Red Mosquito

ABNorman wrote:

Chris_H_2 wrote:

15showsandcounting wrote:

Oh, Jimmy wrote:

spike wrote:

Oh, Jimmy wrote:That scene was just horribly done. I've always appreciated the sense of realism they put to those gruesome deaths, but they made it way too cartoonish.

you know you can't cut off a head or limb with a broad sword, right?

I didn't know that, but there's still some realism to stuff like that. Heads don't pop like balloons and make a sound like a bomb going off.

You know this show has dragons, right?

And ice people that have been dormant for a 1000 years . . .

And shadowy vagina demons...

Having that stuff doesn't mean the show should lack realism where it's applicable. My point is the show has done a great job of translating supernatural stuff and really gruesome murders in a fairly realistic fashion. Dany's dragons don't look like the dragon from Peter Pan and Ned Stark's head didn't go flying through the air when it was chopped.

bodysnatcher wrote:
I'm guessing the sound artists took some liberty with creating some sound that makes the scene more dramatic and memorable. I doubt there's a lot of "sounds a skull being crushed by hands" examples in their sound research library.

I think some kind of squishy bone crunching sound would've worked fine.

ABNorman wrote:but which characters are we supposed to getting behind here, now?

none, thats the point

Pretty sure vagina demons are real.

people seem to forget that he was wearing steel gauntlets when he destroyed his melon.

Also, the Cleganes' almost-superhuman strength has been established already. Remember when Gregor cut that horse's head off, or when Sandor cut that dude in half at the Battle of the Blackwater?

psychobain wrote:

ABNorman wrote:but which characters are we supposed to getting behind here, now?

none, thats the point

Hmm, I dunno - that seems simplistic. Why should we watch at all if we don't care what happens to characters? "To watch horrible people do horrible things" is a weak answer for me.

I think part of the problem at this point is that the multitude of characters may work a bit better in the books (though by most accounts, GRRM is far more focused on world-building than character-building), but on the show there's simply not enough time to give us enough of all of them. I'm sure I'm not alone in glazing over when the show swaps to certain stories because I haven't been given a reason to care.

Simple Torture wrote:Also, the Cleganes' almost-superhuman strength has been established already. Remember when Gregor cut that horse's head off, or when Sandor cut that dude in half at the Battle of the Blackwater?

and when:

Spoiler: show

ABNorman wrote:

psychobain wrote:

ABNorman wrote:but which characters are we supposed to getting behind here, now?

none, thats the point

Hmm, I dunno - that seems simplistic. Why should we watch at all if we don't care what happens to characters? "To watch horrible people do horrible things" is a weak answer for me.

I think part of the problem at this point is that the multitude of characters may work a bit better in the books (though by most accounts, GRRM is far more focused on world-building than character-building), but on the show there's simply not enough time to give us enough of all of them. I'm sure I'm not alone in glazing over when the show swaps to certain stories because I haven't been given a reason to care.

here's a great reason: How many episodes did it take you to love Oberyn Martell? Think of how short of a time this compelling character won you over. Probably quicker than any Stark, even Ned. There are compelling characters and great story arcs. Jamie Lannister is the worst person in the world in the first season and you start to empathize for him and maybe even like him by the 3rd and 4th seasons. Character development is the reason anyone should stay with this show. A universe where people are quick to remind each other that "all men must die" means you should expect these kinds of things to happen. Just remember, one season took away the Starks for the most part and they open the next season by taking Joffrey away; it isn't always the good guys losing their heads.

Mecca wrote: here's a great reason: How many episodes did it take you to love Oberyn Martell? Think of how short of a time this compelling character won you over. Probably quicker than any Stark, even Ned. There are compelling characters and great story arcs. Jamie Lannister is the worst person in the world in the first season and you start to empathize for him and maybe even like him by the 3rd and 4th seasons. Character development is the reason anyone should stay with this show. A universe where people are quick to remind each other that "all men must die" means you should expect these kinds of things to happen. Just remember, one season took away the Starks for the most part and they open the next season by taking Joffrey away; it isn't always the good guys losing their heads.

I was mostly reacting to the idea that the point of this show is that no characters are worth relating to.

The show has certainly created some compelling characters, but there's only so many times they can go to the "oh, you like that character? Well they're dead now" well before it becomes edgy for edgy's-sake. So I hope they don't have to rely on this sort of stuff too much going forward.

I guess this one was more shocking as well because the Starks that got offed at the Red Wedding were pretty dull, really, whereas Oberyn was almost instantly likeable (and his death seemingly dooms fan-favourite Tyrion).

I have a feeling Tyrion is going to work out just fine.

I have not read the books.

zeb wrote:I have a feeling Tyrion is going to work out just fine.

Yeah, I think Oberyn's death is set up to make it seem inevitable that Tyrion gets the chop, so that it's more of a surprise when he gets out of it.

My broad suspicion is that Tyrion, Arya, Jon Snow and Daenerys are the non-negotiable characters. The rest are expendable.

The names I say Arya-style every night before bed:

The Bolton kid
Dude with the bridge who oversaw the Red Wedding
Littlefinger
The crow who's always mean to Jon Snow
Stannis (I mean, who would care anyway?)
Spritely old guy on the small council

zeb wrote: Stannis (I mean, who would care anyway?)

More red witch lady than Stannis for me.

i think tyrion is safe, too, and i would guess jaime has something to do with it. it doesn't make sense to me to have them have their on screen bonding, and having jaime making happy then "oh shit" faces during the fight, for him not to try and help tyrion somehow get out of dying. jaime's story has stalled this season- honestly, i'm more worried for jaime's life these last two episodes than i am tyrion's. jaime's story either needs some sort of event to kickstart some things for him, or his story could be ending. i'd rather it be the former but can easily see it being the latter.

(Lena Headey & Pedro Pascal)

zeb wrote: Stannis (I mean, who would care anyway?)

i love stannis. not a fan of the lord of light stuff, but otherwise i'm pulling for this guy right now. i think i was sold on him when he stormed king's landing and had to be pulled away by his own men. i didn't care about his story before then, but since that blackwater episode i have had much more interest in his role. davos has a lot to do with it, too- it's hard not to like that guy and as long as stannis still has him around, i'll hope that stannis remains a major player.

I love Stannis the Mannis