The Ultimate Breakdown of the Game of Thrones Trailer: Winter is Here!

The second Game of Thrones trailer debuted earlier today, blowing fans’ minds with its blending of action-packed season seven footage and the eerie “Light of the Seven” music that first made a big impression in last year’s explosive finale. Now that we’ve watched the trailer a second, third or twenty-fifth time, it’s time for us to break it down, shot by shot. Find out what you missed as we dig deep into “Winter is Here”!


We open with a nervous-looking Sansa Stark walking through the snowy godswood of Winterfell, as Littlefinger intones in voiceover, “Don’t fight in the north, or the south. Fight every battle everywhere, always, in your mind.” Smart words, but is he taking his own advice when he deals with Sansa? The placement of his voice over her appearance isn’t a coincidence.

1 Sansa

The next piece of the trailer spoils viewers directly about Bran Stark and Meera Reed. We see the heavy iron gate beneath the Wall lifting up, in close-up, and then from a distance, the small figures of a woman, and a figure laid out, presumably being pulled. This is Bran and Meera arriving at the Wall and being let in, after their long journey.

2 Gate Lifting

2 Meera and Bran

Jon Snow is bundled up in furs on a journey beyond the Wall, based on the terrain. In the first trailer, we saw him running for his life dressed like this. The man behind him is unfamiliar- I’m guessing he’s a redshirt.

3 Jon Snow

A shot of King’s Landing, with Goldcloaks of the City Watch parading though, seemingly to a warm welcome- the people are clapping. What are they celebrating? Lannister banners hang on the walls.

4 King's landing

Queen Cersei turns and see…? Dunno, this is a mysterious and pensive reaction shot.

5 cersei

Daenerys walks through the Painted Table room at Dragonstone, seem in the previous trailer:

6 Daenerys table

7 Dany dragonstone

The next shot is somewhat unclear, but we do recognize the location as the black sand beach in Vík, Iceland, where GoT filmed in January of this year.  Our best speculation is that the black sand beach is the landing point for Eastwatch-by-the-Sea, a Night’s Watch castle. If you want to spoil yourself a lot more, click here and here to find out more about which actors were spotted in that area!

8 beach landing

A scene used a lot in promos so far, Arya peers into the distance. She’s acquired a horse and nice gear since the Frey Pie incident, and Needle is in good shape.
9 Arya

Jaime Lannister, seen from behind, walks along  castle walls. The really interesting part of this (not that any part of Nikolaj Coster-Waldau isn’t interesting) is the dead Tyrell man lying on the ground ahead of him. This is most likely Highgarden.

10 Jaime top of castle

Littlefinger. Lord o’ the Lurk. Count o’ the Creep. Maybe he’s in the Winterfell crypt waiting to jump out at Jon or maybe it’s another prime skulking opportunity.

11 Littlefinger creepin

A hand cleaning a spear, same shot as in the last trailer. Some people have speculated that this is Grey Worm. Makes sense to me. Unsullied love their spears, and no that’s not a poor taste joke.

12 Spear cleaning

Over the next several scenes, Jon Snow speaks, warning on the danger of not working together. “For centuries, our families fought together against their common enemy. Despite their differences, together. We need to do the same if we’re gonna survive, cause the enemy is real.”

Daenerys walks alone on the beach at Dragonstone. The scenes here were filmed in Zumaia, Basque Country, last fall. The striated rock formations called “flysch” seen here (and reflected in Dany’s new Dragon throne) are distinct, and a unique feature of the Zumaia beaches.

13 Daenerys flysch

Daenerys faces the flaming-heart stag banner of Stannis Baratheon and tears it down. After Robert’s Rebellion, their ancestral home Dragonstone was lost to the Targaryens, and ultimately awarded to Stannis by his brother King Robert. Now that Dany’s home, it’s time to redecorate.

14 Daenerys Stannis banner

15

Speaking of Dragonstone, here’s a beautiful shot of it, as all three dragons play together in the sky.

16 dragons dragonstone

This shot seems to go with the dragons- we saw in the first trailer that Tyrion watches the dragons flying, and is startled by them.

17 Tyrion

A glimpse of Theon similar to the one we saw in the first trailer, where there are sparks around him. He’s definitely a part of the fiery sea battle that crops up elsewhere in the trailer.

18 Theon

Grey Worm is on the move, headed into battle, in full Unsullied armor. We saw in the first trailer that he takes part in fighting at Casterly Rock. Is this part of that sequence? It would make sense since we later see Unsullied letting other Unsullied soldiers into Casterly Rock. And long ago, the show explained to us that Tywin had once upon a time put Tyrion in charge of the sewers of the Rock. No one knows them better than Tyrion, and now he’s working for the other side. And here’s Grey Worm near the waters…and an entrance.

19 Grey Worm

Brienne and Podrick at Winterfell, in good health. Is this their return, after their unsuccessful journey to Riverrun? Not very likely, since Brienne isn’t wearing her armor in this shot. It almost seems like they’re headed out again somewhere else.

20 Brienne and pod

A teeth-gnashing, mad, possibly-fighting Hound! In the frozen North! With Jon?? What’s not to like here.

21 Sandor

The Unsullied are having an extremely bad day, judging by the quantity of nippled Unsullued shields and arrow-riddled Unsullied soldiers on the ground. Casualties of Casterly Rock, or a different fight? The light wall in the background matches what we saw for Casterly Rock in the behind the scenes Locations video.

22 Unsullied shields

23 dead Unsullied

A cavalry charges at a row of Lannister shields. The line of fire in the background makes me wonder if dragons (and Daenerys’ legions) are in play.

24 Lannister shields

We have a sea battle with the Ironborn to look forward to this scene, and I’m loving it. In this shot, we see someone go flying across the screen. The leather-clad legs, long hair, and feminine shape make me think this is Yara Greyjoy.

25 Sea Battle

Jaime and Bronn stand behind a group of Lannister archers. Behind them, wagons haul goods.

26 Jaime Bronn soldiers

The next few bits appear to be connected. We see ravens flying over a horde of wights, and one of them has white eyes.

27 dead birds

Unerringly, the Night King who is leading the wights looks up and finds the warged raven.

28 Night King

Bran snaps out of the bird and back into himself, where he sits in the godswood. Maester Wolkan (who formerly served the Boltons) is likely the one who woke him up. Did the Night King notice the raven specifically because of Bran? It seems very likely that Bran having been touched by the King in his vision has created a permanent and dangerous connection between them.

Also, cool new wheelchair, Bran!

29 Bran warg

30 Bran wheelchair maester

The next image is when the trailer went from cool to straight up friggin awesome.

“It’s always been real,” Jon Snow says of the real enemy. And then Beric Dondarrion‘s sword of fire lights up, and we all lose our shit.

Take notice that the leader of the Brotherhood without Banners is decked out in warm furs just like Jon Snow, in a wintry place, and was last seen trying to convince the Hound to travel north to fight the real battle.
31 Beric sword

Next up, we have a Greyjoy fleet! But which one? Easy, if you take note of an extra detail on the sigil. Notice that the krakens have a red dot on them? That’s the eye that marks Euron Greyjoy‘s personal sigil. It’s a shout-out to Euron’s red-eyed sigil in the books, married to the more easily recognizable House Greyjoy kraken. These are Euron’s ships, and most importantly: they’re about to make port in King’s Landing.

32 greyjoy fleet

33 Greyjoy Kings Landing

The Unsullied are in that damn field again.

34 Unsullied

35 Unsullied closeup

Hey, now they’re having fun! Except the one on the right who is having helmet issues.

36 Unsullied malfunction

The Unsullied are let into Casterly Rock by other Unsullied, who accessed the inside somehow- we’re not shown that in the trailers, but see our sewers theory up above.

37 Unsullied pour in

Daenerys, overlooking the coast at Dragonstone:

38 Daenerys Dragonstone coast

Jaime riding through smoke and fire. The Lannisters are not in control of this situation- their house flag is in flames to the back left in this photo. The flames are consuming what looks like the wreckage of wagons. The wagon convoy we saw up above? I don’t think that worked out.

38 Lannister flag burning

40 Jaime fire horse

Another shot from the sea battle- judging from this man’s costuming, before he’s obliterated, he’s Ironborn.

41 fire sea battle

Tormund Giantsbane, engaged in a hell of a fight, in the frozen north. He’s traveling with Jon Snow, so it seems like that party beyond the Wall is getting bigger and bigger.

42 Tormund fight

There’s a lot of debate over this one among ourselves, at Watchers. It’s a Dress situation,  basically, where some of us see the dragon as pale, and therefore the dragon is Viserion, and some see it as dark, and swear it’s Drogon. Either way, Dany’s baby is accompanying the Dothraki into battle, in a breathtaking shot.

43 Dothraki Viserion

Theon and Yara Greyjoy are lit up by the fire-ridden sea battle. Fire and boats do not mix, hence the looks on their faces.

44 Yara Theon

Especially when the masts and ropes go up in flames. Bad for them, but amazing for us as viewers.

45 Fire ship

I lightened up this shot a little- it’s looks as though someone is boarding, from one ship to another in the middle of the hellish battle.

46 boarding ship

The Lannisters line up in formation, ready for battle. Especially that one guy on the left.

47 Lannister men

A swarm of wights have surrounded Jon Snow and his companions. It’s hard to identify them all, but one has a flaming sword so let’s guess that that’s Beric Dondarrion. I can already tell that this scene is going to be unreal.

48 Jon Snow dead men

Grey Worm and Missandei have some face snuggles.

49 Grey Worm and Missandei

Tyrion is worried. He usually is. But his hair looks good, and that’s what matters.

50 Tyrion looking

The face may be obscured but the hair and body shape/height leave no doubt to me that this is the Hound. The location is unmistakably Italica, where GoT filmed Dragonpit scenes last fall. The Hound is about to face some action.
51 Italica

Jon Snow and his right hand man Davos Seaworth standing on those very recognizable stairs on Dragonstone, filmed on San Juan de Gaztelugatxe in Basque Country. The stairs are a real-life feature of the island.

52 Jon and Davos

Jon Snow tangling with another White Walker!

53 White Walker fight

Dothraki riding through flames! Dany, don’t set your own people on fire!

54 Dothraki fire fight

Ironmen land on the shore with Theon Greyjoy, who falls to his knees.  These scenes were shot in Zumaia last October.

55 Theon Ironborn

Euron Greyjoy, looking mad in the heat of battle as he is killing a dude in the way we expect from Euron.

56 Euron fighting

57 Euron fighting

Drogon getting up close and personal and say “Heyyyyyyy” to the camera. You can see a teeny Dany atop him:

58 Drogon closeuo

59 Drogon sayin heyyyyyy

Dragonstone’s in the background, so I think this is probably part of that Tyrion scene was glimpsed earlier in the trailer and in the first trailer when the playing dragons pop up in front of him.

The circle of people in the frozen North, seen in the first trailer. With what we know now, this is most likely Jon Snow, Beric, Tormund, and the others:

60 circle in the snow

Sansa speaks in voiceover: “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies but the pack survives” And we someone hopping on a horse and making a run for it. It’s Jon, based on the coat, and the weapons matching what we see before and after this.

62 on a horse

63 on a horse 2

Jon Snow, fighting more wights! This is going to be a major scene for season 6, with filming on this northern journey taking place at Wolf Hill Quarry in Northern Ireland for three weeks.

64 Jon fighting dead dudes

65 Jon's hair looking good from behind

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

560 Comments

  1. Jon Snow, Beric Dondarrion, and Tormund are all on the rock fighting. It looks like Jon is the only one making out alive on a horse:(

  2. There’s nothing in the two trailers to convince me that the season breakdown leak from last year wasn’t genuine.

    REALLY wish I hadn’t read it

  3. Anxiously waiting and purposely stayed away for months (besides having to fight Cancer)….. here’s to all my GOT fan lovers…. Ice Spider is back!! Kinda wish I had used my other name on the other website.. Ice Dragon… Im hearing its going to be here this season!!! ;(

  4. I’ve got to say, this was a stunning trailer, and far better than the first one.

    Even after everything, significant book quotes always give me tingles in the show: “The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives”.

    2 things:

    1 – I hadn’t noticed the dead Tyrell man due to the glare in Jaime shot, nice catch.

    2 -…..regarding the Greyjoy sail sigils…I have no doubt this is Euron’s fleet (visiting KL) but…..are you *SURE* there is a red eye symbol on it?

    I can’t tell.

    Is that just some coloration on the kraken or something? I can’t see at this resolution.

  5. The shot where a dragon is accompanying Dothraki in battle is Dragon, I believe, since I can kinda spot a tiny Daenerys riding him. She’s the only one who rides dragons, and she rides Dragon, so it has to be him.

    How awesome is Beric? Too bad if he bites it in Season 7. He needs to survive till 8.

  6. In that final shot when Jon knocks out the wight, how come the other wights are standing there and not charging towards him?

  7. It seems like Yara is jumping to… Euron himself! look at the mustache!

    Cersei standing next to a dragon skull under the red keep… hummm

    And I agree with you this is definitely the Hound in the Dragonpit, in front of a box… but what was in that box ?!

  8. “And then Beric Dondarrion’s sword of fire lights up, and we all lose our shit.” YAIS 🙌🏻

    Excellent breakdown. Though it’s hard to miss a little bit of spoilers when coming to a site like this, I enjoy and appreciate all the hard work from y’all.

  9. Thank you for the breakdown, Sue!!!

    After the first trailer was released several people suggested that was Obara’s hand holding a spear; I tend to agree, as it appears more like a woman’s hand (and hand movements) than a man’s.

    WHY DOES MY HOUND NOT HAVE A HELMET IN THE NORTH?

    Beric, OMG. Richard Dormer does own the Internet today.

    On that note… Where’s Thoros?

    Is that Dany’s teeny-tiny platinum-blond head flying over the Dothraki on Drogon?

    WHY DOES MY HOUND NOT HAVE A HELMET IN THE DRAGONPIT?

    They’re really keeping the Citadel under wraps, aren’t they? No Sam, Gilly, Jorah, or whoever Jim Broadbent is playing…

  10. I really hope Jon isn’t the only one to survive the beyond the wall stuff. but it seems that way 🙁
    And I wish I hadn’t read the leak, I can only imagine how hyped unspoiled fans are right now.

  11. Wolfish:
    Thank you for the breakdown, Sue!!!

    After the first trailer was released several people suggested that was Obara’s hand holding a spear; I tend to agree, as it appears more like a woman’s hand (and hand movements) than a man’s.

    WHY DOES MY HOUND NOT HAVE A HELMET IN THE NORTH?

    Beric, OMG. Richard Dormer does own the Internet today.

    On that note… Where’s Thoros?

    Is that Dany’s teeny-tiny platinum-blond head flying over the Dothraki on Drogon?

    WHY DOES MY HOUND NOT HAVE A HELMET IN THE DRAGONPIT?

    They’re really keeping the Citadel under wraps, aren’t they? No Sam, Gilly, Jorah, or whoever Jim Broadbent is playing…

    Yeah I think Dany is on Drogon in that shot

  12. I’m loving the ominous organ music on the soundtrack! Much more appropriate than their usual contemporary pop-song accompaniment for trailers.

  13. Wolfish: After the first trailer was released several people suggested that was Obara’s hand holding a spear; I tend to agree, as it appears more like a woman’s hand (and hand movements) than a man’s.

    Yes, if that’s a male hand it’s quite a petite one. I could make a political joke but would get yelled at by some…

  14. Jack Bauer 24:
    In that final shot when Jon knocks out the wight, how come the other wights are standing there and not charging towards him?

    They’re scared. 🙂
    Maybe the NK holds them back to savor the view for a while before sending them in. From the looks of it he will have just killed at least one more of the WW ranks and the NK will be po’d

  15. Wolfish:
    Firannion,

    It’s “Light of the Seven”… music to blow up the Great Sept to!

    But not played on piano, which I found much more jarringly anachronistic than a pipe organ, somehow – even though neither existed yet in the late Middle Ages.

  16. Clob: They’re scared. 🙂
    Maybe the NK holds them back to savor the view for a while before sending them in.From the looks of it he will have just killed at least one more of the WW ranks and the NK will be po’d

    In another shot is Jon fighting one of the Walker horsemen? Looks like the one from Hardhome.

  17. Great breakdown ! Thanks a bunch.

    Wolfish: WHY DOES MY HOUND NOT HAVE A HELMET IN THE NORTH?

    Not to mess up his hair, of course ! Have you seen those luscious locks ? If you got ’em, you flaunt ’em. The Hound knows what the ladies want… And he is trying to get that L’Oréal endorsement.

    WHY DOES MY HOUND NOT HAVE A HELMET IN THE DRAGONPIT?

    I see your “Why doesn’t he have a helmet ?” and I raise you a “Why doesn’t he have pants ?” I know he spent some time in a hippie commune but still ! Now he seems to have embraced the Winnie the Pooh look.
    He should grab a pair of trousers or the ladies will faint !

  18. Thanks for the write up! Going to be a crazy season.

    So happy I got to visit Iceland a few months ago, went to the Black Sands…Now I can officially say – “I’ve been there”. Loved Iceland, need to go back. Great country, great people, good times.

  19. If you want to add that to the breakdown, the arch in that King’s Landing scene is located in Cáceres (Spain) and I’m pretty sure what we’re seeing here is the parade that was filmed on one of the two days they filmed in the city:

    http://watchersonthewall.com/euron-major-players-filming-caceres/

    This is a shitty pic of the arch from the same angle. Cool to see what it looks like with all the CGI:

    http://cloud10.todocoleccion.online/postales-extremadura/tc/2016/03/26/18/55368368.jpg

  20. ((WotW answered my question via twitter: yes, other behind the scenes pics confirmed that Euron indeed has a personal sigil in the TV continuity, sort of a combination of his book sigil with the regular Greyjoy sigil. Thanks!)

  21. Great summary! Thank you lady Sue of the house Fury! The comments on the unsullied with mask issues made me spit out my mojito!! 😂😂

    This season looks sha-mazin!

    Cannot. wait. any. longer! 🙈😬

  22. Wolfish,

    WHY DOES MY HOUND NOT HAVE A HELMET IN THE NORTH? ” xx.

    Because he is the Lord’s Chosen, the Warrior of Light.
    (PS Nice to see Beric getting Sandor’s flaming sword ready for him.)

    PPS. I just realized that if anything happens to Arya or Sandor, I’ll stop watching. And I’ll have to go see a psychiatrist.

  23. In the first shot of Sansa, if you watch carefully just before it cuts to the next, you see a figure at the tree across her shoulder (pause trailer at 0:15) it could be Jon, Baelish or she just watched Bran warg/green see and the figure behind her is the same person who was watching Bran (i’d say it was the maester) and him doing that just completely freaked her out hence the worried/ scaredish expression on her face

  24. I’m pretty sure that shot with Yara jumping into the fire is the scene where Gemma hurt herself, or part of. I hope she totally recovered and cant wait to see her back this season, though things doesnt look very good for Yara.

    And damn, that sea battle is gonna be epic !

  25. Kay,

    Agree, you can definitely see little Dany on Drogon in both scenes. She’s just getting smaller the bigger he gets. So when in doubt of the dragon look for Dany’s hair lol

  26. The rider running away is arya, the rider clearly has needle. Plus the whole quote is so forshadowing of what most think is the ‘lone wolf’

  27. Marlana:
    Firannion,

    Are you sure versions of pipe organs did not exist in late Middle Ages?

    Just looked it up, and I was wrong. I thought that virginals and harpsichords preceded both organs and pianos, but in fact there were primitive versions of organs dating all the way to Greece and Rome, apparently. Though I’m guessing that the keyboard as such was a much later development; the first instruments in the ‘piano family’ were played with mallets, like a hammer dulcimer.

    Always nice to learn something new, or unlearn something I had garbled!

  28. FILMING/LEAKS:

    Dany overlooking the ocean is definitely that first video we saw of a Dany and Jon scene however I don’t believe it’s their first meeting. Jon comes to Dragonstone without a cloak and he is wearing a cloak in that scene and with the lack of guards from the video there must be a level of trust between them. So I’m guessing after the wight hunt before The Dragon Pit and heading towards Winterfell

  29. 1. Damn. In every promo shot and trailer thus far, Arya has been by herself. In a season in which characters and storylines are supposed to be converging, it’s kind of curious that she seems to be riding around and camping out solo. I hope they’re keeping her story under wraps because it’s really good. Maisie is the one who exclaimed “Holy Balls ” after reading the scripts. I’m sure her story line is going to be more exciting than “1. Ride horse from Point A to Point B. 2. Stop at inn. 3. Eat. 4. Ride horse to campsite C. 5. Sleep. 6. Wake up. 7. Repeat steps 1-6”

  30. Marlana:

    Firannion,
    Are you sure versions of pipe organs did not exist in late Middle Ages?

    According to Wikipedia, the German town of Halberstadt “is the site of the first documented large, permanent pipe organ installation in 1361.”

    (Citation: Kennedy, Michael (Ed.) (2002). “Organ”. In The Oxford Dictionary of Music, p. 644. Oxford: Oxford University Press.)

  31. DREW WEST,

    There’s no Needle present. There’s a dagger belted to the right waist and a standard longsword tucked under the rider’s right arm.

  32. I propose a pre-season survey: who do you think will be the first person to successfully ride one of Dany’s spare dragons?

  33. Ten Bears:

    Nice to see Beric getting Sandor’s flaming sword ready for him.

    Beric does it with his blood, doesn’t he?

    I wonder if everyone is going to be, um, blessed by the Lord and running around with flaming swords before it’s all over. That might be overkill, but then again, we do already have 747-sized dragons…

  34. Staff at watchers on the wall: I just wanted to say thank you for the work you all do in running this site. Very much appreciated.

  35. At 0:13, there is someone behind Sansa. Most probably Jon by the looks of it. And then at 0:15 she almost sobs. With the LF vo, makes me wonder what’s going on in this scene. This exact scene was also used in the 1st promo I think, and then I had thought it was after Sansa was shown something via wier-net by Bran or maybe she had seen Arya or Bran. But now I am more intrigued about it.

  36. Nicely done, Sue!

    Loved the trailer. I just hope they update the title with a new look for Season 7. I’m not talking about the title in the opening credits – that’s always the same. I mean the title they use for the “Previously On” recaps and “On the Next” previews before and after episodes (Season 4 had house sigils in the background; Season 5 had golden sand/dust blowing around; Season 6 had a dark background). They’re still using the one from Season 6.

  37. Harma Dogememe:
    can’t believe Cleganebowl is FINALLY CONFIRMED.

    Never really cared about it one way or the other. Two large men slowly swinging large swords with lots of grunting and growling. I think the outcome can be predicted. Rotting Clegane is not the death of Sandor.

    Tully Baby:
    I propose a pre-season survey: who do you think will be the first person to successfully ride one of Dany’s spare dragons?

    How about Sansa… in it’s jaws, dropped at the NK’s feet. 😛

  38. Great breakdown Sue, Im sure we did indeed lost our shit for Beric. NK scary as ever Bran better hope he has fast wheels.
    I would have to agree that the person behind jon may just be a redshirt and boy are the unsullied fighting alot this season their going to be quite tired for the great war.
    That dragon on the field of fire 2 i believe to be Drogon

  39. In the shot of Jon and his companions surrounded by wights, we can see on the left that a man is down and another one is on his knees next to his head, then as the shot progresses the man on his knees gets up.
    I wonder who’s hurt…

  40. ACME:
    Great breakdown ! Thanks a bunch.

    Not to mess up his hair, of course ! Have you seen those luscious locks ? If you got ’em, you flaunt ’em. The Hound knows what the ladies want… And he is trying to get that L’Oréal endorsement.

    I see your “Why doesn’t he have a helmet ?” and I raise you a “Why doesn’t he have pants ?” I know he spent some time in a hippie commune but still ! Now he seems to have embraced the Winnie the Pooh look.
    He should grab a pair of trousers or the ladies will faint !

    I’d be really ok with it….really.

    No, I think it might be a bit of a tease. At first I thought maybe Rory was really bringing his Scottish roots to the GoT wardrobe department, but I think it may just be those ugly pale yellow beige pants underneath, lit from behind.

    But CleganeKilt is REALLY ok with me….

  41. Clob: Never really cared about it one way or the other.Two large men slowly swinging large swords with lots of grunting and growling.I think the outcome can be predicted.Rotting Clegane is not the death of Sandor.

    How about Sansa… in it’s jaws, dropped at the NK’s feet. 😛

    You always know just what to say to brighten my day. ☺

  42. Jack Bauer 24:
    Is Sansa’s line at the end just for the trailer?

    It seems like it might be something that only we hear, right? I love those lines, but it may be a bit flowery for real conversation.

