[BOOK SPOILERS] Why is Maester Aemon so angry? Did someone park their cart on his lawn?

[Souza]

In the books Maester Aemon is portrayed as a man revered for his age and wisdom and as one defined by his soft spoken and gentle nature. We see him described by multiple perspectives and he is always seen to be calm and thoughtful, almost to the point of being sombre.

He spoke softly, yet the high officers of the Night's Watch all fell quiet, the better to hear what the ancient had to say... He was a tiny thing, wrinkled and hairless, shrunken beneath the weight of a hundred years so his Maester's collar with its links of many metals hung loose about his throat.

So then, to my utter surprise in the series we are treated to an angry old man shaking with rage. In the scene where Mormont and Maester Aemon talk with Tyrion, the Aemon we see is nothing like gentle the man described in the books. He seems short of temper, distasteful and impatient and he doesn't seem to be blind either. For all intents and purposes he resembles Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino more than he does Maester Aemon. He acts like he's one rap song away from taking out an M1 Garand and blowing away all of the new recruits.

I don't know whether it's the actor or a new character direction from the producers but for me this is one of the most troubling things about the adaptation (alongside the lack of Direwolves) to date. Perhaps I am making too much out of a singular scene, perhaps they will show a calmer and wiser version of the character in the episodes to come. I would love it if someone were to tell me that that scene was taken from the original pilot shoot calm my concerns.

Am I alone in this? Or is this portrayal a stark contrast to the wise and gentle Maester we loved in the books?

[GileanTheGrey]

He acts like he's one rap song away from taking out an M1 Garand and blowing away all of the new recruits.

At least he has good taste in rifles...

Yeah I wasn't very comfortable with his scene at all. I'm guessing it was from giving him some of Mormont's lines... or at least that's what I'm hoping. Maester Aemon is definitely one of my top 5 favorite minor characters, and that was definitely not his normal demeanor.

And yeah, while I can see that the violet contacts for Targaryens might not have worked well, I've seen white cataract contacts done well many times in the past. The actor just looked like he wasn't making eye contact due to introspection or something. Something just wasn't quite right for the "blind person facing the person they're talking to" vibe.

[East of the Wood]

I actually prefer the tv Aemon. To me it's easier to see how this tough man has lived to his hundreds. Plus the Night's Watch is not a ride in the park and this scene is just another way to show the noobies just that. You toughen up or else you won't last long. But maybe future scenes will show his softer side.

As for the blindness, I thought it was obvious he's blind in the series. He doesn't look at anyone when he's speaking to them and his eyes are kinda glazed over.

[Mazikeen]

To me the fact that his jaw was shaking was a sign of extreme old age (Parkinson or similar). And the blindness was rather obvious, the way he holds his head as if he's "looking" at people with his nostrils.

[Xenophon]

To me the fact that his jaw was shaking was a sign of extreme old age (Parkinson or similar).

That's how I saw it too.

[Starkess]

He was definitely blind in the show.

As far as the attitude change, I think it's too early to say. They moved around some lines to make the scene they wanted, and I hesitate to judge from that solely.

[Gargantuanjon Old Chap]

Yeah, that threw me off too. He could have sat back and looked awesome without saying anything.

[Athelstane]

I didnt really find anything wrong with the scene. He was probably angry because of the lack of respect that the nights watch is getting from the kingdoms, as well as Tyrion. Im sure Mormont told Aemon how Tyrion doesnt take the NW very seriously.

EDIT: The only problem I had with Aemon is that, IIRC, he's supposed to be a small man, nearly the size of a boy (the extreme result of shrinking with age?), the Aemon on TV seemed pretty tall and relatively thick.

[Ser Warpechowski]

Details, only details...

Maybe you guys havent realized yet that most minor characters have been changed so they ocupy more roles than their originals. Which means we wont get a 100% adaptation.

[Padraig]

Yes, it would be better to get more than one scene with Aemon before deciding conclusively on his personality. :) He is clearly blind though, as others have said.

