[Ceda Cicero]

 sorrysort, on 06 May 2013 - 08:34 PM, said:

I think Joff will be next season, but it will definitely be in the early middle, not a season capper. I may have mentioned this here before, but I think we will get Robb first, this season obviously, and then Balon's "accident" (IMO it should be on-screen, and maybe more overtly an introduction to Euron), and then Joff last. That's my preference, at least.

Last scene of episode 8 is going to be the leeches on the fire and Stannis invoking the deaths of Joffrey, Balon, and Robb. I'm calling it now. Next episode will have some scenes setting up Gendry on Dragonstone, then 8 will end on that ominous note. And then 9...

This post has been edited by Ceda Cicero: 06 May 2013 - 11:22 PM

[Overactive Imagination]

Haven't watched the most recent episode, but do people who are watching the show but haven't read the books have any idea who Balon is? Has he even been introduced yet?

[worry]

Balon was in a few episodes of season 2, and IMO he made a lasting impression. But it would make sense (to me at least) to leave him off till season 4 and reintroduce Iron Isles stuff then.

 Ceda Cicero, on 06 May 2013 - 11:21 PM, said:

Last scene of episode 8 is going to be the leeches on the fire and Stannis invoking the deaths of Joffrey, Balon, and Robb. I'm calling it now. Next episode will have some scenes setting up Gendry on Dragonstone, then 8 will end on that ominous note. And then 9...

I'm gonna put this in Spoilers, even though it is a personal guess that has no actual ability to spoil, except if I turn out right it would be an awesome surprise:

Spoiler

With the conflation of Gendry/Edric, it seems to me Davos will be saving him instead, though it would be a pretty tight fit to do that in episodes 7 and 8 alone, so I might be off here: But since we saw the jar-fetuses preserved, I'm thinking Melisandre will use them as the replacement royal blood for the premonition ritual, instead of those leeches from the book. Which would make for a pretty dark, gruesome scene. Failing that (like the Davos escape doesn't have time before then), the leeches on Gendry thing could work just as well, but I just have a hunch those fetuses aren't just window dressing, however they might be used.

[Ceda Cicero]

I like where your head's out re: fetuses but the blood of the king thing needs to happen I. 7, 8, or early 9 given what we're almost sure we know happens in 9.

Also, not that the show writers won't change it up (obv this is a huge possibility) but FWIW, Asha is definitely in this season (promos) and in the text we see her next when she returns following Balon's death, for the 'moot.

[Terez]

I can't believe it's almost over. Didn't the season just start? I see there is a week bye at the end of May, though. No GOT for my birthday.

The fetus-jars remind me of The Witching Hour.

[worry]

Ah, dang. I don't watch the "next time on..." advertisements. Oh well, it was a nice (well, not nice exactly) idea while it lasted.

[Blend]

I am thinking that this season's gonna end with the RW happening at the same time as Sansa getting married to Tyrion, you know, to juxtapose just how horrifying both events are.

[amphibian]

The Red Wedding is in three weeks (Episode 9). We just had Episode 6 last Sunday (The Climb). There is a tenth episode afterwards called "Mhysa" that will close the season.

I was hoping that they'd end this third season with Lady Stoneheart popping up, as that'd be a terrific cliffhanger. However, the timing may not work out and with Myhsa probably being Dany-centric, that might be difficult to work in.

This post has been edited by amphibian: 08 May 2013 - 02:25 PM

[worry]

I was hoping the same thing. It would give the Brotherhood (not to mention Michelle Fairley) something to do next season and give the writers more meat to invent non-book content. I think it still might be the final scene of the season (like Dany's dragons and the White Walker), some supernatural thing to end the season with a punch. It doesn't necessarily need a lot of careful timing or even much storytelling if it's the very last scene; all she needs to be is visibly angry and I think it packs a foreboding wallop of a cliffhanger.

[Blend]

 amphibian, on 08 May 2013 - 02:22 PM, said:

The Red Wedding is in three weeks (Episode 9). We just had Episode 6 last Sunday (The Climb). There is a tenth episode afterwards called "Mhysa" that will close the season.

I was hoping that they'd end this third season with Lady Stoneheart popping up, as that'd be a terrific cliffhanger. However, the timing may not work out and with Myhsa probably being Dany-centric, that might be difficult to work in.

Okay, well, Episode 9 then, but I still expect that RW and Tyrion/Sansa wedding will happen at the same time. I expect Joffrey's wedding to be during next season, and Tyrion/Tywin thing to be next season as well, perhaps how the season ends.

