[Poll] How would you rate episode 509?

[Tlacenka]

4/10

This episode unfortunately increased my hatred for the inappropriate changes and mixtures of storylines they've made so far.

The Wall: I didn't quite understand how they could leave Hardhome by boat and find themselves BEYOND the Wall...And showing Olly wasn't necessary as we've already seen him angry most of the times. Aliser Thorne and Sam were good though :)

Dorne: Kinda meh. Mixing up storylines of different characters again, not much happening. Well, seeing Jamie writing with his left hand was fun.

Braavos: Not sure why the Thin Man had to shout several times, Arya is not deaf. The brothel scene was tense but good, at least we now know what a disgusting **** Meryn is. And Arya lying to Kindly man about Thin Man - also a nice moment.

Mereen: I was so thrilled to see Dany deal with Jorah. I liked how she expressed disagreement on letting him fight there. I also liked how she accepted his hand....until I realized he has grayscale xD the hell is this supposed to mean?..oh well, this happens when u mix characters too much. Another weak moments for me were "men protecting fragile women" and SoH attacking one or two at a time only...and Dany making it look like she called Drogon somehow. But Drogon killing/eating everything was great xD except...what was Dany thinking, leaving all her allies in the middle of enemies while leaving xD

Ok ok, now it is only the North left cannot postpone it anymore. I didn't like Mel looking like she had known what was going to happen in the camp before it happened...also expected a bit more from the big Ramsay plan. Davos and Shireen were just awesome and so sweet (but if she is still contagious, bb Davos). The Stannis Shireen scene as well until....I couldn't believe they were going to let that happen. And making Selyse sound like the better person while being at it when she had blindly followed Melisandre for the whole time. What the...?!? Firstly they made Stannis seem like a nice person and then made him do this? This isn't the Stannis it should be, they ruined him for me and many others. When Shireen asked him if he was not cold, I am convinced he wasn't cause he was drugged by Mel. There is no other reasonable explanation for his behaviour than that. Well, at least the actors played it well.

After Hardhome setting the bar so high, I feared the finale would be disappointing, and it mostly was. As a big fan of the books, I simply cannot forgive the producers for what they did with some of my favorite characters. I feel very generous, giving it a 4/10.

[King Nothing]

Liked the episode a lot, thought Jorah was a goner once he saved Dany with the spear. The Arya storyline is not the most exciting thing but she is growing as a FM. Glad Mereen is over this season, could not have taken another season of this. Get on with it GRRM!

On Shireen & Stannis:

In the after the episode D&D confirm Shireen burning is a spoiler from Winds of Winter

[GOThooked247]

WHAT THE HECK KIND OF CRAZY MOTHER F****ER BURNS HIS OWN DAUGHTER AT THE STAKE? WHAT.THE.HELL.STANNIS.WHAT.THE.HELL.

THAT WAS SO UPSETTING. Was glad to see a mother's heartstrings finally evoked at the end, but WHAT.THE.HELL.STANNIS.

I hope there is a mutany and Mellisandre and Stannis are burned on the stake side by side. Or better yet, let the Boltons get to them.

The fighting pit scene was heartbreaking and AWESOME.

I liked the bits with Dorne.

[Thelastactionhero]

A provisional 8. Need to rewatch in the morning when more awake, and mull it over a bit more. I'm with you Phoenix that the Drogon scene wasn't entirely what I wanted it to be, but I admit it was still stirring... stirring enough that it took awhile to realize that Dany had abandoned her friend, her lover, her new advisor, and her old protector to their fates while they were surrounded by sons of the harpy...

As to the Shireen thing, horrifying and tragic. Amazing performances all around. I don't think D&D really earned the moment, though, I think they really failed to make the real desperation of the situation obvious, so I think a lot of people will balk at that. That said, I've always seen Stannis as Agamemnon to Shireen's Iphigenia, and have always supposed that Stannis would be faced with the decision of sacrificing his own daughter. His vision of a king with a fiery crown being burned to ashes may well have a glimpse of the past, re: Viserys, but to me it says that Stannis will ultimately be destroyed by what he's doing, and to me there's a lot of emotional resonance in his sacrificing his own daughter. The only reason he didn't burn Edric, besides the fact that Davos got the boy away, was being convinced that he was doing it for the wrong reasons and needed to focus on saving the realm from the Great Other.... but if at the end of things he has nothing left to win the war but the promise of what the sacrifice of king's blood can offer... well.

