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House of the Dragon S1, Ep 6 Review

Until tonight, I thought the Lannisters were the most messed up family in Westeros. Emotionally abusive dad, incestuous twins, and alcoholic son. However, after seeing what House Targaryen was like in their heyday, it’s clear that I was mistaken. The Targaryens take the top spot as Westeros’ most messed up family. A family that’s only staying civil while the King lives. Once he dies, the House of the Dragon will go to war…and it already has its first casualties.

New Girls on the Block

This episode marks the debut of Emma D’arcy and Olivia as the now adult Princess Rhaenyra and Queen Alicent, and they hit the ground running and don’t stop. I was skeptical that we couldn’t replace Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as the female leads, but these post-timeskip actors do a wonderful job. In their first scene as Rhaenyra, we see Emma play the Princess as she goes through the labors of childbirth, which the show depicts in vivid detail. Ten years have not softened Rhaenyra one bit, as no sooner has she given birth than she heads off to see Alicent with her newborn son, even while trailing blood on the way.

While Rhaenyra’s now the mother to three sons, there’s a problem, and everyone but the King seems to know it: they’re not Laenor’s sons. They’re all bastards, born from Rhaenyra and Ser Harwin Strong of the City Watch. And the more that are born, the more frustrated Alicent gets. Her attitude makes it clear: she doesn’t understand how her husband doesn’t see that his daughter’s undermining the marriage he worked to build.

In all fairness, Viserys might be aware of what’s going on, but chooses to ignore it. What matters to him is Rhaenyra’s sons are of his blood, regardless of who the father is, though everyone else may not feel the same way. Or maybe he’s just deluding himself in the hopes that his family will be as happy as he wants them to be.

Targaryen Family Is Messed Up

Truthfully, the whole Targaryen family is messed up, best shown through how Rhaenyra and Alicent’s kids interact with each other. Rhaenyra’s eldest boys, Jace and Luke (they’re nicknames) are nice enough, but it’s Alicent’s kids that are odd. Aemond laments how he’s the only Targaryen without a dragon, leading him to be the butt of a cruel prank by his brother.

As for Aegon? He acts like a spoiled brat. We see him standing naked on a window doing his…business, which is not something I want to remember. He’s basically a foolish boy.

Daemon Has a Happy Family, Though.

Ironically, the family that has it best ends up being Daemon’s new family with Laena Velaryon. They’re now living in Pentos as guests with their dragons, and this marks the first time that we see Vhagar, the largest dragon alive and the last one from the time of Aegon the Conqueror. She easily dwarfs all other dragons and is a triumph of CGI. 

In other words, Daemon goes from being unhappy to having a loving wife, two daughters, and another one on the way. Best of all, he’s away from the toxic environment of King’s Landing.

If only fate would be kind enough to spare the kids the heartache of what’s to come. Westeros doesn’t work like that, though.

Scandal Rocks the Royal Family

After what he did at the end of last week’s episode, Ser Criston’s gone from golden boy to hated by the show’s fans, and it only gets worse from there. This week, he provokes fights between the Targaryen kids, and when Ser Harwin steps in, he accuses him the things he’s guilty of. So, Harwin beats him up, and the resulting scandal opens the floodgates.

And from here, the bodies start dropping.

The First Big Casualties

I never mentioned him last week, but there’s another member of House Strong, Larys Strong. And he’s this era’s Littlefinger, acting the mild-mannered servant in public. In private, though, he’s just as cunning. Maybe even more so, to the point that Alicent fears him.

Case in point, when Lord Strong takes Hardin back to Harrenhal to quell the rumors of Rhaenyra’s children, he burns them alive. He wipes out his own family, which isn’t new, but still disturbing. It also prompts Rhaenyra to take her family and leave for Dragonstone, depriving her of her power base.

Meanwhile, Laena dies from the stresses of childbirth in Pentos. In a moment meant to contrast Viserys’ decision to sacrifice his wife to save their child, Daemon hesitates to take the same route. However, Laena takes the choice out of his hands by approaching Vhagar and having the ancient dragon immolate her. It’s a tragic example of female agency and one that leaves everyone saddened. 

A Family Divided Against Itself

Thus, the episode ends with the die already being cast. The first members of the house of the dragon have fallen, and more will follow.

Watching all this, I’m mentally berating everyone for pushing things to this point out of pride. At one point, Rhaenyra even offers an olive branch by promising to marry Jace to Alicent’s daughter, Helaena. The latter refuses to marry her daughter to a bastard, and another chance to make peace flies out the window.

Right now, I’m glad I promised not to become attached to the characters in House of the Dragon. It lets me see the entire Targaryen family for what they’re being: dumb. And once King Viserys dies, fire and blood will consume them all. Meanwhile, I’ll be munching on popcorn, lamenting the foolishness of everyone.

That, and the sight of Prince Aegon doing his business in a window. Who does that?!? Even if that was David Tennant’s son playing him.

I Give “The Princess and the Queen” a 4.5/5

House of the Dragon Ep 5 Review

WHAT. THE HECK. JUST HAPPENED? I knew knives would come out on House of the Dragon, since this is Westeros, but damn. I didn’t expect that to happen so soon! We are now past the point of no return for House Targaryen. In what should be a “joyous” royal wedding, instead becomes a tragedy. And for once, Daemon wasn’t at fault.

No, seriously, Daemon wasn’t at fault this time. 

In the episode’s opening minutes, we get our first look at Daemon’s “bronze bitch,” Rhea Royce. It’s also the last because Daemon kills her.

The books say Rhea died when she fell off her horse. The show takes some creative liberties that would make George RR Martin proud. Daemon tricks Rhea into causing her own fall…and then just kills her. The knives have come out, and Dameon’s taking crap from no one.

A Mutually Beneficial Relationship?

