How would you rate episode 407?

[Giorgio Corrado]

I think the Arya/Hound arc has run it's course it's time for Arya to head to a local porte and board a ship too Braavos.

[Ser Desmond Wine's Bane]

I think the Arya/Hound arc has run it's course it's time for Arya to head to a local porte and board a ship too Braavos.

There is one vitally important sequence to do first.

[solidviper]

I always rate based on how much I enjoy other episodes, and a 5/10 means average for me.

That said, this week I gave it a 6/10. Slightly above average (due to the Tyrion/Oberyn scene and Lysa scene), but no where near the intensity of the courtroom for me. (last week it was a 8 for me).

[Hielo y Fuego]

Excellent episode. 2nd. best this season behind the PW, IMO.

So many great nods to the books (i.e: Bronn's betrothal to Llolys, the Hound telling his tragic tale, Oberyn telling the story of the "little monster"). Tyrion/Oberyn was epic, of course. Only reason why I didn't gave it a 10 was no "Only Cat" in the final scene. I was really looking forward to hearing LF utter that line.

All in all, a 9 for me.

[The Abominable SnowOther]

6

first ep I have no desire to re-watch. Easily the worst of the season

[GSP]

Gave it a seven.

For reasons I can't quite put my finger on, the episode just didn't do too much for me.

Viper/Tyrion scene was solid, but probably underwhelming in effect having been book spoiled.

[Inevittable]

Have given this one a 7, which I feel like I've given to a lot of episodes lately.

Sansa and Robert/Robin's scenes aren't quite what I'd hoped, though I was very glad to see the Winterfell snow castle made it to the TV screen.

I spent most of Littlefinger's scenes laughing at Aiden's fluctuating accent so I couldn't take him seriously, but Sophie did a great job in the scene by the moon door.

Loved seeing Hot Pie, and I was glad that he actually mentioned having seen Arya. I've got so used to all the 'so close yet so far' storylines that it was nicely refreshing.

But the scene between Tyrion and Oberyn stole it for me. Even though I knew how it was going to end I was resisting the urge to get up and hug the TV when Oberyn said.... "I will be your champion." Bless.

ETA - I also quite enjoyed Dany and Daario's scene. He had some swagger, but then so did she. Seems strange that they didn't show them actually getting it on, which is either because they didn't, or because the producers got all coy about showing a woman in charge of the sexy times.

Edited May 20, 2014 by Inevittable

[rmholt]

So at least LF accent has thrown the hounds off of Tyrions which remains 1] awful and 2] variable.

[Ran]

539 votes, 8.30 rating, 9 median, 8.42 normalized average (top 5% and bottom 5% removed).

[TheonsPhantomCock]

....Only Cat" vs "Your sister"? Is it that big of an issue?

I imagine they had to make it clear for the Unsullied. Catelyn died 8 episodes ago? The look on her face was brilliantly done. It was perfectly delivered by both of them, although I have noticed LF seems to talk out the side of his mouth, which is a little off putting.

Didn't particularly like the Snow Castle scene. It was OK.

Good bits:

1. Tyrion/Oberyn was brilliant. The building emotion on T's face when O is speaking and the way O picks up the torch so his face is lit up when he says "I'll be your champion". Good stuff. Great direction. That single section said a lot about Oberyn, Tyrion, Jamie and Cersei.

2. Liked Bronn explaining his rationale to Tyrion, but obviously feeling bad about it

3. The NW scene was well done.

4. The looks between Tyrion and Jamie, discussing how awkward it would be for Tywin if Jamie said he'd be Tyrion's champion.

5. Pod, Pie and Brienne. Great scene. Loved the interplay now between Pod and Brienne. It works really well. Loved the looks they had when HotPie sat down and started talking about gravy, etc.

Sticking points:

When did Arya become Aya?

Mountain 3 is stupidly big and I was sitting there thinking he was going to be given only 1-2 lines....and sure enough. And yes, that whole scene was ridiculous. We know from previous series that he's a monster. We've already heard about the Hound being shoved in the fire, him raping and pillaging (remember the guy with the bag of fish) and he chopped the head off a frigging horse!

[jons nissa]

I suspect arya may actually give the Hound "the gift" in the show version and there will be no future gravedigger..... He made a point of showing her where the heart is

i got that feeling as well. very curious about it......

[Zachary Snow]

Pedro Pascal has another great turn as Oberyn and although he didn't have much screen time he was my favorite part. I liked most of it i just still can't get by new Daario, i hate him. i will give it a 9

[Goldfinger]

Littlefinger could say to Lysa:

“Chaos isn’t a pit. Chaos is a ladder. Many who try to climb it fail and never try again. The fall breaks them.”

