Showing posts with label Iwan Rheon. Show all posts

WATCH THE NEW TRAILER FOR MARVEL’S INHUMANS!

The wait is over! Get your first look at Marvel’s Inhumans, the first television show ever to be filmed with IMAX cameras. The footage looks fantastic, lets just hope the acting and the storylines are just as good. More so, let's hope that Medusa's hair looks less like cosplay in the final cut.

You can also check out Black Bolt, Medusa, and Maximus in the latest Marvel’s Inhumans poster.


Meet the Royal Family early only in IMAX theatres on September 1, in anticipation of the full series coming soon to ABC Network in the US, and television networks and platforms globally later in the fall.



“Marvel’s Inhumans” explores the never-before-told epic adventure of the royal family including Black Bolt, the enigmatic, commanding King of the Inhumans, with a voice so powerful that the slightest whisper can destroy a city. After the Royal Family of Inhumans is splintered by a military coup, they barely escape to Hawaii where they are greeted with surprising interactions with the lush world and humanity around them. Now they must find a way to reunite with each other and return to their home before their way of life is destroyed forever.

The first two episodes of Marvel's Inhumans will premiere exclusively in IMAX cinemas around the world for two weeks starting Sept 1st. The IMAX episodes were shot entirely with the new ALEXA IMAX 65mm cameras. The full 8-episode series will then debut on The ABC Television Network in the US, and television networks and platforms globally later in the fall.

Game of Thrones, Silicon Valley, Vice Principals, Outcast confirmed for Comic-Con International: San Diego 2016

HBO AND CINEMAX BRING FOUR SERIES
TO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL: SAN DIEGO 2016

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Stars And Producers Of GAME OF THRONES,
SILICON VALLEY, VICE PRINCIPALS And OUTCAST To Appear
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            The HBO series GAME OF THRONES, SILICON VALLEY and VICE PRINCIPALS and the CINEMAX series OUTCAST are confirmed for panels and autograph sessions at Comic-Con International: San Diego 2016.
            Below is information on the four panels.

Thursday, July 21

The SILICON VALLEY panel at the Hilton Bayfront, Indigo Ballroom at 4:00 p.m. will be moderated by Entertainment Weekly’s Dan Snierson. Panelists include: co-creator/executive producer Mike Judge, executive producer Alec Berg and cast members Thomas Middleditch (Richard), Kumail Nanjiani (Dinesh), Zach Woods (Jared), Martin Starr (Gilfoyle) and Amanda Crew (Monica). Autograph signing is Thursday, July 21 at 5:30 p.m.

Friday, July 22

            The GAME OF THRONES panel in Hall H at 2:15 p.m. will be moderated by Rob McElhenney. Panelists include: executive producers David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, director Michael Sapochnik and cast members (in alphabetical order) John Bradley (Samwell Tarly), Liam Cunningham (Ser Davos Seaworth), Nathalie Emmanuel (Missandei), Isaac Hemptstead Wright (Bran Stark), Conleth Hill (Varys), Faye Marsay (The Waif), Kristian Nairn (Hodor), Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton) and Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark). Autograph signing is at 4:15 p.m.

Saturday, July 23

The panel for the new series VICE PRINCIPALS will be in the Horton Grand Theater at 2:30 p.m. and will be moderated by the Nerdist Podcast’s Matt Mira. Panelists include: creators and executive producers Danny McBride and Jody Hill, and cast member Walton Goggins (Lee Russell), who co-stars with McBride (Neal Gamby.) Autograph signing is at 6:00 p.m.

The panel for OUTCAST, the Robert Kirkman series based on the Skybound/Image comicproduced for CINEMAX by FOX International Studios (FIS), will be in Room 6BCF at 5:15 p.m. and will be moderated by Scott Aukerman. Panelists include: creator and executive producer Robert Kirkman, showrunner and executive producer Chris Black and cast members Patrick Fugit (Kyle Barnes), Philip Glenister (Reverend Anderson), Wrenn Schmidt (Megan Holter), Reg E. Cathey (Chief Giles) and Brent Spiner (Sidney). Autograph signing is at 4:15 p.m.

            The autograph signings will take place in the Warner Bros. booth #4545. Warner Bros. follows Comic-Con’s ticket drawing/wristband distribution procedure for all signings. All ticket drawings and wristband distributions will take place in the morning of the day of the specific signing at the Sails Pavilion floor, between Ballroom 20 and Rooms 6A, 6BCF and 6DE.
            GAME OF THRONES fans can follow live coverage of the panel @GameofThrones, and use #GoTSDCC to join the conversation.
            SILICON VALLEY fans can follow @SiliconHBO and use #SiliconValleyHBO.
            VICE PRINCIPALS fans can follow @HBO and use #VicePrincipals.
            OUTCAST fans can follow @OutcastCinemax and use #Outcast.

            PLEASE NOTE: Cast and producers scheduled to attend are subject to change.

Game of Thrones S05E03 Recap: High Sparrow

Ramsey Snow, became Bolton. Jon Snow was offered to be legitimized too if he helped Stannis. He became the commander of the Night's Watch instead. Sansa saw Littlefinger receive a Raven's scroll, which he claimed to be about marriage proposals. Brienne offered her her sword, but she refused it, which did not make Brienne give up on her. Cersei set a high reward for the man who brought her Tyrion's head. Jorah Mormont betrayed Daenerys, and she sent him from her City. Arya found Jaqen H'gar, and entered the House of Black and White to become no one.

Inside the House of Black and White, things look bleak and dusty. Arya spends her day sweeping. She watches Jaqen though, as he gives a man a glass of water. The man drinks its down, and walks towards a statue leaking. He falls on his knees. Arya puts down her broom. She's been sweeping for days, but she didn't come to sweep his floors. He told her that she could be his apprentice. Jaqen tells her that everyone must serve, the faceless men most of all. The girl only serves herself, and she must serve the many face god. She doesn't see that one among the idols around the room. Jaqen tells her that there is only one god, and she knows his name, and his gift The man who drank the water has died, others come in to collect him as Arya watches. She asks another where the man is being taken, but is ignored.

In King's Landing, it's wedding day. The people call for Margaery, to the disgust of Cersei. Inside, Tommen and Margaery say their vows and are wed. Tommen is very gleeful as everyone claps.

In the bedchamber, Tommen beds his new wife. He asks if he hurt her, it all happened so fast. He didn't, she assures him. He was very sweet. He wants nothing more than to do this all day every day. Margaery laughs it off. Tommen jumps at her for another round, but she reminds him that they have eternity, and they should catch their breath. For now, she wants to know all about him. He finds the title sounds strange to him. He asks if Queen sounds strange to her. It does. He still thinks it feels odd. He's King, because his brother died. She tells him that he shouldn't feel guilty. He doesn't. She thinks that they will be very happy together, as does he. She mentions that her grandmother couldn't wait to leave, that the capital isn't for everyone, asking if his mother likes it there. He doesn't think she does. She told him not to ever trust anyone in Kings Landing. She notes that it must be nice to have her watching over him. He's a man now though. Margaery is well aware of that, but to his mother he will always be her baby. She's been so generous, Margaery goes on. She's laying it on thick. After losing so much so quickly, her husband, her father and her child, she will never let him go.

