GoT Season 8

[AZOrange]

For me it wasn’t the characters surviving but how they survived.

The Dothraki we’re eliminated in seconds. Compared to the other living soldiers they were at a tactical advantage being on horseback. So how does everyone survive on foot vs the army of the dead for an hour long battle? They were easily overwhelmed but Theon with a slow loading bow and arrow wasn’t?

How does Sam being stuck on his back for 30 mins like a turtle survive? Now if Ghost had protected him I would have been fine. But that wasn’t the case. Seems like a simple fix.

How the heck did Davos make it?

It would have made sense for at least one of the minor characters and certainly more extras to die in the crypts.

How do you not have a white walker sword fight? Imagine having two white walkers battling Brianne, Podrick, and Jaime? With 2 of those three surviving while killing the 2 white walkers?

How is it that the wights sometimes act like a overwhelming swarm from world war z, but at other times like walking dead zombies within the castle?

Which brings up another question, are the dead simply resurrected humans who should act like humans? Or do they have super powers? The show uses one when convenient but also the other when convenient.

How can wights break through their stone crypt but the one brought to Kings Lansing couldn't get out of a paper bag, well box?

I would have tweaked the ending. First the undead are animated because of the night king. So why not have them simply become inanimate and drop vs disintegration?

Second I would have had Theon get up and say what is dead may never die then stumble towards the night king. The white walkers turn toward him and finish him off. This is what allows Arya to get by them.

Lastly after being stabbed and showing all the undead becoming inanimate, I would cut back to the Night King and he is in human form ala a werewolf movie. As he is dying he reveals his true identity, most likely Stark or Targaryen.

Pretty clear he was a Targaryean now

 

[PhatOrange]

I would argue that Greyworm, his girlfriend, gilly, etc.. are tier 2 or tier 3 characters. If the character doesn't get a POV chapter in the book they are not a main character in my opinion. This whole conversation reminds me of Galaxy Quest where one of the main characters is convinced he is going to die in real life because on the show he's an extra and they always die on the show.

My guess is the body count increases significantly now that they got past the NK plot line.

My thoughts on next several episodes:
- Dani and the Starks turn on each other
- Jon and Dani don't end up happily ever after
- At least one Lannister turns traitor and 2 out of 3 die
- one of Arya and Sansa do not make it to the end

They may be tier 2 and 3 but they're in nearly every episode and near and dear to certain tier 1 characters.

 

[AZOrange]

I agree 100% about the inconsistency on what happened when the un-dead were whacked.

Dragon glass caused some zombies to disintegrate (Lady Mormont's giant) while others gushed blood when stabbed (Arya's hallway encounter). I couldn't pick up on why.

I don’t recall the disintegration of the giant. Didn’t he collapse to the ground? They disintegrated after all the WW died.

 

[AZOrange]

I agree that Martin's killing of main characters took the stories in new directions and introduced new plot lines.
The part I put in bold is a pretty big leap as Martin left Snow stabbed by the Night's Watch and bleeding with no hint of his survival or death in his last appearance.

The show writers probably knew Martin intended Jon to survive and become King of the North. There were plenty of interesting twists in the show after the Red Wedding that could've had Jon take a different path.

My disappointment over the lack of a major character's death is that the show has only killed bad guys (e.g. Littlefinger and Ramsey Bolton) since they moved significantly past the books.

Martin killing a "good" character (or enjoyable character who's done a few bad things) made things very unpredictable. The show has lacked that in the last season and a half.

There’s another living Targaryean in the books

 

[Cuseregular]

I think Arya would be favored in a duel with just about any movie character out there... she is a total badass... I suspect there will be a lot of Arya's popping out 9 months from now. LOL.

How cool and awesome would've have been if arya killed one of them and took on the mask and face of one of the white walker leaders there and just ambled up a an unsuspecting night King and did him in with a look of betrayal and shock in his face as he goes down. Hey they could've figured out the logistics to make it happen, it is fantasy tv ya know!

 

[Cuseregular]

I don’t recall the disintegration of the giant. Didn’t he collapse to the ground? They disintegrated after all the WW died.

Yeah when the bas a$$ little gal leader pierced him through the eye he went down into ashes

 

[OrangeFoo]

For me it wasn’t the characters surviving but how they survived.

The Dothraki we’re eliminated in seconds. Compared to the other living soldiers they were at a tactical advantage being on horseback. So how does everyone survive on foot vs the army of the dead for an hour long battle? They were easily overwhelmed but Theon with a slow loading bow and arrow wasn’t?

