HBO has released this week’s fresh batch of photos from the upcoming new episode of Game of Thrones. The season’s epic ninth episode will be titled “Battle of the Bastards,” and is expected to feature a massive clash between the Stark and Bolton forces, with Jon Snow and Ramsay Bolton at the head of their armies.
Official episode synopsis: “Terms of surrender are rejected and accepted.”
Vague enough for you? Well, these new photos should provide more information! Here they are, below the cut!
Update: We’ve added several more images to the post!
Every photo this week centers around the Battle of the Bastards, and its major players- Ramsay, Jon and Sansa and their supporters, and the armies. We’re in for something incredible this week, from the look of it all!
![GOT609_091715_HS_DSC_7712[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GOT609_091715_HS_DSC_77121.jpg)
![GOT609_091815_HS_DSC_7834[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GOT609_091815_HS_DSC_78341.jpg)
![GOT609_091915_HS__DSC9672[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GOT609_091915_HS__DSC96721.jpg)
![GOT609_092915_HS_DSC_8858[1]](http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/GOT609_092915_HS_DSC_88581.jpg)
HBO has posted this image on HBO.com:
Update: Farfarawaysite has added many more images from the episode to their collection:
God that shot with Jon on the ground!!!
And Iwan looks amazing in that photo.
Can’t wait to see this!!!!!!
HODOR!
Edit: Dammnit!
‘THAT LINE WAS BROKEN!’
I’d be pissin my pants if I was on the Bolton side and saw Wun Wun running at me like that
There are no breaks on the HYPE train!!!!!!!!!!!
That shot of Jon on the ground, facing the oncoming troops just gave me some serious goosebumps!!!! wow wow wow
My parents dont watch GOT, I think on Sunday I’ll force them to sit down for this episode.
Jon doesn’t have Longclaw in the top photo? uh oh.
I love the second one from the top. He looks ..just perfect.
Looking forward to Sunday. Even though I know I will shed some tears for a fallen hero.
That first pic of Jon on the ground alone with entire Bolton army marching towards him. CHIILLS/GOOSEBUMPS
*braces self* This is going to be amazing!!
Stunning photo of Sophie and Kit.
IT HAS BEEN REMADE!
Holy shit, that Tormund photo. I would follow this dude into battle anytime.
OK, and probably die three seconds later. But he’s a total badass.
Can we discuss photo number 2????????? PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I. CANT. DEAL.
girl moment over.
Sick photos, I am scared, anxious, excited, sad, happy, scared, and scared.
Great pictures! Especially the one by Giantsbane! I’m so excited to see how it turns out – now, that the Tullies are not coming, and I really expected they turn up, this will be an interesting fight. Littlefinger will surely join in; otherwise the Stark army forces wouldn’t have any chance, right? But how it all turns out, is going to be massive.
Newbietothegame,
WHOOOOOOOOO?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
lol DONT SCARE ME
Isabelle,
agreed.
Yes he does. Look again.
Bryan,
Yes, he does. You can see the grip right under the furs on his left (our right) side.
Atish Vaze,
Is that the Bolton army though? Or is it another army coming from behind Jon heading toward the battlefield?
Bryan,
Yes he does, look at the Pommel.
Seriously, I can’t articulate how excited I am for this episode. Please Battle of the Bastards be as epic as you seem to be.
The King in the North!!!
Bryan,
Looks like his fur cloak is just covering it. He has it in the shots of him with the cloak off in the battle.
Bryan,
Yes he does, look at the Pommel
Dee Stark,
The only person who is prettier/more beautiful than Jon in Westeros/Essos is Missandei. 🙂
Wow. Sunday can’t get here quick enough!
Jon’s looking like a proper king in the north on the second picture.
How the HELL can Jon fight against a charge of men on horseback?
How beautiful does Sophie look here? Wow…just stunning.
And I LOVE the extra on the left hand side of the aerial shot of the army, looking directly up at the camera… d’oh!
Can’t wait for this!
Bryan,
He does. It’s on his left.
Dee Stark,
I would also like to wake up in the morning and see that in the mirror… 🙂
(as a reference to one of your comments about Sophie.)
The very top photo doesn’t have the white thing on, unless it’s the lighting of the photo that makes it look gray.
Lord of Coffee,
This is what the Knights of the Vale wear:
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QZA2_uZkI0k/U0ODB54bawI/AAAAAAAAAl4/BcDE_W1HUgA/s1600/%252339.png
Their head stuff look similar.
But it also looks like the Bolton army.
http://www.nationsjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/zap-game-of-thrones-season-4-episode-8-the-mou-009.jpg
http://static1.techinsider.io/image/56f9562c52bcd01b008b931c-1920-1080/ramsay%20bolton%20game%20of%20thrones%20trailer%20tv%20march%20madness%20promo%205.png
Lord of Coffee,
Yeah I think so. For me its probably where jon challenges the bolton army and it looks like that scene is at the start of the battle
i love the first shot. jon have that “ready to die” stance
Mihnea,
Hahahaha!!
right?!?!
Super excited! Desperately trying to avoid Reddit spoilers for the last two episodes without going completely “web dark”
Danny,
Agreed lol!!!
The King In The North!!! No more negativity, go House Stark!!
Seriously though, does anyone really believe Ramsay is going to prevail? It just doesn’t fit.
So does Rickon survive this battle?
OK, I’m having a brain fart… which house is it that has the sigil with a red field and the chains crisscrossed? (fighting on Ramsay’s side) I don’t see any of the Hornwood moose banners on Jon’s side like were spotted a couple months ago, either.
That photo of Jon facing down the charging Bolton cavalry with Longclaw in hand is comfortably my favorite promotional photo of the entire season. What an epic moment that is going to be!
The photo of Jon and Sansa sitting astride their horses, surveying the battlefield, is amazing as well. The Stark siblings had their disagreements in Episode 7, but make no mistake – they are very much united here in their commitment to put Ramsay down and reclaim their home.
Helen Sloan doesn’t get enough appreciation for the work she does every week. She is fantastic.
Fancy word for a sellsword,
How about you stay away from Reddit, and stay here with us hahaha!
I don’t know. And even if I did, I would not tell you. It would not be GoT if the Stark forces would win without paying a heavy price.
Agree with you on picture #2. My heart skipped a beat.
Lord of Coffee,
I posted comparison pics of the army but its awaiting moderation. Should be up soon lol.
That first pic tho. How is Jon not going to be trampled by those horsemen?
That’s a rather stunning shot of Sansa and Jon. If you dropped like 100 people down who knew nothing about this show or story other than a feudalistic like backdrop, I’d honestly be willing to wager good coin that more than half would guess they were the king and queen based on that one rather amazing still shot.
Dee Stark,
Easy, Dee Stark. Keep the faith.
Fienix,
Umbers
this is quite simply going to be one of the most epic episodes of this show.
Bryan,
yes he does haha, that is longclaw 🙂
Fienix,
That’s the Umber banner.
Fienix,
The Umbers, that sigil belongs to the Umbers.
Either that or it could be
Newbietothegame,
fine! lol
ALL THESE JON PICS MAKE UP FOR ALL SEASON
THANK YOU GOD
So when Kit said this is a huge season for Jon, it better Start on sunday 9 and end on June 26 at 10pm
dragonmcmx,
Maybe Wun Wun picks him up and kicks away the cavalry.
Livewire67,
haha ok whatever, not like it matters. just curious
Bryan,
The fur is covering the white pommel.
Isabelle,
I think we can definitely put to rest the “Sansa is pregnant” nonsense.
coz,
They mean the very first photo of him standing alone on the ground against the Bolton army, that isn’t Longclaw he’s holding.
I NEED SUNDAY FFS.
This week is just a write off anyways. Release the episode early HBO. Give. It. To. Me.
Isn’t Longclaw’s pommel white and in the shape of a Direwolf? Maybe it’s just me, but the grip on Jon’s sword in these photos looks different to me…
Rhianysa,
For all you people saying it isn’t Longclaw in that first pic, it is. I just zoomed in you can see it clearly. Maybe it’s a little dirty from fighting or what not, or just the lighting.
Now stop saying it isn’t.
Amazing fan-made trailer:
dragonmcmx,
I have asked this to myself 100 times after watching that photo lol
Why does everything have to be so hard for the Starks every single time.
Why couldn’t the story develop into a crushing defeat for Ramsay, like how he crushed Stannis…
Same here. Regardless, Tormund looks absolutely fierce.
Love these photos. This will be epic. However, I am apprehensive because I know that it will also be heartbreaking.
I can’t ignore this cliffhanger issue. I can barely stand the wait of this epic war that we are going to see this sunday. Who will win this epic battle?
Anyone betting for a side?
Direwolf on Jon’s chest in pic #2. Nice leather work.
that shot from above.. what army is that? Vale, Manderly?
love the shot of Sansa/Jon..Sansa is like ” bitch please with your 5000 men..you going DOWN”
If Baby Bear fights, I hope that Sansa will at least get her hands dirty.
So I’m guessing the Meereen stuff that was slated for 6×09 in that behind the scenes video got moved to 6×10?
Why is Tormund looking at Wun Wun and others running. He was running with them in promo and all of sudden he’s just starring at them? Jon against Boltons cavalry. This where might Wun Wun comes because how can Jon beat tons of cavalry. Sophie looks amazing and Kit is too. Tormund badass as always.
Anyone else think that we will get a Howland Reed appearance? I keep thinking he will show up with Vale troops and LF…
If LF shows up.
The horse of Davos looks funny and adorable.
It’s scary to see Jon not mounted, facing a line of mounted men. Makes me think of Stannis.
I think this is a one stop episode, unless whatever they aren’t showing is something calculated to surprise, and therefore they can’t show us. Like LF and the vale men, since we aren’t supposed to know Sansa wrote to him.
Rhianysa,
It is Longclaw, there’s a bigger version of that same photo and you can see the direwolf pommel.
I have a feeling that the episode synopsis means that terms of surrender are accepted at Mereen and terms of surrender are rejected at Winterfell.
I am far too old for fangirling, but wooo boooy he can make me forget that sometimes lol
Full Prediction For BOTB:
Episode will start with sansa and jon discussing their attack. Sansa will tell him she asked Littlefinger for help and Jon will be mad cause he does not trust LF cause of what he did to sansa, but she will explain she only did it for more men.
Mel will admit to Davos what she did to Shireen and he will go to the burning place to morn her
Jon will lead his army on the first attack were they will be badly outnumbered and Ramsay will easily win, and Wun Wun will die as long with much of Jon’s army
Just as Jon thinks hes lost, LF will show up with the full nights of the Vale which will even out the battle and put it slighly in Jon’s favour.
Jon will order his men not to attack for the moment and ask Mel to go with him to talk to Ramsay.
He will ask Ramsay for a single combat fight between them for winterfell to save thousends of lives. Ramsay will agree and just as he does, will take out his knife and cut jon’s throught
Mel will immideatly go to Jon’s body and say the reserection prayer, this time without all the other rituals (Naked, hair, fire) and much quicker as she now knows she can do it (as we saw Thoros do the sixth time he brought back Beric, he was able to do it very quickly).
Ramsay will see that Jon cannot be killed and that they have magic on their side and so see that he has lost the war
Jon will allow his to live and keep the dreadfort on condition that he surrenders winterfell, frees rickon and knells before his new leige lord.
Ramsay will have one of his men fetch Rickon but as he is knelling to him, Ramsay will stab rickon is the heart (Like Roose did to Robb) and will take some loyal Bolton guards and escape the castle through one of the passeges.
There will be a shot of Mel walking on the battlements of winterfell while the Flayed man Banner is lowered to the ground as she predicted in season 5.
The episode will end with Jon, Sansa, Davos, Tormund and LF looking over Rickons Body in the main hall in winterfell where Jon will decide to hunt down Ramsay and kill him for this. He will ask Davos and Tormund to jon him, a long with some men while Sansa will be left rulling Winterfell
are there also other storylines this episode? Would rather have an episode only focusing on the battle than mereen or something like this…
Are we getting a battle in Mereen too?
John W,
I’m thinking he’s killed before the Battle even starts. Not sure what the point in bringing him, Shaggy or Osha back was other than shock factor.
I’m sensing Wun Wun, Snow, Tormund and Davos bite the dust as well as Ramsay. Shame Sansa (tagged onto someone else’s storyline again) will survive.
They start on Reddit and very quickly make there way to other places that aren’t moderated against spoilers like WOTW.
I like reading some of the thoughts posted here, but find this format harder to sort through than say a Disqus type format. I get frustrated trying to follow discussions here sometimes. Some threads get completely buried in petty arguments and/or what amounts to a private conversation.
I’ll deal 😉
wow
FOR RICKON
Best group of episode pics all season in my opinion.
Doesn’t really give anything away (at least that I can see) but they are some fricken’ awesome shots.
Only thing I could take away are there are definitely Umber shields and banners and Karstark sheilds (and maybe banners – couldn’t tell what was on the blue ones) on the Bolton side.
My lady mother is visiting from California so I haven’t been able to be around much lately.
But these pictures. Holy shit, you guys.
My body is so ready.
selena,
Bolton Army. You can see them fire arrows from that same angle in the episode promo.
Dee Stark,
this is my comment where I compared the pic to the knights of the vale and the Boltons
That pic of Tormund definitely makes me fear that he is going to go out in a blaze of glory Sunday night : (
No settling down in a cozy little cottage with chickens and a white picket fence and gingham curtains for Tormienne, alas!
Why would Dany surrender?
Picture One, if there are two lancers in that Bolton cavalry, Snow will be skewered like a cocktail onion.
Picture Eight, the Bolton archers deployed in front of the infantry. Should have sharpened stakes or some obstacle in front of them as protection against a calvary charge. If the archers and infantry change places to repel cavalry, the archers can’t loose their arrows and the infantry would be disordered by the archers slipping through their formation.
Ser Marq would never put my old outfit in that predicament!
That is one sad little army. Lol. C’mon guys!
DireWolfHeart,
OMG this is just amazing. Props to whoever made this
Bae looks good! Aragorn vibes!
But is he going to take on the whole Bolton cavalry by himself in that first picture? lmao pls HBO
Bryan,
no, if you zoom in i think you can see it but the shadow obscures it.
TheTouchofFrost,
JON SNOW?????
Makes no sense story wise to bring Jon back, then just kill him again. Plus he’s got Black Mage Melisandre on his side to cast revive on him.
Also, Jon v Night King needs to happen.
Atish Vaze,
Only problem with that is that you don’t start a battle with the cavalry charging. They would start with archers, probably charge infantry next, then bring in the cavalvry (hence the saying).
Jack Bauer 24,
the Masters/Sons of the Harpy not Dany
TheTouchofFrost,
Read Snow as Ghost! 😛 We’re not losing Jon again!
Mawk,
When Ramsay is about to kill Jon, Howland will jump from behind and stab Ramsay.
Mawk,
Dee Stark,
He means Rickon.
But I disagree with him. Rickon is a plot device, not a true character in both mediums.
If anything the show gave him a bigger role by having him with Bran until the end of S3 rather then splitting them at the end of S2.
“Arise! Arise, Riders of the Vale!
Spears shall be shaken, shields shall be splintered!
A sword day… a red day… and the sun rises!
Ride now… Ride now… Ride!
Ride for Winterfell and the world’s ending!
Death!
DEEEEEEAAAAAATHHHHHH!”
– Littlefinger 2016
I dont know why they didn’t build anything for Wun Wun. A shield or something; he could do damage with tree trunks. Imagine a wooden shield with with a long wide battering base he could use to charge through the lines. That would knock rows of people over splitting the group. Or even hold him back and have him attack from the flank. I really just hope they use him strategically because just throwing him out there will feel like a waste.
DireWolfHeart,
That video. My God. Someone give that man a job making trailers. I have goosebumps.
I sure hope the first pic is a scene where Jon Snow dies or there is lower ground with people and blockades in front of him and they just aren’t visible in that pic.
Sansa is looking regal as hell lately.
Boston Snow,
yeah Exactly. Thats why I am really really excited after watching that pic. Whats prompts him to take the entire Bolton cavalry by himself will be interesting to see.
There is always the chance that Jon lets himself die on purpose at the beginning of the battle for everybody to see.
Then lets Mel resurrect him. The North will think he is a god just like the Wildlings.
Curse the powers that be if Wun Wun, Davos or Tormund die or if Ramsay survives this episode. Can’t we have episode 10 showing some happy Starks celebrating the recovery of their home before the WW waltz in to ruin things again?
Who says that has to be Jon? Could me Mel glamoured….
If Rickon or Davos or Tormund die, Mel can bring them back.
Atish Vaze,
My guess is Rickon.
Look at the trailer, he stands down, quite sad, and as he gets up he looks at something/someone down. I think it’s Rickon dying in his arms, sadly.
That ought to make him snap….
Please no more dead direwolves!
Jack Bauer 24,
Will the Lord of Light answer though?
I think Ramsay will die in the finale.
That photo of Jon and Sansa, they look so Kingly and Queenly.
So what do people who can’t fight do during a battle? Like Mel, Sansa, Lyanna (then again Lyanna could probably kick ass with a thought). Do they have a safe house in a yurt somewhere?
I’m sure it will be decent but I’m looking forward to episode 10 much more. Most of the episode 9’s so far have tried to be epic and fell short, in part due to budget restrictions, I’m sure.
I wonder if the moment with Jon staring down the cavalry will be when:
Lyanna_Targaryen,
It was a good trailer. And I don’t usually go in for the fan made stuff.
Pigeon,
They’ll watch it from a hill most likely.
FIRST PICTURE NEEDS SOME KNIGHTS OF THE VALE ASAP
PLS LIKE FOR REAL
ARRIVE PLS
Jack Bauer 24,
If Lord of Light’s done with you, you ain’t coming back. Jon was chosen. He was returned because he is meant for much bigger things.
I’m quite interested in what’ll happen if Jon is killed, Sansa taken back by Ramsay, and the Starks lose. Because from these pictures, it looks like the Starks are going to lose.
“If you think this has a happy ending, you haven’t been paying attention.”
Fienix,
I thought the Hornwoods were the orange banners visible behind Davos and in the last Jon pic. Is there another orange Northern house?
The chains are House Umber.
Mihnea,
Yeah that could be it. I just can’t wait to see how all of these things unfold.
Pigeon,
They stay away observing the battle from afar.
I’m assuming spell check messed your speech up. It would be wild(ly out of character) to see LF give a speech like that. More like Royce. But I am interested to see what comes. Can’t wait!
Sword of the Morning,
No worries…
Jon is Aragorn-ing the shit out of those stills
Demon Monkey,
I want Littlefinger to deliver that speech while changing his accent at least three times. CIA!
It’s funny because you are right. 100%. And still I cannot fathom that they will lose.
I think it’s because of
. It gives me confidence Jon will prevail somehow.
Sword of the Morning,
The winner of the battle will be indebted to or at the mercy of LF and the Vale.
DireWolfHeart,
Wow… kudos to whoever put that together. It is incredibly well done.
All those pics of Jon and/or Sansa staring forlornly into the distance give me such bad Rickon vibes. 🙁 :*(
That’s a good observation- You could well be correct!
Now I wish I hadn’t read the spoilers, would be cool to speculate.
Mawk,
Zoomed in too : it isn’t. Yet on the last photo we see the two pommels, Longclaw and the plainer one from picture one.
What do you think folks? Could Sansa bite it?
Could well be 🙂
Bet Jon wishes he had also brought the plate armor to go with his Stark leathers when he moved into Castle Black.
Jack Bauer 24,
”battle”. I think if we see Meereen this episode, it will be done in around 10 minutes.
The masters don’t stand a chance.
That 3rd pic though… ALL HAIL THE KING AND QUEEN IN THE NORTH! Assuming Jon is a Targ of course, let’s not be gross 😉
Does anyone have the first picture with Jon and the cavalry in a bigger size? I need a new desktop background lol.
Not Dany — The Masters and their fleet after Drogon (along with possibly Dany’s other two dragons) have done the bizzo 🙂
Isabelle,
looks so regal
double_trouble,
It’s gross anyway….
Flayed Potatoes,
http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/got/gallery6/gallery9/hires/4.jpg
What if the charging Calvary are Manderly’s and we are meant to think Jon is toast but as they get to him they pledge their allegiance to the Starks?
TheTouchofFrost,
It’s her storyline just as much(if not more) than Jon’s. She’s the one related to Ramsay, not him.
EPISODE 9 is the Episode we need and want <3
amazing season loved episode 1-6
need to re watch episodes 7 and 8, don't really know how I feel about them yet.
Battle of the Bloody bastards!
can't bloody wait to watch it, and this is the episode they decided to submit for best Writing, should be interesting ^^
When the snow falls & white wind blows..the bastard dies & the wolves survive!!
Haven’t been this excited for an episode in a looong time & these pics aren’t making it any easier. The Hype is strong with this one!!!!!!
dragonmcmx,
I Love you <3
Maybe the episode leaks tonight
Maybe the episode leaks tonight
Maybe the episode leaks tonight
Please make it leak tonight
In HBO Nordic we trust
What leaks may never be unseen only rewatched time and time again.
Scared about Jon’s words in the preview : “if I fall don’t bring me back”…….. Let them NOT be ominous.
Cersei’s Brain,
If she goes into battle she will bite it. But why would she lol!
dragonmcmx,
Perfect! Thanks!
Hoyti Von Totiy,
I really really really hope it doesn’t.
we have two episodes left
whats the rush?
They usually are on the sidelines with a few captains giving orders.
These pictures look so so good! I can’t wait!
Dee Stark,
it Won’t leak so early, so no need to worry yourself, and even if it does by some miracle
don’t worry about it, this site is kind of safe from spoilers XD
OMG!!! Super scary.
Ok that’s Longclaw. Bigger picture helped 😛
Flayed Potatoes,
picture # 2 is my new whatsapp pic
Hyyyyyypppppeeeee!!!!!
The other is not a pommel but a front of his horse saddle “horn”:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/PartOfAustralianSaddle.jpg
So many people think Jon is dying for good in this battle. Or that he’ll die and Mel will run through the Bolton shields to chop off his locks and rez him.
I just got a call from my mother and she is terrified lmao.
King Podrick,
they’ll be in the Safest location during the war 😀
unless their side loses.
Flayed Potatoes,
Well Jon does tell her, not to bring him back.
How is Davos gripping those reins?
Off all the Leaks though-out this show the one for this week has been the only one I really was not to upset about after the last three episodes, My hype was high for this ep but now i can go in to it expecting less and hoping the leak was wrong and get more from it.
selena, dragonmcmx,
Comparing these images to the trailer I think the army in front of the snowy trees in this post are Team KickAss (our guys). The Bolton Baddies are far greater in number – BOO! – and lined up in more of a formation, with visible very large Bolton banners (rather than the carried by hand size), although they too have trees behind them. This is what I mean.
Dee Stark,
The solo one? The details on the coat are amazing. Jon doesn’t look too bad either 😛
hebertvargas,
Team Stark all the way!!
Matthew The Dragon knight,
its not about spoilers. I can stay away from the net
they worked really hard for this show and especially this episode, it deserves to be watched when it is airing to everyone
Sadly, I won’t be able to watch this episode when it airs. So therefore, I’m hoping it leaks early! 🙂
I figured it was something like that, out of range of arrows or flying pigs, but they must have some good strategy in place to make sure they can’t get taken by surprise.
