"Non book readers" - Season 8 Episode 5 "The bells" - Spoilers post 2 forward

IAMAMORON

[Deleted User] wrote: »

It went full on 80s B-movie at times..

Pile of sh1te..

I'm actually considering not watching the last episode..

You shouldn't, it is evident from your posts for the past 2 years that you haven't being enjoying it.

Stop wasting your time, have you been keeping up with Corro lately? It sounds like you could do with some serious Gail Tilsley downtime. Treat yourself you deserve it.

J. Marston

J. Marston wrote: »

No you're not. See you next week.

No I actually am..

As a protest at the pile of sh1te they made of it..

And tbh I don't care what happens really now...

youreadthat

NuMarvel wrote: »

There have been 22 Marvel Studios films at this point, and numerous other adaptations by other studios. Can you be a bit more specific about how GoT has become like these movies in their totality, because I'm not seeing it.

Beige fan service with expensive visuals to trick you into thinking there’s any value in the money and time you’ve spent following it.

IAMAMORON

IAMAMORON wrote: »

You shouldn't, it is evident from your posts for the past 2 years that you haven't being enjoying it.

Stop wasting your time, have you been keeping up with Corro lately? It sounds like you could do with some serious Gail Tilsley downtime. Treat yourself you deserve it.

Well, if you're recommending it..Is it all who wants to shag who and sentimental banter, like GOT minus the violence and dragons and sh.t?..

storker

Very sorry to see Varys go. It was nice to see him and Tyrion affirm their friendship just before the end. I was reminded of their chat during the preparations for the Battle of the Blackwater...
Tyrion; "I wish we could converse as two honest and intelligent men."
Varys: "I wish we could too."
The irony being that effectively, they always did.

Jaime and Tyrion's farewell was done well too. Of all the characters in the show, Jaime must surely be the most complex.

J. Marston wrote: »

Well, Dany is full tyrant now. Disappointed.

The Mad King had a sex change.

soap1978 wrote: »

Hate when Jamie said he didn't care about the people

It's consistent with his character, though. I would have found it less than credible had he responded to a plea in the name of the sweaty masses.

Deco99 wrote: »

So Jamie not there to kill cersei? I'm gripped what could possibly be left next week

My prediction: Arya, who seems to have been very affected by the fates of the innocents, will confront Danaerys and call her out as the monster she has become, or just try to assassinate her. Jon will stick up for Arya, but the Mad Queen will try to set her dragon on Arya anyway, at which point Jon will either order the dragon to stop, or will interpose himself between the dragon and Arya, and the dragon will hold its fire (literally), Jon being a Targaryen. After that, it's game over for the Mad Queen. King Jon first of his name will take the throne, keeping the name Ned Stark gave him in honour of his adoptive father.

Necro wrote: »

I'm not actually. Kinda hoped they wouldn't pull punches, it's the reality of war tbh.

That struck me too. The scenes in the streets of King's Landing seem to tally with historical accounts of the sackings of cities, even Badajoz as recently as 1812 - without the carpet-bombing dragon of course.

NDWC wrote: »

Disappointed by

Cersei's (presumable) death, was hoping it'd be more brutal

I was half-expecting Arya to appear and do the pair of them.

lawlolawl

https://twitter.com/chachch_changes/status/1127762444120743937/photo/1


Deeply nuanced writing.

bigslice

Deleted User wrote: »

No I actually am..

As a protest at the pile of sh1te they made of it..

And tbh I don't care what happens really now...

A powerful statement to HBO...right up there with The Peoples front of Judea Suicide squad.

That will show them.

Stand firm brother.

storker

kowloon wrote: »

Always disliked Dani's sense of entitlement, so I'm liking the direction it's taking.

A sense of entitlement born from her knowledge that she was the rightful heir to the throne, and undiminished by learning that the actually isn't. She was supposed to be "breaking the wheel", now she's just breaking innocent people on it.

bigslice

bigslice wrote: »

A powerful statement to HBO...right up there with The Peoples front of Judea Suicide squad.

