Monday, July 31, 2017
Game of Thrones Post-Mortem of “The Queen’s Justice”
Last night on Game of Thrones there was a little something for everyone. As the title “The Queen’s Justice” implies, Cersei finally metes out her own (cruel) brand of justice and continues to reign supreme in Westeros – for now – while another queen, Daenerys, struggles to make a new ally. In a loaded episode complete with action, intrigue, vengeance, and reunions, we also witnessed a highly anticipated meeting between “ice and fire.” It’s time to break down everything that happened with some in-depth interviews and videos, so let’s take a look, shall we?
Entertainment Weekly gives us the usual round of cast interviews, starting with that historic meeting between Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow. According to Kit Harington, “I predicted, like everyone, they would meet this season, but I don’t think I predicted it quite as quickly. But then again, you’ve got to take yourself out of the mindset of the viewer. As far as Jon knows, he’s just meeting this queen he’s heard of and trying to negotiate with her – he’s not meeting Daenerys, who the audience has been watching for so many years. That helps with the surprise of it.”
What do the actors have to say about their characters’ initial impressions of each other? Harington explains, “[Jon] walks into the room and doesn’t expect to see such a beautiful young woman of similar age to him. Any young man’s reaction is going to be, ‘Okay…’ but he puts that aside, because he has to.” Emilia Clarke adds, “It was fun to play – [Daenerys] doesn’t like him and she doesn’t believe him.”
Fans have long wondered how the two characters would react to each other, and bringing together two strong-willed rulers who both believe they are doing what’s right for the realm was bound to cause friction. “It was really fun to watch that scene and I thought they did a great job,” remarks showrunner David Benioff. “There isn’t instant chemistry. He’s annoying and she’s annoying and they have to figure out how to make peace.” Hopefully they’ll figure it out soon, as things are looking dire for both of them.
Read the rest at EW.
EW also brings us Indira Varma’s reaction to the “justice” her character, Ellaria Sand, receives at Cersei’s hand. Varma knew the end was coming, as she says, “Obviously there’s lots of trimming going on. It’s all coming to a head and you have to get rid of less important characters that the audience hasn’t had the chance to invest in as much. So I was expecting it. I wasn’t heartbroken. And I was like, ‘As long as I die on screen…’ and they were like ‘Yeah!’ But of course I don’t die on screen. I stay alive, I’m just not going to reappear. I think it’s really clever.”
The scene was as difficult and gut-wrenching to watch as it was intriguing. Varma admits it was just as tough for the actors, but that she enjoyed the way it was portrayed. “It’s really dark. What I love about this scene is you’re reading it and from one sentence to the next you don’t know what’s going to happen – how Cersei is going to treat her victim.” She adds, “It was hard work. A lot of blood snot and sweat and tears. Myself and Rosabell had to be shackled. They very kindly put some felt inside the handcuffs so we didn’t get bruised and battered – though we ended up doing that anyway because your acting takes over…At the end of the day I was like, ‘I’m stuck! I need somebody to help me!’ and they had to cut me out of them. All in a day’s work.
Varma gives some additional insight over at Making Game of Thrones, explaining Ellaria’s mindset as she is presented as Cersei’s gift. “I think there’s the humiliation of being caught [by Euron]…she’s absolutely gutted. Her dream was to meet Cersei head-to-head and battle it out as equals. When you’re chained up and gagged, that is not meeting someone in an equal way. So that in itself is horrendous. Then seeing the Mountain, oh my God – it’s utter shock, and it brings it all back. It’s sorrow at that point, and disbelief. She feels humiliated.”
Did Ellaria anticipate what kind of punishment Cersei had in store for them? “Poor Ellaria, I don’t think she was expecting that. She thinks of herself as the poison queen,” Varma confesses. “The idea that Cersei had figured out what her poison was – it’s the ultimate humiliation. And then to watch her lovely daughter die… It’s hell, awful, beyond your nightmares.” Despite the retribution, Varma doesn’t believe Ellaria regrets her hand in Myrcella’s death. “If you’re going to kill me and my daughter, at least I’ve done that to you. She wants to tear Cersei down, one family member at a time,” she says. “I don’t think she would try and apologize for that in order to win back her daughter. It’s too late. Too much blood has been shed.”
For more, head over to EW and Making Game of Thrones.
Fans have been hoping to see more Stark reunions ever since Jon and Sansa came together last season, but Bran’s homecoming wasn’t quite what we expected. “I think it’s a major shock for Sansa,” Isaac Hempstead Wright explains to EW. “She’s lost her brother once before when he fell out of that tower, and now Bran’s back but she loses him all over again. All the Starks have changed so much. Arya is like this ninja assassin. Sansa has been held captive by these tyrannical men and had to become politically cunning herself. But Bran is now this tree-raven-magic thing.”
Wright also shares his understanding of Bran’s new abilities and how they have affected him. “It’s like imagining you have all of space and time in your head. Bran is existing in thousands of planes of existence at any one time. So it’s quite difficult for Bran to have any kind of semblance of personality anymore because he’s really like a giant computer.” Adds showrunner D.B. Weiss, “One of the things we loved about Game of Thrones from the very first book is it’s not a world where magic is the primary driver of the story, it’s a world where human psychology and behavior and desire are drivers of the story…So with Bran, ideally you want to use him in a way that adds to the story and enriches the story and not in a way that’s a magic bullet to conveniently deal with things that you haven’t come up with a better way to deal with.”
