Interview/News

Interview Round-Up features Kit Harington, Iwan Rheon & Eugene Simon; plus, Sapochnik returning for season 6!

Posted on by Nate

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Kit Harington (Jon Snow) talked with Variety about some of the challenges of Game of Thrones and his new film Testament of Youth (released June 5th).

He commented that playing such a committed role as Jon Snow hasn’t allowed him to branch out as much as he’d like to acting-wise due to his Thrones schedule.

He also tells Variety about his most challenging role, Jon Snow:

Physically not as hard as Albert in “War Horse,” whatever actor is playing that role right now I feel for you, man. But Jon Snow is a difficult animal to play. He doesn’t say much, he doesn’t express much, he keeps to himself. It’s difficult to find nuance with. He repeats the same thing over and over: “I’m a man of The Night’s Watch…” And the noble ones are the hardest.

Head on over to Variety for the full interview!

RamsayIwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton) proves to be actually quite nice in an interview with Wales Online.

He even said a thing or two about that scene with Sophie Turner (Sansa Stark) in Episode 6: “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken.”

Of all the terrible things Ramsay’s done – and there have been loads – that was by far the hardest to shoot.

He also talks about how he wants Ramsay to die:

I’d love see him meet a spectacular end – God knows he deserves it. And it’s something that could happen at any time. That’s the nature of the show – no-one’s really safe. That said, I’ve just bought myself a flat in London so I hope that day doesn’t come too soon. […] But that day is definitely coming, no mistake about it – and I hope that when it does it’s epic, nasty and preferably dragon-related. He needs to go out with the bang.

Rheon talks that scene, playing the vicious bastard, and more over at Wales Online!

Over at The Hollywood Reporter, Enzo Cilenti (who plays the slaver Yezzan) cheers over the enormous efforts the crew went to in making Episode 9: The Dance of Dragons. There’s going to be an epic fight sequence involving that gladiator ring you’ve seen in previews:

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We set it up absolutely beautifully. The stunt guys were so excited about what was coming up. It’s something they’d been working on and choreographing for months. Fans of the show are going to be really bowled over.

 

 

Head on over to The Hollywood Reporter for the full scoop!

Additionally, Eugene Simon (Lancel Lannister) revels in the ruins of Cersei Lannister in a video interview with Pop Sugar.

Finally, Game of Thrones director Miguel Sapochnik tweeted that he indeed would be returning for Season 6.

Screen Shot 2015-06-07 at 1.19.00 AM

Sapochnik previously directed season 5 episodes 7 (“The Gift”) and 8 (“Hardhome”).

Now that you’re all caught up on interviews, stick around and get ready with Watchers for episode 9: The Dance of Dragons!

And let us know what you thought of the interviews in the comments below!

NOTE: An episode has allegedly been released early in some outlets and people in the comments section of this post have been discussing these possible spoilers. Beware that comments under spoiler coding may refer to tonight’s episode.

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Nate

146 Comments

  1. Hodor!

    Does this mean that Ramsay survives the season? I’ll be a bit disappointed if that corkscrew Sansa picked up doesn’t come into play.

  2. Awesome! I wish we can get Alex Graves back too, and perhaps Alan Taylor (doubtfully since he’s in Hollywood now). I also miss Michelle MacLaren.
    If there’s a battle perhaps they’ll get Neil Marshall for a third time.

  4. KrakenDaughter,

    I’m sure it will come into play except being used on someone else,i don’t know,i feel it’s too early for Ramsay to die,we just lost Joffrey and we don’t have another pure psychopathic character in the show .

  5. Reading Ian’s interview reminded me of Jack Gleeson’s presentation at Oxford last year – both gave me the impression of personable and intelligent young men, certainly nothing like their characters! Wonder whats inside them that makes them play evil so bloody well….

  7. Predictions for tonight’s episode? What will Ramsay and his 20 men do to Stannis’ camp? We’ve seen a bit of chaos in the previews with tents set on fire. The episode 10 synopsis says that Stannis marches in episode 10, so it’s safe to say he’s alive until then. Rheon’s comments seem to suggest he’s survived this season too, since it was done some time after episode six aired. So Ramsay will do a Yara type mission and flee back to Winterfell? I wanted exciting shenanigans in episode 9, I hope whatever they are attempting here pays off.

