Season 5 Casting, News and Speculation V 6 [show spoilers]

[Guard of the Rainking]

No, she only THINKS it's Rhaego.

I myself believe that it's Dany.

I do too, but I think that it was Rhaego in the show.

[HexMachina]

They can't write the show without knowing what to keep and what to drop. They certainly aren't going to write the first season without knowing what's important later on.

Back in Season 1 though, they would be uncertain about whether the show would be successful, how long it would last. I don't think just because something is included in S1 means it will be significant in later books/seasons.

With that being said, the Dothraki/StMtW are something I do actually believe will be important in Winds and I also think it likely they will be used the end of this season/beginning of next. I will think it even more likely if we see Dany's bloodriders again this Season (Since I don't recall them in S4)

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

Personally i think this opinion is a bit silly....not trying to be mean, but because:

Drogon is not WITH Dany in the show. He is missing. She asks for news of him. So this scenario doesn't take that into account so provides no way for them to reunite. What, he just happily goes into captivity in Meereen afer months/years of flying around freely?

He returns because her life is in danger, and she won't chain him into captivity because the pit is where in the show she assumes full control of him. Basically the fighting pit is the entire battle of Meeren condensed. At the end of the Pit scene she'll be at the same place in the show as she'd be in the books when she returns from the Dothraki sea to Meeren.

[Guard of the Rainking]

I'm intrigued by the idea of Dany setting sail for Westeros in episode 10. But how would they solve the issue of Viserion of Rhaegal? Having Dany learning more about dragons during season 5, and thus gaining their trust back? And maybe the plot of pre-Westeros season 6 for her is getting the other two riders. If Euron is in he could also steal one or both of them.

[Hippocras]

He returns because her life is in danger, and she won't chain him into captivity because the pit is where in the show she assumes full control of him. Basically the fighting pit is the entire battle of Meeren condensed. At the end of the Pit scene she'll be at the same place in the show as she'd be in the books when she returns from the Dothraki sea to Meeren.

I very very much doubt it is all. Dany's time with the Dothraki may be significantly condensed in season 6, but it will still be there.

Meereen is a mess. There is no way she is headed back to Westeros without first regaining her power and authority. Daznak's Pit is the moment of utter failure for her. It is not the point where people follow her across the world.

[Fez]

I'm intrigued by the idea of Dany setting sail for Westeros in episode 10. But how would they solve the issue of Viserion of Rhaegal? Having Dany learning more about dragons during season 5, and thus gaining their trust back? And maybe the plot of pre-Westeros season 6 for her is getting the other two riders. If Euron is in he could also steal one or both of them.

Yeah, that's the big wrinkle in my thought process. I assume Dany regains control of them before setting off for Westeros (if she doesn't, and somehow they meet up again in Westeros and that's when it happens, that's a different story), and there isn't a ton of time for that. Part of the problem though is that we don't know how she'll do it in the books yet either, so its hard to come up with a faster way that's still reasonably true to the books.

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

I very very much doubt it is all. Dany's time with the Dothraki may be significantly condensed in season 6, but it will still be there.

Meereen is a mess. There is no way she is headed back to Westeros without first regaining her power and authority. Daznak's Pit is the moment of utter failure for her. It is not the point where people follow her across the world.

That's the pit in the books, in the show it's the entire battle of Meereen. She'll ride Drogon and burn all the people who oppose her and tried to kill her, it will be a moment of triumph for her.

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

Yeah, that's the big wrinkle in my thought process. I assume Dany regains control of them before setting off for Westeros (if she doesn't, and somehow they meet up again in Westeros and that's when it happens, that's a different story), and there isn't a ton of time for that. Part of the problem though is that we don't know how she'll do it in the books yet either, so its hard to come up with a faster way that's still reasonably true to the books.

She controls Drogon, and Drogon controls his siblings. Or it's possible that Tyrion rides one of the Dragons.

