Game of Thrones

[ScottE]

A lot of things went different than the books this episode. Not one of the best, all the scenes were setup.

Yeah it's weird how many more liberties they are taking this year. The stuff they're doing kind of makes sense because they're accomplishing the same things in fewer moves, but it's weird when you're expecting things to go a certain way and they do something completely new.

Not that I'm complaining. Loving this season so far.

[ScottE]

Speaking of changes: http://www.rollingstone.com/movies/lists/game-changers-the-10-biggest-changes-between-game-of-thrones-and-the-books-20120515?stop_mobi=yes

[Dobbin]

How is this show consistently better, with better production values, than every movie in the theaters?

[JCEFalconi]

spectacular episode, yes. Such great themes, acting, the effects. First time a fantasy effects thing has been actually scary and compelling for me.

[Randy]

Neil Marshall is very adept at having people cleave other people perfectly wherever they are struck with a sword.  Kudos to him!

[Amusing Pseudonym]

If they can be answered without a trip to the book/spoilers thread:

Q)  How much of the book(s) are we through now?

Q)  Were the events of this season more or less coincident?

I ask because it feels like we've been shown a dozen chapters worth of material from the war for Westeros, but only a chapter or two's worth of Jon or Dany.  If they had their own shows, we'd be on episode two of the season.

[sean]

Great episode, great season.

One question - who burned Winterfell and why?  Was it the pirates before they left (which is weird, because presumably they were trying to curry favor by turning over Theon) or was it the guys who were there on Robb's behalf (which is obviously weirder still)?

[Hawkboy]

If they can be answered without a trip to the book/spoilers thread:

Q)  How much of the book(s) are we through now?

Q)  Were the events of this season more or less coincident?

I ask because it feels like we've been shown a dozen chapters worth of material from the war for Westeros, but only a chapter or two's worth of Jon or Dany.  If they had their own shows, we'd be on episode two of the season.

Some stuff was changed, but more or less every character is in the position they were in at the end of the second book. And get used to certain characters having less to do than others; Dany's role in the 2nd book was pretty minor, and I'm sure the producers will change this up, but the 4th book leaves out roughly half the main characters, while the first 2/3 of the fifth book leaves out the other half. (the two books take place roughly over the same time period).

[Randy]

Great episode, great season.

One question - who burned Winterfell and why?  Was it the pirates before they left (which is weird, because presumably they were trying to curry favor by turning over Theon) or was it the guys who were there on Robb's behalf (which is obviously weirder still)?

Yeah, I didn't understand this sequence either.  What did they do with young Mick Jagger?

I was also confused about Stannis, I had presumed last episode that they showed him being captured but I guess that was his men taking him from the battle they were now losing?

[ScottE]

One question - who burned Winterfell and why?  Was it the pirates before they left (which is weird, because presumably they were trying to curry favor by turning over Theon) or was it the guys who were there on Robb's behalf (which is obviously weirder still)?

It's hard to say because they changed so much from the books. Chris Finch from The Office wasn't in the books. In the books we never see them burn Winterfell, much like the show, we only see it after Osha and Hodor and the kids emerge from the tombs. They believe Theon has burned Winterfell but obviously in the show that's not what happened.

[ScottE]

I was also confused about Stannis, I had presumed last episode that they showed him being captured but I guess that was his men taking him from the battle they were now losing?

Yeah, Stannis wasn't captured. He retreated when it was clear they couldn't win.

[Amusing Pseudonym]

http://towerofthehand.com/maps/westeros.html


It seemed like Stannis was sailing to King's Landing for half the season.  Whereabouts in the Stormlands did he set out from?  Tywin got to the capitol from Harrenhal seemingly overnight.   

Also, where are Robb Stark's forces located at this point? 

[ScottE]

http://towerofthehand.com/maps/westeros.html


It seemed like Stannis was sailing to King's Landing for half the season.  Whereabouts in the Stormlands did he set out from?  Tywin got to the capitol from Harrenhal seemingly overnight.   

Also, where are Robb Stark's forces located at this point? 

Stannis was at Storm's End when Renly was killed. They probably sailed back to Dragonstone in order to prepare for the battle before sailing to King's Landing, though.

I believe Robb and his men are somewhere in the Riverlands right now.

[Amusing Pseudonym]

Backing up an episode, the shot of Davros watching the 'missile' streak across the sky was pretty cool but also naggingly familiar.    I thought maybe it was similar to something in The Day After, which freaked me. thee. fuk. out.  when I was ten. 

http://youtu.be/7VG2aJyIFrA

I can't say for certain that it won't still give me nightmares now, though the stock footage and 1980s visual effects would definitely have their work cut out for them.

[sean]

I was also confused about Stannis, I had presumed last episode that they showed him being captured but I guess that was his men taking him from the battle they were now losing?

I thought he was being captured too, but I realized, they wouldn't capture him, they would kill him.  His own men (the ones who had survived fighting back-to-back with him) were dragging him away.

Wherever Robb is, they said it two weeks back, more or less (they said where he was riding to to accept the surrender of Somebody-or-other).