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HBO has released 6 new photos from “The Dance of Dragons,” the ninth episode of Game of Thrones season 5.
The episode synopsis: Stannis confronts a troubling decision. Jon returns to the Wall. Mace visits the Iron Bank. Arya encounters someone from her past. Dany reluctantly oversees a traditional celebration of athleticism.
This week’s episode is written by David Benioff and D.B. Weiss and directed by David Nutter. Nutter has previously directed four episodes of Game of Thrones, including “The Rains of Castamere.”
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Plus, HBO posted this photo from episode 9 on their official website.
i hope on Monday whole internet is speaking about the show version of this book image
http://cdn.desktopwallpapers4.me/wallpapers/artistic/1920×1080/2/16849-daenerys-and-her-dragon-1920×1080-artistic-wallpaper.jpg
i hope they keep this scene like the books and not do it as drogon comes and sweeps her and flies away..
i really cant wait to see that lovely white dress of emilia all burnt and crisp while she tames and rides him
sadly i liked that dress it was so beautiful …after kit last week its Emilia’s turn now to shine
looks like jon and sam have a conversation about dragon steel
looks like they arent giving too much away from the photos
Melisandre doesn’t look happy.
They aren’t giving much away are they?
Dany doesn’t look like she knows that winter is coming.
Hizzy HAS got be the Son of the Harpy; he is just so shady and sleazy.
SHIREEN!!!! Davos, please save her from the nutjobs around her..
Daenerys with another completely gorgeous neck piece…
So thats what Davos was carving in that scene! Aww a little Stag toy for Shireen.
There is a lot of snowing in this episode, it seems…
That pic of Arya is funny. It’s like she’s walking away after doing something she wasn’t supposed to and got scolded
Looks like Jaqen is very angry. Poor Arya. I hope he doesn’t hit her again.
Kay,
i do wonder how that reveal will happen if he is the harpy
but we know dany other get into the pit how do they get there from the box i do not know …
i have one possible situation in mind …dany after seeing jorah in the pits about to be killed stops the fight and run to him then harpies surround and Hizdar give a speech from the box
Winter is come.
Finally.
In this episode it’s revealed Jon travels inside a snowglobe at all times.
That picture of Jon and Sam.
As soon as my brain processed it, the theme from The Odd Couple began playing in my head.
Wouldn’t trust Hizdahr as far as I could throw him…whether he is the Son of the Harpy or not.
That’s a beautiful shot of Carice.
Davos has given a little stag to adorable Shireen. Hopefully, he keeps her and the toy stag away from Crazy Mommy and Red Velvet.
Jon doesn’t look happy at all.
I sincerely hope that “confronts a troubling decision” is followed by an implied “…made by others.” because SERIOUSLY Stannis, the Mannis does not give his own daughter to the fires!
*prays*
No!! Sweet scene with Shireen….
So I guess I’ll start preparing myself for her death now. ;(
Looks like a decent amount of Jon. I was thinking he’d only get a brief scene, since there is so much Dorne/Arya/Stannis/Dany to get through.
Maybe that article is right and we do only get a few minutes of Dany? I mean, the ep is only 53 mins long.
Rene,
The only person who looks even remotely happy is Shireen. And that makes me really worry about her future. Happy people don’t stay happy for long on this show.
Is Cersei gonna be in this episode?
Dunno about Winter but it certainly looks like icing sugar is coming! La la la I’m just trying to distract myself from the Shireen burning possibility. NOT HAPPY! But at least by 3am on monday it will highly likely be over and I’ll know either way. Then I can go back to only really having to worry about Sansa at the moment until someone else’s story turns me into a nervous wreck 🙁
dragonbringer,
It’s not going to be exactly as it was in the books,nothing ever was,not even Blackwater,stop thinking with your mental image from the books or else you will be dissapointed,just enjoy it by how they do it .
It’s a safe bet that the shot of Melisandre looking impassive and the shot from the trailer of Selyse flailing in the snow are from the same scene. They both appear to be surrounded by soldiers. The big question is, “What are they looking at?”
I hope the sweet Davos/Shireen scene isn’t the equivalent of Talisa telling Robb in 3×09 she was going to name their baby Eddard. 🙁
I’m guessing
Somebody give Kit a goddamn haircut so he can stop looking like he belongs in the Monty Phyton spoof with that curly girly hair.
I fear for Shireen in this episode
Brandon,
Rains of Castemere was only 52 minutes i think,and yet they managed with the time .
Edit: See,i was sure Von Trollty will come with another retarded curly hair joke proving once again that he is less intelligent than a 6 year old,seriously i know kindergarden children who wouldn’t make these cringeworthy jokes .
This made me laugh, thanks!!
I haven’t read all the cast info or previews/spoilers yet, so could someone please tell me if we are going to have Dorne in this episode? Nothing in the pics or synopsis…
Brandon,
I can’t help but seeing the myth of the sacrifice of Iphigenia in Shireen’s plot. But the last moment godess Artemis (Diana) took Iphigenia with her in the heavens leaving in her place a deer. Maybe the deer that Davos gives to Shireen is a spoiler…
Brandon,
I don’t think the fact that we got a lot of stills of Jon is any indication of how much screen time he’ll get this episode. All three still are from the same scene. You can see the same guy(kid? Olly?) sitting on a barrel in the background of all three.
Yes, there is Dorne in this episode.
Practical question related to the Wildlings and Castle Black. Does Jon really need to take them to Castle Black, having boats and all? I realize The Gift is south of the wall, but isn’t that it down the coast from Hardhome? Seems like he could just drop them off and then go to Castle Black to warn every one that they’re all basically going to die (and not have to bother with all that extra Wildling/Night’s Watch tension).
Yeah, I have no idea about this sequence, how they get from the picture we have here to further events, especially since
Well it has to be him since there is no alternitive for SOH in the show ….
Melissa Blackwood,
They are in the preview for the next episode so yes .
urangutan21,
ofcourse its not going to be same as in the books
what i meant like in the books was
she goes into the pit to save drogon when hizdar orders fighters to kill him..
the image shows how she stood face to face with drogon and whiped and made him submit to her will without fear
they both saved each other from those who were trying to kill them …
that is what i am expecting instead of drogon saving dany ..i wnat both of them to save each other ..i dont care how they do that as long as everyone likes it and enjoys
M,
Thanks!
What’s the over/under on there being several deaths this episode? I’m thinking any or all of
.
I’m most interested in the Dorne storyline, though: What will be
I remember a tidbit floating around that there was a character in the Dorne storyline that no one was allowed to report on, photograph, or mention. My money’s on
.
I love Davos and Shireen together, but that’s a bad feeling right there.
Nice pics! Best quality one I’ve seen of Dany and Hizdahr at the pits so far.
I must be one of the few people who actually likes Hizdahr (in his show incarnation; I don’t find the book version appealing). His pleading for his father’s body made a strong positive impression. To me, he doesn’t come across as sleazy but as a sincere peacemaker. I’m actually dreading the next episode in case it does turn out that he’s working with the Sons of the Harpy.
The thing is, though, it doesn’t make a lot of sense if he turns out to have been working with them from the start. He was dispatched to Yunkai on Dany’s peace mission only a couple of days after asking for his father’s body. He couldn’t have planned for that contingency: Dany decided to send him after Jorah changed her mind. (She couldn’t even remember his name when she was choosing him – he was “the man who came to me the other day about burying his father.”) The Sons of the Harpy started attacking while he was away. He and Daario are specifically, explicitly shown returning from Yunkai to an increased Unsullied presence on the streets due to the attacks. And, besides, why would he support the Sons of the Harpy? If he was inclined to use groups like those to further his ends, why wouldn’t he have used them to take down the Masters’ crucified bodies? The fact that he goes to Dany and asks her politely makes me think that’s the way he tends to do things.
All that’s a long way of saying that, if Hizdahr does turn out to have a role with the Sons of the Harpy, I don’t think it’ll actually make a lot of sense. The most plausible way this could work, in my opinion, would be if he didn’t have anything to do with the Sons of the Harpy initially, but was so freaked out by the experience of watching another noble being eaten by a dragon and nearly suffering the same fate himself that he decided to throw his lot in with them.
Brandon,
i have to say i was disappointed after waiting for these to release and got only one dany photo …i think they dont want to give too much away from dany’s storyline and hence there is not a lot from her story line
but that said an episode named dance of dragons and dany will have only 4 mins of screentime is ridiculous
So. Will Stannis actually allow Mel to sacrifice Shireen? Or will he allow Davos to ride her off to safety? I sure hope it’s the latter, which could also
cause Mel to abandon Stannis and return to the Wall to anoint a new Azor Ahai (and right in the nick of time, too!)
And then there’s Ramsay’s sneak attack. We know from the Ep 10 synopsis that Stannis survives this raid, but will there be any major casualties on either side? So curious how D&D play this.
Arya had decided to join the group of professional assassins (i. e. the Faceless Men) cos she wanted to improve/learn (new) killing skills. Namely, before joining the assassins, she had sworn revenge on the people that were involved in killings of Starks; so she needs the skills. But I don’t believe that she really wants to become one of the assassin pros. (C’mon, she’s ‘our’ daredevil Arya, not some cold-blooded killer.) At some point she’ll probably quit the ‘assassin program/job’. Doing that she’ll put herself in danger. Once in, she can’t give up the Faceless Men ‘membership’ without consequences.
Estelindis,
Mmmm… that’s right… I’m starting to think that Daario is the Harpy.
I’m pretty sure they lost the ruby in Melisandre’s neck piece after S2.. so they just shoved a dry plum in there. Don’t even try to tell me that’s anything else.
Estelindis,
I really don’t think there’s such a thing as a “Harpy” (that is to say, a leader) in the show. In the books, it’s almost surely the Green Grace, but she’s not in the show. And making Hizdahr their leader is way too obvious to happen.
dragonbringer,
has to be longer than 4 minutes
Daznak’s Pit has been heavily promoted in all the trailers
They always nail the big set pieces
I also love show Hizdhar more. Unlike the books, hes not a cardboard cutout evil villain. Hes got real emotional reasons to hate Dany. I like his more sympathetic portrayal.
Estelindis,
then he becomes the leader of the harpy all of the sudden after episode 6 what happened to the previous one do they step aside for him to take leadership ..how does that makes sense
he could have lied about his father and he could have set up the harpy to strike when he is away so he can free himself from getting accused of leading them and acting like a innocent peacemaker was all part of plan to get into dany’s good graces
StandOzone,
darrio cant be harpy because we see him
I like TV Hizdahr, too, and the actor who plays him. He’s got a certain dignity and intelligence, even when he’s groveling for his life.
The funny thing about TV Hizdahr is that he would be 100% fully justified in taking down Dany:
-she arbitrarily executed his father without bothering to inquire about his responsibility in the execution of the slaves
-she gave him attitude when he asked her for permission to bury him
-she has treated his reasonable suggestions regarding the fighting pits with arrogance and contempt
-she had a man burned alive by her dragons and devoured in front of him and threatened to do the same to him
-she is forcing him to marry her or face execution
Frankly, if Hizdahr turns out to have been working for or leading the SOTH all along, the only person Dany would have to blame is herself.
As for it seeming strange if it turns out that TV Hizdahr is against Dany, given that he asks her for things politely and appears to be trying to work with her, that’s Littlefinger 101: cozy up to your enemies and pretend you care about working with them, so that they 1) leave you alone long enough to get all your ducks in a row and that 2) they never see the knife coming.
M,
They are looking at a massive Umber army coming down on Stannis’s camp. Selyse falls to the ground when Stannis goes forward to meet them. Everyone thinks they are about to attack, but then the Greatjon appears and kneels before Stannis.
The things I’d do to see a scene like this.
HelloThere,
i am thinking it will be minmum 15 mins long
i will be happy if show hizdar is not the harpy ..if he is indeed harpy then i hope he gives a speech about everything from his father and removes his act of Symphatetic character
i really really hope hizdar gets killed and not revealed as a harpy
Predictions?
I think Selyse will die in this episode. I worry for Shireen but think she’ll be get away somehow either Davos will get her out or on their way back to the Wall or at the Wall, she’ll be smuggled out to go to Oldtown with Sam and Gilly. Must admit I worry for Davos too!
Now we’ve kind of pretty much certainly ruled out Daario=Euron. Could it be Daario as the Head Harpy…or at least in league with him? Would fit with her three betrayels vision and have a lot more impact. Daario has to have some purpose more than he does at the moment and I think this could be it!
I wonder if Arya, though she’s sent to assassinate the insurance guy, ends up
This is true.
Also, ever since his Valar Morghulis in 5.05, and then being all abject apology later, plus his utter joy at seeing people killing each other in 5.07, I have wanted to see the last of him.
One of Roose Bolton’s leeches,
Good but needs more Rickon! 😛
We know that in 5×09 there will be at least three Stannis storyline-related scenes (not listed in any particular order):
1. Daytime in snow: Melisandre looks on impassively, Selyse wails in a heap, both surrounded by soldiers.
2. Nighttime: Melisandre sees tents being set on fire, presumably during Ramsay’s attack. We know from the screengrab that multiple tents in Stannis’ camp are being set on fire.
3. Inside a tent: Shireen plays with a toy stag while Davos looks on.
We also know that Stannis is facing a “difficult decision,” that Stannis survives 5×09 (since he marches in 5×10), and that Melisandre urged Stannis to burn Shireen to guarantee victory.
So if I had to guess, I’m guessing it goes down like this:
-adorable Davos/Shireen scene to remind us how precious and wonderful Shireen is
-Ramsay attacks, sets some tents on fire and manages to do a lot of damage, but flees before he’s able to kill Stannis
-Stannis, faced with this devastating setback, decides to burn Shireen
-Shireen is burned, Davos can’t do anything to stop it, Selyse unexpectedly loses her shit
-Davos, horrified and disgusted by Stannis’ decision, abandons Stannis,
I think you’re all worrying unduly for Shireen.
UK rules regarding child actors are quite strict, and I doubt very much they would allow Ingram, who I think was under 16 during the filming of this season, to participate in a scene where she’s burned alive screaming for her father. It would have to be the most off-screen scene imaginable.
You and me both. I miss the Northern lords.
TheTouchOfFrost,
I also worry for Shireen but I am going to remain positive. There is no way that she dies if Davos is around to protect her. I’m hoping that the toy stag is her patronus.
dragonbringer,
Hopefully longer
So excited!
The problem is that that’s supported by the “reaction shots” we seem to have: Melisandre looking on stone-faced and Selyse completely losing her mind. They could go the Sansa’s rape route of having the horror depicted through Kerry Ingram screaming her lungs out offscreen and showing the other characters reacting to it.
