No "Mercy" in the GAME OF THRONES

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Fans of GAME OF THRONES are used to bloodbaths, but rarely has a season finale on the show been as bloody as what HBO aired last night. In “Mother’s Mercy,” at least two characters who are still alive in the books meet their fate, and one of the most central figures lies bleeding to death. With a number of other cliffhangers and disturbing moments, season five ends with far less sense of closure than most past years have.

The biggest thing in “Mother’s Mercy” is Jon Snow (Kit Harington) being stabbed a la Caesar, with Olly (Brenock O’Connor) providing the “E tu Brute” moment. It makes sense for this band of unruly thugs to betray Jon, who is making wise but unpopular decisions, not realizing how vulnerable this will leave them. I’m surprised to see Alliser Thorne (Owen Teale) participate, as he seems more honorable than most, but what happens to Jon is not unexpected, the most noble in GAME OF THRONEs always paying a steep price from people who aren’t smart enough to understand.

I don’t think Jon Snow is dead. Too much has been made over the mystery of his parentage for him to go now, without any resolution. Were Jon dead, then it wouldn’t matter who his mother or father are, and so the series has wasted time bringing them up repeatedly and allowing viewers to speculate over it. It’s possible the writers were misleading in the past by doing so, but I don’t believe that to be the case.

If I’m wrong and Jon does perish, there are two possibilities that might keep him around. One, Melisandre (Carice van Houten) could bring him back. We’ve already seen one who worships the Lord of Light do so, so it would not be unprecedented, though it would surely remove the importance of Jon’s parentage because he wouldn’t fully be Jon any more. Two, Jon could awake as a White Walker, giving us a peek into that world more fully. That would be interesting, but again, negate the affect his parentage would have, and so I find both possibilities intriguing but unlikely.

Stannis (Stephen Dillane) is probably dead. As much as it sucks to see Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) kill a defenseless, wounded man, she sees it as her duty to execute him for his unforgiveable crimes, so her actions make sense. It’s a lackluster end to the stubborn, would-be king, but one that feels deserved after the events of last week. I won’t be sad to see Stannis go.

This leaves the Boltons as the unchallenged leaders of the North. Even with Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Theon (Alfie Allen) unrealistically jumping off a wall into a not-nearly-high enough snowbank and escaping, there isn’t an army to challenge the Boltons’ claim on Winterfell. Sansa has already been married to Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) and the marriage consummated, so she personally doesn’t need to be there for Ramsay to claim ruling rights. A White Walker invasion may be the best one can hope for to wipe out those nasty Boltons.

Myrcella (Nell Tiger Free) is likely dead, too, her heartbreaking death in her father’s arms finally proving the danger that Ellaria (Indira Varma) and the Sand Snakes pose. They have basically declared war on King’s Landing, defying their own leader to do so.

Not only is Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) in no position to turn around and exact revenge, much as he might want to, but King’s Landing isn’t ready to respond either, their own leadership sorely lacking. Cersei (Lena Headey) loses any little respect the people have for her during her naked walk of shame (another Emmy-worthy performance from Headey, who just had her best season yet), and King Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) is helpless to even control the faithful in his own city, let alone make outside war. It is likely Myrcella’s death will go unchallenged, possibly emboldening Dorne to make a larger play, assuming Ellaria dispatches her king as readily as she does Myrcella, a distinct possibility.

“Mother’s Mercy” leaves the Seven Kingdoms riper for invaders than ever. Except, who will invade them? Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) is no position to do so, away from her people, surrounded by Dothraki. She’d have to get Mereen under control first, anyway.

Thankfully, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) and Varys (Conleth Hill) are reunited in Mereen. If anyone can fix the issues that place is going through, it’s them, both cunning and resourceful. By the time Daenerys gets home, her army might be ready to go. Which would make sense, since there are a mere two seasons of GAME OF THRONES left, and given the geographical distances and multitude of players, it takes awhile for anything significant to happen on the show.

We’re much closer to the end than the beginning, and it feels like it. Practically everyone with power has been removed from it, and those squabbling over the scraps are not holding onto their positions very solidly. The stage has been set for someone to come through and finally reunite the land, as well as save it from the White Walkers. I can’t wait to see how that will play out. In the meantime, the journey to get to that big ending is an entertaining one, and with episodes like “Mother’s Mercy,” which surprise and impress, I’m certainly not complaining about taking time to get there.

