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[bodyofanamerican]

Oh really? I remember seeing the quote on a different site a while back so I can't really remember its context.

I also found this quote from Alfie Allen floating around:

Spoiler

"There's some amazing scenes between Ramsay and his father this year, without a shadow of a doubt, and I think the Boltons are going to be a force to be reckoned with for the years to come."

Yep, sorry I was on mobile before. Looked the quote up here:

Spoiler

“He’s gonna get one hell of a horrendous death. Imminent death. I just hope it’s not this year, because I’ve just bought a flat. I need him to keep doing terrible things until I’ve paid for it! Next year, fine. I’m really looking forward to it. It’s weird, because everyone’s anticipating season five, but I feel like that’s done, next! I won’t be doing that for a while. I don’t even know if I’m in it.”

Iwan Rheon on the past, present, and future of Ramsay Snow

 

[ChaosZeroX]

Yeah this is the season of Winterfell in a way. I think at this point I can safely say that no matter how good/bad everything else is, I personally will be disappointed with no decent Winterfell wrap up this season. What kind of wrap up... well if there even is one, there are so many ways it could go. The dream is having the battle finished with a decently clear victor but that seems impossible now.

Exactly. The Battle of Winterfell looks to be pushed to next season sadly.

 

[Lothar]

I say yeah, her whole KL story did feel like a waste of time. Every minute spent with Sansa is a waste of time to me. I don't need a story about a naive idiot who's perpetually traumatized and ground into a panicked, inactive cypher. Is that snow castle scene about identifying with the Northern, independent, active, duty-bound spirit? Or is about nostalgia for a time when her family was alive and she had parents? Would Sansa swing the sword herself to lop off the head of a Night's Watch deserter?

She's not strong enough to do that. What Stark do you hope leads Winterfell in the near future? It'll be a long time before Rickon and Bran can do their own executions. Jon isn't a Stark. I think the Snow Castle scene is both. Damn D & D for not doing that scene properly.

Sansa is one of my favorite characters because she has a strong will to not want to kill herself after everything she's been though. She hasn't let it brake her. She still kind and caring, still gets enjoyment out of building snow castles, still blushes when Myranda Royce makes a sex joke, she hasn't become cold. She still wants to be back in the middle of it too. She wants Winterfell in the show and she's going there in the books. I like seeing her develop as a character. Even in the show where she's a victim and prisoner, I'm pretty sure they're going to have her take a more active role in her escape than she did in KL and Jeyne Poole did in the book. We can already see her planning something with the corkscrew.

When Robb called the banners the thing that got people rallied was his firm, violent cajoling the Greatjon into line. Robb wasn't just named Stark, he *was* Stark. In temperament, Sansa takes after Cat before she fell in love with Ned and really became Stark. She wears the Stark name but she's really Sansa Tully. Or Sansa Baelish.

They'll get behind her when she starts killing Boltons and Freys. Not by her hand since he's not Arya but through some plot.

 

[Kyougar]

Like Grey Worm! He's had somewhere around 20 minutes total screen time so far, every second of which could have been much better spent elsewhere. Knowing D&D, no Grey Worm probably would have just meant 20 minutes of extra boobs though.

But is it taking away? Let me be clear, i dont like this romance either. But We have episodes where they could have gone the full 60 minutes but we only got 51. Lets face it, they dont have anything in store, they are only rowing the boat without direction like Gendry. (I jest, just a little)

 

[bengraven]

Ramsay and Stannis will still be alive this season I think.

Season 6 will be one long game of chess before a mid-season battle.

(episode 9 synopsis)

Spoiler

Arya encounters someone from her past.

Ooooooooooooo tran't handle the excitement.

 

[WaffleTaco]

So I'm assuming Varamyr will be in the next episode...maybe lots of CGI for him during the battle with him using his six animals. Could be badass.

 

[Real Hero]

So I'm assuming Varamyr will be in the next episode...maybe lots of CGI for him during the battle with him using his six animals. Could be badass.

Really? Polar bear and all?

 

[Mashing]

So I'm assuming Varamyr will be in the next episode...maybe lots of CGI for him during the battle with him using his six animals. Could be badass.

I can't remember, was he in the tent when Jon was taken before Mance the first time? I'm just trying to remember if Varamyr has appeared in the show at all.

