Any hardcore Game of Thrones/Song of Ice and Fire fans?

[PennLady]

Two weeks till the next episode.

excuse me while I curl into a fetal position and count the hours

Wow. No Dr Who, no GoT... so I guess it won't be so bad that we'll be out of town.

 

[soflabbwlvr]

Frank Doelger, a producer on the series, said recently that the show will likely run 7 seasons. That will take it through the ending of A Dance With Dragons. Anyone who is not reading the books (or doesn't start with the next one) is going to be left hanging.

 

[PennLady]

Episode 8 on Facebook! Courtesy of HappyPlace.com.

http://www.happyplace.com/24039/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-8

 

[Cruel2BKind]

Episode 8 on Facebook! Courtesy of HappyPlace.com.

http://www.happyplace.com/24039/game-of-thrones-facebook-recap-season-3-episode-8

Millions of viewers like this and nervously exhale.

lol.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

On behalf of everyone who didn't make it to the end of this episode, I shed a single manly tear.

Ah who am I kidding? I cried like a baby.

 

[sheablue]

Seriously. I knew it was coming and I'm still traumatized. Plus a little added gruesomeness that was not even in the book.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Seriously. I knew it was coming and I'm still traumatized. Plus a little added gruesomeness that was not even in the book.

That's odd. I heard someone else on Facebook say the book was more gruesome. Once they locked the doors, I had a pretty good feeling something like this was about to happen. I didn't expect it to go down like that, and I was hoping Rob would have done a better job of fighting them off, but alas, it was not to happen.

Poor Arya. So close, and yet so very, very far away...

A least Jon snow finally did something worth doing instead of being such a pussy whenever confronted.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

That's odd. I heard someone else on Facebook say the book was more gruesome. Once they locked the doors, I had a pretty good feeling something like this was about to happen. I didn't expect it to go down like that, and I was hoping Rob would have done a better job of fighting them off, but alas, it was not to happen.

Poor Arya. So close, and yet so very, very far away...

A least Jon snow finally did something worth doing instead of being such a pussy whenever confronted.

I cried when Grey Wind died.

Also, Westeros abortions are the worst.

Also, Bran's story is FINALLY getting interesting.

Also, YAY! DIREWOLF EPISODE!

Grey wind...

 

[TheeGoatPig]

What are there, two living Starks now? Both boys? That family is on its last legs if that is true (and two of those legs aren't doing much of anything).

 

[D_Lynn]

What are there, two living Starks now? Both boys? That family is on its last legs if that is true (and two of those legs aren't doing much of anything).

Four living Starks. You forgot Arya and Sansa. Five, if you include Ned's bastard son, Jon Snow.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Four living Starks. You forgot Arya and Sansa. Five, if you include Ned's bastard son, Jon Snow.

I apologize. I meant male Starks that can pass on the family name. Sansa and Arya don't count as their children will be... Well... Lannisters or whatever (I get the feeling Arya might never have children).

 

[D_Lynn]

I apologize. I meant male Starks that can pass on the family name. Sansa and Arya don't count as their children will be... Well... Lannisters or whatever (I get the feeling Arya might never have children).

You're right...they won't carry on the Stark name.

From what I can tell, they can however, inherit Winterfell. Which is really strategic to the GoT.

Now, I haven't read the books, but from what I've gathered from the show, I expect Sansa to die next. Probably at the hands of Joffrey, who will likely try to blame Tyrion for it. I don't want to sound cruel or anything, but Sansa really needs to go. She doesn't help her family one bit.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

If you don't like sansa, than I feel pretty sorry for you.

For a while, there's basically some slow socialite warfare over her, because everyone thinks bran and rickon and arya are dead, so whoever marries Sansa Stark gets winterfell.

Also, give her a break. She's twelve at this point in the books, and I don't think that they wrote her very well for her screen adaption.

