Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Season 5 x 09: The Dance of Dragons - HAVE READ the books

Options
1356789

Comments

  • Options
    #62
    JJayoo
    Registered Users Posts: 6,561 ✭✭✭JJayoo


    Hmmmm Is the dragon still a baby? wasn't expecting it to get speared so easily


  • Options
    #63
    ibarelycare
    Registered Users Posts: 58,456 ✭✭✭✭ibarelycare


    Stannis says in A Storm of Swords
    I never asked for this crown. Gold is cold and heavy on the head, but so long as I am the king, I have a duty … If I must sacrifice one child to the flames to save a million from the dark … Sacrifice … is never easy, Davos. Or it is no true sacrifice.

    I don't know why people think this is so out of character for him. He truly believed what he did was to save the realm. He knows that Davos is right and his army is going to die, and there is no way out besides using the same sacrifice that has worked for him before.


  • Options
    #64
    JJayoo
    Registered Users Posts: 6,561 ✭✭✭JJayoo


    Is there another sand snake daughter? there are 3 in prison and in this episode it says that there are 4 daughters


  • Options
    #65
    Mr Freeze
    Registered Users Posts: 6,618 ✭✭✭Mr Freeze


    ibarelycare wrote: »
    Stannis says in A Storm of Swords



    I don't know why people think this is so out of character for him. He truly believed what he did was to save the realm. He knows that Davos is right and his army is going to die, and there is no way out besides using the same sacrifice that has worked for him before.

    He was talking about Robert's child in that instance, in my opinion he might not think say the same if it was his own child. But I take your point, this statement could easily mean this own too. (but I don't think he would).

    I don't even think book Stannis believes in the Lord of Light at this stage.


  • Options
    #66
    Nody
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Entertainment Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 18,265 CMod ✭✭✭✭Nody


    JJayoo wrote: »
    Is there another sand snake daughter? there are 3 in prison and in this episode it says that there are 4 daughters
    There are; three bastards go for the rebellion while the fourth who has a different mother is in the trust of king and in on the overarching plan.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #67
    Rabo Karabekian
    Closed Accounts Posts: 275 ✭✭Rabo Karabekian


    If I were Tyrion, or any of the others left in the pit, I'd be pretty annoyed with Dany right now. Fight to save her life and then off she pops on her dragon.

    I think the decision to burn Shireen was handled very, very badly in the show, but from what I remember of Stannis in the books, it's not exactly out of character. Somebody mentioned previously about how he specifically mentions 'sacrificing a child' if between a rock and a hard place, and there's few places more like that than not being able to make it to Winterfell, nor the Wall with the other option being dying where you are. I think the problem, as has always been the case with the TV show, is that, for all its many positives, it just can't fit in what the books do in ten episodes per season. There can be only a certain level of character development and poor Stannis certainly hasn't received a lot of it in the show. Having said that, what's bizarre with this season is that there's so much filler (Dorne and Arya's story - although thankfully, Bran's epic quest to turn into a tree hasn't featured at all).


  • Options
    #68
    Mr Freeze
    Registered Users Posts: 6,618 ✭✭✭Mr Freeze


    When George first told us about this, it was one of those moments that I remember looking at Dan, it was just, "Ugh, that's so horrible and so good in a story sense because it all comes together." You know, from the beginning, from the very first time we saw Stannis and Melisandre, they were sacrificing people, they were burning people alive on the beaches of Dragonstone, and it all comes to this...

    I hope it turns out GRRM was trolling the writers when he mentioned the burning.

    My disgust at the burning aside, the main reason for burning is to gain favourable conditions, we've not seen much of that in the show, in the books, Stannis got strong winds to blow them to the wall after burning his previous Hand of the King.

    But I think burning Shireen will have the opposite effect in episode 10, his army is still going to be frozen, still going to be starving. Kin slaying is as bad if not worse than breaking the guest right. I don't think people will follow him now, they won't die for him. His men are going to desert him and Stannis might turn on Mel as a result, for some pretty sh1tty counsel.


  • Options
    #69
    Hans Bricks
    Registered Users Posts: 850 ✭✭✭Hans Bricks


    Mr Freeze wrote: »
    I hope it turns out GRRM was trolling the writers when he mentioned the burning.

    My disgust at the burning aside, the main reason for burning is to gain favourable conditions, we've not seen much of that in the show, in the books, Stannis got strong winds to blow them to the wall after burning his previous Hand of the King.

