This week's Sand Snake scene was brought to you by the most beautiful woman in the world (or else) [book spoilers]

[TheCasualObserver]

It might be a case of lowered expectations, but I really didn't find it that bad. Considering we have Sansa reminding us that she is a victim of nightly rape (in a situation that doesn't make any sense for her to be involved in) and Gilly's near miss putting her in the mood (a trope so painful I winced to see it) having one of the sand snakes expose her breasts to get one over on Bronn seems remarkably tamed compared to the other shit the showrunners are doing with female characters.

A return to the sexpositions of the past if you will.

[Gargarax]

BOOK SPOILERS:

In the books, Ariana Martell seducing Arys Oakheart was gratuitous too. I'm pretty sure Tyene is taking the role of Ariana and Bronn will probably be a mix of Arys and Darkstar. It would actually be a pretty good story if Bronn sides with the Sand Snakes, and injures Myrcella and is ultimately killed by Areo Hotah.

Except for the fact that those two were actually in love and had sex that wasn't about power ... And no, the show will not turn Bronn into Darkstar or Arys, that wouldn't work in so many ways. Hotah killing him though, that I could live with. The sooner show-Dorne is over, the better.

[Raksha 2014]

Point of this scene: Stockholm Syndrome and cardiovascular system. She flashed her tits to get his blood flowing and give him something nice. Then, once the poison started working its magic, she made him dependent on her. If they get out of prison, which they will (Oberyn isn't going to execute his nieces, and Bronn was instrumental in saving Myrcella's life), the Sand Snakes might have an ally in Bronn, and Jaime might have a problem.

I don't think Bronn is the type of man to become emotionally or sexually dependent on a woman unless the woman has a heckuva lot more to offer than a nice pair of breasts. And he's tough enough that a few days of prison time wouldn't bother him too much, especially since he is the vassal or sworn man of the uncle of the Prince's ward (and future daughter-in-law). What would turn Bronn to the Sand Snakes, what would make him dependent on them, is his life; he would betray Jaime and attack Myrcella if his life were on the line. So I do think that Tyene's poison requires repeated dosages of Tyene's antidote, as other posters have postulated. Bronn will turn his coat and go Darkstar to preserve his own imperiled life, not because he's enraptured by Tyene's tits. (unless of course they're willing to overturn Bronn's characterization these last five years just to show what a kewl seductress little Tyene is :ack: ).

[The Emberheart]

I too suspect the antidote works temporarily, with Bronn needing a constant supply (or being made to believe he needs a constant supply) to win his loyalty.

[Gargarax]

It might be a case of lowered expectations, but I really didn't find it that bad. Considering we have Sansa reminding us that she is a victim of nightly rape (in a situation that doesn't make any sense for her to be involved in) and Gilly's near miss putting her in the mood (a trope so painful I winced to see it) having one of the sand snakes expose her breasts to get one over on Bronn seems remarkably tamed compared to the other shit the showrunners are doing with female characters.

A return to the sexpositions of the past if you will.

I don't really mind about her being seductive and showing some skin. The problem is that the camera is showing her breasts from a ridiculous amount of different perspectives. It looks as though the camera intern had just kept the camera on her breasts because he was so turned on, instead of filming the other stuff ...

[aFeastForDragons]

I said here that the sand snakes would would have their boobs out and everyone got really pissed off at me. Told you so! I knew they would resort to nudity.

[The Emberheart]

I don't really mind about her being seductive and showing some skin. The problem is that the camera is showing her breasts from a ridiculous amount of different perspectives. It looks as though the camera intern had just kept the camera on her breasts because he was so turned on, instead of filming the other stuff ...

HBO probably has some under-the-table policy or agreement that each episode must contain a certain amount of nudity, simply because their rating or market research might conclude that in comparison it boosts the ratings more than that it would cause people to switch away, or such.

