On May 08 2012 05:17 SergioCQH wrote: It's important to note that despite the fact that House Greyjoy's words are We Do Not Sow, there are still farmers (albeit very low level agriculture due to the lack of arable land), fishermen, craftsmen, and merchants on the Iron Islands. They supplement this with regular pillage of the nearby coasts.
It's a mistake to solely equate population and territory with military power. A country's warrior culture also figures greatly into its fighting strength. The Danes regularly raided or outright invaded the British Isles despite having a smaller population and territory.
A few farmers, mostly fishermen and miners. The Iron Islands are (surprise!) one of the largest sources of iron in westeros, so they can do some decent trade. On top of that, they used to own the Riverlands which is one of the most prosperous of the seven kingdoms, and held all of it's people as (pretty much) slaves. That, plus what they can get out of their islands, plus all the raiding they can do in those longships pretty well puts together a prosperous "Kingdom".
'Im gonna kill you with fire' is the most overused boring shit phrase ever. In every danny scene its the same bullshit. Its Boring, brings nothing to the story, wasnt in the books one time. I dont get it
On May 07 2012 22:25 SimDawg wrote: Is it me or does anyone else hate Dany with a passion? There's just something about her that's too entitled, or out of touch, or selfish or something. I can't put my finger on it.
I feel like at least half the people watching the show must hate her and half like her, or something like that. I'd be really forlorn if I was the only person that felt this way.
You are most definitely not alone. I can't stand Dany.
On May 08 2012 06:05 Terranlover wrote: 'Im gonna kill you with fire' is the most overused boring shit phrase ever. In every danny scene its the same bullshit. Its Boring, brings nothing to the story, wasnt in the books one time. I dont get it
Dont recall her saying "I'm gonna kill you with fire" once in the series either.
On May 08 2012 07:10 HyunA wrote: i'm starting to like the hound more and more and i so waited for that "little bird" haha :D also, dany's freaking hot now ! also, tyrion is a baws.
King in the North !
If anyone wants a back story to the "Little Bird" thing:
Rory McCann's audition (would have been just after the joust in season 1)
On May 07 2012 22:25 SimDawg wrote: Is it me or does anyone else hate Dany with a passion? There's just something about her that's too entitled, or out of touch, or selfish or something. I can't put my finger on it.
I feel like at least half the people watching the show must hate her and half like her, or something like that. I'd be really forlorn if I was the only person that felt this way.
You are most definitely not alone. I can't stand Dany.
To be fair, almost all the nobles in this show across as self entitled douchebags. Or selfish emos. The only nobles who are likable are Tywen because he gets it what it takes to be in charge of a noble house and Tyrion because he also gets it and is also cursed with being a midget. The Starks are all the same except Arya: "Oh well this plan is much more logical and safer, but lets do the honorable/emotionally satisfying thing" Whether its Catlyn seriously considering trading the favorite Lanister for her two useless daughters [useless in terms of them not being able to lead either armies or be married anyone to bring an alliance] or Robb [well lets reach out to the guy whose children my dad murdered and who comes from a culture of wanton pillage because sure, he totally wont have a thing against me. OR well now that I have convinced this guy who controls the only route back to my homeland Ill marry one of his inbred and ugly daughtesr I totally wont launch a violent coup once he opens his gates to me and remove his head from his shoulders and put one of my more trusted lietenants in charge of this stuff] or Eddad [every decision he has ever made in the tv series].
And the same stupidity can be said of the Baratheon boys [lets fight each other to the death because our enemies are totally weak and ready to fall over because derp derp derp] while the Vale is ruled by a clearly mentally unhinged woman and her son is going to grow up, if he is very lucky, maybe as emotionally together as Joffrey.
Basically, if the TV series doesnt end with Tywen Lanister being King of everything and the Dragons then I am just sad for the humans of that planet.
On May 08 2012 03:48 biology]major wrote: How does tyrion slap the king and get away with it
Confidence, it's a powerful weapon. Especially to those who have low self-esteem. And really, what's he going to do? Tyrion has way more leverage than Joffrey does, he could weasel his way out of any situation.
This episode was very polarizing for me. The scenes ranged from brilliant (everything involving Arya and Theon) to absurd (north of the wall, almost everything involving Theon again). Jon Snow, a fairly green member of the Watch, offers to execute an adorable wildling girl, and his squad leader is like "Alright, peace out, we'll just leave you to it. Catch up when you're done!". A crowd brings down a helpless priest and cannibalizes him, with enough brute strength to sever his arm? What in the fuck?
Also I'm getting a bit tired of the Daenerys scenes, even though she's one of my favorite characters. Seems nothing new is ever going on with her. Birthright, iron throne, dragons, I will take it with fire...yeah yeah yeah. I wish they didn't feel the need to include her arc in every episode when so little is happening. The cliffhanger is that her dragons got stolen, but I honestly don't feel very intrigued by that. (I haven't read the books but) it's fairly obvious that she's going to reclaim them somehow, whereas most GoT cliffhangers leave some sort of ambiguity.
The character of Theon is very well acted I think, and they display his development brilliantly, but it's still too unbelievable for me. He makes irrational choices like it's his job. I think there's a big difference between "being sort of a dick" and "selling out/murdering the people you spent your whole life with, for a man who apparently despises you". I guess it makes a little more sense in the books where he's supposed to be younger; doesn't come across well as a 20-something TV actor.
