Which is weird since Myranda seemed to be really enjoying the hunt. I wonder if she’s going to become a semi-regular for a bit.
I think it’s pretty definite, because in that scene, when there’s a closer view of Sansa, you can see that there’s a missing jewel on the top right of her necklace, just where Olenna fiddled - there’s an empty hook.
Chuck
5184
And in the book, A Clash of Kings, it’s much clearer that this is the same strangle poison (for lack of a better term) that backfired on Stannis’s Maester, Cressen, when he tried to kill the Red Witch in the prologue.
But we still need to know how it gets from Olenna’s hands into the cup. Some people are saying that it’s obviously Olenna who put the jewel in, because the cup was put down near her. But actually the cup was put down on the end of the royal table, but that’s quite a distance from Olenna’s table, even though it’s the next table along, and there’s nothing signified about Olenna moving anywhere from the time the cup is put down to the time where Joffrey drinks. (Everyone stands up when the cake comes in - it’s possible that that could be the moment, but I can’t see Olenna as being nimble enough to do it unnoticed.)
I still favour that it was Margaery. Transfer of the jewel from Olenna to Margaery (or rather Margaery’s vicinity) is possible while Olenna walks in front of the royal table after talking to Sansa, and transfer of the jewel into the cup is possible by Margaery as she takes the cup from Joffrey and puts it down, just prior to Joffrey’s cake-cutting. Presumably the jewel (crystallized poison, called The Strangler) has to dissolve; that also gives the jewel time to dissolve, since some time passes while Joffrey cuts the cake, further humiliates Tyrion and then is given the cup by Margaery again.
Some might think the poison must have been in the carafe from which Tyrion pours the wine (so it might have been Tywin or Cersei who did the poisoning and the jewel a red herring), but that’s too risky. The poison has to be taken by the King only, and what better way than focussing on the King’s cup (which no-one else would dare to drink from, of course).
hepcat
5186
If only they’d gone with the standard whodunit convention of an extreme closeup of the actual killer’s eyes as he looked left, then right!
JonRowe
5187
I like that pretty much everyone that hasn’t read the books is like… That Martell guy is fishy…
This is probably due to the playing down of the explanation of why he is actually at King’s Landing, it was pretty clear in the books that he was there to kill Gregor Clegane, but I think the show didn’t play up that point enough. Why would anyone expect him? he is just a dude. Betrayal and murder comes from WITHIN!
The Hound is not dead in the books either, or at least Sandor Clegane isn’t dead.
Nikolaj
5189
I’m going to miss Joffrey. He was a massive dick, but highly entertaining.
The kid who was playing him did a great job, so I hope the he won’t be typecast as an inbred asshole for the rest of his career.
He should be safe. He’s announced he’s giving up acting.
Gendal
5191
That bothered me as well. She is being made to be much more sympathetic. Which is either going to cast Tyrion in a worse light or a major event from the books is going to be skipped/changed. I loved how the book handled this so… bleh.
Of course she is. That’s the point.
— Alan
Gendal
5193
Why is this departure from the book an ‘of course?’
Most of their changes from the book have been good or at least understandable.
Honestly, I like the changes to Shae in the show. I like the idea of Tyrion having an actual loving relationship before it all goes to shit. I think it sets up him up for an even worse revelation depending on how “the scene” happens.
I think that for the tv show the changes to Shae make a lot of sense. It makes what happens later more tragic all around, assuming the rest plays out the same. Essentially, the more you have invested, the more you are at risk of losing. For tv watchers, you don’t want semi-vague “well, she’s just his whore” attitudes towards her at all.
Gendal
5196
It’s going to cast Tyrion in a much more negative light is my issue with it. Or maybe not I guess, depending on how much you think she acting vs just trying to survive.
JonRowe
5197
I don’t know what they are going to do with her. I left that book with
“THAT BITCH!” She got what she deserved. But I think that the show is going to completely change what happens.
That 1-2 punch at the end of the book was probably the high point of the dramatic moments in the series for me. That and the battle at the wall.
They want to bring on sympathy in order to carry more emotion when other stuff happens. The death of Robb’s wife at the Red Wedding for instance. Most people who saw it thought that was extra horrific.
— Alan
One nice little touch in the episode was how there were two “false starts” for Joffrey looking like he was being poisoned, which I think were put in there specially for book readers who knew what was coming in general. Once, when Joffrey spews some wine that looks a bit like sick for a moment, but it’s just him spraying his monitor at the lulz; second when he’s eating the pie and starts grimacing, but it’s only because he’s just remembered he hasn’t tormented Tyrion enough yet.
Btw re. the Shae stuff, it might be relevant that GRRM wrote this episode.
I haven’t read the books in awhile, but isn’t Roose Bolton learning that Bran and Rickon are alive a significant departure from the books?
Locke isn’t in the books at all and now he is being sent north to find those two. So, I’m presuming the rest of this series has to spend a little time devoted to that. If he doesn’t find them - then that seems like a real waste of screen time.
On the other hand, if he does find them - and by them, I guess I mean Rickon and Osha since I can’t imagine him getting to Bran now that he is north of the wall. So, if Locke finds Rickon - he would then bring them to Bolton, right? And that would skip the entire Manderly plotline in book five, doesn’t it?
Or am I missing something?
