What I’m Watching: Game of Thrones (Season Finale)

Game of Thrones: Season 1, Episode 10 “Fire and Blood” (A-)

These ten-episode seasons really fly by. It’s hard to believe that we’re already at the end of the first year of this show, though it’s traceable in the fact that it went from being intriguing and highly dense to being relatively accessible and deeply exciting and enthralling (and terrifying in its violence at times). This episode was loaded full of powerful quotes from a variety of different players. Lady Stark gave her son proper motivation by telling him, “They have your sisters. We have to get them back, and then we’ll kill them all.” Her yelling at Jamie was something uncensored that we hadn’t quite seen yet, and I was shocked to hear him outright admit that he had pushed her son out the window. The chanting of the “King of the North” was also very moving, and the repeating of the oath of the night’s watch to Rob worked extremely well. Daenerys rocked this episode as she chastises the sorceress and demands that she show her what she has brought with her son’s life, only to be told that Drogo’s state is exactly how she was when Daenerys saved her. Angering a queen does run the risk of burning at the stake, as Daenery’s pledge to the people to have “those who would harm you die screaming” suggests. The last shot of her sitting naked with dragons covering her body is certainly memorable, and it serves as an interesting transition into season two. I like where almost everything has ended up, with just enough left unresolved to make the season premiere next year unmissable. Joffrey has become such a tyrant, having a musician’s tongue cut out just for fun and then putting up heads on spikes and forcing Sansa to look at her father’s head. At least Sansa stands up to him, saying that perhaps her brother will give her his head, and I’m looking forward to seeing how the war pans out next season. Tyrion is headed to court, which is definitely a good thing, bringing along his prostitute lady in purposeful defiance of his father’s commands. Arya makes quite an impression as a boy, and I’m eager to see where life takes her. This show got very good very fast, and I’m hopeful that season two starts out strong since I think it’s going to be terrific.

Season grade: B+
Season MVP: Peter Dinklage as Tyrion Lannister