[BOOK SPOILERS] Rant and Rave Without Repercussion

[Cas Stark]

Speaking of Batfinger, is it me or has he toned down the accent again? He almost sounds like season 1 LF .

I thought the same. Less rasp, more normal voice.

I did like the Doran casting, which I thought I wouldn't like, but his performance was excellent, better than Indira by a long shot.

[Minsc]

And the dumb thug doesn't tell Sansa your sister's alive, and oh yeah, I also threw the Hound off a cliff, but your sister is alive, I saw her. Nope. She just throws down again. Yo Pod, Ima gonna throw down on this room full of Vale guys, go get the horses. ?

To be fair, telling someone that their sister was more willing to run away into the elements or stay with the Hound isn't a reassuring means to convince them to go with you.

[Minsc]

I did like the Doran casting, which I thought I wouldn't like, but his performance was excellent, better than Indira by a long shot.

Don't get me wrong, Alexander acted well instead my problem is that he looks nothing like what I picture Doran to look like.

[JonInVa]

Not a nitpick but did anyone notice Lena's throat bobbing up and down, like a spasm, at the beginning of her scene with the box? It was very strange. Distracting even.

[Alayne's Shadow.]

It happened cuz they composited her with Arianne. This is why they should have never cut Arianne.

Arianne Martell was never about that though. They not only cut her, they add extra that apparently comes from their minds (One finger at a time, Ellaria? Really?)

[Sharpes]

So, this always confuses me with the Faceless Men. They can change their face but not their skin right?

So, the Kindly man chooses to wear Jaqen H'ghar's face but somehow magically transforms his skin as well? o.O

[Cas Stark]

To be fair, telling someone that their sister was more willing to run away into the elements or stay with the Hound isn't a reassuring means to convince them to go with you.

As long as she's totally failing [again], she's got nothing to lose. Of course, a non mentally deranged person would have spoken to Sansa in KL when she had the chance, LOL. Eh, the whole thing was just as stupid as I thought it would be, possibly even more so.

[Minsc]

Not a nitpick but did anyone notice Lena's throat bobbing up and down, like a spasm, at the beginning of her scene with the box? It was very strange. Distracting even.

Probably nervous that she didn't reset the box correctly ensuring that it surprises both Jaime and the audience just right.

[Florina Laufeyson]

Arianne Martell was never about that though. They not only cut her, they add extra that apparently comes from their minds (One finger at a time, Ellaria? Really?)

Arianne did want some sort of vengeance. She didnt want to murder Myrcella, no. She just wanted to shit disturb in the name of vengeance. (by crowning Myrcella and shit like that) So this whole "i want to shit disturb" that Ellaria puts out in the episode reminds me of Arianne.

[Lady Grimshaw]

The hissing was weird, but kind of unsettling as well.

Ellaria...She lost the ability to control that accent when she cut her hair. lol

[Julia Martell]

It happened cuz they composited her with Arianne. This is why they should have never cut Arianne.

Except, of course, Arianne would never act that way either. She and Doran would have just sat there in silence not looking at each other and then she would run off to cry where no one could see her.

What they did was they mushed together all the Sand Snakes, dialled up all their worse qualities to 11, cast them four times, and called one of them “Ellaria Sand”.

[JonInVa]

To be fair, telling someone that their sister was more willing to run away into the elements or stay with the Hound isn't a reassuring means to convince them to go with you.

Well, She could have said something along the lines of "Your sister is alive, I saw her only weeks ago. And she made the same mistake in not accepting my help and protection. And now she is lost to us again." Really anything just to let Sansa know Arya was alive.

But I suppose for the show story to continue she had to play the failure again.

[Alayne's Shadow.]

Arianne did want some sort of vengeance. She didnt want to murder Myrcella, no. She just wanted to shit disturb in the name of vengeance. (by crowning Myrcella and shit like that) So this whole "i want to shit disturb" that Ellaria puts out in the episode reminds me of Arianne.

She did, but there's a sense of complexity to Arianne's motives. There's her relationship with Doran, her own birthright, her sense of vengeance and the fact that she cares for Myrcella. I do understand that she does want to "shit disturb", but she would never advocate for what Ellaria is planning. This makes me even more outraged with their portrayal of Ellaria.

[Le Cygne]

They have to be setting the failure up for Sansa to accept Brienne's help when offered a second time. Otherwise the scene was pointless. Unless they just want to show nobody likes her.

