Bluesnow

For once, being hearing impaired was actually helpful in understanding the show. When the dragon got hit by the giant ice spear the subtitles were kind enough to tell me it was Viserion that was crying out in pain. It confused me at first that no one knew which dragon bit the dust... but I guess no one really verbalized what happened in the heat of the moment- and no one else is watching with subtitles. With that said... I loved the episode besides the cringe worthy scenes with Sansa and Arya.... but the pacing this season is just so bad. As much as I liked the suicide squad talking at the beginning of the episode it felt like very artificial character development all just crunched together before the crazy went down. If the writers would have let the story develop more naturally without people teleporting from place to place they could have easily got an extra season. As much as I like Dragons and exciting plot twists--- my favorite part of the show was always the complex web of characters and how they interacted and felt towards one another.

So.... This episode feels like that time I was in highschool and I studied really hard for a chemistry test, and I was certain that all the stars had aligned and I was going to get an A at least, only to get my test back and get like... maybe a 67%... not complete failure, but a complete disappointment considering all the emotional build up I had- and enough I wanted to go home and cry in a pillow. This episode wasn't the worst... but I just feel let down by so much. 1. Arya: THERE IS NO WAY SHE SHOULD BE ALIVE. Now... even if I could swallow that maybe it was just a flesh wound- I feel like it was a complete waste of time to have her go to the actress for help. I understand that was the only person other than the FM that she knew at that point- but what purpose did it serve? There was no character development... she says that weird thing about wanting to go west of Westeros- and in the end the Waif kills the actress... but we as an audience I don't think were emotionally invested in the actress enough to care. The runaway scene made no sense either. Again... assuming Arya is not bleeding out... what kind of Assassin makes that much of a mess and noise in the middle of a busy city. Wouldn't it have been alot cooler just for Arya to have returned to her hiding place with needle and have had some dramatic fighting scene in the dark. I did like the payoff at the end when Arya put her face on the wall, and the candle going out- but it would have been nice to see her killed on screen... Especially after all the times we had to watch Arya get her butt kicked on screen. I am happy to see she will be going back to Winterfell at least... but this episode feels like a lackluster finale to a lackluster arc for one of my favorite characters. 2. The hound/bwb/lsh: I do think it was OK to him to meet back up with the BWB and I hope he sticks with them for a while. I do feel that the scene with him peeing into the river was a message to book readers though- that being "guess who we're NOT going to be finding in the river anytime soon." I mean... we already know that the House is a jerk... so him peeing while talking to them wasn't needed to get that across.... I genuinely feel that it was a message to us. In reality though... if they were going to bring her back they should have like 2 seasons ago. Now that everyone seems to be leaving the river lands what would the point be? 3. Tyrion and Danny: I was half tempted to skip Tyrion's scenes. The bad writing is only half of the problem... the second half is he has no one to play off of. Varys was the closest one... but with them being best buds now there's not as much intrigue and bickering and now he's left even. He has no enemies, he has no friends, he has no real reason to be emotionally invested in this plot at all. When Danny showed up and just walked in the door not even saying a word I didn't even know how to react. There was no emotional build up to it, there was no epic reveal, no amazing speach.... nothing.. I'd compare to one of those cheesy soap operas... if Rodrigo was lost on an island for years and his lover Maria was lost in depression about it. One day Maria wakes up and just finds Rodrigo eating a breakfast burrito and watching netflix in his boxers on her couch. Sure its surprising... but is that really what we the audience wanted to get out of that scene. 4. Riverrun Brienne meeting Jaime after so long was one of the only things I feel they did right in the episode- from their discussion together to their waves goodbye at the end. Podrick meeting back up with Bronn was cute as well. The scene between Edmure and Jaime was also well done---- although I still have a hard time accepting his love for Cersei still when at this point in the book he should be burning her letter begging for help. What I didn't approve of though was the Blackfish deciding to commit suicide rather than go help his neice in any capacity. Maybe he feels guilty that they lost the castle and if he had just agreed with Brienne things would have been 1000000% times better for him---- but with this Brienne accomplished nothing. What was the point of her entire plot this season if she couldn't get a single person to come back with her. Maybe she will run into the BWB and the hound and go north with them? 5. Kingslanding: Cersei had this coming, but it was pretty funny. You know... maybe if she ever told Tommen ANYTHING he would have a better idea of how to keep his mom alive. I'm just waiting for the scene where she tells Tommen: "You know... Jaime is your dad- and If I'm found guilty at trial you're pretty much screwed too kido... thanks for getting rid of the one way out of this---- but I guess we can just fulfill the prophecy and all die together! Infact lets just roast everyone while we're at it. You remember that poison I almost gave you when Stannis attacked like 4 seasons ago.... we can go have a party with that while they all burn."

