Season Seven Hells! Can you believe it? Ladies and Sers, it IS in-season Looking Forward time. We can now countdown to Game time by hours instead of days. Hallelujah. Holy shit.
If you are new to our beautiful (yet cold) establishment of internet rock and ice, here is the deal: with all Oz posts, you enter the realm of the Unsullied where if you have persisted in your quest to remain unspoiled during the off-season and strayed away from leaks and other news that may ruin the surprise of watching the show in real-time, then you have found your safe space.
Spoiled souls are always welcome to join us, but ye’ must adhere to the Unsullied rules. And if any of you fair people need more reason to get fired up for this long-awaited premiere, then I’m your huckleberry. Iron banks. Weekly schedule. A mild rant. The Unsullied Board of Trustees convenes momentarily…
Welcome to the weekly antics of the Wall’s version of a village idiot. Here is where the true Unsullied reside. The non-book readers. The non-spoiler seekers. The fresh eyes of the unadulterated. The ones that want the true shock and awe to come from their TV screens on a dark Sunday night (or Monday morning, depending on your locale), not from scanned verse contained on Reddit. This is the home of the true Unsullied.
**I’ll now call the Unsullied Board of Trustees meeting to order. To be counted present, you must respond with “Here!” in the comments.
Robert’s Rules of Order (named after the one true King, Robert Baratheon)
Here are our Unsullied rules as written and approved years ago. Motions for revision will be heard in the comments.
Anything that is official HBO and shown on television is fair game for discussion and speculation either before or after the episode airs. This includes trailers, teasers, official HBO season photos, etc. Also included are previews and photos released for upcoming episodes and those spoilerish “previously on” segments before new episodes air. If this is above your personal level of Unsulliedness and you feel you may be spoiled or corrupted by any of the above, feel free to excuse yourself from this meeting post.
More importantly, if you have closely followed casting, filming news, the dreadful leaks, and anything that could ruin surprises that the new season hold, we kindly ask that you refrain from revealing those secrets in the comments of Unsullied posts. The moderators thank you in advance.
Tentative WotW In-Season Schedule
Although nothing is ever etched in stone and ice at the Wall, in-season brings with it a need for schedule to ensure that we are bringing you the most comprehensive (and hopefully entertaining) Game of Thrones coverage anywhere on the internet. The schedule is subject to change.
Sundays are Game days, which means an open chat post regarding the night’s upcoming episode.
Sunday night brings the Sullied (book reader) Episode recap from the Fury of Sue.
Monday morning brings the Unsullied recaps (non-book readers/unspoiled) by yours truly. Happy Monday to you too.
Monday afternoon will feature the Episode Post-Mortem by the lovely Vanessa Cole.
On Monday evening, our newest initiate, SirSquinty (David R.) will pull reviews aplenty for the Review/Recap Roundup.
Tuesdays mean viewing numbers as the numbers become available, and Marko Roars with attractive charts and comparisons.
Tuesday may also bring costume analysis by Ser Hogan McLaughlin (NEW!)
Wednesday will mark the return of the infamous Twitter recaps, brought to you by the most dangerous man with a laptop… the loose cannon, axe-wielding Wilding, Axechucker.
Wednesday will also feature the return of Bex highlighting some of the best videos in the Video Recap Roundup.
Thursday is analysis day, brought to you in a new dialogue-style format by Luka Nieto and Greyjoy loyalist, Petra Halbur (Jacob has a crush on you).
Thursday typically delivers new episode photos for the upcoming episode courtesy of HBO.
On Friday, we begin preparations for the next episode with a preview and synopsis post featuring the one and only Geoffrey. Friday also features the infamous Curtain Calls, assuming of course that someone dies.
Friday Night/Saturday morning means in-season Looking Forward for the next episode, where again, yours truly types up some insignificant rants along with what the army of Unsullied may be interested in seeing in the next installment.
Saturday offers an assortment of riches, although those riches have not yet been identified.
And of course, sprinkled in will be all of the news and extras you have come to expect from this fine establishment.
So… shall we discuss the show?
Look… it has been a long, cold off-season full of terrors and leaks and predictions and dialogue. We’ve discussed and speculated until we looked like White Walkers (you know… blue in the face).
I don’t want to rehash it. I want to see it. At this point, it’s been so long since we’ve had a new episode that it will likely be a peculiar event for the show to open with a scene I’m not used to after the intro.
But I will say this: Don’t forget about the Iron Bank. We get all caught up in dragons and walkers and the great war. We can talk about Jaime and Cersei and who we think is going to inevitably kill her; or Arya and what faces she may use to infiltrate certain locales so she may continue her throat slashing; or if Dany and Jon will end up together and how many dragon babies they may parturition. Theories are like assholes (everybody has one).
But my question for you is this…
What difference does it make who ends up sitting on the Iron Throne if the Iron Bank owns it?
