Please submit feedback here after Season 6 Episode 9 – ‘Battle of the Bastards’ has aired and we’ll be glad to share it in our midweek podcast.
Terms of surrender are rejected and accepted.
- Series: A Pod of Casts
Podcast Subscribe:
Apple Podcasts
Google Podcasts
PocketCasts
Spotify
Stitcher
RSSLatest Episodes:
-
May 23, 2019 Episode 71: The Iron Throne -
May 18, 2019 Feedback Post, Season 08 Episode 06: The Iron Throne
Much better
I just finished watching this episode so these thought are my first reaction.
Fluid I hope you do not mind if I copy your format (copying is the highest form of flattery right?) I will go in reverse order:
The Unknown-
With all of the major Northern Houses destroyed who will fill the larger political vacuum? We know that houses Umber, Bolton and Karstark at the very least are destroyed or severely weakened. Every single soldier out on that field was someone’s husband, son, father, brother. There are thousands of widows and orphans that will need to be cared for very quickly if Sansa and Jon want to solidify and consolidate their hold on the North. I doubt if the common folk will except Wildling overlords but something must be done, maybe lordlings from the Vale will swear fealty to the Starks and stick around and marry some of those new widows. I just hope a comment is made next week about it. Besides there are now thousands of fewer men to fight the true threat beyond the wall.
The Bad-
Again I have issues with the time distance thing. How is Shaggy-dogs head still preserved? Is should have been a stinky skull or something. I think it would have been much more powerful if Ramsey had turned Rickon into a second Reek. If during the initial parlay he had been presented, given the opportunity to flee but refused, like Theon did in the kennel when his sister showed up.
The Okay-
The scene with Yara and Theon with Dany and Tyrion. I thought it was well acted and definitely furthered their stories but again the time distance is sketchy at best. I spent 21 years in the US Navy, It takes a little while to sail around continents today, in the days of sail it took months to sail anywhere. I don’t know what the Iron Born will do if they give up their way of life. I cannot see them passively becoming traders but maybe. Are Yara and Daenerys going to become lovers or something?
I am a little confused why Ramsey was so willing to fire upon his own men. He killed the majority of his cavalry, which should have been the best trained portion of his army, the sons and second sons of petty lords and landed gentry, not poor farmers. I know it was to make him more of a villain but that was not a sound strategy. They would have been very helpful when the Vale Army showed up.
The good, I will even say great:
Ramsey toying with Rickon. The way he fired arrows so casually. That was a great scene. He gained the tactical initiative and forced the Stark army to fight his battle. Excellent and in keeping with his character,
Sansa giving military advice and her conversations with Jon, great acting on her part.
Giantsbane acknowledging his men’s inability to standup to a cavalry charge. To late to do anything but a legitimate concern.
The death of Won Won. I thought he would have had a bigger impact on the battle but his death made up for that.
Ramsey’s beat down. Fantastic.
Other-
Ramsey’s death, while extremely satisfying, could have been better. Sansa should have held a trial, sentenced him to death, then executed him herself, it is the Stark way. That type of action would have reminded the North that the Starks were fair and just, just like they have been for thousands of years. Now if I was Lady Mormont I would be asking myself if I traded one psychopath for another. However, Sansa’s smile at the end was magnificent.
Whoever the director for this episode should act as the guiding hand for the last two seasons similar to the way Marvel has managed the MCU. He created tension with the dialogue between the Greyjoys and Tyrion and Dannerys, and well acted action sequences. No random terminator running or surviving mortal wounds or Braavosi Ninja Warrior, which is in production this week and will be on Sunday nights in the fall on HBO.
P.S. I hope she refuses to marry Littlefinger. Although from Littlefinger’s perspective if he could marry her he would command three of the seven kingdoms. I think he is still lord of the riverlands in the show I cannot remember. He does not have to worry about Dorne and the Tyrells can be easily swayed, so five of seven.
Hi Brian,
Just 2 thoughts – Shaggy Dog’s head is probably being kept packed in ice/snow. If a bronze age corpse could be found mostly intact in the ice in the Swiss Alps in the 20th century, Shaggy Dog’s head can last 6 months on ice. 🙂
Re the time thing, Game of Thrones uses the same style of story telling (time wise) as many in war movies that cover long periods of time from the point of view of individuals. So while John Wayne is flying a bomber over Europe in June and Humphrey Bogart is in a sea battle in the Pacific in April, the time difference doesn’t matter when they meet up in the US in September
Brian, back in season 2 Ned Stark’s head was preserved with some kind of tar so it could be displayed on a spike. Maybe Shaggydog’s head was also tarred, but it wasn’t as noticeable because of his dark fur?
Wow! Amazing television
Tonight I saw the “Battle of the Bastards” and I think I may have just watched the best hour of television fiction made to date. Not a misplaced shot or a beat out of place – from Danerys’ regal flight, to Jon’s visceral beserker rage, and Sansa’s chilling justice
I’m almost speechless. Breathtaking television!
100% rating for me, and if you accepted over 100% this would be well off the scale.
The action was fast, fierce and relentless at every turn.
Superb episode! 96 out of 100.
The Good:
• The Battle of Meereen with the Slave Masters had a lot of punch in 15 minutes. I loved the scenes with the Dragons making an example of some of the boats and the quick verbal reversal of the situation.
• Miguel Sapochnik did an absolutely amazing job with directing this episode. It went beyond watching a movie. There was a fantastic use of POV in the war. I felt like I was there totally immersed in medieval battle; especially as a foot soldier on the ground although we got commander perspective and overhead views as well. I could feel the body pile smothering; trampling; crowding, skewering; especially from Jon’s perspective. The shuddering of his breath as he was being trampled and body pile induced by his own desperate bloodied men. You could feel the violent smashing of horses and clashing of swords on armor as the lines hit each other and gore of medieval/ Ancient Greek warfare. The action was fast, fierce and relentless at every turn.
