Game of Thrones

[CommanderTMugler]

They changed some small details overall but nothing major, in the books Sansa then Cersei are engaged to Willas, the true heir to Highgarden but he's never mentioned on TV. It wasn't Loras who spilled the beans, let alone in a one night stand (though it made for an overdue same sex scene).

For a second I thought Loras and his squire would add in new same sex storyline but that was demolished in a minute, as well as Loras' devotion to Renly along with his main quote "“When the sun has set, no candle can replace it” that went on for a while in the books.

I have a bit of resentment against that since I would have loved to see Renly's story develop for a bit longer. Him getting killed by a random shadow was so amateur and not up to par with the rest of the other deaths in the series.

 

[Phuel]

Beric was a medieval Jedi Master, with his medieval lightsaber

I thought Witch King of Angmar...

Too much talking. If I wanted all that talking, I'll read Henry Miller's Rosy Crucifixion trilogy.

Loved that fiery duel! Apparently, it's all real fire-- no CGI. Finally, some action worthy of the world they live in. And Arya losing it when the Hound won and she went after him with someone's dagger. She is a fearless and ferocious little cub! I'm adoring her more and more-- the actress is amazing; she can communicate with so much emotion in just one word. Maisie is simply spellbinding to watch, unlike the adults with their overindulgent scenes that go on and on-- jeez.

I loved Cersei's cocky evil/sexy grin throughout her meeting with her brother and father. She is just so wickedly sexy-- until her father flipped it on her and she's vulnerable, desperate, pained, fragile-- she's human after all. I adore her as much as I do Arya; she's like a deadlier version of Lady MacBeth. Now she's in the same predicament as Tyrion. Looks like they'll have to bond to get through/out of this...

 

[Shiru]

Haha I didn't get vulnerable, desperate, pained, or fragile from that scene.

I think the point of that scene was to make both Tyrion and Cersei look like petulant brats.

 

[Phuel]

^^^How could you be so heartless!

I don't think the show would want to show their star Tyrion as a petulant brat. Just my take, of course.

Now, I don't care much for Tyrion nor Peter... but he's never come across bratty or petulant and Peter is smart enough to never play Tyrion this way; Tyrion knows very well despite his privileges, he'll always be known as the imp. I thought he was trying to weasel his way out of the marriage, but he definitely knows his father will always have the best of him so resorting to a petulant behavior would only fall on deaf ears. As for Cersei, she was begging her father like a little girl "Not again-- please!" all the while dad beats her down even further with the "disgusting" rumor of her and Jaime... He is a merciless tyrant to his children. Maybe it's just me that's got a soft spot for her, but that desperation at that moment was all too obvious. In any case, the daddy-issue is so beyond therapy for these two! Good thing Cersei failed at having Tyrion killed-- otherwise, she'd be on her on now on this...

 

[Shiru]

Well my interpretation of Tyrion's "weaseling" and Cersei's "pleading like a little girl" is acting like petulant brats.

And I mean "petulant brats" in more of a lighthearted manner. The looks on their faces after being rebuked by daddy (yet again), especially Cersei's face changing so quickly from smug to shock to upset, is priceless.

 

[Larek]

without spoiling too much, they say from episode 1 "winter is coming". Now 3 seasons in, when is winter coming? Has it happened in the books and if so around when?
Thanks

 

[efilipa]

Yes, it already happened in the books and if I'm not mistaken winter started in the second book when the citadel send white ravens to all the great lords (that is the sign that the winter officially started). However the weather didn't change that fast and there was a brief autumn before the snow storms started in the north and now there are going south, in a dance with dragons ( the last edited book) it's snowing in Kings Landing.
Btw, summer and winter last for years in Westeros, so really long winters have tragic consequences.

 

[CommanderTMugler]

I loved the scene between Lady Olenna and Tywin Lannister.

Also Arya about to drag Malissandre was great!

 

[Phuel]

I think this was one of the strongest, most intense episodes despite the lack of any physical action of the season. Winter storm's here. All the players are in place and making their move-- casualties will be enormous. Poor, poor Ros.

Arya has become my favorite player in this Game of Thrones. She has balls of iron. She doesn't need her dire wolf-- she is one. Why do I get the feeling she will be rescuing Gendry?

That climb to the Wall was beautiful; cinematic and the VFX are supreme. First rate.

heelscatchfire: When you hinted there will be someone who will make Joffrey seem like a pussycat, were you referring to the Rob Thomas-lookalike torturing Theon? I don't know if anyone can top Joffrey's getting off on what he did to Ros...

 

[heelscatchfire]

^ Poor Ros!! Yea I don't know about that, it is hard to top Joffery's actions. That came out of an interview I read with the writers/author, I can't remember. I don't even know what is happening to Theon or his captors.

I adora Arya, you are so right, she does have balls of iron. To confront Melisandre! Its interesting that she said Arya had a darkness in her. I hope nothing bad happens to Gendry, I've started to really like him and Arya as a duo.

The Lady Olenna and Tywin Lannister scene was priceless.

I wish we had seen Tyrion tell Sansa about their betrothal.

The climbing of the wall was beautiful, Jon and Ygritte at the top

Its getting close to the end so the next episodes are going to be really intense. Each episode has been so on point. Its hands down the best season of Game of Thrones.