9

[The Killer Snark]

I think this episode has easily been the highest rated of the season, deservedly. It shows how schizophrenic, however, the show is actually becoming. A contender for the finest episode ever following perhaps the show's worst.

[Lothar]

I gave it a 7. The three Tyrion scenes were all excellent, but those were the only scenes I'd really ever care to see again. As I said before I'm upset that they rushed through the Sansa scene, only give it a few minutes, and skipped over my favorite Sansa part in the series - the actual building of the Winterfell castle - so important and emotional to show how she misses Winterfell and such a contrast to how she wanted to leave it in the beginning of the series. I really wish the Vale stuff had been given as much time and care as the trial last week.

Other than that, the rest of the show felt like a lot of filler honestly. The Dany scenes were boring. Why not show the inside of Meereen, show some of people getting killed in the streets? Or.. why not show Jorah making a move on Dany and kissing her like in the book. I suppose they could still do it her remaining two episodes but they also have to have Jorah's betrayal, a dragon eating a kid, and the chaining of the dragons. There's so much they can do. I don't know why has her story has been so dull.

Jon's scene was bland and could have been left out. Still there's not much tension or panic. Jesus, 100,000 people are about to attack. The way they're talking, you would think 30-50 were about to attack. I've seen on other forums lots of people who haven't read the books don't even realize the battle is about to happen. Why would they really. Mance has been coming for 2 seasons.

I just don't care about the Milsandre/Selyse scene and Pod/Brienne. I feel like the show needs more focus. Last episode was great with a large portion focused on Tyrion. This time put a lot of focus on another big story. This just feels so tangential and makes the show come off as if nothing happened until the final 10 minutes. It's been a problem in a few episodes this season.

The less said about the re-introduction of the Mountain the better.

Arya and the Hound was okay. Dialogue could have been better. The way they used Rorge and Biter was pretty damn weak. If there was a big fight instead, it could have actually maybe turned into something compelling. Like the House and Arya's scene in the first episode. That was fantastic.

Edited May 21, 2014 by Lothar

[rmholt]

Arya and the Hound was okay. Dialogue could have been better. The way they used Rorge and Biter was pretty damn weak. If there was a big fight instead, it could have actually maybe turned into something compelling. Like the House and Arya's scene in the first episode. That was fantastic.

I so LOL'd on the demise of Biter and Rorge. I think if rampaging outlaws are needed for future episodes, such as Brienne's doomed stand at the Crossbow Inn, it wouldn't be contrary to the book to find more monsters. Westeros is full of them.

[JagLover]

If they nail the next 3 episodes then this could be the best season so far.

In terms of this episode only an 8 (though parts of it were a solid 10/10).

I am finding Mereen as dull on the screen as in the books, so that knocks down the score a little. I also thought the scenes at the Eyrie were a little rushed and yes the confrontation with Rorge and Biter was a little off. Dragonstone scenes seemed pointless as well.

Other than that though all pure Gold.

Tyrion, Bronn

Tyrion Oberyn

The Hound and Arya

all spot on.

[The Faceless One]

I gave it 10. Mainly because the acting was by far the best of the season and possibly the best of all 4 seasons thus far. Up to this point, most of the season has been owned, acting wise, by Charles Dance. He's been amazing and deserving of acclaim and awards.

The scene with Oberyn and Tyrion was superb and intense. I don't put much stock in the Emmys but Dinklage earned himself another with that scene alone. He didn't say much but the emotions and expressions were fantastic especially when Oberyn talked of how Cersei pinched his pecker and talked of how he killed her mother. The scenes with Bronn and Jaime were pretty good, too. Pascal has actually been a pleasant surprise despite the lack of the colorful beard, but I could have really done without them making him into a bisexual freak. Completely unnecessary.

I also loved the scene with Arya and Rorge while liking the scene with Arya and the Hound when the hound talked about his brother and father.

"He on your little list?"

"Can't be. I don't know his name."

"What's your name?"

"Rorge."

"Thank you."---Needle to the heart.

The gratuitous nudity at Dragonstone and the contrived scene with Daario in Mereen should have knocked it down to an 8 or 9, but I liked the other scenes way too much. I did like how Melissandre admitted that much of her "magic" is fake.

[Ran]

Pascal has actually been a pleasant surprise despite the lack of the colorful beard

You're thinking Daario. Oberyn has no beard.

[Ran]

555 votes, 8.30 average, 9 median, 8.46 normalized average.