# Game of Thrones 5.08 "Hardhome" 5/31/15 \[Show discussion\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 1, 2015, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309 "2015-06-01T02:12:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/221 "2015-06-03T17:27:04Z")
A writer on Grantland answers a few questions that have been asked here: the layout of the fishing village, origin of the Night’s King, the number of Valyrian swords, and where the steel comes from. He apparently uses non-TV resources to answer (when applicable) so I’ll spoil the link: [» Ask the Maester: The Origin of the Night’s King, the Wights, and Dragonglass](http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/ask-the-maester-the-origin-of-the-nights-king-the-wights-and-dragonglass/) ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/222 "2015-06-03T17:34:34Z")
> [@clairobscur](#): > > It doesn’t seem to me that rules are closely abided by in Westeros. They seem to exist in theory but in almost every instance, they’re twisted or ignored. > > In this case it seems to me that Joffrey wasn’t able to make serious decisions simply because everybody was obeying Tywin, who was considered by all as the actual holder of power. It was made clear many times by Tywin to Joffrey that he wasn’t in charge (when he sent him to bed, or told him that the meeting of the council would take place in Tywin’s appartments, for instance). > > And despite some unusual characters (Ned Stark, Stannis, Brienne, the High Sparrow…) we see at every turn that the rule of law is generally ignored and that might makes right in almost all circumstances. For instance, when Ned’s son gather his bannermen, they don’t say “of course we’re going to fight for our legitimate lord”. They say something like “why should we follow a kid in this adventure?”. > > Tywin has money, soldiers, faithful followers, influence, etc…so people obey him. Joffrey (or Tommen) doesn’t, so they don’t. > > The setting of the serie looks like late middle-ages, but the overall mindset seems more similar to the high middle ages to me (very independant lords, importance of personal relationships and clientele, etc…) You don’t go anywhere saying “the law says so”. Power is an illusion, it resides where people think it resides. People thought of Tywin as powerful, so he was. People do not think of Tommen as powerful, so he is not ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/223 "2015-06-03T20:08:56Z")
> [@Deeg](#): > > A writer on Grantland answers a few questions that have been asked here: the layout of the fishing village, origin of the Night’s King, the number of Valyrian swords, and where the steel comes from. He apparently uses non-TV resources to answer (when applicable) so I’ll spoil the link: > > [» Ask the Maester: The Origin of the Night’s King, the Wights, and Dragonglass](http://grantland.com/hollywood-prospectus/ask-the-maester-the-origin-of-the-nights-king-the-wights-and-dragonglass/) Great stuff - thanks! ---
**Author:** ![Gothic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/839c29/32.png) [@Gothic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gothic)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/224 "2015-06-03T20:53:51Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > So suggestions for a couple name for Tyrion and Daenarys? > > Daenyrion or Tyrnarys seem to work best. Tyrany if they both become drunks. Tany if you like county music. Langarion … ---
**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:** [June 3, 2015, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/225 "2015-06-03T20:59:03Z")
Draglion ---
**Author:** ![up\_the\_junction](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/f1d935/32.png) [@up\_the\_junction](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/up_the_junction)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/226 "2015-06-03T21:38:17Z")
Tyranny? ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/227 "2015-06-03T21:46:24Z")
> [@Gothic](#): > > Tyrany if they both become drunks. Okay, has to be this one. I’ll bet the servants of the Faceless God offer one hell of an employee insurance plan once word gets out about the doomed oyster eater gambler man. Speaking of Arya, I think that “Truth or Slap” would be a good tie-in game show. ---
**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:** [June 3, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/228 "2015-06-03T22:02:43Z")
I like “Danyrion” as their power couple name. ---
**Author:** ![Frazzled](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frazzled/32/3368_2.png) [@Frazzled](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frazzled)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/229 "2015-06-03T22:14:15Z")
So Arya is going out in the guise of “Lana”, an oyster girl. As Arya is describing Lana we learn that Lana has a number of customers whom she serves daily who should recognize if a swap has been made between Lana to Arya. Is Arya taking the place of a real girl named Lana? When the people on the streets look at Arya are they seeing the face of a different girl or has it always been Arya who just concocted an elaborate cover story and spent time building up a role that we didn’t see until she was directed to meet the gambler? ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/230 "2015-06-03T23:03:10Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > Is Arya taking the place of a real girl named Lana? When the people on the streets look at Arya are they seeing the face of a different girl or has it always been Arya who just concocted an elaborate cover story and spent time building up a role that we didn’t see until she was directed to meet the gambler? That was my assumption. ---
**Author:** ![alphaboi867](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alphaboi867/32/3898_2.png) [@alphaboi867](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaboi867)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/231 "2015-06-03T23:16:37Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > So Arya is going out in the guise of “Lana”, an oyster girl. As Arya is describing Lana we learn that Lana has a number of customers whom she serves daily who should recognize if a swap has been made between Lana to Arya. > > Is Arya taking the place of a real girl named Lana? When the people on the streets look at Arya are they seeing the face of a different girl or has it always been Arya who just concocted an elaborate cover story and spent time building up a role that we didn’t see until she was directed to meet the gambler? A third possibility is that Arya is now wearing Lana’s face, but there’re not showing this to the viewer to avoid recasting the actress (ala Sam Beckett in **Quantum Leap** ), but if that’s the case they need some way of demonstrating that to the viewer (like showing her reflection in something). ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/232 "2015-06-03T23:41:07Z")
Arya. ARYA. AAAAAAARYAAAAAAAAA!!! …danger zone! ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 11:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/233 "2015-06-03T23:54:08Z")