[Dany's Golden Fleece]

I don't really mind about her being seductive and showing some skin. The problem is that the camera is showing her breasts from a ridiculous amount of different perspectives. It looks as though the camera intern had just kept the camera on her breasts because he was so turned on, instead of filming the other stuff ...

Well to be fair, those breasts were exquisite. Certainly perked up my day.

[Good Guy Garlan]

In arguing that the scene is gratuitous, you suggest that here are appropriate uses of nudity and inappropriate uses, particularly that nudity was used as a base appeal to sexuality in this circumstance. I'm prepared to argue that the entire book series has been successful because it doesn't treat sexuality as taboo, and that your argument that the nudity is gratuitous is a gross misunderstanding of the entire premise of ASoIaF.

That it is taboo or not doesn't matter, that's just another straw man. I'm arguing that it was gratuitous from a writing perspective, as it didn't serve a purpose to advance the plot and you could've taken it out of the scene and nothing would've changed.

[Arya442]

It was dumb, but then again so was the entire scene. And by this point I've accepted that the show will take ANY opportunity to "show off some skin," so I didn't have that much of a reaction to that part of it.

[JonCon's Red Beard]

I think that's another misconception about Martin's work. He does have nudity (and gore) but never gratuitous. I can't remember any scene that it's just sex or nudity for the sake of sex or nudity.

[Good Guy Garlan]

^ Xaro's dancers in aDwD. Those were pretty ridiculous.

[The Killer Snark]

I like a bit of nudity. I think for the sake of female viewers it could be more even-handed, though. If this were UK funded, and for a predominantly UK audience, there would be equal amounts of naked women and men in it, which is only fair because it would be equally appealing to both sets of viewers: but American TV and Hollywood still has a baffling amount of prudery when it comes to the naked male form.

[The Ned's Little Girl]

I like a bit of nudity. I think for the sake of female viewers it could be more even-handed, though. If this were UK funded, and for a predominantly UK audience, there would be equal amounts of naked women and men in it, which is only fair because it would be equally appealing to both sets of viewers: but American TV and Hollywood still has a baffling amount of prudery when it comes to the naked male form.

Not disagreeing with you fundamentally, but perhaps the main reason we don't see many naked men is because it's men holding the cameras. It's not so much prudery as power.

[Arya442]

Yeah the fact that it's SO skewed in one direction is rather problematic, and I say that as a straight guy who has no problem with female nudity (provided that it's in the right context).

[robasp2]

When it comes to the naked male form.

Didnt notice Ramseys ass, Daarios ass, Theons cock(long ago :p ), Septon etc?

No GoT is not only female nudity. Just happens they show sluts a lot and you end up counting them.

[chambraigne]

straw man.

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

That said, you could have removed any number of things from the scene and had the same result. Arguing that it's "gratuitous" is an aesthetic argument grounded in puritanical misconceptions of art.

[Mingolla]

I really liked this scene, Rosabell was really good not just visually, but her acting performance as well. It was the first good dornish scene. First time SS got any real dialogue and were allowed to to display any sort of dynamic between themself. Also the direction was so much better then in the previous dornish scenes.

I hope it will lead to Arys O. or Darkstar situation. Bronn´s death was very strongly foreshadowed and there is the Checkov´s presence of Areo Hotah´s "axe". It seems very similar to how they handled Hound´s death last year. He was the main character of Arya´s storyline. Same here, Bronn is overshadowing Jaime during his mission.

[Denam_Pavel]

Indeed, Aero's axe has thrown into our faces a couple of times now. Last episode made it clear the Sand Snakes aren't good enough to show it off on. So yeah, tits were too get Bronn's poisoned blood pumping and he still needs more antidote which will get him to fight for the girls. Making this the least problamatic scene in Dorne, probably for the whole season.

[Good Guy Garlan]

You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.

That said, you could have removed any number of things from the scene and had the same result. Arguing that it's "gratuitous" is an aesthetic argument grounded in puritanical misconceptions of art.

Fine, you liked Tyene's rack, I get it. Can we move on?