HBO's Game of Thrones: Season 3 (3 Viewers)

[Josh Dial]

Im in the middle of book 2 at the moment and I must admit its difficult to decide whether to wait for the show or go ahead with the books. Im particular to the show as it is what got me into the books in the first place but its a long wait between seasons.

Also, the current season will almost certainly end partway through A Clash of Kings, so you'll have even more waiting to do! Book 3 is so good (many fans consider it the best of the series)--it would be torture not to read!

 

[Quentin]

(spoiled out of caution, but this is really just a total guess on my part, and not a reveal of anything Martin has written):

Spoiler

I agree that the events at the Tower don't necessarily mean Howland Reed knows the secret. However, there is strong evidence pointing to the fact that Lyanna was the Knight of the Laughing Tree, and therefore has a close relationship with Reed. In any event, the Harrenhal TourneyWhen Ned found Lyanna in a pool of blood, dying, a theory is that she gave Ned her baby, telling him of the true parentage (her and Rhaegar). It simply makes sense that Reed was in the room at the time (though one chapter says Reed "found" Ned still clutching Lyanna's body), that he was told the truth by Ned (hard to deny certain facts if there was a baby there), or that he simply put all the facts together and confronted Ned about them.

No matter what, Howland Reed likely knows more than any currently living person regarding the true events at the Tower.

Spoiler

Agreed. I'm also a believer that Jon is Rhaegar and Lyanna's son. And, Howland would probably have enough information to make that leap even if he doesn't know exactly what Lyanna asked of Ned (to keep Jon's parentage a secret).

 

[Quentin]

Trivia from watching Batman Begins - Im sure the actor playing Joffrey Baratheon was the little boy who was given a souvenir from Batman.

He is. It's mentioned here and there throughout the posts. We often like to make fun of how Batman shouldn't have saved the little bastard.

 

[Sam Favate]

Last night's show closed with a moment that a lot of people have been waiting for. I thought it was pretty hardcore. You certainly can't say this show tries to soften the harsh sequences.

 

[Josh Dial]

Another great episode! I loved the entire finale scene, everything with Jaime, really. Great performances by Coster-Waldau and Noah Taylor (Locke).

Also, really good stuff across the Narrow Sea, with Ser Barristan and Ser Jorah having some great lines (including one very famous line from Ser Jorah). The entire bartering sequence with Dany was quite well done.

The Tyrion/Bronn/Pod stuff had me laughing.

I am unsure of where Theon's story is heading (though I have a few thoughts).

"The Bear and the Maiden Fair!"

 

[mattCR]

I thought they cut the wrong hand though. I thought that it was his sword hand in the book

 

[Josh Dial]

I thought they cut the wrong hand though. I thought that it was his sword hand in the book

They cut off his right hand in the episode. That's the same hand he wields his sword with in the scene where he accosts Eddard outside the brothel.

 

[mattCR]

See I got spun around. Your right. I kept thinking they took his left.

 

[Patrick_S]

Poor Jaime, that is going to leave a mark.The music at the end was a horrible choice, so out of place.

 

[Josh Dial]

The music at the end was a horrible choice, so out of place.

I think it was a nod to the fans, especially those who attend the various conventions. "The Bear and the Maiden Fair" is probably the most "famous" song from the books, and I know a lot of "nerd music groups" (not a pejorative term) perform their own version.

It was certainly jarring, but sort of funny, actually, in a very dark way.

 

[Quentin]

VERY funny song choice...in a dark way.

Of course, I hate to gloss over the clear changes we've seen in Jaime even just prior to the de-handing. His plea/bargaining for Brienne's honor was well done and a great contrast to the shock of the hand chop.

I think the Theon stuff is just terrible. Is this the only way they could come up with to keep Theon on the payroll instead of just disappearing for a long while? It's no more than interruptive crap that drags the other story lines down.

Speaking of story lines...Dany selling a dragon to the most disrespectful prick she's ever encountered is not a plot that will hold water. I hope they don't drag it out. Just get to the payoff.

