Game of Thrones: And Now His Watch Is Ended First Watch
July 10, 2015 7:26 AM - Season 3, Episode 4 - Subscribe
"Hey Varys, what’s in the box?"
Theon's fortunes are reversed. Jamie mopes over his lost hand. The Hound gets put on trial. Cersei grows uncomfortable with the Tyrells. The Night's Watch grows impatient with Craster. Daenerys seizes control of her destiny.
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Varys: "Littlefinger is one of the most dangerous men in Westeros. He would see this country burn if he could be king of the ashes."
--
Longer Summary (contains spoilers)
In King's Landing: Tyrion asks Varys for proof that Cersei tried to have him killed during the Battle of the Blackwater. Varys has none, and explains the story of how he was made a eunuch by a sorcerer in Myr. Once his story concludes, Varys opens a large crate to reveal that the sorcerer is inside and that Varys intends to exact his revenge upon him. "The moral here: If you mutilate a boy to commune with dark gods, you should kill him afterward to make sure he doesn’t seek revenge. See, who says Thrones doesn’t contain life lessons? Also: Come to think of it, Varys totally looks like a Bond villain. Something out of… oh… don’t make me spend 20 minutes brainstorming title puns… From Braavos, With Love? … On Her Majesty’s Queensguard?… Moon Door Raker?… All Men Must Live and Let Die?" Varys learns from Ros that Littlefinger intends to spirit Sansa away from King's Landing when he leaves for the Eyrie. Varys and Lady Olenna have a chat: “You here to seduce me?” she teases. "What happens when the non-existent bumps against the decrepit? Question for the philosophers.” Varys warns her that Baelish could become dangerous if he could obtain more power by controlling the heir to the North.
King Joffrey takes Margaery on a tour of the Great Sept of Baelor Cersei and Olenna discuss the wedding. Margaery encourages Joffrey to wave to the people of King's Landing, which annoys Cersei. Cersei later meets with Tywin to discuss getting Jamie back, where she voices her distrust of Margaery's ability to manipulate her son. Later, Margaery and Sansa meet. Margaery tells Sansa that once she becomes queen, Sansa could wed her brother, Loras.
In the North: Bran has another dream where he is chasing the three-eyed raven.
Theon and his savior ride for Deepwood Motte, where the boy says Theon's sister Yara is waiting. Theon confesses that he never found or killed Bran and Rickon. He expresses remorse, and says Ned was his true father all along. Alas, Theon apparently has a terrible sense of direction. The young man who freed him has deliberately led him back into the arms of his captors.
Beyond the Wall: Gilly begs Sam to save her newborn son. The men of the Night's Watch hold a funeral for a fallen brother and return to Craster's Keep for dinner. Night's Watch Brother Karl challenges Craster, who orders the Night's Watch out of his keep. Karl kills Craster. When Lord Commander Jeor Mormont attempts to fight Karl, Rast stabs him in the back, and, after the commander falls, stabs him repeatedly in the chest. As a fight breaks out amongst the Night's Watch brothers, Sam flees with Gilly and her infant son.
In the Riverlands: Locke taunts Jamie. Jamie tries to fight but loses. Brienne encourages Jamie to live for revenge.
Arya, Gendry and The Hound are brought to the hideout of the Brotherhood Without Banners by Thoros of Myr. Once inside, they meet Lord Beric Dondarrion, who leads the Brotherhood. Dondarrion calls The Hound a murderer and sentences him to fight him in a trial by combat.
In Astapor: Dany and her followers finalize the trade of one of her dragons to the slaver Kraznys for the army of Unsullied.
Now let's let EW provide the scene recap:
After the battle ends, she frees the Unsullied and tells them they may remain with her as free men or leave if they choose. She wants it all: The entire army, all three dragons, the slave masters dead and the slaves freed. None choose to leave her, and show their support by tapping their spears in unison. Dany and her new army depart Astapor.
--
Brienne [to Jamie]: "You have a taste, one taste of the real world where people have important things taken from them, and you whine and cry and quit. You sound like a bloody woman."
--
Notes (cribbed from here)
* "And now his watch is ended" is a phrase commonly used at the end of the eulogy in a funeral for a member of the Night's Watch. Symbolically, it signifies Lord Commander Jeor Mormont's death in this episode.
* This episode marks the first time that Cersei shared a significant scene interacting with her father Tywin where they exchanged dialogue. This episode makes
it clear that Tywin's relationship with Cersei is almost as acrimonious as his relationship with Tyrion.
