Welcome back to your supplemental Game of Thrones coverage here at Multiversity, brought to you by a snobby book reader who thinks it is oh so cool to know what’s supposed to happen in the show against what does happen in the show!
Or, well, something like that, anyway. Let’s begin.
1. The Trial
was perfect. Wasn’t it?
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I felt incredibly anxious during the entire scene. I’ve complained about some of the alterations, sure, and I will again — but I think it’s worth noting that when they get a scene right, they really go all out to get a scene right. From what I recall of the book this scene mirrored it rather perfectly, up to the point of Shae’s betrayal. And I think everything to follow pretty much ensures that Dinklage will once again get the Emmy nod, because Seven Hells he certainly knows how to act.
Of course, it stands worth noting that the show certainly built up a different relationship between Tyrion and Shae, so watching that particular scene was much more heartbreaking than it was in the books. Tyrion was certainly fond of Shae, but their relationship was much more intimate in the show. I assumed that it would be rather powerful when she comes out there and lays out everything they once shared as if it were something he did against her, and man was I right.
2. The Iron Bank
In the books, I’ll admit that I was always a fan of the imagery of Braavos as described by Martin. Sure, we don’t really see it until Arya arrives, but everything she describes makes it seem so much different than what you see in Westeros. To a degree, I’ll admit that the gargantuan size of it all could’ve been related to Arya’s diminutive stature in comparison — but I am glad I was wrong, because seeing the Titan of Braavos in that extended CGI crane shot was terrific. And then, going even further in and getting our first real look at how the Iron Bank operates was wonderful as well; not only does it offer credence to what will happen in the penultimate episode but we got Mark Gatiss being snarky — and any opportunity to put Mark Gatiss in something and have him be snarky is something I’m willing to watch.
3. And That’s Why I Like The Greyjoys
The Greyjoys are my house of choice in the books, and I think it becomes much more apparent why as the story evolves and we get things like the King’s Moot and Euron Crow’s Eye. But with this episode we finally got back Asha Yara, and it was great to see her lead a small army into the Dreadfort in order to rescue her brother.
Ok, sure, she failed. But even so! The Greyjoys do not sew, and they certainly take no quarter. While it was a short scene (and, admittedly, a weird one considering the finale of “Dragons”), I was happy to have Yara back, even just as a reminder that she exists to viewers so that, when the time comes that we meet the extended Greyjoys, we never forget how truly excellent her character is.
Ramsay’s fucking crazy, though, right? Jeez.
4. The Man With No Desire
Varys is a character I’ve always had about a zillion theories, and the finale to “Dragons” pretty much threw them all up in the air. In my discussions with close friends I’ve often posited that everything in this series will ultimately come down to a battle of him against Petyr, as while everyone else throws swords left and right they’re the only ones actively manipulating everyone. And with this episode, my suspicious and concerns about someone who answers to the name The Spider only grew worse.
Now, that said, I’m conflicted: I honestly never really got the idea that Varys had any major desire for the throne. This episode certainly throws some implication that way, but Varys to me (and this is more of a theory than anything else) seemed like someone obsessed with the good of the country, no matter the cost. He seems like a Targaryen sympathizer, sure, and his conversation with Illyrio Mopatis in the first book/season lean that way, but you’d imagine he’d throw his hat in a different ring need be.
Continued below(Contrast this with Petyr, of course, who would see the kingdom burn if he could be king of the ashes.)
So his conversation with the Viper (the Spider and the Viper — who is more deadly?) was an intriguing one, but a very confusing one. If Varys’ nod to the throne is supposed to be a hint at his inner self, then perhaps I’ve read the character wrong. Or perhaps the showrunners have. It’s an interesting question.
5. A Spy in Queen Dany’s Court
So, people can correct me in the comments should I be wrong, but that is the first open acknowledgement that Jorah was a spy for the King, correct? It was something that was given away pretty quickly in the book, but I’ll note that as someone who switched to the books after watching the show I found this revelation to be shocking. The show may hint at it in the first season, but it is buried in many layers; the book just flat out acknowledges it as if it’s nothing.
The reason I find this noteworthy, though, is because this is another major betrayal that’s essentially casually thrown out there to either be caught or missed by the non-book reading audience. Lysa’s admittance of killing her husband last episode was a huge thing in the book but was basically treated as nothing in the show; I’d assumed that, having gone this long without revealing who Jorah was, the show would use his betrayal in a more heightened scene akin to what the book did in order to have Dany remove him from her court and exile him.
So was this to soften the blow? Because that scene certainly had potential to be a big reveal! I honestly can’t tell if the showrunners decided, “Oh, oops, we forgot about this — better get it in during the eleventh hour before it’s too late!”
Hmm.
Update: Apparently this was addressed in Season 1, Episode 5 — but I suppose that speaks volumes for the way the show buries certain things that are very easy to miss if you don’t know to listen for them.
6. Next Time, on Game of Thrones
I literally shouted at the TV “Ohhhh noooooooo!” when the snow castle was shown. Curious that it’s being pushed up so soon, but I can not wait.
“Only Cat.”
