Game of Thrones Season 5 Trailer hits!

Feast your eyes on the first trailer of Game of Thrones season 5!
Update: HBO has uploaded the trailer to their Facebook. Check out the HQ version below!

Thanks to all the readers who uploaded videos from the premiere of the Game of Thrones IMAX Experience!

What are your thoughts? Favorite part? Most unexpected moment?

Interesting choice, using a cover of David Bowie’s “Heroes” for the trailer. All in all, an intriguing beginning to season 5!

Update: We’ve updated the post with another, more HQ video of the trailer.

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Sue the Fury
Susan Miller, Editor in Chief of WatchersOnTheWall.com

559 Comments

  1. That’s incomplete, though innit? A great deal more was reported to be in it than that by some trustable folks.

  2. The updated version is already updated in the article, now, too.

    Wow all around.

    (I know, how articulate of me, but I’m just a little too busy happily dancing around to process much.)

  3. Totally worth the wait!!!

    GoT is way more epic in IMAX. Sound is killer.

    BTW, did any cast/crew show up anywhere else? I was at the screening in Toronto and fucking Neil Marshall showed up!!! Did anyone get GRRM or D&D?

  4. S.5 looks awesome. Varys confirm no Aegon pretty much. Mereen statue comes crashing down. Tywins body lying in wake. Sand snakes. Jorah fighting in pit. A lot of people with gold masks. Wildling fighting. Aryas New outfit. Badass dragon. And much more.

  5. Fuck this bullshit amateur reprocessed video. You folks have to see this in all its glory. Just got back from the IMAX showing. It is massive. The sound alone is stunning. The IMAX version of GoT is the best creative & business decision ever!!!!! S5 is upon us. I love this show!

  6. SEASON 5,

    That’s exactly what I was thinking after watching the trailer in IMAX, HBO went all out for season 5, I wouldn’t be surprised after seeing the epicness awaiting us if the budget approached 100 million.

  7. Damn I’m keen to see a nice HD quality version of that.

    Would also be nice to get a breakdown of all the scenes, where they fit in etc…

  8. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    No, no. Definitely not.

    I just mean I can’t get out to see it in IMAX (none of my nearby IMAX theaters are showing it). So the best I can do is watch this low quality youtube video.

    πŸ˜€

  9. Let the speculation begin!

    Sounds like they are sending Tyrion straight to Daenerys rather than Young Griff.

    If this is already known, sorry I don’t keep up with everything πŸ˜›

  10. That damn song…my brain still hasn’t been cleansed of the AHS version so all I hear is

    I…
    I vish you could svim…
    Like the dolvins…
    Like dolvins can svim…

    But GAAAAAHHHH can’t wait to see this in HD!

  11. goodkinghenry:
    S.5 looks awesome. Varys confirm no Aegon pretty much. Mereen statue comes crashing down. Tywins body lying in wake. Sand snakes. Jorah fighting in pit. A lot of people with gold masks. Wildling fighting. Aryas New outfit. Badass dragon. And much more.

    It does indeed look awesome!!!

    The three girls next to me all cheered when Varys said his bit, but all I could say was “fuck, no Aegon!”.

    Everything else totally fucking rocks though.

    They better at least put Euron et al in Season Six. After what I just saw, there is no fucking excuse!

    Seriously, better sound (man those dragon shouts were loud!), mostly crisper image and bigger screen, doesn’t matter how many storylines there are on the TV show so long as they have the budget to film all the epicness when they come together!

    After what I just saw, there is no fucking excuse not to have ADOS in IMAX/as a few movies. Man, GRRM was right!

  12. Yeah, I’m so happy about the trailer. It is pretty good quality all considered, but I look forward to seeing the HD version. Definitely a lot to go over, but the second half in particular was so fast, so I need a few more watches first.

    As I’m not in the US I would have probably had to wait another week for the trailer, so thanks to everyone who filmed it.

  13. John M W:
    Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    No, no. Definitely not.

    I just mean I can’t get out to see it in IMAX (none of my nearby IMAX theaters are showing it). So the best I can do is watch this low quality youtube video.

    Ah, I understand. Hahaha. Sorry for the confusion. It’s the best many can get, at least for now, and I think we’ll all happily take it. πŸ™‚

  14. Eventually some things had to be cut. If they added Aegon & The Iron Islands, it would be too many story lines. I’m even surprised they added Dorne this year.

    GoT looked awesome on IMAX. The bootleg trailers don’t do the trailer justice.

  15. I do think is very possible that

    Aegon/Young Griff to be Trystane Martell

    in the HBO show, and so

    the Martell would start playing the game of thrones with him.
  16. The Hound,

    To be honest HBO may as well release the full version, as there are reasonable ones out there now. Surely they want people to see the best version first.

    They’ve exceeded expectations for the Imax, and I can’t see it affecting sales that much, because reviews seem to be excellent.

  17. gewa76,

    I don’t think that needs to be in spoiler tags any more. I kind of take it as a given every time. Not that I’m remotely complaining!

    BTW, can anyone make out who it was making out in the vertical shot? Looked like Varys and Mel, but I gotta chalk that up to crap quality. Was too pissed about Griff to make it out in the theatre.

  18. I really do hope Euron and Victarion are able to make it in Season 6, which is still possible. As far as the overall story in ADwD goes, they haven’t really done much yet, it has all been setup. So if they plan on pushing their entire introductions back until they actually have a purpose, I’m cool with that. If they are in fact cut for good, well I’m rather sad, but I guess I’ll live.

  19. I will have a hard time watching GoT S5 on my “crappy” 60″ Plasma HD TV after just returning from the IMAX showing. There really is no comparison to what I just saw on screen and what I heard in my ears. This IMAX version of GoT S4 eps 9&10 needs to get over to Europe sooner than soon. I may go again this weekend.

  20. So it’s safe to say that Melisandre will be likely burning things…again.

    Rest looks so great. Sand Snakes look killer. Arya too of course.

    The dude menacing near the end with a big axe looks, I assume, like a Thenn; he’s bald and ugly, so that probably explains that…unclear what that whole deal is tho. Can’t wait!

  21. Aegon

    could still be met by Varys on the return trip if necessary.

    1) Who says “Nothing is more hateful than failing to protect the one you love?”
    2) Varys is wearing Illyrio’s clothing, I think. I would say this means no Roger Allam.
    3) Grey Worm and Missandei are horizontal.
    4) Some have said it might be

    the Mountain’s head

    whipped out of the box, but it looks like it moves in reaction, like a person is buried up to their neck in the sand.
    5)

    Young Cersei

    and her friend holding hands I presume. Everything looks appropriately gloomy and dream-like.
    6) More English “Slay the masters” grafitti. The seeming corporate injunction to make the series less complicated seems to have stuck there.
    7) I was right about the Sight image, that was beer flowing down the steps, poured out by

    the Faith Militant

    .
    8) The woman in green is (?) probably the prostitute Tyrion meets in Essos we read about in casting.

  22. Just got back from the IMAX screening. It was well worth the money. The entire Battle at the Wall, the mammoths, the scythe, Brienne vs. the Hound, even the oft-maligned skeleton wights … it all looked amazing. Every scene involving a panoramic landscape was gorgeously rendered. And there were many shots that you wouldn’t necessarily think would gain all that much from IMAX, but wound up being a treat to experience in the new format. I’ve watched both episodes more times than I can remember, and I noticed things that I’d never registered before – whether it was a fleeting facial expression, the actions of a certain background extra, or just how insanely detailed and awesome the production design is for certain sets that we often take for granted.

    And then there’s the Season 5 trailer! I’m glad that someone got a copy of the video up so quickly, because despite my best efforts to soak everything in, a lot slipped by me the first time as I just reveled in all of the new footage. I’ll have more specific thoughts after I watch the bootleg copy a few more times, but the primary thing that struck me as I left the theater was the immense scale of what I’d just witnessed. Kit Harington described this season as “lavish” and he was right – the budget for this year must be insane. That shot of the harpy being toppled from the Great Pyramid of Meereen is the kind of visual that I never would have imagined the show ever being able to afford back in Season 1.

    Hopefully a high-quality copy of the trailer will be available soon for all those who can’t make it to an IMAX theater. This footage really benefits from being seen on the biggest screen possible.

  23. Just came back from the GoT IMAX screening and it was amazing! Even more amazing was the surprise we got before the show started!

    We got the man himself, Neil Marshall, to introduce the episodes, especially his own. Didn’t stay long, but it was worth it to have him there!!!!

    The show looked soo good!!!!! Wow!!! It is amazing, the special effects, the cinematography, the action, the acting, it really looks like any big budget movie…and better!

    If anybody was concerned on how it would translate to the big screen, in this case an IMAX screen, you needn’t worry! It does so wonderfully!

    Honestly, I have seen “The Hobbit: The Battle Of The Five Armies” several times, and I found myself more entranced by the battle at The Wall , than I ever was with the in “The Hobbit”…and I’ve also already seen both episodes several times!

    My theatre was packed! All in all a great experience, punctuated by the presence of Neil Marshall and of course, the awesome trailer for Season Five!

    Honestly if you can attend one of the screenings, do yourself a favour and go! It is well worth it!

    PS The dragons looked excellent! Like them better than Smaug!

  24. Fedejru,

    I definitely hope that’s the case, but with Arienne being heavily tied up in their story, and here being a no show, I’m not gonna get my hopes up.

    Would make an epic twist though.

    This trailer’s already full of TWOW spoilers though, I think more than a few things about certain characters can be inferred from Varys’ line alone, if your suggestion isn’t the case.

    Really hope the People’s King is real and not a Blackfyre/whatever, but if he’s gonna sit the throne and not be fake, they can’t cut something that major from the show. I definitely hope your Martell suggestion is true!
  25. In reviewing the better quality version of the trailer, I would like to point out that despite appearing in the trailer, Olenna does not seem to be present at

    the wedding of Margaery and Tommen. I can clearly see Cersei, Pycelle, Loras, and Mace on the front row. Similarly, there’s no sign of Kevan, and I would assume he’d be present at this family event.
  26. Cover your spoilers, please!

    I mean like…actual spoilers. Not things that are plainly obvious in the trailer. Remember, people who haven’t read the books don’t see everything book readers see.

  27. Does

    Grey Worm move at all when Missandei leans to kiss him? Is he alive?

    I ask because of the speculation going around based on the Osuna pics.

  28. loco73,

    I’m so jealous of everyone in the US. If (when) they do this next year, they better expand it across the globe. I’m already looking forward to it!

  29. Sue the Fury,

    It’s hard to tell from that little snippet but there does seem to be a glint in his eye.

    And a glint in his eye couldn’t be future children…
  30. Felt Pelt,

    That definitely looks like Illyrio’s estate in a bunch of those scenes though, I highly doubt they’d go there if he was cut. Kind of redundant. Plus, I could have sworn he appeared in leaked set photos.

  31. Is that

    Dany cutting her hand

    ? I really don’t know who else it could be. Also it Brienne the first one speaking?

    I really want to who the two women walking in the forest are. Perhaps

    Sansa and some version of Myranda Royce

    ?

    I NEED the HD version. Come on HBO!

  32. OtherAndrew:
    The Tyrion and Varys trailer dialogue proves that the (SPOILERS AT LINK) β€œleaked script summary” going around last summer is accurate.

    I’m now convinced that every word of that is definitely true.

    There’s way to much stuff in there that this trailer just confirmed/ has since been confirmed for it not to be genuine. No way does it get that much right and be half bullshit when it was released so far back.

    There be some serious fucking spoilers in there y’all, especially after what we just saw with this trailer!!!

  33. Wow. What a community spirit in the Imax. As the theme played in my theater, the room exploded in a round of applause. I’d watch every episode in Imax if it was available.

  34. Jeb:
    loco73,

    I’m so jealous of everyone in the US.If (when)they do this next year,they better expand it across the globe.I’m already looking forward to it!

    Perhaps, but this one was not in the US… The Americans don’t get all the fun…he, he…

  35. Is the mid-drift girl — shot right after Jaime walking in Sunspear — one of the Sand Snakes or someone random?

    I’m worried that Grey Worm is actually dead in that image.

    Wait is that Grey Worm and Missandei, or Stalwart Shield and a prostitute? (and the whole thing is just a fake-out)

  36. I’m thinking the lack of Briene in the preview maybe because we’re gonna see stoneheart after all

  37. I suppose there are some things I fret about. The trailer however, looks pretty good. The doors to the House of Black & White, then Arya with Needle….I find myself cautious but quite hopeful.

    The North Remembers

  38. Grand maester giz:
    I’m thinking the lack of Briene in the preview maybe because we’re gonna see stoneheart after all

    That really doesn’t follow. Even if that was her main plot this season, it would be easy to include non-spoilery shots of her from that plot.

  39. The Dragon Demands,

    I think it’s the brothel worker who has one scene with Tyrion, there was a casting call for someone to play her. I don’t know how to find the article from WOTW and compare the faces.

  40. In my opinion Pycelle will replace Kevan. One of the easier things to succeed in with the ending of a ADwD in mind. It’ll give the actor something substantial to do, without major changes.

  41. Sean C.,

    Agreed. Besides presence in trailer isn’t a mediator of how important a character is in that season. It’s mainly popular characters (Dany, Tyrion, Arya etc), good quotes, and some action. It doesn’t really tell us anything about how much we will see particular characters in a season.

  42. Also, looking at the trailer again I see that the closest shot on a man being burned is not a Melisandre style sacrifice but a Wall pyre funeral, seen from above with crows standing around. His hands are laid on his chest in proper funeral fashion, and he’s not thrashing about or tied as a sacrifice would. I was just fooled by the two quick shots of Melisandre lighting something just before it.

    So, that’s got to be Ser Alliser Thorne’s final appearance. The clothing seems to match.

  43. Looks like we may get a Sons of the Harpy attack at the Pit instead of honeyed locusts Sure, I’m here for that πŸ™‚

    crap i tried to do a spoiler code

  44. OMG!!! GOOSEBUMPS!
    I can recognize a lot of the great pov michael slovis shots, even if he is not directing that episode it certainly has a big influence this season, specialy when bronn attacks the dorne soldier on horse, looks like a pov from the side of the horse an then slam!
    Just give us the hd version HBO!!

  45. GOOD TRAILER —-> #aslittleAryaaspossiblepleasethankyoushesboring

    Bad things…, for a second i tought i seen Dany and Misswhatshername make out but by your reports its Misswhatshermane kissing the Greyworm —–> #BooooBooooowewantlezboactionincludingDany

    Is that Aemon burning in the pyre?
    #noooooiliketheoldman

    Who is Melisandre preparing to “leeach” by getting naked πŸ™‚ ?
    #woooooyessssssssssssssssssssss

    AND WHERE THE FU*K IS STANNIS?????????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
    #D&DshatefortheonetruekingStannisofthehousebaratheonhasntdiminishedabit

    New Thenn at Hardhome? – #iaproove!

    No Reek – #badiliketoseehimsuffer

    No Ramsey – #badikindalikehimandhiswayshehasgreatpotential

    Forshadowing Sansa killing people to avenge her family —> #If00kingaprooveiloveSansaandalwayshaveknownshedbeamuchcoolercharacterthenboringArya

    Overall – #GOODTRAILER

  46. Jeb,

    Arya’s not in it much, in this case. Though relative to the content of AFFC/ADWD (loosely adapted, granted), the real underperformer in terms of trailer screentime is Theon.

  47. What was the music… U2? Uggh… they’ve always picked great music for the trailer. “Pick up the bones, but leave the soul alone…” Those are lyrics deserving of Game of Thrones.

  48. For a while, I was worried about this season, given all the changes it sounded like they were making…

    Now, after seeing this trailer, I’m just excited to see it, changes and all!

  49. Afeastfordances,

    I noticed that too, in the theater the scene went by too fast, but that’s definitely Barristan and Greyworm, missing in the Pit box leaked images. Therefore they are present on the wedding day, but why not in the box. Could they have been detained beforehand, ala Mark Anthony, to reduce her best fighters protecting her.
    Love the shot of Ellaria Sand all in black, very beautiful and deadly, apparently ready to take on the men pointing spears at her. The wildling scenes still have me confused, did anyone catch Margaery seducing Tommen, I guess on the wedding night, yahoo!

  50. The cinematography for season 5 is outrageous. When HBO posts the true trailer you guys are in for a treat

  51. Looks good. I really have no expectations for this season (unlike seasons 3 and 4), so if they just make it interesting and fun… I’ll be satisfied.

  52. I can’t sleep……….not watching this trailer is sooooooo hard, much harder than I thought it would be πŸ™

  53. ok lets be real!! How does Varys supporting Danny make any sense in show canon?? He was very willing to have her killed in the first season!! In fact he could not stop those little birds from flying! Varys’s motivations only make sense if there is a

    faegon that he supports
  54. Millions,

    It could be he was unaware Viserys was dead yet. Having one of them die wouldn’t have been a problem. It was truly Viserys who was hoped to succeed initially.

  55. Rye and coke for everyone! 100 comments! Trailer celebration! Another year of Thrones! Hallelujah!

  56. Grand maester giz,

    I don’t think that’s the case. Littlefinger’s line to Sansa shows that the one avenging the Stark family will not be SH, but Sansa herself. I’m curious to see how vicious she’ll get.

  57. Hell yeah! πŸ˜€

    Loved the sneak peak at Sunspear and almost pooped myself with that one Varys line!

  58. IceFire125:
    The sooner you accept β€˜Show is show’ and β€˜Book is book’, the better it will be.

    #TheshowhasactionaandAFFC-DWDbookshavepeoplecountingturnips

  59. “They’ll never even find what’s left of you.” – Olenna Tyrell

    I wonder who she is saying this to, and in what context? At first I thought this was being said to Margaery, but upon further review, there definitely seems to be some bite in Olenna’s tone, especially her slight emphasis on, “you.” I cannot seem to identify the background, so that gives me no clues.

    Thoughts?

  60. Just got back a little bit ago and damn, that was pretty bad ass. The dropping of the scithe was incredible on that screen. Also, did anyone else notice new or extra footage was added to E9? A couple spots (mainly when the brothers are being hoisted over the wall to loose arrows, the scene was extended a few seconds) were added in that must have ended up on the cutting room floor for the show. I hope everyone got the promo posters they were giving out as well, I received “The Wall” poster. I’ll try to post a pic of it, if I can…..

  61. Well, I took many more pics but the uploader eat them all, apparently… Here is what’s left. (going to do the GIFs with the proper version of the trailer).

  62. Abyss,

    wow… there are like… 50 more images in this than I would ever hope to see with naked eye in that trailer. SMART PEOPLE HURRY DISECT THEM and tell me whats happening

  63. Turncloak,

    Or

    the Snakes more specifically. Doran would never be so brazen.

    Let’s keep this thread growing btw. Let’s get a hundred times the comments Fansided’s salt wife site bloody well gets.

  64. Turncloak,

    Yea I was trying to figure that out . It’s creepy looking and just fucking random. Lol. Makes sense now though, when the box opens it’s a dead vipers head with the necklace in it’s mouth.

  65. Now that I’ve had a chance to absorb:

    Glad Olenna’s back.

    Hardhoooome.

    That last shot! I guess they are setting up for something big πŸ˜‰

    And, can I get clarification who appears at 1:03??

    tyjon,

    That shot was very very intriguing! The “Ellaria is the new

    Arianne”

    theory might make some sense.

    Millions,

    Did showVarys actually want Dany dead in S1 or did he agree with King Robert for the sake of agreeing with him and winning favor? Those small council scenes don’t necessarily represent showVary’s true intentions. We do, however, see that he kept track of Dany via spying and has since adapted to the reality of Dany being alive and subsequent rulers (everyone post Robert) not really caring about her existence. The fact that he adopted a “not an issue” attitude in Joff/Tommen’s court reinforces this. Also the Illyrio conversation.

    OtherAndrew,

    It definitely seems compelling. Most of what is listed for E1 is just 2 of the story lines: KL and Meereen, though. That seems a bit less than usual for a typical GoT episode. But yeah, its tough to ignore that direct Varys quote.
  66. Kyle,

    Hopefully they’ll make good use of her in Cersei’s plot somehow. Having a Cersei/Tyrell showdown is way more satisfying imo than casting the Kettlebacks and other minor characters for all of the Feast stuff.
  67. Please, can someone ell me all the dialogues in the trailer I’m editing subtitles infrench for the trailer and I ould be grateful if you told me hat the characters are saying, I have old ears x)

  68. hola,

    Ooh that is a very interesting possibility, I would LOVE that. Much more exciting to me than LS! After all she’s put up with, seeing Darth Sansa unleashing the inner wolf would be so satisfying.
    Can’t wait to see a good HD version, there’s stuff I can’t even make out in this version!
    And…”Heroes”. Love the irony!

  69. I abstain from watching the trailers as I have vowed to do after feeling to spoiled in season 1, but goodness me it’s difficult after quickly scanning through the comments – all the enthusiasm and comments about the obvious increase in budget fills me with expectation for S5!

    loco73,

    I don’t live in N-America so no chance (yet) to watch it on the big screen, but your comment is the kind of testimony that I hope will convince HBO of a worldwide release on the big screen.

  70. If Rhaegal and Viserion are that big, imagine how fucking huge Drogon is going to be! Great trailer. The Varys stuff was to be expected. I made peace with it a while ago. This doesn’t mean

    “Aegon” and Arianne

    won’t be very important in the books, they will, but the show and books are two separate entities telling the same broader story, with the books having the richer, more detailed version.

  71. Turncloak,

    There’s an edition history you can look up. It’s not been edited recently, and I certainly remember the thing about the viper and Tyrion and Varys.

    Millions,

    You are wrong. Even without Young Griff, Varys’s motivations do make sense.

    Remember, in the books, Varys and Illyrio’s original plan was thwarted; that is, an invasion with Viserys’s Dothraki and Aegon’s Golden Company (though Aegon was going to be the only one being crowned from the very beginning, of course.) Things have changed: Viserys is dead, so the ten thousand sellswords will not be backed by an equally large Dothraki horde (halving the expected Targaryen army); Littlefinger secretly sparked a civil war in the Seven Kingdoms; and Daenerys, who had only been considered a pawn in their game, is now a Queen on her own right. That’s why Aegon’s mission at the beginning of A Dance with Dragons, until Tyrion convinces him otherwise, is to go to Meereen and marry Daenerys. So, even in the books, Illyrio and Varys DO support Daenerys, in their own limited way.

    As for Varys going against his own plans, he has just been playing his part as a double agent: in order to ensure his position within the Small Council, he sometimes must harm his cause in small ways, such as providing them with information about Daenerys, especially on the show. However, you may ask, wouldn’t the attempted assassination of Dany harm his cause beyond repair? Not at all… because she wasn’t “his cause” back then. Remember: back then, Daenerys was nothing more than a tool, and certainly not the Dothraki-leading Dragon that Varys and Illyrio hoped for β€”that was still Viserys.

    Furthermore, following Robert’s order to assassinate Daenerys might not have been just an acceptable sacrifice but an opportunity, exactly the kind of trigger Varys was looking for: as we saw under the Red Keep, he was urging Illyrio to accelerate the Dothraki invasion, so maybe he thought killing Daenerys would do just that… and wouldn’t you know it, that is exactly what happened! The mere threat to his wife’s life did convince Khal Drogo to invade Westeros.

    Even if that speculative machination does not turn out to be true, it does not matter: Daenerys could only have become a true “Dragon” in the eyes of Varys and Illyrio once Viserys had died and she had proven herself in Slaver’s Bay. Varys trying to kill Dany perfectly fits with how they had been treating her until she became a Queen β€”as a disposable tool. If she can be married to a savage warlord, she can be assassinated for political gain. Until she proves she’s not just a tool.

    Therefore, Varys supporting Daenerys as the next Targaryen Dragon makes perfect sense in the show, as in fact it also partially does in the books, in which their current plans are for Aegon and Dany to marry. Tyrion might have mischievously convinced Aegon of the contrary, but they do need Dany and her dragons.

    If there was any inconsistency in the show with Varys supporting Daenerys, that inconsistency would partly exist in the books as well. Thankfully, there is no issue here: Aegon can be excised and it causes no incongruity for the character motivations of Varys. There may be a great argument out there for not cutting Aegon’s storyline, but this one is not it. None of this means this wouldn’t be a huge alteration from the books β€”no one denies the significance of this change from the source material, but it is a significant change that still allows the story to make sense in the context of the show.

  72. Regarding Varys

    supporting Dany not making sense in the show, I’m sure they can say the pardon Jorah received had a warning from Varys, informing him about the poisoner. Hell, the app for ‘A World Of Ice And Fire'(or some other ASOIAF related app) stated that is what happened anyway. Not exactly perfect, but it can work. I just hope they don’t gloss over it and pretend like it never happened.
  73. It’s crazy to think how big the show has got. Compare the stuff in this trailer to season 1. I mean I loved season 1 but its on a whole other level now.

  74. Beronn Stark,

    β€œNothing is more hateful than failing to protect the one you love.” – A female voice, the exact identity of the speaker is uncertain. It could be Brienne, but that’s certainly not confirmed.

