Game of Thrones coming back on air is a momentous occasion in TV land, so I’m starting another “instant reaction post” series to get my feels out of the way. (Or as “instant” as it can be, considering I’m watching it more than 12 hours after the viewers in the US.)
It’s a pretty good start to a season, picking up the threads slowly where we left off, and introducing/re-introducing key characters. It’s taking me a while to recall who is who and who did what, so I’m glad the writers took it easy this episode.
But it started so painfully. TYWIN LANNISTER MELTED NED STARK’S VALYRIAN STEEL SWORD. (Three seasons later, and it still hurts to remember he died.)
Oberyn Martell’s introduction is badass! (Yeah, I don’t ever want to hear “The Rains of Castamere” again either, after the events of the Red Wedding.) Though I really don’t get why the Lannisters would send a wedding invitation to a House that has bad blood with them. It’s amazing that Tyrion is still able to hold his own in that tense moment when Oberyn looks at him with murder in his eyes.
Cersei fell out of love with her brother? Really? I never thought that would happen. Especially now that he’s clean shaven again. His unkemptness of the past two seasons was not a good look.
Hearing Jon Snow reminisce about last seeing Robb — way back in the second episode of the first season! — I want him to come back to life already. It still hurts to remember how *he* died too.
As usual, nobody does imperiousness better than Daenerys. Olenna Tyrell — Margaery Tyrell’s grandmother — does her best, but she is no match for her.
Seeing Ser Jorah Mormont again reminds me of the Game of Thrones Honest Trailer calling him “Lord Friend Zone”. Which made me laugh. He always did have a tender — and unrequited — look in his eyes for Daenerys.
Love the outspoken friendship that Brienne and Jaime Lannister have continued even after returning to King’s Landing.
Best line of the episode goes to the Hound: “What the fork’s a Lommy?”
So *that’s* how Arya got back Needle. When she lost it early in Season 2, I thought it was gone forever. Love how the tension just builds and builds in that last scene before exploding into an all-out brawl. And Arya finally gets to take revenge, bit by bit.
