“Unbowed, unbent, unbroken.” The words of House Martell. Throughout the history of Westeros, Dorne has never been conquered by an outside force. They stood up against the Targaryens and their dragons, which makes them a house to be reckoned with. Small wonder, then, that the castle could be infiltrated so easily. Continue reading
Tag: Season 5
Game of Thrones: ‘Kill the Boy’
Killing is nothing new to Game of Thrones, but for characters to kill who they are? Ah, now that’s more interesting. It’s the essence of the show, really. You’d have thought that our heroes would be used to the game by now, but they constantly underestimate the world and their place in it. This paves the way for some hard truths and even harder decisions. Continue reading
Game of Thrones: ‘Sons of the Harpy’
As season 5 nears the halfway point, Game of Thrones is starting to look like itself again: an epic yet intimate drama that’s constantly moving forward. That’s when the show works best, when the chess game keeps going despite the odds. Because you can never know who will wind up with the upper hand, and who will be cornered for the kill. Continue reading
Game of Thrones: ‘High Sparrow’
The Many-Faced God, the Faith of the Seven, the Lord of Light; so many deities it’s no wonder anything gets done in Westeros without someone shouting blasphemy. Episode 3, titled “High Sparrow,” cites the many religions and their highly devoted followers. Now, much has been said about the will of the gods, but we’ve never seen their wrath firsthand. It seems we have a conduit with a cold yet compelling Jonathan Pryce as the High Sparrow himself. Cersei, you have no idea what you’ve just done. Continue reading
Game of Thrones: ‘The House of Black and White’
Another season of Game of Thrones is nearing its inevitable end. It’s been a season filled with surprises, deviations, and controversy. And what’s a season of Game of Thrones without controversy? What’s different this time around is that the show has been actively distancing itself from its lengthy source material, resulting in some brilliant storytelling choices, some divisive, others rather questionable. But to continue to judge the show by its own merit, we have to leave behind certain expectations from the books. After all, the showrunners have been making significant strides in that direction leading up to season 5. So, instead of holding the show hostage to George R.R. Martin’s novels, I’ve decided to realign my expectations and revisit season 5 with a different analytical lens. I encourage other fans of the books to do the same. We begin with episode 2 – The House of Black and White. Continue reading
