Season 8 predictions and tying up loose ends

[Stryder the Blackheart]

         Winter's coming. We are hours away from the final season of arguably the greatest fantasy series every to dawn the small screen, and the wait is killing me. Needless to say last season was a step down from previous seasons.  The overall pacing was the biggest issue. I've made some previous post about this. Everyone is guessing who's gonna sit the Iron Throne, but I want to know if D&D will address some minor things that have yet? to bee answered. Note: these are not in any considerable order.

1.) What happened to the Dornish Army. During Aegon's Conquest, Dorne was the the only Kingdom to resist and even kill one.
2.) Does Varys still have spies in Kings Landing. The Premier spy master is both Westeros and Essos surely still have some spies still his service to track the Mad Queen's movements.
3.) Will the Citadel find the book Inventory. The book is said to have the location of every known Valeryan Steel blade.
4.) Can Gendry rework Valyrian Steel. The show didn't elaborate much on this nugget like the books, but Gendry was a apprentice to Tobho Mott. Tobho Mott is one of the few people left in the world that knows how to rework Valyrian Steel. When reforging Ice he used spells and magic to reforge the blades. Whereas the show left this out due to the actors' contract dispute with showrunners. Instead they made Tywin say he called some random blacksmith for Volantis I think to reforge the blades. If Gendry knows some secrets to reworking or creating Valyrian, he better start swinging that hammer. (Not his War hammer that he used to smash those 2 gold cloaks eating fermented crab lol)
5) Will Howland Reed ever show. Ever since Season 3, when the Reed children (Jojen, and Meera) showed up and told us that Howland Reed was a good friend to Ned Stark, we've been waiting on his appearance in the story. The show, for the most part has written the Reeds mostly. I mean Meera saves Bran drags him back to the wall and is never mentioned again after bran gives her the cold shoulder.
6.) Arya reunion with The Hound & Gendry. This has somewhat been address last season. Brienne and Sandor's conversation at the Dragon-pit was somewhat of a acknowledgement of the odd relationship between Arya and Sandor. More importantly, Arya and Gendry reunion is a must. I mean come on, ever since she said to Gendry "I could be your family", and she said "no you would be m'lady" this has been long awaited.
7.) What's in the crypts of Winterfell. The books makes it sound like the Crypt are a sort of a ASOIAF version of "Cave of Wonders". I mean its been hinted that everything from Rhargars' Lyre (or his bones), A Dragon, the Previous Night King (or his wife).
8.) How far will the army of the dead march south. It is hinted in the books in a clever and sneaky way that Winterfell got is name and location literally from where Winter fell. let explain just like Storm's End is said to have got is name when the Storm Kings defeated a Sea God, the same rules apply to Winterfell. Is this the place where the Night King fell during the Long Night.
9.) Cleganebowl. What did R'hllor spare him. Out of the all the Gods in this story only a 2 have been none to affected the lives of those who believe in them, The old Gods (The 3 eyed Raven) and R'hllor. R'hllor is the most mysterious since it hasn't been seen and its visions are never clear. Why then did R'hllor spare The hound in the Cave during the fight with Beric. He has to play a pivotal part later or why else would he be allowed to see visions in the fire when is afraid of fire

10.) Jaq'en Hagar tells he's Syrio Forrell. He knows Arya while she never speaks her name. During Season 5 he calls her Arya Stark when he catches her and the Waif about to fight. She's never told him her name, nor did he ever here anyone say it. The only thing he noticed is that she is no longer disguising herself as a boy. She never fooled him according to him. The only ones in that caravan headed to the wall that knew her were Yoren and Gendry. Hell Hot-Pie still called her Ary up until Season 5 when he met Brienne and Podrick.
11.) Who holds Storm's end. This is a bit of a stretch but what the hell. With the Baratheons (Stannis and Renly) dead and their army defeated. Who Holds Storm's end and is there any fighters left in that region.

Interactions that have to happen
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*Tyrion and Sansa: talk about their brief marriage = Sansa admits she judge Tyrion wrong, while he may be a Lannester but he's far from the worst. In fact he saved her from Joffery in the throne room. He spared her from the shame of the bedding ceremony.
*Jon tell Daenerys about Maester Aemon: tells her she is not the 1st Targaryen he's met. Just for my peace of mind. I thought he would have said that last season.
*Jorah and Lyanna Mormont: She scolds him for shaming the house name lol.

