![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
chavalah.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
scifi_rewatchThe plot moves ever on. I wrote when first viewing this episode that it seemed like the ladies were into political catfighting and the dudes were into authentic religious expression. Perhaps, save, for Tyrion, who is more interested in politics, and comes across a priestess of the Red god claiming that Daenerys is the savior. In Cersei’s case it seems she might be turning to a religious fanatic as a way to deal with her problems, Margaery being chief among them.
In the north, both Jon and Sansa face questions about avenging the Stark name, and what their next moves should be. Arya’s actually facing a similar conundrum, more indirectly. Poor Tommen is unknowingly stuck between his mother and wife. Poor Janos Slynt is stuck between a rock and a hard place. :P And we’re introduced to more new faces, some more surprising than others.
Summary
King’s Landing
Tommen and Margaery marry, and after the wedding, Marg suggests that Cersei might be happier back at Casterly Rock. Meanwhile, the High Septon is assaulted and shamed by Lancel and the other sparrows at a brothel. Cersei tests political alliances by seeking out their leader, the High Sparrow, and calling Littlefinger back to the capital.
Braavos
A frustrated Arya is set to sweeping floors rather than learning how to become an assassin. She fosters an antagonistic relationship with another young girl residing there, the waif, and is forced to let go of the possessions that define her as “Arya Stark.” Though she secretly hides Needle rather than destroy it, this is seen as enough progress for her to move onto phase two of her training.
Winterfell
Sansa realizes that Littlefinger is taking her home to Winterfell to marry Ramsay Bolton. Although disgusted at the notion of aligning herself with her brother’s killer, Baelish convinces her that this is the way to avenge her family. Brienne and Pod continue to follow, at a distance.
The Wall
Jon formally declines Stannis’s offer to legitimize him, though Davos plants some doubt in the new Lord Commander’s head about the viability of the north under Bolton control. But Jon focuses on his new duties—including naming his enemy, Thorne, as first ranger, and executing Janos Slynt for sudden treason.
Volantis
Tyrion convinces Varys that his cabin fever is more dangerous than the possibility of discovery. In the city they run into slaves and priestesses. Later, at a brothel, Tyrion finds that he cannot “perform,” and even more alarmingly, he is captured by Jorah Mormont!
Changes from Page to Screen
King’s Landing: Because Tommen in particular is so young in the books, the marriage has so far not been consummated. In the novel Cersei has no part in the High Sparrow’s growing influence, and later meets with him to discuss debts, not presumably something having to do with outsing the Tyrells. She has the former High Septon killed because Tyrion appointed him; she doesn’t send him to the black cells for sleeping with prostitutes. She also never uses Qyburn to call Littlefinger back to the city.
Braavos: As usual, the world building is a little lessened (more god statues in the temple.) The waif in the novel’s physical growth has been stunted. “The game of faces” is called “the lying game,” and technically Arya hides Needle in a different spot. :P
Winterfell: Sansa is officially taking over the Jeyne Poole storyline, now that Littlefinger has her marrying Ramsay. Whether or not Littlefinger knows anything about Ramsay’s character never comes up in the books, but he hasn’t dealt with him directly, either. “The north remembers” is a nod to a popular phrase, starting in “A Dance with Dragons.” Pod’s backstory is largely condensed and truncated. Brienne’s bears a few differences. Alas, it was Lord Tarly, and not Renly, who told her of the game the boys were playing. Renly danced with her at a different event out of courtesy, not to shield her from mistreatment.
The Wall: Jon speaks to commanders privately rather than publicly. Slynt refuses to part on the morning that he’s supposed to; at first Jon orders him hanged, but then realizes that he has to show his mettle by killing Slynt himself. Thorne is not named first ranger. Stannis is far less chummy with Jon after his offer is refused, and Olly as steward replaces the character, Satin, a Molestown prostitute who doesn’t appear on the show.
Volantis: Tyrion has different company in “A Dance with Dragons” at Volantis, and all of the stuff on the show takes place in a different city. There are no Daenerys impersonators in the brothel. Tyrion, in fact, assaults a prostitute and throws up on her floor; his general attitude is far more nihilistic.
Thoughts
I’d consider this to be considerable whitewashing for Tyrion, but sidestepping assaulting a prostitute definitely makes it easier to invest in his character. This show has enough problems along the lines of sexual abuse. :/ (In this episode, the most eyerolly sexual component came from the lingering camera shot on the prostitute’s vagina. Grow up, fellas. Anywho.) Part of the change for Tyrion certainly had to do with the fact that on the show, he actually loved Shae; perhaps his abstinence is a form of grieving. The show also doesn’t have the time to move him to rock bottom while keeping the plot chugging along. Things move a lot quicker for Tyrion on the show vs the book.
