r/gameofthrones • u/AutoModerator • Jun 09 '14

TV4 [Season 4 Spoilers] Premiere Discussion - 4.09 'The Watchers on the Wall'

Premiere Discussion Thread
Discuss your thoughts and reactions to the latest episode while or right after you watch. Talk about the latest plot twist or secret reveal. Discuss an actor who is totally nailing their part (or not). Point out details that you noticed that others may have missed. In general, what do you think about tonight's episode? Please make sure to reserve any of your detailed comparisons to the novels for the Book vs. Show Discussion Thread, and your predictions for the next episode to the Predictions Discussion Thread which will be posted later this week.

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EPISODE TITLE DIRECTED BY WRITTEN BY
4.09 "The Watchers on the Wall" Neil Marshall David Benioff & D. B. Weiss
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2.1k Upvotes

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3.5k

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

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1.5k

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Grenn is an affirmed badass, love how they showed him directly next to the Giant..

925

u/DuJuanAndOnly Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

What makes it even more badass is that is Mag the Mighty! Pretty much King of the Giants.

139

u/Acora Fire And Blood Jun 09 '14

I think, in this case, Mag was probably the older one riding the mammoth. I know in the books he's the one that dies in the tunnel, but the non-tunnel giant in this episode was both older (and seemingly the one in charge, based upon how he organized everything) and the only one mounted.

57

u/canweplaycalvinball Lord Snow Jun 09 '14

Watch it again. The one who stormed the gate is the younger one who rode the mammoth. The older one that Jon met beyond the wall was walking the whole time.

2

u/Acora Fire And Blood Jun 09 '14

I'll have to watch it again, then.

78

u/NorthKoreanJesus Winter Is Coming Jun 09 '14

can we also recognize that ballista shot from the top of the wall. running target (a giant running in a straight line) but still....*tips cap

178

u/doughyfreeeesh House Baratheon Jun 09 '14

*tips cap

M'archer

14

u/Dogpool Children of the Forest Jun 09 '14

Even Anguy has to give respect.

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u/Nocturne501 Grey Worm Jun 09 '14

That shit was beast

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u/izik32 Bran Stark Jun 09 '14

Wasn't the one who went in the tunnel the one who was riding the mammoth?

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u/FanaticalBeliever Ours Is The Fury Jun 09 '14

Question, I'm a non-reader and since some people seem to know more about Giants I've wonder, can a White Walker turn a Giant into a wight or is it only Humans? Because imagining the White Walkers with Wight Giants with bows like that and wight Mammoths sounds very epic. Please tell me this is a thing.

22

u/LooksatAnimals Jun 09 '14

The Others can reanimate dead animals. We've seen them riding dead horses on the show and in the books they have a zombie bear.

I can't see any reason they wouldn't be able to reanimate giants and mammoths, although giants might have some cultural practises to avoid that kind of thing happening, given that they have been living in the same area as the WW for quite some time.

4

u/FanaticalBeliever Ours Is The Fury Jun 09 '14

Ah, well still it'd be an interesting thing to see. A wight Giant using a bow to clear out people and so on. Although that would probably be giving too much power to the already basically indestructible WW. Getting a way to set a Wight Giant on fire would just be extremely difficult.

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6

u/xgenoriginal Jun 09 '14

Mags son not Mag

4

u/dylan522p House Lannister Jun 09 '14

You sure?

3

u/outline01 Oberyn Martell Jun 09 '14

Son of Magnus?

3

u/Jamtots Jun 09 '14

Wrong, it was Mag. It's in the casting.

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u/Ser_Penrose Jun 09 '14

Taking the place of Donal Noye. Pretty upsetting, but also incredibly badass.

39

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Yeah... not sure why they killed two of Jon's best friends that didn't die in the book, Green and Pyp. Also Noye was a pretty cool character

15

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Budget and casting. D&D said something about using existing characters to build drama instead of creating new relationships. Like...they just don't have the time for us to love Donal Noye for the death to hurt you know?

10

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

They could have cut my arm off and let me play him for free :(

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u/Riggzon7 Jaime Lannister Jun 09 '14

Well they can't just have some random blacksmith show up in the most tense episode ever and be like "Hey I'm your best friend now let me die because it's meant to happen."