  8. Hodoreo,

    I don’t know about specifics, but I struggle to understand how they are going to pack everything that the promos and other stuff implies in this 53 minute episode. I mean, it’s gotta be an amazing episode; every scene will be transcendental, if my predictions are correct.

    1) Jon lets over thousands of wildlings through the Wall.
    2) Sam is sent to Oldtown with Gilly and the baby.
    3) Arya kills the thin man, and then spots Meryn Trant, and maybe even kills him in this episode (or maybe in the finale?)
    4) Speaking of which, Tycho Nestoris reveals that the Iron Bank is definitely supporting Stannis now.
    5) Prince Doran pardons Jaime and reveals his ultimate plans to Ellaria and the Sand Snakes.
    6) Melisandre’s threat to Shireen’s life is paid off this episode, hopefully with Shireen alive and well and Melisandre and Selyse being taken to the Wall.
    7) Ramsay attacks Stannis’ camp (and hopefully dies horriby, or is at least outsmarted by Stannis and captured.)
    8) Dany and Hizdahr marry and hold a celebration at Daznak’s Pit. Jorah may earn his place back with the Queen (or die?). Drogon arrives, fucks shit up and takes Dany away.

  9. Hodoreo: So Ramsay will do a Yara type mission

    Ughh…please don’t remind us. But his surprise attack should be interesting indeed. I wonder if his goal is to terrorize the non-northerners, kill the leaders, kidnap a choice person, or all of the above? From my perspective, kidnapping (unless it was Stannis himself) wouldn’t make much sense in this case.

    Stannis will either fail or shine during this assault.

  10. Read at your own risk, spoilers for 509 :

    Book readers are going to be immensely disappointed with tonight’s episode based on the leaked summary, looks like The Children will be topped.

    I pray to god this isn’t true even if she was proven right for the three previous episodes. Stannis and Dorne sounds atrocious. Braavos is anti-clicmatic. Drogon’s moment is changed.

  15. Morgoth,

    Sounds like trolling to me. Even if there is a summary, he obviously told it in that incendiary way on purpose.

    Ozy,

    Sounds good to me, except the Stannis part. What’s the problem?

  16. That’s great news that Sapochnik is returning.

    LOL at anyone who takes anything from IMDB seriously.

    I predict Arya does in Trant this episode, as she isn’t mentioned in next week’s synopsis. Perhaps she even ends up using the poison meant for the insurance salesman on him.

    Tonight’s cliffhanger will probably be the Harpies springing their trap at Daznak’s Pit, with Drogon showing up next week.

  17. The Family Name,

    I will repeat myself, the source was proven legit for Episode 6,7 and 8.

    “Tonight’s cliffhanger will probably be the Harpies springing their trap at Daznak’s Pit, with Drogon showing up next week.”

    Can’t tell if serious. LOL

  19. Ozy,

    Many of the details seem iffy and nonsensical to me, honestly

    (e.g. You don’t put Chekov’s Needle on the mantle if you’re not gonna use it later —by poison, really? Come on.)

  21. Luka Nieto,

    I like these predictions particularly…

    if Ramsay is killed, captured, outsmarted…something. Iwan is great in this role but I am hoping to see the beginning of the end of Ramsay. Without the palpable tension present in the WF story line from the books, Ramsay isn’t feeling threatened yet. Something or someone needs to create uncertainty around him. Roose will not endanger his own position to aid Ramsay; he would sacrifice him in a split second.

  23. Do not post leaked summaries here. That is my point. I’m already having to add spoiler coding to this thread which is supposed to be for everyone and that is not cool. An occasional spoiler is one thing: an entire episode is another.

  24. The Family Name:

    with Drogon showing up next week.

    That would be awful, especially given the title of the episode.

    mariamb,

    I agree. Stannis needs to be tested, and hopefully prevail, with Ramsay. If not, then he doesn’t deserve to be in the position that he intends to assume. This is quite possibly the most TWoW spoilery arc we have to date…but something tells me that the showrunners won’t go full spoilery….yet.

  26. Yes! So happy that Miguel Sapochnik is coming back. He’s a fantastic director as this season has proved, and Hardhome was mindblowing!

  27. I’m beginning to think whatever happens with shireen in this episode will somehow have a connection to what happens in mereen, with the dragons.

  28. If Stannis burns Shireen the wrath of Stannis stans will explode and devour the internet!

  29. HelloThere,

    You think so?

