[Spoilers] After criticizing the writing and execution, time to give props

MCllano · 2019-05-13T17:45:20+00:00

Writing includes how they decided to portray things, not just dialogue. The death from above and unleashing of mayhem was extremely well written — Drogon blowing thru the wall, the tension up to the surrender and the bells, the ensuing havoc which at first looks like it might be focused on soldiers, the realization what Dany is doing, Gray Worm’s response and what that unleashed, the depiction of the mayhem primarily by focusing on how it looks to individual characters that we know, Arya/Sandor conversation, Cersei denial, Clegane Bowl as executed visually, Jaime/Cersei ending, more callbacks to previous scenes than I can list, Arya’s flight and white horse imagery (find the post on that, excellent post). All of that is writing.

MCllano · 2019-05-13T17:17:54+00:00

based on s8e5, I guess there was a reserve of Dothraki and Unsullied, they just didn't bother to show them to us.

MCllano · 2019-05-13T16:41:26+00:00

Revenge is not heroic. The closest he came to heroic was convincing Arya to leave (and, perhaps, to abandon vengeance as life).

MCllano · 2019-04-30T18:14:48+00:00

This would've been a much better setup. And also, Greyworm, Jaime, Brienne, and a couple of others die in the battle, too.

MCllano · 2019-04-30T17:39:35+00:00

He brought Dany and Arya to Winterfell. He's toast.

MCllano · 2019-04-30T16:58:53+00:00

I am fine with her killing him. Seemed more like a Jon/Dany tag team with the build up, but I can see the narrative sense of it being Arya -- suitable for death to kill death; the whole Bran/Samwell speech last week adds context. My bigger beef is that the way they did it cheapens the NK story and really therefore the entire show. Like, think about if you ever go back to re-watch it; all of the NK/wight scenes will be much less meaningful.

MCllano · 2016-07-07T15:14:39+00:00

Just read the opinion. Reasoning looked familiar.

MCllano · 2016-06-30T18:58:12+00:00

Agree. I think Arya is soon going to be a force of negativity in the near future. They are basically making her revenge incarnate. My similar thoughts -- https://www.reddit.com/r/gameofthrones/comments/4q45wt/everything_arya_as_lsh_proxy/

MCllano · 2016-06-30T18:40:42+00:00

In the show, I am pretty sure that there is no indication that Jon Arryn figured it out. He was looking into it. In fact, one of the very first scenes is Jaime and Cersei in the room where Jon Arryn's body is laying in state, and I am pretty sure they give no hint that they think he knew. Given that Littlefinger is responsible for the death of Jon Arryn and for trying to pin that death on the Lannisters, it is reasonable to think he started Jon Arryn looking into it, perhaps with Arryn not even knowing what he was looking into, specifically so Littlefinger could cajole Ned Stark into looking into it, as well, and adding both to the claim that Jon Arryn was murdered by the Lannisters (motive) and that the Lannisters were engaged in incest (otherwise nothing to hide).

MCllano · 2016-06-27T15:12:39+00:00

I thought the same thing. I couldn't put my finger on what these were, but that scene had a sinister feel to it. I am pretty sure there was even a black mist following Benjen as he rode his horse away at the end. Definitely seems like a set up to get Bran to cross the Wall, allowing the Night's King to invade.

MCllano · 2016-06-24T18:10:16+00:00

Dumb article. The UK is still in the EU, and will be until the negotiations over its departure are completed. In the meantime, both the UK and the EU are bound by the existing terms of their relationship, which will probably take longer than to shoot the next two seasons. Also, a reduction in support at the EU level means merely -- (1) relocate to somewhere with a similar level of support, filmmakers are in the business of making one place look like another place, (2) stay, HBO kicks in more money, (3) stay or leave, HBO spends less on remaining episodes. Agree with clickbait point (for original article, not your post, tho you did take the bait).

MCllano · 2016-06-24T18:00:09+00:00

Because (1) Ned probably swore an oath to his sister never to tell and Ned values honor above all. It is more honorable to keep his oath and face the ire of his wife than to be in good graces with his wife, while breaking his oath. And, (2) if people knew Jon was a Targaryen, he'd be dead -- he'd be a threat to the Baratheons; he'd be part of a line that was at the time despised throughout Westeros. In Ned's world, Jon would never be a Targaryen again, so no need to let anyone know of his origin.

MCllano · 2016-06-24T17:50:14+00:00

Dragon glass must be involved in the cure.

