gingerella

Ugh...A Show has crept deep into my brain...I woke up this morning with a terrible thought...The Night King (that's what we're calling the head WW now yes?) killed Root Dude, right? So now I'm thinking, if he killed Root Dude, does that mean that Root Dude will become one of the UnDead, or perhaps now an enemy of Bran because he has been vanquished by the king of the WWs, and possibly can now be used in nefarious ways to ruin whatever mission/fate Bran has now taken over as the "new" Three-Eyed Raven? Oy and Vey! We don't know if Root Dude was even an actual Man, or if he was some other 'being', do we? If he was an actual Man, then it stands that he could become one of the UnDead army but surely, with the knowledge and skills he possesses, the Night King would resurrect him to become some sort of assistant since he could potentially get inside Bran's visions and thus inside Bran's head. Yes? No? Thoughts? Discuss please...

^^This times a thousand!^^

Wow, great post, I must chew on that for a bit though. In the meantime, I offer up this morsel...I still don't get how the CHoF created WWs to protect them - the CHoF - by creating WWs to fight man, and then the WWs turned so evil. It's as if the CHoF used their own magic dragon glass to "create the first WW", then somehow, the WWs themselves took over their own pro/recreation and in doing so changed their raison d'etre, if you will. Sort of like man today creating a robot that is meant to do A,B&C, but that robot somehow takes over it's own control and begins doing what it wants to, sort of like Hal in 2001 A Space Odyssey.

I can tell you what brought him to my mind anothermi...the connection with Braavos, simple as that! And the fact that Syrio felt like perhaps the one man who really had Arya's best intentions at heart, though we lost sight of him before he had a chance to disappoint her so who knows, perhaps he would have ended up like all the other male "mentors" in her life thus far. Hmmm, yeah, this is disturbing to even contemplate...I would hope Dario would set her straight on ol Urine during their evening cuddle-up sessions, unless of course Urine offs Dario to get closer to Dany. I hate the Greyjoys, how ironic - hehe, see what I did there, IRONic? Anyway, how ironic that the work Joy is in the surname of such a joyless shitty clan, huh? I don't think I've ever seen any of them smile or crack a funny line. And BTW, how the hell is Urine going to build all these ships with they live on a bunch of rock islands in the sea? I mean, we've seen shrubs, sure, but do you know how many trees need to be felled in order to just re build the shipping fleet that Yara and Theon took off with? I'd wager a helluva lot more than what's to be found on those three piece of shit rocks they live on. Makes no sense to me. "Go build me another fleet of ships, stat!" "Um, sir, we've got no wood..."

anothermi, thank you so much for laying out your thoughts about Arya's growth, I can see it now, just as you've described it above.

Wow, how wrong we were about Hodor, eh? I still have the sads about losing Hodor, he was one of the good guys. It makes me wonder how much havoc Bran will wreak while trying to make sense of his new Three-Eyed Raven skills. I keep wondering about something with Bran...before he fell out the window, he was a normal boy. It was only after that fall and subsequent permanent injury that he found his seer abilities, yes? I always had a feeling his seer/warging was in part due to the fact that he could no longer walk and thus was able to sit in stillness - literally - and be a good candidate for learning the ways of the Three-Eyed Raven. But what trips me up here is that nobody could know he would be in that window and that Jamie would push him out and he would fall and become an invalid. Unless...his fall was predetermined by the Raven? The Raven has been waiting for him for over a thousand years, isn't that what he said? So it stands to reason that Bran was chosen long before he was even born, and in that case, I think it's somehow possible that his fall was predetermined as well...it's all a bit hazy in my brain, what I'm getting at, but it has far reaching implications that Bran's existence is part of all the history of Men the last 1000 years...especially if he can go back in time and change the course of certain things..which in and of itself could be the key to Men and the Free Folk surviving and winning the war against the WWs, the Night King and the undead army. Or a I babbling nonsense? Also, I think that with the Lannister and Tyrell armies in KL together, there might be a weakness left open...I didn't catch if Cersei and Kevan were implying that there was already a Lannister army near Riverrunn awaiting his leadership, or if he is meant to ride there with the Lannister army that is currently in KL and was about to stand up to the Sparrow...If the army is in KL and Jamie takes that army to Riverrunn, it is conceivable that IF Brienne could successfully appeal to Jamie, he might use the Lannister army against Frey, then the Bolton's, no? I am trying to see a way forward where Jon & Co. successfully overthrown the Boltons crew and it seems like even with the Blackfish they are currently outnumbered, particularly if Bolton assumes the Lannisters army will aid him - we have not heard him mention that I don't think, but I think it could be assumed given that the Lannisters awarded the elder Bolton Warden of the North in the first place, so it would be a natural assumption that in times of need Ramsey might think he could call on the Lannister army to help him hold Winterfell. Speaking of Winterfell, I noticed this season that the white Weirwood tree is blooming its red leaves again, whereas before it was smoldering, wasn't it? I wonder what that means? Perhaps the trees are awaiting the return of the Starks again? Lastly, I wonder if there is yet another level of being now that we see that Benjen is alive, technically speaking, but he has a weird green tone, I hope we don't have yet another level between Man and WWs...I have enough to keep remembering what with Men, Free Folk, WWs, wights, the Thenn's, etc.

