Game Of Thrones Season 5 TV Only Discussion (Spoilers)

[Venardhi]

"Earth" seems to be the only candidate put forth so far. Unlike the rest of the planets Earth didn't originate as a proper noun of a Grekoroman god, but from a Germanic root word for "ground." Unless given an alternative reason, I just prefer to think that their use of Earth is a translation of whatever word the Westerosi tongue's equivalent is.

 

[Captaindemotion]

Here be spoilers or, equally possibly, massive speculation about the final episodes of this run. Click at your peril:

http://winteriscoming.net/2015/05/27/rumors-for-episode-910/

 

[InklingStar]

Speaking of geography, has GRRM ever said what the name of their world, like in an interview or something, outside the books? He's used the word "earth" several times in the text, IIRC, which I found kind of jarring, but I don't think he ever meant it to be the name of the planet.

Other boards have started using the name "Planetos" which works as well as anything else.

GRRM has trouble with scale, that much is certain. A 700 foot wall of ice, 80 foot walls around Winterfell, a continent the size of South America ruled from a single chair... it's best to just take all sizes in the series, books and show, with a grain of salt.

 

[Venardhi]

The 80 foot walls around Winterfell aren't really that high. There are numerous examples of higher in our world and we didn't have Giants to help build them(or defend against).

 

[Cyrus]

Will we ever see Benjen Stark again?

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Will we ever see Benjen Stark again?

I don't know if you want spoilers or not, but if you don't mind, here's the relevant part (to your question) from the link in Captaindemotion's post above:

Spoiler: Episode 8

Most interestingly, Episode 8 lists Joseph Mawle as making an appearance. If you cast your memory back—waaaay back, to the pilot episode—that was the actor who played Eddard’s younger brother Benjen Stark. Benjen was influential in getting Jon to join the Night’s Watch, but once Jon arrived, he went out ranging and never returned. Book Readers suspect he is the (so far cut) character Coldhands, a White Walker-esque character who helps Sam and Gilly in their hour of need, as well as guiding Bran Stark and company to the giant weirwood tree. If the show was to finally bring in the character Coldhands, or bring back Benjen Stark as a White Walker, this huge battle with the army of the dead would be the perfect time to do so, and to have Jon recognize him.

Personally, I think it's more likely that:

Spoiler: Speculation About The Above

He's been captured by the Wildlings or is working with them against the White Walker threat.

 

[theenglish]

Remember, Westeros is a continent the size of South America, if not bigger. The trip from the wall to Winterfell is many hundreds, if not about a thousand, miles. It takes a long time for a large infantry force to move with supplies, and on foot, those distances, particularly in continuous driving snow several feet deep. They're slowed by dying horses and dying men and loss of morale tends to slow things too. Personally, I think Melissandre should build one of her big bonfires for the troops instead of asking to sacrifice Stannis' daughter.

Also, remember, that people move around the world at the Speed of Plot.

The speed of plot is one thing that I agree with - however I don't think the TV series has ever successful sold the idea that the places we are seeing are that massive.

The continent being the size of South America is established in official Martin canon but never acknowledged in the books or the series.

This is one of the reasons why I believe the book timeline is too short. In order for all the travels to take place, years need to pass in the story. The series does a pretty good job of rectifying this--by looking at the children you can see that years have literally passed since the first season.

 

[Venardhi]

Years have passed. about 2 1/2.

 

[sidious618]

Martin having to scrape his plan to jump five years ahead no doubt screwed up the timeline a little. Best to just go with it.

 

[Orphalesion]

It really feels like nothing is happening. However that's quite accurate to the books at this point in the storyline.
What also really bugs me this season is the costumes. They have all grown so colourless and samey. In King's landing they look like they are all made wholesale from the exact same fabric and almost everywhere else they are wearing black.
Really miss the time when people on this show were allowed to wear more than one colour (anybody remember when Cersei wore green or Sansa pink?)

 

[Venardhi]

There is a lot less happening in the show, if we're comparing. All of the setup for the second half of the story is mostly being brushed aside to make room for their changes. Literally half the cast of the books is missing at this point.

This line of conversation is best saved for the other thread though.

 

[Roshi]

Wow! That was intense!

 

[Klaus]

...it certainly was.

 

[Owain Taggart]

Epic frikkin sauce! That battle alone felt like it made up for the slow progression this season. Felt like they'd saved up the season's budget for it. And that scene alone sells it on how insurmountable their odds were.

I called it. Tyrion, advisor to Queen Daenarys. I figured some form of that would happen, though I didn't realize it would happen that quickly. Though it makes me happy to see it come together in that manner, and it was great to finally see them have a one-on-one conversation together.

Really great episode.

 

[eastman23]

Well, there's your reminder that none of the stuff in the kingdom really matters. Not when there's an army of the dead coming close to knocking at the Wall.

Tyrion is a master at what he does. Going from just meeting Daenarys to becoming an advisor in a short period of time, just by talking to her - that's pretty impressive. And just by looking at the situation and being honest with what he thinks. Though she's not completely swayed yet, given the way she took away his wine.

I really enjoyed the scenes with Cersei in the cells. She finally got what's coming to her. And all by her own doing too. Perfect.

 

[Ethros]

Wow...
[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uvqJ1mTkEuY[/yt]


It took its time, but I knew Season 5 would deliver the goods eventually, and they totally kicked into overdrive with those last 20 minutes!


So the White Walker Jon was fighting, was that Benjen Stark? I'd only guess at that from Locutus of Bored's post above. If it was him I don't think I'd have ever guessed otherwise.
Also another question- what#s the difference between those skeletal zombies we mostly saw there (similar to what Bran Stark & co fought in the s4 finale) and then the regular White Walkers we've normally glimpsed? Is it just like over time the zombies will turn into that more fully formed icy look?

 

[ManOnTheWave]

The army of the dead are reanimated corpses. They can only be destroyed completely with fire. They can, however, be hacked apart with conventional weaponry as the Night's Watch and the wildlings did. The white walkers appear to be living being transformed by magic and seemingly made impervious to anything but dragon glass and Valyrian steel, ie. weapons forged in dragon fire. The white walkers seem to be few in numbers.

 

[Ethros]

Ah ok.
The White Walkers can "turn" human babies at least, as we saw last season.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

Damn! That battle scene was epic. I always wondered what made Valyrian Steel so much better than normal steel. Besides being stronger than normal steel of course.

Now I want a Valyrian Steel blade.

 

[Locutus of Bored]

Wow! That was intense!

Holy shit, that was awesome. That was seriously one of the most intense action scenes I've seen in a TV show or movie. The giant kicked so much ass. Bummer that the one lady who convinced the Free Folk to follow Jon got killed; I liked her. But good job on the part of the writers and the actress in creating a likeable character in a couple minutes of screentime so that her "death" would carry weight later on in the episode.

The discussion between Tyrion and Daenerys and Jon Snow convincing the Free Folk to follow him south of the Wall were full of great dialogue (I already love the Tyrion/Daenerys Team), and Cersei getting her comeuppance as a result of her own misguided and malicious schemes was good too. It's nice that Sansa can finally have some relief at knowing her brothers are alive, and can possibly find a way to escape and try to find them. I even liked Sam's discussion with the kid about Jon.

So all around, a great episode. "A". Hopefully the next two can keep it up.