SPOILERS for last night’s episode of Game of Thrones, “Book of the Stranger.”
Twitter was going crazy for last night’s episode, but about 25 minutes into it, I realized that I was so bored. While I’ve never been a “book purist,” it definitely feels like this season has had pacing issues now that we’re off-book. We’re also having some dialogue issues, but that’s neither here nor there. Anyway, here are some interesting moments from last night’s episode.
Littlefinger’s latest plot. For those of you familiar with linchpin theory, is Littlefinger the linchpin of the Game of Thrones world? It was Littlefinger’s plot that set everything in the Game of Thrones world in motion – he manipulated Lysa Arryn into murdering her husband, Jon Arryn, which is the whole reason for everything. Or would Jon Arryn be the linchpin? Who even knows? What I do know is that Littlefinger has been absent from Season 6 until now, and when we caught up him, he was working some angle. He wants soldiers from The Vale to be sent to the North to rescue Sansa Stark. Robin Arryn (that poor actor) agrees to Littlefinger’s plan, but I have no idea what’s going to happen or what Littlefinger’s ultimate goal is.
Osha deserved better. Maybe there was a plot between Osha and Rickon and someone else (??). But it was my hope that Osha had been briefed on just who she was dealing with when it came to Ramsay. You don’t walk into Ramsay’s quarters and expect to fight him using whatever you can grab. So now Osha – a fan-favorite and one of the most loyal Stark-protectors – is dead, stabbed in the neck by Ramsay. I was so disgusted by that, I could barely see straight.
Tyrion’s Missouri Compromise. The Missouri Compromise was the pre-American Civil War legal structure to ensure that the US always had an equal number of slave states and non-slave states. It was legal compromise to keep slavery legal in half of America. And that’s Tyrion’s idea of how to gently appease the slave masters in Slaver’s Bay. I suspect it will blow up in his face, but who knows?
Queen Margaery sees her brother. I like Natalie Dormer’s performance as Margaery a lot, and she was incredibly strong in her scenes against the High Sparrow and with her brother, Ser Loras. We haven’t seen Loras for a while, not since he was jailed for being gay and lying about it. Imprisonment has not been good to him, and he is a broken man. But we get to see that Margaery isn’t broken, no matter what they do to her. She is strong. Strong enough to carry her whole family if need be.
Cersei’s latest plot. I’m getting so aggravated with Cersei, I just want someone to wipe the smug off her face. Once her son tells her something, Cersei starts to put together a plan and ends up allying the Lannisters with the Tyrells, at long last. Cersei wants the Tyrells to send troops into King’s Landing and take the High Sparrow into custody, or kill him. We’ll see, Cersei.
Jon Snow & Sansa. I really enjoyed the way Sansa’s arrival at Castle Black was filmed, with her looking around for Jon and Jon, out of focus in the background, watching her. When their eyes met and they ran to each other, it was beautiful and moving. And then the writers ruined it by having Jon and Sansa’s big reunion scene involve a conversation about soup and ale. I get that the writers didn’t want to do a 20-minute long scene where Sansa and Jon told each other everything that has happened over the past however many years. But we needed to see Jon’s face when she told him about what Ramsay had done to her. We needed to see Jon’s face when she told him about Theon, and Joffrey and more.
Brienne + Tormund = giant love match. In the scene where Jon, Sansa, Tormund, Edd and Brienne were having dinner, Tormund was seriously giving Brienne the eye. Brienne wasn’t into it. But I think she should reconsider, because Tormund could rock her world.
The Pink Letter. Is this going to be the show’s version of “the pink letter” from the book? Sure. This letter was from Ramsay Bolton, and it had an unintended consequence of uniting all of Ramsay’s enemies together – Jon Snow might not have been able to bring the Wildlings over to fight for him, but if Ramsay is explicitly coming after the Wildlings, they’ll gladly fight for Jon Snow.
Brienne’s awkward run-in with Davos & Melisandre. I said this in last week’s post – everyone was focusing on Jon and Sansa and no one thought about how terrible it would be when Davos realized that Brienne killed Stannis. For what it’s worth, I don’t think Melisandre cared either way. Jon Snow is her new lord, and she believes that he is The Prince That Was Promised, Azor Ahai. Meanwhile, I’m starting to believe that Daenerys has been Azor Ahai this whole time.
The Unburnt. While Jon Snow has been resurrected, making him a prime candidate for Azor Ahai, I think Dany has been The One this whole time, you guys. She can control dragons. She is the Breaker of Chains. And once again, she proved that she cannot be burned. Long story short, Daario and Jorah were trying to rescue her, but she was like “screw you, I’ll rescue myself.” And she set fire to the Dothraki council (or whatever), burning all of those men alive, and then like her exit from Khal Drogo’s funeral pyre in Season 1, Dany walked out of the flames naked. And the Dorthraki horde got on their knees in supplication. Even Jorah and Daario bowed down.
