Four collectible Entertainment Weekly covers coming soon featuring Game of Thrones

EW cover

Entertainment Weekly has just announced their upcoming Game of Thrones Season 5 themed-issue.

James Hibberd spent a total of ten days on various sets spread over three countries. His coverage will be in the March 20/27 issue, available this week. The magazine will contain “an unprecedented 30 pages to exploring the past, present, and future of Game of Thrones,” and be spoiler-free, EW promises.

Revealed in the announcement is the fact that the upcoming season will contain three weddings. Weddings are always exciting affairs in Thrones… it will be interesting to see where this season’s will take us.

The issue will have four different character covers – Daenerys, Jon, Tyrion and Arya.

1355-1356-ew-got-cover-emilia

1355-1356-ew-got-cover-harrington

1355-1356-ew-got-cover-dinklage

1355-1356-ew-got-cover-williams

Bonus pic: a closer look at Arya’s new outfit:

arya-stark

The stars on the collectible covers were also asked to sum up GoT in thirty seconds or less, with interesting results. Head on over to Entertainment Weekly to check out the funny video. The gist of it is blood, death, boobs, death, sex, dragons…and possibly a Winnebago.

EW has also shared videos in which the stars talk about who they’d like to share fight scenes with in (and out of) the show.

190 Comments

  1. Maybe I’m having a brain fart-what’s the third wedding??

    Marge/Tommen, Hizdahr/Dany, and….
  2. Apologies for the Hodor, got overexcited at the thought of being first. These look class, the Arya one especially, she looks so grown up!

  3. Could they not have made Tyrion’s beard look even slightly blonde? (granted, his and Jaime’s hair seems largely a lost cause at this point)

  4. Luka Nieto,

    Not really news when we’ve seen loads of pics of her outfit for months now, but it’s a nice photo so we can throw it in there.

  5. Oh man, I think we’ve uncovered some SERIOUS shake-ups in the realm… according to the gorgeous badges on the upper-right of these covers, Jon and Arya will reunite as members of some house with a mangy bobcat on their arms, and Tyrion will be joining some family who’s sigil is “donkey-dog inside a flower”. Dany will be trading her dragons even-up for a trio of snakes, but come on, we all knew that already.

  6. I can’t see Arya’s hairstyle without thinking “Sailor Moon.” Maisie looks a lot older in that getup, though.

    Three weddings, hmmm…?

    Margaery/Tommen, Dany/Hizdahr, and…Ramsay/someone? Trystane/Myrcella?
  7. Emilia Clarke looks lovely as ever 🙂

    Not sure about what they did with Arya’s hair. The outfit looks cool, but the hair is something that I’m going to get used to. Tyrion’s photo is nice to. The Lannister bro’s both look better with a beard. Meh on Jon’s part. Feels like the kind of boring headshot we got loads of times before.

  8. Afeastfordances:

    Nah, dont think it necessarly means Ramsay. I hope so but there could also be a wedding in Dorne.

    Although actually, I could see the show skipping Dany and Hizdhar wedding and just making an official agreement for the sake of the city.

  9. Amazing! Can’t wait for all the coverage, and Emilia looks sublime on that cover.

    Sad I didn’t get my Sansa cover, but hey ho.

  10. Veltigar,

    Sadly Jon never gets new outfits or new surroundings 😛

    As for Arya’s hair, it seems to be the Braavosi style. Every extra seen during filming had the hair like that.

    Lady Wolfsbane,

    Isn’t Jon too busy this season to trouble himself with Karstark family troubles and Thenn matchmaking ? He’s yet to become Lord Commander, which is from ASOS, and they are inventing a big climactic event at Hardhome for his ADWD storyline. So it’s gotta be either Ramsay and someone else or Myrcella and Trystane, right?
  11. So, white is Dany’s color this year. She has been seen in two white dresses. I’m assuming they are saving black and red for her invasion of Westeros.

  12. Luka Nieto,

    I agree, there’s WAY more cutting potential to all that story meat at

    the Wall vs. elsewhere. But that’s a place where there really WAS a wedding in the books. So who knows? Does Dorne need more meat added? Do they need the fArya wedding? WAS that Littlefinger in Winterfell, that would change things in Winterfell for me. Hehe, or the 3rd wedding is in that Bravos brothel with the Salior’s wife… They should marry Rickon to Shireen dangit!
  13. Sean C.,

    Usually, people consider Tyrion, Jon, and Dany to be the main faces of the series. Now, Arya has joined the ranks for once. It’s nice.

  14. Nice covers! I think the Arya and Tyrion ones are the best.

    As far as Arya’s hair style – that is the Braavosi style we have seen in leaked pics from the Braavos shots.

  15. Lady Wolfsbane,

    It’s definitely Littlefinger. I know we only see his back there, but come on. The alternative here is that Sansa is riding alongside someone who really looks like Littlefinger from the back, important enough to be at the front. The simpler answer is… it’s Littlefinger 😉

  16. Beautiful photos of everyone – can’t wait for this issue to arrive in my mailbox. The Star Wars headline makes it even better.

  17. Luka Nieto,

    OK, well I haven’t studied it properly and I never saw anyone put up a good picture. And he’s been seen in

    King’s Landing

    right? Just wondering how good his jetpack is this year…

  18. Sean C.:
    Could they not have made Tyrion’s beard look even slightly blonde? (granted, his and Jaime’s hair seems largely a lost cause at this point)

    Heh.

