I was surprised the iron born turned up *after* the battle.

From the released chapters of book 6 , Barriston Selmy is supposed to lead a fairly brave but hopeless charge against the Yunkai line and the ironborn arrive and attack from the rear and save the day.

The ironborn are led by Victarion though not Asha (sorry 'Yara', we plebs couldnt possibly understand that the wildling osha and the ironborn asha were different people so name change time!) and it seems that Asha and Victarion have been rolled into one character of Yara.. a bit like Jora Mormont and Jon Conningham are also sharing one body

A full season of standup training paid off big IMO.

My prediction is that the season ends with dynaris/ironborn landing at Dorne to tie up the sandsnakes plot and replace Conningtons 'book' plot landing at dragonstone.

Oooh I like this one. Yes that would make sense in multiple ways. I had almost written off Dorn as being complete... but then again they DID specifically say that a MAN wouldn't rule in Dorn again.... so that was probably deliberate. But Book Danny isn't going to Dorn though, is she? The Dornish Prince died while releasing the dragons IIRC.... or am I mistaken?

Dorne seems like the natural place for her to land in force in the book and show. North of the mountains she would be cut off from her best allies in Dorne and be more likely to be interrupted before she can dig in.

OK...I did see it last night. I'm.....torn. So much of it was really cool, but so much of it was so disappointing when compared to the books. It's so hard to divorce myself from the books. So many things.

From the released chapters of book 6 , Barriston Selmy is supposed to lead a fairly brave but hopeless charge against the Yunkai line and the ironborn arrive and attack from the rear and save the day.

I wouldn't say that Selmy's charge was hopeless. It was just hinged on the Sellswords turning cloak. Were they going to do it? Would the enemy heavy cav charge before the Unsullied can form up? It would just be a sortie vs. the war machines, but turned into more once the Iron Born showed up and the Dragons helped.

The TV show just kind of turned it into a "we crush you silly now" moment. The whole bit talking to the Masters was pretty cool, though. It was good tv, but just not as good as the book. Ugh.....torn.

I'm fully expecting Rickon to live in the books. I feel like he was killed off just to make things easier.

Man....the North is utterly defenseless after this. Everyone is dead. There is hardly anyone left. The Wildlings are few in numbers. The rest of the Northermen are utterly weakened....both sides of that conflict! If it weren't for the Vale, then that place would be wide open.

Very cool to see the Vale get into the action. They have been holding themselves clear the whole war and are untouched! They are a force to be reckoned with. Well, the same with Dorne. Highgarden lost troops at the Battle of the Brirghtwater, but haven't really been involved elsewise.

I don't think Danny is going to Westeros next episode. They have to prepare. I also saw the previews and she's going to be getting ready and make a big appearance next season. Early next season is going to be her showing up. There are too many other things going on that need to be dealt with in one hour. She will go to Dorne, though. She lands where Nymeria landed ages ago. She gets their troops added to her list. She marches north. We will have to see what's left of King's Landing and who's actually in charge.

The big fight will happen at The Wall. I think there will be Dragons on the Wall fighting off the Others. There are spells all through the Wall and the Others won't be able to get through easy. I think it will be what's left of the North, Night's Watch, Wildlings, and the Vale holding off while Danny slowly makes her way up.

So really torn with the episode. So much cool stuff, but still not as good as the books.

Ozzy-Man Review of ep9 is his best to date.

I see two big plots still to come:

1 - Dany's arrival in Westeros and war for the Iron Throne. Bear in mind at this point she's completely unaware of the threat posed by the White Walkers and the coming of winter. As far as she - and her advisors in Varys, Tyrion, Yara, Daario and even the Dornish should it come to that - are aware, the endgame is the Iron Throne and the Seven Kingdoms. So, she arrives, gathers allies and retakes Kings Landing from the Lannisters and their allies - and will only finally learn of the true threat once she ventures North to Winterfell. This is where the fates of the Lannisters, the Hound/Mountain, the Faith Militant, Greyjoys and Euron Greyjoy will be decided.

2 - the War against the White Walkers. Jon and Dany meet. Dany finally learns of the REAL threat. They unite the remaining armies of the Seven Kingdoms for an epic do-or-die battle against the forces of the Dead. This is where elements such as Jon's parentage, Bran's warging and the followers of the Lord of Light and the resurrection of Beric, Jon, Benjenm and maybe others will be resolved.

That looks like two stories for two seasons to me.

I'm not sure there will be much left of KL by the time Dany gets there.

Well, Casterly Rock then. The Lannister army and opposition needs to be scrubbed off the board. Let's face it, they (and the Freys) are never going to work with the rest.

Also, I have no idea where Littlefinger fits into the picture but someone's getting knifed in the back.

Jon Snow is Batman

Well, Casterly Rock then. The Lannister army and opposition needs to be scrubbed off the board. Let's face it, they (and the Freys) are never going to work with the rest.

Also, I have no idea where Littlefinger fits into the picture but someone's getting knifed in the back.

Are we ever going to get back to Dorne? I know the show tried to wrap Dorne up in the beginning of the season, but now with the Sand Snakes in power, I doubt they just sit there without making a play. I mean that was their whole purpose behind the coup. Or our the producers hoping the audience just forgets about them since the whole storyline didn't work that well?