For the players in King’s Landing, though, there’s plenty of crap to go around, especially for Rhaenyra and Set Criston Cole. Rhaenyra heads to Driftmark to meet her betrothed, Ser Laenor Velaryon. On the surface, it seems like an ideal match. Both houses are Valryian, and both have dragons. However, there’s an issue: Laenor’s gay, and Rhaenyra knows it. While the parents discuss inheritance, Rhaenyra and Laenor come to an understanding. They essentially agree that after they do their duty, they’ll have an open relationship. It’s not that bad of a deal, honestly. Unless your Ser Criston Cole.

Poor Ser Criston Got His Heart Broken

Oh, poor Criston. My heart couldn’t help but go out to you just as much as I wanted to slap you across the face. Rhaenyra made him break vows of celibacy as part of the Kingsguard, something he deeply regrets. Being the idealist he is, he gives Rhaenyra an offer: walk away from all this madness. They can leave for Essos, forget everything, and leave the insanity behind. 

Hindsight has never felt more painful than it does here. Because if you know the story, then you know how it will likely end. What Ser Criston’s offering is the best chance Rhaenyra could get for a happy life. If this weren’t Game of Thrones, then maybe Rhaenyra would take that offer. Instead, her sense of duty, pride, and desire for the Iron Throne make her turn him down. And he’s not happy with the idea of sharing Rhaenyra with someone else. 

Again, I feel for Ser Criston. From his perspective, he feels like Rhaenyra just used him for her own amusement. The Lords and Ladies can afford that kind of slip-up, but someone common born like Ser Criston? He tarnished himself as part of the Kingsguard for nothing. It’s painful to watch, especially when he just admits it to Alicent when she lightly prods him. 

Knives Come Out With Blood in the Water

Things come to a head at the feast that’s supposed to mark the start of Rhaenyra and Laenor’s weeklong wedding celebrations. Alicent comes dressed in Hightower green, which is her way of saying to Rhaenyra, “I know what you did. I know you lied to me, and our friendship is over.” 

It gets worse. In the middle of the dancing, Ser Criston lets the guilt and resentment he’s feeling get to him, and he snaps. What happened next was a tragedy that left people horrified and me with my jaw on the floor. Thus, Rhaenyra and Laenor hastily wed in a private ceremony, even while blood lays dripping on the floor as a rat comes by.

So, to recap: two minor characters are dead. Any relationship Alicent and Ser Criston had with Rhaenyra’s damaged beyond repair. And if it’s not clarified, King Viserys won’t live to be old. 

Knives Out, Lines Drawn, Bonds Destroyed

Can someone ring the gong to announce the impending doom for the Targaryen’s? Because, as Princess Rhaenys said this episode, knives will come out. People will fight over who sits on the Iron Throne. All because they can’t accept having a woman as a leader. 

What’s especially tragic about all this is that Rhaenyra had an out. She had the chance to walk away with Ser Criston. They could’ve taken Syrax and left for parts unknown, but pride and duty made her stay. Now she must face the consequences of what comes.

This episode also marks the final appearance of Milly Alcock and Emily Carey as Rhaenyra and Alicent. Starting next episode, they’ll be played by older actresses to signify the big time skip. They both did an amazing job as these two women, and I hope they find success in the future. 

Alright, people, the knives are out. Let’s watch the Dragons tear at each other’s throats!!

I Give “We Light the Way” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S1, Ep 4 Review

Have you ever seen an TV show episode that makes you go ‘uggghhh’? Like, every character makes the wrong decisions and digs deeper into the hole they’re trapped inside? It’s frustrating to watch, especially when you like being straightforward like me. However, Westeros doesn’t care about truth. It cares about the chaos of the Game of Thrones. And, as Littlefinger will say centuries later, chaos is a ladder.

As of this week, most major characters fall down one ring on the ladder of chaos.

Daemon Returns to King’s Landing And Brings Chaos With Him

After crushing the Crabfeeder and the Triarchy pirates, Daemon got crowned King in the Narrow Sea. However, he doesn’t want that title since the Stepstones are worthless rocks. So it’s back to King’s Landing and the arms of his Brother, who forgives him thanks to winning them the Stepstones.

Sadly, he returns at the exact same time that Rhaenyra does. She’s been on a tour at her father’s behest, trying to find a husband. But like a bad Tinder experience, she swiped left on all of them. Even if she didn’t compare them to Daemon so much, though, they weren’t impressive. She’s happier with Daemon back…and even more so when he sneaks him out for a night of fun in King’s Landing.

It’s clear that Dameon’s tone away hasn’t changed his need to cause chaos. And chaos is what follows in his stead.

The Chaos of Daemon Targaryen

When people first heard that Matt Smith would be playing Daemon Targaryen, they panicked, thinking he’d be a bad fit. However, it seems that the chaotic energy he brought as the Doctor serves him well. He’s a perfect fit for Daemon.

Daemon may cause chaos in his family, but he does know what he’s doing a lot of times. Besides serving as a means to give Rhaenyra the freedom she can’t get in the Red Keep, Daemon’s night out’s meant to teach her something important. A few important things, truthfully.

Firstly, the street-play satirizing the issue of succession is meant to be a brutal truth to Rhaenyra. That truth being that even the smallfolk don’t want a woman to be Queen. And if the smallfolk don’t approve, then how can she hope to rule? This is where Daemon has an advantage over the other elite: unlike many of them, he understands the need to be loved and respected by the people. Sadly, Rhaenyra fails to learn that.

It also doesn’t help that the second of Daemon’s lessons takes her to a brothel.

Yes, it’s exactly what you think it is. But, surprisingly, Daemon doesn’t go through with doing that. He leaves at the last second!

Too bad for everyone. The chaos has already spread.

Rhaenyra Takes Charge of Herself…and Causes More Chaos

People who’ve gone through puberty knows that when most teens see others engaged in intimate acts, it’s going to affect their hormones. And getting blue-balled by the man she’s into (Daemon), Rhaenyra’s understandably frustrated. However, what she does next might be just as bad. She…sleeps with Ser Criston Cole.

Viewers would be hard-pressed to deny the romantic chemistry between Rhaenyra and Ser Criston. I saw it from a mile away. However, I didn’t expect her to act on it so soon into the show!

