Game of Thrones: Season Five, Episode 4 – “Sons of the Harpy”

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Aidan Gillen, Barristan Selmy, Bronn, Carice van Houten, Catelyn Stark, Cersei Lannister, Daario Naharis, Daenerys Targaryen, Dean-Charles Chapman, Dorne, Emilia Clarke, Finn Jones, Game of Thrones, George RR Martin, Grey Worm, Gwendoline Christie, Hizdahr zo Loraq, Ian McElhinney, Iwan Rheon, Jaime Lannister, Jerome Flynn, Joel Fry, Jon Snow, Jonathan Pryce, Kerry Ingram, King's Landing, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Littlefinger, Loras Tyrell, Maraery Tyrell, Mark Addy, Meereen, Melisandre, Michael McElhatton, Michelle Fairley, Michiel Huisman, Natalie Dormer, Ned Stark, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Oberyn, Pedro Pascal, Raleigh Ritchie, Ramsay Bolton, Roose Bolton, Sansa Stark, Sean Bean, Shireen Baratheon, Sons of the Harpy, Sophie Turner, Stannis Baratheon, Stephen Dillane, Television, The Faith Militant, The High Sparrow, The Hunger Games, The Sand Snakes, The Wall, TV, Winterfell

This review contains spoilers for the fourth episode of “Game of Thrones” season five, as well as a fan theory which could end up being a spoiler for a major character’s background. The fan theory spoiler will be clearly signposted so that you can avoid it if you want to.

This episode, entitled “Sons of the Harpy”, set the groundwork for the rest of the season, as character’s pasts and futures were explained implicitly to the audience. For those of us watching carefully enough there were numerous nods to a particular fan theory which could play a pivotal role in the story going forward, and there was also a lot of foreboding for what we might see before the end of the season, whether it be Jaime (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and Bronn’s (Jerome Flynn) conversation regarding how they would like to die, or Littlefinger’s (Aidan Gillen) final lesson to Sansa (Sophie Turner) before he left for King’s Landing. It wasn’t the most exciting episode ever, but it did a lot of the hard work for this season, introducing the Faith Militant properly, the Sand Snakes, and the aforementioned fan theory, which will no doubt give future episodes much more clarity.

The next section contains possible spoilers for the future of the series, relating to a fan theory about a certain character’s parentage.

This episode more than any other has taken us past George R.R. Martin’s books and into new territory, through what seemed to be the beginning of the end regarding the mystery of Jon Snow’s (Kit Harington) parentage. There’s a pretty popular theory among fans that R + L = J. This might not mean much to people who haven’t been paying close attention, but as far as I’m concerned it has to be right, and I can appreciate the series so much more because of that fact.

In this equation, R stands for Rhaegar Targaryen, son of the Mad King and brother to Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). Rhaegar was killed by Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy) during Robert’s Rebellion, and he has been mentioned before on the series, most notably in the first episode when Robert and Ned (Sean Bean) were talking in front of Lyanna’s grave in the crypts of Winterfell.

L stands for Lyanna Stark, Ned Stark’s sister, who died long before the start of the series. The tale of Rhaegar’s affection for Lyanna was told by Littlefinger in this episode, followed by Sansa’s scathing comments about the supposed subsequent kidnapping and rape, although Littlefinger didn’t confirm or deny that theory, he simply smirked and carried on.

Finally, J stands for Jon Snow, meaning that, according to the theory, Jon Snow isn’t actually Ned Stark’s son at all; he’s the bastard child of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark. Without going through it too much, this makes a lot of sense and from the moment I heard about it I was sold, but the series hasn’t really made much of an effort to confirm the theory until now, other than the strange scene in the first season in which Ned refused to tell Robert who Jon’s mother was (the theory explains why he wouldn’t want to tell Robert, because Robert loved Lyanna and he wouldn’t like it if he knew that Rhaegar wasn’t actually a villainous rapist).

via theloop.ca

In this episode the writers wove this theory into the dialogue and the story beautifully, first with Stannis’ (Stephen Dillane) observation that sleeping with a woman other than his wife was very unlike Ned, second with Melisandre’s (Carice van Houten) sexual advances towards Jon (because she wanted to make another shadow baby, which requires royal blood – Targaryen and Stark would do pretty fine on that front), third with Littlefinger and Sansa’s conversation in the crypts of Winterfell, and finally with Barristan Selmy’s (Ian McElhinney) slightly out of place tale of a kind and gentle Rhaegar, who liked to sing and meet the people.