We haven't seen much of the Greyjoys this season (aside from Theon), and though it's been shown in promo material that at least Asha/Yara will be in it somewhere, I'd be surprised if it was more than just setup for the next season. I expect Season 4 will revolve mostly around the Iron Islands stuff, the things I mentioned above, and Stannis going to the Wall.

[Ceda Cicero]

 Briar King, on 08 May 2013 - 12:42 AM, said:

I hope Mel doesn't get to far with Gendry. I don't like that development at all actually even though I can see why their doing it. Seriously though with as much $ as this show is raking in could they not just cast as kid as Edric...?

I imagine it's less to do with cost and more to do with trying to keep the cast streamlined and the story tight where possible. Also IIRC, after they part ways in the books, Gendry goes off screen with the exception of a mention or a cameo here and there, right? This is probably a way for them to keep the character (who I think, if the books are any indicator, pretty clearly has a sizable role to play down the line) on screen and keep the actor who plays him (who's fairly well established in the UK, correct?) on the hook.

Also, totally unrelated, but this... I hope this was intentional on the part of the writers, because it's brilliant: D2E1PHd.jpg

[HoosierDaddy]

So... Robb's got a baby eh? Either miscarriage or MAJOR plot change.

[amphibian]

Jeyne got put into a house arrest situation. However, there is some speculation that the woman might have been switched out for a fake after the Red Wedding.

Talisa being pregnant really makes that likely because the tv show doesn't have time for reveals like that - as long as she doesn't die at the wedding.

The actresses playing Shae and Maegary are absolutely perfect castings. Sansa is almost as good, as she really is coming off as this dumb galoot who keeps getting her heart broken because she can't manipulate anyone herself after her father's death.

[Terez]

This episode was kind of underwhelming all around. I know GRRM wrote it; it's not as if he isn't capable of underwhelming, but I think it was only partly his fault. The best scene was Dany's, but mostly for the subtlety when she told Joras to find out who the powerful friends of Yunkai were. The Tywin-Joffrey scene was probably the next best, but it was kind of awkward, wasn't it? Osha's story was acted well but just not very interesting. Melisandre and Gendry was not bad. Margaery/Sansa, decent (with some hints about Margaery's muy misterioso sexual experience). The bear pit was underwhelming. Arya and the Hound, plot-moving and not much more.

[worry]

I dunno, I kinda liked the whole thing through and through...nice low simmer episode, with some glimmers of hope sprinkled throughout. The bear pit was a bit underwhelming, but (to me at least) only insofar as Locke is a lesser character than Vargo Hoat (though Noah Taylor sells him well, for what he is). I like how cold Melisandre is too, since we know Gendry's blood is important for a very different reason than he takes it. My favorite thing about the season has been people getting their hopes raised only to get smashed. I get the feeling I'm liking Theon's storyline, a microcosm of this season-long phenomenon, a lot more than other people. But I think it's a valuable notion to get across, with both broad and narrow strokes.

This post has been edited by sorrysort: 13 May 2013 - 06:03 AM

[Jakovasaurus]

Holy shit! The biggest star to appear in the show so far! Bart the mother fuckin Bear! Yes!

Also, what the hell! Only three episodes left .... booooooo!

Finally, I want a pet dragon.... dammit!

[Terez]

I always forget about Theon. His scene was better than Dany's; I've said a few times by now that I'm glad this is happening on screen because I stopped caring about Theon when he disappeared in the books, and the horror of what he went through was not conveyed very well when he returned, though GRRM gave it a good try. I wonder if he only left it out because people were accusing him of being brutal for the sake of it.

[worry]

That actually is what some folks (not here I don't think) are saying about his scenes in the show, so I think you're right (though I was personally happy with "Reek"/the books since they manage it a completely different and literary way, though it seems for you that wasn't as successful and I see your point). But I think those people are focusing too much on what it says about Ramsay -- which is admittedly plenty -- and not enough on what it says about Roose.

[Terez]

I think show-watchers barely have a grip on who the Boltons are and why they should care other than maybe OH HEY CRAZY SNOWPERSON (if that). Hell, I barely have more of a grip than that and I have read the books twice. But I am extremely ADD and have to read something at least 5 times to remember everything.

[TheRetiredBridgeburner]

I think Terez is right about show-onlys and the Boltons. My other half (who hasn't read the books) finally got round to asking me who's torturing Theon last night (after us both commenting the actor is just fantastic.) As neither of us likes things given on a plate we played a guessing game with me dropping hints.

He hadn't even really registered who the Boltons were - in fairness I don't remember it being explained at any point definitively who they were (could be me).