[BOOK SPOILERS] EP101 Discussion, Mark II

[fitheach]

After reading both threads, I think it's safe to say people will bitch about anything.

Well duh... :P

[Lannister? Barely knew 'er]

Man, I'm so glad we got that screen shot with the Others and the sword. Holy shit! A crystal fucking sword! That is so awesome I can barely stand it. It looks like a vicious icicle of death. And then there's the other Others back there in the mist? All talking in their broken ice language? Soooo cooool.

I tried to get a good screenshot of the closeup of Gared's face with the sword behind him - this is the best I could do.

Then there was that brief but weighty glance that passed between Jon and Robb when Jon found puppy Ghost; that for me really reinforced how close they are and that despite what other people say, Robb considers Jon to be his brother 100%.

This weighty glance will result in countless works of slash fanfic. Plus, puppies!

[Lord Godric]

This weighty glance will result in countless works of slash fanfic. Plus, puppies!

I love the clear shot of Ghost and his red eyes in that picture!

[Songstress]

Finally got to watch the DVR'd episode with my friend who actually has HBO (easier to pay her family for the extra cost of adding it for a few months than to pay $85/month to subscribe to cable plus HBO myself)...

She hadn't read the books, so it was fun to watch her reactions. She definitely found Viserys stripping Daenerys for her bath and the following gratuitous boob-shot a bit skeevy... The direwolf puppies squee-worthy... Her crack about Jason Momoa during the wedding scene: "Shhh, you talk to much. Just sit there and look pretty, why don't you?"

The pre-feast shaving scene she didn't mind until they started to cut Jon's hair, which she liked quite a lot. And of course the obligatory reaction to the final scene: "Wait. Wait wait. Isn't that.... ISN'T THAT HIS SISTER????", followed by an utterly stunned silence at "The things I do for love".

I can't wait to watch the rest of the season with her, knowing what's coming. :D

[LugaJetboyGirl]

I tried to get a good screenshot of the closeup of Gared's face with the sword behind him - this is the best I could do.

This weighty glance will result in countless works of slash fanfic. Plus, puppies!

The sword is really fantastic. It looks like a hunk of smooth ice. Mad props to the props department, for sure. Thanks for the photo, Lannister.

And I fear you're correct about Robb's Weighty Glance. These poor actors. They have no idea what they are in for.

Songstress, thanks for the description of your friend's reaction. Hilarious!

[MattTaz]

I really enjoyed the show and just had a few thoughts:

I was suprised at MY OWN reaction to Jaime & Cersei having sex. I guess I got used to it from the books, but seeing it visually

on TV was disturbing

I hated Jaime in the first 2 books but came to like him through his relationship with Brienne. I think the TV series will

be going some to make his TV character quite as likeable.

Tyrion and The Hound were talking quite amicably before the Hunt???

The mystery of Jon's mother must have a big TV series punch or it is a complete waste of time.

The minor choices have become less in my mind and the favourite

has become a certainty for me - (not sure whether I can mention her name here or not)

Sansa is going to shit me. What little we saw of her, she is going to piss off a lot of people. As opposed

to Arya who just may steal the show :)

[Axon]

I told my girl what happens to Arya - she demanded to know, as she already loves the character - and she didn't even know what to say.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

About the "white walkers". When Tyrion is talking to LC Mormont on the Wall, Mormont tells him that "the fisherfolk near Eastwatch have glimpsed white walkers on the shore". It seems kind of odd that this information wouldn't have been a bigger deal on the Wall, that he wouldn't have conveyed this information to Winterfell, or that Benjen wouldn't have mentioned it to Ned. Even if Ned might not have completely believed it, he most likely wouldn't dismiss a report from Mormont out of hand, and Mormont's dialog makes it sound like he does believe that something is out there.

I think this is the first time the term is used in the book, and I don't remember where else it is - is it definitely meant to refer to the Others? (Although, even if it isn't, wights should have been a pretty big deal too).

Yes - Old Nan and Osha (I believe) both use "White Walkers" as a euphamism for the Others.

[Quoth]

This has likely been discussed already, but I've not the strength to wade through two lengthy threads.

A box of snakes for a wedding gift (and where was Samuel L. Jackson, BTW)? Did someone comment it was from Dorne? My thoughts ran in this order:

1.) W.T.F?!

2.) Needed to show yet again what an alien culture Dany's getting involved with?

3.) Is Dorne particularly known for snakes...? Hmmm. Poison... Red Viper...? Seriously confused now.

4.) Is is some sort of GRRM added TV layer of foreshadowing as an easter egg for the fandom? Beware of Dornishmen bearing gifts...?

I was really puzzled by that shot.

Also, I love how the books make me love, then hate, then love most characters. Prime example, of emotional backing by me in the books, is Jaime. Hated him, had grudging respect, then began rooting for him. But in the TV series...? Either the actor portraying him is so damn freakin excellent, or the character's been adapted for the show in a really strange way... It's just that I wonder how in the world I'll ever come to approach liking him. :lol:

[legba11]

Since it's come up a few times, I have to say something about the snakes.

Maybe it's not that weird of a present to a Dothraki Khal. Did folks expect him to get that slow cooker they had on their registry at Macys? Perhaps a diaper genie for the stallion who'll mount the world.

Maybe they were pets. or food. or a warning.