    I’d dislike it, but not because of character assassination. It’s perfectly in line with Stannis’ character, who has already done similar stuff with two other relatives, Renly and Gendry. Not the same emotional connection, I’ll grant you; but in terms of Stannis’ black and white morality, it’s the same thing, so it seems to make sense. Hopefully it doesn’t happen, though.

  31. HelloThere,

    It will be proven right in a few hours unfortunately, just like the Sansa/Ramsay/Winterfell theory months ago. It is definitely happening and I am very pissed about it.

    F*ck that sh*t

  32. Ozy,

    That’s cool….but this is episode 9.

    Let me revel in fun adult speculation for a few more hours…please!

  33. Ozy,

    Why?

    I mean, if it happens I will be angry too, but your line of thinking seems to be “it didn’t happen in the books, so it’s shit.”

  37. Sue, if you don’t mind, I won’t treat this issue as a spoiler, because it isn’t —to treat this supposed “leak” as gospel is just feeding the IMDB trolls; any of us could’ve made it up. It doesn’t even tell us anything unexpected! So, this is speculation based on something that was explicitly set up in “The Gift”, when Melisandre suggested it.

    Anyway. How would Stannis sacrificing Shireen be character assassination? Third time is the charm? The previous two relatives he wanted to kill didn’t count, somehow? Don’t get me wrong: if Stannis kills her, I’ll get angry, because I love Shireen and it’d be really cathartic to see Stannis tell Melisandre to fuck off, but unfortunately it’s perfectly in line with Stannis’ character to sacrifice his daughter if it means getting closer to his goal. He has a very black and white morality (and mentality, in general —”We march to victory or defeat, but we only march forward.”)

    Anyway, I’m not that worried about this speculation. Even if it happens, I doubt it will happen like described in that supposed leak. Hopefully Stannis finds it in his blackened heart to tell Mel to fuck off to the Wall when she brings up the idea of killing Shireen again.

  39. i can already see people complaining …its completely in character for stannis not out of character ….

    and not to forget the whole stannis loves shireen is all show material before start shouting character assassination…shireen in the books is barely a character

    my worry now is this is going to overshadow the entire episode

  42. dragonbringer,

    I agree. Out of character? This guy killed his own brother to get the throne! Although, I hope that this alleged leaks prove to be false, not because I dislike it (I don’t, only Dorne sounds silly, but it has been silly all the season anyway), but because I don’t want Hatewatch Squad again taking the internet in full angry…

  43. Luka Nieto,
    dragonbringer,

    If Stannis doesn’t win the north via his own savvy battlefield strategy and tactics, and instead relies on voodoo hooey again, then…yes…that would change my opinion of him. To me, his redemption arc is supposedly one that starts by using magic to obtain selfish desires and ends with moments of perseverance and selfless compassion. Sacrificing his ailing daughter, and giving in to Mel again, is not a shift in his arc that is hopeful. Ugh.

  44. If there’s one thing i hope from this,is maybe the book purists will finally fuck off forever because they clearly didn’t after episode 6 even though they sweared it off . Spoiler alert: They most likely won’t but hey it’s nice to dream . Also i read the synopsis and it feels made up and until you bring out proof that this guy legit guessed how the previous episodes ended then i don’t believe it .

    Edit:Nevermind,fuck i don’t know how this stuff keeps getting leaked out .

  46. Joffrey’s Cunt,

    Well shit, that confirms Drogon will have a spear in his side!

    Now, all kidding aside, I’m pretty sure I hate Mel more than ever before now, even if the sacrifice doesn’t go through.

  52. Ozy,

    Its the argument of the many vs the few.
    Stannis loves his daughter, but he believes in his cause, and he believes that he has to be the one to stop the long night

  55. Luka Nieto,

    Not at all.
    Stannis wanted to kill his brother in a battle, and only because he was a traitor. He was not aware of Mel’s plan.
    Gendry was another staff, invented on TV. And he was in Dragonstone, with actual dragons.

    Now Stannis is in the snow. There are no dragons there. Shireen is her only daughter, his heir, the person he loves the most. It would be totally absurd to kill the one who will succeed him. And he would be the biggest monster: not even a Joffrey or Ramsay would kill his own daughter. No one. His daughter!! His loved daughter! Not some random guy.

    That would be not only a character assassination, that would be the dumbest idea ever that ever crossed the minds of Dumb & Dumber. Non coherent with what the character in the book, non coherent with the character in the show, non logical, pointless and most of all, stupid.