Photos courtesy of HBO/GoT.
Finally a Stark reunion. I yelped and cheered so hard!. And we saw Jon Snow smile in this episode more than I’ve ever seen him smile all 5 seasons before this.
Tormund and Brienne is the romance I didn’t know I needed on this show lol. He wants himself a big, strong woman. Yes! Bring on SnowBowl!
And it’s about time Khaleesi wakes her inner Dragon
Plus this whole episode was one GIANT EAGLE sibling reuinion. Jon/Sansa, Loras/Margery and Theon/Yara.
I loved how they had Sansa apologize for being smug and cold to Jon. In the books its noted she was more like Catelyn in the fact that she looked down upon him for being a Bastard, unlike the way the rest of the Stark siblings, especially Aryah treated Jon.
I totally forgot to include Yara and Theon. Alfie Allen was really good in that scene.
Tormund and Brienne…Torienne, the coupling I never knew I wanted until the moment they saw each other. Gawwwwd, I hope it happens!
Robin Arryn is like Upper Class Twit of the Year.
Theon broke my heart in that scene 😢
The reunion was epic, but even better is that after 6 seasons and 4 episodes, Sansa has finally grown into a Stark. I think I cheered a little when she told Jon she’s taking back Winterfell with or without him.
And it looks like next week she’s demanding answers from Littlefinger.
The good thing about Littlefinger is that the will be bringing the soldiers of the Vale to the fight. They never entered the war of the 5 Kings since Lysa had them stay out of it, so they are freash and at full force and ready to kick some ass1
I still want to see Sansa be the one to walk up to the captured Ramsay and gut him… yes, literally, not figuratively. She has lost the most to him, she gets to avenge all she has lost.
The short hair really works for Jon, you can see his face and that cute smile.
The acting from all the siblings was intensely great. I loved every moment.
Osha did deserve better. But I like this about the show. It confounds your desires every time. I think it’s clever that they piss me off so regularly but make me keep watching.
HODOR!
No dragons. No dire wolves. No HODOR
where are the dragons???? what happen to the two that was release from their collars?
I totally can’t handle watching the show (I only made it through the first season) so I just read recaps haha. I can’t handle stressful dramas like this or TWD or Breaking Bad… but the husband looooves them. So I’ll read the recaps and freak him out with how much I know lol.
Love it! lol
I don’t watch it either – since the first season – and these recaps keep me going. The comments do as well, of course. 🙂
Me too. I can’t stand all the creative violence, but I want to know the broad overview of what’s happening.
During TWD I started getting really hot, my face would turn red, it felt like something was sitting on my chest, I figured out that TWD was giving me anxiety attacks. I still watch but I stay almost distracted during on my Kindle.
I started watching Boardwalk Empire a couple of weeks ago and hands down I think that is one of the most violent shows I have ever seen.
Glad I’m not alone, haha. I didn’t think I’d be so bothered by the violence, but I am.
I had to quit Dexter cold turkey after the season with whatshisname from 3rd Rock from the Sun.
I’m way too anxious of a person to begin with. I watch Criminal Minds, but only streaming, and only in the day time. My imagination is FAR too wild to handle it in the evenings.
LOL Erinn. I thought I was the only one who watched Criminal Minds in the daylight.
I had a friend who got so much stress and anxiety just reading the books. She likes the characters and stories, but she couldn’t continue, poor thing.
Brienne and Tormund (Brimund if you will) needs to happen, I did not know I needed this is my life but now I do.
I thought Brienne was not *truly* put off by Tormund. That actor plays his character so well, and with so little effort. Very likeable!
She looked confused. It was the look of “is he looking at me? now what do I do”? She was on the verge of blushing. Brienne probably isn’t used to any men looking at her with “that” look.
I think she had no idea what he was about. She’s never had a man lusting after her. I loved it, just like I loved Olenna’s delighted reaction upon meeting Brienne. Tormund doesn’t see her as a freak of nature, and would be more than happy to fight along side her. Match made in heaven.
At the end of Sixteen Candles when Molly Ringwald looks behind and then is like me, that is what it made me think of.
My husband is big with red hair like Tormund, I said finally someone the same size as you red people.
His face when she rode in… bloody hell and then at the table i was genuinely laughing. Edds reaction summed it up. Brienne isnt used to male attention, lets be honest shes a total outsider, the men don’t take her seriously and the women think she’s unfeminine so she probably had no clue what was going on. The awkwardness was amazing.
Agreed! I want Brienne to find a man who is smitten with her beauty and admires her strength. Unfortunately, this show isn’t big on happily ever after, so we’ll see.
Bah, I don’t need happily ever after here. I just want to see Brienne get hers for once!!
