Game of Thrones Season 5 Ep 7 (the clueless about the books POV)

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Before I start, a funny story.

Well, funny-ish.

When I was waiting for a train at London, Euston the other day, the departures announcer kept going on about a train stopping at Watford and Kingslanding.

Actually, it was King's Langley, but it sounded like Kingslanding, and every time she said it, I just kept thinking, who the hell would want to go there?

Spoilers behind cut



Have to say, after watching this episode, Kingslanding continues to be one of the least desirable destinations in Westeros, along with the Wall, Winterfell, Dorne a-and pretty much everywhere else you care to mention.

Outside Westeros, Meereen isn't that great either, especially if you're Jorah Mormont. I really don't think his plan to get back into Dany's good graces is going to work. In fact, quite the opposite - to which all I can say is, what the hell is her problem? You make one little mistake (well, a biggish mistake but it was at the very beginning of their relationship, does nothing since then count at all?) and you get thrown into the outer darkness. Bet she wouldn't do it to Daario Thing-y.

Not liking Dany much this week.

Not much liking how Sansa's story is going either, but it wasn't quite as bad as I thought it would be - at least not this week. I thought Brienne and Podric were going to get captured by the Horrible Boltons, and they didn't. Unfortunately, there are still three episodes to go so it could still happen.

I also thought that we were going to be subjected to yet another rape scene, but we were spared, thanks to Ghost making what will (probably) be his only appearance this season. Since Sam is one of the very few characters I like unreservedly, I'm pleased Ghost chose to make it when he did.

Stannis I like reservedly. I hope he doesn't give in to Melisandre - though no doubt if the Horrible Boltons beat Stannis (which I'm now half-expecting to happen, :gloom:) Melisandre will be all, "See, I told you you should have sacrificed your only child to my horrid, bloodthirsty god," which as excuses go for not being much help except for coming along afterwards and setting fire to people, isn't that great, IMO.

The Dorne scenes continue to be a complete joke. I'm glad Bronn isn't dead. That's pretty much all I have to say, except that okay, we get it. It is an immutable law that there should be at least one scene of gratuitous female nudity in every episode, and where's a puritanical religious fanatic to put a stop to that when you need one?

Speaking of what went on in Kingslanding, no doubt something will happen to make me wish I hadn't wished for it, but seeing Cersei's smug smile freezing on her face, and then seeing her being thrown into prison by a very butch nun was very, very satisfying.

Hands up anyone who thinks there's the slightest chance the Horrible Boltons plot will be resolved (as in they'll all be as horribly dead as they deserve) by the end of the season.

No one? No one at all?

:Gloom:

Favourite scenes: all the ones with Granny Tyrell in them.

Comments

[flake-sake.livejournal.com]

I'm also very gloomy about the Winterfell plot.

And Dorne is silly. Granny Tyrell is brilliant and so is Sam. But at this point, I'd really like them to just get rid of the Boltons already.

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Have to admit, seeing Iwan Rheon's name on this week's cast list was almost enough to stop me watching. God, I hate that character.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

Alright, show, we get it, Boltons bad. Skip to the end already, whatever it may be. Nothing's more tedious than drawn-out sadism. And seriously, at this point Theon's redemption arc had better involve him curing cancer and melting every whitewalker north of the wall with his laser beam eyes, because fuck him.

Wish I could feel smugger about Cersei, but... honestly, Jonathan Pryce is now basically in charge of King's Langley and that can't be good for anyone in the long run. (Though the amateur historian in me is admiring the show's description of religious fundamentalism.) Littlefinger and Granny Tyrell had better be cooking something up.

And WTF was the point of Bronn's storyline there? I assume there'll be something more to it, but... Because, I mean, they didn't seriously set all that up just to get a topless scene, right? Or has the criticism just made them think they need to give every nude scene its own multi-episode arc? I liked Myrcella's very Mad Men-like putdown of her dad, though. "Of course you don't. You don't know me."

ETA: And poor old Eamon Targaryen. That was a lovely death scene.

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And seriously, at this point Theon's redemption arc had better involve him curing cancer and melting every whitewalker north of the wall with his laser beam eyes, because fuck him.

I just hope that whatever it was that Sansa picked up on her tour of the battlements with Ramsey she will stick into him somewhere painful - and terminal - at some point.

Actually, I should say 'wish' rather than 'hope.' I've no actual hope that will happen. flake_sake pointed out on her LJ that this is the second time a nasty sadistic little boy has given Sansa a tour of some battlements all covered in bodied (or heads). There ought to have been a reason for the repetition, as in, the first time the Hound stopped Sansa from either pushing Joffrey off the battlements or throwing herself off, so this time she actually does one or the other. But she didn't. So it just looks like they're trying to show that Sansa has the worst luck of anyone in Westeros ever.

Wish I could feel smugger about Cersei, but... honestly, Jonathan Pryce is now basically in charge of King's Langley and that can't be good for anyone in the long run.

:Snorfle: They should probably all move to Watford while they still can.

And WTF was the point of Bronn's storyline there?

Erm...storyline?

(Though the amateur historian in me is admiring the show's description of religious fundamentalism.)

It's quite well done. Jonathan Pryce's character is sort of a cross between St Francis of Assisi and Lenin.

