It's a Nice Day For A...

[oprahnoodlemantra]

Oh Lord oh Lord oh Lord it seems that they are doing it. They are fucking it up: http://winteriscomin...-filming-wraps/

That heavily implies that Failisa is in the RW. If that happens I despair of D&D.

It's possible that she was just present for the filming because of the wrap party but not in any scenes. It's also possible that they were filming other scenes that Oona is featured in that don't take place at the same time as the RW.

[StarkBlack21]

I have a bad feeling that Talisa is going to be captured at the RW and then they are going to use her to replace JEYNE POOL. They are going to give TALISA to Ramsay to marry as she is QUEEN of THE NORTH. Then Ramsay will have claim to Winterfell. This is actually a good change if they do it. Then THEON protecting TALISA will be an awesome redemption story for him. Theon protecting Robb's wife, his dead best friend's QUEEN, is a great way to get the audience rooting for him again.

[callmedodge]

I have a bad feeling that Talisa is going to be captured at the RW and then they are going to use her to replace JEYNE POOL. They are going to give TALISA to Ramsay to marry as she is QUEEN of THE NORTH. Then Ramsay will have claim to Winterfell. This is actually a good change if they do it. Then THEON protecting TALISA will be an awesome redemption story for him. Theon protecting Robb's wife, his dead best friend's QUEEN, is a great way to get the audience rooting for him again.

It`s better than pulling Jeyne Pool as Farya out of the bag. I wonder if they`ll get her pregnant and have a Ramsay killing off the child moment.

Although, if Robb dies, Talisa should have no claim over Winterfell, especially since she`s not even Westerosi, never mind of the North. Completely destroys Ramsay`s claim storyboard.

[Padraig]

Although, if Robb dies, Talisa should have no claim over Winterfell, especially since she`s not even Westerosi, never mind of the North. Completely destroys Ramsay`s claim storyboard.

Yes. Very true.

They can easily introduce a random Northern girl who can play Arya.

[callmedodge]

Yes. Very true.

They can easily introduce a random Northern girl who can play Arya.

It`d be the easiest thing to do. I may be wrong but I`m pretty sure Jeyne Westerling has no real importance in the books now anyway. She served as a way to get Robb to the RW, that is all. They could easily just kill of Talisa - or just leave her in Riverrun with the Blackfish. They could easily turn the supposed fan hatred of her into something useful by having the Blackfish take none of her shit during the siege of Riverrun. I`d actually like that.

[oprahnoodlemantra]

It`s better than pulling Jeyne Pool as Farya out of the bag. I wonder if they`ll get her pregnant and have a Ramsay killing off the child moment.

Although, if Robb dies, Talisa should have no claim over Winterfell, especially since she`s not even Westerosi, never mind of the North. Completely destroys Ramsay`s claim storyboard.

I actually wouldn't mind this...if they could come up with a believable way to say Talisa has a claim to Winterfell.

[Abaddon]

Both season one and two had their climax in episode nine, and episode ten was the cool off and transition towards the next season. This leads me to believe we will have the RW in nine.

Though I could be wrong, of course...

WinterIsComing has confirmation that the RW will be in Ep9.

[PatrickStormborn]

I actually wouldn't mind this...if they could come up with a believable way to say Talisa has a claim to Winterfell.

She would be the Dowager Lady of Winterfell.

[Jolene Brown]

I wish they would stop making episode 9 the peak episode and sort of spinning their wheels a bit in 10. Why not end on the big climactic moment? It's a strange strategy to me.

[King Tommen]

I wish they would stop making episode 9 the peak episode and sort of spinning their wheels a bit in 10. Why not end on the big climactic moment? It's a strange strategy to me.

Season 1 ended with the birth of the dragons and Season 2 ended with the attack of the Others on the Fist. Fairly climatic I would say. Ask George why he doesn't end his books with Ned's death or the Battle of Blackwater if you have issues with it.

[Ser Dermett Corbray]

I wish they would stop making episode 9 the peak episode and sort of spinning their wheels a bit in 10. Why not end on the big climactic moment? It's a strange strategy to me.

It's a very HBO thing to do. The Sopranos and The Wire used to have big climactic moments in the penultimate episodes.

