[book spoilers]What your non-reader friends/family thought and their predictions.

[bobbybuilderton]

Love it! Great way to respond to that.

My friend kept screaming YOU LIED TO ME because she threatened to google Robb Stark earlier in the season if I didn't tell her whether he lived or died (she was developing a crush on him and didn't want to get attached), and since I REALLY didn't want the RW to be spoiled for her while googling Robb, I just said, "oh he dies, but it's actually quite a peaceful death and isn't for a few more seasons." :devil: She was piiissseddd.

LOL you told her to keep watching too. hahaha evil

Not really, not people who can do battles really well. The battles in Thrones are handled in mediocre fashion tbh.

yes, that's why I didn't say people who can do battles well.

[Alistair's Pantaloons]

yes, that's why I didn't say people who can do battles well.

So you compared people who can do mediocre battles to people who can do effective betrayals? How is that fair?

[bobbybuilderton]

So you compared people who can do mediocre battles to people who can do effective betrayals? How is that fair?

I didn't compare them. I said that one is common and the other is rare. You didn't say he wants good battles, so I didn't compare good battles. I added the qualifier of good betrayals because you said he wants "battles, not betrayals" which is a sentiment that only gets expressed if the betrayal was good. To me, it's like saying "I don't want to be upset by my favorite characters being betrayed, I want to see fighting."

So, as I understood it, this person would prefer battles of any quality over betrayals that do what they're supposed to do. Since they probably wouldn't have said that if this was a "meh" betrayal.

[Donaldys I Trumpagar]

Can't imagine GoT returns to HBO next year with the same level of viewership.

Well-balanced people don't watch a drama series and become invested in (reasonably) decent and good characters over three seasons, only to watch them murdered in a ghastly way and without any impending justice being done, and say, "Ah, that was satisfying."

*Imbalanced* people feel satisfied. (Indeed, after reading some of the posts on this very board on the topics of Theon's torture, I have the sense that some disturbed people actually derive a sexual experience from it.) But that's sociopathic. And decidedly not the mindset of most people.

Book readers know that some sense of justice does in fact prevail in ASOIAF (Joffrey poisoned, Tywin killed, Cersei's walk of shame, Frey pie, Gregor, well, Frankensteined); ASOIAF isn't at all a "sometimes evil does prevail" story, if you take the long view. But some of this is admittedly a long way off.

Can the HBO series induce people to hang with it? I'm not so sure.

[DarkAndFullOfTurnips]

Book readers know that because they kept on reading. I'm sure some people will stop watching while the show will draw others who didn't yet watch, simply because of how epic the reaction has been.

Watching a TV show is much less of an investment than reading a book.

[teemo]

I think a lot of people will stay just to see if Joffrey dies. And now Tywin and Walder and Roose too. Except only two of those are dead at this point.

[bobbybuilderton]

Can't imagine GoT returns to HBO next year with the same level of viewership.

Well-balanced people don't watch a drama series and become invested in (reasonably) decent and good characters over three seasons, only to watch them murdered in a ghastly way and without any impending justice being done, and say, "Ah, that was satisfying."

*Imbalanced* people feel satisfied. (Indeed, after reading some of the posts on this very board on the topics of Theon's torture, I have the sense that some disturbed people actually derive a sexual experience from it.) But that's sociopathic. And decidedly not the mindset of most people.

Book readers know that some sense of justice does in fact prevail in ASOIAF (Joffrey poisoned, Tywin killed, Cersei's walk of shame, Frey pie, Gregor, well, Frankensteined); ASOIAF isn't at all a "sometimes evil does prevail" story, if you take the long view. But some of this is admittedly a long way off.

Can the HBO series induce people to hang with it? I'm not so sure.

Imbalance does not enter it.

I think people who get emotionally ruined by the fates of fictional characters would be the imbalanced ones. It's satisfying for people who are watching to be entertained and surprised. That doesn't mean they're "imbalanced." Hell, by your logic, every single person that enjoys ghost stories and horror movies is imbalanced.

It comes down to how capable you are of detaching yourself from people who do not exist.

[Bastard Walder]

Can't imagine GoT returns to HBO next year with the same level of viewership.

Well-balanced people don't watch a drama series and become invested in (reasonably) decent and good characters over three seasons, only to watch them murdered in a ghastly way and without any impending justice being done, and say, "Ah, that was satisfying."

*Imbalanced* people feel satisfied. (Indeed, after reading some of the posts on this very board on the topics of Theon's torture, I have the sense that some disturbed people actually derive a sexual experience from it.) But that's sociopathic. And decidedly not the mindset of most people.

Book readers know that some sense of justice does in fact prevail in ASOIAF (Joffrey poisoned, Tywin killed, Cersei's walk of shame, Frey pie, Gregor, well, Frankensteined); ASOIAF isn't at all a "sometimes evil does prevail" story, if you take the long view. But some of this is admittedly a long way off.

Can the HBO series induce people to hang with it? I'm not so sure.

Idk. No one I know is quitting the show, and this episode brought huge publicity. I think the show will peak next season.

[go joff go]

I'm not too worried. Most people who threaten to leave will say might as well watch the last episode, and then you have the hiatus for them to get over themselves. Besides I think most people are sensing that the lannisters are next and if Balon dies next episode they will know from the leeches that Joffrey will be soon.

[Alistair's Pantaloons]

I didn't compare them. I said that one is common and the other is rare. You didn't say he wants good battles, so I didn't compare good battles. I added the qualifier of good betrayals because you said he wants "battles, not betrayals" which is a sentiment that only gets expressed if the betrayal was good. To me, it's like saying "I don't want to be upset by my favorite characters being betrayed, I want to see fighting."

