117 replies to this topic

[OberynBlackfyre]

[As a similar thread is closing in on 400 posts in the TWoW subforum, I moved this thread over and adjusted the title of this one to continue discussion. - Angalin]


Since we don't know exactly how long we will be waiting, I was just thinking of the anticipation/excitement that will go on, once we have the book in hand. So wanted to see what everybody thinks to expect at least within the first half of the TWoW, as the books most definitely always have a definitive first half, then a definitive second half.



Since we have seen some of the chapters, and we know that GRRM has said we will see two of the big battles we have been waiting for early on I think the first half will contain


-the culmination/ending of the Boltons (or their power in the North)
- a major White Walker attack
-both of these which will be happening while Jon is "dead"
-the overall destruction of Mereen, as well as some story lines being drawn together.  (Tyrion, Barristan, Victarion, etc)

-then it will go into the transition of whats going on with Aegon's forces conquering the Stormlands and such, maybe even have the "official half book cliffhanger" of Cersei's trial by battle.

Edited by Angalin, 03 January 2013 - 11:34 PM.
title edited & thread moved

[Fire Eater]

The Boltons will come to an end, on that much we can all agree

Tyrion, Victarion and Barristan will participate in the Battle of Meereen

In the Battle of Ice, Stannis will manage to trick Hosteen Frey into charging along the ice, and falling through. Then, after Manderly's forces arrive, they take the Freys in the rear pushing them into the lake. Manderly comes to WF with Stannis's sword and a few heads to convince the Boltons that Stannis is dead, and that "Arya" was taken to the Wall to Jon Snow. The Boltons leave for the Wall, and Manderly delivers WF to Stannis. When the Boltons reach the Wall, Jon kills Ramsay Bolton in single combat, and he kills Roose as well, avenging both Robb and Rodrik Cassel.

Euron's forces attack Oldtown, and Sam puts an arrow the eye of the Crow's Eye, and Connington's forces arrive to take the Ironborn by surprise and aid Oldtown. Lords Hightower and Redwyne swear Aegon fealty for aiding them when they received no help from KL.

Davos finds Rickon, and brings him to STannis with the forces of Skagos as well.

[Jslay427]

Fire Eater, on 03 January 2013 - 09:51 PM, said:

The Boltons will come to an end, on that much we can all agree

Tyrion, Victarion and Barristan will participate in the Battle of Meereen

In the Battle of Ice, Stannis will manage to trick Hosteen Frey into charging along the ice, and falling through. Then, after Manderly's forces arrive, they take the Freys in the rear pushing them into the lake. Manderly comes to WF with Stannis's sword and a few heads to convince the Boltons that Stannis is dead, and that "Arya" was taken to the Wall to Jon Snow. The Boltons leave for the Wall, and Manderly delivers WF to Stannis. When the Boltons reach the Wall, Jon kills Ramsay Bolton in single combat, and he kills Roose as well, avenging both Robb and Rodrik Cassel.

Euron's forces attack Oldtown, and Sam puts an arrow the eye of the Crow's Eye, and Connington's forces arrive to take the Ironborn by surprise and aid Oldtown. Lords Hightower and Redwyne swear Aegon fealty for aiding them when they received no help from KL.

Davos finds Rickon, and brings him to STannis with the forces of Skagos as well.

I like much of this, with the exception of Sam and his prowess with a longbow. The Crows eye deserves a better death from someone with some skill at arms.

[Bran's Legs]

Fire Eater, on 03 January 2013 - 09:51 PM, said:

Davos finds Rickon, and brings him to STannis with the forces of Skagos as well.

Hmmm, that's interesting. Never thought of that one. Cannibals on unicorns!

[Eucratides_Megas]

Jslay427, on 03 January 2013 - 09:56 PM, said:

I like much of this, with the exception of Sam and his prowess with a longbow. The Crows eye deserves a better death from someone with some skill at arms.

So did that poor Other

[Fire Eater]

Jslay427, on 03 January 2013 - 09:56 PM, said:

I like much of this, with the exception of Sam and his prowess with a longbow. The Crows eye deserves a better death from someone with some skill at arms.

Sam has Alleras to help him improve his archery skills.

ETA:

I think Brienne will be Jaime's champion in a trial by combat under Lady Stoneheart

Jaime and Brienne will go to the Vale to protect Sansa and Sandor will join them

JonCon will ambush the Tyrell force sent to retake Storm's End in a way reminiscent of Hannibal in the Battle of Lake Trasmiene, and push them into a body of water, the Wendwater River.

Edited by Fire Eater, 03 January 2013 - 10:11 PM.

[Jslay427]

Eucratides_Megas, on 03 January 2013 - 09:59 PM, said:

So did that poor Other

Sam is at Oldtown for a reason. The wall is vastly undermanned, if he was of any use in holding the wall Jon wouldn't have been so quick to send him away when attacks are though to be coming.

[Bran's Legs]

Fire Eater, on 03 January 2013 - 10:06 PM, said:

Sam has Alleras to help him improve his archery skills.

Nice catch! Alleras is dead-eye dick.

[Jslay427]

Fire Eater, on 03 January 2013 - 10:06 PM, said:

Sam has Alleras to help him improve his archery skills.

You know the slayer nickname was given as a jape I hope.

[larrytheimp]

nm

Edited by larrytheimp, 03 January 2013 - 10:12 PM.

[Fire Eater]

Jslay427, on 03 January 2013 - 10:07 PM, said:

You know the slayer nickname was given as a jape I hope.

I thought it was given for killing an Other.

[Jslay427]

Fire Eater, on 03 January 2013 - 10:13 PM, said:

I thought it was given for killing an Other.

Sigh.... Yes, he did kill an other, but IIRC weren't his eyes closed lol? Might be wrong, but he's not killing anyone. Although he rose a notch in my book when he pummeled Daereon the singer.

