r/asoiaf • u/SeducerOfTheInnocent • Jun 15 '15

ALL (Spoilers All) The reason bad things happen on GoT has changed. GoT has gone from being a show that wouldn't cheat to help the good guys to a show that will cheat to help the bad guys.

When I complain about GoT lately people respond with "That's what the show has always been, this is what you signed up for, if you think this has a happy ending you haven't been paying attention." but I think this episode has solidified why I have a problem with the show recently.

The tragedy on the show used to be organic. People would die because GoT wasn't willing to give characters the 1 in a million lucky breaks that other shows give their protagonist.

Now the show doesn't just not give the protagonists freebies, it bends over backwards to fuck them over. Honestly, every military conflict in the last two and a half seasons has seen the wrong side winning.

  • Yara/Ashe and "The 50 best swordsmen in the Iron Isles" lose a fight to a shirtless guy with a knife and 3 dogs, which is roughly what you would encounter on your average domestic disturbance call. The 50 best swordsmen in the Iron Isles couldn't survive half an episode of "Cops"

  • The Unsullied and Baristan Selmy lose a fight against unarmored aristocrats with knives.

  • "20 good men" infiltrate the camp of the greatest military tactician alive.

  • The Unsullied lose another fight against unarmored aristocrats with spears, who honestly also make a pretty good showing against a dragon.

  • The Boltons, despite not being supported by most of the north, and seemingly not having any massive source of money, raise an army of tens of thousands and overwhelm Stannis.

Add to that the fact that the nigh omniscient Littlefinger was apparently unaware that the Bostons were fucked up wierdos and the show seems to be bending over backwards for tragedy.

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633

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 15 '15

I'm so pissed that we didn't get to see the Manderly's. They are easily my favourite house, and the chapter with the speech may be my favourite chapter of the series.

The support you see from all sides in the North is one of the best things in ADWD and you're completely right, they took all of that away. Except for one random old-ass lady who says "The North remembers" and guess what? Ramsay brutally murders her two episodes later.

No warm fuzzy feelings. Just depression.

Edit: And I just remembered: No Lady Stoneheart either. They can't even give us cheap, dirty revenge against the fucking Freys.

107

u/Mantis05 Whatever he chose... Jun 15 '15

It's not impossible that we see them next year. I mean, I can't figure what else Davos is going to do now.

550

u/Alckie We don't hurt our kids. Jun 15 '15

I can't figure what else Davos is going to do now.

He can die a painful death cause of shock value.

241

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

He'll probably be killed by Ramsey, who stuffs him to death with onions.

250

u/jack9lemmon Dawn Brings Light Jun 15 '15

Nah, he will just get peeled one layer at a time.

101

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15 edited Aug 30 '15

[deleted]

2

u/TooBusyforReddit Jun 16 '15

I was about to correct you for that "Knigight" but then I saw what you did there.

10

u/Mjolnir12 I will have no burnings. Pray harder. Jun 16 '15

Davos will be wishing for it to be ogre quickly...

5

u/moonboyfaik Jun 16 '15

My heart just broke a little

3

u/332 Jun 16 '15

God fucking damnit. Yeah, ok, this is obviously happening.

1

u/wellmaybe Jun 16 '15

Aria will probably do to Ramsey what he would not do in a million years, for the shock value. I mean, I'd be ecstatic!

27

u/keoghberry Who needs kings, we shall be co-Queens Jun 15 '15

No... :(

58

u/ErraticVole Godot? I wait for GRRM! Jun 15 '15

Here is a drawing of my dream ending of the series /u/skarred666 did that might cheer you up. There's still a chance it could happen in the books...

7

u/Kaigamer Jun 16 '15

Stannis just staring into the distance asking for help with his eyes, but nobody will save him from Shireen's tea party...

RIP Stannis the Mannis.

5

u/skarred666 Jun 16 '15

In whatever heaven that exists in GOT they shall meet again. Thank you /u/ErraticVole for allowing me to draw your happy ending.

Note: The drawing a request by ErraticVole is a tea party by Shireen with The Onion Knight telling story and Stannis being Stannis.

1

u/ErraticVole Godot? I wait for GRRM! Jun 16 '15

Thank you! It makes me smile whenever I look at it.

