Reviewing the First of His Name

[Westeros]

The episode’s done, and our episode guide for “First of His Name” has gone live with our initial analysis of the episode, as well as our book-to-screen breakdown and a number of HBO’s post-episode videos. Our own video—as well as our exhaustive recap—will have to wait until tomorrow this time around, as neither of us can stay up much longer out here!

But to tide you over, there’s always the forum, and HBO has also released the preview to the next episode, which you can find at the guide for “The Laws of Gods and Men”.

Visit the Site!

[Nordeast]

I thought we knew what happened to the mutineers in the books, aka Cold Hands killed them when they were tracking Bran and company.

[ultraviolette]

I thought we knew what happened to the mutineers in the books, aka Cold Hands killed them when they were tracking Bran and company.

I was wondering , did CH also kill Craster's daughters/wives?

[Ran]

We don't really know who the men tracking them were in the books. Men who fled the Fist and didn't end up at Craster's, or some men from Craster's? Not really clear. :)

[boojam]

I would like to know , for Mance, what's so threating about 1000 crows at the Wall?

He's got , is it, 100,000 Wildlings plus Giants and Mammoths , I would thumb my nose at 1000.

If it was 10,000 be another matter.

I never figured why Mance didn't send large forces against the Shadow Tower and Eastwatch which seemed more vulnerable anyway then CB would be flanked. O, well, maybe it's explained in the books and I don't remember.

Well the Craster-Jon-Bran thing is padding.... but I don't mind, I found Geroge's telling of Bran's story interesting just because GRRM is a good story teller, but I found Bran's Walkabout lackluster and didn't mind this invention, even if it's kind of zero sum. I can see them now introducing Cold Hands maybe that will punch up the next 5 episodes, but in the books except for an action sequence, after that things didn't go much of anywhere either.

Of all the fantasy stuff in ASoIaF all this three eyed crow greenseeing and skinchanging 'children' stuff strikes me as blah.

Almost as if it's setting up some kind of deus ex machina thing with the Others. Just my opinion.

Mostly an expository episode , we have had plenty over the last 4.5 seasons, it is the kind of stuff I like, this one even had an 'action' sequence.

I thought all in all it was fine.

Oddly Emilia Clarke was hitting her marks until 'rule' line , which once again, seemed kind of clunker piece of dialog, and I don't care who the director is they don't seem to modify the line or do enough takes to get the delivery right. Emilia still seems like a 'work-in-progress' as an actor. Mostly good, sometimes awkward, sometimes brilliant ...when , of all things, delivering Valyrian. As someone noted maybe she should speak Valyrian all the time!

As usual , with me, I give the production design (costumes and sets) and the cinematography 3 points, they never seem to miss. The cast 3 points, they are just so good.

So there is aways 6 right there for me.

Within the context of the shows plot 'hop-location' I am used to it, I thought the dialog and plot composition , dialog and direction fine enough for 2 more points.

I was going to subtract a point for Pod and Brienne's first scene with horse trouble, but then the next Pod and Brienne scene was good enough to cancel that out, so another plus 1 to give a 10.

So I disagree did not fell like a 'lesser effort by the production' , I was entertained.

[boojam]

We don't really know who the men tracking them were in the books. Men who fled the Fist and didn't end up at Craster's, or some men from Craster's? Not really clear. :)

Its really is not clear.

I got the impression that Coldhands dealt with a group of shambling wights , which seemed to make Coldhands more awesome.

But we don't really know.

[Old Man River]

All Spoilers

I felt like the older wives made it clear they were going to take care of the mutineers. But I read on here somewhere that the Others got them. I just don't see how this whole thing was better/easier than having Bran running north and Jon defending the Wall with a skeleton crew. Stannis swooping into save the day at the Wall is obviously for the season finale. But you still have to have a fight with the Wildling strike team and then a fight the main force. Now they've got to do all that in half a season?

[Abaddon]

I just don't see how this whole thing was better/easier than having Bran running north and Jon defending the Wall with a skeleton crew. Stannis swooping into save the day at the Wall is obviously for the season finale. But you still have to have a fight with the Wildling strike team and then a fight the main force. Now they've got to do all that in half a season?

