Game of Thrones begins....

[HVC]

What's the point of Sam taking Heartsbane?

Is he still not going to Oldtown? If so, it isn't like his father won't know where to look. Is he just going to send it back to the Wall?

hes gonna kill the night king with it. (Probably not )

[Razgovory]

I thought Eddard Stark's death was telegraphed.  They even got a crowd to watch.

QED.  He was supposed to confess in return for mercy.  The execution was a last second change in plans.

Yeah, saying that one of the top three biggest surprise deaths in Game of Thrones was telegraphed is laughable.

I think Raz thinks the word "telegraphed" means something else than it actually does.

Signaled in advance.  "you will be executed" is a pretty good signal.  Besides, the story really couldn't go on if he doesn't die.  Also I read the books, and I knew he was going to die in the first thirty pages when they found a found a dead dire wolf and hart.  Then the king shows up with symbol of a hart.

[The Larch]

I thought it was a good episode, except the Dany line, which was just filler.  I guess Middle Eastern extras need to eat too.

Best part was the Arya line.  My hunch is it was a test the whole time, which she passed.  Maybe she'll gut blondie, who is actually the one who failed.

I think they're Moroccan, no?

Dany's scenes with the Dothraki this season have all been shot in Spain. The badlands where they're at the moment are the Bardenas Reales, in Navarra.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardenas_Reales

[Berkut]

The Dany-Dothraki thing is really not well done.

Before, we understood and had some connection to the Dothraki that were following her - they were "her" Dothraki. *Her* khalasar. Like the Unsullied, or even her dragons - they were connected to her specifically.

All these mofos? Who the fuck are they? Do any of them even have names? Am I supposed to care about them at all?

[grumbler]

The Dany-Dothraki thing is really not well done.

Before, we understood and had some connection to the Dothraki that were following her - they were "her" Dothraki. *Her* khalasar. Like the Unsullied, or even her dragons - they were connected to her specifically.

All these mofos? Who the fuck are they? Do any of them even have names? Am I supposed to care about them at all?

Picture them all in red shirts, and you'll understand their role in the series.

[Jaron]

They are going to tear down the stone houses.

[Habbaku]

The Dany-Dothraki thing is really not well done.

Before, we understood and had some connection to the Dothraki that were following her - they were "her" Dothraki. *Her* khalasar. Like the Unsullied, or even her dragons - they were connected to her specifically.

All these mofos? Who the fuck are they? Do any of them even have names? Am I supposed to care about them at all?

We are supposed to cheer Daenarys taking her newfound Mongol horde off to rape and pillage Westeros.

[Berkut]

The Dany-Dothraki thing is really not well done.

Before, we understood and had some connection to the Dothraki that were following her - they were "her" Dothraki. *Her* khalasar. Like the Unsullied, or even her dragons - they were connected to her specifically.

All these mofos? Who the fuck are they? Do any of them even have names? Am I supposed to care about them at all?

We are supposed to cheer Daenarys taking her newfound Mongol horde off to rape and pillage Westeros.

Indeed - and why should we suppose that they won't do exactly that?

How is Dany going to "save" Westeros, when the people she is leading are certainly going to be as bad or worse than anything Gregor Clegane can think up?

She has no history with these people, they have no personal allegiance to her. There is no reason to believe that they are going to do much of anything she says in regards to restraint or making them into something more than just a horde of barbarians bent on rape and pillage.

She had all of that with Drogo's khalasar of course - making them into something more and presumably better than what they were. I am not sure I understand the point of the story arc around her losing *her* Dothraki and replacing them with these guys.

[Martinus]

Isn't that the point, though? This story is largely about subverting tropes - and it is tempting us into supporting Danny and that horde - until we see them in action and rally behind Tommen and the Lannisters.

[The Larch]

If Dany ever goes to Westeros it will be as a conqueror, not as a saviour. She wants to claim her birthright, "what is hers", not to save the people.

[grumbler]

If Dany ever goes to Westeros it will be as a conqueror, not as a saviour. She wants to claim her birthright, "what is hers", not to save the people.

This may be so, but the books and show have indicated just the opposite, up until now.  She considers herself the rightful ruler, and wants to save the people from the usurpers and the wars they have caused.  She is more sympathetic to the plight of the commoners than any of her rivals.

[The Larch]

If Dany ever goes to Westeros it will be as a conqueror, not as a saviour. She wants to claim her birthright, "what is hers", not to save the people.

This may be so, but the books and show have indicated just the opposite, up until now.  She considers herself the rightful ruler, and wants to save the people from the usurpers and the wars they have caused.  She is more sympathetic to the plight of the commoners than any of her rivals.

Yeah, that was how she acted at first, and she has shown concern for the commoners, but the discourse to the Dothrakis is one of a warlord, a conqueror. It can be argued that that's the kind of thing she has to "sell" to them if she wants them to follow her, but it remains to be seen how she will act once she is in Westeros. I guess that the revolt against her by the Sons of the Harpy might have made her snap and just think "Screw Mereen, I'm on my way to bigger things". I'm curious to see how she will act once she's back with Tyrion, Varys and the others, she now has a big scary dragon to ride, she doesn't need to compromise anymore. If she decides to simply ride Drogon into the opposing cities and pour death from above it will mean that she's tired of ther bs.

[grumbler]

Yeah, that was how she acted at first, and she has shown concern for the commoners, but the discourse to the Dothrakis is one of a warlord, a conqueror. It can be argued that that's the kind of thing she has to "sell" to them if she wants them to follow her, but it remains to be seen how she will act once she is in Westeros. I guess that the revolt against her by the Sons of the Harpy might have made her snap and just think "Screw Mereen, I'm on my way to bigger things". I'm curious to see how she will act once she's back with Tyrion, Varys and the others, she now has a big scary dragon to ride, she doesn't need to compromise anymore. If she decides to simply ride Drogon into the opposing cities and pour death from above it will mean that she's tired of ther bs.

I agree that this could well be how her character develops, but I'd be surprised if that's what happens.   I think that you are correct in your surmise that she was simply selling the Dothraki on what they wanted to hear, and also that they are likely to get out of hand when in Westeros (because that gives a role for Jon Snow to play in helping her bring them to heel).  I don't think that she is going to snap, however, as we are getting too close to the end game for such a major wrench in the works.

[The Minsky Moment]

So, what game is Margaery playing? I mean, I suppose her short term goal was "get myself out of prison" but in the long run? I am pretty sure she is not a true convert.

Power.  Keeping Cersei marginalized.

[KRonn]

So, what game is Margaery playing? I mean, I suppose her short term goal was "get myself out of prison" but in the long run? I am pretty sure she is not a true convert.

Power.  Keeping Cersei marginalized.

Good thinking. It's been a while so I forgot the rivalry between the two of them. But it's a tricky, and dangerous, game to play. Now she has an alliance of sorts with the cultish religion, an enmity with the ruthless Cersei. But also, Cersei is a bit stuck with her son the King being in the alliance along with Margery. This power play's twists and turns will be interesting.