Since Bran’s training was interrupted when the White Walkers attacked the Three Eyed Raven’s cave, he is still struggling to comprehend the knowledge that he’s gained. “There was supposed to be more time to learn what he needed to know and they ran out of time,” David Benioff explains. “Now Bran the Broken is broken in more ways than one. He’s got serious challenges dealing with all the stuff happening in his mind and that prevents him becoming this omniscient character.”
Hempstead Wright agrees with Benioff’s assessment. “Bran really at this stage is not the Three-Eyed Raven. He’s got the title but hasn’t had thousands of years of sitting in a cave looking through time,” he says. “Somebody put in front of him a massive encyclopedia of all of time and he’s only opened page one. He can look stuff up but doesn’t have this all-knowing all-seeing capability just yet.”
Check out the full interview at EW.
Finally, the Game of Thrones showrunners and cast member Nikolaj Coster Waldau talk to EW about the heartbreaking (yet satisfying) end for Lady Olenna Tyrell. “When we initially cast Diana Rigg, we met with Nina Gold, our legendary casting director, and we had tea with her,” David Benioff says. “Dames don’t audition for you, you audition for them. And we loved her. She was funny, she was bawdy, she was everything we wanted for that character. We’ve been very lucky to write for these legendary actors — like Diana Rigg. Max Von Sydow, Jim Broadbent, and Charles Dance – people who have been doing it for so long and are so frickin’ good at what they do. She’s one of the best in the world and [Olenna’s final scene] is one of my favorites in the whole season. She really brought it.”
D.B. Weiss agrees. “What I love about the way she plays the scene is that even though you leave the scene knowing she’s soon going to be dead shortly after you cut to black you still feel like she won. She’s probably the only character to win her own death scene.” Olenna’s confession to the murder of Joffrey clearly rattled Jaime and gave her the opportunity to deliver a final gut punch to the Lannisters before her demise.
Despite the discomfort of his character during the scene, Coster Waldau has nothing but praise for how it was portrayed. “Olenna is like Cersei in so many ways, but just from our point of view she’s been on the ‘good’ side,” he admits. “And I just love how she goes out. She goes out with bite. She’s never going to beg. She did an amazing job. It was fun to be there and when we wrapped the showrunners came around and said a few words. She’s had a huge impact on the series.” The Queen of Thorns may be gone, but she will never be forgotten.
Go to EW for the rest.
This week’s “Inside the Episode” brings us D.B. Weiss and David Benioff’s thoughts on Jon meeting Daenerys, the Lannisters’ motivations and strategy, and Olenna’s death.
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Lena Headey, Indira Varma, and Rosabell Laurenti Sellers share their insight into Cersei’s punishment of Ellaria and Tyene Sand.
Last but not least, Emilia Clarke and Kit Harington provide more background to the meeting of fire and ice.
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Hackers Crack HBO and Possibly Episode 4 of Game of Thrones
It’s been a banner year for high-level hacks in the entertainment industry, and it was almost inevitable that the trend would find its way to HBO eventually. Entertainment Weekly reports the network confirmed today that its systems were breached, with hackers claiming “to have obtained 1.5 terabytes of data” from HBO, including episodes of Ballers and Room 104. (These episodes were uploaded online, confirming the hacking.) According to EW, included in the hack as well is “written material” said to be from episode 4 of Game of Thrones‘ seventh season.
“HBO recently experienced a cyber incident, which resulted in the compromise of proprietary information,” HBO says in a statement published by EW. “We immediately began investigating the incident and are working with law enforcement and outside cybersecurity firms. Data protection is a top priority at HBO, and we take seriously our responsibility to protect the data we hold.”
Although these breaches happen and should be taken seriously, I’m a little cynical about the veracity of this one when it comes to Game of Thrones, if they’re only providing and/or uploading written material. Extensive Game of Thrones season 7 spoilers were leaked last fall on Reddit by a user named Awayforthelads, including chunks of dialogue. As filming of season 7 progressed last year, it became apparent that the leaks were largely accurate, and as the new episodes air, they’re matching the Awayforthelads spoilers almost to a tee, with a few small variances that can be excused by post-filming editing and on-set tweaking during filming. The season 7 script leaks are so widespread already that YouTubers like Frikidoctor have been providing extensive script breakdowns for future episodes, including episode 4 which anyone could easily copy.
So until an actual episode of Game of Thrones is leaked, let’s remain calm. They could have been adding Game of Thrones material to their threat to make it more frightening. And then even if one is leaked…stay calm anyway, because whether or not you pirate an episode is up to you. With a year full of script spoilers floating around, we can survive a few more weeks of season 7 with this nonsense!
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Unsullied Recap, Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 3: The Queen’s Justice
Spoiler note: The discussion in this post is primarily for non-book readers (book fans can discuss the show-only here). We ask that all Sullied book-readers refrain from posting any mentions/references to the books in the comments here, veiled or otherwise. No spoilers, at all! This show is best viewed without knowing all the surprises beforehand or afterwards, so please be respectful of your fellow fans. Thank you!
Greetings and glad tidings to you all and welcome back to another Game of Thrones recap of epic Unsullied proportions. Hopefully, things are going better for you than they are for Team Targ.
How the hell do you write a recap, as opposed to a novel, on that episode? Revelations, infatuations, annihilation. Shit… drop your weapons at the door and let’s give it a shot.
