Raksha 2014 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Yes both my husband and I found it very repelling. He said he found it more distasteful than Shireen. I don't think it was bad as the scene of Shireen's death; the nameless young girl had a chance of surviving the rape rather than being horribly murdered (better to live scarred than die by fire, in my opinion), but it was extremely repelling, and, in my opinion, unnecessary. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humble AK Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Personally found the scene entertaining. "Too old." Haha, ah, Meryn Trant never change.What purpose does the scene serve? To show that child prostitution is alive and well in Bravos, though not totally permitted (they had to proffer unofficial wares for the task), and it gave Arya an easy method to check someone off her list, while defying imposter Jaqen. Is that sufficient for the scene to exist? I thought so, though your miles may vary whether you found it entertaining.Was it bad writing because the authors chose to include this subject matter for entertainment over any number of alternatives, in a plotline about a little girl training to be a ruthless killer and taking up a murderous side project? I guess it's a matter of opinion.I suppose one can argue that any content you don't approve of being included for the sake of entertainment could be considered bad/lazy writing. You could say that about murder, torture, fist fights and harsh words. You can even back pedal and set your own individual parameters on when it suddenly becomes acceptable to portray those previously unacceptable topics, and those who disagree with you are simply not smart enough to understand the issue.Anyway, the short of it is, I thought the scene was pretty awesome. I can understand others disagreeing though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Mulder Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Personally found the scene entertaining. "Too old." Haha, ah, Meryn Trant never change.What purpose does the scene serve? To show that child prostitution is alive and well in Bravos, though not totally permitted (they had to proffer unofficial wares for the task), and it gave Arya an easy method to check someone off her list, while defying imposter Jaqen. Is that sufficient for the scene to exist? I thought so, though your miles may vary whether you found it entertaining.Was it bad writing because the authors chose to include this subject matter for entertainment over any number of alternatives, in a plotline about a little girl training to be a ruthless killer and taking up a murderous side project? I guess it's a matter of opinion.I suppose one can argue that any content you don't approve of being included for the sake of entertainment could be considered bad/lazy writing. You could say that about murder, torture, fist fights and harsh words. You can even back pedal and set your own individual parameters on when it suddenly becomes acceptable to portray those previously unacceptable topics, and those who disagree with you are simply not smart enough to understand the issue.Anyway, the short of it is, I thought the scene was pretty awesome. I can understand others disagreeing though.Although I didn't find it funny I agree well said you convinced me. There have been a couple really funny memes made about the scene. Including one where Trant is looking at a fetus and saying too old. lol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeyne's Addiction Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm hoping (and expecting) Meryn Trant's proclivities not only provide a means for his assassination (with Arya's youthfulness as bait) but also put Arya in a really scary situation, where any manner of horrible things appear to be in store for her if she fails. [edit] I'm also hoping her recognizes her before he dies. We need a demonstration of the value of being able to change her face. Hey! What if she takes on the face of the sick girl she killed earlier this season in order to get close to him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Varysfan Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't get all the hate for this? It's ok to show rapes, decapatations, disembowelment, people burning to death, people being maples, people being hanged, people having their cocks cut off, but bring a pedophile into it and it's suddenly really bad? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cas Stark Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm hoping (and expecting) Meryn Trant's proclivities not only provide a means for his assassination, (with Arya's youthfulness as bait) but also put Arya in a really scary situation, where any manner of horrible things appear to be in store for her if she fails. Is anyone going to realistically believe she will fail? She's probably killed as many people as Trant by now. And, if the show has her almost raped it will go on the list of 'almost rapes' that the show invented for more cheap cliche drama Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Northern Scholar Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 It's not "pretty much the same thing" just because Arya faces a sexual situation.First, there is one limit to suspense of disbelief. Arya is already past her child years. People on the streets made her some remarks about her and at least they all are some perverts as well, it's kinda obvious she already attracts men's stares. She is, in no way, bait for a pedophile. There is no need to make Trant this just because Arya in the books is younger.This is one of those cases when A CHANGE FROM THE BOOKS is good and it proves that us, as readers, don't simply ask for "things just like happens in the books!". Here, it makes absolutely no sense.The thing with Mercy chapter is that it's disgusting. We are NOT SUPPOSED to root for Arya nor feel this like an empowering moment despite she manages to kill someone from her list and despite the guy is a pedo and an awful human being. It is a very sad situation, not only the scene itself but due to the set up. It's quite obviously pointed out in the chapter that Arya doesn't even menstruate, she's still a child, and there she goes, fondling a guy's cock in order to distract him and kill him She is THAT fucked up already. It's awkward. It's meant to be that way.Here, they simply made Trant the awful pervert who hurts little girls so we can say "fuck yeah, Arya!". We are not meant to cheer for her in this scene. We're meant to feel SAD she has become this. ETA: adding spoiler, sorry. Excellent response. No, an even younger Arya seduced Raff and slit his throat. I'm sorry if you can't see where D&D got their idea from. Except one is a well-written, morally ambiguous situation (the book). The other is a case, once again, of the show going so over the top to drive home a point that is cast in stark black and white terms. They could have implied Trant's predilections subtly, through a conversation with his friends. But the "too young, too young, too young, bring a fresh one," is gross and over the top. I get that they're trying to tap into Mercy, but they aren't doing it in a skillful or well-written way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perfidious Algernon Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I'm more or less in agreement w/ OP and the consensus of the thread. I just found the whole thing so boring ("Oh, we're adding more needless human shittiness that doesn't build the setting, meaningfully flesh out characters, or advance the plot? Are we back