GoT:Clash of Kings Season 2 Spoiler Free

[Elfdart]

Gawker has a clip from the SNL spoof:

LINK

[Vympel]

That's fucking hilarious

(the whole voyeur-brothel thing in the second episode was in IMO a pointless low-point of the season so far)

[Scrib]

That's fucking hilarious

(the whole voyeur-brothel thing in the second episode was in IMO a pointless low-point of the season so far)

Well didn't it have Ros near the end? That explains it, she dragged down the previous season as well.

But by God, it is getting ridiculous, it's approaching The L-Word levels of crazy. They need to stop.

[Elfdart]

I think Joffrey is closer to the Crawford Caligula than Hodor is. Both are cowardly, sadistic fucktards who wouldn't have taken over were it not for their fathers (and their conniving henchmen) being previous heads of state.

Which reminds me -here's an article about how Game of Thrones is about the only show in recent memory to depict torture accurately:

LINK

Torture in ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘Law & Order,’ and James Bond

By Alyssa Rosenberg on Apr 25, 2012 at 11:38 am

I tend to agree with Amanda Marcotte that torture’s become a dangerous cliche in popular culture, though I think we come at it from rather different directions:

More importantly, torture scenes violate the audience’s trust that the characters onscreen, no matter how outlandish their surroundings, will behave like human beings. On TV, torture almost always works. The victim usually knows the information, and gives it up immediately. In rarer cases, they know nothing but are able to stop to torture by stating this fact. Either way, they respond positively to torture, and somehow the tormentor magically knows when their victim is speaking the truth.

I agree that it’s a problem that torture is shown as being effective in popular culture. But I think that should actually be a second-level objection to torture: the point that’s important to win, and the line it’s important to draw, is that torture is wrong. What actually scares me about torture and violence against prisoners and interrogators in pop culture is that there are settings in which it’s presented as at least somewhat justified. Almost all cop shows involve an officer of the law snapping and doing violence to a suspect at some point. But those actions are generally presented as failures of control, as was the case with Elliot Stabler’s beatings of suspects on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, or of desperation, as was the case with the beatings of Bubbles on The Wire. When that’s not the case, torture can be an opportunity for a victim to prove their fortitude—specifically, their manhood. In the Casino Royale remake, Le Chiffre’s torture of bond provides an opportunity for him to prove his imperviousness to pain, and to make a joke that emasculates Le Chiffre.

What was interesting to me about the torture in this week’s episode of Game of Thrones, which Amanda focuses on, is the extent to which those scenes were about neither of those things. Joffrey and Harrenhal’s interrogators are torturing people not out of fits of temper, and not because they think there’s information for them to get out of the people they’re targeting. Joffrey doesn’t have questions that he wants to ask Ros and Daisy. The Harrenhal interrogators ask the same set of questions to every person they talk to, no matter where that person comes from or their likelihood of knowing any relevant information. These people are torturing their victims because they enjoy doing so. These scenes are all about giving us information about the torturers, to draw a line between the characters who behave like human beings and those who exist and act beyond the laws that govern the rest of us.

[Elfdart]

That's fucking hilarious

(the whole voyeur-brothel thing in the second episode was in IMO a pointless low-point of the season so far)

Well didn't it have Ros near the end? That explains it, she dragged down the previous season as well.

But by God, it is getting ridiculous, it's approaching The L-Word levels of crazy. They need to stop.

My main objection to the gratuitous skin this season is that Ros hasn't whipped 'em out yet.

[fgalkin]

Didn't wasn't that her in Joffrey's chambers in the last episode?

Anyways, I don't think this episode had ANY tits. At all (if there were, it was small enough to be missed by me). Moreover, in the books, the Quartheen women traditionally go out with their left breast exposed. That's right, they had an opportunity for massive boobage and DIDN'T show any.

Mind....blown.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Elfdart]

Didn't wasn't that her in Joffrey's chambers in the last episode?

She was there but kept her dress on. The brunette whipped 'em out though.

Anyways, I don't think this episode had ANY tits. At all (if there were, it was small enough to be missed by me).

We were going to have a drinking game: one shot for each tit exposed, but I chickened out because I was worried I'd get hammered. I have next Monday off, as do several friends so next episode it's one shot per boob, and one shot for the "schwing" sound every time someone touches a weapon.

Moreover, in the books, the Quartheen women traditionally go out with their left breast exposed. That's right, they had an opportunity for massive boobage and DIDN'T show any.

Mind....blown.

I'm sure they'll make up for it next week.

[fgalkin]

That reminds me, the "don't go to King's Landing" scene between Ned and Cat in Season 1 actually takes place in the bedroom, making Cat one of the few characters in the book who actually has a nude scene.