    But I think burning Shireen will have the opposite effect in episode 10, his army is still going to be frozen, still going to be starving. Kin slaying is as bad if not worse than breaking the guest right. I don't think people will follow him now, they won't die for him. His men are going to desert him and Stannis might turn on Mel as a result, for some pretty sh1tty counsel.

    Going by next week's promo
    The men seem to be rallying behind him for the march on Winterfell
    .


  • Options
    #70
    Mr Freeze
    Registered Users Posts: 6,618 ✭✭✭Mr Freeze


    Hans Bricks wrote: »
    Going by next week's promo
    The men seem to be rallying behind him for the march on Winterfell
    .

    Thanks for reminding me to actually watch the promo, I completely forgot about it....


  • Options
    #71
    RobbingBandit
    Registered Users Posts: 18,088 ✭✭✭✭RobbingBandit


    Don't get the point of The Sons of the Harpy killing Hizdahr, HBO guys mind rape us all again.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #72
    MrWalsh
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭MrWalsh


    Very disturbed by the burning of Shireen. Will the Onion Knight kill Stannis for this? I don't particularly think it was out of character for Stannis. It was more out of character showing a soft side to him in previous episodes.

    I must be the only person who enjoyed Dorne this week! Thought Bronn was a goner so good to see him released. Also enjoyed Prince Dorans measured response to Jaime, he is a smart guy. Jaime displayed good high born diplomatic skills too IMO.

    Has Jorah not infected Dany now by touching her? I thought Jorah was a goner too so enjoyed the twist in having him throw the spear, thought Hizdar was responsible for the chaos so was surprised to see him stabbed. I knew immediately upon chaos breaking out that Drogon was coming so was trying not to shout at the telly and ruin it for himself (non book reader). Didn't give a fiddlers re the CGI, when the story is enjoyable I don't notice things like that.

    And Meryn Trant is a pedo now? Dirty fecker. Why doesn't he recognise Arya?

    So next week we must get the walk of shame, Meryn Trant is given to the many faced god, Stannis meets his maker at Winterfellmageddon, Brienne slashes someone up (hopefully Ramsay), Sansa is rescued and there's a Stabby McStab fest at the Wall.

    I can see the closing scene being Jon Snow either closing his eyes, or opening Ghosts ;)


  • Options
    #73
    bopper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭bopper


    Jamari Long Roundworm wrote: »
    I know there's less than a snowball in hell's chance like, but a gal can dream that it's foreshadowing LS.

    Well the finale is called "Mother's Mercy", but that could probably just be the creators being teasing b*stards.


  • Options
    #74
    pq0n1ct4ve8zf5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,070 ✭✭✭✭pq0n1ct4ve8zf5


    I really do like Mace Tyrell in the show, just a total oblivious eejit misreading every interaction he's involved in with any given character. Him singing and insisting on calling your man from the Iron Bank a gambler even though anyone could see it was annoying him was pretty funny. Daario and Hizdar's pissing contest was a good laugh too, especially being brought to an end by that decapitation. It's nice sometimes to have a good old brutal decapitation to laugh at in the midst of all the really dark violent stuff :pac:


  • Options
    #75
    pq0n1ct4ve8zf5
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,070 ✭✭✭✭pq0n1ct4ve8zf5


    bopper wrote: »
    Well the finale is called "Mother's Mercy", but that could probably just be the creators being teasing b*stards.

    I think the show runners and GRRM are both on record as saying she's not in it, but I suppose maaaaybe they might be being tricky and it's a rejigged version of the character or something


  • Options
    #76
    ArmaniJeanss
    Registered Users Posts: 13,302 ✭✭✭✭ArmaniJeanss


    Mr Freeze wrote: »
    Kinslaying is as bad if not worse than breaking the guest right. I don't think people will follow him now, they won't die for him. His men are going to desert him and Stannis might turn on Mel as a result, for some pretty sh1tty counsel.

    Not in this show - everyone will conveniently forget that kinslaying is supposed to be a big deal. Until maybe halfway through next season when the concept will be needed for a plotpoint.
    Consistency is long dead.


  • Options
    #77
    letowski
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭letowski


    Hard for me what to think of that episode.

    The Shireen scene was disturbing for sure, but I have to agree with posters opinions that the producers made a bags of the build up. It was sort of like the Ygritte death scene last year where the build up was poorly timed (in this case too rushed).

    Contrary to the ice, I thought they made a good job of the fighting pits scene overall (apart from the CGI!). In the books, the harpys only attempt to poison her and Drogon only kills a boar I think. There was more excitement in this scene, with the Jorah fighting build up, loads of harpys attacking her and Drogon fighting her off.

