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[higgsboson1997]

In hindsight though do you really think that the giant puddle of diarrhea that is Dorne is better than what we could have gotten in the riverlands? Lady stoneheart + character devepment for Jaime would have been so much better than what we actually god.

I agree that Dorne was worse than in the books (although Dorne there was not fantastic either).

However, the Wall, Meereen, Winterfell have all been improved in my opinions, while King's Landing and Braavos are about the same. This season has thus easily been better than those 2 books for me, and is probably my third or second favourite season.

 

[kame-sennin]

It makes perfect sense. He had his ambition on the one hand, and love in the other. He, like many many many many many many other rulers (in real life and in ASOIAF) at the end of the day he chose ambition. This isn't the first family member he has killed to remove an obstacle.

Yeah, this has been set up forever. He hated Robert for making him guard Dragonstone, he killed Renly because he challenged his "rights", he burned his in-laws at the stake to earn the lord's favor, he tried to murder his nephew to win at the Blackwater, and now he has to choose between his daughter and the throne. The Mannis was always headed down this road.

The One True King.

 

[Emerson]

So was Trant a pedophile in the books as well or is this another one of D&D "amazing" ideas?

Almost everyone in this medieval-style world would be considered a pedophile if you really think about it.

 

[mantidor]

While I know this is meant to diss at the scene I can't see it like that because Falkor is fucking awesome and his scenes are my favorites from the neverending story.

The only little thing that bothered me a bit was that Drogon doesn't look "ride-able", he has all sort of hard scales protruding from his back, he's not a big plushie pillow like Falkor.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

One thing I'm thinking is that they've switched events around to fit the pacing of the show.

In the books Stannis can't burn Shireen, because he doesn't have her, but he does have Theon and Asha.

So maybe a future book he will burn one of those two for the same reason he burned Shireen in episode 9.

On the flip side, Melissandre has Shireen in the books, and is very likely going to burn her for some great spell. So maybe later on next season she will burn either Theon or Yara, for whatever reason she ends up burning Shireen for in the books.

I'm thinking Mel will burn Shireen to revive Jon. I always liked the theory that Melisandre wrote the Pink Letter herself to force events, but I'm guess she didn't write it and maybe she does think Stannis is fucked and that Jon will be her only hope and so she does what she has to revive him.

 

[Iksenpets]

I wonder if Martin kicks himself for associating with Elio and Linda so closely. Elio is fine, as I always say, however Linda is a huge liability and very unprofessional. The thing I fear is that their influence/importance will increase after Martin's death (which hopefully doesn't happen anytime soon, R'Hollor willing) and they'll essentially become the gatekeepers of the franchise. I'm not a fan of Christoper Tolkien for instance, but I can at least respect his views given that he worked closely with his father, clearly loves his work, never sold out, etc. He's not a fanboy or fanatic, he's a loyal son and partner. Whereas Elio and Linda are upjumped fanatics.

(I respect Elio overall.)

Do we even know if Martin is aware of the sort of shit Linda stirs up? I mean, he's not really online to see any of it, unless people are asking him about it in blog comments. For all he knows she may just be that nice wife of his biggest fan.

I still think Stannis acted too quick. On the show he still has reason to doubt Melisandre's power with king's blood. Balon is still alive.

Show Stannis is consistently less skeptical than his book counterpart. Book Stannis wasn't even ready to sacrifice Edric without three deaths, and he wasn't prepared to even sacrifice prisoners to deal with the snow storm. If this really is a book plot moved forward, then they must have cut significant events that break him down to the point where he's ready to do this. Still think it's more likely that it's Mel or Selyse who does it, and they wrote Stannis into the scene, rather than them speeding up Stannis arc insanely quickly to make sure they got the scene in this season.

 

[Razmos]

You mean Barristan?

If you define him as major or shocking then sure.

I thought his death had little to no impact, to be honest.

 

[Tiktaalik]

So was Trant a pedophile in the books as well or is this another one of D&D "amazing" ideas?

In the books Arya kills Raff the Sweetling a man at arms in service to Ser Gregor Clegane in Bravos, who is portrayed as a pedophile. I had to even look up who the shit that person was because it's so obscure.

It's an example of the show combining characters when convenient. There are few other characters from Aryas list around.

Edit: beaten by basically everybody in this thread.

 

[dead souls]

I don't think so, personally I think we've only gotten one good episode this entire season. The rest have been mediocre and some especially bad.

Yeah. I watch a ridiculous amount of television and this show is definitely in the bottom 10-20% of shows I watch.

It's terrible.

 

[Higgins113]

Imagine how different things would be if Ramsay only had 19 good men

 

[Tiktaalik]

If there's anyone else out there that is nearly as knowledgable about the books as Linda and Ellio they should be positioning themselves to GRRM as more capable alternate assistant to Linda and Ellio. These two are just not professional and it's only going to get worse.

