105 replies to this topic

[Crimson Lego]

Premieres April 24th

 

 

To be completely honest, I'm not hyped for this season; I don't mind HBO and the directors wanting to deviate from the books but they completely over-dramatized some of the Season 5 plots that had a lot of potential (Dorne, Stannis, etc.). I used to get up 2 hours earlier every Monday morning before work to watch each episode but chances are I'll just watch it whenever :/

 

 

I don't know; maybe it's just lost its magic for me. Go Scrubs!

Edited by Crimson Lego, 25 April 2016 - 02:40 AM.

[Selena]

I'm intrigued by how the show writers will deviate now that they are truly "free" of the books. The show writers do a few things better -- like the White Walkers. It probably helps that most scenes with the Others on the show are very visual and enhanced with scarymusics. Other times, though, the show writers completely hamfist scenes that were really good in the books due to subtlety and slow-burn execution. 

 

Sooooo.... could go either way. Or at the very least have really cool White Walker stuff and then sink in melodrama everywhere else.

[JRPomazon]

Still excited. Sure the last season had it's parts where I just didn't give a right shit (DORNE) but it was still keeping me watching. I'm sure the writer's of this show know what they're doing and I trust that this season will be good if not decent.

[Twinrova]

I'm not really that excited tbh. Season 5 was a trainwreck imo and I would really just rather wait for the book. I'm sure Ben will wanna watch it though so I guess I'm in for this shitshow.

[Jasi]

Dorne was so bad I forgot that it happened. ew. I wish it had stayed that way.

[Twinrova]

Ok well I just watched the new trailer and I'm allowing myself to be a little excited. Sansa in Stark clothes!!!!!!! ;o;

[DarkJuno]

If I can force myself to keep watching The Walking Dead, I can keep watching this with a better conscious. I'm curious to see what happens, I just need to keep from being too excited or let myself get hyped up. For better or worse, this deep in I am invested in the story and characters.

[Selena]

From promo shots, set shots, and trailers it looks like:

 

- They're going ahead with a variation of the Ironborn Kingsmoot.

 

- Moving forward with Arya's book plot, likely with some extra plot.

 

- Bran + Tree Yoda + Visions of White Walkers

 

- Cleganebowl still sounds like a possibility.

- Lannisters vs. Faith Militant / High Sparrow

- Looks like the Tyrells side with the Faith? Maybe? Probably not?

 

- Danaerys is escorted to Vaes Dothrak, but after that ??

 

- Looks like the Battle of Meereen is still happening, but with different players.

- That new Red Priestess is there, too, which is intriguing.

- Sounds like the dragons will be released.

 

- Jon is resurrected and takes command of a Stark loyalist army.

- Given that, I imagine that Sansa (and possibly Theon) reunite with him.

- Stark army is fighting humans, so they're surely fighting off the Boltons to reclaim Winterfell.

 

- White Walker army gathering, potentially unleashed?

 

 

Also thought I saw a shot of either Valyria / Asshai, so that's interested. But it was a quick flash so I might be wrong. I am also expecting Tommen to die in battle, given that it sounds like Cersei wants him in the vanguard. Amusing if he dies by Tyrell hands, thus giving Cersei more reason to hate Margaery.

[Twinrova]

Where'd you get that the Tyrells side with the Faith? I see Mace Tyrell sitting on the horse next to Jaime in that scene.

 

 

Also some people have pointed out that the trailer shows Sansa and Davos standing in the same room, with a bear sigil (Mormont) in the background. I guess Davos is recruiting them in an effort to fight the WW?

 

I'unno about Dany. She doesn't appear to be sick and other than that we've seen all of her story so far. The Dothraki attempt to force her to join the Dosh Khaleen and Drogon shows up and fucks shit up? She's engulfed in dragon fire like she was supposed to be in the fighting pit and the Dothraki see her unburnt and they all fall to their knees in awe and praise her as the Almighty Magic White Queen of All Brown People?? Who knows. 

 

Asha/Yara is seen tonguing a Volantene slave so I guess people think she's gonna take over Victarion's role. I can't decide how I feel about this. I hated Victarion, so I'm on board with not having him on the show at all, but I don't like the idea of Asha doing Euron's bidding either.

 

 

Is Tyrion gonna get Quentyn'd?

