[Book spoilers] Thenn Cannibalism

[Kasporio]

TV Thenn's taste for "crow" flesh contradict their proud and organized culture as depicted in the books. the magnar in the show was creepy but totally devoid of nobility.

[protar]

TV Thenn's taste for "crow" flesh contradict their proud and organized culture as depicted in the books. the magnar in the show was creepy but totally devoid of nobility.

The Thenns in the books are still very savage despite their more organised culture. Cannibalism doesn't necessarily mean they're complete animals, for example in the books the Skaagosi have a house system similar to mainland Westeros despite being cannibals (supposedly). And besides, it's not like the book Thenns are that cultured.

[Draco_Dracul]

TV Thenn's taste for "crow" flesh contradict their proud and organized culture as depicted in the books. the magnar in the show was creepy but totally devoid of nobility.

Maybe I'm not getting something, but how is cannibalistic mutually exclusive to proud and organized?

[Chebyshov]

Maybe I'm not getting something, but how is cannibalistic mutually exclusive to proud and organized?

Not to mention half the reason they were organized is because they believe the Magnar to be a god, so they're kind of scared into obedience. And these are the guys that fight more giants than any other Free Folk.

[RhaenysBee]

This was one thing that didn't bother me in the least. First, because I have little to nothing recollection from the books of what the Thenns are like, and second, because I really don't see why it makes a difference that a random Wilding tribe is cannibal or not. I kind of expected something more dramatic, than an arm, like a head or a whole corpse or something, but that arm was not even closing to disturbing or disgusting, in my opinion. Especially compared to the mob scene when the crowd tears off the High Septon's arm and raises it in victory which was, to some extent both (disturbing and disgusting).

[Bronntosaurus]

I've got no problem with it, alhough the execution was a tad corny.

Seems to me that the show could use some "evil wildlings" for the unsullied to hate so that it's a tad less shocking when Tormund and Mance become "good guys."

[King Tommen]

someone mentioned way up the thread that Val probably won't be in the show - why? Because we didn't meet her already? I think we could meet her in the battle if Jon goes to assassinate Mance and she and Dalla are in the tent with the baby. They HAVE to have the babies in the show, because it's the whole entire plot of book 5 (right?). I think we have to have Val! She's so awesome with Queen Selyse...

If I were to remove the entire baby switcheroo plot and simply have Gilly take her own baby with Sam to Oldtown and not have any baby at all at Castle Black (or have Val involved in the story in any way), tell me exactly how that would cause a significant problem with the narrative.

I'll hang up and listen.

[Cas Stark]

This was one thing that didn't bother me in the least. First, because I have little to nothing recollection from the books of what the Thenns are like, and second, because I really don't see why it makes a difference that a random Wilding tribe is cannibal or not. I kind of expected something more dramatic, than an arm, like a head or a whole corpse or something, but that arm was not even closing to disturbing or disgusting, in my opinion. Especially compared to the mob scene when the crowd tears off the High Septon's arm and raises it in victory which was, to some extent both (disturbing and disgusting).

It was a little over the top, but it didn't really bother me, at least we can tell these wildlings apart from the rest of them. I'm wondering if they will drop the Skagos plotline and condense it with the Thenns somehow.

[protar]

If I were to remove the entire baby switcheroo plot and simply have Gilly take her own baby with Sam to Oldtown and not have any baby at all at Castle Black (or have Val involved in the story in any way), tell me exactly how that would cause a significant problem with the narrative.

I'll hang up and listen.

Impossible to answer without having TWOW. It's clearly setup for the next book, but we can't say how important whatever is being set up will be.

[RhaenysBee]

It was a little over the top, but it didn't really bother me, at least we can tell these wildlings apart from the rest of them. I'm wondering if they will drop the Skagos plotline and condense it with the Thenns somehow.

I doubt they will. Yes, at least we can tell them apart and at least we get an idea why the NW considers the wildlings a threat. Because after the climb and the Ygritte/Jon love scene, I don't think they come off as villains anymore.

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

The cannibalism itself doesn`t bother me. I am more sceptical towards the Thenn`s look and manners, they don`t seem to fit into the world of ASOIAF/GOT and look more like comic book villains, as Sean T Collins said.

[King Tommen]

The cannibalism itself doesn`t bother me. I am more sceptical towards the Thenn`s look and manners, they don`t seem to fit into the world of ASOIAF/GOT and look more like comic book villains, as Sean T Collins said.

Show can't win I guess. They get criticized when they don't incorporate more fantastical elements and then when they do create a really cool character design it's too much like a comic book.

[King Tommen]

Impossible to answer without having TWOW. It's clearly setup for the next book, but we can't say how important whatever is being set up will be.

I'll give you the possibility that Val could do something more significant in TWOW but the babies? Besides making Gilly pretty damn miserable I don't see the point of having the switching babies in there at all.

[protar]

I'll give you the possibility that Val could do something more significant in TWOW but the babies? Besides making Gilly pretty damn miserable I don't see the point of having the switching babies in there at all.

Something with Kingsblood? Seeing as that's the whole reason the switch happens in the first place.

[Cas Stark]

Something with Kingsblood? Seeing as that's the whole reason the switch happens in the first place.

I can't see the point of throwing in Dalla and her baby. Jon will send Maester Aemon away so Red Dress doesn't get any crazy ideas along with Gilly and Sam and Gilly will take the baby with her. Seems straightforward.

There would have to be some major major importance of Dalla and the actual son of Mance in upcoming books not to cut this entire sub plot.

[jarl the climber]

I'll give you the possibility that Val could do something more significant in TWOW but the babies? Besides making Gilly pretty damn miserable I don't see the point of having the switching babies in there at all.

I'm not sure if Val makes it into the series, maybe they keep Ygritte alive and she becomes the Wildling princess, what the hell is a Wildling princess anyways? There is really no such thing. The thing that would argue against it is the part her death plays in Jons character growth.

[jarl the climber]

Hairy Bear,

I agree with King Tommen above. I don't think they look like "mindless" savages. They do look terrifying though. And they are a threat because they eat people. And in the end, they might be not different from us all, but at the moment, in the show, they have to show a more formidable enemy for the battle of Castle Black. It might not be very accurate to the books, but personally I liked it.

I doubt Alys Karstark will be on the show, too.

Actually I think Alys might stay in. The Karstarks all march home in season 3 after Robb took off Lord Karstarks head, thousands of them abandoned Robb, didn't make much sense in a way but that's what happened. So it does seem like this house will be important going forward and Jon will have to repair relations like he did in the book, so I'm more like 50/50.

[Khal-a-bunga]

I'm not sure why anyone would have a problem with this, really. As was the case with Blackwater, the battle at the Wall isn't going to be as clear-cut as 'good guys versus bad guys'. There are characters on both sides of the conflict that audiences will both root for and against, as it should be. The people at the viewing party I was at were quite intimidated by the Thenn's, because they had just assumed that the majority of the wildlings '...weren't bad people; just misunderstood.'

[King Tommen]

Also, most kickass entrance music ever:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GgfZMqYH_RA#t=01m00s

They need to play that tune every time we see them this season.

[Bonesaw]

Thenns are now cannibals in the show, there will be no "House Thenn" and there may not be any marriage. Its easy to hate a cannibal and root for Tormund, who seems sane compared to these guys. Or maybe the Karstark girl shows up and marries...Tormund?? I like the theory stated above. I too was put off by their looks, they are brutal and intimidating. How do you settle a group of cannibals in Westeros?