Game of Thrones, Season 3, Episode 10
Jun. 11th, 2013 08:33 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marinessGame of Thrones, Season 3, Episode 10
Roofers around, so, communication today will likely be limited. In the meantime, have some quick notes about the last episode of this season of Game of Thrones.
1. Kinda anticlimactic after the previous episode, huh? Somewhat typical for this show's second season, but...I have an idea or two that might have helped out, without having to change anything but the editing.
2. Joffrey. Not dead yet. AUUGH.
But two interesting twists: one, Walder Frey, Ramsey Bolton, arguably even worse people (well, Ramsey definitely even worse), and yet, at least I can say that both of them are more effective, and Walder Frey, at least, has the slightly bigger picture in mind. It just adds to the WHY ISN'T JOFFREY DEAD yet feeling, especially since Cersei and Tywin do have little biddable Tommen waiting in the wings.
Two, once again, the twisted psychopath of Joffrey is right: Tywin did hide under Casterly Rock. Sadly, Joffrey's been right fairly often. I don't know if this is meant to be a metacomment on insanity, or a reminder that Tywin has his limitations (and helping set up just why he didn't foresee Tyrion crossbowing for him), but it's been an interesting touch.
3. You know how it is. You're watching, and Theon torture porn comes back on, and you think, well, at least this is marginally better than watching a pregnant woman stabbed in the abdomen, and then the camera focuses on a sausage, and you're like, yeah, at least the Red Wedding had more emotional umph.
4. Speaking of Theon – so does this switch in the Northern plot, with Yara heading off to rescue him, and not a hint of Victarion or Euron yet, mean that the show will be skipping the entire kingsmoot plot? And possibly Victarion?
I can't quite see Euron getting axed – first, Melisandre made a point of killing Balon Greyjoy with the leeches too, and somebody is going to have to rise up to be the leader of the Iron Islands, and that somebody is not going to be Yara, at least not immediately, and second, Euron at least claims he can control dragons, which gives him quite a role in the upcoming books. That said, there's no particular reason why the whole kingsmoot plot can't be dropped for a "Hi, I'm Euron. I'm your father's brother and I can control dragons, so you go play with your little boats elsewhere go me." Victarion, however, May Not Be Appearing In This Series.
Also, this does seem to be a rather big shift, right, suggesting that we'll be seeing a lot more of the Dance With Dragons plotline next season – which suggests that Jon might become Lord Commander of the Night Watch midseason. Maybe. We'll see.
And also, what happens to the Greyjoys if Euron and Victarion don't show up, given that the show has been absolutely clear that Theon has been castrated and therefore won't be doing much to continue the line? (And dare I bring up urination issues? You could have handled that in other ways, Ramsey. Auugh.)
4. Speaking of Jon, really not sure what the point was of having Ygritte come and shoot him in this episode, especially since the episode was running slightly long as it was and other bits (hi, Sansa's reaction to the Red Wedding) felt shortchanged. I mean, yes, it was All Dramatic to have him come into the Night's Watch bleeding from arrow wounds, and he got to shout at Ygritte and tell her that he loved her and once again prove that yes, he really truly knows nothing, but surely the arrow wounds could have come as he was fleeing the wildings last episode? Which leads me to –
5. The major shift I would have made with the two episodes is pretty simple:
Move the jail house scene between Davos and Gendry to last week's episode, and move the entire Yunkai plot from last week to this week.
This accomplishes three things:
a) Misdirection, making the non-book reading audience assume that the "previously these leeches were fried" bit was just part of Gendry's plot line, and not a warning that really truly Robb Stark was going to bit it later that episode.
b) Keeping up with the general THINGS SUCK AND NOTHING GOOD feeling of the entire episode, with only one freaky kick-ass moment – Bran's.
c) Giving a little less of a "the only thing happening here is a crowd of mostly brown people saluting a white savior" feeling since that at least wouldn't have been the only scene from this plot in the episode.
Adding to the issue, I got the feeling in episode 9 that part of the Yunkai storyline – the idea that most of the residents were slaves – was cut (based mostly on the dialogue between Dany and Jorah when they return). Put the Yunkai storyline with those lines back in, and you first of all have a moment in the episode where Dany does look uncertain and worried, so it's not all Dany Triumphant, remind viewers that the residents are slaves, and most importantly, have someone – Jorah, Melisandre, possibly Barristan – point out that sometimes freeing slaves doesn't go the way you think it will, to prepare viewers a bit for what will be happening next season.
