Original synopsis:
| Daenerys has a surprise visitor; Jon faces a revolt; Tyrion draws up plans to conquer Westeros. |
Revised synopsis:
| Daenerys receives an unexpected visitor. Jon faces a revolt. Sam risks his career and life. Tyrion plans the conquest of Westeros. |
Quickly unpacking the official plot summary:
1)
Daenerys has a surprise visitor.
Previews have made it pretty clear that the surprise visitor is Melisandre.
2)
Jon faces a revolt.
Not much mystery here either. Yohn Royce objects to Jon treating with Dany, no matter how badly the North needs dragonglass (not to mention dragons). So Jon faces yet another mutiny, which serves as a backdrop for Baelish's ongoing efforts to manipulate Sansa.
3)
Sam risks his career and life.
Sam takes a short break from saving the world to cure Jorah's greyscale. Alternate theory:
Professor Slughorn Archmaester Ebrose catches him in the restricted stacks of the
Hogwarts Citadel library.
4)
Tyrion plans the conquest of Westeros
That's quite a team around the Painted Table, as the Greyjoys and Sands join Team Dany. But what is Tyrion's strategy? He knows better than anyone the dangers of a frontal assault down Blackwater Bay. Will he strike first in the West, as some keen-eyed observers have suggested?
Any other predictions? Does Euron bring Cersei her engagement gift yet? Does a reunion with Nymeria change Arya's path?
One additional thought on #3: The Sam/Jorah plot is either a bit of serendipity for the showrunners or an impressive piece of advance plotting by Martin - maybe a bit of both. Unlike the stupidly improbable chance meeting between Jorah and Tyrion, the groundwork for this hookup has been inthe works for years. Traly and Mormont both have excellent reasons for being at the Citadel, on "missions" from their respective commanders. There is already much to bind them: Sam knew Jorah's father well, he has experience with curable greyscale (Shireen), and they are both disgraced scions of noble houses - albeit from opposite ends of Westeros's west coast. They have also both seen wonders that most men would dismiss as myth, and are among the most faithful followers of two rulers destined to join forces.
Banging her brother, manipulating her friends (and Robert into things like having Lady executed).
Losing her kids changed little IMO other than creating more enemies/targets of her vengeance and making it so she'd have to sit on the throne herself instead of through her children.
I get that we all love Jon so Sansa is the one playing the "Skylar White" role right now by nagging him. And she's catching a lot of flak for it. But the choices Jon is facing are not exactly crystal clear. It's never gone well when Stark men ride south. So I don't think she's out of line for bringing that up.
Sansa has been through worse than just about anybody on this show, save for maybe Theon. And she's come out of it wiser and stronger for it. She's matured a great deal from the annoying girl betrothed to Joffrey. Remember, Jon was content to just chill at castle black after being resurrected. She was the one that pushed him to take back their home. And if she didn't take advantage of Littlefinger to secure the services of the Vale, Jon would be dead.
I think she's getting too much criticism.
Also, Jon Snow knows nothing.
I get that we all love Jon so Sansa is the one playing the "Skylar White" role right now by nagging him. And she's catching a lot of flak for it. But the choices Jon is facing are not exactly crystal clear. It's never gone well when Stark men ride south. So I don't think she's out of line for bringing that up.
Sansa has been through worse than just about anybody on this show, save for maybe Theon. And she's come out of it wiser and stronger for it. She's matured a great deal from the annoying girl betrothed to Joffrey. Remember, Jon was content to just chill at castle black after being resurrected. She was the one that pushed him to take back their home. And if she didn't take advantage of Littlefinger to secure the services of the Vale, Jon would be dead.
I think she's getting too much criticism.
I agree. I still think she's a bit in over her head, but she has a far more callous (and appropriate) view of the world than Jon does IMO (which is funny because it's not like Jon's been treated well).
Jon did discuss meeting Danaerys with her. He just didn't relay the message from Sam, which is what he ultimately based his decision on. Its notable how quickly Sansa shut up as soon as he said he was leaving her in charge. I don't blame her. She's been waiting for a chance making her voice heard and now she has it.
Another thing to remember about this Jon/Sansa feud is that Bran is coming. I doubt he wants any part of being in charge of Winterfell again, but he is coming with some big revelations. It looks like Jon will still be away by the time Bran makes it home. Which means Sansa may hear to new first.
In the season trailer and I belive in the trailer for episode 3, HBO keeps showing a shot of Sansa walking toward the camera and away from the Wierwood tree, with a very distrought and confused look on her face, that kind of turns to excitment.