I don’t believe for a second that these comments were wasted words, rather, to me they seemed like a subtle nod from the writers to the fans, letting them know that something big is coming, and that they should all be ready. The way that the writers fit this theory into the episode really was impressive, because it wouldn’t take you out of the story if you didn’t have any idea who Rhaegar was before turning on your television, but if you do know the theory then you can appreciate the whole story right from the first episode that little bit more.

To someone casually watching the show these conversations would just seem like world-building, idle talk based around settings and the theme of leadership, yet in reality they are the beginnings of a pay-off that we’ve been waiting for since day one. The true brilliance of this episode is how the theory was worked in; how the writers winked at the audience and said ‘here we go’. That’s why I’ve taken time to spell it out, because this episode could seem completely ordinary and perhaps even lacklustre to someone who didn’t understand the bigger picture, but once you realise just how well the writers have done to not give away too much whilst also teasing their more enthusiastic fans, you see just how awesome the episode actually was.

From here on out there will only be spoilers for this episode and those that have preceded it.

via feministfiction.com

My favourite scene in this episode was Sansa and Littlefinger’s conversation in the crypts of Winterfell, not because of the theory which I’ve already mentioned, but because it gave me a better grasp of their relationship. I was slightly suspicious of Littlefinger’s motives before this episode, because no matter how nice Littlefinger is trying to be, there’s usually a good reason for his trying. For example, in episode three he told Sansa that if she didn’t want to marry Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) then she didn’t have to, he would turn their caravan around and they could go wherever she wanted to go, but he only did that to give her the confidence to make her own decision to go to Winterfell and go through with the marriage. He’s a manipulator, so it’s really hard to know what’s going on in his head.

This scene made me feel like Littlefinger actually cares for Sansa in his own disgusting and slightly perverse way. He’s a father figure to her, coaching her on the ways of the world and how to get by with the skill set she’s been given, but he also kisses her on the lips and seems to have projected his love for Catelyn (Michelle Fairley) right onto her. Despite the strange nature of his affection, it was almost sweet to see him give her a pep talk and leave her with a plan – if Stannis gets the better of the Boltons she will have the North, if he doesn’t she must make Ramsay give it to her by giving herself to him. Littlefinger always has a plan B, and I enjoyed him putting the cards on the table for Sansa before leaving her with the Boltons, even if he was perhaps doing so for the audience just as much as he was for her.

What’s interesting about this scene is that it raises a lot of questions for the future; Littlefinger is heading back to King’s Landing to deal with Cersei (Lena Headey), who could have a nasty plan for him, given how she’s been treating everyone else in her inner circle. There’s also the fact that Roose (Michael McElhatton) knows that Littlefinger is headed back to King’s Landing, and he could, should he wish, tell Cersei all about Littlefinger’s betrayal (even leaving out Sansa’s inclusion if he wanted to). If Roose did that he’d have his alliance with the Lannisters back, which is arguably a better position for him to be in than having an alliance with Littlefinger. Finally, the Faith Militant are now running around King’s Landing invading whorehouses and locking up those who go against the gods, which doesn’t spell good times for Littlefinger, especially given that the whorehouse they invaded in this episode was his.

