I didn't know what to expect exactly. I suppose I didn't expect the whole Night King thing to end so neatly and where did Ayra jump from when she went in from the kill? How did she get past the other white walkers? It only took one episode to deal with all the undead but a remaining 3 episodes to deal with Cercei when the Night King was meant to be the biggest enemy...?
I've always found Cercei to be the biggest threat. The next few eps should be epic judging from the teasers.
"That gum you like is going to come back in style."
I liked the episode but really wanted to love it. The issues:
Awful lighting, just awful. Yeah I get that this is the Night King, and it's supposed to be dark, but this ain't the first time. What the hell was going on with the dragons flying around in dark clouds? (who knows) Seems almost like the darkness is meant to mask crappy CGI, even though their CGI when lit correctly looks great, so who knows.
Plot armor. This is a show/book that has conditioned us all to expect any major character to die at any moment. Yeah a few minor ones, Theon, Melisandre and Night crow guy, but Jamie and Ser Brienne saved each other like 30 times. A bit much. Even Ginger made it!
That aside, when I could see it, I liked it a lot. Does seem a bit strange that in an entire series entitled A Song of Ice and Fire, that Ice has already been eliminated in just one night of fighting. I guess Winter ain't coming any more for now..
But if that's the way GRRM wrote it, fine, on to the end game of thrones...
“Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Anderson
Yeah, I was thinking you drawing the parallel of "universe threat" to "home threat". The primary difference being that the Shadows were behind the home threat of course.
Hmm, maybe the dragons are the Vorlons! I guess you can also say the parallel of Sheridan dying and being brought back to life by The First One to fulfill his destiny in the Shadow war. Bran is the great machine. Arya is a ranger. Delenn is Dany. And while Martin was cruel to his main characters in the fictional realm, the Reaper was cruel to the B5 cast in real life.
WANTED: Sig-worthy quote.
The darkness didn't bother me and I understood the desire to make an artistic statement. However I did watch with all the lights off, so it was doable enough. That said, the dragon scenes in the clouds just turned out silly imo.
So what about going forward? It might be safe to assume that ep4 is setup and/or travel. ep5 is the massive Kings Landing battle (Emilia Clarke apparently said this would be even bigger than ep3). ep6 may resolve issues, denouement, and maybe segue to either the past (The Long Night) or the future? I have a feeling.
I may be a little letdown and even a bit concerned about how this show will end, due in part to what I have seen already and also experiencing L O S T P T S D. But I am also hopeful that many questions will be answered between now and then.
What are your biggest questions going into the last 3 episodes? Mine include:
1. What was Bran doing? If he can see the past and future, did he already know the outcome? How deep to his powers go? How does he factor into the last 3 episodes? Do they haul his crippled body down to Kings Landing for convenience? Is he going to warg a dragon or somehow effect the outcome?
2. Is that truly the end of TNK? Even if so, is there another power out there (the children) to deal with or something that brings this full circle to the first episode?
3. Will we see closure to Cersei's prisoners - the "shame" woman and Ellaria and Tyene Sand?
4. What/who could show up in Kings Landing that would be a total mindfuck?
WANTED: Sig-worthy quote.
If you'll recall, Arya has slipped past countless people unnoticed over the last several seasons. One of the skills she learned in Braavos (in the books, her narrative at this point was no longer as Arya, it was Cat Of The Canals).
"Ice" in A Song Of Ice And Fire does not refer to the Night King and the white walkers.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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My take is that he sent the crows and was using his powers to ensure luring the Night King his way and he knew that the only chance was to get him isloated and in a vulnerable position. I was thinking he would warg the undead dragon and I was dead wrong so I'll not guess again other than to say that Bran is not done yet as a major player. We saw that he can warg humans for example - why not warg Cerci Fucking Lannister?!
That is a good question. It does feel premature and anti-climactic but I can't imagine how TNK reassembles from thousands of TNK ice cubes... maybe there's a night king nursery beyond the wall and his successor lurks there? I mean thousands of years of the mythic evil menace and the Night Watch and it basically ends with one stab from a little girl? Well call me mad, but I'm OK with that. I think the unexpected and is part of the genius of this thing.2. Is that truly the end of TNK? Even if so, is there another power out there (the children) to deal with or something that brings this full circle to the first episode?
I hadn't thought of that but had assumed they're already dead. Regardless, I don't see them as major players going forward.3. Will we see closure to Cersei's prisoners - the "shame" woman and Ellaria and Tyene Sand?
Hmmmmm. An army of gray scales or some other overseas (non-Westros) contingent? How about a butt-load of Giants and Mastadons from the far north who were hiding out? Even the next night king with a new band of gouls. But really, I don't know at all but, perhaps like you, I expect something.4. What/who could show up in Kings Landing that would be a total mindfuck?
