There's a loose end dangling there, because Melisandre's magic spell with the leeches was meant to kill off the three "usurpers", who included Balon Greyjoy. But there's been no mention of his death, so I don't know what to make of that.
That's a good point. And perhaps that will be the Greyjoys' way back into the story somewhere down the line if Balon dies and Yara takes over or Theon (perhaps in a revitalised state) tries to reclaim his right or broker some sort of alliance. We'll have to wait and see.
I think Melisandre didn't mean the army of clans/wildlings/giant but The White Walkers. She looked totally scared when Commander Mormonts reports reached her, following the incident at Castle Black, the only time she has done so.
I guess that ancient evil is a direct enemy of the Lord of Light.
Somehow I don't think an army of men would bother her
She's definitely aware of / worried about the White Walkers and they must somehow be the flipside of the Lord of Light coin, or a traditional enemy.
But I think, going on the language in the scene where they turned their attentions to the Wall and the subsequent indifference we've seen towards any further threat from beyond the Wall in recent episodes, that for now they were referring to the Wildling / Mance Rayder threat.
We all know that the ambiguity in what they say refers to a wider threat from the White Walkers. But I can't see why they would have Stannis turning his attention so obviously towards capturing the North and setting sights on the Iron Throne, if we weren't meant to be satisfied that Stannis had played his part at the Wall for now.
I dunno, it's hard to predict. We're all trying to second guess the showrunners and make sense of what seem like plot holes. >:(:confused:
Where's that time machine I've always wanted, so that I can go into the future and just watch the remaining seasons in one go instead of being on tenterhooks.
Littlefinger is spinning far too many webs. If he's not careful he'll get caught in one of them. Handing Sansa over to Bolton is a manoeuvre I find hard to fathom. Was it to get an allegiance with Bolton and a possible run at the throne should the opportunity present itself?
Marrying Sansa alone won't legitimise the Bolton claim to the North.
Cersei is playing a dangerous game and may come to regret, creating those religious zealots. If Tommen becomes a victim of their religious fervour, the Lannisters will lose all claim to the throne. I don't know whether destroying Baelish's power base in King's landing was a good or bad move. It seems Cersei is cleaning house for better or poorer.
Stannis would do well to collect as many who will rally to the Stark banner and take winterfell. He made a mistake killing Mance Rayder. Terms could have been reached and an alliance made. Robb Stark was the last person to make this mistake and he paid for it with his life. I hope the same fate doesn't befall Stannis.
Marrying Sansa alone won't legitimise the Bolton claim to the North.
It's not to give them a claim on the North, but Sansa is the only Stark who is still alive as far as public knowledge goes. So in that case, Winterfell belongs to her and the Boltons secure their hold over the North by marrying her. The loyalty of the other Northern lords will be derived from Ramsay having married the "true" heir.
Just watched episode 5
There is something about this season that isn't sitting right with me. There is a spark that is missing. I don't feel engrossed or excited anymore. I hope it improves now we are half way through.
There does seem to be a lot of "setting the scene" going on. Maybe it'll start picking up soon with Stannis marching on Winterfell and the Sansa/Ramsay wedding in which some terrible shit is blatantly going to go down. I've long since given up on Daenerys doing anything interesting though, I wouldn't have minded if the whole storyline was never in the show to be honest.
Just watched episode 5
There is something about this season that isn't sitting right with me. There is a spark that is missing. I don't feel engrossed or excited anymore. I hope it improves now we are half way through.
The souffle isn't rising for me either, someone should have taken a sharp knife to the throat of these 5 episodes. Still love the dragons though.
Just watched episode 5
There is something about this season that isn't sitting right with me. There is a spark that is missing. I don't feel engrossed or excited anymore. I hope it improves now we are half way through.
You're not the only one. Judging from the majority of comments on twitter, a lot of the book readers are calling this season a work of fan fiction. It has just gone down a terrible road, and veered so far from the source material, that it's almost unrecognizable as the piece of brilliance it once was. I will still watch, but I don't look forward to each Monday morning in anticipation that I used to.
Oh and Daenery's couldn't be more unlikable as a character at this point, could she? She's like a Nazi with dragon's who won't listen to her team of advisers, and instead just does as she pleases with little thought about anyone else around her.
