Game of Thrones ep 9 (the clueless about the books POV)

[shapinglight]

Just watched Game of Thrones ep 9 and...

Spoilers within



...oh dear! That was very upsetting. I did think it was very unlikely that Ned would last the season, but all the same, that was quite horrible. Poor little Arya, and poor, poor Sansa. Joffrey is just such an obnoxious little git! Seems from the way the execution scene was staged that even his mother was taken aback by his decision. Unless it was an act, of course. People have hinted at such awful things about Cersei that it wouldn't surprise me.

Elsewhere, the Dothraki scenes were equally, if not more, horrible. Didn't like them at all. And slightly disappointed that even GoT goes with the old cliche of women who go into labour instantly being convulsed in agony. It really doesn't work that way. I don't know what to expect of that storyline at all now. If Dany loses the baby, will she also lose Khal Drogo's affection? That is, if he isn't dead himself, or only exists as some sort of zombie. Either way, I don't see how Dany will maintain any hold over the Dothraki, and perhaps she doesn't, but then what happens to her?

Don't tell me, btw. Don't want to be spoilered. I'm just speculating.

Apart from the above mentioned nastiness, there was a lot of good stuff in the episode. Jon Snow's scene with Master Aemon was terrific (and now I've remembered, that actor played Wolfie Smith's girlfriend's dad in Citizen Smith. How odd). I can't decide what decision Jon is likely to make. I suppose the final episode will tell us. Then there's Tyrion. Every scene of his was a delight, and - apart from her propensity to strip naked at the least provocation - thank goodness this Shae person isn't much like the annoying Roz. I liked her, and I particularly liked the 'game' scene, where Tyrion failed to learn a single thing about her, while giving away almost everything about himself. Also, Bronn's face is just priceless. They can't have too many scenes together as far as I'm concerned.

I can't really guess what might happen in the final episode, except that the Starks' capture of Jaime Lannister will feature strongly in it. I don't know about Lord Tywin, but Cersei won't want anything to happen to him. Maybe Robb will manage to exchange Jaime for his sisters? Or maybe King Robert's brother will come along and complicate things even further? Whatever happens, no one has their eye on the Wall, and that's probably a very bad thing.

One final thing: are we supposed to have recognised the man in the crowd who exchanged looks with Ned and then grabbed hold of Arya? I'm sure we were supposed to, but I have no idea who he is.

Also, in one of my previous reviews, I made predictions about various things happening, and so far they all have. :is a bit smug:

Comments

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

You are correct in thinking that Cersei was also totally surprised and shock by what Joffrey decides to do to Ned - you can see her arguing with him and she has to look away when the sword falls. That was totally offscript.

The guy whom Ned recognizes and who "rescues" Arya is Yoren, the Night's Watch recruiter who brought Ned word of Catelyn's capture of Tyrion back in Episode 5. Because he said that Benjen is his "brother", Ned sort of hopes that he may help Arya - it's the only thing he can do for her after he sees her. (I'm surprised his eyes work so well in daylight after being in the dark for so long ;P) But Yoren is REALLY there because he's supposed to take Ned into custody and bring him back to the Wall after Ned confesses his treason - but Joffrey, of course, nixes all that.

[shapinglight]

That was totally offscript.

It looked it, but after what I've seen people say about Cersei it wouldn't have surprised me if it had been an act for Sansa's benefit. I'm glad it wasn't, because I'd rather the show made her less evil than she apparently is in the books.

Actually, her wanting Ned spared wouldn't be a decision she reached because of an impulse to be merciful, I don't think. It would be a pragmatic, hard-headed decision about what's best for her son. Sparing Ned and exiling him to the Wall would have been a good way to pull the teeth of the rebellion. Oh well.

And thanks for the info about Yoren's identity. I would never have remembered that.

[shadowkat67.livejournal.com]

Haven't watched the episode yet, but having read the book and what they've been doing with Cersei here as opposed to what they did in the books? I think Martin is trying to correct a flaw in the story - Cersei is painted a wee bit too evil in the novels, which becomes grating after a while. It appears Martin realized this and is trying to make her a bit more sympathetic. Joffrey however hasn't been changed one iota. Just Cersei and Sansa - so far, their characterization is a bit more sympathetic here.

