Game of Thrones - The Night Lands **

Gendry, with his bull’s head helmet, is of great interest to those at King’s Landing due to his bastard son status involving the dead Robert Baratheon. Arya, obviously, along with him after narrowly escaping King’s Landing herself, under the guise of a male gutter rat destined for the Night’s Watch, needs to keep her identity hidden as well as Gendry. As knights sent from King’s Landing in search of Gendry, with their fancy armor, horses, and swords, go by two when encountering the

I remember when first seeing this back a few years ago that caged prisoner, Jaqen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha), very at ease and soft-spoken—quite different compared to his other two growly and unpleasant fellow prisoners who speak of taking a stick and making Arya bleed from you-know-where—would be of some significance down the pike, asking for water if passing Arya (a bundle of thrown-together sticks of wood in hand) would be so kind. But the “Gold Cloaks” with warrant-in-hand interfere as do the other two nasty pieces of work crowded next to Jaqen.

“Your discretion is legendary…where your friends are concerned” – Tyrion to Lord Varys.

The whole dynamic involving Shae, lover and consort who stays with Tyrion in secret (or so he thinks), and Varys is introduced. Varys, to his credit, knows how to establish relationships, despite the veiled threats and specific agendas behind them. Knowing Shae’s presence needs to be kept quiet, Varys has a new secret he might barter in exchange for favors from Tyrion. Tywin’s being away doesn’t necessarily reduce his importance because he is always a topic of conversation no matter what his children are involved in during their time at King’s Landing. Tyrion does know that Varys has his spies about, understanding that he could be important, and that his little praises towards him are nothing but the means to secure a working alliance. Tyrion threatens Varys (who has seen kings come and go, remaining a vital member within the small counsel) while the eunuch fires back that he keeps on “paddling” after the “big fish eat the little fish”. 

“The cold winds are rising and the dead rise with them”

Cersei, as expected, rejects Robb’s decree that Winterfell would be its own kingdom and demanded his father’s bones returned. Tyrion cracks at her knack for “tearing up papers” when such a decree is ripped up in defiance to Robb and their proposal, still in possession of the “kingslayer”. And the need for more men at the Night’s Watch—something that always seems to be considered of little regard to Cersei who often can’t be bothered even discussing the topic much—remains a hot button issue not all that important to Cersei, opposing it because of men needed for their war. The presence of the “white walkers” continues to be mentioned occasionally so that we remember that in the future their danger to everyone will be significant. “Grumpkins and snarks” as Cersei mocks Tyrion are taken lightly, but with the Night’s Watch under severe limitations the white walkers will no doubt be trouble down the road.

Craster (Robert Pugh) doesn’t want sons. He wants daughters so he can breed them into future wives. Being a wildling who adopted his own homestead, keeping his many wives to himself, refusing to let any male disrupt his personal idyll (even if it is a personal hell for the poor girls trapped within his control), Craster has exactly the kind of lifestyle and place of “luxury” of his choosing. With Lord Commander expecting his men to abide by the rules at “Craster’s Keep”, a stop on their journey deep into “wildling country”, Jon Snow—requested by Samwell Tarly to help a pregnant wife of Craster, Gilly (Hannah Murray), keep her unborn son safe from an unspeakable harm—appears hesitant to assist despite the honor in doing so. But Jon does realize that Samwell, who happened to shoo away his direwolf, Ghost, from harming Gilly, comes with good intentions, even if the request to take her with them when they eventually leave the keep would seem less than ideal.

Rakharo’s horse returns as Daenerys and her right hand, Joreth, realize he was decapitated for being among those led by a female khalasar, vowing not only revenge but that Rakharo’s soul would be okay after a proper body burning through funeral pyre. This act clearly is a step in provoking Daenerys wrath, further illustrating her gradual development into a fierce opponent for anyone that dares pick a fight with her.

