Game of Thrones 6.08 "No One" 6/12/16 [Show Discussion]

Cafe Society
361

What you just demonstrated is that people have some really ignorant views about how the English language works. I said that nobody had claimed that all abdominal wounds are fatal, and your refudiation quoted a bunch of people talking about a very small number of very specific stabbings. Even if it weren’t so obvious that all those specific stabbings were clearly intended to kill, do you really think that half a dozen specific examples is equivalent to “all”?

Please post the frames showing the number of bottles she had on hand, and the line on the label showing how often it is administered. Oh wait, there is no label, you don’t even know it’s the same stuff, and even if it is, you don’t even know it’s a different bottle. For all you know, it’s only the second dose from the same bottle, which she put out of reach so that Arya couldn’t wake up and guzzle it (as opium may be habit-forming). In other words, there is nothing “certain” about how much time has passed. And “days” would still not be enough to run and jump after those wounds.

No, it’s a device to allow the Waif to sneak in on the actress while she’s helpless. If they wanted to make it clear how much time had passed, they would have a whispered conversation between the actress and some extra about how worried she is, because it’s been four days and Arha has barely stirred.

What they DID make clear was that Arya was still in great pain, just lying in the bed and clutching her stomach, making it even more ridiculous for her to start her tumbling routine a few seconds later.

I did; you’re right. My apologies.

You’re the one talking about intestines dodging knife blades, and how easily deep twisting infected stab wounds can be walked off, so you’re the one who needs to back it up.

362

But still, one should be able to expect consistency. So, when two characters suffer virtually the same injury—if you’re not poring over the individual frames with a microscope and an agenda—you naturally expect similar outcomes. Hence, when (a majority of) the viewers saw Arya hurt in this way, we expect similarly grievous consequences as when Roose Bolton was given that treatment. Of course, we didn’t expect Arya to die; but wondering ‘how will she get through this?’ is a natural question to ask. And since this show very often employs misdirection and false leads, people started questioning whether what we saw was as it seemed, or if it actually was, then what was the deciding factor going to be that allowed her to survive, while Roose is basically dead before he hit the ground. That the answer to this turned out to be ‘dumb luck and plot armor’ simply isn’t terribly satisfying—as is reflected in this episode being the second worst rated one on IMDb out of the show’s nearly sixty episodes so far.

363

All of these quotes say something different than ‘all abdominal wounds are fatal’. At best, they say that ‘the abdominal wounds we’ve seen on the show so far were fatal’, which is a very different, and true, statement.

What makes you think it’s a different bottle?

If understanding the show requires detailed knowledge of abdominal wounds, then that’s bad writing.

No, it’s based on what’s shown on the show, since that’s what you’ve got to assess consistency of what’s shown on the show. After all, every TV show regularly departs from medical science—which is completely OK, as long as it’s done consistently. For instance, if we were to use real medical science to assess the show’s writing, everybody would be complaining that the Mountain is still walking around, or that Beric Dondarion has been raised from the dead numerous times, and so on. But it’s been established on the show that such is possible under the right condition, so, no harm done.

Compare this to the situation with Jon Snow, who received mortal injuries. Now, based on what we’ve been shown, we knew that there was a way to come back from that—thanks to the presence of the Red Priestess. And thanks to that careful prior introduction, people rightly guessed that she’d bring him back.

If that hadn’t been established beforehand, and she’d just up and brought him back because oh yeah, that’s possible, we forgot to tell you, then that’d be deus ex machina writing. But the way things were shown, pulling out a medical handbook that details how Jon Snow’s wounds should have been absolutely fatal just misses the point.

Please. You’re saying that several violent stabs to the abdomen, twisting the knife and ripping it back out, then swimming through basically sewage, is comparable to careful surgery, under antiseptic conditions, with immediate professional wound treatment? If that’s honestly the impression you got from watching your wife perform surgery, then I’d think twice before having my dog treated by her…

364

Forgive me not reading through all the to-ing and fro-ing about Arya’s wound, but can I ask is this what I am supposed to take from the chase scene?
Arya is not bleeding while being chased, but is using the squashed fruit (blood oranges?!) to fool the waif into believing she is and lead her into darkness where she knows she will have the advantage.
She did not appear injured as she strode away from the Faceless Man.

MiM

365

I had no issue with their decision. The Blackfish indeed isn’t their lord, Edmure is. Their duty is clear. And as for the consequences, even though against some adversaries (like Ramsay Bolton), surrendering might means death, their most likely prospect is to switch side, serving in the Lannister’s army, returning to their ancestral lands as vassals of the Freys, just staying at Riverrun to discharge their usual duties…Which beats being killed in a siege.

The Blackfish is depicted as the unreasonable character, here, not even willing to let his nephew (and rightful lord) enter his own castle.

Someone stated he hopes that the Blackfish is in fact still alive. Even though it would be again sloppy writing, I wish it could be true, since otherwise it’s a waste of an interesting character, and made the whole escape from the Red Wedding and siege pointless. However, I believe him to be really dead. It appears to me that during the recent episodes, the producers have been killing off many characters, presumably those who are deemed useless for the overall plot and final resolution, trimming down the cast. I suspect the blackfish belongs to this list.

366

I don’t think it would be weird as fuck for her to carry a sword in this place. Besides, she always kept needle with her previously, if only because this sword means a lot to her. Not carrying it when she’s the most clearly in danger makes no sense. On top of it, Needle already allowed her once to fend off random assaulters in Braavos, in a previous episode. Why would she know decide she’s not going to need it, even if she wasn’t hunted down by a sect of assassins?
I’m with the people who think that this episode was inconsistent in many ways (except for the bags of money, I just assumed she stole it, having now the talents for that), and the absence of needle was the most blatant inconsistency.

