HBO's Game of Thrones Season 3 (EXTREME SPOILERS FOR ALL ASOIAF BOOKS!!!)

[Werthead]

And I don't think we'll see Bran again this season. Sam will have one or two more, I reckon

From the preview for next week:

Spoiler

We do see Bran. He, Meera and Jojen go under the Nightfort whilst Sam and Gilly come the other way. Sam meets up with Pypar (long time no see ), whom you can see in the trailer. No sign at all of Coldhands: at this point I'm thinking they're casting him next season. Also, a scene with Yara, so I think we get news of Balon's death as well. There's a big scene where Sandor fights a bunch of Freys in the woods, which makes me wonder if we get the scene where he's severely injured next week and Arya leaves. Arya could then find the ship to Braavos early in Season 4 instead of late in the season. That puts her storyline ahead of everyone else's, but the alternative is to stretch her 2 (or 3?) remaining ASoS chapters over 10 episodes next year, which is not going to work very well.

We also know they filmed a scene with Littlefinger and Lysa, so I'm assuming that'll be next week or it's been cut altogether.

As for the final scene of the season, on the soundtrack it's called 'For the Realm'. I'm thinking either Varys exposing his ADWD-style true ambitions earlier than planned or maybe the BwB finding Cat's body and Beric sacrificing himself to bring her back. I'm not sure if he'd say, "For the realm," though. Doesn't quite fit him.

 

[Loerwyn]

Oh. I wasn't entirely wrong, then

 

[KatG]

7. Oh, Rob(b), you great big bloody idiot. -- Well no, he made a tactical mistake about Frey. Other than that, his plan was a big gamble but not unsound. Bolton had proven his allegiance on the battlefield and in the wake of the Karstarck disaster, and had been successful at hiding what sort of lord he was to the Northmen, so that was an understandable mistake too. Remember, Rob was actually a brilliant battle tactician who'd won battles he wasn't supposed to be able to win. But he was less versed in backroom deals. Cat was, but she counted on Frey's venality over his pride, and Bolton was the wild card. In the books, Robb's plan is to go after the Greyjoys with Frey's help, especially since they have a succession crisis, to resolidify the North. In the show, they made the Lannister armies more active against Rob, meaning that if they retreated to the North, with a good section of their bannermen being mad and having left over Karstark, they'd likely lose the North battling with the Greyjoys and the Lannisters would crush them. So they had to do a hail mary to Casterly Rock instead, and it would have been unexpected if Bolton hadn't been spying. Where they were stupid is how they handled the wedding. But even if they hadn't needed Frey's men, they did need the land that Frey occupied, and needed Frey aligned with the Tullys and other Riverlords. So they were always going to have to try to make up with Frey to survive.

10. Really bad CGI dog. -- I think that was the actual wolf.

18. Lord Frey reminds me of my dad.
19. No, he wouldn't come out with (sexist) comments like that. -- Phew! I have to say, David Bradley is perfect as Frey and he was perfect as Filch in Harry Potter.

20. UGH NO DANY -- Yeah, get used to saying that.

22. Ugh. It's Daario. I shall now call him Legolas. -- Everybody got that? Orland Bloom is not amused. But it's apt. If he sprung pointy ears, it would not be surprising.

26. Ser Jorah should stop brooding. -- Oh come on, he's got reason to brood here.

28. Yay Sam -- He's my guy. Though they've made him a bit more cowardly in the show.

45. jon sucks -- Hey, he warned the guy. He has to fulfill his mission.

47. Wow, they REALLY cut this section of the book down -- Maybe, but you've got to love the lines between those two. My daughter termed it the Hound and Arya Roadtrip Adventure. Really, they could have their own spin off, along with Tyrion and Bronn.

51. Bran u stupid -- Hey, now, how is he supposed to know how a power he didn't know he had works? It takes all the Starks awhile to figure it out.

59. oh no mackenzie crook is deadified -- he died beautifully, I thought.


