OT: Game of Thrones Major Spoiler Thread

[Old Dude]

Originally Posted by scorpio

Minor point, Lysa actually flees back the Eyrie, which is the Arryn family stronghold.

Oops, you're right, of course. And the Eyrie should lend itself to some pretty cool FX.

Two other things to mention.

First is the Icewall. It's a rough analog to Hadrian's Wall. North of the wall is a bitter cold wilderness, occupied mostly by the "Wildlings." Think of them as barbarian Scots, and you won't be far off. The wall is manned by a small force of "rangers" known as the Night Watch. (Some of the the guys we saw in the introduction.) Their main job is to keep the Wildlings pinned up behind the wall - preventing raids into Westeros.

Some of the soldiers in the Night Watch are volunteers; others are criminals or exiles who were sent there permanently, as punishment. It's basically a life sentence, so deserters are hunted down and executed on the spot. That is part of Stark's job as warden of the north.

Second is the whole deal with the seasons. On this point, my memory is vague, but Westeros has a pattern of very long summers (or temperate seasons) - sometimes a few years at a time, followed by long and harsh winters. Some winters last an entire year or more - which is really tough on the food supply. As a general rule, the longer the summer, the longer and nastier the winter that follows it. As the story begins, we've had a very, very, very long "summer" and there is some concern that when winter finally comes, it's going to be a real biatch. But people have other things on their mind and no one is really in a panic about it just yet.

And I think that anything else I say would just be a spoiler.

[scorpio]

iirc there's no defined length to the seasons, but the summer they are experiencing now has lasted for over 10 years.

[spdirty]

Originally Posted by scorpio

iirc there's no defined length to the seasons, but the summer they are experiencing now has lasted for over 10 years.

So they had to deal with global warming too eh?

[Old Dude]

Originally Posted by jutang

Sums up of the first episode. Too bad I already deleted it from my DVR. I think I would have enjoyed it more watching it a second time.

http://tvrecaps.ew.com/?post_type=tv...4&preview=true

One thing I noticed after reading that synopsis is that, for purposes of the TV show, they've advanced the ages of all the children by two to three years each. Therefore, it could be that we're supposed to think the rebellion was more like 17 or 18 years ago, rather than 15.

Why did they do this? Some of it is probably a nod to modern sensibilities which would be a little freaked over 11 and 12 year olds getting married. Historically, the book is probably a more accurate version of medieval matchmaking, but there you go.

As a more practical matter, it was probably just a lot easier to work with slightly older actors and actresses - especially since the series could theoretically go on for a few years.

[Fedaykin]

Old Dude gives a good background summary. Here's some character information

A "quick" run down on the most important characters introduced in the first episode: Most on this list are main/important characters.

---------------------------------------------------------------------

On the continent of Westeros, land of the "Seven Kingdoms" previously conquered and united under the rule of the Targaryens.

House Stark -- Rulers of Winterfell, Wardens of the North.

Lord Eddard Stark [Sean Bean] -- Noble who helped Robert Baratheon usurp the throne from the Targaryans. Lord of Winterfell. Baratheon travels to Winterfell to ask Eddard to become the "Hand of the King" after the death of the previous hand.

Lady Catelyn Stark (nee Tully) -- Married off to Stark to seal the alliance between house Tully and House Stark. Has grown to love her husband deeply.

Robb Stark: Eldest Stark son (15) and heir apparent to Eddard Stark

Sansa Stark: Eldest Stark daughter (13). Betrothed to Prince Joffrey Baratheon.

Brandon "Bran" Stark: Middle Stark son (10): Fantastic climber, which leads me to discover the incestuous relationship between Jaime and Cersei Lannister. Gets thrown off the a Winterfell tower by Jaime Lannister.

Arya Stark: Youngest Stark daughter (8-9). Tomboy (hates her needlework!) and general little pain.

Ricken Stark: Youngest Stark son (5)

Jon Snow: (16?) Bastard son of Eddard Stark. In Westeros bastards always take the same surname in each region. In the north the surname taken is "Snow". Wants to join the Night's Watch on the wall as his position as a bastard makes his life rather increasingly uncomfortable in Winterfell.

Theon Greyjoy (16?): Ward/Hostage of Eddard Stark. In Westeros it's common for children to be taken as ward/hostages to force compliance of treaties, etc. Heir of House Greyjoy. Close friend to Robb Stark.


The Lannister Children

Cersei Baratheon (nee Lannister): Queen consort of King Robert Baratheon. Involved in an incestuous relationship with her twin brother Jaime.