I’m extremely worried that Littlefinger could die in the next few weeks, because everything is stacked up against him, and going back to King’s Landing could be his first strategic misstep. The fact that he told Sansa all about his plan and tried to make her feel more at ease, finally showing his softer side, only heightens this worry. It feels as though the show really wants us to become invested in the pair, which usually means something bad is going to happen to at least one of them. Littlefinger’s death would also propel Sansa forward, possibly making her even more hateful of the Boltons, and giving her the motivation she might need to overcome Ramsay. It would also give Brienne’s (Gwendoline Christie) storyline a push in the right direction (although I think the mere fact that Littlefinger won’t be at Sansa’s side will have that effect). It’s a difficult time to be a fan of Littlefinger, which I most definitely am, so let’s hope that he makes it out alive!

via momentumbooks.com.au

In King’s Landing things are heating up, and it feels like it won’t be too long until they reach boiling point. Cersei is playing her usual games and this time Loras (Finn Jones) is the one to suffer. I’m extremely interested to see what becomes of him in the future, because he’s always been a bit part player in “Game of Thrones” – he feels expendable, but at the same time he’s been around since the start of the series so if he was to go I think it would be a shame. He hasn’t really been explored as a character, and now it feels like he’s just there to act as a catalyst for Margaery (Natalie Dormer) to come to blows with Cersei, so perhaps it’s time for him to bite the dust, even if only so  that Margaery finally shows her true colours.

Over the last couple of weeks I’ve actually felt sorry for Cersei, because despite how vile a human being she is, she loves her children and she’s seeing them slip through her fingers. However, this episode changed all that, because now she’s manipulating her son just like she does everyone else, just so that she can get back at Margaery. Sending Tommen (Dean-Charles Chapman) to speak to the High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce) was a really despicable and foolish thing for Cersei to do, because it could’ve quite easily resulted in his death. I think that he did the smart thing by walking away from the Faith Militant, because if he’d told his men to attack he could’ve been caught in the ensuing melee, and he might’ve also caused a riot, due to the fact that members of the crowd behind were heckling abuse such as ‘bastard’ and ‘abomination’.

via joannahayes.wordpress.com

At The Wall, Stannis showed his love for his daughter, proving that whilst he is a stern and formidable leader, he’s also a man that can feel something for other human beings. He’s a man with pride and honour, even if he can be overly harsh and too eager to punish. I’ve never been overly keen on Stephen Dillane’s acting in the series, because I’ve often felt that he hasn’t given the character a clear voice or direction. However, Stannis has been a far more interesting character since he arrived at The Wall, so I’m starting to think that it was Stannis’ story, rather than Dillane’s acting, which was previously lacking.

With more to do at The Wall Stannis has become one of my favourite characters, and his mannerisms now make sense to me. The scene in which Stannis told Shireen (Kerry Ingram) that she belonged with him was one of the more touching moments on the series to date, and it was also very well acted, as Dillane looked intentionally awkward and avoided physically displaying his affection, standing upright and remaining cool, before finally looking his daughter in the eye and basically telling her that he loved her. The scene fit with Stannis’ character, but also displayed another dimension to him, which in turn gave me a deeper understanding of the character and will make me care about his fate in upcoming episodes.

In warmer climates, the Sand Snakes were finally introduced, and they were… disappointing. I don’t like their accents (although one of them sounded like Oberyn (Pedro Pascal), which was sort of cool), and I don’t think I’m going to like their storyline. I have to say that all in all I’m not incredibly invested in what’s going on in Dorne. I feel like Jaime has had his arc and has become a slightly miserable and lonely man, which makes me wonder what his purpose is going forward. If he died I’d be disappointed because he’s a likeable character, but I don’t know what he offers to the series going forward after this storyline has played out. There was a bit of foreboding as he talked about how he’d like to die with Bronn, which could be a sign of things to come, but it also might’ve been a tool to make the audience think that their fight scene later in the episode was potentially a fatal one.

I hope that things in Dorne get a bit more interesting in coming weeks, but for now I’m not convinced that it can live up to the already established settings which we see on the show.

via gameofthrones.wikia.com

Lastly, in Meereen the stakes were raised once more, and Daenerys is yet again facing a set-back. After having a cheerful and warm exchange with Daenerys, Barristan Selmy went into the city to be with the people. He heard a ruckus and went to investigate, finding Grey Worm (Jacob Anderson, also known by the stage name Raleigh Ritchie) in a lot of trouble, as the Sons of the Harpy surrounded him, ready to kill. Selmy killed plenty of the masked men, displaying the fighting prowess that he was known for in his younger years, and possibly saving Grey Worm’s life in the process. However, it seems like his efforts were his last, because he was stabbed and at the end of the episode he laid in a pool of his own blood, presumably dying from his wounds. Grey Worm was also injured, but it was unclear whether or not his injuries were as serious as Selmy’s, so I’m not quite sure yet if his efforts were all for nothing (although I expect not).

