Poll: Winter Is Coming - HBO's A Game of Thrones [READ WARNING]

Who will rule Westeros?


  • Total voters
    471
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Man of Honour
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Have to say I didn't find the Ed Sheeran scene that jarring though it would have been completely fine to cut it entirely - the only thing I found obnoxious was that is dragged on longer than it needed just because it was Ed Sheeran seemingly.
 
Man of Honour
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They are pretty on point for most of it - but that stuff with the dragons and scorpions is explained albeit it is pretty hard to believe they managed to sneak up in range to hit dragons with those ships in the first place - in the first attack the dragons are at an altitude and distance that makes them easy targets in the second instance Daenerys purposefully comes in fast and high using the sun to her advantage and then flies below the level of maximum depression.
 
Soldato
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Have to say I didn't find the Ed Sheeran scene that jarring though it would have been completely fine to cut it entirely - the only thing I found obnoxious was that is dragged on longer than it needed just because it was Ed Sheeran seemingly.

Again - I don't think it was that bad in the context. The whole scene is pretty poor and slow-paced, but that's a million miles away from series 8.

I support things like this if done well (or not poorly), to bring in a whole new audience to the show. Which in this case it did, IIRC.
 
Caporegime
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You keep going on about Jon taking the throne would lead to civil war, but you don't explain how this would happen. Who would have a problem with that other than the current occupying forces, you conveniently stated how everything should be and then buggered off to pastures new? He killed a tyrant, someone that burned innocent people in the city to get what she wanted, becoming what she hated. Why would the populace have an issue with him being king? Nevermind the fact that currently the ending makes no sense because he's been banished for actually doing a good thing. Everything contradicts itself, literally the entire show is based upon a usurper having taken the throne from the rightful heir by murder, and then at the end when it comes full circle and a future rightful heir (Jon) could take it back, he gets banished instead? Sure, whatever. The whole of this season has been a mess right from the start and everything is a contradiction. None of the characters remained true to themselves throughout the series, they may as well have not had any backstory whatsoever.

You’re still missing the point. Jon didn’t want to be King. Rather than assuming bad in everyone’s motives (his family and Tyrian) look at it the other way:

He didn’t want to be king of the North and was very vocal about it to everyone, including Sansa.

He didn’t want to be King of the Seven Kingdoms when he found out he was the “true heir”. He told Bran and Sam when he found out. He told Sanasa and Arya when they found out. He told Tyrian when he found out. He told Danny when she found out. Basically he told everyone that would listen that he didn’t want to be king.

Conversely he made great friends with the wildlings and it was obvious he would rather be with them than King.

So win win situation. The family and Tyrian don’t nominate the obvious choice of Jon (who most still don’t know is a Targaryen) because it would cause problems And he didn’t want to be king. Instead they send him to the non existent Nights Watch to be with friends, while tricking the army that has him captive. Bear in mind Bran is now king so if Jon wanted to come back it wouldn’t be inconceivable for him to change the rules even a few months later (after Greyworm and the Dothraki have gone).

To me that ending is far more true to the characters than the idea of Jon ending up as king.
 
Caporegime
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Really! A 5'8" Starbucks cup would have been less conspicuous.

Not everyone is obsessed with him as you. I watched that scene and it was fine, but then I didn’t know what he looked like.

Now, because of people like you, when I watch that scene all I can think of is angry people on the internet. ;)
 
Soldato
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Not everyone is obsessed with him as you. I watched that scene and it was fine, but then I didn’t know what he looked like.
You've literally just said why it was fine for you. Just because you didn't know what one of the biggest musicians out there looked like doesn't mean most people watching didn't. Seeing someone so famous front and centre for a cameo is jarring as hell.
 
Commissario
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You've literally just said why it was fine for you. Just because you didn't know what one of the biggest musicians out there looked like doesn't mean most people watching didn't. Seeing someone so famous front and centre for a cameo is jarring as hell.
By that standard you'd best never have any well known actors in anything, ever.
Once you're a known face you're going to ruin anything else you're in.

It's jarring to see Sean Bean in a medieval setting, we all know he was Napoleonic, and Lena Headey should be in Sci Fi not Fantasy as she's well known for being Sarah Connor.

Oddly enough when watching a TV series or film you sort of expect to have faces that ring a bell from other things, it's a rare actor or actress who can (without major prosthetics covering their face) hide who they are if they've ever played the lead in something big, or that you've enjoyed.

I wouldn't have recognised Sheeran except my brother mentioned it (and he only knew because he'd read about a cameo), as oddly enough not everyone is into pop music.
 
Caporegime
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By that standard you'd best never have any well known actors in anything, ever.
Once you're a known face you're going to ruin anything else you're in.

It's jarring to see Sean Bean in a medieval setting, we all know he was Napoleonic, and Lena Headey should be in Sci Fi not Fantasy as she's well known for being Sarah Connor.

Oddly enough when watching a TV series or film you sort of expect to have faces that ring a bell from other things, it's a rare actor or actress who can (without major prosthetics covering their face) hide who they are if they've ever played the lead in something big, or that you've enjoyed.

I wouldn't have recognised Sheeran except my brother mentioned it (and he only knew because he'd read about a cameo), as oddly enough not everyone is into pop music.

