# Game of Thrones 3.01 "Valar Dohaeris" 3/31/13 No book spoilers **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 29, 2013, 7:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244 "2013-03-29T07:32:27Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/41 "2013-04-01T14:30:10Z")
> [@puddleglum](#): > > Her plan is not contingent on the dragons being decisive in battle. She hopes to use the confusion of the civil war to land and have people rally to her cause. Then with the combined forces of her Dothrakis, her mercenaries, and those still loyal to the Targaerans win the war. All 10 Dothraki that stuck around? Or does she plan to try to drum up more of them along the coast? > [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Plus she needs protection. People ant her dragons and she only has like 30 bodyguards. Yeah, that makes some sense. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2013, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/42 "2013-04-01T14:30:31Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Wait, I thought Xaro’s vault was empty… The vault was empty, but he still had quite a fortune from his “keeping up appearances” housewares. Gold left and right. So he was implying he was the richest man on the planet, but it turns out he was just very rich. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 2:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/43 "2013-04-01T14:40:34Z")
Right, Tywin’s army used to be there. They went to Kingslanding for the battle. Edit: you all type fast, was responding to **Enalzi**. ---
**Author:** ![Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/bc8723/32.png) [@Unauthorized\_Cinnamon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unauthorized_Cinnamon)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/44 "2013-04-01T15:08:17Z")
I was confused about Harrenhall too, but my sweetie explained it to me. Robb said The Mountain would know that he couldn’t hold it, and that they probably wouldn’t get to have a battle. So, Tywin rode for King’s Landing, leaving The Mountain in charge of Harrenhall with a small host (remember he told Arya not to let Clegane to get too drunk?). As Robb’s army approached, Clegane realized he was screwed and decided to abandon the keep, but to be a total dick he rounded up all the Norther prisoners in the courtyard and slaughtered them before leaving. ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/45 "2013-04-01T15:25:58Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > Did anyone else think that Ser Jorah perfectly understood what the Ben Kingsley look alike in that city was saying? I admit I always like that particular plot twist (guy/gal plays dumb about foreign language, then springs the surprise later), so I wasn’t sure if I was just looking for that to be the case, or if that was really going on. I guess we’ll find out soon. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/46 "2013-04-01T15:26:38Z")
I think that’s where I was confused. I knew they had prisoners, but I thought they were just general bandits and such. I didn’t realize they were northerners. ---
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/47 "2013-04-01T16:04:29Z")
Enjoyed the episode but one thing that confused me was if there was an Army of slaves for sale, why did Dany’s brother from Season 1 even need the Dothraki? Why not just buy the army in the first place? The family seemed to have some support so surely they could have gotten the money if they didn’t already have it. I also agree that Margy was more concerned with winning over the people. Perhaps she is a decent person but being Queen and accruing power for her and her family is her number one priority. I completely missed that that was Harrenhal. I thought it was just another City. Now i understand why it was such a big deal. ETA: I also thought for sure Dany’s guy (forget his name) was going to say something in the Slave dealer’s native tongue to show he understood everything all along. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2013, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/48 "2013-04-01T16:14:26Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Did Tywin find out about Shea? If so, how? It seems like she’s still running around as Sansa’s handmaiden. You’d think he’d have run her out of the city if he knew. I suppose perhaps it doesn’t matter as much now. Remember last season, there was a switch, and Cersei got her hands on the wrong whore. I’m assuming that’s the one that Tywin is talking about. > [@Biggirl](#): > > Sansa, the shallow and easily lead one gets to live in a castle. > [@Mogle](#): > > The idea of marrying Joffrey doesn’t sound horrible to you? At the end of last season Joffrey broke off his betrothal to Sansa in favor of Margaery. > [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > I think that’s where I was confused. I knew they had prisoners, but I thought they were just general bandits and such. I didn’t realize they were northerners. I didn’t realize they had so many. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2013, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/49 "2013-04-01T16:16:00Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > Enjoyed the episode but one thing that confused me was if there was an Army of slaves for sale, why did Dany’s brother from Season 1 even need the Dothraki? Why not just buy the army in the first place? The family seemed to have some support so surely they could have gotten the money if they didn’t already have it. They didn’t have any money. All that Viserys had to exchange for an army was his own sister. > [@](#): > > ETA: I also thought for sure Dany’s guy (forget his name) Jorah Mormont. (Who is the son of Jeor Mormont, Jon’s boss at the Wall.) ---