    β€œThere’s no justice in this world. Not unless we make it … Avenge them.” – Petyr Baelish

    β€œI believe men of talent have a part to play in the war to come.” – Varys

    β€œI will never sit on the Iron Throne.” – Tyrion

    β€œYou could help another climb those steps and take that seat.” – Varys

    β€œI’m not going to stop the wheel. I’m going to break the wheel.” – Daenerys

    β€œThat little monster is out there, somewhere, drawing breath.” – Cersei

    β€œI don’t think I’m ready for what I deserve.” – Tyrion

    β€œWith me!” – Jon, as he leads men into battle.

    β€œThey’ll never even find what’s left of you.” – Olenna Tyrell

    β€œYou strip away the gold, knock down the statue, and this is what remains.” – Unknown male speaker. It sounds like it could be The High Sparrow (Jonathan Pryce), but again, that’s not confirmed.

    β€œThe Seven Kingdoms need a ruler loved by millions, with a powerful army and the right family name.” – Varys

    β€œGood luck finding him.” – Tyrion

    β€œWho said anything about him?” – Varys

  75. Tar Kidho:
    I abstain from watching the trailers as I have vowed to do after feeling to spoiled in season 1, but goodness me it’s difficult after quickly scanning through the comments – all the enthusiasm and comments about the obvious increase in budget fills me with expectation for S5!

    loco73,

    I don’t live in N-America so no chance (yet) to watch it on the big screen, but your comment is the kind of testimony that I hope will convince HBO of a worldwide release on the big screen.

    Thanks! I hope they do listen! And I don’t mean to just sound like cheerleader here, but honestly as a fan of both the books and the show I was pretty stoked to get to be part of this experience! Next to meeting Martin about 3 years ago (man…time passes fast!), this has to be right up there with the best moments I’ve enjoyed courtesy of “A Song Of Ice And Fire” and “Game Of Thrones”.

    Honestly when I first started getting familiar with this whole thing, and heard the first rumours about the show in 2008, then watched the openning shots of Season One in 2011, I never imagined where this show would lead and what it would become!

    I know that people may differ in opinion, books vs. show and what have you, but for me as a fan of both, I have little to complain about…this exceeded anything I expected!

    PS I think that they are doing the IMAX screenings because they have now rotated the GoT Exhibition to other cities than the usual ones they used to bring it to. I went for example to the Exhibition 3 years in a row…this year we got the IMAX screening instead! If this proves successful for them, I wouldn’t be surprised if HBO will be willing to expand IMAX screenings as well as the exhibit and continue to rotate!

  76. Jared,

    Its defs Brienne and Jonathan Pryce for the unknown voices.

    At first I thought the first voice was someone else but Sean C (the good Colonel) set me straight on that and now I’m certain it’s Gwen. As for Pryce, I’d know Governor Swann’s voice anywhere. (When I was a kid I was religiously into Pirates of the Caribbean).

  77. Huh. Rattleshirt is back. I didn’t expect that.

    Strange observation amongst all the awesomeness, I know. But it’s the only thing that truly surprised me.

    BTW, it seems the Sons of the Harpy will indeed attack Dany directly as we pretty much already knew, and they will have her surrounded, defended only by Jorah, Dario and a handful of unsullied… how will she get out of that situation? Drogon will come to the rescue, of course. Much more dramatically satisfying than Drogon coming just because… you know, the noise.
  78. The weakest of the trailers since S1 for me, personally. The musical choice didn’t help where before they’ve been obscure or less well known tracks I’ve never heard that have generated an ambience all of their own.

    Also made me realise how much less interested I am in Jaime’s story now, them having replaced his Riverlands arc with Dorne.

    No Brotherhood in this trailer coupled with Littlefinger giving Sansa the vengeance mantle probably also means no Lady S. πŸ™

    While I was fine with almost every change D&D made to the story beforehand, I think the story will miss her. Ditto the high drama of Brienne’s ‘choice’ along with it.

    Edmure’s excised stuff with Jaime in the Riverlands, the daily noose humiliation in the face of his growing love for Roslin and Jaime’s threat about their baby in the catapult I also thought was fantastic drama it seems inconceivable that they missed. In fact, it just seems everything interesting happening in the Riverlands post-RW including Blackfish taking a piss just fell by the wayside to become a story telling blind spot.

    I don’t want this to sound like another book purist rant because a) I’m not one, and b) fully accept that book & screen are entirely different mediums necessitating economy and that changes HAVE to be made (and tbh, D&D usually do incredibly well to this end.) My argument by this point is more that season 4 included over half an hour of superfluous stuff & the usual sexposition that could’ve hit the cutting room floor to preference catch ups in the Riverlands.

    I’m sure this season will have its moments and I certainly don’t want to piss on anybody’s bonfire, but I dunno …. considering my expectations slightly lowered this time around.

  79. Greenjones,

    I was 99.99% sure it was Jonathan Pryce as well (like you, I was obsessed with Pirates of the Caribbean when I was younger. There was a time when I could quote that entire movie from memory). And that particular quote would definitely make sense for his character. I just didn’t want to state that with unequivocal certainty when we didn’t actually see the words coming out of his mouth. I’ve been burned on that front before.

    I certainly didn’t identify Gwendoline Christie as the woman who speaks the first line of the trailer when I first heard it. But the more that I listen that voice, it does sound like her. If you and Sean are certain that it’s her, then I trust you.

  80. Damien,

    “season 4 included over half an hour of superfluous stuff & the usual sexposition that could’ve hit the cutting room floor to preference catch ups in the Riverlands.”

    Arya and the Hound journeying through the Post-war Riverlands the whole season wasn’t enough? Burnt fields, inns taken by soldiers who have essentially become bandits, true bandits everywhere, and lots of dead farmers? Yes, the AFFC Riverlands plot has been excised, but the STORY of its post-war woes has already been told.

  81. Jared,

    I still can quote at least the first POTC off by heart (I think at least). It holds up, the rest not so much. (Though they’re still fun, ain’t they?)

    BTW Norrington/Jack Davenport NEEDS to be on GoT at some point.

    Lyanna_targaryen,

    It’ll be so weird seeing Swann being a nasty piece of work, won’t it?

  82. Luka,

    Sure, the Riverlands were burning in the background during the Hound and Arya road trip.

    But to be clear, along with the AWOL Brotherhood, I meant characters pertaining to the wedding featuring a little more in the foreground: the Freys, Walder, Edmure, Blackfish …. ALL completely disappearing in the mix.

    There was a weird sense of amnesia as far as all that was concerned. The wedding happened but it was almost like it didn’t because we didn’t catch up with a single soul who was there.

    Living or dead. πŸ™‚

  83. Kyle,

    I was wondering about this too, but it really couldn’t be many other people. Realistically, it’s either Margaery or Cersei. And I’m leaning more towards Marg.

    I say Cersei because we know she’s behind Loras going to jail, and Olenna is going to retaliate in not-so-subtle ways.

    Also, she’s at the wedding. Look behind Loras.
    My question is how are they going to explain her coming back for this season? She clearly said she was leaving the capital before Joffrey’s funeral, so..

  84. Renly’s Peach,

    The reason Olenna gave for her departure was that she didn’t want to attend Tyrion’s trial. And obviously she’s coming back for her granddaughter’s wedding with the Lannister boy King (again.)

    BTW, I remember many people criticized “The Lion and the Rose” for not including some of the Olenna’s subtle (or not so subtle) jabs at the Lannisters, but many of them were in fact from Marg’s wedding with Tommen, not Joffrey β€”for example, when the “Rains of Castamere” starts playing, she remarks that “she had almost forgotten it” since it hadn’t been played in the last five minutes, or something like that. I saw many people complain it wasn’t in that episode. Well, it shouldn’t have; it should be this season.

    Oh, and Hardhome uber-confirmed, if there was still any doubt.

  85. Jared,

    It definitely sounds like Jonathan Pryce talking about the statue– have just been watching him in “Wolf Hall” on the BBC here in the UK.

  86. I just got home from watching it at the movie theater here in San Francisco, and I’m so happy I went. The fine work the cast and crew have put into this show is on full display on the IMAX screen. There were details and sounds I missed watching it on regular television. Also, watching it with a community of fans who share the same love for the show was just a fantastic experience. Enjoyed sharing laughter, gasps, frowns and cheers – the biggest cheer came when Brienne defeated the Hound. I’ve seen these episodes dozens of times over, but the IMAX experience took it to whole new level. I would gladly pay to watch each season 5 episode on IMAX if it were possible (although a discount for HBO subscribers would be nice lol).

    And that trailer! I can’t even. Wow. Season 5 come on already.

  87. 00:34 time in this video:

    Davos, Stannis and Mel standing before a setup pyre with Mance on the right of the screen between 2 guards and to the right of him are Thorne and Slynt watching.

    Mance is getting burned

    .

    00:48 WIldlings at Hardhome at night expecting something unplesent to come crashing trough the door
    You can see its cold and misty so we know it aint NightWatch.

  88. The female voice speaking the first line is 100% Gwendoline Christie. I’m surprised there’s even confusion about it. Just listen to clips of her speaking and it’s obvious. She has a very unique voice.

  89. Wow, thanks for posting all the vids and your first theories. πŸ™‚

    Regarding that unknown woman speaking of “failing to protect the ones you love”, to me it sounds alot like Catelyn, but thats not possible, so what about Maggy the frog? Since its not a young voice..

  90. http://i.share.pho.to/db0727b8_l.jpeg
    That looks like Brienne and Pod…At first glance I would say it’s the inn at the crossroads, but I guess it’s some other place in the Vale or Riverlands. This image and the one with the Vale soldiers riding does make that leak even more plausible.

    Great trailer. Wish we got Imax here in Europe. Was missing Reek and Arya though. I’m sure Arya will have enough screentime, and I can deal with Brienne having limited screentime, but if they cut away from the Reek storyline, I’ll be really disappointed.

  91. Couple of things I noticed, didn’t see them commented on so I apologise if someone has already…

    Two girls at 0:46 – young C and Melara off to see Mags?

    Flames at 1:00 – Rattleshirt (as Mance) holding harp?

  92. Alas, as much as I want it to be Brienne talking to Stoneheart, it’s very clearly Tara Fitzgerald ….

  93. Waxfoot:
    Roger,

    Doesn’t sound like Catelyn to me. Sounds like Brienne.

    I dont hear one bit of Brienne in it. But so far (almost) everything is possible πŸ™‚

  94. Well we kinda knew it’s gonna happen but I still hoped until the end for YG to be in.Varys confirmed that plot is out.
    Loved the trailer,it’s gonna be a great season.The Pit will be awesome,I’m happy they added an attack,it will be intense.I also look forward to Dorne and the Snakes,I’m sure we’re gonna love them on screen.And in King’s Landing is gonna be more action then ever.Can’t wait to see this season.
    I’m surprised not to see the King at all,I’m curious how far we’ll get in the Battle of Winterfell plot.I expected it to be this season but the trailer didn’t show any players from there.Except Theon.

  95. Hopefully HBO will do what Marvel did when the trailer for Age of Ultron leaked and release it in full HD quality as soon as possible.

    It feels wrong looking at it like this, no matter how good the season itself looks.

  96. Im a bit unimpressed by the trailer! For first time since 2011 Im not as eagerly looking forward to see the show and figure out whats going to happen! It might be a good thing for my life, I’ll just binge watch it in June !!!

  97. I’m very disappointed at the exclusion of

    fAegon

    . I know many people dislike him, and his story so far hasn’t had that much of an impact. But history itself is full of these elements. It’s mainly his potential which makes me excited.
    I understand that TV has to cut down on storylines, but I feel they’re overdoing it a bit with last season (and everything points to this becoming worse in season 5). One of the things that draws me to Game of Thrones is that it is a complex narrative, where many different agents have many different goals which conflict. (A good counter-example is season 1 of House of Cards, where Congress seems to be a dollhouse for Underwood, and nobody appears to make counter-moves or intelligently see through his scheming, except for the reporters at the very end.) But the makers of GoT are leaving more and more stuff out, fearing that people won’t be able to keep focus. I’d rather have them raising the bar for intelligent television.
    Still, my excitement for Season 5 is slightly growing, especially for the storyline of the North.

  98. Was the old High Septon still alive during the Tommen/Margaery Wedding in the books as well? I don’t remember the timeline.
  99. Soooo…LS is out and Littlefinger-backed vengeful Sansa is going to take her place? Brienne and pod meet up with Sansa? I guess it fits but we have no idea what Sansa’s future is in the books so??

  100. Greenjones,

    Sansa? If LF turns Sansa against Brienne by saying ‘she was sworn to protect your mother, and Renly, and look what happened to both…’ Or something similar, then the VoiceOver would seem to me the perfect response from Brienne, before she is booted out of the Vale.
  101. Laura:
    Oh wow. wow. wow. This line, β€œThere’s no justice in this world. Not unless we make it … Avenge them.” – Petyr Baelish is making me a bit nervous. Not sure I like it. I absolutely cannot wait to see this on Saturday! Also, I really do think that the shot directly after the gold mask is of Theon. I didn’t see a white beard but I’m pretty sure it was him.

    Laura,

    Yes that’s our Reek (rhymes with eek!) at 1:10ish

  102. Not sure if anyone noticed, but it seems that Dany is being attacked in the Pit (before you-know-what happens).

  103. Ooh, awesome trailer! Thank you for posting! Hopefully we’ll get the HQ version soon, I don’t really see the point of not releasing it now.

    I knew we probably wouldn’t get much Arya in the trailer as I think they want to keep the HoBaW and Jaqen under wraps until April. I don’t really understand why though, because if the Kindly Man is only taking Jaqen’s face (as he is according to that leaked script summary) and the “real” Jaqen isn’t coming back, why is it such a big deal then when it’s not so different from the books anyway? The unsullied are expecting to see Jaqen anyway. Whatever, I’m ecstatic that Tom Wlaschiha is back, in whatever capacity, though I hope he’ll keep doing the Jaqen voice and mannerisms instead of being completely different except for his looks.
  104. Long time lurker, first time poster here. Not being an English native speaker always stopped me from posting (you guys seem so highly articulate, it’s a bit scary lol). Today I’m way too excited to just “lurk”, so please be kind!

    cami,
    I think you’re right, he looks like Jorah without his armor, and wearing a helmet. And it looks indeed like the St. John’s fortress scene. But why would Daenerys go to see some (supposedly ) random slave auction/fighting? Was she choosing the slaves for the Daznak’s pit fight? I guess she didn’t get to see Jorah’s face and she didn’t know he was fighting at Daznak’s. Or maybe she knew and was all like “you betrayed me. If you want my forgiveness you better prove me you’re worth it!”

    I’m so looking forward to season 5. Is it April yet?

    Edit re spoilers: we do see the Daznak’s pit fighting scene in the trailer, so I guess I didn’t actually spoil anything? If I did, I beg your mercy!

  105. Ser Dosser,

    Sansa hardly seems bloodthirsty or intent on killing people in the two shots we see of her. One of which seems to be Littlefinger trying to sell the revenge pitch to her.

  106. Gosh, I freaked out so much, I must admit I cried a little and I was shaking for like 5 minutes. HOLY COW. What is my life right now? This trailer is awsome. There is not a single storyline I’m not excited for this season.

  107. MagTheMighty:
    Ser Dosser,

    Mance is supposed to have pretty important role in season 5.Looks like Tormund will replace Rattleshirt.

    That’s a terrible idea. Tormund is the most fleshed out of the wildling characters, has been quite fun in his season 4 appearances, is popular with book fans, and Kristofer Hivju has been promoted to the main cast despite not being in that many season 4 episodes.

  108. She’s probably talking about the medieval Wheel of Fortune, which represents how men and women are all just characters on the wheel, able to fall or be raised at the whims of the Fates.

  109. Sean,

    Yes, I thought that when Varys mentioned “her”. Well we already know the show is veering away from the books to some extent. I guess with two hefty tomes to be dramatised and two or maybe three unpublished volumes hard adaptation choices have to be made.

  110. tyjon,

    The shot of Margaery has someone’s arm around her as if they are guarding her from someone off screen. My guess is that it could be her brother or grandmother. Perhaps even Tommen.

  111. Are the wildlings running away in the boats? Seems like people are being drowned in one of the shots. I hope they show hardhome because they talk about all the weird stuff happening there in the books and we never get to see any of it happening.

  112. Very misleading. You should at least acknowledge it is bootlegged. I prefer to see things as they are intended to be seen

  113. I’m enthusiastic!

    Having visited the Seville Alcazar last spring, the scenes there jumped at me right away and I liked them.

    Jaime striding into th Hall of Ambassadors under its golden dome
    Ellaria in black standing before the crypt-like baths.
    A wide shot of the garden towards the palace, with the grotesque wall on the right. You can almost make out the water organ!
    What I didn’t see is a closer shot of the Mercury fountain with the water they supposedly got the right to dye.

  114. wow
    stunning to watch even in camera print but hell yes thats what u call a trailer

    i am so electric right now after watching this
    some great shots
    some great tits coming as well we saw missendai and melisandre both
    also someone else before but that was a newbie

    best season yet imo

  115. On a side note, I love that they played Bowie’s Heroes. That song comes very close to singing the same story as Dragons/Crows tells.

  116. Greg:
    Very misleading. You should at least acknowledge it is bootlegged. I prefer to see things as they are intended to be seen

    “Thanks to all the readers who provided videos from the premiere of the Game of Thrones IMAX Experience!”

    Blame HBO, they may as well have uploaded the proper version.

  117. So far, there are not that many storylines early in the Season.
    – Jon/Sam/Stannis
    – Reek/Boltons (Stannis will split off from the former and join this storyline in the latter part of the season, probably)
    – Sansa/Brienne (probably overlapping)
    – Cersei/Margaery
    – Jaime/Dorne (new)
    – Tyrion (new)
    – Arya
    – Daenerys

    Compared to last season, these are gone:
    – Bran
    – Separate Wildling plotline
    – Separate Stannis plotline
    – (Probably) separate Brienne plotline (integrated with Sansa)

    The Greyjoys will either be cut entirely or cleverly included on a rare occasion (which should make more sense than the plotline last year). Since the Griffs tie into Tyrion, I see no reason at all why we couldn’t spend some short while with them in the first half of the season.

  118. People are upset at Aegon being cut?? There seems to be a lack of awareness from some readers that not only is it not possible to fit this massive sprawling story into a TV show but that some of it just isn’t even very good in the first place. Sorry, but Jaime in the Riverlands is not entertaining TV, some readers may think it is great but that’s because they’re ASOIAF nerds but D&D cannot write to cater to ASOIAF nerds. Aegon was obviously going to be cut, most viewers don’t understand the history of Robert’s Rebellion to even know or care who Aegon is. Cutting him out to focus on linking Tyrion’s arc with Dany’s is not just better for the show, it’s a better story in general imo.

    Some people seem to forgot the tepid reaction both AFFC and ADWD got from most fans. While I enjoyed them for the most part, these books do not translate well to TV and not just because they are huge and sprawling but because many of the story lines just aren’t very good and certainly don’t make for good television to the average casual viewer. The fact is the only chance this season has at being great is by making changes to the story, translated accurately AFFC/ADWD would make for a horribly boring meandering mess of TV.

  119. JamesL:
    because much of the story lines just aren’t very good and certainly don’t make for good television to the average casual viewer.

    This is exactly my point. Fuck the casual viewer. This isn’t the show for them anyway, there’s reality TV or talent shows for that.
    I know that sounds a bit harsh but the makers probably sometimes think the same. I’m not saying that they should include every detail.

    Sam’s journey to Oldtown can be cut, so can Penny, so can the Riverlands, so can most of Stannis’s journey to Winterfell and the YarAsha subplot, so can (although only just) the Queenmaker subplot. The Greyjoys and fAegon are easy adaptations that do not require much time at all, and can easily replace the Grey Worm/Missandei thing or a Tristane-Myrcella love plot. Leaving them out at this stage is impoverishing the story in my view. Yes, it makes things a bit more complex, but much more interesting and exciting too. They’re wild cards.
  120. Lollius Palicanus: Since the Griffs tie into Tyrion, I see no reason at all why we couldn’t spend some short while with them in the first half of the season.

    The importance of Griffs/fAegon depends on things we don’t know, i.e. what happens in TWOW. If they are important, then it is a stupid decision to cut them. If they are just a sidetrack GRRM ended up gardening when he got pissed off people figured out R + L = J and will die horribly early on, then:

    I see a very good reason to cut that storyline.

    Bottom line: it depends on things we do not know (as opposed to D & D & Cogman who know the ending).

  121. Homplomplom,

    I do not agree. Even if they die early, it’s not an invention George made on a whim (I think, seeing the hints from aCoK onwards). Even if they don’t matter much in the end, it’s the journey that counts. They play a huge role in the development of Tyrion’s state of mind, and will undoubtedly for Dany, Cersei, the Martells, Stannis, … I think people that don’t like the Griffs have a reading of the books which is too simple.

  122. Loved the trailer. Strong material. Loved the hidden plots. Will be really exciting to see young Cersei. Call me stupid, but I’m not sure what Daenerys meant with ‘Breaking the Wheel’. I can only assume that she talks about defeating the fanatics or Sons of the Harpy

  123. JamesL,

    GoT already has such a huge following and status, mainly without simplifying too much of the story in earlier seasons. I stood by every decision made by the showrunners until last year’s Tysha thing (ok, and the fireballs, but that wasn’t their decision apparently). They were able to generate huge profits and viewership despite GoT being one of the most complex shows on TV. Now that they have attained this, and HBO is committed anyhow, they should use this to, like I said before, raise the bar of television (slightly). Instead of focusing on spectacle (as in action without content, which hasn’t happened really so far) and cheesy romance plots, build something which will hold its head up high in the future. The Battle of the Five Armies and Transformers 4 had huge budgets and were box office hits, but they’re still part of the biggest crap that has appeared last year.

    I fully know that my views on where the line is to be drawn are very subjective and the showrunners certainly don’t care about it. But especially these cuts just seem like a waste to me, because they require little investment. Only some higher estimation of the brain capacity of your viewers.

    Homplomplom,

    Not really, it’s not a theory or anything. The sample chapters point to this, and logic dictates this WILL have an impact.

  124. JamesL,

    I don’t think you can so blithely dismiss people being annoyed in all fairness. Even if you don’t find their stories interesting, we now know, pretty much for a certainty, that said storyline amounts to precisely nothing (For what it’s worth, I think JC was the interesting part of that story, and like Quentyn if handled correctly could have been heart-breaking onscreen).
    Likewise Arianne, Stoneheart, Euron, the last especially has been built up into a big menace, but now is looking unlikely even to turn up in the series, considering we know there’s only two more seasons.
    So in a way the show has now spoiled the books, which is an amusing turnaround when you think about it.

  125. The final crow shot seems to be landing on a skinned corpse in a cage, with a snowy background. A certain Bolton subplot perhaps?

  126. Jeb,

    Actually without clicking on “see more” it just says “Game of Thrones season 5 trailer hits!” then underneath that is says ” Feast your eyes on the first trailer of Game of Thrones season 5!” and then there is the embedded video. So go fuck yourself

  127. Fall_Of_Byzantium,
    “Even if you don’t find their stories interesting, we now know, pretty much for a certainty, that said storyline amounts to precisely nothing”

    No we don’t, the books and TV show two separate entities, the show is doing it’s own thing, more inspired by the books than based on. I don’t expect the show to have the exact same ending as the books.

  128. I am a little underwhelmed, maybe it’s the music, I don’t know, I reserve final judgment until I see the HD trailer and not a bad version on my phone πŸ™‚

    I guess Varys is now supporting Daenerys, whatever some here say, it does spoil his character. He was supposed to be the most intelligent man in Westeros, with plans spanning decades… either way you put it, that doesn’t work. Don’t expect me to be in awe of his plan to send the 2 remaining Targaryens with a horde of barbarians that treat them as slaves. Sure, this is all speculation, they might explain things in another way, we’ll see.

    While the creative changes they make disappoint me more and more I am still incredibly looking forward to the story arcs of Arya, Cersei, Theon, I know they’ll be great and I am very curious what they’ll do with Sansa. As for the rest?? I think Dorne especially will infuriate me to no end.

    PS: So, that leaked script is most likely real, it had the exact same line uttered by Varys. That means that Stannis gives an ultimatum to Jon to make Mance kneel and follow him against the Boltons….

    Again Stannis will be portrayed worse than in the books, as a semi-villainous character. So, where is his stance about the law??? In the books he wanted to keep Mance alive, he really did, but he simply couldn’t. Mance himself was more than willing to help, he’s an opportunistic man, but he’s not given any way out. so the dynamic will be completely changed…. Mance will be the proud King Beyond the Wall, aka William Wallace and Stannis?? still a man who cares only about power
  129. Did anyone notice what’s going on when Varys delivers his line about needing a ruler with the ‘right name’? Arryn soldiers. Is this a hint that Sansa could be the ruler he describes?

  130. Many thanks to those who posted these trailers. The increasing level of detail with each new season is astounding.

    I do wonder about what new game Varys is playing with Tyrion.

    Is Varys pushing Tyrion toward Dany, to distract him while Varys continues his bid for the Throne with the TV version of fAegon? It’s possible Trystane could be fAegon after all. Or it could be someone else we didn’t expect.

    Everything looks good, but two moments stand out for me: Olenna, vicious as ever; and Petyr Baelish, creepy and manipulative as ever. I think Sansa’s storyline is the one I’m looking forward to most.

