Game of Thrones—NO SPOILERS—The Balls

Another thing that hints at the nature of that conversation is that Arya says "I wonder what it would be like to be the Lady of Winterfell, to wear all those pretty dresses."

Anyone who really knows Arya (and Baelish most certainly does not) knows that she could not care less what it is like to be a lady and to wear pretty dresses. That's not her.

BadKen wrote:

Another thing that hints at the nature of that conversation is that Arya says "I wonder what it would be like to be the Lady of Winterfell, to wear all those pretty dresses."

Anyone who really knows Arya (and Baelish most certainly does not) knows that she could not care less what it is like to be a lady and to wear pretty dresses. That's not her.

So why lie to her sister in private? It's the in private part that's silly.

DSGamer wrote:
BadKen wrote:

Another thing that hints at the nature of that conversation is that Arya says "I wonder what it would be like to be the Lady of Winterfell, to wear all those pretty dresses."

Anyone who really knows Arya (and Baelish most certainly does not) knows that she could not care less what it is like to be a lady and to wear pretty dresses. That's not her.

So why lie to her sister in private? It's the in private part that's silly.

Because Baelish is a master at peepholes

DSGamer wrote:
BadKen wrote:

Another thing that hints at the nature of that conversation is that Arya says "I wonder what it would be like to be the Lady of Winterfell, to wear all those pretty dresses."

Anyone who really knows Arya (and Baelish most certainly does not) knows that she could not care less what it is like to be a lady and to wear pretty dresses. That's not her.

So why lie to her sister in private? It's the in private part that's silly.

Their mannerisms, especially at the end, made it seem to me as if Arya knew they were being spied on and Sansa was playing along. I was laughing during it, because what was said/done throughout seemed masterfully crafted to throw off someone who doesn't know Arya very well and leave them with the wrong impression. This season, every chance Sansa has had to say something negative about the conniver Petyr without his hearing it, she has done so. How she spoke in the godswood was totally different from how she did so in the castle and in his presence.

Nottstu wrote:

That's not an ideal setup for taking walls or in tight city streets, it's one of the main reasons they were so ineffective against the sons of the harpy in Meereen, also why Selmy was training people in Westerosi battle techniques in the book.

Ugh, I hated that fight scene in Meereen. Unsullied are of course trained in the sword for close combat. Otherwise you're useless when the cavalry charge snaps your spear in two or leaves it buried in some poor fool's horse.

Demyx wrote:

Cersei's strategy of letting her enemies fight it out and then mop up whatever's left would be smart if both forces were conventional. The problem with her idea is that there is a real risk that if Dany's forces don't win, the army of the dead will become even larger and stronger, and Cersei will have to face off against BOTH the original army of the dead PLUS the undead remains of Dany's army.

An army that adds every soldier it kills to its ranks makes ordinary strategy go out the window.

Didn't Cersei say something about how Dany has dragons, and if she can't stop them, it doesn't matter anyway? I can't quite remember.

BadKen wrote:

I don't think the confrontation between Arya and Sansa was entirely deceptive to the audience.

I do, and I think it's what bothered me most.

Had Sansa and Arya made their quarell public, yelling across halls or in the courtyard, it would make all the sense in the world. "We're staging a play where we make everyone believe the House is broken." You mix that up with Sansa's scenes playing helpless for Littlefinger's pleasure.

Making the fights private behind closed doors served only to the audience.

I would much rather have seen Littlefinger do what he does best; get people to do his bidding: find someone to fetch him the incriminating scroll written by Sansa to Robb; have him whisper to guards and people in Winterfell to make sure everyone can sense the Stark sisters mistrust one another... Only to show Arya wearing those same faces during Littlefinger's trial, telling everyone in the court how Littlefinger planned to make everyone doubt about Arya's intentions and Sansa's ability to rule Winterfell.

That way, we get two things; we give Littlefinger's role and history more respect; it required a trained (faceless man) assassin and her powers to topple the might manipulator. This way, we got a Scooby Doo episode where the kids figured LF's plan. But also, we keep showing what a force Arya has become.

Hobbes2099 wrote:

That way, we get two things; we give Littlefinger's role and history more respect; it required a trained (faceless man) assassin and her powers to topple the might manipulator. This way, we got a Scooby Doo episode where the kids figured LF's plan. But also, we keep showing what a force Arya has become.

Yes. This is really the worst thing about it. Arya, theoretically, has the training to take him down in really clever ways. I was so annoyed at this plot that when it was over I asked myself why Arya would have gone along with such a silly plan and underestimated Littlefinger. All I could come up with was...

