Game Of Thrones "The Ghost of Harrenhal" Review

"Anyone can be killed." Arya looks Tywin Lannister dead in the eyes when she utters those words to him. Tywin wanted to know what the North says of Robb as she claims home to be Barrowtown. Arya tells Tywin that he's known as the Young Wolf and no one thinks he can be killed. She lets a small smile form, and for a moment or two, she is Arya Stark again, back in Winterfell, admiring her older brother Robb, with quiet pride. It lasts only a moment or two before she's a nameless girl from Barrowtown, Tywin's cupbearer, and sent to fetch water. Arya dutifully goes to collect water and runs into Jaqen on her way, the man whose life she saved. Jaqen became a Lannister soldier. For that, Arya wishes she let him burn in his cage. But, ah, what if a wish could become a reality? Jaqen tells her the Red God demands three lives for the three she stole from him by saving Jaqen, Biter and Roller from the fire. Arya looks around, skeptical of this man and his curious phrasing, but he tells her once more she need only say three names and she'll have her deaths. "The Tickler," escapes from her mouth. Jaqen nods. Later, Arya stand around with Gendry as he wields his newly made sword, gives him fighting tips, and then rushes to see what the sudden commotion is about. Arya sees a dead Tickler on the ground. She looks above and meets Jaqen's eyes; he signals 'that's 1' to her. Now, Arya is the ghost of Harrenhal.

The Tickler isn't the lone character to die via a shadow or a ghost. The opening minutes of "The Ghost of Harrenhal" are absolutely shocking as the Melisandre's Shadow-Baby with the visage of Stannis puts a knife through his heart, killing him. One King down, Three to Go, for he with the perpetual scowl, Stannis Baratheon. The deaths are linked only through the metaphor of the shadow and the 'ghost.' This episode is the busiest yet. It's the midway point of season 2. Nearly every major character is involved. The other kings look ahead to battle at King's Landing. Tywin worries about Robb because the North continues to kick Lannister ass. In Essos, at Qarth, Dany receives a proposal from Xaro Xhoan Daxos, which would give her the money to buy ships and army to invade Westeros and claim her throne. Yara and Theon set out to attack the North. Bran dreamed something terrifying. The men of the Night's Watch made camp at the Fist of the First Men, met up with the Halfhand, and developed a plan to get closer to the wildlings spotted in the distance. "The Ghost of Harrenhal" is the best episode of the season. The set-up is over. The fall out begins.

Ideally, I'd love to use my Arya-centric opening paragraph as a jumping off point for the rest of the season. Indeed, one could use 'anyone can be killed' to explore the other storylines. There are so many power hungry individuals who cannot possibly imagine that they, too, could be killed. Truthfully, I simply love the Arya storyline in A Clash of Kings. I haven't written about her storyline too much because Benioff and Weiss kept Arya on the sidelines mostly, though she's been in the final scene in three of the five episodes. Arya, aside from Daenerys, is most separate from the central action. Tywin briefly connects her to the central action, but she can't reveal herself to the Lannister patriarch. Arya's able to listen and observe; and if she's a ghost now then, well, no one can kill a ghost. Benioff and Weiss essentially omitted a crucial part of Arya's early journey in season two (or book two): her ever-changing identity from Arry to Weasel and so on. Arya as ghost, as a faceless girl in the crowd, is immensely significant.

Meanwhile, war is coming to Westeros. Renly and Catelyn negotiated a truce which, unfortunately, never materialized because of a murderous shadow baby. The opening scene is fantastic. Renly's clear-headed and reasonable; Cat is open-minded and willing to negotiate. Robb would hate her for the truce. The truce, though, would infinitely tip the scales in the war against the Lannisters. The Starks would avenge Ned. Renly would've gotten his throne. Cat and Brienne fled the Stormlands after the murder. Loras grieved; Margeary not so much. She talked Loras down from his ledge. Loras wanted Stannis' head, which she sort of promised but at an undetermined date--the Tyrells needed to be smart. Stannis' army sailed to the camp to take Renly's men. The Tyrells fled. Margeary wants to be THE queen. Loras wants revenge. Neither will happen in the army of the other Baratheon.

