Game of Thrones (Season 6)

[Peng]

Oh man, two direwolves in one season (and now only two left)? That got me more than the end, although it primed me to get emotional to that easier.

[Spinal]

Arya's story is still going absolutely nowhere.

She's been asked to kill a fictional version of Cersei, and you think this is going nowhere?

[Watashi]

She's been asked to kill a fictional version of Cersei, and you think this is going nowhere?

Yeah. She's still being hit by sticks and asked what her name is 5 episodes in a row. Obviously they have plans for her, but the time being, I get bored when her scenes come on. Remember when she was paired with Tywin and The Hound and it was dramatic as fuck?

[Spinal]

Yeah. She's still being hit by sticks and asked what her name is 5 episodes in a row. Obviously they have plans for her, but the time being, I get bored when her scenes come on. Remember when she was paired with Tywin and The Hound and it was dramatic as fuck?

I like these scenes just as much. I don't know, I think the various ways Arya has been trained in different seasons is really cool and I like seeing her gradual growth. If it moved too quickly, we'd feel like she transformed overnight and it wouldn't feel plausible. Sure, she's still getting hit by sticks, but her ability changes a little bit each time. Like kicking onto her feet from the ground. That was a pretty slick maneuver.

[Grouchy]

If it moved too quickly, we'd feel like she transformed overnight and it wouldn't feel plausible.

I agree with this. I was watching her first scene in this episode and thought "OK, she has skills now, she will win this one" and when that still didn't happen it felt more dramatic as a result. In general, I've always been extremely engaged by Arya's story and the God of Many Faces stuff is no exception.

Hodor. I don't know what you guys think, but the time-travelling paradox here is more complex than any of the more famous ones (Back to the Future, Terminator) and opens some truly alarming possibilities for Bran.

I also don't know if anyone else thought that Bran catching the attention of the King of the Whitewalkers was a homage to Pippin (or Merry, I forget) being seen by the Eye of Sauron in the third volume of Lord of the Rings.

[Watashi]

Also with Brienne on the way to Riverrun, we may finally get [

Show Spoiler

Lady Stoneheart. Anytime there's a parting goodbye, we know that person's time is up.

]

[Spinal]

Also with Brienne on the way to Riverrun, we may finally get [

Show Spoiler

Lady Stoneheart. Anytime there's a parting goodbye, we know that person's time is up.

]

Oh, I hadn't even thought of this, but you're totally right!

[Grouchy]

Daenerys and Jorah. Straightforward scene. Beautiful performances.

Didn't you find that scene unintentionally hilarious, though? "I command you to find the cure". "All right, my Queen, will you give me a ship so I can reach a Meister somewhere and...". "Naw, you get one horse and get out of my sight while I continue to fuck the cokehead from Treme".

I mean, you'd think if getting a cure for magical necrosis was easy Jorah would have at least tried already.

Highlight of the episode besides Hodor for me was the theater play.

[Spinal]

Didn't you find that scene unintentionally hilarious, though? "I command you to find the cure". "All right, my Queen, will you give me a ship so I can reach a Meister somewhere and...". "Naw, you get one horse and get out of my sight while I continue to fuck the cokehead from Treme".

In an episode that was generally very well-written, this might not have been the strongest from a writing perspective. However, I really loved how Iain Glen took a somewhat cliched line like "I love you. I've always loved you" and really made it feel authentic.

[Ezee E]

Iain Glen has always surprised me in this role with how good he is. Like you say, it's pretty chumply written, but I'm always interested in where he ends up. He was my favorite character at one point early in the show until he took a step back.

Arya's character will forever be the most interesting to me. Along with the actress, I find everything about it the most unpredictable of the show. Her time as servant for Tywin, the initial meeting with Jaqen, roaming with the Hound, and now her training... Plus, I'm pretty surprised they had that length for the play on a show. It reminded me of Godfather Part 2.

The Hodor scene was brilliantly directed and very affecting. I'm trying to understand the logistics of it though. How did becoming Hodor in the past subsequently control him in the future? And is it really Hodor's sacrifice at that point, or Bran sacrificing Hodor for himself? Either way, Hodor will be missed and I really liked how they ended his character.

I don't think I've ever seen Varys scared. He looked terrified. Looking forward to where that goes.

Strangely, Jon/Sansa's scenes are the least intriguing. Of course the scene with Littlefinger was well done, but where did he go afterwards? I guess their plot is a transition for them.

Two dire wolves left right? And one's basically lost.

[Spinal]

Arya's character will forever be the most interesting to me. Along with the actress, I find everything about it the most unpredictable of the show.

It's amazing to think that three of the major performers of this season are actors that were hired when they were under 15 years old. And they're all pretty darn good, with Maisie Williams being the pretty clear standout.

Two dire wolves left right? And one's basically lost.

In the first episode, Jon convinces Ned that his children were meant to have the direwolves. It's interesting to me to reflect on how that's turned out.

Lady - slaughtered by Ned at the insistence of Cersei, foreshadowing? a symbol of Sansa's imminent defenselessness?
Nymeria - chased off by Arya to avoid being killed by Cersei, a symbol of Arya's lone wolf nature? her long journey through the countryside?
Grey Wind - a pretty direct mirror of Robb's personality, shared his strength and ferocity and also shares his fate
Shaggydog - again, a mirror of Rickon's black sheep nature, still too early to tell if his fate is tied to his owner's
Summer - allowed Bran to develop his warging abilities, saved his life a few times
Ghost - symbolic of the icy North? has been put to the most use of all the wolves, involved in many battles

[Raiders]

The Hodor scene was brilliantly directed and very affecting. I'm trying to understand the logistics of it though. How did becoming Hodor in the past subsequently control him in the future? And is it really Hodor's sacrifice at that point, or Bran sacrificing Hodor for himself? Either way, Hodor will be missed and I really liked how they ended his character.

