[book spoilers]What your non-reader friends/family thought and their predictions.

[shiola]

My friend and brother who don't read the books have not connected Bolton's banner with Theon's torture. The fact of the matter is, there is so much dialogue going on that that is all we catch the first time around. Plus, the accents can be tricky for us to understand 100% of the time. When you re-watch it, you can pick up background details. But my friend and brother don't re-watch. So I'm not surprised they haven't picked up on who Boy is.

[Theda Baratheon]

Talking with my Mam on facebook chat right now.

About Joffrey:

Joffrey his sick ,spoilt,a mummy boy. And now has murdered . XXXX

About Roose Bolton:

He seems nice and fair.Xxxx

About Boy:

He is'nt very nice. Really evil and horrible. Xxxx

hehehhe bless her.

[Ser Milady Wolf]

First time posting. But I am a long time lurker...Have to say these threads are my favorite for every episode.

My nonreader fiance's main complaint is that there is no one to root for. I think he checked out with dead Ned. He doesnt especially love anyone or want anything to happen at this point and is just bearing with me. In this episode, he thought Bolton was Stannis. He still hates Jaime despite my explanations of upcoming redemption. "He pushed a kid out a window and *@#$%@ his sister. No coming back from that." He likes Arya but feels nothing is happening.

My other nonreader friend is wayyy more into it:

me: what do you want to happen

Friend: Hard to say. I imagine the season will end with a major battle between the Starks, Lannisters, Stanis, Danys and all the various interested parties...then oh shit here comes whatever the people north of the wall are running from.

me: so who do you want to sit the throne

Friend: Time to give it to Tyrion. Would be hilarious. I like that they gave Jamie some balance with his explanation of why they killed the king. Dangerous making these guys into cartoon characters like Walking Dead does. I figure those Stark kids are building up to something.

I envy nonreaders though. But then I think I have no idea whats going to happen next anyway so I am okay again.

[Mistress of Lemon Cakes]

My boyfriend is unsullied and gets mad if I make any references to the books, even if it is no longer spoiler related (as in: Tywin Lannister never met Arya in Harrenhaal ... someone else was here) kind of thing. He hates it because he's "never going to read the books" and only cares about the show.

It's taken me forever to get him to react to the episodes and I have to keep a complete poker face or he'll get upset. This is for any show though. He doesn't even like watching previews.

Anyway ... his reactions to the episode:

First and foremost: "Where the hell is Daenerys???" This one I completely understand. We had such a huge moment for her at the end of episode 4 and then she's kind of just an afterthought in episode 5 and she doesn't even appear in episode 6. I told him that her storyline will pick up in full force by the end of the season. She's the first person he has said he actually likes and wants to sit the Iron Throne. I think her Astapor moment officially solidified his support because of her strength. (I already noted in the 'unsullied' thread for that episode that he does not believe she'll be coming to King's Landing any time soon though.)

Ramsey and Roose Bolton: He has no idea who either are. The show has done a horrible job in selling Roose to the viewers. He's made no connection to the sigils and the torture devise. On top of that I think he is completely uninterested in Theon's storyline right now (I'll ask "what do you think about Theon? Do you feel sorry for him?" and he'll be like "who?") ... so of course he has no idea/opinion on Ramsey. He's in the minority I'm sure though.

He thinks Cersei is dead on about her paranoia regarding the Tyrells. He's pretty sure the QoT is going to hurt her family.

He actually asked me, for the first time EVER "why is the Red Priestess taking Gendry?" He never asks me "why" questions ever and I was like "You want to know? You mean ... in relation to the books?" And he said "Yes." So I had to explain that the ONE question he chose to ask about related to a storyline that is not even in the books. But I did explain that Gendry is Robert's bastard and that Mel needs "King's Blood" for Stannis. He did not really react after that.

That was pretty much it. He seemed a little alarmed when it looked like Jon and Ygritte might fall but when I asked what he thought about them he said "They're too happy."

The unsullied are strange.

Also ... when Littlefinger performed his "Chaos" speech he was like "WHOA" when they showed Ros dead. He had me remind him who she was. I also explained the tragedy of Sansa Stark's situation to him.

