[book spoilers] TV Margaery vs Book Margaery

[Daske]

For me book Marge really wasn't all that interesting at all, a rare time when Martin failed to deliver the goods when fleshing out his characters. There was just nothing to get excited about. But TV Marge grabs my attention ('Oh! What's she up to now!'... 'Ooooh sneaky!') and I disagree with whoever said it doesn't take much skill to play her role - appearing to be plausable to Joffrey or Sansa yet sending out other signals to the viewer - there's quite a bit of subtlety in her performance. She has become one of the highlights of the show this season.

[The Monkey]

She fucking brilliant, one of the few characters to be improved upon in the TV show (along with Tywin and Viserys). Her and Tommen together will be the cutest thing ever.

[teemo]

I guess I'm the minority here, but I actually prefer Book!Margaery.

I always thought that Margaery was playing the game in the books. But we didn't know how well she could play. We didn't know how much was Cersei's imagination and how much was real. I often found myself questioning her actions. I would ask myself "Why is she riding horses so often and so long?" "Does she really care about Sansa or the orphans?" "Is she really a virgin?" "Is she fucking Loras? I guess Loras had something with Renly, but could it be?" I don't know maybe Cersei's paranoia is contagious, but there was this compelling mistery about Margaery.

This is exactly how I felt. One second I thought I had her figured out, the next I wasn't so sure. That was fun. If I saw the show first, I'd suspect all that intrigue would be gone.

[Former Lord of Winterfell]

Margaery in the books is studious, cunning, and ruthless, and very much her grandmother-in-training. We don't get any sense of her using sexual allure to manipulate either Joffrey and Tommen.

In the TV series, both Joffrey and Margaery are aged up. As neither is a POV in the books,they need to have scenes created for them. Margaery is clearly sexually experienced, and is able to manipulate Joffrey accordingly, and her ambition is made very obvious.

What's weird is I'm not sure that she's really using sex at all. It's possible Joffrey is such damaged goods that a sexual woman really doesn't attract him all that much absent some brutality.

I think what she's really offering Joffrey is validation and (fake) admiration from an intelligent female.He knows she's smart, she's older, but rather than treating him in that manner that his mother does, she basically affirms how great he is by showing interest in the things in which he is interested. Sansa just said words to the effect that he was wonderful. Margaery, however, showed actual interest when his violent, sadistic streak came out as he was describing the crossbow. It's like he's the psychopath who has found his like-minded partner.

Her gender matters, of course, but I think primarily in the sense that he previously had such disdain for women that finding a woman who actually (he thinks) sees the world the way he does is a good fortune he never expected.

[shiola]

I love the Tyrells. I loved them in the books and hated that they aren't PoV characters. So the fact that the show is handling them so well and is showing them to be as clever as I always assumed they were is wonderful. More Marg scenes, please.

[Theda Baratheon]

What's weird is I'm not sure that she's really using sex at all. It's possible Joffrey is such damaged goods that a sexual woman really doesn't attract him all that much absent some brutality.

I think what she's really offering Joffrey is validation and (fake) admiration from an intelligent female.He knows she's smart, she's older, but rather than treating him in that manner that his mother does, she basically affirms how great he is by showing interest in the things in which he is interested. Sansa just said words to the effect that he was wonderful. Margaery, however, showed actual interest when his violent, sadistic streak came out as he was describing the crossbow. It's like he's the psychopath who has found his like-minded partner.

Her gender matters, of course, but I think primarily in the sense that he previously had such disdain for women that finding a woman who actually (he thinks) sees the world the way he does is a good fortune he never expected.

What's weird is I'm not sure that she's really using sex at all. It's possible Joffrey is such damaged goods that a sexual woman really doesn't attract him all that much absent some brutality.

I think what she's really offering Joffrey is validation and (fake) admiration from an intelligent female.He knows she's smart, she's older, but rather than treating him in that manner that his mother does, she basically affirms how great he is by showing interest in the things in which he is interested. Sansa just said words to the effect that he was wonderful. Margaery, however, showed actual interest when his violent, sadistic streak came out as he was describing the crossbow. It's like he's the psychopath who has found his like-minded partner.

Her gender matters, of course, but I think primarily in the sense that he previously had such disdain for women that finding a woman who actually (he thinks) sees the world the way he does is a good fortune he never expected.

This is effectively my view on it aswell. Yes, she's an attractive woman, but I felt it was the approval and the false flattery and admiration that Joffrey loves. Especially when he's doing something particularly sadistic, as you've mentioned the crossbow and also his laughing over dead Targs, when Marg laughs too and flatters and admires him, this is what is winning him over.

[Dove]

Yeah, her manipulation of Joff is only sexual in the vaguest sense, in a way the whole point is that it isn't sexual and she knows that. The prostitutes last season learned the hard way that that shit don't fly with him. She's picked up on the fact that it wouldn't work on Joffrey at all so she's appealing to other facets of his personality in clever ways, because she knows how to read people and use the knowledge she's learned from others too. Margaery is awesome.