    Dorne.. meh (again).

    Arya's encounter with Meryn Trant in the next episode is about as telegraphed as Olly stabbing Jon I must say. It's destined to go the way of the TWOW sample chapter where she killed Raff instead, especially now as Trant wants another 'young fresh one' tomorrow. Hopefully needle is still sharp!

    Ok episode overall.


  • Options
    #78
    Cienciano
    Registered Users Posts: 14,229 ✭✭✭✭Cienciano


    Washington Irving wrote: »
    Just rewatching a few scenes:

    -Why did Jon approach the Wall from the north?

    -Why did no one mention the Walkers immediately? It's a pretty significant event in the grand scheme of things.

    -How did the Unsullied let a Harpy get right up behind Dany and when did these highly trained-from-youth soldiers become such bog standard fighters?

    -Hizdahr is not the Harpy.

    -Jorah touched Dany like a fool. What was he thinking?

    -Jorah is badass.

    -Dany and Drogon looked like Malfoy on a broom.

    -Dorne still sucks, can't believe we missed the kingsmoot for this (for a year at any rate).

    -Doran is badass.

    -Olly stabbing Jon is going to go down as the most predictable twist in TV history.

    -Ramsay and his 20 men managed that a little too easily.

    -Meryn Trant gonna get what's coming to him.

    -Stannis hype at an all time low, that decision was made way too quickly and with little reason. Complete 180 from Stannis earlier this season.

    -I'm up for the Night's King now.
    I pretty much with you on every one of those. Add in:
    -Drogon just stand there watching while the Sons of the Harpy pick him off with spears. Breath fire on them ffs, they're 10 meters in front of you completely unprotected!
    googled eyes wrote: »
    I thought Dany had a legion of Unsullied. How come there were only about 20-30 in the arena ?
    A group of lads in tracksuits from Finglas would give the unsullied a good going over.

    Not a bad episode, but should have been better. There was no build up to how bad the situation in Stannis's camp was. Davos said he'd be back in a couple of days, they weren't even that far from Castle black!


  • Options
    #79
    Dyr
    Registered Users Posts: 23,246 ✭✭✭✭Dyr


    letowski wrote: »

    Contrary to the ice, I thought they made a good job of the fighting pits scene overall (apart from the CGI!). In the books, the harpys only attempt to poison her and Drogon only kills a boar I think. There was more excitement in this scene, with the Jorah fighting build up, loads of harpys attacking her and Drogon fighting her off.
    .

    Thats the problem with television writing, they feel they have to amp up the drama for every action scene like this until it becomes totally OTT and detracts from everything else

    Xena Warrior princess stuff that was, complete with TJ Hooker roll from Ser Leprosy


  • Options
    #80
    LionelNashe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,961 ✭✭✭LionelNashe


    That was pretty good. I liked the twist of Stannis sacrificing Shireen. It doesn't mean he's doing an about-face on that father daughter scene from a few weeks ago; he didn't do it for a steak sandwich as somebody said; he did it because he's going to sit on the Iron Throne no matter what it costs him.

    Thought the fighting pits were good. A bunch of people in the crowd donning masks and drawing weapons was a big improvement on a bowl of poisoned locusts.

    Julian Bashir's accent is pretty good. Thought that Martell guy has been funnier in the past. He was trying a bit too hard this time.

    As for Olly stabbing Jon, the telegraphing that the writers are doing makes me think that they might be planning something unexpected. The writers know that a lot of people have read the books and are expecting Jon to get stabbed in a mutiny, so they might use that expectation to throw a curve ball.


  • Options
    #81
    LionelNashe
    Registered Users Posts: 1,961 ✭✭✭LionelNashe


    Bambi wrote: »
    .............
    Xena Warrior princess stuff that was, complete with TJ Hooker roll from Ser Leprosy

    Oh yeah, that wasn't a great move. I thought the spearman must have thrown the match on purpose to fall for that one.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #82
    googled eyes
    Registered Users Posts: 4,629 ✭✭✭googled eyes


    Cienciano wrote:
    A group of lads in tracksuits from Finglas would give the unsullied a good going over.

    I nearly choked in my pizza ! Haha


  • Options
    #83
    letowski
    Registered Users Posts: 3,110 ✭✭✭letowski


    Bambi wrote: »
    Thats the problem with television writing, they feel they have to amp up the drama for every action scene like this until it becomes totally OTT and detracts from everything else

    Xena Warrior princess stuff that was, complete with TJ Hooker roll from Ser Leprosy

    I agree with that, but it wasn't for me too OTT really, that the Harpys went for a full on ambush as they have being doing that all along. It's possibly more logical for them. It was not delivered that well though I admit, the butter Unsullied, the cgi, the cringey eye to eye moments..


