TV Open Thread: Game of Thrones - "The Kingsroad"

There were three processions in the latest Game of Thrones episode, "The Kingsroad." The first, led the still-reluctant Daenerys (Emilia Clarke) on her white horse across grassy fields, home to her new husband's nomadic people, the Dothraki. The second was Ned Stark (Sean Bean) and his two daughters, Sansa and Arya, with their pet direwolves, joining King Robert across rolling green fields to King's Landing. And the third found Ned's bastard son Jon Snow (Kit Harington) and Tyrion Lannister on their way to the Wall, where Jon will become part of the Knight's Watch.

Peter Dinklage is wonderful as Tyrion, who is an outcast within his family because of his dwarfism (and superior intelligence). He is acerbic and witty and kick-ass and the only person who seems to be abe to see everything that is going on behind closed doors and in people's minds. He informs his sister the Queen (Lena Headey) and the rest of his family at one of the most unpleasant family breakfasts ever that young Bran is alive, but no one knows if he will live or be a cripple as a result of his fall from the battlements (at the hands of the Queen's twin brother and lover Jaime.)

The queen is worried that the boy might live, but says publicly, "I hope the boy does wake, I'd be very interested to hear what he has to say." She visits Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) and at first seems genuinely concerned for the boy's welfare, as she shares a story about losing her own young son. But it is most likely a warning, a preparation for Catelyn's impending loss, as there is soon an attempt on Bran's life. Catelyn has been complaining about the direwolves howling outside Bran's window as an assassin enters and tries to kill both the boy and his mother. She fights valiantly but is about to be murdered when one of their pet direwolves springs into action and kills the assassin and then perches on the edge of Bran's bed, the ultimate watch dog.

Article Author: xoxoxoe

My name is Elizabeth Periale. I am an artist, blogger, and culture critic. I write about movies, books, television, pop culture—old and new—with a feminine/feminist perspective.

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