 

Where do you think you saw Valyria/Asshai, I wanna go look :U

 

 

 

 

I've also seen people theorize that instead of introducing Lady Stoneheart, they're going to have Sansa take that role instead. As much as I wanted to see LSH, I have to admit that idea makes me unbelievably excited. I want to see Sansa get unholy amounts of revenge and then grow old and happy as the QUEEN IN DA NORF ;o;

[Selena]

 

Where'd you get that the Tyrells side with the Faith? I see Mace Tyrell sitting on the horse next to Jaime in that scene.

 

 

 

 

One of the early trailers, although I may have easily misinterpreted the scene. I had noticed that Olenna was standing up on the steps with members of the Faith in the first trailer, though I guess she could easily be there for another reason (maybe she's stuck there with the grandkids).

 

Looking closer at the new scene with Jaime, the Tyrells vs. Lannisters thing seems less likely -- but if ever there was a time for the Tyrells to turn on the Lannisters, this crisis would be it. If the Faith conflict expands into "pitchfork peasants vs. nobles," I would imagine the popular-with-peasants Tyrells would side with the Faith against the everyone-is-sadistic-insane-or-inept Lannisters. Because the peasants have been itching to lynch them for several seasons now. 

 

 

I highly doubt they would have the dragons burn up Tyrion, given his popularity...... but anyone who may have gone down there with Tyrion is another story.

 

Davos and the Mormonts (cool band name): I can dig that approach. The show has been sadly lacking in badass Mormont women, and a Stark-led revolution against the Boltons is the perfect time to introduce buff ladies with axes. It's also pretty clear that Cat is not coming back, full stop. So I would not be surprised if they had Sansa take over that role.... especially after giving her that plot last season to properly cement her hatred and resentment. I've always though that Sansa would end up ruling Winterfell when all was said and done. I don't think Jon would stick around once White Walker shit hits the fan.

 

 

 

edit: Also looks like Brienne and Pod are in Riverrun, which is curious. 

 

 

 

(disregard my stupid Valyria thing -- it was a quick flash of the Great Pyramid of Meereen, looking especially black and ominous at night)

[Crimson Lego]

So quick summary of my thoughts on my part since I'm exhausted:

1. North storyline is going to be awesome - judging from what just happened and the trailers, looks like the Great Northern Conspiracy is at least acting out the fighting part with Sansa at the helm.

 

2. There is no hope for the Dorne storyline. It might turn out to be awesome at the end of the season but I was really hoping for the whole Doran-is-secretly-plotting-against-everyone part.

 

3. Melisandre theory at the end confirms a theory I saw on Reddit and was probably mentioned here - the necklace she wears is just a concealment for what she really looks like.

[Selena]

I thought it was a fair enough opening. 

 

 

NORTH

Brienne is the best knight, and little Podrick on his first big-boy fighting adventure was adorable. I'm eager to see where they will take the North plot. There were set pics of Brienne in Riverrun and Jon fighting what looked to be Boltons. Maybe Sansa links up with Jon, and goes with Brienne to get Tully soldiers for reinforcements?

 

I also enjoyed a joke I saw on the twitters: "Sophie Turner finally had to look up to talk to someone in this episode!"

 

 

THE WALL

This is a lot more than Davos asked for. I don't see how they'd get themselves out of this without Melisandre resurrecting Jon, and the Night's Watch bowing down in reverence like the Dothraki did for Dany. Maybe they escape during a White Walker attack? Regardless, I didn't expect Jon to be jumping up this episode. Melisandre glamour/age theory confirmed -- at least on the show. I wonder if her real age will have any impact on the backstory. Like, how long she knew the end times were coming and the manner of her birth. There's a more outlandish theory that she's the bastard daughter of Bloodraven and Shiera.

 

BRAAVOS

Proceeding smoothly into Arya's book plot, no major deviations or surprises. 

 

 

DORNE

Well, that escalated quickly. A shame Doran and his actor were not given more material to work with before exiting the show. I guess they want the Sand Snakes to be more prominent. Maybe for the sake of having more high-profile female characters in leadership positions. As always, however, execution was incredibly clunky and the pace was too fast to have any kind of weight to it. What are you guys even going to do? Dorne's army is small and best utilized in Dorne itself, on the defensive.

 

KING'S LANDING

Margaery scene, okay, she's still there. How nice. 

 

Cersei and Jamie. "Honey, I've got good news and bad news. Good news, I brought Myrcella back! Bad news is... well..." I suppose their scene together was fine, but I really liked the scene where Cersei watches the ship come in. Lena had some really good face-acting going on the whole time. I actually felt sorry for her.

