5.09 - The Dance of Dragon

[ctg]

Stannis confronts a troubling decision. Jon returns to the Wall. Mace visits the Iron Bank. Arya encounters someone from her past. Daenerys relunctantly oversees a traditional celebration of athleticism.

 

[ctg]

If I learned anything from this episode it is: "Do not go to poke a flying a flame-thrower with a sharp stick," because it can be extremely dangerous, maybe even mortally hazardous. Although I could also say Sons of Harpies didn't think they plan through when they decided to off the Queen and her loyal companions in the Grand Opening of the Great Games. What's also interesting is that dragon's in Westeros do they quite a bit of damage from simple spears, while in the other realms, they're very, very difficult to even wound. And Drogon showed quite a bit of sport for being in such dangerous place, or even making it clear that now is the time to kill them if you are ever going to. But I doubt that Sons of Harpies will again make a same mistake, because without the dragon we would have lost a number of important characters, instead of just one.

Loss of Shireen Baratheron was devastating in its own right. But it has been hinted so many times. Only I wish it wouldn't had happened because of the five season Shireen never really had her moment. It was almost as if she was one the supporting characters instead of directly related to the main ones. You cannot possibly say (even though you can) that teaching Davos to read was enough to make her something else than a plot device. And in that regards I believe (without reading) GRRM wrote more for her in the books.

Why? Well, there's no doubt that Dannis is a d1*k for listening Mellisandra's lies. No God is good for taking a child as a sacrifice. Well, not by our standards as it might have been that in the past our ancestors might have just done that horrible. So maybe it is that Lord of Light will grant him a day on Iron Throne, but he might never have a son or daughter to take reins from him.

Nevertheless, I have to say that this season with its many flawed moments has been a great and as there's only one episode left in this season, I wish Mister Martin will finish his tome and move on to dabble with the last one, if he already hasn't. It also might be that GoT will be totally different to last two books, and that's all right because none of the book adabtions I've seen are absolutely 100 percent true to original stories. Just look at Peter Jackson making the Hobbit his own. It wasn't terribly bad even if you had read the books several times already.

 

[REBerg]

I am in total shock. Never, in all my more than a half-century of television viewing, have I seen a child sacrificed in the name of a weird religious cult.

This episode may have set a new mark for audience agitation. Were they trying to make a point? Is religious extremism the ultimate evil? Who knew?

I had been building respect for Stannis this season. I now hope he fails miserably in his attempt to regain Winterfell. I also hope that he and the Boltons excruciatingly annihilate each other when he gets there.

As for Melisandre, I can't imagine an appropriately agonizing death scene for her. Obviously, she needs to depart the series via her favorite route – bonfire. Before she is tied to the stake, however, I would very much like to see her beaten with clubs, dipped in hydrochloric acid, and partially drawn and quartered.

 

[svalbard]

Danny needs a new head of security. That was pretty lame storytelling at the end. Dario and Grey Worm need to be sacked with immediate effect for incompetence. How do they allow hundreds of potential killers with Gold Masks and daggers into the arena?

I wonder have the show runners being watching The Walking Dead? Poor Shireen deserved better. I also hold Davos culpable. He knew and still left her on the camp. Stannis was also growing on me, but I believe Brienne is going to kill him at some time so he needs to be seen as 'bad' for the audience to root for Brienne.

 

[svalbard]

Danny needs a new head of security. That was pretty lame storytelling at the end. Dario and Grey Worm need to be sacked with immediate effect for incompetence. How do they allow hundreds of potential killers with Gold Masks and daggers into the arena?

I wonder have the show runners being watching The Walking Dead? Poor Shireen deserved better. I also hold Davos culpable. He knew and still left her in the camp. Stannis was also growing on me, but I believe Brienne is going to kill him at some time so he needs to be seen as 'bad' for the audience to root for Brienne.