367

I’m pretty sure she spent at least a little while in the care of the actress and we’re seeing a condensed version of events. At least it’s the only thing that makes a bit of sense, since you don’t do bloody parkour with a sucking abdominal wound. My head-canon is that the Waif came back to the temple and was all “mission accomplished, biatch !” ; then some weeks later the news that the actress was nursing a mysterious girl filtered up to them at which point the Waif went all Terminator. Arya’s stitched-up wounds re-opened during the chase, likely with the fall down the stairs. You even have hints of it in-show, as the actress has to dig into her secret stash of opium when it’s quite clear that she didn’t give all of the pot to Arya the first time and didn’t have to fish very far for that one first pot.

As for Needle missing, my understanding is that her plan was always to lure the Waif into the dark room by playing on her overconfidence - it’s hard to run with a sword in your belt ; but the Waif’s first attack took her by surprise/caught her off-guard (because you can’t be at your peak attentiveness 24/7 nor worry about every single person you meet).

That being said I agree that this plotline was the weakest of this and last week’s episode, and the chase was straight out of Assassin’s Creed.

368

I’d say the fight was the cream of the shit sundae; the cherry was the line “And now a girl is no-one” which makes no sense.
(Plus of course there’s no reason Arya would know he and the other faceless men wouldn’t try to kill her, nor would he know that she wouldn’t kill him)

I still remember how exciting it was when she first entered the house of black and white. Boy what a disappointment.

369

The waif actually went after the actress because she was slated to die (the job Arya refused to do) - she even says “When the god of many faces is promised a name, he gets what he’s due.” … she then said “and he was promised your name”… but Jaqen was cool with letting it slide. Add it to the list of faceless men inconsistencies.

Since the Waif was going to kill the actress anyway, it makes it less likely this was over a long time period, and even sillier that Arya took refuge with the actress (the least safe place in the world for her) and then just conveniently woke up at the right time. Add it to the list three dozen things that needed to go perfectly right for Arya to live.

Fair enough. And yes, that line was completely baffling. “I reject your murder cult because I can’t let go of my identity! I killed the girl who was training me!” “Well I guess that means you’re totally committed to us then!”

It was just a laughably weak and nonsensical setup for the obvious reply of “I’m Arya Stark of Winterfell”

370

I don’t know, Jaqen seems fairly consistent about the whole “It’s all the same to the many-faced god” thing. I guess as long as somebody dies, the god isn’t too displeased.

371

But that can’t be right, because when Arya killed Trant, she killed the wrong guy and was punished. The whole thing has been very inconsistent. I think they just counted on mystical mumbo jumbo making it seem like it made sense without any real craft in writing it.

372

Actually having a trial that forces your students to fight to the death makes a whole lot of sense for a cult of assassins. I stand by my theory this was essentially Arya’s final exam (the Waif’s too for that matter but the Waif failed).

373

It makes some sense that contract kills are a bigger deal than anything else. They have a reputation to keep. The actress had to die because bitchy tit girl paid for the murder, same as the guy Arya didn’t kill. When it comes to Arya killing the waif instead of the other way around as far as they are concerned that just means they got to keep the better of the two. Granted that is just fanwaking, but it makes sense.

374

I don’t recall where it was revealed that either of these killings were purchased by just some aggrieved citizen with the money to put out a contract. Seems rather mercenary for a sect that claims to kill in the name of the Red God. I assumed there was some kind of cosmic karma that selected the targets.

375

They alternate between some sort of cosmic justice restoring balance to the world and being a bunch of thugs for hire that will kill anyone for some coin.

376

Trogdor the Burninator!

377

I watched the episode again last night. And there is one point that does make it look like Arya was setting a trap. Towards the end of the chase when they were going down alleyways at a couple of points where Arya could have gone down different alleys she put her bloodied hand of the corner of the alley she turned down. The second time she did that they specifically show the Waif slowing down and looking around and then noticing the blood on the corner and then turning down that alley.

The beginning of this video shows the Waif noticing the blood on the corner.

Like I said I watched it again last night and remember this line and it is not how you quoted. The Waif says, “and now he’s been promised another name”.

Here’s a video of the Waif saying what I quoted. Go to the 1:30 mark.

378

It did seem to me that, at least in the last minute or two, Arya was purposefully leaving bloody handmarks here and there so that the Waif-1000 would be able to track her. Still underwhelmed by that whole plotline, though, for reasons others have already written.

379

My point wasn’t that she wasn’t shown leaving deliberate marks for the Waif to follow, My point was that the very idea of setting a trap like that with injuries like hers was beyond stupid. It would have made sense had she not actually been running for her life. Running for your life and setting a trap that will lead directly to a fight to the death while doing so was just terrible writing.

We know Arya is a little bad ass, Shes one of the shows most loved characters for a reason. You don’t need to hit up TVTropes.com for ideas to write into her story line.

380

They don’t kill for the Red God (the fire god of Melisandra). The red god was mentioned when we first met Jaqen because he (and two others) were about to die by fire in this particular instance.
That said the motives for the killing aren’t clearly stated. It’s unclear to me that they kill anybody just because someone paid for it. And we don’t know if this killing was actually requested by the other actress, as Arya asked.

I still have (a faint) hope that the faceless men will play a part later in the show (through Arya) and that something will be disclosed that will give some sense to this death cult.