SECTION 1: The Realm Reviewed by Meera Reed and Lucifer Lang - S5E8 Hardhome
Meera - After a long wait and a lot of disappointment, HBO finally came through with an episode that had us on the edge of our seats this week.
Lucifer - I agree, of all the liberties D & D have taken in the past, this one at Hardhome was worth every moment. It was visually stimulating and masterfully sequenced into one of the most EPIC battles on the series yet. Arya is finally taking to the streets of Braavos too, a long awaited chapter I was anxious to see for sure.
Meera - If they hadn't wasted so much time making up a boring story and stuck to the books, we'd have met Cat of the Canals weeks ago, selling her wares in the Ragmans harbor. We'd all know that at the dark of the moon she'd return to the temple with three new things she'd learned.
We've missed Blind Beth with her stick, counting the steps and learning to make poison, and the ugly little girl, begging in the streets, but now Arya is Lanna (?) who might be giving the gift to the man who sells insurance to the captains, but doesn't always pay. In the books he is well guarded, has a food taster, and never goes anywhere alone. With no help from the kindly man.. Cat must find a way with her wits, but Lanna is not as good as Cat of the Canals, so Jaqen has given her a vial of poison.
Lucifer - To me, it seems to be a more realistic version of the situation yet still honoring the core story. On another note, I can't believe Cersei actually thinks there's something she can do to get out of her imprisonment other than confession, a lifetime of privilege and riches has truly left her in a skewed immaculate reality only she can see.
Meera - She has been abandoned by her last friend, Qyburn, who councils her to plead for mercy from the High Sparrow. Her Uncle Kevan has returned to take control of the king's council as Hand. While she's been imprisoned all her political power has been quietly stripped away, yet she's not broken yet. She wants Jaime. Let her spend a few more days and with Septa Unelle. A few more sleepless nights.
Lucifer - She won't last, I'm sure those Septas wanted this long before the High Sparrow came around. What do you think of this weeks dialogue between Sansa and Reek?
Meera - The truth about Bran and Rickon came out, when Reek momentarily slipped and became Theon long enough to tell Sansa about the millers sons and how he murdered them and burnt the bodies, but then he's so horrified by what he's said that he reverts to Reek and runs from the room.
* Once again, Alfie Allen deserves an Emmy nomination for Best Actor.
And what is Ramsey going to do with twenty good northmen? Something like what he did to take Winterfell from Theon, I'm thinking..
In any case, we're set up for an epic battle between Stannis and the Boltons for control of Winterfell. I wish the Manderlys and all the Lords of the North were there, the Frey men and the Walders, big and little. We'll have to make do with Brienne and Pod, as they are all we're going to get.
Lucifer - The thing to remember with Ramsey is nobody from the south knows what he looks like. I would not be surprised if he did attempt to play Stannis in a similar fashion to how he tricked Theon originally. Also, pulling the heart strings of northerners and their allies is the Norths main weakness and strength. I will be very interesting to see it plays out.
Meera - Very true, other than that, Ser Jorah and Tyrion are done being road buddies. Now that they are in Mereen, it seems that Tyrion is all for himself, but then Jorah did kidnap him.
Two terrible children of two terrible fathers in a terrible story that makes no sense, Tyrion is just spouting history from the books lately, which makes a dull story.
"I'm going to break the wheel." Please...
Lucifer - Well now, I must partially disagree... I'll admit the atmosphere was a bit dry but that was probably the first time Dany was spoken to as an equal by someone, it was definitely the first time she ever spoke to a member of a Great Ruling House of Westeros family member. She needed that and Tyrion needed it too from a different angle. I think both of them together will prove to make a powerful pair.
Meera - And now to Hardhome... A frozen cliff face on the frozen shore, in the books some of the the Wildlings fled there and Jon sent ships to save them, but receives this terrifying reply by raven:
"At Hardhome with six ships.Very bad here, Wildlings eating their own dead. Dead things in the woods. Six crew dead, many Wildlings, captains will only take women and children. Dead things in the water. Send help by land."
Half the ships are lost or sunken before they reach Hardhome. We imagined this scene but now we can't unsee it.
Lucifer - It was like the second act of an opera, death all around and the Lord Commander barely made it out alive. D & D took a small piece of tribulation and force fed it steroids. They really pulled in the big guns on this one, I have to commend and thank them for filming such an intense scene.
Meera - The battle was horrific, we got the best look at the army that's coming for the realms of men since last season, when I (Meera) fought the wights trying to get Bran to the Three Eyed Crow.