[beer-good-foamy.livejournal.com]

sort of a cross between St Francis of Assisi and Lenin

Heee! That's it exactly.

this is the second time a nasty sadistic little boy has given Sansa a tour of some battlements all covered in bodied (or heads). There ought to have been a reason for the repetition

Assuming they expect their audience to remember little details like that. Either that, or it's their usual approach to deconstructions: Sometimes, things don't get subverted and patterns just repeat until everyone's raped, dead, or both.

Erm...storyline?

Well, he's sung two songs already... Presumably, his fate is to become a pop sensation in Dorne, with Jaime as his manager. He's done it before, after all, and it's not like they're doing anything else with the Dorne plot.

[shapinglight]

Well, he's sung two songs already... Presumably, his fate is to become a pop sensation in Dorne, with Jaime as his manager. He's done it before, after all, and it's not like they're doing anything else with the Dorne plot.

Heh! He's probably trying to forget about Robson and Jerome. I do like your idea, though. Much more fun than what they're doing in Dorne (a bad beach holiday so far - Ayia Napa with less booze and probably less violence).

Assuming they expect their audience to remember little details like that.

Yeah. Somehow I think not. In fact, wouldn't surprise me if they'd forgotten about it themselves.

Hmm, my level of cynicism about this show has shot up exponentially this season. That's what a surfeit of Horrible Boltons will do to you.

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Kings Langley is my patch (sort of, more Abbots Langley, but they are about a mile apart) - it is very nice, my friend's daughter goes to the school. It was renamed Kings Landing for the DVD release last year. This is true, I saw the sign.

Yay! Cersei in a cell!

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It was renamed Kings Landing for the DVD release last year. This is true, I saw the sign.

Seems like a very dangerous thing to do, IMO. Has the Mayor since turned into a homicidal maniac, or the local vicar started a murderous cult that's going around throwing people in prison for wife-swapping, or whatever they call it these days?

Yay! Cersei in a cell!

Best thing that's happened all series. And probably all last series too.

[bogwitch.livejournal.com]

Everything is normal as far as I am aware, there's been no beheadings at any rate. I can't speak for incest though...

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Everything is normal as far as I am aware, there's been no beheadings at any rate.

As far as you know. ;)

[fangfaceandrea.livejournal.com]

Ugh, as satisfying as watching Cersei go from smug to Oh-fuck, the crazy religious guys are now roaming free in Kingslanding and that's just fucked up.

I was happy to see Tyrion telling Dany that he was Jorah's gift to her, but I agree with you.. Man, she can hold a grudge...
Other than that, I' don't want to see more boobs, that's enough of that.. Just Bron was doing a nice singing bit and then: BOOBS again, like they're a novelty.
And Melissandre continues to repulse me.

[shapinglight]

Melisandre is pretty repulsive, but I still prefer her to the Boltons. If she wants to make a nice big bonfire out of them that's fine by me, as long as it happens mostly off screen.

Other than that, I' don't want to see more boobs, that's enough of that.. Just Bron was doing a nice singing bit and then: BOOBS again, like they're a novelty.

They were pretty in your face weren't they?

Whi-ich I'm sure plenty of viewers like just fine. In fact, I saw an argument going on in the comments section of an article about the preview episode, in which some fans were complaining about Emilia Clarke, who plays Dany, not getting her kit off any more.

[kikimay]

I enjoyed Cersei's arrest a lot more in the books (Lena Headey makes her more sympathetic and pushes her motherly buttons far more) but it was pleasant even in the series and she had it coming. Cersei, you dumb bitch!

I was afraid about Shireen and now we had the confirmation that Melisandre wants to burn her. I just hope Stannis is a better man than Agamemnon but I'm pessimist, I think that maybe her mother would burn her anyway.

Theon's brainwashed and fucked up, but I still think he deserves a redemption arc.

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(Lena Headey makes her more sympathetic and pushes her motherly buttons far more)

Have to admit, her little speech to Tommen just made me roll my eyes. If she really loves him so much she should be genuinely supporting him not undermining his authority by encouraging the Westerosi equivalent of the Inquisition. Stupid woman.

I think that maybe her mother would burn her anyway.

She definitely would. She's completely off her trolley.

[lizziebuffy2008.livejournal.com]

Maybe, I am too optimistic, but I think they had to have lit that candle in order to trap the old lady, so I am hoping Brienne saw it and has a plan.

Yeah, I have a feeling Dany is not going to welcome Tyrian, but I have hope for that too.

Not sure about the whole Stannis thing; he loves his daughter, but he is also desperate...although if they do go that route, bye, bye Stannis fans...

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Did the candle actually get lit? I thought Brienne was staring in the direction of the tower but there was no light in it.

Yeah, I have a feeling Dany is not going to welcome Tyrian, but I have hope for that too.

I don't know if she'll be so bad about Tyrion, but Jorah she's just going to turn her back on, I'm sure of it. Which is, IMO, bloody ungrateful of her.

I really don't know which way Stannis will jump. It's possible, though, that Melisandre will go behind his back to Mrs Stannis, who will definitely do what she wants.

[ex_peasant441]

Take heart - we all wanted Joffrey dead and that did happen.

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True, but it took three whole years. :(

[fangfaceandrea.livejournal.com]

Ugh well good for Emilia Clarke, she's a queen now, she has an actual plot!
I just need something more, hey you give me littlefinger's establishments and I'm fine with boobs, butts, orgies, whatever, but these sandsnakes were supposed to be cool warriors not naked prisoners.

[shapinglight]

Yeah, they're pretty pathetic, have to say.