Tag: Action

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 10 (“The Winds of Winter”) – Top 10 Moments

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SPOILERS: This post contains major spoilers from the season finale of the show.

10) The large bell is flung across the road by the force of the explosion, crushing several men.

9) The suspenseful lingering on Tommen’s window before he throws himself out of it (even before the dust can settle).

8) Sansa moving out of the way when Littlefinger tries to kiss her in the godswood.  Of his vision of the future, she says: “It’s a nice dream” (which is NOT a rejection or acceptance).

7) Cersei’s stone-cold confession speech to the shackled Septa Unella (after pouring wine over her face.) 

6) Davos confronting Melisandre (w/ Jon Snow as witness), revealing that she had Shireen (“I loved her like she were my own!”) burned alive.   

5) Lady Lyanna Mormont’s speech chastising some of the other Northern lords for NOT fighting against Ramsay’s armies (“…you refused the call”) before she declaring that Jon Snow is the “King in the North.”   

4) Arya killing Walder Frey (in exactly the same way that her mother, Catelyn, had been killed) after baking his two eldest sons into pies. 

3) Dany pins the small silver brooch on Tyrion and names him Hand of the Queen.  Their conversation brought out the emotional side of the Lannister outcast- he was close to tears.

2) Sansa and Jon’s conversation atop the Winterfell battlements, esp. the part where she states that he is IS a real Stark in her opinion.

1) Cersei is crowned queen (by Qyburn, now her Hand of the Queen).  The look on Jaime’s face is unlike anything we’ve seen before!  Is he doubting her finally?

    

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 9 (“Battle of the Bastards”)

Emma2 Comments

SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you haven’t seen or don’t want to know details from this episode of Game of Thrones.

Meereen

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We’re here to discuss the terms of YOUR surrender.  -Dany declares to the slave masters

Dany’s dragons are ALL out (YAY)!  They burn up several sailors on one of the ships in the slavers’ armada, then totally destroy that ship.  (She’ll need the rest of those ships to sail to Westeros w/ her army of Unsullied and Dothraki.)  As some viewers noted, the CGI fires were NOT as strong as they’d expected. 

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Tyrion seems to be (unofficially) the Hand of the Queen now.  Also, wasn’t it cool when gracefully/quickly Grey Worm sliced the necks of the two slavers!

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Yara and Theon get an audience w/ Dany; Tyrion is also there to advise.  Tyrion cuts down Theon, who had made fun of him WAY back in S1.  The Greyjoys let Dany know of their uncle’s (Euron’s) plans to give her 1,000 ships in exchange for marrying him.  I LOVED the chemistry between Dany and Yara (as did MANY viewers)!  The two strong women leaders form an alliance (w/ a handshake). 

Winterfell

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The day before the big battle, Jon, Sansa, Davos, and even young Lyanna Mormont (LOVED her little mean face) ride out to get the measure of Ramsay and his bannermen.  Did you count how MANY times Ramsay (who is himself a bastard) called Jon “bastard?”  It was almost in every sentence!

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Just don’t do what he wants you to do!  -Sansa warns Jon re: Ramsay’s (game-playing) mindset

Davos and Tormund have a brief talk the night before the battle.  Then Davos goes for a walk and finds the little deer that he’d carved for Shireen last season.  Uh oh, Melisandre better watch out!

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Was there ANY hope for poor Rickon!?  Hmmm… maybe for a second I thought he could make it across the field.  But we know (from previous seasons) that Ramsay is VERY accurate w/ his bow and arrows. 

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On the second watch, I realized that he was missing on purpose until the last one (which struck Rickon in the chest).  Jon rode out to try and rescue Rickon, which was exactly what Ramsay wanted! 

The battle was one of the best Medieval battles I’d ever seen… and battles in general.  –Itamar Harel (GoT Academy)

The director definitely took inspiration from Braveheart (EX: Lord Umber’s battle cry) and Saving Private Ryan; several critics and viewers pointed this out.  The dead bodies of the Northmen and Wildlings getting piled up one on top of another brought to mind the crowded graves of the Civil War (as seen in Glory). 

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Wasn’t this shot (from high above the battle) just AWESOME!?  The lords of The Vale (under orders from Littlefinger) ride in and knock the Bolton soldiers (w/ the tall shields) over like dominos.  Then, they enter the center of the fight and have at it w/ ALL the soldiers.

