[Book Spoilers] EP303 Discussion

[Zman1863]

Can someone explain the meereenese knot joke... I read the book, but didnt get it... maybe my english isnt good enough ! :/

It's a reference to one of GRRM's struggles to finish ADWD, specifically all the events and character arrivals that occur in Meereen in the midst of all the plot developments that happen there.

[UVA]

AVClub loved it. Even the experts thread.

I think it was an interesting choice. Most of the episode was very lighthearted for a GOT episode, very comedic, and then it ended in a completely dark moment. Then the fast cut to the punk rock theme just oddly worked for me, but I can get why others may have been taken out of the moment.

overall though I just don't think it's that big of a deal, they still completely nailed the actual scene.

It worked for me too. The punk rock rendition (of what is a really icky song) after Jaime's scream was ironic and oddly poignant. I thought of Kubrick and 'A Clockwork Orange' actually.

On another note, I know Richard Madden is hot but I don't like his Robb. I'm ready for him to go.

Edited April 15, 2013 by UVA

[Rockroi]

Can someone explain the meereenese knot joke... I read the book, but didnt get it... maybe my english isnt good enough ! :/

Its has nothing to do with anything in the books; it has more to do with the time it took to actually write the books.

After book 4 was completed, Martin claimed that he ran into a mig problem with untying a certain part of his story and that part of the reason it was taking so long to actually write the books was that he could not seem to untie the "Meeraneesh Knot" and Dany's story-line in the East.

[StarkDragon]

The Good

• Rhaegar died line was done well.
  
• Theon setup was excellent. I saw that as clearly, you run you get raped so don't make me do it, threat in the motion.
  
• I enjoyed everything about Dany. 'Yes, all men must die. But we're not men.'
  
• Winterhell. Ned's Winter Hell. Thanks.
  
• Meereneese Knot. Thanks again. @Maxime, the Meereneese Knot was a writing issue GRRM had with making ADWD, and caused the book to take far longer to make than he hoped for.
  
• Tormund climbing the wall. I KNEW IT! You know why he's climbing the wall. Cause he'll turn around, unzip his smallcloth, and the wildlings will climb up his Member! I knew it!
  
• Game of Chairs. Great way to show Cersei thinking herself as Tywin come again, and Tyrion's loathing of the man, while being the same. Both are heads of the table. Well done.
  
• We'll miss you Hot Pie! :bawl:
  
• Jeyne Westerling and the Lannister boy... thick with Karstark foreshadowing. That and the boy saying the things show Arya said, and in the books, what the Freys will say.
  
• Craster's Piggy line. Not in the books IIRC, but it seems to be his level of Cras.
  
• Podrick the sexy bitch.
  
• I felt bad for Jaime. Howdafuck did the show make me feel bad for Jaime? The books couldn't. I'm shocked still.
  

The Bad

• This episodes portrayal of Stannis is possibly as bad as the first episode's portrayal of Littlefinger. However, he is gonna come to the rescue for the NW, so I'm hoping they're setting up to twist the audience's perception.
  
• Edmure and Blackfish. Not saying much more than that.
  
• Why the girl that Cersei threaten not hurt? Not a big thing, but seems odd, to skip showing the vileness of Tywin Lannister.
  
• Why are wights artists now (the bodies)? Not a big deal again, but kinda just silly.
  

[Nezzer]

Could someone please answer this for me. Was the music supposed to start before the hand was cut off because it did for me? Or was it supposed to start during the credits?

I first watched the show on TV and it only started after the episode was over, but later I downloaded a pirate version to rewatch the episode and the same happened to me. The song started playing while Locke was pointing the knife to Jaime's eye. It made me laugh pretty hard :lol:

[Rockroi]

I am extremely sorry that we don't get to see this side of Stannis on the show. I don't really care that Stannis is being portrayed as weak and totally whipped by Mel, but they're kind of generic bad guys right now and giving him a chance to demonstrate wrestling with his sense of justice would have been good.

Exactly my point; while I do not really like what they are putting on the screen, I could let it slide if they balanced it with other aspects of Stannis' personality; something more complex and more complete. Again, maybe they will as time goes on, but right now they have a two-dimentional Stannis here, and not the more complete man we knew.

Edited April 15, 2013 by Rockroi

[winterstood]

Was clearly cgi'd. It's obvious that he was probably holding some kind of green thing instead of a real knife.

If you say so - I just remember in "Gangs of New York" when Daniel Day Lewis put that knife to his eyeball - he used an actual knife with no special effects. and unlike the hand-cutting part of the scene, the knife to the eye looked especially real.

[Oakenfist]

Exactly my point; while I do not really like what they are putting on the screen, its more that I think they could have put on something much much better, more complex and more complete. Again, maybe they will as time goes on, but right now they have a two-dimentional Stannis here, and not the more complete man we knew.

Maybe because its only episode 3 of a 10 episode season? This isn't the last time we see Stannis and character development is something that happens over time.