[Sevumar]

OberynBlackfyre, on 03 January 2013 - 07:45 PM, said:

- a major White Walker attack

Unless the Others have a way to breach the Wall or circumvent it, I think we're likely to see their activity confined to north of the Wall early in the first book.

I think we're going to see an outbreak of greyscale in Westeros, either in the North or in the Stormlands. I have some doubts about Val's fear of Shireen, but the wildlings have been right on a few things the rest of Westeros has forgotten. Either way, the amount of background information about the disease and the foreshadowing in Feast seems to suggest that we'll be seeing a lot more of it in the future.

I hope we'll see what's been going on at the top of the Hightower, along with what Marwyn's been up to while I was waiting for him to turn up in Dance.

[The Mountain That Flies]

Sevumar, on 03 January 2013 - 11:01 PM, said:

I think we're going to see an outbreak of greyscale in Westeros, either in the North or in the Stormlands.

Why not wait until (F)Aegon takes King's Landing, then have the outbreak start there? I think Val's fears of Shireen were indeed foreshadowing, but for a different area.

[andrew_]

What's the general consensus with Tyrion, Jorah and Penny?  Hopefully Penny dies, she's so annoying imo.

[Jslay427]

andrew02, on 04 January 2013 - 08:09 AM, said:

What's the general consensus with Tyrion, Jorah and Penny?  Hopefully Penny dies, she's so annoying imo.

Penny shall become Lady of Casterly Rock. For a land that is known for its vast wealth, having its Lady named Penny would be funny, and GRRM style.

[Loras]

I expect the following:

King's Landing:

Cersei will win her trial by combat, with Lancel Lannister being the Faith's champion.  Cersei will have great difficulty trying to rest power back from the Tyrells.  I think that Cersei will become a much more capable player in the next book and I wouldn't be surprised if Varys returned to help her to take down the Roses.

Tyene Sand will have a significant role to play, she may even poison the High Sparrow.  Though alternatively she could become one of the Septas/Novices that are caring for Cersei.  I am undecided about the role that Nymeria will play.

I think Cersei will ultimately burn King's Landing to the ground with Wildfire.

At Winterfell:

I agree with everybody else that the battle of Ice will be the curtain call for the Boltons.  I enjoy the theory about the frozen lakes and hope that it comes to pass.

I'm intrigued as to Mance's fate now that he is in the hands of Ramsay.

I am convinced that Asha will die early in Book 6, as her purpose as a viewpoint character has been taken over by Theon.  I think her broken ankle is going to be really important, she might get ridden down?

On Skaagos:

Davos Seaworth will find Rickon Stark and Osha.  I think we will see some sort of naval assault from the dead things in the water on their vessel.  Davos will return to White Harbour with Rickon before returning to Stannis.  Stannis executes Davos for treason - in typical Martin irony.

At the Wall

I really want Jon Snow to be dead.  I am fed up of all the resurrections in the books.  

Martin needed Jon out of the way to create friction and chaos at the Wall prior to the Others attacking.  So if Melisandre thinks that she can revive him then he'll be hidden in an ice cell below the Wall.  Mel will take her gandalf role to the next level and try to rally everyone to defend the Wall.

In the South:

The Dornish will ally with Aegon.

I think the cliffhangers of the book will be Cersei setting fire to King's Landing and the Wall falls - Ice and Fire.

[Runaway Penguin]

Winterfell: Battle with Stannis and revolt of loyalist Northern houses will mean utter undoing of Boltons.
Theon dies, Asha... Well, she probably got her lesson in the wrongs of the Ironborn way. She is close to the learned Ironborn few, I guess Stannis will have use for her and Kingsmoot/Damphair's revolt.

Wall: Jon ain't dead. He's just resting. Pining for the fiords. His body is grievously injured, but not in need of unnatural revival. Just some good support care - I guess Wildlings will provide pretty good (for the era) doctors. Val, anyone? Jon's mind is another issue though. He will probably warg Ghost and will need help to deWarg back "home". Good opportunity to learn more about Others.

Hardhome and Skagos are obviously connected. Guess Davos will find on skagos not only Rickon and Osha, but also Cotter Pyke's men, so he'll learn of the plight at Hardhome and head there with Manderly ships he was provided. Thus he will firsthand witness "dead things" and whatever else is at Hardhome

King's Landing: Cersei will try to get back power, but will fail. Tyrrels will fail in trying to contain the young guy.

Slaver's Bay: Mereen defends itself successfully. Victarion blows the horn and meets sticky end. Tyrion uses his dragonlore to control dragons (or atleast to avoid getting eaten). Dany returns with Drogon and Dothraki just in time to see off the Volantis army (or incite slave revolt). She sees Mereen is viable, unlike Astapor, and she can go (passing Shadow of Valyria) to Westeros, dragons and all.

[dreamcatcher]

Sevumar, on 03 January 2013 - 11:01 PM, said:

I think we're going to see an outbreak of greyscale in Westeros, either in the North or in the Stormlands. I have some doubts about Val's fear of Shireen, but the wildlings have been right on a few things the rest of Westeros has forgotten. Either way, the amount of background information about the disease and the foreshadowing in Feast seems to suggest that we'll be seeing a lot more of it in the future.

Mhm, the war of the 5 kings was bad, but this final war for Westeros or whatever has to be the worst thing ever for it to be interesting and surpass the Wot5k. There's definitely going to be greyscale there.

[direwolf_of_white_fangs]

1) The comeback / rise of the targs in westeros.
2) The comeback of the starks in winterfell
3) The defeat of the sons of the harpy by Dany.
4) the continued collapse of casterly rock and the lannisters
5) the collapse of the boltons
6) the collapse of the freys