Television Game of Thrones S08E06 Discussion Thread: Burn them all! (the writing staff) | Our Watch has ended

[LEWIS540]

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I thought I recalled Weiss and Benioff basically indicating they picked Arya cause no one was expecting it. That’s some TLJ-esque decision making right there.

Jon and Bran being nonentities in stopping the force-of-nature that each of them had been narratively entwined with for several seasons was the most egregious part for me. If you’re going to have Arya be integral in taking out the Night King, cool, but make it a collective effort between the cousins there.

I still don’t see why they couldn’t have had Bran warg Rhaegaal when Jon was cornered and absolutely devastate the wounded ice dragon. Then have Bran-controlled Rhaegaal clear the field for Jon and Arya and grapple with the WW lieutenants while Jon and Arya face off against Frost Maul like Ewan and Liam did with the original Maul.

ive said this before, I know, but I still don’t get why Bran and Jon were useless in vanquishing NK.

Yup.

Jon became a secondary character in his own story and Bran........I mean what was the point in Bran (and his powers) again?

There was not a single character who got a fitting final season, imo.

 

[ufcfan4]

Yup.

Jon became a secondary character in his own story and Bran........I mean what was the point in Bran (and his powers) again?

There was not a single character who got a fitting final season, imo.

Big time. Even really good supporting characters like Davos were wasted. He wasn't character assassinated like the others, but he had little or nothing to do which is a shame because Cunningham was amazing every scene out on that show. Alfie's another one. Great all those years only to go out with little fanfare in a quasi-redemption moment to protect Bran.

I would have been fine with, particularly in hindsight, Jon and Dany taking KL and ruling together.

But in reality there are dozens of fan-supplied endings that seemed to be better alternatives to Dany opts to kill all the innocent civilians because (pick one): a.) Manchurian Candidate-esque bell-triggered programming, b.) she decides to make it personal (??) c.) something something Targaryen something something flip a coin d.) Missandei was killed, Jon rejected her, Varys plotted to poison her, her dragon got sniped (because they forgot about the Iron Fleet), all within a matter of days.

 

[Lethal]

People are still making memes showing how ridiculous Season 8 was. To this day it's just plot hole after plot hole still being exposed.

 

[listrahtes]

Yup.

Jon became a secondary character in his own story and Bran........I mean what was the point in Bran again?

There was not a single character who got a fitting final season, imo.

Him being selected as king was the biggest joke of everything. A bratty useless child with no idea at all about ruling gets to rule the most difficult war torn kingdom of the world because well visions.

When they presented the council in the end I felt like watching dumb & dumber only that it took itself serious. Bron as master of coin because hey why not...etc. It was like they deliberately destroyed GoT and made a childrens daydream out of it (a la lets make my friends rule a kingdom).

 

[LEWIS540]

Him being selected as king was the biggest joke of everything. A bratty useless child with no idea at all about ruling gets to rule the most difficult war torn kingdom of the world because well visions.

When they presented the council in the end I felt like watching dumb & dumber only that it took itself serious. Bron as master of coin because hey why not...etc. It was like they deliberately destroyed GoT and made a childrens daydream out of it (a la lets make my friends rule a kingdom).

Thing is, you have to assume GRRM told them Bran would end up on the throne 10 years ago, yet they still managed to fuck it up. A decade and that was the best they came up with? Unless GRRM was fucking with them or they decided to change things.

I cannot imagine the journey will be anything like the same in the novels, even if the destination is the same.......assuming they ever get finished, which seems a long shot at this point.

 

[ufcfan4]

Thing is, you have to assume GRRM told them Bran would end up on the throne 10 years ago, yet they still managed to fuck it up. A decade and that was the best they came up with? Unless GRRM was fucking with them or they decided to change things.

I cannot imagine the journey will be anything like the same in the novels, even if the destination is the same.......assuming they ever get finished, which seems a long shot at this point.

That’s the way I saw it too. They just put Bran on the throne cause it was Martin’s endgame but you would think that, knowing the endpoint, they would have done something, anything to make Bran compelling or qualified to lead.

Instead, from season 6 onward he was just a dullard who kept reminding us that he was once a man (Cobra Commander reference). I don’t blame Isaac at all. He was a good, young actor, they just gave him a thankless role. Other than the Hodor episode midway through season 6 (great one) he didn’t have much to do from an emotive element.

So if he’s not likable (Meera’s final scene cements that) and if he’s not effective (Frost Maul’s death cements that), then why would the audience get behind him as king.