  43. Clob:

    Never really cared about it one way or the other. Two large men slowly swinging large swords with lots of grunting and growling. I think the outcome can be predicted. Rotting Clegane is not the death of Sandor.

    I never cared for it at all. As justified as Sandor would be in killing Gregor, I think it would be a painful spiritual and emotional regression. He’s been on a long journey away from nihilism and towards fighting for a cause, and kinslaying (one of the greatest crimes in the Faith of the Seven) is probably the last thing he needs to engage in on the road towards whatever modicum of healing he can experience. No matter how much one hates one’s brother, and how justified that person’s death would be, it’s still… his brother. There would be no easy way to live with that one.

  44. Why is the Hound in shorts in that one screencap? lol

    Jack Bauer 24,

    God I hope so. I’m going to flip tables if that line ends up on the show. That’s Arya’s thing!

  45. Pigeon:

    But CleganeKilt is REALLY ok with me…

    Yeah, I’m hoping for an updated Scott’s Porage Oats commercial. 😛

  46. ACME,

    The absence of the helmet I understand for TV reasons. We need to know where the characters are and who is who.

    The absence of pants is a crime though. Donald Duck is the only one who can go without them. 😛

  47. The shots of Jaime really have me hyped: first there is a shot of him and Bronn together, with the loaded wagons behind them. The way Bronn is leaning slightly toward Jaime, you just know there are smart-ass comments being made. They are pleased with themselves. The day has gone well. THEN that pic of Jaime with such a look of fury and hatred on his face, as we’ve never seen before, with the wagons burning behind him. That hatred is focused, not just random anger. Could this have something to do with Tyrion, and Jaime realizes it?

    To all you Sansa naysayers … pffffffft, she looks gorgeous in these shots. Sansa/Sophie is figuring out how to navigate the myriad facets of her life. It shows in the way she carries herself. She’s not a tentative, confused little girl anymore, and she’s going to leave Littlefinger in the dust, dead or alive. He’s used to dust anyway, the way he’s always lurking. That has to be the creepiest photo of him yet.

    At least Bran and Meera make it safely to Castle Black, that’s nice to know for Meera. But she’s not with him in the Godswood, where normally she would have been. How amazing are Bran’s powers going to be, now that he’s safe, and can cogitate all he wants on the past, without worrying that something in the present is going to bite him in the ass while he’s under his own spell? But, without someone around to keep track of the amount of time he spends “under,” what will happen to him? Maester Wolken is nice, but criminally clueless. He won’t have the faintest idea what to do with Bran.

    Euron doesn’t look the least bit clownish in that pic. He must have had quite a pile of cash stashed away, those sails are beautiful but expensive looking. I wasn’t a fan of his in S6, but am willing to suspend my disbelief regarding the ships. (still, 1,000 fookin ships? come on …) and am looking forward to whatever nastiness he conjures this season. I think his appearance in KL will somehow be a last straw for Jaime, and Jaime will finally bail on Cersei.

    Dany looks beautiful, too, but I’m getting tired of her striding across sand, picking up sand, gazing out over sand. I know this is going to be an epic season for her, once she gets past the damned sand. Drogon is looking very lovely, as well. Nice dental work.

    I could go on but I have to take a break. THREE more weeks. Thank you Sue, and all the WotW crew. You have gotten us through this wait. Your work is appreciated I look forward to sharing thoughts on the season as we wade through it together!!

  48. I’m pretty sure I see the Hound in the circle with Jon, Beric and co and he’s also in the dragon pit so Just because Jon is riding away on the horse doesnt mean the rest are dead 🙂

  49. Thronetender: The way Bronn is leaning slightly toward Jaime, you just know there are smart-ass comments being made.

    This kind of thing is what will make coming battles difficult for viewers. We’re used to enjoying remarks from Bronn and Jaime and want to see them succeed… Then they face off against Daenerys and Tyrion and what are we suppose to do!?!?

  50. Thronetender: …Meera make it safely to Castle Black, that’s nice to know

    I think Meera HAS to go home as soon as possible after coming back under the wall. She not only has to warn her family first hand of the dangers coming but also let them know about Jojen.

  51. Sphinx,

    In the shot of Jon and his companions surrounded by wights, we can see on the left that a man is down and another one is on his knees next to his head, then as the shot progresses the man on his knees gets up.
    I wonder who’s hurt…

    COULD IT BE THOROS TRYING TO BRING OLD DONNIE BACK TO LIFE FOR THE MILLIONTH TIME?

  52. I’m sure someone has mentioned it by now but I think it’s Drogon in the picture with the Dothraki because you can see there is someone riding the back of the dragon… looks like the shape of Dany. Also the dragon’s back legs which have decent lighting look dark. /shrug

  53. To me, the most epic scene was by far and away the shot of Jaime charging through the burning field. It just looked insanely dramatic, scary, desperate, and yet beautiful at the same time. It also got me pretty worried for him.

  54. Markus Stark:
    To me, the most epic scene was by far and away the shot of Jaime charging through the burning field. It just looked insanely dramatic, scary, desperate, and yet beautiful at the same time. It also got me pretty worried for him.

    You speak the truth.

  55. Its clearly Dany on Drogon and we have EW picture as proof as well

    Let me just say I didn’t expect the dragonpit be looking like that ..I didn’t expect it to be like the italica because I thought there were some sets that were build on the italica but it looks normal ..

    You know we had people circling and surrounded in previous seasons too and then there will be surprise arrival ( see dance of dragons) ..

    Beric’s sword …its not a unknown thing to be fighting with a flaming sword ..Thoros had it too while he was fighting ..

    So will casterly rock be taken by greyworm and why is tyrion not with him..

    Let me see if I get this straight and correct ..

    1) Jamie takes highgarden kills Olenna
    2)Euron takes yara and ellaria as prisoners and defeats dorne

    3)Casterly rock is taken by greyworm and Unsullied
    4)the Lannister army is ambushed by dany and they lose all those things that looted from High garden
    5) dany kills tarly’s

  56. Jack Bauer 24,

    Thoros goes wherever Beric goes, so I would assume he’s there but just didn’t have anything both epic enough and non spoilery to include.

    As for Edd, do we even know if he’s in this season ? Logically, he should appear, but you never know.

  57. dragonbringer,

    LEAKS SPOILERS

    1. He takes it and allows Olenna to kill herself. She drinks poison. It sounds like a dignified death.

    2. Yara, Ellaria and one of the Sand Flops. No idea what happens to Yara. The other two are killed by Cersei. He defeats them.

    3. Yeah. The Lannisters leave it undefended.

    4. They’re ambushed, but it’s unknown if they lose much because Cersei still pays off the bank. So confusing.

    5. Dickon and Randyll yes.

  58. Markus Stark:
    Jack Bauer 24,

    Thoros goes wherever Beric goes, so I would assume he’s there but just didn’t have anything both epic enough and non spoilery to include.

    As for Edd, do we even know if he’s in this season ? Logically, he should appear, but you never know.

    Edd left the wall? Won’t Bran and Meera see him?

  59. Jack Bauer 24,

    Probably some weird reason.

    It also makes little sense that

    he can just “knock out” a wight. The only way to stop them is to burn them or to cut them into so many pieces that they can’t pose a threat.

    Just being able to slash at one and knock it out is lame, and diminishes the threat they pose.

    We’ll have to wait to see the sequence to be sure though.

  60. Flayed Potatoes,

    And do we know about the

    casualties sustained on dany’s side during the ambush .

    Iam simply trying to figure out the power of dany and cersei
    For me dany’s real army is her dothraki and unsullied any other armies that join her is just a bonus..

    Looks like for everyloss they are winning and making up

    Tywin and Robert must be rolling in their graves when they hear casterly rock is taken by Eunuchs and Dothraki is on the westeros as a single army

  61. Thanks Sue, that was great! I’ll echo what Chuck said above and that is a big “thank you” to all of the Watchers on the Wall team as we head into Season 7. This site and community enrich the whole GOT experience so, before we get into the thick of it, many thanks for the wonderful work you all do before, during, and after the seasons.

  62. Jack Bauer 24,

    Probably, that’s why I said he should appear. Jon “anointed” him as the new LC, so I’m assuming he’s in charge at the Wall, unless they had elections since then and chose someone else.

    I just haven’t heard any reports about Ben Crompton filming, hence my doubts.

  63. dragonbringer,

    We have no idea. The thing is that while she has numbers, her armies aren’t exactly used to the climate (and winter is coming). We also don’t know how the Dothraki will fare against armored knights (we got some hints in season 1 when Jorah was talking about it with the Dothraki). D&D like to increase and decrease army sizes depending on what plot point they have in mind. So it’s a mystery. I think the show wants to make us believe they’re about even.

  64. Flayed Potatoes,
    That pervy duck ! Coming out of the shower with a towel around his waist but walking down the streets in just a t-shirt and kinky hat.
    He should have been arrested decades ago ! 😛

    Pigeon: No, I think it might be a bit of a tease. At first I thought maybe Rory was really bringing his Scottish roots to the GoT wardrobe department, but I think it may just be those ugly pale yellow beige pants underneath, lit from behind.

    Keep the dream alive, Pigeon ! Do not let reality and sense stand in the way of a beautiful possibility. ^^

    Wolfish,
    Damn ! Jon has the market cornered… But all hope is not lost; Herbal Essences is still available and the Hound’s mane shall smell of rainforest flowers.

  65. ….Please Jamie don´t go and ride twards Drogon & CA

    Basically Sansa is saying: Starks…toguether …stroooooong

    Ill watch this trailer 5 times a day until premier…
    mmmmmm

  66. Amazing, comprehensive breakdown as usual!

    Interesting how Jon- Sansa-LF are the ones with voiceovers. The triangle is real.
    Sansa’s Ned speech at the end, with Jon standing with his back against us, in the throes of battle. *shivers*

  67. Firannion: But not played on piano, which I found much more jarringly anachronistic than a pipe organ, somehow – even though neither existed yet in the late Middle Ages.

    Well its a good thing the pianist isnt actually there playing along while the drama plays out.

  68. Cliffjumper,

    I kind of want Jamie to be burned to a crisp by Drogon…

    I like the theory going around that our three main characters will face a major lose: Danny will lose Grey Worm, Jon will lose Tormund and Cersei will lose Jamie…

    It’s probably not true, but my sadist part really like the idea.

  69. Ten Bears,

    Well, we do see her at the Inn and she must finish up business at the Twins. And we know she was running with the wolves (sorta) in Canada. And there’s the EW photoshoot. And there’s the VS dagger, which implies she’ll be fighting WW;s in S8. And she looks so boss on the dapple gray. And I can’t mention leaks, though they too are a bit sparse. So my guess is that Arya will take a while to get home and back to a center of the action by season’s end.

    I do share your frustration, especially after hearing Sansa get what we think of as Arya;s lines. Of course I always worry for my girl. That is a dangerous world, especially if you’re Arya and D&D are running it. If you want a little Maisie cheer, you might want to take a look at this video from two years ago when she was 18.

  70. kevin,

    kevin,

    I would bet that Jon was

    surrounded by whigts and WW. (The others has been escaped – Tormund, Beric… After Daenerys riding on Drogon rescued them) and that horse belongs to Uncle Benjen. Who gave a injured Jon to run away from WW.

    Just saying…

  71. Jack Bauer 24:
    Is Sansa’s line at the end just for the trailer?

    Only the teaser trailers have had voiceovers not part of the season, right? And even most teaser voiceovers are from the season. I feel 90% certain that this line is from this season. I am really shocked to hear that line coming from Sansa.

  72. Just an FYI: it is super, super obvious when you’ve read the leaks and are acting like you haven’t.

    Cover. Your. Spoilers.

  73. ACME:
    Flayed Potatoes,
    That pervy duck ! Coming out of the shower with a towel around his waist but walking down the streets in just a t-shirt and kinky hat.
    He should have been arrested decades ago !

    Jaime taught him.

  74. Seeing Jon in grave peril, again/still, is wearing me down. As much as I love those shots of him staring down an entire army, I still fear for his deliciously gorgeous health. I was one of those timorous souls who were sure he was going to come back after being murdered/but what if he doesn’t? He is/he isn’t. After having killed him once, they wouldn’t, couldn’t kill him again, would they? That would be overkill in its highest form. hmmm, lame humor but genuine concern. His stills alone assure an exciting seas on. Kit Harington is a wonderful actor. I look forward to seeing any other project he’s in. hope he gets some happy time with Dany. He deserves a break.

    Someone mentioned Arya/Masie always being shown alone. I think showing her with anyone else would be too much of a spoiler, but I’m looking forward to her being reunited with somebody from her family – anybody from her family, or extended family, even Hot Pie.

    especially Nymeria

    She is wearing some fine clothing in these shots, and is well-groomed, looking more like a lady than she ever has before. I’m wondering if any of her actions are going to have an effect on the ultimate plot, the war against the WW. We didn’t watch her sweeping floors and getting injured for two seasons, or watch her become an accomplished assassin, just to have her slink away to West of Westeros before she does something epic within the rest of the story. Whatever they hand Masie to do, she will handle it excellently and make it totally believable. If that kid could make us believe Braavos, she can do anything.

  75. Wolfish: running around with flaming swords

    Given that fire kills wights, having a ready source to kindle your sword is a good idea.

  76. Thronetender,

    Books or show I need the Hound to meet up with either Stark girl, and for Arya to meet Gendry again just so she can smack him when he calls her “M’Princess” and say “I told you so” about the Red Woman.

  77. Pigeon: Rotting Clegane is not the death of Sandor.

    Blows and dismemberment may not stop Gregor because he has been wight-ized.
    I predict poetic justice: fire will kill Gregor just as fire kills a wight.

  78. Stark Raven’ Rad: I do share your frustration, especially after hearing Sansa get what we think of as Arya;s lines.

    My first thought was to agree. However, it gives me hope. There’s a striking juxtaposition between what LF says (presumably) to Sansa in the trailer opening and Sansa’s dialogue in the end. While the words may have been said to Arya, it’s believable that it wasn’t the first or only time Ned said it.

    Given all the LF machinations trying to pull Sansa away, this to me is a hint that, when it matters most, she rejoins the pack to survive. At least, that’s what I’m rooting for.

  79. When Berics sword lit up I seriously did lose my shit. I audibly squealed!

    So excited!!!!

  80. In the 6th picture, the one with Cersei, it sure as hell looks like she’s standing next to a Dragon Skull. Wasn’t that a leak or a comment from one of the design producers saying they had to actually create Dragon Skulls from clay and molds because of characters interacting with them so they couldn’t entirely go with CGI?

    Image 38 or 39, Daenerys standing over watch from Dragonstone, Watchers on the Wall themselves I believe posted a video from some crazed fan recording the scene. Daenerys is standing alone and Jon Snow comes down the stairs and meets with her.

    Image 44 is Drogon flying into battle with the Dothraki below and Daenerys is riding him and if not her then who else? You can see someone riding him right where his neck ends, between his wings, basically his shoulder blades. They did say that at least Drogon was going to be the size of a 747 in this season and they weren’t kidding. You can barely see Daenerys riding him.

    The last two images of Drogon, his up close and personal shots, I believe belong to another set of spoilers we got a few months ago. There was a scene filmed on the beach for what we can only assume is Dragonstone and Daenerys and Jon were on the beach together with Jon preparing to leave. They had the stand in Dragon head on set that day, specifically with Kit Harrington interacting with it, even if it looked like in the image that he was playing with it more then acting with it. Daenerys is well known for using her Dragons to intimidate people. Maybe that’s what she’s doing in this shot to Jon Snow but little does she know that’s her nephew, her blood relative and he might have little to no fear of Drogon and might instead be intrigued, curious and welcoming to being so close to such an animal that hasn’t been seen in more then a century? After all Jon Snow is the man who convinced Ned Stark to accept the Direwolves into the Stark family and he is the one trying to gain support to fight against the Dead.

  81. Marlana,

    “I predict poetic justice: fire will kill Gregor just as fire kills a wight.”

    I always thought it would great if Tyrion atop a dragon killed the mountain 🙂

  82. I have only this to say…
    DRAGONSTONE….
    IS….
    AWESOME!
    Well done to the SFX team!

    The North Remembers!

  83. ACME: Those Lannisters… They just cannot be trusted, can they ?

    Cersei is a sweet and pure angel and she should always be trusted

    to burn cities to the ground <3

  84. Question for all…if Bran never goes south of the Wall thus allowing the NK and his forces to go south as well, would the Others even pose a threat?

    On a side note. There are so many forces allied against the Lannisters. I hope the show has an explanation of how they can have armies fighting so many forces at once without nerfing up their power.

  85. ACME,

    Oh but I do wallow in crapulence every now and then… 😉

    I share your liking of Baelish (not of Cersei though) and I trully hope he’ll end up the “king of the ashes”… Alas, I don’t think it will ever happen though.

  86. WallyFrench,

    I seriously doubt the show will explain that. Lannisters have been nerfed up as you say, it’s that simple (let us forget the fact that in Season 4 Tywin said they had barely any gold left, and that their army should logically be depleted).

    As for the Others, I’m pretty sure they have an other way of getting through the Wall. If they don’t, and somehow marking Bran was the Night King’s only option, then I’ll be pretty disappointed.

  87. I’m pretty sure when we hear Sansa talking in voiceover: “When the snows fall and the white winds blow, the lone wolf dies …and then, there is a second of silence.. IT”S NOT HER VOICE…”but the pack survives” It’s Arya’s voice talking!!

  88. Flayed Potatoes,
    Ha ! True dat 😛
    Cersei, as pure as the driven slush… She always delivers and she never disappoints.

    A Dornish Tyrell,
    Oh I know you have an evil streak 😉

    I share your pessimism about dear Petyr. But this is precisely for this type of situation that headcanon was invented; in my mind, Baelish is already ruling Westeros, doing a fantastic job and negociating a highly dishonest deal with the White Walkers ! Come to my mind palace ^^

    And please, let me help you like Cersei. From the bitterness to the alcoholism, from the incestuous love to the religious persecution, do not miss out on any of the fun ! ^^

  89. Can I just say…

    Grey worm had better go down on Missandei this season. I am serious. They gotta get over this “no penis” thing. To paraphrase wonder woman “when it comes to pleasure [that’s] not really necessary” :p

  90. Flayed Potatoes,

    Your point about knights only apply when they meet one on one combat..
    The knights are very less in numbers and dothraki will have the support of their archery and dany on air ..
    And consider 2000 knights going against a horde of just 4000 they will be trampled..

    Dothraki in winter …I have always said just because we haven’t seen them doesn’t mean they won’t be able to…they have a legend and prophecy about the winter and long night …they have brought back so they will have the important role to play.
    Dothraki have a history of proving people wrong and we see in season 8 about how those weather fhing was also a wrong assessment ( they will be having difficulties sinilar to that of normal armies of westeros will face but they will stand their ground)

    I agree D&D don’t care about the numbers and they will have whatever they want it to happen(for example..look at unsulled against harpies .,wall ,and so on )…

  91. ACME: And please, let me help you like Cersei. From the bitterness to the alcoholism, from the incestuous love to the religious persecution, do not miss out on any of the fun ! ^^

    Oh, but bitterness, alcoholism and religious persecution are A-OK in my book… 😉

    It’s just her stupidity (as Olenna would put it) that irks me (probably because I do not lack of it.) I admit she is a fascinating character… like watching a car crash scene… Still, I need more convincing arguments to change from being horrifyingly mesmerized by her to actually like her… 🙂

  92. Is it me, or the shot with the Lannister archers looks really… amateur? Like if it were a behind the scenes shot. Looks really flat, no color at all.

  93. scott4567,

    It is indeed awesome..

    The interseting things about North Remembers and wolves will come again is that we have exact words for Targs as well…Dragon remembers and Dragons will come again

    I like the one said by dany the most .
    “Dragons can die yes but so can the Dragonslayers”

  94. Kirby,

    About the two very close shots of Drogon, it’s clear from the trailer that Daenerys is riding him in those two shots.

    I believe this is actually not the scene when Jon leaves, but the scene when he first arrives and leaked footage showed that Davos and he are startled and duck when Daenerys comes back to Dragonstone riding Drogon.
  95. ACME: in my mind, Baelish is already ruling Westeros, doing a fantastic job and negociating a highly dishonest deal with the White Walkers ! Come to my mind palace

    You just made me flash on the character the Patrician from Terry Pratchett’s Discworld books: Ruling the city of Ankh-Morpork with what appears to be an iron hand, universally detested but secretly accepted, even appreciated by the citizenry because he makes everything work more or less well. Any alternative would be far worse. (He was played by Charles Dance in at least one screen version.)

  96. I still wanna know what happened to poor Drogon’s teeth. Do you KNOW how expensive dental work on a dragon is????

  97. Has anyone figured out who that random guy is standing behind Jon at :24?

    I don’t believe he’s just an extra. The trailer is too important to use that frame unless he’s someone.

    My guess?

    Howland Reed
  98. Looking back at the trailer we are assuming that NK looks up to see the flock of ravens flying but it can entirely be something else Nk is seeing there

  99. Flayed Potatoes:

    The absence of pants is a crime though. Donald Duck is the only one who can go without them.

    Tell you what: You keep your ornithophilia to yourself, and I’ll keep my canophilia to myself.

    Oh, wait… no. No, I won’t. 😛

  100. Wolfish,

    Re: Wolfish, 6-21-17, 7:13 PM

    According to Melisandre’s recital of the prophecy (excerpts below), a “warrior” will draw a burning sword from the fire. She misidentified Stannis as the Warrior of Light.

    But the rest of the details seem to be coming true. A long summer is over. (Yes, we know Sansa, “Winter is here.”) The dead have arisen in the north.

    What other “warrior” is around to draw a burning sword from a fire? What other warrior have we been constantly reminded about who fears nothing – except fire, and is destined to confronr if?

    As Beric told Sandor when he asked recruited him in 6×8, “cold winds are rising in the north.” … “You’re a fighter. You were born a fighter.”

    ————
    Melisandre [S2e1], reciting prophecy of “the Warrior of Light”

    “After the long summer, darkness will fall heavy on the world. The stars will bleed.”
    “The cold breath of winter will freeze the seas…
    And the dead shall rise in the North.”
    “In the ancient books, it is written that a warrior will draw a burning sword from the fire. And that sword shall be Lightbringer.”
    [S2e1]

    ____________
    Now I know the Sandor = Warrior of Light prediction is wrapped in serious heavy duty tinfoil; there are other segments that I could excerpt that are consistent with it though. It is also part of an even more far-fetched, explanation-of-everything theory which I’m apprehensive to float, lest some Leakophiles jump all over it and claim “the leaks” refute it.

    Anyway, going into S7, who is the
    likeliest candidate for “The Warrior of Lighr” Mel was talking about?

  101. Jack Bauer 24:

    Where’s Edd? Thoros?

    I’m worried about Thoros (I commented on him elsewhere), but I’m really hoping Edd is the one who greets Bran and Meera. I think it would mean a lot to him to meet Bran and to shelter Jon’s “brother.”

  102. Eavelyns: and say “I told you so” about the Red Woman.

    LOL, yes that is something to look forward to. Maisie will handle it beautifully if it does.

  103. Wolfish: I’m really hoping Edd is the one who greets Bran and Meera

    So am I. HBO is replaying a variety of episodes tonight, not in order, skipping through the seasons, but dear Edd is in many of them. He’s the last of the close friends Jon made in Castle Black. They’ve already killed off Grenn and Pyp, I’m hoping they let Edd live.

  104. Clob:

    I think Meera HAS to go home as soon as possible after coming back under the wall. She not only has to warn her family first hand of the dangers coming but also let them know about Jojen.

    She can have a raven sent from the Wall as soon as she arrives, but I agree that she’ll want to get home as soon as possible. She will, however, ensure that Bran is in good hands before she leaves (in the event that she does).

  105. 3eyes:

    Can’t make improvements on perfection

    You mean to tell me he hasn’t improved with age, like a fine Dornish red? Blasphemy!!!

  106. ACME:

    Damn! Jon has the market cornered… But all hope is not lost; Herbal Essences is still available and the Hound’s mane shall smell of rainforest flowers.

    I was hoping for Northern pines. 😛

  107. To: Wolfish (cont.)

    Aside from Hit-or-Miss Melisandre, there’s Hot Pie, the Accidental Seer: he who knows all, sees all and reveals all – but just doesn’t know it:

    Melisandre: “…He is the Lord’s chosen, born amidst salt smoke.”
    ***
    Renly: “….Is he a ham?”
    [S2e4]
    ________

    Hot Pie: “Big ugly fellow…with a face like a half-burned ham.”

    Pod: “The Hound.”

    Hot Pie: “That’s the one.”
    [S4e7]

    🙄😝. 🍰

  108. The dragon flying over the Dothraki army is clearly GOLD and not black.
    Which means it is Viserion.
    I have been saying this since the first trailer showed this scene from the front view. Gold not Black, look again.

