[worry]

Quick correction: it's the dead-eyed Mandon Moore, not the droopy-eyed Meryn Trant, that axes Tyrion in the face.

[Bauchelain the Evil]

And he doesn't even axe him. He uses his sword. In fact what warns Tyrion is that Moore reaches for him with his left han

[QuickTidal]

Bauchelain the Evil, on 27 May 2011 - 05:06 AM, said:

And he doesn't even axe him. He uses his sword. In fact what warns Tyrion is that Moore reaches for him with his left han

I meant Moore and said Trant. Sorry. Blurry M names in my head.

[Ceda Cicero]

Just got around to watching ep 7 on HBOGo. I'll spoiler my initial thoughts just in case those who haven't seen it don't want to take any chances.

Spoiler

All in all, something about this episode seemed like it was more line-for-line what happened in the book than any so far. And as per usual, the added scenes (Mormont getting the letter of pardon from the Dothraki kid and Littlefinger's exposition with the whores) felt like things that could have easily happened in the book, just off-screen.

Speaking of Littlefinger and the whores, damn if that scene over the top even for HBO. And Roz got to King's Landing fucking fast. Is she gonna be the whore-version of Aragan for this TV series? Gratuity aside, though, it was good to see Littlefinger's motives explained a bit more, even if it did smack very, very heavily of exposition. He is getting a lot of time in the spotlight in the series, moreso than in the books. That could be for any number of reasons: the producers/creators could just be enamored (understandably) with Aidan Gillen and want to give him more screen time (they've hinted at this in interviews,) it could just be a natural result of not having the POV restrictions that are inherent in the text. But to me it's also kind of a sideways confirmation of the fact that Littlefinger is going to play a critical role in the end-game, and Martin has made this clear to the powers behind the series.

Tywin was spot on. The way his name kept being mentioned leading up to this "big reveal" and the way the scene was done really made it carry a lot of gravitas, as it should. Tywin is one of the more interesting non-POV characters in the series, IMO, with his history of Hand to Aerys, his background at Casterly Rock with his father being weak and unrespected, etc. One of my favorite bits from the books is when Stannis tells Davos about how he and Robert went to King's Landing as kids and were just overcome with admiration for the King at an audience, then their father tells them that the man on the throne was actually Tywin, the Hand, sitting in for Aerys. I hope they bring out some of those nuances of his character - they aren't really necessary because fundamentally his still meant to be regarded as the baddest of the bad Lannisters. But still, would be nice to see, especially since it seems like this actor can more than carry the role.

Emilia Clarke gets better and better.

The Wall sequences were all absolutely spot on. Sam and Pyp's exchange about the high lord grabbing his cock was great. I love Pyp.

Always like to see a heart tree. Thought that was well done. Would've liked to see the godswood in King's Landing - that's where the Ned/Cersei conversation is supposed to take place, but I'm nitpicking. That scene was very well done otherwise.

Sansa and Arya totally absent in this episode, though there isn't any real reason for them to have screen-time here. I'd bet the next ep opens either with Arya and Syrio training and Meryn Trant busting in, or with Ned in the dungeons. Either way it's gonna be fantastic. I'm hoping for at least just one dream-sequence with Ned at the Tower of Joy, but am not really expecting it.

Good, good shit on the whole, which is par for the course at this point, I'd say.

On a completely separate note, I just started graduate classes, and before class the other day was chatting about TV with 5-6 people while we were waiting for the professor. One person mentioned Game of Thrones and everyone immediately perked up and started talking about it excitedly. Two people in the room said that they'd started reading the first book not long after starting the show, and haven't been able to put it down. These are people who have never read fantasy before. To me, that is very, very cool. Never in my wildest dreams when I started this series (back when CLASH just hit the shelves) did I imagine I'd be talking with a group of people I just met about how repulsive Joffrey is, or how awesome Tyrion is.

[Abyss]

Ceda Cicero, on 27 May 2011 - 05:47 PM, said:

...
On a completely separate note, I just started graduate classes, and before class the other day was chatting about TV with ... people who have never read fantasy before. To me, that is very, very cool. Never in my wildest dreams when I started this series (back when CLASH just hit the shelves) did I imagine I'd be talking with a group of people I just met about how repulsive Joffrey is, or how awesome Tyrion is.

GAME OF THRONES is currently the #2 on the NYT bestseller mmpb fiction list. Not bad for a book written in 1996. Martin is going to be taking money baths in a bath made out of money, in his moneyroom.

[Bauchelain the Evil]

Just seen ep 7. Oh my the shit has it the fan.

Spoiler

Littlefinger stole every scene he was in but especially the one in the brothel. I wonder if those who haven't read the books understood whom he is talking about. And of course there's the ending.

Cersei was also great in her meeting with Ned.

On one minor note , while Theon probably deserved it I felt a bit bad when Luwin remembered him he's also a prisoner basically.

The only thing that spoiled this episode was that I couldn't avoid laughing at the poses Drogo made when he declaimed he was going to invade the Seven Kingdoms.

This post has been edited by Bauchelain the Evil: 27 May 2011 - 06:56 PM

[D'rek]

Watched ep 6, everything about it has already been said except this: what was the point of the Theon/Roz scene? Seemed pretty out-of-place and useless to me.

[QuickTidal]

D, on 27 May 2011 - 07:08 PM, said:

Watched ep 6, everything about it has already been said except this: what was the point of the Theon/Roz scene? Seemed pretty out-of-place and useless to me.