 

[fuzzyset]

Yeah this is the season of Winterfell in a way. I think at this point I can safely say that no matter how good/bad everything else is, I personally will be disappointed with no decent Winterfell wrap up this season. What kind of wrap up... well if there even is one, there are so many ways it could go. The dream is having the battle finished with a decently clear victor but that seems impossible now.

I'm still holding out hope. It seems silly to have him marching to Winterfell for 5 episodes (he left ep 5? 6?). Given his speech last episode,

Spoiler

"Stannis marches" could very well mean that he is marching to victory/defeat (aka we figure out which one)

.

 

[bengraven]

Completely forgot they cast Varamyr this year.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Grey Worm and Missandei been MIA most of the season, and they've never taken up much screen time. It's always funny to see the misplaced anger directed at those characters.

Nathalie Emmanuel has a great agent, she's a main cast member for what is really a recurring role.

Ironborn been cut brah

If you haven't seen the news, the first casting calls for S6 went out, character names are withheld, but there's one that's almost surely Euron.

 

[Brakke]

She's not strong enough to do that. What Stark do you hope leads Winterfell in the near future? It'll be a long time before Rickon and Bran can do their own executions. Jon isn't a Stark. I think the Snow Castle scene is both. Damn D & D for not doing that scene properly.

Sansa is one of my favorite characters because she has a strong will to not want to kill herself after everything she's been though. She hasn't let it brake her. She still kind and caring, still gets enjoyment out of building snow castles, still blushes when Myranda Royce makes a sex joke, she hasn't become cold. She still wants to be back in the middle of it too. She wants Winterfell in the show and she's going there in the books. I like seeing her develop as a character. Even in the show where she's a victim and prisoner, I'm pretty sure they're going to have her take a more active role in her escape than she did in KL and Jeyne Poole did in the book. We can already see her planning something with the corkscrew.

This feels a lot like reading a character you want than the character that exists in either text. What's your evidence for "she's too strong to kill herself"? Did she ever face / confront / comtemplate suicide? Just as easy, we could say she's too weak to kill herself. We need a scene where Reek smuggles her a knife or a noose and she refuses it.

It's not even clear that she wants Winterfell in the show. She's only there because Petyr made it happen. She didn't even realize they were going North at first... There's no reason to think that corkscrew represents a "plan". Her last plan was to have Theon send out a summons to some ally she doesn't even know exists. Why did she trust the old lady, why did she trust Theon. She has no idea who will answer the candle, calling for their help isn't a plan it's desperation. She never stabbed anyone before, I'm sure she'll bungle the job with the corkscrew.

 

[munchie64]

I like the debate on whether or not the Faith will allow trail-by-combat in the other thread.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

This feels a lot like reading a character you want than the character that exists in either text. What's your evidence for "she's too strong to kill herself"? Did she ever face / confront / comtemplate suicide? Just as easy, we could say she's too weak to kill herself. We need a scene where Reek smuggles her a knife or a noose and she refuses it.

It's not even clear that she wants Winterfell in the show. She's only there because Petyr made it happen. She didn't even realize they were going North at first... There's no reason to think that corkscrew represents a "plan". Her last plan was to have Theon send out a summons to some ally she doesn't even know exists. Why did she trust the old lady, why did she trust Theon. She has no idea who will answer the candle, calling for their help isn't a plan it's desperation. She never stabbed anyone before, I'm sure she'll bungle the job with the corkscrew.

I read this more as a criticism of the writing than I do Sansa as a character, to be honest.

 

[Ikael]

Cersei pleading trial by combat is totally happening, but probably left for the next season. It seems that this season will be the one with the most unresolved plots ever *sigh* They went their own way, only to preserve the most stupid decisions of the books. Bad, bad adaptation work.

As for the corckscrew, I am not so sure that Sansa is goin to murder Theon. I mean, the Boltons are the only human villians left "in the game" now that Cersei has been nullified. I bet that she's going to kill fat Walda in order to trow a wegde between Roose and Ramsay instead.

 

[bengraven]

Speaking of trials, there's thought that maybe it will be a trial of 7 as hinted in the Dunk and Egg books. There has to be at least one in the main series...surely.

 

[Brakke]

I read this more as a criticism of the writing than I do Sansa as a character, to be honest.

Yeah totally! They've completely failed to give us anything grasp onto with her. There's no glimmer of hope, there's no reason to like Sansa except pity. She doesn't even have a personality, really. She's the football, things happen to her, she never does anything. Even her good manipulation in the Vale was reactive. She didn't arrange for the chance to appear before the Vale Lords, she was summoned. If the show ever gets around to having her accomplish anything it'll be super unearned, especially if the first thing she does is something extreme like stab Ramsay.