* Daenerys had been raised in the Free Cities since she was an infant, where they speak different dialects of Valyrian. Viserys was a boy when they fled Westeros, so he already knew the Common Tongue of Westeros and had insisted that Daenerys learn the language of the homeland they needed to take back, but otherwise, most of the people Daenerys had interacted with during her entire life in exile in the Free Cities would have spoken Valyrian.
* According to Alex Graves in the Blu ray commentary, during the scene between Cersei and Tywin, Lena Headey's hidden microphone fell off and was in the shot. While other crewmembers said they couldn't use the footage as a result, Graves was so impressed with Headey's performance in that take that he went to the computer effects department and had them spend the extra time and resources to have the microphone digitally Removed.
* This episode begins and ends with the same form of torture, albeit to greatly different degrees: Jaime is so relieved to be given a drink that he at first doesn't realize it is horse urine, while Theon is released only to be imprisoned again. Both methods prey on the hopes of the victim, getting their hopes up only to have them plunged further into despair.
* "And Now His Watch is Ended" was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards in 2013: Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series.
--
Cersei [to Tywin]: “Did it ever occur to you that I might be the one who deserves your confidence and your trust? Not your sons, not Jaime or Tyrion, but me. Years and years of lectures on family and legacy. The same lecture, really, just with tiny, tedious variations. Did it ever occur to you that your daughter might be the only one listening to them, living by them? That she might have the most to contribute to your legacy that you love so much more than your actual children?"
--
Varys: "Littlefinger is one of the most dangerous men in Westeros. He would see this country burn if he could be king of the ashes."
--
Longer Summary (contains spoilers)
In King's Landing: Tyrion asks Varys for proof that Cersei tried to have him killed during the Battle of the Blackwater. Varys has none, and explains the story of how he was made a eunuch by a sorcerer in Myr. Once his story concludes, Varys opens a large crate to reveal that the sorcerer is inside and that Varys intends to exact his revenge upon him. "The moral here: If you mutilate a boy to commune with dark gods, you should kill him afterward to make sure he doesn’t seek revenge. See, who says Thrones doesn’t contain life lessons? Also: Come to think of it, Varys totally looks like a Bond villain. Something out of… oh… don’t make me spend 20 minutes brainstorming title puns… From Braavos, With Love? … On Her Majesty’s Queensguard?… Moon Door Raker?… All Men Must Live and Let Die?" Varys learns from Ros that Littlefinger intends to spirit Sansa away from King's Landing when he leaves for the Eyrie. Varys and Lady Olenna have a chat: “You here to seduce me?” she teases. "What happens when the non-existent bumps against the decrepit? Question for the philosophers.” Varys warns her that Baelish could become dangerous if he could obtain more power by controlling the heir to the North.
King Joffrey takes Margaery on a tour of the Great Sept of Baelor Cersei and Olenna discuss the wedding. Margaery encourages Joffrey to wave to the people of King's Landing, which annoys Cersei. Cersei later meets with Tywin to discuss getting Jamie back, where she voices her distrust of Margaery's ability to manipulate her son. Later, Margaery and Sansa meet. Margaery tells Sansa that once she becomes queen, Sansa could wed her brother, Loras.
In the North: Bran has another dream where he is chasing the three-eyed raven.
Theon and his savior ride for Deepwood Motte, where the boy says Theon's sister Yara is waiting. Theon confesses that he never found or killed Bran and Rickon. He expresses remorse, and says Ned was his true father all along. Alas, Theon apparently has a terrible sense of direction. The young man who freed him has deliberately led him back into the arms of his captors.
Beyond the Wall: Gilly begs Sam to save her newborn son. The men of the Night's Watch hold a funeral for a fallen brother and return to Craster's Keep for dinner. Night's Watch Brother Karl challenges Craster, who orders the Night's Watch out of his keep. Karl kills Craster. When Lord Commander Jeor Mormont attempts to fight Karl, Rast stabs him in the back, and, after the commander falls, stabs him repeatedly in the chest. As a fight breaks out amongst the Night's Watch brothers, Sam flees with Gilly and her infant son.
In the Riverlands: Locke taunts Jamie. Jamie tries to fight but loses. Brienne encourages Jamie to live for revenge.
Arya, Gendry and The Hound are brought to the hideout of the Brotherhood Without Banners by Thoros of Myr. Once inside, they meet Lord Beric Dondarrion, who leads the Brotherhood. Dondarrion calls The Hound a murderer and sentences him to fight him in a trial by combat.
In Astapor: Dany and her followers finalize the trade of one of her dragons to the slaver Kraznys for the army of Unsullied.
