GAME OF THRONES, Season 8, Episode 6: "The Iron Throne" QUESTIONS!
Added 2019-05-20 12:54:24 +0000 UTC
The end is here. And the end of our Thrones Review episodes comes to a head tomorrow for you all as patrons and Wednesday for the general public. And as always, our episode is made possible by you all, your support and your questions. So, thank you from the both of our hearts for the amazing support you've provided us and all the questions which make our episodes pretty neat.
In that light! Onto questions: What are your questions for Game of Thrones, Season 8: Episode 6: "The Iron Throne"?
Comments
For #2, I personally assumed that it was falling ash, not snow. Having been through several huge California wildfires, I can say that when there are really huge fires, ash really does fall from the sky like snow. We used to sarcastically refer to them as "California snow days" when school got cancelled due to falling ash making the air quality too bad.
champagnerain
2019-05-22 03:45:19 +0000 UTCGiven the level of destruction in episode five (and all preceding episodes), does Kings landing really have a hold over the other kingdoms? Do you think the unified kingdom makes sense due to a lack of political challenges? I'm not sold.
Bree Bang-Jensen
2019-05-21 19:54:48 +0000 UTCIf you all are Star Wars fans, and I think you are, are you concerned that D&D will get rushed and sloppy with that franchise as well?
Lisa Trahms
2019-05-21 15:49:13 +0000 UTCHow much did the idea that 'themes are for eighth-grade book reports' influence the way the events of the show differ from those of the books?
Catriona Pritchard
2019-05-21 14:33:53 +0000 UTCProbably too late but: If the showrunners had time / chosen to show Mereen at the end of the series, do you think it would be a good place post-Dany, or scarred / worse off?
Alistair
2019-05-21 10:29:09 +0000 UTCEuron or Crows Eye or Theons abusive uncle?
James R Ward
2019-05-21 00:55:52 +0000 UTCAnother excellent question we'll utilize for our patreon episode coming out next week reviewing the season!
NotAPodcast
2019-05-21 00:40:06 +0000 UTCExcellent question! We'll feature it in our wrap-up episode next week!
NotAPodcast
2019-05-20 23:57:20 +0000 UTCExcellent question! We'll feature it in our wrap-up episode for patrons next week!
NotAPodcast
2019-05-20 23:55:31 +0000 UTCooooo this is good. Going to use it for next week's patreon wrap-up ep. Thank you!
NotAPodcast
2019-05-20 23:50:48 +0000 UTCAnother excellent question for our patreon wrap-up episode!
NotAPodcast
2019-05-20 23:50:16 +0000 UTCGood question! We'll make this part of our season wrap-up patreon-only episode next week!
NotAPodcast
2019-05-20 23:42:07 +0000 UTCHow much agency did Bran have? is he King Wikipedia, King Forrest Gump, or King Horrifying Time-Traveling Blood-Magic Human-Warging Ultramastermind Who Knew Children Would Burn And Carried On? Why does nobody in-universe stop to ask?
Hunding
2019-05-20 23:40:37 +0000 UTCGreat question! We'll save that one for the patreon-only episode next week!
NotAPodcast
2019-05-20 23:36:51 +0000 UTCDo you believe that in the books the Eldritch apocalypse, Dance 2.0 and the long night will be bad enough and Bran will do enough to be considered a worth King? I can see why another Targ wouldn’t be acceptable since Dany and fAegon will twice decimate KL but trying to see how Bran rises in the books.
A
2019-05-20 23:26:32 +0000 UTCWhat commentary or insight on real life or other fiction can we take away from GoT? What was it for? What does it *mean*? Or have we just wasted 8 years watching an epically pretty game of tic-tac-toe?
Hunding
2019-05-20 23:11:15 +0000 UTCAs previously discussed on your podcast, there is a lot of foreshadowing for Dany to destroy Kings Landing in the books, whether it be an accident or on purpose. Do you also believe Jon will be the one to kill Dany in the books? The way she is killed is far too Shakespearean and emotional to be a concoction of D&D (Julius Caesar anyone?). Also do you believe that part of the reason that she was killed was because of how much power she held as a woman? I am in no way condoning her actions, but Tywin Lannister committed atrocities left and right and nobody tried to assassinate him (at least that we know of). Granted, destroying Kings Landing is an atrocity on a much larger scale than simply sacking it, but Tywin also wielded a “don’t fuck with me” attitude that Dany seems to adopt in the show and the repercussions weren’t there. Perhaps it is because he didn’t have a weapon of mass destruction, but would love to hear your thoughts! Thanks and keep up the great work!
