Bael's Bastard

Petyr = Nissa Nissa

Since when? War, or war preempting treachery, has pretty much been the answer to all conflicts in the books and show. I think the books make it a point to show the horrors of war. But thus far, that hasn't slowed war down any. And all the environmental issues are based on magic.

I agree that it was unnecessary to "defend" Winterfell with all those people. They could have lured the NK with a Winterfell virtually abandoned save Bran and a handful of others.

Who knows how/when she got to the Weirwood. But I didn't get the impression that she surprised the NK, and I'm not sure it was even her intent to surprise the NK. Yelling as she flies through the air is hardly covert. It might be giving DnD too much credit, but if Arya had any idea that it might be difficult to kill the NK, then the only way to surprise the NK would be to first let him believe he had stopped her.

I doubt it. I didn't really expect any major characters to die against the WW. It seemed obvious that some of the minor name characters were kept alive well past their point to fill that role. And since they simplified the objectives of each side, the NK targeting Bran, and the living targeting the NK, it seemed likely everything else would get simplified as well. It was always inevitable that the living that survived the WW and wights would jump right back into the "game of thrones." Not sure what will happen in the books, but I suspect the "game of thrones" will claim the lives of a number of major characters.

I'm not sure if he has said anything more recent, or provided any new information about Dunk and Egg in general, or particular stories he has in mind. He doesn't seem to intend to get into them until at least after he finishes TWOW, if not ADOS.

GRRM has mentioned story ideas about The She-Wolves of Winterfell and The Village Hero, and titles like "The Sellsword," "The Champion," "The Kingsguard," "The Lord Commander," noting that there might be several more in between. But he says, "There's no telling when I will have time to finish either of these, or which one I will write first. I don't expect I will know more until I've delivered THE WINDS OF WINTER." https://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/Dunk_and_Egg#Planned_Installments https://grrm.livejournal.com/365715.html https://grrm.livejournal.com/412015.html?thread=20463983#t20463983

@zionius Ran made these comments in a thread called "The three Kingsguard were loyal to Rhaegar, not Aerys": So, the _intent_ of that passage is that Ashford is being mentioned out of chronology, explaining part of the developments that had happened earlier. But I admit, it's not clear as written, and I can definitely understand the confusion. It was much clearer in our original draft, where everything was done chronologically, Ashford placed before the Battle of the Bells, but then we were having space issues and the edit was, sadly, somewhat heavy-handed to get it to fit. Had we had more time, we would have revised and polished a bit more to try and keep it all in order. https://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/152988-the-three-kingsguard-were-loyal-to-rhaegar-not-aerys/&page=5&tab=comments#comment-8290656 Catelyn explicitly places the weddings as after the Battle of the Bells, however, noting that Denys Arryn's death at the battle would have motivated Lord Arryn's agreement to marry a sullied Tully bride because she had proven fertile. I suspect we mostly lack a good picture of the months after the Battle of the Bells. https://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/152988-the-three-kingsguard-were-loyal-to-rhaegar-not-aerys/&page=5&tab=comments#comment-8291326 Jon Arryn probably did not realize that child existed, since it seems she was only with child at the time. And the child died shortly after birth, regardless. But for the purpose of this discussion, the only thing that really matters is that the Battle of the Bells is before the weddings according to Catelyn's own understanding of the timeline. https://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/152988-the-three-kingsguard-were-loyal-to-rhaegar-not-aerys/&page=6&tab=comments#comment-8291331 I suspect it wasn't quite that straightforward, but I certainly think Arryn and Stark had begun efforts to get the Tullys involved to get Hoster to join them for Stoney Sept. I don't know that Jon Arryn was necessarily a part of the deal until after Denys Arryn's death, though. https://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/152988-the-three-kingsguard-were-loyal-to-rhaegar-not-aerys/&page=6&tab=comments#comment-8291363 It was an editorial decision, so you'd have to ask editorial as to why it was compressed in quite that fashion. But all I can say for sure is that the intention of the published version, as well as the original version, is that Ashford happened before the Battle of the Bells. https://asoiaf.westeros.org/index.php?/topic/152988-the-three-kingsguard-were-loyal-to-rhaegar-not-aerys/&page=7&tab=comments#comment-8292688

Good question, I don't believe we have been told.

I am also reminded of Stannis's original statement of his intention to Jon, which Melisandre was present for: "I mean to. I'll burn him, and the north will see how I deal with turncloaks and traitors. I have other men to lead the wildlings. And I have Rayder's son, do not forget. Once the father dies, his whelp will be the King-Beyond-the-Wall." - ADWD: Jon I Your false king is dead, bastard. He and all his host were smashed in seven days of battle. I have his magic sword. Tell his red whore. Your false king's friends are dead. Their heads upon the walls of Winterfell. Come see them, bastard. Your false king lied, and so did you. You told the world you burned the King-Beyond-the-Wall. Instead you sent him to Winterfell to steal my bride from me. I will have my bride back. If you want Mance Rayder back, come and get him. I have him in a cage for all the north to see, proof of your lies. The cage is cold, but I have made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell. I want my bride back. I want the false king's queen. I want his daughter and his red witch. I want his wildling princess. I want his little prince, the wildling babe. And I want my Reek. Send them to me, bastard, and I will not trouble you or your black crows. Keep them from me, and I will cut out your bastard's heart and eat it. - ADWD: Jon XIII Also, it would be interesting to know whether Asha's POV here is actually paraphrasing something Stannis said: Asha Greyjoy rode in the baggage train, in a covered wayn with two huge iron-rimmed wheels, fettered at wrist and ankle and watched over day and night by a She-Bear who snored worse than any man. His Grace King Stannis was taking no chances on his prize escaping captivity. He meant to carry her to Winterfell, to display her there in chains for the lords of the north to see, the kraken's daughter bound and broken, proof of his power. - ADWD: The King's Prize Stannis, Theon, and Asha were all in the same place not far from Winterfell by the end of ADWD, and Mance was at Winterfell last time we saw him back in ADWD: Theon I. That was eleven chapters before Theon and Jeyne show up at Stannis's camp in ADWD: The Sacrifice with Tycho Nestoris, who had all just come from Winterfell. So between them they have all the knowledge contained in the Pink Letter.

IMO, the Others could have great, understandable reasons for why they are doing what they are doing, but if nothing short of the warm blooded being killed and or converted will work for them, the Others are going to be "bad guys" to good men, bad men, and all men in between. Personally, I hope there is an irreconcilable difference between the sides, rather than some misunderstanding or grudge that can be solved by the right representatives.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/04/26/game-thrones-sansa-ramsay-interview

They acknowledged in articles that their desire to insert Sansa into this Ramsay storyline goes back to at least season 2.

Dany wasn't "taken," she was raped. Another rape that the writers of the show invented themselves.

Cut the bullshit apologetics, they explicitly said they have been thinking about putting Sansa in this role since season 2. She has her own story, but as early as season 2 they wanted to put her in a completely different story where the girl is raped and tortured.

Nope. Ran has already explained what chapter that was, and it has been released, and it has zero to do with the rape the writers of the show made up, and have been dreaming about filming for three years.

1/10. A play with cheesy sets and blatantly fake dragons would be better than what they have produced with all of the money available to them. I hope the show quickly loses too much of its audience for HBO to justify continuing, but that won't happen, and we would probably get a sixth season even if the last four episodes this season tank.

I'm glad they didn't try to jam Stannis in there, he had no place in this episode. I love what they did with Thorne. On one hand I want him to live and continue to do his thing, but on the other, even though he is a dick that most people probably don't like, it would be sort of difficult to believe anyone would be chosen above him for LC if he were alive and able.