• The whole strategy the Bolton’s applied to the Starks was surprising and riveting. Jon bought the bait with Rickon which put a dent in his plans. The longbow men creating a body pile wall and then the surrounding of the Starks by the Bolton Phalanx closing in with pikes ratched up the tension nicely. Nice irony that Jon spoke about surrounding the Bolton’s on three sides when they were the ones being surrounded by the same move due to Jon’s impulsiveness.
• I loved the use of the battle to better define the characterization of Sansa, Jon and Ramsay. Sansa warned Jon that Ramsay would play him like a fiddle if you let him and to try and do the opposite of what you are feeling or where you think your actions should be going. She displayed how to read Ramsay (or enemies) better in battle than Jon. Jon is highly reactive and impulsive, however he’s a fierce fighter with a load of stamina. I can see why Sansa didn’t want to tell Jon about the troops from the Vale; until they were there. If the Vale Troops were there ahead of time the battle may have still turned out in Ramsay’s favor; due to the way Jon impulsively played into Ramsay’s trap with Rickon. Ramsay proved to be a much more dangerous strategist then Jon may have anticipated. Jon bought his bait and Ramsay used the same move Jon was going to use on him with surrounding him on three sides. (Jon never got to use his trenches.)
• I honestly felt relief when the troops of the Vale showed up so they did a great job of making me feel like the Stark’s situation was dire.
• Tyrion and Theon reunion was interesting. Theon appears to becoming back a little from Reek.
• The ladies of Game of Thrones are ruling better than the men. Ellaria in Dorne, Dany in Meereen, Sansa in The North and now possibly Yara in the Iron Isles. I love how Yara put herself up for Marriage with Dany as a possibility to match Euron’s offer.
The Bad:
• Sansa took off before Ramsay told Jon he was going to feed them all to his dogs which hadn’t eaten in seven days. So how did she know about his dogs? The only think I could think of is that it was Jon’s idea to feed Ramsay to his dogs because that’s where he put Ramsay which Sansa asked him ‘Where is he?’
• Mel and Jon’s pep talk was weak on dialog ‘Don’t lose’. ‘Maybe he brought you here to die again’. I guess in spite of her ability to resurrect Jon she is still rattled by her experiences with Stannis on the battlefield.
The Unknown:
• I honestly thought Varys was going to seek out Yara, so where is he off to in Westeros? My money is on Dorne. The person that makes the most sense would be Ellaria Sands. I don’t see Varys going to King’s Landing.
• Why didn’t Jon want Mel to resurrect Rickon? Is he is too bad of shape? Is it because he isn’t of royal blood?
• Speaking of Mel, how long is she for this world? I bet Ser Davos will try to kill her.
• Where was Ghost during the Battle of Bastards? It would have been really cool of Ghost was let loose on Ramsay, however it was fitting to see Ramsay mauled and devoured by his own dogs.
• Will Yara keep her promise to not reave to Dany? What will the Iron born do if they cannot reave? I suppose they could be fisherman and shipbuilders for Westeros.
• What will Dany do if Euron approaches her? Will she wait for him? I suppose she could just take his ships with her Dragons.
• We hear again about the caches of Wildfire in King’s Landing (this time from Tyrion) so no doubt Cersei was told about these too by Jaime. Who will set those off in King’s Landing? Will it be Dany or Cersei?
• How did Dany get all three Dragons to coordinate an attack on the Slavers? Did they just follow Drogon’s lead? Is it telepathy?
• Will the North get behind the Sansa and the Starks? Who is left to bend the knee?
I think Lady Sansa Stark of Winterfell wins this week’s Game of Thrones.
One slight smile on Sansa face as she was leaving Ramsay being mauled by his own hounds...Priceless!
The Good:
One slight smile on Sansa’s face as she was leaving Ramsay being mauled by his own hounds…Priceless!
The Unknown:
• What will Sansa do if she finds out Little Finger is to be appointed Ward of the North once he helps defeat the Boltons? Will he try to turn Sansa over to Tommen (if she stays at Winterfell and Jon heads back up North or leaves for another place)?
I am really curious what you guys think of Little Finger’s plans. Cersei told him she would make him Warden of the North if he defeated the Boltons.
Is he going to hand Sansa over to her on a Silver Platter or will the whole situation take care of itself because Cersei is going to burn down King’s Landing due to her Trial results?
Resurrection Clarification
Post Podcast Comments**
No one in the show recommended that Rickon be resurrected. That’s something I am pointing out right now.
Mel has the power to resurrect folks. So why not have Jon or Sansa resurrect Rickon? I was only pointing out that maybe his body was too far dead or damaged from the battle to be worth doing that.
They could have also resurrected Wun Wun.
Then again, like I mentioned maybe Mel can only resurrect those she sees in her prophesies and if they are of Royal Blood and perhaps Rickon doesn’t have Royal Blood.
Heart in my mouth
Tense. Tense. Tense. What a roller coaster. I feared for Jon so many times throughout this episode.
Love the back and forth between Dany and Yara. I didn’t notice thier many simlarities until this exchange.
What a satisfying end to Ramsay. I really thought Jon was going to hand his sword over for Sansa to do the deed then and there. However it was much better for her to watch him die without being directly responsible. She maintains a little of the Sansa who wouldn’t hurt anybody which I liked.
What will Davos do next? I saw revenge in his eyes and in my opinion…rightly so.
Brilliant
Just an amazing episode I totally on edge in the North and the fireworks on the water in Meereen was great also.
There’s always a few things to nitpick but nothing for me.
Although I would’ve like to have seen Ghost out there.
Little Finger gets my vote this week.