Skip The Boat Ride, We’re at Dragonstone:

The writers don’t waste a second of screen time taking us directly from Winterfell to the shores of Dragonstone within two episodes. Six seasons ago, exactly, was the last time Jon and Tyrion shared a scene and I thought it was what the fans deserve. They all shared a laugh, met a couple new faces (Sir Davos, Missandei) and get greeting from Drogon (Biggest Dragon) while the other two hover over the castle. This scene is what brings light to the series; Tyrion cracking bastard jokes, and Jon Snow smiles for the first time in forever.

“I’ve brought Ice and Fire together.”-Melisandre 

The intro scene cuts right to Melisandre looking on the King In The North welcoming party. Lord Varys looks on, thinks this is odd and in a peculiar way asks why she isn’t down there to greet him. Subtly, Melisandre says she has done her part and brought “Ice and Fire” together (Hello! Title of the book!). Then she scares the crap out of Lord Varys saying they will both die in Westeros. What interests me is Lord Varys’s reaction to Melisandre’s prediction and the change in his attitude about death. The last episode he stood his ground against Queen Daenerys and her “burning alive” threat. Now, Melisandre informs him he will die, and he looks like a baby who just pooped. But this line shows the beginning of the end, and it for sure involves Dany and Jon.

One thing which doesn’t make sense to me is how people think Daenerys is “Fire” is the “Fire and Ice” equation. She isn’t, she is just a Targaryen, with Targaryen abilities. Jon, on the other hand, is “Ice” and “Fire”, a combination of Stark (ice) and Targaryen (fire). Spoilers: Jon is the focal point of the show and the title of the source material (the book).

Daenerys and Jon, The First Meeting:

1. “You stand in the presence of Daenerys Stormborn of House Targaryen, Rightful Heir to the Iron throne, Rightful Queen of the Andels and The First Men, Protector of the Seven Kingdoms, the Mother of Dragons, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, The Unburnt, The Breaker of Chains”-Missandei 

2. “This is Jon Snow, He’s King in the North”- Sir Davos 

I like the second introduction better; short, sweet and to the point.

Well, surprise, surprise! Daenerys forces Jon to bend the knee (but he doesn’t because of the Mad King and she’s just rude). Predictably, the Targaryen party takes the Army of the Dead as a joke and focusses on Jon bending the knee. All she does to gain Jon’s loyalty is remind him of the Dothraki, the Unsullied and her three massive dragons which could kill him (Couldn’t because he is unkillable so far). She talks herself up by her past struggles and her fate in history until Sir Davos alike uses Jon’s fate in history to strengthen his credibility as King in the North and declare them equals. Sir Davos is great in diplomacy, and even with the flea bottom accent provides a genuine charm. As the Dragon Queen declares the North is in open rebellion, Varys storms in telling her of the Greyjoy’s and Martell’s demise. Uh-Oh, some Queen needs some allies! Now it’s time to play nice, cough up the Dragon glass and become allies with the Northern houses! That was quick! Thank you, Lord Varys.

But… Lord Varys up to something. One fact that is off with him is that he never told Daenerys about Ned Stark, Jon’s “father” and his refusal to kill her when pregnant with Dothraki child. This would give some much-needed points to the King in the North and would be for the betterment of their relationship. Lord Varys knows of this, being at that very small council meeting. I don’t think this information affects him personally so why not release it? It seems sketchy.

“I couldn’t save her, I tried…”- Theon Greyjoy

Ah, the picture says differently…Theon is in for a rough few episodes. If Jon finds him, “uh oh”, he betrayed Rob. If Daenerys hears of him abandoning Yara, “uh oh”. I’d love to see how he bounces back from this bail because against all odds, I think he will.

Cersei’s Poetic Justice:

As expected, Yuron delivers Yara Greyjoy, Elia Sand and her youngest daughter to Cersei. I don’t think they realize they are both equally cruel and demonic. He has the impression Cersei will soon wed him, but we all know she will toss him to the side when the proper time comes. Cersei will accept the gift gracefully, tell him to wait and proceed to go upstairs to sexually persuade her brother Jaime to stay with her. Ew. But we must accept it in Game of Thrones, it’s been going on since the pilot.

Immediately it cuts to the dungeon, with Cersei’s prisoners chained up to the wall and gagged. Talk about poetic justice with the lip-stick poison for Elia’s daughter, the exact way Elia Sand killed Marcella, Cersei’s daughter. She does make a pretty good point saying, it was Oberyn who got himself killed fighting the Mountain, not the Lannisters, her daughter was innocent. Hell, even Tyrion agrees after he confronts her in the last episode and he hates Lannisters. And what happened to Yara? I assume she will die in the episodes to come. King’s Landing is not the place to be.

