Welcome to Game of Thrones: MVP of the Week, a weekly feature in which we crown the character who stands out most during each episode of season eight. The MVP may have had the most kills, given the best monologue, or died the most heroic death. (Hey, we're just covering all our bases!) The end of is nearly here, and the penultimate episode, "The Bells," clumsily sets us up . As with every episode this season, "The Bells" takes us from point A to G, with everything in-between happening off-screen or being alluded to. Some characters that still has me scratching my head, while others reach in ways that feel undeniably flat. The episode (and kind of this entire season), has moments of brilliance, but mostly manages to make everyone watching frustrated about something. Which, in turn, makes it hella difficult to give any of the characters a nod for good behavior! Fortunately, those brief moments of brilliance do allow two characters to shine in an episode where everyone else is acting a straight fool. Like, , only to turn around and betray her by setting Jaime free and telling him to leave Westeros with Cersei? Pretty sure his dragon queen wouldn't be terribly pleased to learn about that! And somehow, Jon has basically become the most well-paid extra on television, because all he's done in the past few episodes is swing his sword and tell people that Danerys is his Queen. Make a move, dude! But, I digress. Regardless of Sunday's uneven story, I'm giving this week's MVP award to Varys, the only person with the realm's best interests in mind. But before you lose it, yes, I'm also crowning the Hound runner-up, solely because he's the one who takes Arya off her path of vengeance against Cersei and possibly sets her up . Related:
May 13, 2019
Warning: Big Game of Thrones spoilers below! Did anyone else think Daenerys was about to go wild at the end of the most recent episode of ? The Dragon Queen is being tested in a major way, and her patience is failing. The once benevolent leader is now seething with a righteous anger that leads Varys to hint to Tyrion that their beloved queen's behavior is more than a little tyrant-esque. After losing a large swath of her army, Ser Jorah, , and in just a matter of days, Daenerys is tired of playing games with Cersei. She's ready to take the Iron Throne by any means necessary, but that could also mean she's about to make a reality. . During his reign of the Seven Kingdoms, Aerys grew paranoid, eventually seeing everyone as the enemy, and often uttering his rallying cry of "" - he even tried to to do so. To her credit, Daenerys doesn't appear to have reached major paranoia, but the ruthlessness of her plans to take the throne hints at the worst part of . While all of the attention is being focused on Cersei's unquestionable cruelty, there are plenty of signs that the Dragon Queen is the one that people should fear. For example, she tries to force because she believes it's her destiny to rule the Seven Kingdoms. That desire for power can be corrupting, and there are plenty of signs that suggest Daenerys might get rid of Jon before allowing the North to champion him as the true ruler of Westeros. More immediately, she's about to show King's Landing the full extent of her strength by potentially unleashing dragon fire on a city full of innocents. With her obsession with burning her enemies alive, Daenerys is becoming more and more like her father every day. Now, that doesn't necessarily mean , but it should give you pause. Related: The Theory The Mad Khaleesi theory suggests that Daenerys has been behaving like her father for years now, but because so much of the story is from her point of view, it's hard to see her actions as cruel. After all, the Dragon Queen never targets innocents, with her victims being vicious khals, slave traders, and the Lannister army. But there is an undeniable brutality in her tactics, and nowhere is that more evident than in . She burns the father and son alive when they refuse to bend the knee, just seconds after she claims she's not in Westeros to murder. In season eight, she has a character challenging her vision of herself as a savior every step of the way, and . The lady of Winterfell's distrust in the Dragon Queen comes from an understandable place. She sees Daenerys as someone who is manipulating her brother's love for her own gain, and as a ruler who will demand fealty no matter the cost. These are clear warning signs for Sansa, and for the audience, that it's possible that the Daenerys we know and love is more dangerous than we could ever have imagined. The Evidence Varys has firsthand knowledge of what it was like to work for the Mad King, and in "Eastwatch" (the fifth episode of the seventh season), he shares his experiences with Tyrion. He recalls how he would find traitors to bring before the Mad King, and then he would stand aside and watch as he burned them alive. In "The Last of the Starks" (the fourth episode of the last season), he again comes to Tyrion with . This time, he points out that Daenerys's talk of destiny points to her being a tyrant in the making, because every tyrant he's known had the same ideas about themselves. He warns the Hand of the Queen that the Mother of Dragons no longer seems to have the people's best interests at heart - instead, she craves the power above all. As her closest allies continue to fall, Daenerys is becoming more and more distrustful of those around her. She no longer seems to value the council of Varys or Tyrion, and she sees herself as an outsider on this side of the sea. Most concerning of all is . She watches as Tormund and the North shower him with praise in