[Terez]

Greyscale mystery solved at least. It's actually very fitting, to the point that I really think it's an improvement over what happened in the books.

There was another big foreshadowing on Jon Targaryen in this episode. They're really beating us book readers over the head with it, though of course it's all very subtle for the show-only folks. But just as Aemon said that about it being a terrible thing for a Targaryen to be alone in the world, Jon walks in, and the camera takes its time focusing on him. Very unsubtle for us.

Looks like the season finale will be the Battle of Winterfell. I hope we get more closure on that than we did in the books.

[Abyss]

I'm enjoying the Boltons Sansa plot far more than I expected to. Not sure Brienne's contribution will be worthwhile, but the writers seem to like her so we can hope.
Liked the Wall segments... Stannis continues to impress far more than his book counterpart, Jon spends less time doing nothing.
Dany talking about her children was a nice touch. Liking how her marriage is working out here.
Tyron and Mormont's excellent adventure is proceeding nicely. Solid use of the greyscale subplot there.
So far so so good this season.

[worry]

Greyscale stuff would have had better impact if it weren't just the both of them; could have done with a horrific death or two of some redshirts, or a longer ratcheting up of tension (the ol' "distant movement, I thought I just saw something, but maybe not" gag). But they looked cool enough.

I actually think the stuff at the Wall might be an improvement on the books, particularly sending Jon and Tormund north (where Rattleshirt will be the antagonist, and presumably Varamyr will be introduced). I don't mind the how-sausage-is-made stuff at the wall (or Meereen) for the most part in the books, but it does feel like killing time as the points get made incrementally and repetitively. The show is cutting out the repetitions. It's not quite as successful with Dany though, as the PTSD from the shepherd's kid seems to have worn off mighty fast and the focus is still mostly on governing and teenage dragon growing pains rather than the value of a life.

This episode seemed to set up a lot of season climax stuff:
The Citadel gets a mention, as well as Aemon's health. Sam's gonna go study dragonglass and the Children where they got more books. Perhaps travel this season, revelation next season (in tandem w/ Bran returning to the show)?
The Night's Watch split, and I think this set Olly up to be the one to do the deed to Jon in the end maybe. If I were a betting man.
All the "North Remembers" stuff from townsfolk re: Sansa. Not sure if Roose AND Ramsay will be got by the end of the season, but one of them will be. And Myranda most definitely.

[worry]

Also, Roose's scene alone with Ramsay was a twisted replay of the scene between Stannis and Shireen last episode. Really well done, as much as his parallels with Tywin were in previous seasons.

[QuickTidal]

Two things I loved about the ep...The shot of Tyrion and Mormont on the beach, was amazingly crafted, right down to the elegant mirror relfections of them in the water behind them.

I also loved that the ruins of Old Valyria gave off the vibe of Angkor Wat in Cambodia...Jungle Ruins. Very cool.

[Terez]

worry, on 11 May 2015 - 10:17 AM, said:

The Night's Watch split, and I think this set Olly up to be the one to do the deed to Jon in the end maybe. If I were a betting man.

That theory surfaced at Theoryland last week. It might have surfaced at Westeros even before then.

[LinearPhilosopher]

Terez, on 11 May 2015 - 03:03 AM, said:

Greyscale mystery solved at least. It's actually very fitting, to the point that I really think it's an improvement over what happened in the books.

what mystery are your reffering to?

[Terez]

BalrogLord, on 11 May 2015 - 06:37 PM, said:

Terez, on 11 May 2015 - 03:03 AM, said:

Greyscale mystery solved at least. It's actually very fitting, to the point that I really think it's an improvement over what happened in the books.

what mystery are your reffering to?

Just the mystery of who would get it. It was obvious someone would get it, since they were referring to greyscale so much in the previous episodes, but Connington was out.

[Melnibonean Wanderer]

So...White Walker/wight apocalypse in Westeros with a stone men/greyscale apocalypse in Essos? I think greyscale is gonna take the place of the Pale Mare from book five.

[Blend]

Terez, on 11 May 2015 - 05:03 PM, said:

worry, on 11 May 2015 - 10:17 AM, said:

The Night's Watch split, and I think this set Olly up to be the one to do the deed to Jon in the end maybe. If I were a betting man.

That theory surfaced at Theoryland last week. It might have surfaced at Westeros even before then.

Though I see why people would think that Oly will be the one to kill Jon, I still think it'll be the same guy as in the books.

They've made a point of having him pointedly disagree with Jon's decision to try to work with the Wildlings for a reason, don't you think?