Everyone takes a hit on this show.

[JonInVa]

You'd think a mercenary killer like Bronn would be a bit more pissed about being played by Cersie. And there is her crippled brother handed right to him. But is he angry? Nope. "Where we going, bro? Can't trust your sister for shit it turns out but your promises I'm quite certain are Casterly Rock solid."

[JonCon's Red Beard]

Except, of course, Arianne would never act that way either. She and Doran would have just sat there in silence not looking at each other and then she would run off to cry where no one could see her.

What they did was they mushed together all the Sand Snakes, dialled up all their worse qualities to 11, cast them four times, and called one of them “Ellaria Sand”.

They still took something out of Arianne. She wanted to be proactive, that's it. Just like

Sansa is getting the "rescued by Theon" part of Jeyne Poole but not the background story

.

They took that from Arianne but took away her compassion and gave her, dunno, Darkstar's brains and Stoneheart's madness :dunno:

[Julia Martell]

Arianne did want some sort of vengeance. She didnt want to murder Myrcella, no. She just wanted to shit disturb in the name of vengeance. (by crowning Myrcella and shit like that) So this whole "i want to shit disturb" that Ellaria puts out in the episode reminds me of Arianne.

Well, no. She didn’t want to “disturb shit”, she wanted to create a situation where her own position was impossible to challenge, and “vengeance” was about 10% of her motivation. If you want to be generous with your definition of vengeance. (This may not be the best place to discuss this...)

What Faullaria’s actions should remind you of is Obara. Because they stole all of Obara’s lines and gave them to her. Though even Obara isn’t into dismembering children.

[TheHeirToDorne]

The fact that Alexander Siddig was so good as Doran (he fucking NAILED it) just makes the whole thing worse, you know. That performance deserves a better script.

Siddig was excellent as Doran (although with the pronunciation the show is giving it maybe we should starting calling him Prince Duran Duran). You're right that he was worthy of the proper Dorne storyline, which I'm bracing myself to see mangled.

As for Indira, I thought she was fine from a pure vamp/entertainment aspect, but obviously it's pure character assassination. More importantly, the audience has a connection with Ellaria - which means they're going to be on her side, even though her idea is clearly TERRIBLE. Another benefit of having Arianne is you get Doran's viewpoint through Hotah, and Arianne's, even Arys's. It's a pretty unbiased introduction to the storyline. Whatever, I've long ago given up hope that D&D have any grasp of those subtleties.

From a book reader's perspective, it's so strange to see the way the show is diverging. I know we won't get any characterization to the Sand Snakes, or have any kind of read on Ellaria now that they've mauled her. So why is it important that Doran is wary and cautious, if it's not getting foiled off of Arianne or the sand snakes or Dorne's anger? Now, it just feels like the show is looking at the footsteps of the show and choosing which ones to step in at random.

The cringing-worthy:

- Cersei being mistreated because WOMAN, PATRIARCHY. Of course a woman can't be hand, especially being such a kind and smart ruler. Uncle Kevan, screams PATRIARCHY and leaves KL. Can't you see, guys? He's empowered with his dead set MISOGINY. So smart and subtle storytelling.

That is a feature of the world in the books as much as the show. Even in the books, she's queen regent, not Hand. However it was a huge opportunity missed to not use Kevan's reasoning for the books. Yet another in a long stretch of baffling changes. There's incest. People know. It's there to use as Kevan's reasoning. But instead they change it to something that carries no weight?

[Cas Stark]

They have to be setting the failure up for Sansa to accept Brienne's help when offered a second time. Otherwise the scene was pointless. Unless they just want to show nobody likes her.

Yeah, but how is that going to work? No redemption for Theon? Or Brienne and Theon are going to help Sansa escape after Brienne is flayed a little?

But, for real. The thug would take one look at Theon in his current state, verbally abuse him and then kick him down a flight of stairs.

[Florina Laufeyson]

Well, no. She didn’t want to “disturb shit”, she wanted to create a situation where her own position was impossible to challenge, and “vengeance” was about 10% of her motivation. If you want to be generous with your definition of vengeance. (This may not be the best place to discuss this...)

What Faullaria’s actions should remind you of is Obara. Because they stole all of Obara’s lines and gave them to her. Though even Obara isn’t into dismembering children.

tbf, i cant remember much of Dorne outside of the cool stuff like Arianne. Its kind of a blur. I honestly cannot remember the separate characterization of the Sand Snakes.