Game of Thrones Season 6 [Discussion of most-recently aired episodes]

[Simon_Jester]

Out of sheer curiosity, how many people who are likely to be competent to run a country has the show actually left alive? As noted, the Sand Snakes can't run Dorne, and Ramsay can't run the North.

Ramsay couldn't organize a drinking party in a brewery, he'd be too busy burning it to the ground and torturing the brewer.

[NeoGoomba]

Out of sheer curiosity, how many people who are likely to be competent to run a country has the show actually left alive? As noted, the Sand Snakes can't run Dorne, and Ramsay can't run the North.

Ramsay couldn't organize a drinking party in a brewery, he'd be too busy burning it to the ground and torturing the brewer.

Honestly? Littlefinger could probably manage, if he had the respect of his council/nobles. Possibly the combo of Varys and Tyrion. Other than that...I think they are all doomed.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Balon's manner of death is straight from the books, and its strongly implied that it was a Faceless Man in the employ of Euron who did it (we don't 'witness' the death ourselves). They didn't really have a good reason to change it.

I know that it was implied to be a Faceless Man in the employ of Euron, but I don't recall his death being because of an idiotically designed castle having weird pointless rope bridges. But it's been a while. Even so, it's really fucking stupid, and distracts from the impact of the scene.

[Vympel]

I know that it was implied to be a Faceless Man in the employ of Euron, but I don't recall his death being because of an idiotically designed castle having weird pointless rope bridges. But it's been a while. Even so, it's really fucking stupid, and distracts from the impact of the scene.

Pyke's design in the show is largely identical to that in the books. It wasn't 'designed' that way, it became that way over thousands of years.

http://direct.westeros.org/index.php/Pyke

Storm of Swords:

The shabby little captain nodded. “You know how Pyke’s built on a headland, and part on rocks and islands off the shore, with bridges between? The way I heard it in Lordsport, there was a blow coming in from the west, rain and thunder, and old King Balon was crossing one of them bridges when the wind got hold of it and just tore the thing to pieces. He washed up two days later, all bloated and broken. Crabs ate his eyes, I hear.”

Depending on which part of the castle is connected to which, the bridges are either stone, or where they're not, wood and rope.

[TheFeniX]

Oh, so on the subject of Ramsey... Did anyone else notice he had his dagger sheathed across the small of his back during the final scene with Roose? When I noticed that I thought "He's gonna stab Roose."

They weren't exactly subtle about it. I figured it was so in your face, they'd use it as a point to show Ramsay has a shred of foresight. I was hugely mistaken. In fact, the scene and what followed was so cliche, I was laughing while the wife almost left the room for the murder of Lady and Baby Bolton.

In the books it doesn't feel like events have taken years to unfold (a year perhaps, but not much longer). But the TV series is going faster.

2 years from start to "finish" as Napoleon states?

Man... that is fast. Enough to get to King's Landing, all those magical bird couriers, Ned's dead, Rob calls Banners, Stannis and Renly talk and fight. Red Wedding, Blackwater, famine, Bolton's take Winterfell, Crows go North, dust up with the Wildlings, Stannis gets there, Wildlings relocate, everything back to "normal?" The American Civil War was what, 4 years? Just the South alone was dealing with the repercussions of the war for years. I'm not saying it's not possible, but 2 years seem really short just for a 5 way (though the Iron Born are scavengers, not really even worth noting) throw-down like what we saw, not including all the other happenings. The U.S. Civil war is likely a bad example, but Pompeii and Caesar slugged it out for half a decade and from what I recall, a lot of that time was eaten up by picking the right times to engage and rounding up reinforcements, two things talked about during the War of 5 Kings.

Balon's manner of death is straight from the books, and its strongly implied that it was a Faceless Man in the employ of Euron who did it (we don't 'witness' the death ourselves). They didn't really have a good reason to change it.

That would explain a lot and remove some of my frustration with the scene. Mainly that how did Euron even get where he was unannounced and with no one thinking he maybe killed his brother?

