Game of Thrones 3×05 – Kissed by Fire

How is it that Game of Thrones has managed to make Jaime such a likeable character? This is the man who pushed Bran off a ledge in the pilot after all! Since losing his hand and saving Brienne, the Kingslayer has become immensely sympathetic. Kissed By Fire is a revelatory hour for the character, particularly with regards to the scene in which he gets into the tub with Brienne. Not only is their chemistry on point, but his monologue offers a lot of insight into his story and why he murdered the Mad King (the psychopath was planning to burn the city with Wildfire and he had ordered Jaime to kill his own father). The sequence also poignantly ends with the Kingslayer denouncing his title and exclaiming “My Name is Jaime”. Wow!

First we had dragons and shadow babies, and now the latest magical element to join the show is resurrection. After receiving a fatal blow at the hands of The Hound, Beric Dondarrion rises from the dead and it is soon revealed that this is the sixth time he has cheated death thanks to the Lord of Light. I might not have been a believer in the Lord thus far, but the guy’s obviously got some sneaky powers up his sleeves.

Olenna continues to be my favorite character on the show. Her scene with Tyrion is a gem to behold, as she reveals herself to be more than a senile old hag and counts every single one of the supplies and provisions that House Tyrell has provided the kingdom with. In addition, her reasoning behind why a royal wedding is so important is quite clever (see below in its entirety). His deadpan honesty just infuses the show with a whole lot of fun every time she appears.

Kissed by Fire is also notable because it allows Robb Stark to really embrace his dark side by viciously ordering the hanging of the men who killed the Lannister boys in his captivity. The fact that he himself slices Karstark’s head, and ignores the potential political consequences, is a captivating twist to the narrative.

And then there’s that badass ending with Tywin ordering Tyrion to marry Sansa (as he doesn’t want to lose Winterfell). And then, just as Cersei begins to gloat, he orders her marriage to Ser Loras (he needs her to “breed” after all). It’s an epic double bombshell that effectively puts both his children in their place, and cements Tywin as a ruthless leader who is willing to do anything to keep his family’s name at the top.

Bits & Beheadings

– The fight between The Hound and Beric with his flaming sword was pretty badass. I particularly love the way The Hound’s sword slices through his opponent’s blade and “kills” him.

– How brave is Arya running and trying to attack The Hound herself?

– Loved the scene in which Ygritt leads Jon to the cave and strips as they have sex for the first time. The hilarious touch is her starting to say “You know nothing Jon Snow” only for him to kiss her down there.

– The way Bolton terrified Jaime about Cersei’s well being as he informed him about the battle of Blackwater Bay – not cool!

– Terrific scene with Qyburn working on Jaime’s gruesome hand. It’s a particularly nasty sight.

– Arya’s “I can be your family” line to Gendry is  so gutwrenching. Why does she always end up alone?

– The fact that Arya continues to list all the people she wants to kill: talk about dedication!

– Yet another heartbreaking Arya moment: her asking if a man without a head (Ned Stark) can be brought back to life. What a performance by Maise Williams.

– We finally meet Stannis’ wife this week, and it’s extremely creepy to see that she knows about his affair with Melisandre, and actually supports it. Moreover, we meet his daughter Shireen who has an odd scaly affliction on her face, and is quite fond of Davos whom she visits in the dungeon.

– After last week’s firecracker, Dany didn’t get much to do this week besides assign an Unsullied leader: Grey Worm. She also tells them to choose new names. A wise choice!

– Tension is brewing in Dany’s camp as Barristan tells Jorah that his disgraced name will hurt her cause in King’s Landing. It’s a bit unsettling to see these two old men fight over our little heroine.

– Robb has decided to attack Casterly Rock but he needs an army – Walder Frey. This can’t end well after Robb broke his word and never married his daughter.

– In case you thought Littlefinger’s whores were only women, he went on ahead and sent a male prostitute to seduce Ser Loras and uncover the Sansa plot.

Kings & Quips

Jon: (to Orell) What happens to your eagle after I kill you? Does he drift away like a kite with his strings cut or does he just flop dead to the ground?

Qyburn: You’ll need milk of the poppy.
Jaime: No milk of the poppy.
Qyburn: There will be pain.
Jaime: I’ll scream.
Qyburn: Quite a bit of pain.
Jaime: I’ll scream loudly.

Olenna: Gods, boy, that’s enough. We’re not in a tavern.
Podrick: Pardon, my lady.
Olenna: No need to speak. Are there any figs? Fetch some. I always take figs midafternoon. They help move the bowels.

Tyrion: It’s shaping up to be a very involved affair. The word extravagant has been used.
Olenna: What good is the word extravagant if it can’t be used to describe a royal wedding?

Tyrion: And we are so grateful for your contributions which are necessary for the preservation of the realm.
Olenna: As is a royal wedding. The people are hungry for more than just food. They crave distractions. And if we don’t provide them, they’ll create their own. And their distractions are likely to end with us being torn to pieces. A royal wedding is much safer. Wouldn’t you say?
Tyrion: I would.
Olenna: And traditionally paid for by the royal family. I was told you were drunk, impertinent, and thoroughly debauched. You can imagine my disappointment at finding nothing but a browbeaten bookkeeper.

Robb: Hang the rest.
Man: Mercy, sire! I didn’t kill anyone. I only watched for the guards.
Robb: This one was only the watcher. Hang him last so he can watch the others die.

Beric: Then the Lannisters caught me and executed me for treason.
Thoros: Was it a hanging or a dagger in the eye?
Beric: Both. Fuckers couldn’t decide.

Tywin: Your sister has learned that your new friends the Tyrells are plotting to marry Sansa Stark to Ser Loras.
Tyrion: Very well. She’s a lovely girl. Missing some of Loras’ favorite bits, but I’m sure they’ll make do.

Conclusion
It might not have been as explosive as last week’s hour, but this episode was still peppered with a whole lot of compelling developments.

Nad Rating
A-