  59. Javi from Los Siete Reinos,

    Of course he was aware of Mel’s plan. Not the specifics, but he knew he was sending Davos with Mel so that Mel could assassinate Renly with some magic. By season three there is dialogue that confirms he is aware of exactly what Melisandre did.

    Gendry… what if it was just in the TV show? So? This is the TV show we are talking about. Even if that wasn’t the case, you’re wrong; Gendry was taking the place of another of Robert’s bastards, one which Stannis actually knew personally, Edric Storm, so it’s even worst in the books.

    I don’t know what you’re talking about concerning dragons.

  60. Sue if you have contact with HBO can you maybe tell them that everything is leaking this year before the episodes air? I mean, there are even screencaps. They should get their shit together.

  62. so it will be reminiscent of Iphigenia in Aulis

    Oh also, Azor Ahai drove a sword through his wife’s chest and if that was depicted on screen, nobody will find it character assasination

  64. Javi from Los Siete Reinos,

    Jesus,talk about overreaction,worse than Ramsay ? Also insulting the showrunners for a decision they made in a fucking tv show makes you sound like you have the mentality of a 12 year old,grow the fuck up and realise it’s a tv show,it’s not real life !

  65. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Agree! This wasn’t the turn of events that I was hoping for. I hate it! I will leave the inevitable debate about whether this is “in or out of character” for Stannis to others. And, of course, this implies that Ramsay gets away unscathed. Ugh! But make no mistake – this will overshadow much of the episode.

  67. Anyway, they’re basically adapting “The Sacrifice” chapter, except with someone we care about instead of some random people.

  68. mariamb,

    I hate it for what its going to do to the fandom, not because I actually think its out of character. This is basically Iphigenia.

    I’ve always thought the “Stannis the Mannis” camp made up their own character

    Luka Nieto,

    Establishing Stannis and Shireen’s heartfelt relationship and ending it w/ him burning her @ the stake is very very different. Also, getting the audience invested in a sweet little girl and seeing her going out like that… I don’t even know if GRRM is that cruel. Maybe he will be in later books, but who knows…

  69. HelloThere,

    Agreed. This saddens me not because of the actual storytelling but because of what the crazy fans’ reaction will be if it happens.

  71. HelloThere,

    We don’t know yet how the context of the scene will play out because we haven’t seen the episode yet,i suggest we judge it after that .

  72. HelloThere,

    Ugh,maybe the book readers fandom,i doubt the unsullied will care as much as they did the scene with Sansa because

    Shireen

    isn’t as much of a developed character as her,i mean i’m sure you know who will get a lot of hate but aside from that .

  74. Ozy,

    Hate on the character then, not the showrunners. It’s their job to write a story, not to make sure to please everyone by making every character lovable.

  76. Luka Nieto,

    This saddens me because it appears I could have put up a different character for a death pool. A WHOLE PIZZA depends on the result.

  77. HelloThere,

    I agree that this is not “out of character” but I was kind of hoping for a transformative moment from Stannis. (Oh well!) I’m also annoyed that it happens as a result of Ramsay’s actions. However, I do hate it because we are losing Shireen. As for the rage among fans…it is what it will be.
  79. Davos! Where the fuck is Davos??? I think that awful 2nd pic is only the start of something….it might not be fully realized…as we have discussed all week.

  80. Luka Nieto,

    Too bad we can’t like comments here because i definitely would have liked your post 10 times if i could . I mean it’s not even like this stuff came out out of nowhere,it was telegraphed all season long but just like the Sansa stuff people put their fingers in their ears and refused to believe it could happen until it finally happened and they somehow acted shocked by it .

  81. Luka Nieto,

    Luka Nieto:
    Anyway, they’re basically adapting “The Sacrifice” chapter, except with someone we care about instead of some random people.

    Not even a monster would kill her only daughter. Not even a fool would kill his only heir. Not even a troll would say is in character for Stannis to kill the one he loves the most, a poor sick child.

    To compare the killing of Shireen – innocent girl – with the Renly – in a context of war and treason – would be as intelligent as to compare the murder of Prince Jaeherys, 6 years old, with the killing of Aemond in the Dance of Dragons.

  82. To be honest I’ve expected Stannis to do this for years now, doesn’t feel out of character at all. Poor Shireen 🙁

  83. The guy who posted the pics on reddit said that it was from a dream sequence,

    and that even though Shireen dies, this is not the scene of her actual death.