*Bran and Meera revisited: wtf

*The Hound and Sansa: Nice to see you little bird maybe he becomes her bodyguard and take over for Lady(dire wolf)

[House Cambodia]

I'm waiting for my wife to get home to watch it together, so in the meantime:

 

1. I think the TV show ruined Dornish - late to the party and first to leave. I doubt there's a place for them until we get Winds of Winter.

2. Surely he does. If he could play a role in Faceless Arya posing as Jamie getting to Cersei that would be brilliant.

3-4. I've had the feeling the TV show has underplayed the significance of that. Brienne might take out a WW wielding Oathkeeper and maybe Jon use Longclaw to pierce Dany's heart, but other swords might struggle to get a look-in.

5. I think the Crannogmen are key players in the whole backstory, but I'm guessing GRRM has told the showrunners to save a lot of ancient backstory for the Long Night series. We'll probably be tantalised with clues about the Reeds, COTF, origins of the WW and so on, so Howland might get a cameo.

6. Arya has a few reunions due, which I suspect will be milked for all their emotional worth. I'm looking forward to them. With Gendry, there will be smittenness.

7. The crypts - oh boy oh boy. The dead Starks. When Winterfell is overrun by the NK and the WWs, will they be reanimated as zombies? Yes, I think they will! I can't remember, are Ned's bones there or just his head .......?

8. If Cersei is still alive - King's Landing and the Iron Throne!

9. I think R'hllor and the 'god' behind the Others are the Fire and Ice behind everything. The books suggest a deeper layer of Manichean struggle between Fire and Ice that is pretty much lost on TV.

10. Would be wonderful if it turns out to be true. I don't like the notion that Arya is actually the Waif, but Syrio being Jaq'en- oh yes!

11. In the books that's Griff/false Aegon, isn't it? I suspect the TV showrunners have simply dropped it, like Dorne.

 

Tyrion/Sansa reunion - bound to be awkward but will tell us how far Sansa's developed. Looking forward to it.

Jorah/Lyanna - ha ha, brilliant. That kid is the best character in the show!

Bran - well he's a tree, don't take it personally, Meera.

I suspect the Hound will be venturing South (maybe with Arya) for a date with his bro. Sansa's got Brienne.

[Nerevanin]

4 hours ago, House Cambodia said:

7. The crypts - oh boy oh boy. The dead Starks. When Winterfell is overrun by the NK and the WWs, will they be reanimated as zombies? Yes, I think they will! I can't remember, are Ned's bones there or just his head .......?

A good question. I think that in the books his bones were sent to Winterfell but it is unknown whether they arrived. I remember a theory that they might be in the Greywater Watch.

Zombie Ned would be cool though!

[TheValonqarThatWasAzorAhai]

Anyone else think that something or someone will turn Viserion back to the side of good.  I rewatched Season 7 episode 7 and noticed something that got me thinking.  Dany again said “A dragon is not a slave.”  Isn’t that what the Night King has done to Viserion, basically turned him into a slave.  Maybe seeing Dany and his brothers again will break the control that the Night King has over him.  Just a spitball thought I’ve been thinking about.

[House Cambodia]

10 minutes ago, TheValonqarThatWasAzorAhai said:

Anyone else think that something or someone will turn Viserion back to the side of good.  I rewatched Season 7 episode 7 and noticed something that got me thinking.  Dany again said “A dragon is not a slave.”  Isn’t that what the Night King has done to Viserion, basically turned him into a slave.  Maybe seeing Dany and his brothers again will break the control that the Night King has over him.  Just a spitball thought I’ve been thinking about.

The one long-shot I can think of is that Bran wargs into Undead Viserion for a few moments, maybe throwing the NK off and burning a bunch of wights.

[TheValonqarThatWasAzorAhai]

One of the episodes that Bryan Cogman said to rewatch before season 8 was the one where Dany burns the Masters At Astapor.  In the episode she said “A dragon is not a slave”, which she reiterated again in the final episode of season 7.

[btfu806]

They have been stressing the crypts a lot this season. There better be something to it, more than just "it's where the women and Varys hide during the fight."

Also, prediction, all dragons die. Jamie kills the NK.

[Ice Queen]

46 minutes ago, TheValonqarThatWasAzorAhai said:

Anyone else think that something or someone will turn Viserion back to the side of good.  I rewatched Season 7 episode 7 and noticed something that got me thinking.  Dany again said “A dragon is not a slave.”  Isn’t that what the Night King has done to Viserion, basically turned him into a slave.  Maybe seeing Dany and his brothers again will break the control that the Night King has over him.  Just a spitball thought I’ve been thinking about.

There is no good and evil here, though. D&D may have tried to turn the WW into your standard cartoon villain, but Martin made it clear that the WW aren't really evil.