[BOOK SPOILERS] Episode 9 Preview

[ebevan91]

Anyone think the wildlings want Jon to kill a crow, instead of the innocent bystander old man?

Maybe the old man will be a crow?

[The Mighty Conch]

Maybe the old man will be a crow?

I thought it was obvious it was a crow. from Tormund saying "killing crows is what we do"... So I think it will be an older crow who Jon thinks "he's not a threat"

[Targaryen Kaiser]

lol @ the comments made by book readers on Youtube about Robb's battle at Casterly Rock happening in episode 10 or in season 4.

I did the same to my close unsullied friends days ago. I said to them that I heard no news about filming any big battle was this year so we should expect the siege of Casterly Rock the next season. Moreover, I teased them a bit by saying "there's something unique in that siege" that I'm looking forward to see how the directors will manage to do "it".

I'm looking forward to their reactions. I hope they will eventually forgive me after that :P

[mystikherb]

I did the same to my close unsullied friends days ago. I said to them that I heard no news about filming any big battle was this year so we should expect the siege of Casterly Rock the next season. Moreover, I teased them a bit by saying "there's something unique in that siege" that I'm looking forward to see how the directors will manage to do "it".

I'm looking forward to their reactions. I hope they will eventually forgive me after that :P

Harshhh. XD Good luck to them.

[Montey14]

I imagine it will be really well done, though, and I'm looking forward to seeing my Unsullied's reactions. Btw, what's the shot at 0:30 in the preview which has two naked guys surrounded by armored guys holding banners? RW? Or something else?

from the looks of it ...I would guess it's the bedding scene.....we all know what comes directly after the bedding....

[Dragonstoned]

I did the same to my close unsullied friends days ago. I said to them that I heard no news about filming any big battle was this year so we should expect the siege of Casterly Rock the next season. Moreover, I teased them a bit by saying "there's something unique in that siege" that I'm looking forward to see how the directors will manage to do "it".

I'm looking forward to their reactions. I hope they will eventually forgive me after that :P

You horrible bastard! One of my friends has heard of the 'Red Wedding' but thinks it's when the Lannisters get revenge on the Tyrells for their initial alliance with Renly. He was bricking it through Tyrion and Sansa's wedding last episode and I told him he has to wait a while before seeing the Lannisters get that revenge...

[Khal Jordy]

Really hope they give The Starks enough time and that the will scene will be included. I don't understand why the include Yunkai/Dany scenes. They could better stick to the Red Wedding/Queenscrown/Samwell/Bran scenes and develop the RW more. This ep should revolve around the North, D&D did the North so much injustice already

[RottenAppleFossoway]

Someone elsewhere brought up that the camera focused on the face in the weirdwood tree before Sam and Gilly went in that cabin.

Like the Old Gods were watching over Sam at the time and sent the ravens to warn him. So I do think those ravens were Coldhands's ravens and we'll see them save Sam and Gilly once again. Hopefully in this episode.

I sure hope so. Coldhands, to me, is a very interesting character. A wight that fights against other wights. Plus, if he's in, if the weirwood was watching, if those ravens were there to help, that means Bloodraven is involved and won't be cut like so many have speculated. To me, Bloodraven is the most interesting character in all of asoiaf and I would hate to see him cut from the show.

[lostinwesteros]

"I'll put a sword through your eye and fuck your skull"

Doesn't she say, "I'm gonna put a sword through your eye and out the back of your skull"?

I'm almost as excited about Ep. 9 as I was about the start of Season 3. Coldhands AND Queenscrown AND the RW....!

ETA: And the ravens! I completely missed their connection to the Weirwood face we saw and to the coming of CH. Thanks, posters!

[Ravi Seaworth]

Doesn't she say, "I'm gonna put a sword through your eye and out the back of your skull"?

I'm almost as excited about Ep. 9 as I was about the start of Season 3. Coldhands AND Queenscrown AND the RW....!

ETA: And the ravens! I completely missed their connection to the Weirwood face we saw and to the coming of CH. Thanks, posters!

Those ravens are definitely connected to Bloodraven and if the hypothesis that Coldhands is simply a vessel (possibly, of Bloodraven himself), then it makes some sense to replace Coldhands by the ravens. At least, they might do it temporarily, until Bran crosses the wall.

[Calidad]

I sure hope so. Coldhands, to me, is a very interesting character. A wight that fights against other wights. Plus, if he's in, if the weirwood was watching, if those ravens were there to help, that means Bloodraven is involved and won't be cut like so many have speculated. To me, Bloodraven is the most interesting character in all of asoiaf and I would hate to see him cut from the show.

I'm not advocating any future decision to cut him, but I have to say the whole Bloodraven + Bran turn into a tree thing is probably the least interesting element of the whole ASOIAF story. Bran's arc has been incredibly underwhelming for me in the last couple of books.

[Tone]

I'm not advocating any future decision to cut him, but I have to say the whole Bloodraven + Bran turn into a tree thing is probably the least interesting element of the whole ASOIAF story. Bran's arc has been incredibly underwhelming for me in the last couple of books.