The decline of the Wall is something worth getting angry about. Aemon has dedicated his life to the place.

[Souza]

I'm not disputing that Aemon has a right to be angry, any man would get frustrated about the dire circumstances of the Watch and the realm's bitter apathy to their plight, but ranting angrily is simply not how the Maester operates. In the books we see a Maester who is adept at using coercion and gentle persuasion to show people the logical and honourable paths.

I apologise in advance for this lengthy quote, but I feel that this excerpt provides the best example of Maester Aemon's methods of persuasion. This passage is from the latter part of A Game Of Thrones so, naturally, beware of spoilers.

A lengthy excerpt from A Game Of Thrones, JON VIII:

"It hurts, boy," he said softly. "Oh yes choosing... it has always hurt, and always will. I know."

"You don't know," Jon said bitterly. "No one knows. Even if I am his bastard, he's still my father.."

Maester Aemon sighed. "Have you heard nothing I've told you, Jon? Do you think you are the first?" He shook his ancient head, a gesture weary beyond words. "Three times the gods saw fit to test my vows. Once when I was a boy, once in the fullness of my manhood, and once when I had grown old. By then my strength was fled, my eyes grown dim, yet that last choice was as cruel as the first. My ravens would bring the news from the south, words darker than their wings, the ruin of my House, the death of my kin, disgrace and desolation. What could I have done, old, blind, frail? I was helpless as a suckling babe, yet still it grieved me to sit forgotten as they cut down my brother's poor grandson, and his son, and even the little children..."

Jon was shocked to see the shine of tears in the old man's eyes. "Who are you?" He asked quietly, almost in dread.

A toothless smile quivered on the ancient lips. "Only a Maester of the Citadel, bound in service to Castle Black and the Night's Watch. In my order, we put aside our house names when we take our vows and don the collar." The old man touched the Maester's chain that hung loosely around his thin, fleshless neck. "My father was Maekar, The First of his Name, and my brother Aegon reigned after him in my stead. My grandfather named me for Prince Aemon the Dragonknight, who was his uncle, or his father depedning on which tale you believe. Aemon he called me..."

"Aemon.... Targaryen?" Jon could scarely beleive it.

"Once. So you see Jon, I do know... and knowing I will not tell you to stay or go. You must make that choice yourself, and live with it all the rest of your days. As I have." His voice fell to a whisper. "As I have..."

Here we see how the Maester approaches the situation by relating to Jon and appealing to his sense of honour through shared pains and experiences, not by using his authority to scare him into obedience. He could have threatened the boy with beheading, belittled his sense of honour by outing him as a deserter or angrily ranted about his dereliction of duty. But instead he wins Jon over with thoughtful persuasion and helps him reflect on the folly of his impulses, helping him grow into the leader he needs to be.

Compare that to how we see him broach the subject of the Watch's decline to Lord Tyrion. As arguably the wisest character in the entire series it would not be a stretch to imagine Maester Aemon as having a unique perception of Tyrion's sense of justice being able to look past the indiscretions of his family. You would expect Maester Aemon to appeal to Tyrion's intellectualism and his honour by showing him an opportunity to truly do some good for the realm, not by trying to scare him into action with a bitter rant about the Watch's shortcomings.

While the effect of his words may have the same result in the end, the demeanour of the man has changed dramatically and not for the better. The adaptation we see in this scene doesn't ring true to the wise and thoughtful Maester Aemon we see in the books. I hope we see a different side of the Maester in episodes to come, he is one of the richest characters in the series and it would be a shame to lose sight of that in the translation.

[Padraig]

Compare that to how we see him broach the subject of the Watch's decline to Lord Tyrion. As arguably the wisest character in the entire series it would not be a stretch to imagine Maester Aemon as having a unique perception of Tyrion's sense of justice being able to look past the indiscretions of his family.

Or you could argue that he saw that the one way to get through to Tyrion was anger? Especially if he normally is a lot milder (and I expect he is in the TV series).

