Game of Thrones, Chapter 26, Jon

July 4, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jon is instructing Dareon and Pyp when a new recruit, Samwell Tarly, enters the practice yard. He is immensely fat and very nervous. Ser Alliser immediately mocks him as Ser Piggy. After he is outfitted, Ser Alliser orders Halder to test him. He is felled quickly, but Ser Alliser orders Halder to press the attack again. Jon tells Halder to stop, which infuriates Ser Alliser. He tells two other recruits, Rast and Albett, nicknamed Rat and Pimple respectively, to join Halder in attacking Jon and Sam. Pyp and Grenn immediately come to Jon’s aid. After the battle, Sam thanks them. When they ask why he did not fight back, he tells them he is a coward, which shocks the boys. Sam walks away forlorn, and Jon goes to put up his armor.

Life for the trainees at Castle Black revolves around training in the morning and work in the afternoon. The trainees are set to a variety of tasks to discover their strengths. These activities include hunting for game, working at the forge withDonal Noye, running messages, standing guard, mucking out stables, fletching arrows, assisting Maester Aemon with the ravens, and aiding Bowen Marsh with his accounting. That day, Jon is tasked with spreading crushed gravel over the top of the Wall to make it less slippery, and he thinks of Sam as he works and how it takes a certain kind of courage to admit cowardice. At dinner, Jon and the others listen to Pyp, who had been an actor, tell a story, but Jon takes his leave to join Sam, who is sitting alone. They go outside and talk. Ghost joins them, and Sam is frightened initially, but the wolf seems to like him. Jon tells Sam the story of how he found the direwolves in the snow and soon begins talking about Winterfell, revealing he is having a recurring dream in which he wanders the halls of the castle looking for Eddard or Robb or Arya or Benjen. Ben is still missing. Lord Commander Mormont is still searching for him, with Ser Jaremy leading two sweeps and Qhorin Halfhand searching from the Shadow Tower, but they have found no trace of Ben, only the blazes in the trees he left to mark his way, which suddenly vanish in the highlands of the northwest.

Jon wonders why a self-proclaimed coward would join the Watch, and Sam explains how his father, Lord Randyll, was always disappointed in him as an heir, because he is fond of dancing and reading and not fond of martial pursuits, and that after another son, Dickon, was finally born after Sam was followed by three girls, Randyll gave Sam the choice of joining the Night’s Watch or dying in an accident. Jon tells Sam they should return to the hall and listen to Dareon sing. He was an apprentice singer until he was discovered in bed with the daughter of Lord Mathis Rowan of Goldengrove, who Dareon claims consented but named it rape when her father found out. Sam declines and goes to get some sleep, so Jon returns alone and joins Pyp, Toad, Halder, Grenn, Jeren, Dareon, Rast, and Albett and tells them not to hurt Sam during practice. All agree except Rast, so Jon goes to his room that night with Grenn, Pyp, and Ghost and frightens him into agreeing. After several days, Sam works up the courage to join them and interact with them. When he comes to thank Jon and call him friend, Jon says they are not friends, but brothers.

Quotes…

“My name is Samwell Tarly, of Horn …” He stopped and licked his lips. “I mean, I was of Horn Hill, until I … left. I’ve come to take the black. My father is Lord Randyll, a bannerman to the Tyrells of Highgarden. I used to be his heir, only …” His voice trailed off.

“I’m Jon Snow, Ned Stark’s bastard, of Winterfell.” Samwell Tarly nodded.

“I … if you want, you can call me Sam. My mother calls me Sam.”

“You can call him Lord Snow,” Pyp said as he came up to join them. “You don’t want to know what his mother calls him.”

“You are almost a man grown now, and my heir,” Lord Randyll Tarly had told his eldest son, his long knife laying bare the carcass as he spoke. “You have given me no cause to disown you, but neither will I allow you to inherit the land and title that should be Dickon’s. Heartsbane must go to a man strong enough to wield her, and you are not worthy to touch her hilt. So I have decided that you shall this day announce that you wish to take the black. You will forsake all claim to your brother’s inheritance and start north before evenfall. “If you do not, then on the morrow we shall have a hunt, and somewhere in these woods your horse will stumble, and you will be thrown from the saddle to die … or so I will tell your mother. She has a woman’s heart and finds it in her to cherish even you, and I have no wish to cause her pain. Please do not imagine that it will truly be that easy, should you think to defy me. Nothing would please me more than to hunt you down like the pig you are.”

