GAME OF THRONES

Winter is no longer coming. It's here with hundreds, if not thousands of white walkers and we get a preview of the war to come. Cersei is still rotting in a cell thanks to the High Sparrow. Every day a septa offers her water and asks her to confess, but Cersei will not give in. She tries everything including bribing the septa. None of it works. Qyeburn visits her and tells her that her uncle, Ser Kevan, is coming back to the capitol to serve as Hand of the King. She asks why her son has not visited her and Qyeburn tells Tommen is distraught over her and Margaery's incarceration and has locked himself in his chambers, rarely eating the food that is left for him. Qyeburn tells her the only way out may be to confess, but Cersei isn't that desperate yet. As he leaves he tells her his work is still continuing. I think that must have to do with his work on the Mountain and keeping him alive. Sansa wants to know why Theon told Ramsay she wanted to escape. He tells her Ramsay t...

Two favorite moments from "The Gift": the look on Cersei's face as the High Sparrow has her arrested, and Tyrion Lannister and Danaerys Targaryen finally meeting and locking eyes. I would like to thank the Old Gods, the Seven, R'holler, the Many Faced God (and any other deities I may have forgotten in GOT cannon) for making this happen! Worst moment was Maester Aemon passing away and leaving one less noble man in Westeros. Plus I love most of the Targaryens so I was sad. We'll get to see how said events came to pass in a bit. In dusty Dorne Jaime sits in a lavish cell and is visited by Myrcella. He says he is there to take her home because she is no longer safe in Dorne, thanks to her  her mother and grandfather getting Oberyn killed last season. In the usual teen-agery tone, she tells him that she loves Tristane Martell and will not go back to Kings Landing, before storming out. Bronn is in one of the lower cells across from the Sand Snakes. He is singing a so...

Word of Dany's rule in Mereen has come to the wall. Sam reads a letter to Maester Aemon in the library at Castle Black. It declares that she will stay in Mereen until she is sure the act slavery is abolished. I'm guessing the letter is from Varys from the way it sounds. Maester A is worried about Dany because it's rough being the last Targaryen in the world and he wishes he could be there to advise her, but Sam thinks she's awesome. Jon interrupts because he wants some advice from Maester A so Sam leaves them to it. Jon tells Maester A he is worried because there is a big decision he has made, but he knows it will be unpopular with most of the men. Without even hearing what it is Master A tells Jon he should follow his instincts and he should "kill the boy" (inside himself) because winter is almost upon them. After his visit with Maester A, Jon goes to see Tormund. He wants to know where the rest of the wildlings are hunkered down and he wonders if Tormund...

QUICKLOOK:   The Night’s Watch gets saved, but Dany must chain her dragons and even the privy is dangerous in a Game of Thrones. It’s already time for the season finale and I’m sure this episode will leave us clamoring for more during the next year, but that’s why we love it!   This episode was jam-packed with surprises, deaths and the beginnings of new adventures for a few characters. Jon walks through the destruction from the night before towards the Wildling camp.   I’m really not sure why he didn’t at least take Ghost with him, but if he’s bargaining a huge direwolf could send the wrong message.   When he gets close to the camp, the wildlings surround him, but he shows he is unarmed.   Mance appears and Jon tells him he is there to negotiate with him.   He decides to hear Jon out and they go in his tent.   Mance laments that he had hoped Jon’s oath to him and the wildling army had been real, but Jon tells him he was always lo...

The Night’s Watch protects the realms of men, but who will protect the Night’s Watch?   I guess we’ll get an answer to that question tonight.   This episode will be completely devoted to the wildling attack on the wall like the Battle of Blackwater Bay back in season 2.   One hundred thousand men against one hundred doesn’t sound like very good odds. Jon and Sam are keeping watch on the Wall.   Sam asks what Ygritte was like.   He wants to know what it is like to be with someone that way since they are all about to die.   Sam points out that there is no specific vow they make as black brother’s to never lay with a woman, they just don’t take a wife or father children.   So according to him, it’s left open to interpretation.   Jon tries to explain what it’s like to be intimate with someone, but can’t quite express the words.   He sends Sam down to get some sleep and an owl appears on the wall. Around a campfire,...

QUICKLOOK:   Daenerys finds out she has an enemy in her lair.   Petyr faces the nobles of the Eyrie over Lysa’s death, and the Red Viper (aka Prince Oberyn) fights the Mountain (aka Ser Gregor Clegane, aka the Hound’s evil older brother). We had to wait an extra week for this episode, but I’m sure it will have been worth it.   Finally, we get to see the showdown between Oberyn and the Mountain.   They actually recast the role of the Mountain this season, specifically because of the difficulty of shooting this episode.   He is now played by Hafpór Július Björnsson, a 6’9’ 420 lb. Icelandic strongman competitor.   Good casting, but more on the fight later… We open in Moles Town where some men of the Night’s Watch are being entertained by some classy whores who can burp out songs.   One of them gives Gilly a hard time about her baby crying.   Gilly hears something outside and knows it is the wildling army about to atta...

Jaime yells at Tyrion for throwing his life away and the deal Jaime made with their father.   Tyrion says he couldn’t listen to Shae’s lies about him.   He fell in love with her and thought she loved him.   He also tells Jaime that this is exactly what their father wanted.   Tyrion goes to the Wall and Jaime becomes the Lord of Casterly Rock to marry and carry on the family name.   Tyrion says it felt good to take that from their father.   He tells Jaime he is the golden son, he can do anything and get away with it whether it’s sleeping with his sister or killing a king.   Tyrion says he’s not dead yet, he has already survived one trial by combat even though Jaime wasn’t there to save him.   Jaime tells Tyrion he cannot help him now either.   He can’t even beat a stable boy at sword fighting with his left hand.   Tyrion asks where his sense of adventure is.   He tells him to imagine the look on their father’s face whe...