That will show them.

Stand firm brother.

Splitters!!

md23040

I’m disappointed that Cersei with all her planning had relied on a couple of catapults to protect her from defeat. It would have been more fitting when Dany went rogue and flew towards the red keep that Cersei would have exploded a heap wildfire and napalmed Drogon.

She spent the whole episode taking punch after punch without fighting back which is so out of character.

J. Marston

md23040 wrote: »

I’m disappointed that Cersei with all her planning had relied on a couple of catapults to protect her from defeat. It would have been more fitting when Dany went rogue and flew towards the red keep that Cersei would have exploded a heap wildfire and napalmed Drogon.

She spent the whole episode taking punch after punch without fighting back which is so out of character.

There is no fighting back after Drogon has wiped out the city defences. She was in a state of shock.

55 minutes in and I'm not able

Sad Professor

Great episode with a very satisfying and GRRM-esque climax to Dany's story. I'd rank this up there with the best of the series.

Despite being a critic of the show for most of its run, I've been extremely pleased with the last two seasons. Really haven't a clue what all the complaining is about.

Liam O

Sad Professor wrote: »

Great episode with a very satisfying and GRRM-esque climax to Dany's story. I'd rank this up there with the best of the series.

Despite being a critic of the show for most of its run, I've been extremely pleased with the last two seasons. Really haven't a clue what all the complaining is about.

The fact that nothing makes any sense is probably a good place to start

Inconsistencies galore with regards time passing, locations, character motivations etc.

Dany literally saves humanity and 2 episodes later is destroying it.

Airyfairy12

storker wrote: »

She's a Targaryen and nuts like her dad. Their DNA is like a bad Scrabble hand.

Ayras not a Targaryen ...

storker

J. Marston wrote: »

There is no fighting back after Drogon has wiped out the city defences. She was in a state of shock.

Qyburn: "Your grace, we should evacuate."
Cersei: "Don't panic, we just need a good shot."
Qyburn: "All the scorpions have been destroyed."
Cersei: "Don't panic, there's still the Iron Fleet."
Qyburn: "The Iron Fleet is burning in the bay."
Cersei: "Don't panic, we're safe in the Red Keep."
Qyburn: "They'll have no problem breaking in."
Cersei: "OK, let's panic."

muddypaws

I thought it was a great episode of television. I didn't even consider staying up until 2am last night as I wasn't excited by what may be in it, but I will be next week.

Probably reading too much into it, but I loved Arya at the end, her clothes, and the way she moved reminded me of the NK, with the ash and fire surrounding and behind her, as opposed to snow and ice, and the grey horse continued that. There is also the possibility of it being one of the 4 horses of the apocalypse, white or maybe pale - "Come.” I looked, and behold, an ashen horse; and he who sat on it had the name Death;

storker

Airyfairy12 wrote: »

Ayras not a Targaryen ...

Silly mistake, I thought it was Danaerys being discussed at that point. Original post edited.

JoeyJJ

Drogon must have had a lot of weetabix, he certainly deserves to chill out with his mates for a while, oh wait they are dead.

Dany gone all mad queen on us surely she won't let herself be isolated with people who will danger claim to the throne.

I wonder how many scrolls Varys got out before his demise? Possibly none, even if he did who is gonna go against her after that flex of muscles.

Has Sansa any part in the final episode? Lord Gendry? Ah heck I may as well watch the preview.

Skylinehead

storker wrote: »

Qyburn: "Your grace, we should evacuate."
Cersei: "Don't panic, we just need a good shot."
Qyburn: "All the scorpions have been destroyed."
Cersei: "Don't panic, there's still the Iron Fleet."
Qyburn: "The Iron Fleet is burning in the bay."
Cersei: "Don't panic, we're safe in the Red Keep."
Qyburn: "They'll have no problem breaking in."
Cersei: "OK, let's panic."

