Game of Thrones - Season 8 - NO SPOILERS PLEASE

[lovin'fl]

Not too giant. There were little tidbits like this one all throughout the show, we were just so focused on the dragons and Dany being a strong woman that we let them slide through without thinking they were foreshadowing:
https://twitter.com/LoganDobson/status/1128001512112701440

So, for the greater good crap. Ug.

I missed all this because I FF through Dany's boring scenes. ANd rushed through reading those book parts too. Never really liked her story.

 

[declansdad]

I don't think it was too much of a stretch to see her acted the way she did. It was pretty much assured after Cersei killed Missandei.

 

[Wendy31]

Dany basically told Tyrion what she was going to do. She said she'd be merciful - but for future generations.

And she told Jon how she'd rule. If she couldn't rule w/ love, then she'd rule w/ fear.

Dany came to the North w/ Jorah, Missandei, & Grey Worm, 2 dragons, & armies, & she came from lands where people loved her, where she was Queen of Hearts, she was Khaleesi.

Jorah & Missandei are gone. She has 1 dragon left. She lost much of her armies. And she realized that people in the North don't love her like they love & celebrate Jon Snow. Plus, she really did love Jon Snow, &, when she tried to kiss him, he pulled back - and that's when she told him, "Okay, then, it'll be fear."

I was rewatching the episode last night w/ our 2 older kids, &, in the "in last week's episode" synopsis before the actual episode started, as Dany is standing in front of the wall watching Missandei being killed, there were voices being played over the scene - just different little snippets of different characters over the seasons saying things to Dany or being said about the Targaryens, like the oft-said, "Every time a Targaryen is born, the gods flip a coin..." line. However, one line in particular stood out at me which goes all the way back to Maester Aemon from the Night's Watch who said something like, "A Targaryen alone in the world is a terrible thing."

Earlier in this thread, I mentioned the "flip" that I saw in Dany's face while she's crying after the bells rang. Last night, after the episode, I watched the "Behind the Scenes" segment, & the writers talked about the moment. Dany is sitting on her dragon staring across King's Landing, & the bells are ringing. She sees the Red Keep which HER ancestors built so long ago & thinks about all that was lost to her & all that's been kept from her. And she snapped.

And, there have been times when Dany has been indiscriminate in her revenge. When she crucified all the slave masters is one example - some of those men were not cruel. I think she even later had one of the sons tell her that his father had been a good man.

Dany was always going to be the Mad Dragon Queen. I just wish her story had had a little more time to build.

 

[Wendy31]

Total fail. Without one word of dialogue to identify him that connection was completely lost. And the horse business is just confusing and odd. To have given the Arya/horse thing so much screen time felt frustrating; like we were intended to glean some great truth from it - but what?!? At a certain point I thought out loud “Either ride it or don’t but do it quick because this is boring.”

Last night, after rewatching the episode w/ our 2 older children, I decided the horse & Arya were a juxtaposition against Dany & her dragon. A girl & her dragon rode above the city, decimating it, & her girl & her horse quietly ride out of the city's remains.

I have mixed feelings on the episode. I enjoyed it much more that "The Long Night" episode with the Night King, I was sorely disappointed in Cersei's death. That was one character who needed a rougher death than she got. Very, very disappointed with that scene. I even disliked the Euron scene with Jaime. I was fairly bummed about Varys but I can understand that one a bit more; although I hated to lose the character.

I'm confused about Arya's progression but hopefully the last episode will make it right in my mind. I'm rooting for Tyrion to take control. He's always deserved it in my opinion.

Like I've said, I've come to really like & appreciate how Cersei died. I'm glad Dany didn't get to take her out in some dramatic moment. Having an Arya & Cersei moment might have been nice, but I also like that Arya decided that living was more important than Cersei - had she known, Cersei would have hated that. She died buried under her Keep.

 

[declansdad]

There is also this explanation.

 

[Wendy31]

There is also this explanation.

Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.

You know nothing, Jon Snow.