I think it was implied by whoever posted that. (wasn't me anyway) I don't think juxtaposing mediocre battle sequences against "excellent" betrayal sequences is a proper comparison as to which type of sequence holds more or less intrinsic value.

Can't imagine GoT returns to HBO next year with the same level of viewership.

Well-balanced people don't watch a drama series and become invested in (reasonably) decent and good characters over three seasons, only to watch them murdered in a ghastly way and without any impending justice being done, and say, "Ah, that was satisfying."

*Imbalanced* people feel satisfied. (Indeed, after reading some of the posts on this very board on the topics of Theon's torture, I have the sense that some disturbed people actually derive a sexual experience from it.) But that's sociopathic. And decidedly not the mindset of most people.

Book readers know that some sense of justice does in fact prevail in ASOIAF (Joffrey poisoned, Tywin killed, Cersei's walk of shame, Frey pie, Gregor, well, Frankensteined); ASOIAF isn't at all a "sometimes evil does prevail" story, if you take the long view. But some of this is admittedly a long way off.

Can the HBO series induce people to hang with it? I'm not so sure.

I question HBO viewer loyalty as well. It's a pretty nasty kick in the balls to be fair to them. I can understand their outrage, though I didn't expect so much of it. Twitter is raging with people allegedly canceling their HBO subscriptions, cursing GRRM's name, and saying they are "DONE" with Game of Thrones.

Simple thing is, people want justice. There's enough injustice in reality, there's no need to sit through it every Sunday night. As far as we know, nothing on the scale of the Red Wedding will happen again, but I wouldn't be surprised if Martin (attempting to be shocking and edgy) did the same shit again just to get a reaction. I don't blame people at all for not wanting to be part of that.

[bobbybuilderton]

I don't care how upset one is with the show, cancelling an entire subscription to the channel is a dumbass move. Of all the stuff you may see on this channel on any given day, THIS is what makes you unsubscribe? That's kind of sad to me.

[Donaldys I Trumpagar]

I don't care how upset one is with the show, cancelling an entire subscription to the channel is a dumbass move. Of all the stuff you may see on this channel on any given day, THIS is what makes you unsubscribe? That's kind of sad to me.

While the cable companies like to keep their viewer numbers a bit ambiguous, I read somewhere that a certain percentage of subscribers to the premium channels in fact subscribe only to see certain events or shows (i.e., the World Cup, Dexter, a boxing fight, etc.) and when it is over, they cancel. These viewers will then renew their subscription when next year's season/event, etc. comes around.

Gotta wonder how many will cancel after this season but not renew next year.

Of course it could work the opposite way: maybe they will eagerly renew, hoping to see how the Starks get justice. I hope so.

I think it's fair to say how Episode 10 handles things will give us an insight: give a hint of future justice and these non-reader viewers who are sympathetic to the Starks likely will come back. Rub their nose in it (e.g., show Joffrey cackling over the Grey Wind/Robb mutilation) and I suspect some of them are gone for good.

[mystikherb]

I had one particular friend who was absolutely devastated. Based on how much he kept talking about how much he loved the Starks, I knew he would not like it, but it was more sad to see his reaction than the event itself. He didn't talk for a few minutes, he was trying to hide tears when he did talk, and looked more sad than I've ever seen him. It was honestly worse than anything I've seen on YouTube... No loud "WHAT THE FUCK" or "NO! NO!!!"... just a broken, defeated silence.

[Kobayashi Maru]

Well I asked my non reader will he watch it after this and he said hell yeah. It's great it's like in life you don't get what you want every time and good guys don't win every time. It's good and I'm sticking with it.

[Brixon]

GRRM is an amazing writer when you think about it. To be able to stir so much emotion over a single fictonal event, for multiple years. Good job George.

[mystikherb]

GRRM is an amazing writer when you think about it. To be able to stir so much emotion over a single fictonal event, for multiple years. Good job George.

This. I don't think I've ever seen as big a reaction to an event in one episode of a tv show.

[stevanjo]

My unsullied friend knew that Robb was going to die, his own cousin (who simply has to know everything even though he hasn't red the books) spoiled him to that, but he didn't know when and how. I convinced him it will be in some time later. I watched this episode before him, and had to call him and tell him that this was a brilliant episode but it had a boring part with the wedding, but it simply had to be so because it is like that in the book. Later he told me, he knew that Walder will betray them, but had no idea it will happen so soon and in such a way. He was absolutely shocked and said that he had million questions to ask me when we see each other. I also can't wait for my other friend and his girlfriend to watch it (they are at episode 7 now). And finally i can't wait for my girlfriend to watch it, man i might not be able to defend myself from all the questions :D

[thegreatwhitebear]

My brother texted me yesterday saying everytime he closed his eyes at work he kept seeing starks being slaughtered heh heh

[Petyr Stone]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but here it goes. My brother's wife is currently pregnant and she's having their baby in a couple of months. They are both fans of the show, but they haven't been able to see the last episode yet. They haven't read the books and are totally unprepared for what is about to happen. My question is this: should i warn her against seeing this episode? It has some extremely brutal and shocking scenes, including a pregnant woman getting stabbed in the stomach. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance!

[Plume]

I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but here it goes. My brother's wife is currently pregnant and she's having their baby in a couple of months. They are both fans of the show, but they haven't been able to see the last episode yet. They haven't read the books and are totally unprepared for what is about to happen. My question is this: should i warn her against seeing this episode? It has some extremely brutal and shocking scenes, including a pregnant woman getting stabbed in the stomach. What do you guys think? Thanks in advance!

If she is a sensible soul, warn her. So that she can "prepare herself" mentally if she still decides to watch. It woud be unfortunate if she get too depressed over this, get nightmares of her own pregnancy or something.