Game of Thrones TV Thread **HBO-Purists ONLY**

[Eric]

I was not disappointed with the first episode of s6. It seemed like Jon Snow was in a lot of scenes despite the fact that he's dead right now...

[Eric]

Also, it was bizarre seeing the red witch without her necklace. Didn't know she's like the mom from Tangled.

[rong]

She was once naked in a bath tub on screen without the necklace. So its not just the necklace.

[givememyleg]

She was once naked in a bath tub on screen without the necklace. So its not just the necklace.

Just for, uh, confirmation of this... NSFW in spoiler.

Spoiler: Show

[givememyleg]

Can't complain with ep1, it covered pretty much every story line. Very interested to see where it goes. Hate waiting, wish GoT releases were like House of Cards. It's cool that HBO Now is available without a cable sub, not sure how long it's been like that but I was able to watch it right as it went like at 9pm et with absolutely no streaming issues.

[boost]

Maybe she had her ruby encrusted clit piercing in.

[JKDS]

Maybe i'm jaded right now, but I thought this episode was boring.

[boost]

Maybe i'm jaded right now, but I thought this episode was boring.

I felt like something was up-- and typically when I can't put my finger on it, it's editing or directing. That's not a knock on the editing or directing. I'm guessing this sort of catch up episode that visits so many arcs is quite hard to pull off and give a semblance of continuity. It wasn't bad, but it's an episode they needed to show, not wanted to make.

[wufwugy]

i liked it more on second watch.

[Juked07]

i liked it more on second watch.

should jon snow get a second watch?

[wufwugy]

unbound to vows after revival.

[rong]

unbound to vows after revival.

He's gonna bang the old witch. And yes, I would, as long as she promised not to turn old midway through.

[JKDS]

I think she's old because she already helped Jon off scene. That would be a plausible reason for the change

[boost]

I think the scene had far less story relevance than that, JKDS. My read is it was a world building scene-- Similar to us seeing Pycell getting all limber and doing stretches that defy the age he portrays, or Jaqen Hagar revealing that the face we'd come to love is not his face at all. Both of those had some story implications, but more than anything they helped to make Planetos an even more curious world.

[wufwugy]

i think it shows her destitution and losing her faith. she seemed to be cold by the fire.

[JKDS]

Hrmmmmm she did get a blanket didnt she. Hrmmmmm

[wufwugy]

given how d&d do these things, Meli losing her faith is prerequisite for a surprise resurgence of great magic.

it's like how they only kill somebody if all our hopes and dreams are riding on them or if they have a coming to jesus moment. the opposite is also true, when somebody is destitute, they couldn't be more important and great power awaits them.

[JKDS]

I didnt get an "ominous" vibe from the scene. Perhaps that rules out her being a pretender of the faith or something. It was more of a sad, depressing vibe.

Maybe its cuz her homeboy stannis is dead? She was convinced he was the juggernaut, maybe she did lose faith.

[boost]

Cold by the fire/blanket, nice spots! Good analysis. Can't wait for Sunday..

[givememyleg]

JONSNOW

[Eric]

I think she's old because she already helped Jon off scene. That would be a plausible reason for the change

Interesting. The camera made it look like the wolf is key.

The ending of episode 2 was awesome.

[rong]

I dunno man, after all the killings I feel we're lacking a bit of leadership. I'm low on people I care about.

[wufwugy]

Who wins in a fight: FrankenMountain vs Ser Twenty of House Goodmen?

[boost]

Who wins in a fight: FrankenMountain vs Ser Twenty of House Goodmen?

The latter being the Lannister soldiers? I mean, not that it matters, any group of twenty nameless men (not those nameless men..) living on Planetos are going to lose to Franken Mountain.

[wufwugy]

Felt like making a "Ramsay's plot armor 20 good men that decimated Stannis" from last season joke.

[boost]

Hahaha, that is top notch.

[JKDS]

Alright, so she's still powerful enough to [spoiler] [spoiler] [spoiler] [spoiler]. Now why the fuck was she a freaking grandma?

[JKDS]

Also, I'm tired of being shown how overpowered the church suddenly is. Do the Lannisters just not have an army anymore? Are we saying that if Dany came by, riding on her single dragon, that she'd just win by default because there is no one to fight her?

I was really hoping for Jamie to fuck some bitches up, but then hes made to be just as powerless as every other lannister.

AND ANOTHER THING, Tyrion better fucking ride a dragon, I swear to gawwwd.

[wufwugy]

Oh lord the last thing I want is Tyrion Targaryen.

