The North Remembers... and so does Trollheart - Revisiting Game of Thrones

[Trollheart]

Revisiting


And so our Watch begins again. Well, mine does: you're more than likely just reading, though you're welcome to watch along with me. No? Suit yourself. As everyone who hasn't been hiding under a rock over the last ten years will know, this series not only became one of the most popular on television - ever - but is credited with revitalising the fantasy genre. Fantasy has always been seen, rather like science fiction, as a kids' thing: wizards, dragons, princesses, knights, magic. You can understand why. Fantasy presents us with the kind of worlds that, while as children we love(d), as adults many of us are likely to shrug and say "impossible, couldn't happen" and move on. This is, or was, reflected in the very small amount of fantasy shows broadcast on television up to the advent of the phenomenon we know know as Game of Thrones. Leaving aside anthology shows and animated ones, fantasy as a genre survived mostly in the guise of Buffy and its spinoff Angel, and prior to that, the likes of Xena: Warrior Princess and its stablemate, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys. While the former may have attracted male adult viewers for very different reasons, neither of these shows were really what could be called "serious" fantasy. The vampire genre had become popular with shows like Vampire Diaries, Forever Knight and True Blood all earning their share, but again these were a specific genre, and can't be compared to George R.R. Martin's grim view of the, um, past. Sort of.

Other than shows linked to either King Arthur or Robin Hood, magic survived in shows such as Charmed, Supernatural and maybe Being Human, all of which more or less stuck to tropes and roles pertaining to monsters and demons. But none of these shows - though many were feted and won awards - were really seen as the sort of thing adults, or at least, adults not into fantasy could or would watch. You were a fan of Buffy, Charmed, Merlin, Robin of Sherwood etc., or you were not.

But Game of Thrones changed all that. Why? Not really sure, but I think it had to do with the earthiness and "real" nature of it, the fact that people spoke "normally" in it - no real convuluted or archaic language, no thees and thous, and of course plenty of curses and so forth, as well as the openly violent and blatantly sexual nature of it. On the face of it, GOT should have been a daunting prospect for those not into fantasy. It's complicated, has a cast of hundreds and it's hard to keep all the families and Houses straight in your head from one episode, never mind season, to another. Loyalties shift and change, wars are won and lost, and people change sides. Also, having so many characters means that they're not always all in one episode, and people vanish and reappear, making it necessary to remind yourself who they are. It was, basically, a show you had to watch, and could not miss an episode or something significant might happen, things might change entirely and you'd be lost coming back in. So you had to dedicate yourself to watching it.

And people did.

People who would probably be happier watching the snooker or World's Greatest Insert Thing Here, sat down and watched it. Because really, I guess when it comes right down to it, GOT has two great pillars upon which it's built its fanbase: excellent, thoughtful, clever writing that always leaves you guessing and is forever ready with a new twist you didn't see coming, and action. Lots of action. Nobody wants to watch a show where people gather around a table and discuss stuff. Well, they will, but they'll get bored and want to see people fight. And while some episodes of GOT were a little slow, no doubt about that, most of them were packed with action. Battles, fights, bedroom scenes, rivalries, ships, horses, tournaments, none in short supply.

Oh, and dragons too. GOT had dragons.

These creatures are, it would probably be fair to say, the poster creatures of fantasy. Though they survive today in heraldry and various logos, and in role-playing games, they never existed. Never could have. So they are absolute bearers of the fantasy world, and GOT rides completely (metaphorically and also sometimes literally) on their backs. So you can't say to yourself you're not watching a fantasy series. At some times, it may seem almost like a historical one, similar to the plays by Shakespeare put on by the BBC, but eventually you will hear of - or hear - dragons, and there's no getting away from that. So you do have to admit that, even if it's not the sort of show you normally watch, GOT is a fantasy one. And you're watching it. Hey, you may be watching it for blood, or t&a, or whatever reason you decide, but as someone not interested in fantasy, you realise you've been sucked into a fantasy show.

And it's good.
It's better than good. It's great. It's addictive.

And so almost single-handedly, GOT became not only the go-to show for fantasy on television, leading to other pretenders to its crown gaining popularity, but a main topic of conversation in factories, pubs, offices and schools. I won't say everyone watched it, but in a very real way, almost everyone was talking about it, or hearing about it.

