# Game of Thrones 6.08 "No One" 6/12/16 \[Show Discussion\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 12, 2016, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226 "2016-06-12T23:36:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![Quimby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/22d042/32.png) [@Quimby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quimby)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/121 "2016-06-13T19:40:49Z")
> [@Sam\_Stone](#): > > Arya wasn’t drawing the waif out and leading her back to her lair as some kind of genius plot - she was running like hell for her life, back to the only possible chance to live - her sword. I’m pretty sure this was indeed a trap. Obviously she really got hurt during the chase but she was leaving bloody prints on purpose to draw the Waif to the one place she had an advantage. So in a way we are both right. She was indeed running like hell for her life but the destination was her plan. Again, to clarify, I think this plan was something she came up with now when the Waif attacked but it was indeed a plan. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/122 "2016-06-13T19:47:53Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > If you’re not seeing all the red herrings placed by the writers and so far none have been explained away, you’re not paying attention. Red herrings to be legitimate have to have some sensible explanation after the fact or they’re just cheating by the writers. Having Arya stride around in Jaqen’s manner might have been a red herring placed by the writers, but if it was it was bad writing because the only people it was designed to fool was the audience. There was no other reason for Arya to imitate Jaqen. > [@](#): > > Please don’t tell me you think that was a well written ending to the Arya/Waif arc. No matter how you slice it, it was bad writing. It doesn’t matter even if all the hand-waving by those trying to explain the inconsistencies and stupidities are correct. Even if they are correct, it’s still hack writing. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/123 "2016-06-13T19:50:50Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Red herrings to be legitimate have to have some sensible explanation after the fact or they’re just cheating by the writers. Having Arya stride around in Jaqen’s manner might have been a red herring placed by the writers, but if it was it was bad writing because the only people it was designed to fool was the audience. There was no other reason for Arya to imitate Jaqen. Why was she imitating Jaqen? She was walking around like she owned the place. Which is what you do when you want to go places unmolested. > [@](#): > > No matter how you slice it, it was bad writing. It doesn’t matter even if all the hand-waving by those trying to explain the inconsistencies and stupidities are correct. Even if they are correct, it’s still hack writing. I’d say that it’s not hand-waiving if the “inconsistencies and stupidities” are based on an erroneous conclusion drawn by those complaining. ---
**Author:** ![TonySinclair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/49beb7/32.png) [@TonySinclair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TonySinclair)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/124 "2016-06-13T19:50:50Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Missandei has never been more appealing. Sure she has. When she was naked. > [@](#): > > I could see them playing it either way: the FM will still be coming for Arya because it was _her_ name on the list, and a person having been named, that person must die; When Arya named Jacqen back at Harrenhal, she was allowed to unname him. ---
**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:** [June 13, 2016, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/125 "2016-06-13T19:53:08Z")
> [@TonySinclair](#): > > And in my experience, cutting off someone’s face and wearing it over your own doesn’t really keep people from noticing you. The art of wearing faces clearly depends on magic, not clumsy butchery like Hannibal Lecter. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/126 "2016-06-13T19:55:38Z")
The whole Arya thing is preposterous and meaningless. She has the money, and was ostentatiously drawing the waif out, because she’s been training to be sneaky and clever and that was her plan. But when a creepy old woman walks right up to her and says “sweeet girrrll” in a place where nobody gives any semblance of a fuck about you under any circumstances, she’s not clever enough not to get repeatedly stabbed in the gut. If your plan is to draw someone out, there has to be a step two. Then she’s so clever that, despite surviving a total blindside attack by apparently the most skilled killer in the world who hates her more than anyone in the world, she goes back to the place where the waif knows she’s made a connection (not that she had many options, because this is a place where nobody gives any semblance of a fuck about you, but you can’t have it both ways when you’re being clever). The clever trap thus having been double-sprung, and the only person who has given a shit about her in years having been butchered successfully in front of her eyes, because the waif is good at doing that again, all she has to do is bleed all over every cobblestone in the fucking city, jump off a bridge and fall down some stairs, rolling through every orange in the joint while the waif inexplicably vogues for a couple of minutes. Then instead of turning out the lights and grabbing her sword before the waif shows up, she waits until the waif shows up, then shows her she has a sword and where she is, and then cuts the wick. The whole point of the entire subplot was nothing. She’s learned nothing, she’s changed barely at all, apparently. She was more resourceful before she ever met Jaqen. ---