The Meeting of the Minds
We waste no time and get right to the situation at hand… the meeting of Jon and Dany. The waves crash as Jon and company are met by Tyrion and Missandei, along with some chummy Dothraki soldiers and a request to hand over the weapons (don’t give them fucking Longclaw, dammit. Shit.). Jon gives the “I want that back, MF” look to the man, and then we are off to the races.
Davos makes small talk with Missandei, well, because he is the freakin’ man and could still sell ice to Wildlings. He almost sells it to Dany in a few.
Then… proof of the dragons.
Mel and the Merman
Overlooking the entrance is Varys and Velvet as the Spider inquires as to why she wouldn’t want to greet the King in the North. Mel admits that they did not part on good terms and tells the Spider that she made many mistakes. And then, the curveball (or was it a slider?)… Varys tells Mel that she should not return to which she replies that she has to die in Westeros, just like him. Here is my question… was this just a jab at Varys or is there more to the story about the mystery of who (or what) the Spider really is? A man has many questions.
You Stand in the Presence of 1000 Titles
I’m not going to recap every single word of what we all watched in unison. But I will say that I am invariably content with the way this meeting was handled.
My fear was that we would be subject to an encounter that has been six seasons in the making and we would witness five minutes of it, somehow inexplicably led to believe that everyone in the room would work together in joyful adoration. That didn’t happen. Dany wanted a bent knee. Jon said, “no thank you.” And what could have been a “we gotta get this story moving” quick moment ended up encapsulating the first 20 minutes of the episode. For that, I am thankful. It deserved the time investment.
After exchanging unpleasantries, Dany issues an apology on behalf of House Targ for the past crimes her House had committed against House Stark. Jon explains that he needs her help and that he needs hers.
Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen and Conleth Hill as Varys. Photo: HBO
Dany tells what she has been through and accomplished. Davos tells what Jon has been through and accomplished. Jon states his case and as Dany tells Jon that he is in open rebellion, Varys runs in with news of the past episode’s captures and casualties.
Theon’s Rescue
A ship full of Greyjoy men rescue Theon, a scene included in the episode assumingly to show that Theon isn’t still floating while waiting to be caught in the wake of Gendry’s rowing. PTSD continues to garner no sympathy, especially during wartime.
Shame, Pt. 2
Euron arrives in KL with his “gifts” Ellaria and Tyene and presents them to Cersei (notice the Ellaria glare at the Mountain). I guess he is keeping Yara for himself? Euron then asks Jaime for advice concerning “fingers in the bum.” The dude is fuckin’ nuts.
For Some Reason, I Continue to Underestimate Cersei…
But not anymore. Especially after the strategy revealed at the end. Cersei takes Ellaria and Tyene to a cell and gives Tyene a kiss of death involving poison just like Myrcella. In epic Cersei style, she informs Ellaria that she will be forced to watch all of it. Cersei is ruthless yet justified, considering what they did to innocent Myrcella. This is one of the many ways the show has been fantastic… in making us watch the tragedies involved while justifying the means in which it is carried out.
The Sand Snake moments historically have had their issues, but this end to Tyene and presumably Ellaria was pretty damn strong and incredibly well-acted by everyone in the room.
Later, in the Land of Fortuitous Incest…
(insert your own imaginary butt-cheek picture here)
Cersei goes to make sure her ally, Jaime, remains loyal. Ozzette got to see Jaime’s butt cheeks again, and then, there was the annoying knock on the door.
Hell Yes… the Iron Bank
Finally, the Iron Bank and Tycho have come to collect on the outstanding credit card balance of the realm. Cersei gives her account regarding the current situation in the war and that Dany has actually hurt the Bank considering what she has done to the slave trade. Cersei urges Tycho to stay in KL and that the debt will be paid in full.
Grumpkins and Snarks
Jon and Tyrion discuss their respective issues and Tyrion suggests that Jon ask for something reasonable. So, he does. Tyrion approaches Dany about giving Jon access to the dragonglass, unsure about the nomenclature. She asks about the knife in the heart statement, and of course, it is dismissed.
Jon and Dany finally have a chance to meet without the Dothraki Daycare and discuss their similarities. Dany gives Jon clearance to mine the dragonglass which was a good decision… as it ends up, she’s going to need some help.
Winterfinger
Finally, we head North where Sansa is doing a damn good job of running the fort while Baelish fiendishly observes. Just as Sansa seems to be doing just fine on her own, Petyr Baelishes out the “battle in the mind” phrase once again grabbing her attention. And I repeat, the SOB isn’t dying anytime soon.
Stark Reunion Time, pt. 2!!
Finally, Bran and Sansa reunite and meet under the Weirwood. Sansa tells Bran that he is the Lord of Winterfell. But Bran informs Sansa that he can never be a Lord because he is the Three-Eyed Raven. He then recalls what happened to Sansa which was too much for her to relive.
Headline: Jorah Mormont Miraculously Healed: “The Climate Changed Me”
Ebrose gives Jorah the “once-over” and pronounces him healed from greyscale and allows him to leave. Jorah and Sam share a moment of thanks as Jorah heads for Dragonstone. Ebrose scolds Sam while giving him praise and then quickly gives him a rather large writing assignment as punishment. Better than having to write “I am Sam. Sam I am” a million times, I suppose.
Cersei Draws Second Blood
Again, I will not underestimate Cersei anymore. While Dany and company discuss the attack on Casterly Rock and Tyrion speaks to his knowledge of the sewer system, the Unsullied arrive and take the Rock as planned. What they didn’t know was that the bulk of the Lannister army weren’t even there and were busy taking care of business at the more enticing location of Highgarden, all while Euron showed up at the Rock to take out the Targaryen fleet.
