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S08.E04: The Last of the Starks


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7 hours ago, Law Mom said:

When Ned left for KL, he told Jon he would tel him the truth about his parentage the next time they saw each other. Which of course never happened. I wonder what the purpose of telling him would have been.

I think he just wanted Jon to know and I assume Ned thought it was safe now since Jon was taking the black. He would be a threat to Robert since he would be renouncing claims, titles and such. 

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7 hours ago, MarySNJ said:

Did Dany demand Winterfell for herself? I didn’t hear that part. 

I think it’s more like, you need to pay your taxes to pay for the services you’re receiving. 

But isn't Sansa seeking independence for the North and not just Winterfell? Also wouldn't sending Northerners to fight Daenarys' war, which is what Jon is doing, pay back?

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29 minutes ago, mikal768 said:

Well maybe they forgot about the fleet due to the iron islands being supposedly neutralized by their allies return to them? 

She forgot that a guy named Euron had a fleet that destroyed Dorne's ability to lend to the alliance, and captured Yara? 

I'm surprised they didn't have Dany say "Who's that?" when she saw Cersei on the wall.

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7 hours ago, UNOSEZ said:

But ppl did thank her.. She's yet to say thank you to the other ppl who fought other than giving Gendry storm's end( which was  political albeit gracious move)  she talks about her losses as if only her ppl died

Yes didn't Tormund thank the Dragon Queen? I also noticed she didn't seem to take offense at being called that.

But I also thought Daenarys thanked Arya.

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5 hours ago, Scaeva said:

She isn't being entirely logical. While she was proven justified in her distrust of Sansa, her unease with Jon being a potential threat to her is completely unfounded. It does not matter how many people want Jon to be king, he doesn't want it, and he is Ned Stark's son despite being fathered by Rhaegar. It's just not in him to betray her for power. She's being paranoid.

Her storming off after watching Tormund drunkingly praise Jon for some things she's been doing longer (dragon riding) was also nothing more than petty jealousy & more of that paranoia. Of course Tormund was praising Jon. He's Jon's man, not hers. It was Jon that brought the Wildings south of the wall as allies. It's Jon that he's befriended in the trenches after fighting beside each other for months (years?). Dany may have been as heroic as Jon in the defense of Winterfell, but she is a stranger to him. Tormund also doesn't care who sits on the Iron Throne. He's a foreigner who wants to return home and isn't a player in the Game of Thrones. If that had been Tyrion or Varys giving that speech, she'd have cause for concern, but not with Tormund.

Her demand that Jon keep his parentage secret (with an implied "Or else") was also fairly revealing about her true motivations, and it's not a good look. Jon would be above her in the line of succession even if he were were a she and born as Joan Targaryen (Snow), so her claim to the throne is not truly about liberating Westeros from usurpers or breaking any wheels. She's as power hungry as the rest of the would-be kings & queens we've met in this series with the exception of Jon, who seems to be the only person with a potential claim that does not want the Iron Throne. 

All she has to do to settle the succession crisis among the Targaryen claimants is to marry Jon, but she's too concerned she'll end up playing second fiddle (Again, paranoia. Jon does not want to rule which means she'd be the true power in Westeros even he's the king and she's the queen consort, and he's just as likely to kneel and be her king consort) to seemingly consider that.

Jon being Ned's son I think Daenerys would probably be a much better monarch, as Jon's too honest, trusting, and good for the job. But people aren't wrong in giving Daenerys the side eye. She's earning it with her behavior.

Tyrion & Varys aren't wrong in wondering whether Daenerys is any different from any other king or queen Westeros has had, if she's willing to torch the nation's capital and butcher hundreds of thousands of innocent civilians she's supposedly liberating. If that is the route she chooses, she's every bit the blood-soaked tyrant her father was.  They're not wrong in suspecting she might, against advice, as Daenerys has always had a bit of a ruthless streak. She would have already torched one city if left to her own devices, and her execution of Dickon Tarly was vindictive and excessive.

I think Jon is the hands on egalitarian leader the north needs. Like Mance and even Ned, getting his hands dirty and taking public responsibility and going to his subjects instead of holding court. It isn’t everyone’s cup of tea  

Dany should not have come to westeros, or should have left. She was making the world a better place in Meereen. She won’t in KL. I agree with you about her  

Mainly the show needs more time.  We need to see more and not just the main characters. And they should have spent months healing and doing reconnaissance. 

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7 hours ago, Drogo said:

Thank her while plotting to reneg on their brother/King's promise to bend the knee to her, a promise made in the midst of receiving her very necessary assistance.

When did we see Sansa, Arya or Bran thank Daenarys?

I know Tormund did but I don't recall us being shown anyone else doing it,

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9 hours ago, ShellsandCheese said:

So who set Dany up? How did Euron know exactly when they’d be headed back to Dragonstone? 

The 6 o'clock Raven news!

How else did Sansa/Winterfell get all the details about the dragon's death and Missandei's capture so fast?

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33 minutes ago, Soup333 said:

Hmm. Just completely forgot about the same fleet that practically destroyed two of her allies and ferried mercenaries over to strengthen Cersei’s army. Reasonable.  

As I said in my first post in this thread, this is an excellent cast of actors who are putting out terrific work, joined to the two most unprofessional writers I've ever seen take money for putting words on paper. I have no emotional investment in any outcome, but it really annoys me that these two guys lack any sense of professional responsibility.

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7 hours ago, Soup333 said:

This actually doesn’t matter as far as Sansa is concerned because she didn’t know that Dany asked Jon not to tell her. All she knows is that her brother swore her to secrecy and she agreed to it and then went back on that within 24 hours, probably less. 

Dany’s reasons are irrelevant as far as the conversation between the siblings. 

Sansa and Arya were stupid for agreeing to blindly swear to something. All Jon had to do is keep his mouth shut. I mean there was no need really to tell him at that moment anyway.

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7 hours ago, BitterApple said:

One thing I'm confused on is when Varys and Tyrion did an about-face and decided Dany isn't the right leader for the Kingdoms?