I can see what they are setting up with Sansa's storyline and I am not happy about it one bit. If they do go down the route that I think, I will not watch this show again. HBO seem to like destroying the source material to suit their own controversial HBO agenda. Like that pointless sex scene with Ramsay this week and the pointless love story with Grey worm and missandei. They cut really significant characters for this garbage?! SMH.
Well that puts me at ease. I was dredding to say I didn't like season 5 in case i was verbally abused. Lol. Phew. At least GOT fans are kinder than other shows fanbases.
It's not to give them a claim on the North, but Sansa is the only Stark who is still alive as far as public knowledge goes. So in that case, Winterfell belongs to her and the Boltons secure their hold over the North by marrying her. The loyalty of the other Northern lords will be derived from Ramsay having married the "true" heir.
You contradict yourself. If Bolton's actions aren't to solidify his hold over the North, how else can they be interpreted?
The focus of this episode was about governing. We saw Cersei create a religious militant group to undermine the work Margaery had done to win the hearts and minds of the people of King's landing. This is a short sighted move on her part. Not least of all because it sows discord between the people and their young King.
When Barristan spoke to Daenerys about the mad King. He did so to illustrate the point that though she were a ruler. She ruled by consent. If she lost that consent she would lose her throne.
The Stark name is only as good as the promise held in it. The Starks spent generations winning over the North. And not just on the battlefield, but in fair and just governance.
Ramsey Bolton has no concept of this. He rules by fear and fear alone.
He can't engender loyalty and marrying won't do it for him.
Oh and Daenery's couldn't be more unlikable as a character at this point, could she? She's like a Nazi with dragon's who won't listen to her team of advisers, and instead just does as she pleases with little thought about anyone else around her.
I was watching that scene thinking, "Oh shit, she's gone insane", and like straight afterwards it cuts to Sam and Maester Aemon and Sam says what a great woman she must be. Maybe it was supposed to elicit some ironic response from us the viewers, but with how the show has always hit us over the head and shouted YOU SHOULD LIKE HER I doubt it somehow
the look on tyrions face when he saw drogon flying over was basically he's far from the world he knows and thinking " this sh!t is getting real now" probably the best part of the episode,
also danerys , slight change from the books but looks like she's keeping her friends close and her enemy closer, i do feel for her though, she's got 3 dragons that are getting beyond her controll, no real advisers or council around her anymore, a city divided and an army rising up against her, all while trying to allow freedom and her end goal of taking the iron throne.
I was watching that scene thinking, "Oh shit, she's gone insane", and like straight afterwards it cuts to Sam and Maester Aemon and Sam says what a great woman she must be. Maybe it was supposed to elicit some ironic response from us the viewers, but with how the show has always hit us over the head and shouted YOU SHOULD LIKE HER I doubt it somehow
That is the part of George RR Martin's writing that I DO love. Each character is flawed, there is no perfect "good vs evil" characters. Each is in the grey area of the humanity scale and even the ones you think you love turn out to be complete and utter gits a few episodes later and then redeem themselves again. It has felt like they set up Dany to be the poster girl of the show, they want us to root for her, but they make her character so unlikable that you really wouldn't mind if someone smothered her in her sleep.
I never used to like Stannis, but to be honest he really IS the ONE true king of Westeros. I might not like his character, but there's no denying his claim. So he's the opposite of Dany. They set us up to dislike him, but now he is probably my favourite (which means he can't be long for this world)
Stannis is definitely on the way out. After 4 seasons of setting him up as a mildly villainous afterthought he's getting a suspicious amount of characterisation and screen time all of a sudden.
the look on tyrions face when he saw drogon flying over was basically he's far from the world he knows and thinking " this sh!t is getting real now" probably the best part of the episode,
also danerys , slight change from the books but looks like she's keeping her friends close and her enemy closer, i do feel for her though, she's got 3 dragons that are getting beyond her controll, no real advisers or council around her anymore, a city divided and an army rising up against her, all while trying to allow freedom and her end goal of taking the iron throne.
So, Sansa has had a glimpse of quite how twisted Ramsay is. And his evil little companion looks like she's set her sights on her too. I'm not sure how many more weeks I can stand watching Sansa in purgatory, just waiting to see things inevitably get even worse for her all over again. >:(
As for Stannis I think, like others do, that they're building his character up for a fall. And the insistence on taking poor Shireen along on the campaign doesn't bode well. I suspect that Melisandre and Selyse will try to harm Shireen in support of the war effort ( >:( ) and Stannis will refuse, leading to his downfall.
