About the latest Game of Thrones episode (S5/E9) (spoilers)

Spoilers obviously...

Even as a book reader, I'm terribly shocked. So shocked it moved me to make my first thread in what, over a year?

Anyway, anyone else gobsmacked? It was totally out of Stannis' character. In the books he burned rapists and cannibals. Here, he burns his own daughter alive?

And worst of all, it was GRRM's idea. Confirmed here: https://youtu.be/NfLScJVXBHQ?t=1m33s

Anyone's thoughts on it? I loved the rest of the episode, and I'm loving this season so far (much to the annoyance of some of my more feminist/PC leaning friends), but this moment had me pretty shocked.

The last 2 episodes have been fantastic. Some of the best of the entire series. Next week's finale is also looking like it's going to be a good one.

Yes they have indeed. It's just the Stannis storyline that's bugging me.

Also, sorry for posting this thread twice - there was a glitch and I didn't know I'd done it already...

Only read the first 3 books, I had been warming up quite a bit to Stannis......but that was easily the most screwed up thing ever in the GoT show, first time I've ever been shaken by the show.....Shireens pleas and screams were too much.

I understand his choices were limited and Melissandra has always been right, but there had to be another way.

I also think season 5 has been great, and I think "Hardhome" was the best episode ever of the show.

@AFBrat77: Oh, I agree. It was honestly just too much. What was the last time on TV we saw a child being burned alive while her parents watched? And Shireen was just a sweet, lovely girl. I wouldn't be surprised if a few people dropped out of the show.

But overall I do think Season 5 has been excellent.

I'm team White Walkers at this point, unless Jon manages to survive whatever ominous thing that kid is about to do.

Have you read the books?

You may be in for a nasty treat if you haven't...

What does he do? PM me please.

You really want me to spoil it for you? I can't confirm what the boy will do, only what happened at the end of ADoD. No one knows the end of this season.
Hell, I know GRRM, and I have no clue what's going to happen.

Stannis is a ****

Ain't gonna disagree with that.

Damn it's like the show just doesn't want me to have people to root for.

Edited topic to add spoiler tag. Although it's implied, please mention "spoilers" in the topic.

As for the ep, the figthing pits scene played out a bit differently from the books but I was happy with it overall (although my wife is constantly angry when the Sons of the Harpy manage to make any headway against the Unsullied).

I didn't think what Stannis did was terrbily out of character for him. He's a giant dick in both versions of the story. It sure was a surprise, though.

-Byshop

he will probably survive that candle dinner for two

I actually tried to add (spoilers) to the topic title, but it said there were too many characters...which is why I accidently posted twice.

But yeah, the fighting scenes were phenomenal. They sweetened the sour taste in my mouth when watching the Stannis scene. It was definitely out of character, and I was not impressed.

Any full frontal?

Very hard scene to watch.

Anyways overall great episode, especially the ending. The actual scene was a little corny in the way it was filmed but I am glad dragons are back in the picture. I hope this finally kick starts her ass to get moving again because she has been in a serious rut in Mereen.

Been relying on a friend to fill me in for this season, as I pretty much gave up on this show after season four. Kinda amusing to see the uproar this episode has caused.

I know the show runners really hate Stannis, it was obvious since he was introduced but I really didn't expect them to go this far. This was just horrible.. Stannis would never do that.

You're right to do it. The entire season has been a joke at this point. Only high point is the end of episode 8.

Yeah, same here. I was debating on being #TeamRamsay - everyone is either boring or a prick and my boy Jaime hasn't done shit for two seasons, so might as well root for the most entertaining bloke at this point. It feels like Ramsay is playing the game with some kind of God mode cheat enabled (entering a camp of a thousand men with only 20 and burning their supplies without being seen, ok) but also I feel like he's unsustainable for the future like Manchester United's transfer spending.

That's pretty much what I've been told. The high point involves Snow, right? I find that hard to believe.

ffs people. keep book related shit in spoiler tags.

