Trope and cliché are not interchangeable words. And just because a trope exists, does not mean there is a corresponding requirement to destabilize it; there’s never an automatic ‘need’ to subvert it. Subversion, in and of itself, is not intellectually meritorious or laudable – obviously, subverting some tropes can be…

To me, using the word Trope is just a red flag.

I appreciate this info — I am only really familiar with the TV show at this point, and I feel like they heavily implied that Robert started the war over Lyanna (and basically not being able to handle that she ditched him for Rhaegar)....at least I felt like that is what the show was implying.

Also the entire mode of the show is different. They’ve moved from Six seasons of delicious unpacking and winding out thread — now they’ve turned the corner into opposite land and don’t know how to manage hours of ongoing catharsis.

I’m guessing it was GRRM gave them the huge bullet points and they had to flub their way from point A to B.

I think that ‘Robert’s Rebellion is founded on a lie’ has to do with Robert himself. He (in the show at least) had seemed to have talked himself into believing that Lyanna was singularly in love with him or that their love (obsession?) was mutual for each other, when she might not have given two shits about Robert…

I don’t think you’re wrong about it undercutting Dany’s story. I just know that, even if it served the story perfectly and was as well done as it could be — No one would be able to objectively separate it from that lens. The collective hot take would overshadow the legacy of the show forever, so it’s virtually…

I got hit with a spear once. Fucking solid shot — right through my chest. Lucky for me it was a narwhal killing spear, and I am obviously not a narwhal — so no harm, no foul.

They can. You can’t move a skeleton without muscles and tendons. You can’t contract what little muscle remains without nerve communications....

I definitely agree with what you’re saying. But in the shows (limited) defense — it’s as if seasons 1-3 said X, 4-6 said Y, and now 7-8 are saying therefore Z is happening. I think they did a good job at the episode level early but now that we are literally inside of Z, they can’t make the same moves at the episode…

What you’re basically asking for (or alluding to) should have been a seminal factor in the show, structurally.

That took longer than expected.

(Hound voice): I bet you do.

the writers didn’t have the ability to write well for Baelish and his levels upon levels of scheming<< I think this 100% as well. (Not like GRRM).

Sansa didn’t handle Baelish though. The writing room handled baelish. Nothing, other than the advent of Bran arriving changed at all this season regarding dirt on Littlefinger. Sansa could’ve done exactly what she did at the beginning of the season. The only added motivation was what? Him trying to turn Arya…

They were NOT always on to Littlefinger. < This is undeniably true.

His o-line is a fish.

I am disgusted that I have to star this.

“It’s impossible to get excited about a digital card game these days” << This shit has me in stitches!!!

Especially if the violence doesn’t get you what you want either.