Since the TV show is going to go ahead of the books, I thought we could have a thread that discusses both show and books, with spoilers in both directions.
Is this adequately titled and okay given the rules in place?
The episode definitely had a different vibe as a book reader. Probably the first episode where I really wasn’t sure where things were going to go. This season could be pretty exciting.
I felt the same. Have no idea where Sansa and Littlefinger’s road trip will take them.
I had heard that a character who doesn’t die in the books would die on the show, but I didn’t expect it to be Mance Rayder in the first episode. I never did understand the substitution in the books, or what Rayder et al. were up to at Winterfell.
Are we sure Rayder is dead?
They were supposed to free “Arya.”
I think he’s dead. I never liked the glamor. It didn’t add anything and just seemed like a Deus Ex Machina. The guy that burned acted like Mance too, not screaming like Rattleshirt did in the books.
Where will Sansa go? Spoiler for speculation based on leaked information.
Rumor has it she’s going to be married off to Ramsay.
Well, this should be interesting. I’m going into this season having read every book and the three short stories, and I’m just gonna let the show play out as it does. I know George has plenty of tricks up his sleeve that will still await us when Winds of Winter comes out, and I have no fear of being spoiled, since George is well aware that the mast majority of his book audience are going to be tuning in, and no way is he gonna let the show’s producers decide how his baby really plays out.
Anyone else think that these “the books DON"T EVEN EXIST…in fact the leaked episodes DON’T EVEN EXIST” folk need to get off their high thrones? I mean, it’s one thing to not discuss anything from the literature in the thread, but all of this LALAALALALALA THERE IS NO BOOK just seems insulting to both the author and his many fans, without which the TV show wouldn’t even exist either. Something that has just always bothered me about this site’s approach to the discussion.
I personally plan on watching them weekly, mainly because I prefer the show in all its HD glory and these leaks are nothing more than DVD rips.
Be back in an hour…
Yep, looks good. The only thing you may want to clarify is, because 4 episodes have been leaked, and the show is divulging further from the books, you may actually have legitimate spoilers here that are spoilers for the show that aren’t the same as the books. You might want to clarify whether such things would be allowed for discussion, if anyone acquires those future episodes and wants to discuss them early.
Wondering how they’re going to handle Mance’s fake death - I think there’s a very real possibility they actually just kill him. I really doubt they do the Rattleshirt/Mance fake-out, since Rattleshirt has barely shown up.
As for what he’s up to Winterfell, I think it’s one of those plots that George started in TWOW but the payoff comes in a later book. There’s a theory that
The ‘pink letter’ from Ramsay to Jon saying that he routed Stannis’ forces is actually written by Mance, not Ramsay.
Also (spoilers for rest of season):
Disappointed to know that the Iron Islanders plot won’t be covered this season. Wondering if it’ll show up in season 6 or just dropped entirely.
I guess I just assumed that really was Mance who died because I can’t even remember seeing Rattleshirt in the show. And I think Jane Poole would have shown up in Winterfell by now if that was going to be part of the show plot.
I enjoyed last night’s episode and was surprised when the credits rolled–thought we had a good 20 minutes to go–but none of the scenes really stand out in my mind. I suppose that’s the nature of first episodes–it essentially just established where (almost) everyone was.
On spoilers: I’d prefer it if people put stuff from the leaked shows into spoiler boxes but I’m okay with it if they don’t. At this point there’s so much rumor and speculation that it’s hard to remember where one heard/saw/read what.
Various other online fans have been noting some of the glances that Mance and Tormund seem to share at the very end, and are suggesting that Tormund may have been magic-swapped by Melisandre with Mance. I doubt it, but we’ll see.
I’m not ashamed to say that I didn’t really “get” the Mance/Rattleshirt swap in the books, and completely missed that the bard at Wintefell was Mance until reading with Wiki months after finishing the book.
So I guess I’m saying I’m OK with them dropping that entirely, or having Tormund lead the secret mission to Winterfell.
I thought Tormund was just sending Mance manly thoughts: “Don’t scream!” “I won’t scream!” But it was pretty intense and, now that I think about it, quite emphasized.
Why does it matter if Jon Snow is a virgin?
I noticed in the credits that it was listed as “Guest Star: Ciardan Hines” (or however you spell his name), meaning it seems like the switch-a-roo isn’t planned.
Oh, as for the Jon Snow being a virgin or not - that may mean he’d be more willing to forget his vows when Melissandre wants a new shadow baby perhaps?
It was an… ok first episode. I dunno where they are going to put Sansa, but one of my favorite part of the last two books was Sansa learning more and more cunning from the foot of the master. Oh well. I guess this means the Harold Hardyng plot is right out as well.
I missed the first ten minutes (did get to see Tyrion drink, vomit, drink-- yuck) but did they skip the very long and very boring boat trip (and the reason I gave up on the last book half-way through. Why are you introducing a new contender to the throne so late in the game, GRRM?). Or did Tyrion end the episode in Illyros mansion?
Yes, Varys gave Tyrion the option of continuing to slowly kill himself with wine, or hitting the road to Mereen to meet Dany. Tyrion decided to do both, but they have not left Pentos yet.
Harry the Heir, the Iron Islands, and–thanks be to God–Tyrion’s endless journey all seem to be cut.
Also the Martell dude who got zapped by the dragon. Talk about your pointless subplot.
I shall miss Aegon and Jon Connington (I’m currently re-reading Storm of Swords and they mention Connington a few times in it - subtle foreshadowing, George) :(. They are completely cutting that out - I wonder if they are cutting out the shocking end of Dance with Dragons - though if anyone can get back to Westeros in a flash, it’s likely Varys.
Remind me of the shocking end? Was it the possible but not likely death of Jon Snow?
The one involving Varys’s little birds killing Kevan Lannister (who was running everything after Cersei’s Walk of Shame and doing a decent job at it) and Grand Maester Pycelle.
Also cut: Illyrio Mopatis. I was hoping they’d bring back Ian McNeice from the unaired pilot since he’s who I always pictured when reading the novels.