Up until this point, she's listened to her advisors, refrained from burning KL for the sake of sparing innocents, gave the Tarlys several chances to surrender before roasting them, lost a dragon to bail Jon out, helped the North defeat the NK, actively fought in that battle and sat by quietly while Tormund gave Jon credit for the win. It was also Dany who reminded everyone that Arya won the war.

They act like they're relieved to have Jon as a replacement and I can't figure out where it's coming from. Or is it just poorly rushed writing?

I think it may have always be in the back of their minds simply because of who she is. Jon being the rightful king just gave them or Varys at least a more palatable candidate. But I also think its the poor and rushed writing.

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1 minute ago, GodsBeloved said:

Sansa and Arya were stupid for agreeing to blindly swear to something. All Jon had to do is keep his mouth shut. I mean there was no need really to tell him at that moment anyway.

I'm fine with him wanting them to know. I just wish he would have truly considered what would happen. As usual, he underestimated Sansa and her motivations. All that "we are family" bullshit went out the door immediately when she felt she could use him politically to get what SHE wants.

Contrast that to Arya, who I could see taking that info to the grave. 

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9 minutes ago, GodsBeloved said:

Yes didn't Tormund thank the Dragon Queen? I also noticed she didn't seem to take offense at being called that.

But I also thought Daenarys thanked Arya.

Yes, both happened during the banquet.

Tormund: To the Dragon Queen! 
[everyone cheers]
Dany: To Arya Stark, the hero of Winterfell!
[even louder cheer]

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Even allowing for Gibbon's statement that history is "...little more than the register of the crimes, follies, and misfortunes of mankind", it's awfully tiresome for the characters to turn the STUPID on and off as necessary to advance the plot

A dude who won't say goodbye to his dog doesn't deserve to be king

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The heat from that dumpster fire of an episode could have lit all the trenches around Winterfell last week.  You're never going to make me turn against Dany, show.  For me, she's earned the right to burn this godforsaken world and everyone in it to the ground, and I hope she does.

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6 hours ago, lvbalgurl said:

Not sure anyone's brought up Arya's pov in the Stark caucus.  However folks want to depict Sansa - that she's jealous and only out for herself and doesn't care about Jon - Arya feels none of those things.  I think that can be agreed upon.  She was appropriately grateful to Daenerys and allowed that they needed her army and dragons during the battle vs the NK's army.  But, she'd observed the war council and saw Daenerys react in a hostile, irrational way, ignoring the absolutely reasonable advice that they rest the Northern army, Unsullied, Dothraki and the dragons before rushing into another war.  She watched as Jon told her "what you command, we will obey".  That's when it seemed to dawn on her that this isn't right.  That it was in fact a dangerous approach to take with a Queen that seems irrationally driven by power.

Whatever people want to feel about Sansa's motives, Arya unambiguously wants the best for Team Stark, and, in her eyes, that's not gonna happen with Daenerys on the throne.  She was also super calm and rational when she spoke to Jon about this.

I found all of that really interesting.

So did I.

I did laugh though at Jon's "to know her is to love her". 

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(edited)
7 hours ago, Joimiaroxeu said:

Tipsy Brienne looking at Jaime like he was a snack.

Tormund solidly cockblocked by Jaime. Oh well.

Lol, one night with Arya and Gendry was sprung. Sounds like maybe Arya has realized she doesn't really swing that way.

OMG, why didn't they send scouts/spies ahead? How could they not have seen that attack coming? (Or why didn't Bran see it? 🤔)

Poor Brienne. Jaime was going to ghost her to get back to his one true love. Maybe she can still catch Tormund if he hasn't gotten too far away already

I feel like Dany's going to get Julius Caesared, Ides of March-style.

Okay, Arya, any time now. Cersei desperately needs killing. Bring the pain, please.

I guess Brienne chose the wrong suitor.   She could have made great, big monster babies with Tormund.   

That said, while I originally thought so, I can't imagine Jaime is actually going back to Cersei to try to get back with her, after she hired Bronn to kill him.

I don't think Arya's rejection of Gendry's proposal has anything to do with her sexuality.  She simply isn't a house wolf, who wants to hang around a castle wearing pretty dresses and being called "my lady".  She has known this since Season 1 and told Ned, "That's not me."  

She is a warrior, soldier, assassin, not anyone's wife or lady.  Brienne also rejected being called a lady, though she was a lady by birthright.  

The military tactics on this show are often absurd and no scouts being sent ahead was a prime example.   If Ser Jorah were still alive, I believe he would have.  Grey Worm should have known better, but I guess he was more focused on his retirement in a beach house with Missandei.  Tyrion and Varys, as usual, were useless in that regard.  

I almost wonder if Varys tipped off Cersei about Dany's plans.  He hates magic and dragons are magic and their birth brought on, or at least coincided with a resurgence of magic in Westeros and Essos

Edited by Bryce Lynch
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10 hours ago, SallyAlbright said:

I never thought I'd be so disappointed by this show. The descent into cartoonish "Mad Queen" territory for Daenerys does not really feel earned, nor do I buy into the idea that Jon wouldn't want revenge under the same circumstances. This idea that she is too strong for him to rule together but that somehow makes him the better leader seems a little confusing and the whole thing reeks of "Telling" not "Showing" for me. 

So sad for Brienne. Devastated over Missandei - Nathalie Emmanuel managed to make her into such a beloved character with relatively little screentime over the years. I really look forward to seeing her in other projects. 

Maybe the only happy thing tonight - GHOST LIVES!

Although this show has tried over the last two episodes to paint Dany as a woman slowly descending into madness, I am not ready to give up on Dany. Her anger is justified after what she has been through. Besides, she is no more a mad queen than Cersei. 

It seemed out of character for Jon not to say goodbye to Ghost. I'm not sure whether this was intentional or merely an oversight on the part of the writers. 

I'm not convinced that Jaime is leaving to help Cersei. He said he is also "hateful."  He could be going back to take her down.  I hated that Brienne became a blithering mess over a man. It seems beneath a knight. Meanwhile, Arya is cool as a cucumber with Gendry.  

