Game of Thrones Forum

It was certainly a fantastic and enthralling episode, and it was nice to see Bronn finally receiving his due, but I still would've preferred a longer run-time; the show still feels hamstrung by time restraints. Well, all I say is that the next season will be dour as hell, or the Frostfangs for that matter.

@Skywarpgold: I doubt they will do all of them. We know that they'll wrap up Dany and Jon's storylines based on the episode description. Not sure about Arya or Theon. They keep mentioning Ramsay Bolton and how Robb is sending him to retake Winterfell, but as far as I know they haven't actually cast Ramsay yet, so maybe they're pushing that confrontation to the start of season 3. I'm also wondering if we'll see more of Sam and Grinn and Dolorous Edd back at the Fist of the First Men. They've set up a scene with them that happens at the start of book 3, but I don't know if we'll get to see that this season or not.

As for Robb and Caitlyn, I'd be just fine if we don't see any more of them in the finale. Their character arcs have already made it to where they need to be at this point in the story, so anything else is just teasing season 3.

@vonDread said:

It's too bad they couldn't budget for the raising of the chain, because that's what really makes Tyrion's plan to burn Stannis's fleet so effective. Other than that, I have to agree, this was the best episode so far.

As I am a person who has not read the books, could you tell me what the chain is? I've seen it mentioned a few times around here and I'm curious.

@alexpiercey said:

@vonDread said:

It's too bad they couldn't budget for the raising of the chain, because that's what really makes Tyrion's plan to burn Stannis's fleet so effective. Other than that, I have to agree, this was the best episode so far.

As I am a person who has not read the books, could you tell me what the chain is? I've seen it mentioned a few times around here and I'm curious.

In the book, Tyrion has all the city's blacksmiths make a long chain but never reveals what for. At the battle, Stannis isn't with the fleet, but with the majority of his army on the opposite side of the Blackwater having marched up from where he killed Renly. Stannis' fleet then sails up the Blackwater to battle the Lannister fleet and allow Stannis' army to cross the river. When the majority of the fleet is in the Blackwater, Bronn raises Tyrion's chain from under the water and seals off the mouth of the river. Loads of ships filled with wildfire are the detonated/rammed etc and make a right royal mess of both fleets and sets the river on fire, and everything drifts back down river, where of course the chain is so everything gets clogged up and pretty much everyone gets burned alive. Tywin and the Tyrell's then arrive and rout what's left of Stannis' army on the other side of the river.

For me, even having cut all that out, they did an amazing job. Best hour of TV I've seen in years. That wildfire explosion evoked a 'f**king hell' from me, first time that's happened with a TV programme.

@JukeboxJoe: That sounds awesome, but I suppose I can understand why they cut it. Thanks!

@MrMazz said:

Tyrion chopping a dudes leg off must become a gif!!

I lost my suspension of disbelief when that happened. Dinklage swings his axe and the guy's leg just falls off. I still love this show and that character but damn

@alexpiercey said:

@vonDread said:

It's too bad they couldn't budget for the raising of the chain, because that's what really makes Tyrion's plan to burn Stannis's fleet so effective. Other than that, I have to agree, this was the best episode so far.

As I am a person who has not read the books, could you tell me what the chain is? I've seen it mentioned a few times around here and I'm curious.

Not really a spoiler, but i want dont want to ruin it for people who do care.

@alexpiercey: It was cool, because it showed how Tyrion excelled as a tactician, he had this chain planned out months before the attack, while in the show it seems he was like fuck there coming soon better open some books. It also provided better exposition for characters such as Davos, he would not enter the mouth of Blackwater, because he sensed there was a trap, but the other captains refused to believe him because he was just a good for nothing onion smuggler. With all said, they did a fantastic job in the TV Series and it's impossible to expect them to show every detail from the book.