spoilers [Spoilers] Episode 101 Discussion

[The Bard of Banefort]

I’m guessing Baelor the Blessed will have the tree removed, or they plan on adding some kind of dramatic storming of the Red Keep during the war where it ends up getting burned down.

[C.T. Phipps]

44 minutes ago, dbergkvist said:

My guess: since before there even was a Valyria. After all, the Valyrians were initially dragon-less, empire-less sheep herders until some mysterious people came and taught them dragon riding. So my guess is that whoever it was that did that, did so because they wanted the world to be prepared for the Others. And they have been observing the world in secret and used glass candles or similar to send visions to Daenys and Aegon and people like that, ever since.

My idea is that the Valyrians are actually descended from people like Mirri Maaz Durr and both simultaneously shepherds and witches. They tamed dragons with giving them sheep and later blood magic.

[Lord Varys]

4 hours ago, Corvinus85 said:

Nah, it's definitely the Red Keep. Some of the stuff in the background looked like the godswood from GoT.

But it doesn't make sense to have a weirwood tree with a face there. The Andals cut down every such tree they could find south of the Neck. Plus, I think every tree in the godswood of the Red Keep was artificially planted. I doubt many trees would have grown naturally on Aegon's Hill right by the sea, especially a weirwood. But you know trees better, so maybe I'm wrong.

In the books the Red Keep lacks a weirwood for that reason. But in the show the Targaryens may have been able to plant one. Although if they did - the one there is pretty big already. It might also be possible that a wild weirwood was growing on that hill when they came and they kind of included it in their godswood. I mean - the Andals destroyed the weirwood groves, i.e. the weirwoods with faces, the weirwoods who were part of the religion of the Children and the First Men. But they may have not just hacked down weirwoods which were no part of any religious or magical ceremony. That way some of them could have survived. Or not.

Ran/Linda touch on the thing in their video. They seem to be wrong that weirwoods can't be planted, though. The Arryns tried it in the Eyrie, and it failed, but because of the rocky soil in their godswood, not because it is not possible. But I imagine it is tough business doing that.

[Lord Varys]

1 hour ago, dbergkvist said:

My guess: since before there even was a Valyria. After all, the Valyrians were initially dragon-less, empire-less sheep herders until some mysterious people came and taught them dragon riding. So my guess is that whoever it was that did that, did so because they wanted the world to be prepared for the Others. And they have been observing the world in secret and used glass candles or similar to send visions to Daenys and Aegon and people like that, ever since.

I imagine the Valyrian origin story would work much better if some actual humble people discovered the dragons in the Fourteen Flames and figured out a way to bond with them without any 'outside help'. Just makes for a better story.

Could have been that they had some primitive/traditional magic that helped them with that, but what they accomplished should be their own accomplishments, not something some other mystical people taught them.

I guess that mastering a dragon with magic is something many a (fire) sorcerer might be able to learn ... but I imagine that it is very difficult and dangerous business. The Valyrians made it much easier with their whole 'blood of the dragon' thing.

[The Bard of Banefort]

Realistically, shouldn’t Rhaenyra have been attending her mother during the birth (and Alicent too, for that matter)?

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

So I've listened to some casual viewers talking, and many loved the intercutting between the child labor and the tourney fighting. So again, many things that might not make sense to book readers do work for a broader audience.

[C.T. Phipps]

It is rather funny:

1. The Tournament

Book Readers: Deaths during tournaments are big deals! They're breaking the rules! The deaths of highly important noble house members is being shrugged off.

Show Viewers: WOOT! That is awesome and metal.

2. The Purge

Show Viewers: Oh my God! That is awful! Daemon is a monster! He's just murdering people left and right.

Book Readers: Flea Bottom is just THAT much of a shithole and the people will love him for this.

3. Otto Hightower

Show Viewers: Oh my God, he's pimping his own daughter!

Book Readers: Well, that's pretty normal in Westeros. Also, yes, he's gross and disgusting.

[EggBlue]

6 minutes ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

So I've listened to some casual viewers talking, and many loved the intercutting between the child labor and the tourney fighting. So again, many things that might not make sense to book readers do work for a broader audience.

yes , that was a surprise . although I saw/read the reactions online . I am yet to watch the episode with some friends to see what they'll feel about the whole thing ... especially I want to know how Gold Cloaks scene sat with people.  have heard anyone talk about that?

[EggBlue]

2 minutes ago, C.T. Phipps said:

It is rather funny:

1. The Tournament

Book Readers: Deaths during tournaments are big deals! They're breaking the rules! The deaths of highly important noble house members is being shrugged off.

Show Viewers: WOOT! That is awesome and metal.

2. The Purge

Show Viewers: Oh my God! That is awful! Daemon is a monster! He's just murdering people left and right.

Book Readers: Flea Bottom is just THAT much of a shithole and the people will love him for this.

3. Otto Hightower

Show Viewers: Oh my God, he's pimping his own daughter!

Book Readers: Well, that's pretty normal in Westeros. Also, yes, he's gross and disgusting.

thankfully people will universally despise Otto ! oddly ,same could not be said for Tywin!

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

10 minutes ago, EggBlue said:

thankfully people will universally despise Otto ! oddly ,same could not be said for Tywin!

To be fair, Charles Dance did portray Tywin as a legitimate badass.