Your words will disappear. Your house will disappear. Your name will disappear. All memory of you will disappear. -Sansa declares to Ramsay before his own hounds (unfed for seven days) attack him

What did you think of the (VERY satisfying) demise of Ramsay?  I thought that Jon would just punch him to death, BUT it was Sansa who FINALLY got her revenge- YAY!!! 

 

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 8 (“No One”)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the latest episode of Game of Thrones. 

Island of Braavos

Lady Crane wows the crowd w/ her speech at Joffrey’s death.  She then patches up Arya, feeds her (something NOT so yum), and they have a nice convo before Arya goes to sleep (thanks to Milk of the Poppy). Essie Davis shows her motherly side, BUT is also funny and sassy.

If my soup didn’t kill you, nothing will.  -Lady Crane jokes w/ Arya

In the Riverlands

Four jerky guys are messing around by a campfire when The Hound attacks w/ his big axe (yikes)! 

Meereen

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There’s another new priestess in town… and she’s a black woman. (We need more meaty characters on this show who are POC!)  The people in the streets are now peacefully going about their business. Varys is going away (on a secret mission, of course); he and Tyrion have a little goodbye scene.

Varys, the most famous dwarf in the world. -Tyrion corrects his friend.

Kings Landing

I choose violence. -Cersei replies to Lancel

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Lancel and a small group of Sparrows are allowed into The Red Keep (thanks to Tommen, of course).  But The Mountain VERY brutally kills the first man who strikes his chest w/ a spike! 

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Riverrun

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Brienne and Pod are high above the siege on a ridge, looking at the red tents of the Lannister army. Then Brienne spots Jaime riding among the crowd of soldiers on that FAB white horse of his.  For a few moments, she just stares at him lost in her own thoughts, unaware that a few soldiers (w/ the red and gold banners) are riding up behind her. 

We get a SUPER fun scene w/ Pod and Bronn (LOVED it)!  Bronn wonders if Brienne and Jaime are hooking up (LOL- that’s what MANY viewers would like to see!!!)  It’s obvious to the former sellsword that she’s got feelings for him. 

Then the scene I’d been waiting for the MOST- Brienne and Jaime talk re: politics, military strategy, and honor in his tent. You can tell more from their looks than from their words; those two are definitely in a complicated relationship. She tries to give him back the Valyrian steel sword (Oathkeeper), but he insists it was always hers (aww).

You’re a knight, Ser Jaime! I know there is honor in you- I’ve seen it myself. -Brienne insists

Kings Landing

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Seven hells!  After her uncle, Kevan, relegates Cersei to the gallery w/ other ladies (instead of standing by her son’s side), Tommen proclaims that trial by combat is now “forbidden in the realm.” So, Loras and Cersei will be judged by seven septons. Tommen is TOTALLY in the pocket of the High Sparrow now! 

Back to Meereen

Oh no, poor Tyrion is now trying to get Grey Worm & Missandei to drink wine and tell jokes. Ugh, just NOT an effective (or even mildly funny) scene!  Peter Segal (Nerdette) was VERY disappointed w/ this ep, particularly this scene. 

Riverrun

We get another FAB scene- this time it’s w/ Jaime and the (still imprisoned) Lord Edmure Tully, who is the heir to Riverrun. Tobias Menzies finally gets to reveal more of his character.  It turns out that he has a son (whoa); you can tell he wants to protect him badly from the pain/anguish in his eyes.

Edmure wonders how Jaime can sleep at night after ALL the killing he’s been responsible for over the years. Jaime deflects the convo to Catelyn- her love for her kids and how much he admired her. Cersei is the same way, he explains, and he’ll do ANYTHING to get back to his sister.

You’ll serve Sansa far better than I ever could. -Blackfish tells Brienne w/ admiration before going into a fight w/ the Lannister men (offscreen).

The Blackfish dies fighting (offscreen, unfortunately) after Edmure surrenders to the Frey & Lannister armies. Um, how can you see someone wave at you in the fog when it’s nearly pitch dark!? Writers missed the mark there (like Edmure w/ his arrows at his dad’s funeral seasons back).

Back to Meereen

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Dany is back… w/ her dragons, BUT it’s rather anti-climactic. The masters are attacking the city from their ships- this is VERY cool CGI.