  109. Pigeon:
    I still wanna know what happened to poor Drogon’s teeth. Do you KNOW how expensive dental work on a dragon is????

    No worries. I heard Qyburn’s running a special on Valyrian Steel implants. Don’t fret, Drogon: you’ll have that perfect smile back in no tine.

  110. Ten Bears,

    I’ll respond in the morning when I’m in a semi-conscious state. I whooped my own ass at the gym (which is a good thing!). 🙂

  111. Thronetender,

    I’d look forward to a Gendry-Arya meet-up too! And I’d love some more of Maisie’s comedic line deliveries, like in the S2 scene w/ Gendry (G: “You shouldn’t insult people that are bigger than you”; Arya: “Then I wouldn’t get to insult
    anyone.”).

    But I can also anticipate a little playful awkwardness. Maisie waa 12 (and looked younger) when she got the role of Arya on GoT. Disguised as “Arry” in S2 with Gendry she had that androgynous look.

    Maisie is 20 now. I can imagine Gendry seeing Arya now and not even recognizing her (thinking to himself, “Who IS that babe? She is mighty fine”). But if they meet and the subject of the Red Woman comes up, Gendry might start blushing and stammering if he feels compelled to confess his weird horizontal encounter with Mel.
    And even if he says nothing, Arya now has the intuitive powers to be able to look at Gendry’s face and say, “You f*cked her, didn’t you…”

    Could be real entertaining however they scripf it. I am confident The Many-Faced Goddess will be great.

  112. Wolfish,

    Of course he has. Therefore, a completely new ad is required, rather than a re-do. Perhaps a little more daring……

  113. Question; Maybe it’s the camera angle, but in that screen shot of the Hound fighting, what’s he swinging? It doesn’t appear he has armor or a big f*cking sword. It looks to me like he’s not holding a battle axe. He is holding…

    …A Needle.

    #JustSo

  114. KCdeb,

    I never understood why people are thinking its anyone other than Drogon.
    you know what though this thread have made me realize I would like the idea of Dany riding viserion..
    Viserion was the one who is more of a child and always had a fondness for her mother ..
    He wanted dany to carry around her shoulders even when he outgrew her..

    It would be fitting that dany gets to ride him one last time before you know what happens

    But I don’t think that’s viserion and confident that it will be just the light and reflections..

  115. Ten Bears,
    It was a bitch of a siege.

    Mm, you were first through the breach at Pyke?

    The second. Thoros of Myr went in alone, waving that flaming sword of his.

    Thoros of Myr. Bloody madman.

  116. Ten Bears: No worries. I heard Qyburn’s running a special on Valyrian Steel implants. Don’t fret, Drogon: you’ll have that perfect smile back in no tine.

    Oooh but he can’t be trusted!!! He might give him flat human-like teeth, and all the other dragons will laugh at him!

  117. Does anybody else Notice in the pic of Jon on front of trailer article he has a blue eye?! I didn’t get chance to read through all the comments but didn’t see it brought up. Jon White Walker Stargaryen ya’ll. It’s happening.

    Ah just noticed theres a thread below and it’s actually a poster sorry

  118. “Jon Snow, fighting more wights! This is going to be a major scene for season 6”. Season 6?

  119. I think Sansa talking about lone wolf is she thinking about herself when LF tries to pit her against her own siblings. I think she remembers her father and decides that she is not going to be a lone wolf. In Last year’s trailer as well they had Tormund’s words for Mance sound like they are for Jon by showing Jon’s corpse. ” I thought he was the man to lead us through great night”.

    Pleaseee somebody say that this is probably the case.. because I don’t want Jon to be the lone wolf 🙁

  120. TheRealWolf,

    I think you are right, Sansa may be tempted to go down Littlefinger’s path and seek power for herself but eventually she’ll realize that’s wrong and instead be a team player fighting for her family aka she starts of the season as a lone wolf but then joins the pack.
    I don’t think what she’s saying is about Jon at all, they are just teasing us because his a big character. I see it more as Sansa’s personal battle alone.

  121. I may be in the minority, but I am rooting for Sansa to start being the HBIC. She’s endured so much, and despite being naive, she’s managed to survive. It’s time to see her grow into her own confidence and power. I want to see her turn Littlefinger’s machinations on their head and take him off the board personally. That would be fitting.
    She’s learned the value of banding together and I can see her realising why a pack is preferable to going it alone.

    I really hope Brienne has a good arc, but realise that there are a lot of characters to service. If we get a return of Beric, Gendry, Sandor etc, I will be happy indeed, in terms of giving them a proper send off. Because, let’s face it, they won’t all be surviving the season.

    I worry about Arya, and hope she will reunite with her family and find ways to re-assimilate. There’s a part of me, however, that feels she may have lost too much humanity now to be anything but a vengeance machine. I would love to be wrong about this.

  122. I have a vague feeling I know where the Sansa line comes from:

    At the end of the season, Littlefinger will try to use the information of Jon’s true parentage (Sam will be in the north by then) to discredit him in front of the Northern Lords, and will also try to discredit him Bran as King, because he can’t produce heirs, to proclaim Sansa as the Queen. She will then use that line to assert that Jon will be the one to lead them through the winter, and that he should be King in the North, even if he isn’t a Stark

    .

  123. Just a wild guess? Could be a lightbringer forged from Jon killing a dragon? Technically if he trust Longclaw in dragon and pull the sword out. He pulled that sword from fire?

  124. Ok just a couple things. First off great scene by scene analysis! Ok so when you said that after Robert’s Rebellion that the Targaryen’s took Dany’s ancestral home when I’m guessing you meant the Baratheon’s. Also in the last photo description you said i was going to be a major battle scene for Season 6 when I think you mean season 7 since that’s where the battle is taking place. Lastly, the scene where the Dothraki and one of Dany’s dragons are going into battle you can clearly see Dany riding the dragon meaning it pretty much has to be Drogon since that’s the only dragon we’ve seen Dany riding during the show. Anyways keep up the great work guys!!!

  125. 2 Things:

    1.Someone is in top of that dragon we are not sure if its Drogon or Viserion.

    2.What is so far north that Jon & his squat need so Bad, that they go there again?
    Dragonglass from the fist of the first mein?

  126. Thank you @SuetheFury for these amazing trailer breakdowns. Now when I watch each new trailer (while hyperventilating) I know I will miss 50 things you’ll have caught in your breakdown and I anticipate them as much as the trailer itself!

  127. Now that beric obviously is in the north of wall ..
    1) so it will be a good chance to see how effective that sword trick of his against the WW..

    2)same goes for when dany and dragons eventually meet the WW this season or next season..

  128. So the first trailer was very Lannister centric, this second one Stark centric. What are the chances of a third Targaryen centric one?😛
    …not good I guess
    #toogreedyformyowngood

  129. furiosa,

    Dragon glass are mined at dragonstone remember…its got to be something else

    Sebo from the north,

    He will be killing one of the three advantages that will help fight the WW for nothing. .
    Besides I don’t think one stab will kill a dragon

  130. furiosa,

    furiosa,

    Re Q#2: The bag of dragonglass Sam found buried at the Fist of the First Men wound up abandoned at Hardhome. Jon + the Thenn went back to the hut to try to retrieve it but that WW walked through the flames, killed the Thenn, and wounded Jon before Jon ran outside, picked up Longclaw, and dueled the pursuing WW – causing it/him to disintegrate. Jon was going to try again to retrieve the DG, but in the immortal words of Edd: “F*ck the Glass!!!”
    So I don’t think there’s a known source of DG up north. However, in Stannis’s interview of Sam at CB, when Sam described how he killed a WW with a DG dagger, Stannis mentioned there are deposits of DG (obsidian) on Dragonstone. If Sam relayed that information to Jon, that would likely be the place to look, ie south, not north.

  131. Seeing the reaction videos and every time I think
    That’s one hell of a long walk sansa is taking ..
    Dany too will take a long walk from the beach to painted table..

    It didn’t register on me the impact of dany pulling down the baratheon banner at first..you know how its in the title track that dragon gets killed and stag gets crowned ..
    Now that dragons are back the stags are gone ..I hope the same happens at casterly rock

    That shot of Jamie charging towards someone

    and if its indeed dany on the ground..i am looking forward to how dany will face it and react …hope that they don’t make her look like a little girl who is lost..
  132. Pigeon: Oooh but he can’t be trusted!!! He might give him flat human-like teeth, and all the other dragons will laugh at him!

    🎶 All of the other dragons,
    used to laugh and call him names. 🎶 ….
    ______
    [Your verse here]
    ______

  133. Okay, I finally caved damn it.
    khfqehfrehfehdfioqrueioquwc uqeiuq9u49u239829-38!@#$%^&*(*&^@#$%^&*

    I was not expecting any of this. I cant handle it.
    I avoided reading Sue’s descriptions to keep some things a surprise but for the most part I looked at all the screen shots.

    2 things that really stood out to me:
    The first scene showed of Sansa looking very emotional really worries me. I don’t know why she is so sad/crying… and im scared!!!!!!!! lol

    2nd – Whats with this battle in the snow?!!!!?!?!?! With wights and stuff???? I really did NOTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT expect to have a battle with the Others this season. I mean how many are they going to have??? Unless its more of a Hardhome situation where its a massacre, but I think they are more prepared these days. I really did NOT expect that. At all.

    More thoughts to come.

    But wow, this trailer is so beautifully made and I just want to watch it over and over. Don’t even get me started on the music. hahaha

  134. Ive seen these discussions on some of these quotes in the other thread.

    “A dog will die for you but never lie to you”

    At what minute is this said? I don’t remember hearing it?

    And regarding the Lone Wolf quote Sansa says. I am scared. Please someone tell me this doesn’t mean another stark is dying and she is saying this line. Please. Some people have alluded to that. 🙁 🙁 🙁

  135. Thronetender: Dany looks beautiful, too, but I’m getting tired of her striding across sand, picking up sand, gazing out over sand. I know this is going to be an epic season for her, once she gets past the damned sand. Drogon is looking very lovely, as well. Nice dental work

    Its possible that anything past the sand is too spoilery.
    I love her.

  136. dragonbringer,

    Well I hope she tries to dodge what else is she gonna do??That’s what I would do.But IIRC Drogon protects her and fires at Jaime and Bronn saves him.She really needs a saddle though otherwise this will keep happening.Oh I thought of a question.Do you think Bran might warg Viserion to help them take him down in season 8?Is it even possible to warg a wight?
  137. I love how the trailer both starts and ends with Sansa.
    I hope it signifies her role on this season will be big. 🙂

  138. Dee Stark:
    Ive seen these discussions on some of these quotes in the other thread.

    “A dog will die for you but never lie to you”

    At what minute is this said? I don’t remember hearing it?

    And regarding the Lone Wolf quote Sansa says. I am scared. Please someone tell me this doesn’t mean another stark is dying and she is saying this line. Please. Some people have alluded to that.

    Nah, I can’t see anymore Starks dying…after all this is Winds of Winter now? If I remember right the original title was “A Time of Wolves”.

    Cue the Starks vengeance – The North Remembers. I’d love to see LF trying to talk his way into something, only to see the Hound step up and reveal what really happened to Ned.

  139. ZIG,

    As You see Behind The Hound There is Lannister Man standing , so Might Hound presenting the wight to all Westerosi including Some Main Characters.

    And at Point , Dany Looking Over at Coast of Dragonstone , I think at Same Time Dany Meets Jon as Her Eyes Are Opposite of Coast .

    And Sansa Stark Blue eyes are Adorable.

    And As Always Hats off To Work and Funny Breakdown by WOTW Website.
    I’m loving it.

  140. Mawk,

    A Time for Wolves was the original title of the seventh book, which is now going to be titled A Dream of Spring.

    The only “Stark” I could see possibly dying before the end of the series would be Jon, though I’m certain it won’t be this year.

    Sansa, Arya, and Bran will almost certainly not die.

  141. Dee Stark:
    Ive seen these discussions on some of these quotes in the other thread.

    “A dog will die for you but never lie to you”

    At what minute is this said? I don’t remember hearing it?

    And regarding the Lone Wolf quote Sansa says. I am scared. Please someone tell me this doesn’t mean another stark is dying and she is saying this line. Please. Some people have alluded to that.

    The “dog will die for you but never lie to you” line is something the Hound says to Sansa in the second book – it pretty much emphasizes that the Hound is there to protect her, and that he will always tell her the truth even when it means hearing things she doesn’t want to hear. The Hound has always been brutally honest with Sansa, and I hope she remembers that if/when they meet again (I really hope they do meet again – in fact, I’d love to see the Hound reunite with both Stark sisters).

    As for the line about the lone wolf, Ned uses it in book one when trying to make Arya see that no matter the differences she and Sansa have, they are of the same blood and need to stick together because winter is coming. I do like the use of such an iconic book line even at this late stage.

  142. Dee Stark,

    I’m not sure why so many people are interpreting her line as meaning she will betray Jon. The line about the lone wolf dying and the pack surviving is from the books, and clearly means that a Stark (a wolf) alone would die, but if they stick together as a family, they (the pack) will survive.

    The line means they have to stick together and defend each other. Ned says it to Arya in the first book when he’s trying to get her and Sansa to reconcile.

    Sansa seems, on the contrary, to be affirming her Stark-hood by saying this. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised for her to say this to LF, as in, “You thought I would side with you over my own blood, but I’m sticking with my family. The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives”.

    We already had conflict between Jon and Sansa last year. In the finale Sansa apologizes to Jon for lying, tells him he’s a Stark to her, and wants him to rule. She tells LF the same thing essentially. When Jon is named King, she’s smiling. It’s only when she sees LF’s angry glare that her expression changes to worry.

    As Sapochnik and D&D said, Sansa is worried about what he might do.

    No matter what Sophie Turner says (she says a lot of silly things, and often trolls fans), Sansa is meant to support Jon at this point. At the end of the day, the writers know the story better than the actors.

    We could of course be in for some surprise twist, but I doubt that very much.

  143. Jenny,

    Haha but i was actually talking about those few seconds when she falls and sees Jamie approaching ( kind of like those split seconds between dany holding hands with missandei and drogon appearing…. She can be fierce and determined and not afraid of him..

    I don’t think we ever heard about warging wights and iam strongly against the idea of bran warging a living dragon because I prefer bonding over warging .in a way Dragon chooses its rider kind of like wand chosing the wizard ..and BR’s line about bran flying is mostly about his flying through Ravens like he does in trailer ..

    Having said that Bran is the most powerful warg and I do think its a strong possiblity that he can warg into dead viserion..
    Imagine if bran can warg a wight then we don’t need to have the Wighthunt ..all bran need to do is warg one and make them walk towards castle black ..

  144. ghost of winterfell,

    Yeah, this trailer was pretty spoilery on numerous fronts. As much as I loved it, I was kind of happy with the first trailer giving less away. This one really lays a lot of things out for us.

  145. Markus Stark,

    Thank you for this explanation. I think I read some people say she may be saying it sarcastically, because they are giving too much away by including in the trailer.

    That is how I interpreted the line… that’s what it means to me. My sister and I discussed it yesterday, and it could mean she is referring to Ned Stark as the lone wolf, and that they will still and always stick together.

    I agree with you, the way her character has developed I really think that this is her time to stand up and prove her Stark-hood. But some times, a part of me thinks maybe, just maybe, (if she does betray her family), then this is who SHE IS… foreshadowed by the incident with Lady. I really really hope that is not the case.

  146. Young Dragon,

    That’s not an explanation, that’s a fact that makes no sense and needs explanation.

    Even if they had the largest army, the idea that they would be able to fight on all these different fronts, with no money on top of it, does not line up with what Tywin has said in previous seasons about the state of their forces and resources.

    Telling us that the Lannisters are magically strong enough even at this point is hand-waving the issue away, not explaining it.

  147. Markus Stark,

    From what I can tell, they’re only fighting on two fronts. On the “Field of Fire” and at their home. And it doesn’t look like they’re doing very well. No further explanation is needed.

  148. Dee Stark,

    You can notice more characters if you realllly pay attention. It’s better for you if you don’t though 🙂 , otherwise you will get spoiled.

    Markus Stark,

    Since I pretty much know how the entire season is going to play out, I did not mind that it was a bit spoilery lol. I loved it, much better than the first one.

  149. Dear Sue!
    I’d like to thank you and your colleagues for your magnificent work. It’s Great to be able to rely on the fact, that if a trailer comes out – it will be followed by a detailoriented breakdown. It doubles the joy. I for example could never have spotted the tyrell guy (or the malfunctioning unsullied helmet😀). thanks a lot!

  150. ghost of winterfell: Dee Stark,
    You can notice more characters if you realllly pay attention. It’s better for you if you don’t though , otherwise you will get spoiled

    I will probably watch it a few more times, but even with what I noticed, I found the trailer to give a lot away… for some one who didn’t know anything.

    I honestly did not expect a battle in the snow/with wights and stuff… if there was going to be one I thought it would be with the night’s watch only…. seems like Jon and the Wildlings head there. I thought he would go south.

    So for me, I already feel like I know too much! HAHAHA

  151. dragonbringer:
    furiosa,

    Dragon glass are mined at dragonstone remember…its got to be something else

    Sebo from the north,

    He will be killing one of the three advantages that will help fight the WW for nothing. .
    Besides I don’t think one stab will kill a dragon

    Sorry I meant if the dragon became wight

  152. I know the obvious reading of the “lone wolf” line is within the context of the Stark family, but within the larger context of the trailer (“Our families fought together…We need to do the same if we’re going to survive.”) and the apparent theme for Season 7 overall (#WinterisHere), I took it as foreshadowing of a different nature.

    The “lone wolf” is Cersei (“Everyone who isn’t us is an enemy.”) Lannister, the sole holdout of the “great war” who has either lost or pushed away her entire family and who thinks she has better odds of surviving if she leaves the rest of the “pack” (which is the rest of the realm at that point) to die.
  153. Great breakdown! I wonder if any of the lines spoken won’t be in the actual season. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t that the case with last year’s trailer when Bran says, “They have no idea what’s going to happen.”

    I also love the extra drums they added to the Light Of The Seven song. Unfortunately many “re-mixed” songs like that exist in the trailer only. Fun fact about this song: I was pregnant during season 6 and after my son was born this was the only song that would put him to sleep. (They say whatever music the baby hears in the womb can calm them after birth.)

  154. Gfx: Great breakdown! I wonder if any of the lines spoken won’t be in the actual season. Correct me if I’m wrong, but wasn’t that the case with last year’s trailer when Bran says, “They have no idea what’s going to happen.”

    That line Bran says is from a teaser, and not a trailer

  155. dragonbringer,

    Haha but Dany is not a coward.Apart from a natural moment of being afraid she will stand her ground.I don’t think Bran would warg a living dragon either.Why when somebody can ride them or they can attack themselves??But I think it would be a cool twist at the very end if he tries and wargs Viserion to try and bring him down.So they can all contribute.I still don’t get what he is doing with the ravens?Maybe try to get to Benjen or Dany?

    elybe,

    I actually thought of it that way too.

  156. By the way this year there hasn’t been guesses about the episode titles yet. We lack information based on the books but I have made my guesses based on the LEAKS. What do you think of them?

    7×01 Queen’s Landing
    7×02 The Summoning
    7×03 Guests
    7×04 Bend the Knee
    7×05 The Brothers
    7×06 The Hunt
    7×07 The Real Enemy

    7×01. Due to Daenerys arrival to Westeros and also Cersei making King’s Landing her city.
    7×02. Daenerys summoning the lords of Westeros and Euron going to support Cersei and attacking Yara and the Sand Snakes
    7×03. Jon and Davos being guests of Daenerys, and metaphorically Bran arriving Winterfell but no longer feeling like he belongs, Yara and Sand Snakes “guests” to Cersei, the Unsullied to Casterly Rock and the Lannister to Highgarden.
    7×04. Dany asking Jon to bend the knee in order to get her help and later ordering it to the defeated Tarlys.
    7×05. Brother reunion between Tyrion and Jaime, “Theon and Jon”, rift between Sansa and Arya and more metaphorically Jorah and Daenerys and Gendry with Davos.
    7×06. Wight hunt, simply.
    7×07. Enemies meet together in the Dragonpit to make an alliance against the real enemy, Night King, who will end the episode breaking the wall.

  157. Jenny,

    Interesting, I always assumed sometimes they intend for them to be in the trailer/teasers only and other times they might be from deleted scenes. Little Finger and Jon Snow’s lines seem very likely it’ll be in the show this year but I was wondering about Sansa’s quote at the end.

  158. Thank you again Sue for another great and funny comprehensive breakdown. Count o’ the Creep 🙂

  159. Sebo from the north,

    That would be something I would like to see as well…If a dragon becomes wight wouldn’t it be frozen to breathe fire ..

    Jenny,

    Yeah from the moment I saw the trailer I started to believe it will be bran who will make dany go north..hope its actually him ..that and scene with dany and tyrion on cliff before her departure became scenes iam looking forward after the trailer ..

    He may use it to distract the wights when benjen and jon gets away like BR used when Sam killed WW and escaped with Gilly …

  160. I did not hear this in the trailer, is it from the book?

    “A dog will die for you but never lie to you”

  161. nicnavfer,

    The fact that there are leaks is exactly the reason there is no “guess the titles” this year, as Luka confirmed in a previous comment.

    I think 7×07 should be called “The Fall” (as a nice contract to 3×06 “The Climb” .. related to The Wall and LF).
  162. Jenny,

    Bran might try but I don’t think it would be a smart move. The Night King controls the wights and if he is riding a dragon when Bran wargs into one I don’t think it will end well for Bran. The Night King is a greenseer like Bran and the last time Bran got involved in a vision with him he killed a lot of people aka COTF, Summer, Hodor, 3 eyed raven and summer and that was Bran getting off lucky
  163. Maybe but dragon’s is living magic In the world. If you can kill wight whit valaryan steel whit one blow of the sword. Just maybe if Jon trust Longclaw in frozen dragon that will be a triger for Azor Ahai.

  164. Thanks for the breakdown.
    Some great scenes all around but Bran warging the raven and the Night King sensing him gave me the chills.

  165. That shot with Drogon and the Dothraki – I think I can make out Dany sitting on Drogon 🙂 – agreed?

  166. Thanks Sue! A ‘furious’ breakdown!

    I hope that John’s leaving on horseback is not a portent that his group has been wiped out. Hard to think of life without the Hound, Beric and Tormund although I’m sure that Tormund is wily enough to somehow survive and continue his flirtatious ways.

    Do they fail to capture a wight? I thought the scene in the Dragonpit was to with the captured wight.

    Really looking forward to the season. HBO has been re-running all six seasons so I’m stoked as I’ll ever be!
    Thanks again for the awesome breakdown.

  167. Dee Stark: So for me, I already feel like I know too much! HAHAHA

    I was a little surprised late yesterday when you said you’d watch it later. Others did tell you it isn’t too spoilery and by then I was sort of agreeing. One of my first comments in the trailer thread after watching it I mentioned I thought it had more spoiler stuff in it than any promo stuff so far. I thought that though for people that would have an idea of what they’re seeing. For someone that has avoided nearly everything like yourself I imagine there were a lot of surprising things.

    Vincent Stark:
    I love how the trailer both starts and ends with Sansa.
    I hope it signifies her role on this season will be big. 🙂

    I wouldn’t be me if I didn’t say I hope it’s the opposite and they had her in the trailer as much because her part is small and non-spoilery. There’s only so much they can do with her at this point. Considering where she is and what role she can possibly play I imagine her as this seasons “High Sparrow”… That comparison would be referring to long, talky scenes that aren’t necessarily enjoyable that I will often fast forward through on my subsequent viewings. 😛

  168. Chloe,

    It looks to me like she is walking away from someone and then glances nervously to the side (but not all the way back) when that person calls after her. It’s interesting that she doesn’t stop moving. Like she is running away, but slowly.

  169. Tully Baby,

    Tyrion. The thing that I’m curious about is all that fire in the sea battle and the dismayed faces of Yara and Theon. I don’t think this will follow where we expect the book storyline to go, as certain over-the-top magical objects are not usually adapted to the series. However, it seems like the ‘good’ Greyjoys could be under attack by a dragon.

  170. Clob: I was a little surprised late yesterday when you said you’d watch it later. Others did tell you it isn’t too spoilery and by then I was sort of agreeing. One of my first comments in the trailer thread after watching it I mentioned I thought it had more spoiler stuff in it than any promo stuff so far. I thought that though for people that would have an idea of what they’re seeing. For someone that has avoided nearly everything like yourself I imagine there were a lot of surprising things.

    I was definitely too surprised….

