WhiteStumbler

Welcome aboard! Screw those other deities, Team Stannis worships The Lord of Light, a can-do god who Gets Shit Done. Oh, the occasional blood sacrifice might be required, but there is a big upside. And look at Stannis! He is a proven battle leader, in his prime, in fighting trim, with solid hooves, err, feet, clear eyes, and good teeth. Team Stan also gets Ser Davos, the faithfulest knight to ever say "kah-niggit". Plus Shireen, who seems like a pretty cool kid, and Mel, who is a pretty hot priestess. #TeamStannis4evah #BendTheKneeOrBeDestroyed

I am glad that Theon is now Reek. Reek is a better person. Ramsay has done Theon (and the rest of The Realm) a service in "altering" Theon and creating Reek. Theon: Turned on the family that raised him. Reek: Loyal to Ramsay, even to the point of wanting to stay in a dog kennel. Theon: Tried to screw anything with boobs (who would listen to his bragging) in order to raise his self-esteem. Reek: Not so much into screwing anything, utterly without ego. Theon: Took Winterfell, killed two innocent children, and beheaded Ser Rodrick attempting to inflate his standing with the (terrible, awful) crew of his ship The Sea Lice. Theon's idiocy directly resulted in the destruction of Winterfell. Reek: Gentle, respectful, appreciative of any kindness. Theon: Worshiped The Drowned God - "What is dead may never die, but rises again harder and stronger." Reek: Worships Ramsay, is now unlikely to rise again in any fashion. Theon: "I have Daddy issues." Reek: "I love Master!"

What is the opposite of a Milk Carton Campaign? I am imagining a black and white woodblock illustration of Littlefinger...

Because justice is best served White Walker-style; cold! OK, I need someone to talk me down. I am convinced either Jaime and/or Tyrion are going to get their dead on soon, and I am hating it! stillshimpy, I think you said recently that Tyrion will be around because he is GRRM's "favorite", and the first thing I thought was the old advice from Faulkner to authors: "Kill your darlings". Having Tyrion die would open up any number of characters in KL to be our entry into that world, new characters to root for, new political ploys to dissect. Tyrion may have (finally) accumulated a critical mass of powerful enemies to "play The Game" any more, and if he isn't playing, what is the point of keeping him alive? Almost as devastating is the thought of Jaime going down. He has done some (HA!) indefensible things, but he is just an amazing character. The actor is KILLING it (rewatch his reaction when Tywin immediately says "done" to his offer to leave the Kingsguard), but the character is just the sort that Mel would hate (a part-bad potato is a rotten potato) and I love.

Arry: Sure but Gendry >>> Lancel, HotPie, Hill Tribes, etc. I don't think we need to know the fate of every character, but someone with "kings blood"? Yeah, I think we need resolution. I do. Even Benjen was one of several brothers. I want to know his fate, and think it is sort of weird and borderline comical that everyone seems to have forgotten about him, but I don't need resolution. Gendry is too important a piece to just drop w/o any explanation IMO. Even a character saying 'we found this overturned boat called the S.S. Dragon Minnow floating in the KL harbor. I guess it came from Dragonstone. I hope whoever was on-board could swim; otherwise - no survivors' I could go OK, Gendry is probably dead, and move on. Until then Gendry is too important to just Benjen away.

Gendry was initially intended for the Nights Watch - maybe he will resume that trek after he hits dry land? I can also see him saying 'another secretive military outfit with quasi-religious overtones? The first one sold me like a goat, thanks. I've had my fill.' I, too, hope he doesn't get Benjened by A Show, and I don't think he will for some of the reasons stillshimpy said. There is on one else who can reasonably fill the place he occupies within the story. We know of no other living children of Robert Baratheon, so Gendry is it. Maybe he is actually a super-sensitive artistic type under all that brawn and just wants to try his hand at acting in Lys? Wherever you roam, Seven Blessings to you, Gendry. A great 2nd tier character with some good lines and a pretty fair actor playing the part.

I've got brains and gold, my daddy's "Hand" Yet the folks still call me Half-A-Man The Wall was cold, Shae was warm I've been called The Imp since I was born And now Cersei, Illyn Payne Want to take my head today I don't think I understand the Joffrey murder necklace plan Wildfire burn as dour Stannis learn He's stayin' alive, stayin' alive I once saved the city, now think it's a pity You still alive, still alive Game, of, Thrones, I'm, stayin' alive, stayin' alive How, long, can, I, stay aliiiiiiive? ETA: Please feel free to send eTomatoes my way. Sometimes I can't help myself.

90%: Tyrion made it to the Wall in season one. Hung out with Yoren and had a nice exchange with Benjen (Benjen WHERE ARE YOU?!?) about if Tyrion was fat and the use of "but". Gingerella: I don't know where The Moat is, but it sounds wet. Yara came from Pike to rescue Theon (Baylon and her got Theon's "toy" there at the end of last season). Yara's speech at the end of S3 said "I'm going to sail up the Narrow Sea all the way to The Weeping Water. I'm going to march on the Dreadfort" and rescue Theon. I think they sailed all the way around Westeros and up to near The Dreadfort. Maybe they retreated to The Moat afterwards? We don't know, but maybe. Either way there are Iron Islanders there who are holding it, and Ramsay wants to flay them, I'd imagine. Agree - I want Theon dead as well, but I also want his death to mean something. But it's Theon, so he will probably screw that part of his story up, just like everything else he touches.