    “Joffrey Baratheon, golden head” – says Ned with a whisper, connecting the dots… only to see Stannis have a blond daughter too!

  19. This is my first visit to this site…I used ti frequent WiC, but it seems to have spiraled really quickly into completely unreadable trash. So before I bookmark this site I feel the need to ask:

    Has the word “mansplain/s/ed” ever appeared in an article on this website?

  20. Adrian,

    No it has not. Welcome aboard!

    I seriously have a good feeling about this season. Everyone has a good storyline. Dany, Tyrion, Arya, Cersei, Jon.

    The only maybe’s are: Winterfell, Stannis, Dorne.

  21. Adrian,

    If it helps, I had to look up that word? It’s a funny word.

    Luka Nieto,

    Does anyone have a prelim guess how this jetpack could work, based on plotlines, where he’s been seen, and the directors involved?

  22. Arya, we hardly knew ya!

    I know it’s the angle but that cover shot makes her look really top heavy. The second shot, without Needle, is very intriguing. Go faceless!

  23. Adrian,

    I gave up on WiC when they were bought by Fansided, now it’s just click-bait filler rubbish like the rest of the pits of the internet. I thought it was bad enough already – don’t tell me it’s also degenerated into using nauseating tumblr jargon…

  24. Looks like the rumor of Arya carrying an unconcealed Needle in Bravos was correct. Interesting that the Facelessmen would allow it. Maybe they just assume it’s just a normal weapon that has no ties to her old life

  25. Hoyti Von Totiy,

    You think he looks like a girl? Beard and scars in his face and all? Anyways most men lose hairs as they grow older. Might as well enjoy it while he can.

  26. Disappointed there’s no Cersei cover, as I was under the impression this was going to be her big season to shine. Arya looks cool though.

  27. My prediction

    1. Dany/Hizzy
    2. Tommen and Margaery
    3. Ramsey and Winterfell Worker or Sansa

    Trystane and Myrcella won’t happen. She is headed for KL with Jaime.

  28. I like some of the WiC articles. Specially enjoyed the first epidode of the podcast they’ve done a few of. Though I don’t have any issue with the word mansplain.

    As for the weddings I think the same as mau and a few others on the third option.

  29. Holy photoshop!

    Don’t tell me I’m the only one just barely recognising Emilia Clarke and Maisie Williams on those covers. Not impressed.

    However it’s nice seeing some of the new outfits clearly.

  30. Greenjones,

    Hey Greenjones ,can i ask you how can you keep up your mental health by being a regular member on that shithole westeros.org ? I only ask because being around people like sati and her kind without going insane must be a major accomplishement,you may have to give me some tips !

  31. Afeastfordances,

    Loras and Cersei!
    kidding

    Marge/Tommen, Dany/Hizzy and… Maybe there IS a fArya? Because the Sansa thing makes zero sense- her being active in Winterfell is cool but no way would Littlefinger let her marry that psycho
  32. jentario,

    I’m actually OK with

    Myranda being fArya. As long as she ISN’T the person Reek saves with his rebecoming Theon journey … and that it’s Sansa instead.

    That’s the key. He must do that heroic thing for someone worthy in my eyes

  33. daveyf:
    Hoyti Von Totiy,

    You think he looks like a girl?Beard and scars in his face and all?Anyways most men lose hairs as they grow older.Might as well enjoy it while he can.

    Curly hair, nicely cropped 3/4 beard ( not a full on hairy man beard like Benjen or Jamie) and a silly looking coat that makes him look like an 80s pop-rock star… or:
    http://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/weirdal.jpg

    I understand they went for the “crow” like look with the coat but it makes him look funny.

  34. Jesterr223456:
    Greenjones,

    Hey Greenjones ,can i ask you how can you keep up your mental health by being a regular member on that shithole westeros.org ? I only ask because being around people like sati and her kind without going insane must be a major accomplishement,you may have to give me some tips !

    I have the same question. Too much hate, hypocrisy and arrogance in one place.

    And too many trolls who scream at every change “doesn’t make sense, doesn’t make sense”.

    And still they continue to be surprised because Sansa in going to Winterfell. I just don’t get it.

    In the last chapter in AFFC LF explicitly mentions WF as his main goal. Explicitly!

    Westeros.org is a toxic place. Not intended for reasonable people.

  35. jentario,

    He’s only going to pretend to offer Alayne to Ramsay.

    In reality, Alayne used her femininity to convince Baelish to exact vengeance on the people who killed Catelyn. Under the pretense of strengthening the crown’s hold on the North with a wedding between Alayne and Ramsay (made sweeter by a generous dowry on Baelish’s part), Baelish will wait til the day of the wedding, then reveal Sansa for who she truly is and then open the gates to allow Stannis to assault Winterfell. In the ensuing chaos, Theon will rescue Sansa from Ramsay and Myranda.

  36. The other wedding must be the Ser Pounce-Nymeria one.

    And these covers are just amazing!

  37. Lady Wolfsbane:
    jentario,

    I’m actually OK with

    That’s the key. He must do that heroic thing for someone worthy in my eyes

    People here seem to repeat that the actress who was cast to play WF worker has no experience. and therefore she is not fArya.

    Maybe, but the actress who played Tansy in S4 also hadn’t experience and has played scared and traumatized girl in 402 very good .

