Take, for example, take the opening scene. For two years we’ve known that winter is coming, but it has yet to arrive. We’ve also known the wildlings were going to breach the wall, and now that Sam failed to release the crows, nobody will know what’s coming for them. Lord Commander Mormont shouted it loud and clear, their new message to the masses was to let them know that by the time winter ended, everyone would be dead.

That’s a bit dramatic, don’t you think? Winter hasn’t even arrived yet, and the wildlings have barely crossed the hearth of the wall, but he’s already calling it a done deal. Way to give up old man! The best part of his speech was Ghost, somehow still a part of the Night’s Watch and no longer at Jon Snow’s side, listening raptly as Mormont gave the men their marching orders. Any glimpse of a direwolf in Game of Thrones is a winning moment for me.

The battle of Blackwater left many dead and others scarred emotionally and physically. Tyrion is holed up in his new quarters, fearing death and wondering why Tywin has yet to visit his heroic son. When Cersei does dare to visit, two guards at her side, she needles Tyrion and mocks what he accomplished on behalf of King’s Landing. It’s no surprise some of the closest relationships Tyrion has made during the series have been with the Starks. His own family’s derision for him is pointless and hypocritical.

When he finally goes to see Tywin, Tyrion is not thanked for preparing King’s Landing for the assault, but instead blamed for it. For if he had not been born and killed Tywin’s wife, their lives would have all been different. Tywin is not a stupid man. Why does he focus on having a disabled son whose mother died giving birth to him rather than looking at his other two children, who are engaged in incest and have produced the most disgusting and vile king to ever rule? Yes, Joffrey, I’m looking at you. When you take Arya away from Tywin, he’s a tyrant. I was seeing him in a completely different light when she was serving him at Harrenhal.

Tywin’s inability to give Tyrion the respect he deserved chalked up the end of any compassion I had for Tywin. It also made me want to pick up the darn books again, which I had chosen not to do because keeping the books and series differentiated was becoming so difficult.

Daenerys’ search for an army grows on, as she has persuaded some of her Dothraki people to travel with her across the poisoned water. I can’t wait for a scene when all three of her dragons are together, because even one just blows me away. Dragons! Dany’s a great leader because her strength, determination and compassion keep her humble enough to know when an army is being mistreated, but brave enough to know she can do better by them and make them into men who will earn a new and highly regarded life under her command. Ser Jorah is always by her side giving her advice that feeds her in ways others wouldn’t be capable. Their friendship, which it appears will one day become more than that, is one of my favorites.

The Unsullied army seem quite lucky to have fallen into the hands of Dany. After the man who trained them, and finds that ripping their nipples off as an example of the mastery of said training is acceptable, lets them go, it would seem they might follow Dany and her more caring ways of treating those who serve her to the ends of the earth. That’s exactly the kind of army Dany needs to win the Iron Throne.

As Sansa has been cast aside by Joffrey in place of Margaery, I find myself unsure whether to like or dislike the latter. Margaery seems just cunning enough to be likeable. Nobody who wants to marry Joffrey and still visits orphans with a smile on her face can be in their right mind, but I believe she has bigger plans for herself. It seems she will be a giant thorn in the side of the Lannisters and she’ll be able to smile her way out of it without truly offending any of them. Winning the love of the people is a perfect start, especially doing so in the place where Joffrey was once attacked.

She has set her sights on becoming queen, but that doesn’t mean she can’t do good as queen, unlike the Lannisters have done during their realm.

As I said earlier, there are so many short bits during hour that are mere glances in comparison to other storylines. Davos found his way back to Stannis, only to be marked as a servant of darkness and thrust into the dungeons. Stannis is a freaking nutcase. We saw a glimpse of Jon as he asked to join Ygritte’s people, but the story stopped there. Robb and Talisa were at Harrenhal and it was destroyed. All we learned from the scene was Robb is treating Catelyn as a prisoner for setting Jaime free. With Brienne at his side, I think Jaime may be the one hope we have left, other than Tyrion, for the Lannisters.

As I watch Game of Thrones, I like to imagine a team from the different realms who would work well together to run all seven kingdoms. Tyrion and Dany are on my must have list at the moment. We’ll see who else makes the cut as the season(s) progress, and who might fall off.

All in all, not a bad premiere, but if they’re going to focus on three main storylines, them focus on them. There wasn’t a need to interrupt with Robb in this episode, nor with Stannis and Davos, for that matter. Sometimes the sheer enormity of what they try to squeeze into one episode makes it feel disjointed, instead. The bits with Tyrion, Joffrey and Margaery and Dany were brilliant and exactly what I’d expect from Game of Thrones.

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What do we learn from this trailer?

Tyrion and Cersei sharing a discussion about how long the warring will last. Tyrion notes there are “Seven kingdoms all united in fear of Tywin Lannister.” When he wonders how long it goes on, Cersei tells him, “Until we dealt with all of our enemies.” That’s a long time if you’re a Lannister.

Elsewhere we see Stannis certain that darkness will consume them all unless he triumphs. Thanks, Melisandre, for giving the guy a big head.

Poor Sansa is still acting accordingly on the arm of King Joffrey, who otherwise is stomping his feet and shouting “I am the KING. Everyone is mine to torment.” Cersei must be so proud. At some point, we’re going to realize how embarrassed she is by her son, but she plays the dutiful mother just as well as Sansa plays the dutiful…fiancee? Anne Boleyn, er, Margaery, hasn’t yet found her way to Joffrey’s side, but she make a brief appearance in the trailer, thereby setting the stage.

Jaime and Brienne continue their sword fight on the bridge. For all the promotion that particular scene is getting, it had better not last a mere 20 seconds and I expect Brienne to show Jaime a thing or two about how dangerous she can be.

Jon Snow is still off fighting someone with Ygritte. This time she’s playing the role of Katniss in The Hunger Games (archery is all the rage!) and darkness is enveloping the North as they do their damnedest to stave off the beasts who have found their way around the Wall.

Daenerys is totally bad-ass and confident with her dragons, this time she’s go a fire-breather at her side and she’s asking exactly how someone would prepare to defeat them.

For the full video and to pique your imagination further, watch and whet your appetite.

The post Game of Thrones Season 3 Trailer #2: Seven Kingdoms United In Fear appeared first on TVHackr.

A hint of the Lannisters: A reminder that nobody has dared kill the dreaded and woefully inept King Joffrey; Tyrion opining that he has lost blood for his family (which will most likely go unnoticed and unrewarded); Jaime battling it out in a sword duo with Brienne of Tarth (seriously, he’s called her the ugliest creature alive, but I can’t be the only one who feels the sexual tension there!) and Stannis being manipulated by Melisandre again to believe he is the key to all things. Everywhere. Period.

There are glimpses into the lives of the Starks: Rob realizes he is winning battles but losing the war, Arya shouting out for someone to burn in hell, Bran skillfully mastering the craft of archery and Jon Snow (an honorary Stark bastard) talking about his freedom, which would appear to be triggered due to his lusting after a certain lass named Ygritte. Or, as Mance Rayder believes, his desire to be a hero.

Finally, we see Daneryx, looking lovely in blue, sailing across the sea, her dragons at her side, or rather flying along side the ship on which she rides. Ser Jorah is still giving her counsel and it would appear, initially, that her darkest times may have passed.

All of that means little out of context, as we know from watching Game of Thrones. Every week leaves us breathless in anticipation of what’s next to come. That’s the brilliance in the adaptation of George R. R. Martin’s series of A Song of Fire and Ice novels to the small screen. Keep an eye on TVHackR for more GoT related news, and enjoy the latest preview, below.

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