I've always found your reading of Stannis to be somewhat simplistic, honestly. Reducing Stannis and Melisandre to a dull Faustian narrative contradicts her POV and much of the character development we encounter throughout books 2-5. Fact is, book or show, this is just terrible story telling no matter how you try to spin it. Viewers needed someone to root for in this upcoming battle, and villanizing Stannis in this way actually effectively strips the tension from the conflict utterly. It feels like last years Superbowl now. Just two evil megapowers fighting one another with the audience left uncapitivated by virtue of the fact that neither outcome will have any emotional weight. In fact, I'd go as far to say that Roose, (not including Ramsay) is the lesser of these two evils at this point. Considering the circumstances of where we are in the books and direct quotes from Stannis (from the Justin Massey dialogue), it actually seems physically impossible, (as well as stupid), that he'd sacrifice her. He certainly doesn't sacrifice her in THIS manner, and I feel completely betrayed by the showrunners. George has stated that characters who are still alive in the books die in this season by the bundle, and I think it's far more likely that this is the case with this scene, especially if one cares to analyze the text. If I sound bitter and butthurt, it's because I am. I've been reading this series longer than most, and been a huge proponent of the television adaptation up until this season. Even with the way they tried to humanize Stannis I found myself critiquing the awful writing. Now that they've completely ruined another wonderful storyline, I'm happy to say I'm done. If my guess is wrong, and Stannis does this anyway in Winds, fine. But I wouldn't bet on it.

[Snark88]

Really enjoyed this episode. Gave it an 8. Status quo on the boards as usual it seems. Bookbabies hate what they see. Give it 2/10. Claim they're done with the show. Will be back next week, and for next season.

In other words...

https://youtu.be/gzdWPwVTWsI?t=59s

[Snark88]

double post

Edited June 8, 2015 by Snark88

[The Ghost of Rhaegar]

i gave it a 5. all 5 points for Jorah killing the Harpy with that spear.

[ChildoftheTropicalForest]

shed tears (and I knew what was coming) at Drogon's first scream,great scene finally Dany's storyline gets interesting can't wait for next week

Stannis has fully crossed over to the dark side, what will he do to when he realizes, honestly since he started burning the statues of the Seven...I've thought he'd lost his soul....confirmed when Shadow baby assassinated his brother, but this...this is just too much...if BR & SS =M she's got King's blood too....I say we have another bonfire

Dorne principals heading back to KL....Ohhhhkaaaaay

ready to see Mercy chapter with Arya & Merwyn AND Theon (YES THEON) & Sansa wall jump, Ides of Marsh @ the Wall

Edited June 8, 2015 by ChildoftheTropicalForest

[teej6]

Haven't rated yet. I'm very torn. I'll start with the things I liked:

Dany: The banter between her, Daario, Hizdahr & Tyrion was entertaining.

Drogon: up until Dany flew away on him (which wasn't all it should have been) he looked amazing.

I loved the silent communication between Dany & Jorah but I really wanted her to stop the fight.

Arya: I always love Arya but I wish they would've done more with her this episode.

Jon: again, I'm a fan but not enough of him this week IMO

Things I didn't like:

Too much Dorne. They could cut Dorne completely out & that would be ok with me.

Selyse getting all emotional & trying to stop the burning & Stannis standing his ground. It makes no fucking sense. Selyse has always been cold & distant from Shireen. Stannis was caring with her. Why have them flip at the very last minute? Selyse is trying to convince Stannis he is doing the right thing up until about a second before she changes her mind? Stupid.

I'm not sure how I feel about Shireen being burned. It definitely shocked me. Especially after last week Stannis told Mel to gtfoh when she suggested it. This is a man who survived on rats & shoe leather or whatever to hold a castle for his brother but doesn't even wait to see how far they can get on the butchered horses before he decides to burn his own child alive? Doesn't really make sense in the show. If he ends up burning her in the book I think it will be done much better.

I'm sad for Shireen. That was heartbreaking. Clutching her little deer, screaming for her parents. Terrible.

I think I'll have to watch it again before I rate it.

^ This. Book Stannis held a castle for his brother while he and his men were starving. And now he burns his own daughter because his army loses its food supply. And whatever D&D may say on Inside the Episode, I don't believe GRRM will show Stannis as he is currently in the books, stand and watch his daughter burn. Something drastic has to happen before he does that not because Ramsay and his 20 commandos burnt his food stores. D&D has whitewashed Cersei, Tyrion, and Dany on the show and made Stannis into this inhumane being. Like a poster above said, now if they ever show the Battle of Ice, why would people ever want Stannis to win.

