Game of Thrones Season 8 (Bookfags unite)

[Barry_McCokiner 160]

Did Jon leave Sam on the ground while he was struggling?

[SpiralOut 1809]

4 minutes ago, RexWilson said:

I can't remember for sure, did Arya use the knife drop to the other hand and stab before? It seemed familiar 

Against Brienne in the yard when they were sparring.

 

[SpiralOut 1809]

For all the problems the show has had since George left them to their own devices, goddamn do they know how to direct the battle episodes.  Epic.  As.  Fuck.

And my boy.  My boy, Edd.  Dolorous to the end.  That one hurt something fierce.

[T-shirt Sip 2097]

14 minutes ago, Barry_McCokiner said:

Did Jon leave Sam on the ground while he was struggling?

Yep.  Getting to Bran was more important. 

[futureman 22415]

1 hour ago, Mileslong said:

Delores Edd, Theon is dead but can never die, unsullied #3,489 and 90, Dothraki hoard, red woman

 

1 hour ago, Gatorubet said:

Little Lady Mormont answered the call.

jorah. 

 

1 hour ago, bamachine said:

I think she lost her spear and that dagger is only good for one at a time. Also, she seriously underestimated them all along and finally dawned on her how real of a threat they were. She only got her courage back when Mel reminded her of what she has done and gave her the hint that she would kill the NK.

They showed two dragons in the next episode preview.

she was concussed.  CTE was setting in and she didn’t feel that fire. 

 

20 minutes ago, RexWilson said:

I can't remember for sure, did Arya use the knife drop to the other hand and stab before? It seemed familiar 

 

16 minutes ago, SpiralOut said:

Against Brienne in the yard when they were sparring.

I thought so but the sparring match is on youtube.  it’s not the same at all really but still cool. 

[Eastwood 4394]

Alright, theory time: that is how the historical round against the White Walkers went. Azor Ahai shatters the head walker, effectively hitting the reset button on the White Walkers and their undead army. But the threat still existed, so that's why they built the wall. Tonight, they hit the reset button again. Jon is going to want to finish the fight and that's when the Azor Ahai prophecy sets into motion.

[tx 3 putt 76385]

piss poor defense plan, i agree. time had to be an issue here. needed more obstacles to keep the dead army from just charging in

 

great, great episode and loved how they ended the NK 

[Mileslong 4715]

I thought so but the sparring match is on youtube.  it’s not the same at all really but still cool. 

He said beside the Mormont’s

 

[Hank Scorpio 17723]

 

 

 

[Bookman 4610]

4 minutes ago, Eastwood said:

Alright, theory time: that is how the historical round against the White Walkers went. Azor Ahai shatters the head walker, effectively hitting the reset button on the White Walkers and their undead army. But the threat still existed, so that's why they built the wall. Tonight, they hit the reset button again. Jon is going to want to finish the fight and that's when the Azor Ahai prophecy sets into motion.

Why would the threat still exist?

 

[futureman 22415]

Just now, Mileslong said:

He said beside the Mormonts

ah shit, miles, I missed that.  my bad.  I shouldn’t have answered so quickly!  just excited.  have a wonderful evening and cheers, old friend. 

[futureman 22415]

2 minutes ago, Bookman said:

Why would the threat still exist?

 

so we can get season 9?

[Eastwood 4394]

3 minutes ago, Bookman said:

Why would the threat still exist?

 

There's something evil still lingering up north. Maybe GRRM (or maybe even the show runners) borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkein in that the Night King had a physical form, but his evil presence continues to exist until it is defeated through a specific means. For Sauron, it was the Ring of Power being thrown into the fires of Mt. Doom. For the Night King, maybe he can only be permanently killed by Lightbringer.

[mdmost 42865]

 

[Mojo Hand 4580]

I saw it pointed out somewhere that Jamie and Brienne were fighting side by side with Oathbreaker and Widow's Wail.   Both halves of Ned Stark's sword defending Winterfell. 

[SpiralOut 1809]

1 hour ago, futureman said:

I thought so but the sparring match is on youtube.  it’s not the same at all really but still cool. 

Hm.  Could have swore that was where I'd seen it before.  I know I've seen that move somewhere in a show/film before. 