  84. Javi from Los Siete Reinos,

    You must be fun at parties.

    What about Gendry / Edric Storm? Ignoring him, are we? Of course you are. It kinda fucks up your argument, doesn’t it?

    Melisandre told Stannis at the end of season 2 that he will betray everything he holds dear and it will be worth it because he will win. Stannis still stood by Melisandre. This is completely in character. Of course, I’d love him to CHANGE his character in this respect, evolve a bit and choose love over what he considers his duty, but… apparently it ain’t gonna happen.

  89. Ozy,

    I don’t want to hate him either. If this happens as described, it will bum me out. But I won’t cry “CHARACTER ASSASSINATION!” or insult the showrunners. I’m not a child.

  94. mariamb,

    If I recall, Ramsay

    is captured in the books much earlier, but because so few people know who he is, he claims to be someone else and poses as “Reek.” In theory, they could use this here: after all, nobody in Stannis’ camp would have met Ramsay.

    However, I cannot really see where that would go plot-wise….

    One other “silly” possibility that occurs to me is that Ramsay might wind up taking Stannis’ sword. After all, in the

    Pink Letter, Ramsay claims to have the sword. That letter is almost certainly a mix of lies and truths; in the books, he almost certainly tortured most of the “specific” information out of Mance, but I still suspect that Ramsay defeated some force before writing that letter.

    Of course, at this point, B&W just pulling an “Indiana Jones” and have Mel snap her fingers and watch Ramsay spontaneously combust like a drummer in Spinal Tap would be quite satisfying!

  96. Luka Nieto,

    I think that most of the critics have long since spotted Stannis for a moral absolutist who will do terrible “right” things. There has always been (in both the literary and TV world) a very small cadre of “Tolkien Fan” critics that dislike this sort of thing, but they’ve always been a minority.

  97. Luka Nieto:
    Javi from Los Siete Reinos,

    You must be fun at parties.

    What about Gendry / Edric Storm? Ignoring him, are we? Of course you are. It kinda fucks up your argument, doesn’t it?

    Melisandre told Stannis at the end of season 2 that he will betray everything he holds dear and it will be worth it because he will win. Stannis still stood by Melisandre. This is completely in character. Of course, I’d love him to CHANGE his character in this respect, evolve a bit and choose love over what he considers his duty, but… apparently it ain’t gonna happen.

    To base an argument in a quote of a past season is not relevant, specially after what they said about Theon’s uncleS and Trystanne status in season 2. And all the illogical decisions of the writer’s rooms of GoT and the contradiction they usually apply (look at Jaime the last 2 seasons, for example).

    Gendry is not the same as Edric (Stannis never says yes to burn Edric, he only thinks about it because Mel promised a dragon). In the TV context I give you the reason: Stan tried to burn him. I hated it. For me it wasn’t logical, but as I say I compare Renly and Shireen.

    The real point is that it would be totally stupid. There are no dragons to wake in the snow. Why do a sacrifice? What would he get? It’s totally absurd.

    In any case, as I said, burning hir only children alive, his heir, a lovely sick little girl, agains her will would be something that not even the most horrible person I’d imagine would do.
    And this is TV, not the books. But I’ll only quote this:
    “Half my army is made up of unbelievers. I will have no burnings. Pray harder.”

  98. I still believe that

    Shireen will survive this episode and that the leaked summary is a fake. Why then show her bonding scenes with Sam and Gilly? I’m 100% certain that she will go south with them and we’ll see their departure in ep.10

  99. Apparently there is a (Mel?) dream sequence involved, and that’s where the picture is from. Though that’s just another baseless claim. We’ll see in a few hours I guess.

  100. Hodor’s Bastard,

    I don’t think that Stannis has any such arc! Obviously, he’s a secondary character, so it’s hard to be certain of what goes on inside his head, but the consistent description of the character (on both show and books) is that he is completely inflexible. As one of book character that knew him well put it, Stannis would break before he bends.

    But I would never look to see some sort of

    redemptive arc in Stannis. He’s never done anything wrong because he’s incapable of doing things that are wrong. He is a moral absolutist who sees the one “right” thing to do and who could never forgive himself if he did something else!

    (I think that the strongest parallels we have to Stannis are in the High Sparrow: and the show and books hardly make the HS out to be a nice character!)

