As a non-reader, I did find that bit with the red priestess confusing, but in the end I just figured Stannis follows some weird controversial cult that those close to him are weary about, which I guess is all that I'm meant to know at this point.

What a great episode!!! I was definitely hollering at the screen on numerous occasions.

And so another season of me wanting to see an early teenager die a horrible death starts. Seriously, I've never hated a 13 year old like i have Jothery.

This episode was aweome. Robb was a badass (along with Grey Wind), Tyrion was hilarious and dropped plenty of burns, Davos's actor is perfect, so much nerdgasm.

I'm pretty sure we've just witnessed the only child killing montage to ever air on TV.

The scene with Robb and Jaime Lannister was absolutely badass. The guy who did the animation for Grey Wind did an incredible job. I still can't tell if I'm supposed to like Littlefinger or not. I love his slyness, as I do with Varys, but the way they deceive everyone is just evil. Also, Peter Dinklage shined as usual.

I just downloaded the new episode. Gonna watch when I get home from class this afternoon.

I need some explanations,

Yes, in the book this happened spread over a few years, with Cersei being her petty vindictive self, but this would have been hard to show on the screen, so instead they went with the fact that Joffrey's taunts about the bastards fuelled her rage. Some have even interpreted the scene as being Joffrey's orders rather than Cersei's, but I'm not really convinced, Joff doesn't really give a shit about them. At least I hope they don't whitewash Cersei's crimes and make Joff even more into the monster he is...

Joffrey is a monster! In that scene where he got slapped and the workers were looking, I had a feeling those workers would soon be replaced with another set.

I found the episode a bit sluggish, until the infanticide mania kicked in at the end. Good casting for Davos, not too sure about Craster though, expected him to be a lot bigger and more scar-ridden/rough-looking, in fact I found him too well-groomed and clean for my liking. Not a big deal though, more bummed about having to wait a week for the next episode. A friend of mine is going to wait for the season to finish (like he did with the first season), then watch them all. How he holds out for so long is beyond me, guess he has a life or something.

Nah, that'd be pretty out of character for Joffrey, I reckon. He seems like a pretty profound dumbass.

Great episode in my opinion. As an avid reader of the books I was pleased to see some of the "behind the scenes" action not covered in the POVs of the book. My main complaint is that they cut the entire country of Riverrun as far as I can tell. This works to some extent for now, considering the show will focus more on Robb's war than the book did, but if they do manage to film the entire series of books, this will present some serious issues down the line. As long as they don't cut "Reek" I'm good (don't see how they can, but they haven't made any casting announcement so far).

Sorry Messiah_X,

Oh I suppose the newest book must have been freshest in my mind, sorry for the dumb answer.

Roose is cast, just not Ramsay...

I've read some of Martin's short fiction before, but never the Fire & Ice series. A friend of mine who works in graphic design/3D blah blah listens to a lot of audiobooks at work, and gave me the Martin collection over a year ago. I hadn't got round to investigating these audio books till the other night. The reader was fucking terrible, honestly. Worse than I'd ever thought you could be at a professional level. I had put off readin' the books because of the backlog of literature i have piling up, so thought i might try my hand at this audio books shit on one of my ipods. Worthless idea. If i had've actually stayed through that fumbling, inept rendition, I'd have lost any passion in Martin's creation. Will have to read after the backlog clears.

Episode 2 has leaked online to the various torrent sites. In my opinion, it was much better than the first episode because it didn't feel like we were "catching up" with everyone.

DRD, try getting the autiobooks read by Roy Dotrice, I hear they are of very high quality. Not that I'd know since I never ever "read" audiobooks, but everyone's been praising him.


It's definitely possible and it's what I'm hoping, but I would have thought that I know they aren't going strictly by 1 book = 1 season, since it wouldn't be practical anyway, but in this case the end of ACoK seems a perfect way to end season 2. If they don't end it with that, how will they end the season? Ah, guess we'll see...


I know, right? Same here. He's worse than Joffrey, Gregor, Vargo Hoat and all the other "complete monster" types of characters. I'm not so sure you won't get your wish, though. (ADWD spoilers)

Watched this last night and gotta say I agree here. The episode felt more organically structured. As often, there was some great Tyrion

From Episode 2

Can't wait to see more of this guy.

Exactly as is intended. Littlefinger is meant to be a very ambiguous character.

In short, and without really spoiling anything, the red priestess has come and converted Stannis and his crew to her faith which is one god instead of the 7 which the southerners typically worship. Davos doesnt agree, and neither does the septon who tried to poison her but failed and died himself. Its actually the first chapter in the book iirc.

Nitpicks fixed.

Speaking in general about this show, I must say, while I really like all the settings, acting, the CGI-s and the atmosphere, etc., but as someone who did not read books, I find it somewhat too slow paced. There are just too many threads to follow at the same time, and as a result, there's very little progression made during one episode. I remember how surprised I was back when I just finished the 9th episode from the first season, and a friend told me that episode 10 will be the season finale. I really expected it to be like ~20 episodes. So I can understand why one would want to wait till the season is over and watch it in "one run".

I remember reading an interview with Martin during the 1st season and this has been discussed. He knows how the story ends and he's shared that with the producers. Should he die before finishing the series, the producers and writers would obviously have to find a way to get to that ending, but the ending has been determined.

