HBO's Game of Thrones does little to tie up loose ends in the first season finale, "Fire and Blood." In the wake of the execution of Ned Stark (Sean Bean), Ned's son Robb (Richard Madden) mobilizes the Northern armies to march against King Joffrey (Jack Gleeson). Soon, Robb has captured Joffrey's uncle (and biological father), Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldau), and his men are calling for Robb to be king. But Joffrey is not without leverage. He still holds Robb's sister, Sansa (Sophie Turner), in his castle, and no one knows that younger sister, Arya (Maisie Williams), has escaped King's Landing. Arya is on her way to The Wall. Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance), head of the Lannister clan, is smart enough to know Joffrey is treading a wrong path, and sends Joffrey's uncle, Tyrion (Peter Dinklage), to guide the boy King. Across the sea, the wild card, the Khaleesi, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke), assumes her place as Dragon's Daughter, birthing three of the little lizards as her beloved husband's corpse burns.
Joffrey is a spoiled little brat, and is causing much of the civil strife within his kingdom. Ned is willing to falsely confess to treason to keep the peace and allow Joffrey to save face, and yet Joffrey has this powerful, polarizing figure killed anyway, against almost everyone's wishes. The only motivating factor to such a decision can be ego, and ego will never serve a ruler. Absolute power corrupts, and with Joffrey, this is happening very early in his ascent. Joffrey should listen to those older and wiser than himself, such as manipulative mother Cersei (Lena Headey), because with the way he is going, he is not likely to sit on the Iron Throne all that long. She may not be the kindest voice out there, but at least she's intelligent.
This is not a time to have strife within the Game of Thrones kingdom. They need to pull together. Daenerys is massing power to try to take the Iron Throne, which she believes to be her rightful inheritance. Who knows what is massing beyond The Wall to the North, but it looks unlikely it will still hidden away for very much longer. At such a time, Winterfell should be united with King's Landing for their mutual protection and survival. This will not happen as long as Joffrey sits on the throne, because he has thoroughly alienated the civilized people of the North. No mere apology will make up for killing Ned. And if the two groups cannot ally, it leaves them ripe for conquering from their enemies across the sea or behind The Wall.
Article comments
1 - Gerry
Nice review, Jerome, I really enjoyed this series--it was new to me, I haven't read the books. I strongly suspect events will conspire so Arya doesn't end up at the Wall--she'll be some kind of wild card, I think. Can't wait for GoT to come back!