Cersei is happy that her son is so happy. The first days of marriage often are. Cersei notes how pretty Margaery is, and how she smiles so much. Tommen wonders if she misses Casterly Rock, but Cersei tells him that there is nothing in Casterly Rock for her. Tommen remembers that she always liked the people there better, and that she hates the smell of King's Landing. Cersei wonders why he's asking about it. He thinks that she might be happier in Casterly Rock.

Margaery laughs with her maids about her wedding night when Cersei pays her a visit. Margaery offers her some food or drink. Cersei declines, she just wanted to tell her if she ever needed anything she's there for her. Margaery prattles on. Thanking her, asking Cersei what her title is now. Cersei doesn't think they need to be so formal. Margaery alludes to Tommen's zeal, and the likelyhood of offspring soon. Cersei reminds her that she's there for anything she needs. Margaery turns back to her giggling ladies.

Inside of Bolton's keep, Theon limps along. A pair of flayed men are raised, Theon quivers at the sight. Roose tells his son that they cannot hold the North on fear alone, and he didn't send him here to collect bodies. The tennant refused to pay. He told him that the warden of North would always be a Stark and he refused to kiss the boot of a traitor. Ramsey flayed him still alive, his wife and brother too, while the son watched. The new Lord paid his taxes. Roose has something more to say, and demands, Ramsey listen. Theon listens too. They don't have enough men if the other houses of the North rise against them. Ramsey understands, but he thought that they had a pact with the Lannisters. He had a pact with Tywin, and he's dead. None of the other Lannisters will ever bring an army this far north to help them. The best way to form an alliance isn't by peeling a man's skin off, but by marriage. Now that Ramsey is a Bolton, he needs to marry a suitable bride, and he's found a perfect girl.

Poor Sansa. She rides by Littlefinger's side, and she has no idea what he has in store for her. He brings her to a new keep, which will be her new home. She recognizes it. He's brought her to the Boltons. She reminds him that Roose Bolton killed her brother, he betrayed him. Winterfell is her home, but Sansa doesn't feel that way about it anymore. Littlefinger reminds her that she is still a Stark, even if she has dyed her hair. Sansa refuses, she will not marry a Bolton, she would rather die. Littlefinger tells her that he will not force her to do anything, he cares for her. If she really doesn't want to do this, he will turn them around. She has been a bystander to violence since her father died. He tells her to stop running and avenge her family. He kisses her on the forehead, leaving the choice up to her. Sansa rides forward, and their guard follow.

Brienne and Pod watch from the hillside. They plan to ride around the keep, she knows where they're going. Pod shines her boots. She asks why he's still a squire, he's too old to be a squire. He tells her the tale of how he came to be in Tyrion's service. It was to be a punishment by Tywin, but Pod didn't see it that way. Tyrion was always good to him. Brienne tells him that all of his Lords have been good to him, except her, she's a nasty person. Pod is proud to be her squire, she's a fierce fighter. Brienne is sorry for being so nasty to him all the time. If she wasn't he wouldn't learn, Pod tells her. She decides if he wants to be a knight she will really teach him. She can't knight him, but she can teach him to fight. Pod appreciates her plans. He makes a fire for them. She wasn't always a knight. He asks how she ended up serving Renley. When she was younger her father held a Ball. She didn't want to go, but she was dragged, and she liked it. The boys all fought for the chance to dance with her, and her father was happy. She was happy too, until she saw some of the boys snickering. The boys were all laughing at her. She realized then that she was the ugliest girl alive. She tried to run away, but Renley stopped her. He told her not to let them see her cry, that they were nasty little shits. He danced with her the rest of the night, and none of the other boys said a word since he was the king's brother. Pod asks about his sexuality, since he heard that Renley was gay. She knew that he didn't love her, but he saved her because he was kind. From then on she followed and protected him, but she couldn't save him in the end. Nothing hurts worse than failing the one you love. One day she will avenge him. Pod asks how you fight a shadow. Brienne knows that it was Stannis, and men can be killed.

Stannis and Davos pay a visit to the new Lord Commander Snow. They want privacy, but Snow isn't dismissing his Stewart. Stannis asks if he has considered his offer. It's what he always wanted, but his place is with the Night's Watch. Stannis is giving him a chance to avenge his family, to take back Winterfell and rule the North. Jon wishes that he could fight beside him, but he made a pledge, and he has to keep it. Stannis notes that he's as stubborn as his father, reminding him that honor got his father killed. Jon asks how long they plan to stay, for planning purposes. Winter is coming. Stannis is aware. They will march for Winterfell soon. Jon asks about the Wildlings. They would rather burn then fight for Stannis, so he will leave their fate to Jon. Stannis tells him that execution would be the safest, or he could see if their new leader would be more open to negotiation. Stannis is sure that most of the Night's Watch would rather see the Wildlings dead. Jon is aware of that. Stannis also notes that he has many enemies at Castle Black, and may want to consider relocating some of them. He suggest giving Alleister East Watch by the sea before he leaves. Davos notes that he sees something in Jon, it may not be apparent by his tone but its the truth. He wants wants best for the kingdom, as the one true king. Jon has sworn to stay clear of politics with the Night's Watch. Davos asks the boy the pledge, stopping him at “the shield that guards the realms of men.” He points out that as shield he may be more efficient, not on his icy wall, but wading in the muck and doing what needs to be done. As long as the Boltons rule the North, the North will suffer. Jon is left with a lot to think about.

Arya toys with her coin, when a zombie like girl comes into her cell. She asks who she is, believing Arya is undeserving of her place, and of the coin. She asks again who she is, and strikes Arya whens eh says no one. She asks and strikes several more times before Arya goes for Needle. Jaqen comes in, and asks what the girl thinks she is doing. She is playing the game of faces she tells him, but Arya isn't ready for that. Arya thinks she is ready, she is ready for anything. Jaqen sees the sword, and points out that she is surrounded by Arya Stark's things. The man wonders how no one came to be surrounded by Arya's things. The girl leaves, her deed done.

Arya ties her clothes up with Rocks and tosses them into the water. Next she tosses away her bag of silver, and even her coin. Needle she grabs last, holding it in her hands. Saying goodbye to it is far harder. Arya begins to cry. She cannot toss Needle away. Instead she hides it among the rocks.