My nerdrage thoughts about episode 2.

What I liked:
- Arya and Gendry! <3
- Jaqen, though it was painfully brief. Can't wait to see more of him.
- Yoren being all badass. Loved it, true to the book too.
- Tyrion vs Janos Slynt.
- Random Ironborn giving Theon the cold shoulder + Balon putting Theon back in his place. Take that, Greyjoy. Also, Pyke looked great.
- Sallador Saan was memorable and funny. Good for him.
- Varys and his "I keep on paddling" line. Yay! Glad they kept that.
- GHOOOOOOOOOST!

What was cool-but-should-have-been-better:
- Theon and Yara Asha. I'm not sold on the actress playing Asha yet (she doesn't look like the bold, cocky, badass woman I read about), and I thought the scene was a lot funnier in the books...
- Tyrion vs Cersei. In the books he confronts her with the incest before the rumours spread. He appears less clever now since the viewers can't tell he already knew about it. Also, no slap-fest. Boo.
- Dolorous Edd is always amusing, but fart jokes? Really, HBO? You didn't want to use GRRM's witticisms from the books, so you replace them with... fart jokes. Meh.
- Needs moar Arya.
- Boo, no Shireen. And I think it was too soon to see Stannis and Melisandre having it on. We know it happened (off-screen) in the books and I don't mind that they show it, but for non-readers it seems that it's just yet-another-sex-scene.

What I didn't like:
- WTF, Rakharo? He doesn't die in the books. Gratuitous death? I know the bloodriders are all kind of interchangeable, but still...
- I know the Theon/captain's daughter scene is in the book but that's actually something that could have been cut since Theon already had a "sexposition" scene (totally made up for the TV version) with Ros in S1. But hey, they probably thought, moar sex = good!
- Changing the orders about the bastard's purge as coming from Joffrey instead of Cersei. Stupid. Joffrey's already a Complete Monster, no need to pile on.
- The constant softcore porn is getting tiring and just gives more ammo to the detractors. And that mouth-wiping, really? Grow up, D&D.
- Everything involving Ros and Littlefinger. Ugh, worst character adaptation ever? I was thrilled when Carcetti from the Wire was cast, but I hate how they wrote Baelish for the TV show. He's a creep but not THAT kind of creep (the voyeurism was just too much). And we already know he's greedy and ruthless, this was just mustache-twirling stupidity. And to add insult to injury, that scene lasted longer than the Daenerys scene (and it also meant no screen time for Sansa, the Hound, Catelyn and Robb, etc.) while being complete and utter filler. Pointless, stupid, F U D&D, you guys are hack writers and the only reason the show's still good is because of the source material being that good. Seriously. (Yeah, yeah, I is mad brah!)

I was a little weirded out by the Malisandre-Stannis sex scene. Did the book imply that they had that relationship? I don't remember. I always took Stannis to be rather unsexual. Had no problem with Theon and the captain's daughter, as not only was it in the book, but it set up Theon's arrogance at entering the Iron Islands, thinking he's going to be greated as a returning hero. I laughed at the scene with the prostitute wiping her mouth and then kissing the next guy. It's juvenile, but I don't care. I'm trying to figure out what is the point of Ros. Why add her? She's pretty and all, but what does she bring to the story besides some T&A?

She's a composite of that hooker back in Winterfell Theon used to favor, and a new character who really is there to help illuminate Baelish. I think she serves a purpose but there was plenty of bitching about her in the last thread. Overall the second episode was just o.k., I'm really getting anxious for Renly to show back up. I too missed the sexual side of Stannis in the books, but again that scene helps to explain his marital situation. Overall not much to complain about here, I forgot how nitpicky it gets in these threads. I'm just enjoying the show!

Yes, it was implied in the books, and pretty much confirmed in ADWD, but it all happened off-screen. And yes, the mouth-wiping was juvenile, and it really doesn't help give credibility to the show, IMO.


Ros is basically David & Dan's fanfiction. A particular poorly written and sophomoric fanfiction at that.

I also whatthefucked at Yara, why the name change? Also, the actress is not at all how I imagined the character, but well, let's see how she plays the part in the future, can't say much for now.

I agree with Morrigan on basically everything she said, but I also want to add that Jon Snow scene in the end. I feel like what actually happened in the book would have been simpler to implement and better (cause it follows the book).

Instead of writing my thoughts on the episode (I agree with Morri for almost everything). I'll post that, if you want to have a re run of season 1, might be cool haha to cosplay as your favorite characters and get drunk!

Yara/Asha's blood is iron, and considering how Theon and Balon aren't the greatest looking lads, she turned out looks like what she realistically should look like. Yeah, it's a shame that she didn't turn out like the fan art adaptions. Also, I'm sure the men of the Iron Islands see more beauty in a tough woman with child bearing hips more than a typical Lannister woman.

Poor Theon just wants to fit in. How he said "what's dead may never die" a split second too late made me chuckle. I wonder if him being the last one to swear his sword to the King in the North is intentional.

I don't see why it needs more Arya. Is that part more exciting in the book? I'm getting all the info I need from her brief cameos in each episode.

I didn't say anything about her being not pretty enough. I actually like that she's not some unrealistic babe, actually. But I was specifically referring to her lack of charisma, swagger and cockiness. She didn't exhibit those characteristics. But she may grow on me yet, I'll give her time.