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[Annoying Old Party Man]

Very solid episode. I liked blackwater more but still, a good episode. Jon's and Ygritte's final encounter was a lot shorter than I expected, but maybe it would be against the show's ethos to have a more cliche and drawn-out encounter.

I thought it got borderline cheesy - you don't get to say your goodbyes to a character in the midst of a war, where arrows are flying and murderous cannibals are raging on. To be fair though, they picked a sort of isolated spot for that scene to happen.

 

[Linius]

Loved that they kept the focus on the wall in this episode. Great action sequences, giants with bow and arrow are freaking scary mate.

 

[Zeliard]

Jon's and Ygritte's final encounter was a lot shorter than I expected, but maybe it would be against the show's ethos to have a more cliche and drawn-out encounter.

It was still pretty cliched and schmaltzy, Jon clutching his dying loved one amidst a battle raging around him, hearing her whispered final breath as he looks on forlornly.

It would be at least something if that felt earned, but it didn't to me.

 

[Philippo]

It would have been cool if Ghost attacked Ygritte instead of n0scOp3_k1d.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

It was still pretty cliched and schmaltzy, Jon clutching his dying loved one amidst a battle raging around him, hearing her whispered final breath as he looks on forlornly.

It would be at least something if that felt earned, but it didn't to me.

It was cliched and schmaltzy but I don't care I like Ygritte and Jon. That Jon's reaction in seeing her was to smile...oh man my heart strings.

 

[Linius]

It was still pretty cliched and schmaltzy, Jon clutching his dying loved one amidst a battle raging around him, hearing her whispered final breath as he looks on forlornly.

It would be at least something if that felt earned, but it didn't to me.

Yeah, that scene was a bit odd. It just makes no sense to go chill and say goodbye to a loved one in the midst of a battlefield. Some dude could have cut off his head any moment there.

 

[Kazenone]

Olly singeing the ginge

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

It would have been cool if Ghost attacked Ygritte instead of n0scOp3_k1d.

Would have been more dramatic, but I donno. I dont think she deserves that kind of death. Would have been so gory, at Ghost's jaw ...

Also, I agree with Zeliard. Though I like Ygritte and Jon, that scene was kind of... unconvincing.

 

[Neoriceisgood]

Olly singeing the ginge

Only worthwhile character on the wall.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

Only worthwhile character on the wall.

hahaha you so mean (i dont disagreeee)

 

[Pop On Arrival]

I wish Dominic West hadn't turned that down. I would've loved to see him in the show.

the fuck! where did you read Dominic west was supposed to play Mance?

nvm found it. Damn, that sucks. Mcnutty would have been awesome as Mance.

 

[Lord Panda]

I thought this episode was straight up awesome. I enjoy the simpler things in life.

 

[Zeppu]

I was convinced that Jon would get killed during scene. FFS if you're in the middle of a battle don't stand out in the open clutching your dying loved one.

 

[SeanR1221]

Wait, who is mance then?

The professor Snape looking guy.

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

The professor Snape looking guy.

bahahahahahah

...



CANT UNSEE ;__; Damn you SeanR1221!!!!

 

[Linius]

I thought this episode was straight up awesome. I enjoy the simpler things in life.

GoT is a lot of politics most of the time so it's nice to see them pull of something like this every once in a while. Medium/big scale full on war is a nice change.

 

[Philippo]

SHOOT THROUGH THE HEART

 

[Linius]

SHOOT THROUGH THE HEART

Haha, that's so bad :lol

 

[Zeliard]

SHOOT THROUGH THE HEART

Amazing timing on the head nod.

 

[Arjen]

All I could think of when I saw the giant shooting an arrow. What's Hawkeye Gough doing there?

 

[Last Hearth]

It was cliched and schmaltzy but I don't care I like Ygritte and Jon. That Jon's reaction in seeing her was to smile...oh man my heart strings.

Yeah, the fact he smiled at her when he saw her pointing an arrow at him was very touching. As is at the end you get the feeling one of the reasons he's volunteering for the suicide mission is that he's dead inside already after watching her die. People say Kit Harrington can't act but I thought he did a great job in this episode.

 

[Benzychenz]

Imagine if next week doesn't do anything with King's Landing and we have to wait a year to see what happens with Tyrion.

 

[Enco]

Imagine if next week doesn't do anything with King's Landing and we have to wait a year to see what happens with Tyrion.

:lol

 

[YesNOnoNOYes]

HAHAHAH JOOOOOOOOON......... bon jovi-ed


>__<;;; forgive me i did a bad pun.

 

[Cindres]

SHOOT THROUGH THE HEART

Knew what was coming, loved it.

Decent enough episode, I honestly expected Sam to bit the bullet (or arrow). Shame we had to say goodbye to 2 of the better characters at the wall but there were always going to be casualties in an episode like this.