I think we all safely foresaw Jon agreeing to terms with the Wildlings. I wonder, though, if he'll still have the support of the Night's Watch when he returns from beyond the Wall or whether he'll find himself no longer Lord Commander, but Leader of his own people/army of Wildlings.
Also, regarding the rumours about Jon Snow's parentage, they're really laying it on thick now:
With the moment when Maester Aemon laments the fact that Daenerys is alone, with her only living relation thousands of miles away on the other side of the world, and saying "A Targaryen alone in the world. It's a terrible thing"... just as Jon walks in. ;-)
Oh, and can somebody please tell the producers that absolutely nobody really cares about Grey Worm and Missandei. Both nice, sympathetic characters who we all wish well. But is anybody really interested in a romance between them? Especially when the screen time could be better spent on the likes of Arya or Tyrion and Jorah (their scenes easily the most interesting and entertaining section of this episode)? Of course not.
And who else thinks that Hizdahr zo Loraq got up and danced a jig in delight the moment Daenerys was out of earshot. "Marry the Queen, who also happens to be the hottest woman in Essos? Errr, yeah... yeah... I think I could put up with that. You know, if I really have to". :cool:
At least Sansa has clocked what a psycho Ramsay is, her eyes went right to him when Walda's pregnancy was announced! She also has her escape route now.
I think from the conversation between Stannis & Samwell it confirms the Red Woman was talking about the White Walkers as I suspected and not the Wildlings.
Personally I always liked Stannis and had time for him, not been a popular opinion I know. Now others are coming around I'm really pleased.
I found it to be a very tense scene setter this week and the best ep of S5 so far. Tyrion gazing up in complete awe at Drogon flying past and appeared to have a "Jayzus, we're pretty fecked" look on his face. Thannis going North hastily, I don't think it's going to end well. There is however the makings of a Resistance element beginning at Winterfell. Anyone think Theon's been brainwashed ? The look between Sansa and him in the Dining Hall told you everything you need to know. Throw into the mix Brienne and Pod and you have reasonable makings of a Fifth Column.
Any odds on an even Redder a Wedding when Sansa ties the knot ?
Comments
That's a good point. And perhaps that will be the Greyjoys' way back into the story somewhere down the line if Balon dies and Yara takes over or Theon (perhaps in a revitalised state) tries to reclaim his right or broker some sort of alliance. We'll have to wait and see.
She's definitely aware of / worried about the White Walkers and they must somehow be the flipside of the Lord of Light coin, or a traditional enemy.
But I think, going on the language in the scene where they turned their attentions to the Wall and the subsequent indifference we've seen towards any further threat from beyond the Wall in recent episodes, that for now they were referring to the Wildling / Mance Rayder threat.
We all know that the ambiguity in what they say refers to a wider threat from the White Walkers. But I can't see why they would have Stannis turning his attention so obviously towards capturing the North and setting sights on the Iron Throne, if we weren't meant to be satisfied that Stannis had played his part at the Wall for now.
I dunno, it's hard to predict. We're all trying to second guess the showrunners and make sense of what seem like plot holes.
Where's that time machine I've always wanted, so that I can go into the future and just watch the remaining seasons in one go instead of being on tenterhooks.
I think the poor bastards are getting a raw deal. I mean has anybody actually sat down and spoke to them?
Craster? He had a deal going with them, at least. ;-)
Marrying Sansa alone won't legitimise the Bolton claim to the North.
Cersei is playing a dangerous game and may come to regret, creating those religious zealots. If Tommen becomes a victim of their religious fervour, the Lannisters will lose all claim to the throne. I don't know whether destroying Baelish's power base in King's landing was a good or bad move. It seems Cersei is cleaning house for better or poorer.
Stannis would do well to collect as many who will rally to the Stark banner and take winterfell. He made a mistake killing Mance Rayder. Terms could have been reached and an alliance made. Robb Stark was the last person to make this mistake and he paid for it with his life. I hope the same fate doesn't befall Stannis.
There is something about this season that isn't sitting right with me. There is a spark that is missing. I don't feel engrossed or excited anymore. I hope it improves now we are half way through.
The souffle isn't rising for me either, someone should have taken a sharp knife to the throat of these 5 episodes. Still love the dragons though.