Littlefinger can be a little misunderstood in his desire to protect his now-niece Sansa from all harm. He does this only as a result of the high regard he has for House Tully, and without any thought to possible benefit to himself. I am equally sure that this open-hearted / open-handed stance would extend to the husband of Sansa, Tyrion. "Call me Uncle Petyr, ya lil' imp! Noooooo slapping! Hahaha!!" /jk I would look to Littlefinger's rival, Varys, for any help for Tyrion. I def can see Jaime trying to help, but am not sure what he can do. Tywin is a maybe if he sees some angle for Lannisters, House Martel ditto.

Varys: When I see what desire does to people, what it's done to this country, I am very glad to have no part in it. Season 4, Episode 6 "The Laws of Gods and Men"

Pallas: Great post! If I follow your thinking, then the guilty verdict and death of Tyrion will cause the downfall of Tywin? Or does Tyrion survive, but finds some way to wreak (NOT "Reek"!) havoc with his father's plans? Or does Tyrion actually kill Tywin somehow from jail? Random Tywin thought: He sat down on the Iron Throne like he was slipping into a bespoke suit hand-tailored in Qarth to his exact measurements. He looked made to sit there, the first character we have seen on the Throne who looked utterly himself there.

Two sets of correspondences... Two characters (Tyrion and Theon aka Reek) refused their siblings offer of freedom from prison. Three sets of three sat in judgement of others - Dany, Jorah, and Selmy in Meereen, the Three Bankers hearing Stannis and Davos the Deal Maker in Braavos, and the Three Judges at the Trial of Tyrion. /geekout

As soon as I saw a peaceful, idyllic scene featuring a goatherd, his (supposed) son, and their charismatic flock, I literally said "uh oh." When the dragon appeared and started lunch, I said "of course". A Show is cruel, but at least neither of the goatherds got fried. Or eaten.

And wasn't one of the questions from Tywin "Can your 'little birds' find their way into Meereen?" and then he gets pen and paper. Tywin is going to sew dissent within Dany's camp by spreading the rumor that Jorah is/was a spy for Kings Landing? Devious.

Trial By Combat! Who will Tyrion name? THC (Tyrion's Hypothetical Champion - c'mon, I live in SEATTLE!) could be a number of people. Maybe THC is Jaime. Since there is some spec that Jaime may have reached the end of his redemption arc, Jaime could die trying to save Tyrion's life. The THC could also be Bronn, who seems less likely to loose than Jaime. Who else is Tyrion familiar with as a great fighter? Oberyn Martel? It probably wouldn't be proper to select one of the judges to be a champion. The Mountain? Too much his father's henchman. Any other THC candidates? Who would Cersei choose? Loras? There would be an amazing complexity to this. A grieving mother selecting her future husband (who she loathes) to fight for her in a trial by combat against the brother / baby-father who raped her. My mind wants to explode just thinking about it. She could also choose The Mountain, her father's loyal servant. Not nearly as interesting. No one else comes to mind for Cersei to choose. Does a Trial By Combat have to be "to the death"? If it isn't, could Bronn fight for Tyrion and be bribed to throw the fight? No matter who Tyrion selects as Champion, there is still a good chance they will LOOSE. Where will that leave Tyrion? Sitting in a dark cell, awaiting execution. Who could intervene? Jaime. Strongly motivated to help, but could be injured / dead after the Trial By Combat. Or he could feel he did all he could to get Tyrion sent to the Wall, so all this Trial By Combat and it's aftermath is all on Tyrion's head. Tyrell Family. Knows the truth behind the poisoning of Joffrey, and so don't want Tyrion to loose his head over it. Varys. Might be motivated to save Tyrion's head because a) he couldn't save Poor Ned Stark, and b) he was sincere in saying "There are many who know that without you this city faced certain defeat. The king won't give you any honors, the histories won't mention you, but we will not forget." In S1 Varys told Ned "I could (free you); but will I? No. As I said, I am no hero", but he may be motivated by his promise ("we will not forget") to be heroic and risk his neck to save Tyrion.

SO cool that her story is starting to worry the Small Council. Titles, titles... Daenerys Stormborn of the House Targaryen, the First of Her Name, the Unburnt, Queen of Meereen, Queen of the Andals and the First Men, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea, Breaker of Chains, and Mother of Dragons. Returner of Library Books, Teller of Puns, Recycling Goddess, Volunteer at Kitchens of Soup, and Capitalizer of Every Other Word. I hope the Unsullied like BBQ goat. I have a feeling a lot of goatherds are going to be all over Dany's "3x the value" offer on goat carcasses.

