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[Enosh]

What's everyone stance on Stannis's fate?

thank christ he's dead so they won't further butcher his story
he will die in the books too, but let's hope he gets a better exit

casting spoilers from like a month ago

Spoiler

if they really are going to do some sort of northen rebellion in the next season I guess D&D got in one final slap in face even while he is in the grave

 

[Ratrat]

What's everyone stance on Stannis's fate?

I don't see how anyone can give a crap after last season, but I don't think he's dead. A show that obsessed with shock moments would not have shied from something so gruesome.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Watchers: Some guy refusing to leave Belfast; PJ Dillon (cinematographer from "What is Dead
May Never Die") returns for season 6

 

[NeoGiff]

I don't see how anyone can give a crap after last season, but I don't think he's dead. A show that obsessed with shock moments would not have shied from something so gruesome.

He's dead, Jim.

 

[kharma45]

Watchers: Some guy refusing to leave Belfast; PJ Dillon (cinematographer from "What is Dead
May Never Die") returns for season 6

Those pictures of him with his hand towards the camera aren't Belfast. They're London.

 

[Moff]

are scenes from essos shot in belfast or why is natalie emmanuel there?

 

[hipsterpants]

Stannis living with the consequences of his actions would be a really interesting plot line. So it won't happen.

tbh I'm just excited to see what direction the Missandei/Grey Worm love story will go next

 

[NeoGiff]

are scenes from essos shot in belfast or why is natalie emmanuel there?

They use Linen Mill Studios in Banbridge and the Titanic Studios in Belfast for indoor scenes. Also, some Essos scenes are shot outside in Northern Ireland. Two examples that come to mind are almost the entirety of the Dothraki Sea scenes in season 1, and Dany's final scene with Drogon and the Dothraki in season 5.

 

[Iksenpets]

are scenes from essos shot in belfast or why is natalie emmanuel there?

Pretty much all indoor scenes are in N. Ireland, unless it's something they use one of the Spanish castles for, so most of her filming would probably be in Belfast. Plus it sounds like the Dothraki stuff is filming in Belfast-area fields.

Edit: NeoGiff beat me with all his fancy expertise.

 

[NeoGiff]

Those pictures of him with his hand towards the camera aren't Belfast. They're London.

Ah yes. The yellow oyster

Spoiler

sclamsandcockles

card readers.

 

[Ithil]

tbh I'm just excited to see what direction the Missandei/Grey Worm love story will go next

 

[kharma45]

Ah yes. The yellow oyster

Spoiler

sclamsandcockles

card readers.

Public transport in NI isn't evolved enough to have something as good as Oyster.

Pretty much all indoor scenes are in N. Ireland, unless it's something they use one of the Spanish castles for, so most of her filming would probably be in Belfast. Plus it sounds like the Dothraki stuff is filming in Belfast-area fields.

Edit: NeoGiff beat me with all his fancy expertise.

I'm going to be an arse but if the Dothraki stuff was filmed in Binevenagh then it's the other side of NI from Belfast.

 

[Iksenpets]

thank christ he's dead so they won't further butcher his story
he will die in the books too, but let's hope he gets a better exit

casting spoilers from like a month ago

Spoiler

if they really are going to do some sort of northen rebellion in the next season I guess D&D got in one final slap in face even while he is in the grave

My guess, fueled mostly by pure optimism, is that Stannis is the character GRRM was referencing recently when he said he had finally figured out how he was going to kill a certain character who had always been doomed since he had introduced him. No one seems more doomed-from-the-start than Stannis. So when he met with D&D to go over the endings for each character and they got to Stannis, he basically told him "I don't know yet", which to D&D basically translates to "Not important; kill as soon as possible". So we get this split Northern plot where season 5 is all about Stannis failing in ludicrous fashion, while season 6 will have the Northerners show up out of nowhere to quickly dispatch the Boltons on their own, rather than telling those two stories in parallel and dealing with all of their interactions. Mel will drift off to do whatever her thing with Jon is, and Davos will somehow fall in with the Northerners now that his life has no purpose so he can find new meaning in whatever his stuff with Rickon is.