Mihnea,
Melisandre: It is not I who brings you back, Jon Snow, but the Lord of Light.
She then goes and takes Ghost out for a walk. 😛
Jon is doing his Witness Me! moment
So it begins … The great battle of our time.
Flayed Potatoes,
Hehe.
Still her who asks the Lord though.
DireWolfHeart,
“Amazing fan-made trailer:”
Just incredible – Its better than those posted by HBO!
They ought to give this guy a job 🙂
Lord of Coffee,
One of the horsemen has a Bolton style helm.
Dee Stark,
I don’t mind episode leaks at all but for this episode and the finale I would be upset.
Dee Stark,
This.
I’m also seriously thinking of staying awake Sunday night…. It so hard though, the episode starts at 4 AM and ends at 5….. I would need to abandon sleeping all together….
Connor,
I don’t think a leak is something people should hope for. We should respect HBO, this epic episode and its crew and wait until it officially airs.
Lulus Mum,
yup your right.. hi rez version http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/got/gallery6/gallery9/hires/6.jpg
those are clearly Stark Banners…you can see the direwolf
FIFY 😉
Jon standing in front of the charging horses looks almost exactly like Aragon from Return of the King doing it, he’s holding Longclaw the same way too.
Photo: http://www.ranthollywood.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/aragorn-versus-the-horde-wb.jpg
Hope we get a good reaction from the Bolton soldiers and Ramsay in response to seeing Wun Wun. It should be an extremely shocking moment for them to see him. Don’t tell me Ramsay would remain smug at the sight of a giant.
Speaking of which, please let Wun Wun survive this battle. They’ve killed the Blackfish, so now my only personal favorites left are the Hound and Wun Wun (Tormund and Davos to a lesser extent)
OMFG these pics 😮
Shit is SERIOUSLY about to go down in this episode !!!!!!
That shot Jon facing alone on foot the Bolton cavalry is EPIC !!!!!
The photo of Jon and Sansa wearing their beautiful Stark coats is gorgeous *.*
It might end up being my new wallpaper xD
I’m soooooooo excited to see Wun Wun heartily slaughter some Boltons 😀
Tormund Giantsbane will show once again how much of a badass he is !
But above all, I’m REALLY looking forward to see Davos fight FOR THE FIRST TIME !! ^^
That Ramsay pic is cool, too. I can’t wait to see Ramsay’s smug sadistic smile wipe off his face >.<
Judging by these photos, I expect that each and every characters on both Jon's and Ramsay's side will get their moment of glory, their own moment to shine ^^
Looks like the Stark army has lot’s of archers too. This battle will rival the siege of Minas Tirith.
Lulus Mum,
Typical CIA!
CHAOSH IS A LADDAH!
I’m guessing Jon doesn’t face down the oncoming riders alone for long. In the trailer doesn’t Davos demand the army join him? I’ll have to re-watch.
I’m glad that Sansa is with Jon and not LF during the battle. There was some speculation back then that she arrives with LF and the Vale but now I see it is not the case. But yes, this episode is going to be EPIC and I can already see it taking its place in my top 10 or possibly top 5.
Mihnea,
You should sleep till 3:50… and then get up for it.
little sis has skillz lol
still trying to figure out which dress sansa cut up to make the cloak..
Really wish I was more hyped for this, but the last episode left a really bad taste in my mouth. For me, GoT resonates because of the drama and not the battles, but the drama and storytelling have been off mark this season.
So from the trailers all that’s left after this episode is the clip of the Harpies attacking/Dothraki charging and the little birds killing someone. Do you think those are both from the finale?
Dee Stark,
The loyal watchers will watch it when its time, and if it does leak…..
Fans with no patience are going to jump to watch it, but same.
I really hope this episode doesn’t leak.
A wolf named dire,
They are Boltons. You can see the Bolton helm.
I think the Manderlys are in the shot with Wun Wun. You can see a green banner in the background.
Wun Wun, in fairness, is generally never in a position where he has to fight an army in a pitched battle. And even if he was, good luck finding the materials and smiths to put something big and durable enough for him to actually use.
I expect he’s going to kill a lot of Bolton soldiers, just the same.
Connor,
XD
Flayed Potatoes,
Is that the famed English accent of My Cocaine?
Dallas,
buzz kill
Hoyti Von Totiy,
Don’t say that Hoyti! How devastating for the crew and actors who work so hard only to have it leak so unceremoniously! I for one hope it DOES NOT.
Jack Bauer 24,
There is still that shot of LF in the snow.
And couple of quote, that we still haven’t heard.
OMG!! Kit Harrington is a gift to the eyes!!! That boy is perfect!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
I agree Dee – I fucking hate spoilers!
As for those unfortunate not to be able to see it when it first airs, I’m sure HBO (like as on Sky Atlantic) will show it several times during the following week.
The only problem then is to keep away from websites such as this one (very hard to do!) and watch it fresh without any idea of what’s going to happen or know the outcome.
Looks like I was wrong about the Davos thing. However it sounds like Jon challenges Ramsay to a 1 on 1 battle and I assume Ramsay declines.
Jumbo,
“It has been remade .”
Rhaenys Stark,
🙂
Jack Bauer 24,
That LF scene and the celebration by Walder Freys at twins plus the Tormund and Bran lines from the trailer are from the finale
OMG … I am afraid for Jon!
They can not kill him yet 🙁
Flayed Potatoes,
I’m probably being an idiot here but what does CIA mean (apart from the USA spy guys)? *confused face*
Dallas,
There’s always one. I hope you are proved wrong.
My prediction:
Jon will be fighting a losing battle until the Knights of the Vale show up to save the day. (And Sansa will be indebted to LF. Ugh.)
Jon will survive.
Sansa will survive.
Rickon will die.
Ramsay will die.
I’m sure there will be other deaths, but I don’t know which ones.
Black Raven,
I found HBO GO really good. Don’t regret buying a sub. You can watch the episode whenever you have the time.
I, almost always, watch the episode in the morning before going to work.
If anyone is thinking about buying it, I say go ahead. You can also watch some other good stuff like ”Boardwalk empire”…etc.
Lyanna_Targaryen,
Lyanna, I never got your thoughts on Last episode??
Lulus Mum,
Lulus Mum,
The actor who plays LF also played a CIA guy in the Batman movie…
It’s become a internet meme…..
Flayed Potatoes,
That’s certainly what the show is wanting you to think, at least that it’s a great possibility, because that increases the intensity and drama from the viewers POV if they truly think there’s a chance he’ll die. Thus we get a shot of him saying “if I die, don’t bring me back” in the preview and a photo of him hopelessly standing alone in front of enemy riding straight at him.
Dont’t blame them for trying and I sincerely hope it works on the viewers.
Tycho Nestoris,
😉
Ron Snow,
It seems to be working. Even on message boards where users are aware of spoilers. It’s amazing.
OMG! I’M LOST FOR WORDS! EPIC, EPIC, EPIC!!! SUNDAY!!! YAAAS!!
🙂 🙂
Tormund, Davos, Ramsay, Sansa…
This episode is pure cinematography and Miguel S. shots…WOW!!!
(Ah, I can confirm that Kit is an AWESOME actor, his performance in the play Dr.Faustus is masterful!! And he is so niceee and funny, thanks for your time Kit!!!!) 🙂
They are being very vague about Episode 10 with the description they gave us, same with this one but I think we all know that they will defeat the Boltons. Episode 10 though….called winds of winter has got to mean that the
Lyanna_Targaryen,
I agree – Spoilers or leaked episodes piss off HBO, the show runners and the actors BIG TIME.
Jesus H Christ – its only some 4 days to wait which is nothing!
Ron Snow,
I actually love that line…
He didn’t want to come back. In episode three he said “I shouldn’t be here”
I love that he said that to Melly. Wonder what she will say.
Hoyti Von Totiy,
I NEVER watch the leaks. I remember last year’s leaked episodes and many people watched all four of them in a single day and after that, they were really pissed off that they had to wait for 4 weeks for the next one (BTW, even if I decided to watch them, I would stick to my rule “one episode a day”). But of course I’m in no hurry as I usually watch the episode on Monday evening and I watched Oathbreaker on Tuesday, because I was so exhausted from spending 6 hours in laboartory for organic chemistry that day.
Hound Dog,
Smalljon Umber will probably die too, hopefully
I think Ramsay might die in the next episode though.
Folks…I don’t think Jon Snow dies. I do think Tormund and/or Wun Wun will be killed. I think Ghost dies. (Please don’t let it be anything like Summer dying. Can still hear the yelps of pain.) Maybe Davos (hope not). Melisandre will have a direct involvement in this battle, not sure how.
I really do think Team Jonsa will get their butts handed to them. That is until (credit to my brother) Bronze Yohn Royce shows up with the Knights of the Vale. No way Sansa wrote that letter to LF; though she has shown a propensity to be really stupid.
Or maybe Howland Reed finally makes an appearance. No idea.
Something is going to happen. Not sure what that is…but something will happen. Not until plenty of death and destruction have taken place.
The North Remembers
LOL at 3-4 people changing their avatars!!
:))
Lulus Mum,
Enjoy!
caliopesnow,
You saw it?
So jealous.
Mihnea,
LOL
can you say OBSESSION
Flayed Potatoes,
God…Haven’t watch this in over 2-3 years….. Now I remember why it become a meme.
Couple thoughts:
1. Could Bran possibly play a part in the outcome of the battle?
2. *tinfoil* What if we see the shadows of the two missing dragons fly over the battlefield!? I know it wont happen but would still be sweet!
HYPE!!!!!
Hahaha I couldn’t resist!
Someone said this was the “Battle of six armies”. Anyone has suggestions regarding which armies will be involved?
Bronn’s Bro,
Umber/Bolton/Karstark are a given.
Wildlings/Hornwood and perhaps Mormont.
I’ve heard great reviews for his portrayal too. So jealous that you watched the play… Too bad I live very far away lol
TheTouchofFrost,
Sansa is not tagging along on Jon’s story. Taking Winterfell back from Ramsay is Sansa’s story. Jon’s story is to try and regain his soul, unify the north and lead the fight against the white walkers.
Fienix,
Glovers
Oh yeah Bran still hasn’t said “they have no idea what’s going to happen”. Wonder that’ll be in reference to? He must have a couple scenes in the finale then if we’re getting rest of ToJ.
Connor, Flayed Potatoes, Rhaenys Stark… did I miss anyone?
I have no intention of changing mine by the way. This is the “official” Parramandas sigli.
Will there be any other Northern lords appearing in this episode? Or will we have to wait for the next episode?
I agree….which only serves to reassure me he isn’t going to die 🙂
RayJNT,
I wish it were the One True King and his banner, but that is House Hornwood. A brown bullmoose with black antlers on a field of orange. http://awoiaf.westeros.org/index.php/House_Hornwood
Dee Stark,
I know, I tried to steer clear given the toxic nature of comments after anything less than a 10/10 GoT ep.
I love all GoT, you know that. The Arya thing was hard to swallow, but I’m just so glad she’s going back.
imjustsayin,
Glovers have a fist for their banner. The crossed chains are Umbers.
That’s good news Mihnea – Sounds like you have found an excellent way to watch it at your leisure and when it suits you.
I believe there is similar ‘on-line’ service offered by SKY, but as I live outside of the UK (in the Spanish Canary Islands ) my IP address is not accepted, but no problem via satellite.
There are no international boundaries with those, but the down side is I need a bloody huge dish to pick up the transmissions being so far outside of the intended reception area 🙂
Jack Bauer 24,
And Tyrion’s “You are in the great game now, ant the great game is terrifying”. I wonder were that may fit in, though I don’t care about Danny that much.
Lyanna_Targaryen,
that’s true 🙂
good to hear !!! thank you!
Dee Stark,
Yep, that’s what I do personally. I live in France and since season 5 I get the chance to watch every week each GOT episode at 3:00 a.m (9.00 p.m in the US) with french subtitles in live broadcast with the US.
Since, most of the time, the same day, I go to college, I need of course some sleep to hold out so I sleep until 2:50 then I stay awake until 4:20 at least after having watched the episode to see the first fan reaction to the episode ^^
Aaah! I don´t care for Love Stories but my fangirl self would have loooved to see some sort of romance between Kit and Emilia! They are both so gorgeous!! They would have looked lovely on screen 🙂
Inga,
perhaps when she gets to westoros? that is where the “game of thrones” is taking place and tyrion is giving her an idea of what to expect. Just this Mohawk’s perspective.
A
Official episode synopsis: “Terms of surrender are rejected and accepted.”
Hopeful me thinks it’ll be Ramsay telling Jon and Sansa they have to surrender and then Ramsay loses and has to accept their terms, but there is zero way that is how an ASoIaF battle could go down.
Mihnea,
Same thing here but I’ve stayed awake until 4 am every Sunday so far. There’s no going back now!
Hoyti Von Totiy,
Yes, thanks, most possibly. And my mistake, it was clearer for me on dragonmcmx’s link-photo than on picture one above : it IS definitely Longclaw. Eyes going old…
DireWolfHeart,
This is fan made video is awesome!!!
Fun fact: Episode 9 preview now appears at the ‘Trending’ part of YouTube 😀 And it already has 5 million views.
Flayed Potatoes,
lol my boyfriend has shown me every spoof video of this scene known to man. XD
https://youtu.be/NQP3QLEin5w
Anyway! Wow, amazing pictures. Look at Sansa and Jon being beautiful and badass! And that Tormund picture! I’m hyped! Aw, the close-up of Davos’ horse is so cute too.
Hey guys ! I was wondering… has IMDb’s synopsis for “Battle of the Bastards” been confirmed yet by HBO ? Because I read it and it seems pretty legit to me.
IMDb has always released different and longer synospses than the ones HBO usually give away and they have always been proved to be true. For example, IMDb’s synopsis for last week’s episode was : “Brienne arrives at Riverrun. Arya seeks shelter. Jaime meets with Edmure Tully. Cersei challenges the Faith. Sandor Clegane hunts for revenge. Tyrion faces the consequences of earlier decisions.”
So, can we safely state that the synopsis for episode 9 is truthful ? If so, then we will definitely get both Battle of Ice and Battle of Fire in this episode.
“As the Starks prepare to fight, Davos loses something dear. Ramsay plays a game. Daenerys faces a choice.”
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt4283088/?ref_=tt_ep_nx
Really the first time we get to see Wun Wun fight. Was wondering what kind of weapon he would have. You’d figure he at least have a tree or something. I’d wager he is going to toss the first horse he comes in contact with. Also wager he is not going to live through this battle.
I really think we are going to get Azor Ahai/The Prince That Was Promised (AKA – Jon Snow/Targaryen) in this episode. Why does he keep saying “if I fall, don’t bring me back” to Mel?
Kit also says the line in the EW article. He can’t die again, that would be bullshit.
They will explain it to the Unsullied in episode 10 with the Tower of Joy reveal.
I’m willing to hear from anyone with a better answer – it has to mean something…
DireWolfHeart,
Wow!!!!
Aryamad,
This is amazing!
Kit and Sophie look so much like Ned and Cat there. In a non-incest way, of course.
Beronn Stark,
Ramsay plays a game? Oh dear.
Beronn Stark,
There were filming spoilers which indicated that Meereen will be in Episode 9 I believe so this seems believable.
John No,
We actually already saw him fight, in the episode he was introduced : Hardhome.
He fought the wights with a flaming log and also ripped them apart and crushed them.
HOWEVER. The character that we are going to see fight for the first time in this episode is Davos 🙂
Fancy word for a sellsword,
Same here
Lord Parramandas,
Does she remain with him the entire battle? Or is that a still from before/the beginning of the battle?
Miss Stark,
I expect this is the episode where we’ll hear the famous “Do you like games, little man ?” from the 2nd season 6 trailer.
Rickon 😮
Newbietothegame,
Thank you for the spoiler tag
Miss Stark,
If that synopsis is correct, I guess the game will be using Rickon as a bargain.
John No,
He did plenty of fighting at Hardhome tho.
Beronn Stark,
yeah I think that too.. Rickon will be invovled somehow and Ramsay will say that to him
Without a doubt, one of the funniest things I’ve heard in a long time. Thanks.
selena,
But the question is : will that be a scene that takes place before the battlle or DURING the battle ? 🙁
DireWolfHeart,
OMFG! Whoever made that,God bless ye! HBO should use that trailer!
Darkrobin,
she will be behind the lines after battle starts but she will be with the Stark forces the whole time I think
I know it’s very unlikely but just to throw it out there… because wild speculation and theories seem to rule. 😛
What if LF keeps the KotV out the battle until late or completely in order to take out the weakened forces to gain Winterfell for himself… BUT…
Jaime has a change of heart, finds his honor and leads the Lannister army in late as well to fight for Jon/Sansa (read Brienne). Perhaps the Freys are celebrating not just for reattaining Riverrun but also because they believe the Lannisters just went through The Twins to go help the Boltons and eliminate more of their opposition…
I am soooo excited about this episode.. But, this kind of epic battle won’t go down without a massive body count. We all want Ramsey to finally just die… but what about the good guys. I fear we will lose so many on Sunday. What do you think, who is most likely to die in this episode?
Most likely imo:
1. Rickon
2. Wun Wun
3. Davos
4. Tormund
Fienix,
Umber.
Lulus Mum,
You’re right actually. We can see Davos in front of the horsemen, on his brown horse: http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/got/gallery6/gallery9/hires/6.jpg
Beronn Stark,
my guess is before.. …based on preview I see Jon and Ramsay (who has Rickon with him)”meeting” across the battlefield, Jon offering /Ramsay declining 1 vs 1 duel (Jon trying to buy time I think..waiting on Vale army maybe?) ..Jon turns to go back to his army..Ramsay says “you like games little man” to Rickon and then does something that sets off the battle much quicker then expected
In the pic of Jon facing down the Bolton cavalry, where the hell is his sword belt and dagger? In the image from the preview where it looks like an emotional Jon is looking down at something, he still has his sword belt and dagger on him.
And the thing is, if this image is not immediately after that moment in the preview and it’s from later in the battle, why isn’t Longclaw bloody?
dragonmcmx,
Yep and we can see some Stark sigils in the bakground.
Jack Bauer 24,
Don’t forget about the Freys!
I don’t want to see Wun Wun die but there’s no way he’s coming out of this alive. He’s a giant (!) friggin target!! And Tormund is so damn cool that there’s no way he survives either. I mean, c’mon…it’s GoT…
selena,
Yes, that’s a good guess. But since Team Jansavosandre (Jon/Sansa/Davos/Melisandre) is going to get multiple scenes before the actual battle (the day of the battle I mean), shouldn’t we expect the same for Team Ramsay, with a scene between him and Rickon inside Winterfell ?
Hound Dog,
Plus Ghost, Davos, Tormund and Wun Wun. All die.
Jon had better hide under the dumpster when that cavarly charges at him.
Dee Stark,
Lyanna_Targaryen,
Lord Parramandas,
Watch this video and replace the word HATE with HYPE:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PFkAAvDkj9k
Yessss … tommorow:
Game.of.Thrones.S06E09.HDTV.x264-HYPE[HBO]
Game.of.Thrones.S06E10.HDTV.x264-INSANEAMOUNTOFHYPE[HBO]
You know you want it as much as i do…… 🙂
Bryan,
Look again! It’s a bastard sword. And you can see the wolf’s head on the pummel.
Mihnea,
I think that Jon turned back to see the Vale army coming to join them. And, he seemed quite surprised as we all will on Sunday/Monday, in Europe.. Not for a second I believe it’s the Bolton’s army. Refuse to be pessimist. No no. Jon is winning this one.
Apollo,
I know right! This pic makes it look as if he is about to be destroyed. Hope it is one of those misleading pictures they like to release.
dragonmcmx,
Either plot armor or deus ex machina last second reprieve. Otherwise that would be certain death for GoT’s Jesus.
You guys are right, I was only thinking about the attack on the wall and when he smashed the guy with the crossbow in the attempt to save John Snow. He’s going to take 100+ arrows and die valiantly like his kin in the attack on the wall.
Nerdy unrelated question. The last couple of episodes, they have been making a big deal about how rare valerian steel is. Yet the blacksmith at Winterfell had some laying around so that he could make needle? Also, wasn’t the dagger that stabbed Bran VS?
Tycho Nestoris, Mihnea, Flayed Potatoes,
Aaah I see, thanks guys it all becomes clear now. Superhero stories do nothing for me and the only Batman stuff I’ve ever watched is the rather camp 60s one. Although I see this is clearly a documentary! 😉
Mihnea Mormont banners are in there too. They should just set Lyanna M on Ramsay, he’d surrender in seconds! 😀
Jack Bauer 24,
Not if they’re flayed and burned, and not if she herself dies (though I don’t expect her to because she told Arya they would meet again, and she saw herself walk along the battlements at Winterfell).
Anyway at this point if they resurrect any more major characters (I’m including Rickon in this category because he’s a Stark and his death would be quite significant for the plot and the characters, despite his minor role in the story), it’ll undoubtedly feel cheap as hell to most viewers.
Needle is not Valyrian steel, never was. Only castle-forged steel.
The dagger was Valyrian steel though. There are quite a few VS weapons in Westeros, just most of them not swords. I can think of at most 10 swords. The rest are daggers, axes, and such stuff.
Needle is not made of Valyrian steel. Littlefinger’s dagger is but it seems to be missing and forgotten.
selena,
I sure wish these posts had a “like” feature!
Lets be honest, Jon lives.. After which it would be cool if Jon made his own house offshoot. White Direwolf on a field of black. House motto:
“Winter came”
“Slay the dead, protect the living”
“Fierce hearts and wild love”
“Climb the wall”
“Sword in the darkness”
Any thoughts on a banner or motto?
Everyone is assuming Ghost will die in the battle, mainly because that’s about all the direwolves have gotten to do on the show. However, he shouldn’t even be at the battle. If he is I guess we’re just suppose to believe he’s been with Jon ever since they left Castle Black even though we haven’t seen him since Jon’s resurrection. Having him at the battle would be stupid on Jon’s part to begin with as it’s a guarantee he’d be killed with all those archers and spears.
It’s hard to not think Wun Wun will be done done. The last giant, none of his own kind to live for, sacrificing himself to aid the only ones left that care. Will they take the first real opportunity to do it or will they save him for the big series finale? I think it would be wiser to save him for the REAL war.
Maybe they can even let Wun Wun live through the end. He could work at Tyrion’s “Imp’s Delight” vineyard. Best buds like
You mean….how are these horsemen not going to be trampled by Jon? 😛
John No,
Needle isn’t Valyrian Steel, nobody alive knows how to make it, and only a handful of smiths know how to rework it.
The dagger that was used to attack Bran is Valyrian Steel, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t rare. It’s just one of the 12 or so blades that we know to be made of VS (from the books, because I think the show has only had about 5 VS blades mentioned).
“I know where to put it!”
John No,
I don’t where so many people got the idea that Needle is Valyrian steel. It is not. Needle is castle-forged steel, that is all. Jon tells Arya it is sharp, but ‘sharp’ does not mean Valyrian steel.
Wonder if that’s the Vale charging Jon? ???
Mawk,
History has a way of repeating itself, albeit with some differences. It’d be beautiful timing if Howland does show up, not just to add to Jon’s force, possibly to step like he did with Ned. This feels close to the right time for Jon to hear some news, after winning this battle.