“We’re not friends,” Jon said. He put a hand on Sam’s broad shoulder. “We’re brothers.”

by Mel

I just love Jon Snow. He has the kindest heart and has the ability to lead others. I see great things for Jon. I also feel sorry for Sam, but feel that he will finally be happy with his brother’s on the wall.

Book to HBO

This scene feels quite similar to what’s in the novel. There are some omissions in dialogue—Pypar (who no longer seems to have been a mummer) doesn’t recognize that Samwell is a nobleman of the Reach by his accent, Lord Randyll and Heartsbane, his Valyrian steel great sword, is not named, neither is much of the Tarly history, and Lord Randyl’s efforts to “make a man” of Samwell.


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Game of Thrones, Chapter 21, Tyrion

July 2, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Tyrion is taking dinner with the high officers of the Night’s Watch, including Lord Commander Jeor Mormont, SerAlliser Thorne, Bowen Marsh, Ser Jaremy Rykker, and Maester Aemon, and informs Jeor that he will be leaving on the morrow. He mocks Ser Alliser, who gets up and leaves. Tyrion comments that Ser Alliser is not fit to be master-at-arms, but Lord Commander Mormont laments that they have too few knights or trained fighters. Few knights have taken the black during Mormont’s tenure as Lord Commander, and Ser Alliser fought bravely at King’s Landing. Ser Jaremy quips that he and Ser Alliser were on the wrong side in that battle, and afterward Lord Tywin gave them the choice of taking the black or dying as traitors. Mormont accuses Tyrion of mocking the Watch, but Maester Aemon says that Tyrion is a giant come amongst them, which leaves Tyrion speechless.

After dinner, Jeor drinks with Tyrion. He tells Tyrion that he will give him an escort as far as Winterfell. Tyrion protests that he has his own men, Jyck and Morrec, and that Yoren is going south again too, but Mormont insists. Tyrion suggests sending Jon, but Mormont thinks that seeing his family again will just stir up feelings that are best left buried at this phase of his training. Mormont adds that his sister, Maege, rules Bear Island with his son’s dishonor, and he has nieces he has never met. Lord Commander Mormont goes on to talk about the Watch’s plight. The Watch is dying. There are less than one thousand men now, six hundred at Castle Black, two hundred at the Shadow Tower, and slightly less than that atEastwatch, and only one-third of these are fighting men. He regrets sending Ser Waymar out on a ranging with him so green, but he feared to offend his father, Lord Yohn Royce. He sent two of his most reliable men with Waymar, and was shocked when Eddard sent him Gared’s head after he was executed as a deserter. He laments the fact that Ben Stark has gone missing and wonders whom he should send to find him. Finally, he laments his own old age, sixty-eight, and worries that there are no suitable successors to his position. He pleads with Tyrion to tell Lord Tywin and King Robert of the Watch’s needs. Jeor is desperate because the findings of the Citadel indicate that winter is on the way and it will be a bad one. He has reports from Denys Mallister of the Shadow Tower that wildlings are slipping south in greater numbers than usual, apparently running from something, and the fisherfolk of Eastwatch have glimpsed strange things.

Tyrion takes his leave and is heading back to his chambers when he suddenly gets the urge to climb the Wall one last time. He gets to the top and walks west, meeting Jon and Ghost. Jon has been making progress with his fellow trainees.Grenn is better than he was, and he has starting helping another trainee named Pypar too. Ser Alliser has taken a special interest in making his life hell. Tyrion tells Jon that he is stopping by Winterfell on the way south and asks if there is a message he would like sent. He tells Tyrion to help Bran like he helped him. They shake hands as friends, and gaze off to the edge of the world.

Quotes…

“Your sister sits beside the king. Your brother is a great knight, and your father the most powerful lord in the Seven Kingdoms. Speak to them for us. Tell them of our need here. You have seen for yourself, my lord. The Night’s Watch is dying.

“I promise, the king will hear of your need,” Tyrion said gravely, “and I will speak to my father and my brother Jaime as well.” And he would. Tyrion Lannister was as good as his word. He left the rest unsaid; that King Robert would ignore him, Lord Tywin would ask if he had taken leave of his senses, and Jaime would only laugh.

“I don’t know what message to send to Bran. Help him, Tyrion.”

“What help could I give him? I am no maester, to ease his pain. I have no spells to give him back his legs.”

