HBO foreshadowing

[Dementia]

The only foreshadowing that i've picked up on was when tywin was skinning the stag annd than in the deleted scene from season three catching the fish (tully).

I don't see how skinning the stag is really foreshadowing. Robert's already dead, Melisandre kills Renly....

and Tywin dies and Stannis is still alive

. Foreshadowing the skinning of Theon? The fish thing I see.

[Honourable Ser]

It's the worst kind of foreshadowing, since it sounds significant, but it's so hopelessly vague that it could refer to just about anybody, and people can run around in circles trying to attribute meaning to it. The eye colour could refer to Arya killing specific characters with that eye colour (green eyes = a Lannister, blue eyes = Sansa, TV Melisandre), or it could just mean that one of her many kills happens to have green eyes or blue eyes.

The best kind is Melisandre telling Arya "We'll meet [again]." That's pretty much as unambiguous as it gets (unless it's a reference to Melisandre mistaking her vision of Alys for Arya). It also means that unless Melisandre crosses a significant amount of distance--unlikely, given her location--Arya is going to make it back North before the end of the series, which is mighty encouraging. (I guess it's bad news for the Melisandre haters, since it also means Melisandre is going to live long enough for Arya to make it back North.)

...There's a fair amount of discussion about the significance of this Melisandre/Arya exchange in the relevant Season 3 episode forum, whichever it is (3x06 or 3x07, I guess).

I'd always assumed it to be a reference to a future ability to change her face á la Jaqen H'ghar.

[TheTowerOfJoy]

I don't see how skinning the stag is really foreshadowing. Robert's already dead, Melisandre kills Renly....

and Tywin dies and Stannis is still alive

. Foreshadowing the skinning of Theon? The fish thing I see.

The stag is already dead when we see it as well. If it's foreshadowing, it's that the Lannisters are picking at or "skinning" the dead carcass of the Baratheon line.

[Captain_Falcon]

I don't see how skinning the stag is really foreshadowing. Robert's already dead, Melisandre kills Renly....

and Tywin dies and Stannis is still alive

. Foreshadowing the skinning of Theon? The fish thing I see.

Tywin skinning the stag represents the Lannisters role in Robert's fate. This is the opening scene in the episode that later includes the death of the King. It should go without sayin, but Cersei and Lancel were behind the whole hunting mishap so it seems pretty clear to me.

[DaveyJoe]

At the very least the skinning scene is a wonderful bit of symbolism. It was one of my favorites when first watching season one.

[Captain_Falcon]

At the very least the skinning scene is a wonderful bit of symbolism. It was one of my favorites when first watching season one.

Agreed. I couldn't think of a more fitting way to introduce Tywin.

[Newstar]

There's a really need potential bit of foreshadowing that Elrewin came up with on one of the General ASOIAF threads, about Arya and Sansa (link). I'm putting it here, even though it's Elrewin's idea, because I think it fits here nicely:

In Season 3, in a non-book bit of dialogue, Margaery tells Sansa the story about her beautiful cousin Alanna, who was gorgeous and goddess-like while poor Margaery was "all elbows and knees." Alanna called Margaery "Pigface":

Margaery: My cousin Alanna was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. When I was twelve, I was all elbows and knees and Alanna looked like a goddess sent to torture me. Pigface, she called me.

Sansa: Pigface ? That's ridiculous.

Margaery: I think it had something to do with my nose. Whenever she passed me in the halls, she'd oink.

Elrewin correctly notes that young Margaery's jealousy of her beautiful relative and comparative gawkiness (all elbows and knees) is similar to scrawny, skinny, gawky Arya's jealousy of Sansa's beauty around the same(ish) age. Moreover, Arya gets the nickname "Horseface" from Jeyne Poole (who neighs whenever she comes near), while young Margaery gets stuck with the nickname "Pigface" from Alanna (who oinks whenever she passes young Margaery).

Elrewin thinks this is foreshadowing that Arya's going to grow out of her gawkiness to be a beauty like Margaery--which seems to be clear from book canon as well (given the book parallels between beautiful Lyanna and Arya)--but I'd go one step further, because the dialogue ends like this:

Sansa: So what happened to Alanna ?