As much as I applaud Rhaenyra for taking charge of her love life, I wish she’d given this some more thought. Because what she does, no surprise, causes more chaos

Otto Hightower Falls Off the Chaos Ladder

From the outset, Otto Hightower’s been hated by viewers. Despite King Viserys trusting him, viewers see him for what he is: the schemer who gave up his daughter to an older man so he could put his grandchild on the Iron Throne. As such, Rhaenyra rightfully despises him, and those feelings only worsen in this episode.

After hearing from spies about where Rhaenyra and Daemon went, Otto wastes no time in bringing slanderous rumors to King Viserys. While we know nothing happened behind making out, Otto doesn’t care. He sees this as the chance to get rid of Rhaenyra he’s been waiting for.

It backfires. Big time. Rhaenyra learns about this from Alicent in a tense confrontation, and while her Dad’s rightfully pissed at her, she uses this to her advantage. As a result, Otto Hightower’s fired as Hand of the King.

It’s the smartest decision that Viserys’ made this far, but sadly, it likely won’t stick. While Rhaenyra, and now her Dad, see him as the threat to order that he is, Otto won’t go quietly. He’ll be back, one way or another.

What Chaos Has Wrought

So, despite finally winning back his brother’s favor, Daemon’s penchant for causing chaos costs him his standing. Again. His plan to force Viserys to let him wed Rhaenyra (and get the Throne) sees him sent back to the Vale.

As for Rhaenyra, she’s forced to fave the consequences of her actions. Her Dad orders her to marry Laenor Velaryon, Lord Corlys son. And take a contraceptive tea. So, despite choosing her first time, Rhaenyra still loses in the end.

Basically, chaos reigns in House Targaryen this week, and everyone’s miserable. Rhaenyra for her lot in life, Daemon for his second exile, Viserys for the headache that is his daughter, and Alicent for being a pawn of her Dad and stuck in a loveless marriage.

Westeros is fun to watch, but it sucks to live in. And, honestly, this was the show’s weakest episode thus far. And I’m not saying that because it relied on sex for drama again. Next week marks the halfway point for the series. They need to keep up the momentum.

I Give “King of the Narrow Sea” a 3.5/5

House of the Dragon S1, Ep 3 Review

I know it doesn’t need to be said at this point, but I’m saying it anyway: Westeros sucks. As much as I love the world and the plot at times, it drives me nuts how self-serving so many of the Elite are. Almost every Lord or Lady we meet does something for their gain rather than the good of all, and the people who are good people get eaten alive. Or worse, they become the thing they hate the most. This is a fact that House of the Dragon cruelly reminds us of in this week’s new episode with the arrival of the new Prince, Aegon

Aegon, Second of his Name

In the next of the show’s time skips, Kong Viserys has married Alicent as he said he would. What’s more, they now have an infant son, Aegon, and another child on the way. Everyone in court showers praise upon the Prince and act like he’s the second coming of his namesake.

Anyone who’s watched Game of Thrones long enough knows that most of this is empty flattery, trying to brown nose the King for favor. It gets to the point where even Rhaenyra’s sick of it.

Despite being made the heir, something that Viserys reminds her of, she never receives such praise, not that she wants it. Moreover, her relationship with her friend/mother-in-law, Alicent, has gotten much colder. She fears, rather rightfully, that Alicent’s children will supplant her as heir to the throne. Despite Alicent dismissing that for the moment, Rhaenyra’s right. Already, Alicent’s father is scheming to make Aegon the future King. He’s trying to pull a Tywin Lannister centuries before Tywin is born.

The Lannisters are Back

As for the Lannisters, they make their formal return in Jason Lannister, ancestor to the family we see in the show. He tries to make a marriage proposal to Rhaenyra, but arrogance must run in the Lannisters because he comes off like a self-entitled jerk. Rhaenyra flatly turns him down.

This won’t be the end to her problems, though. Now that Rhaenyra’s old enough to marry, her Dad’s been getting marriage proposals from all over. Most of them are from people who want to use her for her power, something she doesn’t want, and prompts her to run off into the Kingswood with Ser Criston Cole while the court is on this big hunt for Aegon’s birthday. Not that anyone can blame her, though. At one point, Otto Hightower suggests marrying her to her infant half-brother, Prince Aegon! Political machinations aside, how disgusting is that, marrying her to a two-year-old?

Rhaenyra+Criston Cole?

I may not be as familiar with the prequel to Game of Thrones as I would like to be, but I know chemistry when I see it. And Rhaenyra and Ser Criston have a lot of chemistry. They talk to each other so casually, and they work well together. This is made more apparent when they end up saving each other from a wild boar. Then, as if to hammer home how she’s meant to be in charge, Rhaenyra finds the White Hart her father’s lord’s have been hunting, but lets it go. In her mind, this will solidify her as the rightful next ruler of the Seven Kingdoms…which only makes what will happen harder to watch.

Not that I care. I swore I wouldn’t get emotionally attached to the characters again.

Wrath of the Dragon

Meanwhile, Prince Daemon and House Velaryon have spent the time skip fighting in the Stepstones. Their opponent is the pirate prince of the Free Cities, the Crab Feeder. Despite having a dragon on their side in the form of Caraxes, though, they continue to lose the war. Then, word reaches Daemon that his brother’s sending them aid. Rather than be happy that his brother’s helping him, Daemon snaps.

What happens next is what we anime fans would call “Pulling a Vegeta.” Daemon pretends to surrender to the Crabfeeder, but it’s an obvious lie. Despite committing what would be considered a war crime (I.E. attacking while waving the white flag), Daemon’s plan works. With all their attention on him, the pirates fail to notice the Velaryon’s and Caraxes sneak up on him until it’s too late. In the second of the episode’s big battle scenes, the Westerosi forces massacre the pirates. As for Daemon, he single-handedly slays the Crabfeeder, leaving him the undisputed ruler of the Stepstones. And he intends to let all of Westeros know he’s in charge.