Edited June 8, 2015 by teej6

[PoorLollys]

7/10

Though I admit that seems high....

Arya spotting Trent was just handled poorly. Instead of just trying to sell him a cockle with vinegar, she follows him (oysters in tow) to a whorehouse and then enters the whorehouse with a tray of said oysters? This was more ridiculous than the sand snake slap game.

Can Ollie die already?

I always believed Shireen would be burned in the books, so it didn't come out of nowhere for me and I don't see it as treasonous to the source material as some. not to say it wasn't disturbing. if a kind-hearted little girl being burnt alive doesn't disturb you a little, you probably suck.

I think they did Dany's dramatic scene a disservice by having it follow Shireen's burning. I think the effects were marginal at best, but it's hard to complain on that score given how challenging a scene it must've been to try and choreograph.

Bottom line, I think this episode suffers from what has ailed the show all season...awkward, almost stilted scene blocking combined with questionable decisions on key plot points and mediocre dialogue.

Then again, Drogon.

[boojam]

Got Daznak's Pit almost right, so I give em 10 for that.

[Rrrrrrrreal High Sparrow]

I just rated an episode of my favorite show a 1. What a steaming pile of dookie.

[Darth Pipes]

1/10. In fairness, the last 15 minutes were good but the rest was ****ing awful. D&D's character assassination of Stannis is complete. The Dorne storyline has been a track wreck. Please explain to me how it's better than Jaime's Riverlands storyline...

[WarLord]

9/10.

Loved the burning and the dragon scene.

[El Guapo]

I gave it an 8, pretty solid episode all around.

[sastelise]

I gave it a 9. Any time something terrible happens to a morally good character, people score low. But I think Shireen's horrible murder by her father's command is fulfilling a GOT theme that started with Ned Starks beheading: you kinda suspect it's going to happen, but you can't believe it; you hope something will prevent it at the last minute; and after the fact, you think it can't be true.

The Mereen arena scene was pretty good; Dany flying away is one of my favorite scenes in book 5, and I think the show did a good job with it. My only quibble is with Jorah touching Dany in the end. Isn't he contagious?

Also, b-bye Meryn Trant. Your days are numbered.

Edited June 8, 2015 by sastelise

[dooog]

One of the better episodes of S5 so i'd give it a 7 or 8

- Dorne wasn't quite as crap as it usually is, although the game of slaps between the sand snakes was a stupid waste of time

- Daznak's pit was done almost perfectly so credit where it's due it was superb. Didn't like how greyscale Jorah grabs Daenerys though

- Arya's scenes were fine but too much time establishing that Meryn is a pedo for SHOCK! value

- The Wall was okay, but they had to include that stupid child yet again

- And finally Shireen... her scene with Davos made her subsequent demise too predictable. Her scene with Stannis afterwards was excellent and the sacrifice was very well done, though most people here probably won't be able to see that through their rage

[Slingingstones]

Worse piece of seamanship ever. Why didn't the convoy of Hardhome survivors make landfall south of the wall? Jon could've showed the Wildlings their new home "the Gift" as they marched toward Castle Black to muster in.

Stannis is without honor. At least a Renegade wouldn't kill his children until the price of scalps went up.

His sellsword army is no better, it seems. Caught with their kilts' waistbands at knee length.

Arya--smart as paint. Somethings a bit fishy in this brothel. Somehow it works.

Uncle Jamie--Bronn was coerced to abandon Lollys for this? Hope Jamie makes it worth the while.

Mr. Greyscale touched Dany's hand. Tyrion saves Missandei. Harpys on toast, a brand of Sriracha.

Score: Five (5)

[Baron Bazunor the Twisted]

Hmm...Stannis finally shows his true colors.

Yup. Hoping Ramsay wins now. No more of #TeamStannis for me, heh.

[teej6]

Here's a line from that moron Dan Weiss (and for the record I think he's dumber than Benioff) in an EW interview "Stannis has been burning people alive for seemingly trivial reasons since season 2, yet we’ve still tended to regard him as a great leader—at least, by Westeros standards." In the books, Stannis never burned people for "trivial reasons," and if that's what the showrunners want to show, then they've created a character that is not the Stannis in the books.