I loved 3.05, it was a fantastic episode, and although 3.06 was not as good, as a book reader you can see all the setups for what is to come in the next 4 episodes. There were some changes and additions that were both good and bad.
Part I will focus on Arya, Jaime and Jon
Part I Dedication: Arya Stark
Arya Stark
Arya has not completely grasped that her reality will never live up to what she wants it to be. These two episodes have solidified her belief that not only does she have to take care of herself, but vengeance will be hers.
My girl never ceases to amaze me, and believe me at this point in the book, she has become a full blown killer. This took place at Harrenhall, but as you know the HBO experience was not bloody and violent, but actually quite tame. However, it worked, so I took it. I believe in "Feast of Crows" is where I realized just how ruthless, and virtually a sociopath, she had actually become.
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| Arya desperately hoping Beric will kill the Hound |
Continuing on......She has once again forgotten the warning her father had given her in Season One. If you recall, after a fight w/Sansa, Ned reminds her that they are in a very dangerous place. This means that she must not be rash (keep her mouth shut) and not be impulsive, as that is what killed Lyanna and Brandon.
So in the Bat Cave, the fight between Beric's flaming sword and the Hound has begun. The fear on the Hound's face when he saw the flames, was palpable, and Beric almost bested him. But in one wrong move, Beric got a big chunk cut out of the right side of his body and died for the sixth time. Qyburn runs over and starts saying the words to resurrect him, and Arya goes insane.
She grabs a sword, and starts racing towards the Hound, until Gendry grabs her. The Hound says something about Micah, to rile her up, while she is screaming Burn in hell!" while Gendry holds her down.
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| "Burn in Hell!!" |
On the other side of the coin, we see that one slim thread that is keeping a tiny bit of hope alive, just about snaps, when Gendry tells her that he is staying with the Brotherhood. Arya says that she could be his family, he said no, "you will always be My Lady", and the look on her face, and his, was heart breaking. They have been each other's support and family for about a year, and they do not want to be separated.
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| Gendry, looks so sad telling Arya why he will never be her family. "No, You will always be My Lady" |
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| Our heartbroken girl realizing why she is losing her BFF |
In this case, I think they have a similar relationship, but they are not even close, on the verge, cusp, whatever of being in love. They love each other as friends, and I think as brother and sister.
In this case, Arya is once again disappointed by her reality, ie. even though she and Gendry are BFF's, he is right. Thoros is also very honest when he tells her that they need the gold from Robb at Riverrun, not because she is their captive.
We see that great scene with Thoros getting drunk but the fire, and Beric talking to Arya; who PS, is not afraid of him. He tells her how many times Thoros has brought him back, and they have a brief convo about how resurrection is no big deal, and PS here are all the ways he died. However, Beric does say that everytime he comes back, a little piece of him gets chipped away. In the book, he is not quite as good looking, and it takes longer than 30 seconds for him to be revived. I believe that he actually tells Thoros to stop bringing him back, after 7x.
A good way to look at it, is if you watched Torchwood. The gorgeous and immortal Jack Harkness (also a character from Dr.Who ), has died too many times to count, but he has a conversation with his best friend, Gwen, who asks him a question about it. He says "I have died a thousand times, and each time I come back, it is like being dragged across broken glass....", meaning it changes a man.
I digress, but the saddest moment was when she asked Thoros if he could put a man's head back on his body. Qyburn sadly says "No child", and you can see that tiny bit of a little girl that was still in there, getting smaller and smaller.
Next we see Arya learning how to be an amazing killer, I mean archer. She is beginning her quest of being amazing at all weaponry, so she can start knocking some names off her kill list.
Arya & Melisandre
Our girl thinks she hears something, and it is none other than The High Priestess, Melisandre. This is one of my favorite scenes in this episode. She has clearly brought her zealot self to grab some King's blood. Who would that be? GENDRY. She immediately speaks in High Valyrian to Thoros. She says in greeting, "Valar Morghulis", and and Thoros replies "Valar Dohaeris".