Only thing is where it goes from here, like Jon says at the end the castle can't keep fighting them off forever, I find it still that little bit hard to believe just killing Mance will send them all running and eating each other.

 

[turnbuckle]

Wait, who is mance then?

Is this a Konami/Capcom meme or something? When they introduced Mance in Season 3 even Jon thought the guy in the photo (Tormund Giantsbane, I think) was Mance. I wish they would should more of Mance though.

Really wish this show was a 12-14 episodes a season so they could flesh some of this stuff out more. Maybe that's part of the behind-the-scenes plan to keep the series going while trying not to catch up to the books.

 

[Lyonaz]

Olly singeing the ginge

He will now be the Arrow on the wall. He needs a mini Felicity and Diggle as his team.

 

[Deleted member 59090]

Only one storyline for the entire episode? Bummer.

 

[SeanR1221]

Maybe every time a character comes on screen, it should display their name with a little fun fact under it.

Mance
leader of the wildlings

Jon
knows nothing

 

[Son of Sam]

My poor heart I can't take it! I didn't think she was going to shoot

 

[Pankratous]

I thought that was a pretty great episode. The whole thing was ramped up from start to finish, pretty exciting. A few sad deaths of characters I liked.

Jon being badass as usual.

 

[misho8723]

Imagine if next week doesn't do anything with King's Landing and we have to wait a year to see what happens with Tyrion.

Have you not seen the preview of next episode? :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdWyhix3BFM

 

[Dictator93]

Only one storyline for the entire episode? Bummer.

Considering this story line has deved over 1.5 seasons or so, I think it is totally justified to spend an entire episode on showing its culminating moment.

 

[PK Strawstorm]

I was prepared to be bored as I generally don't care about anything happening at the Wall or beyond, but I thought it ended up being a pretty good episode.

I personally hated the CGI giants and elephants, though I hate that stuff everywhere. I just don't care about CGI things unless they are in an all-CGI world. Bring back Henson muppets.

 

[David Incorporated Esq.]

I was prepared to be bored as I generally don't care about anything happening at the Wall or beyond, but I thought it ended up being a pretty good episode.

I personally hated the CGI giants and elephants, though I hate that stuff everywhere. I just don't care about CGI things unless they are in an all-CGI world. Bring back Henson muppets.

The Giants were 8 foot actors in makeup in front of greenscreen. They built a half-scale tunnel under the wall for the one guy to run through. The more you know!

 

[Zeppu]

Maybe every time a character comes on screen, it should display their name with a little fun fact under it.

Mance
leader of the wildlings

Jon
knower of nothing

Honestly, a little name card under characters we haven't seen in ages isn't a terrible idea.

 

[Pillville]

Can someone clear this up for me? I must have missed something.

I'm confused by how the cannibals got south of the wall with the others. I remember Jon Snow climbing the walls with some of the wildlings, but there seems to be a lot of people across the wall now.

 

[MMBosstones86]

I know the show has a large cast of characters and myriad large and small storylines, so some things may be a bit unclear, but I'm genuinely surprised by the amount of people who have no idea who Mance is. I thought they established him pretty well, but apparently not!

Agreed....

Stannis is supposed to be headed for the Wall by now?
Should be another budget buster episode

Yes. That's common knowledge at this point, right?

 

[lamaroo]

Seems they used their whole choreography budget on this episode too, some impressive fights. Jon vs the cannibal was really good.

 

[PK Strawstorm]

The Giants were 8 foot actors in makeup in front of greenscreen. They built a half-scale tunnel under the wall for the one guy to run through. The more you know!

Interesting, but they still looked fake to me. I mean, it did look like there were actors underneath there somewhere, but I think whatever effects were layered on top of them just made them look CGI.

I'm not a huge man of the monsters in the series, in any case. I'm here for the politics and nature porn.

 

[The Smoking Bun]

Honestly, a little name card under characters we haven't seen in ages isn't a terrible idea.

Do it Metal Gear style complete with huge font, nickname and voice actor

 

[Gucci Messiah]

Interesting, but they still looked fake to me. I mean, it did look like there were actors underneath there somewhere, but I think whatever effects were layered on top of them just made them look CGI.

I'm not a huge man of the monsters in the series, in any case. I'm here for the politics and nature porn.

Of course they looked fake, they're giants riding mamoths in a fantasy setting. I thought the CGI worked well, excellent visuals throughout the ep.

 

[Steverulez]

This guy.

Mance Rayder

Thanks! Keeping up is difficult and I didn't want to google it for spoilers.

Is this a Konami/Capcom meme or something? When they introduced Mance in Season 3 even Jon thought the guy in the photo (Tormund Giantsbane, I think) was Mance. I wish they would should more of Mance though.

