Cashless Society

There are way too many to mention since the meaning of "best" isn't being defined. I'll go with Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon simply because it's the movie that opened my eyes into seeing cinema as a valid art form.

Not just morality but also structure and usage of characters.

Exactly how is the food getting into KL? Didn't Aemond have the gates closed and only allow people with special permission to leave/enter?

I'm kind of on two minds about this. On the one hand, it's a consequence of what you were saying in another thread of Condal and co. being the only people in the world who are fixated on the friendship between Alicent and Rhaenyra that it's come at the expense of properly developing other characters. On the other hand this might have been a deliberate choice from the writers? Knowing that the battle of Rook's Rest would be the midpoint of the season, it would be better yo have the audience feel sympathy for Rhaenys and Aegon and so a lot went into having them have significant screen time in the early episodes. And then in the second half, when one is dead and the other severely injured, they'll have other characters come to the forefront. Both Jace and Baela got a significant screen bump in the most recent episode.

They were trying to hide how badly injured he is, parading Meleys' head was the distraction. They could have had Aemond fly his body back to King's Landing, but then you run the risk of Aemond finishing the job himself. Not yet. Rhaenyra tasks Rhaena with accompanying her youngest sons to the Eyerie. Then, Rhaena is to write to the Prince of Pentos to requesting to host herself and her cousins/brothers (since Rhaena has a tangible relationship with him and can make a similar deal with that he made with Daemon - first class residency in exchange for dragons to protect from the triarchy). What are they going to do? Disown him and have him banished from King's Landing? Might as well just handover the crown to Rhaenyra at that point. I love that Condal and co. went and did the opposite of what we were predicting in the season 1 threads. Nah, that's pretty much on brand for the show. It's really no different than when Rhaenyra telling Daemon that the "Fire is a prison. The sea offers an escape". The difference is that Emma D'Arcy is a thespian who knows how deliver these lines while Bethany Antonia lacks the experience to deliver her lines smoothly. Does Alys Rivers even exist? Have we seen her interact with anyone outside of Daemon? The storming of the dragon pit is quite a bit away, so there's no need to rush the commoners into that conclusion. There were multiple reactions that the commoners had, including the ones you suggested "Rhaenyra will answer this" and Hugh remarks "It's just meat" in response to a bystander statement of dragons being gods.

Problem is, there's a lot of mental backflips you have to do regarding the previous episodes to go along with the events of that episode.

I'm surprised at how many people don't take the voting power of the new members into consideration of their predictions. Poor Things would have never received a nomination just a decade ago. The international section really loves Lanthimos. Can't wait for the 20-year retrospective on this, when people start asking what the Academy was thinking giving Oppenheimer all these awards when better films existed alongside it. I get the feeling that the new batch of members aren't at all concerned with the whole spread the wealth outlook. Also, where any of this year's nominees as hyped as EEAAO? Because hype can get you additional awards, deserved or otherwise. I've been waiting to write of the BAFTAs as a precursor ever since they announced that the winners are determined by a small select jury. Last year seemed like the start of it and yet somehow they bounced back.

Now that I've watched most of the nominees, here's my ballot if I was a member of the Academy: Best Picture 1. Anatomy of a Fall 2. Killers of the Flower Moon 3. The Zone of Interest 4. Barbie 5. Past Lives 6. American Fiction 7. Poor Things 8. The Holdovers 9. Oppenheimer 10. Abstain Best Director: Winner: Justine Triet - Anatomy of a Fall Runner-up: Martin Scorsese: Killers of the Flower Moon Best Actor: Winner: Cillian Murphy - Oppenheimer Runner-Up: Paul Giamatti - The Holdovers Best Actress: Winner: Lily Gladstone - Killers of the Flower Moon Runner-Up: Sandra Hüller - Anatomy of a Fall Best Supporting Actor: Winner: Ryan Gosling: Barbie Runner-up: Robert De Niro - Killers of the Flower Moon Best Supporting Actress: Winner: Danielle Brooks - The Color Purple Runner-up: Da'Vine Joy Randolph - The Holdovers Best Original Screenplay: Winner: Justine Triet - Anatomy of a Fall Runner-up: Celine Song: Past Lives Best Adapted Screenplay: Winner: Jonathan Glazer: The Zone of Interest Runner-up: Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach- Barbie Best Animated Feature: Winner: The Boy and the Heron Runner-up: Spiderman: Across the Spiderverse Best International Feature: Winner: Society of the Snow Runner-up: The Zone of Interest Best Original Score: Winner: Ludwig Göransson - Oppenheimer Runner-up: Robbie Robertson - Killers of the Flower Moon Best Original Song: Winner: Wahzhazhe - Killers of the Flower Moon Runner-up: I'm Just Ken - Barbie Best Sound: Winner: Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary Rizzo & Kevin O'Connell - Oppenheimer Runner-up: Abstain Best Production Design: Winner: Jack Fist & Adam Willis - Killers of the Flower Moon Runner-up: Sean Price, Shona Heath & Zsuzsa Mihalek - Poor Things Best Cinematography: Winner: Rodrigo Prieto - Killers of the Flower Moon Runner-up: Edward Lachman - El Conde Best Makeup & Hairstyling: Winner: Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí & Montse Ribé - Society of the Snow Runner-up: Nadia Stacy, Mark Coulier & Josh Weston - Poor Things Best Costume Design: Winner: Jacqueline Durran: Barbie Runner-up: Jacqueline West: Killers of the Flower Moon Best Film Editing: Winner: Laurent Sénéchal - Anatomy of a Fall Runner-up: Thelma Schoonmaker - Killers of the Flower Moon Best Visual Effects: Winner: Takashai Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi & Tatsuji Nojima - Godzilla Minus One Runner-up: Abstain (I haven't seen the other nominees)

