Damon Griffin |
I had mixed feelings about the arena scene. Outnumbered and surrounded, the Unsullied dropping as readily as the Sons of the Harpy, it quickly became clear that the only thing that could save Daenerys was
so it was almost anticlimactic when it happened. The final scene was impressive, though. Bound to increase Daenerys's prestige.
Meanwhile, back in The North...Davos is going to be piiiiiissed when he finds out what Melisandre convinced Stannis to do. Too bad he's too much of a "my king, right or wrong" to break with Stannis on principle.
Either due to a change in actors or to a faulty memory on my part, I failed to recognize the armored perv that caught Arya's attention this episode. Someone on her List, presumably?
Marc Radle |
I thought it was a pretty great episode. I'm certainly psyched for next week's finale!
I have not read any of the books, so I have a few questions:
So, does this mean that
Also, I gather that Daenerys
I tend to place Daenerys and Tyrion among my favorite characters, so I'm very curious what lies in store for them ...
Hitdice |
I thought it was a pretty great episode. I'm certainly psyched for next week's finale!
I have not read any of the books, so I have a few questions:
So, does this mean that
** spoiler omitted **Also, I gather that Daenerys
** spoiler omitted **I tend to place Daenerys and Tyrion among my favorite characters, so I'm very curious what lies in store for them ...
The scene with Drogon in the arena takes place earlier the book. There's at least one scene where Selmy (still alive) is running the city in Danys' name, while the nobles argue that she's portably dead, from being eaten or dropped by Drogon, and he thinks, "I'm pretty sure she was riding that dragon, and Targaryens don't really fall off of dragons." The book ends with a Dany POV section at Drogon's lair out in the Dothraki plains, where Danys says, "The Dothraki really didn't respect me after Khal Drogo died, but I bet a big huge dragon changes their minds."
Hitdice |
1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Just for looks, I think; having Jon show up at the head of the refugee wildings, and get into a 700 foot staring contest with Ser Allister Thorne to open the gate, is much more dramatic than just showing up in Castle Black's courtyard. Speaking of whom, I love what they've done with Thorne this season. It seems like his loyalty to the Watch outweighs his hate of Jon, which, when you've established him as such a sonofab++#~, is character development gold.
Then again, (and you'll know what this means if you know what it means) "For the Watch!"
Hitdice |
I am thinking that we will need a 3 hour episode to wrap up the stuff they need to, cause I am not seeing a single hour being able to do it.
I'm not saying you're wrong, but I was pretty impressed with how concise the Hardhome scene was. They could have made it a single scene episode ala episodes 9 of season 2 and 4 (The Battle of Blackwater and the Battle of the Wall, in case I've got the numbering wrong), but instead . . .
Episode 8 had new characters (all the wildings who spoke at the negotiation), new information (it's been mentioned as lore in the books, but I think this is the first time valerian steel killing the others just like dragonglass has been introduced as a concept) and plot points (the Night's King [thanks for the info, BNW, I'd forgotten] isn't just some weirdo who transforms sacrificed Craster-sons, he's a dude with an agenda, and probably the BBEG of the whole series).
The TV adaptation did all that in a half hour or so. D&D (and their staff of writers, fine) do a very pithy adaptation. I really wouldn't put it past them to cram a lot into the season finale.
At that point, the TV show's plot development will be very close to that of the books. How much they can fit into a single episode depends on the pacing, but I think there's room for a dragon riding Khaleesi in the hour I've just described. :P
I mean, I'd be perfectly satisfied to watch a 3 hour season finale, I just don't have enough popcorn in the house. :)
MannyGoblin |
I think a perfect punishment for Stannis is getting castrated by his wife so even if he wins, his new kingsom ends with his death.
Of course, this being Westeros, this is perfectly acceptable for someone who wants to win.
I'd much rather have the Dorne section cut so we could have a somewhat tense scene of Ramsey doing his snow-ninja schtik.
Werthead |
Either due to a change in actors or to a faulty memory on my part, I failed to recognize the armored perv that caught Arya's attention this episode. Someone on her List, presumably?
Ser Meryn Trant, one of the Kingsguard. Amongst his claims to fame were beating up Sansa on Joffrey's orders and killing Syrio Forel, Arya's sword-fighting teacher in Season 1 (which is why she's particularly keen to avenge him).
MannyGoblin |
Ya know, I somehow think it would be appropriate for Dany to be just as insane as her brother but it ended up being hidden better since she has better handlers. The only one who can see it is Tyrion since he had to deal with Joffery.
"When a Taeygereon(sp) is born, the gods flip a coin, but the coin has two heads.'
People have said that Dany makes a lot of mistakes due to being young and inexperienced but that only goes far. She switches methods when the first doesn't work(Merciful? How about harsh? Marry a noble!)
There is also bloodthirstiness showing with her public execution and feeding a master to a dragon. She asks for advice and then goes with the one who strokes her ego the most.