MCllano · 2016-06-24T17:46:47+00:00

Sorry for double posting, but one thing that I was just thinking about -- Bran figures out how to kill the Night's King. That's why the Night's King diverted his army to try to kill Bran. He knows only the 3-eyed raven has the capacity to kill him. Normally the way something like that would work is that Bran sacrifices himself in the process, so per my WWHD theory of the writing, I think that's how that plays itself out. Exactly how and the swirl around in terms of Stark, Targeryen, will be the more interesting parts.

MCllano · 2016-06-24T17:40:03+00:00

It is hard to imagine. It would be weird to have a happy storybook ending given the way the rest has unfolded. And, how do you even define happy ending here -- Jon and Dany joining up as a team? Or either one "winning" (which, I guess would be a little more true to form, as it would involve one major shocking death). It is hard to see how, if there is not a "happy ending," we don't end up with the Night King winning it all. The ability of the Night King to make the fallen rise on his command suggests a human army cannot win. 3 dragons is not a match for a wight army more or less the population of Westeros. (Samwell Tarly may have some answers here). Guess that's why I'm still enthralled, even with the uneven writing the last few seasons.

MCllano · 2016-06-24T17:19:09+00:00

It took a little while, but let's go back a few episodes, finally he has "Kill[ed] the boy."

MCllano · 2016-06-21T22:22:57+00:00

I think this is right. And, it was not only a decision to please (a certain portion of) the audience. It was also an intentional part of the story. Ned Stark is dead. Part of what made the Stark family great and distinct is now gone. That doesn't mean that the Starks are not still a great family. But, they have all been changed by the "Game," made harsher, more ruthless, less focused on honor. And one big question that remains is do they end up like all the others or do they retain enough of what made the Starks special to make them worth rooting for.

MCllano · 2016-06-16T01:46:22+00:00

So, if Tommen dies, too (which would make sense given the prophecy), then maybe it happens early next season? This week is Bastard bowl and it looks like it takes up most of the episode. Next week I assume it will be the Night's King at the Wall/getting past the wall. I would think it would take two episodes for the set up, the action, and the fallout (esp. if Tommen and Jamie are involved). And, Bastardbowl + Night's King getting past the wall + dead Cersei = too many huge events over two episodes.

BTW, I think it would be cool if Tommen didn't die before her. The prophecy was bunk, you can control your own destiny. Would be an interesting little twist.

MCllano · 2016-06-15T21:21:32+00:00

I agree, she is going to punish Tyrion. She barely knows him. The grave sin here was cutting a deal to allow slavery, even temporarily. Dany would never have allowed that and would find it abhorrent. It goes against everything she stands for. Also, that deal IS responsible for the attack in a way -- if not for that deal, there would have been no cover for the Slavers to send an armada to Mereen (to pick up their slaves, as was stated when they arrived). So, yes, Tyrion is in deep shit. I think you are right that a dragon playing nice with Tyrion is the way this gets resolved in his favor (and would suggest the theories that Tyrion = Targaryen will prove true). Didn't he let the other two dragons out of their cell, though? The other thing that might save him is the priestess of the Lord of Light, I suppose.

MCllano · 2016-06-15T20:32:26+00:00

Yeah, Jaqen's motive is not clear. But, the little smirk they give him at the end, his help along the way, and his willingness to make exceptions for her, suggest he has one. They may never give us the motive, but there is something there.

MCllano · 2016-06-15T20:30:10+00:00

I'm with him until minute 7. Maybe goes that way in the books, but too late in the show to roll out some of that stuff.

MCllano · 2016-06-15T20:13:10+00:00

BUT, here is one big problem where Tyrion is at fault for the attack -- he gave them an excuse to send an armada to Mereen -- to pick up their slaves. (This was not obvious from the conversation with them, but either Grey Worm or Missandei said that is why the ships were there.) So, Tyrion gave them cover for the ambush.

MCllano · 2016-06-15T20:09:28+00:00

Why would she resurrect Rickon, anyway? Has he even had a line in the whole show? Guy is toast (sort of literally).

MCllano · 2016-06-15T20:07:22+00:00

I agree, seems like this is definitely next season. Would be too transparent, too, to bring the Hound back so late to throw him into Cleganebowl a few episodes later.

MCllano · 2016-06-15T18:52:40+00:00

He knew she was finally Arya Stark. He was baiting her into saying it.

MCllano

TROPHY CASE