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[Loud Whispers]

Also lmao there's no artistry involved when you're axing entire story arcs to make room for more arse fingering and tits

[Leafsnail]

He took down zero because he's an old man who hasn't had a real fight in a long time.

e: really I think you just need to look at the purpose of the scene: Blackfish stayed to fight and die because his pride would not allow him to flee a second time. It was not to showcase his epic sword skills or whatever.

[Ruludos]

I can concede the Blackfish point, Leafsnail, now that I've had time to calm down a bit; I think you're right in that it wouldn't have been very interesting to watch. I thought he was indulging in a bit of self-deprecation when I first watched it, but it really has been years since he last fought anyone.

However, I am adamant that Arya's fight cutting to black was an incredibly bad decision; the fight with the Waif was supposed to be the climax of Arya's story arc over these past two seasons, and a large chunk of time has been spent establishing the Waif's status as Arya's antagonist. That cut  was at the point where tension was highest and Arya was at her most desperate, and all of these emotions were completely wasted instead of used to create a satisfying resolution.

There were two simultanious conflicts going on in Arya's storyline, and neither of them were resolved in any satisfactory way this season. Her character hasn't been changed, as she's back to desiring revenge on Cersei like she was in Season Four. She hasn't grown physically, either, as the fight with the Waif was supposed to demonstrate her growth as a fighter/assassin and failed to do so in any way. Ultimately it feels like the entire time we've spent on her has been a waste, because she hasn't changed as a character and hasn't gained any new skills while she's been in Braavos. The only thing of note is that she killed Meryn at the end of last season.

[anzki4]

He took down zero because he's an old man who hasn't had a real fight in a long time.

e: really I think you just need to look at the purpose of the scene: Blackfish stayed to fight and die because his pride would not allow him to flee a second time. It was not to showcase his epic sword skills or whatever.

He even said to Brienne, when she offered to help him, something along the lines of: "Go! It's been a long time since my last real fight. I might hold my sword funny."

[Leafsnail]

They probably could have cut some of the Arya chase scenes to make room for that fight. I've seen people point out that after Lady Crane is killed Arya is basically in exactly the same situation that she was in at the end of Episode 7. It would probably have made more sense for her to just go straight to Crane and cut out the weird stabbing scene.

[Loud Whispers]

The sword of the morning fight was shite, Areoh Hotah goes down without a fight, Barristen Ripme, Stanislav of House Offscreen e.t.c.

He even said to Brienne, when she offered to help him, something along the lines of: "Go! It's been a long time since my last real fight. I might hold my sword funny."

In season 3, Blackfish is the one who takes over from Edmure's embarrassing marksmanship when he is incapable of lighting the funeral fire. Blackfish, being one of the most experienced battle commanders and warriors alive, is both strong and skilled enough to hit the mark (now almost out of eyeshot) where the younger Edmure could not. When Lord Karstark murders the two Lannister hostages, Blackfish is the one who captures him and his men. At the red wedding, he goes outside for a piss, where he escapes the massacre and spends three seasons reuniting the Tully Host... To disappear offscreen, with the added insult that they made him a martial embarassment owing to a lack of recent experience (despite being a frontline commander of the Northern host and then spending three seasons conducting an offscreen campaign which culminates in the retaking of Riverrun) only to be killed by his own men.
That makes about as much sense as the Iron Islands, Northlands and Dorne all being supportive of Kinslaying bastard Lords, in addition to the fact that that's poor story telling, an unsatisfying payoff, completely aborts Jaime's character development - not to say the least what was wasted on the Blackfish arc.

They probably could have cut some of the Arya chase scenes to make room for that fight. I've seen people point out that after Lady Crane is killed Arya is basically in exactly the same situation that she was in at the end of Episode 7. It would probably have made more sense for her to just go straight to Crane and cut out the weird stabbing scene.

Khal Drogo - sliced in the shoulder, wound gets infected, dies.
Robert Baratheon - gored in the gut, wound gets infected, dies.
Robb Stark - stabbed in the gut, dies.
Talisa Stark - stabbed in the gut, dies. Baby dies too.
Barristen Selmy - stabbed and dies.
Hound - stabbed, wound gets infected, presumed dead, miraculously survives under care of a Septon.
Greyworm - stabbed, is bedridden in recovery for a hell of a long time with an Empire's healthcare at his disposal.
Areo Hotah - stabbed, immediately dies.
Doran Martell - stabbed, dies almost immediately.
Arya Stark - stabbed multiple times in the gut by an order of assassins with a 100% success rate, falls into the Braavosi canals where they transport their excrement and refuse, is saved by an actress with apparently god tier surgery experience, proceeds to run around jumping from buildings, sprinting, culminating in blind stick fighting from which she is victorious, before moving on to challenge the entire house of many faces.
wat

[zombat]

Jon Snow - Stabbed, stabbed again, stabbed some more, stab stab stab. Dies. Comes back like Jesus.

[Loud Whispers]

Jon Snow - Stabbed, stabbed again, stabbed some more, stab stab stab. Dies. Comes back like Jesus.

On that note, it would've been considerably more tolerable if Arya gets stabby stabbed, dies, then gets red priested back to life like Jesus

[Comrade P.]

Apparently, the younger Stark children are, the more they are stab-proof and revival-prone.

[Xantalos]

Apparently, the younger Stark children are, the more they are stab-proof and revival-prone.

except rickon lol

[Comrade P.]

Last I seen him on the show he was held captive by Ramsay Bolton.

Which does not necessarily implies stabbing and/or death, although the probability of either/both is high.

[Leafsnail]

I like the theory that Cersei's plotting to blow up the Sept with Rhaegar's Wildfire, we saw it explode underground in Bran's vision. Then she flees the smoldering ruins of King's Landing (oops) and bumps into the Brotherhood, thus giving us Cleganebowl

[Comrade P.]

I like the theory that Cersei's plotting to blow up the Sept with Rhaegar's Wildfire, we saw it explode underground in Bran's vision. Then she flees the smoldering ruins of King's Landing (oops) and bumps into the Brotherhood, thus giving us Cleganebowl

Oooh, nice.
Chances are, this is not going to be in next week's episode though, because the likelihood of two bowls per episode that isn't even season finale is rather low.

[penguinofhonor]

Next week is episode 9, which is usually grander than the season finale in this series.

[Leafsnail]

The preview and episode title (The Battle of the Bastards. Yes, really) suggests it's going to be like Blackwater/Hardhome/that episode that was basically Attack on Titan. Episode 10 could then be about King's Landing, and I think it's meant to be something like 70 minutes long.