What Will Go From Season 3?

[Frumpus]

I'd be very surprised if they cut the Karstark execution. It's an integral part of Robb's character. And there was no other reason to cast him IMO if they weren't going to follow it up with his execution.

Well if they do execute him it would have to be for a completely different reason, since there are no Lannisters for Karstark and his men to kill. I personally think it'll be dropped. It's not THAT crucial and Robb is going to expire by the end of the season anyway. How much more character development does he need?

Do we even know if Richard Karstark is returning this season?

[Jolene Brown]

There was a casting call for Tion and Willem ages and ages ago so I think that will happen. Remember, not every part is announced, just the larger multi-episode ones. That doesn't mean that they won't pull in minor characters from the series for an episode where needed.

[King Tommen]

They would not have bothered casting an actor for Karstark if they weren't going to follow through on his execution. And it's been established already that Robb is holding multiple prisoners (he doesn't want to torture them in fear of reprisal from Tywin) so it would be very easy to have Lannisters pulled from their cells for the purpose of the Karstarks executing them even though we haven't seen them yet.

[Nezzer]

They would not have bothered casting an actor for Karstark if they weren't going to follow through on his execution. And it's been established already that Robb is holding multiple prisoners (he doesn't want to torture them in fear of reprisal from Tywin) so it would be very easy to have Lannisters pulled from their cells for the purpose of the Karstarks executing them even though we haven't seen them yet.

Not so sure about that. They did cast Dontos and he even appears on the first episode of season 2, but his role was completely dropped and forgotten. Now he wasn't even recast for season 3. I hope they don't do the same to Rickard Karstark.

[King Tommen]

Not so sure about that. They did cast Dontos and he even appears on the first episode of season 2, but his role was completely dropped and forgotten. Now he wasn't even recast for season 3. I hope they don't do the same to Rickard Karstark.

I think in the case of Dontos, it was because they found that he was a shitty actor and they didn't want to give him material that important so they altered the story. There is apparently a decent amount of his S2 material that was left on the cutting room floor.

There has been no such complaint when it comes to the portrayal of Karstark so I don't think those types of concerns would be valid at all.

[Lebronn Jaime]

I think in the case of Dontos, it was because they found that he was a shitty actor and they didn't want to give him material that important so they altered the story. There is apparently a decent amount of his S2 material that was left on the cutting room floor.

Just curious, where are you getting this?

[GoodGuyA]

If I were running things, I'd have Robb dispatch Roose as an emissary to the Twins in order to deliver the proposal of the Edmure/Frey alliance which is when he will run into his men holding Jaime and Brienne along the way.

That's the opposite direction though... How in the seven hells would they meet up, especially with Jamie and Brienne having such a headstart? I really don't know why they muddled the story so much by accelerating Jamie and Brienne, when it could have easily been a great season cliffhanger for that story (although we did get the good "My only living parent" line from Robb). The only way to amend it in a way which could sync with the book logically is that Roose would discover them captured by the Bloody Mummers and take control, but go away immediately after. Not worth the suspension of disbelief at this point though, so I wonder who will be the voice of reason.

[King Tommen]

Just curious, where are you getting this?

Nothing concrete, just what I deduced from a few stray observations by the mods on both this site and WIC.net in terms of there being more of a performance from Dontos in S2 that was left on the cutting room floor. The actor tweeted himself prior to an episode to expect to see him that night (the episode with Joffrey threatening Sansa in the throne room) and he wasn't there. Then there's a half second shot of him doing some juggling in the Red Keep with the ladies during Blackwater which undoubtedly was a larger presence in the episode originally.

The part about him being a shitty actor is more from what I saw from him his only real scene in the 1st episode which was not an incredibly inspired performance. Typically in film, the directors shoot what they need and then once they're watching the scene in post production and there's something they don't like in the actor's performance or the way the scene is coming off, it causes them to cut things out or make other decisions. Most likely the Dontos role wasn't going to be large at all in S2 and was probably setting things more up for him in S3 but there was more than likely scenes where you were supposed to notice him or have him in some reaction shots, possibly even a stray line here and there. They essentially wiped the whole season clean of him and only kept him in the first scene with Joffrey and Sansa which you really couldn't change based on its importance. They don't shoot the seasons in chronological order and have multiple crews shooting concurrently so probably by the time they made the decision that it wasn't working with this guy it was too late to recast even if they wanted to do so.

