game of thrones

[Guest]

Ned purposely changed the wording.

You really think they would put so much emphasis on Ned changing the wording in season 1 without reason?

The point was that Ned knew that Joff, Tommen and Mycella weren't Robert's kids and Robert didn't. Ned had already confronted Ceresi and told her to leave King's Landing. In his honourable mind Stannis was going to assume the throne and everyone would be cool with it.

[kimmy]

It was also somewhat representative of Ned betraying his values, as was bribing the city guard. His attempted coup was the "right" thing, and yet he was willing to do some "wrong" things to make it happen. He was conflicted over it.

I personally don't think Gendry will be back. I can't see what Littlefinger would gain from it. Littlefinger might be one of just a few living people who even know Gendry's true identity. (The Red Witch being another... is there anybody else?)

Littlefinger would have to stick his neck out a LOOOONG way to push Gendry's claim to the thrown, and that's not Littlefinger's style. Littlefinger never puts skin in the game because he has mastered the art of playing without any skin in the game.

And what would he gain from it, anyway? I just can't picture how Littlefinger would profit from it.

-k

[-1=e^ipi]

Littlefinger would have to stick his neck out a LOOOONG way to push Gendry's claim to the thrown, and that's not Littlefinger's style. Littlefinger never puts skin in the game because he has mastered the art of playing without any skin in the game.

He's going to wait for all this fighting in the South to play itself out. In the meantime, he's going to try to take control of the North, the Vale and the Riverlands.

And what would he gain from it, anyway?

The iron throne, and perhaps control of the stormlands.

[kimmy]

Putting forth some random guy's claim to the throne with no backing and no proof of his real parentage sounds like a great way for Littlefinger's head to end up on the spike next to Ned's.

-k

[Boges]

Putting forth some random guy's claim to the throne with no backing and no proof of his real parentage sounds like a great way for Littlefinger's head to end up on the spike next to Ned's.

-k

Can't he just appear on King's Landing Maury Povich?

Gendry you ARE the son of Robert Baratheon!!!!!

Baratheon claim to the throne is getting pretty tenuous now anyway. Renly and Stannis are dead. Joffery and Myrcella is dead and Tommen is feckless kid. Jamie would be a great king if he wasn't a King's guard and Cersei is the worst, no one will rally behind her.

I suspect the Sparrow will use Margery against Cersei in exchange for her freedom. He was a lot more cordial with her in Episode 1.

[Guest]

Robert is dead so a king would have to legitimize Gendry. I can't see that happening.

Maisie Williams says a long lost character will return. I suspect it will be Rickon since he's been MIA for a while now. Though it would be great if it was a resurrected Sandor brought back from the dead to battle his brother in a Zombie Clegane Cage Match! We'll sell you the whole seat, but you will only need the edge!

[Bonam]

Maisie Williams says a long lost character will return. I suspect it will be Rickon since he's been MIA for a while now.

In the books, the return of Aegon VI features quite prominently...

[kimmy]

Robert is dead so a king would have to legitimize Gendry. I can't see that happening.

Maisie Williams says a long lost character will return. I suspect it will be Rickon since he's been MIA for a while now. Though it would be great if it was a resurrected Sandor brought back from the dead to battle his brother in a Zombie Clegane Cage Match! We'll sell you the whole seat, but you will only need the edge!

Lots of characters are long-lost. At least with Sandor we can assume he's just plain dead if we never see him again. Other characters have just vanished with no further news for years.

-Gendry

-Thyros, Ser Beric, and the other "Brothers without Banners."

-Blackfish Tully

-Walder Frey

-Rickon and Oona

-Arya's wolf Nymeria

Personally I wouldn't be surprised if Nymeria returns at some point, if Arya ever returns to Westeros. I would also like to see Walder Frey's head get smashed in, hopefully by Blackfish. Remember Bran's story about the "Rat Cook" in season 3, about how the gods had cursed the man who betrayed the guests under his roof? And they immediately cut to a scene of Walder Frey? That has to have been some of the least subtle foreshadowing ever put on film, yet we haven't heard anything further on that front in over 2 years. I won't feel like we've had closure until that guy is wrecked.

-k

[Boges]

Lots of characters are long-lost. At least with Sandor we can assume he's just plain dead if we never see him again. Other characters have just vanished with no further news for years.

-Gendry

-Thyros, Ser Beric, and the other "Brothers without Banners."