Very bloody books. Martin not only likes to brutally torture his characters, he has no qualms about killing them off. And it tends to be rather karmic in how he does it - I will give him that.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

The man in the crowd was around before but there are so many characters on the show that it's easy to have no idea who he is.

He's the 'recruiter' from the wall that Tyrion was joking with early in the show who also came back south with Tyrion in order to bring back new recruits. He met with Ned a few episodes ago about needing new recruits for the wall, so Ned recognized him. Who knows, maybe he had once been from the North as well. That's never made clear, but he was someone we saw interact with Ned a few episodes ago (but so many characters are difficult to differentiate.)

I was wondering how they were going to slip in the information about Tyrion's backstory with his wife Tysha. I suppose medieval 'truth or dare' is better than hooker sexposition.

Shae (the girl brought to Tyrion) is nothing at all how I imagined... which is intriguing.

And I've grown to really enjoy Bronn both in the show and in the books, though he's remained a rather tertiary character, he's one that I appreciate. (There's this small, off-screen thing he does in Book 4 that made me laugh and want to throw my arms around him and hug him).

Also, even knowing Ned's death was coming they staged it so well that I think it worked better here than in the book. This is the first time his death made me want to cry. Poor Arya and Sansa indeed.

(And when in doubt about Cersei just assume that she is the most selfish, self-involved shrew possible and it more or less fits her POV chapters).

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

(And when in doubt about Cersei just assume that she is the most selfish, self-involved shrew possible and it more or less fits her POV chapters).


But she's not stupid - you can see Cersei arguing with him and looking away when the sword falls. This is not something she anticipated. The show's Cersei is a lot more complex than the book's, but even in the book, it's clear that Joffrey went off-message there. It's of no benefit to Cersei to have Ned dead, rather than a self-confessed traitor at the Wall. And now that the Starks have Jaime, the Lannisters have also sacrificed a valuable bargaining tool in getting Jaime back.

[shapinglight]

I suppose medieval 'truth or dare' is better than hooker sexposition.

Definitely. I loved that scene. Was it not in the book? And how does this Shae differ from how you imagined her?

And I've grown to really enjoy Bronn both in the show and in the books, though he's remained a rather tertiary character, he's one that I appreciate. (There's this small, off-screen thing he does in Book 4 that made me laugh and want to throw my arms around him and hug him).

It's his facial expressions that get me, along with the flat, laconic deliverance. Very, very funny.

Also, even knowing Ned's death was coming they staged it so well that I think it worked better here than in the book. This is the first time his death made me want to cry. Poor Arya and Sansa indeed.

I was near tears too, which hasn't happened before in this show. Didn't cry over the direwolf in ep 2. Poor Sansa! She really thought she'd saved her father. I do hope that this has finally opened her eyes to the truth about Joffrey.

[queenofthorns.livejournal.com]

Oh, I forgot to add that actually the only part of the episode that made me tear up was Catelyn watching the battle and her tearing up when she Robb ride out unscathed. Sniffle! I love her.

[shipperx.livejournal.com]

I think the show has been of service to both Catelyn and Robb. We actually get to see some of Robb's badass on the show rather than 'hear' about it, and the actress playing Catelyn does a fine job of showing all of Catelyn's facets.

[shapinglight]

That was a very good scene. I like her very much too, though I had to roll my eyes a little when she said the lord of that bridge place would never harm her. Turns out she was right this time, though, after being so spectacularly wrong about Baelish - who I notice was the only one of the party gathered around the king in the execution scene who didn't try to remonstrate with him.

I wonder why that could be? :cynical font:

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

I loved the episode, there were several things I was worried about and they did them lovely.

I see other folks have already clued you in about Yoren. By the time this happens in the books I had totally forgotten about him too. I liked how they did it though, with Ned whispering Baelor and her sitting on the statue of Baelor the Blessed.

Also the way you could see that Joff totally went off on everyone, the little bastard. Even Cersei would have had Ned go to the wall and made peace with the Starks.

I was so relieved at how they told the Tysha story (not as sexposition) and at how they did Shae. She's a lot like I imagined her from the books and there I really liked her for the most part. It's easy to see, why Tyrion likes her and much better than Ros.

I can't wait for next season and currently rereading the second book and you're going to love it! It has so many completely delicious Tyrion scenes in it.

The Dothraki plot is ugly at this stage. I pretty much hated the implications of it. But in the end it does make Dany's story a lot more interesting in the rest of the story.