 

[Euron]

Stannis living with the consequences of his actions would be a really interesting plot line. So it won't happen

The right move would be Stannis returning the favor to Ned Stark by rallying the North to take back Winterfell now that he has no army and then going to the Wall and getting the Night's Watch ready to face the WW. Basically a redemption arc for Stannis like Jaime's.

But he's 100% dead in the show so none of this will happen. His leg was sliced and he couldn't walk, Brienne isn't going to carry him everywhere.

My guess, fueled mostly by pure optimism, is that Stannis is the character GRRM was referencing recently when he said he had finally figured out how he was going to kill a certain character who had always been doomed since he had introduced him. No one seems more doomed-from-the-start than Stannis. So when he met with D&D to go over the endings for each character and they got to Stannis,he basically told him "I don't know yet", which to D&D basically translates to "Not important; kill as soon as possible" . So we get this split Northern plot where season 5 is all about Stannis failing in ludicrous fashion, while season 6 will have the Northerners show up out of nowhere to quickly dispatch the Boltons on their own, rather than telling those two stories in parallel and dealing with all of their interactions. Mel will drift off to do whatever her thing with Jon is, and Davos will somehow fall in with the Northerners now that his life has no purpose so he can find new meaning in whatever his stuff with Rickon is.

You would think if GRRM doesn't know how he'll kill a character yet then the character has a substantial amount of plot left. Rushing to kill him would be the last thing I'd want to do. But that does make perfect sense. Sounds completely like something the show would do.

 

[Real Hero]

The right move would be Stannis returning the favor to Ned Stark by rallying the North to take back Winterfell.

if only there was some version of the story where this was happening...

 

[Patriots7]

Interesting theory. I remember reading a theory/coincidence awhile ago that pointed out Sansa's romantic relationships/near relationships mirror the five champions who fought for Lady Ashford in The Hedge Knight.

Lyonel Baratheon (Joffery...I know, I know)
Leo Tyrell (Willem)
Tybolt Lannister (Tyrion)
Humfrey Hardyng (Harry The Heir)
Prince Valarr Targaryen

She hasn't been connected to a Targaryen yet but Aegon could be the fifth. Martin loves the idea of history repeating itself, so perhaps Aegon will be swayed from a Martell marriage in order to marry Sansa. Personally I tend to think he's more likely to marry Arianne but it's possible he could meet and marry Sansa (especially if a certain knight can smuggle her away from The Vale).

I wouldn't be surprised if the show creates some type of political situation for Dany to face in Westeros, and it just might be through Sansa. But then again given how quickly the show is moving, will Sansa have any time to face off against Targaryens while Others arrive? At least in the books King's Landing/Storm's End/etc are so far away from the Others threat that a dragon v (fake) dragon political conflict is understandable.

Not sure how that's even going to be possible. Show Sansa is potentially dead, on the run from her husband and the farthest from being in a position of power.

In the books she's being set up to be the lady of the Vale, potentially the North and also in play for the Riverlands.

I think Aegon/Sansa makes more sense than Aegon/Arianne. If he is truly Aegon, why would he need to marry his cousin to secure the support of Dorne. I guess it adds validity to his claim that he is Aegon.

 

[Iksenpets]

The right move would be Stannis returning the favor to Ned Stark by rallying the North to take back Winterfell now that he has no army and then going to the Wall and getting the Night's Watch ready to face the WW. Basically a redemption arc for Stannis like Jaime's.

But he's 100% dead in the show so none of this will happen. His leg was sliced and he couldn't walk, Brienne isn't going to carry him everywhere.

You would think if GRRM doesn't know how he'll kill a character yet then the character has a substantial amount of plot left. Rushing to kill him would be the last thing I'd want to do. But that does make perfect sense. Sounds completely like something the show would do.

Yeah, I'd agree with that. But I think to them, if someone doesn't have a clear arc that impacts the end of the story, their role is better off being given to more "important" characters. I think we'll probably see a lot of that with Sansa, since her entire book plot seems to be removed from now. She'll get whatever role Stannis had in leading the Northerners. If Stannis marches south and plays some role against the Freys, Sansa will probably take that over, too. Or if he stays up North to deal with the Wall, then some combination of Davos and Tormund and the remaining watchmen will handle that plot instead.

