Spoiler note: The discussion in this post is primarily for non-book readers (book fans can discuss the show-only here). We ask that all Sullied book-readers refrain from posting spoilers in the comments here, veiled or otherwise. No spoilers, at all! This show is best viewed without knowing all the surprises beforehand or afterwards, so please be respectful of your fellow fans. Thank you!
Greetings from the shores of Dorne (or the Gulf, rather) where music and spirits are aplenty, but internet and cell service leave a lot to be desired. All technological services work well so long as the masses are asleep. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen until around 3 a.m., well after the airing of the greatest tale on TV.
So in the best interest of the realm, a man has recruited a fellow Unsullied who goes by the name of Clare. Please give her a warm Wall welcome as she steps in to recap Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.
Greetings and salutations, Unsullied readers. This is Clare, filling in for your Great and Powerful Unsullied Recapper, while he is off on his sojourn. Hopefully I will fill his shoes adequately.
The episode opens with Arya washing a dead body. We are treated to long, loving shots of the body being cleaned, because if there’s anything Game of Thrones does well it is film bodies… Even if they are dead.
When Arya demands to know what happens to the dead bodies, she instead gets more information about her fellow trainee. It turns out she’s Westerosi Cinderella who got recruited by the assassins when they took out her stepmother for her. Or maybe not. Being a Faceless Man means being able to lie about a backstory seamlessly.
Arya wakes up in the middle of the night with Jaqen H’ghar creepily hanging over her bed. He demands to know about her, while cropping her. Dude, who would want to be cropped in the middle of the night by Jaqen H’ghar?
Yeah, okay… I do.
Arya is less pleased and refuses to play anymore. Jaqen insists they never stop playing.
We head to Tyrion and the newest zombie infectee Jorah Mormont. Like any good zombie infectee, Jorah’s not telling the truth about his infection to his companion. Tyrion bitches and moans about the food and the companionship. Jorah wants to know if Tyrion ever shuts up. Tyrion admits to Jorah how he murdered Tywin and Jorah was lucky that the late Jeor Mormont was a good man. Unfortunately, this is how Jorah finds out about his father’s murder.
Jorah is having a really bad week. At least he doesn’t know about the skull cup.
Back with Arya, she’s cleaning when she’s begged to mercy kill a sick girl. She takes to lying as well as she did kicking ass, coming up with a bullshit backstory for herself that matched the girl’s. Arya comforts her, assuring her that the fountain water of death healed her and all the girl has to do is drink and her pain will go away. Jaqen smoulders in approval.
As Arya stands over the girl’s body and is led by Jaqen through the door where the dead bodies are taken. She’s led into huge crypt full of faces taken from the dead bodies. Jaqen still doesn’t think Arya is ready to become no one. But she can become someone else.
![GOT506_093014_HS__DSC2714[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/GOT506_093014_HS__DSC27141.jpg)
Tyrion wants to know why Jorah would fight for Daenerys when the Mormonts fought against the Targaryens. Jorah believes in magic because of Dany coming out of the fire with her dragons. Dany being buck-naked at the time had nothing to do with it, swear to the old gods and the new. Tyrion’s skeptical about Daenerys’ fitness as a ruler. The debate is cut short when they come upon slavers.
The slavers are very keen to kill Tyrion and sell his magic dwarf cock to a cock merchant (are cocks really such a hot commodity that there are people who can specialize in them?). Tyrion manages to talk his way out of it, because his cock is so large no one would believe it came off of a dwarf if they took it off of him. He really can talk his way out of anything. He and Jorah also convince the slavers that Jorah is an excellent choice for the fighting pits. He’ll really do anything to get back to Daenerys.
Petyr Badtouch is back in King’s Landing and confronted by Lancel Lannister. Lancel threatens him and Petyr slimes all over the place. So it’s a pretty normal day for Petyr.
Petyr and Cersei quip back and forth at each other over the arrest of Loras and the death of Lyssa. Petyr slimes all over the place and reveals Sansa is in Winterfell and planning to marry Ramsay Bolton. He keeps sliming and suggests Cersei let Stannis and Roose fight things out and swoop in at the end of fighting to take the North from the exhausted winner. Oops, there’s no one who can lead an army. Except for Petyr. And he’ll totally do it, if he’s made the warden of the North when the fighting is over.
Why do people continue to trust this guy? If there were electricity in Westeros, he would have a neon sign over his head that says I AM UNTRUSTWORTHY AND AM ACTIVELY WORKING AGAINST YOUR BEST INTERESTS.
![GOT_MP_101114_EP506-5395[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/GOT_MP_101114_EP506-53951.jpg)
In Dorne, Myrcella is in desperate need of rescuing from adorable romance with Trystane Martell. Yes, save Myrcella from the flower-giving, curly-haired heartthrob. He seems pretty hot to get into her dress, but at least he wants to get married first. Prince Doran worries about all of the people who want to break up the cuteness violently.
Jaime and Bronn are disguised as Dornishmen and Bronn is being annoying with a song about a Dornish wife. I believe songs about Dornish wives are similar to limericks about men from Nantucket…. Bronn’s song is cut off when the come upon the Water Gardens. Jaime is sure they can figure out a way in, joining with a caravan. Bronn doesn’t really trust Jaime’s ability to wing it, but he goes along all the same.
The Sand Snakes title-drop the Martell family motto as they prepare to go after Myrcella. The music is very dramatic, so I know I’m supposed to be worried… It might be more convincing if the characterizations of the Sand Snakes weren’t as deep as a drying puddle.
