OT: Winter Is Coming | Game of Thrones Discussion Thread

[jstewismybastardson]

The High Sparrow storyline still does nothing for me. Maybe the show just didn't do a good enough job of emphasizing the importance of religion in Kings Landing but I cannot for the life of me figure out why they don't just send a dozen soldiers in there and rescue the prisoners?

I think that is exactly right. You get a better feel of the importance of religion from the book version.

care to share what more they did in the books to show how important religion was ? spoiler it for the others

I mean it was cursory and short in the grand scheme of things but the "walk of shame/atonement" that Cersei did kinda showed to me what kind of foothold religion has taken amongst the poor common folk gave me the sense any type of royal intervention would cause an uprising

 

[Nasty_Magician]

care to share what more they did in the books to show how important religion was ? spoiler it for the others

I mean it was cursory and short in the grand scheme of things but the "walk of shame/atonement" that Cersei did kinda showed to me what kind of foothold religion has taken amongst the poor common folk gave me the sense any type of royal intervention would cause an uprising

But can we say for sure the poor did that because of religion? Didn't one guy flash her? Seemed more like an opportunity for them to vent their frustration toward the 1% than it was a show of faith.

Although I agree the whole fear is it would cause an uprising, I just didn't realize this character that was never mentioned prior to last season had so much pull.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

But can we say for sure the poor did that because of religion? Didn't one guy flash her? Seemed more like an opportunity for them to vent their frustration toward the 1% than it was a show of faith.

Although I agree the whole fear is it would cause an uprising, I just didn't realize this character that was never mentioned prior to last season had so much pull.

true ... but i got the impression that the common folk could see that religion had the power ... enough power to make a former Queen parade through the streets naked ... is is undying faith ??? maybe not ... i guess we will see soon how many will fight for the High Sparrow

 

[BGDave]

care to share what more they did in the books to show how important religion was ? spoiler it for the others

I mean it was cursory and short in the grand scheme of things but the "walk of shame/atonement" that Cersei did kinda showed to me what kind of foothold religion has taken amongst the poor common folk gave me the sense any type of royal intervention would cause an uprising

OK, but I am going from memory as I haven't read the books in 5 or 6 years.

Spoiler

Lots of random thoughts here, apologize that it doesn't flow well.

First off, GRRM does a pretty good job IMO on portraying a society where religion means different things to different people. Just like we do here. Some are not religious at all, some are casual, some are fairly serious and some are zealots. Some believe in the One True God, some believe in the Seven Faced God. Some wonder if they are one and the same. (Parts of this have come through on TV). Some believe in the Christian God, some in Allah, etc.

Right from the first chapters, we find out that Catelyn is fairly religious and Ned is not. Just like in real families. Have you noticed on the TV series, they will sometimes show a lone tree, with pale or white bark, and red leaves? That is a Godswood tree. They are believed to be found in very spiritual places and people visit them to meditate and commune with their Deity. Their is such a tree outside of Winterfell and Catelyn goes there. Sansa is another fairly religious one, and she visits the Godswood tree in Kings Landing often. The feel from the books is that being in the presence of the Godswood tree is getting closer to God, kind of like an open air church. It is also through those trees that links to the past, seeing the past, hearing past voices is done.

In the books, religion and magic are intertwined. Melissandre is part mystic priestess and part witch.

Even the House of White and Black is not merely a training school for assassins. It is explained as more of a religious following that is compelled to act on the wishes of their Gods by killing people "who needed killing".

Back to Cersei and Kinds Landing. The best way to understand the underlying religious theme here is: The Sept is the Vatican and the High Sparrow is the Pope. GRRM did not make this up out of thin air!

Why dont they just go in and root them out? Basically for the same reason you would not go into the Vatican and kill the Pope. The average citizen of Rome is probably moderately religious, and are very secular on a day-to-day basis. The folks in Kings Landing are like that. Basically human, but hey, invading the Sept would be (probably) viewed as crossing the line. Just like it would if someone tried it in the Vatican.

Finally, the hinted at battle between men and the White Walkers is Armageddon and the Book of Revelations, Westeros style

So anyway, I am hoping the religious implications get more airtime as the series goes on. Likewise, I hope we get some historical context for the First Men and the Children. Maybe the Sam storyline will be the device used to explain things like "who buried all that obsidian in the middle of nowhere, and why?".

 

[elocomotive]

Wow, that was beautifully set up. What an ending.

 

[Comeds]

Finally, more humor in the show.

Hold the door, hold the door.

Hodor gets tore apart. LMAO

 

[calsnowskier]

That'll teach him to be chivalrous. I am never holding the door again...

 

[elocomotive]

I thought that was the best singular scene we've watched on Game of Thrones. Watched it again a few times this morning. The past/present, the music, the sacrifice. Just perfect television.

 

[juliansteed]

So some other stuff happened last night too.

I'm thinking Euron Greyjoy is the Harpy or at least is aligned with them somehow. Not sure if the Harpy's original intent was to kill Daenerys at the fighting pits to steal her dragons or maybe they just wanted to kill Hizdar whom she was engaged to and then capture Daenerys. Daario, Tyrion, Missandei, and Grey Worm would have been a bonus but after thinking Hizdar faked his death since last season, I'm changing my theory to him being their primary target. Now Daenerys is single again and her fleet just happened to have burned down. Euron was away from the Iron Islands travelling the world but where was he exactly most recently?

