10 Things I Hated About Season 6 Of Game Of Thrones: #1 Battle of the Bastards
Yup, Finally At The End Of My Benioff and Weiss Season 6 #GoT Journey
Were you convinced that Season 6 of GoT was pure greatness?
Not me.
So, over the next 10 days, I am going to post the ten things that drove me crazy about Game of Thrones Season 6.
I fully realize that I am in the minority on this but I am okay with people disagreeing with me. I also don't usually write because of ego or certainty that I am right.
In fairness, I did enjoy much of Season 6 but every time I started really enjoying things another Benioff and Weiss "consolidation" problem would appear on the show. I really don't mind Benioff and Wiess taking a different route to GRRM's conclusions, my problem is when the shortcuts undermine the logic of the characters and plot.
The picture of Jar Jar is a reference to me giving out Jar Jar awards throughout Season 6 based on feeling that Benioff and Weiss have come down with George Lucas Disease of late.
Sorry, The Battle Of The Bastards Made No Sense
Was the “Battle of the Bastards” fun to watch, of course. In particular, the "point of view" camera work that allowed you to see much of the battle from Jon’s perspective was really incredible.
But, that does not change the fact that the battle itself made NO SENSE.
So, Jon Snow (Kit Harrington) has significantly inferior numbers, but his battle plan is to encourage the bulk of Ramsay’s forces into the center of his forces and then envelop them on either side (in essence the strategy Ramsay himself puts into effect during the battle).
An envelopment strategy makes NO SENSE when you have significantly inferior forces. Sure, you can attack the sides of the superior force after they commit to your center, but now your center has been crushed and you are still severely outnumbered. The superior force is capable of turning and fighting and most likely has yet to commit their reserves.
In addition, Jon has no cavalry, much less heavy cavalry (Ramsay does), and he is facing a better armed and trained force.
Despite all of this, he isn’t trying to delay and is coming up with no other tricks or devices?
Yes, I totally get that he feels that he has to save his half-brother Rickon, but if Ramsay (Iwan Rheon) wanted to kill Rickon before the battle, he could have done so at literally any moment prior to Jon massing his forces at Winterfell.
Jon has committed himself, his forces, and any hope of saving the North from the Walkers to what, to any military strategist, is a suicide mission.
Apparently, Jon, who is an experienced battle commander and renowned swordsman, is now either suicidal or an idiot. Oh, and he is advised by another experienced battle commander Davos Seaworth (Liam Cunningham), who is also going along with a battle plan that cannot be successful.
Heck, even Tormund Giantsbane (Kristofer Hivju) would know that this battle plan would have zero hope of success.
Even Sansa (Sophie Turner) calls Jon out or his stupidity. She clearly makes the correct argument (that Rickon cannot be saved) and warns Jon that he cannot allow Ramsay to use Rickon to trick him into something stupid.
So what does Jon do?
Jon mentions that inferior forces have defeated superior forces before (usually because they have a superior battle plan, hold the high ground, or use superior or innovative military technology none of which is true of Jon’s forces) and just goes forward with the plan anyway.
Not only that, he does exactly what Sansa correctly warned him not to do. He immediately throws his plan into the garbage and commits his entire force to the futile effort to save Rickon.
Jon has never been stupid or suicidal. I refuse to believe that he is stupid or suicidal now (especially with everything he cares about at stake). This was bad writing.
Also, why did Rickon (Art Parkinson) run away from Ramsay in a straight line? At least make it a challenge for goodness sakes (Serpentine for God's sakes).
Three other things that really bothered me about the Battle of the Bastards:
1. Ramsay is not a military genius. He has cunning but not militarily trained. Despite this, somehow he and Smalljon Umber had the time to turn the Bolton forces into the Roman Legion? It was cool to watch, but again, the logic was questionable.
2. Nothing was at stake.
Everyone who paid attention knew that Sansa had sent for the Knights of the Vale. It was no surprise at all when they showed up and won the day.
3. Sansa quotes Ramsay back to him before she sicks the dogs on him (she mentions that he said that he hasn’t fed his dogs in weeks before the battle). Sansa could not have known Ramsay said this because she left the field before Ramsay spoke.
Anyway, it was a fun battle to watch, if you didn’t mind that everything else about it made almost no sense.
Need to Catch Up?
This series included:
#10: Margaery Tyrell - You can read this post by clicking HERE
#9: Dorne - You can read this post by clicking HERE
#8 Euron - You can read this post by clicking HERE
#7 Littlefinger - You can read this post by clicking HERE
#6 Three-Eyed Crow - You read this post by clicking HERE
#5 The Blackfish - you can read this post by clicking HERE
#4 Umber's Gift - you can read this post by clicking HERE
#3 Ramsay Bolton - you can read this post by clicking HERE
#2 The High Sparrow - you can read this post by clicking HERE
And you can read all of my recaps of Season 6 by clicking HERE
What do you think about my criticism of Season 6? Was I fair? Let me know, leave a comment!
