The Queen's Justice Musings

A lot of people were disappointed in this episode, but I wasn't. I guess I didn't invest all that much in the first few meetings of Jon and Dany. I didn't expect there to be rays of light and rainbows. It was formal and awkward. Everyone wanted something they weren't going to receive. At the end of the day though, this episode wasn't about Jon or Dany. This was the episode where Cersei and her allies shined. It wasn't something most people wanted to happen, but there we are. I think I'll go by location here because we don't have tons of them and a lot of stuff happens in each.

Ice and Fire at Dragonstone

Mel brags that she brought Ice and Fire together, but really it's Tyrion who connects Jon and Dany. He and Jon formed a nice trust and friendship in the first season and that is quite important in this episode. On the way up to the castle, they talk about how much things have changed. Tyrion asks about Sansa and confesses a lot of respect for her. A dragon flies overhead and it freaks out Jon and Davos.

Davos is really out of his element here, but how could he not be? Dragonstone was his home for many years. They don't address this on the show, though I hope they do, I'm assuming being back at Stannis's base of operations is difficult for him. If there is anything I'm not liking about the shorter season, it's the fact that a lot of emotional scenes that we need are being skipped. This can't be easy for Davos and I think that's why he's less charming when he meets Dany than he has been when addressing others on behalf of his king.

Dany and Jon have a lot of presumed bad blood. Her father killed his grandfather and uncle. His father's best friend had her family overthrown and sent assassins after her. Dany loses her cool around Jon and overcompensates. Jon just looks confused so he keep repeat/mumbling about white walkers. Tyrion tries to keep things moving, and in the end brokers the start of trust between the two of them by finding something Jon needs that he can reasonably ask Dany for, dragon glass.

Queen's Landing

Tyrion needs all the wins he can get because he's seriously screwing up Dany's invasion plan. When it comes down to it, this is really just a Lannister war. Tyrion planned Dany's side of it, Jaime planned Cersei's. Euron maybe planned some, but he's psycho so who cares? I kind of want him to die very soon. He parades Ellaria, Tyene, and Yara through Kingslanding while people scream obscenities at them and pelt them with rotten food. He hands the Dornish women over to Cersei, who agrees to marry him after he wins her war. Jaime is angry about this and even angrier when Euron quietly taunts him about the fact. Euron leaves with Yara to go magically be in a battle he really has no time to get to.

Lena Heady has two masterful Cersei scenes in this episode. The first is with Ellaria, where she doles out her punishment. She poisons Tyene with the same poison that Ellaria used to kill Cersei's daughter and tells the woman she will watch her daughter die and then watch as she rots. Now, normally I LOATHE IT when someone uses a family member to punish someone else, but only when that family member is innocent. In this case, Tyene was fully in on Ellaria's murder plans. Ellaria honestly had no cause for killing Myrcella and deserves whatever punishment Cersei gives her.

Cersei's next great scene is a meeting with the representative from the Iron Bank. Instead of acting like an idiot about the whole thing, she handles herself quite well, gives the rep plenty of reasons to back her and not Dany, and promises him payment within two weeks. This is the most professional and rational she's acted in a while. This is the woman who understands the world around her, the woman who spoke with jaded wisdom in the first couple of seasons. I wish this was the Cersei we get in the books and I wish it was the Cersei we always get in the show.

In between those two scenes, she also had sex with Jaime and doesn't plan on hiding that anymore. We'll see how that goes.

The North and Competent Women

They are pulling in some of Sansa's book storyline on how well she runs the Vale into how she's managing Winterfell now that she's in charge. She's focused on preparing for winter, making sure there is enough food and warmth for everyone. Sansa handles her scene with her advisers very well, even if Littlefinger is lurking around. He is right about one thing. She is a very good leader. She doesn't seem to pay Littlefinger much mind and even ignores him after word comes that Bran has returned home.

One of the things this series manages to do, on occasion, is to complete someone's quest. One of the things I like about that is that these quests are not just completed by men. Brienne completed her quest to get Jaime to Kingslanding. She completed her quest to find and protect Sansa (and almost with Arya too). Now we see Meera completing her quest to get Bran back home. They don't dwell on Meera as long as I wished they would, but there is a shot of her and her look of tired satisfaction. She completed her mission and more than likely never doubted she would.