Keriann Dengos
2019-05-20 22:15:14 +0000 UTCHa! I won my office GoT death pool, too. Granted, these people are all show plebes, but I'm glad spending this much time listening to podcasts pays off.
Leslie Cowan
2019-05-20 21:54:07 +0000 UTCGreat point, this had me troubled too.
Jancy Overell
2019-05-20 21:05:37 +0000 UTCSo I'm obviously pleased Kit Harrington is coming North :) Can you help me feel any better, thematically, about Bran being crowned? Thanks guys.
Jancy Overell
2019-05-20 21:02:55 +0000 UTCBased on what happened in the show what was the point of R+L=J? Is having Stark/Targ blood not special after all?
John Nicolson
2019-05-20 20:56:28 +0000 UTCIsn’t it worse for the North if it secedes? Economically, militarily, and just politically? I find that to be incredibly baffling. Sansa is a political leader but she can’t change the fact that the North gets stuck in years long winters and doesn’t have as much of a robust economy as the south. Militarily they will have to defend themselves against six kingdoms if it every came to that. Do you think Sansa made the decision to secede as a personal desire or a real desire from her people?
Azor Ahai Five
2019-05-20 20:52:42 +0000 UTCWhich major ASOIAF character was most accurately portrayed on the show? And which character was least accurately portrayed?
Eric Brown
2019-05-20 20:47:10 +0000 UTCThere’s so much to say, but I’m confident you guys will touch on the most important points of what I’m feeling. So all I’m going to ask is: Meera???
Knight of the Laughing Tree
2019-05-20 20:28:29 +0000 UTCnot a question, but I really appreciate all your ep reviews, along with your regular eps of course, but your takes on this season have been the best as always! Can’t wait for you two to continue going through these books these next years, and also whenever twow comes out and you review it!
Amparo Choto
2019-05-20 20:08:58 +0000 UTCThe new Prince of Dorne is Quentyn who was on vacation in essos instead of looking for Dany during seasons 5-7. Yes or yes?
Amparo Choto
2019-05-20 20:06:47 +0000 UTCWhat does the end of GOT mean for the future of the NotACast........podcast? Do you think that when you talk of foreshadowing that the way the show finished will affect what you look for?
John Nicolson
2019-05-20 20:06:00 +0000 UTCNot a question, but I wanted to tell you guys that before the season started, 40+ people at my workplace bet money on which characters would live and die in GoT and... I WON! Not only that but... I WON BY A LARGE MARGIN! So, in conclusion, being a patron to this fine podcast is starting to give some juicy profits! Thank you guys for your sage advice, your always correct opinions and for being the best podcast out there, by far.
Pancho Rosenfeldt
2019-05-20 18:58:31 +0000 UTCWhat was the third big WTF moment told to D&D by GRRM? Dany burning down KL? Dany dying?
BigE9690
2019-05-20 18:36:47 +0000 UTCBefore the war, Yara was given the Iron Islands from Dany to rule as a queen. After Dany's fall, and Bran being instated as king, how is it credible that only Sansa asks for independence, and Yara is okay being part of the realm again? Why didn't the prince of Dorne speak up? Was Bran's first rule out of nepotism?
Kinga Taylor
2019-05-20 18:33:42 +0000 UTCMy question: are you glad it's over? I know I am. Are you sad that it spoiled the end of the books for you? I know I am. Will you now have just as much fun working out how Grrm will go about theses broad strokes of an ending? I know I will. Thanks for your honest opinions and commentary on Season 8 boys - I very much appreciated it 💜
Lady Dayne the Twighlight Star
2019-05-20 18:26:35 +0000 UTCMany thanks for one of the best ASOIF podcasts out there. Now, on to the question. If the books do end with the North seceding and Bran on the throne - do you think GRRM will intentionally portray this as an unsustainable state of affairs, highlighting that nothing ever really ends? I can hardly see Dorne or the Iron Islands remaining loyal vassal states in the long run if the North gets such a sweet deal - nor the Faith of the Seven accepting a Prophet-King of the Old Gods as a legitimate monarch.
Tywin apologist
2019-05-20 18:21:11 +0000 UTCHey guys! Long time listener and huge fan, keep it up! My question is, which FeastDance book character omission do you think was most detrimental to the last few seasons of the show? How would you have personally addressed the resulting narrative vacuum?
Sionainn Joseph
2019-05-20 18:01:51 +0000 UTCWere either of you able to watch it from a mentally clean slate? Like, accepting the events of e5 as-is and judging this episode on where they go from there, neither assuming it'll suck or be awesome. And did you like it more on your first or second viewing?