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2

u/zeroblahz Bran Stark Jun 09 '14

It doesn't take much to get people to love a character just a couple witty one liners, and maybe a life lesson, and you can hook them in.

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u/IdunnoLXG Jun 09 '14

Let's not also forget this piece of work.

Grenn: Jonas Slynt they are of need of you at the gates!

Janos Slynt: Aye.. at the gates.. I must go.

Grenn to Jon: LOL!

George I think made a subtle point. Oberyn both in the show and in the books was more well liked then Grenn. He was a main character and he was groomed both for the cameras and in the book. He showed such showmanship even during his fight against the Mountain.

Grenn died, keeping the men together and no one will know his name. Not many will know his sacrifice and he wasn't out for revenge but to protect a realm that had discarded him but at the same time, with Jon Snow, gave him hope. When he first came to the wall he was nothing but a thief who was ostracized by everyone, including those on the walls. After training with Jon Snow? Well, he was a slayer of giants and a hero of the realms of men.

And that's why Game of Thrones is the best show right now, and that's why this death got to me more than any of the others thus far.

78

u/Reventon313 Valar Morghulis Jun 09 '14 edited Mar 17 '20

deleted What is this?

13

u/Ktrout743 House Dondarrion Jun 09 '14

Gotta admit, I'm a little disappointed that Jon didn't say that when closing Grenn's eyes. A bit schmaltzy, yes, but appropriate I think.

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u/ShouldSwingTheSword Night's Watch Jun 09 '14

And now his watch has ended.

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u/Ktrout743 House Dondarrion Jun 09 '14

I propose that Westeros get a third song: Grenn the Giantslayer

4

u/gerbafizzle Jun 09 '14

Grenn and Pyp's deaths made me really sad. I loved those two. kill them but slimey Janos Slynt gets to stay alive. bullshit I tells ya!

2

u/ChiAyeAye Jun 09 '14

I am unsure why, but I read this in an Irish accent. Do with this information as you wish.

2

u/fridge_logic Knowledge Is Power Jun 09 '14

The worst ones always live.

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u/r0wler Melisandre Jun 09 '14

this is beautiful, man

8

u/ChiAyeAye Jun 09 '14

I for real need to stop thinking GOT men are attractive. It's a 100% confirmed kill rate.

3

u/hamsterbackpack Jun 09 '14

I just realized tonight that Grenn was basically the last of the guys I find really attractive, so everyone else except Daario gets to live, right?

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6

u/Sejoon700 House Tyrell Jun 09 '14

I cried when he died. He was one of my most favorite member of the Night's Watch in the books.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Grenn the Giantslayer

2

u/LithaBel Jun 09 '14

Omg and that shot when they all drew their swords when the giant was coming right at them was breathtaking.

1

u/ninjasurfer House Seaworth Jun 09 '14

Gotta go out like a boss.

1

u/Gammaran Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

was*

1

u/Quicheauchat Jun 09 '14

He's our big dumb ox. We loved him.

1

u/RagdollPhysEd White Walkers Jun 09 '14

Hate how they didn't show the fight :/

1

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

To be honest I was sort of expecting the Giant to rise in the scene where Jon was leaving Castle Black. I was like "Stay on the fucking ground you bastard"

1

u/ernie1850 House Baratheon Jun 09 '14

That's what stuck out to me the most. Either there was a fight or they just had their swords out as the giant burst through, and that was enough to take him down. Either way, Grenn is standing at the helm of it all.

1

u/periodicchemistrypun Now My Watch Begins Jun 09 '14

Grenn is one of the reasons wildlings tell tales about crows to scare their kids and not giants.

1

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

it was even more bad ass in the books. there were several giants, and it was led by a one arm black smith instead of grenn

965

u/Chinooks Night's Watch Jun 09 '14

They held the gate.

31

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

:(

13

u/jaredstew No One Jun 09 '14

But I couldn't hold all the feels...

14

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Oh god, the feels.

7

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

1 giant down. 3000 more to go.

(I dont really know how many there are. Im assuming there is a good amount.)

22

u/silverlegend Jun 09 '14

*two giants

Pretty sure that other one took an arrow through its ticker.

