Dark Wings, Dork Words

This episode is being posted late, so I'll keep the description short:  It's super.

My favorite tweet about this weeks episode, from @Sarcasmo718 "Never pegged Joffrey as one to get choked up at weddings."  The last of the triumvirate of tragic weddings from A Storm of Swords has now played out.  While viewers may be rejoicing now, they may not be so pleased when they see what happens to Tyrion next.  George R.R. Martin wrote this episode, and he made a few surprising deviations from the book, such as Bronn stepping in for Ilyn Payne, and Shae and Tyrion's last exchange.  Ser Dontos reappears after being absent for what seems like two whole seasons.

We are back at it, getting reacquainted with our Westerosi pals and trying to keep straight where we're at in the story.  Most of the action centers on King's Landing and the Lannisters.  Tywin, Cersei and Joffrey all give Jaime a hard time, Shae, Sansa and Oberyn Martell all give Tyrion a hard time.  Bronn is awesome, and so is the Hound.  The episode culminates in one of my favorite death scenes in the series, as Arya recovers Needle from Polliver and gives him a cold-blooded but fitting end.

Five months after disappearing into the inky void of deep space we send this transmission via ansible.  Chuck, Craig, Mike E. Boy and newcomer Chris all sit down to discuss another popular page-to-screen adaptation, 'Ender's Game'.

Whew. End of another great season, though we're definitely ending on a down note.  The only happy character I recall is Joffrey, and that's never good.  That is... he's happy until Tywin puts him in his place.  I guess Sam is happy that Gilly named her baby after him.  And Roose Bolton and Walder Frey were happy... OK lots of characters were happy.  But things have reached an all time low for our few remaining Starks.  Davos manages to point Stannis and Melisandre toward the encroaching doom north of the wall.  And across the narrow sea, Danerys is on quite a roll.  The final note sure get me excited for the prospect of one day seeing Dragon Vs. White Walker in the final showdown.

It's a nice ep. for a... Red Wedding.  This brutal brutal event seems to have effectively rocked the fans who didn't see it coming.  Adding some stabbing to Talisa added some shock to those of us who knew what was about to go down.  Say goodbye to Robb Stark and all the hopes for the north.  Say goodbye to poor long-suffering Catelyn.  Weep for poor Arya who came so close to the reunion she longed for.  Wonder what became of the Blackfish. Oh, and up near the wall the warging is getting out of hand!  We get to see a killer combat sequence featuring Daario, Ser Jorah and Gray Worm.  But... all the coolness is over shadowed by the remorseless storytelling gutpunch that is the Red Wedding.

Game of Thrones took a break over Memorial Day weekend, but your tireless podcasters were still gettin' busy.  By popular demand we share our deepest thoughts about Star Trek Into Darkness, and all sorts of Trek-related things. Stand by to beam up... Energize.

This week we see a tender moment between the Hound and Arya.  Stannis and Davos make up, kind of.  Things get leechy between Gendry and Melisandre.  Danerys treats with the Second Sons.  Sam puts his dragonglass to good use and Sam the Slayer is born!

A bear there was. A bear! A BEAR! Trying to eat Brienne!  Ser Jaime to the rescue! This episode saved the best scene for last, though Daenyrs' negotiating with the Yunkai slaver was top notch.  The dragons were looking fierce!  Elsewhere, however, things were less fun to watch.  Tyleesa tells Robb she's with child, which is nice and all, especially cause she's sticking her cute bare rump in the air when she says it.  Oh, and... ugh, Theon gets a rude awakening, then a crude... man... it just sucks to be Theon right now.

The plot is thickest here in the middle of the season, and all our favorite Westerosi are in precarious predicaments.  The future of Robb Stark's kingship depends on his flaky uncle Edmure.  Jayme Lannister and Brienne of Tarth's lives are in Roose Bolton's hands.  Cersei and Tyrion are being forced into political marriages by their tyrannical father.  Poor Sansa, who allowed herself to hope she might find a happy life with Loras in Highgarden, is heartbroken once again.  Jon and Ygritte barely make it to the top of the wall alive, but their bond is strengthened.  And Sam and Gilly have a nice campfire in White Walker infested woods.