I enjoyed the scene in the brothel (adding a Dany prostitute seemed like a good move to show how much of a cultural icon she has become,) but I was more taken with the look that passes between Tyrion and the priestess. Foreshadowing, perhaps? (There’s rumors afoot that he might have a more prophetic destiny for the end of the series.) Or maybe she was just annoyed at being interrupted. :P Another reference to grayscale, ahoy! I also loved Tyrion’s “I have to get out of this wheelhouse” litany; had a poetic cadence to it, amongst Varys’s responses. But alas, now the chums are separated! And it’s certainly more than possible that Jorah will take him to Cersei. Given that Dany exiled him, Tyrion could be his literal ticket back to Westeros.
Cersei certainly starts off on the wrong foot this episode. The people are into Margaery, Tommen is into Margaery, and Margaery wants Cersei gone. She can’t even outfox her daughter-in-law in their verbal sparring game. All of this on top of her fears for Myrcella, and it appears that Cersei is grasping for a new political ally. The sparrows are against sexual promiscuity, and there’s certainly a way to use that against the Tyrells, even if Tommen’s marriage is consummated on the show. I kind of found the post-coital scene to be cute, but then again, Marg is keeping some secrets from her new husband and she certainly knows how to manipulate him. That girl is a player. Otherwise, the small council asides were a bit of fun, and Jonathan Pryce is a fine addition to the cast. Such an understated character.
Arya gets a new costume, woohoo! I could almost feel Maisie’s relief radiating through the screen. :P I love Arya’s conundrum—she wants to remain herself yet become a Faceless Man—I’m wary that she’ll get her way, though, and not face real consequences. For now, she’s psychologically outmatched by the waif, yet Maisie keeps Arya genuine. Her, look, and the music, when she contemplates letting go of Needle…guuuh. Of course her choice to hide the weapon makes perfect sense, and certainly has resonance for the audience that dreams of Stark reunions and/or revenge. Jaqen teaches Arya about the many-faced god; every religion seems to have some sort of focus on death. The faceless men take lives in various ways, and Arya is inducted into the next step—washing the bodies.
I feel like it was Brienne and Pod’s turn to have a heart to heart. Pod explains how he came to be Tyrion’s squire, and Brienne explains a far more emotional story, rooted in hurtful bullying about her looks (what Westerosi society prizes above all for women,) and how Renly’s rescue made her loyal to him for life. She’s stated her intention a few times now to avenge Renly’s death by going after Stannis, and suddenly she’s inching closer to him…
…actually, they’re both headed to Winterfell. :P Eventually. Stannis has no more men than what he started with, but as the Starks say, winter is coming. His scene with Jon was mostly to tie up loose ends; seems like Davos got to the young man more by pointing out the danger of the Boltons. Also worth noting that Jon doesn’t take Stannis’s advice by sending his enemy, Thorne, far away. Instead he hopes to placate Thorne by making him first ranger, and weaken his support by sending Slynt away. This, of course, leads to Jon having to execute him, aka directly kill someone in a non-combat situation for the first time. Slynt’s character remains consistent (hard to feel much sympathy for a secondary character written as so hypocritical and cruel. Kudos to longtime GoT actor Dominic Cater, though.) Jon feels notable trepidation about filling his father’s shoes in this instance, but he does it. From Stannis’s reaction, seems like this is a time when he respected the boy for being like Ned. :P
Sansa answers the call to avenge her family much differently. I’ve been debating since I saw this scene whether or not I believe that the girl would make this choice, and honestly, I think it comes down to being obvious. I know that I had a visceral reaction to Littlefinger’s promise that Sansa could avenge her family. She lives in a world where there are very few choices for her to do this, other than a marriage alliance. Even the Boltons are playing that game, though obviously they mean to solidify their hold to the north with a Stark heir. (This “Alayne” disguise is officially useless on all fronts. :P Even on the road people recognized her.) Elio from westeros.org said he had reservations about Sansa’s new plot, but he felt that scene was one of Aiden Gillen and Sophie Turner’s best acted. There is something powerful there.
Granted, I’m less sold on Littlefinger being so clueless about Ramsay; seems like convenient hand waving so he can’t be held accountable once the Bolton heir’s true colors start to show. For now Ramsay’s on his best behavior, though we do get that scene in the beginning where he casually explains flaying half of a family alive. Meanwhile, Theon seems to be on high alert. Contact with Sansa might be something he cannot bear, perhaps because of the ways that he betrayed her family. But for me, nothing (except perhaps the “welcome home, Lady Stark…the north remembers” moment) quite beats that tense moment between Sansa and Roose, where it’s unsure whether she will display her courtesies or rip her brother’s murderer a new one. Perhaps even more difficult to shoot than intended, because according to Sophie, Michael McElhatton always made her laugh on set. It’s always the actors playing the most bleak stuff that seem to have the most fun between takes. :P Probably a necessary coping tactic.