I've seen the first two seasons of the Tudors so I get the similarity complaints I guess but sorry, I can't hear y'all over the sounds of my swooning for Natalie Dormer

[Dragon greyscale]

TV Marg is way better, simply because she's fleshed out more. Cunning,strategic, and very aware of her feminine power. Kind of like Joan Harris in Mad Men. My colleagues and I were discussing the hot actresses and someone said about Dormer: "she's too feline for me." I think that's spot on in terms of her characterization. A pussycat who wraps men around her fingers with a couple of sensual purrs.

Whether Dormer is a one note actress is a different question. This particular role simply fits like a glove.

[Ferrum Aeternum]

Add me to the list of folks who loves show Margaery for all the reasons mentioned. I wasn't exactly blown away with her in S2 (admittedly she didn't have much to do) but she's been the most pleasant surprise for me of any character thus far this season.

['96Buck]

Cersei's reaction to Margarey is much less paranoid / much more well-founded watching Margarey's TV scenes than what we get to see in the book. I think I like that better.

[PhoenixFlame]

Yeah, it's part of her charm that her sexiness toward Joff doesn't involve sex (despite the crossbow insinuations). She dresses in a way most dudes would drool over, but he becomes more interested in her when she talks to him and shares his interests. What's also interesting is she has him trusting her, like when he followed her out onto the steps of the Sept. For a brief moment he looked totally lost and nervous. It had the secondary effect of proving Margaery knows better than Cersei -- the peasants don't all want to rip his throat out -- so he has even less reason to listen to mommy dearest.

Oh, Jack Gleeson comments on the Joff-Marg relationship. He's so adorable.

[kingkiller]

To me Natalie Dormer has stolen every scene she's in. I love her portrayal. In the books she has a common touch that makes the smallfolk absolutely love her (of course the Tyrells helping to save KL plus all the food they send makes it real easy for them to love her). This is the one aspect they choose to go back to in the show- she's able to make pretty much everyone like her.

Everyone drools over the QoT's prowess at the Game. Except, for me anyway, she makes it painfully apparent that she is more clever than you are. The ones to watch out for are the ones who do it behind the scenes. Margaery has learned from her grandmother but also has the wits to not lord it over people.

Season 1 belonged to Cersei, 2 to Arya, this one goes to Margaery I would say.

[Theda Baratheon]

Cersei's reaction to Margarey is much less paranoid / much more well-founded watching Margarey's TV scenes than what we get to see in the book. I think I like that better.

Yess!!!! Me too.

Cersei's hatred is very cartoon paranoid, and very inane in the books, in the TV show I'm looking forward to some actual awesome rivalry.

[TheDarkOne]

I don't see Joff being manipulated by her, I think they are genuinely falling in love with each other. I hope the show makes a change and bypasses the PW and keeps them together. They have amazing chemistry.

[Warhawk137]

I don't see Joff being manipulated by her, I think they are genuinely falling in love with each other. I hope the show makes a change and bypasses the PW and keeps them together. They have amazing chemistry.

*falls off chair*

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!! :ack:

On a more serious note, I see nothing suggesting Margaery is actually falling in love with Joffrey.

[Dove]

I don't see Joff being manipulated by her, I think they are genuinely falling in love with each other. I hope the show makes a change and bypasses the PW and keeps them together. They have amazing chemistry.

That's an... interesting reading of those scenes. :lol:

The idea of Joffrey somehow surviving is a hilarious mental image though. Wouldn't that just be the best worst brorst troll if Joffrey starts choking at his wedding, only for him to successfully cough it out and for the PW to just proceed like a normal wedding with no death or scandal. Imagine the collective internet meltdowns.

[Former Lord of Winterfell]

I don't see Joff being manipulated by her, I think they are genuinely falling in love with each other.

What qualities does Joffrey possess that would lead any decent person to fall in love with him? He's rude, immature, self-centered, and cruel. Plus, he's much younger than she is. Perhaps Margaery might aspire to change him into the kind of person she might be able to tolerate, but to this point, he's still the same shit he's always been. How can anyone fall in love with that?

[teemo]

I don't see Joff being manipulated by her, I think they are genuinely falling in love with each other. I hope the show makes a change and bypasses the PW and keeps them together. They have amazing chemistry.

sarcasm????

[Lady of Long Lake]

This is one of the few characters I actually prefer in the show than to the book, I think Dormer's doing great!

Agree. I LOVE this actress and her portrayal. She's going to be Sherlock's love, Irene Adler, in Elementary this season. I'm anxious to see her acting with him.

[PhoenixFlame]

The idea of Joffrey somehow surviving is a hilarious mental image though. Wouldn't that just be the best worst brorst troll if Joffrey starts choking at his wedding, only for him to successfully cough it out and for the PW to just proceed like a normal wedding with no death or scandal. Imagine the collective internet meltdowns.

Margaery looks away with a "dammit!" look, only to later kiss him with a crossbow during a tragic hunting accident.