A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones - HERE BE SPOILERS

[BladeVenom]

That's extremely thin reasoning. LF always stands there with a smile on his face. Also, he's not in the shot when Joff announces the execution, and he isn't shown again until about a minute later. So we don't actually get to see his reaction.

There's no proof, but it does make sense. Littlefinger was behind Jon Arynn's death. So it wouldn't be surprising for him to be behind Ned's.

Littlefinger betrayed Ned, not something he'd want Catelyn to know. Dead men tell no tales.

Littlefinger's main goal was keeping Stannis off the Iron Throne. If Ned had lived, he might have told Robb that Stannis was the true heir. Robb might have joined Stannis which is not something Littlefinger wanted.

It's speculation, but it does fit the situation and character to a T.

 

[MongGrel]

I didn't get the songs importance at the time. I didn't even understand what was going on until the first arrows were shot against the Starks. I thought Roose's chain mail could have been because at the last minute a plot was uncovered against parties unknown.

One of the differences about this show is their willingness to kill off key characters at any time. The status and circumstance of many people are always on a razors edge.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

For someone who seems to think they own the other thread and rains (typo, yeah right,maybe not, reign) supreme there, this person just isn't too with it.

And even a guy with a female avatar.

Seems the other thread is being dominated by I don't know what, 5 year olds ?. They don't even get obvious things on a regular basis like that guys *your friend* statement, when it was obvious.

My wife had never read the books and she gets things much faster than these peeps.

 

[MongGrel]

Because the other thread has been taken over by the whining about being banished from this one.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

And even attempting to get me to post there again isn't going to happen.

You're another book reader lurker as you've been over here obviously.

For your latest act of thread crapping, please enjoy this all expense paid vacation, courtesy of the AnandTech Moderators.
-ViRGE

 

[MongGrel]

It's almost Game time, prepping the goodies and ale!!!!

 

[MongGrel]

ARRRRRRRR prepare to be boarded Merreen!!!!!

 

[MongGrel]

I guess subtle hints weren't enough, they finally had an episode to hammer some nails into the obvious points.

Good episode, were a few things I didn't expect.

 

[Poulsonator]

Wow, how about them apples? Us book readers got some major new material...we got to see the Night's King! And the change with the Bran stuff was interesting. Seems as if the show is completely changing what's happening north of the wall. I love it.

 

[Newbian]

To be fair bran's storyline was absolute horrible until the final end and people were getting sick of it already in the show so they needed to do something.

Wonder how far they are going to take it because it looks to be what will be used against the white walkers once they finally do something.

 

[Gooberlx2]

I don't think that's the Night's King, as he was defeated by the combined forced of wildlings and Northmen. King-of-the-Others or something though, yeah. I'd always guessed that something like that is what happened to the sacrificed babies, but I was certainly surprised to see it in the episode.

Interesting all the extra Craster's Keep and Night's Watch stuff. Moves Bran's story along, lest the viewers forget about him. Really, his story is just a long hungry slog to the Children of the Forest anyway, so this could be a fun change. Wonder what they're planning to do with Locke at the Wall and joining Jon's party. I'd like to see Coldhands, but I get the feeling he may be left out.

 

[Newbian]

I don't think that's the Night's King, as he was defeated by the combined forced of wildlings and Northmen. King-of-the-Others or something though, yeah. I'd always guessed that something like that is what happened to the sacrificed babies, but I was certainly surprised to see it in the episode.

Interesting all the extra Craster's Keep and Night's Watch stuff. Moves Bran's story along, lest the viewers forget about him. Really, his story is just a long hungry slog to the Children of the Forest anyway, so this could be a fun change. Wonder what they're planning to do with Locke at the Wall and joining Jon's party. I'd like to see Coldhands, but I get the feeling he may be left out.

That had me wondering too but I am just guessing he is checking if Jon knows his bothers are alive for the boltons as they can't have any starks running around and remain in power at the north.

 

[Gooberlx2]

That had me wondering too but I am just guessing he is checking if Jon knows his bothers are alive for the boltons as they can't have any starks running around and remain in power at the north.

I remember the Manderlys learn about Rickon and Osha traveling towards Skagos, but does anyone other than Sam and Gilly (...not Jon, since Sam did NOT tell him) know that Bran is alive and North of The Wall in the books?

 

[VulgarDisplay]

I'm assuming bran is going to warg into hodor and absolutely fuck shit up.

Also, I'm guessing they are leaving cold hands out because if he was in the show it would definitely let people know if it is benjen stark or not.

I don't remember them needing to go to crasters keep to silence the mutineers is that a major departure from the books or have I just forgotten?