Also, this series is no stranger to horrible child murder: a lot of underage characters have bit the big one onscreen (the Lannister boys killed by Karstark, Lommy, the stableboy Arya stabbed, etc.).
M,
Stop it!
M,
i too think thats exactly how it will go down …
add what he says in the promo “A man must do what he need to fulfill his destiny ” i think stannis had made a decision
Agree about Hizdahr’s air of dignity and intelligence.
It’s not that Hizdahr wouldn’t be “justified,” for all the reasons you stated. It’s more that he really comes across to me as strongly believing in peace, diplomacy and compromise. He seemed so genuine and sincere when he called himself a servant of Meereen and said he was willing to leave the past in the past to work with Dany. Ditto when he told her that happy subjects are easier to rule than angry ones, so some compromises are sensible. That was good advice and I think he really meant it.
I feel (though this is just my imagination projecting from the facts now) that his father had a frustrating time as a noble, trying to advocate for kinder (or, at least, less unkind) courses of action and being overruled, as he was when he protested against crucifying the slave children. Loraq Sr. couldn’t win a vote in spite of apparently being one of Meereen’s most beloved citizens, from one of its most ancient, respected families. Maybe, now, Hizdahr reluctantly sees Dany as an opportunity for a better Meereen for all its citizens, if she’ll only listen to advice informed by cultural knowledge that she lacks. This is a very positive interpretation, but I feel like the writing and Joel’s Fry’s performance have really sold it to me.
All that being said, I have wondered if Hizdahr is pulling a Littlefinger. If he is, that makes him a better LF than LF – at least, on the show. Show!LF has been mustache-twiddlingly obvious at times, not nearly as subtle as his book incarnation. If Hizdahr has been acting all along…and able to carry out his plans in spite of being sent away unexpectedly on a long mission… that’s actually kind of a disservice to the character of Littlefinger.
HelloThere,
HelloThere,
me too i am so exited for this episode ..
i like to think showed the same preference to both hardhome and daznak ..hardhome was 28 mins long with 14mins of setting up an 14 mins of action sequence
so it will end up around nearly 24 mins …thats what i am hoping for anyways
Yup. I think Stannis’ arc–and Davos’, really–has been building to this point from the beginning:
-Stannis killing a blood relative to get him closer to the throne (Renly)
-Stannis being willing to sacrifice another blood relative, Gendry, to get him closer to the throne, and only being stopped by Davos intervening
-Stannis using blood magic to achieve his ends
-Davos’ very close relationship with Shireen
-Davos’ extreme loyalty to and faith in Stannis
-Selyse ominously telling her daughter that she has no idea what people will do
-Melisandre insisting on Shireen coming north with them (and Selyse resisting it)
-Stannis’ love for his daughter making him balk at the idea of sacrificing her
-Ramsay’s sneak attack that will likely cripple Stannis’ forces
I think it’s all been building up to this: irresistible force (Stannis’ love for his daughter) meets immovable object (Stannis’ willingness to sacrifice all for his ambition). I think the very reason this season went all the way to establish Stannis’ love for Shireen was to make it a real struggle for him to sacrifice her, as he’s been previously willing to sacrifice other family members without losing much sleep over it.
Fall_of_Byzantium,
Good thing this is an American show, then.
Lying to Dany about his father would be monumentally stupid. If Loraq Sr. really was one of Meereen’s most beloved citizens, then his reputation would have been well-known. All Dany would have to do would be to conduct a very simple investigation. Of course, we don’t see her doing much investigating. She doesn’t even try to find out if the noble she feeds to her dragons has anything to do with the Sons of the Harpy. But Hizdahr doesn’t know she’s not going to investigate.
If Hizdahr did become involved with the Sons of the Harpy after being released from his cell and betrothed to Dany, I don’t think he would have replaced their leader. I just think he would’ve started working with them.
As for acting like a peacemaker to get into Dany’s good graces, what about Dany comes across like she would appreciate peacemakers? She has conquered Slavers’ Bay city by city, and her arrival in Meereen is quite bloody from the nobles’ point of view.
That is one possibility.
Dutch maester,
Filmed in the UK, so it’s laws apply.
If Shireen burns, what happened after Sansa-Ramsay will look like a Gilligan’s Island viewing party.
I’m not looking forward to the world if it happens. I am still holding out hope that Stannis refuses and Melisandre, believing that Stannis is no longer the guy, PLUS realizing that her life may be in danger for even trying, flees to the Wall.
Just in time to help resurrect the Lord Commander.
M,
I don’t know how likely it is that Stannis will burn Shireen. The duty of fatherhood is perhaps just as large a motivator for a character like Stannis as the duty of being king.
That said, if they do go that route (I hope they don’t), it will at least be interesting character development for Davos. Until now I don’t think I’d ever considered a story in which Davos totally gives up on Stannis and abandons him.
Estelindis,
the thing is he is the only known meereenese in the show …if there is a leader to harpy then it will be him so id ont see him joining after the last episode ..
i personally dont want Show hizdar to be the harpy and will be happy he gets killed by the harpies
M,
He was at war with Renly and believed he had the better claim, legally and tactically. Plus, he offered Renly terms — pretty generous ones, considering that Selyse had been unable to give him a son, which made Renly the heir.
Renly had fair warning.
No way … he can kill Dany anytime he wants.
I mean he is porking her every night…? Makes no sense.
Why beat around the bush? 🙂
My prediction? Stannis decides to burn Shireen, she’s tied to the stake (photos of Melisandre stonefaced and Selyse freaking out), the fire is lit, and then Stannis decides he can’t go through with it. Then Melisandre decides to hightail it back to the Wall. I am 90% sure this is how it will go down. How Ramsay fits in I do not know.
Rat Kook,
Not to mention that I’m having a hard time seeing Stannis able to rule an anthill after his men see that, and tell others.
I still think Melisandre abandons him, especially if she uses her “whatever the show needs them to be” witchy powers to realize what Jon Snow saw and did at Hardhome.
Yes, the main thing that makes me think Hizdahr actually is involved is the fact that we have no other named Meereenese characters. (Well, there was Mossador, but he’s dead now and wasn’t originally planned to be a named character.) I do hope that he’s not, though. It just seems too obvious. The interpretation that would follow, that Dany was right to treat him that way all along, and should’ve followed Daario’s advice to murder him without evidence, would have unfortunate implications as one of her “lessons” from ruling Meereen. All in all, I agree that the best way for him to die at Daznak’s Pit (if he does die there; we don’t know) would be if the Sons of the Harpy murder him for collaborating with Dany.
Liam Cunningham alluded to something really twisted this season and joked about the writers needing psychiatric help or something to that effect. Stannis burning his beloved daughter alive–a pretty hideous way to go–would certainly qualify.
Rat Kook,
Daznak’s Pit and Hardhome feature amazing fist pumping action scenes with zombies and dragons…
But the Walk of Shame is a set piece unlike any other. Its really gonna catch people by surprise. Cersei is obviously a horrible character, but its such an unrelenting, humiliating, tragic scene… Its one of those moments that leave u completely unable to grasp how you feel about what u just read (or watched). Its REALLY says something that the show chose this setpiece to feature in the finale.
Andrew,
Brienne and Pod are lurking about as well and could fit in too. Add in a certain former Winterfell resident who was resurrected by dark magic…
M,
Maybe that was the flaying…. please… that was the flaying.
I rode for the writers after Sansa-Ramsay. I am not sure I’ve got their backs on this one.
David Nutter has been doing great work since I first saw his stuff back on the X-Files. Should be another excellent episode!
Jon Snow looks good in the snow with snow in his hair and snow falling. Was a man more aptly named?
M,
exactly and not to forget what MEL said to Stannis in season 2 epiosde 10
You will betray everyone you love your family your men and all will be worth it ..
i dont know how all will be worth when he has lost and betrayed everyone
he is not against sacrificing when you think about it ..when mEl mentions about sacrifice his reply was “we do not have Roberts bastrads here “..which means he is willing to sacrifice them …but he only hesitated because she has told him about her daughter
and whatever ramsey does will push him to that decision
Hoyti Von Trolliy is at it again
I hope nothing happens to Shireen. Counting on my boy Davos not allow that to happen
M,
Stannis won’t allow Melisandre to kill Shireen. That will be the worst character destruction in the show. If that happens, then everybody will want that Ramsay flays Stannis alive. Book Stannis wants that Shireen sits on the Iron Throne if he dies. Show Stannis should prefer burn himself before let that something horrible happens to Shireen.
However, Melisandre could burn Shireen without Stannis’ approval. It would be horrible but more likely than the other scenario.
I rather see that before Ramsay attacks Stannis’ camp, Melisandre will see THE vision (FTW) and will return to Castle Black, maybe with Davos and Shireen. Maybe, Selyse will die… I don’t know, but Stannis WON’T allow that such horrible thing happens to his daughter.
My prediction with Arya is that she kills Meryn Trant and Jaquen is angry. And stuff from the book I can’t explain because I don’t know the coding for spoilers. But I think some stuff is going to wait until bran is back next year in order to explain.
God I am so excited to see Dany’s iconic scene.
Like I said before, if D&D did this right this can be an HBO Hallmark “Only on HBO” 6 second clip for years to come.
thats great, if that happens i will definately stand up and take off my pants in celebration
Andrew,
Hmm.
Would Selyse freak out? Be a bit out of character, since all she’s shown is detestation for her daughter, and seemed overjoyed at her brother being burned alive.
Looks to me like she’s surrounded by soldiers and has been thrown to the ground. What about Mel running back to the wall and abandoning Selyse to Stannis’ anger?
Maybe she has a run in with Tyrell and his “bodyguard” Remember Trent is a part of her prayer….Fingers are crossed
Reavers Wrath,
WorfWWorfington,
Oh please,you know as long as it does not involve rape or the threatening of rape no outrage will be present .
Hoyti Von Totiy,
Still he is a possibility. Maybe he wants to keep Dany for her dragons, he needs a queen (and he needs her alive). He knew where the Son of the Harpy was hidden. He proposed her to kill every maestre (even the good maestres). He’s a sellsword after all.
Killing some sons of the harpy are casualities. He must to…
Don’t saying that I buy myself this idea, but it is a possibility.
Rene,
Maybe Stannis gets hurt when Ramsey and his 20 good men show up. May be a good thing if Jon meets the same end as the book. Maybe she can save him.
Exactly what I think.
Andrew,
I’d go with something like this, although I think it…
Ramsay attacks and cripples Stannis’ army. Selyse and mel urge him to sacrifice Shireen but after much soul-searhing he refuses so Melisandre and Selyse decide to without his permission. He catches them before they do (hence Selyse’s wailing) and sends them back to the Wall until he knows what to do with them thus getting Mel into position for “that thing” and perhaps Selyse getting killed by Wun Wun in place of Ser Patrek (which would be sweet). With his forces pretty much destroyed, Stannis either finds an escaped Sansa and Theon whom tell him of Bran and Rickon still being alive or Davos, whilst returning Shireen to the Wall or via bumping into Sam and Gilly on their way to Oldtown (mayhaps they take Shireen with them?) finding out and heading to the Last Hearth in order to get Rickon and rally the north behind Stannis. I’d like to think at least some elements may come to pass. Can’t see the Wilding replacing the mountain clans and fighting for Stannis as they barely trust Jon Snow plus he wants them at the wall to defend against the Walkers.
The Sphinx would be my best guess.
Game of Thrones 49: The Dance of Dragons
TVMA: Adult Content, Adult Language… are you fucking kidding me??????
We haven´t seen in any of the pictures the wedding of Hizdar and Dany, so i guess the pit fight is before the wedding and therefore the wedding never takes place.
HelloThere,
Totally! Phwawrr, with all these different sorts of scenes joined together in one episode, it could end up being a pretty profound moment in television history.
Hizdar gets to be king once Dany is dead. And Daario? He’s a sell sword. He can be bought.
Hi, first time poster. On the possible Shireen sacrifice, how about this scenario: Ramsay attacks, Stannis is injured badly but so is Ramsey. Ramsey and whatever men he’s got left are able to escape and Davos goes after him/them. Mel being Mel, decides that Shireen must now be gifted to the Lord of Light to bring Azor Ahai back to life. No one in the camp does anything in particular to stop her, Selyse may try but there’s nothing she can do without support. So Shireen, lovely sweet girl, burns. Only, Stannis doesn’t heal/rise but Azor Ahai does. Of course, the burning part would need to happen in Episode 10 for this to work.
Pure speculation:
But it certainly seems to me that Melisandre sees something in the fire during the ep9 preview that has her concerned. That face to me reads, “Oh, crap, I totally misunderstood and I’ve been backing the wrong horse all along!” (?) I can see Stannis turning on Red Velvet and banishing her… especially if the attack on his camp occurs even after the devestating loss and sacrifice of both daughter and wife. That would conveniently open the door for Big Red to head back to the wall and devote herself instead to Azor Ahai reborn.
Hoyti Von Totiy,
EW confirmed there will be three weddings this season
Joffrey’s Cunt,
Why are u upset about that? Does that mean no violence???
Joffrey’s Cunt,
There will definitely be violence in the episode at the very least. So the rating is incorrect.
Is that the actual ratings? I’m sure 100% there’s gonna be some violence.
TheTouchOfFrost,
A more plausible scenario… although I don’t see Shireen going south. I think Sam will leave Castle Black this episode, if so, it is too late. Also, sending Shireen to the south means saving her from Melisandre’s fangs but put her close to the Lannisters and Tyrells. Maybe Davos will take her with him and she will end under Umbers’ protection after he goes after
I wouldn’t discard that Stannis marches back to Castle Black and next season he gathers the mountain clans following
advice.
Brandon,
Which article ?
Danny,
Actually, i quite like your idea, nice work
Well, I guess we’ll see Dany riding off on Drogon’s back… just like in the book!
HelloThere,
I hope Dany will be much longer than 4 minutes but I think they might split the pit time between this episode and Mother’s Mercy. I think we might see
StandOzone,
Shireen and Sam would be an awesome buddy team!
Blast, these spoiler tags are just not working for me at all for some reason. They work when I’m testing just a single line, but I had a fairly extensive post and they won’t cooperate. Oh well.
Rene,
I think Stannis might send Melisandre away in the coming episode. She keeps trying to get him to burn Shireen, and when decides not to (which I sincerly hope), he also decides he can no longer have Mel as an adviser. So she turns to the wall because of whatever she saw in her fire regarding Jon
Ginevra,
Nahh..
This has to be a continuous sequence.
HBO Spoiler:
Greenjones,
King Stannis,
It is the actual ratings yes, and it cannot be true of course. But still I’m worried because also for episode 6 it was rated like this, and we all thought fuck no, not possible, and it ended up being correct… But I don’t want to believe it in this case, no way!!!
