Episode Discussion Game of Thrones, Season 8

[SES SA]

What an episode. I've been telling anyone who'd listen that Danaerys is a monster for years! The amount of people with their heads firmly in the sand now crying about "bad writing" is very amusing.

To be fair, I don't think they are great writers. But there are many examples of bad writing you could point to before you point to this.

I have a theory on that. It's not really Tyrion. Tyrion died and that is actually Jaqen H'ghar playing the role of Tyrion which would explain how one of the smartest characters that could see the truth behind pretty much anyone's facade suddenly became a bumbling fool that had no common sense at all.

Nah, he just suffered a severe concussion when Jorah Mormont punched him in season 5. This resulted in mild brain damage and a drastic drop in IQ.

 

[Angel6]

Ok guys so I have a couple of theories for the Jon’s ending. I think that he ends up with the throne, but as he has repeatedly said doesn’t want it, so he either dissolves all power back to the 7Kingdoms (Sansa rules the north etc) and he decides to go and be free North of the Wall, he reunited with ghost and becomes an honorary king in the true north. Felt like foreshadowing when Tormund said ‘maybe we’ll see you again, you’ve got the real north in you.’

The other is similar but he stays on the Throne unhappily and Bran tells him that he can warg Ghost, and the final shot is Jon warging Ghost behind the wall running free.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

dissolves all power back to the 7Kingdoms

That would be horrible. Before Aegon all there ever was was constant war and fighting. At least with the monarchy in place it stopped most of that.

 

[The Bronze]

It has to be Brans moment next week. He's the one who sees all and knows all. Whatever he's been working towards is what we'll end up with. Take the throne himself? Talk someone into taking it or redistributing the power? I'm not sure but it's got to be the payoff for his irritating ways.

 

[sk]

I was afraid that they would make Daenery soft and merciful, that Jon would be able to change her way etc...
So I was delighted to see that they didn't go that way. I had been very disappointed.
Think that had been much more out of character. So thumps up from me for the latest episode. I liked it.

Overall I do think this last season feels a bit rushed though.

/SK

 

[Fuffy Baith]

Her aim has been to rule a utopian society. In that order. If it can't be utopian she'd rule an awful one. If she can't do that then she'll rule the ashes.

Ugh, that sounds like Thanos logic, and that's just too crazy for me to believe that Dany would think like that. She's smarter than that. She could have just killed Cersei and took King's Landing. Still by fear, but by sparing the innocent, as Tyrion said. Dany has shown mercy just as much as she has shown cruelty.

Her first instinct has always been towards violence and death. I think people too often forget scenes like this:

But that is different. Those were a hand full of slave masters that failed to obey her orders, so she killed them to send a message to the other slave owners. Very different from burning a whole town of people that had surrendered.

She wanted to punish them all for Missandei. To me it didn't seem out of the blue at all - you felt it coming.

It would have felt more immediate if she had done it after cersei killed missandi. Or even if it had been Jorah that sent her over the edge. I know she cared for Missande but that's really Greyworm fight, not Dany's. Dany doesn't even directly go after Cersei. I mean I guess you could say she torches the place to show Cersei what was happening but I don't know, it just doesn't work for me. They were building Dany up to be a better ruler than her father, only to prove that she isn't. Which is what people like Varys had come to realize just too late. To me it just doesn't work.
Blaze: The girl who cried because her dragon killed one innocent child is not the girl that would murder thousands of unarmed people and civilians. Might not even watch
Well, apparently everyone has forgot all of the good that Dany has done, and just wants to focus on how this is what they had been doing to her character all of along.

Now, I'm hoping that the last episode will make sense of all of this and it will be a great finale to what is still one of the best shows of television.

 

[GraceK]

Game of Thrones: Season 8, "The Bells" | Los Angeles Review of Books

For Dear Television, Aaron Bady, Sarah Mesle, and Phil Maciak consider the relative madness of the queen(s) on Game of Thrones.

lareviewofbooks.org

Really good article

 

[GraceK]

https://imgur.com/a/CoyWKMP

 

[The Bronze]

Ugh, that sounds like Thanos logic, and that's just too crazy for me to believe that Dany would think like that. She's smarter than that.