Margaery: Oh, she grew up to be the most beautiful woman and married a handsome lord, and they have darling children and live in a castle by the sea. It's all terribly frustrating.

Sansa: I'm sure she's jealous of you now. You'll be married here in the capital and she will have to come watch and pretend to be happy that you're queen.

So if we go with Alanna = Sansa and Margaery = Arya (roughly), the passage could be a very interesting bit of foreshadowing:

Sansa: So what happened to [sansa]?

Margaery: Oh, she grew up to be the most beautiful woman and married a handsome lord, and they have darling children and live in a castle by the sea. It's all terribly frustrating.

Sansa: I'm sure [sansa]'s jealous of [Arya] now. [Arya]'ll be married here in the capital and [sansa] will have to come watch and pretend to be happy that [Arya is] queen.

Interesting.

I've also seen it speculated that "Alanna" might be a reference to the Alanna of the Tamora Pierce Song of the Lioness series, who did wind up married to a handsome lord in a castle by the sea, and that could be the case, but the Arya = queen foreshadowing is a fun idea to play with, and the Pigface/Horseface parallel seems pretty strong.

[The Idiots Lantern]

if we go with Alanna = Sansa and Margaery = Arya (roughly), the passage could be a very interesting bit of foreshadowing

Somehow I doubt Arya's cut out to be queen. It's a job that calls for tact and political savvy, and Arya likes to stab her problems in the face and run away.

[Newstar]

Somehow I doubt Arya's cut out to be queen. It's a job that calls for tact and political savvy, and Arya likes to stab her problems in the face and run away.

Maybe so (although there's a fair bit of Arya/queen imagery in the books that has been discussed on the General boards ad nauseam), but the Arya/Margaery parallel is pretty blatant here.

[The Idiots Lantern]

Maybe so (although there's a fair bit of Arya/queen imagery in the books that has been discussed on the General boards ad nauseam), but the Arya/Margaery parallel is pretty blatant here.

Quite a bit gets discussed on these forums ad nauseum. I'm saying it's not the right way for her character to go. This not the fate she's being prepared for.

[Newstar]

I'm saying it's not the right way for her character to go. This not the fate she's being prepared for.

According to you, maybe, but since you're not GRRM, you don't know, do you? You're in no position to state with certainty what her fate is. I'm not telling you that I know better than you do and that Arya will be a queen, since I'm well aware that I'm not GRRM and therefore don't have positive, absolute knowledge of what Arya's fate will be, so maybe you should extend me the same courtesy? :D

[Broken Fox]

The biggest piece of foreshadowing was the throne room in the House of Undying. That just says it all.

Also:

- The Mel/Arya 'eyes' scene. Arya will most certainly return to Westeros. Although this is kind of expected.

- Mel and Thoros conversation about resurrection. UnJon incoming. But again, this one is expected.

- Sansa's getting built up for a big future. She's a got a way with people, and seems to gain loyalty with ease (Shae, Tyrion, Margaery, The Hound). Or obsession (LF), or ire (Joffrey, Cersei). Whatever it is, people that run into Sansa just can't seem to leave her alone and move on. She always stirs a strong in reaction in people. Her soothing the 'frightened hens' during the Blackwater battle was very Queenly as well. It showed leadership ability.

[Koi No Yokan]

I'd always assumed it to be a reference to a future ability to change her face á la Jaqen H'ghar.

Nice to see another person who it interpreted it that way. It seemed pretty obvious to me from a book-reader perspective.

[Honourable Ser]

Nice to see another person who it interpreted it that way. It seemed pretty obvious to me from a book-reader perspective.

I know right! Every time I see that scene it seems clear that Melisandre is saying that, bit simplistic here I know, that she can't see who Arya truly is. "Brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes..."

[Arthur Dayne's Honor]

Dany's vision in the HOTU is foreshadowing her death. She will come to the throne in ruins, but not stay there, she goes north to the wall and is reunited with Drogo and Rhaego. To me that means she will defeat Young Griff, but KL or at least the Red Keep will in ruins, she will go North to meet Jon's challenge to the throne as well as the others. She will convinced of his heritage and will arrange to marry him so that way she can be queen and not just the aunt of the king, but she will die either fighting the others or giving birth thus reuniting her with Drogo and Rhaego

[Lonin]

One of my favorite lines, books or TV is from the TV show.