  131. Greg,

    Wow, bit harsh. Everyone knew that HBO was unlikely to release the trailer. If you had taken the time to read the whole article first you would have realised that too. Lighten up man, it is only a trailer anyway…(plus now you can look forward to seeing it again in high quality next week!!!)

  132. The show and books will have the basic same ending. I say that in theory because the book series will likely never be finished.

  133. So LF is trying to create his own Sansa Stoneheart? “Avenge them…” Hmmm. I think that is an intentional misdirection from the trailer and is probably related to the reason why LF is returning to KL.

  134. Jeb,

    Why do I have to take the time to read any post? This is about the misleading headline. I hate you with a passion now

  135. I’m seeing it in imax tuesday (first chance wife and I have) and was really hoping this would not be available so quickly! Not watching it is causing me serious physical discomfort!

  136. OtherAndrew,

    Holy crap. This is the same guy who originally posted the dodgy-looking “leaked script” (the Thoros scene that looked more like an early draft). I was convinced both were fake to be honest.

  137. As a book fanatic/show sceptic this looks extremly awesome. But won’t have much to do with ASOIAF anymore. Maybe I’ll (finally) get over it.

    PS: I love the Marg/Tommen wedding Deja vu.

  138. BrightroarsBane:
    Did anyone notice what’s going on when Varys delivers his line about needing a ruler with the β€˜right name’? Arryn soldiers. Is this a hint that Sansa could be the ruler he describes?

    I don’t think that people who edit trailers (which are notoriously misleading) have talked to anyone about the future storylines, or are trying to hint at something in the trailers, as opposed to get people excited for the next season.

    Plus, it wouldn’t make sense, since Sansa has none of those things (not in terms of the Iron Throne, anyway).

  139. Greg,

    Come on, the trailer above isn’t in that bad a quality. It is obviously a shame for you that you watched it thinking it was the HBO official one, but it is hardly the end of the world. It is only a trailer after all, and not a full episode. I don’t see anything wrong with the headline myself, and other sites have used similar titles. I would see your point if the trailer above wasn’t that good quality, but it is pretty good really. The headline draws people to the article, as it should, and as you can see by the number of comments, an overwhelmingly large number of people have watched it, and are discussing it.

    You are not the only one who would have liked the HBO upload (everyone would have preferred that option), but as I said before blame HBO. I would have uploaded it if I were them. Unfortunately I’m not, so I will make do with what we have got.

  140. Thomas,

    The first voiceover is Brienne.

    On rewatch I noticed that when Brienne says “failing to protect the one you love” there’s a close-up of Jaime. Probably doesn’t mean anything, but thought that was interesting.

    As for the song, I’m not crazy about it. The beginning was good, the ending, not so much. I was hoping the Hozier track “In the Woods Somewhere” from the international S4 DVD trailer would be used again.

  141. Does Littlefinger line about avenging suggest that

    Alayne will play a part in Brienne’s storyline in lieu of LS

    .

    Also, do all the wall bits look like Castle Black or is it just me?

  142. We got trailer!!! I said I’ll watch it first on the IMAX screen today but couldn’t resist πŸ˜€

    Brienne and Petyr doing voiceovers make me tingle all over. I love the lines. Dany is not stopping the cycle/wheel, but freaking breaking it. You go girl!

    Varys supporting Dany. That’s new. Must have had a change of heart since season 1 :p

    Ahhhh, the wolves are at the Hardhome (?) gate! And by wolves I mean wildlings. Didn’t see any White Walkers.

    HOUSE MARTELL BITCHES LOOKS AWESOME!

  143. Lollius Palicanus: Why?

    I would say because of time constraints if there are only going to be 30 more 1 hour (roughly) episodes, 10 of which have already been filmed. Perhaps if a radio station was willing to run with it (and GRRM was agreeable) ASOIAF would be suitable matter for a sound adaptation which could adhere more rigidly to the written form of the story.

    Addendum: As a UK person I thought “What the heck?” when I saw the date of 4.12.2015 (because where I live we use the format DD/MM/YYYY) until I realised it was the American style of MM/DD/YYYY. No, I haven’t got to wait until December.

  144. Great trailer!

    Don’t think anyone pointed out yet, girl in green outfit at 1:05 is Ollie Kram (http://gameofthrones.wikia.com/wiki/Ollie_Kram). I’m pretty sure, at least.

    We discussed her casting a while ago, she filme with other girls, probably all courtesans from the bravos storyline (check her hair in the trailer, it’s the bravosi style we’ve seen in set pictures)
    So i guess this scene is

    her seducing Meryn? I’m not really sure how the whole mercy thing will go down on tv
  145. Laura:
    Is Varys wearing Illyrio’s clothes?

    Well, in fairness he didn’t have much time to pack before leaving Kings Landing at the end of Season 4!

  146. Thank you to everyone who recorded it! This is the only way I can see the trailer, until HBO doesn’t upload a HD one…
    So we had the trailer, at last. And I love it.

  147. The show and books will have the basic same ending. I say that in theory because the book series will likely never be finished.

    Yeah, and they kinda spoiled it here with showing

    Jon way before Dany

    during Varys talking about Tyrion helping someone on the throne.

  148. I still hate that change when they did make Jaime and Tyrion apart with good terms. And now Tyrion is more than willingly to join Dany’s camp against his beloved brother’s son? I guess they will make another Saint Tyrion chapter later on when he demands Dany to not kill Tommen.

  149. have not seen anyone mention that the person being burned to death could be aemon perhaps he dies at castle black

  150. Reema:
    Does Littlefinger line about avenging suggest that

    .

    Also, do all the wall bits look like Castle Black or is it just me?

    If you think Sansa’s season 5 storyline is all about being completely manipulated by Littlefinger. If that’s what it’s supposed to be, they sure have set it up weirdly in season 4…

  151. Shot-by-shot analysis/descriptions of all 67 scenes:

    Lots of speculation here, if someone would like to synchronize the descriptions to still footage or slow-motion clips they’re welcome to.

    1. Jaime standing in Sept of Baelor over Tywin’s body, female (Cersei?) leaving up the steps.

    2. Knights of the Vale riding across some fields.

    3. Cersei standing over Tywin’s body.

    4. Jaime crying, presumably talking to Cersei over Tywin’s body.

    5. Jon arriving at Hardhome via small rowboat, hundreds of wildlings awaiting his arrival. Could also be Eastwatch but based on leaks we’ll assume it’s Hardhome for the rest of the trailer.

    6. Bronn drawing his sword, a spear pointing in his face.

    7. Sons of the Harpy in their masks. May be worth noting that one of the masks looks similar to the skull on the gate in Lhazar when we meet Mirri Maz Duur, which is also similar to the skull on the table when Jorah meets Quaithe.

    8. Petyr holding a crying Sansa on a hill (“Petyr – There’s no justice in this world, not unless we make it”).

    9. Ellaria, Nymeria, Obara and Tyene in the sand standing over a captive with a bucket on his head. Obara whips the bucket off his head. Captive is a bald man.

    10. A palace of some kind, could be The Water Gardens in Sunspear but more likely a wider shot of Illyrio’s Manse.

    11. Petyr holding Sansa again, (Petyr – “Avenge them”).

    12. Wildlings at Hardhome marching into the sea, their movements look rather robotic and lacking urgency, could be resurrected wights or maybe just slower motion footage of them fleeing.

    13. A young, blonde girl drawing blood from her finger with a knife. Likely to be Young Cersei in the Maegi flashback. Blood drips from her finger into a fire, flames intensify.

    14. Tommen and Margaery’s wedding ceremony, a septon stands in the background, crowd inclues Pycelle, Cersei, Loras, Mace.

    15. Lord of Bones leading a wildling host, has a badass staff.

    16. Varys and Tyrion talking in the gardens of Illyrio’s Manse. (Varys – “I believe men of talent have a part to play in the war to come”, Tyrion – “I will never sit on the Iron Throne”, Varys “You could help another climb those steps and take that seat”)

    17. Tyrion rolling out of a shipping crate, looking a bit haggard.

    18. A crowd in the courtyard at Castle Black. Familiar faces include Stannis, Davos, Melisandre, Jon, Alliser, Janos. It appears someone is about to get sacrificed to R’hllor. A figure near the foreground is guarded by two of Stannis’ soldiers, looks like it could be Mance Rayder.

    19. Cersei in what looks like a dungeon though she looks fairly pleased with herself.

    20. Varys and Tyrion walking through the streets of (probably) Volantis

    21. Someone with long, dark hair being chased through the woods on horseback by 3 riders, location must be southern as it’s not snowing, looks like it could be the wood where Tyrion meets Shagga and Timmett, also could be generic Riverlands setting. seems unlikely to be Northern in this season but the weather was fine when Ramsay was playing in the woods last season so who knows? The riders definitely do not look like the Knight’s of the Vale seen later in the trailer.

    22. Jon Snow looking pensieve, Longclaw looking awesome

    23. Sansa laying in bed looking up, a guard at the door.

    24. Two young highborn girls walking through some foliage, the footage looks slow and ‘dreamy’, most likely Cersei’s flashback and the characters are Cersei and Melara.

    25. A bald man holding a weapon standing alone outside the gate at Hardhome. Night’s King? Would be a weird entrance.

    26. Interior view of the gate at Hardhome, some soldiers standing looking at the gate as if expecting an intruder, 4 men standing atop the gate. An icy mist drifts through the gate.

    27. Daenerys looking focused and stone-faced, spouting nonsense (Daenerys “I’m not going to stop the wheel (?), I’m going to break the wheel”)

    28. Jorah fighting a pitfighter in Daznak’s Pit. Pitfighter is well armored and wearing a helmet, he is twirling a long weapon, could be a scythe.

    29. A box opens on a table revealing a viper holding Myrcella’s necklace in it’s mouth. Cersei is looking at it and probably understands it as a threat from Doran, despite it more likely being a threat from the Sand Snakes.

    30. Tyrion still looking haggard and concerned. (Tyrion “I don’t think I’m ready for what I deserve”)

    31. Cersei furiously barking at Jaime over Tywin’s body. (Cersei – “That little monsters out othere somewhere drawing breathe”)

    32. Mel walking purposefully with a torch, Nightswatchmen crowded in the background. Could be about to burn a body.

    33. As suspected Mel lights a pyre, not the same scene ‘Scene 18’ in the courtyard, the centrepiece there looked more like a gallows/crucifix as we saw on Dragonstone, this is the usual Night’s Watch pyre with what looks
    like a nightswatchmen burning on it. The body is holding something metal across his chest, I’m positive this is Maester Aemon and the metal is his Maester’s Chain.

    34. Tyrion drinking wine in the gardens of Illyrio’s Manse again, still talking to Varys.

    35. Jon Snow leading an attack (Jon – “With Me!”). Two hosts clash at Hardhome, looks like Wildlings vs. Nightswatch

    36. Jaime entering a Dornish palace, probably Sunspear, being followed by a spearman.

    37. A woman in revealing vest moving seductively in front of a man sat on a bed. Almost certainly Dornish, could be one of the Sandsnakes and Jaime/Bronn.

    38. The lift ascending up The Wall.

    39. Olenna either giving advice or making a threat. (Olenna – “They’ll never even fine what’s left of you”)

    40. Jon snow cutting down a wildling at Hardhome.

    41. A Dornish rider in the sands whipping Jaime, knocking him off his feet. Could be Obara Sand.

    42. A Son of the Harpy in a golden mask in the streets of Meereen. The wall behind him reads “Kill the Masters” from Season 4.

    43. Reek looking reekish.

    44. Two Dornish riders in the sands, the same scene as ‘Scene 41’, one of the riders bears down on Bronn about to swing his sword, Bronn, on foot, swings his sword first and cuts the horse down, the rider falls from the horses back.

    45. The Faith Militant descending some steps in King’s Landing. Al wearing plain black robes. Two of the militants smash open a barrel with axes, sending the contents pouring into the street. There are lots of barrels in the background which suggests they’ve raided a pub and are disposing of the alcohol.

    46. Arya arriving at the House of Black and White, standing before a Half-Weirwood/Half-Ebony door.

    47. Arya in braavosi clothes standing at a dock, picking needle up off the ground and inspecting it. Looks like she is struggling with the idea of losing her last possession from her former life.

    48. Knight’s of the Vale riding across the hills.

    49. A Chessboard style Map of the North, similar to those used by Robb Stark and Stannis Baratheon earlier in the series. The only pieces on the board are ‘Flayed Man’ pieces representing House Bolton. It seems someone is devising a strategy to attack Roose Bolton.

    50. As in previous scenes, Tyrion and Varys still talking in the gadens of Illyrio’s Manse. (Varys – “The Seven Kingdoms needs a ruler loved by millions with a powerful army and the right family name”, Tyrion “Good Luck finding him”, Varys – “Who said anything about him?”)

    51. Daenerys looking stone-faced again.

    52. Rhaegal roasting somebody in the dark.

    53. Dozens of rowboats with wildlings hastily rowing away from Hardhome. They seem to be in a hurry as one wildling is swimming in the water trying to get aboard one of the rowboats and the man aboard the boat continues rowing,
    leaving him to swim. Could be the wildlings abandoning their scrap with the Nightswatch and fleeing as the battle has been interrupted by arrival of The Others.

    54. Missandei leaning in to kiss Grey Worm, who is laying down and teary eyed. RIP Greyworm?

    55. A pitfighter in Meereen deals a knockout blow to another warrior, being watched from the stands by Daenerys and Hizdahr. Neither of the fighters are recognizable. The one getting knocked out looks plainclothed and has dark hair.
    The victor is wearing leather armor and a black helmet, he seems to be hitting the other man over the head with his own helmet.

    56. Melisandre exposing her tits in what looks like the Lord Commander’s chambers.

    57. Daenerys, Grey Worm, Daario and Barristan descending some steps, guarded by many Unsullied soldiers.

    58. Another Dornish sands scene, 3 Dornish riders appear to have surrounded Jaime and Bronn.

    59. Ellaria facing 3 Dornish spears, they appear to be taking her into custody. seems she is replacing Arianne in that regard.

    60. A hand, maybe touching a piece of paper or squeezing something in pain. Absolutely no idea what this is.

    61. A bald wildling with a weapon I don’t recognize getting pumped up, ready for a duel. Wildlings looking on the background next to an unlit pyre/bonfire. The weapon is like a weird scythe/poleaxe hybrid. This could maybe be an
    unmasked Lord of Bones and I misidentified the ‘staff’ in an earlier scene.

    62. Two horsemen escaping from a stable/farmhouse into the woods. One of these could be the rider being pursued in ‘Scene 21’. Generic Riverlands look to the setting. The two horsemen are almost certainly Brienne and Podrick.

    63. Sons of the Harpy killing Unsullied in the streets of Meereen. A fire rages in the background.

    64. Margaery being comforted by Tommen. She’s teary-eyed, looking pretty vengeful. Could be that Loras has been taken into custody by the faith.

    65. Chaos in Daznak’s Pit. Daenerys, Daario, Missandei and Jorah stand in the middle of the pit, defended by 12 unsullied but surrounded by dozens of Sons of the Harpy in their masks. In the stands the spectators are frantically trying to escape as they’re being massacred by the Sons of the Harpy. The stand is full of dead bodies. Grey Worm, Barristan, Hizdahr and Tyrion are nowhere to be seen.

    66. A raven flies into an icy cage. There’s something in the cage, maybe a burnt letter or a rotting, dead animal or something.

    67. The Harpy statue atop the Great Pyramid of Meereen is torn down. It descends the pyramid and crashes through into the ground. The statue appeared to be descending into the steps where Rhaegal/Viserion are being held, perhaps that is how the dragons are loosed in the absence of the dragontmer Quentyn? This scene must be a response their Queen deserting them by flying away on Drogon. If the statue had beentorn down before that I doubt Daenerys and co. would be enjoying a day out at the pitfights in the midst of a civil war.

  152. JamesL,

    I think Manderly is the one whose (likely) omission would disappoint me the most. He is a character who basically represents

    a surviving loyalty to the Starks, something that is of immense interest to both show viewers and book readers. Easy to slot in as he has basically two or three cracking scenes, a great part for an actor with chops, and can be introduced with links to current show characters (Davos) without having to divert the Northern plot too much from where it is in the show.

    he’s a crowd pleaser and they’ll miss a trick if he isn’t in.

  153. Zone14,

    9. Nymeria is the one wielding the whip.
    10. It is sunspear, 100% sure, that is the AlcazΓ‘r of Seville.
    37. You can see it’s not a sandsnake by the face (that is not Jessica, Keisha or Rosabell) and looking at the hairstyle and comparing it to the leaked pics from braavos shooting I bet on Braavosi prostitute.

  154. Zone14,

    Good summary. However, the Sand Snake with the wip is Nymeria and the pit fighter fighting Jorah looks like he uses a spear.

  155. My, Dany really has no luck with D&D’s writing. They’re making her utter stupid lines that are meant to be badass, in an over-dramatic manner, with a stone-faced expression, again. I hope that’s not indicative of what her entire season 5 storyline will be like.

  156. Annara Snow:
    My, Dany really has no luck with D&D’s writing. They’re making her utter stupid lines that are meant to be badass, in an over-dramatic manner, with a stone-faced expression, again. I hope that’s not indicative of what her entire season 5 storyline will be like.

    I think those stupid lines fit the character really well (in both books and show) and I think most people agreed that they did a good job showing the complications of her arc in season 4.

  157. Why did they put Daenerys immediately after Varys’ line??? That’s a huge spoiler. They show his motivations in a trailer??? That seems wrong. Why didn’t they put another women?? Margaery, Cersei? or the best: Sansa??? People would have bought it.

  158. I’m exhausted this morning, but it was all worth it. When I got home, I tossed and turned for an hour, mulling the experience over, before I could finally fall asleep.
    Firstly, GoT in IMAX is simply glorious; I don’t know how I’m supposed to go back to watching these on my 55″. I was sad to see the theater not sold out, however.
    The trailer, especially on the big screen, was phenomenal.

  159. TorbofThrones,

    Yup. Sansa in a bathtub doesn’t give me good ideas. You know, having a bath is considered a vulnerable moment and with Littlefinger around it doesn’t make me feel easy. Another reason to consider Sophie’s words about “traumatic experience” seriously.

    I’m just pointing it out… I will lose my shit if it’s the case, but signs are there.

  160. Goldfyre:
    I still hate that change when they did make Jaime and Tyrion apart with good terms. And now Tyrion is more than willingly to join Dany’s camp against his beloved brother’s son? I guess they will make another Saint Tyrion chapter later on when he demands Dany to not kill Tommen.

    Given the show’s antipathy toward conflict between “likeable” characters, I doubt the idea of Dany killing Tommen will ever be raised (even though logically it should).

  161. Zone14,

    Very helpful, thanks for doing that

    The only change that would REALLY honestly bother me, would be a premature end for

    Barristan. He needs to have his time to shine as the Hand of the Queen
  162. Zone14:
    61. A bald wildling with a weapon I don’t recognize getting pumped up, ready for a duel.Wildlings looking on the background next to an unlit pyre/bonfire.The weapon is like a weird scythe/poleaxe hybrid.This could maybe be an unmasked Lord of Bones and I misidentified the β€˜staff’ in an earlier scene.

    I think that’s just a random Thenn showing vulnerability in the face of zombie horde/the Night’s Watch at Hardhome. We’ve seen Lord of Bones’ face before, in Mance’s tent.
  163. Grynthaline:
    TorbofThrones,

    Yup. Sansa in a bathtub doesn’t give me good ideas. You know, having a bath is considered a vulnerable moment and with Littlefinger around it doesn’t make me feel easy. Another reason to consider Sophie’s words about β€œtraumatic experience” seriously.

    I’m just pointing it out… I will lose my shit if it’s the case, but signs are there.

    I think the traumatic experience is whatever she’s crying about in an earlier scene. Methinks the bathtub scene is more of a revelation sort of deal (i.e. she has a revelation, or vision, or someone comes to talk to her (not LF)). It kind of reminds me of when Daario delivers the heads to Daenerys when she was in the tub.

  164. I have a feeling “sansa’s traumatic experience” and the scene in the trailer where sansa is moved to tears and is distraught may be tied together, perhaps she will be the reason “innocents” are killed, perhaps they discover her identity? maybe are in her and littlefingers way towards the end goal and littlefinger has them murdered where as sansa wants to find another solution, or perhaps its Littlefinger meeting up with brienne and refusing to let sansa go with her because he believes if she becomes sansa stark again she will be vulnerable and it will effect his endgame

  165. She’s saying, β€œThey’ll never even find what’s left of you.”

    My guess is she’s saying this to Olyvar, who will probably get Loras in some more trouble.

  166. Wanted to mention how glorious GoT looked on the big IMAX screen, bettter than many films I have watched on the format.
    Game of Thrones was made for the BIG screen, here’s hoping HBO releases the entire 5th season in the format, say a month after the episodes air, but on a month by month basis, i.e. June, EP1, July, EP2 and so forth.

  167. RosanaZugey,

    I hope you’re right. The reason it unnerves me is since Sophie has no nudity clause (thankfully), what would be the reason of having a scene set in a bathtub? Whatever it is about it could be somewhere else, and the vulnerability of the situation is what made me consider Sophie’s words about Sansa this season again.

    But yeah, the LF and Sansa scene earlier in the trailer hints at LF doing something horrible like harming innocents and justifying it to Sansa, laying the blame at their feet and trying to brainwash her. “Hey you cared about them? Now avenge them. Here’s who to blame!” Hope it doesn’t work, but Sansa seems shaken.

  168. i could just be optimistic about faegon or someone else, but to have varys out right say he wants to put dany on the Iron Throne in the FIRST TRAILER, is bonkers. Thats a huge spoiler for the show if it is true and i dont knwo why they would not wait until the airing of the episode. It has to be some sort of tease. Maybe he says that to tyrion, but secretly has something else up his sleeve. considering he is going to disappear at some point and reappear at the end of the season something else has to be going on.

  169. Zone14,

    Wow, thank you for the detailed description! As someone who couldn’t finish neither AFFC nor ADWD, your analysis is really useful.
    Re 55. As cami suggested above, I think the fighter delivering the lethal blow is Jorah.

  170. Grey Worm looks hella dead in the trailer guys. Also, it does look like Mance is about to be burned in that scene with them all in the yard.

  171. Grynthaline:
    RosanaZugey,

    I hope you’re right. The reason it unnerves me is since Sophie has no nudity clause (thankfully), what would be the reason of having a scene set in a bathtub? Whatever it is about it could be somewhere else, and the vulnerability of the situation is what made me consider Sophie’s words about Sansa this season again.

    But yeah, the LF and Sansa scene earlier in the trailer hints at LF doing something horrible like harming innocents and justifying it to Sansa, laying the blame at their feet and trying to brainwash her. β€œHey you cared about them? Now avenge them. Here’s who to blame!” Hope it doesn’t work, but Sansa seems shaken.

    Oh, I agree about the “vulnerability of the situation”. My thinking immediately went to, “Ohhhh boy :(” when I saw that snippet in the theater. And while it still could very much be what we’re dreadfully thinking, I have another theory.

    Bare with me, but I’m thinking it’s (somehow) Robb and Cat’s bodies. That would fulfill the “super super traumatic” spoiler and it would make sense considering what LF is saying to her. It also makes sense to another one of Sophie’s comments about her season including “familiar faces”. This entire time, I thought the “familiar faces” were going to be Brienne and Podrick, but now I’m thinking it’s going to be Robb/Cat. I’m going to further speculate that while she’s in the tub, Cat appears to her (NOT as LS, but as her mother) and tells her whatever she needs to tell her to set her endgame in motion.

    That’s my two cents and I’m sticking with it till another trailer (or the actual airing of the episodes) proves otherwise.

  172. Tyrion Pimpslap,

    Good point, obviously the brief glimpse of that dragon, being it’s dark and in the shadows means it’s one of the two chained in the catacombs, so we get to see them roasting someone, but who takes Quentyn’s place?

  173. People are jumping to illogical conclusions here! The fact that Varys is telling Tyrion to join Daeny in no way

    means that Aegon is not going to be in Season 6. For one thing, this is following the books: there, Illyrio tells Tyrion that they are sending him (Tyrion) to join Daeny. Remember, nobody ever tells Tyrion about Aegon: Tyrion figures that out for himself.

    As it stands, the cut characters in question served only one small role in the Dragons/Crows story. It wasn’t big enough to justify keeping in the series. It is very very probable that they will play a huge role in the Winter story: and thus we can expect them to be cast for Winter. Indeed, I strongly suspect that the big issue for the main characters in Winter (and Season 6) is going to be

    choosing which side among the contenders, and particularly choosing which Targeryen to support.
  174. “62. Two horsemen escaping from a stable/farmhouse into the woods. One of these could be the rider being pursued in β€˜Scene 21β€². Generic Riverlands look to the setting. The two horsemen are almost certainly Brienne and Podrick.”

    This says a lot about Brienne’s storyline. From the leaked summaries, we know she is kicked out of the Vale early on (around episode 3). And judging from this picture we know where she goes to: the Riverlands. She might be being chased by the Brotherhood in these shots for all we know. That’s probably where she meets the elderly woman “in dangerous territory”.

    So, to sum up, they are essentially taking her back to her AFFC story.