 

[lovin'fl]

Yeah. I think part of my problem is that I wasn't too interested in watching the Dany in Essos parts. I was all about the Game being played back in Westeros. They maybe needed to get her to Westeros quicker or get Tyrion and Varys over to her quicker to peak my interest. It was just all these interesting people and stories in Westeros and then the show would jump over to Esos with Dany and random people. Maybe it was the actress, Emelia, who just didn't spark interest (lovely quirky gal IRL). Though book Dany and Esos bored me too. Maybe GRR is to blame then. And I'm not one who is into the dragons and direwolves....so the dragons didn't distract me.

But when you all (and others where I also read) point out that this is the real Dany and we should have seen it coming...I guess I see that. When you point out all the various little hints.

I am now kind of thinking she will rule. And thanks to dumbo Jon, she will have a baby. So the Targ line will continue. Truly no happy endings. If she lives and rules, Sansa will die. Jon will die. Tyrion will die. And, dang it, Bronn will not get his castle. Maybe the ending will be like 30 years later and an older Sam will be telling the story to his kids and Jaime and Brienne's kid (or twins) and to Lord Gendry and his secret wife (Arya)'s kids. And they will be thinking of uprising against the mad Targs. Show closes with Arya's kid saying 'winter is coming'.

 

[Moliphino]

Yeah. I think part of my problem is that I wasn't too interested in watching the Dany in Essos parts. I was all about the Game being played back in Westeros. They maybe needed to get her to Westeros quicker or get Tyrion and Varys over to her quicker to peak my interest. It was just all these interesting people and stories in Westeros and then the show would jump over to Esos with Dany and random people. Maybe it was the actress, Emelia, who just didn't spark interest (lovely quirky gal IRL). Though book Dany and Esos bored me too. Maybe GRR is to blame then. And I'm not one who is into the dragons and direwolves....so the dragons didn't distract me.

Anytime a character left Westeros they started to bore me. Even Arya in Braavos (where she still is in the books).

 

[lovin'fl]

Anytime a character left Westeros they started to bore me. Even Arya in Braavos (where she still is in the books).

Yep. I felt the same.

 

[tex1989]

My first thought is that it was the horse Khal Drogo gave Daenarys although how that would tie together at this point I don't know. And who was that guy riding it at the head of the Queen's army? The camera paid such specific attention to him I was sure he was going to have some significance but if that happened, I missed it entirely.

Never read the books and since we are so far past the last one I am thinking they have gone a lot of different directions.

But as far as the white horse goes I think it was more of a function of the little girl that Ariya was trying to save and whose Mother and her helped Ariya during the crumbling castle scene. The little girl was carrying a toy that was a white horse with what looked like red legs. It was shown several times. I think the horse Ariya rode was to remind her of the unnecessary death of the girl and her Mother and the idea that Ariya has a date with the Mad Queen to get retribution for those who died needlessly.

 

[cabanafrau]

Never read the books and since we are so far past the last one I am thinking they have gone a lot of different directions.

But as far as the white horse goes I think it was more of a function of the little girl that Ariya was trying to save and whose Mother and her helped Ariya during the crumbling castle scene. The little girl was carrying a toy that was a white horse with what looked like red legs. It was shown several times. I think the horse Ariya rode was to remind her of the unnecessary death of the girl and her Mother and the idea that Ariya has a date with the Mad Queen to get retribution for those who died needlessly.

Interesting. The little girl's toy horse sidetracked me into remembering Shireen and I didn't even consider Arya riding the horse having anything to do with the girl or her toy. I knew they were attempting to signal the horse was significant and possibly signaled something, but I was drawn in by the fact it was white/pale and wondered if that wasn't symbolizing something.

 

[lovin'fl]

Well...along the Shireen lines. There was one who wanted to revenge kill for the needless cruel burning of Shireen. But he didn't and it payed off as the red woman helped big time with the NK war. So will Arya also let go of her desire for revenge?

 

[Cogswel_Cogs]

At least we could see what was happening.

I don't know with the way everything went down I might have enjoyed it more if I couldn't see it and just made up how Cersi and Jamie died.

 

[LovesTimone]

Wendy's post reminded me -- why on earth was Ser Davos on the very front line of Jon's advance into King's Landing? I don't even think he had a sword. He's not a soldier, he never has been. That's been made abundantly clear time and time again.

