Trebla

8/10. I enjoyed the pointed comparison between Cersei and Dany's ruling styles. I also liked that Brienne and Pod actually found Sansa but lost her to Sansa's now suspicious nature and LF's influence.

Climbing the wall is HARD. As the saying goes, it defends itself. The whole plan was to distract the garrison with the huge army, have them on top of the wall, while the strike force attacks from the rear and takes the gate. Even the giants attacking the gate might have been just a feight to keep them on the Wall. Another thing to remember is that Book Mance did not see himself as some hero or conqueror, he himself he wants to hide behind the Wall. And he would like to do so while keeping as many as his people alive as he can. I'm pretty sure TV SHow Mance is the same way.

I loved this episode. A full episode in one location giving time to have a bit of the quiet before the storm with Sam and Jon, Sam and Gilly, and a louder one with Yrgitte and the Thenns. I thought the Wildlings had a pretty good plan with the Thenn skinchanger waitng to see the inferno on the other side of the Wall and then signaling the attack. It hit home that Jon's mission worked because the Watch was prepared, but not well enough as Alliser Thorne points out. His exchange with Jon was outstanding, his icy, vulgar regret along with the correct notion that thye had no time to dwell on it now. The battle itself was outstanding. The production itself semed to greatly dwarf even Blackwater. The ice shrapnel barrels and the pitch barrels looked awesome and the giants and mammoths were incredible. On Grenn and Pyp. It was a gut-punch. I didn't see Pyp's death coming, but when Jon sent Grenn down to the gate, I told my spoiler-loving Dad that Grenn was doomed. I think their deaths combined with Yrgitte's combined to put Jon into his Heroic BSOD (blue screen of death) and forced him into his suicidal mission to kill Mance. I've read people saying that the showrunners could have screwed up because maybe Grenn and Pyp might have had huge roles to play later in the books. It's not like the showrunners don't have the author as the co-executive producer who has given them the plot outline. On Stannis: As other keep having to point out, over and over and over again, Stannis didn't show in the books until days later. In the book, Jon had command of the Wall for days and then was put in the ice cells for days. The Watch held out and to have them saved the same night by Stannis would cheapen their heroism.

10/10

8. A good setup episode

Peter Dinklage delivered. That was superb. The trial was very well done. The looks the characters gave: Tywin's knowing expressions that the fix is in, Jaime's doubt, Margaery's conflicted look. And the Red Viper perking up when Tyrion demanded trial by combat. Well done.

My guess is that it starts to tie in storylines from AFfC, namely the Iron Bank wanting it's due and Cersei telling them to piss off. In the book, she's just being Cersei, thinking she can do what she wants because she's in charge. Show-Cersei is smarter than that so in this case, she has no money to pay off the debts

Did Bloodraven warg into Ghost? The ravens cawing right before Ghost mauled Rast made me think so.

They had fire breathed into their lungs.

Bryan Cogman tweeted out that Ser Pounce was a nightmare to work with! Trial by combat!!!

I think if they had panned down to Tommen's blankets they would have seen him sporting a nice pup tent. :p

10/10 best episode of the season.

Ser Pounce is trending on Twitter. I am content.

Could Orys be a substitute for Aenys? He was followed by Maegor the Cruel.

It didn't take that long. The QoT slipped the poison in as Joffrey was cutting the pie. He took a drink and then cut pie. Olenna was right behind him on the dais.

Was that Jack Gleeson singing The Rains of Castamere during the credits???

9/10. Best premiere of any season

I'd like to get in one more feeder league and Survivor

1. Roose and Walder specifically mentioned that he escaped. 2. Why were they needed? They weren't at the scene in the Tyrion chapter when they learn of the RW. Mace isn't needed until next season when he and the Martell's are introduced. I suspect he's going to be the one the Red Viper crippled. 3. Yeah, dunno. It did seem odd that she was able to find Jon away from the others. There are thing I understand that the writers do for thematic purposes but this one defies common sense. 4. My guess is that it's found early in season 4. I think it's better to save it as the end of the season shocker. I suspect that Arya will wolfdream of the BwB finding it and seeing the Lightning Lord giving the last rites but Arya will wake up or Nymeria will be spooked. Then all season we will hear of Frey's ending up dead and the final scene will be the Stoneheart reveal.

I knew people would complain about that. He's not Tywin Lannister, he has smiled more than once and even barked a laugh in the 1st Jon chapter is ADwD.

Walder Frey and Roose Bolton mentioned that the Blackfish escaped

7. Was just a setup episode for season 4. But not at all upset by no Coldhands or Stoneheart. Bran's entire ASoS storyline was used up, he's going to need something to do and that should lead to being found by Coldhands. And Stoneheart was the epilogue, which is season 4!

Some tiny complaints, but it was as heart wrenching as I thought it would be. I'm going to be haunted by Michelle Fairley's wail. 10

Indeed....she LITERALLY got his blood UP. :P

Never if they go by the book. Betrayed her House once, she lost her wolf. Betrayed her House twice, she lost her father.