  175. Waxfoot: I think Manderly is the one whose (likely) omission would disappoint me the most. He is a character who basically represents

    But this just brings us back to a basic difference between literary and cinematic story-telling. In books, you use individuals to represent groups as spokesmen. On TV (or movies or stage), you use a Greek Chorus. In some cases, what works on page does not work on screen and vice-versa.

  176. vlad: Why did they put Daenerys immediately after Varys’ line??? That’s a huge spoiler. …. Sansa??? People would have bought it.

    Really? I’d like to meet those people. I have a vintage Porsche cleverly disguised as an old Honda Civic that I would like to sell them.

    At any rate, given that Season 1 made it pretty clear that Varys was working to support the Targaryens, it’s not spoiling anything that a good binge-watch wouldn’t spoil.

  177. Aemon,

    It’s obviously Brienne and Pod racing by the Crossroads Inn, my thought is they are riding furiously back to KL, so she can tell Jaime that Sansa is in the Vale.

  178. matt,

    Regardless of his see-saw Targ support in the show, if Varys goes back to KL to do the deed “for the realm,” Pycelle would only be a byproduct of his intentions. He is going to go after a bigger fish to pave the way for Dany/fAegon. Without Kevin in the picture….who? Tommen? Marg? Loras? Olenna? Cersei herself? KL is getting a bit sparse with powerful figures these days…
  179. Sansa bathtub scene must be a Bathtub Cogman episode!

    Spaniard SheBear,

    Welcome!

    Damien,

    D&D have spent enough time fleshing out how to adapt the stories. Heck, this year Feast and Dance are being adapted simultaneously…that’s enough to give any writer nightmares! Anyways my point being, I wouldn’t be surprised if the AWOL Brotherhood shows up again (S6 probably). I know David Bradley (Walder Frey) has said he will be back at some point after S5, so there is definitely more to do in the Riverlands. Not to mention–Blackfish escaped the Red Wedding in S3!

  180. I suspect that House Martell will entirely replace

    Aegon. They’ll use Myrcella as their claim and act as the mysterious underdog that shows up out of nowhere with a terrifying army. We don’t need a Targaryen (?) for a southern uprising. The TV Martells look to be a little more aggressive than their TV counterparts. Unlike the Dorne material in the books, the TV Dorne is going to be one of the more high-octane subplots in the series.
    My wild guessing suspects that Jaime’s storyline will concern his discovering the coup and trying to get his daughter the hell out of there before she gets hurt.
  181. Jeb,

    Yeah people are going to discuss it. That doesn’t justify any of this. I am on the edge of a bridge right now. Goodbye.

  182. Someone posted this (possible) spoiler summary of the final scene of the season 5 finale roughly one month ago, which doesn’t seem as unlikely as before after seeing the trailer and some other supposed informations we’ve got from the set. Be cautious – it’s the internet, so a lot of bullshit is to be expected, but if you’d hate the idea of having the season finale spoiled already (as unlikely it may seem), better don’t click.

    If it’s true it will definitely cause a shitstorm among book fans.

  183. Wimsey,

    I’m generally skeptical of the idea of introducing allegedly major characters in S6 simply because I do not think introducing people of that importance (in what is essentially Act III of the whole arc) makes for good story telling. Can it be done? Sure. Are there other, simpler, more elegant ways to to it? Imo, yes.

    For the purposes of the 10hr/book (and in the case of this season 10hrs/2 books) TV show, it makes complete sense to just paint Varys as a Dany supporter. He has been set up for that. A lot of it depends on fAegon’s role in Winds, the unknown factor, as you know. I’ve always leaned towards having fAegon act as a destabilizing force; someone who gains the throne briefly only to cause more chaos and pave the way for Dany’s entry. Alas, I’m not psychic, so I’m eager to see the full extent of what the show sets up.

    ReekReek,
    This, I think could work very nicely.

  184. Actually that is misleading, he’s not talking about Dany but Princess Rhaenys, you see D&D are putting a twist on the books. Rhaenys had darker hair and skin tone do to her mother. That’s Vary’s, who is buried up to his neck, obviously he heads to Dorne to get Martell support for Missandei (the real Rhaenys), this is why she was aged up into her twenties for the show. The point is, D&D would never place such a spoiler about Dany in the trailer, therefore it’s misdirection.

  185. Hodor’s Bastard,

    It does not even need to be “see-saw.” It is consistent with the books where

    Varys is keeping Daeny (and formerly Viserys) going and a lasting threat in order to distract the Baratheons and Lannisters from ever learning about Aegon.
  186. Lion of Night: Are there other, simpler, more elegant ways to to it? Imo, yes.

    The simplest and most elegant way in a series such as this is to introduce characters important to Season 6 at the outset of Season 6. Audiences and critics hold unnecessary characters against TV shows and movies.

    Moreover, given the complexity of Thrones and of other TV cables series that this sort of audience watches,

    throwing in the spanner of the lost heir that Varys has been truly supporting all the while

    will be a good surprise. It’s completely in keeping with the plot devices of the stories told in earlier seasons, and it will add an element of “damned if I do/damned if I don’t” choices for the main characters that audiences of these sorts of series love.

    (We can ditto all of this for

    Lady Stoneheart: the earliest that she will be relevant is Winter, which means either that it would have been bad TV to have her in Season 5 OR that it would have required extensive adaptation of the plots to fit her into them in a meaningful way.

    (Incidentally, my thought is that

    Aegon is going to be a huge factor in the story for Winter: the main characters are going to have to choose between him and Daeny, and many will loathe having to make the choice. Moreover, I think that this “choice of sides” story will basically foreshadow the final story, where the sides become more ecclesiastical.
  187. RosanaZugey,

    Hmm. I have to say it’s an interesting idea. I don’t think two bodies shrouded in a cloak will have much of an impact though, since I doubt they will have brought back Fairley and if we don’t see Robb’s wolf face or Cat it will not matter much.

    I think it’s more likely that LF is talking about avenging different people here. Brienne and Pod are in the Vale… and Brienne’s voice didn’t sound much healthy if we are to judge it by the trailer and it’s her voice at the beginning.

    I don’t want to jump to conclusions here but since they’re killing characters left and right… could it be that LF has them killed after they try to convince Sansa to come with them and LF of course diverts the blame to Lannisters or some other telling her to avenge them?

    Or it could be that he sets it up so they appear dead and she’s sad, so he has an opportunity to get Sansa’s interests aligned with his, while they get away or are imprisoned?

    So many theories!

  188. Wimsey,

    Yes, Varys is up to something but as you have stated before, Occam’s Razor may apply here (for the show) and lead us naturally to Dany and not elsewhere. Jorah may indeed shed some light on this, given that he was basically another “little bird” for Varys….and most-likely a protector as well.

    hardgard,

    Yeah, we had an intense discussion about it here as well. If a dire HH happens, oh well.

    Then why all the foreshadowing with Mel? Where is Ghost? It would probably mean that the WWs are closer to Starks than we knew. Benjen, where/who are ye? Wouldn’t it be odd if they threw in “For the Watch” as they stabbed him at Hardhome?

    Chills.

  189. So much to take in and contemplate. πŸ™‚

    Spaniard SheBear,

    As Lion of Night already said, Welcome!
    Just so you know, I, for one, would have never known English wasn’t your first language!

    If there’s still any debate, not that anyone has a reason to take my word for it, but the opening voice-over is most definitely Brienne.

  190. The trailer was great! I can’t wait to see the full HD version properly. A few things:

    -“Who said anything about him” is a quote from the books. In the books, Varys (or rather, Illyrio) pretended at first to back Dany and kept Aegon’s identity hidden. So this trailer doesn’t really confirm or deny anything. That said, Aegon is cut- because of a bunch of other evidence that we found when they were filming.
    -The notion that Varys wearing clothes similar to Illyrio’s means that Illyrio isn’t in is pretty ridiculous. It’s possible that they worked around Illyrio (which would suck since it could be an amazing callback to season 1 and that scene with Arya in the dungeons), but the outfit has nothing to do with it.
    -Hardhome doesn’t really look very undead. Maybe it isn’t Hardhome after all, and just Jon vs Wildlings…
    -The Harpy falling… That’s probably Dany’s work, but it doesn’t look very safe.
    -Naked Mel, hello
    -Arya in her House of Black and White outfit holding Needle
    -A couple of cool Dorne shots
  191. I can’t wait for the HD YouTube version to be released so I can come here and read how you folks break it down and theorycraft it clip by clip.

  192. FYI

    The song is a cover of David Bowie’s Heroes performed by TV on the Radio. Very good band and song pick!

  193. Grynthaline,

    I followed this LF/Sansa speculation conversation and I’d love to add mine but at this point I am clueless. I thought Petyr is talking generally about Cat/Robb/Ned to be honest.

    Not sure where Brienne and Pod could come in though, since it will be difficult for Sansa to feel powerfully about Brienne OR Pod for that matter. Plus she’d knows Pod is part of the Lannister set.

    Hodor’s Bastard,

    Off the top of my head and without any considerable thought: it would make for an incomprehensible logic for Jon to be stabbed at Hardhome by the brothers of NW who followed him there. Why would they if they followed him? It would just make sense to stab him in order NOT to go and help wildlings, rather than go, try to help, and then stab him for helping if you see what I mean.

    But they’d never do that!

  194. At 1:41 you can see a crow sitting on a corpse, maybe even a flayed corpse.

    Maybe some teaching is being done?
  195. Maybe Varys and Illyrios ultimate goal is to mix the bloodlines of blackfyre and targ. He sends tyrion to dany so he can help her get to westeros and he still has the other side of the coin in aegon/trystane which is why he leaves tyrion in volantis to travel to dorne (there was news of a secret well known character arriving in dorne towards end of season)

    Sansa is crying because littlefinger convinces her that brienne needs to be killed after she tries to rescue her because she knows her identity but brienne escapes and this is the second time she fails to rescue a stark girl. She then tries to get to jaime but is captured by the bwb. This is an improvement over the books because brienne has really failed at fulfilling her oath even though she had multiple chances to succeed thus she will feel even more guilty.

    Hardhome will first have a fight between the wildlings and the nights watch after they try to convince them to come south of the wall. jon will concede and let them stay but they will be slaughtered by white walkers after the nights watch leaves.

    Ellaria will be punished for sending the snake to kingslanding and jaime will fill the queenmaker plot by trying to rescue myrcella.

    The harpy at the end will be brought down after dany flies away and there is chaos in the city, it will crash into the dungeon accidentally releasing her dragons.

    greyjoys introduced in season 6 and they will basically be the last new characters to be introduced/cast

    Everything works out and the show is still faithful to the books

  196. Aemon: Brienne

    We also have this MGOT post saying they were shooting a scene involving

    Oathkeeper, with the setting looking to be a blacksmith’s.

    http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/production-diary/2014/10/2/weapon-problems

    My speculation: Sansa rejects Brienne, she and Pod ride off, and he finally takes her advice about not saying out loud who she is or what her mission is. She finds a blacksmith and has the Lannister-y hilt taken off of Oathkeeper. Maybe the blacksmith is even Gendry. But eventually someone else figures things out anyway and chases her down. Maybe BWB, maybe Blackfish, maybe Vale knights again, who knows…

  197. Where are people seeing Mance in the shot of the pyre? I see the Stannis/Mel/Davos trio at bottom, and Alisser and Janos at the right, but I don’t see Mance.

    Anyway, after some time to digest it all, here’s my best guesses at everything:

    Mance being glamored into Rattleshirt is in. This matches the apparent execution by fire at Castle Black, and the scene where Rattleshirt is leading a large army makes more sense if Rattleshirt is actually Mance. Mance is apparently participating in the Hardhome mission, instead of going to Winterfell though.

    It looks like Brienne’s going to be in conflict with Baelish pretty quickly in the season, given that the script leak is confirmed. My random speculation is that she’s going to flee the Vale, and the old woman who was cast will protect her from the Vale troops pursuing her on Littlefinger’s order. The woman will probably have ties to the Brotherhood though, which is how they’ll eventually pivot back to that.

    I’m increasingly suspecting that Deepwood Motte is actually in. We know from the leaked script that Stannis demands the wildlings, but we also know from the trailer footage that he doesn’t get them, because they’re marching on Hardhome. Jon must offer him some alternative plan for Stannis to accept that, and Deepwood would be the best fit. Also, I suspect Davos must be off doing his own thing, since otherwise they wouldn’t have cast a “Baratheon General” for Stannis to interact with. All his conversations would go through Davos if Davos were present. Speculation: What if, with Mance potentially being dead or at Hardhome, Davos is sent to infiltrate Winterfell instead of Mance. He poses as a lowborn trader instead of a singer. This lets him fulfill Mance’s role in Winterfell, while also interacting with Northern lords to replace the trip to White Harbor.

    There definitely appears to be a Night’s Watch funeral. Most likely candidate is Aemon. I can see the logic behind that. Leave out the idea that Aemon has to flee to avoid being sacrificed, and now he can hang around for a bit before dying of natural causes. That lets you keep Sam at Castle Black a bit longer, and only send him away after Aemon’s death. Timing could still possibly allow for a late season intersection with Arya, even. Aemon dying would seem to imply that they’re going to do the plot of Sam replacing him in season 6, though.

    I still think it’s possible that Aegon is in Dorne in the show, but I think if that’s the case, then Varys isn’t involved with him at all. I think Varys is purely on team Dany at this point. Yes, in the books Varys appears to back Dany at first, too, but he does so while simultaneously planting Tyrion with Aegon. That’s not happening here.

    Grey Worm and Barristan are definitely with Dany in a scene where she’s in her wedding dress, so they both live at least until that point. It’s possible Grey Worm is dead in that shot with Missandei, but if so, it must be a finale shot. Possible he takes Quentyn’s place? The shot of the dragon in the dark definitely implies a Quentyn-esque scene is happening.

  198. I don’t think that D&D are cutting the

    Aegon and Greyjoy uncles plots because they think the audience is too stupid to comprehend them. They have a finite amount of time to tell the story each season. Adding a storyline means subtracting from the time we get with the established characters.

    The Aegon plot is mostly interesting if you already know all the Targaryen history. The show doesn’t have time to go through it all and TV being a visual medium, all showrunners like to keep the amount of exposition to a minimum. Although Aegon is interesting in the context of Westeros history, plotwise he probably functions mostly as one more obstacle for Dany and further destabilization of Westeros . Don’t get me wrong, I’ll miss the subplot. But I completely understand why it’s cut.

    What I do agree is necessary is Manderley. Luckily, it’s something that can be pushed back to season 6. ADWD hints at a faction still loyal to the Starks but they haven’t made a big move yet. It can wait.

  199. Grynthaline:
    RosanaZugey,

    Hmm. I have to say it’s an interesting idea. I don’t think two bodies shrouded in a cloak will have much of an impact though, since I doubt they will have brought back Fairley and if we don’t see Robb’s wolf face or Cat it will not matter much.

    I think it’s more likely that LF is talking about avenging different people here. Brienne and Pod are in the Vale… and Brienne’s voice didn’t sound much healthy if we are to judge it by the trailer and it’s her voice at the beginning.

    I don’t want to jump to conclusions here but since they’re killing characters left and right… could it be that LF has them killed after they try to convince Sansa to come with them and LF of course diverts the blame to Lannisters or some other telling her to avenge them?

    Or it could be that he sets it up so they appear dead and she’s sad, so he has an opportunity to get Sansa’s interests aligned with his, while they get away or are imprisoned?

    So many theories!

    While I’m of a mind to say Brienne and/or Pod will die this season, I don’t see how their deaths would impact Sansa in a traumatic way (much less in a way in which she’d need to “avenge” them). Sansa doesn’t even know Brienne and she had minimal contact with Podrick, therefore, their deaths wouldn’t inspire any sort of character shift in Sansa. If the girl really does subscribe too–and take up the mantle of–“revenge”, it’ll be for the sake of the people she loved, not for the ones she doesn’t.

    I’m going to pile onto my theory even more by saying that seeing her family (either dead or in apparition) reverts her back to her “Stark” identity, which is why she goes back to her red hair. She isn’t LF’s daughter/niece…or his b*tch…she is a Stark of Winterfell! *Pounds on the table*

    Side note, I agree, Brienne sounds bad. I’m thinking though, that that might be some late night fireside chat with Podrick about losing Renly and why it matters so much to her to protect Sansa.

  200. Strange mixture of excitement and worry.

    Good

    The northern stuff and beyond the wall are looking very promising (as long as they get time to get all the NW stuff in.)
    Sansa actually seems to be doing something (which hopefully isn’t deviating that far from her book direction).
    First time I’ve had hope for Dorne not being pointless( Can Jaime, Bronn and Doran save it?) although personally I think they need Trystane = YG to keep it relevant.
    King’s Landing stuff looks great.
    Arya seems to be holding very faithfully to the book which is a good thing in her case being pretty isolated from all the other storylines.
    I guess the CGI in Mereen looks nice and the Sons of the Harpy stuff makes it a little less abstruse.

    Bad

    No YG isn’t a complete disaster if they put him into Trystane but Varys siding with Dany is just daft considering his past in the show. Also really damages him as a character for me as he doesn’t appear to be the master manipulater/plotter that I imagined him to be. Could be salvagable if he’s sending Tyrion as a decoy and Dany as a distraction for his potential real aim in Dorne but moving too far into theory crafting now.
    MissandGrey needs to end…right now.
    TV Dany appears to be getting increasingly annoying.
    As much as I love David Bowie, that was a bad cover and really didn’t fit the trailer. Far too blatant and didn’t create the same atmosphere as previous trailers.
    No Greyjoys, but I live in hope for Season 6!
    No Illyrio or Lancel is disappointing as think they could have been used effectively. Not fussed about Kevan as his role can be shared between Pycelle and Qyburn.

  201. I think “them” refers to her family it’s more along the lines of Sansa will avenge them by going after some Lanisters – Brienne & Pod

    RosanaZugey: While I’m of a mind to say Brienne and/or Pod will die this season, I don’t see how their deaths would impact Sansa in a traumatic way (much less in a way in which she’d need to β€œavenge” them). Sansa doesn’t even know Brienne and she had minimal contact with Podrick, therefore, their deaths wouldn’t inspire any sort of character shift in Sansa. If the girl really does subscribe too–and take up the mantle ofβ€“β€œrevenge”, it’ll be for the sake of the people she loved, not for the ones she doesn’t.

    I’m going to pile onto my theory even more by saying that seeing her family (either dead or in apparition) reverts her back to her β€œStark” identity, which is why she goes back to her red hair. She isn’t LF’s daughter/niece…or his b*tch…she is a Stark of Winterfell! *Pounds on the table*

    Side note, I agree, Brienne sounds bad. I’m thinking though, that that might be some late night fireside chat with Podrick about losing Renly and why it matters so much to her to protect Sansa.

  202. afeastfordances,

    I was thinking of

    Grey Worm being Quentyn-ed actually

    because this is Game of Thrones. They have to have someone killed in the final 3 eps! And DP just begs for an epic dragonfire death of a character we came to know better than the extras.

    I just hope it’s not

    Ser Barristan or Jorah. It could be Daario too or Missandei?
  203. The show has never once spoiled a known character death in a trailer and I doubt they start now.

    Highly unlikely that Grey Worm dies and if he does, it will have nothing to do with the scene with him and Missandei shown here.

  204. Tormund’s Woman,

    Another conversation about avenging the Starks again sounds out of place though, since they had a similar one in S4. Plus, she really seems affected by something in that conversation.

    I don’t think Sansa, Brienne and Pod need to have such a bonding moment for her to be affected in this way, Sansa feels for loss of life even if she doesn’t know people personally. Dontos’ death affected her, for example, even if they weren’t really buddies especially in the show.

    If Brienne came out and told her of her promise to her mother and asked her to come with her, she might have turned it down because she feels she can have a bigger effect on the war by staying with LF for now, or hesitates because she fears LF could harm them and that’s exactly what he does (or planned to do but arranges a ploy to convince Sansa they’re dead).

    Or maybe this is all wild speculation and Sansa is so hardened she doesn’t trust Brienne and Pod just like Arya, and they get away so the people they’re talking about are random innocents. That’s my theory, anyway.

  205. Excitement just ramped up a million-fold for Season 5. The Harpy statue tumbling down from way, way up top is I hope, due to Drogon’s arrival (perhaps his first sighting in Season 5?). Hopefully when he finally arrives, he is truly gigantic, burns some of the top layers of Meereen (including the statue) and lands in the Pit, throwing everything into utter chaos.

  206. In terms of who (if anyone) gets “Quentyn’d”, the most likely candidate in my mind is Jorah as he is probably the one who doesn’t really have a significant role to play in the books going forward and him trying to release the dragons would fit into his characterization of being desperate to find a way back into Dany’s good graces.
  207. King Tommen,

    Hoping for Daario or Greyworm myself. For no other reason than they both get on my nerves!
    Could see it being GW. He doesn’t do a great deal and Missandei does actually nurse Quentyn in his last days (potential for them to put even more time into this drippy love story).

  208. TheTouchOfFrost:
    Strange mixture of excitement and worry.

    but Varys siding with Dany is just daft considering his past in the show. Also really damages him as a character for me as he doesn’t appear to be the master manipulater/plotter that I imagined him to be. Could be salvagable if he’s sending Tyrion as a decoy and Dany as a distraction for his potential real aim in Dorne

    I think it is more likely part of his plan (in the show), and won’t cause too big a deviation from what George will do in TWOW. Though, obviously it is nothing like what happens in the books… but I imagine the reason for it is to spell out Tyrion’s mission for the audience as quickly as possible without too many side-plots.

    HOWEVER, it is possible that this is a complete invention by the show that will take the story completely away from where the book is going. Part of me dislikes that… another part is fine with it. The fine part thinks… why not? This way no one is ruined by either show or book. The not fine part thinks… but we were doing so well up to season 5 (even with deviations) in sticking to George’s ultimate vision…

  209. Marty:
    I think β€œthem” refers to her family it’s more along the lines of Sansa will avenge them by going after some Lanisters – Brienne & Pod

    Agh, this speculation is just so good. I love Sansa discussions! πŸ™‚

    On the vengeance front: are we sure that she’s going to seek vengeance (if that’s where her story is going) on the Lannisters? I know that seems like an asinine question, but hear me out. Which Lannister is she supposed to be getting vengeance on? The man responsible for her mother and brother’s death (Tywin) is already dead; Joffrey is dead; she has shown no ill-will (in either book or show) towards Tyrion to want HIM dead; and she has had no interaction with Jamie (in either book or show) to want vengeance on him. Tommen and Mrycella have always been sweethearts to her (in book and show), so I’m not certain she’d want to do them harm. So, which Lannister is she supposed to get vengeance on? Ceresi is the only one left that fits the bill, but she’s a single person, not “them/they”.

    If she goes after anyone in a vengeful way, I’m thinking it will be the Boltons and the Freys. Now, THEY literally killed her family and took over Winterfell. I think the only bones she has left to pick would be with those Houses, not the Lannisters.

  210. OMG OMG!

    Finally got to watch the trailer on my PC…

    That scene of Dany’s face before the dragon breathes fire… Is it… Could it be… Is it the start of, by far MY personal best thing to look forward to season 5 scene, one of the possibly most iconic HBO to come scenes of all time?

    The Dany vs Drogon staredown?
  211. Little late to the party, the trailer is amazing (even with it being LQ), loved every bit of it and I hope HBO will soon release an official HD version seeing as all the major sites have already shared the LQ versions, so people are already gonna watch the trailer why not give them the real deal? The IMAX screenings are getting a lot of praise so I don’t think having an ‘exclusive’ trailer that is already available online attached to it is gonna help sale more tickets, but whatever HBO decides.
    I know I’ve rewatched the trailer way too many times but there are still a lot of things that we have yet to discovere due to the recorded video being too dark (I have to admit though, the quality of the leaked trailer is so much better than I was expecting).

    There were great moments in the trailer but (for me anyway) everything was overshadowed by that last shot with the Harpy falling of the Great Pyramid! How awesome was that? As other people have said, I never thought GoT would ever afford such epic scenes, the CGI was flawless and it looked like it cost a lot (like in a lot a lot) of money! I’m super excited for season 5!!

    PS: For those who watched the trailer in IMAX, how did the dragon spitting fire look in the theater? Because for me, in the recorded trailer it looked really fakeish (and the dragons always look amazing). But I think it’s either because of the quality of the leak (and the dragon being in a dark room) or maybe the CGI was unfinished.
    Also, the dragons look a bit different, so they must have grown quite a lot between season (as they always do), I wonder how big R and V are now.

    Can’t wait to see Drogon though
  212. TheTouchOfFrost,

    Although I’m wishy-washy on show!Missandei, I can see Grey Worm’s final moments in her arms. I’m welling up now. (weep, weep)

    Given the chaos implied within the released Ser Barristan and Tyrion chapters and the “rebirth” of Dany once she gets her wings, I don’t think the prognosis looks good for any of Dany’s men: GW, Daario, Hizdahr or Jorah. Missandei may get out but my fleeting hope is for Selmy. Still like to see him get back to Westeros with Tyrion.

    Valar Morghulis!

  213. Arthur,

    It looked like Rhaegal to me, the skin seemed green (hard to tell because of the quality)
    Not Drogon anyway, that’s sure.

  214. Yes the skin looked green to me…

    But those 2 scenes don’t have to be coherent, they could be both out of place.

