Game of Thrones episode 6.3 spoilers

I’ve written about most of the episodes in Game of Thrones.  And I’m sure I’ve said this a few times about certain quotes.  And each time, they were probably correct.  But truer words than the title of this post have not been spoken on the show.  Both the books and the show have failed on numerous story occasions.  One of my favorite books is The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand, which will hopefully be a topic for another post.  The hero of the story is an architect, and the book sets him up as a very, very good one.  One of the other characters asks him if he ever makes mistakes.  He says that he makes them all the time.  He just doesn’t build them.

Everything doesn’t always have to go right for the characters.  Characters themselves can make mistakes.  But consistently putting barriers in their way that move them seemingly further away from their arc is a failure of storytelling.  And Game of Thrones has seen that often.

In this episode, Dany’s story line exhibited that notion most clearly.  The dothraki tribe that has captured her takes her to Vaes Dothrak.  This event by itself puts her on the opposite side of the world from where we assume her story should be taking her, which is Westeros.  But we learn in this episode that she broke some dothraki guidelines and must face trial for them.  Sigh…huge eye roll.

Jon comes in a close second for failing again.  Though he ends the episode with a very badass line, where the frick is he going?  Is he just going to walk there?  He just had a nice moment with Dolorous Edd on his resurrection and now he is just going to peace out?

Bran continues giving us Random Exposition Tree Theater.  Granted, this scene was very cool in its presentation.  I would love to see more small scale skirmishes like this.  All the battles don’t have to be Blackwater or Hardhome.  But what is Bran’s larger point?  The near term point seems to be to reveal the R+L=J theory, but after that?  Hanging out in the tree?

My favorite scene of the episode was Tyrion talking about drinking games.  I could watch entire episodes of scenes with Tyrion hanging out.  My favorite season thus far was season 4 with all the great scenes of Tyrion talking with people in the cell.  I hope we continue getting more of his wisdom.  The Varys scene was pretty solid as well.  Maybe you do get more flies with honey.

While I love Arya, the showrunners can’t quite seem to decide her progression pace.  Last season, she stalled out.  This season she is rapidly becoming a super ninja, with requisite montage.

Some random filler: King’s Landing scenes.  Hooray for the return of Lady Olenna.  Hopefully she can get that storyline back in gear.  Tommen and the High Sparrow…yeah no clue.  Small council beef.  Osha and Rickon…what the frick?  I’m hoping this arc is the Umbers playing a con as one theory goes.  If not, I can’t believe they took out another dire wolf.

There was a potential glimpse of a light at the end of the tunnel.  Perhaps there is an end to the failure.  Hopefully Jon, Davos, Melisandre, Dolorous Edd and Tormund go storming around the north houses with an attitude of join us in the fight against the white walkers or we’ll put someone in charge who will.  And then Jaqen will send Arya over, because he has heard whispers of the threat.  Heck, if Bronn and Brienne joined, my hater heart would grow three sizes.

As Ned’s head acts as a constant reminder, I do not have much hope.