  38. Nice shots! Arya’s hair definitely has a bit of a Sailor Moon vibe, or a mini-Princess Leia one. A bit weird but it means Braavosi women will have a clearly defined look, very distinct from Westeros, and that’s great. Love the rest of the outfit.

    I feel like I’ve seen Jon in this exact pose a million times, doubtless because I actually have. But he looks man enough for me, curls an all, for whoever doubted that.
    Real men don’t necessarily have shaved heads. Maybe I could mansplain that for you? (Sorry)

  39. Jesterr223456,
    mau,

    It can get pretty toxic over there, y’all are right but there are some really good posters there who are very good at piecing together what’ll happen in the season and are dedicated to putting together all of the info possible and they keep me coming back. I like the formatting of the site too.

  40. Yay! Always feel like the season is getting very near when EW gets active on their reporting. Have to run to B&N tomorrow to pick up the Arya and Tyrion copies. Can’t wait

  41. I think the third marriage will be between a Wildling and a northerner girl. Not necessarily the same characters in the book.

  42. Carne,

    Basically what we saw in the ‘Weapons of Dorne’ video, except Tyene, which is from their fight with Jaime and Bronn, I guess?

    BTW, Believe it or not, I think I noticed a new detail in the trailer. After the shot of Tyrion looking amazed, we see what he’s looking at —Drogon. And that shot ends just before panning completely down. But we get to see trees… and something else, which I hadn’t spotted before. Ruins at the Sorrows, maybe?

  43. Adrian,

    Welcome, Adrian.
    This site was started by those who used to run WiCnet, so hopefully you’ll feel right at home.
    Kick up your feet, relax, and count down to season 5 with us!

  44. For the love of all that is sweet and holy, someone dye Emilia Clarke’s eyebrows, Peter Dinklage’s beard and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau’s hair asap.

  45. Jesterr223456:
    Greenjones,

    Hey Greenjones ,can i ask you how can you keep up your mental health by being a regular member on that shithole westeros.org ? I only ask because being around people like sati and her kind without going insane must be a major accomplishement,you may have to give me some tips !

    Huh, what’s wrong with sati?! I get and know what you mean with the rest of your post, but sati’s cool, she isn’t really one of “the kind” you’re talking about (okay, only when it comes to her beloved LS), I could name you many dozens of users who are much worse.

    Also, she makes lovely gifs, and she and stannisismyking are the best people there to drool and fangirl about Stephen/Stannis.
    Oh, and her movie/TV-website is great!

    Sorry for being so off-topic…

  46. The background in the Dany cover look suspiciously like Roose Bolton’s chainmail.

  47. Three weddings I think are

    Dany/Hizdar, Margaery/Tommen and Alayne/Ramsay

    OMG OMG OMG, this season is going to be incredible I can’t wait! I wish they had a Sansa cover

  48. Yivo,

    Uhm, she wasn’t the only one…
    (I made my peace with it later; in that way, I loved 4×10 even more. And I think 4×09 was still quite cool)

  49. Greenjones,

    No problem 🙂
    And thanks for being always the voice of reason in the “Casting, News and Speculations” threads, especially in times like now. I dunno how the threads would look like if we wouldn’t have you there.

  50. “Oysters, clams, and cockles,” the girl shouted as she pushed her barrow along the wharves. “Mussels, prawns, and cockles.”

    Arya in Braavos is good stuff.

  51. Yung Wolf,

    I think he meant the characters, not the actors. They’re still blonde, blondeish. Who cares. People should get used to it, after 5 years. Changing their appearance now would just look weird.

  52. To post something on-topic:
    The covers are looking great, especially Maisie/Arya looks the most amazing! I simply love her new outfit!

  53. 3rd wedding will be Grey Worm/Penny. This will be a power-play wedding to join the dwarf jousting guild with the Targ. throne, turning everyone’s favorite non-book love story into a super-tense triangle. It’s gonna be sooo good, you guys.

  54. Did anyone else expect Arya to be wearing a darker, lighter getup than she is? It doesn’t look very assassin-esque.

  55. Jesterr223456,

    Without Westeros.org, I would be nothing and most of the dorks I roll with are former and current members. It’s like a proving ground from where many decent and good people of the fandom ascend.

  56. Luka Nieto,

    Can you add the Sand Snake pics to the wiki btw? They’re a helluva lot better than the ones it has up now for their respective articles.

  57. Yung Wolf,

    Haven’t read the last two books in so long that I really lost any expectations of who should look like what… but now that you mention it, that’s a very good point.

    On the other hand, one would be a pretty awful secret assassin if one went around wearing an assassin costume…

  58. Greenjones,

    Actually I prefer the pictures taken from the ‘Weapons’ video. If these were higher resolution, at least that’d be a justification, but they are really low-res.

    Yung Wolf,

    This is her “Cat” disguise. You can see her Black and White apprentice robes in the first trailer.

    Though artists like to draw her like wearing Ninja-like assassin clothes, she never wears such a thing in the books. She’s always either in disguise or in her half-black, half-white apprentice robes.
  59. I was hoping that Sansa would take a back seat this season and only appear in a few episodes. Sansa is one of my favourite characters (and i like Sophie Turner) but i was hoping that Arya, Cersei and Jon would have plenty of screentime this season which would mean that some characters would take a back seat (Tyrion and Dany will obviously always be given the most, followed by Cersei so i was hoping that the next two would be Arya and Jon, but it seems like Sansa is going to feature heavily again, which will probably mean less screentime for Arya or Jon etc)

  60. Carne,

    Yah – still don’t know how I feel about those SS girls. I have yet to see anything that makes me feel good about their depiction.