Out of sheer curiosity, how many people who are likely to be competent to run a country has the show actually left alive? As noted, the Sand Snakes can't run Dorne, and Ramsay can't run the North.

The country itself seems pretty self-sustaining without an incompetent king bankrupting it. Since the Tyrell's showed up, neither psycho Joffery, nor ineffectual Tommen (even with Cersei in a cell) seem to have had any negative impact on the quality of life for the people in general. Granted, the writers don't talk about it, so I just have to assume that Westeros doesn't need competent people running it, they just need figureheads that won't try and wreck it.

[Simon_Jester]

That may be true as long as nothing unusual or seriously 'bad' is happening, but... well. Winter is coming.

Civilization in the North may not be able to survive the total breakdown of law and order resulting from the collapse of Stark and Bolton governance, even before you factor in the predictable White Walker invasion.

And it would be somewhat generous to assume the White Walkers will stop at the Neck, in what's shaping up to be the longest and deepest winter anyone can remember including multi-century-old sorcerors.

[TheFeniX]

That may be true as long as nothing unusual or seriously 'bad' is happening, but... well. Winter is coming.

I agree. I'm still trying to wrap my brain around why no one seems to give a shit that large numbers of the ruling houses are getting offed constantly (over 2 years). We've seen nothing from the people outside of Mereen. So, I have to assume it's because Westeros is pretty well self-sustaining with ineffective government (FREE MARKET!). As long as they are well-fed and not being murdered: the peons don't care.

You'd think the Nobles, who are the entire focus of later seasons, would be a bit more paranoid considering what's going on. But they actually seem to be carrying about with less protection than they did before everyone was getting murdered left and right.

Civilization in the North may not be able to survive the total breakdown of law and order resulting from the collapse of Stark and Bolton governance, even before you factor in the predictable White Walker invasion.

From what I recall, the biggest problem with the war and subsequent ending was the roads were no longer safe. Cities and towns themselves were doing all-right for themselves, it might have been the few odd taverns on the king's road dealing with ruffians. Even Winterfell being burned down didn't seem that bad as other houses kept their affairs in order.

And it would be somewhat generous to assume the White Walkers will stop at the Neck, in what's shaping up to be the longest and deepest winter anyone can remember including multi-century-old sorcerors.

Yea, but who really is competent to deal with the undead who raise the newly dead as reinforcements and who's commanders seem immune to anything but "Sky Iron" (don't feeling like spell-checking Valerian) and Dragonglass? The Watch, which everyone either ignores or consider liars. Stannis is the only one to bother going North. That the Boltons didn't take any stock in at least the Wildlings setting up shop shows they aren't even smart enough to send a few scouts North and listen to them when they come back and say "THERE'S ACTUAL GIANTS!" And this is Ramsay, the man with seemingly magical abilities of stealth and speed in the snow.

The idea that the Watch failed in a primary goal (keeping the Wildlings out) should not sit well with a lot of people, not just Thorne and his cronies.

I get the feeling sometimes I'm reading Fire and Ice CliffNotes and ever other page there's a little pull-tab where I can make a drawing stab another drawing and there's this dial on the right side I can spin to show different faces on them.

[Elfdart]

I had a serious "OH SHIT!" moment during the previews for next week's episode:

There's a Northern noble telling Gordon Ramsay Bolton that he has a gift for him. The three houses that Ramsay claims are totally on board with the Boltons are the Karstarks, Mandalays and Umbers. The really hot Wildling (the brunette with the amazing lips) told Bran and the Reeds that she was taking the youngest Stark kid to the Umbers. If Bolton flays the kid, feeds the brunette to the dogs and does who-knows-what to the kid's wolf, people are really going to go apeshit.

[biostem]

Was is ever explained why the castle guards allowed those religious zealots into the church area where Jaimie and the body of his daughter were? I can't imagine that the combined city/castle guards would have any problem simply crushing those zealots... or is it more a matter of doing so generating even more hatred toward the Lannisters or that they might kill Marjorie in retaliation?

