Game of Thrones Season 5

[radiator]

[spoiler]Ser Alliser's betrayal was a shocker for me.
Although he openly disliked Jon, I too thought his grudging respect would overrule an outright betrayal.
He did let Jon and the Wildlings into the gate last week after all (albeit after a pause and sneer).[/spoiler]

Yep, I was suspected that it wouldn't be [spoiler]Thorne who would betray Jon[/spoiler], and he would instead be the one to get on the wrong side of Wun Wun and meet a sticky end (as another character does in the books).

I think the [spoiler]betrayal[/spoiler] didn't really work because...

Yeah. In the books Jon also goes from a position of 'The Watch takes no part' (refusing to help Stannis and openly defying him) to slowly getting drawn into advising and directly helping him, as well as arranging various pacts and marriages between Stannis' bannermen and the Wildlings and even inducting many Wildlings into the Night's Watch. It makes the [spoiler]betrayal absolutely inevitable, and when he announces his intention to march on Winterfell to rescue his sister - as well as the unfortunate giant-related business - it's the last straw[/spoiler]. As with the [spoiler]downfall of Ned, Robb and so many other characters in the series[/spoiler], it's not a cheap 'shock' soap opera-style twist for twists sake, it's been heavily foreshadowed and ultimately makes perfect logical sense.

There's absolutely no way [spoiler]Jon is staying dead[/spoiler], but I think in true GRRM style, the [spoiler]manner of his return[/spoiler] will not be what people are hoping for or expecting, and [spoiler]he most certainly won't be the Jon we know[/spoiler]...

The bit where... ...shouldn't have made me laugh with their palpable desperation to shock by over-egging things, but that's where I was.

Yes, I see where you're coming from. Personally I couldn't help but imagine the Sworn Brothers discussing their plans:

[spoiler]"I'm going to make a cross and write 'TRAITOR' on it! You know, really set the scene."

"Really, Jeff? Isn't that a bit dramatic?"[/spoiler]

I'd be on my way to Braavos to join a mercenary army at this point

I think Braavos would be just about the only pleasant place to live in the whole of Westeros and Essos (with maybe the exception of Highgarden). Love how they've brought it to life on screen.

Mild book spoilers below...

I do wonder where this current status quo leaves poor old [spoiler]Theon. In the books he's Stannis' captive, but with Stannis out of the picture.... Will Melisandre sacrifice him (he has King's Blood after all) to resurrect Jon? And will he give his life willingly to finally achieve some sense of redemption?[/spoiler]

[Jim_Campbell]

it's been heavily foreshadowed and ultimately makes perfect logical sense.

Yep. Those [spoiler]Starks are really terrrible at politics, aren't they?[/spoiler]

Cheers

Jim

[Third Estate Ned]

They could make the whole of the next season [spoiler]Tyrion and Varys running Meereen[/spoiler]

I'm picturing a high fantasy The Thick of It with more murder and nudity.

[ThryllSeekyr]

Because, bad luck or just hard is going to catch up with her sooner or later

Hard LUCK!

[Definitely Not Mister Pops]

Mild book spoilers below...

I do wonder where this current status quo leaves poor old [spoiler]Theon. In the books he's Stannis' captive, but with Stannis out of the picture.... Will Melisandre sacrifice him (he has King's Blood after all) to resurrect Jon? And will he give his life willingly to finally achieve some sense of redemption?[/spoiler]

I think book spoilers are pretty meaningless at this point. They've chucked the books out the window. Stannis is out the left, Brienne is upside down, whilst I can't figure out what they're doing with Jamie and Dorne.

And the Ironborn are nowhere to be seen.

Book spoilers (yes I know I declared them meaningless):

[spoiler]There's a theory that Daario Naharis and Euron Greyjoy are the same person.
That's why the Ironborn have been omitted from this season. Don a tinfoil hat and google "Daario Euron". It's a helova deep rabbit hole.[/spoiler]

[Famous Mortimer]

There's a theory that Daario Naharis and Euron Greyjoy are the same person.

I think when we start spoiling theories (for which the evidence is extraordinarily patchy, at best) then we might as well give up. The Ironborn were omitted from this season because there was already too much stuff anyway, I'd have thought.

If the Greyjoys and their friends become big characters next season, though, something will need to give. Dorne will have to be done, or Winterfell, or something. Even if they expand it to 8 seasons and not just 7, there's a ton of stuff that still needs to happen so I'm at a loss as to where it all goes.

It seems the smart money is on the show making sure they didn't go too far past the books in any of the main storylines to give GRRM the chance to actually publish the next book before season 6 starts - as if he doesn't, there'll be plenty of readers who'll just watch the show and read the book recap in a Wiki or something.

[Jim_Campbell]

I'm picturing a high fantasy The Thick of It with more murder and nudity.

That's a spin-off show, right there. If they could find room for Bronn, as well...

Cheers

Jim

[Jim_Campbell]

[Theblazeuk]

as if he doesn't, there'll be plenty of readers who'll just watch the show and read the book recap in a Wiki or something.

Crossed my mind the other night. But the big differences in [spoiler]Brienne & Jamie[/spoiler]'s storylines may keep me going back. Otherwise I care less about the book's threads than the TV shows, due to all the sprawl. For concrete examples see Dorne & The Ironborn.

[Bad City Blue]

I thought Lena Heady was superb in that last episode

[ThryllSeekyr]

I thought Lena Heady was superb in that last episode

I saw her naked 

[Hawkmumbler]

It was actually a body double.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Game-Thrones-Lena-Headey-Used-Body-Double-Cersei-Walk-72464.html

[Famous Mortimer]

I thought Lena Heady was superb in that last episode

She was, and I guess we're going to see her exact some revenge next season. But...she's sort of really really horrible, though, so seeing one horrible person get revenge on other horrible people is sort of a tough sell for the only storyline remotely connected to where the show started from.

All I'm asking for is a few people to root for. Is that too much to ask?

[ThryllSeekyr]

It was actually a body double.

http://www.cinemablend.com/television/Game-Thrones-Lena-Headey-Used-Body-Double-Cersei-Walk-72464.html

Now that you found that piece of info, I did think it was odd that her breasts were bigger and floppier than they looked in the 300 film. They say that happens to women after they have children of their own, though. 

[Richmond Clements]

This is a thread about Game of Thrones, not about what goes on in your head. Please refrain from posting stuff like this again.