85 replies to this topic

[Ran]

Hi,

Renly and Loras are in fact lovers in the books. However, there's really no hint to this in the first book. It's only in subsequent books where Martin started to provide subtle hints, and he has since confirmed it in interviews, point-blank.

Pretty much all the characters in the series are from the books. The one really notably exception is the prostitute, Ros -- she's an invention of the TV series.

[Joslin9]

Well after reading all the posts, I'm more confused than ever!!!!!!!

I didn't read the books. So all the talk of history makes no sense to me.

You all talk about AL=after landing....... What does that mean?  After landing on planet earth? After reading everything I thought Westeros was a planet. Now I know it a continent.  I'm not used to fantasy stories.
The only fantasy books I ever read we're Lord of the Rings in the summer of  8th grade. I didn't understand it then, and don't now. All I remember is Frodo, and Bilbo Bangins, and I think they lived in Middle Earth.

I'm a middle aged retired woman who only started watching the series because a woman in a doll forum that I belong to made a doll of Kallisee, and was going to make a doll of her dead husband.

I got hooked on the show cause I was interested in the character story line and I love to watch period pieces. I love all the costuming and the hairstyles.  AND I HATE Joffrey!!!!!!!!!

Anyway the main questions that I had were this.......

What is the purpose of a Unique? In most stores I'm familiar with, there was always a Unique in some King's court. they seemed to be advisors.  Of some sort. But I still don't understand why they are castrated.

The other question is.... Why was that  8 year old or so boy still nursing from his mother?

I have never seen a show on cable have so much nudity, foul language , and bloody brutality like this show.

Call me a prude,  I'm just not used to this.

[iheartseverus]

Joslin9, on 07 April 2012 - 09:26 PM, said:

Well after reading all the posts, I'm more confused than ever!!!!!!!

I didn't read the books. So all the talk of history makes no sense to me.

You all talk about AL=after landing....... What does that mean?  After landing on planet earth? After reading everything I thought Westeros was a planet. Now I know it a continent.  I'm not used to fantasy stories.
The only fantasy books I ever read we're Lord of the Rings in the summer of  8th grade. I didn't understand it then, and don't now. All I remember is Frodo, and Bilbo Bangins, and I think they lived in Middle Earth.

I'm a middle aged retired woman who only started watching the series because a woman in a doll forum that I belong to made a doll of Kallisee, and was going to make a doll of her dead husband.

I got hooked on the show cause I was interested in the character story line and I love to watch period pieces. I love all the costuming and the hairstyles.  AND I HATE Joffrey!!!!!!!!!

Anyway the main questions that I had were this.......

What is the purpose of a Unique? In most stores I'm familiar with, there was always a Unique in some King's court. they seemed to be advisors.  Of some sort. But I still don't understand why they are castrated.

The other question is.... Why was that  8 year old or so boy still nursing from his mother?

I have never seen a show on cable have so much nudity, foul language , and bloody brutality like this show.

Call me a prude,  I'm just not used to this.

Hmmmm, not sure if this post is a put-on, but... whatever.  People don't talk about 'AL' they talk about 'KL', which means Kings Landing, the capital city of Westeros (which you know if you're watching the series, of course.)

A 'eunuch' (not a Unique), is a castrated man, thought to be safe as an advisor because of course his sexual desires toward women no longer exist and thus wouldn't lead him to betray his masters based on his sexual passions.

Lysa still breast feeds her child because... well, because she's nuts.

[Joslin9]

Thanks for answering my questions! No my post was no a put on. I missed the post, I thought they said AL.
Now I know it's KL. Like I said, I didn't read any of the books, so this is all new to me. Also I have a hard time understanding some of the actors. They talk too fast, and Jaime in particular is hard for me to understand.

[Ran]

AL = After Landing, referring to when Aegon the Conqueror (founder of the Targaryen dynasty and the unified Seven Kingdoms) landed on the shores of Westeros with his small army, his fleet.... and the three dragons he and his sister owned. No spaceships here (that we know of!) So 1 AL is more or less synonymous with the first year of Aegon's reign, and now the show is in the year 299 AL.

