I am enjoying the pace of this season. Or perhaps it's more that things are deviating from the books a bit and I'm getting excited about seeing new stuff.
Game Of Thrones Season 5 TV Only Discussion (Spoilers)
- Thread starter Tom
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Coming from not having read the books I've kind of seen GoT as the story of the Starks and Lannisters, and Denerys has really been the only storyline that doesn't either revolve around or constantly come back to one of them. Even Stannis has kept coming back to the Starks and Lannisters, counting Jon as a Stark. First we see the murder of Renley from Katlin's perspective, then the invasion of King's Landing from the Lannister perspective, then he shows up at the Wall. He was only really without a Stark or Lannister in season three.
On a side note, there can be only one reason Millisandre wants Shereen to be there, to pop her in a blender and collect all her precious king blood. She expressed no interest in her until Gendry got away. But that's not a topic she can raise with Stannis.
And on another Stannis related side note. When Joffrey and Robb died, Stannis took it as a confirmation of Millisandre's power, but he doesn't find it strange that Balon Grayjoy is not dead?
On a side note, there can be only one reason Millisandre wants Shereen to be there, to pop her in a blender and collect all her precious king blood. She expressed no interest in her until Gendry got away. But that's not a topic she can raise with Stannis.
And on another Stannis related side note. When Joffrey and Robb died, Stannis took it as a confirmation of Millisandre's power, but he doesn't find it strange that Balon Grayjoy is not dead?
It's especially lame when the punch is almost immediately taken out of it by the next-week's preview that confirms at least a part of it (Selmy on the slab) only seconds later.
I agree that this season has been generally lackluster, but the source material it's drawing from is equally lacking. They seem to be making a real attempt at putting some interesting bits into it, but it's being dragged down by adherence to some of the written work, and the contrast between the source-based scenes and "new" scenes is getting more and more noticeable, which is awkwardly breaking up the narrative. Not making for a very smooth story right now, sadly.
Of course, I will stick with it all the way to the end, regardless of what steaming pile of poo the show runners may or may not turn it into.
In the books, the leech trick worked for all of the Kings Stannis and Melisandre cursed by it. At least, they all died. Robb and Joffrey pretty much as seen on the show. Balon died offscreen and we were simply told that he'd fallen to his death off a bridge or something on his castle. IIRC, it was a bridge he was said to have walked often and without difficulty. The inference was that this was down to Mel's spell.
In the books, this kicks off a big scrabble for succession and a 'Kingsmoot' among the Iron Born, in which Balon's brothers are involved. It doesn't look like this plot will make it to the books and the brothers seem to have been axed also. This seems to have spared the life of TV Balon.
We were discussing this issue in the ASOIAF spoiler thread and wondered why they didn't also just kill Balon off offscreen and mention that the Ironborn were fighting among themselves and no longer troubling the realm - the scene where Ramsay presents Reek/Theon to Roose would've been a perfect opportunity to mention it.
In the books, this kicks off a big scrabble for succession and a 'Kingsmoot' among the Iron Born, in which Balon's brothers are involved. It doesn't look like this plot will make it to the books and the brothers seem to have been axed also. This seems to have spared the life of TV Balon.
We were discussing this issue in the ASOIAF spoiler thread and wondered why they didn't also just kill Balon off offscreen and mention that the Ironborn were fighting among themselves and no longer troubling the realm - the scene where Ramsay presents Reek/Theon to Roose would've been a perfect opportunity to mention it.
The source material still gives them plenty to work with, even if they cut it down to only the meatiest bits.It's especially lame when the punch is almost immediately taken out of it by the next-week's preview that confirms at least a part of it (Selmy on the slab) only seconds later.
I agree that this season has been generally lackluster, but the source material it's drawing from is equally lacking. They seem to be making a real attempt at putting some interesting bits into it, but it's being dragged down by adherence to some of the written work, and the contrast between the source-based scenes and "new" scenes is getting more and more noticeable, which is awkwardly breaking up the narrative. Not making for a very smooth story right now, sadly.
Of course, I will stick with it all the way to the end, regardless of what steaming pile of poo the show runners may or may not turn it into.
Sure - there's still a lot to use, but they clearly seem to be moving into areas that haven't been written down yet - or, at the very least, will be seen to some degree in Winds of Winter. I just really wish that...
...they hadn't abbreviated Tyrion's journey down the Rhoyne quite so much. Even if they got rid of everything else about it, I really just wanted to see his encounter with the Stone Men and his worry over potentially contracting Greyscale. Just another intentional removal of some of the more magical/supernatural aspects of the original material, I guess. Interesting how Stannis mentioned the Stone Men of Valyria, though, the wooden doll and the origin of Shereen's Greyscale.
^^ for me the TV show has enough magical elements enough already and is on the cusp of becoming Harry Potter lite. Ice Zombies, boys that can project into animals, walking skeletons, and dragons are enough to make it fantasy without going overboard and losing the feel about being somewhat grounded in mid evil reality.
The problem is...
One of the major plot-points in this world is the resurgence of magic everyone seems to be experiencing. It's actually the reverse of Middle Earth, where magic started leaving the world with the take-over of men. That loss had already happened here with the last destruction of the White Walkers and building of the wall by Bran the Builder, the overrunning of the Children of the Forest by the Andals and the First Men and the death of the last dragons hundreds and thousands of years back. With the return of dragons in Essos, magical events are starting to occur with greater frequency and strength - Wildfire burns hotter; the Warlocks of Qarth could manipulate fire more effectively; the mysterious glass (obsidian) candles of the Citadel are beginning to light on their own after being dormant for centuries; more people are starting to exhibit green-seer (like Jojan Reed) and warg-like powers (numerous Wildings and ALL the Stark children to varying degrees with their direwolves) than ever before; the discovery of the Horn of Winter (designed to destroy the wall) and the Dragonhorn (designed to serve as a possible dragon-binding device). All these things are being downplayed or ignored in many ways, when they should be an ongoing gauge of the increasing spiritual re-awakening that is coming to this world.
