GAME OF THRONES

[mstrox 6,651]

I actually enjoyed this episode more than the rest of the season.  A combination of some good Clegane action on both fronts, an actual good Arya story for the first time in two years, the Jamie/Brienne meet-up, Bronn and Podrick's exchange.

[KK 3,307]

1 hour ago, Lonnegan said:

Presumably the lack of discussion two days later about episode 8 is a measure of how average it was. Even the return of the guy with the coolest name in Westeros isn't enough to muster a response here! 

 

It was a bit lackluster, yes. But episode 9 looks like the one to bring it home, judging by the teaser at least.

 

26 minutes ago, mstrox said:

I actually enjoyed this episode more than the rest of the season.  A combination of some good Clegane action on both fronts, an actual good Arya story for the first time in two years, the Jamie/Brienne meet-up, Bronn and Podrick's exchange.

 

Jaime and Brienne were good in their scenes together. But the way the Blackfish lost seemed quite underwhelming. Another good actor that doesn't last very long.

 

Arya's storyline went in an even more thoroughly underwhelming direction. We just spent 2 seasons watching her try to lose her identity, all to find that she really hasn't changed that much. Meh.

[Quintus 5,399]

Of course epi 9 will be good

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

There were some good moments, but even as an Arya fan I thought the whole chase scene was unnecesarilly long. With the stomach wound she had and all the falls she took, at the end she walks away like nothing happened. Also I'm not sure what she's gonna do when she goes back to Westeros. Everyone else has an army, how is she even going to reach her targets? 

 

Also Daenerys showing up exactly the moment she's needed, same as Benjen. I guess Dany showing up is not as implausible since she was present in all 6 seasons. Benjen dissapeared in season 1 and suprise, suprise, he conviniently comes back just when Bran is about to get killed. Speaking of which, what happened to Bran? And the Martells?

 

It's a weird season. Season 5 was so-so but I'd dare to sare it was *kinda* consistent. This one has great moments, but they're very sparse, so when the rest is weak or filler, it really shows.

[mstrox 6,651]

The Arya/Braavos storyline was a huge waste of a great character, and whether it went anywhere or not, I'm sure glad it's over.

Oh, and the joke scene with Tyrion and the others was a really nice bit of levity to a show that doesn't have much.

[KK 3,307]

8 minutes ago, Muad'Dib said:

Also Daenerys showing up exactly the moment she's needed, same as Benjen. I guess Dany showing up is not as implausible since she was present in all 6 seasons.

 

What a stupid scene! The way the writers have handled Dany in this season has been frustrating to say the least. It's like they just pop her in every now and then for the all-too-brief "thrill" factor without actually doing anything substantial.

 

What this show needs, is a bold editor(s), who isn't afraid of keeping each episode focused on only 2-3 plotlines/characters.

[Quintus 5,399]

Obviously Arya will get up close and personal to Bastard Bolton and slice his throat. If she doesn't her entire No-Faced God subplot was completely redundant. Then again, it's Game of Thrones. 

[KK 3,307]

I thought it'd be Sansa's job to cut his throat. Arya will have to kill Cersei.

 

For the amount of hype the No-Faced God and his followers got, they really didn't seem to be very good at their job, eh? 

[Quintus 5,399]

Actually you're probably more on the poetic money than I am. It was the "The Arya Stark of Winterfell" part of her defiance which lead me to think she's about to head far north after that. 

[KK 3,307]

True. That's probably where she's headed actually. I'm just not sure what she's going to do there at this point.

 

Without the books to "guide" them, the writers haven't exactly been subtle about bringing all the characters together again.

[Jay 37,374]

She explicitly stated in this episode she wanted to go West of Westeros, didn't she?

[KK 3,307]

She did, but I interpreted that as just wistful thinking. At the end, doesn't she tell Jaqen H'gar she's going home?

[Jay 37,374]

Probably, I don't remember.

 

Her arriving to kill Ramsay does make sense, I suppose.

[Quintus 5,399]

1 hour ago, Muad'Dib said:

Also Daenerys showing up exactly the moment she's needed, same as Benjen. I guess Dany showing up is not as implausible since she was present in all 6 seasons.

 

Daenerys storyline has been awful for years now, after a wonderfully promising beginning. I've practically lost interest in that whole thing happening across the sea with Tyrion, the slavers and the Dothraki. Not bothered what happens there. 

