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chavalahAnother strong episode, I think. It’s very character focused, and it hearkens back, in a whole lot of different storylines, to the Game of Thrones of old. We have capital built up with all of these people who now find themselves at Winterfell; when they interact with each other, often nostalgically about the past, we the viewers feel those connections, too, from watching earlier seasons.
Of course, this episode leads up to a precipice. Most imminently, the fight with the dead (but there’s also that big reveal about kingship and ownership of the seven kingdoms. :o) For me, as a snooty book reader, I have the most difficulty squaring the circle when it comes to the battle with the White Walkers happening so early in the season. I’m still fairly convinced that in the (written and unwritten) books, the fight against the dead is far more important than the fight for the Iron Throne. Here, even though characters like Jon pay lip service to the idea that the dead are more important than the throne, the season itself says that the fight against Cersei is more significant than the fight against the Night King, because the story won’t be over after episode three. Spoiler alert, I guess, but this season is over three episodes long. :P I mean, when I first watched it, I had fantasies about an elongated fight. Maybe the Night King making his way to King’s Landing in order to challenge Cersei directly, er, once he’s done with Winterfell. *gulp*
But I suppose in looking back, I can label myself as a Tyrion? :P Too taken with my own cleverness to realize when I’ve been outplayed, heh. Speaking of which, I come down on the side of the fandom, if there is one, that likes the idea that Tyrion isn’t perfect, at least. His mistakes on the show are often borne out of a sense of idealism, which doesn’t necessarily go punished, either. Because if there’s anything that the first two episodes of season 8 can teach us, it’s that human camaraderie is something to be treasured.
So yeah, there’s a lot going on in this episode, even if we don’t leave the one location (to be fair, most of the characters have now convened there.) There’s a lot to comment on, but I think the last thing I’ll ramble about over the cut pertains to the title. To be pedantic, perhaps, it certainly refers to Jamie bestowing upon Brienne a knighthood. This hearkens back to some of the most medieval-styled lore of Game of Thrones (granted, it turns it on its head by including a woman in this military order.) As a fan, I don’t usually get too swept away by GoT/ASOIAF’s obsession with fighting valor. But it was a nice moment here. Nice, because it was something that Brienne desired and deserved since she was first introduced on the show. Nice because it was Jamie, someone with whom she has a deep and respectful (if complicated) relationship with, who recognized and rewarded her worth. Nice to see the expression on Gwendolyn Christie’s face during that scene, and the support from the rest of the cast present. It gave a human purpose to all of this ritual. It was a character moment. And that remains the strength of the show.
Plus, if I might extrapolate thematically, Brienne was a woman fighting the odds against a system that didn’t want her to be her true self. Now, everyone at Winterfell is fighting the odds against the White Walkers, who want to annihilate them completely. The cards are now stacked! Though we’ll have to wait another episode before we see how it all plays out.
( Episode Summary and Thoughts )
Of course, this episode leads up to a precipice. Most imminently, the fight with the dead (but there’s also that big reveal about kingship and ownership of the seven kingdoms. :o) For me, as a snooty book reader, I have the most difficulty squaring the circle when it comes to the battle with the White Walkers happening so early in the season. I’m still fairly convinced that in the (written and unwritten) books, the fight against the dead is far more important than the fight for the Iron Throne. Here, even though characters like Jon pay lip service to the idea that the dead are more important than the throne, the season itself says that the fight against Cersei is more significant than the fight against the Night King, because the story won’t be over after episode three. Spoiler alert, I guess, but this season is over three episodes long. :P I mean, when I first watched it, I had fantasies about an elongated fight. Maybe the Night King making his way to King’s Landing in order to challenge Cersei directly, er, once he’s done with Winterfell. *gulp*
But I suppose in looking back, I can label myself as a Tyrion? :P Too taken with my own cleverness to realize when I’ve been outplayed, heh. Speaking of which, I come down on the side of the fandom, if there is one, that likes the idea that Tyrion isn’t perfect, at least. His mistakes on the show are often borne out of a sense of idealism, which doesn’t necessarily go punished, either. Because if there’s anything that the first two episodes of season 8 can teach us, it’s that human camaraderie is something to be treasured.
So yeah, there’s a lot going on in this episode, even if we don’t leave the one location (to be fair, most of the characters have now convened there.) There’s a lot to comment on, but I think the last thing I’ll ramble about over the cut pertains to the title. To be pedantic, perhaps, it certainly refers to Jamie bestowing upon Brienne a knighthood. This hearkens back to some of the most medieval-styled lore of Game of Thrones (granted, it turns it on its head by including a woman in this military order.) As a fan, I don’t usually get too swept away by GoT/ASOIAF’s obsession with fighting valor. But it was a nice moment here. Nice, because it was something that Brienne desired and deserved since she was first introduced on the show. Nice because it was Jamie, someone with whom she has a deep and respectful (if complicated) relationship with, who recognized and rewarded her worth. Nice to see the expression on Gwendolyn Christie’s face during that scene, and the support from the rest of the cast present. It gave a human purpose to all of this ritual. It was a character moment. And that remains the strength of the show.
Plus, if I might extrapolate thematically, Brienne was a woman fighting the odds against a system that didn’t want her to be her true self. Now, everyone at Winterfell is fighting the odds against the White Walkers, who want to annihilate them completely. The cards are now stacked! Though we’ll have to wait another episode before we see how it all plays out.
( Episode Summary and Thoughts )
