Season 6, Episode 9 "Battle of the Bastards" Discussion Thread

[P Supreme]

Who know that he helped with Ned's death? Would be nice for Sansa or Jon to end him next week.

oh man that be too much fan service but I LOVE IT

not to be that PC guy but did they really need to have the dog that ate ramsey's face be a pitbull

to "feed" the stereotype lol

 

[TheVileOne]

So what would have been a better solution? Get slaughtered by the Boltons?

Triple cross him back.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Well this episode certainly did not disappoint. Wow. Definitely in the conversation for "series best."

I really enjoyed the episode, but it was missing something. Watchers on the Wall was the perfect "against all odds" episode, while featuring the heartbreaking love story. Blackwater was really grasped the idea of the "big battle". Hardhome was a great look at the threat of the dead, while displaying Jon's "specialness". Here I felt like we had a less well defined big battle, that was more strange heroics then actual battle. Even as I have seen them fight an army of the dead, this felt by far the least "realistic".

I loved Sansa's revenge, but there actually wasn't much to the battle.

 

[Charlatan]

when Ramsay said I'm part of you did he imply he impregnate her? I thought so

John Snow is top 5 best tv characters of all time what a beast Tormund will be master of arms at winterfell

when the stark banner went up I ejaculated just a bit

they've hinted at her being pregnant twice now that I can recall. Would Sansa keep it? Or would she pull Melisandre aside and ask her for help getting rid of it? Would she trust her? This would certainly make any hook up with Littlefinger very complicated. He would absolutely want her to get rid of it.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

If Jon cuts off Mel's head next week, I will flip my ****. She did not kill Shireen, her father did.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

when Ramsay said I'm part of you did he imply he impregnate her? I thought so

John Snow is top 5 best tv characters of all time what a beast Tormund will be master of arms at winterfell

when the stark banner went up I ejaculated just a bit

You should really know how to spell his name then.

I think Ramsay is talking about her psyche, her emotions. He has left his mark on her. As to her being pregnant, shouldn't she be showing by now?

 

[Rowsdower!]

Wow that was an awesome episode! While I don't know that any movie or TV battle will ever top the ones in The Two Towers and The Return of the King for me, this one certainly ranks up really high for the sheer brutality of it. It felt REAL. It felt like you were IN the sh**. It felt like it had more in common with the battles in David Ayer's Fury than it did with LOTR. When the episode opened in Mereen, I was honestly a little worried that Jon and the North would get shortchanged, but that certainly didn't happen. While Baelish's army swooping in to save the day in the nick of time was cliche and predictable, I knew it was coming so whatever. The whole thing still worked magnificently, especially the end. Jon was a true BAMF in this episode. I love that he took Ramsey on with nothing but a shield and then damn near beat him to death with his bare f***ing hands. And then Ramsey got the most fitting death ever. So perfect. I loved Sansa's little smile at the end too. Shame about Rickon, but well... he was never in it enough for me to really care about him. I felt worse for Jon in that scene than I did for Rickon, honestly.

Anyway, that episode was damn near perfect. I can't wait to see what happens next week, especially with Davos and Melisandre. I hope Jon doesn't put her to death... she's too hot to die. I mean yeah, she burned a kid alive but I mean... stuff happens, ya know?

 

[Ms. Marvel]

You should really know how to spell his name then.

I think Ramsay is talking about her psyche, her emotions. He has left his mark on her. As to her being pregnant, shouldn't she be showing by now?

If she did get pregnant I'd of assumed the brutal cold weather she experienced when escaping Winterfell would have lead to a miscarriage or something.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

I think that by the end of the series, it will be the women who run the seven kingdoms.

King in the North.

If Sansa screws over Jon, she deserves to be on the end of Needle. Kill Petyr, now.

 

[P Supreme]

You should really know how to spell his name then.

]

lol I agree

 

[DarthSkywalker]

This season has been strange, because while I have loved the pace, it also feels like they are skipping a lot. Namely with how they bring back characters just to die.

Also, where the **** was Ghost?!?!?!

 

[P Supreme]

This season has been strange, because while I have loved the pace, it also feels like they are skipping a lot. Namely with how they bring back characters just to die.

Also, where the **** was Ghost?!?!?!

I really thought when Ramsey started running that ghost would be the one that catches him for John that would have been

 

[flickchick85]

I really enjoyed the episode, but it was missing something. Watchers on the Wall was the perfect "against all odds" episode, while featuring the heartbreaking love story. Blackwater was really grasped the idea of the "big battle". Hardhome was a great look at the threat of the dead, while displaying Jon's "specialness". Here I felt like we had a less well defined big battle, that was more strange heroics then actual battle. Even as I have seen them fight an army of the dead, this felt by far the least "realistic".

I loved Sansa's revenge, but there actually wasn't much to the battle.

Yeah, just gonna have to whole-heartedly disagree there. When Jon was getting crushed under that wall of bodies, I could barely breathe myself. No other ep of this show ever got to me like that. And I never got into the "tragic love story" of Jon and Ygritte, so that did nothing for me, lol. The scene of Davos at Shireen's pyre got to me far more. And the quiet moment of triumph when the Stark flag replaces the Bolton one had me wanting to stand up and applaud. But just in terms of filming the battle itself, I just felt this one (AND "Hardhome") had much more cinematic flair and atmosphere than "Watchers on the Wall" (though that's my #4 so I still love it). As great as Neil Marshall is, Miguel Sapochnik is officially my new GoT directing MVP.