**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 13, 2016, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/127 "2016-06-13T20:02:18Z")
Her assassin skills are better now than when she arrived in Braavos, but I agree that it was a poorly-written subplot. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/128 "2016-06-13T20:03:16Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > Why was she imitating Jaqen? She was walking around like she owned the place. Which is what you do when you want to go places unmolested. That’s a ridiculous explanation. > [@](#): > > I’d say that it’s not hand-waiving if the “inconsistencies and stupidities” are based on an erroneous conclusion drawn by those complaining. No, they’re still inconsistencies and stupidities after your unconvincing attempts to explain them. ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/129 "2016-06-13T20:06:31Z")
> [@Quimby](#): > > I’m pretty sure this was indeed a trap. Obviously she really got hurt during the chase but she was leaving bloody prints on purpose to draw the Waif to the one place she had an advantage. So in a way we are both right. She was indeed running like hell for her life but the destination was her plan. > > Again, to clarify, I think this plan was something she came up with now when the Waif attacked but it was indeed a plan. I agree, she didn’t have an elaborate master plan on how to kill the waif, but it was what made the most sense at the moment. I’m guessing things went like this: [ul] [li]Went to sleep in the dark room two episodes ago[/li][li]Woke up, and left Needle in the room since it’s extremely valuable to her and she’d look suspicious carrying it around, and maybe the captain would be less willing to have her on the boat[/li][li]Booked passage on the boat, feeling excited about leaving[/li][li]Planned to get ready for the trip, and go back to her room to sleep that night and set out on the trip tomorrow with Needle[/li][li]Got stabbed[/li][li]Surfaced from the river not knowing who to trust[/li][li]Went to the actress as a desperate measure since she literally knows no one else in the city[/li][li]Got help from her[/li][li]Woke up to find the actress dead[/li][li]Ran back to her hiding room, knowing that Needle would still be there like she had planned for her trip[/li][/ul] She did act stupidly, since she should have known that the Faceless Men would be out to get her, and then that she was putting the actress’s life in danger by being there. I don’t know how far it was from the bridge to the theater, but it would have been obvious to Arya that the Waif wouldn’t have too much trouble figuring out where she was. > [@Colibri](#): > > Red herrings to be legitimate have to have some sensible explanation after the fact or they’re just cheating by the writers. Having Arya stride around in Jaqen’s manner might have been a red herring placed by the writers, but if it was it was bad writing because the only people it was designed to fool was the audience. There was no other reason for Arya to imitate Jaqen. > > No matter how you slice it, it was bad writing. It doesn’t matter even if all the hand-waving by those trying to explain the inconsistencies and stupidities are correct. Even if they are correct, it’s still hack writing. I’m not exactly sure what you’re talking about, since I don’t think she was imitating Jaqen, we haven’t seen him striding about and throwing bags of money around from what I remember. But I agree, it was bad writing, and also bad acting from the Waif acting very Terminator-y. Characters don’t always have to be smart because that would be unnatural, but they also shouldn’t act stupid in a way that doesn’t make sense for them. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/130 "2016-06-13T20:07:41Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > The whole Arya thing is preposterous and meaningless. > > She has the money, and was ostentatiously drawing the waif out More likely, she had no intention of drawing the Waif out. > [@](#): > > , because she’s been training to be sneaky and clever and that was her plan. But when a creepy old woman walks right up to her and says “sweeet girrrll” in a place where nobody gives any semblance of a fuck about you under any circumstances, she’s not clever enough not to get repeatedly stabbed in the gut. If your plan is to draw someone out, there has to be a step two. Or, she got sloppy, for a moment, and that’s when the Waif decided to strike. > [@](#): > > Then she’s so clever that, despite surviving a total blindside attack by apparently the most skilled killer in the world who hates her more than anyone in the world, she goes