Discussion of the Season 5 storylines - Implications of the Casting News from San Diego

[aFeastForDragons]

Yara being sent to Slaver's Bay? It doesn't suit Asha's character and there's no point of her going there personally to ally with Daenerys.

Maybe another pitstop at the Dreadfort beforehand.

[JagLover]

Good and bad news on the casting.

The fact there are no Greyjoys, Quentyn and Faegon suggests that they are going about converting AFFC/ADWD in the right way.

I am concerned by no Manderly as he was one of my favourites from AFFC/ADWD.

I am a little mystified by the absence of Arianne, why 3 sand snakes but not her. One thought I did have is that her omission could be a signal. Just as Dany capturing the mereenese fleet in the show was a strong signal that Victarion would not be on the show, her omission could be a signal that Faegon wont make the show.

[Good Guy Garlan]

Barbrey Dustin is IMO even less necessary - her purpose in the books is to fill in backstory about Brandon and Rickard's "sothron ambitions" and hint at Brandon/Ashara. Obviously, that's not relevant to the show.

Val is also not necessary unless she has something big to do in TWOW that Tormund or someone else can't do. I also never found her all that interesting or fleshed out, and I never thought she had any special chemistry with Jon. There was more sexual tension between Jon and Mel, with Val it's just that everyone else kept thinking they could be a couple.

I like both of them, but I mostly agree, especially with Val, since the Wall is crowded as it is.

As to Dustin, I think the Theon/Boltons storyline could really, really use more side players (as now they only have Myranda, the sadistic whore) and Barbrey could help in that regard. I mean, there comes a point where having Theon surrounded only by evil psycopaths gets tiring

[stannisismyking]

As to Dustin, I think the Theon/Boltons storyline could really, really use more side players (as now they only have Myranda, the sadistic whore) and Barbrey could help in that regard. I mean, there comes a point where having Theon surrounded only by evil psycopaths gets tiring

Yeah I'm also hoping for a couple of characters in Winterfell even in minor roles. Because much as I enjoy the Roose and RamRam dynamic, there needs to be something else. Alfie's been so good in his scenes and Theon's ADWD material is really wonderful. Obviously a lot of that would material would be hard to convey on screen but we already know he's suffering. And to see him wandering around like a ghost around the rubble of Winterfell would be really powerful.

Walda is back anyway and her agency said she'd be filming in the autumn so Winterfell scenes could be still filming in September. They're usually wrapped up or wrapping up in October IIRC;

I am still clinging to the hope that certain characters like Manderly will be cast. He doesn't have to have many scenes so it's not a huge rule at this point but whatever screentime he'd have would have a lot of impact. They just need the set of one room for his court. After all, we didn't see the Iron Bank set until the production videos started appearing for S4 and that was a pretty amazing set!

*sweats nervously*

[Long Live The Onion King]

The show has so far stayed pretty true to the plot of the first three books but it looks like that they are either streamlining or completely omiting a decent portion of the storylines from books 4 and 5. The message I take from it is that all that felt like a pointless filler in AFfC/ADwD is indeed mostly a pointless filler in the end. Not sure if I should feel sad or relieved.

I would agree. Those two are seriously long-winded. I think one of the reasons I like the show so much is that they've done a great job of parsing the material imo.

[alcasinoroyale]

Speaking of Theon and Ramsay's Storyline, do you think they will introduce Jeyne Poole or will Ramsay just stay with Myranda.

[Hiram McDrogon]

Speaking of Theon and Ramsay's Storyline, do you think they will introduce Jeyne Poole or will Ramsay just stay with Myranda.

Since Theon is still in the show and wasn't killed off, I assume he needs to make some kind of moral transformation and rescue someone. Jeyne Poole/Fake Arya still seems to me the best way to do this - I don't understand the objection that "But D&D can't do this; we haven't met Jeyne!". It seems easy enough to just have Cersei tell Jaime, "Oh, we found some Stark servant who was taken captive when we moved against the Starks - father had her sent north to marry Bolton's bastard and legitimize his rule in the North."

However, there are other options for what could lead to Theon's semi-redemption. Rickon's capture (and rescue) comes to mind. Rickon's capture giving Bolton the excuse of being a Regent does make some logical sense, and it has the (overly) tidy aspect of connecting to Theon's crime of killing the two boys. Plus, the show has had plenty of flack for treatment of women - "Let's show how evil these characters are by having them treat women badly" has been overdone, and I wouldn't be surprised if the show-runners want to shy away from it now.

There's even an outside chance that Theon could be rescuing Walda, although I'd consider that unlikely at best. Simply rescuing Mance's spearwives could also work, but I'm very skeptical of that plot element coming into play at all.

[alcasinoroyale]

Since Theon is still in the show and wasn't killed off, I assume he needs to make some kind of moral transformation and rescue someone. Jeyne Poole/Fake Arya still seems to me the best way to do this - I don't understand the objection that "But D&D can't do this; we haven't met Jeyne!". It seems easy enough to just have Cersei tell Jaime, "Oh, we found some Stark servant who was taken captive when we moved against the Starks - father had her sent north to marry Bolton's bastard and legitimize his rule in the North."