Just three episodes the wrap this up and then everyone can bitch and moan big time!
Forgot: one of my big questions: If Arya is such a ninja bad-ass and can assassinate Frey, TNK et. al. why the heck can't she just put on a face, sneak into King's Landing and put an end to Cersi?
Last edited by Buddhabreath; 05-02-2019 at 12:15 PM.
Tyene Sand received the kiss of death by Cersei and is most likley dead by know.
I dont think the Mountain left much of the "shame" woman after he put her to shame...
Tyene is already dead, Ellaria had to watch her die from just slightly out of reach. Damn Cersei and her poisoned lipstick. I suppose Ellaria could still be down there being tortured, but I don't imagine she has much of a role to play in anything. I could be wrong, of course! The Septa is almost certainly dead after the Mountain finished with her.
Who could show up that would be a mindfuck? Good question. I'd like to see Nymeria and her pack of wolves return to Arya - perhaps via Bran?
I think he can only warg into weak-minded humans (Hodor for example) and animals.
Well, she could well do just that! She's certainly spoken of it. But that was not the prophecy foretold to Cersei.
Ahhh, but his brother is coming for him...
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
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So we had The Battle of the Bastards
Next up: The Battle of the Bitches...
right?
George RR Martin borrowed much of his dynastic subplots from medieval English noble houses (particularly from the War of the Roses). Strategy in many battles was rudimentary or virtually nonexistent, at least on one side or another. If you look at 14th century French strategy and their pigheaded reliance on knightly cavalry charges with heavy horse, two of the greatest upsets occurred at Crecy and Poitiers, where the English, undermanned but with the weaponry innovation of the longbow, destroyed much larger armies of the French. Even several decades later in the early 15th century, the armored and tactic-resistant French had not learned a thing and were crushed by Henry V at Agincourt using the same strategy his grandfather had employed at Crecy.
The same blunder was employed at Winterfell (whether acknowledging historical battles or simply badly directed). A Dothraki cavalry charge, meant to overawe and bewilder an opponent, failed because zombies simply are incapable of fear and have no intention or inclination to retreat.
"And your little sister's immaculate virginity wings away on the bony shoulders of a young horse named George who stole surreptitiously into her geography revision."
Occasional musical musings on https://darkelffile.blogspot.com/
I'm fine with that. The question is why didn't HBO show us how she did it. Instead we get a classic example of a "Deus ex machina" plot device out of the nowhere gloomy dark clouds of bad lighting.
I would bet the Iron Throne when Martin actually reveals his version of this scene, it will not be a DEM.
How about that! Something I've assumed for decades just ain't so."Ice" in A Song Of Ice And Fire does not refer to the Night King and the white walkers.
However, I do believe I prefer my assumption as a metaphor for the entire series, Winter is Coming, Ice Dragon against Fire Dragon, etc...
“Where words fail, music speaks.” - Hans Christian Anderson
That's true, but then we never really saw how she did anything once she left Braavos and her training was complete. I suppose they could have shown her moving stealthily just beforehand, but I think the big dramatic moment was meant to come out of nowhere for the viewer as much as it did for the night king, or Walder Frey, or the entire house of Frey for that matter. That's just who Arya is now - seeing her dart around in the shadows isn't necessary, we know she does that.
Haha... well, fair enough! Those metaphors can certainly be applied and still make sense.
Interviewer of reprobate ne'er-do-well musicians of the long-haired rock n' roll persuasion at: www.velvetthunder.co.uk and former scribe at Classic Rock Society. Only vaguely aware of anything other than music.
*** Join me in the Garden of Delights for 3 hours of tune-spinning... every Saturday at 5pm EST on Deep Nuggets radio! www.deepnuggets.com ***
I have a great fear...that we will see no more nudity this season.
I don't like country music, but I don't mean to denigrate those who do. And for the people who like country music, denigrate means 'put down.'- Bob Newhart
Watched again last night with zero ambient light (made sure the drapes were drawn, covered all of my electronic LEDs, etc around the room). I also made it a point to watch up in my bedroom as that is my newest addition, a big 4K unit. What a fkn difference!! Granted, I have previous knowledge of the arc, but hell yeah! Even my GF's jaw dropped (she's a big fan and was rolling her eyes the whole time on Sunday). Can't wait to watch it again on Sunday prior to Ep4.
Arya is easily the baddest ass on this show. The way she was slaying all those Whites before she was overwhelmed was spectacular! Not to mention, the entire House Frey: single-handedly disposed of. The NK: toast (saving everyone's ass in the process). If she doesn't get major kudos from what's remaining of the living in the north, then THAt'S when I'll start complaining.
"That gum you like is going to come back in style."
"That gum you like is going to come back in style."
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