Guy Incognito
2019-05-20 17:54:03 +0000 UTCWhat was the point of apparent groundwork in S7 for Jon&Dany to have a child? Misdirection?
Alex J
2019-05-20 17:41:42 +0000 UTCWhy it gotta be like this?
Tony Bargas
2019-05-20 17:32:00 +0000 UTCAre we supposed to believe whoever Bran is now planned this all along? If so, are we supposed to get behind a king like this?
House Nerdling
2019-05-20 17:13:04 +0000 UTCThoughts on LMLs tweets regarding Dany’s arc beginning and ending with gender driven violence and the story’s problems being solved by a man killing a woman while he duped her with a kiss? Any chance GRRM views the backlash and changes things in the remaining two books? Or do we just imagine George will handle this with much more grace?
Chase Kauffeld
2019-05-20 17:06:17 +0000 UTCDo you think that all this “I don’t want it” stuff from Jon will be similar in the books? The leadership journey for book Jon thus far suggests he takes pride in his position, ever since he had a teenage spy about not getting to be a ranger, he has learned that command is important. So why wouldn’t he want to be king in the north / of the seven kingdoms?
Brainsick Collective
2019-05-20 16:56:43 +0000 UTCHey guys! So, I often think back to George's 2014 interview with Rolling Stone in which he talks about Aragorn and ruling a the end of LOTR. "Tolkien can say that Aragorn became king and reigned for a hundred years, and he was wise and good. But Tolkien doesn’t ask the question: What was Aragorn’s tax policy? Did he maintain a standing army? What did he do in times of flood and famine?" This has often made me think about how George will end his story. But watching the end of the show all I could think is how this was exactly the thing he was railing against. But whereas King Aragorn makes sense, and is a character we know and have followed and understand... Bran as a ruler brings up a multitude of questions and makes the future even murkier and concerning especially with no heirs on the horizon. My question is, how do you think George will avoid the ending of Dream of Spring stumbling into this same territory, where the story feels somewhat finished, but overall. unresolved as to what happens next and/ or brings up more questions than answers?
Eli Menaker
2019-05-20 16:55:15 +0000 UTCWhy do the council abide by Grey Worm's demands in exiling Jon?
doylemort
2019-05-20 16:54:35 +0000 UTCLightning round: 1. Where did Drogon go with Dany? 2. Why was it snowing when Jon killed Dany then hot again a couple of weeks later? 3. Why is there still a Night's Watch when there are no more Others, wildlings have been integrated and there's a hole in the wall anyway? 4. WTF are the Unsullied going to do in Naarth other than die from the butterflies? 5. Why was Drogon sentient enough to know that Mom really wanted that chair so lets burn it but not enough to know Jon killed her? 6. Is Jon really abandoning his vows to retire north of the wall with Tormund? 7. Would it have been so hard for them to let Dany actually sit on the Iron Throne and get cut by it before she died? I honestly have more but Ima stop and let you finish. Thanks for all of the hard work on this, I know it can't be easy to wade into the #discourse.
Alan Ciammaichella
2019-05-20 16:43:14 +0000 UTCWhen Jon kissed Dany in the throne room, my jaw hit the floor. I thought Jon entered the room trying to decide whether or not to stay loyal to Dany. When they kissed I thought 'oh DAMN, Jon just took a VERY dark turn!' The music, Dany's happiness, Jon's obvious conflict about SOMETHING before/during the kiss made me believe Jon had decided to stay with her no matter what. Watching it again I could see he walked into the room deciding whether or not to kill her. His question 'What about all the other people who think they know what's good? ' and her answer 'They don't get to choose' which effectively doomed his sisters (and hundreds of thousands of other people) and in turn, doomed her. My question is, were you fooled by the kiss like I was? Do you think Jon's struggle to decide was a satisfying example of the human heart in conflict with itself?
Rebecca
2019-05-20 16:36:46 +0000 UTCHelp settle a bet. Was GRRM's 3rd "holy shit!" moment Bronn as Master of Coin or Pod as Kingsguard knight?
Alan Ciammaichella
2019-05-20 16:28:16 +0000 UTCI have a few friends who have only been show watchers up to now who are planning to read the books now that the show is over. Any tips on encouraging first time ASOIAF readers?
Courtney Simpson
2019-05-20 16:09:30 +0000 UTCSo Bran's tax plan is... put Bronn in charge?
