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[Book Spoilers] EP305 Discussion


Ran
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Seems like a lot of people are misinterpreting Gendry's "You would be my lady" line. He wasn't saying that arya would be his wife - he was saying that if he returned with her to Riverrun, he wouldn't be friends with her anymore because she is high born and he's just a lowly blacksmith who wouldn't be allowed to talk to her.

Thank you because I did not see it that way at all, but that is most likely what he truly meant. I'm still really rooting for them to get together (I'm just starting FFC).

I think the show is beginning to link themes together extremely well. Jamie's honor/'betrayal' is addressed both in the bath scene and by Barristan, which was a nice touch. I like that they're making it easier for those who haven't read the books to understand what's going on by simplifying the sequence of events a little (Littlefinger plot/new wedding arrangements). Overall I like all of the small changes that have been brought so far because they are not significant deviations (in this season**), and some scenes were SO spot on that I almost teared up - loved ALL the scenes except the Loras one, it was a bit unnecessary..

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My impressions:

* Poor Brian Cogman! As the series' keeper of the mythology it seems that D&D have tasked him with picking up all the loose strands created by previous departures from the book and try to start putting them all back together in one episode. You can hear his wheels grinding--often awkwardly! (note how he has to explain to the audience that Barristan WASN'T on the Small Council in the TV show, lest book readers become confused)--as he strives to complete this near-impossible task.

* In other words the whole episode was almost a series of contrivances (interspersed with some highly faithful straight-from-the-book adaptations) to move the plot along. Despite some weird choices, like the gay sex spy, I still enjoyed most of it.

* Several scenes felt rushed, a consequence of ASoS being such a gargantuan narrative. Even dividing it into 2 seasons, they still have decide which parts to include/exclude in their adaptation.

* For example, The Hound trial hit all of the beats that the are present in the book--even down to details like the Hound's shield catching fire and Beric's sword shattering, yet I still felt the scene didn't give anyone time to breathe. or to see anyone respond realistically.

* By contrast, the bath scene took its time, with excellent results (though I wonder if non-book readers were bored to death by the talkiness/exposition). I found the monologue to be an excellent adaptation of the book scene, describing why the Kingslayer did what he did, and it was heartrendingly effective. Jaime's suffering was palpable--you just wanted Brienne to scoop him up in her arms and comfort him. The quiet horror/shock/pity on Brienne's face was good too.

* Other scenes high in book-faithfulness include the cave sex scene (awesome what they accomplished in little time), the Qyburn scene, the Karstark stuff, and the moving Grey Worm dialogue

* I am a pervert and in love with Gwen Christie and was trying to shamelessly leer at her body... but I think they used a body double for the posterior shots. What a shame. Naked from the shoulders up she appears quite willowy and Tilda Swinton-esque--healthy and lithe but not ripped/bulky as we might have imagined reading the books. Anyway, she looked beautiful even if she wouldn't let them shoot her naked.

* Catelyn also looked nice with her hair down. I'm cultivating a cougar crush on Michelle Fairley, especially when I see her in interviews

*Ugh! How creepy and disturbing were the preserved miscarriages in Selyse's bedchamber. I didn't care for that detail from an adaptation standpoint but as a fan of over-the-top horror atmosphere (a la American Horror Story) it was enjoyable for me. I think it was also a parody of some of the rumors about Rick Santorum who, like Selyse, is a scary religious zealot

*I did not mind the detail that Selyse knows that Mel and Stannis are boffing. If you think about it, book-Selyse is such a fanatic that she likely wouldn't mind and she is so brainwashed that she would surely say the ends justify the means. they're really making her into a campy, creepy caricature, but I'm mostly okay with that.

*While we're on the subject of Stannis's family, the Shirene scenes were sweet and sad. I liked the chemistry between her and Davos. GoT's child casting people are to be commended once again; they do such great work finding mature, natural child actors

*SHIRENE SINGS PATCHFACE'S CREEPY SONGS!! What a treat for book readers--though it makes somewhat less sense that she would be obsessed with what goes on "under the sea" than the famously shipwrecked Patchface, but that's a minor complaint. The ending credits music was hauntingly beautiful and strongly reminiscent of this interlude from the classic movie Night of the Hunter

*Olenna is a delight! Can't get enough of her one-liners

*Charles Dance is intimidating as ever; love the way he lays down the law to his willful children

As a whole, I think the episode suffered from nobly trying to juggle way too many plot threads, a weakness that many of you have already pointed out during seasons 2 and 3. I find this type of episode that warrants repeated viewings--not out of sheer pleasure like last week (how many of us replayed the Dracarys scene a few thousand times?), but because so much is happening it becomes hard to keep all the book deviations straight.

