Let's Talk Game of Thrones: "The Night Lands"

After watching the first episode I really wanted to see the second one. I dreamed and wished and hoped. I really really really didn't want to have to wait another week and a bit before I could find out what happens next. And then the episode leaked and all my wishing came true.

The second episode was much stronger then the first one. It didn't feel like they were jumping around as much between the different characters. I was right (it seemed) when I assumed that the first episode was more erratic because they needed to introduce all of the new major players. The episode managed to find a nice flow between all their stories similar to what they had going on in the previous season. As I've come to expect (and what has been said in many of the interviews) this season will be much more difficult to keep a clear story since most of the characters have wandered off in different directions and it takes a long time before they wander back together.

Alright. Pros and Cons.


From here on there will be spoilers.

MAJOR GLORIOUS PRO

"Salladhor Saan is a good name for songs"

Davos and Salladhor Saan. My GOD was that scene well done. The show managed to capture the essence of Davos, his undying loyalty to Stannis and his straight forward outlook on life. I'm slightly upset that they haven't given more of his backstory. The whole concept of his luck (the fingers that Stannis chopped off) and the story of the Onion Knight is a really interesting one, and it definitly would help shine some light on why he is the way he is and way he loves Stannis as much as he does. This sequence touched on that briefly. I'm hoping that we do go deeper into that later on in the season. I wouldn't be surprised if it is Melisadre who brings it out in the open.

But back to this scene. The banter between the two characters felt extremely real and playful. It is clear that there is a history behind these two and I hope we get to see more of it. Salladhor's comments towards Davos's son were priceless.

SECOND PRO
The men in the cage. As Arya heads towards the wall she is accompanied by many other boys and men. Yet the ones of real interest are the guys in the cage. When I got to this part in the book I was extremely confused. If they were that dangerous that they had to be dragged to the wall in a cage, how could they be sure that when they arrived and took on the Black, that they would keep to the oath?

The actor playing Jagen H'ghar (Tom Wlaschiha) gets across just how weird and different he is. Not to mention he's strangely attractive in a dangerous caged man kind of way. The show is able to get it across to the audience that this man is going to be important later on... but it doesn't spoil anything. Which is kind of nice. I'm excited to see more of him.

THIRD PRO

Littlefinger, you God among men. Littlefinger is by far one of my favourite characters in the show. It was nice to see him given a reprieve after last episode's run in with Cersei. The scene with Littlefinger in the Brothel is a good character study. What make him such a fascinating man is how he somehow knows how to get the best out of everyone he knows, and by best I men the most useful for himself. He is not a heartless man, he just is a business man.

THE FINAL QUESTIONABLE PRO

I think it's the sideways looks that she gives creep me out
the most.

Melisandre both scares the hell out of me. But it's a good kind of scare. When I was reading the book I was worried about how she was going to be portrayed in the show. She is a rather complicated woman who has her own goals to fulfill. The relationship between her and Stannis is a complete power struggle. Davos exists to balance the two of them out, but the scene the episode ends on... we get to see Stannis and Melisandre behind closed-doors. The Producers of Game of Thrones gleefully released that the fourth episode is going to have one of the most disturbing birth sequences to air on television. As we all can guess this is the direct outcome of the final seconds in this episode. Melisandre is going to give Stannis a son.... and it's not going to be pretty.

CON?
Alright Theon, I was waiting for this scene and it was only slightly fulfilling. You hit on your sister, it was awkward. You moved on. Your sister is a threat to your rightful throne, you have some work to do. Yara, his sister was just not.... right. I'm waiting to see more of her before I make my final judgement.

All in all I think the second episode was much stronger then the first. There is still so much more to get into before the meat of the season begins. I'm hoping episode three will finish up with our introductions to characters and by episode four we'll be live and kicking.