  • Options
    #84
    IK09
    Registered Users Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭IK09


    Don't know what some people are crying about the cgi for. It was about 12 seconds of riding a dragon that was poor. Who knows what riding a dragon looks like?


  • Options
    #85
    razorblunt
    Registered Users Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    That was all fur coat no knickers for me. Sand snakes hand slapping aside (jesus wept) I thought Dorne was ok.
    But some points:

    - I can get that the soldiers would go along with it, don't they all believe in the Red God now?

    - Dany riding off wasnt needed in close up form it's Xena mixed with a low budget Sci- Fi channel movie

    - The Spear warrior kills that Bravosi who was just going to take out one more for him, why not let him him kill Mormont and the shank him in the back? Bloody deus ex machina

    - Just use a flashback for Meryn Trent this paedo thing just insults the audience


  • Options
    #86
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 53,393 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    IK09 wrote: »
    Don't know what some people are crying about the cgi for. It was about 12 seconds of riding a dragon that was poor. Who knows what riding a dragon looks like?

    The entire fight scene was poorly done. The "stadium" in the background looked out of place in almost all scenes. The angles of Dany sitting watching looked different to the wide angles of the entire "stadium".

    And when the camera was behind the fighters looking up at Dany the lighting looked wrong and it looked really obvious that the background had been dropped in post-production.

    Add to this Mormont's sword bending all over the place as he swung it wildly, and him also completing the slowest most grandad-like front roll of all time to successfully kill a guy who moments before was moving his spear around really fast was just ridiculously bad writing.


  • Options
    #87
    Mormegil
    Registered Users Posts: 173 ✭✭Mormegil


    letowski wrote: »
    Contrary to the ice, I thought they made a good job of the fighting pits scene overall (apart from the CGI!). In the books, the harpys only attempt to poison her and Drogon only kills a boar I think. There was more excitement in this scene, with the Jorah fighting build up, loads of harpys attacking her and Drogon fighting her off.

    In the books Drogon sets the Arena alight probably killing hundreds of people. He also kills a guy who stabs him with a spear.
    JJayoo wrote: »
    Is there another sand snake daughter? there are 3 in prison and in this episode it says that there are 4 daughters

    There are 8 Sand Snakes (both in show and book).

    Oberyn tells Cersei he has 8 daughters in Season 4.

    The difference between show and book is that in the book Elleria is the mother of the 4 youngest (who don't really appear in the published books) while in the show they have made one of her 4 daughters Tyene.


  • Options
    #88
    bopper
    Registered Users Posts: 1,019 ✭✭✭bopper


    razorblunt wrote: »
    - Just use a flashback for Meryn Trent this paedo thing just insults the audience

    I don't think the purpose of that was simply to show the audience he's a bad guy, presumably his taste for underage girls is how Arya will get him alone so that she can kill him. Maybe it'll be the first time we will see her use a different "face".


  • Options
    #89
    Zillah
    Registered Users Posts: 17,371 ✭✭✭✭Zillah


    LionelNashe wrote: »
    Julian Bashir's accent is pretty good.

    Thought this too, actually, it came across as very natural compared to a lot of the forced 'exotic' accents we hear. Makes sense given that he is of Arab descent.

    Fun fact, his full name is: Siddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abderrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi.

    He also knew Arabic as a child and forgot it when he moved to England.


  • Options
    #90
    Kunkka
    Registered Users Posts: 793 ✭✭✭Kunkka


    Cienciano wrote: »
    A group of lads in tracksuits from Finglas would give the unsullied a good going over.

    No contest, at least the lads wouldn't let people sneak up on them like that. I watched it again there and even the Mrs who hasn't read the books said Dany's amazing army aren't up to much are they.

    For god sake's though with Stannis. The man in the books ate his own boots & even says if he dies that Shireen was to sit on the throne. What they've done to Stannis is going too far. It's fairly obvious he's going to die soon after that. They made a big deal out of how disgusted his troops were.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #91
    razorblunt
    Registered Users Posts: 17,300 ✭✭✭✭razorblunt


    bopper wrote: »
    I don't think the purpose of that was simply to show the audience he's a bad guy, presumably his taste for underage girls is how Arya will get him alone so that she can kill him. Maybe it'll be the first time we will see her use a different "face".

    Ah good call, I didn't think about that.


Advertisement