 

[Gooberlx2]

Pretty sure that's a big departure...though I don't remember any resolution about the mutineers either. It was getting cold and snowy during the mutiny though, so I always assumed they were all killed by white walkers or something.

edit:
Oh, they were killed by Coldhands apparently. I guess I didn't make that connection when reading.
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Mutiny_at_Craster's_Keep#Fate_of_the_Traitors
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/A_Dance_with_Dragons-Chapter_4

 

[Clemenza]

Pretty sure that's a big departure...though I don't remember any resolution about the mutineers either. It was getting cold and snowy during the mutiny though, so I always assumed they were all killed by white walkers or something.

edit:
Oh, they were killed by Coldhands apparently. I guess I didn't make that connection when reading.
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Mutiny_at_Craster's_Keep#Fate_of_the_Traitors
http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/A_Dance_with_Dragons-Chapter_4

I had forgotten that as well. I'm guessing that this means that Coldhands will not appear. I've always thought it was Benjen Stark and they probably don't want to reveal it in the show and are perhaps saving it for the books. I'm a little wary of the show now because of possible book spoilers. I am always amazed at how much of those books I can forget over such a short amount of time.

Most of the Bran story is pretty boring until they get to the Greenseer.

 

[TheAdvocate]

Wow, how about them apples? Us book readers got some major new material...we got to see the Night's King! And the change with the Bran stuff was interesting. Seems as if the show is completely changing what's happening north of the wall. I love it.

No No No No!! The show is RUINING the books! GD spoilers! F.U. David Benioff! F.U. D. B. Weiss! [/childish mentality of other thread which insists on dividing the fanbase]

Actually, I enjoyed the hell out of that. That's what most of us expected, but it was well done and made me perk up a bit. Thanks for the treat, show runners!

 

[TheAdvocate]

That had me wondering too but I am just guessing he is checking if Jon knows his bothers are alive for the boltons as they can't have any starks running around and remain in power at the north.

Hasn't he been sent to kill Jon? I imagine Locke will attempt it in the confusion of the craster raid. And if he can, he'll go for Bran too.

Have this gut feeling he is gonna get to meet either Summer or Ghost, to his demise.

Can they really drop Coldhands? Are we certain yet who/what he is? I still have friends that think he is Benjen Stark. A theory, which of course, seems less likely after last night's episode...

[edit - yep, I shoulda read the next 3 posts... heh]

 

[quikah]

I had forgotten that as well. I'm guessing that this means that Coldhands will not appear. I've always thought it was Benjen Stark and they probably don't want to reveal it in the show and are perhaps saving it for the books. I'm a little wary of the show now because of possible book spoilers. I am always amazed at how much of those books I can forget over such a short amount of time.

Most of the Bran story is pretty boring until they get to the Greenseer.

I think this might mean that CH is the Night King (the guy that turned the baby in the show according to various sources.

Here is some off the wall speculation.

Interesting thing is that there are 13 figures in that last scene. The Night King was the 13th Lord Commander of the NW. The first 13 Lord Commanders were Others? The NW originally was a very different organization and the Wall was built by the Others to keep man out? (Or something like that) The Others were/are a weapon of the Children of the Forest, perhaps gone rogue.

Also possible the show just chose to diverge from the books for this.

 

[Poulsonator]

I don't think that's the Night's King, as he was defeated by the combined forced of wildlings and Northmen. King-of-the-Others or something though, yeah. I'd always guessed that something like that is what happened to the sacrificed babies, but I was certainly surprised to see it in the episode.

HBO confirmed that it was indeed the Night's King:

 

[Poulsonator]

Haha, well, apparently HBO edited that part out of their viewer's guide to show it as simply a walker now, instead of the Night's King. Well, either way, it has us all freaking out a bit, which is awesome.

 

[Gooberlx2]

Yeah, that's a pretty fracking huge book spoiler if it's the Night's King.

 

[smackababy]

So, Night's King aside, was I the only person disappointed that Grey Worm was sneaking in Mereen and not Barristan and Jorah? Wasn't that the suicide mission to atone for their treachery?

 

[momeNt]

So, Night's King aside, was I the only person disappointed that Grey Worm was sneaking in Mereen and not Barristan and Jorah? Wasn't that the suicide mission to atone for their treachery?

Well they did away with the whole treachery bit because there was no concealment of their identities. Jorah still needs to be outed as a spy, or Dany needs a separate reason to cast him out so he can have his Tyrion story line.

 

[momeNt]

I'm assuming bran is going to warg into hodor and absolutely fuck shit up.

Also, I'm guessing they are leaving cold hands out because if he was in the show it would definitely let people know if it is benjen stark or not.

I don't remember them needing to go to crasters keep to silence the mutineers is that a major departure from the books or have I just forgotten?

Why? In the books he refuses to show his face, and his voice can be changed because he is dead.

 

[smackababy]

Why? In the books he refuses to show his face, and his voice can be changed because he is dead.

If it is Benjen Stark, even if they change his voice and hide his face, they would have to recast him. Otherwise, the show could give away a huge book spoiler on accident.

 

[momeNt]

If it is Benjen Stark, even if they change his voice and hide his face, they would have to recast him. Otherwise, the show could give away a huge book spoiler on accident.

If he was done CG they wouldn't have to credit the actor until it's actually his likeness I would think.