HBO's Game of Thrones - Page 32

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Originally Posted by Myducksarecool 

Deadwood was a show with a lot of great characters but its writers were pretty terrible at writing dialogue. When a show has characters speak to themselves, or to pets, or to inanimate objects about their thoughts/feelings every couple scenes, it gets frustrating. Dont create monologues to tell us what the character is thinking! thats terrible, show us, dont tell us. I remember getting frustrated after seeing several scenes in a row of characters talking to themselves/or objects in a single episode. It was ridiculous. quit the show after awhile even though half the cast was awesome & the show had moments of greatness in it. Wasnt worth digging thru all the shit to get to the gold. it became a chore...and then months later I got curious, and rented the final disc of the final season. Tried to watch it through, but I fell asleep! I do not recommend Deadwood. 

 

I'm sorry, I've just read all 31 pages of this thread so I could catch up on the discussion, I don't want to derail the discussion more, BUT this right here is without a doubt the single most retarded thing I have ever read on any Thread on any Form about a TV discussion.  Everyone in this thread is a little dumber having read this.  I award you no points, and may God have mercy on your soul.

ANYWAY.....

I really LOVE this series so far.  I haven't read the books so I don't want to be spoiled.  However, the moment Ned had the knife but to his throat was when I knew he was a dead man.  When Robert's younger brother told him, "every second you waste is one that Cersei uses to make her move" couldn't have been more right.  Ned just didn't want to get into the political game and it's cost him.

When Robb rides back with Jamie as prisoner I had a glimmer of hope that Ned might survive, but nope.  No hope there.  Really looking forward to seeing what happens with that.

I couldn't stop laughing when Tyrion was knocked out cold after giving his speech and found himself in the middle of a charge.

This is another great series from HBO that I hope has a long and healthy life.

BTW  I FUCKING LOVE Breaking Bad also.  SOOO looking forward to it.  The only show I might dare say I love more than Breaking Bad is Deadwood, and the only show I dare say I love more than Deadwood is Breaking Bad.  Thats the kind of relationship I find myself having with these two......At least Justified takes a little of the sting off Deadwood.

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Originally Posted by Anger Management 

Sean Bean better get a nomination imo.

The showrunners submitted Bean for consideration as lead actor in a series.  Along with Headey for lead actress.

Their submissions for supporting actress (Emilia Clarke and Michelle Fairley) were disturbingly lacking in Maisie Williams.

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Originally Posted by Doc Happenin 

My girlfriend and I were talking and we came to different conclusions regarding the Robb and Ned: Ned is and always will be a soldier. He follows orders and does 'the right thing'. If it were up to him, he would've taken the 20k men against Tywin, victory be damned. Robb is a general. He's crafty in a way his father never could be and is successful in playing the Game. Great juxtaposition.

 

This isn't really a spoiler, since it's a mild detail and I think was already alluded to on the show, but just to be overly cautious:

A lot of this has to do with the fact that Eddard was raised as second oldest son - his older brother Brandon was supposed to be the Lord of Winterfell.  But Ned got a promotion once Aerys burned Brandon to a crisp.  Robb, on the other hand, was destined from Day 1 to inherit Winterfell, and thus is better prepared for the leadership role than Ned was.
 

End weak-assed, arguable spoiler.

No way in hell did Ned go out like a pussy. The whole show he held onto his sense of honor and duty, even if it meant putting he and his family in danger. At the end he put his FAMILY'S lives before his honor.....he finally did what most of you wanted him to do. I loved Ned to death, and if anything, THIS was his finest, most honourable moment in the series. He said he was a soldier and wasn't afraid to die, but he was afraid for his daughters. This was evidenced by him asking the Night'sWatch guy to get Arya out of the plaza. He even put his head down for the execution....

Pussy???? Eff that. Ned, you will be missed by THIS viewer.

