# Game of Thrones, Winter is Coming, 4/17/11 **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [April 18, 2011, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781 "2011-04-18T01:17:09Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 9
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/161 "2011-04-20T01:36:55Z")
I was trying to watch it with the mindset of someone who hadn’t read the books (I have, but I was trying to objectively gauge how much I would know without that), and while I think some things were confusing, and there were a lot of characters to keep track of, that the exact relationships and connections did not seem so important yet, as the individual scenes and characters were engaging enough. Ice and Fire virgins will be able to figure out the connections as the show goes on. It’s not really about diagramming all that stuff anyway. I’ve read ythe books and I still get confused about some things. People get engaged in their favorite chracters and storylines, you know. It’s like a soap opera. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/162 "2011-04-20T01:50:10Z")
As someone who read the books it was not confusing to me at all. I can see how confusing it could be to someone who hadn’t read them. Sort of how I felt about Band of Brothers. Then I watch it many times and read the book. Does anyone know if the first season (10 episodes I understand) covers the first book or only part of it? ---
**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:** [April 20, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/163 "2011-04-20T01:58:35Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Does anyone know if the first season (10 episodes I understand) covers the first book or only part of it? The whole thing. The last scene is perfect for a season ending. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/164 "2011-04-20T02:13:22Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > The whole thing. The last scene is perfect for a season ending. **supervenusfreak** and I were just talking about this tonight. I’m not sure, with only 10 episodes, how they’re going to manage the whole first book. And it’s only going to get worse as the books get longer. _Game_ was 704 pages, _Clash_ is 784, _Storm_ is over 1000, _Feast_ is 784 again, and at last count _Dance_ was over 1000. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/165 "2011-04-20T02:15:15Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > The whole thing. The last scene is perfect for a season ending. Catch me up. The last scene of _Game_ is the dragons hatching, right? ---
**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:** [April 20, 2011, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/166 "2011-04-20T02:31:03Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > **supervenusfreak** and I were just talking about this tonight. I’m not sure, with only 10 episodes, how they’re going to manage the whole first book. And it’s only going to get worse as the books get longer. _Game_ was 704 pages, _Clash_ is 784, _Storm_ is over 1000, _Feast_ is 784 again, and at last count _Dance_ was over 1000. The mumblings are that SoS would be two seasons. HBO has said CoK will be 10 episodes, but we’ll see. Big spoilers: [spoiler] I am a bit worried about it. Next week we’re already going to have direwolves large enough to kill. The episode titles are: Winter is Coming The Kingsroad Lord Snow Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things The Wolf and the Lion A Golden Crown You Win or You Die The Pointy End Now, if you think about what’s likely to take place in each episode, that’s pretty fast. The last two episodes will be frantic. George wrote the last one. I imagine it begins right after Ned’s execution? Battle of the Whispering Wood, Arya’s murder, Drogo’s funeral, etc. If they try to get Ned in the last episode, that’s even more jammed.[/spoiler] ---
**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:** [April 20, 2011, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/167 "2011-04-20T02:32:55Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > Catch me up. The last scene of _Game_ is > > the dragons hatching, right? That, which is Drogo’s funeral. Also, Robb gets crowned king in the north. I’m pretty sure it’ll fade out at the “and for the first time in hundreds of years, the night came alive to the sound of dragons.” ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/168 "2011-04-20T03:01:45Z")
Interesting. Those familiar with the books (which seems to be most of us here) should have no trouble guessing what’s going to happen in those episodes. I can’t wait for “A Golden Crown.” One of the most gratifying events in the books. Too bad the _most_ satisfying event (for me), doesn’t happen until the second book. ---
