Game of Thrones

[rantaid]

agree. although had to point about Ramsay's 20 good man was due the fact that there was no general nor strategist who ever prevail a campaign threatened by winter (as far as i recall) . Not Napoleon and surely not Hitler in Stalingrad.

and ... man, Jon Snow is indeed a newb in open field battle. Ramsay manuvered like a pro. first employment of psychological tactics to rouse Jon, luring his loyal troop to save him in the process (Davos wasn't lured until 2nd barrage where the situation is inevitable), the moment 2/3 of Jon's snow troop are in the field, followed by barrage, next cavalry charge to route them, second barrage, and when the corpse become embankment, Phalanx maneuver to narrow and limit their movement to diminish their energy.

Jon snow is good in attrition though, i had to admit it. Ramsay suck in rousing and raising morale of his demoralized army when reinforcement arrive. no wonder that when Wun Wun came, they were quite paralyzed in fright; too late to react.

[Maxulous]

Well, I found those few stray arrows landing on Rickon's dead corpse a slight comedic touch.

[Galaxian]

Jon beating Ramsey is my new screen saver...

I do have one question, where the hell is Ghost? Did he died?

[james0246]

I wish Ramsay was laughing while he was being eaten. He just doesn't seem like Ramsay when he is acting 'human'...

Still, decent episode. The warfare sequences were quite chilling and claustrophobic with some wonderful camera work and beautiful mayhem (part of the series continual effort to one-up itself). Still, everything felt very rote. Ramsay was going to die, there was simply no way the series could continue with Ramsay still being alive (though I will admit I wouldn't have minded seeing him become a White Walker .), so there wasn't much surprise involved. Sadly, as the final confrontation approaches and the end game begins, I guess this will become more routine.

Still, I was saddened that Ramsay didn't die laughing...

That being said, how hard would it have been for the Slaver ships to readjust themselves to hit the dragons who were just hovering in midair? It seemed to take three dragons over a minute to destroy one ship (albeit, as a display of total force rather than just what the dragons could do), so why didn't the other ships move into a position to fight the dragons? Additionally, why didn't the Masters come prepared to fight Dragons? The Harpies were able to injure Drogon last season, so why couldn't the Masters have replicated the efforts, destroy the wings, and sink the beasts once and for all?

Sorry, the early Meeren scenes just felt a little badly staged. Cool, but unrealistic. Thankfully Yara was able to save the day later on, and at least made her scene interesting.

[Galaxian]

I know that this would be given to show too much credit, but Jon's near psychotic rage after Rickon's death made it seem like he was under the influence of "wolf blood".

[quigonkenny]

Originally Posted by Maxulous

Well, I found those few stray arrows landing on Rickon's dead corpse a slight comedic touch.

It's like the directors were saying, "Yes. He's fucking dead. Move on."

Poor Rickon. At least he lasted longer than Osha. And so much for the Shaggydog conspiracy theories...

So, only one male Stark heir left (plus Jon, who is the son of a Stark, just not the right one to be next in line). Wonder if Bran will make it back next episode, or if maybe we'll finally get to see the rest of that Ned/Lyanna flashback...

Originally Posted by Galaxian

I know that this would be given to show too much credit, but Jon's near psychotic rage after Rickon's death made it seem like he was under the influence of "wolf blood".

Well, the Stark boys do have a history of doing stupid stuff when they get angry. Jon's just lucky that Littlefinger wants a piece of his sister...

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by rantaid

*snip*

Please, Ramsay slaughtered HIS ENTIRE CAVALRY when he could have kept it in reserve just in case something goes wrong, and in war something ALWAYS go wrong. His short-sightedness, as demonstrated through the entire series (how he fucking flayed and killed people who could become his allies), motivated by the need to make people suffer for kicks is exactly what eventually got him on the losing end. Heck, his own father was the only thing that kept him in check and cleaned his shit, oh wait he killed his father!

That Arya Stark said nothing about Littlefinger's forces was almost a blessing for Jon Snow, because Ramsay could not see it coming.

[rantaid]

okay, although i am bit at loss here, with several misnaming or what. just a question about whether all troops under Ramsay do swear a sincere fealty or whether they do grudgingly accept for short term reason and goal.

Umber and Karstak did explicitly said indirectly to Ramsay to "F*ck himself", which might be partly reason that keeping them any longer is a liability. The reason for them allowing Ramsay to have the authority and justify their allegiance is to "Kick wildling ass" , not warring against the Stark itself (and who knows that they perhap also plot to have the north for themselves one day) - and Karstark were for vengeance.

whose cavalry which Ramsay slaughter? Is it really the Boltons, or loan from Karstak and Umber? - seeing that the Phalanx infantry were under Umber himself (and seeing how efficient their response to signal for formations were) hence possible to say that they were not his own (Bolton) army. perhaps the Boltons army he deployed were the archers who commence the barrage. hence it is plausible that he kill the cavalry under the pretext that it was accidental friendly fire to weaken potential enemy in the future... but as it is always said; Man propose heaven dispose.