 

[bedlamite]

I was pretty stunned re: Shireen - I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like it before.
I agree about the security situation at the fighting pits. Nobody saw anyone put on a mask - and I thought these Unsullied felt no pain? What are you screaming for then, you crybabies - it's only a knife in your bowels - did anyone order you to scream - man up!
I do like the way the series is diverging from the books, but I'm not sure about the drama overtaking events told so far. One of the things I enjoyed is the lack of safety in the books - anyone could get offed, anytime, but possibly that edge has been taken away. Even if the plot doesnt slavishly mesh, we can assume that Shireen is not going to have anything significant going on, which is strange, because there has been a fair bit of detail about her in the books, even a backstory about her fool. I was sure that he had something to reveal about his shipwreck, possibly even tied in with the drowned god... but no.

 

[Narkalui]

Just look at Peter Jackson making the Hobbit his own. It wasn't terribly bad even if you had read the books several times already.

I hate those films. I HATE them. They are a travesty. An enforced corperate prostitution. And I LOVE that book. How dare you! How dare you even suggest such an awful tasteless notion!

 

[Warren_Paul]

I hate those films. I HATE them. They are a travesty. An enforced corperate prostitution. And I LOVE that book. How dare you! How dare you even suggest such an awful tasteless notion!

Decaf coffee... it helps...



I was happy they actually had Drogon in the end scene at least. The entire week and even during the episode, I was wondering if they would - although I would have preferred him to kill a few more harpies than he did. When he showed up I expected him to do a ring of fire around the edge of the arena, which would have been impressive, especially since the outer edge was completely full of harpies, and was a little disappointed he didn't put up as much of a fight as he could have.

I smiled at the references to the name of GRRM's most recent book. A good bit of marketing there. Props to D&D for plugging GRRM's book.

I was pretty shocked that they actually did kill off Shireen. GRRM is knew this was coming, and really brings attention to his comment that D&D are even worse than him when it comes to killing off characters. Considering they did something so shocking, I would have liked to see the effect of it in the same episode, or the spell she casts because of it, because now I'm sitting here feeling they killed her off unnecessarily and for shock value alone.

Usually episode 9 is the big epic battle scene of the story. Overall I enjoyed the episode, but felt episode 8's end scene was the epic scene of the season. The fighting pits, even with drogon, which was cool, still doesn't match up to the battle with the wights, and the ominous dread of seeing the white walkers standing at the shoreline, bringing the wildlings they'd just killed back to life.

 

[Keldaris]

I smiled at the references to the name of GRRM's most recent book. A good bit of marketing there. Props to D&D for plugging GRRM's book.

I was pretty shocked that they actually did kill off Shireen. GRRM is knew this was coming, and really brings attention to his comment that D&D are even worse than him when it comes to killing off characters. Considering they did something so shocking, I would have liked to see the effect of it in the same episode, or the spell she casts because of it, because now I'm sitting here feeling they killed her off unnecessarily and for shock value alone.

Usually episode 9 is the big epic battle scene of the story. Overall I enjoyed the episode, but felt episode 8's end scene was the epic scene of the season. The fighting pits, even with drogon, which was cool, still doesn't match up to the battle with the wights, and the ominous dread of seeing the white walkers standing at the shoreline, bringing the wildlings they'd just killed back to life.

The Dance of the Dragons, is a historical event from ASOIAF. The Blackfyre Rebellion, it's also slight nod to Bran's story arc. The book is titled A dance WITH Dragons

As to burning Shireen, It's something GRRM suggested to them.

That post episode commentary says even they were surprised when GRRM suggested it to them. I've suspected for some time now that Shireen burns in the next book, this may have confirmed my suspicions.

Episode 9 has followed a pattern so far:
Season 1(shock):Neds execution
Season 2(Battle):Battle of Blackwater
Season 3(Shock):Red wedding
Season 4(Battle):Battle of Castle Black
Season 5(Shock):Shireen

So next season should be a huge battle...maybe Daenerys storming the shore of Westeros?

I thought the episode was well done, Salem style child murder included.AND I've been waiting for the fighting pits since I finished reading ADWD. I just feel she needed a whip in her hands, making Drogon submit would have been way more badass.