Eunuch. Varys is a eunuch, but that happened in the Free Cities, where he's from. Revealing why he is a eunuch is a bit of a small spoiler, so I won't say -- perhaps the show will reveal it this season, as that detail comes from the second book. In general, eunuchs are an Eastern thing -- it's not a practice of Westeros (castration may happen as a punishment -- for example, rape -- but the purpose is punishment, not creation of a unique class of people) -- and it can be done for several reasons. Generally, eunuchs in the east are slaves, and their lack of functional genitals might make them useful as servants in various ways (whether it's in the seraglio of a merchant prince, watching over his women, or serving in pleasure houses, or simply as administrators who have no chance at sons or daughters or wives to give them reasons to be disloyal). Historically, that's how eunuchs tended to work out in Asia and elsewhere: they became members of the bureaucracy.

And yeah, Lysa is extremely troubled, overly-protective to the point of madness.

[hattonthegreat]

Hi folks, I've created a graphical character map for season 2 which provides an instant understanding of the characters and their relationships, their family clans and links etc. Check it out here https://docs.google....VFdUZzlBM0cwMkk
I plan to update this weekly as new characters emerge and others disappear. I haven't read the books so this is based purely on the TV show, I've tried not to include any spoilers in it for those not up to date with it.

[Christine K]

I just finished ADWD yesterday so I've read all the books and am wondering if I should watch the show. My friend who doesn't read the books has been trying to get me to watch but I don't want to start imagining the actors as the characters and am worried that the show will ruin the books somehow for me since they're so good. And there are so many experts here who seem to know everything about the books and I want to be like that before I watch! So should I watch it?

[Nefa]

Here I am, new as can be. I started with the shows recently and then jumped into the books. I'm just now in the early stages of CoK. I have a group of friends who are very much into GoT, some from the publishing of the first book. Anywho, I am a fiend for spoilers. Between picking the brains of my friends and doing my own research I think I may have a reasonable grip on the whole story so far. I wish I were further ahead in my reading so I could understand more... hence my finally joining this site. I have been searching for certain subjects which I would assume there would be theories and discussion of and not finding them and I don't want to make a bunch of unnecessary new threads or ask a lot of questions in the wrong threads, quickly becoming known as one of newbies. lol.
I guess one thing I would like to know is where is it appropriate to ask questions about things that will happen in the future and to test my own speculations without hijacking others threads?

(I am so ridiculously excited to be here btw. lol )

[Nefa]

Christine K, on 08 May 2012 - 10:48 AM, said:

I just finished ADWD yesterday so I've read all the books and am wondering if I should watch the show. My friend who doesn't read the books has been trying to get me to watch but I don't want to start imagining the actors as the characters and am worried that the show will ruin the books somehow for me since they're so good. And there are so many experts here who seem to know everything about the books and I want to be like that before I watch! So should I watch it?

I keep thinking I should stop watching the show until I get ahead of the timeline in CoK, but I seem to be an addict. I can't stop. lol.

[Christine K]

Nefa, on 15 May 2012 - 10:36 AM, said:

I keep thinking I should stop watching the show until I get ahead of the timeline in CoK, but I seem to be an addict. I can't stop. lol.

I started watching it and I'm glad I did! You really should stop until you catch up, it will be so much better!

[SteelAndSnow]

Okay so I don't know if this is exactly show-related but I don't know where else to ask since the small questions thread is closed.

Can knights of the Kingsguard succeed their fathers as lords? In the family lists at the back of AGOT Jamie is listed as heir to Casterley Rock. Aren't the Kingsguard supposed to be like the Night's Watch; bound to the King at the cost of everything else?

[Rinso]

SteelAndSnow, on 08 June 2012 - 12:28 PM, said:

Can knights of the Kingsguard succeed their fathers as lords? In the family lists at the back of AGOT Jamie is listed as heir to Casterley Rock. Aren't the Kingsguard supposed to be like the Night's Watch; bound to the King at the cost of everything else?

Knights of the Kingsguard can't inherit anything. Once they take the white cloak and say their vows, they're out of any line of succession. If Jaime is listed as the heir of Casterly Rock this is either a glaring mistake or a reflection of Tywin's desire to find a way to get his son out of the Kingsguard.