Tyrion a Diplomatic Dwarf Wizard:

Tyrion consults everyone and is the important figure in the scenes between him, Jon and Daenerys. He manages to broker peace between the two which is vital and I think fate brought him there to do it. It’s so compelling to see him have the same sense of good character we have seen the past six seasons and this will be huge for their alliance. It ultimately pays off, as Dany gives in to his request, providing military support and Dragon glass for the Northern cause. I also think it’s because Denaerys got a hint of what Sir Davos said about the “knife in the heart for his people” as she mentions him saying that earlier in the episode Either way, this is big and I think it concludes that Denaerys won’t be a potential villain.

The General, The Father and The Brother:

As we see the Unsullied take an almost abandoned Casterly Rock, Jaime and the Lannister forces capture Highgarden in the span of one minute. Jaime’s diplomacy pays off with Randell Tarly, persuading him to pledge their house to the crown instead of the Tyrells. Randell seems like a cruel man in the interactions with his son Samwell, but you can be sure he’s a great military mind and a phenomenal asset to the Lannisters. This was one of Game of Thrones most iconic Lannister war scenes with their improved armor, marching towards the walls in a massive formation. The Tyrell forces fall, we see Bron again and Jaime looks like a true general. Their abandonment of Casterly Rock could be seen as a bankruptcy strategy, releasing the owed property for a more prosperous and valuable home in Highgarden. This will help with Cersei and the crown’s debt to the Iron Bank. But Olenna was right “Tywin should’ve taken Highgarden when he had the chance”. Now they miss a valuable property in war, Casterly Rock.

After the beautifully cut scene of Jaime making his way up to Lady Olenna’s chamber, we get the biggest development yet within House Lannister. After Jaime gives her a peaceful poison to avoid pain wanted by Cersei, Lady Olenna spills the beans about her assassination of Joffrey, the King and Jaime’s son. I didn’t realize the magnitude of her confession until the second time I watched the episode. Jaime now knows Tyrion was one hundred percent innocent. Cersei cannot deny this fact and sustain a justifiable hate for her little brother. I thought Yuron would be the final straw between Cersei and Jamie but with this news coming to light, it will surely be the Queen’s denial of fact which derails their union. Jaime will try to persuade Cersei to surrender because she has no cause (Tyrion didn’t kill Joffrey) for war against Tyrion and the three dragons. She won’t listen and Jaime is soon to be the Queen Slayer.

Thanks for reading everyone! Stay tuned for next week!

Comment below with any predictions or thoughts!

Verbal Match, Daenerys Targaryen and Lord Varys:

I guess Daenery’s home Dragonstone isn’t a “homecoming” after all. She doesn’t feel like its home and I can see why. She has never been to Dragonstone and it still has the glum look which resonates with Stannis Baratheon (R.I.P). But I’m not loving the vibe given from the Dragon Queen at the moment. The verbal exchange between her and Lord Varys is alarming, as he pleads his loyalties lie with the people instead of her. Her rise to a throne contender is based on the trademark “Breaker of Chains” and Vary’s now a “slave” to her interests will be “burned alive” if he steps out of line. This threatening rhetoric is resonant with that of Cersei and the parallels between the two are quite clear. What I fear most is her lust for the Iron Throne and how that will derail her from her much needed focus towards the White Walkers and the army of the dead. It’s understandable to be a skeptic of those around you in Game of Thrones but the verbal threatening of Varys is uncalled for. He has proven his loyalty (called upon allies such as the Dornish, the Tyrells and Tyrion Lannister) and now deserves respect. But stepping back from the story line, this scene illuminates the strength of Varys. He blatantly proclaims his love for the people over the monarch (Daenerys), and that he chose to uproot the Mad King with the improvement of Robert Baratheon. Game of Thrones has a strength in stigmatizing characters early on (The Hound, Jaime Lannister) and throughout the series, Varys is at the top of the list, going from creepy pedophile to a fan favorite. Varys will serve her well but will use his eyes.
Plot Lines Prepare For Clashing, Daenerys WILL make Jon bend the knee:

It’s happening. Jon and Daenerys are finally, after six long (awesome) seasons, crossing paths. Melisandre is fresh off her exile from Winterfell, and for good reason (“You burned a little girl alive!” -Sir Davos). Although this will never be forgiven, she is gaining major credit for traveling to Dragonstone to inform Dany of the King in the North. While exciting, it makes me uneasy for the power hungry Daenerys and how blind she will be to the White Walker threat. For one, before summoning Jon, and hearing him out like Melisandre and Tryion advise her too, she already decides he’s bending the knee. This was predictable but it was nice to see it happen. She’s a usurper and wants to be queen for herself and her house (Like everyone but Jon). But what I’m looking forward to Jon’s retelling of his journey. Melisandre makes an excellent intro describing the unity of the Wildling and Northern Houses, but how Dany will react to finding out he rose from the dead?  And when will Bran be able to spill the beans about Jon’s lineage? You can be sure she will be shocked to find out on Jon is her nephew. I think it’s too easy for them to just fall in love and ride into the sunset on their dragons. But I do know Tyrion is still awesome and will guide Dany in the right direction (telling Dany of Jon’s hatred for Cersei) while tossing out that comedic relief we all love. And speaking of love… way to go Grey-worm!