 

[bodyofanamerican]

Yeah totally! They've completely failed to give us anything grasp onto with her. There's no glimmer of hope, there's no reason to like Sansa except pity. She doesn't even have a personality, really. She's the football, things happen to her, she never does anything. Even her good manipulation in the Vale was reactive. She didn't arrange for the chance to appear before the Vale Lords, she was summoned. If the show ever gets around to having her accomplish anything it'll be super unearned, especially if the first thing she does is something extreme like stab Ramsay.

Ah! Ok, glad we're on the same page! Aside from the obvious gross & tacky decisions they've made with her story, totally agree with your assessment. The Winterfell plot in general just feels like pure, weaponized, stereotypical "Game of Thrones" (i.e., the mainstream idea of what the show is), i.e., despair porn.

I'm really trying to think of this as someone who is only watching it as a show. What am I waiting for now? Her to do something with the corkscrew, and hope Theon has a breakthrough? That's about it, right?

 

[Speevy]

What if they gave Stannis a modified version of Barristan's speech? That would be awesome...and awful.

 

[Iksenpets]

Nathalie Emmanuel has a great agent, she's a main cast member for what is really a recurring role.

I imagine she must've seen a pretty big spike in demand that gave her some leverage. She's probably got casting directors left and right wanting to cast her as various love-interest and hot-girl characters. But yeah, the politics of who gets promoted over whom is super weird. The Tormund promotion is the one that still has me scratching my head. Dude didn't have a dialog scene until like 5 episodes into the season. Pretty sure people like Loras and Podrick have had more screentime, but have no hope of ever getting promoted.

What if they gave Stannis a modified version of Barristan's speech? That would be awesome...and awful.

No way! Stannis has his own awesome lines to deliver. Also, I really hope they don't have Jorah or Daario taking over any of Barry's role. The only way I can accept his death if it's because that plot's been excised completely. If they killed him off just to do his story with a character they like better, I'll be pissed.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

I wonder if show watchers are wondering what has happened with Varys

Will be glorious when he shows up in Ep 10

 

[Real Hero]

What if they gave Stannis a modified version of Barristan's speech? That would be awesome...and awful.

Way too dramatic for Stannis.

 

[Byakuya769]

Tyrion is getting those Selmy lines. Silly, I know... But bank on it.

 

[Steelyuhas]

I imagine she must've seen a pretty big spike in demand that gave her some leverage. She's probably got casting directors left and right wanting to cast her as various love-interest and hot-girl characters. But yeah, the politics of who gets promoted over whom is super weird. The Tormund promotion is the one that still has me scratching my head. Dude didn't have a dialog scene until like 5 episodes into the season. Pretty sure people like Loras and Podrick have had more screentime, but have no hope of ever getting promoted.

Tormund was prompted last year I believe.

But yeah, I'm sure there is a ton that goes into contracts and who gets them.

 

[-griffy-]

I imagine she must've seen a pretty big spike in demand that gave her some leverage. She's probably got casting directors left and right wanting to cast her as various love-interest and hot-girl characters. But yeah, the politics of who gets promoted over whom is super weird. The Tormund promotion is the one that still has me scratching my head. Dude didn't have a dialog scene until like 5 episodes into the season. Pretty sure people like Loras and Podrick have had more screentime, but have no hope of ever getting promoted.

The only thing that makes sense is that what constitutes a series "regular" on GOT is slightly different compared to other shows, due to the gigantic cast and completely separate storylines/locations. It's also a weirdly common phenomenon on cable shows specifically that certain characters get promoted to series regular and then the story dictates that their character ends up getting sidelined and they wind up with seemingly less screentime (see series like Justified, The Americans, Mad Men, etc).

 

[Lothar]

This feels a lot like reading a character you want than the character that exists in either text. What's your evidence for "she's too strong to kill herself"? Did she ever face / confront / comtemplate suicide? Just as easy, we could say she's too weak to kill herself. We need a scene where Reek smuggles her a knife or a noose and she refuses it.

It's not even clear that she wants Winterfell in the show. She's only there because Petyr made it happen. She didn't even realize they were going North at first... There's no reason to think that corkscrew represents a "plan". Her last plan was to have Theon send out a summons to some ally she doesn't even know exists. Why did she trust the old lady, why did she trust Theon. She has no idea who will answer the candle, calling for their help isn't a plan it's desperation. She never stabbed anyone before, I'm sure she'll bungle the job with the corkscrew.