 

[LEWIS540]

That’s the way I saw it too. They just put Bran on the throne cause it was Martin’s endgame but you would think that, knowing the endpoint, they would have done something, anything to make Bran compelling or qualified to lead.

Instead, from season 6 onward he was just a dullard who kept reminding us that he was once a man (Cobra Commander reference). I don’t blame Isaac at all. He was a good, young actor, they just gave him a thankless role. Other than the Hodor episode midway through season 6 (great one) he didn’t have much to do from an emotive element.

So if he’s not likable (Meera’s final scene cements that) and if he’s not effective (Frost Maul’s death cements that), then why would the audience get behind him as king.

It's like, what the fuck was the point in him and the 3 eyed raven? What did they actually do? It was set up for them to be some kind of mythical, time-altering wizards who had a centurys-old link to the White Walkers. Nope. I don't even understand why the NK gave a fuck about Bran. Him becoming king was nonsensical as written. Everything about him was shit post finding the 3ER.

Whilst the Hodor episode was good at the time, what was the point in it? The story went absolutely nowhere. I'm still not really sure what Bran's "powers" were.

 

[listrahtes]

Imo what was obvious in the end is that D&D had no clue at all about how to explain the white walkers and 3eyed raven etc and they didnt give two shits about it.

Every story solution they presented was on the level of Rambo 3. Be it on an emotional level (Jaime Lannister love tryst), character assasination (Tyrion, Baelish) ,story development or world building itself. Its strange how utterly useless these two behaved.

The killing of the white walker bigboss was a perfect example. Or in general how war was executed. Were you had brilliant strategists from all houses in earlier seasons and war was waged in gritty and kinda realistic way, like in middle ages, later on everyone fought like a braindead.

John storming into the Bolton battle like a retard or Stannis charging into cavalry was THE example how superficial everything had gotten.

With other series I love to rewatch them over and over but GoT gets that bad that it even sours the first excellent seasons knowing what is to come.

 

[ufcfan4]

It's like, what the fuck was the point in him and the 3 eyed raven? What did they actually do? It was set up for them to be some kind of mythical, time-altering wizards who had a centurys-old link to the White Walkers. Nope. I don't even understand why the NK gave a fuck about Bran. Him becoming king was nonsensical as written. Everything about him was post finding the 3ER.

Whilst the Hodor episode was good at the time, what was the point in it? The story went absolutely nowhere. I'm still not really sure what Bran's "powers" were.

All very solid points.

Bran’s role in the end reminds me of when Leonard Nimoy first guest starred on The Simpsons.

 

[Headkicktoleg]

Wow forgot Ramsay was in the show so long. His arc is like 4 seasons

 

[ufcfan4]

Wow forgot Ramsay was in the show so long. His arc is like 4 seasons

Yeah- by season 5 and 6 he was basically the main heel, particularly since Cersei was sort of a pseudo-face during her feud with Head Sparrow and the FM. At least I felt she was (until episode 10 of course...yikes).




The way that whole dynamic played out was well done- with the moves and countermoves between Cersei and Jonathan Pryce.

She and Jaime strategize to use the Tyrell army to kill the FM, he recruits Tommen to the cause and isolated Cersei by having Jaime sent away. She utilizes Undead Gregor to intimidate the FM but in doing so shows her hand with regard to trial by combat, prompting Pryce and co. to get Tommen to ban the practice.

I thought they did a really good job with that story arc and basically building toward Cersei’s horrific action when she felt her back was against the wall.

 

[TheRuthlessOne]

You don't think him being easily murked by an 80 pound little girl, who he'd had no previous involvement with, was a fitting end to a decade of build up?

Its like Jiren being killed by Krillin

 

[KnightTemplar]

Yeah- by season 5 and 6 he was basically the main heel, particularly since Cersei was sort of a pseudo-face during her feud with Head Sparrow and the FM. At least I felt she was (until episode 10 of course...yikes).




The way that whole dynamic played out was well done- with the moves and countermoves between Cersei and Jonathan Pryce.

She and Jaime strategize to use the Tyrell army to kill the FM, he recruits Tommen to the cause and isolated Cersei by having Jaime sent away. She utilizes Undead Gregor to intimidate the FM but in doing so shows her hand with regard to trial by combat, prompting Pryce and co. to get Tommen to ban the practice.

I thought they did a really good job with that story arc and basically building toward Cersei’s horrific action when she felt her back was against the wall.

Gods, the show was strong then!

 

[Aegon Spengler]

Gods, the show was strong then!

