shortpplfedup

I assume the 'Warrior' they're casting for is Marwyn the Mage. It's either 'him, or a completely unknown character.

It just occured to me that Dan has left one slave city unfreed: Volantis.

I've been thinking quite a bit about why Sam's little aside/interlude was part of the final episode. In an episode that appeared to cut the cast of characters down to those who look most likely to play a part in the endgame, why Sam and the Citadel? Of course, the Maesters have knowledge of the realm and its history that no one else does, Sam might just be our entry point character to that, but I think it's a bit more. After all, the Small Council must include the Grand Maester to the King (or Queen). This whole story is about unlikely people being elevated to command or high position...why not Sam as Grand Maester?

Honestly, I feel like a lot of speculation surrounding Sansa, her motivations and future assume facts simply not in evidence show-wise, or even book-wise. I think her blank canvas status leads fans to imprint their own desires onto her storyline. I'd honestly be surprised if any of the fan theories regarding her come to pass, and doubt that she is crucial in the endgame in the way people expect (through some never-expressed or implied desire to be QITN or of the Seven Kingdoms, or to marry Jon and have Sophie Turner/Kit Harington babies). The text just doesn't read/watch that way for me, neither does the subtext.

We’re in the endgame now and I am fascinated by both the politics, and how they still come into play even with the Long Night approaching. I’m approaching this is terms of the three people who have shaken out to be the major players in the final push: Cersei, Dany and Jon. Cersei: is probably the most vulnerable that she’s ever been. The Lannisters are broke, the Crown is in serious debt to the Iron Bank and the Reach is most definitely going to cut off the food supply after Cersei murdered the Lord Paramount. She’s alienated at least 3 of the Seven Kingdoms, and the rest are shaky. The North, the Reach and Dorne will never back her reign. The Westerlands will, but for how long now that the Lannister money is gone? The Riverlands are in a state of purgatory (depending on how many Freys Arya kills and how the Riverlands respond to any attempt on Edmure’s part to rule, given that he betrayed his own House). The Stormlands haven’t really been part of this tale, so there isn’t a sense of what’s happening there. And the Vale...well the Vale is up for grabs despite ep 6.10, and here’s why… Jon: It can’t be overstated how the War of the Five Kings and its aftermath have decimated the North. They are running low on every kind of resource, and winter is HERE. The Vale, having stayed out of it, is well provisioned and full of fresh fighting men. The Riverlands are in chaos, the Free Folk are also decimated...the North NEEDS the Vale to prepare for the Long Night, including by sending as many reinforcements and supplies as possible to the Night’s Watch, to rebuild and man all the castles along the Wall. But Littlefinger controls the Vale. And a) he does not believe in ‘grumkins and snarks’ and b) his focus is fixed South, on the Iron Throne. What does an alliance with the North gain him if Sansa won’t have him? Remember, Cersei does not yet know LF has switched sides, he could switch back and head south with the Knights of the Vale, in an attempt to swindle or seize the throne from Cersei. But he also isn’t counting on… Danaerys: right now she’s winning. She’ll land in Westeros with an infantry, a cavalry, a navy and a small but effective air force. She has allies on the ground: the Reach, Dorne, and the true heirs to the Iron Islands. She has an extremely competent Small Council. The Reach can provision her forces. The only question really is where on Westeros will she land, and what will she find when she does. Will she land in Dorne, on Dragonstone, or sail right up the Blackwater to King’s Landing? Will there be any resistance at all, or will she meet chaos? GRRM/D&D have spent so much story time building up her forces, and it would be just like GRRM to have Dany spend years building up a giant conquering army only to not have to use it to conquer. But Winter is here... Wildcards: The Iron Islands (Euron): if his rivals to the Salt Throne have ‘stolen’ Danaerys’ backing, he may choose to back Cersei instead, provide her a navy in exchange for the same deal Dany is giving the younger Greyjoys. The Vale (Littlefinger): Will he betray the Starks YET AGAIN? (Side note, why do they keep relying on him for help? He CONTINUOUSLY betrays them!) The BWB and the Red Priests: In Essos they are backing Dany. Mel is backing Jon. The South is clueless re: the Long Night, but the BWB have been spreading the word of R’hollor and with the Faith of the Seven having been essentially blown up, there is a gap they can fill. Jon banishing Mel South may eventually save his bacon. King’s Landing: I honestly think Dany is going to land at the Red Keep and find nothing but corpses and fires, no battles to be had, but I’m dark like that. The Citadel (Sam and the Maesters): This is probably the only Westerosi group we know almost nothing about, and considering their role as keepers of knowledge and history, I can’t help but think they will have a key role to play, even if small. Arya, Bran, Jamie, Brienne: I genuinely don’t think they’re surviving to the end of the story, but will have key roles to play in the endgame. We still don’t know how the Wall comes down, who kills Cersei, which way LF will go etc. But I don’t see a battle between Cersei and Dany. Cersei’s close to the end of her story I think, and it’s more dramatically effective for her to be hoisted on her own petard than to be defeated in battle. Either way, S7 I think will be her last. Matter of fact, I think any character who refused to turn their faces North will not survive Season 7: and that means Cersei and Littlefinger in particular.