Jaime… Your Princess is in this castle, but your timing sucks. He and Bronn cock-block Trystane, who was happily making out with Myrcella. She’s just super confused as to why her father-uncle is in Dorne. Things get worse when Trystane notices the blood on their clothing. Bronn knocks Trystane out with one punch, which I’m sure was very comforting to Myrcella. Lannister family drama will have to wait as the Sand Snakes attack.
A heavily cut fight scene erupts between Bronn, Jaime and the Sand Snakes. Bronn says what we’re all thinking: For fuck’s sake. This fight scene is not good. Mercifully, it’s over quickly when Martell guards break it up. They take Jaime prisoner. Bronn smugly tells one of the Sand Snakes (Tyene, I think? I’ve gotten so little from these girls it’s “Keisha Castle-Hughes and the other two”) that she fights well for a little girl. So she throws a tantrum at him until the guards apprehend the pair of them. The guards then descend onto Ellaria.
Lady Olenna is back! After I’m done throwing my confetti in celebration, I see she’s very unhappy about being back in King’s Landing. She’s especially unhappy that she’s back because of the inquest against Loras. Olenna is generally unworried, assuring Margaery that she can handle Cersei.
Which leads directly into snark-to-snark combat from Olenna and Cersei. Cersei lies really badly about being involved with the arrest. Olenna points out that if the heir to Highgarden is left imprisoned, Highgarden isn’t going to want to, you know, pay for everything. Cersei’s head is far enough up her own ass she doesn’t listen to any of Olenna’s threats. Cersei continues to lie badly about how she’s sure Loras will be found innocent and the Lannisters and Tyrells will be able to skip into the sunset holding hands.
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The High Sparrow is interrogating Loras and… HOLY CRAP! This recap is pre-empted to gush about how beautiful men are so much more beautiful when they’re dishevelled from distress. Loras is rocking a beard of sorrow and is all dirty.
Anyway… Loras is lying through his teeth about his relationship with Renly. He insists Renly was just his friend and he only remained at his side after his death because Renly was his king. The High Sparrow points out that, yeah… Joffrey was totally supposed to be his king. And fighting the Battle of Black Water in Renly’s armour is a little suspicious. Hey, I wear my friend’s clothes all the time!
Once Loras is dismissed from questioning, it’s Margaery’s turn up. Her questioning is pretty simple. Did she know anything about what Loras was supposedly up to? She says no and is dismissed. Well, that seemed a bit pointless…
But it gets a lot pointier when the next witness takes the stand: Olyvar. He wants everyone to know that he totally hit that. Loras seduced the poor and innocent Olyvar and Margaery walked in on them.
Cersei is shocked. Shocked, she says! But Olyvar tells everyone Loras has a birthmark the shape of Dorne high on his thigh. Loras lashes out and tries to attack him, but is apprehended.
So now, Loras is going to be going on trial for his crimes. Oh yeah, and so is Margaery, because she lied before the gods. Tommen watches helplessly as his wife is dragged away. Hey Tommen? It might be a good time to grow a pair. A lady lets you have sex with her all night, maybe you make sure she’s not sent to the dungeons?
![GOT506_082214_HS__DSC0159[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/GOT506_082214_HS__DSC01591.jpg)
In Winterhell, Myranda prepares Sansa for her wedding. The jealous Myranda warns Sansa about all of the women who have disappointed Ramsay in the past, while creepily washing her hair. I supposed it goes without saying it’s creepy. It is a scene with Myranda.
… At least she’s ridding Sansa of the dumb hair dye now. Didn’t really work well to disguise her.
Myranda is unafraid to tell Sansa about what Ramsay does to women who displease him. But Sansa’s also unafraid. She shuts Myranda down and continues to prepare for her wedding.
Sansa then dresses in a gorgeous gown. It is the perfect embodiment of a Northern bride, white with fur around the shoulders. Reek– cleaned up so he looks like Theon again– comes to retrieve her for the ceremony. Sansa refuses to take his arm, even if Ramsay will punish him for it. If anything, she’s happy he’ll be punished.
![GOT506_092014_HS_DSC_7718[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/GOT506_092014_HS_DSC_77181.jpg)
The wedding ceremony is outdoors and night. It’s officiated by Roose… I guess. Myranda looks sad through the ceremony. As Reek gives Sansa away, he hesitates for a moment. There is a small glimmer that maybe there’s something of Theon still in there? Come on, you know you should be protecting her, Theon. You can’t let this happen. Don’t let this happen.
Roose asks who takes this man.
And then Arya flies in on Drogon and says “Hands off my sister” and shoves Needle down Ramsay’s throat!
Yeah… That’s just what I wanted to happen. Instead, Sansa says she takes Ramsay and he creepy smiles.
The scene cuts to-
NO.
NO NO NO.
MAKE IT STOP!
OZ, YOU TOOK THE WEEK OFF JUST SO YOU WOULDN’T HAVE TO RECAP THIS, DIDN’T YOU?!
NO!
NO! STOP THIS!
WHERE THE FUCK DID BRIENNE GO?
EPISODE OVER! EPISODE OVER!
I don’t want to do it…. But it is my duty as a recapper…
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Reek escorts Sansa and Ramsay to the chambers. Ramsay wonders why Sansa is still a virgin, if she had been married to Tyrion. Sansa insists Tyrion was kind. Ramsay manages to out-creep himself– which is quite a feat for a man who pretended to eat someone’s cut-off dick in front of them– just by asking if Sansa is lying to him. He tells her they need to be honest as man and wife, then kisses her….
