Bastard bowl? I don't think so

[vaznetti]

More Game of Thrones, under the cut.

It was, however, very, very satisfying, from the opening sequence onward. Except for a long stretch in the middle when I was really really worried that Tormund was going to die doing something brave. But instead he just ripped out a guy's throat with his teeth. Go Tormund! I don't want you to die before you can enjoy at least one night of bliss with Brienne.

But really, Jon and Ramsay were basically irrelevant to the larger action, which was all about the female characters: Dany taking control of the situation in Mereen, and freeing her people one more time. And then making a very good deal with Yara! Which did not actually rule out marriage at some later date. Forget the bastards, this episode was actually about women taking charge of things. Even Jon Snow knew that: he stopped killing Ramsay, and didn't argue when Sansa went to finish him off. In the most delightful way possible, really.

I found that very very satisfying. Much like Dany and Yara's decision to give up on men and just have a girls-only clique running things in Westeros. Presumably they will let Sansa join? After all, she managed to save the day for Jon and his army nicely, just like Dany did for her whole city.

I mean, I know that some other things happened this episode, like Rickon (poor Rickon, but he was barely a character in the show), and Davos figuring out what happened to Shireen, and someone will probably have to do something about Littlefinger, but right now I am just basking in the happiness. Also, presumably Ramsay's fate will make Littlefinger a little less sanguine about messing with Sansa too much.

I really, really loved that little smile on her face, as she listened to Ramsay getting eaten by his own dogs.

Comments

[likeadeuce]

Rickon joins Myrcella in 'superfluous children we are reminded of the existence of long enough for them to die horifically' club.

[vaznetti]

Pretty much, yes. I assume that in the books he will have something to do, eventually. (In the books I am rooting for Rickon Stark, Cannibal King of the North.) But I really admire the way the show cuts through extraneous plotlines and characters, and also how nobody has to worry about travel times.

(I mean, I appreciate Brienne's epic journey through the Riverlands for its thematic importance, but the show satisfies my desire for someone to finally fucking get somewhere, already.)

[maidenjedi]

someone to finally fucking get somewhere, already

YES. I was kind of worried that Yara and Theon would just be on the seas forever and we wouldn't see them actually arrive in Meereen until halfway through next season.

[maidenjedi]

I haven't sat in as much anxious anticipation during an episode since the Red Wedding, and this time it was of course reversed. Dany and Yara made my night, and then Sansa!! Oh my.

I was worried about Tormund, too. That was nerve-wracking.

[maidenjedi]

Okay, responding again, now that I'm on a computer and not a tablet. Typing like this is so much easier.

This whole season has seen the ladies really coming into their own; I've enjoyed every bit of that, and the scene with Dany and Yara was really satisfying. Kind of the meeting I never knew I wanted until it was onscreen.

I read one review today that brought up some good points. First, where the hell was Ghost? He might have been quite useful in the battle. Also, did Sansa know she was going to go for the Knights of the Vale when she was chewing out Jon, and for that matter, didn't she tell Littlefinger off a few episodes back? Was he just waiting with the Knights in some little town near Winterfell this whole time? From the moment she showed up with him at the battle, I've wondered what the heck she was thinking and how that came about. (Ripe for fanfiction fill-in, too, and I've been stalking AO3 to see if anyone comes up with something)

Truly, though, I'm glad the "Battle of the Bastards" was a bit of a bait-and-switch and the episode wasn't just the cockfight we knew was coming. As satisfying and as epic as it was, the episode won a high place in my favorites list because of Dany and the dragons, Dany and Yara, and really, even Tyrion getting to be so awesome.

[vaznetti]

I really liked the way this season has been a bit of bait-and-switch about the female characters gaining power -- they start out weak and end strong. Even Margaery and Cersei, although I guess that things will go poorly for Cersei, and possibly everyone else in King's Landing now that (a) her preferred option of letting Robert Strong kill everyone is no longer on the table and (b) we have been reminded twice about all the wildfire stored underneath King's Landing.

And actually, Ellaria Sand's plotline this season follows the same model. I wonder whether we are going to get the War of the Five Queens now? We have Dany and Yara, Cersei, Ellaria and Sansa. Am I missing anyone?

About Sansa and Petyr: remember that a few episodes ago, after she and Jon had their first argument over their lack of troops, she sent a raven? I assumed at the time that that was to Petyr, and that she told him to come North. How the later logistics were worked out I don't know; it seemed to me that as late as the night before the battle she didn't really know that he would be there (considering that she told him off when he first offered to help!)

I don't know about Ghost; maybe he was running messages between Sansa and Petyr? But actually the direwolves have been dropping like flies this season -- it's only Ghost and Nymeria left, right?

I was so worried about Tormund -- because I knew that Jon has plot armor now, and Davos has to live long enough to denounce Melisandre for killing Shireen, but Tormund seemed at least potnetially vulnerable. And much as I love the fact that Dolorous Ed is now the Commander of the Night's Watch (and wow do I love that!), I also want Tormund to make it.

[maidenjedi]

If we DO get the War of the Five Queens, I hope they do some justice to Ellaria's storyline, which has been just awful. They haven't even devoted more than seven minutes of screentime to it this season. :-/

I didn't recall Sansa's raven until you mentioned it, but that makes sense.

The speculation I've seen on Ghost is that he reacted badly to reincarnated Jon, and so hasn't been by his side. And yeah, with Shaggydog's beheading, I think Ghost and Nymeria are it.

Really cannot wait for Sunday.....

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

"That's no orc horn!" *Gandalf and the Riders of Rohan show up to save the..." Oh wait, wrong show...

Sansa: "How do we know you have Rickon? The last time we saw him, he was 5, and now he's in college it looks like?"

That snark aside, I loved this episode. I love the DanYara inevitable shipping, I love Davos + Tormund FOREVER. FOREVER! :) Happy Shitting! :)

[vaznetti]

Adrian called the whole LotR battle scene rip-off as soon as Ramsay's soldiers formed the ring. And then it was, wait, I hear a far-off horn!!! Neer saw that one coming.

I guess Rickon is the only character whose travels all over the north took as long in the show as in the books. So for him it's been like 10 years, which is why he's so big now. I don't know. Meanwhile everyone else is teleporting around, so they aren't aging as fast. (Like Theon and Yara. How did they get to Mereen so quickly? Who the fuck cares! I love how devoted the showrunners are to moving the goddamn plot along.)

I loved the episode too. Awesome! I have never subscribed to the whole Sansa Queen in the North thing, but now I am going to be disappointed when that doesn't happen.

[aceofkittens.livejournal.com]

Some say a fleet of ship(pers)... http://moviepilot.com/posts/3973961 :)