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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Game of Thrones

Jon Snow continues his travels with Ygritte, and she continues to taunt him both emotionally and physically. I’m not sure he knows which is worse. Her people pelt him with rocks as he walks through the village.  Mance Rayder really likes Jon, so he’ll live another day. Ygritte tells Tormund Giantsbane that Jon killed Qhorin and wants to be one of them. Jon mistakes Tormund their king and bows before them, giving them a giggle. Once Mance Rayder learns Jon is Ned Stark’s bastard, he believes he can talk with him freely and they shake hands. Rayder calls Jon a traitor, and Jon says if he’s a traitor, then Rayder is one, too. Jon tells Rayder he wants to join forces with them because when they stopped at Crastor’s keep he saw him take the baby beyond the woods and saw what took it. When he told the Lord Commander and he already knew, Jon knew he wanted to fight for the side that fights for the living. Rayder says they need to get Jon a new cloak.

Bronn is with a lovely, half naked woman in an opulent room. He is interrupted from his festivities because Tyrion has sent a man for him, a matter of life or death. Meanwhile, Cersei visits Tyrion with a couple of guards at her side. He is afraid of being killed and greets her with a battle ax. Cersei taunts Tyrion about his fall from the Hand of the King to his presence circumstances, making little people jokes and worrying about why he might want to see Tywin. She accuses him of wanting to see Tywin to tell him lies about she and Joffrey and they trade barbs about who is the more accomplished liar.

Bronn arrives as she is leaving and he and Tyrion take a stroll along the wall of the keep. Bronn complains about how little he is being paid and demands more, all in good fun, of course.

Davos Seaworth is found on an island by a local boat belonging to the fleet of Xaro Xhoan Daxos. Davos’ face burnt and he tells Xaro Xhoan his son is dead. Xaro says he too, has lost a son and tells Davos Stannis is alive and licking his wounds at Dragonstone. Davos wants to go there immediately because the war is not yet over. For Xaro Xhoan, it is. He have 30 ships but was not paid for with the promised riches and glory. Davos pleas that Stannis never gives up were met with a counter that Stannis sees no one, not his generals, not his wife, only the “red woman.” She is whispering into his ear what she sees in the fire and burns all who speak against her in a fire, calling them servants of darkness.

Robb is looking for a fight from the Lannisters, but doesn’t believe he is going to get one. Coming upon a keep slaughtered, Robb believes it was the work of Jaime Lannister and Brienne and orders she be found a chamber that can be utilized as a cell where she can be kept. Talisa reminds him she is her mother. Robb doesn’t care, she set Jaime free and in turn robbed the dead in front of him of their justice.

Tyrion finally meets with his father, announcing that mounted a defense against the city while Tywin held court at Harrenhal, Tyrion fought and bled in the mud for that city while his nephew and king cowered in fear. What he would like is some gratitude. Tywin replies that he has seven kingdoms to look after and three of them are in open rebellion and he’s like to know exactly what Tyrion is after. Tyrion says that the day Jaime put on the cloak he gave up his rights to Casterly Rock and that’s what he wants. Tywin said he will find accommodations more suited to his names as a reward for his accomplishments at Blackwater Bay, but he has a lot to do before he is given a suitable wife. Tywin then shows his cards, he holds the death of his wife, Tyrion’s mother against him and believes Tyrion to be a bastard. He’s more concerned with Tyrion’s whoring and sarcastic wit at the expense of the family name, it appears, than he is with the fact his other children bear…eath other’s children.

Shae and Sansa share a conversation by the sea about passing ships. carrying silk to Dawn. They are playing a game about inventing a story about where the ship might be going, but Shae is terrible at it. Littlefinger interrupts and tells Sansa she recently saw Catelyn. This is the first Sansa learns Arya is alive. He tells Sansa if he is given assignment away from the capital, he may be able to take her away, but she must be ready at a moments notice.

Ros and Shae share stories of their humble beginnings, and Ros tells Shae to specifically look out for Sansa with Baelish.

Dany’s dragons are growing fast, but she thinks not fast enough. She needs an army. Jorah tries to assuage her fears. Dany talks about being the true Khalasar and believes she is making progress as the first Dothraki who followed her across the poisoned water trusted her to do so. Jorah reminds her she will only be so when she is strong, and not before.

Davos arrives at Dragonstone and confronts Stannis. Melisandre at his side, she asks how he would punish the infidels. She blames Davos for their defeat because he convinced Stannis to leave her behind when she could have saved them all. Davos tries to kill Melisandre after she tells him what she told his son, that death by fire is the purest of them all. Stannis commands he be locked up in the dungeon.

Joffrey is being carried through King’s Landing and his carriage stops because Lady Margaery is nearby and hopes to speak with him. She walks through a puddle of feces in her attempt to get to him, but he travels on. Margaery then speaks with the local children, telling them their fathers were heroes and they should be proud of them. She gives toys and gifts to the children and tells them under King Joffrey’s leadership they will take care of them all. Joffrey looks on, stunned.

Joffrey later visits with her for dinner with Cersei and Ser Loras. After Margaery compliments Cersei on her garments, Cersei suggests she might get herself some armor before she becomes queen if she plans to continue stopping in orphanages, the very place where Joffrey was once attacked and barely escaped with his life.

Daenerys visits the village of Astapor to check on an army of slaves for sale, the Unsullied. They are a despicable bunch who’s training includes killing a baby in front of its mother and giving her a silver coin to give to her owner for their loss. Dany is offended and wonders who she will be if she owns such an army. There are 8,000 men to buy, and Jorah points out that closing her eyes to what has been done to them will not undo what has been done, but she could make their lives better. She wouldn’t own them, but provide them a different way of serving in an army. Dany then discovers the people are warlocks. At Astapor, they find the Lord Commander of Robert Baratheon’s King’s Guard, Ser Barristan Selmy. He tells Dany he was searching for her to ask her forgiveness because he was sworn to protect her family and he failed. He was the King’s Guard to her family and if he joins the Queens Guard, he will not fail her again.

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