 

[Real Hero]

oh yeah so much for Mel being able to win the battle of blackwater if she was there, did you see her face when she that lil fire ramsay set?

 

[PhoenixDark]

Do we even know if Martin is aware of the sort of shit Linda stirs up? I mean, he's not really online to see any of it, unless people are asking him about it in blog comments. For all he knows she may just be that nice wife of his biggest fan.

He has to have some inclination, having conversed with her for 15+ years. I can only imagine that he's dismissed her show criticisms in person many times, given that they meet for dinner every now and then.

Martin has to respond to all of this. I don't believe he said "Stannis is going to burn Shireen." More than likely he told them Shireen gets burned in TWOW and they added Stannis into things for drama.

 

[Jetman]

Seeing and hearing a lot of complaining about whether or not Stannis will burn Shireen in the books. Seems like no one watched the Inside the Episode afterwords? D&D confirmed that Martin told them it happens in the book.

 

[Kain]

Martin has to respond to all of this. I don't believe he said "Stannis is going to burn Shireen." More than likely he told them Shireen gets burned in TWOW and they added Stannis into things for drama.

This.

I'm not getting off the #TeamStannis wagon. Not yet.

 

[Forkball]

If there's anyone else out there that is nearly as knowledgable about the books as Linda and Ellio they should be positioning themselves to GRRM as more capable alternate assistant to Linda and Ellio. These two are just not professional and it's only going to get worse.

"Give me twenty good nerds."

Let's talk about the good parts:

Mace was dapper as fuck
Stannis' war beard was on point

I don't even know where to begin about Shireen so I will save it until later.

 

[Jetman]

Martin has to respond to all of this. I don't believe he said "Stannis is going to burn Shireen." More than likely he told them Shireen gets burned in TWOW and they added Stannis into things for drama.

Ah, well, I guess that could be an argument. Whether Stannis himself does it.

 

[Speevy]

In every Meryn Trant scene, he's either performing some vicious act or has the most obnoxious sneer on his face.

I don't think D and D trusts the audience to remember he killed her dancing master, so pedophile works for me. He's a bastard to be sure, and not the good kind.

 

[eot]

The Dorne stuff this season is just baffling. Not only does it not make any sense or forward the plot, but it doesn't even have a good scene, or characterisation or anything. Pure garbage through and through.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

He has to have some inclination, having conversed with her for 15+ years. I can only imagine that he's dismissed her show criticisms in person many times, given that they meet for dinner every now and then.

Martin has to respond to all of this. I don't believe he said "Stannis is going to burn Shireen." More than likely he told them Shireen gets burned in TWOW and they added Stannis into things for drama.

Yeah, he's gotta weigh in, agreed. I can't imagine he knew they were gonna so blatantly pass the buck to him in the post show interview. They were literally like "we dunno, ask GRRM." Kind of funny in that regard.

And IMO, it all but confirms that the pink letter serves as the catalyst for Selyse to burned at Castle Black and maybe that's how Stannis wins the Battle of Ice. Clears the weather and allows him to win.

 

[Kyougar]

Not to kick a dead horse, but:

Ehhh...

And yeah, I also loved how absolutely filthy Drogon's mouth and throat looked. It must have stank when he roared at Dany.

probably smelled like rotten eggs.

 

[Iksenpets]

He has to have some inclination, having conversed with her for 15+ years. I can only imagine that he's dismissed her show criticisms in person many times, given that they meet for dinner every now and then.

Martin has to respond to all of this. I don't believe he said "Stannis is going to burn Shireen." More than likely he told them Shireen gets burned in TWOW and they added Stannis into things for drama.

I have to imagine there was some conversation about Shireen after season 2 when they left her out, along the lines of "oh, but you'll need her for the sacrifice scene!" I could easily see them deciding they wanted it to be Stannis who does it, and then spending the next few seasons laying their groundwork for that change, similar to how they apparently planned out their Sansa change years ago.

And with regard to Linda, yeah, I'm sure she's said some things in private, but I'm sure he's said things in private, too. I don't know if he knows how much she projects all of that into the public. I'm sure he has some idea, but maybe not the extent of it.

Yeah, he's gotta weigh in, agreed. I can't imagine he knew they were gonna so blatantly pass the buck to him in the post show interview. They were literally like "we dunno, ask GRRM." Kind of funny in that regard.

And IMO, it all but confirms that the pink letter serves as the catalyst for Selyse to burned at Castle Black and maybe that's how Stannis wins the Battle of Ice. Clears the weather and allows him to win.

Yeah, whatever their conversations were, I'm really not sure if he ever would have been ok with them going out immediately after the episode to use him as a shield. I'm sure he'd like to put out the sacrifice scene in a preview, like he has with other show spoilers, but it's probably too spoilery with regards to Jon, if it's happening in the aftermath of the Pink Letter at Castle Black.