A Storm is Coming to Westeros

So, by the end of the episode, the cracks continue to grow in House Targaryen as Rhaenyra continues to get ignored. And now Daemon’s ruling over the islands of the Narrow Seas. As for me, I refuse to become emotionally invested in anyone in this show. That way, I won’t be upset when characters start dropping like flies. And drop they will.

Irritation at sychophant’s aside, House of the Dragon has done good so far. Whether they can keep it up for the rest of the series will be another matter entirely. They have a chance to redeem the mistakes of the final seasons of Game of Thrones. For HBO’s sake, they shouldn’t mess it up.

I Give “Second of His Name” a 4/5

House of the Dragon S1, Ep. 1 Review

It’s been three years since the end of Game of Thrones, and I thought that the world had moved on from it. I know I did; the final season left me as disillusioned as everyone was with Daenerys Targaryen. And with how much flak HBO Max’s gotten with their recent Purge of the Batgirl film and shows like Infinity Train, I had even less motivation to support their Game of Thrones prequel. Yet, as last Sunday night came around, I found myself sitting in front of the TV, ready to watch House of the Dragon. I convinced myself I wanted that I wanted to see it simply for the dragons. I didn’t want to deal with the hot mess that was House Targaryen again anytime soon.

It looks like I was lying to myself. I got sucked right back into the world of Westeros, albeit one that’s far different from what we know. 

Westeros Under Targaryen Rule

Taking place almost 200 years before the events of Game of Thrones, House of the Dragon shows us a much different Westeros. One ruled by the Targaryens at the height of their power, with plenty of dragons to go around. It’s a Westeros that’s, for the most part, free of the corruption and rot prevalent in Game of Thrones, and the madness of the Targaryens. At least in the beginning. After all, the whole point of House of the Dragon is to show the events that would lead to House Targaryen’s slow decline over the next two hundred years.

For those who don’t know, House of the Dragon aims to cover the Dance of the Dragons. In a nutshell, it’s a civil war that pits House Targaryen against itself over who gets the right to sit on the Iron Throne. One of the candidates has yet to be born, but the other one gets introduced in the show’s opening scene riding her own dragon: Rhaenyra Targaryen, the eldest child of King Viserys I. 

Whether intentional or not, there is a lot of Daenerys in Rhaenyra. They’re both beautiful, smart, and skilled dragon riders. The main defining difference is that Rhaenyra’s a lot happier overall since she got to have a happy childhood with loving parents. Since this is Westeros, though, don’t expect that happiness to last. Count on it not to last. 

The Players Emerge

Much of the first half of the episode sees most people in good spirits in the Royal family. Viserys is due to have another child any day, with the whole realm participating in a tournament to celebrate the birth of his soon-to-be heir. However, cracks already start forming with the arrival of his brother, Daemon, played by Matt Smith, aka the 11th Doctor (and one of my favorites!)

I was initially hesitant to see Matt Smith play someone who, according to lore, is the deadliest man in Westeros during this time. However, my doubts burned away after seeing Matt’s performance as Daemon. He plays him as this arrogant, self-assured jerk who’s abrasive to everyone except his niece. Unlike Joffrey, though, he’s got the chops to back up all these claims and the dragon. 

As fun as it is to see Westeros at the height of the Targaryens, nothing lasts forever. Pretty soon, trouble comes when the Queen goes into labor. In what has to be one of the bloodiest things HBO’s ever done, we watch as the Queen dies due to a C-Section, and her infant son not long afterward. Everything gets worse from there, and soon, it’s clear that the Iron Throne will be contested.

The Big Twist About House Taragaryen

It’s not until the final minutes of the episode, though, that we get the biggest plot twist, which affects everything about Game of Thrones. In a conversation between father and daughter, Viserys reveals there was another reason why their family conquered Westeros. Aegon the Conquerer had a dream about the future, where death marches from the far north and threatens to destroy all life. In other words, the White Walkers. So, Aegeon knew that the only chance the world had was if Westeros was united, leading to his conquest of the Seven Kingdoms. 

So, all that talk about Jon Snow being the “Prince That Was Promised” wasn’t just a red herring. The Targaryens tried to set themselves up so that one of them would be the one to save the world from the White Walkers, and they’ve passed that knowledge down from King to King for generations as a warning. 

This Only Means They Screwed Up Even Worse Than We Thought

Of course, this only makes what happens during Game of Thrones all the more important since Aegon’s dream became a reality, though not in the way he thought it would. Of course, it also makes the Targaryen’s fall all the more tragic. They forgot their true purpose, squandered their potential, and almost left Westeros in ruins before the Night King ever marched south. Even though they ultimately succeeded, they lost everything, with their last remaining member exiled to the far north. 

I thought this inclusion was a cop-out meant to make up for what happened with Game of Thrones ending. However, the revelation that this reveal was due to info directly from George R.R. Martin, I’m willing to tolerate it. I’ll like it even more if Martin finally finishes the last two books and gives us a better ending. 

So, despite my reservations, I find myself hesitantly returning to Westeros. I will try and avoid getting attached to any characters, though, since I expect many of them to die before the series ends.

I Give “The Heirs of the Dragon” a 4/5. Don’t Waste this, HBO.

I’ve been putting this off for three weeks now, and I can’t take it anymore. Game of Thrones is over, and I need to talk about the show some more!

To say Game of Thrones is the biggest show of the decade would be an understatement; it’s one of the biggest shows of all time. It’s changed our culture in ways that few stories have ever done. The tens of millions of fans, references and parodies by other shows, works by scholars; I could go on! Not to mention that the places they used to film the show got significant boosts in tourism. Croatia and Northern Ireland have websites dedicated to Game of Thrones tourism.

What I’m saying is that this GoT has gotten a lot of love, and that’s why the final season was so divisive. Its sad feeling seeing a story you love end in an unsatisfying manner, and for some, it can sour an otherwise good memory. I’ve spent the past three weeks thinking about that, and I want to give my answer to this question:

Is Game of Thrones Still a Good Show?