Jaime makes his way upstairs for what would presumably be our final scene with the Queen of Thorns at Highgarden. While the scene would lack a painful death, the painful realization that this would be the end of Lady Olenna was a lot to digest.
There were quite a few revelations in this scene: the fact that the Unsullied would be able to hold the Rock for a bit, but would run out of food and be forced to march all the way across Westeros to get back due to the fleet being burned; the lessons Jaime learned in past failures referring to Robb Stark defeating the Lannisters at Whispering Wood; and most notably, Jaime’s realization that Olenna had been the cause of Joffrey’s demise. Granny Lemon Cakes went out, but at least she went out in style with words of wisdom about the monstrous Cersei, coupled with a departing kick in the nuts to the Lannisters. I wouldn’t have expected anything less.
Episode 703 Personal Awards
Favorite Action Sequence: The taking of Casterly Rock looked visually bad at the beginning, but better when the Unsullied stormed through the gates. But it was overshadowed by the fact that it really didn’t matter.
Favorite Quotes:
“Picked up some scars along the road.” –Jon
“This place has changed.” –Davos
“This is Jon Snow. He’s King in the North.” – Davos immediately following the 1000 titles
“I give you what no other man could give… justice.” Euron (while staring at Jaime)
“You shall have what your heart desires… when the war is won.” –Cersei to Euron 
“Does she like it gentle, or rough? A finger in the bum?” –Euron to Jaime (the burn continues)
“We invest in endeavors we deem likely to be successful.” –Tycho Nestoris
“No better place for low pursuits than beneath the ground.” –Tyrion
“And now the reins weep o’er our halls.” –Olenna
“That was my prize mistake, a failure of imagination.” -Olenna
Favorite Sequence: Too damn many to choose from. Jon and Tyrion, Dany and Jon, anytime Davos speaks, the end of the Snakes, and the Iron Bank!
The “Ow, That Shit Hurts Award” goes to: The Lannister who got the spear to the chest, and Jaime learning that the QoT took out Joffers.
Overall Thoughts: By far, my favorite episode of the season to this point although the other two were respectively very good. I was surprised to see Bran so disconnected from the emotions of the reunion. But he has seen a lot and is obviously still sorting things out considering his new responsibility. Regardless, it was weird.
Through all that has transpired, Dany is learning that obtaining the throne may be a more difficult objective than what she may have previously thought. How long until she loses faith with Tyrion and jumps on a dragon? Jorah will most certainly be a welcome sight, and it is becoming abundantly clear that she will most definitely require Jon’s help in the future.
What say you, good peeps? Voice away below.
Until next week, hang out and stay awhile. Invite an Unsullied to join us. And may there always be peace in your realm. –Oz
Follow Oz on Twitter.
**SPOILER NOTE: The Management of this fine site would like to remind you that spoilers (book or leak) are not allowed in Unsullied posts. This includes spoilers covered by code or otherwise. Personally, I appreciate feedback from Sullied and Unsullied alike, so long as they do not include any type of hinting or conversation related to the written verse. However, spoiler coded comments do tend to lead to further Sullied conversation and for that reason, we ask that you please refrain from posting any SPOILERY content whatsoever in Unsullied posts. Thank you for the coop. -Oz
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Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 3 – The Queen’s Justice Recap
Castles fall, Starks come together, an epic meet-up takes place, and Cersei wreaks vengeance as only she can in the newest episode of Game of Thrones, entitled “The Queen’s Justice.” Which queen reigned supreme in tonight’s episode? Let’s break it down.
Spoiler Note: This is our book reader’s recap, intended for those who have read the A Song of Ice and Fire series. The post and the comments section may contain spoilers from the novels, whether or not that material has appeared on the show yet. Because no, we are not all Unsullied now. If you have not read the books yet, we encourage you to check out our non-book-reader recap, by Oz of Thrones!
Memo to HBO: first of all, thanks for replaying last week’s horrifying Jorah-flaying moment in the weekly pre-ep recap. We really needed a memory refreshing on that account.
Second, we get Pyke in the opening credits (when it doesn’t appear) but no Highgarden or Casterly Rock? Fork over the cash to make the credits on point, HBO. We’re but humble nerds: these are the little things that make us happy!
That said, let’s get down to business!
Game of Thrones has been teasing us with a momentous gathering for a while now, the loaded first meeting of Jon Snow and Daenerys Targaryen. The two lead characters have never met in the Song of Ice and Fire novels, but it’s often speculated that their fates may be ultimately entwined. Is that the case on the show? We don’t know yet but in tonight’s episode, GoT sets the stage for a cautious political connection based on earned mutual respect.
But before we get to Jon and Dany’s first face-off, we get a reunion I’ve been wanting more than any Stark one: Jon and Tyrion Lannister happily meet again for the first time since they parted ways at the Wall in season one, both bearing new scars. The men are glad to see one another on the beach at Dragonstone, but business is business. Team Dragonstone Reboot is smart enough to ask for Team Winterfell’s weapons. Things have changed since Davos was here last, that’s for certain.
As they head up to the castle, they chat, and I’m thrilled to see someone finally ask how a Night’s Watchman can become King in the North. I should’ve known it would be Tyrion who’d ask the right question. They’re interrupted by a dragon diving into their crowd, frightening Jon and Davos, just as Jon declares “I’m not a Stark.”