Exactly! I think she was a little flummoxed, but not mad at it.
The entire revised storyline, TV tie-in for this franchise has become terrible. George R R Martin has let it down. By killing off characters like Osha, it appears that Martin has no idea as to how to structure the rest of the story.
Martin had nothing to do with Osha’s death or how the scripts are being handled. D&D are doing this on their own.
Actually, George R.R. Martin envisions giving Osha a larger role in the final two books, so influenced he was by Natalia Tena in the role. I think the fault lies more with the showrunners who are just killing characters of nilly-willy with little thought for consequences or set-up.
Osha, Grenn, Pyp, Stannis, Selyse, Shireen, Hizdahr, Shaggydog, Roose, Mance, Doran, Areo, Trystane, Myrcella and Thorne are all still alive in the books and most of these characters still presumably have significantly more to do. Benioff and Weiss are all about making viral SHOCK VALUE TV rather than a quality show at this point.
Agreed. I think D&D are offing characters they don’t want to do more with and do not serve how they are ending their story. I think GRRM’s plans for most of these still alive in the books but deceased on the show characters are more than the show ever planned to do with them. I do remember GRRM saying how much he liked what Natalia Tena did with Osha that he wanted to do more with her in the books.
Jojen is also alive in the books although in the books he’s been hinting at his own death. I think his death will be more meaningful in the books versus the show version of his death.
I’m not motivated to read any more books in this series.. Readers have invested so much time in this franchise, but it seems they are unimportant.
By the time the final 2 books are out, I’ll be in a nursing home.
“Benioff and Weiss are all about making viral SHOCK VALUE TV rather than a quality show at this point.”
I agree. You know, at this rate it’d actually be more shocking than anything if they didn’t kill anyone else for an episode or 2. I feel like they are all like “okay we gotta wrap this up so let’s grab all the characters people remember and kill everyone else”.
Well how do we know that GRRM isn’t going to give them stupid deaths? My thinking is that if the show is killing them off, then that means in the books their fates aren’t all that vital to the books. I’m assuming, though, that GRRM has mapped out the entire storyline for the writers, and then they decide, based on that, who’s dead and who isn’t, etc…..
GRRM describes his approach to writing as more of a gardner than a planner. I think he has an idea of how it is to end but he’s not a writer that plans out everything. Hence, the long long time between books. He doesn’t even write the chapters in sequence so he’ll move them around and then go back and revise when he has the final order of chapters. So I don’t think we can accurately predict what happens to character apart from major plotpoints, like Jon’s resurrection, etc. Remember that the entire Dornish plot in the show is COMPLETELY different in the books. They cut out the main character of the Dornish plot, downplayed Doran and turned Ellaria into the opposite of her book counterpart.
I thought it was left open in the book as to whether Stannis was actually dead? I may be remembering wrong.
Eh, I place the blame at both their feet, G.R.R. Martin & the show runners. If the last two books had been released already, the show runners would have a solid lead to follow. As is, they are now on their own and it shows.
I’ve complained about the horrid writing every week so far. And am back to do it again.
Martin has never been a great writer, Martin is a great story teller, though. He told DB and DB how it was going to go down, and they’ve butchered it I think. Hard for them to produce quality work when they no longer have lines and speeches and whatnot to pull from.
It’s a completely different feel this season, it doesn’t match, and that makes it worse than if it were just standalone sans Martin’s influence.
I couldn’t get through the first book–the writing was so dry and boring……..
I do think Littlefinger will be killed by Ramsay. He’s overplayed his hand on so many levels…
I’m waiting for Varys to kill Littlefinger.
Thank you, sometimes I think Littlefinger and Varys are key players
Disagree. I’ve always thought Littlefinger and Varys will be the only ones left alive at the end.
I agree. Littlefinger is totally going to survive.
Yup, they will survive. Like two cockroaches.
I actually like where the plots are going. My only problem with the story is Jon’s new plot. I detest that “hero” figure and I simply don’t think Jon was all that interesting. I can agree with the pacing problems as well. While I appreciate a faster pace, sometimes I feel they are cutting out stuff. We FINALLY got a Stark reunion after 5 seasons, and all we got was… a hug. Next scene between Sansa and Jon, they are discussing the takeover of Winterfell already.
I’m convinced the new writers are 15 years old, though. The scripts have been so horrible. That final scene when Dany said “I’ll rule and you will die” or whatever, that was flat-out Mortal Kombat. Daario says he’ll hide the knife himself. Let me guess, he’ll save Jorah’s life with it later. GoT used to be so nuanced and clever. Now it is falling for the most ridiculous cliches.
The cliches arent always bad, though. “He was murdered by blood magic (side eyes Mel)”. Probably my favorite moment of last episode, tbh.