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Originally Posted by Trav McGee 

Maybe it takes a great sound system (I got one! high five! ...anyone?) but the sound work during the Dothraki spellcasting was pants-soilingly scary on first watch. The noises coming out of that tent in broad freaking daylight were terrifying. Made me think of The Haunting (Wise's, natch) of all things, which I'd just watched again a couple weeks ago. I didn't mind the lead-up dialogue, because for all I knew their "magic" was going to be some superstitious mumbo-jumbo chanting etc. that'd be as about as real or effective as whatever concoction failed to keep Drogo's shoulder from getting infected. Maybe the "witch" is a charlatan, maybe the culture believes in nonsense, and Dany is obviously desperate enough to believe in/hope for anything. As jarring as it was, even chopping the horse's throat didn't dissuade from that (GoT: 2, Horses, 0). But then as the confrontations started going down outside the tent -- some freaky loud unnatural sounds started blasting from inside the tent... I realized, Oh shit, something's really happening in there. Why are you taking her in there, Jorah!? Why would anyone go in there.

 

Anyway, I thought the scene was great. Maybe it's a case of nonreading ignorance being bliss that I didn't immediately latch onto yay they have magic spells to save Drogo. The scene had to sell me on it.

agred - throught it worked really well and I didn't think it was clumsily introduced either.  And honestly who in their right mind would think "hmm, woman in labour, best I take her to the tent with the unanntural moaning and screamning coming from"..., actually that does sound a lot like a maternity ward.. fair play to you Ser Jorah

Maybe pussy was the wrong word. I just meant that I was a little disappointed in Ned because of how devoutly he stuck to his own principles throughout the show and how at the end he was willing to taint the one thing that meant everything to him: his honor. I'm not complaining, I think it was a great reversal, and a wonderful character moment, as he obviously did it as an attempt to save the lives of his children, which is perhaps honorable in its own way. I loved that scene, and I loved the way Sean Bean played the moment when he realized what was happening. I quite liked Ned, and it's a shame to see him go, but the fact that the lead character that I loved watching is now dead is one of the things I love about this show. 

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Originally Posted by Jacob Singer 

I may be misreading you, Kevin, but you seem to sorta hate this show. Maybe The Killing is more to your taste? Apologies if I'm an idiot.

 

Oh, he's just hating on Momoa becasue all his efforts to use rape as a romantic gesture keep backfiring.

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Originally Posted by NoMoreMrNiceGaius 

 as he obviously did it as an attempt to save the lives of his children, which is perhaps honorable in its own way.

well that ties back to the Master of the walls conversation with Jon.  When asked what his father would do if he had to choose between love and honour Jon said "he'd do what was right".  And Ned has always been about family so it was right for him to try and protect them and that's the only thing he's willing to bend his honour for.

I hope Arya launches some serious fucking pain driven 'Michonne in the Walking Dead comics' style vengeance on King fuckface.  And soon.

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Originally Posted by Andy Bain 

well that ties back to the Master of the walls conversation with Jon.  When asked what his father would do if he had to choose between love and honour Jon said "he'd do what was right".  And Ned has always been about family so it was right for him to try and protect them and that's the only thing he's willing to bend his honour for.

 

 

So true, and I think that's what really makes Ned a great character, and one that we'll actually miss now that he won't be around. I'm glad he went out the way he did. Ned didn't go out the way I wanted him to, which made me a little disappointed at first but then I remembered a quote by Alan Moore where he said, "It's not the job of the artist to give the audience what the audience wants. If the audience knew what they needed, then they wouldn't be the audience." I WANTED Ned to make a dashing last stand, but I NEEDED to see him go out on his knees trying to save his family. 
 

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Originally Posted by NoMoreMrNiceGaius 

 

So true, and I think that's what really makes Ned a great character, and one that we'll actually miss now that he won't be around. I'm glad he went out the way he did. Ned didn't go out the way I wanted him to, which made me a little disappointed at first but then I remembered a quote by Alan Moore where he said, "It's not the job of the artist to give the audience what the audience wants. If the audience knew what they needed, then they wouldn't be the audience." I WANTED Ned to make a dashing last stand, but I NEEDED to see him go out on his knees trying to save his family. 
 

 

 Exactly. Ned Stark may be a honorable man, but one thing that he valued more than his honor is his family. I just think it was really cruel the way he was killed: dishonoring himself and gave legitimacy to that illegitimate heir of King Robert, in front of his daughters, and witnessed by people of King's Landing. I know Martin did it for the story, but for someone like Ned Stark who seemed like the main protagonist, it was very hard to watch. I would've love it if Ned became the king later on, and in other fantasy novels he'll probably would have, but not GOT. Makes me wonder what Martin would've done if he were writing for other stories like LOTR; Aragorn probably won't have made it out of Mines of Moria lol.  