Not that viewers are completely unprepared – my father, who hasn't read the books, has already said that he thinks Dany is displaying some very mean tendencies and is about to go very evil or very incompetent or both, which suggests that the show is doing a nice job of prepping up for the "white people saving the world doesn't always work out great for people" storyline from A Dance With Dragons. The show is not doing a good job of making me or apparently anyone over 20 like Daario Fabio that much either, which is probably a good thing.
6. Rumor had it that a scene between Littlefinger and Lysa Arryn was at least filmed, though it didn't show up. Next season, maybe?
7. Shae, when you are brutally killed next season, don't blame Varys.
8. TV Stannis is just not moral enough.
I realize that part of this was inevitable after HBO said, OOH, CHANCE FOR NAKED BODY AND PAINFUL SEX, so we've just been going on from here, but this should be a stern person who will always do the right thing no matter what the cost. Otherwise, his decision to go off and fight zombies is going to come off as seriously abrupt and "where did that come from?" which is exactly what happened. One moment, Stannis is all, I go hunt down other kings, and the next minute, he's told about the North, he doesn't care, Melisandre burns a piece of paper, and off to the North we go. Not only did that just kill the whole surprise of Stannis showing up at the last minute to seize the day, but it makes him look even more under Melisandre's power than ever, and it just felt off.
The scene with the three of them looking out at what I guess was the North looked great though, so, kudos there.
9. And on a purely superficial note, YAY! Jaime is going to get to have another bath! And wash his hair! And...be with Cersei instead of Brienne at least for now. Less yay.
Overall thoughts of the season:
Some good, some bad. Most of the bad involved pretty much anything to do with Theon, but I've spent enough time chatting about that, so moving on. Good included the Red Wedding, the warging, Beric and Thoros, pretty much all of the King's Landing stuff, and Dany's Dracaerys moment. Questionable included pretty much everything with Jon (it's not the acting, really, it's just Emo, Emo, Emo) though I did like the Wall climbing and the later warging bits, and most of the Dragonstone storyline, although Davos is growing on me.
And yeah, I'm in for next season. Which for HBO, is all that really matters.
Roofers around, so, communication today will likely be limited. In the meantime, have some quick notes about the last episode of this season of Game of Thrones.
1. Kinda anticlimactic after the previous episode, huh? Somewhat typical for this show's second season, but...I have an idea or two that might have helped out, without having to change anything but the editing.
2. Joffrey. Not dead yet. AUUGH.
But two interesting twists: one, Walder Frey, Ramsey Bolton, arguably even worse people (well, Ramsey definitely even worse), and yet, at least I can say that both of them are more effective, and Walder Frey, at least, has the slightly bigger picture in mind. It just adds to the WHY ISN'T JOFFREY DEAD yet feeling, especially since Cersei and Tywin do have little biddable Tommen waiting in the wings.
Two, once again, the twisted psychopath of Joffrey is right: Tywin did hide under Casterly Rock. Sadly, Joffrey's been right fairly often. I don't know if this is meant to be a metacomment on insanity, or a reminder that Tywin has his limitations (and helping set up just why he didn't foresee Tyrion crossbowing for him), but it's been an interesting touch.
3. You know how it is. You're watching, and Theon torture porn comes back on, and you think, well, at least this is marginally better than watching a pregnant woman stabbed in the abdomen, and then the camera focuses on a sausage, and you're like, yeah, at least the Red Wedding had more emotional umph.
4. Speaking of Theon – so does this switch in the Northern plot, with Yara heading off to rescue him, and not a hint of Victarion or Euron yet, mean that the show will be skipping the entire kingsmoot plot? And possibly Victarion?
I can't quite see Euron getting axed – first, Melisandre made a point of killing Balon Greyjoy with the leeches too, and somebody is going to have to rise up to be the leader of the Iron Islands, and that somebody is not going to be Yara, at least not immediately, and second, Euron at least claims he can control dragons, which gives him quite a role in the upcoming books. That said, there's no particular reason why the whole kingsmoot plot can't be dropped for a "Hi, I'm Euron. I'm your father's brother and I can control dragons, so you go play with your little boats elsewhere go me." Victarion, however, May Not Be Appearing In This Series.