 

[Cruel2BKind]

I found some GoT related crap on facebook. It's making me laugh and cry alternatively.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/944635_574919092574167_1244599898_n.jpg

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn2/7903_574788615920548_1538082860_n.png

http://img.pandawhale.com/52067-Game-of-Thrones-meme--You-have-cECW.jpeg

http://cdn.memeslanding.com/2013/4/1/memeslanding.com_50_1364943218.jpg

http://img.pandawhale.com/post-19410-Danaerys-Targaryen-deal-with-i-aT79.gif

 

[lovecraft68]

If you don't like sansa, than I feel pretty sorry for you.

For a while, there's basically some slow socialite warfare over her, because everyone thinks bran and rickon and arya are dead, so whoever marries Sansa Stark gets winterfell.

Also, give her a break. She's twelve at this point in the books, and I don't think that they wrote her very well for her screen adaption.

What's left of it.

I have not read the books.

In fact as I said before I have not watched anything other than sports for 4 years until my sister dropped off season 1 og GOT and my wife and I watched all 29 episodes in a week. Damn thing is addictive,

Now I have to dodge all the spoilers that are all over the net.

 

[SecondCircle]

OK so I was late to see the episode because I was gone all weekend, but even though I knew what was coming, to see that brought to life on screen was still traumatizing.

Dunno if they'll mention it in the finale, but they cut off grey winds head and sow it to robs headless body, then dump the body's in the river naked. Visceral.

They made a big deal about the tray of food they ate when they arrived. If you feed someone and welcome them as guests in your house, they are in your protection. So murdering them is more than frowned on.

Not sure the Westeros abortion was in there, but nice touch (if no one minds me saying so).

I'm surprised they held off on the Bran controlling wolves thing as long as they did. The way he knew he could do that to Hodor was that he'd been doing it to Summer for months in his sleep. Still works though. But I do admit his bits have been really bland.

Dammit there's still so much more to see! There's more weddings and battles and loose ends and Vipers and Sand Snakes! I can kinda see now that this will spill into the fourth season to mix with the obscure fourth book. For the better I'd say.

And yes, as I understood it, seeing as all other starks are "dead" whoever marries Sansa has the north, so she's a pivotal piece.

And a lion still has claws....

 

[PennLady]

I just got to watch this. I was too fried last night. I've read the books, though, so knew what was coming, just wasn't sure when. Whew.

Now, I haven't read the books, but from what I've gathered from the show, I expect Sansa to die next. Probably at the hands of Joffrey, who will likely try to blame Tyrion for it. I don't want to sound cruel or anything, but Sansa really needs to go. She doesn't help her family one bit.

Since we don't seem to care about spoilers, I will tell you that Sansa is still alive at the end of book five. Her circumstances have changed a lot, but she is still there. She is a bit of a frustrating character, but for the series, that's not the actress' fault. She simply doesn't have much to do, and what's frustrating is that she doesn't realize how important she is, albeit to most people only in a strategic way. That is, she is a Stark of Winterfell.

OK so I was late to see the episode because I was gone all weekend, but even though I knew what was coming, to see that brought to life on screen was still traumatizing.

Dunno if they'll mention it in the finale, but they cut off grey winds head and sow it to robs headless body, then dump the body's in the river naked. Visceral.

I think we need to see that, or something like it, unless they plan to cut some other things out. Otherwise (trying not to spoil too much) there are some posthumous dealings with Catelyn that will require explanation.

They made a big deal about the tray of food they ate when they arrived. If you feed someone and welcome them as guests in your house, they are in your protection. So murdering them is more than frowned on.

According to an interview with GRRM, he based this on two real events in Scottish history.

http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/06/02/g...ge-r-r-martin-why-he-wrote-the-red-wedding/2/

Dammit there's still so much more to see! There's more weddings and battles and loose ends and Vipers and Sand Snakes! I can kinda see now that this will spill into the fourth season to mix with the obscure fourth book. For the better I'd say.

And yes, as I understood it, seeing as all other starks are "dead" whoever marries Sansa has the north, so she's a pivotal piece.

And a lion still has claws....