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Originally Posted by stelios 

Oh, he's just hating on Momoa becasue all his efforts to use rape as a romantic gesture keep backfiring.

 

 

Oh hell, I love you.

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Originally Posted by Andy Bain 

 

I hope Arya launches some serious fucking pain driven 'Michonne in the Walking Dead comics' style vengeance on King fuckface.  And soon.

 

Seconded.  I want to see Needle get a good workout.

question for those who have been paying attention to every detail or those who have read the books:

Just exactly who else knows about Geoffrey's classified conception info at this point other than the sibling lovers and the Eunuch now that Ned's Dead? I know Tyrion hinted in earlier ep. that he MIGHT have a suspicion, but does Tywin know? Littlefinger? I don't remember Ned telling anyone else of his findings other than obviously to Cersei

Ned does tell Littlefinger in episode 7 (though I suppose Littlefinger knew all along) and also in the same episode, he sends a note via-a-rider to Robert's so-far-unseen brother Stannis, with explicit instructions not to let anyone else see it. Therefore we can deduce that said note contained information on Joffrey's parentage, and that Stannis will hold a pretty big secret. So in a way, all you people who think Ned should have shouted at the top of his lungs before he died "Joffrey's an inbred psychopath!", well, in a way, he already did. 

Answering that would be fairly spoilerish I think, so best just watch it play out? And for that matter, there's some book-to-tvseries adaptation doubts as to how that will work out.

I also don't think the witchcraft stuff came out of no where.  They accused that woman of being a witch as soon as she introduced herself the episode before.  So where's the surprise that she knows a magic spell that might save Drogo?

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Originally Posted by hank_chinaski 

I also don't think the witchcraft stuff came out of no where.  They accused that woman of being a witch as soon as she introduced herself the episode before.  So where's the surprise that she knows a magic spell that might save Drogo?

Because the evidence of her witchcraft was that she recommended washing a fresh wound?  They might as well have been weighing her against duck.

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Originally Posted by Au Eagle 

question for those who have been paying attention to every detail or those who have read the books:

 

Just exactly who else knows about Geoffrey's classified conception info at this point other than the sibling lovers and the Eunuch now that Ned's Dead? I know Tyrion hinted in earlier ep. that he MIGHT have a suspicion, but does Tywin know? Littlefinger? I don't remember Ned telling anyone else of his findings other than obviously to Cersei

Well, keep in mind Stannis was helping Jon Arryn with his investigation and he supposedly left King's Landing after Jon died because he figured out the secret too but had nothing to back it up.  This is also another reason why Cercei is so afraid of him, in addition to him being a hardened battle commander.

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Originally Posted by Syd 

Ned does tell Littlefinger in episode 7 (though I suppose Littlefinger knew all along) and also in the same episode, he sends a note via-a-rider to Robert's so-far-unseen brother Stannis, with explicit instructions not to let anyone else see it. Therefore we can deduce that said note contained information on Joffrey's parentage, and that Stannis will hold a pretty big secret. So in a way, all you people who think Ned should have shouted at the top of his lungs before he died "Joffrey's an inbred psychopath!", well, in a way, he already did. 

Shit I totally forgot about his letter to Stannis. I can't wait to see who they cast as that guy. They've certainly built him up to be one tough motherfucker. It's looking more and more like the Lannister's are in for a pummeling. 

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Originally Posted by Simon West will kill Again 

 

See, this is what I meant. I think it'd be better if you edited your post.

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Originally Posted by Au Eagle 

question for those who have been paying attention to every detail or those who have read the books:

 

Just exactly who else knows about Geoffrey's classified conception info at this point other than the sibling lovers and the Eunuch now that Ned's Dead? I know Tyrion hinted in earlier ep. that he MIGHT have a suspicion, but does Tywin know? Littlefinger? I don't remember Ned telling anyone else of his findings other than obviously to Cersei

Definitely: Jaime, Cersei, Littlefinger, Varys, Presumably Stannis once the note gets there.  Also:  Did Ned flat-out tell Renly that the King had no true heirs during their final meeting?  I forget...

