Post by Leo of Red Keep on Jan 16, 2019 12:53:23 GMT
How much of a character is exposed through their first appearance, words or actions? Is it decisive? Let's find out.
Ned Stark first appears watching over his children teaching each other. His first act in the show will be to execute a deserter without questioning him, even though he reports something or apparent importance. His 2nd line, to his wife who asks if it must be: "He swore an oath, Cat". We see a man who applies rules without questioning them, regardless of implications, the behaviour that will seal his fate.
Catelyn Stark appears as a counterweight to that. She questions what her husband does not. She will again in her second scene in which she tells Ned of the king's coming and offers that he does have a choice: "You can always say no, Ned". She will keep doing this, asking him not to leave, then sleuthing around to find out what happened to Bran, going to King's Landing of her own impulse and arresting Tyrion against Ned's advice to wait for proofs. She will also free Jaime without Robb's authorisation and be placed under arrest by her own son. "All these years and I still feel like an outsider when I come here". This first sentence in her 2nd appearance, which is her exposition scene, after Ned had his in the first, sums her up too. She'll never quite fit in.
Robb Stark's and Jon Snow's first appearance with Bran and Rickon is perfunctory. They are here to introduce others. Sansa Is shown receiving compliments on her sewing work. It shows her as the obedient, good daughter but that scene is Arya Stark's introduction. She doesn't have to say anything. The look she gives her sister and her stunt with the bow that follows are telling enough. She's the one who never wants to fit in, who defies conventions. She'll be on the run from everything, even from herself for most of the series.
Sansa Stark's introduction is distributed over several scenes and two episodes. Her first line was a smiling "Thank you" to the Septa praising her work in a scene all dedicated to Arya. She was then shown looking at the Prince she knows she is meant to marry in a way which tells she wants to, lowering her eyes under King Robert's "you're a pretty one" in his introduction scene. Her first real scene is with her mother "what if he thinks I'm ugly?" she asks, then expresses nothing but the urgent wish to marry the prince and leave her home for some glamourous future: "I'd be queen some day. Please make Father say yes. Please, please! It's the only thing I ever wanted".
Sansa's first original decision, however, will come in the second episode: she will lie to keep the peace between both families and preserve her objective, refusing to incriminate Joffrey. These traits will remain for the whole series. Sansa still wants to be high on the ladder but she wants it in a consensual way. She will get the man executed who no one trusts or likes but she will work to support the king who restored her status and represents the ladder itself, even though she might no agree with him. Sansa has ambition and knows diplomacy just as she did when we first met her.
Bran Stark first fails at archery, then is taken to see something happen: a deserter is beheaded and his father goes to him, telling him why. Bran has questions and receives unsatisfying answers: "a mad man sees what he sees". He will reman an observer, someone who's trying to make sense of things.
Robb Stark wasn't meant to be a main character. He was made bigger because the actor was good and so his introduction was not given much weight but his first action was to take charge as his mother was incapable of it: "I'll make the appointments". It will basically define the character as the one who takes the lead when he has to.
Jon Snow's real introduction takes place in the direwolf scene. He is the one finding the argument to change Ned's mind about the pups. He already is the conciliator who fins a solution all can accept. He will also be made to say "I'm not a Stark" for the first time in this scene.
Theon Greyjoy is also introduced in the direwolf scene. Eager to be something, he rushes to kill the wolves the moment Ned takes the decision and immediately draws opposition from Robb ("Take away your blade"), reacting as he eventually will: "I take orders from your father, not you". Theon is that guy who will somehow be trouble out of his own need for some sort of positioning.
Ned Stark first appears watching over his children teaching each other. His first act in the show will be to execute a deserter without questioning him, even though he reports something or apparent importance. His 2nd line, to his wife who asks if it must be: "He swore an oath, Cat". We see a man who applies rules without questioning them, regardless of implications, the behaviour that will seal his fate.
Catelyn Stark appears as a counterweight to that. She questions what her husband does not. She will again in her second scene in which she tells Ned of the king's coming and offers that he does have a choice: "You can always say no, Ned". She will keep doing this, asking him not to leave, then sleuthing around to find out what happened to Bran, going to King's Landing of her own impulse and arresting Tyrion against Ned's advice to wait for proofs. She will also free Jaime without Robb's authorisation and be placed under arrest by her own son. "All these years and I still feel like an outsider when I come here". This first sentence in her 2nd appearance, which is her exposition scene, after Ned had his in the first, sums her up too. She'll never quite fit in.
Robb Stark's and Jon Snow's first appearance with Bran and Rickon is perfunctory. They are here to introduce others. Sansa Is shown receiving compliments on her sewing work. It shows her as the obedient, good daughter but that scene is Arya Stark's introduction. She doesn't have to say anything. The look she gives her sister and her stunt with the bow that follows are telling enough. She's the one who never wants to fit in, who defies conventions. She'll be on the run from everything, even from herself for most of the series.
Sansa Stark's introduction is distributed over several scenes and two episodes. Her first line was a smiling "Thank you" to the Septa praising her work in a scene all dedicated to Arya. She was then shown looking at the Prince she knows she is meant to marry in a way which tells she wants to, lowering her eyes under King Robert's "you're a pretty one" in his introduction scene. Her first real scene is with her mother "what if he thinks I'm ugly?" she asks, then expresses nothing but the urgent wish to marry the prince and leave her home for some glamourous future: "I'd be queen some day. Please make Father say yes. Please, please! It's the only thing I ever wanted".
Sansa's first original decision, however, will come in the second episode: she will lie to keep the peace between both families and preserve her objective, refusing to incriminate Joffrey. These traits will remain for the whole series. Sansa still wants to be high on the ladder but she wants it in a consensual way. She will get the man executed who no one trusts or likes but she will work to support the king who restored her status and represents the ladder itself, even though she might no agree with him. Sansa has ambition and knows diplomacy just as she did when we first met her.
Bran Stark first fails at archery, then is taken to see something happen: a deserter is beheaded and his father goes to him, telling him why. Bran has questions and receives unsatisfying answers: "a mad man sees what he sees". He will reman an observer, someone who's trying to make sense of things.
Robb Stark wasn't meant to be a main character. He was made bigger because the actor was good and so his introduction was not given much weight but his first action was to take charge as his mother was incapable of it: "I'll make the appointments". It will basically define the character as the one who takes the lead when he has to.
Jon Snow's real introduction takes place in the direwolf scene. He is the one finding the argument to change Ned's mind about the pups. He already is the conciliator who fins a solution all can accept. He will also be made to say "I'm not a Stark" for the first time in this scene.
Theon Greyjoy is also introduced in the direwolf scene. Eager to be something, he rushes to kill the wolves the moment Ned takes the decision and immediately draws opposition from Robb ("Take away your blade"), reacting as he eventually will: "I take orders from your father, not you". Theon is that guy who will somehow be trouble out of his own need for some sort of positioning.
