How would you rate episode 403?

[I love Cersei]

It's hardly hard to say that this was the best episode for a long time. There was nothing really outstanding, no aha experience of any kind. So I won't give it a 10, but a well-earned 9 it is. I felt it was over so fast and I never got bored. Most of all, no single very bad scene was included. Usually, there's at least one of those.

Dany speaking High Valyrian is sooo good! They could not possibly have found a better actor for that role than Emilia Clarke.

[YesYourLordCraig]

I thought it was a good/ok episode. ill watch it again now and that may change. You really can't be surprised by Jamie's ways, i mean the craziest, weirdest things and situations seem to sexually turn him on. I think Dany may be getting a little too power hungry, which may not work in her favor.

[Black Wolf Smith]

I am going to try very hard not to step in any of the big piles of shit, that surround this rape topic.

I did not see anybody else bring this up, or post a link (I didn't read all 17 pages). I read a article from one of the guys behind the scene. He was going on how well the scene went, and how he thought it played straight w/ the books, in that Cersei fought it at the start and then gave into it later in the scene. I kind of saw what he was saying, but w/o Cersei saying the words she said in the book, it did not come off quite that way.

[rmholt]

I am going to try very hard not to step in any of the big piles of shit, that surround this rape topic.

I did not see anybody else bring this up, or post a link (I didn't read all 17 pages). I read a article from one of the guys behind the scene. He was going on how well the scene went, and how he thought it played straight w/ the books, in that Cersei fought it at the start and then gave into it later in the scene. I kind of saw what he was saying, but w/o Cersei saying the words she said in the book, it did not come off quite that way.

POSSIBLY she says sth next ep to tell us it was consensual. Possibly the goal was to have Jaime "hit bottom" morally, but IMHO that already happened and in any case this was going well already. In the book he just grows away from Cersei as a reaction to her rejections. Easily done on TV. If the director thought it was a turn on he needs help.

[The Killer Snark]

Black Wolf Smith - If people dropped the tone of PC-induced faux outrage at the 'butchering of Saint Jaime', they might realise that the way the scene played out was in context to the changing of the sexual power dynamic of the two characters which has been going on for episodes now without anyone mentioning it, but I moaned about that at the time and have learned to live with it. I do believe that the low ratings this ep has been getting, which is far superior to last week's, is mostly down to that one scene.

[Andros Sotherton]

A question about THE scene:

Why does Joffrey have stones on his eyes?
Can't remember what the books say about that. Could anyone inform me of this?

[Ser Desmond Wine's Bane]

A question about THE scene:

Why does Joffrey have stones on his eyes?

Can't remember what the books say about that. Could anyone inform me of this?

I think it is just something the show has added in as a bit of world building and it also helps the actors pretend to be 'dead'. With something covering your eyes you are less inclined to move your eyeballs automatically when hearing a noise and if you do, the camera doesn't see it. Jon Arryn had the same stones.

[legba11]

This was a great episode, really one of my favorites which doesn't included anything HUGE. However, the completely bungled direction of the Jaime/Cersei scene is problem and that brought it down to an 8.

[Andros Sotherton]

I think it is just something the show has added in as a bit of world building and it also helps the actors pretend to be 'dead'. With something covering your eyes you are less inclined to move your eyeballs automatically when hearing a noise and if you do, the camera doesn't see it. Jon Arryn had the same stones.

Alright! Thank you. Even though it's a guess I don't remember it from the books so it could be true.

Yeah I remember the stones from him as well. Thanks mate!

[TepidHands]

I gave it a 5. I don't like the Oberyn being turned from this scary-sexy-super-intelligent guy of the books into an oversexed sleazeball who sounds like Inigo Montoya-meets-Puss 'n' Boots from "Shrek." I don't like the Thenns as single-minded parent-eating monsters. I don't like Paedofinger and his rasp. I don't like rapey Jaime.

[Jambottle Jeebus]

It wasn't rape. She says No then makes out with him... she doesn't really resist, she wanted it...for sure... Give Alex Graves the benefit of doubt...

Afterall , Jaime's relationship is anything but normal to begin with.. Cercei get off on being manhandled.

[I love Cersei]

Before reading the comments here it never ever crossed my mind that THE SCENE could be interpreted as anything else but consensual sex. It all seemed so natural a part of their game. Passion and hunger on both sides. I think both actor's did a great job in putting that across.

Obviously, I think wrong. ;-)

[Drogon's Personal Trainer]

Before reading the comments here it never ever crossed my mind that THE SCENE could be interpreted as anything else but consensual sex. It all seemed so natural a part of their game. Passion and hunger on both sides. I think both actor's did a great job in putting that across.

