Cersei

Game of Thrones Season 5 episode 2 Review: The House of Black and White

/ Ajmorse / 4 Comments

***Note: I meant to have this review out on Monday, but alas, work happened. -.-

Warning: Full spoilers a head…

Credit: HBO

Credit: HBO

Well, Game of Thrones is done for another week, but what to say about the latest episode? Again, it didn’t seem like much happened; there were a lot of stories covered, but it didn’t have the intensity as the season premiere. Arya’s story kicks off the episode and if you were expecting a lot of scenes of hers, you will be sorely disappointed.

Our youngest Stark girl has finally made her way to Bravos and then to the house of the black and white. She knocks on the door and asks the man in a cloak who answers if Jaqen H’ghar is there, but the man knows no one by that name. Discouraged, she throws away the coin that Jaqen had given her. Then later, when she encounters some young men in the streets who intend to do her harm, the mysterious man from the house of black and white appears suddenly, gives her back the coin and turns into Jaqen. When questioned why he said he didn’t know anyone by that name, he replies with that he is nobody and nobody is who she must become.

Credit: HBO

Credit: HBO

Brienne of Tarth and Pod come across Sansa and Petyr Baelish in an Inn on the road. After swearing her loyalty to Sansa and to her late mother, Sansa, (not surprisingly) refuses Lady Brienne’s help, and is encouraged by Baelish not to trust her. After Baelish’s men try unsuccessfully to kill both Brienne and Pod, they return to the road with Brienne’s insistence that they will follow them to keep Sansa safe.

Meanwhile, in King’s Landing, Cersei has received a message from Dorne in regards to her daughter’s safety, and Jaime makes plans with Bronn to travel to Dorne to bring his daughter back to them. Cersei also spends time on the counsel acting as hand for her son, who she claims has not chosen a hand, but that she will be more than willing to fill the role for the time being. She has surrounded herself with an unseemly bunch, which does not go unnoticed by Cersei’s uncle who leaves the meeting disgusted and irritated by Cersei’s choices and her assumption of power.

In Dorne, Ellaria Sand wants revenge for Prince Oberon’s death and threatens to harm Myrcella. She offers to send Myrcella back to Cersei in pieces, but the Prince of Dorne claims that they do not harm children. She says that she has the sand snakes (who we have disappointingly yet to see) and then leaves in a big huff.

Meanwhile, in Meereen, the Unsullied find a member of the Son’s of the Harpy for Dany and brings them to her for judgement. However, the representative of the slaves believes that the man does not deserve a trial and takes it upon himself to kill the Harpy for Dany. Instead of being pleased by this decision, she is forced to show her people, the former slaves of meereen, the difference between freedom and justice, and has the slave executed.

Which probably was not the best decision, because the slaves grow angry and collectively fight each other and hiss at Dany. Clearly shaken by the ordeal, she retires to her chambers only to see that her black dragon, Drogon, has returned to her. He sniffs at her hand for a brief moment and then leaves Dany, who is clearly crestfallen by the encounter.

Tyrion and Varys continue to make their way towards Meereen and Tyrion has some clever and amusing lines about the carriage that they are traveling in and how it is like a box, and how dwarves and eunuchs seem suited for such things. He remarks that there is a bug in the carriage to which Varys says something along the lines that it would be good for Tyrion to eat something solid for once. Har. Har.

Credit: HBO

Credit: HBO

At the Wall, Jon Snow gets elected Lord Commander, after clever words from Samwell Tarly about how Jon commanded them and led them through the battle with the Wildings. Stannis isn’t pleased that Jon put Mance out of his misery, but he wants the north and offers to make Jon a Stark and the true lord to Winterfell. Jon admits to Sam that it is one of the first things he’s ever wanted; but of course he doesn’t take it, because it would be going against his vows. This is why we love Jon Snow. So noble! (And handsome!)

And that’s pretty much it! I have to admit to being a little disappointed in this episode, although I have read other reviews that have differing opinions. After getting a quarter of the way into book four, I am starting to realize why the show’s creators are having to deviate from what happens in the book. Not a lot happens! And book four is full of lesser characters and is sooo boring.

On the other hand, there are still stories that I love; Arya’s, for example. Before, I had no idea that the show was changing so much from the novels…and I guess ignorance truly is bliss, because now I’m like: what the heck? How do you guys out there loyal to the books stand it? Most of the stories seem to have end up like they were supposed to in the end, but some are so different!

The story that I’m worried about most is Arya’s. Surely, they can’t mess up that? Did you guys have any thoughts about this week’s episode? What did you think?

Here’s a peek at the next episode:

(And this is how I feel about reading the Greyjoy’s stories in book four, lol!)

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Game of Thrones Season 5, Episode 1 Review: The Wars to Come

/ Ajmorse / 3 Comments

Warning, full spoilers ahead…

Credit: Fox

Credit: HBO

Game of Thrones’ first episode of season five – wow! Basically, it’s all just one big major catch-up, although there are a few important plot points that are worthy of mentioning. It was intense, yet not a lot happened at the same time. But Game of Thrones usually starts out slow and then builds as the season goes on.