 

[SpiralOut 1809]

1 hour ago, Eastwood said:

There's something evil still lingering up north. Maybe GRRM (or maybe even the show runners) borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkein in that the Night King had a physical form, but his evil presence continues to exist until it is defeated through a specific means. For Sauron, it was the Ring of Power being thrown into the fires of Mt. Doom. For the Night King, maybe he can only be permanently killed by Lightbringer.

Remember, the Night King isn't even a thing in the books.

This whole thing is show silliness.  Ever since D&D realized George wasn't going to keep writing and they couldn't copy off his homework anymore, they've just been doing w/e they feel like.  There's zero way any of this plays out anywhere near the same way in the books.  George is famous for not having a clue where the fuck he's going with his books until he writes them.  I don't think he's told D&D shit beyond maybe some of the vaguest shit like "Dany gets back to Westeros" "Jon comes back" etc.

In fact, this whole episode is kinda classic D&D writing.  Ever since Season 4 when George fucked off D&D have valued spectacle more than anything.  In that vein, they've heavily relied on stock standard movie tropes like having a "Big Bad" to motivate the characters and move the plot along. 

That's how Ramsay Bolton, a supporting character at best from the books, becomes the "Big Bad" for Sansa/Jon.  It's why Stannis got thrown on the trash heap.  He was in the way of Jon/Sansa coming in and saving Winterfell. 

It's why The Waif, the most inconsequential and minor of characters in the books, becomes Arya's nemesis and goes all Terminator and takes up huge amount of screen time.  They couldn't come up with an interesting way to make Arya's story in Braavos matter, so they gave her a Big Bad to defeat.

The Night King is just another Big Bad in a long line of Big Bads in the show.  I'm still not convinced he's ever going to be a thing in the books.  The White Walkers are an existential threat in the books.  That doesn't really work for a TV show.  They need to have a face that the audience can be afraid of and who the protagonists can overcome.  In fact, here's a quote from George himself about the Night's King, the Night Watcher who supposedly fell in love with a female WW and took over the Nightfort and ruled there for some period of time thousands of years ago, and the Night King from the show:

When asked if there is a connection between the Night King of the White Walkers and the Night's King of legend, George R. R. Martin replied,

As for the Night's King (the form I prefer), in the books he is a legendary figure, akin to Lann the Clever and Brandon the Builder, and no more likely to have survived to the present day than they have.^[4]

 

[Pods 7528]

Deus Ex Machina is to D&D as lens flares are to JJ Abrams and explosions are to Michael Bay. 

Edited April 29, 2019 by Pods

[SpiralOut 1809]

[deleted]

Edited April 29, 2019 by SpiralOut

[wildcat09 29256]

I was surprised to see them steal their battle plan from the South Park movie:

 

[APMP 685]

Not that the books will ever be completed, but last night's episode might mean that GRRM kills off Arya soon in a combination of pettiness, gamesmanship, and attempt to sell more books.

[NorthLoop 14093]

When Arya was walking backwards in that hallway.... "DAMMIT CORAL!" 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13414]

Brienne, jamie and pod were amazing short distance fighters for what looked to be hours. 

[mdmost 42865]

Yeah the massive numbers of undead they were fighting just got ridiculous after a while. There's no reasonable way they should've been able to stay alive against masses of undead that keep coming. And next week it looks like she still has a pretty big army of Unsullied. Frankly, I'm good with the Night King storyline being done and Arya being who finished it. 

[Fozzz 152]

Wonder how they will hype up the war with the pregnant lady and her drunken pirate lover after Dany and company defeated a vast army of monsters.  

[HouTex 1850]

Wonder how they will hype up the war with the pregnant lady and her drunken pirate lover after Dany and company defeated a vast army of monsters.  

Arya and company defeated the monsters.

[Mojo Hand 4580]

It seems to me that Bran knew exactly what was coming.  If you watch closely, when Bran is facing off against the NK, Bran's eyes glance downward for a few seconds and then back up.   Like he's looking right at the opening in the NK's armor.   Then the NK has a slight wtf look before going for his sword.

[seven 1366]

So, since no one here is mourning the death of arya, it appears I interpreted that scene incorrectly. I thought when the night king caught her, his thumbnail jabbed her in the throat?

