I hope they depict Tyrion’s “giant chain hidden under the mouth of the harbor” plan. In the book, that plan cements Tyrion as a tremendous intellect (not that there’s any doubt) and shows that he does have contributions in warfare.
I’m coming to see this series as more of ‘GRRM with an editor’ than ‘OMG they cut X, Y, Z characters’
Yes, the Producers of the show are forced to simplify stories because of the TV medium . . .
But losing Jojen and Meera doesn’t hurt anything - it is entirely possible that Bran can complete his journey (and so can Rickon) with the characters we have.
My prediction
[spoiler]Hodor goes with Bran and Summer - Bran gets more and more of the sight. We see Summer hunting for and providing for them.
Osha and Rickon and Shaggydog go together.
We never see Coldhands[/spoiler]
To date, I can’t see a story or character that I object to cutting.
I think losing Jojen’s prediction would lessen things a bit. I’d be bummed if they don’t show up.
DrDel
3824
Guys, there is a huge writing problem with the Smoke Monster.
[spoiler]Having not read the books, I assume the Smoke Monster killing Remi is similar to how things were written in the books.
If this is true then the TV series and the book have a gaping hole: the Smoke Monster can kill anyone at anytime. The Smoke Monster is too powerful.
The smoke monster should kill all the competitors for the Throne and Stannis should be king next episode.[/spoiler]
On the assumption that Coldhands is Uncle Benjen, I think we’ll see him again.
I think Osha, Hodor, Bran and Summer go on their Northern Vacation and Osha takes the (literary) place of Jojen and Meera. Dunno what happens to Ricken… I’m honestly surprised he’s in the HBO series at all.
Kadayi
3826
Couldn’t agree more. Loved the books, but the sheer number of characters is excessive and it would be logistically and financially impossible even with the best will in the world to satisfy the demands of the purists, coupled with the fact that retaining actors most of whom have minor roles across seasons would prove increasingly problematic. My way of looking at it is that as long as they keep the spirit of the stories then it’s all good.
You’re making a lot of assumptions about the Shadows. Namely, that they are a) easy to create and b) cost nothing. After seeing it used once.
You’re just going to fixate on this, aren’t you?
Demonic assassination is a tool with some serious drawbacks. You can’t just use it willy-nilly. If Stannis were to smoke monster all of his rivals, then eventually people would catch on that he was using fell powers to gain the throne. They would all turn against him. (As Davos is trying to warn him.) He’d be facing the might of the combined armies of Westeros and since he can’t assassinate everyone, he’d be in trouble.
It’s not an all-powerful solution. You still have to get the witch close enough to birth her assassin near the target. The power comes from The Lord of Light, so you can’t depend on it happening every time you want it. The witch has to bear the “child” each time, so I doubt she’d be willing to become a shadow baby factory.
DrDel
3829
So the smoke monster is a 1 time thing? Once it kills its prey it dissipates and never returns? That would make it much less powerful a tool.
Yes. One has to be created each time it is used, at least according to the books.
MikeJ
3831
There is also the implication that Stannis is giving up a potential son to do this.
I thought the shadow-assassin looked alright, but I wish they’d killed Renly with his armor on. It seems scarier when the shadow power just cuts right through the steel protecting his throat. I guess that would have cost more.
I didn’t even think it was implied that this cost Stannis a son. I thought it was kind of clever that Melisandre tells him that she will give him a son. And by god, she did.
DrDel
3833
Oh I didn’t know that. That is a huge revelation. Thankfully. And pretty cool that it costs Stannis a son.
That was Renly’s armor. Saw a production number somewhere on how they weaved all the plates together to make that.
DrDel
3835
who the fark is Coldhands?
too many religions
too many characters
Seconded. All the gratuitous nudity this season, and Doreah’s clothes remain firmly in place. What a disappointment. =)
LOVING the way the plot is moving along. The Catelyn/Brienne stuff is working great without the need for tons of exposition. The Stannis stuff is also working well without all the added filler from the books. Jon is moving towards his pivotal arc with the Wildlings at a breakneck pace (though Fist of the First Men looks way more desolate than I’d imagined from the book descriptions), and Arya’s story works well in it’s abbreviated state. Loved the showdown with Tywin, and Jaqen is being handled perfectly. Man, the actor playing Jaqen does the role so well, he’s the perfect mix of appealing and creepy at the same time.
Honestly, about the only characters I see as underserved at this point in time are Robb (stil not sure what that scene last week was all about) and Bran (though they touched on his maturity this episode). I assume both will get a little more buildup before season’s end, possibly with Jojen and Meera in Bran’s case. I can’t see how they can cut those two, as they are integral in Bran’s escape from Winterfell.
Hell, I even enjoyed Dany’s scenes in Quarth this week, and not just because Doreah was in them!
EDIT : I think playing Bronn may be the best acting job in all of Game of Thrones. Essentially the entire job description is “Follow Tyrion around, look intimidating and deliver fantastic one-liners at just the right moments”. He nails it.
MikeJ
3837
Ok, he had some armour on I guess. But they just finished taking off a good chunk of it. What they showed didn’t have the same impact as a parting a piece of solid steel.
nogwart
3838
Agreed. I’m fairly sure the books mention that the cut went through lots of heavy armor, and this was used as an explanation why Brienne or Cate could not possibly have killed Renley.
FFS, get out of the spoiler thread, or, you know, read the books. We aren’t here to explain the plot to you.