The Plot

Few adaptations are capable of carrying over everything from their source material, and Game of Thrones is no exception. The show took liberties with the source material from day one, but they were never too drastic. Some characters got aged up, appearances changed for casting purposes, things like that. As time went on, though, it began to deviate from the books.

Martin gave Weiss and Benioff an outline of how he was going to end the books, and that’s what they used for Season 6 onwards. Which is good and all, but I’m not alone when I say this: they made the final two seasons too short. HBO tried to go for quality over quantity with fewer episodes, but by doing so, they lost both. I liked Season 7, but it was one big event after another. That may work on paper, but in truth, we need extra time to flesh the story out. In short, they should have stayed at the ten episode mark.

You have to admit; though, even at its worst, GoT is still enjoyable to watch. The casting’s amazing, the music is world-class, and the special effects are incredible. It speaks to the high quality of the show when the worst of it is still fun to watch. I still hate Dorne, though.

The Worries about the White Walkers

Depending on how you look at it, the White Walkers are either the best or the worst thing about Game of Thrones. Despite coming from the book, the White Walkers are more of the show’s work. They’re hardly shown in the book, and they don’t have as significant a role as in the show; not yet, at least.

The reason why its a problem is because the show spent so much time building them up as the ultimate big bad of the show. I even considered all the power plays in Westeros as distractions to weaken them for the war against the dead. By Season 7, it was all I cared about. Then in one episode, it ended thanks to the most badass woman in the show, Arya Stark.

I realized then that prophecies in Game of Thrones are worthless. So much Jon being the one to save the day. Then again, since Game of Thrones likes subverting expectations about fantasy, this wouldn’t be out of the question.

Its Take on Medieval Fantasy

Before George R.R. Martin, people would think of medieval fantasy being something like Lord of the Rings or Ivanhoe. Noble heroes fight against evil, epic battles of magic and things. Game of Thrones takes all that and splashes it with a ridiculous dose of reality.

In real life, the medieval world was more or less the same as life has always been: violent and as filled with jerks as it is with good people. More to the point, it’s not a black and white story, either; its grey. As in real life, people sometimes have to do bad things to survive or achieve their goals. As a student of history who has seen some messed up things, I appreciate the fact that they don’t sugar coat anything.

My favorite moment was still The Battle of the Bastards.

My Verdict

So, was the finale to Game of Thrones not what we expected? Yes. Though, the show may have ended up falling victim to its hype. It had become the most excellent show on TV, so expectations for the final season were high, maybe too high ever to meet.

Does the finale make it any less of a show as a whole, though? I can honestly say that, no, it doesn’t.

The show had its fair share of controversies and bad moments before the final season came around, yet it kept going through it all. When you look back on it as a whole, it’s still an incredible story; one of the best stories humanity has ever told, in my opinion. I am upset that we never got to see Jon slay the Night King as I wanted, or Arya kills Cersei, but we can’t get everything. It may have tripped at the finish line, but I still think that Game of Thrones is worth watching. If you don’t agree, then I respect that.

Team Stark 4 Life, people!

One last thing! Did you guys know that there’s a hand-woven tapestry that depicts the events of the show? I’m serious! Located in a museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the Game of Thrones Tapestry was modeled after the Bayeux Tapestry in France. It has all the big moments from the show on it up to the end of Season 7, and they’ll be adding the final season soon. Click the link below to see the website about it:

Cool Game of Thrones Tapestry

Game of Thrones, “Last of the Starks” Review

After what happened last week with the Battle of Ice and Fire, I admit that I had my worries. That the show has jumped the shark. But I was wrong, because this week’s episode just sent us on an emotional roller coaster as hearts were broken, faces were broken, and any chance at a happy ending flew out the window.

Except for Sam and Gilly. I think they’re pretty much the only ones who will live happily ever after.

The episode starts off on a somber note as we say goodbye to those who fell in the Battle of Ice and Fire. I thought that this was an emotionally powerful scene on a number of levels. For one, we were saying goodbye to characters that we had known for years, with Theon and Jorah being theirs since episode one. For me, in particular, it felt like this was the funeral for Night’s Watch itself.

Think about it. With the White Walkers extinct and the Free Folk and the North on good terms, there’s no point for them to keep operating. They fulfilled their purpose. And now their watch has ended. It’s up to the living to pick up the pieces.

A big part of this episode is trying to find the answer to an unspoken question: can those left remain united? For a while, it feels like they can. The feast in the Great Hall start out quiet and awkward, but it turns into a party when Daenerys singles out Gendry.

Since he came back in Season Seven, one of my biggest hopes was to see Gendry be legitimized as Gendry Baratheon, Lord of the Storm Lands. I got my wish, and I was happy to see that Daenerys didn’t hold a grudge against him for his dad running her family out of Westeros.

Too bad Arya turned down his marriage proposal. Their kids would have been so bad ass.

So after Gendry’s made a lord, everyone starts getting drunk and celebrating. Brienne and Jaime consummate their relationship, which was a nice sub-plot. But amidst all the merriment, cracks are starting to form. Almost everyone goes around praising Jon for his heroism (and riding a dragon) and treating him like a King, while Daenerys gets little praise.

Jon has said it several times by now: he doesn’t want the Iron Throne, though as Daenerys points out in private, that won’t matter. People will still try and put him on the Throne, regardless, and that makes him a threat to her. They could resolve that issue if they either A.) kept quiet about it, or B.) get married, making it a moot point.

As Daenerys prepares to move her remaining forces south to take King’s Landing. She’s lost a lot of the Dothraki, and only half the Unsullied remain alive. But now she has the support of the Iron Islands (Yara’s taken them back) and Dorne. Jon will lead the North and the Vale south down the King’s Road while she flies for Dragonstone with her fleet. Meanwhile, people start to go their separate ways.

Arya and the Hound are headed down to King’s Landing on their own to settle with Cersei and the Mountain. I’m rooting for her to kill Cersei.