Well if I didn’t know better, I’d say the dragon was curious about Jon and wanted a closer look at- a smell, a taste of?- the new visitor. Given that he is half-Targaryen, it would be strange if Jon didn’t get some kind of reaction from the dragons.
Above them, Melisandre and Varys watch, detached from the proceedings. When questioned about staying away from the welcoming committee, Melisandre says that she’s done her part, bringing ice and fire together. The priestess, when pushed, is forced to admit she and Jon didn’t part on good terms, but she won’t be staying- she’s leaving for Volantis.
The magic-hating Varys warns her off from returning with an implied threat, but Melisandre gives as good as she gets without even trying. The eunuch has a bad track record when it comes to dealing with Red priestesses and this time is no exception. Melisandre matter of factly informs him she’ll return to Westeros eventually because she’ll die there…just like him. He’s speechless as she strolls away.
Now it’s time for the main event- Jon and Davos roll up to Dragonstone’s throne room, with Daenerys posed artfully on the Dragonthrone, for maximum intimidation effect.
Missandei adds to that by filling up the next ten minutes announcing Daenerys’ titles, as fans go use the restroom and refill their bowls of chips. When they get back, it’s Jon’s turn! His introduction is much quicker though, with Davos’ trademark blunt style.
The two monarchs sniff around each other warily, with each unwilling to give an inch. Daenerys is determined to have Jon bend the knee and recognize her claim as queen of ALL Seven Kingdoms, while Jon remembers very well that her father burned his grandfather alive, and they all have bigger problems than the war with Cersei. And why would Daenerys believe his claims about the army of the dead, readily? With both characters on such different pages, it’s unsurprising that they’re butting heads and unable to agree. Even with wingmen like Davos and Tyrion doing their best, these are two righteous-minded leaders who are unwilling to nudge.
Daenerys and Jon Snow have come a long way over the past six seasons and developed admirable certainty in themselves, and in their dedication to their people and their paths. Right now though, it’s making it damned difficult for them to come to terms with one another.
As Dany and Jon come to an impasse, Varys arrives with a message and the dragon queen learns of “Stormborn”‘s events.
Just then, we see a ship of Ironborn hauling Theon’s limp but living body from the sea. They question him about Yara. Theon claims he tried to do something but as Harrag points out, Theon would be dead if he’d tried to do something about Euron.
In the sea battle, Yara, Ellaria and Tyene fell into Euron’s hands. They’re lucky to be alive, but how lucky are they? As we see, they’ve been dragged back to King’s Landing as his prisoners, with cityfolk throwing garbage at them and Euron taunting Yara about Theon’s actions as they walk. (Anyone else get flashbacks to the Walk of Shame here?)
Euron leads the women into the throne room, and presents Ellaria and Tyene to Cersei as his gift to her. Ellaria spots the shape of the Mountain, her own personal boogeyman, and looks horrified, but she’s defiant and spitting when placed before the queen.
Having delivered, Euron wants his prize- marriage with Cersei- but she puts him off slyly. He’ll get his prize when the war is won. Sure, Cersei- because you’ll make sure he’s dead by then.
For now, Jaime will have to play nicely with Euron and his necessary navy.
It’s all over for Ellaria and Tyene, however.
Cersei has murdered plenty of innocent people but we can’t count the Sand Snakes among them. Their murder of Myrcella was particularly awful, and as revenge for the death of her daughter at their hands, Cersei has planned a symmetrical punishment. After a proper amount of villain monologuing with her fittingly spiky dress, as Ellaria begins to understand what’s coming without Cersei spelling it out, the queen lays a long kiss on Tyene’s lips.
Qyburn is at Cersei’s side at once with the antidote for The Long Farewell. But there won’t be an antidote for Tyene, and her mother will witness her death and decomposition until the end of her days. An inglorious end for the once-powerful daughters of Dorne who grabbed for power and lost badly.
Afterward, Cersei is feeling very sexually aggressive and pays Jaime a visit. The next morning, she’s completely without shame regarding the naked Kingslayer in her bed when her servant comes knocking to let her know that the Iron Bank is visiting.
In a world full of honor, blood feuds and oaths, it’s refreshing to know that there still exists a group of people who care about nothing but coin. There’s an ice zombie apocalypse on the way, but no, the Iron Bank of Braavos doesn’t care: they will keep on coming like the Two Dollars kid in Better Off Dead.
Which is a real problem for Cersei and the Iron Throne who are in serious debt to the bank. The Lannisters’ vaults aren’t what they used to be, and Tycho Nestoris (Mark Gatiss, reappearing in a wonderfully reptilian performance) personally visits Cersei to inform her: the Iron Bank wants their money, soonish.
Lucky for them, Cersei has a plan.
On Dragonstone, Tyrion’s trying to have a quality brood (over his strategic failures of late) when he’s interrupted by excessively good-looking fellow brooder Jon Snow.
Jon’s troubled by the issue of convincing people about the growing threat of the Night King and the White Walkers, while he’s also a semi-prisoner on Dragonstone. Tyrion sings the song of Dany’s greatness and defend her unwillingness to buy into Jon’s crusade. But he does want to help Jon, and finds a way to do so, handily.