1. Arya----- I enjoyed the play... I have to say though... I'm such a Ned Fangirl that his part in the play literally made my skin crawl... but I think that was the point xD I am sick and tired of her and her stick fighting scenes.... just give us a montage Rocky Balboa style and be done with it already. 2. Danny and Jorah --- My boyfriend hated it... he said it was cheesy xD I didn't hate it... but come on queen... if you're ordering him to find a cure at least give him some major gold or something. Cures to terminal illnesses I'm sure don't come cheap- and if anyone is going to find a cure- I'm sure Danny herself would have an easier time doing so. Rather than saying: IT IS YOUR DUTY TO LIIIIIIVEEEEE. Couldn't it be: You have been my most loyal and good vassal, it is my duty to protect you- But maybe if you could like chill in a cave or something and wait for the cure so you don't spread your sick it would be nice. 3. I was LOVING Sansa for the most part. When she got the letter I felt it was strange Jon doesn't know.... I mean... everyone knows everything on the wall. You can't tell me Sansa and Brienne just left the safety of the wall to stroll on down to Barrowtown unnoticed. When it became clear that Jon was not with her and only Brienne I thought- ohhh... she plans on doing something she would be ashamed for Jon to know- like murdering him for the crap he put her through- but this didn't happen. I was really disappointed she didn't tell Jon where she got the information about the Tully's- The information is clearly poison like everything else Little Finger offers- and she is setting herself up to lose Jon's trust. When Brienne called her out on this I was screaming YEAHHHHH! In the backround. The worst part is- even if the Tully's were willing to help- there is no way they could. They can't go North because of the Twins- and if you have the army leave the castle they will probably get taken down. For all we know it will be Little Finger that conquers them since Jaime is no where in the Riverlands currently. I guess what this was trying to show us was that Sansa herself has been through so much she doesn't know how to fully trust people any more... hopefully this doesn't come back to bite her too much. 4. Kingsmoot: Does Euron openly admit to Kinslaying!!!??? And then tells all the lords "Hey! I'm gonna go murder my niece and nephew now." What universe is this in!? Surely the drowned god would not approve of this??? Since they already had taken so much of his Kingsmoot speech for him to use on the Bridge the Show speech I felt was much weaker. Everything about him is supposed to scream sexy danger- his personality is supposed to be extraordinarily beyond reason, but thats what draws people in. In truth... besides the Kinslaying- this Euron actually seems like a pretty openly logical person- which is boring. I don't have any issues with his appearance- he actually looks a little like Theon- but he needs something that makes him appear more devious. I would be totally OK with Blue lipstick or something xD 5. Bran: I'm just happy my neighbor didn't call the cops- I was screaming so much they probably thought I was dying. I am a little disappointed--- We waited an entire season without Bran at all- had like 3 flashbacks? and what was Bran supposed to learn again? Don't get me wrong- this episode itself was good- but I feel like the show writers thought "This is boring! No one wants more episodes of Bran having flashbacks! Lets just go the Walking Dead on Bran's plot a season early to speed things up." But yet they still keep showing Arya doing the exact same thing episode after episode after episode =/ It would have at least been nice if he learned to warg birds like he did in the book to mix up his training a little bit. I'm not 100% sure I understand what even happened. Did Bran warg young Hodor and present day Hodor at the same time? Or by Bran warging present day Hodor from a different timeline just indirectly show young Hodor the future and screw him up because he saw how he would die and that he had no control? Maybe Bran can show certain people in the past the future.... maybe he was the one showing Jojen his visions? I am interested in how this will play out in the books though. If Hold the Door is the key word I don't think that scene can happen underground with the 3 eyed crow since there is no mention of doors in the cave.... But there is one extra special magical door under the wall that would be pretty important to hold if the others were trying to get through. Ohhh... and of course... Suuuummmmeeeerrrrr Dx If they're going to kill off the direwolfs I wish they would do it in a way that its significant to the plot. I did enjoy the episode and am looking forward to the next. Edit: Needed to kill an Army of typos. I'm half asleep and sick- so I apologize if my post is still illegible.

