It may be the most pirated show on the planet and the first four episodes of the latest season may have leaked but that’s because Game of Thrones is one of the most popular shows to date. Based on the popular (and incomplete) series of books “A Song of Ice and Fire” by George R.R Martin, season 5 of GoT is far more different from previous seasons since the writers were given free reign over the plot due to the show having caught up to the the latest book for many of the characters. In fact, the show was so far ahead for Brandon Stark and Co. that they were written out of season 5 since the producers were out of material to work with.
As a result, there has been a departure from the plot presented books in many aspects, which can come hard to purists like myself, though I have started appreciating the direction the show is taking. Watching the opening theme for the first episode of the season made me wonder what changes the writers had made to the vast world the show takes place in, from Castle Black to Sunspear, from Kings Landing to Meereen. What was gonna be different in Westeros and Essos this time? Would I cringe at the different directions the sub plots would take? Or would I be eagerly awaiting each episode? Surprisingly, it was the latter.
The season itself is primarily based on material from A Feast for Crows and A Dance with Dragons, the 4th and 5th books of the series, as well as using elements from the third novel, A Storm of Swords. Before I go on to recap the adventures our favourite (and despised) characters have taken, special attention should be first given to those characters missing from the show.
Yes, Brandon Stark and Co. aren’t the only people missing in this season. Fan favourite, Lady Stoneheart, was surprisingly not written into the plot. To those unaware, Lady Stoneheart is the reanimated corpse of Catelyn Stark, a zombie who prowls the riverlands trying to avenge her family by killing unsuspecting Freys and Lannisters. Across the Narrow Sea, the co-conspirator to Varys, Illyrio Mopatis is also missing, though he was briefly mentioned in the first episode (If you go back to season one, you can see a glimpse of the character talking to Varys in the dungeons of the Red Keep). Also absent, and this was the biggest surprise, is the character called Young Griff. A travelling companion of Tyrion’s in the book, Young Griff is actually Aegon Targaryen, heir to the thrones of Westeros (he is the nephew of Daenerys and has a stronger claim), who was smuggled into hiding by Varys. I can only assume that since these characters were not written into the show, that they do not have a heavy influence on the ending of the series. Or maybe they’ll be introduced next season? Hopefully?
But things are looking grim for the characters in the show. In King’s Landing, nearly everyone who has a name of worthy is behind bars. It started when Lena Headey’s character, Cersei Lannister, decided (in all her wisdom) that it was best to arm the Faith Militant, an army that served only the gods. While it may have been a great way for her to get people she didn’t like (read anyone with the surname Tyrell) behind bars, she certainly didn’t expect to land there herself later in the series. Introduced this season is the High Sparrow, a character who leads the poor in the name of the Gods, beautifully portrayed by actor Jonathan Pryce. The High Sparrow deals justice to all, irrelevant of name and nobility and his imprisonment of Cersei was one of the highlights of the season for me. Her subsequent atonement, which was the literal meaning for “walk of shame”, ended with her being presented a new Kingsguard, Ser Robert Strong, a reanimated, frankenstein-like Ser Gregor Clegane.
To the north, in Winterfell, the most despised characters of the series live. Fans may have thought they couldn’t hate anyone more than they could Joffrey but Ramsay Bolton could give him a run for his money. Iwan Rheon certainly knows how to portray the dastardly personality that adorns Ramsay, I just hope people aren’t going to try and run him over in real life. He and his father are busy repairing Winterfell and firming up its defenses while giving token appreciation to their new wives. It’s here that my heart breaks a little, because married to Ramsay is none other than Sansa Stark. I doubt she’s ever going to get a break. First she saw her father executed, next she had to endure being Joffrey’s plaything, then her aunt tried to have her killed. And now she has to live under the thumb of a psychopath. But hope for her isn’t too far off. After being brushed off by Sansa and nearly being killed by Littlefinger’s men, Brienne and faithful Podrick have followed her to Winterfell and now wait for some opportunity to free her from her new tormentor. In the season finale, Sansa jumps to freedom, or death, with Theon Greyjoy in tow, the latter having scrounged up some courage to defy Ramsay.
Also near Winterfell is Stannis Baratheon, quite far away from the Iron Throne he covets. While fans may cheered for him when he and his army rode to the rescue of the Night’s Watch, no such cheers are heard this season. Burning Mance Rayder alive left a coppery taste in many of our mouths and it looked like he wasn’t done playing with fire. After half the tents in his army got burned down by Ramsay and a few of his lackeys, he decided the best thing to ensure his coronation was to burn his own daughter alive. I admit, seeing little Shireen being tied to the pyre made me want to throw up. I have to say that this never happened in the books, so I was well and truly at sea during that scene. Despite all his sacrifices, it was all for nothing, a few jump cuts in the season finale leaves Stannis dead by Brienne’s hand, with his army obliterated. Lady Melisandre, his advisor cum lover, abandons him shortly before his march on Winterfel and head backs to Castle Black.