In the battle of Winterfell he had control of the gate initially because his judgment was entirely trustworthy, yet he had no fighting skills whatsoever. I don't think we ever saw him at any point during the battle engaged in any combat. One time in particular we watched him simply standing there, observing Arya fully engaged in combat completely astounded that this small younger sister of Jon's was possibly the most ferocious fighter he'd ever seen based on the look on his face.

I think that he had a sword, If I remember correctly, when they stop to face the Lannister army, and Grey worm, Jon and Davos step forward I think he has a sword... OHHH now I have to go rewatch it to see...

 

[tex1989]

Read a really strange article that pointed out two things. First in the final scene with Jamie and Cersi there was a screen shot of jamie hugging her and you could see his right hand. (It grew back!)
The other interesting mention was normally after a character dies on the show they are sort of opened up to the press for their views, feelings and the end of their run on the show. This has happened for every character in the past and in the current season. Someone brought up the fact that the actor who plays Jamie was not made available for those interviews and as a result some are speculating that he may have survived while Cersi died because she was made available for interviews. Guess we will find out Sunday.

 

[hopemax]

Read a really strange article that pointed out two things. First in the final scene with Jamie and Cersi there was a screen shot of jamie hugging her and you could see his right hand. (It grew back!)
The other interesting mention was normally after a character dies on the show they are sort of opened up to the press for their views, feelings and the end of their run on the show. This has happened for every character in the past and in the current season. Someone brought up the fact that the actor who plays Jamie was not made available for those interviews and as a result some are speculating that he may have survived while Cersi died because she was made available for interviews. Guess we will find out Sunday.

I read a different article that said the image of this that is circulating, and it's just a still image, was one that available pre-episode on HBO's website as part of their teaser for "next week." The actual episode, it has the CGI gold hand. The marketing department made the wrong image available, initially.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

There is also this explanation.

Wait a minute... Slow down there. There is something I don't quite comprehend here. Let me get this straight.

Men refuse sex?

 

[Wendy31]

Read a really strange article that pointed out two things. First in the final scene with Jamie and Cersi there was a screen shot of jamie hugging her and you could see his right hand. (It grew back!)
The other interesting mention was normally after a character dies on the show they are sort of opened up to the press for their views, feelings and the end of their run on the show. This has happened for every character in the past and in the current season. Someone brought up the fact that the actor who plays Jamie was not made available for those interviews and as a result some are speculating that he may have survived while Cersi died because she was made available for interviews. Guess we will find out Sunday.

That's interesting! I have read the "exit" interviews w/ the actors who play the Hound & Varys & the actress who plays Cersei, & I've been looking for the interview w/ the actor who plays Jamie & hadn't been able to find it! So, that's very interesting if it's true! However, I did read somewhere else that it was confirmed that both Jamie & Cersei died.

I read a different article that said the image of this that is circulating, and it's just a still image, was one that available pre-episode on HBO's website as part of their teaser for "next week." The actual episode, it has the CGI gold hand. The marketing department made the wrong image available, initially.

I rewatched the episode the other night w/ our 2 older children, & I watched specifically for Jamie's gold hand when he's hugging Cersei. I saw his gold hand, but there is a brief second, when he's hugging her, that almost looks like he's hugging her w/ 2 real hands - just the way he's cradling her looks like it would have to be w/ 2 real hands, if that makes sense. But I did see the gold hand in the one shot.

 

[cabanafrau]

Read a really strange article that pointed out two things. First in the final scene with Jamie and Cersi there was a screen shot of jamie hugging her and you could see his right hand. (It grew back!)
The other interesting mention was normally after a character dies on the show they are sort of opened up to the press for their views, feelings and the end of their run on the show. This has happened for every character in the past and in the current season. Someone brought up the fact that the actor who plays Jamie was not made available for those interviews and as a result some are speculating that he may have survived while Cersi died because she was made available for interviews. Guess we will find out Sunday.

IMO it's one thing to speculate about things that could happen, how things seem to us, what we hope will happen or not because none of us have any actual information about the production. Pulling things from outside sources that we don't know may have inside information that hasn't been on screen yet is kind of spoiler-ish.

 

[Not My Fault!]

Just going to go ahead and leave this here...