I don't think it's likely they are from Dorne. When we finally got to see some of motives of the Dorne Prince (forgot his name, think he was referred to as a prince though), he is clearly a VERY cautious man. Any gift he gave Drogo would not be given publicly. Also, he was working the Viserys angle at this time.

[Quoth]

Since it's come up a few times, I have to say something about the snakes.

Maybe it's not that weird of a present to a Dothraki Khal. Did folks expect him to get that slow cooker they had on their registry at Macys? Perhaps a diaper genie for the stallion who'll mount the world.

Maybe they were pets. or food. or a warning.

I don't think it's likely they are from Dorne. When we finally got to see some of motives of the Dorne Prince (forgot his name, think he was referred to as a prince though), he is clearly a VERY cautious man. Any gift he gave Drogo would not be given publicly. Also, he was working the Viserys angle at this time.

:lol: Exotic, yeah, I get. But a "Box o' Snakes" just seems really "out there". And I agree (unless the Dorne reference was actually from dialogue I missed?) That the tie to Dorne would be odd and ill conceived. When I read about the Dornish machinations in AFFC, it blew me away and would believe they'd be much more clandestine about their leanings.

[Cold Hands-Hot Pie]

Replying to thoughts coming in my head as I'm reading replies:

-about Viserys. I thought the actor was perfect. One person commented that they didn't think he was realistic; that it didn't seem like 'waking the dragon' was much of a threat.

My response is that's the point. Viserys IS NOT A DRAGON. Everyone knows it but Dany and him too; he might be the last male Targaryen, but that doesn't make him a Dragon. He can terrorize Dany and some slave girls who have been told to serve him, but for everyone else he's just a powerless pawn-- they might try to use his claim to the throne but have little use for him. Jorah and Dany will have that conversation later.

I think there were a couple of points that captured it perfectly--when Dany was introduced to Drogo and then Drogo just rode away. Viserys came running up and said 'Where's he going' is such a perfect pathetic way

-about Tyrion and the whores. I thought the scene was a little ham handed personally, like many. But on 2nd thought, it might be just right. Remember, most of our looks at Tyrion and whores is thru his eyes in the books. In the movie we get a neutral view from the cameras perspective. And to EVERYONE BUT TYRION this is what his lifestyle looks like. His father goes so far as to threaten to kill whores he with in an effort to control him. That kind of response is not what you'd see if Tyrion was anything approaching discrete. 4 whore Tyrion is probably an accurate portrayal of the character.

-about Sansa. As someone else mentioned she hit her notes perfectly. At the banquet, when Cersei calls her up they are chatting and then Cersei brings up menstration. Sansa's face falls, she fidgets and glances at Cat. Perfect. Sansa is about songs and fairy tales. Menstration is messy--not what she likes to spend time thinking about, she is obviously uncomfortable. She wants to marry a prince, but obviously hasn't had the first thought about what else that will involve, like the actual production of an heir.

Cersei is also perfect in this scene. She is obviously testing Sansa and you can just see the calculations in her mind about what kind of girl this is.... and then she changes the subject to one where she knew Sansa would be comfortable and ends the interview.

[Lord O' Bones]

Interesting to note that after only one episode we've seen eight characters of which four will (more or less) directly murder the other four.

[Balefont]

Interesting to note that after only one episode we've seen eight characters of which four will (more or less) directly murder the other four.

Well well well. Look who decidied to show up. Gen Chat dead right now or something? :P

[Lord O' Bones]

Well well well. Look who decidied to show up. Gen Chat dead right now or something? :P

No bj threads.

Or anything else that can hold my attention.

ETA: I do find that interesting though.

Edit2: and as much as the fl00b makes me want to stick to the MLB and NHL threads only, I am watching the show. The HBO one, not so much the fl00b one.

[Khalasar]

And on yet another viewing, this time with my finger on the pause button-

When Sansa and Arya are doing their needlework, Sansa has an elaborate pattern that Septa Mordane praises, while Arya is struggling to cross-stitch the alphabet ... but she skipped the letter I. The top row reads ABCDEF, the middle row GHJKL.

I don't think this is an oversight, but rather a hint at the development of her character in the future fourth seasons. Her involvement with the Faceless Men requires abandoning her identity -- there will be no "I" for Arya. Wheels within wheels, people!

Well, she doesn't find needlework to be particularly relaxing...

[legba11]

On the added Lannister scenes:

I think there were simple ways to establish the Lannister children's characters and more importantly their relationships to each other. I thought they were effective at that (In addition to some other benefits already mentioned in the thread).

We did not get a Tyrion/Cersei establishment scene yet, but their relationship is by far the simplest. Very black and white compared to most in the books. (Though in the first book Cersei was very black and white also, it's clear the TV is going to give her complexity right away)

[Dragonfish]

I don't think it's likely they are from Dorne. When we finally got to see some of motives of the Dorne Prince (forgot his name, think he was referred to as a prince though), he is clearly a VERY cautious man. Any gift he gave Drogo would not be given publicly. Also, he was working the Viserys angle at this time.

I know I read somewhere (a few months ago) that the man in the turban was supposed to be a Dornish envoy. Ran, are you able to confirm or deny this?

[Whitering]

I don't recall Tommen and Myrcella in the show yet. Is that an oversight on my part?

[Slick Mongoose]

I don't recall Tommen and Myrcella in the show yet. Is that an oversight on my part?

They were there, when the King rode in to Winterfell. The camera didn't linger on them though.