[shapinglight]

I liked how they did it though, with Ned whispering Baelor and her sitting on the statue of Baelor the Blessed.

Yes, I managed to get that bit and was quite pleased with myself.

Even Cersei would have had Ned go to the wall and made peace with the Starks.

It would have been the politic thing to do. Joffrey is obviously stupid as well as mean.

Interesting that you say Shae is how you imagined her in the books. shipperx says the opposite. Either way, I like her and will happily see a lot more of her.

The Dothraki plot is ugly at this stage. I pretty much hated the implications of it. But in the end it does make Dany's story a lot more interesting in the rest of the story.

It's definitely the hardest storyline to get along with and is also the one where I can't even begin to guess what might happen next. I had thought that maybe Khal Drogo would die and that Dany would spend the rest of the series plotting to get their son on the throne of Westeros, but if she's going to lose the baby clearly that won't happen. But if she loses the baby and Khal Drogo dies, then the Dothraki won't follow her so I just don't know where she'll go from here.

[spikesjojo.livejournal.com]

I think they actually did Shae better than the book - which is rare. Yeah, the Tysha story is a heart breaker. They didn't put in the part where Tywin made Tyrion rape her last and pay her in gold because he was a Lannister. Aargh!

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

I've been meaning to join the discussion for some time, I'm absolutely enthralled with the series now and that last episode was a shocker!

And I almost gave up on it after the 1st episode as I was grossed out by gratitous sex and violence and didn't really like any of the characters - but the settings were gorgeous and the Wall and things beyound it really struck imagination.
So I stuck around for the Wall and boy was I rewarded! As everyone came to life and many layers were uncovered in the show. Majestic adaptation, book fans must be so happy! Not sure I'll read the books though, unless 2nd season will be too far off. Wouldn't enjoy mua-ha-ha bitch Sersei for sure, she's so interesting in the show.

[mrs-underhill.livejournal.com]

Now to the episode. Well what did you know - Sersei and Robert marriage DID hold the kingdom together, it's amazing how everything went to hell after his death.
Loved Tirion's face in the last episode when hearing about all the madness ensuing from his capture. To think that all this crap started because of him - oh boy.
Also I refuse to believe the swordmaster is dead... They didn't show it, maybe he escaped somehow? Hardly...

Ned's death was SHOCKING. I didn't expect that at all, Jeoffrey really is a disgusting scum and the intriguing thing is - how Sersei would react to it, would she stand behind her son or his daddy/her brother/lover, after she learns about Jamie's capture. Jeoffrey with his stupidity and cruelty might have just signed death warrant for Jamie, or at least guaranteed him a very miserable life.
Whom Sersei loves more, would she try to slap some sense into her son? Or go with him?
Did she create a monster she can't control and would Jeoffrey turn on her too if she tries to curb him to save Jamie?

Another conflict we might see is if Jamie and Tirion ever meet again and Tirion would know about Jamie making Bran a cripple. I feel it will be hard to stomack by Tirion, and yes, he might have seen it all and become cinical just like his father tried to make him, but he's still a young naive boy at heart, as Shae said.

LOVED their game in the tent, and Bron. At first I thought Shae might be a spy, kind of like Mata Hari, with her being from a noble family from abroad - and from where, in fact? I think she's from the part of the Kingdom we haven't seen yet and maybe another major player, and I love how they keep putting the new places on the map.
But now I think her family was killed in a war or something. Something like a story of that blind Targarean on the Wall. She's interesting, love to see more of her.
Tirion' marriage story was horrible. His father is a bastard. And his brother seems to try things for the best for those his loves, with them always ending up badly, like with Tirion here.

And now for the bastard son Lord Snow choice. No doubts he'll choose the Wall and the duty. It was emphasied many times that what is happening north of the Wall is the most important, that someone should think of the realm and should get above the petty squabbles of warring clans - which is what Lanisters and Starks are doing, and prepare to face the real horror.
I hope Lord Snow has it in him to stay.

Interesting how they keep returning to Family, Duty, Honour and which shoudl come first. According to what Bran read about Starks, their priorities should be like the above, but Ned always put honour above everything else (see him refusing to kill Dana despite his duty, or decisions he made which were dangerous to his family).
It was so painful to see him throw away honour and duty in his last confession speech, for the sake of his family, his daughters - and seeing it coming to nothing, not helping his daughters, or his son.
And the realm would have the horrible Jeoffrey at the helm because Ned wasted a chance to make his secret public.

