word for innocent/naive.
• Theon's Torture Porn graduated to Torture Porn Porn.  Everyone is going to be mad about that scene. 
• Amazingly, Joffrey is right about something.  More on this later...
• The rain delays the Northern army from reaching the Twins.  Cat is concerned this will further insult the Freys, but Robb is all like "don't worry we'll text him. 'srry, running l8, b there soon'."
• Arya goes out of the frying pan and into the fire.  But the Hound doesn't like fire so we'll see how that turns out.
• Blackfish old man-s it again "I've seen wet shits I love more than Walder Frey.”  He could end every sentence with "Shut up, get me a beer, you numbskull"
• This season has focused a lot on slavery, giving Daneyrs a mini-boss to fight while she bides her time to the point where she can make her way west.  She's been the emancipator in cheif of the East.  This episode also  mentioned Melisandre's slave roots, providing some backstory on her.  We know she's from the East, and we know slavery is prominent there, but we did not know she was an actual slave.

Even if Joffrey wanted to rule, I'm not sure he could.  He's constantly at odds/getting slapped by his most sincere adviser, Tyrion.  His queen mother shows where he gets his pyscho tendendcies and is none to smart to start with.  Varys and Pycelle are survivors who would sell him out in a moment to keep their hides, as would Littlefinger.  That leaves Tywin.  Tywin is essentially Donald Regan.  And we get the sense he was that way when he was Hand two kings ago as well.

Joffrey, for once, shows an interest in ruling.  Nevermind that it is born out of paranoia of his own survival, related to (justified) concerns about dragons in the East.  Tywin immediately discounts the rumors and oozes contempt for his double grandson.  He clearly has no interest in allowing Joffrey any involvement, only allowing minimal appeasement.  Rather than be pleased with his newfound interest, Tywin treats Joffrey with disdain and zero patience for bothering him about his grown ups' work.  In the most telling part of the exchange, Tywin storms up the stairs without permission and looms over Joffrey, then departs without leave.  The king is left befuddled. He's not dealing with his chief advisor, he's dealing with mean old grampa.

At least he's showing an interest in something related to, well, being king, considering the only act we've seen him do while on the throne is make a singer choose between cutting off his fingers or his tongue, and then punched out his timecard.  Unfortunately, his laziness on the throne is probably just as attributable to Robert as it is any Lannister


Hodor!

Schadenfreude of the Week

Gave it an extra week to see if someone could finally top Game of Thrones, but no.  This is from  episode 3-05 "Kissed by Fire" in case you have not seen it yet.




At the end of the episode Tywin reveals his latest scheme to secure the North, marry Tyrion to Sansa Stark.  When it becomes abundantly clear this is happening with or without Tyrion's consent (or for that matter, Sansa's) he is understandably indignant...almost as much as Cersei is pleased, laughing at her brother's misfortune. 

If "what goes around comes around" was written on a piece of paper and you pulled that piece of paper out of a hat because you were playing pictionary, and then you had to draw what was on the paper and then were upset because how do you draw "what goes around comes around" then worry no further...this is it.

Tywin essentially tells her "glad you think it's funny because you're getting married too."  Suck on that one!  While you may have thought killing your husband (not actually confirmed) would free up your schedule to bed your brother (definitely confirmed) more often, that is not the case.  The look on Cersei's face is so satisfying that Tyrion has all but forgot his own troubles.  And wait until she finds out about his hidden talent, sword swallowing...

Raw Data: The Climb

Thoughts and observations for Game of Thrones episode 3-06 "The Climb". Written for television by showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by Alik Sakhararov, oft-director of photography for this show and the Sopranos, as well as director of Season Two's "What is Dead May Never Die"

• Title refers both to the obvious climb over The Wall by the Wildlings, and is namechecked in Littlefinger's end-of-episode monologue, perhaps even referencing his own climb from humble beginnings to becoming Lord of Harrenhal, and through his upcoming marriage, gaining control of the Vale.
• "If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."  I thought they only broke the fourth wall on the fake documentary sitcoms an House of Cards... 
• Joffrey has graduated to a whole new level of sadism
• If you thought Jon Snow getting a girlfriend would make him less angsty...sucker!  He manages to make climbing up 700 feet of solid ice into a WB show.  Actually, can we just spin off Jon Snow to a whole separate show on WB, and do crossover episodes as needed?
•  For the amount of time they focus on Jon Snow, it's hard to imagine an end game scenario where he doesn't wind up on the Iron Throne that would justify it all.
• This episode was very much concentrated on the North or activities relating to the North.  Even the King's Landing scenes were entirely focused on procuring the North, specifically Winterfell.  
• Multiple scenes of the Wildings/Snow scaling The Wall
• The Starks and Reeds heading toward The Wall
• Sam and Gilly returning to the Wall
• Robb making his way back north to make peace with Lord Frey
• Roose Bolton is hedging bets.  And speaking of Bolton...
• Is Theon not held prisoner by Bolton's men?  Is it supposed to be ambiguous or we being misled?  They were the ones marching to Winterfell at the end of season two.  Roose specifically talked Robb into it.  And their favored method of torture seem to mirror Bolton's sigil which has been prominently displayed throughout the season.
• The Dowager Countess of Highgarden steals the show again.  Not only does she coin the medieval euphemism for gay person (sword swallower), but says tells Tywin "BFD" and says you shouldn't throw stones if your House is full of incest.  While Tywin won the battle at scene's end, perchance the war between these heavyweights is not done.  And though Tywin won, he was sincerely rattled and may well be living in denial about his children.  Also, "buggery." 
• Meera and Osha debate the finer points of the number of methods to remove skin from small mammals.  How many methods are there?  Bran motions for cloture before debate can escalate too far by telling both girls they are pretty.
• Twice this episode characters chose to forgo wine as it was poured to the table (Bolton, Dowager Countess).  Unsure what this means.
• Robb is obviously not in a good position to order Edmure to marry the Frey daughter so they can make peace with the Freys, without sounding like a hypocrite and Edmure is, incredibly, balking.  Good thing Blackfish is there to tell Edmure "You'll do it, and you'll like it.  In fact, you'll marry all one thousand of the ugly Frey girls if Robb wants you to" in an old man strength sort of way.
• Orell cutting people loose on the Wall, only to have them survive and face him at the top was less awkward than the awkwardness that would follow on Mad Men this evening.
• Someone should tell the red priestess it's rude to have a private conversation in a language no one understands. 

Varys' and Littlefinger's conversation about the tales people tell themselves and each other to comfort or rationalize brought to mind Deadwood for the first of two times for Sunday night shows that evening*.  One, two or perhaps all three seasons of Deadwood focus on the idea of "a lie agreed upon" meaning bits we tell ourselves to be true in order for society to function.  For example, gold is as arbitrary a substance as the next mineral but because we all agree it has value and therefore can be exchanged for goods and services, and is also protected and sought after.  If everyone in the camp of Deadwood simultaneously agreed gold had no value (possible, considering they were outside the United States) the society would collapse. 

Season Three started with two episodes reintroducing all the different threads, followed by three episodes loaded with payoffs.  Episode six, with only four more after this week, is moving pieces into place and getting characters on track for (if previous seasons are any indication) what we would expect is the season's big payoff in episode nine followed by rapidly falling action and some set up for next season in episode ten. 

Hodor!

* The other was in Mad Men

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.