the aftermath of the Battle of Winterfell, and it leaves her so angry that she storms off. Later, she begs Jon to keep the secret of his parentage to himself because she knows that the people of Westeros are more likely to choose him over her. Her growing paranoia and inability to trust those closest to her mirrors her father's descent into madness in a disturbing way. The loot train battle in season seven sees Daenerys raining fire down on the Lannister army indiscriminately. She burns them all, leaving only a handful of men standing at the end. She offers those men an option: join her or die. The lack of middle ground hints at the same extremism of her father, who showed his enemies no mercy. What's most distressing is that Daenerys claims to give these men a choice, when in actuality their only option is to bend the knee. She's ruling with fear, and fear was her father's weapon of choice. Now she's heading into another battle with the Lannisters, and there's no doubt that she will lead with terror. She only has one dragon left, but she's ready and willing to allow Drogon to burn King's Landing in retaliation for . Daenerys has always been fond of flames. It is fire that births her dragons, and fire that frees her from the khals. doesn't just kill anyone who gets in her way: she burns them, just like her father did, and that's not about to stop anytime soon. Related: What It All Means Daenerys is her father's daughter in many ways. Those who are firmly on her side have nothing to fear, but she demands absolute loyalty. If she receives anything less, she lashes out. She's made it clear through and Jon that she wants to rule all Seven Kingdoms, and she'll accept nothing less, even if it means destroying people and houses to get her way. There's also not doubt that she's ready to use to kill her enemies. In some ways, this is a show of strength, but in others, it is a warning sign that if she's not careful, Daenerys could still become known as the Mad Queen. Right now, the Mother of Dragons is backed into a corner by Cersei and her own anger and frustration with the way her homecoming has gone down so far. She's about to show us who she really is, and we need to be prepared for the possibility that we won't like what we see.
May 12, 2019
Sunday night's episode of was as much an emotional roller coaster as we expected with now just remaining. But even amid fast-moving, , one particular piece of dialogue sticks out. In the aftermath of the carnage of the Battle of Winterfell, Sansa Stark briefly reunites with Sandor Clegane, who wastes no time in referencing her rape at the hands of Ramsay Bolton, as he flippantly says he "heard [she'd been broken] in." Sansa responds by noting with pride that Bolton "got what he deserved" and that But what is likely meant to be an empowering exchange takes a frustrating turn when she seems to attribute all of her growth to experiencing abuse: "Without Littlefinger and Ramsay and the rest, I would've stayed a little bird all my life." The line feels like a callback to the misogyny and many sexist writing choices of previous seasons and hints at the frustrating limits of male writing of female characters. In many movies and TV shows - and certainly, on Game of Thrones - rape and sexual abuse are often treated as the only plot devices through which female characters can become "interesting," or grow and become strong. This has always been reductive and dehumanizing, not just to fictional characters but often to real-life survivors, too. Plot lines like this portray female characters who survive sexual assault as exclusively defined by what men do to them, and as a result, position them as objects. Sansa's words ultimately suggest rape is justifiable if it spurs perceived positives. This use of rape as an oversimplified gender trope can often be traced to male writers, like Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, who wrote Sunday night's episode. In the aforementioned exchange between Sansa and the Hound in "The Last of the Starks," whether or not Benioff and Weiss intended this, Sansa's words ultimately suggest rape is justifiable if it spurs perceived positives. Her line implies the act of sexual violence itself rather than a survivor's fortitude and courage is what leads to growth in women and female characters like her. The underlying message, here, seems to be that the bodies of female characters can be relegated to collateral damage for the sake of one-dimensional male storytelling. There are several examples of this, certainly in Sunday night's episode, but also throughout the series. In the same episode Sansa seems thankful for her experiences with sexual violence, Missandei - the - for the purpose of angering Daenerys Targaryen and moving Daenerys's plot line forward. And unfortunately, in many ways, Missandei's execution is more of the same throughout the series, from Shireen Baratheon's gruesome death and Cersei Lannister's naked walk of shame in season five, to Daenerys's routine experiences with marital rape at the advent of the show and Gilly's life at Craster's Keep. Female characters and their experiences with trauma are often portrayed not in a human or vaguely thoughtful and sympathetic manner but, rather, as moving chess pieces by male writers. Granted, this criticism isn't new, and Benioff, Weiss, and George R.R. Martin, the author of the book series upon which Game of Thrones is based, have spoken to these complaints before. In 2015, in the aftermath of Sansa's experience with rape on her wedding night, reports said the show's creators "were responsive to the discussion and there were a couple of things