It's No Punishment for Mr. Smith to Watch GAME OF THRONES

Episode 23 “Walk of Punishment”

This week we open with a funeral. One of those viking style shin-digs where the family stands on a dock and lights a boat on fire and sends it on its final journey. That sort of thing makes me wonder if there is a village downstream that has the unfortunate job of collecting and disposing of the charred bits coming from the rich folk upstream. This one goes wrong when they can’t seem to shoot a lit arrow into it. It’s a rare bit of slapstick humor for this show, and I want more of it. Someone comes to aid though, and makes an ass out of the first guy.  I have no idea who they were. Tullys I think. It’s Lord Hoster Tully, being shot at by his son Edmure, with the assist from Hoster’s brother Brynden The Blackfish. How am I expected remember all these people?

Robb gives Edmure a kick in the pantaloons for disobeying orders not to pick a fight with Ser Gregor Clegane. This is the first time I’ve truly noticed how Robb is wearing the mantle of King. He’s killing it at the moment. Great Scene.

Tywin Lannister holds a council meeting that indulges another bit of slapstick as the siblings jockey for position by their father’s side. Cercie choosing his right hand, and Tyrion makes the bolder choice of sitting directly across at the opposite end of the table. Tywin is not impressed or amused. He just wants to know where his son is. Nobody knows so far. He’s not pleased. Little Finger suggests a marriage between him and Caitlyn’s sister, and Tyrion is made master of coin. He’s the IRS.

Jamie and Brienne are in tow as prisoners of a rag-tag band of misfits, murderers and goat philanderers. As they travel, they sing “The Bear and the Maiden Fair ” which is a song straight out of the novel. Very nice touch indeed. Jamie warns Brienne that she’s about to get raped a whole bunch, like that’s just what the world is.

Aria tries to confront the hound about something, but he blows her off. Well, he’s taken away before she can explain what she’s on about. Pot Pie decides to stay and work the ovens in the inn. Hey sometimes you gotta go with what you’re good at.

Catelyn pours out some of her heart as she weeps over the loss of her family. It’s a beautifully touching scene. Michelle Fairley does an absolutely amazing job in this show. Catelyn’s uncle, Brynden, consoles her with such tender words. This show always comes down to the writing. George R.R. Martin is the reason this show is so good because he set the bar so high with the books.

Manse Raider finds the maze from The Shining, only it’s made out of horse heads. All the crows that lay dead there are now walkers, and moving South. Manse sends twenty men with Tormond Giantsbane and Jon to take the wall. I wish ’em luck.

What’s left of the Night’s Watch arrives back at Craster’s Keep to seek refuge. Craster makes one too many fat jokes about Sam and sends him from the room. Sam then sees Gilly give birth to a baby boy. In case you aren’t caught up, boys are frowned upon in Craster’s Keep.

Theon gets rescued by the cleaning boy, a friend of his sister’s, and is given a horse. Off he goes. Good for him.

Stannis Baratheon is having a hard time dealing with his abandonment issues as Melisandre embarks on some sort of quest for power or something.

Daenerys takes council and decides to buy all eight thousand unsullied. She’s gonna give up one of her dragons to get it done. Oh, you just wait. hehehehe. She also procures the translator as a parting gift. I bet she comes in super handy.

Tyrion has a chat with Little Finger about his new gig. Then rewards Pod for his service by getting him laid. Like a BOSS. This scene also provides the quota of boobs for the week’s episode. Which is eight boobs. Tyrion finds out that the crown owes the Iron Bank a boatload of money, which if not paid back could mean the end of their support. Pod returns with the money provided for his little party, and a very confused look on his face. Pod’s got skills, yo.

Theon finds himself being pursued by his captors, and gets knocked from his horse. Seconds before he’s raped (They be rapin’ everybody up in here), the cleaning boy wipes out the lot of his captors. Something tells me he’s not really a cleaning boy.

Brienne tries to save herself from being assaulted by fighting off the bad men, but it’s actually Jaime that talks them out of raping and killing her. A very surprising show of honor on his part. Could it be that all this time he’s been trying to get under Brianne’s skin, he’s really just been afraid of his own better nature? Something to consider. I do know if we sympathize with him, we might like him, which means he’ll die. Instead, his act of valor costs him one hand, his sword hand. He’ll be fighting with the stranger from now on.

That’s it for this week. The story spreads out like the impact of a drop of water. There are a hundred drops an episode, and they all are tied together somehow into the same storm of a million stories. Not even George can tell them all, but he’ll tell all the good ones for sure.

‘Til next time,

Mr. Smith

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