I think they basically decided that they had to set the plot in stone at the time they had that meeting with GRRM to plan out their final seasons, so anything that wasn't ready then is going to be completely rewritten by them. At this point, I think they feel pretty free to rewrite anything, so long as it all ends with the grand finale of Jon and Dany having a bare-chested fist fight on top of Drogon that GRRM told them about.

 

[Euron]

if only there was some version of the story where this was happening...

I don't know what you're talking about. There are rumors floating around about GRRM writing a sixth book but it's best to let go of that hope.

Not sure how that's even going to be possible. Show Sansa is potentially dead, on the run from her husband and the farthest from being in a position of power.

In the books she's being set up to be the lady of the Vale, potentially the North and also in play for the Riverlands.

I think Aegon/Sansa makes more sense than Aegon/Arianne. If he is truly Aegon, why would he need to marry his cousin to secure the support of Dorne. I guess it adds validity to his claim that he is Aegon.

Sansa's fine in the show. Brienne will kill Ramsay and they'll make it to the Umbers and Rickon then take back Winterfell together. This puts her in a position of power again. And the thing with Aegon is exactly my point. It just make no sense for him to marry Arianne, especially if he's to convince people that he actually is Aegon.

At this point, I think they feel pretty free to rewrite anything, so long as it all ends with the grand finale of Jon and Dany having a bare-chested fist fight on top of Drogon that GRRM told them about.

So shirtless Dany and 20 good men fight white walker Jon Snow and the bad pussy after Bran uses the power of oysters, clams, and cockles to kill the Night's King?

 

[NeoGiff]

Public transport in NI isn't evolved enough to have something as good as Oyster.

I'm going to be an arse but if the Dothraki stuff was filmed in Binevenagh then it's the other side of NI from Belfast.

Goddamn. Using something I wrote on another website to correct someone else on this website who was marginally beaten to the punch by me, who in the same context was attempting to explain something that either of us could have just linked to in the first place. This is getting weird.

 

[Iksenpets]

Goddamn. Using something I wrote on another website to correct someone else on this website who was marginally beaten to the punch by me, who in the same context was attempting to explain something that either of us could have just linked to in the first place. This is getting weird.

No lie, I was honestly thinking to myself that "Belfast-area" may not be technically correct, but that it was most likely true and would save me from repeating "N. Ireland" two times in quick succession, and checking would take too long, so I'll just go with it; no one will care. And then he just shows up to prove me wrong! So now I've got to go full-nuclear in retaliation. Northern Ireland is a tiny, tiny place and really the whole thing is just "Belfast-area". Now I've insulted a whole country just to save face on the internet.

 

[NeoGiff]

No lie, I was honestly thinking to myself that "Belfast-area" may not be technically correct, but that it was most likely true and would save me from repeating "N. Ireland" two times in quick succession, and checking would take too long, so I'll just go with it; no one will care. And then he just shows up to prove me wrong! So now I've got to go full-nuclear in retaliation. Northern Ireland is a tiny, tiny place and really the whole thing is just "Belfast-area". Now I've insulted a whole country just to save face on the internet.

I don't blame you. Thanks to the show, "Belfast" has pretty much become synonymous with "Northern Ireland", not to mention that a great many people think that the show is filmed in "Ireland", which isn't true at all!

 

[CassSept]

No, there's a new character this season in Sam's storyline, and you have her pictured above. Elia of House Lindo, played by Bad Pussy. When she walks it's like erasers clapping.

Your posts are making me apoplectic.

 

[Operations]

My guess, fueled mostly by pure optimism, is that Stannis is the character GRRM was referencing recently when he said he had finally figured out how he was going to kill a certain character who had always been doomed since he had introduced him. No one seems more doomed-from-the-start than Stannis. So when he met with D&D to go over the endings for each character and they got to Stannis, he basically told him "I don't know yet", which to D&D basically translates to "Not important; kill as soon as possible". So we get this split Northern plot where season 5 is all about Stannis failing in ludicrous fashion, while season 6 will have the Northerners show up out of nowhere to quickly dispatch the Boltons on their own, rather than telling those two stories in parallel and dealing with all of their interactions. Mel will drift off to do whatever her thing with Jon is, and Davos will somehow fall in with the Northerners now that his life has no purpose so he can find new meaning in whatever his stuff with Rickon is.