I keep changing my mind on who I would prefer to kill Cersei. At first it was Arya, then Sansa, then Jaime, then Dany.  Now, I want it to be Grey Worm. 

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Should Sansa have told Tyrion?  Probably not, but Jon didn't have to tell his sisters and Tyrion didn't have to tell Varys and yet Sansa is getting all the blame.

And the onus seems to be all on Sansa for not liking Dany, but no blame to Arya for also not liking Dany or Varys for quickly turning against Dany.  Arya has seemingly made no attempts to befriend Dany either.  I am taking that as being Arya being able to read something about Dany that makes her mistrust her.

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10 hours ago, SoWindsor said:

5. Drogon not setting fire to the ships after his brother was killed

This one really perplexed me.  Dany had Drogon do a run straight at the ships, risking his life and hers.  Why do that if you're not going to toast them?  I yelled Dracarys myself a couple of times during that scene.  

Edited by terrymct
fixed a typo
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4 hours ago, anamika said:

Honest question here. Would you not be genuinely pissed if you worked all your life for a position and someone who did not work for it gets it because he has a dick?

He'd be ahead of her even if he was Jane Snow, it's not his dick but  his Dad that makes him rightful heir.

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9 minutes ago, TaraS1 said:

The heat from that dumpster fire of an episode could have lit all the trenches around Winterfell last week.  You're never going to make me turn against Dany, show.  For me, she's earned the right to burn this godforsaken world and everyone in it to the ground, and I hope she does.

The plot sucked.  But, I'm not sure the show is setting up Dany as the "Mad Queen" as much as it is setting her to be framed as the "Mad Queen" by Cersei, Sansa and Varys.   

Perhaps the actions of those evil characters will even bring on a righteous anger that will appear to be madness, or might even make her descend into madness.  But, I don't get that they are showing us, "See, Dany was the Mad Queen all along."  

Dany just lost her 2 closest friends, her relationship with the man she loves, half of her troops who she loved and who love her,  her 2nd of 3 children and has her 2 top remaining advisers plotting behind her back.   She has every reason to resort to extreme measures but so far, she has shown great restraint.  

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8 hours ago, Andromeda said:

Seriously. They think Dany's going to turn into a Mad Queen? Wipe out ALL OF THEM, the ungrateful fucks. The more I think about it, the angrier I get about their treatment of Dany. 

Another dragon killed? Just like that? Boom, he's dead? Too quick, too soon. Too EASY. She has now lost two of her children and her best friend. Any revenge coming from her is WELL EARNED, and does not make her insane. Kings have burned cities to the ground for less, but she's a woman, so she's therefore unreasonable? God, I am so pissed right now.

I have always admired Varys' desire to stand up for the little people, but how is thrusting the realm into yet another civil war any way to do that (Jon vs. Dany)? And saying they shouldn't wed because she's stronger than Jon? That tells me Varys prefers a Jon because he sees him as a weak ruler he can manipulate.

Dany is not unstable, she has never been unstable. Every action she's taken has been necessitated by events. But her advisors are frustrated because she doesn't always take their advice -- because somehow that makes her nuts? As if Tyrion is always right, when he clearly isn't. But Dany won't be manipulated by Tyrion or Varys — I'll buy that. I really does smack of sexism in many ways -- she's a GIRL, we have to prefer the guy over the girl for the top job. He, guys, I used to love you, but go suck it.

Cersei seems to have much better advisors -- smart enough to put those big scorpions on the ramparts. Which they had time to do while Dany was saving the North, and getting shit on for it.

Sansa really sucks -- she learned too well from Littlefinger. She's become just like him!

Arya sees clearly, but she left Sansa to her own manipulative devices. I would love for Arya to go off and explore the world, away from the mired mess in Westeros.

I have a feeling the ending will be mostly unsatisfactory, except for Cersei getting her just desserts.

I agree, Dany is not unstable or “mad”. I still think she will be terrible on the iron throne though

Edited by JennyMominFL
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6 hours ago, Raachel2008 said:

To be fair, Sam told *Bran* he was transcribing the books and they said that Rhaegar’s marriage was annulled. Then Sam told Jon “I had the grand sept’ s diaries and Bran has whatever he has”. None of this is a lie and none of this translate to Sam stomping off.

And I don’t think the scene with Tormund women x men, or anything like that. I think it was about local X foreigner,  look what one of us was capable of doing. Tormund has been on Jon’s side for ages, and he knows Jon has been trying to end the NK threat for ages. He was praising his friend, while talking to his friend, about how he is proud of him etc etc. I think it was also to show Dany that Jon is loved and respected by many, and that for those people Jon (and the Starks by default) will always come first

Tormund was praising his friend, a friend who he's been to hell and back with. For all intents and purposes, Tormund and Jon are brothers. Tormund's love/respect/loyalty wasn't demanded by Jon or owed to him. I think Jon earned it and Tormund earned Jon's.  

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I don’t think the show is setting up Dany as the Mad Queen.  I just think making her the savior of all of Westeros is not realistic either.  What I like about the show is that there are maybe a handful of characters that are truly good or truly evil.  Most are shades of gray.  Dany was becoming too perfect.   Too flawless.  Making both sides of the battle for Kings Landing deeply flawed makes it more interesting.

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4 minutes ago, Hana Chan said:

The fourth was losing her faith in her closest advisers when they tell her what she doesn't want to hear. Varys was all but begging her to listen to him, getting reluctant acquiescence at best. The only adviser that she didn't lose faith in was Missandre, who was almost slavish (a harsh word, but one that fits) in her devotion and now lost her as well. Dany is finding herself increasingly isolated, both by misfortune and her own doing.

Slight correction: Melisandre is the Red Woman, the priestess who died after the battle last week. Missandei is the former slave who was executed by the Mountain at the end of this episode. I don't know why GRRM made their names so similar!

