Game of Thrones

[Cave_Johnson]

This is all I could think of when I saw Ian McShane on that episode.

 

[SFGRTB]

I don't think this is headed into the CleganeBowl direction at all anymore.

The Hound is going on his own vengeful run, probably taking out as many Brotherhood Without Banners men as he can. Interesting. Completely unsure where this is going.

Speaking of the Bw/oB, it's interesting that they are being portrayed as a more sinister group now. Back when we last saw them, they tracked down Lannister camps (or frankly any military group) and pillaged them. Still a band of outlaws who were pretty much out for themselves, but they didn't just attack everyone. Now they just seem to fuck over whoever they want, even common people. Wonder if that means they're under new management...

Back to CleganeBowl. Don't think that's happening anymore, but it looks like Cersei's trial may be as soon as next week. And Gregor is getting in some pre-game kills on weenie sparrows. Next week looks brutal!

Lyanna Mormont killed that effin scene (and again, another call-back to Lyanna Stark). Not all that helpful army-wise though.

Riverrun was good. The Blackfish is a fucking douche and should just surrender, but I like him all the same. Was hoping he'd call Jaime a cripple. Finally Bronn is back!

I saw the fucking Waif bitch a mile away Arya Stark, did you forget your damn training already? Jesus.

Margaery is playing the Sparrow and the whole Faith, as expected. I gotta think the High Sparrow can see right through this. I still get the feeling this is all going to blow up in both Margaery's and Cersei's face, literally. These bitches think they're way smarter than they are (granted, Gregor makes up for many of Cersei's, though I think he'll fail her at some point too), and the High Sparrow clearly isn't stupid.

Speaking of not working out, I really don't think things are going to work out for Yara (Asha) and Theon. Somehow, someway, Euron is going to get to Meeren first, or corner them in somewhere. And he's going to obliterate his niece and nephew and it won't be pretty. Euron is taking over for most evil human villain.

 

[SFGRTB]

Back to back setup episodes. Still enjoyed both a lot, there were plot advancements and some book candy along the way. Looks like huge payoff the final three episodes though.

Got next week's preview which looked LOADED. Maybe a battle at Riverrun. Definitely some Gregor action in Kings Landing ("I choose violence"). Arya resolution. More Sandor action. Tyrion's back (and maybe DRAGON(S)!?). Then the week after is probably SnowBowl. Then the finale. Damn. It's sad, but it's going to be intense!

 

[SFGRTB]

Do we know anything about Ian McShanes past?

Maybe he has past run-ins with the rumored leader?

Nothing, besides the story he gave to his followers about his past life. Quite possible it could have run in with the Brotherhood, but I doubt it. Septom Ray (as they called him) was old, the Brotherhood without Banners is not that old. They formed after Ned Stark died. That is, unless he had a run-in WAYYYYY back.... somewhere in the Vale perhaps. Some people can't give up grudges. (Being extremely vague here by design)

 

[SFGRTB]

One of the things that's gotten lost in the TV show is just how horrific it is for the average peasant type in Westeros. How armed bands of thugs do pretty much anything they want.

This is the backdrop for how the Sparrows come to power, because the traditional 'powers' aren't doing what they're supposed to as their part of the social contract.

At any rate, those guys saying they were worshippers of the Lord of Light doesn't mean that they were Dondarion's crew. It just means that they're another group of wandering thugs with swords.

I'm fairly convinced that was the Brotherhood Without Banners. In fact, I think that one of the riders was Lem Lemoncloak. And they're under new management.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

I liked this "set up EP far more". My only real complaint is it seemed once again to be an extremely short episode. Like not even 50 minutes so it seemed.

Last 3 are shaping up to be fantastic though. Some Arya pay off next week. The battle of the bastards in EP 9. Hopefully some TOJ at somepoint and a resolution(killing) of most of Kings Landings shit characters.

 

[Superbelt]

If Ray and his group were on Frey land, that would make the BwoB actions seem more in line with the books.

That's gotta be Lemoncloak.

I don't think CleganeBowl is off the mark at all. Sandor is going to mow through them, and reestablish his badass bonafides. Then maybe he can make his way to KL. Doesn't have to take long.

 

[Tharvot]

Loved that we got our dude The Hound back. It was another filler episode, but when the first few episodes were jam packed with action, you needed to step back a bit and set things up for the final run. For a while this season it seemed like we were barreling too quickly towards the end of the series.

Throwing this out there since it's close to what the books have in store, but I wouldn't be surprised if we had a 3-way or possibly even 4-way meetup b/t Jaime, Brienne, The Hound, and maybe Blackfish since they're all in the same area now and tBrotherhood clearly has gone off the deep end. They went differently about it, but the show has these characters in basically the same region that the books left off with them at now, which excites me.

I've heard the final 3 episode titles are:

Ep8 - No One: pretty clear this is going to be an Arya heavy episode. From the previews, it looks like we get the Clegane boys really messing some people up too

Ep9 - The Battle of the Bastards: pretty obvious which battle this is gonna be on

Ep10 - The Winds of Winter: the white walkers finally reach/bring down The Wall? Would be about right for Jon to capture Winterfell only to see the last defense of men come crumbling down behind him.

I'm stoked.

 

[calsnowskier]

It looked like Cleganebowl at the start of the ep, because Hound was affiliated with the faith. But now that Ray is dead, Hound is on his own personal rampage now. If they want the trial to happen in the next ep or two, that would be a FAST progression for his story, and I just don't see him getting back with the faith that fast, if at all. I think his future is with the new leader of the Bw/oB.