68. Wait, wasn't it the Blackfish who got married in the books? -- No, it was Edmure. Blackfish and Jeyne (the book Rob's wife) stayed at Riverrun and did not go to the wedding and thus lived. As part of the whole different storyline with Talissa, the foreigner, as Rob's wife and unquestionably pregnant, she and Blackfish are present at the wedding and Blackfish escapes by needing to piss at the right time.

73. This... is interesting. I don't think it was ever specified in the books where Osha & Rickon went, was it? -- In Book 5, we learn where they may have gone and that Rickon is still believed to be alive. Davos and lords loyal to the Starks are trying to retrieve him to protect him. (Stannis needs the North.) Hopefully that storyline is continued in Book 6.

74. See? Dany hasn't got a bloody clue -- And yet another battle that we don't get to see even briefly 'cause they don't have the money, especially for more dragon efforts. But the fight scene with the three guys wasn't bad. One day the CGI on these battles and such will get cheap enough that they can do them.

84. Gods, they're a filthy bunch, int they? -- Filthy in a property deal sort of way, I guess.

92. t' 'ound and Ary arriving... ridiculously late. -- Yeah, they didn't really give an explanation for that.

98. Eh. That was... short. -- Actually, I was surprised how long they did the sequence. It's not a battle scene -- it's a slaughter and it relies on speed to work.

103. Hound proving he's not entirely a bad guy -- Yes he is. He didn't retrieve Arya out of fondness. She's still worth money.

104. I wonder if Kat is glad she's gone now. -- Me or Catlyn Stark?

My daughter sort of knew what was coming, but still cried. I thought they did it pretty well, with the minor complaint of too much arterial blood spurting. That just gets cartoonish and a bit fake looking (karo syrup!), and that undercuts the murders. But mostly it was heartbreaking and had the right tone, I think.

There are several logical endpoints to Bran's story and other plotlines for the finale, including resolution of the Gendry storyline they've made, but they need one biggish event and I'm not sure what they are going to pick.

 

[CarlAlves]

I'm behind on the books (currently working through Clash of Kings) but holy hell that was a crazy episode. It was one of the most stunning things I've ever seen from a television episode.

 

[Loerwyn]

7. Oh, Rob(b), you great big bloody idiot. -- Well no, he made a tactical mistake about Frey. Other than that, his plan was a big gamble but not unsound. Bolton had proven his allegiance on the battlefield and in the wake of the Karstarck disaster, and had been successful at hiding what sort of lord he was to the Northmen, so that was an understandable mistake too. Remember, Rob was actually a brilliant battle tactician who'd won battles he wasn't supposed to be able to win. But he was less versed in backroom deals. Cat was, but she counted on Frey's venality over his pride, and Bolton was the wild card. In the books, Robb's plan is to go after the Greyjoys with Frey's help, especially since they have a succession crisis, to resolidify the North. In the show, they made the Lannister armies more active against Rob, meaning that if they retreated to the North, with a good section of their bannermen being mad and having left over Karstark, they'd likely lose the North battling with the Greyjoys and the Lannisters would crush them. So they had to do a hail mary to Casterly Rock instead, and it would have been unexpected if Bolton hadn't been spying. Where they were stupid is how they handled the wedding. But even if they hadn't needed Frey's men, they did need the land that Frey occupied, and needed Frey aligned with the Tullys and other Riverlords. So they were always going to have to try to make up with Frey to survive.

But Casterly Rock is the Lannister stronghold. Yeah, Tywin and his cretinous family are in King's Landing, but I can't imagine Tywin leaving it even remotely undefended. But that whole section was We Can Take Casterly Rock IF this and IF that and IF this other thing. Battles are not won on if.

10. Really bad CGI dog. -- I think that was the actual wolf.

Still looked really weird.

18. Lord Frey reminds me of my dad.
19. No, he wouldn't come out with (sexist) comments like that. -- Phew! I have to say, David Bradley is perfect as Frey and he was perfect as Filch in Harry Potter.

Oh, certainly. I mean my dad is disgusting in the same way, but he would never go into the same detail Lord Frey did.

20. UGH NO DANY -- Yeah, get used to saying that.

Because I'm not already?

