The next two episodes are going to be dynamic. Can't wait!

Glad Arya is finally done with that nonsense. Lol at the theories about that not being really her were wrong.

Feels like they dodged a bullet not hamfisting LSH in there all of the sudden.

I'm curious as to the rumor Cersei inquired about (and the nature of Varys' expedition).

So the guy that was hanged - that was not Theon's uncle who wanted to rebuild a fleet of ships?

No. That wasn't Euron. Just looks like him.

Possibly she plans to

Technically Beric hasn't been seen since Season 3 episode 7, and Catelyn hasn't been seen since Season 3 episode 9. So I don't see how bringing Beric back to the show instead of her is any less of hamfisting.

So many Catelyn references and then Beric shows up? LOL the trolling.

Maybe they want to remind us who Beric is and then show him resurrecting Catelyn in an episode?

It's just wishful thinking at this point, but I guess I'll never truly accept no LSH till the credits roll on episode 806.

Also The Hound takes a piss in the river - perhaps another piece of "piss on LS" trolling from D&D lol

So Cersei is going Mad king cray?

Why hasn't Lena HEady won Emmys for this? She has been a beast for the past three seasons.

The last 3 episodes have been so much build-up, it's getting a bit tiring. Looking forward to next week again, but there's really too many plots to progress. I can't say I wan't them to omit anything, but it's tough to watch a show that processes to little story from episode to episode.

I watched the preview to ep.9, and it's awesome and long awaited. Do look forward to it.

May as well! The "KL as the center of political intrigue" plot thread feels kind of played out, at this point.

I don't think that storyline ever really recovered from losing Tywin as such a dynamic anchoring force.

Last 300 pages of ADWD were great. Though the plot of Feast and Dance definitely could have been combined into one great book instead of two good ones.

Ranking

Storm (overall Game is better paced, but Storm has much better individual moments)
Game
Feast
Dance
Clash (I was really only invested in what happened in King's Landing in this one.)

No one responds to posts in the Literature forum.

My predictions for Battle of the Bastards:

- Ramsay seems to be winning at first but a combo of Melisandre's magic, the Knights of the Vale making a sudden appearance AS WELL as the Tully army, led by the now-revealed-to-have-actually-not-died Blackfish, destroy Ramsay's forces.
- However, Ramsay has Rickon murdered in some gruesome way in front of Jon Snow/Sansa when it seems he will lose, maybe even as a bargaining chip to prevent them from overrunning his forces
- Sansa dies in some heroic way, completing her character ark of dumb meek girl to fearless leader
- With her dying words she tells Jon he is a true Stark (as the eldest surviving Stark this would make her capable of de-bastardizing him?)
- Jon assumes the title of Lord of Winterfell and sets up camp there
- Arya reunites with him there in season finale

I think it will also be revealed at one point that Tywin Lannister did not actually father any children and all of them are really bastards

Sansa is not dying, lol. Melisandre and Tormund are, though. Rickon probably too.

In the finale, Jaime is killing Cersei after she tries to burn the city after Tommen dies. Kevan and Pycelle will hopefully also die.

And you're gonna get so many replies about books here? And you're offtopic anyway.

I don't think Sansa is gonna die. Beside shock value no reason for her to die. She's better off as ruler of Winterfell. A Stark needs to stay there.

A major theme of the series is the notion that familial relations are more than just blood, it's the people you choose to be there for and invest in. Hence the Knight's Watch acting as a family of sorts for its members who have largely been expelled by their own. John becoming 'The Stark at Winterfell' instead of Sansa after leading the charge to retake the castle and leaving the Knight's Watch to finally take part in the war in Westeros would play wonderfully into this theme.

This episode is already crazy as fuck.

Great episode, I loved the battle of Mereen. But the highlight was the battle of Winterfell, amazing battle. It did seem like something out of the middle age. I know the knights of the vale would come in and save the day. However, RIP Rikon, RIP WunWun (was sad he got it). Good riddance to Ramsey who got what he deserved.