D&D said that episode 10 might break the internet. So something even more shocking is coming...

 

[Brian G Turner]

I hate those films. I HATE them. They are a travesty. An enforced corperate prostitution. And I LOVE that book. How dare you! How dare you even suggest such an awful tasteless notion!

I think you forgot the emoticon at the end of your post?

 

[Dave]

D&D said that episode 10 might break the internet. So something even more shocking is coming...

I find that hard to believe but I'll wait and see. There aren't that many old men or young children left to kill off.

 

[Narkalui]

I think you forgot the emoticon at the end of your post?

 

[REBerg]

I was happy they actually had Drogon in the end scene at least. The entire week and even during the episode, I was wondering if they would - although I would have preferred him to kill a few more harpies than he did. When he showed up I expected him to do a ring of fire around the edge of the arena, which would have been impressive, especially since the outer edge was completely full of harpies, and was a little disappointed he didn't put up as much of a fight as he could have.

I have a soft spot for dragons. When Drogon came to Dany's rescue, it actually gave me goosebumps. I felt every arrow and spear that the loyal Drogon suffered.

Hokey as it may have been, Dany riding Drogon out of the arena (did HBO repair and rent the Colosseum for this epic scene?) was a "Death Star Exploding" moment for me. I hope Drogon doesn't make a Dragonheart exit in the season finale.

I am assuming that Jorah and the others Dany left behind were able prevail against the Sons of the Harpy. The sheer number of these masked creeps, not to mention the sharp respect they gave her intended groom (?), should convince Dany to abandon her efforts to tame Meereen. Maybe Daario's wholesale slaughter of the masters was not such a bad idea.

 

[Narkalui]

I think Daarios wholesale slaughter is exactly what will occur, against Tyrion' s better judgement...

 

[Dave]

Danny needs a new head of security.

Why haven't they found out the person that manufactures those masks? He must have made a couple of thousand now, so identifying him would certainly give you a good lead in rounding up a few Harpies. And there were only ten to fifty a few weeks ago, so they clearly have had a big membership drive recently. How are they advertising this without being discovered?

 

[svalbard]

Why haven't they found out the person that manufactures those masks? He must have made a couple of thousand now, so identifying him would certainly give you a good lead in rounding up a few Harpies. And there were only ten to fifty a few weeks ago, so they clearly have had a big membership drive recently. How are they advertising this without being discovered?

They must have outsourced to a recruitment agency based in Pentos or Braavos.

 

[Warren_Paul]

D&D said that episode 10 might break the internet. So something even more shocking is coming...

I think all the book readers know what that is.

It should be pretty shocking to the majority of TV viewers.


In respect to how they'd changed the story from the books makes Shireen's death that much more shocking because it's totally out of character for the Stannis the book readers know. It might be all but confirmed that Shireen dies in the next book, but considering she's not with Stannis and army in the book, it will happen in a much different fashion. It's also out of character for Davos to leave without attempting to take her with him. They forced this plot development, and it shows.

 

[Narkalui]

Oh yes! I'm pretty sure I know what it's gonna be.

 

[Dan Jones]

I think all the book readers know what that is.

We've thought many things before this season and not everything has gone according to the books (Aemon Steelsong, Brienne and Gendry (that scene at the inn), Jeyne Poole etc). We shall see...

Stannis was also growing on me, but I believe Brienne is going to kill him at some time so he needs to be seen as 'bad' for the audience to root for Brienne.

Interesting. I really hope Brienne gets a good season ending either way; she's been sitting on her arse outside Winterfell picnicking with Pod for about a month now. I'm guessing Brienne will have a little bash at Ramsay next week, but the little git will get away. And I'm feeling more and more confident that "real" Theon will make a comeback.

And where the hell is Varis?

 

[Keldaris]

I think all the book readers know what that is.

It should be pretty shocking to the majority of TV viewers.

To truly break the internet it would need to be a TWOW spoiler, or something that doesn't happen in the books...