Back to The Riverlands

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We all bloody die, except for this one here! -The Hound exclaims in anger after coming upon Beric Dondarrion, Thoros of Myr, & The Brotherhood Without Banners

They let him kill (BUT only by hanging) two of the three rogue men who killed The Hound’s friends (including Brother Ray). There is some good dialogue w/ dark humor in this scene- taking a man’s boots while he’s still wriggling in the noose, mention of chickens, & talk of religion.

Back to Braavos

Lady Crane is killed (somehow) by The Waif) before she and Arya have their (Terminator or Bourne Identity scene, as Joanna Robinson joked) through the alleys of the city. How can Arya be healed this quickly!? Finally, Arya tricks The Waif (who’s running like the T1000) into following her into her room in The House of Black and White, then cuts out the sole candle!

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Jaqen shows Arya his admiration (silently), then lets her go. She has learned a lot and killed The Waif (who was sent to finish her off). YAY, she can reclaim her true identity, now go back “home,” and maybe even fight (Ramsay/the Whitewalkers) along w/ family.

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 4 (“Book of the Stranger”)

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SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the latest episode of Game of Thrones.  

Castle Black/The Wall:

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We ALL cheered (no doubt) as Brienne, Pod, & Sansa slowly rode into the yard of Castle Black! Tormund was wowed by seeing such a woman as Brienne (more to come on that, I’m sure). Sansa and Jon hugged- SUCH a satisfying moment! These half-sibs had NEVER before had a scene together in 6 seasons (as the showrunners noted on HBO site after the ep).

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In short time, Sansa explained to Jon about the severity of the situation w/ Ramsay; she knew in her gut that HE had killed Roose. But Jon, who has been fighting since leaving Winterfell, admitted that he was tired of fighting. And which houses would be their allies? Sansa said that he saved the Wildlings, so they owe him their support.  If Jon wasn’t going to lead an army, then SHE would! (Twitter was abuzz w/ love for this new badass Sansa that night.)

The Eyrie (The Vale):

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We see a teen Robin Arryn practicing archery while his reluctant teacher/protector, Lord Royce, watches w/ some of the knights of the Vale. Robin sucks at hitting the target (NO shocker there)! Then we see a carriage arrive and out comes Littlefinger! Robin runs over to hug his “Uncle Petyr” (blech).

Lord Royce confronts Littlefinger re: what happened w/ Sansa. He thought Littlefinger was talking his charge to Jon at Castle Black, so how the Hell did she end up married to Ramsay!? The schemer stays calm (as usual), saying that Ramsay and his Bolton bannermen STOLE Sansa away on the road.

Pike (The Iron Islands):

Theon (no longer in Reek mode) returns home and keeps apologizing for how he acted under Ramsay’s control. His younger sis, Yara, is mad (at first). Then she gives him some tough love- Theon has to stop saying sorry and decide what HE really wants out of life! Theon declares that Yara should lead the iron born- she’s the best candidate now that their father is dead. Theon’s personal journey continues to surprise me!

Winterfell:

Osha (Rickon’s ONLY protector) is brutally/quickly stabbed and killed by Ramsay (who she tried to seduce)- V sad ending for such a strong character! But before Osha died, she got in some nice barbs at Ramsay. I really thought that the tough Wildling gal would’ve been able to (at least) wound that evil bastard.

Meereen:

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Much to the disgust/dismay of Grey Worm and Messandei, Tyrion declares a truce w/ the slavers (who had backed the Sons of the Harpy).  Varys doesn’t look too happy, BUT this is the price of peace.  Tyrion explains that there will be a grace period (7 yrs) before they MUST  abolish slavery.  Then the slavers are left alone w/ beautiful/young women. 

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After the meeting, they must face a group of angry former slaves in the main hall.  The men wonder at how Grey Worm can go along w/ such a plan.  In the garden, Grey Worm and Missandei (BOTH former slaves) get a nice/meaty scene w/ Tyrion.  Missandei says that he was NOT a slave long enough to know how truly terrible it can be for a person.  Grey Worm thinks that these masters will use Tyrion (NOT the other way around)- they always managed to get their way before.       