Qyburn: *splat*

Airyfairy12

I wish cersei had a better death, would have liked to see her captured and beheaded like she did to missandei

SureYWouldntYa

You have to feel so bad for Brienne now

I was sure Jaime going back to Cersei was a ploy, and that he would kill her as it was what needed to be done, and he’d get a happily every after ending with Brienne too

Nobody is going to get a happy ending at all are they, except for the hound i suppose

I need to lie down.

Clareman

I'm loving the way a lot of the stuff that's playing out now was referenced years ago, even in the first series. Cersai thought that power was power and with the scorpions she had the power, Dany going high and low brought the end of that advantage. Speaking of dragons, Dany had 3 and has lost 1 due to each of the major battles she has fought in the 7 kingdoms, now she has 1 left I assume there isn't a hope of more dragons being produced.

barneyrub

Was Varys trying to poison Danerys in the beginning of the episode?

awec

barneyrub wrote: »

Was Varys trying to poison Danerys in the beginning of the episode?

I think so. The girl he spoke to worked in the kitchen, and they said Dany was refusing food. My take is he was trying to off her.

johnny_ultimate

Hard not to have 'opinions' about that episode.

It's arguably the best made - in a technical and spectacle sense - episode of the series. The way it transitions from the ominous, shadowy build-up of the opening 15 minutes to the brutal chaos that follows is satisfying. The action feels like a riposte to the Battle of Winterfell - no tactical darkness to hide the violence and death. Miguel Sapochnik is one of the show's best directors, and he brings his a-game here.

In the moment, the episode is largely enjoyable, a few raised eyebrows aside. But like much of this season so far, as soon as I started to digest it a bit that sheen wore off. The major problem I have is that I really just don't give a **** about any of the characters at this stage. I feel the writers are forcing them to make weird decisions just to set up certain scenes or payoffs, regardless of whether it makes any sense or not. Jamie's perhaps the foremost example: I simply do not think the show remotely sold his decision to go back Cersei, and that whole business rang hollow as a result. I can see how it makes sense on paper, but the writers have rushed through necessary development to get him and Cersei back together. Feel they've been just buying time when it comes to Tyrion as well all season - without question he'll have some key role in the finale (Davos' favour) but they've relegated him to bumbling witness for too long here.

But what of the big character shift, the arrival of the Mad Queen? There's no doubt that's been bubbling as a possibility since very early on in the series, and a few inciting incidents in the last few to push her over the edge. Why does it still ring a bit false? Again there's just an inconsistency in the writing: from scene to scene in the last couple of episodes you simply don't know if Dany will be an empathetic, decent leader or psychopath-in-waiting. The path towards this destination had been paved for sure, but it comes across as unstable and clumsy in the execution. Ditto how those spiked arrows were such a devastating, insurmountable threat last week and destroyed with barely a sweat broken this week. The show's internal rules come across as made up as they go along.

As a piece of action television, there's plenty to like here - the sheer horrid scale of the thing, and the sense of chaos as Jon futilely yelled at his troops to stop. It was at its weakest, though, when it tried to be a last generation action video game. The Arya sequences were the worst offenders - while an admirable attempt to give the audience a POV of the grim scenes on the ground, her constant stumbling from one explosion or collapsing building to another gave the impression of a bad action sequence from an Uncharted game. It really felt like they forced a fan-favourite character into that situation so she'd have something to do this episode. And the show's worst habit this season has been to treat every character death as a big, dramatic showcase or event: every major death here is an emotionally-loaded reunion or long-anticipated confrontation, and that traps GoT in the sort of generic blockbuster storytelling mould that the show at its brutal best avoided.