 

MEEREEN

Everything is awful and on fire. I guess it's just a good scene to summarize the situation / trap the boys in the city. Not much else of interest.

 

 

THE DOTHRAKI AND SER JORAH'S TERRIBLE ROAD TRIP

Dany's scenes are a bit ridiculous, as all the Dothraki present would have known Khal Drogo and attended their wedding. So Dany's identity should've been known from the start. But I suppose they wrote it that way for all the people who didn't watch season 1. She's largely untouchable due to Dothraki laws, so at least she won't be abused this time. 

 

Jorah and Daario could be interesting road trip buddies, but it depends on how the writers characterize Daario as we move forward. If they don't give him any extra layers beyond "arrogant playboy warrior," then he's going to get boring quick. And sure, Jorah. You just happened to find that ring within seconds. YEAH, OKAY.

[Jasi]

We were laughing about the ring thing too as the scene started. But it was in the center of a giant circle, so that helps quite a lot, and we were like "well okay fine that's plausible." 

 

God I can't believe Dorne is still a thing. Stop trying to make it happen, show writers! ughhhhhhh

 

Very excited to see Sansa catch a break and grow into a leader and stuff. Go kick ass, Sansa. Kick it hard.

[SteveT]

God I can't believe Dorne is still a thing. Stop trying to make it happen, show writers! ughhhhhhh
 

 
I had the opposite reaction.  Seemed like they are abandoning ship on the Dorne storyline.  "They don't like our version of the Sand Snakes?  Fine!  No House Martell for you!  Sand Snakes march north. It'll be Cercei vs a different impulsive, arrogant woman who thinks she's way better at politics than she really is."

Edited by SteveT, 25 April 2016 - 01:07 PM.

[Jasi]

Well I sure hope so. I won't be happy til the Sand Snakes go away forever.

[Twinrova]

Yeah I am utterly confused by what is going on in Dorne. They have literally killed off or not included every single plot point. Are they trying to turn Dorne into a replacement for Aegon's army??? Also how were Obara and Nym even on the same ship as Trystane.............were they not standing on the docks when he, Jaime, and Myrcella sailed off??? WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON D:

 

 

HOWEVER there was a brief shining moment with Sansa and Brienne. This is it, this is all I need, now that they're finally together I can ride off into the sunset with my happy fantasy that Sansa is going to rally the North and conquer the Boltons once and for all and become Queen in the North with Brienne at her side as the commander of her Queensguard and they're both going to grow old and die peacefully in their sleep due to natural causes. Any scenes that contradict this will be met with closed eyes and covered ears. :3

 

 

(Ok but for real tho there were pix of Davos and Sansa at what appeared to be Bear Island so I'm gonna assume Davos will flee the Wall to go get help from the Mormonts)

I wonder how they're gonna get Jon up and running again. I mean everyone's just assumed Mel will do it but they're really playing her like she's losing her faith. 

[SteveT]

I don't know if you read the books, but Dorne was way better, although still felt pointless and disconnected.
 
Spoilers ahoy:
 
A Feast for Crows:
 
- Arianna Martell (Doran's daughter) wants to invoke Dornish succession customs to put Myrcella on the Iron Throne, with the side-objective of provoking war against the Lannisters
- She abducts Myrcella, but is shut down by Prince Doran's forces
- During the cover of chaos, a third agent tries to assassinate Myrcella to help get the war going.  She is disfigured and survives.
- Doran arrests Arianna and the Sand Snakes and starts the diplomacy work of explaining to crazy-ass Cersei (she is way off the deep end at this point in the books) why her daughter took an axe to the face.
- Arianna bitches about how Doran is being all peacenik after everything the Lannisters did to their family.  He gives a rousing epic speech about his secret master plan to take revenge.
 
A Dance With Dragons
 
- Doran sends his son Quentyn to go seduce Dany to form an alliance.  The Martells want her back on the throne.
- Quentyn is a total dumbass and gets eaten by dragons.
- Aegon Targaryan/Aegon Blackfyre/Ageon Somekid starts making his presence known and Doran is intrigued
 
Meanwhile:
 
- Jaime Lannister dicks around in the Riverlands, crushes on Brienne from afar, and grows to resent Cersei.
- Bronn took a knightship, a wife, and some lands and is too busy assassinating his new family to actually appear on page.

Edited by SteveT, 25 April 2016 - 03:07 PM.