If Benjen arrives, even more brilliant! Not that that’s likely at this stage. But, GOT has this way of transporting people. (Refer LF’s speedy movements.)
For some stupid reason, I’ve had this strange feeling of unlikely allies showing up. Don’t ask why or how, it’s just a weird feeling.
Needle is “castle forged steel” not Valyrian. Just probably a little nicer than ordinary steel. 🙂
And yes-the dagger that stabbed Bran was VS. I’m not sure where it came from originally-I mean, where LF got it in order to fool Cat into believing that Tyrion was stupid enough to give a poor killer a fancy Valyrian dragon bone dagger to stab her son with.
PS Where are the Manderlys?!
PPS Everyone needs to stop saying that Davos and Tormund die. Davos can’t die-he has to help gather everyone to Jon with his magical persuasion powers-he has plot armor too-it’s just hard to see atm. And Tormund speaks for the wildlings and my heart–just look at him–he’s not going anywhere.
Wun Wun and Rickon…I got nothing. Pretty sure they’ll die.
I think this is going to be one of those episodes where I’ll be screaming at the television enough, my cat will spend that hour hiding under the bed. I try not to do that to her, as she is quite the delicate flower (there have been several times when I’ve just put her in the bedroom during big games, ’cause I know I’ll be going back and forth between screaming and cheering…I guess I should put that on my pre-episode checklist for this week).
BunBunStark,
It wasn’t LF’s dagger, it was Robert’s and Joffrey stole it. The whole story LF told Cat about losing it to Tyrion over a bet was a lie, designed to make Cat think Tyrion had ordered the attack on Bran.
That dagger was last seen in episode 1.07 if I’m not mistaken, sitting on Ned’s desk as he and LF discuss what to do about Joffrey in the aftermath of Robert’s death. We also saw Ned packing it in episode 1.05 when he was gathering his things, preparing to return to Winterfell, before Jaime attacked him.
So basically Ned was intending to keep it, apparently. I assume it’s either still in KL, or possibly in LF’s possession if he took it following Ned’s death, or maybe it was returned to Winterfell with Ned’s remains.
My poor wee brain can’t cope with the not knowing! I’m going to rewatch every episode from S01E01 to S06E08 just to stop myself from fretting over TBotB and who will survive.
That photo of Kit…. *purr*
And if I looked like Sophie, I’d be one very happy girl.
TOWER OF JOY REVEAL!
John No,
That dagger belongs and was returned to LF, down in KL, during 1st season.
Markus Stark,
Ice was melted down into 2 swords, one given to Jaime who gave to Brienne. Does Tommen have the second one?
TARDIS
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH GET HYPE!!!!
Kit and Sansa look INCREDIBLE. Everything looks epic and incredible and is it Sunday yet?!?!
I too thought initially that charging cavalry picture was Jon facing his own army, but I don’t think that’s it. Still, from the trailer and the pictures, the Stark forces charge almost haphazardly, or totally enraged – or at least, they charge first (?) which is ill-advised for the smaller force. Obviously Ramsay is playing his “games” with Rickon, that’s the only thing I think that can make Jon lose his head like that.
I think Jon and Sansa obviously live so please oh please oh please oh please don’t take Tormund and Davos from us.
(my only point of disgruntlement was that for all the speculation that episode 9 was all the North to make up for not being in episode 8, now we have to see MORE Mereen? What is the point, Essos feels so inconsequential, and the acquiring/burning/reacquiring ships plot is just lame. It’s too early in the story to be totally over Dany’s story right? )
Fienix,
House Umber Red Banner with four gold chains linked by a central ring
RG,
The books explain the origin of that dagger, but I really doubt the show ever will. They had the opportunity to a couple times in Season 4, and they passed on it. Anyway it’s not a spoiler at this point, but I’ll spoiler code just in case some Unsullied here want to read the books at some point.
All of the pictures + the trailer hint at an epic battle, but I think that this will not be one without cost. It would be a cheap stunt if – in their most epic battle yet – we didn’t lose any more named characters. D&D said that in Watchers on the Wall, they specifically killed off Grenn and Pyp so that the viewer would understand that the battle had very real consequences. In Hardhome, I think that is why we got so much Karsi – so we would have someone new and notable to root for (but who would ultimately see go down so that Jon, Tormund, Edd and the cool new giant they introduced us to could live, but we would still see a cost to the WW battle).
If we are making predictions regarding deaths, I have to say that I worry about Wun Wun. His CGI costs a lot, and the death of what seems to be the last giant (I think that in 6×07 one of the wildlings refers to their group in the Gift as ‘the last of the Free Folk’) would be a poignant reminder of the cost of war. And since the CotF seem to have been entirely wiped out, it would be another class of being removed from this world. I am also worried about Tormund – as long as he was the only wildling whose name we knew, I sort of felt that maybe that gave him a temporary protection (at least until those currently living in the North were fully united and we got to know more wildlings). But in 6×07, we were reintroduced to the red-headed-guy-with-the-beard-whose-name-I-cannot-remember-but-I know-he-was-at-Hardhome. So there is another wildling that we are familiar with. And it makes me more concerned about Tormund. When he left Castle Black, Jon had 3 key allies in Davos, Tormund and Edd, and I don’t see all 3 of them surviving this season (as much as I want them all on the show until the end!).
Jon, I think, will ultimately be alright as far as this battle is concerned. They already have Beric as an example of the price of repeated resurrection, and don’t require another. And like Sandor and Beric, his survival has a purpose. He has a greater role to play. But that doesn’t mean his survival will be apparent throughout the episode. I expect a few close calls.
I am concerned for Davos, given the prominence of Liam Cunningham in the pre-season press. The past 3 seasons this role has been given to Richard Madden, Jack Gleeson and Kit Harington respectively. And the key figure for season 1 press was Sean Bean. That does not bode well, particularly when considered in conjunction with there being a cost for the audience, and I think for Jon too.
If I had to list those I think we will lose in BotB, I would say Davos and Wun Wun for the reasons outlined above, maybe Tormund, and at least one recognizable figure on the Bolton side. Smalljon Umber, Harald Karstark, or both. I also don’t see Ramsay allowing Rickon to live. I think it is something he would want to haunt Jon for the rest of his life (however long Ramsay wants that to be). I think Ramsay will survive the battle, but not the season. I can see either Jon or Sansa taking him out, and Jon wanting to make sure that a Stark carries out Ramsay’s execution.
Markus Stark,
I’ve read the series twice and I totally forgot that! Thank you!
Edit:of course I’ve watched the series way more than that so… yeah. 🙂
RG,
My pleasure 😉 The many details and subplots can definitely be hard to keep straight !
Chuck,
In the books he definitely inherits it from Joff, so I’ll assume the same holds true for the show.
The picture of Wun Wun and co in all that mud looks like something from a music festival. In the ep9 trailer we see him pick someone up beside the Bolton shield wall the way security do when people are getting squashed at the front of gigs. The unexpected outcome is obviously that someone starts playing guitar and singing peace songs and slowly but surely everyone mellows out and joins together, like a medieval Woodstock 😀
Clob,
hahahaha great!
Okay I know they are not showing meereen but looking at the emmy submisson vfx has submitted ep 9.Now I know that the battle will have some vfx but considering all the extras that they used it will be mostly practical effects make up etc.My point is wouldn’t they submitt the episode with the three dragons in it?That’s the epitome of vfx.For example last year vfx was nominated and won for dance of the dragons and not hardhome.So I still think Meereen will be in it
Expect an appearance late in the battle by Wun Wun’s sister, Tu Tu.
I am hoping against hopes that Tormund survives. 🙁
Is the cloth on Sansa and Jon’s clock the same, just blue and gray?
I don’t know why something so small would make me flail with joy, and yet….
Where’s the profile pic, FP? Not that I don’t love the new one, but you’ll be hard to recognize now amongst a sea of Jons.
I wish my mom was cool enough to watch GoT. I have to hide my GoT obsession from her because she would judge me way harshly. I tell my girls all the time that they aren’t allowed to spill the beans, even though my car is named Snow, my phone is named Khaleesi, and my other digital devices are Brienne, Arya, and Sarella.
It’s assumed Tommen inherited it.
—
In the show there’s just been:
Ice –> Oathkeeper and Widow’s Wail
Longclaw
Heartsbane
the dagger
Written material adds:
Red Rain
Lady Forlorn
Nightfall
an axe owned by House Celtigar and an arakh owned by a Dothraki along with other swords that have been lost
Dawn, the sword of House Dayne is sometimes confused as Valyrian steel but it’s supposedly made of metal from a fallen star (meteorite).
Clob,
and brightroar
I know it wont happen, but if I was in charge of this army, I would build Wun Wun some sort of wheelbarrow/cart/spike/shield device and have him plow through the ranks like a giant high speed bulldozer. That’s a game changer.
double_trouble,
I assume you are referring to the R+L=January theory. That would make them cousins. Still weird
Clob,
Nice idea. In the books, Wun Wun takes a fancy to wine. He and Tyrion will be best buddies.
selena,
Agree. Sansa looks like ‘I told you so’ and Jon is thinking ‘we are so fooked. Should’ve listened to my little sister’.
Ginevra,
If the last shot of this episode is the Stark banner hanging over Winterfell, I will change my avatar to that.
She just figured out R+L=J (as a Unsullied), so it’s been hard trying to keep my poker face.
Sarella is such a pretty name imo.
I really hope JS gets to see how twisted Ramsay Bolton actually is
I kinda hope they gave Wun Wun a length of iron chain with a weight on the end of it (perhaps the builders have those things at Castle Black for repair purposes?) for a weapon.
WOOSH!
Bolton lines (and men…and horses) ripped apart everywhere.
Like sending a tank into a medieval battle.
In the end, you might as well, because every man (who stands their ground or isn’t busy soiling themselves in, or paralyzed by, fear) with a pike is going to be poking The Big Bad Wun when they realize, he’s real, and arrows don’t bring him down, might as well give him a weapon with which he can wipe out masses of troops before the pikes finally get to him.
Of course, Wun Wun does have the edge in that, even if he dies, when he does, and he falls down (hopefully amidst a bunch of Bolton men) *SQUISH*.
Nadia,
I’m all in for a good Battle of Meereen with dragon action and naval warfare between the masters and Greyjoys, but I wish that would have been saved for the beginning of episode 10. Or is it saved for ep 10? I have seen people saying there is Meereen in this episode, but HBO hasn’t shown a single shot from that storyline so I’m not really sure who to believe. I understand why the focus of the marketing is in Winterfell, but why would they keep it a secret that there is also Meereen? You’d expect them to give at least one promo pic of Dany or something.
Now if we can only make Missandei fight like a badass with Valerian steel, our lives will be complete.
Leading them to suspect twincest, no doubt 🙂
oh my god. can’t wait.
i just hope petyr’s going to save the day with the vale army. please?
Just you mentioning that has me almost beside myself thinking of the day we, hopefully, get to see the Stark sigil on Winterfell on the map in the opening credits, again!
Cant believe we are already very close to the end of S6…but i think those last two episodes will be big, if not the biggest in the whole series since they set up the ending of this show (Season 7a & b).
And about possible deaths in this ep…it wouldnt be Game of Thrones if not at least two major character die during this battle. The deaths i coudl easily deal with would be Rickon and Wun Wun (yes, you read that right, i think that Wun Wun can get killed like everyone else in Westeros).
The major deaths that would be nearly impossible for me to deal with are Davos and Jon.
Oh my god. The picture of Sansa and Jon is so awesome. I want it as my laptop’s background.
It’s my background now. It’s amazing.
Holy crap! I am so freaking hyped!
Just seeing the Stark banner flying again is giving me weepy feels
Anybody thought about howland reed and Co also helping save the day? If it happens I called it! He fought with ned so not out of the question. Maybe the nights of the Vale too!
LOL, Don’t have a cat, but a dog. And she comes right up to me, put her paws on the sofa and her head right in front of my face. ‘What’s the matter Mom?’ I think she will spend the hour in her crate, or maybe I’ll take some Xanax.
I’m not sure if he turns up at the battle or after – or maybe even next season (perhaps with Thoros, Beric and the Hound, who seem to be moving north?), but I think there has to be a reason that Howland was name-dropped in the ToJ flashback beyond him being Meera’s father.
Hopefully either this season or next, we will get to meet Howland in the present. We can all hope, right?!
Yes, that horse has a beautiful face.
In all the years I’ve been watching this show, this is the first time the suspense is really killing me. I’m afraid to watch, yet I can’t think of not watching. The pictures are great, Jon and Sansa do look regal, but Jon standing in front of an oncoming army makes it look like he wants to die again. And I’ve grown so attached to the other characters, I don’t want to lose ANY of them. Then I keep hearing in my head that damned phrase “But this is Game of Thrones, bitch. nyah nyah” Aaaarrrgggh
THE RETURN OF THE KING!
http://imgur.com/JatQMT9
That wasn”t a spoiler. If anyone thinks that this episode will have a happy ending for all the good folks involved they have not been paying attention.
RG,
And yes-the dagger that stabbed Bran was VS. I’m not sure where it came from originally-I mean, where LF got it in order to fool Cat into believing that Tyrion was stupid enough to give a poor killer a fancy Valyrian dragon bone dagger to stab her son with.
I believe that the story that appears to be the most likely one is that this was a knife that someone had given Robert and that Joffrey knew that it was there and he’s the one who arranged for the attempted killing in order to end Bran’s suffering because he had heard Robert say something about the boy would be better off dying than being a cripple. And yes LF said it was Tyrion’s knife in order to create discord between the Starks and the Lannisters. I think Tyrion subsequently investigated this and reached this conclusion and even discussed this with Cersei (and maybe Jamie in the books at least) at some point
Yes! a new character to love, to fill in for whomever we lose Sunday. Somebody who knows some of the history of the rest of Westeros. It would be a nice reunion for Meera, too, to get out of the ice and get home to her Dad. Plus, isn’t Howland supposed to be
The cloak Jon is wearing under his fur is the same design Robb wore.
I’m still hoping this becomes a self-fulfilling prophesy for Ramsay. Yikes, does anyone know if Iwan’s contract covers next year too?
Markus Stark,
From another website’s threads,They quoted Tyrion
“Valyrian steel blades were scarce and costly, yet thousands remained in the world, perhaps two hundred in the Seven Kingdoms alone.”
This is a list of those mentioned in ASOIAF somewhere per the thread:
Blades known to still exist:
EDIT – I see the list was previously provided
I’m sad Brienne won’t be there to fight. 🙁 would have liked her and Pod to get some action.
Generally trying to muster any interest in the Northern plot. After Aryas story being so straightforward I’m basically expecting the most obvious plot – when IMO what this story really needs is a big twist right about now.
Won’t we cheer so?
In an episode from an earlier season, Maester Luwin is trying to convince Theon to escape Winterfell and offer himself to the Nights Watch. He tells Theon about tunnels that were built that can get him past the army that has circled the castle, and allow him to get away safely. At least, that’s how I’m remembering it. The entrances to those tunnels have to be out on the perimeter somewhere. Does anyone think they will come into play during the battle? I’m casting about for anything that can save some of our favorites. Somebody mentioned recently that Jon must know the layout of Winterfell as well as anyone, and saw that as an advantage. Will it be?
Out-to-lunch,
That was one of LF’s many lies. He never owned the dagger. It was Robert’s. Trusting LF was the first and maybe the most deadly mistake the Starks have made. Really, your brother nearly kills him, you end up marrying his obsession, and you think he might not bear just a little grudge against your family.
If you are familiar with Jon’s recurring dream from the books, where he runs through Winterfell looking for someone, anyone, but finding nothing, I think that may come into play in the next couple of episodes. But I imagine that will be post-battle, if it does.
Thronetender,
Yes, I remember that. It’s a very good question. They crypts are multi-level and go on and on. Robb and Jon did play in the crypts I seem to recall but what he knows and whether that will make a difference, I’m not sure.
Of interest to me is that
Alba Stark,
But you have. It is known. HR = HS (just kidding). 🙂
So pumped!
Awesome!
By the way, there should be a caption contest for photo days like this. I’d be curious to see what everyone comes up with.
Howland has a lot of first-hand information on Robert’s Rebellion and the history of the Starks. To have him interact with them would be awesome. I also think his knowledge would fit in with one of the key themes of season 6: history is written by the victors and it didn’t always happen the way you think it did. This is not a new theme – think of the Jaime/Brienne bathtub scene at Harrenhal – but they have really been investing time in it with Bran’s arc (the reality of Ned’s fight with Arthur Dayne, the creation of the White Walkers and Benjen’s return after Jon wrote to Bran that their uncle had been lost beyond the Wall). So to have him come to Winterfell for the battle or the aftermath of the battle would work well. As someone who spent Robert’s Rebellion with Ned, Howland knows much and more about the Starks that the next generation do not. Hopefully he will share some of it. And soon!
Ahahahah, brilliant. Thanks for the laugh.
Thronetender,
I’d like that, too, if for no other reason than to hear/see more about the crannogmen.
ramses,
I noticed that, too. He makes it work somehow, just like his dad.
Could the first image be the show’s version of Stannis’ frozen lake idea given to Jon?
Those Jon shots are crazy and tormund also is awesome in that shot..
It took only 4 NW brothers to kill mag the mighty so I don’t have any hopes for WUn Win in this battle …
For some reason I can’t take davos fighting seriously… He should be staying with Mel and sansa …he is not a fighter and he admitted that himself and so he should stay out and concentrate on where he is best as a advisor …
So this effort to make him Donal noye is not sitting well with me
And Sophie us beautiful with that hair and costume..I thought they will put that one shot of Sophie in battlefield from the trailer like they did with Ramsey and Jon
and they both are a good copy of Ned’s 😀
https://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/454938821592100864/x79z7HsD.jpeg
No, but it sounds like something I’d love to read. I’ll have to see if I can find it on the net somewhere. Thanks
Plus Sansa was creeping around in the crypts, too. The bunch of them together (‘m thinking of Bran) might come up with something great. It would be nice to see them working together to save the world. Oooh, maybe it won’t make a difference for THIS battle, but maybe something in the crypts will make a load of difference when the WW come. Wow, that makes me happy, there’s still mysteries (and answers, I’m hoping) abounding in the basement of Winterfell
I don’t think meereen is going to be in this episode honestly …
Unless of course there is some great CGI and never before scenes in there which show runners trying to keep as a surprise I don’t see the need to hide them in promo and photos..and even it involved something like that I don’t think people are not going to care about.
The only thing that makes me think that meereen will appear in this episode is that if it didn’t appear then it means both Emilia as dany and peter dinklage as tyrion will appear only 7 episodes this season which will be a first for them( Emilia’s case its actually 6 if you don’t count the one second walk in to pyramid last week)
selena,
🙂 cool
Lord I’m ready!!
All the pics are jusy glorious and cinematic. That pic of Jon and Sansa is my new cover photo on FB, don’t judge me.
For all the people that have read the reddit spoilers, why’d you do it? Your viewing experience will inevitably come up short if you know every little thing.
selena,
http://mediaresources.idiva.com/media/content/2015/Jun/0.jpg
Let’s not forget when Theon rocked this signature Stark look.
LOLOLOL
A bunch more pics have been added:
http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/got/gallery6/gallery9/gallery.htm
A flayed man none,
OMG!
Hmmm, Robb wears this cloak when he’s betrayed and killed by The Boltons/ Freys. Theon wears it when giving Sansa away to be married (raped, brutalized, psychologically tortured) to Ramsay. Now Jon is wearing a similar cloak before battle. Bad omen? Nah, I’m gonna be positive and take this as a sign of forthcoming retribution.
Great photos! Do they narrow the possibilities of who is on the burning crosses?
Hmm. 2 shots of Smalljon, none of Karstark.
Hmm…
selena,
OMG. I don’t know what it is, but when I see Ned, my heart melts
Actually, there IS one of Karstark, sidling up to Ramsay. No solo shots though.
That should fan the flames of the GNC theories.
A flayed man none,
Isn’t he the one next to ramsay or am I confusing him?
Jenny,
No, you’re right. I missed it the first time.
Still…
Holy shit! That’s a lot of new photos!!!!!
My bet is that the orange banners belong to House Ryswell.
mariamb,
Not really.
Dear lord Sophie Turner
Flayed Potatoes,
Don’t fuck with the Chosen one
Those Bolton shields are fantastic.
So many Tormund pics! DON’T DIE!
And finally one of Melisandre.
I know what we’ve all thought the Davos photo is regarding for weeks now. But what if it’s to do with the aftermath of this battle instead?
Changed my mind. Orange banners are that of House Hornwood!
WELL if everyone else is doing new avatars, I might as well.
Bryan,
I think he does, the pommel is just at a weird angle.
Melisandre looks so despondent in the tent. When she accompanied Stannis on his march to WF she was sitting in the war councils and assuring him of his victory. But with Jon, she’s just there, there’s no fire in her. I thought she would’ve been looking into her fires and telling Jon he’ll be victorious and telling him about the visions of the Bolton banners falling to the ground. I hope to get some insight from her this Sunday.
I love seeing Davos and Tormund side by side. Way back in S2 when they were introduced, I never would have thought they’d be fighting on the same side one day and for Jon.
Too bad Smalljon Umber is fighting for the wrong side, he definitely looks formidable and (whispers) kinda hot.
I am so scared and so excited for Bastardbowl.
Those pictures of Smalljon, a change of sides maybe?
Umber looking like he’s having some doubts…
A flayed man none,
this is the shot from the second preseason trailer
http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/got/gallery6/gallery9/hires/11.jpg
that everyone went crazy trying to figure out who she was looking at
..most of us guessed Jon
and now we KNOW it is
http://www.farfarawaysite.com/section/got/gallery6/gallery9/hires/12.jpg
you can try to hide him HBO.. but we will find him !! 😀
Hmm, the focus on Smalljon is interesting. Hope that means he turns…
Chuck,
No king tommen has it
Just theorizing, but could the short episode description “Terms of surrender are rejected…” refer to Stark/Snow rejecting terms of surrender to Ramsey, “…and accepted.” refers to Stark/Snow accepting terms of surrender to Littlefinger?
After a difficult battle with Ramsey and with surprise support from an unexpected ally, Snow’s victorious but defeated army is left with the unthinkable confrontation with the Knights of the Vale. Littlefinger offers the Stark/Snow army a chance to reclaim Winterfell as long as they pledge allegiance or bend a knee to Littlefinger. BTW- LF would have to dispose of young Robyn.
A simple battle with a victor at the end would seem anti-climatic.
Hmmph, hot or not, if he really did go Bolton and Rickon dies, I hope he gets squished.
LOL
I expect that’s actually not so different from what Littlefinger is going to do, really.
ohh.. and I need that dress/cloak Sansa is wearing in my life..like ASAP…its GORGEOUS!
Lyanna_Targaryen,
It’s sick!
Sophie. Stop
JON FUCKING SNOW BABY
Can’t wait for his convo with mel!
I’m soooooe excited
For the first time this season I’ve watched the preview and I’m looking at the spoilerish articles too, unlike previous weeks, because I may not be able to watch the episode until the middle of next week thanks to work commitments (aaarrrrrrrrggggggghhhhhhhhh!!!!!!), so I need some hype to tide me over.
The only banners I see on the Bolton side are the flayed man banner, the Umbers’ banner and the Karstark sigil on shields.
No Manderly and no Cerwyn, even though they have both been mentioned in the build-up to this episode.
