Episode 1x04: Symbolism and Foreshadowing

This week’s edition of the S&F won’t be as exhaustive as our friend Envie, this is my first re-watch and I’ve forgotten many details of future seasons. However, I will do my best to point out the little clues here and there that were left for us in this episode.

Theon

There are a couple of tidbits that we are given regarding the future of Theon Greyjoy, the ward/prisoner of Ned Stark. While Tyrion is departing he’s having a conversation with Theon, in which Tyrion is being quite rude. When Theon brings a message to Tyrion, Tyrion asks “is he [The Lord of Winter-Robb] your master?” and then says “Your loyalty to your captors is touching.” These will come to mean a great deal in later seasons.

Later in a conversation between Jory and Jaime, Jory says to Jaime that Theon is “a good lad” to which Jaime answers “I doubt it.” Seems Jaime understood what Theon would be better than Jory who’s known him for a long time.




Viserys and Doreah

While Viserys is in the tub with Doreah they are talking about dragons. A couple of things they say are of interest to us for later seasons. Doreah mentions that during her time in the whorehouse she “saw a man who could change his face they way other men change their clothing.” Hello, Faceless Men! Viserys also says something a bit interesting as well, he says “dragons can kill anyone of any thing that tries to hurt them.”



Arya and Ned

While Arya is having a conversation with Ned she says to him that Syrio will have her chase cats the following day because “cats are quiet as shadows and light as feathers” later we will see her become Cat of the Canals, quiet as a shadow, light as a feather.

When speaking about Bran having a Holdfast, Arya asks if she can have one as well. Ned says to her “You will marry a high lord and rule his castle, and your sons will be knights, princess and lords.” To which Arya answers “No” that is not for her. Last week we saw Ned give Sansa a doll, even though she is too old for one and now telling Arya she will be a lading ruling a castle, even though that’s not Arya at all. Ned Stark might love his daughters but he does not know them very well.



Dany and Jon

The connection being drawn by the show between these two characters continues.

First we have the Jon scene where he meets Sam, the coward, this then transitions to Dany riding alongside Jorah into Vaes Dothrak. Jorah complains about Ned Stark driving him from his land, to which Dany reminds him that he sold slaves. Regarding slaves, we saw a couple of episodes ago that Dany was questioning Jorah about how the Dothraki acquire their slaves and now she reminds Jorah that he committed a crime by selling men into slavery. These are just little clues as to how Dany will feel towards slavery in future seasons.



Second transition: Ser Allister is talking to Jon and Sam about winter and says to them “When you are out there beyond the Wall to you want a man at your back or a sniveling boy?” This then transitions into Viserys dragging Doreah into Dany’s tent, he attacks Dany but she hits him back, showing him to be a sniveling boy.



We then transition back to Jon and Sam, Jon tells Sam that he almost had sex with the red-headed Ros! Ser Allister then comes in and after throwing some more insults says to Jon “Mance Rayder’s men are hard men, harder than Jon will ever be. Not quite true Ser Allister.

Finally, we transition back to Dany and Jorah, they are both taking about going home. Dany confesses to Jorah that she doesn’t believe Viserys will ever be able to take her home.






Miscellaneous

* We are briefly introduced to the Three-eyed Crow, when Bran sees him in one of his dreams.

* Sansa hearing the tale of the Hound from Littlefinger

* When Ned and Cersei are talking he says to her “I was trained to kill my enemies” and she replies “So was I.” Truer words have never been spoken.