She is probably coming from another creepy conversation with Littlefinger, but maybe its Bran she is walking away from.
The Northern Lords are already becoming weary of Jon (with the help of Sansa public critisms). If she finds out he has Targarean blood and is not Ned's son, will she try to turn the Lords against him in order to focus thier fight on Cersie instead of the walkers? Its unclear how many of the lords even believe Jon about the army of the dead.
I dont hate this storyline as much as other people do. I think it interesting seeing how Sansa trusts the effects of politics and perception over the honorable and couragious actions of the Starks. She has seen what the honor and courage did to Ned and Rob and is probably legitimatley concerned it will happen to Jon. Plus I'm sure Littlefinger will ignore Jon's warning and keeping spitting poison at her until her defense against him starts to crack.
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to burning people lately. Usually that foreshadowing means something on this show. I think it would be an interesting road to go down, having her start descending into madness after winning the throne.
I get that we all love Jon so Sansa is the one playing the "Skylar White" role right now by nagging him. And she's catching a lot of flak for it. But the choices Jon is facing are not exactly crystal clear. It's never gone well when Stark men ride south. So I don't think she's out of line for bringing that up.
Sansa has been through worse than just about anybody on this show, save for maybe Theon. And she's come out of it wiser and stronger for it. She's matured a great deal from the annoying girl betrothed to Joffrey. Remember, Jon was content to just chill at castle black after being resurrected. She was the one that pushed him to take back their home. And if she didn't take advantage of Littlefinger to secure the services of the Vale, Jon would be dead.
I think she's getting too much criticism.
I agree. I still think she's a bit in over her head, but she has a far more callous (and appropriate) view of the world than Jon does IMO (which is funny because it's not like Jon's been treated well).
They just said it in the last episode. Jon doesn't want to be king. Sansa does and that's the difference and why Sansa is a hot pile of shit.
Probably.
I got a feeling, when the Wall comes down, Bran will be there somehow.
I think Brans story line is obviously going to take a step forward more so next season when the WW arive, they will likely set that in place before this season is over, obviously he still needs to reveal to Jon who he really is, which is big news, and who knows how it will be received.
the Night King marked Bran during a vision and allegedly (according to the then three-eyed raven) it meant they will come for him and it also meant their safe space was no longer safe from the Night King and the White Walkers and it led to Summer's death and Hodor's death.
If he were to stay at Castle Black, he would have to take a short trip North of the wall each day to "plug into" a wierwood (the one Jon and Sam swore their oaths at). This would obviously be pretty dangerous once the Walkers start to approach.
It make much better sense for him to see and advise from behind the scenes back at Winterfell. When he gets there I bet he will put to rest any questions about whether he should be the rightfull "King in the North" by birthright. Bran has been there done that and it didn't turn out very well for him. He'd much rather be the 3-eyed raven and leave the ruling to Sansa or Jon.
With the Night King's mark on Bran's arm, that breaks any magic that kept the White Walkers at bay. So once Bran crossed the Wall, the Night King should now be able to take down the Wall.
Yea buzzfeed picked up on this and also referenced the hound describing what he sees in the fire
Link - ( New Window )
I accidently saw something similar while reading a recapp for the 1st episode this season. It may be a spoiler so I will post below in white text.
Apparently a line was cut from The Hound's fireside monolouge. The full, uncut speech was
"Ice. A wall of ice. The Wall. It’s where the Wall meets the sea. THE WAVES ARE FROZEN There’s a castle there. There’s a mountain. Looks like an arrowhead. The dead are marching past. Thousands of them."
If this is accurate, it seems the Walkers will be marching around the wall. I wonder if the mountain that looks like an arrowhead is actually a ship frozen in the bay.
Unless he can somehow add value to the story (like maybe revisit tower of joy or shed light on Jon Snow's true identity) he should probably embed himself in a weirwood tree somewhere and live out his days like the prior three-eyed raven.
He's already indirectly responsible for so many deaths, and I have yet to see his purpose.
He can warg, he's a green seer, but to what purpose?
any theories?
If he were to stay at Castle Black, he would have to take a short trip North of the wall each day to "plug into" a wierwood (the one Jon and Sam swore their oaths at). This would obviously be pretty dangerous once the Walkers start to approach.
I mean he isn't going back to be Lord of WInterfell and having cookouts with his siblings. He's got bigger items on his agenda...
