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[foxtrot3d]

I'm doing a re-read now and I'm baffled as to why GRRM chose the ages he did. Sansa is twelve. Arya is ten. Was he hoping to draw in young adult readers, and ended up writing too brutal a series? My daughter is twelve and while I love her dearly, she is not ready to be married off or to kill people.

As it's been said over and over the point is to be realistic towards the type of medieval period the world is set in. During the Middle Ages 12 year old and up was prime period to have children and be married off, especially since life expectancy back then was pretty short and a good amount of your children would die before ever reaching "adult" age. There's a reason young girls are able to have kids and immediately bounce back whereas women in their 30's and 40's have one child and it can take everything out of them. Biologically we're supposed to be having children at such a young age it's just that our societal norms surrounding the subject have changed over time.

GRRM is just staying true to history and as others have said before there was also supposed to be a time jump.

 

[Byakuya769]

I just realized something.

Will we even need this thread in season 7?

You mean season 6?

 

[bengraven]

You mean season 6?

I'm putting myself out there.

We will get Winds before 6.

I think.

 

[Iksenpets]

I'm putting myself out there.

We will get Winds before 6.

I think.

I think even if we don't get Winds, we need a separate thread still for season six, just to spare all the non-readers the constant whining. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY CUT VICTARION FOR THIS. I WANT MY LAVA ARM. DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK THERE'S STILL TIME FOR HIM TO SHOW UP?? OR MAYBE DAVOS CAN JUST GET THE LAVA ARM INSTEAD."

 

[Rentahamster]

mother of fuck. god damn. i didn't realize i clicked the book spoilers thread



apparently R.I.P until you dont, jon snow

And the new season claims its first victim.

Ah well. Come the end of the season, this'll be a non-factor.

People need to learn how to subscribe to threads. D:

The no book spoilers thread should probably not have the words "book" and "spoilers" in it since it makes the title too similar to this thread. It should probably start with the words "TELEVISION ONLY" or something like that.

 

[schlongdog]

I'm putting myself out there.

We will get Winds before 6.

I think.

I'm with you man

 

[kswiston]

I'm with you man

GRRMs actually been cancelling some of his expo appearances to make more room for writing. So that's an encouraging sign. Too bad he lost like 2 days to that Hugo Award Nomination fiasco.

 

[Dany]

LOL Jon is a baby

 

[bengraven]

The no book spoilers thread should probably not have the words "book" and "spoilers" in it since it makes the title too similar to this thread. It should probably start with the words "TELEVISION ONLY" or something like that.

Agreed. Make it so.

I think even if we don't get Winds, we need a separate thread still for season six, just to spare all the non-readers the constant whining. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY CUT VICTARION FOR THIS. I WANT MY LAVA ARM. DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK THERE'S STILL TIME FOR HIM TO SHOW UP?? OR MAYBE DAVOS CAN JUST GET THE LAVA ARM INSTEAD."

Imagine the bloodbath that Dream of Spring's thread will be.

"Oh some of you guys never watched the end of the show? So you don't know Theon's cock is the king and the undead direwolf Lady Lady is ruling the Riverlands and killing freys?"

I'm with you man

 

[Mxrz]

All the character age issues are confusing, I've enjoy the show (and the books) more when I don't think about it. Going with 'Stuff just happens.' But Tommen and Myrcella are hard to get around after seeing them as kids two seasons ago.

Is there anything official on how much time has passed in the books, and the show?

 

[kswiston]

All the character age issues are confusing, I've enjoy the show (and the books) more when I don't think about it. Going with 'Stuff just happens.' But Tommen and Myrcella are hard to get around after seeing them as kids two seasons ago.

Is there anything official on how much time has passed in the books, and the show?

Little lord Robert was quoted as being 13 in the the show last episode. He was sucking teat in season 1.

In the book, I think somewhere between 1 and 2 years pass from the start of AGOT and the end of ADWD.

 

[Iksenpets]

Agreed. Make it so.



Imagine the bloodbath that Dream of Spring's thread will be.

"Oh some of you guys never watched the end of the show? So you don't know Theon's cock is the king and the undead direwolf Lady Lady is ruling the Riverlands and killing freys.