Overall- I enjoyed the episode, but I am having some issues Kingslanding: HS- as much as i love the actor- his scenes are getting repetitive and drawn out really quick. I feel like the show writers aren't sure what to do with Jaime.... he feels like a backround character after these last few episodes. I was really hoping to see maybe him and Tommen bond, or talk about him being his father like with Myrcella- but there's' been no real development. I like that the Queen of Thornes is there.... but I feel like her personality is pretty subdued compared to normal. Some witty banter would be nice. The North: When Sansa came through the gate- even before Jon came out I was screaming "OMG!!! JOOOONNN!!! HUG YOUR SISTER!!! YOU BOTH NEED SOME MAJOR HUGS!!!!" And then the scene with Tormund and Brienne.... It was adorable xD I need more. Sansa snatching the letter out of Jon's hand to read the rest was great as well. The Scene with her and Jon alone- I was also happy that Sansa apologized for being a brat. She didn't have to... I mean... she was a kid, but the fact that she recognizes how she acted before was wrong shows how much she's grown. I would have liked if they had thrown in there a story about something they did as children though- As far as I'm aware this is the first interaction between these two characters in the entire series- so it would have been nice for them to talk about their childhood a little more to establish just how life changing it is that they're back in each other's lives. I did not like that Jon was a total downer for most of this episode. Maybe he was trying to be realistic? But realistically where would they have gone if not home? Did he think he would run off to a warm southern village, change their names, become a shoe maker to support him and his cute sister, and live in peace happily ever after xD His sister has been through hell and back- escaping her rapist crazy husband she turned to her older brother for protection- Any other response from Jon other than "I'll be there and support you 100%, we'll make this alright again and I'll have Ramsey's head on a pike for what he's done to you!" was not acceptable. Instead of Jon having to reassure her- she had to give him the pep talk (which was awesome, but still.) At Winterfell I knew things weren't going to go well for Osha, but I wasn't expecting her to go out that quick. Even though I dislike the outcome, I still enjoyed to scene over all.... But I felt the death served no plot driven purpose overall other than shock value- so I'm having a hard time swallowing it. Even Doran and Roose's rushed demises, while stupid, served a plot purpose. At least she wasn't tortured, and she was awesome till the very end. Essos: I'm curious to see how things play out with Tyrion's plans- I am hoping there is more to it than just buying time- because all that meeting accomplished was ticking off the slaves and telling the slave masters they can keep what they already have- but only for 7 years. If anything I felt it empowered them because they know Danny is not there and there was no definitive time frame for when she would return. Tyrion's played this game before - so I have a feeling there's more up his sleeve than what been shown. Maybe his free girls are ex-slaves with a vendetta and will stab them in their sleep? For all the nitpicking I've seen people doing- I have no issue with Dany frying the Khals. She doesn't need her dragons.... she doesn't need her men... she's not just some damsel in distress, she is the DRAGON! And now she has a HUGE army.... but what is she going to do with it at this point i wonder. Why was this episode called Book of the stranger? After watching it I feel it should have been called SISTERS! The entire episode was about how women can be just as strong or stronger than their male counterparts. Maybe it was called book of the stranger because these lady's aren't worshiping the Mother or the Maiden the way they're living their lives.

Thanks.... Totally forgot about that.... infact... I forgot alot about last season I think and I should probably rewatch it.... I just realized earlier today that last year Jon actually fought in a battle against the others xD

Umber mentions that Jon with an Army of Wildlings might be a threat at Winterfell. Umber then gives Ramsey something that would make Jon want to come to Winterfell with an Army off Wildlings xD I'm calling conspiracy. What I liked: ---Arya scenes finally getting some progress ---Jon is back, and he's moving on with his life. --- TOJ What I didn't Like: ---Merreen.... I would have liked to see the dragons eating or something =/ And the scene between Tyrion, Missandei and Grey Worm was torture. Its like the show writer doesn't know how to get the characters to interact- so they didn't even try and tried to make an inside joke about it. ---Tommen and Sparrow (Scene just draaaaagggged) ---Sam to Gilly: You're all I care about- Yes I thought it was cute that Gilly called Sam her child's father.... and in the books he does have sex with her- which considering the title being Oathbreaker I thought might happen- But he was still pretty conflicted about it- not nonchalantly talking about prioritizing her over his oaths between barfs in a bucket. --- No Arya cat Warging ---- SHAGGY DOG!!! NOOOOOO Dx ---- They could have shown at least one Sansa scene! Even it if was just her seeing the wall from a distance before the episode ended. Maybe something where's she's talking about Jon when they were younger to build up to their relationship.... I mean... I don't think the two have ever even spoken in the show xD (Or in the book for that matter) ---- That Jon went through with the execution... if he was stepping down/possibly leaving it doesn't even really matter >.> It feels like he wants to change his life- and I think choosing to not go through with his "duty of justice" would be a good place to start. What I'm looking forward to: Bran better be back at the TOJ next episode! Don't keep me waiting. Rickon being totally safe and not tormented or flayed in any way D= Jon and Sansa hug!

