# Game of Thrones 8.06 "The Iron Throne" 5/19/2019 Show Discussion **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 19, 2019, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204 "2019-05-19T21:21:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/141 "2019-05-20T03:51:08Z")
I expect Martin to be asked about the ending so it will be interesting what he says. ---
**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 20, 2019, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/142 "2019-05-20T03:52:28Z")
And I assume he’s not stupid enough to criticize it. ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/143 "2019-05-20T03:53:20Z")
BTW I suppose that the small(er) council did get to allow Tyrion to finish the jackass and honeycomb joke… ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 3:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/144 "2019-05-20T03:57:08Z")
It’s Bran as king that ruins it for me. For one thing, based on his actions to this point, he would seem to be almost completely immersed in “greater concerns”. He sits about staring into space, seeing all things, and thinking great thoughts. The story does not support his interest in the role or provide any evidence that he would be good at it. Ignoring all that - let’s say Bran saw all of this coming (all seeing, blah, blah, blah). What does that imply? Was he maneuvering everything to get to the point where he is on the throne? It doesn’t make sense in the story. It doesn’t make sense politically. I actually don’t mind the rest of it too much. That one shot of Dany with the wings behind her was amazing. I just can’t get over the nonsensical nature of Bran as the winner and new champeen. ---
**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 20, 2019, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/145 "2019-05-20T03:59:38Z")
Right before the show started, HBO ran a long promo on its new and upcoming series. They’re _really_ hoping that some of them achieve a fraction of the popularity of Game of Thrones. ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/146 "2019-05-20T04:00:29Z")
> [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > It’s Bran as king that ruins it for me. For one thing, based on his actions to this point, he would seem to be almost completely immersed in “greater concerns”. He sits about staring into space, seeing all things, and thinking great thoughts. The story does not support his interest in the role or provide any evidence that he would be good at it. > > Ignoring all that - let’s say Bran saw all of this coming (all seeing, blah, blah, blah). What does that imply? Was he maneuvering everything to get to the point where he is on the throne? > > It doesn’t make sense in the story. It doesn’t make sense politically. > > I actually don’t mind the rest of it too much. That one shot of Dany with the wings behind her was amazing. I just can’t get over the nonsensical nature of Bran as the winner and new champeen. Who would you choose? Who is most likely not to start a war or piss off factions? ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/147 "2019-05-20T04:03:12Z")
> [@SunnyDaze](#): > > That one shot of Dany with the wings behind her was amazing. [Agreed, but it reminded me a bit of a recentish Lucifer scene](https://youtu.be/nB0RXz8JcdU?t=115) ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/148 "2019-05-20T04:08:47Z")
> [@River\_Hippie](#): > > I guess I’m a little jaded but it seemed to me that they were setting up some sequels. This. In the 8.05 thread posted [this heady analysis published in Scientific American of all places](https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-real-reason-fans-hate-the-last-season-of-game-of-thrones/) that posits that the “storytelling style changed from sociological to psychological”. What the article doesn’t go as far to venture an opinion on is why fiction that has the potential for sociological commentary attracts massive followings, and why having attracted massive viewership TV fiction then invariably shies away from any further sociological commentary and morphs into a show about emotions. The writer of the article seems to suggest it’s an artistic choice (and that showrunners in fact have a choice) rather than a crass business decision or a political cop out and that’s where we differ. After 8 years of strife to settle the line of succession for the Iron Throne, one of the Starks unable to have children is chosen. Directly afterwards his homelands secede from his Kingdom, making the other a queen. Their soon-to-be ended lifetimes mark the interim between this series and the next, assuming we can suspend disbelief and accept the next round of the Game doesn’t commence _right there on the dais_. ---
**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:** [May 20, 2019, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/149 "2019-05-20T04:10:31Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > Holy cow, they are picking Bran to be king. Defiantly didn’t see that coming. :eek: > [@Sunny\_Daze](#): > > What. the. fuck. It’s like they brain-stormed the ending that made the least sense. No one is very happy. 😉 > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Wasn’t he previously shown to be a man ahead of his time? Yes and the rest of the nobles laughing at his suggestion of democracy was hilarious. It was odd that he was still dressed as a member of the Night’s Watch when presumably he was present either as a de facto maester or de facto Lord of Horn Hill. Also what happened to Gilly, Little Sam, & the new baby now that he’s Grand Maester? Did he actually get dispensation to marry her or are they just off in a villa somewhere like a papal mistress? > [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I don’t agree. I liked the ending quite a bit. I particularly liked the first shot of Dany approaching to address her troops, with the dragon right behind her, so the wings appeared to be hers… That was very cool, and as others have pointed out it made her look like a female Lucifer. > [@A\_Dodgy\_Dude](#): > > With the White Walkers dead and peace made with the Wildlings, what exactly is the Night’s Watch watching for? 