Greywolf2375

Watched it a few times now, and the things I liked on the first watch, I still like, the things I disliked, I still dislike. It's not like the acting was ever bad, but it has only improved through the season. I don't know what the criteria are for nominations, but there are needs to be one for "ensemble badassery". It's like watching a game between two very talented teams - many times teams play to the level of their opponent. The same is true here - there are a number of exceptionally talented actresses and actors individually on this series, but put them in scenes together and the product is by far greater than the sum of the parts. Likes: Jaqen & Arya - the tweak in his saying she can have revenge is weird, but how they operate against each other is fantastic. The face switch at the end...perfect. Joffrey/Tywin/LF - Joffrey's arrogance after his "there's too many" was perfect, Tywin owning the throne room even before he was named Hand and Petyrs little comments. Varys' look at him was great. Again, the issue I had was when they continued and LF bared his soul to Sansa...doesn't make sense, but we'll see. HotU - Dany's journey through was well portrayed, the chains disappearing when Pree died was interesting. The Shambling horde - loved how they had them come out of the frost, the 2nd WW raising the sword and it just glowed as ice. Stannis/Mel - have not been a fan of how they have portrayed this relationship or what they have done, but they ended it very well. Theon - Allen did an amazing job this season. Dislikes: HotU - it was very much less than it could have or should have been. The visions given in the book do not have to be shown verbatim, but there are many ways to show Robb in danger from the Freys. The House of the Undying...is one warlock? Jon/Quorin/Wildlings - for me, losing out on Squire Dalbridge had an impact - it was a great contrast to Jon's running away for his half brothers that Dalbridge would make a stand for his black brothers. Halfhand in the ends looks like just some other NW brother, there was nothing he did that made him stand out. And I think the fact that Halfhand did not order him to turn his cloak is not a small detail. Robb's courtship/wedding - I don't care that he was married under the 7, they are his mother's gods, so fine. However they make him out to be no better than Joffrey in the "spoiled brat, I do what i want to" Kingship. Brienne/Jaime - the thing I still don't like about Brienne's situation is that no one is questioning how Renly died. The last people to see him alive walked into Robb's camp and no one said anything. Kingslanding hears about Renly's death, and no one makes comment that Catelyn & Brienne ran? Pycelle - so Pycelle opens up to Tyrion that he is not feeble at all? Why? That makes 0 sense since Pycelle is still portaying the doffering old man to the court. Tyrion may no longer be Hand, but he's not dead. Sam/WW/horde - I'm sure Sam lives, but quite the hamfisted cliff hanger. They have no problem showing the size of this force, why not have the NW see it from the top of the Fist and show just how much trouble they are in? As it stands now, this is like the Craster/Jon cliffhanger - no reason for him to live except plot armor. Winterfell - So Luwin is just about dead, but drags himself to the heart tree? The burning of WF just felt forced based on what we're given. Funny thing is, I have seen people complaining that Bran was in a wheelbarrow - to me that makes more sense than Hodor carrying him. They try to gather up what they can for food and supplies, why not use something like that until they are in a place they can no longer use it. Great TV? Yes, but even then there are some holes. Great adaption? No, they whiffed on what I think are some important parts of the story. 6.

Well, a prisoner = restrained in every medium we ever see. This is the Kingslayer - one of the most feared men on the continent. Brienne is not travelling with him - she is escorting him, his comfort is not a question and, it seems, she is supremely confident she can deal with whomever comes along to stop her. Would two swords be better than one? Sure...but there is no guarantee Jaime doesn't try to kill Brienne immediately so why take the chance?

That tree definitely has a face in it - from the angle they are shooting his scenes there it might not have been as clear, but I do remember seeing one in that set before.

Dontos still can be used in the next season. LF did get rid of the buffer between he and Sansa from her knowledge, but Dontos can still be used in the same capacity to pass messages so that LF is not seen again with her. LF has the knowledge of Arya and, I'm assuming, at this point still believes she is there. His plan might be now to get someone there to pick her up to find out she has left. Theon killing the kids was used to prove to the people of WF that he did have the spine to act on his words - it wasn't just for the storyline of the other characters. Now, do I agree with those decisions? the Dontos/LF one - no, I think that is a greatly missed opportunity to have LF come out of no where when she does escape. If, of course, they have her escape the same way. The LF/Tywin/Arya triangle...yeah, now, not really sure what it does except alllow LF to say he knows she is alive. Er, was alive. Actually, at this point, it doesn't do anything since he could have just as easily said before "I can get your daughter" to Cat as he can now.