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8 minutes ago, Shimmergloom said:

Should Sansa have told Tyrion?  Probably not, but Jon didn't have to tell his sisters and Tyrion didn't have to tell Varys and yet Sansa is getting all the blame.

And the onus seems to be all on Sansa for not liking Dany, but no blame to Arya for also not liking Dany or Varys for quickly turning against Dany.  Arya has seemingly made no attempts to befriend Dany either.  I am taking that as being Arya being able to read something about Dany that makes her mistrust her.

I think Arya doesn't really trust anybody, and is a bit wary of Dany.  But, I have seen that she dislikes her.  She is also probably being influenced by Sansa, who despises Dany, because she is jealous of her because Dany is better than her.   

Arya kept her vow to Jon.  Sansa broke it almost immediately.  

Tyrion probably shouldn't have blabbed to Varys, but he probably knew Sansa was going to tell others, anyway.   Still, Tyrion's disloyalty to Dany is disheartening.  He should have told his Queen what Sansa told him first.  

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12 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

I guess Brienne chose the wrong suitor.   She could have made great, big monster babies with Tormund.   

That said, while I originally thought so, I can't imagine Jaime is actually going back to Cersei to try to get back with her, after she hired Bronn to kill him.

I don't think Arya's rejection of Gendry's proposal has anything to do with her sexuality.  She simply isn't a house wolf, who wants to hang around a castle wearing pretty dresses and being called "my lady".  She has known this since Season 1 and told Ned, "That's not me."  

She is a warrior, soldier, assassin, not anyone's wife or lady.  Brienne also rejected being called a lady, though she was a lady by birthright.  

Brienne and Tormund would never have worked out.  He'd want to live north of the (former) Wall.  She'd want to stay at Winterfell with Sansa.  At best , they'd have been regular booty calls.  😉

Jaime is the Kingslayer.  He's going to do it again.  It's one of the few things I really feel confident of in this show.

Arya has never had an interest in being a lady of the castle.  She also doesn't know diddley about running a castle so she wouldn't actually be much help to him.  It was appropriate that he asked and appropriate that she declined.

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6 hours ago, lvbalgurl said:

I agree.  I'm very much in Sansa's corner but I would have loved if they could have finished the really fantastic conversation they had in Ep 2.  When you're a victim of rape and brutality, that informs your decisions.  Sansa isn't just fighting for Northern independence and safety, she's fighting for her own.  Jon being on the IT means that nothing like what she went through with Joffrey and Ramsey will ever happen again.  And that's because Jon will put her in a position of power in the North and WF, and, with that power, she's going to make sure she's never a victim again.

If they could truly discuss what both of them have been through, I think (hope) they could come to a common ground.

Yes!!!

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12 minutes ago, Bryce Lynch said:

The plot sucked.  But, I'm not sure the show is setting up Dany as the "Mad Queen" as much as it is setting her to be framed as the "Mad Queen" by Cersei, Sansa and Varys.   

Perhaps the actions of those evil characters will even bring on a righteous anger that will appear to be madness, or might even make her descend into madness.  But, I don't get that they are showing us, "See, Dany was the Mad Queen all along."  

Dany just lost her 2 closest friends, her relationship with the man she loves, half of her troops who she loved and who love her,  her 2nd of 3 children and has her 2 top remaining advisers plotting behind her back.   She has every reason to resort to extreme measures but so far, she has shown great restraint.  

It helps when every 20 minutes Dany forgets who any of these people are. None of us in the audience knew they were making a sequel to a Drew Barrymore movie.....

"Fifty First Battles".....

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10 hours ago, ferjy said:

I thought so too, but I didn't see the part where Dany was on the way to Dragonstone where they were ambushed. That explains a lot. There's a mole somewhere!

I don't think there is a mole, it was basic military 101. 

They need to replenish supplies, get more weapons probably, what is Dany's base operation: Dragonstone. It makes 100% sense that this is where she would go first. 

I am surprised at the poor logistics of team Daenerys, they should have seen this coming a mile away and be prepared to counter ambush and fly the dragons at night burning Euron's ships. 

Dany's arrogance is going to cost her this war.  I feel so bad for poor Rhaegon and Missandei, they just paid with their lives for Dany's lack of sense. Nobody else is to blame for their death but Daenerys. 

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(edited)

I am still trying to make some sense of The Last of the Starks.  There were more than a few head scratching moments, so I'll just jump right in.

I guess really important discussions are happening off screen or in a crypt somewhere like Jon's and Daenerys's.  They can still be in love with each other when  Daenerys has thrown such an ultimatum in his face?  I have supported both characters throughout the series, but WTF are they thinking?  I get that Jon doesn't want to rule and is willing to abdicate his position to her, but she has asked too much of him.  First, deny who he is so her claim can go unchallenged?  And second, not tell his (for all intents and purposes) siblings his true identity?  Yes, I understand that things will get very messy for you Daenerys Stormborn, yada, yada, yada, but life is messy.  You of all people should know this.  Find a way to deal with it that doesn't include Jon lying about who he is.  Jon, are you so tired of the leadership burden and responsibility that you will just let Daenerys steam roll over you?  Whaaaaaaaat?  Maybe you should have taken a vacation to clear your head and get perspective.  A trip North with Tormund and Ghost doesn't look so bad now, does it?   But at any rate, I could not get behind the position or posture Daenerys took in their scene.

Sam and Gilly.  Egads.  Please let this be the last that I see of them.  I still can't get over what a blob of blubbering mess he was last week.

Gendry being made Lord of wherever.  Yeah.  Whatever.  Really?  This just came out of left field and I really can't see a justification for it, but if it gets him gone for the remaining episodes, I'm good.  Gendry all of a sudden asking Arya to be his lady?  I slapped my head against the pillow I was holding.  I'm going to chalk it up to extreme giddiness at being made legitimate and a land owner to boot that prompted that nonsense.  A one night hook-up doesn't mean one falls madly in love and wants to get married.  The only right thing about that scene was Arya's response.  Good on her.  Speaking of Arya, in a lot of ways she is like Jon.  She doesn't let adulation go to her head.  She did what needed to be done (shanked the NK) and is now carrying on with her agenda.  It made me smile to see her and the Hound going on another road trip together.  