back to the place where the waif knows she’s made a connection (not that she had many options, because this is a place where nobody gives any semblance of a fuck about you, but you can’t have it both ways when you’re being clever). Or she wasn’t being clever, and she just managed to escape because the Waif was trying to draw out her death. The waif could have cut her throat, but instead pulled the face off and let Arya know it was her killing her. Arya got away because of the arrogance and desire of the Waif to make her afraid and suffer. > [@](#): > > The clever trap thus having been double-sprung, and the only person who has given a shit about her in years having been butchered successfully in front of her eyes, because the waif is good at doing that again, all she has to do is bleed all over every cobblestone in the fucking city, jump off a bridge and fall down some stairs, rolling through every orange in the joint while the waif inexplicably vogues for a couple of minutes. Then instead of turning out the lights and grabbing her sword before the waif shows up, she waits until the waif shows up, then shows her she has a sword and where she is, and then cuts the wick. She didn’t expect the woman to die, because the woman was a last-ditch attempt to save her life. Also, once she was running from the Waif, it made sense to run to where she stashed Needle. And once there, it made sense for the lights to be on, so that the Waif wouldn’t expect to be thrust into darkness. The point of cutting the candle, is that the Waif would win the fight if it were fair, and might not walk into darkness without a light of her own, so not extinguishing the light is a good idea. > [@](#): > > The whole point of the entire subplot was nothing. She’s learned nothing, she’s changed barely at all, apparently. She was more resourceful before she ever met Jaqen. That’s a bit silly. She can fight in the dark, is able to steal large amounts of money, and maybe can wear faces. She certainly has improved her abilities since arriving. ---
**Author:** ![Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f475e1/32.png) [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jimmy_Chitwood)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/131 "2016-06-13T20:26:33Z")
If she had no intention of drawing her out then her ostentatious parading about town was extraordinarily stupid, and not something a clever person would do. And so on. At some point in an incredibly unlikely and poorly reasoned sequence of events, you have to do something clever in order to be considered clever. The waif being even dumber than she was is not a point in the plotline’s favor. _Presumably_ she’s gotten wilier and improved her assassin skills. Where has that shown up in the actual story at this point? Pre-Faceless Arya was wily and tough as a motherfucker. ---
**Author:** ![JcWoman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jcwoman/32/2889_2.png) [@JcWoman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JcWoman)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/132 "2016-06-13T20:27:01Z")
> [@Oakminster](#): > > I was cracking up from the moment the Hound beheaded the first redshirt guy. Apparently he’s got a Vorpal Axe +3. Also loved him stealing the guy’s boots while watching him die. I don’t care for the gore and hide my eyes but I have to admit to loving that character. He’s got a sort of brutish nobility, or as my husband said, he’s true to himself. No bullshit and no hidden agendas. I’m glad he didn’t die. I also adore Brienne. When the two fought I was all manner of excited and afraid. I loved seeing them fight but didn’t want either of them to lose. She is a completely different kind of character, almost a paladin. Also very noble and true to herself. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/133 "2016-06-13T20:33:18Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > That’s a ridiculous explanation. No it isn’t. The idea that someone who is trying to hide in a crowd should skulk is ridiculous. > [@](#): > > No, they’re still inconsistencies and stupidities after your unconvincing attempts to explain them. You’re free to hold fast to your opinion based on whatever notions you first formed, but you’re wrong. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/134 "2016-06-13T20:34:30Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > The whole Arya thing is preposterous and meaningless. > > She has the money, and was ostentatiously drawing the waif out, because she’s been training to be sneaky and clever and that was her plan. But when a creepy old woman walks right up to her and says “sweeet girrrll” in a place where nobody gives any semblance of a fuck about you under any circumstances, she’s not clever enough not to get repeatedly stabbed in the gut. If your plan is to draw someone out, there has to be a step two. > > Then she’s so clever that, despite surviving a total blindside attack by apparently the most skilled killer in the world who hates her more than anyone in the world, she goes back to the place where the waif knows she’s made a connection (not that she had many options, because this is a place where nobody gives any semblance of a fuck about you, but you can’t have it both ways when you’re being