[Sheba]

Ramsay Bolton may have sparks of intelligence, but he is also a short-sighted sadistic imbecile who is unable to see the greater picture and in longer term. You may brutalize people for your own pleasure while in charge, then a day will come when your allies or those who promoted you will think that you outlived your usefulness. Sooner or later, Bolton would have faced peasant revolts, or a coalition of all the Northern houses who will get fed up with his shit, or the Lannisters who will want to get rid of an embarrassing ally. Look no further at Vlad Tepes, who was the inspiration for the Boltons.

[rantaid]

or be hailed as a God like Three generations of Kim Il Sung, Kim Jong Il, or Kim Jong Un who have reigned in People Democratic Republic of Korea for.... how many decade was it?

and also.... Khadaffi and Saddam Hussein was because 'Iron Bank's" intervention though.... , if not... different story :P

ps. No madman would be able to handle that situation. Vlad did his best, his foe is the Ottoman's Mehmed the conqueror.,.. he made the Dardandalles siege, and like grandparent to Suleiman.... no one could have done better.

[sayde]

What a great episode. THIS is how Joffrey should've died--slowly and brutally. Goodness, that was so satisfying.

Originally Posted by sayde

I have a feeling Ramsay's father foreshadowed how Ramsay is going to die. And god, I hope he's right.

I'm so glady my hunch turned out correct. His dad more or less said if you act like an animal, you'll be killed like one. And that's exactly what happened. Good riddance to his character. I wonder who the next character will be to take his place as the #1 person we'll all love to hate.

[Jaden]

Not a lot of intelligence or subtlety in the writing lately, but the show did somehow manage to one-up every previous instance of brutality on display. And this time it's the 'good guys' doing it. I like that touch...Dany and Jon get to play heroes all they like, but they only achieved victory because they happened to have more brute force on their side.

[AntonKutovoi]

Originally Posted by Sheba

Ramsay Bolton may have sparks of intelligence, but he is also a short-sighted sadistic imbecile who is unable to see the greater picture and in longer term. You may brutalize people for your own pleasure while in charge, then a day will come when your allies or those who promoted you will think that you outlived your usefulness. Sooner or later, Bolton would have faced peasant revolts, or a coalition of all the Northern houses who will get fed up with his shit, or the Lannisters who will want to get rid of an embarrassing ally. Look no further at Vlad Tepes, who was the inspiration for the Boltons.

Er... I don't think bringing Vlad III is fair here, since most stories of his brutality are lies.

[rantaid]

@ AntonKutovoi

thank you. that is what i am trying to make the point.

[Sheba]

Originally Posted by rantaid

@ AntonKutovoi

thank you. that is what i am trying to make the point.

Does it invalidate the fact that Ramsay would have meet his end sooner or later for being a massive sociopathic asshole? No.

Oh, and NKorean dictators are left to their own devices, BECAUSE they are useful to Chinese.

Ill give you one thing, Jon Snow did win with the help of plot shield. However, killing him off would have been slap on the face of many of those who were speculating over his real parents for many years. Suck for the Ramsay cheerleaders and the dark & edgy crowd, but letting Snow live longer to let him find more about himself, and keeping the interest of those who are in for the Starks, have been judged more important. And Starks needed that victory.

[rantaid]

well.. everyone can be killed/die. whether they claimed to be good or admit they are bad.

btw, i cheer for King Joffrey Baratheon though, not Ramsay Bolton. he is the best character in this story.....(well, there is also Tywin, Tyrion, Varys and Littlefinger), but for me, without King Joffrey the story felt a bit less interesting. hope this clear the misunderstanding

[Galaxian]

In all honesty, apart from Jon beating him to a bloody pulp and Sansa's smirk at the end, I'm a bit disappointed by how Ramsay was taken down since at the end he was really truly defeated by Littlefinger and the Knights of the Vale.

I prefer the set up that the book has in which pretty much everyone in the North is waiting for the right time to betray the Boltons.

[quigonkenny]

I like how everyone is referring to this last battle as "The Battle of the Bastards" when one of them is no longer officially a bastard, and the other, in all likelihood, never really was one.

Originally Posted by sayde

What a great episode. THIS is how Joffrey should've died--slowly and brutally. Goodness, that was so satisfying.

I'm so glady my hunch turned out correct. His dad more or less said if you act like an animal, you'll be killed like one. And that's exactly what happened. Good riddance to his character. I wonder who the next character will be to take his place as the #1 person we'll all love to hate.

Well, Cersei has been doing a pretty good job of seeming worthy of sympathy recently, so with Ramsey out of the way, it is about time for her to do something to get us actively hating her again...

[GDB]

Don't blame the fans. The title of the episode is literally "Battle of the Bastards".

[Galaxian]

I only call it "Bastardbowl".