Please don’t make me do this…
Ramsay tells Sansa to take off her clothes. Reek tries to leave, but Ramsay insists he stays. Reek has to watch. Since Reek has known Sansa since she was a girl, Ramsay wants Reek to see her become a woman.
When Sansa is too slow removing her clothes, Ramsay rips them. He bends Sansa over the bed and she braces herself.
The episode ends with Reek watching– his face more broken then we’ve ever seen before– while the sounds of Sansa’s cries of pain fill the room.
And now I’m going to go throw up.
Favorite Quotes:
“That explains the golden hand.”
–Bronn, criticizing Jaime’s improvisation skills.
“You can smell the shit from five miles away.”
–Lady Olenna’s opinion of King’s Landing
“If they arrested all the pillow-biters in King’s Landing, there’d be no room left in the dungeons for anyone else.”
–Basically, if Lady Olenna said it, it’s one of my favourites.
“Ah yes, the famously tart tongued Queen of Thorns.”
“And the famous tart, Queen Cersei.”
–Seriously, I would watch an entire show of Lady Olennasnarking at people.
“I’m Sansa Stark of Winterfell. This is my home. And you can’t frighten me.”
–Dammit Sansa, why’d you have to say something so strong right before that end?
Ow, That Shit Hurts Award: The ending. It hurts Sansa. It hurts Reek. IT HURTS US ALL.
Overall Thoughts: You expect me to have any thoughts on anything except that last scene? Really?
Up until the scene in Winterfell, I didn’t feel like a lot happened in this episode. There was tiny little bits of movement, but nothing to write home about. There was a lot of people snarking at each other. Not a lot of forward momentum.
And then the ending.
Seriously, what the hell was that? That poor girl has gone through enough! Now halfway through the season she’s brutally deflowered by her sadistic husband while her foster brother is forced to watch? I’m really worried about what’s going to happen. It seems like we’ve got a while before there can be any resolution in this.
I wish I could give you guys more… But after that ending this Unsullied feels really dirty. That’s all I’m taking away from this one.
The episode was great! Best of the season so far!
About that last scene, people need to understand that this show is FICTION, not REAL LIFE. It’s Game of Thrones, did you expect a friggin’ happy ending with flowers and shit? She married RAMSAY BOLTON.
That said, the episode had some other great scenes as well, like Jorah & Tyrion roadtrip, Arya, Dorne and Loras’ inquest.
Cersei fucked up messing with Olenna. The old lady will set her straight now!
Not unsullied, but just here to welcome you Clare and say, great recap (review).
As Daeny’s boy-toy mercenary said, “Kings are butchers, or meat.”
Anyone care for a nice juicy Tommen rib-eye done very rare?
“I wish it was wine… I’ll take the water. And the mercy.”
Petyr Badtouch. Love it.
Welcome, Clare!
WAHHH. This episode left me feeling very bowed, bent, and broken. I don’t know if that even makes sense, but it just sounds right.
I’m worried for Loras and Margaery. Tommen needs a little dash of Joffrey in him right now.
I’m doubly worried for Sansa because Littlefinger is leading Cersei to her and obviously that last scene was horrific. Ramsay is officially on Joffrey-level insane. I mean, I guess he always was, but now that he’s directly hurt a precious Stark it’s like he hurt us all.
I’m also worried for Tyrion and Jorah. I really want them to make it to Dany. I want a duo of Tyrion and Daenerys to infiltrate Westeros and begin the fight for the throne.
Lovely recap. I am also not Unsullied so I won’t make any comments on the episode. But I do think you could maybe stick around? 🙂
Really enjoyed your recap style.
Mostly disappointed with this season thus far. Can’t quite put my finger on what exactly it is – not enough decisive action or decisions with big consequences, perhaps? I don’t know, I just hope I like the rest of the season better. Since it’s GoT, I can only guess that some dramatic stuff is brewing and will happen later in the season (say…like in episode 9).
I really did like some of the scenes from this season, like Mance being burnt at the stake (not because I wanted to see him burn), the city turning on Daenerys and Jon beheading Janos. But some of the time, I actually feel bored; which I don’t recall doing in previous seasons.
That last scene of this episode was seriously painful to watch and made me forget for some time about the rest of the episode that I had seen; but now I remember..
Nice recap, Clare! You filled Oz’s shoes perfectly!
Nice recap, those are big shoes to fill but I enjoyed reading your reactions. And boy, Oz’s timing is suspiciously convenient
Hodor Targaryen,
He’s at Hangout Music Fest, he goes every year.
In a way I agree. It would have been quite inconsistent if Ramsay had suddenly been gentle with Sansa.
Is this supposed to be the one where Ramsay does worse things than ever before? Honestly, I know it’s PC at the moment to say that rape is the worst crime of all, but personally I’d rather be raped and not physically hurt than be tortured for months on end. Or be tortured at all. Yes it was horrible etc, but she married him, what he did was the least I’d have expected; it’s just disappointing that D&D decided to do this at all. I just hope it doesn’t get worse. Presumably she’s gonna go light that candle now and be rescued by Brienne.
Whitedagger,
“Not enough decisive action or decisions with big consequences”? This season actually had the most important decision of the entire series so far! I.e. – Jon realizing that the WW are the real threat and saving Westeros from them is much more important than fighting the wildlings and than the little petty feuds everyone else seems to be involved in; and then him deciding to plan accordingly, despite how no one else (except maybe Sam, Stannis and Melisandre) is able to realize and comprehend it.
