Game of Thrones

[Susquehanna Birder]

For some reason, I thought Davos was aware of the whole event...but I'm probably missing that, as well. I thought him finding the little carved trinket was just a reminder that all of the events were known - but maybe not divulged - by Melisandre.

[Eagles_Legendz]

Sepinwall's take is dumb.  Arguing that the battle went on too long and was more stressful than not is the point of how the director depicted that.  You were supposed to feel enclosed and oppressed.  His complaint seemed to be that it was more fantasy-ridden LOTR interpretation of battle.

If you want to argue about Sansa, fine.  Maybe she should've told Jon though she didn't have confirmation.  You also are looking at the option where if they wait for the Vale Ramsay holes up in Winterfell and they probably lose a siege.  I also think her characterization has been mature this season, not some male misinterpretation of feminism.  Her whole scene with LF a few weeks ago exhibited that. 

[Munson]

Davos does not know. Last season she just tells him that the Princess died. This season, when Davos tried to push her on it for information, Brienne interrupted with "I know what happened".

Him finding the burned pile in the camp that he knew Stannis was in, with the toy he gave Shireen, was what tipped him off.

Holyyyyyyy shtein what an episode. I just watched it now because I was at Firefly Festival still last night.

That battle was amazing in pretty much every way except for the way we knew the Knights of the Vale would come sweeping in to save the day. But even with knowing that, I still had a huge knot in my stomach when the army was encircled and Wun Wun was starting to falter and Small Jon was headbutting Tormund over and over.

For anyone saying they wanted 'unexpected', I think Ramsay showing he actually had a real, good plan in place and showing a good mastery of warfare tactics was pretty surprising. He'd been portrayed as the 'mad dog' who had a certain sadistic cunning, but I fully expected his sadism and own over-confidence to do him in, and that his actual plan for battle would be 'slaughter them all'. When he was shooting arrows into his own men, I thought that's where it was going. That either Karstark or Umber would turn on him. When Small Jon charged, I thought there was a chance he'd charge into the backs of the Bolton men, especially after the "who owns the North?" chant. But nope, instead it was a perfectly executed plan by Ramsay.

I both knew Wun Wun would die and was hoping against hope it wouldn't happen.

The non-Winterfell scenes were fantastic as well. Dany taking Drogon, and the other dragons breaking out and burning a ship or two was awesome. Tyrion/Dany was great as well, Grey Worm taking out the two dudes felt good. Yara and Theon teaming up with Dany was great. Yara (inadvertently?) knew how to play to Dany and the whole 'who run the world? girls' thing. Though I do wonder how the Iron Islanders are going to support Yara when she goes back and says "oh BTW, whole way of life is changing". Guess having the backing of the Queen of the Seven Kingdoms and three dragons helps, though.

[SD]

Not in my top 10 episodes, to be honest. Seems like I'm the only one in the world who thinks that, though.

I thought it was good but predictable. Not in my top 10 either but overall a solid episode.

[smeags]

id have to go back and think, but id say this may be top 10. if not damn close.

munson, that's what I thought happened with davos not knowing, for some reason I blanked on that.

what davos does to melisandre, I hope it includes her being naked.

with the necklace on.

[QB Eagles]

I don't think Ramsay's plan showed mastery of tactics at all. He had a huge numerical advantage, plus his calvary was (outside of Wun-Wun) the most lethal force in the entire battle. He decided to use them as a corpse wall instead of as calvary. Also, he should have just stayed behind the walls of Winterfell to begin with.

[Munson]

I don't think Ramsay's plan showed mastery of tactics at all. He had a huge numerical advantage, plus his calvary was (outside of Wun-Wun) the most lethal force in the entire battle. He decided to use them as a corpse wall instead of as calvary. Also, he should have just stayed behind the walls of Winterfell to begin with.

Jon was right when he said doing so would risk losing the rest of the North. Same thing Robert said to Cersei in S1: "How long do the people support their absentee King?". Ramsay looking weak to a Stark challenger may make some other houses covert

And using the calvary as a corpse wall and having the shields surround the army was a pretty good use of tactics.

[QB Eagles]

Roose would have stayed behind the walls, and Roose would have still been Warden of the North at the end of the episode.

[Munson]

I never said he was a better strategist than Roose haha. But I do think he had a point when he said that to Roose about Stannis last season, and that's probably why Roose let him go out and face Stannis in the field.

[smeags]

Roose would have stayed behind the walls, and Roose would have still been Warden of the North at the end of the episode.

only to lose it in the next episode.

[phattymatty]

how whack did the dragons look last night. a few of the wide shots that showed all 3 looked like cartoons.

[smeags]

they made up for it with the giant.

[Munson]

TBH I wasn't looking hard at the dragons themselves, more looking at the destruction all around.

[Eagles_Legendz]

how whack did the dragons look last night. a few of the wide shots that showed all 3 looked like cartoons.

The cgi always looks worst to me when Dany is on Drogon.  I thought the shot from the boat of the three lighting it up looked good.

[QB Eagles]

Looked like some low-count polygons in some of the landscapes they were flying over, too. Kinda looked like they were flying over the intro animation at times.

Speaking of special effects, during the battle I'm assuming Ghost was off somewhere with a higher budget.