 

[mattCR]

VERY funny song choice...in a dark way.

Of course, I hate to gloss over the clear changes we've seen in Jaime even just prior to the de-handing. His plea/bargaining for Brienne's honor was well done and a great contrast to the shock of the hand chop.

I think the Theon stuff is just terrible. Is this the only way they could come up with to keep Theon on the payroll instead of just disappearing for a long while? It's no more than interruptive crap that drags the other story lines down.

Speaking of story lines...Dany selling a dragon to the most disrespectful prick she's ever encountered is not a plot that will hold water. I hope they don't drag it out. Just get to the payoff.

The payoff to Dany's purchase is frankly pretty awesome, and one of the better moments in the books if I remember correctly. The foreshadowing is all there in the series.

 

[Quentin]

The payoff to Dany's purchase is frankly pretty awesome, and one of the better moments in the books if I remember correctly. The foreshadowing is all there in the series.

That's what I mean. The foreshadowing is way too obvious...so, I hope they don't drag it out. If they do, it just becomes unbelivable stalling.

 

[Yee-Ming]

VERY funny song choice...in a dark way.

Of course, I hate to gloss over the clear changes we've seen in Jaime even just prior to the de-handing. His plea/bargaining for Brienne's honor was well done and a great contrast to the shock of the hand chop.

I think the Theon stuff is just terrible. Is this the only way they could come up with to keep Theon on the payroll instead of just disappearing for a long while? It's no more than interruptive crap that drags the other story lines down.

Speaking of story lines...Dany selling a dragon to the most disrespectful prick she's ever encountered is not a plot that will hold water. I hope they don't drag it out. Just get to the payoff.

I've never read the books, so this is pure speculation on my part: my bet is that since she's the "mother of dragons", a so-called 'sale' wouldn't "hold" if she didn't want it to, i.e. she 'leaves' the dragon with the 'disrespectful prick', sets sail, and a few days later can simply 'summon' the dragon back to her.

As an aside, for some reason I kept waiting for the big reveal that she actually understood every word said 'disrespectful prick' uttered, but she played along, and that he'll get his come-uppance in due course. Perhaps when the dragon burns his house to the ground, with him in it?

Agreed on the Jamie pleading for Brienne thing. Rather unexpected, and perhaps some part of his 'redemption', in the sense of showing that he's not quite as bad as the first 2 season have made him out to be, so far. But I really wasn't expecting him to lose his hand...

And yes, so far Theon's storyline has been a complete waste of time. Get on with it, or get rid of it!

 

[Adam Lenhardt]

After two episodes of set up, it feels like we're into the thick of things again now.

 

[Sam Posten]

Anyone have any insights into the pattern made by the dead horses heads? That wasn't in the books that I can remember and must have some significance. Was it something the white walkers did?

 

[Dave Upton]

Sam, It was definitely done by the "Others", but the symbol is not ringing any bells for me and I've read the books several times.

 

[Jeff Cooper]

It was a call back to the first scene of the first episode of the first season.One thing I need clarification on... Is the group that has the hound and that Hot Pie stayed with the same group that has Jamie? I know one of them is the Brotherhood without banners, and I thought they both were, but now i'm not sure.And Arya's question to the Hound, are they at the same place he rode down the butcher's kid?

 

[Walter Kittel]

The group that Arya is with is The Brotherhood without Banners.

The group that is holding Jaime and Brienne is The Brave Companions a.k.a. The Bloody Mummers.

Regarding Arya's question - Yes, this Inn is where Sandor Clegane (the Hound) killed Mycah, the butcher's boy, when that rotten little bastard Joffrey lied.

- Walter.

 

[Josh Dial]

The group that is holding Jaime and Brienne is The Brave Companions a.k.a. The Bloody Mummers.

Of course, the HBO version of The Brave Companions is actually a LOT tamer than the book's version of them (at least so far).