[BOOK SPOILERS] Gendry, Melisandre, Arya, etc.

[Nymeria's pup]

Am I the only one who interpreted Mel’s response to finding out that Thoros could raise people from the dead as being incredulous? She knows this power exists but she gave me the impression that, more importantly, she cannot do it herself. That was just my initial reaction anyway.

My initial reaction to that was that she is shocked that R'hollr would allow such a faithless red priest like Throros to have that power. Then I did wonder if she is also astonished because she herself does not have this power. Again though it is not so much that the priests or priestess has the power of resurrection, it is that the god uses them as an instrument of resurrection. Perhaps the show writers want Mel to see it because she may be the instrument of resurrection somewhere down the road *cough Jon Snow cough*. One can only hope...

I too loved what she had to say about Arya.

[Kaitscralt]

Mel may not know if she has the power; she likely hasn't had to try it yet.

[Mendoza]

Of course, shouldn't Mel be added to Arya's hit list and the BoBs for turning over Gendry for that matter?

[Mistress of Lemon Cakes]

My initial reaction to that was that she is shocked that R'hollr would allow such a faithless red priest like Throros to have that power. Then I did wonder if she is also astonished because she herself does not have this power. Again though it is not so much that the priests or priestess has the power of resurrection, it is that the god uses them as an instrument of resurrection. Perhaps the show writers want Mel to see it because she may be the instrument of resurrection somewhere down the road *cough Jon Snow cough*. One can only hope...

I too loved what she had to say about Arya.

I for sure got that impression about Mel's interaction with Thoros as well. I got both impressions though. Mel does not have knowledge or simply has not demonstrated that she has the power to resurect, but she's incredulous that R'hllor has acted through Thoros.

I think it's definitely setting things up later down the line with Jon Snow though. No doubt about it.

[mafalda]

They spoiled, they cut the Storm's End part, and Gendry was supposed to be with the BwB, I was really upset with this scene.

this and the Tyrells stuff, that Loras is the heir, and that's a lie, as Loras in the book is a third son, and he joined the KG

While I liked the mel/thoros/beric part I HATED mel and arya. Hated it.

Did anyone notice that Selyse named one of her stillborns "Edric"?...

And the Tyrell stuff is ridiculous. Even the book readers never got a glimpse or even more than a mere mention of Wilas, so it would have worked out for the show. People say that the viewers wouldnt know him, hell the readers still don't know him!

[Capt. Zemblanity]

Could Melisandre be who the Faceless men will send Arya to kill?

This was my first thought when I saw it.

[Bearsblood8]

I don't believe anyone has brought up the fact that we now know the red priests have a central authority that charges various priests with missions. I wasn't aware that Thoros had a mission until Mel revealed that he had failed. What do you think Mel's mission from the High priest is? What end game do these missions point to for the red religion?

[Faint]

Actually, having just watched the episode again, what surprises Melisandre is not that Beric has been resurrected but that he has been resurrected six times. The fact that she took to the concept of resurrection so casually is quite intriguing.

As for Arya and Melisandre, if they ever meet again (or for the first time, if we are referring to the books), I think Braavos is more likely as the location.

[bobbybuilderton]

Most evangelist religions have a central mission, which is evangelism itself. Thoros went on a missions trip and Melisandre was sent to investigate AAR. It's not any "end game" beyond any other religion's end game, some kind of salvation or rescue.

[Im no Ser]

I don't believe anyone has brought up the fact that we now know the red priests have a central authority that charges various priests with missions. I wasn't aware that Thoros had a mission until Mel revealed that he had failed. What do you think Mel's mission from the High priest is? What end game do these missions point to for the red religion?

We were told in the books that Thoros was sent by the high priest because they figured that a pyromaniac like Aerys was a good target for conversion to a fire god. We also know (in the books) that the High Priest of the Red God is preaching that Dany is AA, and has sent a Red Priest (Moquorro) to her.

That suggests that Mel is either acting on her own or that the High Priest is considering multiple AA candidates to play it safe.

[Lord of the Tides]

I don't believe anyone has brought up the fact that we now know the red priests have a central authority that charges various priests with missions. I wasn't aware that Thoros had a mission until Mel revealed that he had failed. What do you think Mel's mission from the High priest is? What end game do these missions point to for the red religion?