22. Ugh. It's Daario. I shall now call him Legolas. -- Everybody got that? Orland Bloom is not amused. But it's apt. If he sprung pointy ears, it would not be surprising.

Indeed. He looks like an elven warrior. He carries himself the same way, too.

26. Ser Jorah should stop brooding. -- Oh come on, he's got reason to brood here.

Maybe. But all he does is brood.

28. Yay Sam -- He's my guy. Though they've made him a bit more cowardly in the show.

Really? I think they've actually made him a little braver, but the transition to screen has really brought Sam to life and now it's hard not to feel sympathy for him.

45. jon sucks -- Hey, he warned the guy. He has to fulfill his mission.

He still sucks. And like Ygritte implied, all jons no had done was prolong the guy's death. Hardly honourable.

47. Wow, they REALLY cut this section of the book down -- Maybe, but you've got to love the lines between those two. My daughter termed it the Hound and Arya Roadtrip Adventure. Really, they could have their own spin off, along with Tyrion and Bronn.

Oh, yeah. I love them both. I think Maisie is really coming into Arya this season, and that scene where she looked the Hound in the eyes and told him what she'd do? It was like the only way you could react was this:

51. Bran u stupid -- Hey, now, how is he supposed to know how a power he didn't know he had works? It takes all the Starks awhile to figure it out.

Sure. But I've actually forgotten why I called him stupid.

68. Wait, wasn't it the Blackfish who got married in the books? -- No, it was Edmure. Blackfish and Jeyne (the book Rob's wife) stayed at Riverrun and did not go to the wedding and thus lived. As part of the whole different storyline with Talissa, the foreigner, as Rob's wife and unquestionably pregnant, she and Blackfish are present at the wedding and Blackfish escapes by needing to piss at the right time.

Oh.

73. This... is interesting. I don't think it was ever specified in the books where Osha & Rickon went, was it? -- In Book 5, we learn where they may have gone and that Rickon is still believed to be alive. Davos and lords loyal to the Starks are trying to retrieve him to protect him. (Stannis needs the North.) Hopefully that storyline is continued in Book 6.

I knew they were still alive, I just can't remember it being stated exactly where they went.

74. See? Dany hasn't got a bloody clue -- And yet another battle that we don't get to see even briefly 'cause they don't have the money, especially for more dragon efforts. But the fight scene with the three guys wasn't bad. One day the CGI on these battles and such will get cheap enough that they can do them.

Yeah, it was too short for what it was meant to signify. And did they sack a city *in a night*?!

103. Hound proving he's not entirely a bad guy -- Yes he is. He didn't retrieve Arya out of fondness. She's still worth money.

I don't know. I think there's an aspect of a harsh kindness to the Hound. He doesn't tie Arya up, he doesn't stop her trying to kill him, instead it's almost like he takes her under his wing and actually gives her advice about the world. Whilst his motives are selfish, they are still... good, no? He's not selling her to the highest bidder, he's selling her to her family (if he can). He's taking her back where she belongs. So yes. Tywin and the gang would pay a lot for Ary. Rob(b) and Cat may have paid less, but it is where she belongs. So to me, the effort the Hound puts into delivering Ary shows he has a good bone or two.

104. I wonder if Kat is glad she's gone now. -- Me or Catlyn Stark?

Both, I guess, but mostly you as you always seemed fed up of her

 

[KatG]

But Casterly Rock is the Lannister stronghold. Yeah, Tywin and his cretinous family are in King's Landing, but I can't imagine Tywin leaving it even remotely undefended. But that whole section was We Can Take Casterly Rock IF this and IF that and IF this other thing. Battles are not won on if.

They're planned on "if" though. Casterly Rock wasn't undefended -- that's why they need Frey's men. But Tywin had to take a huge chunk of his force down to King's Landing to repel Stannis' forces, and a good amount of the Tyrell's forces went with him. So it was the best time to try to hit it, because no one would expect them to try. And if they took it, they'd have a lot of money to pay for the army, people would flock back to their army as a potentially winning side, including probably a lot of the Northmen. The alternative was to face civil war and the Greyjoys in the North without Winterfell as a workable fortress since it got burnt, and the Riverlords would then be at the mercy of the Lannisters. (But part of it boils down to the fact that they knew the audience would understand where Casterly Rock is, as opposed to Moat Caitlin and they want to wait on the Greyjoys storyline till next season.)