It make much better sense for him to see and advise from behind the scenes back at Winterfell. When he gets there I bet he will put to rest any questions about whether he should be the rightfull "King in the North" by birthright. Bran has been there done that and it didn't turn out very well for him. He'd much rather be the 3-eyed raven and leave the ruling to Sansa or Jon.
I remember the showrunners being interviewed after the Hodor/Hold The Door episode last season, and they said they were blown away when George RR Martin told them the Hodor origin, and were blown away by another shocking discovery later in the story. I'm guessing the next one has to do with Bran.
Seems kind of harsh to blame him for all the deaths that ensued from him climbing that tower, or failing to antipicate Theon's treachery after Robb left him in charge. Bran has mostly been a victim, at least by GoT standards.
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He's already indirectly responsible for so many deaths, and I have yet to see his purpose.
Seems kind of harsh to blame him for all the deaths that ensued from him climbing that tower, or failing to antipicate Theon's treachery after Robb left him in charge. Bran has mostly been a victim, at least by GoT standards.
I meant Hodor, Jojen, Summer, the children of the forest who were killed because of him, the prior 3-eyed Raven (or crow), etc. on his journey people who died specifically to protect Bran while on this quest or because of him, that at some point might click and have readers/watchers say ahh now I get it, but today I don't see the end game that was worth those lives and more.
To me Bran's story is more mysterious than anyone's, he's got a unique set of skills with warging and green seeing, but how does he use them to help the 7 kingdoms.
Cam Bran be the "builder" like his ancestor or even the uniter or is he less important.
Yeah, the three-eyed Raven said Jojen knew his fate, but again, my point is how does it end?
I realize that's kind of the point, not to know the end, but with a lot of people in the show you can sort of guess or have theories, but Bran is a mystery. to me.
What's kind of interestiong about him is Bran seems to have a very mischevious and curious personality. He's not afraid to "break the rules" in order to save himself and friends or to serve his own curiosity. Even in episode 1 he would climb everywhere and spy on everyone. Obviously that has gotten him to alot of touble, but it also got him out of some jams (warging into humans is probably a no-no, but Locke would have killed him if he didn't take over Hodor).
Yet, he has been very passive in his own story. Even when he does get to make a decision, he doesn't really have much choice in the matter. Breaking the rules is the only thing Bran gets to do that isn't ordered or persuaded by Robb, or Maester Luewin, or Osha, or Jojen or the 3-eyed Raven.
Because he can warg? and the prior three-eyed Raven was "just" a green seer?
Because he can warg? and the prior three-eyed Raven was "just" a green seer?
IIRC being a green seer and a warg is what makes Bran special, even when compared to the previous 2 eyed raven.
There are a few chapters in the books that talk about the Isle of Faces and many people think that some of the green men still live there. It's an island made up almost entirely of weirwood trees, I believe. Bran has expressed interest in going there and Howland Reed supposedly spent a few months there with the green men before the Tournament at Harrenhal. What better place for Bran the Three Eyed Raven than an entire island of weirwoods and children of the forest?
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to me is why couldn't the other three-eyed Raven do anything to stop the Night King's army but Bran people suspect can?
Because he can warg? and the prior three-eyed Raven was "just" a green seer?
IIRC being a green seer and a warg is what makes Bran special, even when compared to the previous 2 eyed raven.
I kind of got the sense that Bran could warg into things other people couldn't, like Direwolves and of course humans.
Maybe what makes him special is he can eventually warg into the wights, stopping the army of the dead or turning them on the Walkers. Either that or he will warg into a dragon, but I don't see how that is special if someone could just ride one.
The three-eyed raven warned him not to though.
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In comment 13538649 pjcas18 said:
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to me is why couldn't the other three-eyed Raven do anything to stop the Night King's army but Bran people suspect can?
Because he can warg? and the prior three-eyed Raven was "just" a green seer?
IIRC being a green seer and a warg is what makes Bran special, even when compared to the previous 2 eyed raven.
I kind of got the sense that Bran could warg into things other people couldn't, like Direwolves and of course humans.
Maybe what makes him special is he can eventually warg into the wights, stopping the army of the dead or turning them on the Walkers. Either that or he will warg into a dragon, but I don't see how that is special if someone could just ride one.
One of the wildlings warged into the hawk that found Qhorin Halfhand so it isn't exclusive to Bran.
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In comment 13538685 Kevin in Annapolis said:
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In comment 13538649 pjcas18 said:
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to me is why couldn't the other three-eyed Raven do anything to stop the Night King's army but Bran people suspect can?