I still don't get why people can't relate to Theon. What does he have to gain by remaining a ward of the Starks? Nothing. What does he have to gain by being a Prince of the Iron Islands? Everything. It ties in completely with his arrogant, egotistical, power-hungry persona that they worked so hard to develop in S1. While it's obvious he feels kind of bad for doing it, it's the only way he'll grow into his britches.
What would you rather be: The second most powerful lord in Scotland or the prince of Faroe islands? It seems pretty obvious that there is no way the Iron Islands can do anything with staying power, not with their tiny population and army based on pirates and its also pretty clear that once the major kingdoms are done tearing each other apart whoever wins would open a can of major whoopass. There is a reason why the only successful Vikings in Europe, the Normans, actually had a mass migration to their land of their targets.
imo the inclusion of the Iron Islands as some sort of comical, super evil Vikings was just the writer being bored one day or something because otherwise they make no sense at all....the iron islands are made to look so crappy that nothing grows there but somehow they have a thriving navy?? Where'd they get all the wood for their boats?? And where'd they get the population to build those imposing castles ???
You don't understand feudal politics. Theon is not any kind of lord in the North. He is a hostage of the Starks. The only Lord of the North is the Lord of Winterfell, and Theon can never be Lord of Winterfell if he stays loyal to the Starks.
Did I say Lord of Winterfell? I said the second most powerful lord in the North/Scotland. Because he is the blood brother of the King of the North.
On May 08 2012 03:48 biology]major wrote: How does tyrion slap the king and get away with it
Confidence, it's a powerful weapon. Especially to those who have low self-esteem. And really, what's he going to do? Tyrion has way more leverage than Joffrey does, he could weasel his way out of any situation.
This episode was very polarizing for me. The scenes ranged from brilliant (everything involving Arya and Theon) to absurd (north of the wall, almost everything involving Theon again). Jon Snow, a fairly green member of the Watch, offers to execute an adorable wildling girl, and his squad leader is like "Alright, peace out, we'll just leave you to it. Catch up when you're done!". A crowd brings down a helpless priest and cannibalizes him, with enough brute strength to sever his arm? What in the fuck?
Also I'm getting a bit tired of the Daenerys scenes, even though she's one of my favorite characters. Seems nothing new is ever going on with her. Birthright, iron throne, dragons, I will take it with fire...yeah yeah yeah. I wish they didn't feel the need to include her arc in every episode when so little is happening. The cliffhanger is that her dragons got stolen, but I honestly don't feel very intrigued by that. (I haven't read the books but) it's fairly obvious that she's going to reclaim them somehow, whereas most GoT cliffhangers leave some sort of ambiguity.
The character of Theon is very well acted I think, and they display his development brilliantly, but it's still too unbelievable for me. He makes irrational choices like it's his job. I think there's a big difference between "being sort of a dick" and "selling out/murdering the people you spent your whole life with, for a man who apparently despises you". I guess it makes a little more sense in the books where he's supposed to be younger; doesn't come across well as a 20-something TV actor.
I still don't get why people can't relate to Theon. What does he have to gain by remaining a ward of the Starks? Nothing. What does he have to gain by being a Prince of the Iron Islands? Everything. It ties in completely with his arrogant, egotistical, power-hungry persona that they worked so hard to develop in S1. While it's obvious he feels kind of bad for doing it, it's the only way he'll grow into his britches.
What would you rather be: The second most powerful lord in Scotland or the prince of Faroe islands? It seems pretty obvious that there is no way the Iron Islands can do anything with staying power, not with their tiny population and army based on pirates and its also pretty clear that once the major kingdoms are done tearing each other apart whoever wins would open a can of major whoopass. There is a reason why the only successful Vikings in Europe, the Normans, actually had a mass migration to their land of their targets.
imo the inclusion of the Iron Islands as some sort of comical, super evil Vikings was just the writer being bored one day or something because otherwise they make no sense at all....the iron islands are made to look so crappy that nothing grows there but somehow they have a thriving navy?? Where'd they get all the wood for their boats?? And where'd they get the population to build those imposing castles ???
Except he can never be the second most powerful Lord in Winterfell. He will always be a ward; a hostage sent to Winterfell in order to keep the Iron Islands compliant after their rebellion against Robert. He was treated well enough by Ned and Robb, but after Robb became Lord of Winterfell, what happens to Theon? He becomes his bodyguard, essentially a glorified squire? He is a Prince in the Iron Islands, and if he can impress his people by claiming the North for the Greyjoys, a King as well.
And they got their thriving navy and castles in part because they used to own part of the Riverlands as well as the Iron Islands, and also because they believe in pillaging rather than sedentary lifestyles. When everything you have is stolen rather than bought or grown, you don't really need much in the way of natural resources or a peasant class.
After Robb became king...Theon became his right hand man....sort of the way the Lanister family was the right hand of the Barantheon family? And used that position to amass even more power?? And on the Iron Islands he is a prince...so powerful that he gets one whole ship. Of course to be fair in this universe one crappy ship of pirates is good enough to capture the capital of a kingdom at war so who knows....
How do you steal rocks or wood for ships??? Sardinia used to be a huge iron exporter too throughout Roman and even Middle Ages yet no Viking society evolved there....where did the Vikings succeed? In places with lots of wood and lots of food to serve as a base for their mighty warrior culture.
EPT