Maybe. But all he does is brood.

I don't think it would make a lot of sense if he went around singing a song, like Daario. He's been replaced by Selmy and now Daario and Dany listens to him less and less. Plus we know he's hard-hearted and tempermental. So brooding is his thing.

He still sucks. And like Ygritte implied, all jons no had done was prolong the guy's death. Hardly honourable.

That's because the warg sent the eagle to find the man. Jon was hoping that the guy could get away and warn the Watch. He also took a gamble. Are you going to root for the wildings to slaughter the Watch? Jon knows the wildings' mission is doomed, but the wildings army coming to the Wall is not. So he has to try to finish his mission. He kept trying to get Ygritte to desert, but she won't. That's Jon's tragedy -- he has to give up the alternate life to save the Watch and do his duty. He chooses duty for love here and later he will chose duty over power, and then duty over duty.

I knew they were still alive, I just can't remember it being stated exactly where they went.

The isle of Skargos, which is apparently a pretty wild place. So they need Davos to get him out, as he's essentially Winterfell's heir.

Yeah, it was too short for what it was meant to signify. And did they sack a city *in a night*?!

Yes, the Yunkai had no real army of their own, just slave fighters and not as much as Astapor. So they hire the mercenary army, which in the books is first partly defeated (in part by dragons,) and then decides to throw in with Dany instead. In the show, Daario kills his fellow commanders and hands the mercenary army to Dany, but secretly at first. The original plan was for Daario to kill the light guards at the back gate who know him, then the three of them would sneak through the city and get the main gates open or a gate to let men in to get the main gates open to Dany's army and Daario's mercenaries. They'd take the city and offer the slaves freedom, so slaves would side with them, leaving the Yunkai with no real fighters. This apparently somehow occurred, despite the three guys entry being overrun with guards. (My guess, Daario called in more of his mercenaries to come in that back gate, then they did the sneak plan.) This isn't the first time they've done this. Rob's first big battle, where they captured Jaime, was not shown, etc. They can only do a limited number of battle sequences.

I don't know. I think there's an aspect of a harsh kindness to the Hound. He doesn't tie Arya up, he doesn't stop her trying to kill him, instead it's almost like he takes her under his wing and actually gives her advice about the world. Whilst his motives are selfish, they are still... good, no? He's not selling her to the highest bidder, he's selling her to her family (if he can). He's taking her back where she belongs. So yes. Tywin and the gang would pay a lot for Ary. Rob(b) and Cat may have paid less, but it is where she belongs. So to me, the effort the Hound puts into delivering Ary shows he has a good bone or two.

He knows the family will be the highest bidder. He won't sell her to the Lannisters because he hates them and his brother who works for them, and also they'd kill him if he goes back. (He was the Kingsguard and deserted that high post.) After the Red Wedding, he takes Arya to try to find others of her relatives who will pay the ransom, but he also drinks himself into a stupor. As for good in him, Sandor is a bit nicer in the show then in the books, and in the books, he did have a soft spot for Sansa, though most of it was lust. He may therefore have a soft spot for Arya a bit, as she is Sansa's sister. But mostly he's just crashing and burning and broke, so Arya means money and he doesn't regard her as a threat. He may be amused by her, but so was Tywin. I don't know that I'd call it having a good bone exactly. It's more that he hates people -- he's not a psychopath like his brother. The actor who plays him, Rory McCann, is very good.