[Go Pokes 979]

Question: When the Dothraki hoard make the initial charge, right as they reached the army of dead guys, there is a bright flash and the head Dothraki seems to be looking up with a look of terror right before it cuts. Did anyone see what he saw? I tried pausing it but couldn’t make it out. Almost looked like a giant ice spider, but they never made a return appearance.

[Mojo Hand 4580]

2 minutes ago, Go Pokes said:

Question: When the Dothraki hoard make the initial charge, right as they reached the army of dead guys, there is a bright flash and the head Dothraki seems to be looking up with a look of terror right before it cuts. Did anyone see what he saw? I tried pausing it but couldn’t make it out. Almost looked like a giant ice spider, but they never made a return appearance.

I thought it was the giant. 

[Mojo Hand 4580]

6 minutes ago, seven said:

So, since no one here is mourning the death of arya, it appears I interpreted that scene incorrectly. I thought when the night king caught her, his thumbnail jabbed her in the throat?

No... She landed on the ground pretty gracefully and took a huge loud breath. 

[Nice Guy Eddie 13414]

I'm sure there are dozens of small details that haven't been fully discussed but I found it interesting that the Starks were fully separated again during battle as if they always work better apart.  The exception being Theon and Bran, but Theon isn't really a Stark and as Bran has told us, he isn't Bran Stark.

Other thoughts:

• Arya ended up being saved and surrounded by people that were on her list to kill.  Hound, Beric, Red Woman
• I thought Arya had handled the valyrian dagger to Sansa but obviously it was a dragonglass dagger that we saw in the murder/suicide scene later
• speaking of which, that dagger has played a big part of this story
• Was Gendry shown often? Maybe he was and I thought he was Random soldier #4.
• While many characters have been redeemed, Davos was going to have none of that with Melisandre. She seemed to agree.

 

[Mojo Hand 4580]

Yeah I saw Gendry a time or two manning the top of the wall.  He was smashing wights with his hammer or whatever. 

[Duval Street 420]

8 hours ago, SpiralOut said:

Hm.  Could have swore that was where I'd seen it before.  I know I've seen that move somewhere in a show/film before. 

 

Rey against the red guard in ep 8, I think.

[wildcat09 29256]

Am I wrong or did they never show the bulk of the Unsullied retreating back behind the walls into Winterfell? The last time there's a broad overhead shot, it shows them deployed outside the trench before it gets lit. A group of like 20 of them protect Melisandre while she lights the trench but I thought the rest were still on the wrong side.

[kevwun 15651]

They did not do a great job of showing that more than a handful of them survived.  The final fights made it look like only a handful of people were still alive in the castle.

[Nivek 16859]

piss poor defense plan, i agree. time had to be an issue here. needed more obstacles to keep the dead army from just charging in
 
great, great episode and loved how they ended the NK 

The defense was hastily constructed and the siege engines were a bit of a waste. I am surprised that they didn’t just load those things up with dragon glass shot as opposed to solid projectiles. Did the phalanx use dragon glass?

It was still fun to watch. I liked how they didn’t fill the air with typical battle noises and music and I would have appreciated some moonlight.

[mdmost 42865]

Agreed. They made it seem like only the main characters and some people in the crypt survived. I think D&D just take their need to throw so much carnage on screen to ridiculous levels. Yet next week Dany seems to still have a decent sized fighting force. Maybe they'll explain it away with others hear of their victory and join her cause against Cersei?

[hayden_horn 11360]

40 minutes ago, Go Pokes said:

Question: When the Dothraki hoard make the initial charge, right as they reached the army of dead guys, there is a bright flash and the head Dothraki seems to be looking up with a look of terror right before it cuts. Did anyone see what he saw? I tried pausing it but couldn’t make it out. Almost looked like a giant ice spider, but they never made a return appearance.

Yeah, there was a thing. Not sure what it was, though. 

[kevwun 15651]

I could definitely see Cersei losing support to help even out the numbers.  She's not popular and is relying on mercenaries.    Dorne is also still out their looking for revenge, but who knows if they will play a role in the endgame.

Edited April 29, 2019 by kevwun

[Hugo Stiglitz 23356]

52 minutes ago, seven said:

So, since no one here is mourning the death of arya, it appears I interpreted that scene incorrectly. I thought when the night king caught her, his thumbnail jabbed her in the throat?

