Review 275: Game of Thrones: A Storm of Swords: Steel and Snow

Game of Thrones continues to deliver in its third season, with nudity, violence and plot twists aplenty.

Based on the first half of the third book A Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin, The Lannisters nearly hold on to the throne after a savage navel onslaught from Stannis Baratheon (Stephen Dillane), while stirring things in the north threaten to alter the overall balance of power.
Robb Stark (Richard Madden), King in the North, faces major calamity in his efforts to build on his victories over the Lannisters while beyond the Wall, Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds) leader of the wildlings and his army continue their inexorable march south.
Across the Narrow Sea, Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke) - reunited with her three fast-maturing dragons - attempts to raise an army to sail with her from Essos, in hopes of eventually claiming the Iron Throne.

There are a number of tremendous new characters in season 3, they're still casting more than they're killing. Firstly, over in King's Landing, we meet Lady Olenna Tyrell (Diana Ring), the matriarch of the Tyrell family.

Across the Narrow Sea, in Astapor, located in Slavers Bay, Daenerys acquires a new follower in the form Missandei (Nathalie Emmanuel). Starting off as the Slave Master Kraznys right hand girl, Daenerys takes her under her wing once she gathers the Unsulied Army.
She's very clever and intelligent and can speak every language under the sun and Dany sees a lot of herself in her and recognises the potential in her.

Beyond the Wall, Jon Snow (Kit Harington) comes face to face with Mance Rayder (Ciaran Hinds), the leader of the wildlings. Mance is mean, fierce and deadly but in a very intelligent way.
Mance actually comes from a similar background to Jon Snow. He was an orphan where Jon was a bastard, he was also a member of the Night's Watch who gave the mantle for a different way of living and he's trying to unite the them because he aware that theres a bigger enemy coming.
Mance is perhaps the most dangerous "King Beyond the Wall" to rise for hundreds of years and he's risen at the time where the Night's Watch is at its weakest.

Jon also meets two very noteworthy wildlings, Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju). He's fiercely loyal to Mance Rayder - Mance won him over by subduing him as he's not the sort of guy who'd listen to anyone. He relies on his guts and takes a liking to Jon Snow and they have mutual respect for each other. He's one of those characters who has a tough outside but a soft inside
He also meets Orell (Mackenzie Crook) a wildling warg who makes life difficult for Jon Snow.
Of all the people that Jon's met in this show, the person he wants to put his sword through most is Orell.
Orell doesn't trust him, he thinks he's trouble

Over in the North, Bran (Isaac Hempstead Wright) and his party meet Jojen Reed (Thomas Brodie Sangster) and his sister Meera (Ellie Kendrick). Jojen and Mera's family are Stark bannerman so they are sworn allegiances to them and they come along to help Bran explain whats happening to him and to teach him how to control his dream. Jojen is a greenseer which means he can basically see the past, present and future in dreams and has a wisdom that exceeds his years. He wasn't called the Little Grandfather for nothing and he helps Bran a great deal this season becoming one of his most important allies on his quest. 

During Season 3, Robb and Catelyn Stark (Michelle Fairly) travel to Catelyn's family siege of Riverrun where they're reaquiented with Catelyn's uncle Brynden "Blackfish" Tully (Clive Russell) and her younger brother Edmure (Tobias Menzies).
Blackfish is extremely experienced warrior who's fought in every possible situation and is hugely respected by other men and the Tully warriors as well as committed to his responsibilities within the family. 
Robb's been elected King amongst his men and that he must've done something right for so many men to follow him into battle and the Blackfish recognises that and respects him hugely. 

During Arya's (Maisie Williams) adventures in the Riverlands, she along with Gendry (Joe Dempsie) and Hot Pie (Ben Hawkey) come across an outlaw group know as the Brotherhood without Banners who 
among them are their leader Beric Dondarrion (Richard Dormer) and a Red Priest, Thoros of Myr (Paul Kaye). The Brotherhood without Banners stand out in the series in the way that they are Robin Hood esque guerrilla fighters 

Another very interesting newcomer to the series is Qyburn (Anton Lesser). Qyburn is an unethical former maester who was thrown out of the citadel for illegal experimentation.

Another character that comes into play in the latter half of the season is Daario Naharis (Ed Skrein), 

After being absent from Season 2, we see the return of Ser Barristan Selmy (Ian McElhinney), in this season, he travels to Slaver's Bay to swear allegiances to Daenerys as he previously served as Kingsguard to her father and ask her forgiveness. 
 
There’s a particular scene from A Storm of Swords that takes place in Ep. 9: The Rains of Castamere and it’s just as shocking as it is harrowing to watch. All I’ll say is that regards of wether your a reader or not, you won’t see it coming and The Lannisters send their regards.
Everything changes after The Rains of Castamere, it's the end of the innocence for the show
a real game changer. 

In contrast to all the good to come out of Season 3, I cannot get invested in characters like Theon, who exists solely to suffer at the hands of the Boltons this Season with little to no plot progression. 

Directors Daniel Minahan, David Benioff & D. B. Weiss (making their directorial debut this season), Alex Graves, Alik Sakharov, Michelle MacLaren & David Nutter’s direction is fantastic, the cinematography is gorgeous and captures the vastness and exoticness of the all the different settings and locations the score by Ramin Djawadi is fantastically pulse pounding, the production design is marvellous, the costumes are stellar, the scenery is breathtaking. 

Emilia Clarke is at the top of her game this season as Daenerys. She's spent the first two seasons of this show leaning on men such as Viserys, Drogo, Ser Jorah Mormont and Xaro Xhoan Daxos that when she enters this season realising the only person she can trust is herself.
Dany has her soft side but she's also ruthless and fiercely ambitious

Rose Leslie contines to shine brightly as wildling Ygritte, she positively lights up every scene she's in. Her chemistry with Kit Harrington's Jon Snow is incredibly palpable and plays a vital part in getting us as an audience to root for the relationship to work out in the end. Over the course of the season, Ygritte shows Jon that Wildlings are people just like the people south of the wall and not the monsters he's been told they were due to the Night's Watches teachings. She opens Jon's eyes to an entirely new way of life and a new perspective. 

With Ygritte, Jon is able to step out of the bubble the Night's Watch has kept him in and sees a new world, gaining knowledge every step he takes.