Game of Thrones season 8 announced

[Princess Leia]

Of the main cast, 4/22 have died: Theon, Jorah, Melisandre, and Missandei. Not one person in the main cast died in the first wave of wights. Recurring characters, sure, but not the main cast. I seriously want to know what kind of plot armor Grey Worm is wearing to have survived this long.

Heads better roll next episode (sorry Missandei). My guesses- Cersei, Euron, Grey Worm (the guy is constantly on the front line and now he’s heartbroken), Varys, and then one of the Lannister brothers.

Something the snow may have done if there was more time- a scene showing Dothraki customs in the North. They just won a battle in episode 3, that party had to be wild.

 

[LittleBuford]

I thought the show did a good job with characters expressing their concerns with her, but also appreciating she's behaving like any ruler might.

I imagine there's also some sexism at play in the reactions. As has been pointed out, despicable characters like Theon are given a redemption story-line, while Melisandre does not.

(Misogynistic) double standards seem to be a big part of it. In the very first episode of the whole series, Ned Stark executes a young man who understandably fled the wall, despite Catelyn’s pleas for mercy, yet somehow he is held up as a paragon of honourable conduct. Dany, by contrast, is branded a tyrant queen for executing the haughty Tarly and his doofus son after they refused to bend the knee to her (something she gave them an opportunity to do even after they fought against her in battle).

 

[Princess Leia]

(Misogynistic) double standards seem to be a big part of it. In the very first episode of the whole series, Ned Stark executes a young man who understandably fled the wall, despite Catelyn’s pleas for mercy, yet somehow he is held up as a paragon of honourable conduct. Dany, by contrast, is branded a tyrant queen for executing the haughty Tarly and his doofus son after they refused to bend the knee to her (something she gave them an opportunity to do even after they fought against her in battle).

The man Ned executed was a deserter- he swore an oath to the Night’s Watch, that’s punishable by death. As Warden of the North, that job fell to Ned (because Commander Mormont was either at Castle Black or North of the Wall). Starks are pretty serious when it comes to swearing oaths.

Dany killed the Tarlys, who had presumably sworn an oath to Cersei. They had no reason to suddenly switch sides to Daenerys, why would they? Sam’s father was an abusive man, but Daenerys could have used them as hostages, rather than straight up torch them.

 

[LittleBuford]

Dany killed the Tarlys, who had presumably sworn an oath to Cersei. They had no reason to suddenly switch sides to Daenerys, why would they? Sam’s father was an abusive man, but Daenerys could have used them as hostages, rather than straight up torch them.

The Tarlys were pledged to House Tyrell, which was itself pledged to Dany, but they defected and joined the Lannisters against her (at the last minute, I might add). She gave them an opportunity to change their allegiance back after their defeat, and they refused for no good reason. I'm not surprised she dealt with them as she did.

The man Ned executed was a deserter- he swore an oath to the Night’s Watch, that’s punishable by death. As Warden of the North, that job fell to Ned (because Commander Mormont was either at Castle Black or North of the Wall). Starks are pretty serious when it comes to swearing oaths.

The punishment Ned meted out was indeed in keeping with his role as Warden of the North. But can't the same be said for Queen Daenerys in her response to hostile and unrepentant traitors, which is what the Tarlys ended up being? In their world, the normal and accepted punishment for such individuals is execution. I found it odd and anachronistic that Sam should have criticised Dany for doing what she did, even if his personal sadness was understandable.

 

[Anders Limpar]

The biggest thing so far that raised some red flags for me is that some actions seemed totally out of character for certain individuals. I'm reserving judgement to make an overall decision on this season until I see the final 2 episodes play out. But as of right now, I'm not exactly loving this season.

 

[Princess Leia]

So uh, character development apparently means nothing to the showrunners

 

[artvandelay]

I guess that coin flip came up tails?

 

[LittleBuford]

My faith in Dany was misplaced, it seems.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

The apparent immortality of characters (Arya and Jaime) was really ridiculous. Stabbed multiple times but walks away? The only person, surrounded by death, not to be incinerated or crushed?