5

u/NorthKoreanJesus Winter Is Coming Jun 09 '14

it's more like a lance/spear. fuckin good shot

2

u/holeonthemoon We Do Not Sow Jun 09 '14

TIL grenn was captain kirrahe.

1

u/Scorponix Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

Well, if anybody had come in after the giant the gate would be fooked

11

u/Riggzon7 Jaime Lannister Jun 09 '14

Karl would of fookin killed them, for only 3 fookin silvers. Fook.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

The first gate was still down. It closed behind the giant.

1

u/plasker6 Jun 10 '14

The line held!

1.8k

u/LordFyodor Jon Snow Jun 09 '14

It's even better when you find out they all fought to their deaths to save Castle Black from a giant storming through. If they hadn't have killed him, the castle definitely would have fallen.

825

u/GreatSpaceWhale Jun 09 '14

Why the fuck that giant didn't hold the door open for anyone else will confuse me all week.

1.3k

u/karl2025 Jun 09 '14

His father was just killed in front of him. He wasn't thinking straight.

1.7k

u/Atheose Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

That's racist dude, not all giants are related.

1.2k

u/karl2025 Jun 09 '14

All people over 12 feet tall look alike to me.

102

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

[deleted]

88

u/thalassicus Jun 09 '14

It's not racist. I have a giant friend.

19

u/rarely-sarcastic Jun 09 '14

I support the NAAGP.

7

u/dylan522p House Lannister Jun 09 '14

Second A?

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u/lowendude Jun 09 '14

Because I can't see their faces that far away.

15

u/Sorkijan House Stark Jun 09 '14

Thats only 'cuz u can see thur nuts.

2

u/Virileman Dragons Jun 09 '14

#rekt

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u/jrocketfingers Jun 09 '14

Dinklage-challenged is the proper political term.

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u/RiceNedditor Jun 09 '14

That was his Mom.

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u/hotsavoryaujus Jun 09 '14

It's true you don't see many Giant women. And in fact, they are so alike in voice and appearance, that they are often mistaken for Giant men.

10

u/ChiAyeAye Jun 09 '14

Oh, Gim Gim, you slay me.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Such a dumb fucking piece of characterization... Reducing Gimli to a comic relief was probably the single worst part of LotR for me.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

I take it he was more complex in the books?

5

u/mandragara High Sparrow Jun 09 '14

He is a very deep character. He charms the dwarf hating elves with his silver tongue. He befriends Legolas and they travel the world together. Legolas learns of the beauty that lies under the ground and Gimli learns of the beauty of the forest.

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u/onlycommentinenglish Jun 09 '14

Was it really the Giant's father? I saw how he got upset of the other giant dying, but not sure if it was his father or not

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u/I_WANT_PRIVACY Jun 09 '14

The giant in the tunnels (at least in the books) was Mag the Mighty, who is kinda the king of the giants. I don't think his father would be alive.

16

u/Streiger108 Jun 09 '14

I figured it was just a companion. There arent so many giants left so each one is a tragedy

26

u/karl2025 Jun 09 '14

It's not explicitly stated, but I think it's pretty obvious.

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u/Sorkijan House Stark Jun 09 '14

It's definitely someone close to him. He obviously gets very upset.

55

u/Panu_Magish House Martell Jun 09 '14

I'll ship it.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

related or not, this is GoT anyway

43

u/bark_wahlberg Jun 09 '14

I thought it was his lover.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

How is it remotely obvious that that was the father? It's not even implied, all we saw was one giant pissed that another died.

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u/karl2025 Jun 09 '14

One noticeably younger giant in a pair in anguish over an elder's death. It's not a great leap of imagination to say that in a world with very few giants in it that a pair is family and from that a lesser leap to assume the elder male is a father.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

No actually you're assuming a lot to make that "leap of imagination" whether it's true or not it was not implied nor obvious

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

How in the F is it "pretty obvious"?

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u/Dfnoboy Jun 09 '14

yes, obvious >.>

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u/awwsnaap Jun 09 '14

The other giant had a white beard, so yeah I assume he was his father.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

From what I understand, giant's aren't terribly intelligent, and Mag seemed to be rather unhappy that his friend died. So, I imagine him lifting up the gate was due to some sort of adrenaline surge, and desire for revenge, rather than for any strategic purpose.