Happy Sh*tting

Pretty sure that Dorne is where Varys was headed.

Edit: ...and it wasn't exactly "wrapped up". The entire point of the Sand Snakes coup (and killing of Romeo and Juliet) was so that they could send Dorne tonwar with the Lannisters, in revenge for Oberyn, Elia and her children...

I think that we will be there next episode. Varys had to be going somewhere and they are DEFINITELY the most sympathetic kingdom to her cause. Additionally, I think that a certain thorny woman will be there as well as she could not be nominated for best guest actress this season and the criteria for that is that they cannot appear in >1/2 of the episodes in a season (she has been in 4 as of now so one more makes 5).

Edit: Gotta stop being so long winded....

Well, Casterly Rock then. The Lannister army and opposition needs to be scrubbed off the board. Let's face it, they (and the Freys) are never going to work with the rest.

Also, I have no idea where Littlefinger fits into the picture but someone's getting knifed in the back.

Agreed. It is hard to believe that everyone up north right now will survive next week.

I dunno.....I think Jamie can easily work with whomever, especially from the book point of view. I wonder if he loses his position in the books. I'm tempted to say no. We don't know what will happen to Cersei at this season finale. Maybe she's dead? Or locked in jail for the rest of her life? Or some other marginalization. All that's left is her uncle...Kevin? It's him and the small council in power....well, besides the Sparrow. I could see the High Sparrow being murdered and the whole city going into riot. Everyone's dying. Then, Danny shows up with her army and Dragons and scares the crap out of them all.

With Jamie out of the Kingsguard, I don't see him really having a place in Kings Landing. I think they will shuffle him off. Once he's not there, he's basically just Warden of the West for House Lannister. I could see him easily bend the knee to Danny and the New World Order as it approaches. It's either that or to publicly acknowledge Tommen as his son....which means he isn't really in line for being king anyways. So that just leaves no one really in charge to take the Iron Throne other than Danny. The Baratheon line is dead.

Well, Casterly Rock then. The Lannister army and opposition needs to be scrubbed off the board. Let's face it, they (and the Freys) are never going to work with the rest.

Also, I have no idea where Littlefinger fits into the picture but someone's getting knifed in the back.

Agreed. It is hard to believe that everyone up north right now will survive next week.

I dunno.....I think Jamie can easily work with whomever, especially from the book point of view. I wonder if he loses his position in the books. I'm tempted to say no. We don't know what will happen to Cersei at this season finale. Maybe she's dead? Or locked in jail for the rest of her life? Or some other marginalization. All that's left is her uncle...Kevin? It's him and the small council in power....well, besides the Sparrow. I could see the High Sparrow being murdered and the whole city going into riot. Everyone's dying. Then, Danny shows up with her army and Dragons and scares the crap out of them all.

With Jamie out of the Kingsguard, I don't see him really having a place in Kings Landing. I think they will shuffle him off. Once he's not there, he's basically just Warden of the West for House Lannister. I could see him easily bend the knee to Danny and the New World Order as it approaches. It's either that or to publicly acknowledge Tommen as his son....which means he isn't really in line for being king anyways. So that just leaves no one really in charge to take the Iron Throne other than Danny. The Baratheon line is dead.

That meeting with him and the freys... I am really just getting a bad feeling for him there. I think some **** is gonna go down there which as long as it kills/ **** with/ inconveniences the freys I am all for. But if Bronn or Jaime get harmed that will kind of put a damper on it. Though, show! Jaime is kind of a *****.

Yea for the first time as a reader or watcher of the series I am mentally preparing myself for Jaime's death.

Maybe he'll pull a Blackfish and leave the room just before it goes down...

Nothing good happens at the Twins.

Though, show! Jaime is kind of a *****.

He's better in the books, especially the later ones...where he disses Cercei.

To be fair his internal monologue in the show is probably more conflicted than the face he wears for someone like Edmure.

That letter he sent to Dorne wasn't exactly praising Cersei.

Remember there are a good few uncommitted houses in the North.

House Glover for example wouldnt side with Jon before the battle but may well do now. Likewise the Manderleys and the minor houses.

Remember there are a good few uncommitted houses in the North.

House Glover for example wouldnt side with Jon before the battle but may well do now. Likewise the Manderleys and the minor houses.

In the book or show? Manderleys were almost non existent in the show.

I don't know....2-3 houses does not an army make.

Someone just needs to kick Sansa

Remember there are a good few uncommitted houses in the North.

House Glover for example wouldnt side with Jon before the battle but may well do now. Likewise the Manderleys and the minor houses.

In the book or show? Manderleys were almost non existent in the show.

I don't know....2-3 houses does not an army make.

Well both really, i think the whole point of Jon going to Glover and being refused was to show that there were more houses in the north 'sittting on the fence'. I mean they've barely been mentioned til now, likewise the mormonts as an actual 'house'.

I think it just lets them 'pull in the minor houses' withouth people going 'where did they come from'

I wonder if Jamie is going to let Edmure and the remaining Tully forces wipe out the Freys? He obviously made some kind of deal with Edmure for him to turn on the Blackfish and surrender Riverrun. He also said he could be reunited with his wife and children and not just sit in a dungeon.

Maybe he said "you give us Riverrun, and I'll let you have the Freys".