Game of Thrones season 2 ep 1: The (almost) clueless about the books POV

[shapinglight]

I say almost clueless because I have in fact read the first book in the series now. I haven't read any further, though, so please don't spoil me.

More behind cut. Spoilers for the ep and for season 1.



So, so good to have this back. It seems like forever. That said, it was a very, very dark episode - brutal at times- and I suspect this is just the beginning.

I thought the episode was very cleverly structured, with the comet as a way of tying everything together. It caught us up with characters we already know and was sparing in its introduction of new ones. I think there were only four all told in this ep (Stannis Baratheon, the mysterious lady in red, Davos (? Did I get that name right? Stannis's henchman) and the very nasty bloke beyond the Wall with the bunch of gormless wives/daughters (why on earth don't they just gang up on him and kill him?) I'm sure there will be lots more new characters, but it's a good idea to space out their introduction.

Of the characters we already know, there were wonderful scenes for Dany and Jorah (sigh!), Cersei and pretty much everyone she had a scene with, Catelyn and Robb, Robb and Jaime, Bran and Maester Luwin (I love Maester Luwin - so hope he won't turn out to be evil), Tyrion and pretty much everyone he had a scene with (must be a Lannister thing), and just for once Ros (who has come up in the world, apparently) managed to keep her clothes on, even if everyone around her had taken theirs off.

The whole episode had an air of Everything Is Going to Hell about it, (which is probably a good time to introduce a couple of religious fanatics, Stannis and the lady in red, if I'm not mistaken), very much assisted by the Joffrey Baratheon method of kingship, which seems to consist of a sort of naive cruelty coupled with a permanent temper tantrum. I say naive, because it's still possible for people to talk Joffrey out of things if they're clever, as Sansa notably was when she saved the life of the shabby drunken knight (this, and Tyrion's commiseration with Sansa for her father's death being the only kind things anyone did all through the episode), because there's still an air of horrid little boy pulling the wings off flies about Joffrey. However, his treatment of his mother - way to go, Joff, blackmailing your own mother- later in the episode showed that he's not prepared to be told what to do or to listen to anyone for long. Sansa, I suspect, already knew this. Now, Cersei knows it too. It remains to be seen if she can outmanoeuvre him the way she did Littlefinger (was rather surprised he showed his hand, to be honest).

So, the warring factions are set up (or most of them, we haven't caught up with Renly or met the Greyjoys yet, but I suspect we're going to), there was a lot of posturing (the Robb/Jaime scene was posturing from beginning to end), we caught up with old acquaintances (can't call some of them friends), met some new people (some of whom we'd probably rather not have met), and there was some very nasty violence. I hope it was Joffrey who ordered the massacre of his supposed father's children, not Cersei, because I felt rather sorry for her in this episode. Probably turn out it was her, though.

Finally, my Dany/Jorah 'shipping heart sank when Dany told Jorah he was her strength, since, sadly, I know it can't end well, and he's obviously going to get the wrong end of the stick and think she means something she doesn't mean. :(

Trivial stuff: the direwolves have grown up a bit, haven't they, though I notice Ghost was missing yet again? Also, Bronn only got one line, but it was a good one, and the argument beyond the Wall about who really is a northerner was hysterical.

Comments

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

I love Maester Luwin

That makes two of us.

(was rather surprised he showed his hand, to be honest).

Maybe now that Joffrey's parentage (or at least rumours about it) is public knowledge, he figured he'd look even more suspicious if he pretended not to know about it? Of course, knowledge is only power if it's knowledge everyone else doesn't already have...

I loved the scene where Stannis dictates a letter. After last season's political maneuvering and sneaky backstabbing, it seems the gloves really are off this season; "power is power", indeed.

ETA: Oh, and Tyrion offering his condoleances to Sansa. Great scene.

Furthermore, I think Joffrey should be slapped in every episode.

[shapinglight]

Furthermore, I think Joffrey should be slapped in every episode.

Absolutely. I hope Lord Tywin turns up and slaps him at some point. I don't think even Joffrey would dare answer him back.

I agree the letter writing scene was terrific. Stannis is obviously not just a fanatic but a pedant. Not a good combination, I suspect. Stephen Dillane was great, though. In fact, everyone was. Even Ros (I like her better with clothes on).

