Kit Harington speculates on the future of Game of Thrones, and Maisie Williams reacts to season 7!

Jon

It’s been a massive year for Kit Harington. Not only did he come back from the dead as Jon Snow, he snagged an Emmy nomination in the process. The actor speaks to The Hollywood Reporter about the creation of the epic Battle of the Bastards, his thoughts on the seasons to come and reacts to his award nomination.

“I was more thrilled by it than I thought I would be,” he tells THR. “There’s something about a group of people turning around and saying, ‘We liked what you did.’ It made me very happy. I wept. And that wasn’t at all what I expected. I expected to be a lot cooler about it.”

When conversation turns to the Battle of the Bastards, there’s a revelation regarding a famous scene from the episode. The concept for the moment when Jon is almost smothered to death by the crush of men before surging back to the surface was apparently inspired by a conversation between Harington and director Miguel Sapochnik.

That piece came about with me and director Miguel Sapochnik having a conversation. Everything had backed up a bit and we were running out of time to shoot what we had intended. Miguel and I talked about what my greatest fears are. And as it happens, one of my greatest fears is a human crush — those horrible stories you hear about stadiums where people literally suffocate to death because they can’t get out of other people panicking. I thought if we could do that in this sequence, that could be really terrifying for the viewer.

Speculating about the future of the show, Kit sees dark things:

It’s important to stress at this point that I haven’t had any scripts, so this is all guess work for me. I think it’s going to get very bleak before if there is a happy ending. If there’s any sort of win or heroic moment for Jon and everyone else. I think it’s going to get very dark before it gets better. I think what we might see this season is those White Walkers and that Army of the Dead really come into force. So that’s going to be exciting to see. I don’t know what it means. I think with the whole “winter is finally here” business, it means everyone is going to have a really bad time.

Kit may not have had scripts yet at the time of the interview, but you know who has them now?

Maisie Williams.

And she is very excited and alarmed, and wanting to share her abundance of feels. Her Twitter exploded this evening as she reacted to her reading of season 7:

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If you weren’t excited for season 7 before, you should be now.

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

148 Comments

  1. Give us the deets, Maisie.

    Please let there be an Arya and Jon reunion. (There probably won’t be one.)

  2. May the Mother have mercy on our innocent little hearts and the Warrior protect us form the evil machinations of David and Dan

  3. Oh my sweet summer Kitten…
    Bleak is a synonym for this series.

    And about Maisie’s little freak out I have only one word: Gendry.

  4. So Sophie Turner got the scripts last week (while she was in LA), Maisie Williams apparently got it today and Kit Harington has not got them yet. I wonder if getting the scripts sooner means filming sooner or if there is anything to the order in which they send out scripts to the actors.

  5. Newbietothegame:
    SerNoName,

    I would think the interview with Kit did not take place today.

    Still, some actors seem to be getting them a week ahead of others – ex. Sophie Turner and Maisie Williams. I was wondering on that difference. Maybe Maisie is not in an earlier episode and Sophie is…

  6. Isn’t this the sort of stuff that the actors say every year, though? Think I’ll take a few months off before I board the hype train…

  7. SerNoName,

    Hmm,maybe because D & D are located in the US? It may explain Sophie already having them last week vs having them probably mailed to Maisie in the UK.
    I am getting excited. Scripts are going out and filming will start soon.
    I was not around fan sites while they filmed a lot in Iceland. Where there as many filming spoilers from there?

  8. When you think Kit cannot get any cuter… he goes and does that!! 🙂

    SerNoName,

    I don’t think Kit is as social media-friendly as Maisie and Sophie… so he might have already received the scripts, but he won’t share it with the world…

  9. Figure if everything goes to hell next season that we will see some major players die… that ending of season 6 was just too happy.

    On my dead list: Dany and her crew (figure Euron will do something before she can get to King’s Landing); everyone at The Wall; Cersei and her crew; everyone in Old Town except Sam; tons of background characters… and either Sansa or Littlefinger.

  10. I think someone very unexpected is going to die. And I lean towards it being either Dany or one or more of her dragons. I’ve thought as a book reader and show watcher both that something must happen to create story tension for the final arc. If Dany and Jon and someone else are going to just ride 3 dragons and burn the Wights from the sky, there is little tension in this. They may suffer casualties but the White Walkers could not combat against a constant fire barrage endlessly killing their resurrected Wight army. This doesn’t seem a likely scenario for the story GRRM is trying to tell. But I also don’t think Dany becomes a villain either. So it leaves little options for story tension for the final arc other than a major death to person or creature.

  11. I love Maisie. Lol.

    At this point, it’ll be hard to surprise me about anything. I’m sure they’ll manage though.

  12. Hype train boarding early.

    I feel like this is the first season of being completely out of book material so I think we’re in for some shockers of the highest order. Granted, nothing could have prepared me for the shock of Cersei sitting the Iron Throne but I think we’ll have even greater shocks to come. I can’t wait!

    Honestly, set photos this year are going to mean next to nothing. We will have no context for anything unless of course the suspected Tourney at Harrenhal flashback happens. It’s pretty nutty actually. I do hope GRRM manages to get the book out before next summer. It *could* happen I suppose.

    Is anyone watching anything good in the off-season? I watched Stranger Things, like everyone else. It was just ok. I feel like the hype was off the charts and kind of ruined it for me. I just found a new BBC 3 show called “Fleabag” I am enjoying but I doubt it would appeal to your average GoT fan. It’s a mix of Girls and Peep Show. Very raw, very raunchy but also poignant. Hope you are all well and enjoying the last days of summer. I can’t wait for fall and winter!

  13. All we know is when Maise finished reading her script, not when she received it.

    As for Kit, there’s something about what he said about his reaction to his nomination I find incredibly endearing.

  14. Aww Kit. I’m so happy for him. You can tell this nomination means a lot to him.

    Maisie needs to give us more information! I assume the WW are coming through the Wall and the likes of Cersei will die. Hopefully Euron goes down with one of the dragons lol.

  15. Goodness, Maisie! Can you hype it even more? I love that girl. 🙂

    Kit wept. Aww. I bet he’s still cute while weeping. Haha!

    I’m hyped for the next season, as always. Hmmnn… Jon-Arya reunion will be the best gift that the season can give me. Fingers crossed.