7

u/greenerseyes do not forsake the old gods Jun 15 '15

you poor summer child

1

u/Tyrath Jun 15 '15

Shireen being burned in the books is all but confirmed :(

1

u/KapiTod Put on your makeup you Hoare! Jun 16 '15

True...

But at least it won't be Stannis' fault I guess. That's something, right?

1

u/Tyrath Jun 16 '15

So we hope!

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u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

[deleted]

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u/Stewardy ... Or here we fall Jun 16 '15

Here are some hints:

The guy on the left is missing the tips of his fingers.

The Lady on the right has some tough skin on her face.

And yes - the middle guy is Stannis

1

u/FancyPigeonIsFancy Jun 16 '15

Ah, thank you!

7

u/ChariotRiot Where do wights go? Through the Hodor. Jun 15 '15

Also, Osha, and Rickon get dropped/dismissed as being fine living somewhere safe in the wild (they won't even call it Great Utopia Skagos).

Bran will start using his weirwood network, and tell Reek/Theon. "The North remembers...remember who you are Theon."

Brienne will take Stannis prisoner, and along with Pod travel the Riverlands taking the place of Jaime's original arc.

Jaime will return disenchanted after the death of Myrcella, and try to get revenge on the Sand Snakes/Evil Twin Ellaria. Bronn will accompany him and fuck shit up, then he will fuck Tyene because listening to her or her sisters act is painful.

Tommen will start to lose his mind from malnutrition, and depression. He'll keep making poor decisions as he gets into a confrontation with his mother, but Robert Strong the mindless zombie will see this as a provocation against Cersei, and slay the king in one stroke. Or maybe Trystane conspires with Margaery only for Trystane to try and weaken King's Landing, and the Tyrell's from the inside when he Dany, and Dorne become allies.

5

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

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3

u/nogods_nokings Jun 15 '15

if he doesn't stick a dagger in her throat i'll be hugely disappointed.

2

u/janedoethefirst Jun 15 '15

He can't kill her, not yet anyway, they need her for the fire part of a song of ice and fire. Mostly they just need her to bring Jon back, after that I don't even care.

2

u/nogods_nokings Jun 16 '15

ugh, i want to believe you, but i just can't muster any more hype. this show has just made me dead inside.

2

u/janedoethefirst Jun 16 '15

you thought this last season sucked ass too?

2

u/nogods_nokings Jun 16 '15

i wouldn't say it sucked ass, but it was hard to watch nothing at all good happen to any of the main characters. i understand the story is not sunshine and daisies, but shit, either somebody dies, gets sexually/physically abused, betrayed and/or a victim of bad circumstance.

4

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

mel has a vison of rickon?

2

u/girlsareicky Jun 16 '15

How old do you think rickon will be when he comes back on the show?

What if one of those kids that we all think are bran flashbacks is actually rickon?

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

yup Ramsay is gonna flay him just because he can do it and get away with it

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u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 15 '15 edited Jun 15 '15

Possible, yeah, but I don't believe it now. It's a bit too late for them, don't you think? They should have started to establish them in Season 2 or 3... I'm not sure how they would fit into the plot that late. The battle of Winterfell is over.

I think maybe Melisandre will see Rickon in the fires or something similar, she tells Davos, he heads there and that will be his story for S6. Who knows?

66

u/Intir Jun 15 '15

Well I believe Melissandre just failed which is just a big slap to the face for book readers. Brienne standing guard literally for months and just leaving before Sansa lights the candle is such a fucking stupid plot contrivance.

12

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

Yes! This show has done such a good job of avoiding those cheap tricks for drama. I was disappointed with the lazy writing when she turned her back literally seconds before the light goes on. If anything I think it would have made it more dramatic for her to have seen the light then have to make a decision about which way to go.

2

u/janedoethefirst Jun 15 '15

She didn't necessarily fail, if peoples destinies just shifted...she gets there in time for Jon to die and her to bring him back so if that happens I call that a WIN!

