A Game of Thrones - TV Show Discussion Thread

[MikeH]

But I also think Felch is right that his rule in the north was appropriate/effective enough in a regime with a strong king.

[Ecthy]

Robert dying and the whole country splintering apart certainly indicates that his rule was key to stability for all regions.

He may have been the key to stability between the regions, certainly not in the regions. Name one region that saw any internal trouble after Robert died.

In fact, after Robert died the North mobilized and stood like one man to save Ned Stark, althought they were too late. Only when the North was empty of Stark bannermen did the Bastard of Bolton take control.

[MikeH]

But it's the instability between the regions that's created the instability at the head of each region. So the inter region stability was key.

[Imran Siddiqui]

I doubt one can say that Robert was a strong king. However, Ned was a good ruler for the North, but not for the internal politics that goes on in King's Landing. There wasn't as much backbiting and fighting for influence up North - it was more a situation of everyone knew who was in charge. I assume that it how it was during most of the Targaryen reign in King's Landing as well - when an usurper takes the throne, obviously no one really knows where they stand.

[Ecthy]

But it's the instability between the regions that's created the instability at the head of each region. So the inter region stability was key.

I really think that "regions" and "instability" were mutually constituted anew in the process of "the king's death". Also, identities before interests!

[Dinner]

It really makes you wonder what happened to Robert but I guess Renly was right that just because someone is a good warrior or battle commander that doesn't mean they'll make a good king.

[Ecthy]

It really makes you wonder what happened to Robert but I guess Renly was right that just because someone is a good warrior or battle commander that doesn't mean they'll make a good king.

Are you sure?

Spoiler:

OT: It'd be so much fun if in the end of the day Martin decides that Jon is really the son of Ashara Dayne, not you-know-who...

[DaShi]

It really makes you wonder what happened to Robert but I guess Renly was right that just because someone is a good warrior or battle commander that doesn't mean they'll make a good king.

My understanding is that Robert was more of viking-like leader than the type of king required in Westeros. He gained a on of weight as king and spent most of his free time hunting and whoring. Still, he's probably the best king Westeros ever had.

[Dinner]

Spoiler:

The battle at the wall should happen in the 1st episode of the next season with Mance Raider attacking the wall and that should be an epic battle to remember. We should also see the purple wedding and the trial of Tyrian sometime in the beginning of season 4. All in all season 4 is set up to be pretty darn good but I wonder how they'll deal with time split in books 4 & 5 as you clearly can't just leave viewers hanging for an entire season without seeing ratings plummet.

[Robert]

@Dinner: books 4&5 will be filmed combined as 1 season. (or that's the plan)

Robert became king because he had some targaryen blood, so he had the biggest claim to the throne.
The demise of Robert was not the reason of all the wars and problems, Joffrey becoming king was the problem. Or perhaps even more, the fact that Robert and Cercei didn't care for eachother and got children with others instead of together.

Ned obviously was not aware of all the plotting far away in King's Landing.
He immediately started to find out that things were going the wrong way, but was indeed to naive to see that things aren't as simple as he expected.

I guess it's also hard to be the unquestioned leader for 15 years where everybody does what you tell them, and then suddenly you're just one of the many powers, and people are plotting against you.

[OzzyKP]

Daddy I lust for a cookie!

With all the hot women on this show, you go for Arya?

[Imran Siddiqui]

@Dinner: books 4&5 will be filmed combined as 1 season. (or that's the plan)

That seems... impossible. There is a lot of story in Books 4 & 5 to be done in 10 episodes. I can see them combined and done as 2 seasons - unless they move things from Books 4 & 5 into Season 3. Also I think they want to give Martin some time to actually finish the next book .

The demise of Robert was not the reason of all the wars and problems, Joffrey becoming king was the problem.

Its one and the same really. Because the Lannisters would have gone to war instead of the Starks if Joffrey was disinherited in favor of Stannis.

[Guynemer]

I'm fairly certain there will be some book 4 stuff (Iron Islands & Dorne) seen next season.

[Imran Siddiqui]

Even then there is quite a bit of story. I mean, Dance with Dragons itself was roughly the size of Storm of Swords.

[Nikolai]

Book 4 and 5 has to be done combined storywise. But as one season? No way.