That is huge and will have huge consequences for not only Jon’ story arc, so there.
Doesn’t Lady Olenna go “pillar-biters? As does Daenerys, asking about how The Unsullied are cut: “Do they take both the pillar and the two stones?” – Anyway, might just be a typo of yours 🙂
I LOVE Lady Olenna. She and Tywin, always loved the dialogues. Even her alone is great.
Aside from the sheer terror in the last 5 minutes (agree with you, it’s shocking, despite knowing it’s fiction it is still painful) , it’s incredible how many cliffhangers we got in this episode..
ZappaCreed,
Go away. This is purely an unsullied talkback. And save your judgement until the next few episodes play out and see how Sansa will react and handles the situation before saying her entire dignity has been stripped from her.
And GRRM did comment about the scene and the show. Go read his comment on the episode at grrm.livejournal.com/.
Now, please, respect the unsullied and leave this comment section, or at least be more mature and considerate since you obviously know that this is meant for non-book readers.
A Man Grown,
I was joking
Moritz,
Nope. “Pillow-biter” is an old derogatory term for a gay man.
Sue the Fury,
Learning something new every day, thank you!
Well done Clare and thank you for having done this ! 🙂
Moritz,
It’s pillow biters. As in, they are face down in the pillow….. IfyaknowwhatI’msayin’…
Nice recap, Clare. Welcome to Westeros. You were spot on about everything, really.
And yeah, Loras did look pretty amazing with that beard (I don’t mean Cersei). 😉
The chapter six was ugly ramsey did not taste like it was with sansa HBO writers should teach sansa as was ramsey on your wedding night. Ramsey should have been more swett gentlymanly Ramsey is violent phychopath but he must have hidden that day at that time i hope sansa can avenge death. Another question WHERE IS RICKON STARK writers DO NOT FORGET IT REMEMBER THAT THE PUBLIC SENT
While I don’t envision any other plan for Littlefinger than to lead his armies to the North in order to kill the Boltons, marry Sansa himself and raise the North in rebellion against the Lannisters; this episode really hammers home how he is willing to hurt and sacrifice anyone, even those he loves, in order to reach his goals. He must have known what was going to happen, and one can only speculate if he is planning to use Sansa’s treatment as a rallying cry to win the Northern lords on his side.
I was so hoping that Brienne would arrive before Sansa was raped, knocking Ramsay out and fleeing with her. Because where is Sansa’s story going to go now? She will never be the same after this. How could she go back to being the innocent little girl she was before this happened? I fear for her, I really do.
As traumatic as that last scene was, at least it did come at the end. There were other things I liked about this episode, particularly Olenna sparring with Cersei and some of Littlefinger’s comments as well.
Dorne is a big disappointment. It’s so shallow, with very few characters and almost no character development. I just don’t get what is happening there. Now that Jaime’s mission to rescue Myrcella has failed, Prince Doran has two Lannister hostages. So what next?
I missed seeing Stannis & Co. as well as the Night’s Watch boys, but I was okay without seeing Meereen for one week.
The House of Black & White was awesome, but I don’t understand why Jaqen is being so cruel to Arya now when he was quite nice to her at Harrenhal.
Tyrion and Jorah’s scene seemed weird. Weren’t they sitting on the same beach as in the previous episode, yet they were talking about doing so much walking? They hardly walked at all! The slavers looked pretty badass though. They were my favourite part of that scene.
I didn’t think it was too bad an episode. Things are obviously going somewhere. It had a lot of suspense and I’m looking forward to the rest of the season.
Ashara Dayne,
I know you meant your statement about rape in the context of long-term torture and you probably didn’t mean anything about what you said. BUT I feel strongly compelled to correct and educate you on this matter. You said:
Rape hurts….it hurts VERY badly and it is a form of torture. That’s why men (and yes, on rare occasions, women, do it). Because it hurts, badly. The penis or object or whatever, is simply the weapon. Furthermore, it can do enough damage to have lifelong physical consequences, not to mention mental consequences. I’m telling you this as a former law enforcement officer, okay? If you think Sansa wasn’t hurt (and I don’t just mean from the losing her virginity part) then you are being incredibly naive or ignorant. Moreover, Ramsay is her husband. He can rape her multiple times a day, every day for the rest of her life and Sansa would be in agony and there’s nothing in Westerosi law that would say he doesn’t have the right to do so. And we all know that Ramsay loves him some torture, so now he has a woman who he can torture, brag to everyone about it and it’s ALL legal. Do you think the wedding night will be the only time he does it? It is torture and will continue to be torture until Sansa gets away from him or he dies. Please don’t take this in the wrong way, but your statement is just so, so wrong.
so it’s okay to openly dislike the Sand Snakes now, or are we still “giving them a chance” and “looking past our pre-conceived desire to dislike them”?
If anything, people had a weird pre-conceived desire to defend them. I didn’t hate them until the first time I saw them on-screen. Now I hate them like triple-much. If you’re ready to admit that they are awful, it’s okay, and we forgive you for all the lectures about how we are just whiny book purists, etc.
Jaime, Bronn, Doran, and a kickass new location are all being dragged down by this mess in a way that is fast approaching nonredeemable, and that’s sad. The funny thing is, I’m still not sure that any of the responsibility for this is on these ladies. The implementation has been so awful that I don’t even care if next week I find out they’re all actually great actresses, and that may well be the case.
