Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • E2

2E SUNDAY, APRIL 14, 2019 ASBURY PARK PRESS You can keep your House- and its multitude of even the small screen holy grail because of is the New Jersiest show in the history of television. The sprawling dark fantasy series, returning to HBO for its eighth and season at 9 tonight, is inspired by the still-running Song of Ice and Fire novel series by Bayonne native author George R.R. Martin. Accordingly, of is imbued with so much of what makes New Jersey, well, New Jersey: Fierce, powerful women with amazing hair? Say hello to Emilia Danerys Targaryen and Lena Lannister. Harscrapple families with their share of internal gripes that present a front to the outside world? the Starks of Winterfell.

Entrenched political corruption? Equally at home in Landing or in Trenton. The New Jerseyness of the whole thing is also found in writing, translated to the small screen by show- runners David and D.B. Weiss. a bittersweet cynicism blended with genuine sentimentality that recalls the work of another Garden State bard, Steely Donald Fagen, who was born in Passaic and grew up in South Brunswick. That vibe is particularly felt in the fan-favorite character of Tyrion Lannis- ter played by Emmy-winner Peter Din- klage, who was born in Morristown and grew up in Mendham.

Martin, now 70, was raised in the First Street housing projects of Bayonne and attended Mary J. Donohoe Elemen- tary School on Fifth Street. Speaking at the Landmark Jersey Theatre in Jersey City in November, Martin discussed how his North Jersey youth was eventually re- in his Song of Ice and Fire saga. He recalled how from his living room window, he could see the twinkling lights of Staten Island and ships from around the world passing through the Kill Van Krull channel, bringing to mind images of Landing, the capital city of the Seven Kingdoms. Martin also on how his own family history, as the descendant of the once-wealthy Brady family which was hit hard by the Great Depression, may have informed the origins of character Danerys Targaryen, herself the heir to a power she is to reclaim.

my stories, I always had this sense that I was disinherited Martin said. Local fans can celebrate the hotly- anticipated return of of in a number of ways. Asbury Festhalle and Biergarten, 527 Lake Asbury Park, will host a Fire and Ice Feast and watch party every Sunday at 7 p.m., featuring a themed dinner at $29 per person plus dessert. The Biergarten is also introducing its Goblet and Horn Club, where patrons can chose from an ox horn drinking mug or dragon goblet. Your $30 purchase in- cludes a pour of house wine or beer, and is for $5 every day until the May 19 series Parties also will include archery, dart-blowing and other revelry.

For more information and to make reserva- tions, visit www.asburybiergarten.com. Further north, the Liberty Science Center in Jersey City will dedicate the April 18 edition of its LSC After Dark adults-only party series. Whiskey in Westeros, running 6 to 10 p.m., will have whiskey tastings, $5 plates of food from local vendors, ex- periments inspired by the series and more. Whiskey is Westeros tickets, $20 and $25 at the door, and more information can be found at lsc.org/explore/ lsc-after-dark. of returns and Jersey is ready Alex Biese Asbury Park Press USA TODAY NETWORK NEW JERSEY Kit Harington as Jon Snow and Emilia Clarke as Daenerys Targaryen in of Season 8.

COURTESY OF HELEN NEW YORK Sophie Turner wore her waterproof mascara. The actress knew there would be a lot of crying. She and the rest of the cast of of descended on Ra- dio City Music Hall on Wednesday to bid farewell to the HBO hit show after eight seasons. very exciting because a whole new chapter of our lives embarking on, but also real- ly sad because this other chapter is closing, and we be able to play these amazing characters said Turner, who plays Sansa Stark. got my waterproof mascara on tonight because I know be a lot of The groundbreaking HBO series, based on the popular book series by George R.R.

Martin, has had crazy twists, eye-popping turns and a mea- sure of fearlessness, like killing main characters. It also has one of the most dynamic battle scenes ever in an episode called of the Pilou Asbaek, who plays Euron Greyjoy, said fans can expect even more of those moments in the last few shows. The last season pre- mieres tonight. going to be a couple of episodes in season 8 which is going to be madness, which is going to be epic, which is going to be the biggest ever seen on Asbaek said. Cast says goodbye to groundbreaking, unpredictable HBO show John Carucci ASSOCIATED PRESS See CAST, Page 10E LOS ANGELES Living in Westeros can really change a person.

Those who survived the seven seasons of of have seen their par- ents, children and even pets stabbed, disemboweled and beheaded. been burned and frozen. lost essential body parts. Some have been through death and back, others the horrors of puberty. Occasionally, been allowed some triumph.

a look at the twisted journeys of some of the characters managed to make it from season one to premiere: Arya Stark From little princess to ruthless assas- sin, few have had a more transforming trip through the seven seasons of of than Arya. Played by Maisie Williams, Arya was a girl of about 11 forced to do needlepoint and other acceptably girlish things while dreaming of swords, war and ad- venture. Be careful what you wish for in Westeros. She saw her father beheaded in season one, had her brother and mother slaughtered at the Red Wedding in season three, and was kidnapped and led through endless, grueling wander- ing. All of it left her hardened and hun- gry for vengeance.

