Monday, April 25, 2016

Game of Thrones Thoughts



Well Game of Thrones is back and I thought I'd share some thoughts on the first episode. I thought this was a very powerful opener, especially the beginning. Jon Snow is dead, no question about it, and I find it interesting that Davos is the one to find him. Davos and a few loyalists take his body in and are smart enough to get the direwolf too. I liked how his howling by the way kinda set a tone. In the book there are a ton of wildlings and even a giant at Castle Black when Jon is stabbed, so from a book standpoint all chaos may break loose right after the attack on Jon. You could have Wun Wun the giant lashing out, wildlings vs Nights Watch, plus Stannis has people there too- which side will they take? It may depend on what Melisandre chooses, and she'll choose Jon.

So... in the show however we're down to a standoff between Davos and Alliser. Although Dolorous Edd went off to get help- maybe he's going to get wildlings? I thought this was all well done, and I was just waiting for fighting to break out when they try to get at Davos- but now I think Edd's going to get help before that happens.

Okay let's talk about the reveal. Yeah it happened at the end but I'm bumping that up. Melisandre... is really really old. That was well done and quite the shocker, although there have been hints. I assumed Mel would rush to Jon's aid, but she goes to bed after showing her true form. Is she having a crisis of faith? Hard to tell... this is easily the most interesting storyline at the moment.  What did you think?



Sansa and Theon on the run. Also well done. When they're running through the woods it just how I always imagined the wolfswood would look. Very nice locations. I was surprised they were cornered so quick- but then Brienne shows up. I like her more in the books than on the show (I think it's the actress) but nevertheless Sansa has now sorta been rescued. Where will they go?



Cersei- I almost felt sorry for her. Losing Myrcella... that's tough, but then again Maggy the Frog predicted all this. And the Jaime of the show is SO different from the Jaime of the books -we are really diverging here. Margaery is still in cell, and the shocker of the night comes from Dorne. This is the sound of the producers chopping story fat away ruthlessly- in the books Doran is revealed to be a very patient man who takes the long view and has a plan in place- but the show has excised most of that, so I guess Doran wasn't needed. Killing him and Trystane off - yeah I think Dorne is just being used to highlight the Sand Snakes until Dany comes back.

What's Tyrion doing? Walking around Meereen with Varys (and no guards???) and doing nothing- we see that ships are being burned. Oops- but then they'll have all the ships they need, because Euron is coming. It was around this time I started to realize we're not going to see Jon much- they were jumping from storyline to storyline, giving us a peek at each, and the episode was winding down. Everyone on this show is just too scattered. We get Arya being tormented by the Waif, a development that was different in the books as the Kindly Man did the hitting with the staff.



So back to Melisandre. What do you think of the big reveal? Everyone is assuming she will resurrect Jon Snow, and maybe she will- but I wouldn't be surprised if his coming back happens a different way. Not sure what that is- and I think Mel will play a role- but I think there may be another surprise on the way.

11 comments:

  1. I felt this season's premiere really stood out, with lots of whiz-bang action! The previous seasons kind of eased you back into things and got you caught up with all of the characters, but this episode totally dove in head first. Doran and Trystane's deaths took me by surprise, and I loved Twitter's reactions to Melisandre at the end of the episode, lol. As for Jon, I found it very, very interesting that his body wasn't burned right away. I'm with you on thinking that he'll be brought back in a different manner, especially since the show loves to throw in shocking twists, lol.

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    1. I did too, I liked it! The Dorne stuff was a shock, I was like did they just do that??? Man the Sand Snakes aren't playing around. Melisandre shocked me even though I've read the books- maybe I shouldn't have been, but I didn't quite expect THAT. And yes I'm very anxious to see what they do with Jon!

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  2. It was a lot of ground to cover for one episode and I think they did a pretty good job. I feel badly for Cersei, even though she is a terrible person. When she was talking about Myrcella though, I almost cried! That was very well done. I am so excited that Sansa maybe finally has someone who has her best interests looking out for her - and I was glad to see that Theon found some sort of backbone after being broken so badly. He was never a great character but he did step up for Sansa at the end there.