She goes back to sweeping inside of the House of Black and White. Another body is taken away, but the door doesn't close this time. Arya looks towards it, before she can let her curiosity get the best of her, Jaquen takes her through it. They head down the fire lit stairs. He leaves her in a room with the girl, and the body. The girl wordlessly waits for Arya, and together they undress the body. She bathes it. Arya asks what do they do after they wash them, the girl does not answer. Arya gets to work washing.

The gates are opened, and Sansa and Littlefinger arrive. Theon watches from above. Roose and Ramsey wait to greet them. Roose welcomes her, and Sansa courtsey with good manners. Roose introduces Ramsey to her, and a group of ladies watch them, very unhappily. Sansa is taken to her room, and an elderly woman welcomes her home, the North remembers.

Jon asks after the Maester, he isn't feeling well. Jon brings the first task to the brothers attention, a new latrine pit. They've appointed a captain to oversee the task. He tells Brian that its a good job for a ginger. Next he turns his attention to Sir Alleister. He names him first Ranger. The men all approve. Janos he appoints to Grey Guard, which he does not approve of. Its a ruin, but Jon tells him to restore it. Janos thinks he's too good for the task. He's mistaken though, that was a command, not an offer. Janos will not have it though, he refuses it. Jon orders Lord Janos to be taken outside, and asks Olli to get his sword. Alleister does not stand in the way of the men who look to grab him. Jano calls out, thinking that Jon is merely trying to scare him. He thinks he has important friends in the Capital. Jon mounts the stairs, sword in hand. He asks Janos for any last words. Janos asks for forgiveness, he will do as Jon asks. He asks for mercy, he is afraid, he has always been afraid. Jon cleaves his head from his body.

In the brothel, they play some godly games when the Sparrows swoop in. They grab the High Septon. Lancel tells him that he is a sinner, and he shall be punished. He is marched naked from the establishment, through the streets under the chant of sinner. Whenever he moves to cover himself, they strike him on the buttocks.

The High Septon comes before Cersei and her counsel. He has been insulted, and assaulted by the Sparrows. The Master of Whispers heard that it started in the brothel. The Septon claims that even whores can have their confessions heard. The Maester thinks that a man's private affairs should be private. The Septon wants the Sparrows to be punished, the High Sparrow punished most of all.

Cersei heads to see the High Sparrow. Her guard does not think that it is a good idea. Cersei wades through the poor, to an elderly man feeding the hungry. He talks of his position, and Cersei asks why he has no shoes. He gave them to someone else, as they all do. He tells them No one is special, and so they think that he is special, which he finds funny. He wonders if Cersei has come to tempt him, he hopes not. She has comes about the incident with the High Septon, the representative of the Gods. Hypocrisy is a boil, and lancing a boil is never pleasant. He thinks they could have been more careful. Cersei admits that the High Septon came to her, but he doesn't want him arrested, but executed. Her thoughts are aligned with his. The corrupt man was bringing down the faith of the people, and he is in the red keep. The faith and the crown are the only things that hold up the city, and they must do everything to protect eachother.

Cersei gives the Master of Whispers a message for Littlefinger. She asks if he has made progress, he has. She wants it to be clear on the meaning of literally. A body jerks beneath the sheets.

Sansa walks through the streets, and Theon tries to keep out of her sight. Ramsey notes that she is very lovely. Littlefinger is very fond of Sansa. Ramsey promises to never hurt her. Roose asks for a moment alone. Littlefinger assures him that Tyrion never consummated the marriage, but Roose cares little for virginity, he needs her name. Littlefinger has given him all he wants then as promised. Roose asks if he is prepared for the consequences. Littlefinger does not think that the Lannisters have as much power as they once did. Jamie has no allies, Tommen is a soft boy, Margaery adores Sansa, and Cersei becomes less important daily. Roose points out that she still has many friends in high places. He gives Littlefinger her missive, that just arrived. Littlefinger finds it strange that the seal is broken. Roose admits that Littlefinger's gamble makes him suspicious. Roose gambled when he betrayed Rob Stark, but Roose points out that he had Tywin Lannister's backing then. The Eyrie is still his, and the last time that the Lords of the Eyrie aligned with the North they took down one of the greatest dynasties. Littlefinger would like to use a bird, and Roose would like to read the reply.

Tyrion is going crazy inside of the carriage. He needs to get out of it. Varys reminds him that Volantis is a big city, with many people who could report back to Cersei. If Tyrion doesn't get out soon, he's going to lose his mind, and be of no good to Daenerys. With a weak disguise in place, Tyrion is willing to take his chances.


In the market, Tyion and Varys walk the slave markets. A whore rallys the people, she's a red priest, and she's caught Tyrion's eye. Varys cautions him to quiet. She calls Daenerys the savior, and Tyrion mocks that Varys didn't tell him they were heading to meet the savior. She makes eye contact with him, and he thinks its time to head off to a brothel. Inside, there are plenty of Daenerys supporters, even a Daenerys look alike. Mormont all but weeps into his beer as he looks at the look alike. Varys points out that someone who inspires priests and whores is worth taking a look at. Tyrion goes in search of a companion. She thinks that he looks like a man with no money. Tyrion tells her that until recently, he was very wealthy. He is always pays his debts, its his thing. She notices his glance at the faux-Daenerys. They all want to fuck a Queen. Not Tyrion. If he could pick any girl he would pick her, because she has a skeptical mind. She accepts, but tells him that she has to wash him first. He tells her he can't though. No one is more shocked than him. What will he do in his spare time. He heads out for a piss, and Mormont follows. He tells Mormont that the show is almost over. Mormont binds him and gags him. He's taking Tyrion to the Queen, the only question is to which one?

Our Girl S1E5 (Series 1 Finale) - "Episode 5" Review


"Is he gonna be alright?"


Following the dramatic turn of events last week, we find Molly Dawes returning home from war and immediately heading off to the hospital where Captain James and Smurf are being treated. Lacey Turner is unwavering in her emotionality, as she effectively communicates so much even when saying nothing at all. But it's Iwan Rheon who steals the scene with his intensity and magnetism. Smurf's story is perhaps the most heart-breaking of all, as he expresses his wish to go back and call Molly after their first hook-up, to see if they could have had something together. As if the story of love lost and regret wasn't enough to elicit tears and hollering at television screens, Smurf becomes the final casualty of war in this series of Our Girl. The funeral is beautifully shot, with interwoven shots of Molly's crying face, Smurf's devastated mother, and Captain James reading a poem in memoriam of his fallen brother-in-arms. The most poignant moment of all is when Smurf's mother is leaving the funeral and states, "I gave the army my boys and they gave me back a flag," as it effectively communicates the magnitude of her and her family's sacrifice and how nothing can ever truly make up for the loss she has been left to face.

"Some things you just can't fight."


