CelticBrennus

Excellent episode.

What I took from the Greatjon scenes is that he is being shown as more calculating then in the books. He takes several long looks around the room during both scenes with Robb to seemingly gauge support. Only after finding that support seemingly lacking does he either capitulate or leave.

As far as the counting thing goes, I recall a bit from Clausewitz where he discusses the ability to gauge the amount of enemy troops from a distance. It has something to do with finding the size of a given area, gauging how many men are in that area, and then comparing the given area to the entire enemy force. He also talks about learning how to look at a piece of land and being able to figure out how many men could fit in it.

You can certainly make a sword even heavier than a wooden sword though (look at what the Mountain is wielding), and especially maces and hammers were heavier and less well balanced just to pierce armor.

Maces and hammers were not less well balanced then a sword - just balanced differently because they were totally different weapons made for different purposes and wielded totally differently.

It's all about the context of the fights you'll be getting into. The sword seems to have been a more versatile weapon and therefor the choice of the really dedicated warriors (in addition to it's significant symbolic value) given that all the surviving combat manuals are for sword fighting.

In real life the sword was the least versatile, usually only effective against enemies not wearing armor. Axes, maces, pole axes and spears were the primary arms of the Middle Ages - swords were basically side arms in combat between knights. The sword was the equivalent of a .45, the pole axe, mace or lance (big spear) were the assault rife.

CB - you're forgetting the most important part. It's only after Setanta kills Culann's hound and takes its place as watchdog that he earns the name Cuchulainn. Okay, Sandor didn't kill Lady directly, or drive Nymeria away, but I'd argue that his actions were a large part of why the wolves and girls were separated. He's had his turn guarding each of Sansa and Arya, too, though admittedly it was after he got the nickname.

I dont recall if this theory has been thrown up around here, but the Hound is clearly a homage to CuChullain of Irish legend. Cuchullain, translated, means the Hound of Chullain, and in several places he is referred to solely as the Hound. And, when he enters his Warp Spasm, CuChullains face undergoes a transformation into a hideous and terrifying form.

How about GRRM and Ernst Junger. Junger's first book, Storm of Steel (the name of which is quite similar to Storm of Swords) featured some of the most graphic and close up looks at the fighting in WWI, and the style of his writing seems similar to the ways that some of the battles are depicted.

Also, Junger wrote another book, Fire and Blood which just happen to be the Targ words.