  16. SerNoName,

    Maisie only said that she finished reading the script today, not that she got it today. They must all have got them by now. Besides, when they start shooting, don’t they normally start with all the major storylines/ characters at the same time? It was so last year at least. I expect they will all begin filming in a couple of weeks’ time.

    Kit always sounds so humble in his interviews. If he does win, I wonder what his reaction would be!

  17. Laura,

    Thanks! Hope you are well, too. I have Mr. Robot to tide me over until the fall season comes. Gosh, July 2017 couldn’t come sooner.

  18. orange,

    No, I think Dany will be there until the end (I hope so). The shocking event could be (tinfoil hat on!) Jaime (the valonqar) killing Cersei and then Jaime killing himself (they were born together, they die together). Jaime’s “wish” of dying in the arms of the woman he loved will then come true.

  19. orange,

    Dany is not going to die in season 7. Her previous seasons in Meereen would not make much sense if she would die already. She first has to do something important in Westeros. But I do think she might die near the end of season 8.

  20. Sam,

    I think Jaime will kill Cersei, I don’t think he will die yet though, at least I hope not. I feel he has a role to play in the fight against the white walkers.

  21. daerya: Please let there be an Arya and Jon reunion. (There probably won’t be one.)

    Oh yes, I agree! Some many months ago before the season started and we were asked what scene we’d like to see, Arya and Jon was one that I listed. Oh what tales she could tell him about what Needle has done. Stick ’em with the pointy end, indeed.

    I think I will join in the race to be the first to post on a subject, only instead of “Hodor” (sob, I STILL haven’t gotten over that scene) I will try to post “Holy Balls.” That’s our Maisie, lol.

    Kit saying that he thought he’d be way more “cool” about getting the Emmy nom but is really loving it, only makes me like him all the more. I hope he wins, I think he will, he was fabulous this season, imho.

  22. I agree with some of the above. Cersei blows up more of King’s Landing as Dany’s army approaches, and is murdered by Jaime in the final episode. He then kills himself and dies in the arms of the woman he loves. The Wall comes down. The Men In Black are slaughtered. Euron/bad weather make things tricky for Dany as she sails towards KL. Maybe Sansa is kidnapped by LF and taken as ransom to Cersei? The Queen still wants Sansa dead. If so, I don’t think Sansa will survive.
    I agree with Maisie that it would be hard for Arya to go home now that she’s a trained killer. But maybe something happens to change Arya’s current course? I expect her to meet the Red Woman in the Riverlands, to try to kill her, for the Red Woman not to care, but maybe challenge who Arya has become. I also really, really hope that Arya writes ‘The Starks send their regards’ in Frey’s blood on The Twin’s walls. This, plus Jon’s ascendancy in the north, would totally freak Cersei out, and send her on a rampage of some description against the Starks.
    I expect Arya, Jon and Dany to survive until next season. But not the Lannisters (except Tyrion), or maybe even LF.
    So much to look forward to…

  23. OT: Just saw a commercial for an Infiniti QX60. Pretty red coupe driving down the road, cut to the interior and then some beautiful head shots of Kit driving. Pleasant surprise.

  24. My guess is, DnD will leave at least one Stark reunion for Season 8. So, Season 7, Bran joins up, Arya in Season 8.

    I also don’t in the slightest care for Gendry. He had a good, if open-ended ending, people; let it go.

    My hope is that Arya goes a wee bit too psychotic, kills Melisandre (+Thoros and Beric), takes the Hound and goes on a Cersei hunt in King’s Landing. She can then join Dany when she arrives. ? Whee!

  25. Firannion,

    Yep, every single year – even the Sand Snakes said pretty much the same before they appeared. No doubt there will be lots of action, and I’ll get hyped when it comes around. But (ignore everything you hear before the word ‘but’) I hope Kit’s right and the ending is dark as it should be. This isn’t a good vs evil story and if it ends up like Jackson’s LOTR, D&D have failed in their mission. They get it, but it must be hard to resist giving the casual viewers an ending that makes people stand and cheer.

  26. orange,

    Just remember the HoTU where she goes beyond the wall..

    I wonder how emotional its going to be for kit when he actually wins that award..hopefully he doesn’t cry in front of cameras ..even though its understandable he may be embarrassed by that action

    Maisie and Sophie has spoken about the scripts… I hope Emilia instagrams it and kit speak about it soon..

    Maybe there will be someone who will spill some beans during Emmy’s

  27. Yaga,

    Not sure why many assume Bran is getting to Winterfell next season. He’s arrived outside castle Black and is tasked with being there when Night’s King arrives at the Wall right? Also does anyone remember when teasing S6 Isaac talked about there being an earthquake (Guess he meant in the cave) but he also mentioned being a “kingmaker.” Looking back now, what do you think he was talking about?

  28. *Shit gets REAL!*

    Of course it does. There´s only 13 f*cking eps left. You might expect shit to get real.

  29. Sam:
    orange,

    No, I think Dany will be there until the end (I hope so). The shocking event could be (tinfoil hat on!) Jaime (the valonqar) killing Cersei and then Jaime killing himself (they were born together, they die together). Jaime’s “wish” of dying in the arms of the woman he loved will then come true.

    This will be not shocking at all, since there have been 10000 articles and 10000 theories about it.
    The shocking will be if there is something like last year, when nobody theorised that Cersei will end Queen.

    On the scripts…
    The main cast get them with a special program they had to download last year and nobody prints it. At least that’s what they said.
    When someone will read it, it’s the actors choice.

  30. Aw Kit, what a humble and talented person you are. I’m so happy that the Emmys can finally see that you’re more than just a very beautiful face (and body lol).
    I hope he wins, I really do.

  31. God I love Kit so much.I’m sure he has the scripts by now I think they get them at the same time electronally and the actors decide when to read.And Maisie is so cute with her hype.She does it often lol but I’m sure it will be holy balls for real.She is only 6 episodes away from the ending after all.Plus for someone who doesn’t spend her time speculating like we do the twists must be even greater.

    Laura,

    I have been watching Hot to get away with murder.It’s no Game of Thrones material of course but it’s fun.I have enjoyed it Viola Davis is great in it and I love me a bit of mystery sometimes

  32. Jenny,

    I have watched HTGAWM too! It’s good, especially with the many twists and the great performances. Viola Davis is amazing, she carries the show. Her acting from S1 when she takes off her makeup and asks her husband SPOILER about the picture in the girl’s phone is one of my top favourite performances in tv history. An incredible actress, she definitely deserved last year’s Emmy. I feel like they are starting to drag the show too much for my liking though. Will see in S3.