It's speculation on my part but there's enough evidence that I think it's a reasonable assumption to make.

[King Tommen]

That's the opposite direction though... How in the seven hells would they meet up, especially with Jamie and Brienne having such a headstart? I really don't know why they muddled the story so much by accelerating Jamie and Brienne, when it could have easily been a great season cliffhanger for that story (although we did get the good "My only living parent" line from Robb). The only way to amend it in a way which could sync with the book logically is that Roose would discover them captured by the Bloody Mummers and take control, but go away immediately after. Not worth the suspension of disbelief at this point though, so I wonder who will be the voice of reason.

I don't think that Locke and his gang are going to be chasing Jaime and Brienne but on a separate campaign (the same way Brienne and Jaime ran into the random Stark men along the river in the finale). They'll get captured and Locke and his men will either keep them stationary or march them back towards Riverrun before running into Roose who is either on his way to the Twins or "rendez-vous"ing with them for another reason. You could have Roose set up shop at Harrenhall and have Locke and crew bring Jaime and Brienne to him there but I have no idea how they're going to show him taking Harrenhall from the Mountain without Weasel soup being involved and the Mountain being dispatched. I don't think they should even go down that road because there's no point for Roose to take Harrenhall when it's just going to have to revert back to the Lannister's again once he leaves.

[Padraig]

I don't think they should even go down that road because there's no point for Roose to take Harrenhall when it's just going to have to revert back to the Lannister's again once he leaves.

I think you are right but it is possible that they will show Robb's forces take Harrenhal at the beginning of the season. It gives them something else to do before the RW. Might remind people that Robb is dangerous even with the Tyrell-Lannister alliance.

I really don't know why they muddled the story so much by accelerating Jamie and Brienne, when it could have easily been a great season cliffhanger for that story.

I never liked that idea as a season ending cliffhanger. Cat asks for a sword and 10 months later we see Jaime wandering around free. Its fine in bookform because Jaime can flashback to the release but in TV, it doesn't work as well. IMO.

[Stannis the Wight]

Well if they do execute him it would have to be for a completely different reason, since there are no Lannisters for Karstark and his men to kill. I personally think it'll be dropped. It's not THAT crucial and Robb is going to expire by the end of the season anyway. How much more character development does he need?

Do we even know if Richard Karstark is returning this season?

I think he will need to take one of his bannermen's heads off though. Maybe instead of Karstark it will be someone else, kinda like how Theon executed Ser Rodrink and not Mikken. The thing I like about Karstark angle is that it's the point where Robb has really lost control. The "no man is as cursed as the kinslayer" line he says before his head gets taken off. Karstark calling Robb the king who lost the North. Viewers already get a sense of the displeasure growing with Robb's bannermen in season 2, specifically Lord Karstark and Lord Bolton (it's subtle but its there).

Besides its HBO. More violence is only a good thing. A decapitation no less.

[The Dragon has three heads]

If they move the battle of the fords(ha) to early season 3(cut from season 2) as they introduce blackfish and edmure, there could be captives from that battle that karstark can then kill and it will be fresh in the audiences mind why they are there and why Rob perhaps needed them.

Its a pivotal moment for Robb, his first act of hard justice as KITN, it needs to be in there, i expect to see it around Ep2 or 3.

[Ran]

Just a random thing that I want to note, because it annoys me: House Locke are not vassals to the Boltons. There is no man named Locke who is a Bolton man in the books.

There were Lockes among the forces that Roose Bolton deliberately left on the south bank of the Trident so that Gregor Clegane could stomp them, which kind of speaks against their being Bolton men per se. They were part of the northern host delegated to him, but then the majority of said host had been delegated to him.