I of course was a fan from day one, and while I assume most of us have seen the show, I wanted to do the same sort of thing as my Star Trek retrospectives with Game of Thrones, so that's what I propose to do here. No reviews, just observations, notes, points of interest and of course many categorical lists, as ever. Happy to have comments as always, or just at least hope you'll read. Naturally, if you haven't seen the show and intend to, do be aware there will be spoilers galore here, and in a show like Game of Thrones, spoilers really do what they say on the tin: they spoil the show for you. So if that's you, maybe avoid this journal at least until you've seen the show itself.

As for the rest of you, who will declare for me? Will my bannermen ride with me to death and glory and... no? Not even one of you? I see. Well, maybe I'll just stay here in the Citadel and write about it, eh? Don't blame me when the White Walkers come for you and your children though.

Come on! Nobody will crown me King in the North? You at the back there, thought I saw you raise your hand... no? How about King in the Northeast? No? King of my town? King of my street? King of my garden, now I can't say fairer than that, can I? Hmm. I see. Very well, you leave me no choice., Maester, send a raven to - what do you mean, we've no more ravens? I told you not to put them in with the direwolves! Ah, by the old gods and the new, I'm surrounded by incompetents! Look, let's just get this thing started, before it gets more embarrassing than it already is.

[Trollheart]

Episode title: "Winter is Coming"
Season: 1
Basic plot: The men of the Night's Watch come across White Walkers but nobody believes the survivor. The Hand of the King dies, and Daenerys Stormborn, last living daughter of the Mad King, is sold into basic slavery in order that her brother gain the support of the Dothraki in his attempt to take back the Iron Throne.
Importance: 10
Crisis point(s) if any: Ned Stark reluctantly takes up the position of Hand of the King, which will soon lead to his own downfall and death; Daenerys is married to Khal Drogo, which will have such far-reaching consequences for Westeros; the White Walkers appear. Oh, and Bran is pushed to almost his death by Jamie, but fuck him, I never liked him. Still, this too will lead to a huge twist in the story.
Original transmission date: April 17 2011
Writer(s): David Benioff, D.B. Weiss
Director: Tim Van Patten
Main character(s): Lord Eddard "Ned" Stark, Lady Caitlin Stark, Robb Stark, Bran Stark, Arya Stark, Sansa Stark, Jon Snow, Theon Greyjoy, Jamie Lannister, Cersei Lannister, Tyrion Lannister, Daenerys Targaryen, Viserys Targaryen, Khal Dhogo
Supporting character(s): Maester Luwin, King Robert Baratheon, Joffrey Baratheon, Benjen Stark, Tommen Baratheon, Ser Jorah Mormont, The Hound, Magister Illyria
Royals: 3 (King Robert Baratheon, his Queen Cersei Baratheon (nee Lannnister) and Khal Drogo
Nobles: 2 (Ser Jorah Mormont; Ser Jamie Lannister)
Houses represented: Baratheon, Greyjoy, Stark, Lannister, Targaryen, Mormont
Sex scenes: 4 (1 in a brothel, 1 between Jamie and Cersei, 1 at the Dothraki wedding, 1 between Daenerys and Khal Drogo)
Violence index: 5
Battles: 1
Deaths: 5

Locations:

Westeros
The Wall
Castle Black
The Forest

Winterfell
Winterfell
The Godswood
Execution spot


King's Landing
The Red Keep

Essos[/u]

Pentos
Magister Illyrio's House
Wedding ceremony
Cliffs

Bodycount

(Note: as in my Star Trek efforts, bodycount only refers to deaths seen on the screen (or mentioned by name) and ones I can count. So in a big battle, or destruction of a city, or whatever, when there's a bunch of people killed, they won't be counted. Got to place some limits on this!)

(Note 2: The three categories below may not be self-explanatory, so: historical refers to deaths which occurred before the episode and are mentioned after ("The ruler of Pentos had died", etc); incidental refers to deaths not involving any of the main characters (think maybe a bunch of rapers or wildlings torching a town - as long as counts are issued) and direct, well, speaks for itself doesn't it?)

