Any game of thrones fans here?

[redwood66]

I've read a few columns in the past couple days lamenting the battle as lame, underwhelming, and fantastical - as in why didn't any of the other Three Eyed Ravens think of this plan? It was as it should have been in offing the Night King because he and the army of the dead were never the true enemy. It is Game of Thrones after all. I still loved it.

 

[telephone89]

@redwood66 One thing I read (and also felt) with the battle was that it didnt seem GOT-y in the fact that magically, against all odds everyone survives (basically everyone)? Their battles aren't normally so rainbows and butterflies, 1 vs 100 aren't good odds, and are very unrealistic. Their battles are normally much more real seeming, with real consequences. Instead, people came out with a few scratches but mostly survived. So I can definitely see and agree why people thought it was lame and underwhelming, and definitely fantastical.

I was also thinking, well the more people that die, the less options there are for the iron throne, and that would be how the decision was made. Instead, all the prospects are still alive. NOW how will they decide?!

 

[carbonfan]

@Octo2005 I wanted Sansa to use her knife. Maybe that part was cut.

Me too! I loved Arya advising her to "stick them with the pointy end" (as Jon had instructed her so many years earlier). Perhaps Sansa will still get her chance... it will be interesting to see what these next few episodes bring!

 

[whitewave]

I've read a few columns in the past couple days lamenting the battle as lame, underwhelming, and fantastical - as in why didn't any of the other Three Eyed Ravens think of this plan? It was as it should have been in offing the Night King because he and the army of the dead were never the true enemy. It is Game of Thrones after all. I still loved it.

Yes, exactly. The Long Night was at first only mentioned by old Nan as scary children’s stories.

The series is called A Game of Thrones and that is rightfully the emphasis.

Like I told my son (he can’t believe that’s it with the night king)... let them tell the story and then see when it’s over how it ended.

I do sort of believe the night king is a cyclical thing. Maybe they will mention magic and things long gone before it’s over (but I doubt because it’s so rushed).

I was so excited when I saw a cloaked figure show up! Melisandre!!! Alright, now things are going to happen.

I kept trying to figure out if Arya will have Gendry’s baby. Gendry is illegitimate, but does have Targaryen blood through the Baratheon line.

 

[redwood66]

@telephone89 it did seem rote and more like something they had to get through in order to set up the real battle. But now that nearly everyone is still alive we don't know where it will go from here.

 

[whitewave]

@redwood66 One thing I read (and also felt) with the battle was that it didnt seem GOT-y in the fact that magically, against all odds everyone survives (basically everyone)? Their battles aren't normally so rainbows and butterflies, 1 vs 100 aren't good odds, and are very unrealistic. Their battles are normally much more real seeming, with real consequences. Instead, people came out with a few scratches but mostly survived. So I can definitely see and agree why people thought it was lame and underwhelming, and definitely fantastical.

I was also thinking, well the more people that die, the less options there are for the iron throne, and that would be how the decision was made. Instead, all the prospects are still alive. NOW how will they decide?!

I believe we still have 2 more battles before the series ends.

 

[carbonfan]

@redwood66 I was also thinking, well the more people that die, the less options there are for the iron throne, and that would be how the decision was made. Instead, all the prospects are still alive. NOW how will they decide?!

I believe we still have 2 more battles before the series ends.

I had the same exact reaction after this last episode... most of the main characters survived, so now what? But as long as Cersei is still in the mix you know there will be more battles to come! I am curious to see how the Jon/Dany thing plays out, as there could be major drama there as well...

 

[LAJennifer]

Me too! I loved Arya advising her to "stick them with the pointy end" (as Jon had instructed her so many years earlier). Perhaps Sansa will still get her chance... it will be interesting to see what these next few episodes bring!

Maybe Sansa will stick Cersei with the pointy end.

 

[whitewave]

Maybe Sansa will stick Cersei with the pointy end.

I definitely think Sansa should be the one who ends Cersei

 

[redwood66]

I wonder if Jaime will try to kill Cersei? He's the only one that could get close enough to her. Or die trying and Bron kills him? Will Tyrion survive?

