A Song of Ice and Fire (Spoilers! Only enter if you have read all books)

[Whiskeyjack]

A great breakdown of Jon Snow and others

My first time seeing this GRRM quote:

I do think that if you’re bringing a character back, that a character has gone through death, that’s a transformative experience. Even back in those days of Wonder Man and all that, I loved the fact that he died, and although I liked the character in later years, I wasn’t so thrilled when he came back because that sort of undid the power of it. Much as I admire Tolkien, I once again always felt like Gandalf should have stayed dead. That was such an incredible sequence in Fellowship of the Ring when he faces the Balrog on the Khazad-dûm and he falls into the gulf, and his last words are, “Fly, you fools.”

What power that had, how that grabbed me. And then he comes back as Gandalf the White, and if anything he’s sort of improved. I never liked Gandalf the White as much as Gandalf the Grey, and I never liked him coming back. I think it would have been an even stronger story if Tolkien had left him dead.

My characters who come back from death are worse for wear. In some ways, they’re not even the same characters anymore. The body may be moving, but some aspect of the spirit is changed or transformed, and they’ve lost something. One of the characters who has come back repeatedly from death is Beric Dondarrion, The Lightning Lord. Each time he’s revived he loses a little more of himself. He was sent on a mission before his first death. He was sent on a mission to do something, and it’s like, that’s what he’s clinging to. He’s forgetting other things, he’s forgetting who he is, or where he lived. He’s forgotten the woman who he was once supposed to marry. Bits of his humanity are lost every time he comes back from death; he remembers that mission. His flesh is falling away from him, but this one thing, this purpose that he had is part of what’s animating him and bringing him back to death. I think you see echoes of that with some of the other characters who have come back from death.

 

[Veritate Duce Progredi]

My first time seeing this GRRM quote:

Yeah, I thought it was a great read. Really helped prime my view of Jon Snow returning. I won't expect a virtuous young Lord hoping to earn the Stark name, rather a calculating soldier who focuses on the task at hand.

Further, I agree with GRRM's analysis of Gandolf on the quoted piece. Tolkien was a fan of prefiguring and modeling Christian motifs into his stories (or so it would appear). Whereas GRRMs characters come to life more because they are each on the verge of dying.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Another animated short (on Braavos) from the upcoming S5 blue-ray was just released.

 

[mgriff]

McShane talking about him being Elder Brother/Septon Meribald.

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KXsR_kv4hyU" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

And in this one he confirms the Gravedigger theory. Thank you Swearengen! San Francisco cocksucka!

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8K0403kvJk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[GATTACA!]

<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/X8K0403kvJk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/psS2IMFkxKo?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

 

[IrishLax]

<iframe width="853" height="480" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CuH3tJPiP-U?rel=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

GET HYPE

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Warg-eyed Arya.

 

[IrishLax]

Warg-eyed Arya.

Or blind-eyed Arya!?!

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Or blind-eyed Arya!?!

Possible, but I doubt it. When she gets slapped at 1:05, her eyes are normal. And Arya isn't blind in the TWoT sample chapter we've seen.

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Warg-eyed Arya.

Or blind-eyed Arya!?!

Either is a kick-ass name for a band

 

[GATTACA!]

Davos is such a badass

 

[mgriff]

Screenshots from the trailer.

Game of Thrones Season 6 Trailer, Shot-by-Shot - Album on Imgur

Whiskey - I think she's blind in the trailer. She could easily warg this season if they include the Kindly Man training, but her eyes don't look like Bran's and Hodor's. I could be wrong, but we'll see.

Some notes:

- Nobody is going to comment on Arthur Dayne?! If they fuck that flashback up I'll never forgive them. It has to be done perfect.

- Euron on a rope bridge in a storm and later being drowned by Damphair. What is dead will finally die.

- Yara/Asha kissing a chick. Possibly in Meereen? Taking over for Vic?

- The kids stabbing Kevan in the epilogue from ADWD?

- Theon caught by Bolton guards then two later Brienne stabs said guard.

- Davos leading some watchmen against Thorne and co. trying to break in to get Jon's body.

- I hope that's not the Mannis on the Bolton cross. He can't go out like that.

-Jon possibly leading a cavalry charge during a northern battle. Tormund and Wildlings along with other northmen fighting Boltons for sure. Battle of the Bastards confirmed.

 

[IrishLion]

- Nobody is going to comment on Arthur Dayne?! If they fuck that flashback up I'll never forgive them. It has to be done perfect.

