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

[Colonel Green]

Assuming it's April 5th, that would mean Memorial Day falls between episodes 7 and 8... if that means anything

That's where it fell this past season, so I suspect that would work fine for them.

[Jack Bauer 24]

That's where it fell this past season, so I suspect that would work fine for them.

So April the 5th is highly likely :)

[jentario]

So April the 5th is highly likely :)

Very likely. But it's still possible that if they hit a major problem that they can't quickly overcome, they'll delay it by a week or two (which I think is why they haven't revealed the date yet). In any case, D&D said April.

[Guard of the Rainking]

Assuming it's April 5th, that would mean Memorial Day falls between episodes 7 and 8... if that means anything

Well in both season 3 and season 4 they followed the hiatus with a very shocking episode. It's possible that they don't want to underwhelm the audience after they have waited 2 weeks for an episode. I mean many people thought that Oberyn's death should have been the episode 9 moment of season 4.

So what are the possible big moments for S5E8? I think that Jon's stabbing should be in that episode, but that's just me. There are other possibilities such as: the Battle of WF, Doran's speech, Barristan's death and Cersei's capture.

[Jack Bauer 24]

Very likely. But it's still possible that if they hit a major problem that they can't quickly overcome, they'll delay it by a week or two (which I think is why they haven't revealed the date yet). In any case, D&D said April.

Should they have announced the premiere date by now though? They didn't announce the Season 4 premiere date until January last year. 3 months before the premiere.

[jentario]

Should they have announced the premiere date by now though? They didn't announce the Season 4 premiere date until January last year. 3 months before the premiere.

There's really no way to know... IIRC, they revealed it way earlier in season 3/2

[Janicia]

Well it certainly impressed a lot of people in the books. And he'll get more troops from Deepwood Motte to deal with the Boltons.

If FArya is cut (which would be a very bad decision IMO) what will Stannis and the Boltons do the entire season?

Because the Iron Born were actually a military threat in the books, and Stannis had so few troops he had to run around raising troops in the north. Show Stannis brought more troops to the North.

I like what GRRM does with the Iron Born in the books. I'm really worried about the trouble that Euron will get up to. I really like Asha. Victarion and the monkeys was amazing.

But the show portrays the Iron Born as poor and few. It would be inconsistent of the show to suddenly hype up the Iron Born invasion of the north as a big threat at this point, after it has been shown to be so weak for three seasons. And I think that works well for the show by reducing distractions from the core Stark / Lannister / Dany story. Euron can still show up in season 6 and be a major threat, because his plan was never a straight military victory. Euron uses tricks and magic.

I think fArya will probably will happen, and may well be the "Winterfell worker". But show Mance is not the kind of guy you send on commando raids, and the whole confusing tangle of who is on which side from the books is going to be radically simplified in the show. Mance is a particularly tangled thread. In addition, Jon had Mance's baby and sister-in-law as leverage over Mance in the books, but those characters don't exist in the show.

Lets say there is a battle near Winterfell in episode 9, and the Winterfell arc shows up in every other episode. That gives four episodes for the pre-battle arc in Winterfell, which isn't a ton of time, especially since there will probably be a few quiet Theon scenes. So it will be a small arc, such as:

-Mander/Umber introduction, fArya wedding, a Theon / fArya interaction, some screaming, and a rescue.

-Or Davos arrives at Winterfell as an emissary, Ramsay threatens Davos, and then Davos meets with Mander/Umber and is secretly released, and Myranda or Fat Walda is murdered.

-Or simply Mander/Umber arrives at Winterfell and accuses Roose of things, Roose seems to talk him down, Theon and Mander/Umber visit the crypts, Theon and Roose talk about Ramsay, Myranda and Fat Walda are murdered, Ramsay goes nuts and attacks Mander/Umber.

-Or Ramsay marries Mander/Umber's daughter (or captures Yara), there is some Manderly vs. Bolton scheming, and some of the above-mentioned murders and conversations happen.

-Or an obnoxious Frey emissary shows up and disappears into pies and a few of the above happen.

Lots of possibilities for a 3-4 episode arc. fArya ties a lot of things together, but there is plenty to happen at Winterfell.

[Colonel Green]

Lets say there is a battle near Winterfell in episode 9, and the Winterfell arc shows up in every other episode.

I would say that's too few. This is one of the core plots of the season.

[Annara Snow]

D&D haven't read books six and seven either. We can trust they know way more about the content of book six than we do and probably have a vague idea of how GRRM intends to land the plane, but they're inventing their own version of the ending. A Dream of Spring probably won't even have a release date by the time Game of Thrones broadcasts its finale.