  171. Wolfish,

    I could be persuaded to eat oatmeal if it came with that picture on the box! Actually with any Rory picture on the box…

  172. Wolfish,

    From the leaks spoilers,

    couldn’t this be where Sandor kills the wight that Jon and company brought back from the north, to prove the reality of the white walkers to the those that don’t believe
  173. Regarding Sansa’s lines through the promo – couldn’t this be her talking to someone (Littlefinger or another Stark for example) about Littlefinger wanting to play her against her own family to weaken them and make him stronger – if she goes with him, she’s the lone wolf and will die, but if she stays with her family “pack” they will survive?

  174. Ten Bears,

    Pigeon:
    I still wanna know what happened to poor Drogon’s teeth. Do you KNOW how expensive dental work on a dragon is????

    Ten Bears:
    No worries. I heard Qyburn’s running a special on Valyrian Steel implants. Don’t fret, Drogon: you’ll have that perfect smile back in no tine.

    With a zombified Septa Unella as his dental assistant, no doubt. (“Drogon, what did you do to your teeth? Shame!”)

  175. Dee Stark,

    Your reactions are the best. I hope your level of enthusiasm never fades. 🙂

    You had held out on all the various promotional materials for so long, I had half-hoped that you might make it all the way to the premiere. But if you were going to relent and watch a trailer, this was the one to watch!

    For what it’s worth, I believe that Sansa’s line – “The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives” – is meant to be altruistic and sincere. I do not think that she will turn on Jon, or any other member of her family. As long as Littlefinger’s there, that fear will always be present in the minds of the audience, which makes it an effective tool in stirring up anxiety and anticipation for the new season. But I think she’s strong and experienced enough to resist his insidious influence, especially now.

  176. Clob,

    That comparison would be referring to long, talky scenes that aren’t necessarily enjoyable that I will often fast forward through on my subsequent viewings

    See, I love these. You need these for character interaction and story development. But thats just me, I have always been more interested in character driven over plot. As far as scenes I fast forward, I usually do that with battle scenes, but I don’t in this show because they are just so well done!

  177. Jared:
    Dee Stark,

    For what it’s worth, I believe that Sansa’s line – “The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives” – is meant to be altruistic and sincere. I do not think that she will turn on Jon, or any other member of her family. As long as Littlefinger’s there, that fear will always be present in the minds of the audience, which makes it an effective tool in stirring up anxiety and anticipation for the new season. But I think she’s strong and experienced enough to resist his insidious influence, especially now.

    Based on the comments I have read on the Net, it looks like the inclusion of that line in the trailer removed most of the doubts in people’s minds that Sansa would betray Jon for LF. It is surprising that they included a line that seems to so obviously show where Sansa’s true loyalties lie, especially after all the time and energy they spent teasing Starkbowl.

  178. Wolfish,

    The main characters seldom wear helmets. I’m assuming the reason is so you can recognize them on the battlefield. So while in a real battle they would be wearing a helmet, we sacrifice accuracy for making a nicer and easier to follow scene. I’m fine with that.

  179. ash,

    Don’t get me wrong… I don’t dislike “talky scenes” and am only driven by action. It just really depends on who is doing the talking. Those ten minute or more High Sparrow scenes were a drag for instance, in my opinion. They were necessary and worth watching the first time but once I knew what was said I don’t care to sit through them again very often.

  180. Jack Bauer 24,

    Because they’re not bloodthirsty zombies. The same reason they just stopped and stood there at Hardhome when the Night King walked out then instead of piling into the water after them. He’s clearly about to step out again, boss battle style.

  181. Pigeon: Poor Drogon seems to have broken some teeth. Hopefully on someone’s head.

    It would not be a big deal for dragons. The whole “let’s grow only two sets of teeth for an entire life” is a weird mammal limitation.

  182. Clob: I don’t dislike “talky scenes” and am only driven by action. It just really depends on who is doing the talking.

    In a series like this, talking should decrease over the course of the series, and it should decrease over the course of the season. Dialog is really good for initial character development. However, action is much better for dynamic character development. Each year, we need a small “refresher” and we need to see some basic discussion that shows us what this year’s basic dilemma is going to be. That should be at the outset. After that, show, don’t tell!

  183. Brian: I’m assuming the reason is so you can recognize them on the battlefield. So while in a real battle they would be wearing a helmet, we sacrifice accuracy for making a nicer and easier to follow scene. I’m fine with that.

    This is completely correct. The face is the “placeholder” for each character in audiences’ minds. In books, they can wear helmets, or polymorph themselves, or become invisible: and it’s all the same because the string of letters denoting the character is unchanged. On screen, these things must be used cautiously.

  184. Sebo from the north: If you can kill wight whit valaryan steel whit one blow of the sword. Just maybe if Jon trust Longclaw in frozen dragon that will be a triger for Azor Ahai.

    When has that possibility ever been set up? The show has never gone Deus ex Machina yet, and it’s not going to do so. There is not going to be an “Azor Ahai” of the sort that many fantasy fans are thinking: despite the fantasy trappings, SoI&F is just not that sort of story.

  185. Coleen: Regarding Sansa’s lines through the promo – couldn’t this be her talking to someone

    It could be any number of things: at this point, it is pretty useless to speculate about exact circumstances. In some ways, this might have been more appropriate last year, when the story was about conflicted politics. However, if this year is a story about choosing one’s battles or something like that, then this could pertain to the Starks or the Northerners being uncertain as to which enemy to fight next.

    All of that stated, there is an almost elegiac quality to this little verse that fits something like a trailer very nicely. Trailers are meant to make something look like a silk purse, whether it be a silk’s purse or a sow’s ear: and this trailer certainly succeeded!

  186. Jared,

    THANK YOU! I really wanted to hold out… it was hard after the hype I saw from everyone for this trailer. And I watched it at a perfect time, I just finished S5EP10 of my rewatch, and on to season 6, which is one of my favorites. so I am super excited and hyped up now… not that I wasn’t before.

    Thank you for your two cents 🙂 I hope you are right. That is how I feel… but what if we are meant to think that way, but in fact, that just isn’t who Sansa is…

    And as ghost of winterfell said:

    ghost of winterfell: Based on the comments I have read on the Net, it looks like the inclusion of that line in the trailer removed most of the doubts in people’s minds that Sansa would betray Jon for LF. It is surprising that they included a line that seems to so obviously show where Sansa’s true loyalties lie, especially after all the time and energy they spent teasing Starkbowl.

    Maybe it is too obvious now?!?! And in the end, she really isn’t truly Stark (foreshadowed by HOW Lady died compared to the other direwolves manner of death)

  187. Wimsey,

    LOL It’s “useless to speculate”? Jeez, I thought this was what most are doing here in these threads. It’s just for fun 😛 Well thanks so much for the warm welcome for my first time posting here. I guess I won’t be posting anymore 🙁 Guess I just got my “please go away” notification.

  188. Stark Raven’ Rad,

    Thanks for that! It’s no secret I’m a devoted disciple of the Many-Faced Goddess. I am always on the lookout for anything Arya- or Maisie-related. I had not seen that video before.

  189. Jaime sure picked an awkward time to practice his jousting.

    Terrific overview as usual, Sue!

  190. Coleen:
    Wimsey,

    LOL It’s “useless to speculate”? Jeez, I thought this was what most are doing here in these threads. It’s just for fun Well thanks so much for the warm welcome for my first time posting here. I guess I won’t be posting anymore Guess I just got my “please go away” notification.

    Don’t take it personally, Coleen. That’s just our Wimsey going into his Pedantic Mode, which we regulars have learned to take with an indulgent smile and a big grain of salt. He can’t help himself. And that particular comment may not have been aimed at you anyway; there are many here working themselves up into a fret before we have a chance to see how things play out.

    There’s room in this sandbox for all. I bid you welcome to WotW, where everyone’s opinion counts!

  191. 12 people in a ring fighting beyond the wall. 12!

    This is definitely drawing on the Last Hero myth right? So, only one survives? Yikes!

  192. Coleen,

    No! Don’t go away! That wasn’t Wimsey ridiculing you for speculation or hinting you should get lost. You’ll find that he’s got interesting insights and contributions – I’m pretty sure he’s got an extensive academic background – but he never disparages anyone even when he disagrees with someone. Disagreements – polite disagreements – fuel the disscussions that make this site’s comment sections unique. (So long as people remember to cover “leaks” with spoiler coding or refrain from mentioning them at all.)

    Look, I’ve posited a bunch of theories and observations that Wimsey has discounted, eg the significance of the Hound. But that’s part of the challenge, because some day in the not too distant future today’s tinfoil will be tomorrow’s correct outcome.

    So please. Don’t go.

  193. A Dornish Tyrell,

    (^ц^ ) Pardon the double negative, but I don’t like not seeing Bronn by his side. Here’s hoping that if something did happen it was only him being captured.

  194. Also, no Melisandre?!?!?!

    #dontanswerifyouvereadtheleaks

    lol

    Its possible we don’t see her this year/

    I still cant get over the fact that Jon is having another battle with the WW/Wights… I honestly didn’t expect HIM to be involved in another until next season. Like how many times is it going to happen?!

  195. Just for fun… back on the topic of horses from the recent photo thread for a moment…
    Many were commenting on the sweet black horse Jon is shown riding: http://watchersonthewall.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Jon-Snow-on-a-horse-1024×682.jpg
    On Tuesday night I was rewatching “The Red Woman” and noticed in the scene with Jorah and Daario riding the green valley to where Daenerys was taken prisoner that Jorah is riding a horse that could be the same one: https://imagesvc.timeincapp.com/v3/fan/image?c=sc&w=630&h=359&url=http://winteriscoming.net/wp-content/blogs.dir/385/files/2016/04/Got-601-18-630×359.jpg

    https://vignette1.wikia.nocookie.net/gameofthrones/images/6/6d/Daario-and-jorah-s6e1.jpg/revision/latest?cb=20160426221956
    It seems logical for them to reuse good acting horses that look that awesome. Now I’m not a horse breed professional but it appeared that Jorah’s was a Friesian breed which have long, heavy manes and tails and “feathers” (long hair on lower legs). We haven’t been able to see the lower legs of the horse Jon is riding yet but I wouldn’t be surprised if it doesn’t have the feather as well and quite possibly be the exact same horse. 🙂

  196. Coleen,

    Aren’t you overreacting to this? There was nothing negative about Wimsey’s reply to your post. The reply didn’t tell you not to speculate, it simply said that all speculation was in the end useless which is true but people do it anyway just to have fun.

  197. Dee Stark,

    You sure ask a lot of spoilery questions for someone who wants to avoid leaks, Dee 🙂 Tread carefully so as not to become one of the spoiled! It’s already dangerous territory with all the uncovered spoiler posts.

  198. Mr Derp,

    The problem is, im trying to speculate with fellow fans.. we used to do that so much before everything started leaking like crazy.

    Youre probably right though.. I guess I should skedaddle, I just wanted to speculate a little and the trailer has made me so nervous and hyped LOL.

  199. Dee Stark:

    I still cant get over the fact that Jon is having another battle with the WW/Wights… I honestly didn’t expect HIM to be involved in another until next season. Like how many times is it going to happen?!

    What is 5, Alex? 😛

    Good question, but as long as they keep being so cool to watch I’m all for repeated engagements. 🙂

  200. Dee Stark,

    No way, don’t go Dee, your enthusiasm is contagious in the best possible way. You’ve done such a great job so far of avoiding the leaks and we are only 3-4 weeks away from the premiere. I just want to do my part for the realm of the unspoiled!

  201. Mr Derp,

    aww thanks 🙂 🙂
    youre the best, I appreciate that.
    Not trying to toot my own horn but I think im pretty good at catching a spoiler comment and skipping it fast enough. I also usually read comments from people I trust like you and a few others mostly.
    You are right though. I will be more careful 🙂

    I think we are getting another looking forward post from Oz soon, ill save most of my thoughts and questions for that!!!!!

  202. Mel,

    Thanks for that reassurance 🙂
    Also… how come lannisters have so many men… despite fighting battle of five kings .. while the rest of the houses are stripped bare .. except for House Tyrell ? Is it because they are wealthy ?

  203. Wimsey,

    Wimsey wrote, in part:

    “… The show has never gone Deus ex Machina yet, and it’s not going to do so. There is not going to be an “Azor Ahai” of the sort that many fantasy fans are thinking: despite the fantasy trappings, SoI&F is just not that sort of story.”
    ___________________

    I concur completely with your first sentence, but respectfully disagree with the rest. There will be an Azor Ahai = Show!”Warrior of Light.”

    No deus ex machina required. Almost all of the prerequisites are there already, subject to the distortion of “prophecies” in the reception and retelling over millennia because of all the reasons we’ve discusssed. (My shorthand term is “Extrapolation, Embellishment and Exaggeration”)

    I’m going solely by what’s been presented in the show. Trying to incorporate and reconcile books! versions of “prophecies” short-circuits my brain, and it’s probably counterproductive to mix and match, especially since I have not read the books.

    While acknowledging the real possibility that my conviction may crumble in a month or two from now, i’ll say it again:

    Book!Azor Ahai = Show!Warrior of Light aka the Lord’s Chosen
    Warrior of Light = Sandor Clegane

    (*ducks and covers in anticipation of imminent sh*tstorm of derision*)

    PS Request/Reminder to all: I have NOT read “the leaks” and do not want to. No “leaks” talk in response please. If there’s something in S7 that refutes what I’m proposing, I’ll find out when the episode(s) air.

    Thank you in advance for your courtesies.
    🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚫

  204. ToniusMaximus,

    Speaking of that, you’re correct that they’re not supposed to be bloodthirsty zombies, yet they do show the kid wights basically eating Karsi in the Hardhome episode.

    Sapochnik even says that D&D were “adamant that they wanted her to die at the hands of a bunch of munchy children”.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irde_d34aiY
    Around the 13:38 mark.

    So the show has made them a lot more like zombies, since they’ve incorporated the flesh-eating element. I really dislike this a lot, but that is the direction they’ve gone.

    Hopefully we won’t see too much more of that.

  205. Young Dragon,

    I see your point, but I respectfully disagree.

    If you’re going to have an army significantly more capable of putting up a fight than they logically should be, that does need explaining, at least for me.

    A lot of people just accept the show no matter what it does, and then people like me are the bad guys for pointing out the things we don’t like. Well, I still love it, but they’ve just been poor at keeping track of the different armies and the right numbers. In their defense, this isn’t easy, but it seems like every season has been written for the purposes of what would happen in that season, without any regard for things that had been established in prior years, and without any regard for what they will need to do in the future.

    Battle of the Bastards is the perfect example of this. Virtually everything we are told in Season 6 about Ramsay’s forces seems to conflict with what we were told in Season 5.

  206. Ten Bears: I concur completely with your first sentence, but respectfully disagree with the rest. There will be an Azor Ahai = Show!”Warrior of Light.”

    Heh, I agree and disagree. One of the “themes” of SoI&F (really, more of a motif) is that the fairy tales are all lies. That is, the relationship between Azor Ahai of legend and the original person is like that between Robin Hood and Robin of Locksley. Jon will (I have no doubt) be hailed as the Prince that was Promised by many: but Jon will still be just a person who is in the right place at the right time and with the right capacities to have a huge historical impact.

    What is not going to happen is having Jon (or the Hound or anyone else) turn into some godlike entity with superpowers, shooting lasers from his eyes, speaking in reverb, smoke rising from his boots, or whatever “epic” stuff some fans seem to be imagining. Nor is the fact that he’s part Stark and part Targaryen going to convey special powers on him: it is much, much too late for the story to hang that gun.

    That said, of course, I don’t expect the “Prince” to be just one person here: I am still expecting a triumvirate!

    Markus Stark: If you’re going to have an army significantly more capable of putting up a fight than they logically should be, that does need explaining, at least for me.

    There is no “logical” expectation here. For one thing, all battles are probabilistic: there are no sound “If X, then Y” premises in such things. For another, I think that you are vastly underestimating the strength of the Lannister forces. Remember, Westeros is going to be invaded: and nothing unites a divided people so well as does invasion. The Lannisters will not stand alone in this.

    But the other mistake people are making is to read way too much into trailers. Remember, a trailer is all glitz and no substance. The sequences are at random with respect to the plot. It’s all to look dramatic.

  207. Ice Spider:
    Anxiously waiting and purposely stayed away for months (besides having to fight Cancer)….. here’s to all my GOT fan lovers…. Ice Spider is back!! Kinda wish I had used my other name on the other website.. Ice Dragon… Im hearing its going to be here this season!!! ;(

    I’m sorry to hear of your health problems. I hope you are better. Looking forward to next season!!!

  208. Markus Stark:
    Young Dragon,

    Battle of the Bastards is the perfect example of this. Virtually everything we are told in Season 6 about Ramsay’s forces seems to conflict with what we were told in Season 5.

    Like what? Boltons had 5,000 men in Season 5 without Umbers (but probably with Karstarks) and they had 6,000 men in Season 6 with Umbers. Sounds perfectly fine to me.

  209. Mr Fixit,

    I was just going to say the same… just watched season 5 also and just seems their army increased from season 5 to season 6, which, makes sense.

  210. Wolfish: I was hoping for Northern pines.

    Ha ! Northern pines sounds a touch too air freshener-esque for me… The Hound is fierce and exotic, he is a rainforest flower ! Let his petals show 😉

    A Dornish Tyrell,
    The stupidity or, as I like to call it, “impulsivity and delusion pushed to the point of senselessness” is part of her charm ! She stumbles from crisis to crisis, every time making things slightly worse than they were before, and yet she survives !
    Her policy of “all escalation, all the time” has the sweeping majesty of an implosion in slow motion. She flies like the eagle, if the eagle enjoyed crashing into things 😛

    Cersei is a paroxystic character; she goes all out all the time. The sheer brazenness of it is fascinating (in fiction ! In real life, it would obviously be appalling)

    Firannion,
    What an excellent comparison ! Vetinari’s arc in Night Watch (hum… ^^) is superb.

  211. Dee Stark,

    Thanks! Made it myself!

    I’m ridiculously uncreative with usernames and I was eating potatoes when I was getting ready to comment and here we are lol.

  212. Markus Stark,

    But I don’t blindly follow the show. If there’s a contradiction, I would criticize the show accordingly. For example, I hated how it was said the Karstarks made up half of Robb’s army in season 3, because that didn’t make sense to me. There is no contradiction here, though. The Lannisters were said to have had the largest army since season 2. Yes, they’ve been in battles and have lost men, but they never said how many men they lost or what percent of their army is now gone. Therefore, Lannisters still being able to field men and put up a somewhat decent fight is not a contradiction from the knowledge that we already have.

  213. Clob,

    Leaks

    It’s Benjen’s horse. Where would Jorah get a horse Beyond the Wall.

    dragonbringer,

    Leaks.

    What else is she supposed to do? She’s not a fighter and in fact being scared in the battle when someone is charging at you, braver people were afraid of this. You want them to show her emotions, well this could be one of the examples.
  214. Geralt of Rivia,
    You misinterpreted or didn’t read my horse post and/or didn’t look at the linked pictures. I was comparing the picture from earlier this week of the horse Jon is riding when it appears he’s perhaps leaving Winterfell – and – the horse that Jorah rode when he and Daario found where the Dothraki captured Daenerys (6×01).

  215. Clob,

    Understood 🙂

    Wimsey,

    Dialog is really good for initial character development. However, action is much better for dynamic character development. Each year, we need a small “refresher” and we need to see some basic discussion that shows us what this year’s basic dilemma is going to be. That should be at the outset. After that, show, don’t tell!

    I have always been a ‘show don’t tell’ kind of reader and watcher, and yes the beginning discussions may be enough, But I think there are still times when a longer speech paints a picture of the characters thoughts and motivation that might not be immediately known. I still think the beetle speech was brillant (tho I know others will differ strongly.) And Not talking about that horrid 15 min sexposition of Little Finger, but scenes where the characters need to explain to each other what they are thinking and sometimes, like the HS conv, went on for a bit, but I rarely find them troublesome. But i do get what Cob is saying – once is fine, then fast forward if you know it already.

    Quote Reply

  216. A Dornish Tyrell: It’s just her stupidity (as Olenna would put it) that irks me (probably because I do not lack of it.) I admit she is a fascinating character

    I’m not a big Cersei fan, but I am a big Lena Heady fan. I loved her as the “good” Queen in 300, it was the first time I became aware of her. She makes a perfect Queen, good or bad, regal, aloof, speculative. The reason I’m saying this is in defense of Cersei, believe it or not. Yes, she made some bad calls, the worst being putting the High Sparrow into power without listening closely enough to see if he would be an ally of hers or not. It was a disaster in slow motion: he undid her and her family then moved to undo the Tyrells. She should have known better.
    HOWEVER:::
    In rewatching some of the episodes HBO televised last night, I sat upright in protest when I watched Tyrion call in the Red Priestess, Kinvara, to spread the good word about Dany. He is basically doing the same thing that Cersei did, calling on a religious entity for their help and alliance, potentially releasing the exact same trouble Cersei released with the HS. Granted, Kinvara seems to be absolutely a fan of Daenerys Stormborn, but her power and true desires are an unknown. Tyrion is called clever, and Cersei is called stupid. Tyrion’s only saving grace is that the whole crew has packed up and left for Westeros, so whatever trouble Kinvara may make, he will be too far away to suffer from it.

    Just a rant, loved the trailer, DEE STARK, nice to see you stayed on a while. Can’t wait to watch the season unfold and see your reactions.

  217. Just watched this trailer for the ‘i’ve lost the count’ time & can’t help but fixate on Sansa’s speech at the end. It sounds like she is either passing out or dying,coz she is speaking way too slowly & her voice is drifting off towards the end.

    They could have intentionally tweaked it for the purpose of this trailer for certain kind of dramatic effect. But the way it is placed at the end of this trailer makes me truly wonder if this was meant as a sendoff for Sansa ,bowing out saying Ned’s words.

  218. ash:

    And Not talking about that horrid 15 min sexposition of LittleFinger (…)

    Haha, I just re-watched Season 1 a few days ago. I still stand by my opinion that the ‘play with her arse’ scene is the most hilarious thing (in a so bad it’s good sort of way) that the show has ever done. Actually, it’s tied with the brothel ‘peeping tom’ scene from Season 2. These two scenes are so over the top and straight into the land of insanity that I can’t outright say they’re awful. They became magnificent once I fully processed what I was watching.

  219. Ten Bears,

    Totally agree – it took me a bit to get Wimsey (and ACME) because I wasn’t sure entirely if my comments were criticized out of hand; till I realized that these guys are really knowledgable interesting and make it fun to join in the discussion. And they also don’t take themselves too seriously So yes, come on back and join us.

  220. ash: I think there are still times when a longer speech paints a picture of the characters thoughts and motivation that might not be immediately known

    I agree, sometimes the only way, and the shorter way, to get a true bearing of a character’s motives is through discussion. Those discussions between Varys and LF come to mind, specifically the “chaos is a ladder” speech. If you had any doubts about LF’s true intents for his future, or for his true feelings toward women, that speech would have set you straight. He thrives on chaos, sees it as a total positive for his advancement; he basically detests women, seeing them solely as means to his ends. This is the speech where he advises Varys of Ros’s fate, calling her a “bad investment.” Then we see Ros’s body full of arrows that Joffrey shot into her.
    So yes, I agree with you, discussion, even later in the season, is sometimes not only necessary but desirable.

  221. Thronetender,

    He thrives on chaos, sees it as a total positive for his advancement; he basically detests women, seeing them solely as means to his ends.

    Whenever I think of him I flash back to old Dungeons and Dragons days, a friend played a cleric that was definitely chaos neutral. LF would be the model for that I think

  222. Thronetender,

    The difference is that Tyrion didn’t confer any de iure secular powers upon the Red Priesthood; he struck a mutually beneficial deal with the R’hllorites where both parties agreed to support each other in Slaver’s Bay. In return for the priests’ support re:elevation of Daenerys into a religious savior figure (which she already was in a way), Tyrion probably gave them some certain benefits not stated on screen like tax exemptions, donations of money, permits for temple construction, possibly some kind of preferential status…

    Meanwhile Cersei handed the Faith actual paramilitary, judicial and policing powers over commoners and nobles alike, paving the way for a fully theocratic society down the road.

  223. And in the first scene, it looks like Sansa is walking away from someone she has possibly betrayed, the way she is literally looking over her shoulder. There is a great level of trepidation in her countenance, she looks like she is apprehensive about whatever she just said or did & is consumed with guilt. This walk is the exact opposite of her proud stride when she fed the dogs her husband.