  101. Good news about Miguel.

    I wonder if D&D will entrust him with another White Walker/Horror type big scene since he did such an amazing Job with Hardhome, like they entrusted the Blackwater director with huge battle scenes.

  102. i am glad that hizdar will be dead and not the head of Son of the harpy ..and also glad she didnt marry him

  104. Javi from Los Siete Reinos: The real point is that it would be totally stupid. There are no dragons to wake in the snow. Why do a sacrifice? What would he get? It’s totally absurd.

    As both show and books make clear, sacrifices do much more than wake dragons. The sacrifices let Melissandre and other Red Priests tap into the power of the one true god. In this case, they need some major weather “magic” (or “miracle” or however you want to spin it), or else everything fails.

    This is an old, old metaphor that appears in a dozen mythologies in human history. It appears and re-appears because it is so powerful.

    But the key thing to remember here is not to confuse the facts that Stannis is such a moral man and such an honorable man with him being a good man: Stannis would far sooner commit a bad honorable/moral act than a good dishonorable/immoral act. (Stannis trying to wrestle with moral conflict would be like a comic depiction of a computer wrestling with a logical paradox!)

  106. If Stannis burns Shireen alive, I am rooting for Ramsay against him. Anyone who says that is in character for him is absurd.

  107. To those who discuss it without even using the spoiler tags : fuck you.

    Seriously.. This is one of the first times in 5 years that we have the opportunity to be really surprised as book readers, but you just decide to ruin it for everyone just a few hours before the episode airs because you’re too lazy to use spoiler tags.

    Again, fuck you.

  111. It seems that my perception of Stannis was more correct then the perception of his hardcore fans. Talk about being delusional if they thought he is on some sort of redemtion path that lead him to reject Mel and her religion. He only started as rigid, unbending atheist, his freaking whole storyline is about him getting more religious and more pragmatic ( for greater good ). I just hope Stannis story will continue in the next season(s), if Brienne will kill him i will join riots.

    If the leak is true and it seems to be, than we will have SansaRapeGate style of poisonous, angry comments for whole next week. I am mostly dissapointed with Dornish storyline again, because it just seems BAD, WEAK, LAZY writing. All that potencial from Dorne wasted like this:( Something real what isnt bad written filler needs to happen there. So far i enjoyed just one scene from whole Dornish storyline and yes it was the Tyene´s striptease.

  113. dragonbringer,

    HelloThere,

    urangutan21,

    Looks pretty epic I know! We’re almost there…I hope we don’t get more leaks until then, I’m too weak to resist them.

    I’m a bit preocupied because of the rating, I mean that scene is supposed to be

    horrible and bloody at the begining, first of all we have gladiator fights, and since this is game of thrones they should be shown as brutal as they were back in the old times, and then, a terrible beast is attracted into the pit by the smell of blood and starts burning and eating people alive. How can this not be considered violence? for fuck sake, it should even be graphic violence.

    Now this what worries me, because it can easily become a tipical disney fantasy if not done the right way.

  114. Ozy,

    Ok, so I am caught up on the comments and the Stannis stuff bothers me.

    I love Dany and the Starks but I have always had mad respect for Stannis, yeah he killed his own brother through fucked up dark magic and he burned some people alive and was going to even burn his nephew but IMO that’s distant relative stuff, someone he really didn’t know and forgivable. And Renly was challenging him and Stannis even gave him an out when they met but Renly didn’t heed Stannis’s warning.

    But

    burning your own daughter alive, one you raised and lived with and know and obviously he loves her, he saved her from dying from greyscale. That’s just going beyond the point of no return. Stannis will lose all respect from me and many many other people, all the “Stannis is the one true king” people are going to have a change of heart real fast.

  116. Joffrey’s Cunt,

    OMG… I am going to tear up with excitement and joy…

    That looks freaking awesome!!!

    Please all you computer smart people make several HD pics for our desktops tonight ASAP!

  117. Arthur,

    Unless this proves to happen in TWOW, The Stannis fans will forever pin all their frustrations on the show rather than the character. Whatever…..

    Joffrey’s Cunt,

    ANY amount of violence must at least have the “violence” rating attached, (graphic violence for severe amounts).
    This proves the rating is wrong. They just left the default HBO rating.

  118. Blob,

    The bonding scenes could be just to playup how sweet and nice she is, to all people, Wildlings and Night’s Watchmen alike.