A) Littlefinger didn't fully comprehend what she was was capable of, so his guard was down

B) It was less work and why wear a face if you don't need to

It literally never occurred to me that they were straight up lying to the audience until it was revealed. Scooby Doo episode indeed.

Arya spoke about wondering what it was like to wear pretty dresses and be the lady of Winterfell, and that was intended to fool the audience?

She'd actually out herself to the world as a faceless man to show off during a trial? And we'd want this because it would be cool, regardless of the cost?

Hehe. I'm not watching the same show.

LouZiffer wrote:

Arya spoke about wondering what it was like to wear pretty dresses and be the lady of Winterfell, and that was intended to fool the audience?

She'd actually out herself to the world as a faceless man to show off during a trial? And we'd want this because it would be cool, regardless of the cost?

Hehe. I'm not watching the same show.

I read it as Arya and Sansa do know each other and they both know that Arya's personal hell is something like wearing pretty dresses and being the Lady of Winterfell. When she said she wondered about that and then handed Sansa the knife it was a clue they were doing something other than acting against each other.

manta173 wrote:
LouZiffer wrote:

Arya spoke about wondering what it was like to wear pretty dresses and be the lady of Winterfell, and that was intended to fool the audience?

She'd actually out herself to the world as a faceless man to show off during a trial? And we'd want this because it would be cool, regardless of the cost?

Hehe. I'm not watching the same show.

I read it as Arya and Sansa do know each other and they both know that Arya's personal hell is something like wearing pretty dresses and being the Lady of Winterfell. When she said she wondered about that and then handed Sansa the knife it was a clue they were doing something other than acting against each other.

It seemed pretty plain to me, too.

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IMAGE(https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/21317861_10209223666381299_1008816355158188052_n.jpg?oh=d5d7e141e01602323f771c7c1ee09943&oe=5A1A114E)

Fast travel is far too funny.

Sick burn from Alfie Allen!

BadKen wrote:

Sick burn from Alfie Allen!

Was that a burn or a statement of sympathy for Jason-Pierre Paul?

Sad day. Roy Dotrice died.

He played a small part in Game of Thrones, but was supposed to play Grand Maester Pycelle, but didn't due to health issues.

But where I'll miss him (assuming we get more books) is that he narrates all the audiobooks. They had John Lee narrate one of them (Feast?), but Roy eventually came back and redid it because fans weren't happy with Lee's version. Think there might be alternative versions with other people narrating of some of the other books, but Dotrice is the real narrator for all these books to me.

Agreed. Sad.

But also, what a tremendous legacy.

Sad to hear. I really enjoy the audio books, have listened 3 times now I think. He did a great job with them and also in his role as the Hallyne the pyromancer. RIP Mr. Dotrice.

Late to the party here, but if you're a fan of Roy Dotrice, do yourself a favor and fill up the time between GoTs with Beauty and the Beast. GRRM was a writer and producer on the show. It's like, halfway between Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

cheeze_pavilion wrote:

Late to the party here, but if you're a fan of Roy Dotrice, do yourself a favor and fill up the time between GoTs with Beauty and the Beast. GRRM was a writer and producer on the show. It's like, halfway between Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Some of us are old enough to have watched it on its initial airings from 87-90!

Apologies for a link to Polygon, but it looks like we may be a ways away from finishing the story.

Abu5217 wrote:

Apologies for a link to Polygon, but it looks like we may be a ways away from finishing the story.

Great news! Maybe we'll have TWOW by then! /s

EriktheRed wrote:
Abu5217 wrote:

Apologies for a link to Polygon, but it looks like we may be a ways away from finishing the story.

Great news! Maybe we'll have TWOW by then! /s

I'm pretty sure GRRM is trying to pull a Robert Jordan and let someone else tie the many knots in the book series.

It's official: no Game of Thrones this year. The 8th and final season will not air until 2019 (and will be only six episodes).

Thanks Obama.

bhchrist wrote:
cheeze_pavilion wrote:

Late to the party here, but if you're a fan of Roy Dotrice, do yourself a favor and fill up the time between GoTs with Beauty and the Beast. GRRM was a writer and producer on the show. It's like, halfway between Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Some of us are old enough to have watched it on its initial airings from 87-90!

I'm not that old, it was only ten years ago...

Flintheart Glomgold wrote:
bhchrist wrote:
cheeze_pavilion wrote:

Late to the party here, but if you're a fan of Roy Dotrice, do yourself a favor and fill up the time between GoTs with Beauty and the Beast. GRRM was a writer and producer on the show. It's like, halfway between Game of Thrones and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.

Some of us are old enough to have watched it on its initial airings from 87-90!

I'm not that old, it was only ten years ago... ;)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(1987_TV_series)