Winter is Coming (GoT is back)

[badgate]

I was always unsure about the popular John mother theory until last week's episode.  Now I am convinced that is where the show is going.

They also seem to be really flying through the last two books. I could see them finishing most if not all of both AFFC and ADWD (including the stuff they are ignoring) by the end of the season.

As far as I can tell I bet that's the plan

[Eraserhead]

The Boltons are truly awful people. You couldn't ask for better villains though.

[Joe Republic]

It's great to start seeing all those random parts of the Westeros-Essos map this season.  First Dorne, now Valyria.  Now we just need Casterly Rock.

[Likely Voter]

I was always unsure about the popular John mother theory until last week's episode.  Now I am convinced that is where the show is going.

They also seem to be really flying through the last two books. I could see them finishing most if not all of both AFFC and ADWD (including the stuff they are ignoring) by the end of the season.

As far as I can tell I bet that's the plan

I had thought there was some talk of the show going 8 seasons but it looks like 7 with the next 2 being based on unpublished book storylines. So far this season they are doing a better job telling the story of the last two books better than GRRMartin

[Mr. Morden]

Sansa: This isn't a strange place.  This is my home.  It's the people who are strange.

Ramsay: You're right, very strange.

That one made me lol.

[Gustaf]

Killing Barristan was some bullsht. Fcking show creators.

[Lumine]

I'm not sure of what to say after tonight. I really liked the chapter up until the end, but that final scene was... Well...

[Dr. Cynic]

Killing Barristan was some bullsht. Fcking show creators.

I'm fairly certain he's going to die shortly in the books anyway. I've always been under the impression that he was a character who was doomed from the start.

[Eraserhead]

I'm not sure of what to say after tonight. I really liked the chapter up until the end, but that final scene was... Well...

Is it really all that shocking? What else should people expect from Ramsay...

[Joe Republic]

I'm not sure of what to say after tonight. I really liked the chapter up until the end, but that final scene was... Well...

Is it really all that shocking? What else should people expect from Ramsay...

Or from the show in general?  A happy wedding?!

[Lumine]

I wouldn't say it was shocking (after all, it isn't as nearly as bad as what happened to Jeyne Poole in the books), I'm just surprised they actually went with that route for Sansa. I understand why they cut the Vale storyline and from a narrative point of view it makes sense (specially in light of what might happen aftewards), but I suppose I wanted to believe the whole situation would be different.

But then again, as Ramsay might say, I obviously haven't been paying attention...

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

It's not that it's 'shocking', it's that it's mean-spirited. The show's habit of having things like this happen is, obviously, extrapolated from the books, but the extent to which and scope with which the show extrapolates it are overblown to the point of coming across as frankly sickening. Whatever artistic point there is to this, it's been made.

[Gustaf]

Killing Barristan was some bullsht. Fcking show creators.

I'm fairly certain he's going to die shortly in the books anyway. I've always been under the impression that he was a character who was doomed from the start.

He's supposed to lead them in battle and do cool stuff first.

As regards Sansa I'm just happy they didn't go with the book scene there...

So, I'm guessing Brienne will play the role of Mance and the spearwives in this version, right?

[7,052,770]

I was disappointed Tommen let the Faith take his wife away like that. Come on, man...

[dead0man]

I wasn't expecting that.....


I kept expecting Sansa to pull a shank out or Reek/Theon to do something....anything....but as soon as her face hit the pillow I knew it was over.....ugggg  Way to go Littlefinger!

I was disappointed Tommen let the Faith take his wife away like that. Come on, man...

and yes!  WTF Tommen!  You like what you and your queen do in the bedroom right?  How the hell are you going to let this sh**t go down, you're the funking king.  Nut up son.

[RI]

It's not that it's 'shocking', it's that it's mean-spirited. The show's habit of having things like this happen is, obviously, extrapolated from the books, but the extent to which and scope with which the show extrapolates it are overblown to the point of coming across as frankly sickening. Whatever artistic point there is to this, it's been made.

I don't see it that way at all. It's a completely logical and narratively consistent outcome of the choices Sansa made (e.g. not going with Brienne, not lighting the candle, not taking up LF on turning down the wedding, going through with the wedding, not running away despite everyone in the North being on her side, etc.) and Ramsay's established character, and it will likely be the catalyst for several important events in the coming episodes including Theon turning on Ramsay, Sansa understanding that Winterfell is legitimately not safe after being told so, and perhaps even Pink Letter/Stannis/Brienne-related events. Once they started down the Sansa-Ramsay marriage thread, it was inevitable barring extremely drastic changes or really bad writing.

[Gustaf]

To those who read the books I think Brienne will take the role of the spearwives and the rest of this storyline will play out like in the books.

[Okay, maybe Mike Johnson is a competent parliamentarian.]

Once they started down the Sansa-Ramsay marriage thread,

There's the issue.

The other side of 'completely logical and narratively consistent outcome of the choices Sansa made', which I don't deny, is 'what if getting this to happen is why the writers had Sansa make the choices she did?'. I don't have enough faith in Benioff and Weiss to trust that that's not the case.

[Likely Voter]

I thought Littlefinger's plan would come to fruition before any wedding so I was surprised by the end.  Now not sure what LF is up to. And is Sansa still his ally?

[Cory]

I thought Littlefinger's plan would come to fruition before any wedding so I was surprised by the end.  Now not sure what LF is up to. And is Sansa still his ally?

Just got done blitz watching the whole thing over the last two weeks.

It kinda seems like his entire plan relies on House Bolton defeating Stannis in the battle for the North. If Stannis wins then he's back to square one with the Veil being on the front lines of the Baratheon advance. He would yet again become entirely beholden to the Lannisters to defeat Stannis.

[7,052,770]

I thought Littlefinger's plan would come to fruition before any wedding so I was surprised by the end.  Now not sure what LF is up to. And is Sansa still his ally?

Just got done blitz watching the whole thing over the last two weeks.

It kinda seems like his entire plan relies on House Bolton defeating Stannis in the battle for the North. If Stannis wins then he's back to square one with the Veil being on the front lines of the Baratheon advance. He would yet again become entirely beholden to the Lannisters to defeat Stannis.

I'm assuming he wants Stannis to win and declare Sansa the warden of the North, restoring the Starks to power. That way, Littlefinger has two regions essentially under his control.

[Likely Voter]

But that gets to my point about Sans a. After enduring what she had to endure, is she still on Team Littlefinger?

Also, what game is he playing with Cercei? He has painted himself into a corner and can't continue playing all sides. Sometime soon he has to openly defy the Lannisters or help them against Stannis

[Mr. Morden]

After the last episode, Claire McCaskill is done with Game of Thrones:

http://www.vox.com/2015/5/19/8624535/mccaskill-game-of-thrones

[badgate]

After the last episode, Claire McCaskill is done with Game of Thrones:

http://www.vox.com/2015/5/19/8624535/mccaskill-game-of-thrones

That's funny, I seem to remember her fighting against necessary changes to properly address sexual assault in the armed forces.

[NeverAgain]

After the last episode, Claire McCaskill is done with Game of Thrones:

http://www.vox.com/2015/5/19/8624535/mccaskill-game-of-thrones

She can now join the hipsters who are too cool to watch the show but don't do it anyway.