Game of Thrones ep 7: You Win or You Die
Jul. 23rd, 2011 08:19 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
shapinglightHad some time to myself today, so re-watched another episode.
Spoilers within
I'd actually forgotten it was this episode where Ned's stubborn refusal to come to grips with the vipers nest in which he's been landed by Robert finally catches up with him, but of course it had to be.
It's also the episode containing the Ros sexposition scene par excellence. In fact, that's only the second scene in the episode, after our first encounter with the terrifying Tywin Lannister. The contrast between the two scenes is quite startling. The first introduces us to a new character who we've only heard about up to now and reveals as much in what it doesn't say - in Jaime's facial expressions, and the way Tywin touches his face - as in what it does. By the end of it, we know that Tywin is completely ruthless, has little in the way of personal vanity (which isn't to say he doesn't have an enormous sense of entitlement, but that's bound up in his feelings about his House and its name rather than in his own person), as opposed to Jaime, who has lots of it (which has the effect of making him seem a lot more human). In fact, the only fault I can find in the scene is that I don't believe for one moment that Tywin would choose to gut and flay a dead animal in his nice, clean tent.
Conversely, the Littlefinger/Ros sexposition scene, IMO, has very little to recommend it, and contains no extra information that we actually needed to know. We already know that Littlefinger is in love with Catelyn Stark. We don't really need chapter and verse on how this came about or about his bruising encounter with Ned's dead brother, to not be able to guess that Littlefinger will betray Ned in the end (and I see Varys removed himself from the scene altogether when the shit hit the fan- very smart of him). In fact, though I've changed my mind about the other Ros scenes, I still think this one is exploitative and a step way over the edge into soft porn land, no matter how good Aiden Gillen is. Meh!
A pity, because otherwise this is an excellent episode. Fittingly, Ned stumbles through it leaning on a cane, just as he stumbles through every encounter he has in the episode, from his first with Cersei, where he reveals his hand to her (having failed to grasp, presumably, just how ruthless she is), then reveals it to Littlefinger but fails to reveal it to Robert, who could have done something about the situation before his death, and to add insult to injury turns down the opportunity of an alliance with Renly, which might possibly have saved Ned's own life and those of his retainers, and spared his daughters a lot of pain and terror. I do feel sorry for Ned. I do. But sadly, he was always completely out of his depth and now he's drowning.
Over the seas, Dany has put her brother's death behind her very easily it seems, her one mention of him being to say that he was a fool. At this stage in the season, and especially after this episode, it looked so clear which way her character arc would go - that she would seize power, but, like Cersei, only by proxy through her husband and son. Khal Drogo is clearly besotted with her - dangerously so, given the nature of Dothraki society - so much so that the attempt on her life galvanises him into promising her the thing he began the episode telling her he didn't want and their son didn't need. He will take an army where the Dothraki have never been before, across the sea, and put their son on his grandfather's throne. Dany smiles. She's got what she wants. Have to say, though I can see now that both Emilia Fox and Jason Momoa make the relationship very believable, not being a Drogo/Dany 'shipper, I'm just very glad the story didn't go that route. Anyway, I still think Dany is more in love with the idea of her power over Drogo than she is with Drogo himself.
As a contrast with Littlefinger's betrayal, this episode is the one where Jorah finally chooses Dany over an end to exile. He can't betray her. He can't stand back and watch her die, even if it means he never gets to go home. Needless to say, I love the Dany/Jorah scenes in this episode.
I also love all the scenes set on the Wall, with Jon Snow and Sam and their friends taking their Nightswatch oath and Sam talking Jon down from his fit of wounded vanity. Sam's lovely, and his friendship with Jon is very believable.
Can't end this without saying how good the Osha/Theon/Maester Luwin scene is either. I love that Maester Luwin sends Theon packing and refers to Osha as 'the lady' (though am still expecting him to turn out to be the villain of the piece where the attempt on Bran's life is concerned just because he seems like such a decent chap), and I love Osha's lack of servility and the wonderful sense of foreboding she creates in very few words about what's lurking beyond the Wall.
Spoilers within
I'd actually forgotten it was this episode where Ned's stubborn refusal to come to grips with the vipers nest in which he's been landed by Robert finally catches up with him, but of course it had to be.
It's also the episode containing the Ros sexposition scene par excellence. In fact, that's only the second scene in the episode, after our first encounter with the terrifying Tywin Lannister. The contrast between the two scenes is quite startling. The first introduces us to a new character who we've only heard about up to now and reveals as much in what it doesn't say - in Jaime's facial expressions, and the way Tywin touches his face - as in what it does. By the end of it, we know that Tywin is completely ruthless, has little in the way of personal vanity (which isn't to say he doesn't have an enormous sense of entitlement, but that's bound up in his feelings about his House and its name rather than in his own person), as opposed to Jaime, who has lots of it (which has the effect of making him seem a lot more human). In fact, the only fault I can find in the scene is that I don't believe for one moment that Tywin would choose to gut and flay a dead animal in his nice, clean tent.