How does Sam being stuck on his back for 30 mins like a turtle survive? Now if Ghost had protected him I would have been fine. But that wasn’t the case. Seems like a simple fix.

How the heck did Davos make it?

It would have made sense for at least one of the minor characters and certainly more extras to die in the crypts.

How do you not have a white walker sword fight? Imagine having two white walkers battling Brianne, Podrick, and Jaime? With 2 of those three surviving while killing the 2 white walkers?

How is it that the wights sometimes act like a overwhelming swarm from world war z, but at other times like walking dead zombies within the castle?

Which brings up another question, are the dead simply resurrected humans who should act like humans? Or do they have super powers? The show uses one when convenient but also the other when convenient.

How can wights break through their stone crypt but the one brought to Kings Lansing couldn't get out of a paper bag, well box?

I would have tweaked the ending. First the undead are animated because of the night king. So why not have them simply become inanimate and drop vs disintegration?

Second I would have had Theon get up and say what is dead may never die then stumble towards the night king. The white walkers turn toward him and finish him off. This is what allows Arya to get by them.

Lastly after being stabbed and showing all the undead becoming inanimate, I would cut back to the Night King and he is in human form ala a werewolf movie. As he is dying he reveals his true identity, most likely Stark or Targaryen.

All great questions that I admittedly did not consider as I was watching. I do agree that there is no way in hell that Sam should have survived that battle. They should have either let him die or had hm go to the tombs. When they showed Theon still stirring after the NK walked away from him I thought he was going to get up and try to stab the NK in the back.

For the record the zombies from WWZ also behaved like walking dead undead in the lab scene... I thought the library scene with Arya was very consistent with the lab scened from WWZ in fact. They seem to have a loiter mode where they just wander mindlessly along and then a berserk mode when they get the appropriate stimuli.

I also agree about the Dothraki... these dudes are the most feared warriors after the Unsullied and the dead treated them like BIG treats Rutgers. My theory is that they did a ton of damage but there were so many of the dead it was like a mosquito trying to slow down an elephant. My guess is either the horses got swarmed or they got cut off and are still out there. Interestingly enough Ghost makes it back in future episodes so maybe the Dothraki aren't really all dead?

 

[OrangeFoo]

There’s another living Targaryean in the books

Also I don't think Martin has written a single new book since the show started.The last book was 2011 and the series started in 2011. So the writers knew exactly what was going on with Jon Snow.

Isn't there another living Targaryean in the show? The King's bastard son is a blacksmith in Winterfell who just hooked up with uber-hero Arya? Or are you referencing a different one? I'll admit I lose track.

 

[Trueblue25]

The dorthraki charged off into an enemy who’s morale’s, nor momentum, is not effected by cavalry. They hit a wall of humans and were swallowed up.

The other formations/units survived longer because they were in defensive positions with fall back locations and frankly far better organization.

 

[orangenauburn]

Totally agree

They were just overwhelmed by such a massive force, they stood no chance

There might be a few dozen left in the north

All great questions that I admittedly did not consider as I was watching. I do agree that there is no way in hell that Sam should have survived that battle. They should have either let him die or had hm go to the tombs. When they showed Theon still stirring after the NK walked away from him I thought he was going to get up and try to stab the NK in the back.

For the record the zombies from WWZ also behaved like walking dead undead in the lab scene... I thought the library scene with Arya was very consistent with the lab scened from WWZ in fact. They seem to have a loiter mode where they just wander mindlessly along and then a berserk mode when they get the appropriate stimuli.

I also agree about the Dothraki... these dudes are the most feared warriors after the Unsullied and the dead treated them like BIG treats Rutgers. My theory is that they did a ton of damage but there were so many of the dead it was like a mosquito trying to slow down an elephant. My guess is either the horses got swarmed or they got cut off and are still out there. Interestingly enough Ghost makes it back in future episodes so maybe the Dothraki aren't really all dead?

 

[ForCuseSake]

There’s another living Targaryean in the books

Yes, I know.

He's another loose end (like Lady Stoneheart aka Catelyn Stark) that would add a layer of intrigue.

I thought Martin's plan was to have Jon Snow, Dany and Griff (Rhaegar's other son) be the 3 dragon riders.

Edit - it looks like the show writers might've blended Jon Snow with Griff. Probably worked better that way to condense sub-plots.

 

[Ozcuse]

The more I think about last night's episode the more frustrated and annoyed I get that the show writers have no clue how to end this.