  61. Tyrion Pimpslap,

    Other than the fact that they’re past the “darkening” age in the books and are still golden blonde.

    It’s one of the few things that constantly piss me off about the show. (NCW’s appalling haircut being another.)

  62. I don’t know how these things work. When will we be able to read the interviews from this article?

    I am extremely interested in D&D’s interview.

  63. Hoyti Von Totiy:
    When are they going to cut Snows curly hair so he finnaly starts looking like a man instead of a girl?

    Never. And if you think Kit looks like a girl, you need to get out more. 🙂

  64. Beautiful covers! I’m really happy Arya got one too, it’s nice that others besides the main trio and the Lannisters get some attention on this level. It’s about time, Arya is many people’s favourite character. Maisie looks fantastic! Kit’s GoT synopsis is hilarious. 😀

  65. KG,

    Jaime and Tyrion”s hair all of a sudden going back to their season 1 shade of blonde would look worse and even more out of place, now that it has been darker for the past 3 seasons. As for Jaime’s haircut, it looks better than it would have had he gone full Heisenberg, like he does in the books, and I’m sure the actor is happy about that.

  66. KG,

    I’ve let it go, but when I’ve rewatched the early seasons, it’s started to bug me, again. In season 1, at least, there was some effort to have Tyrion blonde, or at least blondeish. Then again, while I know they tried and it didn’t read, I’d rather have Jon Snow with gray eyes and Daenerys with purple.

    Oh well, they’ve done so much right, imo, while I’ll always wish, I can get beyond it.

  67. Call me crazy, but Cersei and Tyrion’s hair looks golden to me. Ironically, the one person who is the natural blonde(NCW) is the one whose hair looks darkest.

  68. Daer,

    How can you even know that’s Arya? All I see is a thick layer of photoshop. What’s wrong with this world? She’s just a kid for crying out loud!

  69. Macharius,

    Not happening with Dany, they’ve only gotten darker over the years (I think they did something to lighten them in season 1 at least). I love them and wouldn’t change a thing.

    Tyrion and Jaime bug me more, I admit.

  70. In April, Maise will turn 18.
    Maybe I’m missing all the photoshopping, but to me she just looks like she’s growing up.

  71. No Jaime cover??! How are they going to leave out Azor Ahai or Sansa the future ruler of Westeros?!

  72. Adrian,

    I haven’t visited WIC in a while but I remember glancing at the twitter account of the guy they handed it over too and seeing the type of content on there it wouldn’t surprise me if WIC became more political and “social commentary” oriented. Sorry, but that is not what I look for when I go to a GoT fan site, there is plenty of that all over the rest of the internet.

  73. Nymeria Warrior Queen,

    Agreed. I recognize her just fine.

    She looks weird mostly because of the hair. Granted, the picture has the typical retouching, but I see nothing drastic. Wanna see something drastic? Tell me this looks like Bilbo or Martin Freeman.

  74. mau: I have the same question. Too much hate, hypocrisy and arrogance in one place.

    And too many trolls who scream at every change “doesn’t make sense,doesn’t make sense”.

    And still they continue to be surprised because Sansa in going to Winterfell. I just don’t get it.

    In the last chapter in AFFC LF explicitly mentions WF as his main goal. Explicitly!

    Westeros.org is a toxic place. Not intended for reasonable people.

    Yes, because going to Winterfell to retake it with a Vale army at some time in the future when the Lannisters are definitely going down, is totally the same thing as taking Sansa (still wanted for regicide in KL where Cersei is still in power) incognito and with a few Vale guards to Winterfell which is ruled by the Boltons. Silly people, how can they not see it’s the same thing?

  75. Does anyone else love Emilia Clarke’s smile as much as I do? I just can’t help smiling along with her.

  76. mau,

    I’d be even HAPPIER if it wasn’t Myranda. But I’d cope if it is. 🙂

    Harma Dogememe,

    Hahaha… funny, thanks for the reminder of some of the things we used to think would be in this season… like

    Penny

    . Kudos on the assassins are not SUPPOSED to look like assassins thing too.

  77. Hoyti Von Totiy:
    When are they going to cut Snows curly hair so he finnaly starts looking like a man instead of a girl?

    I didn’t know he looked like a girl, he doesn’t to me, but if you say so…

    Hey, if Jon = a girl, he’s allies with Stannis, and Stannis “tempts Jon”… I got it now: the third wedding is Stannis/Jon! #itisknown

  78. Annara Snow: Yes, because going to Winterfell to retake it with a Vale army at some time in the future when the Lannisters are definitely going down, is totally the same thing as taking Sansa (still wanted for regicide in KL where Cersei is still in power) incognito and with a few Vale guards to Winterfell which is ruled by the Boltons. Silly people, how can they not see it’s the same thing?

    First of all, by the time Sansa and LF arrive in WF, Cersei will probably be imprisoned and no one in WF will know Sansa’s true identity.

    And secondly why would LF be afraid of Lannisters? Loras will be arrested in the first few episodes. Add to that aggressive religious fanatics in KL and crazy Cersei.

    The capital will be on the brink of civil war. What can Lannisters do to LF? Nothing.