They never had a chance.
Dame Pasty,
Some combo of Sansa, Theon, Brienne, or all three need to kill Ramsay quick. Don’t wait for Stannis to get there. Stannis can kill Roose. Ramsay needs to go now.
People who like to inflict pain instead of pleasure on others make no fucking sense to me and they need to fucking stop. I’m not faulting D&D for including a sadist, I know sadists exist, but it’s horrifying. Somehow I was almost more horrified by Sam Neill in the show Peaky Blinders (maybe because there weren’t any books to read, so I wasn’t already geared for him to to be evil like I was with Ramsay).
Dame Pasty,
I want to soul kiss you for that reply/comment. <3 PLUS ONE, THUMBS UP, UPVOTE.
Hi Clare, welcome and thank you for the great recap.
Really great episode! Though I still feel nauseous and sad from that last scene.
The most important thing from that scene to me is the look on Reeks face. It shows to me at least that Theon is still in there and I think this is the catalyst for him to come back. Or at least I hope so.
Harma Dogememe,
(And ALL Book Readers) From your statements and attitude, I can see you are a book reader. Please stay out of this post if all you want to do is rag on the Unsullied. We don’t just keep book readers out of Unsullied posts to avoid spoilers, we also keep them out when their bad attitudes drag the Unsullied conversation downward and off track. Please respect this policy.
A Man Grown,
Amen, ser, amen.
Man that last scene was genuinely hard to watch, and listen to …. and I don’t even like Sansa much …
Laura Stone,
Great recap this week Laura. I hope the show stops doing this to you but who knows.
Gret recap Clare. I know what you mean about: did you expect me to think of anything besides the last scene?!
A Man Grown,
I approve of any combo for this course of action.
I feel good when I think of someone dispensing retribution to that Bastard. NOW before he does it again. In fact if Sansa could just kill him in self defense next night, would be just as well, though she has suffered enough and quite frankly, I wouldn’t want her to have his death on her hands to deal with on top of everything else she’s going through.
Please anyone just freaking light that candle. It is time. #TheNorthRemembers
Tormund’s Woman,
As much as we instinctively want Sansa to get revenge, “woman gets raped and then gets revenge” is a tired trope in and of itself and Sansa isn’t a killer. Like you said, killing him could lead to even more torment for her. And Theon is so broken, I don’t know if he could bring himself to do it. Even if it offers the least catharsis, Brienne decapitating Ramsay with her giant sword might be the best option at this point. She certainly has practice in killing. Should we even be at this point, though? 🙁
“The policy” as it has always been presented before your post is that book readers are very much invited to participate in the Unsullied discussions as long as they don’t “talk about book things”.
Yes, I have read the books. I prefer the Unsullied recaps and discussions for the simple reason that I come to this site to read/talk about the show, not the books. Especially in the last two seasons, they are two very separate things.
Please point out any specific part in my post where I was talking about anything other than the TV show and I will gladly apologize.
Saying that my “attitude” bans me from participating because I don’t like certain characters that you apparently do like is absurd.
Harma Dogememe,
The part that I was referring to was this:
I presume “you’re ready to admit” refers to the Unsullied and “we forgive you” refers to yourself and other bookreaders. That’s exactly the whiny attitude the Unsullied dislike and try to avoid.
My response had nothing to do with your liking or not liking any characters. I personally don’t like the SS in the book or in the show, so it has nothing whatsoever to do with that. The rest of your comment was fine. Please also note that I didn’t delete your comment, I politely asked you to rein in the attitude. Are we clear now?
Discussion about the Sand Snakes among the TV-only crowd started many months ago with photos, casting news, etc. so I don’t know why it would make sense to assume I’m talking about something else completely.
It’s fine though. I wasn’t aware of the “no contrary opinions or snarky comments among non-staff” policy. My destructive attitude has been corrected by way of your justice and wisdom.
Voting is now open!!!!
http://challonge.com/WesterosFightClub
Harma Dogememe,
Okay, you still aren’t understanding me. Talk about the Sand Snakes ALL you want–to your little hearts content. Talk about the show until your fingers fall off from typing so much. Be my guest. What I don’t want you to talk about is how you think the Unsullied think that book readers are whiny purists. Be snarky to your hearts content (as you just were with me) just NOT about differences between book readers and non-book readers. If you still don’t understand, then your being willfully ignorant and want to pick a fight, which is wholly unnecessary (and childish).
Laura Stone,
Don’t fall into the trap of thinking it was about Theon. They showed you Sansa’s misery, they showed you Theon’s.
Two people trapped in a horrific, unwinnable situation. That’s what made it drama instead of exploitation.
Christomir,
We’ve been served a lot of promises this season for big things that could happen, but we don’t know yet that they actually will. Like the scene with queen Margaery being taken away; that could potentially have very dramatic consequences – like a war. But at present, all we have is a person being taken across the floor of a small room against her will. Of course, it’s too early for some of the consequences (like a war; although Tommen could have ordered his guards to intervene, which could have become epic), but I feel like far too much of the season thus far has been delivering promises of big things rather than big things themselves.
Could this WW stuff that you mention have big consequences? Yeah, though Stannis could end up getting flayed and Jon get an arrow through his heart before either manage to do much about it (such events would of course be big, though..). Time will tell.
What I can say with absolute certainty is that I feel that I am not as entertained by this season as I have been by previous ones – S4 was phenomenal (even if I managed to get spoiled on Joffrey’s death well in advance), that could have something to do with it. I dunno.