Davos needs to stay the fuck out of Melisandre’s way. I swear to god, if he fucks up her plans, I will throw something.
Shireen is Stannis’s heir – WTF would we he ever burn his only living heir?
M,
If it goes like you say from where will Davos find out that Rickon is alive in order to abandon Stanis and go look for him? It doesn’t make sense…
That’s a good point (damn you!), but I think this is a bit above and beyond what we’ve seen so far. I suspect even if the showrunners were the dummies some seem to think them, they’d realise people will respond very differently to a young boy getting knifed to a young girl being burned alive.
I admit a large part of this is me trying to convince myself. Shireen’s endearing, Stannis has been made a character you can respect and even half like after a dodgy start which this would finish, and showing something like that would be my personal limit for the show.
Once Davos interrupts Mel’s plan and succeeds, then you have my permission to go fuck yourself
Spoilers all up in this post.
DAVOS: (enraged, bewildered) “You’d leave him, now?”
MELISANDRE: (curtly, matter-of-factly) “If I do not leave now, terrible things will happen.”
DAVOS: (beyond disgusted) “I don’t even know where to begin with that statement.”
MELISANDRE: (politely) “The events of today were a tragedy for us all. If left unchecked, the events of tomorrow will be a tragedy for mankind.”
DAVOS: (stubbornly) “I don’t give a damn about your visions, but you know that. You swore you’d be here for your king, and he lies broken not fifty feet away, and you’re leaving him to despair.”
MELISANDRE: (firmly) “I told you once you had a part to play. That you’d be needed. And now you are.” (she departs)
Jeff O’Connor,
I saw that extensive post and the spoiler tags were working. Did you delete it? Try it again…you seem to have it correct.
Agree. If Stannis burns Shireen, then he is effectively done. I guess much of this speculation depends on whether or not Stannis survives this season.
Hoyti Von Totiy,
Man that haircut seems to trouble you more than anything or anyone. Get over it and over your homoerotic fears. Who cares?
Joffrey’s Cunt,
Hmm… maybe the violence isn’t that graphic?
Haha, yeah, whoops. I got it now, thanks!
I’m calling it now, somehow Yezzan will be The Harpy.
No pics of Dorne. We know it’s going to be in this episode. I can’t wait for Jaime & Doran to have a talk.
HelloThere,
Do you seriously believe that? We know there’s going to be gladiator fights before all that, do you seriously believe they won’t graphic?
Joffrey’s Cunt,
note the spoiler-tagged content of their post
Since so many people are speculating about the possibility that Stannis might actually sacrifice his daughter, I thought I would throw my own speculation into the mix as to how that storyline might play out in this episode. My hypothetical scenario does not involve Shireen being burned alive, but that doesn’t mean everything turns out well for her.
Just pure speculation, largely based on a few images in the trailers and my overwhelming desire to not see Stannis, Selyse, or the Red Woman give Shireen to the flames. 🙂
Jeff O’Connor,
That’s strongly-written stuff.
Nobody has given me a good reason I believe over the past couple months for Selyse to lose her s*** in the snow. She was calm while her brother burned. She was calm doing awkward exposition with Mel in her tub. Other than Mel abandoning everyone to go save John, or her getting sacrificed herself… no WAY do i believe she loses it over Shireen…
Kay,
I like this idea. Mayb he takes over as the queens hand and Dario brings him to be judged.
Jared,
If you are 90% correct. I will halfway bend my knee to you
Guy guys guys…what if Stannis decides to sacrifice SELYSE instead of Shireen?? Does Queen’s blood count??
“Darkness lay over the world and a hero, Azor Ahai, was chosen to fight against it. To fight the darkness, Azor Ahai needed to forge a hero’s sword. He labored for thirty days and thirty nights until it was done. However, when he went to temper it in water, the sword broke. He was not one to give up easily, so he started over. The second time he took fifty days and fifty nights to make the sword, even better than the first. To temper it this time, he captured a lion and drove the sword into its heart, but once more the steel shattered. The third time, with a heavy heart, for he knew before hand what he must do to finish the blade, he worked for a hundred days and nights until it was finished. This time, he called for his wife, Nissa Nissa, and asked her to bare her breast. He drove his sword into her breast, her soul combining with the steel of the sword, creating Lightbringer.”
Jeff O’Connor,
And?
StandOzone,
Could happen. Honestly not sure. They may just use the northern lords as they don’t seem too buddy buddy with the Boltons…no one of note was at Ramsays and Sansa wedding!
M,
Mike,
don’t think so, she’s only a queen by marriage, not by lineage.
King Stannis,
If the violence doesn’t go past TV-14 status of “intense violence” to be the TV-MA status of “graphic violence,” then it isn’t part of the rating.
Ginevra,
Interesting. Thanks
These preview pictures are way too serene for my expectations for this episode. We saw ice in its full fury last week…this week we shall see fire!!! Nothing else but ice and fire matters!
….and I’ll never give up on Stannis (or the gravy)!!!
For whatever it’s worth, I asked Patchface on the big Season 6 casting thread, after Patchface made a comment about hearing that
, if there were any other spoilers he/she could share, and Patchface said “Ask me again after Episode 9.” So maybe something pretty momentous that happens in this episode that will set up a Season 6 plotline.
My spoilery fueled predictions are:
Miguel Sapochnik seemingly back for season 6!
Speaking of photos… did anyone saw that gorgeous official picture of Hardhome ?
http://i.imgur.com/PA7PYDD.jpg
It’s from the last scene of the episode, depicting in great details the moment (and surroundings) when the Night King advances !
Jared,
That works
Arkash,
Still trying to work out any clues from the Whitewalkers armour. Looks more like it’s from Essos than Westeros.
Yeah, it’s intriguing… I initially thought their armours were composed of junk and various pieces gathered from their victims, but they appear to be uniform and all lookalike, like they’re manufactured by the Walkers themselves… curious.
As far as the length of a certain scene goes, even the Mountain Oberyn fight scene was five and a half minutes long (and that felt extremely abbreviated). There’s no way, with all the things involved, that the final scene of this episode runs for only four minutes.
Arkash,
They seemed pretty unclothed in the initial couple o times we saw them so I guess this is more of a going to war look!
While the Mannis’ camp is burning, Mel will see AA in the blaze and think “Oh shit!”
Arkash,
Amazing photo but this was not in the filmed version….
mariamb,
Thats because he’s about to get stabbed to death by the nights watch.
Last week is going to be hard to top, seeing how this is going to be the big episode 9. Hopefully theres alot of Daznak. Jon got his chance to shine last week so I hope we don’t spend more time at the wall like the pics suggest than at Dany and Tyrion’s story.
“Shireen don’t like it”. ‘Rock the casbah”, “Rock the casbah”.
Jared,
Interesting speculation. I’m looking forward to the moment Stannis realizes he needs to win this without R’hllor’s “sacrificial” influence. Or maybe a Florent might be worth sacrificing? Heck, the last time they sacrificed a Florent, fate suddenly smiled upon them and allowed them to obtain funds for ships and sellswords, after which they pummeled Mance at CB. 🙂
Felt Pelt,
LOL!
mattpeto,
I think you have some show catching up to do! (Mel has told him that king blood is needed for him to succeed)
I love the discussion today, some fascinating speculation; really liked Jared’s ideas above. . I am on the side of Stannis refusing to burn his daughter and letting Davos escape with her, tho it wouldn’t surprise me if Ramsey captures the two of them.
Not sure about the Dany situation – Im not all that concerned who the head of the harpies might be, I just can’t wait to the ultimate scene! I cheered when I read it, I can’t wait to see how it all plays out!
I’m actually starting to get scared for Davos. No one is expecting his death….
Wow that picture of Sam and Jon is so great. The looks on their faces are just perfect. Nice job to the special effects people on the snow falling too!!
And I fully agree with the first poster… I can’t WAIT for that Dany scene.
WorfWWorfington,
Don’t make excuses for kinslaying. Stannis must pay for his crimes.
Maybe Davos will make Ramsay believe he’s Stannis and Ramsay will kill him, persuaded to have killed the King…
… and now I’m gonna listen to some Dio.
TheTouchOfFrost,
where ever it’s from it is definitely super cool looking, i wanna get a set for the next live action role playing session i do. (yes im 33 and still LARP, mock me if you will)
Hey guys. New to the site but a big time ASOI&F fan (read all the core books and some of the side stuff) and show (seen every episode at least once) and even love to chat about it on our local message board.
Pretty cool pictures. As expected, they don’t reveal much. But at least it looks like Jon is back south of the wall (they don’t seem to show any wildlings in those pics though).
I appreciate the “anything can happen” nature of the books and the show. But I really hope they don’t burn Shireen.
Andrew,
Possibly Ramsay & his Howling Commandos kidnap the “Red Witch” & take her back to Winterfell as a hostage. Thus fullfiling her vision of walking the battlements of Winterfell & causing the Selyse scene from the trailer.
I’m just going to leave this here: I’d be perfectly fine with Shireen sacrificing Selyse rather than the other way around. Selyse is a fundamentalist psychopath who keeps dead babies in jars. Shireen is, um, pretty much just basically awesome. Yeah, I know which one I’m rooting for. 😉
HOW DO YOU KNOW THE EP IS ONLY 53 MIN????
I can’t think of anything shady or sleazy the show version has done. He seems completely in earnest, from what we’ve seen of him (albeit in service of a not exactly ideal society)
igorcarvalho,
Because they post the episode times.
One random thing I have been wondering in the last couple of weeks: Dany’s white dress seems so incredibly ill-suited for dragon riding and an utterly poor choice for having her wear it down over a longer time span (possible multi episodes). I’m quite curious how they plan to handle her outfit; surely their goal is to make her look cool even in rags.
Roose On The Loose,
NIght King’s is the best outfit for a male character in the series so far…
I M Brundo,
If anyone can kidnap Mel without being burned alive, then I’ll cry foul. I’m surprised she’s not taking a more protective stance with the royals as they approach WF, with spells ready.
What crimes? You mean by him being the rightful king and punishing those that stole from him? Renly was warned.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHIrdZKQjS8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o8sR3izzhdo
I think Stannis will continue to refuse sacrificing Shireen then when Ramsay attacks and burns the tents Shireen will go back to collect the stag Davos gives her earlier, get trapped and burn to death. Episode 10 is then a walk of shame back to castle black for the only king I’ll ever serve.
Also, I agree with earlier posts. Joel Fry is terrific.
I wonder why Arya is walking away from Sexy Jesus on that picture
Didn’t we see a filming pic of Varys in the box with Dany & co?
Or am I losing my mind?
Tobin,
It seems strange that they would link Tyrion and Dany up only to separate them an episode later. I think it is possible they skip the Dothraki stuff.
I’m too worried about Jon to worry about Shireen, as cute as she is XD
JamesL,
This. Plus the fact Melissandre killed Renly. Stannis just got him some hibbidy dibbidy.
HelloThere,
Or some of this.
Aye.
If the show has Stannis burn his own daughter, it won’t just be “fan fiction” anymore, it will be slash fiction.
Book Stannis would kill Melisandre instantly for even daring to suggest he burn his own daughter alive. “There will be no more burnings, pray harder!”?
Greenjones,
Its still unreal to me that this scene will be fully realized on screen in a few days
*runs in circles…
*continues to run
*panting
I really don’t think Stannis will burn Shireen for several reasons:
He loves his daughter.
His men would surely abandon him.
Davos would never allow it and would definitely abandon him.
It would destroy his appeal and make him an unworthy antagonist to the Boltons.
TV fans would go apeshit.
He’s really not that evil (though he is a douche).
I think Mel/Selyse might try it but Davos/Stannis will save her.
As for the SotH… I don’t think its Hizdar. He’s been in about 3 scenes so that revelation will have zero impact. Besides, Dario has accused him already so the viewers wouldn’t be shocked by this. Which makes me think it is indeed Dario (if anyone)..
Aw, thanks. 🙂
HBO’s schedule says the finale is 61 minutes. Is that confirmed?
Hodor’s Bastard,
Carne,
That’s great news! I was extremely impressed with Sapochnik’s work on both “The Gift” and “Hardhome” (obviously). He deserves to join the roster of elite Game of Thrones directors.
The title of episode 10 leads me to believe somebody is back!
Steel_Wind,
I love it. I mean, I hate it! I love it and hate it. It would work nicely on a storytelling level, but it would be so so sad for Shireen.
At this point, I’d actually find it pretty hilarious if Dany
*don’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorahdon’tkillJorah*
(fully expects Jorah to be killed)
Jaqen needs more screentime. Just to look at, essentially.
My girl Melisandre looks so beautiful. This is becoming an iconic shot of her, standing in the snow.
Pigeon,
I wonder what the skirmish of Ramsay will accomplish in the end. Many of you guys seems to theorize that Shireen will die in the event, what may really be the case, however I’m far more concerned about Davos. As we know in the books, he’s touring the lands to help the North remember. But in the show, nearly all the important figures of that plotline are cut and the general hostility against the Boltons is evident in every mention of the other Northern houses, it’s less of a subtle conspiracy than a real enemosity. This makes me wonder what role is left to play for Davos? The only thing he could do from now on is travelling to a certain island called Skagos, but since his other parts of the plotline are cut, nothing could really Set him off into that direction. Besides that, another long journey to an unknown place would not be something the viewers would appreciate much, it would be hard to realize.
So it is sad, but I’m really scared that Davos is disposible after all and hasn’t a role to play in the wars to come. Maybe he dies protecting Shireen? That adorable wooden stag seems an awful lot like an unintentional farewell-present…I hope my feelings are wrong.
Sean C.,
Hbo? aaw, im sad about it, this episode has so many plots, wall/dorne/arya/meeren/stannis/ maybe winterffel. and now for sure NOT Kings landing. 53 minutes its not much. =(
i hope it get this way.
wall 5 minutes
arya 6- 8 minutes
dorne 8 minutes
Ramsay 2 minutes
stannis 10 minutes
Meeren 19-21 minutes – 10 min of action at least.
the 53 minutes do not count the opening right?
About the episode finale, how many minutes we have ?
Wait a sec, I just noticed something!
http://i.imgur.com/QQIsg8X.jpg
HelloThere,
Wow, that is graphic. In truth, though, on the second video, most of the very graphic violence is from the previously seen lower pits, surely, with the trees overhead and the high, cement walls instead of the stadium.
So if this rating is right, then I’m probably right about:
Is the Episode 9 rating coming from the same source that was correct last time?
My own prediction for what will go down this episode with respect to Stannis:
As far as the Ramsay stuff is concerned, I don’t think we will see the outcome of that until next week. This week he might smuggle himself into his camp though.
HelloThere,
I hope so, although I can’t see him intentionally spreading it, in case he turns into a villain, in which case…..it’s about time. 😉
Some thoughts on the who may or may not be the Harpy…
Possible theories based on Book goings on.
