Game of Thrones Update and Thoughts

   WARNING: STRONG LANGUAGE

Game of Thrones Updates and Thoughts:

Game of Thrones: I’m finally caught up. Yes, everyone’s talking about the Red Wedding thing. Personally, I wasn’t really attached to any of the Starks that…well, were in the Red Wedding, so I’m not losing sleep over it. Rob Stark chose to be a tactician and marry a Frey instead of building up his own House. And I feel that, at this point, the people…in the Red Wedding…were just getting in the way of the story of what I think will be a showdown between House Targaryen and House Baratheon. I was shocked more at the very ending of the last episode, but I’m not losing sleep over it. Rob Stark was just too politically weak to be valuable.

    On the other end, it looks like Bran is pretty well held up by a siege of people beyond the wall in Castle Black. Seems Hodor might have given them away with all his “Hodoring” (Hodor! Hodor!) I have high hopes that the Stark children at least might survive. The ones that do survive seem to be the ones who surround themselves with protectors, which Rob Stark never did. Bran has protectors. John Snow HAD protectors. Though many might as well have turned on him. A lot of people say this is a kind of amoral show, where if you try to do good, you lose. Although I thought that at first, I’m beginning to disagree.

    For example, look at Danaerys. She has an empire basically of freed slaves, and treats them all as equals. Wherever she encounters cruelty, she conquers and sets the rules so that people are given rights and respect. The Dothraki were complete barbarians at first, but by assimilating to the culture, understanding Dothraki, and ultimately making them play by her rules while respecting the host culture, she changed it. That’s an important lesson in intercultural communication: Assimilating to another culture does not mean you have to give up your native values. It does however, mean you need to understand how the rules of the culture work. The Khaleesi has consistently employed intercultural communication to her benefit.

    Another example I’d like to point to is Tyrion Lannister. Though he plays at being an amoral hedonist, he has actually revealed himself to be quite noble at times. Even empathetic. He refused to bed Sansa. He opened up to Shae about his personal conflicts and struggle for dignity as a dwarf. He defended King’s Landing! Maybe he’s not so amoral. I was particularly uplifted by his decision not to bed Sansa. This was done for multiple reasons, probably. Number one is that he knows he’s being wed to Sansa for his own humiliation, as she’s 14 and he’s a dwarf. He’s not going to let them have the last laugh. Finally, he loves Shae, so…maybe also he’s not the polyamourous type as we were led to believe either.

    Finally, Milsandre has the blood of kings and people think she’s a powerful priestess. Never mind how she gets the blood, which was painful to watch. She sort of uses her position as priestess as a form of religious cultural domination. As such, when people see her victories, she attributes it to her god and her blood, so people fear her. I guess I can’t really say what’s coming for her yet…but she seems to me to be quite the opposite style as the Khaleesi, who assimilates to her conquered cultures…I predict a showdown between the two women. At least Bran and Arya still have protection.

I have no idea what’s going on with the Blackwatch at this point. Samwell’s last scenes felt a bit unnecessary. But, that’s Game of Thrones! Political intrigue, backstabbing, and sometimes magical creatures pop out! Should be exciting to see how long these characters can last. Is it all just secretly a straightforward morality tale? Somehow I doubt that. In Game of Thrones, those who have power make the morals! Stay tuned! And yeah, I know this is going to be out of date as soon as I post it, but I had to put down my observations!

Game of Thrones Update: Season 3 Episode 2

Game of Thrones Update:

Jojen: “You can’t kill him, you know.”

Bran: “How do you know?”

Jojen: “Because the raven is you.”

    Bran’s dream of hunting a raven becomes real when he’s approached by strangers. Should I say spoilers? SPOILERS! I knew Bran had strong dreams ever since the show decided to push him out a window, but this new episode of Game of Thrones turns the knob all the way to 11. He can see through the eyes of animals and into the future. I’m particularly fond of the interactions between him and his caretakers. But, it seems someone got past him, his “aides” and his pet wolf on the way out of Winterfell, where he told him the news of his magic.