  33. Yaga,

    From what we have seen in the House of the Undying, Dany may as well find Red Keep deserted. Cersei does not feel like a person who would surrender. Also, I don’t want Arya or Daenerys be the one to kill Cersei. They had no scenes with her in previous seasons.

  34. Another cool interview, always so focused on the BOTB though. I wish more interviewers would ask Kit and D&D about the Tower of Joy revelation in the last episode. I want to hear what *they* have to say about it, rather than Isaac and Sophie who have talked about it but it’s less relevant to.

  35. Old Nan’s Pie:
    May the Mother have mercy on our innocent little hearts and the Warrior protect us form the evil machinations of David and Dan
    /blockquote>

    LOL!!! Amen!!! 😀

    I love.that.hype! Premature hype, but nonetheless hype!!! 🙂

  36. Maggie,

    This will be not shocking at all, since there have been 10000 articles and 10000 theories about it.
    The shocking will be if there is something like last year, when nobody theorised that Cersei will end Queen.

    Believe me, there are a lot of GOT fans (show only) who don’t read articles/theories, watch YT videos, and get into tinfoil speculation like most people here do. I mean, I have friends who were shocked that Jon became KitN (from being dead to being a king). I suppose Maisie also isn’t the type to look for theories in the internet so anything happening in the next 13 episodes I suppose would be shocking to her. 🙂

  37. Sam,

    That’s true. My best friend was shocked with the R+L=J scene. His mouth was open for about 5 minutes during the scene and I had to remind him to close it. Even though he has read the books, the truth about Jon’s parentage never crossed his mind. And he also never looks for online theories anymore because the one time he did, he read about the Varys=merman one xD

  38. Rhaenys Stark,

    Yeah I enjoy it a lot too.It’s fun and even if there are a lot of mysteries they don’t leave it up in the air for more than half season.I see what you say about dragging but I like most of the characters so I am interested to see what happens to them.Plus I feel like considering they have Viola Davis and also shortened seasons for network tv it won’t go for more that five or six seasons cause she would want to move on lol.So that is exiting for me.So many good shows go on for too long and loose the appeal

  39. Rhaenys Stark,
    Same here! I have friends/colleagues who messaged me right after ep10 and asked, “So, who’s the father?” I was like, “What????” 🙂 It was a total shock to them. I remember that feeling – when I watched S1 as unsullied (I couldn’t sleep after watching “Baelor”). Well, we’re all unsullied now unless GRRM releases his book before July 2017.

  40. Nev,

    Yeah, I would like to hear from Kit about r+l=j too. Has he even talked about this so far? I was expecting somebody to ask D&D about this at comic con, instead only Isaac was asked about it…

  41. Sam,

    The number of people who failed to make the connection to Rhaegar is quite surprising. That’s part of the reason why I hope they feature him in a flashback next season.

  42. Hoyti Von Totiy:
    All the spanish location that have been featured here so far do NOT look “wintery” at all …

    well “winter” is going to be much different the farther south you go…Dany’s logical landing in Westeros is going to be Kings Landing or south of it so she isnt going to see the same weather Jon/Sansa and company will be seeing at Castle Black

  43. Paul,

    Kit said it’s going to get bleak before we get the happy ending. Also, GRRM has spoken highly of the LOTR ending and that he wants the series to end similarly. ‘Bittersweet’ is not the same thing as a bleak, miserable or unhappy ending.

    ygritte,

    What else is Bran supposed to do then? What characters is he going to interact with? How is he going to contribute to the plot if he just stays at the Wall and does nothing? He’s found out all this information about WW and Jon, so of course he has to go and share it. The NW can’t do anything to help. Bran going to Winterfell is the most logical choice. It’s exactly like last season when people were denying Sansa would go to Castle Black, even though it was the course of action that made the most sense given the story and forshadowing on the show.

  44. ygritte,
    Personally, I want Bran to get several Rhaegar visions (including Rhaegar), and then be forced to explain to Jon, in person, that his parents had him expressly as a weapon/ prophet/ messiah. Because that’s what the book scenes seem to imply…. and just imagine the awkward. ?

    Lord Parramandas,
    Oh, I agree that I don’t want Arya to be the one to kill Cersei. But I think it will be fun for the Unspoiled to be kept guessing throughout the season who does it! And Arya does have Cersei on her list.

  45. ghost of winterfell,

    I know from some cast members’ interviews that kit used to geek out a lot about the books and was always discussing theories with the cast. I think finn jones said once they used to discuss theories even via skype when they were shooting in different countries. But Kit doesn’t talk about his personal theories in interviews at all and is always dismissive when he’s asked about jon’s parents. He says he doesn’t like talking because some people might take it as gospel or something along those lines.

  46. jdtargstark,

    Yes, Kit was one of the few who read the books (I believe Emilia and Jason Momoa were among them). Most of them though did not read the books (Peter, Lena, Nikolaj, Maisie – but she had her mom read it and tell her about Arya) and said they didn’t want to know what’s going to happen or speculate about what could happen.

    I’m sure Kit knew about R+L=J.

  47. Laura,

    Im watching Black Sails. Its entertaining. I am also waiting for the return of Vikings.
    I also have a lot of books to read! 🙂

  48. jdtargstark,

    Yeah, I have heard him say this in interviews too. Now that it’s no longer just a theory, he can talk about it 🙂 , how does he think Jon would feel about it/ react to it/ the effect on his relationship with his siblings, particularly Sansa.

    Yaga,

    That was my guess too, that Arya will go to KL. They showed her eyeing Jaime in the finale for a reason. Besides, there doesn’t seem to be much story for her in the North at present. Still, if she doesn’t kill Cersei, I wonder what will she achieve at KL.
    IMO either she stays in the riverlands for a majority of next season and head north somewhere around the finale or else she heads south. I don’t see her reuniting with the other Starks just yet.

  49. I find myself trying to stay away from here. It’s not I don’t love it, it’s just that next August is SO FAR AWAY! I get so hyped when I read articles and then think about the long winter ahead of me and when it ends I’ll STILL be counting the months with dread…Winter usually ends sometime around the first of May but GOT has already started…this is going to be HARD.
    So impressed with Kit’s reaction. He seems to be a honestly great person. Maisie is so funny. No matter what is in the scripts it will certainly be a surprise for all of us! LF MUST DIE!….lol.

