Timeless: A Love Square?

A love that transcends time...

       After Wyatt and Lucy finally admit their feelings for each other a wrench is thrown into the works. Jessica is back and it seems that Lucy and Flynn are deepening a bond they've had since day one.

There is definitely heat here...

     Where Lucy and Wyatt are concerned there has always been heat. Sparks began to fly when they kissed while under cover with Bonnie and Clyde. Wyatt took a long time to let Jessica go but once he did he could finally move on. Lucy made him believe in love again but Rittenhouse somehow saved Jessica. Lucy stepped aside but does that mean Wyatt and Jessica are meant to be?

Jessica doesn't seem that happy to see Wyatt...

       I don't hate Jessica. I just don't trust her entirely. I think she's Rittenhouse. And even if she wasn't from what we've heard her say is that Wyatt had romanticized their marriage. Marriage counseling for 2 years? Divorce papers? Wyatt had gotten into an argument with Jessica because he was jealous of a guy she was talking to. Wyatt and Jessica seem doomed to fail. And yet while one relationship seems to have ended another seems to be beginning...

If anything Flynn and Lucy might become drinking
buddies...

        Flynn has said in the season 1 finale that Lucy was the one who gave him her journal that propelled him on his mission to destroy Rittenhouse. Why would she have given it to Flynn? There are many reasons but I like to think that maybe it's because they developed a deep friendship over the course of their time spent together. Lucy seems to have a talent for reaching people who are in a dark place of hopelessness. Lucy seems to be Flynn's only ally on the team and that seems to be driving them closer together.

A deleted scene that SHOULD have
DEFINITELY been in the episode...

        Is it a romantic bond between Flynn and Lucy? I doubt it but that doesn't mean they won't take some comfort in each other whether that comfort is physical or purely emotional has yet to be determined. All I know is despite Lucy's insistence on giving Wyatt and Jessica every chance Lucy and Wyatt's feelings for each other won't go away and it may be that Wyatt and Jessica will end up breaking up regardless. I hope Timeless will get a season 3 to help explore this further.

Arrow: Oliver's Never Ending Battle With Trauma

Oliver suffers from PTSD

   I understand that Arrow is dropping in the ratings which makes me sad because if it weren't for this show then we probably never would have gotten The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow. Some have sighted Oliver Queen's treatment of his friends and teammates as undeserved and are most likely getting tired of the theme but the issue is that it's exactly what his character would do because Oliver suffers from PTSD.

Rene, you know Oliver has PTSD!
Unfortunately Rene has issues with authority
so bad combo these two

    Signs of PTSD are alertness, paranoia, a need for isolation, and anger issues. Oliver's biggest problem is trust. Rene, Curtis and Dinah have felt the brunt of Oliver's harsh lessons in fighting and his leadership skills. Rene's betrayal and Dinah's secret have more of an affect on Oliver than they would have on an emotionally healthy person because for 5 years Oliver had to be guarded and being honest would have gotten him killed. It's a pattern of seemingly misplaced trust that sets Oliver 5 steps back when it comes to interacting with people and forming attachments. 

Dinah doesn't have Felicity's patience with Oliver
(NOBODY does)

    What made Oliver's PTSD worse was losing his mother, best friend Tommy and Laurel. These were all people he was close to but lost which even drove him back to the island where all of his trauma started because Oliver felt he needed to heal in isolation when it's best to mourn with friends and other loved ones like Felicity and Diggle. Then there was Evelyn's betrayal (I always hated her to be honest) which set him back again putting him on high alert (even though he was always on alert but being surrounded by friends and family lowered his guard). Five years of physical abuse, psychological torture, and committing murder scarred Oliver deeply and it made him believe that in order to survive he has to keep his distance emotionally from people because he felt relationships weighed him down and during his 5 years of horror they would have been but there was one glimmer of hope that brought Oliver a little step closer to recovery.

Love can heal the deepest wounds

   It took a long time for Oliver to reach a point where he can share his emotional burdens and issues of trust with someone and allow himself to be vulnerable. I'm surprised Felicity got that far. They broke up and Oliver was incredibly hurt and had trouble letting her go but now they're married. Felicity showed she had a high tolerance for pain and showed a lot of patience always ready to draw Oliver back from the brink. Even when they were broken up Oliver would always turn to Felicity to ease his anxiety and anger. People with PTSD can come off as difficult and closed off even violent with people they don't know which makes forming new relationships hard for them because it's what a small part of them wants, isolation because they don't feel like they can trust many people. Felicity became a lifeline and made Oliver better. Had William known Oliver years ago after Lian Yu then it would have damaged their potential father-son relationship. Because of Felicity's influence and love Oliver actually tries to be a better parent.