It sounds like the fight with the "Wildling strike team" will come in Episode 9, in other words they will have a coordinated strike. And we already know that STANNIS will be Episode 9 (not the finale) as well. So, yes, we've got Episodes 6-8 where they have to do... nothing. Expect some more invented storylines to get us there although I expect the Wall and beyond will not be emphasized as much as it was in the last two episodes. Probably 4-5 Wall scenes, a couple of Ygritte & Co scenes, and 3-4 Bran scenes all told. (Maybe we'll see a bit 'o Mance before Episode 9 although I'm not holding my breath).

It was inevitable that stretching out Storm over 2 seasons, but still ending S4 at roughly the same place in a lot of storylines, was going to result in some filler type stuff. One can argue that it could be better filler type stuff, but the need for something, once the decision to prolong Storm was made, is clear.

[Frey Pies]

It sounds like the fight with the "Wildling strike team" will come in Episode 9, in other words they will have a coordinated strike. And we already know that STANNIS will be Episode 9 (not the finale) as well. So, yes, we've got Episodes 6-8 where they have to do... nothing. Expect some more invented storylines to get us there although I expect the Wall and beyond will not be emphasized as much as it was in the last two episodes. Probably 4-5 Wall scenes, a couple of Ygritte & Co scenes, and 3-4 Bran scenes all told. (Maybe we'll see a bit 'o Mance before Episode 9 although I'm not holding my breath).

It was inevitable that stretching out Storm over 2 seasons, but still ending S4 at roughly the same place in a lot of storylines, was going to result in some filler type stuff. One can argue that it could be better filler type stuff, but the need for something, once the decision to prolong Storm was made, is clear.

Why didn't you like the Craster stuff?

I thought that was the best change from the books the show has ever done. And that Jojen vision scene- that is my favourite of the entire show.

[Abaddon]

I liked it well enough, I think it did the job and had some moments I appreciated quite a bit. But it is undeniably filler, meaning nothing of particularly lasting impact to the story, mostly buying time to get to the end of the season. It has to be if they are going to still hew to the structure of the novels, which they are clearly doing. That's not necessarily bad, because there is room for the story to breathe a little differently from the novels.

A perfect example is Locke. I actually liked the character of Locke quite a bit and was a bit let down when he was so unceremoniously killed by Hodor. (Poor Hodor). But there was no place for him moving forward, without greatly altering the story, so it made sense to have him exit here.

[Old Man River]

Why didn't you like the Craster stuff?

I thought that was the best change from the books the show has ever done. And that Jojen vision scene- that is my favourite of the entire show.

I thought the Craster stuff was Ok. The best thing about it was two good "bad guys" that aren't in the books. The cutthroat and Locke. I'm a beliver that the quality of your bad guys is even more important than the quality of your good guys. But I still think it was a step down from what I was expecting. This season should be pretty straight forward. It's next season that will be tricky.

It sounds like the fight with the "Wildling strike team" will come in Episode 9, in other words they will have a coordinated strike. And we already know that STANNIS will be Episode 9 (not the finale) as well. So, yes, we've got Episodes 6-8 where they have to do... nothing. Expect some more invented storylines to get us there although I expect the Wall and beyond will not be emphasized as much as it was in the last two episodes. Probably 4-5 Wall scenes, a couple of Ygritte & Co scenes, and 3-4 Bran scenes all told. (Maybe we'll see a bit 'o Mance before Episode 9 although I'm not holding my breath).

It was inevitable that stretching out Storm over 2 seasons, but still ending S4 at roughly the same place in a lot of storylines, was going to result in some filler type stuff. One can argue that it could be better filler type stuff, but the need for something, once the decision to prolong Storm was made, is clear.

I don't buy the need for filler. Especially when you have to cut so much good stuff. Why do things have to end in roughly the same place? Once Bran gets to where he's going there's really not much for him to do. You could get him there well before Dance of Dragons and what would it matter? Instead we're wasting time that could be spent developing Ser Barristan a bit more (for example). If it were me I would make the centerpiece of the various episodes:

Episode 1. Reestablish everyone.

2. Royal wedding/murder

3. Jon fights wildlings from the south. They win only to see massive wildling force coming from the north.

4. Starks get to where they're going. Sansa arrives in the vale. Arya arrives in Braavos, Last leg of Brans journey and the fight on the hill.

