Sunday, April 21, 2019

Discussing Game of Thrones: Winterfell

* Spoilers ahead if you haven’t seen “Winterfell”

GAME OF THRONES IS BACK—WOOHOO! Well, it came back a week ago and the second episode just aired, but me being me and always running behind recapping, here I am running behind recapping the final season hahaha.

The Opening Credits Get a Makeover

Yup— there's now a hole in the Wall where the Night King and ice dragon Viserion blasted through at the end of Season 7. We also see super detailed renderings of Winterfell and King's Landing, including interior locations like Winterfell's Great Hall and crypt.

If This Seems Familiar . . . .

This episode features a lot of callbacks to the very first episode of the show, including this first scene of the Season 8 premiere. Instead of Robert Baratheon, Cersei, and their entourage rolling into Winterfell, we have Jon, Daenerys, Tyrion, Varys, et al arriving as the very wary Northerners look on. It's an incredibly impactful scene. Who would've thought we'd see Tyrion and the Hound return to Winterfell?

So many things have changed since the pilot episode—here stands Sansa as the Lady of Winterfell. Arya has done a lot of "needlework." And Bran has turned into a robot. There have been some awesome Bran Stare memes going around since last week. It's like, no matter where you go, you turn around, and there's Bran, staring creepily at you.

It's Really Cold Up Here

Daenerys quickly learns how cold it is up North, from Sansa's icy reception to another scene-stealing speech by Lyanna Mormont in the Great Hall. There was some great side-eye going on between Sansa and Daenerys throughout the episode as well that I'm sure somebody has already created a montage of and posted on YouTube. But Daenerys can also throw shade, and she gets in some fiery one-liners that make it clear who the Queen is, even in the North.

BEST REUNION EVER!

Jon is in the Godswood, and suddenly so is Arya! This was my favorite scene of the episode, and such a long time in the making. There's a bit of a chill to the scene, though, too, when Arya actually sticks up for Sansa and reminds Jon not to forget about family.

But What About the Elephants?

We now check in on the happenings in King's Landing, where Qyburn informs Cersei that the White Walkers have broken through the Wall. Her response? "Good." Her concern for Westeros is truly touching.

Ugh . . . Euron is back. And he's brought the sellsword Golden Company with him. Cersei is very much disappointed that they do not have elephants, thus sparking another GoT meme.

That F**king Family

Qyburn interrupts Bronn at a rather inopportune moment with a job offer from Cersei—to kill Tyrion and Jaime. With a crossbow, of course. Bronn has always done what's best for Bronn and he's never pretended to be other than a sellsword, so it'll be interesting to see how this story line turns out.

Rescue Redux

Yara is still Euron's prisoner, but not for much longer! Theon, who jumped overboard during the battle with Euron, has returned to rescue his sister! Yara's first reaction once cut free is to headbutt Theon. With that over and done with, they discuss their next move, which is to return to the Iron Islands, where the White Walkers can't reach. Yara senses, however, that Theon wants to go fight for the Starks, and she lets him take leave.

When Your Dragons Don't Approve of Your BF

Back in the North, Jon goes flying around on Rhaegal in a pretty impressive CGI sequence. Or more like Rhaegal lets Jon fly around because he's really a Targaryen. The best part of this scene, though, is the closeup of Drogon giving Jon a look that says, "If you ever hurt my mom, I'm going to barbecue your brooding little face off."

Arya Reunites with Her Old Crew. Sort Of.

Gendry is making a mean looking axe for the Hound when Arya walks in. The Hound is like, you left me to die, and Arya is like, first I robbed you. Man, Arya's as sharp with her words as she is with her sword. She asks Gendry to make a weapon for her, and I'm still trying to figure out what that drawing is supposed to be?

Where's Your Crown, Jon?

Sansa shares the news with Jon that House Glover will be sitting tight instead of assembling at Winterfell like the other Northern houses. She's upset that after rallying the North, he's abandoned his crown to Daenerys. Sansa straight out asks him if he bent the knee to save the North from the White Walkers, or because he loves Daenerys. Fortunately, he's spared from answering that question by cutting to . . . .

Sam Gets Bad News. REALLY Bad News.

Daenerys and Jorah surprise Sam with a visit so she can thank Sam for curing Jorah's greyscale. A flustered Sam mentions that he might need a pardon for borrowing a few books from the Citadel's library and also for swiping his father's sword. When Daenerys finds out who Sam's father is, or rather, was, the truth comes out that Randyll Tarly wouldn't bend the knee, and so he was executed. A shaken Sam tries to make the best of the news and says at least he can go home now where his brother will be lord . . . . Oh wait. Dickon Tarly stood with his father and was toasted, too. Yikes!

Poor Sam asks for a moment and flees outside to collect himself only to be met with a Bran Stare. Bran says it's time to tell Jon the truth about his parentage, and Sam, Jon's BFF, must be the one to do it. Wow does Sam's life suck in this episode.

Jon Snow, These Are Your Real Parents

The ever dutiful Samwell meets Jon down in the crypt, where of course the camera can zoom in on the tombs of Ned, who Jon thought was his father, and Lyanna, whom Jon is about to find out is really his mother. But first Sam asks Jon if he knew what Daenerys did to Sam's father and brother. Awkward.

Those Artistic White Walkers

It's Tormund and Beric! They survived the collapse of the Wall! Who's that around the corner? Dolorous Edd survived, too! Best exchange of the episode, even more than Arya and the Hound's and Sansa and Daenerys's salty little convo about what dragons eat, was Edd yelling that Tormund had been turned because his eyes were blue, and Tormund screaming back that he's always had blue eyes. I'm still chuckling at that!

Not so funny: the discovery of little Lord Ned Umber's body at Last Hearth. Early on in the episode, Sansa had sent him home to gather everyone and bring them to Winterfell. The White Walkers have left another one of their freaky messages. Even less funny: when Ned's eyes suddenly open and they're the blue Edd was afraid of. It's flame on for Beric's sword.

Don't They Check IDs at the Gate?

Back at Winterfell, there's a hooded figure approaching. Of course it's Jaime, and of course there's a Bran Stare waiting for him, too!

In the Next Episode

Jaime looks rather uncomfortable standing before the assembled crowd in the Great Hall. More side-eye. The White Walkers are about to knock on Winterfell's door.

2 comments:

  1. They really should check IDs at the gate. They’re just letting everybody in there. I’m scared for episode 3. I have a feeling that my favorites are going to die.

    Aj @ Read All The Things!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have the same feeling! :( Episode 2 seemed all about giving the characters who are left a spotlight, probably because a lot of them are going to die next week.

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