😕 It’s a penal colony; the Australia of Westeros, but colder and without women. > [@squeegee](#): > > Did I miss it or did the Dothraki not get their own happy ending like all the other groups? Are they just roaming the Westeros countryside? (The unsullied apparently settled some remote island.) The fate of the Dothrhaki wasn’t addressed at all, not even a mention in passing like Drogon got. > [@SenorBeef](#): > > …Did winter come? It’s unclear. There are hints that the Night King brought the winter, to a degree, and then it snowed in King’s landing, so we could have the visual of the snowy throne room from the prophecy, but then a few weeks later it looks warm again. No indication that we’re in for a big continent-wide superwinter, and if we are, it’s pretty dickish to force the wildlings back up north of the wall… I do wonder if Westeros is still going to have randomly long seasons now that the Night King is gone; we never at a revelation as to what causes them in the first place. > [@SenorBeef](#): > > There was a conversation earlier this season that the people of Naath are total pacificists and have no way of protecting themselves, and that’s part of the reason they’re prime slaving targets. Grey Worm told Missandei that (some of?) the Unsullied would go to settle Naath one day and be their protectors. Yes, that make more sense than Grey Worm starting his own house with the rest of the Unsullied as his bannerman. They’ll have be dead within a few decades and then no more Unsullied ever. > [@SenorBeef](#): > > I know they wanted to leave Arya on a mysterious ending, but… surely there are explorers in this world, and they’ve tried to see what’s west of Westeros, right? And if they can’t, it’s probably because their ship or navigation technology is insufficient, or there’s nothing there. It hardly seems like they’re going to be able to solve that issue now that Arya wants to give it a go. So, what, she just tacks on to the next wannabe Christopher Columbus?.. Assuming “Planentos” is an actual planet like Earth then either there’s a previously “undiscovered” continent or just a vast expanse of ocean until you get to Essos. And it wouldn’t surprise me there is a new world to the west of Westeros (or to the south for that matter) there actually has been contact of some sort, but nothing lasting ever came of it. Hell there’s probably some long forgot book or scroll sitting in the Citadel about it. > [@Colibri](#): > > No, they said that the heads of the noble families together will choose the king in the future. And Bran being incapable of siring an heir is a huge plus if that’s there plan; it givens them a generation to build up that norm with no risk of him subverting it (not that he’d want to). > [@River\_Hippie](#): > > …I suppose Jon just 'fessed up…The Unsullied would have killed Jon immediately, not held him prisoner for weeks or months. That’s exactly what I picture Jon doing, and yes the Unsullieds’ first instinct would be to kill him, but I can believe Grey Worm seeing enough of the bigger picture to restrain them. > [@Lamoral](#): > > …The fact that he cannot produce an heir is be setting them up for a succession crisis, so that seems short-sighted. That’s the whole point. > [@Quercus\_alba](#): > > But how long did the last Three-eyed Raven live? King Bran the Broken could be with us for a few centuries, or longer. Good point. > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > I also wondered when the North was like, we’re leaving, why Dorne didn’t also jump. They were the last to join the 7 Kingdoms and seem to be one foot out the door anyways. > > Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Well Dorne was never really part of the Seven Kingdoms like the others were; they just pay lip service to whoever’s in Kings Landing and do whatever the hell they want so doesn’t make any difference. Also there’s probably some economic benefits. > [@ISiddiqui](#): > > IIRC, the other Three Eyed Raven lived that long because the tree he was linked to kept him alive. > > Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk Maybe instead of an Iron Throne in the Red Keep they wind up with a Bran Tree in the Red Garden. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/150 "2019-05-20T04:12:20Z")
> [@eunoia](#): > > TV fiction then invariably shies away from any further sociological commentary More examples please, if you want to say “invariably”. Just trying to get at what you mean here, thanks. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/151 "2019-05-20T04:15:06Z")
> [@Dale\_Sams](#): > > I guess chaos was a ramp. > Also…unless Bran gets a bug up his butt…Tyrion is the real king…right? > > Others have mentioned, and i agree…why would Dorne and to some extent The Iron Islands, fall in line with all this? I suppppossse on the good will of their leaders. And the general dispostion that everyone is dog tired of war. Westeros has no federal army, and not all the houses have recovered from Robbs rebellion, Renlys rebellion, Stannis Rebellion. Bran is a safe bet, can’t sire and the next king has to be by acclamation of the house of lords, so that gives everyone enough time to regenerate their power bases. Give it fifty years and it will be back to normal. ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/152 "2019-05-20T04:15:21Z")