 

But that aspect has not been the worst this season, IMO. 

 

The coup of the Iron Islands by Greyjoy's long lost cousin takes that crown. Their brief scene on the shore which was actually a massive upheaval for all involved and is obviously going to be instrumental in this show's 'end game', for some cringy reason played like one of those town mob scenes we get in South Park in every episode - except this was no cartoon or satire. It felt like some sort of parody, actually. Possibly the lowest point of Game of Thrones so far, for me. Baaaad, baaad writing, better forgotten! 

 

Also, was anyone else a bit disappointed when the origin of the White Walkers was revealed? It was underwhelming because we had up to that point only glimpsed at these 'Children of the Forest' almost two years ago, we knew nothing about them at all really; and yet here we are, learning that they are responsible because of some seemingly daft oversight on their part. What a letdown! 

[KK 3,307]

This sums up exactly how lazily and uninspired the Faceless Men were handled this season:

http://www.vox.com/2016/6/12/11916242/game-of-thrones-season-6-episode-8-recap-arya-stark-no-one

[Jay 37,374]

I love their origin!

It's Tolkien-esque

[Quintus 5,399]

I'm sure it's very satisfying in the book, but the execution of the reveal has not delivered in the tv adaptation. It came out of nowhere, they didn't spend enough time with the Children in a way which ought to have delivered on the great mystery reveal which has long been coming.  

[KK 3,307]

3 minutes ago, Lonnegan said:

The coup of the Iron Islands my Greyjoy's long lost cousin takes that crown. Their brief scene on the shore which was actually a massive upheaval for all involved and is obviously going to be instrumental in this show's 'end game' for some cringy reason played like one of those town mob scenes we get in South Park in every episode - except this was no cartoon or satire. It felt like some sort of parody, actually. Possibly the lowest point of Game of Thrones so far, for me. Baaaad, baaad writing, better forgotten!

 

Indeed! It was comical really. The usurper comes and admits that he killed Balon Greyjoy, and everyone is cool with it. And then once Yasha and Theon escape, he just orders everyone to build 1000 ships, which I'm sure will be all finished by the season's end, give GOT's knack for jumping time...

 

4 minutes ago, Lonnegan said:

Also, was anyone else a bit disappointed when the origin of the White Walkers was revealed? It was underwhelming because we had up to that point only glimpsed at these 'Children of the Forest' almost two years ago, we knew nothing about them at all really; and yet here we are, learning that they are responsible because of some seemingly daft oversight on their part. What a letdown! 

 

I like the origin concept. I don't like how it was all summed up in a 2 minute scene. It robs the Children and the Walkers of the mystery and intrigue we were promised. That's something the show is actually quite guilty of doing and an area where the published books could have helped.

[Jay 37,374]

I haven't read the books, but I like the fact that the Children were living peacefully in Westeros, then the First Men showed up, a thousand year war raged on as they tried to keep their home, and the Men wanted to tear it down and build cities.  So the Children create a "weapon" to fight the Men, but it backfires and now their weapon wants to take over the world.  Woops!

[Quintus 5,399]

2 minutes ago, KK said:

I like the origin concept. I don't like how it was all summed up in a 2 minute scene. It robs the Children and the Walkers of the mystery and intrigue we were promised. That's something the show is actually quite guilty of doing and an area where the published books could have helped.

 

This is exactly what I meant, before I made a mouthful of it. 

[KK 3,307]

9 minutes ago, Jay said:

I haven't read the books, but I like the fact that the Children were living peacefully in Westeros, then the First Men showed up, a thousand year war raged on as they tried to keep their home, and the Men wanted to tear it down and build cities.  So the Children create a "weapon" to fight the Men, but it backfires and now their weapon wants to take over the world.  Woops!

 

All we know from the books is that the Children dominated Westeros before the First Men showed up. The First Men then cut down their forests and they waged war for thousands of years. And then they reached a stalemate, and that's when the Others started coming down from the North, at which point the Children helped the First Men fight them and helped Bran build the Wall in defense. But as a result, most of the Children were wiped out.

 

This is all told to the reader in bits and pieces from various characters and situations of course.

 

I'm not sure if the origin story of the Others in the show is an invention of the TV writers, or actually Martin's idea.