[malinky]

Dalfiatach, on 29 April 2011 - 11:09 PM, said:

...at this stage the white walkers haven't been seen in thousands of years so most people now think they are just fairytale monsters too. And why Ned didn't believe the deserter and cut off his head - would you believe someone who ran away from his sworn duty cos he claimed he saw trolls and gnomes?

I never felt that Ned didn't believe the man, rather that was beside the point. The man signed up to protect the realm from White Walkers - part of the duties of the Nights Watch. He was beheaded for desertion, not because he wasn't believed.

[Robb_]

malinky, on 23 June 2012 - 02:20 PM, said:

I never felt that Ned didn't believe the man, rather that was beside the point. The man signed up to protect the realm from White Walkers - part of the duties of the Nights Watch. He was beheaded for desertion, not because he wasn't believed.

He says something about it being a likely Wildling ambush when talking to Benjen at the feast. I'm not certain on that being included in the books, but it definitely was in the show.

[Khal Porno]

I think the best thing to do is keep in mind that the show is the show and the books are the books, each format's structure having its own narrative demands, and neither one invalidates the other.

[Baratheon Badassery]

SteelAndSnow, on 08 June 2012 - 12:28 PM, said:

Okay so I don't know if this is exactly show-related but I don't know where else to ask since the small questions thread is closed.

Can knights of the Kingsguard succeed their fathers as lords? In the family lists at the back of AGOT Jamie is listed as heir to Casterley Rock. Aren't the Kingsguard supposed to be like the Night's Watch; bound to the King at the cost of everything else?

Yes, Kingsguard are bound to the king, and swear an oath to give up all claim to lands/lordships. However it is implied at various points (just as with the Night's Watch) the King can pardon Oaths, though I don't believe it's ever happened in the entire history of the guard (but I could be wrong).

Edited by Baratheon Badassery, 16 July 2012 - 03:59 AM.

[Myles]

Here is a link to a nine minutes long clip to summarize the open questions in the HBO show so far.
Some of those questions might be answered in the next season...
This clip contains no spoilers for those who saw the entire first and second seasons,
However, it is containing cast news for season 3 and quotes from the book 'A Clash of Kings' (the book the second season was based on).

http://www.youtube.c...h?v=Cjgy6_JAXdA

Edited by Myles, 01 January 2013 - 06:50 AM.

[RumHam]

Baratheon Badassery, on 16 July 2012 - 03:57 AM, said:

Yes, Kingsguard are bound to the king, and swear an oath to give up all claim to lands/lordships. However it is implied at various points (just as with the Night's Watch) the King can pardon Oaths, though I don't believe it's ever happened in the entire history of the guard (but I could be wrong).

Cersei released Selmy from his oath.  They also gelded one and sent him to the wall once in the past.  Tywin is a very powerful man and really doesn't want to accept Tyrion as heir to Castlerly Rock.  I'm sure he figured one day he'd bribe the faith/the king to release Jamie from his vows.

[Zorpack]

Kat, on 12 April 2011 - 07:40 PM, said:

Sorry, I just saw this thread, had posted this elsewhere. I made a PDF reference sheet for the show that has a map and basic family trees (for the Starks, Tullys, Baratheons, Lannisters and Targaryens) on it, along with some very brief background/history that should be revealed in the first few episodes. It does contain mild spoilers for back story, but if you're the sort of person who likes a visual reference while watching it may be helpful. (My parents watch every historical drama about England with this fold-out Monarchs of England guide, so I made this for them to emulate that.)

(Mods- delete this if it's inappropriate for this thread.)

Edited: Updated PDF slightly.

WHOA this is awesome! I am giving it to my boyfriend so he can understand better. He has not read the books but watches the show.

[Inceptor]

I think it's better for us who havent read any of the books ,  since we dont know what to expect makes the show interesting , i am reading comments from those who read the books and they 60% have commets  like omg  thats not how it should be or etc. etc.....

This way its a good show with good plot and story  , i wish there would be more than  10 episodes  a year .... but ok


it's good show with good story and plot  i rly like it

http://forum.femina....ge/thumb/117136

Edited by Inceptor, 23 May 2013 - 04:32 AM.