 

[voce]

The series is called A Game of Thrones and that is rightfully the emphasis.

The name of the show and the first book is A Game of Thrones, but the name of the book series as a whole is A Song of Ice and Fire.

 

[whitewave]

The name of the show and the first book is A Game of Thrones, but the name of the book series as a whole is A Song of Ice and Fire.

Yes, I’m 1/4 into the 5th book.

I was thinking, you know Cersei and Robert did have a baby. The new theory is Gendry is Robert and Cersei’s legitimate son that Cersei sent away. (He supposedly died)

 

[voce]

Yes, I’m 1/4 into the 5th book.

I was thinking, you know Cersei and Robert did have a baby. The new theory is Gendry is Robert and Cersei’s legitimate son that Cersei sent away. (He supposedly died)

That would be very interesting. But Cersei's venomous enough that I wouldn't put it past her to be a baby killer. If as a child she was capable of contemplating murdering baby Tyrion, I don't see why she wouldn't be capable of murdering the child of a man she loathed.

I think that there are more interesting hints and new things to discover about the world GRRM built through books. My biggest gripe with the show was how they turned Dorne's fascinating characters (besides Oberyn) into terrible, terrible tropes who didn't even matter at all to the story. Only Oberyn Martell's character remained faithful to the books.

I was disappointed that the Night King died without revealing secrets. When he was intact after Dany's dragon breathed on him, I thought for sure he was a Targaryen or related to Targaryens.

 

[telephone89]

I was disappointed that the Night King died without revealing secrets. When he was intact after Dany's dragon breathed on him, I thought for sure he was a Targaryen or related to Targaryens.

Ooh good point. I forgot about that!

 

[whitewave]

That would be very interesting. But Cersei's venomous enough that I wouldn't put it past her to be a baby killer. If as a child she was capable of contemplating murdering baby Tyrion, I don't see why she wouldn't be capable of murdering the child of a man she loathed.

I think that there are more interesting hints and new things to discover about the world GRRM built through books. My biggest gripe with the show was how they turned Dorne's fascinating characters (besides Oberyn) into terrible, terrible tropes who didn't even matter at all to the story. Only Oberyn Martell's character remained faithful to the books.

I was disappointed that the Night King died without revealing secrets. When he was intact after Dany's dragon breathed on him, I thought for sure he was a Targaryen or related to Targaryens.

I don’t believe he was a Targaryen because he was created long before the families were created. That point would have to go back too far.... though GRRM is wordy...

I think the night king— his ice is stronger that fire— because he was created with dragonglass

In the end, I don’t think Gendry is the child. In the books, Cercesi had an abortion and in the series she said he died of a fever. But, Melisandre did tell him he would make kings rise and fall so IDk

 

[soxfan]

I bet Arya is pregnant with a Baratheon heir.

 

[voce]

I don’t believe he was a Targaryen because he was created long before the families were created. That point would have to go back too far.... though GRRM is wordy...

I think the night king— his ice is stronger that fire— because he was created with dragonglass

In the end, I don’t think Gendry is the child. In the books, Cercesi had an abortion and in the series she said he died of a fever. But, Melisandre did tell him he would make kings rise and fall so IDk

Yes, the Night King existed way before we knew of Targaryens riding dragons, and certainly millennia before the Targaryens came to Westeros, but you know how the Three-Eyed Raven could be different people? You just need to transfer memories or the soul into another body, like the previous Three-Eyed Raven did with Bran. It is technically plausible that the Night King inhabits a dead Targaryen body that is invulnerable to dragonfire.

I don't remember anything Melisandre said to Gendry. Was this in the books? I last "read" the books for this series in 2012 right after season 1, so apart from random chapters released by GRRM as teasers for The Winds of Winter, nothing is really fresh in my mind.

 

[lyra]

I loved what I could see of the episode. It seemed a little anti-climactic though, at the end. Yes, it's about the game, we'll see how that goes.

 

[whitewave]

I bet Arya is pregnant with a Baratheon heir.