[Jay 37,374]

I think huge backstory details like that are aligned with the books.  It's the plot and characters of the current day story that they change around to adapt the medium.

[Glóin the Dark 1,223]

The specific mechanism might be different in the books (the dragonglass-plunged-into-heart explanation seems a bit crude to me), but I'd be willing to wager that the Children of the Forest will still turn out to be responsible for the White Walkers' creation. The signs for that are already there:

 

On 3/23/2016 at 7:15 PM, Glóin the Dark said:

In regard to the White Walkers, one of the most revealing comments that Martin has made is when he was asked if we will ever learn more about their culture, to which he responded "I don't know if they have a culture". Since "culture" encompasses everything about a society's way of life and beliefs, the fact that White Walkers might not have one (or more) casts a huge amount of doubt on the notion that they are a separate race of beings working towards their own interests. But they clearly are working towards something, so I would suggest that they are simply an instrument being employed by some other person/people.

 

As to who this person/people (the man behind the curtain) might be...well, this is the mystery, but I feel that the most probable suspects have to be the Children of the Forest and, latterly, the Three-Eyed Crow (and hence, subsequently, Bran!). I think the most likely explanation for the White Walker invasion during the original Long Night is that it was a desperate act by the Children, fabricating an apparently evil force seemingly intent on wiping out humanity, but with the actual intent being to bring them to the negotiating table (probably without realising that the Children had been their antagonists rather than their allies all along).

 

Now the show has confirmed part of my conjecture (that the Children created the Walkers) and refuted the other part (that they are still employing them) but, like any self-respecting conspiracy theorist, I shall take the refutation as further confirmation that my theory is correct!

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Ok I just caught up. Some good stuff there, and some silly stuff too.

The Masters suddenly appear to attack Mereen? Wasnt there a truce? And Deanerys rides to the rescue.

 

Jaimee, after a few seasons of trying to be noble has essentially returned to himself, out of love for Cersei. Though he thankfully retains a soft spot for Brienne.

 

The Hound is back! The whole thing of him being a part of a peaceful community and befriending a peaceloving man was too on the nose though. Was anyone not expecting them to be killed? Ian McShane is solid as always.

 

Arya get's stabbedseveral times in the gut, drops in a river, doesnt die of any kind of infection, manages to elude the faceless girl for a while even though she weak and bleeding, yet somehow she manages to kill her? Bullshit!

Why have her wounded at all? Why not have her seek refuge with the actress, who get's killed and then there's a real fight between the two women?

[Jay 37,374]

Supposedly this is Sansa's letter Brienne gave to the Blackfish:

 

http://static1.squarespace.com/static/52fc05c9e4b08fc45bd99090/t/575f24f2b09f95492580e91d/1465853176949/?format=1500w

 

Is it confirmed legit? It seems fake - Catelyn was Blackfish's niece, not sister!

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

NOW THAT'S A GAME OF THRONES EPISODE! Particularly strong directing, some lovely shots and great camera work all-around. Reminded of what I liked so much about the first episode from season one which I quite cherish. After what's been an uneven (mostly weak) season, this episode makes up for a lot. 

 

*the only downpoint is they keep doing Deus ex Machina for fucking everything

[Dixon Hill 4,234]

Tormund and Davos together are just the best. 

 

And, maybe, Dany and Yara together are also the best in a different, more erotic way?

[Incanus 5,716]

So honourable Jon Snow would have bungled things without Sansa. Why doesn't that surprise me. Which is frustrating as by now these people should have learned to be more crafty than that.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

One again Game Of Thrones sets the standard of what can be achieved on TV when it comes to a battle. Gripping, visceral, dramatic with a clear strategy at work from both sides. Ramsey's tactic of essentially hemming in Jon's army and crushing them was actually terrifying. The shots getting ever more claustrophobic.

 

Sansa is no longer the innocent and helpless little girl she used to be. I love the shot where she first recoils after the dog's start mauling her husband, but then watches intently for a little longer. She's now a true daughter of her mother, but with a more on an axe to grind.

 

The Mereen stuff was good too. Nice to see the full grown dragons in action and the chemistry between Deanery and Tyrion is superb. I loved the scene where she reminded her of her father's intend to use wildfire. That savagery is also in her and Tyrion knows it.

 

The scene where Ser Davos figures out who was burned at the pyre was strong too. Who knows what it will lead too?