Dragonglass– it’s why Jon came, after all. Tyrion explains its use to Daenerys and the fact of its presence underground on the island. He’s still not sure that the icy snarks and grumpkins are for real, but doesn’t see the harm in giving him the dragonglass. He leans toward believing him though, since Jon’s very presence points that way. Dany seems open to the idea, but notes Davos’ mistake earlier during their first meet-and-greet, when he oddly mentioned Jon “taking a knife in the heart.”
Speaking to Jon herself, Daenerys feels him out and decides to grant him the dragonglass…though she’s still unwilling to admit to believing in the army of the dead. Which is a normal way of thinking, but when you have three dragons, you think a woman would be more open-minded.
Sansa was raised to be the lady of a Great House, and it shows as she handles the winterization of Winterfell in Jon’s absence. Littlefinger takes the opportunity to join Sansa and chat her up about…honestly it’s all stupid shit from the trailer. This guy speaks like a fortune cookie. Literally nothing he says matters. Remember when Littlefinger mattered? Thankfully an interruption!
She hurries to the gate to find…Bran! A distant-eyed, much older version of her baby brother but still, it’s him. She throws her arms around him, and weeps.
Sitting in the godswood later, we can see that Bran’s coolness hasn’t changed. It’s who he is now, with the Three-Eyed Raven settling into him. He denies the possibility of ever being Lord of Winterfell. His powers seem omnipotent, and yet Bran says, “I need to learn to see better.” He apologizes for all the awful things that have happened to Sansa, as he recounts her wedding. She flees, unnerved by his powers and what he’s seen of her experiences. Bran may be powerful, but he does have a long way to go in understanding how to handle the flow of information running through him.
In Oldtown, Archmaester Ebrose is scrutinizing Jorah, who has had a miraculous recovery from greyscale. He’s terribly scarred, but healthy and alive. The archmaester is rightly suspicious of the story that he simply got better. He discharges Jorah from the Citadel, since he’s not infectious anymore, and has Sam come to him later.
Sam confesses immediately under questioning and suffers a nasty tongue-lashing from Ebrose, and that’s about it. As punishment for the risks he took, he has to copy some old moldy books, but he gets to stay in the Citadel.
On Dragonstone, with the threat of Euron’s fleet looming large, Daenerys proposes attacking them with the dragons- with herself piloting the mission. Her advisers don’t like the plan though, since she can be killed easily. They’re hoping the taking of Casterly Rock will go better, especially with Tyrion’s well-narrated plan.
To take down the seat of House Lannister, Tyrion uses his extensive knowledge of the Casterly Rock sewers and a secret passageway that allows a handful of Unsullied soldiers to access the impregnable castle. Because as Bronn once said of the Eyrie in season one, “Give me ten good men, and I’ll impregnate the bitch.”
The Unsullied cut through the Lannisters easily, in a skillful but unmoving sequence. When they’re done with the butchery, Grey Worm notices the low number of Lannister men- because they’re mostly somewhere else. Not the Greyjoys though- Euron’s fleet arrives at Casterly Rock to burn the Unsullied’s ships at sea and strand them there.
So where are the Lannisters?
Paying Olenna and Highgarden back for joining up with Daenerys, that’s where they are.
The Lannisters, with the support of the Tarlys (and Bronn, hey girl I just saw Bronn!), take the House Tyrell seat swiftly. As the Queen of Thorns notes, fighting isn’t their forte. He finds Olenna Tyrell waiting for him, and he pours the woman a drink.
As they speak, he confesses to leaving Casterly Rock wide open for the taking- it’s not worth much these days. There’s confessions galore: Olenna also points out his love for Cersei that will likely be his end. She knows she’s done for, and is just waiting to find out how she’ll be ended. She’s cool as a cucumber to the very end, our Queen of Thorns. Jaime grants her a graceful end- a painless poison in her glass of wine. She knocks it back in a long swallow without hesitation.
As a final, beautiful middle finger, Olenna Tyrell confesses one more thing- to Joffrey’s murder. She didn’t know his poison death would be so gruesome, having never seen that poison do its work. She asks Jaime to make sure to tell Cersei- she wants her to know it was her. Shaken, Jaime leaves while Olenna’s head is still held high.
Stray Thoughts
The Big Meeting: I was worried it would turn into a googly-eyed sexy-tension fest between Jon and Dany, but I was pleased with how layered their interactions were. These are two characters with strong motivations and they’re not going to lose them at the drop of a hat.
Tyrion & Dany, on the Case: Everyone’s pretending for a year that Jon wasn’t dead and in the Night’s Watch and making him king and stuff, and NOW people are asking questions. ’bout damned time!
The Queen of Thorns: Live like a boss, die like a boss. That’s her way. Diana Rigg, always and forever a queen.
Callback Central: I’m loving all the callbacks in this episode and the season in general. It doesn’t feel lazy, it feels like continuity in a lived world. Even the musical motifs with the recurring touches of “Rains” feel right.
The Rock and the Garden: I get that the fall of the two castles weren’t necessarily intended to be major battle pieces, but considering how much we saw of the Unsullied and Lannisters fighting in the montage, it still felt weirdly sterile. It felt as though we were watching a recap video, which affords a lot of detachment, and feeling uninvolved is not where I want to be with any TV show. They’re well done on a technical level, but they’re not hitting me in the heart. If it wasn’t for the Queen of Thorns, I would’ve felt pretty unsatisfied with the last couple scenes.
MVP: Davos, the ultimate wingman and best improvisational announcer guy!
Stark & Stark: Another Stark reunion! But a bittersweet one. They’re not kids anymore, and a lot has happened.