  224. Ten Bears:

    Re: Wolfish, 6-21-17, 7:13 PM

    According to Melisandre’s recital of the prophecy (excerpts below), a “warrior” will draw a burning sword from the fire. She misidentified Stannis as the Warrior of Light. …

    What other “warrior” is around to draw a burning sword from a fire? What other warrior have we been constantly reminded about who fears nothing—except fire—and is destined to confront it? …

    Now I know the Sandor = Warrior of Light prediction is wrapped in serious heavy-duty tinfoil; there are other segments that I could excerpt that are consistent with it though. It is also part of an even more far-fetched, explanation-of-everything theory that I’m apprehensive to float, lest some Leakophiles jump all over it and claim “the leaks” refute it.

    Anyway, going into S7, who is the likeliest candidate for “The Warrior of Light” Mel was talking about?

    Apologies for the late response; the graphic designer for the California Geographical Society screwed up my article in the final draft of the Society’s annual journal, so I spent the morning dealing with a minor crisis. I’m finally getting published (in an academic journal, that is), and not only are all my maps missing their bottoms, my name is misspelled in the Table of Contents!!!

    But I digress.

    I’ve had many of the same (perhaps tinfoily) thoughts you’ve had about the Warrior of Light prophecy; of course, it doesn’t help that Melisandre uses Azor Ahai and the Prince That Was Promised interchangeably, further muddying the waters. My understanding—and I haven’t done nearly as much background reading as many fellow WotW, although I’m working on that—is that the PTWP is essentially a reincarnation of AA.

    Furthermore, I tend to waver between taking the prophecy literally and not doing so. (This often depends on how much product of the vine/blue agave/corn/rye/malted barley I’ve consumed.) Our mutual friend Wimsey would argue for the latter—that GRRM’s intentions are for prophecies, legends and the like to be taken with a grain (or block) of salt, because while they may be rooted in some fundamental truth they likely have been bastardized, bowdlerized, rewritten, and reinterpreted so much that it is now impossible to determine what said “fundamental truth” is.

    So these are the options I tend to consider:

    1. The prophecy is not meant to be taken literally (the argument set forth by the Learned Monk).
    2. The prophecy is to be taken literally, but unexpectedly refers to a pyrophobic individual (the argument set forth by the Dubious Hat Society, Ursine Chapter).
    3. The prophecy is to be taken literally, and expectedly refers to Planetos’s top male hair model (the argument set forth by the Rabid Factions of Westeros, Niveous Chapter).
    4. The prophecy is to be taken literally, and expectedly refers to Planetos’s top female hair model (the argument set forth by the Rabid Factions of Westeros, Draconian Chapter).
    5. The prophecy is to be taken somewhat literally, and unexpectedly refers to anyone (perhaps several people) blessed by the Lord of Light—e.g., an oft-resurrected renegade lord with an eye patch and his formerly rotund friend from Myr (an argument set forth by the Dubious Hat Society, Lupine Chapter).

    Moving on…

    Only slightly OT (but not entirely), since we have both mentioned tinfoil hats: Did you know that the Latin name for tin is stannum, chemical element Sn, atomic number 50?

    [ducks rotten fruit hurled by Wannabe Subjects of the “One True King”]

  225. Thronetender,

    Mr Fixit,

    My dishing of Cersei has nothing to do with Lena’s performing skills (which are incredibly amazing.)

    I have to pretty much agree with Mr Fixit here… Tyrion even tells Kinvara that Danny has followers of many diferent faiths, suggesting that even if Dany’s politics might favor the Red God’s religion, it doesn’t exclude freedom of religion.

    ACME: , “impulsivity and delusion pushed to the point of senselessness”

    I might remain unconvinced, but I love this Cersei descriptor!! 😀

  226. howtathor,

    As I told someone else above…

    USE SPOILER CODING!!!

    Lots of people here haven’t read the leaks. What is UP with so many new/returning commenters assuming that everyone knows what’s in store for S7???

  227. Rich Stark: And in the first scene, it looks like Sansa is walking away from someone she has possibly betrayed, the way she is literally looking over her shoulder

    It reminded me of the way she walked, looking over her shoulder, just after she put the candle in the tower and was attempting to return to her room, unnoticed, then bumped into Myranda and Theon. Maybe, like that scene, she’s put something into play that someone else won’t be happy about. And no, I don’t think she is going to betray Jon, I think she’s going to get Littlefinger.

  228. Coleen,

    USE SPOILER CODING!!!

    I’ve read the leaks, but lots of people on this site haven’t!!!

    Sorry if I’m coming across like the WotW Cop-of-the-Day, but a lot of great commenters who make wonderful contributions are regularly “run off” this site by people who inexplicably assume that everyone’s read the leaks.

  229. Wolfish: So these are the options I tend to consider:

    1. The prophecy is not meant to be taken literally (the argument set forth by the Learned Monk).
    2. The prophecy is to be taken literally, but unexpectedly refers to a pyrophobic individual (the argument set forth by the Dubious Hat Society, Ursine Chapter).
    3. The prophecy is to be taken literally, and expectedly refers to Planetos’s top male hair model (the argument set forth by the Rabid Factions of Westeros, Niveous Chapter).
    4. The prophecy is to be taken literally, and expectedly refers to Planetos’s top female hair model (the argument set forth by the Rabid Factions of Westeros, Draconian Chapter).
    5. The prophecy is to be taken somewhat literally, and unexpectedly refers to anyone (perhaps several people) blessed by the Lord of Light—e.g., an oft-resurrected renegade lord with an eye patch and his formerly rotund friend from Myr (an argument set forth by the Dubious Hat Society, Lupine Chapter).

    Wow, Wolfish my friend – you’ve set my soul aflame with Society/Chapter envy! Normally I’m not wedded to any particular interpretation of the Azor Ahai/Prince That* Was Promised/Warrior of Light/Last Hero prophecies, beyond the presumptions that 1) prophecies in literature are often deliberately misdirectional, and 2) characters who attempt to circumvent them inevitably cause them to come true. But now I’m thinking that it’s time to hitch my wagon to a particular GoT character and make his/her case, however tinfoily, if only to qualify as the spokesperson of some faction! I want my 15 minutes of eye-rolling notoriety!

    * Prince WHO Was Promised – Stannis the One True Copyeditor

  230. I’ve read the leaks just as many times as I’ve watched the trailers now, and I’m still hyped af. Aren’t y’all excited for the cinematography? The score? I swear to god I’ll still piss myself when Leaks Spoilers

    Jon will be left to die, even though I know Benjen will come in

    . That’s how much of a nerd I am, don’t waste time regretting reading the leaks guys, the fact that you’re still reading the breakdown shows how much of a sweet summer child each and every one of you is regarding s7!

  231. Rich Stark,

    I get that something was bothering her, but that could be accounted for by so many situations. It could be that she just killed LF and is lookig over her shoulder to make sure he is for real dead.

  232. Firannion:

    But now I’m thinking that it’s time to hitch my wagon to a particular GoT character and make his/her case, however tinfoily, if only to qualify as the spokesperson of some faction! I want my 15 minutes of eye-rolling notoriety!

    * Prince WHO Was Promised – Stannis the One True Copyeditor

    LMAO!!!

    Yes, I always grit my teeth when I write PTWP… I only use it because it seems to be (by far) the most common usage. But that’s really bad logic, ennit? 😉

  233. Jenny: Is it even possible to warg a wight?

    remember Varomir six skins strove with a previous warg within one of the animals VSS warged? If the good guys can expel the WWs from the wights, that could help the cause.
  234. Ice Spider,

    Stay strong, my friend. I have fought the same battle.

    Rich Stark,

    I agree and hope that its Littlefinger that she is about to betray because that can’t come soon enough for me.

  235. Wolfish,
    All my sincerest congratulations for you article (and commiseration for the mispelling crisis) ! That’s wonderful.

    In re. Azor Ahai and all his regional variations, I have to admit that my favourite prophecies have always been of the self-fulfilling variety. It is the only sort that allows for a degree of mysticism to permeate while preserving the characters’ free will. So whoever believes him/herself to be Azor Ahai at the “right” moment will, fuelled by that belief, fulfil the role.

    Therefore, I struggle to find a chapter I can call home (though, very much like Groucho Marx, I am inherently suspicious of any club that would accept me as a member). My heart whispers to me to go with the Choleric Canine, my head encourages me to follow team Magnificent Manes and my guts tell me to support the Pyrotechnical Priest and his Zestful Zombie. My pancreas is uncharacteristically undecided though.

  236. ACME,

    Thank you, and I’m glad I’m not the only member of the Undecided Company!

    (“She sounds confused.” “Yes. She was.”)

  237. nicnavfer,

    What do I think? I think I’m not going to click on spoiler-coded text that’s based on “the leaks”, especially possible episode titles based on “the leaks.” Where’s the fun in that?

    🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱🚱

  238. ghost of winterfell: Now we need one for the last shot of Jon slicing down the wight

    The wight is neither on fire nor sliced to bits. Why does he not get up and fight some more? Is that actually a wight?

  239. Catspaw Assassin: Jaime sure picked an awkward time to practice his jousting.

    Jaime riding hell bent for leather. Probably means Bronn, that ultimate survivor, bit the dust. I really enjoyed his cynical professionalism, and want to see him get his Lannister-promised reward.

  240. Wimsey,

    I think you are half wrong. If you consider the ptwp and AA the same person then AA must have some power to better fight the others. It can be cold imunity or whatever, but AA is suposed to be a hero. Which means he doesn t just have his leadership skills, he has something which distinguishes him from other people…
    In the show I don t believe we will see any magic from jon (both arya, danny and bran have superpowers =( ) besides maybe eventually imitating the flaming sword. However in the books he is a warg and if needed there are a few instaces where he has super strenght wich might be pretty useful against the WW!

  241. Ten Bears: There will be an Azor Ahai = Show!”Warrior of Light.”

    Azor Ahai is promulgated by the red religion. So far the red religion is the only religion that has actually done things (fiery swords, recall to life). I think the red religion learned some facts and science long ago, and religionized their story in order to perpetuate the beliefs among a medieval populace until the time comes for humans to carry on the fight of fire versus ice.

    Azor Ahai is one of the red religion’s stories (prophecies) and I do not believe a literal AA will appear. But we shall see. And ASoIaF may handle this differently from GoT. Revelation is a few years in the future.

  242. Wimsey,

    I can’t tell if we’ve agreed to disagree, or agree. 😅
    There’s not going to be some Marvel superhero-type figure who emerges to save the day. Dany comes close with her sometimes-flameproofing and three dragons, but I view those attributes as part of the “science” of the GoT world- much like how three stealth bombers would look to Union-Confederate soldiers in the Civil War. Now, I’m still confounded by the whole R’hillor thing, and moreso by the Red Priestesses.

    Anyway, I think you think the PTWP will just be some guy – maybe Jon – and all of the gee whiz messianic atttributes of the legends are just embellishments multiplied over time.
    Same thing with Azor Whoever: it may be a warrior who fights with a flaming sword, but that could be the only kernel of truth left from the actual person.
    I don’t like to get into religion here, but there are those who say followers of Jesus trying to find some meaning in his tragic, senseless death cast it as a self-sacrifice for the salvation of humanity; and after bereaved relatives moved his body to protect it from desecration, its disappearance was portrayed as a resurrection. Again, I am NOT criticizing religion. (To the contrary, I believe JC was a progressive humanist way ahead of his time.)

    ….. Oh damn! Can’t edit this. ..

  243. Marlana,

    I cannot abide the idea that Bronn would kick the bucket before drinking and whoring with Tyrion again, or at least hearing them sing that great song one day. 😉

  244. Pigeon,

    LOL!!! OK, OK… My outer 47-year-old still does. 😉

    A Dornish Tyrell,

    Thank you!!! I’ll have to do my research in my spare time, because I live in a back-asswards county where the good ol’ boys don’t understand the importance of funding GIS positions… but I digress. I was a teenage mother, went back to school in my late 30s, and finally earned my BA at 46, so this is definitely one of those better-late-than-never situations. (Saner Half is the one with all the pieces of paper.) 🙂

  245. Wolfish: I was a teenage mother, went back to school in my late 30s, and finally earned my BA at 46, so this is definitely one of those better-late-than-never situations.

    Then even more kudos are in order!! It must feel really sweet to have you work published after that much effort. Misspellings and problems with figures/tables aside (it happens quite frequently), I hope you are cherishing this moment!!

  246. Thronetender,

    Spot on about Kinvara, and the danger of empowering religious fanatics. The other things I couldn’t help but notice from Kinvara’s meet-and-Greet with Tyrion and Varys:
    • She was quick to put a religious spin on things, eg, Dany’s dragons are a “gift from the Lord of Light;
    • (I may have said this before): Like Melisandre, she’s aware of the imminent threat of the WW, but first wants the deagons to purify nonbelivers by the thousands. Meanwhile, Mel has spent four seasons dawdling around, burning Seven followers who wouldn’t convert and Stannis’s own daughter. Despite their big talk about the Great War and the approaching army of the dead, they don’t appear to be in any hurry.
    In facf, Melisandre has used her Lord of Light” spiel to try to hook up with prime beefcake: Gendry (successfully…though the poor boy probably have permanent ED fron those post-coital leeches); and Jon Snow (who somehow turned her down after a strip show + full contact lap dance)

    Like I’ve also remarked previously, Thoros and the BwoB are the only Lord of Light followers who not only warn that “cold winds are rising in the north”, they’re making a beeline up there to do something about it.

    • I’m not aware of any news about Kinvara showing up in S7. Too bad. To

  247. A Dornish Tyrell,

    Oh, I AM! I was a newspaper and radio reporter for almost ten years, but this is a completely different type, and level, of writing. Truth be told, in many ways it’s been a rough post-graduation year; finalizing my bachelor’s thesis and having it published is definitely a huge boost.

    I should add that, for ten years before returning to school, I lived in a very isolated rural area where I had lots of acquaintances—because I was one of just three local reporters—but only a couple of close friends. My college cohort was unusually close-knit—most of us have stayed in close touch via Facebook since graduation—and the first real community I’d been a part of for about 15 years. For a few us who haven’t gone on to life-changing experiences like the Peace Corps or working for Apple (I’m bound to where I live because my husband has a great job here), it’s been really difficult because we lost that entire community on graduation day. I live in a pretty small town where it can be a challenge to find like-minded weirdos, so participation on this site has been a lifesaver. It’s been wonderful not only to find a community centered on a common interest, but also to have truly delightful, stimulating conversations with intelligent people all over the world.

    When people complain to me about the horrors of social media, I tell them that, like any other media, it’s what you make of it. I think Sue, Luka & Co. have created something pretty special with WotW, and it’s evident by the sort of people who regularly post here.

  248. QueenDany:

    Pigeon,
    Isn’t Sansa quoting what Ned said to Arya in season one? Or was that just in the books?

    As a few people have noted (but you’re probably still making your way through 350+ comments!), it was only in the books; the line was cut out of the show—IIRC, right before Ned would have delivered it.

  249. A Dornish Tyrell,
    Ha ! Glad you liked it 😉
    But I shan’t be deterred ! I will guide you towards the One True Light that is Cerseiphilia !

    (And yes, pancreases are shifty buggers. Utterly useless, except for the insulin bit ^^)

    Wolfish,
    Well then, even bigger congratulations (plus confetti) are in order ! Kudos to you, your success and your incredible determination 🙂

    PS I just realised that in my message to you, I misspelt “misspelling”… Oh the shame of misspelling-ception.

    GW,
    Ding ding ding ! We’ve got a winner !

  250. Wolfish,

    So many interesting topics you’ve written about! I’ve wanted to reply, but I do believe Putin’s BotArmy is up to something because more than half the time I open the site it crashes and “reloads” repeatedly; or freezes up while I’m typing and zaps what I’ve written. That’s never happened before – not like this. And it’s happening with all devices. (Maybe it’s the ads??)
    Anyway, I didn’t mean to bore you with all that; I just wanted to explain that I may have to reply in piecemeal fashion, without being able to edit or spellcheck.

    I always knew you were a great writer. Now that I know you’re a journalist too, I’m even more self-conscious about typos and gibberish I can’t correct.

    End of Excuses, Vol. I

  251. Wolfish,
    Well then, even bigger congratulations (plus confetti) are in order ! Kudos to you, your success and your incredible determination 🙂

    PS I just realised that in my message to you, I misspelt “misspelling”… Oh the shame of misspelling-ception.

    GW,
    Ding ding ding ! We’ve got a winner !

  252. A Dornish Tyrell

    Ha ! Glad you liked it 😉
    But I shall not be deterred ! I will guide you towards the One True Light that is Cersei-worship ! You will find it in your heart and soul to love her chaotic perfection (or perfect chaos) 😛

    (And yes, pancreases are shifty buggers. Utterly useless, except for the insulin bit ^^)

  253. Wolfish:
    Pigeon,

    LOL!!! OK, OK… My outer 47-year-old still does. 😉

    A Dornish Tyrell,

    Thank you!!! I’ll have to do my research in my spare time, because I live in a back-asswards county where the good ol’ boys don’t understand the importance of funding GIS positions… but I digress. I was a teenage mother, went back to school in my late 30s, and finally earned my BA at 46, so this is definitely one of those better-late-than-never situations. (Saner Half is the one with all the pieces of paper.) 🙂

    VERY cool (nifty AND keen!) that you are being published and went back after many years- I was asked by the dean to transfer to the Geography department at my University but declined even though I enjoyed it a lot! I really loved university and they were the years I look back most fondly on. Graduating was hard due to the same reasons you’ve mentioned! ❤ I really belonged there. 😊 We really do have such a great diverse group here on this site.

  254. Wolfish,

    1. That’s great you’re being published! Sorry about what seems to be the inevitable downside: someone carelessly butchering your work. I stopped getting the local newspaper for a while because careless typesetters (or vanished editors) made experienced writers’ columns unreadable.
    I hope you’ll be able to avoid problems going forward.

    2. You are so right about Sue et al and Wow. They do such a professional job in every respect: accuracy, clarity, avoidance of “clickbait”, topics selection, layout, and – near and dear to me – judiciously conveying details and forewarning readers to prevent inadvertent spoiling.
    I’ve been thinking that after S8 ends, it’d be great to keep the crew intact – if they’re willing – and tackle other subjects in literature or entertainment.

    3. (Oh no. Keyboard starting to freeze.) To be cont

  255. Wolfish: I always grit my teeth when I write PTWP… I only use it because it seems to be (by far) the most common usage. But that’s really bad logic, ennit?

    Depends on whether you are a descriptivist or a prescriptivist! Because I edit for part of my living, I have to be the latter (a/k/a grammar Nazi) in practice. The Chomskyite part of me leans toward the former, though.

    Nice to hear that you get to play with GIS machines! I worked for an environmental advocacy/land trust organization for six years, and the people in that department always seemed to be having the most fun : )

  256. QueenDany:
    Pigeon,

    Isn’t Sansa quoting what Ned said to Arya in season one? Or was that just in the books?

    That line was just in the books. Ned and Arya had a discussion on the show when he discovered she had Needle, and was talking about how she hated the Hound, Joffrey, Robert, Cersei and Sansa. He talks about the winter ahead, and how “We cannot fight a war amongst ourselves.” She then says she doesn’t really hate Sansa. He tells her to keep Needle, and try not to stab her sister with it (joking). It would have been in that bit of dialog that the line from the books should have been. I wish he’d said it.

  257. I predict one of Dany’s dragons will go rogue and wreak havok. Why would she or the Dothraki burn the wagons after all, they fight for loot remember? And I don’t know what is going to happen with Jaime’s suicide charge, but I believe he lives to the end of the season.

  258. Ten Bears: In facf, Melisandre has used her Lord of Light” spiel to try to hook up with prime beefcake: Gendry (successfully…though the poor boy probably have permanent ED fron those post-coital leeches); and Jon Snow (who somehow turned her down after a strip show + full contact lap dance)

    Lol, lap dance. Hadn’t thought of it that way, but you nailed exactly what it was. Strong boy, our Jon.

  259. Ten Bears,

    Ive been having the same problem for months; wasn’t sure if it was the site or my ancient laptop. Finally broke down and got a new one. So far so good…..But it is odd, because this site is the only one that I had so many problems with, not sure why. (there were other problems with the laptop, it wasn’t just the site, but the straw that broke the camels back ….)

  260. Tully Baby: And I don’t know what is going to happen with Jaime’s suicide charge, but I believe he lives to the end of the season.

    I believe he will, too. I think his whole path is going to go in a completely new direction, as in he is going to want to seek redemption, and heads north. Just a theory. But that look on his face from the trailer, that looks like murderous fury to me. It’s not desperation to save someone, it’s absolute determination to kill a specific someone.

  261. Wolfish,

    3. I can’t help but contrast WoW with online versions of what USED to be reliable, well-written, carefully researched and edited journalism.

    I came across the following article in Time magazine online. I saved the first few sentences for future reference because I couldn’t believe it was written and published under the Time banner:

    ———————–

    Time Magazine online
    Timeinc.net
    by Ashley Hoffman
    @_ASHLEYHOFFMAN
    June 1, 2017, 12:25 pm

    “Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams Prove Their Friendship Will Outlive Everyone on Game of Thrones Again”

    “When Game of Thrones fever fades, the friendship between stars Sophie Turner and Maisie Williamswill probably still be going strong.

    The Arya Stark actor, Turner, and Williams — who plays her onscreen sister, Sansa — really adore each other. Despite never having shared a single scene together on the show, they’ve become close since the HBO drama’s early days.”

    ——- (End Excerpt) ——-

    •. I don’t get it. If you’re writing an article about Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams on GoT, how do you get their characters’ names wrong in the very first sentence? How does this get posted online without anyone catching it or ever correcting it?

    •. Then the very next sentence starts with “[d]espite never having shared a single scene together on the show, they’ve become close…”
    Did the writer ever actually watch the show? Who could forget:

    Sewing lesson w/ Septa (“well done! Sansa”/Arya distracted by sounds of boys’ archery outside);
    Stark family greeting line (“Where’s the imp?”…”Would you please shut up!”);
    Arya spoon-flinging food at Sansa;
    Arya-Mycah-Nymeria + Sansa-Joffrey
    Inquisition before the King;
    “You’re stupid!” “You’rs a liar!” (table-stabbing);
    Ned telling girls he’s sending them home (“Seven Hells!”)

    I didn’t mean to beat a dead horse here. It’s just disappointing to me that this is what Time magazine has been reduced to. I went online to do a search for any recent news about Maisie Williams, this article’s headline appeared, and because it said “Time” I thought it’d be worth a read.

    I wonder if this is the future of journalism: a group of smart dedicated people with a common interest start a website from screatch and grow a readership base, while traditional magazines and newspapers turn into dreck.

    #SayItAintSo

    Okay. Surly interlude over….

  262. Firannion: Because I edit for part of my living, I have to be the latter (a/k/a grammar Nazi) in practice.

    I am one of those who wish the edit button was active for an hour. I cringe when I go back and read one of my posts that has a typing error or (horrors) a grammatical or spelling error. My thought process about writing is to get the words on the paper first, before your brain freezes in a quest for perfection. Get the words up first, go back and correct the grammar and punctuation later. Works just fine when I’m doing my own papers, but when I only have a few minutes in which to edit, I end up tsk tsking myself when there’s an error that can’t be corrected. We all have our “things.” That’s one of mine and apparently, one of yours, too. 🙂

  263. Ten Bears,

    Don’t be self-conscious! Please! I’m the most terrible critic when it comes to those things in actual print, or on a newspaper’s website, but I could care less on a site like this… where people are often accessing it on their cell phones, and (most important!) should be judged far more on the content of what they’re posting, rather than their grammar.

    On another note: For any posts longer than two or three sentences, I save and edit them in Word before copying and pasting. I learned long ago never to trust anything “in the cloud” to save before posting.

  264. Wolfish,

    Congratulations! You’re an inspiration for people who feel that their entire future has been written for them, in bloody dry ink, and can do nothing to change unpleasant things in their lives! (Yes, I’m hinting at someone in my home and it is not my cat!)
    I’m glad for your published work and, for you to be less sad/ furious/ disappointed, I’ll mention what happened to a friend of mine at her first published magazine article: there were no misprints in the review itself, but it was published under a different name.

  265. Ten Bears,

    Oh, it wasn’t butchered (thank goodness); it was just a matter of strange things happening with figures and figure captions and some disagreements over style. (Case in point: I don’t care what the Chicago Manual of Style says; as far as I’m concerned, “counties” should never be capitalized. Go ahead and flagellate me.)

    Firannion,

    I’m working on setting up a home office and saving enough money to get gaming-level computers (with double screens, of course!) to work on ArcGIS and ENVI. Yes, we have a lot of fun.

    The only great disappointment I experienced in college was not knowing any other women my age, because they were all majoring in social work. Yes, the world needs social workers, and the U.S. probably needs more of them than any other industrialized nation. But don’t get me going on how much it disappoints me that, after spending half their adult lives taking care of children, in overwhelming numbers women my age tend to return to school for the sole purpose of choosing careers where they will spend the remainder of their lives taking care of other people—often in depressing environments and for ridiculously low wages—instead of, pardon the cliché, spreading their wings.