Possibly:  Grand Maester Pycelle

Might Suspect:  Tyrion,

Definitely doesn't know (I think):  Tywin Lannister - Think about it...he'd be FURIOUS that Cersei and Jaime endangered the family legacy by putting an illegitimate child on the throne.  Hell, I wouldn't be surprised of a good chunk of Jamie and Cersei's relationship started as an escape from their immensely oppressive and emotionally abusive father.

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Originally Posted by Jmacq1 

 

Definitely doesn't know (I think):  Tywin Lannister - Think about it...he'd be FURIOUS that Cersei and Jaime endangered the family legacy by putting an illegitimate child on the throne.  Hell, I wouldn't be surprised of a good chunk of Jamie and Cersei's relationship started as an escape from their immensely oppressive and emotionally abusive father.

I don;t know about that.  It's actually cementing the Lannister name and doing exactly what the Targeryans (sp?) did.  and don't forget Fat Bob 'won' the throne with the help of the Lannisters so it's entirely likely that Tywin has played everyone around to this point.  Man's a scheming motherfucker and a cunt to boot (can't get over what he did and does to Tyrion) so I wouldn't put anything past him.
 

Well it wouldn't be cementing the Lannister name, in the sense that nobody knows about it and can't know about it, since if they did, it'd be case closed in favor of the Stannis-for-King argument. 

The half man is deff gonna turn on his lannister family

Yeah, I don't know if Tywin know's about the bastards or not but I'd lean to not. He'd be furious I think if he knew it, I mean the mans about family but only so far in as what the family members contribute to the legacy of the Lannister name. He doesn't want the Lannister's known as inbreeding fuckers that cuckolded the old king. The people I'm sure would not like to know about the incest, adultery and kids and thus Tywin wouldn't like it.

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Originally Posted by fuzzy dunlop 

I liked whatever the hell was going on in that 'magic' sequence.  A lot of it - the otherworldly screams coming from inside the tent, the POV shot going in, etc - reminded me of Evil Dead.  And the fact that it takes place during the day made it exceptionally weird and creepy.  Yeah, the dialogue is a bit clunky and the witch stuff is kind of out of left field, but these scenes were just soaked with dread.   

I did really love that creepy shot. Makes you wonder if that baby will be a possessed demon baby.

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Originally Posted by Jacob Singer 

Do you 'non-book-readers' even realize how many Boromir jokes we readers avoided? You all owe us a Coke.

hehe. As a big Bean fan, I feel jipped. He gets cast in two great fantasy series (TLOTR and GOT), does some of his best work in them, and then dies in the 1st chapter.

About Emmys. Idk, I feel like all the actors should have been submitted supporting. I don't see anyone making it in lead, except for maybe Tyrion, unless they seriously fall for the show. This is definitely an ensemble show, that rarely has an episode that focuses heavily on one character. Id love seeing Dinklage and Addy nommed. Maybe, depending on the competition, I wouldnt mind seeing Heady & Bean (if both supporting), and possibly Fairley.

SInce Emmys only judge on individual eps (right?). The actors with episodes that showcased/focused on the most are Tyrion, Daenyrs, and Catelyn. However, Ned, Cersei, and Tyrion are the most famious, so I wouldnt discount any of their chances...but we'll see. 

The Truth hurts. Your just jealous you didn't stop watching, like me, and you had to watch that mess all the way through.

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Originally Posted by Simon West will kill Again 

Well, keep in mind Stannis was helping Jon Arryn with his investigation and he supposedly left King's Landing after Jon died because he figured out the secret too but had nothing to back it up.  This is also another reason why Cercei is so afraid of him, in addition to him being a hardened battle commander.

 

interesting now that you've mentioned that, because strictly speaking, neither Jon Arryn nor Ned really had sound proof of Geoffrey's inbrededness (is that even a word? lol) anyways. I mean Ned himself just sat for a few seconds going through a family lineage book and had a moment of epiphany based on the hair colors of Baratheons for godsake. I realize that Cersei pretty much gave Ned the confirmation during their little chat, and that people in this world aren't exactly up to date on genetics info, but are we to just presume that Cersei wouldn't deny her incestuous activities to Robert had he lived & found out about it? Even if it came to a word against word match b/w Cersei & Ned, Robert would just take Ned's word that his son's an inbred based on hair color? I mean other than a handful of people, Robert & the rest of Westeros never gave a second look to Geoffrey's hair color and question, "hmm, this little fucker's blonde. Maybe he's an inbred!" It doesn't really bother me, b/c I know the show must go on w/ how the story's already laid out, but I just found it interesting to think about that now that you've mentioned Stannis having "nothing to back it up." Funny thing is this shit never crossed my mind when the episode of Ned's little Baratheon lineage hair color research aired weeks ago.

