# Valar Hiatus: The Game of Thrones offseason thread **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Tags:** tv-shows-scripted\ **Created:** [June 5, 2012, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208 "2012-06-05T22:13:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 49
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/961 "2019-04-13T14:50:14Z")
Oh, that is wonderful! The Lannisters have a million man army! How many people in our small town? Ten million. \ And the Battle of the Bastards absolutely needed that dance scene. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/962 "2019-04-13T14:56:25Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > I do wonder if the end is the same place and how far before the end do the timelines merge. I think a few scenarios are possible at this point: 1. Martin has fully written both final books and is holding them because he doesn’t want to take attention away from the show. \<— my crazy optimistic hope. 2. Martin has only written the next book and some is the same, some different. 3. He still hasn’t finished enough of anything to publish any time soon and we won’t get a book until 2020 or beyond. He’s been changing things and having to go back and re-write whole sections. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/963 "2019-04-13T15:11:00Z")
I think the reality is closer to “Martin knows what the main plot points are supposed be but he has a lot of trouble actually writing himself there, the show simply handwaves away anything problematic or that doesn’t make sense in order to make it look cool”. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2019, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/964 "2019-04-13T19:00:09Z")
> [@DigitalC](#): > > I think the reality is closer to “Martin knows what the main plot points are supposed be but he has a lot of trouble actually writing himself there, the show simply handwaves away anything problematic or that doesn’t make sense in order to make it look cool”. This was certainly true for the Mereen plot in the book vs the show. Although I doubt GRRM will end up sticking that ending he clearly struggled and attempted to get a tight plot out of it where the show just relied on deus ex dragon. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/965 "2019-04-14T14:01:53Z")
Watching the season 6 marathon on HBO yesterday and I caught a continuity error. Forgive me if this has already been mentioned in the previous 20 pages. Jon, Lady Lyanna, Davos, and Sansa et al are meeting Ramsey Bolton for some general taunting/parley/bowing up before the Battle of the Bastards. In disgust, Sansa departs the meeting before anyone else leaves. After she leaves, Ramsey mentions his hounds are hungry because he hasn’t fed them in seven days. After the battle, Ramsey is tied up in his kennel. Sansa is outside, and tells him, “You said it yourself, you haven’t fed them in seven days.” Now, Jon could have told her later after the meeting, but her wording, “You said it yourself” makes it seem like she heard him, but she didn’t. She’d left. Ah well, with such a sweeping epic story across multiple locales boo-boos are going to creep in. (I still wonder how they got Ramsey in the kennel and unlocked the dog cages without getting attacked by the hounds themselves.) Speaking of the books, Diana Gabaldon (Outlander fame) is good friends with George. She shares a story that some years ago, George asked her what do you do when you killed off a character you shouldn’t have? Diana’s advice was you’re the God of this universe, bring him or her back, but of course now everyone is speculating who that dead character could be. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/966 "2019-04-14T15:56:22Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Speaking of the books, Diana Gabaldon (Outlander fame) is good friends with George. She shares a story that some years ago, George asked her what do you do when you killed off a character you shouldn’t have? Diana’s advice was you’re the God of this universe, bring him or her back, but of course now everyone is speculating who that dead character could be. Jon? ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/967 "2019-04-14T16:04:01Z")
Jon’s “dead” in the last book. We don’t know what happens next. I’m thinking it’s the Dorne boy (can’t remember his name) who tried to free Dany’s dragons and got scorched to death for his troubles. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/968 "2019-04-14T16:46:19Z")
May the Seven help me, I’m thinking about getting HBO Now (previously I waited for the DVDs) Thought 1: I’ll wait until the series is done an binge during the free trial week Thought 2: Wait a bit and pay for one month (~$15 + tax) Thought 3: The whole series is ~$30 (less than I paid for the DVDs) I’m sure HBO is counting on folks signing up to watch GoT and then not bothering to cancel. Brian ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/969 "2019-04-14T17:02:38Z")
I was thinking about waiting until after it was over, getting the free trial and binge-watching, but then I realized it’s the last season, I want to be part of the social experience too. Who’s going to talk about episode one with me 6-7 weeks later? I want to enjoy the ride with everyone else as it happens. I WILL cancel, though. Contract job doesn’t pay as much as my former job. ---