This is going to be hard to do over the phone. Since neogaf is banned at work now. Excuse this if it's shit.

We know she's not suicidal or a broken mess (like Tyrion) in the books because we can read her thoughts. In the show, taking the corkscrew whether it works or not shows that she still has fight in her. She's going to be handling this differently than Jeyne Poole. Without a doubt. The same goes for her making the comments about Roose's new son. She's still stirring the pot. She's not content to wallow in her sorrows being a prisoner.

She had to risk trusting the old lady and Reek because those were the only options she had. It's that or do nothing and stay and be raped forever. I would have done the same to get out. She's still going to need to use Reek because that's all she has. She's also hurt, desperate, and scared. Even if she doesn't make the smartest choices, it's understandable. I just like that she's trying things and making plans at all. I predict and would like her to use the corkscrew on Theon to get the keys or make him help her out.

Regardless of bad writing to convince her to go, she did choose to go to Winterfell. The show is telling us she wanted revenge and to be the Wardeness.

I'll admit it if the show is doing characters poorly. Dany is a complete disaster, she makes no sense. But I really think they're doing Sansa extremely well.

 

[BobTheFork]

Something stupid on my part I just realized.....We are going to end this season with the fighting pit scene but that isn't the battle of Mareen. With that casting news, Dany will likely fly away and leave Jorah, Tyrion and Daario in power struggling which mean the battle will be next season and probably late. I guess they can leave for Westeros right after that but it feels like we are late in the show for all this stuff.

It's odd that we thought we were about to blast past the book but we are going to end up up with all the same cliff hangers.

Kevan dies
Dany skies
Ramsey lies (maybe, depending on the battle outcome)
Jon's demise
Hot pies

 

[The Elite]

Tyrion is getting those Selmy lines. Silly, I know... But bank on it.

I think so.

They are basically giving the general audience exactly what they want.

"Oh shit, KellyC is going to do it now that she has Tyrion by her side."

 

[ChaosZeroX]

I wonder if show watchers are wondering what has happened with Varys

Will be glorious when he shows up in Ep 10

If he shows up in Ep 10. I'm ready for Pycelle to fucking die though so I hope he shows up.

 

[Brakke]

This is going to be hard to do over the phone. Since neogaf is banned at work now. Excuse this if it's shit.

We know she's not suicidal or a broken mess (like Tyrion) in the books because we can read her thoughts. In the show, taking the corkscrew whether it works or not shows that she still has fight in her. She's going to be handling this differently than Jeyne Poole. Without a doubt. The same goes for her making the comments about Roose's new son. She's still stirring the pot. She's not content to wallow in her sorrows being a prisoner.

She had to risk trusting the old lady and Reek because those were the only options she had. It's that or do nothing and stay and be raped forever. I would have done the same to get out. She's still going to need to use Reek because that's all she has. She's also hurt, desperate, and scared. Even if she doesn't make the smartest choices, it's understandable. I just like that she's trying things and making plans at all. I predict and would like her to use the corkscrew on Theon to get the keys or make him help her out.

Regardless of bad writing to convince her to go, she did choose to go to Winterfell. The show is telling us she wanted revenge and to be the Wardeness.

I'll admit it if the show is doing characters poorly. Dany is a complete disaster, she makes no sense. But I really think they're doing Sansa extremely well.

Look at this guy being such a Stansa. <3

 

[Speevy]

Jorah walks in to find Dany in bed with Daario, Hizdahr, and Tyrion at the same time.

 

[Brakke]

Kevan dies. Dany skies. Ramsey lies. Jon's demise. Hot pies.

If this isn't the logline for Episode 10 I'm quitting the show.

 

[cartoon_soldier]

Pod saying there is a scene that week break the internet in ep 10. Jon dying with no resurrection would do that. Which would be a sucky way to end the season.

 

[BobTheFork]

Pod saying there is a scene that week break the internet in ep 10. Jon dying with no resurrection would do that. Which would be a sucky way to end the season.

I think it's the correct way to end it though. It's a huge fucking moment given people who won't suspect his return. I thought reviving him before next season would be a big missed chance to have another game changer on the show, at least for now.

 

[WaffleTaco]

I think it's the correct way to end it though. It's a huge fucking moment given people who won't suspect his return. I thought reviving him before next season would be a big missed chance to have another game changer on the show, at least for now.

