The pro-Stark narrative is probably the root for peoples interest in Sansa.

I'll just agree with the already mentioned disappointment with Sansa in Winterfell so far, hopefully and mayhaps even probably imo, we'll see her meek act be replaced by a real player of the game.
With all the story divergences I kind of hoped she'd light a candle in the tower, and whisper the "The North Remembers" while stabbing Ramsay in their marital bed.

What truly bothers me is Cersei, I still havn't gotten over her being whitewashed and now she's atleast semi-competently orchestrating the Faith Militant?

Regarding Tommens bland character, isn't that sort of the point? He's the archetypical malleable king whom everyone else jerks around like a marionette.

And Scott, - a rash decision indeed, though one believed to have no valid alternatives. Frankly I've been looking forward to this part of the Arya arc forever, I found her meandering with the hound to be dull. Bookspoiler

Spoiler

Her future training as a faceless man is bound to be intriguing, not that the novels has gotten further but what happens after that, back to Westeros or not is still not settled. Though I'm fairly sure she'll eventually fail to become no one and get back to Westeros, where the main plot eventually will unfold.

 

I'd argue that reving the Faith Militant, sheerly due to petulence and a thirst for power, is a pretty big stain on her character.

 

Through a modern lens mayhaps. In a world where rape, slaughtering wedding guests and maiming babies is prevalent it's not even comparably detestable.

The motive they all share, power, the means she employs in this case is more cunning, and debatable if not more moral, than what others has done. Relativistic, sure, but still.

Spoiler

Maybe I'm just expecting too much too soon, but the complete and utter mess "Book Cersei" is just isn't coming across - the character is fundamentally altered.

 

I do think "Book Cersei" is coming through as well as it can be.

We have to realize that when we see Cersei in the books, we are reading her thoughts and feelings. This makes her seem 1000x more crazy in the books as she is obsessive, vain and believes everyone is beneath her. In fact, Cersei is one of the few characters whose personality gets worse as the books come out (very little redemption).

There is no way to present this on tv. She is always raging about people internally when talking with them, but ends up smiling and dealing with them with a mask. Instead, the show needs to show her flaws by her decisions and interactions with other characters (not her thoughts and feelings). I believe they have done a great job in this regard.

It's obvious she is slowly losing it and not even realizing it (just like the books). We all know that releasing the faith is a very bad idea just like making an enemy of your most powerful rival. We will really see how crazy she is when things start falling apart, which we all now will happen.

I just don't see how they could portray Cersei any different to make her more "in character." If she went around acting like her thoughts in the books, she would be dead in a heartbeat. Cersei always had decent ideas, she just didn't think them through or was outmaneuvered-- even in the books. How is she being white-washed?

 

Cersei isn't supposed to be devious. She just thinks she is. Plus the "too powerful to fall" part on top of that.

 

They shouldn't have done that scene in the first season where she talks about having a son with Robert who died of fever, because we know in the books she always drank moontea and aborted every child she suspected to be Robert's. They shouldn't have pinned down the murders of Robert's bastards on Joffrey, because in the books it's her who ordered it.

And I have no idea where the fifth season is yet in terms of her character art, but has she already started to

Spoiler

send various women to Qyburn for experiments/torture?

 

My two cents on the Sansa situation is that she definitely knew that it was coming. This is Westeros where a huge part of the Wedding is the bedding. With such a large emphasis on the consummation of the marriage and based on what she knew about Ramsay I feel like she knew what she was getting herself into.

This will sound terrible, but honestly by ASOIAF standards was that really rape? It clearly was rape by our standards, but with a society based around arranged marriages I can imagine this situation (minus Theon watching) happens all the time and nobody bats an eye despite there being severe punishments for rape already in place.

I hate what they did/ are doing with Dorne though and I really hope that by some miracle the writers are able to make this shitty ass plot line into a semi-decent one. Bronn and Jaime should not have been able to just walk into the Water Gardens like that and don't even get me started on the Sand Snakes...

Spoiler

Do you guys think episode nine will have Jon's death and Cersei's walk or just Cersei's walk and close out the season with Jon's "death"?

 

Book Cersei and Show Cersei haven't been the same since like season 2.

 

I just can't get over the fact that people seem to think Sansa has any chance of being a legit player of the 'game' as you call it. Isn't her whole character based around the fact that she, well, isn't? And doesn't have the makings of one?

People seem to be expecting Margaery or Olenna levels of intrigue from Sansa, and that just baffles me. Buying into Littlefinger's bullshit doesn't suddenly make her competent.

 

She's not a legit player, she's Littlefingers pawn. That doesn't mean however that she's completely oblivious to what she was walking into nor does it mean she doesn't have a plan of her own.