The Hound to Sansa:

"You'll be glad of the hateful things I do one day, when you're queen and I'm the only thing that stands between you and your beloved king."

of course, The Hound is referring to Sansa's pending marriage to Joffrey that will make her a queen...

or is he, are the writers hinting at a future where Sansa is a queen, fighting against another king - what other king would be a "beloved king" - several possibilities -

but probably a throw away line.

[Koi No Yokan]

I know right! Every time I see that scene it seems clear that Melisandre is saying that, bit simplistic here I know, that she can't see who Arya truly is. "Brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes..."

Exactly, and it's why I loved that line so much. I'm not usually one to get giddy over book references, but in that instance I couldn't help it!

[Rhaegar's Love]

There's a really need potential bit of foreshadowing that Elrewin came up with on one of the General ASOIAF threads, about Arya and Sansa (link). I'm putting it here, even though it's Elrewin's idea, because I think it fits here nicely:

In Season 3, in a non-book bit of dialogue, Margaery tells Sansa the story about her beautiful cousin Alanna, who was gorgeous and goddess-like while poor Margaery was "all elbows and knees." Alanna called Margaery "Pigface":

Elrewin correctly notes that young Margaery's jealousy of her beautiful relative and comparative gawkiness (all elbows and knees) is similar to scrawny, skinny, gawky Arya's jealousy of Sansa's beauty around the same(ish) age. Moreover, Arya gets the nickname "Horseface" from Jeyne Poole (who neighs whenever she comes near), while young Margaery gets stuck with the nickname "Pigface" from Alanna (who oinks whenever she passes young Margaery).

Elrewin thinks this is foreshadowing that Arya's going to grow out of her gawkiness to be a beauty like Margaery--which seems to be clear from book canon as well (given the book parallels between beautiful Lyanna and Arya)--but I'd go one step further, because the dialogue ends like this:

So if we go with Alanna = Sansa and Margaery = Arya (roughly), the passage could be a very interesting bit of foreshadowing:

Interesting.

I've also seen it speculated that "Alanna" might be a reference to the Alanna of the Tamora Pierce Song of the Lioness series, who did wind up married to a handsome lord in a castle by the sea, and that could be the case, but the Arya = queen foreshadowing is a fun idea to play with, and the Pigface/Horseface parallel seems pretty strong.

Something that may or may not add on to this is when Robert first arrives in Winterfell, he only bothers with the names of two of Ned's children; Robb and Arya.

Robert says to Robb, "You must be Robb!" Now Robert remembering Robb's name isn't so remarkable (I mean even Robert can remember a name that's the first syllable of his own lol), but in that scene the only other name he asks for is Arya's. So my take on it is the King acknowledges two children by name, one of whom went on to be a King so it could be gleaned that Arya would share the same "fate" (though hopefully not exactly) and end up being a Queen (imo at the very least a Warrior Queen).

His interaction with the other three could also be foreshadowing.

Rickon-*pat on the head*; like the potential hint in his direwolf's name, he'll be inconsequential to the story

Sansa-"Well you're a pretty one!"; she'll have a tough time making an impression on people beyond the superficial

Bran-"Show me you're muscles! Ah, you'll be a soldier!"; he could easily end up being a different type of soldier given his current situation

It could be nothing but I thought the way he interacted with each child was interesting.

ETA: And of course, since the foreshadowing was meant for Ned's children, that's why Jon was left out :D

[JP Dayne]

sorry to burst your bubbles on the tyrell brothers, but in a podcast, the winteriscoming ones you know, bryan cogman explicit says loras is the only male child of mace, and that's why he is the heir of highgarden, in show canon.

(meaning they're entirely cut)

[space]

not anything that hasnt happened yet but when i went back and saw a couple of season 1 episodes they made a point to show a close up of jaime's right hand when he was holding a sword...im sure if you look deeply there are a buncha subtle little hints like that revealing things that havnt happened yet