    Dany’s face right before that dragon breathing looked breathtaking. It did look like she was inside though looking out a window. Maybe just maybe…

    D&D will build up a little pattern of Dany having to stare down these overly aggressive dragons before the big stare down? IDK, all I know is I finally got to watch the trailer on a nice sized PC screen and Dany’s face in that 1 second clip looked amazing and intense. Really made me think of the pit scene we all cant wait to see.

    This scene is going to be an “Only on HBO” hallmark scene for years to come if D&D do it right.

  215. Can someone link these “leaked summaries” that people are referencing? Can’t find them anywhere.

    Really excited for the next season, seeing as how Arya’s arc is the only one I’m going to be completely familiar with from the books.

  216. For those thinking maybe Grey Worm gets

    Quentyn’ed, whatever his ultimate fate, he did not look burned in that brief glimpse of him and Missandei. If he’d been fried, I don’t think his face would have escaped the flames. That dragon-fire seems to be pretty all-encompassing.
  217. I know here no one cares xD but I just traduced the trailer in french !
    When will HBO post it in HD GODDAMN IT !!!

  218. Man…

    The only thing that would had made this trailer better is a shot of Ghost, or better yet, Nymeria!

  219. This might sound crazy, but when I heard those words by LF I thought of some sick scene of Sansa seducing Walder Frey and killing him with her new spiked necklace.

  220. kosis:
    Can someone link these β€œleaked summaries” that people are referencing? Can’t find them anywhere.

    Leaked script summary for Season 5 Episode 1.
    -1)Flashback scene! Maggy the Frog and Cersei’s prophesy.
    -2) Aftermath of Tywin’s death.Over his corpse Cersei asks Jaime if he freed Tyrion, he denies it but she knows he’s lying.
    -3) Cersei finds her surrouned by Tyrells after she leaves Jaime. Cersei refuses to look Loras in the eye while he gives his condolances. Margaery comforts Tommen.
    -4) Cersei bumbs into Pycelle but avoids him.
    -5) After that she meets Lancel who is barefoot and has joined the Sparrows ( not warriors sons?)…and Kevan. Lancel looks dreadful.
    -6) Later on she sees Lancel again who wants her forgiveness about what happened between them before…and also discusses the nasty business with Roberts “hunting accident”.
    Cersei pretends she doesn’t know what he is talking about.
    Lancel is a religious nut now…who knows what he will tell others.
    -7)We turn to Meereen where an Unsullied soldier is looking for time with a whore…to cuddle.
    It ends in disaster when the man is attacked while with the woman.
    -8)The Harpy’s sons have become a problem in Meereen and Dany has her men patrol the streets.
    -9) Daario and Hizdar come back from being in Yunkai and tell her to attack Yunkai first with her dragons…she must show no weakness.
    The Yunkai are eager to attack her.
    -10) Dany goes to the dragons in the pit…she will suffer no more “accidents” ,so she can’t use the dragons unles she can control them. But havethey have grown and try and attack her.
    She realises she will not able to use them or control them…ever.
    .-11)Final scene takes place at the Wall where Stannis talks to Jon about attacking Roose Bolton. Melisandre isn’t far behind.
    Stannis wants Jon to convince Mance to kneel, he needs the wildling army to attack the Boltons.
    Jon has until nightfall to accomplish this task.
    ………………………………..
    More of the leaked script ( EP2 or EP3 perhaps):
    – 1)A scene takes place between Jaime and Cersei where they receive a box with a dead viper in it, a lion necklace in its jaw. Cersei tells Jaime that there are only two such necklaces in the world – the one she is wearing around her neck, and the one she has gifted to Myrcella. Jaime agrees that this is a threat by the Martells. Cersei is furious that their daughter is in danger.
    -2)A short scene where Jon Snow is elected Lord Commander of the Night’s Watch. That was expected.
    -3)Then another scene with Pod and Brienne where they are chased by Vale guards on Littlefingers orders implies a scene that took place before it. Basically it implies that Brienne was successful in finding Sansa in the Vale, but Sansa refused Brienne’s help and sent her away, deciding to side with Littlefinger. Not sure how I feel about this if true.
    -4)Arya arrives in Braavos, no surprises here. What bugs me here is that she doesn’t hide Needle but carries it with her. She asks the Kindly Man for help who refuses her, but a few days later he decides to train her and he puts on Jaqen H’ghar’s face, that should please some fangirls. He tells Arya that he is not Jaqen though, but no one, and that Arya must become no one too.
    -5)Barristan finally reveals to Daenerys that her father was in fact the Mad King and cruel and burned people for no reason. With that he stops her from executing a Son of the Harpy.
    -6)Biggest disappointment… we get another scene with Tyrion and Varys where Varys urges him to join him on his journey – to Meereen. He tells Tyrion that he still has a part to play in the war of Westeros and that the Seven Kingdoms need a better king than Tommen.
    Tyrion tells Varys β€œgood luck finding him” and Varys goes all β€œwho said anything about HIM?” Tyrion then agrees to join Varys on his journey to the young QUEEN as long as he can keep drinking.
    They go to Volantis after this. So I guess that place is still in the show, maybe Jorah kidnaps him there
    ………………………….
    Jaime has been seen with Bronn filming in “sandy” locations.
    Brienne and Pod have been seen in the same place as “lords of the Vale” where filming.
  221. King Tommen,

    If someone has to get BBQd, I prefer that it is Hizdahr thinking that he can control the dragons. I want Jorah to stick around for awhile but I don’t know if he has a true purpose, especially now with Varys and Tyrion in Dany’s corner. Grey Worm doesn’t seem to have a reason to release the dragons. Daario is a candidate because his character seems pointless. I don’t think that Barristan lasts much longer but I don’t think he gets “Quentyn-ed.”

    RosanaZugey,

    Agree. Cersei seems to be Sansa’s only “Lannister” target. I see her plotting revenge in the Riverlands against the Freys. Someone has to! Besides, Littlefinger knows his way around the Riverlands.

    Interesting that Varys isn’t wearing his usual “Varys robes.” He is wearing what appears to be Illyrio clothing.

    And still no confirmed appearances by either Ian Gelder or Roger Allam.

  222. GeekFurious,

    Still think it’s a bit daft as he’s done literally jack shit to help her out despite being in a priome position to do so. Sending the two (if we’re not considering YG as existing anymore) last Targs in the royal bloodline off to live with a tribe of unpredictable horse barbarians, whilst continuing to tell the man who hates them most every detail of their wherabouts and what they’re doing as well as doing nothing to stop assassins being sent to kill her is possibly the most stupid idea ever if you’re trying to protect them/her! The YG thing works properly. He’s been kept a secret and kept safe. The more both the story in the books and TV go on, the more I don’t want Dany to get the throne.

    Hodor’s Bastard,

    If all the Unsullied are as wet as GW then no wonder Dany isn’t confident invading Westeros with them. The bond between Septon Meribald and Dog effects me more emotionally than that drivel!
    Hope Selmy makes it out as he deserves better than to die in that godforsaken part of the world/storyline. Don’t mind Jorah. The rest of Dany’s entourage ( now Missandei has been ruined in the show) can die a slow, painful death!

  223. Beronn Stark,

    I think it’s awesome you put in the time and work to provide a French translation, and I’m sure there are a lot of French-speakers out there who are grateful for your work!

  224. Here’s a question for you guys.

    If fAegon is cut, is Dany going to fight when she invades Westeros in season 6?
  225. kosis,

    Also, there has been a rumour of Jon Snow’s Season 5 ending from a user on reddit. I can’t find the link now, but there is a summary on westeros.org (credit: VictariousReturneth). Obviously take with a pinch of salt, but with the trailer it does seem slightly more likely. I have put in spoiler tags, just in case.

    Instead of the Pink Letter, what is going to happen is Jon will lead an army to Hardhorne to deal with the resurrected wildlings and kill them all.

    But then the white walkers show up which causes Jon’s men to retreat. He tells them to continue on with the fight and possibly kills one of the white walkers himself [proving that valyrian steel can work against them, which stirs him on with excitement] but instead of putting their lives at risk the NW brothers stab him and retreat.

    Then the final shot of the scene is the white walkers and nights king picking up Jon’s corpse and throwing it over their horse, then riding out into the darkness.

  226. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    My idea of being

    Quentyn-ed is to be dragon roasted. Not necessarily in the dungeons while trying to move them outside. It can happen on the Daznak’s Pit scene too.

    I don’t know about the other poster’s Quentyn-ed idea but mine was never THAT book purist-y, since I doubt anyone will actually try to steal the dragons/ be a dragontamer. Who out of all of Dany’s set could possibly have a reason to even try it and why?!

  227. Turncloak,

    STANNIS :P?! The White Walkers?

    I think they’ll totally skip fAegon figuratively-in-the-book-making “Dance of Dragons”. A pity since I was looking forward to that.

  228. Turncloak,

    Honestly, I have no idea. At the moment, Westeros is easy pickings. The Lannisters are a spent force, the Tyrells are,from previous conflicts, generally pretty awful militarilly if they’re put in a straight up fight, plus they’re still trying to fend of Iron Islands raids. The Boltons are going to be busy up north and the Riverlands are still ruined and there’s still conflict throughout them (possibly more if The Vale goes against them) so won’t be providing much assistance.The Stormlands don’t appear to have a dog in the fight anymore and took a bit of a battering through Stannis and Renly’s endeavours.
    This is why I’m thinking the Trystane/YG hybrid backed up by Dorne may serve that purpose.

  229. Tormund’s Woman,

    By saying

    Quentyn’ed, I just meant roasted by a dragon, not that it had to be V or R doing the roasting, nor that it had to happen because he was trying to free them. I was just trying to point out Grey Worm didn’t appear to be burned, after reading someone’s suggestion maybe he’d been killed by dragon fire.

    My apologies if what I posted came off differently.

  230. TheTouchOfFrost,

    I don’t think I buy into the whole

    Trystane = YG idea, although it’s possible, but for who do, the fact YG and Jon Snow (if R+L=J) would be half-brothers, well, there are some similarities in the looks of Kit and Toby Sebastian.
  231. Looks like Dorne will be featured heavily this year, I’m sure D and D will do a great job, anything that takes focus away from the terrible Northern Storyline from the books.

  232. Jeb,

    This isn’t a legitimate spoiler. Somehow it’s been making the rounds as “insider information”. This is from a reddit post titled “What would be undoubted proof that the show has surpassed the books?”. People responded with theories and speculation just for fun. The rumor about Jon was just one of those responses.

  233. That supposed ending to season 5 from reddit was just a theory – it was not put forward as insider information.

  234. RosanaZugey,

    Oh, she dyes her hair back to red again this season? I would love that, since her hair colour linking her to the Tullys wasn’t a plot point in the show.

    I don’t think it’s so implausible that Sansa’s upset at the loss of innocent lives though. Especially if while they’re out touring the vale, they come across some destruction and it’s not LF’s fault after all but he pins the blame on Lannisters for his benefit. Because if Sansa sees them as the primary enemy and wants to act, it’s to his advantage to exploit.

    Whatever happened though, it can’t be an old wound regarding her family since she’s grieved them already, and here she’s visibly upset about something and LF is telling her to avenge them. It’s quite possible “them” includes her family too, but in this case there’s something happening for him to prompt his speech.

    Side note, I agree this Sansa speculation has been awesome.

    Marty:
    I think β€œthem” refers to her family it’s more along the lines of Sansa will avenge them by going after some Lanisters – Brienne & Pod

    Oh.. brilliant point, but it made me inspired to come up with another theory. I mentioned LF might try to blame someone else for what happened even if it’s not his doing. What if whatever happened LF manages to pin it on Brienne and Pod, trying to get Sansa to go after them to convince her they do not have her best interests at heart? Wow that would be heartwrenching indeed. :S They didn’t give her a dark makeover for no reason right?

    Dammit, Sansa really needs to snap out of it. I hope by the end of the season she shows her allegiance to the Starks unsubtly. I wouldn’t like a LF and Sansa mind manipulation games plot.

  235. Josh,

    Yeah, I know it isn’t really a spoiler, but better to put in spoiler tags anyway really. I do believe that it could happen, but having said that we know Hardhome is in episode 8, so that is one of the pieces of evidence that suggests it might not be.

  236. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    Thats what sold me on the idea why would they expand a character that has no dialogue in the show, why would they make him look nothing like doran but look like jons brother, why has there been no yg casting or arianne (well if u have yg a part of dorne u dont need arianne anymore), the show could just have varys have brought faegon to dorne after the sack but he is actually ilyrios son. it actually makes more sense then the books having aegon wander around in essos with no real protection. there needs to be a three way battle jon v aegon v dany.
  237. mariamb,

    Jorah’s a great character, but if we needed him to go thematically I like King’s Tommen’s idea: his love for Dany could override his stated knowledge that “a dragon cannot be tamed,” and dragons, as symbol of her power, will blow him off the earth. It could be presented as foolishness/sacrifice.

    But that seems unlikely unless he dies of a thumb-wound in the opening moments of TWOW. I think we know Trystane will not be replacing Quentyn because someone said he was in Dorne in ep 9. (He could still arrive later.) I imagine the best candidate is still one of the gladiator masters that was cast, the leadingly named Eaton.

  238. Hodor’s Bastard: Yes, Varys is up to something but as you have stated before, Occam’s Razor may apply here (for the show) and lead us naturally to Dany and not elsewhere.

    My thought is that it’s a negative evidence argument: if the TV series is going to deviate from the books on this score, then we would expect a scene like they showed us. However, if the TV series is going to follow the book, then we would expect a scene like the one they showed us. Given that both scenarios predict that scene, we cannot say that it is evidence against one of them. (Moreover, the book path still would be pretty simple: remember, they do have to add some new characters each year, save for possibly the last!)

    Nymeria Warrior Queen,
    I think it much more probable that Trystane is

    an amalgamation of Arianne and Quentyn. He’ll be taking both of their story roles by playing queen maker, and taking Arianne’s plot role of trying to elevate Myrcella to the throne.

    Turncloak,
    The thing to keep in mind is that there is no reason for us to think that this cut has been made. Given what was in the books, the TV series would either have had to greatly expand the characters in question to make them contribute something meaningful in Season 5, or postpone introducing them until Season 6. (Again, it is the exact same thing as with

    Lady Stoneheart: they could only introduce her at the end of last year if she was going to be an important character or plot point in Season 5, which in turn would have meant heavy adaptation; otherwise, do not introduce her until she will affect the plots or story.

    People should drop the idea that Season 6 will be “too late” to introduce characters. It’s not: in fact, it would be bad for the show if there were no new characters introduced. Long running TV shows have always introduced new characters throughout their histories. The Harry Potter films, for example, introduced characters as late as the last one: and it caused them no harm. Heck, Martin almost certainly will be either introducing new secondary/incidental characters (such as these characters are) or introducing us ot some hitherto mentioned only by name in Book 6, and that won’t hurt the book in and of itself. Life is fluid, so people expect it.

  239. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    YES! NOW THAT YOU APOLOGIZED YOU ALSO NEED TO KNEEL BEFORE A WILDLING!

    Kidding! πŸ˜€ No need to apologize for anything, misunderstandings happen all the time, which is why I quickly jumped to explain what I meant. I am sooo touchy today :p

    I still think though that GW not being burnt in a flash of a second we see here means nothing in the overall DP scene. I bet that shot is way longer and many things can and probably will happen by the end of it.

  240. Grynthaline:

    Whatever happened though, it can’t be an old wound regarding her family since she’s grieved them already, and here she’s visibly upset about something and LF is telling her to avenge them. It’s quite possible β€œthem” includes her family too, but in this case there’s something happening for him to prompt his speech.

    I’m now wondering if Baelish and Sansa actually

    come across The Hound’s corpse? Perhaps there’s no gravedigger or Cleganebowl at all in the TV show, and the Hound truly is dead. Sansa would be upset, since she has a connection with the Hound and he saved her life several time in King’s Landing. Maybe Baelish knows Brienne and Pod were involved in the Hound’s demise, and that Arya was with him when he died. So he’ll convince Sansa that Brienne and Pod murdered the Hound in cold blood, possibly even Arya (even though she’s missing), on Lannister/Frey orders? At this point the Hound would provoke strong emotional reaction in Sansa.

    Maybe before leaving for KL Baelish charges Sansa to hunt down Brienne and Pod, possibly find Arya? But while he’s away she decides to go further(the bath scene) and enact her own revenge on the Freys too?

  241. Felt Pelt,

    Character 1 can replace Character 2 in the story without replacing Character 2 in the plot. I think that is what will happen here: Character 1 is going to be an amalgam of Characters 2 & 3 for the purpose of this season’s story. (After all, we can be heroes….)

  242. Well if I’m not insane it looks like Aemon’s body in that pyre surrounded by night’s watch men. Looks like they decided to kill him already while he was still at the Wall. We won’t get Sam journey to Oldtown afterall.

  243. Crabber’s Son,

    I could have put what I meant much better than “I don’t think I buy into the whole…” I think it’s possible. The reasoning I’ve read could work. I’m just trying not to get attached to any particular theory about this season, mostly as a means of avoiding specific expectations. I’ve purposely avoided rereading AFFC and ADWD for this same reason. I just want to enjoy what I see on screen as it happens, and after I’ll go back and analyze.

  244. Zone14,
    tyjon,
    afeastfordances,
    Tormund’s Woman,
    King Tommen,

    Those speculating about which major character will get Qyentyn-ed are forgetting that a couple of Masters were specifically cast for that purpose.

    They are gonna have “an unfortunate encounter with dragons” (one of them is eaten and the other is gonna undergo “a major truama involving dragons.” Oh, and if there’s still any doubt, one of them is credited as “Catacomb Master #1.”

    I don’t know what exactly their motivation may be, but that’s definitely what’s gonna happen β€”a couple of Great Masters are gonna free the dragons, whether that was their intention or not, and they are gonna die in the process.
  245. Tormund’s Woman,

    Hahaha…as I believe all of us have a little wildling in our personalities, I’ll just say…I DO NOT KNEEL. πŸ™‚

    I think almost anything is possible in the DP scene, well, with the exception of

    Dany getting barbequed.
  246. TurnAroundAndSeeME,

    Peter Vaughan who plays Aemon is 91. All of his scenes now are sitting down, or with him leanig against something. I think really it would be unpractical to move him away from Castle Black, and he might not be completely up for too much. He is a fantastic Aemon though, and you wouldn’t recast him for a whole host of reasons. I think this may well be the best decision in the circumstances. I can’t see myself working up until that age (and I’m only in my twenties!), but he does such a marvellous job, and I’m glad that they’ve asked him back each season where they have had episodes at Castle Black, because he is superb.

  247. Those speculating about which major character will get Qyentyn-ed are forgetting that a couple of Masters were specifically cast for that purpose.

    They are gonna have “an unfortunate encounter with dragons” (one of them is eaten and the other is gonna undergo “a major truama involving dragons.” Oh, and if there’s still any doubt, one of them is credited as “Catacomb Master #1.”

    I don’t know what exactly their motivation may be, but that’s definitely what’s gonna happen β€”a couple of Great Masters are gonna free the dragons, whether that was their intention or not, and they are gonna die in the process.

    I already posted this comment but it got into moderation. Just in case it never gets out of the spam filter, I’ve reposted it here with fewer links.

  248. Josh,

    I’ve linked to the post earlier, it was obviously set up to be a real spoiler, wether one believes it or not. Hard to say if it’s true.

    I mean, now we know that Hardhome is pretty much confirmed (which we didn’t back then) and there had been earlier (unverified) reports from a stuntman who said there was a scene in the North involving the White Walkers and the Night’s King, and a White Walker actually dying.
  249. VERY late to the party. Got my “You know nothing, Jon Snow” poster, so very happy. Really was blown away by the episodes in IMAX. The detail was AMAZING! The costumes, sets, and props were really gorgeous–so detailed, so colorful (I have a truly old and crappy hand-me-down 50-incher at home, I guess)! Also, so many subtle little facial expressions, eyebrow lifts, eye-narrowings that I just don’t see on my screens at home enhanced the experience. The sound was deafening (as usual in IMAX theatres) but the music translated well to the big screen; the foley-ing was off enough at times to distract me, however. Anyone know enough about sound design to say if that is a function of having adapted from small screen to large screen? I am also very jealous of those who had a cast or crew member at their screening. So cool! Now on to the trailer…

    WOW!!!! As sumptuous as the set design/costume design etc., has been in the past on this show, this coming season seems to be something else all together if this trailer is any indication. I cannot WAIT for Sansa’s storyline and cannot begin to guess where it is going (despite everyone’s theories posted above). And the HH stuff: whaaaat?? Looks amazing! Not enough Arya teasing for me (I am a fan.), but a fantastic trailer with lots to ponder. One question: is everyone certain that that one quick scene (Thanks Abyss, as always, for the screen shots!) is Missandei/Grey Worm? I thought it was Indira Varma and perhaps the actor paying Hotah? No one else is questioning, so perhaps it is my not-young eyes deceiving me. We’ll see for certain in too many days, I guess!

    Thanks to HBO and IMAX for putting on a really fun event and especially for including the Chicago area in your plans! πŸ™‚ Can you send us a GoT Exhibition please?

  250. Jeb,

    Yeah I agree just that Sam journey to Oldtown with Aemon were some of the moments Iliked the most, not only about aFfC but the whole series. I guess I’m only sad because we won’t get : ” Egg, I dreamt I was old ”.
    Certainly one of the saddest( and beautifull ) lines in the books.

  251. Is “Qyentyn-ed” in the lexicon yet? I think that’s a great lexicon word.

    Turncloak,

    Stannis the Mannis of course! Also perhaps the Martell end game will become more relevant in this matter. Who knows: maybe they’ll even get control of KL briefly before Dany arrives
  252. Perhaps the Night’s Watch character being burnt on the funeral pyre is supposed to be the same one (was it Cotter Pyke? I can’t recall) whose actor died during filming this year? I have no hard evidence to back that up and I’m not sure what the logistics would be of filming such a scene after an actor’s death (using a body-double or whatever), but it does seem like it could be a fitting resolution to the character’s brief arc, as well as a moving in-world tribute to the actor (as long as it was handled correctly). But maybe I am over-thinking this and it’s just Aemon or someone else entirely.

  253. The Final Mosey,

    You’re referring to Denys Mallister (J. J. Murphy). Don’t know if this will happen or not to be honest. I would have thought there was a chance we might have heard about it, because I’m sure they would have asked his family first if they were going to do this sort of scene (and subsequent publicity about this).

  254. TurnAroundAndSeeME,

    Everything about Aemon is one of my favorite things in the whole series, and

    his death the one which hit me the hardest, which is kind of funny, since it isn’t like we all didn’t see it coming, and he is, unless I’m forgetting someone, the only character of which we know who dies of old age.

    Abyss – Thank you for all those shots. It’ll take a while to go through all of them, but does anyone have any guess who the bald head belongs to at the bottom of the shot of Nymeria, Tyene, Ellaria, and woman I can’t identify (it doesn’t look like Obara, to me, but it could be, of course).

  255. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    I’m a fan of it as it just doesn’t let Dorne become a throwaway faction (which it is in danger of with no YG or Arianne). Unless they throw them in with Dany which would be crap as there is already no resistance to her impending march on Westeros so give her Dorne too and it removes any kind obstacles or conflict. Plus putting so many caracters in the Dany camp is both boring and tying them all to a character IMO who is losing a lot of reader/show watcher interest. I think there needs to be some sort of dance of dragons if Dany does make it to Westeros.
    Well, if JS has Targ blood but has natural brown/dark hair then I’m not sure why the son of Ellia Martell wouldn’t have similar dark hair? Although in the books he has naturally platinum blonde/white hair that is dyed a different colour. Perhaps another sign that he’s actually a BF? Shouldn’t affect the show plot though as the BF won’t be gone into with the Dornish factions headed by Trystaegon being their proxy.

  256. Jeb,

    Yeah I think you are probably right, I was just trying to think of anyone else up there who we knew/had any suspicion might die.

  257. Cool trailer; wish they could’ve given more of an indicator as to some other storylines going on or confirmation of some other characters appearances like kevan or balon. That’s definitely high sparrow’s (jonathan pryce) voice for the “if you take away…” speech towards the end of the trailer.

  258. Flora Linden,

    That’s an excellent theory. It’d be great that while chasing after Brienne and Pod, it is revealed she did not believe LF’s BS after all and will go after the Freys instead. Or she does find them and instead of having them immediately executed she hears their story and is convinced, and begins playing against LF in a more determined way.

    But I don’t think I’d want the Hound to be confirmed dead, it’d be more interesting if he is brought back regardless of GRRM’s plans in the book, he’s a great character.

    It depens on how much LF trusts Sansa to act alone though. Would he really allow Sansa to go after them personally, or just get her permission to send Vale soldiers to hunt them down? Regardless, if Sansa thinks Brienne and Pod are their enemies it works in Baelish’s favour, plus he manages to get Sansa to depend on him more (if he thinks he’s successful in brainwashing her that is).

  259. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    That’s if you actually believe

    Aegon is real, and not Illyrio’s son. I am convinced that he is Illyrio’s son by his second wife, who was a Blackfyre descendant. I don’t buy into Trystane actually being “Aegon”, but what I do see happening is the Sand Snakes and Ellaria supporting Myrcella and Doran nixing that and instead delivering his ‘Fire And Blood’ speech to Trystane, who he plans to betroth to Dany.
  260. TheTouchOfFrost,

    The Lannisters/Tyrells/Littlefinger/Stannis isn’t opposition enough?