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Knee-Jerk Reactions to “The Queen’s Justice”—Five Best and Worst Moments
Sunday, July 30, 2017
Watch the trailer for next week’s episode of Game of Thrones, “The Spoils of War”
Game of Thrones Season 7 Episode 3 – The Queen’s Justice – Open Chat
Game of Thrones Season 7, Episode 3 “The Queen’s Justice”
Writer: David Benioff & D.B. Weiss
Director: Mark Mylod
Runtime: 63 minutes
Content Warnings: TV-MA: Adult Content, Adult Language, Nudity, Violence
Video Preview: The Queen’s Justice
Official Synopsis: Daenerys holds court. Tyrion backchannels. Cersei returns a gift. Jaime learns from his mistakes.
Tonight.
“The Queen’s Justice” premieres tonight at 9PM on @HBO. #GoTS7 pic.twitter.com/0RwUeWGehF— Game Of Thrones (@GameOfThrones) July 30, 2017
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Game of Thrones Season 7, Episode 3 live stream (“The Queen’s Justice”): Watch online
Saturday, July 29, 2017
Game of Thrones Weekend Quick Hits: Kit Harington, Carice Van Houten, Gemma Whelan & cinematographer Robert McLachlan
In a quick interview roundup on the eve of “The Queen’s Justice:” Kit Harington chats about the Jon Snow/Daenerys Targaryen meeting we’ve all been waiting for; Gemma Whelan talks about exploring Euron’s psychopathy with Pilou Asbæk. Carice Van Houten discusses audience sensitivity to sexuality; cinematographer Robert McLachlan hints at how we’ll likely react to upcoming episodes and a sign in Canada is vandalized in the name of Northern Loyalty.
According to People, Kit Harington recently spoke to Elle about the highly anticipated meeting between Daenerys Targaryen and her nephew, Jon Snow which will take place next episode. It “will be a huge pleasure” for fans, Harington assured us.
Cinematographer, Robert McLachlan, spoke to RadioTimes.com –twice– about what the rest of season 7 holds in store for us. Though he remained tight-lipped on plot details, he called episode 4 “surprising and epic” and episode 5 “crowd-pleasing” and “very satisfying.” He went into a little bit more detail about episode 6 (though not as much as the title of the article suggests, quite frankly):
“I’m really looking forward to that one because it’s quite different to the rest,” he said. “It was filmed after my shoots – it was done mostly in the winter time. They filmed in dismal conditions in a quarry in Northern Ireland. I think they got some nice scenic stuff in Iceland as well.”
In an interview with IndieWire, Gemma Whelan discussed what it was like to film that epic sea battle in last week’s episode, from performing fight choreography amidst burning embers to having to un-learn her ballet training in order to look appropriately brutish on screen. She also mentioned that, though Euron cackles manically after Theon jumps overboard in the final cut, in one take Pilou Asbæk opted to lick Gemma’s face instead.
“Yeah, he did lick me,” she said. “He and I make a great team, and I’m very free and open to things on set. I never get very rigid. It’s just perfect. I thought what he chose to do in that moment is he’s [playing] a psychopath, and so, it only helps if you’re being licked by someone when you’re covered in blood and sweat and whatever, and they’re covered in filth as well. It’s horrible, but if you can stay in the moment and react as if its horrible, then that’s great.”
Carice van Houten spoke with The Telegraph about the various challenges of working on Game of Thrones, including the emotional toll of filming high-stress scenes so soon after giving birth to her first child. She also addressed the prevalence of sex and nudity on the show and pointed out that audiences tend to get more bent out shape over the depiction of sexuality than violence.
‘In Melisandre’s case, I think I can justify it because she uses sexuality as a weapon… she’s trying to manipulate,” Van Houten said. “I find it hypocritical that we can show people with their heads blown off, then there’s one nipple and viewers get upset. That’s the thing that I struggle with… you don’t have sex with a bra on. I just want to normalise it.”
On a lighter note, according to TheStar.com, a James Snow Parkway exit sign on a highway in Milton, Ontario was defaced recently to read “Jon Snow Parkway” by a few anonymous ne’er-do-wells seeking to publicly express Stark solidarity. The sign has, sadly, been returned to normal and police are monitoring the area to ensure it doesn’t happen again.
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Daenerys Targaryen: All Dressed Up With No Place To Go
“Shall we begin?” – Daenerys Targaryen
With three words, the Mad King’s daughter Daenerys began her plan to reclaim the Iron Throne.
Her campaign in Westeros has been something that viewers of HBO’s Game of Thrones have been expecting ever since she emerged from her husband Drogo’s funeral pyre with three newborn dragons. For six seasons, she wandered around Essos as an exile, but as an exile growing in power. Along with her dragons, she acquired the stoic Unsullied infantry, spent some time getting first-hand experience in ruling, and secured the fervent loyalty of the saddled-for-battle Dothraki.
At the end of the sixth season, with her combined forces being borne west by ships from her Westerosi supporters (and a captured slaver fleet) it certainly appeared that Daenerys would be following in the steps of her ancestor Aegon the Conqueror:
- make landfall in Westeros with a committed army
- declare her claim
- welcome those willing to bend the knee
- introduce those who won’t submit to sufficient amounts of fire and blood
- profit!
It’s not a bad time to invade Westeros. King Robert Baratheon’s death and the aftermath of the War of the Five Kings has left the realm fractured, with the only person claiming overlordship of the Seven Kingdoms having low popularity and a dubious claim to the throne.