Sansa is not playing the game of thrones as well as she and many viewers would like to think she is. Refusing the Knights of the Vale was a big time rookie mistake, whether she likes or trusts Littlefinger or not. She should have at least heard him out and spoke to her cousin Robin and the other lords of the Vale, talked it over with Jon, Brienne, Davos etc. Maybe she could have arranged a way to secure their services with Littlefinger not being part of the deal. The Lords of the Vale have been free agent hold outs since the beginning and finally want to be loyal to her and she passes on them. Now she has to scramble to find other loyal houses in the north and concvince them that her, Jon and 2000 Wildlings can defeat the Boltons, Karstarks, Umbers, and Manderlys (?) to save her brother. So what's Littlefiner and the knights of the Vale going to do now? Well he just happened to tell her that Blackfish has built an army that would come north and help her now that they took back Riverrun. So if the Blackfish heads North wouldn't that leave Riverrun (where Littlefinger happened to grow up) vulnerable? Littlefiner could probably manipulate Robin into it somehow, seeing as how Robin is also part Tully.

I think Jorah is going to head to Oldtown and meet up with Sam somehow. He was pardoned a couple of seasons ago and can return to Westeros now. Sam met Shireen so he knows there is a cure, but wouldn't know what it is yet. So how does Jorah motivate Sam to help some guy he just met instead of doing what Jon sent him there to do? Would Jorah intentionally infect one or both of Gilly or baby Sam? Not sure if Jorah would go that far, but if so I think baby Sam would be more likely. Sam and Gilly save him from being turned into a White Walker and would then have to save him from turning into a Stoneman.

 

[juliansteed]

Also I wonder how much Arya will read into the Tyrion's part in the play in case they meet up at some point. He basically took on Littlefinger's role. She knows the play didn't have all of its facts straight, but will she wonder if there could be some truth to it?

 

[mattola]

i get the feeling sending Brienne out is a death sentence during this time.

Spoiler

AND STOP KILLING DIRE WOLVES

 

[BGDave]

i get the feeling sending Brienne out is a death sentence during this time.

Spoiler

AND STOP KILLING DIRE WOLVES

I thought that was the best singular scene we've watched on Game of Thrones. Watched it again a few times this morning. The past/present, the music, the sacrifice. Just perfect television.

This. As much as I like this series, that final scene was spellbinding. Took the series so far beyond the adolescent, fantasy

Spoiler: keepin' it PG-13

blood and guts, tits and ass

. Award winning scene.

One of the directors said before the season began that every episode would have an OMG moment this year. I was skeptical, and after Ep 1 I was really skeptical. No more. They are delivering this year.

 

[BGDave]

i get the feeling sending Brienne out is a death sentence during this time.

Spoiler

AND STOP KILLING DIRE WOLVES

PETA will be protesting at shooting locations for next season.

 

[jstewismybastardson]

i get the feeling sending Brienne out is a death sentence during this time.

Spoiler

AND STOP KILLING DIRE WOLVES

hopefully for him ... he gets some first

 

[jstewismybastardson]

oh as far as that comparison in that tweet above ... its pretty good lol

 

[jstewismybastardson]

 

[BGDave]

Episode 6

My title "No One Died???"

Kind of a letdown.

BTW, does everyone know that the opening credits give a preview of the episode? Only the main characters in that episode are shown. If the name isn't there, the actor is not in that episode. The opening credits for Ep. 6 did not list Kit Harrington (Jon Snow) or Peter Dinklage (Tyrion) among others.

 

[elocomotive]

^Yeah, lots of rising action this week. Some interesting moments, but more of a setup episode for sure.

What was with the final scene? Redundant, no? After Khaleesi gives her big speech, I wanted a moment where everyone grew quiet and then one blood rider was like...
"Yeah, we're with you. I thought that was obvious. I mean, we've been riding through the desert for days now following you. Where exactly did you think we were going? I thought it was presumed after we all left the big horse convention thing. Remember when we all cheered and bowed down? What else did you think that meant?"

Also, how long has Uncle B just been riding around the woods? The guy must be absolutely sick of rabbit stew. Maybe they'll stumble across a Chili's or something.

 

[BGDave]

Oh and one other comment. I will spoiler it in case some are late watching due to Memorial Day

Spoiler

I was not at all surprised at Sam's lack of spine. I did like that he took the sword however, and there will be more to it then just a cheap "WTG Sam, maybe you did not stand up to Dad but you got some payback in a way that will really piss him off. Haha."

You just KNOW at some future point (final season) it will be part of the "Previously on GoT" flashback montage. Likely in the episode where Sam has to actually use the sword and kill another Walker

 

[BGDave]

Also, how long has Uncle B just been riding around the woods? The guy must be absolutely sick of rabbit stew. Maybe they'll stumble across a Chili's or something.

I always thought he was more of a DQ kinda guy. Probably partial to Blizzards.