jkeerie

I'm not happy that this final season was rushed and that the character development and nuanced dialogue we have been used to have given way to huge battles and pyrotechnics this season. I never watched this series for the battles. I watched it for the overall story, the characters, the well-written dialogue and the plot twists. If folks were expecting a "happy ending" this season regarding certain characters they've grown to like, Dany apparently being one of them, hearken back to the first season when Ned Stark was suddenly separated from his head! We were genuinely shocked! Dany going nuts didn't shock me, more than disappoint me. (There were signs throughout the previous seasons she was capable of turning vengeful completely.) I somehow wished that the true battle for the throne would have been between she and Jon and how would they work that out in the final episode(s), without a lot of bloodshed. With Dany's actions, I suspect that she will have to be done away with...by someone who could get close enough to her to do the deed...likely Jon. I think we can likely predict Tyrion will be imprisoned for treason. I'm hoping he survives and does not meet the same fate as Varys. Folks are going to scatter and go their separate ways and someone will ascend to the throne, but allow regional rulers to have some sovereignty...which presupposes Dany's demise. Otherwise they're all toast...literally.

The white horse was the horse Harry Strickland (seriously...that was his name)...the head of the mercenary army was riding when they stood in front of the gate facing Jon's army. When Dany blasted through the gate with her dragon, he was knocked off and then killed by Greyworm.

That little girl was sitting with Varys in the crypt during the battle at Winterfell. Apparently she was one of Varys little birds. Varys was trying to poison Dany and the girl worked in the kitchen. That's why she was reporting to Varys that Dany wasn't eating. That's exactly what it was when Cersei destroyed all her enemies with wildfire.

I agree with your thoughts on this...but actually eight...even a long eight, wasn't enough. That's why they ended up rushing the story. I wish they would have done a 10 episode season like they did in the other seasons. I think we would have felt more satisfied...irrespective of the final outcome. Last week Euron and his fleet and the scorpions matched up perfectly with Dany and her dragons. She was the one who looked inept riding into battle. This week, the opposite. Why? Well you needed last week's episode to push Dany over the edge. First she loses Jorah in the battle at Winterfell, then she loses Missandei to a cruel Cersei Lannister. Missandei's death pushed Greyworm over the edge as well. The only advisers she had left were Tyrion and Jon...who was more of a lover than an adviser. They both betrayed her trust. Tyrion was conflicted with the love he still had for his siblings and with the idea that they could end the last battle mercifully. Was Cersei merciful when she beheaded Missandei? No...Dany would reserve her mercy for the next generation. Jon with his true identity could no longer return the love that Dany felt for him. He did love her, but now there is a line he couldn't cross. He'll bend the knee but don't ask for anything more. So...if Dany couldn't have love...or mercy...fear and hate were the only paths she could see moving forward. My favorite scene was between Arya and the Hound. The Hound found love finally...as much as he could ever love anyone...and it was the love he felt for Arya. His love for her convinced her to let go of the hate she had been carrying since the first season. She learned and that expression of gratitude was beautifully done. I agree that the fight between Euron and Jaime was cartoonish...but they had to come up with an ending for Euron. Jaime died the way he wanted to...in the arms of the woman he loved. Many of us had presumed it would be on the battlefield with Brienne. Cersei was always his first love. Quite honestly...after all the cruelty Cersei had demonstrated throughout the seasons, she actually died to "mercifully," in the arms of her brother/lover with all her machinations causing the world she built to crash in around her. There was no cruel but just "surprise" that we had all envisioned. Next week's episode will be very interesting. The only thing that was set up this week is that Dany is nuts...Oh sh***t!

I appreciate your explanation...and you are right...watching the Patriots work the system every year for 3rd round picks has really gotten to me. I think when they started letting teams trade the picks, it made it worse.

Although I disagree with the original poster, I do wish they would let ALL free agent signees count against the compensatory picks formula. With only those signed prior to May 7 counting, it rewards and favors those teams who don't need a lot of high priced free agents with extra draft picks (some as high as the 3rd round) because they allow their free agents to walk, and then time the signing of replacements until after May 7, so they can sign the free agent and get the extra draft picks. Additionally, now that they can trade those compensatory picks, they can offload them in the current draft for a round higher the following year.

Totally agree. She learned from the best...Cersei, LittleFinger, and probably Tyrion. Like she told the hound...she's not that little bird any longer. I think she will likely remain in Winterfell.