I felt like Dany’s big moment was completely telegraphed from the moment the Dothraki captured her. I just thought Drogon would cause the fire and not her. But, I am glad they at least had her do it rather than the dragon. But I knew something would happen where she’d defeat the Khals (especially since they were not nuanced characters at all and basically rapey and awful) and impress the Dothraki so much, they’d follow her. It’s rinse and repeat with Dany. Now she needs ships. So either Euron or Yara are definitely going to be seeking her out at some point this season.
I don’t find Jon that interesting at all. I like the book version much better and I hate Kit’s acting. The Jon and Sansa reunion fell flat for me after the hug when he basically refused to help her take back Winterfell because awful things happened to him and he was forced to do things he did not want to do. I am sure Sansa told him some of what happened to her off screen and I think she’s had it just as bad, if not worse than Jon. The fact that he needed that letter from Ramsey to finally agree rather then Sansa’s own personal experience with Ramsey irritated the hell out of me.
Liked the scene with Margarey and Loras. I felt so bad for him, you know he’s been tortured 🙁 Liked the reunion between Theon and Yara and that he will back her move to be Queen, which is the smart move to make. Even though I found it implausible that Theon made his away across the north and on to a boat without being caught. When is anyone going to mention that Cersei is responsible for emboldening the High Sparrow when she sicced him on Margarey and Loras?
The pacing is really fast, the show is rocketing to the end.
Would love to see more of Tormund and Brienne and can Ramsey just die already? Poor Osha.
Yes Jon snow was annoying. It was like hearing what his sister had suffered wasn’t enough and it was like, dude what are you going to do..? Just hang around not running the nights watch..?
If Brienne doesn’t want tormund than I will take him!! He’s one fine looking wildling.
The entire last scene was like….guys…she doesn’t burn. She’s surrounded by fire and unrestrained while you threaten her. That did feel really contrived. It was so obvious what was coming, but still it was really satisfying.
Yeah, but now she gets not just one simple Khalasar to follow her, but he entire Dothraki Army will be behind her, since their laws are, once you kill a Khal, you take all of their spoils and their followers. And she killed ALLLLLL of the Khals. She’s got a bigger army than she did when she was with Drogo.
First Daenerys is a bad ass & I want to be her when I grow up! Now she is & has always been The One. She is the Prince(ss) that was promised. This girl brought Dragons back from extinction. She has the right heart & the throne is hers by right. Baratheon usurped it. (Yes Jon is a Targareyn which will mesh w/her story line) but she is The Fire in the Song of Ice & Fire.
But Jon is both Ice and Fire
I needed nothing else besides the Jon/Sansa reunion and the Tormund/Brienne scene. I laughed out loud at the way he was looking at her and Edd’s reaction.
And next week we’re getting White Walkers and the Kingsmoot!
I’m with you on that! I did not see that romance coming, and it better not be a tease—I want these two making wildling babies together!
And I gave a big holler when Jon and Sansa were reunited. Finally!
My only complaint is Tyrion. I love that character so much, and the writers are giving him nothing to work with this season.
I don’t need the Brienne/Tormund romance being a big storyline, but I do definitely hope it carries on in the background. They’ve made Brienne tell the story of how all the men her father invited to court her mocked her so many times, I feel like doing so has been leading up to this. It will take a lot for Tormund to win her over though. To break through her armor. I hope they actually show that over time instead of just rushing it.
I wouldn’t mind it in the background; just shots of Tormund looking at her and her having the “wtf” expression every time.
I now want those 7’4 sons & daughters Tormund talked about in S3. He said he wanted his children capable enough to fight bears. He wasn’t lying when he said he liked his women strong and able to fight. Lol at the meat in a hand move. He sure wan’t trying to hide his attraction lol.
Remember when Brienne fought a bear?
Yes. Romance and happy family reunions. That’s what I want. And Ramsey’s head on a stake.
Haha-me too!
I loved last night’s episode and I feel like the pace is definitely picking up!
Can’t wait to see Sansa and Petyr reunite next week and Jaime and Cersei finally beating the High Sparrow.
I cried at the Jon/Sansa reunion and loved the Tormund/Brienne scene. I’m not the biggest fan of Dany but that ending was amazing.
I’m becoming very bored with Dany’s storyline. It seems all she’s been doing is wandering through deserts and open plains for 6 seasons now, stopping occasionally to give a righteous speech whilst lifting an eyebrow. I don’t know how many more times we need to see people bow to her with stunned expressions on their faces. We get it – she’s powerful – but get out of the desert, get on your dragon and advance your storyline!
Hear, hear. Hopefully the show runners see this & GRRM.
That has been the problem with the books. The second book was all Danys walking through a desert. Then she settled in Meereen and did nothing for a while and the last book ended with her walking by herself in a desert again.