Fellow show watcher: Oh yeah, I can't believe Melisandre sacrificed Jon to grow Theon's royal lavadick. And right after they revealed that his mom was really time-traveling Sansa!

Book readers: THEY HAVEN'T REVEALED THAT YET ARGH SPOOOOOIIIILERS

 

[Dany]

Someone was asking why this thread doesn't get as many posts. For me at least I have so much else going on and not enough for GAF -live posting.

 

[Pkaz01]

Why do they always skip out on Arya during the premiere episodes?

The only ones she appears in are in the pilot and season 4. Two of the best premiere episodes they have. I don't give a shit about Brienne, lancel, or olyvar and Loras.

It seems like the most screen time goes to the characters whose stories they want to fuck with and change other than Dany, Tyrion, and Jon. Everything else just seems like they waving the changes they made around and saying look look isnt it so much better now?

 

[PantherLotus]

I absolutely do not care about kids aging weirdly on a show, as long as I don't have to confront on screen happening to children (like Dany, for example) what GRRM described in quite explicit detail.

 

[Massa]

Why do they always skip out on Arya during the premiere episodes?

The only ones she appears in are in the pilot and season 4. Two of the best premiere episodes they have. I don't give a shit about Brienne, lancel, or olyvar and Loras.

It seems like the most screen time goes to the characters whose stories they want to fuck with and change other than Dany, Tyrion, and Jon. Everything else just seems like they waving the changes they made around and saying look look isnt it so much better now?

Eh, I think you're reaching there quite a bit. Arya's arc is completely isolated from the rest of the show so it makes more sense to not spread it out over 10 episodes, it would grow too thin. Olyvar and Loras on the other hand are in King's Landing and there's a lot going on in that plot for season 5. Same with Brienne and what she's apparently doing this season.

 

[PantherLotus]

Well lancel and Loras both are central to Cersei's eventual scourging, so it makes sense they'd set that up all at once.

 

[PhoenixDark]

Joan Of Arc died when she was 19, after having participated in multiple battles. So yea...there's plenty of precedent for the ages in the books. Whether the ages used were a good idea narrative wise is another story.

Maybe skipping a few months at the end of each book would have worked. By the end of GoT Robb has been declared king, Dany has dragons, Tyrion is on his way to KL...obviously some time was skipped between GoT and CoK but I'd imagine he could have gotten away with a bit more. Same with the period between CoK and SoS.

 

[Soyongdori]

Roose Bolton is Vladimir Putin.

 

[Atraveller]

I just realized something.

Will we even need this thread in season 7?

I'd say yes, show watchers don't like book comparisons.

 

[Steelyuhas]

We will definitely keep separate threads. We may get to the point where the everyone is watching stuff that isn't in a published book yet, but the perspectives of those audiences will still be different.

 

[foxtrot3d]

You know I was never really upset before but I kinda am now that I realize the show will end before the books. Like do I really want to watch this story completed with no Victarion and Mance burned at the stake? And then what's worse is to have everyone believe that is the legitimate proper ending because "ugh reading." I mean realistically we may not get the real ending until about 2022 or 2025, that means years of everyone being done with the show and the great mystery of The Others being resolved.

GURM why you do this to us?

 

[Basileus777]

We will definitely keep separate threads. We may get to the point where the everyone is watching stuff that isn't in a published book yet, but the perspectives of those audiences will still be different.

Yeah, everything in this thread still gets viewed through the lens of and compared to the books. It makes perfect sense to keep the two thread system.

Joan Of Arc died when she was 19, after having participated in multiple battles. So yea...there's plenty of precedent for the ages in the books. Whether the ages used were a good idea narrative wise is another story.

Maybe skipping a few months at the end of each book would have worked. By the end of GoT Robb has been declared king, Dany has dragons, Tyrion is on his way to KL...obviously some time was skipped between GoT and CoK but I'd imagine he could have gotten away with a bit more. Same with the period between CoK and SoS.

Yeah that plan would have been difficult to pull off. Hence why he regrets not having the characters older to begin with.

 

[Joni]

Nah man. They cut back to Tormund too much for that to be the case. It looked to me like they wanted to see his(real Mance) reaction. Tormund didnt even have any lines in this episode, so why would they give him so much screentime

Yeah, I'm going with that. Guessed that before the episode aired and sticking with it.