[Nezzer]

-snip-

I don't know, it seems like your BF is not paying much attention to the show. Roose's connection to Ramsay is right on everybody's face. The flayed man appears in almost every scene Roose is in. You should tell him he will only truly enjoy this show if he rewatches every episode several times and if he pays attention to every single scene. Tell him that, for his own sake :cool4:

[Mistress of Lemon Cakes]

He selectively pays attention.

I think I'll have to get him to rewatch season 2 in order to bring Theon back into the forefront, but I think he really just never cared for the character to begin wtih.

He's pretty up to speed with everything going on in King's Landing/The Night's Watch/Wildlings and everything going on with Daenerys' storyline. Those are arguably the most important storylines (as far as the show is concerned ... it is called Game of Thrones after all, not A Song of Ice and Fire ... so the casual viewer is going to care more about who sits the Iron Throne and possibly the Others in the North than the little nitpicky stuff in between.)

He did mention that he also liked Daenerys' storyline because there are so few people in Essos right now and it's a lot easier to keep track of.

Everything is so splintered on the Westerosi side.

But yes ... this perspective is definitely coming from a "casual viewer." ;)

[A Man Is A Man]

A non-reader friend of mine asked "why should we care about the fat guy and the chick with the baby?" referring to Sam and Gilly and I have to admit, even though I'm a book-reader, I have no answer for her as to why we should care.

[Effie]

I watched all six episodes with friends yesterday, 2 of them only started reading the books, 1 somewhere in book 3, after the Tyrion/Sansa wedding, but before RW and 1 having read the books.

So that makes two people cringing every Theon scene. The others are still not getting why they should feel bad for him, although they do admit that the Boy is a lot worse and has amazing crazy eyes.

They didn't get who he is though. I figured they would, especially because we watched SO much yesterday. I did say it was on purpose his identity isn't in the open, but that you could figure it out by hints. Nobody payed attention to the banner though. (why the flaying didn't give it away for them, no idea)

My friend who's somewhere in book three knows something big is gonna happen, but she is scared it might have to do with Jon. That's the only time she directly asked me something about the books and the plot and it was a very general, is he gonna die. I had no idea what to say so I think I just looked back at her with as little emotion on my face as possible.

Everyone loves the QoT and Pod.

They all still think every proposed wedding is going to happen and they love the idea of Loras and Cersei and they said something about the whole series is pretty much about Varys and Littlefinger and their scheming. (which I thought was great, because they do pay attention to those two which I feel is very important to get all of the plot twists)

[King Zee]

I don't know, it seems like your BF is not paying much attention to the show. Roose's connection to Ramsay is right on everybody's face. The flayed man appears in almost every scene Roose is in. You should tell him he will only truly enjoy this show if he rewatches every episode several times and if he pays attention to every single scene. Tell him that, for his own sake :cool4:

my unsullied were astonished when I replayed the past episodes and pointed out the flayed man banner , I was then asked "I thought they followed House Stark why do they have their own symbol?"

my unsullied get the wolf/lion/dragon/stag/rose bit but they hadnt realized that every Lord including LF has thier own sigil. and they certainly didnt connect Theon's X with the Bolton's

actually my unsullied thought that Locke was part of the Brotherhood without Banners...apparently his speech about Jamie's privileges made them connect Locke with the BwB.

[Tirilei]

Too funny how you guys use the word "unsullied" for us show-only-viewers. It would be fun to watch the show with a book reader. Since I don't have any in the family, I come here to pick up a few "spoilers" here and there. I like knowing a little bit about where things are going. And without this website and some of your "spoilers", I wouldn't have caught many of the details either that most of you say your friends and family overlook.

My husband doesn't even want to watch the show at all. I watch some of the reruns too, so I can better hear some of the lines. I find some of the actors mumble some lines and they are difficult to hear, or maybe it's just that English is my second language, but some of the lines I didn't catch until the second or third time. And I would have never even paid one bit of attention to that Bolton banner if you weren't talking about that here. So, it's a man on that banner, but that it's a tortured, skinned man, you'd really have to take a close look and do a lot of analysis to see that if you haven't read the books.

What I still don't understand is if Theon is now being tortured in the same place as before or if this is a different castle/building/dungeon. And is that the same place and time where Jaimie and Brienne are sitting upstairs and dining with the guy's dad?