Or she’s about to be

Life is the antidote to death

 

[whitewave]

Yes, the Night King existed way before we knew of Targaryens riding dragons, and certainly millennia before the Targaryens came to Westeros, but you know how the Three-Eyed Raven could be different people? You just need to transfer memories or the soul into another body, like the previous Three-Eyed Raven did with Bran. It is technically plausible that the Night King inhabits a dead Targaryen body that is invulnerable to dragonfire.

I don't remember anything Melisandre said to Gendry. Was this in the books? I last "read" the books for this series in 2012 right after season 1, so apart from random chapters released by GRRM as teasers for The Winds of Winter, nothing is really fresh in my mind.

It is possible GRRM will tie the Targaryens to the Night King, and it’s possible we might see a bit of that maybe last of the last episode??

In season 3 when the Melisandre takes Gendry she tells him, “You are more then they could ever be. They are just foot soldiers in the great war. You will make kings rise and fall."

I can’t remember if it’s in the books though.. but Gendry and Edric Storm are merged in series.

 

[lyra]

I believe the Night King predates the Targaryens by a long period of time. It is within the realm of possibilities though, that he could have been an ancient Stark ancestor. I feel like although this NK is dead, maybe there will have to be another one for some reason. Maybe. Just a guess.

 

[Bron357]

I think we all thought that the showdown with the Night King was the “be all and end all” but it wasn’t, he was just one of the contenders for the Iron Throne. I think that was an intentional “twist”.
We still have main contenders Cersei, sansa, Dany, Jon, Tyrion and creepy guy to sort of the “future” of Westeros. Don’t worry, there will be plenty more deaths but I think we are needing to see more character development before they get killed.
That’s my thoughts.

 

[cmd2014]

It is possible GRRM will tie the Targaryens to the Night King, and it’s possible we might see a bit of that maybe last of the last episode??

In season 3 when the Melisandre takes Gendry she tells him, “You are more then they could ever be. They are just foot soldiers in the great war. You will make kings rise and fall."

I can’t remember if it’s in the books though.. but Gendry and Edric Storm are merged in series.

I think she meant that he would do this through her use of his blood. Three leeches worth killed Joffrey, Robb Stark, and Balon Greyjoy. And then the plan was to burn him so that Stannis would win the war.

I have to admit that I was kind of rooting for everyone to die in the last episode and for the night king to win. It was the only thing that would have made sense if the writers remembered what show they were writing for (and what books they were basing things on). Instead they did the typical Hollywood thing that Game of Thrones has never been about. They dropped all the prophesy and history built up over 5 books and 8 seasons, did stupid things in terms of battle plans just because they thought it would look cool (forgetting the realism of the books and the previous iterations of the show in which people were actually smart and were brilliant military tacticians - because no general in their right mind would approach a siege involving an army of overwhelming numbers in that way), and made it all too neat and tidy, killing no one of importance really other than poor Theon, Jorah, and Edd. Despite their being swarmed. And they suddenly made it so wights could break through stone crypts despite 1) there being no previous indication that they have super human strength (one was transported in a much flimsier wooden box after all) and 2) all the foreshadowing about the crypt being warded with iron (swords across their laps) to prevent this. And despite no one being armed (another dumb move given that it was practically guaranteed that Winterfell would be over run given their really poor military strategy), none of the women and children (at least not the important ones) died. All so Arya could do a cool ninja jump and save the day? It made no sense given what has come before. I think they’re just trying to wrap this up because GRR can’t get the books done and what is there is too complicated for the show runners to want to worry about anymore. Honestly, I think the writers channeled The Hound at some point when writing this and yelled “F@ck the prophesy,” and that was that. At this point super ninja Arya should just sneak single handed into Kings Landing, assassinate everyone, including Daenerys, and hand the throne over to Jon Snow so she and Gendry can do forge-y forge stuff together. Let Sansa rule the North and be done with it. Let Brienne have a poly amorous marriage with Tormund and Jaime (maybe Podrick too), and Tyrion should be put in a home because he’s clearly losing his mind from Korsakoff’s. There’s no other explanation for how bizarrely dumb he has become. And maybe the dragons eat everyone else. The End.

