When you play the Game of Thrones...

[Dienekes]

Remember that a young Jaime looked up to Arthur Dayne and it hurts him to this day that he can't live up to that ideal. Like Tyrion is hurt by rejection from his father, Jaime is hurt by rejection from... well, everyone else because of the whole kingslaying incident. "It always comes back to Aeris."

And now we get to why I don't like Jaime.

Spoiler

Show

It always comes back to Aerys because you didn't tell everyone you saved so many lives you arrogant little git. Seriously, do you expect people to just know that you saved the city? You didn't tell anyone, you even say you hunted down the others involved alone.

You could have been lauded as a hero by everyone but the Ned's of the world. But no, you say nothing then have the gall to complain that no one could read your mind. Worse you try to make yourself a poor hurt innocent when I watched you throw a 10 year old out of a window because you couldn't keep it in your pants you idiotic cretin.

The reason why it always goes back to Aerys is because people don't know just how despicable you've sunk. I nearly applauded when the Blackfish told you off to your face and got away unscathed. The Starks will rise again and give you what you deserve, I promise you.

Wooh, I'm done. I just really don't like that character.

[tomandtish]

You see, I got that Tywin actually does care about his children (two of them anyway) he just is completely clueless how to show it, and of course, he cares about them less than he cares about politics. My only bit to back this up is when:

Spoiler

Show

Jaime gets captured and Tywin goes completely unresponsive for a moment. It was possibly his one scene of vulnerability, ever. He cared about this son, and I think he cared about Cersei a little as well. I think the main problem is that Tywin demonstrates his caring through pushing them into what he thinks is best for them. Cersei would, in his mind, be honored more as a queen than anything else. Therefore she will be a queen, dammit. He personally did not gain anything from that arrangement, Robert wouldn't put him as Hand again, but he was setting up for his favored children to be in a perfect position for dominance.

Also he actually seems hurt, which quickly transforms into anger, when Jaime refuses to leave the White. It's kinda obvious which if his children he favors anyway.

Spoiler

Show

To me, both times this actually seemed more upset at the loss of an heir than upset at the loss of a son. Tywin has made it clear that Tyrion will never be his heir, and Cersei's only value is as a prospective bride (remember, it's not long before he plans to marry her off again). Tywin's probably too old to have another son, so without Jaime, he either has to make Tyrion heir (ain't gonna happen) or pass him over for another part of the family and possibly break the Lannister name.

I don't know. If there was another healthy and hale son, I suspect he would not be as upset by those two events.

[Flame of Anor]

Spoiler

Show

Tywin's probably too old to have another son, so without Jaime, he either has to make Tyrion heir (ain't gonna happen) or pass him over for another part of the family and possibly break the Lannister name.

Spoiler

Show

Tywin's also a good bit too dead to have another son.

[hamlet]

And now we get to why I don't like Jaime.

Spoiler

Show

It always comes back to Aerys because you didn't tell everyone you saved so many lives you arrogant little git. Seriously, do you expect people to just know that you saved the city? You didn't tell anyone, you even say you hunted down the others involved alone.

You could have been lauded as a hero by everyone but the Ned's of the world. But no, you say nothing then have the gall to complain that no one could read your mind. Worse you try to make yourself a poor hurt innocent when I watched you throw a 10 year old out of a window because you couldn't keep it in your pants you idiotic cretin.

The reason why it always goes back to Aerys is because people don't know just how despicable you've sunk. I nearly applauded when the Blackfish told you off to your face and got away unscathed. The Starks will rise again and give you what you deserve, I promise you.

Wooh, I'm done. I just really don't like that character.

Do you actually think anybody would believe Jamie if he simply explained?

Spoiler

Show

Uh, yeah, see, I really killed him because he was like, totally planning to burn down the city . . . yeah, that's it . . .

No matter the rationale, he still did what he did. He's still a kingslayer no matter the reason. Don't forget Brynden Rivers who, despite having arguably saved the day at Redgrass Fields, is still derided as, among other nasty epithets, a kinslayer.

[Dienekes]

Spoiler

Show

Brienne believed him easily enough. In fact, he could have kept some conspirators alive to say. Or showed people the evidence. There must have been crates of the stuff everywhere to explode the city. Aerys was called "the Mad King" for a reason. Yes, I do believe people would think it was in line with him to try and detonate like that.

Or, you know, there really wasn't a reason for him to kill Aerys. He was the only bodyguard left. All he really had to do was sit and wait for his father or Ned to show up. Bonus points because I'm willing to bet that Aerys would be blathering about how they would all go up in flames.

