Game of Thrones

[Windigo]

Jesus.

I know episode 9 is going to lose the show some viewers. I hope it was worth it; both for the producers and within the story.

Really? I thought they tee'd it up very well for the next show. It had some very good scenes in it.

[WallysWorld]

As I didn't read the books, the series is very appealing to me. I know some who read the books are complaining about the series not following the novels, but for people like me, I don't know anything else but the show.

Whatever sympathy I had for Stannis was lost last night.

[Ubercat]

I wasn't referring to the straying from the books.

If people were freaking out about a wife in an involuntary marriage getting raped by her husband on her wedding night (in a medieval setting no less!), they're going to be carrying torches and pitchforks about what happened in this one.

In a related note; what a GREAT young actress. Such an intense scene would be especially hard for a kid to pull off, I'd think.

[WallysWorld]

Well, a couple of episodes ago, Penny Dreadful basically showed a baby being cut up by a witch so yesterday's event is in the same realm.

From what I've read on the IMDB forums, the readers of the books are more upset with how the series and especially this season has differed from the books.

[SirAndrewD]

Apparently according to the GoT Showrunners, Martin specifically told them to do it this way.  So even though the situation in the books is currently different, it looks like this is where he intends for things to go. 

I was a real Stannis the Mannis fan before last night.   :-\

Still, you have to sort of look at it from his point of view.  His army is dying in front of his eyes. His only methods of winning the upcoming battle are taken from him.  He's the only one of the faction leaders that has even remotely taken seriously the threat that's North of the Wall.  He's been convinced that he's some kind of chosen one by a woman who in his eyes has demonstrated that she's got the backing of a deity. If he turns around he's conceding his claim, and likely condemning himself, his army and his family to death when the Walkers come over the wall.

True or not, the character considers himself the only hope the world has.  From some of the knowledge I got from the books, he's sacrificed a lot for his soldiers before.  From his point of view, why should he be so selfish if he has a chance save his army, and perhaps everyone?  The character is intensely pragmatic, and as awful as this decision is, I don't think it was out of character for him as some do. 

This is also important from a show standpoint to further demonstrate that the Lord of Light is perhaps no better than his opposite deity, the Other,  north of the wall.

Still, can't help but hate him now.  Maybe I'll get over it.

[bayonetbrant]

[Grim.Reaper]

Although very tough scene to watch about the girl, I thought the episode was another step backwards, especially for being the second to last episode.  I thought it would be much more action filled after last weeks big battle.  i may be in the minority but think the story line with arya and Jamie and such seemed like a waste of time this week.  Maybe they are setting us up for something bigger later, but just seemed a little out of place.

Hoping the finale really delivers and next season they come back with a vengeance.

[besilarius]

Since Martin loosely based this on The War of the Roses, I keep wondering if someone will turn out to be an Edward IV.  A precocious military genius.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_IV_of_England

[SirAndrewD]

Since Martin loosely based this on The War of the Roses, I keep wondering if someone will turn out to be an Edward IV.  A precocious military genius.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_IV_of_England

I think that was Robb Stark.  In the books he's younger than he is on the show, a teenager, and never loses a battle.  He just didn't play the political game particularly well and married wrong, not too much unlike Edward IV. 

[Ubercat]

This is also important from a show standpoint to further demonstrate that the Lord of Light is perhaps no better than his opposite deity, the Other,  north of the wall.

This has been my theory for some time now. I think it's a case of evil vs. evil. No god that requires human sacrifice has any business calling itself "good".

Edit: Speaking of evil vs. evil, I think that's why the eastern front in WW2 has always been so fascinating to me.

[Centurion40]

This is also important from a show standpoint to further demonstrate that the Lord of Light is perhaps no better than his opposite deity, the Other,  north of the wall.

This has been my theory for some time now. I think it's a case of evil vs. evil. No god that requires human sacrifice has any business calling itself "good".

As f'ed up as it was,  we've seen the reprehensible magic of the "Lord of Light" do some powerful things- including bringing the dead back to life.  Perhaps this wasn't a sacrifice at all, it just appeared that way to test devotion.  Perhaps it is a transformation into something that will militarily help Stannis.  Time will tell.  Still it was awful to behold.

[Centurion40]

Oh, and I actually laughed at how corny that scene was of Danerys riding off to safety...  ::)

[SirAndrewD]

This is also important from a show standpoint to further demonstrate that the Lord of Light is perhaps no better than his opposite deity, the Other,  north of the wall.

This has been my theory for some time now. I think it's a case of evil vs. evil. No god that requires human sacrifice has any business calling itself "good".

As f'ed up as it was,  we've seen the reprehensible magic of the "Lord of Light" do some powerful things- including bringing the dead back to life.  Perhaps this wasn't a sacrifice at all, it just appeared that way to test devotion.  Perhaps it is a transformation into something that will militarily help Stannis.  Time will tell.  Still it was awful to behold.

It would be really unfortunate for her if she got a resurrection.  The books make it a little more clear, but when the Lord of Light brings you back, he brings you back as you are, any damage that might have caused your death still intact, Ghosts in Beetlejuice style. 

[Windigo]

So not stone skin any more, but bacon-puff skin.

[Nefaro]

Oh, and I actually laughed at how corny that scene was of Danerys riding off to safety...  ::)

That looked so cheesy it could've used a chafing dish.