I agree, using today's standards at least. The "it's my birthright, I deserve it" argument is pretty unconvincing, and she has displayed what I would call definite brat-like qualities. Still, I can see her being compelling within that world.

I also didn't think it was rape, but that Tyrion was set-up. Interpretations seem to be split pretty evenly down the middle, based on the Likes.

Yes, I noticed a lack of incredulous "what WAS that?!"

I don't know, I DO find it a bit of a stretch how quickly he goes from "we're brothers, I'll get us a deal" to "I desperately want to impress my arsehole father, I'll betray the very people who have accepted, trusted and raised me to do so."

My friend who has read them said something similar, that there's a much more developed sense of, say, Kings Landing as a city. I think we started to get a little bit more of it tonight as Tyrion and Bron went through it.

I see where you're coming from. A friend of mine who read the books told me the fantastical elements were introduced pretty much from the start, and she was surprised the show had taken so long to explore it. This episode felt like the first one that fully shifted from a political show that hinted at fantastical…

Gendry is also an apprentice - I would think that would make him relatively young, no later than teens.

I thought this was where the story was going from when he confronted her about being a girl. I don't know that this is the best point to make, but horrible as it was in Star Wars Ep 1 he was 9 and she was 14 or so, and we were expected to believe something could come of it.

Ooooh, great point @avclub-82cf46948ca0f531a256e38473c9282f:disqus . I hadn't thought of what Margery had in mind specifically, though clearly she had ideas.

I would like to see all of Tywin's line except for Tyrion die. That would be nice and humbling.

I kind of think Rob is going to die anyway. Not based on anything rationally, just that he's a moderately successful, likeable character that isn't sassy or particularly quoteable. It seems like a guaranteed death writ.

I think @avclub-ffdf9e46752971c63a4c33e8e9b3ae98:disqus 's criticism with the dragons was that originally it was set up as "the dragons won't eat. WHY WON'T THEY EAT?" Scooby Doo mystery style. It wasn't that they had no food, it was that they weren't touching anything then, and that was highlighted as something that…

Funny, I didn't really have any problems with this episode, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I can see where you're coming from though. From a storytelling perspective, this episode was really just one big setup. I felt like a lot was happening at the time, but reflecting back it wasn't. Even Renly's death was a wheels in…

It had definitely been building to something. Didn't her brother confront him about it way back?

He has been pretty cool so far. I hope there's more where he came from.

@avclub-0d1d480d697d06fb8062edb057dbaed2:disqus Yes, Renly's bannermen flocked to Stannis, but if Renly is as loved as was constantly portrayed then you'd hope there'd be at least some resentment about it. I'm kind of interested to see what happens with Stannis, though so far his is my least favourite thread.

Yep. I'm looking forward to their being consequences though. Unkillable, unstoppable smoke monsters that can slip past any defences tend to be a bit boring. I like that whatsisname Fingers McSmuggler is incredibly disturbed by it all.

@avclub-23dc117ef9479407fb6c6a666005af40:disqus I thought he might have knifed him. The Iron Islands certainly seems like a culture that would respect that. Then again, I guess you have to sleep some time, and if it backfires and you have a mutinous crew that's not really any better.
I also hope Theon doesn't betray…

I don't get it - why am I not laughing? I love to laugh! I love The Thick of It. I love Parks and Rec. I love Arrested Development. I also love The West Wing. Why don't I love this?

What is the sound of one man partying?