**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:** [April 20, 2011, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/169 "2011-04-20T03:13:44Z")
> [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](#): > > Interesting. Those familiar with the books (which seems to be most of us here) should have no trouble guessing what’s going to happen in those episodes. I can’t wait for “A Golden Crown.” One of the most gratifying events in the books. Too bad the _most_ satisfying event (for me), doesn’t happen until the second book. Little help? For me: [spoiler]Joffrey’s death in SoS had me fist pumping. I don’t recall anything in CoK being super gratifying. Tyrion, Jon, and Dany all have great stories, but they lack the defining moment for me.[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/170 "2011-04-20T03:15:29Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Little help? > > For me: > > [spoiler]Joffrey’s death in SoS had me fist pumping. > > I don’t recall anything in CoK being super gratifying. Tyrion, Jon, and Dany all have great stories, but they lack the defining moment for me.[/spoiler] You got it in one. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/171 "2011-04-20T03:16:46Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > The mumblings are that SoS would be two seasons. HBO has said CoK will be 10 episodes, but we’ll see. > > Big spoilers: > > [spoiler] > I am a bit worried about it. Next week we’re already going to have direwolves large enough to kill. > > The episode titles are: > Winter is Coming > The Kingsroad > Lord Snow > Cripples, Bastards, and Broken Things > The Wolf and the Lion > A Golden Crown > You Win or You Die > The Pointy End > > Now, if you think about what’s likely to take place in each episode, that’s pretty fast. The last two episodes will be frantic. George wrote the last one. I imagine it begins right after Ned’s execution? Battle of the Whispering Wood, Arya’s murder, Drogo’s funeral, etc. If they try to get Ned in the last episode, that’s even more jammed.[/spoiler] That’s only 8 episodes. I thought they were doing 10 this season. ---
**Author:** ![HazelNutCoffee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ac91a4/32.png) [@HazelNutCoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HazelNutCoffee)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/172 "2011-04-20T03:20:15Z")
Book 3 is FULL of satisfying moments. Easily my favorite book so far. ---
**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:** [April 20, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/173 "2011-04-20T03:23:05Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > That’s only 8 episodes. I thought they were doing 10 this season. I don’t think that’s really a spoiler. 😉 Hmm, yeah. I didn’t count them up when I saw the list. I guess the episode names for the last two haven’t been announced? That assuages my fear a bit. I was wondering how they were going to fit things in. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/174 "2011-04-20T03:33:24Z")
Yeah, looking on IMDB, it looks like they haven’t titled the last two yet…they show up as #1.9 and #1.10. ---
**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:** [April 20, 2011, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/175 "2011-04-20T03:58:32Z")
Glad to see it’s been renewed for a second season - woohoo! Meant to ask… how legit was Robert’s claim to Iron Throne back in the day? Was it purely by right of conquest, or did he have some pre-Targaryen royal blood, or even some Targaryen blood by marriage? ---
**Author:** ![Rasa](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rasa/32/3578_2.png) [@Rasa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rasa)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/176 "2011-04-20T04:04:28Z")
re: Robert’s claim to the throne I’m re-reading Clash of Kings right now and Cat is off at Renly’s trying to treat with him and Renly mentions how (to paraphrase) the maesters more or less pulled ties by marriage between Baratheons and Targaryens to bolster Robert’s claim, and only the maesters believed it really. So it was his by conquest, that’s about it I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/177 "2011-04-20T04:20:55Z")
Specifically, his grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen, daughter of Aegon V, aka “Egg”. And, as far as it looks, he actually is, after Viserys, Daenerys, and Maester Aemon (who renounced his claim), the legitimate heir. ---
**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:** [April 20, 2011, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/178 "2011-04-20T04:39:33Z")
Ah, I’d forgotten King Robert’s tie to Aegon V! That’s a nice link to GRRM’s _Dunk and Egg_ short stories, then. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/179 "2011-04-20T05:22:32Z")
Let’s just say that he had a better claim than, say, Henry Tudor or George of Hanover. ---
**Author:** ![Batsinma\_Belfry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ea5d25/32.png) [@Batsinma\_Belfry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Batsinma_Belfry)\ **Post date:** [April 20, 2011, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781/180 "2011-04-20T05:26:04Z")
Non book reader here… As another poster mentioned, I also watched it for the yummy factor of Sean Bean, along with a double scoop of Jason Mamoa. I didn’t expect to be able to follow the plot right away. So I’m not too concerned about that, and expect to have it more understandable in future episodes. My biggest question, was the identity of the blonde siblings. But, I’ve figured that out by looking at the family tree link. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781.md?page=8) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/game-of-thrones-winter-is-coming-4-17-11/578781.md?page=10)