  50. Elizabeth,

    I know what you mean. I also said I’d stay away and be spoiler-free for next season. Maybe when the filming news start pouring in I’d stop coming here. We’ll see. 🙂

  51. Guys, has any of you watched any YouTube GoT S6 finale reactions of people that didn’t know about R+L=J ? I’ve been trying to find one.

  52. Dee Stark,

    I know, I think you mentioned it when GOT50 was going on? Very impressive 🙂 .
    I guess a lot of the casual fans do not pay the same amount of attention while watching the show, and it would be hard for them to recall Rhaegar as he was last mentioned in S5.
    My boyfriend got spoiled thanks to a news article, immediately after S5 ended, which listed all the reasons why Jon could not stay dead, the rlj mystery being one of them.. He got mad 🙂 .

  53. Sam,

    yeah im staying away completely.. and when the season starts also, I am sticking to Oz’s thread only, and maybe some other news articles.
    I found some of the threads depressing and negative, with too much information revealed (even though most spoilers were covered), so its easy to speculate, or expect things based on everyones comments. My fault I chose to read them… I never usually read all the thread comments.

  54. Yaga,

    I know that Arya has Cersei on her list, but that doesn’t mean she has to kill her herself. For example, Arya killing lord Walder was not that powerful scene for me, because they had absolutely no scenes together prior to the murder. Same goes for Cersei. I think Jaime killing her (or maybe Tyrion) would leave way more impact.

  55. Dee Stark:
    Sam,

    yeah im staying away completely.. and when the season starts also, I am sticking to Oz’s thread only, and maybe some other news articles.
    I found some of the threads depressing and negative, with too much information revealed (even though most spoilers were covered), so its easy to speculate, or expect things based on everyones comments. My fault I chose to read them… I never usually read all the thread comments.

    When the season starts, don’t forget to check my reviews on book readers recap. I will also try to stay away from the biggest spoilers, but I cannot distance myself completely, because that would diminish my hype.

  56. These are my predictions:

    First big thing is the Daenerys and her ships and her dragons VS. Euron and his 1000 ships. Yara or Theon(or both) will die.

    Cersei VS Daenerys is not gonna happen. King’s Landing will be destroyed by Cersei when Dany arrives there.

    Meanwhile Jon and Sansa kicks the fuck out of Littlefinger and they preparing for the White Walkers. Bran will arrives at Winterfell and reveals Jon’s true identity. Jon became more emo because of this.

    Arya will meet Gendry again. He is with the Brotherhood too. And Arya will also meet Nymeria and her pack. Maybe Arya will be the new leader of the Brotherhood with Nymeria at her side. And they’ll go to the North. (The Freys will kill each other because there is too much of Walder sons and only one can be the new Lord of the Twins or whatever…)

    Samwell will find out that Rhaegar and Lyanna married and later he will meet Dany’s team. (Master Aemon mentioned her to Sam in the books and the show as well) He will return to Jon at Dany’s side. ”I’ll come back.” – Sam to Jon when he left the Wall. It’s the same like when he said ”He always comes back.”

    Ending moment of season 7: The Night King touches the ground at the Wall and it falls down. There will be ice spiders big as houndssss too beside their army.

  57. My sweet summer child…

    Wait…

    Oh no, that’s us!

    We’ve all become sweet summer children! WE KNOW NOTHING!

    The hard part will still be waiting a year before we get our first grasp on the looks of the next season.

  58. ghost of winterfell,
    Lord Parramandas,
    For the record, what I’d like to happen is if Arya first went a bit too deep into the killing stuff (killing people like Thoros and Beric, who are on her list, but are generally “good”, and Mel, who has already been spared by Jon), and then went to KL with the Hound to *try* kill Cersei. This would give us the Cleganebowl, while Arya could fail in her quest (Cersei getting killed by Jaime), snap back from the psychosis, and decide that she wants to go to home in Winterfell, not just Westeros. (Incidentally, with Dany. Arya going south would give us a Stark in Dany’s camp! That’s the absolutely best reason to do it. And if she met Sam there, too…)

  59. Sam, what a boring, cliche ending that would be if jaime committed suicide after killing cersei lol i hope he gets a better ending than that!

    and how could he die in the “arms of the woman he loves” after killing her? she’ll be all limp by then.

  60. Dee Stark:
    Lord Parramandas,

    For sure!!!
    Love your reviews
    your reviews generally don’t include spoilers do they?

    I’m not even sure what I could spoil in my reviews… I can guarantee that I never refer to any future episode in the reviews. I make some comments about PAST speculation, theories proven wrong, a couple book references, but I try to avoid any spoilers for future episodes.

    Like I said before, I have no intention of reading every filming spoiler post this year. Of course, I will read casting news, returning characters news, filming locations, some general descriptions (“a big battle was filmed…”), but I intend to stay away from details (such as last year’s Wun Wun breaking through a door, Ian McShane’s comment about “bringing the character back”, Arya being chased by the Waif etc.) and of course ANY leaked script/episodes. Well, I mostly come to this site for the comments, not the articles themselves.

    If you want to make sure, check again my reviews for Battle of the Bastards and The Winds of Winter. I plan to keep writing my reviews in this form.

    With best regards from Lord Parramandas.

  61. Lord Baelish had better watch his back should Arya ever find out what her sister has been through. The great string puller has no way to plot around something he has no idea is coming and will never see coming.
    And The Seven help him if Arya ever finds out he put the whole thing in motion.

  62. selena,

    I think what they were referring to is the filming being pushed back in favor of wintry conditions. Course that’s true for some of the sets but not others so depending on how they film it could be the case but I also believe it was delayed partly due to some of the actor’s schedules. Nothing wrong with that of course.

  63. Yaga,

    Beric and Thoros specifically mentioned heading north. The fact that they are aware of the WW threat is also significant, imo. I might be wrong, but I think they will reach the north and meet Jon. Besides, they were not part of Arya’s list the past 2 seasons (she might have had second thoughts and dropped them from her list?). A meeting between these people would be very interesting and very likely to happen too, I don’t think Arya will kill them though. There are so many people in the riverlands right now, it’s hard to say who will be meeting whom!