Totally agree. Only the 1 and the 18 horses were interfered with and neither complained. They knew their horses were spent. Country Home wasn't affected. The jockey said his horse was turned sideways. Pure BS. That jockey saw an opportunity to win the derby so he filed the complaint. It's a tainted win. The better horse was robbed. Feel badly for the jockey and trainer and owners of Maximum Security.

I don't recall. Who was that? Never mind. I just realized you were talking about Mahomes in 2017.

I rewatched it with closed captioning. When Jon screams all that showed was "yells." That happened with other characters as well, unless they were saying something specific. I would think if Jon were yelling "Go" it would have displayed as such. Even when Jorah collapsed and uttered something inaudible, it displayed as "I'm hurt."

Pittsburgh needed to draft Shazier's replacement at LB. If Bush was gone they likely would have stayed put.

No it's not.

I have no problem with that attitude either. Chips on shoulders are tremendous motivation. It's the way he expressed himself when he was initially interviewed. Rather than being grateful for being drafted, he expressed resentment. (His later interviews were better.) To his credit he didn't do that when the team that drafted him discarded him after one season. I agree that he handled it with class in front of the media.

I agree. You can't fault him. The idea is if he gets "discarded" a second time, will he be so gracious? His reaction after he was passed over by so many teams in the 2018 draft wasn't that pleasant. Will he return to that form if he gets dumped again for another QB?

This will be an interesting year. If the fish go QB next year will Rosen be as "standup" as he tried to be this year? Or will he show a different side?

Got it.

The Dolphins gave up a 2 (62nd pick) and a 2020 5th round pick for Rosen. That said, the Cards got the short end of that stick.

Thanks for posting this. Very good read!

I also think back to the very first episode, when Bran is practicing bow and arrow and consistently missing. Suddenly a Bulls eye! But is was Arya who was standing behind Bran with the bow. She gives him that mischievous grin. Bran looked annoyed. Last night when they both looked at each other after she offed the NK, there were no grins or looks of annoyance...but two expressions of "we had this all along."

Can't we all just get along? ?

It does make me question why they wanted to limit the final season to just 6 episodes. Perhaps more could have been done had they not done so.

If you're dissatisfied with something you tend to be more vocal. I'm sorry that you and they were disappointed. There were just as many fans who found the ending very satisfying. In my case, even though I knew from earlier in the episode that it would be Arya who got to the NK, in that scene there were a couple of moments. Some have already been alluded to. 1. As the NK is standing in front of Bran and Bran finally turns to him, you see the NK tilt his head ever so slightly. (Like: "Am I missing something?") 2. Then the WW turns as if he's seen something or heard something. 3. Arya suddenly springs from out of nowhere. But the NK turns and catches her by the throat and you see her drop the dagger. I'm thinking "Oh, no..." (I had totally forgotten the fight scene with Brienne.) 4. Arya catches the dagger, you see the look on her face, and Game Over. (At least this one, there's more Game to come). Now I'm remembering the scene with Brienne. The subtleties in this episode...in this entire series are incredible...and just as important as the dialogue and spectacle. Again...we'll all just agree to disagree.

For you.

I have been so immersed in the characters in this show, that I felt I was in the scenes with them. From the second the Dothraki lights went out, you could see the fear mounting on the faces of them all. Like Brienne said last season, forget oaths and families...this is about survival and they all knew they were really up against it. Battle plans were now out of the window. This was the classic "O sh.. moment." (Or as Davos would have said in his marvelous Scottish accent: "We're fooked.") When Arya is in the library, hiding from the wights...I sat as motionless as she did. The faces of the characters in the crypt spoke volumes. I was tense that entire episode. This whole series has been so well done and so well acted. I don't understand where you see this as just spectacle. We'll agree to disagree.

I understand what you're asking. The problem with fan theories is though they're interesting, in many instances it's wishful thinking. Bran was the target of the NK because Bran is the three eyed raven. Remember the NK got the original TER (Max von Sydow). The greenseer power was transferred to Bran. I don't recall why there was this link between the NK and the TER. I'm wondering if it was explained in the books. Was it because the NK knew the TER, being all knowing would know how to defeat him? As to letting Jon live...just because Jon didn't die at the hands of the wights I wouldn't say he "let" him live. We have to take the original books into account with respect to the writers and the direction of the story. This may compel me to read them.