3.1 Valar Dohaeris Game of Thrones has lost nothing in the long wait between seasons; indeed, the best show on television has gotten even better in the interim, even if HBO telegraphed one big surprise with its “Previously on” round-up. Even with that spoiler (avoid it if you can), the show is nothing short of brilliant thanks to the steady hand of David Benioff and D.B. Weiss. The bulk of the episode this week picks up right where the Battle of Blackwater leaves off. King’s Landing is rebuilding, bodies are washing up on the shore, and Joffrey Baratheon is even less popular than he was before the battle – and this is a kid who started a riot and murdered dozens of starving people after being hit in the face with flying poo. However, in a clever note, we see that Margaery Tyrell giving a lesson on how to win people over in a way that instantly makes Cersei hate her with a burning passion. She’s got a bit too much of her father in her. More than any armed combat, the battle within each man between loyalty and honour versus a lust for power is the true war at the centre of Game of Thrones, and this episode explores that directly. For two seasons and who knows how many in-show years, Dany has been adamant about two things: regaining the Iron Throne and getting her dragons back. We’ve seen to what lengths she’ll go to get her dragons back, but how far will she go to regain the Seven Kingdoms? It’s an interesting moral quandary (and one of the funniest scenes the show has done with the translator, the slaver, Dany, and Jorah) and a legitimate question. Dany is a woman of high morals when it comes to pretty much everything. Just how low is she willing to stoop? How many compromises will she make? It’s strange that the woman who did basically nothing in the second season except poke around Qarth and whimper about her missing dragons now may have the best potential story arc for the third season. At least it promises to be significantly more interesting (and arresting to look at). That’s fitting, considering the show’s different characters and story lines. Valar Dohaeris is spread across thousands of miles and dozens of characters we know and love, and it leaves out multiple other story lines in the process. The first few episodes back tend to be a bit cluttered, but as the season progresses, I have no doubt that the focus will tighten, some stories will rise to prominence over others, and loose threads will be tied off or snipped out entirely. Life is cheap in Westeros, and grudges are not easily forgotten. US Correspondent Ron Hogan has been drinking coffee from his Khal mug in preparation for the return of Game of Thrones. It is known. Find more by Ron daily at Shaktronics and PopFi. Follow our Twitter feed for faster news and bad jokes right here. And be our Facebook chum here.