I have faith. Also, is it weird that he's got the Targ symbol on his armor? Or is it just likely that the Kingsguard Armor was more personalized back when the Targs were in charge?

- Theon caught by Bolton guards then two later Brienne stabs said guard.

I know Lady Stoneheart is out, but I wonder if this means that Brienne will finally fulfill her oath by finding/saving Theon and Sansa. Would be interesting to see how that implicates Lady Stoneheart back into the bigger plot in the books, and would fit GRRM's style to have Theon finally rescued of his nightmare only to be ordered to death by Stoneheart.

- Davos leading some watchmen against Thorne and co. trying to break in to get Jon's body.

I'm guessing that it IS Stannis burning on the cross. Davos is now following the orders of Melisandre to retrieve Jon's body, because Davos will realize that they need to salvage some sort of victory/revenge for his Lord.

-Jon possibly leading a cavalry charge during a northern battle. Tormund and Wildlings along with other northmen fighting Boltons for sure. Battle of the Bastards confirmed.

I noticed Ghost sitting above Jon's head in his 'burial' chamber... does that mean they found and killed Ghost, too? Or is Ghost cool with Davos showing up (possibly because Jon is warged into Ghost???)?

 

[mgriff]

I have faith. Also, is it weird that he's got the Targ symbol on his armor? Or is it just likely that the Kingsguard Armor was more personalized back when the Targs were in charge?

I noticed Ghost sitting above Jon's head in his 'burial' chamber... does that mean they found and killed Ghost, too? Or is Ghost cool with Davos showing up (possibly because Jon is warged into Ghost???)?

The helm is the same but the armor is different so my assumption is the armor has changed or Arthur Dayne had his own style.

Ghost is standing above Jon. The table ends and his head is on a little notch. I was worried about him as well! I have no clue about the warging but Ghost is pretty good about who to trust.

 

[Whiskeyjack]

Screenshots from the trailer.

Game of Thrones Season 6 Trailer, Shot-by-Shot - Album on Imgur

Whiskey - I think she's blind in the trailer. She could easily warg this season if they include the Kindly Man training, but her eyes don't look like Bran's and Hodor's. I could be wrong, but we'll see.

I can't see much of a difference between Arya's eyes:

and Orell's:

or Bran's:

Maybe Arya's are a little more translucent? Regardless, I expect she'll be blind at the beginning of S6, but will regain her sight early on. When she gets slapped by the waif at 1:05, her eyes look normal.

- Nobody is going to comment on Arthur Dayne?! If they fuck that flashback up I'll never forgive them. It has to be done perfect.

Are you referring to this guy?

Since he's not wielding a greatsword, I would assume that's not Dayne.

 

[ND NYC]

those screenshots are telling/showing a lot actually...spoiler alert! (does it even matter anymore?)

 

[IrishLion]

those screenshots are telling/showing a lot actually...spoiler alert! (does it even matter anymore?)

This is still technically labeled a spoiler thread lol.

And no, it doesn't matter haha. Anyone invested enough to check out the thread has probably been versed in at least some of the theories that make the forthcoming information "spoiler" material.

 

[beryirish]

- I hope that's not the Mannis on the Bolton cross. He can't go out like that.

I'm guessing that it IS Stannis burning on the cross. Davos is now following the orders of Melisandre to retrieve Jon's body, because Davos will realize that they need to salvage some sort of victory/revenge for his Lord.

I don't know but my guess is that from the way Brienne swung her sword at Mannis last season it made me think she would have decapitated him.

The person burning on the cross has a head. So that just makes me think that it is not Mannis. --- my hope is still out that he is alive.

 

[mgriff]

I can't see much of a difference between Arya's eyes:

Maybe Arya's are a little more translucent? Regardless, I expect she'll be blind at the beginning of S6, but will regain her sight early on. When she gets slapped by the waif at 1:05, her eyes look normal.

Are you referring to this guy?

Since he's not wielding a greatsword, I would assume that's not Dayne.

You're right, there's not much difference. I just thought they weren't solid enough white that I associated with warging. She could easily warg this season, an I agree that she gets her sight back.

The sword in his right hand looks paler than the one in the left?

That's admittedly weak and I didn't think about it being a greatsword. I got too hyped. It probably isn't the White Bull, Gerold Hightower, and there is no black bat on the helmet so not Whent? Weak arguments all around on my part.

those screenshots are telling/showing a lot actually...spoiler alert! (does it even matter anymore?)

Hey man welcome to the thread but it says spoilers right in the title. I think there is a GoT only thread on here somewhere.