A lot happens in GoT, kind of hard to keep up at tomes and he was introduced a while ago and I forget... the show with so much going on I forgot about a character that hasn't been seen all season.

 

[Vhagar]

Can someone clear this up for me? I must have missed something.

I'm confused by how the cannibals got south of the wall with the others. I remember Jon Snow climbing the walls with some of the wildlings, but there seems to be a lot of people across the wall now.

The wall is very long, its probably safe to assume the Jon's party was not the only group that climbed over the wall.
Maybe when they were beyond the wall, the decided to split and climb different sections so if the nights watch saw them, they wouldn't all be killed at once. Once they got over, they meet up (which is what happened in episode 1 of this season).

 

[Abounder]

Loved the episode although I agree with the criticisms even though some of it can be applied to the show in general: the plot barely moves at key points of the series. It's very much a "hurry up and wait" experience where most of the payoff is watching the storylines explode and clash. However these events undoubtedly are shaping up the characters from the Night's Watch.

Anyway one reason why I loved the episode is because it was like watching these guys from Warhammer come to life:

 

[Spiritreaver]

Have you not seen the preview of next episode? :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdWyhix3BFM

I just about never watch episode previews for any show anymore. They are always full of spoilers.

 

[Pillville]

The wall is very long, its probably safe to assume the Jon's party was not the only group that climbed over the wall.
Maybe when they were beyond the wall, the decided to split and climb different sections so if the nights watch saw them, they wouldn't all be killed at once. Once they got over, they meet up (which is what happened in episode 1 of this season).

Thanks.
Like most people I'm afraid to Google this stuff because of spoilers.

I was really getting confused this season on who's on what side of the wall and how they got there and why. This includes Bran and his group.

and what happened to Osha and the youngest Stark boy this season?

 

[Blader]

The fight choreography and cinematography in this episode was absolutely insane for a tv show.

I can understand why people weren't as hot on this episode -- the Night's Watch/Wildlings plot is one of the show's less interesting stories, we haven't spent all that much time with those characters in comparison to most others, and everyone wants to see the aftermath of Tyrion's trial/Oberyn's death (though I think this complain has a pretty finite shelf life).

But for me the episode was a success because it actually made me care about characters that I normally don't care about. I've never been all that impressed with Jon, but here he was pretty impressive, particularly the hand-to-hand fights on the ground. I've never liked anything about Sam (why is GRRM giving special attention to this fat neckbeard? hmm...) but here I actually quite liked him and thought he stepped up a lot. I've never cared about any of the pissing match politicking between the Night's Watch members, much less knew their names, but I enjoyed it here -- maybe because there was less of that shit, and more camaraderie and crow-eating (pun half-intended).

So in that sense, I liked this a lot more than Blackwater, which had the relatively easier job of putting characters I'm already interested in into a battle. Watchers on the Wall had to stage an even-better looking battle scene with characters and subplots I largely don't care about, and delivered on both imo.

 

[Benzychenz]

Have you not seen the preview of next episode? :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdWyhix3BFM

Why would any sane person watch previews?

 

[HyruleGuardian]

I have to say, I notice a common thread between people who tend to complain and complain and complain about Game of Thrones.

The people who complain tend to say things like:

"This episode didn't do enough to advance the plot" and "Why are these characters taking up so much precious screen time? We only get 10 hours a year so I'd rather see other characters!"

You have to accept that you get a little less than 10 hours of screen time per season. If you spend half that time worrying about all the time "wasted" with the characters that aren't your personal favorites, you're going to have a bad time.

No, the show can't just stay with Tyrion and Arya the whole time, as much as you would like that. The books are simply not written this way.

So if you have no interest in Jon Snow and the Night's Watch... well, if you didn't want an entire episode devoted to this plot, then you would have needed more of this plot spread throughout the season. Personally, I think it worked better this way.

I thought this episode was riveting. The action was infinitely better than that of every summer blockbuster you see in theaters these days, because unlike those crap movies, you knew that every character actually faced the possibility of death. That makes the stakes huge, compared to a superhero movie in which the stakes are almost non-existent, because the outcome is a foregone conclusion.

Also, to anyone who says "Jon has plot armor" and "Sam has plot armor", and that it's "sooo obvious they can't die."

I call bullshit. These are the same people who said "it was so obvious that Oberyn was going to die, GRRM always kills the good characters!" You can't rationally tell me that you knew Oberyn was going to die and that you knew Jon and Sam were going to live. Even if you suspected that might the the case, there was still enough doubt that it's not something you could take for granted.

Overall, I really enjoyed the episode and I can't wait for the finale. And I feel bad for the people who only want to criticize and nitpick this show to hell in between the Tyrion and Arya scenes that they're waiting for.