Ten Reasons We Loved Watching TV in 20132 of 11
"Game of Thrones": The Rains of Castamere
Valar morghulis. In high Valyrian, this translates to "All men must die." Viewers who enjoy dark humor might be moved to add, "especially men with the last name of Stark."
Indeed, for a family whose hardiness is as legendary as its sense of honor, the Starks certainly have displayed a talent for losing their heads -- literally. First Ned bought it in front of whole of Kings' Landing, then Robb Stark and his mother Catelyn died in spectacular fashion...at a wedding reception, for goodness' sake.
Mind you, those who have read George R.R. Martin's books knew the bloody, brutal event commonly known as the Red Wedding was coming. Even if you didn't read the books, in an earlier episode, Cersei Lannister explained to one of her foes what the song "The Rains of Castamere" was about: The Rains were a highborn family with delusions of overtaking the Lannisters, which Tywin Lannister promptly put down by wiping out its entire bloodline. This, my friends, is what we call foreshadowing.
Knowing what was to come did not steal any of the shock and power from television version scene itself, in which the setting transformed from a joyful wedding celebration into a chaotic killing floor in the space it took for the band to strike up the song from which this episode gets its title.
Give credit to David Nutter's superior directing, which gently sprinkled tension into the atmosphere as the Starks' doom closed in on them. From the moment Catelyn watched the doors to the great hall close as the tone of the music changed, it was clear the game was about to change. New players join the field this coming spring. We can't wait.
Valar morghulis. In high Valyrian, this translates to "All men must die." Viewers who enjoy dark humor might be moved to add, "especially men with the last name of Stark."
Indeed, for a family whose hardiness is as legendary as its sense of honor, the Starks certainly have displayed a talent for losing their heads -- literally. First Ned bought it in front of whole of Kings' Landing, then Robb Stark and his mother Catelyn died in spectacular fashion...at a wedding reception, for goodness' sake.
Mind you, those who have read George R.R. Martin's books knew the bloody, brutal event commonly known as the Red Wedding was coming. Even if you didn't read the books, in an earlier episode, Cersei Lannister explained to one of her foes what the song "The Rains of Castamere" was about: The Rains were a highborn family with delusions of overtaking the Lannisters, which Tywin Lannister promptly put down by wiping out its entire bloodline. This, my friends, is what we call foreshadowing.
Knowing what was to come did not steal any of the shock and power from television version scene itself, in which the setting transformed from a joyful wedding celebration into a chaotic killing floor in the space it took for the band to strike up the song from which this episode gets its title.
Give credit to David Nutter's superior directing, which gently sprinkled tension into the atmosphere as the Starks' doom closed in on them. From the moment Catelyn watched the doors to the great hall close as the tone of the music changed, it was clear the game was about to change. New players join the field this coming spring. We can't wait.