Sansa's clearly overjoyed to see Bran. She hugs him lovingly and is clearly prepared to let him take charge of everything. She doesn't even seem to mind. Bran can't do that though. He's weird now, emotionless, and cryptic when he speaks. Sansa tries to understand, but can't. Then Bran starts talking about things that disturb her and she has to get away.

The Westerlands and the Reach have a lot of Bait and Switch

Greyworm takes Casterly Rock, using Tyrion's plan. Okay, I would like to point out that Tyrion's plan isn't all THAT innovative. It's basically how they took Meereen and also what Tyrion did to get out of the Red Keep to attack Stannis. Yes. We sneak in. We get it. This time it backfires though because Jaime uses the Rock as a trap for Dany's army while the bulk of his forces descend on the Reach.

In what is probably one of the best scenes of the show, Olenna and Jaime meet to talk about her defeat. She tells him Cersei is horrible and will be the death of him. Jaime is respectful to her, even pointing out that he talked his sister into allowing Olenna to have a quiet and merciful death. The Queen of Thorns drinks poison and as she waits to die, she confesses to Jaime that she's the one who murdered Joffery. She asks him to tell Cersei. While this will be a blow to Cersei, who can now get no more revenge on the older woman, more importantly, it proves Tyrion's innocence.

Also in the Reach, at Oldtown Sam manages to cure Jorah of his greyscale. His master maester scolds him for this because he could have screwed it up and infected everyone there, but because he didn't, he won't be expelled, he just has to copy a bunch of moldy old scrolls. Hopefully, they'll have information he needs to fight the white walkers. Jorah decides to go be with Dany, because what the hell ELSE can the man do? It's like his only plan ever.

Overall, I was happier with this episode than I was with last week. I'll miss the Queen of Thorns. I will not miss Ellaria. I hope Meera gets more screen time.

Also, as this is about to become a zombie story, I think it's time for the Zombie Asshole Rule to apply. The rule is that if you're dealing with zombies, if someone in your group is an asshole, kill them first because they're only going to make everyone miserable, betray you, and cause problems. Under ZAR, Littlefinger should be the first to go.

Emo Sunday

I slept well last night and wasn't too hot today. With that in mind, or maybe because of it, it was strange that I was really emotional. My roommate told me a story about a kid who got left in the system and it made me cry. The cat's hips were hurting and it made me almost cry. Someone posted something on FB and I almost cried about that too. I have no idea what was up with me today, but I didn't like it. Oh, and there was a glitch in our electric bill. My roommate fixed it but worries he didn't fix it right. I reminded him he did the best he could and felt so awful that HE felt awful that I almost cried.

I guess there are days when you just feel raw and on the edge. That was my day. I knew there was nothing personally bad happening to me, but I felt for everyone else. Again, I would like to say I'm glad this month is almost over. I'm glad this summer is almost over and I'll be glad when this year is over. I lost my cats this year and I just won't forgive the year for that.

The thing is, last year sucked too. Things need to get better.

Commitment

I loathe the idea of long term commitments to other humans. I hate the idea of vows, of oaths to other humans. I hate the concept of being stuck with stupid decisions you make in your youth. That should never be the case. I hate promises, but more so, I hate people who try to force you into making them. I hate their insecurities.

It isn't about loyalty. Loyalty is one of those manipulative words that people want to hold against you, but never want to hold against themselves. They want to wring it out of you and make you go along with their whatever plans, no matter what you may decide, no matter how you may change.

It's like this . . . if I want to be around you, I'll be around you. If I don't, I don't. Why would you want me to? Why would you want someone to be near you when they hate you? Why waste your energy with this when you could just move on and find some new friend/lover/whathaveyou that suits you better?

Of course, I did NOT get this when I was younger. When I was a teenager, and even into early adulthood, I thought that commitment was the best way. Somehow, I was ignoring how miserable it was making everyone around me. I guess I thought that vows and commitment would ensure I wouldn't be alone. For some reason, I bought into the lie that there was something awful about being alone. And it is a lie. Being alone is awesome, and if not awesome, still better than being with people who drain you or are just there out of some misguided commitment to a vow.

