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 4
The Episodes
Episode 1 – Two Swords
This seemed to be largely a set up of the action and conflict for the season, with Dontos coming to Sansa to plot an escape, Daenerys learning she needs can’t tame her dragons, the Wildlings marching toward the Wall, Jon being on trial for breaking his vows. I like that Arya gets to do some of her own killing, though, taking some names off her list, rather than asking someone else to do it for her. It saddens me, though, that she’s become a killer.
Episode 2 – The Lion and the Rose
The Royal Wedding. A
m I the only one who thinks Joffrey’s death was a little too quick? I mean, I know it wouldn’t be possible because there is no way a King could be kept captive, but I kind of wish Joffrey suffered at the hands of Ramsey Snow a little before dying. A bit of retribution for the torture he inflicted on everyone else. Still, it was a good death scene. And there was a lovely little moment between Sansa and Tyrion, where she hands him the goblet that Joffrey had kicked under the table. Sansa may not be a fan of Tyrion’s, and she’s trapped in this marriage she doesn’t want, but there is an understanding, a compassion, because they both suffer the same under Joffrey.
I was wondering when Ser Dontos was going to show up, if at all. His appearance at this point in the series is a bit sudden, but I can see why it wouldn’t have worked to bring him in throughout as he was there in the books, meeting with Sansa in secret. The shows can only fit in so much, after all.
Episode 3 – Breaker of Chains
I’m finding the travelling partnership of Arya and the Hound absolutely amusing. They hate each other. She wants to kill him. He’d like to kill her. And yet they need each other and fight together to survive.
Episode 4 – Oathkeeper
Lady Oleanna being involved in Joffrey’s death does not surprise me. Littlefinger conspiring with her does. Though it probably shouldn’t. He has some endgame in mind, of which I haven’t quite figured out. I assume it is to put himself on the throne, but how, exactly that’s going to work, well, he seems to be going about it in a very round-about way. Mind you, I haven’t given it a whole lot of thought. He did travel to Storm’s End where he and Margaery conspired for her to marry Joffrey, so clearly he has some side deal with the Tyrell’s, and he is to marry Lysa Arryn so he’ll take over the Vale, and he clearly wants Sansa. So his plan is to marry into all the kingdoms and claim the throne that way?
Episode 5 – First of His Name
So, Daenerys’s grand march isn’t going quite as smoothly as she’d thought. I was wondering when we would find out what happened to the cities she liberated. By freeing the slaves and doing away with the masters, she’s left a horrible power vaccuum which is rarely a good thing. She may be the last dragon. She may have pet dragons. But can she rule?
Episode 6 – The Laws of Gods and Men
Throughout this series, Peter Dinklage has quickly become one of my favorite actors. He is brilliant as Tyrion, in every scene. It is so obvious that Cersei has stacked the trial against Tyrion, that she wants his head, and I feel his frustration and helplessness and anger at the parade of lies against him; but my heart breaks for him when Shae gets up to testify. A part of me wants to believe she is doing so to save her life due to some threat by Tywin or Cersei, or it is out of anger because he finally rejected her to honor his marriage to Sansa. The more I think about it, the more I think she does it for revenge, yes, but also to advance herself, not just save her life.
Daenerys continues to learn that ruling isn’t so easy. The petitioner asking for his father’s bones raises an interesting question: His father was a slave owner. He may not have crucified his child slaves as the other masters did, he may have even spoken out about the cruel practice, but he still owned slaves. Slave ownership was acceptable until Danaerys deemed it unjust. Does one unjust act negate everything else someone is: a father, a brother, a friend, perhaps someone admired for their acts of kindness?
Episode 7 – Mockingbird
This was a fun episode! Littlefinger is creepy as ever, kissing Sansa, 
throwing Lysa out the moon door. I can’t help the feeling that Sansa Stark will be lost and forgotten. No one knows where she is, she has a different name, and now the only one who knows she is a Stark is Littlefinger, and she is at his mercy. Meanwhile, Tyrion trying to find a champion is agonizing and I feel his isolation. Bronn isn’t wrong, though, when he says “You’re my friend, and when have you ever risked your life for me?” Bronn has been the one risking his life for Tyrion. It was his job, as a sell-sword, but not the job of a friend. There are some nice moments, though, with Tyrion and Jamie, and Oberyn, and Bronn.
Episode 8 – The Mountain and the Viper
Well, I guess I don’t have to worry about Sansa Stark getting lost and at Littlefinger’s mercy. Sansa’s survival instinct is strong. The duel between Oberyn Martell and the Mountain features some lovely staff work by Oberyn. Sooooo frustrating, though, when he stops and tells the Mountain, “You can’t die, yet. You haven’t confessed.” You just know that’s the end of Tyrion.
Episode 9 – The Watchers on the Wall
I am so happy Jon and Ygritte got to have their good-bye! But so sad they had to have a good-bye! At least she got to tell him, one last time, “You know nothin’, Jon Snow.”
And Sam had some great moments. First with Maester Aemon, talking books and loves; second with Jon on the wall, talking about what it’s like to be with a woman; and third with Pyp, when Gilly’s at the gate and Sam finally yells at Pyp to, “Open the fuckin’ gate.” Surprising Pyp. I am curious as to why they made Janos Slynt a total pillock, hiding during the battle. He didn’t seem so craven in King’s Landing, and he isn’t in the book. An interesting choice.
Episode 10 – The Children
A part of me wishes Arya would go with Brienne. She doesn’t know that Brienne is truly a friend and is concerned for her safety. Don’t blame her. No one is safe, not really. Her path lies in Bravos, but much like I worried that Sansa will lose who she is, I worry that Arya will too. Both Cersei and Tyrion know very well they are Lannisters, and both want to escape that legacy. Cersei’s confession to her father that her children are Jamie’s, is much more of a personal assault on the Lannister legacy, freeing herself from her father’s control.
Tyrion’s assassination of his father puts an end to that legacy all together. Kind of poetic, though, that he kills is father in the privvy. And Daenerys has to put a chain on her identity. It was heartbreaking that her dragon killed that little child. Another lesson for Danerys: dragons are fun and beautiful, but with them comes dangerous consequences.
General thoughts
I just have one question. Do zombie babies remain babies? No! Don’t answer that! I know I’ll find out! Presumably they don’t remain babies, which leads to all kinds of questions about zombies. I mean, the dead, white-walkers, the others.
Next up, Book 4: A Feast for Crows!
These are my observations, what about you? Did I miss something you loved, or hated? Let’s talk Season 4!
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