[LordStoneheart]

The best part of this episode was that it seems we're saying goodbye to that waste of space Hot Pie.

As soon as they left him I looked at my sister and said "there was so many times I wanted Arya to just kill him." Good riddance. I'm actually surprised how much love he gets on these forums.

The Blackfish was perfect, Edmure was alright. Wish they would've had him actually hit the boat like the books... I think?

Loved that the Rhaegar line made it in. Was my favorite Jorah mormont.... I mean moment.

I'm really not liking the Theon story line just because if it turns out Boy is Ramsay, he might gets fans. And no one should like Ramsay. Kudos to the attempted rape scene too. While a bit scary, it shows they're willing to portray any horrible thing. Here's hoping for some flaying.

And lastly, I hope the majority of us were glad to see Kingslayer get his hand chopped. Just wish it was his head (another one that surprises me with the amount of fan love.) Not sure if I was too impressed with Nicolaj's scream, seemed to be more surprised than in pain. But Nicolaj is a great Jamie.

All in all, I'll give this episode a ten. But damn my lagging computer, I accidentally voted an eight on the other post.

Edited April 15, 2013 by LordStoneheart

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

"There are no masters in the grave" and the slave praying for death. An interesting call back to the origin of the Faceless Men?

[Mark Antony]

Why is Ghost following Sam?

[LordStoneheart]

• Why are wights artists now (the bodies)? Not a big deal again, but kinda just silly.
  

I assumed Mance meant the White Walkers, not the wights. I did make a post about this very thing, but it's not approved yet.

[KnightsOfDany]

Well Best episode by far with just amazing moments:

- I love ending the episode on the hand chop scream fade to black.

- Dany large and in charge

- Pod Sex God

- Loved the foreshadowing of future events with the Iron Bank

- "You Little Bastard" COME ON its obvious who Boy is now

All in all i think its safe to say we are full steam ahead

[Rayn]

The Blackfish was perfect, Edmure was alright. Wish they would've had him actually hit the boat like the books... I think?

The show was true to the books in this scene.

[Ramsay Gimp]

The show was true to the books in this scene.

Except Blackfish didn't act like such a douche in the books - he comforted Edmure for missing, and kindly offered to take the shot

[teemo]

I think I'm the only person who didn't enjoy the Pod stuff...I like Pod, but it felt like a waste of time. If it was funny I'd probably like it, but I didn't find it very funny. *shrug* guess it's just me. Pretty good episode....I think the writing was much better than the previous two actually. Nikolaj is such a good actor.

[Mark Antony]

I think I'm the only person who didn't enjoy the Pod stuff...I like Pod, but it felt like a waste of time.

I agree, Could of have a Bran/Reeds scene or something instead. Or Sam the Slayer but i guess they're pushing that back.

[A Bear covered in Fluff]

This episode had me chuckling througout and afterwards!!! Best so far of this season!

Thrummm....Plop Thrummmm.... Plop *Robb chuckle* Thrummmm....Plop *Blackfish shove* Thrummm... *turns and tosses bow* FWOOOSH!!! LMFAO

Have to say the counsel meeting was too good! A little surprised how soon they are pushing LF out of the scene. (setting up for quite a season finale)

He only eats children on full moons. Is it a full moon? It isnt? You're safe!.... FOR NOW!!! bwhahaha (have to say Talisa totally made me happy in that part even though i dont like her)

Why you little BASTARD!! (apparently Ramsay as badass savior so far is kinda awesome. My roommate loves him... She is seriously thinking of applying for the part as his bride! She doesn't care what she has to do to make this happen.)

Wolf shaped bread (almost made me cry)

Sam the walking feast

Tormund and Jon working close together? please show me their bonding!

Sapphires!!!

Jaime Screamed alright! It made me jump! I was thinking "are they really going to cut out his eye?"

A BEAR A BEAR!! *dances*

[StarkDragon]

I assumed Mance meant the White Walkers, not the wights. I did make a post about this very thing, but it's not approved yet.

Ah thanks for informing me.

I'm still confused why the corpses ended up so artistically sorted at the end, whether whites or wights be behind it, but I suppose it's not a big thing.

[Sour Billy Tipton]

I don't like how they portrayed Blackfish in his first two scenes. He's cocky and disrespectful to Edmure. And that line where he tells Edmure to not call Robb nephew because he's King is hypocritical since Brynden should show his nephew/Lord of Riverrun some respect.

I don't know why they're using him to rub in the fact of Edmure's incompetence, possibly because they don't want Catelyn to have more hate mail for being mean to her little brother.

Regardless though the character of Brynden Tully on the show isn't going to be as well liked as in the books because they scratched his accolades from Robb's victories. Which surprises me even more that they would drastically change his personality since they have some making up to do for such a beloved minor character.

The rest of the episode was fantastic. Except for the song at the credits. When I first heard they asked some band to do a rendition of TBATMF I assumed it would be in episode seven which is titled TBATMF!

Edited April 15, 2013 by Sour Billy Tipton