When I reread, I just barely skim the Dany chapters – too boring!
Dany has been boring since season 2. Khal drogo and viserys made her interesting.
“I don’t know how many more times we need to see people bow to her with stunned expressions on their faces.”
This. Dany might look cool walking away from a pyre unscarred but girl we’ve seen you fullfilling queenly duties and you were frankly quite awful.
I think this is such a good comment applicable to both the show and the books. If it’s anything the storyline has shown us is that it’s one thing to take power, it’s another to maintain it, and maintain it well. Reminds me of something I read on LaineyGossip today, “Being talented isn’t the same thing as being good at your job.”
I was grateful for the Khal massacre because she DID something effective. I think she is good for the attack but not the long term governing. She’s too literal or something.
Who knew that we needed the possibility of Tormund and Brienne! That look he got when she rode in: if that wasn’t love at first sight, a rare thing in that fictional universe, then it was something awful close. He was totally ” WHO IS THAT?”
Loved it.
He was practically drooling and think his jaw was even dropped. One of my favorites scenes of the series so far 🙂 I want a Tormund and Brienne match!
I went to a small town in Tuscany on Saturday to supervise a Cambridge English examination for high school students and I swear to God one of the students’ name was Ioan Izabel HODOR. HODOR!!!!!
I had to take a picture of his name. I couldn’t believe my eyes.
😀 😀
I hope there will come a day when I can start out a sentence by writing “I went to a small town in Tuscany on Saturday…” So you were there, and got to meet a real life HODOR! Well done! On Saturday I washed the dog.
Ah yes, I see the confusion.. it sounded like a was bragging but no.. it was for work and it was raining and most of all it was boring and the students tried to cheat so I had to play nazi and rule the classroom with an iron fist.
I wish i was washing my dog if I’m honest!
Anyway Mr. Real-life-Hodor was a skinny guy with pimples all over his face and not Hodor-like at all.
But still!!! What are the odds!!!
My apologies! I didn’t mean that I thought you were bragging. I hate when tone gets confused! I sincerely meant what I wrote and am green-eyed with jealousy that you are in Tuscany. Of course, in my fantasy it was sunny and you had wine afterwards while enjoying a lovely view. How funny that a guy named Hodor turned out to be so different. I wonder if the books are popular there and if he gets teased. And my dog is a huge galoot of a Lab who made sure I got as wet as he did!
paolanqar – I wanted to add that I didn’t get a bragging tone from your story either. It was actually quite fascinating because I am here in dry hot dusty Arizona, and your story sounded so very exotic and faraway, and yet very casual, like popping into Paris. The reality, as you shared, was very different and amusing. Not HODOR as we know him! Thank you for sharing! 🙂
This season, I sometimes get the feeling that the producers are waiting around for Martin to finish up the book so they can take it from there. The storyline and dialogue is just not quite right this season. These great characters were created from the mind of Martin and I see the the show is having difficulty replicating it.
I don’t like this season (or the last season really). We get about 5 minutes or so with each storyline. It’s not enough to care about anything anymore, just seeing snippets of conversations makes me meh about all of them. Because all the characters are wandering about in different areas they never interact and it’s just so boring. It never ceases to amaze me how bored I get in a show about magic and dragons and plotting and war.
Also, some of the plots are way too complex to be properly explained in 5 minutes every 2 episodes for non-book readers (and all of us now). I have no clue what the heck was going on with Arya or the Sand Snakes or why the High Sparrow is so powerful.
I am worried about the story being rushed.
I think that problem is that the last two books, not much happened. It was just a lot of dialogue. If the TV show didn’t write Hardhome, then there wouldn’t be much action at all last season.
Now, D&D have to finish this story on their own and I don’t know how much material they have.
@nicole I’d like an explanation why the high sparrow is so powerful as well. How was he able to imprison the queen ,the king’s mother and other nobles? Did they explain it but we missed it?
Exactly! Why is he running the show out of nowhere? I get the King is a child, but why can’t he do anything? I’m sure the book readers know, but I sure don’t get it!
It was mentioned last night how much support the High Sparrow has in King’s Landing. The Lannisters are not well liked at all, and given what the High Sparrow preaches, it’s easy to see how he could gain control.
The High Septon is basically a Catholic Pope in medieval times. This one is particularly popular among the common people because he gave away his gold crown and fancy robes in order to buy food for the poor. And then Cersei made a HUGE mistake signing off on the Faith Militant (armed religious soldiers) at the end of Season 5.
The Faith Militant had been disbanded generations earlier after they rose up in rebellion against the Targaryen ruler of that time.
I’m so obsessed with this show. Having to wait between episodes and seasons is pure torture. I always tell people who are new to the show is that they must never fall in love with characters because they may die.
I know the books are different to the show and my question is…… Should I read the books ?
