This is why Ned Stark was the best father of them all. He was a man who trained his daughter in combat because she wanted to. He could have been like Tywin and stifle her interests. Instead he encouraged them. These lessons have helped her a lot.
@@philistine3260 Did you read the books? When Cersei was a young girl she was angry at her father for not letting her train and become a knight like Jaime, she thought she could do better than Jaime and she wasnt interested in her lady duties at all. So your assumption that Cersei's dreams was to bone Jaime or that she didnt any are wrong, she wanted to fight in combat and pick up a sword!
I also like the look of pride turning into dread as he realizes arya has a gift for the blade and ned's actions are shaping her into a warrior and all the pain that comes with it. This scene is great! Syrio i would have liked to see more or at least know he is alive.
3:17 "It has a name, does it?" Her father sighed. "Ah, Arya. You have a wildness in you, child. 'The wolf blood,' my father used to call it. Lyanna had a touch of it, and my brother Brandon more than a touch. It brought them both to an early grave." Arya heard sadness in his voice; he did not often speak of his father, or of the brother and sister who had died before she was born. "Lyanna might have carried a sword, if my lord father had allowed it. You remind me of her sometimes. You even look like her."
I didn't notice it the first time, but re-watching this episode I picked up on Ned watching Arya. He finds it amusing at first, then looks troubled. The sounds of battle are heard. It's certainly foreshadowing, but I wonder. Is he remembering fights of the past, or dreading fights yet to come.
It's for sure both. The conflict he sees on the horizon is giving him flashbacks to the war that shaped him and the kingdom. He knows how costly that war was and is looking at his daughter, who reminds him of his sister, and is remembering that heavy cost.
Wow that look on Ned's face at the end sends shivers up my spine. He knows it's all fun and games now, but one day his daughter will probably have to fight for her life.
This scene, just as so many other ones in Game of Thrones, is brilliant. The characters are so memorable, and Syrio was/is one of my favourite ones. What I found exceptionally brilliant about this scene is how Arya's father first sees the training as a funny, harmless game, but then realizes how his daughter will one day be in battles and battlefields with the possibility of being killed. Suddenly the training was no game anymore - it was real.
and then Ned is watching Arya, smiling at his little girl with a sword (so like Lyanna); but while they're 'dancing', Syrio points out how Arya cannot save herself in a real fight and, knowing that winter's coming, Ned's smile starts to fade away. that's actually why I love this scene: it shows how concerned Ned Stark is about his family, specially his two girls that don't know how to properly fend for themselves and are currently living in the lion's den.
Sir Merin Trant couldn't have killed him judging by the way the hound took the piss out of him I bet Syrio is alive and well in Bravos chilling out by the beach sipping champaign and waiting for Arya and his first words to her shall be "you are late boy"
Great ending to that scene! "...all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." Ned knows this. And yet in this world ..what's the alternative?
The amazing thing is that one person - George RR Martin wrote so much of this dialog. In the books, as in the film, each character has his or her own voice and he makes them all completely believable. So many great characters. So many great lines.
I remember buying the whole soundtrack after hearing this scene, the title "the pointy end" is just amazing and grand to listen to and how it arcs round and builds when Neds face changes to one of serious deep in a flashback just gives me the goosebumps, they couldn't have landed anyone better than Ramon Djawadi to pull off such a perfect and grand score, I went on to buy every GOT soundtrack !!! Amazing stuff 👍🏻
Syrio's worried glance at Ned makes the whole scene perfect. We see Syrio's inner worry about where this may all lead...and Ned is reminded of his own worries about the same. When you lay the game of thrones...
i love this scene. syrio is perfect, maisie williams is a fantastic little actress, and the sound effects at the end are brilliant, it shows that ned is reminded of the battles during robert's rebellion and is suddenly realising that arya's willingness to fight and kill could equally be the death of her, he could possibly also be reminded of lyanna. both theories though would explain why ned's face is so glum as if someone's just asked him to walk into mordor.
This scene is so beautiful, the beautiful background, great swordfighting, Arya's ambition, great accent, and the MUSIC! It keeps me in a trance, having me watching it over and over again :D!
For those who haven't read the novels, this scene is PERFECT. The minor foreshadowing behind it is portrayed very well. It gave me shivers when the music got louder. Speaking of, does anyone know the name of this song?