The acting, cinemetography, costuming and editing were great. The adaption left much to be desired. Jaqen & Arya were spot on. The change of face was beautiful! Brienne &Jaime were fine - when I heard the voices walking towards them I thought "Mummers!". HotU - I get what they did, I like what they did, but with the expectations of a season end, they missed out on some things. Yes, there would be spoilers in some of the scenes...but that wasn't a problem in the book, so why not here? Not even all of them. I think they had a great opportunity and it came up short. Dany/Dragons - so in a few days the dragons go from being able to barely burn a piece of meat to being flamethrowers. And - I've only seen it once so far - but Dany is impervious to dragon fire? Robb/Mom/Marriage - So Robb knowlingly and intentionally breaks his word to the Freys, not out of a gut response, but after thought and conversation. So he's just a selfish child. Jon/Quorin - fight was fine. But now Jon is just a turncloak, which reinforces his running, rather than seeing Dalbridge give his life for his brothers, get the instruction from Halfhand - not want to do it - and get forced into fighting him. Oh, and didn't he have a dog or something as a pet once? Winterfell - so either Dagmer is Dagmer and has an agreement with Bolton or Dagmer is the bastard...or...just got bored and wanted to go home? Throne room - loved the touch of the horse dropping a pile. Loved Sansa's look when she was walking away. What is LF thinking?

The magic that allows you to dominate another persons mind? Or the magic that allows you to burn a child to death with its breathe? There is no "good" magic, just as there is no "bad" magic. It is all in how it is used.

Easy on the personal comments.

that's not really a fair statement since you are looking at it in hindsight. He did not take them there to die, he took them there to win and - even with the wildfire - it was working. The only thing that saved KL was the Tyrells. As was stated, if Renly's Ghost gets there maybe even just a few minutes later, they are attacking walls and not mens backs.

But sticking a sword through someone for power doesn't? I would have to guess that Dany then is evil as well since she burned MMD and brought to life dragons. And anyone that uses oil in a siege to drop on the attackers is evil because they are using fire for power. It's a tool he had available to him. He used it.

I didn't feel sorry for him at all - mostly because of his brashness about giving Stannis a smile, making Sansa kiss his sword....he was the one living in the dreams rather than Sansa. Then he really gets to see what war is like and realizes it isn't a fairytale. he is an 18ish year old young man playing at King.

Watched it a few times, to me it wasn't a "perfect episode". It was however far greater than the sum of its parts. The acting was the best they've had - it was like everyone was given their draught of acting +5. the writing was the best they've had - it was like, well, GRRM wrote it. fancy that. the imagery was the best they've had - the ships in the dark, views from the castle walls, Bronn's arrow...that wildfire thing. the action was the most they've had - there were quick cuts and maybe one too many people being split like firewood, but hey - this is slightly "fantastical". Are there gripes? Sure...it looks like after Bronn and The Hound had their stare down that Cersei brought her entourage into the same room. One single ship and no reaction to it? Too many people being cut in half. A few too many quick cuts in scenes that made it jump around. It was not a "perfect epsiode". Whatever that means. it was perfect for me. 10. edit: not too shabby, a 9.55 rating average so far.

Or they have a different opinion than you and had different expectations for it. If you enjoyed it, why let what someone else thought of it bug you?

Seen this a few times - take Blackhawk Down. The producers decided they had to put names on each characters helmets to make sure the audience could identify the characters easily. Same thing here - is it unrealistic, sure, but with the number of people not being able to identify that it was a Kingsguard - Moore - that nicked off Tyrions cheek I think it was the right choice for them to have some characters go without helms. Course it would have been bad ass if they did have the Hound with his dog helmet on. As long as it didn't bounce around like it was made of aluminum foil.

My guess as to why many people are rating it highly is because the acting & dialogue was the best this series has seen. The battle - as fun as it was to watch - was completely made secondary to the characters - which is exactly how GRRM wrote the books. Yes, the books had the creeping snakes of flame and hundreds of ships....and the show didn't. But it did have CGI that made - as Triskele pointed out - the 6th highest grossing film of all time, RotK, looks like I made the graphics with crayola crayons. Everyone is different, everyone has their opinion, but try watching this one again for the people, not the explosions and maybe you'll see it in a different light.

Cersei did punch him on the left side. I've never been shot with an arrow, but since it happened like 1/2 an hour before this, I'd assume that even getting hit on...anywhere...on the upper body would hurt since he still has a hole in his shoulder.

Watched it again this morning....pretty much comes down to this... "There are no episodes like me. There's only me." J. Lannisters review of ep 9.

I took the look as "oh shit...back up"...but could be. Either way, Loras taking off the helm was pretty cool.

The armor was never brought up, so it wasn't as big a deal to have it pointed out. Just the fact that reinforcements showed was enough

so apparently they also have the ability to make one hour turn into 20 minutes, because it can NOT have been 55+ min since this episode began.

and there is the scar

as good as the dialogue is, could "Oh fuck me!" be the best delivery? :)

Little girl holding a doll, young woman holding her to vow to the king...daughter remembering her family. NOT a SanSan person, but pretty much a perfect scene.

THIS is how each episode should be written. Changes, no changes...whatever.

oh no he di'int. For an action episode, the acting has been better than ever.

Not sure, but loving her "armor" - the wine and the gilded.