[The Vortex Empire]

I had a serious "OH SHIT!" moment during the previews for next week's episode:

There's a Northern noble telling Gordon Ramsay Bolton that he has a gift for him. The three houses that Ramsay claims are totally on board with the Boltons are the Karstarks, Mandalays and Umbers. The really hot Wildling (the brunette with the amazing lips) told Bran and the Reeds that she was taking the youngest Stark kid to the Umbers. If Bolton flays the kid, feeds the brunette to the dogs and does who-knows-what to the kid's wolf, people are really going to go apeshit.

There's nothing David Benioff and D.B. Weiss like more than SHOCKING MOMENTS, so that's totally going to happen.

[Simon_Jester]

Hm. In the books those are not families friendly to the Boltons, but who the hell knows.

[Alferd Packer]

If this season gives us any form of Wyman Manderly's maneuverings, I will consider it a success. It sucks that they didn't have Davos meet with him, but they can still do the three pies thing.

[Vympel]

I had a serious "OH SHIT!" moment during the previews for next week's episode:

There's a Northern noble telling Gordon Ramsay Bolton that he has a gift for him. The three houses that Ramsay claims are totally on board with the Boltons are the Karstarks, Mandalays and Umbers. The really hot Wildling (the brunette with the amazing lips) told Bran and the Reeds that she was taking the youngest Stark kid to the Umbers. If Bolton flays the kid, feeds the brunette to the dogs and does who-knows-what to the kid's wolf, people are really going to go apeshit.

This is something a lot of people have speculated (it has no basis in the books, it just makes sense in the show) - and I will really hate it if happens. There's virtually no conceivable justification for House Umber to hand over Ned's youngest son to House Bolton - the show has made it clear enough times that the North loves the Starks and - generally - is not a fan of the Boltons.

That's why I'm leaning very heavily to Smalljon Umber (no idea what happened to the Greatjon - one of the writers said he was still alive but maybe they couldn't get the actor back) handing over an imposter Rickon as part of a long con. How would Ramsay know what he looks like? Also, this would be a great way to fake out the audience - everyone would assume whoever he hands over really is Rickon because kids get recast on GOT all the time.

The only thing that will torpedo this is if the kid the Smalljon hands over is actually Art Parkinson (i.e. played Rickon from S1 to S3). Incidentally, if Art Parkinson and Osha do then show up safe and sound, it would rock pretty hard.

The more I think about it, the more I think it makes sense - how to explain what happened to Osha (i.e. the brunette) and his direwolf? Killed by the Umbers off screen? My ass.

[Knife]

You could send just about any kid as long as he's the right age and send a wolf with him to seal the deal.

[NeoGoomba]

If this season gives us any form of Wyman Manderly's maneuverings, I will consider it a success. It sucks that they didn't have Davos meet with him, but they can still do the three pies thing.

Yeah that fat bastard doing his badass thing could salvage any dreck

[Napoleon the Clown]

So, last night I decided the most appropriate way for Ramsey to die is to receive a crossbow bolt to the aorta. Just an unceremonious and sudden death. No glory, no honor. He's just walking around with his smug, sociopathic smile (probably thinking about who he's going to torture after dinner) and he suddenly has a crossbow bolt in his chest. Thirty seconds later, he's bled out.

Then his body is fed to the hounds.

[The Vortex Empire]

So, last night I decided the most appropriate way for Ramsey to die is to receive a crossbow bolt to the aorta. Just an unceremonious and sudden death. No glory, no honor. He's just walking around with his smug, sociopathic smile (probably thinking about who he's going to torture after dinner) and he suddenly has a crossbow bolt in his chest. Thirty seconds later, he's bled out.

Then his body is fed to the hounds.

Too complex, just toss him to the hounds alive. Then again, his valyrian plot armor might kick in and he'll pull off his shirt and be rendered invulnerable like when the Ironborn showed up.