I've tended to see Tony as a precocious child they're all raising. Pretty much every other character is more of an adult, so it makes sense that a lot of what happens is due to Tony behaving somewhat like a reckless teenager. In that sense I've enjoyed watching these movies as the growing up of Tony Stark, with him really coming into his own in Civil War, and I'm really looking forward to his relationship with Peter Parker, since he pretty much HAS to be the adult there.

In real life what would happen would be that every other nation would go into developing supers themselves. So yes, Nat was right, better to keep one hand on the wheel and accept some regulation than a situation develop where each of those 117 nations started their own super soldier/alien tech-based weapons programmes.

This would be the perfect setup for a Black Widow movie.

At that point I was like 'so I was half right, but this does not feel yay.'

And carrps, that sense of a dropped plot (what mission is Kady on? Where did Richard go? Why so mum on both?) is really driving my Richard/Reynard theory. Either that plotline was a total fizzle (oh it was all happy sunshine ending for Julia), or it didn't go down how Julia said, or it's not over. Richard is the one who brought this god stuff to Julia in the first place, and has been the person pushing her on it. He knows a LOT about gods and god magic, which is a bit suspicious. He hasn't been specific about what his 'request' to Murs would be, and Julia didn't ask too many questions after the 'dead son' story. If Richard is Reynard, depowered by lack of faith, then using Murs somehow to regain god powers is a cool twist. But no matter what, if that story just ends right there, it's been a total waste.

So Richard is Renard the Fox right? This theory has been burning up my brain. He's somehow a fallen god trying to regain godhood, and he's used Julia to do it.

The tie-in TV show will never introduce an Infinity Stone. I expect the Soul Stone to come into Doctor Strange, and the Time Stone will play a part in Ragnarok, or pop up in Infinity War Part 1. I doubt they'd use the Guardians to bring in yet another Stone, and none of the other titles coming up have links to the off-Earth universe or anything mystical.

I think this is a function of the MCU plots and how they are scheduled to move forward. I could see ACTU or the concept of a split being involved in Civil War next year, so they would take prominence now while Inhumans is 4 years away so they can take more time. Monolith/alien planet stuff would tie in with Thor and the Guardians and which are scheduled for 2017. The show is also taking the lead on the Hydra mop-up post-Winter Soldier, so I'd expect that to drive plots.

For the person upthread (I've lost the name) there's no such thing as 'pure Bollywood', Bollywood is an invented mishmash style that includes elements from many other dance styles. Still mad at losing Yorelis, and double mad to lose Edson this week. WHO is voting for Derek? Kid is the definition of bland. Also, was this 'useless stage furniture ruining mostly good routines' week? Next week's bottom 4: Derek, Hailee, Neptune and Megz, with Derek and Megz going home. Also, here are some things I don't understand. 1. I get that Chris Scott loves working in the juxtaposition of soft music with hard movement, but it would really be great if he would stop fighting the groove of these old school tunes he chooses for duets and choreograph into it rather than fighting it with staccato movement. 2. You get two great movers like Megz and Marko, a GREAT song for big, stage-eating dancing like 'Canned Heat' and then...chain your dance to a bench in the middle of the stage. A rare fail from Ray Leeper. 3. Why choreograph an all-star/contestant dance that doesn't showcase the contestant? Edson's a pretty great dancer but Travis' choreography was all about Jamie. Edson needed to be strong and supportive, which is difficult yes, but he got no wow factor out of that dance. 4. Jasmine overpops in hip hop routines. The best parts of animation and popping are that rubberband factor, the snap and bounce back, and that requires control that I don't see from her. Also that routine just needed more content and movement. Neptune deserved more. I missed the team routines this week. And I predict the last 4 standing will be JaJa, Virgil, Hailee or Jim and Gaby. Also, I watch Empire religiously, but I really didn't realise just how much great pop music they've made in a short space of time.

The new format seems to have given some of the choreographers a shot in the arm, and it's reenergised the show to me. Aside from the trash salsa number and that horrible 'hip hop' by Chris Scott (he's not allowed to choreograph hip hop duets or choose his own duet music anymore. Wtf was that? Took JaJa and just neutered her) everything was good to great. Especially enjoyed the Leeper jazz pieces and the Dee Caspary (and I'm not a fan of his). Spencer's routine was pleasant enough but I am not a Kate fan and Asaf can go anytime as far as I'm concerned. The Bollywood also landed pretty 'meh' for me, but I could appreciate the physicality on display. The team numbers were just so-so. I feel like the seesaws destroyed the momentum of the street number, and the stage number showed how stagnant Travis has become: even when he's trying to be outside the box it looks derivative and done. He's suffering from choreographer's block. That opening number really redeemed Pharcyde and Phoenix for me after that travesty they put on last week. I'm just glad they kept Ariana. She's a beautiful dancer. And Megz is quickly becoming my favourite of the season.