Even further North, at Castle Black, rests my favourite character, Jon Snow. It’s quite the season for Kit Harrington’s character. First he is elected to the post of Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch, but he’s surrounded by numerous enemies. One of the first things he did upon assuming command was cut of the head of a certain Janos Slynt who defied his orders. Episode 8 was by far the best episode up till this point, mostly due to the final few scenes which see Lord Snow journey North of the wall to rescue the freed folk. But since it’s Game of Thrones, nothing ever goes according to plan. This is the first time we see the Army of the Dead as it attacks the free folk. Though the snow may have been fake, I certainly felt a chill go down my spine as I watched the slaughter that ensued and then the subsequent raising of the dead. Alas, things do not end well for Jon Snow. He gets ambushed by his own men and stabbed multiple times, bleeding out in the snow. But whether he dies is still up for question, Lady Melisandre does have the power to bring people back from the dead…
As if to compensate for the freezing cold of the north, down south in Sunspear we get to see Doran Martell and the sands of Dorne. Vengeance is the first thing on the Christmas list for most Dornish folk, especially the sand snakes, the daughters of Oberyn Martell, whose head we all saw get squeezed to pulp last season. Also slithering around in Dorne is Jaime Lannister and everyone’s favourite, Bronn. Dorne plays an important role in the Seven Kingdoms, since they were once stout allies of the Targaryens and no love is lost between them and the Lannisters. If Daenarys ever comes across the Narrow Sea (seriously it’s been 5 seasons already) Dorne is sure to side with her. The closing scenes for Dorne show Jaime and Myrcella sailing away, with her admitting she knows that he is her father, an altogether touching scene except for the fact that he is also her uncle. Awkward…. For the few moments before she’s apparently poisoned to death.
Across the Narrow Sea, Arya Stark is learning how to become one of the world’s best assassin, how to become one of the Faceless Men. She spends her time learning at the House of Black and White whilst also prowling the streets of Braavos peddling oysters. Perhaps most street vendors are actually trained assassins? Upon spying Ser Meryn Trant (The first person on Arya’s kill list) in Braavos, she conspires to kill him and ultimately succeeds, by gouging out his eyes for a start, before slicing his throat out. Never piss off Arya Stark. Maisie Williams last segment of the season finishes with her losing her sight, no doubt as part of some test for induction into the Faceless Men.
Also in Essos, is Peter Dinklage, aka Tyrion Lannister and Varys known as the Master of Whispers, the Spider or the Eunuch, depending on who he’s talking to. While Varys may have intended to be Tyrion’s travelling partner for the journey to Meereen, Jorah Mormont decided to take over that role by kidnapping Tyrion and tying him up, intending to present him as an offering to Daenerys. Sadly, things go amiss and while they do get back to Meereen, Jorah contracts Greyscale on the way, a fatal disease. He’s then subsequently thrown out of Meereen by Daenerys. He’s another one that can’t seem to get a break. Luckily for him, he saves his queen’s life by protecting her in the arena from the Sons of the Harpy, a notorious bunch of murderers who intend to wreck havoc in Meereen and destabilise the rule of Daenerys. Daenerys herself is having a tough time ruling. Ser Barristan’s death (which shocked me to the core) seems to have emboldened her enemies, leaving her no choice but to open the fighting pits and to marry the Noble Hizdahr Zo Loraq (a mouthful to pronounce). Unfortunately her debut at the fighting pits results in a small battle between her Unsullied and the Sons of the Harpy. While things look dire for her, Drogon, her largest and most bloodthirsty dragon, swoops in to save the day with an amazing show of pyrotechnics. Perhaps the best part of that episode is Daenerys flying off on Drogon, though the CGI does look quite jittery at that point. The season ends with Daenerys being surrounded by a Khalasar in the middle of the Dothraki sea and things don’t look good for her, but Drogon is nearby. Maybe he likes roasted horse?
Game of Thrones Season 5 is really the writers flexing their wrists after having been chained to the plot of the books for the past four seasons. New plots, subplots and characters have been introduced this season, the seeds clearly being sown for future harvesting. As usual, the season finale left me torn, both wishing the season hadn’t ended and wishing season six would come faster.
Until next year fellow Westerosi,
Valar Morghulis.