 

 

[Incanus 5,716]

2 minutes ago, Stefancos said:

One again Game Of Thrones sets the standard of what can be achieved on TV when it comes to a battle. Gripping, visceral, dramatic with a clear strategy at work from both sides. Ramsey's tactic of essentially hemming in Jon's army and crushing them was actually terrifying. The shots getting ever more claustrophobic.

 

Sansa is no longer the innocent and helpless little girl she used to be. I love the shot where she first recoils after the dog's start mauling her husband, but then watches intently for a little longer. She's now a true daughter of her mother, but with a more on an axe to grind.

 

The Mereen stuff was good too. Nice to see the full grown dragons in action and the chemistry between Deanery and Tyrion is superb. I loved the scene where she reminded her of her father's intend to use wildfire. That savagery is also in her and Tyrion knows it.

 

The scene where Ser Davos figures out who was burned at the pyre was strong too. Who knows what it will lead too?

 

 

Yeah the battle was terrific by all accounts. A strong episode indeed.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Even the music was slightly better then usual. I really liked the string elegy as the Bolton cavalry advanced on the lone Jon, his sword drawn, ready to die in battle.

 

This wasnt a LOTR/Hobbit style fantasy battle, this was Braveheart!

17 minutes ago, Incanus said:

So honourable Jon Snow would have bungled things without Sansa. Why doesn't that surprise me. Which is frustrating as by now these people should have learned to be more crafty than that.

 

Jon is indeed very much a son of his father, who's sense of honor was his downfall.

 

And now Sansa is very much her mother's daughter, but with something more. Not even the great Catelyn Stark would have dispassionately observed that Rickon would die no matter the outcome.

[Quintus 5,399]

4 hours ago, Muad'Dib said:

NOW THAT'S A GAME OF THRONES EPISODE! Particularly strong directing, some lovely shots and great camera work all-around. Reminded of what I liked so much about the first episode from season one which I quite cherish. After what's been an uneven (mostly weak) season, this episode makes up for a lot. 

 

*the only downpoint is they keep doing Deus ex Machina for fucking everything

 

Exactly this! Cheers for that. 

 

Anyway, who's betting at some point in the final season we get a spectacular shot of the Wall shattering and crumbling to the ground, thanks to some powerful Whitewalker magic, and then they begin their march south. It'll be beastly! 

[KK 3,307]

Great episode! Though it struck me as sloppier than the terrifying "Hardhome". 

 

The Meereen sequence was thrilling, with visual effects that once again put PJ's Hobbit films to shame. But like it's been for most of this season, everything came pretty easily to Dany, no? Even with the Dothraki army, I'm not sure 3 dragons, as impressive as they are, would have forced a fleet of hundreds of war ships to surrender. But it's GOT, so you don't question the logic. Also wasn't sure how I felt about how conveniently and quickly the Greyjoys got to Meeren. The pieces are moving really fast. But it was a good scene.

 

The Winterfell battle was beautifully choreographed, really focusing on the sense of chaos and claustrophobia Bolton's war gambit created. Littlefinger's arrival on the other hand fell a bit flat for me. It was nice finally seeing Sansa come into her own, and as Steef aptly put it, become her mother's true successor. I'm still disappointed with Jon's character development this whole season though. You'd think that if you went through the lengths to bother resurrecting him, we'd come back with something different.

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Yeah Jon's death was actually little more then a useless cliffhanger. I guess they felt obliged to follow the already released book, but not anything Martin will do aftet. I did enjoy the acknowledgement of his death and resurrection in his conversation with Mellisandre.

 

How was it sloppier then Hardhome? To me thats a very different kind of battle. Basically the undead against the living. The Battle Of The Bastards was like an middle-age battle, like what you learn about in school. Just with a giant. (well used, but with restraint.)

[KK 3,307]

I meant more the episode as a whole, rather than the battle itself. And that mostly had to do with the Dany scenes. It all happened surprisingly quickly, and I don't think it was integrated as well with the Winterfell material.

 

Aside from the all-too-familiar deus ex machina ending, I thought the Battle of the Bastards itself was paced and conducted very well. It was like watching Braveheart, on a smaller scale.

[Jay 37,374]

I'm very annoyed.

Marcy and I worked our asses off all day long yesterday, doing tons of yardwork and renovating the upstairs of our new house.

