BlackLightning

No problem at all But I don't know if Benjen was still alive or if Martin was doing a bit of misdirection. Basically the way that Martin was so insistent that "Coldhands is not Benjen" is very similar to how he reacted to how Sansa was a stand-in for both Jeyne Poole and Donella Hornwood in Winterfell."

This is not that big of a butterfly effect Because Stannis is still going to be fighting for the Throne. then you would have Tyrion angling to put Tommen on the Iron Throne. And all jockeying between Littlefinger, Varys and Tyrion become absolutely unrestrained. Arianne likely tries to make Myrcella queen earlier on...except Quentyn and Oberyn would likely still be around to either help or hurt. Honestly, the events in Feast and Dance that only could have happened in Tywin's absence just happen earlier on.

When the show revealed that Coldhands was actually Benjen at the end of Season 6, Martin said that Benjen is not Coldhands and that the two are separate individuals. And based on what Martin was saying, Benjen is still alive.

I'm beginning to think that Benjen did desert the NW but only in the sense that he has decided NOT to return to Castle Black after his ranging mission went sideways. If Benjen is still alive (I don't think Martin would have him die "offscreen"), he's in the Lands of Always Winter or maybe in the Heart of Winter itself. Either he is being held captive, he has switched sides and is working with the Others or he is trying to negotiate with the Others on the behalf of the Seven Kingdoms. I doubt Martin would have had Benjen die "offscreen" after all this time, but if Benjen is dead, Bran is going to have to find his body and learn what had happened to him. Or maybe Jon will run across Benjen (or his corpse) as Ghost and Bran finds out what happens. Either way—dead or alive—I'm 100% sure that Benjen encountered the Others and that he had been sidetracked/delayed.

I don't know. I feel like one of the opening chapters has to be a Tyrion POV; the Battle of Meereen is upon us and it HAS to happen early on in the book Cersei and the King's Landing cast. Not life-or-death but it's a major gamechanger

I think he was confirmed for season 2 during season 1's run But then they also cut down the number of episodes from 10 to 8 and...then there was the writer's strike. So I think its safe to say that plans changed and that they are taking their time to focus on the assassination attempts and the battles in the Riverlands

Idk maybe because Daeron isn't supposed to appear until season 3 or late in season 2 but Daeron was confirmed by the showrunner on more than one occasion during season 1...so it's quite possible that things have changed

Why does he hate Rhaenyra for lying when he lied too? And I wouldn't say that Rhaenyra manipulated him either... It's projection. They have very different values.

Well, he's just going to have to deal with it I guess I think he can finish the series in two books. But they will both have to be huge

Daenerys Samwell Bran

This is not such a bad idea. The Prince of Dragonstone already rules Dragonstone, Driftmark and the other islands of Blackwater Bay. Giving them part of Crackclaw Point would do nothing. This is a bad -- or at least risky -- idea. Creating a principality out of the Dornish Marches under the control of the Prince of Summerhall is basically stealing the Lords of Storm's End of (arguably) their most powerful vassals. To do so would invite a lot of conflict. You might as well place a royal in the Gift, give him control over the Gift and make him the Prince of Queenscrown. Harrenhal has come under the control of the Iron Throne more than once but again...not sure if it's a great idea. The Iron Throne has more than enough funds; the problem is that they were terribly mismanaged and fumbled by Robert, Cersei, Littlefinger and the rest of the Small Council. Making a province out of the Stepstones would be expensive (as in you need to commission a new fleet just to protect the islands and enforce the law after its conquest) but doable. It's a good idea. But Tyrosh? No way.

Ahhh okay I don't know. Iraq, Egypt and the Levant are all very hot and arid lands. However, millions have always lived in those areas. Why? The floodplains of major rivers. The floodplains of the Greenblood, the Vaith and the Scourge are more than enough to sustain a large population. Sunspear itself should be a very large city on par with White Harbor and Gulltown.

Well to be fair, wasn't Catelyn was originally supposed to be imprisoned and used as a hostage?

Right but the problem is that Torrhen and his lords bannermen were anticipating a loss of life. The North could've fought a guerilla war against the Targaryens just as successfully as Dorne did...if not better. Torrhen was just hoping to strike a major blow against the Targaryen forces before they could attempt to mount a proper invasion and attack on the North. This is true Frankly, a part of me feels like the North (and especially Dorne) should have a higher population. Yes, the winters are unimaginably brutal, and a lot of people die each winter due to famine and disease; that should keep the population relatively low in the northernmost parts of the North. BUT there should still be more people living on the west coast, particularly at Sea Dragon Point where there's an abundance of otters and fish for food and clothing and trees for homes and tools. And Bear Island alone does not suffice as a west coast trading hub.

Ooooh that's pretty unnerving I definitely think that the Children are a big part of the deal That's why I don't really trust the Children or Bloodraven with Bran.