Game of Thrones - Episode 4 x 09; 'The Watchers on the Wall' - HAVE read the books

Kunkka · 10-06-2014 10:32AM

Really thought the show done the books justice. Cannot wait for next week and the arrival of the one true king of Westeros!

TheGlass · 10-06-2014 10:34AM

I think trailers are fair enough, they don't generally spoil major plotlines, especially given we're all read the books, and are shown straight after the show

Sleepy · 10-06-2014 10:42AM

I'm wondering if we're going to see Slynt and Thorne as the two rivals for Lord Commander that Sam manipulates into electing Jon?

All season we've seen them as being on the same side and in this episode they diverted along very different paths: Thorne showing himself to be a man of the watch who just dislikes sulky lordlings whilst Slynt showed himself to be a craven. Could be an easier path for TV than introducing Cotter Pyke and having Ser Alliser put his weight behind Slynt etc.

razorblunt · 10-06-2014 10:54AM

December2012 wrote: »

Just listening to a podcast there who counted out all the NW deaths - and got to 30 on screen approx.

I seemed to notice alot of the NW were punched off steps and didn't actually die, one landed and rolled off the roof where Ygritte later comes down, Tormund and the Thenn alot of time were slashing and moving on.
Straw clutching I know!

Kunkka · 10-06-2014 11:02AM

Sleepy wrote: »

I'm wondering if we're going to see Slynt and Thorne as the two rivals for Lord Commander that Sam manipulates into electing Jon?

I think you may be right. Thorne has been excellent in the show. Absolutely nails it every time. An utter **** but that's what he is. His chat with Jon on top of the wall was excellent.

lynski · 10-06-2014 11:08AM

I was glued to that episode, loved it.
Did not like the Jon/ygritte death scene, too much time in the middle of a battle, He would have been killed.
Loved the mammouths,giants (not big brutes, but people with feelings), the Scythe, the magner getting it, Sam getting his mojo and stepping up, Jon becoming the de-facto leader, Slynt the slithering, The real battle for westeros actually getting started.

Was talking to oh afterwards about next week and he, as a non-reader, thinks:
NW scenes finished for this season, jon off to see mance and castle black under siege see you next yr,
littlefinger and sansa story sorted, off touring the vale see you next yr,
Even Dany could be left where it is ruling meereen and lost her best bud, see you next yr
And potentially KL left alone too, Tyrion sentenced to death, other lads dead, see you next yr
Boltons and Theon at winterfell, see you next yr,
So Brianne and Pod, Bran and Hodor, arya and Hound, Stannis and Co are the ones we have not seen for awhile and need to move a little.
He could not understand my twitching about how next week was going to pan out

Kunkka · 10-06-2014 11:18AM

Also

They better have some reference from Tyrion regarding this book extract!

"But the stink that filled the privy gave ample evidence that the oft-repeated jape about his father was just another lie. Lord Tywin Lannister did not, in the end, **** gold

TheGlass · 10-06-2014 11:19AM

Naux wrote: »

This was my main gripe with the episode. They spent time emphasizing how few men they had before the attack then they go and show so many being killed and then so many still standing at the end. Fight at crasters was similar re numbers/fight duration.

Other than that thought it was pretty well done. Loved the scythe!

Was the Maganar of Thenn killed in the book? Bit hazy on it myself.

Yeah he was killed, fell off the Wall

Jelle1880 · 10-06-2014 11:27AM

But the point is that a lot of the Night's Watch did indeed die during the first attack, so much that Jon knew a second attack would be enough to finish them off.

Greyjoy · 10-06-2014 11:43AM

Nerdlingr wrote: »

As good and all as the battles scenes were, some of the other 'love's scenes kinda grated on me. Lingering shot of Jon holding ygritte ...pure Hollywood schmalz!

Agreed. You could tell that the writers framed Ygritte's death as this tragic farewell scene between two lovers but I had absolutely no sympathy for her character after watching her slaughter helpless Mole's town villagers in previous episode. (The fact that she spared Gilly & her child doesn't outweigh all the other innocent villagers she casually killed).

lynski · 10-06-2014 12:33PM

Greyjoy wrote: »

Agreed. You could tell that the writers framed Ygritte's death as this tragic farewell scene between two lovers but I had absolutely no sympathy for her character after watching her slaughter helpless Mole's town villagers in previous episode. (The fact that she spared Gilly & her child doesn't outweigh all the other innocent villagers she casually killed).

agreed, possibly only kept gilly alive as she knew her to be a wildling some how?

Naux · 10-06-2014 12:42PM

December2012 wrote: »

Just listening to a podcast there who counted out all the NW deaths - and got to 30 on screen approx.

That 30 were mainly killed by the main characters Yrgritte, magnar, giant etc

the rest of the wildlings must be useless!!!:D

FunLover18 · 10-06-2014 12:45PM

Gbear wrote: »

Ugh.

I immediately think people who do this sort of thing are thick as pig ****.

Usually the same sort of person that doesn't watch foreign language films with subtitles because they don't like reading.