[Padraig]

It's a very HBO thing to do. The Sopranos and The Wire used to have big climactic moments in the penultimate episodes.

Its how GRRM used to describe each book. They should all have a proper beginning, middle and end. Ending each season with the unresolved climax isn't a proper end. I like that HBO are more interested in telling a story each season.

I actually wouldn't mind this...if they could come up with a believable way to say Talisa has a claim to Winterfell.

Unless she is pregnant (very doubtful), there isn't any.

[Jolene Brown]

Season 1 ended with the birth of the dragons and Season 2 ended with the attack of the Others on the Fist. Fairly climatic I would say. Ask George why he doesn't end his books with Ned's death or the Battle of Blackwater if you have issues with it.

Don't you people keep talking about how books are different than tv? I think ending on Ned's execution and then later on Robb's death would be incredible cliffhangers/more impactful than having these comparatively aimless "wrap-up" episodes.

[King Tommen]

Don't you people keep talking about how books are different than tv? I think ending on Ned's execution and then later on Robb's death would be incredible cliffhangers/more impactful than having these comparatively aimless "wrap-up" episodes.

I don't think they're interested in ending seasons on complete downers, probably not a whole lot more to it than that.

[PatrickStormborn]

Don't you people keep talking about how books are different than tv? I think ending on Ned's execution and then later on Robb's death would be incredible cliffhangers/more impactful than having these comparatively aimless "wrap-up" episodes.

I think that is cliched and ridiculous. Having a huge death on episode 9 works far better -- it generates hype for the finale and creates a buzz around the season that would be lost if there was a 10 month gap. It also proves that the characters are actually dead. Ending on deaths without 'proving' that the characters are dead never really works.

[Jolene Brown]

I think that is cliched and ridiculous. Having a huge death on episode 9 works far better -- it generates hype for the finale and creates a buzz around the season that would be lost if there was a 10 month gap. It also proves that the characters are actually dead. Ending on deaths without 'proving' that the characters are dead never really works.

How can it be cliched and ridiculous if no one ever does it? I can't imagine anyone doubting that Ned was dead after Baelor and it's probably going to be pretty clear that Robb is dead after the RW as well. The Tudors could be a really ridiculous show at times, but this was something I thought they did effectively - they built to a climax near the very end of the final episode of the season, and that made it much more moving for me - it gave it real resonance. It does no good to generate hype for the finale if the finale follows this scattershot 2-3 minutes for each important storyline pattern. It ends up feeling unsatisfying.

[David Selig]

Cliffhangers suck, especially when you have to wait 10 months for the next episode to see what happens. Only thing worse is having to wait 5 years for the next book. ;)

[King Tommen]

FWIW, I had tons of non book-reader friends convinced that there would be a deus ex machina after "Baelor" which would show Ned being rescued at the last second. It's just how tv and movie audiences have been conditioned.

I have no problem with them having a powerful and emotional scene to end off the season and I think that they've done that in both seasons so far with the birth of the dragons and the attack of the Others on the Fist. I don't think a beloved character getting slaughtered is an entirely great way to say "See you next season" and the producers probably agree.

[Padraig]

It does no good to generate hype for the finale if the finale follows this scattershot 2-3 minutes for each important storyline pattern. It ends up feeling unsatisfying.

I don't get that. Should they ignore half the storylines in the last episode, so they can spend more time on some of them? Whether you end up with cliffhangers or not, you surely have the same issue about wanting to cover all or most of the storylines in the last episode?

S1E10 was hugely loved by everyone. S2E10 may not have worked so well but I don't think that was because of how it was structured. The plot was the bigger problem.

And not sure how you create resonance by waiting 10 months for major cliffhangers to be revealed?

[Jolene Brown]

I don't get that. Should they ignore half the storylines in the last episode, so they can spend more time on some of them? Whether you end up with cliffhangers or not, you surely have the same issue about wanting to cover all or most of the storylines in the last episode?

Blackwater was a great episode but put them in a difficult situation, pacing-wise. There's no reason all stories have to be wrapped up in episode 10 - they could start winding some down in 9 (or even 8) and have more time for the really important ones in 10.