Because he can warg? and the prior three-eyed Raven was "just" a green seer?
IIRC being a green seer and a warg is what makes Bran special, even when compared to the previous 2 eyed raven.
I kind of got the sense that Bran could warg into things other people couldn't, like Direwolves and of course humans.
Maybe what makes him special is he can eventually warg into the wights, stopping the army of the dead or turning them on the Walkers. Either that or he will warg into a dragon, but I don't see how that is special if someone could just ride one.
One of the wildlings warged into the hawk that found Qhorin Halfhand so it isn't exclusive to Bran.
No one has warged into a Hodor, (or any other human) before
Plus the way he animates the dead, could be an advanced for of warging. Instead of warging into an animal or human like Bran has done, maybe the Night King can warg into the dead.
Plus in that flash back scene with the children, they captured one of the "First Men" and turned him into a White Walker by putting dragon glass through his chest. Wasn't it also mentioned that the Stark family line directly linked to the First Men thousands of years ago? Maybe the Night King and Bran have similar abilities because they are from the same bloodline (separated by a thousand years) which also explains how rare this ability is and why both Bran and the Night King are special.
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In comment 13538697 Pete in 'Vliet said:
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In comment 13538685 Kevin in Annapolis said:
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In comment 13538649 pjcas18 said:
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to me is why couldn't the other three-eyed Raven do anything to stop the Night King's army but Bran people suspect can?
Because he can warg? and the prior three-eyed Raven was "just" a green seer?
IIRC being a green seer and a warg is what makes Bran special, even when compared to the previous 2 eyed raven.
I kind of got the sense that Bran could warg into things other people couldn't, like Direwolves and of course humans.
Maybe what makes him special is he can eventually warg into the wights, stopping the army of the dead or turning them on the Walkers. Either that or he will warg into a dragon, but I don't see how that is special if someone could just ride one.
One of the wildlings warged into the hawk that found Qhorin Halfhand so it isn't exclusive to Bran.
No one has warged into a Hodor, (or any other human) before
Right, humans I can see but direwolves might be different since we've seen it already with an Eagle. But the 1 human it happened to was Hodor and his mind was "simple". Curious to see if Bran has free reign on that power or not.
The White Walkers then turned on the Children of the Forest and became their enemies (and enemies of everyone).
there was a huge battle, all of Westeros came together, defeated the White Walkers and their wights and built the wall and created the Night's Watch.
which covers thousands of years but is sort of where we are now, those at Hadrhome and survived know the terror (like Jon Snow, Samwell, etc.), those who weren't there don't believe it exists and are willfully ignorant.
Plus the way he animates the dead, could be an advanced for of warging. Instead of warging into an animal or human like Bran has done, maybe the Night King can warg into the dead.
Plus in that flash back scene with the children, they captured one of the "First Men" and turned him into a White Walker by putting dragon glass through his chest. Wasn't it also mentioned that the Stark family line directly linked to the First Men thousands of years ago? Maybe the Night King and Bran have similar abilities because they are from the same bloodline (separated by a thousand years) which also explains how rare this ability is and why both Bran and the Night King are special.
Plus the way the Night King turned babies into White Walkers, maybe that is an advance form of warging that is transferred by touch. Maybe it's hard to do that to humans as they get older, which is why he preferred Craster's baby son's that were born. Easier to covert them by touch if their mind is as blank as a babies.
Speaking of which, how did Craster and the Night King first originally come to this agreement, does the Night King talk and we just haven't seen it yet?
My only question is how far can Bran take it. He warged a human with the mental capacity of a small child which could come into play. I kind of feel like Bran being able to warg anyone will really cheapen the conclusion of the series. I hope there are limitations and warging a human like Hodor was a one time thing.
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And Jojen's no slouch himself when it comes to such tricks.
My only question is how far can Bran take it. He warged a human with the mental capacity of a small child which could come into play. I kind of feel like Bran being able to warg anyone will really cheapen the conclusion of the series. I hope there are limitations and warging a human like Hodor was a one time thing.
Yeah, entering an adult mind and controlling it, is really the entering creepy and kind of evil zone. Depending on how they do it, it could be fun. I don't like to think Bran is capable of that.
I still predict Bran comes face to face with "zombie Hodor" next season and as a last ditch effort to save himself, he successfully wargs into 'Zomdor', giving him the idea he can do it to any zombie wight.