Spoilers Game of Thrones Season 6 - Speculation and Spoilers

[theenglish]

I remember reading an article, I think it was in Rolling Stone back after the first season but I'm not sure, where the show runners were discussing they convinced Martin to let them do the show. According to the article, he asked them "who was Jon Snow's mother?" and when they gave their response he decided to allow the show to proceed.

I always took this as confirmation that the R+L=J theory was true, but what if this has been a Red Herring all along. I think it would be hilarious if the response they gave Martin was, "who cares because he's probably going to die anyway?"

 

[Marten]

I remember reading an article, I think it was in Rolling Stone back after the first season but I'm not sure, where the show runners were discussing they convinced Martin to let them do the show. According to the article, he asked them "who was Jon Snow's mother?" and when they gave their response he decided to allow the show to proceed.

I always took this as confirmation that the R+L=J theory was true, but what if this has been a Red Herring all along. I think it would be hilarious if the response they gave Martin was, "who cares because he's probably going to die anyway?"

R+L=J is at this point so widely accepted that it's basically canon. If Jon's parentage ever is revealed (of which I'm not at all certain), I'd be shocked if it's anything else.

 

[Booji]

I think it's meant to be the Tower of Joy (one of the attackers is a dead ringer for a younger Ned Stark) but I note that the men guarding it are wearing Targarean armour rather than Kings Guard White cloaks, as per the books.

Maybe this is just the beginning of the Tower of Joy level and the Kings Guard are the end bosses.

 

[theenglish]

R+L=J is at this point so widely accepted that it's basically canon. If Jon's parentage ever is revealed (of which I'm not at all certain), I'd be shocked if it's anything else.

I've accepted it for years--I think I even knew the theory before I started reading the books back in 2011. That said, it wouldn't surprise me at all if it turns out not to be true at all and that we never see Jon Snow again.

 

[Mudd]

Babylon 5 told their epic in five seasons, had the Shadows on the move in Season 2, then had them out in open conflict for Season 3 and half of Season 4, then had a season of aftermath and wrap up.

The shows aren't comparable; B5 was hardly an epic - rather, a low-budget studio-bound soap opera.

 

[Bisz]

The shows aren't comparable; B5 was hardly an epic - rather, a low-budget studio-bound soap opera.

Ohh, them's fightin' words! But not in this thread

I think R+L=J needs to happen simply because there has been so much setup for it. Jon is Chekov's Gun, only the gun hasn't just been shown to us, its been shown, touched, pointed at, displayed, waxed, taken apart and rebuilt, oiled, buffed. It has to go off at some point.

 

[The Lensman]

B5 was hardly an epic

 

[Enterprise is Great]

Before season 6 has premiered HBO has renewed GoT for a seventh season - http://tvline.com/2016/04/21/game-of-thrones-season-7-renewed-hbo-renewal/

 

[Captaindemotion]

No confirmation of the number of episodes for S7. Obviously, one would've assumed 10, but for the recent talk of a shorter season for 7 and 8.

 

[137th Gebirg]

It sounds like the show runners only want it to go to an 8th season, but there may be a lot of lost source material. After Winds of Winter is released (which I'm assuming will take the bulk of S6 and parts of S7), there's still A Dream of Spring that's to come after that. I'm concerned that 2 shorter seasons after S6 might not do the story justice. Of course, we'll probably start experiencing singularity before ADoS gets released.

 

[bbjeg]

Two days until the start of the season and for the first time, I haven't been spoiled by the book readers. It's nice not knowing what will happen next.

 

[137th Gebirg]

I could tell you what might happen with the Iron Born storyline if you like...

 

[Wouter]

Two days until the start of the season and for the first time, I haven't been spoiled by the book readers. It's nice not knowing what will happen next.

As the post above indicates, it actually looks like quite some left-over storylines from the published books will be adapted (partially) in the new season.

Having said that, as a book reader it is nice to finally see the story getting advanced, because there is definitely going to be a lot of new material.