In the north, both Jon and Sansa face questions about avenging the Stark name, and what their next moves should be. Arya’s actually facing a similar conundrum, more indirectly. Poor Tommen is unknowingly stuck between his mother and wife. Poor Janos Slynt is stuck between a rock and a hard place. :P And we’re introduced to more new faces, some more surprising than others.
Summary
King’s Landing
Tommen and Margaery marry, and after the wedding, Marg suggests that Cersei might be happier back at Casterly Rock. Meanwhile, the High Septon is assaulted and shamed by Lancel and the other sparrows at a brothel. Cersei tests political alliances by seeking out their leader, the High Sparrow, and calling Littlefinger back to the capital.
Braavos
A frustrated Arya is set to sweeping floors rather than learning how to become an assassin. She fosters an antagonistic relationship with another young girl residing there, the waif, and is forced to let go of the possessions that define her as “Arya Stark.” Though she secretly hides Needle rather than destroy it, this is seen as enough progress for her to move onto phase two of her training.
Winterfell
Sansa realizes that Littlefinger is taking her home to Winterfell to marry Ramsay Bolton. Although disgusted at the notion of aligning herself with her brother’s killer, Baelish convinces her that this is the way to avenge her family. Brienne and Pod continue to follow, at a distance.
The Wall
Jon formally declines Stannis’s offer to legitimize him, though Davos plants some doubt in the new Lord Commander’s head about the viability of the north under Bolton control. But Jon focuses on his new duties—including naming his enemy, Thorne, as first ranger, and executing Janos Slynt for sudden treason.
Volantis
Tyrion convinces Varys that his cabin fever is more dangerous than the possibility of discovery. In the city they run into slaves and priestesses. Later, at a brothel, Tyrion finds that he cannot “perform,” and even more alarmingly, he is captured by Jorah Mormont!
Changes from Page to Screen
King’s Landing: Because Tommen in particular is so young in the books, the marriage has so far not been consummated. In the novel Cersei has no part in the High Sparrow’s growing influence, and later meets with him to discuss debts, not presumably something having to do with outsing the Tyrells. She has the former High Septon killed because Tyrion appointed him; she doesn’t send him to the black cells for sleeping with prostitutes. She also never uses Qyburn to call Littlefinger back to the city.
Braavos: As usual, the world building is a little lessened (more god statues in the temple.) The waif in the novel’s physical growth has been stunted. “The game of faces” is called “the lying game,” and technically Arya hides Needle in a different spot. :P
Winterfell: Sansa is officially taking over the Jeyne Poole storyline, now that Littlefinger has her marrying Ramsay. Whether or not Littlefinger knows anything about Ramsay’s character never comes up in the books, but he hasn’t dealt with him directly, either. “The north remembers” is a nod to a popular phrase, starting in “A Dance with Dragons.” Pod’s backstory is largely condensed and truncated. Brienne’s bears a few differences. Alas, it was Lord Tarly, and not Renly, who told her of the game the boys were playing. Renly danced with her at a different event out of courtesy, not to shield her from mistreatment.
The Wall: Jon speaks to commanders privately rather than publicly. Slynt refuses to part on the morning that he’s supposed to; at first Jon orders him hanged, but then realizes that he has to show his mettle by killing Slynt himself. Thorne is not named first ranger. Stannis is far less chummy with Jon after his offer is refused, and Olly as steward replaces the character, Satin, a Molestown prostitute who doesn’t appear on the show.
Volantis: Tyrion has different company in “A Dance with Dragons” at Volantis, and all of the stuff on the show takes place in a different city. There are no Daenerys impersonators in the brothel. Tyrion, in fact, assaults a prostitute and throws up on her floor; his general attitude is far more nihilistic.
Thoughts
I’d consider this to be considerable whitewashing for Tyrion, but sidestepping assaulting a prostitute definitely makes it easier to invest in his character. This show has enough problems along the lines of sexual abuse. :/ (In this episode, the most eyerolly sexual component came from the lingering camera shot on the prostitute’s vagina. Grow up, fellas. Anywho.) Part of the change for Tyrion certainly had to do with the fact that on the show, he actually loved Shae; perhaps his abstinence is a form of grieving. The show also doesn’t have the time to move him to rock bottom while keeping the plot chugging along. Things move a lot quicker for Tyrion on the show vs the book.
