It hurt my soul to see Sam getting beaten up

[H.P.]

I have the biggest soft spot for Samwell Tarly, the huge sweetheart, the intelligent, kind-hearted, sensitive boy whose girth may be voluminous but is far surpassed by the size of his heart. I just want him to be happy and safe. I'm a male, but I think I'm having major maternal feelings for this person. And I also think he's cute, in a small-child-like kind of way.

I generally flinch when harsh words are thrown Sam's way, so you can imagine how I felt when he got badly beaten up in this episode. Seeing a clenched fist make contact with his sweet sensitive face, and the way his featurs contorted in agony afterwards, was literally the worst thing I've seen in this show since Oberyn got his head crushed back in season 4. And it just when on and on, punch after punch after punch.

Several times during that scene, I pictured myself in my mind's eye running into that room with a longsword and chopping the heads of both perpetrators, no questions asked. IMO, they got off way too easily. After Ghost had arrived, I was hoping for at least one body part to be ripped off.

[Warg Arry]

Gotta say I'm right there with you. I'm so surprised he got up after that. I wouldn't have blamed him if he did pass out.

It was agony to watch. And it was too much.

I know it gives us the sense that the men of the NW are brutal and that things are quickly spiralling now Jon isn't there.

But it was not a fun or enjoyable (on any level) moment.

A Stark crack theory I read; may be considered book based spoilers.

Jon left Ghost there to protect Sam and Gilly. While also keeping an eye on the place through warging.

So Jon came to Sam and Gilly's rescue through Ghost and there will be hell to pay when he gets back to the wall. After seeing what happened and who was involved.

It's most likely not the case. Since we didn't get a shot of Jon doing the Warging thing in relation to the moment Ghost comes in.

But I love it because if true - Stark warging YAY and also might make another theory about an upcoming story point true.

But

I'm guessing not. It's Game of Throne and still some how I stupidly hold onto hope.

[Philpenn]

Thought it was a great scene for Sam. Shows he's growing. Sure he got his ass kicked and had no shot at doing anything with that sword, but Sam of old wouldn't have even got back up.

[Dolorous Gabe]

I think John Bradley is doing a fine job of playing him. His growth as a character has generally felt organic and that's reflected in his performance.

Although - and this is an issue with the writing, not Bradley - I did think some of his achievements during the Battle at Castle Black were somewhat unrealistic and after those achievements it didn't really make sense for him to be mocked by the moniker Sam The Slayer any more. His growth has been quickened for the show but that's understandable.

[Good Guy Garlan]

Leave it to D&D to get the

Dareon the Singer

scene backwards

[Lord Damian]

Sam is a fighter when he has something or someone to fight for and he loves Gilly and her baby. He attacked and killed an Other for her and he was prepared to fight to the death for her too. Sam just has no self asteem but his love for her brings the Tarly out in him.

[Philpenn]

Had the white walker beat him up as bad as the two brothers did as opposed to just shoving him out of the way, I don't imagine he would have got back up.

[Joe Pesci]

Watching him get beat down made me think back to an earlier episode this season when people were training in the yard and Gilly asked him why he wasn't training. He dropped the killing a WW and a Thenn line as his reasoning, plus that he isn't a new recruit. I'll give him credit for getting back up, but you'd think with what he knows is coming he would at least try to learn a bit more of fighting even though he is a steward.

[DemiNymph]

Assault is never fun to watch, no matter whom may be the target.

[Tyrion's Third Wife]

Thought it was a great scene for Sam. Shows he's growing. Sure he got his ass kicked and had no shot at doing anything with that sword, but Sam of old wouldn't have even got back up.

THIS. I felt that this was a turning point for Sam.

[Lord Damian]

THIS. I felt that this was a turning point for Sam.

Yes, he is a good man amongst scum of the earth in the Nights Watch.

[stannisismyking]

Sam is a beautiful character.

I love Gilly too and that scene was one of the hardest ever to watch for me.

Dear God just let Sam and Gilly have a happy ending

[Lord Damian]

Sam is a beautiful character.

I love Gilly too and that scene was one of the hardest ever to watch for me.

Dear God just let Sam and Gilly have a happy ending

It was a very misplaced scene, wrong place, wrong time.

[WinterRaven]

A Stark crack theory I read; may be considered book based spoilers.

Jon left Ghost there to protect Sam and Gilly. While also keeping an eye on the place through warging.

So Jon came to Sam and Gilly's rescue through Ghost and there will be hell to pay when he gets back to the wall. After seeing what happened and who was involved.

It's most likely not the case. Since we didn't get a shot of Jon doing the Warging thing in relation to the moment Ghost comes in.

But I love it because if true - Stark warging YAY and also might make another theory about an upcoming story point true.

But

I'm guessing not. It's Game of Throne and still some how I stupidly hold onto hope.

I doubt that Jon even knows he can do that yet. He hasn't even met

Varamyr Sixskins

yet.

[Hodor's Dragon]

Hey, I love Sam as much as anybody, but you don't really understand Sam if you don't realize he was born to get his ass kicked.

Sure, he's spunkier than he thinks he is, and he got lucky with the Other, but he's in no way, shape or form ready to go 3 rounds with anybody in the Night's Watch short of Maester Aemon, and he's constantly walking a fine line of coexistence with some of the rougher sort. Whether because he was defending Gilly or just because, the only wonder is how long it took for him to suck up a real stomping. You had to know it was coming.

[Lord Damian]

Hey, I love Sam as much as anybody, but you don't really understand Sam if you don't realize he was born to get his ass kicked.

Sure, he's spunkier than he thinks he is, and he got lucky with the Other, but he's in no way, shape or form ready to go 3 rounds with anybody in the Night's Watch short of Maester Aemon, and he's constantly walking a fine line of coexistence with some of the rougher sort. Whether because he was defending Gilly or just because, the only wonder is how long it took for him to suck up a real stomping. You had to know it was coming.

Sam is not a fighter, neither is Littlefinger or Varys but they have something Sam does not, confidence in their intelligence

[H.P.]

I'll give him credit for getting back up, but you'd think with what he knows is coming he would at least try to learn a bit more of fighting even though he is a steward.

That I agree on. Sure, with his brains he's of most use doing mostly intellectual stuff, but he really ought to do more fighting practice. Would be better for his physical health too.

[Dagon]

For getting concussed like 6 times he recovered pretty well. He'd fare well in MMA. Just needs to learn how to pull guard.

[Veltigar]

That I agree on. Sure, with his brains he's of most use doing mostly intellectual stuff, but he really ought to do more fighting practice. Would be better for his physical health too.

If I were him I'd start to do mad Cardio training. Very useful the next time he has to run away from something.

[Lord Lannister]

Whatever else you want to say about the show, I think they've captured Sam's character growth nicely. Hearkening back to the prior episode title, the boy became a man today in more ways than one.