I would say this seems the most likely way to introduce Jeyne. And since the Boltons are already arriving at Winterfell as shown in 4x08, it's possible that Jeyne is already with them since they could have passed Barrowton on the way to Winterfell from Moat Cailin.

[lokisnow]

I don't think their will be anyone to rescue. Rather theon has to rescue himself. The opposite of his refusal to escape in season four.

[FreeParking]

Then the previous two seasons would be a complete waste. A lot of people already wish he would just die. Him saving himself will just have people asking themselves "why now?"

[Steelborn]

Then the previous two seasons would be a complete waste. A lot of people already wish he would just die. Him saving himself will just have people asking themselves "why now?"

Yes. He definitely needs to risk his like to save a girl so his arc won't feel pointless, otherwise the audience will just wish him to die and whine everytime he appears.

[Konradsmith]

It isn't too late for them to announce a fArya casting. If I were a betting man I'd say we get her.

[Hangover of the Morning]

It isn't too late for them to announce a fArya casting. If I were a betting man I'd say we get her.

I hope so though I honestly wouldn't bet on it. Theon's arc is my favourite in ADwD but I can see it being a bit confusing and not that exciting for show watchers only. I wish a character that the audience already likes and is invested in could be used to replace Jeyne's role but I don't think there is anybody on the show at the moment.

Regarding Myranda (Ramsay's psycho female sidekick, right?). Isn't she dead? I know that we didn't see it but I had the feeling that she was bumped off during Yara's attack.

I hope that Fat Walda will be more flashed out character in the upcoming season. Also fingers crossed for some cool northern lords to enrich the Bolton/Theon storyline. Manderly's the most likely of course. Barbrey Dustin would be a good candidate as well. She's by no means a crucial character but it would be interesting to have someone who clearly has chip on her shoulders regarding Starks but doesn't like Boltons either and whose overall allegiance is an enigma.

[Big Daddy]

A female damsel in distress for Theon to save is really needed. Like you guys said, there has to be some reason for the audience to rally behind Theon when he makes his escape.

I can see them using some girl as fake Arya, and saving the need to bring back the girl from season 1 by just pulling a serving girl out of thin air that the Boltons feel looks enough like Arya. They can have that girl show Theon some pity or kindness during season 5 to build a connection between the two.

I think Mance will still end up in winterfell, but casting all of those spearwives? Not sure if they need to bother.

[TheKitttenGuard]

A female damsel in distress for Theon to save is really needed. Like you guys said, there has to be some reason for the audience to rally behind Theon when he makes his escape.

I can see them using some girl as fake Arya, and saving the need to bring back the girl from season 1 by just pulling a serving girl out of thin air that the Boltons feel looks enough like Arya. They can have that girl show Theon some pity or kindness during season 5 to build a connection between the two.

I think Mance will still end up in winterfell, but casting all of those spearwives? Not sure if they need to bother.

I do not think they do fake Arya. They are really avoiding fake identities in the show. They can use a Lady from a Northern House and it will work.

[FreeParking]

A lady from a northern house will be known by other northern houses. The point of Arya is that no one has seen her for years and she has been growing up.

[Arkash]

Well you have to admit that a reluctant and frightened Northern Lord's daughter accomplishes quite the same purposes of fArya, except Theon's refusal to divulge the lie, the bravery of Jeyne totally assuming her role in order to survive and the fact that there needs to be a Stark in Winterfell in the eyes of the entire North.

Well, that's quite a lot in the end, actually... I hope fArya is fArya and not a Northern Lord and I dont see the point of changing that from the books, viewers are not that dumb (I hope)... then again, there is the possibilty that Theon's entire Dance arc is altered and that would definitly cause outrage within the book-walkers fandom... I'm not a close-minded purist but that would be (too) much.

[Kasakka]

I do not think they do fake Arya. They are really avoiding fake identities in the show. They can use a Lady from a Northern House and it will work.

Good point, the unsullied would have massive problems with understanding fake identities. Or is there a way to hammer the fArya-situation to them without confusing them? Introducing her early on and bombarding the fact that she's not the real Arya. First for example; Jaime and Cersei discuss the matter, Ramsay and Roose and so on. And yes, she is definitely needed.

[Big Daddy]

I think they need a fake Arya, I just don't think it NEEDS to be Jeyne Poole. Hell they got away with marrying Robb off to a COMPLETELY new character on the premise that the point was that Robb breaking his betrothal was more important than who he married. Jeyne won't be anybody the tv audience remembers, so they'll just create sympathy with a new girl. As long as they are parading the new girl off as Arya, heir to winterfell, they can move ahead with the plot.

[alcasinoroyale]

They could probably just use the same name Jeyne Poole and say that Ramsay Bolton captured her on the way to Winterfell or something.