  79. jentario,

    As I stated it doesn’t have to be the same character or storyline from the book. Just a wildlings and a random northern girl, (could be from mole’s town or whatever it called) chosen by Jon to integrate Wildlings into Northern culture. The effect on the Nightwatch would be same as in the book.

  80. mau: First of all, by the time Sansa and LF arrive in WF, Cerseiwill probably be imprisoned and no one in WF will know Sansa’s true identity.

    And secondly why would LF be afraid of Lannisters? Loras will be arrested in the first few episodes. Add to that aggressive religious fanatics in KL and crazy Cersei.

    The capital will be on the brink of civil war. What can Lannisters do to LF? Nothing.

    Do you really think that Cersei will be arrested halfway through the season? How would her arc even go in that case? Loras being arrested doens’t mean Cersei will be immediately. Cersei’s arrest can only happen in one of the last episodes of the season, or else, when would she have the time to plot against Margaery and get herself in trouble, and what would she do for the rest of the season? And do you really think LF and Sansa are only going to go to Winterfell near the end of the season?

    That nobody in Winterfell will know Sansa’s real identity (though Theon will) is presumably what they’re hoping for, but it’s a pretty big gamble (not that this is enough to stop the show writers, after all, they had LF openly threaten Cersei in season 2 and Sandor and Arya announcing their identities in the Vale). But whatever they’re doing with this, these are certainly not the same circumstances or the same storyline, so I don’t see how the prospect of Sansa and LF going to Winterfell at some point means that nobody should be surprised if they shove her into the Boltons/Stannis/Theon Winterfell story. We all know Dany will no doubt eventually come to Westeros, but if she had arrived in season 2, married Joffrey and killed Tywin, this certainly wouldn’t have been the same story.

  81. Shk12344:
    jentario,

    As I stated it doesn’t have to be the same character or storyline from the book. Just a wildlings and a random northern girl, (could be from mole’s townor whatever it called) chosen by Jon to integrate Wildlings into Northern culture.The effect on the Nightwatch would be same as in the book.

    Why would they waste time on such unimportant plot?

  82. Annara Snow:

    1. Do you really think that Cersei will be arrested halfway through the season? How would her arc even go in that case? Loras being arrested doens’t mean Cersei will be immediately. Cersei’s arrest can only happen in one of the last episodes of the season, or else, when would she have the time to plot against Margaery and get herself in trouble, and what would she do for the rest of the season? And do you really think LF and Sansa are only going to go to Winterfell near the end of the season?

    2. That nobody in Winterfell will know Sansa’s real identity (though Theon will) is presumably what they’re hoping for, but it’s a pretty big gamble (not that this is enough to stop the show writers, after all, they had LF openly threaten Cersei in season 2 and Sandor and Arya announcing their identities in the Vale). But whatever they’re doing with this, these are certainly not the same circumstances or the same storyline, so I don’t see how the prospect of Sansa and LF going to Winterfell at some point means that nobody should be surprised if they shove her into the Boltons/Stannis/Theon Winterfell story. We all know Dany will no doubt eventually come to Westeros, but if she had arrived in season 2, married Joffrey and killed Tywin, this certainly wouldn’t have been the same story.

    1. I believe that she will be arrested in episode 7 or 8. And we know that LF first goes to KL, and then to Winterfell. And we also know that he will certainly be in KL in episode 4. So I believe that Sansa and LF will be in the WF in episode 6 or 7 at the earliest. Of course, I could be wrong.

    2. Gambling? Like in the books when LF openly proposed his marriage with Sansa at the Small Council? And because of that even “stupid” Cersei is suspicious?

    Everyone who lived in Winterfell with Sansa was killed. Roose never met Sansa. Who will recognize her? Theon? Of course he will. But he will not tell anyone. That will be his redemption.

  83. mau: 1. I believe that she will be arrested in episode 7 or 8. And we know that LF first goes to KL, and then to Winterfell. And we also know that he willcertainly be in KL in episode 4. So I believe that Sansa and LF will be in the WFin episode 6 or 7 at the earliest. Of course, I could be wrong.

    2.Gambling? Like in the books when LF openly proposed his marriage with Sansa at the Small Council? And because of that even “stupid” Cersei is suspicious?

    Everyone who lived in Winterfell with Sansa was killed. Roose never met Sansa. Who will recognize her? Theon? Of course he will. But he will not tell anyone. That will be his redemption.

    Proposing his marriage to hostage!Sansa =/= admitting that he is harboring wantedfugitiveJoffrey’ssupposedmurderer!Sansa

  84. Tyrion Pimpslap:
    Annara Snow,

    I doubt

    So the Dany/Joffrey/Tywin hypothetical doesn’t really work for me.

    I don’t either, especially not the marriage part. (That’s a popular theory with some other people.) Dany in Westeros in season 2 was just an example – replace it with some other major action that changes the story. If she were there in season 2 or 3 – maybe some fans would be happier, but it would have certainly been a very different story both for her and for the characters in Westeros. Point is, just because a character is going to a place eventually, doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t be surprised if they arrive there much earlier during completely different circumstances and get involved in a storyline that goes without them in the books: it’s not a minor change, it’s a fundamental change to the story.

  85. Annara Snow: Proposing his marriage to hostage!Sansa =/= admitting that he is harboring wantedfugitiveJoffrey’ssupposedmurderer!Sansa

    No one will know her identity. He will reveal that when the time comes. Just as will happen in the WOW.

