[BOOK SPOILERS] Best Improvisations/Book Deviations of 402

[Newstar]

That is true. But apparently one of the dwarves was played by someone named "Krysten". I don't know. It's not necessary that Penny have that connection back to the PW, so long as she loses a brother because of the Tyrion manhunt. Then again, there may not even be a Penny. I think with the right actress she could be done well and be made into a more compelling character than her book counterpart who it seems a lot of ADWD readers dislike. I'm not so deadset against her, I think their dynamic if pulled off could be interesting TV.

You know, now that I think about it, what is Penny going to teach Tyrion how to do? One on one Pig/dog jousting is out, and the War of the Five Kings bit of necessity requires five players. I guess they could reenact individual battles or something.

[Le Cygne]

- Cersei talking to Brienne about Jaime. It's a pretty big fandom ship but the hints are so subtle that it seems like there's a lot of detractors.

Is that what it is, that stops some from seeing connections? Subtlety? Or they just don't think one should care for the other, therefore they just dismiss the story. Explain it away. Pretend they are sister and brother, or not even that.

But if it's a good author, the connection is relevant to a future plot. In this case, she needs to choose, sword or noose. Why does she choose noose at first, and what might she do next, given how she feels about him?

[Lord Damian]

Added dialogue North with Bolton and Ramsay. there was such an absence of it in AFFC so between 2000-2011, virtually nothing new on Roose etc... Wow. When place into perspective. That is a long fricking time.

[Ser Desmond Wine's Bane]

Like: QoT's comment on what kind of monster murders a man at a wedding.

Unlike: 5 dwarves, at this point Balon Greyjoy and Stannis Baratheon remain unvanquished. A play where the kings enemies remain standing? Unlikely.

And yet there was a statue in the city in the last episode that showed Joffrey having a mighty victory over a direwolf with a crossbow.

Joffrey having a play at his wedding that doesn't actually tell the truth? Very likely.

[Daedric Justice]

I liked the War of the Five Kings change, but making disgusting fun of your bride's brother at the wedding seems insane, even for Joff.

_________________________

Really? More disgusting than serving Robb's head on a plate to Sansa at the feast? That was his original plan...

I'm delighted that there was no Penny. I pray to the Old Gods and New that it remains so. Pointless and boring character.

Am I reading too much into these persistent images of 'Snow' on the Iron Throne?

[DemonKing]

I loved the Renly dwarf's outfit - that huge ass crack hanging out the back and a mock Loras being ridden up front - I'll have to look again to get a better view of the other costumes. You've got to hand it to Joff, he somehow managed to come up with a show that managed to insult or embarass just about everyone.

Also I LOLed when Oberyn and his squeeze waltzed into the wedding and pasued to check out that rather lithe performance artist at the entrance.

[shiola]

Like: QoT's comment on what kind of monster murders a man at a wedding.

Unlike: 5 dwarves, at this point Balon Greyjoy and Stannis Baratheon remain unvanquished. A play where the kings enemies remain standing? Unlikely.

I see what you're saying, but that wasn't the poit of the scene. At all. The scene got across the emotion it was trying to illicit. That's why it existed.

[MarieAntoinette]

5 dwarves war

Oberyn vs. Lannisters

Jaime and Loras wedding talk

[The hairy bear]

I thought that, too, but the voice bellowing "I'm the King in the North!" is undoubtedly that of a man.

You're totally right. I completely missed that. :)

[Mithras]

It was very good to see that the pie was poisoned and the Tyrells (Margaery and Olenna) tried hard to see that Joffrey drinks the wine offered by Tyrion at the right time.

Ramsay-Roose scene was good. Roose put Ramsay in a test. If he is worthy enough to be a Bolton, he should take Moat Cailin by treachery and without losing any man. He gave him Reek to see that whether he will make use of him in this.

Olenna will be cursed as we saw her while the High Septon was speaking. The attack of the Others will be something like the Armageddon. After Mel talked about the hell they all live in, we go to Bran who is travelling north of the Wall and glimpsing the Others and wights.

ETA: I also liked the "hardships" Mel suffered in her childhood.

[six]

Both involved Cersei; Team Lannister of her and her father vs. Oberyn and Ellaria for Team Dorne, and Cersei vs. Brienne; "But you are in love with (Jaime)" - well, goddamn, what can I say to all that except WTF.

In the first battle royale, it's clear both sides can give as good as they get. I'd say the winner was Oberyn. If he could have choked Cersei with that heavy ass necklace, he'd have done it without thinking twice. Brienne's reaction after the confrontation was priceless; probably the only time she didn't have an answer for someone. I refuse to read anything into it for the future of the books; although I ship B&J, keep coming back to the fact that Cersei is the only woman Jaime's ever loved and could likely ever love. Damn shame when he kills her eventually.

He's growing out of her in the books, and apparently he likes "innocence" in women now i.e. not Cersei. I think burning her letter is a pretty big indication of moving forward, and it's not even that subtle. A part of him will of course always love her, but the text tells us his mindset has changed (the wind feels like Cersei's fingers in asos, and in affc just feels like a woman's fingers). That doesn't mean he'll be with Brienne either, but it does mean he's moving on from Cersei.