I'm thinking/hoping that they will merge books four and five, so to speak, and make four seasons out of them. Perhaps three; not sure if there's enough for four. For those who haven't read the books, books four and five cover the same ground, but with different characters. For example, there is no Tyrion, Jon or Arya in book four, although they are mentioned. In book five, we get their POVs on the events that we first met in book four.

It doesn't seem feasible to me that HBO would do that same thing. Go a whole season, or two, without Tyrion, when he's likely the most popular character? Plus it'd be confusing. Here's the event, but now a season later here it is again...

I'd like to see it all mixed, really. It'd make a lot more sense.

 

[PennLady]

Links, for those who might want them.

Slate: http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/...e_freys_and_the_starks_meet_at_the_twins.html

Slate on the economics: http://www.slate.com/blogs/moneybox...ive_breach_of_trust_in_dynastic_marriage.html

Reactions: http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat...ng_upsets_fans_to_the_rains_of_castamere.html

Power Rankings: http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_facto...power_rankings_who_s_winning_who_s_alive.html

Salon recap: http://www.salon.com/2013/06/03/gam..._almost_there_and_you_think_you_wont_make_it/

AV Club recap for newbies: http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-rains-of-castamere,98087/

AV Club recap for experts: http://www.avclub.com/articles/the-rains-of-castamere-for-experts,98086/

 

[PennLady]

For those who might want to read, or re-read, the Red Wedding as it is in the book, here's a link. It's only for that chapter, and it does differ a bit from the series, although mostly in naming so many who were in attendance.

http://cdn1.vnetrix.com/A.Storm.of.Swords-Catelyn.pdf

 

[Bramblethorn]

Since we don't seem to care about spoilers, I will tell you that Sansa is still alive at the end of book five. Her circumstances have changed a lot, but she is still there. She is a bit of a frustrating character, but for the series, that's not the actress' fault. She simply doesn't have much to do, and what's frustrating is that she doesn't realize how important she is, albeit to most people only in a strategic way. That is, she is a Stark of Winterfell.

I think Sansa's unpopularity has a lot to do with having Arya as a sister. Having a sympathetic kickass tomboy as a younger sister makes it a lot harder to remember that Sansa's still just a kid who's horribly out of her depth, making the sort of mistakes that kids her age make - in a brutal environment that isn't forgiving of mistakes.

 

[PennLady]

I think Sansa's unpopularity has a lot to do with having Arya as a sister. Having a sympathetic kickass tomboy as a younger sister makes it a lot harder to remember that Sansa's still just a kid who's horribly out of her depth, making the sort of mistakes that kids her age make - in a brutal environment that isn't forgiving of mistakes.

Very true, although I think what's frustrating, too, is that people want Sansa to come into her own, to see what's going on and try to do something for herself. But she doesn't, or she can't. And as you point out, she's still young. Even at 14 in the series (as opposed to twelve in the books), that's too young to expect someone to play the game. And I think she's hurt in kind of an abstract way by being so tall; she easily looks older than fourteen.

 

[D_Lynn]

Very true, although I think what's frustrating, too, is that people want Sansa to come into her own, to see what's going on and try to do something for herself. But she doesn't, or she can't. And as you point out, she's still young. Even at 14 in the series (as opposed to twelve in the books), that's too young to expect someone to play the game. And I think she's hurt in kind of an abstract way by being so tall; she easily looks older than fourteen.

Yeah, I don't dislike Sansa, per se. Looking at the game board, though, she is a pawn that I might take out because she makes bad decisions. (By bad, I mean ones that do not help good people gain power.) Granted, they are bad because she is young and naive. But that is irrelevant. They are still bad. She might be okay with Tyrion, but she might not; because he's pissed off Joffrey and we've seen how unpredictable that little prick can be.

The only character I truly want to die is Joffrey. I could live without Cersei, too, but I have to wonder what kind of threat she can pose in her current position. She has to be losing her loyal spies which is the only power she has left since she has no influence whatsoever on Joffrey and very little on Tywin.

Do the books more fully explain Daenerys' motivation for wanting the throne? I mean, I understand her deserving it and wanting to go home. In the series she comes across as a bit power hungry. It concerns me. I like her a lot. I don't know what would happen to the throne after she died, though.