Sure, he'd still be called Kingslayer by the Ned's of the world. That can't be helped. But to most he'd be lauded as a hero, to the commoners especially those who live in Kings Landing he'd be their savior.

Besides, I still firmly believe: You threw an innocent child to their deaths. You have officially revoked the right to complain about people treating you unfairly ever again.

[Weezer]

Spoiler

Show

Brienne believed him easily enough. In fact, he could have kept some conspirators alive to say. Or showed people the evidence. There must have been crates of the stuff everywhere to explode the city. Aerys was called "the Mad King" for a reason. Yes, I do believe people would think it was in line with him to try and detonate like that.

Or, you know, there really wasn't a reason for him to kill Aerys. He was the only bodyguard left. All he really had to do was sit and wait for his father or Ned to show up. Bonus points because I'm willing to bet that Aerys would be blathering about how they would all go up in flames.

Sure, he'd still be called Kingslayer by the Ned's of the world. That can't be helped. But to most he'd be lauded as a hero, to the commoners especially those who live in Kings Landing he'd be their savior.

Besides, I still firmly believe: You threw an innocent child to their deaths. You have officially revoked the right to complain about people treating you unfairly ever again.

Spoiler

Show

But he did it for love! That makes it okay, right?

[Dienekes]

Spoiler

Show

But he did it for love! That makes it okay, right?

I'd normally give a good laugh at this, but I spent times on the asoiaf forums before. I've seen people use this defense and mean it.

People scare me, worse those who believe emotions justify monstrosities.

[Thialfi]

I think they are doing a bang up job. The kid playing Joffrey seems to have spoiled little weasel down pat. Lena Hedley is showing that she'll make a wonderful evil bitch. Peter Dinklage hasn't been given much yet, but I have high hopes for one of my favorite characters in the series. The next episode looks like it will go a long way to see if I'll feel the same about Jon Snow.

Mark Addy is portraying the exasperated in way over his head king well. Jason Momoa certainly looks the part and really, there isn't a lot else that is required of that character. I really like the way Viserys is being portrayed. I don't think the actress that plays Dany is suited to that dye job and I think the jury is still out on her acting ability, but my goodness she is certainly very easy on the eyes.

The production values are impressive, the writing seems very strong. I am anxious to see how they cast a couple of my favorite characters for season two, Brienne and Davos.

Spoiler

Show

I also hope I don't have to wait until 2016 to find out whether Brienne and Davos will hopefully be alive to continue in the series. Martin is certainly brutal, but I can't see him killing a major character after a big cliffhanger and another with a throw away comment about an off screen death. I am probably being too optimistic.

My wife knows nothing about the books, but has been hooked by the first two shows. I struggle with whether I should prep her for anything, because she loves her some happy endings. Ah, who knows, maybe Dany and Jon Snow will meet and fall madly in love and rule the kingdom together and live happily ever after.

[thorgrim29]

I still think Drogo's far too bodybuilder-y to be credible as a warrior horseman. Somewhere between this and SGA would have been perfect for the role I think. And they mentioned somewhere that they actually got linguists to invent Dothraki, so I guess we'll see more of his acting skills eventually. And yeah, Dany's actress is one very attractive young woman, but I agree that the dye job doesn't suit her, she looks much better as a brunette.

About Jaime and Cersei being in love.... I never saw it like that, I always assumed that they loved themselves so much their whole relation was more masturbatory then loving, especially for Cercei. I don't think Cercei is capable of love (at least not as she is in the books, maybe when she was younger), and while I love Jaime's character development in the first book he's probably even worse then she is about loving himself.

[hamlet]

You might be right about Cersei in regards to her relationship with Jamie, but I think that as characterization marched on, Jamie was shown to be a bit deeper than any of us suspected. He might have loved her, or been in love with her, but when he finally figured her out, and figured himself out, he got disgusted with her and curbed her. Remains to be seen what happens as time goes on.

[BRC]

I think they are doing a bang up job. The kid playing Joffrey seems to have spoiled little weasel down pat. Lena Hedley is showing that she'll make a wonderful evil bitch. Peter Dinklage hasn't been given much yet, but I have high hopes for one of my favorite characters in the series. The next episode looks like it will go a long way to see if I'll feel the same about Jon Snow.

Mark Addy is portraying the exasperated in way over his head king well. Jason Momoa certainly looks the part and really, there isn't a lot else that is required of that character. I really like the way Viserys is being portrayed. I don't think the actress that plays Dany is suited to that dye job and I think the jury is still out on her acting ability, but my goodness she is certainly very easy on the eyes.