Historical
1 (John Arynn)
Incidental
3 (2 Rangers killed by the White Walkers; 1 Dothraki killed at wedding feast)
Direct
1 (Will, surviving Ranger, executed by Ned Stark)
Total: 5
Running total: 5

Combat factor: 3
Cities/Castles/City-states: Pentos; King's Landing; Winterfell
Kingdoms: The North; The Crownlands
Humour: 4
Episode rating: 10/10

The Wall

I don't know if it's deliberate, but if not it's still very effective, that the very first scene shows the gate of Castle Black raising  and opening, like a huge black curtain rising on the first episode of this phenomenal show. Perhaps also significant that the first characters we meet - though we won't be having their acquaintance for long! - are part of the last line of defence that hold back the horrors beyond the Wall, and who will play such a massive part in the battle that is to come. The next thing we see is fire, and very shortly afterwards, ice, lending the title of the books upon which this is based, A Song of Ice and Fire to the show. Minus the song part, of course.
 
One thing you can say - among the many things you can say about Game of Thrones is that it is almost entirely unremittingly dark, and that feeling is impressed upon you from the first scene, as the Watch ride through dark tunnels towards the gate. Then, like The Empire Strikes Back, blinding white light hits you as they emerge into the snowy wastes outside the Wall, though the cinematography and direction are so clever here that the sudden brightness is not what takes your attention so much as the way the camera pulls back to show how fucking huge the Wall is, and how tiny and insignificant the men are. If anything were to be seen as a metaphor for a miniscule band holding back a massive tide, and how doomed their mission is, this is it. They're like ants, vainly trying to guard their anthill, awaiting the clump of the big boot that will squash it.

Another thing that impresses you is the almost total absence of sound for several minutes. Nobody speaks until three minutes in, and it's up to you at the beginning to decide if this is because they don't like each other, can't speak, have taken a vow of silence, are afraid or have been ordered to keep silent, or a mixture of these? Turns out of course it's a mixture of fear and alertness; when you go out into the Wilding Forest there's no use for senseless chatter; each man must be on his guard totally and each man knows the slightest lapse in concentration could be the end of them all. So they sit grimly on their horses as they exit the fort, and speak not. There's little in the way of music either, the soundtrack provided mostly by the clop of the horses' hooves and the sighing of the wind, the breathing of the men and maybe the odd peal of a bell. Very spooky.

When things do begin to happen, we're very quickly made aware this is not going to be a kids' show. For those of us, like me, who had never read the books, this pretty soon represents itself as a show which will not shy from serious ultra-violence, as we see dismembered body parts, heads on spikes, and a child crucified to a tree. Then we watch one man have his head sliced off, the head then thrown at another. There's no cutting away, no fading out: here, violence is a part of everyday life, and the censor can keep his nose out unless he wants it chopped off. It's scary as shit when Will, the surviving Ranger, sees the child he just recently saw nailed to a tree come back to life, with ghastly blue eyes and blood around her lips. Talk about the undead! Hey, isn't that child very like one of the Children of the Forest, whom we meet much later in the series? Meh, seen one crucified little girl, seen 'em all I guess.

I find it cool too that none of these Rangers are named. They don't talk to each other much, and when they do they don't use names. It's only when Will gets away we find out what his name is. Whether this is to show us these are not people we should be getting attached to, or whether the men of the Night's Watch don't tend to bandy names around, particularly beyond the Wall, is not made clear, though I think they're named in the books.

The frozen bleakness of the (true) north is demonstrated very well here. Everything is white, covered in snow and ice, the trees look as brittle as the bones of someone with osteoporosis, and the complete silence - no birds, no animals, hardly even a breath of wind - makes the forest seem both dangerous and alien. It's pretty clear that there are few men who would set foot on this ground, who would venture beyond Castle Black, if it were their choice. It also serves as a reminder how posting to the Watch is a punishment; it's damned cold up here, and not at all friendly. It's not the sort of place you come to willingly. It looks harsh and unforgiving, freezing and wild, and totally and utterly desolate.