“You gave me help when I needed it,” Jon Snow said.

“I gave you nothing,” Tyrion said. “Words.”

“Then give your words to Bran too.”

by Mel

Which each chapter with Tyrion in it, I admire him more and more. He is a decent and kind human being, even after growing up with the family that he is a part of. Mormont and Maester Aemon are begging Tyrion to talk to the king about sending good men to the wall. Winter is coming and there are things out there that are causing the wildings to run. Tyrion promises, but knows that none of his family will pay any attention to him. He also run into Jon and promises him to help Bran, like he helped him.

Book to HBO

Rather than sitting at dinner with the officers of the Night’s Watch where he criticizes Ser Alliser Thorne, Tyrion is instead watching the recruits training with Lord Commander Mormont. Some of Aemon’s lines in the mess hall scene were actually originally Mormont’s, as well. Finally, we see his fulfilling his promise of what he means to do at the Wall, as well, something not seen in the book.



 

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Game of Thrones, Chapter 19, Jon

June 30, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jon fights a training match with Grenn, whom he defeats easily. Jeren and Todder drag Grenn off while Ser Alliser Thorneberates Jon for showing fatigue. Ser Alliser has nothing but scorn and hatred for all of the trainees. Ser Alliser ends the traning session, and the trainees all go to the armory. Jon also has scorn for all the trainees for their weaknesses and has made no friends. He feels particularly alone as Benjen is gone too. Three days after arriving, he learned that Ben was leading a ranging of six rangers. Jon begged him to go along, but Ben refused. The next morning he watched the group leave. Grenn confronts Jon along with Todder and two other recruits over the beating in the yard. Jon gets smart with them and a fight breaks out, which is stopped by the blacksmith, Donal Noye. Donal berates Jon for fighting with his brothers. He reminds Jon he is not the only bastard on the wall; Jeren is the bastard of a septon, while Cotter Pyke, commander of Eastwatch by the Sea, is the son of a tavern wench. Jon refuses to acknowledge the trainees as brothers, and Donal reminds him that the Watch is his new life. Jon reflects bitterly that Donal has no place to talk about giving up life. He had smithed for Stannis Baratheon and only came to the wall as an old cripple after losing his arm at the siege of Storm’s End. Jon says the other trainees all hate him because he is better than them, and Donal says it is actually because he is a bully, thrashing the others all over the yard and leaving them no dignity. Jon feels ashamed and guilty of his actions.

Jon leaves and stares at the Wall until Tyrion comes by. Jon has not seen him much since arriving, as he is an honored guest of the Lord Commander and spends his time with the officers. Tyrion is surprised that Ghost is not with Jon, and Jon explains that he must keep the wolf chained during training. They discuss Ben, who is long overdue to return from his ranging. He had set out not long after arriving at Castle Black with six rangers to look for Waymar Royce. Many rangers have failed to return from the Far North of late. They go to the mess to eat, but Jon is soon summoned by Ser Alliser to see Lord Commander Jeor Mormont. Lord Commander Mormont gives Jon a letter from Robb stating that Bran has woken up and will live, though crippled. Jon is overjoyed and runs back down to the mess to celebrate with Tyrion. He sees Grenn and apologizes to him and offers to help him improve. Ser Alliser scolds Jon for trying to do his job, and Jon mocks him, causing Ser Alliser to leave in a fury.

Quotes…

“This is not Winterfell,” he told him as he cut his meat with fork and dagger. “On the Wall, a man gets only what he earns. You’re no ranger, Jon, only a green boy with the smell of summer still on you.”

“They’re not my brothers,” Jon snapped. “They hate me because I’m better than they are.”

“No. They hate you because you act like you’re better than they are. They look at you and see a castle-bred bastard who thinks he’s a lordling.”

The armorer leaned close. “You’re no lordling. Remember that. You’re a Snow, not a Stark. You’re a bastard and a bully.”

“Don’t call me Lord Snow.”