    We’ll see. It is difficult to say in advance, when we do not have the book(TWOW) nor we have seen season.

    I understand that the unknown is upseting.

  86. mau,

    If the Wildling/Northern girl marriage is used, it will be to show Jon’s attempt at creating an alliance between Wildings and Northerners. Marriage would be a political act. The result would have same effect on TV Jon as it had on Book Jon.

    It’s just my guess as to what the third marriage would be. It sounds more realistic thatn Ramsay marriage to whoever, at least to me.

  87. I just want the Arya cover. I am thrilled to see a Stark actually featured! Vanity Fair had that incredible cover last year with 3 Lannisters, a Snow and Targ. As much as I dig all the characters, I wished they had replaced either Jaime or Cersei with Arya on the cover, as one of the faces of Season 4. Glad to see more variety, though Dany/Tyrion/Jon continue to be the heavily promoted “stars”, it’s nice to see the Starks’ represented.

  88. mau: 1. And we know that LF first goes to KL, and then to Winterfell.

    How do we know he goes to King’s Landing first? My interpretation was that he brings Sansa to Winterfell (like in Episode 3 or so), and then goes to King’s Landing.

  89. Those Arya photos remind me of the references in the books to Arya being a bit like Lyanna. She looks much older.

  90. I like how the wolf on Jon’s sword has aged with all the dirt in the cracks and stuff.

  91. Big Mac,

    He’s at King’s Landing in episode 3/4, and him going to Winterfell in the first couple of episodes seems unlikely.

    Littlefinger, Sansa and the knights of the Vale are probably in Winterfell because the crown sent them to back up the Boltons against the Lannisters’ last active enemy (Stannis). My guess is that Cersei orders Littlefinger to head to Winterfell when he visits King’s Landing (maybe he arrives for the funeral? maybe for the wedding? either way, Cersei orders him to help the Boltons).

    Then we get the Sansa/Littlefinger scene where he convinces her to avenge her family and get in with the Boltons only to overthrow them and take over as the Stark in Winterfell (with help from Stannis?).

    My pet theory is that Ramsay and Roose figure out Littlefinger’s plan and end up flaying him, and then Theon helps Sansa escape before Ramsay can get to her.

  92. Lion of Night,

    Bugger the weddings! What colour would they be?

    T + M = Golden Green Wedding?

    H + D = Golden Blue Wedding?

    AN Other + AN Other = Ice Blue Wedding?

  93. jentario,

    Are you sure about LF going to the capital in episodes 3/4? Was the director spotted? I thought it was episode 7 or so, for some reason.

  94. The Arya cover makes it look like she has a massive rack lmfao

    It also so photoshopped that her head appears to be the same shape as ET’s

  95. These outfits go off! Especially Dany’s necklace!
    Jon needs new clothes I know black is the uniform but good god.
    Tyrion looks smart.
    Arya’s is growing on me, once I see it on screen with similar outfits I’m sure I’ll love Braavos.

  96. jentario:
    Big Mac,

    No way is

    Littlefinger going to die this season at the hands of the Boltons. He’s one of the major schemers/villains of the series, he’s in for the long run.
  97. Annara Snow,

    They keep talking about big deaths coming up (ahead of the books) and that would definitely qualify. Also, we don’t know what happens in TWOW, and a lot of people think Littlefinger’s going to bite the dust in that book (even if by different circumstances).

  98. jentario:
    Annara Snow,

    They keep talking about big deaths coming up (ahead of the books) and that would definitely qualify. Also, we don’t know what happens in TWOW, and a lot of people think Littlefinger’s going to bite the dust in that book (even if by different circumstances).

    There are at least 10 major or major-ish characters I can see dying this season rather than I can see Littlefinger. Killing him off now – by the Boltons, no less – would be extremely anticlimatic and dramatically unsatisfying, and would only manage to ruin big and interesting plot threads without any payoff (his series-long rivalry/”chess game” with Varys, his relationship with Sansa with the Chekov’s fact that he betrayed Ned and was basically responsible for and plotting the destruction of the Starks and the possibility that she is going to eventually find it all out).

  99. Shk12344:
    mau,

    If the Wildling/Northern girl marriage is used, it will be to show Jon’s attempt at creating an alliance between Wildings and Northerners. Marriage would be a political act.The result would have same effect on TV Jon as it had on Book Jon.

    It’s just my guess as towhat the third marriage would be.It sounds more realistic thatn Ramsay marriage to whoever, at least to me.

    If that kind of marriage happens in the show, it would be more likely to be a wildling woman/one of Stannis’ men. They don’t have any northern girls at the Wall without the Alys Karstark subplot.

  100. Yeah I think LF is teflon and he will be there at the end but wouldn’t be surprised if it’s wrapped in a “be careful what you wish for, Mr Baelish” twist.

  101. Abyss:
    TOIVA,

    “barely recognising”? Come on, they did some filter work, as they always do, but that’s it.

    Well, maybe an exaggeration on Arya’s cover (slightly), but I really don’t see much Emilia Clarke in the Daenerys cover.

    Without wanting to insult Emilia (rather the photoshoppers are the target), that face reminds me of the typical facelifted Russian/Ukrainian would-be model I see in my town’s streets.