The Queens and Ladies Use Fear:

Cersei:

This seemed to be the pressing issue of this episode. Everyone uses fear to attain power and the first character is the most obvious one, Cersei. She blatantly lies to get protection, telling Lord Tally and the other western houses that the Dragon Queen will burn the city to the ground when they are attacking Casterly Rock to dethrone the Lannisters. She professes further, the Dothraki will rape their women and butcher their children without a second thought. All she is doing is scaring the less powerful houses still loyal to the crown, because of The Mountain and his skull crushing hands. Cersei inspires no loyalty nor love; she is completely chaotic and evil. But she is cunning, and that’s why she has Qyburn, to make giant dragon destroying arrows.

Daenerys:

She has three fire breathing Dragons. I would be loyal too. Again she is presented as the “Breaker of Chains” but she is enslaving everyone into her own monarchy. The unsullied are still mindless soldiers (only Grey-worm, the best one among all of them) and the Dothraki riders are all on her side because she has three Dragons. Don’t mistake this for love because it’s fear; the fear of being burned alive. In this very episode, she says to Varys, “I will burn you alive”. Does this sound a little like the Mad King? Maybe Cersei has a point…

Olena Tyrell:

“They won’t obey you unless they fear you” (Talking to Daenerys, do I need to say anymore?). I will, she also tells Dany to ignore Tyrion (wrong move) and to be a dragon. If I’m not mistaken Jamie said something like… “I think the Mad King wanted to turn into a Dragon…”. Again, Lady Olena takes power with fear. People often overlook how diabolical she is. She did draw blood on the Lannisters first (Joffrey, thank god though) and paid the ultimate price for it (her family. By all means, she will seek revenge for her family or at least try.

Sansa:

I can’t get a grip on her intentions but she is too skeptical of Tyrion (She knows of his genuine character) and the Queens summons. She describes how their Uncle was burned alive. She tells Jon repeatedly it’s a trap but gives in as soon as she is crowned temporary Queen in The North. I don’t like her alone with Little Finger after Jon’s altercation with him in the Crips. Jon threatens him “If you touch my sister, I will kill you myself”. I would take his threat seriously but Little Finger won’t for sure.

Highlights of The Episode:

Samwell is a Genius and Jorah Mormont Will Be Okay:

Samwell does it again, and all of his gross work pays off to cure the old timer, Jorah Mormont of gray scale. He also found the gold rush of Dragon glass which induces Jon to ally with Dany (which he will). Archmaester Marwyn’s book in process “The Wars Following the Death of King Robert 1” and Samwell suggests a title more poetic. He may finish the book for the Archmaester and it may be called… “A Song of Fire and Ice”. I’ve heard reports that the story is his book being written before but this almost confirms the theory.

Ayra Has Hope:

Performance wise, I thought Maisie Williams was completely brilliant in the scene with Hot Pie, finding out Jon took back Winterfell. I teared up a little bit, I’ll admit it. The look in her eye when all she said was “What?” got me; so simple, yet so real. Another brilliant piece of writing was the Frey Pie reference when Hot Pie asks her if she has made any (she replies a few). And good news! Nymeria back from the unknown! It was almost like a hallucination but I’m guessing there is some heavy symbolic stuff going on. Arya has been on her own since after the death of King Robert Baratheon. So has Nymeria. So that explains maybe why the dire wolf needs to be on its own like her. That pack of dire wolves may also play a large part in the Great War to come. Again, one of Arya’s best scenes of the series. Loved it.

Euron is a Savage:

While Ellaria was making a “foreign invasion” on Yara Greyjoy, Euron attacked. And this will not be good for either of the women being captured. While Theon fought admirably, he jumped ship and abandoned his sister once again. The Reek part of him may never leave but you can’t blame him. Theon did some bad things but Ramsay did worse… for a lot longer. Always, Theon has left us for now, but Euron is one of the craziest, brutal soldiers we have met so far. He destroys two of the Sand Snakes and cuts down anyone in his path with his empathic ax. Cersei’s gifts have now been retrieved; Ellaria Sand (for murdering Marcella) and Yara Greyjoy, who may not matter now. But this will satisfy Cersei, and Euron will be the steak that wedges her from Jamie. It was a Great Sea Battle between the Greyjoy fleets, and the first one ever shown in the series; very well done. I wonder what the Dornish’s role is from here on out; Ellaria will probably be executed but I can see Tyene Sand being saved by Sir Bron of the Blackwater if he’s around. Remember their little thing in the jail cells of Dorne? But the Greyjoy fleet is at the full dispense of the Lannister army and that is bad news.