 

[Jacob]

Seeing and hearing a lot of complaining about whether or not Stannis will burn Shireen in the books. Seems like no one watched the Inside the Episode afterwords? D&D confirmed that Martin told them it happens in the book.

They said that Martin told them Shireen will burn in the books, not that Stannis will do it. Stannis and Shireen are nowhere near each other at the end of ADWD or in the TWOW preview chapters.

And yes, we're all aware of the Inside the Episode by now.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Not to kick a dead horse, but:

Now that is shitty.

 

[Speevy]

The Dorne stuff this season is just baffling. Not only does it not make any sense or forward the plot, but it doesn't even have a good scene, or characterisation or anything. Pure garbage through and through.

Imagine if the whole Dorne plot had just been one scene. That one when Jaime is talking to Dorann. Myrcella leaves with Jaime, everyone's happy.

I liked that scene more than any of the ones that preceded it because they weren't acting like telenovela stars. They were just people who were involved in politics.

Dorann basically cleared up all the bullshit by saying "Yeah, sure, take your niece. I serve the king."

I didn't need to badly acted water gardens scenes to set this up.

 

[Anton Sugar]

Can't have Arya killing people for revenge or deserting the Nights Watch. Nope.

Haha, yup. Just like Sansa needing to be raped to REALLY understand how horrible Ramsay is.

I don't think Game of Thrones is bad TV, but it sure does have a lot of bad moments.

 

[Woody Invincible]

In every Meryn Trant scene, he's either performing some vicious act or has the most obnoxious sneer on his face.

I don't think D and D trusts the audience to remember he killed her dancing master, so pedophile works for me. He's a bastard to be sure, and not the good kind.

Trant can't wait to be alone with Arya to inform her that he has been Syrio in disguise the past 4 seasons.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Does anyone think Myrcella is still going to get cut up and maybe some shit will go down there in episode 10? Something has to happen there.

 

[Speevy]

Since D&D care nothing about spoiling book readers?

The horrible quality of episode 9 aside, what does that have to do with anything? GRRM won't finish his book.

That's the one thing about season 5 that's not D&D's fault.

 

[Iksenpets]

Imagine if the whole Dorne plot had just been one scene. That one when Jaime is talking to Dorann. Myrcella leaves with Jaime, everyone's happy.

I liked that scene more than any of the ones that preceded it because they weren't acting like telenovela stars. They were just people who were involved in politics.

Dorann basically cleared up all the bullshit by saying "Yeah, sure, take your niece. I serve the king."

I didn't need to badly acted water gardens scenes to set this up.

I'm guessing that episode ten has a Doran+Varys scene to reveal his involvement with Dany, and has him sending the Snakes to KL explicitly to take out Tommen — rather than their more subtle infiltration plot in the books — so that Trystane can inherit through Myrcella. Then the plan is to eventually out Myrcella as a bastard, execute her, and move Trystane over to Dany, but now with Trystane already holding the capital so he can hand it right to her.

 

[Woody Invincible]

I'm guessing that episode ten has a Doran+Varys scene to reveal his involvement with Dany, and has him sending the Snakes to KL explicitly to take out Tommen — rather than their more subtle infiltration plot in the books — so that Trystane can inherit through Myrcella. Then the plan is to eventually out Myrcella as a bastard, execute her, and move Trystane over to Dany, but now with Trystane already holding the capital so he can hand it right to her.

I like the cut of your gib. Too bad it involves sand snakes.

 

[Kyougar]

With all the cliffhangars that we will be getting why not let Aryas Story end when she gets into a room with Trant.

"What will happen to Arya? FIND OUT NEXT SEASON!"

 

[Kain]

Does anyone think Myrcella is still going to get cut up and maybe some shit will go down there in episode 10? Something has to happen there.

I'm still secretly hoping for Darkstar.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

I'm still secretly hoping for Darkstar.

Should be the final scene of the season. The ultimate cliffhanger. Audience will have a year to ponder his badassness and wonder what does "of the night" actually mean.

 

[Ratrat]

I'm guessing that episode ten has a Doran+Varys scene to reveal his involvement with Dany, and has him sending the Snakes to KL explicitly to take out Tommen — rather than their more subtle infiltration plot in the books — so that Trystane can inherit through Myrcella. Then the plan is to eventually out Myrcella as a bastard, execute her, and move Trystane over to Dany, but now with Trystane already holding the capital so he can hand it right to her.

This sounds dumb, which is fine for Doran I guess. Sand Snakes killing the king certainly won't cause that war you want to avoid, yes lets allow Trystane and Myrcella to fall in love so we can kill her later. I'm sure their long rivals the Tyrells will have nothing to say. How can he even hold the capital? Are they bringing an army?

 

[Massa]

So was Trant a pedophile in the books as well or is this another one of D&D "amazing" ideas?