So, they show boobs and sex everywhere but the actual sex scenes from the book. I don't get it.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

[Vympel]

Because old boobs ain't bewbs.

[The Yosemite Bear]

It's Irony....

[Elfdart]

I'm bailing on the Spoiler thread for the next two weeks because, while I have a pretty good idea what will happen in the next two episodes, I haven't really read many of the spoilers and can't remember most of it anyway, I'd like to watch without KNOWING the ending, if possible.

A few comments and predictions:

1) The best part of this season has been the scenes with Arya and Tywin, because the whole time I'm wondering if Tywin knows who she is (I think so -especially after The Pimp shows up and more so when he catches her saying My Lord rather than "Milord"). I also find it funny that he would discuss his plans with his lieutenants with her in the room. OK, maybe they have no idea who she is (which I doubt) and have no reason to suspect her, but she's still a kid and loose lips sink ships...

2) I was wondering when a Stark would commit the next epic fuckup and last night Robb had a major one: letting his soon-to-be girlfriend walk into his tent and interrupt him while he's talking to his main lieutenant not once but TWICE! By the way, the way people just walk into Robb's tent reminds me of an episode of Coupling when Steve says to Jane (the airhead):

"You can't just go walking into people's front doors because this is not -I repeat NOT- an American sitcom!"

Apparently Robb's camp is an American sitcom. Doesn't he have guards? What if it's an assassin? I'm starting to think maybe she is one of Tywin's or The Pimp's agents, sent to spy on Robb. She's already helped sow discord in Robb's army and may have done more damage than Tywin could. Robb's chief aide sure looked annoyed when she just strolled in wearing her soon-to-be removed dress (My SO pointed out that any time you see someone wearing a lace-up or buttoned dress, it's coming off before the scene is over) and the fact that he didn't wink or give a thumb's up was not an encouraging sign, since he probably doesn't care that they make a cute couple.

The only way Robb Stark could fuck things up worse is if he married the girl. That would be about a third as retarded as his father telling Cersei that he knew Joffrey was a bastard.

3) The short scene with Stannis and the Onion Lord was great and it would have been nice to see more of them. Of all the characters in this season I think he gets the most undeserved bad rap. Yes, he killed his brother -the same brother who would have killed him. Yes, he's an asshole -but he doesn't appear to be a nitwit or a sadist, and most importantly, the crown is rightfully his (for what that's worth). The more I think about it, the more I despise Renly. If he had simply done his duty instead of trying to snatch the crown for himself, the war would have been averted and both he and Ned Stark would still be alive. On top of that, since Stannis had no son, Renly would have eventually become king anyway.

I get the feeling that Stannis' attack will fail because his captain said he was a smuggler not a naval tactician.

4) I was wondering what happened to Arya's dire wolf. Didn't she turn it loose near where she and her two friends are now? I predict a Lassie moment soon.

5) Finally, as I said last season, all the scenes with Daneris make me want to change the channel. Aside from the funeral pyre scene, I haven't seen a damn thing in her storyline to justify her screen time. When I watch on DVR I skip her scenes and don't miss a thing. She doesn't even have a nude scene so far this season (like Ros, she must have met her quota of T&A shots last season). One shot of a baby dragon flame-broiling a piece of meat is the only halfway interesting thing to happen so far. This is really too bad because I've always liked Iain Glenn ever since Mountains of the Moon. I want him to start cutting the throats of those sorcerers.

[Vympel]

1) The best part of this season has been the scenes with Arya and Tywin, because the whole time I'm wondering if Tywin knows who she is (I think so -especially after The Pimp shows up and more so when he catches her saying My Lord rather than "Milord"). I also find it funny that he would discuss his plans with his lieutenants with her in the room. OK, maybe they have no idea who she is (which I doubt) and have no reason to suspect her, but she's still a kid and loose lips sink ships...

I think he knows she' snot who she says she is, but he doesn't perceive her as a threat - just a child he enjoys talking to.

2) I was wondering when a Stark would commit the next epic fuckup and last night Robb had a major one: letting his soon-to-be girlfriend walk into his tent and interrupt him while he's talking to his main lieutenant not once but TWICE! By the way, the way people just walk into Robb's tent reminds me of an episode of Coupling when Steve says to Jane (the airhead):

"You can't just go walking into people's front doors because this is not -I repeat NOT- an American sitcom!"