Except for how angry I am that the show has departed from the book series so dramatically after four years of sticking pretty close to it. That’s annoying, as is that this episode likely spoils a couple of deaths from the upcoming sixth book. But taken on its own, the show remains terrific.

GAME OF THORONES is already working on season six, so it will return next year to HBO.

GAME OF THRONES More than "Black and White"

Article originally written for Seat42F.

In the latest installment of HBO’s GAME OF THRONES, Arya Stark (Maisie Williams) arrives at “The House of Black and White” in Bravos. This, while Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) and Varys (Conleth Hill) head to Myreen, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) makes a controversial ruling, the Night’s Watch elects a new leader, Jaime Lannister sets off on a quest, and Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) encounters someone she doesn’t expect to. So, as usual, it’s a very full hour.

The scene between Tyrion and Varys as they ride in a carriage may be my favorite in “The House of Black and White.” The two men discuss being in a box and what that means, as well as the qualities of leadership. There’s a lot of subtext in the moment, as one might expect from two fellows as intelligent and calculating as this duo. But that’s why they get along so well; they understand each other and the world on a level that few others do. It makes their moments engaging, even if they’re just talking.

Brienne is kind of the opposite in that she needs action to move her story along. She and Pod (Daniel Portman) sitting in a tavern? OK, fine. She and Pod running into Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) in said tavern, and then fighting for their lives against Littlefinger’s men? Much, much better.

None can blame Littlefinger for sicking his guards on Brienne and Pod. Viewers know Brienne is noble and just wanting to help Sansa, fulfilling the promise Brienne made to Sansa’s late mother, but Littlefinger, who has been removed from the capital and much of the gossip he used to hear, has no way of knowing that. His assessment of her makes sense given what he’s heard, and he is not one to risk trusting someone unnecessarily in such a dangerous realm. His motivations may be a bit cold and in the interest of himself, but even a kinder man may make the same decision.

For her part, it’s cruel that Brienne has now encountered both Sansa and Arya and not been able to protect either. For a woman who wants nothing more than to live by her word, no one is making that easy for her. She is quite capable, but apparently not enough to actually fulfill her mission. Even though everything that happens with the girls is no fault of hers, Brienne surely feels guilty, and actually seeing both is rubbing salt in her emotional wounds.

This encounter is (spoiler alert!) not in the books. Nor was the one with Arya. Varys, Bronn (Jerome Flynn), and Jaqen (Tom Wlaschiha) have exited the narrative by this point, so what they’re doing now is treading new ground. Jamie never goes to Dorne. Some of these choices make sense, as it’s pleasing to see familiar faces again, rather than continually introducing new ones into an already-gigantic cast, and there are no main characters in the Dorne chapters, so Jaime will help fans invest in those events. But other choices are less satisfying, such as the election of Jon Snow (Kit Harington) being rushed through without all of the stuff surrounding it.

As a fan of the novels, it’s getting hard to enjoy GAME OF THRONES. On one hand, the showrunners have made an excellent show that is exciting and fun. On the other, they are now throwing out huge, and I do mean huge, portions of the novels that would be very compelling in their own right. Instead of taking their time through ten seasons or so, as HBO is willing to give them, they’re sprinting towards the finish line, with little regard for the lovers of the written version. They’re going to give us an ending to the saga long before the last book is released. It’s disrespectful and very sad to see how much is getting cut.

Is this justifiable criticism of the show, though? I admit, I liked Jon’s election, and felt that it was OK to skip over some (though perhaps not all) of the events surrounding it. It does help the pace move along. But for a character like Sansa, who has already moved beyond what has been laid out for her on the page at the expense of what is, admittedly, a lesser story, I almost don’t want to see those scenes because they’re likely giving away parts of the sixth book, which will likely not be released until early next year.

But then there are plots like Daenerys’, which don’t completely follow the page, and yet get the spirit of it right. This young ruler, who has known nothing but success since she gained her strength, is now at a loss as to how to run a city. Decisions that logically make sense only further alienate her from the people she in judgment over. This is really good stuff.

GAME OF THRONES remains an entertaining show, and “The House of Black and White” is a solid installment. If only the showrunners showed more respect for the contingent of the audience who have loved these characters and stories the longest.

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.

"The Children" Play the GAME OF THRONES, Too

Article first published as TV Review: 'Game of Thrones' - 'The Children' at Blogcritics.