The bolded makes no sense to me. No way D&D would kill a major character without GRRM consent nor prior knowledge of his fate.

 

[Steelyuhas]

Not sure how that's even going to be possible. Show Sansa is potentially dead, on the run from her husband and the farthest from being in a position of power.

In the books she's being set up to be the lady of the Vale, potentially the North and also in play for the Riverlands.

I think Aegon/Sansa makes more sense than Aegon/Arianne. If he is truly Aegon, why would he need to marry his cousin to secure the support of Dorne. I guess it adds validity to his claim that he is Aegon.

Nah, no way. She's fine.

I don't know what you're talking about. There are rumors floating around about GRRM writing a sixth book but it's best to let go of that hope.

A sixth book in the Song of Ice and Fire series? I doubt it.

 

[Thug Waffle]

I thought GRRM referred to the major character he wanted to kill as a she?

 

[Moff]

The bolded makes no sense to me. No way D&D would kill a major character without GRRM consent nor prior knowledge of his fate.

stannis is not a major character, not more than barristan at least.
and GRRM said himself that he hasn't even written shireen's sacrifice yet, so at that point D&D know as much as GRRM, which is probably the concept that stannis dies soon after the siege of winterfell. so they rushed to come to that conclusion in the show.
keep in mind: everything we have seen in and after stannis' camp between the wall and winterfell was basically TWOW material or at least material that takes place in the TWOW timeline.

 

[CassSept]

I thought GRRM referred to the major character he wanted to kill as a she?

It can't be Sansa, it would make no sense. Other character deaths usually complemented each character's arc, simply killing Sansa would be the very definition of an asspull. At current rate she is most likely going to play an important role in political games of Westeros.

 

[Shuggananas]

Only women I see dying are Brienne and Cersei

 

[Pyramid head]

Not sure how that's even going to be possible. Show Sansa is potentially dead, on the run from her husband and the farthest from being in a position of power.

In the books she's being set up to be the lady of the Vale, potentially the North and also in play for the Riverlands.

By inserting Sansa into the role of Jayne Pool, D&D have succeeded in making me care as much about show Sansa as I do about Jayne Poole in the books.

 

[mantidor]

By inserting Sansa into the role of Jayne Pool, D&D have succeeded in making me care as much about show Sansa as I do about Jayne Poole in the books.

I'm still baffled they thought combining those two characters was a good idea. I'm not entirely sure how can they rectify the course, is Sansa's virginity a big deal deal in the books? In the show at least they have to kill Ramsay so Sansa is free to marry again.

 

[Operations]

stannis is not a major character, not more than barristan at least.
and GRRM said himself that he hasn't even written shireen's sacrifice yet, so at that point D&D know as much as GRRM, which is probably the concept that stannis dies soon after the siege of winterfell.

Whoa, this is news to me. The last bit I'd heard was that D&D Inside the Episode commentary where they claim the Shireen sacrifice came straight from GRRM.

 

[kharma45]

Goddamn. Using something I wrote on another website to correct someone else on this website who was marginally beaten to the punch by me, who in the same context was attempting to explain something that either of us could have just linked to in the first place. This is getting weird.

No lie, I was honestly thinking to myself that "Belfast-area" may not be technically correct, but that it was most likely true and would save me from repeating "N. Ireland" two times in quick succession, and checking would take too long, so I'll just go with it; no one will care. And then he just shows up to prove me wrong! So now I've got to go full-nuclear in retaliation. Northern Ireland is a tiny, tiny place and really the whole thing is just "Belfast-area". Now I've insulted a whole country just to save face on the internet.

I don't blame you. Thanks to the show, "Belfast" has pretty much become synonymous with "Northern Ireland", not to mention that a great many people think that the show is filmed in "Ireland", which isn't true at all!