It was a good way for Barristan Selmy to go, because he got to show off the skills that made him who he was, and he also hopefully saved the life of a friend. I have to say that I wasn’t overly surprised by what happened, because I predicted that Selmy would die before the start of the season, but I thought it was a smart way to end what was a very dialogue heavy episode. The scene didn’t feel completely convincing to me, because given the no nonsense history of the show I don’t think that Grey Worm would’ve made it; there were points in the fight at which he was surrounded, yet only one man would go to attack him, which didn’t make a lot of sense or fit with the nature of the show. Still, it was what it was, and I’m sure some people enjoyed it.

via snapcracklewatch.com

A final point regarding Daenerys and the story at Meereen relates to Hizdahr zo Loraq (Joel Fry), who has been a recurring character on the show, and I actually like watching him quite a bit. Until now he’s not had a lot to do, because he’s basically there to convey demands to Daenerys and attempt to sway her opinion, but this episode led me to believe that he’s got a much larger role in the grand scheme of things. The way that the characters referred to him as harmless was just a bit weird, so it seems to me like he’s being set up to be the bad guy in Meereen. Somebody has to be leading the Sons of the Harpy, so perhaps it’s him – if it is then I’m on board.

I was hoping that Daario (Michiel Huisman) would be a secret villain, because he’s such a waste of a character, and I’ve never connected to him as a hero, but Hizdahr would probably be the next best thing. He’s got a real authority in his voice and looks quite scary when he’s just being normal, so I think it would be very cool to see him suddenly turn on Daenerys later on in the season. It’s also worth noting that on the trailer there’s a scene in which the Sons of the Harpy are surrounding Daenerys in what appears to be the fighting pits, and those pits are Hizdahr’s main focus right now, so perhaps that adds weight to the theory.

All in all, this was another very solid episode. There was a lot of dialogue, but that’s not a problem in my view, because I usually find the conversations between the characters much more compelling than the occasional action sequence. “Sons of the Harpy” had a lot to get through; it did very well in setting up the future of the season whilst also keeping me engaged in both the characters and the isolated plot of the episode, and it was overall a really good hour of television.

8.5/10

Game of Thrones: Season Five, Episode 2 – “The House of Black and White”

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Aidan Gillen, Alfie Allen, Arya Stark, Braavos, Brienne, Cersei Lannister, Charles Dance, Daenerys Targaryen, Dorne, Dragons, Emilia Clarke, Game of Thrones, George R R Martin, Gethin Anthony, Gwendoline Christie, Iain Glen, Iwan Rheon, John Bradley, Jon Snow, Jorah Mormont, King's Landing, Kit Harington, Lena Headey, Littlefinger, Maisie Williams, Meereen, Mossador, Ned Stark, Oberyn, Pedro Pascal, Peter Dinklage, Ramsay Bolton, Reece Noi, Renly Baratheon, Richard Madden, Robb Stark, Sansa Stark, Sean Bean, Shae, Sibel Kekilli, Sky, Stannis Baratheon, Stephen Dillane, The House of Black and White, The Wall, Tyrion Lannister, Tywin Lannister, Westeros

Season five didn’t start with the bang that most of us had hoped. It was a good premiere, because this is “Game of Thrones” and every episode is of a high quality, but the first episode didn’t really excite or intrigue as much as it could’ve done. The second episode, entitled “The House of Black and White”, disappointingly takes another step back. I didn’t hate it, and there were plenty of interesting moments to ponder, but that’s all they were – moments. We didn’t spend a prolonged period of time with any of the characters, so things felt disjointed and rushed, and it’s a massive worry for me going forward.

