3. Ser Mandon Moore of the Kingsguard got his first mention this episode;
4. And Ros serves a purpose to the plot;
5. Scene between Davos and Stannis was gold;
6.As was every seen between Varys and Tyrion (with Bronn) - especially their eye-rolling at Joffrey's bluster about fighting Stannis personally (could you imagine how quickly that would be over?)
7. Asha/Yara and Theon was good, but I wonder if they really think the audience will care about Theon given his crimes?
8. The Bastard of the Dreadfort gets closer to Winterfell with every episode
9. First acknowledgement in the series that Ned had a Valyrian steel sword
It's about time. I'm eager to see how they portrayed the battle, considering the obvious budgetary limitations for a TV show.
Back on the episode, I forgot another thing in my post response to this episode: Roose Bolton. That was the second or third time that Robb has basically snubbed him when Not-Jeyne-Westerling showed up, and Roose is not a stupid or forgiving man. Aside from the snub, he's also probably noticing how Robb is taking to this new girl, and chafing at his marriage obligation to the Freys. I'm impressed that they've managed to show this much of Roose Bolton so far, considering how much other stuff there is to occupy screen time (and I really, really wish the show could have gotten twelve instead of ten episodes for Season 3).
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.” -Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them." -Margaret Atwood
Scrib wrote:Why would Tyrion care if Ros was beaten up? Surely Cersei can't remember them meeting in Winterfell...
Also, Alfie Allen needs some sort of acknowledge here for his role.
Cersei specifically mentions a "lion's head necklace" and then mocks Tyrion for being careless. I don't recall when she was given the necklace, possibly it happened off screen (perhaps compensation for sending her to Joffrey?).
Guardsman Bass wrote:It's about time. I'm eager to see how they portrayed the battle, considering the obvious budgetary limitations for a TV show.
Back on the episode, I forgot another thing in my post response to this episode: Roose Bolton. That was the second or third time that Robb has basically snubbed him when Not-Jeyne-Westerling showed up, and Roose is not a stupid or forgiving man. Aside from the snub, he's also probably noticing how Robb is taking to this new girl, and chafing at his marriage obligation to the Freys. I'm impressed that they've managed to show this much of Roose Bolton so far, considering how much other stuff there is to occupy screen time (and I really, really wish the show could have gotten twelve instead of ten episodes for Season 3).
Well, they lobbied for and recieved a budget increase this season specifically for this battle, so at least they realized they couldn't do it on the cheap. I'd guess that many of the larger encampment scenes were probably shot the same day to save money.
I know many people are concerned about how the battle will be portrayed... I think they can do a good job with a small budget. The battle is at night so most of it will be understandably hard to see.While the battle will involve tens of thousands of men the most important parts will only show a small number.
Loved the episode
- Tyrion, Varys and Bronn consistently manage to be the greatest thing about this show. Tyrion and Varys' reaction to Joffreys boast was hilarious and their talking afterwards was brilliant.
- The slight change to Catelyn releasing Jaime felt a bit pointless, her releasing him in a grief stricken moment makes more sense than her just trusting a Lannister's word that her girls will be released.
- Yara tearing into Theon was gold. Pity we won't see Ramsay Snow this season (considering he didn't get cast yet)
- Robb and Not-Jeyne...I can't express my dislike enough for that change, it just feels really telegraphed and utterly pointless, it made more sense in the books, with him having this misplaced idea about honour, instead of this.
- Davos and Stannis was awesome, there little chat expanding on the back story and giving an insight into Stannis.
- Jaime being an utter shit to Brienne, love how they're setting that relationship up.
- The wildling storyline with Jon and the Halfhand seems to be back on track, even if it did take a bit of a long route to what's coming
Arya and Jaqen has to be my favourite part, even if it did miss out a part of the books (and make what happens later a little convoluted, I am wondering how they'll handle what happens to Jaime now given that northeners don't own Harrenhall). Her little shrug after he said she had no honour was great.
On how they might end the season, i'm betting it'll be with the three horn blasts, Sam realising what it means along with the others and then fade to black.
Last edited by Minischoles on 2012-05-21 01:12pm, edited 1 time in total.
“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that the English language is as pure as a crib-house whore. It not only borrows words from other languages; it has on occasion chased other languages down dark alley-ways, clubbed them unconscious and rifled their pockets for new vocabulary. “
- James Nicoll
“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that the English language is as pure as a crib-house whore. It not only borrows words from other languages; it has on occasion chased other languages down dark alley-ways, clubbed them unconscious and rifled their pockets for new vocabulary. “
- James Nicoll
Minischoles wrote:- The slight change to Catelyn releasing Jaime felt a bit pointless, her releasing him in a grief stricken moment makes more sense than her just trusting a Lannister's word that her girls will be released.
Especially since in the books, it wasn't Jaime's word she was trusting - it was Tyrion's, since she knew he was the Hand of the King.