Last night’s season four finale of HBO’s Game of Thrones, titled “The Children,” is very character-heavy. Each of the many players in the cast get to show depth and growth from time to time, but the latest installment seems to be all about that, crystallizing characteristics we’ve seen within their personalities before and taking them to the next level. There is still action, of course, but the pathos are very strong, making for an excellent end, and leaving us to ponder the direction some of the people are heading in.

To many Game of Thrones viewers, the most important face in the series is Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage). Sentenced to die, things look dire for the imp until Tyrion’s brother, Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), sets him free. These two siblings have a loving bond, evident in their brief goodbye hug that transcends blood. They come from a very messed up family, with a sister, Cersei (Lena Headey), who hates one of them, and sleeps with the other to manipulate him. Yet, the boys’ connection is pure and loyal. Jaime cannot sit by and watch Tyrion executed, and so he intervenes.

From here, many expect Tyrion to take the easy path, knocking on Varys’ (Conleth Hill) door and sailing away. But this Tyrion has been betrayed and has turned cold. Before the trial, in which he watches his love, Shae (Sibel Kekilli), betray him and his father, Tywin (Charles Dance), let his innocent son be sentenced to death, Tyrion could have walked away. But at this point, he is just too far wronged, frustrated with injustice, and cannot stop himself from a final showdown with daddy.

What follows is tragic. I don’t think Tyrion means to kill Shae, even after her words at court, but he has to in self-defense, she being convinced Tyrion is evil enough to hurt her. And who can blame her, after the way Tyrion speaks to her when last together, Shae not realizing Tyrion acts like he doesn’t love her for her own good? Tywin’s death at Tyrion’s hands is much more deserved, Tyrion finally proving to his father that he’s a man, standing up for himself against the cruel tyrant that raised him.

It’s interesting to observe Tywin in his final days on Game of Thrones. Not only does he underestimate Tyrion, not expecting his son will kill him no matter what he’s done, but he also is shown to be living in denial about Jaime and Cersei’s incestuous relationship and its products. This is a man that has a single-minded vision for his family. He is cunning and savvy in battle, but lacks warmth with his offspring, which leads to him not understanding them. This is Tywin’s downfall, his hubris and ignorance of his children. He reaps what he has sewn.

As one leader falls, another rises. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) meets with Mance Raydar (Ciarán Hinds), intending to kill the Wildling leader, until they are interrupted by Stannis (Stephen Dillane) and his army, who essentially save The Wall. Before and after this interruption, though, we see just how seasoned Jon has become. He has the wisdom that men will follow, and shows mercy when it is warranted. He understands loyalty, and exhibits such on his own. He’s willing to sacrifice himself for the greater good. He has grown into a man to respect and obey.


He also still has his heart. Jon’s conversation with Tormund (Kristofer Hivju) about Ygritte (Rose Leslie) is moving, as is Jon’s subsequent burning of Ygritte north of the wall. Jon has to put aside romantic notions because of his vow so closing this chapter is a necessary step for him. Yet, seeing how he handles said closing tells us a lot about Jon, too, making him worthy of the admiration being cast his way.

Is Jon now in charge of the Night’s Watch? We don’t see the acting lord commander, last seen injured and being pulled away from the battle, this week. Whether the men have fallen in line behind Jon or not, Mance and Stannis are dealing with Jon as if he speaks for the group, and his behavior and presence support that role. Will Jon’s brothers take this as a sign to fall in line behind him, or will Jon find assuming the mantle of command a lot harder than it’s been for him so far?

Daenerys (Emilia Clarke), who usually seems a natural queen in this Game of Thrones, is having much trouble ruling a city. Her dragons are killing children, forcing her to lock up the two she can find in a dark dungeon. The former slaves want to go back to being slaves, their lives worse as freed men. She has cast out her top adviser. This leaves the poor girl crying and lost. This is not the powerful woman the past few seasons have ended with, triumphant in victory. Tasked with day-to-day management, Daenerys is coming up short, presumably an element to explore more in depth next year.

What about Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright)? Will he be a leader, too? He fulfills his vision quest and finds the three-eyed crow, deep underground, beneath the giant Weirdwood tree. There is a looming sense of destiny here, and after seeing how Bran can warg into Hodor (Kristian Nairn) and use him in a fight, there’s also a sense of power behind Bran now. It’s uncertain what Bran will be doing at this strange place, but he certainly seems poised to be someone important, and is finally ready to assume that mantle.