I had a conversation with a major Game of Thrones fan at work. We discuss various characters and ongoing stories past and present on the show. Littlefinger was such a topic. I mentioned how he just made my skin crawl. And one of many examples why is featured in “The Night Lands”. A prostitute working for him can’t help but mourn the loss of another girl’s child when her baby died by the sword during a Gold Cloak raid, the use of force dedicated to slaughtering all possible offspring of Robert Baratheon. Littlefinger looks on in a peephole as one of his clients gets some head, forced into redirecting the anger of an unhappy client by offering another prostitute when his crying, sniveling failure needs a respite from work. Littlefinger feigns comforting her, a close cuddle and affection leading into a warning that he doesn’t like “bad investments”, encouraging her to take a day off but return ready to work in his pleasure house. A story of a failure in the past, a very expensive girl later given to someone who paid a lot to do things he wouldn’t even elaborate (let your imagination of horrors run wild, I guess), was left by Littlefinger as further encouragement.

“I’m not questioning your honor, Lord Janos, I’m denying its existence.”

No matter who I talk to, the love for Tyrion (the character and actor who portrays him) is consistent. I think the first season when on a journey away from King’s Landing and his return to stir up Cersei (and Joffrey, as well) contribute to this, but one such scene, in particular, in this episode reminds me why. Hearing about the slaughter of babies at Littlefinger’s brothel, wanting to know who ordered it, Lord of the Day Watch, Janos Slynt, is questioned by Tyrion after some modest (and faux) gestures during a drink of wine. Lord Janos would not give up who ordered him and his Gold Cloaks to go into that brothel, but after sentencing him to the Night’s Watch, decommissioning him and naming Bronn his new commander of the Day Watch, Tyrion later learns that it was Joffrey, as mother and Queen Regent, Cersei, reveals without word that it wasn’t her behind it. Tyrion understands how the “outsiders” (peasants, village folk, citizens all throughout Westeros) think and offers unwanted advice later rejected by Cersei, still failing to recognize the threat of further revolt if Joffrey continues to make decisions that infuriate the people. Tyrion’s role at Hand of the King in Tywin’s absence is belittled and dismissed by Cersei, as she reminds him of his joke of birth, “tearing from mother’s womb”, killing her. That kind of cruel response to Tyrion’s talk of hearing that Jaime is the father of her children is what establishes the two’s ongoing feud, no love lost or respect earned. Tyrion listening to that, always considered the imp, disrespected by Janos on his way out as little more than some dwarf with no power; it isn’t a surprise he is so beloved. We sympathize because he has had to scratch and crawl out of the dismissive and undeserved pratfalls of simply being born and reminded of his size constantly. Yet his intellect, black humor, sarcasm, and wisdom—not to mention his abilities to debate and retort—have kept him from being a miserable failure…he reads books, learned on his own, watched how others act/react to all sorts of situations, and applied all of this in how he approaches people (especially his cutthroat family) and difficult situations in and outside of King’s Landing.

As Theon, quite confident, carrying himself as somebody special, is put immediately in his place upon arrival in the castle of his father, Balon (Patrick Malahide), at the Iron Islands. Balon Greyjoy isn’t interested in helping Robb Stark, and has plans to earn back his status as king, orchestrating a war with his daughter, Yoren (Francis Magee) in charge of their men. Balon looks upon this young man, once his son, as a product of the Starks. Theon never should have left Winterfell…that is quite obvious. And upon learning that the Lannisters aren’t the target, this further establishes that off-wars between others could result. The Lannisters needs those in other kingdoms to fight each other, leaving them less wars and men to kill. In fact if those at King’s Landing can gain allies, it gives them advantage. Theon throws around the weight of his name, but Balon hurls insults at him about his wardrobe, skirts and gold supposedly turned him into a girl while Yoren wears her pants and leather as a formidable warrior pops could be proud of.

Arya realizes that few can know she’s a girl. Gendry doesn’t know who his mother or father is but learning that Arya is from the House of Stark certainly is information quite useful if he needed to get out of a jam. But he pokes fun at her as a “lady” and promises not to tell anyone else.

 Davos is quite loyal to Stannis Baratheon. That cannot be disputed. When his son begs for him to give allegiance to the Lord of Light, Davos is just not interested. What he is interested in is serving Stannis and giving him praise for what he has accomplished. But in order to secure the kingdom he so rightfully considers his, Stannis has been willing to listen to Melisandre, much to Davos' dismay. Stannis goes as far as to convince a long-term pirate, Matthos, to provide ships, with promise to King's Landing's gold (unable to promise Cersie, however). Stannis has a giant map of Westeros, complete with figures representing those throughout the continent, used as a platform to lay out Melisandre, promised sons by her and offering her body for sex!