[Twinrova]

Oh yeah, I've read them, which is why I'm so confused about Dorne. They killed Doran, Trystane, and Myrcella, and didn't include Arianne (though I'm assuming Ellaria is supposed to take her place), Aegon, or Quentyn. They can't do any of those plots now so what is left for them to even do? I'm hoping they killed all them off so they can just ignore Dorne and pretend it never happened but I'm sure that's not the case. :|

[SteveT]

Sorry, that was actually directed at Jasi.  Simultaneous post.

But yeah, I agree.  There's nothing left of Dorne to do at this point, except maybe divide the Lannister military.

 

Actually...that almost has to be it.  I can see the Tyrells rebelling against the Lannisters over Faith Militant's imprisonment of Marge and Loras.  They don't ever mention the Riverlands anymore, but the Tullys should still be in rebellion.  Add Dorne, and King's Landing is pretty much surrounded.

[Selena]

I think it's also pretty obvious that Tommen is going to die this season -- probably as a result of Cersei demanding he go to the vanguard of the Lannister army. Likely against the Faith Militant. You can hear her insisting that in one of the recent trailers. I don't see anyone assassinating him. But it'll probably be a tragic death caused by Cersei's insistence. He's probably caught in the crossfire or attacked by mobs of angry peasants. 

 

The moment Tommen dies, the Tyrells will likely rebel to assert Margaery's claim to the throne. Which Cersei won't stand for.

 

I wonder if the season will close with Cersei's death, given how it will be impossible for the Lannisters with withstand so many threats at once -- even with Uncle Kevan's help.

[Veteran]

I'm pretty much hate-watching now out of morbid curiosity. I will love to be proven wrong, but this show is destined to be Lost.

It's too bleak. Beyond Brienne saving Sansa there was nothing, nothing to route for. I only route for the Boltons because they're the only competent family in the entire saga, and even then it's only because I have to convince myself that I must like something about the show.

I'm overreacting maybe. Probably due to the Dany part near the end whose parts never cease to annoy me. Just.... please... just.... USE YOUR FUCKING DRAGONS JESUS

[JRPomazon]

My thoughts:

 

Dany is obviously going to be saved by Jorah and Dario, give it like two or three more episodes. We get to see Bran wake up from his weird ass nap next week, so that should at least be interesting. He'll probably be of some use during the Arya storyline as she overcomes her blind business in Braavos. The writers are trying to make up for Dorne last season by making the Sand Snakes take over. OK, I'll bite. But much like all self-righteous idiots after justice, they'll more or less be yesterday's fashion by the end of the season. Daavos and the Night's Watch, well you guys are pretty much on the same page I am. Moving on. Hoping Sansa makes it south to Riverrun, been wanting the show to give us an idea of what was going on down there for ages now. Lannisters vs. Tyrells. Lannisters vs. the Faith. Lannisters vs. everyone and their mom at this point. Let's see if they'll survive this season. If we're talking the likelihood of who gets killed when, I think Cersei will be the last one standing if it comes down to it. After all, having her see her entire life crumble around her might just be the poetic justice we've been craving since season 1. Also, I'm so ready for Euron Greyjoy to show up. PLEASE, PLEASE have him show up by episode 5.

[Selena]

baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned baby ned 

lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna lyanna 

tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy tower of joy 

This is the shit I signed up for this season.

 

 

 

Also that thing everyone knew was gonna happen, though the execution of it was a little.... anticlimactic and undramatic.

 

Ramsay doing the other thing was a legitimate surprise. Though I suspect his days will be numbered as soon as he goes north. At least there's that. I would also like to take this time to console Vet, who I'm sure is upset by the loss of the North's only efficient (if ruthless) commander.

 

Tyrion's scene with the dragon babies was nice.

[JRPomazon]

When this week's episode has everything you'd want and ends juuuuust right

[Jasi]

Okay so Walda was clearly screwed but I think she could have done a better job trying to save the baby. imo he can definitely fit through the gate if she pushes him through.

 

[Twinrova]

Can the Ramsay dick sucking please just end already I am so tired of him

 

 

Thought the way Jon was revived was a little odd. It just seemed like your average funerary rites being performed. If that's all it takes then why didn't she do that for everyone else..  