I enjoyed the scene in the brothel (adding a Dany prostitute seemed like a good move to show how much of a cultural icon she has become,) but I was more taken with the look that passes between Tyrion and the priestess. Foreshadowing, perhaps? (There’s rumors afoot that he might have a more prophetic destiny for the end of the series.) Or maybe she was just annoyed at being interrupted. :P Another reference to grayscale, ahoy! I also loved Tyrion’s “I have to get out of this wheelhouse” litany; had a poetic cadence to it, amongst Varys’s responses. But alas, now the chums are separated! And it’s certainly more than possible that Jorah will take him to Cersei. Given that Dany exiled him, Tyrion could be his literal ticket back to Westeros.
Cersei certainly starts off on the wrong foot this episode. The people are into Margaery, Tommen is into Margaery, and Margaery wants Cersei gone. She can’t even outfox her daughter-in-law in their verbal sparring game. All of this on top of her fears for Myrcella, and it appears that Cersei is grasping for a new political ally. The sparrows are against sexual promiscuity, and there’s certainly a way to use that against the Tyrells, even if Tommen’s marriage is consummated on the show. I kind of found the post-coital scene to be cute, but then again, Marg is keeping some secrets from her new husband and she certainly knows how to manipulate him. That girl is a player. Otherwise, the small council asides were a bit of fun, and Jonathan Pryce is a fine addition to the cast. Such an understated character.
Arya gets a new costume, woohoo! I could almost feel Maisie’s relief radiating through the screen. :P I love Arya’s conundrum—she wants to remain herself yet become a Faceless Man—I’m wary that she’ll get her way, though, and not face real consequences. For now, she’s psychologically outmatched by the waif, yet Maisie keeps Arya genuine. Her, look, and the music, when she contemplates letting go of Needle…guuuh. Of course her choice to hide the weapon makes perfect sense, and certainly has resonance for the audience that dreams of Stark reunions and/or revenge. Jaqen teaches Arya about the many-faced god; every religion seems to have some sort of focus on death. The faceless men take lives in various ways, and Arya is inducted into the next step—washing the bodies.
I feel like it was Brienne and Pod’s turn to have a heart to heart. Pod explains how he came to be Tyrion’s squire, and Brienne explains a far more emotional story, rooted in hurtful bullying about her looks (what Westerosi society prizes above all for women,) and how Renly’s rescue made her loyal to him for life. She’s stated her intention a few times now to avenge Renly’s death by going after Stannis, and suddenly she’s inching closer to him…
…actually, they’re both headed to Winterfell. :P Eventually. Stannis has no more men than what he started with, but as the Starks say, winter is coming. His scene with Jon was mostly to tie up loose ends; seems like Davos got to the young man more by pointing out the danger of the Boltons. Also worth noting that Jon doesn’t take Stannis’s advice by sending his enemy, Thorne, far away. Instead he hopes to placate Thorne by making him first ranger, and weaken his support by sending Slynt away. This, of course, leads to Jon having to execute him, aka directly kill someone in a non-combat situation for the first time. Slynt’s character remains consistent (hard to feel much sympathy for a secondary character written as so hypocritical and cruel. Kudos to longtime GoT actor Dominic Cater, though.) Jon feels notable trepidation about filling his father’s shoes in this instance, but he does it. From Stannis’s reaction, seems like this is a time when he respected the boy for being like Ned. :P
Sansa answers the call to avenge her family much differently. I’ve been debating since I saw this scene whether or not I believe that the girl would make this choice, and honestly, I think it comes down to being obvious. I know that I had a visceral reaction to Littlefinger’s promise that Sansa could avenge her family. She lives in a world where there are very few choices for her to do this, other than a marriage alliance. Even the Boltons are playing that game, though obviously they mean to solidify their hold to the north with a Stark heir. (This “Alayne” disguise is officially useless on all fronts. :P Even on the road people recognized her.) Elio from westeros.org said he had reservations about Sansa’s new plot, but he felt that scene was one of Aiden Gillen and Sophie Turner’s best acted. There is something powerful there.
Granted, I’m less sold on Littlefinger being so clueless about Ramsay; seems like convenient hand waving so he can’t be held accountable once the Bolton heir’s true colors start to show. For now Ramsay’s on his best behavior, though we do get that scene in the beginning where he casually explains flaying half of a family alive. Meanwhile, Theon seems to be on high alert. Contact with Sansa might be something he cannot bear, perhaps because of the ways that he betrayed her family. But for me, nothing (except perhaps the “welcome home, Lady Stark…the north remembers” moment) quite beats that tense moment between Sansa and Roose, where it’s unsure whether she will display her courtesies or rip her brother’s murderer a new one. Perhaps even more difficult to shoot than intended, because according to Sophie, Michael McElhatton always made her laugh on set. It’s always the actors playing the most bleak stuff that seem to have the most fun between takes. :P Probably a necessary coping tactic.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}