Sorry for the long post.

Edited by Khal Pono
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that cave scene OMG and jaime's bath scene turned out to be even better than in the books. loved tyrion cersei and tywin scene. loved how cersei bought it upon herself because she was the one who provided the news about sansa and she was being all smug with tyrion xD the duel was epic too best episode yet

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Thank you because I did not see it that way at all, but that is most likely what he truly meant. I'm still really rooting for them to get together (I'm just starting FFC).

I think there was a clear double meaning in the choice of Gendry's line. He meant it only one way, but it's just the show's way of pointing to something else that is also present in the books.

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* Poor Brian Cogman! As the series' keeper of the mythology it seems that D&D have tasked him with picking up all the loose strands created by previous departures from the book and try to start putting them all back together in one episode. You can hear his wheels grinding--often awkwardly! (note how he has to explain to the audience that Barristan WASN'T on the Small Council in the TV show, lest book readers become confused)--as he strives to complete this near-impossible task.

Barristan was on the Small Council in Season 1 of the show. Remember how only he and Ned argued against sending an assassin to kill Dany? It's apparent that Barristan is lying to Jorah because he doesn't want Jorah to know that he knows that Jorah was a spy for Varys.

Edit: Apologies for my error. I re-watched the small council scene (Season 1, episode 5) and Barristan was not, in fact, in attendance.

Edited by snowtarg
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I liked how they made Karstark execution look so much like Ned executing that from the Watch. They even changed his weapon to a sword and made the sword fall with just one blow. Richard Madden's movements even ressembled Sean Bean's.

Yeah I thought the same thing!

I'd say that the best parts of this episode (there were many!) were the Robb parts. Loved the Karstark beheading scene -

! Anyone catch that? I thought it was brilliant, and echoed Theon's beheading of Ser Rodrick. Also, seeing Robb actually get to come up with a clever plan at the end was nice. Honestly, it'll help provide a buildup for the climax this season.

Ah, I knew that the music was familiar!

Also, how can we not assume Talisa is a spy at this point? You should go back to your home and take vengeance on the Ironborn, of course I still don't know where your home is despite sitting here staring at your maps, and I'm not at all implying you need to cross at The Twins... Not at all...

Haha yes.

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Barristan was on the Small Council in Season 1 of the show. Remember how only he and Ned argued against sending an assassin to kill Dany? It's apparent that Barristan is lying to Jorah because he doesn't want Jorah to know that he knows that Jorah was a spy for Varys.

Good catch. Clearly this will set up for Jorah being exiled by Dany.

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Barristan was on the Small Council in Season 1 of the show. Remember how only he and Ned argued against sending an assassin to kill Dany? It's apparent that Barristan is lying to Jorah because he doesn't want Jorah to know that he knows that Jorah was a spy for Varys.

You're getting the books and the TV show confused, which Brian Cogman is fully aware of, which was my whole point.

In the show everyone is unanimous against Ned that Dany should be assassinated. There is no Barristan. I've seen all the episodes more than a dozen times. I'm deeply ashamed of myself.

Good catch. Clearly this will set up for Jorah being exiled by Dany.

It's somewhat trivial, but you're both wrong. He was not on the council in the TV show.

Edited by Khal Pono
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Best episode so far for me . They made Stannis more human with his relationship to his daughter than In the book I can't remember him interacting with his daughter at all in the book.

Considering this is episode 5 ..and we have 5 more to go . It's possible that we will get the red wedding in this season. My guess either 7 or 8 judging from the pace.

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I think the show runners really need to identify something here....the scenes they take straight from the books are always sensational. I wonder why? Some of the changes/additions they make are good, but many fall flat as well. I hope these last two episodes are an indication of the future of this adaptation as these were two of the best episodes of the series with much of the content taken straight from the book.

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