The dwarf lifted an eyebrow. “Would you rather be called the Imp? Let them see that their words can cut you, and you’ll never be free of the mockery. If they want to give you a name, take it, make it your own. Then they can’t hurt you with it anymore.”

by Mel

Jon is having a hard time at the wall, no matter how many of his fellow brother’s he defeats, Alliser will still not give him any recognition for it. His uncle Benjen is going out on a range and he begs to go and Benjen quickly puts him in his place. He realizes the only one that really warned him of  how it would be was Tyrion. He gets reprimanded by a blacksmith telling him that he is a bully to his fellow brothers and points out that they did not grow up in Winterfell with Ser Rodrik, their man at arms. Jon is not a mean person so he realizes quickly his mistake. He runs into Tyrion and again is given some great advice from the imp. He’s very happy when he receives word that Bran has woken up and makes amends with his brothers. However, we can see that he has made an enemy in Alliser.

Book to HBO

Jon’s chapter is broken up somewhat, but is largely the same. His interactions with the recruits and Ser Alliser Thorne are largely the same. Instead of thinking back to Benjen leaving, it’s show on screen. Also, instead of Donal Noye advising him about his poor attitude towards his fellow recruits, that role is given to Tyrion; Noye will not appear in this season (and, possibly, will not appear at all). Tyrion is also the person who delivers the news about Bran, whereas in the novel it’s Lord Mormont who informs him (and Ser Alliser who acts as a rude intermediary).

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Game of Thrones, Chapter 13, Tyrion

June 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Benjen Stark leaves for the Wall on the same day the King goes south. With him are Jon Snow and Ghost, Tyrion, and Tyrion’s two serving men. On the way to the Wall, they meet up with another black brother, Yoren, who is bringing two rapers from the Fingers back to the Wall. At camp one night, Tyrion drinks an amber wine from the Summer Isles and reads a book about the history and properties of dragons, which have always fascinated him.

The first time Tyrion visited King’s Landing for Cersei’s wedding, he sought out the dragon skulls that had hung in the throne room. Robert had already replaced them with tapestries, but he managed to discover where they were stored and found them beautiful. There were nineteen in total, with the oldest large and impressive and the newer ones small and misshapen, including a matched pair with skulls no bigger than that of a mastiff that had belonged to the last two dragons born on Dragonstone, neither of which lived for very long. The three largest belonged to the dragons that Aegon I and his sisters rode in their conquest of Westeros, Balerion, Meraxes, and Vhagar.

None could stand before these dragons of legend, but King Loren of the Rock and King Mern IX of the Reach had tried close to three hundred years ago, when the Seven Kingdoms really were seven separate countries. They gathered five thousand knights and ten times as many other soldiers to face Aegon, who only had around a fifth of that number, mostly conscripts from the army of the last king he had slain. Aegon’s army broke in the initial charge, but at that point, Aegon unleashed the dragons, the only time all three were deployed at once, and created what became known as the Field of Fire. Four thousand men perished, including King Mern, and both the Reach and the Westerlands were added to Aegon’s domain, with King Loren swearing fealty.

Jon interrupts Tyrion’s thoughts and asks the dwarf why he reads so much. Tyrion says that his mind is the only weapon he has, and he must keep it sharp, as he is a Lannister and is expected to do great things. Lord Tywin wasHand of the King to Aerys II for twenty years, Cersei married the new king, and Joffrey will be king in turn one day. Tyrion must do his part for the glory of his house as well, and therefore he must rely on his intellect. Jon wonders why he reads of dragons when they are all dead, and Tyrion replies that he used to dream of having a dragon of his own and started fires in the bowels of Casterly Rock that he would stare at for hours. Sometimes he would imagine that Tywin was burning in the fire; other times it was Cersei.

The talk turns to the Night’s Watch, which Jon claims is a noble calling, and Tyrion breaks the truth to him that it is a midden heap filled with all the dregs of society. This upsets Jon and Tyrion moves to comfort him, but as he makes his move, Ghost leaps out of the shadows to tackle him. Jon helps Tyrion back up and realizes what Tyrion said about the Watch is true. Tyrion complements him for facing a hard truth rather than ignoring it and says he hardly ever dreams of dragons anymore. They return to camp, where the company has supper and goes to sleep, all save Jon who drew the first watch. As Tyrion turns in, he sees Jon staring intently into the fire.

Quotes…

“Why do you read so much?”

Tyrion looked up at the sound of the voice. Jon Snow was standing a few feet away, regarding him curiously. He closed the book on a finger and said, “Look at me and tell me what you see.”

The boy looked at him suspiciously. “Is this some kind of trick? I see you. Tyrion Lannister.”

Tyrion sighed. “You are remarkably polite for a bastard, Snow. What you see is a dwarf. You are what, twelve?”