Yeah we're not a big place but it's all relative. It's about an hour and 40 drive which is long for us between where those scenes are shot and Belfast.

 

[Enosh]

Whoa, this is news to me. The last bit I'd heard was that D&D Inside the Episode commentary where they claim the Shireen sacrifice came straight from GRRM.

I'm quite sure he said to them "she gets sacrificed"
that doesn't mean he knew in what way, by who for what reason etc or just changed his mind from what he told them

 

[Euron]

GRRM said himself that he hasn't even written shireen's sacrifice yet

...

...


...fuck



There is no Winds of Winter. There is no Book 6. It's all a myth. Everything. The show is the show and the books are nothing. TWOW is never coming out because it doesn't exist and never will.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I seriously doubt Martin was talking about Stannis. Stannis already has seen his fate...

I know the cost! Last night, gazing into that hearth, I saw things in the flames as well. I saw a king, a crown of fire on his brows, burning… burning, Davos. His own crown consumed his flesh and turned him into ash. Do you think I need Melisandre to tell me what that means? Or you?

He also sees what he thinks will be the last battle:

“With mine own eyes. After the battle, when I was lost to despair, the Lady Melisandre bid me gaze into the hearthfire. The chimney was drawing strongly, and bits of ash were rising from the fire. I stared at them, feeling half a fool, but she bid me look deeper, and . . . the ashes were white, rising in the updraft, yet all at once it seemed as if they were falling. Snow, I thought. Then the sparks in the air seemed to circle, to become a ring of torches, and I was looking through the fire down on some high hill in a forest. The cinders had become men in black behind the torches, and there were shapes moving through the snow. For all the heat of the fire, I felt a cold so terrible I shivered, and when
I did the sight was gone, the fire but a fire once again. But what I saw was real, I’d stake my kingdom on it.”

I'm going to assume Martin knows exactly what's going to happen to Stannis. Not to mention that Dany sees a vision of a blue eyed king who casts no shadow.

I also don't believe Martin's comments are about Barristan either, who I think is being set up by the Shavepate

Not sure how that's even going to be possible. Show Sansa is potentially dead, on the run from her husband and the farthest from being in a position of power.

In the books she's being set up to be the lady of the Vale, potentially the North and also in play for the Riverlands.

I think Aegon/Sansa makes more sense than Aegon/Arianne. If he is truly Aegon, why would he need to marry his cousin to secure the support of Dorne. I guess it adds validity to his claim that he is Aegon.

I don't think he needs to marry Arianne for the reason you state. However when Arrianne learns what happened to Quentyn I expect her to put Dorne's full weight behind him, and attempt to seduce him. Whether it works who knows.

 

[Steelyuhas]

I'm still baffled they thought combining those two characters was a good idea. I'm not entirely sure how can they rectify the course, is Sansa's virginity a big deal deal in the books? In the show at least they have to kill Ramsay so Sansa is free to marry again.

Not much of a combination, Jeyne Poole was simply not going to be a character in the show.

 

[Fuzzy]

...

...


...fuck



There is no Winds of Winter. There is no Book 6. It's all a myth. Everything. The show is the show and the books are nothing. TWOW is never coming out because it doesn't exist and never will.

Your outlook is way too positive for my liking.

 

[Iksenpets]

I seriously doubt Martin was talking about Stannis. Stannis already has seen his fate...

I know the cost! Last night, gazing into that hearth, I saw things in the flames as well. I saw a king, a crown of fire on his brows, burning… burning, Davos. His own crown consumed his flesh and turned him into ash. Do you think I need Melisandre to tell me what that means? Or you?

He also sees what he thinks will be the last battle:

“With mine own eyes. After the battle, when I was lost to despair, the Lady Melisandre bid me gaze into the hearthfire. The chimney was drawing strongly, and bits of ash were rising from the fire. I stared at them, feeling half a fool, but she bid me look deeper, and . . . the ashes were white, rising in the updraft, yet all at once it seemed as if they were falling. Snow, I thought. Then the sparks in the air seemed to circle, to become a ring of torches, and I was looking through the fire down on some high hill in a forest. The cinders had become men in black behind the torches, and there were shapes moving through the snow. For all the heat of the fire, I felt a cold so terrible I shivered, and when
I did the sight was gone, the fire but a fire once again. But what I saw was real, I’d stake my kingdom on it.”