 

[Reek]

Battle of the Bastards> Watchers on the Wall > Hardhome > Blackwater

 

[Victarion]

Yes. I loved the sweeping shot of the fighting in Castle Black from WotW.

 

[Roose Bolton]

If Jon cuts off Mel's head next week, I will flip my ****. She did not kill Shireen, her father did.

She suggested the idea and physically put the torch to the wood. Stannis ultimately gave consent for her to act, but her hands are far from clean, and I can't see Jon being remotely ok with that. He won't kill her, but I'd bet she'll get exiled from his service and eventually have her run in with Arya.

 

[Victarion]

Stannis having the soldiers found cannibalizing their dead lead naked in chains to the burning could have been just as shocking.

 

[Thundercrack85]

I am still annoyed that so much of the North turned evil. The Umbers, the Karstarks, etc. Also, the Bolton army firing on their own men... that seemed like something that someone should have protested. They might as well have been orcs by this point. But it was a great fight to watch.

 

[Roose Bolton]

Stannis having the soldiers found cannibalizing their dead lead naked in chains to the burning could have been just as shocking.

That's kind of...not really what me and Darth are talking about...

 

[DarthSkywalker]

Yeah, just gonna have to whole-heartedly disagree there. When Jon was getting crushed under that wall of bodies, I could barely breathe myself. No other ep of this show ever got to me like that. And I never got into the "tragic love story" of Jon and Ygritte, so that did nothing for me, lol. The scene of Davos at Shireen's pyre got to me far more. And the quiet moment of triumph when the Stark flag replaces the Bolton one had me wanting to stand up and applaud. But just in terms of filming the battle itself, I just felt this one (AND "Hardhome") had much more cinematic flair and atmosphere than "Watchers on the Wall" (though that's my #4 so I still love it). As great as Neil Marshall is, Miguel Sapochnik is officially my new GoT directing MVP.

I have been waiting for this for years, so I was prepared to love it and I did. But it went against a lot of what I love about GoT and ASOIAF. Namely how Jon was turned into king of plot armor and a lack of actual strategy to the battle. Hardhome was far more subtle in how they did it, even with armies of the dead everywhere. Jon was in the ****, but almost as a Jedi. Here, while we he had the horrible built with Jon not being able to breathe, it felt like they were protecting Jon, while making him look like a bit of an idiot. Watchers and Hardhome showed him as a smart warrior and leader. Here he was just an idiot, and not just after the Rickon moment. His entire plan was idiotic.

Then there is Bolton's men surrounding Jon and his people and basically waiting. For what? Well rescue of course, but you didn't get moments like that in the other 3 big battle episodes. You had nothing like Ramsay just deciding to have his archers stop firing while his enemy was in perfect distance and was getting slaughtered by the arrows.

That is not to say I didn't love this episode, I did. It was super cathartic. But I wouldn't put it in the top 5.

 

[DarthSkywalker]

She suggested the idea and physically put the torch to the wood. Stannis ultimately gave consent for her to act, but her hands are far from clean, and I can't see Jon being remotely ok with that. He won't kill her, but I'd bet she'll get exiled from his service and eventually have her run in with Arya.

She would have never killed her if Stannis did not allow it. She was right, it did what she said it would. That was on Stannis.

 

[Fist of Khonshu]

If Jon cuts off Mel's head next week, I will flip my ****. She did not kill Shireen, her father did.

She is equally complicit to that sacrificial murder and every other one they did together. It was her idea and she persuaded him.

But she wont die until she sees Arya again.

 

[flickchick85]

We'll just have to agree to disagree, Darth. I don't care that Jon wasn't so "special" this ep. That's not why I watch the show, and frankly, I've always seen Jon as more of a "blue collar hero" than some strategic genius, just like Ned, so his strategic simplicity didn't bother me. He has a good head on his shoulders and a logical view of things, which makes him a good leader but the logic here was, they were screwed, but they were here and couldn't abandon their cause. I didn't expect him to pull a miracle out of a hat. I liked seeing Sansa come through instead for once. And I LOVED the bit with them being surrounded and just desperately trying to break through. So I don't know what to say there.

 

[TheFuture]

Iwan Rheon deserves an Emmy for this episode. ****ing amazing performance.

I'm happy for Kit too as he seems to get a lot of grief but he was excellent as well. That sequence of Jon standing on his own, with sword in hand, while the charge was coming at him was absolutely inspiring and if it were me, I would have switched sides there and then.

Interesting that Jon sowed the seeds for winning over the other houses going by his line about the soldiers of the great houses following their Lords and Ramsay out of fear. The only issue is that I don't think Lord Karstark was killed? Or it wasn't shown at least.

 

[Reek]

We'll just have to agree to disagree, Darth. I don't care that Jon wasn't so "special" this ep. That's not why I watch the show, and frankly, I've always seen Jon as more of a "blue collar hero" than some strategic genius, just like Ned, so his strategic simplicity didn't bother me. I liked seeing Sansa come through instead for once.

How on earth was jon not special? He not only dodged thousands of arrows, horses, etc etc... he also has cat like reflexes and blocked close range arrows... If anything, this was Jon's special moment. I couldn't help but think of the ridiculousness of the Lord of Light 'watching over him' as all those arrows missed him but impaled others ... multiple times...

It was all very unbelievable but so very good and fun to watch...