Jaime and Brienne.  That was just wrong.  I was quite happy with whatever they were prior to last night.  I did not need to see the clumsy groping and clutching between them.  I've never given them a thought as a couple and I still don't.  I'm going back to my happy place before they shagged.

So once again I have been robbed of Sansa's comeuppance.  I really wanted to see her face when she learned Jon's true identity.  I guess I will be forever denied justice when it comes to the Lady of Winterfell.  I can't stand Sansa.  Her actions last night just cemented it for me.  I don't know what she's thinking, but I want to slap her really, really hard; if for no other reason than to wipe that pinched, smug expression off her face.  She is disloyal to family over and over again.  When Jon asked her and Arya to swear to keep what they would hear to themselves, Arya did so without hesitation.  She will not betray Jon.  Sansa?  Couldn't hold water if she were an airtight drum.  Let's tell someone.  Let's tell Tyrion who is already conflicted and having his own family issues.  Why?  Because Jon would be better?  I don't think Sansa thinks that.  Sansa just wants to get rid of anyone who may stand between her and the position of Lady of Winterfell.  And she thinks Tyrion is sweet on her.  If he is, he really is dumber than he looks.  How I wish one of the NK's minions had ripped Sansa's guts out.  

Bronn.  His one horse show bored me years ago.  Why is he still alive?  Oh, yes, because scum always manage to slither through cracks to annoy another day.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised at the lack of reaction on the Lannister brothers' part after hearing Cersei put a hit on them.  Even so, Tyrion has the stupidity to appeal to her once again on the grounds of decency?  I'm biting my pillow now.  Did he have his brain scrubbed when he fell in the water at Old Valyria?  Cersei is a hateful, insane bitch.  She would have murdered him many times over happily for the least of reasons.  Now all of a sudden she will change her stripes because she's breeding again?  She will use that unfortunate child as a weapon. 

I can't with Euron.  He is just so cartoonish and outrageous, that I cringe whenever he's on screen.  BUT, I want him to pay dearly for killing that dragon.  I want Euron, Qyburn and Cersei to die horrible deaths ON SCREEN damn it. There was no reason to kill Missandei, but that's Cersei.  I want her dead.  I don't care who does it, but hopefully it will be Arya.  

The conversation between Tyrion and Varys, okay, both of y'all just need to STFU.  You both have agendas and I don't know that you are necessarily judging Daenerys fairly.  She is making mistakes, but she has not gone mad, killed people who didn't deserve it or threatened her authority and hasn't unleashed her fire-breathing babies on the hapless populace.  She started out from a strong, invincible position and now she has lost 2 dragons, more than a few of her troops and her dearest advisors.  She should have destroyed KL years ago.  I would have been perfectly okay with it. Her advisors keep handicapping her.  She's playing fair against a monster who could give a shit about anyone.  Daenerys will not win without being just as brutal.  

Edited by taurusrose
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3 hours ago, ElectricBoogaloo said:

RIP Rhaegal. It looked like the dragon harpoon things were only on the fronts of the ships and that they didn't rotate all the way around, so why didn't Dany just make a u-turn and burn them from behind?

He is her last dragon. I think she really really didnt want to risk him right then and there. I cant really blame her. I think shes going to be very careful about where she deploys them now

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There was some good news in this episode

There was no reveal that Jon yelled "Go!" to an unseen Arya when he pinned down by Viserion. I think we can put the Go Go theory to rest.

Arya stayed trued to her character by refusing Gendry's proposal

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Oh boy, where do I begin? I feel like this is going to be a long post, so I apologise in advance.

 
 
 
8 hours ago, Spartan Girl said:

I refuse to diss Dany when she was right all along about how Sansa the North would react if they knew about Jon. And all this to shoehorn a Mad Queen storyline when Cersei is is the absolute WORST?

It's time to listen to Olenna: be the dragon.

 
 
 
8 hours ago, CeeBeeGee said:

Totally agree. I detested Varys's reasoning and I dislike what they're forcing Dany into, just to amp up the tension. I love Sansa but she acted spectacularly stupidly in this episode--it doesn't make sense, it's just there to create unearned conflict.

Agree.

I feel for Dany, honestly. She's in love with a man (who loves her back, but still) and she just found out not only he's her nephew, but that he could have a better claim to the Iron Throne, which has been the only thing that gave her life a purpose so far. And since she loves this man, she brought all her people to Winterfell in order to fight and win the WW, instead to fight Cersei right away and win the Throne (because let's face it, back then Cersei had 0 chance to win, but now her chances are definitively higher). Meanwhile, because of Jon's request to help them, Dany lost: one of her dragons to the Night King, Ser Jorah Mormont (who genuinely loved her) and more than half of her men (most of the Dothraki anyway). By the end of this episode, she also lost ANOTHER dragon and Missandei, her best friend. Meanwhile, the man she loves basically rejected her because: 1) well... she's his aunt 2) most of all, I think the issue of his lineage is what holds him back the most. Probably he feels like he's betraying her just by being a Targaryen. And now, she even feels questioned, judged ad not trusted by her counsellors. Specially Varys who (coherently, at least) only supported the realm not a king and seems to be ready to ditch her. (On a side note, I don’t judge him for the importance he gives to have a king as opposed to have a queen: let’s not forget GOT is based upon a feudal society and it was indeed true that men were seen more favourably than women. As a woman I completely disagree, but that it was, unfortunately, true back then. I judge him because he wants to betray her already, not because of the times he lives in).

I believe that Dany feels like she's the loneliest person in the world at the moment and she has all the rights to feel that way. Even the show highlighted this fact, when at dinner she looked around herself and she was the only person alone while Tyrion was drinking and laughing with Jaime and Brienne and Jon was drinking and laughing with Sansa and Tormund.

