HBO: Game of Thrones

[YRBB]

He did quite well I thought. Slurp.

 

 

[Vee]

There's apparently a lot of callbacks to the pilot tonight or this final season, so I'll be rewatching it shortly.

 

Meanwhile, cast reminiscences:

 

 

More YT won't let me embed:

Maisie Williams

Nikolaj Coster-Waldau

Emilia Clarke

 

 

[Antoyne]

That was a pretty good opener. I won’t post any spoiler type comments for a few days.

[Vee]

I'm still watching. I'll spoiler tag major stuff.

 

Do love the opening with the little boy climbing up to see the procession - a direct callback to the pilot and Bran watching the Baratheons arrive from the parapet.

 

Arya defending Sansa is refreshing. "She's the smartest person I've ever met."

 

Jon's reunions with Bran and Arya, finally, got me.

 

Love the new opening sequence.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Vee

[Vee]

They appear to be pulling the trigger on

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which was hinted at years ago.

 

Euron played himself with Cersei.

Edited April 15, 2019 by Vee

[YRBB]

I love the new opening credits. Quite stunning.

 

So many things to be excited about: The reunions, Gendry returning to the forefront, the promise of the drama the reveal about Jon will bring, Theon, just so much. Harington and Bradley may have turned in their best performances so far. The scene in the Last Hearth terrified me. I particularly loved all the callbacks to Season 1 and how it felt full circle.

 

PS. Dragons staring judgmentally. That is all.

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[Bright Eyes]

Any bets as to who the first major death of the season will be?

 

It's not looking good for Euron.

[YRBB]

To no one's surprise, GOT premiere shatters ratings records with 17.4 million viewers.

Edited April 15, 2019 by YRBB

[Taoboi]

Nope. Not at all.

 

So worth the two month wait for me. I've been liking a lot of the memes so far (looking at you Dr. Dre Bran.

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)

[Vee]

Isaac Hempstead Wright is a good sport on Kimmel:

 

 

[YRBB]

Another great installment.

 

My suspicions re: Dany have been correct so far. Her first reaction to that very soapy reveal from Jon wasn't about their love, but about his claim to the throne. Her legacy is more important than Jon and I expect/hope that brings a lot of drama.

 

I am so happy for Brienne. I cried so much. This is what years of character arc payoff is. My God.

 

And, yes, glad that Arya and Gendry finally went there BUT it was so bizarre seeing this girl we saw grow up naked. And so awkward. 

 

Tormund was, as always, hilarious, and the story of how he got his nickname sounded straight out of Martin.

 

Sansa crying when she saw Theon? TEARS. She and Dany were SO close... I can see stirrings of bad in Dany....

Edited April 22, 2019 by YRBB

[Vee]

I think they've foreshadowed Daenerys being the final villain a fair bit over the years - especially when she burned the Tarlys over everyone's objections. For her, law has always come down to obedience or death. I just worry it may be rushed when and if it finally happens. I haven't decided yet. Certainly many aspects of the show in the last few years have been rushed, but this (or even the Jon reveal) I don't know.

 

I'd been expecting Gendry/Arya since S2 all those years ago, but oof, I was not ready for Maisie Williams getting even partially naked. They did it very tastefully (and apparently told her she didn't have to be seen nude at all if she didn't want), but still. I am glad they put them together.

 

The long drinking convo scene was great. I have a feeling Jaime knighting Brienne is as close as we'll ever come to their consummation, and is intended as such.

 

Theon vowing to protect Bran in the godswood got me. As did Sansa and Theon, the Mormonts, Sam giving Jorah his father's sword, etc.

I didn't even realize the little scarred girl Davos and Gilly talk to in the food line was meant to evoke Shireen - who taught them both to read.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Vee

[Vee]

A troubling thought many have pointed out: Many civilians are hiding in the crypts, 'the safest place.' The crypts... full of dead people. A great deal of the supporting cast is going down there: Tyrion, Varys, Missandei, Gilly, Little Sam, Lyanna Mormont (who just blessed Jorah's return) and many more, including the plucky little girl who vowed to defend the crypts for Gilly and Davos. In a word: Uh-oh!

 

If the Night King wants to raise the dead of Winterfell I think he can - including Catelyn, Robb, Rickon and maybe Ned(? not sure if his body came home).

 

Also: I definitely noticed there was no sign of the Night King in the final shot and found it suspicious. Some fans think he went to King's Landing. It's possible, but it's also possible they're just withholding him til next week.
 

Edited April 22, 2019 by Vee

[Vee]

Given all of the above, here are my hot take predictions:

 

- The Night King and Viserion/the ice dragon are not even at Winterfell. He has sent his army as a diversion to break their forces and is going to solo-attack King's Landing and bring a new army of the dead from the south. Episode 4 will deal largely with this.
- Theon, Missandei, Beric Dondarrian and Lyanna Mormont die at Winterfell, maybe more I'm forgetting; Jorah and Grey Worm were red herrings this week because both their loved ones will be in the crypts, the most vulnerable place. Jorah emphasized that Lyanna is the future of their house while he is the outcast; this is why she will die and he will carry on the Mormont name. Possibly Gendry and Tormund bite it, but I'm not convinced.
- Jaime dies killing and/or with Cersei.
- Jon kills Daenerys, the power-hungry Mad Queen and the final villain of GOT, and in doing so dies himself.
- The Stark kids survive. Bran likely returns to beyond the structure-formerly-known-as-the-Wall to be a greenseer in the wilderness.
- Bronn dies saving Tyrion.
- No one sits on the Iron Throne, thus breaking the wheel. Tyrion contributes to helping break Westeros into democratic citystates.
- Sam, Gilly and Little Sam live out the series.

Edited April 22, 2019 by Vee

[Antoyne]

I was so anxious watching the episode waiting for the shoe to drop not knowing next week was the battle.

 

A nice episode putting nice little bows on a lot of relationships.

 

Its clear Jamie is going to kick the bucket. But I’ve loved his redemption arc and he became one of my favorites.

 

I need the Stark children to live, including Jon. My only request. I’ve accepted were about to lose a ton of people we’ve grown to know throughout the series.