This is neither here nor there as far as whatever the TV series is doing, but in any case, just thought I'd point it out. Lockes ≠ Bolton men.

[Top Notch Balanter]

Just a random thing that I want to note, because it annoys me: House Locke are not vassals to the Boltons. There is no man named Locke who is a Bolton man in the books.

There were Lockes among the forces that Roose Bolton deliberately left on the south bank of the Trident so that Gregor Clegane could stomp them, which kind of speaks against their being Bolton men per se. They were part of the northern host delegated to him, but then the majority of said host had been delegated to him.

This is neither here nor there as far as whatever the TV series is doing, but in any case, just thought I'd point it out. Lockes ≠ Bolton men.

I was thinking about that. Is there a chance that D&D are already planning for future seasons showing which houses will remain loyal to Bolton by intoducing this man Locke as an example of loyalty?. I know its not likely but i'm just curious.

[K.C.]

KingTommen: Thanks for piecing that information together. This is the kind of thing they were talking about when they put ASOIAF fans at the top of the most dedicated fans list.

AnotherHedgeKnight: Your suggestion doesn't make much sense to me. The significance of the name in the books is minimal at best, and it's a common real-world name. He could be named after the Final Fantasy character for all we know.

[The Dragon has three heads]

I'm very surprised they didn't put the goat in.

For comic relief, and for sheer brutality, he can't be topped.

Plus the brave companions are all awful, a little insight and then revenge on them would have been great.

[Rolex Baratheon]

Ros, if all goes well.

[Pinkie Baelish]

First of all, first post!

GRRM has confirmed that RW will be taking place this season, and I read somewhere(sorry, can't find the source) that it will happen in episode 9. Judging by the fact that they haven't cast Oberyn yet, I'm pretty sure they'll introduce him next season, which is fine because they have more time to cover the remaining events in Season 4. I think they'll cut some of Arya's storyline. I predict that they'll focus a lot more on Robb, Cat and Talisa, based on what I saw from an interview with Richard Madden.

SPOILER ALERT:

Also, I wish that they hadn't killed off Alton Lannister in Season 2. He could have been the Lannister hostage that the Karstarks kill, which leads to Lord Rickard's execution.

[Les Météores]

Nothing concrete, just what I deduced from a few stray observations by the mods on both this site and WIC.net in terms of there being more of a performance from Dontos in S2 that was left on the cutting room floor. The actor tweeted himself prior to an episode to expect to see him that night (the episode with Joffrey threatening Sansa in the throne room) and he wasn't there. Then there's a half second shot of him doing some juggling in the Red Keep with the ladies during Blackwater which undoubtedly was a larger presence in the episode originally.

The part about him being a shitty actor is more from what I saw from him his only real scene in the 1st episode which was not an incredibly inspired performance. Typically in film, the directors shoot what they need and then once they're watching the scene in post production and there's something they don't like in the actor's performance or the way the scene is coming off, it causes them to cut things out or make other decisions. Most likely the Dontos role wasn't going to be large at all in S2 and was probably setting things more up for him in S3 but there was more than likely scenes where you were supposed to notice him or have him in some reaction shots, possibly even a stray line here and there. They essentially wiped the whole season clean of him and only kept him in the first scene with Joffrey and Sansa which you really couldn't change based on its importance. They don't shoot the seasons in chronological order and have multiple crews shooting concurrently so probably by the time they made the decision that it wasn't working with this guy it was too late to recast even if they wanted to do so.

It's speculation on my part but there's enough evidence that I think it's a reasonable assumption to make.

Ok I'm going to be a little pissy on that subject, nothing personal of course, that but the last sentence resume all your assumption very well: speculation. Unless you're working on the set, in the editing room or with the producers you cannot know.

I had no problem at all with the actor during that opening scene, in fact I had more with the one playing Karstark. It may be one of the reason, among many, but calling an actor you don't like shitty and to affirm it is probably the main reason he was cut of or fired is... well, shitty.