5. Dany takes Meeren/build up to Tyrions trial.

6. Slynt/Thorne arrive at the wall. Tyrion's trial.

7. Show Bran/Bloodraven development and start implying that they are affecting various things going on throughout the world. Tyrion's tria part 2.

8. Show Arya training. Situation at the Wall is getting desperate. Jamie struggling about what to do.

9. Stannis saves the day, Tyrion's flight, Dany Struggling

10. Aftermath and wrap up.

Obviously you build up other plot lines in every episode as needed. But you give the episodes a strong core/centerpiece of at least 20 minutes. You start the season with action while you develop all the dramatic plot points that carry the middle. And no need for filler.

[Beric175]

Enjoyed it immensely. It was a great look back at what was in the past and setus up nicely for the second half of the season. The Jon/Bran stuff might be filler-ish but it allowed Jon to show off his fighting skills and kill some of the villains who really had it coming and the fact that they changed the death of the mutineers from the books, they're probably saving the Other/Wight attack until later this season and then in the last episode Bran will meet Leaf and Bloodraven. It also set up Bran abusing his powers of warging into poor Hodor, who is not a murderer by nature and who is appropriately disturbed and it therefore lends Bran a shading of grey that the viewers have not yet experienced. Maybe the fact that they are saving that attack for later made this necessary because then we are getting more used to the idea already that warging Hodor is a bad thing and also that Bran does it repeatedly whenever he's in danger. We also got an inkling of Jojen's death (R'hllor-or dragon-related?). They set up their own baddies and wanted to off them in a way that also reminded me of Biter's death in AFFC, which makes me think we'll only get Rorge this season. Filler in itself is not bad, and here it was well executed and exciting and well acted so I'm not bummed about it but I think they don't want to have Arya leave early this season because most of her stuff happens alongside ADWD material that they'll delve into next season and it also showcases the destruction of the Riverlands that we didn't get to see during the war and it's also a way of showing her growing disregard for human life before she makes it to Braavos. You gotta give Jon stuff to do as well, since they can't fight the wildlings early on this season and since he has to show the other men of the NW that he's capable and I don't expect him to give a speech in every episode about it either.

Lysa Arryn was superbly played here and I don't even mind the reveal of her and LF's guilt here because she'd probably mention that when she thinks they are alone. Also loved that they kept the "Petyr, Petyr, Petyr". Sansa is growing in agency because she's using a line about herself from last season to minimize herself in the face of her aunt's jealousy and I think so far the Sansa stuff is very good this season and I'm looking forward for more. Also pleased to see the Bloody Gate. the actor playing Littlefinger is also getting better in this episode and Sweetrobin is appropriately weird. No gripes here.

The Hound and Arya scene was also wonderful because the Hound is actually acting the most like his book version since they started the show. I like the warerdancing and I enjoy her growing resentment of the Hound with a nice reference to Syrio Forell and Braavos, reminding us where she intends to go.

It was also good to see Daenerys' actions having real consequences that don't suit he plans for once and so rom now on we cn expect arrogant Dany to start waking up a little bit. Can't wait to see that. Jorah's presence was also a reminder for us that his trespassing of certain personal spaces is yet to come and his betrayal will probably be dealt with in episode 8 or 10. The dragon in the preview of next week marks the end of her winning streak.

Brienne and Pod I also found endearing. There certainly was something Sancho Panza and Don Quixote about them (seeing as Brienne denied being a knight and so it's a weird paradox but then again very similar). If they speed it up enough, they'll certainly be able to make this one of the best on-screen couples and it also mirrors Arya and the Hound, who hate each other more and more, whereas Brienne comes to respect Podrick more by the end of the episode.

I, like many, was also taken aback a little by Cersei's behavior when I realized that she's only nice to Margaery because she wants her father to decide in her favor during the trial and the same with Tywin and Oberyn, both of whom I enjoyed immensely this episode as well. Her line of "everywhere they hurt little girls" is also a good acknowledgement of the violence that is being perpetrated against women in this partiarchy so yes, she's back to playing the game competently (for now) and she even had me for a second so yes, she's a changed character but it's a change that is consistent with the way she has been changed for the show. Margaery is also a good sparring Partner here, deliberately mocking her threat fom last season and mocking her age at the same time. As to Cersei's marriage to Loras on the show, since Jaime won't kill Loras for her, it might be that she's waiting for the Mountain to arrive so he can do it at one point maybe? At last we know that Tywin will die soon so she won't have to go through with the marriage anyay but she does not know that yet. We've gotten a lot of references to the Mountain this season (he's always talked about but rarely seen in the books so this is always how he came across to me: a threat that everyone talked about and that ominously hovered above everyone). My guess is he'll be shown in the enxt episode to establish his cruelty and brutality.