So if they’re not physically lining up on the Boltons’ side from the start, could it be them who arrive to save the day? In the past I would have said that there’s no way things can be as straightforward as Littlefinger simply riding to the rescue; there has to be some other twist. But after the narrative silliness of No-One I’m worried that it might just be that simple.
If the Manderlys, Cerwyns and perhaps somebody from left-field like the Reeds or even the Glovers turned up to wreck Ramsay’s party, I’d go absolutely hysterical.
I think there also has to be something more complicated about Sansa going behind Jon’s back. It can’t just turn out to be unquestionably the right decision. There has to be some sense that Sansa needs to pull her decision back from the edge of disaster.
Having the Starks actually win the battle with the help of other Northern Houses, but have them still end up losing in a way when Littlefinger turns up with a fresh and fully armed army to try and press a claim to Winterfell would be a nice twist.
And it’d give Sansa an opportunity to prove that she can play the game of thrones by pulling things back from the brink.
Watching that preview though… when Tormund looks scared, you know that things are serious!
Those new pictures are amazing.
I notice lots of shields with the Stark direwolf emblem on them and also Jon’s horse has a direwolf patch on its chest. That’s in addition to all the Stark banners. Just where exactly did Jon & Sansa acquire these things, because Houses Mormont, Hornwood, and Mazin are providing and carrying their own house sigils. I would love it if there are actual Stark soldiers who survived the WOT5K’s and they made their way to Jon & Sansa’s side before the battle. But mostly likely, this is something we’re not supposed to notice or question and won’t get an answer for.
Thronetender,
I found this quote from Jon:
“I don’t even dream of Ghost anymore. All my dreams are of the crypts, of the stone kings on their thrones. Sometimes I hear Robb’s voice, and my father’s, as if they were at a feast. But there’s a wall between us, and I know that no place has been set for me.”
In retrospect, it could be read to indicate that Jon was not going to die and join them at the feast, in the Stark’s version of Valhalla, or maybe something else or maybe nothing at all. But he does have constant dreams are they are mentioned in several of the books. Again, I think this is probably a book-only item.
Weeee! These photos are amazing! That photo of Jon on the ground with men on horses charging… kinda scary for this fan.
I can see HBO has carefully not included a photo of Rickon.
Davos’s horse have very expressive eyes.
Lyanna_Targaryen,
Yeah I kept replaying that. Wish the closed caption would have worked; I slowed it but still had trouble making out some of the speech. But it looks splendid! ewwww I have goosebumps (an I am so not a battle person,its odd for me to want to see it!)
I think the thing I’m most excited about is that we’ll also likely get the full version of Ramin Djawadi’s new theme for Jon & the Starks
It’s basically the new “The Wars to Come” which featured when the Boltons ride out and destroy Stannis.
Here’s where we’ve seen it so far:
– Jon being resurrected (credits): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0V82HAhYJc
Also this particular tune when Theon and Sansa run away from Winterfell is particularly awesome:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WtX_k4auee8
I sure hope we get both.
Dallas,
Last episode was my least favorite, but in general this season has been splendid. And GOT does have great luck with battles. So I am optimistic. However this week I am not going to speculate. Just going to let the story play out.
BunBunStark,
Funny I had the same thought – “who on earth is flying the Stark banners?”
aabe,
Is that you, Lady Crane?
Goodness! I love this extended “unofficial” episode 9 trailer! That music in the end…Ahhh!
There is one big catch with this explanation, that is the assumption and speculation that Tyrion gives about the assassin.
The problem is, Tyrion does not really know or understand the full extent of Littlefinger’s plots. I think Tyrion’s speculation is wrong.
I think this is all on Littlefinger. I dont think it really matters who the dagger belonged to. Joffrey hated commoners, that assassin was a commoner, where would Joffrey have negotiated with him? If he did arrange for Bran to be killed he would have used someone else like the Hound or Meryn Trant to arrange it for him. And it is doubtful that anyone would use valerian steel, or just give away such a dagger, even an idiot like Joffrey.
I think Littlefinger was the one who sent the assassin, he was properly bargaining on him being caught. It was all perfect for his plans, he did have spies or people who was working for him in that King’s party that went to Winterfell.
I think Tyrion is wrong.
ash,
I also don’t want to speculate and let things revealed to me scene by scene by scene. That’s why even though I’ve watched the trailers tens of times, I don’t read the comments there. Too many spoilers, I expect!
Sam,
Yeah I’m not speculating either! I usually don’t speculate too much
More surprises!
The pictures looks really amazing, I can’t wait until this episode! These are easily my favorite post pictures for an episode, for this season.
I only wish that the forces behind the Starks and the Boltons were more equal. If they wanted to show a true and proper battle it would be better and more realistic if the forces were more equal. The Starks are so far outnumbered that it almost becomes ridiculous.
Even if the Vale has to turn the tide, the Starks don’t have to be so outnumbered.
Dolorous Methuselah,
Which is another example of LF betraying the Starks even if indirectly: this lie caused Cat to capture Tyrion and bring him to the Vale. When the Lannisters heard that, they blamed Ned thinking he gave the command.
The Stark army looks ferocious, but also badly outnumbered.
But you never know when the Rohirrim will ride in to save the day…
This is going to be one heck of an episode.
ash,
Ugh. That weasel. He needs to die in the hands of a Stark. Preferably Sansa’s.
Queenofthrones,
Why wouldn’t they be there? Unless they are with Sansa to keep her safe
Dee Stark,
More fun that way! 🙂 3 days and 22 hours to go! A girl is becoming impatient.
Thronetender,
I think Bran, Rickon and Osha used those tunnels to escape from Theon. I’d bet Jon would know. Interesting, good idea.
Boudica,
As I recall the previous threads, when Joffrey gets Widow’s Wail, he makes some mention that he was familiar with Valyrian steel. In the books at least, that is when Tyrion comes to the realization that Joffrey was the impetus and Tyrion also realizes due to something Tyrion says (and I forget the conversation) that Joffrey knows that Tyrion knows and that worries Tyrion. I think they cut that for the show. Hence the thought that Joffrey was behind Ser Mandon Moore’s attempted killing of Tyrion.
Until I read through all the threads I too thought it was LF. He had arranged for Luwin to recieve the box with the Myrish lens and the message to Cat was hidden in the box (unlike the show where there is a rider – of course in the books it would have taken many weeks for the rider to get from the Eyrie to WF but in the show it’s a hop, skip, and a jump). So if LF arranged to have that box delivered why couldn’t he have also arranged the attempted murder.
And you are right, that was all Tyrion’s interpretation. In the show I believe Cersei essentially agreed that it was probably Joffrey. Again, my memory is not great on this.
ash,
They came back out the entrance. Remember Hodor had to push and push to open the door to the crypts after WF burned. They stayed there but they did not use them to come in or out of WF as I recall.
Dee Stark,
That man is PERFECT
This is properly what you are looking for:
BunBunStark,
Ive thought about that as well. Its not like they would have them stored for a new Stark army – once the Stark soldiers were dead they probably melted it all down and reused or recycled it. I also want to know where Sansa is finding the material and time to do all this sewing and leatherwork! But yeh, we aren’t really supposed to notice that. Just happens.
Umber looks like hes having second thoughts. Good, hope he feels salty when realizes he picked the wrong dog in the fight. I wish he would change sides in middle but we know wont happen. Fycking Jon is so brave and majestic. The king that is promised. Tormund i love u plz dont die. Its cool seeing him and davos side by side.
Dee Stark,
Yeah I think we speculated enough last week to cover several seasons 🙂
Darkrobin,
Ah, thats right. Thanks
Some fantastic portrait style photos in there
Plus the Army formations and of course JS on the ground
Elephant in the room of coure is Davos with the remains of a funeral pyre…
Am curious to see what Mel can do with respectto impacting the battlefield
Wow….Awesome photos…..cant wait! Go Wun Wun you good thing
dragonbringer,
Lots of interesting stories within the wider story concerning the bannermen
Eg Umber and Tormund, Karstark and Jon/Sansa etc
Great to see the Stark banners out once again
Read your History son. Many battles and wars have been won against all odds.
It takes a lot of heart, courage, brains and sometimes a little luck but it’s not impossible.
Hey I just recalled something regarding the new hound-brotherhood alliance. Back in season 1 pre BwB and when Beric was still on his first life, he was sent out by Ned Stark to apprehend The Mountain for crimes committed in the Riverlands. May have already been brought up in previous posts, but wanted to throw it out there anyway.
The fact that Littlefinger send a rider to deliver that box, is the suspicious thing to me. If he can do that, then he can also arrange an assassination attempt. And Joffrey’s other example of a planned assassination is when Ser Mandon Moore tries to kill Tyrion. Although I can’t remember if that is the case in the books. Personally I think in the books it is more likely that Cersei tries to murder Tyrion. Joffrey isn’t exactly known for his subtlety and planning.
The interesting thing about Bran’s attempted assassination is that everyone within the Lannister group suspects the other one, but no one admits to the act. Which also makes me think that it more likely that Littlefinger is behind it. It stokes the fire between the Stark and Lannister feud, but at the same time the Lannisters are unsure about each other.
But who knows, I wonder if we will get a straight answer to this.
THE BATTLE OF THE BEARDS……………
Serious spoilers here. Something about the look on Smalljohn’s face, makes me wonder again if
Is kind of looking like this will be a full North episode.
King Podrick,
Son? The Stark side is billed as unprovisioned, unquartered, unhorsed and untrained (as well as outnumbered). No, it’s not impossible, it’s been (over)hyped as such.
The new photos look great! E09 will certainly be an EPIC in all respects 🙂
One thing I’m surprised about and that no one has commented on – Will be Davos’s reaction on finding the place where Shireen was burned at the stake? Perhaps he will find the wooden stag he gave her as a gift lying un-burnt in the ashes?
He’s no fool and will probably suss out the reason he was sent to Castle Black was to get him out of the way so that Stannis (under Melissandre’s influence) could sacrifice the Princess Shireen.
In the HBO E09 trailer just after the scene with him standing at the place where Shireen was burnt, there’s a quick image of Davos with a looking of ‘knowing’ that says it all! This doesn’t bode well for Melissandre 😮
One of Roose Bolton’s 20 good leeches,
I love that every beautiful pic is compared to LOTR…speaks volumes of both 🙂
Those pics are more than what my heart can handle!!! Can’t wait till sunday…
Yeah, I do know some history, and it is true a lot of battles have been won by outnumbered forces. But there is usually some reason for this, like some clever tactical advantage. Usually the commander of the outnumbered forces will use the lay of the land against the opposing side, or the terms of engagement. The Battle of Agincourt springs to mind, if I am thinking about feudal warfare.
I hope this is what happens in the show, it has been mentioned a few times that Jon Snow knows Winterfell.
But I am not seeing that from the pictures, it just seems like the Wildlings are charging randomly. Like I said I hope we see some better plan than just charging freely against the Bolton forces.
Boudica,
GOT has history of underdogs surviving against larger forces until help shows up..
Battle of Blackwater and NW vs Wildings ..in those cases the help was a surprise (no one knew Stannis or Tywin would join the battle) but this time it isnt going to be so much “is the vale going to fight” but “whose side are they on”
Mawk,
Unless of course they kill him and he stands back up again without the magic. That would be a twist.
Assuming the Stark forces prevail, I am looking forward to seeing all of these turncoat Northern houses (Boltons, Umbers, Karstarks, Glovers, Manderlys?) get their due while the wildlings, Mormonts, Hornwoods, and Maizens get elevated in their place.
If ppl are going to be quoting this we should fix the spell check issues. “ere the sun rises.”
Sorry. It was bothering me. I always thought it was a “sore day”. So I had it wrong too.
Oh my shit, I agree!
I don’t begrudge any of the houses that abandoned House Stark after the Red Wedding. The North had some really bad management going on. Love you Robb, Catelyn and company but you sunk your own ship.
What kills me is Smalljon turning over Rickon. Dammit. Even if the Umber army turns last minute, I just won’t be able to shake it. It’s like Jaime with the Bran push. No matter what turn they make take for the better, I will always go back to it and I will always think less of them.
(*Though I have forgiven The Hound for the Mycah thing because…shit, it’s Sandor and he is my baby!)
The pictures are incredible. I am super pumped and super worried. Not for a loss but for who we might lose. Davos? Please no. I can accept Rickon and Tormund, both would hurt a shit-load, but Davos deserves is such a brilliant character. He is that solid, trust-worthy right-hand man that every great leader needs. Jon needs him.
I love that shot of Sansa and Jon. And Tormund. Oh…the violence is going to be insanity.
Fienix,
Umber
I hope Jon stops wearing that dead animal around his shoulders soon. It’s so distracting when he is on scene. My eyes are noticing that tail hanging down his shoulder. It also makes him look too short and like he has no neck.
I think that’s little to do with GOT. They were seiges. U can have the smaller force and prevail if u stay in your castle behind walls. This is a pitched battle, like with Stannis and his smaller forces that were defeated.
We already know meeren will be in the episode. The guy who spoiled every single episode and was correct said we will have meeren too.
I really hope meeren dont gets more than 10 minutes, because in the north we will have before battle, the battle and after battle.
Hbo in season 6 is lying to us the correct runtime of the episode. They saida last episode was 59 minutes. A f#;& lie. Not even with the opening tje credits and the recap we get 59. They are so ridiculous they are even couting recaps in this season, and even with a recap they are lying. Urghh.
I expect next episode gets at least 50 minutes free. At least.
12 minutes – meeren
10 minutes – Before battle
22 min – the battle
6 min – after battle
At least this.
Demon Monkey,
But u are right about help showing up at the last minute a la Lord of the Rings (Minas Tirith, Helms Deep). That does tend to happen.
selena,
Actually, if Vale is coming to “rescue” Team Stark, it’s still the same as the other previous major battles in that the opponents didn’t know help for the other side is coming. We, the audience, know about the Vale army but the others don’t. We’re not even sure yet if Jon and co. will know about it.
While I bet you’re right that it doesn’t end up being as clever as we’d hope, that it’s an Arya’s-gut dynamic of them getting creamed before the tide turns… To draw your judgment of that likelihood from a few pictures is a bit absurd, no?
Maybe and maybe not. Melisandre did burn Shireen and she was the one who pushed Stannis to burn Shireen, but the final choice was always with Stannis. Davos might hate Melisandre, R’hllor and her influence, but Stannis was always the one who give the final word. Stannis was the one who sent Davos away.
Davos is a very logical man I am sure he will come to that conclusion.
Mawk,
Unless of course he comes back without intervention.
Is Ramsay wearing Shaggy Dog?? ?
I hope Littlefinger does not come to their rescue. If he does then it’ll make things really bad for everyone involved. LF is an extremely dangerous person to have even as an ally. What’s stopping him from manipulating Sansa and killing off everyone else in the process? He doesn’t believe in the White Walker threat. He just wants the North, which means getting rid of Jon and all of his supporters. He still has some influence over Sansa.
I am also a fan of all the LOTR references in this thread. With the story nearing its end it is getting a bit more mythical / epic in the medieval sense. The hero of unknown origins who is the descendant of kings, like Aragon. But GoT being GOT, this could go differently. And of course I hold to the theory that Dany is the PTWP. But however it turns out, I’m so excited to see. It may take another year or two, but we will finally know how the story ends. And then in another decade get to read the “original” from GRRM. What a treat!
Please no. Where did u get this idea?
Yes, that is exactly what somewhat of the problem is. The Starks are heavily outnumbered, and Sansa has forwarded the letter to Littlefinger. It is very obvious that the Vale would have to bail them out. It is all very repetitive.
The Starks did not have to be so completely outnumbered. If they wanted to show a true battle then it might have been better if the forces were more equal. In that situation the Vale could still arrive and swing the tide of the battle, it would just be more realistic and less predictable, since they have followed the same sequence of events with every big battle up to date.
But it is what it is. Everything still looks awesome.
SaveTheWolves,
He most definitely is! That sick sonofabitch!
It did make me question who Sansa was wearing though. Hmmmm…
There’s a whole lot of staring each other down going on. That’s for sure.
Of course LF and the Knights of the Vale will ride to the rescue. What’s to stop him from just wiping everyone out? A lot of things, including the attitudes of the Vale Lords, but mostly Sansa. My primary guess is that he will want to marry her, and she will agree…and then kill him in E10, when she learns how she betrayed her father.
The battle itself will have its up and downs, with Team Stark looking hopeless, then some betrayals and double-crosses giving a bit of hope, and then back to hopeless, before the Vale army shows up and crushes Ramsay’s forces. It will be over quicky after that.
Yes, that would be a bit presumptuous, but I am not just drawing my judgement from the pictures alone…
DireWolfHeart,
ohhh that me tear up :”)
Is it? Could there not be another option? Nothing points this direction, but it possible that another army who now has time to spare could swoop in from the South and charge them from the back. Maybe Jaime made a promise to Edmure that if he would forfeit Riverrun he would ride North to help the Starks (assuming he kwew what was going on there via Brienne, and considering the Boltons kind of screwed the Lannisters).
Far fetched, but I would love to see the Lannisters join things up North when the Walkers come.
But then it would not have made much sense for the Boltons to be able to keep Winterfell for such a long time.
ash,
That’s how crazy and deluded LF is. He directly caused the death of the woman he claimed to love. Obviously he wanted to get rid of Ned, but what he thought was going to happen to Cat after taking Tyrion hostage and all that? I despise this guy character and everything. Some people act like LF is some genius. He’s just a sociopathic liar.
He is actually wearing the exact same skin as Ned Stark. Someone posted a picture of Ned Stark above and I realised it was the exact same unfortunate animal. I guess that is recycling for you.
Not sure what you’re talking about but “No One” was 58 minutes and 19 seconds without the previously on segment. Seems like 59 minutes is close enough.
Jeeze. With these new pictures, my hype is in overdrive. I may have to step away from all things GoT till Sunday (not likely though). 🙂
Tormund riding a horse and looking as proud as any prince with a Stark banner flying right behind him. Ok, it just doesn’t get much better than that. I do hope that all those great pics of him doesn’t mean he going to be a casualty though.
One thing I noticed that I’m not sure has been mentioned (hard to keep up with the nearly 500 replies – that’s gotta be close to a record):
In the two pictures of Davos on horseback he is dressed slightly differently. In the solo one he has some armor around the neck (I know there is a name for that). While in the one with Tormund he just has crossed leather straps.
I know it may be something as simple as one was before the battle or maybe even at the old Stannis campsite. But I’m hoping the one with Tormund is after the battle and they are going to accept the surrender of Winterfell. The trees in the background do look pretty much the same in the two pics.
BunBunStark,
Jon is not supposed to wear the Stark sigil on his person actually. The only thing he actually is able to do is carry the flag in battle. I can see why the show does it and I guess under the circumstances, who would object?
BunBunStark,
Jon is not supposed to wear the Stark sigil on his person actually. The only thing he actually is able to do is carry the flag in battle. I can see why the show does it and I guess under the circumstances, who would object?
Mihnea,
Definitely Cerwyns I would think. Maybe Jon will talk about who else has joined up pre battle
Jon’s the same though. We see him in full gear, then without his cloak – and in one pic (the top one) he doesn’t have his sword belt either. I think it’s just that they have their heavy stuff on prior to the battle and sling things off for fighting.
(unless the “game “Ramsay’s referring to is actually strip poker!)
The Lannister’s are a bit far away, and Jaime did say that he wanted to get back to Cersei. The Lannister’s wouldn’t want to help the Starks, even with the Bolton betrayal, the feud runs to deep. It would take some extraordinary circumstances.
I think Jaime might go North if Tommen dies or something like that happens. He might blame Cersei, and he might decide to abandon her and follow Brienne. The Starks also have no reason at all to trust Jaime. But I could perhaps see Jaime going North in season 7.
After the Tully and the Lannister forces there isn’t much else except the Vale forces who were conveniently stationed at Moat Cailin during episode 5.
They were afraid of the Boltons especially Roose, but at the same time they also knew that Roose was not a terrible overlord. Roose had a better understanding of politics then Ramsay. Ramsay flayed a Cerwyn who didn’t want to pay his taxes, but we have also heard that Roose actually helped the Glovers to reclaim Deepwood Motte. Roose was not completely unacceptable as the Warden of the North.
But Ramsay is completely different, he is really unstable. There is no way that he would help any other Lord during the winter. They have more reasons to get rid of Ramsay now that he is in control of the North by himself.
Demon Monkey,
His cloak in the battle pictures above!
John,
One volley of arrows from all those archers should stop that threat real quick
No because unfortunately Shaggydog is currently a throw rug on Ramsay’s floor. 🙁
Fienix,
Umber
Boudica,
About the support up North: You have a point, there.
About the Lannisters joining: Just my imagination running wild here. Though being far away has never been mich of an issue in previous travelplans 🙂
Bryan,
Yes he does, we are just seeing the back of the pommel, which makes the wolf head harder to discern.
Fancy word for a sellsword,
Agreed. He does have Longclaw
Says who? I don’t remember that ever being mentioned on the show. Regardless, Sansa didn’t seem to care since she stitched it onto the leather straps of his new cloak.
But that’s not what I was asking. I was wondering where Jon and Sansa acquired all the swag with the Stark sigil on them.
I zoomed in one of the pictures and noticed that a Wilding is carrying a Stark shield, and it appears other Wildings are carrying several Stark banners. I find that rather endearing. 🙂
Where in the world is Lord Manderley?
selena,
I don’t think we can get too old for “fangirling” lol!
If so I don’t care! I’m totally loving Jon Snow!?
That pic of him in front of the charging Boltons scares the crap outta me ? But I have to believe GoT wouldn’t kill him off again!!
I can’t wait for Sunday!!!!
Mostly I fear for Davos and Tormund. Cuz you know they’ll want to make us cry and furious killing someone we all love!?
kanjisheik,
On the burning cross.
West of moon,
I’m scared. We have so much invested in Jon and Sansa and so much hate for Ramsay, but it seriously looks like Ramsay will win, and it will be a slaughter. :'(
Here is my prediction
Just as the battle commences it will cut to Bran and he will see the battle about to start and go to the ToJ reveal. JS is revealed as the chosen Targaryen one, aka the Lord of Light, future Dragon whisperer, WW killer and rightful King of the North by Blood and soon to be conquest and possibly about to marry his first cousin in true European royalty fashion. To be fair it will be her third marriage and while she doesn’t like him a lot, she does what she has to to survive 🙂 He could also marry his aunt on his fathers side (good old breaker of chains, mother of dragons herself) in a stunning marriage of convenience.
When all looks grim team Team Snow will prevail
Jon will survive
Sansa will survive
Rickon will survive. Rickon is the only remaining male heir to the Stark name who has the capacity to continue the name. Bran is a paraplegic seer, whose reproducing days ended with his fall. Jon is a Targaryen and Sansa will deliver the Stark lands and history to another mans family in true feudal manner. Nup, Rickon will be left under guard at Winterfell to await a fun reunion with his sister, erstwhile bastard brother and Ramsay’s delights and emerge unharmed and ready to rule the north at the right time.
Ramsay and the other turncoats will die in a suitably memorable ceremony. The Mormonts will be rewarded with the Bolton lands and the Bolton banner will be given to the dogs.
At this point Team Stark will turn their attention to their real blood enemies, the Frays! Forget the WW and the NK. On the whole I hope a girl pays Walder a visit first. I think Walder would look good with a knife in both eyes on his knees drowning in his own blood 🙂 The Frays are a rabble without Walder to drive them on.
