Game of Thrones 5x9 Reaction & Review

#9 in my top 10 GOT episodes. The ending is just iconic.

Meraxes

Because Daemon of all people understands u can’t bond with more than one dragon. He was trying to tame Vermithor.

TheRoguePrince19

So iconic. 🥹her music and everything. At the time we couldn’t believe it.

Daryl

👏🏼

Gummybear

Sadly for you this assumption is irrelevant as I am not attracted in any way to women. The character is charismatic because she is confident, because her voice is elegant but powerful and determined, because she has sick one-liners, because she always seems unfazed (until later), and also yes, because she is quite beautiful. But really I feel like her demeanor is much more powerful than her physical appearance.

Mathπ

Charisma = great tits?

Don’tDrinkTheLuminol

I typically watch your reactions the night you post them, but for this episode, I had to wait for the right time because of Princess Shireen. I always skip the scene, but I watched to see Pudgeys reaction, and I balled with her. Just as bad at the first time watching!! But then the switch the the fighting pit scene. Oh my god what an episode all together. Of course, amazing reaction from you guys!

Amber Mary

LOL!!! Dude, that’s part of the opening credits, and they’ve just finished S5. I’m pretty sure they know that by now. :)

Don’tDrinkTheLuminol

Agreed. I always wonder if the reactions to the show are making it hard for him to write what he’d planned to write, or if he’s questioning his decisions and replanning, or if he’s too stressed to finish this series because of all the pressure, or if he’s bored and enjoying expanded universe/timelines more, or what.

Don’tDrinkTheLuminol

yes, manipulative and cheap is the correct words to use, It speaks to writers who either have a surface level understanding of what made the source material great, or just don't have the skill to pull it off.

Ietseatapples

the obvious red herring theme diverting from George RR Martin. to be frank it is instulting to the intelligence of the audience. it was still impactful and sad but hey it is manipulative and cheap screenplay

Abby

no excuse. at all.

Abby

2011 was the latest release. It feels like a different dimension at this point

Abby

agreed. this is the moment I started viewing both Stannis and Melissandre as pure villains. I literally started screaming at my television and could not finish the episode just like that. They could all go to hell as far as I cared

Abby

But who’s to say that he wasn’t trying to bond with him?

Junriel Roa

What did she spoil? I heard nothing that spoiled the show at all.

Junriel Roa

My experience mirrors the consensus, in that I was just starting to like him this season/book. Before that I was indifferent, again probably the consensus. The character is not easy to like, both within and outside of the story. So it felt like the growing affection for him was hard won, and somewhat more rewarding that way. And then the show pulls the rug from under you in the most vicious fashion - and yet like all good twists, in a manner that makes perfect sense.

Julien

The show clearly requires direct contact with the infected skin. That's why Jorah can walk around with it just covered and otherwise just function normally. Also, how is something a plot hole when there has been no time to explore the consequences? S&P don't know if Dany will be infected after this scene. But now you've effectively to them that she won't. So maybe let's chill on the "huge plot hole" denouncements.

Julien

Agree to disagree I guess. Like I said, I understand their dynamic was different before this episode and Selyse was undoubtedly an awful mother but this really showed that somewhere inside she cared about her daughter. I think she had just buried it under her devotion to Stannis like everything else in her life which is a bit tragic to me. Who knows, maybe Shireen and Selyse's relationship could have improved eventually had she not been burned to death. I'm not invested enough in either Stannis or Selyse to really push the issue though.

Munir

Just so you know, the title of the books Game of Thrones is based on is "A Song of Ice & Fire"

Sasha

Kind of cool for them as first time watchers to hear Rhaenyra and Aegon II referenced knowing who they are though.

James Woodford

well it isn't really the same tho is it? Selyse, during the entirety of the show, was cruel to her daughter and literally went out of her way to be cruel so its a little obvious that most people will disregard her feelings of love for her daughter because its our first time ever seeing her act like she cares for her daughter at all. On the other hand, there are many times when Stannis showed his affection for Shireen and also stood up for her when her mother wanted to physically strike her. So, in my opinion, it's not weird AT ALL to get on Selyse's head and to not get on Stannis's. Selyse the entire show was a cruel and mean mother that didn't deserve to have children and suddenly when her daughter is finally on fire she's sad about it? She hinted at this and basically made this happen.

ADHDubz

I understand their dynamic was different before this episode, but it's a bit weird to get on Selyse's case for only showing concern when her daughter is dying yet sympathize with Stannis.

Munir

This brings me back to when everyone was arguing about Stannis back when GOT was on tv 🤣 Personally I never liked (or disliked) Stannis in the books or the tv show .

Gam Mac

Cool. Look up what charisma means.

Mathπ

I think burning your child alive is one of the worst things a character did in the entire show. Stannis really hit a new low.