[Old Man River]

I'm also looking forward to seeing Vary's in his jailor guise at some point. I don't think we've really seen him in any of his disguises yet.

[Beric175]

we actually saw him in his jailor outfit in season 1.

[Old Man River]

Yeah? I recall him talking to Ned in his cell. Maybe he was wearing a different outfit, but he was talking very much like himself. I want to see the actor putting on a whole different persona.

[King Tommen]

I'm ok with the issues that Ran brought up in the review as there are some inconsistencies that would bother some (I'm probably not as picky).

The one complaint from the review (and this came up in a previous episode review as well) is the whole bit about Mance not believing there was 1000 men at CB so the mission to kill the mutineers was silly.

While I'm sure the Mance of the show and the books doesn't believe that there would be 1000 men to attack at the Wall, does he really know that there's actually only 100 stragglers who are mostly old men and raw recruits there? Because that's the secret that the NW doesn't want him to find out and the mutineers would be able to provide intel on. In that sense it makes sense to eliminate them IMO.

I thought one of the main thorough lines of Mance's siege on the Wall was that Jon and co were trying to make it appear as if there were more NW defending the Wall than they actually had. This was to alter Mance's attack strategy and not have it become an all-out assault that would surely overwhelm them.

So obviously, the NW being massively depleted is a piece of info that Mance doesn't realize (at least not to this degree). I don't find this reasoning to be that out there.

[Timothy Stark]

My Review of GOT Season 4 Episode 5: The First of His Name

First off, I don't know why they don't show the Eyrie in the opening of the show with the always amazing Map Intro, but instead they showed us the Dreadfort again and it's not even in the episode! They used to be on the ball with this type thing. Not a great start in my opinion.

Which leads us to Little Finger, Sansa and the crazy twosome of Lysa and her son Robin. We find out that this whole Stark vs Lannister battle was fueled by a lie. Little Finger used Lysa's love for him to create Chaos. Lysa poisons her own husband, Jon Aaron who raised Ned Stark and Robert Baratheon and who currently was Robert's Hand of the King when he died. Lysa then sent that note to Cat Stark, her sister, stating that Jon Aaron didn't die a natural death, but that the Lannisters poisoned him. Remember Little Fingers Chaos speech in Season 3? "Chaos is a latter!" Little Finger said to Varys.

Now, Little Finger is married to Lysa and is Lord of the Vale until Robin becomes of age I believe. He's the most dangerous person in this game in my mind. He came from nothing and wants to be a King and a God.

We get a quick tease from Daenerys when she talks about sailing for Westeros, but Jorah Mormont talks her out of it by hinting at not being able to beat the Lannister army. Plus, in my mind, it's the Dragons that will win that war. And they aren't big enough yet. I think Season 6 is where she'll sail to Westeros. She won't be able to fix the problems in Yunkai and Astapor in 5 episodes, plus rule Maureen. We see more clips of the Dragons in the seasons trailers so I'm sure something is going to give us another plot with the Dragons as well.

Loved the opening with the new King and his future bride grinning at each other, even though, they have different reasons for doing so. Then Cersei pops up to bring the two love birds back to reality. Everyone thinks Cersi comes over to Margaery to be nice because they're both in morning. However, she still hates Margaery and is only "trying" to be nice. She wants Margaery to go back to her Father Mace Tyrell to tell him the news, making him and the Tyrell family happy and part of the Crown, and in turn, Mace will side with Cersei in Tyrion's Trial. That's also why she almost comes to tears with Prince Oberyn Martell later in the episode. I'm sure she misses her daughter too as she truly loves her children, but let's be serious, all her scenes were with the 3 Judges except Margaery spoke to her Father for Cersei.

