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[BOOK SPOILERS] Roose Bolton Scene


teemo

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I just re-watched the dinner scene and looked closer at Roose's eyes. I didn't quite notice the mismatch between McElhiney's polite words to Jaimie and Brienne (until the last line) and his really unsettling eyes when I watched it for the first time. In his last line, Roose threatens Jamie fairly bluntly but if you look at his eyes, you see that message was there all along - there's a part of Roose Bolton who would love to humiliate Jamie in a very brutal way, and his eyes give it away right from the first moments.

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Right guys, firstly it's Michael McElhatton as Roose. Ian McElhinney is Barristan..

And then I thought they should have spent longer on this scene. There were lots of lines that could have been included like 'Lannister enmity means little to Bolton', and they didn't do a lot with the levels of understanding, Jaime and Roose being on the same plane with Brienne out of her depth.

MM and NCW are great together on screen and they could have milked it.

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I remember thinking before/at the beginning of this season "they should have made Roose more of a distinct character! The creepiness, the voice." Well starting last week in ep. 5 I have definitely started to eat my words. Well done, writers. Perfect Roose.

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I agree. While the casting in general has been pretty solid, I think McElhatton is one of the best ones. I'm a big fan of his work and really don't think he gets enough credit, since he captures the spirit and vibe of Bolton perfectly.

For anyone who's interested, he's also great at comedy:

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As many have said, I thought the scene was great, wonderfully acted and the undertones were very detectable if you know what to look for. McElhatton just gets better and better, doesn't he? However, I did think the scene was too short, they could have taken away some time from the son and given it to the father.

I also wish that the sequence of Roose and Jaime departing from Harrenhal was in this episode, rather than postponed until next episode. It might have had a better flow if the dinner conversation finished, and then cut to outside where the "regards" exchange takes place.

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The only complaint I have about this scene is that it was way too short. That's only because I can stare at this man and listen to him talk all day. Those creepy up close side shots of him while he was talking were brilliant. Did he even blink? His eyes are unnatural. I slipped to my unsullied bf and told him that Roose is my favorite villain, and he asked why... me and my big mouth..

As long as we are on the topic of Boltons, am I the only one who does not like the guy who plays Ramsay? Maybe I'm just mad because I REALLY wanted cillian murphy to play the part, but I'm not digging Iwan. I know that his cruelness is supposed to be over the top, but he's overplaying the psychotic thing.. I don't know, it's hard to describe. It's not his actions, it's his demeanor and the way he talks.

And yeah, his voice does not compare to his dad's. It's very school boy-ish.

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And then I thought they should have spent longer on this scene. There were lots of lines that could have been included like 'Lannister enmity means little to Bolton', and they didn't do a lot with the levels of understanding, Jaime and Roose being on the same plane with Brienne out of her depth.

MM and NCW are great together on screen and they could have milked it.

Completely agree. As always, I think the acting is stellar...but when the scene ended, I said - that's IT??? I just couldn't help being underwhelmed. But I suppose that means MM and NCW are doing their job well, if they always leave us wanting more!

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As long as we are on the topic of Boltons, am I the only one who does not like the guy who plays Ramsay? Maybe I'm just mad because I REALLY wanted cillian murphy to play the part, but I'm not digging Iwan. I know that his cruelness is supposed to be over the top, but he's overplaying the psychotic thing.. I don't know, it's hard to describe. It's not his actions, it's his demeanor and the way he talks.

And yeah, his voice does not compare to his dad's. It's very school boy-ish.

I completely agree. Every time Ramsay was on-page (?) in the book I was literally nearly afraid myself, but I really don't get that impression from the show. If he had have kept his voice like the 'happy ending' line the whole time, I wouldn't have minded, but I found him too loud and... humorous? Not in the completely over-the-top evil troll way of the book, but like I can't take him seriously. Every time Ramsay was present in the books, everyone can agree that you took him damn seriously. Roose is perfect though, so an alright trade. I'd rather they screw up Ramsay than Roose anyway, who is my favorite character in the series, not just including villians.

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I agree. While the casting in general has been pretty solid, I think McElhatton is one of the best ones. I'm a big fan of his work and really don't think he gets enough credit, since he captures the spirit and vibe of Bolton perfectly.

For anyone who's interested, he's also great at comedy:

Well worth a watch. I don't know about anyone else, but I find it hard to credit that I'm watching the same person. Superb actor.

I thought the scene was passable, Roose coming off really really well. I did think Jaime, and Brienne were let down by the script somewhat. So many opportunities missed. But I'm not going to overly bitch.

I did miss the prunes though; I suspected after last weeks conversation between Tyrion and QOT's, that perhaps they'd go AWOL. No prunes and no leeches—what is Westeros coming to?

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Loved this scene and everything about it, but as others have noted it was too short and felt a little rushed.

Jaime will most certainly send his regards next week. D&D are RW junkies so there's no way they're passing up that opportunity.

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Jaime will most certainly send his regards next week. D&D are RW junkies so there's no way they're passing up that opportunity.

I hadn't even noticed that omission. Gods. You may slay me under your roof; leaving out that line entirely I cannot forgive.

Good scene though. Lovin' Brienne's perdy dress. Shame it's about to get all torn and bloody.

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Loved the meat prop:

- First, of course, was Jaime struggling to cut it with his one hand, then finally Brienne getting annoyed enough to help him. The Brienne part I don't recall in the books, but I thought it was hilarious

- Then, the "reprisal" when Roose reveals he is keeping Brienne but letting Jaime go, chastising him for pulling his "position" card again. I loved how Jaime came back and held Brienne's hand as she instincively clenched her steak knife.

This to me was an example of how the show can really add to the original material and make it even better.

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I actually didn't like that Roose was lightly mocking Jaime, even though some people seem to have enjoyed his lines. Roose should be more cautious, he knows after all what the wrath of Tywin Lannister could mean for him and his house. In the books Roose has a rather elaborate dialogue with Jaime in order to get his assurances that he will not be blamed for the maiming, I understand that the show can't show that, but I'd have like if they shows Roose to be a bit more calculating.

As for the 'Give Robb Stark my regards' line, if it is in the series, then it has to be in the scene where Jaime leaves the castle, not during the dinner scene. It is in essence a 'farewell' line, and I hope it stays in the series.

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I completely agree. Every time Ramsay was on-page (?) in the book I was literally nearly afraid myself, but I really don't get that impression from the show. If he had have kept his voice like the 'happy ending' line the whole time, I wouldn't have minded, but I found him too loud and... humorous? Not in the completely over-the-top evil troll way of the book, but like I can't take him seriously. Every time Ramsay was present in the books, everyone can agree that you took him damn seriously. Roose is perfect though, so an alright trade. I'd rather they screw up Ramsay than Roose anyway, who is my favorite character in the series, not just including villians.

Thank you! After I posted that comment, I totally expected for everyone to rip me apart on here, so I'm glad I'm not the only one. But yeah, like you said as long as they have Papa Bolton down (which they do, perfectly!) then that's all I can ask for as far as Boltons are concerned.

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