I’ve seen a lot of different reactions to this episode, and it seems to have gone down quite favourably, but for me it really didn’t flow, and the significant moments, while important going forward, felt slightly over the top and amateurish when considering the level of quality we’ve become accustomed to.

“The House of Black and White” was a busy episode with a lot of key scenes being crammed into a short run time. Because of this, many of the scenes felt unsatisfactory and hollow, even though they contained vital character development. Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) finally had to face the truth about her father and decide what kind of ruler she wanted to be, which will most likely shape the choices that she makes in upcoming episodes. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) was offered the opportunity of becoming Jon Stark of Winterfell, but following his decision to reject the offer, (which he is yet to reveal to Stannis (Stephen Dillane)), he was elected the 998^th Commander of the Night’s Watch.

via themarysue.com

These are hugely important plot points for the future of the series. They represent the internal struggles and identity crises that these two characters will face in the rest of the season, and provide an insight into what will be informing their decisions. Sadly, I didn’t enjoy these scenes at all, because there was no time to dwell on them or to see the characters react. The hustle and bustle of fitting everyone into an hour of television lessened the impact of what should’ve been the best moments in the episode, which has made me rethink my criticism of Arya’s (Maisie Williams) omission from episode one.

Jon Snow was thrust into the position of Commander at The Wall, which I’m sure will be exciting, but the way in which that scene was executed was so far below the calibre of this television show. It felt like a scene that you’d see in any run-of-the-mill show on Sky, not one belonging to what I consider to be the best series on television. The cliché nature of the tie-break, the way that the extras started cheering for Jon once he’d been elected, Sam’s (John Bradley) sudden surge of bravery – what a joke! When did “Game of Thrones” become a soap opera?

via wetpaint.com

I don’t want to be too harsh, because I do love this show, but I get so frustrated when episodes fall below what we know the writers are capable of. This isn’t a one-off occurrence; “Game of Thrones” is excellent and usually exudes intelligence and gravitas, but sometimes it lets itself down when there’s too much to get through in one episode.

Take last season’s finale as the prime example. The series built steadily as we saw Tyrion’s (Peter Dinklage) wrongful imprisonment, trial and subsequent trial by combat; all of this taking place over the course of six episodes. The tension was palpable as we watched the finale, hoping and praying that Tyrion would be rescued by one of his allies in King’s Landing. However, when that moment came there was no time to savour it, no time to enjoy it, because there was no time left at all.

The episode was ready to end and the story needed to be resolved, so rather than follow the story that the book set out and make sense of why Tyrion went to visit his father, the writers chose to have him do so just because he could. Tyrion strangled Shae (Sibel Kekilli) in a ridiculous way, killing her so quickly that you have to question what the writers thought throats consist of, and then killing his father by shooting him in what appeared to be the shoulder! I was glad that those things happened, but the execution was terrible and only ignored because the scene was a great pay-off at the end of a long season, a pay-off provided by the books!

The details matter; the showrunners have seemingly forgotten that since last season’s finale because everything feels very rushed, and each character is fighting desperately for their minutes in each episode. Things need to start picking up soon, because if they don’t we could see a real downward spiral for a show that has such a rich world and history backing it up.

via hollywoodtake.com

Despite my criticisms of the episode, there are still plenty of positives to take from it. Daenerys has backed herself into a corner, because she’s alienating herself from the slaves that she set free after already having upset the masters. There’s a level of hatred on either side of her now, she no longer has Jorah (Iain Glen) to advise her, and her dragons are out of control. She’s in a dangerous place with very few allies, and despite the fact that she has three dragons and the right family name, she doesn’t hold all the cards. For the first time since the series began Daenerys genuinely feels vulnerable – she could actually die! I don’t believe that that will happen yet, if it does at all, but it makes everything feel a bit more fragile, because there is a chance that someone other than Daenerys could end up taking the Iron Throne, which hasn’t really crossed my mind as a serious option before.