I don’t know where Sam’s going, but with the Night’s Watch pretty much disbanded, he can become Lord of Horn Hill, with Gilly, Little Sam, and their unborn child with him. That’s right, they’re having a kid; and if its a boy, they’ll name him after his best friend, Jon.

Jaime and Tyrion get blackmailed by Bronn into giving him Highgarden in exchange for not killing them. And since Jaime can’t stay away from Cersei, he ends up leaving Brienne and Winterfell to head back to King’s Landing. Hopefully to kill her.

That’s a jerk move, Jaime, and we get it. You used to be a huge jerk, but the fact that you’re owning up to it means you’re a better person than you think you are.

Tormund decides to take the Free Folk back up North now that the White Walkers are gone. With the hole in the Wall and the Night’s Watch having no reason to fight them anymore, they can come back whenever they want. And Jon decides to send Ghost with them so he can with the other direwolves (poor Ghost. No love anymore).

And right before he left, Jon did the one thing he shouldn’t have done: he told Sansa and Arya his heritage. And despite swearing not to tell anyone, Sansa tells Tyrion, who then tells Varys, who then rightfully says that it’s not a secret anymore. And now Varys is considering backing Jon instead; not because he’s the rightful heir (or because he’s a guy) but because Daenerys may not be suited anymore.

The Mother of Dragons has lost a lot since she came back to Westeros. Most of her original allies are gone, she lost one dragon, and she just found out she may not be the rightful Queen, after all. So what does the show do? Break her even further.

As soon as she returns to Dragonstone, Euron Greyjoy’s fleet ambushes her and wrecks her ships. Worse, they’ve mass-produced Qyburn’s Scorpion, and they use it to shoot Rhaegal out of the sky. In another blow to her mental state, they capture Missandei and, in the episode’s final moments, behead her as Daenerys watches from outside the city gates.

I saw the look of grief and rage in her eyes when Rhaegal died. It was like a fire that threatened to consume her. But the look she gave in the final shot of the episode scared me: it looked like she was one step away from losing her sanity.

What. The Heck, GoT? I know that the Targaryens have a history of mental instability, but I wanted to see Daenerys dodge it. Yet ever since she got back to Westeros, it feels like the show is determined to push her to becoming similar to her father. I’m not even sure I want her on the Throne anymore, but since I hate Cersei and Jon doesn’t want it, she may be the best chance we have left.

Regarding the question that I posed before, I think the answer that this episode gives us is a big no. Even after standing united in the face of death itself, humanity can’t help but turn on itself the moment the crisis is past. It’s sad to watch, and its made even more difficult by the fact that the people who survived the Great War may end up dying at each other’s hands. Which is as sad as seeing World War 1 Veterans die from the Flu.

But, that’s what Game of Thrones does. It messes with our expectations. Sometimes, they work. Other times, it doesn’t work. Here, I think it does both. Either way, though, this episode proves that even after a climatic war against death incarnate, Game of Thrones still has what it takes.

But I’m still upset at how Daenerys, Brienne, and Missandei get treated, so that brings down the experience.

I Give “Last of the Starks” a 3.5/5, at best

Stray Observations

• Cersei promised Bronn Riverrun. Last time I checked, Edmure Tully’s alive. Even if he wasn’t, he has a kid.
• The improbable travel speed of the dragons strikes again
• My reaction when Rhaegal died:

• I wished that Missandei chose to walk off the wall instead of letting herself get decaptitated. And I’m not the only one.

• Daenerys needs to find more dragon eggs. Unless Drogon turns out to be a girl.

• Why is the show not giving any love to the dire wolves? First we don’t get to see Ghost fight in the Battle of Ice and Fire, and now they’re setting him free north of The Wall?

• Who saw the coffee cup?

6 Biggest Deaths in Season 2 of Game of Thrones

With Ned Stark’s wrongful execution at the hands of Joffrey, any chance of peace in the Seven Kingdoms went up in smoke. Now the War of the Five Kings has begun, and lots of people are going to die.

Season Two of Game of Thrones continued the momentum that started in the first, as the war for Westeros began in earnest. More people began to drop like flies, and here I am, trying to talk about it. With six days left until the final season begins, our look back continues with the 6 biggest deaths in Season Two of Game of Thrones.

Now, in the immortal words of the most useless King in Westeros: KILL THEM ALL!

#6- The High Septon, “The Old Gods and the New”

This guy was a nobody, at least to us viewers. In Westeros, he was the head of the Faith of the Seven, making him the Seven Kingdoms equivalent to the Pope. Not even that title was enough to save him, though. After Joffrey’s stupidity causes the Riots in King’s Landing, the starving refugees surround the unfortunate man and then tear him to pieces.

I think that this death is important because it shows just how far Westeros has fallen since King Robert’s death. The people are so desperate that, if given the chance, they would attack the royal family and nobility. Even the leader of their religion, which is a big part of their lives, isn’t safe from their baser instincts. Everyone watching shared Tyrion’s terrified look.

#5- Qhorin, “Valar Morghulis”

This guy was one of the best members of the Night’s Watch, and he had the battle scars to prove it. Nicknamed Qhorin Halfhand after losing most of the fingers on one hand fighting a Freefolk, Qhorin was said to be able to survive an entire winter Beyond the Wall by himself. Considering how that’s where Freefolk, Giants, and the White Walkers live, that’s an impressive feat.

In the end, Qhorin ends up dying at the hands of Jon Snow, though of his own volition. When both were captured by Freefolk, Qhorin pretended to try and kill Jon so that he would be in place to spy on the enemy from within, then sacrifices himself as the last piece of the puzzle.

Qhorin’s sacrifice would lead to Jon’s story arc among the Freefolk throughout Season Three. This would ultimately lead to Jon deciding to save them from the true enemy, the White Walkers. The Freefolk would return the favor time and again, become some of Jon’s biggest allies in the fight against the White Walkers. Your death was not in vain, Qhorin.