clever). > > The clever trap thus having been double-sprung, and the only person who has given a shit about her in years having been butchered successfully in front of her eyes, because the waif is good at doing that again, all she has to do is bleed all over every cobblestone in the fucking city, jump off a bridge and fall down some stairs, rolling through every orange in the joint while the waif inexplicably vogues for a couple of minutes. Then instead of turning out the lights and grabbing her sword before the waif shows up, she waits until the waif shows up, then shows her she has a sword and where she is, and then cuts the wick. > > The whole point of the entire subplot was nothing. She’s learned nothing, she’s changed barely at all, apparently. She was more resourceful before she ever met Jaqen. Yep. Just glad all that nonsense is over. I, too, liked the back and forth between Tryion and the other two. He got them good and drunk off a few sips of wine. I will join those who are suspicious about The Blackfish being dead. Even when you see people die in this show, they’re not always dead! ---
**Author:** ![Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/half_man_half_wit/32/21766_2.png) [@Half\_Man\_Half\_Wit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Half_Man_Half_Wit)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/135 "2016-06-13T20:36:08Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > -Meryn Trant not only killed Syrio, but he happens to be a pedophile. Just because So I’ve been re-watching the series, and it’s quite amazing how many developments are foreshadowed early on: for instance, in the first episode of the third series, Bronn tells Trant that all he’d ever been good for was hitting young girls (or words to that effect). Not that that saves the Arya plotline, though… ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/136 "2016-06-13T20:39:27Z")
> [@Jimmy\_Chitwood](#): > > If she had no intention of drawing her out then her ostentatious parading about town was extraordinarily stupid, and not something a clever person would do. What should she have done? Flitted from shadow to shadow? Had a huge cloak with a hood? A fake mustache? What which to twirl? > [@](#): > > And so on. At some point in an incredibly unlikely and poorly reasoned sequence of events, you have to do something clever in order to be considered clever. The waif being even dumber than she was is not a point in the plotline’s favor. It was luck, people have survived because of luck or circumstance in the real world. Is it lucky that the Waif hated Arya enough to make her suffer, yes. She could have sliced her throat and that would be the end of it. But this series if full of people who have ugly ends because of dumb decisions. Rob Stark, Ned Stark, Oberyn Martell, and I’m sure others, all died because they acted based on emotion, just like the Waif. > [@](#): > > _Presumably_ she’s gotten wilier and improved her assassin skills. Where has that shown up in the actual story at this point? Pre-Faceless Arya was wily and tough as a motherfucker. And she managed to kill a vastly superior fighter by fighting her in the dark. That’s pretty clever. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/137 "2016-06-13T20:58:55Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > No it isn’t. The idea that someone who is trying to hide in a crowd should skulk is ridiculous. A statement like this merely shows the lack of logic in your arguments. > [@](#): > > You’re free to hold fast to your opinion based on whatever notions you first formed, but you’re wrong. The basic problem I think is that you don’t seem to understand competent writing. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/138 "2016-06-13T21:08:00Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > A statement like this merely shows the lack of logic in your arguments. Please explain how? Show me why, I’m open to being enlightened. > [@](#): > > The basic problem I think is that you don’t seem to understand competent writing. That may be the case. I think more likely, the problem is that you’ve invested in a particular narrative and expectations, and you’re viewing a divergence from what you wanted as bad writing. ---
**Author:** ![Doyle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doyle/32/439_2.png) [@Doyle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doyle)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/139 "2016-06-13T21:29:00Z")
> [@Lobohan](#): > > That may be the case. I think more likely, the problem is that you’ve invested in a particular narrative and expectations, and you’re viewing a divergence from what you wanted as bad writing. No it is unimaginatively bad writing. ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [June 13, 2016, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226/140 "2016-06-13T21:33:26Z")
> [@Doyle](#): > > No it is unimaginatively bad writing. I’ve already addressed your issues, and instead of explaining why my points are bad, you simply repeat your thesis. I’d say your posts constitute bad writing. 😃 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226.md?page=6) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-6-08-no-one-6-12-16-show-discussion/757226.md?page=8)