Game of Thrones 'Baelor,' it's a heartbreaker, some thoughts

By April MacIntyre Jun 13, 2011, 5:30 GMT

Welcome to tonight\'s epic Game of Thrones, where a daddy\'s girl Arya\'s (Maisie Williams) heart is shattered, and we lose the most reasonable and resolute player of the adult men of the Westeros.

SPOILERS GALORE

Not since Sons of Anarchy's epic season two - episode 10 "Balm" has there been an hour of television so jam-packed with emotion, riveting action and heart stopping moments.

Welcome to tonight's epic Game of Thrones, where a daddy's girl Arya's (Maisie Williams) heart is shattered, and we lose the most reasonable and resolute player of the adult men of the Westeros.

Sean Bean's Lord Ned Stark is beheaded at King Joffrey's (Jack Gleeson) request. And it was tragic and horrifying.

Getting to this bitter end was a Gordian knot of action and even humorous moments as Tyrion (Peter Dinklage) once again delivers the most clever of lines, and he reveals even more of his psychology of not being the preferred child. His father and brother cruelly set him up at age 16 to lose his then wife (a whore unbeknownst to Tyrion) condemning him to watch her couple with Lannister guards for Silver coin.

And the eunuch Varys (Conleth Hill) reveals his background, his balls cut off by a hot knife, then his work as an actor. Varys essentially tells Ned, recant your sins, swear allegiance to Joffrey and your daughters will live.

Meanwhile Lady Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairley) and Robb (Richard Madden) soldier on with banner men and Theon Greyjoy (Alfie Allen) towards The Twins and the creepy strategically important House Frey. To win unfettered passage through the Green Fork river, Lady Catelyn must strike a deal with Lord Walder Frey.

Frey is literally molesting a 15 year-old girl as he sits on the throne, telling Catelyn he has not a loyal bone in his body to her house. Long story short, the vile king strikes a bargain with her, but it involves strategic marriages of their offspring.  Arya has to marry Frey's son. Robb has to marry one of Frey's daughters, one that appeals.

To top off that odious scene, the decrepit king leers at Catelyn and says of his 15 year old: "And her honey is all mine."

Meanwhile Jon Snow (Kit Harington) is gifted a fine sword from the Lord Commander for saving him, and he learns via a morose Sam that his family is in danger.

We meet Aemon Targaryen, who tells Jon of his family history and how he came to be at Castle Black, as he plants the seeds for rebellion and desertion with Snow.

Our fetching Khal (Jason Momoa) is festering, as the "witch" the Khaleesi saved from rape and ruin did not make a strong enough poultice, and the Khal has fallen from his horse, weakened by infection and suffering feverish delirium. The Dothraki are very Lord of the Flies, and the first whiff of the Khal in a weakened state puts the Khaleesi and her baby in major jeopardy.

Jorah urges Khaleesi Dany to flee with him, but she is resolute and calls for blood magic to save him. A very disturbing scene involving slitting the neck of a horse (extremely realistic effects) will upset animal people.

Jorah must face off with Khal's brother, and he wins the match. Khaleesi goes into early labor and we cut this scene with Jorah holding her entering a tent filed with black magic and necromancy.

In a battle between Lannister men and the 2000 Stark men left behind at the Frey House sees the rest of the Stark party (18000 strong) capture Jaime Lannister, but even this chip will not save Ned.

And with this sad fact we close out the episode, so much action compressed into one short hour.

King's Landing - the Lannisters drag Ned Stark into the sunlight, his daughters are present. Sansa flanking Queen Cersei and Joffrey, and Arya on Baelor's statue.

In an epic sweep, we see the POV of Ned from his steps, the panic and precarious clinging that Arya is experiencing and the naive hopefulness that Sansa has somehow negotiated her father's life for Joffrey laying claim to her womb.

It was stunningly heartbreaking.

Ned takes the platform and he confesses. He confesses lies so that his children will live.

Joffrey orders the beheading of Ned Stark, as Cersei and Sansa beg him not too. Though Cersei was probably acting for Sansa's sake.

Arya is trying to make her way to the executioner's block in time, and is grabbed and restrained by Yoren, who demands her to look away.

Ned is killed in a veil of lies and deceit, and this Game of Thrones for the moment is all Lannister victory. The women of House Stark are in peril, and we cannot believe this rich tale of honor loses the good King of the North.

This Game now falls on Jon Snow, Robb, Arya, Daenerys, and the bastard son of Robert Baratheon perhaps. We will see if Tyrion will stay loyal to his house or forsake his family who care so little for him.

And just like in Sons of Anarchy, the action and emotional core of this story will center on the well being, protection and the avenging of the women who are in peril inside this tale of men who possess a full range of good, bad and indifferent character who bear arms, swear allegiances to Houses (MC's) and wear their colors (cuts) and lust for money, power and territory.

Please read James Hibberd's (EW) interview with Sean Bean about this episode here.

Here is a clever little blog about Thrones too LINK/