I thought that Arya simply created the character, she even talked about how she started off just begging then bought some oysters and sold them, then worked up her way to the wheelbarrow. It’s always been just Arya, the show just doesn’t convey the passage of time when it only shows a single scene. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/234 "2015-06-04T02:49:29Z")
Since we’re now talking about Arya, what the heck was that she put on the oysters for the gambler? It sounded like he said he wanted vanilla on them. Is that a real thing or just something in the show because that sounds utterly disgusting? Then again, I think raw oysters sound disgusting. ---
**Author:** ![EllisDee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellisdee/32/4531_2.png) [@EllisDee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EllisDee)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/235 "2015-06-04T03:04:33Z")
Vinegar. ---
**Author:** ![Wile\_E](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c37758/32.png) [@Wile\_E](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wile_E)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/236 "2015-06-04T06:22:34Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > Vinegar. Well, that makes a little more sense. Darn accents, I miss a lot of what’s said. Still sounds disgusting, though. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 7:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/237 "2015-06-04T07:45:44Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Since we’re now talking about Arya, what the heck was that she put on the oysters for the gambler? It sounded like he said he wanted vanilla on them. Is that a real thing or just something in the show because that sounds utterly disgusting? Then again, I think raw oysters sound disgusting. Yes I heard vanilla as well, and was like WTF? But nah vinegar on raw oysters sounds good, I like oysters. I think Ollie is going to freak out when the wildlings join the watch and try to or even actually kill someone. I bet it will involve the two girls of the dead female wildling leader, maybe they have them bunk with Ollie since they are the only three kids at the wall. This will outrage the wildlings and they will try to or kill Ollie, which will outrage the crows because they have all shown an affection and sympathy for Ollie being the youngest crow and an orphan. Then Ramsey will show up with his twenty men and maybe even Stannis will be there. Or possibly Ollie will incite the crows against the wildlings somehow, whatever happens Ollie will be the center of it. This show loves playing up the unintended bad consequences to acts of kindness theme. And right when everyone is fighting everyone Jon will notice a dead person reanimating, and look up and see the walkers and king walker at the top of the wall too late to stop the battle and people being killed. Cut to credits season end. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/238 "2015-06-04T08:01:59Z")
Additional speculation on next season… With the walkers now having wights on the other side of the wall the survivors of the disaster like Jon, Sam, Gilly and baby(they might die shockingly!) and Tormund and Stannis and Mel and whoever else survives will be forced to abandon the wight infested wall and its buildings and head for Winterfell. The walkers will have the gates opened for them by the wights, we have seen they can use weapons so I am sure they can operate a gate mechanism or the elevator. The walkers are now past and hold the wall. The wall gang and Stannis will hole up in Winterfell with Brienne and Sansa and Theon, not sure how Ramsey and Roose will be dealt with or if they are even dead. Perhaps seeing wights will scare them enough to make them cooperate. Or Brienne kills Ramsey when he goes out with his men. Basically all the details could be wrong here but two things I am sure of. The walkers will take the wall, and the wall gang with merge with the winterfell gang in a wight siege. I assume things will continue spiraling out of control in Kings landing, with the high sparrow seizing power in a populist backed coup. Everything will be chaos with him in charge, Olenna will make good on her threat to cut off food to the capital. No clue who lives or dies here or in what order but I promise there will be a lot of starving and dead people in the streets of KL. JUST in time for some dudes with blue eyes to show up! I assume Jamie and Bronn will be part of rallying Dorne to try and retake KL, and Dorne will go along with it because with Tommen dead Mercella now has the throne and they will want her installed with her Dornish husband will they think will be king. Jamie will hope he can rescue Cersei or Tommen. And when Dany and Tyrion show up with the best hope for saving Westeros Tyrion will be glad to see Jamie and Jamie will kill him on the spot like he promised Bronn he would, again throwing everything into chaos. ---
**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:** [June 4, 2015, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/239 "2015-06-04T12:30:42Z")
> [@Wile\_E](#): > > Well, that makes a little more sense. Darn accents, I miss a lot of what’s said. > > Still sounds disgusting, though. Vinegar on oysters is perfectly delicious. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309/240 "2015-06-04T12:34:14Z")
> [@Frazzled](#): > > So Arya is going out in the guise of “Lana”, an oyster girl. As Arya is describing Lana we learn that Lana has a number of customers whom she serves daily who should recognize if a swap has been made between Lana to Arya. > > Is Arya taking the place of a real girl named Lana? When the people on the streets look at Arya are they seeing the face of a different girl or has it always been Arya who just concocted an elaborate cover story and spent time building up a role that we didn’t see until she was directed to meet the gambler? I thought it was just Arya making up a backstory for her character so she can play it more naturally and not tip anyone off that she is not Lana. Sometimes actors write a backstory for their character that has nothing to do with the plot so they can better understand the character. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309.md?page=11) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-5-08-hardhome-5-31-15-show-discussion/721309.md?page=13)