I'm going to assume Martin knows exactly what's going to happen to Stannis. Not to mention that Dany sees a vision of a blue eyed king who casts no shadow.

I also don't believe Martin's comments are about Barristan either, who I think is being set up by the Shavepate



I don't think he needs to marry Arianne for the reason you state. However when Arrianne learns what happened to Quentyn I expect her to put Dorne's full weight behind him, and attempt to seduce him. Whether it works who knows.

I think that's giving too much credence to the things Melisandre is showing him. He interprets the flaming crown as being about him, when really it could just as easily be him witnessing Viserys' death. The vision of the battle in the snow is a pretty exact representation of the things that are happening at the Fist of the First Men, pretty much at the same time Mel is showing it to him, but he reads it as an event from his future. I think it's at least possible that Martin knows what Stannis' fate isn't, but not quite what it is. It may be a story where the theme preceded the plot for him. But I fully admit that this may be me grasping at every piece of evidence I can to convince myself that the show's ending is as wrong as possible. And I would lend some credence to Dany's vision of Stannis, since her visions seem to have much more purpose to them than Mel's ever do. I still think he does love long enough to somehow interact with her.

As for Barristan, I was 100% in the Skahaz kills him camp until I read the theory that he lives so that he can eventually betray Dany for Aegon. Now I'm only like 95% in the Skahaz kills him camp, just because the idea of him being pushed to betray his queen is too good not to at least entertain.

For Arianne, her story is definitely entangled with Aegon's, and at this point an alliance with Aegon is really the only path left for Dorne. Whether or not it will involve marriage, I don't know. And the Sansa/Aegon foreshadowing is persuasive, at the very least. Sansa getting with Aegon seems like it would allow Martin to re-explore the story about her choosing a husband over her family that Sansa was all about earlier on, but now with a more believable husband than Joffrey.

 

[adamsappel]

The bolded makes no sense to me. No way D&D would kill a major character without GRRM consent nor prior knowledge of his fate.

GRRM knows Stannis will die, Shireen will be sacrificed, etc., and has told D&D such, but I doubt his telling of it will be as truncated or ham-fisted as theirs. The ending of ADWD is clumsy about this because GRRM needs the Pink Letter to force Jon to decide to march on Winterfell, but because he cut the battle, we've been debating whether Ramsay was lying about Stannis' death. He wasn't. Stannis is dead, in show and book.

Whoa, this is news to me. The last bit I'd heard was that D&D Inside the Episode commentary where they claim the Shireen sacrifice came straight from GRRM.

They knew fans would be howling at that. I've never seen a commentary come on after an episode before, but that one was immediate.

 

[Thug Waffle]

It can't be Sansa, it would make no sense. Other character deaths usually complemented each character's arc, simply killing Sansa would be the very definition of an asspull. At current rate she is most likely going to play an important role in political games of Westeros.

Cersei, then?

 

[Speevy]

Didn't show Sansa make a reference to Jeyne Poole in the show?

Did you guys suspect something was up when that happened?

 

[Jigorath]

stannis is not a major character, not more than barristan at least.

Umm... what? He may not have POV chapters but he's still a major character.

 

[Speevy]

I was thinking more and more about the whole they've dug with the Bolton situation.

Without some major leaps in logic (which, let's be honest, they'll take if they need them), they need some device to get the Boltons out of Winterfell.

No one can make it past Moat Caitlin without an overwhelming force. We've established that. The Lannisters are too far south. We've established that. The Night's Watch probably won't be able to help another commander ride south from the wall, and winter has begun. The Greyjoys can approach by sea but aren't in any position to fight without heavy cavalry. We've established that.

So anyone looking to depose the Bolton would have to do it

1) From within the north
2) With a trick to cause the Bolton army to turn on itself
3) By retaking Moat Caitlin.