The trailers understandably make no mention of it nor show any footage. They are fantastic and exactly what you might expect: dragons and fire and war and ice and drama involving the major players left on the board. But the simplicity of the marketing undermines the complexity of the situation. Especially when it comes to money.
And unless the showrunners simply decide to dismiss it as a non-issue because the Iron Bank doesn’t have a debt collector named “Drogon”, the debt owed them is going to come into play at some point in the 13 remaining episodes.
Let’s simply reference how long this has been ongoing:
Season 1: Ned learns that the realm is 6 million Gold Dragons in debt.
Season 3: Tyrion makes the same discovery as the new Master of Coin, and that Baelish had been borrowing to keep up with the costs.
Season 4: Olenna speaks to Tywin about the cost of the wedding and that he will need further financial support from the Tyrells as the war has added to the debt.
Tywin later meets with Cersei to discuss the debt and the importance of Tyrell support because the gold mines of Casterly Rock had run dry three years ago, so the Lannister will not be able to support the Crown for long. He also warns her that the Bank is not to be toyed with.
Season 4: Davos convinces Tycho Nestoris that Stannis is the best chance for the Bank to get its money back. And we all know how that turned out.
Season 5: The bank requests a payment on the realm debt be paid and new Master of Coin Mace informs the council that they don’t have it. Mace offers the money from the Tyrells but Cersei declines and instead sends him to Braavos to negotiate. Tycho is unfazed. Mace sings a song.
So yeah… this shit isn’t going away. There is no bankruptcy court in Westeros. Not only does the realm owe the bank a fortune, but the bank lost their ass betting on Stannis to boot.
Will they go after Cersei knowing that she likely doesn’t have the funds? Will they join forces with someone against her? Will they recruit the faceless men to do their dirty work? Will they attempt to repossess Dragonstone after Dany gets good and cozy in her chair?
Regardless of how it all shakes out, my bet is that one way or another it ends up helping out this guy…
Unless, of course, this guy kills them all…
The Iron Bank is coming. And the debt is coming with it.
The time is now, my friends. We’ve waited a long time. Sorted through a lot of evidence. Rewatched a lot of episodes. And I have no shame, for I love this fucking show and all that comes with it. And for that guy who thought his op-ed on being a nerd and the overall badness of GoT would curb any enthusiasm I have, you don’t deserve retort. But I’m going to give it to you anyway (with a little help from Col. Nathan R. Jessup):
Now is the time, for we live at a site that has a wall and that wall has to be guarded by men and women with sword and bow. We have a greater responsibility than you could possibly fathom. To protect a fandom. A community. You weep for those entranced by GoT and curse what you weakly refer to as a nerd. You have that luxury, a luxury that was afforded to you by someone else’s initiative that gave you a platform so that you could criticize those you don’t completely understand. And our existence, while grotesque and incomprehensible to you, enhances lives. Somehow or another, your “moral compass” wasn’t shifted until after you ingested the entirety of six seasons, and I have neither the time nor the inclination to explain to you how if brother and sister “porn” was your issue, you should have recognized this wasn’t your cup of tea after the first 52 minutes. Either way, Mr. Walther, I extend a personal invitation to you; to join us here at the Wall, for at the Wall, we don’t judge one based on their enthusiasm for art in its various forms. We embrace those that value creativity and engage in respectful and constructive dialogue while refraining from stereotypical categorizations. There’s nothing wrong with admitting the truth, that right after you published this lovely “GoT is Bad” piece, you immediately went back to Watchers on the Wall and hit “refresh.” We do not judge, and I suggest you pick up a weapon and stand a post! Winter is Here, Mr. Walther. Take the Black, for the great war is upon us.
Ready the scythe and for the love of all that is sacred, would someone please bring the damn breastplate stretcher?!
Until Monday morning, a man wishes all of you well. Enjoy every moment. The end is near. Embrace it. Share it. Invite someone to the Wall. And may there always be peace in your realm.
-Oz
Aren’t we all basically unsullied now?
I’m ready!!
Just one more day!! And then on to an extremely busy and enjoyable 7 weeks! Can’t wait.
Here!
“Tuesdays mean viewing numbers as the numbers become available, and Marko Roars with attractive charts and comparisons.”
Is this the infamous ratings post? 😛
Thank you so much for the schedule, Oz! I hope you and everyone enjoy the premiere episode.
And if any fellow Sullied comment, please don’t post spoilers.
OZ, very good point about the IB. They have been burnt already by backing Stannis. I suspect they will be likely to back the candidate most likely to actually pay the debt back if they win. “A Lannister pays their debts” may be a saying, but Cersei has already proven sh doens’t believe in it. A certain other Lannister, a shorter one, is well-known to be a debt keeper… Plus who wouldn’t bet on dragons? As far as we know, the Targs were very good business partners for the IB for centuries.