![ep610_001_02034719[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/ep610_001_020347191.jpg)
Cersei: Well, I’m sitting on it. Seems reasonable to me.
Qyburn: Quite reasonable, your grace.
Despite Cersei’s low numbers in smallfolk polling, the Lannister lioness is the queen that Dany needs to beat if she wants to be taken seriously.
We can assume Cersei has the loyalty of the Kingdom of the West (it’s the Lannisters’ home turf after all), as well as control of the Crownlands that contains King’s Landing and extends east along Blackwater Bay. The Lannisters might not have the love of the people of the Riverlands but they control strategic assets throughout, and we can assume after Stannis Baratheon lost most of his forces at the battle of Blackwater, that the lords of the Stormlands agreed to bend the knee or were replaced with more Lannister-friendly lordlings. (Otherwise Stannis would have registered the Stormlands as an asset on the Iron Bank’s loan application forms.)
Neither queen has the support of the North, or (considering Lord Royce’s recently-stated opinion of both the Lannisters and the Targaryens) support from the Vale of Arryn. Both Cersei and Dany have a working relationship with their own respective Greyjoy from the Iron Islands.
Dany enjoys support from Olenna Tyrell of Highgarden and the presumed ruler of Dorne, Ellaria Sand, but this support is qualified at best. Neither of these women are all that invested in Daenerys successfully taking charge of the Seven Kingdoms. Their primary objective is the destruction of the Lannisters, Cersei in particular.
Their advice to Dany reflects their priorities: the young Targaryen should launch a full-on assault on King’s Landing. At once.
Daenerys would prefer not to live up to her reputation as the Mad King’s daughter (a rep she’d contributed to with collective punishment in Meereen and the occasional mass burning throughout Essos.) She has stated her reluctance to be the queen of ashes.
That language is evocative of the fairy-tale heroine Cinderella, so-named for being filthy from cleaning the ashy hearths. Dany’s situation is reminiscent of Cinderella’s: she has every right to go to the ball (or in this case, to exercise her claim to the throne) she’s all dressed for the occasion, but wicked people insist on being in her way.
Stannis: Renly would be the wicked step-sister in my version.
In Dany’s version though, the fairy godmother is urging Cinderella to burn down the palace. Rather than committing to that extreme, Daenerys plans to weaken Cersei’s power politically with limited military action. The initial plan (before Euron intervened) was to isolate Cersei in King’s Landing with a Dornish-launched siege, and to take possession of the Lannister symbolic seat of power: Casterly Rock.
Brooding at Dragonstone, hoping that the lords of Westeros will recognize her claim, Dany begins to resemble not so much Aegon the Conqueror but Stannis Baratheon. He also had few friends on the mainland, a bad reputation, and tried to play a more political game first.
Stannis: Good news, you clowns. I get to be your king now. You’re welcome.
Lords of Westeros: LOL no. You act like we’ve never met you, Stannis.
Any ravens that Dany sends will probably get a similar response.
Daenerys: Hi! Everyone should agree that I’m the queen. The next five ravens I send will have all of my titles, I didn’t want to bury the lede.
Lords of Westeros: LOL no. We knew your dad.
Daenerys: But I haven’t even launched an attack with my Dothraki or burned anyone yet!
Cersei: Please don’t ever stop talking.
The Stannis comparison is not too far off base. Like the teeth-grinding Baratheon’s ships, Dany’s naval forces designated for bringing troops to King’s Landing have not fared well. And she currently has Stannis’s religious advisor Melisandre on-site preaching the Lord of Light gospel. (Daenerys has previous experience with bonfires and human sacrifice.)
Dany isn’t quite in the desperate straits that Stannis found himself in after his great loss in trying to assault the capital. She still has a large army of specialized forces, including flying weapons of mass destruction. She couldn’t have obligated all of her ships to the Dornish ferrying operation or Grey Worm’s planned assault on Casterly Rock. If the lords of Westeros are not receptive to her claims, should she want to bring the Dothraki over to engage in wholesale chevauchée, she could.
But does she want to do that?
Whatever she does, she’ll need to do something soon. The Unsullied are probably willing to remain on guard and await further orders, indefinitely, but those dragons need to eat and her Dothraki probably don’t want to be staying in one place, on a relatively small island, for very long.
If Dany is ultimately unwilling to commit atrocities in the land she wants to rule, but still wants to assert her claim as monarch of the Seven Kingdoms, she does have an option. Like Stannis Baratheon before her, she can go north.
Jon Snow has already opened the door to the possibility of the Targaryen army, and particularly the Targaryen dragons, being employed to assist the northmen in the war to come against the wights and the White Walkers. Melisandre saw in her flames a vision of a great war in the snow and ice, this vision guided Stannis north to the Wall in time to foil a massive invasion of wildlings. All things considered, it might have been better had Stannis not blunted this migration of living, breathing Free Folk, since it’s quite probable that every wildling unable to make it safely past the Wall will do so as a thrall to the Night’s King.
Thanks, Stannis.
Stannis: You’re welcome. But “your grace” is the appropriate address. I’ll not remind you again.
It was a big deal when Stannis opted to forgo pursuing the throne and react to the realm’s defense. It’s not out-of-bounds to imagine Daenerys having to make a similar choice, if things go badly for her in the south. And things go badly for the realm in the north.
I recommend that she plans to dress warmly.
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