    Arya meeting Dany would be extremely interesting. I feel next season Dany and Jon’s spheres will have to start colliding in some way, even if they do not actually meet. At the very least they should hear about each other and will have to decide how to deal with each other. As in, once Dany hears that he is KitN, she will have to decide whether she would be okay with it or oppose it. So a Stark in her camp at such a time would be interesting.

  64. ygritte,

    Bran could play Kingmaker with the information he has. Robert Baratheon ‘conquered’ the throne but he made sure to emphasize his blood ties with the Targaryens, his cousins, to add more legitimacy to his claim. So in a way the Baratheon line was still in succession to the Targaryen line but Bran now knows that a direct heir to the last crowned Targaryen prince is still alive and kicking. Bran could, if he thinks it necessary, move all the pieces around so that his preferred King takes control. And as it has been his story so far, I’m afraid that Jon will be proclaimed King once more without taking his opinion into account. When I think of Jon, I think of Snape and Dumbledore’s conversation about Harry when Snape asks Dumbledore if he has kept Harry alive just so he can die at the right moment, just so that he can be sacrificed. In a way that is what Rhaegar did, didn’t he?

  65. Aryamad,

    Kill him and take his face!

    Edit: The only way to kill a WW is for them to disintegrate into a thousand pieces, so taking a face is impossible. But that would be cool! LOL

  66. Sam,

    90% of fans don’t read articles/theories, watch YT videos, and get into tinfoil speculation like most people here do.

  67. Sam:
    Rhaenys Stark,
    Same here! I have friends/colleagues who messaged me right after ep10 and asked, “So, who’s the father?” I was like, “What????” It was a total shock to them. I remember that feeling – when I watched S1 as unsullied (I couldn’t sleep after watching “Baelor”). Well, we’re all unsullied now unless GRRM releases his book before July 2017.

    I’m very curious if the friend of mine I always lend my blu-ray set to will be surprised. She’s read the books but I don’t recall her ever asking about Jon’s mother, or father for that matter. I don’t know if she picked up on any R+L=J hints. She’s not the type to research things online either so I’m assuming she still thinks Ned is Jon’s father and his mother is from Ned’s affair.

  68. holy BALLS

    So Jon has to sacrifice his testicles to Melisandre to become TPTWP?

    #taking-comments-literally-in-tinfoil_mode

  69. GeekFurious:
    Figure if everything goes to hell next season that we will see some major players die… that ending of season 6 was just too happy.

    On my dead list: Dany and her crew (figure Euron will do something before she can get to King’s Landing); everyone at The Wall; Cersei and her crew; everyone in Old Town except Sam; tons of background characters… and either Sansa or Littlefinger.

    I have a hard time believing Euron will be the downfall of Daenerys. So far in the show they haven’t said a thing about that stupid Dragonbinder and that’s about the only chance he’d realistically have in the books because otherwise all he’s been able to do is raid. The show can fudge with reality and make it possible for him to manufacture 1,000 ships and man them in time without help from outside the Iron Islands. They can “magically” create a greater opposition to Daenerys so it’s interesting, but to follow her struggles and rise for five novels and six seasons so far just to have her killed by a late addition, sub-major character on the doorstep of Westeros doesn’t quite feel like the direction the story is going. That would be similar to if Arya were simply killed by the waif after all of her story.
    ———————
    I only have four characters I really, really want/need/have to make it to the end of the story, or at least to the finale climax; Arya, Jon, Daenerys and Tyrion. Although it holds no weight anymore, I find it interesting that it’s four of the five (Bran) that were supposedly going to make it through the story in GRRM’s early outline. I have doubts that all of those will live, but ya know, not EVERYBODY has to die.
    ———————
    Although it’s waaaay too early to get so hyped for season 7, it’s really fun to see Maisie tweeting her excitement over the scripts. At least we know the season should continue with the energy that season 6 ended with.

  70. r-hard,

    Some corrections about my WF predictions.

    Bran and Meera will arrive at Winterfell and Bran reveals Jon’s true identity. Jon became more emo after this. Meanwhile Littlefinger wants to create chaos for himself because of Bran’s story about Jon, but this time he fails and dies. After this Jon will send a raven(or Meera will go offscreen because she knows the risks of that contry and comes back in season 8 with Howland) to Howland and he will only come in season 8 to confirm Jon’s true identity. (George RR Martin said about Howland Reed that ”He will appear, eventually.” Eventually = last book/season)

  71. r-hard: Arya will meet Gendry again. He is with the Brotherhood too. And Arya will also meet Nymeria and her pack. Maybe Arya will be the new leader of the Brotherhood with Nymeria at her side. And they’ll go to the North.

    I’m hoping they bring Gendry back and hope it’s into Arya’s storyline. With my desire that Arya be alive at the close of the story Gendry being with her is about the only thing that makes sense.

    I still don’t agree with Arya (or Gendry) joining the BwoB though. Neither of them have any reason to trust those guys, or need them. They sold Gendry into what would have been his death. He’d avoid them at all costs. As I’ve written before, Arya is now trained to do things independently, not in a group, and she certainly doesn’t seem like the type to want to lead them.

  72. Laura,

    I am watching “Mr Robot” which I love (but don’t think it’s for everyone) and “Ripper Street” which I enjoy. Also, just finished “The Tunnel”. I did watch Stranger Things which I found entertaining. Looking forward to Westworld on HBO.

  73. “The Night of” sounds promising and coming to Sky Atlantic in the UK in the next few weeks.

    Another thing to help tide us over to S7?

  74. Good for you Maisie. Keep trolling us. 🙂

    Hmm. I wonder if an S7 shocker might be

    Arya killing Sandor

    or something.

    My picks to make it to the finals: Dany, Jon, Tyrion, Jaime, Sansa, Arya, Bran, Brienne, Tormund, Davos, Theon and yes, Cersei.

    I don’t think Cersei will die in S7 – after destroying KL she’ll flee to Casterly Rock. After the war with the WW is taken care of, the Lannister brothers will settle their unfinished business with their lovely sister.
  75. Clob,

    Arya wants to kill and take revenge, but she also want a ”pack”. Nymeria and the Brotherhood could give her what she wants.