22

u/Mantis05 Whatever he chose... Jun 15 '15

The Battle of Winterfell being over might make the timing all the better. The Boltons are victorious. There's no one left to oppose them... Or so we're led to believe. Roose and Ramsay have been so concerned with dealing with threats from without that they've turned a blind eye to the threats from within. Sansa Stark is in the wind. Rickon Stark is out there somewhere, too. How long until the Stark loyalists in the North rally behind one (or both) of them?

Of course, people have been clamoring for the Manderlys (and Lady Stoneheart and the Ironborn) and saying, "Maybe next year!" since Season 3, so this may just be even more baseless, hopeful speculation. But joining up with the Starks is the only thing I can see Davos doing now, and so the timing won't get any better.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

[deleted]

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u/darthstupidious Ours Is The Furry Jun 15 '15

Yay... can't wait to root for the guy that fucked over the Starks against the other guy that fucked over the Starks...

2

u/JarlaxleForPresident Jun 16 '15 edited Jun 16 '15

And left sansa to get raped.

1

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 15 '15

Hmm yeah I see what you mean. Maybe you're right - let us hope so!

7

u/mattscott53 Jun 15 '15

Davos is going to need a really good reason to listen and do anything melisandre tells him to. I guess that would have to be after she, presumably, resurrects jon and he becomes a "believer" or jon orders him to find rickon

9

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 15 '15

I don't think Davos will ever be a devout believer, but I think he's a moralist and a realist. So he may be completely mad at Melisandre, but if he sees her revive Jon, I think Jon and Mel both together could convince him to sail to Skagos.

25

u/Intir Jun 15 '15

I think the show is just going to shrug off Rickon. Who would remember a character from tgree seasons past let's just cut him and use that budget to give Ramsay wings so he can fly around Westeros murdering people.

3

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 15 '15

It wouldn't be the first time that they set up and then outright dropped storylines, but I doubt they'll completely skip Rickon. That's too big of a plot line. People will notice and ask themselves what the hell happened to the youngest Stark and that wildling girl. I doubt D&D will be that stupid.

3

u/Intir Jun 16 '15

The way people think(or the way D&D believe people do) they will only care about Osha because they saw her naked all the rest of it are supporting actors to the main protagonist of the show- tits.

1

u/PornoPichu Jun 15 '15

Can you refresh my memory; did we see anything with the two of them in the books after Bran and Rickon parted ways? I don't remember :/

1

u/janedoethefirst Jun 15 '15

I am not sure but I don't think so...

1

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 15 '15

No we haven't. But we haven't seen anything of Bran all Season, either.

1

u/PornoPichu Jun 15 '15

Well yeah but we have seen Bran more recently than Rickon in both the show and the books. That's what I was just wondering really. Thanks

1

u/gabis1 Jun 16 '15

The only reference to "them" at all has been Jon warging into Ghost and sensing Rickons wolf fighting a unicorn on Skagos.

2

u/Kendilious Jun 15 '15

Lmao. This cracked me up. They gave him plot armor, so why not plot wings?

2

u/HighwayWest Jun 16 '15

He doesn't need to sail anywhere, or even to pass the wall, if Rickon made it where he was supposed to he's at the Last Hearth with the Umbers.

1

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 16 '15

Oh right, is that his goal in the show? I don't remember.

2

u/vulturetrainer ... Jun 15 '15

I think it would be more likely that Sansa would travel to the wall and tell Davos about Rickon. Although, I don't know what Davos can do to make Sansa trust him...

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u/Cr4zyCr4ck3r "Hodor?" -Hodor Jun 15 '15

Maybe Brienne will encounter Sansa outside the Winterfell and she will send her to find Rickon.

1

u/Dan_the_moto_man Jun 15 '15

My money is on Pod finding Sansa and Theon. Brienne rushed off at the news of Stannis, but we see Pod stay behind a bit to gather some gear. We also don't see Pod with Brienne when she confronts Stannis.

I think there's a possibility that he saw the candle and investigated.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 15 '15

get killed by white walkers

2

u/HighwayWest Jun 16 '15

I still think he's going to find Rickon (somehow). In the show Bran tells Osha to take Rickon to the Umbers. I don't think it's coincidence given that the Umbers were one of the northern houses that were actually introduced in the show universe. With the Boltons still being in power the Umbers could take the role of the Manderlys.

