“My place is here…where is yours, boy?”
Synopsis: Jon Snow tries to run away from the Night’s Watch and his friends bring him back. He talks with Commander Mormont about priorities and makes a choice about whether he’s going to ride south or north.
Race for the Iron Throne
You Win or You Die – Historical and Political Analysis of Game of Thrones by Steven Attewell
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Tyrion IX
“Tyrion…hurled his empty cup to the floor where it shattered into a thousand pieces. “There’s your peace, Ser Harys…you’ll have an easier time drinking wine from that cup than you will convincing Robb Stark to make peace now.”
Synopsis: Tywin’s army reaches the Inn at the Crossroads after a long forced-march, only to find that Robb Stark has smashed Jaime‘s army and relieved the siege of Riverrun. After a dispirited war council, Tywin decides to march for Harrenhal and burn the southern Riverlands. For his display of political and military sense during the council, Tyrion is made acting Hand of the King and sent to secure the Lannister position at King’s Landing.
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Daenerys IX
“Look to your khal and see what life is worth, when all the rest is gone.”
Synopsis: Daenerys wakes up from the ordeal of childbirth to find that her child is a stillborn monstrosity, her husband a living corpse, and the khalasar she needs to retake the Seven Kingdoms is scattered. And yet Daenerys does not break – already her mind has turned to the occult legacy of House Targaryen. She says goodbye to Drogo.
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Sansa VI
“How long must I look?”
Synopsis: Sansa wakes up to the nightmare that is now her life, gets beaten by Ser Meryn Trant on Joffrey’s orders, watches Caligula Joffrey dispense justice, and is then brought to see her father’s head on a spike and considers “whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them.”
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Off-topic Programming Note: Podcast Roundtable
So…this has nothing to do with ASOIAF at all, but on Monday at 10 P.M EST I’m participating in a podcast roundtable about the parallels between Professor Xavier and MLK Jr. on the one hand and Magneto and Malcom X on the other, and in general whether mutants in the Marvel universe are used as a parallel to the civil rights movement or vice versa.
Credit to Dave Watcher
If you’re interested in listening in either live or afterwards, check it out here!
Chapter-by-Analysis: Bran VII
“You must put these dreams aside, they will only break your heart.”
Synopsis: Bran has a dream of his father in the crypts of Winterfell, so Maester Luwin takes him down there to find…an increasingly feral Rickon (someone please call CPS!). Then it’s story time, until a messenger comes with bad news…
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Continue reading
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Arya V
“My mother bids me let Lord Eddard take the black, and Lady Sansa has begged mercy for her father…but they have the soft hearts of women.”
Synopsis: Arya Stark, hiding out in Flea Bottom, narrowly avoids a Lannister trap at the riverfront wharf, and becomes a witness to the confession and execution of her father, only to be saved by Yoren.
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Daenerys VIII
“This must not be!”
“This will be.”
Synopsis: Drogo, on the verge of death, falls off his horse and a “khal who cannot ride is no khal.” Desperate to keep Drogo alive, Dany agrees to Mirri Maz Duur‘s blood magic. This violation of Dothraki taboo unleashes total chaos within the khalasar. At this point, Dany goes into labor, but the only option for OB/GYN care is inside the tent where Mirri Maz Duur is communing with the shades of unquiet spirits, so Jorah carries her in. And you thought your health care system was messed up…
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Catelyn X
“Grey Wind threw back his head and howled…it was a terrible sound, a frightening sound, yet there was music in it too. For a second she felt something like pity for the Lannisters below. So this is what death sounds like.”
Synopsis: Catelyn Stark watches and waits as her son Robb rides off to face Ser Jaime Lannister at the Whispering Woods. The result is a total rout for the Lannisters, the capture of the Kingslayer, and an open road to Riverrun.
SPOILER WARNING: This chapter analysis, and all following, will contain spoilers for all Song of Ice and Fire novels and Game of Thrones episodes. Caveat lector.
Chapter-by-Chapter Analysis: Tyrion VIII
“Lord Cerwyn, Ser Wylis Manderly, Harrion Karstark, four Freys. lord Hornwood is dead and I fear Roose Bolton escaped us. The Stark boy was not with them, my lord. They say he crossed at the Twins with the great part of his horse, riding hard for Riverrun.”
Synopsis: Tyrion arrives at the Lannister campsite to find out he’s been assigned to the vanguard come the battle. After spending a night with Shae, he is rudely awakened to find that the Stark host is marching on them. The Battle of the Green Fork is fought, with the Starks being driven off with substantial casualties. However, Robb Stark isn’t there…