Sorry but this is bad logic. Ed Sheertan was obviously sticking out like a sore thumb because everyone knows he is not an actor, but one of, if not THE most recognisable modern musician in the world. You cannot suspend disbelief seeing him there playing an instrument and singing for one scene when it is 100% obvious to anyone with half a brain that he is just there to make a cameo, not to act. To even compare this to Shaun Bean acting in different roles is very silly.
 
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Man of Honour
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24 Sep 2005
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Nothing Ed did onscreen was bad per se but it was a little jarring seeing him there and thinking “oh that’s Ed Sheehan”. It is a bit fourth wall breaking and if I had a choice I’d probably rather he wasn’t there but I’m not mad about it.
 
Soldato
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Because the people who elected a new king, had no right to. Again one side conquers the throne, a bunch of people who didn't conquer the throne then decided that even without control of the city in any way at all they'd decide it's outcome. THe conversation started off as we (the unsullied) won the city, we are in the city, it is ours. Kings/queens is irrelevent, they won it. If a group who had no king or queen, but simply a plain old elected leader beats out the sitting leaders/rulers of a land, then they rule it.

THe unsullied said it was theirs, then a bunch of different people said, well we're putting this guy in charge of it... yeah, but the unsullied control it. They can put whoever they want in charge of it and at that exact time Grey Worm was the most senior man in the city, he was their defacto leader.

Having no king or queen is irrelevant, power is relevant. Baratheon could have taken over the 7 kingdoms by beating the mad king and declared himself lord regent of the sewer people, it's his army that won the battle, it's his army that secured the throne. Should he not have named himself king, the rest of the lords don't get to just say well we elected a new king so you're out. THe power came from the force and him being the leader of his army, not from a specific title.
Do you know much about the unsullied? They are literally just warrior eunuchs. The show has humanised Grey Worm somewhat, but they are basically akin to stormtroopers, or a droid army. They were always slaves until Daenerys 'freed' them. It says on the GoT wiki 'their actions will only go as far as what they have been ordered to do, and nothing more'. They aren't rulers. They would have no idea how to rule, they have no families to care about, will obviously bear no kids etc. Literally their only purpose is fighting. With Daenerys gone, this leaves them with literally no one to fight for. And for them, that means nothing to fight for.

They don't want to hold power because they don't care about it and it means nothing to them. Sansa, Bran, Edmure et al didn't kill Daenerys, Jon did. They are obviously bearing a lot of ill will towards Jon and Tyrion, as clearly shown in that scene. But why must they bear ill will towards the rest of the lords? Grey Worm isn't an idiot, he recognises someone who knows something about ruling needs to be in charge, and the lords in this scene know more about that than anyone. Hence he doesn't/can't come up with a better suggestion than what Tyrion puts forward. Power resides where men believe it resides, remember.
 
Associate
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2 Jul 2003
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If you have a scene with some randoms and a song that needs singing well then having a musician do it isn't a bad idea.
Having said that it did pull me out of the scene a little bit although I wasn't that fussed. Think they should have buried him under prosthetics or something.
"Poor Ed" having half his face burned off by a dragon was a nod from the makers that it probably wasn't the best idea to have him front and centre.
 
Associate
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Bit late to review, but was disappointed with the last episode. Seems like they had 8 seasons of build up and apart from the Night King, decided to try and end everything in one episode.

All the supposedly humorous parts felt massively out of place and were so cringe-worthy. Why is everyone so relaxed when there is possibly the biggest power vacuum ever to try and resolve?

The pacing of Jon going from "she is my queen" to murdering Dany in 5 minutes and after one conversation felt ridiculous. At least I was mildly excited about what would happen afterwards, but then we just skipped forward three weeks, so didn't get to see anything.

Dany's demise, Jon going back to the wall and Bran becoming King just felt massively underwhelming and almost like the writers couldn't be bothered at the end.

But hey, it was a hell of a ride and we had some fantastic episodes a long the way.
 
Soldato
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Bit late to review, but was disappointed with the last episode. Seems like they had 8 seasons of build up and apart from the Night King, decided to try and end everything in one episode.

All the supposedly humorous parts felt massively out of place and were so cringe-worthy. Why is everyone so relaxed when there is possibly the biggest power vacuum ever to try and resolve?

The pacing of Jon going from "she is my queen" to murdering Dany in 5 minutes and after one conversation felt ridiculous. At least I was mildly excited about what would happen afterwards, but then we just skipped forward three weeks, so didn't get to see anything.

Dany's demise, Jon going back to the wall and Bran becoming King just felt massively underwhelming and almost like the writers couldn't be bothered at the end.

But hey, it was a hell of a ride and we had some fantastic episodes a long the way.
Did you not feel like he'd been wondering if he really did support her, deep down, for a little while? At the very least since he found out he is a Targaryen it's clear he's been having a couple of mixed emotions. Clearly he is someone who loyalty means a lot to. You could see in his face in the scene with Tyrion that he knew what needed to be done (and probably did from the moment she started torching the street), but saying it out loud is a different thing. You can tell he was still full of remorse at the time of doing it too. So I disagree that in 5 minutes he went from unquestionable loyal subject to OK I'll murder you no probs.
 
Associate
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Nothing Ed did onscreen was bad per se but it was a little jarring seeing him there and thinking “oh that’s Ed Sheehan”. It is a bit fourth wall breaking and if I had a choice I’d probably rather he wasn’t there but I’m not mad about it.

TBF I found it more jarring when Lovejoy turned up
 
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