Game of Thrones “Mhysa”

Season three of Game of Thrones didn’t end like I thought it should’ve (if you’ve read the books, you know what I mean).  They kept the same formula they’ve used for the last two seasons where the climactic scene happens in the ninth episode and the tenth episode sets up the storylines for the next season.  Now, I would have cheered if I got the ending I envisioned, even though I knew it was a long shot, but I respect their decision to stick with the show’s formula.  Not only for formula’s sake, but it also follows the pacing of the book.  With my ending, the audience would have gotten two punches in the gut and they would’ve known that this story doesn’t mess around, but this way they have more to look forward to next season, which I guess I can’t argue with.  The only problem with the climax in the ninth instead of the tenth episode is the finale never seems to quite live up to its predecessor.  Season 1’s ending being the exception because seeing Dany come out of the smoldering ruins of her husband’s funeral pyre with dragons was jaw dropping.  This finale did have some rather stunning imagery and good character moments, though, so not all is lost.

This episode is home to some of the most gruesome imagery I’ve seen on Game of Thrones to my knowledge.  In the books, I think it is safe to say at this point, the image of Robb with the direwolf head sewn to his shoulders is only a story told by other characters.  It’s almost a myth.  We actually get to see this image along with The Hound and poor Arya in this episode and it is…shockingly horrifying.  Not only because it’s a direwolf head on a human body, but the insult of it.  Not only do you kill someone during the reception of a wedding, but then you sew his pet’s head to his beheaded body.  Man, the Frey’s are messed up.  The other horrible visual of this episode is completely within my imagination, which was the director’s intent.  Some of the best and scariest images are the ones we create in our head because of the clues given to us on screen, in this case it’s Theon’s severed penis which was delivered to his family thanks to Ramsay Snow, Roose Bolton’s bastard.  I’m not a fan of Theon.  He betrayed my favorite family and was part of the demise of the Robb’s army, but I feel for him in these torture scenes, whether they were needed or not.

Although “Mhysa” doesn’t have the spectacle or the surprises of the ninth episode there are many great scenes.  My favorite was Arya’s small revenge on the Frey’s.  As she rides with The Hound away from The Twins they ride past a small group of Frey soldiers who are bragging about their part in the Red Wedding.  One of them even jokes about how difficult it was to sew the direwolf’s head on Robb.  Arya overhears them and, instead of remaining a helpless child, her dark past and seeing her brother’s befouled body being joked about sends her over the edge.  In a wonderful moment, she uses her innocence as a child to draw the man in and offers him the Braavosi coin, which was given to her by an assassin, and then stabs him in the neck.  Her and The Hound finish the rest and instead of being angry, in a wonderful end to the scene, he says, “If you’re going to do that again, warn me.”  That was a wonderful way to set up their new relationship and promises the further push of Arya towards being an assassin, which I really want to see.  Jaime returns to King’s Landing humbled by the events of the season.  Joffery is further berated by Tywin, which is always fun to watch, as Tywin makes his case for being the most powerful person in Westeros. 

The next season is sure to be great as it contains two of my favorite twists so far in the series and I trust that David Benioff and D. B. Weiss will continue the excellent writing and execution that has drawn people, including me, into the series.  Until next year I’ll keep my Westeros addiction satiated with the fifth book.

Seriously sends chills down my spine when I see this.  Damned Freys.