TWOW spoiler

Spoiler

Raff is a pedophile that Arya seduces then kills in Bravos and Trant is taking his place, so it's pretty much book material adapted to screen.

 

[Iksenpets]

Should be the final scene of the season. The ultimate cliffhanger. Audience will have a year to ponder his badassness and wonder what does "of the night" actually mean.

That's only the pre-credits closer though. If you stay after the credits, you see lightning flash, revealing a face against a stormy shore. "No godless man may sit the Seastone Chair!" it shouts, as the theme music kicks into overdrive and we cut to black.

 

[hoos30]

What makes you think the other side is greener?

I'm actually betting that it is not greener...I think GRRM succumbed to the pressure and has lost it. But with the show coming up hard on its seven, maybe eight season cap, there's a small chance the show dives head first into the end game and we get some reasonably entertaining episodes out of the journey.

 

[Speevy]

Here's a serious question.

This question is only for those who absolutely DESPISED all the changes they made this season.

If they get Sansa out of Winterfell, can they get back on track next season?

 

[BreezyLimbo]

Should be the final scene of the season. The ultimate cliffhanger. Audience will have a year to ponder his badassness and wonder what does "of the night" actually mean.

I always thought 'Darkstar' was such a stupid name. 'You have Jamie Lannister, Prince Doran, Arya Stark.......and Darkstar!'.

 

[Real Hero]

I always thought 'Darkstar' was such a stupid name. 'You have Jamie Lannister, Prince Doran, Arya Stark.......and Darkstar!'.

He's called Gerold Dayne. Darkstar is just his cool nickname

 

[Kain]

That's only the pre-credits closer though. If you stay after the credits, you see lightning flash, revealing a face against a stormy shore. "No godless man may sit the Seastone Chair!" it shouts, as the theme music kicks into overdrive and we cut to black.

As much as Damphair bores me that would be awesome.

 

[Forkball]

Jaime dicked around all season.

That's all he did.

Dicked around.

Season 1: Instigates the entire story after getting caught by Bran, and is later captured which causes both the Starks and Lannisters to change their course of action
Season 2: Spends all season as a prisoner, but is a major issue in Robb's camp and kills a Karstark which is one of the first steps towards the red wedding
Season 3: Travels and has entertaining convos with Brienne, whom he later saves at the cost of his his hand and self-worth. Jaime reevaluates his entire life and goals while also revealing the reasons for killing the mad King. Fights a fucking bear.
Season 4: After spending a year apart from his family, he struggles to maintain healthy relationships with them while also trying to find new purpose after losing his hand. He also frees Tyrion, which leads to Tywin's death and a major power struggle across the land.
Season 5: Dicks around.

 

[Basileus777]

He's called Gerold Dayne. Darkstar is just his cool nickname

"cool"

 

[Kaladin]

Best part of last night's episode?

The look on Tyrion's face when Dany flew off on the dragon.

 

[Ratrat]

Here's a serious question.

This question is only for those who absolutely DESPISED all the changes they made this season.

If they get Sansa out of Winterfell, can they get back on track next season?

If she's not done with Littlefinger well, shes again learned nothing and is still the biggest fool in the series. So no, not successfully.

 

[Real Hero]

"cool"

Oh your right he would probably describe it as 'totally rad'

 

[Klossen]

Show is spoiling the books. What a world we live in. How useless to have even invested myself in the books. Read them three times over in anticipation for The Winds of Winter. But that's useless now considering how the show has become a Wiki page of spoilers with some bad fan-fiction thrown in the middle of it.

What a complete clusterfuck. GRRM sold the book rights too early. He should've waited until the books were done. And hell, if the show wasn't awful, I might've even just ignored the books that will never come and just treat the show version as canon. But book readers get neither. We got screwed on the deal. So much time devoted to the books only to have to have casual TV viewers spoil everything by spontaneously talking about it during work lunch.

GRRM shouldn't even pretend he's writing these books anymore. Just come out clean and say you're done so we can move on with our lives. That would be the best course of action for all. A giant waste of time, but atleast we won't fool ourselves thinking the best is yet to come.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

That's only the pre-credits closer though. If you stay after the credits, you see lightning flash, revealing a face against a stormy shore. "No godless man may sit the Seastone Chair!" it shouts, as the theme music kicks into overdrive and we cut to black.

It will also need an evil laugh, "Muahaahahahaha!!!"

 

[dave is ok]

Care nothing about spoiling the book readers.

GoT Season 1 premiere: April 17, 2011
Dance with Dragons release date: July 12, 2011
GoT Season 2 premiere: April 1, 2012
GoT Season 3 premiere: March 31, 2013
GoT Season 4 premiere: April 6, 2014
GoT Season 5 premiere: April 12, 2015

....

It's fucking embarrassing that the show caught up to the books at all.