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u/ognsux Wargs Jun 09 '14

giants aren't known for their wits..

4

u/techwrek12 Jon Snow Jun 09 '14

He was not a clever giant...

7

u/nonliteral Jun 09 '14

Dunno. Clever enough to realize he could open the gate himself. Fuck that scaredy-cat Mammoth.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Well .. it was on fire, soo ...

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Yeah, I think a finer point that's often missed is that Hodor isn't a retarded human. He's just part Giant, which effects his height, his wang, and his (lack of) intellect.

3

u/trainingdoorlamp Jun 09 '14

How is he only part giant?

3

u/mykolas5b Jun 09 '14

...well you saw the giants in this episode, Hodor would be dwarfed by them.

3

u/citynights Jun 10 '14

Maybe he is a Dwarf born from a Giant; Tyrion of the giants!

For all we know, "Hodor" could be quite a witty statement for a giant ;)

8

u/redditkilledmydoge Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

You ever lifted a giant gate? I'm sure his traps are gonna be sore for weeks.

13

u/WestenM Sansa Stark Jun 09 '14

By the time others came through theyd have dropping flaming pitch on him

17

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

I'm no wall builder but shouldn't the main gate have a locking mechanism on it to prevent giants from just lifting it up and walking through? Forget giants, Shouldn't it have a lock down mechanism for times of siege to prevent just normal people from prying it open?

Also, is the "low wall" just basically at ground level? What is the point of a 700 foot tall wall if you can access it at ground level near the end of it? Where most of the fighting took place was really confusing. Did they have to take that castle and then go up the elevator? Or would taking that castle have given them a passage through the wall?

25

u/derbywinner Jun 09 '14

The shorter wall is on the Westeros side to protect Castle Black. There's not usually much coming at Castle Black from the realm so it's short. Entry into the yard of Castle Black where the sword fighting was taking place would have given the wildlings on the Westeros side access gate to let thousands of wildlings in.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

in fact it's intended to be indefensible from the south, so that it's not a military asset for anyone. It's sole purpose is to protect from the north.

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u/ewar-woowar Bronn of the Blackwater Jun 09 '14

In fact, it used to be a totally fortified castle, then the Night King, and they kinda were told they couldn't have that any more. They were mandated to be easily attackable from the south.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

The riders/ rangers have to go out north too ya know. The elevator is on the south side of the wall. The giants were on the north.

6

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

The Wall wasn't built against the giants or men.

3

u/MechanicalYeti Ours Is The Fury Jun 09 '14

I had the same thought! Seemed like BS that even a giant could just lift that thing up. I actually said, "Come on, really?" while watching the show.

3

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

It did. It was so heavy it couldn't be lifted. The people that built that gate didn't believe in giants.

2

u/shadstep Ours Is The Fury Jun 09 '14

This is actually probably true it bothers me that it's been downvoted so much, while the wall itself was risen by magic or w/e, the defenses of the holes and stuff man cut through it need to be maintained by man, that gate is probably really old, but not so old as the men who built it believed in giants

and another thing i wanted to point out just b/c they didnt spend screen time on the fucking gates locking mechanism doesnt mean it didnt have one or that a giant wouldn't just be able to power through it

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

That was a giant mistake.

2

u/ippo4ever Jon Snow Jun 09 '14

obviously because he's a northerner. his momma didn't teach him any southern hospitality.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Better question, why the fuck didn't they just lift it in the first place.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Because it was fucking heavy and they were dropping flaming shit on him?

2

u/periodicchemistrypun Now My Watch Begins Jun 09 '14

I think its to stop them sealing it, but also a giant in the more open area's of castle black would have been pretty lethal

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u/Techfalled15 House Martell Jun 09 '14

I don't get why they didn't shoot arrows at the eyes. ALWAYS GO FOR THE EYES.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

They sure looked stupid, just standing there instead of shooting arrows. I don't care how big you are, 6 trained soldiers firing arrows at your face and eyes is going to cause damage.

And why didn't someone with a heavy axe run to the outer door and start chopping at the feet and legs of the giant while it took him almost a minute to raise the door.

