Saturday, March 16, 2013

20 favorite Game of Thrones scenes (part 1)

Before I begin, here is the new War preview for season 3:
I've recently rewatched the first two seasons of Game of Thrones and the show has so many amazing scenes in it. I finally managed to list my favorite ones, so here we go:

20. Arya and Tywin in Harrenhal (various scenes in season 2)

When people talk about breakthrough stars of the show they mention Emilia Clarke and Sophie Turner, but the one they should be talking about is 16 year-old Maisie Williams. This young acress is just terrific as Arya Stark and her scenes with awesome Charles Dance in season 2 were brilliant. This is actually the show's invention as the two didn't cross paths in Harrenhal, but I was thrilled about that change - Dance's Tywin is one of the show's best performances and Williams totally held her own when they shared the screen. Though these two are enemies they are friendly towards each other as Tywin doesn't know who the girl is and she has a plan and his death is not the part of it at this point.
19. Until you and I are the only people left in this world (1x03 Lord Snow)

Jaime and Cersei Lannister are not just twins - they are also lovers. When Bran Stark catches them, Jaime pushes him off the tower. Cersei is panicking that the boy will tell people what he saw, since he woke up and even though he says he doesn't remember anything she worries he might one day. Jaime is much more peaceful about the situation and he even jokes that if it ever gets out they will write a ballad about them - a war of Cersei's c*nt. She strikes him and he grabs her and embraces her and he says that if he needs to he will kill everyone in the world so they could be together.
18. Tonight I would look upon your face (1x02 The Kingsroad)

One of the most interesting things in season one was the relationship between Daenerys and Khal Drogo. It started off without her consent and she was unhappy but then she decided to adjust her ways to the situation. She asks one of her servant girls to show her how to make Khal happy and when he calls on her that night she makes him look her in the eyes as they make love. It's a simple scene but it works so well in TV medium as a transition moment from frightened Daenerys to beloved Khaleesi.
17. So many vows... (2x07 A Man Without Honor)

In this scene Catelyn comes to Jaime's cell. She is accompanied by Brienne. Jaime keeps insulting Brienne (Is that a woman?!) and Catelyn remarks that Brienne is a truer knight than he will ever be, because he forsake every vow he took. Jaime proceeds to tell her that those vows were contradictory and amoral. He also remarks that he is more faithful than Catelyn's deceased husband - Ned brought home a bastard while Jaime says he was only with Cersei and no other woman.The scene ends with a cliffhanger with Catelyn, furious and asking Brienne for her sword.
16. Tyrion defends Sansa (2x04 Garden of Bones)
In that scene Joffrey has his men abuse and beat Sansa in the throne room - he wants to humiliate her because her brother Robb keeps winning battles. Tyrion walks in and scolds Joffrey for disrespecting his future queen. He approaches Sansa with respect and care and takes her hand, leading her out of the room. It's a very nice scene with a great deal of foreshadowing to what will happen in season 3 (or 4).
15. Tyrion confesses his "crimes"  (1x06 A Golden Crown)
At that point Tyrion is a prisoner at Eyrie, Lysa Tully's castle. He is accused both by her and her sister Catelyn Stark of murdering Jon Arryn, Lysa's husband and plotting to murder Bran Stark, Catelyn's son. At one point he comes before them and says he wants to confess his crimes. To the great amusement of those there (minus Stark sisters) and Bronn who listens in, he mentions many of his crimes, in the same vein of humor and absurdity - When I was twelve I milked my eel into a pot of turtle stew. I flogged the one-eyed snake, I skinned my sausage. I made the bald man cry into the turtle stew, which I do believe my sister ate. At least I hope she did.
14. Mother of Dragons (2x10 Valar Morghulis)
The character that evolved the most in the series is Daenerys - when we first meet her she was a frightened, naive girl. She comes a long way to her final appearance until season 3, in the season 2 finale. When she finally rescues her dragons she serves the justice to those who betrayed her - her servant girl who allowed for the dragons to be stolen and the man who let her in Qarth - who told her he was wealthy and proposed marriage to her. Jorah takes the key to the vault from him - when they open it they see that the vault was empty and that the man wanted to trick Khaleesi into marrying him. She orders for him and her servant girl to be locked in the vault to starve to death. As they beg and plead she stands there unmoved. Then her people take the valuable things and gold and she finally has enough to buy the ship and cross the Narrow Sea to her homeland.
13. We will kill them all (1x10 Fire and Blood)
After Catelyn Stark hears about the execution of her beloved husband Ned, she walks into the woods and weeps. She hears someone hitting the sword on the tree and she discovers it's her grief stricken son Robb. She hugs him and he yells he will kill them all (referring to the Lannisters). She tells him first they have to get the girls back (Sansa and Arya Stark, who remain in King's Landing) and only then they will kill them all. I adore Michelle Fairley's work in the show and the fierce look she has on her face here is one of the reasons I'm very excited for what I presume will be the final scene of season 4.
12. The King in the North! (1x10 Fire and Blood)