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Yes, Ros actually had a purpose in this episode (sorta). I'm starting to wonder whether she was always a spy for Baelish in the north, because she seems to have been promoted awfully fast for someone who just fell off the turnip cart if not.

[shapinglight]

This is true, though it could just be Benioff and Weiss justifying her presence in the story somehow, because I'm rather hoping that after it was brought to their attention that the audience had noticed the sexposition thing and was a bit cynical about it, they might scale back on it.

Though really they could just have cut the character out altogether I suppose.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I actually started to wonder that last season as well. And I'm willing to fanwank it if not, because it would explain how she got promoted. I'm also wondering whether they're morphing her into the prostitute in CoK, because after adding so many new characters I can easily see them deciding to simply use the pre-existing Ros for that purpose.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Posted for posterity:

[shapinglight]

A pity she didn't do it before. He'd probably have turned out nicer. ;)

I need a Cersei icon. I only have this one at the moment.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Ahh, feels so good!

[paratti.livejournal.com]

He was Davos:)

[shapinglight]

Okay, thanks. Not to be confused with that place in Switzerland.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

And presumably he's not going to build an army of Daleks either.

...Not that I'd mind if he did. Daleks vs dragons!

[shapinglight]

:nitpicks:

Isn't that Davros? But yes! Daleks vs dragons!

:wants it now:

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

So glad the show it's back, it's so good I want to rewatch it again tonight!

Liked how they set the board to play, with every character. Renly and Balon Greyjoy weren't shown but their positions on the board were explained too.
Can't wait to see Renly, I've been drooling over his "triangle" since season previews, him and Knight of Flowers make an awesome pair and he does look to be the best king option for the Realm. I'm rooting for him hard which probably means he'll be dead by end of season...

Great scenes with everyone at Kings Landing, Sansa mute resistance and saving of that poor USA-flag knight was bittersweet to see, and then Tyrion exchange with her - wow!
Loved Tyrion scaring the crap out of his sister, and how she dropped everything and raised a ruckus to search for Arya, at one hint of her father's displeasure.
That's why I think killing of all Robert's bastards was Jeoffry's idea, as Sersei was busy with cleaning up Arya's mess and had no time for other things. She was scared by her daddy and her only thought was not to disappoint him again.

Glad Jamie and Sersei secret is out (yay Stannis at least for that, and yay for him being so obsessive-compulsive with that letter), and I think Jeoffrey suspects it's true and is killing all those bastards because of being in denial of his mother and father's dishonour, and of the thought he's a bastard just like those others.

Awesome scenes with Jeoffrey's and Sersei and with Robb and Catelyn - sons are now ordering mothers around.
I had an awful feeling that Robb sent Catelyn to Renly mainly because he wanted to get her out of the way to deal with Balon Greyjoy, that's another reason he was so sad...

And what DO the dragons eat? Not meat? Not horse meat maybe? Daenerys looked so girlish and young somehow, especially giggling with that slave girl over dragons.

And what DOES happen to the boys of that creepy wildling guy? Maybe he sends all his sons to the Night Watch in return for favours from Castle Black? One Night Watch guy said that he grew up there, or did I mishear?

Hope Arya and that blacksmith bastard put enough distance between them and Kings Landing...

The only thing I didn't like was Shaye taking over from Robert Baratheon in gratioutis use of toilet language. Hope she's just playing some role and won't be doing it every episode. So Tyrion is hiding her? Hmm, with Varis and Little Finger around I don't think it'll be possible.

[shapinglight]

Can't wait to see Renly, I've been drooling over his "triangle" since season previews, him and Knight of Flowers make an awesome pair and he does look to be the best king option for the Realm. I'm rooting for him hard which probably means he'll be dead by end of season...

I agree he seems like he'd make the best king, if best means nicest. I don't know if he's ruthless enough to stand up to all the others, though. We'll see, but currently, like you, I don't expect him to last the season.

You're probably right about it being Joffrey's idea to kill all the bastards. Not that Cersei wouldn't have done it herself, if she'd thought of it, but I'd rather it wasn't her, because I sort of liked her in this episode.

And what DO the dragons eat? Not meat? Not horse meat maybe?

Maybe it's people? :(

One Night Watch guy said that he grew up there, or did I mishear?

