Winter is Coming: Trollheart's "Game of Thrones" Journal
 

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Although initially envisioned as just another series to be covered in The Couch Potato, I feel this is going to need a lot more attention and time, and I don't want to restrict the other content in that journal by concentrating too much on this. The only real way around that then is to give this its own journal.

And here it is.
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Game of Thrones is based on the fantasy novel sequence A Song of Ice and Fire by George RR Martin, and takes place in the fictional land of Westeros, where the seasons don't behave as you would expect. Winter is coming, and winters around here can last for years, even longer. The balance of power is constantly shifting as families vie for control of the Iron Throne, the ultimate symbol of rule in Westeros, while outside the massive edifice built to keep out the unnameable horrors that stalk beyond its borders, The Wall is patrolled by the Night's Watch, from their holdfast at Castle Black. Based mostly on the English War of the Roses, Game of Thrones is rife with intrigue, violence, betrayal, treachery, alliances made and broken, and a smattering of magic. Oh yeah, and sex. Lots of sex.

Shown on the HBO Network, Game of Thrones is famous (or perhaps infamous) for spearheading a new wave of "harder" drama which tends to be more graphic in areas such as sex and violence. It quickly became a massive hit, even with those who wouldn't normally be found dead anywhere near fantasy, sword and sorcery or the like. This is mostly down to the fact that Martin uses, shall we say, more earthy language in his books (and thus in his series) with characters eschewing the likes of medieval speech forms for more colourful, coarse and real language, which in turn makes it more palatable to those who are not familiar with the normal speech patterns used in fantasy. This makes the characters, the situations and the stories more real, and so your average person who has never even picked up Lord of the Rings or has a clue who Elric of Melnibone is, much less cares, can get invested in this show without seeming to be, well, a geek or a nerd.

Just about to go into its seventh season, the breadth of the show is amazing, with the action moving from Westeros out to other lands, imparting the storyline a sweeping, almost limitless scope, and as for twists: well, all I can say is there are developments over the course of the series that you just can't even attempt to predict. 24? Pah: mere playing with plot twists. Spooks? Amateurs. Shows like those may have set the initial idea for things not always going as you would expect, but Martin takes this to new extremes, even going so far as to – ah but no: that would be telling.

Game of Thrones is first and foremost a character-driven series, so let's meet some of them.

(Note: to avoid giving away any unintentional spoilers or plot twists, these will be very sketchy and basis profiles)
HOUSE STARK
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Lord Eddard “Ned” Stark played by Sean Bean: Lord of the northern stronghold of Winterfell, and in season one asked by the King to be his Hand, ie second-in-command. Things very rapidly fail to work out for him though.
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Lady Catelyn Stark played by Michelle Fairley: Wife to Eddard
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Robb Stark played by Richard Madden: Eldest son of Ned and Catelyn
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Bran Stark played by Isaac Hempstead Wright: Son of Ned and Catelyn
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Arya Stark played by Maisie Williams: Daughter of Ned and Catelyn
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Sansa Stark played by Sophie Turner: Eldest daughter of Ned and Catelyn

Under the protection of House Stark
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Jon Snow played by Kit Harrington: Bastard son of Ned, he is technically not a Stark but Ned tries to treat him as one.
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Theon Greyjoy played by Alfie Allen: A hostage/ward, taken by Ned after his father's failed rebellion

HOUSE LANNISTER

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Tywin Lannister (Charles Dance): Patriarch and lord of Casterly Rock.
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Cersei Lannister (Lena Headey): Wife to King Robert Baratheon and daughter of Tywin
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Jaime Lannister (Nikolaj Coster-Waldou): Brother to Cersei, head of the King's Guard, also known as the Kingslayer, though seldom to his face.
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Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinkledge): Known as “The Imp”, Tyrion is a dwarf, Tywin's bastard son and therefore brother to Jaime, but his small stature belies a quick, incisive mind and an ability to turn most situations to his advantage.

HOUSE BARATHEON
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Robert, King of Westeros (Mark Addy): Husband of Cersei Lannister and friend to Ned Stark, Robert sits on the Iron Throne at the opening of the series. He also, as noted above, requests Ned to be his Hand after the death of the previous holder of that office.
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Joffrey Baratheon (Jack Gleeson): Son (ostensibly) of Cersei and Robert

HOUSE TARGARYEN
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Viserys (Harry Lloyd), eldest son of the late king Aerys II, who was killed by Jaime Lannister and was known as “The Mad King”. Viserys plans to come back from exile to Westeros and take the Iron Throne, his father's seat of power, which he sees as his right.
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Daenerys (Emilia Clarke): sister to Viserys, her original role is to marry the Dothraki Horse Lord, Khal Drogo, in return for the chieftain helping Viserys retake his throne by force.

