[Traveller]

I thought it was really well done. And a whole episode focussed on the wall was a nice change from the usual flitting between areas and characters.

The long takes across the battle gave it a good sense of scale, and that scythe was just brilliant. Could see the scene with Ygritte coming a mile off, but it was nicely done.

[Terez]

Sussex Months, on 09 June 2014 - 05:37 PM, said:

Last episode was awesome but it really frustated me at the end. I kept looking forward to STANNIS! STANNIS! which was the best part of the battles in the book. But then they cut it off at around 50 minutes. I heard this was the shortest episode of the series to date.

I didn't know that, but next week is 66 minutes. I imagine it will be almost half at the wall. We have to see Dany, Hound vs Brienne, Tyrion, Arya's coin, and Lady Stoneheart, so they will be pushing it, but we should get Stannis saving the day at least; I didn't expect that this week at all because the battle didn't just last one night.

Some people thought the election would happen before the end of this season, but it's looking like that's definitely out and it's what they'll be focusing on in the early eps of next season. I suspect Jon will prevail and Sam will depart around mid-season; they're looking to catch up by the end of season 5, and it's very feasible at this point. They'll have a few bits left over, but season 6 is into TWOW territory for sure.

[Jakovasaurus]

Great episode. The giant shooting the arrow/javelin made me think of the line from Crocodile Dundee when he (Crocodile Dundee) says, and paraphrasing here, "you call that a knife? that's a knife mate".

I've one complaint about the episode though: more Ghost ripping through Wildlings!

[Gothos]

tbh I hoped (not remembering all the details from SoS) it was Ghost who killed Ygritte... did they give her more screentime than in the book or what? I don't remember the Wall storyline all that much, it wasn't all that interesting to me (court intrigue and politics ftw)

[Tapper]

The courtyard fights were the best part of the action - I really don't know why the Watch bothers with archers from the top of the wall.
In the courtyard, the amount of slaughter there was way too prolonged to feature just twenty defenders plus whomever Thorne brought against a raiding party (just like Craster's Keep was the longest fight of ten vs ten ever). Also, there were no tactics from the Watch, just brawling.

All that being as it is, there's one thing that more or less ruined the entire episode for me...

"I go and find Mance."
"It's a stupid plan."
"Do you have a better one?"

<Sam uses his brain instead of being there to act as an admiring nerd sidekick to SUPER ACTION EMO HERO MAN>

"You could start by not using the main gate that the entire wildling army is probably watching right now.

Second, you're a dark-clad soldier stepping out in an entirely WHITE environment that has been flattened with the purpose to leave nothing to hide behind for the reach of a bow. To make matters worse, you go out in broad daylight.

Third, if you do want to kill Mance, take a weapon... a knife or some such. I am sure there are plenty of spares in the courtyard right now.

Fourth, you don't look like a wildling, but we have this whole pile of corpses, one of them is bound to have a cloak you could wear, instead of your black uniform."

[Terez]

I watched the show with my uncle who has not read the books. When Jon said that about a better plan, my uncle said something like, "Yeah, he's got a plan! Because he reads all those books!" And then he looked at me like he expected me to confirm that, but I didn't know what to tell him.

[Spoilsport Stonny]

Well I for one absolutely HATE the legitimizing of Thorne. This guy was prick throughout the books and now they want to turn him into some kind of hero? A bunch of new jack, played out horse crap.

But the fight was awesome, and I love the giants. And the hammer into the skull of the Magnar of Thenn was just pure violent fun. Good, fun episode, but the little deviations from the books are still annoying me no less.

[D'rek]

Tapper, on 10 June 2014 - 08:43 AM, said:

The courtyard fights were the best part of the action - I really don't know why the Watch bothers with archers from the top of the wall.
In the courtyard, the amount of slaughter there was way too prolonged to feature just twenty defenders plus whomever Thorne brought against a raiding party (just like Craster's Keep was the longest fight of ten vs ten ever). Also, there were no tactics from the Watch, just brawling.

All that being as it is, there's one thing that more or less ruined the entire episode for me...

"I go and find Mance."
"It's a stupid plan."
"Do you have a better one?"

<Sam uses his brain instead of being there to act as an admiring nerd sidekick to SUPER ACTION EMO HERO MAN>

"You could start by not using the main gate that the entire wildling army is probably watching right now.

Second, you're a dark-clad soldier stepping out in an entirely WHITE environment that has been flattened with the purpose to leave nothing to hide behind for the reach of a bow. To make matters worse, you go out in broad daylight.

Third, if you do want to kill Mance, take a weapon... a knife or some such. I am sure there are plenty of spares in the courtyard right now.

Fourth, you don't look like a wildling, but we have this whole pile of corpses, one of them is bound to have a cloak you could wear, instead of your black uniform."

I don't think he is trying to sneak up on Mance. I think he is going to try and get Mance to parley in order to draw Mance out, and then try to kill him at the parley. That's more or less how it happened in the books, IIRC (only then Jon was being forced into it by Thorne and Slynt).

[Garak]

I liked the fight. The only bit I wished to see more of was the Grenn in the tunnel with the giant. That must have been brutal.

Strangely enough, I don't mind Thorne kicking some ass. Now I just hope next week we get a good scene of Stannis showing up.