EXACTLY! I DON’T understand where I was trying to pick an “Unsullied vs. Book Readers” fight, which seems to be the focal point of your problem with me.
My comment essentially alluded to three groups: 1.) people who were worried about the Sand Snakes based on photos/casting info; 2.) people who were predisposed to defend the Sand Snakes just because YAYYYY GOT!!!; and 3.) people like me who tried not to form a prior opinion, but definitely hate them now that I’ve seen them.
I suppose there is also a 4th group who claims to have not formed a prior opinion, and now LOVES the Sand Snakes after seeing them on screen. More power to them, if they exist.
None of those groups of people are defined by having read (or not read) the books, hence my confusion with being called out as some sort of Purist vs. Unsullied instigator, particularly since I am a part of neither group.
I went on the show-only recap and made a show-only comment. It only became an issue when you, in your own words, “presumed” that I wasn’t talking about the show.
A Man Grown,
I love Peaky Blinders too! And yes, it took me by surprise to find out how sadistic he was. Bit of a shock. Made the anti-hero, Tommy Shelby, look like a friggin saint!
KG,
I understand why they focused on Theon’s face, otherwise it would have just been far too much (at least for me). And he represents us, right? We’re the helpless third party in the room too, raging against what is happening.
Laura Stone,
Thank you, wasn’t sure if I should say anything but just couldn’t remain silent.
Harma Dogememe,
This is the thread for non-book readers. I don’t even want to see the word ‘book’ mentioned 99% of the time. At this point, you’re causing drama and antagonizing an admin for the hell of it. Chill out or move on.
Part of me wasn’t surprised by the Ramsay Sansa wedding night scene but part of me was really expecting another Red wedding!
I really thought Sansa was going to stab Ramsay in the face. Right up to the point where she is untying her sleeve, I thought she would pull out a knife, turn and stab Ramsay, at which point Reek would grow a pair … ok figuratively … and help her kill Ramsay!
But Noooo … GoT Had to go There. … Traumatized!
Dame Pasty,
I just love this site and how protective of us Unsullied the mods are, so huge thank you for that (and in more ways than one). And EXCELLENT JOB stepping into this massive job, especially given the episode and the very fast turnaround, Clare!
I’ll take my responses off the air so as not to detract from Clare’s new fans. 😉
What did the Unsullied think of the Hall of Faces? What ideas on what it means? I won’t comment further on responses because of spoilers but interested to hear what non book readers make of it…
Allie,
I was hoping for the same thing while watching it. Hopefully she will get her revenge on him at some point. Or at least that he dies. Preferably this season.
All faces they can use, the way Jaqen did in earlier seasons and beginning of this season. That’s what I’m guessing.
As to my thoughts about this episode. It feels like a completely transition episode. Very little springs out, although some scenes were real fun to watch:
* Jorah/Tyrion, best actors acting their best, lovely scenery. Although I thought them real stupid about not being more careful about being spotted. Necessary ark to get them back to Dany I suppose
* Arya learning what her learning is all about… I’m guessing assuming new identities, swapping faces, serve the God of Death, something along those lines
* Olenna… her facial expressions (besides her witty remarks) tell so much more. You can just read in her face she thinks Cersei is so stupid, it’s not even worth explaining the consequences of what she’s doing. That and Cersei being a stupid cunt.
The rest I found rather “meh”. Dorne felt rushed, the fight was ok-ish… but the Snake’s acting was a weak IMO. Especially the one with her “I’m Oberynn’s daughter…” wah-wah-wah.
I didn’t really like Winterfell scenes that much either. Time set that part of the world on fire… or freeze it to hell, so we can finally see WinterHell! Hah 😀
Heeere’s Stannis!
I am an unsullied and I have no problems with the sand snakes. I actually like them 🙂 I want to see more.
I loveddddddddddd that scene. Arya is in my top three characters (Along with Daneyrus and Jon Snow). I knew from the beginning that the bodies were cleaned so that they can strip the faces, and when they showed us the sick little girl, i had a feeling that would be aryas face. I dont know how they do it, but the hall of faces is what they use to change their faces. I cant wait to see more. I think arya is going to get someone of their list this season, *cough* meryn trant, since he is on his way to bravos.
The Sansa scene really bothered me as a fan of Sansa and a stark lover and a ramsay hater. But the fact that rape was being used as a plot point didnt bother me. i saw so many people crying on twitter about that. Its a TV show, set in the middle ages, where that happened a lot, and sadly it still happens. its not a big deal as it is only a tv show (i am girl FYI). Danyerus was forced into sex by drogo on their wedding night. it happens sadly to young girls . no big deal, just a show.
Back to the story, i think sansa is going to grow stronger from this, and her rage is going to come out. That and theons as well. i hope they kill ramsay and then run away. I have no idea how this is going to play out.
I hate Cersei and i cant wait till Olenna gets her back, which she will, since she is one of the biggest sinners in their city.
Love this show and everything about it. I cant wait to see what happens. Im rooting hard for my girl sansa to avenge somehow, if its not her, someone else on her behalf. The north remembers!
Yes, you’re quite correct, I’m speaking from a position of naïveté & ignorance. When I was raped thirty years ago the man had an extremely small cock. So no harm was done.
Sue the Fury,
Awesome, I totally understand and appreciate all of that. I just don’t see where I was in violation of any of it…
I’m not the one who brought the “b-word” into this conversation, and although I’ve been repeatedly told to shut up/chill out/move on I have yet to actually hear how my having a negative opinion of the Sand Snakes is “sullying” anybody’s experience here.