However, I do not feel that there is a Harpy, currently. And by that I mean on the books. I.e cast. He will remain unnamed and unrevealed this season. I think the chances are that they will cast some other mereenese noble next season, who will turn out to be the Harpy. Why? Well, Tyrion and Hizdahr will be in charge. Maybe Hizdahr will get injured in Daznak’s and Tyrion has to take the place of Book Selmy. This will give Tyrion a source of conflict as he effectively takes charge of Mereen next season in Dany’s absence.
This will result in the release of the two other Dragon’s and a possible battle of Fire.
Only my two cents. I hope the spoiler tags work.
Aryamad,
Wrong arm.
Aryamad,
Heh. Don’t worry, it was his left arm that contracted the Herp.
igorcarvalho,
Em relação ao episodio final são 61 minutos 😉
LoL!
On the first photo posted here…..Jon talking to Sam….
To me, it reads
Jon: Bro, I know you did the nasty with the Wilding while I was gone, so you have to go and take her and the baby with you.
Sam: *stunned silence*
dothrakian raven,
It is, but you only get to see a close-up of the White Walker on the right stabbing someone. I’ve only just now noticed there’s ANOTHER White Walker behind him.
Btw, I really don’t think they’ll burn Shireen. “You are the Princess Shireen of House Baratheon. And you are my daughter.”
TheTouchOfFrost,
I had a similar thought. In fact IMO they have a Valyrian vibe going on- especially the WW Jon took down..
TheTouchOfFrost,
I had a similar thought. In fact, looking at the WWs, some of them have a Valyrian look to them (particularly the one Jon took down)..
Yes he does touch her arm.
Your boy has certainly been having quite an er…exciting time lately! I think there are enough of us who really get into the show to care for all the characters, so it’s not mean to back some over others. I don’t have the emotional capacity to worry about more than a couple of people at a time, so tend to fret about the ones who seem in the most immediate danger and least likely to be able to help themselves.
Still on the plus side, with all the snow about there are going to be some epic snowball fights, tobogganing, skating etc, so not all bad news. Maybe the North could put in a combined bid for the Winter Olympics 😉
Hodor’s Bastard,
I actually have a theory it’s Sansa she saw in the flames walking on the WF battlements..
Lulu’s Mum,
I’ve been meaning to say for a while that I really enjoy your posts and your humor – and your angst over Shireen even though I am not nearly the Shireen fan that you are.
I thought I’d seen you posting in the spoilered thread. Is that the case? Or do I just get to see your episode comments in the open chat and other places?
The rating is not finalized and it may even air with the default rating it currently has. Episode 6 also aired without a finalized rating. Even if the violence is not graphic they still would have “violence” listed in the content advisory, that is the way it has always been.
.
Joffrey’s Cunt,
Eba, um brasileiro aqui!
Dutch maester,
The picture as we see it in the still doesn’t exist in the filmed version. We see Night’s King from the beginning of the pier foot angle in the beginning and then upwards profil his whole figure. There is no scene with him walking through the massacre. The scene you are refering to is the one with a white walker raising his sword after having killed a wildling and looking towards Jon and in the background one can see another White Walker. The still that arkash uploaded is a panorama picture of the massacre and actually it seems to be very “painterly” almost a created one rather than one that actually has been filmed.
JamesL,
How do you know that he will visit the brothel?
Would`t it be cool if Arya completed the task Jaqen gave her while preparing Meryn`s death?
Example, she makes Meryn thinks the coin man is a treat, which leads to Meryn kililng him and, later, she gets Meryn killed some other way
Roose On The Loose,
I’m 33 and would love to give it a go (they do it over the fields and woods at the local Great Hall (we just have them lying about the place here in England!). One of my mates goes and a few of us are hoping to tag along sometimes!
Paul,
It’s interesting to note that the way in which The Doom that destroyed Valyria and the incident at Hardhome (the one before this current one just portrayed in the show… many moons ago) share a lot of similarities. Maybe these guys are ancient enemies of the Old Valyrians which would make sense with three of their predicted main antagonists
having Targaryen blood.
clk,
Português 😉
I M Brundo,
That’s an intresting theory
Vieira151,
On
The show the harpy is gonna be hizdar zo loraq and the prostitute who killed white rat – and pointed out selmy in the pyramids
King Stannis,
The Long Night,
Do you Stannis fanboys have any shred of decency? Have you NO HONOR??! Not only did he allow his brother to be killed, he did so by cheating and killing him before the battle even started when he had his guard down.
Stannis is a sociopath and would make a shit king. RIP my golden stag peach baby.
Ginevra,
Awww thank you! 😀 People can be so unnecessarily rude to each other on here it’s lovely to get compliments and just see posters appreciating each other and being nice (not just to me obviously but in general).
I used to worry that I was ruining people’s enjoyment of the programme by posting my silly thoughts so I’m glad that’s not the case, well not for everyone anyway. Sorry to everyone else, if you see my name it’s either something really ernest and serious or my inner 12 year old coming to the surface.
I only really became so protective of Shireen once she left the relative safety of Dragonstone. We got to see far more of what a nice person she is and how tiny and vulnerable. I have no idea how old she’s supposed to be but she looks about 8 years old to me, very definitely a child rather than a teenager and my maternal instinct has just kicked in with a vengeance. If she gets through this and to somewhere safe I will be able to relax again. I can accept her dying, but being burned alive is such a horrible way to go and being killed by your own parents is the ultimate betrayal for a child.
As for threads, I just pop up all over the place! I haven’t read the books – I tried but as a very visual person they didn’t really do anything for me, seeing something is vastly more satisfactory than reading about it. I do read all the spoilers tho’, I’m quite happy to know what’s coming. So semi-sullied, maybe pillar but no stones, or the other way around? 😉
Keith,
Maise is gonna kill meryn trant for sure . Jons gonna send Sam gilly and the baby to old town this upcoming epidose . Than dany will fly away on drogon and I think they’ll show hizdaR like embracing that prostitue as dany flys away on his shoulders
As someone else said on here a few weeks ago. If they burn Shireen, we riot
Grand maester giz,
That’ll be the shows quick way to let that Plot be known
JamesL,
I am inclined to agree with you especially as the dothraki way of doing things (rape, slavery etc) seems at odds with Dany’s ideals. I also doubt that the dothraki would follow her and likely so in a short space of time all the way across the narrow sea but the casting from season 6 does make me wonder? Also the idea that the dothraki will bow down to her upon seeing her with a dragon seems cliched (like the ewoks seeing C3PO and proclaiming him a god)
clk,
We know there will be a scene in a Braavosi brothel in one of the finale 2 episodes because of images we have seen in previews. Meryn visiting a brothel in Braavos seems the most logical reason why there would be a scene in one unless Arya gets a new assignment in episode 10 that involves her having to assassinate someone in a brothel. I think Meryn being killing in a brothel is much more likely.
sai,
Except… Drogon is a huge flaming beast while C3PO is a small, shiny robot. I don’t really see the comparison.
Ooooh….. what could it be??? 😮
OK. We don’t see the same things in the show some of the time. So far, I add up a few little things I have seen about Hizdahr, and I get a distinct Essosi Littlefinger vibe from him. You don’t. Fair enough. We’ll find out soon enough. By the way, nice way of describing Meereenese society. 😉
Ha! I’m no book reader, but have heard about
Hodor’s Bastard,
I agree Ramsay wouldn’t be able capture her unless she allowed it so she could get inside Winterfell with the crypts & secret tunnels she is interested in.
Good photos but this is without doubt the best GoT image on the internet at the moment!;
https://scontent-lhr3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xft1/v/t1.0-9/11391323_1491390544419251_6579600470800237575_n.jpg?oh=9b5a22138827982669a61fb0cdd5e274&oe=55E7AF5D
sai,
Though the synopsis for episode 10 “Dany is surrounded by strangers” does seem to suggest they will be doing the Dothraki arc.
Melisandre, leave Shireen alone and burn Ramsey’s balls off (first)…
Hey, Lulu’s mom! I greatly enjoy your posts too, and I am in the exact same boat as you – haven’t read the books, but internet spoiled. And I totally agree about Shireen being such a NICE little girl – that’s such a rarity in GoT. She and Podrick would get along famously.
There’s a part of me that wants Stannis to sustain a mortal injury during the attack and then throw himself on the fire so Shireen can have the victory. But then there’s another part of me that remembers we’re talking about Stannis.
Kay,
And thank you too! 😀 I hope that with so many characters in close proximity to Winterfell all the nice ones can slip away together to some happy place and leave everyone else fighting each other. And until GRRM and D&D destroy my dreams and it all goes horribly, horribly wrong, that’s what I shall choose to believe is going to happen. La la la denial is just a river in Egypt 😉
JamesL,
I M Brundo,
I was glad when Renly died. I hated how he mocked Melisandre. She showed that asshole and I still find it satisfying to see him getting deep sixed as he preens himself in the mirror.
JamesL,
I guess its important considering it was in GRRMs early outline of the series
That’s got to be photoshoped, right?
Renly’s Peach,
The Iron Throne is his by right. Let all true men declare their loyalty. Bend the knee. Bend the knee or he will destroy you.
Renly was a fool and a usurper. He was served a thief’s justice.
Stannis is probably the lone character fit to rule westeros in the whole story.
The moment Renly declared himself King is the day he sealed the deal that he does not care one bit for my Man Of Steel SuperMannis. He never loved his brother and instead of supporting his claimed he stole from him and divided the Kindom even further.
If Renly was smart he would know that there would be consequences for such act and his arrogance against the Man Of Steel is what caused his demise.
Where was the love? The Mannis showed love by giving Renly legit choices once Stannis becomes King. Poor stannis was put in such difficult situation but he does not bend, he remains strong and by the old gods and the new he will never harm Shireen.
Well, with the episode rating excluding violence, and last years released footage and pics show a really brutal fight, with tons of death and destruction, this can mean only one thing, the scene is split in two, with the bloody second half held back for the final episode. Why call it DoD then? More than likely the title references the two chained ones.
Normally ep. 10 concludes the season by moving the players around for the next season, all the climatic stuff is in 9. Probably after early edits of HH were showcasing how badass it would be, they decided to have ep. 9 be the slow one and the final be the climatic punch to the gut.
And Arya/Lanna is friends with Lhara, the braavosi whore we saw last season with Salladhor Saan.
She may be a factor on this plot, after all.
I feel like GOT isn’t a show where people get to maneuver their way out of stark oppositions (no pun intended).
If Stannis doesn’t burn Shireen, and I am on the side of those who feel that the characterization up to this point doesn’t support that course of action, then we should expect that either: a) he will suffer as a result (either losing the Battle of Winterfell, or, if they’ve cut the big battle and instead are just using Ramsay’s raid, then somehow dying at Brienne’s hands while failing to besiege Winterfell effectively); or b) Mel and Selyse will burn Shireen behind his back, thus leading to Stannis winning and doing some good Bolton-killing, but banishing Mel and executing his wife.
In that scenario, when the smoke clears Stannis
As much as I like the “everyone wins” scenarios that a few people have sketched out above, it doesn’t seem likely to me for this show, and definitely not for an episode 9 — unless that’s HOW the show wants to surprise us now.
I’ve read that a lot of people don’t think Cersei or Sansa will be in this episode, but I don’t see how they’ll have enough time to build up to the events in the finale (which I predict will be huge for both) without something happening for both of them in episode 9.
Anyone else think that “arya encounters someone from her past” could be Gendrick as we haven’t seen him for 2 maybe 3 seasons we just know he was put on a boat by Davos and sent away so he could have landed in the same location as Arya…just a theory but can’t wait to see if it’s true because Hendrick could be an important role considering he was the bastard Ned stark found so this could be interesting
Ginevra,
That is what I originally thought but then I remembered “Dany is surrounded by strangers” is from the episode 10 synopsis while the fighting pit scene is in episode 9. Unless they save the big moment in the pits for episode 10 but I think that is very unlikely.
Some speculations for Ep 9 and 10:
A couple of episodes back, Melisandre tells Stannis that she walked the battlements of Winterfell and saw the flayed banner come down, which he saw, too, in the fire. So, I am thinking that if her visions are correct, and they always seem to come true:
1) the Boltons eventually lose [e.g., death will come to one or all of the following – Roose, Ramsay, Miranda, and the pregnant Walda. Hopefully, one will be skewered with a bung hole reamer]. Will Littlefinger and the Vale Knights swoop in to give the death blow?
2) Shireen and her toy stag burns. Stannis wins.
3) The battle will signal Brienne and Pod to head for Winterfell to save Sansa. Pod gets killed probably trying to save Brienne. Brienne kills Stannis. Melisandre heads for the Wall. Sansa, as de facto wardeness of the North, tasks Brienne or Davos to find Bran, because she will reunite with Rickon of Last Hearth (yay, happy. But since this is GoT and Sansa, they will probably have Rickon raped along the way). Theon is banished or executed for treason. OR he dies trying to save Sansa. OR Sansa and Theon escape and go on their own tour of the North.
On greyscale transmission:
I’m just praying to the old gods and new that the dornish plot actually goes somewhere next episode. They have done an outstanding job on the other storylines so far therefore I’m not worried about those, even though we don’t know for sure how it will all play out.
PS: Um alô para os brasileiros/portugueses.
Eu também. 🙂
I don’t think Stannis will allow Shireen to be burned.
Queen’s men: “The old gods of the north have sent this storm upon us. Only R’hllor can end it. We must give him an unbeliever.”
Stannis: “Half my army is made up of unbelievers. I will have no burnings. Pray harder.”
HelloThere,
Maybe they fly away together!
I wonder if it’s possible that maybe Gendry is the one that Arya will meet?
Off topic but:
http://www.vox.com/2015/6/4/8724821/game-of-thrones-climate-change
sai,
JamesL,
Ginevra,
Dothraki are important plot for dany ….even in the letter to his editor GRRM mentions how she takes control of the dothraki
massive decline
NOt only the episode synopsis mentions dany is surrounded by strangers ..we know that there will be some part of dany’s last chapter is on screen by this post http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/production-diary/2014/11/7/the-dragon-has-four-heads
a place very similar to where they filmed dany’s last scene when the dragons were born
so the dothraki arc is in ..
tyjon,
Man, I hope they don’t pull a “Watchers on the Wall” on us and leave the big finish for episode 10. It was anti-climatic and left most people disappointed. Normally I would say there is no way they save the big moment for episode 10 but “Dany is surrounded by strangers” in the episode 10 synopsis has me worried. It makes far more sense that “Dany is surrounded by strangers” would be referring to the Sons of the Harpy(they literally are surrounding her in the previews) in the pit rather than referring to Dany’s potential cliffhanger scene with Dothraki. If they do include the Dothraki part it would be a very brief scene and unlikely to be included in the synopsis.