  76. Rhaenys Stark,

    I haven’t found anyone who didn’t knew about this or atleast did not have any clue about this. StormAkima, FilmBuff, GarageBanter are kindof binge watching it. So, it will be interesting to see if any of them pick this up

  77. My three theories on S7 are as follows. Also I understand what has been shown by HBO etc. However I am going with these predictions (2 of which are controversial):

    1. Cersei dies in the first 1-3 episodes of S7 (not much of a surprise)
    2. The Mad King and Not Rhaegar is Jon Snow’s father (I don’t care about the HBO diagram, they have shown the ability to keep a charade going).
    3. Jon Snow dies near the end of S7.

    I really hope my predictions (well at least the last two) are completely wrong. I personally think that Jon should be the key to the whole story (i.e. a story of fire and ice). My rationale for the last two predictions (besides some text and some of the show that support it) is that Martin has shown a consistency in not creating a typical good vs. evil paradigm and for tragic heroes (or sub stories where the hero doesn’t win).

  78. Laura,

    i don’t watch much television other than GOT but on YT filmbuff is doing a reaction series with a friend who knows nothing about the show. they just finished season 1.
    if you haven’t started watching it yet, you may want to try it out for your GOT fix during this long wait.
    it is actually quite well done. alas, i won’t be able to see his next couple of videos as one of my kittens has chewed through the second set of speaker wires for my computer this week. and closed captioning/subtitles just doesn’t have the impact it needs for these videos.

  79. I’m up for anything to happen in Season 7. It’s gonna be awesome, that I’m sure off.
    The Wall will come down I’m sure.
    As long as Jon Snow stays alive I’m happy. ??
    Hope Kit wins the Emmy !!
    I love that man!
    It’s going to be a long year waiting .. But it’ll be worth it.

  80. Jaynee D.: , i won’t be able to see his next couple of videos as one of my kittens has chewed through the second set of speaker wires for my computer this week.

    Do you have a set of earbuds you can just plug into your soundcard port?

  81. GeekFurious,

    Holy smokes…I think you’re named everybody! The Braavosi can build a ship a day because they fabricate the parts. Euron cannot build a thousand ships in a year, not even 3 years, maybe. He might scrap that plan though, and use the ships Yara left him. It would be a great opportunity for Yara and Theon to whup his ass on the high seas…well, not the high seas, because I believe Dany’s armada is already inside Westerosi waters!

  82. Some folks have said that Dany doesn’t have enough conflict, and that she must face a high-seas battle and lose her forces. I say she does have conflict waiting in Westeros, and actually taking the city may be the easiest thing she faces:

    1. Iron Bank has called in it’s loans
    2. The Kingdom is essentially bankrupt, owing the Lannisters millions in gold
    3. Winter has arrived, and there’s wheat only for a 5 year winter(that was seasons ago)
    4. There’s a refugee problem
    5. The countryside is a smoldering ruin because of war.
    6. There’s a burning crater where the Sept used to be, and a large part of the city is damaged from the explosion.
    7. There’s widespread rebellion and lawlessness.
    8. The Lannister mines have run dry
    8. ….and there’s an existential threat: Wights threaten to breach the wall.

    ..did I forget anything? That’s off the top of my head.

  83. What if, White walkers cross over before Cersi is taken out. The whole kingdom has to rally together and she is left in power. Things play out in a devious enough way that leaves her on the throne or in some form of power. I cant help but think that the “Dany Dragon Co. comes in and takes Cersi out” theories are too simple. Something happens and prevents the war of the Queens. As chaos ensues, the ruthless get ahead.

  84. As a book reader, I’m excited. Last year, some things were based on what we knew of the books: Jaime at Riverrun, Euron and the kingsmoot, Arya at Braavos, Tower of Joy. Then there was stuff that finished up book cliffhangers: Jon’s resurrection, Dany with the Dothraki, ending of the siege of Meereen, Cersei’s trial.

    Now, everything is new, and I can’t wait.

    Also, I was not impressed by the last two seasons, which suffered from the shortcomings of the books they were forced to adopt. No matter what the show did, it couldn’t create an overall arc, so the characters were everywhere, doing stuff that didn’t really make a lot of sense. I think this season, that will end. Dany is on Westeros, and she will meet Cersei. Tyrion will do what he does best, and connive with/against his own family. Meanwhile, the North is finally united, so the Walkers should be more of a presence.

    Anyway, really, really looking forward to this.

  85. Just had a thought….if ‘All men must die’ – does this mean that the women in GOT will triumph in the end? Reminds me of LOTR when Aowyn kills the witch king (“I am no man”).

    Of course I want to see Jorah there at the end, with or without Dany

  86. HunterMac87,

    Well…Cersai’s pattern is to create/use monsters to destroy her enemies. I can totally see her bird brain thinking that the White Walkers can be used that way.

    And, Littlefinger has said that chaos is a ladder. What’s more chaotic than White Walkers. Notice his point of focus at the Kitn coronation…it wasn’t Oh my god, Wights!; it was I told you so, Sansa.

  87. Flayed Potatoes,

    That’s interesting, where did ou read that GRRM liked how LoTR ended? I’ve seen only where he talked about how it was too vague and upbeat like “Aragorn was wise and just for 80 years” or something to that effect which bothered him as too white/black.

  88. WallyFrench,

    I saw it in every article where he talks about LOTR lol. Everyone fantasizes about endings where the WW win or where LF kills everyone and marries Cersei because it’s edgy, but there’s no evidence that this will happen. People have just spent too much time speculating about this series and they’ve thought of every scenario, which is why they keep coming out with crazy theories when everything is probably pretty simple.

    Here’s one: http://www.mtv.com/news/2238385/george-rr-martin-game-of-thrones-ending/

    George approves of the LOTR ending and it’s the ending he aspires towards. He’s said on one occasion that he liked the scouring of the shire. The only thing he doesn’t like is that we don’t get to see Aragorn’s rule (or him learning how to rule) and that it’s only vaguely described as “wise”. He isn’t against Aragorn ruling, but he doesn’t find it believable that he’s so good at it without any practice. This is why he’s had characters such as Jon and Dany learn how to lead.

  89. Clob,

    before i bought two complete sets of computer speakers for the kittens to destroy, in a weeks time, i was using a set of headphones.
    would you like to guess what happened to them, and why i had to buy the speakers in the first place? LOL
    here’s a hint: the kittens are 4 months old.

  90. Anon,

    I find it hard to believe that with so little time left in the show the producers are likely to spend much time focusing on things such as the solvency of the Crown or how much grain is left in the stores.

    They may be mentioned, but I doubt they will constitute any real sort of conflict in Daenerys’ storyline.