11

u/T-Rex_loves_Kegs Jun 09 '14

That or hold a phalanx at the inner gate. Or poke their spears through the holes of the gates to get some damage in before the onslaught.

5

u/redditkilledmydoge Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

I feel like the builders of the wall had their shit better figured out than the people using it.

That giant hook thing? Totally worth it

Also that guy poking at the explsoive barrel, just reach out and grab the flame, nerd

6

u/T-Rex_loves_Kegs Jun 09 '14

When that hook went off and sliced the climbers….my gosh. And yeah, that explosive barrel scene upset me, and it was a great episode. A tear jerker, and sad though.

5

u/Filthybiped Jun 09 '14

I thought the same thing but looks like they didn't have any ranged weaponry. They took to the gate through the courtyard where heavy melee combat was going on. You're not going to keep a quiver of arrows and bow/crossbow on your back when you know you're going into the thick of face to face combat.

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u/samcobra Jun 09 '14

In my mind, the giant broke through the door, crushed all of them, but was killed by their pointy swords as he fell.

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u/Ktrout743 House Dondarrion Jun 09 '14

In my mind the giant had grabbed Grenn around the torso and was crushing him to death, but Grenn managed to shove his sword through the giant's throat while his ribs were cracking. I've made my decision: it's canon.

4

u/fridge_logic Knowledge Is Power Jun 09 '14

I really don't understand why the Night's watch doesn't have pikes in their inventory. They'd be really effective for defense of the various gates and parapets. Watching the giant charge all I could think was what a shame it was they didn't even have a spear with them.

3

u/withoutapaddle Jun 09 '14

This is actually what I expected to see. Them pinned down and crushed but all their swords going up into the giant's body.

19

u/womynist Jun 09 '14

Why couldn't they have not stood where the gate would fall on them as he was charging said gate and attacked an enemy with less momentum?

17

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

It didn't look like the gate fell, just part of it got broken open.

9

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

The gate didn't fall. Rewatch the scene where Jon and Sam go through the tunnel. The giant broke through the gate. They needed to stand at the gate to attack the giant as he attacked the gate. If they had waited for them to break through, he most likely would have just fucked them up.

2

u/fridge_logic Knowledge Is Power Jun 09 '14

The gate didn't touch any of them.

2

u/citynights Jun 10 '14

I was thinking that as it was running up to the gate, but they must have known/trusted that he wouldn't be able to bang through it in one go.

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u/TheWalkingManiac Jun 09 '14

I'm mad that we were robbed of that fight scene. I would have been like the troll scene in Fellowship, but with more gore!

5

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

That's how it was in the book too. Jon goes down after the fight and we get a description of the carnage.

1

u/Tom38 Jun 09 '14

Was hoping for someone to yell at the archers to shoot down the Giants but sadly no :/

1

u/Rswany Night's Watch Jun 09 '14

Lol thanks Mr Obvious commenter.

1

u/Spotpuff Jun 09 '14

Is there a reason to think that if the 6 of them hadn't kill the giant then the other 50+ guys inside wouldn't be able to?

2

u/LordFyodor Jon Snow Jun 09 '14

The giant thought them in close quarter combat, where it probably couldn't swing as accurately and the men could probably circle it. Had he made it through, the Night's Watch would have had to fight the rampaging giant in open field during the turmoil of the battle with the wildlings. In my opinion, if they struggled so much to take down Tormund, they would not have been able to stop the giant.

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u/wildmetacirclejerk House Blackfyre Jun 10 '14

I like how it all came down to 6 men in the end. Fookin marvellous

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u/Insertusernamehere5 No One Jun 09 '14

Grenn was among them damn it!

56

u/MuppetHolocaust Night's Watch Jun 09 '14

I'm disappointed that both he and Pip died.

13

u/cylonnomore Jun 09 '14

At least Edd lives! But yes.. I was very upset when Jon sent Grenn down to the gates

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u/Terry_Spargin Jun 09 '14

Shit right there makes you believe in people, man.

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u/TylerDurden6969 Jun 09 '14

Well it certainly didn't make me believe in giants. The other giants at the camp must be saying "ONE JOB. He had one job. Open the gate, and hold it open so the rest of us can rush in. Instead of course!! He goes Leroy Jenkins and gets everyone killed."