 

[Littleathquakes]

Ros - previous tortured by Joff, tortured by Cersei when she thought Ros was Shae, and now Joff again. My stomach turned when that came up.

Good lord I think I'm going to be sick when the Queen of Thorns scenes stop. She's really fun to watch and even though she lost that fight with Tywin, she was still fantastic.

That scene on top of the wall was soooooo good!

 

[oh me]

I can't stand Littlefinger, such an annoying character.

No Dany in this episode, but that's just fine, we had quite good moments with her in the last episodes.

Yeah, I agree about the climbing scene. Well done.

 

[Phuel]

^ Poor Ros!! Yea I don't know about that, it is hard to top Joffery's actions. That came out of an interview I read with the writers/author, I can't remember. I don't even know what is happening to Theon or his captors.

Oh OK-- I thought the "other" sociopath was confirmed. GUess Joffrey is still the bestest psychopath in all 7 Kingdoms! The fact that he did his snuff not in the dungeon, or some remote tower, but right there in his bedchamber, is all kinds of disturbing.

Just pure speculation, but when Melisandre prophesied that Arya would take out forever the green, blue and brown eyes (of her enemies? Joffrey and Cersei has blue eyes... but who has brown and green eyes? Or is she just generalizing to mean Arya will kill many...?

Except for the Theon part (Which is becoming tiresome unless it actually leads somewhere-- with "Boy" revealed to be someone of importance?), each storyline in this episode led to the next one-- and they covered quite a few. Every word, every action moved the stories along so seamlessly; Starting with that charming scene with Sam and the hick, and concluding with Littlefinger's cautionary and chilling declaration of his ascension to the throne. Just amazing. He is very good at this game, but it will be satisfying to see him finally go down-- hopefully courtesy of Dany.

On a purely light note, those Freys are such ugly people they may as well be a family of carnival folks. They look like the little goblins in Disney's Sleeping Beauty.

 

[valeryblack]

What's the deal with Theon ? Until now his scenes don't seem to have any other purpose except churning my stomach.

And also, what was with Littlefinger's speech that they agreed to tell eachother the lie about the iron throne ??? i guess that's what i get for not reading the books...

Amazing episode all in all, though I missed Dany

 

[Phuel]

^^^ Littlefinger's respond to Valyrs when Valyrs declared that everything he does, he does for the realm, the Iron Throne, etc. was more a spit in the face of idol-worship and tradition: These things are only illusions to Littlefinger. He wants to dominate and rule for himself, not for the gods, the realm, for the myth of the Iron Throne. Littlefinger is very much a realist.

 

[chickadee]

Except for the Theon part (Which is becoming tiresome unless it actually leads somewhere-- with "Boy" revealed to be someone of importance?), each storyline in this episode led to the next one-- and they covered quite a few.

I don't know if you want to be spoiled or not, but I'll just say that Boy is revealed to be somewhat of importance. He becomes a pretty significant character. And the torture scenes define Theon's progression as a character. Besides that, Iwan Rheon is an amazing actor and dare I say engaging on Heath Ledger a la the Joker level proportions. At least to me.

Also, not trying to be a prick or anything Phuel, but the character's name is Varys. And while I loved the scene between him and Littlefinger (their interactions are always gold), but I don't consider Littlefinger a realist. Look at how he came into Cat's tent after all but handing her husband over to be executed, and then expecting her to run off with him? That's hardly a person who is in tune with the world. I think he's self-serving and narcissistic, and so gods and the realm don't really fit in with his world view because that means doing something for somebody else, possibly at the risk of (gasp) receiving nothing in return. But that's just my perspective of him.

 

[heelscatchfire]

^ I do think Littlefinger is narcissistic, he only wants what's going to allow him to dominate. His character will do anything to get to the top and we see that in his backstory. We know that he came from nothing to being a prominent council member and even creating his own sigil. Oh and he has some fascination with Cat that had extended to Sansa.. I can't wait to see what happens with that in the books.


I'm pretty sure Brienne fights the bear in the next episode!

 

[Phuel]

LOL, thanks for the correction chickadee: So many names, and I only watch the episodes once and don't read the books, so Valyrian(?), Varys, The Vales(?)... all begin to bleed into one another for me.

I'm convinced Littlefinger and Varys are the only realists in this game: They're practical, scheming, don't let their egos get in their way, thorough, know their place, biding their time and carefully methodical. More importantly, they both know they can't rely on anyone to get where they want to be. Littlefinger is grounded in reality that he is very self-serving-- and not pretending to do it for any greater cause. His relationship with Varys seems to be the most honest of all his relationships, maybe only relationship, actually. They are a weirdly ideal match for one another in away.

 

[Littleathquakes]

Oh there are more realists in the game. Not sure if you'll see them this season or the next, but we're getting close to seeing some realness alright.

 

[chickadee]

I know what you mean, Phuel. There's also a lot of people to keep up with and it's easy to get confused. I agree with you totally about Varys, though. I do think he's very much a realist, as are most of the (successful) players in this game like Olenna and Tywin. I just cannot stand Littlefinger, and I can't see him as anything beyond a despicable prick. And I usually don't have a problem with morally gray characters (I love Jaime, Varys, and Tywin), but for some reason LF gets under my skin.