There's a sense this episode works in the moment because of the efforts of many of the creative players: whether that's Sapochnik's visceral direction, or largely accomplished work from almost all the major cast members. The fall of King's Landing was, crucially, as catastrophic as one could have imagined. In that sense, the episode was a success. But I'm basically tuned out of the broader narrative at this stage: I don't really care about anyone's fate, or whether the impossibly bland Jon Snow and the 'good guys' triumph over the genocidal queen. Game of Thrones is something I enjoy watching on a Monday morning, but even as events barrel forward it leaves surprisingly little impression once those credits have rolled.

the sword

Disappointing few episodes so far this season. Condensing it into 6 episodes has really taken away what the show was about, and characters aren’t getting the time like they should be.

Cersei’s and Jamie’s ending wasn’t fitting of characters that had been in the show from day 1, Cersei being under used the entire season tbh.

As pointed out, the impact of the scorpions on the walls and the Iron Fleet seemed to be a major hinderance to any plans of using Drogon, and I was expecting something a bit more cunning to alleviate this.

The golden company had no impact whatsoever, and not true to what game of thrones is about, once the scorpions were destroyed the obvious happened.

The Hound character went full circle, and as a fan favourite it was good to see him getting a decent ending.

With a show this big, and that much floating about the internet in terms of what could happen next, no one is every going to be really satisfied with how it all ends.

touts

I was critical of the Battle of Winterfell because I felt the writers chickened out. I feel the opposite about this one. I think this was a cracking episode. There were some scenes where lesser writers would have gone the obvious way. I was convinced Jamie was going to a bell tower and would save the city from slaughter. Then we would have a trial and some politics and a couple of executions and someone would sit on the throne. That's what most show writers would do. But they didn't and he didn't. He was just fixated on getting to Cersie before the inevitable end. The bells rang but it wasn't him. There was no great soppy hero moment for a man who outwardly was a hero but inwardly didn't want to be one.

What came to mind watching it was this must have been what it was like when big cities fell to a vengeful opponent. Constantinople and Berlin were the two that came to mind. The horrifying reality of the fall and sack of a city for both the main characters and the ordinary people was shown in all its brutality.

Cersie dying in the collapse of the Red Keep. Sure that was dispointing because Arya didn't get to kill her but yet it lent an element of reality to it. History shows you don't always get a big epic showdown and they don't always find the body.

Dany going nuts. Thinking back there were always signs of it across the seasons. She had a habit of burning her enemies and seemed to relish it at times (e.g. at the Dokrati capital or crucifying the masters). Her banishment of Ser Jorah for being a spy years before always felt overly cruel considering it was clear he had been utterly converted to her cause. Or even back to the first season when she watched her brother being killed and refused to turn away. I think the signs were always there that she was prone to the most irrational of reactions its just we invested in her being one of the good guys. It is as if the coin was flipping in the air giving us glimpses of her good and evil sides and we hoped that it would eventually land on the good side.

Cleganebowl was a bit overly CGIed at times. I would have preferred to see the two of them going at it on the ground. I can see why they did it up the tower as they needed the fall and the fire below to kill the Mountain but if he can survive being skewered with a sword and then a dagger through the brain could he survive the fall?

The letter Varys was writing at the start was interesting. I wonder who that went to. Then he was writing another when he was arrested a few days later so he clearly was sending more than one. I wonder was he writing to the surviving Lords of the Realm and the Grand Maester etc to spread the word about Jon being the true heir. Given his service under so many Kings over the years he might be one of the few that the realm would believe if he told them about Jon.

Overall I have to say I think that was a superb episode. I'll watch it again tonight but don't think my first opinion will change much.

Necro

touts wrote: »

What came to mind watching it was this must have been what it was like when big cities fell to a vengeful opponent. Constantinople and Berlin were the two that came to mind. The horrifying reality of the fall and sack of a city for both the main characters and the ordinary people was shown in all its brutality.

Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the jungles and towns of Vietnam being napalmed by the US troops. That's more in the line of what I was thinking of was behind the way it was shot.