I'm really afraid for Sansa now. Not sure she could get out the marriage - Jeoffrey is so vile he could force her to marry him just out of sadism. There was a little preview of the next episode - not sure you'll get them in UK, which had glimpses of this being addressed, could go either way.
Also have to say I really like Sansa, liked it more than Arya in the beginning as Arya seemed a tomboy stereotype thrown out to appease feminists, while Sansa was a girl who was trying be good at being a woman - she likes to make pretty things, dreams about being a perfect lady with a perfect knight - a choice which I don't like to see diminished.
But then I loved Arya too - after that awful direwolf business. Still I root for Sansa and think she's in for very nasty things... And as for marrying Arya to that bridge guy's son - you gotta catch her first, heh.

There's just so much going on, and it's superbly filmed, acted, plotted - no words. Except yes, they do go overboard with porn, like in the sexposition in the last episode. But my husband, eh, enjoyed it... And we gals did get that delicious and tasty gay scene with Renli, so OK, I'll let it pass just this once.

[shapinglight]

Majestic adaptation, book fans must be so happy! Not sure I'll read the books though, unless 2nd season will be too far off. Wouldn't enjoy mua-ha-ha bitch Sersei for sure, she's so interesting in the show.

I think we'll probably have to wait a whole year for the second season, but I don't think I'll read the books despite that. I expect Cersei will still turn out to be pretty evil, but at least in the show she's multi-layered evil.

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Poor lovely horsie.

[shapinglight]

Yes, the horsey attrition rate is rather high in this show, isn't it?

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Oh come on, that's a bit harsh on ol' Ned Stark. :P

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

I am also clueless about the books, but I got the distinct impression that she was miscarrying the baby due to her fall, not merely going into labor.

[shapinglight]

Well, it wasn't much of a fall and she started convulsing immediately. Maybe it was a side effect of the blood magic?

[spikesjojo.livejournal.com]

One last thing - now that all the pieces are in place and there's no spoilers involved. Simply a matter of speculation. Who is Jon Snow? Ned never did get a chance to talk to him about his mother.

We know the war was fought because Rhaegar Targaryon 'kidnapped' Robert Barratheon's fiance (who was Ned Stark's sister) Lyanna and kept her for a long time. We know that Robert engineered the death of all the Targaryon women and children that he could get his hands on, once he won the war. We know Lyanna died, and that she made Ned promise her something before she died (on a bed of blood and roses). We know that Ned Stark, the picture of moral rectitude, showed up with a baby after the war - claimed him as his bastard and refused to discuss his mother.

Is Jon Snow Ned's bastard? Or his sister's?

As I said - no spoilers - just speculation. There's no answers in the books to this.

Oh, and as to Syrio surviving - I think it's safe to say that if Cersei wants him dead, he's dead. And if Cersei wants him imprisoned, he is imprisoned.

[shapinglight]

I'll bear all that in mind. Wonder if GRRM has spoilered the showrunners about it so they can include the relevant foreshadowing?

[ladypeyton.livejournal.com]

Bleh. Nevermind. I had to reread the comment I was responding to and it said something entirely different the second time around. Stupid allergies.

My husband, who has read all the books, swears that he is Ned's sister's and the king's bastard and that Ned took him in and didn't even let Catelyn know, which is why she hates him so much. The only reason my husband even told me this much is that I had such a fit over the way Catelyn treated John Snow, who I adore to a dangerous level for this show, in the first episode that he felt he needed to explain the family dynamic to me.

[caliente-uk.livejournal.com]

Poor Ned. We saw it coming, of course, but still... :(

This show just keeps on getting better and better, doesn't it? Loved Tyrion's scenes in this episode, especially the ones with Bronn and Shae. Excellent stuff!

I remember seeing a preview show just before GoT began airing where Sean Bean said that no one is safe in this show - and that it wouldn't be wise to become too attached to anyone. Ned's death definitely proves his point, I think!

[shapinglight]

Poor Ned. We saw it coming, of course, but still... :(

I know! I felt so bad for poor Sansa. She thought she'd saved him.

Loved Tyrion's scenes in this episode, especially the ones with Bronn and Shae. Excellent stuff!

I agree. I love Bronn. His facial expressions just crack me up.