  266. Shy Lady Dragon,

    OMG!!! No words. A different name???

    Good to see you here. 🙂

    I can’t wait for July 16, but I also know these seven Sundays will go way too quickly.

  267. Wolfish,

    Good to be here with you and the other amazing people who make WOTW a second home!
    I’m so conflicted about how I want time to pass these weeks: I have much work which must be finished before July 1st, so I’d like time to become a chewing gum, but, on the other hand, I very much want July 16th to be today!

  268. Wolfish,

    4. About your 5 options for interpreting prophecies:

    How about a #6: They are not “prophecies” at all? (Details to follow when Forum section reopens.)
    ——
    #5: Just for fun, an interpretation of the Valonqar prophecy by channeling Stannis the One True Copy Editor and Grammar Nazi that yoelds only two viable candidates: Tyrion Lannister and Sandor Clegane

  269. Wolfish:
    Pigeon,

    Thank you. So… What did you wind up studying?

    Social work.

    HAHAHA kidding. 😉😂

    Oh, I was certain I was going to be a veterinarian, after all, that’s what the plan had been since I was a kid! I got awesome marks in high school, joined the pre-vet club in my first year of university…but something very strange happened. I got very sick during grade 12 and actually missed about 5 months of it. When I got better and returned to school, I couldn’t memorize anything. Concentration was fine, hands-on learning was great…but my ability to download pages and pages of notes into my brain and retrieve them like I had always been able to do, had gone. So when I got to university, I loved my classes, aced my labs….and barely passed the exams. I have no way to explain it – I could understand most of everything to a T, but couldn’t retain it. So there went the marks to even apply to vet med.

    That was a long story – I ended up getting degrees in Biology and Classics. LOL. My previously uber-scientific noggin barely scraped by with Biology (of course I aced Ornithology, go figure), and was the top student in my field when I graduated in Classics. Yes, they are entirely different areas…but I’ve never claimed to be normal. 😉

  270. Pigeon:

    Social work. HAHAHA kidding. …

    Oh, I was certain I was going to be a veterinarian, after all, that’s what the plan had been since I was a kid! …

    So when I got to university, I loved my classes, aced my labs… and barely passed the exams. I have no way to explain it—I could understand most of everything to a T, but couldn’t retain it.

    That was a long story—I ended up getting degrees in Biology and Classics. LOL. My previously uber-scientific noggin barely scraped by with Biology (of course I aced Ornithology, go figure), and was the top student in my field when I graduated in Classics. Yes, they are entirely different areas… but I’ve never claimed to be normal.

    On the points quoted above…

    1. LMAOOO!

    2. Funny: I wanted to be a vet too! But then that frog-dissection fiasco happened in eighth grade, and my dream was shattered…

    3. I think this happens far more often than anyone—especially academic institutions—cares to admit. I loved chemistry in high school, because I loved the labs (to quote Beavis and Butthead: Heh heh. Fire! Fire! Fire!), but I was the worst test-taker ever. And I still am! Now, having been a student with 25 to 30 years between her intense schooling experiences (high school and college), I’m of the opinion that many (if not most) exams cannot “capture” what a student has learned nearly as well as labs or research papers can. The ability to retain information on a short-term basis for the sole purpose of passing exams doesn’t equate to anything useful in life.

    4. You aced Ornithology? So you and Flayed Potatoes might have something in common… 😉

    5. I see nothing not “normal” with degrees in “entirely different areas.” In past times—perhaps ironically, in some ways more enlightened times—educated people were expected to have a wide breadth of knowledge. True confession: When I first read about Lin-Manuel Miranda and “Hamilton,” I completely understood why he had become obsessed with Alexander Hamilton, because when I read Ron Chernow’s bio (Miranda’s inspiration) my reaction was the same. Oh, my God. The last time I fell this hard for a dead man it was Nikos Kazantzakis. There are very logical reasons for why there are so many specialists in the modern world, but there are also very human reasons for why so many of us either want to be, or are attracted to, polymaths: It’s in our nature.

    [pours another glass of Dornish red]

  271. Wolfish,

    Hello, fellow Kazantzakis fan! I love him so much, that I (almost) forgave him for admiring Lenin and, living in an Eastern European country, that’s a huge compromise for me.

  272. Back on topic… a comment about about armies and dragons.

    Unlike quite a few people here, I have not kept track of how many thousands of soldiers and horses each faction has under its command. Therefore, I cannot speak as knowledgeably as several people do about the likelihood of x army being able to defeat x army under x circumstances. But of course, a common theme is Daenerys has dragons!… and therefore, she ought to be able to defeat any army.

    What I haven’t seen written is that 1) there’s only one dragon rider thus far and 2) the riderless dragons have never been separated from each other or from people. So, incredible weapons that they are, they apparently can’t be “delegated” to different battles in different geographical areas. Thus, wherever Dany is, chances are her enemies are going to get smoked (pardon the pun). But, because her formidable forces must be split up in order for her to conquer all of Westeros, wherever she isn’t physically present said forces face the same challenges their foes do.

    I’ve seen quite a few conversations about who the other two dragon riders might be (if there are to be two other dragon riders), but these conversations invariably focus on the people and the coolness factor of riding dragons—not on the military advantages or disadvantages of keeping the dragons together or splitting them up.

    What say you, WotW? If you had three weapons of mass destruction, would you use them together—full force against a single target, with total annihilation in mind—or would you separate them and use them as really powerful backup for separate groups of ground forces?

  273. Questions About the Trailer
    Does anybody know…

    • 1. Jon Snow’s voiceover says “For centuries our families fought a common enemy.”
    Who is the “common enemy” he’s talking about? The Wildlings? Did any of the current families fight together against a common enemy “for centuries”? I don’t recall any mention on the show of such an enemy… Other than the wildlings.

    Q # 2 ( to be cont)

  274. Wolfish,

    Wolfish, you have posted extensively on this thread and I haven’t (despite using the search facility) been able to find what the subject of your article was, but I will add my congratulations. I worked as a secretary for a time (not in an academic background); my last boss was “good” at English so his could be left “as is” but there were times in my working life I had to change the grammar – some bosses who had good practical acumen but were a bit rough and ready when it came to written language appreciated it but one person took umbrage with me for changing “the contents of which has been perused” to “the contents of which have been perused”. Of course if someone higher up the chain of command spots a mistake it will always be blamed on the secretary; a friend of one acquaintance of mine always used to put “(verbatim)” after any typing she was given which she knew to be grammatically incorrect.

    Of course, some grammar rules are not universally agreed. I’m pretty sure when I was at school the apostrophe to denote possession in a singular word could be either (a) Charles’ book or (b) Charles’s book. The Apostrophe Society in the UK (yes we’ve got one) says (b) but some folk are adamant it’s (a) – (but then a lot of people seem to leave the apostrophe for possession out and the reader has to go by context).

    I’ve gone off-topic – and I do appreciate the breakdown of the scenes from the trailer.

    But off-topic (slightly) again, somebody asked the Scots writer Quintin Jardine who he would like to play his character Bob Skinner from the Skinner thriller series if it were ever adapted for the small screen – he said that it has varied over the years but his current choice (well current as at last autumn) was Rory “The Hound” McCann.

  275. Ten Bears:
    Questions About the Trailer Does anybody know…

    • 1. Jon Snow’s voiceover says “For centuries our families fought a common enemy.” Who is the “common enemy” he’s talking about? The Wildlings? Did any of the current families fight together against a common enemy “for centuries”? I don’t recall any mention on the show of such an enemy… Other than the wildlings.

    Q # 2 ( to be cont)

    My guess is that Jon is referring to the last Long Night thousands of years before and the immediate aftermath when the events would still be considered reality and not the myth it has become in the present day. When Jon meets Mance in 301 he speaks of the First Men banding together to fight and defeat the White Walkers thousands of years before. That is how I understood Jon’s words, but I could be wrong – I just can’t think of anything else.

  276. It could sound from my earlier post that I was that rare and wonderful creature who never made a grammatical error – much as I wish that were the case I am as prone to make the occasional “howler” as the next person. I can’t remember whether it was here or on the site that shall not be named, but there had been a lot of Sansa bashing going on and I meant to say I “empathised” i.e. sympathised with the poor kid but I wrote “emphasised” and of course numerous other commenters picked up on it (that’ll teach me not to proofread).

    In case anybody whose first language is not English reads this, a “howler” or “schoolboy howler” is an amusing mistake – not necessarily a grammar one but it can be. I’ve provided a link to a newspaper article from about 10 years ago which gives examples of “howlers”. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-496124/The-Jews-Genitals-The-best–worst–schoolboy-howlers.html

  277. Dame of Mercia,

    Your comment about ‘ brought memories from the late 80ies, when I was learning English grammar while preparing for the entrance exam at the university. The book my tutor used was Eckersley and it was the first time when I read about the different “schools of thought” regarding various grammar issues. From the above mentioned volume I found out about Greek and Latin plurals 🙂

  278. Ten Bears,

    At first it seems like his been talking to the Northerners but that would be more like a thousand years per Lyanna Mormont last season and fighting the white walkers was a lot more than centuries ago. The wildlings are his allies so I can’t imagine him saying they were the common enemy. The Targaryen’s ruled all of the 7 kingdoms for 300 years so that could be considered centuries. There were actually quite a few wars back then mainly between Targ’s and rebellions like the Blackfyre one or their own family so technically he could be talking to literally any other house in Westeros as they were all allied together for 300 years aka centuries, to try and garner their support to fight the WW with the North. Not sure who the common enemy is meant to be though, centuries and common enemy don’t really match up, he might’ve just said it to be inspiring and basically saying we’ve had each others backs for years and fought our enemies together so let’s fight the WW together.

  279. Dee Stark,

    An Apple iPhone. An old one. Except I have the same problem on my desktop computer. Sometimes – like now – everything is fine. The site loads cleanly, and the keyboard isn’t slowing.

    Since this is the month for tinfoil theories, my guess is that some but not all ad banners mess with JavaScript.

    I gotta get a new phone, I guess. One of the immutable laws of the universe is that the day after I buy it, Apple will come out with a new one.

  280. Dame of Mercia: I’ve provided a link to a newspaper article from about 10 years ago which gives examples of “howlers”.

    Hilarious article!!! Thanks Dame, you’ve cheered up my morning! 😂

  281. Do you guys think that the archers in the scene with Jaime and Bronn are from the Tarly’s army? Because I guess Hornhill is going to stand in favor of the Lannisters, and if I remember correctly, the official Tarly’s banner is a red-dressed archer, just like those in the trailer.
  282. Shy Lady Dragon,

    Shy Lady, I’m going from memory now but are you from Romania? I was quite surprised when I learned that Romanian (which I don’t speak) came from Latin, so did you find the Latin plurals easy? My brother’s wife is Colombian (though they live in London) and she teaches Spanish (mostly to English people including kids) but she says Romanian people find it easy to learn Spanish. Oh, the good old apostrophe (or the pernickety nuisance of an apostrophe) – in case anyone is interested I’ll provide a link to the “Apostrophe Protection Society” website which was started by a retired editor. It applies to British apostrophe rules (other rules may apply in other English mother tongue countries as far as I know). http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/page8.html

    The CGI effects for GoT continue to impress me – to think that Dany’s Armada comes from a shot of one land-locked boat in a car park in Belfast!

  283. ash,

    I have a problem too with the site, sometimes as I’m trying to read the comment section it’ll bring me down to the very bottom where there’s just ads and won’t let me scroll back up. I notice sometimes when this happens it’s also making the hard drive work overtime because the page is in loading mode. Forgive me, I’m tech ignorant and probably using the wrong terminology.

  284. Impressed. So many of you are like word smiths and extensively knowledgeable in literature and/or the arts. I’m amazed how ya’ll have the inclination to devote so much mental energy to this TV series. But then I remember it started as a series of world building books, so there it is lol. I can and do read for hours a day, soaking up all kinds of shit on the internet, but my brain doesn’t retain much information so it’s kind of a waste, but I’m addicted to it anyway 🙂

  285. A Dornish Tyrell: even if Dany’s politics might favor the Red God’s religion, it doesn’t exclude freedom of religion.

    Um, yeah, but Kinvara believes hers is the ONE true god, and was licking her lips at the thought of dragons burning many thousands of non-believers. Now that they have been government sanctioned, how long do you think it will be until the purging fires on the beach will begin? Especially now that Dany and Tyrion are not there to oversee her activities? It’s all conjecture, because there isn’t enough time for the story to get into it – there is too much going on in Westeros.

  286. Clob,

    Hi All,

    This is my first time posting, though I’ve lurked for a while.

    Clob, loved your horse analysis– I’m not sure if Jon and Jorah have the actual same horse, but there’s been one horse they’ve used at least through the first few seasons, not sure if it’s been in all of them, that they’ve used at Winterfell, with Renly’s army, and possibly other places too– a distinct-looking dark chestnut horse with a lighter mane. Oh wait, I think Brienne rides him it when she and Pod leave KL.
    http://es.fanpop.com/clubs/brienne-of-tarth/images/37237599/title/brienne-podrick-photo

    I can’t seem to find other photos of that horse– I think it passes by when Catelyn and Renly are walking through Renly’s camp.

    I tend to notice horses a lot, especially when they’re distinct-looking, and it distracts me when I watch! This happened a lot for me with the show Merlin, when they would show a troop of riders leaving Camelot on very fancy horses, and then show them in the woods a short time later on totally different ones because the scenes were filmed in different locations.

    Can’t wait for S7– loving this discussion, and so far have avoided the leaks!

  287. Bethy1017: a distinct-looking dark chestnut horse with a lighter mane

    OOh, I’ll have to keep an eye out for that one as I rewatch episodes. What I do remember noticing about the two they rode is that THAT horse Brienne was riding was larger than Pod’s so he looked even smaller next to her. 😛

  288. Clob: OOh, I’ll have to keep an eye out for that one as I rewatch episodes.What I do remember noticing about the two they rode is that THAT horse Brienne was riding was larger than Pod’s so he looked even smaller next to her.

    Yes, I want to say it’s some kind of draft horse (though not one with feathered feet), and she did look huge next to Pod! I’m trying to remember if Davos was riding it at any point, but it’s frequently in background scenes. 🙂

  289. Just popped in to add that Jaime with that Dothraki spear riding to the attack might be the sexiest thing I have ever seen in Game of Thrones.

  290. Thronetender,

    You’re absolutely right in worrying about Kinvara´s zealotry… She indeed smirked in delight at the thought of dragon fire burning non-believers. Have the show had more time (or seasons), it would have been very interesting to explore what happens in the Bay of Dragons and/or Westeros after Dany’s conquest in terms of politics and religious intolerance. My guess is that either Daario or the self-appointed local government in Meereen would inform Dany of any religious upheaval… This is pure speculation, of course, since after Dany left Essos, it became irrelevant for the rest of the story and we are supposed not to worry anymore about that part of Planetos.

  291. HotPinkLipstick:
    Just popped in to add that Jaime with that Dothraki spear riding to the attack might be the sexiest thing I have ever seen in Game of Thrones.

    IKR…seriously now. fanning meself over here.

    I mean… clearly he’s f’d in that scene though. I hope the next scene could be him captured at Tyrion’s request rather than eaten by whatever dragon did that?!? NO LEAKS PLZ

  292. A Dornish Tyrell:
    HotPinkLipstick,

    Whenever Jamie is riding a horse, he’s sexy af! Exhibit A.

    I feel like Brienne in S6E08 when she’s looking down at the Lannister camp and so awestruck by Jaime on a horse that she doesn’t even notice being surrounded by Lannister soldiers.

    The promo gods must love us to have given us that scene.

  293. QueenofThrones,

    I have faith that Jaime makes it through to Season 8. He’s not going to die until he does a little horizontal mambo with Brienne.

    But damn, hell, yes. Nikolaj is normally incredibly attractive, but on a horse, he just has it going on. Makes me go all shivery.

  294. HotPinkLipstick:
    QueenofThrones,

    I have faith that Jaime makes it through to Season 8. He’s not going to die until he does a little horizontal mambo with Brienne.

    But damn, hell, yes. Nikolaj is normally incredibly attractive, but on a horse, he just has it going on. Makes me go all shivery.

    The horse helps. I just wish they would let him grow his hair/beard out again… IMO S2 / early S3 Jaime was peak hotness. Heck, the poster for this season he’s at least got the stubble back so I think they know we approve. Something about being covered in mud / prisoner / injured that gets me… the inherent vulnerability maybe. “Half a corpse and Half a God” as Brienne recalls… Maybe I have issues. ^.^

  295. Dame of Mercia,

    Indeed I am! I get it’s surprising for people who are not familiar with my language, because we are among Slavic and Finno-Ugric neighbours. Embarrassingly enough, having a Romance language as mother tongue and having learned French since I was 7 didn’t make me consider Latin easy to learn or my cup of tea – but the noun is really the least difficult. I guess I didn’t work thoroughly enough to know Latin properly. But I admire Latin culture and I’m very interested in the history of the Roman Empire.
    I fully agree with your sister-in-law. Spanish was a pleasure for me to learn, I took some courses at the university because I wanted to read Federico Garcia Lorca’s poetry in the original. (I’ve already told the story on this site.) At that time I was into watching telenovelas (South American soaps) – I’m a brave girl to admit that! – which helped with my Spanish vocabulary a lot.
    I really appreciate your taking the time to explain English words and phrases to the non-native speakers. I didn’t know the term howler and I had a good laugh reading them. It’s very hard to pick a favourite, but I tend to favour Hitler’s Gazpacho 🙂

  296. HotPinkLipstick:
    QueenofThrones,

    I have faith that Jaime makes it through to Season 8. He’s not going to die until he does a little horizontal mambo with Brienne.

    But damn, hell, yes. Nikolaj is normally incredibly attractive, but on a horse, he just has it going on. Makes me go all shivery.

    Horse or no horse, I share your and Brienne’s enthusiasm! I fear for his life (for both their lives, actually) and I hope all kinds of summer childish things for the couple.

  297. QueenofThrones: The horse helps.I just wish they would let him grow his hair/beard out again… IMO S2 / early S3 Jaime was peak hotness. Heck, the poster for this season he’s at least got the stubble back so I think they know we approve.Something about being covered in mud / prisoner / injured that gets me… the inherent vulnerability maybe.“Half a corpse and Half a God” as Brienne recalls…Maybe I have issues.^.^

    While S3 Hobo Jaime was hot, S2 Prisoner Jaime was SUPER hot. The S5 Red Leather Jacket made up for the lack of beard and left him incredibly hot. Lannister armor Jaime is still damn hot.

    ..I have issues.

  298. Just wondering if anyone see’s Sansa walk in the trailer this way:

    looks to me as she has this underlining discomfort as she thinks or knows someone is following her. If you look closely you can see her look off to the left then right before the trailer cuts to the next scene I swear I can make out someone walking several steps behind her (look very closely over her left shoulder) The face looks almost bluish in tone to the snow setting. I could be insane or seeing things but check it out and see if anyone else notices it. Just curious…

  299. Wolfish,

    he only great disappointment I experienced in college was not knowing any other women my age, because they were all majoring in social work. Yes, the world needs social workers, and the U.S. probably needs more of them than any other industrialized nation. But don’t get me going on how much it disappoints me that, after spending half their adult lives taking care of children, in overwhelming numbers women my age tend to return to school for the sole purpose of choosing careers where they will spend the remainder of their lives taking care of other people—often in depressing environments and for ridiculously low wages—instead of, pardon the cliché, spreading their wings.

    Well speaking as a teacher (who wears the social worker hat on many occassions), it might just be because this work is incredibly satisfying to them. I have taught for over 30 years and despite the headaches, frustrations and low wages, would not have chosen anything else. Besides when I was in school most women I knew were going into teaching or nursing, the traditional places for women to be. (not sure about social work). But this is back in the 70s. Women certainly have more options now, thanks to those who were the trailblazers for the rest of us!

    Back on topic – was watching season 6 episode 6, Jaime on his horse galloping up the steps to take on HS, oh my…..(and oh would I have loved it if he had ripped that impertinent smile off his face!)

  300. HotPinkLipstick: While S3 Hobo Jaime was hot, S2 Prisoner Jaime was SUPER hot. The S5 Red Leather Jacket made up for the lack of beard and left him incredibly hot. Lannister armor Jaime is still damn hot.

    Quoted for Accuracy. That F’ing Jacket… If we ever get bearded Jaime wearing that thing while riding a horse I may die.

    ..I have issues.

    Motto of Jaime fans:
    “we probably have issues”

  301. Who do we think Jon is talking to when he says “For centuries, our families fought together against their common enemy. Despite their differences, together. We need to do the same if we’re gonna survive, cause the enemy is real”. My first thought was Tyrion but I don’t think the Starks and Lannisters were that close even before Robert married Cersei. My next thought was Gendry but it seems like a lot of effort for Jon to convince Gendry to join his side. And I don’t think it would be Dany because the Starks fought against the Targaryens. Someone please help solve this mystery!

  302. Just watched 6.7, the thrill of seeing the Hound was just as fresh as it was the first time I saw it. And can I just say that Gemma Whelan should win an award for her talk to Theon (and Alvin hits it out of the park as well). My god, who wouldn’t put himself back together and follow her? Seeing them in the above trailer has me worried, I hope they both make it through this season but Im afraid one or both of them won’t….

  303. Clob,

    Saner Half notices the horses too (of course!), especially when they’re used by different characters.

    On that note… OT, but I told him you’d commented (on another thread) about his salute in Gettysburg, and he was quite impressed you’d noticed. He explained to me that the salute he used dates to medieval times, and is still used in the UK; however, a different salute has been used in the U.S. since the early 20th century. (So it was still in use during the Civil War.) The movement of the hand upwards originated in a man lifting the shield on his helmet to expose his face when saluting.

    The things I learn from conversations on this site… 🙂

  304. Jessica,

    Im thinking they want us to think its someone important, but he may be addressing some of the Northern Lords.. maybe some who don’t want to fight the “real enemy” , or fight for him?

  305. Wolfish,
    I was in the service (Army) myself for four years so I tend to notice salutes in tv/movies. You can usually tell if they have someone directing them accurately or not. / I didn’t know that about the helmet shield. That makes a lot of sense.

  306. Dee Stark,

    I agree with you Dee, Jon’s speach doesn’t seem to fit to any other interlocutor. Maybe him saying “for centuries” should not be taken literally but rather symbolically.

  307. Dame of Mercia:

    Wolfish, you have posted extensively on this thread and I haven’t (despite using the search facility) been able to find what the subject of your article was, but I will add my congratulations. …

    But off-topic (slightly) again, somebody asked the Scots writer Quintin Jardine who he would like to play his character Bob Skinner from the Skinner thriller series if it were ever adapted for the small screen—he said that it has varied over the years but his current choice (well current as at last autumn) was Rory “The Hound” McCann.

    Thank you!!! The rather long title of the article is Mapping Marijuana Cultivation Sites and Water Storage in the Redwood Creek Watershed, Southern Humboldt County. I’ve lived in the so-called “Emerald Triangle” (Humboldt, Mendocino, and Trinity counties) of northern California since 2002; the article provides both the broader historical context for the marijuana industry in the Emerald Triangle and a GIS-based case study of a watershed that’s been heavily impacted by unregulated marijuana cultivation.

    For the record, I’m not anti-marijuana—I’m anti-environmental devastation.

    I really appreciate your comments about grammar and… The Apostrophe Society? LOL!

    On another note, I had to look up Quintin Jardine. I would love to see Rory McCann play a more cerebral part; he’s certainly capable!

  308. HotPinkLipstick: Just popped in to add that Jaime with that Dothraki spear

    I say again, WotW fans have the best eyesight when it comes to such details. IS it a Dothraki spear? Well, that makes me all the more certain that the look of rage on is face is specifically directed at

    Tyrion. Remember Jaime told Bronn that if he ever saw Tyrion again, he would kill him for murdering Tywin. So I believe that he must be heading to where he believes Tyrion is to get revenge on him for messing with Lannister soldiers and messing with everything else. That is, of course, hinging on Tyrion being anywhere near this battle. If Tyrion isn’t near the battle, well then I can’t wait to see exactly why Jaime is so enraged and where he’s heading in such a sexy hurry.
  309. Thronetender: I say again, WotW fans have the best eyesight when it comes to such details. IS it a Dothraki spear? Well, that makes me all the more certain that the look of rage on is face is specifically directed at

    I disagree with this.

    Jaime’s rage is most likely directed at whatever just killed hundreds of men, not at one small man who, no matter what he says, he still loves. Never forget that what Jaime says rarely matches how Jaime feels or what Jaime does.