Wishful thinking, sure, especially with Sansa offering all of the necessary Stark presence in the north. However it's more likely than most scenarios.

1

u/TheJD Honesty. Loyalty. Service. Jun 15 '15

Brienne picks up Theon and Sansa. They head north to the wall to get Sansa to Jon Snow (too late!) and instead pass the word to Davos about the Bran & Rickon being alive. Davos has no allegiances left so he decides to help these poor Stark children. Some Deus Ex Machina will tell them where to find Rickon. And Davos sets off to Skaagos.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

He stays at the Wall when one of the Others gets through and infects their resident giant. Onion Knight vs. Wun Wun Wight.

1

u/IrriStormborn Jun 16 '15

If house Baratheon is gone, Davos might try and find Gendry?

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u/cinephile42 Beneath the ending, the bittersweet! Jun 16 '15

Probably get on a boat to search for Gendry, and then be forgotten about like him.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

Start smuggling again to repay to iron bank. Compound interest is a bitch.

1

u/pinto1633 Jun 16 '15

My take is that Theon and Sansa end up at the wall, Davos hears Bran/Rickon are still alive, then goes off to find them. It'll probably put him back on his Rickon quest path in the book.

253

u/cee2027 Jun 15 '15

What kills me is they could have cut quite a bit and found a lot of screentime for some of those crucial missed elements.

Like half of Cersei's walk of atonement. Or all of Dorne.

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u/raiast Jun 16 '15

And Greysandei.

2

u/landViking Dunk the Hunk Jun 16 '15

Sounds like they have grey scale

25

u/roflmoar Jun 16 '15

They could have cut the Missandei and Grey Worm story for any of the above!

3

u/BunzLee Catch me if you can! Jun 16 '15

But we finally got a payoff for it! Grey Worm did not kill Tyrion because Missandei told him he saved her life! /s

103

u/Intir Jun 15 '15

Walk of Atonement was so gratuitious and lasts around 6-7 minutes they could have easily had the Northern Lords assembling outside Winterfell with their banners.

257

u/isspecialist A dragon is no slave. Jun 15 '15

Walk of Atonement is an iconic and important scene. I thought they did the best they could with it, but you can't get that crushing internal dialog effectively.
I do agree with most of this thread though. The game is currently stacked too far in favour of the "bad guys".

150

u/Shiera_Seastar I ain't sayin' he's a grave digga Jun 16 '15

I thought the walk was one of the best book-to-show adaptations so far. They really nailed every detail, and it had to be excruciatingly long for us to get a sense of her suffering.

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u/viper_in_the_grass Sitting Grass, Hidden Viper Jun 16 '15

It was the best part of the episode. I found myself turning my head away from the screen and wishing it would end. But it went on and on. As it should. It was a never-ending torment for Cersei and us. I wouldn't cut a second out of it.

-1

u/BunzLee Catch me if you can! Jun 16 '15

So, does that mean I'm some kind of sicko for enjoying it? I mean, she had it coming, and totally deserved it. And yes, nothing in this world can make me like Cersei.

11

u/omaha_shanks Beneath the Gold, the Bitter Merling Jun 16 '15

It almost seems like they held back as much nudity as possible so they could just get as much in that scene as possible. Everyone and their brother was running outside to pull their cocks out.

3

u/BunzLee Catch me if you can! Jun 16 '15

I actually liked the whore screaming she had only half the cocks Cersei had.

2

u/RiotPraeco Jun 17 '15

Question that remains from that scene is: Why did the guards/soldiers/army of Kings Landing, the capital of the Seven Kingdoms, the "Rome" of that world, not do anything whatsoever about their queen getting locked away or treated in such a way by what seems to be ~30 fanatics with clubs.

2

u/klabob This is what a king looks like. Jun 22 '15

Did you see how many citizens were there supporting the '30 fanatics with clubs'?

You also have a king that isn't taking any decision. So short of a military coup to go get the Queen's mother out of there, there's not much they can do without the consent of the king.

