Actually the more I think about it, it's the absence of the Dire Wolves that is the real travesty thus far. Particularly since the relationships between Bran and Summer and Jon and Ghost are so central to their subsequent stories. One could probably live without seeing too much more of Robb's wolf, but the other two wolves, and particularly Summer, are crucial.
Actually the more I think about it, it's the absence of the Dire Wolves that is the real travesty thus far. Particularly since the relationships between Bran and Summer and Jon and Ghost are so central to their subsequent stories. One could probably live without seeing too much more of Robb's wolf, but the other two wolves, and particularly Summer, are crucial.
That matte (or whatever) of the Vale behind Tyrion in the cell looked terrible. I've never been a huge fan of the concept of the Aerie (not really practical, I think), and that didn't help sell it.
I liked the scene with Arya and Syrio, since it will drive home
Syrio toying with Arya versus showing his true skill
.
Loved Bronn's shrugs at Tyrion. I wish it were telegraphed more that Tyrion pretty much planned the whole thing. I don't suppose it matters though, as long as it shows Tyrion's intelligence. Also, I would have liked to see more of Catelyn's face-palming at Tyrion playing her sister so well. Catelyn isn't exactly stupid, and it would have been nice to acknowledge that.
Ending on Dany was a weak way to end the episode. The scene itself has too much resolution to move forward into the next episode. It would have been a great penultimate scene though. Great acting all around, just not where I would have ended it.
The scene where Robert hits Cersei is one of my favorite scenes in the entire book. Not so much the actual hitting, but afterward when he says it wasn't a kingly thing to do. Every time I read that part of the book, my immediate thought is "No, but it's a human thing to do." It says more about Robert's state of mind than all his grumbling - he's caged, he's lashing out, he truly hates the Lannisters and takes it out on Cersei. Robert isn't truly a king, he's a warrior that sacrificed himself so the kingdom would survive, and now he feels dead inside. So he goes hunting, trying to recapture that feeling of being himself.
Yes, pure gold has a melting point in the range of 1000 °C (1064 according to Wikipedia). However, those could have been some sort of gold alloy. Something like tin or zinc could lower the melting point significantly, possibly into the campfire range depending on purity. So it's possible Drogo just liked cheap stuff.
Personally, this was my favorite episode to date. A lot of action, and Tyrion's confession had me in stitches. I even thought that the girl playing Daenarys, whom I've been ambivalent to, did a pretty good job here. Ned's epiphany was well played, and even though she didn't get much screen time, I still think that the actress they got to play Arya is phenomenal.
Knowing what's coming in the next few episodes, I'm curious how it will translate to screen...especially the closing scene of book one.
I think there's a little too much of the wolves saving the day. They've already done so 2-3x; for Bran, Arya and Sam. I was slightly disappointed they weren't in play this ep but I can see why they would be excluded.
I think there's a little too much of the wolves saving the day. They've already done so 2-3x; for Bran, Arya and Sam. I was slightly disappointed they weren't in play this ep but I can see why they would be excluded.
But wouldn't that be because they've been shown so little? If they were in every scene that they appeared in in the books they wouldn't seem that, umm, saviourish. But now that those are their primary scenes it's like that's all they do.
But wouldn't that be because they've been shown so little? If they were in every scene that they appeared in in the books they wouldn't seem that, umm, saviourish. But now that those are their primary scenes it's like that's all they do.
I agree. Just having them around helps set the stage for things to come. As it is, I wonder how many viewers who have not read the books even remember that they are around. So far the show has made them seem like bit characters even though they are integral to the Stark children's characters.
I agree. Just having them around helps set the stage for things to come. As it is, I wonder how many viewers who have not read the books even remember that they are around. So far the show has made them seem like bit characters even though they are integral to the Stark children's characters.
Honestly, I never got that impression from the books. In fact, I was constantly aware of their distinct absence from the story. After reading Feast of Crows I remember asking myself, "Was there ever a point to them getting those damn wolves?"
My personal answer to that has to do with magic and the gods of the world being intricately linked to the bloodlines of houses. The wolves, for me, were a gift from the old gods that also served as an omen of things to come; they were meant to be protectors of the House of Stark as magic was coming back into the world. The same goes for House Targaryen and the dragons.
Well, wait, A Feast for Crows is a bad example, the only Stark PoV character is Arya, and she lost Nymeria on the Neck. The only two remaining wolves are Ghost and Summer (since [sblock]Robb's wolf was killed with him[/sblock], Sansa's was killed on the Neck, Nymeria is lost, and Rikkon's is God-Knows-Where with Rikkon). And those two wolves, particularly Summer, are going to be very important going forward in the story.
After all, Summer becomes Bran's way of interacting with the larger world and clearly Jon has some warg-like tendencies as well. Actually I think all of the Starks do, given Arya's occasional wolf dreams. My working hypothesis with Martin is that missing characters will inevitably come back into the picture, so I figure that there will be an Arya-Nymeria reunion at some point in the story.
But the wolves also work symbolicly for the characters. [sblock]Sansa's wolf dies and she becomes disconnected from the family. Arya's wolf is lost, and she's lost. When Robb puts aside his wolf because Jayne doesn't like him, that sets him up for his ultimate destruction, and Rikkon's wolf becomes wild just as he does (though, really, why give a 3-year-old a wolf anyway without someone to help train him!)[/sblock].
As for the show, I think that they probably have a very limited "wolf budget" and are using it sparingly. It'll be more difficult as the show goes on, since right now the wolves are puppies and still the size of normal wolves. When the grow up they become, what, pony-sized? At that point, it becomes an issue for their CGI budget.
