Dolores Stark

Gave it a 10 in my head as soon as Jon said 'I know he's a king. My father died for him.' Even cried a bit there. I literally yay-ed when Stan the man and the gang arrived, and the whole scene was amazing for me. Jon and Mel exchanging looks over fire... wow. I think of myself as a book purist and I always point out what was not in the books to my non-reader friends, but I learned not to let it bother me, and this time I didn't mind any of it, not even the fireball throwing CotF, Skeletor WWs or whatever are they called. I usually whine about whitewashing Cercei in the show, but I liked her scene with Jaime, Lena made me think 'Wow she really loves him' even though at this point in the books I was almost sure she never did. Not sure what will be made of all the Quiet isle story now that Brienne and The Hound have met, but the fight was good to watch, and Arya's farewell also. In general I think the acting was the main thing that made me give it a 10 even Emilia's which usually makes me cringe.

This episode was such an emotional roller coaster! Varys telling his cutting story to Tyrion, and the moment we see his face in the mirror... I loved the way he looked almost terrifying and totally different from the tattle tale chubby some think him to be. And everything with him in this episode was amazing! (nonexistent bumps/decrepit JUST EPIC!) Jaimie getting his portion of the real world, seeing his spirits get crushed onscreen was heartbreaking. Tywin/Cercei dialogue was great, also Cercei/QoT, Marg/ Sansa. It was so sad seeing two of them together, thinking how they could be good friends if the circumstances were different. "My real father lost his head in King's Landing" :crying: :crying: :crying: And the look on "the Boy's" face minutes after that was wooooow! I loved how they reintroduced Beric to non readers, the entire cave scene was badass. And, of course, Dracarys... She is not one of my fav characters, but I was cheering from the top of my lungs, even though I knew what was coming. Her speech in Valyrian, proud looks on Jorah's and Barristan's faces and everything about that scene was just perfect. GIRL POWER!!! Kudos to the music guy, he nailed it.

It took me a season and a half to stop whining and accept the budget/time/adaptation issues, but after this episode I guess I'm back to my old ways. Don't get me wrong, there are scenes I really enjoyed, and there are changes I understand and even like, but I cannot understand the changes and/or omissions that have nothing to do with budget or other excuses the writers gave us. People already addressed some of them, but what I really cannot shut up about is Rob/Talissa story. If I had never read the books, I would've thought that Rob is a genuine douche. No Stark honor (because he dishonored a high born lady), no grief and pain about his 'dead' brothers, just hot girl-> boner-> let's get married! And I'm from the North, you're from Volantis, let's do it in the light of The Seven! :blink: :ack: :blink: I hope that we find out about Talissa's true (Westerling) identity in the next season, but i guess that ship has sailed (down the Royne with her almost drowned brother). And: Why is the wight just staring at Sam, Why is Stannis throwing temper tantrums, Do nonreaders know why Jon killed QH and is 'Ros' DB's or DBW's girlfriend? I'm on the edge about visions in the HotU, I did expect more, but I knew that some of them would be to obvious. Drogo and the baby were a gift to tv show fans, just like we (the readers) got Rains of Castamere in Blackwater, I guess, but still I think they could introduce some of the prophecies. Gave it a 7.

Amazing episode! Loved it! It had me yelling, laughing, jumping and (who'd have known) rooting for F-ing Lannisters! Everyone nailed it with their performance, but Lena really stole the show. Tuwin's entrance was :drool: I gave it a 10 of course.