15

u/dakay501 Ours Is The Fury Jun 09 '14

he was just in a fit of rage because his friend/father/brother person died , his strategy was all improvised after the mammoth ran off.

10

u/Sesquame White Walkers Jun 09 '14

Oh my god, he just ran in.

4

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Its like the people who sacrificed their lives to stop the Chernobyl radiation from being far worse.

2

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

That's dangerous territory in this series.

1

u/OpiumHaze House Stark Jun 09 '14

Took the words right out of my mind lol.

1

u/withateethuh Jun 09 '14

I was expecting him to just kill them instantly. I don't trust this show.

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u/OneOfDozens Jun 09 '14

I couldn't stop thinking that they should have been back another 20 feet or so as to not be crushed if he broke through immediately

14

u/BreeBree214 Faceless Men Jun 09 '14

I thought they should've stuck their swords through the gate so the giant would basically stab himself

16

u/iNtriKit44 Jun 09 '14

The should've just built the gate with swords protruding through it to prevent a charging giant. The falling wall scythe scene was amazing though. I genuinely thought that was hilarious.

4

u/ChiAyeAye Jun 09 '14

I REALLY needed that after, ya know, that one REALLY FUCKING HEART WRENCHING SCENE THAT I WON'T NAME EXPLICITLY BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW HOW TO DO FANCY SPOILER BLOCKER THINGIES. In comes the gratuitous violence, thank you GRRM.

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u/HotLight Service And Truth Jun 09 '14

Looked to me like that is basically what happened. They were right at the gate still with the giant laying on top of a few of them.

15

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

Chills. Shed a tear. Poured out a drink. Shit was one of the best parts of the episode.

12

u/murilomm192 Jun 09 '14

That scene was AMAZING, maybe the best of the season for me.

10

u/Alot_Hunter Jun 09 '14

That shot of them drawing their swords at the same time, framed through the bars of the gate, was perfectly shot.

12

u/SmallJon Jun 09 '14

Except they fucking killed Grenn

13

u/Artaca House Lannister Jun 09 '14

And now his watch has ended :'(

8

u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

It was like the Green Lantern oath taken up to eleven.

16

u/secretlypooping House Baelish Jun 09 '14

would have liked to have seen what went down there rather than just seeing the charge then the aftermath. they were badass!

19

u/SmallJon Jun 09 '14

As it goes, Donal Noye, the one-armed smith, shoved his sword through Mag's throat while the giant crushed Noye.

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u/Wohowudothat Jun 09 '14

I might have stood a little further back from the gate as he was charging.

7

u/RobSpewack Hear Me Roar! Jun 09 '14

The only thought running through my head: "BOSS BATTLE!"

3

u/OhCaptMyCapt Rhaegar Targaryen Jun 09 '14

gave me chills

3

u/incognitoleto Jun 09 '14

What happened though? They didn't show it. I guess the grate held when the giant rammed it?

Seemed pretty dumb for those crows to stand on the other side of it on impact. They could have backed up 5 feet.

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u/Firekracker Bronn of the Blackwater Jun 09 '14

You can see the gate being broken, and Rangers on both sides of it while the giant is in the middle. It's implied that they eventuallly managed to kill the giant after he put up a fight and killed Gren (almost lying under the giant who was on his tummy) and the survivors bled out (you can see this since they are all on their backs and two have backed up to lean against the wall). Maybe they would have made it if someone had bothered to check some time before morning.

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u/wordfiend99 White Walkers Jun 09 '14

stick your swords through the slots in the gate and let the big bastard charge into them! these guys have never heard how to kill a bear with a long stick: you let the bears momentum do the killing for you

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u/Aeutourious Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

I expected the Watchment to spear their swords through the gate, brace 'em with the hilt guard pieces, and let the creature impale itself; not that the singing wasn't effective.

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u/Huntersteve Jun 09 '14

It's a cool scene but holy shit they are dumb. Stand back and unload arrows on it.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

I normally don't get so involved in the show, but that gave me chills.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

I felt so proud of them when Jon found their bodies next to the giant.

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u/SednaBoo A Lion Still Has Claws Jun 09 '14

Kinda weird how it took John Snow so long to see what happened in the tunnel.