They have more than a vague idea. GRRM told them about all the major characters' arcs.

The Mance / FArya plot isn't happening. Show Mance isn't a bard and it isn't clear they're doing fArya at all.

You don't know that he's not. Show Mance may be a basketball player or a rocket scientist for all we know, that's how little information we've had about him on the show.

[Janicia]

I would say that's too few. This is one of the core plots of the season.

Cersei, Dany, Tyrion, Jon, and Jaime are all (mostly distinct) core plots. Then there is Arya, Sansa, Bolton, and Stannis who also all have a lot to do. And who knows what is happening with Bran, Brienne, Sam, Yara, White Walkers, and Davos, but they'll probably each get some time separate from all of the other plots. And I'm surely forgetting things.

How could Winterfell possibly show up more often than every other episode?

[titanx5]

Because the Iron Born were actually a military threat in the books, and Stannis had so few troops he had to run around raising troops in the north. Show Stannis brought more troops to the North.

I like what GRRM does with the Iron Born in the books. I'm really worried about the trouble that Euron will get up to. I really like Asha. Victarion and the monkeys was amazing.

But the show portrays the Iron Born as poor and few. It would be inconsistent of the show to suddenly hype up the Iron Born invasion of the north as a big threat at this point, after it has been shown to be so weak for three seasons. And I think that works well for the show by reducing distractions from the core Stark / Lannister / Dany story. Euron can still show up in season 6 and be a major threat, because his plan was never a straight military victory. Euron uses tricks and magic.

In s2 they made them kinda a 'good/strong' ally to have, in terms of Robb saying them having 100 ships, however agree fully with you. After Theon gets captured you hardly hear from them, besides in s3 that they hold a few castles, and in s4 Moat Cailin. But I think they will show the strength and threat the Ironborn possess in s6, and that Euron is a guy to be taken seriously. However in s5 I just expect Deepwood Motte to be the last remaining castle under IB control, and not really to be taken seriously.

Just wonder are they going to kill Mance in s5? Cause I think Hinds said he would have a bigger role in s5, so wonder how they are going to do his storyline

[Guard of the Rainking]

Because the Iron Born were actually a military threat in the books, and Stannis had so few troops he had to run around raising troops in the north. Show Stannis brought more troops to the North.

I like what GRRM does with the Iron Born in the books. I'm really worried about the trouble that Euron will get up to. I really like Asha. Victarion and the monkeys was amazing.

But the show portrays the Iron Born as poor and few. It would be inconsistent of the show to suddenly hype up the Iron Born invasion of the north as a big threat at this point, after it has been shown to be so weak for three seasons. And I think that works well for the show by reducing distractions from the core Stark / Lannister / Dany story. Euron can still show up in season 6 and be a major threat, because his plan was never a straight military victory. Euron uses tricks and magic.

I think fArya will probably will happen, and may well be the "Winterfell worker". But show Mance is not the kind of guy you send on commando raids, and the whole confusing tangle of who is on which side from the books is going to be radically simplified in the show. Mance is a particularly tangled thread. In addition, Jon had Mance's baby and sister-in-law as leverage over Mance in the books, but those characters don't exist in the show.

Lets say there is a battle near Winterfell in episode 9, and the Winterfell arc shows up in every other episode. That gives four episodes for the pre-battle arc in Winterfell, which isn't a ton of time, especially since there will probably be a few quiet Theon scenes. So it will be a small arc, such as:

-Mander/Umber introduction, fArya wedding, a Theon / fArya interaction, some screaming, and a rescue.

-Or Davos arrives at Winterfell as an emissary, Ramsay threatens Davos, and then Davos meets with Mander/Umber and is secretly released, and Myranda or Fat Walda is murdered.

-Or simply Mander/Umber arrives at Winterfell and accuses Roose of things, Roose seems to talk him down, Theon and Mander/Umber visit the crypts, Theon and Roose talk about Ramsay, Myranda and Fat Walda are murdered, Ramsay goes nuts and attacks Mander/Umber.

-Or Ramsay marries Mander/Umber's daughter (or captures Yara), there is some Manderly vs. Bolton scheming, and some of the above-mentioned murders and conversations happen.

-Or an obnoxious Frey emissary shows up and disappears into pies and a few of the above happen.

Lots of possibilities for a 3-4 episode arc. fArya ties a lot of things together, but there is plenty to happen at Winterfell.

The Iroborn had a few hundred men at Deepwood Motte in the books. It completely in the realms of possibility that they have as many or more in the show.

