Game of Thrones begins....

[Eddie Teach]

good lord, there's loads of histrionics here.

HOW DARE YOU!

[grumbler]

The most important man in the city walking about without an armed escort when the Sons of the Harpy are on a killing spree?  Another example of the writers of the show taking sloppy short cuts.  Now that they have moved well outside the narrative of the books they are not telling a very compelling story.

has an important man ever walked the streets alone without an armed escort and been killed as a result? also, he did not know the sons were on a killing spree because his reactions when the bells rang and people were screaming indicates that. his first reaction was to go help, which is very fitting with the character shown on television.

Indeed. I love the idea that the guys whose job is to be the very best bodyguard in the world is stupid because he doesn't use bodyguards!    Now there is a sloppy short cut in reasoning!

Also, of course he didn't know what the threat was.  cC knew what the threat was, because he watched the whole episode.  Barriston Selmy didn't have any idea that there was an entire mob of Sons on the rampage; he heard a commotion and went to investigate, and was asshole-deep in Sons before he realized what was happening.  That's different than the book, but not dumber, except maybe to people who are kinda dumb themselves.

[LaCroix]

HOW DARE YOU!

some book fans expect X but when they see Y, they freak out and yell that it makes no sense whatsoever.

[LaCroix]

Indeed. I love the idea that the guys whose job is to be the very best bodyguard in the world is stupid because he doesn't use bodyguards!    Now there is a sloppy short cut in reasoning!

not to mention it wouldn't make much sense for barristan to even have a bodyguard at this point. he knows there are rebellious elements around and daenery's unsullied are limited in number and must garrison an entire city. from everything we've seen, this is the first public attack. barristan is the humble type; if he was offered bodyguards off screen, he probably turned down the offer. there are more important jobs for the unsullied than to protect his old self.

[Tamas]

Or, wait for it... this is a work of fiction!

[LaCroix]

Or, wait for it... this is a work of fiction!

i don't like that excuse. characters should make sense; luckily, the characters here make sense. the actions by the Game of Thrones characters may not make sense given A Song of Ice and Fire's context, but that's a childish comparison.

[grumbler]

Or, wait for it... this is a work of fiction!

Oh, wait for it... no shit, Sherlock!  When did you first gain this [not] astonishing revelation?  And why did you think it would be a revelation to anyone else posting here?

[Martinus]

I've seen no indication that the Sons of the Harpy have any significant combat training.

you've seen no indication that a rebellious organization that attacks soldiers via traps has no significant combat training?

The most important man in the city walking about without an armed escort when the Sons of the Harpy are on a killing spree?  Another example of the writers of the show taking sloppy short cuts.  Now that they have moved well outside the narrative of the books they are not telling a very compelling story.

has an important man ever walked the streets alone without an armed escort and been killed as a result? also, he did not know the sons were on a killing spree because his reactions when the bells rang and people were screaming indicates that. his first reaction was to go help, which is very fitting with the character shown on television.

So are you saying Danny is Hillary and this is her Benghazi?

[grumbler]

So are you saying Danny is Hillary and this is her Benghazi?

Ben Ghazi was in the book, but I don't think the character is going to make it to the series.

[crazy canuck]

has an important man ever walked the streets alone without an armed escort and been killed as a result? also, he did not know the sons were on a killing spree because his reactions when the bells rang and people were screaming indicates that. his first reaction was to go help, which is very fitting with the character shown on television.

There are some of problems with this view.  He did know that the Sons of the Harpy were killing unsullied.  That goes back to the first episode of this season.  So why is the most important man in the City walking the streets alone when he knows there is such a threat.  It doesn't make much sense.  You should remember he was no mere bodyguard at that point.  In response to your assertion that his first reaction to help was "very fitting" with his character, what do you base that on?  His history shows his duty to the royal person he serves is paramount.  His first reaction in hearing that there is armed conflict in the streets would be to go back and make sure the Queen was safe. ie  his first responsibility.   I agree with the point made earlier that this death was senseless and particularly so when one considers what his purpose was after he left the Seven Kingdoms - to serve and protect the last heir of the royal line he had served all his life.

[Kleves]

I don't have any problem with Cersei and the Sparrows, or with the Sons of the Harpy and the Unsullied, but I agree that Barristan walking through the city alone was goofy.

[Habbaku]

I just don't get why the writers decided to off him so early.  I really hope it pans out into something intelligible and not them just deciding to make the story "easier" for themselves.

[grumbler]

I don't have any problem with Cersei and the Sparrows, or with the Sons of the Harpy and the Unsullied, but I agree that Barristan walking through the city alone was goofy.

Agreed.  Jamie Lannister never moves without a troop of bodyguards.  Why would the best bodyguard of them all not use lots of bodyguards?  And, of course, each of those bodyguards would need a bunch of bodyguards... It's bodyguards all the way down.

[grumbler]

I just don't get why the writers decided to off him so early.  I really hope it pans out into something intelligible and not them just deciding to make the story "easier" for themselves.

My guess is that they need Tyrion to join Dani, and so are using Mormont to bring about the rendezvous.  Selmy wouldn't allow Mormont within a league of Dani, so he has to go.  Maybe Tyrion even becomes Dani's political adviser in place of Ser Barriston.

All of these would be easier than maintaining the rather boring status quo, even if the sq matches the boring parts of the novels.

[Josquius]

Wonder where Tyrion vanishing leaves varys.