Game of Thrones (TV Discussion | SPOILERS) (Page 13 of 14)

Faldor, unfortunately I'm working, sorry. Would be fun.

Yeeeaaah, a dull character isn't going to get a pass from me because he happens to notice something happening. If he did ANYTHING for the first 9 episodes of this season I might feel differently, but he was a dull character for 9 episodes and then did something in the last episode that either wasn't established or I managed to accidentally sleep through the setup for. And the few things he does "do". going to Braavos... um... I'm sure there are others, HE doesn't actually do anything, Davos does all the talking, Davos goes and finds the pirates, the Red Woman...looks sultry and... I'm sure she does other stuff too. The sum total of Stannis this season has been him looking stern in the background, saying a half a line, and then whinning like a child "Shuuuut uuuup, I totally am the real King of Westeros guuuys."

He's not interesting to watch and I have absolutely zero interest in anything happening in his plotline. Maybe there's a really great character that somehow got buried under all that, but whoever that guy is, he's not on screen.

Anyways... just so this post isn't completely negative.

The skeleton fight was flipping amazing, the Hound-Brienne fight was intense, Arya is going down a very very dark path and I love it (Since Maisie did her interview about how she really hopes people will see where she's going and realize it's not good, and not just continue to love her cause "Awe, it's Arya, we love Arya." I've been looking forward to seeing where she's going.", the small scene between John and the wildling captive (can't remember his name) about Ygritte was really really well done, Tyrion going Terminator mode was amazing, I was really hoping he'd go full terminator for a bit, take out half the family and then dissappear, but alas.

Like I said before, there's some really really great scenes, but taken as a whole it just felt lacking for a season finale.

Last edited by BigDamnArtist (2014-06-17 22:39:31)

Trey, I'm going to call you on being part of the problem here. It's not just about spoiling plot points (of which you have revealed none), it's about spoiling the experience by building expectations the show has not. Let's keep our snickers in the other thread.

For what it's worth, I saw that as a joke, nothing more. I'm not expecting anything crazy on Mother's Day next year.

Running around with The Hound has taught her a bunch about self-preservation in the face of the futility of existence, but to what end? She is driven by her sense of justice and retribution. She has seen the amount of suffering he has inflicted on the world, and finds it fitting that The Hound will die in agony.

Look at the Waiting for Godot scene. McGovern is the Hound's foil. He spent his life upholding the social contract, "You give me. I give you. Fair. A balance." He gets mercy. "Time to go."

Yeah. There are a lot of 'book Stannis' fans who have been upset about this for a long time. The tone of his arrival in the north is the inevitable result of the showrunners changing the character. Stannis is supposed to be a lot like Ned Stark: honorable, loyal, obedient, conventional, and...boring to many people. The show Stannis is made more creepy with his Red Woman attachment. He is more whiny about being king. He is portrayed as a negligent husband and father (rather than someone who is a bit cold and very concerned with doing what is proper). In short, HBO Stannis has been built to be a menace and it is hard to reverse that to make him a savior and ally.

In my view, Stannis in the book IS a menace. But, he is not meant to be overtly menacing. There is no malice in what he does. He is unforgiving and an implacable adversary. And, as Jon Snow is trying to rally the Watch, Stannis' arrival is both helpful and hindering. It's great to have more fighters. But, Stannis' motives are in question in the show (in the book, I recall it being less of a calculated power grab and more of a 'that's what the kingdom needs most').

As Stannis believes he is supposed to be king, they are heading to a direct conflict. I think the reader is meant to wonder who would be a better king: Jon, emotional and inexperienced but a good guy; or Stannis, emotionless and experienced, can be a bastard if it is necessary.

In the books, Davos' POV chapters help a lot to sympathize with Stannis. The Onion Knight truly loves him.

I think Robert was too consumed with his lost love and the unhappiness of his union with Cersei (and his children) to become a good king. The way everyone talks about the Greyjoy Rebellion, that seems like the high point of his reign, everyone together fighting against a house none of them especially liked. Also, Robert was a warrior king without a war to fight.

However, that said. He wasn't that awful, his reign was pretty long and he kept the peace for almost twenty years.

Last edited by redxavier (2014-09-08 20:58:28)

Ok, so the show is pretty much at that point it's passing the books. I'm not sure how I want to continue, mainly because there are some big events coming (particularly in the North) which I would much prefer reading. And whilst, yes, the show is its effectively its own thing, there are some currently hanging book resolutions that must be spoiled by the show. Not necessarily how they happen, but the what happens.

And that's the question. Anyhow else having this dilemma?

I think this is the first time they've blown one of their season enders. Shoulda budgeted for the dragon FX, it's super weird when you follow up an episode that would look great as a feature film, with FX that would barely pass muster on network TV 10 years ago. Very disappointing

I thought the dragon looked fine.

But that burning scene is by far the worst they've done.

As in, I don't mind the show following the books, on the contrary, I enjoy it, but Stannis Baratheon should have a long and painful death. That scene made my stomach turn and drew tears from my eyes, a feat no other digital medium has done.

Ya I've been pretty on board with most of the book to show changes, but this one feels like character assassination. There's just not nearly enough time devoted to it for Stannis to make that choice. It's clearly meant to parallel The Illiad, where the king sacrifices his daughter to the gods for favorable weather so they can sail to and attack Troy, but it feels like it comes out of nowhere on the show.