Though Molly struggles with her return to civilian life, "Everything seemed possible on tour and coming home's like waking up," the positive effect of her finding purpose in life has spread to others in her life. Her parents have rekindled their relationship, and her father is shown to have turned a new leaf, as he is drinking less and really making the effort to be the best man he can be for his wife and family. From Molly to Smurf to Molly's father, series creator and writer Tony Grounds has delivered great character development throughout the run of Our Girl. Lacey Turner and Ben Aldridge play Molly and Captain James' first date with a bright energy and chemistry. It's a relationship that we can't help but root for, as Captain James has followed through with the divorce of his wife and is understanding of Molly's need to find her own way. He puts her first, as she makes the decision to go on another tour in Afghanistan. Best of all, Our Girl concludes with the ending we had hoped for: the reunion of Molly and Bashira. Molly's commitment to Bashira's future, as exemplified by her decision to have her entire deployment sum of £14,000 go towards Bashira's education and safety, is the stand-out moment of Molly's story. Her selflessness and strong commitment to helping others is what makes her such a compelling hero.

Our Girl S1E4 - "Episode 4" Review


On tonight's Our Girl, we find the level of drama cranked up both personally and professionally for our three leads. There are some secrets about to come out regarding Captain James, and Smurf's mentally unbalanced hot-headedness will make another return, at perhaps the worst time possible. As for Molly, she'll have the responsibility of helping a team of Americans who are on the hunt for Bashira's father, Badral. So let's take a look at yet another hour of Tony-Grounds-penned goodness!

"You really hurt me."

All of our three leads find themselves with hurt feelings as this love triangle hits a breaking point. It all starts off with sweetness as Molly and Captain James dance around one another with their newly admitted feelings. But it has to be kept secret, as romance is against army regulations. Then comes a figurative bomb to blow up the short-lived happiness: Captain James is married and a father. Also, Smurf still hasn't taken a hint and wants to propose to Molly, having been sent an engagement ring from his mother. But when Smurf peeks in on Captain James and Molly while they're all out on a mission, he spots them kissing and declaring their love for one another, sending him on one of his signature tantrums.

The revelation regarding Captain James' marriage and fatherhood had us throwing up our hands and shouting at the screens. We should have known he'd be too good to be true. When he tells Molly that he and his wife are separated, we're inclined to believe him but it doesn't change the fact that he lied. He of all people should know the importance of not violating the trust amongst the soldiers in the platoon. Perhaps we're not as mad at Captain James as we could be, given the continued questionable behaviour we see from Smurf. Though Molly has made it clear that she only sees Smurf as a friend, he refuses to back down. It's not romantic; it's male entitlement. It will be sorely disappointing if Molly abruptly has a change of heart and decides to settle for Smurf, who is in serious need of psychological treatment and maybe even medication. For better or worse, Molly will treat Smurf with kindness and respect. It's nice to see that Molly's not leading him on, as that would only exacerbate the problem, and we can't help but sympathise with her. If she's nice to him, he'll continue to delude himself into thinking she's interested deep down. If she's more blunt ("rude") to him, he'll just be set off and lash out, putting the lives of those around him at risk. This part of the writing speaks to the dichotomy women face in navigating a world dominated by men, and how nice men will be to women they want something from but how quickly and aggressively they can shift when their advances are spurned. When Smurf loses it out on the mission, we can't help but wonder how someone so clearly mentally unstable is permitted to work in a profession where he handles dangerous weapons on a regular basis. Following the death of his brother, shouldn't he have undergone some sort of psychological evaluation? But there's something we take away from Smurf's speech, in which he expresses the betrayal he feels from the two people he held in higher regard than anyone (Captain James and Molly). It can be very dangerous to put people up on pedestals, as they'll inevitably make mistakes and leave you disappointed from the unrealistically high standards placed upon them.

"You're the only person who's eyeballed Badral. You'll be needed to positively ID him."

American soldiers have gotten involved in the mission to hunt down Bashira's father Badral. Having put a dossier together on him, it's discovered that he's a higher-ranking member of the Taliban than they had originally thought. As Molly is the only one on their side to have seen him, she'll need to come along on any and all missions to find him so that she can provide a positive ID. The episode's dramatic conclusion puts Molly right in the centre of it all. Her personal drama bleeds into the mission, as Smurf fires at an unarmed farmer. Captain James tries to talk him down and then Molly realises that one of the "women" in the back of the truck the troop is meant to be searching is actually Badral. Then it's time for a shoot-out with Badral on the one end, and all the soldiers on the other.

There's something slightly over-the-top about this showdown, almost giving it the feel of a cheesy old Western film. How is it that Badral manages to stay alive as long as he does when he's so clearly outnumbered? Then Molly's two suitors end up shot, just wounded enough to take them out of the fight, though not enough to kill them, but of course Molly's still alive and fine. In the end, she's the one that grabs a gun, turns around, and fires the kill shot. It all seems ridiculous, right? But think of all the storm troopers in Star Wars firing their weapons and hitting nothing and no one. Think of all the big-blockbuster action stars that always manage to be just in the right place and the right time to save the day, while their girlfriends (or booty calls) end up taken out of the action with a gnarly-looking flesh wound, if not just dead altogether to further the hero's "man-pain." So here's what's so brilliant about this happening on Our Girl: it's the girl who saves the day. The girl is the hero. This show has always placed a large focus on Molly's struggle as a woman working in a male-dominated line of work. Following this kill shot (which technically, we don't know is a kill shot since we didn't see if Badral was killed or just injured), Molly turns right back around to tend to the wounded Captain James and Smurf. Molly's not now, nor has she ever been just a pretty piece of flesh.

"I just hope that she's alright."

So now that Molly's suitors are all in the know about one another, as she is about them, the selection of one over the other may very well be part of next week's conclusion. Love triangles are a largely overused source of plot conflict. This episode arguably put too much of that type of drama into the episode. This show thrives best when it's closer to 2/3 military action and deeper philosophical ponderings and 1/3 Molly's romantic entanglements. Molly continued to show concern for Bashira's well-being, and expressed an interest in returning to Afghanistan after her tour is over to check in on her. Molly may have brought the best out in Captain James and Smurf, but it's Bashira who brings the best out in Molly, as seen when she risked her life to reassure Bashira that things would be all right as Bashira was strapped up in a bomb. If next week is the last we'll get of this show, as it's yet to be determined whether there will be a second series, the ending we're most hoping for is not Molly wrapped up in the arms of either of her suitors, but reunited with Bashira.

Our Girl airs on Sundays at 9PM on BBC One.

Our Girl S1E3 - "Episode 3" Review


The war is taking its toll on young medic Molly Dawes. But upon being sent home for a session of R&R, Molly finds that the home she once knew is not as it was, and neither is she. Needing to get away, she pays a visit to Smurf in Newport and the duo bond over their difficulties adjusting to being back. Throw in the building tension of having two suitors, Captain James and Smurf, and new family drama, it's a wonder Molly doesn't crack under the weight of it all.