Rey Jr

CHARISMA?? I dunno, do any of the other characters burn people alive for either 1) having different religious beliefs, or 2) to try to get a certain person’s butt on the throne? I’ve hated her since she was burning randos on the beach, Shireen was just her lowest low.

Don’tDrinkTheLuminol

SO MANY people are talking about Book!Stannis in this thread. Well, guess what—he ain’t here in our timeline. This is a *show* reaction. GRRRRRRRRRRRRM promised the book material would be finished for the show, and it still isn’t years after the show finished. As much as we all hate it, where the books left off, the show is our only cannon until the books are published and undo (or confirm) any unsavory plot points we dislike. Get used to it, because the books may never be finished during GRRRRRM’s lifetime. :(

Don’tDrinkTheLuminol

nope :) https://i.imgur.com/xnCWPRY.png

neutchain

Perhaps he was gloved?

Martin Robertson

As much I've loved Melisandre's demeanor, presence and charisma throughout the show, the scene of Shireen's death was really hard for me and I found myself really disliking Melisandre. Stannis' wife however I always disliked, she took way too long to realise her daughter mattered and she sould have given love to her much earlier instead of treating her like a monster. Overall Shireen's death is absolutely heartbreaking, and she was clearly my favorite character in Stannis' side (together with Davos).

Mathπ

Only because the show is now getting ahead of the books. Very likely that Shireen won't be totally fine in the books if the next book ever gets released.

James K

That's true! We see it when Aemond bonds Vhagar in HotD - the eye contact and everything. With Daemon though, that wasn't a wild dragon that was Vermithor, King Jaehaerys's dragon. Daemon wasn't bonding him because you can't bond more than one dragon.

Mzuka

GRRM told D&D about this moment in their last chat about the future of the series. Of all their deviations, this one is canon (thought it may play out differently)

Mzuka

Meanwhile Shireen is totally fine in the books 🤦🏽‍♀️

Simone Cherie

Spartan, don't play defense for Stannis. He burned his daughter alive.

Mysterion Amalgium

Spartan and Pudgey: “what else happened this episode?” Shireen: 👁️🍗👁️

Gummybear

I wasn't really surprised by Shireen's mother reacting that way. I think she was always so stressed and insecure is because she wasn't able to give Stannis a son and felt like she let him down because of it. Then Melisandre came along and used that to get to Stannis, and Selyse let herself into the fanaticism because it gave her some comfort and a purpose. The moment she sees Shirren on the stake, she realizes that same faith is about to take her only living child away from her and how blind she was to let that happen. Stannis on the other hand knew exactly what he was doing.

Anna J

I love when Spartan says “yuck🤢” 😂😂 hope we get a tear one of these days

Gummybear

Yea 😢😢😢😢there's still a lot to love in s5

Ietseatapples

Yeah that’s some of the writing cracks starting to show but still try to enjoy it for what it is 🥲

Gummybear

@James HAHAHAHAHA. Very dark comedy

HDN

It made sense that Shireen's mother was the one to break down at Shireen's death and not Stannis. Stannis is a much more strongly willed person, the reason Shireen's mother has been so fanatical is because she is struggling, and faith in the Red God is the only thing that helps her cope. Seeing her daughter getting burnt alive breaks through that and the person behind the fanaticism is laid bare, a mother who loves her daughter.

James K

Pudgey correctly imagined how big a deal Danarys flying on the dragon was when this aired the first time. Really thrilling and an important antidote to the horror of Shireen’s death. Spartan talking about what it was like for viewers coming from HOTD made me reconsider the details of that scene. I notice now that Dany was looking directly into the eyes of Drogon to make that connection you both were talking about before she was able to fly him— just like we saw more explicitly with Daemon and the wild dragon he connected with in HOTD.

Daniel Siegel

Brutal but true X(. I think she's the last set of spoilers for HotD in the show? Her and Joffrey compete for spoiler leaders.

Rainbow

Well at least Shireen can't spoil HotD anymore.

James K

“Maybe her greyscale can somehow survive the fire” 😂😂😂😂😂😂

I think this was an episode that originally got released on Father’s Day in the US, too, LOL.

Don’tDrinkTheLuminol

Also I really hope we do get a Spartan emotional break at some point lol I have a couple moments in mind but not sure if they’re worse than the sounds of a child burning to death.

AG

It’s a small thing but I appreciate that you both immediately understood why Stannis sent Davos away. I think most, if not all the reactors I’ve watched didn’t get that off the bat.

AG

Idk for me the pacing was way too fast and rushed for shireens death .... I feel like they put that tender father daughter scene just a few episodes ago to make this more shocking, but imo it just makes it jarring. Even Ramsay sneaking in so easily and burning all his food felt rushed. Stannis is supposed to be an expert veteran commander.... He wouldn't let his food train get sabotaged so unbelievably easily. It's just that.....5 minutes into the episode the food is just all gone and then a few scenes later Shireen is being burned.... Idk, felt like the SparkNotes version.

Ietseatapples