Game of Thrones : 8x1, 8x2
How I have loved these past two episodes. We all know that from episode 3 and onwards it will be a battle and we will be losing characters we love, that's why I love that the first two episodes were spent dealing with the relationships and giving these characters breathing room. We've spent 8 seasons with these characters and we loved them (or even love to hate them) and I think this time was well spent in focusing on everyone's relationships. The Stark siblings, the Lannister siblings, bridge building like Jaime and the Starks, Theon and the Starks, Arya and The Hound; bae #2 Beric Dondarrion, the Hound and Arya; bae #1 Ser Jorah and his niece Lyanna. We needed these bits of light before the impeding storm of death and awfulness.
Loved
-Brienne being knighted. I'm a Brienne / Jaime fan and at this point if they just hug I'll be over the moon. And for all of the Brienne/Jaime or Brienne/Tormund shipping we tend to lose sight of Brienne the Warrior so having Jaime knight her is more vital and more impactful than Jaime sexing her and same with Tormund. For all of his lusting after her he respects her as a fighter. The fact that he was floored by the idea that she wasn't already a knight just shows how evolved the Wildlings are when they were supposed to be the less enlightened than those on the other side of the wall.
Another bit of business that I loved in the knighting scene is that Brienne was slow in going to Jaime as if she was afraid this was a hoax. She has always been used as a joke - people calling her Brienne the Beauty, her being in Renly's Rainbow Guard, Jaime's constant belittling jokes when they first met. She is accustomed to people pulling the rug from under her and the last thing she wants is for him to take this one thing that she wants the most and make a mockery of her.
I remember this woman asking me what I wanted to do --what dreams did I have and I told her I didn't know and she said that I did but I was afraid to give voice to it in case someone took it from me. And she didn't mean literally take my idea but just that someone would say "it's impossible" or "that will never happen" and that's why Brienne lies and said she never wanted to be a knight (and Pod looking at her like, "C'mon now."
AND I love the look Tyrion shoots Jaime when Jaime scrambles to his feet upon Brienne's entry. He's never seen his brother like this or maybe has never seen him like this since joined the Kings Guard. I mean, the sheer fact that you have Davos, Tormund, Tyrion, Podd, Brienne and Jaime in a room together and Jaime and Brienne are the ones with the least sexual partners with Jaime's 1 and Brienne's zero. What a world.
-Sam giving Jorah Heartsbane. Jorah shamed his house; yes. Jorah felt he didn't deserve Longclaw so Sam giving him his family sword to honor Ser Jeor shows that Jorah has continued on his family's name in another way. And that look Jorah gives Sam when Sam tells him, “I see you when it's through” like, “Dude, one or both of us is not coming back from this.”
-Theon fighting for Winterfell. People gass up Sansa for the best character development and that's true. I will definitely give her that and co-sign with Arya with her telling Jon that Sansa was the most clever person she knows, but I think audiences were always supposed to root for Sansa since she was a Stark. Theon was a tosser from day one but got increasingly horrible when he betrayed Robb and the rest of the Starks. Even with his betrayal, I could understand where he was coming from. In the still fantastic standoff scene where Maester Luwin (RIP) tries to convince him to give up Winterfell, Theon finally voices - and probably the first time anyone has- the contradictory nature of Ned. We're always told Ned was the best of them all: honorable, but he did steal Theon from his family. And just like Jon was was given separate but equal status, Theon was brought up alongside the Starks but still wasn't one of them. It's the same reason (or at least one of the many) why Littlefinger resented the Tullys and anyone highborn. He was fostered by Highborns but he wasn't one; a part of their world, but not. So while Theon performed a great betrayal, he's been working so hard to redeem himself. And it takes a really good actor to not just make you want to give up on Theon when he's been real sniveling in recent seasons. Jumping off the boat to save himself and leaving Yara to Uncle Euron? Damn, son.
-Cersei and Euron. In another world I would be rooting for the Westerosi version of Boris and Natasha. They're so much fun.
-Little moments like the girl who obviously reminded Davos of Shireen, who he never got a chance to grieve. Everyone cheering on Brienne for being knighted. Jon, Sam and Edd - the survivors of the Nights Watch.
Didn't Love
-The automatic hate Sansa and Arya have for Dany. I don't think it's quite justified. They don't know anything about her other than what they know of her family. And in any situation I could understand them hating the daughter and sister of the men who killed their father and uncle and kidnapped (or so they thought) their aunt, but they know that there is a bigger war on the horizon so family squabbles taking precedence over the lives of everyone in Westeros is really irksome. They have bigger fish to fry.
- I don't know if it's character assassination or just being on brand but how impossible is Dany being? I understand Jon telling her he's her aunt not ruffling her feathers because that's a Targaryen thing. Even Viserys wanted to sleep with her, but for her to automatically assume he wants the throne is lunacy. He's never shown any inclination that he wanted the throne for himself. He could barely keep the Nights Watch together, he knows damn well he can't rule Seven Kingdoms. But instead of her thinking this is a perfect match and they'll rule jointly, she feels threatened by his claim. Again, there are thousands of undead about to lay siege on you but this is what you're worried about?
What happened to Dany wanting to break the wheel? She is still rolling it and rolling it over those who don't deserve it like Sam. Not that Father Tarley and Dickon are great losses, but as Tyrion and Varys were discussing at the time and just as Sam told Jon she could have spared them. Ruling by force is what made her father so hated and when Robert's rebellion came knocking at his gates he had little support. She may have dragons but we killing dragons up in here so she needs to not rest on her laurels.
-Arya smashing before Brienne. Let Brienne get felt up at least.