Kings Landing:

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In the Grand Sept, after telling Margaery the story of how he came to religion, the High Sparrow allows the disheveled queen to see her big bro in his jail cell. Yikes, Loras looks terrible, and is also an emotional wreck. He cries and says he just wants it to stop! Margaery embraces him, explaining that THIS is the time to be strong (the old man is probably plotting to turn them against each other).

I actually liked the High Sparrow’s story in this ep! (Some of you tweeted that you were unsure if it was true.) He was once a successful cobbler (inheriting his dad’s business) who was drawn to worldly things- fancy clothes, wine, women, and partying w/ wealthy pals. Before dawn one morning (around age of 25), he realized how hollow his life had become, and walked away (w/o his shoes- ironic). Isn’t that usually the case? People (in the real world) that had the most craziest youths (doing extreme/illegal activities) can turn out to be the ones that cling to religion tightly.

In the Red Keep, Cersei learns from Tommen what judgment (a walk of shame- YIKES!) lies in his wife’s future. The High Sparrow has been talking w/ the king now and then. Cersei and Jaime FINALLY convince Uncle Kevyn (Lancel’s dad- FYI) and Lady Olenna to get w/ their plan. The Lannister army will stay outside and guard the city; the Tyrell army (bit larger) come inside the city walls to capture (or kill) the High Sparrow. After Margaery is free and at Tommen’s side, the armies will kill the Sparrows if they don’t surrender. Hmm… wonder if MANY of those rag tag folks can even fight properly?

Vaes Dothrak (Essos):

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Daario (ugh, I barely tolerate this guy) and Jorah (still LOVE him) are outside the city limits, planning the rescue of Dany.  Jorah explains (as he did back in S1 to Viserys) that weapons are forbidden inside this city.  During the fight w/ the two Dothraki on the streets, we see that Jorah is losing (V unexpected); at one point, he throws sand in his opponent’s eyes. Daario has to save Jorah’s life- he stabs the Dothraki in the back (w/ his fave knife).

It turns out that the khaleesi can save HERSELF!  Dany has a GREAT speech in front of all the khals, before setting fire to the (VERY flammable) structure where they’ve all gathered.  Dany emerges from the roaring fire, amazing the Dothraki, who quickly bow down before her.  Then Jorah and Daario (he’s never seen this sort of thing either) bow down, too.  What a FAB ending! 

Game of Thrones: Season 6, Episode 1 (“The Red Woman”)

Emma1 Comment

SPOILERS: Don’t read this review if you have not yet seen or don’t want to know details from the Season 6 premiere of Game of Thrones.  

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Castle Black:

I saw him in the flames fighting at Winterfell. -Melisandre says despondently re: Jon Snow

I can’t speak for the flames, but he’s gone. -Davos replies solemnly

The wait is over… BUT Jon Snow is STILL dead!  Davos (Liam Cunningham) finds the body, perhaps wondering why there isn’t MORE blood on the ground.  Edd (Ben Crompton) and a few other men (who were loyal to Jon) lock themselves inside (the Lord Commander’s chamber?) and think of what action to take next.  Melisandre (Carice Van Houten) is nearby (in an interior room); she doesn’t come off as her usual self- arrogant and bossy- having suffered setbacks in S5 (incl. the loss of Stannis). 

Winterfell:

Your pain will be paid for 1,000 times over, I wish you could be here to watch.  -Ramsay says to the dead body of Myranda

Ramsay (Ioan Rheon) takes some time to mourn Myranda before declaring that her remains will be fed to the hounds (YIKES)!  Roose (Michael McElhatton) tells his bastard that there will be NO future for Ramsay if he doesn’t get Sansa (a noble gal from Northern fam) back and produce an heir.  We know from S5 that Walda is already pregnant (possibly w/ a son, according to the local maester). 

The ep really kicks into gear when “I’m no lady” Brienne (Gwendolyn Christie) and trusty squire/sidekick Pod (Daniel Portman) come to Sansa (Sophie Turner) and Theon’s (Alfie Allen) rescue. “Brienne is, at this point, the most heroic character in Game of Thrones who actually gets things done… she’s motivated pretty much entirely by the desire to be honorable and find someone worthy to protect. She has no ambitions of her own, no greed, no selfish agenda,” as TV critic Charlie Jane Anders wrote.  I esp. liked how Pod had to help Sansa w/ her side of the oath.   

