Asher's Death Was a Good Thing
I'm sure most book readers and viewers of the show already know that Game of Thrones isn't your conventional fantasy fiction, given that 'plot armor' is barely existent within the series as shown with the various deaths of main characters happening all the time, in an attempt to give the series are more realistic feel that almost deconstructs the traditional fantasy genre tropes.
Main characters die all the time, some unjustly like Eddard Stark, others without fulfilling a heroic destiny like Robb Stark, those without redemption such as the Hound, and other popular characters who just die quite humiliatingly like Oberyn Martell (and show viewers were tricked into thinking he would heroically fight and succeed in saving Tyrion).
In that regard was Asher Forrester's death really that much of a slap in the face? Between episodes 2 to 5 we watch Asher develop from an exiled mercenary to a mature leader on a quest to heroically save his family, a heroic destiny that is sadly cut short when he returns to Westeros, for despite all the troubles he goes through and the sacrifices he makes in the end he is cut down and killed.
On the plus side he does at least save his brother, so the Whitehill ambush wasn't a complete Red Wedding (just imagine how realistically close the scene was to killing off both Asher and Rodrik, quashing their plans to save their House and ushering in an unfair victory for the Whitehills, that would have still fit in quite well with the world of Westeros).
In fact I think Asher got it too easy - he fulfills one last heroic act of saving his brother and goes down epicly - taking down a couple of Whitehill soldiers with him, though even his death is somewhat humiliating in its final acts when he's given a black eye and spat upon.
In other words - what if Asher's death actually enhanced the story? Telltale did seem to try emulating GRRM's style where basically anyone can die, so his death made you remember this isn't Lord of the Rings but Game of Thrones. It certainly gave it a more realistic feel - despite all of Asher's skill he still isn't some kind of unstoppable hero - he's a mortal human being with his own limitations who lives in a cruel world.
What do you think: Was Asher's death faithful to GRRM's style?
BTW I know most of you chose to sacrifice Rodrik, that's why this post focuses on Asher's death because obviously it must have felt more painful and premature.
Comments
On a previous thread which I made, it took me 47 days to make a choice between the two. I was going over what positives and negatives they both have and I even shed a tear before letting Asher go.
He went out in a blaze of glory, took about half of the Whitehills out in that ambush and brought some fighters for House Forrester. He completed his quest home, sadly he doesn't live in my main playthrough but lives on in my alternate file.
I had to save Rodrik, not because I don't like Asher or all the attention he gets but it's because we've already lost TWO lord's of Ironrath within the space of a few weeks at most for the House. Another loss of a lord would just send the House into utter chaos, the townsfolk would flee.. everyone would be in a mess. Not sounding harsh but losing Asher would calm the house down just a little bit more than Rodrik.
I know he could become the next lord and I took that into consideration and it is a older brother's duty to protect his younger blood but I had to think what I would do if I was Asher or Rodrik and it just made more sense to leave Asher behind.
Gryff as well just could not for me smirk over Rodrik's corpse thinking he's won, that is for most people how Rodrik's story ends and Asher's is a extra chapter to his story. It would make more sense for Rodrik to take down the Whitehills, he's come a long way to become what he is today,a man and a true lord.
It does sadden me that one of them are now deceased and wish they would have both made it to Episode 6, you can still play as two people, they did it with Borderlands.
Rodrik will avenge everyone this house has lost.
Iron From Ice.
Iron from Ice
Could you not say the same about Rodrik's death?
Being in the minority here, I'm going to pretend Rodrik's death never happened in Episode 5.
Nice dodge.
My horror is that Asher's death means Roderik will die now.
Because that's how Telltale rolls!
im sorry but
asher bae > rodrik bae
Who ever you didnt choose i think is goig to die next.
Whoever you don't save i think will die next
I had Asher die because Rodrik 'died' once already. If not for that, I think the story would be more interesting for Rodrik to die and to have Asher unexpectedly rise to become the leader of his house. After the Red Wedding aftermath however, Rodrik's death just feels a bit like been there, done that.
But Rodric is a cripple
If it's anything like the books a Red Priest will show up and bring him back to life.
I was joking but actually......
He is strong.