-Blackfish Tully

-Walder Frey

-Rickon and Oona

-Arya's wolf Nymeria

Personally I wouldn't be surprised if Nymeria returns at some point, if Arya ever returns to Westeros. I would also like to see Walder Frey's head get smashed in, hopefully by Blackfish. Remember Bran's story about the "Rat Cook" in season 3, about how the gods had cursed the man who betrayed the guests under his roof? And they immediately cut to a scene of Walder Frey? That has to have been some of the least subtle foreshadowing ever put on film, yet we haven't heard anything further on that front in over 2 years. I won't feel like we've had closure until that guy is wrecked.

-k

I can see Frey being a friend now that Ramsay snuffed out one of his daughters and his grandson.

I suspect the Tully's will play into this season as Sansa needs to rally the North/Riverlands.

Edited May 7, 2016 by Boges

[kimmy]

I can see Frey being a friend now that Ramsay snuffed out one of his daughters and his grandson.

Who's friend?

-k

[Boges]

Who's friend?

-k

An enemy of your enemy is a friend.

Whoever is trying to take back Winterfel. Whether it be Sansa, The Vale, or this new Night's Watch/Wildling combo.

Edited May 7, 2016 by Boges

[kimmy]

Walder will probably be told that traitors killed his daughter along with Roose, and might never learn that he had a grandson.

-k

[Moonlight Graham]

Just watched the new episode. Well they didn't draw out the inevitable Jon Snow resurrection very long, THANK GOD. I though maybe a full season of wallowing.

[Boges]

Ollie and Allister's watch has ended.

I already hate the Dothraki storyline. Notice they put the season one graphic in the opening for the Dothraki this episode.

So Varys finds out that the masters of the two other towns that were conquered are funding the Sons of the Harpy? So what they gonna do about that? Missendai and Grey Worm are clearly very boring people.

Everyone wanted to see Rickorn again didn't they? He dead! Or will be used as a bargaining chip in the coming war with Sansa and Jon Snow.

Now that Snow has broken his Oath, double jeopardy protects him right?, what's he gonna do?

Arthur Dayne was bad ass! Ned Stark should feel shame about claiming victory there.

So Arya is immortal now? That's pretty cool.

What do we take away from the Small Council being terrified of Frankenmountain? Clearly this leads to a pretty epic fight. The Tyrell's might actually side with the Faith Militant on this one.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Boges

[Guest]

Tyrion: A wise man once said that the true history of the world is the history of great conversations in elegant rooms.
Missandei: Who said this?

Tyrion: Me... Just now.

Poor Shaggydog. I don't really care about Rickon, but I am excited that Jon could be on the way to flay Ramsay.

I am also interested in the fact that Bran can interact with the past and all the odd theories connected to that idea. It's nice that the Bran plot is now interesting for a change. Actually, all of the plot lines are currently entertaining, except for Dany in Vaes Dothrak.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Guest

[Boges]

I am also interested in the fact that Bran can interact with the past and all the odd theories connected to that idea. It's nice that the Bran plot is now interesting for a change. Actually, all of the plot lines are currently entertaining, except for Dany in Vaes Dothrak.

And Dorne and The Iron Island and, up until now, Bravos.

Watch Arya be the one to kill Ramsay as a faceless man/woman

Bringing up the Hound, and the fact that Arya didn't see him die, can't actually be an accident.

Edited May 9, 2016 by Boges

[kimmy]

Ollie and Allister's watch has ended.

I think that final image of the three of them hanging side by side would make a great motivational poster. Anybody got a good caption for it?

I already hate the Dothraki storyline. Notice they put the season one graphic in the opening for the Dothraki this episode.

Recycled graphics seem like the perfect emblem for a story arc that is continually treading water.

So Varys finds out that the masters of the two other towns that were conquered are funding the Sons of the Harpy? So what they gonna do about that? Missendai and Grey Worm are clearly very boring people.

I felt like the joke long outwore its welcome. I enjoy Tyrion doing his thing, but I felt like this went on way too long with no payoff. Remember Tyrion telling Jaime about Orson the retarded cousin who smashed beetles? That was a good scene. It seemed pointless at the time, but after thinking about it for a bit I realized that that was actually George R.R. Martin talking, explaining what the show is really about. That was a scene I'm glad made it to the TV. This one, I felt like they could have left on the cutting room floor and not much would have been lost.

Everyone wanted to see Rickorn again didn't they? He dead! Or will be used as a bargaining chip in the coming war with Sansa and Jon Snow.

Slick called it. I am concerned we're going to get more Ramsay season 3 type stuff. Also concerned that this will send Jon into several episodes of fretful dithering. "If I attack, he'll kill my brother! But if I don't attack, he'll torture my brother! I don't know what to do!"