Arya hears her password, given to her by Jaqen, and knows something is very, very wrong. She even says to Gendry ..." I don't like that woman." As we know, Jaqen gave her the words to find him, and learn to be one of the Faceless Men . Remember he did inform her that she could start ticking names off her list if he came w/him to Braavos and become one of the Faceless Men. I know that I have said it many times, but here and in the book, I could swear Jaqen was at Harrenhal to recruit Arya, because he always knew who she was.
Melisandre walks into the Bat Cave, chatting in High Valyrian with Thoros, and we learn how he failed in his mission to convert Aerys, and converted to drinking w/Robert. She meets Beric, and is shocked! shocked! That a drunk like Thoros, who is not even close to being her High Priestess Self, has brought a man back to life 6x. When she asks how that is possible, and Thoros, simply says,"I said the words and he came back to life, and I just wanted my friend back."
I really love the reason why Thoros gives Mel for bringing Beric back, as it enables you to understand the Brotherhood's devotion to R'hllor. I mean seriously, if you were a drunk and just said the words, and it actually WORKED, it would make anyone a believer. It also speaks to the different aspects of R'hllor. As Thoros said,he just wanted his friend back, so it was love, which is a strong positive emotion.. When I compare this to Melisandre, who makes R'hllor seem like an evil god, that enables her to be a witch and sorceress, who cleanses people using fire, and making shadow babies.
Continuing on...She asks Beric what its like on the other side, and he says "There is no other side. I have been to the darkness my Lady". So much for a sparkling afterlife, even though your are burning people in his name, expecting that you will have one.
Melisandre leaves the cave, and we learn that she has given the Brotherhood enough gold, for GENDRY. Arya flips a lid and asks Beric "Did the Lord of Light tell you that, or did she?" , while she is having a staring contest w/Melisandre. An excellent and very smart question, right? Thoros says they need the gold to help the people, and this is what The Lord of Light wants from them.
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| You don't fool me witch, and I just added you to my kill list |
He's like WTF, and well, and we know he will most likely be burnt as a sacrifice to R'hllor, bled to death, or perhaps create a shadow baby? He is hotter and younger than Stannis, so he'd be a candidate for shadow baby making. However that is irrelevant to Gendry, as he is basically thrown into a wagon, while yelling that he thought they were his brothers.
Arya is seething, all the while losing complete respect for The Brotherhood, who are now traitors, because they sold her best friend to some crazy looking red priestess. So, our girl walks up to Melisandre,whips her around , and and says "You're a witch. You're going to hurt him". Quite astute for a little thirteen year old, don't you think?
Melisandre, turns and grabs her face and looks into her eyes, and informs her that she sees a darkness in her, and that there are brown, blue, & green eyes staring back at her. Arya will also shut these eyes forever. She informs Arya that they will meet again, and leaves with Gendry. Faceless Men anyone?
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| The Prophesy of Arya, courtesy of Melisandre |
But, Arya is just about finished with the real world. People turning brothers in for gold, and for a god, that in her mind, does not exist. In fact, she does not believe in any gods anymore. But she looks scared while Melisandre looks into her eyes. Then we see her look very sad, because she will probably never see Gentry again. She's not as dangerous or as ruthless quite yet, but now, they can put her on the the dark path to becoming that little sociopath we know and love.
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| Arya watching her BFF be taken away |
Jaime and Brienne finally arrive at Harrenhall, and Roose Bolton is not pleased that Jaime is sans hand. He takes it from his neck, and muddy, dirty Jaime falls to the ground. He sends him to Qyburn, and sends Brienne somewhere so she can get cleaned up, as she is still a Lady
We see Jaime with Qyburn, who first informs him that his hand is infected and he may have to take off his arm. Jaime says no way, and grabs him around the neck and informs him that he can still kill w/his left hand. He also asks why Qyburn has lost his Maester's chain? He says that his methods of gaining more knowledge in his profession, were unconventional. Mmmm, I don't even want to know what they are, but he informs Jaime that he will have to pick away the infection and wash it out w/hot wine. He can give Jaime the anesthesia of Westeros, milk of the poppy. Jaime says no way, he wants to be sober. In the book, he was either afraid of being poisoned, or put in a position of even greater weakness, which is why he went hardcore. Now we get that famous conversation:
Qyburn: "It will hurt"
Jaime: "I'll scream"
Qyburn: "A great deal of pain"
Jaime: "I'll scream very loudly."