Mind you, I don't think it's explained how Will gets away. The White Walker has him at its mercy, in fact cuts off the head of his fellow brother and throws it at him. Surely it would then have taken him? Perhaps he was allowed to escape as a warning, someone to bring the news that the White Walkers had been sighted, and were on the march, and that Westeros should fear their coming?

Winterfell[/u]

The scene switches to Winterfell, and we can see that Arya already has little interest in being a lady, while her sister Sansa is dug into her embroidery. We learn that Ned Stark is lord here, and it is his duty to punish deserters. We've seen why this guy ran - who wouldn't run from the dead? But nobody will believe him, yet, and there's only one punishment for desertion. First use of the phrase "Winter is coming", and we learn later that's a bigger deal than it would be for you or I, as this is not Earth, and on this planet (known only as Westeros, though there are other parts of it) winter lasts years, not months. Ned lives his life by the maxim "the man who passes the sentence should swing the sword", meaning essentially he does his own dirty work. Given what's coming to him before the end of the season, this is slightly ironic, but then, that's his job. Nobody believes in White Walkers, though they have no choice eventually.

There's a question too as to what happens to Will's body after he's been executed? Supposedly it goes back to his family, but then, don't the Watch forswear their family when they join or are forced to join? I doubt they'll want it back in Castle Black. On the way back they pick up their Direwolf puppies; these animals are to have a big impact on the family, becoming not only their pets but their guardians, one bringing immense sorrow, one great joy. Direwolves are basically wolves aren't they, but Martin likes to call things differently, so they don't seem ordinary. The dead stag is obviously a sly foreshadowing of the death of the king, soon to come, though at this point we don't know this yet. We learn of Ned Stark's devotion to the old forest gods, and that in this land messages are transmitted by ravens.

It's one of these that brings the news both of the death of John Arynn, whom we learn was "like a father" to Ned, and the imminent arrival of the king, who turns out to be a loud, boorish, fat, indulgent slob, who prefers hunting and whoring and drinking more than doing the sort of things kings are supposed to do. As well as, presumably, hunting, whoring and drinking. He's also an old friend of Ned's - they fought together against the Mad King, of whom we will be hearing a lot more - and now he wants the Lord of Winterfell to take up the vacant position of Hand of the King, basically his enforcer. Ned's not keen, but when the king asks, he ain't asking, he's telling, or even commanding. The arrival of the king also gives us our first glimpse of that little sick bastard Joffrey, and the Hound. He didn't keep that helm long, did he? Forgot he ever wore it. Almost looks more like something a Stark would wear.

There is, at this point, only mention of "The Imp", Cersei and Jamie's brother, Tyrion, who will become such a pivotal character in the whole story. When we meet him we see why he has been given this appellation: he's a dwarf, and yet we'll find he is one of the most intelligent men in all the seven kingdoms. We also learn that the king had been in love with Ned's sister, who died. Sansa preparing to marry Joffrey. Oh dear. We all know where that's going to go, and how the whole thing is going to change her as a person. Man she's a wet fish at first though, isn't she? You just want to give her a slap and say wake the fuck up girl. And then there's the unusual friendship between Tyrion and John Snow, Cersei a cold shark sizing up Sansa with the eyes of an ice queen, seeing nothing more in her than a consort for her son, and my god how young everyone is! We discover Jon is a bastard, taken in by Ned, and given the name Snow instead of Stark (later we learn all bastards born in the north are called Snow, though we only meet one other, and he is a real bastard!) and perhaps it's this, combined with his own father's contempt for him, that attracts Tyrion to him: two bastards (though he's not technically one, he may as well be as far as Tywin is concerned. And Cersei) banding together. And when Jon declares his intention to go to the Wall and join the Night's Watch, Tyrion decides it would be fun to accompany him.

We start to get hints as to Cersei's true nature when she blatantly asks Sansa if she's had her first period yet (though she's even more blunt about it - "Have you bled yet?") and we can also see the cold looks she gives her husband the king, who is making no secret of the fact that he is being unfaithful to her, carrying on with wenches and serving girls. This is the first time Cersei uses her "pet name" for Sansa, which will become a term of contempt: little dove. First mention of the Eyrie and the Vale, and the accusation by Cait's sister that her husband, John Arynn, was murdered by the Lannisters. Honestly, shows what I know, but Jamie looked so kind and gentle that when he opens the window to Bran I felt sure he was going to lift him off the ledge and take him inside. So it's quite a shock when he pushes him off, grinning "The things I do for love!" Hey, Jamie: I don't think that's what 10cc had in mind!