Mental note: if I ever want to set up a series of spears to kill a dragon, don't make them all face exactly the same way.

This was very much what the show told us was coming.

Cersei was completely wasted this season.

I'm guessing it will end in a predictable and somewhat crowd pleasing manner.

 

[LittleBuford]

I'm guessing it will end in a predictable and somewhat crowd pleasing manner.

But is anything about the show predictable anymore? I’m at a loss to guess what might happen in the last episode.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

But is anything about the show predictable anymore? I’m at a loss to guess what might happen in the last episode.

Daenerys going all mad king was explicitly set up. The first two episodes outlined how the battle of Winterfell would unfold, and it played out pretty much by the book.

It seems pretty obvious that a final showdown with Daenerys is coming. If the show ends with any scenario other than Jon claiming the throne, it will be the first real surprise all season.

 

[LittleBuford]

Daenerys going all mad king was explicitly set up. The first two episodes outlined how the battle of Winterfell would unfold, and it played out pretty much by the book.

It seems pretty obvious that a final showdown with Daenerys is coming. If the show ends with any scenario other than Jon claiming the throne, it will be the first real surprise all season.

People wouldn’t be shocked if Daenerys’s madness had played out in the way it was set up (and many people are shocked, if the online reviews and comments are anything to go by). To see her burn large sections of the city in order to take it would have been disappointing but not necessarily surprising. Instead, they showed her wantonly and systematically destroying the whole thing after the battle was already won. It’s interesting to me that you didn’t find what happened unexpected, at least in scale.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

People wouldn’t be shocked if Daenerys’s madness had played out in the way it was set up (and many people are shocked, if the online reviews and comments are anything to go by). To see her burn large sections of the city in order to take it would have been disappointing but not necessarily surprising. Instead, they showed her wantonly and systematically destroying the whole thing after the battle was already won. It’s interesting to me that you didn’t find what happened unexpected, at least in scale.

It was unexpected in the sense that, yes, it was above and beyond anything the character had done in the past. Even previous carnage was generally justified and only enough to complete the task at hand.

Overall, I feel her turn to the dark side to be so abrupt, and over the top, that I’m not buying into it so much.

 

[LittleBuford]

It was unexpected in the sense that, yes, it was above and beyond anything the character had done in the past. Even previous carnage was generally justified and only enough to complete the task at hand.

Overall, I feel her turn to the dark side to be so abrupt, and over the top, that I’m not buying into it so much.

What most annoyed me was that she opted for fear right after Jon spurned her romantic advances. It’s the old “woman scorned” trope, and it felt cheap as well as abrupt.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

For all the fan service this show has given us, where was the satisfaction of Cersei getting her comeuppance?

Arya travelled all that way to kill her, only to bail at the last moment?

 

[mf1972]

For all the fan service this show has given us, where was the satisfaction of Cersei getting her comeuppance?

Arya travelled all that way to kill her, only to bail at the last moment?

my first thought after it was over was...not the way i thought cersei would go out.

 

[Wendy Pleakley]

Another thought: a lot of time was spent setting things up with no payoff.

So much time on Cersei lying about joining forces against the Night King, setting up the scenario where she could defeat a weakened Northern army.

None of that mattered. She was swatted like a bug.

The more I think about it, the more I feel this show is ending poorly.

 

[mf1972]

i would’ve preferred a regular 10 episode 1 hour each season compared to 6 episodes with some being approx 80 minutes. i feel like it’s being rushed.

 

[mf1972]

proud sponsor of last nights episode

 

[Anders Limpar]

Wasting the first two episodes on essentially nothing seems silly at this point. If they wanted to build tension for half an episode fine. But for two full episodes? You only have 6 episodes total this season and two of them were wasted where virtually nothing noteworthy happens. Big mistake.

I guess on reflection Dany's decent into madness doesn't seem as rushed to me as other people are saying. I think I'm shocked at how far she has descended into madness and am finding that hard to believe.

Euron magically washing ashore where Jamie was and the horse appearing out of nowhere were particularly bad.