Inigo Montoya

I was thinking that all through the scene and wondering if they were going to go that way, because it is so not the usual GoT way to go. And, of course, they didn't. In the gruesomest possible way, natch. Reminded me a bit of the big fight in the last season of Deadwood, but even they avoided showing the demolished skull. Wow.

I can't really explain why; it just seemed to work as a sendoff, in a weird philosophical way.

Like, we humans are as beetles being moronically smashed by the gods for unknown and maybe unknowable reasons. Perhaps.

Penny Dreadful - it just occurred to me that if Ethan is a werewolf, he's an American werewolf in London.

So, in the first scene, anyone else say, "We only know two songs. If it's not the one, it has to be the other."

Poor Oberyn. Once the thumbs went into the eyes I watched the rest of that scene from behind my left arm.

As did I.

Yep. Never get cocky in a fight to the death.

Yeah, you stay out of arm's reach, even if you've mortally wounded the fucker.

I loved relieved Jaime looked when we thought Oberyn had won.

He definitely earned his money with his reaction shots this episode.

OMGArya. I love you, girl.

I will admit that I laughed. I also may or may not have said "Holy shit" when they got to the gates. She's so close to where Sansa is. And now, I guess, not so much? Seems like you let them in anyway.

Because I thought most of us were enjoying it in spite of that, not because of it.

Very much so. I wish Dany's plotline would get less faily. Sadly, I expect not, though we, at least, may not get another "lifted on the hands of the brown people" shot. Please.

Roose Bolton, rewarding madness and butchery since ... ever, I guess?

Living up to the family sigil. They were riding for Winterfell, right? That's what that castle was, yes? The credits sequence is going to be accurate again?

Poor Theon.

I like what's happening with Missandei and Grey Worm, mostly because I guess I didn't expect them to have an independent storyline.

Very much this. It's a nice addition to the Mereen stuff. I like that they lampshaded the "with exactly what are the unsullied...un...sullied?"

Also wondering where Jorah is going to turn now, and if his loyalties will change.

Worst. Defense. Ever. For all that he is crap at stating his case (no, it's okay because you're pretty. Even though you're, like 30 years younger than me. It's cool.), I don't see him being against Dany.

I am dying to know what will happen now that people in the Vale know who Sansa is! Super interesting developments.

Achievement unlocked: competent liar. I thought the feathered dress was A Bit Much, but the costumes on this show are sometimes excessively on the nose (and Petyr needs to not ever make a bird-based pun again). I kind of like the choice to make Sansa much more in control going forward.

When Tyrion had that long discussion about the beetle-killer, I started to get the sense he was going to die. It seemed like a sendoff for the character. Anyone else feel that?

I will decline to comment. However, it was, again, a really nice scene. They're selling the Emmy nom hard.

How many months is it now that Gendry's been rowing that boat? A lot of months, right?

And now, I guess, not so much?

Yeah, I don't know. She's still Lord Robin's cousin, but would he pay her ransom and will Sandor bother to try? No idea what Baelish's move would be if he heard there was another Stark girl he could potentially bring under his wing, as it were.

It's still a pretty good schlepp from the Bloody Gate to the Aerie proper, right?

Heh, someone who is watching season 2 right now was asking me for spoilers about Gendry and I had to admit I couldn't remember what happened to him...

Yeah, I don't know. She's still Lord Robin's cousin, but would he pay her ransom and will Sandor bother to try? No idea what Baelish's move would be if he heard there was another Stark girl he could potentially bring under his wing, as it were.

It seems like pressing on is the best of the options available to The Hound at this point. I expect Petyr would keep Sansa from knowing Arya was around, if possible. Seems better to have Arya in hand than not.

It's still a pretty good schlepp from the Bloody Gate to the Aerie proper, right?

Based on the map, yes.

Heh, someone who is watching season 2 right now was asking me for spoilers about Gendry and I had to admit I couldn't remember what happened to him...

Ser Davos put him on a boat. Ser Davos has managed to go to Braavos since then (and then...not sure. Something, we can presume, now that they have Iron Bank money). Gendry may or may not still be trying to find land. No one said Gendry was smart.

My guess is that (implied spoilers) he'll be re-captured by the Bw/oB in the finale, and he'll be our point of view character for the final holy shit of the season.

I really hope GRRM hurries up with the next book, because they're going to run out of plot pretty soon....

So, in the first scene, anyone else say, "We only know two songs. If it's not the one, it has to be the other."

I did! Come on show, this gag is funny in the books but would it kill you to write a third song?

I can't really explain why; it just seemed to work as a sendoff, in a weird philosophical way.

There was definitely a sense of "I've been trying to solve this problem for years and now I'm going to die without ever knowing the answer."

Arya's story has diverged so much from the books at this point, I honestly have no idea what she and the Hound are going to do next.

I really hope GRRM hurries up with the next book, because they're going to run out of plot pretty soon....

I get the distinct impression that they'll be at the end of Book 5 (or past?) for most or all of the characters at the end of next season.

Arya laughing at the Bloody Gate was everything! I'm not even mad that her story is turning out so differently from what it has been to date in the books (although I do hope they get back to that storyline at some point) because I love the Arya and the Hound show with my whole heart.

I'm also enjoying that they are giving Sansa more agency than she's had in the books. The look over the shoulder at Littlefinger when she was putting on her little teary performance was great. I like this angle much better than pinning it on some random troubadour.