Was that instagatory too? If so, I’m sorry. I have no idea why my opinion was a problem in the first place, and when I try to clarify what I meant and/or ask for clarification so that I won’t look like a total dick in the future, I’m accused of “picking a fight”?
Yes, my initial post had a little harmless assholery to it, but I assume you’ve all seen the Internet before. As for chilling out, I’m as cool as a godsdamned cucumber. A confused cucumber, but nevertheless…
Ashara Dayne,
Then I cannot possibly understand why you said:
“I’d rather be raped and not physically hurt”
I meant no offense and I was as polite as I could be but I have NEVER in my entire life, neither professionally nor personally, heard of a woman who was treated like Sansa was who was not in physical pain afterward. Did you or did you not type those words?
Harma Dogememe,
Listen, I’ve seen some of your other comments and you seem perfectly reasonable. So let me try one last time to effectively communicate with you. You used the phrase “whiny book purists” in a snarky manner. Snark is fine but as Sue said, book comments–ANY book comments are not acceptable in Unsullied posts. I don’t understand why you can’t understand that.
I’m Sullied, but I always read the Unsullied boards, because it is interesting to get a different perspective. I’m just posting to add my appreciation for the article. I think your format worked well, and you had some interesting thoughts, with lots of humour which I always like. If Oz is ever away, I hope you come back. Great work!
Sorry I just don’t understand your question. Yes I typed those words. Please explain what exactly what it is that you don’t understand.
JennyofOldstones,
Remember, Sansa “killed the girl” last season, if not before. I’ve seen a lot of people assume she’s entered another Victimization Arc because of this scene, but we haven’t actually seen what’s ahead yet. Sansa’s character has been hardening and developing as a player against the most dangerous people since season two, and I really don’t see that all getting thrown away just because rape! happened.
Anyway, she’s already been an accessory to two murders, so why not be implicit in a third? She did enter this relationship with the intention of getting revenge for the crimes already committed by this family, after all.
sansaaaaaaaaaaa:(( nooo i am so sad
I hated them in their first scene because the dialogue was terrible and their exposition was stupid “look at us, we are all such bad-asses” scowls.
Unbelievably, after this next scene, their second, I hate them even more because of how poorly edited and choreographed that fight scene was. There was also some more I’m such a bad ass dialogue and more terrible acting.
I just don’t get the point… Oberyn was so fucking cool… And everything about the sand snakes, his vengeful assassin daughters, sucks so so much.
Dialogue, acting, editing, story, fight choreography, costumes… It’s all just bad. And I think you’re right, it’s nearly beyond redemption at this point… And it’s just two scenes in.
The Sand Snake battle reminded me a lot of the 1960s “Batman” tv show. All that was missing were the “POW!” “KERPLUNK!” “WHACK!”
If you don’t know what I’m referencing, just Google “Batman, Adam West”
I really hope so. I see people saying they hope Brienne kills him. I think Sansa needs to now.
Ugh I soo agree. The Sand snakes seem so completely boring and pointless. The scenes aren’t even remotely entertaining. They could have found another way to bring Marcella back in that didn’t include wasting precious air time on these unnecessary characters.
Your recap was fantastic, Clare!
I didnt find such disturbing the ending scene , but i didnt understand why was necessary for more sansa torture. they could easily replace her with Miranda . And Theon’s reaction felt a bit overdramatic . Overall good episode , but Dorne’s scenes are silly indeed. I still hope that Doran scenes with the other characters can save the whole story there.
Thank you for stepping in, Clare!
Hmm, there’s two Dornes:
1) Doran, the scenery, late Oberyn and at this point even Myrcella and Trystane. Those I like. A lot! I hope we see a lot more of Doran and that he saves the Dorne storyline somehow.
2) Sand Snakes, Jaime and Bronn’s ‘rescue attempt’ and the plot so far. That just turns me off and it makes me not like the episodes. Just somehow, Jaime, Bronn and the Sand Snakes end up in the same place at the same time. All enter absolutely unnoticed?! All get to the point of being able to simply kill the future ruler of Dorne and his bride to be?! (Please say it was a trap, that’d explain how so many guards appeared out of nowhere.) And I won’t even go repeating how badly thought out both the attempts to kidnap Myrcella were in the first place to me.
Well, let’s try to forget about Dorne for now. It was actually a pretty good episode. Cersei so much has it coming to her now. She’s so blindly going after Margaery and Sansa that she’ll soon have everyone alive in westeros against her. Seriously, Cersei so stubbornly ignored Olenna’s warnings. She continues to play into the Sparrows’ game. And she keeps being played by Littlefinger as well.
Up in Winterfell, I’m really sorry for Theon (wonderful acting as always by Alfie Allen) and naturally for Sansa. I’m only a little puzzled by Sansa’s switching moments of hesitance and open defiance. Basically as last week’s episode too. Everytime she defies someone (Ramsay after the dinner toast, Walda after the ‘strange place’ remark, Myranda during the bath) and begin to think she finally starts to ‘play the game’, she follows up with afraid looks and hesitation to follow through with the plan of marrying Ramsay and try to avenge her family. Don’t know if that’s shown willingly or some weirdness in the acting/scripts.
Not that bad a recap, Clare, btw. I’m sure Oz will be pleased by your help.
I was just thinking their characterization reminded me of the Power Rangers. They should send the Sand Snakes out into their own spin-off in the “after school” time slot.
