Lord Snow

From beginning to end the experience was even more immersive than in the previous installments. The last sequence with Arya brought me back to the time I was dreaming about Willow. What a refreshing ending ! And how worrying to turn her cute and joyful sword dance into a battle Ned remembered ! Is she destined to become a Joan of Arc ? Will she have to disguise as a man to fight beside her father and brothers ? Daenerys, Jon Snow… There're so many characters to care about and others like Jaime Lannister to hate ! In fact I wonder why her evil brother is still alive. A king ? He seems all alone and powerless so I really hope we'll learn more about him in the upcoming episodes. But around them we really assisted to a ballet of wonders. From the exotic environments to the artifacts TV has never felt so fantastic. Comparing it to The Lord of the Rings trilogy is nearly an insult considering that show has already grown on us and imposed its own unique identity. Moreover once the episode was over I couldn't help imagining what would happen next and it's definitely the mark of greatness. The little boy in his bed who just woke up and wants to get scared because his reality couldn't be more frightening. The old lady did a vicious job at telling the story ! And what was happening on Jon's side perfectly matched her words. But in the end beside the majestic castles and bamboos in the wind the one scene I have decided to keep gently in a corner of my mind is the heartwarming passage between Ned and Arya in her bedroom. The most inspiring father and daughter relationship ! Last but not least I already want to learn Dothraki ! The unique language definitely contributes to the authenticity of the show.

Ned Stark arrives at the King's Landing and is summoned to attend a meeting of the small council and he learns that King Robert is bankrupted. The he meets Arya and explains the attitude of her sister that will marry Joffrey. Bran does not remember what happened to him and will never walk again. Catelyn travels to King's landing with Rodrik Cassel to show the dagger to her husband and she is protected by her old friend Petyr 'Littlefinger' Baelish that hides her in her brothel. Jon Snow uses his skills to train the Night's Watch. Daenerys uses sex to control and impose on Khal Drogo and his warriors. Catelyn and Ned Stark discover the name of the owner of the dagger used by the assassin.

"Lord Snow" shows Catelyn and Ned Stark discovering the owner of the dagger. Ned also finds the economic situation of the realm. Arya now is learning how to fight sword and her bastard brother is finding leadership among the Night's Watch. But the best part is Daenerys finally acting like a queen. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Lord Snow"

There is potential betrayal everywhere. The incestuous queen has a vision and it doesn't include her fat husband. She dotes on her son who is a frightened little ass who plans to run his kingdom on the backs of the northerners. His mother tells him to ignore what happens and he can make up his own stories later. Bran wakes but has no memory of things, but he knows he has permanently lost the use of his legs. There are so many pretenders now and how things shake out is what this show is about. What all would see as a little girl is beginning to show herself as the true warrior, but we will have to wait for that. Meanwhile, a winter like no one has seen seems to be entering. Winters here, like summers, can last for years.

"Lord Snow" is the Game of Thrones episode where most people agree that it finally came into its own. The characters we met in the first two episodes are further fleshed out and we meet some new characters who will play major roles throughout the series. We also visit King's Landing for the first time as we take our first look at the sunny capital of Westeros. What interests me, from the first three episodes, is how character-driven these episodes are. One would expect lots of action or sword-fighting from such a grand fantasy epic, but there has been limited action so far. The characters drive the plot and that is a relief because now we get to know who these characters are. The main theme here is political intrigue and I really like how the politics shape the events of Westeros and what is to come.

Jon Snow takes the honor of the titular character. As we know from the first few episodes, he will be travelling to join the Night's Watch at the Wall, which separates the kingdom of Westeros and the cold, wintry North where the wildings live. Snow begins his training, but he is in for a rude awakening. He is being trained by Ser Allister, who makes Snow's life miserable. I guess that is what happens when a character is being trained to move from an arrogant rookie to a fearless leader. There is insight about how cruel life can be at the Wall. Luckily, we get another week of Tyrion at the wall. The name "Lannister" alone is enough to command respect of others. We see his scheming and we are left to wonder, what is his motivations? Is he in the league with Cersei and Jaime or does he have his own agenda? Peter Dinklage has been the standout of all the cast members so far and this episode is further proof. I really love his sarcastic demeanor, and I also liked how he subtly trains Snow. I also dig his bathroom off the wall routine.

Let's go back to King's Landing. Ned Stark and his daughters arrive and Ned is put to work right away trying to figure out the murder of the previous Hand of the King. There are excellent character moments between Ned and Arya, played beautifully by Maisie Williams. Arya wants to be a warrior and she begins here with her sword master, Syrio Forel. The swordfighting display is a thing of beauty. I do love the interactions that Arya had with her father in this episode. The look in Ned Stark's eyes when he realizes that eventually his daughter will be a true warrior, not learning these techniques for the fun of it. Catelyn Stark also makes an appearance here. She travels to Kings Landing in secret to solve the attempt on Bran's life. There is where she runs into one of the king's advisors, Petyr "Littlefinger" Baelish (played wonderfully by Aidan Gillen). Cat was Baelish's crush before she got married. They end up reuniting and Baelish tells her that the knife from the attempt was his.....until it was won off him in a game of cards by a certain a Lannister. Because of this event, things will start developing as we move forward with the season. We also meet Lord Varys, an eunuch played by Conleth Hill and Grand Master Pycelle played by Julian Glover.

Speaking of Lannisters, they certainly got good lines here. Cersei is grooming her petulant son of hers to be the next king and she drives the point home in such an odd way. She gives an odd, though rather indulgent way of telling her son he is going to be king. Jaime Lannister is given more to do and is developed more here. We learn that he killed the Mad King and also has some rather chewy lines. I loved his bantering with Ned Stark as we see The Iron Throne for the first time.

Finally, we head across the Narrow Sea to follow the arc of Daenary's. Daenary finally shows some qualities about why she should not be messed with. Let's just say this. Her stupid, controlling brother, Visery is going to get what he deserves. His character I completely loathe. It is nice for a change that we do not get to focus on nudity this episode. She is given nuance and she began to show why she could be a capable leader. I also like that we learn more about the Dothraki people as a whole.

Overall, this is a great episode that features lots of intrigue. There may be limited action, but the tension remains on high alert. If you like political stuff, this episode will be right up your alley!

My Grade: A-

This episode I found a little slower than the first two - but it's good and a necessary part of the story. Best part about this was watching Viserys Targaryen get his! I'm sorry but I find him as bad as Joffrey, Joffrey's mother Cersei and her lover and brother Jamie Lannister. I dislike others but it's Viserys, Joffrey, Cersei and Jamie that I can't stand - yuck! The episodes will only get better as these 4 get worse. Thoroughly enjoying this series so far.

8.5/10