Now I believe if you want to be around me, be around me. If you want me around, be someone I want to be near. If I'm not someone you want to be around, go find someone more suitable. Nothing should hold people together except for a continuing choice to be there. It's the most beautiful way.

Quick Complaining

Last night was awful. I don't think I slept at all. It's supposed to cool down tonight and be cooler for the next few nights. I have no idea if this will happen. After all, even if it's cooler, the humidity is still hellish. I took a nap this afternoon while the AC was on and basically just passed out from exhaustion. Summer is really doing a number on me this year.

Last Wednesday in July

The heat was crazy, stupid, and awful today. We stayed inside and did our best to keep away from the hotter rooms. The house has hot spots we really can't ever cool down. The best we can do is avoid them. The kitchen is always the worst because it has the hot fridges in it.

We're still feeling the effects of the loss of Rowan and Rhiannon. Today we talked about getting a smaller trash container in the back. We have so little going into it now. It's a practical thing to do, but it made me sad. Every little change we make that marks the loss of the cats makes me sad. I still feel bad when I see only one food bowl in the back.

Anyway, we're nearing the end of July. Soon school will be starting again and hopefully, after that, we'll get some kind of cool down on the weather situation. I really need that to happen.

The Paint Crisis

My roommate walked over to me yesterday with this look on his face like someone had died. "They're killing Paint," he said. "They're not going to have Paint on Windows anymore." Someone had died.

See, Paint has been with us for a long damned time. Ever since I got my first computer, I've had Paint. I spent my first semester of college in the dorms. My mother had run off to god knows where and everything was scary. I was deeply depressed. I would soothe myself by messing around in Paint. I'd draw things, you know, badly, because most people draw badly in Paint. It helped though. Paint has always been a source of comfort for me.

Even now, though I have other graphics programs. There are still things I do in Paint. The kitty picture, for example, started out in Paint. I like Paint if I'm trying to capture emotion, trying to capture slinkly movement. I'm not alone. A lot of comics are done in Paint. Is it great art? Not in a technical sense, but in an emotional, Expressionistic sense, it certainly is.

The idea of not having access to this basic program seemed so wrong. I hated the idea of giving up something that was such a large part of my history with computers and such a large part of my own work. It felt wrong. I am sure most people wouldn't get this. Paint is VERY basic. But see, that's the point. Having something with such limited options allows you to really stay IN the moment. You're not stopping to set filters or alter colors or whatever else. It's just honest, visceral, you and the mouse, and Paint.

I wasn't the only person who felt this way. Luckily, enough people were heartbroken and vocal to where Microsoft is going to continue to offer Paint as a free app. It won't come with the package, but you can always get it if you need it. I'll certainly be getting it. You don't give up on old friends.

Stormborn Musings

Again, as with last week, this is full of Game of Throne spoilers. Don't read if you don't want to be spoiled. And, I guess, don't read if you don't care.

For the most part, I didn't like this episode. They did a lot of stuff to kill off characters and set up Dany for a more difficult time just for the sake of the story, not out of any kind of logic. Normally I would go through highlights of the episode. This time, I'll have to focus on what was wrong and then discuss the bits that worked.

Dany's Alliance and Its Lack of Believability

Dany letting the Greyjoys be on her side is one thing. I can accept that. They made some good points and she needed ships. The Queen of Thorns being on her side is reasonable. Olenna hates Cersei and wants her dead. However, this is no way, despite her comments about not listening to lords, that Olenna would have shown up without her best military commander. She knows this is serious. She knows this is her one shot. She would have brought Randal Tarly with her. The idea that she didn't and he went to see Cersei instead is just illogical.

It's still closer to the realm of reason than Dorne being on Dany's team. Dorne, at this point, should be on no one's team. Sure, in the books, they still have a lot to offer, but on the show, the whole Dorne plot was awful and the characters are written badly. They killed Tyrion's niece. He never would have forgiven that. He wouldn't have just chided them about it. The way they're writing the Sandsnakes, they're untrustable and psychotic. In the books, they're violent and unpredictable, but still, have a sense of loyalty and a code of honor. On the show, they're like a caricature of a multi-ethnic girl gang.