Kings Landing:

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I don’t know where she came from. She was nothing like me. No meanness, no jealousy – just good. I thought if I could make something so good, so pure, maybe I’m not a monster.  -Cersei comments re: Myrcella to Jaime

Cersei (Lena Headey) runs out to see the Dornish ship, but soon sees that the boat coming toward shore carries Jamie (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau) and a golden shroud (covering the coffin of Myrcella).  In the next scene, she looks defeated, depressed (having lost 3 kids, as the witch prophesied MANY years back), and tired.  Surprisingly, Jaime is the one that vows revenge (though he doesn’t get the BEST lines here).  

Dorne:  

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He is weak.  Weak men will no longer rule Dorne.  -Ellaria declares re: Trystane (while Doran lies dying)

Doran (Alexander Siddig), his personal bodyguard, and a messenger are killed by Ellaria and Tyene in the water gardens.  Trystane is brutally killed by Obara’s spear (while a bemused Nym looks on) in his chamber onboard a ship.  It ALL happened so fast!  I REALLY wanted to see more of Doran.    

Meereen:

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You can’t fight an enemy you don’t know.  -Tyrion explains to Varys

Why are the streets SO quiet!?  The smartest guys in the realm have a walk and talk. They come upon a mother begging w/ her baby; she misunderstands Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) when he speaks in Valyrian, so Varys (Conleth Hill) has to help out. 

On a wall under “Kill the Masters” someone has scrawled “Mhysa [meaning Dany] is a Master.” Are the Sons of the Harpy former slaves or former slaveholders (masters)?  Hmmm… I think they were slaves; after all, they brutally/quickly killed Hizdahr in S5 E8.)  We see a small group of former slaves who have gathered in an alley where a man dressed in a red robe is preaching re: the Lord of Light.  A few moments later, there is smoke coming from the harbor- ALL the ships have been set on fire.

On the road (w/ a Dothraki horde):

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Dany (Emilia Clark) assumed that the Dothraki would be respectful towards her- WRONG!  When the horde that captured her reach Khal Moro, she learns that widows of khals must live out their lives in Vaes Dothrak (“the city of the horse lords”).  Um, why didn’t Dany know this BEFORE!? 

Castle Black:

Mutton.  I’d like some mutton.  I never was much of a hunter.  -Davos provides a light moment when telling Thorne what he’d like for his journey

You haven’t seen her do what I’ve seen her do.  -Davos tells Jon’s friends in the Night’s Watch re: Melisandre

What to make of that final image of Melisandre transformed into an old woman? Was she a crone in disguise all along? Or had she lost her faith in the Lord of Light?  As Steve Buja wrote in his recap: “Given the blood nature of her god, perhaps one of the components to her witchcraft is her own essence. Whatever happens in this game, Melisandre is the turning point…”

SELECTED VIEWER COMMENTS (from NYT.com recap)

He’s only mostly dead.  [This one’s for The Princess Bride fans!]

Regarding Jon Snow’s fate, I think it won’t be determined until episode 3/4, as I think Dan and Dave want to develop other Stark plot lines, and delve into Arya, Sansa, and Bran. 

My current theory: Jon Snow’s spirit is inhabiting Ghost. But he needs a viable human body to warg into, and relatively soon, since to remain wolf too long risks losing the human to the wolf. Melisande is somehow going to donate her vitality to Snow’s corpse and heal it, so Jon Snow can warg back into it. This won’t be easy, of course. A trace of the wolf is likely to remain.

GOT is increasingly a womans’ world, at least plotwise. The men fail to rescue, and at best, like Tyron, strive to serve.

My guess is this new Khal is going to be killed by Drogon, who will obey Dany (for once). This will cow all of the Dothraki because they believe in strength. If anything would make a khalasar follow a woman it would be if she showed she can command dragons. My feeling is that Dany will then lead this khalasar back to Mereen, where she’ll clean out the Sons of the Harpy in short order.

Danaerys being sent to a place reserved for widows of Dothraki leaders. Smells to me like a place where angry women warriors decide to kick ass.  Everywhere Danaerys goes she ends up with an army.

The Melisandre revelation was a bit of a wow, and we got some brief but quality time with Davos and Jorah (whose faces are much more interesting than those of many of the beautiful younger actors). I even felt a drop of pity for Cersei.