Black Orchid
2019-05-20 16:06:53 +0000 UTCWhat do I do with my life now?
Zheray
2019-05-20 15:53:52 +0000 UTCJon’s parentage is completely irrelevant in the way they told this ending. To make it actually matter, do you think the Cregan Stark reign from Fire and Blood is more of GRRM’s vision for Jon and the throne? After Dany is dead he takes control, establishes peace, unites the realm as best he can (as he’s done his entire story), and then says, “I don’t belong here, I’m headed north, I’ve had enough, vote on a new king and don’t fuck this up again, peace out”.
Matt Furstoss
2019-05-20 15:31:32 +0000 UTCCare to speculate on who the never-before-seen guys at the Dragonpit tete-a-tete were? A Hightower? A Manderly?
Courtney Simpson
2019-05-20 15:20:14 +0000 UTCWhy does Bran need a master of whispers when he has a thousand eyes and one. Did bloodraven set it up that he’s king all along? Please give me some book context that Bran will rule all. 🙏
Bword
2019-05-20 15:06:56 +0000 UTCDo you think Tyrion's plan to have a Grand Council at every succession is really breaking the wheel? There's a history of this method already that didn't always lead to stability and wouldn't the most powerful/wealthy lords still bribe/betroth/threaten their way to rule anyway? And once there, use all of their power and influence to ensure their own heirs succeed them in the next council? Seems like business as usual with the potential for even more unrest than before every time a king or queen dies.
Gib
2019-05-20 15:02:25 +0000 UTChttps://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-real-reason-fans-hate-the-last-season-of-game-of-thrones/ Here is the link. I think it was and excellent analysis and would also love to hear your take
TarthGirl
2019-05-20 15:00:33 +0000 UTCSooo . . . . “I am not really Bran anymore” Bloodraven/Children of the Forest hive-mind person sits the no-longer-iron-throne to ?rule? by abdicating to the smallest council. I am honestly confused. Paint me the GRRM version of this!
TarthGirl
2019-05-20 14:54:25 +0000 UTCIf everyone ate as many edibles as me would they have enjoyed the finale as much as I did
Zack Newman
2019-05-20 14:48:43 +0000 UTCWhy didn’t Brienne stay with Sansa?
Danielle Rickard
2019-05-20 14:46:42 +0000 UTCIf they elect new leaders via council and Bronn is the richest man in the kingdom, wouldn't be just kill Bran and hold the realm hostage until he's made King?
Zack Newman
2019-05-20 14:43:53 +0000 UTCWhen Bran peaces out of the council meeting to look for Drogon, is that confirmed he wargs into Drogon? Or did he do it via crow/raven?
Zack Newman
2019-05-20 14:42:57 +0000 UTCThey disarm Jon when he visits Tyrion - but give him his sword back when he goes to see the queen?
Danielle Rickard
2019-05-20 14:42:50 +0000 UTCBesides Jon’s exile, the Bittersweet ending didn’t seem to have a lot of bitterness (Dany had to die in the context of the show). In fact, the ending was surprisingly lighthearted in a way that felt extremely jarring. So, my question is: what about the book’s ending will be “bitter”? Is it just a simple matter of Season 8’s chronological reversal of the political/White Walker plots? Will the endings seem more poignant that way?
John Herzog
2019-05-20 14:38:59 +0000 UTCDo you think GRRM will do Dany’s death from her POV or Jon’s?
Azor Ahai Five
2019-05-20 14:34:19 +0000 UTCDouble dipping with my questions: What do you think about Dany's mission creep at her victory rally? Is this plan to still rule slavers bay? Is she trying to unit Westeros and Essos? Or is the idea more the modern dismantling of foreign powers without occupying?
Gritty Reboot
2019-05-20 14:29:30 +0000 UTCIs it fair to say that the show left Jons fate somewhat ambiguous? I mean he was sent North by Bran the Broken but did B there really was no nights watch? A way to give Jon what he truly wants? It seems to me in the last scene that Jon won’t be returning to Castle Black. That he is a pseudo turn cloak like Mance by for different reasons. A King beyond the wall.
