Agreed. Cersei is pretty much Queen of the Ashes and not much else at this point.
And very disciplined infantry. Did you not catch those Unsullied (standing at frigging attention) on their ship.
You mean having both Land, Sea and Air forces?
Man, compared to the slow burn we got during much of the show, this season sure served up a blast! (Sorry.)
And while I agree that the writing’s lost a touch of subtlety, I think as a whole, the show still serves up pretty great entertainment—and ultimately, that’s what I’m looking for. So I’m willing to move past the defects of Arya’s story line, and forward to her glorious murder-genie future. Seeing her get to Walder Frey was every bit as satisfying as seeing Ramsay getting his comeuppance in the last episode.
By the way, was Walder pretty much always shown eating when he was on screen, or is my memory failing me? And is there a trope for creating disgust with a character by having them be constantly shown eating in a gross manner? Seems to me that even those around him were always a bit repulsed by his manners… And the same thing, I think, was used at several different points in the show; Ser Aliser Thorne comes to mind, for one.
Now for the crackpot theories: do we know that Bran knows that R + L = J? It seems to me that Lyanna’s words were just as unintelligible to him as they were to us; and while it might be sensible for him to assume that the baby boy Ned Stark got entrusted with was the same one he came home with from the war, i.e. Jon, I’m not sure he can be certain at least regarding the boy’s father.
Also, if the theories regarding Bran being the reason the wall’s protective magic is going to fail are right, then there may be a possibility that Benjen’s not on his side, after all—it wouldn’t make sense for the Children to send somebody to help Bran cross the wall, but it would make every bit of sense for the White Walkers to do so. Granted, the WWs really haven’t shown the level of planning needed for something like this, nor is it clear they would have the knowledge (that Benjen is Bran’s uncle, for one). But hey, magic!
And I wonder if Cersei’s going to blame the destruction of the Great Sept on a band of Lord of Light-fanatics from Essos—an act of vile terrorism that must be met with swift retaliation, say against those of the seven kingdoms that are suspected supporters (according to her) of the terrorists, and that also coincidentally harbor the greatest resources still left more or less intact in Westeros, i.e. Dorne and the Reach… 
Sometimes he’s just drinking but I think you’re right. His court is also his dining hall, right? I cant remember if we’ve we seen other castles with a cozy floorpan like that.
Either way, his disgusting eating was like a perpetual reminder or foreshadowing of the Rat Cook story. Well, not too perpetual because there’s like a 3 season gap in his appearances but I doubt it was a coincidence.
Who is the Rat Cook?
It’s from a story Bran tells back in season 3, youtube delivers as usual, after this scene it cuts to Walder Frey.
Definitely not a coincidence. The Rat King was cursed by the gods for killing a guest under his roof.
She almost got him killed by hiding critical information before a battle. What more do you need?
Maybe he doesn’t know with certainty, but knowing the family history, he should be able to guess. I can’t see Martin pulling a gotcha by giving Jon a non-Targaryen father at this point.
Loved this link.
Yeah and beyond the obvious foreshadowing that killing a guest beneath your roof is a sin the gods can’t forgive, that shot with Frey you mention is one of him eating with his mouth open, talking with his mouth full, while someone is scrubbing blood off the floor. A little on the nose, but still… yuck.
I just rewatched the scene where Rob makes the incredibly stupid move of brining his wife to the Twins to beg forgiveness from Frey (in a court separate from the dining hall it looks like, so that answers that) and it begins with a ceremonial passing around of the chip 'n dip, so it always comes back to food with those Freys.
Do we know for sure that the concept of bigamy applies? Aegon the Conqueror had two wives at the same time.
She said she did, and it wasn’t in an offhand laughing way. Or at least, not just in an offhand laughing way. She repeated it again, in earnest, without laughing. She really did treat him like shit.
As far as I’m aware, your inference is unique to you. Split seasons don’t have any particular timeframe associated with them. Consider Breaking Bad’s split final season: The first eight episodes aired in July and August of 2012, then the final eight episodes aired in August and September of 2013.
Also, it’s quite possible to span two years while still taking place within 12 months. Maybe you misread “span two years” to mean two years apart?
Very true. I forgot about the Unsullied. Another one of the regenerating armies. No matter how many are killed there are still more.
I have to think that the writers will find a way to neutralize the dragons before any climactic battle or it will consist of them flying back and forth burning everyone while their mother watches.
I have to think of Denethor slurping and chewing while his son leads his doomed charge.
I was shocked to see him there too. But ships have always been a sort of travel deus ex machina on this show. Think how quickly Catelyn got to and from King’s landing with her dagger. (Seems so unimportant now, doesn’t it?)
It makes dynastic sense for her to marry Robin. Littlefinger is of no family or hereditary wealth. He is only watching over things until the true Lord of the Vale and Warden of the ??? comes of age.
Melisandre doesn’t know she’s headed south to meet Azor A’hai at last. She will hopefully be Jon’s spokesman there, and get Dany focused on the Night King quickly.
Cersei is the devil on Jaime’s shoulder, and Brienne is his angel. He left oathkeeper with Brienne as a sign that he is giving in to his worse nature. He had decided to devote himself to Cersei, and knew what that meant for his character (as in personality).
But seeing her on that throne, he must surely have known that it meant their son was dead. He didn’t look upset enough.
Cersei’s response to Tommen’s death makes sense to me. She had long since accepted the inevitability of that awful prophecy. But now she thinks she has killed the “younger more beautiful” woman who will take it all from her. She’s going to collapse when she catches sight of Dany.
That’s a dynamic I’m eager to see. Why doesn’t he look devastated when he sees her up on that throne? His look is just sort of “NOW what have you done?”
Brilliant.
ARE the Tyrells extinct? Wasn’t there a homebody Tyrell that Sansa was supposed to marry? I haven’t gotten to see episode 10 yet, so I don’t know if he schlepped up to King’s Landing for the trial.
The person you’re thinking of doesn’t exist in the show.
In the closing scene of Dany’s fleet, I was hoping to see an amusing shot of the seasick Dothraki. I did see one ship with horses below deck but don’t remember seeing the Dothraki portrayed as throwing up over the side of the ship.
Double-checked, apparently Willas and Garlan got cut from the TV version.