The power of the Faith Militant looks silly on the surface since it's not illustrated that well, but if you extrapolate it can make sense. Mace Tyrell could easily lead a small force to slaughter every last one of them, but would lose his children at the same time. The Lannisters are likely so unpopular that their legitimacy hangs by a thread. Killing the Faith Militant would likely create a serious revolt among the people. While it will probably come to this, it can also be a reason for hesitation.

[oskar]

Oh lord the last thing I want is Tyrion Targaryen.

The power of the Faith Militant looks silly on the surface since it's not illustrated that well, but if you extrapolate it can make sense. Mace Tyrell could easily lead a small force to slaughter every last one of them, but would lose his children at the same time. The Lannisters are likely so unpopular that their legitimacy hangs by a thread. Killing the Faith Militant would likely create a serious revolt among the people. While it will probably come to this, it can also be a reason for hesitation.

When they took over the city last season I was just assuming that there was a buildup that just wasn't shown because there's already too many story lines going on at the same time. I immediately thought of the Dan Carlin podcast Prophets of Doom about the occupation of Münster by the anababtists in the 1500's. Which is a real life example of a Marilyn Manson type sect taking control over a whole city. From that perspective I had no problem with it.

Over 4h, but worth it imo.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x79MW1gWtJ8

[boost]

Yeah, it's not that they are super strong, it's that they've managed to position themselves in an incredibly strong way, with a lot of thanks to Cersei's paranoia.

[baudib]

I'd guess that the Faith Militant is something akin to the power of the Roman Catholic Church during the Crusades, where the pope has wide power and influence and even sway over kings and nobles.

He's not Cardinal Richelieu, who's actively engaged in the political maneuvering of the day; he's closer to an influential Al Qaeda-affiliated imam.

[baudib]

Apparently a lot of dirty book readers are outraged over the ending of last night's episode, insisting that GRRM specified that Dany only survived the Khal Drogo funeral pyre because of nasty blood magic, not some Targaryen tolerance for fire.

Of course this is ultra life nitty and ignores the fact that Dany being able to survive flames has long been a theme on the show. From her first episode we see that she is not in the least bothered by scalding hot bath water. When Viserys is killed, she says, "He is not the dragon, flames cannot kill the dragon," strongly implying that she knows that she IS the Dragon.

[Eric]

Yeah, it's hard to believe the Faith Militant could become so powerful. Imagine what Joffrey would have done to them if he was still alive...

[givememyleg]

[wufwugy]

great fucking ep, but im not a fan of the time travel stuff.

this ep confirmed a handful of theories (hodor caused by bran-to-the-past warging, walkers created by children to stop humans), and i think several of the theories that just hit reddit will come true.

[Eric]

Wow, hold the door is right.

[baudib]

To me it was pretty obvious that the Three-Eyed Raven was lying when he told Bran that the past was written, "the ink is dry" etc.

The theory is that Bran is responsible for all of the major events in Game of Thrones, including Robert's Rebellion, that he drove the Mad King mad.

My personal theory is that Bran beseeches House Targaryen to aid in the battle against the White Walkers, with the plea of "Burn them all!" as Aerys' "Hold the door!"

[wufwugy]

the past was written though. hodor became hodor before bran hodor'd him because bran always hodor'd him.

[wufwugy]

pieces of my endgame predictions:

aJor ahai lives through the end as the night's watch lord commander.

jon becomes the new night's king.

arya kills dany.



the actress that plays kinvara is fucking hot.

[wufwugy]

i'll be honest, hold the door was not an upsetting scene to me. probably because the time travel bullshit nullifies drama greatly, and oberyn martel headsquash exists.

[boost]

i'll be honest, hold the door was not an upsetting scene to me. probably because the time travel bullshit nullifies drama greatly, and oberyn martel headsquash exists.

[wufwugy]

plus it was a "good" death. when was the last time in this show that somebody died heroically? nobody in this thing gets to sacrifice themselves for the good of others. the death was almost uplifting imo

[Eric]

plus it was a "good" death. when was the last time in this show that somebody died heroically? nobody in this thing gets to sacrifice themselves for the good of others. the death was almost uplifting imo

True, it was a "good" death.

[wufwugy]

the wolves are symbolic.

lady dying shows sansa's lady sensibilities dying. shortly after her dog died, she lost all the elements that made her a "lady".

summer's death signifies that winter can't be stopped anymore.

grey wind's death signifies the death of the grey wind (the stark's dominance in battle and in status)

nymeria being lost signifies arya being lost

ghost being alive and well signifies jon being alive and well.

shaggydog signifies rickon being a shaggy story (something that ends with no purpose). except that this trope is likely to be subverted and rickon's story will end with significance.