    I’d hate Trystane somehow being Rhaegar’s son in the show, mostly because there is no chance in hell that Rhaegar’s son Aegon is actually alive. Varys and Illyrio’s ‘Aegon’ is an imposture.
  261. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    I wouldn’t be surprised if it is

    the person that snitches to the Sand Snakes and Ellaria about Bronn and Jaime’s presence in Dorne. I could easily see the Sand Snakes shaking down some merchant to get validation on the rumors.
  262. Greenjones:
    Bogden,

    YOU HERO!

    Just for one day. πŸ˜‰

    Thanks. Wow, I’m sure it has to do with already having watched the trailer several times, but I just saw so much more in that official version. It was smart of them to go on and release it.

  263. Bogden,

    Oh man this looks sooo much better!

    OMG There’s a split second clip of one of the sandsnakes (I think) at 1:39…

    There are many spearheads facing her and warding her off but she has this sinister killer look on her face!

    Man I always loved femme fatales and I cannot wait to see these snakes in action!

  264. Arthur:
    Bogden,

    Oh man this looks sooo much better!

    OMG There’s a split second clip of one of the sandsnakes (I think) at 1:39…

    There are many spearheads facing her and warding her off but she has this sinister killer look on her face!

    Man I always loved femme fatales and I cannot wait to see these snakes in action!

    That’s Ellaria.

  265. Anyone else thinking that snowcastle in The Sight + “avenge them” + Sansa in the bath lends a lot of credence to the earlier rumor that Sansa will sub in for fArya? Not a precise sub, but maybe Sansa weds Ramsey ostensibly to help him hold the north but really to take down Boltons from the inside?

    Maybe LF goes to KL to clear things with Cercei, pretends he just found Sansa and what better way to dispose of a traitor than to wed her to Ramsay “The Psycho Torturer” Bolton? Cercei still trusts LF so that might actually work. And if Cercei was on board with it she could ask her good buddy the new High Sparrow to annul the marriage in exchange for legitimizing the Faith Militant. There hasn’t been talk of the crown being in debt to the Faith in the show so the debt-forgiveness leverage probably won’t be in play.

  266. Bogden,

    Getting better all the time!

    From 0:36-0:37, did anyone notice the dangling detached hand above Tyrion and to the left of the guy with the snake? Fun!

    I melt whenever I see Ellaria in HD. More!

  267. Arthur,

    Yes, she certainly does, and I love it!!!
    I was even more excited seeing the glimpse of Nymeria with the whip. I know,

    in the books it’s Obara who has the whip, but it doesn’t bother me Nymeria has it, now.
  268. Lion of Night,
    Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    Thank you!

    I’ve been reading the comments for months now, and I must say it feels like home already.

    I don’t buy the

    Trystane=YG idea either, but I kind of hope that I’m wrong. I think we need YG at some point, if only because that brings some complexity to Dany’s storyline. With YG she has to choose between a) being a good girl and helping the true heir, or b) going badass and claiming the Iron Throne. Without this dilemma, I don’t think I could stand TV!Daenerys one more season, no matter how much I loved her in season 1. Imo she’s starting to look very much like any other spoiled princess and not like a potential good queen.
    Also Varys’ plots and machinations would make sense (don’t put all eggs in one basket, anyone?)
  269. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    Yeah!!!

    And now that its in HD you can see she used that whip to knock a bucket off to expose someone’s decapitated head! Pretty cool!!!

    Nothing hotter then medieval female warriors and season 5 is going to have at least 3!

  270. In this version I can also see a scorpion crawling towards the head in the sand (so now clearly not the Mountain’s head, clearly a live man being tortured). And Grey Worm is also obviously in hospital: he has a bruise on his cheek and a bandage on his torso.

  271. Things I noticed from the HQ trailer that I didn’t notice on the previous copy.

    0:17 –

    Jaime and Bronn

    in their Dornish disguises can be seen sneaking through the gardens in that wideshot.

    0:32 – Clear shots of where everyone’s standing in that shot of the Castle Black courtyard – Stannis, Davos, Melisandre, Mance, Jon, Edd, Olly, Sam, Gilly, Alliser Thorne And Janos Slynt (not dead yet).

    0:36 – The severed hand hanging from a string as Tyrion and Varys walk through the market. Lovely.

    0:57 – Tormund and Davos visible behind Melisandre as she lights the pyre.

    1:03 – Areo Hotah’s weapon beside Jaime.

    1:27 – A few wooden pieces shaped like Stannis’s flaming heart sigil on the map that also features the wooden Bolton crosses.

    1:43 – Margaery appears to be on her knees as she embraces whoever she’s embracing. Thought it was Olenna initially, but maybe it’s Tommen after all.

    1:43 – Still can’t see Tyrion with Dany and the others in the pit as the Sons of the Harpy close in. We know he’s around there somewhere from the previous leaked photos. Where did he get off to?

    1:44 – The caged body that the raven lands on definitely appears to have been flayed.

    EDIT: Holy shit, we’ve got official photos now as well? This is an absolutely bounty of riches.

  272. Tyrion Pimpslap,

    If that is so, then why does

    Aegon looks so much like Rhaegar that Tyrion is able to recognize him despite the disguise? Remember, nobody tells Tyrion who Aegon is supposed to be, and nobody encourages Tyrion to continue thinking that is true.

    (Of course, I tend to see “spoiled grapes” in this view, as someone who was arguing 15 years ago that a certain character was still out there….. πŸ™‚ )

  273. BTW, I’ve seen people mention the fall of the Harpy statue as an attack against Daenerys, or the dragons knocking it down, but that’s not the case at all. As you can see in the trailer, especially in HD, a wooden contraption has been built to make the fall as painless as possible for the rest of the building, and the statue is wrapped in ropes. This is Daenerys herself knocking down the statue, which is a symbol of the old regime and hence slavery… exactly as she did on the books. The Targaryan banner in front of the statue could not have been permanent; she had to knock it down.

  274. Fedejru: Theon

    Finally I saw him in this HD version! You are right. It is him. I was a bit surprised we don’t have much North – Below the Wall characters in the trailer.

  275. Tyrion Pimpslap,

    Nope! The Lannisters are broke and all of them are pretty much crazy/ religious (a different kind of crazy)/dead/or have left the house now. There’s only really Jaime and Genna left who are at least potentially capable of doing something but Jaime is in the Kings Guard and Genna is married to a Frey. Stannis is doing his thing up north and is having time enough taking there, let alone facing a combined force of Dany and Dorne. The Tyrells are sneaks. They’d get wiped out in a straight fight. If everyone hops on the Dany train it’s gonna be a spectacularly boring ride!
    I think it is possible for him to be anyone or we wouldn’t be talking about it! πŸ˜›

  276. Luka Nieto:
    BTW, I’ve seen people mention the fall of the Harpy statue as an attack against Daenerys, or the dragons knocking it down, but that’s not the case at all. As you can see in the trailer, especially in HD, a wooden contraption has been built to make the fall as painless as possible for the rest of the building, and the statue is wrapped in ropes. This is Daenerys herself knocking down the statue, which is a symbol of the old regime and hence slavery… exactly as she did on the books. The Targaryan banner in front of the statue could not have been permanent; she had to knock it down.

    Yes, I saw that too in the HD version. It looks like some Unsullied are up there, with the ropes, toppling the statue. Now I am back to wondering about Drogon’s re-entry in Season 5. There was so little of him in Season 4. But he must cost a fortune to the showrunners, so it is understandable that he is so sparingly used.

  277. Jorah guarding Dany’s back as they are surrounded by the sons of the harpy. Interesting.

    Will he survive Drogon’s arrival?
  278. Kay,

    Haha!

    “Drogon must cost a fortune for the show runners”

    That just made me smile! I bet if you add up all the cost it takes to have Drogon on screen vs the top paid GoT actors, Drogon definitely costs a lot more.

    That greedy bastard!

  279. Still can’t make out who’s riding there, right after Varys talks about helping someone climb. It’s annoying, because it’s one of the few shots we really can’t recognize in any way. Who could it be, without any notable armor or sigils?
    It’s most likely in the Riverlands or the North, possibly the Vale. Looks like 4 people, riding together. Any observations or suggestions?

  280. Blind Beth,

    I have to admit I do have a problem with the theory that Sansa will marry Ramsay. I just can’t see him allowing her to be that far out of his control, although

    we know they will be separate at some point,

    but I can’t see it being like some have suggested.

    I could see LF getting the annulment of Sansa’s marriage though.

  281. TheTouchOfFrost: I think it is possible for him to be anyone or we wouldn’t be talking about it!

    Well, not really. (Assuming that I am following the “him” that you mean.) Despite what people infer above, what little we’ve seen is consistent with what the book sets up. We just won’t get the “teaser” taste that GRRM provided us: we’ll get him (same “him” as before!) when he is truly relevant, which will be next season. So, when he appears, he probably will just be him: the subterfuge of the books will be ditched as it’s not going to be needed.

    We saw something similar with the Harry Potter movies. There, as in here, the author often introduced characters a book or two before they were important. The films didn’t introduce them until they were relevant. However, Harry Potter fans were convinced each time that the movies “could not” use (say) Cedrice Diggory or Cho Chang in Goblet of Fire because there were not “properly” introduced in Prisoner of Azkaban. Bellatrix Black “could not” appear in Order of the Phoenix because she was not properly introduced in Goblet. Etc. And yet each was introduced in the film where they became relevant, and the movie-going masses had no problem understanding them.

    (The “Greek chorus” effect was in play here, too: in at least a couple of cases, the scenes with the relevant characters from the relevant Harry Potter “prequels” were there, but it was just a group of Hufflepuffs or Death Eaters; the book had to put names on them because you cannot see faces; the film didn’t need names because it had faces.)

    If you mean a different “him,” then all of this is, of course, moot….. πŸ™‚

    Jeb: I have to admit I do have a problem with the theory that Sansa will marry Ramsay.

    Whatever else Martin will be doing with Sansa and Ramsay in Winter, I suspect that this will not be one of them!

    That written…. we probably have gotten our first taste of Winter here, folks! Those of you betting years ago that Sansa would raise herself and become a real player in the Game, and that she’d be one of the people looking to avenge her family, I tip my hat to you: you got that one right. (I confess that I was very skeptical of that idea until Maleficent descended last spring: but I got that one wrong.)

  282. TorbofThrones,

    I thought it could it be whoever Brienne and Pod are fleeing from when they go past the Inn. But the ground seems to be muddy and the sky gray in that shot, while sunny in the more anonymous one.

  283. Looks like confirmation that Ellaria is taking Arianne`s part as she is stoped by some spears, and that picture of her trying to convince Areo Hotah about something
    And it looks like the nights watch arrives at Hardhome in boats, and the wildings want to be taken with them back on the boats because of the treath, but they are being pushed back by the crows!
  284. Luka Nieto,

    Yeah, the Harpy is being pulled down by ropes, suggesting that this is being done deliberately rather than being collateral damage from the dragons or whatever. Considering how important the Harpy is as a symbol for the slavers, it’s clearly not the anti-Daenerys forces doing this – Dany’s forces have to be the ones tearing it down to signify that the old culture of Meereen is finished.

    The speculation that the Battle of Meereen could be largely replaced by a struggle against an internal insurgency has always been considered a plausible way to streamline this part of the story and avoid a massive, expensive battle that likely isn’t all that necessary for the show’s purposes. In this trailer, we not only see this image of the Harpy falling, we get further confirmation that the Sons of the Harpy will stage a large-scale attack on Dany and her forces in the arena – putting them in prime position to suffer crippling losses when Drogon arrives. I’d say it’s more likely than ever that Daznak’s pit will effectively serve as the large-scale conflict that marks the end of Dany’s reign in Meereen, for better or for worse. The Harpy is such an important symbol for Slaver’s Bay that tearing it down from the Great Pyramid strongly hints that the Meereen storyline is close to wrapping up, possibly as soon as the end of this season. Even if Daenerys flies away on Drogon after Daznak’s Pit and the Meereen storyline doesn’t fully wrap up this season, it’s unlikely to extend very far into Season 6.
  285. Felt Pelt,

    Good point. Maybe it’s some outlaws to replace Rorge and co. Then again, that would be disappointing. One of the greatest scenes in AfFC wouldn’t be complete without a brigand wearing the Hound’s helmet. Since they’re at the crossroads or someplace else, maybe we’ll see Gendry though. But what happens after they get chased by whoever it is? They need to end up with LS…come on D&D!

  286. that was both exciting and disappointing. Every prior trailer had an awesome song and some cohesiveness. This was… not cohesive. Would have been better had they done it in the style of the last three seasons. The marketing for this season has been disastrous.

    So no YG? no Kevan? no Manderly? Any conformations ? Hopefully they are just good at keeping secrets. I really hope the quality of the show doesn’t plummet.

  287. davyJones: So no YG? no Kevan? no Manderly? Any conformations ? Hopefully they are just good at keeping secrets. I really hope the quality of the show doesn’t plummet.

    We should not expect YG until Season 6: that’s when YG would become relevant to plot and story. Manderly isn’t necessary on TV: a group of Northmen will suffice as faces, not names, are the key on screen. In both cases, this is a quality of the show thing: audiences don’t like excess characters or characters that don’t have some payoff in that season. (We’ve seen this already on Thrones: the Reeds and Oberyn appeared a year later than they would have had B&W followed the books more exactly: but they did appear when they became relevant.)

    As for Kevan, there were reports that the actor was on set, but I don’t recall that there was official confirmation or clear photographs. So, that’s a definite maybe. He wouldn’t be in the trailer, anyway: he’s a minor character, and an ad is going to be pushing the new and returning major characters.

  288. The three girls next to me all cheered when Varys said his bit, but all I could say was β€œfuck, no Aegon!”.

    Not neccessarily, Illyrio (& Varys) sent Tyrion to Dany in the book. He could be trying to manipulate Tyrion.
  289. Wimsey,

    At this point, I’d be amazed if the BF was used. Think it would be unwise without the books backstory and would simply confuse viewers. Could work as him being legit Rhaegars son or Trystaegon but beyond that I can’t see it working for the show.
    Hope I’m wrong and he does feature in some form but I think now, unfortunately , we’ll not get him and will be stuck with the Team Dany bandwagon with Trystane bringing Dorne onto her side and therefore simplyfying (not in a good way IMO ) the plot.

  290. Luka Nieto,

    Remember, in the books, Varys and Illyrio’s original plan was thwarted; that is, an invasion with Viserys’s Dothraki and Aegon’s Golden Company

    Not really. Varys and Illyrio were supporting Viserys only in so far as as Viserys was to support Aegon. Aegon is the heir not Viserys. Aegon is a first son of a first son. They need an heir and a spare just in case.

  291. Carne,

    Your correct, I thought it was Vary’s, but the man in the scene has the same ear type as Mr Pillai, obviously it’s the Dornish way of interrogation.
    I wonder if Nym is playing the role of bad snake or good snake, if good snake, I’d hate to see the bad one.

    vlad,

    Having watched the HD version I’m more and more convinced that Grey Worm is dead

    Nah, he just doesn’t know what to do, but Missandei will educate him.

  292. I have a good feeling about this season. Better than I had the last two seasons. The only worrying thing was more Missandei -GW love, all the rest looked very interesting. I’m glad they seem to make some massive changes. I always feel like the show is hampered by inadequate changes (i.e. the major plotbeats are met, but much of the journey that makes these major plotbeats worth it is scrapped or changed). Given ADWD and AFFC more meandering tone, it’s easier to change some things I reckon.

  293. Wimsey: Manderly isn’t necessary on TV: a group of Northmen will suffice

    Wrong…. W.M. is the best thing that happened in ADWD. Cutting W.M. is tantamount to cutting the Army of the Dead in LOTR. Sorry the North is down there’s only WM left for the Starks. If W.M. is cut this show has jumped the shark. If W.M. is cut this show has jumped the shark.

  294. FlayRamsay:
    Luka Nieto,

    Not really. Varys and Illyrio were supporting Viserys only in so far as as Viserys was to support Aegon. Aegon is the heir not Viserys. Aegon is a first son of a first son. They need an heir and a spare just in case.

    Since Rhaegar never took the throne, though, wouldn’t Viserys be next in line? He’s the spare to Rhaegar’s heir.

  295. TheTouchOfFrost: Think it would be unwise without the books backstory and would simply confuse viewers.

    Actually, the BF backstory isn’t in the SoI&F books: it is in the World of Ice and Fire. That’s one of the problems with the idea: if GRRM was going that way, then he should have done a lot more to develop this possibility in the book series itself. So, it would wind up confusing a lot of the readers, too! (If I knew about the BFs before I read WoI&F, then I had completely forgotten them: and details about them are sketchy other than they are extinct descendants of the Targaryens.)

    FlayRamsay: Wrong…. W.M. is the best thing that happened in ADWD. Cutting W.M. is tantamount to cutting the Army of the Dead in LOTR.

    No, cutting WM is tantamount to cutting the name of the undead king from the Army of the Dead. (Which the movie never bothered to provide, incidentally.) Again, it’s a chorus: the group of Undead/Northerners doing things is what the viewers will see. The “name” doesn’t have to be there for the actions to follow. GRRM probably would have done it that way if he’d been writing this for TV or film. However, in books, you cannot write a nameless chorus easily: it is clumsy and inefficient. So, you write named spokesmen (or spokeswomen) for groups of people. That is why films and TV series almost always go the chorus route, and why books almost always go the names spokesperson route.

    (And it might have been your favorite thing about DwD: but it was far from the “best” thing about it as a book; moreover, the “who” wasn’t important: only the “what” was.)

    Nymeria Warrior Queen: Since Rhaegar never took the throne, though, wouldn’t Viserys be next in line? He’s the spare to Rhaegar’s heir.

    No, Viserys was 2nd in line, at least under the normal rules of primogeniture. (William would follow Charles to the throne in the UK, not Andrew: and if William was dead by then, then his son would follow Charles to the throne instead of Andrew or Harry.)

  296. Decent trailer. God awful cover of David Bowie’s heroes.

    I am still not all that jazzed for S5, I fear this will be where D & D truely jump the shark. Thank god there’s still Penny Dreadful.

  297. The Hound:
    β€œThank god there’s still Penny Dreadful.”
    Are you fucking shitting me?

    To quote the lunatic fringe Dean Ambrose “Nope.”

  298. Wimsey,

    I always get it confused. If the heir dies before taking the throne, then the spare becomes the heir, unless the original heir already has a son (heir)?

  299. FlayRamsay:
    Not necessarily, Illyrio (& Varys) sent Tyrion to Dany in the book. He could be trying to manipulate Tyrion.

    Not sure which comment to respond to but isn’t that a bit of an oversimplification?

    From my perspective, all Illyrio and Varys did was put Tyrion on the boat with the Griffs, who were going to Volantis to organize the Golden Company to prep for Dany’s arrival. But do you really think that they were honest about the “Dany” part? They had lost contact with any info regarding Dany and by putting Tyrion with the Griffs, I fully believe he was meant to figure the Griffs out and travel with them to Volantis, and maybe even inspire them a bit. As you know, they abandoned Tyrion before Volantis and Tyrion got kidnapped by Jorah. Was that part of the plan? Was Jorah informed about Tyrion’s arrival beforehand? Probably.

    In any case, Aegon and JonCon and the GC were gone quickly, headed westward (implying it was fairly well-planned). It was fairly clear at that point that Tyrion was never meant to continue with them and Illyrio and Varys wanted Tyrion out of the picture. But all the way to Dany? That’s a stretch. Tyrion’s crazy journey to Dany with Jorah could not have been planned, imho. I don’t believe Varys and Illyrio thought that Tyrion would ever survive to meet Dany.

    In that sense, yeah…Varys was/is definitely manipulating Tyrion.

  300. Vicky,

    The young blonde who cuts her finger isn’t Myrcella, it’s young Cersei. The two girls running in the woods are young Cersei and her friend. It’s the flashback scene.

  301. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    Under the usual rules, the eldest grandson by the eldest son inherits if the grandfather king dies and his eldest son is dead already. That happened a few times in history. (If I recall, then George III was the grandson of George II: III’s father died before his father did. But I might be off a George.)

  302. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Actually, the plan was for

    the whole lot of them to head east to join up with Daeny: who was, of course, supposed to swoon at the sight of her nephew and marry him, providing three dragons for the fight. Tyrion helped plant the seeds of going West alone in Aegon’s head: and once it was clear that they couldn’t go east, going west became a sensible idea.

    Personally, I think that Tyrion was right:

    I am betting that this will be pivotal to the plot in Winter, as Aegon’s stand in Westeros is going to get his Aunt to hurry over there. That’s when the real fun will begin, as the immediate alliance will turn to rivalry and the story will become about how the different lead character choose their side.
  303. Randa Noyce: That damn song…

    Ah, I saw Bowie perform that live twice, in 1983 and again in 1990. The live version is actually a lot more powerful than the studio one, which sort of tales off for no good reason. (The version on the live album “Stage” is a good rendition.)

    As I noted above, it is a very appropriate choice for this season: the song is about how “we” can be greater than we otherwise are, which is pretty much what the Crows/Dragons story is all about. It is always reassuring when you see that someone gets it.

  304. Wimsey:

    Tyrion helped plant the seeds of going West alone in Aegon’s head: and once it was clear that they couldn’t go east, going west became a sensible idea.
    I think you give Tyrion too much credit. Maybe they gained some inspiration and some strategy from him, but that’s it. The GC was waiting for the Griffs in Volantis and I doubt Dany was ever in the picture (other than a possible spouse for Aegon), especially after Jorah’s dismissal. And Tyrion was meant to be “dismissed” before Volantis.

    Plus….the GC meeting up with the Griffs was the inspiration behind all the Blackfyre conspiracy/rebellion rumours for the past few years. Wouldn’t it be risky to have an actual Targ lead the GC, a known Blackfyre sympathizer? πŸ™‚ There’s a bit of history there…

  305. To those thinking that Ser Barry will die this season, there was one guy on the IMdB GoT board saying that he talked with Ian McElhinney recently and while he couldn’t say much about season 5 he did say that he survives the season. Though I always take these things with a grain of salt, I’m kinda inclined to believe him.
  306. It’s funny that in the trailer HBO puts β€œ04.12.2015”
    and now I see EVERYONE in Facebook complaining
    because they think there’s not going to be GoT until 4th December 2015

  307. I didn’t originally see that shot of Brienne and Pod on horseback going back the way they came and past the inn, into the Riverlands while hot-tailing it away from someone (can anybody screencap this from the HD version in case there are some clues?)

    Geographically, I suppose that’s our best chance of them running into The Brotherhood and a certain Lady appearing after all. And certainly more intriguing in terms of reconnecting with their book storyline instead of having them drift aroudn indefinitely in The Vale …?

    But it’s a long shot. :/

  308. The trailer was great, awesome etc etc but I can’t help feel like the show has become to big for it’s own good now…

    I remember when GRRM was so enthusiastic about the show, how much he supported it and such, yet now he’s almost vehemently against it. The guy who created all of this hates the show, and that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

    I want to support the show and love the show, but it’s like putting GRRM to the sword.

    I will watch, of course, but my enthusiasm, much like GRRM, is gone now.

    No LS, No Aegon, No Greyjoys, No horn, No Arianne, No Coldhands, No prophecies (except the most boring one, related to just one character, having zero repercussions in the long term), No Tower of Joy… All of these things really do add up and their exclusion creates a real sense of hollowness now in the show I feel.

    But like I said, I will continue watching and enjoy it none the less.

  309. Carne,

    I think you are 100% right. It fits with the audition script we heard, too. That’s the merchant captain who smuggles Jaime and Bronn into Dorne, and the Sand Snakes are interrogating/torturing him because of it.

    Ser Matt the Sullen,

    “yet now he’s almost vehemently against it. The guy who created all of this hates the show, and that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.”

    What the hell are you even talking about…?

  310. Ser Matt the Sullen,

    I remember when GRRM was so enthusiastic about the show, how much he supported it and such, yet now he’s almost vehemently against it. The guy who created all of this hates the show, and that leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

    Stop making stuff up, this is just what D&D haters want to believe. He still regularly blogs about the show and refers to it as “we” or “us” when talking about the production.

    A recent blog post by GRRM about the Golden Globes-
    “David Benioff and Dan Weiss and Carolyn Strauss and a number of our other producers and cast members will be on hand at the ceremony, though I won’t be there myself this year. But I will be watching from home and cheering loudly for the show”

  311. Trying to determine who Olenna is saying “They will never even find what’s left of you“. I assume she is warning someone against doing something rash, so most likely it’s a scene with Loras or Margaery.

    Maybe she’s advising Loras against trying to rescue his sister from the Sept but the hairline of the person sitting against her doesnt match him or Marge either

  312. Vicky,

    Or anyone else:

    At about 0.17 in the trailer, there are two individuals with really light blonde hair walking. Does anyone have any idea who they are?

    Btw, great job Vicky.

    Thanks
    πŸ™‚

  313. Trying to determine who Olenna is saying β€œThey will never even find what’s left of youβ€œ. I assume she is warning someone against doing something rash, so most likely it’s a scene with Loras or Margaery.