So I will predict Tyrion meets with the IB and gets them in invest in Dany. Still, this seems too “easy” in some ways. Shouldn’t there be some conflict if they do bring the IB back? In which case, maybe they will invest in Jon T. If they even know he is the hidden dragon…
I feel like 90% of people on this site have read a synopsis of the season already, so I wouldn’t consider them unsullied…
KEEP THEE OUT OF THIS PLACE YE SULLIED SOULS!! :] OKOK you can stay and laugh at how wrong we are, but please don’t hint or “speculate”…
HaHaHaHa!!! Oz!! Theories are like assholes…we all have one! That’s great! Loved everything about your article! The weekly line-up of what goes on at WotW an a given day is such a good idea! This is why I love WotW….every day you all present us with thoughts and recaps and things to look forward to about the episodes! And the fact that Looking Forward is actually here again just means…..it’s GoT Sunday tomorrow!!! Wooohoooo!! Thanks Oz!
I’m already hyped about the coming episode promos, they’re always awesome.
“At this point, it’s been so long since we’ve had a new episode that it will likely be a peculiar event for the show to open with a scene I’m not used to after the intro.”
What?
“Hallelujah. Holy shit.”
Where’s the Tylenol?
No.
Jack Bauer 24,
He probably means that he’s rewatched the previous episodes so many times, that it will be weird to watch the intro and after that get a scene he’s never seen before.
Flayed Potatoes,
Yes!
This nerd is thrilled to be back for the ride!! Yahooooo …. here we go!!!
QueenofThrones,
I think the main issue with Dany and the Iron Bank will be that she doesn’t really have a plan.
The invasion itself looks awesome: Dothraki horde, Unsullied, Dorne-Reach coalition and three badass dragons – who would bet against her? The big question is: what will she do after she takes the throne? She brought several khalasars along with her – and Dothraki are known for their passion to burn cities. Where would she settle these tens of thousands riders? How would she keep them from pillaging cities and enslaving people? The khalasars would eventually settle somewhere in the Reach and Dorne and live by the rules, but as time will pass more and more of them will turn back to their old way of life – to pillage villages and cities of the Southern realms, which will infuriate lords of these lands. It is impossible to change the culture of an entire nation in such short time by either saying ‘Don’t do it pls’ or by threatening with dragons.
Speaking of dragons. Will Dany chain them in Dragonpit as her ancestors did? She already locked them up once – will she do it again? If no, it means that fire-made-flesh will soar across the realm, burning cattle, sheep and shepherds, causing substantial damage to agriculture industry of the Crownlands and beyond. The Conquest itself will not be without casualties as well.
Therefore, I think The Iron Bank will have genuine doubts about supporting the Dragon Queen. It may seem like a profitable investment now, but what about the long run?
Sullied here, but always enjoy the discussions here. Love the intro, love your retort, and think the schedule is great! These seven weeks will fly by I fear, but in the meantime I’ll enjoy every second of it!
You guys it’s nearly here.I swear I am more excited about the season than my upcoming vacation lol.May we all survive the upcoming epicness.
Can’t wait!!! Am especially looking forward to the Marko charts and Twitter recaps. The costume analysis also sounds cool. Sending you lots of strong tea to power through the posts!
ONE DAY MORE!!!
Here! Yes! The wait is almost over! Great post as always Oz.
And yes, the IB has to be adressed at some point. They have mentioned it too many times across all seasons to simply forget about.
Here!….
…My Lord…
Here! Thanks Oz, I agree the IB is still lurking out there. Maybe the Faceless Assassin that Jaqen will seek out for the job will be Arya seeing as Cersie was on her hit list and Arya will certainly get that job done! Or if the IB contacts the Faceless Men, Jaqen will simply say “we’re on it” and trust that Arya will be working on her list anyway. But once the battle with the White Walkers start I wonder what role the IB will play? And what will that world be like after that battle? I guess we will see!
Thanks for the schedule, you all are awesome and add to this whole GOT experience!
OZ!!!!!!! Man, it is great to have this back in my life. Looking forward to the scheduled favorites (Tweets!) and the new features as well. WotW Gang, you ROCK!
As for the IB: Just as IRL, the IB hedges its bets. One way or another, winner or loser, they ALL will pay! In the GoT, you win or you die–either way, you pay. 😉 And WE all reap the rewards! Squeee!!!
/fangirling
Can’t wait!
I’ve always wondered if there’s a connection between the Faceless Men and the Iron Bank, and if so, what? It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that two organizations that affect the story so much are in the same city. Are we done with the Faceless Men yet? I just don’t know.
I miss this site. I can’t say too much on these posts as I’m a book reader, but I don’t want to be spoiled by the leaks from the new season so I’m afraid to post anywhere but unsullied threads.