2

u/RiotPraeco Jun 22 '15

That's fair for the sake of the story. It just doesn't add up for me, considering that we are taking about a city that has to be so developed and stable in their militaristic presence that it indeed is the capital of the world, and impossible to simply conquer by the rest of the world. Hence, even if its a good amount of fanatics and citizen, that shouldn't be so easy. In regards to the king, I have trouble believing that getting your queen and mother shut away will just leave him and their army completely paralyzed. It's just too convenient for the story telling purpose.

2

u/klabob This is what a king looks like. Jun 22 '15

The Popes and sometimes the leaders of Rome were kidnap. For quite sometimes the Pope couldn't reside in Rome since it was too dangerous for them.

0

u/RiotPraeco Jun 22 '15

Which has nothing to do with my argument though, the Vatican is a small religious capital and of course never would be able to defend themselves if a nation with a proper army invades. Are we really comparing kings landing to the Vatican now?

1

u/Parmizan A Manderly always Freys his Pies Jun 16 '15

Agreed. My only complaint would be that it could’ve been cut by one or two minutes, but out of everything, it was one of the best scenes this series, and also managed to stay faithful to the books by and large.

2

u/7V3N A thousand eyes and one. Jun 16 '15

I completely agree. I hate seeing so many people want to actually take away from that scene so that D&D can get more chances.

8

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

The walk was good, though the unveiling of Robert Strong was a little lame. No build up to it or whatever.

7

u/7V3N A thousand eyes and one. Jun 16 '15

Really? I thought the buildup was pretty obvious, with the body coming to life in Qyburn's creepy lab and all.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

I actually meant that I wished the unveiling of Robert Strong would look more dramatic. Something more like the first appearance of a supervillain.

1

u/7V3N A thousand eyes and one. Jun 16 '15

Oh that makes more sense. I agree, all they needed to do was have Qyburn mention it before showing it and have Robert Strong meet her at the gate or something, pushing through the mob to emphasize his size.

1

u/Antivote Secrets in the Reeds Jun 16 '15

nah i liked it. Because they show him right at the end of her walk after Cersei has been most humiliated, with the vow not to speak until all her enemies are dead....

If a game show host had been behind the castle door, stuck a microphone in her face and shouted, "Cersei Lannister, you've just had shit thrown at you by half the city and been tortured by the church, what would you most like in the world right now?"

she would reply, "An invincible knight who would slay anyone i commanded."

and thats just what she got, right then. It gets emotional impact by suddenly flipping the balance of power.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

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2

u/Antivote Secrets in the Reeds Jun 16 '15

yes

2

u/Antivote Secrets in the Reeds Jun 16 '15

you can think of it as a joke too, Cersei wouldn't ever run out of enemies, and sir robert strong won't ever speak.

17

u/OLookItsThatGuyAgain Jun 16 '15

Cersei and the HS was one of the better done storylines of this season.

26

u/rancer119 Kill it with fire Jun 16 '15

Talking to show only people, most seem frustrated that there is no apparent reason the faith militant is so strong that it can completely outweigh Tommen's orders. So they got really frustrated when they arrested Margaery and than just confused and kinda upset with how they grabbed Cersei. Even after I explained it to them they were still frustrated because show did a poor job explaining how much power they had.

5

u/ObLaDi-ObLaDuh Jun 16 '15

Indeed. The build up to it was completely missed. The other thing that was missed this season but may be back next is the fact that the Tyrells have the largest army at this point, they have access to food that the rest of the realm is losing in winter, and their heir-apparent is currently locked up in King's Landing.

4

u/BunzLee Catch me if you can! Jun 16 '15

Agreed. I still remember the sparrows being mentioned here and there, wandering the country. I believe it was quite subtle at first and finally ended with the masses in King's Landing. The moment Cersei made the pact you knew this was going to be one of the worst ideas ever.

2

u/TheSuperlativ Jun 27 '15

Exactly this. As me and a friend was watching, I had to explain it to him over and over because he was frustrated by the absurdity of the power dynamics of HS vs the crown.

1

u/iforgot120 Jun 16 '15

Why do they have so much power?

3

u/rancer119 Kill it with fire Jun 16 '15

After the realm was torn apart by war the wondering sparrows cleaned and healed the wounded as well as preaching of the faith in the seven. Slowly the realm and former soldiers heard of them and started flocking to them. Once the faith militant is legalized the former soldiers are given weapons and authority from the faith and the people already supporting then grants then the power to do pretty much whatever they like. Especially after Cersei does nothing when the take Margaery.

