Episode 10 is titled Mother's Mercy. What can we guess from that?

[Bure10]

So Ben comes back, says he made a pact and then the story ends?

It is just, every role he would take, or any other person that would take an important "ice role" would make Jon Snow kinda unimportant. He would be the Indiana Jones of the story. He was there, he saw it happen, he was kinda important, but the story would have been the same without him.

Well he explains the pact and how Jon can continue or complete it and then Jon can order him out to explore more. This doesn't have to take away anything from Jons relevance.

[Spilt Pea Soup]

What Bure10 is trying to say is that the show can't just impart information without having a character do it. Benjen could have information--whether about the WW's or R+XYZ=J, or whatever, so bringing him back makes sense vs. having no name Howland Reed pop up to do the deed. Also, it would be badass.

[Blushingfae]

Just got off the phone with a friend, who simply said the title "Mother's Mercy" was to make sure Lena got an Emmy nod for her performance in this epi. The original title was "Winter" but it did not make it memorable enough and link the epi to Cerisi and her red carpet walk (oops I mean walk of shame.)

I think she is the only one credited with a named "Starring" in this epi. Sounds like the HBO is good at playing " Game of Emmys"

[ipsuel]

Mother's Mercy at first glance clearly refers to Cersei's WoS. That's a no-brainer. It can also fit storylines of Selyse, Dany, Arya (Mercy) and some may say Sansa/LSH.

And while I don't expect it tonight, there may be a lead-in to "Promise me, Ned."

I mean, if that doesn't fit Mother's Mercy, I don't know what does.