I still have yet to finish the last book, which is why I've been keeping away from the most recent seasons, but Game of Thrones is most obviously the ****, and quite possibly the best fantasy ever put on screen. Obviously the Starks are alright, but my god are the Lannisters the show stealers. Tyrion is god, Cersei is maddeningly delightful, Jaime becomes one of the most fun later in the series, and Tywin is just a ****ing badass genius.

^ what he said

i haven't been watching since season 4 though so i really need to catch up.

OTHERS, AFFILIATED OR NOT WITH PARTICULAR HOUSES

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Lord Petyr Baelish (Aiden Gillen): Known as “Littlefinger”, he was a ward of Lord Tully, Catelyn Stark's father at his stronghold of Riverrun. He is short, but not short enough to be considered a dwarf, however he is as scheming and calculating, and perhaps as lacking in morals as Tyrion Lannister.
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Jorah Mormont (Iain Glen): An exiled knight who helps Viserys and Daenerys Targaryen contact Khal Drogo and acts as the go-between for the marriage of Drogo and Daenerys.
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Sandor Clegane (Rory McCann): Known as The Hound, he is one of the most feared fighting men in Westeros (other than his brother, The Mountain) and is a retainer to House Lannister.
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Khal Drogo (Jason Momoa): Fierce leader of the feared Dothraki, the horse-riding warriors who live on the plains of Essos.

Absolutely. Which is why I needed to give it its own journal. I have to admit, I'm seriously looking forward to this one. Should be good.

And that fight between the Mountain and the Viper (can't remember the names) was possibly the most brutal thing I've seen on TV. The end made my hateful ass squirm like a scared kid.

Season One

1.1 “Winter is Coming”
1.2 “The Kingsroad”
1.3 “Lord Snow”
1.4 “Cripples, Bastards and Broken Things”
1.5 “The Wolf and the Lion”
1.6 “A Golden Crown”
1.7 “You Win or You Die”
1.8 “The Pointy End”
1.9 “Baelor”
1.10 “Fire and Blood”

Season Two

2.1 “The North Remembers”
2.2 “The Night Lands”
2.3 “What is Dead May Never Die”
2.4 “Garden of Bones”
2.5 “The Ghost of Harrenhal”
2.6 “The Old Gods and the New”
2.7 “A Man Without Honor”
2.8 “The Prince of Winterfell”
2.9 “Blackwater”
2.10 “Valar Morghulis”

Season Three

3.1 “Valar Dohaeris”
3.2 “Dark Wings, Dark Words”
3.3 “Walk of Punishment”
3.4 “And Now His Watch is Ended”
3.5 “Kissed by Fire”
3.6 “The Climb”
3.7 “The Bear and the Maiden Fair”
3.8 “Second Sons”
3.9 “The Rains of Castamere”
3.10 “Mhysa”

Season Four

4.1 “Two Swords”
4.2 “The Lion and the Rose”
4.3 “Breaker of Chains”
4.4 “Oathkeeper”
4.5 “First of His Name”
4.6 “The Laws of Gods and Men”
4.7 “Mockingbird”
4.8 “The Mountain and the Viper”
4.9 “The Watchers on the Wall”
4.10 “The Children”

Season Five

5.1 “The Wars to Come”
5.2 “The House of Black and White”
5.3 “The High Sparrow”
5.4 “Sons of the Harpy”
5.5 “Kill the Boy”
5.6 “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken”
5.7 “The Gift”
5.8 “Hardhome”
5.9 “The Dance of Dragons”
5.10 “Mother's Mercy”

Season Six

6.1 “The Red Woman”
6.2 “Home”
6.3 “Oathbreaker”
6.4 “Book of the Stranger”
6.5 “The Door”
6.6 “Blood of My Blood”
6.7 “The Broken Man”
6.8 “No One”
6.9 “Battle of the Bastards”
6.10 “The Winds of Winter”

Is the show diverting from the books yet? I'm sure that it will have to or else be forced to take an indefinite break until the next book is released.

Just on that: I'm going to respectfully ask that there be either no discussion on episodes that haven't been written here yet, in case someone hasn't seen this yet (move that rock there!) or if you feel you must discuss something can you please use spoiler tags? The above doesn't give away anything, but if the topic starts to get talked about then it might. Just in general, if we can keep to just discussing events that have actually occurred, as per the episodes posted.

But yes, I would agree but would disagree about the ending: I loved it so much I ran it back three times to watch it again! :D