Varys would have never involved them with Dany. Speaking of our spymaster, the talk he had with Dany, while important, was very misplaced. They should have put that discussion on last season, like as one of the last scenes. Are we really supposed to believe Dany and Vayrs crossed the ocean ON THE SAME SHIP and didn't talk about their problematic past the whole time? Did she just give him stinkeye as he hid behind his fan? That was just bad pacing.

Where this really breaks down, and what made the episode the most annoying, is that everything I just addressed was clear, even to the showrunners. Instead of just not making them happen in the first place, they chose to have Euron brutalize the Sandsnakes and take Yara hostage. It's just all messy and left a bad feeling in my stomach.

Sam's Storyline is Gross and Predictable

So we find Sam and his trainer.....master? His Master Maester? Anyway, they're checking on Jorah and the Maester tells him they can't sure greyscale (DUH!!!) and that he should just kill himself. Sam realizes this is the son of his former Lord Commander at the Nightwatch. Sam is still a Brother and wants to do what he can to save Jorah. This begins the predictable part. Sam and his Master Maester are in the library and Master Maester is dismissing everything Sam suggests. I mean, this is supposed to be the place where learning and experimentation and knowledge are valued, right? Right? But no, let's be condescending and predictable and annoying.

Anyway, as with last week, Sam rebels. He gets all the stuff he needs and shows back up in Jorah's room. He starts cutting away the infected areas (there are a lot of them) and it is gross and unsettling. So far, I hate the Sam scenes.

Jon Not Only Knows Nothing but Learns Nothing
So after Jon was made Lord Commander, he went on a trip that no one wanted him to go on and made an alliance with people that his followers wanted nothing to do with. While he was gone, he left the person who questioned his decisions the most in charge. They killed him for it.

This season, he has decided to go on a trip that no one wants him to go on and make an alliance with a woman that none of his followers want anything to do with. While he's gone, he's leaving Sansa, the person who questions his decisions the most, in charge. I mean, granted, Sansa is usually correct in her reasoning, but still. Jon is making the same mistakes.

Actually, he's making bigger mistakes. At least when he was Lord Commander, he killed Janos Slynt, the slimy asshole from Kingslanding who betrayed his father. This time, he's leaving alive Littlefinger, another slimy ass from Kingslanding who betrayed his father. Janos had some loyal friends. Littlefinger has an army.  Uggh.

Moments of Good
Okay, Cersei and Jaime, for Cersei and Jaime, are actually doing pretty well. They're trying to make alliances and use their combined talents to keep themselves in power. She's not being as crazified as I thought she would be and he's being more charming and less snarky than usual. Tywin would be impressed.

Arya saw her direwolf again! I teared up a little at this. She seems a bit too wild to connect with Arya, but she may still. It's possible her and her pack will follow our youngest Stark girl back to Winterfell. That's where Arya's headed now. Once Hot Pie told her about Jon and Sansa retaking their home, she decided she could kill Cersei later and started heading North.

This episode touched on the concept of male sexuality outside the realm of the penis. It did so awkwardly with Theon, who still can't (and perhaps never will) come to terms with his penectomy, and then with Greyworm, in a positive way. Greyworm is accepting that he can be in love and in a sexual relationship with someone, even without normal male genitalia. His value is not in his penis, nor is his capacity to experience love/pleasure. I'm honestly not sure how many times we've even seen this explored in popular culture.

Penises are so fetishized when it comes to male sexuality that we forget men have all the rest of their body that can be used for intimacy. Castration, and certainly penectomy,  is considered a way of making someone NOT be a man anymore, which is insane. They're still men. I've had the majority of my female reproductive organs removed and I'm certainly still a woman. This idea that men have to have a certain level of body structure/masculine behavior before they are worthy of sex/love/what have you is a cultural issue that is perhaps beginning to shift.

Anyway, I wasn't that happy with the episode, but then again, next week Jon and Dany meet, so I'll forgive this one.