# Game of Thrones 8.04 "The Last of the Starks" 5/5/2019 \[Show discussion\] **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 5, 2019, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524 "2019-05-05T20:44:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 35
**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:** [May 12, 2019, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/681 "2019-05-12T18:32:51Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Honestly, it’s hard to tell what the King/Queen of the Seven Kingdoms even does aside from managing relationships with major nobles. Even the military is largely regional. At the start of the show, the military was _only_ regional. There was a scene where Cersei asked Joffrey what he planned to do as king and he talked about creating a royal army. He complained it was ridiculous that the crown didn’t have its own army. ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2019, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/682 "2019-05-12T19:01:44Z")
Isn’t it true that the episode where Tyrion killed Tywin aired on Father’s Day? Well, today is Mother’s Day… ---
**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:** [May 12, 2019, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/683 "2019-05-12T19:13:59Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > The book/show spoiler thread is a better place for this discussion, so I [replied there.](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=21638107&postcount=143) If you (and this goes for everyone) want to continue debating the merits of the show writers vs GRRM, it’d be better to take it to that thread. Thanks. I was going to say something, but even imaginary books should be discussed in the book thread. ---
**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:** [May 12, 2019, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/684 "2019-05-12T22:08:01Z")
[8.05 thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?p=21638398) ---
**Author:** ![eunoia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eunoia/32/97_2.png) [@eunoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eunoia)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/685 "2019-05-13T17:41:56Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > I wasn’t talking about the technical ability to replace it in post, which I know is trivial, but to change it on their HBO GO stream while still leaving it paused at the same place when I returned to it. This is also interesting enough to me that I asked someone with some professional expertise who has allowed me to quote: "well i don’t think there’s any doubt that it’s possible… here’s technically what you have to do: 1. Invalidate the remote resource (the GOT stream – now version 2 instead of version 1) (2) Have some way for the player (you, local) to know that the resource’s remote version has changed, and therefore invalidate your own local cache (the next seconds/minutes that you pre-downloaded to guard against buffer underflows). (3) The local service then refills its “next few seconds” cache with new downloaded material as to the specific question about if Schrödinger’s Frame (the newly displayed frame _sans_ coffee cup) is the same frame number as the one you paused or is say, that frame number plus 1, : “could work either way.” I think what makes it seem non-trivial is that we think in terms of previous technology. Like grandma saying, “When I pause the VHS why is the film not melting the frame?” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 13, 2019, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/686 "2019-05-13T19:22:10Z")
> [@EllisDee](#): > > At the start of the show, the military was _only_ regional. > > There was a scene where Cersei asked Joffrey what he planned to do as king and he talked about creating a royal army. He complained it was ridiculous that the crown didn’t have its own army. Of course, one can see his frustration. Even in the last show Cersei’s army was largely Lannister-raised troops and mercenaries. In a feudal system, creating a national army runs into the obvious problem that EVERYTHING is decentralized. It’s a cool idea to raise a royal army, but for that you need lots of royal money and subjects to hire from and food to feed to your soldiers. In a feudal society, the problem the King faces is that the lands under his sovereingty are controlled by some other noble, who taxes the peasants and mines the iron and raises the soldiers. Almost everything is outsourced. I mean, that’s what feudalism is. The Iron Throne controls a small area around King’s Landing, the Crownlands or whatever they’re called, so it has some economy. But it doesn’t control most of the country, so if you want soldiers from the Reach or the North or wherever, you have to ask the bosses of those places - and they in turn are dependent to varying extents on THEIR “Bannermen,” as they’re called in this universe, which again is pretty consistent with the feudal systems that have really existed. And we know that the Iron throne is already in a shitload of debt to start the story. ---
**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:** [May 14, 2019, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/687 "2019-05-14T18:42:53Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Honestly, it’s hard to tell what the King/Queen of the Seven Kingdoms even does aside from managing relationships with major nobles… Well, you could go with the “Be crazy and burn people” leadership model of Aerys, or the “Drink, whore and eat” model of Robert. ---
**Author:** ![Dale\_Sams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/779978/32.png) [@Dale\_Sams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dale_Sams)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/688 "2019-05-14T21:41:50Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Personally, I was OK with Peter Dinklage’s performance, British accent or not. After all, he’s not playing a British person, so who cares whether the accent is authentic? And correct me if I’m wrong, but isn’t he the only cast member to win an Emmy Award for his performance? (Googling, he was nominated seven times and won three.) Exactly. He does a great Tyrion accent. Some people are after doing there role for so long just doing a voice…what the heck accent is Hemsworths Thor?? I can imitate it but it’s not English or Australian. ---
**Author:** ![Grim\_Render](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@Grim\_Render](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grim_Render)\ **Post date:** [May 15, 2019, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/689 "2019-05-15T07:00:17Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Of course, one can see his frustration. Even in the last show Cersei’s army was largely Lannister-raised troops and mercenaries. > > In a feudal system, creating a national army runs into the obvious problem that EVERYTHING is decentralized. It’s a cool idea to raise a royal army, but for that you need lots of royal money and subjects to hire from and food to feed to your soldiers. In a feudal society, the problem the King faces is that the lands under his sovereingty are controlled by some other noble, who taxes the peasants and mines the iron and raises the soldiers. Almost everything is outsourced. I mean, that’s what feudalism is. > > The Iron Throne controls a small area around King’s Landing, the Crownlands or whatever they’re called, so it has some economy. But it doesn’t control most of the country, so if you want soldiers from the Reach or the North or wherever, you have to ask the bosses of those places - and they in turn are dependent to varying extents on THEIR “Bannermen,” as they’re called in this universe, which again is pretty consistent with the feudal systems that have really existed. And we know that the Iron throne is already in a shitload of debt to start the story. Historically, the Targaryens powerbase has been dragons, not armies. As the dragons faded, so did their power. Aegon V became obsessed with the idea that he needed dragons to get enough power over the nobles to force his reforms through. (Actual rights for peasants). That led to the Summerhall tragedy, where many of the Targaryens perished. Leading to the Aerys the Mad inheriting the throne, and the small Targaryen line in the days of Robert and Ned. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2019, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/690 "2019-05-15T11:05:01Z")
Wrong thread ---
**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:** [May 15, 2019, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/691 "2019-05-15T14:18:54Z")
> [@SlackerInc](#): > > \*More than anything, the lid just looks wrong for Starbucks–unless they use a different shape of lid for talls, which my wife and I never order. The [actual source of the coffee cup has been identified](https://dailycoffeenews.com/2019/05/10/the-extraction-wishes-belfasts-paper-cup-a-solemn-valar-dohaeris/?utm_source=Roast+Magazine+%26+Daily+Coffee+News&utm_campaign=32393ab4c4-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_6_19_2018_7_26_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_8f24fab631-32393ab4c4-44944349). It was from the [Paper Cup](https://www.facebook.com/papercuptitanicquarter/)coffee shop in Belfast. The round logo looks vaguely like Starbucks in bad light. ---
**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:** [May 15, 2019, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524/692 "2019-05-15T16:11:39Z")
I’m amused that article says, “It’s clearly not even from Starbucks! The nearest Starbucks is miles away.” Not, “There’s not even a Starbucks in this country or this continent.” But instead, it’s there but it’s not that close. Just goes to show just how ubiquitous these global brands are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-04-the-last-of-the-starks-5-5-2019-show-discussion/833524.md?page=34)