So much sand snake hate! Geez.
Oz, what did you think of the episode? You should comment here briefly and tell us!
Another thing we got in this episode: a clear look at Littlefinger’s strategy. First he drove a wedge between the Lannisters and their allies in the Notrh, the Boltons and the Freys. By encouraging Cersei to keep Lannisters forces away from the Baratheon/Bolton war, he gets to play clean up with the Vale armies and claim the North. He finds someone to marry Fat Walda to and gains Walder Frey’s allegiance. Hmm, I don’t know, does he know anyone who could use a nice motherly wife? Say, Sweetrobin?
And don’t forget: it was Littlefinger’s man Olyvar who sealed the indictment of Loras and Margaery. That also ended any hope of mending fences between the Tyrells and the Lannisters. After Baelish finishes in the North, he can ride down and clean up the remains of that impending war.
Who should be king then? Peter Baelish? Why not? And who might he take for his queen? Any recently widowed heirs to the Stark name hanging about? Say, Sansa Stark Bolton?
Clever fellow, that Lord Baelish. Maybe he deserves the Iron Throne, if he can pull this off.
I am stunned by the snarky back and forth between those who I’m assuming are adults……geesh. Y’all are actually fighting each other on opinions about a fantasy……..WTF????? Here’s a summation that will satisfy everyone……and I quote,”If you think this has a happy ending you haven’t been paying attention.”
honeyimhome,
this
Joseph Nobles,
Good point about Olyvar. I wonder if Littlefinger really has his hands in that, however. It’s true that Littlefinger helping the Sparrows in their hearing of Tyrrels could better his position and perhaps make his brothel enterprise keep on going in the capital (minus admittance of religion representatives and homosexual offerings).
One interesting point I forgot about: Trystane Martell.
He looked like the typical handome prince in fancy clothes with far too many hair stylists on hand BUT, when danger came, he didn’t cry or run for his life. He actually tried to defend Myrcella (which was sure stupid, as Bronn observed, but brave nonetheless).
Harma Dogememe,
Im a book reader (and no worries I don’t do spoilers, just like to see what non readers are thinking) I wasn’t wild about the SS in the books. Wanted to give them a chance in the show. No chance left – they’ll need to do a bunch to redeem themselves in my eyes. Not sure if its the acting, or the writing, or the set up, but their scenes have been rather dreadful.
Ha! Yes, exactly!
Totally agree, which is why I cringed when I knew that LF was taking Sansa there. Yikes. I was actually expecting worse, but lord it was bad enough. But yes, it was expected. Still – very hard to watch
Clare, excellent recap! Careful, something tells me Oz might find more computer trouble just so you can handle the rough moments 🙂
The first three episodes of the season were a good start, feeling like a slow build to an emotional climax, but it seems to have lost some momentum now. Many of the details that were so crucial to the over-all quality of the series (e.g. cinematography, costuming, direction) seem to have fallen off as this season has advanced, leaving it somewhat less compelling, despite our emotional investment. Perhaps things are not going so well behind the scenes, D&D may be burnt out, or the whole thing has become too unwieldy.
We can only hope that the rest of the season makes up for it. Can we at least find out what Jaqen was doing in Westeros in the first place?
Appreciation to Clare for filling in.
Why in the seven hells has Obara to tell everyone that she is Oberyn’s daugther? He was the prince of dorne, they all already know…
Also, the whip thing was so cheesy, very Indiana Jones like.
I found the last five minutes of the episode very hard to watch. I think, though, when Sansa agreed to marry Ramsay, it was in furtherance of a plan (with or without Littlefinger’s complicity) to retake Winterfell as the last (to her knowledge) surviving legitimate Stark. I think she knew the wedding night would be awful but she underestimated just how bad it would be. I think Roose Bolton will intervene to protect Sansa as he needs Sansa alive to hold the North. Sansa is not the helpless little pawn she was; she knows Littlefinger can’t be trusted and she’s playing her own game. If Stannis is successful in taking Winterfell, Sansa will become Lady Stark of Winterfell. If Stannis fails, Brienne and the Northern loyalists will be in a great position to defeat the Boltons’ depleted, exhausted forces, perhaps with the support of Littlefinger’s forces from the Vale, and Sansa will be Lady Stark of Winterfell.
He should have known, yes. But according to the writers he didn’t. So yeah. It’s basically an inconsistency derived of the adaptation choices they made.
So he didn’t know Sansa was going to get hurt because in the show Ramsay is “secretly” psychopathic.
Let me try to explain, from an outside perspective:
Hama is saying that people who liked the SS prior to seeing them on-screen accused those people that didn’t like them prior to seeing on-screen of being “whiny book purists” EVEN IF THEY WEREN’T.
He is not saying “I don’t like them BECAUSE I read the books”, he is saying “I don’t like them BECAUSE THEY SUCK”
It doesn’t matter if you read the books or not, Clare, the reccaper, is unsullied, and doesn’t like them.
He is trying to participate in an unsullied discussion with an unsullied perspective (not just in this post, in the past months) and people were telling him “you think SS will suck because you are a whinny book reader”, and he was telling them “noooo I just don’t like this pictures of the SS, I think they will be terrible”.
And now that the SS have been deemed terrible by all he is saying “See? I was not being a whiny book purist, I was being realistic”
I hope that made some sense 🙂
PS: When I read all the back and forth I deemed Dame Pasty admonition a little out of line…I think she saw something there that really wasn’t, because of the arguments that are being held on other threads . Just my opinion 🙂