Good point!

There are theories floating about that Mel is not a true missionary of the High Priest and had her own agenda. Mostly they rely on the fact that she uses shadowbinding techniques from Asshai, possibly conflicting with Red God´s teaching or at least not only his teachings, which is already enough to presume she was somewhat of a renegade.

Her little pep talk with Thoros seems to disprove that, since she is kind of lecturing him for failing to adhere to his missions, which she would have no reason to do, if she wasn´t sent by the High Priest herself. Now this is only a counter-argument if one believes that the show writers do indeed have detailed knowledge of the story going forward from GRRM, not just the basic: "he´ll claim the throne stuff".

Basically, Mel is not some evil Fire-Wight in disguise, she is probably who she says she is - the emissary of the High Priest , which was disputed a lot in these forums.

[Lord of the Tides]

How did Melisandre know of Gendry and his location?

Melisandre would have known of Gendry from Stannis, as Stannis was in brother Robert's small council, and would have knowledge of his many bastards. Cersei attempted to extinguish all of Robert's bastards, and sent out searches for both Gendry and Arya. So Gendry has value as a hostage. Remote viewing is a talent possessed by greenseers, among others, so why not Melisandre, too?

Gendry will be returned to Dragonstone with Mel for her sorcerous purposes!

True and didn´t Stannis work closely together with Jon Arryn on locating all of Robert´s bastards and we know Jon visited Gendry at KL while in his service to the smith there. The issue is not so much how she found out about Gendry, but how did she know where he´d be at that moment in time. Has she seen a big map of westeros in high resolution with a massive X marking the spot in the flames?

[Faint]

Really hard to compare the show and the book on the question of Melisandre's mission because we have little clue about the hierarchy of the religion or how the red priests of Asshai compare to those elsewhere.

[Bearsblood8]

Most evangelist religions have a central mission, which is evangelism itself. Thoros went on a missions trip and Melisandre was sent to investigate AAR. It's not any "end game" beyond any other religion's end game, some kind of salvation or rescue.

I'm not sure I agree with this simplistic approach. On the whole, you may be correct, but I think there must be "checkpoints/ short term goals" on the way to the stand evangelist "world domination / total conversion". It'd be interesting to attempt to identify what those goals might be, given our new knowledge from the show.

I think Im no ser has started us on our way.

[Dubbs]

Sorry if this has been brought up somewhere, but does this mean that Gendry may learn who's son he really is? As he's taking on the role of Edric Storm, I assume they're going to do a little leeching of king's blood from him. However, I don't remember a point where he actually learns he has king's blood in his veins (except the point where Brienne almost tells him)...

[GoldenFleece]

To what Melisandre said to Arya (correct me if I am wrong) "I see a darkness in you and in that darkness eyes staring back at me. Brown eyes, blue eyes, green eyes...eyes you'll shut forever. We will meet again." Does this mean that as a Faceless Man she will kill 3 people of note? Notice that she did not say a pair of eyes that changed colour, nor does she say 3 sets of eyes.

[Ser Desmond Wine's Bane]

I hated it! It makes me really sad that they changed the way we view the Brotherhood....they are supposed to be good

'Suppposed' to be? Who is 'good' in this story. I quite liked that the incident was a shock to viewers. No one is 100% good. "If you think this story has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention".

[bobbybuilderton]

In light of this scene it's kind of sad now, thinking of Thoros watching his friend die over and over again and knowing he will have to watch it again.

[Capt. Zemblanity]

Mel may not know if she has the power; she likely hasn't had to try it yet.

I personally believe that she is quite aware of this power - and it's rarity. But I buy into the whole UnMel theory.

[Associate Maester]

We were told in the books that Thoros was sent by the high priest because they figured that a pyromaniac like Aerys was a good target for conversion to a fire god. We also know (in the books) that the High Priest of the Red God is preaching that Dany is AA, and has sent a Red Priest (Moquorro) to her.

That suggests that Mel is either acting on her own or that the High Priest is considering multiple AA candidates to play it safe.

We can't conjecture really. We do not know nearly enough about the organization of the Red Faith. We especially know nothing about the Red Lot out of Asshai where Mel traveled from.