As I watch Daenerys I can’t help but get that sinking feeling that we all experienced with Ned (Sean Bean) and Robb (Richard Madden), because she wants to be a noble and just ruler, but she’s in a world where that really lets you down. The problem with Daenerys was summed up in this episode when she said, ‘the law is the law’. That’s a fine sentiment, but what she’s forgetting is that, as Cersei (Lena Headey) said to Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen) many moons ago, ‘power is power’. Daenerys is the law in Meereen, she’s wrong if she believes otherwise, and she doesn’t have to stick to the archaic notion of honour to rule in the right way.

She knew that executing Mossador (Reece Noi) wasn’t what would suit her cause the best, and it wasn’t what anyone else wanted, yet she proceeded to do so anyway because she thought it was the right thing to do. That’s not how it works in Westeros – the right course of action is the one that maintains your standing and secures your power, and that’s the only choice to make. Mossador really didn’t deserve to die, he did what he did in order to please Daenerys, and although he had to be punished, she could’ve shown mercy by sentencing him to something less barbaric without giving up the appearance of control.

via watchersonthewall.com

Daenerys is so desperate to separate herself from the masters and demonstrate that she’s better than them that she’s forgotten what put them in power in the first place. The masters didn’t take control by doing the right thing, they took it by making smart decisions, by being pragmatic and ruthless, using their influence wherever they could and pleasing the people who supported them. The people that matter for Daenerys are the former slaves, they’re who she needs to keep on her side because the masters are never going to accept her. Now that she’s upset them, it’s anyone’s guess what will happen next.

Another interesting scene in this episode was Brienne’s (Gwendoline Christie) back-and-forth with Sansa, in which we saw another Stark girl turn down her protection. It was fun to see Brienne attempt to explain how Renly (Gethin Anthony) died, given the extraordinary circumstances, and it was also illuminating when Littlefinger pointed out her past failures, because if you think about it Brienne is basically a death sentence for those she’s protecting.

The Stark girls chose the devils they knew over a woman supposedly on a mission to protect them; they chose to follow people that fit into this world, to learn from them and become survivors, because at the end of the day those are the kind of people that know how to play the game. Brienne doesn’t belong in Westeros. She’s a woman of honour and integrity, but that doesn’t serve you well in a world of back-stabbing, debauchery and overall ugliness. She can follow Sansa all she wants, but ‘in the game of thrones you either win or you die’, and I don’t see Brienne out-manoeuvring Littlefinger.

If I had to call it, I’d say that her time is almost up. It feels like her journey leads to her demise rather than victory, because she either has to win or return to King’s Landing, and neither seem likely. I know how I want her to go, but I have a sneaking suspicion that Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) will be her end, just because Iwan Rheon and Alfie Allen suggested that Ramsay does something horrible to a character that they haven’t worked with before halfway through this season.

via watchersonthewall.com

I’d be remised if I didn’t mention the two new additions to the series that were introduced in this episode. The first was Dorne, which we saw very briefly. I think the inclusion of the Dorne scene was simply there to introduce some of the new characters and remind everyone that Oberyn (Pedro Pascal) was killed last season, and that there will be repercussions. It wasn’t a substantial moment in the episode and I doubt that anyone will remember it in a couple of weeks, but it had a distinct aesthetic and I’m looking forward to seeing what the characters in Dorne have to offer to the series.

The second addition, the House of Black and White, was also visually impressive and got me excited straight away, even though the title of the episode gave away the fact that we’d be seeing it. I thought it looked great and I like that we’ll be seeing Arya doing her thing in a brand new place. Her short time on screen was slightly lacklustre, but her story has a lot of potential moving forward.

Overall this was a disappointing episode. It lacked the quality that I expect from “Game of Thrones”, and too many revelations were shoved into a short period of time, ruining any impact they might’ve had and giving the whole episode a hurried feeling. I hope that things become more careful and considered in the future, but I am concerned because it seems like the number of episodes in each season is becoming a real limitation for the writers. Nevertheless, saying that this was a disappointing episode of “Game of Thrones” isn’t saying that it was a terrible piece of television, so while it didn’t meet the standards I expect, it wasn’t awful in the grand scheme of things.

