Will unresolved plot items be resolved in the TV series?

[modehead]

Do you think the TV series is going to take a bold step and resolve any of the famous unresolved plot points of the series?

For example:

[*]Will Syrio's fate be made clearer?

[*]Could, shockingly, Jon's parentage be explained in the HBO show before it's unfurled in the books?

[*]What else?

I know this is purely speculation, but I'm just curious if anyone thinks the show will provide some shockers for those of us who know the series inside and out.

[The hairy bear]

I think that some theories will be put to rest. A good exemple is Syrio's fate. Some fans say that since we didn't see his death, he could be alive. But we couldn't see Syrio's death through Arya's POV because the whole point was allowing her to escape. With the series not being limited to the POV perspective, we could see Meryn Trant slaying Syrio.

[modehead]

I think that some theories will be put to rest. A good exemple is Syrio's fate. Some fans say that since we didn't see his death, he could be alive. But we couldn't see Syrio's death through Arya's POV because the whole point was allowing her to escape. With the series not being limited to the POV perspective, we could see Meryn Trant slaying Syrio.

I'd love to see something like that. I'll be watching the series with my girlfriend who hasn't read the books, and scenes like that are going to be a ton of fun.

[Anya, Vengeance Demon]

I wouldn't be surprised if we saw Syrio die in the relevant episode. But although I personally believe that Syrio is well and truly dead, I don't think that his on-screen death on the TV show would prove anything about the books necessarily. We know that they're going to take a different tack on some things (including Ser Jorah's backstory, according to some of the Comcast previews), so the fact that Syrio is dead in one version of the story doesn't mean that he's dead in another.

[Goldzor]

Moreover even if the series doesn't focus on particular character like the POV book structure, you could still only see Arya escape and not Syrio's fate.

[modehead]

Moreover even if the series doesn't focus on particular character like the POV book structure, you could still only see Arya escape and not Syrio's fate.

I can picture the cinematography and directing involved to show Syrio killing off a few baddies, then the scene cutting away before you know whether he's dead or not. Though I can't draw up any references off the top of my head, I'm sure it's familiar ground for high-budget productions.

I can also see him getting whacked.

[Padraig]

Hard to know. They could show Syrio's fate. But they could easily keep teasing us.

[williamjm]

I think that some theories will be put to rest. A good exemple is Syrio's fate. Some fans say that since we didn't see his death, he could be alive. But we couldn't see Syrio's death through Arya's POV because the whole point was allowing her to escape. With the series not being limited to the POV perspective, we could see Meryn Trant slaying Syrio.

I think the scene in the books where we see Syrio about to start a fight he's almost certain to lose but don't see the outcome of the fight is very effective, and I think I'd prefer it if the series did the same.

[Asha—Not Yara!]

If the Coldhands = Benjen theory is correct, we might find out sooner than we do in the books because it won't be as easy to hide the identity of the actor if the one playing Benjen comes back to play Coldhands.

[MyDogIsNamedDanerys]

We know that they're going to take a different tack on some things (including Ser Jorah's backstory, according to some of the Comcast previews),

What's different about Jorah's story?

so the fact that Syrio is dead in one version of the story doesn't mean that he's dead in another.

Eh... I don't buy this. I think that if they kill Syrio that means George is tell us all that Syrio is really and truly dead in the story.

[Whatever]

It would be really an asmodean-like way to tell us v.v

[Abaddon]

it won't be as easy to hide the identity of the actor if the one playing Benjen comes back to play Coldhands.

Perhaps not quite as easy, but easy enough nonetheless. Most importantly, in the books the exposure to Coldhands is minimal. We could see him from the back. Closeup of his hand being black. His voice might be altered by his transformation, easy enough to add that in. As long as we don't get a look at his face, he could be any number of anonymous ex-Night's Watch. TV/Movies have their own set of very effective tricks to introduce characters in this way, if they want to do that here they will. If so, there will probably be enough to suggest that it might be Benjen (height, hair color, whatever) but it will be left very much in doubt, just like in the books.

[Maltaran]

They'll have to find some way to avoid crediting Joseph Mawle, though.

[Abaddon]

They'll have to find some way to avoid crediting Joseph Mawle, though.

Easily done; use an extra with similar build and height.

[Bronn Stone]

They'll have to find some way to avoid crediting Joseph Mawle, though.

Well, if he is in the credits as a regular, whether in the episode or not, his continuing presence would only mean we haven't seen the last of Benjen. Which is pretty mild as spoilers go. I don't think any of us think Benjen is dead in a ditch somewhere never to be seen again.

[Padraig]

I don't think any of us think Benjen is dead in a ditch somewhere never to be seen again.

True. His fate will be explained eventually. And if they ever get to film the Coldhands scene, we'll hopefully already know what happened to the lad. :) Although he is not a series regular or a featured actor, which is interesting. Its a small enough role but he is not a complete unknown.

I'd like one older Stark to be alive but not sure how that is going to happen.

[Scion of Valyria]

Unless it turns out Syrio is actually Jaqen, I would hope they'd show Syrio's death. In the books, we don't see it because Arya doesn't. Written, it might be an effective way to do the scene, but in a visual format, it'd just be frustrating. Particularly given the circumstances..

Syrio was facing a steel-clad knight with a broken wooden stick. The odds are not in his favor. The only way he would have survived was if either he killed Ser Meryn, or fled.

And the first sword of Braavos does not run.

[The hairy bear]

It seems likely that Coldhands being Benjen will be confirmed or denied in ADWD, so when we would see a potential third season readers would already know. It will be just a matter of revealing things at a different time, as the'll have to do with the Arstan=Selmy case.

I don't mind if some theories are resolved in the series, but I'd hate having important mysteries revealed anywhere outside the books.

[Asha—Not Yara!]

Yeah, by the time HBO series gets to that point, we the readers will probably know Coldhands identity, but it possible unless they go to some length to conceal it, that viewers of the show who haven't read the books might learn of it earlier than we did in the books.

I realize now though that this wasn't exactly what the original poster was asking, so my apologies. Other than the possibility that Jon's parentage might receive some stronger hints than we got in the books, I can't think of anything else at this time to add.

[Padraig]

Yeah, by the time HBO series gets to that point, we the readers will probably know Coldhands identity, but it possible unless they go to some length to conceal it, that viewers of the show who haven't read the books might learn of it earlier than we did in the books.

True. There will be a few things like that. Some things don't wory as well on screen. There wouldn't be any doubt about Yoren rescuing Arya at the end of S1 apparently also. And Barristan is unlikely to be that big a mystery.