    If anything, the Iron Bank is likely to back Daenerys to unite the kingdoms, like they did Stannis.

    And if there are question marks over how much food is left to sustain the population of the Seven Kingdoms during winter then surely the more of Daenerys’ vast army and their horses that end up at the bottom of the Narrow Sea the better.

    Anyway, many of the points of supposed conflict that you raise are likely to be rendered moot the moment your final point comes to pass and a horde of merciless, undead zombies come tearing across the land.

    I think one of the reasons people think Daenerys might have to encounter a stumbling block or two before she conquers or even lands in the Seven Kingdoms is that there are some glaring issues regarding her conquest that could be solved if she took on some losses.

    Notably, the fact that the Westerosi are highly unlikely to take too kindly to being conquered by her horde of thousands of bloodthirsty savages (as the Westerosi see them).

    The Northerners didn’t take too kindly to a few thousand Wildlings turning up on their doorstep (Randyll Tarly and Lord Royce didn’t appear too fond of them either), so I don’t know how we’re supposed to believe that the rest of the Seven Kingdoms will be cool with a horde of Dothraki rocking up on their shores. She does have six kingdoms (including the Crownlands) to still win over, after all.

    Also, the Dothraki as they have been outlined on the show would be next to useless fighting in the North in winter. Finding a convenient way to reduce their numbers in order to downplay their significance in the final showdown with the White Walkers might be necessary.

    Plus, we still have Euron to deal with. Having Daenerys’ fleet simply crush Euron, or not having them meet on the seas at all, would be a total damp squib.

    Whereas Daenerys and her fleet defeating Euron on the seas, for example, perhaps during a storm (Daenerys Stormborn vs Euron “I am the storm” Greyjoy), and taking some losses would not only provide a decent set-piece, it could also be used to partially solve the Dothraki conundrum and show that Daenerys won’t get everything her own way.

    Also, Yara and Theon besting their uncle in battle on the seas would also make their claim to the Iron Islands undeniable.

    Setbacks in her conquest might also expedite any potential overtures towards the other major players in our story, the ice to her fire, in the North.

  91. Maisie’s comments are not hype. As the series winds up for its fantastic close, there’s bound to be a lot of spectacular developments. Maisie almost had to respond that way, being both 19 and an exceptionally Enthusiastic person.
    Arya has only deeply loved two people: Ned and Jon. The logic of the script narrative almost insists that Arya and Jon be reunited. It also insists that
    Cersei and Littleginger die. There is also logic to a Riverlands reunion or two, involving the BWB, Mel, arya, Brienne, and/or hopefully Nymeria. I do like The less likely idea of Arya joining Dany’s side. Perhaps she could broker a deal between Jon and Dany. And weird as it may sound, I think she and Tyrion would make a good pair.

  92. HunterMac87,

    What if….Cercei ends up a heroine of sorts? Wouldn’t that be a twist nobody saw coming. They say it will be interesting to see who she is without her children. We assume they would have been the only thing keeping her ruling with some humanity and now all hell will break loose but what if she instead transfers those protective feelings onto the commoners? Maybe she wants to prove herself and be loved by the people because she craves the adulation?

    Eh probably not lol.

  93. Danny,

    Did Rhaegar know, I mean is there anywhere in the books where it hints that what he read about the promised prince prophecy also foretold his sacrifice/death in the end? As for Bran, I assumed he was talking about season 6 because it was right before it aired and they hadn’t gotten season 7 or 8 yet of course, but it is possible Isaac knows the main theme of where his story line is heading.

  94. I don’t think there is any way D&D let Cersei die without another Peter/Lena scene. This is one of the main reasons I don’t think Jaime is even around for her death. Cersei, books and show, is much more someone Tyrion needs to overcome than someone Jaime needs to overcome. Jaime overcomes her by walking away, not by ending her. That seems like Tyrion’s natural gig. And choosing not to go back and die with her is in line with the books, and is a sound answer to Bronn’s question about how Jaime wants to die. In the arms of the woman he loves? On second thought, nah.

  95. I don’t see how people are speculating, based on Maisie’s Tweets.

    Isn’t it true that they receive scripts for only their parts and not the entire season cast. So, Maisie might only be talking about her character.

  96. Amey,

    No, Maisie receives every episode she’s in, at the very least. She may receive the entire season if they haven’t changed anything. It’s the short-term guest actors on the show who only receive their scenes and nothing else.

  97. clouddragon:
    Firannion,

    The fact that she went out of her way to tweet about it just after she finished reading says something about 7, though

    Yep, I don’t recall Maisie doing that last year, actually.

  98. clouddragon:
    Firannion,

    The fact that she went out of her way to tweet about it just after she finished reading says something about 7, though

    Exactly. She managed to convey her emotions with a poignant “holy balls”, instead of passing out from the sheer awesomeness.. That she managed the former means that perhaps one won’t pass out?

  99. Jaynee D.,

    oh man, he was crushhhhhhhhhhhhheeeedddddddddd about Ned.
    not only was Ned his fave character, he loved him, he LOVES sean bean HAHAHA

    they are AWESOME you all should check them out.. and they have done a shout out to all their fans which is so sweet!

  100. Un-expert opinion:

    1) Tyrion rescues Sansa from Littlefinger. LF dies.
    2) Jaime kills Cersei
    3) Dany and Jon make it to the end, as will Tyrion and Sansa

    Looking forward to S7 and S8!

  101. Laura:
    Hype train boarding early.

    I feel like this is the first season of being completely out of book material so I think we’re in for some shockers of the highest order. Granted, nothing could have prepared me for the shock of Cersei sitting the Iron Throne but I think we’ll have even greater shocks to come. I can’t wait!

    Honestly, set photos this year are going to mean next to nothing. We will have no context for anything unless of course the suspected Tourney at Harrenhal flashback happens. It’s pretty nutty actually. I do hope GRRM manages to get the book out before next summer. It *could* happen I suppose.

    Is anyone watching anything good in the off-season? I watched Stranger Things, like everyone else. It was just ok. I feel like the hype was off the charts and kind of ruined it for me. I just found a new BBC 3 show called “Fleabag” I am enjoying but I doubt it would appeal to your average GoT fan. It’s a mix of Girls and Peep Show. Very raw, very raunchy but also poignant. Hope you are all well and enjoying the last days of summer. I can’t wait for fall and winter!