King's Landing

You know, this is going to sound stupid, but I had not realised Cersei was queen twice; here she's married to King Robert, and when he dies well she's no longer queen of course, but later on she becomes queen in her own right. I have to say, when we first see the Silent Sisters, they look as if they're protesting! Walking slowly around the corpse of John Arynn and seeming to hold placards! "Better working conditions for Silent Sisters!" and "Death Needs a Day Off!" Hilarious. Which of course, it's far from, as this is the late Hand of the King lying on the slab, and in the episode this is the first time we meet brother and sister Cersei and Jamie Lannister, whom we will later find out are somewhat closer than most siblings would be!

Pentos[/u]


Amazing to see how docile and submissive Daenerys was at first, and hilarious to hear her brother refer to his getting angry at her as "waking the dragon", when this is literally what she is going to do later. We are left in no doubt as to how callous Viserys is, ready to quite literally sell his sister, whom we assume to be a virgin at this point, in order to secure his kingdom. Nevertheless, his coldness can't mask the fact that he's a knob, although of course at this point we all know what's going to happen to him, and no man deserves it more. As she enters the bath, it's almost Venus on the Half-Shell reversed, and though at this point we don't realise it, her being able to stand such heat (her attendant tells her the bath is too hot, but she ignores her) is highly significant, as Daenerys will become known, among other things, as the Unburned. Definite sense of a bit of the old incest going on there when Viseyrs strips her and paws at her boobs, dirty bastard. Then again, she has to be a virgin to get him the right price, so maybe not. I'm sure he's thought of it though. This scene, and the one in the brothel with Tyrion, does a good job of showing us why this was shown on HBO: no shying from nudity here. This will of course become one of the hallmarks of the series, and lead to others doing the same thing.

Enter the Dothraki, and we meet Khal Drogo, prince of the riders of the sea of grass (basically these guys are the Riders of Rohan, aren't they George? Oh now, you know they are!) and already we've chosen sides: the poor, innocent blonde girl being forced into marrying the rough savage by her ambitious and unprincipled brother: I mean, who would you choose? So I don't think anyone felt sorry for him when he, ah, got his crown of gold. It is funny when he prophesises "When they write about my reign, they will say it started today." BZZZZ! Wrong! We see how "savage" the Dothraki are, as they cavort and couple in public, one challenging the other over a woman, a fight breaking out and one killing the other. We're told "a Dothraki wedding without at least three deaths is considered a dull affair." Indeed. Reminds me of Vikings, or Klingons. Or Shamrock Rovers playing away. Enter Ser Jorah, who will be Daenerys's helper, companion, protector and soulmate throughout the series, her only real link to home, wherever her travels take her.

Also here is the first appearance of dragon's eggs, which as we all know will be crucial in Daenerys's rise to becoming both Khaleesi and Mother of Dragons. Her walk towards Drogo, just prior to their, ah, consummating the marriage, is less like a walk down the aisle at this point and more closely resembles Cersei's later walk of shame under the watchful eye of the High Sparrow, and basically all of King's Landing. All that's missing is yer wan walking behind her with the bell groaning "Shame! Shame!" It's significant, too, how as Drogo takes her virginity, the sun is going down; it's like the sun is setting on her old life, and the morning will see her reborn as someone and something entirely different. Okay that's an exaggeration but you know what I mean. Fairly soon, she will begin to accept her new position, ditch her brother and become one of the most powerful women in the kingdom. And it all starts here, in pain and shame, with the throaty growl of the surf beyond the cliffs no doubt mingling with the gruff snort of her new husband as he takes her, and drowning out her own piteous cries. Not much into foreplay, these Dothraki, are they? Just like to get right down to it, no messing.

In the end (no pun intended, Daeny!)  you can see this is not going to be your run-of-the-mill show. In the closing moments, you have the rape of a virgin, a brother and sister fucking each other, and the seeming death of a child. Merlin this ain't!