  120. Wimsey: As one of book character that knew him well put it, Stannis would break before he bends.

    I interpret Stannis’ “redemptive” arc much more clearly. He never was “full R’hllor”…he had his doubts. And since Mel’s shadow puppets, the reader does not know if the sacrifices had any real effect (or were they simply coincidence?). I have always felt that Stannis needs to break free of Mel’s influence and either perish or prevail on his own merits. In the book, he literally distances himself from Mel. Even the silly sacrifices of Asha’s people at Deepwood Motte were the last straw (by habit) for him, imho. Since he is haunted by his KL defeat, he must do this on his own. I honestly thought that having Mel with him in the show is to further slam home the idea that he needs to distance himself from her and do this on his own, for better or worse.

    Is that misinterpreting Stannis, GaiusB?

    If he makes the decision to burn Shireen, then screw him, along with the infected, overly-sensational northern storyline.

  121. I opened the Open Chat post. I don’t want to see discussion of tonight’s episode in this post or any other one except for the Open Chat anymore until tonight. people are way too sloppy about the spoilers. So let’s move the discussion over to Open Chat. Thanks!

  122. HelloThere,

    I don’t blame the show, I love the show, I also love the books and I am a person who can separate the two and not pit them up against each other.

    If Stannis does do this, then the show Stannis has become an asshole fanatic that simple, someone who will do whatever it takes to sit on the Iron Throne, even something immoral and unlawful in EVERYONE’S eyes.

    A person like that doesn’t deserve nor should be anyones leader.

  124. It’s bad enough that every episode get’s leaked but why do people have to post this here?
    I’m so pissed of right now I didn’t wanted to know this stuff.

  125. *hasn’t seen episode, but the writing must be awful because of an awfully written imdb post*

    Looking forward tonight. Seems like it’ll be a classic E9 Thrones-style shocker.

  128. Spoiler tags are supposed to be for book material. What is the point of saying to click a link at your own risk if everybody is just going to openly discuss everything anyway?

    What is wrong with you people? Do you not comprehend that not everybody wants leaked episode spoilers? Or do you just enjoy being assholes?

    This kind of thing should really be a bannable offense.

  129. Javi from Los Siete Reinos:
    Luka Nieto,

    Not at all.
    Stannis wanted to kill his brother in a battle, and only because he was a traitor. He was not aware of Mel’s plan.
    Gendry was another staff, invented on TV. And he was in Dragonstone, with actual dragons.

    Now Stannis is in the snow. There are no dragons there. Shireen is her only daughter, his heir, the person he loves the most. It would be totally absurd to kill the one who will succeed him. And he would be the biggest monster: not even a Joffrey or Ramsay would kill his own daughter. No one. His daughter!! His loved daughter! Not some random guy.

    That would be not only a character assassination, that would be the dumbest idea ever that ever crossed the minds of Dumb & Dumber. Non coherent with what the character in the book, non coherent with the character in the show, non logical, pointless and most of all, stupid.

    no man, get over it. This is exactly what I was expecting from stannis. He will do EVERYTHING FOR THE GREATER GOOD. Stannis morality is black and white. He isn’t affective, he sees his life only as mission and nothing will stop him in order to accomplish that, at least in his mind.

    So yeah, I fine with this. Anyway I’m rooting for dany or jon…. but stannis comes right after.

  130. Seriously, it hurts the site as a whole if people are visiting less often or quitting altogether because of this kind of thing. You aren’t just annoying people who didn’t want the spoilers. You’re hurting the people who run this site.

  131. Pau,

    Aaah yes Pau is something else in portuguese hahah. But I was wondering because you said “Força Barça” and this is portuguese to me, unless in catalan is the same? In spanish it would be “fuerza”

  132. Wimsey:
    Luka Nieto,

    I think that most of the critics have long since spotted Stannis for a moral absolutist who will do terrible “right” things.There has always been (in both the literary and TV world) a very small cadre of “Tolkien Fan” critics that dislike this sort of thing, but they’ve always been a minority.

    This. Actually I’m very happy that stannis decided to do it(not like it wasn’t expected). It is in his character. It defines him and make me like his character even more. He isn’t a bad person, not in his mind at least. He just put everything besides for the greater good. He has no selfish motives in what he is doing. Pretty sure that he will sacrifice even his own life if he knew that it will be for the greater good.

    Stannis for the victory !