After Ned is executed Robb gathers his troops. They remark how the North should be ruled by someone who comes from there, not strangers. One by one they pledge allegiance to Robb and they proclaim him the King in the North. If you know the books that scene has even more of an impact.
11. Tyrion's story (1x09 Baelor)

Though Peter Dinklage performance is continuously wonderful I believe it is that scene that won him both Emmy and Golden Globe. In it, Bronn, Shea and Tyrion are playing drinking game and Bronn mentions that the soldiers told him Tyrion was married. Shea is curious and she asks Tyrion to tell them the story. Tyrion agrees and tells them that one night him and Jaime saw scared woman running from men who wanted to rape her. Jaime chased after them and Tyrion took care of the girl. They instantly fell in love and soon he married her. When his father found out, Jaime told Tyrion that the girl was a whore Jaime hired - he arranged the whole charade with the men chasing her to make Tyrion look like a hero and finally get the girl. Tywin, offended that his son married a whore orders his soldiers to have sex with her and makes Tyrion watch. The girl is paid - one gold coin, as Lannisters are worth more. Tyrion remarks that by the end she had so many coins they fell through her fingers. Bronn and Shea are both shocked and heartbroken by his story.

Part 2 will be published on March 30th

14 comments:

  1. Nice selection. I'll have to go with number 18 just because Khal Drogo is so irresistibly sexy, esp when he speaks the Dothraki language. ;)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. He really was :) Shame he wasn't around in season 2.

      Delete
  2. Oh Tyrion :'( That scene just broke my heart.

    Great selection of scenes. I love every Tyrion moment here and the Arya and Tywin one as well.

    Can't wait for part 2!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was so sad :( I know a lot of people cheer for Tywin (especially after Blackwater ending) but they will remind us of some of the terrible things he did in season 3.

      Delete
  3. Such a magnificent post! These are all great choices.

    Tyrion is hands down my favorite character in both the book & T.V. series. He's brilliant, funny, morally ambiguous, and often so compassionate, and his story -- especially his treatment by his father -- is so sad. And who else could hold his own with a c-nt like Cersei? I just loved that scene where he confessed his "crimes." Priceless.

    How I would love it if Tyrion formed an alliance with Dany and the Starks. I don't expect that to happen, of course, but I can dream. ;-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! :)

      He is so awesome, he is actually much more heroic and easy to like in the TV series but in the books he is also pretty much the one to root for. I love that he has a good heart without being boring - he is smart and can be cruel but never to the innocent ones. There is a huge pay off to Tywin's relationship with him.

      Actually he would like to form an alliance with Dany....:)

      Delete
  4. So many great selections! I loved when Tyrion saved Sansa. "Bronn, the next time Ser Meryn speaks, kill him." "That was a threat, see the difference?" is my favorite line of the entire TV show.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! ^^ Haha that was so awesome - I'm not threatening the king, I'm educating my nephew :P

      Delete
  5. Great selection Sati! I had forgotten some of these scenes, they're making me wish GOT premiered tonight!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Season 3 will have a fair share of amazing scenes for sure!

      Delete
  6. So many great scenes here. Really glad that you included the Arya/Tywin scenes -- that may have been my favorite story arc from season two.

    Can't wait to see what you've got lined up for part two!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They were so great in these scenes, I'm so glad they had Tywin there instead of Roose Bolton.

      Hope you'll like it! :)

      Delete
  7. Charles Dance is so damn perfect for Tywin it almost hurts. What he's managed to do with Tywin, especially with those scenes with Arya, is making this guy actually likeable. He's given a fatherly warmth, which isn't there so much in the books, but glad for the change in the show. Great choice there.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks, glad you like his performance too! They made him much more likable in the show, I love that they added him to Arya scenes.

      Delete