"Go and buy me some Rosabaya coffee capsules and I will adore you for always."

The love triangle everyone saw coming from the start is starting to turn up the heat… but in nowhere near as cheesy a manner as that expression. Molly and Captain James are one longing look or bright-eyed giggle away from finally outright admitting their feelings from one another. But when Molly returns from R&R, Captain James turns a bit childish by jumping to conclusions about her and Smurf spending time together while away. Apparently basic communication skills weren't part of the Captain's training. But in glorious "I Am Woman" fashion, Molly follows James as he approaches an obstacle in the road that may or may not be an explosive device that will blow them away, declaring her feelings and boldly asking him if he reciprocates.

The writing on Molly's love life keeps away from many of the over-used cliches. When Smurf repeatedly makes comments about he and Molly being more than friends, her dismissal of them is light enough to make viewers wonder if she is aware of the depths of his feelings. But when the tension explodes, Molly tells him off, asking why they can't just be friends. She will not accept the excuses he has been telling himself to try to justify why it may be that they haven't yet gotten together (none of which include her mere lack of interest in him). This smacks men who would complain about the ludicrous "friend zone" concept right across the face. This paired with Molly's refusal to let the drama drag out with Captain James, and confront him directly (even if it was as they were about to potentially die) present a much more progressive means of engaging in romantic relationships that disregard outdated gender roles and promote more maturity.

"It's not always that straightforward. We're not wholly bad or good."

Even Molly, who is a largely likeable character, is not free from her flawed moment. When reunited with her family, she clashes with her mother's new friend Shazza. She places blame on Shazza for filling her mother's head with ideas that threaten to change Molly's home life as she always knew it. Now Molly's mother wants to go out into the world and become a teacher's assistant. It seems contradictory that Molly would be fighting so hard to get Afghani girls the opportunity to go to school and then react so negatively to her mother wanting to expand her own horizons.

A character wouldn't be interesting if they never made mistakes. Without character flaws or moments of weakness, they would be one-dimensional. Molly eventually encourages her mother to pursue the job as a teaching assistant but her initial animosity towards it acts as a throw-back to the more hot-headed Molly seen in the special. Molly has had nice character development over the course of her journey but having this weak moment keeps her grounded and relatable.

Overall, this episode was on parr with the also strong Episode 2 seen last week. Where last week, there was drama and strength of story rooted in larger philosophical issues related to the morality of war, this week shined in regards to the characters themselves and their personal journeys and relationships. The director of photography did well, from the opening upside down shot introducing the jovial horseplay of human wheelbarrows, the intertwined hands of Molly and Captain James bathed in warm light, and Molly seeing her reflection dressed in her soldier's uniform at home. It was a questionable choice to kill off Sohail, as too often POC characters in Western media are only able to find redemption and liveability by sacrificing themselves to protect the white lead. With the exception of that plot point, the emotional potency of the scene, from the music, to the writing, to the acting from all the actors present was strong. Also, the "might gonna" reference when Molly and Captain James were saying goodbye was a nice touch from series creator/writer Tony Grounds. With only two episodes left, it's a little unclear as to what the show's endgame is. But perhaps this is a mirror of the uncertainty of the characters within their own lives.

Our Girl airs on Sundays on BBC One at 9PM.

Our Girl S1E2 - "Episode 2" Review


Now that Molly Dawes has established herself within the troop of soldiers, the source of conflict can move on to bigger, badder things. She's not only found a friend in young Bashira, but her heart and bravery has begun to attract the attention of Captain James and newly returned Smurf. If that weren't enough, there's still a war going on and all these soldiers must risk their lives when they get advanced warning about a threat in the mountains…

"I'm not soft, sir."

Molly has grown closer to her "soul sister" Bashira, the young Afghani girl whom she met shortly after arriving. They play games, share sweets, and Bashira's English is rapidly improving. But this new-found friendship faces animosity from both sides. Captain James tells Molly that she's not to get attached or involved, and Bashira is promised off to marry a man before getting a beating from her father. Bashira's mother brings her to see Molly, who despite Captain James' objections, insists on patching up the cut on Bashira's brow. In privacy, Bashira gives Molly a warning to not go to the mountains. Molly delivers this piece of intel to her superiors, who are able to prepare and arm themselves so that when they are attacked, they're able to take out the insurgents without facing any casualties of their own. Molly even saves the lives of one of the insurgents, who had suffered a nasty leg wound. When returning from the mountains, Molly reluctantly follows Captain James' orders to not even look at young Bashira, who is now out and about playing freely.

Molly's rebellious streak seen in the show's pilot merges well with her new-found discipline. She knows that virtually everyone around her disapproves of her befriending young Bashira. But her insisting on seeing everyone as human beings, no matter what side they're fighting on, is what makes her not only a compassionate medic, but a compelling protagonist. When told to not get involved, her response is, "What are we if we're not involved?" This speaks not only to the hypocrisy of being self-righteous invaders, but to a deeper examination of human nature. She is pushing back against being detached from her emotions, and Lacey Turner is given more room to shine in this episode, reminding us of why this series was commissioned in the first place.

"Don't worry about me, sir, I'll prove my worth."

Smurf is back, having recuperated from his leg injury. He's also grovelling to Molly, just as he should be. He's making every attempt to redeem himself in her eyes, telling her he's there for her, and he even tries to show his affections physically. Much to our amusement, Molly shoots down his attempts to hold hands or hug, though she's still being pleasant to him. Given his abominable behaviour in last week's episode, it's nice to see Smurf taken down a peg. In tonight's episode, we see some solid character development as he goes from speaking rudely about Bashira to Molly, to telling Molly that he was wrong after the climactic events involving Bashira's near-death. It's still unclear as to whether or not Smurf has fully redeemed himself, or if he's on to the fact that he is not the only one with an interest in Molly…

Captain James may have shown he's more than just a gruff military man last week, but that doesn't mean he'll be inclined to show much sentiment. He may not have the emotional baggage of Smurf, but it doesn't mean he's free from complicated moments. Though he's shown to be authoritative and striving for success and efficiency where their mission is concerned, Molly has unintentionally endeared herself to him. Above all else, Molly cares for the lives of those around her. But when Captain James has opportunity to put his serious behaviour aside, Ben Aldridge shines with his other abilities, namely comedy. Whether he's being sassy by correcting Molly's less-than-posh English, lounging in an inflatable pool, or singing Elton John karaoke and roping Molly into it, Ben Aldridge is great fun to watch.

"Your normal isn't our normal."