Minischoles wrote:- Robb and Not-Jeyne...I can't express my dislike enough for that change, it just feels really telegraphed and utterly pointless, it made more sense in the books, with him having this misplaced idea about honour, instead of this.
I loved how the book-version was deeply ironic. Robb marries Jeyne to preserve her honor, at the expense of his own and that of the men he has an oath to protect as their liege lord. The show is trying to capture some of that, with Robb's speech about how the Lord should be like a father, always concerned about his people, etc - when in actuality, he's about to do something very foolish that spits on those obligations.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.” -Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them." -Margaret Atwood
Cersei specifically mentions a "lion's head necklace" and then mocks Tyrion for being careless. I don't recall when she was given the necklace, possibly it happened off screen (perhaps compensation for sending her to Joffrey?).
Here's a fun idea - what if Joffery gave her that necklace? Telling her something like "You've been to bed with a king. You'll wear that necklace to honor this night if you know what's good for you". I think Joffery actively tripping over his mommy's plans would be hilarious, and am going to choose to believe that unless the show tells us otherwise.
I loved how the book-version was deeply ironic. Robb marries Jeyne to preserve her honor, at the expense of his own and that of the men he has an oath to protect as their liege lord. The show is trying to capture some of that, with Robb's speech about how the Lord should be like a father, always concerned about his people, etc - when in actuality, he's about to do something very foolish that spits on those obligations.
On the other hand, it very much makes him Ned's son, don't it? For all their honor, one great sin of passion. Only.... Ned didn't marry his sin. You think Robb didn't grow up hearing that part of the story about his great daddy? Spoiler
Even given R+L=J, it certainly makes sense to be writing it this way at the moment. The show hasn't given anything like the number of hints the book did as to that theory. Indeed, as far we can tell in the show-verse, Jon really is just Ned's bastard. He's certainly honorably idiotic enough.
I like how Yara's scenes sort of rounded out her character. She has been a complete bitch to Theon this season, for far less reason than she had in the book - Theon of the book was far more malicious from day 1 - and this scene sort of gave her the edge of decency that Asha had. And Alfie Allen is simply knocking it out of the park as Theon listens to her and you can just see that his hopes are crumbling around him. Spoiler
The conversation between Varys and Tyrion was all kinds of interesting. Anyone else get the feeling Varys was sort of feeling him out on the Targaryens? Seeing if he could possibly be sent to Dany? We know he ends up wanting to, and this scene was clearly invoking material from the fifth book.
Further - am I the only one looking forward more to the House Of The Undying than Blackwater? Yeah, the battle will be epic - but the sheer variety of locales we can see in the House is simply breathtaking. It was also a giant crop of clues for the rest of the series in the book - and so it will be very interesting to see what they decide to do with it here.
"Peace on Earth and goodwill towards men? We are the United States Goverment - we don't DO that sort of thing!" - Sneakers. Best. Quote. EVER.
Periodic Pwnage Pantry:
"Faith? Isn't that another term for ignorance?" - Gregory House
"Isn't it interesting... religious behaviour is so close to being crazy that we can't tell them apart?" - Gregory House
"This is usually the part where people start screaming." - Gabriel Sylar
Faqa wrote:Further - am I the only one looking forward more to the House Of The Undying than Blackwater? Yeah, the battle will be epic - but the sheer variety of locales we can see in the House is simply breathtaking. It was also a giant crop of clues for the rest of the series in the book - and so it will be very interesting to see what they decide to do with it here.
I'm definitely looking forward to it, and to which scenes they decided to keep. My money is on the "Wolf King Feast", the "Throne Room", and "The Splendor", possibly with some other scenes added in.
Faqa wrote:Spoiler
Even given R+L=J, it certainly makes sense to be writing it this way at the moment. The show hasn't given anything like the number of hints the book did as to that theory. Indeed, as far we can tell in the show-verse, Jon really is just Ned's bastard. He's certainly honorably idiotic enough.
Spoiler
The show actually gave a pretty huge hint in favor of that theory when Ned specifically referred to Jon as "my blood" back in Season One. The show-runners know who Jon's mother is, so I'm thinking they deliberately left that in as a nod to how Ned never actually thinks of or refers to Jon as his son in any of his chapters (or even some other chapters - when Catelyn inquires about it and the Ashara Dayne rumor, he simply tells her that it's none of her business, and Jon "is my blood").
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.” -Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them." -Margaret Atwood
Mr Bean wrote:So episode 8 is over and done with and it was 90% setup.
Highlights
Jamie being an ass to Brienne, Season 3 with them is going to be great
Brienne and Jamie? Jeez I hope this doesn't in with the obligatory sex scene!
That was a beaten up Ros right? Please tell me it was
I don't get the hostility to Ros. My SO said "She must be pregnant". The actress, I mean. She was naked throughout the first series and not so much as sideboob this season, and the dress she wears this season looks like a maternity dress.