[wufwugy]

it means more after having thought about what it means and watching again. i've changed my mind. it's brilliant writing.

hodor always knew he was going to die holding the door because he experienced it as wyllas. bran warged wyllas, not hodor, so it was hodor, with full mental capacity, holding the door, knowing he was fulfilling his destiny. it was a destiny he feared. previous times in the show when shit would hit the fan, he would panic, possibly becuase he didnt know if this was the time where he would hold the door. even as hodor carried bran everywhere from the very beginning, he knew bran caused this. he didnt reject his fate. he lived his entire life knowing the day he would die. it was a burden he would bear alone.

[JKDS]

After watching, I feel spoon fed.

[rong]

Why did the tree child not just throw the grenade? There was no need to sacrifice herself. None at all.

[a500lbgorilla]

I've been sick for like 3 days now, so I'm all caught up on GoT and I've got to say it's incredible.

[wufwugy]

if tormund or brienne die this season, im done.

YOU HEAR ME?! IM DONE!

[a500lbgorilla]

ALL MEN MUST DIE, tho

[wufwugy]

im srs. it's a bridge too far. you dont dangle the most hilariously awesome romance ever in front of me then snatch it away.

[a500lbgorilla]

He does look like "she's the biggest woman I've ever seen!"

[spoonitnow]

can i just say it's this kind of time travel horse shit that really fucked up ff8 for me

[a500lbgorilla]

Closed loop! Closed loop!

Is this gonna air today or are they skipping for the holiday weekend?

[Eric]

It was another good episode last night imo. There seems to be a lot more action this season than last season.

[givememyleg]

It was another good episode last night imo. There seems to be a lot more action this season than last season.

i'm sick of seeing goldie locks stand in fire and ride dragons and rally troops and say how she's going to conquer the world, then do nothing. i hope she actually does this season.

can't wait to see arya kill the weird servant.

there are a lot of paths that could go in so many different directions, so yeah all in all loving this season so far.

[wufwugy]

personal prediction: dany will lose most of her dothraki and ships in a storm in the narrow sea just like the mongols did when invading japan. it ain't called storm's end for no reason.

[oskar]

I agree. I think Dany is done, but it has to be something more clever than the obvious: sending thousands of men who have never sailed and never seen ice and snow in leather armor across the sea to fight an army of knights in a thousand year long winter. The last two episodes were fantastic. I am so happy about how the story lines of Arya and King's Landing are panning out. Even after the entirety of last season it's still satisfying to see Cercei getting fucked... Sam might finally see some character development that fits his story and Arya is going to kick so much ass before this season is over.

[rong]

Agree most of dothracki die via shipping issues. But I think she's destined to meet up with John snow the other side and together they go for the throne. Those dragons are destined for the final battle either against Kings landing for iron throne or the night walkers.

[Eric]

Yeah, the scenes with Dany are getting worse.

[wufwugy]

id prefer her not even in the show by now.

[Eric]

id prefer her not even in the show by now.

Yup, I especially hate the parts that remind me of the dragon skit on Saturday Night Live.

[wufwugy]

id be tickled pink if the real shaggy dog story is dany. let's have a giant kraken emerge during a storm and swallow her and her stupid dragons.

i dont think rickon will be a shaggy dog story, but will be a subversion of the trope. he'll probably sit winterfell by the end or something.

[JKDS]

Dany's wasteland exists only because she does. Because of that, she and at least 1 dragon have plot armor.

Think of like, Jon. He isnt necessary. The wall lives on, zombies still rage.

Cersei? Kingslanding is still there. She could die next episode, wouldnt matter.

Kill Tyrion? Still doesnt matter.

But you cant kill Dany. There is literally no reason to even look at her location without her. The entire storyline would be just a distraction from the zombies and impending peril, and that isnt what GRRM is about. He kills characters all the time, but they all have a purpose. Dany's purpose hasnt been revealed yet. None of what she does matters at this point in the story, and she wont die before her storyline eventually impacts the rest of the world.

[wufwugy]

while i do think grrm is about using a shaggy dog story, i dont think dany would be it. you could argue stannis is it, but you could also argue that he served purpose of getting meli to the wall, etc.

[boost]

I know this is the show thread, but now that the show is spoiling the books, do we still want this thread to be book knowledge free?

[wufwugy]

i think we should add some book stuff, but it depends on what the show only people have to say.

there is still some book stuff that shouldn't be mentioned. but i think that there is value to the books for the show only people now. for example, show!euron is fucking garbage even though he's totally awesome in the books and potentially the main Act III antagonist.