One of the strongest parts of this episode was its exploration of the morality of not just war as a general concept, but the very real, ongoing war that this show is depicting. The soldier Sohail gave some criticisms about how Molly and the other soldiers will be able to return back home and carry on with the lives they were used to. His speech was short, but managed to cover a lot of ground, including the hypocrisy in how they claim to be encouraging children to go to school, but now no one can because of their presence and the disruption it causes. When the British soldiers leave, he and all the other Afghanis will still be there. Then there's the other, not so intimidating, Afghani soldier Qaseem. He presents a more hopeful perspective. He speaks of how he has chosen to give up a stable job to fight in the war because of the death of his family, and how he believes that someday Afghanistan will have peace and be the most beautiful place on earth.

Presenting a more well-rounded perspective and giving more quality material for the Afghani characters is essential to this show having more substance. Instead of just glamourising the white soldiers fighting the threat of the Other, in the land that they invaded no less, this has elevated the show to another level. The fact that the show has advertised more of Molly's love triangle is understandable, as it's good marketing. However, in tonight's episode the most important relationship was not Molly with one of her dreamy soldiers, but with young Bashira. The dramatic scene where Bashira was shown to have been forced into a bomb vest was highly intense. It wasn't so clear as to whether or not she would make it. As Molly disobeyed her orders and approached Bashira to assure her that she would be okay, reminding her of their being sisters, our heartstrings were pulled and our guts were wrenched. This was the standout scene of the episode, if not the whole mini-series thus far. Lacey Turner and young Becky Eggersgluz delivered great performances and made us certain that we are hooked on this series.

Our Girl airs on Sundays on BBC One at 9PM.

Our Girl S1E1 - "Episode 1" Review


Last year, BBC One aired "Our Girl," a drama in which 18-year-old Molly Dawes (Lacey Turner) seeks to make something of herself by joining the British army. Coming from a low-SES family, she outright says that she has never had a chance before. But in joining the British Army, she aims to find structure, order, and a purpose never before presented to her. Following the success and positive reception to "Our Girl," a 5-episode series was commissioned.

"Please don't tell me we've got the only medic that can't stand the sight of blood."

After extensive training, Molly is finally sent on her first deployment to Afghanistan. Molly's role in the platoon is that of the medic, which seems fitting, as her caring nature was often shown to be one of her strongest traits. Upon meeting her new platoon, she clashes with Captain James (Ben Aldridge), the platoon's leader, and finds one of the other soldiers, Smurf (Iwan Rheon), is an old fling. As if this weren't enough, upon encountering the first injured soldier she and the other medics are to tend to, she gets squeamish at the sight of his leg that has been blown off.

Molly is off to a highly rocky start, with all of these circumstances being piled on top of all the discrimination she has to face as a woman in a predominantly male field. Molly is shown to be more sensitive to discrimination than her fellow soldiers. Despite having a nationalist (that means racist) father, Molly tells Smurf off for his racist attitudes towards a fellow soldier of Middle-Eastern origins, and for his harsh words against Bashira, a young Afghani girl who often visits the troops. Smurf's prejudices originate from his losing his brother in the war (though that's not a reasonable excuse for racism). He is also shown to hold Captain James in high regard for his pulling his brother out of the battlefield when he was about to die.

"We're all trying to prove ourselves."

By the end of the episode, Molly has redeemed herself in the eyes of her platoon. She had already improved Captain James' opinion of her, by expressing concerns over Smurf's mental stability. Smurf retaliated by slut-shaming her both to her face and to the other soldiers. But Molly saves Smurf when he is shot and nearly bleeds out in the field and she nearly gets blown up in the process. She accompanies him when he is air-lifted out, while their fellow soldiers cheer her on, and at the medical facility, Smurf makes a promise that he will make things right and come back to her…

Though Molly Dawes' compassion and bravery make her a likeable protagonist, and easy to route for, "Our Girl" is not without its weaknesses. It's a bit difficult to watch the show without feeling weighed down by the blatant pro-war propaganda. Then again, it would likely be impossible to make a story about soldiers fighting in Afghanistan without having that present. Smurf is a largely damaged character, which is understandable given the trauma he has faced from fighting in a war and losing his brother. But for him to be so vindictive in exacting revenge against Molly with his use of slut-shaming, when she was only looking out for his well-being and that of everyone in the troop, it's rather difficult to accept the attempt to so quickly redeem a character with such problematic behaviour. With him giving Molly the puppy-dog eyes, and his apparently heart-felt apology, it would seem that a love-connection is brewing. But it's difficult to support their relationship going in that direction right now unless he is shown to understand that slut-shaming is not something to whip out every time you get upset at a woman. The last issue worth mentioning was the treatment of the token POC characters. Though the platoon has more than once race represented, it was unacceptable that all of the characters given meaty dialogue were white.

The performances were solid, but Lacey Turner's raw, emotional performance in the show's pilot was stronger than what was seen in this series premiere. Iwan Rheon brought great darkness and weight to Smurf, though no one would expect anything less after seeing him castrate Theon Greyjoy. Perhaps most worth mentioning is Ben Aldridge. Captain James begins as a rather unlikeable character, as his treatment of Molly feels harsh, making the audience believe he is as sexist as the rest of the group. But as the story continues, we see that he is simply pushing his troops to be the best because not being so can mean the difference between life and death. Aldridge maintains his strong level of performance throughout every part of this character development. After a slow start, "Our Girl" delivered strong action sequences and movement for the lead characters' personal journeys, making this viewer eager to tune in next week.

Our Girl airs on Sundays on BBC One at 9PM.

Game of Thrones Recap S4E8: The Mountain and the Viper

Under the cover of night, the tavern is full and the wenches are have a good old time. But Gilly is not enjoying herself in Moletown. She keeps her head down, as one of the wenches tells her to keep her baby quiet, Gilly warns her to never touch the baby. Gilly shuts her up when she hears the bird calls. She knows the sound all too well, the wench thinks its just owls, but Gilly knows differently. The wildlings have come, and they’re slaughtering the town. Ygritte is among them and she shows no mercy as they skewer people upon their swords. They enter Gilly’s tavern, and Ygritte runs through the lead wench. She looks around for signs of others and sees Gilly hiding with her baby, and signals her to be quiet, but leaves the pair in peace. Bless her savage little heart.

Sam worries over Gilly, blaming himself for her death. They knew the wildings were loose nearby killing villages and he put her in harm way. Grenn is upset over the fact that they’re sitting on their hands while the people around them are slaughtered, that their fellow brothers were slaughtered in Moletown. Tollett points out that the brothers broke the rules, and they shouldn’t have been there. Grenn and Tollett tries to comfort Sam, Gilly is a smart resourceful girl. She survived Crasters, the long march to the wall and a whitewalker, so its possible that she got out or was able to hide herself. Jon knows that with Molestown having fallen they’ll be next. Mance’s army must be close by. Their forces have little numbers, only 102 left, and they’ll be greatly overrun if the rest of the wildings descend upon them. Tollett asks that the last brother alive burn all the rest. If he dies, he doesn’t want to come back.

