Well, that was over quickly. Not a ton happened, but a shit ton of things set up. Interesting choice Mance made at the end.
As already posted, I hated last season. It seemed that a lot of nothing would happen between very short bursts of interesting stuff.
This episode felt the same way for me. I actually took my phone out to distract myself while there were still 20 minutes left.
Hopefully I’m alone in this.
Anyone notice the Bolton sigil on Winterfell during the opening credits? Is that new? I thought it was just burning last season.
Well Stannis did say the Boltons ruled Winterfell.
Seemed to be a typical opening episode to me. A quick trip around Westeros to check in on everybody, some boobs, butts, & blood, and a hook at the end to reel us in again next week…
Was Mance ever told the specific terms that were offered? Citizenship and land for his people sounded like a damn good deal to me…
Hum, really curious what they are planning for [spoiler]the story surrounding Mance Rayder and the King of Bones. Didn’t seem like Mance and the KoB had been switched out like they are in the books.
This is a bit in the future, but I can’t remember what Melisandre wants with Ginny’s baby, can someone fill me in there?
Also, how does Dany solve her anger dragon problem?[/spoiler]
Is there really something that’s not totally fucking clear about the rules in these threads? Come on. Don’t reply to this, just stop.
Fuck me, how do I edit my post? I totally did not read the rules, and completely assumed that incorporating the books wouldn’t be an issue because in The Walking Dead discussions people reference and talk about the comics all the time 
.
But yeah, not seeing an edit button, just quote buttons. Sorry.
I’m sorry for being harsh, I should’ve checked your join date. Short version is that after a lot of argument and derailing, we decided a clear and hard rule was the best way to proceed and it has been successful at keeping the peace and the discussion on track. Most of the participants in these threads have been here since the start, and so they know what’s up. Anyway, the rules are absolute - the books don’t exist for the purpose of this thread.
There will be book threads - it appears this one is the season 5 open book/show discussion thread, there may be others with a slightly different slant.
Too late to edit , only a short window after you hit send. You would have to pm one of the mods, and splain the reasons.
Declan
I’m not clear on Mance’s motivations. He appeared to be prideful (bowing to the king will compromise his pride and basically eliminate his credibility among his people), but then he said "fuck my pride " - it seems like he was trying to say he was motivated by something other than pride or stubbornness, but it’s not clear what that could be. Him bowing to Stannis does seem like the best outcome for his people. How does him going to his death help anyone? It appears to be a case of extreme stubborn pride.
Seemed to me he was saying his pride was irrelevant; as soon as he kneels before a southern king, all the wildling factions will stop following him and resume killing each other.
That’s my assumption as well. The Wildlings would have have no longer been united. It’s bad politicking on Stannis’ part. What he wanted short term would have made him unable to get what he wanted long term.
Some of the few things re-appeared which annoy me about this otherwise enjoyable series; gay sex and nudity. The nudity really is of the cheap titillating type. The gay sex done for shock value.
I am shocked, shocked to find that gay sex is going on in this universe.
I am a straight male, but I do not begrudge gay/bi men, and many straight women, being catered to. You know, not everything in every universe exists only for the benefit of straight men. Everyone has a right to a little titillation.
The only shocking thing was how Daenerys didn’t show her boobs for once, in the most Hollywoodish-fashion possible.
I guess she wasn’t kidding when she said she was done with nudity.
Can you expand on this? Is there any way gay sex could be portrayed that you would not consider done “for shock value”?
Wait, when did Podrick ever have the bread?
Didn’t Hot Pie give it to them at the Inn at the Crossroads?