I like new Green Arrow. Oliver doesn't even want
to do it anymore

    PTSD is incurable. Therapy and constant support is what's needed to help manage the symptoms but Oliver isn't in an environment that would give him the support needed to recover. Being a vigilante seemed to help Oliver cope but in an unhealthy way. It was Diggle, Thea, William and Felicity who keep Oliver grounded but he still suffers from paranoia and alertness. Spying on his friends was wrong but Oliver didn't know how else to react. 

Oliver keeps going back to Hell Island

     It would have been better to confront his friends but like a dog who's been kicked too many times Oliver lashed out in the only way he knows how because it's these instincts are what kept him alive and so he holds onto those emotional knee jerk reactions. Oliver will never be cured of his PTSD so he will always have issues of trust and paranoia. Now if people are wondering if Oliver Queen will ever change the answer is: maybe; sometimes but it'll always be 1 step forward and 3 steps back. Oliver can take steps in the right direction but the world he lives in makes it difficult to make changes permanent. Having someone else become Green Arrow would definitely help but PTSD is a dark shadow always present and will affect him forever. 

The Flash: Will Barry Out Himself?

     
 While I haven't been blogging much lately (I started a new job and it's exhausting and I haven't worked out a work/life balance yet) I have been trying to keep up with my favorite shows. I've recently seen the promo for the next The Flash episode where Barry is being put on trial. Someone suggested that Barry should explain that he's the Flash in order to help his case. I don't think that's a good idea.

Why does no one ever believe Barry when he has a
gut feeling? You know he's not a habitual liar!

1. For one thing, outing yourself as a secret super hero may work if it's to a small group but revealing your identity to the whole world can back fire on a large scale. Barry would be subject to much more scrutiny and criticism especially if they discover that their favorite hero has been messing with the timeline. Through Barry's manipulations Cisco has lost his brother, John's daughter was replaced by a son, and Wally almost died in the alternate timeline. Who knows what else Barry may have changed with his butterfly effect powers.

Stand by your man... even if he's a sociopath destroying
the city's golden boy

2. Being outed as a super hero doesn't mean you'll be exempt from the law. If anything it'll make Barry more vulnerable. Super heroes save the day because they aren't held back by any boundary of law which will make many lawmakers and law keepers uneasy. Oliver is already in hot water with an FBI agent (who is hated so much for doing her job) who brings up a valuable point: if a hero has nothing to hide why wear a mask. While I balked at the sentence I couldn't help but agree to some degree. As we've seen in the Marvel Universe, many people are uncomfortable with the idea of someone with incredible power to not be bound by human law. Barry is essentially a god with the way he can manipulate time.

Barry's in deep now

3. Probably most importantly (though I haven't seen the midseason finale yet; it's on my list I promise) is that Barry outing himself as the Flash wouldn't necessarily get him a non-guilty verdict. As mentioned in 1 & 2, Barry would probably be thrown into a meta prison out of fear. Sure Barry has his fans among the public and he's truly sorry for his mistakes but The Thinker (who deserves his own blog post on why he's the best Flash villain ever) has done something no villain has ever done which is far more damaging: attacking Barry's reputation. This will be a factor if Barry comes out and the public may more likely turn against him.

So if The Flash is the new "Superman" is the Thinker the new "Brainiac"?

   Now I know some may have asked what about Barry getting a key to the city and getting his own holiday? Wasn't he also honored by the president? Politics and public opinion shift like the tide unexpectedly. Individual people are smart sure and would conclude that Barry truly is a good guy who's made mistakes but bends over backwards to try and make something right but a mob would believe the worst. I see more bad than good coming if Barry decides to out himself. 

Game of Thrones: Reunions To Look Forward To

"Stick 'em with the pointy end."

     I can't believe it may be a year until we see Game of Thrones again! 2019?! Until then we can binge the whole series again. But let's talk about the reunions on the way.

"Relax your bow arm."