It’s a hot time in Meereen. Some of the Unsully bath and splash about in the river. Grey Worm emerges from underwater like a sleek sexy alligator and gets an eyeful of Missandei. He can’t take his eyes off her as she washes her clothes nude. She rises uncomfortable and covers herself. He slips away. Missandei tells Daenerys about her encounter. The Dothraki are much less body conscious and celebrate nudity, but Missandei is not Dothraki. Dany doesn’t think that the Unsully are interested in what lies beneath their clothing, but Missandei knows that he was interested. Dany wonders what bits were taken, and which remain for Grey Worm, and Missandei admits she wonders too.  Grey Worm catches up to Missandei alone to apologize for his leering, but she doesn’t accept it. No harm no foul. He speaks to her in the common tongue calling her precious, but she didn’t teach him that word. He’s learned much from another as well. She asks him about before he was Unsully, but he does not remember it. Missandei is sorry for what was done to him, but Grey Worm is not. If he was never cut then he wouldn’t be Unsully, he would not become under Dany’s rule, or become her general, or have met Missandei. He apologizes again for today. Missandei tells him that she is glad that he saw her, and he is too.

Ramsay Snow dresses his little Reek up like the fine lord that he once was. He prepares Theon to go to the Iron Borne. He looks like a Lord, formidable and proud, but he is not that any longer, he is nothing more than Reek. Ramsay sends him into Moat Caitlin alone upon his horse. Theon rides past the fallen bodies to the gates. The guard asks for his name and allows the Trojan horse in. Theon comes face to face with Kelling, who is the commander. He doesn’t believe Theon is  who he says. Theon goes over his pedigree, convincing Kelling. Kelling wonders why he rides with a Bolton army. Theon tells Kelling that Bolton has been good to him, that he took him in and treated him right, and now he is offering the Iron borne the same, knowing that they are fading. Open the gates, and the Boltons will provide them with safe passage. Theon tells him that there is no shame in surrendering, that he watched his own father do the same, to bend his knee to Robert Baratheon. Though Kelling can barely stand he spits blood upon his prince, calling him a whipped dog and alluding that he’s a woman. He proclaims that the Iron Borne will not surrender. Theon begins to crumble when one of Kelling’s men brains him. He asks if they yield they will live, and Theon tells him to raise the white flag. His surrender gives him freedom from life. He’s flayed by the Bolton bastard in the name of tradition. Reek is left shaken and wishes to go home.

The Elders interrogate Baelish about his pedigree. His family came from Braavos long ago, but Littlefinger points out that all of the great families came from somewhere originally. The Elders of the Veil’s families came thousands of years ago, and fought their way to the talk.  Lysa told Littlefinger much about her Elders, but Lord Royce did  not need to hear anything from Lysa, they’ve heard enough of his whoring and Lannister bootlicking. And they were leery when they heard that Littlefinger was smelling around Lysa. Littlefinger points out that he and Lysa have know eachother for a long time that she had invited him, a point none of the Elders like, but are well aware of. Lady Lysa’s affairs are her own business, but her death is theirs. Her suicide shattered them all Littlefinger says. But the Elders do not think she would willingly leave her child that she had fawned over for so long. And his quick marriage to Lysa brings further questions. Littlefinger points out she was always prone to melancholy, that she wasn’t meant for a world as brutal as theirs. The Elders wish to speak with the other witness, his simple neice. Little finger wishes to fetch her, but they’ve already done so. They bring in “Aelaine” and ask what she saw. Sansa turns to Littlefinger and apologizes but says that she has to tell the truth. Aelaine reveals that she is Sansa Stark, and on her reveal Lord Royce becomes enraged over Littlefinger’s lies. But Littlefinger was only protecting her she tells the Elders. She was tortured by Joffery, tormented by Cersei and married off to Tyrion. Littlefinger was her only friend in King’s Landing, and he did everything he could to set her free, to smuggle her away to safety. He brought her to the Eyrie, but they feared the Lannister’s reach. They promise her that her secret is safe, that she is safe. They ask what happened to her aunt. She was a troubled woman. Lysa had loved Baelish from the time she first saw him. She never loved Lord Arryn, only did her family duty. And when she was finally free of him, when she was finally able to marry Littlefinger she did so gleefully, but she always feared he would leave her for another woman. Then she saw Littlefinger kiss Sansa on the cheek, a peck on the cheek nothing more. Littlefinger is her uncle by marriage, and he was always so kind to her. Her aunt turned on her called her a whore, and tried to throw her through the moon door. Littlefinger stopped her and she hit him, stepping towards the doors herself. If she couldn’t have Littlefinger she didn’t want to live, and she threw herself though the doors before they could stop her. Sansa finishes her story in tears, so the little bird learned to lie. The woman Elder goes to her to comfort her, telling her not to blame herself, and Littlefinger is just a smidge impressed.

Lord Royce says that you could tell something was wrong with Lyssa by the way she still fed her child from her teat. The Elders no longer think Littlefinger is to blame for her death, and there will be no retribution for it, not for her, but Littlefinger wants to use her power, and go to war. The Lannisters are not supported by the Lords of the Veil, but by staying out of the fray they have give the Lannisters free reign, and none have been able to stand against them. Rob Stark is dead, so there is none to back the Elders believe. Littlefinger would have them back Robin Arryn. He’s a sickly child, but Littlefinger believes that sickly little boys sometimes become powerful men. He needs to learn to swing a sword, to ride a horse. It is time for him to tour the Veil, to meet the others, to begin his transition to manhood.

Barristan Selmy receives a missive. It’s from the hand of the King, Tywin. He opens it, and cannot believe his eyes. He takes his missive to Jorah, who is busy poring over maps. Jorah asks if he has forgotten a council meeting, he has not. He gives him the missive. It’s a royal pardon signed by Robert Baratheon. Jorah admits that he spied on her. He asks who gave it to him, but Barristan tells him it doesn’t matter. He hasn’t told Daenerys yet, he wanted to tell Jorah first. Jorah asks to speak with Dany in private, but Barristan will never allow him to be with Dany in private again.

Jorah approaches Daenerys throne room. Barristan stands on one side of her, and Missandei on the other. She asks why the Usurper pardoned him. He asks for a private audience, but she refuses wanting her question answered. He knows that Tywin sent the pardon to divide them. If they are divided then they will not be a threat to the Lannisters. She asks if it was forged. It was not. Jorah admits that he sends letters to Varys, the Spymaster of King’s Landing. She asks for the content of the letters, it was information. He gave him Viserys intentions, his selling of Daenerys, her becoming Drogo’s bride. He also told him when Viserys died. She asks if he told them she was carrying Drogo’s child. He did. The wine merchant that tried to kill her did so because of his information. Jorah had stopped her from drinking his wine. She points out that he knew it was poisoned. He betrayed her. Jorah asked for her forgiveness. He sold her secrets to the man who killed her father, and stole her brother’s throne and he wants forgivness. The Khalessi is not feeling forgiving. Jorah protected her, he loved her. She scoffs at his love, and if he were anyone else she would have him executed, but she doesn’t wish him dead or alive in her city. She gives him until nightfall to collect his things and leave to return to his masters in King’s Landing. If he is found after that time she will have him beheaded and his head tossed into Slaver’s bay. Jorah goes as she asks.

