Game of Thrones Season 5

[radiator]

Apparently that big 'shock' moment, rather than being a show invention, came from GRRM himself, which may leave book readers scratching their heads somewhat as it seems very at odds with how things were left at the end of the last book. I imagine something similar will play out in the next book, but I expect the context will be very different.

Interesting speculation/analysis over on io9 - book spoilers, obvs: http://io9.com/so-did-game-of-thrones-just-reveal-a-huge-book-spoiler-1710011764

At the end of the day, I'm still (kind of) rooting for [spoiler]Stannis. Though he has obviously just doomed himself and his whole crusade, what separates him from the likes of the Boltons and Freys is that he's at least trying to do the right thing and at least believes he is acting in the interest of the greater good. I'd say that one of the fairest criticisms of the TV adaptation is that Stannis has been rather poorly-served as a character - he comes across as very one-dimensional in the show (often as a smirking villain), and up until now has always seemed to get the short end of the stick, screentime-wise. I don't know how much that comes down to casting - I like the actor playing him but I don't know if he's quite right for the part. I remember Christopher Ecclestone's name being kicked around pre-season 2 and can't help but think just how much better he would have been in the role. Admittedly he's a very hard character to get a grip on - someone who's powerful and has a huge presence, while evidently not being remotely charismatic in the traditional sense. [/spoiler]

As for the spectacle at the end of the episode, I know they're working with a relatively limited budget, but I still think it suffered a lot in comparison to the astounding visuals they were able to achieve last week. It's also one of those things where it made me regret having read the books because it didn't live up to what I imagined in my head. The scenario on the page is broadly similar, but to my mind was much more visceral and the surrounding events were far less contrived and silly.

[Famous Mortimer]

Are we spoiler-tagging things that have happened in the most recent episode?

[spoiler]While I liked a lot of it (the end sequence I thought was quite well done) it felt like no-one had thought about stuff too much. Why did none of the citizens of Meereen raise a finger to help Dany? No freed slave is happier with her in charge? Hell, why did none of them just defend themselves? And the Unsullied ought to be renamed the Unable To Fight Worth A Damn. 

Stannis' actions seemed absolutely insane too. Who's going to support him even if he wins? Why did they bother humanising him if this is all he's going to do?[/spoiler]

[radiator]

Hmmm.

I do feel like when people criticise GoT for plot/character inconsistencies, it's 99% of the time due to changes made from the books by the TV writers.

It's very curious, the Stannis thing - [spoiler]the last we hear in the books he is heading off to lay siege to Winterfell and instructs his followers that if he falls in battle, Shireen should be crowned Queen. She is the only legit Baratheon heir (and it's remarked upon time and again that Celsye cannot give him any more children). It begs the question; why would Stannis - a man shown to be obsessed with succession - cut off his own bloodline? It doesn't add up. I suspect that even if, as hinted, Shireen ends up on the bonfire in the books, it will be under very different circumstances.[/spoiler]

As for Dany, they have vastly simplified the whole thing to the point where frankly it's a little hard to swallow (bizarre lack of security measures etc). The Sons of the Harpy are a combination of several different factions in the books, and are far more flagrant in the TV show. [spoiler]There is an assassination attempt in the books - but it's a poisoning. Drogon doesn't come to save Dany - he is simply drawn by the blood and noise of the fighting pits. He starts to roast pit-fighters and civilians, and Hizdar (who may or may not be behind the poisoning attempt) orders Drogon to be killed. It's then that Dany bounds into the stadium to rescue him. But even then she has to tame him using a whip she grabs from one of the fighter's bodies.[/spoiler] It's way cooler.

I think part of the problem with the adaptation is that they have a tendency to make the 'good guys' more traditionally heroic and smooth off any rough edges - especially with Dany and Tyrion (who can be a nasty little bugger in the books), and it doesn't always work.

In defence of the Unsullied, you could infer/argue that they are excellent field soldiers, used to fighting in tight formation on the battlefield. Fighting against guerilla insurgents in a city is not what they were trained for.

[COMMANDO FORCES]

You lot are worse than me

I would say that their weapon is not suited to multiple assailants in close quarter combat!

[radiator]

I would say that their weapon is not suited to multiple assailants in close quarter combat!

Yep. They can own Dothraki though!

[Famous Mortimer]

You lot are worse than me

I would say that their weapon is not suited to multiple assailants in close quarter combat!

I'd buy that, if we'd not had an example of their weapon of choice being unsuitable for purpose just a few weeks ago. Why has no-one gone "maybe we ought to train, or at the very least equip ourselves, with weapons better suited to our environment?"

[shaolin_monkey]

So...

[spoiler]Burning a child - probably the grimmest 'dead child' scene so far in the series.  I felt distinctly uncomfortable watching it. 

The dragon and Daenaerys - looked a bit cheesy b-movie, and definitely not as cool as the book.[/spoiler]

The best episode by far was the previous week [spoiler]- Jon's aborted attempt to rescue the Wildings. [/spoiler] Simply brilliant.

[Steven Sterlacchini]

Regards the spear as the weapon of choice for the Unsullied.

For some unknown reason I've been watching a lot of youtube about HEMA recently.

From what I gather, swords are often 'side arms' to be used if your main weapon such as a spear or polearm becomes unusable. When spears and polearms go against swords, the sword usually has an disadvantage.

Which is why they still use spears today, in the form of bayonets at least.

This is a casual observation, not something I've really studied.

[Theblazeuk]

They are stabbing attacks delivered outside of range... I can see the benefits! Only made rubbish by numbers and the need for dramatic effect.

[Jim_Campbell]

They are stabbing attacks delivered outside of range... I can see the benefits!

There's a rather splendid sequence in Neal Stephenson's Baroque Cycle, in which the fairly obnoxious Earl of Upnor, in full battle armour with a sword, is taught a pretty severe lesson in the importance of reach:  [spoiler]"finest swordsman in England, beaten to death with a stick by an Irishman."[/spoiler]

Cheers

Jim

[ThryllSeekyr]

Isn't it correct etiquette for dragons to only let young females ride them if they completely disrobe before approaching them.....

Of Gandalf need not apply, despite slight difference in mount.....

After reading the same passage from the book, I see they decided to keep it less messy.

[Grugz]

nice pic that!

[COMMANDO FORCES]

Another interesting season ending, with semi closure on a few strands. I'm sure all you book readers knew that was coming [spoiler]but I honestly expected him to survive[/spoiler].

[Famous Mortimer]

Another interesting season ending, with semi closure on a few strands. I'm sure all you book readers knew that was coming [spoiler]but I honestly expected him to survive[/spoiler].

I wonder if the first thing we see in the next season, one of those "previously on" bits, is [spoiler]the mercenary blokes who can resurrect people from a few seasons ago[/spoiler].

[COMMANDO FORCES]

That would be interesting