Bran warged into him as he has before to move him into action (he responded to hearing Meera's plea that she needed Hodor) and best I can tell that because Bran was in both timelines, he effected Hodor in both which caused Hodor to seize. I also definitely think it is implied to not be entirely willful by Hodor which makes it heartbreaking. Bran is witnessing that he forever doomed Hodor for his own life, even if there is nothing inherently bad about what he is doing... you can imagine the ramifications of seeing the impact of his power.

[Lazlo]

Bran warged into him as he has before to move him into action (he responded to hearing Meera's plea that she needed Hodor) and best I can tell that because Bran was in both timelines, he effected Hodor in both which caused Hodor to seize. I also definitely think it is implied to not be entirely willful by Hodor which makes it heartbreaking. Bran is witnessing that he forever doomed Hodor for his own life, even if there is nothing inherently bad about what he is doing... you can imagine the ramifications of seeing the impact of his power.

This mostly makes sense. The one thing I can't get past is why Bran needed to warg into Hodor at all. I feel like Hodor would have been totally on board with helping to pick up Bran and run away on his own. He's never needed to be forced to help out before. The other time Bran warged into Hodor was to get him to fight. I guess maybe Meera was concerned that Hodor would seize up in fear and be useless?

[amberlita]

This mostly makes sense. The one thing I can't get past is why Bran needed to warg into Hodor at all. I feel like Hodor would have been totally on board with helping to pick up Bran and run away on his own. He's never needed to be forced to help out before. The other time Bran warged into Hodor was to get him to fight. I guess maybe Meera was concerned that Hodor would seize up in fear and be useless?

I thought this is basically what did happen. Hodor was cowering against the wall and Meera was screaming for Bran to wake up because "we need Hodor". (edit: guess that's basically what Raiders said so I'm not sure where the confusion remains)

My primary issue with the Hodor scene is that it was entirely unnecessary for his death to be affecting and, if anything, cheapened it by turning it into a stunt. People have always liked Hodor, not because he is a well-rounded character but because he is two-dimensional but unique. Nevertheless, the actor actually had the ability to inflect that limited scope with actual emotion and we've always sensed his devotion to Bran. His sacrifice would have been just as moving, moreso, if the weight of it wasn't handicapped by timey-wimey shenanigans.

[Lazlo]

I thought this is basically what did happen. Hodor was cowering against the wall and Meera was screaming for Bran to wake up because "we need Hodor". (edit: guess that's basically what Raiders said so I'm not sure where the confusion remains)

I mean, I guess? Rewatched the scene yesterday and it wasn't clear that Hodor was frozen.

[Scar]

I mean, I guess? Rewatched the scene yesterday and it wasn't clear that Hodor was frozen.

I thought he was rocking back and forth, basically seized up and panicking.

[Lazlo]

I thought he was rocking back and forth, basically seized up and panicking.

Watched it again and y'all are right. I guess it all just happened so fast and they weren't yet overrun with wights so it didn't seem like Hodor was frozen yet. But there is definitely a moment post-warg that he stands up and starts to move with a purpose, so I get it.

It's been since it aired that I saw the scene where the first Hodor warging happens. Was he similarly panicking to the point of being useless? I just never took Hodor for someone who couldn't be counted on in a stressful situation.

[Spinal]

My primary issue with the Hodor scene is that it was entirely unnecessary for his death to be affecting and, if anything, cheapened it by turning it into a stunt.

How is it a cheap stunt? It's providing a character's origin and also providing his ending within one key moment because they are interlinked. It is also providing critical information about the nature of Bran's abilities. This is effective, economical storytelling. I'm not sure I understand the resistance.

[Spinal]

Watched it again and y'all are right. I guess it all just happened so fast and they weren't yet overrun with wights so it didn't seem like Hodor was frozen yet. But there is definitely a moment post-warg that he stands up and starts to move with a purpose, so I get it.

It's been since it aired that I saw the scene where the first Hodor warging happens. Was he similarly panicking to the point of being useless? I just never took Hodor for someone who couldn't be counted on in a stressful situation.

Hodor is consistently overcome with fear and panic unless Bran takes over. It's been their standard M.O.

[number8]

Y'all are not discussing the episode's real coup.

They cast Miss Fisher and put her in a storyline that is a Murder Mystery.

[Mara]

Wow. I 0% recognized Essie Davis. Not even at all.

[number8]

She has looked unrecognizable in everything I've seen her in. This, Babadook, Miss Fisher, Matrix, The Slap. She has a drastically different hairstyle every time.

[Ezee E]

She has looked unrecognizable in everything I've seen her in. This, Babadook, Miss Fisher, Matrix, The Slap. She has a drastically different hairstyle every time.

Yeah, I wouldn't have been on the lookout for her anyway, but her Matrix/Thrones/Babadook faces are all so different. Crazy.

[Mara]

Sidenote: my mother, who is not a tv watcher, was having some health problems earlier this year and needed low-energy distractions so I managed to hook her on Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I've never seen my mom fan out about anything but boy howdy did she get into that show. She got all her friends watching it and wanted to talk about it all the time and told me how hard it was to only watch one episode per day.

She said to me, "Did you know some people watch more than one episode per day?"

I said, "Yeah, we call that binge-watching."

She said, "Yes, binge-watching! That!" Then her voice got really quiet and fearful and she asked, "[ME], do you... binge?"

And, like, I hated to disappoint my mom, but that seemed like a pretty major lie to tell someone I love, so I said, "Yeah, Mom, I sometimes binge."

[Watashi]

This show just need to get to the Trial of Combat already.