First Thoughts: GAME OF THRONES [I attempt to break it down for you]

The main complaint that viewers have from watching the 1st episode of Game of Thrones was that it had too many names and faces all at once, that it got very confusing. By viewers, I mean critics who got an advanced 6-episode copy of this 10-episode series (lucky them!). But from what they say, the pilot is just an elaborate "laying of the groundwork" of what happens to be a much-anticipated series. The real action happens further into the show (say episode 3 or 4 or maybe 6).

I watched the pilot expecting the dialogue will render me sleepy, as I just had a full meal and my body was aching for the bed. I watched wondering if I'd get confused, too. But maybe I paid attention to it so well, the names and faces didn't bother me. Alright, the names did. But it's easy to Google those.

So, here's a little breakdown for you, in case you plan on watching this epic production. (Well you should if you love a good fantasy series!) Or if you have no plans of leafing through the pages of the book, A Song of Fire and Ice, where it's based from. (I have not read the book, either.)

Basically you have this guy, Eddard Stark ---

the warrior formerly known as Boromir

Eddard Stark is the Lord of Winterfell and one of the King's closest friends. So close, that the King fondly calls him by his nickname, Ned.

The King is Robert Baratheon, who I suppose Ned used to call Bob, but because he is King now, he addresses him as "Mi Lord". But because this is my blog and I am not under the King's commands, I shall continue to address him as Bob. K?

Ned and Bob are childhood buddies. They were raised by Jon Arryn. Up until the time of his death (which is where their story opens), Jon Arryn was known as the King's Right Hand. Now that he is gone, the King then travels to the North in Winterfell,  to ask Ned to take his place and be with him in the South, where the kingdom sits.

From what I understand, the King's Right Hand is basically the person running the affairs of the King, while the King pretty much fattens himself up.

Hence, the King is this big. Hehe.

Well, to be fair, the King really is the Full Monty.

So, with the possibility of a transfer, Ned's wife, Catelyn, isn't all too happy about it. See, early in their marriage, when Ned and Bob were but mere warriors and were away from home a lot, her husband returned home with a son she did not give birth to.

Jon Snow is called the bastard son, having been born outside of his father's marriage. In spite Catelyn's resentment of him (which I can only guess by the way she looks at the young man), Jon Snow is a good half-brother to his siblings.

Speaking of siblings...the Stark family is probably Winterfell's answer to the Von Trapps. Except that their talent isn't in singing but in becoming warriors (warrior-ing? LOL!).

Well, some of the boys are potentially good warriors at least (and one of the girls, who is a tomboy). But the youngest, Bran, who is only 10, is good at getting himself into trouble...that by the end of the pilot episode, you would probably gasp at what happens to him.

Okay, so then...we have Bob's crazy family to tackle next.

Bob is married to his Queen, Carsei Lannister. Carsei has a twin brother, Jaime. And a midget brother, Tyrion.

I used to be the Terminator's Mother. Now I'm Queen.

I'm the good one. My midget brother is evil. 

No, I'm the good one. I may be small but I've a HUGE p---ersonality!

Don't be fooled by the Lannisters' appearances. Something is up with these siblings and their presence would make such a solid hero vs. villain subplot.

And if that weren't enough...on the other side of the world, in Pentos, is another family --- the Targaryans.  Fom how I understood it, the Targaryans were the original rulers of the Seven Kingdoms, before Bob took over.

The Targaryans lost their power when their patriarch died. And the son, Viserys, fake blond and all, is bent on getting the kingdom back believing it is rightfully theirs. But without an army to do that, he is powerless against the current King.

I need to get my highlights done again...

My brother had me do highlights, too. I hate it when he controls my life.

So, he pimps his sister, the lovely Daenerys, to "fuck 40,000 soldiers and their horses" if needed, and forces her to marry a warlord of the Dothraki --- Khal Drogo.

Me tough, tough. Me know no English!

It's also interesting to watch how this tension between the sibling goes. But I have to say that if Viserys is the only family I have left? I'd rather live alone. And seriously dye my hair red! :P

Okay, so this is it...the main characters of a cast of "thousand" names and faces.

The story of Game of Thrones is complex and there's definitely a lot of layers. There's also a lot of nudity and gore. This isn't like Lord of The Rings in terms of content. (LOTR is of course, a children's tale.) You can't let a child below 16 watch this, although I do wonder how they explained a lot of the scenes to that 10 year old kid playing Bran.

Overall, I loved the pilot. I expected to. I've been waiting for Game of Thrones to come to TV for 2 years!