Comments on: Recap: ‘Game Of Thrones’ Season 4 Episode 4, ‘Oathkeeper’ Needs A Trigger Warning

By: Emma

Emma — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Yeah because age ratings and the warning screen (this show has violence, nudity etc) before shows isn't enough of a trigger warning..
Also it's not like in the show rape is being depicted as a GOOD THING! It's bad, awful, and terrifying and it's set in a medieval era where this stuff is common, no one is watching this show thinking 'wow okay there was rape in g of t rape is okay now'
It's television and will not always be politically correct-especially considered they aren't living in the 21st century….

By: Emily

Emily — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Per Craster's Keep and the "titillating" rape scene:

Titillating means: arousing mild sexual excitement or interest; salacious.
Woman crawling and scratching at the floor, trying to get away, crying, screaming, or just collapsed in a used up, broken pile of wasted humanity–not titillating. Woman up on all fours, gratuitous breasts swinging, ridiculously buff six pack man heaving away in the background–that sounds a little different doesn't it? At best, this was a scene executed by individuals with a very poor ability to portray a realistic scenario. At worst? You all know what the worst is, and I'm pretty sure it's the unfortunate truth. This was appalling. Defending it is appalling. For God's sake, there is a commenter in this thread that didn't even realize it was rape! I'm not offended, I'm not a prude, I'm not a shrew or any other classic misogynist insult you would like to throw at me for being horrified at the implications of this awful scene. I love the book, and I was enjoying the show. A little soft core porn never hurt anyone, but this was something else entirely. I hope to God no one found it arousing and I'm not accusing anyone of that, but it certainly wasn't done in a fashion keeping with the stark, harsh but realistic manner uniquely appealing to this series. HBO and GOT deserve to be called out on that.

By: Daryl Hannah

Daryl Hannah — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Fredric Jameson has been invoked in a Game of Thrones talkback. http://goo.gl/QepRlz

But seriously, the complete misinterpretation of Jaime/Brienne's farewell – one of the more touching scenes in the show's history – as a dig?

By: Tekoflaps

Tekoflaps — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

I saw people having sex at Crasters but never saw Rape-I think your mind is a bit sick.
Worst "jokey" review I've ever read. Go back to church.

By: Freddie

Freddie — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

I would suggest that the depiction of rape is totally in keeping with what we have learned from this show. Rape in our society is an abominable thing (and rightly so), however in the world of Game of Thrones it happens all too regularly. Therefore by showing rape in this fashion (albeit such an unpleasant one) it is the best way to get across the realm in which some of these detestable characters inhabit. It's makes it difficult for me to comprehend why so many people are complaining about the show to such an extent (at least in this scene in this episode). There have been more graphic and gratuitous scenes throughout and I see no point in shying away from the darkest corners of this world, otherwise this show would not be as good as it is. Furthermore, if the director labels the infamous scene from the last episode as 'consensual by the end' we sadly have to accept that fact. As far as the storyline of the show goes that is how the characters view the scene (although the director monumentally screwed it up by not understanding the difference between the two, thus leading to it being depicted has rape). Also, one could argue that the number of children that have been killed on this show right in front of our eyes have been as offensive as this scene.

By: Sam

Sam — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

The portrayal of rape is Craster's Keep was offensive to me. I believe the producers are being more provocative and graphic for shock value, but they do not realize that this repeat exposure to graphic rape can de-sensitize viewers to the face that rape is a HORRIFIC CRIME and not something that "just happens". I the attempt to meet their "boob quota" the producers have glamorized such an unforgivable act.

By: Concerned Citizen's Arrest

Concerned Citizen's Arrest — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

"Hello 911? I'd like to report a deviation from the Game Of Thrones books."

By: Bosco P Kitty

Bosco P Kitty — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Hey girls, might I suggest not watching the show if you hate it so much? Weird concept, I know, as it will leave you nothing to complain about. Just a thought.

By: jawsnnn

jawsnnn — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

I felt as if i was reading a review for How I Met Your Mother. Totally juvenile, and missed it by a mile. Let's find these guys a dictionary and educate them on the meaning of the word gratuitous first.

