[BOOK SPOILERS] Roose Bolton Scene

[Stannis the Wight]

Roose is awesome.

I like how when offered wine by Jaime he said "I don't partake" something along those lines.

[Mr Smith]

This scene was something of a disappointment for me. I really hoped we'd get to see more of who and what Roose is; the Fat Walda story would have been good. From a non book reader perspective, I wonder how this scene went down, as they probably were 100% sure Roose was Robb's man until now.

[Nezzer]

This scene was something of a disappointment for me. I really hoped we'd get to see more of who and what Roose is; the Fat Walda story would have been good. From a non book reader perspective, I wonder how this scene went down, as they probably were 100% sure Roose was Robb's man until now.

Well, most non-readers I've seen in the internet thought that Roose was betraying Robb by releasing Jaime, so they are getting it right. I think that if he mentioned Fat Walda is now his wife they would already think the freys are also going to betray Robb. Better to keep Bolton and Frey unrelated until the RW. But I also had higher expectations for this scene. The dialogue was incredible, but the scene was too short, that's all.

[bobbybuilderton]

Well, most non-readers I've seen in the internet thought that Roose was betraying Robb by releasing Jaime, so they are getting it right. I think that if he mentioned Fat Walda is now his wife they would already think the freys are also going to betray Robb. Better to keep Bolton and Frey unrelated until the RW. But I also had higher expectations for this scene. The dialogue was incredible, but the scene was too short, that's all.

Most of the ones I've seen just see it as Roose hedging his bets. They think he's just covering both sides of his ass for when this war is over.

That's of course not considering the ones that have noticed the sigil/Theon similarity.

[callmedodge]

Does anyone know why Roose denied the wine when Jaimie wanted to raise glasses for a toast? He said something like, "I don't partake.." and then Jaime remarked on how people would find that weird...Thought it was an odd little thing to fit into an already short scene.

At first i thought he might just be doing it as a precaution incase it's poison, but that didn't make sense because he's the one in charge there, so I'd figure he'd think he's safe..Am I forgetting something from the books?

Just that he doesn`t drink.

Jaime`s line is merely pointing out that Roose not drinking could be construed as him poisoning the wine and as such, any "normal" person would be suspicious around him while he`s host if he doesn`t drink his own wares. Thought it was pretty self explanatory. Guess not.

Roose is a fucking legend though. I hope he`s featured much more prominently in the next few episodes.

[MarieAntoinette]

I liked this scene. Roose was perfect,calm and cool but menacing underneath. When I first saw the actor in the last season I was disappointed, but I was totally wrong. He is a great choice.

[Garlan Marius]

Book Roose drinks hippocras, but making him a teetotaler works too for a strange trait.

[The Bear]

"I would have thought you'd have learned your lesson about overplaying your...position". Fucking love it.

I totally wanted to applaud that line. Brilliant shit. The scenes with Jaime and Brienne this season have been incredible so far and Roose was absolutely perfect.

[Sniraga]

I'm joining the Roose Bolton lovefest

Michael McElhatton is definitely giving a great performance. I especially love how completely at ease he is with his villainous ways - he doesn't look like he's trying to be cool, he just is (this sadly is something of an issue with NCW's portrayal of Jaime, IMO, and it became quite clear in this particular scene). I don't remember how humorous Roose was in the novels, but I like show Roose's sense of humour and his deadpan delivery. He's fast becoming one of my favourite (side) characters, which is great, because in the books I didn't pay him much attention... he was merely that slightly creepy turncloak and the father of the most despicable son ever.

[TheDarkOne]

The best thing from this season has been Roose Bolton. When he sends Jamie's regards to Robb, it's going to be a stand up and cheer moment for sure. Probably the coolest moment of this season, i can't wait.

[The Fourth Head]

The inflections in Roose' voice is wonderful. I loved the way he delivered the line "perhaps the safest thing to do is to kill you both and burn your bodies..."

the sheer ruthlessness of the idea was brilliantly veiled behind his mild tone, yet the way he savoured the final word "bodies" sounded to me like a hint of ecstasy surfacing just as the sentence tailed off...

[Dove]

My only possible complaint is that this scene was too short. Jaime and Brienne were wonderful together as usual, and I probably can't say anything about Roose that hasn't been said already.

McElhatton's delivery is just perfect, and he looks and acts exactly how I always pictured the character. Can't wait for more stuff from him.

[bobbybuilderton]

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.