Renly's death has a ripple effect throughout the Seven Kingdoms. Cersei toasts the death. Stannis moves ahead to the thought of invading King's Landing. Tyrion worries when he hears of his nephew drafting war plans for Stannis (as anyone would and should). Stannis is entirely confident. Davos is his wet-blanket though--he tells his king that no one would respect a king who relied on a foreign woman with a foreign to win a throne; loyalty requires hard truths. Stannis doesn't like this truth, so he retorts by ordering Davos to lead the fleet into Blackwater Bay. The King's Landing contingent is less confident, at least Tyrion is. Stannis isn't the lone war he might have to fight. Zealots took to the streets to defame their king and the rest of the Lannisters. Tyrion reacts curiously to the 'demon monkey' insult. Bronn explains that the citizens of King's Landing believe he, Tyrion, is controlling the king. Lest anyone forget: King's Landing is an utter shit hole. Tyrion learns from Lancel of his sister's plans to use wildfire, a magical kind of fire. The pyromancer, and the other alchemists, made enough wildfire to destroy Stannis' army. I'd comment on how Tyrion worries about the lack of men in the city, but the wildfire seems to make that less of a worry. Fire is a little theme in "The Ghost in Harrenhal." Harrenhal used to be a Targaryen stronghold, now ruined by dragon fire. Dany and Doreah watched Drogon learn how to use fire to char his meat. Melisandre looks into the flames for messages from R'hllor (yeah the show doesn't use the name but I'M using it). Fire IS power.

There are significantly interesting happenings in the North--in Winterfall and Beyond The Wall. Isaac Hampstead-Wright, in my opinion, delivered the second most important monologue of the season. Bran is a tough character for the show to adapt. Currently, he's doing his best as Lord of Winterfell. Bran becomes more of a Stark when Rodrik informs him off an attack on Torrhen's Square. Bran learned how to be a good lord from his father and his brother; he won't leave his bannermen without aid from Winterfell. A fellow called Dagmer (Cleftjaw) planted a bad seed in Theon's head: specifically that an attack on Torrhen's Square leaves a certain Northern stronghold vulnerable. Theon smiles a treacherous smile. Bran dreamed of something frightening. Osha continues to dismiss his dreams as 'just dreams.' Bran told her about his frightening dream, of the sea coming to Winterfell and drowning everyone. Nonsense, Osha remarked the sea is miles and miles away. Bran looked around, expectant and fearful.

The audience, too, should be expectant and fearful. Insanity looms.

Other Thoughts:

-The Qartheen are expectant and welcoming though. The warlock, Pyat Pree, invited Dany to visit the House of the Undying. The city welcomed Dany with a feast. Dany wore a bright blue gown that Doreah assured would make her the belle of Essos. Xaro proposed marriage along with money and ships and men. Jorah warns her against the marriage and advises her not to take Westeros by force. The words of a mysterious masked woman are in his mind; this woman warned Jorah of struggles and hardships for his queen, then disappeared. Jorah asks his queen, "You'll a trust a man who only cut his hand for you?" Dany has a lot to learn.

-The Fists of the First Men is exactly as I imagined. Fantastic location. Jon's going to be a ranger now instead of steward. I'm really looking forward to spending more time with the Night's Watch.

-Brienne swore an oath to Catelyn. Catelyn swore an oath to Brienne as well. Brinne told Cat she respected her strength as a woman. Cat opened up about her desire to return to her two boys. Benioff and Weiss excel with these little scenes. They aren't given the freedom of a book; therefore, they cannot spend pages on Brienne. This scene showed the essential Brienne. I can't imagine any viewer not embracing the character after it. Cat continues to be one of the more underrated characters on the show. Bran, of course, is the most underrated character.

-Benioff and Weiss wrote the episode. David Petrarca directed it.

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