He said he'd grown up in a place like it, not the same place, I think. I suspect Craster's sons don't live long enough to join the Nightwatch.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Jon's direwolf is suposed to still be around so I guess we can fanwank that it was out hunting. :)

I'm thinking (from Ros's 'promotion' in the brothel) that they've decided to morph Ros into the brothel madame character that was in Clash of Kings. It would make sense not to add yet another new character when they could easily slip the pre-existing Ros into that role. I kind of hope they have because that would give her something to do other than be sexposition whore.

The slaughter of the innocents was handled slightly differently in the books so I don't know that I remember (or if we were ever told) precisely who ordered it, but I rather assumed it was Joffrey. It's totally in character for him as loves cruelty and never thinks of the ramifications of his actions.

And yeah, Stannis was my "obvious observation is obvious" the other day that whether or not he believes in the God R'hollor and the religion he and his red priestess are using as reason to supplant The Seven, he is absolutely a theocrat. The whole 'flaming sword' play was setting himself up with some sort of 'rightfull destiny' that he's trying to sell.

Stannis' right hand man is the POV character for Stannis's story in the book.

[shapinglight]

I'm thinking (from Ros's 'promotion' in the brothel) that they've decided to morph Ros into the brothel madame character that was in Clash of Kings. It would make sense not to add yet another new character when they could easily slip the pre-existing Ros into that role. I kind of hope they have because that would give her something to do other than be sexposition whore.

I hope that's what they've done. Since they insist on keeping the character around, they need to do something to make her more palatable.

Theocrats are scary. :(

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

Theocrats are scary.

Stannis is... Stannis. I thought his intrduction was rather true to form for him.

[shapinglight]

He's very literal minded, isn't he?

I just watched a little HBO vid about the ep, with Benioff and Weiss. One of them (Weiss?) says Stannis is a pragmatist and is just using Melisandre - or not using her, but using her mystique and fanaticism to further his quest for the kingship.

Pretty much what you said, I think.

Anyway, Stephen Dillane is really good. I've always thought so. The show is, as always a Brit Thesp feast.

[lyr]

It was love to have GoT back! And a good episode, too. Stannis was played just like I thought he ought to be, and Davos was perfect, too. I always pictured Melisandre (red priestess) a bit differently than that, but it worked after all, I think. And I really like the way they're playing Theon; I find show!Theon more compelling than book!Theon so far.

[shapinglight]

I always pictured Melisandre (red priestess) a bit differently than that, but it worked after all, I think.

As a matter of interest, how do you picture her?

Also, nice to see you. I hope you had a good trip?

[lyr]

I always saw Melisandre as a bit older than this actress and sort of...smoldery. Full of gravitas, power, intensity, and presence. But the young woman did a pretty good job with it anyway, and she came off more intense than I expected when we got to the scene with the poor old Maester.

Scotland was awesome! I had an excellent time, and tried to see all the things and meet all the people. That did mean I never made it out of Edinburgh, though, so I still need to come back and see Britain and Wales sometime, and I am sorry I didn't get to meet you while I was closer than usual.

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

There can never be enough Joff slapping in the world.

It's so good to have the show back and I loved how they did Stannis. He's exactly like that. Lawfull petty. And you know that he has the most reasonable claim, but still everybody else is preferable (except Joff).

And I do adore Tyrion so much. He walks into that councel and is a player. The complete opposite of Ned.

[shapinglight]

Yay! I'm glad you managed to leave a comment after all (have just sent you a PM lamenting not getting your POV). Tyrion was absolutely brilliant - took Cersei a little by surprise, I think. And I'm so glad someone was openly kind to Sansa.

The Hound is supporting her as best he can, I noticed (backing up what she said about killing people on your name day being unlucky), but he daren't be too open about it.

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

Absolutely adored ep 1 of GoT. It's so good to have it back! I think I'm glad I'm watching it unspoiled, as I love not having a clue what's going to happen next. I will read the books at some point, but at the moment I'm just having so much fun watching it all unfold before my eyes onscreen. Still loving Tyrion and Jorah - and add me to the growing list of people who would like to see Joffrey get slapped in every episode! Looking forward to ep 2 (I know there's a leaked version online, but I'm going to wait until next week to watch it). :)

[shapinglight]

:)

I think it's likely that the show will diverge more and more from the books, Cal, so when you do get around to reading them it will almost feel like a different story anyway.

It was good, wasn't it?