This year I resolved to read George R. R. Martin‘s A Song of Ice and Fire and watch HBO’s Game of Thrones, both series. For all of you who have seen the entire series and/or read all the books, here is your chance to experience it for the first time all over again!
Why I Chose it: I had tried watching the series a few times and only ever reached the half-way point of the first season. Then I was in Calgary visiting my friend, and she wanted to watch Game of Thrones. I was curious to see it, and it was fantastic. I had to know everything that happened. But I’m not just satisfied with the TV show. I love to know all the details from the books too. I expect this is going to be a momentous task, and I hope I’m up for the challenge.
If you haven’t seen the series, there will be spoilers as we go along. If you have seen it, I’d love to hear what you think in the comments, but please, please, please, don’t spoil future seasons or books for me.
Game of Thrones: Season 3
The Episodes
Episode 1 – Valar Dohaeris
An interesting start to the season. The battle of Blackwater Bay is over, everyone is picking up the pieces, and the tensions have only escalated with mistrust on every side. Littlefinger is so creepy with Sansa. Margaery is interesting. I like her. Are her motives purely for gain? Speaking with the orphan children, getting the public to love her, so that she can be loved more than Joffrey and therefore wield power? Perhaps. But she does good at the same time. It does make me wonder, though, about Joffrey and Margaery vs. Joffrey and Sansa. Had Sansa been older, with more confidence, would he have beat her and humiliated her the way he did? I don’t like to think that way. It’s victim blaming. And I don’t like that the characters have been written that way, so that we think that way, that it’s Sansa’s fault that he abuses her.
Episode 2 – Dark Wings, Dark Words
While I’m generally tired of Bran’s dreams, I do find it interesting that he’s always dreaming of the three-eyed raven, whereas in the books, he dreams that he’s his wolf. It is curious that Margaery should invite Sansa for tea, though I suppose it is quite genuine of her to want to know the deal with Joffrey, but I can’t help but feel that there are ulterior motives. She certainly does know how to play people though I don’t like how she encourages Joffrey’s sadism, even if by doing so she directs it away from herself.
Episode 3 – Walk of Punishment
I don’t know how Daenerys does it? How does she keep such a poker face when she understands what’s being said about her? That was quite the maneuver to get the army of Unsullied without having to give up her dragon. Oh. Jamie just lost a hand. Well that’s going to make life difficult for him. Kind of devastating actually. Having had carpal tunnel syndrome and the inability to use my hands in the past, it is mental and emotional agony beyond any physical pain. Well, he was too pretty anyway. He had to get dirtied up a bit.
Episode 4 – And Now His Watch is Ended
Does anyone else think this whole Warg business seems a little convenient? Bran can’t walk, let’s give him some other way to walk. The wildling is suddenly a warg. I don’t know. Perhaps this is my years of workshopping stories, but I feel like they should have been made known earlier, like in book 1.
Episode 5 – Kissed by Fire
This Lord of Light business is interesting. I wasn’t sure what to think when Melissandre didn’t die when the Maester tried to poison her. I thought it was maybe some kind of magic trick. I still think she’s a scam artist. But now to see someone be brought back to life with a few prayers to the God of Light is something else. Is it magic? Or is it a god that tangibly responds to prayers? One could make a strong case against the other gods of Westeros, old and new, that they don’t really respond and that is why the god of light is the One True God. Ahhhh! Jon and Ygritte got it on! I love Margaery’s grandmother! She is so blunt and can cow even Tyrion! Whoa, whoa, whoa. As if Rob Stark would think Walder Frey would give him soldiers! The deal was soldiers in return for marrying one of Frey’s daughters. Given the brutality of war and everything that has happened so far, there is no way I believe Rob Stark is going to happily go ask Walder Frey for more soldiers! Hahahaha! Cersei’s so smug that Tyrion is ordered to marry Sansa until she’s ordered to marry Ser Loras Tyrell. Hahahaha!
Episode 6 – The Climb
What do you need wargs for if you have someone like Jojen who has visions and basically can scout/see ahead? Ramsay and Theon. I mean, Theon is scum, but I almost feel like this is going too far. Don’t get me wrong. Not feeling sorry for him. There are just so many saddistic people in this world. I believe this negotiation between Rob Stark and the Frey’s far more than the smile on Rob Stark’s face at the end of Episode 5. Now, maybe that was supposed to be one of those moments where he’s cringing, knowing he will have to bow and scrape to Walder Frey, but it wasn’t portrayed that way. Harrenhal has changed hands how many times? Littlefinger, Walder Frey, I think there were a few others too. I do adore Tyrion, and I feel bad for Sansa. She thought she was going to get her happy ending. And Tyrion has to tell Sansa she has to marry him, in front of Shae. Neither can catch a break.