I have to agree. Bran's were some of my favorite chapters early on and I always thought he had big things in his future in Westeros. Was definitely underwhelmed with the whole Weirwood internet thing and hope he doesn't just turn into the next Bloodraven. I always wanted to see him come back as Lord of Winterfell and have a big impact in Westeros.

[Lord Bronn of Sunspear]

I have to agree. Bran's were some of my favorite chapters early on and I always thought he had big things in his future in Westeros. Was definitely underwhelmed with the whole Weirwood internet thing and hope he doesn't just turn into the next Bloodraven. I always wanted to see him come back as Lord of Winterfell and have a big impact in Westeros.

Of course this would be awesome. But it seems like his place is with BR. Besides, when does Martin ever give us what we want?

[RottenAppleFossoway]

I'm not denying that Bran's chapters in ADWD did get quite boring, crossing the north beyond the wall, Jojen's incessant whining and that not much happened really.

But the reveal of the CoTF and Bloodraven himself, all plugged in to that tree, and that he's actually Ser Brynden Rivers and has been connected to many of the events throughout the past 150 years or so of westeros, in my opinion was great. Brynden Rivers, to me, is a fascinating historical figure in the context of ASOIF.

To each his/her own. I dig him.

I also liked the whole 'the moon was a sliver" chapter when Bran plugged in himself. Thought the writing was interesting.

[King in the North Carolina]

I agree pretty well on the time devoted to the RW. In terms of the episode structure, I could see them treating the episode in a very similar manner to their regular structure with flipping through the various stories as per usual (including the pre-RW stuff with Robb and Cat and arriving at the Twins). And then, around the 3/4 hour mark, we'll hit the RW and stay there for the remainder of the episode. I've seen this done on other shows (Six Feet Under comes to mind) when there is a big important event they want to shock you with and it's a very effective technique.

The audience is used to a certain kind of rhythm with their episodes (whether it's consciously or sub-consciously) when you have alternating storylines you visit 5 minutes here and then 5 minutes there, rinse and repeat. You can lull them into this rhythm for a larger chunk of the episode but when you arrive on Robb's story and then don't break away as you normally would, it creates even more tension as you are almost subconsciously unnerving the audience by not continuing with the rhythm you've set up for them. It doubles up on whatever tension and suspense you've got building in the scene as it stands.

Having an entire episode dedicated to the RW sounds good in theory but in practice, there's not enough material to last an episode and you'd ruin the suspense. This technique will be far more effective, trust me.

This makes a lot of sense to me. Balances the need to devote screentime to one of the story's biggest events with the need to not telegraph what's coming. And I agree that changes to the "usual" pacing can help create feelings of tension and unease.

[Dragonstoned]

The audience is used to a certain kind of rhythm with their episodes (whether it's consciously or sub-consciously) when you have alternating storylines you visit 5 minutes here and then 5 minutes there, rinse and repeat. You can lull them into this rhythm for a larger chunk of the episode but when you arrive on Robb's story and then don't break away as you normally would, it creates even more tension as you are almost subconsciously unnerving the audience by not continuing with the rhythm you've set up for them. It doubles up on whatever tension and suspense you've got building in the scene as it stands.

Word. Especially as what they're not breaking away from.appears to be a harmless situation with people just having fun and talking while waiting for the wedding to be over.

[King in the North Carolina]

Balon's death will definitely be after the RW. I think the reason they switched the order of the leeches is that now they will actually die in the order Stannis said their names.

I think so too. We don't lose any significant moments by having Robb die first. And Balon's death could really telegraph Robb's, IMO. My Unsullied friends could tell that the leech scene held some importance.

[Dragonstoned]

I think so too. We don't lose any significant moments by having Robb die first. And Balon's death could really telegraph Robb's, IMO. My Unsullied friends could tell that the leech scene held some importance.

On the other hand, if he'd said the names out in the order of Balon, Joffrey then Robb (have Robb's last like in the book, with a sort of hesitation beforehand) and Balon had died first, everyone would be expecting Joffrey to go next so the timing of Robb's death would have been a surprise. Not sure why neither Martin nor D&D did that!

[protar]

Personally I thought Bran's ADWD chapters where his most interesting in the entire series. He really isn't doing all that much throughout the first 3 books, with occasional peaks in interest like Queenscrown and Theon taking Winterfell. Meeting the 3EC himself and fighting through an army of wights to get there was pretty damn exciting if you ask me.

[King Tommen]

On the other hand, if he'd said the names out in the order of Balon, Joffrey then Robb (have Robb's last like in the book, with a sort of hesitation beforehand) and Balon had died first, everyone would be expecting Joffrey to go next so the timing of Robb's death would have been a surprise. Not sure why neither Martin nor D&D did that!

I think it's fine to telegraph Joffrey's death (which will certainly be the case after Balon dies). First off, the majority of the audience not only are desperate to have Joff die, they expect him to. The only questions are when and how. The leeches don't give you any answers to those questions outside of "probably soon" for the when. This helps build the anticipation for Season 4 and as so many have mentioned, gives the audience some hope after taking another gut punch from further Stark deaths.

No one in the audience really gives a shit about Balon because he's barely appeared on the show but his death will be a strong indication that the leeches are prophetic and that they won't need to wait a whole lot longer to see the big villain go down. That's important.