Now let's let EW provide the scene recap:
"Dany opens her basket to reveal Drogon on a long chain leash. Kraznys snatches it from her and gives her the golden whip. This gives her--
command of the Unsullied. “Is it done, then?” she asks. “The bitch has her army,” he says in High Valyrian, a language she supposedly doesn’t understand. She gives him a cold look, like: Ohhh, that’s the last time you’re getting away with that. She stiffly walks down the steps, throat clenched. Ser Jorah watches her, worried. He might be starting to get an inkling here… Kraznys is struggling with his dragon kite. The scene is very quiet except for Drogon making annoyed noises like a prehistoric bird. Dany gazes out at the soldiers. The Unsullied are guarded by schlumpy middle-aged men in pastel bathrobes, looking like they went out to grab their morning paper and found a whip instead. Dany then addresses the Unsullied – in Valyrian!
The instant Dany speaks her first word in Valyrian, there’s a great quick cut over to her sexy translator, her head whipping around to look
at Dany, like, Oh shit!
Dany has the soldiers take a few practice steps, testing her remote control. When they obey, she has a look of cold satisfaction. Here we go.
Kraznys, however, is having no luck with Drogon, who refuses to come down. Dany starts laying into him in Valyrian. The Thrones team did a great job on this fictional language (Valyrian is sort of like the Thrones version of Latin). It sounds so authentic and Clarke’s impassioned delivery is so convincing, it doesn’t even register that she’s speaking utter gobbledygook. She just sells it.
“A dragon is not a slave,” Dany says. The musical score, which until now during this scene has been silent, starts kicking in with ominous drumming. The translator watches her old boss’ confusion with the barest hint of satisfaction.
Then Dany makes her first of two huge moves:
She orders The Unsullied to kill the slave-masters and set the slaves free, but do not harm any children. Ser Jorah, his mouth agape, reaches reflexively for his sword. The translator looks scared. I like that there’s a beat during her speech where none of the Unsullied move. They’re all: Uh, really? Can we do that? Thankfully there’s one Unsullied on the aisle who hears Dany just fine. He’s all – FUCK yeah! You don’t have to ask me twice, I’m skewering this guard right here before she changes her mind.
Kraznys orders his guards to kill Dany. Barristan goes for his sword. And Dany says: “Dracarys.” Drogon blasts Kraznys in the face. Yay! And then all hell breaks loose – again!"
After the battle ends, she frees the Unsullied and tells them they may remain with her as free men or leave if they choose. She wants it all: The entire army, all three dragons, the slave masters dead and the slaves freed. None choose to leave her, and show their support by tapping their spears in unison. Dany and her new army depart Astapor.
Brienne [to Jamie]: "You have a taste, one taste of the real world where people have important things taken from them, and you whine and cry and quit. You sound like a bloody woman."
--
Notes (cribbed from here)
* "And now his watch is ended" is a phrase commonly used at the end of the eulogy in a funeral for a member of the Night's Watch. Symbolically, it signifies Lord Commander Jeor Mormont's death in this episode.
* This episode marks the first time that Cersei shared a significant scene interacting with her father Tywin where they exchanged dialogue. This episode makes
it clear that Tywin's relationship with Cersei is almost as acrimonious as his relationship with Tyrion.
* Daenerys had been raised in the Free Cities since she was an infant, where they speak different dialects of Valyrian. Viserys was a boy when they fled Westeros, so he already knew the Common Tongue of Westeros and had insisted that Daenerys learn the language of the homeland they needed to take back, but otherwise, most of the people Daenerys had interacted with during her entire life in exile in the Free Cities would have spoken Valyrian.
* According to Alex Graves in the Blu ray commentary, during the scene between Cersei and Tywin, Lena Headey's hidden microphone fell off and was in the shot. While other crewmembers said they couldn't use the footage as a result, Graves was so impressed with Headey's performance in that take that he went to the computer effects department and had them spend the extra time and resources to have the microphone digitally Removed.
* This episode begins and ends with the same form of torture, albeit to greatly different degrees: Jaime is so relieved to be given a drink that he at first doesn't realize it is horse urine, while Theon is released only to be imprisoned again. Both methods prey on the hopes of the victim, getting their hopes up only to have them plunged further into despair.
* "And Now His Watch is Ended" was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards in 2013: Outstanding Sound Editing For A Series and Outstanding Sound Mixing For A Comedy Or Drama Series.
Cersei [to Tywin]: “Did it ever occur to you that I might be the one who deserves your confidence and your trust? Not your sons, not Jaime or Tyrion, but me. Years and years of lectures on family and legacy. The same lecture, really, just with tiny, tedious variations. Did it ever occur to you that your daughter might be the only one listening to them, living by them? That she might have the most to contribute to your legacy that you love so much more than your actual children?"