It means she will die because she has served her purpose.

[Mojo Hand 4580]

According to the "behind the episode" part, the plan was to hold the dragons back to draw out the NK, and Dany fucked up the plan because she couldn't bear watching the deaths of her Dothraki.   But I don't see how that would ever have been a good plan.  Why not just wait for the dead to attack and then have at least one dragon strafing with fire from side to side in front of the defenses?   And if the NK's dragon or his generals with ice spears show up, peel off the dragons and then let the Dothraki loose? 

I would have also liked some involvement of the white walker generals and some small breakthrough by the humans.    The way I would have written it, Pod or someone like that would have noticed a weakness in the wight attack and broken through to the white walker generals, which then forced the NK and a handful of generals to hastily run off to get Bran while Jaime, Brienne, and Pod fought hand to hand with some white walker generals who were left behind to stop them.  That would have added some great heroics while explaining why the NK didn't just hang back until the wights killed every last soul. 

[huge 3788]

Just now, Thujone said:

 It's so obvious if you think about it.

Obviously

[Eastwood 4394]

3 minutes ago, Thujone said:

See my post above. I think the wife is right. Night King shit is over. The entire book series and all this shit has never been about knights and white walkers. It's all been allegory for enlightenment over brutality (monarchy/dark ages). Tyrion's mind is lightbringer to the age of darkness. It's so obvious if you think about it.

That is some hyper-meta shit. Makes a good book, for sure, but I think Azor Ahai is just the champion over the Long Night and is not the wheel breaker. If there was more buildup and more of Tyrion waxing poetic against monarchies and inequality, then we might have the answer there. But he's spent almost his entire mature life trying to prop up a monarchy without much regret as to what the monarchy means to the common person.

Tell the wife that my wife and I said hi, btw.

[Hugo Stiglitz 23356]

I’m still trying to figure out the whole Bran angle and here’s my take:

According to the show the army of the dead were created by the Children of the Forest to fight off the men (the First Men and later the Andals) that were killing all the trees and children.  

However, this act of desperation turned out to be the Children of the Forest creating Frankenstein’s monster because the dead would kill everything living.  The children, the men, and the trees were all enemies of the dead.  

The men and children worked together to contain the dead by building the Wall but it didn’t last.  

Bran represented the memory of men, the children, and the trees.  If he was destroyed, then darkness could not be stopped because history is what shapes Westerosi civilization.  All would be lost.  

[achooloco 1065]

11 hours ago, naija said:

well, we know what the most popular baby girl's name is going to be for the years 2019, 2020, 2021....

 

and I agree, I have a hard time believing the books end it like that.

 

Lyanna or Arya? 

 

11 hours ago, Mojo Hand said:

I know there are plenty of things people will nitpick about, but that was one of the most emotionally intense episodes of a show I've seen.  If you didn't enjoy that, I just feel bad for you.  Goddamn. 

Sober me agrees with this.

[Nivek 16859]

There's something evil still lingering up north. Maybe GRRM (or maybe even the show runners) borrowed from J.R.R. Tolkein in that the Night King had a physical form, but his evil presence continues to exist until it is defeated through a specific means. For Sauron, it was the Ring of Power being thrown into the fires of Mt. Doom. For the Night King, maybe he can only be permanently killed by Lightbringer.

I read this and thought you were going to shift into Steve Martin’s 3 Amigos speech.

[gsoda3 3236]

12 hours ago, naija said:

well, we know what the most popular baby girl's name is going to be for the years 2019, 2020, 2021....

i would think lyanna would be more popular than arya.

12 hours ago, Buzzrock said:

So Arya takes out a couple dozen zombies on the wall and then...sneaks around the library afraid to fight them? That didn’t make any sense.

did a great job of showing how panic set in and she reverted back to arya the little girl.

[mdmost 42865]

3 minutes ago, Nivek said:

I read this and thought you were going to shift into Steve Martin’s 3 Amigos speech.

In a way, each of us has a Night King to face. For some, shyness might be their Night King. For others, a lack of an education might be their Night King. For us, Night King is a big, icey man who wants to kill the living. But as sure as my name is Jon Snow, the people of Winterfell can conquer their personal Night King, who happens to be the actual Night King. 

[Hugo Stiglitz 23356]

The Night King represents self destruction.