I don't know but my guess is that from the way Brienne swung her sword at Mannis last season it made me think she would have decapitated him.

The person burning on the cross has a head. So that just makes me think that it is not Mannis. --- my hope is still out that he is alive.

Yea I don't know, I'm still holding out hope that he's alive somehow. He can't go out like that. He didn't smash the Bolton army and burned his daughter for nothing. I understand they need to get rid of him if he's doomed anyway, but he went from fucking loving his daughter to burning her in like two episodes. I love him in the books and I don't see him winning, but he's not a child burner in the books, at this point. Things could happen where I could see him sacrificing her, but she's his heir right now. Things would need to be much worse in my opinion.

 

[mgriff]

It's all over boys. This website went through all the Season 5 bonus content. This is book spoiler territory so turn back now.

Point 109 of the article: "Although it has yet to feature in A Song Of Ice And Fire, George R.R. Martin has confirmed that it was always his intention for Stannis and Melisandre to sacrifice Shireen to the God of Light."

Point 115: Brienne does 100% kill Stannis in that scene. The only reason they didn’t show him actually dying was to avoid being gratuitous.

The Mannis is gone, and he fucking burned his daughter because of some marginal shit when he survived the Siege of Storm's End. So he'll burn Shireen in TWOW, and the iron will break before it bends. I get that he had to break, it just seems fucking weak that he broke for so little in the show. O Mannis! My Mannis!

 

[phillyirish]

It's all over boys. This website went through all the Season 5 bonus content. This is book spoiler territory so turn back now.

Point 109 of the article: "Although it has yet to feature in A Song Of Ice And Fire, George R.R. Martin has confirmed that it was always his intention for Stannis and Melisandre to sacrifice Shireen to the God of Light."

Point 115: Brienne does 100% kill Stannis in that scene. The only reason they didn’t show him actually dying was to avoid being gratuitous.

The Mannis is gone, and he fucking burned his daughter because of some marginal shit when he survived the Siege of Storm's End. So he'll burn Shireen in TWOW, and the iron will break before it bends. I get that he had to break, it just seems fucking weak that he broke for so little in the show. O Mannis! My Mannis!

Could absolutely be true but they could just be bull sh*tting, just like they're doing with John saying he's done for good and all.

But that was probably the weakest ending for that storyline possible. Don't get how you build some character so well through 5 books only to completely shit on it. GRRM is becoming such a one dimensional writer where the only writing tool he knows is to kill off all the beloved characters in the most drastic and gruesome way possible for shock effect.

 

[IrishinTN]

Could absolutely be true but they could just be bull sh*tting, just like they're doing with John saying he's done for good and all.

But that was probably the weakest ending for that storyline possible. Don't get how you build some character so well through 5 books only to completely shit on it. GRRM is becoming such a one dimensional writer where the only writing tool he knows is to kill off all the beloved characters in the most drastic and gruesome way possible for shock effect.

I personally felt a while back he became lazy and bored with writing this story. He got his money, started traveling the world and peddling his games, figures and swords and wants HBO to finish the story for him.

 

[wizards8507]

Point 115: Brienne does 100% kill Stannis in that scene. The only reason they didn’t show him actually dying was to avoid being gratuitous.

I'm not sure I buy that. When has this show ever done anything to avoid being gratuitous?

 

[Whiskeyjack]

GRRM in 1981:

"If I were really cynical I would start some medieval sword and sorcery thing, say it's a trilogy, then keep writing it for the rest of my life."

 

[IrishLion]

Ian McShane is in trouble again... he confirmed that Stannis is dead, to go along with the other pieces of info that have been filtering out. It seems like they truly just didn't show it.

 

[Kaneyoufeelit]

Valar Morghulis: An illustrated guide to all 704 deaths in "Game of Thrones"

 

[Whiskeyjack]

New clip from S6 was just aired on Conan. It starts at 1:50.

 

[IrishLion]

"Fuck the Night's Watch"

That's my new t-shirt idea.

I hope Ghost rips some throats out.

(It's more likely that Melisandre shows up and puts a halt to the battle, and that's why the first episode is titled "The Red Woman")

 

[wizards8507]

"Fuck the Night's Watch"

That's my new t-shirt idea.

I hope Ghost rips some throats out.

(It's more likely that Melisandre shows up and puts a halt to the battle, and that's why the first episode is titled "The Red Woman")

Nothing will beat "Every Fucking Chicken."

 

[IrishLion]

Nothing will beat "Every Fucking Chicken."

Now I'm gonna go re-watch that scene.