5.5/10

Game of Thrones: Season Five Preview

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A Song of Ice and Fire, Aidan Gillen, Alfie Allen, Arya Stark, Bran Stark, Bravos, Carice van Houten, Cersei Lannister, Daario Naharis, Daenerys Targaryen, Dorne, Dragons, Drogon, Emilia Clarke, Fantasy, Game of Thrones, George R R Martin, Gladiator, Hannibal, Iain Glen, Ian McElhinney, Isaac Hempstead-Wright, Iwan Rheon, Jamie Lannister, Jaqen H'ghar, Jon Snow, King's Landing, Kit Harington, Littlefinger, Lord of the Rings, Maisie Williams, Mark Addy, Meereen, Melisandre, Michiel Huisman, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Peter Dinklage, Pixels, Ramsay Bolton, Robert Baratheon, Rory McCann, Sansa Stark, Ser Barristan Selmy, Sophie Turner, Stannis Baratheon, Stephen Dillane, Telltale Games, Terminator Genisys, The Hound, Theon Greyjoy, Tom Wlaschiha, True Detective, Tyrion Lannister, Westeros, Winterfell

via comicbook.com

“Game of Thrones” is the best thing on television –hands down, no competition. I love “Hannibal”, and “True Detective” was awesome last year, but “Game of Thrones” has consistently entertained and maintained its quality over four fantastic seasons. The other two shows are early in their life cycles, and the first season of “Hannibal” was very lacklustre, so neither show has shown that they are at the same level as the greatest fantasy epic of our time. “Game of Thrones” scratches an itch for fantasy that many of us have, and it has also made the genre mainstream, bringing people who are otherwise indifferent to dragons and magic a sense of wonder that they haven’t felt since “The Lord of the Rings”. With the fifth season fast approaching, and set to catch up the book (overtaking it as far as certain characters are concerned), things are about to get very interesting, and I really can’t see the showrunners making a misstep.

All of the protagonists are at interesting points in their respective journeys, and I am genuinely excited to see where the characters end up. Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is still at The Wall, no surprise there, but instead of simply plodding around and fulfilling his duties, he now has to try to keep peace between the Wildlings and Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), whilst also fending off the White Walkers and probably Melisandre (Carice van Houten). I hope that his story catches up with the books by the time the season is over, because frankly I want to know what happens next, and if it does get to the point that Martin’s books are at then his arc in this season could be one of the best.

via collider.com

Arya (Maisie Williams) is heading towards Bravos, hoping to reunite with Jaqen H’ghar (Tom Wlaschiha), because she has no one else to turn to. Her skill set will fit in nicely in Bravos and her story has the potential to be very entertaining. What I like about where Arya is headed is that it means that the version of Westeros that the show has built will become more diverse and fleshed out, because we haven’t seen much of Bravos in previous seasons. I don’t know whether or not Arya’s storyline will follow the books exactly, but if it does it could be quite cool. I’m not overly keen on her storyline, and I think it will take time to adjust now that she’s left The Hound (Rory McCann) behind, but the show has the license to change things up a bit and make it more exciting.

Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) is in a great place this season, as we should expect given that he’s such a brilliant character – he could be heading for the land of mathematics and I’d still be expectant! Last season belonged to Tyrion, Peter Dinklage is amazing in the role and he lights up the screen whenever he’s on it, so what could possibly go wrong?

via gameofthrones.wikia.com

This time around Tyrion is on a literal journey, rather than an emotional one, and his character has learned a thing or two about the world, having to adapt and become more vicious than he was before. Previously he has been able to get by on the back of ruthless pragmatism and intellect, but now he’s had to act and become like everyone else, so it will be interesting to see how he copes with what he’s done. He’s no longer commenting on the Game of Thrones with disdain, he’s having to play, which is fantastic news for everyone but him. From the trailer we have some kind of idea where he is headed, and if he gets there by the end of this season I think I might wet myself. Seeing Tyrion and Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) in the same scene is something that I’ve been waiting for since the series began, so fingers crossed that it finally happens, but the intrigue within his journey will be more than worth tuning in for anyway.

