A Song Of Ice and Fire (Spoilers for all Published Books)

[Simple Torture]

We know that STM and Bolton's army are going to fight at some point, but chances are it'll be away from Winterfell. Could Sansa and Reek conspire to kill Ramsay so that they could open the gates for STM?

[Mecca]

Super excited that we've got no idea what's going to happen with Sansa in Winterfell. My best guess: Reek frees her.

Yeah, looks like Sansa is taking over the Jenye Poole (aka fake Arya) plot. So either Tormund IS Mance and they just haven't revealed Melisandre's glamour yet. Or he'll take over the Mance portion of the story, maybe.

But now I really wonder what the fuck Martin's planning on doing with Sansa in the books.

I feel like book Sansa's path to the North is to marry Harry Hardyng (the heir of the vale) and take the North with the most rested army this side of King's Landing after Robert Arryn dies from being "sickly." At least, that seems to be the plan LF has in place and where Martin has taken her story.

[epilogue]

Super excited that we've got no idea what's going to happen with Sansa in Winterfell. My best guess: Reek frees her.

Yeah, looks like Sansa is taking over the Jenye Poole (aka fake Arya) plot. So either Tormund IS Mance and they just haven't revealed Melisandre's glamour yet. Or he'll take over the Mance portion of the story, maybe.

But now I really wonder what the fuck Martin's planning on doing with Sansa in the books.

I feel like book Sansa's path to the North is to marry Harry Hardyng (the heir of the vale) and take the North with the most rested army this side of King's Landing after Robert Arryn dies from being "sickly." At least, that seems to be the plan LF has in place and where Martin has taken her story.

I can see that. That makes a lot of sense.

[Simple Torture]

Listening to a bunch of podcasts and reading some retrospectives this week, was reminded that house Baratheon has Targaryen blood--Robert/STM/Renly's grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen (daughter of Aegon the Unlikely, Maester Aemon's niece). So STM's claim actually stretches further back than just being Robert's brother--he's legally the last male heir of the Targaryen line as well. But if he finds out that John was the son of R+L (who were almost certainly married), will he bend the knee to him? He's honorable and just and all that shit.

[Mecca]

Listening to a bunch of podcasts and reading some retrospectives this week, was reminded that house Baratheon has Targaryen blood--Robert/STM/Renly's grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen (daughter of Aegon the Unlikely, Maester Aemon's niece). So STM's claim actually stretches further back than just being Robert's brother--he's legally the last male heir of the Targaryen line as well. But if he finds out that John was the son of R+L (who were almost certainly married), will he bend the knee to him? He's honorable and just and all that shit.

Yeah, Renly kinda brushes off Robert's claim in the show as an excuse, but he was the next heir through the bloodline, except for Viserys and Daenerys. Also, the Baratheon line was started by Aegon the Conqueror's bastard brother, Orys Baratheon.

[Simple Torture]

Listening to a bunch of podcasts and reading some retrospectives this week, was reminded that house Baratheon has Targaryen blood--Robert/STM/Renly's grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen (daughter of Aegon the Unlikely, Maester Aemon's niece). So STM's claim actually stretches further back than just being Robert's brother--he's legally the last male heir of the Targaryen line as well. But if he finds out that John was the son of R+L (who were almost certainly married), will he bend the knee to him? He's honorable and just and all that shit.

Yeah, Renly kinda brushes off Robert's claim in the show as an excuse, but he was the next heir through the bloodline, except for Viserys and Daenerys. Also, the Baratheon line was started by Aegon the Conqueror's bastard brother, Orys Baratheon.

Do you mean STM's claim? And I think you've gotta say "except for Viserys," because for most Westorosi (besides the Dornish), women don't have much of a claim.

[Mecca]

Listening to a bunch of podcasts and reading some retrospectives this week, was reminded that house Baratheon has Targaryen blood--Robert/STM/Renly's grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen (daughter of Aegon the Unlikely, Maester Aemon's niece). So STM's claim actually stretches further back than just being Robert's brother--he's legally the last male heir of the Targaryen line as well. But if he finds out that John was the son of R+L (who were almost certainly married), will he bend the knee to him? He's honorable and just and all that shit.