Otto is more of a mix between Tywin and Littlefinger.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Takiedevushkikakzvezdy

[C.T. Phipps]

Apparently, until the daughter pimping scene, Otto Hightower was viewed as a Ned Stark figure.

Yeah, there's a lot of people who think Daemon is being set up as the villain.

[C.T. Phipps]

Just now, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

To be fair, Charles Dance did portray Tywin as a legitimate badass.

Tywin was a legitimate monster but so damn FORMIDABLE and competent that it was like, "I mean, what he did to Tyrion was pure evil but it seems like he's one of 3 guys who could actually run a kingdom."

[EggBlue]

19 minutes ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

To be fair, Charles Dance did portray Tywin as a legitimate badass.

yes , but that's mostly just Charles Dance being a terrific actor. besides, the details of Elia Martell and her children's death was enough to show him as he is.

20 minutes ago, C.T. Phipps said:

Apparently, until the daughter pimping scene, Otto Hightower was viewed as a Ned Stark figure.

Yeah, there's a lot of people who think Daemon is being set up as the villain.

I mean I get that Daemon's viewed as the villain , but Otto a Ned Stark figure?! didn't they see him interrupting Corlys's discussion about an actual issue to talk about a party instead?!!! Ned hated tourneys!  

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

20 minutes ago, C.T. Phipps said:

Apparently, until the daughter pimping scene, Otto Hightower was viewed as a Ned Stark figure.

Ehm... I don't even know what to say about this.

[The Bard of Banefort]

10 minutes ago, C.T. Phipps said:

Apparently, until the daughter pimping scene, Otto Hightower was viewed as a Ned Stark figure.

Yeah, there's a lot of people who think Daemon is being set up as the villain.

One of the complaints from critics was that there’s no one to root for. I’ve always felt that book fans way overrate Daemon—he’s a huge villain who has no redeeming qualities beyond martial prowess, but he had a cool death, so that apparently makes him a good guy. (I also think book fans overrate Rhaenyra’s terribleness. Nothing she does holds a candle to 90% of the leaders in the main series, including Daenerys).

I don’t like violence, it was never a draw for me. I try to just kind of look past it in order to enjoy the story and characters. So it’s always unsettled me a little just how into the violence show-fans are.

[Takiedevushkikakzvezdy]

22 minutes ago, The Bard of Banefort said:

I’ve always felt that book fans way overrate Daemon—he’s a huge villain who has no redeeming qualities beyond martial prowess, but he had a cool death, so that apparently makes him a good guy. 

I'll admit, as a member of this fandom, I'm sometimes a bit afraid of "not getting the material", and not seeing what other, maybe more experienced, fans see. Daemon is a great example of this. Many fans like Daemon, and even GRRM talks about him as a quintissential "grey" character, and even ranks him as his favorite Targaryen of all (!).

But I just can't see it. He starts out as a jerk and continiues to be a jerk throughout the story. So I don't really know what to think.

Edited August 24, 2022 by Takiedevushkikakzvezdy

[Chancho]

looks like rant and rave was send to the shadow realm,

so am i the only one who think that the main actors on the dance, rhaenyra/daemon and aegon/aemond are  absolute terrible people? i wish they don't shy away from make the four of them part of the equation of what is wrong with aristocracy (on roids/dragons)... i wanna see them all suffer, too bad daemon still goes in a blaze of glory.

i hope they don't forget to give some agency to the actual cool characters, like addam, nettles, baela, daeron, rhaenys, corlys and others.

[Chancho]

2 minutes ago, Takiedevushkikakzvezdy said:

I'll admit, as a member of this fandom, I'm sometimes a bit afraid of "not getting the material", and not seeing what other, maybe more experienced, fans see. Daemon is a great example of this. Many fans like Daemon, and even GRRM  talks about him as a quintissential "grey" character, and even ranks him as his favorite Targaryen of all (!).

But I just can't see it. He starts out as a jerk and continiues to be a jerk throughout the story. So I don't really know what to think.

spot on brother, too bad he still goes in a blaze of glory, that one should get a worst offing.

[EggBlue]

on the subject of "no one to root for"... well that seems like a bit nonsense to me! Corlys and Rhaenys can easily be the ones to root for , unless the idea of Viserys marrying 12 yr old Laena comes from them instead of the Grand Maester .  Rhaenyra , Harwin , Laena and Laenor do not do anything questionable in season 1 material as far as I recall ... definitely nothing till episode 6 that's been given to reviewers . (to be honest Rhaenyra is often rendered as a worse character than she is actually written as by fans ) Criston Cole should be fairly a good normal guy until half way through the season . and I'm not even sure if Alicent will become anything like a villain till she tries to cut Luke's eye out . and later you'll have all the kids , people will easily will root for Velaryon princes , Helaena , Baella , Rhaena and (later in season 2) Daeron and even Aegon III if they flesh him out (which I believe they should) . 

Edited August 24, 2022 by EggBlue

[Chancho]

if you ever saw a police operation going up the slums here in brazil, you now for a fact that this gold cloaks operation was full of "colateral damage", that was some sick shit there, and everyone a their fathers know that was little to no process on this criminal purge, too bad there isn't brown people in king's landing, it would make easier to the gold cloacks decide whom to punish.