Both, I guess, but mostly you as you always seemed fed up of her

I had nothing against the actress; it's just that the character didn't seem to fit with Martin's characters. (Roz was a better fit.) The mystery of her character was never explained and didn't make much sense -- what was a Volantis upper class woman doing running around Westeros battlefields, healing people? (Yes, she told a story about her family that was supposed to partly explain it, but the story didn't make any sense either.) What did she use for money before she ended up in Rob's camp? Why, if she hated nobility, did she agree to become queen? And I was not sure what they were doing with her, instead of doing some semblance of the Jeyne storyline. We never really knew or understood her character, though she did seem to love Rob, or fake it really well. Her death was very dramatic, but just as mysterious as her existence, since in the books, Jeyne doesn't die and might be pregnant with Rob's heir. The showrunners are privy to information from Martin that we are not, so obviously there is some logic to it, (maybe book Jeyne isn't pregnant,) but it seemed an odd way to go, and the scenes with her and Rob meant that stuff in the books got cut or delayed. Of course, they were building up for the Red Wedding and so that time perhaps was not as badly spent as I'd first complained. But in any case, I'm not that satisfied that she died, as that storyline is still off the books and unexplained.

 

[Loerwyn]

They're planned on "if" though. Casterly Rock wasn't undefended -- that's why they need Frey's men. But Tywin had to take a huge chunk of his force down to King's Landing to repel Stannis' forces, and a good amount of the Tyrell's forces went with him. So it was the best time to try to hit it, because no one would expect them to try. And if they took it, they'd have a lot of money to pay for the army, people would flock back to their army as a potentially winning side, including probably a lot of the Northmen. The alternative was to face civil war and the Greyjoys in the North without Winterfell as a workable fortress since it got burnt, and the Riverlords would then be at the mercy of the Lannisters. (But part of it boils down to the fact that they knew the audience would understand where Casterly Rock is, as opposed to Moat Caitlin and they want to wait on the Greyjoys storyline till next season.)

But the thing is, we already have proof in the show (and the books) that Rob(b) has gaps in his logic at all times. So whilst Casterly Rock might be a good idea in some ways, it doesn't necessarily make it the best place to attack. And even if it is, you're talking weeks (at least) before Rob(b) can get his army mobilised, built up and heading towards Casterly Rock. Which gives Tywin time to respond, because we sure as cheese know that he'll find out very quickly. So it might very well be that Rob(b) takes Casterly Rock... only for Tywin's forces to spill over and eliminate them. So is it in fact Rob(b)'s genuine best move?

I don't think it would make a lot of sense if he went around singing a song, like Daario. He's been replaced by Selmy and now Daario and Dany listens to him less and less. Plus we know he's hard-hearted and tempermental. So brooding is his thing.

Of course not. But all he's ever done is brood. He's kinda boring now.

That's because the warg sent the eagle to find the man. Jon was hoping that the guy could get away and warn the Watch. He also took a gamble. Are you going to root for the wildings to slaughter the Watch? Jon knows the wildings' mission is doomed, but the wildings army coming to the Wall is not. So he has to try to finish his mission. He kept trying to get Ygritte to desert, but she won't. That's Jon's tragedy -- he has to give up the alternate life to save the Watch and do his duty. He chooses duty for love here and later he will chose duty over power, and then duty over duty.

I side with the Wildlings over the Watch. And we know that later on Jon goes back on his going back and 'saves' the Wildlings. I think. I can't quite remember. But the thing is, Jons No is like his dad and his brother. It's always HONOUR. HONOURRRRRRRRRRR. And it's like NO STOP WITH THE HONOUR IT'LL GET YOU KILLED. Sometimes you need to do dishonourable acts to keep a guise you need for "greater" honour. But none of them seem to realise that. Ever.

Yes, the Yunkai had no real army of their own, just slave fighters and not as much as Astapor. So they hire the mercenary army, which in the books is first partly defeated (in part by dragons,) and then decides to throw in with Dany instead. In the show, Daario kills his fellow commanders and hands the mercenary army to Dany, but secretly at first. The original plan was for Daario to kill the light guards at the back gate who know him, then the three of them would sneak through the city and get the main gates open or a gate to let men in to get the main gates open to Dany's army and Daario's mercenaries. They'd take the city and offer the slaves freedom, so slaves would side with them, leaving the Yunkai with no real fighters. This apparently somehow occurred, despite the three guys entry being overrun with guards. (My guess, Daario called in more of his mercenaries to come in that back gate, then they did the sneak plan.) This isn't the first time they've done this. Rob's first big battle, where they captured Jaime, was not shown, etc. They can only do a limited number of battle sequences.

