Game of Thrones - "The Ghost of Harrenhal" - s2e5 - 4/29/12

Smokey looked like Stanis.

 

As I'm watching each different scene/setting (ie, North of the Wall, King's Landing, Winterfell, Qarth ...), I kept thinking that each one of those is worth an episode by itself. I could watch this show for hours on end . . .

Noooooooooo!

 

If only HBO would give us more than 10 episodes per year. The story only gets MORE dense from here, not less.

 

Totally agree. I try to watch my shows binge style, but this is one show I just can't resist watching each week.

 

At least we have books to fall back on.

 

Yep it was Stanis's love child with the red preistess.

Ya, but we only read them for the articles.


It's sad that I watch this show, I sneeze and it's over. 1 hour SURE flys
by when its a GREAT show.

 

The look on Arya's face when she realized she had gotten the Tickler killed was chilling...

 

Wow, that was pretty good. I had accidentally learned earlier this week that Renley died in the books, so I knew it was coming, and I put 2 + 2 together and figured it would be the smoke monster, but that was way better than I expected. However, my understanding was that in the book Renley died in a differenent way. Could someone please mention (in spoilers) 1) how Renley dies in the book, and 2) what was the purpose of the smoke monster in the book?

Also, this made me think...being able to take out a king like that, seemingly with no way to stop it, is a pretty powerful ability. What stops Stannis from just rinsing and repeating on anyone that stands in his way? I suppose there is a limit imposed by gestation time, but it seems like they could still do a lot of damage this way. And good thing they didn't have fertility treatments back then. Mellisandre + Octomom = total destruction. Throw in 1 more for good measure and you've got your own Ringwraiths.

In the scene where Theon was talking about the attack plans, I didn't catch everything. I know he was ordered to attack the fishing villiage, which was on the Stony Shore, correct? And then the conversation was basically that a true man of the iron islands does what he wants, not what he was commanded, so Theon was going to attack somewhere else instead, right? But I didn't catch where. And although it wasn't clear to me at the moment what his intention was, I later figured out it was a diversion to lure the soldiers out of Winterfell so he can attack there.

 

"Magic always has a price," as people keep saying.

He's attacking one of Robb's castles.

 

But what's the price? A gallon of milk has a price, but that doesn't stop me from buying a few each week.

 

Wow! I'm reading the book, but my reading is slightly behind the show, so Renly's death was a surprise. That's a scary ability!

I agree that the hour flew by. It seemed like I'd just started when I got the popup asking if I wanted to let Tivo change channels for my next show.

 

OK, looking at the map on HBO's website, there is a marker for this episode at Torrhen's Square, not too far from Winterfell. I don't remember any scenes that would have been here, so I'm assuming this is where Theon attacked:
http://viewers-guide.hbo.com/game-of-thrones/season2/#!/map/episodes/15/torrhens-square/

 

Aye, there lies the rub. He'll have to see what this little magical adventure costs him, and decide whether it's useful enough to keep paying the price.

Or be a moron, and just start killing people left and right before he knows what it will cost him.

 

On the flip side, with death that easy, Stannis also has to be careful not to piss off Mellisandre. Seems she could just as easily find someone else to father a smoke baby to kill Stannis.

 

I think the locale was called "Torrin's Square", it was the place that Bron was informed had been attacked after he had held court. Also note that Bron's dream of the sea washing over Winterfell "predicted" this as the raven leading him to the crypt presaged his father's death.

I'm still trying to figure out what outcome the Greyjoys think are going to achieve (if it is just vengeance on the Starks then I guess it makes some sense). It seems to me that for the Iron Islands to have any semblance of independence that the rest of Westeros would have to be fragmented, and the way to do that is to support the Starks, not weaken them.
But then again people in this series don't seem to always consider the strategic implications of their actions.

Was Arya trying to get caught in a lie with her first answer to Tywin's "Where are you from" question? If so that was really clever, let them knock down the first lie so they believe the 2nd one. And who do you think the other 2 on here "hit list" will end up being?

Was "Smoky" a one use assassin? After killing Renley he kind of faded away, but was that a retreat or an "End of program"?

 

Bran. Bron is Tyrion's sellsword.

 

But we don't know how easy it is. If the cost is a canker sore, then yes, either one of them would be tempted to use it pretty freely. But if the cost is seven years of death, war, pestilence, and famine ravaging the countryside, then it might be used a little more...sparingly.

And I suspect Melisandre knows the price. The question is, does Stannis? Is he smart enough even to ask?

Bron seems to be the only person who appreciates Tyrion as much, and in the same way, as we do. I love the looks on his face when Tyrion does something Tyrionesque.