    Moreover, Jaime has issues with watching people being burned alive.

  310. ash:

    Well speaking as a teacher (who wears the social worker hat on many occasions), it might just be because this work is incredibly satisfying to them. I have taught for over 30 years and despite the headaches, frustrations and low wages, would not have chosen anything else.

    Back on topic—was watching season 6 episode 6, Jaime on his horse galloping up the steps to take on HS, oh my…

    And I salute you, and all teachers and social workers!!! I certainly didn’t mean to be disparaging, and I apologize if my comment came across as such; I’m aware that for many people in teaching and caregiving professions, their occupation is as much a “calling” as it is a passion. My disappointment isn’t in seeing women choose satisfying work; it’s in seeing women—especially those who have returned to college in middle age—pigeonhole themselves into a narrow range of low-paying professions. All of the other students my age in Geography, Forestry, and Environmental Science were men, a curious and disheartening fact.

    Back on topic!

    Saner Half (a horse person) audibly gasped when he saw Jaime gallop up the steps. “Oh, my God… that was beautiful!!!” “Ehrm… sweetheart? Anything you need to tell me?” 😉

    Seriously, though: He was mightily impressed by both the horse and NKW’s skills in that scene. The friend with whom I usually watch GoT squeals like a seventh-grader whenever he’s onscreen. And my daughter—who’s gay!—told me once that she just couldn’t decide between Daenerys and Jaime. A priceless exchange followed: “You do realize he’s a man, right?” “Yes, but… He’s. So. Pretty!!!

  311. Dame of Mercia:
    Wolfish,

    But off-topic (slightly) again, somebody asked the Scots writer Quintin Jardine who he would like to play his character Bob Skinner from the Skinner thriller seriesif it were ever adapted for the small screen – he said that it has varied over the years but his current choice (well current as at last autumn) was Rory “The Hound” McCann.

    This is welcome news!!! I am so glad that Game of Thrones has really given Rory a chance to shine in a ‘mainstream’ show on such a level to get peoples’ attention – he is a wonderful actor with quite a range, not to mention a pretty darn interesting man. He, Iain Glen, and Sean Bean were the 3 actors that made me excited for Game of Thrones (I already was, since I’d read the books). Ever since seeing him in The Book Group, I thought “Damn, I like this guy.”

    So while women were fawning over Jaime (understandably – NCW and his fucked up nose are hot as hell), I was waiting for Houndie to lift that helm up at Winterfell. Hee!

  312. This trailer is just outstanding. The only issue I have is with how jacked Drogon looks… I mean, I know it’s magic and all but how in hell can that thing fly? And also, if he flaps those wings (which he needs to do), he’s gonna wipe out half the Khalasar..

  313. Apollo,

    Agreed. I’ve been wondering for a while if/how we’re going to get an explanation of how they grew so much. I’m guessing there’s no cetacean life left in the Narrow Sea!

  314. Pigeon:

    So while women were fawning over Jaime (understandably – NCW and his fucked up nose are hot as hell), I was waiting for Houndie to lift that helm up at Winterfell. Hee!

    LOL! I have yet to watch The Book Group, which I’ve read outstanding things about; I’ve seen a few snippets on YouTube and now it’s on my list. So when I first saw him my reaction was “OMG. What. Have I been missing???”

  315. Wolfish,

    Speaking of which… I think it would be pretty cool to see Drogon dive into the ocean, come up with a whale, toss it up, flame roast and catch it as a playback to that scene when he was tiny.

    * with no actual whales being harmed during filming. 🙂

  316. Wolfish,

    Have no idea when they find out. Would he and Dany present themselves to Cersei in person? That would probably be brazenly foolish. Send a messenger with demands for Cersei to surrender, most likely, signed by Tyrion Lannister, Hand of the Queen. I’d hate to be that messenger. But I’m sure the news leaks out somehow that Tyrion is involved with her. That’s a big part of the fun of the story.

  317. I just re-read the captions to all the pictures, and have a question about the pic of Jon and what’s left of the group on the raised area surrounded by wights. The caption reads that the man with the flaming sword on the right side of the pic is probably Beric. But the man holding the sword in this pic seems to have long, flowing black hair and seems to be bigger than Beric. Could it be the Hound? That would be awesome, but sad, because if it is the Hound, that means Beric already went down. Can somebody else take a look?

  318. Thronetender:
    I just re-read the captions to all the pictures, and have a question about the pic of Jon and what’s left of the group on the raised area surrounded by wights. The caption reads that the man with the flaming sword on the right side of the pic is probably Beric. But the man holding the sword in this pic seems to have long, flowing black hair and seems to be bigger than Beric. Could it be the Hound? That would be awesome, but sad, because if it is the Hound, that means Beric already went down. Can somebody else take a look?

    I think the Hound is to the left, but if it was him on the right, he sure has conquered his fear of fire!!!!

  319. I also had thought that it didn’t really look like Beric in that shot. Even zooming in is hard to determine anything. Beric is wearing something that’s black fur at his neck, either the collar or a scarf of sorts, so that could look like part of the hair from the distance. Even so, the top of the head doesn’t appear like Beric’s

  320. Jessica:
    Who do we think Jon is talking to when he says “For centuries, our families fought together against their common enemy. Despite their differences, together. We need to do the same if we’re gonna survive, cause the enemy is real”. My first thought was Tyrion but I don’t think the Starks and Lannisters were that close even before Robert married Cersei. My next thought was Gendry but it seems like a lot of effort for Jon to convince Gendry to join his side. And I don’t think it would be Dany because the Starks fought against the Targaryens. Someone please help solve this mystery!

    Hmmm, not really sure. It could still be Dany, I suppose. Starks did fight the Mad King, but they were historically loyal to Targaryens. Maybe Jon simply appealed to that shared 300 years long history.

  321. Dee Stark,

    Crazy idea… could Jon be addressing the Lords of the Riverlands. They had always fought together as allies… It’s probably just a tin foil theory. Besides, that region has been decimated.

  322. Flayed Potatoes,

    But is it a wight the one Jon’s attacking? I remember in season 1, a sword wasn’t enough to kill the wight at castle black… it can’t be possible to stop an undead with that single strike, like the one shown in the trailer. Unless… valyrian steel and stuff.
    Also, white walkers look way to human to me, not really a frightening overpowered creature as shown in the first seasons… just my opinion tho

  323. Pigeon: I think the Hound is to the left, but if it was him on the right, he sure has conquered his fear of fire!!!!

    That’s true, when we last saw him he still had that fear. But maybe when it’s in his own hands, at his control, and it’s the only thing that seems to stop the wights, maybe he’s overcome that fear. That would be one hell of a character improvement.

    Plus, if he has overcome his fear of fire, he will have overcome whatever tiny fears he might have had about his brother, and be more than willing to take him on and settle the score. I was never a big fan of the Cleganebowl theory, but maybe … yeah, I know, I’ll push my tinfoil had off my eyes. Still, Beric has short, blondish hair, even on top. The person holding the sword in that pic does not.

    While the tinfoil hat is still on, regarding to whom Jon is making that speech, maybe, just maybe, Littlefinger has met with some sort of horrible, fatal accident and Jon is talking to the Lords of the Vale.
    ok, I’m done for a while.

  324. Just enlarged that pic of Jon and men surrounded by wights. That is Beric holding the sword. His black fur collar looks like hair, but when enlarged, it’s the collar. So, not Hound. oh well.

  325. Thronetender,

    That makes a hell of a lot of sense. What would be better tho is is

    Tyrion anticipated this and was riding a dragon over Jaime. But with that killer look, gotta be Tyrion, who else would he be so pissed at?
  326. simon,

    The White Walkers weren’t “overpowered” by anyone. Either “as shown in the first seasons” or at any time since. They’ve been pretty much unstoppable. I wouldn’t say that the three isolated WW kills by Sam the Slayer, King Crow Jon Smow. and Meera the Sleigher have made an appreciable difference.

    Also: You wrote that the WW “look way to [sic] human.” But shouldn’t they look human? Last season revealed that the WW were created out of humans by the CoTF. They look spooky enough to me. Out of curiosity, what would you have them look like?

  327. Thronetender: That’s true, when we last saw him he still had that fear. But maybe when it’s in his own hands, at his control, and it’s the only thing that seems to stop the wights, maybe he’s overcome that fear. That would be one hell of a character improvement.

    Plus, if he has overcome his fear of fire, he will have overcome whatever tiny fears he might have had about his brother, and be more than willing to take him on and settle the score.I was never a big fan of the Cleganebowl theory, but maybe … yeah, I know, I’ll push my tinfoil had off my eyes. Still, Beric has short, blondish hair, even on top. The person holding the sword in that pic does not.

    Not tinfoil at all, to me anyway! When they give a character a distinct fear of something, it seems even more likely that they are going to test that fear, have them face it, and possibly learn to overcome it to their advantage. Sandor refused to let Arya cauterize his wound and it nearly cost him his life. And it’s been such a factor (fuck the Blackwater, his face VS Beric, etc).

    Anyhoo, if he did end up swinging a flaming sword it’d be a pretty sweet scene.

  328. Wolfish,

    I was afraid of that, I didn’t want you to think I was offended by your statement, or that I thought your comments disparaging. I wasn’t and they were n’t, no worries!

    My disappointment isn’t in seeing women choose satisfying work; it’s in seeing women—especially those who have returned to college in middle age—pigeonhole themselves into a narrow range of low-paying professions. All of the other students my age in Geography, Forestry, and Environmental Science were men, a curious and disheartening fact.

    Somehow I missed the ‘returning to college’ part. Yes i get you, tho I think thats a product of the time period. There were some trailblazers tho; a dear friend of mine wanted to be an engineer, and was one of the first women in the National Guard thinking she’d get to do that. Well……it took a while, going to work at IBM and eventually went back to school and got her degree! Women like her were the reasons why that demographic is changing 🙂

  329. simon,

    It seems like a wight. Jon did a similar trick at Hardhome when he was going back to the tent to get the dragon glass. He barely grazed a wight before Wun Wun escaped from the tent and that thing just fell down limp.

    Why do I remember all this? lmao

    It could be that VS is extra effective, but it could also be the director’s decision to make the shot more badass.

    As for the whitewalkers appearance: in the books they’re described as beautiful and ethereal, so it’s not surprising they’re so human looking on the show. It certainly beats the ugly cgi marvel monster at the end of every Avengers movie.

  330. Random question: I have some memory of Tyrion talking about how difficult to impossible it would be to control dragons, in the early years and I believe in the books. I have searched the books on the word “dragon” (though only 100 instances show up in Kindle and most of the books have more) and the show, but I haven’t been able to find the quote. Did I imagine this? Does anyone else remember? And, if so, do you happen to remember where or some keyword I can search on to find the quote? Thank you!

  331. Clob: Drogon dive into the ocean, come up with a whale, toss it up, flame roast and catch

    Better yet, a Kracken.

  332. How do we know the unsullied are opening Casterly Rock’s gates? Sorry if this is obvious to some but it seems to be a very specific thing to guess

  333. Ten Bears: But shouldn’t they look human? Last season revealed that the WW were created out of humans by the CoTF

    Of course they would look human, aren’t the White Walkers all Craster’s sons? Please correct me if I’m wrong, but my take on it was that the original WW was created by the CotF, but after that the WW multiplied their number by taking an offering of Craster’s baby boys. Inbred though they might be, they started as human, all of them half brothers to Baby Sam. For that matter, they are half-brothers and nephews to Gilly, as well. The Craster sons and Craster daughters are so inter-related it would be nigh on impossible to figure out the myriad ways. Gilly’s mother is also her sister, I get crazy trying to figure it all out. But they started as human, so would naturally look pretty human.

  334. Ginevra,

    I do vaguely remember, but like you can’t find the reference online. Maybe if I’m feeling ambitious I’ll look for it in my books…

  335. I’ve read/skimmed most of the comments and I think at this point every aspect of the trailer has been dissected within an inch of its life. But I don’t think anyone has commented on what appears to be Brienne’s change of clothes. The leather tunic underneath her new northern cloak looks brown and smooth, not the grey/blue patterned leather armor that Jaime gifted her. I remember when the first images of Brienne in her new cloak came out many thought she was also wearing new leathers but were quickly corrected. But this time it really looks like she’s changed out of her Jaime approved clothing and embraced the Stark outfit that was popular in the first season. Pod, however, is still wearing his Lannister squire outfit.

    ETA: LOL, I see Sue mentioned it in her breakdown. Either way, I think this is a big step for Brienne. Or maybe her armor was just smelly after all these years.

  336. Ginevra,

    Have not read the books, and the only thing in the show that rings a bell is Jorah (I think) cautioning Dany about her unruly teenaged dragons. It might be in a scene in which she’s lounging on a boulder and two dragons are in the air tearing some food apart.
    I do not recall Tyrion talking about the difficulty of controlling dragons. Sorry…

  337. BunBunStark: Either way, I think this is a big step for Brienne. Or maybe her armor was just smelly after all these years.

    Good catch. A big step for Brienne, changing from her Lannister garb into Stark leathers. I imagine how happy she must be, in a place where she is admired and appreciated, and the lady of the house is not a jealous, calculating, mocking bitch (Cersei) but someone who needs and respects her. (Sansa)

  338. Wolfish,
    Ten Bears,

    Thank you!

    Shy Lady Dragon,

    Thanks. It is so nice to be around and see you, too! Life has been insanely busy these last few months, but I’m right about to slow down. And not a moment too soon as Con of Thrones and then the show are kicking into full gear.

  339. Ten Bears: I do not recall Tyrion talking about the difficulty of controlling dragons. Sorry…

    I thought maybe GINEVRA was thinking of the scene in early S6 when Tyrion goes to the “dungeon” to release the dragons and talk to them. But a replay on YouTube showed that he only talked to them about how he always wanted a dragon, nothing about controlling them. Funny scene though

  340. Ginevra,

    There is no such scene unless if you take illyrio mentioning that ” dragons and young girls are capricious” to tyrion…

    Thronetender,

    He actually tells missandei and varys how intelligent dragons are and how they know who their enemy is and who is their friend or at least their mother’s friend..

  341. ash:
    HotPinkLipstick,

    If it was, I’d think he’d have an entirely different look on his face!

    He’s just watched his men be burned alive. Of course he’s charging with utter rage in that moment.

    Jaime does not rage against Tyrion. He feels angry, yes. Betrayed, sure. Not rage. This is his little brother. Jaime wasn’t particularly fond of Tywin no matter his absolutely bored sounding discussion with Bronn about killing Tyrion.

  342. HotPinkLipstick,

    Ok I was thinking that if he’d see the dragon he’d be looking like Oh Shit as he charged. But if that is what is happening, then yeah, its a good possibility.

  343. Regarding the pantless figure that looks to be the hound…

    We know from spoilers the hound is with the BWOB and Jon on the wight hunt which we also see scenes from in the trailer. We also speculate a captured wight is brought before the major players of Westeros in the Dragon Pit at Kings Landing.
    The trailer shows Jon apparently escaping on Benjen’s horse alone. I wonder if that means all his companions perish. If you study the frame with the pantless Hound figure, it looks like there is a tipped over large box right behind him. Almost as if he was dumped out of that container. What if the Hound is killed on the wight hunt but then in turn becomes a wight which is captured by Jon & Benjen in the container somehow? This then is brought to the Dragon Pit and shown to prove the existence of the undead threat. Which of course is followed immediately by undead Cleganebowl! Just a thought…
  344. Hiccup Targaryen,

    Amazing idea! I would be sorry to see Houndie die.

    A question I have is can the WWs control a wight that far from the wall. We already know the WWs can turn their wight on and off because we saw that when two inactive wights were dragged through the wall and then woke up to kill some KW.

    Can a fresh wight transit through the wall and stay wighty all the way down to KL? And will a dragon transport a functioning wight? More questions than answers.

  345. Dee Stark:

    And as ghost of winterfell said:

    Maybe it is too obvious now?!?! And in the end, she really isn’t truly Stark (foreshadowed by HOW Lady died compared to the other direwolves manner of death)

    I was shocked by Sansa having the lone wolf line, but I’m still firmly in the camp that she will betray Jon and her house. She ***is*** Stark, however, and so I can easily see her saying this line as she comes to regret her betrayal and be reunited with her brother(s) and sister, hopefully. Losing Lady may symbolize her betrayal but not her Starklessness. And the betrayal has been too well set up to be a red herring, IMO. But we will soon know!!!!!

  346. Wimsey: Heh, I agree and disagree. One of the “themes” of SoI&F (really, more of a motif) is that the fairy tales are all lies. That is, the relationship between Azor Ahai of legend and the original person is like that between Robin Hood and Robin of Locksley. Jon will (I have no doubt) be hailed as the Prince that was Promised by many: but Jon will still be just a person who is in the right place at the right time and with the right capacities to have a huge historical impact.

    Just your Regular Joe who has risen from the dead to wake dragons from stone and then ride these stone dragons – with his Faceless sister and Three-Eyed Raven brother – while wielding his flaming sword that can magically defeat the Others, who are mythical beings with magical superpowers.

  347. Flayed Potatoes:
    Dee Stark,

    Thanks! Made it myself!

    I’m ridiculously uncreative with usernames and I was eating potatoes when I was getting ready to comment and here we are lol.

    I’ve always loved it! I try to buy my potatoes organic so I can just wash and not go through the trouble of skinning them. If I were to eat people, though, I might want to flay and filet first. #nonotreally #justbuythemorganictoo

  348. Wolfish:
    Coleen,

    USE SPOILER CODING!!!

    I’ve read the leaks, but lots of people on this site haven’t!!!

    Sorry if I’m coming across like the WotW Cop-of-the-Day, but a lot of great commenters who make wonderful contributions are regularly “run off” this site by people who inexplicably assume that everyone’s read the leaks.

    Thanks, Wolfish! This worries me greatly for next week’s Con of Thrones. I wonder if I can ask the organizers to establish and promote a spoiler policy similar to this site’s…

    I have questions about the spoilers but not the content of the spoilers:
    1. What is the source of the spoilers?
    2. What is the style? In other words, are these leaked episodes, clips, pictures, synopses, or what?
    3. What is the general consensus of the validity of the leaks?
    4. Do the leaks cover the entire season or only the first few episodes?

    Thank you, greatly!

  349. Wolfish:
    What say you, WotW? If you had three weapons of mass destruction, would you use them together—full force against a single target, with total annihilation in mind—or would you separate them and use them as really powerful backup for separate groups of ground forces?

    I’m loving all of your posts, Wolfish! You sound like such a kindred spirit.

    I had a new theory just today about dragonriders. (I’ve not read any spoilers.) I believe Dany and Tyrion will become anti-villains this season, bringing their uncontrollable Dothraki and uncontrollable dragons to Westeros for much raping, pillaging, destruction, and fire. Dany may try to fulfill the prophecy by having three dragonriders, and if so Tyrion will surely be one of her other two. I don’t know who would be her third. But I think this trio will not be the true trio.

    Jon sent Sam to the Citadel with a mission to learn as much about dragons as he possibly could, and so I think that will come in quite handy. Here is a book quote from ADwD, page 929:

    The dragonlords of old Valyria had controlled their mounts with binding spells and sorcerous horns. Daenerys made do with a word and a whip. Mounted on the dragon’s back, she oft felt as if she were learning to ride all over again. When she whipped her silver mare on her right flank the mare went left, for a horse’s first instinct is to flee from danger. When she laid the whip across Drogon’s right side he veered right, for a dragon’s first instinct is always to attack. Sometimes it did not seem to matter where she struck him, though; sometimes he went where he would and took her with him. Neither whip nor words could turn Drogon if he did not wish to be turned. The whip annoyed him more than it hurt him, she had come to see; his scales had grown harder than horn.

    In addition to this quote foreshadowing Dany’s losing control of her dragons in Westeros, we have a great deal of foreshadowing for either Euron’s horn or Sam’s horn or possibly both. And Sam is going to figure out the spells and artifacts needed to wield and control the dragons, and take that info straight to Jon.

    I believe that Jon is AAR and TPTWP, who will wake dragons from stone (Dragonstone is full of them and the dragons in the basement of the Red Keep seemed to follow Tyrion with their eyes in the same ways that the kings of old followed the Stark kids in the Crypts of Winterfell). So I’m thinking that Jon might have his own dragons to command. And I believe that Arya and Bran and Jon might make his three dragonriders, although it is possible that Dany would be one of his dragonriders, too, if she sees the error of bringing uncontrolled dragons and Dothraki to Westeros.

    If you have dragons you can trust and control and an experienced dragonrider in well-protected mail, I would definitely send a single dragon and rider off to do battle with a small army. They can cover more ground in less time and thus be more efficient that way. And we’ve been told that a dragon is worth more than an entire army. But if we are talking the Others and the army of wights, then we want every possible dragon and every possible person who can fight there. So it definitely depends on the situation.

    (I do ctrl-A and ctrl-C to “select all” and “copy” to the clipboard each time before I post, to avoid any losses.)

  350. Wolfish:
    ash:
    Saner Half (a horse person) audibly gasped when he saw Jaime gallop up the steps. “Oh, my God… that was beautiful!!!” “Ehrm… sweetheart? Anything you need to tell me?” 😉

    I once nearly hyperventilated while watching a football player take off his shirt in a game, while my husband was around the corner in the kitchen. Oops.

    “What’s wrong?”

    Fanning myself. “Erm, oh, nothing. It’s just that this guy is, um, cut.”

    “I know which one you’re talking about.”

    Confused. “You do?!”

    The next week, Thomas was like, “there is the guy you were talking about last week.” And I was all, where? I guess they’re harder to recognize with their clothes on. And Thomas was all, “Right there. The one with the big cut on his eye from last week.”

  351. So I read elsewhere someone say they thought the sword strapped to Jons back in the final scene was Needle … which if so would be such a tragic thing … anyone out there with eagle eyes who can dispel this terrible thought?

  352. Ginevra:
    I have questions about the spoilers but not the content of the spoilers:
    1.What is the source of the spoilers?
    2.What is the style?In other words, are these leaked episodes, clips, pictures, synopses, or what?
    3.What is the general consensus of the validity of the leaks?
    4.Do the leaks cover the entire season or only the first few episodes?

    Thank you, greatly!

    1. A user on Reddit leaked stuff in late September/early October right as filming was beginning. He deleted his account shortly after.

    2. It’s now all compiled in summary form (by fans) but the leaker was basically replying to peoples questions and theories.

    3. People initially doubted him but once filming begun and we started getting set photos, along with spoilers WOTW get from their own sources, everything started lining up with the leaks. The trailers and the behind the scenes videos also validate the leaks

    4. The leaks cover the entire season. Not only did the leaker get plot details right but he also knew what episodes things would be taking place in.

  353. Jay Targ,

    Wow! Thanks, Jay Targ. I do remember reading about those Reddit leaks ages ago, when they had little credence. I hope I can avoid them for the most part. Of course, that will make speculation and theorizing (my favorite bits) hard when some are certain of what happens.

  354. Ginevra: Jon will wake dragons from stone (Dragonstone is full of them

    I’m wondering if greyscale is the agent Valyrians used to bestone dragons and other critters in Dragonstone, and if greyscale can free them from being stoned. Just the name Dragonstone tells us something.

  355. Ginevra,

    Wow Iam just not going to discuss your theory because we have done it plenty of times in the past so I will just wait till the season to play it out itself

    The point about Jon waking dragons out of stone in dragonstone..
    Just Three things
    ASoiAF is not Harry potter
    Dragonstone is not Hogwarts
    Jon is not Minerva McGonagall

  356. Hiccup Targaryen,

    While I like how your clearly demented mind works, 1) I really doubt that the Hound was “resurrected” this late in the game just to be wightified, and 2) no way in hell is anyone letting a wight have a sword. Also: If I recall correctly, according to the leaks the known person who dies on the wight hunt is one we haven’t seen in any of the promos yet.
  357. By now I don’t even care if they don’t see each other. I just don’t want the extinction of House Baratheon (even if the last one is a bastard; tho bastards are the best kind)

  358. Ginevra,

    Waking dragons from stone = dragonglass (“frozen fire”) deposts on Dragonstone. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it – for now.

  359. Wolfish,
    By now I don’t even care if they don’t see each other. I just don’t want the extinction of House Baratheon (even if the last one is a bastard; tho bastards are the best kind)

  360. Ginevra:

    Thanks, Wolfish! This worries me greatly for next week’s Con of Thrones. I wonder if I can ask the organizers to establish and promote a spoiler policy similar to this site’s…

    I have questions about the spoilers but not the content of the spoilers:

    1. What is the source of the spoilers?
    2. What is the style? In other words, are these leaked episodes, clips, pictures, synopses, or what?
    3. What is the general consensus of the validity of the leaks?
    4. Do the leaks cover the entire season or only the first few episodes?