Abelard: "Ser Barristan Selmy, another Kingsguard who is, let's face it, freaking TERRIBLE at GUARDING KINGS!!!!!!!" He was actually there, in person, on the Stomp Hunt when the boar got its revenge on Robert. I like Brienne MUCH better than Selmy so far. Ser Barristan has had one good scene (quitting the Kingsguard) and one awesome reappearance (killing the scorpion-bug thing in a ball that tried to kill Dany). Brienne has been a much more interesting and fleshed out character. So she is most likely dead by the end of the season.

Abelard: "Girl needs help, badly." Something needs to go right for Sansa - even if it is only a scratch-off ticket for 100 gold dragons or finding a pair of earplugs for when Lyssa and Slimeyfinger are going at it.

Coxfires: "...there was something forced in it. I didn't see why Bran couldn't at least let know to Jon that he was alive..." Agree, esp after there was a scene where Jon talked to Sam about the possibility if finding Bran at Crasters, but then Jon forgets to ask the daughter/wives 'by the way, have you seen a cripple boy and a giant who only says one word, possibly traveling with a direwolf?' I know Jon Snuh knows nothing, but... really? Grrrrrrrr...

*laddah ;-)

I sort of like that Dany is Facing Challenges and Making Decisions. Her arc is nowhere near as compelling as S1, but better than S2 (Where Muh Dragonz At?) and on-course to be better than S3 (her fist-pumping high point in S3 for me was sacking Astapor and "stealing" the Unsullied - the shot of a Targaryen leading an army WITH DRAGONS for the first time in hundreds of years was awesome IMO). It is hard to stay invested at times with her story because it doesn't tie into the narrative across the Narrow Sea (yet?), and most of what I love about A Show is the mud and blood and politics. Dany is unaffected by all of that (because: dragons). But I am genuinely into her advisers, esp Greyworm (Torgonudo is what it sounds like in valeryian, which for some reason I think is very cool) and Jorah, Guardian of the Friendzone. Barristan, after his emergence from the plot rabbit-hole he was in, has been sort of a let-down so far, and I am still waiting to see what is up with Nu!Faabio. I know the new actor from Treme, so it is hard for me to not see Sonny the musician. Mostly, I like that Dany decided to rule, rather than conquer. She had an opportunity to strike at KL, but didn't. She is getting what Renly said to Ned in Season1: "Yes, (Stannis) is a good soldier, everyone knows that; so was Robert! Tell me something, do you still believe good soldiers make good kings?" BTW I am sort of miffed that no one mentioned the damn dragons during that War Council. 9200 soldiers PLUS flying flamethrowers! Maybe not the WMDs they will be in the future, but they helped take Astapor, so they are lethal.

I am never going to say that this was a "favorite" quote. In fact, in a show filled with baby-killing, genital "alterations" (thanks, Ramsay!), hand-removal, Hand "removal", and rape, THIS was one of the most uncomfortable scenes for me to watch. I am usually pretty stoic, but watching Tyrion being destroyed by his father made me squirm... Tywin: You are an ill made, spiteful little creature, full of envy, lust, and low cunning. Men's laws gave you the right to bear my name and display my colors, since I cannot prove that you are not mine. And to teach me humility, the gods have condemned me to watch you waddle about wearing the proud lion that was my father's sigil and his father's before him. But neither gods nor men will ever compel me to let you turn Casterly Rock into your whorehouse. Go. Now. Speak no more of your rights to Casterly Rock. Go! Season 3, Episode 1 "Valar Dohaeris"

Found the dialogue re: Sansa and succession. It wasn't in the "waddle" speech, but when Cersei is nearly clapping her hands with glee at Tyrion's impending fate... Tywin: I bring them into the royal fold and this is how they repay me, by trying to steal the key to the North out from under me? Tyrion: Sansa is the key to the North? I seem to remember she has an older brother. Tywin: The Karstarks have marched home. The young wolf has lost half his army. His days are numbered. Theon Greyjoy murdered both his brothers. That makes Sansa Stark the heir to Winterfell. And I'm not about to hand her over to the Tyrells. From Kissed By Fire S3E5 I still think A Show should have said "...any son of Sansa Stark the heir...", but that isn't what they said, so I will accept it until A Show says otherwise.

At some point, for sure. I want to use it sparingly, of course, so that Mrs. WS doesn't think of herself as a GoT Widow as I drive across town to watch and discuss a show she refers to as "Medieval Boobs and Incest". I have tried convincing her that there is more to A Show than that, but it falls on deaf ears. Maybe I will "call the banners" for the Usually Epic #9? Or the finale? Probably one of the two. At the halfway point now! These seasons go by toooo damn fast.

Had the experience of watching with a group of friends on Sunday, and it was very cool. Mrs. Stumbler is not a fan, so I have watched all prior episodes alone. Watching with a group was much different. Hearing reactions, gasps, laughter - it was fun! And all the discussion after was great (don't worry, they all told me they hadn't read any books / seen any DVD extras - they even voted not to watch the Next Week On w/o my asking!). So I was wondering; how does everyone else watch A Show?