lifestyle WEDNESDAY, JUNE 11, 2014 Music & Movies ‘Game of Thrones’: Battle for Castle Black could determine fate of all of Westeros t was a bold decision on the part of the creative mammoth on the wildling side, and we know they Less hope I’d like to say that I am hopeful they can come minds behind HBO’s “Game of Thrones” to take a full have many more they can pull in for a larger offensive. If The Wall falls and “Winter” comes roaring forth together in their darkest hour and rise up against the Ihour of one of the most sprawling shows on televi- While this was an epic battle, featuring some beau- from the North, will this game of thrones matter one surging forces of evil, but this is George R.R. Martin, sion and narrow its focus to just one location. And yet, tiful fight scenes, it was nevertheless a small battle. iota? Will it matter who sits upon the Iron Throne when and he’s proven he believes more in the worst that it also proved very effective. Castle Black at The Wall Larger shots showed how small the wildling forces such magical forces of evil are set to wipe out all of humanity has to offer than the best. Those who rise hasn’t been home to the most compelling political looked against The Wall, and yet they still nearly took machinations thus far, but it may well prove to be the it. “The Watchers on the Wall,” as this episode was most important battleground of the entire saga. named, are ill-prepared for what’s out there. We’ve been anticipating the battle between the There were some awesome wall defense sequences Night’s Watch and the wildlings for weeks now, and in this episode, and a stunning continuous camera there was a very personal stake for Jon Snow and shot of the battle inside the castle itself. The fighting Ygritte. The two became lovers while Jon was effec- was ugly and nasty and unpredictable, as it should be tively spying on her and her people, trying to assess between these two forces. The hour flew by, and you’d their threat level to the Night’s Watch. scarcely realized that we still hadn’t checked in on To say that Ygritte was a lover scorned would be a Tyrion’s guilty verdict when the credits started to roll. massive understatement. The entire battle was under- scored by the tension rising before their inevitable Unwanted peoples confrontation. Would she shoot him again, as she did Usually you wouldn’t want a director to stand out the last time they were together? Would he have to kill on a serialized show like this, when many different her? As we’ve learned many times on “Game of ones are used throughout each season to try and cre- Thrones,” oftentimes such decisions are out of our ate a cohesive narrative, but Neil Marshall stood out hands. Ygritte and Jon did come face-to-face, but for all the right reasons with his second “GoT” episode. before either could decide how to proceed, an arrow It’s appropriate that they went with him here, as he pierced her chest. At least they got to have one final, gave us the penultimate episode of Season 2, which tender exchange, with Jon telling her they’d go back also focused entirely on a single battle. to their cave. She reminding him: “You know nothing, What’s so effective about this episode is that it real- Jon Snow.” ly put everything about the show into perspective. The On the opposite side, Sam’s innocence and bravery Lannisters and Targaryens and Starks and Baratheons continue to be a winning combination for him, as he may be playing at this game of thrones in Westeros, managed to kill another dire threat and his own love but it really is a game compared to what’s coming safe. And there’s the bitter irony that it was Ygritte who from the North. It is the Watchers on The Wall who are spared Gilly’s life at the inn, while it was a Night’s the most important players. And yet, their numbers Watch Boy ordered by Sam to take up his weapon and are made up of the cast-offs and undesirables of fight who ultimately killed Ygritte. Westeros. To think that the fate of all humanity may lay in the hands of those unwanted peoples. Two giants and a single mammoth Worse, the Night’s Watch has dwindled in numbers Westeros is a bleak place filled with little hope. so much over the centuries, that it is grossly outnum- Perhaps it is because “Winter is coming,” as the Starks bered in its defense of Westeros. Every loss among the say, but it is filled with such darkness and despair that Night’s Watch - it took six men to take down a single we’ve come to expect the worst even when there are giant at the gate - will be felt tenfold when the full moments of true joy. Who expected both Sam and forces of the wildlings amass. This is why it’s so impor- humanity? Mankind needs to do is put aside its differ- above are often pulled down, or beheaded, for their Gilly to come out of this first battle unscathed? I was tant than Jon Snow defeat the wildings’ leader, Mance. ences, as the men of the Night’s Watch are forced to do trouble. looking for the coward who hid out with Gilly to kill Without him to unify them, the wildlings might fall as they take their oath, and unite against a common I’m very worried for Sam, Gilly, Jon, Arya, Bran and her, just because she saw him sneak in. back to infighting and break up. enemy. Hodor, Tyrion, and even poor Sansa, as well as the few Of course, as Jon was quick to point out, just “Winter is coming” is more than just a statement Will they? Oh, probably not. These are vain, ambi- other characters who’ve proven to have redeeming because this battle is over, the larger war is not over about the weather. “Winter” also refers to the denizens tious and petty people. And they’ve grown compla- qualities. This does not seem to be a world for them. yet. This was just a fraction of what the wildlings are of the North, kept away from humanity for so long that cent, thinking the biggest dangers in the world are the There is little joy, and even less hope. Winter is coming. able to accomplish, with the smallest portion of their they’ve been forgotten: The White Walkers and giants political maneuverings of their enemies and relatives. Can The Wall hold it back?—AP full might. The forces on either side of the wall were and mammoths and direwolves. “Winter” is all the They’re not prepared for what’s to come, just as Jon modest at best, while the defense on the inside wasn’t night-time stories come to life. Every dangerous thing Snow had to admit that the Night’s Watch is not pre- much better. There were only two giants and a single that most have chosen to forget. pared for the full might of the wildling armies. ‘Arduous’ recovery ahead for funny man Tracy Morgan S actor Tracy Morgan, known for his auto and four counts of assault by auto, accord- Emmy-nominated turn on television ing to a statement from state prosecutors, cited Ucomedy “30 Rock,” is facing an “arduous” by local media. Apparently he had not slept in recovery after a car crash, his agent said Monday. 24 hours. Morgan was critically injured Saturday in a six- Roper’s truck allegedly caused the accident car accident in New Jersey that killed one of his on the New Jersey Turnpike near the state capi- friends. Agent Lewis Kay said the actor and tal Trenton, which involved Morgan’s limo bus, comedian still was in critical but stable condi- another truck, two cars and and an SUV. tion. “His fiancee Megan (Wollover) is by his Morgan-who performed Friday night at Dover side,” Kay said. “Rumors about amputating his Downs Hotel & Casino in Delaware-was nomi- leg are completely fabricated. As we shared yes- nated for an Emmy in 2009 for his role on “30 Turkish imam given go terday, Tracy had surgery on his broken leg,” the Rock,” which also starred Tina Fey and Alec agent explained. “This recovery will be arduous Baldwin. On “30 Rock,” a show about the cast and and we hope that you can be patient during this writers of a sketch comedy show resembling ahead to make rock ‘n’ roll difficult time,” he added, mentioning a possible “Saturday Night Live,” he played Tracy Jordan, a recovery period of several weeks. caricature of himself. The program ended its sev- Turkish imam has been allowed to rock formed for the first time in public at a local fes- The incident occurred as the 45-year-old en-season run in early 2013. Morgan appeared on after the country’s powerful reli- tival in his home town to hundreds of curious Morgan, a former star of “Saturday Night Live,” on “Saturday Night Live” from 1996 to 2003. — Agious authorities gave him the green onlookers. was heading home from a stand-up perform- AFP light to continue playing in his band after a He is gearing up for his next concert in the ance in the East Coast state of Delaware.