My thoughts on the show: 1. Bran wahhh! And apparently they're no going to stay in the cave forever? I wonder when they leave if they'll be going north or south.... or really what the whole point of his powers will be long run. TOJ next week will be wonderful... I think its cool that we see the flashback, but have Bran's commentary on it as well. 2 Tommen in not as cute as the book with his kitties xD But I am happy to see that Jaime is there trying to guide him. If They kept Jaime in Kingslanding instead of the riverlands to let him be a father I will be ok with that. Cercei wouldn't let him in the books at all and that irritated me. I really don't understand Cercei this season.... In the books she goes from Annoying to increasingly crazy.... in the show she goes from annoying to calm and semi-rational.... =/ 3. Greyjoy scenes starts- *Me to my boyfriend: WoW! They're showing Balon again... he was supposed to be dead like three seasons ago... Euron throwed him off a bridge in a storm.... hey... is that a storm? OMG there's a bridge! Euron's gonna come out ---- there he is!!!!!" xD I guess Theon will be there for the Kingsmoot? I wonder if that will change anything? 4. Ramsay killing Roose.... my reaction was yelling in shock. I had paused it right as Ramsay hugged Roose to explain the my boyfriend that Ramsay was probably going to murder his new baby brother. I then proceeded do a bunch of random stuff, and when I sat back down and pressed play he murders Roose xD Logically I can understand WHY Ramsay did it... but he basically signed his own death certificate. There's no way Ramsay can control the North- Its just a matter of waiting to see how he will die, or who will kill him. 5. Tyrion with the dragons... I was on the edge of my seat the whole time. My boyfriend said "Would't in be funny if the dragons just ate him and Tyrions story ended here.... and laughed." I had to give him an evil look =____= 6. Jon wakes up. I like that in the preview at the end of the episode they say the wildlings think Jon is some sort of god. This is what I always thought would happen in my head cannon. Also I guess he's just gonna walk out naked? xD It made me wonder if he will be hot or cold.... mainly because there's several instances about him thinking he'll be cold forever, and his last thoughts in death were the cold. I wonder if the cold will stay with him, or if he'll be warm like Mel >.> I also wonder how this will affect his decisions between Duty and Family with Sansa coming to visit since that really has always been the ultimate choice- We know Ned chose family in the end... 7 Sansa's scene was too short =/ 8. Arya's plot is moving too slow, they could have done this in the last episode. I remember seeing Maisy Williams interview about this season and she said she was happy that the show had surpassed the books because now her scenes "Flowed together better" rather than forcing her stuff that has nothing to do with anything. She said that as a result though she gets less air time. I can see she's not getting much in terms of scenes, but I really don't think this is flowing very well.

I literally yelled when Doran got stabbed. And when the sand snakes showed up to get Trystane I had to pause it and get some Oreos ready to appease my rage. I wasn't fond of the Dornish Plot, but Doran was a great actor- and I was genuinely interested in seeing what kind of character they would make Trystane. What I didn't like about the Dornish plot was Ellaria.... period. Her character I felt was a blasphemy against everything Oberyn stood for. Every scene she was in I would physically cringe at the screen screaming "THIS IS NOT ELLARIA!!!!!" till my boyfriend told me to shut up. I can understand her mourning her lovers death and being angry- but I feel like they wanted to make another unhinged Cersei-ish character that was willing to resort to child murder in order to avenge her lover. Well now she's a child murderer and a Kin Slayer and the only characters in Dorne worth watching are now dead. There is nothing the show writers can do to fix this mistake- The Dornish plot is dead. Other than this I was more or less happy with the first episode- not too exciting, but definatley building up to some interesting things.

I thought it was brought up because of Sansa/Robin in very close scenes... o.o