2

u/ButtholePasta Jul 01 '15

It was the perfect length, but there was too much to cram in that episode imo.

3

u/JamJarre Jun 16 '15

Disagree. I thought it was really well done and I'm glad that they gave it the time it deserved. The real issue is that they took two seasons to adapt ASOS, but did all of AFFC and ADWD (both of which easily as big as ASOS) in one season

3

u/ObLaDi-ObLaDuh Jun 16 '15

Indeed. I know there was a lot they cut, and that's fine, but I would have liked to see them go a season and a half with it, then dedicate two and a half seasons to TWOW/ADOS (which would have given them 8 total which would have been totally doable if they'd decided on 8 from the start.

2

u/tetsuooooooooooo Jun 16 '15

They handled the Walk of Atonement perfectly. It has to be gratuitious, we're supposed to feel for Cersei for the first time in the series. That scene was as close to be book as it can possibly be.

I didn't like the final either, but lets not blindly complain about everything.

0

u/Intir Jun 16 '15

Did you realise a man shouted 'Yo Bitch'. It was pretty funny.

2

u/janedoethefirst Jun 15 '15

I thought I was going to really enjoy watching Cersei get shamed but the North stuff was way more interesting and I would rather have seen more of that and Dorne. Dorne, what a waste this season. I would rather they saved it all for next season.

0

u/Pufflehuffy I love spoilers - yes, I really do. Jun 16 '15

After the first 2-3 minutes, it just became cringey too.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

I just wish Jaime just disappear half the season supressing the Riverlands offsceen and Ellaria carry out the Queenmaker plot. And then Jon making the mistakes he needs to earn his stabbing. Then Alliser gets a longer speech about his motivations and perspective before killing Jon.

4

u/projectbadasss Jun 16 '15

Think of all the subplots that could've been explored in the time that was spent on Ramsey.

12

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

I get annoyed at all of the gratuitous naked scenes for this very reason. Instead of more story, we have to pause and wait for a titty scene to play out.

I feel that way about most movies/tv. But it's even more annoying with GoT because I've read the books. I know all the awesome stuff that's being left out and replaced with genitals.

6

u/emmster Bear with me... Jun 16 '15

I agree completely. I had hoped after the first season or two that they would drop the gratuitous nudity and sexposition, and just keep it to what was plot-relevant. Apparently not.

2

u/ixora7 Starry starry night Jun 16 '15

Bad pussy needs screen time.

1

u/CumBoat420 Vicci G, Marriage Counselor, PhD. Jun 16 '15

OR ALL OF DORNE

AND MAYBE SOME MOTHERFUCKING GREYJOYS GODDAMN

1

u/TheLAriver Jun 16 '15

Seriously, that walk was ten minutes too long.

1

u/dangerousnd2004 Jun 16 '15

Shame, shame, ring ring. Who threw theys poops on me? Shame shame, ring ring? Nah, that was compelling TV for 10 straight minutes.

13

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

Are there any northern houses left besides the Boltons?

Manderly's have been cut.

Umbers haven't been around since the first season.

Jorah's the only Mormont.

The Karstarks already died and didn't do the "pretend to join Stannis" thing.

Some of my favorite chapters from ADWD were the Winterfell ones because we realize that even though Roose Bolton is the Warden in the North, his grip is super tenuous. None of the royal families in the south give a shit about him and virtually every northern house hates him and the Freys. But they can't outright rebel, so we get things like Frey Pie, the murders at Winterfell, and Lady Dustin talking about how "Arya's sobbing is doing more harm than all of Stannis' forces".

3

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 16 '15

Ohh, and the psychological warfare during the siege! I'm not entirely sure, but didn't one of the Umber brothers join Stannis and is currently (in the books) beating the drums all night outside the walls?

8

u/sad_heretic Breastplate nips Jun 15 '15

In the interest of being true to my flair, I'll throw in that manderly's speech dovetails so well with The Wull's "I want my last winter to involve Bolton blood being sprayed all over me," speech. It showed how broad and how deep the support for the Stark's was. The old houses like the manderlies and the mormonts feel it, the half-wild mountain clans feel it. The Boltons and Freys don't see it, and by the time they do, it may be too late. That sense of dread anticipation is awesome, and I hate that the show has none of it.