I agree on the less villainous part.

Okay, would it make them conflicted?

But would that make the conflict morally ambiguous or would it make turn the audience against Daemon instead?

What's wrong with characters acting stupid?

I can definitely see Aegon throwing his brother a huge party, calling him a badass etc. I'd be interested to see if this provides a genuine bonding moment between the two before the events at Rook's Rest make Aemond revert back to wanting to be king. Not that I disagree with you, but I was under the impression that @Rockroi was referring to his lack of confidence due to his inexperience in dealing with such matters which is in turn due to his age. The actor's performance gave off the feeling that, internally, the Luke had to keep reminding himself of what he should do/say and keep the promise made to his mother as, again, he's not a natural at this. This portrayal is very consistent with how "a little kid" who is really trying would approach the situation.

I really enjoyed this change as it is a solid way of telling the audience that dragons don't just do whatever their rider tells them and have a mind of their own (providing some context for the fight between Vermithor, Tessarion and Seasmoke). As for the lack of agency bit, I think this was done for narrative progression. Aemond is probably going to get worse from here on out, it would be more interesting to have him start out at a point where audiences can root for him until certain events make them turn against him á la Walter White as opposed to him being straight up villainous from the start of the war. Personally, I think demanding that every action be dictated by a characters agency is overblown and quite often leads to boring and deterministic storytelling. Having spontaneous events allows for better story avenues and exploration of character interiority based on reactions to the event. The writers could explore both the shame and pride Aemond might feel by telling everyone that he deliberately killed Luke and how every action he takes on from this point forward is him living up to this image of ruthlessness. Alternatively, he could be a sort of Jaime figure where everybody immediately assumes that the action was deliberate and now has to ruefully have to live with it and perhaps him attending the Battle Above the God's Eye is his more of a suicide mission (not unlike how some people over here interpret Daemon's motivations for doing so as well, which would neatly tie up their parallel narratives). But that still doesn't mean he's having an affair with Helaena. That's progress. Why should the show portray it this way to the viewers?

I wonder of of this episode would be better received if there wasn't an expectation of an episode 9 event like its predecessor. This episode had a very washed out/desaturated look to it to emphasise the passing of Viserys. I wonder how effective it was given the season long complaints about the self-serious and dour tone that the show has adapted. I actually liked that the the small council already having planned for Viserys' death, after all, if the audience has been going on about when exactly is he going to die, why wouldn't the characters in universe do the same and act accordingly? And Alicent now knows she's been left out of this gentleman's club, and so seeks to gain agency by taking command of how the blacks should be dealt with. Somehow Alicent still believes that a war can be avoided without assassinating the blacks, but also knows that the blacks aren't going to accept Rhaenyra being passed over, so... right now is not the best time to be compartmentalising different courses of action against your self-righteousness. Who was Mysaria's Brienne waiting for years for Sansa, I mean Talya, to light the candles to signify Viserys' death? The Cargyll's and Criston/Aemond look for the Prince in the degenerate slums of Flea Bottom, only for him to be hidden in a clean and honourable establishment. Don't think I didn't notice what you were doing with the imagery there Sara and Clare. When found out, Aegon wants his mother, but when told that he's being delivered to his grandfather, Aegon makes a run of it. When Criston tells him that he's being delivered to his mother, he complies without hesitation. What does everyone here make of that? I'm of the opinion that Helaena believes that the beast beneath the boards is Aegon, given her refusal to look at him during the coronation, while she stared straight at the Red Queen, which I also interpret as her preferring death over continuing to live with the greens. As for Rhaenys at the end of the episode, I dunno, the only thing that came to mind was how ridiculous the whole storming of the dragon pit event is, as mentioned in the other thread. Other observations: There are two among the captain of the City Watch that remain loyal to Daemon. I'm assuming one of them goes by the name Blood? I like the idea of maybe having Aemond using the Battle of Rook's Rest as a cover to take out Aegon. Are the green agents really incognito when looking for Aegon? Particularly Aemond and his eyepatch and platinum hair? How much did the conversation between Alicent and Rhaenys play a factor in Rhaenys deciding not to incinerate all the greens? Otto meeting up with Mysaria incognito and yet he still has on his hand of the king lapel pin. SMH, these greens are pathetically incompetent. Gave it a 7/10.