that changed as a result" in the face of mass outrage. But one of the show's directors, Jeremy Podeswa, ultimately doubled down on defending the scene: "It is important that [the producers] not self-censor. The show depicts a brutal world where horrible things happen. They did not want to be too overly influenced by [criticism]," he . Martin has also in his writing. "The books reflect a patriarchal society based on the Middle Ages. The Middle Ages were not a time of sexual egalitarianism," he said in 2015. Martin added: "Most stories depict what I call the 'Disneyland Middle Ages' - there are princes and princesses and knights in shining armor, but they didn't want to show what those societies meant and how they functioned . . . And then there's the whole issue of sexual violence . . . I'm writing about war, which what almost all epic fantasy is about." Related: But the point they constantly miss is that no one is saying rape and sexual violence weren't devastating realities of the medieval world in which Game of Thrones and Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire are set. Rather, what many feminist critiques of the series point out is that using rape and violence as central points in storytelling for female characters over and over again is limiting and reductive - especially when rape is treated as the only thing that gives female characters humanity, dimension, and growth. Additionally, there is an undeniable irony in male writers like Weiss, Benioff, and Martin dismissing feminist criticisms of rape in their writing by mansplaining to their female critics that sexual violence was simply a reality of medieval society. The condescending insinuation here is that we, as modern women, have it so good, we couldn't possibly wrap our heads around the truth. Yet, ultimately, in a real-life world where in her lifetime, it's important to understand that sexual violence is so much more than a plot device to deal female characters in far away, fictional lands. It's something many women - and certainly, many women who watch Game of Thrones - grapple with in our real lives, not something that exclusively takes place in fantasy worlds and on TV screens. If Game of Thrones is as rooted in dark realities as its writers claim, then it should acknowledge how, in real life, surviving sexual assault is so much more than a storytelling device for women. And the show's writers should have adapted the series a long, long time ago to reflect this.
May 12, 2019
Warning: Game of Thrones spoilers ahead! As the final episodes of quickly approach, it's difficult to know exactly what's in store for our favorite characters. The race for the Iron Throne is a gamble, Arya's kill list is still left unfinished, and a few prophesies remain unfulfilled. But of all the unanswered questions, this one sits near the top of our list: The Mother of Dragons (now just one dragon, unless ) has a right to be pissed after Cersei beheaded her best friend, her boyfriend revealed he's actually her nephew, and she lost a large chunk of her defenses at King's Landing. However, there's a widespread expectation that her righteous anger will trigger something more tragic and deep-seeded. If is correct, the answer may have been hiding in plain sight, or rather, the stitching of her costumes. The user claims to have a background in costume history and compared from season seven to season eight for context clues. Season Seven If there's a word to describe , it would be "adaptable." She's young and impressionable when she first joins the Dothraki as Khal Drogo's wife, although she quickly finds her inner strength. Her fashion throughout seasons one through five, however, is still influenced by the places she lands, like Qarth and Meereen. Daenerys mostly wears shades of blue, ivory, khaki, and gray until season seven. Once season seven begins, she starts to blend the hues of her Targaryen roots (steel, black, and red) with the colors from her world of experiences. "When Dany went beyond the Wall to rescue Jon and the others, with black leather strip detail. The fur lining was white. The inner lining was grey. Her gloves were grey," Reddit user karsigo wrote. "White is associated with purity and in that episode, her intentions were pure – she put someone's else's needs and concerns above her own. There was a softness about her look that we may not see again." Season Eight Season eight sees Daenerys arriving in Winterfell, and with her comes a more intense expression of Targaryen pride. As the Reddit user notes, Daenerys infuses almost everything with red: the lining on her coat, her scarf, her leather strip detail, her gloves ("think blood on her hands"). "It's a nod to her Targaryen heritage, but the more red we see, the more she's inclined to embrace the fire-and-blood motto. The red-on-white is especially foreboding," the user wrote. "Notice all the Northerners wear subdued colors and grayish-brownish furs. Dany's advisors all wear muted colors. So Dany's white fur look is her way of announcing to those around her that she is of special status. You can bet Sansa, who stitches her own clothes, noticed that straightaway." Her fresh wardrobe also includes dresses with dragon scale detailing and spiky silver metal embellishments and coats with . This could be perceived as an intimidation tactic or a way for Daenerys to keep people at arms reach. It could also be seen as unavoidable step towards the darkness in her family line. Her powerful (and yeah, let's call it badass) new look closely mirrors Cersei's own dramatic change in attire over the past few seasons - a foreboding sign for the Breaker of Chains, indeed.