Well, yeah, Robert would definitely take Ned's word, if for no other reason that Ned is absolutely the only people in all of King's Landing 100% guaranteed not to make that shit up or bring it up without actually believing it. Then, let's factor in how Robert already mostly loathed Cersei and his eagerness to solve problems with the "smash it with a hammer" method.

I do love or "love" how in that conversation between Ned and Cersei, it didn't cross Ned's mind that Cersei is blatantly admitting everything because she already has backup plans in motion. It's like playing poker against someone you've seen is fairly tight that "inexplicably" happens to be calling every street you bet... gee I wonder why.

edit: I have to post this, stolen from somewhere else:

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Originally Posted by Schwartz 

Because the evidence of her witchcraft was that she recommended washing a fresh wound?  They might as well have been weighing her against duck.

 

 

Well, I think you read the scene much more literally than I did.  You're right, her cleaning the wound is not evidence of witchcraft, it just seems to indicate that the cleaned of some wounds is against the Dothraki warrior culture.  However, I think when they accuse of being a witch, its because they were just told what her occupation in that village was (local medicine/magic doctor), and thus were offended by her even being allowed to touch the Khal with her witchcraft practicing hands.  Its a subtle difference, but it doesn't give much credit to the argument that witchcraft suddenly came from no where.
 

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Originally Posted by Schwartz 

Because the evidence of her witchcraft was that she recommended washing a fresh wound?  They might as well have been weighing her against duck.

 

 

EDIT: sorry double post

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Originally Posted by hank_chinaski 

 

Well, I think you read the scene much more literally than I did.  You're right, her cleaning the wound is not evidence of witchcraft, it just seems to indicate that the cleaned of some wounds is against the Dothraki warrior culture.  However, I think when they accuse of being a witch, its because they were just told what her occupation in that village was (local medicine/magic doctor), and thus were offended by her even being allowed to touch the Khal with her witchcraft practicing hands.  Its a subtle difference, but it doesn't give much credit to the argument that witchcraft suddenly came from no where.

 

Except that those scenes were all about Dany challenging the Dothraki's primitive ways, and we've been predisposed to dismissing their superstitions as silly and backwards, i.e. not using boats or not technically shedding blood in their city.  If we were supposed to take men's accusations at face value, it was poorly conveyed, but I think the intention was that the audience be taken aback when she starts working some real juju.
 

When that women is accused of being a witch it's certainly not known whether these claims are literal or superstitious.  When you consider how deeply steeped in tradition and superstition the Dothraki are, I think at first most people would assume that women is not literally a witch.  So, while it may have been unexpected, it didn't come out of nowhere. 

Everything about this show has been about the unexpected, playing with expectations, and this is one of the reasons it's so great.  They don't pander to the audience, they rarely explain things in great detail, or make conventional introductions. 

All the fantasy elements in this show have been handled in a off-handed, blaze manner, just like the reanimated zombies, demons, and boiling dragon egg.  All these elements came with very little development or explanation.  And this is the best way to handle the fantasy, since the show isn't really about the fantasy elements.  The fantasy is just a backdrop to a great story.  Just like all the best sci fi rarely concerns itself with the actual science, it merely uses sci fi as a setting to tell a story. 

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Originally Posted by Nabster 

But even if one does feel it came out of nowhere, so what?  Everything about this show has been about the unexpected, and this is one of the reasons it's so great.  

 

Yeah, this.  The supernatural elements have been telegraphed nicely enough to the point where we expect them to peek out every now and then, we just don't know when and in what context.  

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Originally Posted by Nabster

 

 Just like all the best sci fi rarely concerns itself with the actual science, it merely uses sci fi as a setting to tell a story. 

This just shows you haven't actually read any SF. Written SF - known as "hard" SF - is centrally concerned with technology ("science"), its consequences and impact on humanity and the universe. The speculative nature of it is inseparable from the meaning of the story.