Ramsay is reckless enough to get himself killed (which they should totally do in the first episode), but I can't see a situation that would create a force large enough to take back Winterfell.

 

[PhoenixDark]

I think that's giving too much credence to the things Melisandre is showing him. He interprets the flaming crown as being about him, when really it could just as easily be him witnessing Viserys' death. The vision of the battle in the snow is a pretty exact representation of the things that are happening at the Fist of the First Men, pretty much at the same time Mel is showing it to him, but he reads it as an event from his future. I think it's at least possible that Martin knows what Stannis' fate isn't, but not quite what it is. It may be a story where the theme preceded the plot for him. But I fully admit that this may be me grasping at every piece of evidence I can to convince myself that the show's ending is as wrong as possible. And I would lend some credence to Dany's vision of Stannis, since her visions seem to have much more purpose to them than Mel's ever do. I still think he does love long enough to somehow interact with her.

As for Barristan, I was 100% in the Skahaz kills him camp until I read the theory that he lives so that he can eventually betray Dany for Aegon. Now I'm only like 95% in the Skahaz kills him camp, just because the idea of him being pushed to betray his queen is too good not to at least entertain.

For Arianne, her story is definitely entangled with Aegon's, and at this point an alliance with Aegon is really the only path left for Dorne. Whether or not it will involve marriage, I don't know. And the Sansa/Aegon foreshadowing is persuasive, at the very least. Sansa getting with Aegon seems like it would allow Martin to re-explore the story about her choosing a husband over her family that Sansa was all about earlier on, but now with a more believable husband than Joffrey.

I seriously doubt he saw such an old vision (Viserys). I'm more apt to believe it's essentially a metaphor for his doomed pursuit of the throne. It will consume him.

In terms of the battle...you're probably right. I think Stannis has another vision about a future battle in ASOS but I can't find the quote. Regardless I think Stannis' fate is closer to sealed than many characters, in Martin's mind.

Barristan...yea, I could see him being repulsed by a "fire and blood" focused Dany, and leaving to find Aegon. But I'm more apt to believe he'll be dead before Dany returns. If Barristan is being played, he is the patsy for breaking the peace between Meereen and Yunkai. I can imagine him being killed or injured in the chaos of the battle by the Shaveparte's men.

 

[Dysun]

I was thinking more and more about the whole they've dug with the Bolton situation.

Without some major leaps in logic (which, let's be honest, they'll take if they need them), they need some device to get the Boltons out of Winterfell.

No one can make it past Moat Caitlin without an overwhelming force. We've established that. The Lannisters are too far south. We've established that. The Night's Watch probably won't be able to help another commander ride south from the wall, and winter has begun. The Greyjoys can approach by sea but aren't in any position to fight without heavy cavalry. We've established that.

So anyone looking to depose the Bolton would have to do it

1) From within the north
2) With a trick to cause the Bolton army to turn on itself
3) By retaking Moat Caitlin.

Ramsay is reckless enough to get himself killed (which they should totally do in the first episode), but I can't see a situation that would create a force large enough to take back Winterfell.

who cares about logic when we can have twists and shocking deaths.
random asspull faction of northerners and sansa killing ramsay coming up

 

[Atraveller]

Ramsay is reckless enough to get himself killed (which they should totally do in the first episode), but I can't see a situation that would create a force large enough to take back Winterfell.

20 good southern men.

Seriously, the show dropped logic a while ago, anything could happen at this point.

 

[biosnake20]

Another great video by Alt Shift X about how he thinks Arya's story will end.

 

[PHOENIXZERO]

Another great video by Alt Shift X about how he thinks Arya's story will end.

Good video, that dude gets shit from other Youtubers but they come off in their videos and comments as obnoxious asshats.


I wish George could've kept the time jump or had the foresight to age up certain characters as IIRC he's wished he had too.

 

[Moff]

Umm... what? He may not have POV chapters but he's still a major character.

regardless of what might be considered a "major" character, what I was trying to say is that they even changed the fate of barristan, who is even a POV character, so they won't have difficulties changing the fate of stannis, who is not.

 

[RatskyWatsky]