    So, Jon, Castle Black and Melisandre - I have no idea where that is going. I haven't read past book two - I can't stand the wolves dying. I thought Ghost was going to be killed as well and had to leave the room right at the beginning of the episode! I love the Onion Knight, such a great character. I wonder what will happen when he finally learns what happened to Shireen!

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    1. I thought it was a good start too. I've been critical of the show in the past but I thought they did a good job. It's nice to see Cersei get perhaps a little more nuance here than she does in books. And Sansa- I am SO ready for her to be a player. I'd like to see her take some people out lol.

      I know what you mean, the wolf in book one was one of the most wrenching scenes. I was so mad at Ned! I hope this isn't a spoiler (sorry) but in the later books Arya sometimes dreams of her wolf, who is still in the riverlands wreaking all kinds of havoc with a wolf pack of like 100 wolves. I keep hoping when she comes back to Westeros they reunite. :)

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    2. I am ready for Sansa to kick some butt too - she has had a long hard road and I am ready for her to be more than a pawn and victim. I have always felt that because her wolf was killed (I agree - awful, awful part of the book!) it took away part of her spirit. I know they are all connected spiritually in some way to their wolves (Like Shaggy Dog! My fave crazy wolf) and I think when she lost hers she lost a bit of herself too, in the process. I was really mad at Ned too. :(

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  3. I liked the way they jumped around to give each storyline a kickoff (I think only Bran was missing?) but that style also did not leave room for a lot of development of any of the characters. My biggest disappointment was the Dorne killings. Areo Hotah was one of my favorite characters in the books, and to see him offed by a 12 yr old with a pocketknife was just such an injustice. I agree, it looks like HBO is just trying to quickly divest itself of the whole Dorne plot, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. As to Jon, I predicted that in the books Jon sent himself inside Ghost and was hoping for something similar here, but it doesn't look like it. I could see Mel bringing him back as a revenant, but the TV series hasn't really explored that angle as it exists in the books. Round it off, I just think they are basing too much of their writing on actors that they like or want to reward, even if they should have a smaller role based on the books (ie Theon, Rose, Brienne) and now with keeping Jon alive - if that happens. Brienne's storyline I just hate, but hey I hated her in the books, hate her on HBO, hate the changes they made, hate the expanded role, hate (get it? lol). I guess my great fear is that now that they are 'off book' HBO will simply stick with its core characters, keep them alive and expand their roles. And while that worked for The Soprano's, I think it will ruin GoT; you need the expanding, changing cast, dead main characters, interesting new characters, and shaking things up. The reason GoT is great is because of Martin's writing, not HBO staff writers, and now without Martin's hand I fear where this ship might be headed.

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    1. Yeah I have some of those concerns too. I'm not a big fan of Brienne so whenever she shows up I'm bored. And I think you're right about the changes- Varys for example. AT the end of the last book he does something major, but here he's in Meereen so that's not going to happen. I liked that twist, but since they seem to like the guy playing him they move him to Meereen. Not crazy about that.

      Dorne was a shock to me. I agree with your feelings on that. And I think you're right- the writers are going to streamline this so much I'm concerned it's not going to go well. :)

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    2. Out of curiousity, why do you guys hate Brienne so much? It is it because I haven't finished reading the series that I don't see it? I don't mind her, I kind of like her even. Lol. I don't like that she killed the Hound, because weirdo that I am, he was one of my favorite characters.

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    3. I don't really hate her in the books, I actually kind of like her- she's quite honorable- but I'm not fond of her on the show. I don't know if it's the actress (I think it is) or her dialogue or both, but she doesn't work for me on the show. Maybe it's those choices too- she doesn't kill the Hound in the books, so maybe it's also that I don't like what they do with her on the show.

      Tonight's was a trip!

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  4. It was nice to revisit everything, I'm still not convinced about Jon Snow and quite frankly I could have beaten the crap out of Thorne, he is a bad, bad man.

    Melisandre, who knew and I am sure those breasts (the young ones) will appear on plastic surgeons desks the world over!

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  5. I think it was a good start to the season. I knew they wouldn't touch much of the Jon story line-it's the biggest card they're holding so I didn't think they'd reveal that early.

    The story line with Dorne was quite unexpected for me. I am curious to see how that will play out.

    It'll be interesting to see where they take the show now that there isn't a book to reference!

    Brianna @ Listful Booking

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