As a hard-core sci-fi/fantasy reader, my first reaction was: Of course you should read the books!
But on second thoughts: No. Honestly, if you liked fantasy novels, you’d have read them by now.
GRRM is not an amazing writer. What he IS good at is coming up with plot twists that are new and shocking. If you’ve been following the TV show, you’re not going to be shocked, so I don’t think the books would really do that much for you. They are somewhat different, but I don’t know that it’s enough to bother with the book if you’re not a big reader in the first place.
Also, GRRM writes ridiculously slowly. Perhaps wait until the last book is out … say 2025?
The dialog is REALLY suffering. Good soup? Seriously? Surely the show writers could do better than that. The pacing is really bothering me. It’s like, things are finally happening but at a snails pace. Danny totally went full circle, now she’s back where she started like two books ago. Come on already!
sometimes you gotta go back to actually move forward. Lol Plus she’s got the entire Dothraki army behind her now since she killed every Khal and can now take what she’s earned,
yeah and literally the next Wall scene wastes precious minutes with food again. As if Brienne has never been amongst men who don’t eat with cutlery before.
We don’t have time for that stuff, not once but definitely not twice.
To go north, you must go south. To reach the west, you must go east. To go forward you must go back, and to touch the light you must pass beneath the shadow.
That’s what Quaithe told Dany in the books, where prophecy is really important. They put it in Season 2 but I think people have forgotten. No one was sure “going back” meant to the Dothraki but the show has explained that part now. East (Essos) to reach west (Westeros) is clear but the other two parts we don’t know …. are her dragons the shadow? If north is The Wall then what is her south? etc. etc. Her arc will follow the prophecy though, right until the end.
I thought it was the best episode by far this season, but as others have pointed out, the quality of the dialogue has gone down this season, and that makes me sad.
Dialogue in GoT used to be so subtle and nuanced, it was a delight. No longer.
The entire time Jorah and Daario were creeping up to and around the Dothraki camp, felt like an episode of Bonanza. Until the shot of the, ah, busy couple. But I digress.
Tyrion Lannister, seven years and a whore. Yeah, no.
I hope Sansa is the one who finally gives Ramsay what he so richly deserves.
I have been saying the same of Sansa. It just makes sense.
I agree on Jorah and Daario, but I thought it was more similar to The Princess Bride. It seemed like it was unintentionally comical.
@Maya that definitely works, too! If only they’d had a Holocaust cloak, then they’d have something! (Plus, they, too, could be unburnt.)
Last night’s chapter started slow and for a moment I thought it was going to be a doozy, but damn, that was an awesome ending.
Jon was getting on my last nerve with his refusal of fighting but Ramsey has finally crossed a line. That mother f*cker needs to die ASAP. I can’t believe we lost Osha!!! He. Needs. To. Die. Preferably in a slow painful way. Who knew Sansa was going to end up being the voice of reason? She finally has a backbone and I’m enjoying it so much. I loved the scenes between her and Jon. Also, Tormund and his sensual eating had me in stitches. Poor Brienne looked really uncomfortable.
Davos, Brienne and Melisandre reunion. Thas was awkaaaaard.
The High Sparrow can go suck a d*ck. Is Cersei playing her cards so that Margaery dies in a struggle?
Poor Theon broke my black little heart. I hope he finds the redemption he’s looking for.
Dany killing all the khals was perfection. That whole last scene was amazing. But that Daario still doesn’t seem trust worthy to me and he was so annoying bating Jorah. He’s an ass.
I can’t wait for next chapter.
Agree, Ramsey needs to go, now. Some folks are saying one whole episode should be devoted to his death so that we get the full measure of his agony and defeat.
I’m now waiting for his death like I waited for Joffrey’s! I hope it is sufficiently hideous.
To my mind, Jon’s reluctance to fight made perfect sense. He is like a war vet who has been through 3 tours- he is scarred, despairing and fatigued. Everything he has ever belived about duty and honor must seem empty at this point. That is until Ramsay sent that letter- dumb move. Honestly, that letter crossed all the lines for Jon, he couldn’t even read the part about Sansa being offered up to Ramsay’s soldiers and Rikon being eaten by dogs. Jon coud barely choke out the line, “Ramsay Bolton warden of the North”. The Starks have aways been driven by both family and honour- that letter was a red cape and I hope that Bolton meets his end by being eaten by direwolves. The North remembers.
I love Sansa’s growth especially as we see her come into her own. She has a lot of her mother in her but she also is showing her Stark side. I am here for the remaining Starks rising up and taking back there home.
