Fool of a Book

99% of comments in the TV threads are whining about a change from the books. D&D did NOT change the sequence from the books for this episode... Stannis shows up later, after the first attack on the Wall, when Jon has gone to parlay with Mance. Now 99% of the comments about this episode are whining that D&D followed the books? I thought it was an excellent episode. I particularly liked Aemon's chat with Sam, Slynt being a wussy, seeing Ghost again, and Ollie's little nod at Jon after he killed the woman who killed his father. Sheesh let Jon have his moment, just like in the books. Stannis will get his later, just like in the books.

Jon proves himself in the first invasion, Stannis doesn't show up at the Wall til after the parlay with Mance... why are people whining about this? Jon finally kicks ass and shows his leadership skills, and all you can think about is Stannis? Come on now.

Outstanding.

Freaking awesome. One of the best 50 minutes of TV I've ever seen in my life.

I kind of understand Sansa's dress as symbolic of a dark turn, and all the bird imagery, but I don't get her necklace. Sort of looks like a stylized moon? And the long chain, ok, a symbol of being a prisoner maybe. But she holds the end of the chain herself, so she's in charge, I dunno. But what is the long silver tube like thing at the end of the chain? The Hound conveniently reminds us that poison is a woman's weapon. It's not a pen. I don't think it's a whistle. Certainly not just decorative.

Horrible. I hated this epi. The Missandei Grey Worm thing was ridiculous. Sansa playing the vamp. Arya acting crazy and the guard not even offering to let her in. The lords of the Vale knowing about Sansa. Tyrions speech about the beetles. It sucked. The only redeeming thing was Emilia actually acting.

Another topic, does anyone else think it's significant that Daario called Jorah "Jorah the Andal"? Combined with Jorah bringing up his past and Ned Stark?

because if Brienne and LS are this season, there is no Brienne story next season. It would be the same place we've left off in aDwD, with the exception of a single scene where Brienne seeks out Jaime. And there are things that need to happen before Brienne meets LS.

No way Brienne and LS is happening this season. No absolute way. Despite Brienne wandering, significant things happen. If Brienne and LS happen this season, there is no screentime for Brienne until tWoW and aDoS. Unless D&D go into *future territory* tWoW next season with Brienne's arc, thereby giving away Jaime's arc. Arya needs to not mercy-kill the Hound, Brienne and Pod need to get to the Quiet Isles for the black stallion and the gravedigger, and the discussion about Sansa, Gendry needs to be reintroduced... not happening this season. LS revenge killing some Freys, I predict last scene cliffhanger of the season, right after the CotF and BR make their appearance.

The writers will need to cut out too much for that to happen. If Brienne meeting LS is the finale, Brienne doesn't have much to do until tWoW is released. The LS reveal will probably be similar to the book.

A few more thoughts on second viewing: The mercy-killed man is definitely foreshadowing. Whatever the lines were... they're fair in the North, give and take, but now everything is out of balance. Significant lines from a throw-away character. This is the first episode that I liked Carice's acting. Too bad she was upstaged by her own nudity. I still think Mel can be glamoured, even without the ruby choker. Surely among her stash of magic potions she could have some glamourizer. Maybe in the form of stuff in a blue vial she puts in her bath. Show can still include her being glamoured, easily. Incredibly weird but I was struck how much Daniel and Joe (Pod and Gendry) look alike. I mean, it was uncanny really. That's all I'll say. I was OK without the giant doll destroying the castle. There was still a giant meaniehead destroying Winterfell snowcastle, and Sansa responding with outrage and out-of-character violence. I was fine with the bitchslap. - As for seeing LS as season finale, which I still hope will happen... I'm guessing they'll have a scene like the books, with LS getting revenge on a Frey or two. Someone upthread surmised the season finale would be Brienne and Pod getting hanged, and I also thought the showriters would save LS's reveal for Brienne, but that means we need to see Arya leave the Hound, time passing, Brienne and Pod visiting the Quiet Isle (with or without Meribald and Dog?) and glimpsing the black stallion and the gravedigger, Gendry's return to the story.... and those are the bare minimum things that should be included in Brienne's storyline before she meets UnCat. LS taking down her hood and showing her face to a doomed Frey would be a perfect cliffhanger, and the scene needs precisely zero set-up with other main characters. Unless the writers choose the reveal of BR to be the cliffhanger. ETA if they let Shae live and turn her into the Tysha of Tyrion's WDWG? obsession, I am going to be spitting fire. They've already set it up. All Jaime needs to do is tell Tyrion that he found out Shae only lied to try and save him, Tyrion gets "she does love me!" sparkles in his eyes. Damn, they've set it up to happen that way. Makes me incensed just thinking about it.

Couple things... seemed like Mel admitted she's full of crap and knows more about magic tricks than R'hollor secrets. Strange. Also, the man that the Hound mercy-killed, making a specific statement about the North always making a fair trade. That's gonna mean something. Dany is boring as hell. Emilia is not working it out.

Varys knows about the girl travelling with the Hound, and he isn't an idiot. And he is certainly omnipresent with his little birds regarding what happens in KL. PS Littlefinger likely knows as well.

Yes, to several above... there is no way Varys got reports about the Hound without reports about the girl with him. And backing up, there is no way that Varys' little birds didn't take note of the entourage that left KL with Yoren....and there is no way Varys didn't know about the pursuit of Gendry/death of Yoren/fate or the rest of the entourage. And backing up, there is no way that Varys' little birds didn't scope out Arya in the crowd at the Sept of Baelor, and even before that, wandering aound Flea Bottom.

Yes, the scene was a huge set-up for Davos to win back Stannis' trust. Stannis now knows not to kill/indungeonate (I think I made that up) Davos, and trust him to go forth and do what we all expect Davos to do.