(Heavy Book Spoilers) Possible Character Merge

[Damp Hair - The Prophet]

Ramsay pwning two Greyjoys at once is too very extra unfathomable. Not having it.

[King Tommen]

Oh, this is just a weird obsessive character fanboy thing. Sorry, I though we were trying to have a semi-serious discussion, continue with your Greyjoy fanfic.

[Damp Hair - The Prophet]

^ok now you're being insulting guy. I'm having fun here & I'll thank you for keeping from personal insults in the future. Don't take yourself so dang seriously maybe. My wanting Ramsay NOT to possess Theon & YarAsha is fanfic? ?

[blackeyedlily]

I like the original premise of this thread. It would simplify a lot and leave room to develop the story on screen.

[King Zee]

Explains why Stannis is dragging her around like a puppy in the books I guess. You can be tough and still be captured. Lots of examples of that through the entire series.

She is not being dragged along like a puppy, She is being treated like a noble prisoner. Not once has Asha been mistreated by Stannis. You can bet that a captured Yarasha would not go along with any marriage farce.

[Damp Hair - The Prophet]

^yes this. She fled the isles before uncle Euron could marry her to too fat to stand Erik Anvil Breaker(whose hammer's head was a brick of steal the size of a loaf of bread tho) &/or a literal seal for the lulz. She would not do for Jeyne/fArya.

[King Tommen]

If you want to argue with a premise, understand it first. If Yara were to be captured by Ramsay, they wouldn't be going through with a fake anything and that includes a fake marriage. So she doesn't need to "go along" with anything, she just needs to not be captured anymore.

Is it easier if I just say Yara does not replace fArya, there is *no* fArya? Seems to be causing a lot of continuing confusion.

[Rashtibram]

Is it easier if I just say Yara does not replace fArya, there is *no* fArya? Seems to be causing a lot of continuing confusion.

Sorry but that's simply not true. Ramsay marrying a random peasant girl who looks like Arya would cause WAY fewer ripple effects throughout the series than an unnecessary plot change involving one of the major characters getting captured by Ramsay instead.

[SpaceChampion]

Daario should be Euron Greyjoy in disguise.

[Malornarys]

Hi, I found this thread interesting and decided to use my first post predicting what merges season 5 brings. While I love books it's pretty clear that whole gigantic cast from two latest ones isn’t going to make it, and show will probably use existing characters to fill roles of some new, minor characters GRRM added.

People here seem to give many suggestions about fake-Arya, but frankly I don’t see whole character making it to show (unless Myranda is there to fill that role). Instead, I could see show-writers using Alys Karstark in this role: we already have Karstark as a family from season 3, so show-only watchers have some knowledge about them. And with Starks dead they have some distant claim to Winterfell, so writers could just say after Robb’s dead Alys Karstark became successor, and was made to marry Ramsay.

This also means that Alys Karstark loses her original role, but as in the show Thenns are one-dimensional cannibal-villains we probably wouldn’t even see or want to see her being married to Sigorn. Though, this storyline could take place in similar form if writers would for example make Alys Karstark marry Tormund instead of Sigorn.

I can see them also completely cutting Manderly out and giving his role to Jon Umber. While Manderly is epic character, in the show we have zero knowledge about him: Umber we know from season 1 and season 3 Rickon and Osha are actually making their way to him, implying they’re planning to do something with him. Show-runners could simplify northern storylines by giving Manderly’s role to him, avoiding new casting by using already existing character. We don’t know what GRRM has planned with Skaagosi, but maybe he could take their future role too.

This takes to me another major merging which I see happening with Davos. He doesn’t have much to do in future books, but Stannis could send him to Last Hearth instead to White Harbor. There, Jon Umber gives him same role Mance has in the books: get to Winterfell, save Karstark/fakeArya and maybe this way snatch Bolton’s from their claim to North – something smuggler could do. Anyway, as we have seen show-Mance doesn’t have many characteristic book-Mance has: he doesn’t play or sing, he doesn’t climb the Wall and stuff like that. He’s just military leader with strategic mind, and I don’t see him actually surviving season 4: instead of that whole fake-Mance being burned alive (which I don’t see working in tv) Stannis probably burns the real one and we are done with him. Whatever they plan to do with him I don't find it likely his character follows same path as his book-counterpart.

Show-Mance doesn’t seem to have wife either, so I assume this means no Val (unless she is show-only character with different backstory [or Ygritte, but she’s probably going to get arrow from that kid whose dad she killed]). Her role could be partially taken by Tormund (he was promoted to main cast and is likely he’s captured at the end of the season [he’s attacking from south of the Wall]) who could get freed by Jon in order to gather wildlings and make that peace treaty.

Some smaller merging I predict happening with Pyp taking Dareon’s role (in episode 4 he doesn’t rise when Jon ask for volunteers, maybe indicating him losing faith and future desertion: he’s also existing character and Dareon is not), Alliser Thorne taking partially Bowen Marsh role (character seems to be in show, but without any lines) and Penny being cut (she wasn’t shown, and whole scene in the wedding was completely different anyway). Granted Penny could still show up and say her brother was killed because Tyrion, but she doesn’t seem too important and could easily be cut (and finding good female dwarf actress is probably kinda hard). This means Tyrion doesn’t try to perform in Danzak’s Pit, maybe he and Jorah are just made to fight against other pit fighters or something.

Sam isn’t probably going to get to Old Town before season 6, so no need to cast Alleras or maester Marwin (casting new characters and new set just for one or two scenes in last episodes doesn’t sound too smart). From Arya’s storyline we probably get Kindly Man, unless Jagen H’ghar takes over his role: if this happens maybe he could leave Braavos at the end of season 5 with Sam to get Citadel with him and continues then his role from the books.