The first scene opens up with Cersei’s story, and a flashback to her childhood where she visits a witch, who predicts her future. In short: Cersei faces some challenges this season. Her father is dead, her brother/lover, Jamie and her are at odds and her powerful position as Queen is being threatened by Margaery Tyrell. Something has to happen in order for her to keep that power. But it looks like Cersei has no desire to be the victim. Meanwhile, we see a scene between Margaery and her brother, the knight of flowers, (naked lover aside), which hints that Margaery doesn’t really intend to go down without a fight, and if she can avoid being the daughter-in-law of Cersei…well, things might just get ugly.

Credit: Fox

Credit: HBO

Tyrion arrives in Pentos with Varys at Illyrio’s palace, (the place where we see Dany and her brother in the very first season.) Tyrion has this great plan to drink himself to death, but Varys reveals that he didn’t save him for that purpose. It is apparent that Varys believes that peace in the realm can come from a Targaryen at the helm and he tells Tyrion of his plans to travel to Meereen and meet Dany.

Credit: Fox

Credit: HBO

In Meereen, Dany and Daario are still lovers, one of the unsullied gets killed while visiting a brothel, and Dany admits that she cannot control her dragons. She also has difficulties settling problems as the Queen, and exchanges some pillow talk with Daario while they drink wine together in bed.

At the wall, Jon Snow trains the young boy who killed Ygritte, (he seems to go a bit hard on him, too, coincidence? I think not). We see a little bit of Sam and Gilly; Gilly is once again worried about being sent away. Stannis Baratheon asks Lord Snow to speak with Mance Rayder about convincing the Wildings to fight for him, in return for pardon and a home on the other side of the wall. Jon knows that Mance won’t bend the knee, but he tries to convince him anyway. He doesn’t and Stannis and the red woman put Mance to death by fire. Jon Snow can’t stand to see a man he respects die in such a gruesome way, and he shoots him with an arrow, so he doesn’t have to suffer the pain and humiliation. As such, the episode ends with Jon Snow incidentally becoming one of the most powerful crows at the wall.

Credit: HBO

Credit: HBO

Other stories that we saw last night: a little bit of Sansa; she is continuing to watch and learn at the side of Petyr Baelish, and we see that Brienne of Tarth seems to have given up her search for the two Stark girls. And poor Pod, her almost squire, has nowhere to go.

Credit: HBO

Credit: HBO

What to look forward in next week’s episode: Arya! Bran is completely absent from this season, of course, but it is interesting to see the remaining Stark’s stories. I’m very curious to see what happens with Jon Snow, and Sansa, especially now that Sansa has finally learned to play the game with everyone else.

Will there really be a meeting between Tyrion and Dany? Worlds are colliding and we love it! There is a big shift of power now that Lord Tywin is gone. Who’s going to be the next big player in this Game of Thrones? Here’s a sneak peek of next week’s episode:

What Game of Thrones can teach creative writers about hidden context

/ Ajmorse / 3 Comments

Source: HBO;  Margaery and Cersei walk together.

We saw it a few nights ago in the latest episode of Game of Thrones, in First of His Name. Margaery and Cersei are standing side by side, both staring out at the new King Tommen talking about King Joffrey, about the new king, about whether or not Margaery still wants to be queen. Talking about everything else than what is truly on their minds.

Game of Thrones, or more specifically, Game of Throne’s characters, presents a fine example of the importance of hidden context for creative writers.

In context:  Margaery and Cersei are having a conversation, they are talking about the troubles on hand: a recent death, a new queen and what they should do now. Margaery, is polite, beguiling, charming. She knows how to twist words to her favor, to ask a question, yet answer it in the same sentence. Meanwhile, Cersei’s words are clipped, sometimes barbed. The things she says are meant to shock, to entice some reaction from the person next to her, to try to make the person she is having a conversation with, uncomfortable.

Out of context: The tension between the two. The fact that they aren’t looking at each other. The pauses between words. The politeness. Margaery wants the throne and is doing what she can to get it. Cersei doesn’t like Margaery, but knows she must play nice and make small talk, or in Cersei’s case, idle threats. Keep your friends close, but your enemies closer.

While the two, strong, beautiful women are making conversation, most of what goes on between them is what they don’t say. The glances, the gestures, the false smiles. Cersei says it best with a glance, a frown, or a twitch of her eye.

And all the while, there is tension.

You hear it time and time again, from a lot of creative writers, or teachers of the craft. There must be tension. Without tension of some kind there is no story, no problem or obstacle to overcome.

If two characters are having a conversation, and everything is happy, perfect, agreeable, there is no reason for the conversation and as such, there is no story.

That’s why it is so important to create great detail in your stories. Sensory details. Describe the scene and character and conversation in detail.

With detail you will create the tension, and in that tension is what isn’t being said – the hidden context. Which is sometimes the most important thing of all.

What are your favorite stories or TV Shows? Who are your favorite characters in them? And what does it teach you about writing or story telling?

Thoughts below if you’ve got ’em!

 

 

Game of Thrones TV Show Review: First of His Name, or Last?

