# Game of Thrones 2.05 "The Ghost of Harrenhal" No Book Spoilers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 29, 2012, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338 "2012-04-29T17:50:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/61 "2012-05-01T01:37:57Z")
That sounded a lot more like she just wanted to get him out of her hair than actually listening to his advice to me. ---
**Author:** ![Maiira](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f04885/32.png) [@Maiira](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maiira)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/62 "2012-05-01T01:39:02Z")
Oh, something I’d almost entirely forgotten about until just now: Dear Gendry, Yes, good. Please be shirtless more often. Love, Maiira. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/63 "2012-05-01T02:00:54Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > Hah, yes i noticed some of them had camo. Not sure if you (and/or **Elendil’s Heir** ) are joking or not, but just in case you’re being serious: It’s not camo, they’re the same nondescript black clothes everybody wears in Pyke albeit heavily salt stained. ---
**Author:** ![JSexton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@JSexton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JSexton)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/64 "2012-05-01T04:45:56Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Geek alert! > > Noodling around on Wikipedia, and realized that Julian Glover, the guy who played Gen. Veers in _Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back_, is the same guy now playing Grand Maester Pycelle in _Game of Thrones_. > > [http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/6/61/DRow4-MajorGeneralVeers-ESB.jpg](http://images.wikia.com/starwars/images/6/61/DRow4-MajorGeneralVeers-ESB.jpg) > [http://unaffiliatedcritic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pycelle-Julian-Glover.jpg](http://unaffiliatedcritic.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Pycelle-Julian-Glover.jpg) Also Donovan, whose chose poorly in Indiana Jones and the The Last Crusade. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/65 "2012-05-01T23:14:03Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > God in Heaven, I so want a “Like” button right now… It’s located right above the vagina… 😇 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2012, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/66 "2012-05-01T23:23:42Z")
> [@SmartAleq](#): > > It’s located right above the vagina… 😇 Ewwww… ---
**Author:** ![BlackKnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/eb8c5e/32.png) [@BlackKnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlackKnight)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/67 "2012-05-02T02:17:01Z")
Sooo … The “Ghosts” of Herrenhal are the secret group that kills people, right? And are they the “brotherhood” that people were being tortured to expose? If Theon does take Winterfell, will he take Bran as a prisoner the way he himself was taken many years ago as collateral? I can see things going completely to hell for Theon if his plan fails. His attack may tip the hand of Pyke, possibly giving Robb enough time to take action. This would be immensely tragic for Theon - betraying Robb only to unwittingly betray his own people through his lust for status. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/68 "2012-05-02T02:19:23Z")
“Ghost”, single. I assume it means Arya or Jaqen. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 11:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/69 "2012-05-02T11:59:41Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I had a hard time understanding a lot of the dialogue. If i hadn’t read the books i would have had no idea whatsoever who or what the nightwatch guys were talking about. I thought the same thing. I have to put the closed captioning on. > [@Craz3d117](#): > > The only reason why I’m just a little concerned about the whole shadow being thing is that as far as we know so far it can do its bidding with impunity, which really challenges the status quo in the show. I mean, what’s stopping anyone else from being suddenly assassinated? No one can stop it. Again, this is just based off from what we know so far, but that’s why they really need to explain the hell out of it, and I hope the Starks get some magic of their own somehow. I think this is being implied by Bran’s visions, so we’ll see. They already set up why it can’t be used over and over. If Stannis hopes to rule he can not be seen to be doing the Red Woman’s bidding. Rumors are already starting. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/70 "2012-05-02T13:45:41Z")
Agreed - with the closed captioning on and the Brightness turned up to “11” I can just make out what is happening. I’m surprised that anyone is able to follow along who hasn’t read the books. It’s like an opera with a well-known libretto, I can still enjoy the artistry of the telling, but I can’t imagine liking it if I didn’t know the story. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/71 "2012-05-02T13:49:00Z")
Huh. I really have no sense that I don’t know what’s going on. This might be one of the reasons why when possible I watch the movie first and then read the book. Reading a book, particularly a good one, can ruin the experience of a film adaptation. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2012, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/72 "2012-05-02T14:59:17Z")
Well we meant it in the sense that you wouldn’t be able to tell what was going on because the dialogue was hard to understand. Specially during the Nightswatch scenes. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/73 "2012-05-06T20:22:12Z")
Watching this again. The whole Qoth scenario reminds me of an ST:NG planet, with the warlocks and the The Thirteen. ---
**Author:** ![Tangent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tangent/32/3098_2.png) [@Tangent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tangent)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/74 "2012-05-06T20:45:04Z")
> [@Fear\_Itself](#): > > Watching this again. The whole Qoth scenario reminds me of an ST:NG planet, with the warlocks and the The Thirteen. I think Stargate: SG1 is a closer fit but, yeah, same idea. ---
**Author:** ![SenorBeef](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senorbeef/32/2220_2.png) [@SenorBeef](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SenorBeef)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2012, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/75 "2012-05-06T22:50:35Z")
[Episode 6 thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=650891) ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/76 "2016-03-14T19:12:14Z")
I’m way behind the rest of you, but I just got into the series recently and wanted to comment on something that has been discussed a few times. My theory is that this was a one-off for the Lady in Red, because of the sacrifice she used. Firstborn sons of kings are hard to come by, after all, so she may never be able to create another shadow assassin as powerful simply because no other offering can compare to the one that powered this one. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2016, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338/77 "2016-03-14T20:54:44Z")
> [@JSexton](#): > > Also Donovan, whose chose poorly in Indiana Jones and the The Last Crusade. Speaking of actors in GoT… the actor who plays Podrick Payne is actually the son of the actor who played Ser Rodrik Cassel in Season 1. How odd is that? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-2-05-the-ghost-of-harrenhal-no-book-spoilers/620338.md?page=3)