Game of Spoilers 010: Mother’s Mercy (or Hope is for Suckers)

You didn’t think good things were going to happen, did you?

As the story lines (in general) clicked back into the groove of the novels, the season finale got better and better, and harder and harder to watch. This episode seemed designed to build hope only to crush it. Perhaps I am a literary masochist, but I am pleased.

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Game of Spoilers 009: The Dance of Dragons

Oddly enough, Dorne was pretty good!

In the twenty-four hours that have passed since this week’s episode, there have been many reactions and analyses, but the consensus of what I’ve read—from friends and critics alike—seems to be that Shireen’s death was a shocking reversal for Stannis and Dany’s flight was an exhilarating victory. Allow me to disagree with both of those assertions. I found this year’s penultimate episode rushed, poorly written, and ultimately underwhelming.

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Game of Spoilers 008: Hardhome

So, that winter everyone keeps talking about? Kind of a big deal…

That episode sure was exciting. Looking back, though, it’s a hard one to categorize. There’s no strong through-line, as there has been the last few weeks. We saw the machinations of many different characters, but then we saw the power of the White Walkers. Not to mix my geek-doms, but the game of thrones is like a quiddicth match. The beaters and chasers play a rough and dangerous sport, but that game is pointless because someone might find the snitch and end the game.

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Game of Spoilers 003 – The High Sparrow

Now we’re getting somewhere.

Let’s start in the North and work our way south. Spoilers spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler. Spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler. Spoiler? Spoiler! Spoil-spoilery-spoiler spoiler spoiler spoiler…

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Game of Spoilers 002 – The House of Black and White

 Let’s not forget that Littlefinger is an enormous dick.

Many topics for discussion in last night’s episode, so let’s break it down this way. First of all, there’s Daenerys’s justice. Then, there’s Jamie heading off to Dorne, and Dorne itself. Sansa and Littlefinger continue to leave the novels behind. Finally, there’s the titular plot line of Arya in Braavos. One thing they all have in common, however, is that the novels are clearly just source material now and not a guide for the plot. The results of these shifts are, generally, still effective, but there are some places where the original is still vastly superior.

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