    Maybe she’s advising Loras against trying to rescue his sister from the Sept but the hairline of the person sitting against her doesnt match him or Marge either.

    It seems on the show it will be Loras that needs some rescuing before Marg, so my best guess is still either Littlefinger or Olyvar for fucking (hah!) with them. She sounds genuinely threatening to me and don’t think she would have that tone with a family member.

  314. After seeing it in HD, i think we actually see 2 pyres in the trailer.

    The first one we see is at castle black (aerial shot at 0:32). It’s the one that Mel lights at 0:57. It has a mast/pole in the center just like those in dragonstone in season 4. So i’m guessing

    a sacrifice for good ol’ r’hllor

    The second pyre we see is at 0:58, with a body laying down across it and no mast in the middle. And by the side there are only wildlings, no nights watchman in sight. so if i had to guess i’d say

    wildlings in hardhome burning the body of a fallen friend?
  315. Has anyone been able to get a good screencap of the group of woodland riders who appear in the early part of the trailer? Or what banner that caravan shown, also early on, is displaying? My initial thoughts were Brienne & co. in the first; but who is she with? And possibly the sparrows for the 2nd, but that differs from them travelling on foot in the books

  316. Though on second thought, I might be seeing a bald spot? … So who knows. But I hope he does end up tagging along. This show needs a healthy dash more Tormund. And, for that matter, more Mance. … And Stannis … and Davos … and Mel … and even Shireen … hell, and Sallador Saan too (maybe he can help our field-tripping NW boys get to Hardhome!). Thank goodness all of these more compelling secondary and tertiary characters are finally clumped around our favorite sourpuss protagonist, so that they can share–and steal!–that main-character-caliber limelight. (Not that I don’t think Kit does a fine job, I just think Jon is a bit of drag, especially onscreen where we don’t get much Ghost/warging business.)
    But yeah, I’m rambling.

  317. Wimsey,

    There are links in the books. Maelys the Monstrous and the War of the Ninepenny Kings has been mentioned many a time and Bloodraven is there as a connection too. Add in that most book readers have read the relative material too. Plus the books are much more geared towards working in the necessary connections, even more so when the framework is already established.
    Can’t see how the show would do this. We know hardly anything about Selmy except he’s been in the Kingsguard for a long time and Bloodraven is not going to be able to provide much information with him not being in the next season. If those two don’t do it then the only potential others would be Varys or Illyrio otherwise you’d rely on YG hinslef which would seem quite forced and out of the blue with him being a new character. Only other way would be through the Golden Company but they’ve pretty much just been name dropped so far. I’d love to see it done properly but I think the BF stuff (if he even turns out to be one!) is not going to work in the show now.

  318. JamesL,

    Even if misdirected, I can understand the frustration in his words though. This week has brought GoT fans some amazing S5 stuff to ponder and consider, while at the same time another ASoI&F publisher has issued a negative statement on a possible TWoW release date. All of us jaded ones know the chance was slim for 2015, but when you see it in words from a reliable source, it does still sting. In a perfect world, things would seem in sync, but we live in a far from perfect world. Damn.

    I can hear Neil Gaiman pounding out his tweet about this again….

  319. Hodor’s Bastard,

    I think you give Tyrion too much credit. Maybe they gained some inspiration and some strategy from him, but that’s it. The GC was waiting for the Griffs in Volantis.

    Correct. However, they state that their plan at that time was to meet Daeny: but based on the assumption that Daeny would be heading west. (It was not clear if they intended to try to meet her part way or what.) That is what precipitates the whole “Illyrio’s plans were always based on wrong assumptions” discussion, and that is when Aegon himself says “let’s just go to Westeros without my aunt” declaration. Now, maybe Aegon came up with that all on his own, but when Tyrion suggested that to him, Aegon did not seem to have considered it before.

    Luka Nieto,
    Greenjones,
    JamesL,
    You will always have fans who fervently believe these things. We saw the same thing with the Harry Potter fandom: lots of them convinced themselves that Rowling hated Heyman and Kloves for ruining her books. All evidence was to the contrary: but some fans wanted to believe it, so they did.

  320. 500 comments busted! Is this a record?

    Watchers on the Wall
    The premiere fan site for all things Game of Thrones!

  321. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Indeed, the “one side is angry at the other side” argument might be true. I’ve read many times that nameless HBO people are not happy about GRRM failing to get his books out by now. They probably are B&W’s higher-ups: but it must frustrate them that they have no control over the guy who is supposed to provide the source material for their scripts. (Normally, they could just lock him in a room and starve him until he finishes: or just fire him. But this is not “normally.”)

  322. While I normally avoid IMAX shows thanks to my crippling motion sickness (seriously, I got sick on a seven-minute ferry ride once) the show was well worth the misery.

    Hell, I even got the poster! They had some left over. Yay!

  323. TheTouchOfFrost: There are links in the books.

    There are very weakly developed links, and nothing on the order of the background details that would be needed to pull it off in the books. Most of the readers would not simply be surprised: they would think that it was made up on the spot.

    Now, you will always get some readers thinking that: but in this case, it probably would be most of them. It would not be like, say, some of the ideas about Jon’s mother, which would make all but the most obtuse readers go: “Oh, I should have spotted that!”

  324. Blind Beth:
    Anyone else thinking that snowcastle in The Sight + β€œavenge them” + Sansa in the bath lends a lot of credence to the earlier rumor that Sansa will sub in for fArya?Not a precise sub, but maybe Sansa weds Ramsey ostensibly to help him hold the north but really to take down Boltons from the inside?

    “Rumor” – LOL. This is apparently a new word for “crazy crackpot speculations by fans online”.

    I mean, so what if it makes zero sense that 1) Sansa could get married despite the fact she’s officially still married, 2) Sansa would reveal her identity to the enemies of her family and allies of Lannisters who would immediately turn her over to Cersei to be executed for regicide, 3) Roose would want to turn the Lannisters against him by marrying Ramsay to someone who’s wanted by the crown for the murder of king Joffrey, 4) Sansa would want to undergo “Joffrey 2.0, only much worse – all the horrors you thought would happen to you in KL but you were lucky to avoid” and get married to and let Ramsay fuck her in the hope that she could kill him in his sleep (and then get killed herself), 5) Littlefinger would ever want to give Sansa to the Boltons, 6) Littlefinger couldn’t find some other way to assassinate Ramsay, if that’s what he was planning, 7) D&D would completely change Sansa’s storyline and ignore her actual book storyline that GRRM has told them about and that actually happens in The Winds of Winter, 8) D&D would completely ignore the setup of Sansa being in the Vale, Sansa learning about politics and to be a “player”, Sansa being LF’s protege and having a complicated relationship with her creepy mentor, Sansa having a complicated relationship with the bratty little lord/her cousin which may be crucial in LF’s schemes, Sansa potentially winning the support of Vale lords… just to plunge her with no setup or reason into a completely different storyline in a different part of the continent where her role is to be bait and let Ramsay fuck her so she could kill him in his sleep. Who cares about logic?

    Also, there’s a “rumor” that Daario is Benjen is Euron is Mance is Rhaegar is Howland Reed is the High Septon is Hot Pie.

  325. Dragonslayer: I think those stupid lines fit the character really well (in both books and show) and I think most people agreed that they did a good job showing the complications of her arc in season 4.

    She doesn’t have stupid lines like that in the books. Only in the show. And no, they don’t fit the book character. The show character isn’t nearly as well written, to put it mildly. “WHERE ARE MY DRAGONS?”, “I didn’t come here to argue grammar”, “All men must die, but we’re not men”… sigh.

  326. Wimsey,

    But the info about Selmy/War of the Ninepenny Kings/BF/Golden Company is all in Tyrion’s POV when Illyrio sends him to prepare and meet Dany in Volantis (exactly as HB stated above, he was not supposed to go east, just wait for her with the Griffs), and they are mentioned more times throughout ASoIaF especially in ADwD (another rather large mention about GC and their BF connection is when Tyrion joins Second Sons IIRC).

    Of course that if you don’t remember who were the Blackfyres from the books, then definitely you won’t remember that one either!!! πŸ˜›

    I just think that unless Martin would literally drop someone in that era, you’d have a hard time putting more exposition about these events in the books. It would be just bad storytelling. And since it doesn’t appear the show will drop these mentions earlier I think it will look odd to just have

    fAegon

    appear come season 6 out of the blue.

    I know what your position is regarding introducing new characters only in the season when they are needed. But honestly, I think most of that comes with the risk of looking as an ass pull the more advanced the seasons are IF you at least don’t mention them before, whether is name-dropping or giving them a backstory ahead of time. Some may remember (like some Unsullied did when Tywin mentioned the Martells in previous seasons only to have Oberyn come season 4) and some might not. But at least it made sense and had continuity.

  327. Annara Snow,

    These are all very valid questions. What I’m having a tough time with is the fact that we know that LF shows up in King’s Landing this season and all this stuff with he and Sansa in the Vale countryside (and Brienne getting chased off) appears to happen very early on (like first couple episodes).

    What is Sansa’s arc for the season if LF takes off for KL? Why would he abandon her in the Vale so quickly and who is she supposed to interact with (outside of Robin which can only yeild a couple scenes at most)? There’s absolutely no indication that any of the Vale lords are returning and no one new has been cast in that area. None of the other characters on the show are going to be in the Vale this season.

    So what’s she going to do? Twiddle her thumbs and hang out with a little boy for 7-8 episodes? Why is LF leaving?

    I am not one for crackpot theories but I just have no idea what she’s supposed to do if she’s not hanging around with LF.

  328. KG,

    I thought the soundtrack rivaled the images when I saw it. The Castle Black warning horn was especially effective. Just an awesome experience.

    Annara Snow,

    Nice breakdown. Although I don’t believe Sansa is destined to remain in the Vale, simply treating Sansa as a mundane Northern wedding pawn, especially with the Boltons, wouldn’t digest well.

  329. Wimsey,

    They are links none the less and there to be developed if the author needs them to be. Showwise, the only link really is the Golden Company unless one of the other characters pulls their finger out. Barristan could talk about the sinister nature of Targ blood by telling Dany about her fatehr and possibly extending it to the Blackfyres and perhaps mentions by other characters could bring them into the viewers consciousness but it’s leaving it all pretty late in the day and it’s a lot to get in.

    Going back to the show,

    Tormund’s Woman,

    I’d like to think that they’ll pick up on some of the hooks they’ve dropped ( Theon’s uncles in the first season primarily!) but unfortunately I feel that these are now mostly going to be loose ends for the TV show. Whether that’s because D&D are writing it on te fly or have amended it as they’ve gone along , I don’t know but it’s a shame IMO that some of theses avenues showwise won’t be pursued.

  330. King Tommen:
    So what’s she going to do? Twiddle her thumbs and hang out with a little boy for 7-8 episodes? Why is LF leaving?

    I wonder why Sansa is weeping as LF spoke to her. We know that Brienne is in the area and may try to intervene, but do you think Sweet Robin has died (or been killed)? Perhaps LF is prepping to go to KL to annul her wedding, hence allowing Sansa to become a Vale heir and escalate her in the game (as managed by LF).

  331. Hodor’s Bastard: I wonder why Sansa is weeping as LF spoke to her. We know that Brienne is in the area and may try to intervene, but do you think Sweet Robin has died (or been killed)? Perhaps LF is prepping to go to KL to annul her wedding, hence allowing Sansa to become a Vale heir and escalate her in the game (as managed by LF).

    If Robin dies in the scenario you propose, then that would mean Sansa would be offscreen for more or less the rest of the season. Doubtful.

    LF”s ultimate goal in the books is for Sansa to take Winterfell in order for him to consolidate his power. He already has the Vale (with or without Robin) so trying to secure Sansa as heir wouldn’t really accomplish much (and would never be allowed by Cersei regardless).

    Sansa’s ending up in Winterfell at some point, it’s just a matter of when.

  332. ”Strip away the gold, knock down the statue, and this is what remains”

    Is this kind a metaphor or something?
    English is not my first language, so I’d be appreciated if you could help me out what exactly High Sparrow meant for saying these words?

  333. I’m not a D&D hater, I love the show. I’ve never been more excited for a show to come back, and i’ll probably feel the same again this season.

    BUT, you’d be a fool not to read between the lines here. GRRM is pissed off about the changes and omissions they’ve made to the show. Of course he’s going to promote events like the Globes etc he is expected to! hell, it’s probably a part of his contract with HBO. But if you take a look back at various quotes etc you’ll see he definitely does NOT have the enthusiasm he used to have.

  334. kaylchandler,

    It’s both literal and a metaphor.

    When the High Sparrow takes power, one of the first things that he does is sell all of the golden crowns and expensive robes that the previous High Septon wore and use the money to buy food for the poor. He clads himself in a very rough, shabby looking robe to show his humility before the gods and forces all who follow him to do the same. He also begins stripping away many of the rich decorations and statues in the Sept of Baelor that he considers to be unnecessary and idolatrous. So that’s the literal interpretation.
    Metaphorically, I think that his line “Strip away the gold, knock down the statue, and this is what remains” is referring to the idea that once you get rid of the many rich trappings that the Faith has possessed for so long, all that’s left is the Faith itself. While less grand and visually impressive, that type of Faith – and the ironclad commitment of those who follow it – is far stronger (as Cersei will find out).
  335. Hodor’s Bastard,

    If Sansa wouldn’t have made the transformation to Dark Sansa costume wise at the end of the previous season, I would have said she’s

    in mourning and weeping for her cousin’s death

    . Now though, who knows.

  336. Tormund’s Woman,

    Yeah…after that wonderful Dark Sansa shot to end her thread in S4, I was a bit thrown to see her weeping and LF coddling her again as the first glimpse of her in S5. Like others have said, it’s intentional trailer misdirection (I hope).

    SweetRobin’s days are numbered…show will spoil TWoW on this issue.
  337. Tormund’s Woman: But honestly, I think most of that comes with the risk of looking as an ass pull the more advanced the seasons are IF you at least don’t mention them before, whether is name-dropping or giving them a backstory ahead of time.

    Look at all of the other long-running TV series that introduced new characters even in their last season: and those include many of the long-running cable TV series that the same audience has been watching. If the audience could accept those characters in the other series, then the audience will accept new characters in this one.

    Tormund’s Woman: Some may remember (like some Unsullied did when Tywin mentioned the Martells in previous seasons only to have Oberyn come season 4) and some might not. But at least it made sense and had continuity.

    I am sure that some Unsullied did remember the name. However, I am equally sure that the vast majority of viewers did not know the name. Something that has been well-documented in academia is how little university students retain from classes they take unless they go on to major in that subject. The Unsullied (and most of the readers) are (at best!) like the non-majors: and like the non-majors who just sat in the lectures and never studied the material, at that!

    At any rate, the show did not assume that the viewers remembered anything about the Martells: on multiple occasions, they reminded the viewers who Oberyn’s family was, why they had a grudge against the Lannisters, and that Cersei’s daughter was with them. The guns were hung and fired all in that season.

    YG will be very similar to Oberyn in Season 6. Every year has some new supporting characters, after all. YG has been mentioned every season, although audiences won’t remember him without prompting. Moreover, the plot underneath it is very simple, so audiences would readily grasp it: and particularly the type of audience that watches cable TV series. (My objection to the alternative hypothesis of who YG’s ancestors are is that it is not simple: it requires at least one thing to be true that we are that we is false, and then it requires at least two things to be true that are very improbable, whereas this idea relies only on things known to be true or that would probably be true.)

    TheTouchOfFrost: I’d like to think that they’ll pick up on some of the hooks they’ve dropped ( Theon’s uncles in the first season primarily!)

    The only one of Theon’s uncles to be on the show is Damphair, and they never even mentioned that he was Theon’s uncle. Victarion and Euron might have been mentioned, but I don’t recall that, even after having just binge-watched Season 1. (There was one mention that Theon had uncles, but that was it.) So, these really are not hooks, dropped or otherwise. After all, if TV shows were obligated to do something with every person that they mentioned, then all TV shows would be paralyzed by needing to bring in tons of new cast (indeed, probably an exponentially growing cast as they would mention new people!) OR very weird dialog in which they didn’t talk like normal people do.

    Having just binge-watched through Season 3 (we start Season 4 tonight!), the only “hook” that seems to have been dropped is stuff involving the Hillsmen and Tyrion helping them to retake the Vale. But that just sort of disappears in the books, too. Oh, and the Red Wedding is still an awesome episode…..

  338. Vicky,
    I too love your captions. Someone may have already said this, but the picture you thought might be Brienne and Pod, could well be

    Jaime and Bronn in Dorne. It’s very sandy and the guys on horses in yellowish outfits have been seen in photos posted on here last year (not sure if they were leaks). Oberyn wore similar colours too, so it’s got a very Dornish vibe

    As for LF talking to Sansa

    no idea if her being fArya is a plausible idea, but if someone suggested to me marrying Ramsay to avenge my family, or indeed anything that involved going within 5,000 miles of him, I’d be really upset too!
  339. Wimsey,

    Yet they were still mentioned as opposed to not being mentioned so therefore exist , even if vaguely, in the show canon and it’s there to be used if they desire to do so.
    Although you’d argue black was white sooooo…..

  340. TheTouchOfFrost: Although you’d argue black was white sooooo…..

    No, I always argue that black is black. More often, my arguments are akin to stating that black is a color (or a shade, if you want to be pedantic), and not a sound!

    At any rate, whether they were or were not mentioned has no bearing on whether they can be used. TV shows routinely introduce new characters and plot lines out of the blue. They certainly have not been developed well enough that they can just appear: if they are in Season 6, then the show will have to develop them as if they are new characters, just as it did with Oberyn last year, and as it will certainly do with the Dornish cast this year. And they really are not an unresolved plot line or anything like that (assuming that this is what you meant by a “dropped hook”: if you meant something different, then I misunderstood what you meant).

  341. Wimsey:

    The only one of Theon’s uncles to be on the show is Damphair, and they never even mentioned that he was Theon’s uncle.Victarion and Euron might have been mentioned, but I don’t recall that, even after having just binge-watched Season 1.(There was one mention that Theon had uncles, but that was it.)

    Actually, Cogman has confirmed a number of times that the Drowned Priest we saw baptizing Theon in S2 was strictly an unnamed Drowned Priest and not Aeron.

    I assume this leaves the door open for them to introduce the Damphair if they need to but it doesn’t lock them into ever bringing that character in if they don’t choose to either.

  342. Wimsey,

    I rest my case.

    Most characters who are introduced out of the blue are not well-received by the audience and Game of Thrones set the groundwork with Oberyn by little references to Dorne followed by Myrcella disappearing off there.
    A hook is something you can put your coat on or not. A fish may take the bait off it or it may not. The way I was using it was as something that has the potential to lead to something else.

  343. Wimsey,

    I was actually trying to remember a series with no self-contained seasons or storyarcs, where new important or game changing characters are introduced only in the last two out of 7 or two out of 9 that have been characterized as successful by the general audience, the ratings or critics. And I cannot remember one single one but then again maybe I haven’t watched those.

    I got at best X-Files where everything went to crap in the last two seasons to begin with, Grey’s Anatomy where I cannot even begin to tell you how little I care (and the reviews and ratings are backing me up on this) for the newbies introduced in the last seasons that finally upgraded to main characters.

    And I didn’t say it is impossible. I don’t talk in absolute terms, after all there are always exceptions and more than that, I could be wrong. I have been occasionally before LOL

    Comparing the attention of a TV show watcher with learning at university may work for you as an explanation, but I find it irrelevant. The level of watching for fun and passion for a series will never match the forced attention for subjects you don’t major in (maybe it should be the other way around!). The comparison is misleading as far as I’m concerned.

  344. King Tommen: Actually, Cogman has confirmed a number of times that the Drowned Priest we saw baptizing Theon in S2 was strictly an unnamed Drowned Priest and not Aeron.

    Well, then he certainly didn’t do anything to introduce Theon’s uncles! However, had they named him, then it would not have locked them into doing anything. After all, they are not locked into bringing back this unnamed priest, either. Named or unnamed, he’s forgotten by the general audience. (I just saw him while binge-watching last week: but that’s the sort of scene that I remember annually during my preseason binge-watch.)

    TheTouchOfFrost: The way I was using it was as something that has the potential to lead to something else.

    Ah, they way you used it, it seemed that you meant an unresolved plot line. “Hook” often is used for the “catches” in literature and songs, too: it’s what snags the audience like a hook snags a fish.

    At any rate, there is no empirical justification for your claim that characters introduced out of the blue hurt TV shows. All shows running more than a couple of seasons introduce new characters: and at first meeting, it is always out of the blue. The new boyfriends/girlfriends, the new bosses, the new rivals, the new members of the team, etc. Look at how many new characters have come (and gone!) on Madmen, Dexter, the Tudors, Sopranos, House, Law & Order, Coronation Street (which has none of the original character left, I think!), Downton Abbey, How I Met Your Mother, MASH, etc. Doctor Who actually goes and changes the Doctor himself occasionally. None of these shows spent any time in prior seasons prepping the audience for the new characters. Heck, more often than not, they didn’t even know that they’d be using a new character when they filmed the prior season. But the shows did just fine.

  345. Bravo, zone14!!!! Awesome…going to see IMAX on Sunday, but I’ve watched the trailer a few times already. I missed 3/4 of what you’ve described. Thanks for breaking it down so well…

    On another note, anyone think D&D are testing the waters on theater-goers to see if there’s enough interest to finish their series on the big screen….after 7 seasons?

    Still so excited to see this event on Sunday!!!

    Zone14:
    Shot-by-shot analysis/descriptions of all 67 scenes:

    Lots of speculation here, if someone would like to synchronize the descriptions to still footage or slow-motion clips they’re welcome to.

    1. Jaime standing in Sept of Baelor over Tywin’s body, female (Cersei?) leaving up the steps.

    2. Knights of the Vale riding across some fields.

    3. Cersei standing over Tywin’s body.

    4. Jaime crying, presumably talking to Cersei over Tywin’s body.

    5. Jon arriving at Hardhome via small rowboat, hundreds of wildlings awaiting his arrival.Could also be Eastwatch but based on leaks we’ll assume it’s Hardhome for the rest of the trailer.

    6. Bronn drawing his sword, a spear pointing in his face.

    7. Sons of the Harpy in their masks. May be worth noting that one of the masks looks similar to the skull on the gate in Lhazar when we meet Mirri Maz Duur, which is also similar to the skull on the table when Jorah meets Quaithe.

    8. Petyr holding a crying Sansa on a hill (β€œPetyr – There’s no justice in this world, not unless we make it”).

    9. Ellaria, Nymeria, Obara and Tyene in the sand standing over a captive with a bucket on his head.Obara whips the bucket off his head.Captive is a bald man.

    10. A palace of some kind, could be The Water Gardens in Sunspear but more likely a wider shot of Illyrio’s Manse.

    11. Petyr holding Sansa again, (Petyr – β€œAvenge them”).

    12.Wildlings at Hardhome marching into the sea, their movements look rather robotic and lacking urgency, could be resurrected wights or maybe just slower motion footage of them fleeing.

    13. A young, blonde girl drawing blood from her finger with a knife.Likely to be Young Cersei in the Maegi flashback.Blood drips from her finger into a fire, flames intensify.

    14. Tommen and Margaery’s wedding ceremony, a septon stands in the background, crowd inclues Pycelle, Cersei, Loras, Mace.

    15. Lord of Bones leading a wildling host, has a badass staff.

    16. Varys and Tyrion talking in the gardens of Illyrio’s Manse. (Varys – β€œI believe men of talent have a part to play in the war to come”, Tyrion – β€œI will never sit on the Iron Throne”, Varys β€œYou could help another climb those steps and take that seat”)

    17. Tyrion rolling out of a shipping crate, looking a bit haggard.

    18. A crowd in the courtyard at Castle Black.Familiar faces include Stannis, Davos, Melisandre, Jon, Alliser, Janos.It appears someone is about to get sacrificed to R’hllor.A figure near the foreground is guarded by two of Stannis’ soldiers, looks like it could be Mance Rayder.

    19. Cersei in what looks like a dungeon though she looks fairly pleased with herself.

    20. Varys and Tyrion walking through the streets of (probably) Volantis

    21. Someone with long, dark hair being chased through the woods on horseback by 3 riders, location must be southern as it’s not snowing, looks like it could be the wood where Tyrion meets Shagga and Timmett, also could be generic Riverlands setting. seems unlikely to be Northern in this season but the weather was fine when Ramsay was playing in the woods last season so who knows?The riders definitely do not look like the Knight’s of the Vale seen later in the trailer.

    22. Jon Snow looking pensieve, Longclaw looking awesome

    23. Sansa laying in bed looking up, a guard at the door.

    24. Two young highborn girls walking through some foliage, the footage looks slow and β€˜dreamy’, most likely Cersei’s flashback and the characters are Cersei and Melara.

    25. A bald man holding a weapon standing alone outside the gate at Hardhome. Night’s King?Would be a weird entrance.

    26. Interior view of the gate at Hardhome, some soldiers standing looking at the gate as if expecting an intruder, 4 men standing atop the gate.An icy mist drifts through the gate.

