A Song of Ice and Fire/Game of Thrones Spoiler-Filled Discussion

[Venardhi]

B1. The last time they saw each other was when the Iron Islands rebelled. Ned was always more of the quiet loner type and it took someone like Robert to drag him out of his shell. Beside that, he never much cared for the society of the south. After his brother joined the Nights Watch it made sense for him to stay in the north as his heir was still a child and there must always be a Stark in Winterfell.

B2. Probably not, She seemed to think comparatively little of him next to his fantasy of her.

B3. Aye, it is debatable that the family insanity did indeed pass her by.

S1. They filmed flashbacks (or possibly a prologue?) for the first season but cut them all and any other opportunities to show such things have also been left out. Clearly they would rather keep the focus on current events.

S2. Probably

S3. Yeup. A 15 year old acting like Jon makes a lot more sense than an 18 year old.

[hyzmarca]

Dany's problem is that she doesn't know how to run a country and is getting frustrated by how difficult it is. This isn't that much of a mark against her, no one currently alive in the setting knows how to run a country. And, indeed, many institutions that are absolutely vital to good and fair governance simply haven't even been thought of at this point in time.

The Sons of the Harpy are a good example. Anyone from modern Earth would immediately see that the solution is to create a national investigative and law enforcement service that answers to the crown and empower them to investigate such crimes. It isn't all that difficult to infiltrate a subversive organization or flip one of its members.

But J. Edgar Hoover hasn't been born yet in the world Dany lives in and the concept of a national police force isn't something that's really come up yet, certainly not a professional one. She isn't sufficiently innovative to come up with the idea on her own.

[CaptainCanada]

I would say the obvious answer to the Sons of the Harpy is to kill the guy who is obviously their leader.

[Ruaidhri]

Nice podcast interview of Martin:

http://mynorthwest.com/category/tbtl_player/?a=9943582

[superdeluxe]

Legendary Actress Diana Rigg cast as Queen of Thorns according to Daily Mail:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz...a-Forever.html

Diana Rigg (pictured), who will play Olenna Redwyne, aka Queen of Thorns (because of her sharp-tongue and prickliness), the wily grandmother of Margaery Tyrell in the third season of the highly popular drama series Game Of Thrones, which will start shooting next month.

The actress will be a semi-regular character throughout the third series of the show, which is based on George R.R. Martin’s best-selling novels. Olenna is a powerful, domineering matriarch and queen, who’s a mistress of the art of manipulation.

The drama will be shown on Sky Atlantic.

[Brendan Moody]

I think Rigg would be a great choice, but it's the Daily Mail, so who knows? It's not encouraging that they don't know the third season has already started shooting.

[superdeluxe]

Brendan Moody wrote:

---

I think Rigg would be a great choice, but it's the Daily Mail, so who knows? It's not encouraging that they don't know the third season has already started shooting.

There was speculation out there that Rigg was involved, maybe that was what the Daily Mail was running with.

[sidious618]

I sure hope it's true because that'd be fucking awesome.

[Brendan Moody]

Diana Rigg and many other new cast confirmed: http://www.westeros.org/GoT/News/Ent...sting_Reveals/

Diana Rigg as Lady Olenna Tyrell. Also known as “The Queen of Thorns,” Lady Olenna is the grandmother of Margaery and Loras Tyrell and is, in many ways, the true leader of their powerful family.

Mackenzie Crook as Orell. A wildling raider, Orell is a “warg” or “skinchanger,” with the ability to enter the mind of an animal and control its actions.

Clive Russell as Bryndon “The Blackfish” Tully. Known far and wide as “The Blackfish,” Brynden is a famous knight and the uncle of Catelyn Stark. He quarreled bitterly with his brother, Lord Hoster Tully, and the two were estranged for many years.

Nathalie Emannuel as Missandei. Originally from the peaceful island of Naath, Missandei was sold into slavery as a child, along with her brother. She received education in various languages and became a translator to the slave trader Kraznys in Astapor.

Kerry Ingram as Shireen Baratheon, the only child of Stannis Baratheon. An avid reader, she escapes her lonely life through myths and stories – her books are her most treasured possessions.

Paul Kaye as Thoros of Myr. A key member of the outlaw band known as the Brotherhood Without Banners, he is a Red Priest, in service of the Lord of Light, and originally hails from the Free City of Myr, in Essos.

Thomas Brodie-Sangster as Jojen Reed, a mysterious and enigmatic young man who becomes an important ally to Bran Stark.

Ellie Kendirck as Meera Reed. The eldest daughter of Howland Reed and a staunch Stark loyalist, Meera and her younger brother Jojen seek out Bran Stark to protect him on his hard journey north.

Richard Dormer as Beric Dondarrion. Once the lord of Blackhaven and a celebrated warrior, Lord Beric has now become the leader of the Brotherhood Without Banners, a band of vigilante outlaws.

Kristofer Hivju as Tormund Giantsbane. A famed wildling warrior and chief lieutenant of the “King Beyond the Wall,” Mance Rayder, Tormund is fearsome and strong, with a large build and a beard to match.

Philip McGinley as Anguy, an extremely skilled archer and key member of the outlaw band known as the Brotherhood Without Banners.

Tara Fitzgerald as Selyse Baratheon. The wife of Stannis Baratheon, Selyse spends much of her life in seclusion, shut away in a gloomy tower.

Tobias Menzies as Edmure Tully. The younger brother of Catelyn Stark, Edmure has recently become Lord of Riverrun in the wake of his father’s death.

Anton Lesser as Qyburn, a former maester of the Citadel, who was stripped of his chain many years ago.

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

And season three now has a premiere date: the 31st March 2013.

[backstept]

I'm not sure why Dondarrion has been re-cast . . . but really, he was only in 1 episode in season 1 and I doubt it'll make much difference

I also think Tormund Giantsbane was well cast

[InklingStar]

I guess we will not be seeing Cat visiting her father in his deathbed.

Good to see Anguy, but what about Tom O'Sevens?

[Brendan Moody]

I sincerely doubt there was ever any question of the season one Beric playing the role in season three. David Michael Scott was basically a featured extra, someone they used to set up that plot point without the impracticalities of finding a permanent actor two years before you need him to do any real acting.

This isn't necessarily a full list of new characters; we know they're casting Mance Rayder and Daario Naharis for season three and there's been no announcement on either one, so there's at least a little more to come.

[superdeluxe]

really like the cast!

[superdeluxe]

So thoughts on who should be Ramsay, Vargo or Mance?