I would like to see Kevan, but as we haven’t really seen him for a long time Pycelle probably takes most of his role. Cersei’s small council is probably also much smaller in the show: all those minor character roles are probably going to go Qyburn, who we have seen in season 4 episode 1 already being in Cersei’s service. I also found it possible that Bronn would take Kettleblacks role, but I read somewhere that Lena Headey and Jerome Flynn can’t stand being even in the same room, so that probably isn’t going to happen. Maybe we see Lancel taking that role, and after some loving punishment from High Sparrow and little confessing finds his faith?

And about Dornish characters. I actually don’t think we see any Doran or Alyanne during season 5: their roles could be pushed all way to season 6, where important parts could be covered in the first episodes. Instead Ellaria Sand probably stays in King’s Landing, taking her lovers seat in Small Council and have some funny interaction with Cersei: she also could this way take over Nymeria Sand’s future role. I think we probably see Quentyn, but only after he arrives in Meeren to tell about marriage pact. I think these new characters are easier to accept if they’re part of some familiar storylines instead of introduced suddenly in completely new ones with different cast, set and plot. This way Martell family also becomes kind of mysterious background player, building up their full introduction in season 6.

One of Greyjoy brothers is probably going to be cut, but I think we get at least two. It’s foreshadowed that Euron is going to be super important, so he’s by all likelihood getting his own actor. He could also take Victorian's role, but I doubt it because Euron is probably going to be needed to raid the Reach in future storylines. For that reason Victorian probably absorbs Aeron, and we see him go all way Essos to participate in Battle of Meeren (which probably is going to be that big episode 9). They could also completely ignore these characters for season 5, have people just hearing rumors about new Greyjoy king and about their invasion to the Reach: that way the Iron Fleet’s arrival to help Dany during Battle of Meeren comes as surprise to viewers too.

For same reason as Euron I don’t see them cutting Griff or Young Griff. They seem too important for future storylines unless show-writers are planning to go completely independent season 5 forward. With this list new characters needed in season 5 would be Euron, Victorian, Griff, Young Griff, Quentyn, Alys Karstark, Kindly Man (maybe) and High Sparrow – even that’s pretty large addition to cast. This leaves at least Doran and Alyanne (maybe some Sand Snakes), maester Marwin and maybe Alleras for season 6 from A Dance with Dragons and A Feast for Crows.

Urgh, this became a long post. Tells how much new stuff season 5 brings.

[turk mcgurk]

I have been wondering about an Oberyn/ Quentyn merge. Show Oberyn has been awesome so far, we know they are trying to keep the cast small. So why can't The Viper survive his battle with The Mountain then go on a mission to seal a marriage pact w/ Dany. Heck we already know his girlfriend wouldnt mind.

[Winterfell is Burning]

I have been wondering about an Oberyn/ Quentyn merge. Show Oberyn has been awesome so far, we know they are trying to keep the cast small. So why can't The Viper survive his battle with The Mountain then go on a mission to seal a marriage pact w/ Dany. Heck we already know his girlfriend wouldnt mind.

1. If Oberyn wins, that means Tyrion is free, no Tywin and Shae dying.

2. I don't see Oberyn NOT suceeding in seduce Dany. And he wouldn't be stupid enough to try to control the dragons.

[Jorah the Explorer]

I actually and honestly forgot about Quentyn until this thread mentioned him.

[Caerl Targaryen]

I have been wondering about an Oberyn/ Quentyn merge. Show Oberyn has been awesome so far, we know they are trying to keep the cast small. So why can't The Viper survive his battle with The Mountain then go on a mission to seal a marriage pact w/ Dany. Heck we already know his girlfriend wouldnt mind.

There's absolutely no way Oberyn, Tywin, and Shae are surviving this season. Not happening.

[gandalf.ohwaitwrongseries]

There's absolutely no way Oberyn, Tywin, and Shae are surviving this season. Not happening.

If Oberyn wins, Tyrion is innocented, doesn't have to flee KL, and therefore doesn't kill Tywin. THE END

[Caerl Targaryen]

If Oberyn wins, Tyrion is innocented, doesn't have to flee KL, and therefore doesn't kill Tywin. THE END

Doing all of that would eliminate most of the climax of ASOS as well as all the setup for AFFC and ADWD. So, yeah. Not happening.

[relish5k]

I just hope they cut out Quentyn Matell out altogether. His storyline is just awful. He's annoying, and then he dies. He doesn't interact with any other POV characters. If GRRM couldn't make him compelling to book readers, I don't see how D&D could make his character compelling to show watchers. His presence is just a reminder of how little is happening in that point of the story.

[King Zee]

This thread makes me sad.

Seriously people exactly how many characters have D&D cut ? So far I count ONE - ColdHands

There has a been one merger - Edric

there has been two replacements Vargo and Jeyne Westerling but their replacements carried out the same function.

The way you guys are going on you'd think there where tons of characters being cut.

[turk mcgurk]

1. If Oberyn wins, that means Tyrion is free, no Tywin and Shae dying.

2. I don't see Oberyn NOT suceeding in seduce Dany. And he wouldn't be stupid enough to try to control the dragons.

I could see an Oberyn win, with Tywin judging it unfair because Ob uses some poison. But I def agree #2 cuz Ob would be Dany's kind of guy and def he's not stupid enough to think he could just walk in and take a dragon.

[Snoggs]

So far we have not had any Kettleblacks. I am wondering whether they are going to use Bronn for that role (if they don't cut it altogethor)