   And Bran isn’t the only one! There were a ton of new characters introduced in this episode, one of whom beyond The Wall is the same kind of wizard as Bran (Who is also disabled, but he has been since day one; so he’s a second favorite of mine!) Of course, my first favorite is Tyrion. Sadly, he still hasn’t shown me really that he’s back in the game, so to speak. He tells his confidante that she shouldn’t come into his room without permission from his father, but she does anyway. Such deference to the law worries me; isn’t normal for him.

   Sansa is having to act happy about not being married to the King. Could it be a sign of House Stark coming together? Tyrion has already suggested that any man can have her now that she’s not married. Meanwhile Geoffrey is still setting up the wedding and generally flaunting his new wife to Sansa; and we learn that Sansa’s grandmother’s not too keen on him doing so. Geoffrey may have to face revolution from the inside, and I like it, but that’s my wishful thinking.

Sadly, there’s no Khaleesi or Milisandre in this episode, but I don’t think it means their armies are going away. I see this episode mainly as focusing on strengthening the ex-Starks. Arya is traveling with vagabond warriors known as the Brothers without Banners who seem impressed by her escape. It appears they’ve also found Brienne. With the ex-Starks gaining allies, and some of them new powers, it might be enough to topple Geoffrey. But, he seems as arrogant as ever, and I doubt he even cares what his people think of his scandals.  

In this episode, I was particularly taken by Bran’s development that he’s a wizard. He could possibly see a future in his dreams where this journey pays off. Speaking as a disabled man, I often find that my dreams compensate for not being able to physically act on all my thoughts…curiously, in his dreams, as in mine, he is able-bodied. So, I hope that symbolizes some power or influence left in him. All in all, a hopeful episode, assuming the Brothers Without Banners are friendly. I just hope my outlook isn’t misplaced! Nice Stark development, but I can’t wait to get back to The Queen of Dragons.

 

GAME OF THRONES SEASON THREE PREMIERE:

GAME OF THRONES SEASON THREE:

Game of Thrones Season 3 is off to a good start! The only thing I didn’t like about it was that the dwarf Tyrion remains stripped of power. Meanwhile, the Khaleesi is raising an army, and it appears that a big battle is about to happen. Those dragons are growing up. Logic tells me they wouldn’t bother to develop the dragons without seeing them fully grown and in battle. Khaleesi has a ragtag army put together. I don't know whether to root for her, Tyrion, or the ex-Starks, but definitely not Stannis Brartheon for me! I secretly wish Tyrion would rule Westeros, but it doesn't look likely; I was crushed at the end of Season 2. I'm divided.

Meanwhile, in House Brartheon, it seems Milisandre the sorceress is also trying to go on another attack! There should be another huge battle. And Robert Baratheon has defected to the Khaleesi. I can only hope that Khaleesi’s recent successes don’t foreshadow an early death.She appears to have avoided an early death already from a scorpion-thing. Robert was quick about that!Anyway, it makes me wonder with Robert being an expert swordsman, will he train the Khaleesi’s army? And will the Lannister’s be able to hold King’s Landing from Stannis without Tyrion? I hope Tyrion comes back in full form!

 In supernatural news, I also hope John Snow will be fighting white walkers very soon! He, in my view, could be the one to bring House Stark back, if only he were legitimate. He’s already made allies beyond The Wall!

So, my overall review of the premiere? Anywhere from great to really great. I just hope Tyrion can regain his honor. Then, again, as House Stark proved, honor doesn’t mean much in George R.R. Martin’s world. But, maybe the Stark’s will come back too. Who knows?  People who read the books, I know!

I know there are books to read. I should most definitely read them. But at this point it would just seem like cheating. I might read them when the show is over. Depending on how depressed/uplifted I am by the show’s finale. Though I don’t imagine I’ll be disappointed either way. Say what you will about the immorality of Game of Thrones, whatever conclusion it comes to will fit together logically within the show‘s premise. It is fundamentally, after all, a show about power; and not always who wields it justly. In the Game of Thrones, “you win or you die.”