TheReal_Rebel

Stannis does believe he's doing it for the greater good. But the that he is burning members of his own family at Melisandre's belief he is AA, especially his only heir,--Shireen--is meant to bring home that Stannis is deluding himself as to his own true motivation. His ambition to be King.

I don't think Davos will be supporting Stannis after Shireen's death. There is no way he'll accept it. I hope he goes to get Rickon.

Not in the press I've read. Alfie is always sighted for his excellence. Have to say, have no idea where Reek's arc is going to go. We do know Tycho is showing up this season....but....? Off ep topic: Since Robin Arryn hasn't been killed and doesn't appear he won't be be--unless next season--can we assume he is LF's son?

Don't think Theon will be escaping with Sansa, Brienne and Pod unless they drag him along as an offering for Stannis. Will his "redemption" arc happen? Maybe through Bran. But don't see how after this episode. Can see Sansa murdering or maiming Ramsey enough to escape. Battle of Ice I guess is being saved for next season. When the Hell is it going to come out that Tyrion knows more about Dragons than anyone and that's why he's valuable to Daenerys?

I bet Mira Reed knows and she might reveal it next season to Bran.

This episode was jammed with so many plot lines, I felt gorged as if at Joffrey's wedding. So it will take me a bit to digest. *Buuuuurp!* Pardon me ☺️ Enjoyed most of the meal. Only felt bored during part of Varys/Tyrion's scene who's dialogue was mostly redundant from last episode. Otherwise : 2Thumbs up!

That's how I understood it, too.

The books are deeper, richer and I enjoy discovering on these boards and on podcasts things I've overlooked. But I enjoy the show on it's own merits. As a separate entity that sometimes rises and sometimes falls. I also miss much of what was cut out. I really wanted to see Tyrion travel down the Royhnar. All the wonderful buildings we don't get to see and history we mss out on.

Hope you are right :-)

Sounds right.

I was so surprised to see Robin Robert Arryn alive and at least Royce is trying to get him schooled. So unless Royce out of frustration kills him, he seems in a safe place. Meanwhile, Sansa is clearly being sent to Winterfell, but as Alayne or Sansa? And mommie's Dragons react to her like those kids kept in the Attic. Forgot to say how much I liked & my TV only friends liked, Jon shooting Mance to save him from suffering.

The CGI was impressive, but if you are not emotionally invested in the characters it felt flat and wooden. Was more upset over Pyp & Grenn then Ygritte. Jon, eh. Felt no jeopardy for Gilli, Babe & Sam. So it was visually interesting, sometimes, but emotionally flat. Master Aemon seemed wasted and not really pertinent but could have given more info. Liked Alister or Alliser's speech & Ed. The dialogue between Pyp & Sam insipid filler The pacing was strange. Also no climax. The book wins on emotional involvement, the Show on visuals. 7

Yeah, it was. But emotionally it was pretty wooden. Total waste of Maester Aemon. The staging overall for the attack and fight were pretty bad. Husband : A bunch of Hillibillies attack a giant ice wall. The Blackwater was 100 percent better.

I'm not a Stannis fan. I just don't want a boring drawn out episode. I wanted a decent climax-- which the book gives & this episode could have. There was no reason to have a drawn out episode when they still have lot of story to wrap up. Did enjoy Mammoth & Giants & kid killing Ygritte.

Ditto!

Oh, and on re- watching I do think Sansa may have seduced LF. What better way to control him? It's a way to protect herself and possibly Robert Robyn Arryn. Depending what she thinks will be most advantageous to herself. She's holding all the cards. At any point she could tell the truth about LF pushing Lysa out the moon door. We know that Sansa Stark is still a secret among the Lords Declerant, hence Arya has no sanctuary in the Vale. Though if I was as desperate as Arya, I would ask help from my cousin Robert,Mir I knew I had one. How does Arya get to Bravos? Easy. Read the book! On the way to Saltpans, the Hound is sickens from His wound. He appears to die and Arya will remember the coin, J'aquen Hagar and sail for Bravos.

That's what I thought I saw.

Very much agree!

Not protect, USE him. Sansa comes into her own without strum & drang of Books. I like it. Fits with older Sansa taking charge & more like her Mom--- without the " kill everyone" bent. Don't think Arya and Hound are getting in. Another Stark family near miss. Also San San reunion missed. Oh we just had 4.0 EarthQuake in Los Angeles as I was typing this

He's actually just mostly dead thank's to Qyburn and missing a portion that gets sent off to Dorne.

Wow! You've done your HW! The only one I'd quibble with is Robbie Coltrane. Not that he wouldn't be fantastic as Manderlay, I just think he might cost more than HBO would be willing to pay him. But we can hope,

It would make sense that Varys might.

And if Coldhands turns out to Benjen Stark I'll be ecstatic!

I suspected but I don't believe anyone thinks of it as "cannon" as it does not appear in the Good Books of GRRM. But it does fit into the overall theme of "no absolute evil". Someone said that at this point The WWs are now in the running for Best Parents in Westeros! :D

OMG!!!! I posted on Twitter that at this point GRRM should just sell chapters like the folios Dickens wrote every week. It could save newsstands and bookstores :-) But what a SPOILER. Also tweeted that they now need *Spoiler Alerts* on every episode of HBO Games of Thrones