What you're referencing is more like the original Star Wars film trilogy; ostensibly SF because of spaceships and laser guns, it's more a fantasy or fairy tale, as the technology is mere set dressing, and not the focal point of the story. We aren't concerned with the effects of being able to travel at light speed on a galactic society; we're concerned with the heroics of the main characters.

(Yes, I know there are subgenres of SF, some "softer" than others, but the assertion that the "best" SF doesn't concern itself with science has Clarke spinning in his grave, and Asimov whacking the monitor with his cane.)

Was this the first time that the score started to incorporate the title theme? I've found the score either non-existant, or kind of forgettable, so it really struck me when the title theme was used as a sort of pseudo 'Starks Triumphant' leitmotif.

I'm genuinely shocked at how much I love this and how much it's gripping me, loved the Evil Dead tent of spiritual healing.

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Originally Posted by MichaelM 

 

This just shows you haven't actually read any SF. Written SF - known as "hard" SF - is centrally concerned with technology ("science"), its consequences and impact on humanity and the universe. The speculative nature of it is inseparable from the meaning of the story.

 

What you're referencing is more like the original Star Wars film trilogy; ostensibly SF because of spaceships and laser guns, it's more a fantasy or fairy tale, as the technology is mere set dressing, and not the focal point of the story. We aren't concerned with the effects of being able to travel at light speed on a galactic society; we're concerned with the heroics of the main characters.

 

(Yes, I know there are subgenres of SF, some "softer" than others, but the assertion that the "best" SF doesn't concern itself with science has Clarke spinning in his grave, and Asimov whacking the monitor with his cane.)

 

This just shows you're obnoxious as usual.  If you honestly believe my post proves, or even could prove, that I haven't read any sci fi, you're stupider than I thought.  If you want to ignore my whole argument and focus on one line, you shouldn't make such idiotic assertions.

Even though hard sci fi doesn't have a single definition, you obviously don't understand what it is.  Written sci fi is not automatically or overwhelmingly hard sci-fi, whatever gave you this retarded notion?  And sci fi that is speculative or concerned with how technology might affect humans is also not at all automatically hard sci fi.  Hard sci-fi deals with the subset of sci-fi that emphasizes scientific detail and or scientific accuracy, or where the science and technology is the main focus, but once again, there are many definitions of it.

On the topic of the screen, the best sci-fi is RARELY hard sci-fi.  And on the topic of written works, I hadn't thought about it, but I would say the best sci-fi works(what I would consider to be the best) tend to not be hard(although, they can still be about science to an extent).  So, my original statement wasn't completely accurate in the realm of books.  Yes, a lot of great sci fi novels are about the science to an extent, but I don't think this is usually what makes the these works good.   And Clarke and Asimov( I've read both, so please stop with the silly assumptions) were good for their time, but how relevant are they compared to their contemporary Philip K. Dick?  Sci fi fare from Philip K. Dick has endured MUCH better, and it is MUCH better.  On the topic of Asimov, he did write hard sci fi, but he also wrote about positronic robot brains, and the spirituality of AI.  He never allowed science to stop him from doing whatever he wanted to do.

I kinda love Jorah owning some Dothraki shit this episode.

I kind of loved his look immediately after he killed the attacker. It was kind of a mixture of 'oh crap I'm alive....wait..there are...people around....I totally meant to do that'.

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Originally Posted by Spike Marshall 

I kind of loved his look immediately after he killed the attacker. It was kind of a mixture of 'oh crap I'm alive....wait..there are...people around....I totally meant to do that'.

That's exactly what I got out of it as well.  There also may have been a brief thought, "thank god I got my armor."  The actor that is playing him is fantastic.  He appears genuine and trustworthy, but he also brings in the right amount of intrigue and mystery.

Oh yeah, I love how it also ties into the earlier conversation he had with the younger Dothraki in regards to armor. Guy was right it seems.

He is properly..odd too. And I can't tell if that's because he's genuinely shamed of his past slaving actions, or if he's bullshitting to start a new life after a lot of other shady stuff.

I don't think they've stated the reason for Jorah's exile, have they?  I'm curious to know.  But I don't want to know if they haven't said it in the show.....

I totally see the resemble of Jorah to Jon Snow's master....what's his name?

They have. He sold some people into slavery I believe.