I think it would be funny if Kit gave the same reply GRRM gave on Jon Snow's death: "Oh you think he's dead do you?"

 

[Ganzlinger]

Killing Jon and not reviving him is the best choice. It's impactful and doesn't spoil the books yet. Even if we are sure he will come back.

I need to see internet's reaction... it would be a megaton

 

[Speevy]

Since this show likes to conflate things, what if Stannis dies and Jon takes over his army and marches on Winterfell?

No death, no resurrection, no pink letter, just Jon takin' charge.

 

[PsychoSoldier]

Killing Jon and not reviving him is the best choice. It's impactful and doesn't spoil the books yet. Even if we are sure he will come back.

I need to see internet's reaction... it would be a megaton

Maybe but it depends on what they value, honestly. It would cause a huge reaction but it might turn off a ton of people that the Starks get dumped on again, would feel like they're reusing the same trick over and over.

 

[Emerson]

People will stop watching the show if Jon is killed off with no hint at him coming back. Show watchers have nothing at all to hope for. Jon is pretty much the last character many of them like.

 

[Ganzlinger]

Maybe but it depends on what they value, honestly. It would cause a huge reaction but it might turn off a ton of people that the Starks get dumped on again, would feel like they're reusing the same trick over and over.

It's kinda risky, but people will eventually understand that Jon will be ressurected just like book readers. People will discuss his death and realize that.

 

[Speevy]

Ramsay's pink letter has to be about Sansa because they haven't given Jon enough reason to care about Winterfell or Stannis' fate in the show.

If it is, then Sansa is actually in Winterfell to give a reason to leave the Night's Watch, which they'll stab him for. If he wakes up, he'll be heading to Winterfell once again.

Of course, Sansa won't be there because she will have already escaped with Theon and Brienne.

 

[Moff]

Ramsay's pink letter has to be about Sansa because they haven't given Jon enough reason to care about Winterfell or Stannis' fate in the show.

If it is, then Sansa is actually in Winterfell to give a reason to leave the Night's Watch, which they'll stab him for. If he wakes up, he'll be heading to Winterfell once again.

Of course, Sansa won't be there because she will have already escaped with Theon and Brienne.

arya was mentioned in the pink letter wasn't she? of course sansa will be mentioned instead of her.

 

[-griffy-]

They could pretty easily cut the pink letter altogether and make Jon's betrayal all about him siding with the Wildlings and going to Hardhome. Just a more straightforward mutiny.

 

[Lothar]

They're actually going to just have the letter in place of the battle, aren't they?

Has Pod read the books? Something book readers are expecting wouldn't break the internet. Maybe it's Shireen burning. Maybe it's Stoneheart.

 

[foxtrot3d]

Jorah walks in to find Dany in bed with Daario, Hizdahr, and Tyrion at the same time.

And probably Moon Boy for all he knows.

 

[Moff]

They could pretty easily cut the pink letter altogether and make Jon's betrayal all about him siding with the Wildlings and going to Hardhome. Just a more straightforward mutiny.

they could, but the pink letter is awesome and not attached to any budget, like other cool stuff they cut like coldhands or stoneheart.

 

[Speevy]

We've already established that Ramsay likes to write really mean letters in the show.

That's what I would do if I lived in the A Song of Ice and Fire Universe. I'd write letters to every lord telling them that I destroyed such and such house in battle, and demand their fealty. I'd be like Littlefinger but with letters.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

We've already established that Ramsay likes to write really mean letters in the show.

So Ramsay and I do have something in common.

 

[Emerson]

It's kinda risky, but people will eventually understand that Jon will be ressurected just like book readers. People will discuss his death and realize that.

Except in the show there's nearly zero context for them to figure that out. The books at that point had featured multiple resurrections, more in depth warg knowledge, and hints that Jon is Mel's savior rather than Stannis, as well as a prologue in that book which was explicit about a warg living on in an animal after death, none of which is established in the show aside from Beric coming back 2 seasons ago which most show viewers won't even remember.

 

[-griffy-]

they could, but the pink letter is awesome and not attached to any budget, like other cool stuff they cut like coldhands or stoneheart.

It's also a potentially weird plot device that works well specifically because of the POV format of the books. When you actually spend time with Stannis first hand and see him marching for Winterfell, and then just cut away from the battle and learn the "outcome" from a letter, it might feel completely cheap and lame on screen.