I think everybody may need to starting toning down the hype for episode 9…
Kay,
there is no reason to worry …she goes to help those who are outside of the city affected with Pale mare and she does not get infected
JamesL,
if they are having dany surrounded by strangers =sons of the harpy in episode 10 …then there is really no need for them to name this episode dance of the dragons
besides we do know from dave hill’s post she will be in dothraki sea ..that post with link is awaiting moderation
Renly’s Peach,
Stannis is not a sociopath: he is a moral absolutist. He actually does feel compassion for those he hurts: but he genuinely believes that it would be wrong to not hurt them.
However, you are correct: Stannis would be a terrible king. It is not that he cannot empathise or sympathize, but that he will not let empathy or sympathy deter him from doing the “right” thing, nor will he consider that right and wrong are always context dependent. And that just exaggerates any injustice built into a system.
This is what makes Davos so interesting. Davos understands context and he is willing to at least try to stop Stannis from doing the “right” thing when right=inhumane. Stannis is Davos’ moral foil, basically.
LOL!!!!!!
A very cleaned up Kit Harrington is doing a tennis mockumentary on HBO.
Yeah, I’m starting to worry myself that the big scene will be left to Episode 10. As others have noted, the “Mother’s Mercy” synopsis stating
seems most likely to refer to the Sons of the Harpy.
But if that’s the case, I have no idea how they would split the scene, nor why on Earth they would call this episode “The Dance of Dragons”.
Ideally, I would love Melisandre to glamour one of Stannis’ men to look like Ramsay, then send him back to Winterfell to kill everybody there (except Sansa).
Galli,
If Mel was going to operate in Winterfell, her big move would probably involve taking a gallon or two of king’s blood from Theon, saving everyone the trouble of worrying about Shireen.
I didn’t see the reflection of flames in Melly’s eyeballs, so that’s a good sign.
His long hair is awful. Looks like something that was pulled out of a bathtub drain. Don’t be a hero, Kit! Use shampoo!
The prostitute is
Book Hizzy is more interesting, especially his relationship with Dany.
I have been worrying about him ever since he asked Shireen to protect him.
He will free the dragons & get burnt.
Didn’t GRRM make this comment recently? Stannis will do anything to get the throne except listen to that last track on the S5 soundtrack.
That’s the reason. There is no other reason.
Running from the flaming tents. That wooden stag will burn just like Stannis’ sigil.
That’s why it would be great to see Mel in danger just to see what she would do. She won’t be able to defend herself in the moment, but while walking the ramparts of Winterhell….she could fill the roles of all the spearwives.
I despise his robe. He deserves only the purest silk from Tralalalalaleeday.
Agree with Sam. If Sansa and Theon can get to Stannis just before Shireen burns, Theon could offer to take the girl’s place. Let’s face it, to be Reek is like the Night’s Watch – it’s a life sentence. Does Theon actually qualify for King’s Blood? If his sacrifice causes violent extravagant disaster for Roose and Ramsay… well, Theon has been avenged and Melisandre can show off some mad scorcery skills.
JamesL,
But… its episode 9, lol.
Jaqen and Melisandre would make truly beautiful shadow babies together. Tom said he would love a scene with Carice because they are the two mystical roles on the show.
Upsurers are coming
I hope they keep the S4 formula of having big Eps 8,9, and 10 instead of reverting back to the old formula of hitting us with Ep 9 shocker, then using Ep 10 as a wrap up show/set up show. I wasn’t the biggest fan of Watchers On The Wall but I got that it was a big event episode and earned its placing. This season, we’ve already gotten a big Ep 8. The question is will everything seem anti-climactic after that?
Very intriguing indeed. Perhaps Arya gets a bit of bonus training while wrapping up her assignment?
Maybe she is walking away from the concerned “Jaqen” because she has told him that she has removed (or will remove) another name from Arya’s list?
I think Myranda will definitely try to kill Sansa. Not sure if Charlotte Hope’s next appearence is Episode 9 or 10 but Myr’s backed into a corner, with no prospects now Ramsay has said she’s nothing but a slam piece. I think she is dangerously psychotic at this point and probably suicidal too. If Sansa can’t do much damage to her with a corkscrew (or whatever the hell it was), I’m betting Brienne lops Myr’s head off with a sword and let’s the hounds feast on the rest. In a way, Ramsay and Myranda are the flip side to Robb and Talisa, and an equally tragic love story because their only intimacy was attained through acts of sadism.
Arya looks like she has a black eye.
Sexy Jesus and Mel are playing the same game in the story. I would love to see them together
Rygritte,
OMG, Melisandre glamouring herself into Fat Walda and wrecking havoc at Winterfell. I’d live for it.
Why are most people so certain that J will survive FTW and that Ramsey will bite it? It seems like the GURM thing to do to crush our hopes.
That very striking shot of Melisandre standing in the snow, surrounded by troops. I wonder if she and Selyse are being tried by Stannis and Davos for conspiring to sacrifice Shireen? Mel is probably being banished back to Asshai but will decide to go back to the Wall by herself, and get to Jon Snow.
Hodor’s Bastard,
there was this girl semi nude in the trailers …i think it will be
Arya after changing the face giving a private show for meryn trant
dragonbringer,
It is a very provocative and interesting to twist to see Arya perhaps glamoured into a sexy vixen, since she is such a tomboy. I wonder how Maisie would feel about it, probably a bit torn that she can’t play it herself. Arya as a sexual character is another facet of her to be explored.
There’s a damned annoying autoplay ad on the page that keeps yanking the browser window back to itself. I don’t use an adblocker here in order to help out with costs, but not if you’re going to let that crap go on.
If Stannis burns Shireen…I’m changing my username.
dragonbringer,
Yeah…I’m just fascinated how the thin man plan will lead into the
Should be crazy.
So much shit is going down in GoT’s next 53+61=114 minutes! Aahhh!
dragonbringer,
I’ve been thinking that for a while myself. I’m interested to find out if that is the case.
What to?
dragonbringer,
Disturbing…lol just like the Mercy chapter.
ctid,
StannisMustDie
TheMannis,
“Our men are starving and winter has set in. Have you ever tasted fried Greyscale, Ser Davos?”
Nar it’s the whore woman
Hizdahr will be one of the first to die IMO
Everyone thinsk it’s him but it ain’t
I guess, Arya will be blind at the end of the season
Melisandre showed Selyse her daughter’s demise in the fires last season. “However hard it is, however difficult for us to understand.” Selyse has been giving Shireen a hard time this season because she is forcing herself to hate the child. Deep down, she perhaps does love her. She has tried to convince Stannis of the child’s deficiencies. When Melisandre spoke in Shireen’s favor, I think it legitimately confused Selyse who kind of scurred away speechless, because it was Mel who basically told her the kid will be sacrificed. The bottom line is this: Melisandre saw Shireen’s death in the fire, it is not something she herself has concocted for some power grab. She merely sees the future and then facilitates it because the Lord, or whatever force it is, wills her to.
TheMannis,
Totally.
Laurd of Manila,
I hope not. I want to see
not another actress/character.
Don’t you ever doubt The Mannis! You’re not worthy to have that name if you think he will burn Shireen. The Mannis won’t do such a thing
King Stannis,
*wipes away tears of denial*
Zalos,
Agreed Dragon is rather impressive and definitely every ones favourite dragon. The point I was trying to get across is the whole tribesman who give their allegiance to somebody who has perceived supernatural powers is cliched. Although something similar happened at the Eyrie during the Targaryen’s conquest of Westeros.
One of the reasons Dany went for the unsullied (who may not be her best option as Dame Pasty wonderful illustrated in her analysis of episode 4) was that they would not have impulses that soldiers such as the dothraki have. Importantly the inclusion of the dothraki has yet to be set up (i.e – like the stone men) in any way. Looking at a map of essos, the village of the Lhazareen which the dothraki attacked in season one is not that far from Meereen; so you might have expected some mention of them if they are to be introduced in the imminent future.
As I stated before I feel Dany’s morale viewpoint is incompatible with that of the dothraki however the ruthless mercenaries of second sons seem to be behaving themselves!
I’m thinking it’s likely that the blindness arc doesn’t happen, since nothing at all has been done to set up
Rygritte,
Tom Wlaschiha has done enough nude scenes to convince me that he should always wear as little as possible. Rarr.
It’s obvious. Wherever whores go.
Shireen’s greyscale looks so much like my eczema. Always freaks me out.
I think
is up for grabs.
You see this is why I chose a football chant for my username. I’ll never be heartbroken by having a favourite character go very very wrong.
This is just as well considering I had been rooting for Joffrey to come good from day 1. I’d use Shitmouth if I weren’t so scared they’d eventually cast him as a Lannister apologist/ sex offender.
SPOILERS (coding not working for me and, yes, i know how to do it)
Sticking to my original theory:
Ramsay’s party will infiltrate the camp and Ramsay will personally kill Stannis. He’ll retreat and set the camp ablaze on his way out.
In the morning, Melisandre will try to revive Stannis as Thoros resurrected Beric, but will fail. She’ll decide to burn Shireen, but Selyse will finally show affection for her daughter and plead for her daughter’s life. I’m unsure of what will be holding Davos back… Shireen will burn and Stannis will rise again.
In the finale, Selyse will forgive Mel. However, Stannis won’t and he’ll banish Mel back to the wall. He’ll then order word to be sent out confirming his death so the Boltons will be unaware of the impending siege. Ramsay will then send some version of the Pink Letter and Jon will receive it before Melisandre arrives.
Simeon,
Well, but they could also
HelloThere,
I know the pit scene is in episode 9, but I’m worried they are going to save the climatic finish when the Sons of the Harpy storm the arena and Drogon’s arrival for the finale based on the synopsis for episode 10.
JamesL,
I have the same fear. You just know that if they split it up, the climactic part will be in the opening minutes of Episode 10.
And I just can’t fathom how D&D would pass up that moment as a jaw-dropping ending to an episode.
Plus, you know, the title…
JamesL,
I’m pretty sure that the strangers they’re referring to are the dothraki, because honestly even if Doran reveals he’s a targaryen loyalist, the title of the episode would still make no sense.
JamesL,
like i said strangers refers to dothraki http://www.makinggameofthrones.com/production-diary/2014/11/7/the-dragon-has-four-heads
Rygritte,
change faces asks remember me
dragonbringer,
Thanks for that link, dragonbringer. That gives me some confidence that the synopsis might refer to Dany’s last ADWD chapter after all.
And the title of episode 9 really would be a big screw-up if they didn’t include the big moment.
I just don’t want to be disappointed this Sunday.
JamesL,
apart from the episode title and dave hill’s post
we now know the soundtrack for dance of dragons which is similar to dracrays means the episode will end with that track ..
no way they are going to leave that part to episode 10..
John M W,
me too i cant wait for another week to see that scene ..and already disappointed with lack of photos and cant tolerate if they push it to episode 10
dragonbringer,
Sapochnik promised us a treat this weekend. In Sapochnik we trust.
dragonbringer,
Rygritte,
did he now …in Sapochnik and Nutter we trust.
As far as ramsay, i dont think he’ll die anytime soon but i doubt he’ll survive the series. A series wherein ramsay is still alive is not resolved.
dragonbringer,
I have a feeling it will play out differently.
Either way, it’s going to be a visually stunning scene.
dragonbringer,
oh, she’ll go through with it
Lulu’s Mum,
Lol, true…he has!
I do like Shireen, but I think with Jon, it’s more that I’ve been waiting years to find out ‘what happens next’ and I’m anxious to see what the show does…what will they give us? Will we get the same kind of cliffhanger, or will we see something more? Will we get answers?
I don’t really have that same level of interest for Shireen…although I have wondered if she is the ‘stone’ that wakes the ‘dragon’ somehow. Guess we’ll see- so much awesome stuff ahead and only two more episodes before another season is over!
Turncloak,
that’s my fear and you may be right but i hope you are wrong ..
My theory on Stannis/Shireen:
JamesL,
I’ve always suspected they would split the pit sequence in two. The fact that Episode 9’s ratings don’t include graphic violence support that notion. Of course, the ratings could be wrong, and I could be wrong.
Does anyone have any ideas as to what the “The Dance of DragonS” (as in plural dragons) title of 5.09 refers to? Dragon dragons, human dragons, what stories for each?
dragonbringer,
I hope you are right. Remembering what they did with The Wall battle last season and then reading “Dany is surrounded by strangers” for E10 and seeing the previews with Sons of the Harpy surroundings her just has me a little worried they will do it again this season.
So you think the picture you linked to is from the Dothraki Sea?
Kay,
i definitely think its possible here’s what i wrote about it in westeros
the sons of the harpy will try to kill them at the same time they surround dany …so i expect a double attack one at pit and another at the dragon cell ..
but when they have gone in the harpies will realize that dragons have grown out of their chains and they come from dark and burns them ..
then fly to pit where dany is and Drogon too arrives ..and she flies with them
this is what iam hoping will happen or they not get released at all till dany comes back
and the reason i think its possible is because of the foolowing reasons
remember the first episode of season 4 where bthe dragons fight over the meat and thats where the show started to show that dany is losing the control of her dragons …what better way to show the viewers that she has gained control of them when she along with her dragons eat the horse meat the dragons cooked in the dothraki sea
we have had all three dragons present in HOTU instead of drogon alone
like i said either it happens like this or they stay chained until dany comes back
and remeber the dance of dragons track is similar to Dracarys version …we all know how that episode ended three dragons in the air
Rygritte,
What are you referring to?
JamesL,
i can understand why they left watchers on the wall as a cliffhanger because jon must be treating with mance when stannis arrives …but i really dont see at what cliffhanger they will end this episode if they decided to push that certain arrival to episode 10
yes i think its dothraki sea ..we have not seen any thing like that in 8 episodes and the post is specifically about dragons
and it looks very similar to the place where they filmed Drogo funeral pyre where dany births the dragons
https://moviemaps.org/locations/28w
and we know a dothraki warrior is being cast for next season …
and i am guessing we will get dany vowing to kill the khal that killed Rakharo in season 2 in the “previously on” of episode 10
Arya faceless thing is easy to solve
Eg keep it as Maisies face, but whenever she looks into pools of water or mirrors or whatever every so often just show someone else face in the reflection to emphasize the point
Occasionally they could have someone else perhaps if they are making a point of viewing an Arya scene from afar or something
Yeah, I have no doubts that in 5.10 it will be
They have been hinting so hard that something is going happen with Shireen that I almost feel something will not really happen with her, especially this season at least.