 

[Chuckie]

The average life expectancy being really low equating to short lives is a misunderstanding of how life expectancy works. It was really low because it includes all of the children who die at or within a few years of birth. A lot of kids died early, bringing down the average age. If you made it to 20, your chances at seeing 50 were pretty good. Especially when we are talking about nobility.

EDIT: Of course we live longer overall now, but only 9 of 58 English monarchs have died before the age of 30 since the 800s.

43 of the 58 made it to 40.

40-ish? I'd call that a short life.
So the point that you had to marry early and get kids soon still stands even though average life expectancy does indeed get influenced by infant deaths.

 

[NeoGiff]

I think even if we don't get Winds, we need a separate thread still for season six, just to spare all the non-readers the constant whining. "I CAN'T BELIEVE THEY CUT VICTARION FOR THIS. I WANT MY LAVA ARM. DOES ANYONE ELSE THINK THERE'S STILL TIME FOR HIM TO SHOW UP?? OR MAYBE DAVOS CAN JUST GET THE LAVA ARM INSTEAD."

Holy shit... the show should give Davis fiery fingers to replace the ones he lost. And while we're at it, Theon might as well get a lava cock!

EDIT: Just saw that you made the same joke above. This meeting of the minds surely means that GURM thinks the same.

 

[CassSept]

Even stranger when you consider the timeline. Haven't only 1 or 2 years passed in the books since the beginning?

Again, this got worse as time progressed. AFFC/ADWD are massive books but they cover a bazillion plotlines, mostly world building so not much time has passed. I think Dany starts in year 297, most of AGOT takes place in 298, then we hit the year 300 at Joffrey's Wedding. Everything after that including all of AFFC/ADWD takes place in 300, though I think it's supposed to be nearly 301.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

The average life expectancy being really low equating to short lives is a misunderstanding of how life expectancy works. It was really low because it includes all of the children who die at or within a few years of birth. A lot of kids died early, bringing down the average age. If you made it to 20, your chances at seeing 50 were pretty good. Especially when we are talking about nobility.

EDIT: Of course we live longer overall now, but only 9 of 58 English monarchs have died before the age of 30 since the 800s.

43 of the 58 made it to 40.

What about average citizens?

 

[LAUGHTREY]

It's kinda funny to me that a year in Westeros is the same relative to a year for us.

A year on Earth is 4 seasons, a year on Westeros can be just one season, maybe two. How do they track the years?

 

[Basileus777]

It's kinda funny to me that a year in Westeros is the same relative to a year for us.

A year on Earth is 4 seasons, a year on Westeros can be just one season, maybe two. How do they track the years?

The same way they track years on Earth, through astronomy. A year need not be determined by the seasons. Presumably they have their own calendar based on their astronomical knowledge. The seasons are irregular because of magic and the world book hints at the planet once having had normal seasons, so the planet's orbit around its star is probably normal.

 

[Obscured]

It's kinda funny to me that a year in Westeros is the same relative to a year for us.

A year on Earth is 4 seasons, a year on Westeros can be just one season, maybe two. How do they track the years?

I'm sure there is a crow that shows up. It has a tiny top hat and a sash to announce each new year.

I'm sure they really killed off Mance as his alter ego just doesn't seem like it would fit with the direction they took his character in the show.

I'm wondering where what part the ironborn will play since it seems like they are cutting out everything from the books and we've already seen the unsuccessful rescue attempt of Theon last season.

Seems like anything concerning Bran will get into new territory, but wasn't he expected to not even be in this season. I recall reading that somewhere, but I don't know if that was verified of just a rumor. I'm not looking forward to the arguements in future years where we yell at people about 'true' endings. Since GRRM let them know where the story should end up I wonder if it is going to end up similar or feel completely different.

 

[foxtrot3d]

The same way they track years on Earth, through astronomy. A year need not be determined by the seasons. Presumably they have their own calendar based on their astronomical knowledge. The seasons are irregular because of magic and the world book hints at the planet once having had normal seasons, so the planet's orbit around its star is probably normal.

This. The seasons have to do with the tilt of the Earth, a year on the other hand is simply the complete rotation of a planet around its star. The fact that they have irregular seasons wouldn't affect the length of a year. I remember someone posting in one of the previous threads a more recent theory suggesting that the Long Night was an astrological event regarding a comet striking Planetos and screwing up it's tilt thus causing the long night and weird seasons. I don't exactly buy it but it's interesting nonetheless.

