Wednesday, June 18, 2014

'The Children' -- GoT 4x10


Warning: Spoiler Alert

Yes!! We got to see a bit of one of the Children at the end of the finale. I fear that we won't see much of her after this point in the show, but I am at least glad that she appeared in there for a little bit (even if I could have stood for her a little bit more).

I was very disappointed, however, that there was no appearance by Coldhands on the way to them getting Bran to the Three-Eyed Raven. I feel like it would have been all kinds of fun to be able to mess with some of the people who haven't read the books, and make it sound like he was actually Benjen (I know that there are people who are completely convinced that Coldhands is Benjen, but I still have not seen enough evidence to make me think that he could be ... I still think that Benjen is alive, and I have a theory about what it is that he's doing). I am kind of curious as to why the writers wouldn't have introduced Coldhands into the story, but at the same time, they had so many other things going on that I don't doubt that they wouldn't have had time to deal with him on top of everything else that they were trying to pack into the season.

But at least Bran has finally made it to where he needs to be, so I guess I can't complain too much, right?

Another character that wasn't introduced that should have been there (and who would have blown people's minds) was Stoneheart. I can understand not bringing Coldhands into the story, but not bringing Stoneheart ... that one doesn't make quite as much sense to me, since there is stuff going on around that character (and she does make things happen, as well as the fact that her very existence makes you wonder about the very nature of the White Walkers (what makes them and how much they remember of their previous lives) ... plus, like I said, her appearance was kind of mind-blowing).

I was also happy to finally get to the scene with Tyrion killing Tywin, cuz I have been waiting for that for a while. No lie. Tyrion is the only one of the Lannisters that I've liked, and it was nice to see him get a bit of revenge for everything that has been happening to him all of his life ... even if he did still have to make a hasty getaway in the end (but how would he really have been able to stay in King's Landing after killing his father ... even if that is the only murder that he legitimately did).

I kind of wanted to shake Arya for not going along with Brienne, but at the same time, I'm really glad that she didn't (knowing what's going to happen with her later on ... which I'm completely psyched about seeing happen, since it's legit awesome).

Tuesday, June 10, 2014

'The Watchers on the Wall' -- GoT 4x09


Warning: Spoiler Alert (for the episode and things that will likely happen in future seasons cuz they happened in the books

I really wasn't expecting that this entire episode was going to take place on the Wall. I figured that there would at least be a little bit of back and forth (like they usually do in episodes). This isn't to say that I'm complaining, since I really think that with all of the attention that has been spent on the palace intrigue, the haven't been doing justice to everything else that has been happening (especially when you consider the fact that there is a an army of zombies coming to take over the entire world ... but then, GRRM hasn't really been doing a lot with that either, even though it seems like the characters should be a little more worried than they are).

I loved, loved, loved the stuff with the giants. It wasn't just that it was that they were something out of the ordinary for what we usually see in the show (even if we know that they're there), but it's how their appearance means that everyone else who isn't on their side has the ability to be completely boned ... but then, there is also the fact that they bring the promise of the other things that are on the other side of the Wall ... like the First Men (who I'm really looking forward to seeing). I'm really curious to see how the showmakers do the visual of the chick that Bran meets later on, when he goes in to meet the three-eyed raven ... mostly I want to see if what they do is similar to what I have going on inside of my head.

There is a part of me that is kind of glad that Ygritte died when she did, cuz I can see the fear that she would always be coming for him could feasibly stop Jon from doing some of the things that he has already done in the books, and some of the things that he will likely be needing to do in the future ... provided that he survives the knife attack that happened in A Dance With Dragons (which I'm still not convinced that he's going to ... but I have a theory about what may happen to him, which I would love to see happen, but I'm not even completely convinced that that will happen, either). But at the same time, I wish that she could have lived. I don't see her giving up her bitterness ... at least not for quite a while, and she would continue to be a thorn in Jon's side (which would, in turn, end up hurting her). But if she had been able to let go of the hurt, I think that she could have been a respected leader amongst the Wildlings, and that would have been amazing cool. I could see her doing something along the lines of what Mace has done, and get a good number of the Wildling tribes to at least have a bit of peace amongst themselves. She could have been something akin to a Warrior Queen who was completely fierce, but who was remembered for peace and growth and building ... at least, that's kind of the romanticized vision that I have of what she could have been (inside of my head), whether or not she would have been capable of that (cuz of her own hang-ups, or the hang-ups of her people).

For all of the horrible things that were happening in this episode, I can't believe the amount of times I went, "Awww, Sam!" Cuz really! And I also got a bit teary-eyed when Jon and Sam came across their homie (whose name I am completely blanking on right now) in the tunnel. Yes, Jon, he did hold the gate. And the boys repeating their vows to give them courage ... ::hiccup:: ::sob::

Monday, June 2, 2014

'The Mountain and The Viper' -- Got 4x08


Warning: Spoiler Alert

With the name of the episode being what it was, I was expecting that there would be more to the fight between the Mountain and Prince Oberyn ... or at least, a little more to the lead up to the fight (more with Tyrion and Jaime ... and more than three seconds worth of Cersei). But I suppose that they have a lot to pack into these last few episodes, so they kept that part until the very end. And it really was a very cool fight. I kept wanting to scream at Oberyn that he needed to not show off so much (since showing off would only take his mind off of what he was trying to do), and that he really needed to get ahold of his temper long enough to just double tap before something bad happened to him. But seeing as though he felt like he was finally getting his revenge, maybe flaunting it a bit could be expected ... as could trying to make sure that the douche that killed his sister and her children confessed to what he had done before he died. Still ... if he had kept his head about him ... would have been able to keep his head.

I can't help but kind of want to hug Arya. It's not just that her reaction to finding out that her aunt had died made me giggle (cuz it was so very inappropriate), it was also the idea that maybe she was masking what she was really feeling. Sure, she might have been feeling rather victorious over the idea that the Hound hadn't gotten the sack of gold that he thought that he was going to get, but the way that it was played ... I got an underlying feeling of FML (as though she may have been thinking, "Well of course my aunt is dead when I get here. My mother and brother were dead once I got to them, too."). And let's be real, there is a very real FML feel around her, since everything seems to be conspiring to make sure that she doesn't get back to her family. Sure, there's the feeling that all of the Stark kids are being pulled apart, but I always got the feeling that it was a bit more sad with her, cuz she was trying to get back home, and pretty much everyone thinks that she's dead.

The way that the writers are working with Sansa's character, I get the feeling that they're working her up to be a mover and a shaker in the world of politics. Those little looks that she kept sharing with Little Finger made it look like she was starting to become crafty in a way that she hadn't been before, and that one day, she would be just as dangerous as the most cunning. I'd really like to see them do that with her, since I would love to see her be one of the ones left standing when everything is destroyed in the end, and the whole world has to start over after the zombie apocalypse (she can be the new Cersei, but not evil).