Conversely, the Littlefinger/Ros sexposition scene, IMO, has very little to recommend it, and contains no extra information that we actually needed to know. We already know that Littlefinger is in love with Catelyn Stark. We don't really need chapter and verse on how this came about or about his bruising encounter with Ned's dead brother, to not be able to guess that Littlefinger will betray Ned in the end (and I see Varys removed himself from the scene altogether when the shit hit the fan- very smart of him). In fact, though I've changed my mind about the other Ros scenes, I still think this one is exploitative and a step way over the edge into soft porn land, no matter how good Aiden Gillen is. Meh!
A pity, because otherwise this is an excellent episode. Fittingly, Ned stumbles through it leaning on a cane, just as he stumbles through every encounter he has in the episode, from his first with Cersei, where he reveals his hand to her (having failed to grasp, presumably, just how ruthless she is), then reveals it to Littlefinger but fails to reveal it to Robert, who could have done something about the situation before his death, and to add insult to injury turns down the opportunity of an alliance with Renly, which might possibly have saved Ned's own life and those of his retainers, and spared his daughters a lot of pain and terror. I do feel sorry for Ned. I do. But sadly, he was always completely out of his depth and now he's drowning.
Over the seas, Dany has put her brother's death behind her very easily it seems, her one mention of him being to say that he was a fool. At this stage in the season, and especially after this episode, it looked so clear which way her character arc would go - that she would seize power, but, like Cersei, only by proxy through her husband and son. Khal Drogo is clearly besotted with her - dangerously so, given the nature of Dothraki society - so much so that the attempt on her life galvanises him into promising her the thing he began the episode telling her he didn't want and their son didn't need. He will take an army where the Dothraki have never been before, across the sea, and put their son on his grandfather's throne. Dany smiles. She's got what she wants. Have to say, though I can see now that both Emilia Fox and Jason Momoa make the relationship very believable, not being a Drogo/Dany 'shipper, I'm just very glad the story didn't go that route. Anyway, I still think Dany is more in love with the idea of her power over Drogo than she is with Drogo himself.
As a contrast with Littlefinger's betrayal, this episode is the one where Jorah finally chooses Dany over an end to exile. He can't betray her. He can't stand back and watch her die, even if it means he never gets to go home. Needless to say, I love the Dany/Jorah scenes in this episode.
I also love all the scenes set on the Wall, with Jon Snow and Sam and their friends taking their Nightswatch oath and Sam talking Jon down from his fit of wounded vanity. Sam's lovely, and his friendship with Jon is very believable.
Can't end this without saying how good the Osha/Theon/Maester Luwin scene is either. I love that Maester Luwin sends Theon packing and refers to Osha as 'the lady' (though am still expecting him to turn out to be the villain of the piece where the attempt on Bran's life is concerned just because he seems like such a decent chap), and I love Osha's lack of servility and the wonderful sense of foreboding she creates in very few words about what's lurking beyond the Wall.
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no subject
Date: 2011-07-23 07:43 pm (UTC)I loved Tywin's introduction. The moment he comes on screen it makes so much sense how screwed up all his kids are.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-23 08:00 pm (UTC)I agree. Everything about that scene annoys me, especially Ros's horrible 'I'm a whore' gurning.
I loved Tywin's introduction. The moment he comes on screen it makes so much sense how screwed up all his kids are.
Charles Dance is just terrific. Talk about characters you love to hate.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-23 10:40 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-23 10:58 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-23 11:05 pm (UTC)I agree. Even though I suppose we only got the shorthand version in the show, I think they showed her journey very well.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-23 11:03 pm (UTC)I appreciate that, but to be honest, I thought they established his obsession pretty well in episode 3 (if that's the one where Cat comes to Kingslanding). I know I got it, though of course can't discount that I'd taken it in via some kind of fandom osmosis. That happens a lot, even when you're trying not to get spoilered.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-24 12:43 am (UTC)I can see how it would be hard to get past the porn. I think the writers were like "wait a second, this is HBO, quick! throw in some tits!" However, I do feel a little hypocritical because I did enjoy the Ser Loras/Renly scene which was essentially the same thing.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-24 11:15 am (UTC)I enjoyed it too. However, it wasn't nearly as graphic. Besides, bare chestedness just isn't as big a deal for men. Not saying the actors mightn't feel uncomfortable, but it isn't the same.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-24 12:12 pm (UTC)I don't believe for one moment that Tywin would choose to gut and flay a dead animal in his nice, clean tent
On the one hand, I think it works as an incredibly metaphor for Ty's ruthless nature and how methodical he can be (and it also shows a certain disregard for Jaime, he doesn't feel the need to stop butchering the people just because his son's come to visit). But on the other hand, you're kinda right that Tywin doesn't really have any inhibitions, but he's not a butcher. He hires butchers to do the dirty work. Like the Mountain.
Tywin doesn't hesitate to get his metaphorical hands dirty, but it's rare for him to actually directly dig his hands into the gore. He's the coldly methodical cruise director of mayhem.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-24 12:15 pm (UTC)I still think Dany is more in love with the idea of her power over Drogo than she is with Drogo himself.
YES. Exactly.
no subject
Date: 2011-07-24 03:29 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-07-24 03:29 pm (UTC)In practical terms, it's kind of silly. No one would do that in their own tent where they sleep and have all their nice things, but it works very well on a metaphorical level, especially as Tywin is gutting a stag, the Baratheon sigil.
It's such a great scene. "Go on. Say something clever."