  133. Joffrey’s Cunt:
    Pau,

    Aaah yes Pau is something else in portuguese hahah. But I was wondering because you said “Força Barça” and this is portuguese to me, unless in catalan is the same? In spanish it would be “fuerza”

    Yes, in catalan it’s Força Barça. Barcelona it’s a catalán team so we would never say fuerza in the chants, as the chants are always in catalán at the Camp Nou 😉

  135. Joffrey’s Cunt:
    Pau,

    That’s so cool, I had no idea our dialects had so much in common lol

    Barcelona it’s pronounced Barsalona in catalán, hence the diminutuve “Barça” 😉

    Another language that uses the “ç” it’s french for example

  137. Hodor’s Bastard: I interpret Stannis’ “redemptive” arc much more clearly. He never was “full R’hllor”…he had his doubts.

    That is quite different: he is skeptical about what R’Hllor is supposed to be. It is purely tactical, not philosophical or moral. Stannis is not skeptical about what he should or should not do. Stannis will debate tactics with himself, but not strategy.

    As for “redemptive arcs,” we never get any indication that he is trying to right any past wrongs: he never does anything unless that he’s sure that it’s right. The only wrongs Stannis is trying to correct are the wrongs committed by Cersei, Renley, Robb Stark, Balon Greyjoy, and everyone else who gets in the way of what his is honor-bound and duty-bound to accomplish. Would Stannis admit to tactical errors along the way? Certainly. Would he admit that he’s every been morally wrong about any of these decisions? Never, particularly to himself.

    Hodor’s Bastard: And since Mel’s shadow puppets, the reader does not know if the sacrifices had any real effect (or were they simply coincidence?).

    We should be sure. There are too many coincidences for it to be chance. Mel might not fully understand her powers, but she taps into something real.

    If nothing else, then we can apply Occam’s Razor: either we can use one explanation for all of these events (Mel tapping R’Hllor’s power), or we can use N explanations for all N events. My icon says: go with one before you go with N! (And then go with 2 before N, then 3 before N, etc.)

    (And, no, I never stop being a scientist! It’s a full-time mindset…. 😉 )

    Hodor’s Bastard: I have always felt that Stannis needs to break free of Mel’s influence and either perish or prevail on his own merits. In the book, he literally distances himself from Mel.

    Actually, Mel puts the distance between them: she is the one that chooses to stay at the Wall. Remember, in the books Stannis leaves Selyse behind and takes Mel with him.

    Donal Noye called it correctly with Stannis: he will break before he bends.

  138. great, I click show spoilers because it means BOOK spoilers and get THAT! Come on people! Geezz!!!

  139. Sue the Fury,

    Thanks Sue for whacking my post that I spent an hour on, I used spoiler code and I didn’t see your damn warning about the open chat or that the open chat was even up because I was working on my post.

    [Edit: Sorry just pissed me off, I have a lot to do today and spent a bunch of time on that which I really didn’t need to all for no reason apparently, I’m Brandon the Fury today I guess]

  140. Wimsey: Remember, in the books Stannis leaves Selyse behind and takes Mel with him.

    That’s nonsense. I presume that is a typo because I respect your thoughts, but Stannis does not “take Mel with him.”

    Mel is near Jon at CB and never accompanies Stannis in his WF nightmare. In fact, ADwD furthers my opinion that Stannis is distancing himself from her.

    Perhaps “redemptive” is not the correct word…but I’ll stick with my interpretation of his “secondary” arc.

  141. Yikes I leave for a few hours to tend my garden, and this? Think I’ll go back outside for a while…I may be sometime

  142. Any discussion of leaked material(with or without spoiler coding) should be an immediate ban, IMO.

  143. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Yes, Stannis takes Mel to Castle Black and leaves Selyse behind. (Sorry, I was vague about loactions: my bad!). Mel stays at the Wall for her own purposes.

    For my part, I think that Noye was correct: Stannis will break before he bends, and as a character arc is about bending characters, I do not think that Stannis can really have one. However, he is great fodder for Davos’ arc: Davos is the one who bends so that Stannis can avoid doing so!

  144. Hodor’s Bastard,

    it was Mel who said that she will stay at Wall because her magic is best at the wall

    in Sacrifice chapter we hear from Asha and others how stannis is locked in the chamber and always gazing in the fire

  145. Ozy:
    Morgoth,

    Why the f hasn’t this been deleted yet, and why isn’t Ozy banned yet? I thought this kind of leading towards illegal material wasn’t allowed. It ruined my episode experience.

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