The Bolton men meet on the top of a crest. Ramsay gives his father the flag of Moat Caitlin. It is theirs. Roose asks his bastard to walk with him. There is no word of the younger Starks, they’re likely dead. Most of the Iron Borne are fleeing now. Roose asks him what he sees. Ramsay sees nothingness, but its not nothing, it’s the North Roose tells him and he is the Warden thanks to his son. Roose asks for his name, and Ramsay gives it to him, but again he is wrong. Roose has legitimized his bastard. Ramsay is no longer a Snow, but a Bolton. Ramsay falls to his knees honored by his gesture. He will hold to his name and his tradition, he vows to be worth of his father. Ramsay returns to his men, with a gleam in his crazy eyes. He and Reek can return home now, and have that bath he loves so much.

Littlefinger goes to visit Sansa in her chambers. He remembers when he first saw her, when she came to the castle, but she is a child no longer, his voice slipping into a low gravely growl. He asks why she chose to help him. She is sure that they would have executed him otherwise, and is unsure what they would have done with her. She bet on the man she knew rather than the strangers she doesn’t. Littlefinger doesn’t think that she knows him, but she knows what he wants. He can’t deny her claims as his voice hits Batman lows.

Arya thought she would be happy to hear that Joffery was dead, but it doesn’t. The hound doesn’t think anything makes her happy. Plenty of things make her happy, but the Hound sees that she’s only unhappy because she didn’t get to kill Joffery herself. Although the Hound thought that Joffery should be killed he doesn’t like the fact it was done by way of poison calling it a woman’s weapon. Arya finds his thinking ludicrous, saying that he will never be a great killer with such prejudice. She’d have killed Joffery with a chicken bone if she had the chance. The Hound laughs, he would have paid to see that. She notices his fussing with his armor. He should have let her burn his wound. He calls it a fleabite, but his fleabite is slowing him down. They don’t have to walk much further though. She wonders if her aunt will pay for her, and he knows that she will. The gate guard asks for his name. He reveals it, and tells him that he has Arya Stark, Lady Lysa’s niece. He offers his condolences. Lady Lysa died three days ago. The Hound is shocked by the news, and Arya finds it hilarious. They came all that way for nothing.

Robin is afraid to leave the Eyrie, his mother said it was dangerous outside. Littlefinger tells him it is just as dangerous inside. People die in their sleep, during meals, even squatting over their chamber pots. Death is all around, everyone dies sooner or later, not to worry about his death, but to worry about his life, to take charge of it. Sansa arrives, and Littlefinger takes in her sight greedily. She’s transformed from frail mouse to vixen.

Tyrion prepares for his upcoming trial by combat, deciding a man’s guilt or innocence by the Gods as two men hack eachother to pieces says something about the Gods. It will happen soon. Tyrion wonders what chance Oberyn has. Having a nickname like the Red Viper has to be a good thing he reasons. Jamie has never seen him fight. Tyrion laments that he’s going to die, they’re both going to die. But Jamie knows that Oberyn is confident. Tyrion asks how he will die, likely beheading, it seems so ordinary. He ponders over the familiar killings and what they’re called. Every type of killing have its own word. Jamie points out cousin killing doesn’t. Tyrion congratulates his discovery. He asks if he remembers cousin Orsen. He does, the wet nurse dropped him on his head and left him simple. The simple boy use to sit in the garden all day crushing beetles with rocks. Gthunk, gthunk. Tyrion laughs, nothing made him happier. Jamie would have thought he would have felt for the boy, but the teasing made Tyrion feel like everyone else. Jamie  drifted away, he had other interest. Tryion stayed with Orsen. He was curious, he wanted to know what he got out of it. He asked him, but he only said that he smashed them. Tyrion was undeterred he went to Mace Valleric’s library, Jamie wrinkles his nose, Valleric tried to touch him once. Much has been written about great men, but little about Morons. It wasn’t helpful so he went back to observe Orsen. He wasn’t mindless, he had his reasons.  Tyripon became obsessed with knowing, thinking about him all the time, thinking about his cousin smashing of beetles, hearing the gthunk gthunk no matter what he was doing. He thought it was awful that beetle deaths for no reason. Jamie points out that men, women and children die everyday for no reason, who cares about the beetles. It filled Tyrion with dread. How many were smashed and dried out, and returned to the dirt. He woke up crying for the them. He tried to stop Orsen once, but he was no match. Orsen smashed everyday until a mule kicked him in the chest and killed him. Tyrion puts down a roly-poly. He asks Jamie what he thinks, what its all about, but he doesn’t know. The bells chime, his hour is upon him. Jamie wishes him luck.

Tyrion is lead in shackles to watch the battle. Much of King’s Landing has been gathered. Oberyn is dressed in very light armour, but he likes to move around. Tyrion remarks that he shouldn’t be drinking, that both of their lives are on the line, but Oberyn always drinks before battle. The Mountain arrives, and Ellaria is fearful. He is the biggest man she has ever seen. But Oberyn knows that size doesn’t matter when you’re opponent is flat on his back, one thing that Tyrion is thankful for. The battle is set to begin. Jamie sneaks a look at Cersei, who looks away. Tywin hurries the Maester’s speech. Ellaria asks that Oberyn does not leave her alone in this world, and he says never. Oberyn shows his prowess. He asks the Mountain if he knows who he is. The Mountain thinks him only a dead man. Oberyn tells him who he is, and that the Mountain raped and killed his sister, and her children. He wants his confession. Oberyn shows how much faster he is than the Mountain, but his brute strength breaks the Viper’s spear. He’s not done yet though, even though the Mountain tosses him about. Oberyn lands devastating blows to him, and gets his opponent down. He won’t kill him though. He wants to hear who gave the order to kill Elia. Oberyn’s need for revenge gives the Mountain the chance to knock him down. The Mountain admits that he raped her, and he smashed her head, demonstrating it on Oberyn as Ellaria’s screams piece the air. He smashes the Viper’s head like a ripe melon, before collapsing himself. Goodbye Oberyn, your exhilarating reckless spirit will be missed. Cersei is pleased, Jamie is disgusted, and Tyrion is shocked. Tywin rises. The God’s will is known. In the name of Tommen Baratheon, he sentences Tyrion to death.


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