You can have a plan and a goal without being a mastermind.

In fact, I'd be incredibly disappointed if after all this time she just mindlessly waits for people to tell her what to do without thinking for herself.

 

Calling it now; none of this is truly about Sansa. All of this is being done so that Theon will get an arc to redeem himself. His redemption will come by being the key person who helped Sansa retake the North from the Boltons - along with Brienne and Pod.

 

Coldplay's Game of Thrones: The Musical (Full 12-minute version).

Funny stuff.

 

It was only in 1991 that England abolished the rule that a husband can't rape his wife (R v R). So definitely in Westeros no one would consider that rape.

I think you're underestimating Sansa. With Stannis on his way, and the vast majority of the people inside Winterfell loyal to the Starks over the Boltons, and even Theon potentially willing to help her, she could play a crucial role. She doesn't have to have a Littlefinger-esque Xanatos gambit, she just has to make the right decision at the right time.

 

Not a horrible episode. I enjoyed the High Sparrow. As deviations from the book go, he is one of their better creative choices (in the sense that Cersei installed him).

Sansa bit was just... disappointing. I fully expected Theon to wuss out. And he did.

 

This starts off really unfunny and bad.

After the 4 minute mark it's still bad, but extremely funny. Cheers.

 

No, she is supposed to be devious and cunning, see her orchestrating Ned and Robert's downfalls and even forcing Stannis to flee, she just think she is much better than she really yes. She would be fairly sucessful if she was a powerful lord's wife playing regional power games, but when playing against the likes of Olenna Tyrell, Tywin, Varys and Baelish, she is like a thug with a kitchen knife against an Unsullied. Even Margaery is a much better player.

 

One of the better episodes of this season.

The High Sparrow makes me want to punch him in the face. Jorah went Jason Bourne in the arena. Sam finally found his balls. Somehow. All good stuff.

I didn't understand the scene with Bronn and the Sand Snakes. Call me a prude, but was the seduction necessary? What exactly did they gain? Are the Snakes hoping for Bronn's help in escaping? Was it just a game they like playing? To me, that scene was "we've been shy with boobs this season, let's throw some in, we've got a rep to maintain".

Tommen continues to be a pussy. I've given up on him. We have a Joffrey 2.0 in the North, but I'm starting to miss the original. He wouldn't put up with this shit.

I don't know what to think of Sansa. On one hand, she talked back to Ramsay, on the other, she's turned into a victim again. On the third, she really doesn't have the means to stand up to Ramsay right now, so... Finally, the candle in the tower thing was fucking stupid. It's a small candle. In a big tower. You'd have to pretty fucking close to see the light. Especially in a snowstorm. Must have been some magical candle.

 

So I think I was completely wrong about Sansa last episode. This is a return to Sansa the victim, it wasn't all part of a grand plan for revenge.

I find the stuff with High Sparrow really interesting and engaging. The idea of the rule of law applying to all, of fair trials, of the powerful being held accountable, these are very modern ideals and laudable, so should make you want to side with the Faith. But on the other hand, they're being applied by religious extremists on the basis of an archaic code of sexual morality, which you can't support. The result is being very much conflicted.

It's also historically accurate, in that it was often religion that has been a reforming force, with mixed results. You can imagine how in 500 years, Westeros could have a proper system of courts etc off the basis of these events. Depending on how it all goes, of course.

That said, my gut reaction is to dislike the Faith, because I'm a filthy pro-establishment capitalist. Jonathan Pryce is playing the part excellently though.

I'm somewhat surprised that Tyion has met Daenerys already. I was expecting that in the 9th or 10th episode. I cannot put in words how excited I am for Dany-Tyrion interactions. You can see where it could be heading though: Daenerys backs Tyion's claim to Casterly Rock and gains the nominal support of a great house to back up her claim in exchange.

I think the Sam/Gilly scene was the sexiest scene in all of GoT so far.

I believe the implication was that the poison is activated by exertion/an increase in heartbeat. By getting him sexually excited, she triggered the effects of the poison.

 

Okay, that makes sense. Still not a fan of this scene, but I guess now Bronn owes them one. Not that he's a heartless bastard, but I'm not sure how effective any requests for assistance would be with him. They did try to kill him, after all.

 

He'll either end up killing her or marrying her. It rather tells you something about Game of Thrones that I think the two are equally likely.

Edit: forgot to mention Littlefinger's gift of a "young man" for Olenna. Are we thinking Gendry? But with Margery married to Tommen, is it really in the Tyrell interest to undermine Tommen's claim? Or is Olenna hardcore enough to discard her own daughter to completely remove all Lannister hold on the throne? I'm sure she has another granddaughter she could marry to Gendry.