Joffrey managed to make me hate his guts before he had any lines. He's perfect.
Peter Dinklange, from what I've seen, seems to capture Tyrion very well.
The kid playing Bran is awesome, same with Arya. Jon and Robb I'm not sure about yet. The only Stark I don't really like, casting-wise, is Sansa. She looks too old, which itself wouldn't be bad, but they're really playing up the whole "Thinks she's a fairy-tail princess" aspect of the character. The scene in the first episode with her and Cat saying "Please make father say yes!" just didn't work for me. She looked like a 16 year old trying to play a 13 year old acting like an eight year old.
[Dany's actress is certainly easy on the eyes, and she's doing a great job of playing Danyeris the terrified child-bride, it remains to be seen if she can pull off the Mother of Dragons. I agree on the Dye-Job, but it helps illustrate just how abnormal the Targeryans are. Dany is always the stand-out character, she's in the Free Cities while everybody else is in Westeros,

Spoiler

Show

she's got Dragons while everybody else is living in mundane low-fantasy, she is Leading while everybody else is playing Politics. While everybody elses stories are closely intertwined, her story is basically separate. Having her look Bizzare kind of works for that.

[Knaight]

Dany is always the stand-out character, she's in the Free Cities while everybody else is in Westeros, she's got Dragons while everybody else is living in mundane low-fantasy, she is Leading while everybody else is playing Politics. While everybody elses stories are closely intertwined, her story is basically separate. Having her look Bizzare kind of works for that.

Spoiler

Show

There is a certain Euron Greyjoy who is about to completely destroy that separation, so emphasizing it as a character trait is unnecessary. Moreover, there have been some interactions between her and the other characters, consider both the pathetic assassination attempts compliments of Robert Baratheon and the gains to her Khalisar due to Joffrey's interactions with the King's Guard.

[Seerow]

There is a certain Euron Greyjoy who is about to completely destroy that separation, so emphasizing it as a character trait is unnecessary. Moreover, there have been some interactions between her and the other characters, consider both the pathetic assassination attempts compliments of Robert Baratheon and the gains to her Khalisar due to Joffrey's interactions with the King's Guard.

Spoiler

Show

There's also Tyrion heading that way, and the son of that guy from Dorne (can't remember his name, but he's heading that way in the guise of a Mercenary leader. There's probably others heading that way that I can't remember. But yeah, there's a whole lot of plot converging on her.

I'd also recommend spoilering some of that spoiler stuff.

[hamlet]

Spoiler

Show

There's also Tyrion heading that way, and the son of that guy from Dorne (can't remember his name, but he's heading that way in the guise of a Mercenary leader. There's probably others heading that way that I can't remember. But yeah, there's a whole lot of plot converging on her.

I'd also recommend spoilering some of that spoiler stuff.

Spoiler

Show

Martel's son is already there I'll bet.

[Seerow]

Spoiler

Show

Martel's son is already there I'll bet.

Spoiler

Show

Maybe, but either way it's a thread to the core story tying into Dany that is showing up in the next book.


And on topic, check out GRRM's not a blog. Kong is dead!

[Dienekes]

Spoiler

Show

And on topic, check out GRRM's not a blog. Kong is dead!

I understand what the visual must mean, but I still don't believe it. I'm in a sort of odd shock as though the impossible has just occurred.

[Seerow]

Spoiler

Show

I understand what the visual must mean, but I still don't believe it. I'm in a sort of odd shock as though the impossible has just occurred.

Well we were given a release date of July 12th, and know that to meet that he had to finish by mid May, so we knew it was coming soon, and it would definitely be preferable sooner rather than later, to give the editors more time with the stuff he's finishing last. But yes, it is definitely a great feeling to know it's done.

Of course, not half so great for us as it must be for Martin, who has been grappling with Kong for 6 years.

[pita]

Yeah, Macan(sp?)'s Hound is a little overtly friendly. And Cercei seems . . . less despicable I guess. I think the screenplay writers are trying to make things more palatable to the generation with the shortest attention span. Why wait a few hundred pages for characterization you can have instantly with a few clumsy lines added in now!?!?

I think they're setting up Cersei to be likeable despite the insanity she will eventually reveal, and already has.
Also, agreed about the Hound. He's not scary at all in the show.
I really hope Conan Stevens is scary.

[Daze]

Also, agreed about the Hound. He's not scary at all in the show.
I really hope Conan Stevens is scary.

I agree the hound isn't overly scary...