It's nothing like Thanos logic. Thanos uses Angel logic. Kill loads to save everyone else. Once he completes his mission he retires. He has no interest in ruling. It's not about smartness either, it's about motivation. Due to her lineage and fire proof super power Danaerys believes in her divine right to rule.

Well, apparently everyone has forgot all of the good that Dany has done, and just wants to focus on how this is what they had been doing to her character all of along.

It's not about forgetting the good either. The show is murky as hell. People doing good things for bad reasons and vice versa. I personally think that if everyone had grovelled appropriately then she would have tried her best to make things better, short term at least. You just have to factor in her inherited traits, upbringing and experiences to understand that her going over the edge was always a strong possibility.

 

[GraceK]

That's the thing though, it's been an 8 season build. Ever since getting a taste of power with Drogo she's been on the path. Once people started grovelling she was hooked. She gave the OK for her brothers head to be melted. Crucified hundreds. Buried people alive. Incinerates prisoners.

She lied. She lost the people who grovel to her most and another dragon. Hadn't eaten for days. Told Jon she was going to rule through fear. Her aim has been to rule a utopian society. In that order. If it can't be utopian she'd rule an awful one. If she can't do that then she'll rule the ashes.

This is such bullshit. Her brother molested her and abused her. He told her he would let her be raped by a thousand Dothraki and their horses. He also threatened to kill her and held a sword to her belly to kill her unborn child, before Drogo killed him. Did you forget that part?

Doreah, who she “ buried alive”, was one of her trusted friends and advisors. She murdered her other Dothraki friend and handmaiden Irri, and conspired with Xaro to steal her dragons. That’s how Dany got locked up and chained by the Warlock in season 2. Did you forget that part?

163 slave children were crucified and their bodies were left as a message to Dany on her arrival in Mereen. Just for kicks. And if you remember, the slave masters watched as she showed up to see her reaction.

Dany crucifed 163 SLAVE MASTERS in return. Boo boo. 🙄

She has a ruthless streak. So what? Tywin Lannister had the Targaryen Royal family murdered. The babies heads crushed. The mountain on his orders killed the Princess Elia ( after raping her) and crushed the babies skulls. Robert Baratheon hunted down every Targaryen and put out a hit on a pregnant Dany. The sack of Kings Landing during Roberts Rebellion was so horrific, women and children were raped and murdered . It was a miracle Dany and Viserys escaped. What has she done that is different than any other male ruler? If anything?? She has shown more compassion. She is liberator, she knows multiple languages, she adapts to different cultures. She has a council of all sorts of people.

She came to the North and sacrificed her armies, her dragon and her best friend to help save the world and has recieved nothing but spite, scorn and rudeness. Missendei and Greyworm have been hit with xenophobia.

Cersei murdered her best friend. For two years, since her arrival in Westeros, all she has done is listen to Tyrion and it cost her everything. She has one feast where she feels isolated and is grieving, and Varys immediately jumps to the conclusion that she’s insane and tries to overthrow her . 🤦🏻‍♀️ Seriously???? She still listens to him and PARLAYS with Cersei, who of course murders Missendei. Next episode and Varys is trying to POISON her food. That’s why she’s not eating. Rewatch that episode. He’s literally using that little girl from the kitchen to poison her. Her advisors are actually betraying her!! How is she crazy???

This sudden genocidal turn is not earned. It’s like a switch was flipped and it’s bad writing. Were the seeds planted for her to go dark? Yes. But this REEKS of rushed writing because the show runners are over it. And that’s infuriating.

 

[The Bronze]

@GraceK you'd be alright under a Daenerys dictatorship. Lots of grovelling and excuses. I've never argued that she's had an easy life, that she hasn't been provoked or had reasons for her actions. All I've pointed out is that she's focused on power for herself through any means necessary. Same as many other leaders, as you say.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

But that is different. Those were a hand full of slave masters

What about at Qarth, where she threatened to burn their city down if they didn't let her in? Those were slave masters. What about Meereen? She threatened to burn that city down as well.

 

[GraceK]

@GraceK you'd be alright under a Daenerys dictatorship. Lots of grovelling and excuses. I've never argued that she's had an easy life, that she hasn't been provoked or had reasons for her actions. All I've pointed out is that she's focused on power for herself through any means necessary. Same as many other leaders, as you say.