Sir Way of Course
2019-05-20 14:28:33 +0000 UTCi immediately thought that was collateral damage from killing off (or not introducing) the entire Tyrell family
Eric Brown
2019-05-20 14:21:55 +0000 UTCConsidering how the show wrapped up the fate of the remaining Starks: Jon back at the Wall, Arya the Explorer, Sansa and Bran as monarchs, do we put any stock that the future of Ned’s family was foreshadowed by Eddard himself in his fifth chapter in AGOT? "He was going to be a knight, "Arya was saying now. "A knight of the Kingsguard. Can he still be a knight?" "No," Ned said. He saw no use in lying to her. "Yet someday he may be the lord of a great holdfast and sit on the king's council. He might raise castles like Brandon the Builder, or sail a ship across the Sunset Sea, or enter your mother's Faith and become the High Septon." But he will never run beside his wolf again, he thought with a sadness too deep for words, or lie with a woman, or hold his own son in his arms.” On a lighter note, what do we think of poor Edmure as Jeb? “Please clap.”
Anthony Pelliccio
2019-05-20 13:37:00 +0000 UTCHow do you think the north will gain its independence in the book? Bringing it up during the Great Council and not having any other Lord or Lady chime in with why they should also have independence seems suspect. Especially with regard to Dorne.
Lord Jake, Assistant (to the) Hand of the King
2019-05-20 13:36:13 +0000 UTCI've always really liked PQ's prediction that Dany would (1) inadvertently destroy KL after setting off the wildfire caches, (2) kill Euron after being tempted to join him, and (3) fight the WW. If Jon killing Dany is canon, how would you make a case that we're still on track to see PQ's predictions?
JDL
2019-05-20 13:32:25 +0000 UTCHow the hell did Sam become Grand Maester in just a few months? Do you see a Great Council ending in the books? Will Jon exile himself north of the wall, or will he join the "Nights Watch"?
Tom Gonzalez
2019-05-20 13:29:33 +0000 UTCWith GRRM wanting more seasons (https://twitter.com/shahdanish_/status/1130326068932431872?s=21) and hbo almost assuredly wanting more seasons, why do you think we only got two abridged seasons to end things? Do you think D&D are just hacks who recognized they couldn’t adequately write the show for even more seasons without the books as a crutch? Do you think they just wanted it over as quickly as possible so they could move on to other projects ie Star Wars?
BigE9690
2019-05-20 13:20:19 +0000 UTCI posted this on Twitter but I’ll share again here just in case - I’d love to hear your opinions on Tyrion’s arc in the books vs the show, especially his likely heavy involvement in KL’s destruction. If that comes at the end of the story like it does on the show, how does that affect his endgame? I know your opinions on the order of events differ, but I can’t see him becoming Hand after helping destroy a city and thousands of innocents. Not without serious redemption.
Vanessa Cole
2019-05-20 13:18:39 +0000 UTCWhat is D&D’s favorite Christopher Nolan movie and why is it The Dark Knight?
Azor Ahai Five
2019-05-20 13:15:53 +0000 UTCWhat is your primary emotional reaction to the fact that the TV series is over? After the last two seasons I am relieved. I liked the ending for the most part, but the path to get there was so rushed and poorly plotted that I am glad to have the show behind us.
Alex Armstrong
2019-05-20 13:09:19 +0000 UTCKing Bran... How... Why... Even in the books I don't know how that'd make sense. You have all these characters on leadership arcs as either failed leaders or successful ones and in the end its... BRAN? I feel like even in the books that would feel terrible. Like, you have either Jon, Tyrion, or Sansa perfectly set up to rule Westeros in the end, and you go with Bran?!
WootGorilla
2019-05-20 13:07:45 +0000 UTCCan we please get you to improve this baffling small council roster? Bronn as Master of Coin?!
Gritty Reboot
2019-05-20 13:07:39 +0000 UTCIf the white walkers happen after the burning of Kings landing how do you see this effecting the way in which Jon kills Dany (or any other end state)?
Mark Shirk
2019-05-20 13:03:24 +0000 UTCDaenerys’ storyline was absolutely butchered, how do you guys feel about it and how much of it do you think will be similar in Winds and Dream?
Tristan
2019-05-20 13:02:31 +0000 UTCI was wondering if you guys had come across zeynep tufekci's argument in scientific American that the problem with season 8 (and I would argue at least 7 as week) was a shift from sociological to psychological storytelling?
Mark Shirk
2019-05-20 13:01:58 +0000 UTCGoing by a list of all the major characters present in this episode, so Jon, Dany, Sansa, Tyrion, Arya, Bran, Davos, Samwell, Brienne etc. How many of these characters' end states do you think will be the same as the show's if and when we get A Dream of Spring?
Aslan Christbeard
2019-05-20 12:59:47 +0000 UTCWhich parts of the ending do you think were from GRRM and which parts were D&D? QITN Sansa feels like it will happen in the books. Not sure about King Bran though
Leon
2019-05-20 12:56:13 +0000 UTC