Right after the good scene between Robb and his girl the sex scene had to be pointlessly graphic and take forever, after that four minute story I was shouting at them to get on with it so we could get more Tyrion
It's also the first sex scene in the series to use a body double. Another insight from the SO: If a female character is wearing buttons or laces on her outfit, she WILL take it off in that scene. So we now have advanced warning if Brienne should ever show up in laces or buttons!
Guardsman Bass wrote:2. The heavily telegraphed sex scene between Robb and Not-Jeyne-Westerling finally occurred. I thought it was pretty hot, although I noticed that we never actually see Jeyne's breasts in their entirety - maybe the actress has a "no breasts" rule for her contract. Either way, she's pretty goddamn hot, almost as hot as Margaery Tyrell. It also appears that I should stop calling her "Not-Jeyne-Westerling", since they doubled-down on her Volantene origins (after the hint about the Crag in the last episode, which was strange).
I think she's hotter. By the way, I didn't know she was Charlie Chaplin's granddaughter!
Anyway, I'm now going to sequester myself in the No Spoilers thread until the season is over.
It's also the first sex scene in the series to use a body double. Another insight from the SO: If a female character is wearing buttons or laces on her outfit, she WILL take it off in that scene. So we now have advanced warning if Brienne should ever show up in laces or buttons!
Didn't the Brave Companions dress Brienne in a ill-fitting night gown at some point?
Guardsman Bass wrote: It also appears that I should stop calling her "Not-Jeyne-Westerling", since they doubled-down on her Volantene origins (after the hint about the Crag in the last episode, which was strange).
Actually I thought that background exposition was brilliantly done! Remember in the books that Jeyne's mother's family was originally from the free cities (Spicers). So it isn't out of place at all for the Westerling's to visit Volantis. This is also a great way to start dropping hints about the Free Cities and their society in the show.
They do, but i'm not even sure if they're going to be in the series at this rate. We've already had Arya escape Harrenhall, there's been absolutely no mention of Vargo Hoat (I don't even think he's been cast) - it does make me wonder if they're going to continue Jaime and Brienne's story the way it does go, with Jaime getting his hand cut off.
“The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that the English language is as pure as a crib-house whore. It not only borrows words from other languages; it has on occasion chased other languages down dark alley-ways, clubbed them unconscious and rifled their pockets for new vocabulary. “
- James Nicoll
My guess is that they'll do the Bloody Mummers, but they won't specifically cast Vargo Hoat. It'd be easy to dress up some nameless mercenary leader with the weird beard.
“It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness. That is life.” -Jean-Luc Picard
"Men are afraid that women will laugh at them. Women are afraid that men will kill them." -Margaret Atwood
Elfdart wrote:
It's also the first sex scene in the series to use a body double.
What makes you think there was a body double?
septesix wrote:
Actually I thought that background exposition was brilliantly done! Remember in the books that Jeyne's mother's family was originally from the free cities (Spicers). So it isn't out of place at all for the Westerling's to visit Volantis. This is also a great way to start dropping hints about the Free Cities and their society in the show.
Jeyne's mother Sybell's grandfather was a spice trader from Westeros, but his wife was a maegi from 'the East', which could be anywhere from the Free Cities to Asshai. However, I'm wondering if they'll have Talisa be Sybell's niece instead of her daughter. Sybell's sister could have married a Volantene, which would explain the 'Maegyr' surname, and why Talisa has a British accent like other Westerosi when other characters from the Free Cities have been given continental European accents. Her accent must have been a deliberate stylistic choice, since the actress is fluent in Spanish and French, and could probably have put on a 'foreign-sounding' accent if that had been required.
One problem with this idea is that Robb and Talisa's first scene in the most recent episode appears to have been on the way back from the Crag, the Westerling seat, implying that no-one there recognized her (or at least was willing to reveal her) as the lord's niece. I suppose we'll just have to see how the story unfolds.
To be honest, I prefer the two (1,2)fan versions on youtube.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
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A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------ My LPs
Vympel wrote:They might also play it over the actual event, with all other sound muted. That could work too.
Yeah, I think this will be the end of season 2.
Whoever says "education does not matter" can try ignorance
------------
A decision must be made in the life of every nation at the very moment when the grasp of the enemy is at its throat. Then, it seems that the only way to survive is to use the means of the enemy, to rest survival upon what is expedient, to look the other way. Well, the answer to that is 'survival as what'? A country isn't a rock. It's not an extension of one's self. It's what it stands for. It's what it stands for when standing for something is the most difficult! - Chief Judge Haywood
------------ My LPs
Vympel wrote:They might also play it over the actual event, with all other sound muted. That could work too.
Yeah, I think this will be the end of season 2.
Nah. Spoiler
The OST has "Three Blows" as the last song on the soundtrack.
Like I thought
Photography Genius is always allowed some leeway, once the hammer has been pried from its hands and the blood has been cleaned up.
To improve is to change; to be perfect is to change often.