Apparently Robb's camp is an American sitcom. Doesn't he have guards? What if it's an assassin? I'm starting to think maybe she is one of Tywin's or The Pimp's agents, sent to spy on Robb. She's already helped sow discord in Robb's army and may have done more damage than Tywin could. Robb's chief aide sure looked annoyed when she just strolled in wearing her soon-to-be removed dress (My SO pointed out that any time you see someone wearing a lace-up or buttoned dress, it's coming off before the scene is over) and the fact that he didn't wink or give a thumb's up was not an encouraging sign, since he probably doesn't care that they make a cute couple.

The only way Robb Stark could fuck things up worse is if he married the girl. That would be about a third as retarded as his father telling Cersei that he knew Joffrey was a bastard.

I don't think Roose Bolton gives a shit where Robb dips his wick, personally. Its the King's prerogative. As to guards - I'm sure they're outside the tent, and are content to let her come and go as she pleases - on Robb's instructions no doubt. But yeah, I agree the guards should be instructed that "Robb is talking to his bannerman, come back later". I mean fuck, that's how my goddamn office works, no random person just walks into my meeting with a client unannounced.

3) The short scene with Stannis and the Onion Lord was great and it would have been nice to see more of them. Of all the characters in this season I think he gets the most undeserved bad rap. Yes, he killed his brother -the same brother who would have killed him. Yes, he's an asshole -but he doesn't appear to be a nitwit or a sadist, and most importantly, the crown is rightfully his (for what that's worth). The more I think about it, the more I despise Renly. If he had simply done his duty instead of trying to snatch the crown for himself, the war would have been averted and both he and Ned Stark would still be alive. On top of that, since Stannis had no son, Renly would have eventually become king anyway.

I get the feeling that Stannis' attack will fail because his captain said he was a smuggler not a naval tactician.

This was one of my favorite scenes in the episode - the dark humor of Stannis talking about eating the horses and cats and dogs during the siege was great (always knew Stannis would be a dog person) and it was good to get some character development about how he felt about his brother and Ned, and also how he was slighted after Robert's Rebellion. And I agree 100% with you on Stannis- he's The Asshole We Need. And yes, fuck Renly.

Also, an interview on Blackwater:-

http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/05/20/game- ... lackwater/

[Elfdart]

I don't think Roose Bolton gives a shit where Robb dips his wick, personally. Its the King's prerogative.

I don't think he cares either, other than the fact that Robb gives her free run of the place and lets her interrupt meetings. For a guy who advocates flaying and killing prisoners, this has got to be a slap in the face. On top of that, he must have a certain degree of contempt for the young man who he already thinks soft being so easily pussywhipped.

[Elfdart]

Now this is too funny: The feminist website Jezebel has a Fuck/Marry/Kill (FMK) thread for Game of Thrones.

[JLTucker]

So, I think season two has paled in comparison to the first. The latest episode sealed the deal. I know it was all setup, but it was below par and completely uninteresting. The scene with Talisa and Robb was completely unneeded because her character development meant nothing when she has been relegated to the background for many episodes. A few instances of interaction with Robb does not warrant an expository scene that eventually leads to him getting his dick wet. In fact, given what we've seen, I think that's all it was for.

This episode, along with "Garden of Bones," remain the worst in the series.

[Elfdart]

I don't know, at least this season the Starks did only a fraction of the idiotic things they did in the first season (trusting a weasel like Theon, turning Jamie loose). If Robb ends up marrying the brunette he boned last week and oh, I don't know -something else completely retarded he's still only half as stupid as Ned.

[JLTucker]

Ned was stupid, yes, but I found his qualities noble (sans adultery). I admired his honesty.

I wish we could get a few story lines from the perspective of peasants that aren't linked with Arya. The closest we've gotten this season would be the attempted attack on Joffrey.

Story wise, though, season two is not as tight as the first. They keep throwing in characters that really have no bearing on the plot or story and Daenerys still remains useless and uninteresting.

[Vympel]

I don't think he cares either, other than the fact that Robb gives her free run of the place and lets her interrupt meetings. For a guy who advocates flaying and killing prisoners, this has got to be a slap in the face. On top of that, he must have a certain degree of contempt for the young man who he already thinks soft being so easily pussywhipped.

I don't know, it may just be the books speaking to me, but if anything Roose is far too cucumber cool to let that sort of thing bother him. He's completely cold and matter of fact. Maybe the Greatjon would have a problem with that, if he didn't have a gigantic big mancrush on Robb ever since Grey Wind bit off his fingers.

Fuck, I miss the Greatjon. Can't wait to see him again in Season 3. I hope.

Story wise, though, season two is not as tight as the first. They keep throwing in characters that really have no bearing on the plot or story and Daenerys still remains useless and uninteresting.