Frankly, I thought Catelyn mostly made the wrong moves, strategically. She was right about Robb not being able to marry Talisa w/o consequences, and she was right to take on Brienne as her sworn sword, but every other thing she did was the wrong move, especially accusing Tyrion and putting him on trial in the Vale. Catelyn was intelligent but not war-smart. Sansa, I am hoping, has both her parents’ native intelligence but also some gut instinct for survival and strategy that they seemed to lack (Ned’s problem was that he behaved with honor so thoroughly that he thought all others would do the same!).
First of all. Khaleesi: showing all the haters how it’s done. #likeaboss.
Second- Tormund & Brienne need to lock themselves in a room & start breaking furniture! #yassss!
I loved this episode and was so glad to see Little Finger return. I had to laugh, though, seeing he’s got his hands full with that dim-witted momma’s boy (who must have grown 9 inches since we last saw him). And, woo-hoo, “Open the gate”! I loved the Stark reunion and Tormund’s awestruck face. Folks on Twitter were shippin’ the Brienne-Tormund relationship before the show ended. One thing I didn’t care for was the way Osha went out. The writers gave her no finesse or dignity at the end and I thought she deserved better for taking care of Rickon. But, that’s typical GOT. It was a sad, ugly death like Prince Oberyn’s.
I was just glad he didn’t torture her. When she went in there with her typical swagger, all I could think was that Ramsey would love breaking her. I was shocked when he ended it so quickly instead of playing with her.
He couldn’t give her any opportunity or time. He knew from Theon that she was smart, crafty, and deadly.
Since season 1 I’ve thought Danny was it. Everyone always said Jon but no it’s always been Danny. You could just tell. She’s way more cooler and i think a better person overall. Jon is too much of a p-ssy. He couldn’t even help his family because he was all “my duty is now to the nights watch”. Ugh cry me a river princess.
Maybe they’re killing everyone off because they can’t afford to keep them. That’s usually what happens. I imagine it costs a lot to keep all of those actors around. And no matter how much a show makes, it won’t matter to networks.
Eh Dany shows some arrogance and thinks she knows everything and didn’t listen to Sir Barristan and because of that she has the people of Mereen turn against her. And hopefully now with Tyrion she will have another Highborn unafraid to tell her like it is and put her in her place, because she thinks she knows it all. While Jon knows nothing. They both need maturing and I think they finally are. While I always though Jon was the Song of Ice and Fire, when it comes to the Great Other, they will need each other and are both equally important in the long run. He’s actually faced and defeated Whitewalkers. Although I do think she may sit on the Iron Throne and Jon may become King at the Wall……
Jon is the Ice ( The Wall) and Daenerys is the Fire (self-explanatory) in The Song of Ice and Fire- it takes two, both of Targaryean lineage. There’s a very interesting You Tube channel, Alt Shift X, which analyzes many theories, if you have time to kill.
I like to think it’s Jon because Rhaegar loved to sing songs and he spoke so much about the prophecy, and trying to bring it to fruition by hooking up with a Northern girl who so happens to be a descendant of the First Men would be super poetic. Lyanna (Ice) and Rhaegar (Fre) would bring forth the flesh and blood embodiment of the Song of Ice and Fire, as well as the Prince who was Promised (as in “Promise me Ned”) but that’s just my take on it.
Littlefinger is the master here. He’s getting the Vale to go help take back Winterfell, along with all the loyal North supporters including the Mormonts at Bear Island, and eventually he will also have the Tyrells and the Reach at his fingertips since he also made an alliance with the Olenna Tyrell. I also see the Frey’s taking their side since their alliance was betrayed by Ramsey, and also possible the Ironborne now that Theon is there. I have to wonder what his endgame is here? He just say end up on the right side of the war, but he pretty much set everything in motion. Both he and Varys say they are motivated for the good of the realm. Varys is supporting the only “living” Targ. But maybe, and judging by the look he gave Sansa at the Winterfell crypts when she was mentioning Lyanna’s “abduction/rape”, he may be backing another “Targaryen?
Also, even the boring scenes at Kings Landing are giving clues of whats to come. Cersei is awaiting her trial by combat where she will be using Sir Robert Strong (aka Zombie Mountain) as her champion. And if Ian McShane’s comments are any indication, we just may get CleganeBowl. So I foresee a few of these storylines taking a back seat to bring forth that story line. I think Brienne and Tormund’s romance may have to wait for a bit because of it, sadly.
I don’t trust Littlefinger. There’ll be no one to protect Robin once the Vale army goes to fight Bolton. Plus the way he maneuvered the one person who was on to him to also lead the Vale troops and more than likely get killed in the upcoming battle. I see Luttlefinger returning to the Vale and throwing Robin through that moon door and taking over himself.
Is it bad that I would prefer it if he threw Robin through the moon door? I can’t stand that kid.
I don’t trust him either. Littlefinger only serves himself. Everything he does is for his own good and to get him into a better position of power. but he is an ideal ally. What he lacks in strength, he possesses in smarts , which is probably why Robert Baratheon kept him on the Small Council to begin with
Robin doesn’t have long, IMO. LF would have killed him already if he thought he could have the Vale without him.