May 12, 2019
It's been 17 years since The Bachelor , and since then, it's spawned numerous spinoffs . . . and even some successful relationships! While the majority of leads don't end up happily ever after with their chosen ones, they often find love within the franchise's extended family. While we're wishing the best of luck to Hannah Brown on , let's take a look back at all the couples who have made it work over the years. A handful even have adorable kids or are currently expecting! - Additional reporting by Johnni Macke
May 11, 2019
Image Source: We're only days away from the premiere of , and the full movie has already been leaked. , Ryan Reynolds, alerted fans and Warner Bros. when he posted to YouTube under the channel "Inspector Pikachu." Um.... Attn - Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) Fair warning, the video probably isn't the Pokémon film that , since it's just a grainy looped clip of Pikachu - wearing his deerstalker cap like a true detective - dancing adorably for a full hour and 42 minutes. Congratulations, Pokémon fans, we've all been Pikachu-style! The "pirated" upload of the movie even includes 60 seconds of what seems like an actual opening sequence, until it follows up with Pikachu's aerobics routine (which I unashamedly watched the entirety of). Honestly, this is truly the kind of content we want and need. We bet even Blake Lively for the film. If you can't find any joy in watching a CGI fluff-monster getting down to a throwback beat and doing the running man, I just don't know what to tell you. Fans is eerily similar to the one from , which prompted Jordan Peele . The movie hasn't been released yet (it comes out in theaters on May 10), but if it's anything like this "leak," we're pretty sure it's going to be a hit. Enjoy the dancing machine that is Detective Pikachu ahead!
May 10, 2019
Nola Darling is on the journey to self-discovery, and she's taking the Summer to dig a little deeper. Released on May 9, the trailer for 's sophomore season chronicles Nola's budding career as she struggles with her newfound success as an artist, as well as her tumultuous love life. The teases that her struggles affect the lives of those around her, including her inner circle of Mars Blackmon (Anthony Ramos), Opal (Ilfenesh Hadera), Greer Childs (Cleo Anthony), Jamie Overstreet (Lyriq Bent), Clorinda Bradford (Margot Bingham), Shemekka Epps (Chyna Layne), and Winnie Win (Fat Joe). The nine-episode season will follow Nola as she decides whether to venture into the corporate world and the adventure that takes her outside of her home base in Fort Greene, Brooklyn, as everyone's world is changed by the gentrification that sweeps the neighborhood. Watch the trailer above and check out some photos from the upcoming season before She's Gotta Have It premieres on Netflix on May 24! Related:
May 09, 2019
Mr. Robot may be morally ambiguous, but there's no ambiguity when it comes to the morality of Rami Malek's latest role - he's playing a certifiable bad guy. The cast and details of 's final Bond film, (yes, seriously, there have been 25 of them), were , and one of the most exciting details revealed was that the Bohemian Rhapsody star is taking on the role of the villain. Though we'll have to wait until April 3, 2020, to see him in action, Malek has revealed a bit about the baddie he'll be portraying. Malek was previously in talks to star as the villain before, but it was initially reported that with of Mr. Robot, the Emmy-winning series that he stars in as the titular character. Malek's team successfully negotiated his shooting schedule to accommodate both projects, though uncertainty struck again after director Danny Boyle, who cast Malek, left the project. Eventually, it was confirmed that the shooting schedule would work out, that new director Cary Joji Fukunaga still wanted Malek on board, and that the Oscar-winning actor would be heading over to the dark side. Related: After the big news was made public, Malek to discuss his upcoming role in the iconic franchise. Though the movie only recently began filming, the actor already knows "quite a bit" about his character, but during the interview, he played it coy. When asked to describe his character in one word, Malek replied, "Villainous." Very helpful. He did, however, cite some examples of former Bond villains he is looking to for inspiration: , who played Raoul Silva in Skyfall, as well as Christoph Waltz, who played Ernst Stavro Blofeld in Spectre. Malek also praised his new costar Daniel Craig for his previous work as Bond. "I think Daniel has just done such an astounding job with just making him in a way relatable," he said, later adding, "It'll be very interesting to go up against that man . . . but I'm gonna give him a run for it." Unfortunately, he also revealed that this would be Craig's last time playing Bond, so Malek will really have to bring his A game when it comes to playing the villain. As he confirmed in his , "I'm very much looking forward to joining the whole cast and crew very soon, and I promise you all I will be making sure Mr. Bond does not have an easy ride of it in this." The only rumor that we've heard about the as-yet-unnamed antagonist Malek will portray: . We'll be sure to keep you posted as more details emerge about the latest Bond installment (and if Malek decides to stop teasing us and staying mum).
May 09, 2019