Episode 7 – The Bear and the Maiden Fair
This is a bit of a slow episode, with a lot of traveling and talking. Jon Snow and Ygritte being teased and taunted about their relationship, Margaery counseling Sansa about her marriage to Tyrion, Tyrion complaining to Bron about his marriage to Sansa, Rob Stark preparing to meet Walder Frey and finding out his wife is pregnant. Every scene with the dragons is excellent, though. They are bigger in every episode now, and they are beautiful. I must admit that I’ve never been a big fan of dragons. I don’t seek them out, but these make me want dragons. Oh, wait, it may be a slow episode, but I do like the alterations to Theon. But is there a point to all the torture? What is wrong with Lord Bolton and his men? Just because Brienne is tall and a knight, she’s a freak show to fight a bear? I do like that Jamie went back for her and rescues her. Incest and pushing Bran off the tower, Jamie’s kind of a good guy.
Episode 8 – Second Sons
I do find the Hound to be an interesting character. He has a kind of honor. He’s unexpectedly kind to Sansa and now Arya. Granted, he’s bringing Arya to her mother in the expectation of financial gain, but even so, he is kind and gentle in his own way. Ah the wedding of Tyrion and Sansa. You know, she really could do much worse than Tyrion. He’s been nothing but kind to her. I mean, she could still be marrying Joffrey, the smug little git that he is. Margaery has been interesting, but she pushed a little too hard with Cersei, calling her sister. Speaking of Cersei, she embodies the true female role. No matter how much power she manages to wield: she can kill kings and rule Westeros, but in the end, she is nothing but an object to be lusted after, property to be sold.
Episode 9 – The Rains of Castamere
Am I the only one who wants Jon to go into the windmill tower and find Bran and Rickon? How did Ghost get over the wall? Oh good, Bran at least saw Jon. Daenerys is on an impressive march. If only it were so simple, to say a few confident words and have men kneel before you and sack cities for you. I suppose the dragons help convince potential enemies. Ahhh, the Red Wedding. So it isn’t Joffrey’s wedding then. Pity. Poor Greywind. And poor Arya, witnessing the murder yet again, of her family. I am a bit…underwhelmed. I think there was so much talk of The Red Wedding, that I expected it it be…bloodier? In a more majestic setting? A little more like the opening of Kill Bill, perhaps? Still, sad to see Rob and Catelyn Stark die like that, at the orders of the asshole Walder Frey. And whose side is Roose Bolton on anyway? Is it because of Jamie Lannister that he killed Catelyn? Or was it just an opportunity to kill her and make her feel extra horrible at the end? Do too many of the characters look the same to me so I’m getting them confused?
Episode 10 – Mhysa
Hahaha, Joffrey being sent off from the small council yelling “I’m not tired.” Reminds me of all small children being sent to bed, crying, “I’m not tired!” as they rub their eyes and yawn. Oh, I see. The Lannisters did get to Bolton and Frey. Kind of a cowardly way to win the war, though. I guess that was the only way Tywin could defeat Rob Stark. Why does Theon’s sister suddenly care about rescuing Theon? Because he had his cock cut off? She didn’t care before, when he’d claimed Winterfell for himself. Is it wrong to want both a dragon and a dire wolf? Go Arya!!! Stabbing that asshat who killed her mom! Man, did Jon piss off Ygritte or what? Shooting him up with arrows because he abandoned her and the wildlings, And Samwell has constantly proven himself to be a total sweetheart taking care of Gilly and her baby.
General thoughts
I’m deep in it now. I’m willing to sit back and let this all play out. I am curious as to what the White Walkers have to do with the war for the Iron Throne, but George R. R. Martin is a seasoned writer; he wouldn’t have them there for no reason.
Next up, Book 3: A Storm of Swords!
These are my observations, what about you? Did I miss something you loved, or hated? Let’s talk Season 3!
I just want to mention that Season 3 and Season 4 are an adaptation of Book 3. So you should watch both seasons before reading the third book.
Also, Book 4/5 are an adaptation of Season 5, as both happen at the same time but deal with different POV characters. There are reading guides online on how to read them side by side.
Sansa was abused by Joffrey because of Arya beating him at the Trident, not because of her lack of confidence or capabilities. I do think the show making it so that Margaery can manipulate Joffrey was a bad thing as it undermines Sansa’s abilities and while I do love this master manipulator show version of Margaery, her not being able to control Joffrey in the books is better for Sansa.
Sansa being forced to marry Tyrion IS the worst thing ever because she did not CONSENT to this engagement. She was forced to be married to someone part of the family who contributed to her mother’s, father’s and brother’s death and who, someone she has absolutely no romantic or sexual desire for, and who she does not trust (this is more true in the books). Plus, in the books, Tyrion’s an absolute entitled scumbag so there’s that too.
The Red Wedding was that big for people who are pro-Starks. Robb’s rebellion was the only hope for the Starks or so to speak. It being extinguished made their situation even more terrible than it already was. Plus. this would more so horrible for dedicated Robb or Catelyn fans. From what I can see, you usually talk about Tyrion, Sansa, Arya, Bran and Dany so I’m not surprised this doesn’t effect you as much.
I don’t quite understand your fascination with imperialist tyrant Dany and her murder lizards though.