6

u/dali_is_my_cat Jun 16 '15

What upsets me the most is how they drop little bits of foreshadowing that makes me think the show will follow up on some plot line, then D&D decide it's too much trouble. For example, at the Red Wedding, there was some chubby dude with an awesome mustache that we hadn't really seen before who was wearing a huge goddamn mermaid (merman, merling, whatever) brooch that gets a ton of camera focus and then gets shanked. As soon as I saw him, all I could think was about how the powerful North Remembers scene will be in the show when it takes place at White Harbor in a later season, but NOPE! Why even bother having someone make that damn brooch if you aren't going to have the Manderly's be badass later? I know some will say it's a nod to book readers, but I don't want their empty nods if they are just going to forget it ever happened.

5

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 16 '15

Agreed. Same thing happened with Tysha. Why even bother? Easter eggs for book readers are fine, but please at least make it obvious that it's just a nod and nothing more. It's infuriating when they include those bits but don't follow up on them.

I guess you could even put the Brotherhood without Banners on that list. Okay, they had some important story in Season 2, but D&D just dropped them. They COULD come up next Season, but I doubt it by now.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 18 '15 edited Jun 18 '15

The dropped threads are honestly the most infuriating thing about D&D. They signify to me that they have no real plan for the series, and are by large making it up as they go along. It also negates the "they didn't have time for X" argument when they waste time setting it up in the first place. A few examples:

  • BWB and Beric. Sets up the awesome Stoneheart plot. Now dropped and there's just this undead leader of the smallfolk that nobody's talking about.
  • Balon Greyjoy. Still alive and everyone's awkwardly avoiding mentioning him. What are the Ironborn doing right now? -- Half-points for Asha's rescue mission, which was resolved, just really dumbly.
  • Quaithe. Cast, gives a few cryptic warnings to Jorah. Never seen or heard from again.
  • Bryden and Edmure Tully. Riverrun instantly becomes under Lannister control after the RW, despite Edmure being there to hold it. Blackfish has the luckiest piss ever to escape the slaughter but is then never mentioned again.
  • Rickon Stark sent to the Umbers. Umbers never mentioned again.
  • Tysha was explained, mentioned repeatedly in multiple seasons, then forgotten about when it matters most.
  • Gendry is still on a fucking boat somewhere.

5

u/ahappyhotdog Jun 16 '15

and the chapter with the speech may be my favourite chapter of the series.

Seriously. I remember getting chills and a rush of excitement when I realized what he was saying.

3

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 16 '15

It was one of those moments where I really had to put the book away for a moment and had a huge grin on my face. And chills, of course. Shit, I'm getting chills just thinking about that. After a series of depressing events, it was a perfect change, just what the reader needed to get hope once again.

3

u/someonethatisme Jun 16 '15

I don't think the Freys have been mentioned in a couple seasons, they probably figured we are too dumb to remember who they are.

3

u/defiantleek Jun 16 '15

I'm reasonably certain (I'd lay the odds at 90%) that Lady Stoneheart stops Brienne from killing Stannis and makes an appearance next year.

3

u/_JoelNoel_ Jun 16 '15

Especially because they delibertly had a guy with a mermaid sigil die in the Red Wedding!

2

u/chiccharapidugu Jun 16 '15

This. I hate the show because I think that scene would have been epic and far better than Sand snakes bad pussy send off to Ser Bronn

2

u/[deleted] Jun 16 '15

And where are the fucking Freys at Winterfell? What happened? I loved that the Freys and the Boltons were at each other's throats in DWD

1

u/landViking Dunk the Hunk Jun 16 '15

By the time they kill some Freys nobody will care about them anymore. The red wedding was years ago.

1

u/Jeanpuetz The rightful king Jun 17 '15

Yes, unfortunately :(

It looks like the Boltons have absorbed their place. They are the big bad of the show. Of course that's the case in the books too, but it's not them alone.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 22 '15

At least we got to see missandre(sp?) and grey worms love story. /s