“Fourteen,” the boy said.

“Fourteen, and you’re taller than I will ever be. My legs are short and twisted, and I walk with difficulty. I require a special saddle to keep from falling off my horse. A saddle of my own design, you may be interested to know. It was either that or ride a pony. My arms are strong enough, but again, too short. I will never make a swordsman. Had I been born a peasant, they might have left me out to die, or sold me to some slavers grotesquerie. Alas, I was born a Lannister of Casterly Rock, and the grotesqueries are all the poorer. Things are expected of me. My father was the Hand of the King for twenty years. My brother later killed that very same king, as it turns out, but life is full of these little ironies. My sister married the new king and my repulsive nephew will be king after him. I must do my part for the honor of my House, wouldnt you agree? Yet how? Well, my legs may be too small for my body, but my head is too large, although I prefer to think it is just large enough for my mind. I have a realistic grasp of my own strengths and weaknesses. My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind . . . And a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge. Tyrion tapped the leather cover of the book. Thats why I read so much, Jon Snow.”

by Mel
In Tyrion’s own little way, he tries to befriend Jon. So, he’s not so good at it sometimes. He tells Jon of his fascination of dragons and my favorite part is when he tells Jon that he used to start fires and then pretend that his father was in them, other times it was his sister. If the Lannister’s were in our time, or our world, they would totally be perfect for Jerry Springer. Can you see it now?
Tyrion to Tywin- I resent that you love Jaime more than me!
Tywin to Tyrion- Well, you’re a dwarf and killed you mother!
Cersei to Jerry- I have to admit!!! I have been sleeping with my brother!!!
Jerry Springer shocked, audience screaming
Audience member to Cersei- You’re a HO! You sleep with your brother!!! You’re a HO!!!!
Cersei to audience member- Shut you’re mouth B****H! You don’t even know me!!!! We are meant to be together! We shared a womb!
Jerry Springer to Cersei- A Room???
Cersei to Jerry Springer- No, dumb a**! A WOMB!!!!
Tyrion to Jerry Springer- Jerry, my father doesn’t love me!
Tyrion to Cersei- And another thing!!! Your son Joffrey is a little shit!!!
Cersei to Tyrion- I curse you brother, Off with your head!!!
Audience goes crazy!!!
Jaime to audience- I just want to be loved!!!
Yep! Disfunctional, it almost makes me feel better about my in laws….oops, did I say that outloud???
SO, anyway! Tyrion talks about the dragons that excited a hundred and fifty years ago and then admits that there are no dragons. Him and Jon start talking about the wall and Tyrion tries to break it to Jon that the wall is just full of murderers and rapists, and not honorable men and this upsets Jon. Tyrion has some social issues, but does have a heart and tries to comfort Jon, but when he goes to touch his arm, he is attacked by Ghost. Jon calls him off and they have a good laugh!!! Good times on the way to the wall!
Book to HBO
This is another chapter that plays relatively similiarly. The chief change here is that we don’t get any of the combative interaction between Tyrion and Benjen…

 

 

 

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Game of Thrones, Chapter 10, Jon

June 25, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jon and Ghost come to see Bran. Lady Catelyn has been by his side for almost two weeks, taking her meals in the room and barely sleeping, and so Jon had not come before, but this is his last opportunity. Catelyn is very rude to him and tells him to go away, but he stands his ground. Bran is only skin and bones, with sunken eyes staring blankly and legs bent at odd angles. He cries and tells Bran’s still form goodbye, explaining that he is leaving with Benjen that day to join the Night’s Watch. Catelyn says that she had prayed for Eddard to leave Bran when he went south and that it appears sometimes prayers are answered. When Jon tries to comfort her, she is rude again. As Jon prepares to leave, Catelyn calls out to him and says it should have been him that fell before breaking into sobs.

Jon heads to the yard and sees Robb shouting orders with Grey Wind at his side. He has seemed to grow into authority since Bran’s fall. They say their farewells. Finally he goes to see Arya, who is packing with Nymeria’s help. Arya is happy to see him, as she was not allowed to leave her room to say goodbye. She had already packed her chest once, but she had just tossed everything in and Septa Mordane made her do it again properly. Jon gives Arya a present, a sword. He had Mikken forge the blade, which is slender and pointed like the swords used by bravos in Pentos, Myr and the otherFree Cities. They say their goodbyes, and Jon tells her the sword has a name, Needle.