Yeah, Renly kinda brushes off Robert's claim in the show as an excuse, but he was the next heir through the bloodline, except for Viserys and Daenerys. Also, the Baratheon line was started by Aegon the Conqueror's bastard brother, Orys Baratheon.

Do you mean STM's claim? And I think you've gotta say "except for Viserys," because for most Westorosi (besides the Dornish), women don't have much of a claim.

well, I meant Robert because that is mentioned in the show, but it is Stannis' claim by the rules of succession. Also, without a proper male heir, women inherit the claim.

[Simple Torture]

Listening to a bunch of podcasts and reading some retrospectives this week, was reminded that house Baratheon has Targaryen blood--Robert/STM/Renly's grandmother was Rhaelle Targaryen (daughter of Aegon the Unlikely, Maester Aemon's niece). So STM's claim actually stretches further back than just being Robert's brother--he's legally the last male heir of the Targaryen line as well. But if he finds out that John was the son of R+L (who were almost certainly married), will he bend the knee to him? He's honorable and just and all that shit.

Yeah, Renly kinda brushes off Robert's claim in the show as an excuse, but he was the next heir through the bloodline, except for Viserys and Daenerys. Also, the Baratheon line was started by Aegon the Conqueror's bastard brother, Orys Baratheon.

Do you mean STM's claim? And I think you've gotta say "except for Viserys," because for most Westorosi (besides the Dornish), women don't have much of a claim.

well, I meant Robert because that is mentioned in the show, but it is Stannis' claim by the rules of succession. Also, without a proper male heir, women inherit the claim.

I wonder if Stannis and Dany will ever cross paths. The red priestess in Volantis calling Dany a "savior" sets up an interesting situation--if Stannis was convinced that R'hllor favored Dany, would he have to concede to her? I think the show at least (and maybe the books) are setting Stannis up for a decision he has to make--go with his religion, or go with his family. Not sure what he'll do.

[Mecca]

I'm pretty sure that Brienne will kill Stannis

[Norah]

I'm pretty sure that Brienne will kill Stannis

I don't know she hasn't said a word about it.

[Norah]

I'll get my coat.

[Mecca]

I'll get my coat.

I'll get my sword.

[Norah]

So I guess R+L=J.

[Simple Torture]

So I guess R+L=J.

We'll be getting confirmation in the last episode of the season, I think. Imagine if it's revealed--I'm not sure by whom--and then in the final scene of the season, John gets stabbed and falls. Roll credits, see you next April.

Probably the most interesting change--as far as we know--is that Little Finger knows about John's parentage. Stannis also seems like he has an inkling.

[Norah]

So I guess R+L=J.

We'll be getting confirmation in the last episode of the season, I think. Imagine if it's revealed--I'm not sure by whom--and then in the final scene of the season, John gets stabbed and falls. Roll credits, see you next April.

Probably the most interesting change--as far as we know--is that Little Finger knows about John's parentage. Stannis also seems like he has an inkling.

I'm not sure Littlefinger knows the parentage. Just because he suspects/knows that Lyanna wasn't raped doesn't mean he knows she had a kid who was brought up as Ned's bastard.

[Norah]

I'm really not liking what the show has done with the Sandsnakes.

[Simple Torture]

So I guess R+L=J.

We'll be getting confirmation in the last episode of the season, I think. Imagine if it's revealed--I'm not sure by whom--and then in the final scene of the season, John gets stabbed and falls. Roll credits, see you next April.

Probably the most interesting change--as far as we know--is that Little Finger knows about John's parentage. Stannis also seems like he has an inkling.

I'm not sure Littlefinger knows the parentage. Just because he suspects/knows that Lyanna wasn't raped doesn't mean he knows she had a kid who was brought up as Ned's bastard.

This is true. I think maybe he'll be able to put it together once he gets with Stannis.

[Mecca]

Barristan

[Norah]

Yeah, that sucked.

[Mecca]

He's my favorite character in Dance. I wanted to hear him muse about the tourney at Harrenhal and how if he unseated Rhaegar he could've named Ashara Dayne the queen of love and beauty and it would've saved everyone that awkward moment. It was still cool that we got some of that from LF, at least.