**Author:** ![Mogle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mogle/32/12021_2.png) [@Mogle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mogle)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/50 "2013-04-01T16:25:00Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > At the end of last season Joffrey broke off his betrothal to Sansa in favor of Margaery. Yes, exactly, that’s the horrible thing that’s happened to Margaery. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/51 "2013-04-01T16:43:57Z")
> [@Acsenray](#): > > They didn’t have any money. All that Viserys had to exchange for an army was his own sister. The Dothraki army was also a lot larger. I don’t remember exactly, but wasn’t it tens of thousands of soldiers versus a few thousand of the slave soldiers? ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/52 "2013-04-01T16:44:52Z")
The contrast between Joffrey and Margaery was amusing; he was cowering in his sedan chair while she walked right through the muck and into the orphanage. She was smart enough to realize that she (and Joffrey by extension) needs to win the hearts and minds of the peasants. And she displayed fearlessness, although I suppose no one would be stupid enough to try anything against her. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/53 "2013-04-01T16:50:07Z")
They tried something against Sansa. I guess that did not end well for them though. ---
**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:** [April 1, 2013, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/54 "2013-04-01T17:20:05Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > They tried something against Sansa. I guess that did not end well for them though. That was a bread riot in which the entire royal party was attacked. Margaery seems to be trying to do the kind of outreach that would prevent future riots. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/55 "2013-04-01T17:39:35Z")
I few little bits no one has mentioned: -I loved the little scene with Shea and Sansa looking at the boats, with Sansa playing an imagination game because that’s really all she has right now, and Shea just not getting it -I feel like the very beginning was a bit of a ripoff, given the ending of last season. How did Sam get from being surrounded by zombies and white walkers to where he ended up? -I think the special effects are noticeably better. The dragons, the giant, and the creepy death bug all looked great. ---
**Author:** ![AlsoNamedBort](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alsonamedbort/32/3213_2.png) [@AlsoNamedBort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AlsoNamedBort)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/56 "2013-04-01T17:55:58Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > -I feel like the very beginning was a bit of a ripoff, given the ending of last season. How did Sam get from being surrounded by zombies and white walkers to where he ended up? It seemed obvious to me that the opening scene was some time later, judging by the fact that the Night’s Watch were all beat up. I think we’re just supposed to assume that the White Walkers passed him by. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/57 "2013-04-01T17:58:42Z")
Not even assume, the white walkers were ignoring him at the end of last season. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/58 "2013-04-01T18:05:03Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > -I think the special effects are noticeably better. The dragons, the giant, and the creepy death bug all looked great. The scene where Dany was going into port was a little too stylized CG, in my opinion. If that’s what you’re going for (like in Spartacus), it kinda works. This show, though, uses a much more authentic look so that really stood out to me as green-screeny. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/59 "2013-04-01T18:22:16Z")
> [@Munch](#): > > All 10 Dothraki that stuck around? Or does she plan to try to drum up more of them along the coast? > > Yeah, that makes some sense. They talked about it on the boat. The main Dothraki host abandoned her once Khal Drago took ill. They are still out there doing their thing probably with a new Khal. Her plan is to have built a strong army (they respect strength above all) go to them and say “I’m still your rightful Khalesi. My mighty army will crush you in revenge for abandoning me. Submit or perish.” ---
**Author:** ![Debaser](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3da27b/32.png) [@Debaser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Debaser)\ **Post date:** [April 1, 2013, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244/60 "2013-04-01T18:42:34Z")
> [@AlsoNamedBort](#): > > It seemed obvious to me that the opening scene was some time later, judging by the fact that the Night’s Watch were all beat up. I think we’re just supposed to assume that the White Walkers passed him by. It was also clear that a large number of Night’s Watch had been killed off. They had hundreds when they set out. I counted about 20 or so bloody survivors of the attack. I assumed Sam was able to get away because he ran while others stayed to fight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-3-01-valar-dohaeris-3-31-13-no-book-spoilers/654244.md?page=4)