OK the Frays will have to wait their turn. Methinks Bran will pass through the secret tunnel under the Wall that he conveniently knows about and the NK will follow him by splitting the Wall and unleashing the Army of the Dead on Westeros at the conclusion of s6.
Haha! So funny! I’ll play along: “Stick em with the pointy end!” Or “We know nothing” Or “F$&k Olly”
Boudica, your idea of a Stark “Valhalla” was great. Thank you all so much! My take on what you guys found regarding his dreams in the books is that Jon has the feeling of not being a Stark, yet not only eternally tied to them, but being summoned by them, by some force from the past, the “Old Kings of Winter.” He’s afraid, lost “with no torch to light the way,” wanting to be anywhere else, but returning again and again to take the steps to meet his fate.
Umm, ok, since the Old Kings of Winter are summoning, I’m going to take it that he survives this battle because, for certain, he has a larger part to play. I can relax a bit now.
New episode title: Battle of the Beards
Tormund Giantsbane versus Smalljon Umber
Jon is supposed to be smart and the calm one yet his army looks totaly out of formation while Ramsey who is crazy and wild has his army in complete disciplined formation.
Why are the showrunners making Jon into a military idiot like they did with Stannis?
Both Jon and Stannis are supposed to be the “smart” ones in miltary matters.
#rantover
Just a thought. Didn’t half of Stannis’ men desert after Shireen was burned? Did they all go home? Or maybe some of them, who might be loyal to Davos, are still hanging around in the north and might get word of Davos going around trying to rally men to defeat the Boltons. Ironically then Stannis would actually kinda win the battle for Winterfell.
I’m really trying to pretend that I don’t know that Moat Cailin is impregnable from the south so long as the Boltons have it defended, making it impossible for the Vale to come north unless by ship to White Harbor, since we were apparently supposed to forget about that.
Hoyti Von Totiy,
Wildlings are know to be not so disciplined force and large part of Jon’s army are them. Rest of his army are few hundred men from other Houses and so this lack of formation is expected. This the Hollywood thing. Good guys against the bad guys, facing certain defeat to be saved by Vale. Ramsay on the other hand has Umbers, Karstarks and Boltons fully prepared, skilled, proven in battle. But also D&D love Ramsay and it’s pretty clear. Everything goes according to plan for him. I like he fights his own battles but sometimes it’s just rather convinient.
Jow Snon,
What do you reckon is going on in the pic where we see Jon looking incredulously at a person who appears to be Sansa in shadow? What sort of bombshell is she giving him there?
What do we have here? hmm
http://66.media.tumblr.com/5522977e284cdf4970965622036be8f0/tumblr_o8u9u8Gjx71tm81zho1_1280.png
Flayed Potatoes,
Who’s Bae?
Ghost? Wun Wun? I don’t know but that was my first question: How does Jon get out of the way of that????
Yep. Girl’s got one flat stomach.
why Wun-Wun does not have a weapon with which to fight ? Why he always fights with bare hands ? ! ? Imagine that he would have a sword, or an ax, or a spear … or to shoot arrows with that longbow… one arrow to Ramsay and the battle was won 90% … but we need action and heroes to die in battle, no ! ??
Fancy word for a sellsword,
Me too. I would love to be able to just ‘like’ a comment and follow discussions people have. I think I hesitate to comment because of this.
http://imgur.com/VoNhOpd Melisandre and Jon
oops didn’t notice the updated pics…
Alba Stark,
There will def be some close calls. I remember reading something behind the scenes for this set the director saying how Kit at one point goes down fighting with 5 guys piling on him. They had a code word which is something like “banana”I wish I could remember where I read this so I can get more detail now that the episode’s upon us.
ygritte,
It’s here 🙂
http://www.tvguide.com/news/game-of-thrones-jon-snow-kit-harington-banana/
James,
????
BunBunStark,
Yeah Umber is kinda hawt aint he lol. I like his voice too. I just can’t fathom why he gave poor Rickon to Ramsay. Where was the boy all this time??
ygritte,
This is a show-down in the good ol’ game of Smell The Fart. It’s huge in Westeros.
Whoa, great pics! I was trying to lessen my excitement but seeing these lol never mind, hype away. Looks like it’s going to be an hour of battle for Winterfell. The stakes have never been higher.
Thronetender,
Maybe it an over the sh
Ginevra,
Please tell me you’re joking? Something from the books? Thats not referenced in the show at all. Will magically be in the show and have meaning? Based on what? Almost 7 seasons in and idiots still take shit from the books and want to throw it in the show, even with no previous reference in the show, and call it logical? Find your baseball yet?
Ravyn,
Was bran stabbed in the show? With or without vs?
Jow Snon,
I don’t get your meaning. Why you talkin’ farts up in here? This is serious bidness!
This reeally looks like a lost cause, so as the Starks are obviously going to win this battle is going to be through some Melly’s dark magic or a Littlefinger ex machina.
My money is on the latter.
Halfman,
Ah there it is! Thanks 🙂
dragonbringer,
Haha. Why would anyone fight if they know they would lose then? Why is Jon going into a battle outnumbered? You lost a lot of lunch money didn’t you? Or maybe not because you decided to stay on the sidelines. Weak.
OT was just watching a movie The brothers Grimm and all of sudden a familiar face pops up, Lena Headey but with natural dark hair and about 10 yrs. younger . There are many attractive faces in GOT but for me she’s the most striking. Wouldn’t mind going through life with that face lol.
brermike,
You have previously on, the opening that shows where we will be in the episode and the ending credits. Thats 6 minutes or so. Do the two latter ones not mean anything to the running times?
Hoyti Von Totiy,
Ramsay may be crazy but he isn’t dumb and he has been depicted several times as being a clever strategist. No reason to think he wouldn’t have this battle well planned out.
ygritte,
Loved her in 300 as well!
They left Meereen under attack last episode so I wouldn’t be surprised if they follow up on that in episode 9. They could hold it to episode 10 but they have so much to cover in that episode (Winterfell battle aftermath; Kings Landing; Bran and the Tower of Joy conclusion) that it makes sense to follow up on Meereen this week.
If Meereen is going to be in this episode HBO should release at least one photo indicating that because right now they are giving the impression that this will be an all-north episode. Just imagine the howls of outrage that will come from certain sections of fans if they think this is all-north and suddenly Dany and Tyrion appear!
The fan made clip was brilliant. I agree. HBO should hire him/her. I’d sign up for that.
Hoyti Von Totiy,
Not to mention to Fat to sit upon a horse. I’m hoping out lord of Manderly will appear and undercut Little Fingers attempts to gain the upper hand.
That new picture of Jon on horseback with the Stark banner behind him is what dreams are made of.
I’m really looking forward to seeing Ramsay’s and the Bolton soldiers’ reactions to this one guy in the enemy army being like 20 feet tall. I feel like it will be the Game of Thrones equivalent to those elephant thingies from LoTR: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q1uhAz9_v9A&t=27s
If something bother me on those photos it’s the lack of the snow. There should be more snow around Winterfell, or not, I don’t know. The strange thing is, there is a lot of snow on the trees and almost none on the ground … If they had problems with making CGI snow, they should return to Iceland like they did in season 2 and 3 … or remove snow from the trees, because it looks awkward to me … And there was cold enough around Winterfel, maybe it would be time to remove green leafs from the trees too? I’m just confused …
Also, I like how Smalljon is literally wearing his sigil.
Yeah, (hangs head and sighs) I did that, and I used to be like you and snort with contempt at posters who would grasp at such straws from the book and try to jam them into the show storyline. But, at this point, I was searching for any solace for my fear that Jon was going to get killed again.
As a result of my question about the secret tunnels beneath Winterfell, some readers were really alert to the connections to Jon’s dreams, as rendered in the books, and kind enough to find the passages that told of those dreams, something I hadn’t heard about before. The passages were so interesting to read. I took their references to him being summoned by The Kings of Winter as confirmation that he was going to make it to the battle with the WW. I kind of already knew that, but seeing those tragic looks on his face in the above photos, my heart fluttered in need of reassurance.
I figured that even if the dreams weren’t actually referred to in the show, the writers are still following GRRM’s basic guidelines, which means that, one way or another, the summons will be answered, and Jon will be with us a while longer. So, the straws can be dropped and I will sleep a tad easier until Sunday. You can allow that, right?
The fun part about Hardhome was that no one expected it to be what it turned out to be. We’d heard there was going to be a wight attack, but the scale was nothing (at least I) imagined. I had no big hype for it, and it blew my expectations out of the water.
I’m worried about hype levels for this episode. Even if it’s as good or better than Hardhome, people are expecting SO much. It’s going to be amazing, and I really hope I’m not let down because I’m expecting it to be more than amazing, building it up in my head to an impossible level.
Of the episodes this season, I’m trying to avoid as much as I can this week about the battle. Hope I’m not let down, because it looks so freaking good…
What if the big twist will be at Meereen, with a shocking death?
So HBO is trying to hide it and surprise the crowd!
”Do you like games little man? Run! Or don’t. Your choice.”
*He’s running to Jon*
*Arrows rain on him*
*He dies*
Jon goes mad and charges. His army as well after him.
Flayed Potatoes,
In that picture Jon’s horse has a Stark sigil on its leather harness. So is seamstress Sansa branching out into tack gear now?
Corbyn Stark,
LOL! A ruse?
Sunshine,
I agree. Unless Melisandre magicks some of the snow away.
Thronetender,
Wow. You are, without a doubt, the only person to actually change my mind and make me change my thoughts. I’m with you. Just because it’s in the books and not the show, there could be a connection between the two. Neither mediums are finished. I do apologise for being arrogant and an ass. And I do hope you’re right. That would be awesome.
Dolorous Methuselah,
I think the neck armor you were referring to is called a gorget. Good catch on the different garb for Davos, there.
ygritte,
Jon, of course.
I am definitely looking forward to this episode. If they focus on the battle, the only possible way it could be disappointing is if they resolve it with a tired LOTR-style last-minute arrival/rescue. We’ve been there twice with Tywin and Stannis, so it would even be an old trope within GoT. The cinematography in these photos looks amazing, the acting will be top-notch, bad writing would be the only way to ruin it.
Lord of Coffee,
Branding at its finest lol
dragonbringer,
Seeing Davos fight makes me worry for him as well.
Bryan,
It is Longclaw. The pommel is just hard to see.
The big error of Peter Jackson with the Battle of Pelennor Fields was to steal the victory merits from the people we did care ( Rohan , Gondor ) and give it to a “green zombies fantasy army”. They can’t make the same error here and steal the (eventual) victory merits from the north and give it to a “random” relief army (if of course) . It will be horrible. Also its ages we hear the “The North Remembers” …and if that dont find a mean now then when ? Also if Davos dont commit an homicide i will be very disappointed ! ( Sorry for my english im italian).
Why we get so many screenshots of SmallJon Umber? Is there maybe any chance that SmallJon Umber could desert to Jon? Anyway I hope there will be no last-minute-rescue of LF….
Flayed Potatoes,
I get it now lol. Duh. I never knew what it stood for but looked it up 🙂
Flayed Potatoes,
I’ve been worried too but when you think about it Jon will survive this and he needs a close advisor and Davos has now just become his hand, the man who basically brought him back to life, and I believe he’ll be by Jon’s side for the war to come. We just haven’t seen enough of these two together and it feels too soon to lose Davos. Though, he’s an older guy who admit not much fighting skill so I don’t know how he survives but…..I kind of want them to have Mel say some prayer/ritual to red god and give protection:)
Agree with this – and if they can resolve Meereen battle-wise in 6×09 then we could possibly get Meereen completely wrapped up in 6×10 with Daenerys leaving for Westeros (which then opens up the possibility of her season 7 arc opening with her arrival in Westeros, or at the very least her first scene ending with land being in sight). Her travelling would essentially be completed in the off-season and they could focus her season 7 arc on sweeping through Westeros.
Boudica,
I actually think that is how it will be set up…. but things won’t go that way.
No spoilers, just speculation.
Ramsey lets Rickon go, and Jon breaks ranks to run and save his little brother. Sadly arrows will kill Rickon, that’s the shot with Jon on his knees looking at something down.
Then the Boltons, or a part of them, charge, the picture with Jon alone, and the Wildlings and others don’t have much of a choice but to charge as well and try and save Jon.
And then madness begins.
I agree. It feels like the show is positioning Davos to become Jon’s main adviser, and we have yet to see him contribute anything big in that respect. So I feel like it’s coming. Maybe it’s just wishful thinking, but I feel Davos will remain alive and continue to be Jon’s Hand.
It won’t be Dany surrendering it’ll be the Masters when the Greyjoy ships arrive behind them as that’s where Yara said they were going.
Mihnea,
If that happens, poor Rickon’s body is going to get trampled, badly 🙁 .
ghost of winterfell,
Not if Jon stands his ground and protects him….. 🙁
Sooooo…..
Queen in the North or King in the North?
Flayed Potatoes,
In every one of these photos, he looks so sad/worried/unsure of himself, lol. Hope he snaps out of this by the end of this episode!, even though Rickon’s fate may do even more damage 🙁 .
Mihnea,
KingindaNorth !!
Mihnea,
How can he, with those charging horses!
Corbyn Stark,
I hope so !
ghost of winterfell,
Well he just needs to survive the first charge.
After that, the army should reach him.
ygritte,
ghost of winterfell:
I hope you two are right. I’d hate it if we lost Davos right now. There’s so much he could do as Jon’s hand.
Mihnea,
DAKINGINDANORF! DAKINGINDANORF! DAKINGINDANORF!
Hahaha, Yes! Last week, He’s AWESOME!!! And he was so funny with my friends and me!!! and his voiceeeee, WOW!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZgW7hWa8IU&feature=youtu.be
Dr.Faustus Trailer, Amazing play!!!
Corbyn Stark,
I am not as sure as I was in the beginning, that will have a Queen.
But it’s just a ”feeling” I have, so no no concrete information. I will see how it goes after this episode.
ghost of winterfell,
Yeah I feel like they’re setting things up for Jon to have a Hulk Smash moment because something happens to Rickon.
Also have a feeling Ramsey won’t bite it this episode but rather in the finale.
I suppose the pic where Jon is looking somewhat angrily at Sansa is the other side of this scene http://imgur.com/D0zBWMF ,which we spotted in the second trailer of season 6. http://imgur.com/jp1OFw5 Yup, sure looks like it.
My guess is, this is where Jon finds about Sansa’s secret alliance with Littlefinger & gets a bit frustrated by the constant antagonizing of his military tactics,so probably asks her to hang back at camp site for her own safety. I guess the interactions between Jon & Mel , and Jon & Sansa happen during night fall & the battle begins at first light of the following day.
Rich Stark,
It’s not like Sansa would have rode in battle anyway…
Chad Brick,
How will she learn about her father?
Beer Island,
this
BunBunStark,
<3<3
ghost of winterfell,
Mihnea,
KINGINDAfookinNORF the only one I shall bend the knee to!!!
Leuf,
As far as we’re aware, Littlefinger’s pact with the Boltons is still active.
If the Boltons have Moat Cailin manned he could perhaps convince them to let the Vale forces pass under the ruse that they have been summoned to assist in defeating the Starks/Wildlings.
Or he could use his alliance with the Boltons as a means to get a few men into Moat Cailin and take out the Bolton forces manning it.
With the attack by Stannis on Winterfell and now the assault by Jon and the Wildlings I doubt the Boltons would have spared much more than a skeleton crew to hold Moat Cailin.
Ramsay’s 20th Good Man,
I agree…
Or Ramsey simply didn’t expect a attack from the south and left MC undefended.
lalla,
Its so obvious the vale will play a part in this
whats the big deal yo?
I think it would have be UNREALISTIC if every single family sided with starks, considering everything that has happened with Robb Stark, snow being a bastard, and sansa marrying enemies.
Blackfish and his men were what, like 200? still not enough.
The vale was the ONLY option. Its been set up since season 5 (LF convo with Cersei)
Mihnea,
Queen in the North and King of Westeros
Mihnea,
Perhaps he’ll share a chopping block with Littlefinger in the season finale, after Sansa tells Lords Robin and Royce what he did to Jon and Lysa Arryn.
Sunshine,
nitpicking at its finest
Ramsay’s 20th Good Man,
I really don’t think LF will die.
But I do think, his ”victory” will be more bitter then he expects it to be.
Dee Stark,
In my opinion,
It’s no more obvious then Stannis coming at the Wall or the Tyrrels saving KL.
We all know that LF is in the North and it was mentioned several times before, so technically, that is not Deus Ex Machina. Otherwise, Stannis saving the Wall and Tywin saving KL would be DXM as well.
caliopesnow,
You lucky B 🙂 So what did he say to you and your mates?! I heard that he makes intense eye contact with ladies in the front rows. What a little tease haha. Heard the play had some very violent parts, were they shocking or did you know going in? Thanks for sharing!
Grayven Reyne,
You know the Vale is coming. And based on these photos, they don’t have them before the end. So be prepared to be disappointed
Lord Parramandas,
Agree.
Dany appearing and killing the Boltons with Drogon would be a DXM.
Maybe the blood magic from Shireen’s sacrifice is still at work…
Mihnea,
I suppose not,but I don’t think she is going to appreciate being told what to do. Besides something tells me she might show up with a certain army in tow, to watch the carnage from a safe distance.
The Real Warden of the North,
Unfortunately, he would not have given rickon away if that’s the case.
Rich Stark,
Nah, she is there with Jon right before the battle and she has no idea if LF will come.
I strongly doubt she will have time to go and find LF.
I think she will just as suprised as Jon, when they appear.
Mihnea,
Queen
Mihnea,
Not to mention that LF’s army is south of WF and Jon and hsi army is attacking from the north. So if Sansa really arrives with LF’s army, the army would have to reach her and not the other way around.
Dee Stark,
Is that what you think will happen or is that what you wish would happen?
Dee Stark,
Do you think LF will take his sweet time getting the knights of the Vale there because he wants both sides of forces to be as depleted as possible? He did mention doing something like that with Stannis/Bolton right?
Hyped for this episode but I gotta say, so glad they kept Beric Alive in the show.
Looking forward to more Hound and the Brotherhood scenes.
AAAh, sorry!!! Yes, 100% recommended! The play is dark, raw with sex and violences scenes, but with a great sense of humor too. All the cast is amazing, but Kit is the best!! I was very impressed with his performance, he totally commanded the stage!! Plus>> he was very nice with everyone at the stage door, after the play!! Kit Harington is amazing!!! 🙂
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZgW7hWa8IU&feature=youtu.be
OMG!! The new pics!! Jon and Mel scene… I can’t!!!
To be honest, I still believe LF would be needed, even if Jon/Sansa had more men.
Give him 300-500 Glovers and hell even 1000-1500 Manderlys, and Ramsey would still outnumber them quite easly.
The Wildlings, who would form the bulk of the army anyway, are undisciplined and hardly good when formations and such are concerned.
The Boltons and Karstarks are disciplined, battle harden men. They would beat the Wildlings even if they would be outnumbered 2 to 1.
How the masters will be surrounded?
Yes the Greyjoys have ships but they dont have army!
I think the Dothoraki will arrive and Dorogon will burn the masters ships
And when the Greyjoys arrive and offer Dany thier ships she will refuse because she can’t leave the city in chaos ,Quintin’s style.
I think we’ll lose someone in this battle 🙁
And please Jon and Sansa don’t fight with each other 🙁
Nick_Scryer,
It’s mostly the actor who I love.
Same with Thoros, I never really liked him that much in the books but his actor is just amazing every time he’s on screen.
Mihnea,
This is what I think will happen
As a Jon Snow obsessor, I wouldn’t mind if he was king. But as a bastard (and I know many disagree)
However, if Sansa does become Queen, I wouldn’t mind that either as I love her. Sansa haters are gonna break things hahaha.
ygritte,
Unfortunately if he does come, it wont be in the beginning, it will be after the battle has started. And lets be honest, its going to be right at the end. 🙁
The Blood of Winterfull,
If I were the masters I would surrender when I saw Drogon.
No shame in that. The Starks/Arryns/Lannisters/Tyrrels all knelt to Aegon the Conqueror. The Starks didn’t even fight him.
I don’t think the Ironborn will fight them, as much as just trap them them. Let’s also remember, without a doubt the masters ships are handled by slaves, while the Ironborn are born, heh, to fight on the sees.
I agree! I could totally see Davos as a great hand to King Jon. 😀 Also, he’s like a father figure to him now. I really loved that scene after the rez when he told Jon to make a mistake again or something like that. We need a wise man like him on this show.
I hope we see Drogon, Rhaegal, AND Viserion in Mereen. There has GOT to be a reason they were unchained. No???
Dee Stark,
What I meant to say, as a bastard, I don’t see it happening? Though whoever remains in the North would be very little haha
Corbyn Stark,
What concerns me is that person doesn’t seem to have a head either? ? I’ve mentioned this with a similar picture in the past but it still makes me giggle so I’ll say it again, the Bolton banner behind Ramsay looks likes it’s doing bunny ears because he’s having his photo taken 😀
Have we figured out who is saying “thousands of men don’t have to die” in the trailer? The bit after that definitely sounds like Jon but the first part doesn’t (to me), although I can’t think who it might be, just who it isn’t. Might even be from a different conversation altogether, certainly wouldn’t be the first time a GoT trailer has been edited in a deliberately misleading way ?
Dee Stark,
I think, if we do see Meereen this episode, will see Dany freeing them.
If not, then in EP10, when Dany, god willing, leaves Meereen.
My firstborn will be named Ramsay! Best villain ever!
Mihnea,
Didn’t Tyrion do that already? Whats the point of unchaining them and keeping them in the cave thing?
Dee Stark,
Yup, it will be 3 dragons burning shit up. Considering they were released from their chains in ep 2 itself, it’s about time they had some fun 🙂 . I expect the vfx in this episode will be mind blowing.
I have HBO NOW and I love the app and have no regrets for spending the money. I can watch episodes online, on my phone, iPad, tv (I have a Roku), makes no difference and I love it. I, like you, usually watch before I go to work in the morning as I have to be up at 3:30 a.m.:(
Dee Stark,
Too keep growing as Tyrion said?
What would they do? The dragons clearly went back in, they can’t force them out, and if they did they would have no way of controlling them, and they would have caused more problems, especially when Tyrion tried making peace.
This. I’ve been wondering since ep 2, where are those dragons? I really loved that scene when Tyrion unchained them. And then… we didn’t see them again. I have a feeling they’ll appear this episode. Goodness, this episode is going to be packed. My wish is to see the 3 dragons + Ghost (but please, don’t kill him).
Mihnea,
King in the North.. I think the show has made a point of showing that the North is NOT gonna follow Sansa.. Jon will be King.. Sansa will be Lady of Winterfell..
Elizabeth,
Ah.. good to see I’m not the only one!!
Feels really weird watching GOT at 7 AM, while eating and drinking my coffee……
I loved watching the episode in the evening much better.
I still watch it with around 5-7 friends every week when it officially airs here but it isn’t that great when you already know what will happen.
I’m seriously thinking of staying awake for this episode though…..
ghost of winterfell,
omg I cant wait!!!!!!!!!!!