 

Okay. My power outage last night put a crimp in my GoT watching and recording. Stupid drivers, apparently someone hit a pole and my entire housing development went into a little 2 hour blackout. By the time it came back on, I was in bed. So I came into work and did what any rational person would do, I pretended to be super duper busy and pulled out my iPad and hit HBOGO.

So bear with me if on my small screen distracted by trying to be sneaky I didn't catch things as well as I'd like. I plan to watch again when I get home. My thoughts for now (before I actually read the thread and am tainted with others thoughts).

Did not see Renly dying coming. Although afterward it should have been obvious the moment the smokey thing came out last week that it was going to do just what it did. I am just surprised that Stannis didn't seem to give a crap at all. Stone, that man is made of. Not sure how that bodes for a future King. So I assume by the reaction we got from Brienne that she was in love with him and not just loyal to him?? Sucks for her now because not only is he dead but his men thought she killed him. That entire scene was just freaky. It comes in and they all just stare at it while it slices right through him with it's smoke dagger then *poof* it's gone. I do love how fast word traveled and how pretty much everyone assumed it was Stannis. Brienne said it looked like Stannis but on my tiny screen it just looked like the shape of a soldier.

What the hell is Littlefinger up to? Why does he care at all about Margaery now that Renly is dead? I'm racking my brain trying to think what use she would be to him and can come up with nothing. Oh and did you hear that? She doesn't want to be A queen, she wants to be THE queen. Well that's out the window for her now too, no? I just feel like I'm missing something vital in this scene.

So is this the first we've heard of wildfire? It kinda sounds like it can pretty much kill/destroy/melt anything. I see why Tyrion is worried. They'll end up seeing the entirety of Kings Landing on fire if they aren't careful!

So is Davos pretty much the smartest man in Stannis-camp? Because he's totally got Red-Priestess-of-the-Light's number. I was honestly surprised Stannis seemed to listen to him about not taking her to Kings Landing. He's totally right too. I just don't see how they are going to actually manage to leave her. Ummm guys, did you not see what that smoke thing did? You better watch your backs if you try to leave that woman behind!!

So Theon is planning to attack Robb's men when they show up at Torren Square? Or is he going bigger than that and just doing it to lure the remaining troops out of Winterfell so he can go take it over? That's not very nice, either way Theon. I hope he dies trying if that really is his plan. I don't even want to see poor Robbie's face when he realizes he's been stabbed in the back by Theon.

Jon Snow, the assassin! Go get em, tiger. Just don't think about dying. Hear me, show? You better not kill off my boy! I think next to Tyrion, Snow is my favorite and I'm not even sure why. It's not his pretty so don't even say that. I just find him fascinating. (and I feel like I've said this before so I'll shut up now) Just to be clear, they are going to kill off a former Ranger turned Wildling? Why would he want to stay north of the wall forever?? And what does killing this man gain the Night's Watch? Little lost on that.

Oh Yes! I almost forgot Arya and Dany! Wow so much this episode. Sorry this post is becoming a book. I really should be working too. I do look busy though so there's that.

Arya and Tywin - I guess that proves that he doesn't know who she is, right? I know there was a lot of debate over that last week. I think he just knew she was from the North. So loved her looking him dead in the face and saying "anyone can be killed, my Lord".... And yay! One of the monsters on her hit list is gone thanks to Jaqen. (had to look that name up, I cannot for the life of me ever remember it!) So he owes her 2 more. I hope she doesn't waste them on fools at Harrenhal but saves them for much greater bastards.

Umm Dany, are you dense, girl? I doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out that Jorah is in love with you. But it was great when you saw the realization of it hit her like a brick as he was saying he can't believe at times that she's real. Is it weird that I'm totally team Jorah here? As much as I liked Drogo, I think Jorah is good for her. Why was it he and his father (Mormont at the wall, right?) are at odds again? I for the life of me can't remember without going to look it up.

And last but not least, my LOL Tyrion moments of the episode were the following:

Cersei: Aren’t you always so clever with your schemes and your plots
Tyrion: Schemes and plots are the same thing

Tyrion: (to Cersei regarding Myrcella): She's a sweet, innocent girl and I don't blame her at all for you

Bronn: There's that mind you keep going on about
Tyrion: Well, I've never been able to actually kill people with it
Bronn: Good thing or I'd be out of a job

And also I loved his face when he realized he was the "evil demon monkey" they were spouting on about.

Oh and his "even torturing you is boring" to Lancel. Heee!

So yeah, Dinklage for the win again this episode.

 

Ser Jorah was involved in some smuggling/poaching thing which is against the laws, so he got banished. I believe that Jorah told Dany the story about his wife, which is related this part of the story. I won't go in detail because I can't remember what is show and what is books.