I think the season overall is still really good. It did start off slow, and there were some awful scenes (sand snake fight was a complete joke*), but it's building up really nicely with some absolutely awesome events like the end of episode 8.

Basically biggest complaints I guess would be the slow start, and the way some of the scenes were shot and casting choices for the new characters. I don't know what (if anything) changed but a few scenes this season seemed like they could have been from some fantasy teen romp show like Once Upon a Time or something.

*with that said, the prison scene made up for it :)

There's still Arya/Tyrion/Jon Snow

AAAAAnd they're dead. :p

@chessmaster1989: I don't disagree with the people you mentioned I'm just having trouble remembering a time in the books that we had a villain go through a redemption arc, only for them to turn around and do something so new and despicable that they were no longer a hero in the eyes of the audience. Granted I'm only through the first three books so far so I may not know everything.

So dany just basically left everyone to die. :/

Great episode. It really shows how far Stannis is willing to go to claim his crown. This will either work out really well for him, or end really badly.

Another great episode. I knew Stannis was seriously considering the sacrifice but I was expecting him to put an end before things got ugly. Or even Davos saving the day. Nope, Stannis just lost my respect. He has done some pretty dark shit but doing this to his lovely daughter? Damn...

The dragon scene was also amazing. Good to see Jorah back. He's been with us from the start, I've grown fond of him.

@Motokid6:

I think season 5 has been the best, season 2 was the worst. I'm in the minority but heh it happens. I could see the pieces building all season, and I enjoyed the buildup. I liked Hardhome better than Blackwater and Rains of Castamere.

Trying to fit Book 2 into 10 episodes of Season 2 was a mistake. I think they learned to spread it out for Book 3.

Being a kinslayer in westeros has not always produced the best results.

I swear this Stannis's arc for the past season, as well as a couple episodes last season, has been about his struggle to earn the throne in the eyes of the realm.

Wouldn't be surprised if he child survives the fire with her awesome dragon powers... maybe nnot.

It was a solid episode all things considered. Meereen in particular was pretty great. But yeah, Stannis' storyline was just terrible. Not just because of what he did, but also because of how sloppy and unearned it felt. It's like he immediately jumped to the worst possible conclusion, was just seemed very out of character. I also don't know why the writers insist on letting Ramsay keep god mode enabled.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hardhome ends up being the highlight of what has been a very inconsistent season.

Also, Dorne truly ended up being nothing but a huge waste of time. Absolutely nothing of value was gained from it.

Yeah...I mean it was cool from a story perspective, but the scene itself didn't look good at all. Not even talking about realism or whatever, it just looked cheap and silly kinda like the sand snake fight with Jamie/Braun. I don't know if someone new is doing these scenes or what, but there's been a few scenes this season that just aren't up to snuff for the series.

maybe what happened to Shireen is something that is planned for The Winds of Winter.

True.

I don't think Stannis thinks he needs to earn the throne. To him, and what makes him such a great character, is that he believes he IS the king already. His resolve is such that he burned his daughter as a sacrifice to the Red God.

Pretty much the only 3 major characters I can still stand in that show...

$$$

Actually according to an interview with the showrunners it was GRRM's idea to have that in the show.

http://www.ign.com/articles/2015/06/08/game-of-thrones-showrunners-talk-last-nights-death-scene

-Byshop

If GRRM wanted her burned in the show she'll probably get the same status in the books.

Stannis was always kind of nutty. He already murdered his own brother with a shadow monster born from that one lady's fire vagina. Is it really surprising that man that murders his own brother, chops the fingers off a guy that saved his life, and neglects his wife in literally every way could also be capable of child murder? He never even really cared for Shireen openly, and was probably ashamed of her.

Absolutely loved this shot, but I think you're forgetting.

I hope you buy Falcao for an unreasonably high fee.

What made you give up?

@korvus:

what about Davos? I think he's one of the good guys, despite the smuggling past.

@AFBrat77: True, Davos is alright but I think of him as more of a support character.

@korvus: Actually in the books, he has his own chapters dedicated to him. I really like Davos, he may be lowborn but he's a better man than most(or all) nobles.