Re: Game of Thrones 4.8 - "The Mountain and the Viper" - Rate and disc
Fun fact for non-readers: Lord Nestor Royce briefly mentions his son Ser Waymar Royce here. Waymar was the first character to ever die on the show. He was one of the two Night's Watch rangers killed by White Walkers in the opening scenes of the pilot episode.
Totally missed that the first time - nice catch!
I am truly intrigued about where this all is going now. Alayne (Sansa) has an interesting Raven motif going on there in the end. In fact, it now feels like all the Stark children are going to the crows, symbolically. Sansa's outfit; Bran is going to see the "three-eyed crow" and Jon Snow is a "crow" of the Night's Watch. Rickon is an unknown here in this case but still too young to be significant at this point. Interesting foreshadowing there for all the others, though. I think Sansa's performance in front of the Lords of the Vale surprised even Littlefinger - someone who generally prides himself on not ever being surprised by anything. Her transformation is now complete.
The Viper/Mountain fight really did turn out dead-on-the-mark as I hoped/expected - brilliantly directed and choreographed. Martell was clearly a prideful sort, and that pride was his ultimate undoing, at its most brutal, the righteousness of his cause notwithstanding. He was a fan favorite when it came to long-term guest characters. Almost like the Kiss of Death in this show - much like weddings...
My only complaint was the way the Mormont betrayal was handled. It seemed very clunky and forced how the pardon note got to them in Mereen. In the previews, it showed that he already got his pardon a couple seasons back. And now, the same 2-to-3-year-old letter pops up again from Tywin Lannister, with Robert Baratheon's signature on it, after it had already been delivered elsewhere? What, was it sent back to King's Landing the first time and then bounce back around Essos until it found its way into Barriston Selmy's hands? I understand they had to get him out of Mereen but it really could have been handled better.
And the Missandei and Grey-Worm thing? Not sure where that's going...not sure where it can go. Interesting character moments but probably could have been surpassed in favor of a cleaner Mormont exit, IMO.
Anyone think that that little canyon that Arya and Clegane were walking down looked a lot like the same little canyon that the Thens and Wildlings linked up after they got over the Wall? Really seemed like the same location. Arya's guffaw, and a befuddled Hound and Bloody-Gate guards looking on in utter confusion. Now the Hound has litterally nobody left to ransome Arya to. It's little scenes like these that producers go out of their way to craft that really make a show.
Only two more episodes left in the season. I weep...