at Craster's?") that my mind wandered to more important questions:Who's watching Arya's wheelbarrow? Where was she hiding that tray? Is it, like, the brothel's tray that they lend to traveling shellfish salespeople? Is selling shellfish in the middle of a brothel really this much weirder to me than to the people on the show? Can you even smell shellfish in a brothel? Do you wash your hands after you touch the shellfish, or after you touch the girls? How did the writers resist making Arya say something like, "Clams for your cockle and cockle's for your clam!" Well Maisie is 18 now if I'm not mistaken and we all know what that means.This is the worst news possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Mulder Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't get all the hate for this? It's ok to show rapes, decapatations, disembowelment, people burning to death, people being maples, people being hanged, people having their cocks cut off, but bring a pedophile into it and it's suddenly really bad? I think some people (not necessarily in this thread) are just too sensitive for Game of Thrones, its a show that pulls no punches and a book series that pulls no punches and doesn't sugar coat or try and be politically correct. Deal with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arya442 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't get all the hate for this? It's ok to show rapes, decapatations, disembowelment, people burning to death, people being maples, people being hanged, people having their cocks cut off, but bring a pedophile into it and it's suddenly really bad? Because "the show has dark crap in it" doesn't automatically make EVERY vile scene work. By that token, showing Jon eating a half-cooked baby while laughing manically is A-ok. After all, there's been all that other dark stuff. That's a fallacy, it still has to work in-context and feel like it serves a purpose. This didn't for a lot of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ser Not Appearing Posted June 9, 2015 Author Share Posted June 9, 2015 While I agree with this, here's what we don't know: Whether this is sort of a mishmash of Dareon the NW guy and Raff from Arya's Mercy chapter. I think we might see Arya use her underage status to get close to Trant and then do the deed. In which case it makes sense to include here. We'll see what happens with it, but it seemed like that's where they were leading.Did you read the released "mercy" chapter of TWoW? Pretty much the same thing happens, and Arya is even younger in the books.Yes, I read the Mercy chapter....I even know where it's going because I read the preview chapters...There's zero doubt that this is a setup for it. But...... I'm still surprised..."Mercy" didn't show another young girl in this situation. They added that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyk65 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 How did the writers resist making Arya say something like, "Clams for your cockle and cockle's for your clam!" They didn't. Instead of your suggestion, the writers had two men yell a similar joke at Arya which suggested sexual assault. So thanks D&D for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Grandmaster Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't get all the hate for this? It's ok to show rapes, decapatations, disembowelment, people burning to death, people being maples, people being hanged, people having their cocks cut off, but bring a pedophile into it and it's suddenly really bad?It's not so much the what but the why, that's why people have a problem with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prince of the North Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't really have much of a problem with Trant taking Raf the Sweetling's place in Arya's revenge-seeking. What I have a problem with is that Trant was in no way shown to be a pedophile until the plot needed him to be. It was just more hamfisted story telling and yet more "Writing by the seat of your pants". If they were going to do it this way then they could easily have established Trant's pedophilia a bit earlier :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StarksNTargs Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't really have much of a problem with Trant taking Raf the Sweetling's place in Arya's revenge-seeking. What I have a problem with is that Trant was in no way shown to be a pedophile until the plot needed him to be. It was just more hamfisted story telling and yet more "Writing by the seat of your pants". If they were going to do it this way then they could easily have established Trant's pedophilia a bit earlier :rolleyes: Honestly, why do people even care that they made him a pedophile? Did I miss "The Awesome Adventures of Ser Meryn Trant: The untold story" or something? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DarkAndFullOfTurnips Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't really have much of a problem with Trant taking Raf the Sweetling's place in Arya's revenge-seeking. What I have a problem with is that Trant was in no way shown to be a pedophile until the plot needed him to be. It was just more hamfisted story telling and yet more "Writing by the seat of your pants". If they were going to do it this way then they could easily have established Trant's pedophilia a bit earlier :rolleyes: There's absolutely no payoff for introducing pedophelia earlier. It is what it is. It's not like we see him with older women all the time and bam suddenly he's a pedophile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fox Mulder Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't think that girl was prepubescent. Paedophiles like prepubescent girls. Trant is a ephebophile (attracted to teenagers) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Northern Scholar Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I think some people (not necessarily in this thread) are just too sensitive for Game of Thrones, its a show that pulls no punches and a book series that pulls no punches and doesn't sugar coat or try and be politically correct. Deal with it. I don't think it's a case of people being too sensitive and wanting to be politically correct. But at some point, all the "human awfulness" or excessive nudity or sexposition needs to fit the narrative and advance something. Instead, it's all too often falling into a case of being there just to shock, titillate, or because "it's HBO." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SliverOfDiamond Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't get all the hate for this? It's ok to show rapes, decapatations, disembowelment, people burning to death, people being maples, people being hanged, people having their cocks cut off, but bring a pedophile into it and it's suddenly really bad? Trouble is, there's so much of it, it's lost the story, and that makes it really naff. In fact I'm starting to think that the people who have been putting all this stuff in the show are rather sick in the head, they have to be, the way it's been done. Who's been mapled? What is being mapled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dannyk65 Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 I don't think that girl was prepubescent. Paedophiles like prepubescent girls. Trant is a ephebophile (attracted to teenagers) If you're planning on doing this in every thread where people use the P-word, it's gonna take an awfully long time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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