Game of Thrones Re-Watch Marathon Part 5 (First half of Season 3)

April 5, 2014 at 5:52 pm (Uncategorized)

This post is Part 5 of 6.  To see Part 6 click here.

Before

And so my watch is ended. Well that happened quickly! I can’t believe we’ve already tackled (almost) the full series. Hopefully Jay and I have helped you pass the time until the Season 4 premiere this Sunday. Season three has a lot going on in the realm of character development, and we find out a lot about what makes certain characters tick. Perhaps no one exemplifies that more than Jaime Lannister. When we first meet him he is in a position of great power and responsibility (no Spider-Man jokes, please), he is arrogant, people sucked up to him, and he pretty much has always gotten what he wants. What little penance we the audience see Jaime receive is that he’s a known oath-breaker, and no one lets him forget that. But by the end of this group of episodes we see Jaime in a much more sympathetic light, we understand why he slayed Aerys Targaryen and we see what happens when his wealth is of no use and his sword hand (the reason beside his name that he is famous) is gone. This is where Jaime began to be one of my favorite characters, something that was only reinforced in the second half of season three.

After

 

Best Scenes
1. Tywin/Tyrion. I can’t be positive, but I don’t think Tywin *ever* is the first to speak when one of his kids visits him. This is a great interaction and shows just how badly Tywin hurts Tyrion, even though Tyrion essentially hates his father.

2. Catelyn expounds on her relationship with Jon Snow to Talisa. Catelyn broke her promise to the gods and believes she’s brought the horror down on her family herself.

3. Jaime gets the jump on Brienne and they duel on the bridge. The banter from Jaime really makes this scene.

4. When the small council convenes they discover that Tywin has arrange it so that he is now at the head of the table. The council jockeys for position to get closest to Tywin, Cersei carries a chair around to the other side of the table, and in the capper: Tyrion drags a chair, screeching the whole way, to the opposite head of the table, making himself an equal to Tywin. Wonderful.

5. Jaime does what he can to save Brienne for her attackers and is repaid by losing his hand.

6. Varys explains his back story to Tyrion – and why he has such a hatred for magic.

7. Cersei confronts her father, telling him that she is more like her father than either of his sons. Tywin responds like only he can: giving her the cold shoulder, and then absolutely shutting her down.

8. I love the jockeying that goes on between Cersei and Tyrion. There’s no respect between them. Tyrion is worried because Cersei has all the actual power. Cersei is worried because Tyrion has the cunning to undo her. The last exchange makes the scene worth it when Cersei says “You’re not half as clever as you think you are.” To which Tyrion replies: “Still makes me more clever than you.”

9. My personal favorite scene, thanks to my growing admiration of Jaime as a character, is his confession of why he murdered Mad King Aerys Targaryen to Brienne. When he collapses and she calls out that the Kingslayer needs help and he simply gasps “Jaime… my name is Jaime.” Wow. Watch this scene and the confrontation between Jaime and Catelyn I mentioned in Part 4 back to back.

10. And last, but certainly not least, Danaerys gets her Unsullied. When she turns around and speaks to Kraznys in Valyrian the look on my face was about the same as the look on Jorah Mormont’s.

Best Quotes

Tywin: Jugglers and singers require applause. You are a Lannister.
After Tyrion requests a little recognition for his exploits during the Battle of Blackwater.

Brienne: Maybe you were as good as people said… once. Or maybe people just love to overpraise a famous name.
To Jaime, about his clearly diminished skills with a sword.

Tyrion Lannister: I’m quite good at spending money, but a lifetime of outrageous wealth hasn’t taught me much about managing it.
After being appointed Master of Coin

Tyrion Lannister: We can’t afford to pay it back. That’s what’s wrong with it. The Crown owes millions to my father.
Bronn: Seeing as it’s his grandson’s ass on the throne, I imagine he’ll forgive that debt.
Tyrion Lannister: Forgive a debt? My father? For a man of the world, you’re strangely naive.

Varys: Actually I rather admire [Littlefinger], but he would see this country burn if he could be king of the ashes.

Theon Greyjoy: My real father lost his head at King’s Landing. I made a choice… and I chose wrong.
Theon finally understanding just how badly he messed up.

Jaime: You are supposed to get me to King’s Landing in one piece… Not going so well, is it?

Lady Olenna Tyrell: [to Tyrion] I was told you were drunk, impertinent and thoroughly debauched. You can imagine my disappointment at finding nothing but a browbeaten bookkeeper.

Young Captive: Mercy, sire! I didn’t kill anyone. I only watched for the guards.
Robb Stark: This one was only the watcher. Hang him last so he can watch the others die.

Best Foreshadowing That You Definitely Didn’t Notice the First Time
Actually, this isn’t really foreshadowing at all, so forgive me. Those letters we saw Tywin writing and sending off in so many scenes? They are the foundation on which the Red Wedding was organized.

