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

Nody · 10-05-2019 4:57pm #1

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RobbingBandit · 12-05-2019 7:18pm

Are you as excited for this episode as you were a few weeks ago for episode 1.

Me not so much tbh just get it over with at this stage.

Kunkka · 12-05-2019 8:52pm

I reckon this is the episode when most people are won over again... at least I hope so.

leggo · 12-05-2019 10:06pm

Kunkka wrote: »

I reckon this is the episode when most people are won over again... at least I hope so.

Yep, Thrones has a history of pulling people back in. I’ve watched weekly and followed reactions in real time since S4, which was arguably the best season. Since then in S5, people worried about filler and went mad about Sansa/Ramsey, then Hardhome happened and Jon was killed, all was forgiven. In S6, Jon’s resurrection divided opinion, then they ended with two all-timer episodes. At the start of S7, people gave out (ridiculously imo) about time travel, then Loot Train happened. Then they gave out (rightfully imo) about the capture the wight plan, then the season finale won everyone back.

The buzz from the cast before this season seemed to quietly be about this episode. I reckon they knock it out of the park. Some people have their minds made up already and fans of shows like this always struggle to accept endings, so I’m sure several will moan. But I’m excited and think it’s worth being excited about.

RobbingBandit · 13-05-2019 3:17am

Holy **** Burn em all

Necro · 13-05-2019 3:29am

Mad Queen reborn.

That is all.

Riddle101 · 13-05-2019 3:43am

I'm still trying to wrap my head around what I saw so i'll probably have a better comment later, but I found that episode to be very bizarre for some reason. I didn't hate but it just didn't feel right in some parts.

bur · 13-05-2019 3:51am

So The Hound died for nothing. That made more sad than his actual death.

Kunkka · 13-05-2019 5:55am

Fire and Blood.

TimeToShine · 13-05-2019 6:04am

Seriously what is the point of all of the prophecies if none of them come to fruition? It would have been so easy to incorporate Valonqar into that final scene with no harm done. The whole Euron bit was just ludicrous but I suppose other than that I've no complaints...which really is telling regarding where we are nowadays with the show. Lena Headley is a fantastic actress too.

Kunkka · 13-05-2019 6:43am

bur wrote: »

So The Hound died for nothing. That made more sad than his actual death.

I didn’t like it either, but he did, he got his revenge.

Daith · 13-05-2019 6:47am

bur wrote: »

So The Hound died for nothing. That made more sad than his actual death.

Dying for nothing is the point it was trying to make? Don't chase revenge. He says it himself?

I think people are too literal with the prophecies too. Mel even says that interpreting prophecies are tricky things hence why she thought Stannis was what Jon ended up being.

Not too sure about the ep but Drogon's initial attack was strangely cathartic.

Liam O · 13-05-2019 7:18am

The inconsistency is the only thing stopping that being a great episode. Drogon fire can only knock down walls when Jon isn't behind one. Dany only cares about innocent people until the plot needs a new antagonist. Scorpions a super weapon one minute and completely useless the next. Cersei Ice Queen one minute and sympathetic the next. I could go on. Thought it was good but again, doesn't really make much sense in the grand scheme of things.

The King's Landing guards are as incompetent as the Winterfell guards so at least that's somewhat consistent

Daith · 13-05-2019 8:00am

Drogon's fire knocking down walls? Ok, fine, but Varys should be have blow to Dorne. Maybe he just has better control of fire though.

The lack of scorpions pointing in at Kings Landing didn't make sense but I'm kinda ok with Drogon being intelligent enough once it wasn't a surprise attack like last week.

It's still a standard "one ninja beating 20 armed guards while they all wait their turn".

13-05-2019 8:15am

Well...that was disappointing.

awec · 13-05-2019 8:24am

Think of all the lives Jon could have saved if he had just had sex with Dany...

RobbingBandit · 13-05-2019 8:34am

Message to Hollywood withholding causes meltdowns literally.

Not a chance in the seven hells will the books end this way I'm gonna watch it again later as my stream died in the first 12 minutes for I only see the death of someone not why they were killed

Ironic that the realm suffered most dearly once they were off the chess board. Way too much is going on or has been missed that once the books are available will make more sense other characters will die or be killed and inspire reactions to cause similar actions in the book. Missandei a child in the books would hardly be beheaded by Ser Robert Strong would be the most obvious standout for me.

Daith · 13-05-2019 8:40am

RobbingBandit wrote: »

Missandei a child in the books would hardly be beheaded by Ser Robert Strong would be the most obvious standout for me.

The guy who crushed babies and raped their mother while she was covered in their blood at the sack of Kings Landing when Robert Baratheon won? That guy?