For all the good Sam's obsidian blades did, only Jon managed to kill one of the White Walkers, and only because his sword is made of Valyrian steel, "dragon steel". Now if the Night's Watch can just convince the lords of the realm to send their ancestors blades to The Wall, perhaps they might have a chance, if only the army of the dead didn't outnumber them by so many thousands.
Lucifer - And now they just added a few thousand more too,insurmountable odds... Plus we finally got to see some more legendary powerful White Walkers other than Cold Hands. Night's King was AWESOME, 90 generations of darkness and cold has left him forgetful of the days when he had considerable advisories to combat with ... He still handled Hardhome and starred down Jon like a boss though.
Meera - Ah yes, Night's King, The most frightening of all Old Nans tales stood there looking Jon in the eye. He's real and he's bringing winter and the The Long Night with him, bringing the dead back with cold blue eyes and black hands to kill everything that lives until the whole world is darkness. Goodnight children, sleep well.
SECTION 2: Collecting Westeros
A song of wood and paint - With companies such as Funko, Dark Horse Deluxe and ThreeZero manufacturing Game of Thrones toys, vinyl is the common standard of which all these action figures are made. In this weeks article we will show you a rare piece of hidden nostalgia from a time before the World of Ice and Fire that we of know today. A time before D & D and HBO, a time before Vinyl and plastic conquered the 7 kingdoms. Join us on a quest to a world far away where there was only George R.R. Martin and his original story.
The "Battle Damaged" action figures shown in these pictures were independently produced by Mick Minogue, carved of wood and hand painted, plus include other organic materials such as twine and burlap. They are completely inspired from the books with no influence from the television series, games or any other modern media bringing us closer the World of Ice and Fire. Some of the similarities between these and the TV interpretations are compelling and some or just clever and entertaining. When asked about the possibility of more action figures in the future Mick said:
"I'd love to create a new collection of battle damaged GOT woodcuts but with work and all the demands of day to day life I just can't find the time. If I could find the right company I'd maybe look into making a few designer toys or maybe i'll do a Kickstarter? Its a tricky one as their charm lie in the fact they are hand cut and painted, maybe they are only to be one off's."
Suitable For Wildlings: One of our favorites is Jamie with the severed hand and the wood block the Goat used to chop it off. Theon tied to Ramsey's flaying cross with his bloody loin cloth is our other favorite in this collection. The Dondarrion is almost spot on between this and the series plus it is cool just for the shear fact that it's not a figure covered by any of the big companies involved with Game of Thrones toys now. The Ned is just brash and hilarious all wrapped into one, no cloak or claymore in this toy, just his head on a spike... PRICELESS!
Mick is an artist with a Facebook fan page and a website and does several other creations to enjoy as well. As of now the figures available online from a few collector accounts but seem rare and unknown among most of the toy trading forums and online groups. I have came across them once or twice at Cons but it's doubtful and hard to track them down even at speciality stores. These are great collectables for book readers and I feel most series only fans will find a surprising amount of stimuli with these figures as well.
SECTION 3: Hall of the Dead
This the Hall of the Dead. Pay your respects to the fallen of Season 5. These are the men and women who have gone to meet their gods.
* - Named character
^ - Supporting role/extra
Valar Morghulis -
S5E1 - S5E7
* White Rat
* Mance Rayder
^ Sons of the Harpy agent
* Mossador
^ Braavosi peasant
* Janos Slynt
^ Brothel Patron
^ 4 Dornish Knights
^ Sea Captain
^ 10 - 12 Unsullied
^ 16 - 24 Sons of the Harpy
^ 3 - 5 Second Sons
* Ser Barristan Selmy
^ Mereen Master
^ 3 - 5 Stonemen
^ Braavosi young female
* Maester Aemon Targaryen
^ 5 - 7 Pit Fighter slaves
S5E8
^ 2000 - 3000 Wildlings
Died at the massacre at Hardhome from Night' King and his frozen legion of death.
* Rattleshirt/Lord of Bones
Rattleshirt was a wildling and raider, known for his armor made from the bones of dead Rangers of the Night's Watch. His helm is a giants skull. Underneath he's a scrawny man, suspicious, easily offended, quick to anger. He was beat to death with a club from Tormund Giantsbane at Hardhome when he arrived with Lord Commander Snow.
* Total deaths for Season 5 so far -
(Grand total estimated)
Conservative: 2060 - 2065
Worst case scenario: upwards to 4 thousand deaths.
(Named Character total)
07
Valar Dohaeris -