Assorted Musings
– Tyrion is so under appreciated by his family. It’s really kind of sad. That first scene with Tywin really underscores just how little they think of him. Tywin is also the only person who really puts Tyrion in his place. Even though Tyrion has no real love for his father he still is hurt very deeply by him.
– Cersei can’t stand Margaery and it is awesome. The girl is taking her little boy away and she hates it.
– Speaking of Margaery, she seems to be the only one to get how to handle Joffrey. She treats him like a little child, totally indulging anything he has to say. “Oh yes, tell me more! This is so fascinating! Show me how your crossbow works!” It reminds me of the Twilight Zone episode “It’s a Good Life” where the parents constantly tell the child whatever he’s doing is “real good” so he doesn’t use his powers to harm them.

Little [Joffrey Baratheon], age 18, who lives in a city called [King’s Landing] in a place that used to be [Westeros]. And if by some strange chance you should run across him, you had best think only good thoughts…

– It’s great to re-watch the scenes with Dany in Astapor knowing that she understands Valyrian and can hear this guy constantly insulting her. She does really well in those scenes and the final one. Critic Alan Sepinwall said it best: “Her big moment comes in a foreign language, and the subtitles are barely necessary. That’s how good she was.”
– Lady Olenna Tyrell is so nice and grandmotherly! I want to like her, I want to trust her; but there are no nice people in Westeros!
– The whole Brotherhood without Banners plot makes more sense the second time around, especially if you recall Beric Dondarrion being sent to bring the Mountain to justice way back in Season 1. The first time I watched the series I spent half the time wondering who on earth these people were.

I hope you’ve enjoyed reading my recaps as much as I enjoyed re-watching the series and writing about it! See everybody Sunday at 9?

Full recap after the jump.

Beyond the Wall Lord Commander Jeor Mormont is angry with Sam because, during the confusion of the battle with the wights (conclusion of Season 2), Sam was unable to send ravens South to warn of the pending attack. The survivors of the battle decide to march south back to the Wall.

When the Night’s Watch brothers reach Craster’s Keep they seek shelter once again where he reluctantly agrees. Craster is even less happy about this than before, if that is possible. After being berated by Craster, Sam leaves the keep and witnesses Gilly giving birth to a baby boy.

One of the brother’s enrages Craster and sets off a conflict which leaves both Craster and Jeor Mormont dead. In the confusion of the battle Sam sneaks away with Gilly and her newborn baby.

Jon Snow remains a prisoner of the wildlings and is escorted to their camp so that he can meet Mance Rayder, the King Beyond the Wall. Jon convinces the wildlings of his sincerity by describing his (very real) feelings of disgust when he discovered what Craster did to his sons.

Jon Snow and the King Beyond the Wall

When Mance and the wildlings reach the Fist of the First Men to see the carnage from the battle with the wights and Night’s Watch, Mance decides to have a group of wildlings scale the Wall and wait for his signal to begin an assault.

In the North, Brann, Osha, Hodor, and Rickon continue heading toward the Wall. Brann has another dream with the three eyed raven. In this dream he encounters another boy who tells him that it is impossible for him to kill the raven, because the raven is Brann. Later, Brann encounters the boy from his dream who is revealed to be Jojen Reed (who is the son of a close friend of Ned Stark). Reed informs Brann that they both have “the sight,” and he and his sister Meera sought Brann out because he believes he has a critical role to play in the future.

Theon has been taken captive and is being tortured with seemingly no end in sight. A servant of his captors reveals that Theon’s sister Yara sent him and he will help Theon escape. Once Theon escapes, his servant-savior leads him straight back to where he came from and reveals that he was never actually helping Theon to begin with.

In King’s Landing, Tyrion asks Tywin for even a little recognition for this efforts during the Battle of Blackwater. Tywin agrees to give Tyrion enhanced responsibilities but refuses to name him heir to Casterly Rock. Tyrion also seeks proof from Varys that Cersei ordered the attack on his life during the Battle of Blackwater.

A little father-son bonding time.

In a small council meeting Tywin reveals that he plans to have Petyr Baelish marry Lysa Arryn (Catelyn’s sister) in order to further deprive Robb Stark of familial allies in the war. Tywin gives Tyrion Baelish’s old job as Master of Coin. In Tyrion’s scouring of the ledgers, he discovers that the royal crown is tens of millions in gold in debt to the Iron Bank of Braavos. Tyrion worries if this debt is not repaid, the Bank will begin funding Crown’s enemies.

Lady Margaery does damage control for Joffrey’s vicious reign by interacting with the common people of Flea Bottom (the same area where the royal family was attacked last season). Naturally Joffrey cannot understand Margaery’s fascination with charitable work.