Unless you've read the books, then you can't really have any idea which characters have a bearing on the plot and which don't. This is a long pay-off show. Stories are not resolved at the end of a season, only progressed. With varying degrees of success, Dany hasn't had much to do this season, though they did the best with what Book 2 gave them (not much).

And really, even if you haven't read the books, if you haven't yet absorbed Talisa's importance no matter how many times the show has hammered the point in multiple episodes - then you're not paying attention.

[JLTucker]

And really, even if you haven't read the books, if you haven't yet absorbed Talisa's importance no matter how many times the show has hammered the point in multiple episodes - then you're not paying attention.

Would you mind explaining the importance of Talisa just by going with what's on screen? A the moment all she does is fix wounded soldiers and call Robb out. And that led to... getting his dick wet.

[The Yosemite Bear]

I'm having a feeling that the Brotherhood without banners has been under exposed, though that's mostly from info I've been spoilered too....

[Vympel]

Would you mind explaining the importance of Talisa just by going with what's on screen? A the moment all she does is fix wounded soldiers and call Robb out. And that led to... getting his dick wet.

Robb is promised to one of Walder Frey's daughters - its the key term of the Alliance he struck with Walder Frey in Season 1 to cross at the Twins. He can't be falling for this woman if he wants to retain House Frey as an ally, but he plainly is. And it not just the bridge, remember House Frey's men joined Robb (all 4,000 of them, less the 400 left to guard the Twins).

That's why in this last episode and the previous ones both Catelyn and Robb himself have pointed it out.

[JLTucker]

Well, "Blackwater" was a good episode, but NOT because of the battle. It was good because of the scenes with Cersei and The Hound. Finally, we get themes are aren't just glossed over. We see that Cersei is insecure about her role in the family and as a woman. She laments how women are treated and what they are supposed to do in that setting. We learn that The Hound is sick of fighting and cowers in the face of fire (childhood memory).

The battle had its moments, but it was littered with such ridiculous violence that it became just as stupid the excessive amounts of sex in the show. Apparently, Tyrion can sever a man's lower leg with one swing. Apparently a slice to the face can make half a man's head fall off, but not when it's done to Tyrion.

More themes, less bullshit.

[Guardsman Bass]

That was a glancing blow, though - you see Tyrion lean back at the last second. If he hadn't, Ser Mandon would have taken the top of his head off.

I don't know, it may just be the books speaking to me, but if anything Roose is far too cucumber cool to let that sort of thing bother him. He's completely cold and matter of fact. Maybe the Greatjon would have a problem with that, if he didn't have a gigantic big mancrush on Robb ever since Grey Wind bit off his fingers.

I think Roose is just cold and controlled enough to not let his irritation show.

[Meest]

Well, "Blackwater" was a good episode, but NOT because of the battle. It was good because of the scenes with Cersei and The Hound. Finally, we get themes are aren't just glossed over. We see that Cersei is insecure about her role in the family and as a woman. She laments how women are treated and what they are supposed to do in that setting. We learn that The Hound is sick of fighting and cowers in the face of fire (childhood memory).

The battle had its moments, but it was littered with such ridiculous violence that it became just as stupid the excessive amounts of sex in the show. Apparently, Tyrion can sever a man's lower leg with one swing. Apparently a slice to the face can make half a man's head fall off, but not when it's done to Tyrion.

More themes, less bullshit.

Sure the cuts were a bit clean but some things are meant to be exaggerated. The Hound is supposed to represent a 7 foot monster with the Mountain even bigger at 8 foot range, and carrying really big great swords. It also served in my mind to distract from budget constraints, it's better than people randomly clashing swords together. Bronn showed more skillful kills with joint slashes etc. In some way I can see they wanted it to be chaotic to mirror the feeling of combat, with quiet pauses like when Cersei is talking so for a pace and mood aspect it was done well. Thought the beginning was very tense and the beach landing could have been better, needed some one other than Stannis representing his side yelling out orders or be a marker to represent his forces.

[JLTucker]

I found the finale to be the worst episode of the season, eclipsing even the horrid "Garden of Bones." Why the shit are the white walkers coming now? There was so much buildup in season one and they just have them appear here, with very little talk about them over the course of nearly 10 hours? Dinklage let me down for the first time when he tried to emote after learning about Shae's commitment to him and where he currently stands. the characte work is fine, but the acting isn't. Jon Snow's plot line was completely wasted here. We get a duel, which is fine and all, and then we stop short of him meeting the King. All of that felt very inconsequential given that his development has been awful this season.

The only positives I can think of are: Daenerys usurping those who set her up; Osha, Bran, his brother, Hodor, and Maester Luwin; and Brienne showing her prowess and possibly scaring Jaime to death.