So we leave Jaime screaming his lungs out, and we move to Brienne. Brienne is very clean, and is obsessively scraping dirt off her skin, when Jaime appears. She moves into the corner of the bath, which is steaming, because she has never been naked in front of a man.
I must add, that this Brienne, even though they try to make her look manly, has beautiful skin, and as much as they try, she is played as more masculine, but not ugly. I know that the actress is a model, and if you have seen her on the red carpet, she is stunning. The Brienne in the books, is muscular, barely any breasts, and really does look more like a man than a woman. So, Jaime decides that he will join her in the bath, and Brienne, looking horrified, says there are other baths. He is just like don't worry, I'm not interested. Then he says something else regarding Renly and how Brienne clearly did not do a good job protecting him, and Brienne stands up, all angry. He says that he is sorry, and that he should not have said that, and it was unworthy of him. He even adds that she is the only person he trusts, and that he knows that she will get him safely to Kings Landing.
Gorgeous Jaime, who still looks quite good even all dirty, as he brings his sexy self to the bath. I wish that he would have actually started to scrub off all of the dirt. Anyway, he is sitting in the corner, slowly passing out from the heat, and most likely the trauma of having pieces of what remains of his hand, picked out.
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Jaime telling Brienne why he killed the Mad King
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Aerys ordered Jaime to go get his father's head, while at the same time, he reveals that his pyromancers (one of whom he appointed Hand of the King) had strategically placed wildfire all around the city. I may have mentioned it earlier, but Jaime questioned his oath, as he and the other members of the KingsGuard witnessed some horrific things. He was probably about 17 at the time he killed the King? But he was fourteen when he became a member of the KingsGuard. He was always told he was not there to question what the King did, but to guard him.
I have always thought the turning point for him was when he saw Rickard Stark boil to death, while Brandon Stark, strangled himself trying to cut the rope so he could free his father. 500 people watched this happen, while the Mad King laughed as Ned's father was screaming. I believe that I mentioned this in a prior post, but he tells Ned about this, in season 1, and he was like whatever, oathbreaker. I also remember when Robert asks him what the Mad King said to him when he stabbed him in the back? and he said, "the same thing that he had been saying all night, 'burn them all' ". Robert looked at him, like huh? Because no one would ever think Jaime, let alone a Lannister would save others; and well, his father WAS sacking the city.
Jaime tells Brienne, that he killed the pyromancer on his way out, and stabbed the King in the back, and slit his throat, so he would never be able to give the order. This is why there was all that wildfire chez pyromancer last season, and Tyrion was wondering why there was so much and now you non-book readers know why. He asks Brienne, what would you have done? This is where one of his best quotes is so appropriate:
"So many vows...they make you swear and swear. Defend the King, Obey the King. Keep his secrets. Do his Bidding. Your life for his. But obey your father. Love your sister. Protect the innocent. Defend the weak. Respect the gods. Obey the laws. Its too much. No matter what you do, you're forsaking one vow for another."
(I referred to this in 3.03, as he says this to Jon Snow in 1.01, to tell him that oaths are not all that they are cracked up to be). Jaime knows all to well that this is not a world of black & white, it is all grey, and messy. If you noticed that anyone who was honorable, is either dead, listening to a witch, or fired from a job, that is for life (Ser Barristan). King Tywin certainly does not have honor, does he? This is why it is so important in 1.01, when Jaime says a version of this quote to Jon. Ned only saw black & white, Jon really did know nothing, until he was with the wildlings. Robb, well, I think he is trying to make smart choices, but it is not working. Oh and Dany? I don't think honor is in her vocabulary (she thinks it is, because she grants slaves their freedom), but unflinching loyalty is most definitely in it.
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| "What right does the wolf have to judge the lion?" None honey, but sadly, you are a lion. |
Have you fallen in love yet?