Lady Margaery invites Sansa Stark to lunch to meet her grandmother, Lady Olenna. Their primary motivation is to get information on whether or not Joffrey will be a good husband to Margaery. Sansa is reluctant to speak at first but eventually reveals that the King is quite a monster. Margaery and Sansa continue their friendship which culminates in the Tyrell’s hoping to set Sansa up with Ser Loras.

King Joffrey can’t be that bad. Wait, can he?

Cersei, becoming more and more distrusting of the Tyrells asks Baelish for help in ridding them from King’s Landing. Baelish discovers that the Tyrells are planning to wed Loras and Sansa and tries to convince Sansa to go away with him when he leaves for the Eyrie. Tywin arranges for Tyrion, instead, to marry Sansa and for Cersei to marry Loras.

At Dragonstone (Stannis’ fortress) Davos reappears after the Battle of Blackwater, alive but a little worse for wear. Melisandre persuades Stannis that it is Davos’ fault the battle was lost because Davos convinced Stannis to leave Melisandre behind. Stannis orders Davos thrown in the dungeons. We are also introduced to Stannis’ wife and daughter.

Stannis begs Melisandre to give him another “son” so that Joffrey might be slain. The Red Priestess informs him that her magic requires King’s blood and she seeks others who share Stannis’ blood.

In Robb’s Campaign South he arrives at Harrenhal where he finds it abandoned by Gregor Clegane (The Mountain) and its inhabitants slaughtered. Catelyn is still on the outs with Robb due to her letting him escape with Brienne. However when they receive word that Catelyn’s father has passed away Robb decides to detour the army so that they might attend his funeral in Riverrun.

Lord Karstark breaks into the cells of two captured Lannister children and murders them as vengeance for Jaime killing his son in his earlier escape attempt. Robb orders Karstark executed for treason. This leads to the Karstark soldiers marching back north, costing Robb half of his forces. Robb decides to make visit Walder Frey to get more men so that he may lead an attack on Casterly Rock.

Arya, Gendry and Hot Pie, while traveling north, are discovered by a group who calls themselves the Brotherhood Without Banners, led by Thoros of Myr. Thoros promises to let Arya and her friends go after they question them. As Arya is leaving a captured Sandor Clegane (The Hound) is brought before Thoros. The Hound recognizes Arya immediately and the Brotherhood decide not to let her leave right away.

The Brotherhood take Arya, Gendry, and The Hound to their hideout where we find that Beric Dondarrion is in charge. Dondarrion sentences Clegane to trial by combat for the murder of the butcher’s boy back in season 1. The Hound prevails in the “trial,” killing Beric Dondarrion. Thoros of Myr brings Dondarrion back to life however with powers from the Lord of Light.

The Hound is judged during trial by combat.

Brienne and Jaime continue toward King’s Landing. While traveling they encounter a farmer who makes small conversation with them before heading off. Later, Jaime and Brienne are captured by bannermen of Roose Bolton thanks to the farmer’s identifying the Kingslayer.

Jaime anticipates that their captors will try to rape Brienne and he gives her the “advice” that it will be better not to struggle, or else they will kill her. When the men do attempt to rape Brienne, Jaime bargains for her life with their leader (Locke) by saying that Brienne’s father will pay her weight in sapphires if she is returned unharmed. After this works, Jaime tries to bribe Locke for his own release. Locke takes less kindly to that bribe and cuts Jaime’s sword hand off.

When Jaime and Brienne arrive at Harrenhal, Lord Bolton is furious at Locke for maiming Jaime. Later, Jaime reveals to Brienne why he slayed the Mad King. Aerys Targaryen had planned to set all of King’s Landing ablaze with wildfire as Robert’s forces laid siege to the city. Jaime killed the king to protect the innocent citizens of King’s Landing.

“Jaime… my name is Jaime.”

Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys arrives at the slave city of Astapor. There, she is considering purchasing an army of slave soldiers called the Unsullied. There is another attempt on Dany’s life, this time by the warlocks of Qarth, but is thwarted by a cloaked man who reveals himself to be Barristan Selmy the former commander of the Kingsguard. Selmy swears his allegiance to Daenerys.

Selmy and Jorah Mormont differ in their views on whether Daenerys should purchase a slave army (Jorah’s view) or that wars are won by free, loyal men, not slaves (Selmy’s). Daenerys decides to purchase all 8,000 Unsullied the slaver Kraznys has to offer. Kraznys, speaking Valyrian, repeatedly insults Dany in their negotiations but his servant/interpreter does not relay those messages, only the vital information. In exchange for the Unsullied, Dany promises her largest dragon.

After completing the transaction, Daenerys reveals that she can speak Valyrian and has understood Kraznys’ insults the entire time. She orders the dragon to kill him. She then tells the Unsullied that they are no longer slaves and can leave if they wish; but if they stay they will fight for her as free men. Dany and the army depart Astapor.

Dany and her Unsullied.