     Jon will meet up again with Arya and Bran! That's a long awaited reunion. Jon and Arya are obviously close and if Jon will run up and hug Sansa, a sister he's never been tight with, then you know his and Arya's reunion will be extra emotional. Sansa and Jon will have a lot to discuss (argue mostly) but I feel like it will also be strange for Jon to meet the new Stark siblings. Bran and Arya have been through so much horror and death but they can mostly bond on their supernatural experiences. But I'm hoping Bran and Jon don't get any alone time so Bran doesn't drop the Targaryen bomb so soon (though he will so brace yourselves, Jonerys fans). 

"You want to fuck that Stark girl. You just don't want
admit it."

     I don't think anyone's put much thought into this but Tyrion reuniting with Sansa will be interesting mostly because they're still technically married. Though Sansa was married a second time (that one being brutally consummated) some Northmen may still see Sansa as Tyrion's wife if they see the two being so friendly. I feel like Tyrion has always had a soft spot for Sansa. Shae accused him of being in love with her after he called her "a great beauty" and how he was attentive to her. Bronn also accused Tyrion of wanting Sansa. Perhaps Tyrion was always a little in love with Sansa. He admired her emotionally strong spirit not matter how bad the abuse got and as Tyrion mentioned he's always had a soft spot for broken things. Sansa has healed for the most part and is stronger for it though she may be apprehensive on meeting back up with Tyrion. She did leave him holding the suspected murder bag. However, Tyrion doesn't blame Sansa at all. It's just not in his nature to hold a grudge (against some people; anyone who doesn't hold a grudge against Cersei is either mentally ill or never met her). So will the reunion be romantic in any way? So far it's mostly speculation.

"Kingslayer. Oathbreaker."

    Jaime is riding North to help fight the White Walkers despite his sister's objections and threats of death. Jaime betrayed and murdered Daenerys's father and I would love to get her and Jaime alone to have a one on one. They saw each other in the Dragon Pit but they never exchanged words. Could be Daenerys is focusing on the battle at hand instead of old grudges. But that doesn't mean it may be smooth between them if they find themselves in closer quarters without all the pomp and ceremony. Daenerys understands that her father was an evil mad man who was going to burn a million innocent people and more to keep the throne so maybe she won't be entirely hateful towards the Kingslayer and see that there's a real honorable man deep down. I want to see them have this conversation, I feel it will be emotionally rich and poignant for each character. Jaime will have Brienne and Tyrion to vouch for him and he did break with Cersei to come all the way down there to help them. I don't know if Jaime is bringing any army with him given that Cersei is now the Head of House Lannister with his desertion.  But still Jaime's gesture of honor should be good enough for the Dragon Queen not to torch him.

"I never had a friend before."

    Jon and Sam haven't seen each other for a while now and they'll have a lot to talk about. But I'm also reluctant for them to have that conversation where he backs up Bran's claims with evidence of Jon's legitimacy and his real name. This reveal may tear apart new alliances or make new ones. But what may really be awkward is Sam meeting the woman who burned his father and brother alive. Sam still doesn't know his father and brother are dead making him the new Head of House Tarly. Randall Tarly was a jerk (more than a jerk) but Dickon wasn't a bad guy. And Jon is sleeping with the woman who killed them. So yeah... some more awkwardness to go around... Either way everyone's loyalty will be tested. The Northmen and the Vale may turn away from Jon if Sam and Bran tell everyone. Knowing Jon he'll blurt it out the day after he finds out (after brooding about it of course) and cause upheaval. The North is distrustful of the South most of all the Targaryens. If Jon outs himself as a Targaryen his allies may turn away from him leaving them all vulnerable.


     I know one thing is certain: The White Walkers are coming with undead giants and a dragon and so all the chaos about Jon's heritage may take a back seat to the final battle.  

   

Game of Thrones: Consequences of Daenerys and Jon Snow

    

A fairytale story... of a man falling in love with his
long lost aunt... Ok not a classic fairytale...

  Season 7 was like a fan fiction (except for that Arya & Sansa storyline that was done poorly). The biggest thing to happen this season is the long awaited Jonerys hook up. Despite the groans and obvious objections like they're aunt and nephew Jon and Daenerys still have great on screen chemistry and a powerful attraction to each other. But eventually Bran is going to tell Jon about his true origins so what kind of consequences will there be after the Jonerys hook up. 