[JKDS]

No books that arnt officially released please

[boost]

i think we should add some book stuff, but it depends on what the show only people have to say.

there is still some book stuff that shouldn't be mentioned. but i think that there is value to the books for the show only people now. for example, show!euron is fucking garbage even though he's totally awesome in the books and potentially the main Act III antagonist.

Euron in the books is boss, but do you really think the show Euron is that bad? I think the casting is great. The Kings moot was a bit of a let down though. That was one of my favorite chapters in the whole series-- the Moot consisting of just Yara and Euron was weak, all the intrigue was lost, and they left out the dragon horn. I know this is tiptoeing into hyperbole, but without the horn, Euron winning the moot is close to being a plot hole.

No books that arnt officially released please

ldo.

[wufwugy]

Euron in the books is boss, but do you really think the show Euron is that bad? I think the casting is great. The Kings moot was a bit of a let down though. That was one of my favorite chapters in the whole series-- the Moot consisting of just Yara and Euron was weak, all the intrigue was lost, and they left out the dragon horn. I know this is tiptoeing into hyperbole, but without the horn, Euron winning the moot is close to being a plot hole..

Show!Euron: "I don't mock the Drowned God; I am the Drowned God. From Oldtown to Qarth, when men see my sail, they pray."

Book!Euron: "Godless? Why, Aeron, I am the godliest man ever to raise sail! You serve one god, Damphair, but I have served ten thousand. From Ib to Asshai, when men see my sails, they pray."


This encapsulates why I don't like Show!Euron. Book!Euron is deeply mysterious. He's been to foreign lands, he knows foreign things, and he engages in foreign rituals. He's a religious fanatic who claims a divine destiny, and nobody can say otherwise since he appears to be truly inspired by his foreign experiences.

Show!Euron says silly things like he's a god. He makes cock jokes and says "let's go murder them." Show!Euron is an arrogant prick whose strength against his opposition is probably that he's just more ruthless than they are. Book!Euron is inspired. Conquest is his godly destiny, and for all we know, he's magical.

The show is trying to keep the religious fanaticism, mystery, and power of Euron, but I think turning him from a "godly" man to a "god" himself sullies his character. It makes him look too big for his britches instead of a divinely inspired enigma. Maybe it's just me, but I really loved the "godly" stuff the Iron Islanders cared so much about in the books. It gave them so much more depth and mystery. I was upset to see that "no godless man can sit the Seastone Chair" turned into "yadda yadda Salt Throne."

Show!Euron looks like just another meanface drabdress Iron Islander. I wanted to see this guy:



Instead we got this guy:





On a related note, I read an interesting analysis of each act's villains and heroes. The short is that Act 1 is Tywin vs Tyrion, Act 2 is Jon vs Ramsay, and Act 3 is Euron vs Dany. Also can be thought of as father vs son, bastard vs bastard, kraken vs dragon. Each act is a type of struggle: Act 1 is the destructive power of war and political power (culminating is the Red Wedding). Act 2 is the destructive power of humanity at its root (Ramsay embodies human evil, Jon is for the most part human good, and they are likely to face off, not unlike Tyrion and Tywin did). Act 3 is the destructive power of religion and magic. I like the kraken vs dragon metaphor. Both Dany and Euron will probably have "divine right" on their side, as well as the most amount of magic.

[boost]

Yeah man, you make solid points. I'm just trying to bolster my fanboydom as to have it last me through the end of the show. If this show flounders, and I have to come to terms with that fact-- I don't even..

[wufwugy]

Yeah man, you make solid points. I'm just trying to bolster my fanboydom as to have it last me through the end of the show. If this show flounders, and I have to come to terms with that fact-- I don't even..

Don't get me wrong, I love the show. Hardhome, Tormund heart Brienne, gangster ass depictions like that of Tywin Lannister....

But you know me, I'm gonna bitch about something.

[wufwugy]

The casting was good. My issue is artistic direction. It's the same with Daario.

Remember this from the last ep:

Daario: "You weren't made to sit on a chair in a palace."

Dany: "What was I made for?"

Daario: "You're a conquerer..."

Book!Daario would have responded with something offensive and arrogant. Perhaps with "My cock." Book!Daario is a ridiculous, conceited, silly man, which makes Dany's adoration of him all the more meaningful since it shows her own lack of judgment. But instead the show turned him into the most bland love interest that the average girl in the audience can get behind.

I wanted this idiot:



Instead we got this idiot:

[boost]

Again, solid points.

I probably have a positive bias to show Daario, only because I like the actor from his role in Treme. That being said, after reading the books, I definitely think they should have stuck with the original casting if that was an option. His ability to smirk the smirk of pure confidence while showing the world those crooked teeth was the embodiment of the character.