/ Ajmorse / Leave a comment

I have not read the book series, so my review of this show is based purely on what I have seen in each episode.

Also, Spoilers ahead.

Source: HBO

Season 4, Episode 5: First of His Name Review –

Westeros has a new King. Margaery continues to remain in King Tommen’s good graces, and Cersei admits to knowing that Joffrey was a monster, and makes friends with Prince Oberyn. She asks him to send a gift to her daughter; she misses her, which is understandable.

Arya continues to name names on her ever-growing list of soon to be dead people, and the Hound remains entertaining as always and still manages to challenge the feisty Arya at every turn.

Meanwhile, Sansa arrives at The Eyrie with Lord Baelish, who marries her aunt Lysa. We learn that it wasn’t Cersei and Jaime who murdered John Aryn, but his own wife! As requested by Lord Baelish, so they could be together. While the new Mrs. Baelish is aching to see her new husband to bed, I can’t help but wonder if this is just Lord Baelish’s plan to seize the Eyrie. He’s always wanted a Kingdom to rule on his own.

On another front, Lady Brienne and Podrick travel to find Sansa, and it turns out that Podrick wasn’t trained to do much, except pour wine for Lord Tyrion. Ah, no matter, he’s still loyal and sweet.

Jon Snow and Company finally arrive at Craster’s place, and the traitors are dealt with. Craster’s daughters tell Jon Snow to burn the house and the bodies to the ground, they will find their own way.

And we didn’t get the reunion between Jon Snow and his brother, Bran, as Bran is encouraged by his friends to leave before Jon can talk him out of his quest to head North to the Three-Eyed Raven.

Meanwhile, across the sea, Daenerys decides not to just be a Mother of Dragons and a Targaryen, she will be a Queen.

No attack on Westeros yet by Daenerys, but soon…I hope? And how much did you want to see the reunion between Jon and his brother? I know I did! Urgh.

A solid episode, I thought, but it seems like the more story lines we have for each episode, the longer it takes for the story to progress. It is both entertaining and frustrating as we have to wait for each character’s story in turn. The next episode, however, will be entertaining as we have Tyrion’s trial to look forward too!

I’d like to know what you think…Thoughts below if you got ’em!

 

Game of Thrones TV Show Review: Oathbreaker, The Good vs The Bad

/ Ajmorse / 2 Comments

Being an avid Game of Thrones watcher, I thought I would put my two cents in about the most recent Game of Thrones episode…

Note: This is conjecture based purely on the TV Show, I have not read the book series completely, and so I can only judge the show based on what I have seen.

Also, SPOILERS AHEAD.

Photo credit: HBO

Review of “Oathbreaker” –

It’s great to see the characters grow and change in Season four – Daenerys freeing slaves and grooming her army, Jon Snow training recruits, Jaime Lannister’s more humble attitude, (except for that whole incest rape thing, I mean what the heck?), but it’s difficult sometimes to focus on the good that happens, when being good in the Game of Thrones sometimes means losing your head, sometimes quite literally.

In Oathbreaker, Jon Snow receives permission to take a party to Craster’s Keep and capture or kill the traitors who killed Mormont . Meanwhile, said traitors are rapping and abusing Craster’s daughters and offering a last child sacrifice to the white walkers.

They capture and subdue Bran and company, and tie up and torture, Hodar, and trap the Direwolves, Ghost and Summer. 

Okay, we get it, these traitors are bastards and need to die. But did we need to see it so graphically?

While Daenerys is helping free slaves, Cersei is her bitter alcoholic self bent on seeing her little brother, Tyrion dead, although everyone else seems to think that he is innocent.

At least we got to see a neat scene between Brienne and Jaime, and Brienne vows to find Sansa Stark. It does beg the question: does Jaime love lady Brienne? Could it be the Kingslayer cares for someone more than himself? It is clear that she feels something for him, but perhaps what he feels goes deeper than love…I think he truly respects her.

The change and growth in his character is refreshing, although it is still difficult to move pass the rape scene that everyone can’t seem to stop talking about. Perhaps we can just forget it ever happened.

That seemed to be what the writers wanted in this episode. No mention or thought was given to that scene, except for Cersei’s chilly demeanor, but really, that just means nothing has changed then.

Meanwhile, Margaery is forming a new alliance with the next King in line to the throne, Tommon, and we learn that Little Finger is indeed behind King Joffrey’s death as well as Margaery’s grandmother.

Daenerys’ story is becoming very interesting. She believes in dealing with injustice with justice, and while we root and cheer for her story, the villainous characters bent on slaughter, rape and dead babies always seem to take center stage.

Sometimes it makes for an uncomfortable watch when you don’t always know if your favorite characters are safe or not, if justice is really met, if good actually wins in the end.

It is true Game of Thrones is not for the faint of heart, and it definitely keeps you guessing. I will always root for the good guys, though.

My favorite characters are Daenerys and Arya. I think they have the more interesting stories. Who are your favorites? What did you think of last night’s episode? Think we will see the good guys win in the next episode?

Thoughts below if you got ’em!