Jon is great with kids; especially the big and scaly ones

1. Incest. Yes they're related. We keep saying it. No need to go deep into that until later.

Rhaeger couldn't have two wives? He had
to divorce one?

2. Jon is really the legitimate heir to the Iron Throne being that his parents married. Being a boy he would be ahead of Daenerys. 

You know when Jon invites you into a cave you're in for
6 inches of Snow

3. Both Jon and Daenerys will face emotional and personal consequences after discovering that not only are they related but that they are rivals for the Iron Throne. Daenerys thought she was the last Targaryen and Jon thought he was a Northern Bastard unable to inherit (despite the fact he was named King in the North). 

That moment you wonder: "Did I back the right monarch
or just support another mad queen?"

    So why was Tyrion lurking outside Dany's door? Some hint at a love triangle but it was more like concern. Tyrion's perceptive and knew that eventually Jon or Daenerys would act on their feelings for one another and to him there are more set backs to this. Jon and Daenerys are both rulers and the romantic feelings they have for each other may affect their decisions in the future. Something that seems strategic could be overlooked because it puts one of them in danger or a decision may benefit one monarch but royally screw the other. He is right. Also when Daenerys finds out she has a blood relative living as well as a rival for her throne she won't want to share and may see Jon as a threat.

Drogon: "Mom, I like my new Dad."

    Another consequence is the North won't be happy with Jon when he gets there. They named him their king and though they were ready to name Sansa the Queen in his long absence they prefer a Northern Monarch to Southern Rule which has caused them nothing but pain and suffering over the decades. They won't just bend the knee to Daenerys on Jon's word. Also since the White Walkers brought down the Wall and are on the move with a zombie dragon Daenerys will be pissed that she let Jon convince her to leave her other dragons behind. Jon may know cunnilingus but everything else he seems to know very little. 

Daenerys: I can't have children.
Jon: *Challenge accepted*

     However there are also some pros to this situation. Jon already bended the knee to Daenerys so one may sight that as him giving up any kind of crown to her including the Iron Throne. The Targaryens have been practicing incest marriages for centuries and while it has led to some downsides in this case it could be more beneficial. For one thing Dany thinks she's barren. If she dies before Jon then the kingdom will have an heir. Or maybe what the witch said was total bull shit and Dany can have children in which case still the Targaryen line will continue. Second of all, it would bring two warring houses together and like Dorne bring the North back into the fold. 

Some romantic music should be playing right now...
What music do you play for an incest hook up? Alternative Rock?

    Another thing is that strong romantic feelings don't just go away. Jon and Daenerys have been giving each other heavy burning looks of longing ever since that cave. Jon is honest when it comes to his feelings and he may have chosen the Night's Watch over Ygritte he may opt to do the opposite and hope he and his aunt paramour can work it out. Like Jaime said infamously in season 3: "We don't get to choose who we love." Daenerys thought she was the last one of her House to survive but finding another relative may make her happy though conflicted. I still hold out hope for them even though romances don't have a great track record in Game of Thrones. 

Game of Thrones: "Beyond The Wall" Discussion

   As we head towards the end of season 7 (meaning there will be only 6 episodes left in the entire series). I wanted to discuss the consequences of "Beyond The Wall". 

Hopefully no more Starks die but I won't hold my breath

Arya & Sansa Feud

    I just wanted to get this out of the way, I think this argument between Sansa and Arya makes no sense and worse it's boring. Both characters have been through hell and Sansa has grown up quite a bit; perhaps being the most emotionally strong of the Starks. And Sansa's right, she won the Battle of the Bastards and Arya probably wouldn't have survived what Sansa went through. Arya's anger at Sansa is undeserved. Arya is blaming Sansa for something that was out of both of their control. Robb and Catelyn never once believed Sansa was writing that letter of her own volition.

Arya: "I've read you emails."

    Arya's pretty badass but she doesn't seem to understand there are other ways to fight. I'm reminded of Obara's story of when Oberyn came to get her and take her to Sunspear: "In Dorne, we choose our weapons, boy or girl. He pointed to my mother's tears then to the spear." Obara chose the spear. Arya most likely would have chosen the same weapon while Sansa would have chosen tears. Sansa understands that to play the Game of Thrones one has to be subtle and work with people not just kill those that piss you off. 