Quotes…

“I wanted him to stay here with me, Lady Stark said softly.

Jon watched her, wary. She was not even looking at him. She was talking to him, but for a part of her, it was as though he were not even in the room.

I prayed for it, she said dully. He was my special boy. I went to the sept and prayed seven times to the seven faces of god that Ned would change his mind and leave him here with me. Sometimes prayers are answered.
Jon did not know what to say. It wasnt your fault, he managed after an awkward silence.
Her eyes found him. They were full of poison. “I need none of your absolution, bastard.”

He was at the door when she called out to him. “Jon,” she said. He should have kept going, but she had never called him by his name before. He turned to find her looking at his face, as if she were seeing it for the first time.
“Yes?” he said.
“It should have been you.”

 

Robb knew something was wrong. “My mother . . .”

“She was . . . Very kind,”  Jon told him.

Robb looked relieved. “Good.”  He smiled. “The next time I see you, you’ll be all in black.”

 

“I have something for you to take with you, and it has to be packed very carefully.”
Her face lit up. “A present?”

“First lesson, stick them with the pointy end!”

by Mel

Catelyn is not just rude in this chapter, she is an evil woman. “It should have been you” What the hell is that all about?

Jon then goes to say goodbye to Robb and is kind enough not to tell him how evil his mother is.

He then goes to say goodbye to Arya and brings her a little present. Her own little sword perfect for her size. They decide it should be called needle since needle work is Arya’s favorite thing.

Book to HBO

This scene plays extremely similarly to the novel!  The chief change has to do with Catelyn’s demeanor towards Jon, and in particular the removal of “It should have been you.”

There was an added scene with Jon and Jaime, Jaime is his usual smart ass self trying to downplay what Jon is going to do on the wall, when in actuality their roles are very similar in regard to both the Night’s Guard and the Kingsguard. Neither can marry and are sworn for life.

 

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Game of Thrones, Chapter 7, Arya

June 22, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Arya is doing needlework under the eye of Septa Mordane along with Sansa, Beth Cassel, Jeyne Poole, and Princess Myrcella. She is embarrassed by the poor quality of her work and runs off. Arya resents that Sansa is beautiful and more polished than she is. Nymeria greets her at the base of the stairs. Arya named the pup after Nymeria, the warrior queen of the Rhoyne who led her people across the Narrow Sea. Sansa named hers Lady.

Arya decides to go watch the boys sparring in the practice yard. She runs into Jon and Ghost, and they watch together. Bran and Tommen are fighting each other with heavily padded wooden swords under the watchful eye of Ser Rodrik Cassel, the master-at-arms, and a group of spectators, including Robb and Theon. Jon teases her as they watch. They have always got on well together, and are the only two of Eddard’s children with Stark features, the other children all inheriting the Tully look. Jon also points out Prince Joffrey in the crowd, notes his arms, divided between the Baratheon stag and the Lannister lion, and comments that the Lannisters are over proud to make the queen’s arms equal to the royal arms.

Bran defeats Prince Tommen. Rodrik tells Lew and Donnis to help the boys out of their armor and asks Robb and Joffrey if they would like to go another round. Joffrey wants to use real weapons, but Ser Rodrik refuses. Joffrey insults Robb, and Jon states that the prince is a little shit. Sandor steps forward to insult Rodrik and Robb. Joffrey adds his own insults and leaves with Tommen in tow. Arya returns to her room, where Catelyn and Septa Mordane are waiting to punish her for running off.

Quotes…

“Jon says he looks like a girl,” Arya said.

Sansa sighed as she stitched. “Poor Jon,” she said. “He gets jealous because he’s a bastard.”

“He’s our brother,” Arya said, much too loudly. Her voice cut through the afternoon quiet of the tower room.

Sansa had gotten their mother’s fine high cheekbones and the thick auburn hair of the Tullys. Arya took after their lord father. Her hair was a lusterless brown, and her face was long and solemn. Jeyne used to call her Arya Horseface, and neigh whenever she came near. It hurt that the one thing Arya could do better than her sister was ride a horse.

Jon had their father’s face, as she did. They were the only ones. Robb and Sansa and Bran and even little Rickon all took after the Tullys, with easy smiles and fire in their hair. When Arya had been little, she had been afraid that meant that she was a bastard too. It had been Jon she had gone to in her fear, and Jon who had reassured her.