  102. Yeah… Littlefinger dying because one of his plans was found out, and he was right there on hand when it happened? That doesn’t sound at all like Littlefinger to me. I feel it would completely undermine his character, making him look really stupid.
  103. mau,

    Problem is this:

    If Sansa is going to need to be saved by Theon, which is looking extremely likely at this point, she needs to be in a dangerous position. If she and Littlefinger are going to remain the dynamic Manderly duo throughout the season, she won’t need saving at all and Theon gets no redemption.

    But I do agree that the whole Varys vs Littlefinger thing is too good to leave like this. But I’m not sure if it’s even going to go anywhere in the books… We’ll see. I definitely can see what I said happening.

  104. jentario,

    I don’t want Sansa to be saved by anybody…anymore.

    She’s got to start figuring things out for herself and acting accordingly. My fear is that this season’s WF situation will either belittle Theon’s or Sansa’s arc. I hope I’m wrong but, like many others, I’m not pulling for a “kill the Reek/save Sansa” scenario. Give Theon an independent cause to come out of his shell….then maybe Sansa and him align at some point. (but Sansa also needs to know at some point that Theon fucked WF over too!!! just like she needs to realize soon that LF fucked her family over…)

    I don’t want Sansa to be Manderly either.

  105. Someone scanned all of the pages from a digital copy of the EW issue and posted them online. http://emilia-clarke.net/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=344

    I may still try to pick up a hard copy if I can find one close to where I live, but for anyone who doesn’t want to or isn’t able to, it’s (mostly) all there. Some interesting stuff in there. Light spoilers below.

    -Sunspear will appear in the opening credits. There’s a photo.
    -Also related to the opening credits, Winterfell will no longer be on fire. Greg Spence, one of the designers, hints at a surprise in store (Bolton sigil, most likely).
    -Both Conleth Hill and Peter Dinklage talk about Varys directing Tyrion to seek out Dany. Dinklage calls Tyrion and Dany “kindred spirits.”
    -Reiteration that the Iron Islands subplot will not be in Season 5. Ditto for Bran.
    -Jon and Melisandre share a “mutual interest between them both that we see right from the get-go”. Kit Harington jokes again about Jon having a thing for redheads.
    -Reek gets some (temporary) relief when Ramsay gets “a new plaything” to torture.
    -Some amusing stories about crew members partying too hard and waking up naked in unexpected locations.

    -It’s strongly implied that the Hound will not appear in Season 5, although the article stresses several times that he’s not confirmed to be dead.
    -Finally, a cast member who has read the books and has been with the show for “several years” is dying this season – a death that has not happened at this stage in the books. The actor thought that his or her shooting schedule for the season seemed a bit light given what he or she knew of their character’s book material, and later got confirmation that the character’s time was up.
  106. Jared,

    And I thought I was going to get some work done today… Hah!

    Interesting that they put the “Never Told” stuff in there.

  107. Jared,

    Thanks! I often have trouble finding EW on newsstands.

    Ramsay’s new plaything to torture…I’m not sure that I want to know where this is going. Ack…character death report! Have Ian Beattie or Kristofer Hivju read the books? Those deaths seem fairly likely based on the latest round of spoilers and filming reports. Guess that Loras is a possibility as well.
  108. mariamb,

    Sounds like a confirmation of fArya, or at least some variant thereof. I hope most people would agree that it’s extremely unlikely that Sansa is going to Winterfell in order to be Ramsay’s tortured plaything. Her arc is supposed to be about her becoming “badass” and a “player”, not an extreme masochist/martyr.

    Character who is going to die: Barristan? Ian McElhinney has read the books, he hasn’t been seen shooting any of the big Meereen outdoor scenes with the others, and he would have expected a heavier schedule considering Barry’s role in the books. It can’t be a reference to Ian Beattie, since Meryn doesn’t do much in the books – and his role is larger in season 5.

  109. Annara Snow,

    Agree – Sansa torture is unlikely, especially since LF will be with her. As far as the death, I didn’t realize that Ian McElhinney has read the books. Barristan certainly fits as a character that should have been involved in more scenes.
  110. Jared,

    So we’re going to get to see Sunspear? I’m not sure why, but I only expected to see the Water Gardens. I mean, it’s not such a big change if they condense it all. The Water Gardens are said to be three leagues away from Sunspear —that’s only 16 km.

    Oh, and there’s the full dialogue between Varys and Tyrion that we saw in the first trailer:

    Tyrion: “A drunken dwarf will never be a savior of the Seven Kingdoms.”
    Varys: “You have your father’s instincts for politics and you have compassion.”
    Tyrion: “Compassion? I killed my lover with my bare hands and I shot my own father with a crossbow.”
    Varys: “I never said you were perfect.”
    Tyrion: “What it is you want, exactly?”
    Varys: “Peace, prosperity. A land where the powerful do not prey on the powerless… a ruler loved by millions with a powerful army and the right family name.”
    Tyrion: “Good luck finding him.”
    Varys: “Who said anything about him?”

    As for the actor who’s read the book and had a light filming schedule because he’ll die even though he’s alive in the books… fuck, for the first time I’m truly worried about Barristan.

  111. ServantofLight: Adrian

    Yeah. I just went back to see if there were responses to the criticism of the lady using the word, and it’s simply that any critical post was deleted. I’m done there. Stupidity is one thing, stupidity bolstered by censorship for no reason at all except the formation of an echo chamber I can’t tolerate.

