I assumed it was more than just the fire that caused him to leave, that's enough to leave the battle yeah but what about leaving the king? The only thing I can remember off the top of my head is Joffrey's reaction to Sansa nearly being raped.

Something occurred to me with the Rains of Castamere over the end credits. If anyone wants to know how the finale will end, I suspect the last track on the OST gives it away. It's kinda what I'd guessed it would end on, anyway. Fitting, I think.

I saw the first series of this on Blu-Ray the other day and thought about picking it up. Worth buying???

Bern

I assumed it was more than just the fire that caused him to leave, that's enough to leave the battle yeah but what about leaving the king? The only thing I can remember off the top of my head is Joffrey's reaction to Sansa nearly being raped.

That's part of it. He definitely takes a shine to Sansa and comes to hate Joffrey as the book goes on. But I believe it's mainly his fear of fire that causes him to flee.

@Neil: just looked at the OST - interesting. Make sense to bring it forward I guess, as it would make a good cliffhanger.

I've been thinking some more and thought of a few more events that we're supposed to get. We should see some more of Arya, Dany and hopefully Ramsey in the next episode.

Burned man sees people on fire, decides he's had enough.  Seemed pretty clear to me.

 

nfe
Something occurred to me with the Rains of Castamere over the end credits. If anyone wants to know how the finale will end, I suspect the last track on the OST gives it away. It's kinda what I'd guessed it would end on, anyway. Fitting, I think.

 
Aww fuck you may be right.
 
As for the episode I thought it was incredible,very different from the books but they pulled it off well.Davo's bit was brief but effective and the wildfire explosion actually made me poo myself a little bit.
 
Cersei's drunken monologue was the best acting in this series no doubt.

BristolRuss  
I've been thinking some more and thought of a few more events that we're supposed to get. We should see some more of Arya, Dany and hopefully Ramsey in the next episode.

 
Arya and Jaqen are in the promo for next week (plus it's called Valar Morgulis so we know what's happening there). Dany in the HoTU has to happen, though I suspect in a very different fashion - the foreshadowing works in book format but on TV when you can actually see the people it'd have to be even more bizarre to not just be a series of spoilers.
 
Lots of speculation online that Dagmer IS Ramsey since he's completely taken over Reek's role, but they'd have to explain what Ramsey was doing on Pyke and why everyone thinks he's one of the Ironmen. If he isn't, I don't think we'll see him to next season.

I can understand if the people who have read the books are a bit gutted. The ep was pretty good overall though.
 
I think I'll be spending next sunday watching all the eps again just before the last one comes on

****, thought that was great, just gutted there's only one left this season. At least I can dig into the books once it's over and enjoy the season in full detail.

I loved the episode, thought the build-up was very tense and dramatic. Was very surprised to see Loras turn up, picked up straight away that it was the Tyrell bannermen aligning with the Lannisters - as a non-book-reader I made the connection that they view Stannis as a greater threat than the Lannisters - or just that they want to avenge Renly's death - are one or both of my assumptions correct?
 
I remembered the Hound's story from book 1. Agree Cersei was very good. Am looking forward to some tying up on some loose ends next week and to hopefully finding Tyrion still in one piece, it would be a pisser if he's dead.

Really enjoying this season, will have to start reading the books when I get time really.
Also, I can still barely believe that that's Jerome Flynn as Bronn.

Uninspired by the finale. The whole season has been good telly, but a huge let down after season 1.
 
The fanboys will be going bananas at the changes/omissions in that episode. I'm away to westeros.org for a giggle.

Can't say I agree on the finale but yeah, overall the second season wasn't as good as the first season.
 
Really really enjoyed the finale though was gold all the way through the episode. Could've sewn up a few more loose ends but the two big cliffhangers at the end were tremendous.

Couple of things im not sure on. (spoilers for who haven't seen the finale yet)
 
So how do they burn winterfell and escape when there was 500 men surrounding them? Also what happened to Ser Davos in the last episode, he's not dead right?

SPOILERS
 
They simply don't escape in the books - don't know why they would here, though I'm more confused why they think they've any chance. What should happen is it's taken by the Bastard of Bolton and his northerners who kills all the Ironborn, later torches it and takes Theon and tortures him for three books. It still must be the Boltons that burn Winterfell or Bran and Rickon would have no reason to flee. If the Ironmen had done it and run off then Bran and Rickon would go to the Northmen who were surrounding the castle assuming they'd be safe with them.
 
Davos will turn up on Salladhor Saan's ship next season. There's no other reason he was introduced to us.

Edit: actually the Iron islanders have no need to escape, they can just wander off. Robb told Roose that they were free to leave other than Theon.

Haven't seen the finale yet, my main gripe with the second season is the sense of stasis with the war, all the progress in this respect has come away from our main concern - the Starks! There has been a lot of focus on Robb's development as a character, but not a lot of action (beyond the odd arbitrary scene with minimal implications on the war). Meanwhile we've seen Stannis and Renly rise and fall and the Lannisters reconvene and launch that twist last week.
 
We have developed most of the characters, but so many big characters are in practically the same situation they were before while Daenerys and Jon have not quite had the compelling writing they require to maintain them as significant parts of a larger narrative.

Unfortunately, if you see the series as having any kind of 'main concern' it's always going to be very disappointing (moreso than this season has been anyway). 
 
Also, if this pace of change is frustrating, then if the series reaches A Feast For Crows and A Dance With Dragons they'll be torturous 

Well that's exactly what I'm saying, the first series laid a lot of emphasis on the Starks as it sought to establish itself and I see this season as righting that imbalance. The focus is all over the place, as it no doubt needs to be to cope with the story further down the line.
 
That said, the "change of pace" has been anything but frustrating, I've loved this series. We've seen characters growing and becoming multi-faceted and indulged in Tyrion as much as is really possible. But, regardless I can appreciate why some feel dissatisfed as some characters and plotlines have had moments lacking direction (the bird talking about Jon's cock for three episode got old pretty fast) which have threatened to spoil the momentum, which in general has not been as strong as it was in the last series.

It's really following the book series pretty closely in that regard. Eddard - and by extension the rest of the Starks - is the focus of the first book then it explodes outwards with an ever growing cast. As of A Storm Of Swords the Starks as a family aren't involved in anything. No idea how they're going to make it watchable for non-readers by that point. Once it hits RW (do not google if you've not read the books!) I think people will likely turn off in droves.
 
I think the slow pace has allowed lots of characterisation that could have been good. But has been mostly wasted. Tons of Robb making doe-eyes at Jeyne, Ygritte touching up Jon, everyone talking about how bright Tyrion is but it never being demonstrated, Dany doing nothing but moaning (but to be fair that's all she does in the book). Pretty much all wasted other than the Tywin/Arya stuff and Theon.

I for one really liked the finale, tied it all pretty well together (despite a few changes from the books which people are saying) and made me want to watch the next season/episode RIGHT NOW.
 
I watched the first 2 episodes of season 1 the other day and found it really hard to get into them again, it seemed really slow paced (due to the introduction of many characters at once) and the dialogue only backed that up.