But sacking the city in less than a night is just ridiculous.

He knows the family will be the highest bidder. He won't sell her to the Lannisters because he hates them and his brother who works for them, and also they'd kill him if he goes back. (He was the Kingsguard and deserted that high post.) After the Red Wedding, he takes Arya to try to find others of her relatives who will pay the ransom, but he also drinks himself into a stupor. As for good in him, Sandor is a bit nicer in the show then in the books, and in the books, he did have a soft spot for Sansa, though most of it was lust. He may therefore have a soft spot for Arya a bit, as she is Sansa's sister. But mostly he's just crashing and burning and broke, so Arya means money and he doesn't regard her as a threat. He may be amused by her, but so was Tywin. I don't know that I'd call it having a good bone exactly. It's more that he hates people -- he's not a psychopath like his brother. The actor who plays him, Rory McCann, is very good.

I don't know. I think The Hound's actions are 'good'. Selfish, yes. But they're still good. Do they cancel out the bad? No, but to be honest The Hound is pretty much the least evil character of the baddies. Who do you think is more evil? Joffrey or The Hound? Yeah. It's Joff.

I had nothing against the actress; it's just that the character didn't seem to fit with Martin's characters. (Roz was a better fit.) The mystery of her character was never explained and didn't make much sense -- what was a Volantis upper class woman doing running around Westeros battlefields, healing people? (Yes, she told a story about her family that was supposed to partly explain it, but the story didn't make any sense either.) What did she use for money before she ended up in Rob's camp? Why, if she hated nobility, did she agree to become queen? And I was not sure what they were doing with her, instead of doing some semblance of the Jeyne storyline. We never really knew or understood her character, though she did seem to love Rob, or fake it really well. Her death was very dramatic, but just as mysterious as her existence, since in the books, Jeyne doesn't die and might be pregnant with Rob's heir. The showrunners are privy to information from Martin that we are not, so obviously there is some logic to it, (maybe book Jeyne isn't pregnant,) but it seemed an odd way to go, and the scenes with her and Rob meant that stuff in the books got cut or delayed. Of course, they were building up for the Red Wedding and so that time perhaps was not as badly spent as I'd first complained. But in any case, I'm not that satisfied that she died, as that storyline is still off the books and unexplained.

Judging by the way time works in ASoIaF, if she was pregnant it would have surfaced in a later book... or the stress of Rob(b)'s murder may have caused the pregnancy to fail, which would also have been mentioned.

 

[Loerwyn]

S3E10: It's the final countdown, do do do do, do do do do do, do do do do...

