This episode was over an hour long and nothing significant happened except for a random, nameless kid that hadn't been in the show before getting killed. It felt like mid season filler instead of a catchy first episode. Not looking good thus far.
shareI politely disagree (forgive misspellings, I can't spellcheck right now):
We witness the effect of Luke's death on all the major players, and can gauge character status and development from their emotional and their political responses.
We see at least two sides of Aegon's character: foolish inattention at the Small Council; attempts at charity in the throne room; back to silliness and inattention.
We see the various emotional, faith related and political knots begin major ensnaring for Aliceinte.
Cracks are already beginning to form within coalitions on both sides.
This is the start of wind-up. Personally I am willing to patiently wait to see to what pitch it winds before it spins out of control.
Your spelling is close enough to get your meaning across so don't worry about it.
But, everything that you listed has already been shown and demonstrated previously or is so obvious it's redundant.
-we already know Aegon is inept and hedonistic from his parent's opinion of him and his habits of whoring around King's Landing
- we already know Alicent's faith is going to cause tension from when she swapped out royal decorations in the Red Keep with religious imagery
-obviously the two parents are going to be pissed their son was murdered and it wasn't exactly a plot reveal when they were shown to be upset
We learned almost nothing new in addition to the lack of events, minus the killing of the random royal kid that popped in for the episode. I suppose Corlys dedicating his fleet to the rebels was a plot development as well, even though it was obvious with his wife hanging out there after crashing the party at the Red Keep. That could could count as a plot development though.
Like I said, this episode came off as something typically reserved for mid season filler and took over an hour in the process.
But a character kicked a dog and a baby was beheaded, weren't you shocked? Quality TV right there.
shareThe scene where both of the thugs killing the kid turned their back on the queen and let her casually walk out of the room to tell Alicent what was going on was a fine example of quality writing.
sharealso the part where they casually walks in without any guards questioning them, is it really common for rat catchers to be around late at night?
shareFor me the hyped Blood and Cheese moment was toned down and disappointing compared to the horrible and terrifying book version of the event. It's still a scary and horrifying moment for the people who didn't read the books but a sad messed chance for the show to topple the Red Wedding.
shareI've been holding off on reading the book myself. Did the entire scene play out differently or was it just that we didn't see the details of the death on camera?
shareYes they changed how things happen compared to the book and made the death out of the scope of camera. Guess they thought it was too gruesome to be shown on TV like the book.
shareWhat are some details of what was changed? I do plan on reading that at some point and could probably look it up, but I don't want to accidentally spoil anymore than that.
shareThe whole premise of the scene was changed and the outcome is different. In the books it is considered one of the more brutal acts. I think this comes a little too early in the story compared to the novels but to get to the point, blood and cheese went into the tower of the hand were Alicent was staying. They snuck in and apprehend Alicent and wait for Heleana to bring her children to their grandmother before bed. Once Haleana and her children are in the chambers they appear and tell Heleana that she had to choose which one of her two sons were to die. Helaena offers herself but blood and cheese refuse. She would not initially choose so to get an answer from her they threatened to rape her daughter. She eventually settles on her youngest son and make sure that he knows that his mother chose him. Instead, they kill the older brother and heir much to the horror of Helaena. The two leave the others unharmed but they depart with her sons head. The grief sends Helaena mad and it is believed this led to her suicide. There is more to it but the show really missed the significance of this event.
Wow, what happened in the show is tame in comparison to how sadistic that is. There's also a lot more depth of emotion there compared to the show scene, with details like the surviving son would know his mom picked him. Thank you for that explanation
shareYou couldnāt be more wrong if I paid you to be. But Iām not surprised about many people not being happy with episode 2 of season 2, after all there was no war, dragons burning villages and the like. But freaking GREAT episode it was! Itās called a āstory drivenā episode. One that may not be to your tastes but one thatās totally necessary. The genius of what this episode achieved, to me anyway was getting me to appreciate characters that were until now my least favorites by bringing me around to their point of views & seeing things through their eyes, such as Otto Hightower, Rhaenyra, Alicent, etc.
In it, we saw the confrontation between Rhaenyra & Daemon that I knew was coming. She called him out on his bullshit and she was totally 200% correct to go and do that. Heās responsible for everyone including Alicent believing sheās a cold blooded monster and thatās just wrong, that Alicent her former friend/sister would believe that Rhaenyra would do THAT to HER child. As upset as she is she comes off as the more composed one out of everyone. As for Daemon he lied through his teeth which made him more of a punk and less of a tough guy in my eyes and I like Daemon, he has a lot of qualities that I envy but this showed how insecure and selfish and vain he was. Heās out for himself, screw everyone else. He came off as a whiny little b*tch! A la Fredo from āThe Godfatherā. āIām smart! I can handle things, It was ME, I was passed over!ā
She had to straighten him out, even if he leaves for good, say la vie, who needs a guy like this in your inner circle?
Otto, I finally saw the mastery of the man and what he was responsible for doing, a thankless task trying to keep despots in line. He was the man you needed, at the right time you needed him. He didnāt pull no punches and hold back. He told the truth whether you wanted to hear it or not and gave the best counsel out of everyone. Even Marlon Brando as Don Coreleone didnāt give the great advice this guy gave. He got major screwed for his efforts and now he has no position and no place but such is life. You gotta do what you gotta do and be happy with that. Now Aegnon is left to his own devices and we know heās on his way out but hey itās his funeral. Alicent was great, what more can she endure? What can she say? She has no choice but to solider on. Well she does, she can lay down and die and totally check out but sheās not which shows her strength.
Iām trying to figure out exactly how Aemond knew to look for that coin but ok and that girl, cāmon now just exactly who/what is she? Is she clairvoyant? Is that it? What do the books say about her? Aegnonās wife, the queen, forget her name. With psychic abilities such as hers sheās more powerful than most of them. Sheās such a sad sack and I do feel sympathy for her but sheās probably not going to have a happy ending I imagine.
Masterful episode, one thatās sorely needed. You may not think of it that way but it was an awesome episode that packed a lot of shocking āoh wow!ā Moments into it, if youāre willing to change your pov in how you choose to see it. Now we can get on to your beheadings now that itās over so maybe youāll be more satisfied.
Last night's episode was by far the most interesting episode of the entire series so far. I had found the show to be very slow but last night it seemed to finally get somewhere.
shareYou typed all of that about a comment I made a week ago directed at episode one.
share