By: SweetBrown

SweetBrown — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

It's Jacob Anderson who potrays Grey Worm, not Jacob Alexander.

By: j

Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

It was shocking to see the rape scene at craster's keep. It's like there's two casts: real actors and porn actors. When you read the books, you're never convinced that the bad guys have good motives (I.e. Jamie). The nice thing about the tv show is that things are moving along, some big mysteries are being answered, and the crossing of paths that you hope for but don't see might actually happen!

By: Chris

Chris — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

The whole of Episode 4 was about 70% different from the book and I don't like the way that's heading. The Crasters Keep scenes and Bran's capture were entirely fictitious wrt the book and with Jon riding out to Crasters (again, not in Storm of Swords) there is a potential for a massive deviation. The rapey bits were just showing the breakdown of the boys from the stoic Night's Watchmen to unlawful animals with free flesh on tap – nothing out of the ordinary or shocking IMO.
I'm more concerned with the story.
I wondered about the KILL THE MASTERS bit but then thought that might have been Greyworm showing off with his new found tongue.

By: Double Standards

Double Standards — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

So what, rape is bad but crucifixion is alright? I guess it's because they weren't women right?

By: Lori

Lori — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Thank you so much Katie! It's hard to call GoT out for rape because so many defend it so your voice is appreciated and necessary. I agree Jaime's story-arc is messy because of the rape scene. I might as well ignore it as the show seems to have done. Good job GoT tossing rape in for the hell of it. Because of Slothful writing and direction the Crastor's scene was god awful porny. In general the show treats female nudity in a cheap and often humiliating way.

There is a lot I like about the show but it is so often hateful toward women and male gaze-y that it is hard to watch. Almost Embarrassing to watch, and I wouldn't except some chars and storylines are done so very well and I don't want to miss those aspects so I put up with the garbage to get the gold.

By: DF

DF — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Rape of Women during the Middle and early Ages was common get use to seeing it you Policitally correct lot.

By: sati

sati — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

The opening paragraph of this 'review' is a travesty. You are actually paying those oversensitive people for their hysterics? Shame on you and the person who wrote this.

By: Freddie

Freddie — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

By: D G

D G — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Meh article. It starts out with you griping endlessly about things that have been going on in the show for some time now. Then you end up mentioning your "book buddies", that's where I stopped reading. Comparison or not, I don't want anything even hinting to spoiler material.

I'll look elsewhere for a proper recap article.

By: Blizzard : I troll!

Blizzard : I troll! — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

You watch game of thrones which is porn for your mind, then you should be prepared. The world can't suit to your tastes… you should to its. Just because you want vanila sex, doesn't mean they should produce it (if you had insisted that as consumers and had been in large numbers, that would have happened. Them, we call prudes; they don't watch GoT). Now, your friends who cheered for softporn, cheer for rape, for orgies and anything more. You see, this is how it works… the more gruesome, the more chilling action under capitalistic mindset. Finding yourself on the other side of the discussion, eh?
GoT and series like that rely on a dose of shock (that's smut for you). You are supposed to find it repulsive, then get addicted to it! And we shouldn't berate them; if not them, others would have done it. Now, that we know that God did 't create this world, we definitely are shaping it. [Before someone starts barking, I am not talking of God in this post… I am talking of culture and the choices we make as a society]. Don't you tell me that you have been seeing this to understand life in the medieval times.

By: Michael

Michael — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Ms. Walsh,
Due respect, but I think you're misreading (or possibly misrepresenting, but I'd prefer to believe the former) an aspect of the Cersei/Jaime interaction and, by extension, the later interaction between Jaime and Brienne. Cersei does not "command" Jaime to "find" Sansa Stark. Rather, she asks him a hypothetical, the paraphrased essence of which is this: "If I asked you to hunt down Sansa and KILL her, would you do it?"

