Primalsplit Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 I think the talk at the dinner table was not bad. It definitely exceeded my expectations from the show. Dickon, Randyll, the whole tarly family were actually quite like I imagined them to be. Not saying Randyll's all reactions made sense specifically, like being angry at Sam being with a wildling rather than a whore; or the fact that Sam has done manly deeds did not come to his liking. All in all, his reaction in general made some sense and that was being a dick to Sam. The moment Sam stole the sword though, was utter rubbish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Maestress Posted June 2, 2016 Share Posted June 2, 2016 What seems key to this story is Sam discovering a way to defeat the White Walkers. A lot of screen time has been given to two things: the Valyrian steel sword and Gilly/Little Sam. It seems that both of these things could be of use. We already know the ability of Valyrian steel in destroying WWs. The baby - Little Sam - is similarly unique. Little Sam has the blood of the First Men. No other man that far south can claim to be quite so purely of the blood of the First Men. I think there is a strong connection between the First Men and the magical creatures the Children of the Forest have been able to create. The White Walkers were created from the First Men. The White Walkers took Craster's sons (who all would have the blood of the First Men) to create more White Walkers. Benjen Stark, like all Starks, had the blood of the First Men - and so was or could be made into Coldhands. It seems that the blood of the First Men and the Valyrian steel are both crucial in understand how the White Walkers were created and how they might be defeated or undone. (In my opinion GRRM is unlikely to have the White Walkers destroyed - I think it is more likely that they will be converted back to men, but that's another story). I don't know what form this will take. A far-fetched guess would be someone stabbing little Sam with the Valyrian steel sword or dragon glass... Hopefully it is not quite that level of absurdity but it certainly points to the fact that Heartbane is important as a key to unlock some mysteries. I don't think anyone expects Sam to wield it and suddenly turn into a knight! I think that's primarily why Sam took it (and also it being his birthright and him being forced to denounce his birthright). Sam knew Valyrian steel was important for his quest for knowledge to beat the WWs, and there his family's sword sat all through the awkward dinner conversation. I don't think it was some intelligent ploy to get his father to the Wall - it was primarily the acknowledgement that the sword was an important enough piece of the puzzle to risk being hunted by his father's men. As for Oldtown... Becoming a Maester takes time. Events are converging very quickly now - even in the books, Sam would not have had time to become a Maester. In the books, Sam isn't accepted into training really, and the only Maester that might instruct him in magic and how to stop WWs is leaving. The introduction of Oldtown and the glass candles was important for the books - but Sam was never going to stay in Oldtown to become a Maester. Either the show is skipping Oldtown altogether, or we will get that quick glimpse of Oldtown and the glass candles to maybe steal a few good books before Sam and Gilly go on elsewhere. I agree that it is unlikely Sam wouldn't be caught by the Tarly's for quite so long, but it's not impossible so I'm willing to suspend my disbelief! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lordsteve666 Posted June 3, 2016 Share Posted June 3, 2016 What I though was utterly daft about the whole affair was that Sam freely admitted to his family and servants that the baby was his, through Gilly. But he's a man of the Night's Watch, sworn to celibacy so by freely admitting this he's just admitted to breaking his vows and nobody batted an eyelid at it? That just seemed really odd, like his whole family knew he'd been sent to the Wall to become a real man but yet he just come happily waltzing back home with a bastard child in tow?! I mean do the vows of the NW mean nothing that far south? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iona Posted June 4, 2016 Share Posted June 4, 2016 21 hours ago, Lordsteve666 said: What I though was utterly daft about the whole affair was that Sam freely admitted to his family and servants that the baby was his, through Gilly. But he's a man of the Night's Watch, sworn to celibacy so by freely admitting this he's just admitted to breaking his vows and nobody batted an eyelid at it? That just seemed really odd, like his whole family knew he'd been sent to the Wall to become a real man but yet he just come happily waltzing back home with a bastard child in tow?! I mean do the vows of the NW mean nothing that far south? Consider this: Randyll first assumed Gilly was a Molestown prostitute - so it can be assumed that even as far south as Horn Hill folks know that the Black Brother sneak out during the night to dance the horizontal mambo with Mtown working girls. It's been said that if all the NW horny goats got their heads lopped off only ghosts would guard the Wall. A Kingslayer served as the the LC of the Kingsguard, weasel Freys violated guest right at a wedding... Oaths don't mean that much anywhere nowadays. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UnViserion Posted June 5, 2016 Share Posted June 5, 2016 I really loved this scene. Randyl's a real jerk, the actors voice is perfect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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