I feel they kept Cercei's story the strongest from start to finish. Hers was the only story that made some semblance of sense throughout. It was clear by the end that D and D hated the show and its fans but liked Lena Heady.

 

[Halifax]

I can't believe this thread is still going.

Favorite scene from books not in the show anyone?

Mine has to be the scene where Barristan Selmy kills the Titans bastard with a quarterstaff.
Fuck that was my favorite segment to read in the books. Titans bastard standing ready to kill Dany after killing a few peasants saying "who's next?". Barristan jumps off his horse "I am"....Titan "old man you better get back on your horse before I take that staff and bugger you with...." Barristan knocks his teeth out and proceeds to kill him with that quarterstaff.

At least he had an epic sendoff in the show.

 

[BB in Crazy!!!!]

Him being selected as king was the biggest joke of everything. A bratty useless child with no idea at all about ruling gets to rule the most difficult war torn kingdom of the world because well visions.

When they presented the council in the end I felt like watching dumb & dumber only that it took itself serious. Bron as master of coin because hey why not...etc. It was like they deliberately destroyed GoT and made a childrens daydream out of it (a la lets make my friends rule a kingdom).

Exactly. I love Bronn as much as the next person, but that guy shouldn’t be in charge on anything that doesn’t involve a battlefield.

I feel they kept Cercei's story the strongest from start to finish. Hers was the only story that made some semblance of sense throughout. It was clear by the end that D and D hated the show and its fans but liked Lena Heady.

Not sure if it’s because they liked her or they just knew what to do with her. At least that would make one character they actually knew how to handle without GRRM. Out of like 20 characters or so lol.

 

[LEWIS540]

Exactly. I love Bronn as much as the next person, but that guy shouldn’t be in charge on anything that doesn’t involve a battlefield.

Tyrion suggested it, so it must be a great idea. That guy hadn't put a foot wrong in years.

And everyone would obviously trust his opinion on the weirdo they'd never met. Not like he had murdered a king (as far as they knew), murdered his father who was also the Hand, was chief adviser to the mad woman who just committed mass genocide.......he told a few jokes 6 years ago, so let's not execute him. Let's instead make him the de facto most powerful man in the world.

 

[Law Talkin’ Guy]

Instead, from season 6 onward he was just a dullard who kept reminding us that he was once a man (Cobra Commander reference).

Bran’s role in the end reminds me of when Leonard Nimoy first guest starred on The Simpsons.

<{monica}>

A+++ references

 

[KnightTemplar]

I can't believe this thread is still going.

Favorite scene from books not in the show anyone?

Mine has to be the scene where Barristan Selmy kills the Titans bastard with a quarterstaff.
Fuck that was my favorite segment to read in the books. Titans bastard standing ready to kill Dany after killing a few peasants saying "who's next?". Barristan jumps off his horse "I am"....Titan "old man you better get back on your horse before I take that staff and bugger you with...." Barristan knocks his teeth out and proceeds to kill him with that quarterstaff.

At least he had an epic sendoff in the show.

Love the scene where Joffrey kicks him out of the King's Guard. Selmy rips off his white clock and Littlefinger takes the piss out of him; "A naked knight!". Then Selmy draws his sword and everyone, even the freaking Hound, has an, "Oh, shit just got real!" look on their faces.

"Even now I could cut through the five of you like carving a cake!"

 

[snowbro]

Yeah it's sad. A lot of people feel this way. The final season killed the re-watchability of the rest of the series.
Grrm said if we were expecting a happy ending we werent paying attention. That was a happy ending and it sucked ass
I am not even one of those fans who was initially outraged. I was just like, Welp that's what we got.

But now the thought of revisiting past seasons, and knowing it doesn't amount to anything... it just leaves a sour feeling.

All that squandered potential, details that end up being pointless, character development that ends up disregarded. Unfulfilled prophecies, build ups with no payoff.

It's so obvious now that David Benioff and D.B. Weiss were totally burnt out on the show and just wanted to be done with it. But at the same time they were too egotistical and attached to turn the reins over to someone else who cared.

Crazy how a storyline notorious for killing off important figures ended up being full of stupid plot armor for "beloved" characters. The writers marked out for their own hype.

I think some of the basic story elements of the final season could have worked if they were given time and quality writing. Like Dany going Targ crazy and Jon having to kill her. But they rushed it all and it is so un-satisfying.

Game of Thrones should have been one of the all time great HBO series. like The Sopranos, The Wire, Band of Brothers.

Instead, when people think of Game of Thrones, the prevailing sentiment is "What a waste."