[Newstar]

If Dany's Meereen plot gets tied up in Season 5 with the Battle of Meereen being skipped, that vaults her ahead of everyone else, which usually means filler. If Dany set sail for Westeros in 5x10, I imagine the opening minutes of 6x01 would involve a cataclysmic shipwreck tying Dany up for another five episodes. :D

[sati]

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[AdmiralKyrd]

Basically the fighting pit is the entire battle of Meeren condensed. At the end of the Pit scene she'll be at the same place in the show as she'd be in the books when she returns from the Dothraki sea to Meeren.

If Dany's Meereen plot gets tied up in Season 5 with the Battle of Meereen being skipped, that vaults her ahead of everyone else, which usually means filler. If Dany set sail for Westeros in 5x10, I imagine the opening minutes of 6x01 would involve a cataclysmic shipwreck tying Dany up for another five episodes. :D

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xRxqY4wuTHw#t=0m26s

[Hippocras]

That's the pit in the books, in the show it's the entire battle of Meereen. She'll ride Drogon and burn all the people who oppose her and tried to kill her, it will be a moment of triumph for her.

According to you it is, but I very very very much doubt they will do it this way. I don't see the point, and I don't see wy you would even WANT it to happen that way.

Season 5 Meereen has Dany's mounting frustrations with internal resistance from Sons of the Harpy. This we know. Meereen's story ending without SoH resolution is therefore just not going to happen. Meereen is not all about Drogon, so Drogon is not the end of it.

Season 5 apparently also has Tyrion meeting up with Dany. This is a show diversion from the books, but involves its own scenes and subplots to make it happen.

Season 5 has no Aegon most likely, but it WILL have a simplified version of his plot purpose - probably Trystane. Which means that even if Trystane does not go to Meereen himself, there will be some attempt to arrange a marriage between Dany and Trystane. So that is another handful of scenes.

There will be the evolving affair between Daario and Dany, scenes with Barristan strategizing and possibly discussing history, and a whole Warlock subplot that in the books revolves around Euron and Vic, but in the show will likely have its own mini arc.

Finally, there may be no Quentyn, but Rhaegal and Viserion still need to be freed somehow, causing fear and destruction in Meereen. So more Meereen scenes.

Seems to me there is plenty to do in Meereen.

Season 6 will see Dany bonding with Drogon, taking back her Khalasar and possibly marching on Meereen. THAT is when she will leave for Westeros, not before.

[boojam]

I'm intrigued by the idea of Dany setting sail for Westeros in episode 10. But how would they solve the issue of Viserion of Rhaegal? Having Dany learning more about dragons during season 5, and thus gaining their trust back? And maybe the plot of pre-Westeros season 6 for her is getting the other two riders. If Euron is in he could also steal one or both of them.

You know we seem to know more about Ep. 9 and 10 ... back in September there were shots from Split of show Meereen action, not as extensive coverage as in Spain.

It seemed to get lost in the coverage of Braavos stuff and Lena 'walk' stuff. Something besides E9 and E10 got filmed, not sure what it was.

[The Scabbard Of the Morning]

According to you it is, but I very very very much doubt they will do it this way. I don't see the point, and I don't see wy you would even WANT it to happen that way.

Season 5 Meereen has Dany's mounting frustrations with internal resistance from Sons of the Harpy. This we know. Meereen's story ending without SoH resolution is therefore just not going to happen. Meereen is not all about Drogon, so Drogon is not the end of it.

Season 5 apparently also has Tyrion meeting up with Dany. This is a show diversion from the books, but involves its own scenes and subplots to make it happen.

Season 5 has no Aegon most likely, but it WILL have a simplified version of his plot purpose - probably Trystane. Which means that even if Trystane does not go to Meereen himself, there will be some attempt to arrange a marriage between Dany and Trystane. So that is another handful of scenes.

There will be the evolving affair between Daario and Dany, scenes with Barristan strategizing and possibly discussing history, and a whole Warlock subplot that in the books revolves around Euron and Vic, but in the show will likely have its own mini arc.

Finally, there may be no Quentyn, but Rhaegal and Viserion still need to be freed somehow, causing fear and destruction in Meereen. So more Meereen scenes.

Seems to me there is plenty to do in Meereen.

Season 6 will see Dany bonding with Drogon, taking back her Khalasar and possibly marching on Meereen. THAT is when she will leave for Westeros, not before.