[Terez]

Blend, on 12 May 2015 - 04:34 PM, said:

Terez, on 11 May 2015 - 05:03 PM, said:

worry, on 11 May 2015 - 10:17 AM, said:

The Night's Watch split, and I think this set Olly up to be the one to do the deed to Jon in the end maybe. If I were a betting man.

That theory surfaced at Theoryland last week. It might have surfaced at Westeros even before then.

Though I see why people would think that Oly will be the one to kill Jon, I still think it'll be the same guy as in the books.

They've made a point of having him pointedly disagree with Jon's decision to try to work with the Wildlings for a reason, don't you think?

Apparently they have cast Bowen Marsh for this season, but he hasn't spoken yet, I don't think. Whether Olly does the deed or not, I'm sure his position as Jon's steward will play into it somehow. Either way, it will probably happen in episode 10.

I just noticed the other day that we don't have any off-weeks this season.

[worry]

I mean it's kinda be like Caesar, right, with multiple people taking part. But Olly is gonna be the "et tu, Brute?" one.

[Terez]

worry, on 12 May 2015 - 08:35 PM, said:

I mean it's kinda be like Caesar, right, with multiple people taking part. But Olly is gonna be the "et tu, Brute?" one.

I thought that was Jon.

[worry]

What do you mean? I'm saying Jon will be Caesar, and Olly will be Brutus (because he's the only one left capable, assuming they won't screw up Edd and Sam will be gone by then).

[amphibian]

worry, on 12 May 2015 - 09:09 PM, said:

What do you mean? I'm saying Jon will be Caesar, and Olly will be Brutus (because he's the only one left capable, assuming they won't screw up Edd and Sam will be gone by then).

The way you worded your first statement, it is unclear as to who exactly will be doing the stabbity stab mcstabbingstabson. Et tu, Brute was said by Julius, as we all know, but when you say "Et tu, Brute guy", who is doing the dying and who is doing the killing?

[Terez]

The plague.

[Binder of Demons]

Do we know in the books, or in the show, how to stop the spread of greyscale? I know Stannis kind of referred to it, without saying exactly how it was stopped on Shireen.

Or is Ser Jorah a goner?

[Terez]

I suppose that depends on what GRRM's plans for it were, and whether B&W have discussed it with him. They seem to have felt it was an important detail to preserve. Jorah seems to be acting the same way as Connington did, keeping it a secret and perhaps trying remedies on his own. As someone said earlier it might replace the pale mare in Mereen, but I'm not sure that Connington's greyscale was ever intended to be a plague in Westeros.

[Binder of Demons]

Interesting. It's so long since I read the books, that I'm even drawing a blank on several of the things you've alluded to. But I disliked such large chunks of 'Feast..", I just can't see myself going back and reading it anytime soon.

I like the fact that there are storylines being merged, and timetables being accelerated in the TV show, since it adds an element of mystery to the remaining seasons, and in fairness B&W (&GRRM) seem to have made really sensible adjustments thus far. So I'll trust their judgement.

I am curious as to where they will choose to end this season.

[Terez]

Binder of Demons, on 12 May 2015 - 11:48 PM, said:

Interesting. It's so long since I read the books, that I'm even drawing a blank on several of the things you've alluded to. But I disliked such large chunks of 'Feast..", I just can't see myself going back and reading it anytime soon.

I like the fact that there are storylines being merged, and timetables being accelerated in the TV show, since it adds an element of mystery to the remaining seasons, and in fairness B&W (&GRRM) seem to have made really sensible adjustments thus far. So I'll trust their judgement.

I am curious as to where they will choose to end this season.

In the books, it was Jon Connington (Aegon's protector) who dove into the water to save Tyrion from the Stone Men. He got greyscale and managed to conceal it from everyone up to the point where ADWD left off, or AFFC, or whichever it was. I forget. Anyway, it looks like that's what Jorah will do as well. Connington was trying some home remedies, so we can probably expect Jorah to do the same.

The weird thing is that Jorah and Tyrion hadn't yet reached Dany by the end of ADWD—even by the two Tyrion chapters of TWOW read/released so far—and it looks like we'll see that before the end of this season. That's uncharted territory, so there's no telling how it will go.

Episode 9 is named "The Dance of Dragons" and there is a character called "Pit Announcer" so I'm guessing that there will be something reminiscent of Drogon's appearance in the fighting pits, perhaps something reminiscent of Quentyn Martell's end too.

I am expecting the Battle of Winterfell and Jon's stabbing too. There is a "Baratheon General" cast for 5.9, along with Stannis, Roose, and Ramsey; that crew also features heavily in 5.10. "Yara" appears in both episodes. Jon and Theon only appear in 5.10. Sansa's last episode appears to be 5.8.