Nope, after the boy informs her of Viserys' death, Talya informs Alicent who in turn informs her father. It is while Alicent is away that Talya lights the candles in the room. Mysaria to Otto:

Well, one has an eyepatch while the other doesn't. After finding out about Viserys' death (Talya lighting the candles in his room), Mysaria spotted an opportunity and opted to kidnap Aegon the Elder and ransom him in exchange for the crown putting an end to Fight Club: Kids Edition. Why would anybody punish Criston for this specific deed? But she's been a coupster since the middle of episode 5.

It's not like studios in previous decades had to account for social media, where employees could very quickly reveal information anonymously. Ser Harold said he's on leave until a new manager was appointed. The greens already have first mover advantage in getting the replacement. What good reason do the greens have for wanting to antagonise him? But you are assuming that society’s cannot be regressive. What do you mean "for no reason"? Alicent has been distant towards Helaena and does not really care for Helaena as a person. In episode 6, Alicent literally keeps at arms length to Helaena during their conversion. During the conversation, Alicent shows little to no interest to what Helaena is saying and when she speaks, her demeanor is that of someone who is bored and is only tolerating her daughter because its her duty. During Laena's funeral, instead of keeping Helaena company (while her betrothed ridicules her within hearing distance), Alicent is too busy judgmentally staring at Rhaenyra. Alicent hugs Helaena after she finds out about what happened to Dyanna, which is more about her political motivations and comforting Helaena's second. Where was Alicent all the times Aegon continously ignored her, or when Aegon was drunk? Eh, it wasn't that public. Only those in the Red Keep, who knew of Viserys' death, were able to see it. The hanging sent a message to them as to what would happen if they tried to sneak out before Aegon could be crowned. Yes, it does make a difference. Otto wants to assissinate Rhaenyra and her whole clan, Alicent wants to sue for peace. If Otto's people get him, now the greens are comfortable with kinslaying. Which is a problem seeing that Aemond also has ambition for the throne, since the door for kinslaying is open, what's to stop Aemond from killing his brother and nephew(s) land turning this into Hamlet? What if the assassination attemp is a failure? Now you've definitely started a war. If Alicent's people get Aegon first, a you've got the potential to avoid a war, and if not, you can claim that the blacks were the aggressors as you gave them a fair deal for a peaceful transfer of power, which may sway more noble Lords to your cause. Also, doing it Alicent's way was probably a factor in Rhaenys deciding not to kill the greens, had they gone with Otto's decision they'd probably be dead. Why would anyone present for the emergency small council meeting want to punish Ser Criston for acting in a way that benefits them? This is exactly what I was thinking.

But why would you expect anything to happen to him this time around?

The new costume designer favours practicality and actor movement above everything else. So usually her designs aren't going to blow you away and thing might look ill fitting, but at least the actors will be comfortable.