Syrio Forell. I had my hopes up for this character because he was simply badass . He was extremely charismatic, had a great attitude, and was extremely strong. Personally I felt like he was ''killed'' illogically. He was a water dancing master (Who are supposed to be able to avoid ''any'' sword hit in a 1v1.), and losing in a 1v1 against a swordsman who was ''just a knight'', doesn't seem possible. Atleast that's how I saw him as. especially considering Syrio still had his hilt with a small pointy stick, which he could've made full use out of.. Anyway I'm a sucker for awesome characters, and losing one who I see to have potential is sad. Well there's always Tyrion Lanister.
i think martin killed much more charismatic and popular characters... for what i can remember he has really little description in the book, but i could be wrong
I have a feeling he is still alive; if he can best 3-4 men with a wooden sword that had a metal core, then I'm certain he can beat Meryl...even WITH a broken 'blade'. Maybe he's back in Braavos, or some other Free City...
One of the best scenes in all seasons by far. Everything is perfect - the actors, the music, the writing, the choreography. And probably one of the few moments Ned Stark didn't fail miserably and actually did the right thing, not some noble idiocy.
This is when I really started to like the series ( Haven't read the book yet at the time). I really wanted to see much more of this Syrio guy. It's just too awesome to see Arya's character develop as she becomes more skilled with a sword.
@MiloDC I concurr. This is exactly how the scene played on in the book. The only difference is that the character has been changed from a bald and slender, pure caucasian look to a more iberic look to make the viewers who are new to A Song of Ice and Fire have an accurate picture of what the people of Braavos looked like. Other than that, the scene is rendered to near perfection.
@Swifeaf I interpret this change as Ned having a flashback of sorts, blending with a premonition, which of course means danger in the path of Arya and all of his loved ones. This simple detail made this scene fabulous.
PTSD has always existed. Since Ned already fought in 2 major wars, and wars back then was significantly worse than it is now, so it's only natural for him to worry about Arya. Arya will be a great fighter though in my opinion.
The music("song") playing in the background is "Ramin Djawadi - The Pointy End" found on the OST of the first series (since people wanted to know) Oh, and Ramin Djawadi - Things I Do for Love is a similar tune, enjoy ;)
I saw the guy who plays Syrio in a play last night - he plays Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream, at the Bristol Old Vic. He spends half the play with his ass in the air riding a backwards bicycle, no joke!! Excellent. He plays the part very well, and even with a hint of Syrio's accent. :-)
Also, their voices are both so distinct I really doubt the creators would want to mix them both up. The two are incredibly interesting characters in their own unique ways, I don't really even WANT to see them like that.
I think the noise at the end makes Ned think of what's coming, war. It feels like this because it is at the end of the episode where it builds anticipation for the conflict. I.E., Winter is Coming
I don't know what some of you guys are talking about. He might not look exactly as described, but I think he is doing an amazing job. I love his portrayal of Syrio, and I cannot wait to see how they pull off his scene. They better do it justice because it is one of the most badass moments in the novels.
He's worried that his daughter is going to entire battle for real one day... his thoughts turned to it and he pictured her with a real sword. Great ending to this clip.
I love that little 'ah..!' when he throws the sword to her the second time and she catches it. And any man that can hold four fully-armed and armoured knights with what is effectively a stick - even if not for very long - most definitely ranks as a bad-ass on par with Kratos from God of War or Ujio from Last Samurai. Rock. On. My. Son.
@mrfridays Also, if you notice, his glance is to his right. When he says "very dead" to Arya, his right would be in the opposite direction of Ned. But then directly after Syrio and Arya switch sides, so that as Syrio faces Arya, his right is now to Ned, which means his glance is at Ned. Moreover, he doesn't turn right away to the swords, and when he does turn to his right, the swords move slightly--and his eyes don't move, because he's not looking at the sword, he's looking at NED.
I used to think that the best child actors could be was "tolerable". Fortunately, this series seems to have found all the good ones in the world and put them all in one place.
@MiloDC I am not sure why so many are insinuating that this version of Syrio is somehow a comic version or a 'fun uncle' as you say. True, as I mentioned myself, he's not the Syrio of the books. But the Syrio of the books was really only different in appearance so far. This guy will seem right at home getting Arya to chase cats. I guess what I am saying is that maybe they didn't decide to change Syrio at all. Maybe instead what happened was that this guy gave a reading and everyone loved it.
In the series they skipped the part where he tells Arya that it's good she's left-handed because it would confuse her opponent but I like how they kept this detail having her hold the sword in her left hand :o)
I LOVE this scene. This Syrio even surpasses the one depicted in the books, in my opinion. As different as he is in appearance and attitude, I can still see him ordering Arya to start chasing down cats! Just so.
That PTSD kicking in. Crazy to think that people have had that forever when we never really talked about it until recently. I assume its because we weren't as scientifically inclined but regardless.
Ned Stark basically has the medieval version of flashbacks to 'Nam. Robert's Rebellion, the events surrounding his sister Lyanna's death, the loss of his brother and father...a lot of bad stuff happened to Eddard Stark back then, and the whole thing haunts him.