Necro · 13-05-2019 8:48am

RobbingBandit wrote:

Not a chance in the seven hells will the books end this way I'm gonna watch it again later as my stream died in the first 12 minutes for I only see the death of someone not why they were killed

Not a chance in the seven hells you'll actually get the book ending either mate. Martin has had his work done for him. He might finish Winds of Winter but there's more chance of me ascending the Iron Throne than there is of him releasing A Dream of Spring.

awec · 13-05-2019 8:50am

Production wise that was absolutely excellent. Movie-esque. The acting was excellent.

The plot though? Meh. I think I'm past caring. They are clearly focusing on production at the expense of story. Viewed in isolation, it is great, when you view it through the lens of the whole show it sort of falls apart. The character of Jamie Lannister has been butchered.

Kunkka · 13-05-2019 8:52am

I have defended the show for a long time, but that episode annoyed me quite a bit.

Clegane Bowl wasn’t nearly as satisfying as I have hoped for years, didn’t expect Sandor to die getting his revenge.

Jaime’s story is just a mess now, I was convinced he was going to kill Cersei. His redemption seems a total waste of time now, what did it add to the story in the long run?(unless he isn’t dead) That possibly being the end for Cersei is a joke too.. the main antagonist dying like that is just hard to comprehend.

They’ve obviously just disregarded the Direwolves completely, which just beggars belief considering how central they are in the books.

The whole mad Queen thing was the only good part and was done quite well in my opinion. Curious to see how it ends now as opposed to being excited, which is a first for me in the years I’ve followed the story.

Dany has to die now I guess and maybe Jon too. The 7 kingdoms could dissolve to how they were before the Targs arrived maybe? Sansa Queen in the North? Gendry and Ayra the stormlands with Tyrion getting the rock or Brienne’s child from Jaime?

duffysfarm · 13-05-2019 9:03am

where was Gendry in that episode?

Kunkka · 13-05-2019 9:04am

duffysfarm wrote: »

where was Gendry in that episode?

He wasn’t.

awec · 13-05-2019 9:10am

duffysfarm wrote: »

where was Gendry in that episode?

Think he's still at Winterfell.

podgemonster · 13-05-2019 9:14am

duffysfarm wrote: »

where was Gendry in that episode?

Probably attacking Storms End with a brush and mop!

awec · 13-05-2019 9:18am

The child who was playing with a toy in Kings Landing, before the battle started.

Was he playing with a toy car? I meant to rewind to check.

LadySkunk · 13-05-2019 9:50am

So annoyed over Jamie not killing Cersai, what was the point in his character development. It all feels so pointless now. Was sure he would go back to Brienne

I wouldn’t be surprised if they just had Dany burn everything in Westeros to the ground with everyone in it and end with her sitting on the iron throne with nothing but her dragon left. I mean f**k all the characters anyway right?

Really wanted to savour the last couple of episodes but am really sad with how that one went.

Liam O · 13-05-2019 9:53am

Jaime's cheap death also adds to my frustration with this season. These characters who I've spent so much time with and yet another lazily written ending with no payoff to their development over the seasons. Jaime is probably my favourite character due to the layers he brings to the story. Just reverts to type for no reason and says he doesn't care about the people? D&D went full mad king on the series this season and even though I enjoyed that episode for the most part it still leaves a sour taste thinking about how they treat these characters who they supposedly loved too.

awec · 13-05-2019 9:55am

The “I never cared about the people” line for Jamie was particularly lazy given he literally killed a King to save the people in the past.

Liam O · 13-05-2019 10:00am

TheSkunk wrote: »

So annoyed over Jamie not killing Cersai, what was the point in his character development. It all feels so pointless now. Was sure he would go back to Brienne

I wouldn’t be surprised if they just had Dany burn everything in Westeros to the ground with everyone in it and end with her sitting on the iron throne with nothing but her dragon left. I mean f**k all the characters anyway right?

Really wanted to savour the last couple of episodes but am really sad with how that one went.

Is there anyone even left in Westeros? Bronn is going to be lord of Highgarden ffs. Though surely that won't happen as it's hard to see Tyrion making it out of the next one without burning for letting Jaime go.

leggo · 13-05-2019 10:07am

TimeToShine wrote: »

Seriously what is the point of all of the prophecies if none of them come to fruition? It would have been so easy to incorporate Valonqar into that final scene with no harm done.

"Prophecy is like a half-trained mule."
- GRRM, by way of Tyrion, in ASOIAF

The point GRRM makes about prophecies is that it never goes the way you think it's going to go. Cersei did die in tears, with her brother's hands around her neck and the life being squeezed out of her. We all just assumed it was going to be murderous, but the story has screamed at us for years "Yeah, what you assume when it comes to prophecies means nothing". Jaime going back to Cersei is true to his character. If he didn't turn on her after she blew up the Sept of Baelor and directly caused the suicide of their son, he was never going to turn on her. He tried, he honoured his promise to fight for the living and even gave that normal, good life thing a go, but when faced down with the reality of her death reverted to type. It's not what I thought/hoped was going to happen, but I don't watch TV shows to be right either. Jaime and Cersei left the world as they came into it: together.

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

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