COME ON SUNDAY
Who wishes the weekend to end so fast except us?
selena,
They could both rule…..but the implications are too gross for me….
selena,
But, how about Bran? Wait, are we assuming Rickon is a goner? No need to answer that. I don’t want to speculate! LOL
Mihnea,
It was not only the chains that stopped them growing though, it’s the confined space in which they were shut. The only reason I can think of for them staying in the cave was that the two dragons were just not interested in flying out without their mother? Missendei said they had even stopped eating because of Dany’s absence. And they will only come out when Dany coaxes them out.
ghost of winterfell,
Well they surely hated the chains quite a lot. And they still had room in the caverns to grow a bit more.
Mihnea,
I’d be surprised by it. But that’s why I’m hoping it’ll happen. A nice twist, out of the blue.
Mihnea,
Okay so he unchained them but they didn’t leave? or they closed the cave door? orr what?
I went back to look at that picture (because I hadnt caught the Stark symbol on the bridle) and noticed something else
Jon is sitting there looking all pessimistic and his horse is “cheesing” for the camera lol!!
Lulus Mum,
That really does have me puzzled. The whole thing is Jon’s voiceover, but the “thousands of men don’t have to die” bit really just does not sound like his voice. Then the “only one of us” does sound like Jon. So, who is saying that bit in the middle?
Sam,
hahaha that’s true. Me I am assuming he is.
Bran isn’t going to winterfell anytime soon.
I wish for tomrrow’s day to end, when I have my final exam of this year (BTW I passed the other ones from this week) so I can finally relax for three months. And in my case for TV series, I would say “Come on Monday”.
God’sdijk,
Like naming a child Adolf after Hitler? I take it you’re joking. Why would anyone want to saddle another person with a name associated with a sadist?
Lord Parramandas,
Hey, congrats on passing your exams and good luck with the next ones!
Lord Parramandas,
omg congrats! So happy to hear that. and you will do awesome tomorrow!! one more day!
selena,
I’m dying. The horse looks hilarious!
http://uk.businessinsider.com/doctor-says-arya-stark-probably-would-died-from-stab-wounds-in-game-of-thrones-2016-6?r=US&IR=T
Real doctor says Arya probably should have died from her wounds.
Dee Stark,
Yeah, unfortunately (or fortunately?), it looks like dear Bran’s destiny is to be stuck on a tree for hundreds of years.
Think he may delay relaying the info etc
But once they march it’s Lord Royce calling the shots (at least it should be), there’s the complexities of moving and managing a sizeable army that a politician/merchant doesen’t or wouldn’t understand so if LF tries to be a smartass and delay the Vale Army until a critical point he might make them late in a Walder Frey at the Trident sense
Hahaha! (Your welcome!) Yes, I was very lucky! A lot of people and GoT’s fans there, but Kit, was very patient with everyone. He took selfies, signed autographs, smiled a lot (and he must be exhausted, because the play is very hard physically and psychologically) Yes, Kit interacts with the public. He touched my knee in the play (2th row) My friends and me talked to him about the play (his thank you darling!!) my country (Spain) and his new projects, he was absolutely charming and humble! 🙂
ROFL at Jons grinning horse
Jack Bauer 24,
what does he say about healing a dragon
Yeah I think everyone knew that, she should have really screamed out when Waif twisted the knife but didn’t, hence my belief it was a Pigs bladder
Ramsay: “And now it begins…”
Jon: “No, now it ends…”
“No, now it ends!”
EDIT: I see that you already changed it.
Sam,
well, I was gonna say if he does Sansa would be regent or whatever but I guess if Baby Bear Mormont can rule Bear Island, Rickon would be in charge at Winterfell lol
Mihnea,
What I meant was, Tyrion’s reason for releasing them was that captivity hampers their growth and by unchaining them but not letting them outside, he was not really achieving anything.
Lord Shephand,
God that would be amazing.
Yeah, she would have. I was incredulous as I was watching but then she said, “A girl is Arya Stark of Winterfell. And I’m going home.” Tears fell. All is forgiven.
Mihnea,
Sansa will become Queen in the North, effectively propped up by the Vale. They won’t back Jon.
I think Jon will be kinda sidelined, perhaps creating a bit of tension between him and Sansa. He will struggle to convince people to take the threat beyond the Wall seriously, having lost a lot of his influence in the North to Sansa/Littlefinger and having lost most of his Wildling army.
This is when we will see the revelations about his lineage explored; and once Bran turns up and verifies Jon’s parentage he’ll come back into the fold, not as King in the North but as leader of the Westerosi resistance and perhaps the rightful heir to the Seven Kingdoms.
And eventually Daenerys will get her act together and turn up too.
caliopesnow,
Did he let out anything about GOT? You are one lucky gal!
Omg! He touched your knee? I would have fainted if it were me haha! You, lucky You!
ghost of winterfell,
If they would have been freed from the cave, he would have lost them.
I also think, that a big part of that scene, was Tyrions fascination, I think he truly wanted to see the dragons up close.
And they where clearly pleased to be free from the chains, they didn’t seem to want to get out of the cave.
Ramsay’s 20th Good Man,
I still am very skeptical that Jon, even if he finds out the truth, will press his claim or want to be King of Westeros.
So what’s up with that supposed “lord Fletcher” who changes sides after a rousing speech? Nothing so far… If he’s one of the lords that will appear during the battle, I’m not clear on why he wasn’t introduced earlier, in one of those scenes with the new lords Karstark or Umber.
selena,
You know, Baby Bear Lyanna and Baby Direwolf Rickon would have made a good match. A fearless bear and a wild direwolf. 🙂
Mr Fixit,
My speculation.
Me, too. Seems out of character. The only reason for him to do it is if he thinks that’s the only way he can unite the 7 kingdoms against the real enemies. But it seems unlikely.
Mr Fixit,
My suggestion:
“Fletcher” won’t be Lord Manderly, but a (former) Tully bannerman. In 6×06 we were told that some of the Riverlords rose their banners against the Freys. So during the celebration in 6×10, he will give a rousing speech and switch sides against the Freys. It is not entirely unexpected given this prelude, but at the same time it is: since they are celebrating at the Twins. Somebody had to give the Freys their comeuppance, after all. The Lannisters do not have the incentive, the Brotherhood does not have the men, Edmure does not have the men and Arya is not in Westeros yet.
The fact that his appearance is similar to Manderly is just a nod to book readers, I suppose.
Mihnea,
I think Jon & Sansa have moved their camp site closer to Winterfell,from where they can actually see the castle, judging from their expressions in the pics above,probably the same site where Stannis was commanding to dig the trenches at & lay siege to Winterfell before he was ambushed by Bolton army.
And I doubt that Sansa will be a part of the battle from the start & I also dont think she needs to seek out LF or his army,he will find her instead, with the teleportation device he is using to travel this season.
& I think Jon will be named Jon Stark by the end of this season,by the Queen of the North.
Mihnea,
Yes, this is also definitely plausible. But it would make Manderly rather lame. It is not unexpected to switch allegiances, if you just follow the victors.
Bryan,
That’s Longclaw, the wolf head is just facing away. Look at the hilt, it’s the same.
Rich Stark,
Will see, I disagree but will see shortly who was right.
Miss Stark,
Its Jon…Kit isnt using his “natural” voice when he plays Jon and has admitted the northern accent (Sean Beans normal voice basically) is difficult to get exactly right..his voice is always slightly different depending on the scene ..I have just chalked it up to Jon’s voice just be very emotive and I like it 🙂
Lord Shephand,
Mihnea,
He can quite clearly ask mel to brinh him back?
selena,
It’s really hard to keep a accent in certain situations.
But that said, it did sound as Kit to me.
GrailKing, Miss Stark,
Mmmm interesting idea. I’m not convinced it’s Stannis but our mystery speaker doesn’t sound like they have a (show) Northern accent, which is what throws me when trying to think who it might be logically. They sound vaguely familiar but not like someone we hear speaking very much. *Wild guess* could it be Yohn Royce? ?
Edit: It might be Jon obviously, and some people think it is, but the first bit sounds very different to me, not even an attempt at that accent and not much like Kit’s normal speaking voice either. We’ll know soon though squeeeeeeeeee 😀
Mihnea,
I agree, the dragons probably don’t want to come out till Dany comes for them.
Davvy,
He could, after the battle.
But will the Lord of Light answer? Does he have need of Rickon?
Mihnea,
yup.. I dont see him reaching for the Iron Throne…he willl agree to King in the North because he will need that power to fight the Nights King but I see him bending the knee to Dany to secure her help after she takes Iron Throne
Wun Wun is my best guess. I was wondering, how did Jon get himself in the way of that? And I think he must be the one who offers the Bastard Dual in lieu of the Bastard Battle, in the preview:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOzsR8Pk3TE
I mean, it’s got to be Jon or Ramsay, right? And it doesn’t sound like the sort of magnanimous thing that Ramsay would offer to do.
And so, when Jon goes forward under the truce flag to offer the dual in lieu of the battle, Ramsay attacks, perhaps after releasing Rickon for a game of see-if-we-can-outrun-the-arrows-and-cavalry.
Is it just me or has anyone else noticed that Jon’s scar has faded a lot. I think we will also see some Dany scenes this Sunday as well.
Yet that magic caused a bunch of sell-swords to run away. Because we all know that sell-swords care a lot about college-level ethical debates concerning utilitarianism vs deontologicalism, and would be utterly unimpressed by an obvious divine miracle.
Or, in other words, snow costs money, and despite a lavish budget for a TV show, GoT doesn’t have enough. Thus, October-in-Ohio-is-Coming.
Mihnea,
Sure.
But he will accept his role as defender of Westeros from the White Walkers. And if that means acknowledging his heritage then so be it.
But once the dust settles he might walk away and leave Daenerys to it.
Lord Shephand,
He is supposed to have Northern accent, IIRC, so I don’t think that’s it.
But I do fear/suspect Jon will get killed
But in such a way that does further the plot, eg what I expected to happen will happen, eg he tells Mel not to bring him back, she goes to burn him in a Pyre and then we have Shireen burning = Jon resurrected or perhaps Azor Ahai reborn
All of this would make sense in terms of a ToJ reveal set to occur in E10
This is the Jon centric episode IMO, and would link in with the NK smashing down the Wall or something, setting things up for Season 7
Thalmor,
I believe terms are rejected by Ramsay at first and then once Jon clearly has the battle won terms are accepted. Not sure if we will get Meereen or not. I hope the whole episode is in the north.
What about Wyman Manderly and the new Lord Cerwyn. Castle Cerwyn is close to Winterfell, so getting them might be a plotpoint before the battle begins. Sansa mentioned them in The Broken Man. The Manderlys I dont know about. They’ve been mentioned quite a lot this season. They were said to be the biggest house together with Karstark and Umbers. What I’m saying, is that there might still be a lot of pact-making and such, before the actual battle begins.
Apollo,
I agree about Jon being charged at. My roommate always turns way to fantasy for a response. Like maybe the White Walkers will show up and stop the calvary charge, or Melisandre will stop the charge with her magic. Seriously? I always laugh at his answers. It has to be something more realistic. We have seen Jon capable of dodging and moving well during a fight. If it is a single row of calvary he could simply time it right and get between horses as they go by. He could jump on a Bolton on a horse. It could be a shot of Jon facing Boltons but Jon’s calvary is coming to. Jon doesn’t have to avoid the entire calvary charge. Just two horses, get between them, dodge them, jump on one. I don’t know.
Chad Brick,
Dear Chad, apparently you took my comment too seriously. I can tell you that I wrote it more as a joke but on the other hand, we have no idea about the blood magic’s effects. And I think the desertion was not caused only by the sacrifice, but also by incredibly harsh conditions. I’m sure that several men were desperately waiting for the snow to melt, so they could run to safety.
You’d think that this quote would be in reference to the WW, but who knows, maybe Bran plays some part in what is going to happen on Sunday night. Maybe he means the Boltons have no idea what is going to happen. That would be cool.
The good guys, while outnumbered, have a lot of magic/special abilities on their side. At least one of those has to come into play Sunday night, doesn’t it? Bran’s abilities, Jon’s still unknown special abilities, Mel/The Lord of Light… something has to happen to help set the stage for what is to come.
Stargaryen,
The simplest explanation is that Jon’s own cavalry are only a few feet behind him and will meet the Bolton cavalry before they reach Jon.
Fienix,
Umber
I have not read any Reddit spoilers. It being GoT we can expect one, or more, of our heroes will fall.
Sorry, I think I should have worded my initial post differently.
Mihnea,
That LF scene in the woods seems like it would be from this episode? The two trailers show different angles. One just LF in the woods, the other LF standing there and the back of someone else enters the frame in the foreground. He might be trying to cut a deal before bringing in the Knights.
Or that could be LF wanting to cut a deal after the fact, when he finds out that Sansa wrote directly to Robyn and circumvented him.
TheTouchofFrost,
Yeah Rickon will most likely die. No reason to keep him alive. There is still a point that he was brought back in w/ Osha and Shaggydog. Well shaggydog didn’t come back, his head did. Osha came back for us to see her die. Just like every other character from season 3. But Rickon coming back does have a point. It helped Sansa to convince Jon to liberate Winterfell. Also, Rickon dying before the battle will help enrage Jon hopefully, maybe he will actually maybe not want to die and kick some ass.
No way Jon is dying. If Jon comes back to life only to die in this battle along with Arya’s storyline this season may go down as the worst of the series! I think Tormund makes it. Davos has almost reached the end of his storyline. I could see him dying. I thought we were told Wun Wun breaks down Winterfell’s gates? I guess he could still die but starting to think he won’t. So I am actually calling Davos will die, Wun Wun could. Tormund, Jon, and Sansa all live. Smalljon dies, Karstark dies. And my kicker – Ramsay does not die. At least not this episode.
I remember that but I thought it was an interview with Tormund and he said Jon went down under 12 guys…lol….could be a bit of trolling..:)
Dee Stark,
Always hopeful that writers will read their own work before filming it. Even with the photos as shown, a well-timed ‘betrayal’ could switch enough forces, and reverse the field. I’d cheer that.. it would fit with the North Remembering, use a plot device from bookYunkai, and be relatively new for the show.
Stargaryen,
I think Tormund is toast. Once Winterfell is taken back, the Wildlings lose a lot of their purpose. Once the WW get to the Wall/south of the Wall, what reason is there a need for the Wildlings except as soldiers? I think the Wildling story line is rapidly coming to an end.
Boston Snow,
Awesome idea! I was thinking jon some how dodges the charge. We know he can move. He jumps on a Bolton horse, maybe Jon’s calvary is charging from other side and we can’t see. If it is only one line of calvary then there could be room in between horses for him to slice at one and get out of the way.
I think Davos and Wun Wun are safe. Even though most seem to think they are both goners. Tormund is safe. He will give Jon the “I thought he was the one to lead us against the long night, I was wrong” speech in ep. 10. Sadly Rickon will be the first casualty. I believe the Vale army will swoop in the last moments of the fight and save Jon and his army from being annihilated. I think after the battle we see the LF in the snow meeting with Sansa. Where he will play his card of what his Armies allegiance will cost her. LF is not going to do this out of the goodness of his heart.
I was hoping for snow in KL in the finale, especially given the title of the episode. But with barely any snow in Winterfell as yet, it doesn’t look likely. Maybe it will be winter truly arriving in the North, in the finale?
Boston Snow,
LF is in Winterfell godswood in that scene. So it will be in the finale. He could be facing either Jon and Sansa together, post battle, only Jon or only Sansa.
hebertvargas,
The Vale
Safety where? Across the war-torn north, to boats that don’t exist?
I am as agnostic as they come. If I ever saw a Divine Miracle like that, my non-faith would be shaken to its core. The last thing I would be thinking is “Damn, after all I have suffered through, now is the time to ditch the guy who has balls of steel and the favor of the gods!” What happened on screen should have rallied his troops, not caused half of them to run away (and steal all the unguarded horses, because we-need-a-moment-of-stupidity-to-drive-the-plot hack writing).
It’s very obvious she has been shaken and changed by her recent experiences with Stannis, especially burning a girl alive who didn’t need to die. As she says in episode 3 or 4, she’ll follow Jon wherever, and so probably won’t take a commanding or leading role in his battles for some time, maybe until she’s gotten her mojo back, if she ever can.
dragonmcmx,
it could be the vale army. Jon hears a horn blow from behind and turns around to see the horses charging so he prepares himself for an onslaught, but just as they’re about to trample him, they ride pass him and head towards the Bolton army.
Jon is going to die again, isn’t he? He will sacrifice himself and go down in a blaze of glory. This time for good. All season Jon has acted like he doesn’t want to be there, doesn’t want to live, really. He’s going down.
He will have finished his mission for the Lord of Light by uniting the North and the Wildlings (if any survive) to fight against the White Walkers and their army of the dead. Another Stark will lead the North, maybe Sansa or Bran if he comes south of the Wall. (I don’t think un-Benjen can pass the Wall.)
The Tower of Joy reveal after Jon’s death will still have some impact. I’m not sure how it will play out, though. Maybe the baby is Dany?
James,
I believe Davos will find the burning pile first and then confront Mel.
I believe the Vale will show up when all is lost and the battlefield will turn crazy. Making it a battle for the north. Whichever house has more men at the end will basically be in control. I think Jon will ask for single combat at the beginning, rejected by Ramsay.
I don’t think Jon will die though. They have shown him in positions of danger and stating even if he does die don’t bring him back. Put that info in the trailer makes us all think all week that Jon will die.
When the Vale shows up Ramsay will run to Winterfell and shut the doors
. Ramsay isn’t getting a away. he may not die. But he def. isn’t getting away.
Littlefinger will win E09. He will lose E10.
Watch the trailer. There is a LF scene that hasn’t happened yet. Where is it? And who is it that is approaching him, making him looked surprised?…
Mihnea,
Jon will be King no question about it
Red Nightmare,
No the baby isn’t Dany because she was on Dragonstone when the Tower of Joy was happening. If Jon dies then finding out Rhaegar and Lyanna are his parents means bupkis! if Jon dies, Melisandre will bring him back even though he asked her not to. But I don’t think he dies because the trailer showed him talking about dying to Mel. They only do that to get us thinking he will die all episode long. Long Live Jon Stargaryen!
I’d prefer this battle not be as predictable as I think it will be (Vale swoop in at last moment). I mean, if they’re going to pull that, then throw a little twist. Have the Vale arrive at the same time as the Cerwyn’s and Manderly’s, then zoom in on LF’s surprised face. Vale from the rear, Cerwyn from one side, Manderly’s from the other, and then the Starks.
Because come on that would be awesome. Ramsay being attacked from all sides and crushed. LF not being able to claim sole credit for the victory.
The original EW article is crazy awesome! I’m not sure how I missed it. Not only does it go on and on about the best Jon-centric episode yet to come, but Kit tells an hilarious story about falling asleep on the table while Mel bathes him and then waking up frightened and disoriented, mid-scene. I bet he frightened the others, as well, who expected him dead the whole scene.
And then this story from Alliser is awesome!
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/05/05/game-of-thrones-kit-harington-jon-snow-ew-cover
I love Sansa’s dress, but honestly it’s not really appropriate to the day’s events. Miss Manners scores it 7/10
That awkward moment you realize you’ve aquired romantic feelings for a horse…
Red Nightmare,
Ummmmm
Chelsea75,
I agree. That’s why I hope some magic/special ability stuff comes into play. Mel drops a fireball on Ramsay’s army. Bran does something from afar. Jon gets captured and they put him on a Bolton cross to burn him alive, only he doesn’t burn. I’m exaggerating, but usually if an outnumbered army is going to prevail, they need an ace up their sleeve, and I just hope that “ace” isn’t as simple as LF showing up.
Gorgeous stills from Helen Sloan.
Dee Stark,
Jon will be King in the North. It’s only fitting as he will be the one to lead even outnumbered forces against Boltons who are far from popular. People in the North will admire it even with Vale saving them. Also Long Night and Jon will lead them not Sansa. Simply for all practical purposes him being King makes sense and it’s something others will do, he wouldn’t pursue it from his own will.
Tywin certainly was, but at least Tyrion did try everything to defend the city.
Stannis arrived late though, the battle was already won.
In this case they didn’t even try to gather all the houses, they just stopped because they were afraid of the weather (..really?) so they have no chance in hell to win. This is too much staged to be Littlefinger saves the day for my taste.
I would have preferred a little bit of uncertainty.
Davos should have died on the Blackwater, but he survived a mini-nuke, a concussive blast, burns, a lot of hot and cold water, drowning, etc. And still landed on a little rock, survived starving to death, and was luckily picked up by someone sympathetic.
No one complains cause GRRM did it, though.
lalla,
What other houses?
They went to those they could and sent word to the others. To go after Manderly or anyone South of WF, they would expose their rear to Ramsey.
selena,
In a situation where there’s a Northern monarch, there’s no such thing as Lord/Lady of Winterfell; Winterfell is the monarch’s seat.
Chad Brick,
I doubt it. Littlefinger will most likely end the season more powerful than ever.
lalla,
And the Battle at the Wall wasn’t won. Mance would have won no problem, he simply had the manpower, while the NW didn’t.
And Jon, just like Tyrion, will try to do his best to win.
A flayed man none,
Could you give me a brief synopsis of the GNC, googled it but every page i found was a manuscript with book passages and all lol DNR
Why are the Tully’s not coming? Because Blackfish isn’t there to lead them? Jamie intends to keep his promise, doesn’t he?
Mihnea,
HunterMac87,
There is no such thing.
That’s it.
Geralt of Rivia,
Northerner,
Jaime never promised to let the Tullys leave (or rather, he did, but the Blackfish refused that offer, so Jaime went to the alternative plan of forcing Edmure to surrender the castle).
Northerner,
They have no Lord to follow. Edmure is still a prisoner and they threw away their weapons and were allowed to leave peacefully.
Most likely they went to their homes. For them the War is over.
Because they are currently on a boat slowly leaving the riverlands?
Wouldn’t it be interesting if we actually got a real twist, like if LF actually does NOT come riding in to save the day with the Vale, but rather ignores Sansa’s plea for help?
Perhaps the Glover’s ride up, with Lord Glover exclaiming, “I won’t have it be said the Glover’s are oath breakers!!!”. Or the Manderly/Cerwyn armies arrive to turn the tide.
Which then leads to the LF scene in the forest where Sansa/Jon/or Brienne confront him for not answering her call. And he is executed while sputtering on with his lame excuses and professions of love for her and her mother.
Chad Brick,
I know what scene you are referring to. probably episode 10. He appears to be in the Winterfell Godswoods. I am assuming Sansa sends someone to dispose of him.
Yes. 2 prominent pics of Little John. Is this a D&D nugget? I was thinking that John Umber looks like a man with something up his sleeve.
Hoping for a double cross from Umbers!
#neverbenthisknee
The North is divided. Large part of Jon’s army is made up of the Wildlings while the bigger houses are supporting Ramsay. So who exactly are those Northerners who will make Jon King in the North?
I doubt there’ll be any coronations. Titles and Lordships are meaningless in the War to come and this is probably what Jon will say too.
So cool to see the Smalljon get two pictures, even if he was honest with show!Ramsay, he was a badass in ASoS…
BranTheBlessed,
they sent word to the Manderly and didn’t wait for an answer, they could have gone to the Cerwins and didn’t go. That’s two examples.
They are not even setting up some clever strategy or anything, they’re just all in the open charging headfirst. They are going to be smashed to pieces. I hope I’m wrong and there is a ruse but it doesn’t look like from the pictures.
