85 replies to this topic

[Alex Baratheon]

Maybe because fat zombies would only slow them down.

[Jaeckaerys]

I believe the reason is purely bugdetary: Sam will stay behind, and then go to FoFM just to see the aftermath of the battle, and thus the show will save some money for a proper Red Wedding and maybe the battle at the Wall.

As for the true motives of the Others, we don't know them yet, but I assume D&D do (in general at least), so maybe there is something more to it that we might think.

[Goodbrother]

Jaeckaerys, on 06 June 2012 - 08:46 AM, said:

I believe the reason is purely bugdetary: Sam will stay behind, and then go to FoFM just to see the aftermath of the battle, and thus the show will save some money for a proper Red Wedding and maybe the battle at the Wall.

As for the true motives of the Others, we don't know them yet, but I assume D&D do (in general at least), so maybe there is something more to it that we might think.

Sadly, I would believe this is the closest anyone have got.
I doubt D&D will be able to beg HBO for all the major scenes coming in S3, is they now will include them all.

As mentioned here, D&D probably knows more than any theorist here, they must be building things up for the "big picture", since the whole fight between the realm and the Others is pretty long story arc itself.

But atleast they included some White Walkers in this season too, as the Prologue in S01.

[Ugly Little Girl]

The way the scene ended it isn't clear whether Sam is spared or not. Clearly if you've read the book(s) you have an idea of his fate, what isn't yet clear is how that will come about in the TV show.

For the non book reading viewership I would suggest that many, if not most, would consider Sam to be a dead man walking. Or shuffling.

[DaveSumm]

I would say that their 'deal' with Craster proves that they are capable of some kind of rationalising, not just mindlessly killing any living thing they see. I suppose the Other may have just thought he wasn't worth the bother, but truthfully I think it just made for a cool scene, an excuse to see an Other close up.

What's been bothering me is, how on earth are we to believe that whoever was in charge of horn blowing that day knew not only that three blasts meant Others (there was only Jon, Grenn and Edd present when Sam mentioned it), but could also identify them from miles away through a thick snowstorm? Unlikely.

[7V3N]

It made a sick scene. I saw a badass mob of wights led by Others on undead horses. If they had Sam at the Fist, it would not have had that tension and up-close fear of those icy blue eyes. Sam being there just creates tension and a better reason to show the Others and wights up close.

Having said that, I do not like the Walking Dead wights, liked the Other (despite lookinh different from the books). If you make yourself forget everything you know about what will happen (erase book knowledge) then you can see how awesome this scene was for the show. We had no idea the Others had a true army, that they were bold enough to attack a full host (yeah, kinda) of NW men at a defensible position. We also had no idea they rode dead horses so that was sick to see.

It was a good TV scene to create tension and drama. It, however, was not like the books and alters the view of the Others (since they are not know for their mercy) and creates confusion as to why Sam was left to live. I watched the season 1 premiere before reading the books because my friend talked the books up on seeing a GoT commercial. My thought was that they left Will alive so that he could tell the tale. Which made sense kinda since all of world assumed they did not (or no longer) exist. But that would not make sense here. If you kill the main force of the Night's Watch, someone is going to discover what happened (especially since so many men were able to retreat from the Fist, and ravens were there and ready.

Edited for spelling.

Edited by The Shadow Fox, 06 June 2012 - 11:16 AM.

[House_Blackfyre]

I know! The White Walkers are like the Borg from Star Trek! They ignore individual persons but will attack groups!

[Gallant]

boojam, on 05 June 2012 - 07:21 PM, said:

The Others don't like fat zombies.

Har!<p>

Sword of the Morning Wood, on 05 June 2012 - 05:07 PM, said:

Firstly, it's very difficult to attach motives or reason to the Others from the show or the books, beyond the fact that they generally attack men (the willdings and the NW).

They didn't kill all the rangers in the prologue of aGoT. Was is Will or Gared? He was up a tree but it's not clear whether the WW's know he's there and leave him or are unaware he's there. It's probably a fair bet that they know he's there. We know he was 'frozen by fear' whereas Waymar Royce faced the Other and tried to fight. It might be that they do leave people who submit or show cowardice when they have other things to focus on. Neither Will or Sam posed a threat so there'd be no real reason to kill them other than sheer evil.