Missed the too-short edit window, but credit to **Biffster** who posted the linked article: In the 8.05 thread **Biffster** posted [this heady analysis published in Scientific American of all places](https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-real-reason-fans-hate-the-last-season-of-game-of-thrones/) that posits that the “storytelling style changed from sociological to psychological”. ---
**Author:** ![HammerJoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a6a055/32.png) [@HammerJoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HammerJoe)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/153 "2019-05-20T04:16:26Z")
Geez it was bad… plot holes galore, bad storytelling, overall just bad imo. Disapointed how this comes to be… ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/154 "2019-05-20T04:18:21Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > Bran literally says at one point “I’m not Lord of Winterfell, I can’t be Lord of anything, anymore” or something along those lines. So without a change of heart or some sort of development it seems inconsistent to put him in that position. He’s basically considered himself above politics and above interacting in the world in a normal way, then suddenly he’s fine with being king. Doesn’t really ring true. When Tyrion said he was now the Lord of Winterfell, he saw Bran’s expression and said “you don’t want it”. Bran said “I don’t really _want_ anymore”. And at the meeting when asked if he wanted to be king, he said “why do you think I came here?”. So he knew what was going to happen. He doesn’t necessarily want it, it just is. ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/155 "2019-05-20T04:23:17Z")
> [@eunoia](#): > > What the article doesn’t go as far to venture an opinion on is why fiction that has the potential for sociological commentary attracts massive followings, and why having attracted massive viewership TV fiction then invariably shies away from any further sociological commentary and morphs into a show about emotions. That article cited The Wire as another example, and The Wire neither attracted a massive audience nor did it shy away from social commentary or morph into a show about emotions. ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/156 "2019-05-20T04:25:35Z")
For the Bran=king selection, I’m being generous in assuming that Bran made his magical powers known to the other lords at some point, otherwise I don’t see their instant support making sense. Of course, if he flashed his powers to them, it could also come with a threat. Bran could know all their dirty laundry, and they’d want to remain on his good side. But… such things are overlooked when you solve the ultimate question of the fight over the throne out of nowhere in a 5 minute scene at the end of your 8 year series. ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/157 "2019-05-20T04:27:25Z")
BTW…apparently a Westworld Season 3 promo for 2020 aired. Hype!! ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/158 "2019-05-20T04:28:44Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > For the Bran=king selection, I’m being generous in assuming that Bran made his magical powers known to the other lords at some point, otherwise I don’t see their instant support making sense. Even if he had no powers at all, he’s the last male Stark. Given that the Starks saved all of humanity in the battle for Winterfell, that would seem to be a natural choice. Who’s a better choice; Edmure? The fact that he can’t have children makes him even more appealing to the other houses, who could conceivably get a shot at the throne next time. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2019, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/159 "2019-05-20T04:31:16Z")
> [@alphaboi867](#): > > Well Dorne was never really part of the Seven Kingdoms like the others were; they just pay lip service to whoever’s in Kings Landing and do whatever the hell they want so doesn’t make any difference. Also there’s probably some economic benefits. Dorne is most definitely a part of the Seven Kingdoms. It may have joined later than the others, but it definitely is part of the realm. (Heck Elia Martell was Rhaegar Targaryen’s first wife) Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk ---
**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 20, 2019, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204/160 "2019-05-20T04:32:18Z")
> [@SenorBeef](#): > > This is for show discussion with the show as its own entity. No book talk. Using book knowledge to guess about the ending of the show is the perfect thing to discuss in [this show/book thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=874055), not this one. > > Open spoilers about the show once it begins airing on the east coast/streaming in a few hours. If you have an actual spoiler (taken from leaks from cast interviews or gossip magazines or whatever) that would be an appropriate use for a spoiler box. A few of us would prefer that if you want to talk about plot points revealed in “next week on…” promos you warn people that you’ll be discussing that first. Thank you. I think copying this from previous OPs was a mistake. This is the one show thread where book “spoilers” should be welcome, to help give book context for non-book readers. Because there is no longer any such concept as a “spoiler” for the tv show. It’s literally not possible to spoil anything. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-8-06-the-iron-throne-5-19-2019-show-discussion/834204.md?page=9)