[Pelranius]

So, last night I decided the most appropriate way for Ramsey to die is to receive a crossbow bolt to the aorta. Just an unceremonious and sudden death. No glory, no honor. He's just walking around with his smug, sociopathic smile (probably thinking about who he's going to torture after dinner) and he suddenly has a crossbow bolt in his chest. Thirty seconds later, he's bled out.

Then his body is fed to the hounds.

Too complex, just toss him to the hounds alive. Then again, his valyrian plot armor might kick in and he'll pull off his shirt and be rendered invulnerable like when the Ironborn showed up.

Force him to be part of the Dorne storyline. He'll commit suicide in a week, or cripple himself in the process.

[The Vortex Empire]

So, last night I decided the most appropriate way for Ramsey to die is to receive a crossbow bolt to the aorta. Just an unceremonious and sudden death. No glory, no honor. He's just walking around with his smug, sociopathic smile (probably thinking about who he's going to torture after dinner) and he suddenly has a crossbow bolt in his chest. Thirty seconds later, he's bled out.

Then his body is fed to the hounds.

Too complex, just toss him to the hounds alive. Then again, his valyrian plot armor might kick in and he'll pull off his shirt and be rendered invulnerable like when the Ironborn showed up.

Force him to be part of the Dorne storyline. He'll commit suicide in a week, or cripple himself in the process.

Not even the Bastard of Bolton deserves that.

[Napoleon the Clown]

I could almost see Roose having hired one of the Faceless Men to whack Ramsey in the event of his own death.

"If I die, regardless of reasons, I want you to kill Ramsey. Fuck that kid."

[Vympel]

You could send just about any kid as long as he's the right age and send a wolf with him to seal the deal.

A wolf wouldn't seal the deal - it'd have to be a direwolf, which simply don't exist south of the Wall (except for Shaggydog, Ghost and Nymeria)

[Pelranius]

You could send just about any kid as long as he's the right age and send a wolf with him to seal the deal.

A wolf wouldn't seal the deal - it'd have to be a direwolf, which simply don't exist south of the Wall (except for Shaggydog, Ghost and Nymeria)

Looks like the Umbers are taking on the role of the book Karstarks, which begs the question, why not just keep the Karstarks as they were?

[Knife]

You could send just about any kid as long as he's the right age and send a wolf with him to seal the deal.

A wolf wouldn't seal the deal - it'd have to be a direwolf, which simply don't exist south of the Wall (except for Shaggydog, Ghost and Nymeria)

I'm not so sure that there is many left with the cunning or guile to not just see what they want to see that would benefit them and just latch on and go with it. Ramsey is hardly subtle and pretty much anyone left of import in the North I don't think have ever seen Rickon. No sure how many have seen a Dire Wolf either. Dead kid and dead wolf, granted the bigger the wolf the better, and I think you have a winner.

[NecronLord]

Out of sheer curiosity, how many people who are likely to be competent to run a country has the show actually left alive? As noted, the Sand Snakes can't run Dorne, and Ramsay can't run the North.

Ramsay couldn't organize a drinking party in a brewery, he'd be too busy burning it to the ground and torturing the brewer.

Honestly? Littlefinger could probably manage, if he had the respect of his council/nobles. Possibly the combo of Varys and Tyrion. Other than that...I think they are all doomed.

I think Varys and Tyrion can do it; I actually cheered when Varys showed up last season, simply because it seems like things might not be so doomed with them.

As for killing Ramsay, given how much he likes his dogs, I have the vision of his death involving a direwolf.

[NecronLord]

I'm not so sure that there is many left with the cunning or guile to not just see what they want to see that would benefit them and just latch on and go with it. Ramsey is hardly subtle and pretty much anyone left of import in the North I don't think have ever seen Rickon. No sure how many have seen a Dire Wolf either. Dead kid and dead wolf, granted the bigger the wolf the better, and I think you have a winner.

Everyone who was at Robb's war councils has presumably seen Grey Wind, that'd be most northern lords or their war-leaders I'd think, and no shortage of men at arms and knights.