    Have you had the opportunity to tune into Black Mirror? It’s basically the Twilight Zone for today’s age. And, the in upcoming season, one of the episodes will feature Jerome Flynn as the main character – (as in the Twilight Zone, each episode is independent from the others.)

    Some of the episodes are very thought provoking, and disturbing as well. It’s an excellent television show.

  102. Ramsay’s 20th Good Man:
    Anon,

    Daenerys and her fleet defeating Euron on the seas, for example, perhaps during a storm (Daenerys Stormborn vs Euron “I am the storm” Greyjoy), and taking some losses would not only provide a decent set-piece, it could also be used to partially solve the Dothraki conundrum and show that Daenerys won’t get everything her own way.

    Of course we don’t know how analogous the TV and book versions of the big sea battle will be, but knowing GRRM’s interest in the history of the Middle Ages, I would not be surprised if he takes a leaf from what happened to the Spanish Armada. It was not Sir Francis Drake’s navy that defeated them; it was a massive storm out of the Atlantic. Perhaps both sides will be decimated by Nature’s fury.

    There’s also a tinfoil theory out there that the Damphair has the power to summon up a kraken, which could add a fair bit of chaos to the mix!

  103. WallyFrench:
    Flayed Potatoes,

    That’s interesting, where did ou read that GRRM liked how LoTR ended? I’ve seen only where he talked about how it was too vague and upbeat like “Aragorn was wise and just for 80 years” or something to that effect which bothered him as too white/black.

    My primary takeaway from GRRM’s quotes about the ending of LotR is that he admired the way even the ‘winners’ didn’t get to live happily ever after. At one point Frodo tells Sam, ‘The Shire has been saved, but not for me’ (or words to that effect). And I suspect that it will be that way for our surviving heroes in ASoIaF as well: bittersweet. Much will have been lost. It wouldn’t surprise me if part of the price of victory will be magic going out of their world permanently, like when the three rings of the Elvenkings are taken beyond the bounds of Middle Earth and their works begin to fade. But perhaps there will be social reforms as well, and the first little steps away from feudalism.

  104. Geralt of Rivia,

    As far as ruling, I think it’s either Jon, Dany, or both. I know people will get on my case and say it’s cliche, but if either one or both end up ruling, it can be done in a way that’s realistic. It won’t be cupcakes and rainbows.

  105. Ramsay’s 20th Good Man:
    I find it hard to believe that with so little time left in the show the producers are likely to spend much time focusing on things such as the solvency of the Crown or how much grain is left in the stores.

    I do not think it would be too much of a hindrance or a waste of time, if it is tied to the overall political landscape Daenerys is likely to encounter upon arrival.
    They can simply mention that the Crown is broke, the Lannisters may be broke too (Tywin filled half the Crown’s coffers with his own money and the Lannister mines ran dry some years ago) and, who knows, perhaps the Tyrells are not that far behind (they took over from the Lannisters paying the Crown’s bills, when Tywin finally decided not to shoulder the entire kingdom’s expenses on his own). That could justify a massive shortage of food which would add to a more general, popular dissatisfaction with the nobility, who has been waging quasi-constant war for the past five years.
    It could spark rebellions in many different parts of Westeros, before Daenerys even sets a foot on the continent…

    Ramsay’s 20th Good Man

    Also, the Dothraki as they have been outlined on the show would be next to useless fighting in the North in winter. Finding a convenient way to reduce their numbers in order to downplay their significance in the final showdown with the White Walkers might be necessary.

    To be fair, even the Unsullied seem ill-equiped to fight in the North. They are famous for their extraordinary resilience, it is true, however they are trained to fight in the heat of Essos, not in the dead cold of winter. Do they even know what snow is ?
    Nevertheless, I do agree that the Dothrakis seem very unlilely to make it to Westeros. Not only does it appear they would not be of much use north of the Neck, it would also be a beautifully ironic confirmation of their ancient belief about the sea being poisonous…

    Firannion: Of course we don’t know how analogous the TV and book versions of the big sea battle will be, but knowing GRRM’s interest in the history of the Middle Ages, I would not be surprised if he takes a leaf from what happened to the Spanish Armada. It was not Sir Francis Drake’s navy that defeated them; it was a massive storm out of the Atlantic. Perhaps both sides will be decimated by Nature’s fury.

    Furthermore, historically speaking, it is rarely a good idea to invade a country in winter. Nature always gets in the way ^^

    Flayed Potatoes:
    As far as ruling, I think it’s either Jon, Dany, or both. I know people will get on my case and say it’s cliche, but if either one or both end up ruling, it can be done in a way that’s realistic. It won’t be cupcakes and rainbows.

    It is not more cliché than anything else.
    However, I cannot shake the feeling that both Daenerys’s and Jon’s respective storylines are more about being “saviours” than “rulers” per se.

  106. Jorah’s Mormont:
    Just had a thought….if‘All men must die’ – does this mean that the women in GOT will triumph in the end?Reminds me of LOTR when Aowyn kills the witch king (“I am no man”).

    And long before Tolkien, Shakespeare’s Macbeth believed that he was safe from attack because the three Weird Sisters told him that no man born of woman could kill him in battle. He did not stop to think that someone surgically removed from his mother’s womb might be exempt from that limitation. So there is certainly literary precedent for this to be a misleading prophecy.

  107. Kit is the cutest talking abou his award nomination!
    Maisie, what can i say..a girl can sure tease us all. I mean..i’m already expecting so MUCH for S7..like talk about a real hype. Season 6 was so phenomenal and i think S7 will probably be even better (if that’s possible).

    So many things to happen!

    One of the most strongest theories for me remains: Cersei will be dead by the end of S7. Just because right now she has all the eyes on her, and she has too many people wanting to confront her, so i don’t think she will survive this time. The number 1 theorie is of course, Jaime kills Cersei and then kills himself. Talk about a dramatic final act.

    Also, just as many others, i’m here praying that we will see a Jon and Arya reunion in S7.

  108. I don’t think it’s cliche. It really fits both Jon and Dany’s entire history and arc on the show. For me, it’s the same. I think it will be either Jon, Dany, or both.

    Flayed Potatoes:
    Geralt of Rivia,

    As far as ruling, I think it’s either Jon, Dany, or both. I know people will get on my case and say it’s cliche, but if either one or both end up ruling, it can be done in a way that’s realistic. It won’t be cupcakes and rainbows.

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