Stay tuned for next week! This is the moment the fans have all been waiting for!

At first glance, this is like a darker version of Groundhog Day

Re:Zero is arguably one of the biggest animes to have premiered this year. Starting out as a self-published web novel and currently boasting over 300 chapters, then becoming popularized as a light novel, the anime grabbed the rest of the community and refused to let go. It was another shining example that an anime doesn’t need to have excessive amounts of fanservice or play into tropes in order to be successful. It was a series that was filled with moments of hopelessness that made watching it on a week by week basis almost unbearable.

I was hesitant to continue the series after the first five minutes. At the start, 17-year-old Subaru Natsuki finds themselves in generic high fantasy world complete with elves and cat girls. It even plays on the tropes right from the start. He exclaims how excited he is to be living the life that he’s seen played out so many times. He’s going to find out he has some super special power. Maybe he was called to this land because he’s the ‘destined’ one that there always seems to be.

Instead, he’s just as strong as any normal civilian. He’s weak. Can’t even read the local languages. There is one supernatural thing about him, which is hard to say whether one could call it a gift or a curse. Whenever Subaru dies he comes back to life at points in time that are predetermined by an unknown entity. This same entity also prevents him from being able to explain to other characters about this ‘power’ he has been given.

At first glance, this is like a darker version of Groundhog Day or almost on the same level as the character Kirie Sakurame from the lesser known UQ! Holder. At a basic level, this is just another time travel/alternate timeline type of story that you see so often. But this story puts in the effort to move beyond the easy tropes and solutions others fall upon.

Often times in stories with similar mechanics, the characters perform an action in the video game world known as save scumming. This is where when someone is met with a decision they’re not happy with they’ll effectively reset and go right back to start. This can lead to something rather dry and unappealing. Often times it’s just outright repetitive and boring. When a character can go right back to the start and alter things for the better at the drop of a hat it removes that feeling of tension. Re:Zero does not give Subaru that luxury.

Death is as serious the second, third, fourth time as it is the first. Death is an excruciating experience. The show is not afraid to dismember or disembowel Subaru. It rarely hesitates to physically destroy him. However, the mental and emotional anguish that each death leaves him with makes him mentally stricken and emotionally compromised. Where so many other characters in media often shake off their death or even laugh at it, Subaru is, after all, just a teenage boy. The toll on his well-being is genuine.

The show swings on an emotional pendulum for the viewer. You cheer for Subaru as he befriends someone and they become close. You’re along for the ride as the friendship blossoms. Then as death parts them and he has to start these relationships from scratch, they can backfire and become his enemy. Decisions that save him or his friends in one round make things worse the next. Some actions directly cause his friends to be murdered just as brutally as himself. He picks up the bodies of his comrades knowing he is the cause of their death.

Re:Zero is a compilation of tragedies. It’s only through Subaru’s sheer determination that hope shines. Every death, despite how barbaric it can be, he often times comes back with a smile and confidence. There are times when he stumbles but he’s able to rely on the people around him to raise him back up. The supporting characters are just as full of life as Subaru himself. In fact, Subaru’s determination to save these wonderful people are what helps drive the show along. He’s a self-sacrificing hero in every sense of the word, choosing death over letting harm come to those he cares for.

As with anything else, there are some drawbacks. As of right now, there is no confirmation on whether or not there will be a second season. As successful as the anime is, there may not be enough opportunities to market the series that would make it profitable for the publishers. That being said, if you are someone who knows they won’t go back and read the manga, light novel, or web novel this is not the series you want to start.

There are many stories going on at the same time. There are cults dedicated to an ancient witch, a sleeping dragon that’s crucial to the stability of the nation, and there is a process to select a new ruler of the kingdom currently underway. Those are just some of the things the series picks up but doesn’t resolve by the end.

The series itself does end on a high note, though. The goals of this season were accomplished and one could leave the series satisfied. However, if there are no plans to follow this up then there are a lot of unresolved issues. From what I’ve observed there is a LOT of content to this story and to get to the point they’re at now they couldn’t cut out those untied threads.

Each part of this tale is related to another, even if it doesn’t initially appear that way. To have removed one or any of those pieces would make the story fall apart. If they plan to continue Re:Zero it will be interesting to see how much tighter these webs can get.

Overall I give Re:Zero a full 5/5. I cannot recommend this any higher. It’s structured well with compelling characters to care about. It’s unique and novel despite having a plot device that’s often used. It strikes a balance between grief and hope that keeps you coming back anxious for more.