It seems like just yesterday Season 2 of Game of Thrones premiered, bringing the faithful fans back to the ever expansive and dark world of Westeros. Ten very quick weeks later, ‘Valar Morghulis‘ gives us its name, as well as an end to this excellent, but fast, second season.
I’ve heard tale that Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin isn’t much for tying up a story as he is for getting it to the next logical spot in a seemingly never-ending journey. Seeing where Season 1 left many of the main characters to where they ended up by the end of Season 2, it’s easy to see why Martin believes so much more in the journey than in an ending. Sure, some characters basically were treading water, albeit in new settings, but a few had quite the revelations that will surely prepare them for that next step.
Out of all these journey’s, both physical and internal, the one who gained the most is Daenerys. After ending Season 1 bathed in fire and surrounded by her new dragonlings, Daenerys was primed for an exciting season. Unfortunately, her ideals of conquest hit a proverbial wall known as the Red West. For weeks, her storyline would seem to pick up steam only to fall back to a snail’s pace. Once her dragons were stolen from her, Daenerys was reduced to basically a brat, whining and complaining about her lost dragons.
Luckily, setting out to retrieve the dragons caused Daenerys to grow. That taste of strength she held after the fire bathing last season returned as she entered the House of the Undying alone. She was tempted with visions of an empty Iron Throne and that of her lost loves, Khal Drogo and their son that she lost. These visions of what could be obviously weighed heavy on her heart, but the faint cry of her dragons led her from these ruses and into what is to be her next step towards ruling Westeros.
After being freed from Pyat Pree’s clutches in the House of the Undying (thanks to her strong will and, more importantly, the fire of her dragonlings), Daenerys was also able to expose Xaro Xhoan Daxos for the fraud that he is. Daenerys’ journey into Qarth seemed to be going nowhere, but she emerges from it having learned much about herself and what she truly wants, which puts her leaps and bounds ahead of those others that might wish to sit on the Iron Throne.
On the other end of things, the most heartbreaking journey this season was Tyrion’s. Having started off the season as Hand of the King, Tyrion took quick to a power that he had never held. He was thrust into the “game,” and ended up liking it more than he ever anticipated. Even when war came to their doorstep, Tyrion did not concede or hide like his siblings, but devised a plan to save them all and retain the power he now had, as well as a hopeful future with Shae.
After being attacked by one of his own in the heat of battle, he wakes up (thankfully!) to discover he’s literally lost everything. He finds himself in the tiniest of rooms with an immense scar across his face. His father rode in and took back the title of Hand, as well as all of the glory for winning the battle of Blackwater. He’s disfigured and demoralized and you can sense his anguish over seemingly losing everything.
But all is not lost. Despite all inclinations that it would normally be a bad idea, he has made a friend in Varys. Despite the accolades that Tyrion will never receive, Varys ensures him that he will remember who the true hero was. More importantly, Varys has ensured Shae’s safety and just seeing her fills Tyrion with relief as well as remorse and fear. Not only is he ashamed of his now scarred face, but, despite everything that’s happened, he desires to stay in Kings Landing and reclaim the power he so heavily fell in love with. Despite his thinking that Shae will surely flee for safety, she is quick to remind him that she is his, and he is hers. For now, that’s all the hope he needs.
Peter Dinklage has done amazing things as Tyrion this season. It’s easy to fall in love with his quick wit and dynamic range of expression. These last two episodes, though, showed a whole new side of Tyrion that Dinklage knocked out of the park. He gave the normally cool and calm Tyrion a sense of tenderness and dread; a true sense of knowing what he had to lose. The moment he realizes Shae is with him, his expression is near explosive in its relief. Seriously, give this man all of the awards. He’s earned them.
‘Valar Morghulis’ shares some narrative similarities to Season 1’s finale. It serves to attempt to tie up loose ends story wise while leading characters on their path. It also opens up the scale of the story being told. Despite a few instances of magic in the first season, it wasn’t until the very end when Daenerys is standing naked after her fire bath with three newly hatched baby dragons that the scope of what’s to come is made evident. This entire season has made little steps here and there towards the fantastical. Bron’s dreams, Melisandre’s smoke/shadow baby, Pyat Pree’s ever increasing illusions, Jaqen literally changing his face; all of these serve to further build the foundation for a world of the fantastic that most other characters, namely the ones involved in the fight for who would be king, have all but discarded or never believed in. While men continue to fight over glory and title, a hinted at evil lurks behind the Wall, ever so solemnly marching south. Winter is coming, and it’s bringing an army of the dead with it.
Despite my love of ‘Valar Morghulis’ and the season as a whole, I did feel that there were a few plot lines that felt rushed or were left a bit too ambiguous. Sansa obviously declined the Hound’s offer to flee King’s Landing with him, but why? Despite his incessant need to talk about loving to kill things, he was one of the few people that showed Sansa even a remote bit of kindness. It would have been nice to see her at least address him or convey whatever reason she may have had to stay behind.
There is also the way the Theon/Winterfell/Stark boys storyline was wrapped up. Theon’s taken out by his own men in the midst of a quite good speech with allies of the Starks outside the gates. Cut to much later in the episode, and Winterfell is burnt to the ground, with poor Master Luwen, who thanks to a spear to the gut is not long for this mortal coil, insisting that the lads get away to the north. There’s no explanation of what became of Theon, his men, the army outside the gates and it’s rather vague exactly why the boys must flee. I’m sure it’s meant to be a tease for the next season, but it leaves the storyline feeling a bit incomplete.
Despite those things and what sometimes felt like a rushed pace, Season 2 of Game of Thrones was nothing short of incredible. The fact that the creators could even fit that much story into a ten episode season is remarkable in and of itself. New characters came along, as both old and new met their demises. The realms of magic and the fantastic are ever increasing. ‘Blackwater,’ last week’s episode, was definitely the high water mark for the season in a variety of ways. It not only showed that a TV show can pull of an incredibly believable battle, but it also gave Game of Thrones, a show littered with ongoing storylines, a chance to let a story breathe. As I mentioned the recap for that episode, I really hope that’s something the writers aim for going in to Season 3. Yes, it’s nice to see that every character hasn’t fallen off the map, but I believe fans would be forgiving if characters missed a week or two for the sake of not feeling rushed. Rumors are that the third book in the Game of Thrones series, A Storm of Swords, will be split amongst Seasons 3 and 4, which would surely give enough room for characters and story to breathe.
Game of Thrones Season 1 taught us that winter is coming. Season 2 taught us that the night is dark and full of terrors. What might Season 3 have in store? I can’t wait to find out.
– Matt Hardeman
