# Game of Thrones, Lord Snow, 5/1/11 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2011, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390 "2011-05-01T16:38:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/21 "2011-05-02T06:44:00Z")
What the hell was Prince White Hair doing standing around in the middle of the woods? What’s his problem, anyway? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/22 "2011-05-02T06:46:24Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > What the hell was Prince White Hair doing standing around in the middle of the woods? What’s his problem, anyway? He gave his sister away to be married to the nomad prince, on assumption that the same nomad would supply an army to retake his crown. He is just learning what power actually is , and does not like it, imho. Declan ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/23 "2011-05-02T06:53:49Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > He gave his sister away to be married to the nomad prince, on assumption that the same nomad would supply an army to retake his crown. He is just learning what power actually is , and does not like it, imho. > > Declan I get that, but why was he standing there in the middle of the woods, away from the horde of barbarians, and why did his sister stop them there? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/24 "2011-05-02T06:55:43Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > I get that, but why was he standing there in the middle of the woods, away from the horde of barbarians, and why did his sister stop them there? Actually he came riding in on a horse, and not just standing there, I guess she just wanted a break from the ride, but why she wandered into the field, I have no idea. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/25 "2011-05-02T07:00:09Z")
She’s pregnant so she may have had to pee and needed privacy. The prince came through the woods to find her because he was furious that she’d given HIM- her rightful lord as well as her brother- an order to stop rather than asked his permission as a good sister-subject should and he was going to take her to task for it, but got owned himself instead. So the old bald man at The Wall- is that Mormont’s father? Have they said what’s in it for the Dothraki if they install Viserys on the throne? I assume it’s more than just his sister. Plunder and looting in Westeros? ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/26 "2011-05-02T07:02:13Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > I’m not sure its actually a nit to pick, but the scene where Arya, who rocks by the way, is introduced to the sword master and they begin the dance. If those were wooden practice swords, which they looked like, they gave off a metalic ting everytime they crossed swords. This wasn’t an error. Ned was watching. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/27 "2011-05-02T07:03:38Z")
> [@AClockworkMelon](#): > > This wasn’t an error. Ned was watching. I know Ned was watching, but how do wooden swords sound metallic when they cross ? Declan ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/28 "2011-05-02T07:08:07Z")
They only sounded that way to Ned. It seemed to me he was suddenly remembering past bloodshed and/or seeing it in the future for all of them. ---
**Author:** ![dwyr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dwyr/32/363_2.png) [@dwyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dwyr)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/29 "2011-05-02T07:10:49Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > … So the old bald man at The Wall- is that Mormont’s father? … That’s Maester Aemon I think. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/30 "2011-05-02T07:15:04Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > I know Ned was watching, but how do wooden swords sound metallic when they cross ? > > Declan That was poetic license. Ned was admiring his daughter and imagining her with a real sword. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/31 "2011-05-02T08:04:41Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > I know Ned was watching, but how do wooden swords sound metallic when they cross ? > > Declan Imagine a film about a modern soldier and he’s watching his son play with a toy gun and he hears real gunshots every time the kid pulls the trigger. Would you think that they’d just fucked up and accidentally put the wrong sound in? I trust HBO a bit more than that. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/32 "2011-05-02T10:34:50Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > She’s pregnant so she may have had to pee and needed privacy. The prince came through the woods to find her because he was furious that she’d given HIM- her rightful lord as well as her brother- an order to stop rather than asked his permission as a good sister-subject should and he was going to take her to task for it, but got owned himself instead. > > So the old bald man at The Wall- is that Mormont’s father? > > Have they said what’s in it for the Dothraki if they install Viserys on the throne? I assume it’s more than just his sister. Plunder and looting in Westeros? There were two old men. The bald man was Maester Aemon, the other was Jeor Mormont, Jorah’s father and the Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. ---
**Author:** ![brocks](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@brocks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brocks)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/33 "2011-05-02T11:27:09Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > I know Ned was watching, but how do wooden swords sound metallic when they cross ?Declan Watch it again. Ned was hearing battle sounds. Not only metallic sword sounds, but the sound of men yelling. ---
**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 2, 2011, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/34 "2011-05-02T12:54:29Z")
While I wouldn’t put much past the Lannister twins, I’m not buying that the Imp is the one who tries to have Bran killed. Tyrian is a flawed man, but he seems to bs very honest wabout his flaws. And the way he’s been interacting with people – I am not buying (yet) that he’s that cold-blooded. And if he did hire that assassin, why would he give him an easily recognized, unique dagger? Assassins supply their own weapons, don’t they? That dagger was “planted” I’m guessing to frame him. And there’s no reason to frame Tyrian – he doesn’t seem that important. The only thing I can think of is that someone wants Stark to go after the Lannisters. In which case, this dagger might not be the only attempt to frame the Lannisters. Going over the Lannister scenes in the episodes, I note that they desk very coyly. They never actually admit to anything, even in private. On the other hand, in this episode there was dome dialogue in which Cersei seemed to bs rebuking Jaime for sending sn assassin after Bran. But again nothing was explicit. Who yhe he k us this Littlefinger guy anyway, and why does Cat trust him? I’m beginning to think that Ned is way over his head. The series started by depicting him as wise and strong, but he’s walking around like he’s in a fog. And if Jaime Lannister is such a mastermind, why is he openly antagonizing Stark? You would think he would try to avoid putting him on his guard. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/35 "2011-05-02T13:26:57Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Best moment of the episode was Viserys getting taken down. Yeah, the power dynamic between Viserys and Dany changed pretty damned quickly, didn’t it? As someone with a hatred of puns I really hope that her change from dresses to pants didn’t have anything to do with it (ie - now she wears the pants in the family). > [@G0sp3l](#): > > Syrio, is my new favorite. 😃 Syrio is everyone’s favorite. > [@Declan](#): > > I’m not sure its actually a nit to pick, but the scene where Arya, who rocks by the way, is introduced to the sword master and they begin the dance. If those were wooden practice swords, which they looked like, they gave off a metalic ting everytime they crossed swords. Actually, I don’t think they were. I think the metallic sound was once Ned was watching - honestly, when the metal clanging started and Ned got the look on his face I was kind of expecting a flashback to one of Ned’s battles. > [@friedo](#): > > I get that, but why was he standing there in the middle of the woods, away from the horde of barbarians, and why did his sister stop them there? Clearly, he went to find her when she dared to give an order to everyone (including him) to stop. He went there to tell her that she does not give orders to **him** , and he was going to do it physically, just as he was always used to doing back before one of them got an army. > [@Sampiro](#): > > Have they said what’s in it for the Dothraki if they install Viserys on the throne? I assume it’s more than just his sister. Plunder and looting in Westeros? Presumably. As we were told last night, the Dothraki are big into slaves. The episode before, Viserys told Mormont that slavery will be totally cool once he’s back in charge. Not too unlikely that those two things go together. **ascenray** - Littlefinger is a childhood friend of Cat. He was in love with her, she thought of him (at most) as a little brother. And Cersei wasn’t chastising Jaime for the assassin, she was chastising him for throwing Bran out the window. Which, of course, is what she wanted him to do once Bran saw the twincest. She’s just unhappy because Jaime didn’t finish the job - apparently he should have snapped Bran’s neck and then shoved him out the window. Hell, did the two of them even discuss the assassin or the dagger? And Tyrion is awesome - and so is Dinklage. I actually feel kind of sorry for him as an actor - he’s very good and he’s got quite a bit of charisma, but being a dwarf he’s going to have a life of niche roles. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Enderw24](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ba9def/32.png) [@Enderw24](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enderw24)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/36 "2011-05-02T13:43:09Z")
> [@friedo](#): > > What the hell was Prince White Hair doing standing around in the middle of the woods? What’s his problem, anyway? This is NOT a spoiler from the book, but I’ll fill in a bit of background. And since this info comes from the book to help answer the question, I’m spoiling it The white haired prince, named Viserys was the second son of Aerys II. You remember in this episode when Ned Stark and Jamie Lannister were talking in the throne room about the Mad King? That was Aerys II. And it wasn’t just a nickname. He was mad. As in completely, insane, violent, and prone to great mood swings. So when you ask what Viserys’s problem is, imagine that the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. I thought the episode was really great. I never imagined King’s Landing as having this Mediterannean feel to it, but I think it works. ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 1:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/37 "2011-05-02T13:47:33Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > …in this episode there was dome dialogue in which Cersei seemed to bs rebuking Jaime for sending an assassin after Bran. Not for sending an assassin after Bran; she’s rebuking him for pushing Bran out the window in the first place. Now that Bran’s awakened, Cersei’s understandably terrified that he may remember just how he happened to fall. If the kid comes to remember the details of the incident and talks, she and her dear Jamie are toast. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/38 "2011-05-02T13:57:11Z")
> [@artemis](#): > > Not for sending an assassin after Bran; she’s rebuking him for pushing Bran out the window in the first place. Now that Bran’s awakened, Cersei’s understandably terrified that he may remember just how he happened to fall. If the kid comes to remember the details of the incident and talks, she and her dear Jamie are toast. And their kids too, most likely. Products of cuckolding the king? Yeah, not going to have a pleasant life from then on. And I think the line of people waiting to put the boot to Joffrey would make the line from “Airplane” look abbreviated. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/39 "2011-05-02T14:13:34Z")
People, please remember that these threads are for people watching the TV show, many of whom have not read the books. _Please use spoiler boxes for information from the books that have not been revealed yet on the show._ Thanks **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2011, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390/40 "2011-05-02T14:16:39Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > People, please remember that these threads are for people watching the TV show, many of whom have not read the books. _Please use spoiler boxes for information from the books that have not been revealed yet on the show._ > > Thanks > > **twickster** , Cafe Society moderator Sorry, everyone. To me that didn’t seem to be a spoiler anymore, seeing as it seems to be getting talked about. -Joe [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-lord-snow-5-1-11/580390.md?page=3)