Game of Thrones Episode 9 Overview: Blackwater

The ominous music, the black ships in the night, and the rain pouring down over Stannis’ crew. It’s the perfect way to start the episode we’ve all been waiting for.

“If the city falls, Stannis will burn every Lannister he can find, of course I’m afraid”

The episode opens on Stannis’ crew as they make their way ever closer to King’s Landing. Their ships are ready and Stannis has managed to get enough fools to follow him into battle. “I have faith in the Lord of Light, I have faith in our cause”, the crew members say, but it is going to take a lot more than faith for them to have any hope in winning the war. Soon we find ourselves back in Kings Landing in Tyrion’s room, and we find him in one of his most vulnerable states. You can see the fear behind his eyes as he lays in bed with Shea, and they are so sweet together that it hurts. This could be their last night together, everyone in King’s Landings last night, and Tyrion is showing his fear for the outcome in front of the only person he can. This scene is even more emotional knowing what happens at the end of the episode, and I can only hope the season finale gives me what I want to know.

“They say Robb only goes where the fighting’s thickest and he’s only a pretender”

I always forget how amazing Sansa is on this show. She is so incredibly strong and smart. Joffrey gets her to kiss his blade ‘Hearteater’, a completely demeaning act, while he pretends to go saunter off to war. Of course, you can see the fear build in his eyes as Sansa questions him about the battle. She has him right in the palm of her hand. She was using reverse psychology before it even existed. I love that she made him feel inferior to her brother, because Robb actually fights his battle, while Joffrey just hides behind his mother. Of course, while I hoped this would convince Joffrey to actually go into battle, it didn’t, he is and will always be a coward. As Sansa says, “the worst ones always live”.

“Fitting the men will bleed out there and you will bleed in here”

Cersei, such a love hate relationship with her, she’s strong and will do anything to protect her children, but man she is a bitch, and I really just don’t get her. I spent half the episode trying to figure out what she was planning on doing with that potion. Was it for Tyrion, Sansa, Shea, or her? Then when she talking about bleeding to Sansa and practically forces wine down her throat all I can think of that she is trying to kill them both. But of course they didn’t die in the chamber, so once again I was left wondering whom the potion was meant for, and I kept wondering until the very last second of the episode. However, despite the fact that I was questioning her motives this entire episode, I don’t think I’ve ever liked her more. Sure she enabled her son’s cowardice by having her cousin bring him in from the battle to hide, but we really got an insight into the inner workings of her mind. Her belief that the gods have no mercy, which is unsurprising given her upbringing, and how she was sold to a husband who could care less about her. It was no surprise that she was bitter, but a miracle that she grew up to be so strong. So though I still don’t like her, I respect her a lot more after this episode. I guess the possibility of the end loosens the tongue of all.

“There’s only 1 ship, where are the rest of them?”

The fighting in this episode was crazy! I loved it. In my opinion, the fighting was very reminiscent of Lord of the Rings, there was so much going on and the pace never slowed down. When that one ship went out to face Stannis’ entire fleet, I think I was just as confused as the crew, for about a moment. Until I finally realized what Tyrion’s plan had been all along, and it was brilliant. Thousands of bottles of wildfire were drained into the ocean around the ships, and the explosion that ensued was so cool. The neon green against the black night was a brilliant combination, and the way the explosion wiped out half of the fleet was crazy, and very effective. However, despite the fact that half of his fleet was gone, Stannis never had any plans of giving up. Stannis and his army attack King’s Landing at full force despite their huge loss, and when all seems hopeless, Tyrion takes control of the battle.

 “Don’t fight to the king and don’t fight for his kingdoms, don’t fight for honor and don’t fight for glory, don’t fight for riches cause you wont get any…those are brave men knocking at our door, lets go kill them”

After Joffrey flees the battle in fear, and at the command of his mother, the army protecting King’s Landing seems to loose all hope. Why should they die for their King when their King isn’t willing to die for them? Tyrion steps up and leads the war that was always his, and gives one of the best speeches this show has ever seen, and the men fight with more vigor than I’ve seen of yet. Then, while the men are fighting outside, we finally learn what Cersei was planning on doing with that potion, and as she sits on the Iron Throne with her youngest, it all seems hopeless. Then, when the end seems near for the Lannisters and the army, Tywin arrives with his army in time to save King’s Landing. But in the final moments of battle, Tyrion is struck down, and I have to say if he is dead, I will be mourning for the next few weeks.

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