I think they are continuing to set up Theon's tastes in the flesh on purpose, to further set him out for second season...and Asha's first appearance when he doesn't know her and not only comes on to her but feels her up....because it's one of the things that Balon, Asha and Co. think has made him utterly soft and un-Greyjoy-like...which is one of the biggest reasons he sets out to take Winterfell to prove he's more than just a lordling who likes whores.

[Abyss]

QuickTidal, on 27 May 2011 - 07:24 PM, said:

... to prove he's more than just a lordling who likes whores.

There are Lordlings who don't like whores?????

[Bauchelain the Evil]

Abyss, on 27 May 2011 - 07:33 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 27 May 2011 - 07:24 PM, said:

... to prove he's more than just a lordling who likes whores.

There are Lordlings who don't like whores?????

Renly and Loras.And Stannis who would never think of breaking his wedding vows. And Jaime who loves only Cersei. And Ned if the various theories on Jon are true. I'm sure I can find out more.

This post has been edited by Bauchelain the Evil: 27 May 2011 - 07:37 PM

[Abyss]

Bauchelain the Evil, on 27 May 2011 - 07:35 PM, said:

Abyss, on 27 May 2011 - 07:33 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 27 May 2011 - 07:24 PM, said:

... to prove he's more than just a lordling who likes whores.

There are Lordlings who don't like whores?????

Renly and Loras.And Stannis who would never think of breaking his wedding vows. And Jaime who loves only Cersei. And Ned if the various theories on Jon are true. I'm sure I can find out more.

There are straight Lordlings without major personality disorders or unreasonbale honour fixations who don't like whores?????

[Tapper]

Abyss, on 27 May 2011 - 08:15 PM, said:

Bauchelain the Evil, on 27 May 2011 - 07:35 PM, said:

Abyss, on 27 May 2011 - 07:33 PM, said:

QuickTidal, on 27 May 2011 - 07:24 PM, said:

... to prove he's more than just a lordling who likes whores.

There are Lordlings who don't like whores?????

Renly and Loras.And Stannis who would never think of breaking his wedding vows. And Jaime who loves only Cersei. And Ned if the various theories on Jon are true. I'm sure I can find out more.

There are straight Lordlings without major personality disorders or unreasonbale honour fixations who don't like whores?????

Tywin Lannister says he doesn't. And there's the guy who likes fresh cadavers....

[amphibian]

Tapper, on 27 May 2011 - 09:56 PM, said:

And there's the guy who likes fresh cadavers....

Tiste?

[Ceda Cicero]

D, on 27 May 2011 - 07:08 PM, said:

Watched ep 6, everything about it has already been said except this: what was the point of the Theon/Roz scene? Seemed pretty out-of-place and useless to me.

Might be reaching, but possibly just the bit where Roz talks about how Jaime just attacked Ned in the streets of KL, and soon all the men of the North will be marching off to war. As a reader, knowing that what she says is 100% true, that bit kinda chilled me. Other than that, I think it was just a bit more face time for Theon. Every scene he's in this season to me seems fine, but it also smacks a bit of "let's get this guy in on this scene so viewers won't be lost when he becomes a major character in season 2."

This post has been edited by Ceda Cicero: 28 May 2011 - 01:38 AM

[worry]

But if you hadn't read the books, you wouldn't feel that way. You'd just see another character being explored, I think.

[SpectreofEschaton]

Tapper, on 27 May 2011 - 09:56 PM, said:

Tywin Lannister says he doesn't.

*opens can of worms* The whole Shae thing was a set-up by Varys! *runs away*

[Traveller]

I've been reading through the series again. Am I right in thinking that Stannis' god of light is responsible for Beric Dondarrion being brought repeatedly back to life? (through Thoros?) And that Melissandra has in fact got the wrong person (Stannis) in relation to her prophecys? It's like the Catelyn thing. Is this sort of event on the rise as with the birth of dragons, magic is getting stronger? The dragonfire made by the pyromancers suddenly gets more effective the moment the dragons are born, and I think it was old Nan that said that all magic died when the dragons did.

Just wondered if there was a link, as the sudden reserrection of certain characters from the dead isn't really explained otherwise, iirc.

[worry]

It does appear that Melissandre has the wrong person, though that doesn't necessarily mean Thoros has the right person. The source of Beric's rejuvenations is, at least to me, still a mystery. But that's because I am not yet convinced that R'hllor exists. Could be the Many-Faced God for all we know. What we do know is that supernatural stuff exists in this world, and that many different gods are worshiped. The weirwood exist and seem to have supernatural power, and the people of the forest probably exist(ed), but that doesn't necessarily make the Old Gods real. The Seven haven't done anything, nor the Stallion, nor the Drowned God if you allow for scientific reasons that drowned people are revived. The Red Priests do seem to have power though, but who knows where it comes from? Jaqen had power too, and he doesn't worship R'hllor.

[Sinisdar Toste]

first, i think that theon getting the attention he is now is much better than the way it was done in the books, and second, i always thought that thoros was responsible for berics resurrections and melisandre always had the wrong man. who the 'right man' is, will probably be a curve ball that Martin has had loaded up for some time. although, if that's not the case, it wouldn't surprise me.

thirdly, i'm beginning to suspect that there is only one true supernatural power in this world, and it is not sympathetic to any of the factions and only wishes to see the narrative grow more convoluted. please prove me wrong GRRM!

This post has been edited by Sinisdar Toste: 28 May 2011 - 09:08 AM

[Slick Mongoose]

Sinisdar Toste, on 28 May 2011 - 09:04 AM, said:

who the 'right man' is, will probably be a curve ball that Martin has had loaded up for some time. although, if that's not the case, it wouldn't surprise me.

Or woman, as the case may be....