Game of Thrones ep 6
Jul. 18th, 2011 09:10 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightOn with the rewatch. I have to do something productive with my day after all.
Spoilers for the show behind cut.
There wasn't really an overarching theme for this episode, unless it was about people throwing off their illusions about themselves or about other people. Bronn may not look like much, for instance, but he's a deadly fighter, as he proves in the bravura scene where he stands as Tyrion's champion. Viserys, meanwhile, finally realises once and for all that he's not going to be king (and that's well before Khal Drogo throws a bucket of molten gold over his head) and Ned puts two and two together and makes five about what John Arryn was searching for in that musty old book of Maester Pycelle's.
Ned also gets manipulated by everybody around him - first by Robert, who refuses to accept his resignation as King's Hand, and then by Baelish, who talks him into basically declaring war on the Lannisters (and considering the way every war lord in Westeros seems to think that burning and pillaging the River Lands is the first thing you do in a war, can I just say it's a wonder anyone lives there at all?). Ned also does about the only sensible thing he does all season when he tells his daughters he's sending them home to Winterfell. A pity it's already too late.
Speaking of Ned's daughters, I suppose Sansa bucks the trend in this episode in that she gets re-illusioned about Joffrey, who is very convincing (except to Saepta Mordane, who obviously thinks he's a right little s**t) when he apologises to her and promises her he will never hurt her or be cruel to her again. Yeah, right.
Meanwhile, in Winterfell itself, we meet our first Wildlings (all badly in need of a good hairbrush, which presumably you can't find for love or money beyond the Wall), Bran has another weird dream, and Ros trundles off on a turnip cart to make her fortune. Funnily enough, the Ros scenes aren't bothering me nearly as much this time. Her scene with Theon actually added to the plot here, or increased the atmosphere of foreboding, which hangs very heavy over the entire episode.
Except in the Dany scenes, which continue to chronicle her upward rise. First, she touches the red hot dragons' egg without burning, then she passes the ultimate test for a khalisee (never has it been so important not to throw up), and then she finally (and terminally) breaks free of her brother. Not that she wanted it to end that way, I don't think. She tries to save Viserys right up to the moment where she can't any longer. But then she lets him go without flinching. Maybe, after her experiment with the dragons' egg, she was even curious as to whether he would burn or not (though I think she knew he would). Her dismisal of his very existence - "He was not a true dragon" - is, ironically, chilling in its coldness.
A terrific episode, with some very memorable scenes in a show that has many memorable scenes. I managed to make myself watch most of Viserys's crowning scene in this episode and I won't forget it in a hurry. And Tyrion's 'confession' is just priceless.
Spoilers for the show behind cut.
There wasn't really an overarching theme for this episode, unless it was about people throwing off their illusions about themselves or about other people. Bronn may not look like much, for instance, but he's a deadly fighter, as he proves in the bravura scene where he stands as Tyrion's champion. Viserys, meanwhile, finally realises once and for all that he's not going to be king (and that's well before Khal Drogo throws a bucket of molten gold over his head) and Ned puts two and two together and makes five about what John Arryn was searching for in that musty old book of Maester Pycelle's.
Ned also gets manipulated by everybody around him - first by Robert, who refuses to accept his resignation as King's Hand, and then by Baelish, who talks him into basically declaring war on the Lannisters (and considering the way every war lord in Westeros seems to think that burning and pillaging the River Lands is the first thing you do in a war, can I just say it's a wonder anyone lives there at all?). Ned also does about the only sensible thing he does all season when he tells his daughters he's sending them home to Winterfell. A pity it's already too late.
Speaking of Ned's daughters, I suppose Sansa bucks the trend in this episode in that she gets re-illusioned about Joffrey, who is very convincing (except to Saepta Mordane, who obviously thinks he's a right little s**t) when he apologises to her and promises her he will never hurt her or be cruel to her again. Yeah, right.
Meanwhile, in Winterfell itself, we meet our first Wildlings (all badly in need of a good hairbrush, which presumably you can't find for love or money beyond the Wall), Bran has another weird dream, and Ros trundles off on a turnip cart to make her fortune. Funnily enough, the Ros scenes aren't bothering me nearly as much this time. Her scene with Theon actually added to the plot here, or increased the atmosphere of foreboding, which hangs very heavy over the entire episode.
Except in the Dany scenes, which continue to chronicle her upward rise. First, she touches the red hot dragons' egg without burning, then she passes the ultimate test for a khalisee (never has it been so important not to throw up), and then she finally (and terminally) breaks free of her brother. Not that she wanted it to end that way, I don't think. She tries to save Viserys right up to the moment where she can't any longer. But then she lets him go without flinching. Maybe, after her experiment with the dragons' egg, she was even curious as to whether he would burn or not (though I think she knew he would). Her dismisal of his very existence - "He was not a true dragon" - is, ironically, chilling in its coldness.
A terrific episode, with some very memorable scenes in a show that has many memorable scenes. I managed to make myself watch most of Viserys's crowning scene in this episode and I won't forget it in a hurry. And Tyrion's 'confession' is just priceless.
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no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 06:16 am (UTC)And by the time Viserys was crowned I was really looking forward to it.
Eddards stumbling about is terrible to watch, but I do think it's fascinating how credible his actions are. The characters really have very individual ways of thinking that are almost all comprehensive but completely different from each other still.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 09:19 am (UTC)Peter Dinklage is just terrific in that scene.
I agree Ned's actions seem quite believable. He's not a subtle man - even less subtle than Robert- and he's all at sea in Kingslanding. Baelish and co just run rings round him. It's painful to watch at times.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-19 01:49 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-20 09:08 am (UTC)I wonder why they decided to do that? Ned has 'doomed' written on his forehead from the very first episode, and he makes decisions in a way that ensures the worst case scenario every time. It's almost like he has a death wish.