#4 -Pyat Pree, “Valar Morghulis”

From the moment I first saw Pyat Pree of the Warlocks of Qarth, I thought he was a creep. My feelings became justified when the Warlocks and Xaro teamed up to take over Qarth and imprison Daenerys and her infant dragons. Their plan was to keep them locked up forever and use the dragons inherent connection to magic to strengthen their power. Daenerys just said one word to them: dracarys. And Drogon, Rhaegal, and Viserion burn the jerk down.

This death is important on a number of levels. First, this marks the first time that Dany’s dragon children kill a person. That’s the equivalent of them taking their first steps. Second, it let’s everyone, and I mean everyone know that if they think they can use Daenerys Targaryen for her power, they will die. Having spent most of Season Two relying on the help of others, Daenerys finally lets everyone know who the boss is.

# 3- Billy and Jack “A Man Without Honor”

Another example of two nobodies whose deaths had a big impact on the show. After Bran and Rickon manage to escape Theon’s occupation of Winterfell, the man begins a desperate search to get them back. To the North’s horror and rage, it appears that he flat out killed them, putting their burned corpses on display for all to see.

In reality, though, Bran, Rickon, and their group had doubled back and hid in the crypts of Winterfell. The boys Theon killed were two orphans that Bran sent to a nearby farm.

The deaths of these two would have huge ramifications, both good and bad. On the one hand, everyone in Westeros thought Bran and Rickon were dead, letting them move around easier. On the other hand, everyone in Westeros thought they were dead. Catelyn died thinking all her sons were dead. While Rickon would later die by Ramsay Bolton’s hands, Bran would survive to play a key role in the war against the White Walkers. As for Theon, he deeply regrets what he did, and now seeks to atone for his sins. Rest in Piece, Billy and Jack

# 2- King Robert’s Bastards, “The North Remembers”

What do you do when you’re King and want to want to keep that crown on your head? Kill off everyone who may have a better claim to the throne than you. When Joffrey learns that his “father”, Robert Baratheon, had dozens of illegitimate children in King’s Landing, he has the Gold Cloaks kill any in the capital they can find. He feared, correctly I may add, that his enemies would say they had a better claim to the Iron Throne than he did.

While it did help secure his hold on the Iron Throne for a while, Joffrey’s purge of Robert’s Bastards backfired and hurt his and the Lannister’s image, badly. It also drove the point home that anyone with royal or noble blood in them, even if they didn’t know it, had a target on their back.

Despite Joffrey’s efforts, though, he missed one: Gendry the Blacksmith. As of the start of Season Eight, Gendry is the last surviving descendant of House Baratheon. If the show is willing to let it happen, then Gendry will live to become Gendry Baratheon, Lord of the Stormlands. That’s my hope at least.

#1- Renly Baratheon, “The Ghost of Harrenhal”

Of all the deaths in Season Two, this one had the biggest ramifications. Renly Baratheon was the youngest of his siblings, and unlike Robert and Stannis, he was never a warrior. Yet when Robert was about to kick the bucket, Renly was the first to try and grab the Iron Throne. And he took a huge chunk of the Baratheon forces with him.

When it became apparent that Renly was willing to fight his own brother Stannis (and probably win), Stannis was willing to resort to using blood magic to assassinate Renly in his own camp. Thus, the first of the Five Kings fell.

Renly’s death was both shocking and a game-changer. It led to Stannis gaining control of most of the Baratheon forces, and we know how that turned it. On a personal level, it led to Brienne dedicating herself to avenging her King’s death, something that she would eventually do. No one knew it at the time, either, but it was the beginning of the end of House Baratheon.

Do you agree with my picks? What deaths do you remember the most from Season Two? Let me Know!

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Eight days. In eight days, winter will come to TV. And it will be one of the greatest nights in the history of entertainment. And I am going to be there watching it through to the end.

I may not have been one of the people who watched Game of Thrones from the beginning, but I have caught up on everything that has happened in the show. All the death, love, loss, murder and betrayal since the first episode. Then I thought about how I should honor the beginning of the end for one of the greatest achievements in TV history.

That is what this is for. Starting tomorrow, I will going back to each season of Game of Thrones as we count down to the premiere. Each day will have two articles: one counting what I thought were the big deaths for each season, and the moments that I thought defined the seasons. It all leads up to Sunday, April 14th, where I will reveal my favorite things in Game of Thrones. To clarify, that means:

• The best villains on the show
• My favorite death scenes
• My favorite characters
• and more!

Let the games begin! See you tomorrow!

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Talking about the Trailer for the Final Season of Game of Thrones

Eight years. Tens of millions of fans the world over. A show that helped define a decade of TV. A story that can stand among the greatest in the history of mankind. In just one month, its the beginning of the end for Game of Thrones.

But before we do all of that, I want to talk about the trailer for the final season and what I think it could mean for the characters, while reflecting on how far they’ve come for the GoT Final Season

Arya Stark

Arya Stark is, and has always been, a fighter. From the beginning it was clear that she was not meant to live the kind of life that society expected of her. She’d rather swordfight with the guys than knit or that stuff.

Season one onwards, Arya went through a trauma conga line, losing her pet wolf, her father, mother, and brother, sometimes right in front of her. Seeing all this trauma forced Arya to grow up fast. With the help of the Faceless Men, Arya’s become a skilled fighter and assassin. Not going to lie, watching her kill Walder Frey and most of his sons was a satisfying moment

In the trailer, Arya claims that she looks forward to seeing this new face of Death, most likely meaning the White Walker. As good a fighter as she is, though, she’s never been in an actual battle before. Given how the first shots in the trailer are of her covered in blood and sweat, running through the darkened halls of Winterfell, I fear she may be in over her head.

Arya Stark is a survivor, but not even she may be ready for the White Walker. But remember what Syrio Forel told her all those years ago about they say to Death: “Not today.” Whatever comes next, she’ll go down fighting.