Also, this does seem to be a rather big shift, right, suggesting that we'll be seeing a lot more of the Dance With Dragons plotline next season – which suggests that Jon might become Lord Commander of the Night Watch midseason. Maybe. We'll see.
And also, what happens to the Greyjoys if Euron and Victarion don't show up, given that the show has been absolutely clear that Theon has been castrated and therefore won't be doing much to continue the line? (And dare I bring up urination issues? You could have handled that in other ways, Ramsey. Auugh.)
4. Speaking of Jon, really not sure what the point was of having Ygritte come and shoot him in this episode, especially since the episode was running slightly long as it was and other bits (hi, Sansa's reaction to the Red Wedding) felt shortchanged. I mean, yes, it was All Dramatic to have him come into the Night's Watch bleeding from arrow wounds, and he got to shout at Ygritte and tell her that he loved her and once again prove that yes, he really truly knows nothing, but surely the arrow wounds could have come as he was fleeing the wildings last episode? Which leads me to –
5. The major shift I would have made with the two episodes is pretty simple:
Move the jail house scene between Davos and Gendry to last week's episode, and move the entire Yunkai plot from last week to this week.
This accomplishes three things:
a) Misdirection, making the non-book reading audience assume that the "previously these leeches were fried" bit was just part of Gendry's plot line, and not a warning that really truly Robb Stark was going to bit it later that episode.
b) Keeping up with the general THINGS SUCK AND NOTHING GOOD feeling of the entire episode, with only one freaky kick-ass moment – Bran's.
c) Giving a little less of a "the only thing happening here is a crowd of mostly brown people saluting a white savior" feeling since that at least wouldn't have been the only scene from this plot in the episode.
Adding to the issue, I got the feeling in episode 9 that part of the Yunkai storyline – the idea that most of the residents were slaves – was cut (based mostly on the dialogue between Dany and Jorah when they return). Put the Yunkai storyline with those lines back in, and you first of all have a moment in the episode where Dany does look uncertain and worried, so it's not all Dany Triumphant, remind viewers that the residents are slaves, and most importantly, have someone – Jorah, Melisandre, possibly Barristan – point out that sometimes freeing slaves doesn't go the way you think it will, to prepare viewers a bit for what will be happening next season.
Not that viewers are completely unprepared – my father, who hasn't read the books, has already said that he thinks Dany is displaying some very mean tendencies and is about to go very evil or very incompetent or both, which suggests that the show is doing a nice job of prepping up for the "white people saving the world doesn't always work out great for people" storyline from A Dance With Dragons. The show is not doing a good job of making me or apparently anyone over 20 like Daario Fabio that much either, which is probably a good thing.
6. Rumor had it that a scene between Littlefinger and Lysa Arryn was at least filmed, though it didn't show up. Next season, maybe?
7. Shae, when you are brutally killed next season, don't blame Varys.
8. TV Stannis is just not moral enough.
I realize that part of this was inevitable after HBO said, OOH, CHANCE FOR NAKED BODY AND PAINFUL SEX, so we've just been going on from here, but this should be a stern person who will always do the right thing no matter what the cost. Otherwise, his decision to go off and fight zombies is going to come off as seriously abrupt and "where did that come from?" which is exactly what happened. One moment, Stannis is all, I go hunt down other kings, and the next minute, he's told about the North, he doesn't care, Melisandre burns a piece of paper, and off to the North we go. Not only did that just kill the whole surprise of Stannis showing up at the last minute to seize the day, but it makes him look even more under Melisandre's power than ever, and it just felt off.
The scene with the three of them looking out at what I guess was the North looked great though, so, kudos there.
9. And on a purely superficial note, YAY! Jaime is going to get to have another bath! And wash his hair! And...be with Cersei instead of Brienne at least for now. Less yay.
Overall thoughts of the season:
Some good, some bad. Most of the bad involved pretty much anything to do with Theon, but I've spent enough time chatting about that, so moving on. Good included the Red Wedding, the warging, Beric and Thoros, pretty much all of the King's Landing stuff, and Dany's Dracaerys moment. Questionable included pretty much everything with Jon (it's not the acting, really, it's just Emo, Emo, Emo) though I did like the Wall climbing and the later warging bits, and most of the Dragonstone storyline, although Davos is growing on me.
And yeah, I'm in for next season. Which for HBO, is all that really matters.