 

[HRE Otto IV]

Interesting theory on Lord of Light.

Game of Thrones Theory Could Explain Bran's Mysterious Behavior

Where did Bran go during the Battle of Winterfell?

time.com

 

[OrangeFoo]

The more I think about last night's episode the more frustrated and annoyed I get that the show writers have no clue how to end this.

What makes you say that? Feels like they ended a major thread last night by killing off the NK. Next is the human stuff with Cersei. I think the show writers have more of a clue then Martin does. If anything they ended the NK arc way too abruptly for a lot of people's liking.

 

[orangenauburn]

What makes you say that? Feels like they ended a major thread last night by killing off the NK. Next is the human stuff with Cersei. I think the show writers have more of a clue then Martin does. If anything they ended the NK arc way too abruptly for a lot of people's liking.

Agreed

Bronn is hunting down Jaime and Tyrionn for Cersei ... Does he follow through?

Do Jaime and Tyrionn get to Cersei?

How do Jon and Danny rally the remaining troops to March south to Kings Landing?

Is Varys on Team Sansa or Lannister?

There's still like a dozen open storylines

 

[RF2044]

There's still like a dozen open storylines

...not the least of which is that different factions are now going to be re-focused on vying for the iron throne, now that the threat to humanity has been vanquished.

I felt like many of the interactions / events in episodes 1 and 2 showed that while they are all allied against a greater threat right now, that there was absolutely no consensus on what happens next [i.e., Sansa and Dani's terse conversation about the north's sovereignty, Dani's realization that Jon was next in line for succession, etc.]

The more things stay the same...

 

[Ozcuse]

What makes you say that? Feels like they ended a major thread last night by killing off the NK. Next is the human stuff with Cersei. I think the show writers have more of a clue then Martin does. If anything they ended the NK arc way too abruptly for a lot of people's liking.

They ended it, yes. Poorly. So many plot holes and if that’s where they leave the NK story and buildup it’s a travesty.

Going after Cersei now after what they just went through seems extremely anticlimactic.

Kill the God of Death, an undead dragon and an unlimited army in the early playoff round and now the finals against brother fvcker, Captain Euron and a mercenary army not loyal to her/him?

Meh.

 

[AZOrange]

Also I don't think Martin has written a single new book since the show started.The last book was 2011 and the series started in 2011. So the writers knew exactly what was going on with Jon Snow.

Isn't there another living Targaryean in the show? The King's bastard son is a blacksmith in Winterfell who just hooked up with uber-hero Arya? Or are you referencing a different one? I'll admit I lose track.

The King was Baratheon not Targaryean.

 

[Cuseregular]

Besides arya being the name of many a kid as noted here in 9 months she just made it to the next level! LOL

Look: New York Jets Joke About Signing Game of Thrones' Arya Stark as Free Agent

The New York Jets (jokingly) announced the signing of Arya Stark on Monday after her dominant performance at the Battle of Winterfell on Sunday night. The team did not disclose contract details...

bleacherreport.com

 

[Pearl309]

The music helped considerably this episode with building tension

 

[DomeStranger]

While I certainly enjoyed the score and visual delights while being on the edge of my seat, I could help but to have some of the same disappointments as posted here.

This review sums a lot of that up, I usually don't bite on negative reviews but it's hard to disagree with much of it.

Game Of Thrones Season 8 Episode 3 Review: And So It All Amounts To Nothing

 

[Pearl309]

Besides arya being the name of many a kid as noted here in 9 months she just made it to the next level! LOL

Look: New York Jets Joke About Signing Game of Thrones' Arya Stark as Free Agent

The New York Jets (jokingly) announced the signing of Arya Stark on Monday after her dominant performance at the Battle of Winterfell on Sunday night. The team did not disclose contract details...

bleacherreport.com

Lol that is actually really funny

 

[Pearl309]

I have way too much free time

 

[edowd26]

You couldn’t see much. Not a single white walker fight let alone with a main character? Where was Ghost the whole time? Main characters were on the front line to start, were surrounded every time shown on screen within the castle to only be miraculously not be the next time we see them, yet they were the only survivors? When the battle was written to be so one sided, you can’t also have so many people not die. No logic at all.

Ghost ran with the dothraki... SoOooo.. Dead?

 

[DeGrozz]

Ghost ran with the dothraki... SoOooo.. Dead?

He's in the preview for the next episode.

Unfortunately his CGI budget was taken up by 4 minutes of dragons flying through a blizzard.