So, while I partially understand Sansa's and Arya's scepticism, I wish I agree with them but I simply don't.  I don't even understand their reasoning while discussing "the last of the Starks". First, Sansa: "It's been Arya who killed the NK, not Daenerys." True. But Sansa, how many chances do you think Arya would have had if it weren't for Dany's armies AND dragons? At least, Arya gets that. But then she disappoints me too saying: "Jon, we don't trust her." I get it, they don't know her. But they did not even try, while Dany did. During that scene and the previous one around the table, my impression was that both Arya and Sansa were just trying to buy some time to find a way to NOT support Daenerys’ war. Even Sansa’s (right) suggestion to let the men rest falls in this category, in my opinion, which is probably how Dany read it too. Apparently, they all already forgot they were not entitled to Daenerys’ help,  and when she decided to go to Winterfell, she chose the greater good instead of her own good (i.e., going directly to King's Landing, killing Cersei and take the Iron Throne). 

Dany is far from being perfect or 100% right, but I honestly don’t know what I would do in her place.

In any case, I believe nobody has yet to arrange/suggest a marriage between her and Jon for 2 reasons: 1) it would immediately and peacefully solve the issue, which unfortunately is not what D&D want and 2) at the moment I think neither of them has the courage to propose to the other. But who knows, probably finding out that Dany is pregnant (just speculation) could speed things up...

 
 
 
8 hours ago, dbell1 said:

Where to begin? I don't think Jaime believes he deserves happiness. He's tormented, tortured by years of bad choices, and just so ready to walk away from the best woman for him.

7 hours ago, Bali said:

Jaime has said it a million times, Cersei is the ONLY woman he will ever love. 

I, too, believe that Jaime didn’t go to King’s Landing because he wants to be with Cersei, rather because he doesn’t believe he deserves someone as good as Brienne and because, in order for him to have a chance to be happy with her, he needs to play a part in the demise of Cersei. When at first I realised he was about to stay in Winterfell with Brienne, I thought it was too good to be true, to be honest. I’m not afraid to admit I wish he and Brienne could find some happiness together. Love them.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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7 hours ago, Sakura12 said:

Tyrion is definitely not as clever as he think he is, if he keep on believing his sister has a heart. I know they talk about Dany being mad, Cersei is worse. At this point I don't care if Dany goes Mad Queen, Cersei needs to be taken out even Dany dies doing it. 

I guess Missandei was telling Dany to burn it to the ground. She doesn't care this isn't her land. Maybe Dany should just go back to Essos and be their Queen, she was well on her way. That was more her home than Westeros. 

Jon was dumb to think anyone in the North would keep that secret. Especially Sansa who only cares about the North. Of course she'd run and tell anyone she could. 

They are really saving their money by getting rid of Ghost and Rhaegel. Dany better hide Drogon or he's going to die too. 

Agree. However, I don’t really think Tyrion was being naive again here, but I think he tries to talk to her as a last resort. He’s one of the few people, if not the only person (not even Jaime) who is able to “reach” her, at least judging by the fact that she had multiple occasions to kill him directly and, in the end, she never did. And his words moved her, for a moment (gosh, Lena Heady is sooo good). Unfortunately, as much as I hate her, Cersei is another tragic character who by now believes has no other goal in her life than being the b**tch she is and kill everyone around her.  I really wish someone asks her what she truly believes her life will be, once Daenerys and all her enemies are defeated. Cersei’s only purpose in life is conflict: once the conflict is resolved (of course, if she wins), what does she have?

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(edited)
2 hours ago, BooBear said:

They make this massive deal over Jon on the dragon but, err, Dany brought the dragons and rode them and oh had zero vested interest in doing so. I mean really shut up. 

I think the actual point of Tormund's praise of Jon is not that poor Dany doesnt get the credit she so greatly deserves but rather that people LOVE Jon. That's something he has that she and Cersei simply do not and cannot. Jon is just about the ONLY good person left in the story and no matter how high-minded Dany's tells herself she is at the end of the day Jon is beloved because of who he is as a person. That scene was about Dany realizing if word got out about his lineage people far and wide would back him as the true King. I dont think it was about Dany being petty that Tormund was praising him. 

Edited by tv-talk
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10 hours ago, ShellsandCheese said:

Also, tonight’s episode totally proved that Dany is smart - she knew exactly what would happen when Jon told the Starks about his heritage. Dany deserves better, but strong women must be broken. 

Enh. She flew straight intro a trap (wonder if Dany has ever heard of recon?). That was extremely costly. Then she lines up her tiny army and parleys. I can think of a dozen smarter moves, starting with not announcing your arrival.

10 hours ago, dbell1 said:

Jon, you gave away Ghost. You're an idiot. Leaving him at Winterfell would have been kinder.

How does that even work? You tell Ghost he has a new owner? That seems unlikely to work.

10 hours ago, Lillith said:

Dany has shown hints of Mad Queen and tyrant but this descent seems a bit rushed at this point. 

I actually think it is long overdue. She has been showing hints for multiple seasons now, and yet that is all they have been. She makes a lot of dumb decisions but I'm not sure that's due to madness.

10 hours ago, Leroux said:

What is perplexing about this rightful heir to the IT to me is that not for one second did it cross Daenerys mind the idea of asking Jon to rule with her, to make him understand that they will be stronger together as co-rulers. A marriage of equals would be the best but that is obviously not what she wants, she wants him to not ever say a word and act just like her consort. 

Why? 

That's an easy one. She's mad, and central to her madness is that she is power hungry. Even her supporters say she doesn't like to share.

I was oddly unaffected by this episode. It felt like not enough happened. I thought Cersei was going t kill Tyrion as he stood outside the castle. THAT would have beeen a GoT-sized shock.

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51 minutes ago, GodsBeloved said:
8 hours ago, MarySNJ said:

Did Dany demand Winterfell for herself? I didn’t hear that part. 

I think it’s more like, you need to pay your taxes to pay for the services you’re receiving. 

But isn't Sansa seeking independence for the North and not just Winterfell? Also wouldn't sending Northerners to fight Daenarys' war, which is what Jon is doing, pay back?