Knowing his sister has already offered a knighthood to anyone who does kill Sansa, and mindful of his oath to Catelyn Stark, Jaime tasks Brienne with finding the girl and PROTECTING her. He isn't telling Brienne to carrying out his sister's orders; he's trying to prevent them from being carried out. Brienne recognizes this, and respects it.

While some might say this is still Jaime passing the buck to some extent, I'd find it a weak argument. For one thing, riding forth in person to find Sansa, even for the purpose of protecting her, would be breaking his oath as a member of the Kingsguard– a minor point to us, maybe, but worth mentioning because it's an important point to Jaime. Moreover, if he did find Sansa, his presence would only serve to draw attention to her, putting her in more peril. Beyond that, Brienne is far better-suited to protect Sansa right now than he is. Jaime is taking Tyrion's advice from a few episodes ago: if you are less capable of doing the job yourself, delegate.

By: Tula

Tula — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

I didn't like the fourth episode either, but I do like the Jaime ârape scene apartâ he went through a lot and grew to be a man deciding by his own ethics for the first time in his life â'Kingslayer' is way too badass for a man who couldn't disobey his daddy.
I was confused with Locke's appearance in Castle Black because the actor was indeed who cut Jaime's hand but I recall that character as 'Vargo Hoat' (from Storm of Swords). Also hated the Craster's scene because is nonsense gore: I knew that those poor girls where raped on a daily basis by Craster and now by the Mutinees, but everyday life is so full of genre violence that I don't need that on my face in my Sundaynight TV show.
I think that part was a detour to present a character because in A Dance with Dragons, we know of what comes to the Mutinees after that character informs Bran on the matter.
Ser Barristan Selmy once said that greatness and madness are two sides of the same coin and whenever a Targaryen was born, the Gods flip the coin and wait for it to see which side It landed. That's the Daenerys' storyline: she is fighting against slavers in order to make herself grow while we all wait for her dragons to grow enough to be useful in a battle.
People of Meereen speak Ghiscari, they use High Valyrian as a 'lingua franca'. It was a literary faux pas to write the graffiti in The Common Tongue of Westeros (English), but not even the most hard core book's fan would have been able to read it… But let's imagine that the message was encrypted so the Masters might feel threatened but remain clueless.

By: Monty

Monty — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

defense of the scene boils down to 2 arguments:
1-rape of women was common in the "middle ages", it's realistic
2-it's a fictional work, don't take it so seriously

can't have it both ways, can you?

Also it's a strawman argument, most of the commenters who object are responding to how it is depicted not the fact that it is depicted, although some are arguing the scene is not even necessary. None actually said there should be no rape in the storyline, only that it shouldn't be shown in a titillating way, to get everyone's rocks off.

By: Thelonias

Thelonias — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

This show has too much rape. This movie has too much murder. I don't like things that don't agree with me because I'm a politically correct asshat.

Sweet god, trigger warning? For a few rapey grunts and groans in the background? Get over yourself

By: Begoneh

Begoneh — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

Hi, Begoneh, writing in from the US… I'm sorry but I'm baffled by your PC, almost school marmish, disapproval of the sexual violence on GOT. It's a bloody, violent world and the writers managed to convey that in Craster's house by depicting the casual, offhanded way the rapes were occurring in the background. 21st Century political correctness just doesn't apply.

On the "Kill the Masters" graffiti — I couldn't agree with you more. It was ridiculous and jarring. For the life of me I can't figure out why they didn't write it in Valyrian and then subtitle it like they do the dialog.

By: Chad Brick

Chad Brick — Fri, 13 May 2016 07:39:19 +0000

"I donât know what it is in the book, but this ainât it."

Mostly spoiler free….First, remember that time in GoT has no meaning, both in the books and on TV. Some plot lines seem to be working on the scale of weeks, and others years. Due to differences on TV and on paper, the Bran and Arya plots are too far along and hitting some filler. Jon will get a couple episode's worth in order to deal with the Bran / Craster's keep issue and get his timing in alignment for the season finale. Dany's plot-line is also far too far along and is going to have to stall for a while. She's already in book five. The Lannister plot-lines are the laggards, and Episode 10 will end as book three ended for them. Ditto Stannis.