None of your point matters, because in the end, there is no budget to do a real Battle of Meeren. So things are going have to be changed to accommodate this. So with that in mind here how they are going to answer your question.

1. The pit scene will resolve the SOH because Dany is going to kill them all, with Dragonfire, at the end of the scene.

2. Most of Tyrion's travels will be cut (No griff), so he'll meet her quite early, plenty of episode to explore this dynamic

3 Aegon is getting cut, and they could attempt to marriage offer from Trystane when Dany gets to Westeros.

4. I fail to see how any of these minor points will matter to the main arc, most will be cut anyway such as the ironborn.

5. They will be freed by Dany after the pit scene when she can control them through Drogon.

[HexMachina]

You know we seem to know more about Ep. 9 and 10 ... back in September there were shots from Split of show Meereen action, not as extensive coverage as in Spain.

It seemed to get lost in the coverage of Braavos stuff and Lena 'walk' stuff. Something besides E9 and E10 got filmed, not sure what it was.

Wasn't it stuff like the "beheading then a riot" scene? I.e. the early days of Dany's rule in Meereen?

[boojam]

Wasn't it stuff like the "beheading then a riot" scene? I.e. the early days of Dany's rule in Meereen?

Something like that, but there seemed set ups , like the 'dungeon' where the two dragons were locked up and some other stuff that didn't have actors about.

I don't know if anyone reported Emilia being about? Also one strange pic, taken from a scaffolding?, seemed in Croatia, Jacob Anderson and Ian McElhinney , in September, shooting something , that all seemed to fly beneath the radar.

[Guard of the Rainking]

So how exactly would Dany controlling Rhaegal and Viserion through Drogon work?

[boojam]

So how exactly would Dany controlling Rhaegal and Viserion through Drogon work?

How did the Valryians become Dragon Masters for 4000 years!

Even the new World of Ice and Fire , from what I have read of it, does not tell us.

I am guessing that Dany gets help in that from somewhere.

[sj4iy]

Back in Season 1 though, they would be uncertain about whether the show would be successful, how long it would last. I don't think just because something is included in S1 means it will be significant in later books/seasons.

With that being said, the Dothraki/StMtW are something I do actually believe will be important in Winds and I also think it likely they will be used the end of this season/beginning of next. I will think it even more likely if we see Dany's bloodriders again this Season (Since I don't recall them in S4)

They can't write season 1 with the thought "well, it doesn't matter what we do since we might get cancelled. They've said that they didn't want to include prophecies in the show, but they included TSTMTW.

Believe what you want- to me, the fact that it was significant enough for them to include in the first place signifies that it will have impact later on.

[Seneti]

Has this been posted yet?

https://31.media.tumblr.com/7c94f33398df0f51dff0b27e49d1b76a/tumblr_nec77pNz3t1r1pxrwo1_1280.jpg

Wow. Just wow! I love everything about that picture. IMHO, looks like

Dany rushing ahead to Drogon and Jorah trying to hold her back.

Epic. I feel like I'm part of something here lol. So the reunion is something straight from George to D&D?

Yes and know. People think it's going to happen in TWOW, but we certainly did not get THAT scene in the books yet.

Real talk: If Martin posted one page summaries of all the major character arcs for TWOW/ADOS, I would legit read it right now without even a second of hesitation lol

Count me in. I'm a spoiler hound *lol*

I think the moment in the picture is just before Dany breaks away from that group and faces Drogon. It looks like Jorah and Daario will try to hold her back but I don't think that that means either of them will die.

Agreed (on all of this).

BTW, Sam and Gilly being there suggests their arc has been removed or postponed. I suspect the latter as they'd never pass up the opportunity to show the hightower.

Not necessarily. Remember that they don't shoot scenes in order and that Sam and Gilly are still at the Wall at the beginning of season 5.

Interestingly after four years Drogon is the only dragon named on the show, don't know why.

Most likely because he's the only truly relevant dragon so far, i. e. the only one that actually does something memorable by himself. Once Rhaegal and Viserion get their riders, I'm sure they are going to get names, too.

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Updating the OP now. As always, look to the stars.