No, because Jon bent the knee and Daenerys is their Queen.  They don't get to pick and choose when they support her; that's called treason. 

16 minutes ago, GodsBeloved said:

Tormund was praising his friend, a friend who he's been to hell and back with. For all intents and purposes, Tormund and Jon are brothers. Tormund's love/respect/loyalty wasn't demanded by Jon or owed to him. I think Jon earned it and Tormund earned Jon's. 

Still the greatest Snowmund scene, IMO, particularly the Elizabeth Bennett/Mark Darcy moment at 1:50:

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This show is clumsily setting up Dany's downfall. I guess we are not supposed be surprised when she fails and dies. I would never call Dany mad or unstable. Arrogant and vengeful, yes. But so is most everyone else on this show. 

Jon would be a terrible King, he's like Ned and is way to honorable and honest. He has to tell everyone everything all the time even when it's not the best time. Unless they want a King that is easily manipulated and easy to control. Then that would be Jon. 

Last episode was great when I was able to see everything. This episode had everyone regressing into their past seasons selves, not who they are now. This was one of their worst episodes.

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(edited)
52 minutes ago, Hana Chan said:

Dany's downfall (if that indeed is where the show is going) will be because she's impulsive, unpredictable and arrogant, not mad. If anything, her single-minded focus on the Iron Throne will be her doom.  She made a lot of serious mistakes this week and paid a huge price for those mistakes. Rushing back down south without giving her troops a chance to rest and recover from the war against the AOTD was her first mistake, and showed that her concern for her people pales when held up against her ambition. 

The second was how she handled Jon and their relationship. She's so fearful about losing her claim on the throne in favor of Jon (who does have the stronger legitimate claim) that she misses the easiest and most logical solution. Marry, announce Jon's heritage to the world (which will bring on all the Targaryen loyalists as well as those who are suspicious of Dany) and unite all of Westeros under joint rule. Alienating Jon in order to preserve her solitary claim despite his insistence that he will not press his claim and that he's loyal to her (even to the point of going against his better judgement and putting his troops on the march despite the fact that they badly need rest) just feeds into the impression that she will put her quest for power ahead of all else.

The third was rushing back to Dragonstone without first scouting ahead to make sure that the path was clear and walking right into an ambush, costing her Rhaegel. Between having exhausted, badly depleted forces and then dividing them (with Jon apparently leading the majority of them by land), she left herself very vulnerable. She's been very arrogant about the power of her dragons, believing that they were all but invulnerable (and that it took a supernatural force to kill them). Now they can be killed by purely human forces and Drogon won't be employed in the way that she had in the past.

The fourth was losing her faith in her closest advisers when they tell her what she doesn't want to hear. Varys was all but begging her to listen to him, getting reluctant acquiescence at best. The only adviser that she didn't lose faith in was Missandre, who was almost slavish (a harsh word, but one that fits) in her devotion and now lost her as well. Dany is finding herself increasingly isolated, both by misfortune and her own doing.

I think that there has been a lot of foreshadowing about Dany going down this path and we're reaching an endpoint where Dany is now going to be the type of ruler that she always claimed to fight against. And unfortunately for her, it's no just longer a binary choice between herself and Cersei (who deserves the longest, most painful end possible). Varys is already at a point where he's switching horses, and Tyrion is losing his confidence in his ability to advise her (because it doesn't matter how good his advise might be if she refuses to listen). There is an alternative, and if Dany allows herself to become what her detractors already believe about her, then she will lose the rest of her crumbling support.

It's starting to become apparent that Dany might be able to conquer Westeros, but she might never be able to rule. The odds against her just went up exponentially and much of it is because of her own doing. 

I think Dany's downfall has been listening to her lousy advisers too much, instead of trusting her own instincts.  She needs to "Be a dragon" to win, like Olena Tyrell told her. 

Tyrion talked her into trusting Cersei freaking Lannister, the most evil person on the planet, including the Night King.  As a result, Cersei was able to get massive mercenary reinforcement and build hundreds of Giant Crossbows which lead to the death of another one of Dany's children.   

Good advisers would have told her that when she arrived at the summit meeting at the dragon pit, she should have had Drogon "dracarys" Cersei, Jaime, The Mountain, Euron and Qyburn, take King's Landing without any innocent bloodshed and then march her troops, including her new Lannister troops to Winterfell to fight the NK.

Tyrion and Jon's stupid plan to bring a wight back to Cersei was what caused Viserion to be killed and be turned into the NK's ice dragon.   

In Meerren she listened to her advisers and reopened the fighting pits and it almost got her killed.  

Nearly of her great victories have come when she ignored her advisers and came up with her own plans.

Ser Jorah begged her not to walk into Drogo's funeral pyre, she didn't listen and she hatched 3 dragons.

She came up with the plan to kill all the Khals and become Khaleeis of all the Dothraki.

She defeated and took over the Master's armada with her dragons when her advisers never wanted her to risk herself in combat.

She destroyed the loot train, ignoring her advisers. 

They say madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.   Listening to Tyrion and Varys instead of following her own instincts is what seems to be madness. 

As for not scouting out Dragonstone and KL, someone on her war council should have advised that.  She is not the expert on military tactics.   

Edited by Bryce Lynch
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(edited)

I feel certain that  Sansa being petty and ungrateful is a misdirection as it was when Littlefinger was set up. But the attitude being forced upon her character is annoying. 

How is it that Bran isn't helping with war strategy? The Three-Eyed-Raven can see everything - - except when the plot ignores his ability. He should be able to know everything that Cersi and the Pirate Asshole have planned. 

The vast funeral pyre scene was impressive - - but how long would that have taken to construct and who would have done it? Soldiers? 

It seems as if the only reason Sam showed up in Winterfell was to confirm Bran's vision about Jon parentage, hug Jon, have conflict with Dany and be useless in battle. Did any of his stolen books get put to any use? And now, other characters like him are trudging back to King's Landing to fulfill they plot requirements (Jamie, Arya, the Hound)

I did feel badly for Dany, sitting alone and sober at the table while everyone was patting Jon on the back for riding a dragon and being one of the boys. She does not fit in - but Jon, forced by plot, isn't helping the situation. Maybe if Dany had decided to let Winterfell fend for itself against the White Walkers and picked another position to make a stand... 