You're not the only one. Judging from the majority of comments on twitter, a lot of the book readers are calling this season a work of fan fiction. It has just gone down a terrible road, and veered so far from the source material, that it's almost unrecognizable as the piece of brilliance it once was. I will still watch, but I don't look forward to each Monday morning in anticipation that I used to.
Oh and Daenery's couldn't be more unlikable as a character at this point, could she? She's like a Nazi with dragon's who won't listen to her team of advisers, and instead just does as she pleases with little thought about anyone else around her.
I can see what they are setting up with Sansa's storyline and I am not happy about it one bit. If they do go down the route that I think, I will not watch this show again. HBO seem to like destroying the source material to suit their own controversial HBO agenda. Like that pointless sex scene with Ramsay this week and the pointless love story with Grey worm and missandei. They cut really significant characters for this garbage?! SMH.
You contradict yourself. If Bolton's actions aren't to solidify his hold over the North, how else can they be interpreted?
The focus of this episode was about governing. We saw Cersei create a religious militant group to undermine the work Margaery had done to win the hearts and minds of the people of King's landing. This is a short sighted move on her part. Not least of all because it sows discord between the people and their young King.
When Barristan spoke to Daenerys about the mad King. He did so to illustrate the point that though she were a ruler. She ruled by consent. If she lost that consent she would lose her throne.
The Stark name is only as good as the promise held in it. The Starks spent generations winning over the North. And not just on the battlefield, but in fair and just governance.
Ramsey Bolton has no concept of this. He rules by fear and fear alone.
He can't engender loyalty and marrying won't do it for him.
I was watching that scene thinking, "Oh shit, she's gone insane", and like straight afterwards it cuts to Sam and Maester Aemon and Sam says what a great woman she must be. Maybe it was supposed to elicit some ironic response from us the viewers, but with how the show has always hit us over the head and shouted YOU SHOULD LIKE HER I doubt it somehow
also danerys , slight change from the books but looks like she's keeping her friends close and her enemy closer, i do feel for her though, she's got 3 dragons that are getting beyond her controll, no real advisers or council around her anymore, a city divided and an army rising up against her, all while trying to allow freedom and her end goal of taking the iron throne.
That is the part of George RR Martin's writing that I DO love. Each character is flawed, there is no perfect "good vs evil" characters. Each is in the grey area of the humanity scale and even the ones you think you love turn out to be complete and utter gits a few episodes later and then redeem themselves again. It has felt like they set up Dany to be the poster girl of the show, they want us to root for her, but they make her character so unlikable that you really wouldn't mind if someone smothered her in her sleep.
I never used to like Stannis, but to be honest he really IS the ONE true king of Westeros. I might not like his character, but there's no denying his claim. So he's the opposite of Dany. They set us up to dislike him, but now he is probably my favourite (which means he can't be long for this world)
Not to worry, Jorah's on his way back.
As for Stannis I think, like others do, that they're building his character up for a fall. And the insistence on taking poor Shireen along on the campaign doesn't bode well. I suspect that Melisandre and Selyse will try to harm Shireen in support of the war effort ( >:( ) and Stannis will refuse, leading to his downfall.
I think we all safely foresaw Jon agreeing to terms with the Wildlings. I wonder, though, if he'll still have the support of the Night's Watch when he returns from beyond the Wall or whether he'll find himself no longer Lord Commander, but Leader of his own people/army of Wildlings.
Also, regarding the rumours about Jon Snow's parentage, they're really laying it on thick now:
Oh, and can somebody please tell the producers that absolutely nobody really cares about Grey Worm and Missandei. Both nice, sympathetic characters who we all wish well. But is anybody really interested in a romance between them? Especially when the screen time could be better spent on the likes of Arya or Tyrion and Jorah (their scenes easily the most interesting and entertaining section of this episode)? Of course not.
And who else thinks that Hizdahr zo Loraq got up and danced a jig in delight the moment Daenerys was out of earshot. "Marry the Queen, who also happens to be the hottest woman in Essos? Errr, yeah... yeah... I think I could put up with that. You know, if I really have to". :cool:
I think from the conversation between Stannis & Samwell it confirms the Red Woman was talking about the White Walkers as I suspected and not the Wildlings.
Personally I always liked Stannis and had time for him, not been a popular opinion I know. Now others are coming around I'm really pleased.
Bringing a sarcastic Dwarf and a communicable disease with him.
Not sure which will end up causing the most trouble for Dany.
Any odds on an even Redder a Wedding when Sansa ties the knot ?