Well...we got some revelations from various outstanding mysteries, in no particular order: 1. Benjen LIVES! But is he undead or actually alive? 2. Arya will NOT be joining the Many Faces God and Jaquen & Company, assassins for hire. 3. Edmure LIVES, though apparently he is not in a good state right now thanks to his loving father in law. 4. Blackfish LIVES - at least for the moment - and he's kicked out the inbred Frey nitwit twins. 5. The Brotherhood Without Banners LIVES - though we've not seen them in the flesh - they are alive and roaming the Riverland area, so give them next episode to ride into the frame...I wonder how many times Berrick Dondarrion has died and been reborn since last we saw him trip up the Hot Pocket Posse. 6. Drogo LIVES! And apparently he can always find out where the Mother of Dragons is with his internal GPS system. Am I missing anyone else? I may regret saying this but...thank you S06...at least for now...

Yeah, I feel this way too about A Man. I was so stoked when Arya boarded that ship to Braavos, and then this all happened and well, it's a let down. I don't even think the House of Black and White is all that interesting, many faces notwithstanding. Now that I think about it, did we ever discuss the name "House of Black and White"? It seems so obvious to me in this moment, like killing others is simply black or white, they don't operate in a grey area at all. When someone's time is up, it's up. But Arya, as Arya Stark, does operate in a very grey area. In fact, since Arya fled KL her entire existence has been living on the fringes in a grey area of existence. I think her showing up on the House's doorstep was her trying to find a way to exist somewhere, and she trusted Jaquen because he saved her and her little posses's asses back at Rat Bucket Castle. But imagine how disappointed she must have felt to realize that in fact this man, whom she thought would save her again, actually was just like all the rest of the men who have crossed her path, always seeming on the outside that they are there to save and protect her, when in fact they really were not. Ironically the most honest man to cross her path in that regard seems to have been The Hound, and look what she did to him...Annnnyway, just positing aloud over a morning mug o grog. Arya is best when A Girl and her Needle are en guarde! Yeah I noticed that too. She doesn't seem to be interested in saving anyone else at this point. Or perhaps it was the only way she could get the loyalty and commitment from a huge khal of crazy ass, hard to control horse riders? She really seemed committed to breaking the wheel, let's see what she says once she's back in Mereen with Tyrion and Varys. I don't want Dany to be crazy like her papa...that would be a waste of her entire character IMO. Speaking of the dragonettes, did Tyrion actually release the twins in the dungeon from their shackles or did he only feed them? I cant remember...And if he unchained them why aren't they flying about outside? In other news, Riverunn is about to become Bloodrunn I fear. What I would like to see - and we all know A Show rarely gives us what we want - is that Brienne is able to bring out Jamie's honest side, the side he showed her when she was helping him bathe in that pool. And that she can convince him to work with her to overthrow Winterfell, and secure the North against what's about to happen because she has seen it and Winter if Fucking Coming...for realz, and like, NOW! That's what I hope happens...So that in that scenario, Jamie and Brienne team up, even with Big Red perhaps, and they decimate everyone at The Twins once and for all, give Walder Frey his very own Red Wedding...and then they get rid of Team Bolton, and shore up the North ASAP. It was weird to not see Jon & Company last night, but hopefully they are safe. I want Sansa to rise up and be the baddest motherfucking Stark the North has ever seen. That? Would be the best redemption her character could possibly have after enduring season after season of emotional and physical torture. And I would like her to be the one to show Littlefinger how to fly, sooner rather than later.

there are still a fair amount of missing people in the Milk Carton Gang...but man did A Show shake out the curtains and sweep under the rugs this week, we found a lot of missing characters, at at least references that they still exist...Big, HUGE episode tonight for many MIAs