Lmao . Really??? Wow. What a cop out. I literally gave you actual examples to back up my arguments in defense...I brought receipts. And you folded in response 😂😂😂😂😂😂 all you could “ argue” in response was call names and yell “ dictator!!! Groveling!!! Excuses!!!”!

You didn’t actually answer any of my points at all. I , at least, took the time to quote and answer all of your bullshit opinions . You couldn’t even do that because you know on some level that you can’t fight me and win. 😂😊😉. I’m going to bed now cause I have work in the morning, so I won’t respond to whatever you write next. Not until 😌the Next few days at least 😂😉😉 thank you though!!! You’ve made me feel so much better. 👍🏻I get it now. I understand why Sansa is the champion for uneducated, stupid as teenage girls.

 

[WillowFromBuffy]

I really liked this week's episode. It was visually stunning, more so than any other episode, and all the characters got good stories. Cersei and Jamie got a fitting end. They died in each other arms, along with their unborn child. The only one's who matter. My eyes teared up when Tyrion thanked Jamie for standing by him when they were small. I am so happy Arya gave up on empty vengeance and chose life. I just wish Sandor could have followed his own advice. He had made so much progress.

I hope Jon and Arya cut their losses and take their men home, even if I know that won't happen. If they take on Dany, which they undoubtedly will, I doubt there will be a happy ending for anyone.

But a really strong episode. Probably my favourite. I haven't been so excited since Cersei blew up the Sept.

 

[The Bronze]

You didn’t actually answer any of my points at all.

You don't have any points. You've failed to follow a thread in the show for the best part of a decade and then failed to follow my reasoning to point it out. All you've done is say she had a hard time and everyone else deserved what they got. Which may be true but it doesn't look at her character motivation or why it's always been a possibility that she'd cross the line if needed.

Not sure what the Sansa stuff is about I'm afraid.

 

[Taake]

Lmao . Really??? Wow. What a cop out. I literally gave you actual examples to back up my arguments in defense...I brought receipts. And you folded in response 😂😂😂😂😂😂 all you could “ argue” in response was call names and yell “ dictator!!! Groveling!!! Excuses!!!”!

You didn’t actually answer any of my points at all. I , at least, took the time to quote and answer all of your bullshit opinions . You couldn’t even do that because you know on some level that you can’t fight me and win. 😂😊😉. I’m going to bed now cause I have work in the morning, so I won’t respond to whatever you write next. Not until 😌the Next few days at least 😂😉😉 thank you though!!! You’ve made me feel so much better. 👍🏻I get it now. I understand why Sansa is the champion for slutty, uneducated, stupid as **** teenage girls.

I've edited your post and will give you a warning, I see you've called The Bronze's opinion "bullshit" TWICE in this thread. You know that's not acceptable here.
This is a tv show you're discussing, please calm down, there is no reason to make it personal or to curse. If you feel riled up by someone's opinion, please take a breath before posting. This just makes it unpleasant for everyone. More swearing and personal insults and I'll restrict your access to this thread for a couple of days.

 

[Bluebird]

I really enjoyed it. I thought it was a lot better than episode 3, if we go by how emotionally invested I was and the overall action and whatnot. I found Emilia Clarke's acting to be pretty good actually, and that's considering the fact she could only do face acting - well played! I genuinely believed her anger and frustration, after building towards getting to this point and having her children and those who loved her murdered in a short few weeks. I don't think she would have done it if everything had gone well. Don't get me wrong though, I liked the turn.

The vitriol towards this show is immense though. I don't really get it. I mean, I know people become obsessed with characters, but it's not a show with well defined white hats and black hats. It's meant to be morally ambiguous. Unless I'm a total idiot and I missed who our hero protagonist was.

 

[Skanky Vamp]

Unless I'm a total idiot and I missed who our hero protagonist was.

Apparently by the edit and the amount of screentime she had it's clearly Ayra. She dominated this episode.

 

[Bluebird]

Apparently by the edit and the amount of screentime she had it's clearly Ayra. She dominated this episode.

I've heard many people say that. She's not well liked, huh?

 

[Skanky Vamp]

She's not well liked, huh?

Really? That's news to me. I thought they could rename the show Everyone Loves Arya.