What, no. Asher's death feels like cutting his story short abruptly. He finally gets to Westeros after who knows how many years of being exiled,ready to kick ass...and dies not TEN minutes after setting foot there? No, no way.
If anything, Rodrik already cheated death once, got to become Lord, did some important stuff for his family.
And, as the eldest brother, he feels as though he failed to protect Ethan. So now that another chance arises to save yet another younger brother of his from the same people who killed his youngest, I feel like Rodrik would do it without second thought. It just feels right, you know?
I think that'll be too obvious
he's no more cripple and ready to fight, why nobody realise that?
I think he's ready to fight but he's still got that bad leg.
It's a subjective decision with points and arguments both ways. Most of what you've said could apply to Rodrick. There is no right or wrong here. There was no easy answer.
Exactly! I can't stand it when people preach that their decision is 'right' and yours is 'wrong'
OH COME ON!
Yes, but too many people favor Rodrik's death, I wanted to show that even Asher's death in Episode 5 isn't all that bad.
I see plenty of people calling him like: Roderick and Rodrick, but RODRIC HAUAHAAHAUH unbelievable!
But this is game of thrones dude, we see Robb Stark, he did everything for nothing too, at least Asher bring an army for Rodrik!
I completly agree with you, I mean this is GoT, like u sayd, Robb death was like, everything u read/watch about him was in vain.
That's fine. My point was just it's silly to say one side is right. Your post made it seem like Asher's death was the only one that makes sense, when that simply isn't true. Plus, you know, who cares what other people think?
That's not really true.
You should check recent "Tales from Borderlands" where Telltale changed those rolls so players and only players by their own actions determines if Fiona's adopted father Felix would die or live.
In case that Felix survives storyline gets another mayor twist.
Have you scene an episode of Game Of Thrones, or read the books, all because Asher was exiled for years and then came back home only to die, doesn't make it bad writing. It was a twist, of course you expect Asher to make it home after years of exile, that would predictable, but killing him off after only being back for ten minutes is a good twist.
You....i like you
spelling Game of Throne names is true art xd only few can do it properly
Yeah, to be honest, I used to call him 'Rodrick' myself but after playing the episodes again, I realised that I haven't been noticing Rodrik's name spelling in the subtitles.
Yeah, I admit it. I was pretty stupid not noticing that -_-
Rodrick still not so bad, but Rodric... this is new for me!
dude it is a Art yes, some people call Ramsay, Remsey HAHAHA LOL.
That's true, but Felix doesn't have any major appearances in the rest of the game. It was cool he had a scene in Episode 5, but as it was the final episode, it couldn't unfortunately have much of an impact.
I ended up lingering because I didn't know what to do. On the one hand, Asher's death is very good writing. Come all the way back just to die in a great fight scene. Beskha's voice screaming don't leave me. The game chose to kill him for me because I didn't decide and kept listening to what beskha said. That leaves rodric feeling responsible for even more death, and ends Asher's great tale. On the other, E Glenmore would lose Rodric and her brother, and the family as well. I feel like Asher would make a better person to lead the family now, reunite. But I don't really care about who would better lead the family. I care about my story. So I allowed him to die his amazing death because it broke me more than Rodric's death did. And game of thrones is meant to frustrate and break you. But I am also considering allowing Rodric some peace. He fought valiantly, and now it's time to rest his arms, I reloaded and let him die. But I am still considering who to set in stone before I continue the story. Forced to either let him die for the story, or keep him alive because I enjoy him more.
It was faithful to GRRM's style, also, it did enhanced the story. I left Asher behind because I am faithful to the characters, Asher does not listen to reason when his siblings are in danger, he would never get to safety as a coward while his brother gets to die, no matter what his Lord commands him, he was stuborn like that and could only think about the situation at hand, on the other hand, Rodrik is more cold, he was prepared to be a Lord, he is prepared to sacrifice one for the sake of the others, even if this one was his younger brother, does not matter how bad things are, in chess there is no strategy where you sacrifice a King to save a Knight. I left Asher behind simply because I would not be able to live with a coward Asher and a stupid Rodrik.
Why did you bump this thread?
I think leaving either brother behind is understandle.
You can either go the "Asher the exiled son returns home and saves his family" route or the "Rodrik still survives and wins the war" route.
Couldn't have summed it better myself.