We know that the Others have attacked the willdlings and the NW as they went back to Craster's but these seem to be small scale and they don't seem intent on wiping them out just yet anyway. Presumably even a moderate force of Others could take out the Nights Watch men north of the Wall or most of the wildlings if they didn't have dragon glass or some other kind of magical weapon/protection.

One thing I do know, that White Walker's going to regret leaving Sam the Slayer alive. [img]http://gasurfen.nl/i...t/cool.png[/img]

Good post. Then it makes sense that there are only very few Others, as we have never seen more than two at the same time. They are probably trying hard to mass a big wight army.

Spoiler

with the wildlings helping them by opening all those graves.The only things is that it is said that they smell life

and probably will kill anything they see.After rewatching the scene it seems reasonable that Sam was far away off not to be spotted, happens to have very good sight in the snowstorm, and the others being busy with commanding the wights.

[Forsword]

It is mentioned in the books, as well in this thread already, that they do not let anyone go. They are able to find the warm blooded, living creatures and kill them without thought.

I was very confused when Sam was in that position without being killed right away.

[peash]

I assume that TV!Others want to spread fear of their coming and so let the occasional person escape

[Arkash]

Technically: for Sam to reach the Fist afterwards and see the aftermath of the battle.

Scenaristicly: We not so few about them, maybe they spare people to spread fear (just like Will in the prologue).

[7V3N]

Picture this: Season 3 opening with some deep-pitched ominous music and a view over the Fist. It zooms in on the snow on the ground, and slowly slides over. You see a face under the dusting of snow. Then more. Then bodies and blood all under a light coat of snow.

If Old Bear dies at the Fist:
Then you see the Old Bear's face. It zooms in. Then his eyes open and they are bright icy blue. He gets up and starts walking. Then it zooms out and you see all of the bodies with those blue eyes walking away from the Fist.

Then it cuts to Sam and the survivors.

Ehh?

[Marjie Eilie Myatt]

I thought the Other looked like a Muppet.  Maybe I need to watch it again.

[7V3N]

Marjie Eilie Myatt, on 06 June 2012 - 10:17 PM, said:

I thought the Other looked like a Muppet.  Maybe I need to watch it again.

Now that you mention it, yeah kind of. But I love the muppets so even better
[1]
[2]

Edited by The Shadow Fox, 06 June 2012 - 10:31 PM.

[Sword of the Morning Wood]

Forsword, on 06 June 2012 - 02:53 PM, said:

It is mentioned in the books, as well in this thread already, that they do not let anyone go. They are able to find the warm blooded, living creatures and kill them without thought. I was very confused when Sam was in that position without being killed right away.

Ok, if this is true then they would have known Will was up the tree in aGoT. Either they can't 'find the warm blodded' or 'smell life' or they didn't care about letting Gared go free.

Absolutely nowhere in the books does it say that the Others are hell bent on killing every living thing they can get their hands on.

[Marjie Eilie Myatt]

Shadow Fox, thanks for the screen captures.  I suppose they are better than anything in The Neverending Story.....

[7V3N]

Marjie Eilie Myatt, on 06 June 2012 - 10:50 PM, said:

Shadow Fox, thanks for the screen captures.  I suppose they are better than anything in The Neverending Story.....

Now his muppet cousins:
[1]
[2]
[3]
[4]

[Maizel]

I'm not big on the others in the book,  but I think the show has some kind of consistency//

The white walker in the pilot didn, t kill Will either.

Will and Sam both cowered in submission.

Just saying.

[SerGregori]

The Shadow Fox, on 05 June 2012 - 07:37 PM, said:

Shoot me now.

Spoiler

"Hello Maester Marwyn, I am Ros. I have come here to become a maester of the Citadel."

i quite literally lol'd

[The Anti-Targ]

Sam has plot armour. There is no other semi-rational explanation.

Actually within the contexyt of the show it seems like the White Walkers might be in the habit of leaving at least one person alive so they can go and spread the fear and horror. Young Will was let go by the WW in S1Ep1Sc1. So maybe this leading White Walker thought, this completely non-threatening creature is as good as any to keep alive, means we can kill everyone we find at the top of the big knob. "Leave this one alone boys, he can go make himself a sandwich board and preach the end is nigh through the streets"