 

[Aiii]

The same way they track years on Earth, through astronomy. A year need not be determined by the seasons. Presumably they have their own calendar based on their astronomical knowledge. The seasons are irregular because of magic and the world book hints at the planet once having had normal seasons, so the planet's orbit around its star is probably normal.

I've always assumed the book ends with the destruction of the others and thus the restoration of regular seasons to the world.

 

[Brakke]

I've always assumed the book ends with the destruction of the others and thus the restoration of regular seasons to the world.

My sweet summer child...

 

[eot]

Any chance Mance was swapped with Tormund?

Also, I hope they show more of Ghost this season even though I doubt it. They've made zero mention of Jon's dreams or warging ability so far.

 

[The Smoking Bun]

I've always assumed the book ends with the destruction of the others and thus the restoration of regular seasons to the world.

This ain't My Little Pony bruh... even that show is slowly getting hardcore...

Most likely Dany's vision was an early spoiler and we get Kings Landing wiped off the map with an empty throne, Dany returns to Essos to make a new kingdom since Westeros would be borked, Arya ends up as the leader of the Assassin Crew that would be her body guard. Jon Snow could either end as a crazed Azhor Azhai putting Westeros to the torch and hunting White Walkers/Others Bloodborne style or join them as the new Night's King. Tyrion returns to Casterly Rock and locks himself inside to live out the rest of his days in peace.

THEN SUDDENLY!!!

Spoiler

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joN3qx-SNNs

 

[Imperial]

Any chance Mance was swapped with Tormund?

Also, I hope they show more of Ghost this season even though I doubt it. They've made zero mention of Jon's dreams or warging ability so far.

I hope they remain true to the book in that aspect. Ciaran Hinds did not get nearly enough screen time on the show.

 

[The Smoking Bun]

Any chance Mance was swapped with Tormund?

Also, I hope they show more of Ghost this season even though I doubt it. They've made zero mention of Jon's dreams or warging ability so far.

I think they literally forgot that warging is a thing despite the fact that it plays into Arya's character for this part of her arc

Possible that the show will run past 7 seasons?

Despite what others say, yes. But if that was the case we would see more padding to stretch it out and they couldn't cut story-lines like Stoneheart & Ironborn

 

[thequickandthedead]

Possible that the show will run past 7 seasons?

 

[Zoso Achilles]

So is Dany immune to fire in the show? I know she's not in the books, but most people in the show the show thread seem to think this is the case.

 

[Jigorath]

Possible that the show will run past 7 seasons?

D&D seem pretty adamant on 7 seasons.

 

[Jigorath]

So is Dany immune to fire in the show? I know she's not in the books, but most people in the show the show thread seem to think this is the case.

In the show? Yeah she's immune to fire.

 

[Atraveller]

In the show? Yeah she's immune to fire.

Nah, her hair didn't burn because aesthetics.

 

[Big-E]

So is Dany immune to fire in the show? I know she's not in the books, but most people in the show the show thread seem to think this is the case.

I thought there was a part in the show where they showed her hurt by fire?

 

[Jigorath]

Nah, her hair didn't burn because aesthetics.

Nothing hot in the show affects Dany. She can pick up the eggs without getting burned, take a super hot bath, etc.

 

[Atraveller]

Nothing hot in the show affects Dany. She can pick up the eggs without getting burned, take a super hot bah, etc.

She does have high heat resistance.

 

[NeoGiff]

Any chance Mance was swapped with Tormund?

No. Mance is dead.

Ciarán Hinds is finished with the show.

 

[Aiii]

Nothing hot in the show affects Dany. She can pick up the eggs without getting burned, take a super hot bath, etc.

She held her hand in a flame in Season 1 without getting burned too. Yeah, in the show she's immune to fire.

She even outrights says real dragons can't be burned to Drogo after he kills her brother.

 

[Mr Git]

She was pretty engulfed in teeny dragon fire and basically had a sleep on a funeral pyre. High resistance.

 

[hendersonhank]

the undead direwolf Lady Lady is ruling the Riverlands and killing freys?"

lol, "Lady Lady" isn't getting enough love here.