Also, why on earth aren’t they using the red witch? she has crazy superpowers, and she’s not even on the battlefiled in the photos.
Use her flipping dark magic FFS.
Casualties: Tormund is the bridge between Jon and the Wildlings so I don’t think he’ll die. Davos is sort of the odd-man in this Northern business and I can see him die. Everyone else from Stannis’ storyline have perished.
Mihnea,
Thank you for pointing this out. Even if other houses like Manderly, Reed, or Flint wanted to meet with the Starks, it would involve getting around Winterfell, thereby alerting Ramsay.
Thronetender,
You are close but a little off I believe. There may be tunnels. Not entirely sure. Winterfell is big enough that it took Ramsay a long time to find the entrance to the Crypt in the books. However, in the show Maester Luwin basically encouraged Theon to rush out one of the gates not being guarded and ride for Castle Black. No mention of tunnels in the show.
Bran, Rickon, Osha, and Hodor didn’t use tunnels to get out of Winterfell. They stayed in the Crypts until The Ironborn were dead and Ramsey burnt down Winterfell and left. They just simply got out of the crypts and walked out.
lalla,
They waited. Jon clearly said ”if they didn’t come by now, they won’t come”, they sent word and went to recruit all the other houses. He had ample time to respond, he didn’t
Cerwyn is right south of WF, to go there, they would need to pass WF, which is impossible, while Ramsey hold it.
What powers did Mel showed that could help them in a battle. She can’t throw fireballs at them.
I do think there will be a plan, but it will fly out of the window when Rickon is brought and Jon breaks ranks to try and save him.
Eek! The video at the bottom of the article is so awesome! I kept thinking that the butthole-fingered guy looked crazily familiar, but I assumed that it was because he was with Lem Lemoncloak in the previous episode. Not true! He looked familiar because he did all of the awesome GoT character impersonations on YouTube. D&D called him up and asked him to be the first kill the Hound makes on his return. They also asked him to have his rear invaded and violated. And he agreed.
Mihnea,
Mance actually failed to brake down the gates and his giant died so they would have to climb the Wall. Good luck with that.
They eventually might have, but it would have taken them ages and a lot of assaults.
AceFreezy,
Pretty sure those are Bolton helmets though.
lalla,
Yes, Jon and the NW won the battle of CB, that day. But eventually Mance would have broke trough one way or another.
The gate would have broken, the giant only made the process shorter.
It would have taken them at most 2 more assaults.
That is exactly why Jon goes to treat with him. Either kill him and put a dent in the Wildlings leadership or agre on terms with him.
For one reason, he knows they will loose.
lalla,
He had already sent hundreds of men over the Wall further down to mount another attack on Castle Black.
BranTheBlessed,
But how many Wildlings will be left after this battle?
And since they helped reclaim Winterfell and put the Starks back in power the Wildlings would likely be granted some status in the North under protection of Winterfell.
In which case they would effectively be part of the North. There’d be no need for them to be portrayed separately as Wildlings, under the specific protection/leadership of Jon anymore.
I don’t want Tormund to die, but I don’t think the Wildlings are going to be as specific a part of the story after this season. I think their story will pretty much become lumped in with the North and eventually the rest of the Seven Kingdoms, in which case I don’t think there’ll necessarily be any further need for a standard bearer / go-between character like Tormund.
lalla,
Yeah, Mel doesn’t have crazy super powers. She can play with fire using her tricks, she has a gem that changes her vision, she needs to be banged in order to have a smoke monster, and she brought a man back to life once. Yes, crazy stuff. but she has never shown she is capable of stopping armies. She isn’t Gandolf!
The ruse is the Vale. That is the ruse. First, not all of Boltons soldiers charge the field. That fight should be somewhat even. It is the archers that help Ramsay. Once the Boltons control the field then send in the calvary to smash them. I think there will be two different battles, calvary and infantry battle. Jon Snow would be stupid to just send his army running in. Battle scenes have been great but what I like about the books compared to show is the books show strategy. We all heard everyone say Stannis is the best military mind. Yet, his strategy at blackwater – charge the mud gate. His strategy at Winterfell – create siege lines with 500 men. Seriously who is gonna besiege winterfell and win with like 500 men? don’t call a man a great military mind over and over and over again for him to look like an utter fool once the battle begins. I hope there is some tactic and strategy involved in this battle other than CHARGE.
Stargaryen,
Jon won’t give the command to charge head on.
My speculation is:
Ramsey brings Rickon and Jon will break ranks when he sees him and try to save his little brother. Arrows will kill him and then you have that shot with Jon alone against the cavalry. The army will have no choice at that point but to charge and try to save Jon.
selena,
Ha ha that’s awesome! 😀 I think the white one is giving it disapproving side eye “They told us to act natural, you’re so embarrassing.”
Sean C.,
Yes he did excuse the small Tully force to leave, Blackfish chose not to. He said he would if Brienne could end the siege by nightfall. Nightfall came and she didn’t get Riverrun to forfeit the castle. So Jamie as he did since the second he got to Riverrun was live up to his threats! He sieged the castle without killing anyone, well killing more than one man.
BranTheBlessed,
I don’t think the Wildlings have much of a role moving forward. Once the Starks get WF, and the WW get to the Wall, I don’t see a use for the Wildlings. I think their story all but ends Sunday night.
Look, I really don’t have time to argue with you because I’m not that type of a person. But I always thought that the thing about sellswords is “Don’t trust the sellswords”. They are the people who fight for money and if they find themselves on the losing side, they desert or change sides. And if you don’t remember, some sellswords deserted even before Stannis sacrificed Shireen.
There is one of Karstark as Ramsay’s righthand man. http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/13.jpg
Mihnea,
nice breakdown. It would make sense for the Jon facing calvary shot. How does he get out, his calvary is charging at the same time, just can’t see it.
Boston Snow,
but why?
theyre able bodied to fight the white walkers
Boston Snow,
No way, gonna be fun watching them learn Westerosi politics. They will be given the Dreadfort, Karhold, or Last Hearth.
Mihnea,
You didn’t know Mel could make a shadow baby assassin until she did it.
She must have some powers other than SBA’s, resurrection, and the Make-Me-Hot necklace.
I wouldn’t know how to deal with that. I simply do not accept
LOL
Lord Parramandas,
Don’t bother wit him. You didn’t even say a word about the sellswords in your first comment.
He just wanted a excuse to go on his usual rants.
Don’t feed him. It is for the better.
Dee Stark,
I don’t particulary agree with him.
But I think he means that the Wildlings will merge into the Northern story now. If Tormund dies, I don’t expect them to be anything but background characters.
They will still be there, just not as main focus.
In my opinion it all depends if Tormund dies or not. If he lives I doubt they’ll seperate him from Jon, they work to good together.
Red Nightmare,
Leaks…
Stargaryen,
Tormund for Lord of Dreadfort!!!!!!!!
Ramsay’s 20th Good Man,
I agree with you. We will have several Wildlings left who can fight, with Tormund possibly serving as the face of the Wildlings (like Grey Worm is the face of the Unsullied). There are also women, children and old people left (over 2000), who Jon will integrate into the North. I doubt we’ll be seeing them on the show, but we’ll know they still made it based on the results of Bastardbowl. The Wildlings aren’t exactly gone.
Dee Stark,
Yes, I think whatever is left of them can help fight, but I don’t think they have as central a focus moving forward. I’m also assuming that the landscape changes dramatically across Westeros before the war against the WW gets to full speed. Dany and her army and dragons will play a central role in that as well. I think by that time the wildlings are relegated to not much more than infantry in a massive, combined army to face the dead.
Just my thoughts. Will probably be wrong.
Bryan,
Yes he does. He’ll never lose it again.
Geralt of Rivia,
Yes, but when Jon’s true identity is revealed he’ll be known as King of Westeros and the North will still need a political leader – and that person will be a Stark with Sansa being the sensible choice. Rickon’s dead meat and Bran’s not around yet. Plus I think Bran would turn it down since he’s the 3 eyed Raven now. And Arya is not a political leader.
Mihnea,
I don’t know why but I thought I saw a comment when the trailer first come out about seeing tully banner in the battle
it may have been the riverrun sequences people were talking about!
Stargaryen,
House Giantsbane represent!
Mihnea,
You mean Tormund, Lord of Last Hearth. 😛 He should get the keep of the historical opponents of the Wildlings. Poetry!
Direwolf Lvr,
Its going to be LF.
Just to piss us off
Less speculation leads to less disappointment. It will be LF and he will show up at the end.
Mihnea,
Yes, well said. Pretty much what I meant. And in this vein, I think Tormund dies in this battle.
It will be interesting to see how they treat any main character deaths in the battle though. Has that happened on the show before? Stannis hung around until after the battle vs Ramsay. I don’t recall any other notable characters getting killed in the midst of a battle? You know, where they may not get their due sendoff with camera time.
Flayed Potatoes,
Why not both? 🙂
Ginevra,
That’s awesome.
D&D are so cool!
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/06/16/game-thrones-battle-bastards-numbers?xid=entertainment-weekly_socialflow_twitter
“Battle of the Bastards” by the numbers.
Boston Snow,
I don’t exactly remember, but I don’ think we ever saw someone important die in a battle..
In my opinion Tormund is the key, if he dies then I think it will happen as you say it will, if not… Well I don’t really know…
Jack Bauer 24,
Holy crap………….
Mihnea,
Tormund of House Giantsbane, Lord of the Dreadfort and Last Hearth, Breaker of Bears and Father of the Free Folk
Flayed Potatoes,
What role will he hold as part of Jon’s ”small council”?
Jack Bauer 24,
They won’t tell us how much it cost though. I can guess around 25 million?
Rhaenys Stark,
I wouldn’t be suprised if it’s more, to be honest..
BranTheBlessed,
Glovers, Manderlys, Cerwyns, Mormonts, Umbers and Karstarks could be new lords.
QueenofThrones,
Don’t think Jon will be known as King of Westeros, There is no such thing. He will lead North, might be Riverlands if they free them and Vale through Sansa. The question is will he try to liberate Riverlands or move North against Walkers? Bran is 3ER and Arya is not a political leader but Northeners will follow Jon as commander who will possibly be victorious. They value this and based on spoilers. Jon makes perfect sense and remember what Mel said to Stannis. You must be King before Long Night begins. King in the North qualifies for it.
Mihnea,
Master of War or Lord Commander of the Kingsguard of course.
But without all that celibacy.
Mihnea,
Definitely. I can’t even imagine how much more expensive the final battle of the show will be *-*
Out-to-lunch,
That’s what I think 2 but maybe we’re over thinking but it just seems 2 easy 4 the Knights of the vale 2 just show up. No drama in that
Flayed Potatoes,
No.
Once he realized Brienne will never love him back, he will take the vow of celibacy ton prove his love to her!
Jack Bauer 24,
WOW!
What good is a crown when you don`t have an army to fight the southerners anymore?
Jamie could bring 8000 just to take Riverrun and he made it clear he was not acommander of ALL Lannister forces yet meaning there are far more of them….
I can’t decide if Jon should give Tormund the Dreadfort or Last Hearth??It’s so hard.Last Hearth makes sense because historical enemies and all that but the Boltons will be comletely exterminated after this so it’s easier to give him the Dreadfort.Also I think the Umber name may continue after smalljon.Jon won’t pull a rains of castamere on them lol.So yes I’m leaning towards the Dreadfort
Mihnea,
Good point. This is exactly the bittersweet ending Martin is aiming for tbh.
I’ve never been so excited for an episode. I’m trying to taper my expectations but I’m banking on some major deaths (Wun Wun, Tormond, Ramsey, and possibly Littlefinger) and this being best episode of the series thus far. It’s hard to imagine something topping Hardhome but I’m hoping for it.
Dee Stark,
In S2 when Tywin charged to save KL, I think they had something like 15-20 horses….
Now it’s 70!
Rhianysa,
Yes it is. Look for the pommel.
Bryan,
Yes he does. He’ll never lose it again.
Jenny,
I love your comment cause you sound so sure that Jon and co will win and that Tormund will survive.
From your keyboard to God’s ears HAHAHA
Flayed Potatoes,
I think he will make a fine Kingsguard. Besides, unless Brienne undergoes a drastic change of heart, Tormund may not find celibacy a big issue 🙂
Hoyt Von Totiy,
Don’t worry, imo Manderly will kiss Jon’s boots by the end of this season and offer him his army and fleet.
Or Sansa decides to wake up and remove Littlefinger from power, gains control of Sweetrobin who gives her the Vale army to help Jon. I can dream, ok!
Mihnea,
crazy
Hoyt Von Totiy,
Well I don’t think he will fight the southerners.Dany will be doing that if there are any southerners left to fight.And Jon will have an army,the north will unite under him after the battle and they will just prepare for winter.
Jenny,
Exactly. Jon won’t march to attack the south.
Dany will unite what will be left of it.
Geralt of Rivia,
I thought what Mel meant was that by being king of the 7 kingdoms, Stannis could command armies all over Westeros to fight the WWs. That’s why she wanted him to be king before the Long night. So being king in the north is not the same as that.
Dee Stark,
Well I like to keep it positive haha.And it’s way more fun to speculate on silly things like this than the timing of lf coming or what is or it’s not deus ex machina lol
Most of us expect characters in books and television shows to defy the odds. That happens all the time. What we don’t expect is for a show the caliber of GoT to defy science and the physical world without openly claiming magic.
I personally have met soldiers who have survived modern day bombs, which must be at least as dangerous as the wildfire explosions. If Davos had starved to death, he would be dead. Dr. Joel Fuhrman fasted for 46 days and has patients who fast longer, but he recommends medical supervision for fasts, obviously.
Edit: Apparently it comes from TV and Satellite Week magazine
https://twitter.com/jowrotethis/status/743478261003358208
Who says Davos story is almost over? I think he proves how important he is every time he opens his mouth. And I’m pretty sure there is a reason he kept having near death experiences and surviving. How many times did Stannis threaten to have him killed even though he was always right? What about wildfire on Blackwater and nearly dying on that rock? Or that time he freed Gendry-whose skills we might need later? Or convinced the Iron Bank to go against the Lannisters? Or, more recently, had the foresight to suggest they bring Jon back, told Edd to get the wildlings and convinced Mormont to join the fight? I mean come on, we want that guy to stay alive. He’s missing a few fingers but he’s still the whole package. And Jon, First of his name, King of the Wildlings and First Men and King in the North, will need him.
I’d say LF’s story is closer to being over than Davos. What does is matter how clever you are at lying and playing the chaos is a ladder game when wights and WWs are coming, KL is in ruins-potentially-and dragons are flying overhead?
And the surviving wildlings (Tormund please) are going to be incorporated into the North-and get some land and houses-because they actually have their priorities straight and mean what they say. Bolton’s place will be available…probably messy, covered in skins and haunted, but available. Also WW are coming.
Personally I think we’ll get more shocking deaths in Episode 10 than in the battles of Mereen and Winterfell combined. If Qyburn’s “rumors” are true.
To answer myself for the previous post i think they`ve made it this was so Jon has some army as little as it may be left for season 7.
25 stuntmen and women
Somebody’s gotta fall off those horses and endure Kit Harington’s beatings.
KiTN laying the smack down ya’ll
Why do people actually think Jon will die in this episode? That is batshit crazy cuckoo bananas. Let’s kill him RIGHT BEFORE we reveal his parentage and why he’s so damn important to the story. Rest easy people. Jon is not dying. At least not until the end of the series, if at all.
The banners wit the chains in a cross formation are the Umbers. Since you see them in the background of the Ramsay Bolton side shot, it looks like they are indeed fighting with the Boltons.
Fienix,
Forced by marriage, child or not, the Dreadfort ( in show) is Sansa’s.
Jay Targ,
Newbietothegame,
I hope it’s not Jon or Sansa! Maybe ricon? after all we went through with Sansa & Jon then all GoT did to hide jons survival/revival before the season started, I just don’t see them being killed off. Not yet anyway. They better not! ?
Stargaryen,
Wun Wun goes in front of Jon and finish the riders in one arm swing! 😀 😀
GrailKing,
Good point. If I was her I’d torch the place and leave it in ruins. Let the North remember for generations to come what happens to traitorous houses. Get somebody to write a song about the Boltons’ downfall just for good measure.
then why dont show pictures of that place too, its like this part is going to be more suprising than the big battle.
ghost of winterfell,
Maybe she meant 7 Kingdoms but King in the North qualifies for this. Basically Jon has no time to unite realm or will do it. He will fight White Walkers with what he has and maybe liberate Riverlands. Daeny will unite realm. Northerners will see Jon as someone who was brave or stupid enough to against all odds and fight Boltons.
ghost of winterfell,
I can tell people are going to be all WTF when the episode starts and we get a Meereen scene lol. I hope the episode at least ends in the North and we don’t get another cliche dragon shot.
GrailKing,
Yeah I guess but I don’t think sansa would want anything to do with it.
Jay Targ,
Jenny,
I doubt she’d ever want to set foot in the place, but all the lands and incomes would be useful, since she’s supposedly concerned about her position and not being dependent on others.
Maybe the Masters surrender when Dany’s dragons light them all up!
Flayed Potatoes,
I think 20 min of meereen 20 min of pre battle and 20 min of battle is the best we could hope for.I think the moment the battle starts it can’t go on for too long it’s just action in an open field that’s just so much you can do with that
Sean C.,
Yeah I guess that works too.But what do we do with Tormund what do we give him?
Lol, why do so many people think Jon is going to die? It would be ridiculous storytelling lol… one aspect about his resurrection is screaming to the audience “THIS GUY IS SPECIAL!”. No, Jon won’t die…
BUT
What about Sansa? How strong is her plot armour? Sure, she won’t be in the vanguard of the battle. But if the wildling/loyalist troops are broken before the Vale troops arrive, she’s still at risk.
Is Sansa really end game material? Sure, the show seems to set her up as “Lady of Winterfell/Queen in tha Norf”. But it could all be ruse like with Robb… she would die in battle fighting to reclaim her home. And I honestly don’t know what’s left in store for her.
Her dreams have been shattered, she learned from her mistakes and she fought back. She lost and now she rests (as Alliser Thorne would say). It could be a completed story arc. She’s also far from her book plot. And it isn’t even sure she survives in the books either, as she’s not a part of the Original Big Five.
So far, Sansa-Jon have shared the Stark leadership. That means one of them can be killed off. Jon could rule Winterfell, he’s as much a Stark as Ramsay is a Bolton, especially if he’s Lyanna’s son.
I wouldn’t consider Rickon’s death a major loss, as he is more a plot device than an actual character. Really, I cared more about Osha and Blackfish than Rickon. But Sansa would be a real gut punch.
And “Fletcher” switching allegiances could be proclaiming Jon “KingindaNorf” Stark. And it would put Jon against Littlefinger in a potentially interesting way.
What are your thoughts?
Jenny,
Considering how small Jon’s forces are, having a battle scene that’s longer than 20 minutes is stretching it. I hope we end the episode in the North and the pre-battle scenes are well-done.
Flayed Potatoes,
My dream ending for the episode is Jon and Sansa looking at the Stark banner being raised in Winterfell. If it turns out to be dragons, I will get mad, lol. I better manage my expectations!
taim,
I think it’s a publicity thing like surprise you get two battles at the price of one.Plus I said this before there is no way they would submit an episode without the three dragons for vfx and they submitted episode 9 so
Flayed Potatoes,
It would be a strech no matter the numbers.
More then 20-25 minutes of pure battle is a bit overkill.
Lord Shephand,
I don’t want to sound mean, but what’s this ”King in the Norf” stuff? Saw couple others also using it.
Jenny,
Last Hearth.
Jenny,
Exactly. Only the dragons, in my opinion, deserve a award for VFX.
After the Starks reclaim Winterfell and defeat the Boltons/Karstarks/Umbers…what becomes of their houses? Tormond should get the Umbers lands for the wildlings…closest to the wall and all.
But what of the others?
ghost of winterfell,
Yeah I’m hoping for an ending like that, or at least the Bolton banners burning while Mel is walking the battlements of Winterfell. Just something that tells us the Starks are back. I’m so sick of those oversized lizards lmao.
We should do this lol:
https://66.media.tumblr.com/e5c3d8fe913a7359bf39e2dfaff13d9c/tumblr_mrzy4qIdoi1qftbz5o1_500.gif
Flayed Potatoes,
Yes exactly how I see it.I think it will end in the north and considering the pairings that we have for the pre battle scenes I’m confident they will be good
Sean C.,
I thought it said
Did I understand it wrong?
Jenny,
Yeah, no doubt will end with the North.
The episode will start with Meereen though. That’s what I believe.
Around 15 minutes should be enough for that location though, then full North.
ghost of winterfell,
ghost of winterfell,
No, you didn’t. I was speaking in jest.
Boudica,
I agree we will not likely, unless Bran sees this as part of his visions. In the books, it seems that the visions may be more limited to what can be seen through weirwood trees and not necessarily every event in history but we will have to wait for TWOW to find out.
Dickeylee,
The Boltons will be extinguished and Sansa can claim the Dreadfort and its lands as Ramsay’s widow. She could decide to give it away or keep it for herself and live off its income.
Unless they cast Smalljon’s sisters or another Lord Umber and Karstark to bend the knee, we can assume those families are gone as well and the Starks will get their lands and give it to the houses who followed them in battle or the Wildlings. I’d love to see Tormund get Last Hearth too.
Flayed Potatoes,
Or burn the damn thing to the ground. Now thinking about this, it seems the best option.
It’s not like she’ll need the taxes, I doubt will go into this, and it’s not like this will matter once the real war begins.
Apollo,
If you look in the top left corner you see a blue shield with a white cross….house Vale’s shield. Littlefinger comes to the rescue!
Mihnea,
Darkrobin,
It isn’t though. I just took things from the teaser, photos and some speculation that Rickon won’t make it.
I know there was something on Reddit, but I didn’t read it.
Mihnea,
Again, so close to those spoilers ….
Mihnea,
That’s very likely, I guess.
Sean C.,
Okay. English is not my first language, I got confused 🙂 .
Darkrobin,
You better spoiler tag this then. Wouldn’t want spoiler free people to read that.
Mihnea,
What I mean with “KinginthaNorf” is that the remaining Northern lords will swear fealty (again) to House Stark and proclaim Jon as their King, similar to Robb in 1×10. Yes, officially Jon is a bastard by the laws of the Seven Kingdoms.
But the North could claim its independence once more. And if they recognize Jon as “trueborn”, who is there to stop them?
Chad Brick,
GoT doesn’t have enough. Thus, October-in-Ohio-is-Coming.
Yes, they should have changed the Stark words to early Autumn is Coming. But I understand CGI expensive, and the acting when the NW was in Iceland appeared to suffer from the conditions. So will we ever get snow in the Riverlands? It was there when Jamie was there in the books. Snow in KL? Unlikely as well.
Lord Shephand,
Like the Late Walder Frey …
Lord Shephand,
I completely agree with you and knew this is what you were trying to say.
What I was wondering is why ”Norf” and not ”North”? Saw other people also using it..
Mihnea,
I honestly can’t imagine a more fitting revenge against the Bolton family as a whole than to have Sansa remodel the whole castle. She’d paint the walls pink and have each room smell of lemon cakes or something. All the former Lord Boltons would roll in their graves.
Though to be honest, having the Dreadfort for herself means that for the first time Sansa will have an independent income and won’t be pressured into remarrying immediately to further the line.