We don't know about show Mance's capabilities. As for leverage, they can just say that Mance is bound to Mel. If the Boltons are going to be killed this season they need way more screentime than that. And also taking to account that the show has already given Theon a lot of screentime why should they stop now? I'd expect Winterfell to appear in 6 episodes before the battle.

[boojam]

.

Say.

Just saw an interview with Gemma Whelan at Belfast Film and Comic Con 2014 , finally!, someone asking

her about season 5, she , of course, says she can't say. Only clue was saying she only gets to go

to NI. Expecting to see her in the Stannis story.

[Janicia]

Just wonder are they going to kill Mance in s5? Cause I think Hinds said he would have a bigger role in s5, so wonder how they are going to do his storyline

It would be hard for him to have a smaller role. :) I think the wildlings will have a definite presence in season 5. In addition to Mance, Tormund, and Varamyr, they cast two wildling leaders (I think one was a Thenn, one wasn't?) to attend two different meetings. They also tried to get their White Walker actor back, so they are apparently planning to do something with the White Walkers.

Stannis captured some wildlings at the end of season 4, so those will probably be settled in the gift during season 5. Somebody (I'm guessing Tormund) will have to be their leader / liaison, probably dealing with a wildling antagonist (probably the Thenn or Varamyr). I think somebody else (I'm guessing Mance and/or Varamyr) will go back north and try to regroup the wildlings scattered by Stannis.

I'd be surprised if Stannis burned Mance because it would be hard for Stannis to recover like-ability afterward, but the show will have to wriggle to avoid that execution. I'm very curious what they do about that. It could just be a place where Jon puts his foot down.

I can't imagine that Rattleshirt is glamoured and Mance is sent to rescue fArya. They didn't announce spearwife casting when they announced the other wildling castings. They have characterized Mance as a straight-shooting statesman, not a trickster bard. And in the books, the whole Mance rescue plot is underpinned by the Mance / Melissandre / Jon agreements and probably Mance / Manderly scheming, which would probably be more of a hassle to set up than is worth, especially since the show can just have Theon rescue fArya (if there is a fArya).

[boojam]

...Manderly scheming....

Mention of Manderly makes me wonder , don't see much speculation about Davos is doing season 5.

Cant see him marking time at Castle Black. Wither Manderly shows up or not... Davos could run into

Sam and find out he knows that Bran and Rickon are alive , Stannis could send Davos , not North of

the Wall, but to look for Rickon.

I could also see Shireen and Sam striking up a friendship.

[Guard of the Rainking]

Mention of Manderly makes me wonder , don't see much speculation about Davos is doing season 5.

Cant see him marking time at Castle Black. Wither Manderly shows up or not... Davos could run into

Sam and find out he knows that Bran and Rickon are alive , Stannis could send Davos , not North of

the Wall, but to look for Rickon.

I could also see Shireen and Sam striking up a friendship.

If the Umber theory is true I think that he could be send to Last Hearth in episode 1, 2 or 3. He could arrive there by episode 4, and go searching for Rickon after that. As for the Castle Black scenes, if he doesn't leave in 1 episode I can see him accompaning Stannis in his scenes, and maybe having another scene with Salla.

[Mordos_Kull]

I wouldn't be surprised if Brienne ends up going further north and replaces Yara as Stannis's prisoner.

Yara abandoning Theon last season seems like an excuse to abandon her role in ADWD/TWOW

She is either probably going to replace Vic.

[Janicia]

I wouldn't be surprised if Brienne ends up going further north and replaces Yara as Stannis's prisoner.

Yara abandoning Theon last season seems like an excuse to abandon her role in ADWD/TWOW

She is either probably going to replace Vic.

I have no idea what they're doing with Brienne this season. My impression from the filming news was that she is associated with the Sansa story somehow. I'm having trouble grasping how that could work. I don't see how Brienne could rescue Sansa this season, and I'm struggling to see what they could do with those two characters short of rescuing Sansa that wouldn't be terrible.

[Jack Bauer 24]

So I was reading an Unsullied preview of where the series is at and where it's heading. Looks like we're at a turning point here? It said with Tywin and Joffrey dead and Tyrion and Varys on the run, we're in uncharted water so to speak. No stability anywhere now.

[CaptainTheo]

Cersei, Dany, Tyrion, Jon, and Jaime are all (mostly distinct) core plots. Then there is Arya, Sansa, Bolton, and Stannis who also all have a lot to do. And who knows what is happening with Bran, Brienne, Sam, Yara, White Walkers, and Davos, but they'll probably each get some time separate from all of the other plots. And I'm surely forgetting things.

Sansa has a lot to do? I was under the impression that most or all of her story in the books released so far was done.