But really, I have more sympathy for the Dragons and Direwolves than any of the power-hungry schemers. 
 

Edited by shrewd.buddha
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1 minute ago, Ottis said:

A marriage of equals would be the best but that is obviously not what she wants, she wants him to not ever say a word and act just like her consort. 

Someone has to actually sit on the IT no matter how equal they tell the people the situation is. Dany knows that NO MATTER WHAT, all the people of Westeros will see Jon as the true King and person in power. If we were reading her thoughts rather than just watching a show, we'd probably see that she also understands people outside of Westeros would see him as King as well. The fact she has fallen so hard for him is all the evidence she needs that Jon is the type of ruler the people would truly love.

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6 hours ago, Scaeva said:

She isn't being entirely logical. While she was proven justified in her distrust of Sansa, her unease with Jon being a potential threat to her is completely unfounded. It does not matter how many people want Jon to be king, he doesn't want it, and he is Ned Stark's son despite being fathered by Rhaegar. It's just not in him to betray her for power. She's being paranoid. 

I'm not so sure she's paranoid or wrong since I recently watched the episode when the night watch were at Craser's and Jon didn't so what he was told and Mormont got on him and eventually said "You want to lead" and Jon said "Yes".

Jon has been "forced" into leadership positions but now I'm not so sure he truly doesn't want to lead/be king. If the writing was better and not rushed, I could potentially buy that Jon, especially now knowing he's not a bastard, would want to claim what is rightfully his.

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9 hours ago, MarySNJ said:

I really don’t understand Sansa’s antipathy. After ALL of what they faced, how could she doubt that Dany was trying to do the right thing for the whole of Westeros?  As much as I have sympathized with the character I don’t think what she’s doing in regard to Dany is reasonable. Okay, yes, the soldiers are battle weary, but the way she said she would have to ask the commanders sounded more like “never” to me and I would guess to Dany as well. Jon seemed to pick up on it as well which is why he made an executive decision to prepare the troops to go South. 

And Arya: “ She not one of us.” Yeesh. Nevertheless, Dany came to the aid of the North. 

Dany came to the aid of the realm, a realm she intends to rule. If she didn't come she would be the queen of zombies. Dany didn't have to take Sansa's word for it, she could have asked at that moment to bring the military commanders and ask them directly. I am sure their advise would have been the same as Sansa and with a time frame attached to it. Dany let her arrogance win and it has cost her greatly. This is her mistake and she better own it. 

Jon wants to appease Dany because he loves her and wants to prove his loyalty. Tyrion is afraid of Dany and Varys spoke to her directly and she still doesn't listen. Why even have advisors if you have scared them to death and they have to cuddle you like a toddler so you don't throw a tantrum. 

You are forgetting the most important part. Sansa is the Lady of Winterfell and she was looking out for her northern soldiers going to war right away without having time to recover but at the end the executive decisions belong to Daenerys as a queen. She can't let her like or dislike of Sansa cloud her judgment as she did. Unfortunately as an intended ruler she is subject to higher standards. 

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6 hours ago, Scaeva said:

Her storming off after watching Tormund drunkingly praise Jon for some things she's been doing longer (dragon riding) was also nothing more than petty jealousy & more of that paranoia. Of course Tormund was praising Jon. He's Jon's man, not hers. It was Jon that brought the Wildings south of the wall as allies. It's Jon that he's befriended in the trenches after fighting beside each other for months (years?). Dany may have been as heroic as Jon in the defense of Winterfell, but she is a stranger to him. Tormund also doesn't care who sits on the Iron Throne. He's a foreigner who wants to return home and isn't a player in the Game of Thrones. If that had been Tyrion or Varys giving that speech, she'd have cause for concern, but not with Tormund.

Now this I completely agree with.

And let's be real. Dany has people in her corner who toot her horn as much as Tormund was tooting Jon's.

Edited by GodsBeloved
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10 hours ago, catrice2 said:

I really hate that they sort of played the scene with Brienne and Jaimie for comedy.  I think regardless of who she is that it should have been much more romantic because of who she is...

I had no sense at all that it was played for comedy. It seemed a sweet and moving scene to me.

10 hours ago, WaltersHair said:

Should Cercei have just gone ahead and arrowed Tyrion to death?

I was totally expecting her to do that.

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1 minute ago, tv-talk said:

If we were reading her thoughts rather than just watching a show, we'd probably see that she also understands people outside of Westeros would see him as King as well. The fact she has fallen so hard for him is all the evidence she needs that Jon is the type of ruler the people would truly love.

If Dany were really interested in a Targaryen restoration and "breaking the wheel", she would recognize that Jon ruling by public acclaim would achieve her goals. The issue is that she wants to rule. And rule alone. 

Dany is now the kind of leader why believes her own PR. All of the titles that she's taken on and had parroted every time she was introduced have fed into a sense of entitlement and she's unwilling and unable to bend when presented with new information. For all she talked about "breaking the wheel", she wasn't able to envision or articulate any solid plans beyond sitting on the Iron Throne. 

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Bran: "I don't want, anymore."
Tyrion:  "I envy you."

...Why?  What the hell does Tyrion want?  He was the worst gift anyone ever gave anyone.  Jorah should've went to Jared.

Just now, Bryce Lynch said:

I think Dany's downfall has been listening to her lousy adviser too much, instead of trusting her own instincts.  She needs to "Be a dragon" to win, like Olena Tyrell told her. 

And Missandei echoed this sentiment in her last words.  And then, Daenerys looked at Tyrion for ten solid seconds with the most blatant I Cannot Fucking Believe I Ever Named You My Hand I Should've Lit This Fucking Place Up hatred the world has ever seen.

On a shallow note, Missandei/Nathalie Emmanuel is one of the most beautiful women I've ever seen on television.

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