 

[TheeGoatPig]

Sansa is an interesting case. I can't say that I like her, but there is so much shit going on around her, and people vying for control of her, that I can't help but want to see what happens next in her story.

 

[PennLady]

Yeah, I don't dislike Sansa, per se. Looking at the game board, though, she is a pawn that I might take out because she makes bad decisions. (By bad, I mean ones that do not help good people gain power.) Granted, they are bad because she is young and naive. But that is irrelevant. They are still bad. She might be okay with Tyrion, but she might not; because he's pissed off Joffrey and we've seen how unpredictable that little prick can be.

It's killing me not to give more info here. Perhaps another frustrating thing about Sansa is not that she makes bad decisions, but that she simply doesn't get to make any and instead of rebelling or being angry about that, she just sits and waits. Perhaps she's just hoping that one day it will stop, but most likely she's waiting for someone to come and save her, because that is how she is.

The only character I truly want to die is Joffrey. I could live without Cersei, too, but I have to wonder what kind of threat she can pose in her current position. She has to be losing her loyal spies which is the only power she has left since she has no influence whatsoever on Joffrey and very little on Tywin.

Cersei does retain some influence by being the mother of the king, and the daughter of Tywin Lannister. How much influence is unclear at this time, but surely some people are careful of crossing her not because they fear retribution from her, but from her family. This is one of the common themes with the women, though -- much of any power they have is indirect and they have to be careful how they leverage it.

Do the books more fully explain Daenerys' motivation for wanting the throne? I mean, I understand her deserving it and wanting to go home. In the series she comes across as a bit power hungry. It concerns me. I like her a lot. I don't know what would happen to the throne after she died, though.

Danaerys -- again, several years younger in the book than in the series -- is also coming into herself as well as pursuing the throne. It was her father, I think, who was killed -- The Mad King -- and then Viserys would have been next in line since he was older. With him gone, she is next, and I think Viserys hammered into her how the family was owed, how Baratheon was a usurper, how he was the rightful King of Westeros. She was merely a pawn to him to get there.

However, obviously things with the Dothraki did not go as Viserys planned and in there, Danaerys began to realize that she held, or could hold, some influence, starting with Drogo. With Viserys gone, I believe she feels she is naturally the next and rightful ruler to sit on the Iron Throne. In the books, and I think this will probably happen soon in the series, she actually realizes that she needs to learn how to rule and says so.

What happens with the Iron Throne I suppose depends on whose side you're on. There are likely more Targaryen descendants out there even if they don't share the name, so they would probably be in line after Danaerys. If you follow the Baratheon line, which of course is the Lannister line, there are still some options -- should Joffrey die, he has a younger brother, Tommen. (No one has mentioned Tommen or the sister, whose name I forget and who was sent to Dorne, in a while but they are there). This is also why Tywin is so anxious for Tyrion to get Sansa pregnant; Jaime has taken an oath of celibacy, so he's out.

 

[SecondCircle]

Myrcella is her name I believe. Tommen's sister. Her stuff (of course I know you know) comes into play more later.

I think everyone has a similar problem in the show. Each character has this ideal or goal that they have, and each one's goal takes huge turns and eventually get derailed. The dream is still there, but its twisted and stops becoming the point.

Without revealing too much, this happens to Cersei. While she thinks she's being clever and moving ever closer to what she wants, she only manages to dig a hole for herself.

Dany makes the most progress toward her goal I think, bit she realizes the steep prices she constantly has to pay. Most of her dreams and goals turn sour somewhat, or at least aren't what she thought they would be. Being a ruler for instance, and her dragons, and her closest advisers.

Of course none of the Starks lives have gone how they envisioned. Certainly not Rob or Eddard's, and all Bran wanted to do was fucking climb and that was screwed up for him right away.

Everyone is in such a different place than they dreamed. Sometimes it makes one shake his head at the futility of trying to live in that world. But that's the drama of the show though.