[Tapper]

D, on 10 June 2014 - 01:38 PM, said:

Tapper, on 10 June 2014 - 08:43 AM, said:

The courtyard fights were the best part of the action - I really don't know why the Watch bothers with archers from the top of the wall.
In the courtyard, the amount of slaughter there was way too prolonged to feature just twenty defenders plus whomever Thorne brought against a raiding party (just like Craster's Keep was the longest fight of ten vs ten ever). Also, there were no tactics from the Watch, just brawling.

All that being as it is, there's one thing that more or less ruined the entire episode for me...

"I go and find Mance."
"It's a stupid plan."
"Do you have a better one?"

<Sam uses his brain instead of being there to act as an admiring nerd sidekick to SUPER ACTION EMO HERO MAN>

"You could start by not using the main gate that the entire wildling army is probably watching right now.

Second, you're a dark-clad soldier stepping out in an entirely WHITE environment that has been flattened with the purpose to leave nothing to hide behind for the reach of a bow. To make matters worse, you go out in broad daylight.

Third, if you do want to kill Mance, take a weapon... a knife or some such. I am sure there are plenty of spares in the courtyard right now.

Fourth, you don't look like a wildling, but we have this whole pile of corpses, one of them is bound to have a cloak you could wear, instead of your black uniform."

I don't think he is trying to sneak up on Mance. I think he is going to try and get Mance to parley in order to draw Mance out, and then try to kill him at the parley. That's more or less how it happened in the books, IIRC (only then Jon was being forced into it by Thorne and Slynt).

Maybe, but he still lacks a weapon to do the killing with, and a parlay flag to get to the parlay.

[Blend]

Garak, on 10 June 2014 - 02:23 PM, said:

I liked the fight. The only bit I wished to see more of was the Grenn in the tunnel with the giant. That must have been brutal.

Strangely enough, I don't mind Thorne kicking some ass. Now I just hope next week we get a good scene of Stannis showing up.

Don't they have to elect Jon Snow as Commander before Stannis shows up?

[Abyss]

Blend, on 10 June 2014 - 03:58 PM, said:

Garak, on 10 June 2014 - 02:23 PM, said:

I liked the fight. The only bit I wished to see more of was the Grenn in the tunnel with the giant. That must have been brutal.

Strangely enough, I don't mind Thorne kicking some ass. Now I just hope next week we get a good scene of Stannis showing up.

Don't they have to elect Jon Snow as Commander before Stannis shows up?

In the book Jon takes command during the fight but is only elected after Stannis' army saves the day. His first task is to deal with Stannis.

I'm imagining we'll see Stannis break the Wildlings in the finale, but the election won't happen til next season. or else just be ref'd in passing.

[Terez]

Nah, it won't be done and mentioned in passing. It's a drama they're saving for next season; what else is Jon going to do next season? Not much.

[worry]

Yah agreed. My guess is that Stannis "saves the day" so to speak but that next season will still see Mance and army outside the Wall. They gotta build up to Mance's baby (I would still think) as well as establish Varys Sixskins. But who knows? I just don't see any reason to rush it.

[Abyss]

Terez, on 10 June 2014 - 05:40 PM, said:

Nah, it won't be done and mentioned in passing. It's a drama they're saving for next season; what else is Jon going to do next season? Not much.

Oh c'mon, he has so much... negotiation! ...and stressing about food, don't forget all the food stress!!!

worry, on 10 June 2014 - 07:47 PM, said:

Yah agreed. My guess is that Stannis "saves the day" so to speak but that next season will still see Mance and army outside the Wall. They gotta build up to Mance's baby (I would still think) as well as establish Varys Sixskins. But who knows? I just don't see any reason to rush it.

Yeah, the Mance's baby thing leads to Sam departing for Maester training, so it's important, but honestly it could be crammed into two 10min chunks. We really don't need an entire season of Jon politicking with Stannis and Melisadre.

I suppose they could come up with a few new plotlines involving the White Walkers tho', just to give Kip something to do.

[flea]

I assume we get to see Tyrion, Shae, and his dad. I wonder if it will be played as in the book.

I don't see how we can see Jon's election with the time available, and the need to spend some time with Dany.

[Terez]

Jojen.

[HoosierDaddy]

Level 1 fireballs to take out the Clash of the Titans skeletons was amusing.

Love this show.

[Terez]

Grrrrr, no Lady Stoneheart! They lied to us!

[QuickTidal]

Hmmm...good finale. The score was great with the choir singing the melody.

I REALLY thought we'd see Lady Stoneheart as a hook at the very end. Not sad we didn't, but it could have used that cliffhanger.

Tywin's death was well done, though not as gory as I recall in the books (Didn't Tyrion shoot him in the junk?).

Arya's boarding the ship for Braavos was epicly done.

The episode is really owned by Stannis and Co. rolling over Mance's wildlings (fave bit being the guy who gets iced by a mounted soldier as he tries to take out Stannis)...and also owned by Hound VS Brienne, which was, just so epic.

All in all a good finale for the season, but it needed a final hook, and Lady Stoneheart would have been what I'd have chosen. Non-book readers would have shat theit pants.

Still...skeleton fight and the Children...badass!