Dinner Time at Harrenhall
Dinner time w/Roose, Brienne and Jaime, is nothing but filled w/great food and conversation. Roose says that Jaime needs to promise to tell his father that he had nothing to do w/removing his hand. Brienne, is wearing the ugly pink dress, which was too big on her, when in the book it is too tight and makes her look even less attractive. At this point, Jaime, has unsuccessfully, made attempts to cut his meat. Brienne takes the fork and cuts it for him. He is also informed that Brienne will not be going with him to Kings Landing. Jaime does not like this at all, not one bit.
Jon Snow
Alas Jon is still w/out Ghost, and has some short conversation w/Orel (who clearly hates him), and Tormund about the number of castles and men at Castle Black. Orel, in eagle mode, had done a fly by, and noticed patrols and they need the lowdown. Jon tells them that 3 castles are occupied: Eastwatch by the Sea, Grey Watch, and Castle Black. In addition the patrols change every day, and include Rangers and Builders. There are 1000 men still at Castle Black. Orel and Tormund are like no way (and they are correct), and all the while Ygritte is defending Jon, Orel says something inappropriate to her, and Jon says with conviction "1000 men".
I was actually feeling a lot better about Jon at this moment, as he was suddenly acting like, well, Jon. But then it was all ruined, when he and Ygritte walk away, and he gets all whiney about her not having to protect him. So they have this whole exchange where she says that he owes her, steals his sword, and makes him chase her into the cave. Ugh.
The cave is a big deal in the book, because it is actually the penultimate moment of their relationship, not the beginning of it, as they had been in love for many months. Alas, the show destroys a moment once again, and it seemed like the writers just threw in this scene, because they had too, because it was huge in the books. They are adorable together, but when Ygritte says that she never wanted to leave the cave, it made no sense. The reason why she wanted to stay in the cave in the book, was because she wanted them to stay together forever. It is why the moment so special, and even more so, later on in his story.
The Wall & The Wildlings
The awesome Tormund Giantsbane who still is not as rowdy as he is in the books, and most certainly not as much fun. He is also very close with Jon, he also gets Jon, and knows that Jon is more wildling than he thinks that he is. In fact Jon is told this on several occasions, and even more so in ADWD. Alas, Tormund's amazing self, is not shown here, and he just states that the trees, which are all overgrown, is an indication about how far the NW has fallen.
Well, we finally reach the wall, and while Ygritte and Jon are prepping for the big 700 foot, climb of a wall bound by spells, they talk relationship. Ygritte says that she has always dreamed of seeing what the world looked like from the wall, and it is made clear that they are in love. She also reminds him that she knows that he still has some Crow in him, but she does not care. Why? Because in the end, they are nothing to their leaders, and that together, they are one. Lovely...but Ygritte was Wildling through and through, and never told Jon, that she had an inkling that he was a spy.
Well, they reach the wall, begin the big climb, and we see in the distance that there are other wildlings climbing the wall as well. I had a problem with this whole scene, because one of the characters, amongst many who are attempting the climb, is married to a woman named Val. Val is a very important character in Jon's future, and she is also the sister of Mance's wife, who was pregnant at the time, and dies in childbirth. I am sure Val will appear at some point, but probably either in S4. or S5. But Book Jon also notes, as he begins the climb, all the bodies hanging on the tree as they fall down. One of these men, is Jarl, who is Val's husband.
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| Crap, I do not want to climb the wall, but I'll do it for the cause |
The show has been showing all along how Jon and Orel have big problems, and are setting up, Jon vs. Orel. In the books he had already killed Orel, because he was part of that group that he attacked w/the Half-Hand and met Ygritte.
Alas, I have to bemoan the loss of Ghost again. I know people love their dragons, and I think that is where all the direwolf money is going, and it does great damage to Jon's arc. Ghost was a big part of Jon's ability to "blend" in w/the wildlings. When he is threatened, Ghost is either beside him, or watching from a distance. However, at this point Jon had already let Ghost go, and told him to find him at Castle Black.
That ends Part I of 3.05 & 3.06, see you for Part II!
**Images and quotes courtesy of HBO's "Game of Thrones" 3.05 & 3.06
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