I really, really hope they manage to avoid having any of the final season leaked so I can hang out here again.
Ashara D,
Wow!! I love your enthusiasm!! WotW gang does rock!! And another…..sqeeeee from me!!☺️
andriakenas,
I’m here too!!😉
Rock me like a hurricane.
Here! Due to personal life circumstances, I have not seen or sought out any leaks, photos, posts, etc. I actually haven’t even seen the trailers and at this point figure why bother lol! I am a book reader, but since we are so far beyond the books I don’t see how that matters anymore.
So, formerly sullied going cold turkey unsullied this season. I’m looking forward to it! I’m not a prolific poster, but I read and enjoy everything here at WotW.
Love your style Oz and I’m eagerly looking forward to the zaniness that is Axechucker twitter! Thank you to all WotW writers! You enhance this awesome experience known as GoT!!
Well written sir. Best article I’ve read in a while.
Thanks for the schedule rundown! It’s been so long since the last episode that I almost forgot about all the awesome content you guys put up after the episodes. Thanks for all of it! And I think a costume analysis article sounds like a great new addition to the lineup.
SO DAMN HYPEEEEEEEEEE
LETS DO THIS
I AM SO READY
Oz I’m so excited for your recaps
So happy to see Luka with some new content. I hope it’s spoiler free analysis!!!!
Yesssss
Yes! Completely spoiler-free. Just in-depth analysis into the season, with Petra. We have a really cool format idea. I hope you like it!
Luka Nieto,
Yes I’m so excited !!!!
Soonersfan,
Thank you SoonersFan!
weirwoodtreehugger,
I’m with you here. It’s tough to come here and have to wade through all the leaks (fake or real or whatever the fuck).
OZ- STOKED to see the site preparing for this season with a schedule! Very fucking cool of everyone here who works hard to compile all of the information, keep the site running, and help stoke out the fandom- of which I am happy to be a part of. Just want to say, thanks for everything thus far, and thanks in advance for everything to come.
Years ago now I was one of the assholes promoting a theory suspecting a relationship between the IB, the FM, Death, The Other, and yes…. Lord Baelish. His mysterious lineage (bravoosi?), his history as a relatively poor kid from the fingers (not far from Braavos), his desire to crush all of the nobility in Westeros (indeed, the entire system has grown more dysfunctional the higher up the food chain he has risen). It seems plausible that he helped drive the realm into debt and chaos and war, not just for his own purposes, but potentially for some higher purpose not entirely his own.
The fact that “the Free City of Braavos” was founded by those who wished to escape and remain hidden from their masters back in Old Valyria- the Blood of the Dragon- was enough to raise my suspicion (thank you topography and marine fog layer). That the Faceless Men and the worshippers of R’hollor both lay claim to the identity of the one true god, seems a situation bound to end in conflict. Was Braavos involved in the early deal that created the Others? Is there any connection there? Have Varys and LF been working for polar opposite powers the entire story? (will be interesting to see where Varys stands on the issue of blood magick once the priests, priestesses, and followers of Rhollor get invlolved in backing Dany).
Is the final bill (obviously, with others on the card) :
DARKNESS/DEATH/OTHERS/LF/IB
vs.
LIGHT/LIFE/RHOLLOR/DRAGONS/DANY/VARYS
Or is LF just gonna die, and we won’t hear about this unresolved debt again, and there was never any real connection anyway?
I have never looked closely to the symbol above the door to the Iron Bank. Interesting.
Thanks OZ
“Was Braavos involved in the early deal that created the Others?”
Pretty sure Braavos was founded a loooooong time after the Others appeared.
Here!
Nettle tea, I trust.
Here! Let the Games commence!
Present, Honorary Maester Oz
Ah, yes. Thousands of years. That’s what happens when I get overly excited and don’t bother to think it all through. I fully admit that I am likely drawing unfounded conclusions from some basic parallels that may exist in the story, I just enjoy the process. We’ll see if any of this has any merit, or if it was simply an exercise in idea vomit. Thank you for pointing this out! Cheers
Yea!
So are filming spoilers (which I understand were extensive this year?), etc fair game in Sue’s recaps? Book reader here, just trying to avoid all *other* spoilers!
So hype for more GoT!!
So great to read you again!
I consider myself an unsullied because we are way pass the books, and I have kept away from everything when I realized that too much information was circulating.
Some of us here have prepared for the new season with our annual GoT death pool, and for once I can participate!
Looking forward to you posts
HERE!!!
Please, for the love of all that is good and decent, would someone please stick a dagger through Littlefinger’s eye this season??? Enough lives have already been either ruined or outright ended by his machinations. Someone needs to end him, and I mean ASAP.
Generally just aired-on-the-show and ASOIAF content found in my recaps, since I realize not everyone follows filming spoilers.