    27. Daenerys looking focused and stone-faced, spouting nonsense (Daenerys β€œI’m not going to stop the wheel (?), I’m going to break the wheel”)

    28. Jorah fighting a pitfighter in Daznak’s Pit.Pitfighter is well armored and wearing a helmet, he is twirling a long weapon, could be a scythe.

    29. A box opens on a table revealing a viper holding Myrcella’s necklace in it’s mouth.Cersei is looking at it and probably understands it as a threat from Doran, despite it more likely being a threat from the Sand Snakes.

    30. Tyrion still looking haggard and concerned. (Tyrion β€œI don’t think I’m ready for what I deserve”)

    31. Cersei furiously barking at Jaime over Tywin’s body. (Cersei – β€œThat little monsters out othere somewhere drawing breathe”)

    32. Mel walking purposefully with a torch, Nightswatchmen crowded in the background.Could be about to burn a body.

    33. As suspected Mel lights a pyre, not the same scene β€˜Scene 18β€² in the courtyard, the centrepiece there looked more like a gallows/crucifix as we saw on Dragonstone, this is the usual Night’s Watch pyre with what looks
    like a nightswatchmen burning on it.The body is holding something metal across his chest, I’m positive this is Maester Aemon and the metal is his Maester’s Chain.

    34. Tyrion drinking wine in the gardens of Illyrio’s Manse again, still talking to Varys.

    35. Jon Snow leading an attack (Jon – β€œWith Me!”).Two hosts clash at Hardhome, looks like Wildlings vs. Nightswatch

    36. Jaime entering a Dornish palace, probably Sunspear, being followed by a spearman.

    37. A woman in revealing vest moving seductively in front of a man sat on a bed.Almost certainly Dornish, could be one of the Sandsnakes and Jaime/Bronn.

    38. The lift ascending up The Wall.

    39. Olenna either giving advice or making a threat. (Olenna – β€œThey’ll never even fine what’s left of you”)

    40. Jon snow cutting down a wildling at Hardhome.

    41. A Dornish rider in the sands whipping Jaime, knocking him off his feet.Could be Obara Sand.

    42. A Son of the Harpy in a golden mask in the streets of Meereen.The wall behind him reads β€œKill the Masters” from Season 4.

    43. Reek looking reekish.

    44. Two Dornish riders in the sands, the same scene as β€˜Scene 41β€², one of the riders bears down on Bronn about to swing his sword, Bronn, on foot, swings his sword first and cuts the horse down, the rider falls from the horses back.

    45. The Faith Militant descending some steps in King’s Landing.Al wearing plain black robes.Two of the militants smash open a barrel with axes, sending the contents pouring into the street.There are lots of barrels in the background which suggests they’ve raided a pub and are disposing of the alcohol.

    46. Arya arriving at the House of Black and White, standing before a Half-Weirwood/Half-Ebony door.

    47. Arya in braavosi clothes standing at a dock, picking needle up off the ground and inspecting it.Looks like she is struggling with the idea of losing her last possession from her former life.

    48. Knight’s of the Vale riding across the hills.

    49. A Chessboard style Map of the North, similar to those used by Robb Stark and Stannis Baratheon earlier in the series.The only pieces on the board are β€˜Flayed Man’ pieces representing House Bolton.It seems someone is devising a strategy to attack Roose Bolton.

    50. As in previous scenes, Tyrion and Varys still talking in the gadens of Illyrio’s Manse. (Varys – β€œThe Seven Kingdoms needs a ruler loved by millions with a powerful army and the right family name”, Tyrion β€œGood Luck finding him”, Varys – β€œWho said anything about him?”)

    51. Daenerys looking stone-faced again.

    52. Rhaegal roasting somebody in the dark.

    53. Dozens of rowboats with wildlings hastily rowing away from Hardhome.They seem to be in a hurry as one wildling is swimming in the water trying to get aboard one of the rowboats and the man aboard the boat continues rowing,
    leaving him to swim.Could be the wildlings abandoning their scrap with the Nightswatch and fleeing as the battle has been interrupted by arrival of The Others.

    54. Missandei leaning in to kiss Grey Worm, who is laying down and teary eyed.RIP Greyworm?

    55. A pitfighter in Meereen deals a knockout blow to another warrior, being watched from the stands by Daenerys and Hizdahr.Neither of the fighters are recognizable.The one getting knocked out looks plainclothed and has dark hair.
    The victor is wearing leather armor and a black helmet, he seems to be hitting the other man over the head with his own helmet.

    56. Melisandre exposing her tits in what looks like the Lord Commander’s chambers.

    57. Daenerys, Grey Worm, Daario and Barristan descending some steps, guarded by many Unsullied soldiers.

    58. Another Dornish sands scene, 3 Dornish riders appear to have surrounded Jaime and Bronn.

    59. Ellaria facing 3 Dornish spears, they appear to be taking her into custody. seems she is replacing Arianne in that regard.

    60. A hand, maybe touching a piece of paper or squeezing something in pain.Absolutely no idea what this is.

    61. A bald wildling with a weapon I don’t recognize getting pumped up, ready for a duel.Wildlings looking on the background next to an unlit pyre/bonfire.The weapon is like a weird scythe/poleaxe hybrid.This could maybe be an
    unmasked Lord of Bones and I misidentified the β€˜staff’ in an earlier scene.

    62. Two horsemen escaping from a stable/farmhouse into the woods.One of these could be the rider being pursued in β€˜Scene 21β€².Generic Riverlands look to the setting.The two horsemen are almost certainly Brienne and Podrick.

    63. Sons of the Harpy killing Unsullied in the streets of Meereen.A fire rages in the background.

    64. Margaery being comforted by Tommen.She’s teary-eyed, looking pretty vengeful.Could be that Loras has been taken into custody by the faith.

    65. Chaos in Daznak’s Pit.Daenerys, Daario, Missandei and Jorah stand in the middle of the pit, defended by 12 unsullied but surrounded by dozens of Sons of the Harpy in their masks.In the stands the spectators are frantically trying to escape as they’re being massacred by the Sons of the Harpy.The stand is full of dead bodies.Grey Worm, Barristan, Hizdahr and Tyrion are nowhere to be seen.

    66. A raven flies into an icy cage.There’s something in the cage, maybe a burnt letter or a rotting, dead animal or something.

    67. The Harpy statue atop the Great Pyramid of Meereen is torn down. It descends the pyramid and crashes through into the ground. The statue appeared to be descending into the steps where Rhaegal/Viserion are being held, perhaps that is how the dragons are loosed in the absence of the dragontmer Quentyn?This scene must be a response their Queen deserting them by flying away on Drogon.If the statue had beentorn down before that I doubt Daenerys and co. would be enjoying a day out at the pitfights in the midst of a civil war.

  346. Is someone worried about the lack of winterfell / northern lords / Ramsey And Reek / snow and heart trees / boltons and freys / fake weddings and brides / pies , in the trailer ?? Or its just me ?? This is one of the main and best stories in ADWD and one of the favorite to most fans and readers .

    Are they really going for what some fans think they will ??
    If they replaced FArya with Sansa this is going to be a great disappointment for me really ! First , it doesn’t matter how much you hate someone and want to kill them , Ramsey and his father are crazy , psychopaths and going anywhere near them is suicide + how does she hope to avenge her family by giving her self to the boltons ?? Does she plan to kill them and pick them with her hands ? ( might be they will also give her the part of one of the washer women ) + if she want vengeance then isn’t going for the Lannisters is a paioraty ?? We know that little finger loves and care about her ( maybe not for her sake but for his ) after going through so much to get her why and how possible that he will send her away like this again ?? The daughter of his love ?!!? His child in another life !??!! + how would the boltons know about Sansa and her place in the Vale ? Are they going to say hi we would like you to marry our son in order to capture your lands ..etc ,?? Or are they going to kidnape her ?? ( seven safe us )+ the last thing is that what made me love this FArya story is Jon’s involvement in it , we see how does if effect him ( killed him ) how did he feel when he read the letter when Ramsy told him that he will mary his little sister ( he crushed the letter and wished that he could do the same for Ramsy ) / Stannis marching to winterfell with a promise to Jon that he will try and safe her // but with Sansa ?? We all know how the two feel about each other ! So This is how I feel about it and I hope it doesn’t happen at all if this is how its going to be .

    The seconed thing that left me very upset was the confirmation that YG is 100% cut , I don’t love young griff he is not my favorite character but he and his story and the things he does with Griff and The GC is an interesting one !

    Other than that the I think the trailer was good , alot of things I didn’t understand maybe because they changed alot from the books or because it ts TWOW materials but I really think this season will be as good as 4

    PS : I know I have alot of Grammar mistakes so spare me your very funny jokes πŸ™‚ ” the girl is not in the mood ”

  347. Ser Matt the Sullen,

    I agree does anyone remember GRRM in season 1 and 2 he was super excited during every interview. They had story notes on hbo go of him giving insight on a lot of scenes he was always praising D and D but now hes getting asked questions about deviations from the books, cersei getting raped, cutting major POV characters… etc. Anyone who has ever worked on a school project or something knows that when you have something great that you made and the rest of your group ends up changing it for nearly no reason you end up pretty upset. However, when you have to present the project your not going to say oh my group messed this up you will play the part and pretend everything is perfect. Season 4 is the first time i found scenes I was disappointed in and nearly every bad scene was based on a deviation from the books. Dreadfort, crasters, no tysha, gray worm romance, the design of the skeletors and hadoukens etc. Why not have the people at crasters get slaughtered by coldhands and fed to bran, why not have tyrion leave jaime in anger which he takes out on his father and shae, why not have yara at deepwood or set up for kingsmoot instead of the dumb dreadfort scene which will be redundant after winterfell, ….. I only read the books a couple of months ago and yet i noticed which scenes bothered me then i found out they werent even written that way, so GRRM i feel like might not even be angry at this point just sort of resigned and trying to distance himself.

  348. Crabber’s Son:
    …Why not have the people at crasters get slaughtered by coldhands and fed to bran, why not have tyrion leave jaime in anger which he takes out on his father and shae,…

    Oh, you are quite fun! Do carry on, ser! I can’t wait hear what you have to say about the caging of the direwolves! πŸ™‚ Hear us growl!

  349. I haven’t had the chance to wade through all the comments, but does anyone think Olenna could be talking to Littlefinger (rather than Cersei or Margaery)?

  350. Wimsey,

    Not really a fan of any of the shows mentioned but that’s by the by. By ‘out of the blue’ in this context I meant with regard to his plot it would make more sense to lay some groundwork. Potentially that will happen this season to introduce him next but we shall see. Personally, the only two characters I still really want in are YG and Euron…and potentially Howland Reed. So will be hoping for some hints of them this season!

  351. TheTouchOfFrost,

    I was really just excited about seeing who they cast as euron, Id be fine if they cast him and then change their mind and cut him lol. I always thought pirates are tv gold i mean who doesnt like pirates?!
    I watched some youtube clip of the biggest cuts made on the show so far and the top 3 were like coldhands, strong belwas and donal noye…. the show has really avoided making serious cuts so far which is why cutting the greyjoy uncles, the griffs, lsh, arianne, quentyn etc. seems crazy given their track record. Ya the show is huge and a lot of charaters keep gettin added but a lot are also dying so atleast money wise it evens out lol. I really hope that for most of these characters its just a Case of the Reeds, characters that everyone is panicking got cut but they simply got pushed back one season.

    Hodor’s Bastard,

    Locking up the wolves wasnt even the biggest problem I had with crasters. Even though how the hell did they get them into that cage. They couldve made that actually have a bigger impact if jon had been having warging dreams about being in a cage and that added to his motivation to go back beyond the wall. Instead it seemed like he forgot he had a direwolf this whole time. Something about bran happening to be at crasters and seeing jon didnt feel like game of thrones though and it just took me out of it and made me remember im watchin a tv show especially with brans hair, no one has hair like that in real life! That was a wig right? Thank god for Karl fookin Tanner he saved that whole plotline.

  352. Crabber’s Son,

    Well, that’s what I’m hoping as can remember being similarly annoyed that the Reeds weren’t in. I do worry now though as we’ve only got two seasons after this one. I honestly can’t see how a satisfying ending can happen within that time with or without cutting major players.
    Vikings + pirates = Ironborn. I can’t understand why anyone would pass up this kind of material either!

  353. Crabber’s Son,

    Yep, and I’d go further: it’s silly to complain about the mutineers locking up Ghost at all. In the event of another wight again, Ghost is their biggest weapon. It would be foolish not to keep him around.

  354. Lady Nym,

    I do think Sansa will marry Ramsay, or at least be betrothed to him this season. I started thinking about it mainly because it upset me and I wanted to mentally brace for it, but the more I think about it the more I think it might be ok. Basically this is how I think it will break down:

    From Sansa’s POV, she gets: to go home and be Lady Stark of Winterfell. She also gets a shot at vengeance against the Boltons. (Lannisters would be more ideal, but it’s GoT and you have to take what you can get.)

    From Littlefingers POV, he gets: a powerfully ally/puppet in the new Lady of Winterfell/wife of the Warden of the North. Sansa’s survived the Lannisters and now has had proper game-playing training, so LF would probably like her odds with the Boltons. If she fails, it’s no skin off his teeth. If she succeeds in taking down the Boltons and becoming Lady of Winterfell in her own power, she becomes an important ally for him. He can also strengthen her position by making it clear that The Vale would not approve of any obvious mistreatment of Lady Sansa. I also think that Ramsey, newly legitimized and always desperate for dad’s approval, would be so excited by the prospect of getting to marry a legit Lady Stark (indicating that his own status has gone up considerably since we met Boy) that he might hold off on torturing her for awhile. (Similar to how Jeoffry was so enchanted by Margery that he behaved himself for awhile, at least towards her.) So the mission would be risky for Sansa but not necessarily outright suicide.

    From the Bolton’s POV, they get: a Stark bride for Ramsey to legitimize their new status as Wardens of the North. These two would assume that Sansa will be no trouble to control, making them just two more names on the list of those who underestimate Sansa.

    From Cercei’s POV, she gets: delicious evil irony. I believe that the reason Aidan Gillen was spotted in Dubrovnik is because Littlefinger is going to King’s Landing to say “oh hey look I found Sansa!” Cercei’s first impulse would be to execute her, but Mr. Mockingbird would likely be able to convince the queen that wedding Sansa to Ramsay would be an even worse punishment, as well as a strategic gift to the Lannister’s new Bolton allies.

    From the High Sparrow’s POV, he gets: legitimization of the Faith Militant. We know Sparrows getting violent is part of the plot this year; I suspect the new High Sparrow will annul Sansa’s marriage to Tyrion in exchange for Cercei (ahem, Tomen) signing off on the Faith Militant. We know Cercei uses them to rid herself of Loras, but I would think she’d need a bit more motive to allow so much power to someone she’s not sleeping with.

    I’m a huge SanFan, so I think that Sansa will certainly have her work cut out for her with the Boltons but that she will eventually achieve her goal of vengeance in one way or another.

    Of course I could be totally off. I actually find that Sansa’s story is the one I’m most excited about this season, mainly because we have no idea what’s actually going to happen. Being UnSullied is more fun than I thought it would be. πŸ™‚

  355. Also, I dont’ think Sansa’s plan for revenge against the Boltons includes killing Ramsey in his sleep. It might come to that, but I don’t think that would be Plan A. Her primary goal would be to consolidate power for herself, Margery-style; convince Ramsey she’s on his side and only wants to help him bring peace and order to the North; make contact with other Northern lords, such as the Umbers, and generally plot for the eventual downfall of Roose and Ramsey. That sort of political maneuvering is much more in line with her story arc. We can leave the outright assassinations to her sister. πŸ™‚

    Keep in mind that Sansa becoming Lady of Winterfell would convey some automatic advantages to her. She’d be on her own turf, and if she can convince Ramsey she supports him (“I just want peace for the North,” “Rob’s mission was foolish,” “Oh Ramsey you’re so smart,” “Thanks for torturing the guy who killed my brothers,” etc.) then she’ll be in a very good position indeed. Her role won’t be anything like Theon’s; he’s a war captive whom everyone hates. It wouldn’t even be like Jeyne Pool in the books; Jeyne’s also a captive, and has no game-playing abilities whatsoever. Sansa would be there of her own volition, for her own reasons, playing her own game–and she’s already made friends in the Vale, so Roose won’t want Ramsey to piss them off by hurting Sansa.

    Plus, if Stanis is successful in re-taking the North, I’m sure he and Sansa would be more than happy to work together. He has no reason not to keep her as Lady of Winterfell and she has no reason not to bend the knee to him. That might be too fortuitous to hope for, though; this is Game of Thrones after all.

  356. Don’t know if anyone has mentioned who the beautifully sensual pig tailed girl is, some might theorize a Snake role or random brothel scene, but paying attention to her hair, it appears to match the Braavosi style, therefore could the man be Ser Trant, the hair cut does match, and we are looking through his POV at Arya in her faceless woman disguise.

  357. tyjon:
    …it appears to match the Braavosi style, therefore could the man be Ser Trant, the hair cut does match, and we are looking through his POV at Arya in her faceless woman disguise.

    I do hope you are onto something there, ser! Although that is certainly not Blind Beth. Mercy shall have no mercy!

    If that is indeed the scene, I hope Arya does show her real face to Trant before doing the deed.
  358. tyjon,

    Wow! I didn’t think of that. I did see the Leia Organa wannabe but I really thought it was a Sand Sanke. Now that you mention it would fit with

    Arya changing faces and killing Ser Trant for Syrio!

    Good speculation. I would have to see if the girl is one of the three Sand Snakes first though.

  359. Blind Beth,

    “make contact with other Northern lords, such as the Umbers”

    I see the name “Umbers” and immediately think of Rickon. That’s where he and Osha were headed in show-world. I’d think we would have heard something hinting to his return, or that Natalia Tena had been on set, or something, if viewers were going to get to see him this season, but whenever I think of him, my mind just starts going in circles. We have another male Stark out there…somewhere.

  360. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    That’s true…though I think we could have some Umbers at Winterfell without seeing Rickon, who would be back at their keep (if he and Osha actually made it there.) Maybe we could get news or hints of Rickon to set up for his return next season.

  361. tyjon,

    There was a casting call for a courtesan who would have some repartee with Tyrion in Volantis. I tend to suspect that’s who the pigtailed girl is, but Faceless Arya is certainly an intriguing possibility.

  362. Alright, so the official youtube trailer is finally up.

    Abyss, could you do the honours?
    (Because in the meantime I’ve had to bookmark WIC’s gifs which is something I’m keen to undo…)

  363. There is a clip showing a sexy Dornish woman standing before someone. Could this be Arianne unannounced?

  364. realitytripz,

    That’s not a Dornish woman. That’s a Braavosi woman played by model Ollie Kram appearing in ep. 509.
    (Could someone edit that into the wiki? I hate to harp on but for their own sake, they ought to be up do date now that her role’s confirmed and there’s actually a page image for it).

  365. Luka Nieto,

    Thank you kindly.

    Now, I’m pretty certain that Loboda is that Thenn in the trailer…could you add that photo too? I know I ask too much of you but for consistency’s sake…

  366. Luka Nieto,

    Thank you kindly.

    Now if only there were a page for the Braavosi prostitute with the pic from the trailer…I know, I’m a demanding prick. πŸ™

  367. Greenjones,

    Yeah, it’s gonna happen. Not today, tho. Not by me anyway. I’m going to sleep. I’m on a GMT+1 timezone. And you’re not a demanding prick. You’re a very enterprising geek, very helpful spotting all those castings and reminding us to update the wiki πŸ˜‰

  368. Hodor’s Bastard,

    But did

    would Trant be expected to recognize Arya? He would have last seen her 3+ years before this by now.

    Not that it matters too much: I doubt that the audience would spend too much time wondering why there was recognition. It certainly would be more cinematic this way.

  369. Blind Beth: Plus, if Stanis is successful in re-taking the North, I’m sure he and Sansa would be more than happy to work together.

    Probably not: in Stannis’ mind, Sansa is Lady Lannister. Moral absolutist that he is (on book and TV), I don’t think that he’d be capable of accepting Sansa as a free agent acting on her own behalf. Stannis would assume what Ned explains to Arya in season 1: an honorable woman takes her husband’s side in all matters. So, if Sansa Lannister is honorable, then she is one of the enemy. If Sansa is willing to work with Stannis, then Sansa is an pathbreaker that Stannis would hold in lower regard than a prostitute.

    At any rate, this whole idea of Sansa going north to meet up with Ramsay (which, if I recall, was dreamed up by posters here, not rumored from the sets!) seems pretty odd. My guess is that whatever Sansa is getting up to in Winter, it will involve things around the Vale at first. (Moreover, it is quite possible that

    we will be told quite plainly that Stannis considers Sansa to be a Lannister if they keep the part about Stannis trying to tempt Jon with Winterfell.)
  370. Josh,

    Which, of course, means absolutely nothing. Remember, anybody can edit those pages.

    Doctor Who fans constantly get into a tizzy when an IMDB page is edited to list actors that used to play companions or even the Doctor in upcoming episodes. And then, of course, it turns out that someone just put it there or the mass edit of Peter Davidson’s CV to list him in all Doctor Who episodes turns out to have been a mistake.

  371. GIFs from the trailer for everyone who still wants them. Unfortunately a lot of fade outs, which never looks on a loop, but I left them in, mainly because some GIFs are so short, that there would almost be no movement if I had cut frames and it makes it easier to find a cutting point. They are for analysing anyway, just set the GIF to slow motion and it will look better. I used vague titles to avoid spoilers.

    P.S. Leaving the fade outs in looks bad, they all go next time.


    A Snake In a Box

    Arena
    Arryn Riders
    Arya 1
    Arya 2
    Blood
    Boat
    Boats 1
    Boats 2
    Brienne And Pod
    Bronn
    Bronn Fighting
    Burning 1
    Burning 2
    Cersei 1
    Cersei 2
    Cersei 3
    Crow
    Dany 1
    Dany 2
    Dany And Entourage
    Done
    Dragon
    Ellaria
    Gate 1
    Gate 2
    Girl With Knife
    Hand
    Harpy 1
    Harpy 2
    Harpy 3
    Harpy 4
    Harpy 5
    Jamie 1
    Jamie 2
    Jamie 3
    Jamie Fighting
    Jon 1
    Jon 2
    Jon Fighting
    Jorah Fighting 1
    Jorah Fighting 2
    Jorah Fighting 3
    Lift
    Little Finger And Sansa 1
    Little Finger And Sansa 2
    Margaery
    Mask
    Masks 1
    Masks 2
    Meeting
    Melisandre 1
    Melisandre 2
    Melisandre 3
    Men 1
    Men 2
    Missandei And Grey Worm
    Olenna
    Rider 1
    Rider 2
    Riders 1
    Riders 2
    Sandsnake
    Sandsnake And Ellaria
    Sansa
    Theon
    Tommen And Margaery 1
    Tommen And Margaery 2
    Two Girls
    Tyrion 1
    Tyrion 2
    Tyrion 3
    Varys 1
    Varys 2
    Varys And Tyrion
    War Table 1
    War Table 2
    Wildlings 1
    Wildlings 2
    Wildlings Attacking
    Woman

  372. Abyss,

    I’ve approved your post several times but it keeps getting kicked back into spam because that’s just way too many links for one post. Next time break that up into several posts.

  373. Abyss,

    Thx a lot for that, ser. Did you notice that the falling golden Harpy’s left wing (facing us) suddenly bends and curls between Harpy 1,2,3 and Harpy 4,5? I didn’t realize gold bent like that.

  374. Hodor’s Bastard,

    If so, then that is a hell of a lot of attention to detail! I guess that is to show us that the Meerenese make their big Harpy with solid gold: and, yeah, 24K gold is very soft.

  375. Thanks Abyss!

    A couple of things I noticed for the first time:

    First, the Night’s Watch clashing with the Wildlings in this shot are not actually getting into a big battle. Both sides are without weapons on hand. Considering the boat shots with wildlings trying to get in, I think there are way too many wildlings to save all of them, and they’re trying to forcefully get in. Now, Jon fights some wildlings, as we can see. They may be wights, or an altercation may actually occur. Either way, if the filming reports from that extra are to be believed, White Walkers are going to come at some point.

    Also, those who are a bit miffed that the trailer spoiled a moment as epic as the fall of the Harpy, do not worry β€”we haven’t seen even half of it. The panoramic shot was a bit weird to me; it didn’t look like the Great Pyramid we saw in season 4. That’s because that panoramic shot is literally just the tip of the Great Pyramid. There’s A LOT MORE for the Harpy to fall. Maybe I was the only one who thought we had pretty much seen it all and that the panoramic shot showed most of the Pyramid, but just in case I wasn’t the only one, I cobbled together an explanatory screenshot:

    Great Arse Pyramid!

    It’s really fricking big.

  376. Abyss,

    A few observations on the HD gifs:

    The riders in Riders 1 are definitely the same as the Arryn knights later in the trailer. You can see them escorting the same cart in both shots. The riders in Riders 2 are still a mystery. I can’t even make out enough about their clothes to place them to any particular faction, let alone enough about their faces to match them to characters.

    Also, on the crow shot, you can make out a bit of an unflayed face to the right. It’s just an ear, nose, and hair, and it could just be a random extra the Boltons kill at some point, but the features are a potential match for

    Mance. That would be a pretty big deal if the show confirms he really is captured and locked up with the skins of his compatriots.

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