1. Final episode this season. Can't say I'm sad.
2. SO DARK
3. Oh, Stannis.
4. FIYAH
5. Oh not Stannis. It's the other bloke who looks exactly like him.
6. t' 'ound
7. Oh, it's a rather grim trophy.
8. Sansa and Tyrion. Hm. Oh, and Shae.
9. Sansa talking naturally to Tyrion? Huh?
10. WHAT IS GOING ON HERE
11. This is so wrong but it works almost.
12. Pod!
13. UGH IT'S JOFFREY SOMEONE STAB HIM IN HIS UGLY FRAKKING FACE.
14. I HATE JOFFREY
15. KILL HIM.
16. DIE YOU BLONDE INCESTUOUS BRAGGART BRAT
17. Joffrey - pot. kettle. black. LEARN.
18. Oh shut up you old fool.
19. Poor Varys.
20. HAHAHAHA. Go on Tywin.
21. Uh oh. Joff put his foot in it.
22. I love that look he gives Joffrey. Hahahaha.
23. If looks could kill...
24. Oh, if only.
25. Tyrion vs Tywin.
26. A Clash of Kings fo' realz.
27. That's quite a sad little scene towards the end. Arguably one of the better ones this season.
28. Meera!
29. HODORRRRRR *Echo * HODORRRRRRRRRR *Echo*
30. Game of Cabin in the Woods
31. Ugh Walder Frey Ugh
32. Roose Bolton has a very smooth voice, doesn't he?
33. Ugh ugh ugh ugh disgusting people eating noisily ugh ugh ugh
34. awww chinfluff wants to die
35. awww diddums
36. death is too good for chinfluff. says she who spent two seasons screaming DIE CHINFLUFF
37. BACKHANDER
38. reek reek rhymes with weak
39. Bran-heavy episode this week, innit?
40. Huh. Something horrible
41. SAM?!
42. YESSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS
43. SAM SAM SAM SAM
44. Bran! Sam! Hodor! Meera! Horrible bratty kid!
45. *grin* "Hodor". Awesome. Hodor's actor is hodor-ing great
46. Meeeeeeeeerrrrrrraaaaaaaaaa
47. Ugh I hate the bratty kid
48. go away bratty kid
49. how did he know he was called sam did sam say his name i forget
50. YARA?! THAT BLOKE WHOSE NAME I FORGOT?!
51. Balon!
52. Did Yara have a haircut?
53. is it chinfluff's willy?
54. Yes, probably.
55. Yes, it's his willy.
56. Yara looks so different.
57. Oh, maybe she's going to pop out a baby greyjoy. If you notice, her stomach isn't shown. Ever. Which they do sometimes if an actress is pregnant
58. Oh, this is an interesting scene, Sam helping Bran & co.
59. That should have been the closing shot.
60. Oh it's Davos and Gendry.
61. Davos is cool. I like Davos.
62. Varys!
63. Varys being nice to Tyrion? Hmm. Yeah, I think I kinda like Varys too.
64. Cersei. Eh.
65. Woot. You go Tyrion!
66. Cersei is a bare-faced liar.
67. Hound looked bloody funny with his hood. Looked like a nun.
68. lolary
69. YESSSSSSSSSSSSS ARY
70. YER A KILLER ARY
71. Yay Ary
72. Okay did I just champion a young girl murdering someone?
73. It's jons no
74. Ygritte. wut.
75. wot ah ahm
76. Gods, what a little twit. "i hafta go home now"
77. Wait what what what
78. Any other character and he'd be dead.
79. u no nuffin jons no.
80. Not even how to die.
81. OMG it's the blind maester
82. d'awww
83. Davos trying to read.
84. Yay! I like these scenes too.
85. Warrior woman in the book
86. Melisandre. Meh.
87. Oh gods did I just say that.
88. Stannis the faker!
89. The right voice, but not the right mannerisms nor expressions.
90. See, that was a Stanni... no, it wasn't. It's unjust. Stannis is not unjust.
91. Davos turning traitor! Yussssssssss
92. "You know how to swim?" "No." "Don't fall out."
93. Davos is definitely a good guy.
94. jons no sucks.
95. Ah, it's... um... Jaime! And Brienne!
96. Ooh, ow, Brienne's claw marks looked painful.
97. Wow, they've cut Jaime's return down, haven't they?
98. Cersei sees a broken Jaime. Dun dun DUHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
99. Ugh Fake Stannis
100. Yessssssssss Davos
101. Scary Melisandre.
102. No not Stannis still.
103. Davos quite literally shows his hand.
104. Boobs. Almost. Sigh.
105. Yessssssss more Davos yes yes yes
106. But the real Stannis wouldn't waste Davos. He knows he's too useful.
107. UGH IT'S BLOODY DAENERYS UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
108. WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY
109. Why does Dany have to expose skin in weird places? WHY.
110. Well, those collars look bloody stupid.
111. oh shut up you dumb stupid child
112. This looks so ridiculous. This scene is just a joke.
113. Ugh. STOP PLEASE.
114. I WANT MY FREEDOM FROM BLOODY DAENERYS
115. *Screams and runs around tearing at her hair*

Well, thoughts? Fairly good ending to what's been a remarkably poor season, at least going by the previous two. This may be impacted slightly by me having read the books between 2 and 3, however. But so many bad character changes (including fake Stannis), and some odd plot tweaks, have left us with a slightly odd season that doesn't quite match what it should be. And I just know we're in for more unbearable scenes with Dany.