Just like the Captain in How I Met Your Mother! So eloquently demonstrated by Marshall here.

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m8tjzoCBco1r8f82jo1_500.jpg

[lostinwesteros]

I thought Roose was a fairly weak character in the first two seasons, but now he has definitely come into his own. His manner at dinner with J and B is exactly how I pictured his being when he sat next to Catelyn at the RW. I just see him as cold, unemotional (and totally uncaring...uncaring that Ramsey murdered his son, uncaring about Ramsey's torturing adventures). Didn't he use the leeches primarily to keep his totally cruel nature from taking over (as it was with Ramsey?) That would leave him cold, unemotional, but with that undercurrent of cruelty just below the surface.

I, too, thought the scene should've been longer. One of my major complaints about all the Ramsey/Theon stuff (besides the fact that it just doesn't belong in the ASOS series) is that it takes away from the scenes that should be included, such as Jaime/Brienne. I did think maximum use of the scene, though short, was made of the interaction between Jaime and Brienne. Her reaching over almost angrily to hold his meat in place with her fork, and then especially when she put her hand on the knife beside her plate and Jaime reached over to put his hand over hers, as in "don't be impulsive, now is not the time".

About Brienne's pink dress....I guess I'm undecided. On the one hand, I just hate it, think it looks especially ridiculous on her because of its color, but on the other hand, maybe that's the point. :dunno:

[Cas Stark]

I liked this scene. Roose was perfect,calm and cool but menacing underneath. When I first saw the actor in the last season I was disappointed, but I was totally wrong. He is a great choice.

I think he's always been good, they've never given him enough lines or screen time for him to put together the quiet menace aspect of his character until this episode.

[The Fourth Head]

I think he's always been good, they've never given him enough lines or screen time for him to put together the quiet menace aspect of his character until this episode.

Keeping a low profile is his MO to allow him the freedom to exploit the Stark's trust. Menace is the last thing Roose wanted to demonstrate in season 2, particularly when all his scenes were with his liege lord. when you have to follow orders, you don't have much menace. There have been clues throughout though- cold, long lingering looks at the dead men in Harrenhal, long looks at Talisa and Robb, the subject of flaying and torture discussed casually- but it just doesn't have the same power when he is trying to keep a low profile.

The only trick I think they may have missed is to have a good closeup shot of Robb with Roose filling what little space is left in the background, out of focus, just staring at Robb when the focus of Robbs' attention was elsewhere- like on Cat or someone when receiving bad news. That could have been nicely creepy if shot just so -eyes boring into the back of Robb's head.

[Currawong]

About Brienne's pink dress....I guess I'm undecided. On the one hand, I just hate it, think it looks especially ridiculous on her because of its color, but on the other hand, maybe that's the point. :dunno:

Take it up with GRRM - pink dress is straight from the book. :D

Yes, I would have liked more time on the dinner scene, but I thought that it was a pretty good condensation of the book one. Looking forward to seeing more of Roose in future, as his quiet menace is a wonderful performance.

[Weeping Sore]

Does anyone know why Roose denied the wine when Jaimie wanted to raise glasses for a toast? He said something like, "I don't partake.." and then Jaime remarked on how people would find that weird...Thought it was an odd little thing to fit into an already short scene.

At first i thought he might just be doing it as a precaution incase it's poison, but that didn't make sense because he's the one in charge there, so I'd figure he'd think he's safe..Am I forgetting something from the books?

Roose only drank "hippocras", which was alchoholic but considered a healthful digestive. My guess is rather than explain what the hell that is, D&D decided to make Roose a teetotaller, because he likes to stay cold and in control.

[Dead The Poet]

I am loving TV Roose, and the way he underplays his menance. There was a character in classic Dr Who in the atmospheric "Pyramids of Mars" by the name of Sutekh, and that was a wonderful soft toned "evil" voice, and Roose for me comes across in a very similar manner. Too often I think shouting is overused (although Khal Drogo's passionate expression of his vision to take the Seven Kingdom's is a good example of raising your voice) and you can even see the intelligence in his eyes and manner of speaking. Probably has risen to my top three characters already.

[Lady Arwen]

You know, I've never been wild about Roose in the books. I know he's got a lot of fans, but I just never grasped his appeal. However, TV Roose is marvelous. MM's voice is truly delightful and he plays Roose with such subtlety.

I also loved how he kept carefully referring to Robb as "King Robb". I know my Unsullied friends will be surprised when...you know.