Finding out the Lannisters mountains have been "dry" for 3 years was great to hear! They really do need the Tyrells now more than ever! The Iron Bank will get it's Gold or fund your enemy's. Ironically, the preview for next weeks episode shows Stannis talking to the Iron Bank in Bravos, thanks to Davos's great idea that he came up with because of Stannis's little girls persistence!

But Jon Snow and Bran Stark's part of this episode was the best part by far. Locke gets his for testing Bran's abilities and it shows us, the viewers, how strong he truly is. No one in the World can worg into another person except for Bran. When he worged into Hodor and used his power to snap Locke's neck with one hand while holding him in the air and off the ground by 4 feet in the other....I got goose bumps and really started to feel like the "good guys" are coming back this season :-)

Jon had a great fight scene and was rewarded by seeing Ghost again, after he rips Rusts head off a moment earlier! Woohoo!

Arya is my favorite Stark and mainly because I've read the books. Her story gets better and better as these seasons move forward. You can really see she's hell bent on killing these people she mentions every night before she goes to bed. She actually believes she won't be killed until her justice is served. "I only have one more name to say.....The Hound" was the best line of the show which was filled with great lines once again. She then tries to kill the Hound the next morning and learns another life lesson from him, and a backhand.

Pod and Brienne started off rocky because Brienne is used to doing everything on her own and she doesn't know Tyrion. She hates Cersei and all she knows is that Tyrion may have killed the King. But after Pod tells Brienne how he saved Tyrion's life, a bond was forged forever between her and Pod. She allows him to help her remove her armour and the scene ends.

All in all another great episode. Sort of a review and recap built into one. I like all the story lines and like that they are moving away from the book as I can settle the question of whether or not the show will over take the book when it comes to the major plot points. And my answer is not right now. I think they will continue to have episodes like these last 2 where they move away from the books. They know they have to buy themselves time as Martin writes soooo slow. Plus he doesn't write during the NFL Football Season. I love the books, but #6 has to come out in 2014 before Season 5 which will be in April 2015. All the major plot points will remain the same but the journey to those points will be different from the book which gives the book readers the same "I don't know what's going to happen next" feeling that the non book readers have. It's a great feeling! I started reading the books after I saw Season 2 so I thought Stannis was going to take the Throne at one point. Plus I got to feel the shock and horror of watching Ned Stark have his head chopped off after he broke his vows of being Honest by lying to the people about secretly trying to take the Throne from Joffrey, just to save his daughter Sansa. Now I thought he'd end up at the Wall with Jon Snow and they could have completed their conversation about Jon's mother. But after I read Book 3, I realized, I never had a chance at getting what I wanted in Season 1 or 2, hahahaha. Martin is a master at that and yet every time he does stuff like that, I would be shocked. Like having Joffrey die at his own wedding which was shortly after Rob Starks Red Wedding death. No expected it to happen again so fast! Amazing!

See you next week everyone and let me know if you like what I wrote above. I love talking about Game of Thrones!

Tim

[boojam]

My Review of GOT Season 4 Episode 5: The First of His Name

First off, I don't know why they don't show the Eyrie in the opening of the show with the always amazing Map Intro, but instead they showed us the Dreadfort again and it's not even in the episode! They used to be on the ball with this type thing. Not a great start in my opinion.

I had not noticed that!

That was strange since 'map introduction' is one thing attention is paid to.

The Eyrie appeared in season 1 in the episodes that featured it.

Looks as if there was slip up.

[Beric175]

I think the differences between the opening and the content of the episode show that maybe some scènes were moved around? The Ramsay/Yara bit from next week might originally have been planned for this week maybe and then atthe last second thye decided maybe to spread out the action over different episodes, seeing as the Craster's Keep set-piece represented a lot of action in this episode.

[Old Man River]

I think the differences between the opening and the content of the episode show that maybe some scènes were moved around? The Ramsay/Yara bit from next week might originally have been planned for this week maybe and then atthe last second thye decided maybe to spread out the action over different episodes, seeing as the Craster's Keep set-piece represented a lot of action in this episode.

Yeah I have no idea where they're gonig to go with that. Obviously Theon can't get away. Asha goes in and then gets thrown back? Again i ask why? Wouldn't that time be better spent introducing Victarion and Euron? You're going to need them eventually.