 

You can tell they got a way bigger CGI budget this season, lol. Ghost and the dragons look fantastic. Leaf still isn't the way I imagined her (I imagined the COTF looking a lot like smaller versions of Spriggans from Skyrim) but she does look a lot better than....a dirty little kid shooting fireballs out of her hands. >_>

[Jasi]

Leaf still isn't the way I imagined her (I imagined the COTF looking a lot like smaller versions of Spriggans from Skyrim) but she does look a lot better than....a dirty little kid shooting fireballs out of her hands. >_>

 

I was like "I do NOT remember her being so freaky last time" and then my friends pointed out that she was recast/CGI'd up, and she used to just look like a child, haha. Yes, this is way better. I was like "WHOA, that is not a human" whereas before I think I laughed a little.

 

 

Thought the way Jon was revived was a little odd. It just seemed like your average funerary rites being performed. If that's all it takes then why didn't she do that for everyone else.. 

 

 

 

It looked pretty easy when that other guy did it in Season 3 too. He does the same thing, just like asks nicely, haha. I guess the Lord of Light has to say "alright", though. 

Edited by Jasi, 02 May 2016 - 03:29 PM.

[Selena]

Magic systems in this universe are weird and sometimes conflicting.

 

As a Red Priest, Thoros of Myr was able to resurrect Beric Dondarrion several times without much difficulty. Each time, Beric lost more of his essence/life force. It mostly depends on how long you've been dead, I think. The more your body decays, the harder it is to resurrect you. I guess it's good that Jon was essentially in a fridge when he died. 

 

At the same time, Beric himself was somehow able to revive Catelyn in the books -- despite not being a Red Priest. He sacrificed what little life energy he had left to do it. With his death, the Cat came back. A heavily decayed, barely functioning Cat who can't speak due to laceration wounds and is driven solely by her impulse for vengeance. This obviously isn't happening on the show, but it's just another mysterious element of the R'hllor religion.

 

I had been expecting Davos to, like..... set Mel on fire over what happened with Stannis, and then Jon would be abruptly resurrected with sacrifice. 

 

 

Given the randomness of resurrection magic, it feels like R'hllor may be an actual entity and blesses specific individuals if they have a role in fate. There doesn't seem to be any actual magic involved with the Red Priests, as Thoros doesn't know what he's doing in the first place and the ritual is just reciting words. 

 

 

With Asshai blood magic (the kind that resurrected Drogo), there's obvious and actual creepy magic involved. 

[Jasi]

Right, that's exactly how I understood it too. Mel's "magic" is sometimes sleight of hand to impress people (cf. her conversation with Stannis's wife). But for the big things, her "magic" is actual miracles. And in those cases, her god performs through her as a vessel; she doesn't seem to have that much to do with the action itself. As in, she doesn't seem to influence the metaphysical action personally. It's the same with Thoros. Mel/Thoros were praying to god and asking him to do something, and god was like "yeah alright." They seem to not have to do anything, physically, that is super special. (When Mel sacrificed Shireen, god was like "yeah nah," so the physical actions don't seem to have much bearing.) Maybe Mel herself doesn't understand this fully.

 

People in the GoT universe call it "magic" because that's how they perceive it, but to me, from the perspective of living in our real-life universe, it looks like miracles/acts of god. Whereas the blood magic looks like real magic, in the sense that you and I understand the word, as in "stuff that Harry Potter does."

Edited by Jasi, 02 May 2016 - 07:03 PM.

[Delphi]

I'm with you, Rova. I'm ready for Bolton to go away. I don't care if he just walks off a cliff I'm just tired of the "look how edgy we are! He raped Sansa! He killed his dad! And a new mom and baby! Isn't that crazy?!" Yes. It is. Are you done yet? He kind of fallls into Villain Sue territory for me. Like they're trying to one up Joffrey but missed the mark. Joffrey was fun to hate and you knew he was going to get his and so I'm turn so would Cersei. Bolton is just... Even if he dies there's no real impact like Joffrey's death had with the royal family. It's like, they saw Jeoffrey threaten to rape Sansa and then decided to one up Jeoffrey by having Bolton actually rape her. Yeah, yeah Jeyne Poole was in Sansa's place in the books and conservation of characters but still ses gratuitous. There's other ways to torture a female character other than rape. And I feel like sometimes the writers forget this. I just have a particular dislike of the Rape as Drama trope. It smacks of lazy/amateur writing when it's your go to for drama for a female character. Yes rape was unfortunately kind of a thing in the time period the show is based on but there's other things. Starvation, disfigurement, isolation, loss of family/friends, gaslighting, emotional abuse, take your pick. Also I'm still miffed about how they handled Dany and Drogo where it was all kind of rapey in the show but not in the books.