From the previews it does seem like Melisandre sees something in the flames, perhaps she realizes she has been backing the wrong horse. Melisandre’s dresses this season has been interesting, when she was at Castle Black she wore this black and red dress, but when she left Castle Black she wore her plain red dress again. Perhaps she leaves Stannis’s camp after her visions in the flames, and that is why we see Selyse on the ground. Selyse could try to burn Shireen if Melisandre leaves, she could believe that it is something that she must do.
Show Hizdahr does seem like a very reasonable guy, I ve seen somewhere that Hizdahr could be compared to Sansa. He is like the Merneese versions of Sansa. His father was killed on Danny’s orders, he saw another noble being killed by dragon fire, and he is being forced to marry Danny.
Dolorous Methuselah,
That’s a very interesting and very plausible scenario – a reason why Princess Shireen of House Baratheon was brought along. It could be why Selyse was groveling in the snow – her beloved husband is dead.
Kay,
if you look at that scene in episode 1 they really dont fire at Dany …and in the books they misses their mother when quentyn goes to steal them they smell the women and think its dany …
so i think there is only two way this could happen either they stay chained until dany returns or they will be with dany
Boudica,
and for that reason alone i dont want Hizdar to be harpy …they have completely changed the dynamics of dany and hizdar in the show …so i really dont want hizdar to be sympathetic at the expense of Dany’s character
As for the pics
Great to see the snow coming in
Winter has come!
In the north at least
Hopefully we see some more wintry weather appearing in KL too after a few episodes without outside scenes by seasons end…KL hasn’t looked very Autumny…
If they pull a watchers on the wall like ep. 9 then I will be disappointed.
I like the idea of Mel using her glamour powers. Could she pretend to be Myranda and get Sansa out? That would be awesome.
Brandon,
I’ve said this once and I stand by it. The episode will end with dany at the arena. A flight with drogon will be episode 10
Holy Cow I think you’re right!
ctid,
Where have you guys been? People have been speculating this for months. Early in season I was sure that is how it would go down now I am not so sure. She has not learned anything about face changing yet so I don’t see how she would do that in episode 9 or even 10.
John M W,
Thing is even if they do include the Dothraki at the end of the finale that doesn’t change the fact that they still could have saved the fighting pit climax for the beginning of episode 10. The run time is also worrying- 53mins. How are they going to fit all this stuff into the episode if they also include the entire fighting pit set piece. There is Arya and the insurance guy and then Meryn, the drama surrounding the potential Shireen sacrifice at Stannis’s camp and then Ramsay’s attack, multiple Dorne scenes, and the Night’s Watch scenes. I don’t see how they will put all of this into the episode and still have time to do justice to the entire Daznak’s pit sequence in just 53mins.
Actually, regarding Tyrion, we have this from the behind the scenes photos….
They just didn’t show that in the Season 5 trailers, because it would spoil the fact that Tyrion would meet up with Dany. I think I read that they even photoshopped him out of some of the Daznak shots to preserve that surprise.
This. This 100 times. There is no chance they are going to burn Shireen. No chance.
However there IS the chance that Stannis agrees to go ahead with it (and it is averted somehow). This would upset me nearly as much because it would completely ruin Stannis for me.
All I hope from this episode is that he decides to do the right thing by Shireen, but I do worry as it has been set up in such an obvious way.
I’m surprised by all the hate everyone has about the idea of Stannis burning Shireen. Especially from book fans. They’re constantly talking about there’s not real villain in the books and everything is grey. Yet they’re looking at Stannis burning Shireen in such black and white terms.
It makes sense that Stannis would sacrifice Shireen to save the entire world. This is the guy who is supposed to do his duty. And there’s that story of Azor Ahai killing his own wife/love. Sacrifice her and save the world, or don’t sacrifice her and watch her get butchered by wights?
Not that I’m hoping this would happen or needs to happen. But it’s certainly fits the books greyness that everyone uses to promote the series.
It’s also strange because some of these same people think Ned was stupid for not wanting to drag frightened children out of bed and or allow Robert to kill them.
What if ?
They try to burn Shireen and something happens because of the greyscale?
Would greyscale be related to the dragons and maybe the Lord of light?
As opposed to the White Walkers?
The frozen baby scene last season could be some sort of reversed grayscale.
And if I remember well the dead baby of Daenerys was covered with scales so maybe he had grayscale.
so yeah I don’t know if there is something more important than just a plague thing with the stonemen.
Charles M,
Stannis already is quite a “grey” character, but sacrificing his daughter for his own benefit would maybe be one of the cruelest things someone in Westeros has done for a very long time and would trasnform him into an almost entirely “black” character. It just lacks every sort of moral or ethical conscience which is why it shouldn´t even be considered in the first place.
Besides, you´re missing the point that Melisandre promised him only one single victory this time, the victory over the Boltons at Winterfell. If it would really be the one battle to decide the whole fate of Westeros, Stannis may consider it (but still wouldn´t do it), but it is just a single victory and Melisandre can´t even give Stannis further information about the aftermath, his own fate and the fate of his men or how that victory shall be possible. Victory per se is a pretty ambiguous term.
Furthermore, Stannis has no reason to believe in any of her foreshadowing, if he wouldn´t have seen “visoions” in the flames himself, he may have dropped her long ago. She promised three dead kings: only two are dead (in the series at least). She promised him that he would win the battle of blackwater. She defends herself saying that she should have been present to ensure victory, however this can´t erase the fact that she proclaimed his victory LONG before mentioning she would need to be there herself. There are not too many reasons left to trust her and as we can witnesss, Stannis´s trust in her is already shattered to quite some extent.
Besides that, burning one`s own loving daughter can never be considered thinking about in the first place, or something like a “bad action in an otherwise splendid resumee”. As Stannis himself said, “a good act does not wash out the bad. nor a bad the good”, still this one act would stain everything he had accomplished over the last few years. How can someone who sacrifices children be seen as being worthy of being a King? Many of his followers would riot, at least the disilluionised “King´s men”, not to mention what the rest of Westeros would do to Stannis once they hear of this action. Thus Stannis may ensure this one victory, but it will ruin everything for him in the aftermath, taking away all of his legitimation and the last support of the people of Westeros, possibly even the support of his own men.
Let´s just quote Davos/The moral consience of Westeros concerning the question: “What is the life of one bastard boy against a kingdom?” – “EVERYTHING”. It should definitely not be any different in this case.
There is a big problem here.
Stannis did not leave anyone from his family or army behind in CastleBlack.
If “Pink letter” arrives Ramsey has noone to threaten but Jon and NW.
Question is why would the Freefolk agree to go with Jon to Winterfell when its obviously not their fight since Val and Mances kid are not in the TV show?
To the whole thing with Dany and Jorah…
I like TV Hidahr too, and I think Joel Fry’s great, but I can’t help always thinking of him in Plebs (which is a funny show… you should all go a watch it now).
I dont think it will lead anywhere… i mean Dany and JonCon never meet.
I think the person infected with GS has to touch the other person directly with his infected area to pass the desease on.
Since Jorah´s fist is ok no harm done.
Could the thing that will break the internet be the reveal of Dany having Greyscale?
I am a bit afraid that this episode will be perceived as a disappointment. People are just expecting too much from the Daenerys scene we have been waiting for. Additionally, the episode seems packed with different storylines (Stannis&co/Ramsay, Dorne, Arya, Mace, Mereen, Jon etc.). 53 minutes seems a bit short (this includes theme song right?).
Personally I would be disappointed if:
– Hizdahr is the Son of the Harpy without any proper explanation. As has been mentioned Fry’s portrayal has been very interesting and has made Mereen (and Essos) into less of a caricature than in the books (What bothers me most about Slaver’s Bay in the books is its over-the-top cartoonish descriptions. Similar to the ridiculous SS-torturing-captain scene
– Stannis burns Shireen. Mel and Selyse can do it, no problem, it just feels to out-of-character for Stannis. Maybe Ramsay will do it (setting her tent on fire) to raise his hatedness beyond Adolf Hitler levels.
– Daznak
IF they leave the conclusion of the pits to episode 10, it’ll probably be one of the final scenes of the episode, if not the final scene.
The big problem about Stannis potentially burning Shireen is not just that she’s his daughter and he loves her, but also the very practical concern that she’s his only heir. Congratulations, you won the throne, but after you everything will descend back into chaos again anyway!
Stannis will never burn Shireen…
But Selyse…. If Mel goes to that woman, its done in 15 minutes.
Yeah they actually photoshoped
https://twitter.com/MigSapochnik/status/606566838328123392
Miguel Sapochnik back for season 6! This are great news! He’s been my favorite director this season, no question.
I really hope Hizdhar is not the Harpy ! Joel’s Fry acting never gave a single clue he’s more than what he pretends to be and it would come out of nowhere… and I like the idea that he’s a nobleman truly and sincerly working to modernize his city.
I think somebody is back in the final. Well, you are right:
http://www.ibtimes.com/game-thrones-missing-lady-stoneheart-other-characters-novels-george-rr-martin-1947682
Martin clearly stating LS has an important role to play in the Winds of Winter….My lady!
Arkash,
What? No he isn’t.
I don’t believe Hizdahr is the harpy and I believe he’s a pretty rational guy (for a slaver.) I enjoy the character a lot, especially thanks to Joel Fry’s acting, but Hizdahr is NOTt trying to modernize the city. His introduction scene was all bout bringing back tradition —pleading Daeenrys to let him bury his father in the Temple of the Graces. Then he was sent out to negotiate with Yunkai, and argued for Yunkai’s demands of reopening the fighting pits all-throughout the first half of the season, until Daenerys was forced to do so. His main argument? Tradition.
He’s a rational diplomat, I’ll grant you that. I mean, he manages to calmly argue with the person who killed his father. Still, he’s a traditionalist trying to find a compromise with a radical reformist; although he does accept some reforms (again, he’s rational), it’s not like he WANTS those reforms. He’s not a reformist himself. He’s not trying to modernize Slaver’s Bay —quite the opposite, he’s trying to minimize the “damage” Daenerys is causing to their way of life, by finding some compromise.
I agree. Somebody mentioned it a few weeks back and as soon as I saw that post, it all clicked. The fact that that scene has yet to appear elsewhere has pretty much locked it in at this point.
Luka Nieto,
Yeah, I should have phrased that better… it’s not so much wanting to “modernize his city”, but more trying to reach new horizons for Meereen now that the city has to deal with a foreign invader trying to change its ways of life.
I feel like Hizdhar is clearly seing that things cant continue spiraling down to bloodshed and is trying to find compromises and opportunities for the Meereen to become and that makes him a very interesting character ! Thanks to Joel Fry who is definitly doing a superb job !
There is no “violence” warning for this episode, just “adult language” and “adult content”, like in episode 6. How on Earth is that possible?
The biggest reason that “dragons” is plural is because the title references the Targaryen civil war, “The Dance of the Dragons.” There is also a ballad of that same name (“The Dance of the Dragons”) about the Doom of Valyria from the perspective of two lovers, and we got to hear Jorah and Tyrion recite a snippet from that ballad on their boat ride through Valyria, right before seeing Drogon and the Stone Men.
We assumed so much based on “Unbowed, Unbent, Unbroken,” but only 6 1/2 minutes of that episode was in Dorne, and even a chunk of that time was outside the domain of House Martell. We assumed so much based on “The Gift” when the gift was actually several different and fairly unguessable gifts. So there might be plural dragons, or it might mean that House Targaryen is featured, or it could mean that there will be war, unrest, and impending doom. We just cannot assume that any of these will be true, though.
stoneboy,
Several of the characters that GRRM said that he missed are unimportant to the strory: in fact, to date, they all have been. However, authors (like all people) have irrational attachments to their creations.
So, inclusion on the list does not mean a character will become important to the story or plot later.
Charles M,
Some book fans talk about the absence of “good” and “evil” in SoI&F. Others do see things in black and white terms.
stoneboy,
Keep dreaming…
Ginevra,
unlike Unbowed Unbent and Unbroken or The gift …The Dance of dragons have a track on its own
say its split into two episodes can people come up with any suggestions where they will leave the cliffhanger and how will they continue in the episode 10
and not to mention the element of surprise where is she and is she alive or dead will be lost too
If LSH is out, D&D are going to have to either write fan-fic to make up for it in terms of defining Jaime and Brienne’s relationship, or they are going to have to significantly alter the story of two main characters and thus renege on their promise to “head to the same place” as GRRM. But why bother, when the source material is more than fine?
That baby would have THE most amazing hair in the history of all the amazing hair we’ve seen on the show. They should definitely have one for that reason alone 😉
Chad Brick,
Reading these posts… no spoilertags because I think this is all pure speculation…
My prediction is just that the Internet is going to break with the new territory we’re hitting, especially around Winterfell. SO much fun. Between people thinking Stannis will die (by Mel, Ramsey or Brienne), Shireen will die (Mel, Stannis or Selyse), Davos will die (Stannis, Mel or meh, not gonna happen ), Davos will run away with Shireen, Mel will abandon Stannis (hell’s yes), Brienne will kill… pretty much anyone people don’t like… Ramsey will die, or he won’t…
So many people will NOT get what they want. Because it’s Game of Thrones! What if Stannis lays dying, and Mel says “Crap, you are NOT the one” and takes off with Shireen to the wall… hehe..
One of Roose Bolton’s leeches,
A few episodes ago Ramsey mentions to Roose that he killed Cerwyn family members for not paying taxes, I think we’ll see some of the Cerwyns join the fight against the Boltons first 😉
Arkash,
Yeah, that’s a better way to put it. And Hizdahr’s way of doing things has certainly paid off. He’s King Consort now!
dragonbringer,
Has episode ratings ever been wrong in the past???
Crackpot thought: what if
I think Ginevra and James L may be right about
Koempel,
53 min includes theme song AND closing credits, which are usually about 1 min 30 sec each. So 53 min actually means 50 min.
50 minutes is plenty of time.
To me, it means that the other storylines will be wrapped up in the finale, not the pit scene.
But if it is split, i don’t have a problem with it.
Lady Wolfsbane,
I’m kinda hoping that it’s actually because Shireen goes ballistic and decides to sacrifice everyone else, but sadly I don’t think the programme will go quite that far from what we’re expecting/or is actually remotely plausible even in a show that regularly WTF’s the audience. Sorry, the closer we get to the next episode the more facetious I become; it’s my coping mechanism 🙁
My latest sliver of hope to cling to is that if a certain lovely young lady meets a horrible fate at the hands of her own family, that’s enough of a WTF moment for one episode which would make it a bit less likely that
or something else similarly epic would be in the same one, as they might spoil each other’s impact. But now people are thinking the bit I’ve covered over could be next week after all, that leaves a big gap for this week. It also means, unless I’ve got my synopiseseseses confused that there’s
They sure are making up for a relatively slow start this series with these last three, tho’. Hell yeah, bring it all on! 🙂
All this beauty is killing me <3
Lulu’s Mum,
Broken Brains and Internets… good times, good times. I think I need to make sure I have a puppy or a stuffed animal on hand to squeeze the daylights out of as I watch this next episode. I will no doubt be babbling in front of my poor unsullied family members…
Nymeria swoops in to save Shireen? That’d be a lame but awesome surprise!
Chad Brick,
It’s called “adaptation”: it is no more fan-fiction than your lungs are fan-fiction! Remember, the point of adaptation is to adjust the plot and narrative elements so that they tell the same story in one medium as they did with another. (Fan-fiction, as GRRM himself has explained many times, is basically telling completely different stories: although, of course, most fan-fiction is just gratuitous plot-for-the-sake-of-plot rather than proper story-telling.)
And, yes, I do think that this will wind up being a Chekhovian “squirt-gun”: GRRM will not be the first or last author to do it, after all.
Lulu’s Mum,
And Ramsay’s up to no good and Brienne, Pod, Sansa, Theon, and everyone else in and around Winterfell have to do stuff too. Oh and I’m forgetting Braavos and Dorne and bloody hell I can’t keep up. How the hell are they going to fit everything into just under two hours? It’s going to be amazing 😀
When will EWs spoiler room come out?
Lady Wolfsbane,
I have two cats – one for each hand – and good for hiding behind/crying into/not answering back when I loose it 🙂
HelloThere,
Haven’t the ratings often been wrong before airing?
I don’t know why everybody is so hung up on the lack of “Graphic Violence” in the ratings. Wasn’t there an earlier episode this season that also missed that warning that ended up having just as much violence as a typical GoT episode?
It’s more likely just an accidental omission.
Luka Nieto,
I was asking that before
I don’t know.
Maybe they are still working on the special effects for this episode… I remember them saying that they were working on “The Children” last year really close to the air date.
According to the last EW recap (we know they have big insider info this season), they write
“Usually the big action setpiece is in the ninth episode of the season, but we still have two more to go. For those saying it’s been a sluggish season up until now, the last two episodes continue the high drama and pace we saw tonight. It’s no secret that there’s also one major action sequence still to come (the fighting pits). Until next week…”
Flora Linden,
Ginevra,
i am sorry an episode 9 where people expect something major to happen and after last week episode if they do the ending you suggest ..that will be the worst ending of all seasons episode 9 ..
the showrunners love to do the parallels after last week’s ice ending we will be getting the fire ending
not to mention if it happens in episode 10 it will be overshadowed by FTW
as i have pointed out in earlier posts ..there are lot of examples that show the dothraki’s coming back and not to mention the sudden appearance of Bloodriders at the side of dany when she visited the small pit …
so the strangers are surely dothraki’s …and i believe dany will only be seen in the last scene of the season or second to last scene if FTW is season ender
we will wait and see only 2 dasys 11 hours 15 mins to see what happens
50 mins is a long time ..they can have other storylines wrap it up in 30 mins and hav edaznak 18 -20 mins
Sean C.,
I thought of it because after reading all the theories about
Heh, don’t mind me, I know it makes no sense, it’s just crackpot speculation.
Flora Linden,
“Who else?” is a question stemming from kind of an erroneous premise, as not a big deal has been made in the show of the Sons of the Harpy having a “Harpy” head. Someone may come up, but the Sons don’t have to be more complicated than an insurgent group made up (and/or bank-rolled) by the former Great Masters.
Maybe after Jon’s actions at Hardhome, saving the free folk from the Army of the Dead, they will follow him?
Simeon,
EXACTLY!! During the historical times (Wars of the Roses) and the political system that this story is heavily based on, a King is nothing without an heir. Shireen is Stannis’ only heir!
Mind you, that wouldn’t stop crazy Melisandre and batshit crazy Selyse to try to do it behind Stannis’ back …
Think about this … if Stannis dies, Shireen will be the rightful Queen of the Seven Kingdoms!
Flora Linden,
i dont even have words for what you just said …i didnt realize you hated this storyline that much …
red viper,
Selyse hears an inkling and Shireen will be sacrificed in the snap of a finger.
Everyone here is taking the letter S in “dragons” way too seriously. We wont see 3.
Also I think Mel will burn Shireens tent down during the Ramsay attack.
Luka Nieto,
You’re probably right, they may be just an organization with no definite leader, run by a large group with common interests.
dragonbringer,
Huh? I HATE the storyline? When did I say that?
I confirmed this was crackpot speculation, and even I don’t think this is true. Just joining in the fun here. At least I thought speculation was supposed to be fun?
I like
Good grief.
JAYzuss….. It took an hour to read all comments from when I left work yesterday to now….pfffffft. What I really get? NONE of you knows what is going to happen. For every single speculation, someone or more someone’s have the opposite speculation or some new totally unrealistic possibility…….at the end of the day, only a few will have got all predictions correct. Most will have got it wrong at some level.
The reality is that we only have, one week and four days to find out all the answers to episodes 9 and 10. That is it. Not even two weeks, yet people are gonna be “pissed” “angry” “whatthehellever” if something doesn’t go the way they have predicted or what they want to see. Oi, it is only 8am and I already need a drink, a very large drink.
I am just going to chill and enjoy what I am given, that way I can’t be disappointed for what I get.
And before y’all think I am riding some moral high horse, nope. I am just ready for a nap after reading this thread of nothing but speculations that are all over the map so that no one who is really trying to understand what may or may not happen would come anywhere close to understanding what the hell it all means!
I have to give it to those showrunners, they have everyone wringing their hands in anticipation and confusion and worry. Very effective television making, wouldn’t you say?
Miguel Saponchnik tweeted “You are in for a treat next weekend…”
Yup, we are getting the whole sequence!
Um, I thought the purpose of these posts were to encourage speculation. Im loving the give and take of ideas. A hell of a lot better than the flaming frustrating mess that was last weeks comments. Are you here looking for someone to spill the beans? I think you are perhaps looking in the wrong place.
Flora Linden,
Chin up, Flora. There’s a lengthy (and featured!) theory over at Westeros.org that (book) Missandei is a Faceless Man!
All of us are all over the map on anything and everything, and we’ve all been taken to the woodshed for one reason or another.
Flora Linden,
yeah you love missandei ..i am speaking about dany ..i was mentioning the reasons you gave why she turned on dany
stoneboy,
If that “important role” is to kill some asshole than I really don’t care. That same asshole could be killed by Sansa or Arya, Rickon or Bran. Let the dead be dead on this one jeez.
Not able to do a spoiler coding: for ep 10, there’s this consideration- the dead are rising, and for that they have to die first. Hardhome showed one type of the risen dead.
Rodrik the Reader,
I didn’t know about that FM theory regarding her. People come to all kinds of conclusions, it’s what makes the speculation fun to read.
dragonbringer,
Hey, I like Dany too! 🙂
I misunderstood. But the way I wrote about Dany could be how she’s seen by others. For me, Dany is a favorite. My hope is she finds some inner peace with being a Targaryen and yet not follow the same destructive path her family did.
mariamb,
I think the last time Jon looked happy was when he saw Ygritte–right before that little turd Olly shot her.
JCDavis,
I have no flippin clue as to what you get out of a community like this – but everything you just ranted about is exactly the POINT of a wonderful place like this. Go nurse your fears of disappointment under a rock somewhere… we are fearless!
Lady Wolfsbane
Speculating happily about television plot twists online since Buffy 1998….
Lady Wolfsbane,
LOL. Did that seem like a rant to you? Maybe a frustrated post not being able to make heads or tails of what people really think, but hardly a rant. I too like to think of possibilities, but I do try to keep to the realm of where the show has gone so far, where the books are and what the showrunners have said or leaked. Not that I would be any better at guessing than anyone else.
Certainly didn’t mean to put any noses out of joint, just sharing my observation, as was said, I thought that is what this site was about?????????????
The look Jon and Sam are giving each other in the top picture reminds me of a beer commercial from the 80’s where they just get to a pool full of women in bikinis and a cooler full of budweiser. and the picture is taken just before they give each other a double high five and jump in the pool “yes!!”
Kay,
If Shireen is sacrificed there is no hope for Stannis. The Onion knight has to save her!
King Stannis,
Indeed, it will be better for the TV show if important plot points are done by one of the lead characters. (Frankly, it will be better for the books, too: with this msny protagonists, one lead should be another lead’s foil as often as possible.)
Not a spoiler, just a prediction: Arya is walking away chastised because she just killed Ser Meryn Trent, who Cersei assigned to escort Mace to Braavos. Scratch him off the list. He’s dead.
Ramsay leaves. Roose comes to claim first night a bit later than normal. First right? First night right? Just as he’s becoming engorged he gets a corkscrew to the throat, care of some feminine agency. Chance of this happening? I put it at 1%, rounded up.
StandOzone,
North remembers only one king – king in the north…
Dazor Ahai,
Indeed: many of the Wildlings will be looking at “King Crow” very differently now. The fact that he took down one of the Walkers coupled with Jon being responsible for saving so many from an enemy against whom they are nearly powerless will count for a lot.
JCDavis,
In the first comments it was directed at the posters here and what they produced while you were away. So it went to that place where general comments become personal.
I think 99% of the stuff we’re coming up with is panicked drivel this close to the reveal (including me) but whoopie-de-do who cares it’s a blast…
Renly’s Peach,
I don’t think there’s a “Harpy”–as in a human leader–either. My feeling is that the “Harpy” referred to is the harpy of Mereen–the statue of which was pulled down several episodes ago. The Sons of the Harpy are a group of political extremists who believe–with some justification–that Daenerys & her dragons have no right being there, disrupting their way of life.
I have a bad feeling about Shireen, too, as others have said. They writers have made it clear that Stannis, above all else, wants to be king. He believes it’s his “gods-given” right to rule. There was no reason for Shireen to brought on this journey from day one other than to fulfill the need for king’s blood.
On the other hand…my thought–seeing Melisandre’s dulled ruby (is it me or do her clothes & hair look less red, too?)–was that this meant her powers had failed her. After all, she’s been mistaken all along about Stannis being the One. Maybe she’s finally forced to confront how wrong she’s been. Going with that theory, this makes room for some small hope that part of her disillusionment happens because Stannis refuses to sacrifice Shireen, causing her to stop believing in him and thus, abandon him and return to The Wall, where…
Let’s face it, we can drive ourselves nuts going over all the possibilities!
stoneboy,
IBTimes is a worthless,piece of shit clickbait site that it’s even worse than Buzzfeed and that’s fucking saying something .
JamesL,
Episode 10 synopsis reads: Dany is surrounded by strangers.
Chad Brick,
No,it’s not,LS is a garbage character and a garbage plotline and that’s not an opinion,it’s a fact .
That word does not mean what you think it means.
dragonbringer,
I haven’t read the books, but whatever happened to the 3 eyed Raven and the other Stark children?
Stannis won’t burn Shireen, it is known.
Good idea .. Roose, Sansa and “first night” right …
I only ever saw bits of Buffy and don’t really know the story, did it come to a satisfactory conclusion or have they got any left over plot points I can add into my desperate-distraction-technique-possible-other-scenarios floundering? 😉 Lulu’s Mum: going into meltdown about Shireen Baratheon’s possible firey death since about 8 episodes ago 🙁
EDIT: Ginevra *sings* Blue canary in the outlet by the light switch, who watches over you, make a little birdhouse in your soul *waves* hello again from yesterday 🙂
But the distinction is so easy:
opinion = what others think about something
fact = what oneself thinks about something
I think Viserion and Rhaegal will be set free by the Harpies. Analogous to what Quentyn does in the books. Quentyn wanted to ride a dragon, Harpies want to kill them. The dragons crisp them and escape.
dragonbringer,
Do you think they’ll include her flying off on drogon or change the scene entirely?
15 minutes is plenty of time for Meeren this episode.
That leaves 35 minutes for Braavos, The Wall, Stannis and Dorne.
I don’t see the The Wall taking more than 5 minutes.
Stannis gets 10 minutes.
Arya get 10.
Dorne gets 10.
Lots of time to get the whole pit sequence in when you actually break it down.
Young griff,
I think they’ll include it…….and it will be glorious!
Young griff,
That scene ranks in among the top 5 biggest climaxes of the series
Has to be there,
The fighting pit in the book was so epic, I just hope they don’t split it across two episodes. But I have to admit I’m not sure if it seem epic because the rest of the book was so slow?
Ace of Mace,
I don’t think so. Looks like Ed Sheeran and Zach Braff with him!
Rygritte,
Possibly but I really think he’s going to be the one that betrays Dany. Can’t think of any other betrayel that would matter that much to her…perhaps Missandei?!
Ryan,
I agree. I don’t know why people expect the Meereen stuff to last 20+ minutes. I think the entire pit sequence will last about 10 minutes. The other scenes from Meereen will last another 5 minutes.
Ace of Mace,
Those books have some of the most amazing sequences, they are just padded with a lot of filler.
These last few episodes of season 5 could prove the be the best yet. Especially considering how amazing episode 8 was.
Tyrion Pimpslap,
Yea, the pits will be ~ 10 minutes. But I expect all the Meereen stuff to add up to ~18-20 minutes. Especially considering the fact that Dany hasn’t really had much screentime this season. (Which honestly has made Meereen far far better than the books).
Lulu’s Mum,
Nah, the show continued into comic books, so beats me how it ends, still going I think…
I agree that Selyse would not wail on the ground if Shireen is burned alive. I think that’s a long shot. More in character is her beside herself over Stannis’ death (which is not happening yet) or – and this one is my favorite – Mel’s defection. In the trailer Mel looks shocked and it seems like she was just peering into the flames. It could be that this is when Ramsey attacks, but I think it more likely that she finally realizes that Stannis is not the one she should be helping. She’s going to leave and Selyse, who worships her, will be devastated. Perhaps she herself will try to burn Shireen, which could play into her warped sense of “Mother’s Mercy” in Episode 10.
Ryan,
I agree with ALL of your assumptions concerning screen-time, except with Dorne. I personally think that Dorne will take slightly longer than 10 minutes, maybe even around 15. There is just so much stuff they need to catch up on in Dorne plus they have to breathe a bit more life into the water-gardens and sunspear, which should lead to prolongued panoramic and city-life-shots. I guess we will linger there for a quite a long time. Besides, the episode is titled “The dance of dragonS”, which leads me to believe that it will focus quite a bit on Targ-supporters or assumed Targ-supporters, so Doran will need quite a bit of screen-time to flesh out his character.