Wow, for the 4th episode in a row, they've crafted a damn near perfect episode only to be marked down by some weird creative choices in writing and/or execution. Lots of parallels and callbacks were present in this episode. Starting with the opening shot pushing in and panning overhead the Driftwood Throne and then cuts to a close-up of Rhaenys. It makes her look smaller and isolated, as if her will to live has faded significantly. Which makes sense given that she's buried both her children. Contrast this with Otto by the Iron Throne where the image is reversed. Overhead pan, to pull out shot and finally, a wide shot of him on the throne. It highlights how far he's come and how close he is to achieving his goal. The things people get up to when the proper authorities are incapacitated and can't seat their thrones. I loved the shot of Alicent in the small council that was made to look like she was in a prison, with the acts of her chosen heir conflicting with her new found guidance in religion. Love is the death of duty, as maester Aemon says? Or is it duty is the death of duty, as Jaime implies? The shot also harkens back to a similar shot of Viserys in the small council meeting in the pilot episode. Although for him, it's trying to please everyone one, naming Rhaenyra as heir that puts him in his metaphorical prison. Then there's Daemon and Aemond. Him collecting the dragon eggs and followed by his giddiness has quite a few similarities to Aemond claiming Vhagar, which is appreciated. Someone complained about the duel between the two of them being unsatisfactory as there wasn't a narrative arc that preludes the event. But this is where the show can really improve upon the source being doing visual parallels and contrasts to each character. They already look alike, Deamon is a leaner while Aemond has proper posture, the aforementioned dragon claiming/egg collecting scenes, Daemon was super cocky in his tourney melee with Criston (he actually attacks to Criston head on), while Aemond was super focused on outsmarting Criston (using the momentum of the flail and attacking on Criston on the weaker side) and he cares nought about tourneys, Daemon overtly antagonising Otto during the small council meeting, Aemond antagonising his nephews through the thinnest veneer of a compliment possible. I look forward to seeing what else they can come up with in future episodes. So Rhaenys basically tells Rhaenyra that the marriage proposal is pointless as the Hightower's will side with Vaemond anyway, which can only happen if Rhaenyra's children are declared bastards. Rhaenyra heeds her prediction and convinces Viserys to make a now rare appearance. I get the feeling that Rhaenys sides with Rhaenyra because she sees that Rhaenyra understood her words and was able to act by foiling the Hightower's plans. A sign of improvement in Rhaenys' eyes given the lack of tact Rhaenyra displayed when she tried to school Rhaenyra on The Order of Things. Viserys' grand entrance was the most comical thing this show has ever put to screen. But it was magnificent. The choice to have grandly bombastic yet sweetly poignant music blasting through the scene as Viserys struggles to walk across the throne room sent me through a wave of emotions. Give Paddy, Ramin and the sound mixers all the Emmy's. And Daemon helping his brother up the throne steps and putting the crown on his brother's head with Viserys look up at Daemon with such gratitude? That's the best shot of this entire franchise, i highly doubt anything is going to top it. That shot of Rhaenys with the candles in the back, is the show suggesting that she will be the one to feed Vaemond to her dragon? I really wanted to see Rhaenyra do that. Another fight breaks out while the royal family has dinner, at least no one was injured this time. And the knights who came to put a stop to this where Targaryen household guards, not the forever useless KG. Are we sure that Meryn Trant and Boros Blount aren't members of the KG at this point in history? While the acting during the petition scene was well done, I really loved that they opted to act like it was a stage play, why the hell did they use shallow depth of field? You've got all the actors in the same scene, you've got blocked the scene really well, you've got everybody delivering a great performance, you've got the camera positioned to capture all of this, but you use a lense where only one person at a time can be seen clearly? Instead of frequently cutting back and forth between the actors for reaction shots, just use the deep focus lense so we can see their reactions while the primary actor is speaking. Bad form Geeta, bad form on this scene. I haven't liked how much the show has been leaning into the Long Night prophecy that just reminds of how badly GoT botched everything up, but I could have forgiven all of that if they properly executed Alicent's mix-up. If Alicent had gotten the idea to consider Aegon as the rightful heir based on the conversation she had with Viserys in episode 3, became more convinced of the idea when Rhaenyra deceives her, gets Otto fired and proclaims her bastard children as true-born sons and this mix-up sealing the deal, I would have thought it brilliant. But instead Rhaenyra and Alicent genuinely kiss and make up instead of it being just pretend for Viserys' sake, and then have her slip back into usurper mode based on the mix-up was just cheap storytelling. The writers can do better than this. I gave it an 8/10.

This is actually one of the aspects of the show that I'm enjoying. The narrators don't have that much access to the interior lives of the characters and so present events that are commonly known to be grander than what they actually were to compensate.

And the greens made peace even more unlikely by allowing Vaemond to petition his claim in the King's court.

I've pent the past couple of months who adult Aemond reminds me of. She's maintaining the façade that that Laenor is dead. A lie by omission as Rhaenyra is continuing to mislead Rhaenys in believing that Laenor is dead. That was not the aim of the scene. Rhaenyra is trying to have the Velaryons as an ally, to do this she has to curry favour with Rhaenys. Both of them know that Rhaenyra's elder sons are bastards and that Rhaenys would rather have Baela inherit Driftmark. The marriage proposal is meant to be a compromise that allows one of her actual descendants to inherit Driftmark while another inherits the Iron Throne. I was under the impression that his condition slowed down due to the better treatment that Orwyle was giving him as opposed to Mellos' treatment. This is what gave him the extra ~16 years. Had Mellos still been in charge, Viserys would have died sometime in the 10 year time jump. Yeah, the actor confirmed it in one of the inside the episode features. I don't know why anyone can't react to your posts, but I just wanted to let you know that this comment is absolute comedy gold. Daemon wasn't stealing eggs, he was collecting them, as Rhaenyra is pregnant with their third child. I also think the scene is meant to show how Daemon acts around people who value him against those that don't (at least according to Daemon). Compare this act with him stealing the dragon egg (chosen by Rhaenyra) meant for Viserys' son.

Perhaps appropriate is not the proper word I'm looking for, maybe logical, unsurprising, or natural.