But keep in mind that there is a softer spot of the ol' dog that shows itself later, I think there setting him up as pitiable just for that reason.
Also, he sure sounded cold enough when he returned to camp with the butcher's boy slung over his horse... good enough for me I guess. I can definitely see everyone's point about him though.

Also, re: Khal Drogo. I'm not sure what everyone expected of him? Just for the record, it's extremely hard to cast muscular, big guys who can also act. I knew this was a problem as soon as the show was announced. The Khal is big, tall and has long hair. It gets the point of his character across just fine.
Besides...

Spoiler

Show

It's not like your gonna to deal with him that much longer right?

And speaking of big guys... I cant wait for The Mountain to show up!

[Seerow]

Spoiler

Show

On the subject of the Khal, did I miss it, or did they take out the whole thing with putting bells in their hair when they win a battle?

[Knaight]

And speaking of big guys... I cant wait for The Mountain to show up!

Odds are, they continue the pattern with the Cleganes and he isn't scary either.

[Dienekes]

Odds are, they continue the pattern with the Cleganes and he isn't scary either.

So what if I've murdered and raped my way through my life, have sociopathic tendencies, and am abusive to everyone who happens to be near me.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN I HAVE NO FEELINGS!

I would actually be so amused if they made Gregor kind and caring I might not even be mad.

[TheFallenOne]

"It was a cold winter night, my brother was freezing... So I took him and held him over the fire, but his head came too close to the flame. I'm so sorry, I was young and didn't know what I'm doing, I just wanted to help my little brother. And to this day, no matter how much I drink, nothing can take the pain and guilt away *sob*"

[Weezer]

On the subject of the Khal, did I miss it, or did they take out the whole thing with putting bells in their hair when they win a battle?

It was mentioned. Illyerio (sp?) whispered it to Viserys when Drogo first rode up.

[The Glyphstone]

Huh. I caught the bit about them cutting their ponytail when they lose, but missed the bells for victories.

[Dienekes]

Huh. I caught the bit about them cutting their ponytail when they lose, but missed the bells for victories.

It's not in the show. I kind of agree with that change though. It'd look and sound ridiculous.

[Weezer]

It appears I just added in the bells part, sorry bout that.

[Knaight]

"It was a cold winter night, my brother was freezing... So I took him and held him over the fire, but his head came too close to the flame. I'm so sorry, I was young and didn't know what I'm doing, I just wanted to help my little brother. And to this day, no matter how much I drink, nothing can take the pain and guilt away *sob*"

If they actually do this, it will be hilarious.

[TheFallenOne]

Spoiler

Show

did anyone else not like the way the last two scenes lined up, with Bran waking up just as Lady is killed?

I mean, it seems innocent enough for dramatic purposes right now, but consider this show from the perspective of a new viewer, who never read the books. Here we get a Dire Wolf whom has some connection to the Stark children dies, and just as this happens, one of the Stark children on the edge of death wakes up.

Now, fast-forward to the season finale, where a major theme is a life to pay for a life, and it's not too hard to imagine new viewers looking back on this and thinking that Lady dying is what brought Bran back, and possibly even extrapolating it to there being some sort of blood magic going on among the Starks/Wolves, while in the book this connection really doesn't exist.

Spoiler

Show

forgot to comment on this one. I didn't like that part either. I'd have preferred it if Bran woke up screaming and sweating, suggesting that he felt the pain of Lady dying and the shock woke him up. Would have been way more dramatic than him simply opening his eyes and show the spiritual connection between Stark children and the wolves.

Well, OK, the wrong wolf. I honestly have no idea if they only have a connection to their own pet or a weaker one as well to the other ones. I vaguely remember a hint at the latter in one of the Jon or Bran chapters

[Da'Shain]

Spoiler

Show

forgot to comment on this one. I didn't like that part either. I'd have preferred it if Bran woke up screaming and sweating, suggesting that he felt the pain of Lady dying and the shock woke him up. Would have been way more dramatic than him simply opening his eyes and show the spiritual connection between Stark children and the wolves.

Well, OK, the wrong wolf. I honestly have no idea if they only have a connection to their own pet or a weaker one as well to the other ones. I vaguely remember a hint at the latter in one of the Jon or Bran chapters

Spoiler

Show

I suspect the latter is true in at least Bran's case. The direwolves themselves definitely have this sort of bond going on, and Bran's likely to be able to sense it through Summer if not for himself.

I didn't mind the way they set this up, myself, but I agree that it would have been better had Bran awoken as if from a very vivid nightmare -- that way it could have been the visions he saw in the book, or it could be him feeling Lady's death. This way, it looks vaguely creepy, but tells us nothing really.