So yeah. Kinda nonplussed about this season. It was good, but I can't say I've enjoyed it as much as the previous ones. I'm just getting more and more frustrated with it.

 

[Werthead]

Myself and Elio ('Ran' from Westeros.org) discussing what's going to be in Season 4 on io9.

MAJOR SPOILERS from the fourth and fifth novels, obviously. And of course any discussion of the above should take place here, lest the mod overlords conclude I have abused guest right and take my head

thoughts? Fairly good ending to what's been a remarkably poor season, at least going by the previous two

Really? I thought Season 3 was much better than Season 2 but not as good as Season 1. I thought most storylines were much-improved (none moreso than Dany, whose Season 2 storyline was stupour-inducing), and the only ones who had really weaker seasons were Theon, for obvious reasons, and Catelyn/Robb/Northern army, which was overflowing with weird and illogical decisions (though I liked Edmure and the Blackfish). The Red Wedding was very well-done though.

Stannis I think was handled well right up until the final episode, when it felt like whatever writer who weakened Catelyn's character suddenly decided they needed another book character to weaken and went to town on him. Some his stuff in the final episode made no sense. Davos and Melisandre really stepped it up, which considering I think Liam Cunningham may be the most likable character left on the show and one of the best-acted, is really quite impressive.

 

[Loerwyn]

Really? I thought Season 3 was much better than Season 2 but not as good as Season 1. I thought most storylines were much-improved (none moreso than Dany, whose Season 2 storyline was stupour-inducing), and the only ones who had really weaker seasons were Theon, for obvious reasons, and Catelyn/Robb/Northern army, which was overflowing with weird and illogical decisions (though I liked Edmure and the Blackfish). The Red Wedding was very well-done though.

Yeah, really. I don't know if the show has actually dropped in quality or whether we've just had more 'bad' scenes (i.e. lots of Dany), or even whether it's because I've now read the books, or whether I've just "matured" since the last one, but I felt this season has been worse on the whole. Better in some regards due to interesting characters like the Queen of Thorns, certainly, but we're getting more sex scenes (it seems) - including more pointless ones - we had a few utterly vile attempted rape scenes, there have been other scenes with some of the most pointlessly obscene dialogue just for the sake of it and so on. It's like they took the controversial qualities of the book and ramped them up a thousandfold for no reason other than "because they could". I also don't like some of the character changes, but I'll come to that in my next point.

Stannis I think was handled well right up until the final episode, when it felt like whatever writer who weakened Catelyn's character suddenly decided they needed another book character to weaken and went to town on him. Some his stuff in the final episode made no sense. Davos and Melisandre really stepped it up, which considering I think Liam Cunningham may be the most likable character left on the show and one of the best-acted, is really quite impressive.

I think Stannis has been terrible all season. We've lost a lot of the stoic Stannis, and instead he's showing emotions. And it just doesn't work. Stannis is meant to say exactly what he means in exactly as many words as he needs. I'm finding this Stannis to be more emotional, less sure of himself and less intelligent. I'm not quite sure how to explain it, but it seems like Stannis has changed completely between S2 and S3.

But Davos is still awesome.

 

[Jussi]

I thought Season 3 was much better than Season 2 but not as good as Season 1.

Interesting. I think that GoT has improved a lot since the first season. People running the show seem to be now more self-assured. They were sticking too close to the books in the beginning. Special effects are also better - I disliked the tournament scene in the 1st season.

 

[Twinner]

It annoyed me that Rob's wife was brought to the Twins and was present at the Red Wedding. It was a change from the books that I had not anticipated. Then it more than annoyed me the way things went with her character at the Red Wedding because I feel like I was given a spoiler about the future importance (or lack there of) in the final novels in the series. This ruins some small aspects of the next books for me. I wish they had refrained from that change. Grrrr...