I also have a younger sister but we're not
as dysfunctional as these two

    It could be that Arya has spent too much time with psychopathic killers like the Hound and the Faceless Men. But there were times where Arya was a wolf among lions and she got to see that her enemies weren't as black and white as she thought. Tywin actually treated her kindly despite her pretending to be a low born girl (that he quickly figured was really a high born girl but luckily didn't guess which one). He let her speak freely quite a bit and even opened up about his father revealing some vulnerability. Then Arya formed a dysfunctional bond with the Hound as he told her about how his brother pushed his face into the fire. And more recently when Arya shared a camp fire with Lannister soldiers who weren't the bloodthirsty beasts we've come to see them as. Just because they serve an evil family doesn't mean they themselves are that way. There's a theory that the sisters are secretly working together to out wit Littlefinger and I hope that's true because this argument over who's responsible for Ned's death (it's Joffrey duh) is boring and feels pointless.

"You don't look much like your dad..."

Easter Eggs Beyond The Wall

      Jon and his band of "Avengers" trek beyond the Wall to catch a Wight Walker and bury some hatchets as well as have some profound conversations. My favorites were when Tormund and Jon talk about Daenerys's terms to help if Jon bends the knee. Tormund pointed out how many Wildlings Mance could have saved if he had bent the knee to Stannis. Then the big Easter Egg was when Beric pointed out: "You don't look much like him. Your father, I mean. Perhaps you favor your mother." That's true on so many levels! Jon looks like neither of his fathers (his foster father Ned and his biological father Rhaegar who had the signature silver blond hair that would have given Jon away immediately) but he most likely favors his mother Lyanna Stark with her dark looks so it was easy for Jon to be passed off as Ned's bastard. This is just another teaser closer to Jon finding out his true parentage which may well happen in the Season 7 finale.

Since you're getting the girl you might as well get
the sword too

     Possible foreshadowing: Jon and Daenerys may have children together. In the episode Jon tried to give his sword Long Claw back to Jorah Mormont who gave it right back saying: "It belongs to you now and to your children long after you." In another scene, Tyrion tries to discuss a succession after Daenerys dies which angers her. Daenerys has said repeatedly that she can't have children so it's only natural to discuss a succession but it's a sore subject for Dany and she dismisses Tyrion. Tyrion has a good point though: if Daenerys dies before claiming the Iron Throne then what? But really could this be a foreshadowing? Jon has mentioned that he didn't want children because they would have been bastards like him and he didn't want anyone to suffer that kind of stigma but as we've discovered Jon is actually legitimate. Dany told Jon on the boat that her dragons are the only children she will ever have as if saying if we hook up don't expect any kids. I feel like it's setting us up for a huge surprise by the end of the series.

AILF: Aunt I'd Like to Fuck
NILF: Nephew I'd Like to Fuck... 

 Jonerys: A Sure Thing

     I know a lot of people are grossed out that Jon and Daenerys are really aunt and nephew and that they shouldn't hook up but forget about our real world taboos. First off, the Targaryens have been wedding brother and sister for centuries as well as uncles with nieces. It makes political sense to keep others from trying to claim the throne. Ancient Egypt and Ancient Sumeria employed the same logic for their royal family. Second, Jon and Daenerys didn't grow up together or share the same house hold; they're total strangers so it's kinda less weird.

When Jon brings you into a cave you're in for
6 inches of Snow

    Besides, Jon and Daenerys have been giving each other such thirsty looks it would be disappointing if they didn't hook up. What better way to bring the North and the South together as well as two warring houses together than to marry Jon and Dany: the last 2 Targaryens. Since Jon is legitimate he has a stronger claim to the Iron Throne than his aunt which may cause another Dance of Dragons. The Dragons (well Drogon so far) seem to respond well to Jon so he could ride Rhaegal and be an equal match for the Dragon Queen. And if Dany really can't have children then no incest babies and Dany could feel better about choosing a successor. So it makes sense for Jon and Daenerys to end up together.

Y'all are f**ked now

   Ice Dragon!