Arya asked why Jon was not down in the yard.  ”Bastards are not allowed to damage young princes,” he said.

Jon looked down on the scene with a frown. “Joffrey is truly a little shit,” he told Arya

by Mel

Arya is one of my favorite characters in this book. You feel for her that she is such a shadow behind Sansa. Again, Jon is excluded because of his status of being a bastard. I think Theon has more rights as a hostage than poor Jon does as Ned’s bastard son. You can see Joffrey’s  true colors in this chapter. Jon calls it…Joffrey is a little shit!

Book to HBO

This chapter was completely dropped in the HBO series.

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Game of Thrones, Chapter 5, Jon

June 20, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Jon Snow is sitting near the back of the great hall in Winterfell during the welcome feast for King Robert. Earlier, he got a good look at the royal family as they came in. Eddard escorted in Queen Cersei, followed by Catelyn and Robert, thenRickon, Robb and Princess Myrcella, Arya and Prince Tommen, Sansa and Joffrey, Jaime and Tyrion, and, finally,Benjen Stark and Theon Greyjoy. Jon has been drinking for the entire feast, and is now quite drunk. Ghost peeks his head up from under the table looking for food, and Jon gives his direwolf half a chicken to devour. A dog comes up to challenge Ghost for a share, but all it takes is a baring of his fangs to make the dog slink away. Ben Stark comes over to see Ghost. He remarks on how quiet the wolf is, and Jon explains that he never makes a sound, which is how he got his name. Ben admires Jon’s keen skills of observation and remarks that he could use a man like him on the Wall. Jon, drunk, asks to join the Night’s Watch. Ben tells him the Wall is a hard place for a boy, but Jon protests that he is nearly a man and that bastards have to grow up faster than other children. He also talks of Daeron Targaryen, who conquered Dorne at the age of fourteen, but Ben points out that the conquest only lasted a summer and that he had lost ten thousand men conquering the place and another fifty thousand trying to hold it.  Furthermore, he was dead at eighteen.

Jon still wants to join the Watch, knowing there is no place for him at Winterfell in the long run as a bastard. Ben tells him that the members of the Watch are not allowed to marry or father children and that he should know what he is giving up and father a few bastards of his own first. Jon hotly states he will never father a bastard, which draws all eyes to him. Jon runs out of the hall in tears. Outside, he runs into Tyrion perched on the ledge above the door. He has drunk too much wine and come out for air. As Jon watches, he vaults down from the ledge and comes over to see Ghost. Ghost bares his fangs at Tyrion at first, but on Jon’s command lets Tyrion pet him. Tyrion tells Jon that he should make being a bastard his strength so that fact cannot be used against him by his enemies. When Jon asks what he could possibly know about being a bastard, Tyrion replies that all dwarfs are bastards in their fathers’ eyes. His mother died giving birth to him and his father treats him terribly for it. Tyrion goes on to say that all dwarfs are bastards, but that all bastards need not be dwarfs. As he walks back into the hall, the light throws Tyrion’s shadow across the yard, and for an instant, he looks as tall as a king.

Quotes…

He was a dwarf, half his brother’s height, struggling to keep pace on stunted legs.  His head was too large for his body, with a brute’s squashed-in face beneath a swollen shelf of brow.  One green eye and one black one peered out from under a lank fall of hair so blond it seemed white.

“Come back to me after you’ve fathered a few bastards of your own, and we’ll see how you feel.”

Jon trembled. “I will never father a bastard,” he said carefully.  “Never!” He spat it out like venom.

“Never forget what you are, for surely the world will not.  Make it your strength.  Then it can never be your weakness.  Armor yourself in it, and it will never be used to hurt you.”

by Mel

This makes me not like Catelyn very much, making him sit outside because he is a bastard. Poor Jon. But, at least he gets to hang out with his wolf, which the other kids don’t and he probably drinks a whole lot more than his brothers and sisters get to. I like Ben’s character, you can tell he really cares about Jon and wants what is best for him. Jon is totally against having a bastard, which is a good thing! We meet Tyrion, now, the book describes him as grotesquely ugly which in the HBO series, you find him quite loveable. I love him in the books and pretty much picture him as how he looks in the show. Actually, all the characters I picture in the show at this point. In Tyrion’s sweet little way he gives Jon a pep talk, gotta love him!

Book to HBO

Ghost is not present in his scenes. Tyrion does not tumble off a gate.

 

 

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