 

[cmd2014]

I believe the Night King predates the Targaryens by a long period of time. It is within the realm of possibilities though, that he could have been an ancient Stark ancestor. I feel like although this NK is dead, maybe there will have to be another one for some reason. Maybe. Just a guess.

The main book theory was that he was a Stark. And that there was some unknown shady history between the Starks and the Weirwoods and the White Walkers that was supposed to be important to the end game. Just like the Azor Ahai prophesy was supposed to be. But the show seems to have given up on those threads.

 

[cmd2014]

Spoiler
*******************




I knew it would be Arya. I had a bet riding on it. But I really want to know if Ghost survived the battle.

Yes, he’s in the trailer for episode 4. As are both dragons. So Jon didn’t kill Rhaegar after all, and Dany didn’t get Drogon killed by stupidly having him stay on the ground while being surrounded by wights.

 

[whitewave]

I think she meant that he would do this through her use of his blood. Three leeches worth killed Joffrey, Robb Stark, and Balon Greyjoy. And then the plan was to burn him so that Stannis would win the war.

I have to admit that I was kind of rooting for everyone to die in the last episode and for the night king to win. It was the only thing that would have made sense if the writers remembered what show they were writing for (and what books they were basing things on). Instead they did the typical Hollywood thing that Game of Thrones has never been about. They dropped all the prophesy and history built up over 5 books and 8 seasons, did stupid things in terms of battle plans just because they thought it would look cool (forgetting the realism of the books and the previous iterations of the show in which people were actually smart and were brilliant military tacticians - because no general in their right mind would approach a siege involving an army of overwhelming numbers in that way), and made it all too neat and tidy, killing no one of importance really other than poor Theon, Jorah, and Edd. Despite their being swarmed. And they suddenly made it so wights could break through stone crypts despite 1) there being no previous indication that they have super human strength (one was transported in a much flimsier wooden box after all) and 2) all the foreshadowing about the crypt being warded with iron (swords across their laps) to prevent this. And despite no one being armed (another dumb move given that it was practically guaranteed that Winterfell would be over run given their really poor military strategy), none of the women and children (at least not the important ones) died. All so Arya could do a cool ninja jump and save the day? It made no sense given what has come before. I think they’re just trying to wrap this up because GRR can’t get the books done and what is there is too complicated for the show runners to want to worry about anymore. Honestly, I think the writers channeled The Hound at some point when writing this and yelled “F@ck the prophesy,” and that was that. At this point super ninja Arya should just sneak single handed into Kings Landing, assassinate everyone, including Daenerys, and hand the throne over to Jon Snow so she and Gendry can do forge-y forge stuff together. Let Sansa rule the North and be done with it. Let Brienne have a poly amorous marriage with Tormund and Jaime (maybe Podrick too), and Tyrion should be put in a home because he’s clearly losing his mind from Korsakoff’s. There’s no other explanation for how bizarrely dumb he has become. And maybe the dragons eat everyone else. The End.

All points taken. Interesting and thought provoking comments....

 

[cmd2014]

Well, now that I’m over my “that’s it?” reaction, I wouldn’t be sad if there was a happy ending. But if they were smart, they’d just hang out at Winterfell for a while and let Arya do her assassin thing. No one at Kings Landing would see her coming if she quietly did her face changing thing until she was able to get close enough to Cersei. Then Jaime could probably go and take control of the remaining Lannister army (and the city) until they sorted out the succession plan. He could easily claim that Cersei sent him north to assist in keeping with her public declaration that she would. I doubt many people would know that it wasn’t true. But that wouldn’t be dramatic enough for the series so I suspect there will be war and mass destruction to come.

 

[Rfisher]

I like to think that the complete change of Jamie as a person from season 1 to 7 has a huge impact on how thevshow ends.
I also like the thinking Bran is truly no longer Bran. His motives /wishes won't match up with any of his siblings, or anyone else for that matter, at all.

 

[voce]

I feel like although this NK is dead, maybe there will have to be another one for some reason.

There must always be a Lich King! Or else how will the franchise be carried on?

 

[lyra]

There must always be a Lich King! Or else how will the franchise be carried on?

Oh how I loved and adored Wrath of the Lich King.