An angry man been angry will not make much of an impression. But a mild mannered man letting his frustrations go might make somebody like Tyrion take notice. That works fine.

Either way, its impossible to jump to any conclusions based on one scene. :)

[East of the Wood]

Or maybe he was just having a bad day... :D

[bcshelton72]

Am I alone in this? Or is this portrayal a stark contrast to the wise and gentle Maester we loved in the books?

No, you're right. I prefer the character as-written, especially as it dawns on the reader just who that old guy is. It is the kind of detail the show runners could have easily gotten right. It's the kind of change that is confusing, because there is no apparent reason why the Maester couldn't simply be the same as the one GRRM wrote.

I think a few of the replies to this thread show why HBO did not take 100% care in the adaptation- most people can't detect the difference in quality, or don't care.

[Juba]

No you're not alone--I thought the depiction of Aemon was completely off from the books, but then again, I'm one of the few whom thinks the show isn't doing the books justice at all in most respects.

[Thefalconemperor]

Maybe they didn't want a Dumbledore showing up in one of the harshest places of Sweetmartin's world. Who knows for sure at this point, but it seems like the kind of thing they changed so the viewer don't go like "lol, what's that?", a bit like Theon headkicking.

Let's not forget too that complains about last week's episode is that it followed too much the book without being adapted at all.

[Padraig]

I think a few of the replies to this thread show why HBO did not take 100% care in the adaptation- most people can't detect the difference in quality, or don't care.

Well that's true. I don't really care. :)

I do think the show wants to remind the TV viewer of the threat beyond the Wall. So having somebody get frustrated at the lack of attention reinforces that.

It's the kind of change that is confusing, because there is no apparent reason why the Maester couldn't simply be the same as the one GRRM wrote.

So yes, there is a reason. There is always a reason for a change. If you can't think of one, just think more. :) In this case, they wanted to introduce the character and highlight the problems on the Wall. They did that in the time they had.

I don't know how it can confuse somebody. Only if you expect everything to be the same as the books. We'll have a few other scenes where he will be milder.

[Hyper]

Complaining that the show doesn't portray Aemon the same way as it is done in the Aemon/Jon scene in the book is ILLOGICAL since the show hasn't even gotten to DOING THAT SCENE YET. Wait until episode 9 or 10 when that scene WILL occur.

[Dragonfish]

I agree with the OP, I thought Maester Aemon was way off from the way the character was portrayed int he books. I'll withhold final judgment until I see more, but from what we've seen so far I'm not pleased.

Let's not forget too that complains about last week's episode is that it followed too much the book without being adapted at all.

Yes, but none of those complaints were about characterization, which is what we're talking about here. There is simply no real reason to make this kind of change. It was better the way it was. Maester Aemon's soft-spoken nature sets him apart from all the other gruff and hardened men in the Night's Watch; it makes him distinctive. But in the show, there's nothing really in his personality that sets him apart from all the other gruff old men in black. He blends in too much, rather than standing out.

So yes, there is a reason. There is always a reason for a change. If you can't think of one, just think more. :) In this case, they wanted to introduce the character and highlight the problems on the Wall. They did that in the time they had.

But couldn't they just as easily have introduced the character and highlighted the problems on the Wall while still portraying him as he's played in the books? Nothing in the scene necessitated this kind of change.

[Souza]

Complaining that the show doesn't portray Aemon the same way as it is done in the Aemon/Jon scene in the book is ILLOGICAL since the show hasn't even gotten to DOING THAT SCENE YET. Wait until episode 9 or 10 when that scene WILL occur.

I never did anything of the sort. I was using that scene from the book as an example of Maester Aemon's methods of persuasion in the books and contrasting it with the methods we see him employ in the show. The Maester we've seen so far is devoid of all of the intriguing aspects that he had in the books and to has seemingly replaced his wisdom with anger.

Sure they could show us a melancholic Maester Aemon later on in the series but from a viewer's perspective it may seem like a disjointed turn of character development.