Eventually, she began living her dream of her enemies baking two of them in a pie and is get- ting such a taste for blood that as season eight starts hard to know whether ever stop. Sansa Stark While Arya embraced death and struggle, her big sister Sansa played by Sophie Turner, who has become a star in the franchise only want- ed the life of tea and tiaras she had as a young teen when the show began. Her initial innocence and optimism and subsequent persistence through hu- miliations and violations have made her the great emotional survivor. She was delighted to be betrothed to the son Prince in season one, only to learn he was a vile monster. She was forced into marriages with Tyrion Lannister then Ramsay Bolton, the most sadistic soul on a show full of them.

Ramsay raped her on her wedding night in a season scene that was too much even for many devoted viewers. As season eight begins in a position of power, in charge of her re- claimed family home of Winterfell. Jon Snow know nothing, Jon was a frequent refrain that became a social media meme early in the series. spoken by the Wildling woman Ygritte, who takes virginity and leaves him with some worldly wisdom. (Kit Harington, who plays Snow, and Rose Leslie, who plays Ygritte, later married in real life.) Jon Snow knows a lot more now, and is about to learn a world-shaking truth about his origins as season eight begins.

A bastard brought into the noble northern Stark family and raised by a regal woman who refused to love him, he was sent to serve at the great wall that guards the north, along with delin- quents and other throwaway children. He would quickly rise to become their commander, and reached out to rival clans to the plague of the White Walkers, a growing horde of icy undead. Killed in a mutiny at the end of sea- son he was later brought back to life by a priestess. The lords of the region join to declare him the King in the North, but he leaves to seek allies in the grow- ing White Walker war. Daenerys Targaryen Viewers can tell how far Daenerys has come by the sheer number of names and titles amassed: Daenerys Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, The Princess That Was Promised, and just plain Dany to friends and fans.

When the show began she was treat- ed as a piece of currency, a princess-in- exile married to a barbarian by her calculating brother. Now she is either worshipped, feared or revered by nearly every soul in her world. She brought dragons back from extinction, con- quered kingdoms, freed thousands of slaves, and is on the verge of restoring her dynasty over the Seven Kingdoms of Westeros. But she must alongside Jon Snow. Emilia Clarke, who plays Daenerys, has had some real-life since the show began, two aneurysms and undergoing two brain surgeries.

Bran Stark Bran began the show as a boy barely big enough to use a bow and arrow and is now a seer known as the Three-eyed Crow, who contains the wisdom of mil- lennia, and a secret about Jon Snow that will his family and possibly all of Westeros. His appearance underwent a change nearly as dramatic. Actor Isaac Hempstead Wright, now 19, was 11 when he shot the season, and had a pubescent growth spurt that rendered him virtually unrecognizable within a few seasons. Tyrion Lannister Tyrion Lannister, played by Peter Dinklage, has in many ways been the face of the show since Sean Ned Stark lost his face along with the rest of head, in season one. At he was a wisecracking alco- holic who spent most of his time in brothels.

Now, a wisecracking alco- holic who advises Daenerys Targaryen, would-be queen of the realm. Through constant humiliations and rejections, Tyrion remained loyal to a family that despised him until he bear it anymore, killing his fa- ther, into exile and new life with Daenerys, the biggest threat to the clan renounced. Fire, ice and puberty: how characters have grown Andrew Dalton ASSOCIATED PRESS Isaac Hempstead Wright portraying Bran Stark in of HBO VIA AP female-positive line of T-shirts called of on the show. The Jersey contestants grew up watching the guys on during the re- ality original run from 2009 to 2012 on MTV. was a huge fan of It was the talk of the town, let me tell Holly said.

was in high school. Every- one was going (blanking) crazy over sey It blew up. Some people were outraged because maybe it made Ital- ians who lived in Jersey look bad but you give a DJ Pauly and Vinny, up close and personal, did not disappoint, the Jersey girls said. were everything I expected and Holly said. got to meet then and talk to them on a personal lev- el, especially Vinny.

It was so nice to hear that Vinny is actually very artsy. I was stunned. I was like, Vinny, into art? Yes Holly, how can you not be- lieve that. I had this idea of him, but depth to more to the guys than the hair gel and biceps. two guys were everything I thought be and Derynn said hysterical and what you see on TV do them justice.

just great guys, alone and to- The show was at a mansion in Hollywood last fall. say the other contestants were great, especially the girls from the East Holly said. Coast girls keep it real and I respect that. We keep it real and tell it like it is and that what I like about the Holly was just laid from her job when she was chosen to appear on the show. not an Instagram model.

not an actress. I have 10,000 followers, just a normal girl from Matawan, New Holly said. was not ex- pecting to get chosen and I want to make that clear. I think going to be the most realistic, relatable girl on the show because I was real and I Authenticity is important, said Ma- ria, who previously appeared on You the dating show. think incredibly important to remain true to Maria said.

going to go into that house and going to be scared because going to be so many big person- alities and going to try to out- shine or maybe scurry away into your little shell but the key is to maintain the original person you are. it for however long in there for because that person they need to fall in love Chris Jordan: Twitter: Love Continued from Page 1E Shot At with DJ Pauly Vinny When: 8 p.m. Thursdays Where: MTV.