Obviously, I think wrong. ;-)

Well, kissing someone, saying No, kissing him again, pulling at his clothes, and finally putting your arm around his neck and kissing him again as he bears you to the floor, certainly sent out mixed messages to me too - and I'm female. But this one will run and run - at least until the next episode where we hopefully get some resolution to what exactly it was that happened in the Sept. I know that at the end of the scene I had the same reaction I did when reading it, i.e. that those were two seriously fucked up people. In the book I was more disgusted with Cersei than Jaime to be honest. Whatever Joffrey had been, the last thing I'd want to do is shag over the corpse of my firstborn. But each to his own.

[7th-key]

Scenes going too long, clichés, again wasted time on bordellos, wildling as boogeymen... all already mentioned above here or there.

And the scene we dare not shut up about: screwed by the direction, dismissive of the attention that such subject requires when presented ambiguously and sacrificing of character development. All for shock value.

It's a 6, which I'm tempted to give a 4 for shock value.

[boojam]

This was a great episode, really one of my favorites which doesn't included anything HUGE. However, the completely bungled direction of the Jaime/Cersei scene is problem and that brought it down to an 8.

Welcome back!

This sure was an oddly controversial episode, for such a generally standard narrative episode.

The Jamie/Cersei scene looked more like a writing boggle than anything else, I was kinda MEH about it.

[Danelle]

5.

• The strongest moment for me was Tywin discussing history and politics with Tommen.
  
• The weakest moment, was of course, Jaime and Cersei in the sept. It's not just about the impact on Jaime's character, but on Cersei's as well. She was a depicted as a weak and passive person, and this is far from accurate. I wonder what their next scene is going to be about.
  

[Danelle]

A question about THE scene:

Why does Joffrey have stones on his eyes?

Can't remember what the books say about that. Could anyone inform me of this?

That's a really interesting question.

As far as I can tell, there was no mention of coins placed on his eyes during the funeral.

In fact, although funerary customs are mentioned, that particular practice doesn't appear in the books.

My guess is that it is a vague reference to the belief that the soul of the deceased has to a pay a fee to the ferryman on its way to the underworld.

Even nowadays, it is not unusual to place coins on the eyes of the deceased.

But unlike Charon's obol, which was a coin, Joffrey has stones on his eyes, painted as another pair of eyes.

Perhaps it was a subtle reference to the fact that it was important for Joffrey to be there, watching his parents having sex?

Perhaps it was a reminder of the fact that while Cersei cannot escape their past, Jaime wants to continue?

Besides, Joffrey was their firstborn and the only child left to them.

The Martells got Myrcella, Tommen was taken by Tywin, all Cersei has got is Joffrey's corpse.

I am really looking forward to the next Cersei-Tommen scene.

[The Abominable SnowOther]

That's a really interesting question.

As far as I can tell, there was no mention of coins placed on his eyes during the funeral.

In fact, although funerary customs are mentioned, that particular practice doesn't appear in the books.

My guess is that it is a vague reference to the belief that the soul of the deceased has to a pay a fee to the ferryman on its way to the underworld.

Even nowadays, it is not unusual to place coins on the eyes of the deceased.

But unlike Charon's obol, which was a coin, Joffrey has stones on his eyes, painted as another pair of eyes.

Perhaps it was a subtle reference to the fact that it was important for Joffrey to be there, watching his parents having sex?

Perhaps it was a reminder of the fact that while Cersei cannot escape their past, Jaime wants to continue?

Besides, Joffrey was their firstborn and the only child left to them.

The Martells got Myrcella, Tommen was taken by Tywin, all Cersei has got is Joffrey's corpse.

I am really looking forward to the next Cersei-Tommen scene.

I dont really have an answer to the original question, but they also did it with jon Arryn in the first season. So they kinda had no choice but to do this with joffrey also, i think

Other than that i have no clue

[Ser Desmond Wine's Bane]

I dont really have an answer to the original question, but they also did it with jon Arryn in the first season. So they kinda had no choice but to do this with joffrey also, i think

Other than that i have no clue

Possible answer here >

I think it is just something the show has added in as a bit of world building and it also helps the actors pretend to be 'dead'. With something covering your eyes you are less inclined to move your eyeballs automatically when hearing a noise and if you do, the camera doesn't see it. Jon Arryn had the same stones.

[Danelle]

I dont really have an answer to the original question, but they also did it with jon Arryn in the first season. So they kinda had no choice but to do this with joffrey also, i think

Other than that i have no clue

Yes!!!

I forgot about that!

You are right!

In the books though, Jon Arryn never appears, but there were stones on his eyes as well.

I remember thinking, while watching that scene, that perhaps it was a reference to a custom from the Vale, since stones and mountains are an important aspect of the local culture.

Another possible explanation is that since both men were highborn and their bodies were exposed before the funeral, placing stones on their eyes, ensured that ravens wouldn't eat them.

Perhaps the scene from episode 1. was a foreshadowing to the scene from episode 3. In both scenes, Jaime and Cersei discuss their relationship, in front of a dead body, and they talk about the prospect of being caught.