Jaime "The Kingslayer" Lannister: Member of the Kingsguard (an elite guard for the King). Slayed the last Targaryen king while a member of the guard. Involved in an incestuous relationship with twin sister Cersei.

Tyrion "The Imp" Lannister: Dwarf son of Tywin Lannister. Younger brother to Jaime and Cersei. Highly intelligent and sardonic. Despised by his father.


House Baratheon:

King Robert Baratheon: Usurper to the Iron Throne. King of the seven kingdoms of Westeros. Once a great fighter, now a reluctant ruler: occupies his time with whores, hunting and drink. Leaves the ruling of his kingdom to his "Hand". Was once betrothed to Eddard Stark's sister who was kidnapped and presumably murdered by the Prince Rhaegar Targaryen during the rebellion.

Prince Joffrey Baratheon (12): Eldest Baratheon son. Betrothed to Sansa Stark.


----------------------------------------------

On the Eastern Content (The Free Cities) -- ancestral home of House Targaryen

The Surviving Targaryens: Survived the sacking of King's Landing in Westeros and the Targaryen purge. Fled to the free cities on the eastern content after the rebellion.

Viserys Targaryen (late teens). Cruel, unstable and has grand ambitions (but no real means) of retaking the Iron Throne. Sells his sister to Khal Drogo to form an alliance.

Danerys "Dany" Targaryen (early teens). Younger sister to Viscerys. Born during the Baratheon rebellion. Victim of mental, physical and sexual abuse by her brother. Sold as wife to the warlord Khal Drogo to purchase the services of his army.

Others:

Khal Drogo: One of the most powerful warlords in the east. Commands an army of over 10,000 horsemen.

Jorah Mormont: Exiled knight who enters the service of Viserys and Danerys at the wedding of Dany and Drogo.

[Fedaykin]

As a more practical matter, it was probably just a lot easier to work with slightly older actors and actresses - especially since the series could theoretically go on for a few years.

Luckily the plot goes on for several years too.

[lostknight]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

Sucks WoT is too big to do this with. I'd love to be discussing that series atm.

Dreamworks has the rights. It's only a matter of time before you will get to see the girls fold their arms beneath their breasts.

I want a Mistborn TV series.

[myMind]

HBO has announced plans to go ahead with season 2!!!

Boom!

[lostknight]

Interesting enough, I think Martin realized that he wrote the characters too young. He always had a idea that he was going to take a five year gap to let surviving characters get a bit more mature. He since scrapped that since he was doing too many flashbacks, but if his posts are too be believed, it's one of two things that really ****ed up his story, and he has had to work to fix.

[That One Guy]

Originally Posted by lostknight

Dreamworks has the rights. It's only a matter of time before you will get to see the girls fold their arms beneath their breasts.

I want a Mistborn TV series.

I don't get the reference. Are they folding them there because they're so large? I like the way this is headed, if so.

[Antilles]

Originally Posted by lostknight

Dreamworks has the rights. It's only a matter of time before you will get to see the girls fold their arms beneath their breasts.

I want a Mistborn TV series.

Not to mention straightening their skirts, tugging their braids and complaining about how character x will never understand the actions of gender y.

Sigh. WOT sucks ass. So much so, that I've read all 13 books.

[Fedaykin]

Originally Posted by fixedMind

HBO has announced plans to go ahead with season 2!!!

Boom!

Awesome. Can't wait to see the Battle of the Blackwater on screen!

[scorpio]

Originally Posted by That One Guy

I don't get the reference. Are they folding them there because they're so large? I like the way this is headed, if so.

Wheel of Time is a good story for the first 5 books or so but Robert Jordan has (had, sorry) some pretty annoying writing habits, which is what lostknight and antilles are referring too.

[DenverBroncosJM]

Originally Posted by elsid13

Bypass the Game of Thrones and go with Name of the Wind. It fair better read.

I agree 110%

Martin just made the books so hard to read after the third book. I am not even going to finish the series, but I'll watch it!

Rothfuss and Sanderson are putting out some good books

Peter Brett is holding his own too

[lostknight]

Robert Jordan has a distinctive writing style. Mostly formed by repeating certain phrases over and over. Wheel of Time is a work of genius, unfortunately like most geniuses there is a certain amount of idiosyncrasy that the author unleashes from time to time.

The great news is that Sanderson is doing a phenomenal job wrapping the series. There was a sequence in the last book that was as good as anything that Jordan ever wrote, if not a shade better.

