Previous episode:
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Is the statue that stands astride the entrance to the harbor of Braavos realistically possible given the apparent technology of the period?
Dragons, magic etc. A lot has been forgotten over the years, so yeah.
I specified “realistically possible” because I want to know about real-life physics and construction materials and techniques. If “dragons, magic etc.” was an answer I was interested in, I wouldn’t have bothered to ask.
Great episode. Love to see various storylines starting to merge (Brienne and Sansa, for example).
That statue looked like masonry, but the closest real-life analog is the Colossus of Rhodes. The Wikipedia description of its construction is, “Ancient accounts, which differ to some degree, describe the structure as being built with iron tie bars to which brass plates were fixed to form the skin. The interior of the structure, which stood on a 15-metre (49-foot) high white marble pedestal near the Mandraki harbour entrance, was then filled with stone blocks as construction progressed.” So we can imagine a similar method used here.
The ancient Greeks had the Colossus of Rhodes back in 300 BCE. That was reportedly about 100 feet tall. The Braavos statue appears to be much taller than that, but I don’t know of any in-show information about its height, unless someone wants to take a screenshot and do some trigonometry to figure it out.
The building that was the “House of Black and White” was really impressive; ten or more stories and no windows. And I was so relieved when Podrick and Brienne finally met Sansa.
So far this season has been pretty meh. Not much happening. I presume we’re 20% through the season already, and I have no idea where anything is going. And not in a good way.
You should see the delivery spout that rains boiling oil down on enemy ships as they pass underneath!
It looks freaking huge, like about 10 times the height of the Statue of Liberty.
Queen Blondielocks of the Unshown Boobies fucked up with that execution. Should have found another way.
The woman with the guy in the wheelchair seems deliciously evil. Like Cersei as a brunette, with no known history of incest.
Great scene with The Imp in the carriage. Well acted on both their parts.
Good to see Arya and her tiny sword again, but carrying that thing around isn’t smart. Too obviously valuable and unique. She needs a less notable weapon.
Lord Commander Snow now. I think it might have been more interesting to see him leave the Night Watch to become the new Lord of Winterfell. Stannis is the legit king, so he can grant waivers to their rules if he wants.
I don’t understand why people say nothing is happening. There are lots of things happening or revealed in just two episodes:
Jaime teams up with Bronn to go to Dorn for some kind of revenge / plot / surprise diplomacy
Tyrion agrees to go with Varys to meet Danerys
Danerys is facing a hidden threat that can’t be defeated by throwing dragons or Unsullied at it
Danerys just pissed off a ton of people who used to revere her
Danerys learns that the lies about her father aren’t really lies
The prodigal dragon returns, and seems relatively well-adjusted, as dragons go - the other dragons are bitchy
Jon Snow is offered the lordship of Winterfell, and the name of Starke
Jon Snow has won the respect of a good number of the Night’s Watch, and now has apparently won the position of Lord Commander
The lord of Dorn is at odds with his sister-in-law over the treatment of the Lanister girl; threats are made involving something called Sand Snakes
Brienne finds Sansa Starke
Sansa is willingly working with Littlefinger at this point, and refuses the help of Brienne
Arya is brought to, and eventually enters, the Xavier School for Gifted Murderers
Cersei’s mad scientist is gaining prominence and power, and is remarkably creepy
Cersei is facing push-back from powerful people, including her Uncle (who presumably still has direct influence over Lannister soldiers)
Cersei is killing dwarves like she’s working for Sauron
Northerners aren’t exactly lining up to bow to Stannis; even after saving The Wall, winning the North will be difficult
Ser Loras is being very indiscreet with his dalliances in King’s Landing
Sam grew at least one testicle - he stood up and put what’s-his-name in his place for cowardice
That’s just off the top of my head. I’m constantly amazed at how much stuff they can pack into a single episode, so I’m baffled when I hear people say that not much is happening. Maybe what’s happening isn’t interesting to some people, but there’s clearly a lot of plot developments, revelations, character development, great dialogue, and action. I very much enjoy the pace of the show. It moves along quite nicely, in my opinion.
They’re going to rescue Myrcella, Jaime’s daughter/niece, as Jaime said he would last episode.
Wheelchair guy = Prince Doran Martell, ruler of Dorne and elder brother of the late Oberyn.
Brunette = Ellaria Sand, ex of the late Oberyn and mother of several of his bastard daughters. She was accompanying Oberyn last season, so we’ve met her before.
Ha ha you sound like my wife when I explain each seasons plot of Game of Thrones: People walk from one end of the country to the other, stop to have conversations, the season ends.
Wonder why Kevan did not bring up the incest rumours?
It’s interesting that apparently some of the northern houses still recognize the king in the north. Does that mean Bran is the king now, to them? And the Boltens are looked at as a hostile occupation force?
Danerys made basically the exact same mistake as Robb, even down to the murdered prisoner. Feels a bit like a repeat of the same plot line. At least the misstep will add some interest to that plotline.
It would be a shame if Kevan Lannister returns to Casterly Rock - it’s good to have someone working against the queen in Kings Landing. It’s also nice to have someone call out someone else in power on their bullshit.
I wonder about the guy who looked like Jaqen Hagar. When he said “there’s no Jaqen Hagar” here, I wonder if he meant that there was no one by that name because that very name is an assumed identity that was shed, or because that’s actually a different person than the one she met before, and they’re simply able to use the same face.
Stannis’ offer to Jon Snow was kind of a jaw dropper, and yet that plot was resolved in about 2 minutes. I figured there would be some drama involving his debate with the subject. Besides which, it seems like, barring him unexpectedly becoming Lord-Commander, he would be better able to serve the Night’s Watch as Lord of Winterfell anyway. He could be the guy who knew how dire the Night’s Watch situation was and give them the men and materials they so desperately needed.
Bran is thought to be dead, except by a select few. As is Rickon. Arya is assumed dead, so Sansa (and Jon) are the only known Starks.
Is Aemon expected to be a tiebreaker like the US VP?
Oh, good point. I guess all the Stark children are missing. So I guess it’s hard to rally around the King/Queen in the North if there aren’t any. I wonder if the first Stark kid to pop up would then be considered the monarch by the loyalists. Rickon was headed to the Umbers, IIRC, for safekeeping. So I suppose perhaps they’ll be the ones to rally around him.