Allthough D&D are now adamant that "book readers won't be spoiled", I think this is damage control for Martin and his publishers and that the large lines of the story (though somewhat truncated and with a few changes) will be similar to what Martin would plan to write.

 

[Enterprise is Great]

On The Big Bang Theory this week Sheldon was lamenting that he could no longer spoil Game of Thrones for the non book viewers.

 

[KennyB]

I've heard first episode was available briefly due to an error earlier.....spoiler aplenty on reddit.....

 

[FPAlpha]

They better get the story moving then. Remember, the big bad in this series is the White Walkers and we've had 5 seasons of them not really being addressed or making any significant moves. Babylon 5 told their epic in five seasons, had the Shadows on the move in Season 2, then had them out in open conflict for Season 3 and half of Season 4, then had a season of aftermath and wrap up.

GoT has been moving so slowly in this regard that they'll need to start dealing almost exclusively with the White Walkers and less of the political stuff in order to wrap it up that quickly. I hope, after all the years of slow build up, that we don't get some rushed, half assed end to the story.

B5 had full seasons though of 22 episodes each and seasons 1 and 2 didn't many major Shadow centric episodes, often enough only some scenes that set up or initiated later events. Seasons 3 and 4 went full in but even then they had 22 episodes so they could take some time and unfold the story and leave room for side missions, character development and some non related stories.

If B5 had 10 season arcs we probably wouldn't have gotten such a rich, deep and well developed G'Kar/Londo relationship or the whole Earth Alliance turning into Nazi 2.0 may have been scrapped alltogether (or at least severely reduced).

We all don't know what will happen in season 6 and beyond, that's probably only Martin and Weiss/Benioff (and maybe a very small circle of people on the publisher and production staff) so the books will of course be broader in scope and have more time to develop things (i think Martin himself said that Winds of Winter will be a huge book, the biggest yet) so the show will of course have to cut corners storywise and they did that for several seasons now.

It's production reality and to be expected but at least they have one of the biggest shows on Earth currently in their hands so their funds are now appropriate to show huge battles. Remember season 2 when Robb Stark dealt a big military blow to the Lannisters and we only heard tales about it and saw the result? If they had the budget they have today back then we would have seen the battle.

So i'm confident that they will do the story justice in the 10 episodes they have for season 6 and the planned final 15 or so after season 6 to finish the story in style (after all Dany has to cross the sea with her Dragons to burn down the White Walkers ).

 

[theenglish]

In my preferred ending, the White Walkers win and return to the North leaving all of Westeros and its royal families destroyed with only a few survivors left to pick up the pieces, helped by the spirit of Bran. Dany dies a horrible death in battle and the dragons take over the north, south of the wall.

 

[Phily B]

Not an encouraging start of the season that.

 

[Mr Light]

My first ever "live" episode, thanks to the free HBO weekend!!!

Disappointed we didn't see Bran. Is it possible that Melisandre is giving up her youth/spirit/life to ressurect Jon Snow? Would she be willing to do that?

Where did Dani stand with the Dothraki in previous seasons? I remember Khal Drogo died, and then what? Is she still a leader to them? I guess not from this episode.

Ugh. Now I don't get to see the rest of it. No way in hell am I paying $18.50 a month just to see Game of Thrones. Guess I'll just read the synopses and wait for the DVD a year from now.

 

[M.A.C.O.]

We should probably make a season six discussion thread.

My first ever "live" episode, thanks to the free HBO weekend!!!

Disappointed we didn't see Bran. Is it possible that Melisandre is giving up her youth/spirit/life to ressurect Jon Snow? Would she be willing to do that?

More like that is Mels true form. I believe the ruby is a source of power for her.

Where did Dani stand with the Dothraki in previous seasons? I remember Khal Drogo died, and then what? Is she still a leader to them? I guess not from this episode.

Dani hasn't interacted with the Dothraki since season one. Not including her followers who stayed with her after Drogo died. In Dothraki culture, the wives of previous Khals are brought to Vaes Dothrak and expected to live with the current Khals. Either as slaves or concubines, I think.