**Author:** ![TroutMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/troutman/32/6721_2.png) [@TroutMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroutMan)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 5:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/970 "2019-04-14T17:05:32Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > I’m sure HBO is counting on folks signing up to watch GoT and then not bothering to cancel. It’s a good plan. This is me after the _last_ season. Now I don’t have to deal with signing up again! ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/971 "2019-04-14T17:11:27Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > May the Seven help me, I’m thinking about getting HBO Now (previously I waited for the DVDs) > Thought 1: I’ll wait until the series is done an binge during the free trial week > Thought 2: Wait a bit and pay for one month (~$15 + tax) > Thought 3: The whole series is ~$30 (less than I paid for the DVDs) > > I’m sure HBO is counting on folks signing up to watch GoT and then not bothering to cancel. > > Brian > [@ivylass](#): > > I was thinking about waiting until after it was over, getting the free trial and binge-watching, but then I realized it’s the last season, I want to be part of the social experience too. Who’s going to talk about episode one with me 6-7 weeks later? I want to enjoy the ride with everyone else as it happens. > > I WILL cancel, though. Contract job doesn’t pay as much as my former job. I signed up yesterday and believe that one payment gets me through the season. 1 free week + one month pay should add up to about the right time to get through the season. Tonight, I watch the episode “live” on HBO Now and will find out if it is functional enough to work. ---
**Author:** ![Gray\_Ghost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c0e974/32.png) [@Gray\_Ghost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gray_Ghost)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 6:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/972 "2019-04-14T18:25:40Z")
In other related news, of the “No Shit” variety, Game of Thrones strongman Hafthor Julius Bjornsson admits to taking steroids. [GoT's strongman champ admits to steroid use - ESPN](http://www.espn.com/espn/story/_/id/26522096/got-strongman-champ-admits-steroid-use) FTA: > [@](#): > > Bjornsson did not elaborate on when he has used performance-enhancing drugs. Asked how often he takes steroids and if he’s still doing it, Bjornsson deferred: “Can we just skip those questions?” > > The annual World’s Strongest Man (WSM) competition officially prohibits the use of PEDs, but it is not clear the extent or effectiveness of its drug testing for its athletes “He’s ripped his arms off!” [Watch Saturday Night Live Clip: Update: All-Drug Olympics - NBC.com](https://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/update-all-drug-olympics/n9691) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/973 "2019-04-14T20:14:22Z")
'Tis but a scratch. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/974 "2019-04-14T21:13:45Z")
Valar Subscribus. You will all help me cancel, right? Brian ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/975 "2019-04-14T22:21:22Z")
> [@N9IWP](#): > > Valar Subscribus. > You will all help me cancel, right? > > Brian We will remind you. You may even say that you have done it. But secretly, you will be binging Westworld. You’ll be wanting to talk to us about it, but unable to because you’ve told us you quit. Eventually, you will become desperate enough to create a sock puppet in order to engage the debate about sentience, emotion, and morality. And the socks will increase. The Girls sock persona won’t fit with a True Detective discussion, and you’ll begin to attempt regional accents to differentiate them. When you confuse the Deadwood sock with the Big Little Lies sock, the mods will catch you and kick you off the Dope for puppeteering. ::shakes head sadly:: But yes, we’ll remind you. ---
**Author:** ![aurora\_maire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aurora_maire/32/328_2.png) [@aurora\_maire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aurora_maire)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2019, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/976 "2019-04-14T23:46:59Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I was thinking about waiting until after it was over, getting the free trial and binge-watching, but then I realized it’s the last season, I want to be part of the social experience too. Who’s going to talk about episode one with me 6-7 weeks later? I want to enjoy the ride with everyone else as it happens. > > I WILL cancel, though. Contract job doesn’t pay as much as my former job. I decided to sign up a month ago, getting a $10/month deal. I wanted to rewatch the entire series, which I did at a couple episodes a day. It was worth it to see it all again because I had forgotten so much. And I also look forward to talking about it in real time. I’ll cancel as soon as it’s over. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/977 "2019-04-15T00:18:43Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > Jon’s “dead” in the last book. We don’t know what happens next. > > I’m thinking it’s the Dorne boy (can’t remember his name) who tried to free Dany’s dragons and got scorched to death for his troubles. Yeah, I couldn’t figure out who it meant but that’s a good guess. He died off “screen” and usually those characters (e.g. Davos) aren’t really dead. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 12:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/978 "2019-04-15T00:22:46Z")
Quentyn? I can’t imagine the most boring character from ADWD is someone GRRM decided he absolutely must have going forward. Jon doesn’t seem to make sense since there are a lot of textual hints that GRRM plans to bring hium back already. ---
**Author:** ![DigitalC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ebca7d/32.png) [@DigitalC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DigitalC)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/979 "2019-04-15T00:42:36Z")
There are really very few dead characters that could serve any purpose going forward. Mance Rayder maybe? ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [April 15, 2019, 12:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208/980 "2019-04-15T00:47:17Z")
Geez, it’s so obvious! Syrio Forel. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208.md?page=48) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/valar-hiatus-the-game-of-thrones-offseason-thread/624208.md?page=50)