Now that Snow has broken his Oath, double jeopardy protects him right?, what's he gonna do?

I assume his duty to the Watch ended when his first life ended. How many lives is he supposed to give up for them?

Maybe he'll take some vacation time in South Seas, chill with spider-monkeys on a beach, smoke some herb, get things figured out. Ser Davos will give him a pep talk. Perhaps Maester Aemon and Melisandre as well. But Jon will find himself unmotivated.

Eventually, a crow will reach Castle Black, carrying a message from Ramsay. The message will say, essentially, "I have your brother! I'm going to mess him up like I did to Theon. Come at me, bro!"

Jon will be furious! He will team up with Mighty Redbeard the Wildling and raise a massive army that will march on Winterfell, and will arrive there sometime in season 9.

So Arya is immortal now? That's pretty cool.

Are the Faceless Men immortal? hmm. Anyway, cool that she's moved on to the next stage of her training. Watching her getting her face beaten in every episode was getting tiresome. It was somewhat satisfying to watch A Girl punch Another Girl right in the fricken face.

She was giving her list, and deliberately left Meryn Trant off, and Other Girl didn't catch on. I assume that was the key moment when she showed that she could stop being Arya Stark to become somebody else.

What do we take away from the Small Council being terrified of Frankenmountain? Clearly this leads to a pretty epic fight. The Tyrell's might actually side with the Faith Militant on this one.

I would assume Lady Tyrell will take whichever course of action leads to Margery and Loras getting out of jail with their heads still attached. I could picture her lending Cersei a sufficiently large military contingent to make short work of the cultists, then keeping her forces in King's Landing-- perhaps with Tommen and Margery's blessing-- to "ensure stability" and effectively also pull the rug out from under Cersei.

I am also interested in the fact that Bran can interact with the past and all the odd theories connected to that idea. It's nice that the Bran plot is now interesting for a change. Actually, all of the plot lines are currently entertaining, except for Dany in Vaes Dothrak.

The Bran time travel scenes are exciting because it feels like we're about to learn some big pieces of the story that have been hidden to this point. What does Bran find when he finally gets into the tower? I bet it's Lianna Stark with a baby...

Bringing up the Hound, and the fact that Arya didn't see him die, can't actually be an accident.

I believe the books strongly hint that the Hound survived. If I recall the fan theory, there's a scene at a monastery in which a hulkingly large, silent grave-digger is mentioned. There's apparently circumstantial evidence to suggest it's Sandor.

I would cry tears of joy if he did return. I loved that guy. The scene in which he discusses his enthusiasm for chicken with the Lannister henchman is among my very favorite scenes in the whole 5.2 seasons of the show.

-k

[Boges]

I assume Arya is immortal because she drank from the Assisted Suicide Wishing Well.

I've read a theory that the Umbers are playing Bolton and this could be a plan to infiltrate Winterfell. Osha is pretty crafty.

That did not look like a Direwolf head. Remember when Robb died, that head was huge!!!

Edited May 10, 2016 by Boges

[overthere]

The high costs are less associated with the price of actors and more to the several different shooting locations and the special effects needs.

I believe the plan is to have a 7th season and a short 8th season. So 15 more episodes after this season.

The cost of an enormous cast is certainly a growing factor. If Peter Dinklage or Maisie Williams or Kit Harington or several others say they are going to require a couple million per episode to continue...... And one or more of them will do that....

It has killed series before, it can easily collapse under its own weight. The series has always had enormous location costs, and it would not be so difficult to reduce those expenses. But the cast costs can only spiral up.

If you are right about only 15 more episodes, and I hope you are, they must be in production now.

[overthere]

I assume Arya is immortal because she drank from the Assisted Suicide Wishing Well.

I've read a theory that the Umbers are playing Bolton and this could be a plan to infiltrate Winterfell. Osha is pretty crafty.

That did not look like a Direwolf head. Remember when Robb died, that head was huge!!!

Osha is not the kind of timid virginal woman that Ramsay is used to raping, but he does not know that. He should pay close attention to his ribcage, he might notice the handle of a knife sticking out from it one morning.

And how can Rickon be in mortal danger? Even the psycho Ramsay will realize he is worthless as a flayed corpse, he's much more valuable as a pawn in dealing with the threat of Jon Snow. The young Umber refused to kneel........that matters.....

[Guest]

Benjin Stark was never found. Does anyone think he will reappear and play a role of some sort? Other than a lie to lure Jon to his first death.