  112. mariamb,

    I don’t have an answer, I’m afraid, but I will say that speculation on other forums has started to center on:

    Barristan Selmy. We know that Ian McElhinney has read the books, and the last part of ADWD is really when Barristan becomes a POV character and starts to get more to do. He’s still alive at the end of that book, but it’s possible that he might die in the Battle of Meereen during the first half of TWOW. Ultimately, I think that the full Battle of Meereen is unlikely to be in the show – certainly not this season, and probably not Season 6. It may be significantly streamlined (as it already has with the omission of the Greyjoy fleet). It may be condensed into an internal insurgency centered around Daznak’s Pit. It may be skipped over entirely. With only 2 seasons likely remaining after this one, both the showrunners and a significant number of viewers want to see Daenerys move towards Westeros as soon as possible – a development that I fully support (Speaking only for myself, I do not want to see her spend a significant portion of Season 6 wandering around the Dothraki Sea with characters we don’t know and aren’t invested in). The easiest way to achieve that goal is to extract her from Meereen as soon as possible, and the easiest way to do that is to mostly dispense with the battle of Meereen and the elaborate lead-up to it – which includes Barristan’s coup and his preparations to engage in battle with the slaver’s army. If that’s gone, then all that’s left for Barristan would be his TWOW/ADOS material if he survives the battle, and his death if he doesn’t. Unless he plays a major role in the endgame that can’t be handled by another character, his time may be up.
  113. Oh, we do get to see Sunspear’s design in the opening credits in those scans, and it seems the Water Gardens are inside the palaces of Sunspear. A logical streamlining I guess.

    That new picture of Littlefinger and Sansa is beautiful.

  114. You: sexis

    See it’s this I object to. The assumption that because I object to these toxic tumblrisms that espouse hatred and segregation in the name of “social justice,” particularly on a site that is an entirely inappropriate venue, I’m a “sexist jerk.”

    Whatever though, if you want to let venomous ideals and hate for certain types of people who it’s been deemed acceptable to hate shape the way you live, that’s on you, not me. I’d just rather not be judged and found wanting for the crime of being born a white man, especially on a news website for a TV show based on a series of books I love.

  115. Luka Nieto,

    http://emilia-clarke.net/gallery/displayimage.php?album=344&pid=15454#top_display_media

    Here’s the actual photo. The text on the map is too small for me to actually read the word next to the city – hell, it could just say “Dorne”. But I think that it’s Sunspear – the design on the map looks more like a city. As you say, the Water Gardens and Sunspear are only a short distance apart in the books. Rather than moving the Dornish power base to the Water Gardens, I think that the Water Gardens themselves will simply be transplanted so that they reside within Sunspear’s limits. That way, Doran can have his place of solitude while also being able to navigate through the palace – as we’ve seen him do in various features and photographs – without having to shuttle back and forth between the two.

    Also, Oberyn tells Cersei in Season 4 that he last saw Myrcella playing in the Water Gardens. When Cersei asks him to deliver Myrcella the ship that she had made for her daughter as a gift, Oberyn promises that he will have it sailed down to Sunspear for her. It probably doesn’t mean anything, but it could be an indication that the two locations have been merged for the show’s purposes.

    EDIT: I see that you already arrived at the same conclusion yourself. One of the occupational hazards of typing out my tendency to type out long responses so frequently is that sometimes the thread can leave me behind. 🙂

  116. Adrian,

    No idea what the chip on your shoulder is about. But people are perfectly free to discuss things like mansplaining and sexism as they pertain to the show, since this is a show that deals heavily with politics and complicated personal relationships. People are going to discuss topics that you don’t always like. Just don’t engage in the conversation if that’s the case. There is nothing wrong with social justice. So how about you dial down the dramatics and just have some fun?

  117. Jared,

    Thanks for the link and the nice preview of all the juicy S5 tidbits! Can’t wait to read them myself when the magazine arrives in the mail.

    Jared:

    -Both Conleth Hill and Peter Dinklage talk about Varys directing Tyrion to seek out Dany. Dinklage calls Tyrion and Dany “kindred spirits.”

    That’s my favorite tidbit.

    🙂

  118. Jared,
    If I’m looking at the picture you mean (bottom one on the page you linked to with a bit sticking out into the water and Sea of Dorne in the water above it) I’m 95% certain – thanks to Photoshop and a job that involves staring at the shape of text a lot – that the tiny writing next to the buildings says Dorne. However, I may be looking at entirely the wrong thing here as I’ve only skim read this thread, in which case apologies.

  119. TOIVA: Russia

    That gave me an idea. GoT’s producers should recast the role of Daenerys. Emilia must be dropped from the role to act the part of a scrubber in LF’s brothel. She supposedly loves commoners so much that she ought to become one. Just imagine, Emilia performing BDSM with dragons. Ouch!

  120. Lulu’s Mum,

    No worries, you’re looking at the correct picture. And yeah, looking it more closely I think that the text does says “Dorne”. Still, the actual city rising up out of the map is almost certainly meant to represent Sunspear (with the Water Gardens condensed into it). We’ll know for sure soon enough.

  121. Hodor’s Bastard,

    Well, what we really need is

    Kill the Reek, and let Theon be Reborn.

    I think that some people have missed who the real “damsel in distress” was in that sequence!

  122. Jared,

    Looks like Margaery Is having a conversation with one of her hand-maidens. The Forrester girl maybe?

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