 

All we wanted to do at 9:00 was relax with the newest GOT before going to sleep.  But the HBO Now app completely failed us and we were unable to watch it.  20 minutes of tinkering until we gave up and watched an Orange is the New Black instead.

 

Now I have to avoid Facebook and this thread all day until we can watch it tonight.  Stupid HBO.

 

http://gizmodo.com/the-hbo-now-app-is-down-everywhere-and-people-are-panic-1782256807

 

http://www.clickondetroit.com/entertainment/anger-as-hbo-now-goes-down-during-game-of-thrones

[Disco Stu 15,495]

2 minutes ago, Jay said:

I'm very annoyed.

Marcy and I worked our asses off all day long yesterday, doing tons of yardwork and renovating the upstairs of our new house.

 

All we wanted to do at 9:00 was relax with the newest GOT before going to sleep.  But the HBO Now app completely failed us and we were unable to watch it.  20 minutes of tinkering until we gave up and watched an Orange is the New Black instead.

 

Now I have to avoid Facebook and this thread all day until we can watch it tonight.  Stupid HBO.

 

http://gizmodo.com/the-hbo-now-app-is-down-everywhere-and-people-are-panic-1782256807

 

http://www.clickondetroit.com/entertainment/anger-as-hbo-now-goes-down-during-game-of-thrones

 

My wife and I were on the verge of staging a revolution when the HBO Now service was down.

 

However we waited it out and were watching the episode by 9:55pm!  Sure, we went to bed later than normal but it was totally worth it to not have to avoid spoilers all day today.

[Jay 37,374]

There was no way we'd be staying up that late after working our asses off all day long.  We were exhausted.

[Incanus 5,716]

Thank heavens we only have such first world problems people.  

[Wojo 2,453]

I've found it ridiculously easy to avoid GoT spoilers. I don't follow the show on Facebook, none of my closest Facebook friends watch the show or post spoilers, and I just pop into this thread quickly enough to mark it as read to keep it off my unread list. And I avoid pages like Yahoo that love to tease. 

[Quintus 5,399]

Yeah unless you've got fucking morons as friends it's easy to remain unspoiled. 

 

Also, Jason has a new house. 

[Jay 37,374]

28 minutes ago, WojinPA said:

I've found it ridiculously easy to avoid GoT spoilers. I don't follow the show on Facebook, none of my closest Facebook friends watch the show or post spoilers, and I just pop into this thread quickly enough to mark it as read to keep it off my unread list. And I avoid pages like Yahoo that love to tease. 

 

I'm the opposite; I have a bunch of sites in my Facebook newsfeed that post articles about it such as AV Club, Comingsoon, whatever else, plus many friends that watch and just openly post stuff about it as they are watching or right after.  So no Facebook for me until after we've watched it tonight.

Luckily HBO Now seems to be fixed.

[Wojo 2,453]

I have many fucking morons as friends, but I choose not to follow them. I choose to not like or follow shows I'm presently watching for the first time, such as The Walking Dead as it airs and The X-Files when we binge watched the whole thing on Netflix. I also don't like or follow my favorite sports teams once the season ends because I don't care who has a birthday or a fund raiser or a boo-boo. 

[Quintus 5,399]

Oh I actively unfollow anyone who even muses at me the wrong way. 

[Bilbo 3,709]

Blackwater and the Wall were battles obviously inspired by Helm's Deep. Looks like the show runners finally saw Pellenor! 

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Not really. They took inspiration from real history for this one.

 

For me it felt more like the intense and harrowing battles from Braveheart then any of the LOTR fantasy battles

[Bilbo 3,709]

It was more violent yeah but certain shots were definitely inspired by Pellenor. 

 

Deus Ex Army is getting a bit tiresome. Has there been a battle that hasn't ended with a large army saving the day?

[#SnowyVernalSpringsEternal 10,265]

Just now, Bilbo Skywalker said:

It was more violent yeah but certain shots were definitely inspired by Pellenor. 

 

Screenshots of the ones you mean and comparison shots from ROTK with blu-ray time code!

[Muad'Dib 1,802]

Rikkon went to the Prometheus school of running away from things.

 

(Sorry, had to be done)

[Bilbo 3,709]

Fuck that. My life isn't that dull. 

 

It it was a good episode but I think Blackwater, the battle at the wall, and Hardhome were better.