Game of Thrones S3E1: Who'll Season 3 Be About?
Last night I started watching Season 3 of Game of Thrones. Yes. I'm back to it after a hiatus of nearly 2 months. Unlike the 6 month break I took after Season 1 because I wasn't ready to keep watching "A Show About Terrible People", this break was actually due to wanting to catch up on my blogging backlog. 🤣 At first I thought I was only 4 weeks behind. With all the fun weekend trips we've been taking this summer 4 weeks turned into 8. But here I am now!
One of my ongoing thoughts while watching Season 2 was " This could be called The Book of Tyrion" (a play on the Star Wars spinoff The Book of Boba Fett). Tyrion Lannister was the primary viewpoint character across the season. The plot revolved primarily around his actions and his responses to events. That was a good thing because a) well, it's just a good narrative structure, but also b) Tyrion was well written and c) actor Peter Dinklage did a fantastic job, winning an Emmy for it. In that vein I wonder, who's the main character Season 3 will be about?
The events in S3E1 suggest there are two characters who might step more to the foreground to fill the blank in the unofficial title, Season 3: The Book of ____. They are Daenerys Targaryen and Margaery Tyrell.
Daenerys is hardly a new character, of course. She was introduced in S1E1 with a life's mission that was telegraphed to be critical to the entire series. But in the first two seasons her plotline was only in fourth or fifth place in terms of screen time. I think there's a chance this season might focus on her more strongly. The reason is that she's stepping up, both in power to shift world events and as a character through through whom a moral story can be told.
The details: In S3E1 we see Daenerys struggling with[S1E3 spoilers (click to open)]a choice of whether to buy a slave army. On the one hand, she needs the soldiers to reclaim the throne she believes is rightly hers, and these soldiers are exceptional. On the other hand, she abhors the institution of slavery. Her advisor, Jorah, tries to assuage her conscience by pointing out that the slaves will be slaves no matter what, while she'll be a way kinder owner than anyone else who buys them. It's clear she finds that moral relativism distasteful... though it's not clear whether or not she'll decide it's a necessary evil.
Margaery is a recent arrival in the TV story. She only appeared late in Season 2, though she quickly moved into a position of prominence in the story. S3E1 features some interesting character development, with her bringing a breath of goodness to an evil place. I'd enjoy seeing Season 3 build a major story arc around her.
The details:[S3E1 spoilers (click to open)]Following her engagement to King Joffrey in late Season 2, Margaery's now exerting her influence over him. She surprises him by leading an act of charity that wins favor with peasants. This confuses teenage Joffrey, who's only ever seen peasants as workers to be exploited and ruled with intimidation and violence. That viewpoint is what his mother, Cersei, taught him, of course. And Cersei is catty with young Margaery because she sees the balance of power shifting. If Season 3 turns out to be "The Book of Margaery" it could be a tragedy. While my hope for a Margaery storyline is that she blunts and redirects King Joffrey's evil impulses- which would be a happy-ish ending- Cersei's evil jealousy foreshadows she'll be plotting Margaery's demise. [Please, no spoilers about what happens!]
One of my ongoing thoughts while watching Season 2 was " This could be called The Book of Tyrion" (a play on the Star Wars spinoff The Book of Boba Fett). Tyrion Lannister was the primary viewpoint character across the season. The plot revolved primarily around his actions and his responses to events. That was a good thing because a) well, it's just a good narrative structure, but also b) Tyrion was well written and c) actor Peter Dinklage did a fantastic job, winning an Emmy for it. In that vein I wonder, who's the main character Season 3 will be about?
The events in S3E1 suggest there are two characters who might step more to the foreground to fill the blank in the unofficial title, Season 3: The Book of ____. They are Daenerys Targaryen and Margaery Tyrell.
Daenerys is hardly a new character, of course. She was introduced in S1E1 with a life's mission that was telegraphed to be critical to the entire series. But in the first two seasons her plotline was only in fourth or fifth place in terms of screen time. I think there's a chance this season might focus on her more strongly. The reason is that she's stepping up, both in power to shift world events and as a character through through whom a moral story can be told.
The details: In S3E1 we see Daenerys struggling with[S1E3 spoilers (click to open)]a choice of whether to buy a slave army. On the one hand, she needs the soldiers to reclaim the throne she believes is rightly hers, and these soldiers are exceptional. On the other hand, she abhors the institution of slavery. Her advisor, Jorah, tries to assuage her conscience by pointing out that the slaves will be slaves no matter what, while she'll be a way kinder owner than anyone else who buys them. It's clear she finds that moral relativism distasteful... though it's not clear whether or not she'll decide it's a necessary evil.
Margaery is a recent arrival in the TV story. She only appeared late in Season 2, though she quickly moved into a position of prominence in the story. S3E1 features some interesting character development, with her bringing a breath of goodness to an evil place. I'd enjoy seeing Season 3 build a major story arc around her.
The details:[S3E1 spoilers (click to open)]Following her engagement to King Joffrey in late Season 2, Margaery's now exerting her influence over him. She surprises him by leading an act of charity that wins favor with peasants. This confuses teenage Joffrey, who's only ever seen peasants as workers to be exploited and ruled with intimidation and violence. That viewpoint is what his mother, Cersei, taught him, of course. And Cersei is catty with young Margaery because she sees the balance of power shifting. If Season 3 turns out to be "The Book of Margaery" it could be a tragedy. While my hope for a Margaery storyline is that she blunts and redirects King Joffrey's evil impulses- which would be a happy-ish ending- Cersei's evil jealousy foreshadows she'll be plotting Margaery's demise. [Please, no spoilers about what happens!]