--
Also, I'm truly sorry about how late this post is. Am hoping to be completely back on schedule next week.
posted by zarq at 7:27 AM on July 10, 2015
posted by zarq at 7:27 AM on July 10, 2015
The final Astapor scene is on YouTube.
I always get chills when she says "I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, of the blood of Old Valyria. Valyrian is my mother tongue."
posted by zarq at 7:34 AM on July 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I always get chills when she says "I am Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, of the blood of Old Valyria. Valyrian is my mother tongue."
posted by zarq at 7:34 AM on July 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
As much as the final scene of the episode gets all the attention (and it should - it is awesome, and I love how they managed the reveal of Dany's mastery of Valyrian), I do love the scene between Cersei and Tywin. So many great lines.
"You're still here."
"Alright. Contribute."
And then Tywin cuts through the BS to what Cersei is really worried about (Margery getting influence over Joffrey), points out that it might be good to have someone around who can manipulate him, and then cuts Cersei down. It's a vicious scene, made fantastic by Charles Dance and Lena Hedley.
Also, I'm truly sorry about how late this post is. Am hoping to be completely back on schedule next week.
Hey, no worries - you do an awesome job and you're also working on other series; appreciate the post as always.
posted by nubs at 8:02 AM on July 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
"You're still here."
"Alright. Contribute."
And then Tywin cuts through the BS to what Cersei is really worried about (Margery getting influence over Joffrey), points out that it might be good to have someone around who can manipulate him, and then cuts Cersei down. It's a vicious scene, made fantastic by Charles Dance and Lena Hedley.
Also, I'm truly sorry about how late this post is. Am hoping to be completely back on schedule next week.
Hey, no worries - you do an awesome job and you're also working on other series; appreciate the post as always.
posted by nubs at 8:02 AM on July 10, 2015 [2 favorites]
I remember I had been getting a little tired of how the show was progressing at the time I watched this episode. And then, that final scene fully drew me back in.
"Valyrian is my mother tongue."
posted by 256 at 8:29 AM on July 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
"Valyrian is my mother tongue."
posted by 256 at 8:29 AM on July 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
Also, I just noticed that after Dany says "Dracarys" and shit starts getting real, Barristan has his sword out and is ready to rumble, but Jorah is hugging Missandei. Protecting Missandei isn't his job....
posted by 256 at 8:33 AM on July 10, 2015
posted by 256 at 8:33 AM on July 10, 2015
I remember I had been getting a little tired of how the show was progressing at the time I watched this episode. And then, that final scene fully drew me back in.
It was needed; the show was dragging a little bit, plodding through some of the setups for the rest of the season, so having the triumphant Dracarys scene gave the show a needed boost by giving Dany a badass moment - the mic drop of revealing she knows Valyrian and then basically destroying every evil thing in sight. Because as much as the show deals in the grey areas of morality and the audience knows and accepts that, it is massively cathartic to see the abusive slave owners get stabbed, burned, and their system destroyed. It's a needed release for the audience, and on the series rarely provides - one of the characters we are rooting for sets up and lays a smackdown, with no (immediate) consequences or blowback.
Protecting Missandei isn't his job....
Technically, his job is to do what Dany tells him, and she might have told him to stay close to/protect Missandei. And while I'm pretty sure Ser Barristan knows Valyrian, I think Jorah is basically figuring out what is going on via context and so he's a bit more reactive.
posted by nubs at 9:19 AM on July 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
It was needed; the show was dragging a little bit, plodding through some of the setups for the rest of the season, so having the triumphant Dracarys scene gave the show a needed boost by giving Dany a badass moment - the mic drop of revealing she knows Valyrian and then basically destroying every evil thing in sight. Because as much as the show deals in the grey areas of morality and the audience knows and accepts that, it is massively cathartic to see the abusive slave owners get stabbed, burned, and their system destroyed. It's a needed release for the audience, and on the series rarely provides - one of the characters we are rooting for sets up and lays a smackdown, with no (immediate) consequences or blowback.
Protecting Missandei isn't his job....
Technically, his job is to do what Dany tells him, and she might have told him to stay close to/protect Missandei. And while I'm pretty sure Ser Barristan knows Valyrian, I think Jorah is basically figuring out what is going on via context and so he's a bit more reactive.
posted by nubs at 9:19 AM on July 10, 2015 [1 favorite]
I love that scene. The contempt on Missandei's face!
posted by the man of twists and turns at 11:46 PM on July 10, 2015
posted by the man of twists and turns at 11:46 PM on July 10, 2015
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posted by zarq at 7:26 AM on July 10, 2015