In a scene that never happens in the Game of Thrones books, Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) finds Arya (Maisie Williams) and two swordswomen bond over their weapons. It’s a touching scene for the girls, so much alike, and one I’m glad they include here. Arya is given a glimpse that will reinforce her belief that she doesn’t have to adhere to traditional gender roles, and Brienne sees a kindred spirit that should make her feel less of a freak.

Of course, The Hound (Rory McCann) interferes. Seeing Lannister gold on Brienne’s hilt, he justly assumes, even if he’s wrong, that Brienne means Arya harm. Whether The Hound is a protector or not has always been up for debate, many believing he sticks with Arya just for the reward money. But “The Children” shows us something different, a side of The Hound that leans toward nobility. The Hound hates himself, as we’ve seen before. Perhaps he thinks that taking care of Arya will buy him a bit of redemption?

Arya repays this loyalty with dispassion. Seeing The Hound injured and slowly, painfully dying, she takes his money and walks away from him. She has good reason to, always remembering the monster he was. However, this is ignoring what he has done for her in the meantime. It means Arya is stone cold, which will serve her well on her own and in Braavos, which she is last seen sailing towards, but it doesn’t bode well for her heart. This Arya has become someone who will have trouble caring for anyone, and that is troubling, even if it makes her more likely to survive.

I do feel sorry for Brienne, coming so close to (half) her goal, who then eludes her after delivering some biting semi-truths about Brienne’s short-comings. This will be a major setback for the female knight, and she will definitely be wracked with guilt and regret over it. Brienne deserves better. She is true and strives to keep her promises, a good person. Arya just isn’t ready to trust anyone else, especially not someone connected to the Lannisters, and so Brienne must continue to search out Arya again, as well as her sister.

It’s impressive that Game of Thrones finds the time for so many compelling character stories in its final hour of the season. This is a show that is big on action, epic battles and tragic deaths, but it’s also very much about the people that populate its world. Without such rich personalities, I can’t imagine that the show would be half as successful and popular as it is, transcending its genre. “The Children” illustrates beautifully some of the best features of the show, and certainly leaves one excited for next season, this one passing by far too quickly.

It’s also worth mentioning, at least in passing, that this season has really departed from the books in a lot of ways, not just the scene mentioned above. A major character that many readers expected in the finale is totally absent, and a death occurs on screen this week that did not happen in the pages. While major arcs are continuing to follow the book, I doubt the TV series wants to add the many new characters that crop up at this point, with sidelines in different parts of the world, and so it seems like we do need to finally let the books go once and for all and just embrace the show, seeing them as two separate bodies of work.

Game of Thrones has been renewed for two more seasons and will return to HBO in 2015.

"Swords" Abound As GAME OF THRONES Returns

Article first written for Seat42F.

GAME OF THRONES has more than “Two Swords” in the season four opener, which aired last night on HBO. The first episode back is one with references to the past, bring back faces we haven’t seen in a long while, often people viewers may not have taken much note of before, popping up at unexpected times. This is combined with a number of stories of our familiar characters picking up the pieces after last year’s major tragedies, and it makes for an enticing new beginning for this batch of installments.

Starting with the Starks, Arya (Maisie Williams) is still traveling with The Hound (Rory McCann), but he has little respect for her, refusing even to let her have her own horse. A run-in with Polliver (Andy Kellegher), who stole Arya’s sword, Needle, and murdered her friend, changes that as Arya practically forces The Hound into a fight, then even scores a couple of kills herself, including one with her now-recovered blade. As a reward, The Hound gets her a pony.

This is a side of Arya we haven’t seen really developed yet, and begins to move her in a new direction. Her stubbornness and bravery have been noted in the past, of course, but here we see how she can take a life without regret as she begins to remove names from her vengeance list. I wouldn’t call her cold, but neither is she warm. This will definitely play into Arya’s future, assuring the fans that all is not lost for her, even after most of her family has been taken from this world.

Sansa (Sophie Turner) isn’t nearly as strong as her sister Arya, and takes losing her mother and brother, on top of the other deaths she’s mourned, very poorly. No one can get her to eat, and she sinks into depression. But then Dontos (Tony Way), a man whose life she saved, gifts her a necklace, and that elicits a smile. Is this a sign she’ll be able to go on with her life, or merely a brief respite from her dark thoughts?

