TPG's Game Time - Episode 10 Valar Morghulis

Yeah that was pretty much all I've ever wanted in a Game of Thrones episode. Well, I could have gone for a direwolf kill, but sometimes the vault is empty, and the direwolves just end up brooding. Hodor? But seriously, just a badass episode full of epic action, romance, white walkers, dragons, tantalizing cliffhangers, and more. So let's get into it:.


Direwolf Badassery - .2 All were got some cool shots of Summer and Shaggydog walking around with Rickon and Bran. We didn't get to see Ghost or Grey Wind rip anyone to pieces!

Joffrey Swag - Love this guy. All season he's been so deliciously annoying/evil/hilarious. His speech to go with Lady Tyrell as his new bride/Queen over Sansa was dynamite.

1. Episode director Alan Taylor must have been a "Lost" fan because his episode opened focusing on the blinking eyeball made me think we were stranded on the island again. In reality, we merely were on the Island that Tyrion has found himself metaphorically on. Abandoned by his family, stripped of his title, and all he's got is his squire and his true love, oh yeah, he's got a badass new scar.

2. Speaking of True Love, this was by far the most romantic episode of the series. First we got the tender moment where Shae professed she really cared about Tyrion deeply and will stand by him. Then we got a quick lil "I don't wanna marry an ugly girl" wedding with Robb Stark and Talisa. If that wasn't enough we got see Khal Drogo say he'd kill and swear at Gods for his wife and child. We were introduced to a new blonde super couple of death in She Man and The Kingslayer. And finally Ygritte finally to see Jon Snow use his sword and got dayuuum she clearly was into it!

3. I loved the very direct metaphor of Tywin Lannister's horse shitting all over King's Landing, he clearly hates it there.

4. Ahhh, our first mystery, what the hell did my boy Stannis see in the fire? He goes from brooding about a lost battle, complaining he killed his brother, and choking out Melisandre to the making the best "O" face ever seen on the show when he gazes into those flames. Did he see:

• A potential alliance with Khalesi and her dragons? 
• A vision of himself with an army of Shadow Assasins? She did say the power was within him?
• Some crazy sex shit with him and Melisandre?
• A vision that made him realize he was actually a character in a book/TV show...wow...went a little off the rails there.

5. So Theon didn't get killed. Are you guys disappointed? After he went barreling down the evil path at the start of the season, he really started showing remorse, and I'm not surprised they're keeping him around. Whoever kills him is gonna be someone important, my vote is on Bran. Second Alfie Allen, the actor who plays him has done a tremendous job this season and I'm happy he's sticking around.

6. In the first episode of the series, we were promised Dragons and "Blue Eyed Demon" monsters. Tonight we got them both. Life is good.

7. After an entire season, we finally get to see Jon Snow fight and kill and you know be a regular one man virgin army wrecking crew. His fight with Qhorin Halfhand was short but awesome, complete with some nice trashtalk about mother's and bastards (pretty standard for Snow), but the kill, the huge Valerian steel through the chest was epic. And the icing on the cake? "We are the watchers on the wall," is Qhorin's final words, a true ranger to the end. Can't wait to have Jon undercover with the Wildlings, in particular Wildling King Mance Rayder, who is coming close to the coolest name on the show.

8. Loyal Thislalife reader Z wanted to know if I was more jazzed off of the Dragons roasting that bald warlock trickster or the Ice Man Cometh White Walker Dumbeldore---Z thanks for your support but I gotta go with the Iced Out Blue Eyed Demon!

9. One thing that I've really enjoyed this season is how magic is becoming a bigger part of the show. There was no better example of this than the reveal that Medieval Bodie aka Sir Jaqen was actually a "faceless man." Coolest shit ever! We know have shadow assassins, white walkers, faceless ninja long haired assassins, fire breathing dragons, warlocks, and who knows what else. 

10. Another season finale, another series where Khalesi salvages her entire season storyline with some wildly cool shit. Her journey through her future (burned out Iron Throne) and her past (her child and dead husband) and finally he fire baptism, imprisonment of Xaros, and promise of a ship was fresh. If only she would show my man Sir Jorah some love, dude can't hang in there forever!

11. Couple other stray throughts

• It was cool finally seeing spymaster Varys recruit a new spy into his legendary army.
• I guess Bran's vision of the direwolf by the pond foreshadowed the super depressing death of Maester Lwuin.
• Khal Drago's baby was fat as hell. Rhaegar gotta lay off the Lays.
• Where is Sir Davos?

So that's it for the season. Thrones will return sometime in the Spring of 2013 and while it seems like a long way off, we will have a new season of Breaking Bad and the return of my Chemistry Class recaps to hold us over. Thanks for reading, it's been real fun writing them for you guys.