Ok so who knew about Loras and Renly before the series?

[Conor]

Seems to be about half and half in my opinion. I hadnt a clue what private prayer meetings were all about, guess I'm glad to not be religous.

 

[Lofwyr]

1) This thread should be a poll.
2) I did.
3) ????
4) Profit.

 

[digs]

I picked it up, took me a while though.

Seems to be about half and half in my opinion. I hadnt a clue what private prayer meetings were all about, guess I'm glad to not be religous.

Is it really that abhorrent?

 

[Conor]

Is it really that abhorrent?

No, not at all. I was just surprised when it was on the telly. I thought the writers changed something.I'm as liberal as they come.
Just going for some humour is all.

 

[digs]

Faaaaiiiir enough! The show definitely opted for a less subtle approach than the books. For me I think it would have been enough to see their little glances at the tournament, but then I guess we wouldn't have gotten the little backstory about Renly's popularity and the power of House Tyrell.

 

[Eulalia]

We've seen a lot of inventive ways of having the characters dialogue to reveal backstory. In my sheltered life, I must confess, that I've never, in my wildest dreams, ever imagined male on male body shaving.

 

[TK-421]

In my life, I was never really sheltered but rather left out in the rain...

 

[The Imp]

Conor

I guess it wasn't totally common knowledge that Renly and Loras were/are an item, but I suspect that the poll will show at least 80% did. At least on this board

 

[Conor]

Faaaaiiiir enough! The show definitely opted for a less subtle approach than the books. For me I think it would have been enough to see their little glances at the tournament, but then I guess we wouldn't have gotten the little backstory about Renly's popularity and the power of House Tyrell.

Good points, I was just wondering prior to the scene, if the new viewers would know who Loras was and where he was from.

It does make sense that his marriage to Loras sister was never consumated and Renly most likely left Kings Landing with Loras when the S hit the fan.

Imp, I take my hat off to you guys.Looks like I may be in the minority.

 

[Culhwch]

Out of curiosity, what then did you think was the motivation for [SPOILERS] Loras's rampage following Renly's death?

 

[Hilarious Joke]

I also didn't pick up on it in the books. I found out in discussions in this board.

I do think it's kind of funny in retrospect, what with the rainbow guard and all, that I didn't pick it up.

As for your question Cul: I assumed it was because they were great friends and Loras was Renly's brother-in-law.

 

[digs]

We've seen a lot of inventive ways of having the characters dialogue to reveal backstory. In my sheltered life, I must confess, that I've never, in my wildest dreams, ever imagined male on male body shaving.

Apparently backstory is best revealed when at least one character is naked, and as either a precusor or follow-up to sexings. Probably the most genius way of spicing up infodumps I've come across.

 

[Conor]

Out of curiosity, what then did you think was the motivation for [SPOILERS] Loras's rampage following Renly's death?

Boy, I'm feeling rather naive, I figured Loras was just very loyal to Renly the way Ned may have gone on a rampage if Robert had been murdered back in the day.
Now, being reminded of the Rainbow Gueard and remembering how Brienne loved Renly so...how could I have not known??

 

[Mouse]

There should be an option for 'knew before the series, but didn't have a clue when reading the books' and that would be me.

We're just too innocent, me and you, Conor.

As for Loras's rampage... I don't actually remember it. But at the time of reading I'm sure I thought same as HJ and Conor. They were good friends: Who isn't grief stricken when a friend dies?

 

[Perpetual Man]

Me, I'm just weird.

I never really take things there like that when I'm reading (when it's done subtle like, if there's a few pages of graphic description or some one actually says it outright I might just get an inkling.) but I absorb everything, it's all there so when the penny does drop I'm not shocked, surprised, I just carry on with an of course they are.

In this case when we had all the little glances at the tournament I just accepted it, and Mrs P. asked me about it, I just said yes, because I just knew...

Of course a few minutes later I was able to say "I think that answers your question..."

 

[C Of K]

I'm something like Perpetual Man. I didn't catch it when reading the books. Of course I was never very concerned with their characters. They were just sort of there, so I never gave a second thought to the rainbow guard, the private meetings or anything. I found out by reading this forum quite some time ago, though, like so many other interesting plot twists in the stories.

My brothers were in shock on Sunday, even the one who has read as much as I have. I had told the one who didn't read the series about it a long time ago, but I don't think he expected to see it on screen.

 

[Brian G Turner]

I didn't catch it in the books, but was told it here.

I think a point is that it's not a central feature of the story - it's there if you want to know, but knowing or not I don't think really has an impact on the reader experience.

I may be wrong.

 

[hadd]

I never focused on it while reading the books really. Renly and Loras were both characters i didn't give a crap about...

But well the rainbow cloaks...haha

 

[Koopa]

Huh, wasn't it obvious, the books basically spell it out.
What with Loras being in the tent all night praying, and other more then subtle hints.

 

[Mesanna]

I'm the first to admit that I'm not the most attentive reader, but I did pick up on this! It was Loras saying to Sansa that he'd lost someone he loved that was the first clue. The Rainbow Guard and Brienne was the second. And finally, isn't there a line (I think in Feast for Crows) where Jaime and Loras are having words and Jaime promises to "stick his sword in places even Renly never found". (I can't remember the exact words, perhaps Needle or The Imp might recall?).

I gave Game of Thrones to a friend for Xmas and she totally loved it and bought all the rest of the books herself. She figured out Loras & Renly herself, but R+L=J went completely over her head (as it did mine too).