Sansa may have protectors she doesn’t even know about. Brienne (Gwendoline Christie) is quick to remind Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) of his oath to return the Stark girls to their mother. Jaime is exasperated, since Arya is missing and presumed dead, and the woman he made the promise, too, is deceased as well. Yet, Brienne presses him, and if there’s one thing Jaime takes seriously these days, it’s his duty. As well as not disappointing Brienne, whom he respects.

Duty may be all Jaime has to cling to. His sister, Cersei (Lena Headey), has lost interest in him since he lost his hand. His father, Tywin (Charles Dance), makes Jaime a new sword (from Ned Stark’s, a pretty cool sequence in of itself), but then wants to send him home to Casterly Rock. Jaime, feeling adrift, clings to his position in the King’s Guard, refusing his father. It’s really nice to see Jaime soften and become so likable after a rough start on the series, and now he’s earning his own fans. Brienne has made him better. If Jaime is this committed to his professional duty, hopefully he will at least honor the spirit of his promise to Sansa’s mother, too.

It’s funny to see Jaime outside of the personal politics of the Lannister clan since the rest of them are constantly at war with one another. Cersei may have an edge on Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), now that one of her spies seems to know something about the imp’s relationship with Shae (Sibel Kekilli). While Tyrion is shown to be a good person, especially in how he treats his wife, he’s also feeling the pressure of events, which he vents out to Shae, not to mention during the hilarious scene where the Dorne party snubs him. In a family this dysfunctional, it’s interesting to see Jaime emerge as a balanced, normal, compassionate individual and protector.

Speaking of Dorne, “Two Swords” introduces us to two of that kingdom’s leading family, Prince Oberyn (Pedro Pascal, Graceland, The Adjustment Bureau) and Ellaria Sand (Indira Varma, Silk, Luther). They enter with a splash, grabbing a man and woman at the brothel to have some fun with, stabbing a Lannister in the hand, and Oberyn is up front with telling Tyrion he’s come to King’s Landing for revenge. It’s not clear exactly how these two will shift the story, but they seem to be serious players who will be shaking things up. Given how entertaining their early moments are, that’s good news.

At The Wall, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) faces justice for breaking his oaths to the Night’s Watch. At first, it looks like be punished, possibly even executed, but Maester Aemon (Peter Vaughan) steps in and absolves him. Still, while Jon may be off the hook for now, the fact that the current leadership seem to have it out for him cannot be a good sign. How can he get them ready to defend against an imminent attack if they don’t trust him? And will he need to keep watching his own back while trying to protect the realm?

This attack will definitely be coming, as the Thenns join Ygritte (Rose Leslie) and Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) to prepare for war. Unlike the two wildlings Snow traveled with, though, the Thenns appear to be scary and brutal and enjoy the taste of flesh, at least if it comes from a man of the Night’s Watch. While it’s hard to believe these are friends of Ygritte and Tormund, who are reasonable individuals, I guess all is fair in war, and they all follow the same leader. So Castle Black better prepare for some very heavy conflict.

Finally, across he narrow sea, Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) is marching her troops towards Mereen, which seems more prepared for them than the other slaver cities, leaving a dozens of grisly warnings. Dany doesn’t seem too worried, and given her success rate, I’m not sure she should be concerned about outside enemies. Within her own camp, though, her dragons have gotten bigger and more unruly, which likely will definitely present her with issues going forward. Is it about time she start riding them, reining in their animalistic impulses for her own mission? And who might join her on a dragon back?

A likely choice may be Daario (Michiel Huisman, who unfortunately looks nothing at all like the previous actor playing the role). Daario oversteps a bit in his interactions with his queen, but always plays it off without crossing a line. Berely. Daenerys, for her part, seems receptive to his flirtatious charms, so one can only assume that love is in the air. If her protective advisors allow it, of course. Though I have the feeling Dany wouldn’t let them tell her what to do, which means Daario has the potential to cause friction in the ranks, thus making him just as dangerous as the dragons themselves.

It’s impossible to do a short GAME OF THRONES review because of the sprawling cast. What’s impressive, though, is how well each of these various players are served, with even more that didn’t make it into this episode. The individual personalities are extremely well-defined, with a talented cast backing them up. There isn’t a weak link among the group, so as the story jumps from place to place, I don’t have a preference for which person it gets to next, knowing whatever it is will be great. “Two Swords” is yet another fine example of this, with no weak point in it (other than re-casting Daario without even trying to match the look, though I like the new actor).

GAME OF THRONES airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO.