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

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

I thought I'd start a thread to allow those who have read the A Song of Ice and Fire books to have a spoiler-filled discussion without ruining anything for those who don't want to see any spoilers in the threads to discuss each episode. Those who haven't read the books, but who don't mind joining in a spoiler-filled discussion, are of course also welcome to join in, ask questions, etc, but be warned that this will be a thread with MAJOR SPOILERS, so read at your own peril.

 

[Shurik]

A Song Of Ice And Fire series is better read and seen unspoiled.

So, what shall we discuss?

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

JD asked the following spoiler-encoded question in the other thread:

I know in the book Ned, Drogo, Viserys, and Robert all end up dead. So I was just curious if they continue to cover the same amount of the book in future episodes, how long can we expect to see those characters?

Viserys will obviously die in the sixth episode. The episode title makes that clear. Ned will certainly die in the season finale. How about Drogo and Robert? Which episodes are they likely to die in? It's been a while since I've read the first book.

Edit to add: refreshing my memory of the book, it looks like Drogo will die in the season finale, too.

 

[Shurik]

I think Robert will die in the 6th or 7th episode, Ned in 9th (probably a cliffhanger ending which will make everyone who didn't read the books go "WTF?!? NO WAY THEY JUST KILLED THEIR MAIN STAR!) and Drogo in 10th.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

^^^
Oh, yeah, you're right actually. After all, the ninth episode is entitled "Baelor", which must be a reference to Ned's death at the Great Sept.

 

[Shakaar]

^^^
Oh, yeah, you're right actually. After all, the ninth episode is entitled "Baelor", which must be a reference to Ned's death at the Great Sept.

Could be, I remember Martin saying that he was writing episode 8 and it would involve the Lords of the North gathering their strength and marching off to war. I thought he also indicated that Ned would be killed in his episode, but it is clearly at least the episode where he is taken prisoner since that is the motivation for the Robb going to war.

 

[JD]

JD asked the following spoiler-encoded question in the other thread:

I know in the book Ned, Drogo, Viserys, and Robert all end up dead. So I was just curious if they continue to cover the same amount of the book in future episodes, how long can we expect to see those characters?

Viserys will obviously die in the sixth episode. The episode title makes that clear. Ned will certainly die in the season finale. How about Drogo and Robert? Which episodes are they likely to die in? It's been a while since I've read the first book.

Edit to add: refreshing my memory of the book, it looks like Drogo will die in the season finale, too.

I think Robert will die in the 6th or 7th episode, Ned in 9th (probably a cliffhanger ending which will make everyone who didn't read the books go "WTF?!? NO WAY THEY JUST KILLED THEIR MAIN STAR!) and Drogo in 10th.

^^^
Oh, yeah, you're right actually. After all, the ninth episode is entitled "Baelor", which must be a reference to Ned's death at the Great Sept.

Cool. I didn't expect them to be around that long, from the stuff I've skimmed on the net while reading the book it sounded like they died alot earlier in the story.
EDIT: I just remembered what I read on wikipedia about Viserys's death, and why The Golden Crown signals his death. Definitely not a pleasant way to go.

 

[Stone_Cold_Sisko]

This is tangentially related to the shows, but does anyone know if "A Dance With Dragons" is supposed to take place purely alongside "Feast For Crows"? Meaning, the same time period?

I held off on Feast for Crows a few years back, because it sounded kind of filler-ish and didn't have any characters I like. I kind of want to jump back and forth between Crows and Dragons.

 

[Kegg]

^
Yes, both novels overlap. A Feast of Crows is actually only half of a novel, with A Dance of Dragons being the other half - A Feast of Crows includes only some of the viewpoint characters, while A Dance With Dragons will include the rest. In A Feast of Crows, you get Samwell, Jaime, Arya, Sansa, but not Tyrion, Daenerys, Jon or Davos. It works far better then it sounds, honestly.

Now, since the series has been renewed through to the second season, I have to admit to wondering if they'll really use digital/makeup stuff to remove Dinklage's nose. It seems like a fair bit of work, I'm betting we're far more likely to see an easier-to-apply-but-still-fairly-unsightly scar on his face.

And I'm just very curious in general who they'll get to play Brienne of Tarth. I don't suppose I'd be alone in saying I rather liked that character and I want someone of shall we say appropriate attractiveness in the role.

 

[Out Of My Vulcan Mind]

Reportedly the first three-quarters or so of A Dance with Dragons will be set in the same time period as A Feast for Crows, showing the other side of the coin as it were, and then the last quarter or so will move things ahead beyond the point in time when Feast ends.

I had the same thought about Tyrion - I bet they'll go with a scar rather than have him lose his nose.

 

[Hyperspace05]

This thread is an excellent idea, the episode 1 review thread was certainly becoming too saturated for comfort. (and I'm partly to blame as well)

Now if we could only create a thread to draw out the "rape in novel vs rape in series" discussion.

 

[Reliant Robin]

This thread is an excellent idea, the episode 1 review thread was certainly becoming too saturated for comfort. (and I'm partly to blame as well)

Now if we could only create a thread to draw out the "rape in novel vs rape in series" discussion.

Sorry. I'm done now.

 

[Shurik]

Reportedly the first three-quarters or so of A Dance with Dragons will be set in the same time period as A Feast for Crows, showing the other side of the coin as it were, and then the last quarter or so will move things ahead beyond the point in time when Feast ends.

I had the same thought about Tyrion - I bet they'll go with a scar rather than have him lose his nose.

Yeah, GRRM said that he decided to do it in order to resolve some cliffhangers from AFFC. AFAIR from his blog posts, Sansa and some of the Greyjoys (the priest, probably) won't be in the book, he moved their chapters to the next one, because the book is currently larger than A Storm Of Swords.

As long as he resolves the issue of Cercei's trial and whatever happened with Brotherhood Without Banners and their holy quest to rid Westeros of Freys and Boltons, I'll be happy.

 

[Venardhi]

So, who has figured out who Jon's mother is? I love that -pop- in the eyes of a friend when it finally clicks for them.

 

[Shurik]

So, who has figured out who Jon's mother is? I love that -pop- in the eyes of a friend when it finally clicks for them.

My theory was always Rhaegar+Lyanna, and it makes more and more sense with further readings. Ned told some bullshit stories about a random serving wench or whatever to preserve Lyanna's son from Robert's hatred of Targaryens.

 

[Scout101]

Yep, assumed that was the pairing right there. Lord Snow being more than bit ironic, as Jon would be rightful king of Westeros and all...

 

[FreezeC77]

So, who has figured out who Jon's mother is? I love that -pop- in the eyes of a friend when it finally clicks for them.

My theory was always Rhaegar+Lyanna, and it makes more and more sense with further readings. Ned told some bullshit stories about a random serving wench or whatever to preserve Lyanna's son from Robert's hatred of Targaryens.

Yea, I can't remember exactly I realized it was probably Rhaegar, but it was fairly early on since from shortly after he was introduced I just always sensed that he wasn't really Ned's.

Speaking of those events... I wonder how the series will handle flashbacks? How much of Gregor's actions do you think they will actually show? Seeing a huge man bashing the skull of a little baby and then raping his Mother... Something tells me that isn't going to make it to air.

 

[Skywalker]

I think most of the flashbacks will just be referenced through dialogue. I think we saw a brief glimpse in one of the teasers of Brandon Stark strangling himself trying to save his father, and the only other flashback I can see them actually filming is the "Promise me, Ned" scene, and I'm picturing those flashes as being rather chaotic and jumbled because of Ned's fever.

I'll probably be completely wrong, though.

 

[Shurik]

I think most of the flashbacks will just be referenced through dialogue. I think we saw a brief glimpse in one of the teasers of Brandon Stark strangling himself trying to save his father, and the only other flashback I can see them actually filming is the "Promise me, Ned" scene, and I'm picturing those flashes as being rather chaotic and jumbled because of Ned's fever.

I'll probably be completely wrong, though.

I remember reading that Aerys the Mad King was cast and the flashback of Ned's brother and father's death was filmed. The rest of the flashbacks will probably be told through talking ...

How much of Gregor's actions do you think they will actually show? Seeing a huge man bashing the skull of a little baby and then raping his Mother... Something tells me that isn't going to make it to air.

Yeah, I think it'll be too much even for HBO ...

 

[Kegg]

So, who has figured out who Jon's mother is? I love that -pop- in the eyes of a friend when it finally clicks for them.

My theory was always Rhaegar+Lyanna, and it makes more and more sense with further readings.

My working theory when reading A Game of Thrones was Ned and Lyanna (what? he seemed a little close to his sister). He's described as having very strong Stark features, after all, and none of the Targaryen stuff.

But then, Eddard's honour requiring him to protect his sister's son by claiming him as his own bastard (because Robert Baratheon isn't known for loving Targaryen babies) also makes sense.

Yep, assumed that was the pairing right there. Lord Snow being more than bit ironic, as Jon would be rightful king of Westeros and all...

Rhaegar was married to Elia of Dorne though, right?

In that case Jon's true identity would simply be (drumroll) Jon Waters, not King Jon Targaryen.