I was happy to see Little Finger/Baelish back. 🙂 Some may disagree, but I find him sexy even though he is a master manipulator. Now where is Bronn?
Seeing so many people shipping Brienne and Tormund is giving me life.
+1 My favorites!
I like how Dany burned the rape-y, frat boy Dothraki dudes in the hut where they store their widowed vag. It was very symbolic!
Agree with others that it waa repetitive but I think that’s the point. Dany is a conqueror and a game changer, not a ruler, as we saw in Mereen. Here she’s getting back to her roots of Not Taking Shit. We saw she has Tyrion now to do the boring stuff, she can go rude dragons and raise armies and inspire people.
I’ve read a few comments elsewhere where people (I’m assuming they’re possibly men) are talking about how barbaric Dany was. The khals were salivating at the plan to rape her to death! First they would have a go, then the bloodriders, then their horses. Good riddance you rape-happy freaks!
it was their own stupid fault for not taking all of her titles seriously: the Unburnt. Guys? Guys? The Unburnt should tell you something about this woman. What? No? Gonna rape her anyway after insulting her? Okay. Have fun at your barbecue. Alexander the Great. Alfred the Great. Edward the Confessor, Ivan the Terrible…..take a title seriously, dudes.
I was just a little surprised that it was her and not Drogon, because you know, ‘Mother of dragons’.
They played with fire and got what they deserved.
So Dany’s method of taking control essentially boils down (no pun intended) to a party trick??
Oh well. I do like that she seized control herself and didn’t rely on Deus ex Drogon.
I like that Dany came up with the plan, went forward with the plan, and did it all without Drogon’s help. And the Dothraki bowed at her feet due to her actions, not their fear of her dragons.
Beginning to think she will go the route of her mad king father.
I thought I remembered reading that Daenerys is NOT immune to fire at all (nor were the other ‘dragons’ in her family) but that the dragon birth fire was just a special one off/magic occurrence.
GRRM did say that, but here we are! 🙂
You are right, the Targaryens are NOT fire proof. Some of Danery’s crazy in-breed ancestors died in fires believing they were immune. The mad King was also going to burn all of Kingslanding thinking he will survive. Actually the Targaryens burn their dead too.
Remember in season 1 Daenerys used blood magic to survive that funeral fire. She killed the witch and Drogo. A life for a life. Along with the magic of the dragon eggs hatching. GRRM said it was a one time get out of jail free card.
Also Jon Snow burnt his hand when he tried to save the commander of the Nights Watch from the dead body who came back to life in season one.
I thought that the Prince that was Promised, and Azor Ahai were not necessarily the same person.
When has Melisandre been right so far? 😉 and now there’s a new up and coming red woman, it seems.
The dragon has three heads, remember. That means three people:
Azor Ahai. (My guess: Dany)
The Prince that was Promised. (Jon? or…)
The last hero. (Jon??)
Meera?
Dany, Jon, Tyrion are the top contenders, the idea being that they all three have Targaryen blood (it gets messy and complicated with the Tyrion theory), but it’s also possible that Bran wargs into one of the dragons (“you will never walk again but you will fly”).
I loved Osha and have been awaiting her return. I knew it would be bad because it’s Ramsey but I was hoping for better. She was a Wilding and a tough, practical person who knows how brutal the world is and what you may need to do to survive in it. I hoped that even if she had to submit to Ramsey she could because of those characteristics and just bide her time. But when that knife was there I had a bad feeling. Ramsey wasn’t going to die and moving on him and failing would be a death sentence. I forgot that he would have Intel from Theon. I actually screamed ‘you m*********r’ at the tv when he stabbed her. She deserved better–one of the few loyal characters and she paid with her life. Nothing short of Ramsey’s getting a taste of his family emblem (flayed man) will suffice at this point.
I really hope Dany is not Azor Ahai. She has annoyed me in the books and the show – this cult of personality riri, glorified slave master, absentee ruler, who is totally in over her head. I get people love the young girl with dragons, but seriously what has she accomplished as, … God, whatever that damn two minute introduction of who she is is. She could win, but who would take her seriously, who’s taking her seriously that she has actually had the misfortune to rule. After the dragon and fire show there is nothing there.
Sorry. Can’t stand her. Rant over.
Watching the last episode again—feeling like a GOT nerd, but …
During the Stark reunion, did anyone else find it strange that Jon said to Sansa, “your father” would come back to haunt him if Jon didn’t protect Sansa? Why would Jon say “your father” and not “our father”? Does he already know that he’s not Ned Stark’s son? Hmmm …
Anyone want to talk about how Dany’s scenes were basically the height of White Feminism?