[bobbybuilderton]

my unsullied were astonished when I replayed the past episodes and pointed out the flayed man banner , I was then asked "I thought they followed House Stark why do they have their own symbol?"

my unsullied get the wolf/lion/dragon/stag/rose bit but they hadnt realized that every Lord including LF has thier own sigil. and they certainly didnt connect Theon's X with the Bolton's

actually my unsullied thought that Locke was part of the Brotherhood without Banners...apparently his speech about Jamie's privileges made them connect Locke with the BwB.

Cersei directly says to Littlefinger, "you made your own sigil." I don't understand how people don't realize these things.

And it's not because of being a casual viewer. I picked up on it when I was a show-only viewer. I don't think people are used to having to pay attention to television so closely. Which is unfortunate.

[bobbybuilderton]

snip

What I still don't understand is if Theon is now being tortured in the same place as before or if this is a different castle/building/dungeon. And is that the same place and time where Jaimie and Brienne are sitting upstairs and dining with the guy's dad?

Theon is at

The Dreadfort, which is where the Boltons live. Jaime and Brienne were in Harrenhal. The Dreadfort is to the left of the compass thing on this map

http://gameofthrones.net/images/Westeros_Maps/map_of_westeros.jpg

and Harrenhal is just south of where three rivers join near the center of the map.

[Tirilei]

Theon is at

The Dreadfort, which is where the Boltons live. Jaime and Brienne were in Harrenhal. The Dreadfort is to the left of the compass thing on this map

http://gameofthrones.net/images/Westeros_Maps/map_of_westeros.jpg

and Harrenhal is just south of where three rivers join near the center of the map.

Thank you! So many places on that map remind me of names of real places.

[lyanna_maria]

My unsullied friend definitely likes Jaime a lot at this point, but he told me that he is very confused about why didn't he tell his version of Aery's killing earlier. He is certain that Ned would have listened to him, and thinks it was stupid of Jaime not to even try.

[bobbybuilderton]

My unsullied friend definitely likes Jaime a lot at this point, but he told me that he is very confused about why didn't he tell his version of Aery's killing earlier. He is certain that Ned would have listened to him, and thinks it was stupid of Jaime not to even try.

People have weird views of main characters. Used to them not being flawed in any realistic way.

But Barristan/Jorah comment afterwards should have hinted to him that honorable men in Westeros stick by their vows, even when it's to do horrible acts. This would have been clearer if they kept the guy who hit Sansa just because Joffrey told him to. Plus I know some people think that Ned said to Jaime that "You served him well, and serving was safe" instead of "You served him well when serving was safe," due to utter failure to understand accents. So basically what I'm saying is this friend of yours probably missed that Ned was supposed to be honorable past the point of common sense.

[Ser Cookie Monster]

My sister is sure Daenerys is coming to Westeros very very soon. Oh, sweet summer child.....

Also she hates Theon and Jaime. She told me: "Oh, now they are like trying to redeem them and make them more sympathetic? Well, NO. I won't forgive them! I hate them, and I want them to DIE!!" LOL. Also she hates my dear Joff :crying: . She wants Dany to kill him when she comes to Westeros, hah! Not gonna happen.....

My unsullied friend hates Sansa. He cannot stand her and he wants her to have a terrible death. Poor Sansa :( He is also getting kind of bored. He said: "I'm getting kind of bored. Please tell me something interesting is gonna happen!" and I was like "of course!! just wait!!" I'm very excited to see their reaction to the RW.

[A Man Is A Man]

My unsullied friend hates Sansa. He cannot stand her and he wants her to have a terrible death. Poor Sansa :( He is also getting kind of bored. He said: "I'm getting kind of bored. Please tell me something interesting is gonna happen!" and I was like "of course!! just wait!!" I'm very excited to see their reaction to the RW.

Considering how many non-readers want/expect Joff to die this season or Dany to hit Westeros, I would say the RW will leave them more perplexed about the show than ever. But I hope I'm wrong!

[GallowKnight]

I talked to a few of my friends today about the show and what they think (I know no one who have read the books).

First and foremost all of them are waiting for Jaqen to show up again and seems to think he is going to have a future role in things.

One also guessed that Arya and the Hound would be travelling together at some point.

They also didn't seem to connect that Jaime & Brienne are in the same castle that Arya were in season 2.

Also they are looking forward to Tywin verbally bitch-slapping Joffrey and hoped that crying would be involved.

One were also expressed curiousity about Jon's mother.