Daenerys’ story plateaued last season, because the show had to get everyone else’s stories moving along while she stayed in the same place. Because everyone else had to develop, and Tyrion had to leave King’s Landing, she couldn’t gallivant around Westeros, she had to stay in Meereen. That’s fine with me because it makes sense for the character; she’s the good guy after all, everyone wants her to take the Iron Throne and save the world! To do that she can’t just use her dragons and her Unsullied army to become a conqueror. She isn’t Robert Baratheon (Mark Addy), she knows that the throne isn’t the end game – there’s more to leadership than brute force. You can seize power with fire and blood, but to lead you need tact and experience. Therefore, she needs to learn what it is to be a queen, and that’s what her story is all about right now.

This time around things will hopefully be more entertaining, because Daenerys has enemies and if the show follows the book then we’ll see her make a lot of difficult decisions that will ultimately shape who she is going forward. I’m happy for her to take her time as long as she develops as a character and becomes the person that we all want to her to be. The only issue I have with the story in Meereen is that Daario Naharis (Michiel Huisman) is a waste of a character and takes time out of the show, but I’ll have to stomach his inclusion to enjoy everything else.

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One of the more interesting things about Daenerys in this season won’t be what she actually does, it will be what happens in the fighting pits. I don’t think that mentioning them is a spoiler because again they appear on the trailer, and they look awesome. I want to see violence and bloodshed and I also want to see how Daenerys reacts to it. There’s also the small issue of Jorah (Iain Glen) attempting to win back his place in Daenerys’ heart (and her bed, but we all know that won’t happen). I can see a “Gladiator” type journey for him on the horizon, and I think that he’ll definitely find himself in the fighting pits during the season, and ultimately back at Daenerys’ side. I could also see that spelling the end for Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney), but I think that Daario will stick around for a while. There have to be a few deaths in the season and I think that at least some of them will be within Daenerys’ group.

Just as a side note, my dream scenario for Daenerys is that she makes it all the way to King’s Landing and is about to take the throne, but just before her victory Jorah slits her throat for all the times she’s rejected him. I think that Jorah will still have connections and that anyone that wants Daenerys dead in King’s Landing could definitely try and sway him to betray her. I really hope something like that happens because although I like Daenerys, I think it would be far too obvious for her to win in this story. She can’t survive if she doesn’t become queen, because in the Game of Thrones you really do either win or die, and I think it would be too easy if she got the victory.

There are plenty more characters that I could spend time digging in to, particularly Sansa (Sophie Turner), Littlefinger (Aidan Gillen), and Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), but I’m not quite sure what will happen to them and I don’t have a bundle of ideas. That makes it all the more exciting to find out where they go in this season, so I have no complaints, but I don’t want to waste time on a guessing game.

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Again, a dream scenario for Sansa and Littlefinger would be that they get to Winterfell (because it looks like that’s where they’re going in the trailer) and from there they meet Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) head on (because that’s where he’s headed also if you think back to last season). In my mind Theon (Alfie Allen), a.k.a. Reek, sees Sansa and remembers who he once was, flays Ramsay alive and returns the favour below the belt. I don’t think that’s what will happen, because it doesn’t make sense of what goes on in the books, but you never know!

Jamie is headed for Dorne, you can see that in the trailer if you’re watching carefully enough, and he’ll probably get himself mixed up with the Martells. I’m not sure if I think that he’ll have a good season, but just like with Arya, I’m happy that the series is heading to a new part of Westeros and I am enthusiastic for what is to come.

I don’t see how these character arcs wouldn’t excite a fan of the show, so I really don’t think that “Game of Thrones” will take a backward step. The acting is of such a high standard, the writing is brilliant, and it just looks awesome. Everything about it fills me with glee and leaves me jumping for joy at its impending return to our screens. There’s an added bonus in that we aren’t going to see much of Bran (Isaac Hempstead-Wright), and Drogon is lurking on the periphery, promising to return in a blaze of glory. There’s nothing quite like this show, it’s amazing, it’s pure gold, and I love it with all my heart.