He's a great, conflicted character. I love the "I was sent to spy on you but have learned to admire and respect you and its left me conflicted and questioning everything I once knew" archetype character, they're always fun. 

I don't think Jorah was sent to spy on the Dothraki.  I think he had no choice but to leave since Ned Stark exiled him for slavery; he went to them because it was opportune and he's been spying on the Dothraki for two reasons.  One reason was, in order to get a pardon, but the other(real?) reason was to manipulate the Lannisters into attempting to kill the Dothraki queen, so he could stop this murder and trick Kal Drogo into fighting a war.

I think this is the intriguing part, how he everything he has done has been to create a war.  And how he ignored his pardon.  He also told Viserys, " loyalty means everything to me."  Loyalty to who?  And this is an odd thing for someone in his position to say.  There is clearly something mysterious and intriguing going on in his brain.

I totally get a weird wandering samurai vibe out of Jorah in the series. Same thing with Barristan now that he's gone and gotten himself fired from the job of Kingsguard.

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Originally Posted by Nabster 

 

Everything about this show has been about the unexpected, playing with expectations, and this is one of the reasons it's so great.  They don't pander to the audience, they rarely explain things in great detail, or make conventional introductions. 

 

All the fantasy elements in this show have been handled in a off-handed, blaze manner, just like the reanimated zombies, demons, and boiling dragon egg.  All these elements came with very little development or explanation.  And this is the best way to handle the fantasy, since the show isn't really about the fantasy elements.  The fantasy is just a backdrop to a great story.  Just like all the best sci fi rarely concerns itself with the actual science, it merely uses sci fi as a setting to tell a story. 

I loved how they handled Daenyrs picking up the egg and then they continued her badassry into her "dragons dont burn" line. That fantasy element to her is whats most interesting, to me, about her.

I think "magic" definitely has a place in this world/show. Its just the writing, and possibly the acting, of the scene that people are hating on. Wasn't great. I also feel like Daenyrs just won the Dothraki over, and they loved her (didnt another character say that, not too long ago). Now it seems sort of like a step back, to where she'll have to start over again and win them over again. Would have rather seen her, drogo, and their fiercely loyal army arrive at Kings Landing in the final moments of the final episode.  

I think Danys is well liked because she's shacked up with the biggest and meanest dude they've got at the moment, and happens to be carrying that said dude's son. I don't think the Dothraki have changed for her though, and I doubt guys in this culture want to be led around by a foreign girl at all.

Of course one of the things I've found so amusing is the amount of people going "Oh man! I hope the Dothrakis come over the sea and start fucking shit up!" which to me always seems actively WORSE than the current situation. Sure things have gone into a massive civil war, and there's all these assholes running around, but I think adding the guys who think "I must have sex like a horse! After I burn down this tribal settlement and kill everybody!" would just replace one group of dickheads with another.

Basically what I'm saying is everybody should have just listened to fuckin' Renly.

The Dothraki coming over would be a definite signal that shit is really and truly going down, and that a whole new war was starting to rip off. And the reason I'd like to see it has to do mostly with the characters. Dany, Drogo, and Jorah are all great, just fucking great, and Drogo in particular has a terrific track record for dealing with whimpering pissfaces like Joffrey. Yeah, shit would get much worse for the people of Westeros, what with the rape parades and all, but fuck, it seems like a fairly miserable slog for all of them no matter what happens. 

Remember, the next book is called a Clash of Kings, and between Joffrey, Robb, Stannis, and who knows who else, that is truly what can be expected next year. 

Am I living too much by the interwebs when I suggest that beyond the high ratings, GOT seems to have captured the zeitgeist? I mean, maybe I'm influenced by this thriving thread, like I haven't seen since Lost, but it seems like everyone I know is watching and digging this show. This feels huge to me, and though I suppose the loss of Ned could be an issue, my guess is there's more than enough to keep the general audiences engaged, certainly as much as True Blood or The Wire, and boy, do us nerds love it or what? I'm pretty optimistic for this sticking around for the foreseeable future.

I'm just happy that we have a kick-ass show based on fantasy novels that's actually doing WELL and is fairly popular and is filled with great actors. I mean shit, this gives me hope that all my geek-wet-dream properties will be adapted into equally kick-ass television shows! 

For people who are worried about the use of magic...not a spoiler, but I'll hide it for people who are sensitive about discussion of the books...