I thought all of Cersei's scene this episode were very book!Cersei, you can tell when she's in grrm's hands she becomes instantly much more interesting. But the whole episode was pretty awesome.

[Him of Seven Faces]

I thought the four slices of Widows Wail to Maester Kaeth's Lives of Four Kings and not the seven we get in Storm of Swords was a book deviation that totally ruined the episode for me... :ack:

Wolfsbane, Stormbringer, and what was the other suggestion?

Tyrion rubbed at his scarred, scabby nose yet again, and ugly habit that drew the eye to his ugly face. " You have never asked me how Robb died, or your lady mother."

"I... would sooner not know. It would give me bad dreams."

" Then I will say no more."

" That... is kind of you."

" Oh yes, " said Tyrion. " I am the very soul of kidness. And I know about bad dreams."

This was the biggest script change from episode one. Why have the tables turned and what purpose does it serve? In HBO's version of this scene Peter Dinklage has to play the culprit for a crime he did not commit. Same as with Oberyn. Same as with Catelyn. Damn Imp can't catch a break. Also the lack of " dream " references by all our characters is severely lacking in the show and I can't for the life of me understand why.

[jblair]

I liked the War of the Five Kings change, but making disgusting fun of your bride's brother at the wedding seems insane, even for Joff.

_________________________

Really? More disgusting than serving Robb's head on a plate to Sansa at the feast? That was his original plan...

I'm delighted that there was no Penny. I pray to the Old Gods and New that it remains so. Pointless and boring character.

Am I reading too much into these persistent images of 'Snow' on the Iron Throne?

Sigh. I'm not referring to the moral implications, I'm referring to the strategy. Joff knows he has to keep Highgarden as happy as humanly possible, which is why he treats Marg with such courtesy. Making fun of her beloved brother makes zero sense in this setting. Serving Robb's head to Sansa would certainly display cruelty but would have no tangible political repercussions.

[Shane the Llama]

Joffrey doesn't care about keeping anyone happy. When has he ever placed political concerns over his own sadistic desires? He also needed to keep the North as happy as humanly possible, but that didn't save Ned.

[jblair]

There is a reason in the books he always treats Margaery with unimpeachable respect, and it's not because he has suddenly been inspired by a streak of virtue. He's not a complete idiot, just a partial idiot.

[HexMachina]

There is a reason in the books he always treats Margaery with unimpeachable respect, and it's not because he has suddenly been inspired by a streak of virtue. He's not a complete idiot, just a partial idiot.

Speaking of which, I enjoyed the wedding breakfast scene, after Joffrey is presented the book by Tyrion you see the effort he goes to, prompted by the looks from Tywin, to keep his calm and not do anything untoward. Nice touch imo.

ETA: Olenna was brilliant as ever of course, and the dropping in of the Iron Bank was a nice minor deviation imo. Also quite enjoyed the idea of Locke being sent to the Wall after Jon Snow.

[Lady of Dragonstone]

Is that what it is, that stops some from seeing connections? Subtlety? Or they just don't think one should care for the other, therefore they just dismiss the story. Explain it away. Pretend they are sister and brother, or not even that.

But if it's a good author, the connection is relevant to a future plot. In this case, she needs to choose, sword or noose. Why does she choose noose at first, and what might she do next, given how she feels about him?

Maybe. I really don't know anyone personally who has read the books and doesn't believe they'll have something going on between each other, but I see online from what I can tell, that's a bit different.

I don't think Jaime has any sort of romantic affection or "love" for Cersei any longer at this point in the books. She is the only woman he has ever loved romantically, but I think it is past tense now. It's starting to take shape on the show. Personally, I believe Brienne will choose Jaime's life.

[Achilles765]

Oberyn with tywin and cersei was GREAT. And let's not forget that Ellaria has some good zingers too. "I have ten thousand brothers and sisters." I love the actors that have been cast as the Dornish so far.

Roose and Ramsay at the Dreadfort for sure, though I mourn the loss of "don't make me rue the day I raped your mother."

[Queen of Whores]

Not really a deviation, but I loved Ramsay and Locke being best mates. It made a lot of sense and was funny in a dark way.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Oberyn vs the Lannister. I love how subtle yet aggressive it was:

"So, you're a bastard?"

"Yes, where everywhere in Dorne. Like your daughter... probably already found out"

"Bastards are made by passionate people! Like you... probably know, isn't? Btw, what does it feel being replaced and old?"

"How does it feel to be a younger brother?"

"Has your brother made his testame-- I mean, how is him? How's the gout? I send him my regards. I sent the starks my regards. Starks loved my regards"

"He's fine, he has a rich man's disease. You don't have it. Is because Olenna Tyrell paid for everything?"

"We have different lives here: here we don't parade our whores"

"We don't kill women and children. And I have your grand-daughter, fucktard".