[kimmy]

Eventful episode! I loved the final scene in terms of visual spectacle and artistic execution. She's lucky it worked, though... what if nothing caught fire? What if somebody put a sickle in her neck before they died? Nonetheless, it was still pretty cool. I gather this means she now has not just one Khalassar, but all of them. Plus 3 dragons. Plus two of the 3 smartest guys in the known world on her advisor team (the third being Littlefinger, of course.) I assume from here, she takes her plus-sized horde west to smack the crap out of the two enemy cities in Slaver's Bay, then sets about getting some boats.

Meanwhile! Jon and Sansa reuniting was great. I don't think we've seen any of the Starks together since season 1. Sansa will light a fire under Jon.

Also! The reunion of Yara and Theon. zzzzzzzzzz

Osha getting shanked was a bit of a downer. That she was planning to kill Ramsey doesn't confirm or deny that Greatjon Umber's son (Littlejon? Mediumjon?) was in on the plot. We still don't actually know for sure that the Rickon we saw is the real Rickon... the last time we saw him he was a toddler and now he looks old enough to shave.

The long-awaited return of ... Robyn Arryn! That kid sure got tall since season 4. uh, that is to say, the long awaited return of Petyr Baelish! And he is taking off the gloves to go after Ramsay as well! Allegedly. I wonder what his angle is this time?

And we see Lady Tyrell and the Wonder Twins get together to handle this Faith Militant situation. I am pretty interested in seeing how this develops. I'm sure Jaime's intentions are what he says, but I doubt either Cersei or Lady Tyrell are as straightforward.

If this season were a hand of Texas Hold 'Em, I think the first 3 episodes were the deal and wagering, and this episode was the flop. With many more cards now on the table, we can see the main conflicts for the remainder of the season are going to be the battle for King's Landing and the battle for Winterfell.

-k

[Boges]

There are 3 "wars" to come. The civil war in King's Landing, the Bastard Bowl between Jon and Ramsay and the The Slave War between Dany's forces and the Slavers.

Gotta wonder how Dany responds to Tyrion taking the diplomatic route against the slavers, she seems pretty dogmatic about being anti-slavery.

Sansa is now super confident, I like that.

[Guest]

Apparently, HBO and RR differ in how they see the story details unfolding.

Fans of the show will most likely recall and question the epic moment in season 1, episode 10 where Dany sits atop Khal Drogo's funeral pyre and remains in tact (minus clothes, plus three dragons). But that moment, according to ASOIAF author George R.R. Martin, was just a one-time occurrence of blood magic.

“Targaryens are not immune to fire,” Martin said. "The birth of Dany’s dragons was unique, magical, wondrous, a miracle. She is called 'The Unburnt' because she walked into the flames and lived. But her brother sure as hell wasn’t immune to that molten gold.”

Maybe it was a two time occurrence of blood magic or possibly Viserys just lost his dragon powers by being a whiny little pissant.

[overthere]

There are 3 "wars" to come. The civil war in King's Landing, the Bastard Bowl between Jon and Ramsay and the The Slave War between Dany's forces and the Slavers.

Gotta wonder how Dany responds to Tyrion taking the diplomatic route against the slavers, she seems pretty dogmatic about being anti-slavery.

Sansa is now super confident, I like that.

I don't see The Dragon Mistress vs The Slavers taking too long to polish off. The Salvers will backtrack on their agreement to behave themseleves

She'll turn the Dothraki loose on the Masters of the two slaver cities. They refused to be bribed by the Slave Masters with the promise of 10000 horses. Now they can just take the horses, which is more their style But they won;t want the cities themselves, not their style- the slaves will end up as masters in their cities.

I also wonder if the civil war in Kings Landing will take long to play out. The Tyrells will align with the Lannisters just long enough to retrieve their kin from prison. After that, they'll abandon Kings Landing, go home and let the Lannisters duke it out with The Sparrows. They have had enough grief in that relationship.

The Bastard Bowl will be nasty, but there are some forces gathering to oppose him: Jon Snow and the Wildlings(good band name), the Ironborn, Baelish and The Aerie, and likely the Umbers.

But the real battle is yet to appear: White Walkers vs Everybody. The initial premise and threat from the first episode Game of Thrones was: winter is coming. Winter does not mean cold and snow, it means the White Walkers.

It is a Song of Ice and Fire. We know where the Ice is coming from- north of the Wall. And now we know or I can guess that the Fire is coming from Bravos in the form of Danerys, a Dothraki horde, the Unsullied and three dragons breathing Fire to take on the Walkers. The Wildlings must be involved too, or they can never go home again.. Will the final battle be fought at Winterfell, where it all began, after Ramsay Bolton has been eliminated?