[Kaylore]

Originally Posted by scorpio

Wheel of Time is a good story for the first 5 books or so but Robert Jordan has (had, sorry) some pretty annoying writing habits, which is what lostknight and antilles are referring too.

You mean like how he introduces a character for ten minutes and then expects you know and care about him two books later? Or how he takes four pages to explain a table?

[Grumps]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

All valid points, but the first 6 (Maybe not the first one. The Great Hunt is where I got hooked) and the last few are amazing. Dumai's Wells is probably one of the most bad ass sections of literary history.

Like I said earlier, it hit a lull for a while after that, but I REALLY think it was his Tor editor wife dragging out the cash cow.

Besides, once Saidin got cleansed (another amazing scene) it was full speed ahead again. I still don't know how they're going to cover the remaining plot lines with 1 more book... Tarmon Gaidon is going to ****ing sweet at least.

Half the Forsaken are still alive, who killed Asmo? Who is Taim? Is Logain going to kill him and take the black tower? Will the Seanchan leash Rand for the last battle? etc

Oh and the rights have been bought and sold a dozen times over. No one can figure out how to make such an intricate and massive story. TV would work, but it'd take like 10 seasons and a monster budget to do it right.

Eh, things slowed down between books 8-10...I think it was mostly the wait between books made the books worse than they were. I am rereading the entire series and am interested to see if my opinion on books 8-10 has changed.

Either way, Sanderson has done an admirable job so far, I think. I really enjoyed the last two books. Really am looking forward to the conclusion, but am worried that a lot will be rushed in order to fit it in one book.

As to your questions...SPOILERS AHEAD.....






Graendal killed Asmo (definitive proof in the last book). Taim is Taim...new dreadlord trained by/working for Moridin. I wondered what happened to Logain in the last book. I am beginning to think Taim might have captured him and it will take the Logain followers to break him free. One of the plots I am looking forward to seeing the resolution on. It will be interesting to see what becomes of the Seanchan and what plays out with the Aiel (given Aviendha's vision).

No way a movie would ever do the series justice. Perhaps a mini-series, but I doubt that ever happens either.

[Old Dude]

Hopefully, episode 2 wasn't so hard to follow.

[Grumps]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

Meh, I've read all those before, but there aren't any definitive answers on either yet.

What "proof" do you have that Graendal did it? I clearly missed that! (Edit: WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF they put it in the ****ing glossary? I was expecting a book reveal considering it became such a HUGE issue for years for something RJ thought was "inherently obvious" in the story... FML, that's weak)

I was hoping Taim killed him

I suspected her when she told Sammael definitively that Asmo was dead (I think in the 7th book). But that wasn't proof.

Shaidar Haran also says in one of the last chapters of the last book that Graendal is responsible for the deaths of 3 of the Forsaken (implication...Aran'gar, Messanna, and Asmo).

[Grumps]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

..........how the hell was Graendal responsible for Mesaana's condition?! The dream spike she gave Slayer? Still doesn't fit... Egwene smoked Mesaana head to head.

Yes, the dream spike. Because she didn't finish Perrin and allowed him to move the dream spike which prevented Mesaana from escaping. It's been a while since I read the book, but I think early on Moridin warned Graendal about being careful with the spike.

[lostknight]

Originally Posted by TheReverend

Meh, I've read all those before, but there aren't any definitive answers on either yet.

What "proof" do you have that Graendal did it? I clearly missed that! (Edit: WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF they put it in the ****ing glossary? I was expecting a book reveal considering it became such a HUGE issue for years for something RJ thought was "inherently obvious" in the story... FML, that's weak)

I was hoping Taim killed him

I always got the impression from RJ's online notes that he never intended it to become such a mystery. It's a bit like Boba Fett. A random little bit that suddenly becomes really important in fan's minds.

[lostknight]

Originally Posted by Grumps

Taim is Taim...new dreadlord trained by/working for Moridin.

Problem with that is that Taim once called the Aiel the "So-called Aiel". Only someone from the Age of Legends would call the Aiel so-called.

My guess is Sammael in deep cover, or even Moridin himself.

[s0phr0syne]

Started watching the series yesterday, just finished episode 9 today



Obvi, I dig it!

[UltimateHoboW/Shotgun]

I just watched shows 1-6. What a great show. Looking forward to the rest.

[Archer81]

I bought the books. It makes some semblance of sense now.

I hate Sansa, by the way.