As for Stannis, I do hope Davos turns against him. Take the black and just leave all the dung behind.
MannyGoblin |
Martin has said that actions have consequences, so we'll see what Happens to Stannis. I think it would be appropriate thing is that Mel discovers that it is Jon who is the chosen one and drops Stannis like he was plutonium. Davos takes the black, Selyse abandons Stannis.
MannyGoblin |
Well the whole 'The North Remembers' got boiled down to one easily disposed of old woman. No Stoneheart or Frey pie so I think if Ramsey and Roose go down, it will be due to holding the villain ball in a death grip. Although I wouldn't be surprised that they survive longer.
I really hope Tyrion can get the rest of the unsullied trained to fight with things other than spears. I mean they are still fighting like infantry in a city where they get their butts kicked hard.
BigNorseWolf |
Knoq Nixoy wrote:the funniest part is when the Hound comments on Syrio, the greatest swordsman, killed by Merryn f TrantSpeaking of Syrio, that swordsman that Jorah squared off against must surely have been Braavosi.
Yes. It was a theme fight: Fights from around the world! Westerosi knight vs bravosi vs merenese spear fighter vs summer islander halberder (like hota) vs Dothraki?
MannyGoblin |
public execution is a normal thing in Westeros and Essos. I think the time Dany spends questioning what she should do and what she has done I think provides solid evidence she isn't crazy.
Also...I think Davos knew deep down what was going to happen when he left.
Well, I think Dany has too much plot armor for a series that is big on subverting/disconstructing the standard tropes where honorable Ned outwits his enemies and saves King's Landing instead of losing his head. Dany needed either better character growth or actually have things up up where she either,
1.Ends up dead
2.So utterly outmaneuvered by the guilds,masters and other groups that she finds herself married and powerless to a major house that yoinks her dragons
Instead of flying off for a journey of self-discovery(and diarrhea.)
BigNorseWolf |
There is magic in this setting.
Bran can actually take over a dire wolf.. or a 7 foot tall Hodor.
Dany's been shown on screen to be fireproof. Not like "Oh look a candle!" but a pretty big bonfire.
Its not remotely implausible that the targaryan link with their dragons includes some form of empathic link, and dorgons been shown (in the show at least twice) to be hanging out in the immediate area.
MannyGoblin |
Agreed, although Martin has said that the funeral pyre was a once time miracle .
Pure speculation, but I am not expecting a huge battle against the WW, the 'Dream of Spring' is just ensuring that the world is no consumed by cold and humanity survives until the Long Winter ends and the Others return to the north. I fully expect a play on the 'Drogan strafes the WW' where after a couple of swoops, the WW pull out bows firing freezing arrows.
BigNorseWolf |
Agreed, although Martin has said that the funeral pyre was a once time miracle .
Pure speculation, but I am not expecting a huge battle against the WW, the 'Dream of Spring' is just ensuring that the world is no consumed by cold and humanity survives until the Long Winter ends and the Others return to the north. I fully expect a play on the 'Drogan strafes the WW' where after a couple of swoops, the WW pull out bows firing freezing arrows.
If i was the white walkers my strategy would be to simply avoid the dragons at all costs, swarm around them and take out their food supply. A stand up fight with those things when your best weapon is a bow is a sure way to die. Your big advantage is a quantity so huge it has a quality all on its own and no need to feed your troops.
Although if you had an undead giant that still have enough brain matter to use one of THOSE bows...
MannyGoblin |
So in the grand tradition of 'I could have done it better.' This is how I believe last episode should have gone down.
Drop the Sand Snake slap-fight
Show Ramsey and his 'Twenty Good Men!' sneaking in and cutting some throats and setting up Wildfire or the like. They hit the food and siege equipment but Ramsey gets smug and wants the horses.
They get discovered and the alarm goes up, the food and engines get lit up and in the chaos Ramsey slips away back to Winterfell. Same resultbut less super ninja Ramsey.
BigNorseWolf |
Pure speculation on what might happen. Ramsey might use the chaos from the siege to kill Fat Walda(no more other heir.) This of course would be horrid not just for Walda's death, but once again showing that Sansa's role is to be brutalized and have her plans childishly defeated.
Ramsay Kills Walda
Bolton Kills Ramsay
Sansa Kills Bolton, blames it on ramsey?
Sansas unborn child becomes warden of the north to both noble houses, and opens the gates to stannis?
Hmmm.. probably doesn't need to be that complicated, she already has the north.
MannyGoblin |
More speculation
Sansa doesn't leave Wintefell regardless of who ends up holding it. remember she learned about Bran and Ricken still being alive from Reek. So if she encounters Brienne, she'll tell Brienne this and send her north tot he Wall to find them.
If Stannis lives, things are more tolerable for Sansa since Stannis, mega arse that he is will at least treat her a whole lot better than Ramsey.