 

[Superbelt]

In the books, the Blackfish:

Spoiler

Escapes from Riverrun in the night never to be seen again

I think the letters that Sansa was writing were to Littlefinger/Arryn, and to Riverrun. And that's the reason that Brynden ends up relinquishing the castle, to join up with Sansa's army.

 

[mr.hockey4242]

Loved that we got our dude The Hound back. It was another filler episode, but when the first few episodes were jam packed with action, you needed to step back a bit and set things up for the final run. For a while this season it seemed like we were barreling too quickly towards the end of the series.

Throwing this out there since it's close to what the books have in store, but I wouldn't be surprised if we had a 3-way or possibly even 4-way meetup b/t Jaime, Brienne, The Hound, and maybe Blackfish since they're all in the same area now and tBrotherhood clearly has gone off the deep end. They went differently about it, but the show has these characters in basically the same region that the books left off with them at now, which excites me.

I've heard the final 3 episode titles are:

Ep8 - No One: pretty clear this is going to be an Arya heavy episode. From the previews, it looks like we get the Clegane boys really messing some people up too

Ep9 - The Battle of the Bastards: pretty obvious which battle this is gonna be on

Ep10 - The Winds of Winter: the white walkers finally reach/bring down The Wall? Would be about right for Jon to capture Winterfell only to see the last defense of men come crumbling down behind him.

I'm stoked.

Filler is a term that's starting to really get overused as well as misused.

This was not filler. Set up episode? Yes. But not filler.

 

[Edonidd]

It looked like Cleganebowl at the start of the ep, because Hound was affiliated with the faith. But now that Ray is dead, Hound is on his own personal rampage now. If they want the trial to happen in the next ep or two, that would be a FAST progression for his story, and I just don't see him getting back with the faith that fast, if at all. I think his future is with the new leader of the Bw/oB.

Yeah, I think Clegane on Clegane violence is out of the picture at this point. If the same person from the books is leading the brotherhood as many people hope I can't see him lasting 2 seconds there, so that's probably out of any picture. But he did get along with one person ever And she is coming back to westeros (probably). Plus he had some sort of crush on/strange relationship with Sansa who could use his help. He's afraid of fire so should join team Ice. I see the north in his future.

 

[Edonidd]

In the books, the Blackfish:

Spoiler

Escapes from Riverrun in the night never to be seen again

I think the letters that Sansa was writing were to Littlefinger/Arryn, and to Riverrun. And that's the reason that Brynden ends up relinquishing the castle, to join up with Sansa's army.

She needs an army though, not a single commander. She may not trust Jon yet, but the Wildlings are 100% with him and only him. Like it or not Jon is in charge. Unless The Blackfish brings the entire army with him, he's really not that much help. IMO.

 

[Tharvot]

Filler is a term that's starting to really get overused as well as misused.

This was not filler. Set up episode? Yes. But not filler.

I use the two interchangeably. Definitely a set up episode, but I still found it thoroughly enjoyable.

 

[Superbelt]

She needs an army though, not a single commander. She may not trust Jon yet, but the Wildlings are 100% with him and only him. Like it or not Jon is in charge. Unless The Blackfish brings the entire army with him, he's really not that much help. IMO.

Yeah, I'm thinking he gets the majority of the army out of the castle and moving north after he gets Sansa's raven.

 

[chf]

I'm fairly convinced that was the Brotherhood Without Banners. In fact, I think that one of the riders was Lem Lemoncloak. And they're under new management.

View attachment 125155

I doubt it. Why would Lem do a 180 on why they're doing what they're doing? Their whole shtick is to protect the little guy. Slaughtering a bunch of peasants? What for? The peasants were sheltering them/giving them food.

 

[chf]

Yeah, I'm thinking he gets the majority of the army out of the castle and moving north after he gets Sansa's raven.

With Jamie there, how's he going to do that?

 

[chf]

She needs an army though, not a single commander. She may not trust Jon yet, but the Wildlings are 100% with him and only him. Like it or not Jon is in charge. Unless The Blackfish brings the entire army with him, he's really not that much help. IMO.

Jon is still a 'Snow' as far as the realm is concerned. But as last night's episode shows, she has name recognition problems herself (are you a Lannister?)

Neither of them currently has all the elements they need to be THE guy.

 

[oaknightshockey1]

Jon is still a 'Snow' as far as the realm is concerned. But as last night's episode shows, she has name recognition problems herself (are you a Lannister?)

Neither of them currently has all the elements they need to be THE guy.

Will they be able to rally people around Rickon? Seems weak to me, but he's a guy and has the right last name, both of which seem to be very important.

 

[Tharvot]

In the books, the Blackfish:

Spoiler

Escapes from Riverrun in the night never to be seen again

I think the letters that Sansa was writing were to Littlefinger/Arryn, and to Riverrun. And that's the reason that Brynden ends up relinquishing the castle, to join up with Sansa's army.

He's staying defiant in large part because he knows Edmure is a dead man. The minute he produces an heir, the Freys will kill him. That's why he doesn't give 2 shits about whether the Freys kill him outside of Riverrun. The books do a pretty good job explaining that whole situation...but the show and the books aren't always exactly the same with these things.

I think he will end up relinquishing and escape to the north once his nephew is safely back in Riverrun...they will have to swear fealty to the crown and all that good stuff first.