Bran Stark

You can barely even recognize the bright and energetic young boy that Bran Stark was at the start of the show. He lost the use of his legs thanks to Jaime throwing him out of the tower, and was ready to give up on life. Then he discovered his warging and greenseering powers, which gave him a new purpose in life.

After journeying Beyond the Wall, Bran trained under the Three-Eyed Raven to become his successor, and it shows. The experience of viewing so many past events has left him with few emotions. When Sansa tearfully hugs after seeing him for the first time in years, he didn’t even react.

Even so, I think that Bran still cares about his family. He certainly cares about the well-being of mankind, as he seems to be ready to use his powers to fight the White Walkers. I only hope that he can make it through the Long Night that is to come.

Jaime Lannister

There is no getting around it: when viewers (and book readers) first met him, Jaime Lannister came off as an arrogant pretty boy. Who was also in an incestuous relationship with his sister. While he is pretty arrogant, it’s not unjustified given his skill as a swordsman.

The events of the show, though, took him down several pegs. Losing to Robb Stark and enduring captivity at the hands of the Northerners, and then getting his hand cut off by the Boltons stooges. It humbled him a lot. It also revealed that he’s not as bad as everyone thought.

His infamous betrayal and killing of the Mad King was explained in a way that was not only understandable, but could even be justified. The events of the show, particularly his friendship with Brienne, steer him to becoming a man who keeps his promises. It’s this new outlook that leads Jaime to finally leave Cersei out of disgust for her actions. And I think that it’s about time.

As we see in the trailer, Jaime has kept his promise to fight for the living. Alongside the Northerners, Unsullied, and Dothraki he’s fought against, no less! And from the look of things, he’s going to be fighting right in the middle of the war against the White Walkers. He’s still one of the best swordsman in Westeros, but I fear that he’ll be vulnerable fighting with one hand. Jaime’s already come this far, but this fight may be his last.

Cersei Lannister

I’m going to be blunt here: I want Cersei to die. I’ve only been watching the show for two measly years. Other fans have had the show’s entire run to hate her; two decades if they started out reading the books. She is one of the few fictional characters that I loathe with every fiber of my being.

Cersei has always been a bad person, but she’s somehow gotten even worse during the show’s run. We could devote an entire list of all the horrible things she’s done, but near the top was blowing up the Sept of Baelor and killing hundreds of people. Not even the threat of the White Walkers is enough to curb her selfish narcissism. She plans on sacrificing half of Westeros to the Army of the Dead if it means she can keep her throne.

It seems that she’s holding true to her intentions in the trailer, remaining in King’s Landing where her only allies left are Qyburn, her Queensguard, and Euron. Euron seems to have hired the Golden Company like they planned, so she’s going to sit in King’s Landing and drink her wine while Westeros fights for survival.

Cersei Lannister’s managed to outlive most of her enemies and allies, but with Jaime gone, she has so few left to her. A lot of people are hoping to see her die, but the Mad Queen has cheated death before. I still hope she dies, though.

Rhaegal and Drogon

Considering how they’re dragons and not humans, it can be easy to forget how Drogon and Rhaegal are as much of characters as the rest of the cast. Since they hatched at the end of Season 1, the two dragons have grown from adorable little lizards into young adults ready to fight and die to protect their mother, Daenaerys.

The dragons are nigh unbeatable opponents, but as everyone learned last season, they’re not invincible. Viserion’s death at the hands of the Night King was a shock to the audience and to those present to witness it. If Daenaerys is mourning the loss of one of her children, then imagine how her two remaining dragons must feel.

Viserion’s death would have been the first time the dragons would know what it means to be truly powerless. They can wipe out entire armies, but they couldn’t save their brother. Now that brother has been reanimated as a wight to serve the Night King. They must be furious.

The two dragons are seen several times throughout the trailer, driving home the point that they will play a major role in the Great War. Both of them seem eager to fight, but will they be able to defeat their own brother, if necessary?

Daenaerys Targaryen

Daenaerys Targaryen has come so far since Season One. Gone is the timid girl who cowered under the yolk of her abusive older brother. In her place stands a proud Queen who’s determined to take back the Iron Throne, and will use everything she has to do so. At least, that’s how it was at first.

Since she arrived in Westeros, Dany’s learned of the ancient evil that’s threatening to overrun all of Westeros, and that she may be one of the people prophesied to save humanity. Now she’s seen the White Walkers, and watched as one of her beloved dragons was slain like it was nothing. Not even she can fight them alone, and will stand with those she once fought for the sake of the Seven Kindgoms.

The trailer seemed to be vague about how she will fight in the Great War, but it is certain that she will fight. Whether she will survive, though, is another matter entirely. People are saying that either she or Jon will end up dying in the fight against the White Walkers. And that doesn’t even bring up the elephant in the room..

Jon Snow

From the Bastard of Winterfell to the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch to the King in the North. Jon Snow has been through a lot over the show’s run, and has come into his own as a leader. More than anyone, he knows how dangerous the White Walkers are and what is at stake, and has devoted himself to defeating them. But there are things about Jon that not even he knows.

The end of Season Six confirmed the longtime fan theory that Jon was actually the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. The end of Season Seven built on that even further by revealing that Lyanna was never kidnapped. She and Rhaegar had fallen in love and secretly gotten married. Jon’s no bastard: he’s the rightful King of Westeros.

As shown in the trailer, Jon is going to be fighting on the front lines alongside his allies. If anyone can defeat the Night King and save the Seven Kingdoms, its Jon Snow. Even so, fans are worried that Jon may end up giving his life in order to save Westeros from an eternal winter. That, and there’s the fact that he and his aunt Dany are in love with each other. And that’s just history repeating itself.

In Conclusion

At this point, I think it’s fair to just put every character left alive on the chopping block. As we have seen in Game of Thrones, no one, not even a main character, is safe from death. And now death is at the gates of the living.

There are plenty of other characters that I did not have time to cover in this, but I had to limit this to the ones who were most prominent in the trailer. Whatever happens in April, history will be made.

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