        Oh my God! Fans have been discussing the possible existence of an ice dragon and now it seems they're getting their wish! Although it means the third Dragon Head prophesied by Rhaegar in Dany's vision in the House of the Undying in the books is actually evil it's still amazing! Also sad at the same time. I haven't been this broken up over a character death (even if it is a dragon) since Ned Stark (glad to know I can still feel after 7 years of watching this show). But what kind of powers does a zombie dragon have? Can Viserion blow ice? Or just blue fire (which incidentally is actually hotter than yellow fire)? The Wall has magic spells weaved into it's foundation but the Wight Walkers are closer than ever. Is Viserion the key to breaking through? So many possibilities! And is Uncle Benjen really dead or did the writers just kill off an important character (who could have fit on that horse by the way)? We may never know unless Benjen reappears.

Good Dragon...

     After the season 7 finale there will be only 6 episodes left in the series and I hope it's a happy ending or at least gives fans some closure.

Game of Thrones: Game of Fashion (Sansa & Margery)

   Fashion can reflect a character's personality or project a message they are trying to send. The fashion of the characters in Game of Thrones (mostly the women) has evolved to match their personalities, moods, and the messages they are trying to send. I will be doing a series of blogs on this subject. To start I will examine Sansa Stark and Margery Tyrell.

  Sansa Stark

   Sansa Stark (played by Sophie Turner) has really evolved these past 7 seasons. She went from innocent powerless girl to a more mature young woman ready to play the game of thrones. At the start of the series Sansa wore simple cotton fabrics with cute designs stitched on. She's really skilled in sewing and mostly makes her own clothes. This shows creativity and industry. But like an insecure teenage girl Sansa often wore what everyone else wore, imitating their style in an attempt to fit in.

    Sansa has pale skin and auburn hair so her colors are often pale or blue, gray and even mauve as a color palette. By the end of Season 1, Sansa started dressing like a Southern Lady and wearing silk dresses with overflowing sleeves and simple gold belts and accessories. She's to be the future queen consort but she's not as ostentatious as Cersei which made her unthreatening to the Queen Mother. I feel that's why Cersei "took it easy" on poor Sansa. "Little Dove" was mostly a chide at Sansa's meek character which more often annoyed Cersei but other times she felt a bit bad for her so in quiet moments the nickname had some degree of pity. 

    Season 3, Sansa's look became more in line with the Northern style. She wore her hair down instead of in that fancy roll and pig tails. She wore the Southern style of dress but nothing too bright or colorful. The somber colors of dark powder blue, silver, and mauve reflected her somber mood being a prisoner in King's Landing now tossed aside to be used as a pawn for the Lannisters. Her wedding dress was a mixture of grey and gold. Grey for the Starks and Gold for the Lannisters but the stitching on the dress was lions showing that the Lannisters now owned Sansa completely. 

     Sansa's accessories varied from dragonflies to lions. Dragonflies symbolize change and the change and change in the perspective of self realization, the kind of change that has its source in mental and emotional maturity and the understanding of the deeper meaning of life. Sansa begins to realize the harsh reality of her situation when Joffrey beheads her father. She realizes he's not a kind charming prince but a monster and that those kinds of romances are fairytales. She would wear the Lannister Lion necklace but to me it was like putting a collar on Sansa by the Lannisters who held her prisoner. She was theirs to command. She didn't wear the necklace again until her marriage to Tyrion. Sansa then creates a hard outer shell trying to be a "good" girl for Joffrey to escape his punishment and even after he abuses her she stands up and walks with her head held high only to cry in private. She doesn't wear the wolf symbol as for a while it was a source of shame as well as a target on her back. The Starks were seen as rebels and traitors defying their king and so to wear even a hint of Stark color or symbolism was a mark of death. When Margery informs Sansa that she was betrothed to Loris, Sansa shows her gratitude by changing her hair style to match Lady Margery. She stops however when she she's told that she's to marry Tyrion. 

    By the end of season 4 and a bit during season 5, Sansa makes a dress using Raven feathers and uses dark fabrics. She's dressed as a mocking bird, the sigil of House Baelish. She feels she has found a true champion in Littlefinger who killed her Aunt Lysa when she tried to hurl Sansa through the Moon Door in a jealous rage and who also killed Joffrey to protect her and to avenge Catelyn's death. Sansa even wears the same kind of cloak as Littlefinger and dyed her hair to help herself blend in. Yet once she is abandoned by Baelish to a cruel husband Sansa abandons these colors. As far as accessories Sansa wears a necklace that resembles the Phi symbol with a needle hanging on the end of a chain. The needle is Sansa's weapon, her ability to create an identity to suit her environment but still a hold on her old identity as a Stark girl. The Phi symbol is the Golden Ratio, a symbol of harmony, creativity, and balance. Sansa feels she found that with Lord Baelish but the illusion shatters when she is forced to flee Ramsay.