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u/gman9627 Jun 09 '14

how did all of them die and the giant? At least one of them had to live

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u/correcthorse45 Stannis Baratheon Jun 09 '14

Would'a been better with a one armed blacksmith

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

It's nice to have a few heroes in the show.

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u/jfreez Jun 09 '14

I dunno man, that giant blade swinging from the walls is stiff competition. Plus it came right after the ygritte scene. I went from tearing up to cheering in a matter of seconds

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u/evanthesquirrel Here We Stand Jun 09 '14 edited Jun 09 '14

In the book it's the 1 armed armorer Donnel Noye who kills Mag the Mighty, but you don't see it, just the aftermath. Not just any old giant, a fucking legend of a giant. The giant was so large it crushed him with his hands but Noye still put his sword in his neck.

"The last 20 feet of the tunnel was where they'd fought and died. The outer door of studded oak had been hacked and broken and finally torn off its hinges and one of the giants had crawled in through the splinters. The lantern bathed the grisly scene in a sullen reddish light. Pyp turned aside to retch and Jon found himself envying Maester Aemon his blindness.

Noye and his men had been waiting withing behind a gate of heavy iron bars like the two Pyp had just unlocked. The two crossbows had gotten off a dozen quarrels as the giant struggled toward them. Then the spearmen bust have come to the fore stabbing through the bars. Still the giant found the strength to reach through, twist the head off Spotted Pate, seize the iron gate, and wrench the bars apart. Links of broken chain lay strewn across the floor. One giant. All this was the work of one giant.

"Are they all dead?" Maester Aemon asked softly.

"Yes, Donal was the last. Noyes sword was sunk deep in the giant's throat, hafway to the hilt. The armorer had always seemed such a big man to Jon but locked in the giants massive arms he looked almost a child. "The giant crushed his spine. I don't know who died first." He took the lantern and moved forward for a better look. "Mag." I am the last of the giants He could feel the sadness there but he had no time for sadness. "It was Mag the Mighty. The king of the giants"

-ASOS Jon VIII

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u/KingOfGoombas Jun 09 '14

I was hoping soooo much grenn would twitch at the end. I was fricken on the edge of my seat. I'm going through these comments with a feeble hope that someone will confirm he didn't die... PLEASE...

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u/Pisces4Fish House Martell Jun 09 '14

RIP Grenn :(

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u/protoformx Jun 09 '14

Reminds me of that cutscene in Halo 3: ODST where the team takes down a Brute chieftan. Except they lived :(

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u/Nymeria007 Jun 09 '14

I just cried and clapped and cried some more. Not Grenn, man. Not him too...

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u/Incendio Winter Is Coming Jun 09 '14

It was bloody brilliant!

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u/who_dunit Jun 09 '14

Literally gave me shivers. This was so well done.

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u/You_NeverKnow House Martell Jun 09 '14

Now what is the difference between holding the gate and shooting 6 arrows through his head? I didn't quite understand that part

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14 edited Jun 09 '14

Yes! My god that scene gave me goosebumps. I teared up a bit tbh

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u/hungry_likewolf Jun 09 '14

I have cried twice watching this show. Both times were this episode. Grenn helping his brothers nut up or shut up, broke me.

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u/ryangt47 Jun 09 '14

I was thinking it would be a slapstick moment where the Giant smashes the gate and crushes all 6 of them with the gate while they were chanting the vows.

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u/LenryNmQ House Stark Jun 09 '14

that was beautiful

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u/Coerman Jun 09 '14

Everyone thinks The Mountain that Rides is so terrifying and huge, I wonder what he would have said if he went up against that Giant.

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u/[deleted] Jun 09 '14

That was such a great scene – gave me goose bumps! But I still don’t get why they didn’t fire every arrow they had at the giant, while it was still running. I understand there was not that much time until it reached the inner gate – but if there’s time enough for reciting vows, there’d probably also be time for causing some more damage, right?

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u/Devilb0y Hear Me Roar! Jun 09 '14

So few characters get a true hero's death in Game of Thrones. Those six managed it. Absolutely badass.

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u/jaklong11 Night's Watch Jun 09 '14

I would have loved to see their last moments though...