Darkrobin,
There was snow in Dany’s vision of KL.
I think will start seeing snow once the WW break the Wall, it will be a ”official” start for winter.
Chad Brick,
Safety where? Across the war-torn north, to boats that don’t exist?
There you go again. Trying to put logic ahead of plot advancement.
really? i don’t remember this, I remember only the thenns and ygritte.
Flayed Potatoes,
I truly doubt she will marry again anyway.
And I think she will have just as strong a word in WF even if Jon will end up as King.
My realistic prediction is that we won’t see the Dreadfort again or will hear/see it being destroyed, at most.
But Sansa taking it, collecting taxes….etc. No.
Mihnea,
its a joke on the pronunciation….KinginDaNorf-internet speak for King in The North lol
selena,
Aaaa.
Thought I missed something… LOL.
I totally forgot about Smalljon Umber…will he infiltrate the Bolton Army during battle and sabotage their attack against the Starks? I sure hope we see him change sides.
Mihnea,
The show won’t go into that much detail, I agree. At most, it will be implied imo that the Starks have the Dreadfort and its income.
If Sansa marries again, I assume it will be because she wants to. I doubt the show will have time for this though.
Fienix,
Umber
Flayed Potatoes,
I truly doubt she’ll want to marry again anyway.
Which picture is that? Their sigil is a falcon and a crescent moon I thought.
Mihnea,
I couldn’t disagree more. Have you seen the Making Of videos? The Cave Battle? The entire The Door episode – from the Children, WW, etc.
Another good one on making RR from scratch in a field.
So many effects in every episode and half the time you don’t even realize it.
Tbh I’d be really disappointed if the Wildlings aren’t shown to have a role in the great War to come.
Its the Wildlings and the Nightswatch whose stories have intertwined mostly with Whitewalkers. They were the first to recognize the threat and the first to up their swords against the dead. And all the while the rest of the realm chose to delude themselves into a false sense of security, rejecting pleas for help and laughing at the warnings that were sent to them.
While its safe to say that the Wildlings will become part of the realm, it’d still be a bit odd if there’s not a familiar face or two in the front lines with Jon and co leading the living against the army of the dead.
ghost of winterfell,
It’s decided then.Let’s reconvene in two weeks for the official announcment lol
Why, are they touring with the whole army of wildlings? If so of course they piss off the Lords. If not (and it’s not otherwise Glover wouldn’t have to ask if Jon really had an army of wildlings) then it hasn’t been a problem for anyone till now: Littlefinger comes an goes as he wants, Brienne had no problems too, why it has to be a problem for Jon and a small host?
Brian,
I hope so too. Dean S. Jagger is great and one of my favorite minor role actors so far, even though he only appeared in 1 scene.
I was just looking at the Burning Crosses again and counted what looked like at least 3, which made me wonder again who can they be and think back to all the deaths this season and came to the conclusion it has to be.
1. Rickon
2. Brienne
3. Podrick
Rickon is obvious as he in known to be there and B&P because really their character arc is over now and pointless it would seem. Anyone else think this?
Wun Too,
I didn’t mean those aren’t great. But I’ll admit, I forgot about The Door.
I just think that 3 Dragons flying around, burning…etc. has the greatest chance of winning a award.
Mihnea,
On Reddit quite a few people call the title KingInDaNorf. Not sure how it came about but it might be a play on working class English accents, although southern rather than northern ones? That’s what I hear in my head when I see it written like that. Although it could obviously be something else entirely! 🙂
Flayed Potatoes,
THAT was funny.
It would matter when the war was over, assuming they survive.
The show hasn’t even bothered to explain who the new ruler of Casterly Rock is after Tywin died, so I doubt they’d go into this, but it’s logically what she would do, seeing as the show has claimed she’s motivated by a desire to not be beholden to anyone.
Jack Bauer 24,
Not Dany, but the Masters will be the ones to surrender 😉
lalla,
LF, Brienne and Pod didn’t go to casttle Cerwyn.
It’s simply to close to WF in my opinion for Jon and Sansa to risk going.
Then they get 100-200 men at most, what do they do if Ramsey notices this much commotion going around.
They would loose before even beginning a battle.
They went to those they could safely go and sent ravens to others they couldn’t. They didn’t answer. That is it.
Wun Too,
Obviously every episode has vfx but battle wise its vfx combined with make up practical effects etc,the dragons it’s where they shine.for example last year the dance of the dragons was nominated and not hardhome even though hardhome had the big action piece.plus three big dragons in action would be a spectacle they would submit that not to mention the fleets which are all vfx
Sean C.,
I still doubt she will want the castle of the man that raped her.
A magazine on another article on this site was just updated where it says
that the episode will show more than just The NorthMihnea,
Can’t edit my comment but just wanted to add: I see Selena said something similar, my guess was probably right then. It’s the same accent that would pronounce “south” as “sarf” 🙂
BranTheBlessed,
True, but the Nights Watch also won’t have much of a role moving forward either. If the wall comes down or the WW get south of the wall, no need for a “NW”. They might become soldiers, like I think the wildlings will. Remember, there aren’t even many wildlings left. 95% gone before Sunday’s battle. 2,000 able to fight, the rest old or children. We’ll lose a lot of those 2,000 in this battle. I’m not saying they will be gone 100%, I just don’t think there is a “wildling” story line moving forward. They’ve served their purpose, as has the NW. They’ll both be blended into the landscape for the wars to come.
How big will the Battle of Mereen be?
Will we see all 3 dragons this episode + naval battle with Greyjoys/Masters [/spoilers]
Boston Snow,
Completely agree with this. Their stories and contribution to the plot is done.
Elizabeth the first, someone Sansa is HEAVILY influenced off, never got married. I think it’s pretty logical to assume after having the idea of marriage completely destroyed on several occasions (Joff, Tyrion and Ramsay) that she’ll never want to marry again.
Bearded Onion,
This.
In my opinion, she will never marry again.
Mustangride,
No to all three. Number 1 was debunked by Sue, the others are still in the boat and floating on down to meet
I wouldn’t be surprised if
Mihnea,
Like I said, she doesn’t need to live there. She just takes the influence and the money. Though for that matter, the site of her rape and brutalization was Winterfell, not the Dreadfort, so if she was reluctant to have anything to do with the legacy of her time with the Boltons, she wouldn’t want to live at home.
New picture of Jon in battle and an article on the episode
http://www.ew.com/article/2016/06/16/game-thrones-battle-bastards-preview
You will be regretting saying this come Sunday night. She will not stop the armies but she will factor into this battle.
Sean C.,
Let’s just disagree.
You know we see things very differently. More so when Sansa is concerned.
That a F**KING good new Jon picture.
That’s what we want to see! Not these melancholy / mopey Jon pics we’ve been force fed, to make us believe that Ramsay will win.
book spoiler
or, the deserters objected to the sacrifice of a small child and didnt want to fight with stannis any more!
Boston Snow,
Told you he’ll snap!
😉
BranTheBlessed,
Ramsey caught him. He’ll die.
BranTheBlessed,
Rhianysa,
YESI IT IS LONGCLAW. LOOK AGAIN
Mihnea,
Mihnea,
Thats our man isnt it!!! look at that RAAAGE
Nadia,
Dany/Yaras shipping? 🙂
Bearded Onion,
Mihnea,
I don’t see why she wouldn’t marry in future, under her own terms.
What you should remember is that Elizabeth I’s decision not to marry meant the end of the Tudor dynasty. Sansa is playing the game of thrones now. She wouldn’t just flush her family dynasty down the drain after fighting so hard for it.
She’s a stronger person than she used to be. Her ideas of a prince charming who will sweep her off her feet are well and truly dead. But I think her appreciation of finding a good, strong marriage match, that would benefit her and make her house stronger, has probably been born.
Obviously, I think it’d have to be on her terms and she’s not going to marry somebody unworthy just for the sake of politics, as she was forced to before.
But I think if she’d ruled out marriage altogether then she may as well just give up the Stark name now, because marriage, alliances and lines of succession are part of the game she’s playing in.
Interesting. As much as it’d be nice to see Jon( or Ghost ) take Ramsey’s life, I would really love it if he gets backstabbed by someone from his own army–maybe one who he thinks of as a friend or an enemy who’s infiltrated into his camp– taste of his own medicine. No way he deserves a honorable death.
RE: Littlefinger in the godswood from the trailer?
Why on earth does everyone keep saying he looks surprised? When I watched that clip (and since then) I’ve never seen it as him looking surprised at all. Like he’s pondering something, or expecting someone, but never at all like he’s surprised. I think from that assumption people are thinking somehow Sansa will “deal” with him, but when that scene airs my guess is it’s going to be very different. I just think LF’s power is going to grow – Sansa doesn’t yet know about Ned. He has much left to go.
Also Tormund’s line about being wrong that Jon would lead them through the Long Night – I don’t think it’ll be from a scene. I think was a pure tease voiceover, for the idea that Jon is dead and gone. ORRRR he’s talking about Mance dying and saying he thought Mance would lead them but he was wrong and now Jon, KITN, has to?
We never heard the Three Eyed Raven line about the past either, and he’s gone….
Sapochnik:
Translation: Lots of death that will make me cry and the Vale showing up at the right moment.
Btw, is it possible that the burning crosses are just actual burning crosses, or it’s not anyone we care about??
Jon and Sansa have never spent that much time with Osha, right? If Rickon is still at least temporarily alive, why would that be a particularly scary sight for them? I don’t think there’s time in his episode for Ramsay to catch Brienne and Pod. I really don’t think the show would have Edd/NW die off camera and have unrecognizable bodies on the crosses.
The point being, are those bodies even recognizable? Or is it just a warning like this is what’s coming to you.
Tyrion choking the life out of Cersei
Sandor killing Gregor
Ramsey flayed to death by Theon
Walder Frey hanged by LSH
Deaths that would be most pleasing to see but sadly may never come to pass
Out-to-lunch,
That’s what I think 2 but maybe we’re over thinking but it just seems 2 easy 4 the Knights of the vale 2 just show up. No drama in that
Sam,
He’s a goñer. Mr.100% told us that
Great picture and good article. I was kind of both scared and given hope by one quote from the director from that article:
Ramsay’s 20th Good Man,
Jon is a bastard. He will go from being a Snow to a Targaryen bastard.
BranTheBlessed,
Ramsay has passed the point where I even care about how he dies. Or even if he dies for that matter. To me, he’s become so repetitive that I can ignore him easy enough. Frey on the other hand, still has a special place on my list along with Ellaria and those coward harpies who took Barristan.
Nadia,
LF looked surprised to me, as if he expected someone else other than the person who showed up. I guess everyone will interpret it as they want but I also took note of the words that were being spoken as it happened. We’ll find out soon enough though and u could well be right.
I don’t think they’ll kill off Sansa, because she’s a fan favorite, but I wouldn’t mind because her story is static, both in the show and in the books and the actor portraying her (I realize this is an unpopular opinion) is very wooden very delivering her lines. Her best moments have been when she has conveyed emotion through facial expression. People seem hung up on the idea that the writers “owe” her a confrontation with Petyr Baelish, because of what he’s done to her family, but that hasn’t been the way this series plays out. Sansa never got to confront Cersei, her true, original antagonist – and I kept wishing she had. GRRM doesn’t give you that type of satisfaction. I guess that’s why we all love the books – he keeps us guessing.
I have been hoping for a safe and happy ending for Brienne, Ser Davos, Rickon, and even Theon. I once even hoped Shireen would survive the series, despite the obvious signs.
I think the only characters with true “GRRM PLOT ARMOUR” are Jon, Tyrion and Arya. Maybe Sansa and Danya. Out of all of them, Sansa is by far the most dispensible.
Jinx47,
Go in front of Ramsey army and remove her clothes, then remove her necklace.
Beer Island,
“It has been remade!”
Nadia,
We did hear the three eyed raven say that line. I think it was in the episode with the first part of the ToJ.
Well she may not, as stated she probably have it razed.
She can build another castle somewhere else, but she even as Lady Stark owns that land. It’s people would be under her rule and whoever is Lord of Winterfell.
HunterMac87,
Motto: “we know everything”
Banner: white Direwolf on field of grey facing the Tagaryen sigil.
Last Hearth, some lands in The Gift, Karhold, there is much land in the North, it’s bigger then the South and less people.
I loved that article so much I bought the hard copy. It sits so beautifully on my coffee table that I have no intention of ever removing it. 🙂
THIS !
Fienix,
house umber
Mihnea,
There were a lot of heavy accents around Robb. “Da King In Da Norf” became a thing, and clearly hasn’t died.
OK so I have a question : Why Jon nor Ramsey don’t wear any armors?
Unless of course there was a marriage.
wouldn’t you put like a ton of armor on the giant and just let him plow through?
Out-to-lunch,
Benjen cannot pass the wall, at least not yet anyway. His magic keeps him from passing. Think Coldhands from the books.
I don’t know if Sansa will marry again but if she does, it will be to a “fat-faced innkeep” (quoting Jaime here) and far away from the political game as possible. Not that her toe won’t be on the line for the rest of her life but after all that has happened, all she has endured, she will marry based on love and not status. A far cry from the tween we had in season 1.
So by this logic, it only makes sense that she marries Hot Pie.
This is pure speculation but I’ll cover in case…
Mrs. Podrick Payne,
Why is it nonsense? I’d be surprised if she’s not? Although, Ramsay could be sterile….they both could be.
RayJNT,
the orange flags?
[ spoiler ] Hornwood [ / spoiler]
Which is where I think lies the twist. Jon’s parentage is well known to fans and press alike, even if not yet confirmed. There has to be something which makes his parentage significant to the story. Just having the viewers and Bran know is pretty meaningless and if he’s just a different bastard, then what’s the big deal?
Halfman,
Unless Bran is King, how is it relevant though? Like, how can Bran prove any of it? I suppose HR could have a will but that seems like a stretch imo.
I agree. That’s what I mean, it’s not relevant if no one but Bran and a so far non existent Howland Reed knows and it can’t be proven to some extent. I have a theory but it’s tinfoil at the moment lol
Halfman,
re Tinfoil
Those are my favorite kind!
I’m thinking there was a marriage and birth document that was signed by everyone present at both events, including some kingsguard, that will be taken as official. Yes, Lyanna made Ned keep the secret until Jon came of age, but I am fairly sure she didn’t demand that it be kept secret forever because Ned tells Jon that the next time he sees Jon, after they part ways, will be when Ned tells Jon everything about his mother. So I think the secret was buried with his mother, Lyanna, in the crypts of Winterfell – especially since Lyanna is the only non-King-in-, non-Warden-of-the-North in the place. No one would go digging in Lyanna’s crypt because that’s creepy and disrespectful and because no one would suspect there’d be anything there.
Ginevra,
Is it my imagination, or was showNed a little hesitant to have Robert at Lyanna’s tomb? Like maybe he didn’t want him snooping around too much?
The Blood of Winterfull,
Jon is wearing armor. Ramsay isn’t, he used to have plate underneath his leather but it looks like he’s taken it off. I guess he isn’t expecting to actually be involved in battle.
If there’s any razing of the Dreadfort to be done, Sansa would probably save it for the end of the war, as there are many more urgent priorities. Perfect poetic justice would be for her to wait until she’s reunited with Theon (presuming he survives) and literally pass the torch to him!
Lots of couples try for years to get pregnant before they finally succeed. And from what Sansa said about still being able to feel what he did to her, it sounds like activities conducive to pregnancy were only a small part of Ramsay’s bedroom repertoire – and likely not his preference, if more painful and humiliating options were available.
Which would render them all…unmanned?
::rimshot::
Yes! I’m a proponent of the HM=HM theory and really hope that it plays out that way in the books. Seems like the surest route to get a PoV down to the crypts to find out what Mysterious Something is hidden there. But the TV series has totally skipped over the book version of the Winterfell occupation, who-all was there, whom they met and what else might have been going on while the “ghost” was picking off Frey and Bolton retainers. So I highly doubt that our heroes have any kind of a mole waiting to open the back door into Winterfell and let them sneak in.
With his current wife complaining about visiting the ex and with Ned knowing Lyanna didn’t want to marry Robert, it was an awkward moment all around.
This is a brilliant description of that scene.
As a book reader, I believe that the WF crypts hold a lot of secrets. However, the show seems to have eliminated those possibilities. Oh well!
HM = HM is a tautology. So duh. Of course it’s true.
QueenofThrones,
oh duh. Thanks for waking up my brain!
He’s wearing his Stark leather armor, but NOT the plate mail that usually goes over it (covering the collar bones, shoulders, and arms) – look at any shots of Robb Stark on campaign.
I’m guessing he had the leathers at Castle Black, but not the plate, and no way of readily acquiring any. If he did, I’m assuming he’d wear it as readily as Robb did.
Got to remove those spaces.
Apollo,
i’d say he says wun wun don’t fail me now lol. or a pack of 100 wolves come in or 62 bears or a dragon swoops in and stands in the way , idk i can’t wait
does Wun Wun have hooves lol. his feet look round like Elephant feet
Indeed! Er… who is HM?
The books probably are not telling that sort of story either. Yes, this would be a classic fantasy cliche to have secrets conveniently hidden in plain sight: but didn’t GRRM want to avoid the fantasy cliches?
I would add that I think that we were supposed to be picking up hesitation, but it probably had more to do with Ned suspecting that he was about to be offered the Handship. (Is that a word?)
Once again, I would throw this out: has either the show or the book set up any indication that there could be something in the Winterfell crypts that would be relevant to the big questions at hand? I cannot think of anything. So far, the show has had a really “bad” track record when it comes to resorting to “out-of-the-blue” answers to things: instead, it has usually gone with something already introduced.
Elephants do not have hooves.
😀
Sword of the Morning,
If that happens I’m gonna need a support group lol:))
Wimsey,
i just had that scene from Shrek where donkey like i can’t feel my toes and looks down and screams i don’t have any toes lol now imagine Wun Wun doing that 🙂
the scene where Brienne was in the tent with Jamie and pod and Bronn are out front fighting.they should have had shot of Brienne walking out of the tent putting the sword belt back on after Jamie told her to keep it ,so Bronn could say see i told you they were f**king to Pod 🙂
Ghost will guard Sansa during the battle! He will be fine.
Yes, that’s very true. It will be interesting to see if Davos will finally discover the truth of what happened to Shireen and with Stannis dead, his reaction towards Melisandre.
DireWolfHeart,
Killer video trailer
Flayed Potatoes,
It looks that most houses,big and medium, will be mostly wiped out…none left when all is said and done…who will be still standing at the end,I wonder?
Flayed Potatoes,
My bet is that they will not worry about these things. After all, once the Walkers get through the Wall (and that will happen soon), this stuff will be of no consequence. And, really: it’s just gratuitous world-building.
Well, there would always be cousins and second cousins and third cousins. In a society like that, most of the noble houses would be related to each other, and therefore most of them are heirs not only to their own titles directly, but also to other titles indirectly. For example, someone worked out that Tommen’s heir might be… Jaime! Of course, there could realistically be Baratheon cousins never mentioned: and, of course, as they will never have any bearing on the story, they never will be.
Lord of Coffee,
That’s what I was wondering. . It might be the vale and him turning around on it.
HM=HM means the Hooded Man is Hallis Mollen (last seen being sent by Catelyn to inter Ned’s bones in his crypt at Winterfell).
caliopesnow,
If he looked at me with those sexy brown eyes and used the term darling or love I think I’d fucking melt on the spot haha.
Elizabeth,
It was 12 guys, I was wrong. The tv guide a poster linked has snippets of the piece but I can’ find the original. I’m loving the one out yesterday with Liam. The man sure is a good spokesman for the show, I love his enthusiasm, he knows how to hype the fans…as if we needed any more shots of adrenaline lol.
Dee Stark,
Haha Dee your hate of LF is a palpable thing 🙂
Elizabeth,
I see that Ginevra found the original article 🙂 Anyways I told my father we are celebrating dad’s day on Saturday, thankfully he didn’t ask me why cause I’m not good at lying 🙂 and I’m making hubby watch it with me. I have a feeling I might need someone to hold my hand at certain spots 🙁
AlexG,
I guess we’ll be left with whoever survives from big, medium and small houses and whoever sits on the Iron Throne in the end can just give lordships to whoever didn’t die and proved themselves in battle. I doubt the show will go into that much detail though.
Bryan,
He’s holding Longclaw. You can see the wolf carving on the hilt if you look closely.
Wimsey,
“has either the show or the book set up any indication that there could be something in the Winterfell crypts that would be relevant to the big questions at hand?”
I would say “yes” to the book part. You and I may have different opinions of “indications” and “big questions” though. The most obvious to me is the sword removal. It’s mentioned at least 2 times (Ned and Theon). Both specifically mention removing a sword…
Ned (aGoT): By ancient custom an iron longsword had been laid across the lap of each who had been Lord of Winterfell, to keep the vengeful spirits in their crypts.
Theon (aDwD): Theon did not recall which king it was, but the longsword he should have held was gone. Streaks of rust remained to show where it had been. The sight disquieted him. He had always heard that the iron in the sword kept the spirits of the dead locked within their tombs.
Of course there is significance. Marriage doesn’t really matter – maybe a “nice-to-have” so he maybe isn’t a bastard anymore, but the significance would be the blood lines. Not only would he (still) be part Stark, but he would also be a Targaryen. This means he has the potential to have any Targaryen special perks… i.e. Unburnt.
Boston Snow,
But Jon’s hand was burned when he grabbed the lantern (to kill a wight).
Edit: whoops that was a book thing only
Lord of Coffee,
I asked the same thing. Someone said that it is Ramsay’s army. There is a Karstark shield in the background
Dolorous (N)Edd,
Totally, you got right!
Tycho Nestoris,
Ah, no, you’re right. He burned his hand in the show too in that scene. I had forgotten about that.
AlexG,
Buh how do you know thats not what a GOT is all about. I have a theory – the series is adapted from the book titled ” A Song of Fire and Ice”. I think a ‘song’ could poetically also mean marriage. Now whose the Fire in GOT; Deanaris Storm. And whose the Ice in GOT; Jon Snow. Both have been reborn. Guess an alliance/ marriage is needed btw them to defeat the Nights King who is also a reborn being.
Boston Snow,
IDK. What do you think?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2TlSM-2SyI
Is it mentioned later that the hand was burned?
Jack Bauer 24,
Aggording to some websites we are.
Nope, the bastards took Shaggy’s head off to thrown on a table for added dramatic effect. That can’t be Shaggy.
Boston Snow,
In the books she does, but the show hasn’t given any indication and she’s seemed very power drained lately. To me if she does that would be out of character as that character has been shown on the show. I could see her using smoke and flames to hide movement of troops but beyond that? Although it would seem that she should have some role to play in the battle
Tycho Nestoris,
I too think a reading of the books, and of Jon’s dreams as well, indicate that there is a plot point at least in the crypts. The show has of course skipped this over so I don’t expect there to be one on the show. I wasn’t aware of HM=HM but having read about it can see the merits to it.
JemFX,
Jamie Lannister will follow through with his deal with Briann or Tarth . He took the castle without a fight . He release the Tully forced to go north to help Sanza . And he is still bound by oath to protect Sanza and Ayria !
DJE,
He should throw the pommel and end him rightly
Chelsea75,
Agree! It needs to be primarily a Stark victory with Little Finger only getting a small, “thanks”.