    Thank you, greatly!

    Have a wonderful time at the Con!!! The only fellow WotW I’ve ever met IRL is also attending, and I’m very jealous.

    Regarding the leaks, I’ve not read the primary sources myself; I’ve only seen them discussed extensively on this site. There are a number of other regular posters far better qualified to answer your questions, but I’ll do my best.

    1. As far as I’ve been able to determine, the main source is a Redditor named lads2.
    2. [Ditto], the leaks are in the form of script pages.
    3. [Ditto], following the release of both trailers, they appear to be mostly true.
    4. [Ditto], the entire season.

    On a totally unrelated note, I love your name… whether it’s your real or pen name. 🙂

  361. Marlana,

    Why are you replying to and discussing the contents of a spoiler-code covered post, without covering your reply? Not very considerate.

    Shame! 🔔 Shame! 🔔 Shame! 🔔

  362. Ginevra,

    Thank you for your kind words, and for this incredibly detailed and reasoned response. Hmmm… I now have a lot of food for thought. However, I’ve had a long day outside on a sunny beach and have now consumed most of a bottle of Arbor gold, so I might be unable to make my own reasoned response until tomorrow!

  363. Ginevra,

    LOL!!!

    Saner Half is in his mid-50s, bald, and beefy. I’ve decided that, should I be able to attend the Con next year, I’ll be 1) Yara/Asha (the only person I resemble physically), 2) Cersei (a person I might make myself somewhat resemble with enough work), or 3) Bloodraven (because I could totally pull it off with albino makeup and Halloween hairspray). Actual conversation we had last night…

    Me: “The Rat [our Devonshire Rex cat] needs to be Baby Drogon for Halloween.”
    Him: “We can definitely do that. We’ll find some wings for him online. And you can dye your hair blond and greet people with him on your shoulder.”
    Me: “Uhhh… I don’t remotely resemble Daenerys, but whatevs. Incidentally, if I’m Daenerys and he’s Drogon, you need to be Varys—because you sure as hell can’t be the black guy OR the dwarf.”
    Him: “Fuck that. I’m gonna be the dwarf.”

    😂😂😂

  364. Jay Targ,

    Thank you!!! I’ve been offline all day, and as I told Ginevra in an earlier post, there are other users here more qualified to answer her questions than I. 🙂

    I apologize to everyone for multiple postings; I prefer to respond to several questions/comments in a single post, but have found that when I do that my comments get trapped in Spam. 😕

  365. Ten Bears:

    Marlana,
    Why are you replying to and discussing the contents of a spoiler-code covered post, without covering your reply? Not very considerate.

    In Marlana’s defense, she wasn’t discussing a leak per se; she had her own tinfoil hat on, as we often do. 😉

  366. Jay Targ,

    To be accurate, a “user” didn’t “leak stuff.” A thief stole scripts, made a dumbed-down summary, and had accomplices disseminste it online. Now can we please stop talking about this? It only gives undeserved credence to a crook, and winds ip inducing clueless or inconsiderate commenters to ignore spoiler coding and talk about “leaks.”

    There are three weeks left. I don’t want to be exposed to this garbage. If you like the show, you shouldn’t either.

  367. Wolfish,

    Thank you, Wolfish. Several posters above have mentioned their enjoyment of discussing their theories. I write my theories and questions only. If my ideas coincide with leaks or supposed leaks, I don’t know that. I would have to know the leaks to know what not to say. Catch 22.

  368. Meanwhile Cersei handed the Faith actual paramilitary, judicial and policing powers over commoners and nobles alike, paving the way for a fully theocratic society down the road.

    Let’s note the reasons the siblings empowered the religious elements was different, as were those elements themselves. The Sparrows were introduced by level-headed Kevan Lannister as “bloody fanatics,” and he goes on to imply the Sparrows are religious usurpers who do not know their proper place. The Red Priesthood has Melisandre, but it also has Thoros; it’s not a homogenous organization of fanatics.

    Tyron is seeking more political support for Dany, and while most viewers have been raised to know how incredibly dangerous invoking religion in politics can be, he’s not wrong in knowing she can use the help. (It’s also part of his arc, where he goes from being a drunken, whoring cynic to an idealistic Hand of the Queen.)

    Cersei empowered the High Sparrow to create the Faith Militant as part of her plot to entrap Margaery by having the Sparrows arrest Loras. This was stupid from the outset, as an alliance between Houses Tyrell and Lannister was exactly what the latter needed.

    Worse, thanks to Brother Lancel, the Faith Militant knew of Cercei’s adulterous incest (some of it, anyway) and her conspiring to regicide in the death of her husband. She empowered them even though she knew they had such damning information.

    But who knows? Perhaps Tyrion’s actions will have longer-ranging negative effects. Only GRRM and D&D know for sure.

  369. Ten Bears,

    In Jay Targ’s defense, he (?) didn’t openly discuss the leaks; he responded to Ginevra’s questions about the source and nature of said leaks. She did not want to know what they were, merely where they came from and in what form. As a huge fan of the show, I can certainly understand the morbid curiosity… not necessarily to know the content of the leaks, but how it happened.

    It does provide a lot of food for thought about how scripts are distributed, who has access to them, what sort of security measures are taken to prevent leaks, and how studios can screen employees to ensure that the sort of people who get their kicks from spilling secret information aren’t hired.

    In short: Take it easy on Ginevra, Marlana, and Jay Targ. They mean no harm.

    [pours another glass of Arbor gold, Googles “The Hound”]

  370. The Other Kay ~,

    It is not Needle. Jon always carries two swords with him: Longclaw and a shorter and thinner blade (see Battle of the Bastards – when he faces the Bolton cavalry he removes his belt and there is a thin blade strapped to it).

  371. Marlana: I’m wondering if greyscale is the agent Valyrians used to bestone dragons and other critters in Dragonstone, and if greyscale can free them from being stoned.Just the name Dragonstone tells us something.

    Yes, I have had much the same thoughts!

    dragonbringer:
    Ginevra,
    The point about Jon waking dragons out of stone in dragonstone..
    Just Three things
    ASoiAF is not Harry potter
    Dragonstone is not Hogwarts
    Jon is not Minerva McGonagall

    Though I love the parallels to Harry Potter, I’m not just making this apply to GoT because I want it to. There is a prophecy that says AAR will be doing exactly that, from Page 349 of ASoS:

    When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone.

  372. Wolfish:
    Ginevra:
    On a totally unrelated note, I love your name… whether it’s your real or pen name. 🙂

    Thank you! Dragonbringer already called me out as an enormous Harry Potter fan, and that’s Ginny Weasley’s name. I tend to identify with the redheads, although there wasn’t a redhead in GoT I readily could identify with. Sansa reminds me too much of my snobby my-house-is-bigger-than-your-house cousin, and Ygritte is just a bit too wild.

  373. Ginevra: When the red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be born again amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone.

    I just got on here for the day and am working from bottom up to read the new posts, so don’t hoot at me if this has already been done to death, but … haven’t dragons already been awakened from stone? Dany did it at the time the comet with the blazing red tail was going through the skies. She put the 3 stone eggs into Drogo’s funeral pyre, (salty tears of sadness and plenty of smoke) and was “reborn” the next morning as the mother of dragons. By those things, doesn’t that qualify her as Azor Ahai? Just saying. Happy Sunday everybody.

  374. Tensor the Mage (A Firm Believer in Separation of Sept and Throne): But who knows? Perhaps Tyrion’s actions will have longer-ranging negative effects. Only GRRM and D&D know for sure.

    I’m just wondering why they took such time to introduce Kinvara, and presented us with the mystery of how she knew so much about Varys, if that’s the last we see of her. She was presented as a possible great ally with her powers of persuasion, or as a potential big mess of trouble with her admiration of (and possible lust for) Dany’s dragons: “the dragons will purify non-believers by the thousands, burning their sins and flesh away.” If she IS lusting after the dragons, then I fear for Missandei. What better way to get close to Dany than to come to fill in the space Missandei would leave should she meet an untimely fate. If that’s all we see of her, so be it, but I see her as a hung gun, as Wimsey would put it. What say you, Wimsey? In your opinion, is Kinvara a sexy gun?

  375. Ginevra,

    I always love reading everyone’s different ideas about AA; I’m definitely not in the contingent of people who harrumph over other fans’ having a bit of fun.

    On that note, what are the chances of casting Dame Maggie Smith as Old Jon Snow?

    [ducks rotten fruit]

    Ginevra,

    How did I not know that?

    Thronetender,

    Excellent point. But we’ll keep theorizing anyway… 😉

  376. Thronetender:

    I’m just wondering why they took such time to introduce Kinvara, and presented us with the mystery of how she knew so much about Varys, if that’s the last we see of her. She was presented as a possible great ally with her powers of persuasion, or as a potential big mess of trouble with her admiration of (and possible lust for) Dany’s dragons: “the dragons will purify non-believers by the thousands, burning their sins and flesh away.”

    The Kinvara bit has been really bothering me as well. The introduction of her character raises quite a few questions, chief among them: What, ultimately, do followers of R’hllor want? Is it the end of slavery and the dissemination of their faith, through fiery violence if necessary? Do they “believe” in Daenerys only because she has dragons? (After all, doesn’t it seem odd that they have seemingly placed all their faith in a Westerosi woman who has long been building an army for the express purpose of conquering and ruling her native land across the Narrow Sea?) What do they expect Daenerys’s role to be? In their vision of the future, do the Nine Free Cities (and lands to the east) remain independent, or are they conquered and incorporated under a central theocratic government? With Daenerys and her dragons having now vacated Essos—presumably for good—will the followers of R’hllor now take up “her” cause of abolishing slavery, and combat the Wise Masters (and other slaveholders) if they rise again in Daenerys’s absence?

    A woman has many questions. To echo ThronetenderWimsey, would you care to weigh in?

  377. The Other Kay ~:
    So I read elsewhere someone say they thought the sword strapped to Jons back in the final scene was Needle … which if so would be such a tragic thing … anyone out there with eagle eyes who can dispel this terrible thought?

    No, it’s not. When you zoom in on it you see that it’s a dagger (and) has a different pommel than Needle.

  378. Thronetender: I just got on here for the day and am working from bottom up to read the new posts, so don’t hoot at me if this has already been done to death, but … haven’t dragons already been awakened from stone? Dany did it at the time the comet with the blazing red tail was going through the skies. She put the 3 stone eggs into Drogo’s funeral pyre, (salty tears of sadness and plenty of smoke) and was “reborn” the next morning as the mother of dragons. By those things, doesn’t that qualify her as Azor Ahai? Just saying.Happy Sunday everybody.

    That may well have been Dragonbringer’s point. My opinion is that Dany is the perfect red herring as AAR but Jon is the true hero, TPTWP and AAR. I suppose we’ll find out in the next couple of months. Or years. Or we may have to wait for the books, so decades. The prophecy does not say wake dragons out of eggs, though, because all dragons are born from eggs. The stone must be more significant than that, IMO.

  379. Wolfish: What, ultimately, do followers of R’hllor want?

    If Valyrians are implacable enemies of the WWs and their whole purpose is to defeat ice with fire, the Red Religion was invented to carry message and knowledge forward until the time is right to engage the WWs.

    Valyrians sought volcanic fire and WW-killing weapons of Valyrian steel, settled on a volcanic island having stores of obsidian, and possibly experimented with atomic energy, as shown by the poisonous air surrounding old Valyria and the statues of deformed creatures captured by the Dothraki.

    A common element in WW-killing material is silicon in the form of amorphous silicon dioxide present in obsidian and Valyrian steel. If obsidian disrupts the energy holding WWs together, perhaps the WWs are silicon-based life forms, not carbon-based.

    So a religion knowing how to destroy WWs and how to bring humans from dead to not-dead and no-longer-alive in the cellular sense is promulgating that the war is to the north. Eliminating the cold-bringing, perhaps terraforming WWs is the purpose of the Red Religion.

  380. Marlana,

    What a fantastic response; I’m constantly reminded of how many brilliant people there are posting on this site!

    We have not seen any evidence of the WW outside of Westeros. Would this mean that the Valyrians were originally from Westeros, and that their original migration to Essos and purpose in seeking “volcanic fire and WW-killing weapons of Valyrian steel” was lost in their own histories?

  381. Wolfish: Would this mean that the Valyrians were originally from Westeros,

    Since you ask, I wonder if the Valyrians are from off-Planetos, because if the WWs are not human, they are more likely to be from off-Planetos and, as I suspect, terraforming Westeros to be cold. Perhaps the WWs built the wall to keep in the cold, while they figured out how to bring the cold further south. Book 1 says that, in a vision of falling, Bran observed

    beyond the curtain of energy that exists at the top of Westeros, and what is beyond the curtain of energy is why winter is coming.

    . I theorize that the terraforming machineries are

    beyond the curtain of energy.

    But for the Targaryan migration to Dragonstone, all the Valyrians would have been killed in the Doom. So far, I have no theory about where the Valyrians are from, but I think they are using Planetos as a proxy war field to fight the WWs. Oh, yes, and what are dragons? Moble high-heat flame throwers to toast the WWs. Thanks for your interest,

  382. Marlana,

    The problem with this theory is that we already know that the CotF created the White Walkers (or at the very least, the Night King) to defend themselves against the First Men.

    I thought the “curtain of energy” was the magic surrounding the Wall… the same magic that kept Benjen from accompanying Bran and Meera past the godswood.

  383. Wolfish,

    I have not yet believed the story that the CotF created the WW. In the future, perhaps, but not so far. The CotF used extensively, maybe even created, the weir net. They may know how to hack the weir net so it shows their spin. GRRM warns us about the unreliable narrators.

    I am reminded of 60’s SF The Dragonriders of Pern, by Anne McCaffrey. The series involved going back in history, changing history, warning of coming danger via embroidered wall hangings, and advising to start breeding large dragons from the cat-sized winged lizards flying about. Some of those same elements are present in ASoIaF/GoT. Even changing up the wall hanging to support changing politics.

    Until we get reveals in season 8 and volume 8 (because it will take at least 8), we will not know what theories, if any, come true. I would like the science underpinning the magic to be explained.

  384. Thronetender,
    I wanted to add that about 18 months ago, long before Jon was King in the North and really while he was still dead, BryndenBFish conducted a poll across this site, Reddit, Westeros, and several others, asking many fascinating questions. One was, who is AAR? The winner on every single site was Jon Snow, by 59% on this site. Across this and all sites combined, Jon had six times the number of votes as Dany to be AAR. Of course, this is only opinion.

    http://watchersonthewall.com/a-song-of-ice-and-fire-theory-poll-results-part-1/

  385. Sorry if this has been covered but the change in the lower teeth of the two dragon shots bugged me continuity wise until I considered that the second cut of the dragon baring its teeth is not Drogon but one of the others and dang those two caught up with Drogon quick.

  386. Marlana, I love the idea of unreliable narrator, and the Children putting in their own version of the story (wonder if they did that before or after the 3ER appeared….) Interesting to speculate…..

  387. Ginevra,

    I dont know What exactly this proves ..that Jon snow is most popular in the fandom ..it’s not that unknown ..
    The one who conducted that polls is also a purified dany hater …

    Most of the votes came from show watchers who didn’t have any idea about dany and were just going by the idea based on Jon vs NK at Hard home…

    And what happened in season 6 …the show tells us dany is ” the one who was promised “…
    My question is If she was supposed to be red herring why the show even had this scene..

  388. Thronetender,

    I hope you have time to read this one…this is from the chapter In A Game Of Thrones ..this happens right after when dany is taken into to tent by jorah while MMD performing magic. ..dany gets to have the dragon dreams and this is what happens ..

    Wings shadowed her fever dreams.

    “You don’t want to wake the dragon, do you?”

    She was walking down a long hall beneath high stone arches. She could not look behind her, must not look behind her. There was a door ahead of her, tiny with distance, but even from afar, she saw that it was painted red. She walked faster, and her bare feet left bloody footprints on the stone.

    “You don’t want to wake the dragon, do you?”

    She saw sunlight on the Dothraki sea, the living plain, rich with the smells of earth and death. Wind stirred the grasses, and they rippled like water. Drogo held her in strong arms, and his hand stroked her sex and opened her and woke that sweet wetness that was his alone, and the stars smiled down on them, stars in a daylight sky. “Home,” she whispered as he entered her and filled her with his seed, but suddenly the stars were gone, and across the blue sky swept the great wings, and the world took flame.

    “… don’t want to wake the dragon, do you?”

    Ser Jorah’s face was drawn and sorrowful. “Rhaegar was the last dragon,” he told her. He warmed translucent hands over a glowing brazier where stone eggs smouldered red as coals. One moment he was there and the next he was fading, his flesh colorless, less substantial than the wind. “The last dragon,” he whispered, thin as a wisp, and was gone.

    She felt the dark behind her, and the red door seemed farther away than ever.

    “… don’t want to wake the dragon, do you?”

    Viserys stood before her, screaming. “The dragon does not beg, slut. You do not command the dragon. I am the dragon, and I will be crowned.” The molten gold trickled down his face like wax, burning deep channels in his flesh. “I am the dragon and I will be crowned!” he shrieked, and his fingers snapped like snakes, biting at her nipples, pinching, twisting, even as his eyes burst and ran like jelly down seared and blackened cheeks.

    “… don’t want to wake the dragon …”

    The red door was so far ahead of her, and she could feel the icy breath behind, sweeping up on her. If it caught her she would die a death that was more than death, howling forever alone in the darkness. She began to run.

    “… don’t want to wake the dragon …”

    She could feel the heat inside her, a terrible burning in her womb. Her son was tall and proud, with Drogo’s copper skin and her own silver-gold hair, violet eyes shaped like almonds. And he smiled for her and began to lift his hand toward hers, but when he opened his mouth the fire poured out. She saw his heart burning through his chest, and in an instant he was gone, consumed like a moth by a candle, turned to ash. She wept for her child, the promise of a sweet mouth on her breast, but her tears turned to steam as they touched her skin.

    “… want to wake the dragon …”

    Ghosts lined the hallway, dressed in the faded raiment of kings. In their hands were swords of pale fire. They had hair of silver and hair of gold and hair of platinum white, and their eyes were opal and amethyst, tourmaline and jade. “Faster,” they cried, “faster, faster.” She raced, her feet melting the stone wherever they touched. “Faster!” the ghosts cried as one, and she screamed and threw herself forward. A great knife of pain ripped down her back, and she felt her skin tear open and smelled the stench of burning blood and saw the shadow of wings. And Daenerys Targaryen flew.

    … wake the dragon …

    The door loomed before her, the red door, so close, so close, the hall was a blur around her, the cold receding behind. And now the stone was gone and she flew across the Dothraki sea, high and higher, the green rippling beneath, and all that lived and breathed fled in terror from the shadow of her wings. She could smell home, she could see it, there, just beyond that door, green fields and great stone houses and arms to keep her warm, there. She threw open the door.

    “… the dragon …”

    And saw her brother Rhaegar, mounted on a stallion as black as his armor. Fire glimmered red through the narrow eye slit of his helm. “The last dragon,” Ser Jorah’s voice whispered faintly. “The last, the last.” Dany lifted his polished black visor. The face within was her own.

    AGame of thrones..

  389. dragonbringer,

    Thronetender,

    From the above quote taken from Game of thrones. We can tajw many points like

    1) remember this dream happens to be occurring right after the death of Rhaego

    2) the theme of the dream …the dream starts with ” you don’t want to wake the dragon ” and ends with ” the dragon ” …

    3) we have to look at where exactly dany is in the dream…surrounded by “Stone Arches” with no light and only one red door

    4) what she is running from….
    She is running from icy breath and darkness that follwed her

    5) what’s the ghosts were doing. .these ghosts are ancestors of dany the previous Dragons who help and guide this new and last dragon to be born

    6) what exactly is the death of viserys and rhaego tells us ..the order in which it happens. .
    We get to see the death of two kings that is needed to wake the dragon

    7) how the dream ends ..
    dany reborn as Last Dragon seeing herself in Rhaegar’s armor ..

    This chapter is my favorite because it foreshadows many things in such a subtle way and I consider is as one of the most important chapter of ASoIAF…

    and of course now dany as the Last Dragon who woke after the death of two kings go on to wake the dragons out of stone under the bleeding star and when the darkness is gathering…

  390. Ginevra,

    My disagreement with your theory is not only about Jon being the real promised Prince and Reducing one the major protagonists into a ” Red herring ” …

    But the whole thing is just shows how jon and stark biased your theory is ..how dany is super viallin and only Jon and Sam can control the good dragons and how the dragons of targ family will be something all the starks will share..

    Like I said we have has this conversations plenty of time in the past and so I will just wait till the season airing and see how this theory changes once the season ends. .

  391. ash: wonder if the CotF did that before or after the 3ER appeared…

    Since the 3ER started out human, I also wondered what impact he had on any stories the CotF would tell. Is he still the enemy of the CotF because he was human? Does his Seerhood grant him any extra credit w the CotF? What are his real goals and purposes and did they align w the CotF? Even his checkered past does not really predict his function.

    Some posters have said that his hatred for the Starks was implacable and his purpose was to ruin them all these years after a Stark win over him. Or, knowing Jon is a Targ, thwarting the Targs retroactively, so to speak. A lot of possibilities here.

    Anyway, I fear the Children of the Forest even bearing firebombs. Although it must be said they sacrificed to protect Bran; he has a job to do for them. So has GoT closed the chapter on the CotF? Quite a bit of reveals owed to us.

  392. Wolfish,

    Yeah its very long That’s why I bolded the key points and then went on to decribe that scene ..there is no way we can leave any of that dream out because all of it was important ..
    And trust me when I say this if this dream sequence happened with Jon or any of the starks like arya sansa bran …people would have known this by heart now and I wouldn’t have needed to reprint this at all..

    Personally I think its best to reread the books and its 5000 pages than read biased theories on these forums because every time I do a re read I find something new and interesting that I haven’t noticed before ..

  393. dragonbringer,

    I find that on each re-read and in each re-watch. Alas, there are only 24 hours in the day. 😉 And as ridiculous as some of the theories are here, it’s also wonderful to brainstorm with other fans. Humans are social animals, after all, and even those of us who think of ourselves as “loners” need some form of social contact to maintain a modicum of sanity. 😉

    On that note, thank you for your contributions; I always enjoy reading your posts.

  394. dragonbringer: This chapter is my favorite because it foreshadows many things in such a subtle way and I consider is as one of the most important chapter of ASoIAF

    This was so amazing of you – easy to tell this was your favorite chapter. This was a lot of work, but I love when book readers relay their favorite passages. I read the first three books years ago, and don’t remember them in detail, not like you do, so this adds to my understanding of the writing and adds to my watching of the show.

    The face within was her own.” So she had to do some deep and fearful soul-searching to come to terms with what she wanted and who she was destined to become.

  395. Clob,

    Indeed ! This looks very much like the same horse and as you said, they probably re-use the same “extras”.

    It has the traits of a Frisian, even though they usually have stronger features, but it might very well be one.

    Nice catch !


  396. Wolfish,

    Thank you and I agree with you the most interesting thing about being in a fandom is how a same scene is interpreted in other way and its always fascinating to learn those different presepectives ..

    Thronetender,

    Yes she does go through all that and she was bit lost during her meereen lock the dragon period but at the end of Dragons she acknowledges her destiny and braves herself to look back and be the Last Dragon as she was supposed to be ..

  397. “The lone wolf dies, but the pack survives”

    If her character’s transformation throughout the seasons is true, this is Sansa realizing that family comes first. In the books, Ned says this to Arya – that summer is the time for puppies to squabble, but in winter, they must keep and protect each other. The Stark children – Robb, Jon, Sansa, Arya, Bran, and Rickon (and arguably Theon) – were all lone wolves in the summer.. Robb should have listened to his mother; he died. Sansa should not have ‘betrayed’ her father. Bran should not have let go of Rickon. Jon should have listened to Sansa. Arya is on her own. Theon lost his ding-dong.

    I imagine Sansa saying this line to Arya when Bran the 3-eyed Raven shows her LF’s ways. And that it’s winter, and it’s time for the Starks to survive.

  398. I was just thinking about the Brake vs Furdik Night King topic. You know what would really throw everyone for a loop? If they are actually both in it and there are TWO of them and they’re each leading half the WW and horde of wights. I don’t expect that to happen but they could so do it. Now that would be a surprise to the viewers. “Holy shit! There are two of them!!” 😛

  399. kevin,

    Only just catching up on reading all these comments but I hope Tormund survives as he’s one of my favourite secondary characters however not bothered about Beric or Thoros (as I assume he must be there if Beric is). I think we can assume the Hound also makes it out if he is the shadowy figure in the Dragonpit which Sue suggests (not clear to me but seems plausible).

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