Much the same as episode 1, but better I thought. Except for the really creepy Arya sex scene (yeah, the character is about 18 and Maisie Williams is 22, but still... not quite right ). What Bran said about the Night King wanting to eradicate memory and the three-eyed raven being the embodiment of memory was intriguing - I feel like that’s on the edge of being profound, but there’s still something missing. Hopefully they’ll explore that more during/after the slaughter of Winterfell.
It’s strange that the first two episodes have largely been about characters milling around going “Eeeeeeh, remember when we were all killing each other?”, yet they haven’t dragged. The slower pace works in its favour - I just hope the final few episodes don’t feel rushed in comparison.
Overall much better than episode 1 than I think, there's a fine balance between decent moments and just meme fan service writing. I really dislike how Arya is being portrayed, or possibly just how Maisie Williams is playing her.
The complete lack of previews for the actual battle is slightly disconcerting so far. I really hope there's a high body count for established characters. Anyone got theories on who will survive and who will bite it?
Not a bad episode. This season needs at least one more like it I think, as the aftermath. The character interactions have always been the highlight of this series; the battles, the weddings, the big events, they're all important too, but it's the quiet conversations that have made those events as important as they were. As Star Trek Discovery has proven this year, you can throw as much spectacle at the camera as you like, but it's all meaningless unless you actually care about the characters taking part.
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So, characters I expect to meet their untimely end:
-Greyworm: He just hasn't been as important as it feels he should have been, and I think as he's one of the very few characters who've actually planned for a future after the battle, he's likely finished his storyline.
-Tormund: I hope he doesn't, he's been consistently entertaining, but I'm not convinced there's time left for anything other than a few lines of dialogue to show the end of the Freefolk thread.
-Three Eyed Raven: I kinda get the feeling the conversation about TER being the history of the living was intended to set up a conclusion of leaving the history of family conflicts behind, of these irritatingly attractive young monarchs forging a new world out of the embers of the old.
I think there's a chance we'll see Ser Brienne go, perhaps even Jaime. If we're going to see the end of the Army of the Dead next week, there needs to be a big link back to the Iron Throne story, and I think Jaime's death would give us that. He'll die doing something terribly important (and if I'm wrong about TER going, it'll be Jaime saving him as a poetic end to his story), but if any of the major characters are going to go, I think it'll be him.
I also think that the Night King is going to survive a dragon attack. Everyone's expecting dragonfire to be the ultimate answer, but I think this will be the one occasion where it won't work. What *will* happen, I'm near certain of it, is that Jon will survive a dragon's breath attack; it'll be the big reveal that Jon is actually a Targaryen. He'll then get up and shove Longclaw through the Night King's chest.
Honestly coming up with theories as to what will happen has kept me quite entertained these last few weeks.
Good episode but I do hope they start to pick up the pace a bit more. The Arya bit was very uncomfortable watching :/
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I don't think Pod and the last Nightswatch chap whose name I can't remember will make it past the next episode. Small characters but well liked enough to be profound
What *will* happen, I'm near certain of it, is that Jon will survive a dragon's breath attack; it'll be the big reveal that Jon is actually a Targaryen. He'll then get up and shove Longclaw through the Night King's chest.
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I think you're right, but I think it will directly contravene something GRR Martin has been very coy and cagey about in the past: why Dany is fireproof. In the show it's taken for granted that it's because she's a 'true' Targaryen, but there's very little to back that up other than character assumptions. In the books, there's lots more to suggest that Dany's assumption that it's because she's The Dragon is not necessarily the case. There's a fairly strong theory that she's fireproof because Mirri Maz Duur used blood magic to make herself fireproof on Drogo's pyre (hence her confidence that she would not scream), but something in the way the spell worked backfired due to Dany entering the fire with the dragon eggs, and Dany ended up fireproof instead. That's clearly not the intent in the show, though, as there are scenes earlier in season 1 where she's not burned by hot water or eggs in a brazier.
I do wonder how much Martin told the showrunners about his plans above and beyond who he intends to live or die.
I think you're right, but I think it will directly contravene something GRR Martin has been very coy and cagey about in the past: why Dany is fireproof. In the show it's taken for granted that it's because she's a 'true' Targaryen, but there's very little to back that up other than character assumptions. In the books, there's lots more to suggest that Dany's assumption that it's because she's The Dragon is not necessarily the case. There's a fairly strong theory that she's fireproof because Mirri Maz Duur used blood magic to make herself fireproof on Drogo's pyre (hence her confidence that she would not scream), but something in the way the spell worked backfired due to Dany entering the fire with the dragon eggs, and Dany ended up fireproof instead. That's clearly not the intent in the show, though, as there are scenes earlier in season 1 where she's not burned by hot water or eggs in a brazier.
I do wonder how much Martin told the showrunners about his plans above and beyond who he intends to live or die.
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I can't really comment on the books as I haven't read them. Regardless of what GRRM intended, it's clearly not a guaranteed trait of a Targaryen bloodline because of what happens with Viserys, but I think it's such an obvious idea that I'd be quite surprised if the showrunners don't go with it.
None of the Targaryen's are portrayed as being fireproof in any of the source material as far as I can remember. The Summerhall incident pretty much clarifies that fire immunity isn't a natural trait of their bloodline. It happens to Dany on the one time where she lights the pyre with Drogo and the dragon eggs hatch and that's it, she isn't exposed to fire in the same way at any other point. I think the show has diverged from the books in that regard and has brought it up a few times without any real basis.
Watching Arya in a love scene felt really uuuuggghh - she is our little baby all grown up and....horny
Everyone is commenting on this. I agree, but to me it felt like it was MEANT to cause that reaction in people. And her delivery of the whole thing too. What she went through changed her, especially at an interpersonal level, and she doesn't know how to express in any other way. So I thought of the whole awkwardness as a by design thing.
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I thought the first episode was a bit of a snore fest, episode two was slightly better. From the way they showed things in that episode I think Brienne, Greyworm and Jorah are going to die in the battle.
I'm pretty sure the Red Woman will make a return; she did say to Arya that they would meet again.
Do we really need spoiler tags in a GoT S8 thread? Anyway...
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I don't think Greyworm dies - I think his girlfriend (god knows what her name is) does and he takes her back to the hot place to spread the ashes because she wants to return home.
I agree on Jorah - now that he's told Danny that she should keep Tyrion as Hand he's done his bit. Similiarly, I wouldn't be surprised if Sam snuffs it; the secret about Jon is out to enough people now and if the whole flame-retardant idea does happen (and I can very much believe that, even if it's not as the books might want it) then he's pretty pointless from here on.
Brienne probably dies when Jamie stabs her through the heart with his funky sword because she's been/being turned into a White Walker. Some prophesy seems to suggest that could happen.
Arya survives because she's got to meet Red Woman again, plus she's probably got a Beratheon bun in the oven now for more Game of Thrones shenanigans further down the line. I seem to be the only person who didn't have any issue with the sex scene; it's not like she's a child any more.
Sansa survives, otherwise the whole tension between her and Danny was just pointless time wasting.
Do we really need spoiler tags in a GoT S8 thread?
Yeah, frankly anyone who wants to avoid spoilers and dives into the thread before being up to date deserves what they get. But sometimes it's best to err on the side of caution.
That weird little girl who wanted to fight will most definitely get turned and tear through the crypt. I'm guessing Jamie will survive and end up killing his sister in the throne room.
It seems like they gave up on keeping the world to scale and made all distances crossable in a few short hours. It’s not as egregious as the silly zombie dragon thing but it just feels wrong.
A man who could tell more truth and eat fewer pies.