     Her wedding dress in Season 5 was interesting. It was white a symbol of purity and innocence and on Sansa's dress were the sigils of her mother's House Tully, the fish. I found it curious that she should use Catelyn's sigil for her wedding and perhaps it's an echo of the Red Wedding. The Houses Tully and Stark have both suffered for and at weddings. She still doesn't wear the wolf even though she has returned home. The Stark Wolf is still a dangerous symbol to parade around. Sansa would rather associate herself with Tully perhaps? A fish seems much less threatening to a skinned man than a wolf and Sansa wants to project an air of innocence to make herself seem nonthreatening which has been her strategy to gage pity from others and from her abusers who might leave her alone for the most part. Of course that didn't work.

    Season 6 and 7 we see Sansa take up the wolf sigil of her house to show her Stark pride. No longer ashamed of who she is or where she comes from Sansa dresses like a Northern Lady. She stitched the wolf into her gown and even imprinted the Stark sigil on a leather belt for Jon in the fashion of their father's Lordly furs. She now seeks to honor her house and avenge her slain relatives though she is still new to the game and may make mistakes that will hurt Jon and his cause. And she wears the Phi symbol again perhaps because she is attempting harmony with her half brother Jon Snow as they try to rule the North together.

Margery Tyrell

   Margery Tyrell (played by Natalie Dormer) is a rose with thorns hidden beneath her petals. She is Cersei-Light. She's ambitious but seems to have more compassion. Margery seeks to use charm and persuasion rather than through fear or brute force and she obtains the results with better fortune. She wears bright summer/spring colors and the colors of her house green and gold. Blue, green, gold, and grey: Blue, grey and green when she was married to Renly Baratheon to perhaps make herself seem more demure or mature so that she may be taken seriously as a queen or perhaps grey was a storm color as Baratheon hails from the Stormlands and Margery's outfits were to convey her house's allegiance to House Baratheon that claims descent from the gods of wind and sea. 

     Margery's style of dress is quite provocative and revealing. She's not afraid to use all of her physical charms to achieve her goals. Like a deadly flower her beauty distracts from her ulterior political motives. This show of skin evokes jealousy from Cersei who is threatened by the young beauty. As far as accessories go Margery sports the Tyrell Rose in most of her gowns. One rose was rose gold, a combination of red and gold to combine her royal status with her sexual energy which she uses to advance her political career. 

     When she married into the House Baratheon, Margery sported the antlers of the Baratheon Stag on her silver crown. Silver is a feminine metal, malleable and perhaps a call to the moon goddess of Greek myth Artemis goddess of the wild and tamer of wild beasts, the virgin huntress who's symbol is also the stag. Margery is no virgin but she does seem to be a skilled huntress when it comes to marriage and the throne and could tame even a mad lion such as Joffrey. She is anything but weak and adapts to her surroundings accordingly to remain in power.

    In season 6, Margery is stripped of her finery and given a simple cotton shift of a peasant. It was meant to strip her of her identity but Margery remained strong. She remained cool and calculating for the most part, testing the waters on occasion and plan accordingly for her next move. Then when she was freed from the Black Cells her fashion sense became much more conservative. No skin at all and her colors are darker and less flashy to match the religious climate that had taken hold of the city. Her crown was gold with stag horns but the Tyrell rose resting on the front in rose gold. Gold is more of a masculine metal. Margery wanted to show her commitment to her husband and the faith (however hollow) by completely changing her fashion sense. Yet still the rose forever symbolized Margery's true personality. "Growing Strong" was her motto as well as her family's as Margery lived by that code to be a rose, sweet and beautiful but beneath her petals and leaves were sharp thorns of intellect and winter may come but spring always followed and the rose always returned with it. Margery adapted and tried to weather the storm but in the end she still lost.

    Margery has fallen but Sansa still lives. I'll miss Margery's wit and fashion sense most of all. Next blog post will be about Cersei Lannister and Danaerys Targaryen.