Totally agree with you on Jon-O & the Wall not taking more than five minutes, IF it will even take five minutes. I guess they just show a shot where all the survivors of Hardhome arrive and the startled and disgusted faces when the others seee Wun Wun. Then a cut to the great hall, where Jon will briefly speak about cooperating with the wildlings (again). Afterwards Sam will inform him about his concerns about Jon, Gilly and himself, asking him to provide at least a bit of protection for Gilly and Baby-Sam. Jon agrees to think about it. Then a cut and later in Ep09 Jon will tell Sam to go to Oldtown as a pragmatic solution for their problems and to take Gilly with him. What do you think? 🙂
Knight of Storm´s End,
The Water Gardens are not in Sunspear, neither in the books or the show, as we saw Jaime and Bronn arriving and the place was just a palace with a few outlying buildings, not a whole city.
Anyway, I very much doubt Sunspear will be visited this season. Maybe in season six, who knows. Personally, I believe next episode we’ll get 10-to-15 minutes at most of Dorne and that will be it this season for Dorne and Jaime. Or maybe it’s distributed between this coming episode and the last one, which would be nice.
I don’t think we will find out who the head of the Harpys are this season. That will be a mystery for Tyrion next season.
As for
EVERYONE IS GOING TO DIE!!!!!
People have mentioned a whore we see in the trailers that we haven’t seen in the show? Can someone point that out to me?
ash,
I understand that and believe me I’ve seen every episode at least 3x, but sacrificing your only heir – if the Iron Throne – is your main goal seems like a terrible strategic move no matter what the cost.
Maybe you should watch the Tywin and Tommen scene again to find out why it’s important to have heirs.
Luka Nieto,
Well, I never said they were in Sunspear, you can read my comment again if you want 🙂 . I just think that if they introduce Sunspear, this epsiode would be ideal to do so, since if they want to breathe a bit of life into Dorne, the seat of house Martell could well provide enough city-life and beautiful panoramas to make Dorne feel more like an actual region than just one sunny spot with a coastline.
I mean, travelling form the gardens to Sunspear wouldn´t take long, if I remember correctly they are just about three or four leagues away from Sunspear.
http://http://www.bbc.co.uk/newsbeat/article/32991103/the-most-disappointing-series-of-good-tv-shows
I think the quote in that article from Maisie Williams means that Arya will be in episode 10 and not miss the finale as some people here have predicted. She says that the season has been ‘pretty damn slow’ for Arya but her ‘last two episodes are pretty sick’.
Nothing ‘sick’ really happened with her in episode 8 so I think its safe to say that she will have some big moments in the next two episodes
Hehehe…. there will be dragons. In The Dance of Dragons. It is known….
Knight of Storm´s End,
Yeah that’s sounds like a solid outline for the Wall. I would expect a little tid bit about what happened at Hardhome to Thorne and some others. The rest focused on Sam telling Jon what he’s found out about the WW and finally Jon sending Sam south. In EP 10 I think we’ll get more of the politics post Hardhome with the NW and Wildlings. Again shouldn’t take anymore then 5 minutes.
I also agree with you on Dorne getting more than 10 minutes. Supposedly were getting another jail scene, one with Doran-Ellaria-Sand Snakes and then one with Jamie-Doran-Ellaria-Myrcella-Trystane. I suspect we will see the first real good scenes out of Dorne this episode.
You didn’t answer my question though – what plausible outcome of the LSH/Brienne/Jaime interaction could be a narrative “squirt gun” and thus something so minor that it is not important to the overall narrative and story?
Chad Brick,
“Fan fiction” is not an insult. You are simply misusing the term.
Ryan,
Yeah, pretty much, I have high hopes for Dorne this epsiode.
I think there will even be three dialogues instead of two, whereas Doran-Ellaria-Sand Snakes could be the first one, like you said. The second one could be Jaime and Bronn on their way to Doran.
However, I´m not sure if Doran wouldn´t want to speak with Jamie alone concerning the third dialogue, forcing or (most likely) convincing him to work alongside the Martells & Myrcella. So I guess that the third one may just be Doran-Jaime-Areo and maybe Bronn witnessing the dialogue, but not really interacting much with the others since his sellsword-mentality would not need much convincing. The one to pay the most has Bronn on his/her side.
But I guess only the episode can show, haha. As fun as speculating is, after all it´s just a more elaborated form of guessing. 🙂
King Stannis,
The Long Night,
Galli,
Seek help. You’re backing the wrong king and you should feel bad.
Having Brienne stab Stannis through his face will be the best crap original take D&D will have ever made.
Rygritte,
I find it hard to accept a random brothel whore has the wherewithal to organize a city-wide clandestine terrorist movement.
Lulu’s Mum,
I knew you were a kindred spirit. Here’s a TMBG Constantinople tune:
Jon Snow’s really Jon Targaryen.
Now it’s Jon Snow not Jon Targaryen.
With fire in his blood,
Old Jon Targaryen’s still has Stark hair and eyes,
Less fire than ice, twice.
TheTouchOfFrost,
I thought that was Ed Sheeran, too! It’s hard to say for certain with only the profile, but I’m glad I’m not alone.
:Googling: USA Today, or an affiliate, seems to think the photo is real. http://entertainthis.usatoday.com/2015/06/03/ed-sheeran-zach-braff-jon-snow-kit-harington-bar-instagram/
lalla,
That doesn’t mean anything, it was just a brief image in the preview not the whole scene. And I’m specifically referring to the scene that will involve the prostitute with the barely there(and easily removable) outfit that we have seen in the previews. I don’t see this show filming a sequence like that with no nudity.
And for those asking if the ratings are ever wrong, episode 6 a few weeks ago was wrong. Any form of violence even if it is mild always results in “violence” being listed in the content advisory and episode 6 aired without it.
mattpeto,
Um I wasn’t in support of this strategy – I was just answering what I thought was a straight forward question from someone who did not know the background. I totally agree that such a strategy is unsound, as it is horribly evil, I get that. and I am hoping that should he decide to do this, someone will find a way to keep it from happeniung.
OK so this is kinda random and I’m only on COK bookwise but does anyone agree that 2 of the craziest characters in ASOIAF might end up saving the 7 kingsdoms.. The Mad King and Cercei sounds crazy but in all their insaness they managed to have enough Wild Fire made up to burn a lot of them wights right up and the way its properties because of its intense temperature would only help matters (ex) the way its spreads so easily because its basically liquidish? Correct me if I’m wrong all you people that know way to much about this stuff. Doesn’t it just seem interesting all the extra stocks of wildfire and now the extra stock of the mindless undead! Maybe I’m a nut but I like it.
JamesL,
https://twitter.com/MigSapochnik/status/605395340481601536
Absolutely.
Jaime’sHand1220,
Potentially. Again it would chime in with my theory that the White WAlkers are ancient foes of the Old Valyrians and caused the doom. All of their main antagonists would have Targ blood ( Dany, Bloodraven, a main character that everyone expects to have) and the Mad King wouldfall int othat category too. Only problem is how much is left and how would they get it up to the Wall without it going up! If they wait until they get to KL then the whole of Westeros will be wights and there wouldn’t be enough wildfire in existence to kill them all!
Hola chicos!!! Este foro también necesita otras lenguas latinas ! Ahora , vamos a tener hablantes de español y portugués para reflexionar juego de tronos !!! brasil y Portugal no puede controlar este foro por complet0 jajaj. Bromeo, por supuesto!!
Pero,
Muito amor para meus amics no Brasil e Portugal =)
Simeon,
TheTouchOfFrost,
Yes traveling the Kings Rd would be more dangerous then ever with enough wildfire to burn a whole city…very large city? But I just see the dots and it seems to good of a weapon not to use it?….possibly wildfire land mines….moats…(minus the sharks) shot would be awesome!!! Wun Wun could fuck some shit up with barrels of wildfire …as long as he didn’t turn himself into a lookin bonfire..
http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/game-of-thrones/images/38536175/title/5×09-dance-dragons-photo Apparently we are getting every storyline except winterfell?
alice s,
And even then, we’re kind of getting Winterfell, through Ramsay. The Stannis plot and the Bolton plot are so close now that they’re pretty much one and the same in terms of storylines.
Still, I think that Cersei photo belongs to 5×10, whatever that site says.
Yo no espero a ver daenerys y drogon volar fuera Mereen!! Es una de las mejores escenas de La Danza de Dragones . Asi que, por favor vamos a ver que!!!
Por otra parte, la historia en Dorne necesita alguno impulse. Por ejemplo, la introduccion de YG y La Compania Oroso seria una sorpresa incredible! aunquetodavía no me gusta que que Arianna fue cortado de la serie !! Siento que Arianne podría haber jugado un papel clave en las tramas de Dorne y Daenerys !
Finalmente!! Yo quiero hablar sobre mi character favorite!! el único y verdadero rey de Poniente…The Mannis en Ingles!!! 😉 Espero que Stannis no sacrifica a su hija Shireen . Creo que no era una buena idea cortar los Señores del Norte como Manderly , Umber y los clanes de la montana. Quiza, Stannis lo va a recibir ayuda de Los Umbers mucho mas tarde??? como la temporada sexta??? No se va a pasar! pero, ya estoy aburrido de Ramsay. No quiero ver a Stannis o Shireen mueren en esta temporada !!
Stannis is the Mannis and the One True King of Westeros!! La nieve no es un gran obstáculo para él.
Also, cannot wait to see the Greyjoys next year and the resolution of Jon’s storyline next week. =) Para ingles presiona de uno…Para Español presione de dos!!! 😉
They already seemed to have cut out the Freys and such. Maybe they are delaying La Battala de Invernalia until the next season . In any case, I think we would all prefer to see Stannis’ story of rallying the North play out on the big screen. That was one thing they really missed this season!!!
alice s,
Chad Brick,
You do not need the same narrative elements to tell the same story. In fact, you often cannot use the same narrative elements on screen or page as worked on page or screen.
As for the squirt gun issue, well, the fact that this character is interacting pnly with a second tier protagonist (Jaime) and a third tier protagonist (Brienne) seriously limits the impact on the story. After all, to really affect the story, something has to affect Jon’s, Daeny’s or Tyrion’s dynamic development. Those three are over hakf the story, after all: and Bran, Arya and Sansa are most of what is left.
TheTouchOfFrost,
How would the White Walkers cause the doom? From what we are told, it seems something opposite the Walkers (i.e., a lot of volcanic activity) felled Valyria. At any rate, the old stories that we get mention nothing about the Valyrians being involved with the war against White Walkers centuries before: it was down to the First Men, Children and Giants. (Indeed, it seems like the Valyrians did not have much to do with Westeros, although I do not know that the books really c,arify this: but it seems that both the First Men and the Andals had little to do with Valyria.
Indeed, if any “supernatural” entity was at work, the I would look at R’Hllor. However, this would all be arbitrary background plot: although I think the “why” of the Walkers will be critical in the end, it is going to be important for the choices and positions taken by Daeny, Jon, Tyrion, etc., not the trivial details, that will be emphasized.
Prediction
1). Jon Snow end of book 5 moment doesn’t happen until the very last scene in Season 5 Episode 10.
2). Stannis is assassinated by Ramsay. Melissandre revives Stannis by sacrificing his daughter.
3). Last scene is the Dragons saving Dany and her flying away. Tyrion will take over ruling in Dany absence next season.
4). Arya gets her first kill
5). Sansa escapes as you have to believe with Ramsay gone she gets out.
These aren’t spoilers, just an opinion.
Wimsey,
Jaime and Brienne got more chapters than anyone except the big three and Cercei. Perhaps your distaste for AFFC/ADWD comes from your apparent notion that books are supposed to have a very limited number of protagonists. Thus your seem to dislike anything that doesn’t immediately impact your chosen few.
The idea that what happens to Jaime and Brienne is of little importance seems rather ludicrous to me.
Please Sacrifice Selyse, she’s a Florent and has Gardener blood, the blood of kings, in her veins.
I think Shireen is doomed, and the decider is that little carved stag that Ser Davos is giving her. It is a perfect prop to be shown broken on the ground after Ramsey’s raid. I don’t think she will be sacrificed – more likely she is an unintended casualty of Ramsey’s attack.
Chad Brick,
It isn’t ludicrous at all: whatever plot elements it introduces probably will be pennies in pound in terms of contribution to the story.
Young griff,
no i am sure they will include the flying
but iam talking more about the dany taking control of the dragons…she jumped into the pit to save him
they saved eachother in the books ..but iam afraid that in the show it will be drogon just arrives and kills the harpies and takes dany away ‘
its key moment for dany to stand infront of him without afraid and whip him and make him submit to her will ..
so i hope we get to see that
http://ow.ly/NFBaE
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Game Of Thrones season 5$ Where to watch episode 8 Hardhome live stream online
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First kill? Where have you been? She has already killed in self-defense, for revenge, during an escape, and for mercy. Did you see her smile as she walked away from Jaqen during the last episode? She is looking forward to her next kill.
Hodor’s Bastard,
It’s her first sanctioned kill, her first assassination, which is what James meant, obviously.
Luka Nieto,
Yes, of course. Although I will argue that her mercy kill a few episodes ago was also “sanctioned.” Our favorite vigilante is simply getting vetted…maybe it comes with a facelift too.
Hodor’s Bastard,
Killing the little girl was sanctioned, but it wasn’t an assassination. It was euthanasia, mercy killing. Killing the thin man would be her first actual assassination, that’s for sure. Followed by, one can hope, a good old-fashioned Arya revenge kill of… a certain Lannister lackey who is guarding a visiting Westerosi dignitary.
Luka Nieto,
Bring it on!
Okay… is this episode gonna be amazing or what? There’s just so much stuff to pack in there; every scene will be trascendental, if my predictions are correct.
2) Sam is sent to Oldtown with Gilly and the baby.
3) Arya kills the thin man, and then spots Meryn Trant, and maybe even kills him in this episode (or maybe in the finale?)
4) Speaking of which, Tycho Nestoris reveals that the Iron Bank is definitely supporting Stannis now.
5) Prince Doran pardons Jaime and reveals his ultimate plans to Ellaria and the Sand Snakes.
6) Melisandre’s threat to Shireen’s life is paid off this episode, hopefully with Shireen alive and well and Melisandre and Selyse being taken to the Wall.
7) Ramsay attacks Stannis’ camp.
8) Dany and Hizdahr marry and hold a celebration at Daznak’s Pit. Jorah may earn his place back with the Queen (or die?). Drogon arrives, fucks shit up and takes Dany away.
I cannot read the comments because the page keeps refreshing or otherwise clicking back to the top of the article. This is new for me in the last couple days. Anyone else having this problem?
dragonbringer,
Game of Thrones saison 5 épisode 9 Online >> http://ow.ly/NFBaE
Game of Thrones saison 5 épisode 9 Online http://ow.ly/NFBaE
Game of Thrones saison 5 épisode 9 Online http://ow.ly/NFBaE