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^^ I see your point but at least this season I doubt that's going to happen, albeit it appears as though Sir Greggor may be revived from the dead. We saw him rumbling this or last episode ago. And of course Ayra's visit to the house of black and white has magical elements.
No doubt Brandon Stark will return next season and we'll be in full fledged magic zone by then.
No doubt Brandon Stark will return next season and we'll be in full fledged magic zone by then.
Here's hoping. I was disappointed to hear that the Bran storyline was skipped entirely this season, but it made some kind of sense because he was close to the end of the written version of his story anyway. The only thing I guess they could have done extra at the end of last season was to give Bran a glimpse of what he was going to experience being plugged into the TreeNet™. Might have made for a cool quickie flashback to see Ned Stark again.
Melisandre calms him down. 
Seriously, though:
Seriously, though:
In the books, there was a second shadow assassin created by Stannis and Melisandre, knocking out Sir Cortnay Penrose, who occupied Storm's End. Each time it happens - in fact, each time they have sex in general - he loses more and more energy to her and their "offspring", causing him to get more and more tired. He may be playing it out that way in the show, being more mellow, which unfortunately doesn't really makes sense if the context in which it's happening has been lost. They may be inferring to that with her attempted seduction of Jon Snow - looking for "fresh meat" - which IIRC did not happen in the books (yet).
Loved his scene with Princess Shereen, though. VERY touching and well-played, while at the same time giving a highly feasible origin back-story for her Greyscale affliction. Top marks on that one...
Loved his scene with Princess Shereen, though. VERY touching and well-played, while at the same time giving a highly feasible origin back-story for her Greyscale affliction. Top marks on that one...
Melisandre calms him down.
Seriously, though SPOILERS
Is that a book or TV spoiler ? - I've never read the books and have no interest with the book version of things, I'm concerned with what is on the screen or implied via what is on the screen.
Mostly book - but that's just the thing, he is throttling back his intensity, and the only possible explanation I could see for it is this other stuff going on, which really wouldn't make sense as there has been no attention drawn to it otherwise. Honestly it kind of has me somewhat confused as well. 
I agree with you. This episode felt off to me. Something felt odd about it. Almost as if the actual scheming was happening off-screen, where what we got were lukewarm effects of an oncoming storm. This episode also felt very short.
Here's a leaked very short clip from Episode 5: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/...nsa_n_7231482.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000024
They haven't explicitly called out the idea that sexing Millisandre draws out your life force, but she sexed Gendry, shot down the idea of using the shadow again saying that he didn't have the strength, and revealed to Stannis' wife that she has magic that amplifies lust, so it's pretty obvious at this point that having sex with her is physically traumatic and pulls you under her control.
I think they had her hit on Jon so they could have Jon refuse her to make him look more like a classic Arthurian hero.
I think they had her hit on Jon so they could have Jon refuse her to make him look more like a classic Arthurian hero.
Oh i think many in court know about the rumors (and are surely gleefuly spreading them through gossip) but they'd be very careful to avoid making enemies of the Kingslayer and Queen Bitch.
I'm pretty sure Littlefinger and Varys kept this information under lock and key (if there was ever any proof besides the children and there are no genetic tests in Westeros so it can't be proven) to be used on rainy days but events have changed the game completely.
So episode 5 has aired and the show slowly kicks into gear.. it's like the theme of Jaws that gets progressively louder as the shark approaches (only in GoT terms).
Apart from some WTF moments involving the dragons there is not much action happening but still more setup (as i said before i don't mind that because the pressure cooker that is season 5 is almost full).
I am sad to see Ser Barristan gone but he had a good life and went down fighting with a sword in his hand.. a fitting end for one of the best swordsmen in Westeros (even if it was not a glorious end on the battlefield against an honorable enemy but he still died doing his duty).
It was nice to see Greyworm getting some more humanity and admitting his feelings to Misandei (and she returning them) amidst all the grimdark of Game of Thrones.
Dany sure has a hard, mean streak if she she wants to.. she's come a long way from the timid and frightened girl she was in the beginning of season 1 and i don't know what to make of it. To me it seems she's overreacting to her own mistakes and is losing her head when events punch her in the gut (not good qualities of a leader and Queen i think).
At least she's level headed enough to admit to her mistakes once she's cooled off and tries to correct them.
Far to the north i also wonder if Jon's decision won't come back to bite him in the ass.. strategically it was the right decision and a very bold one but if we have learned one thing is that Game of Thrones obeys the laws of physics in a way.. for every action there is an opposite reaction and that reaction may come with a very high price.
This episode i was a little bit disappointed with Sansa.. end of last season it seems she finally stopped being a victim and started her own path to revenge only to get rattled again and pushed into the corner by that Bolton bastard (though i will admit Ramsay really pushed her buttons and he knows which ones that little shit).
However her smile at the bad news for Ramsay more than made up for it
Best part though was Tyrion staring in shock at Drogon as he flies overhead.. i guess he would have never expected to see a live dragon in his lifetime
Now we're halfway through the season which means they can kick into high gear from now on, they set up so many threads and events that the payoff is due and i'm looking forward to that!
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