To be fair he has been watching the series very loyally it was only this episode he thought started off boring … it was the irony I was pointing out more than his ignorance.

I do agree with you though about subtitles

Witcher · 10-06-2014 01:08PM

Did anyone else notice Hobb and the boys attacking the wildlings with massive cleavers when they broke into the kitchen:pac:

Mickeroo · 10-06-2014 01:11PM

Blay wrote: »

Did anyone else notice Hobb and the boys attacking the wildlings with massive cleavers when they broke into the kitchen:pac:

Yeah they showed a very deliberate shot of someone strutting with one slung over their shoulder, I was wondering at the time who the hell it was supposed to be.

Witcher · 10-06-2014 01:14PM

It was like something Pyramid Head from Silent Hill would use:pac:

coL · 10-06-2014 01:30PM

Does anyone else think that it would have been IMMENSE if the battle at castle black and Oberyn's fight had all been combined into the same episode with the action cutting back and forth between the two as the tension rose and each one reached its conclusion?

I felt that some parts of the episode were a bit drawn out and that there was a lot of unnecessary filler (e.g. Sam and Gillie) to make up time while my major complaint with the fight between the mountain and the viper was that it was over way too quickly. In the books I loved how the fight seemed to go on for a good while and the viper wore the mountain down by constantly taunting him. In the show the fight was over in a few minutes and I felt this detracted from its impact.

Also, WTF no Stannis???

Mickeroo · 10-06-2014 02:01PM

I preferred keeping them separate, I only think cutting them together like that would work if the outcomes of both had some bearing on each other.

coL · 10-06-2014 02:39PM

Mickeroo wrote: »

I preferred keeping them separate, I only think cutting them together like that would work if the outcomes of both had some bearing on each other.

I can see your point. Ultimately I was a bit disappointed with both episodes as the fight felt too short and was over too quickly while the battle at castle black seemed to drag on at times and I was wondering if there was a better way of doing it.

Whatever else I think The Viper v The Mountain should have been longer.

10-06-2014 02:53PM

TheGlass wrote: »

Yeah he was killed, fell off the Wall

Styr died in the first attack on Castle Black when they burned the steps, I think it was a different one who fell off the wall.

Gbear · 10-06-2014 02:56PM

Liam O wrote: »

Styr died in the first attack on Castle Black when they burned the steps, I think it was a different one who fell off the wall.

It was Jarl - Val's boy toy.

rawn · 10-06-2014 02:57PM

ibarelycare wrote: »

Does anyone else think Tormund's pretty sexy?

Reminds me of Viggo Mortenson

username123 · 10-06-2014 02:59PM

Tormund is totally hot! Bang on trend with the beard too.

Potatoeman · 10-06-2014 03:30PM

jebidiah wrote: »

Fair enough! Looking at the still you posted it's much easier to tell.

In the video I still think it looks more like leather. But I cant deny the design is the exact same.

So it seems they do indeed fight! It will make Aryas getaway a little more messy I think. Not sure it's nessecary?

The hound is well liked so it would be a better death for him and a better TV ending.

podgemonster · 10-06-2014 05:59PM

Wow.

I think I forgot to breathe during that panning shot of the battle at castle black. All I was thinking during the episode was this is a TV SHOW!! Cudos to everyone involved, it was almost on par with what I imagined it would look like when reading.

The fight choreography in particular between Thorne and Tormund was marvelous and vicious. I actually said "go on Jon" when Styr charged to him. Ygrittes death had such emotional weight as did Sam and Gillys kiss.

I am very pleased with that episode though would have preferred they included the extra time they are adding next week to this one and simply finish it out.

The decision to have an episode dedicated to the battle was the only option. It required the audience to be aware of the passage of time, the hopelessness of the dark night and then to feel dawn approaching. Even in emotional scenes the clash of steel rings and the howling winds are all around. Popping down south to see Tyrion, Jaime and the gang would have been disruptive to the flow.

spacefly123 · 10-06-2014 08:45PM

i waited like a child on christmas to see the true heir to the throne, Lord Stannis arrive....blue balls or what?

Witcher · 10-06-2014 08:55PM

It seems the non readers have twigged that

R+L=J

...well not exactly that but the same result. Jon was in fact burned in the wight scene but I don't want to ruin it for them:pac:

December2012 · 10-06-2014 08:56PM

Blay wrote: »

It seems the non readers have twigged that
R+L=J..
.well not exactly that but the same result. Jon was in fact burned in the wight scene but I don't want to ruin it for them:pac:

Ah gwan! Remind them of the burnt hand.

Washington Irving · 10-06-2014 08:58PM

Blay wrote: »

It seems the non readers have twigged that
R+L=J
...well not exactly that but the same result. Jon was in fact burned in the wight scene but I don't want to ruin it for them:pac:

And someone gave this reply:

that theory literally gave me aids

:pac:

spacefly123 · 10-06-2014 09:01PM

Washington Irving wrote: »

And someone gave this reply:

:pac:

that would be me

Game of Thrones - Episode 4 x 09; 'The Watchers on the Wall' - HAVE read the books

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