Holy shiiiiiiiiiiiiiit! Never did I actually think we would see Benjen tonight, though I hoped and hoped that some time this season we would, THIS I the sort of thing I would have expected in a season finale, but we are finally, FINALLY reunited with Uncle Benjen after 5 seasons, WOW, WHOA, HOLY BEJEEZUS! So let me get this straight, Benjen was stabbed by a WW and left to die, but the CHoF came along and saved him by driving a dragon glass dagger into his heart? Did I understand that correctly? And he has a weird green parlor now, or was that just frostbite and living North of the Wall for 5 seasons? I am sort of in shock that he is actually alive, well, as alive as Jon Snow is I suppose. Where re did we see Arya last when she blew out the candle? I hope to hell she is no longer within the House of Black and White. A Girl needs to flee Braavos swiftly! I thought when she was digging up Needle, there was a small boat moored immediately behind her at the rocks...here's hoping she rows away to a boat leaving as first light. I felt as "Oh.My.God.FINALLY" when Arya dug up Needle, as I did when Benjen looked up at Bran, NEEDLE, the Stabbity Stark is back baby. I am still not really sure what Arya has learned while she has been with Jaquen and company. I mean, she can't really DO anything magical that I am aware of, she can steal another face, but it seems like you have to actually BE in the House to steal the faces from the Many Faced God, yes? So how can she use anything from the House of Black and White, and if she cannot use anything from her stay there then WHY the hell did A Show have her here all this time being tortured? Unless....unless she does know how to steal faces now, and if so, she could be of immense help to her family in taking back Winterfell, pretending to be this one or that one....hmmm... Poor Sam, his mother and sister were delightful, and I would have liked to know their characters better but alas, his father is a right arse. Excellent thinking to take that Valerian sword before ducking out. I knew as soon as the father mentioned it was Valerian steel, that Sam would need it since he already knows that it is valuable in fighting what's coming. So glad he didn't leave Gilly with that awful father. Not only did we get Uncle Benjen back, but we also got Edmure, Blackfish, Margery, this was a blockbuster episode, no?!? Someone - looking at you Jamie - should just go pay a visit to that 400 year old fool and kill him already. His bloodline is inbred and weak, get rid of the lot of them. I reckon as others have already said, Brienne and Jamie will reunite, but...will she get to know him in the biblical sense or will that honor go to Big Red Beard? I smell some Kings Guard vs. Wildling love triangle tensio coming up...and I am firmly rooting for team Wildling! sorry, I am rambling, I'm still freaking out over Benjen after we were just talking about him in the Great Mysteries thread...Do we dare to hope in earnest for Arya to reunite with Nymeria in her time of need? Surely A Girl needs A Wolf right about now, yes? OK, I need to go hyperventilate over this epic now...must.get.grog.now.

I would like to re post the whereabouts of Nymeria, thankyouverymuch, especially now that it appears we are down both Shaggy and Summer. Dayum, I hate seeing the dire wolves go down for the stupidity of these folks. I didn't see listed above the mystery and whereabouts of one uncle Benjen, or have we all given up hope that he could have survived? I thought end of last season, that the Night King might have been Benjen, but now I don't think so because if he was, then surely Bran would have had some recognition of him when he met him in his dream state? So yeah, I still wonder where Benjen is...because he would provide an elder anchor to the Stark Clan right now, and because he was a part of that first opening scene S01E01 IIRC, which was perhaps the best scene A Show has ever given us...at least for me. And Hot Pocket, or whatever his name was, I would like to know if he is still around and alright.

Brethren, clarification please...since Winter Is Finally Fucking Coming...I know what WWs are, but remember Wights? Are those the dead zombonis or are they something else? I am hella confused right now because I thought that wights were something different, in which case how did THEY come to be?

Thanks anothermi! I wonder if the original pin wheel formed some sort of energy field because of it's design to catch wind/power? Maybe laid out like that caused the CHoF to gather all their magical powers and channel them into creating that first WW from a regular man? Remember in the scene way back when Sam was north of the Wall and he saw the WWs coming and they walked past him and basically ignored him? He had dragon glass on his person at that time, didn't he? And were those that passed him all WWs, or where they the dead folks too? I remember dead looking horses which is why I ask. I guess I'm confused as to when the dead folks show up. The WWs all have blue eyes, right? And they seem to not be as "dead" looking as the dead army folks...So I'm wondering if WWs live with that army of zombonies/zomponies following them around all the time...This all gives me a headache...

I did notice the pinwheel this time, but in S1E1 I didn't notice, maybe I didn't look closely because it was rather gruesome. I do wonder where these giant spiders are though...Old Nan made such a point of them in her story to Bran...

anothermi, I am feeling stupid...

So, uh, I need to admit to my fellow brethren that I totally did NOT get that First Children made the first WW because I only sort of watched that scene because I am squeamish. I saw the one fairy child stab that guy slowly and half looked but I did see his eyes go blue, I guess it was late and maybe I drank too much grog? Anyway, this who'd thing with them "making" the first WWs still makes no sense. I mean, did they make a bunch and how did they procreate? Is it important for A Show to tell us that? I feel very WTF about this new twist because it doesn't resonate as being in tune with A Story. I guess it's just soooo out there with the time travel and zombie making stuff. And then there's that issue of Summer jumping into a pile of stabbing zombies when he could have easily ran up with Bran and protected him...I just feel very frustrated with this right now... Overall, I enjoyed the first three epis so far and this one lost me totally. I feel also like A Show is trying to move HUGE GIGANTIC story pieces forward in massive leaps and we are missing a lot of background that might make this all make more sense. That has always been my gripe with A Show...only 10 episodes to cover huge book content (I saw this having only glanced from afar at those books across a bookstore room and they appear very thick)... After S1, why couldn't they expand their epi season to cover more details that maybe would help make more sense of what is no doubt a huge story on paper.

Choc, Mel thought Stannis was The One Who Was Promised...but she realized she was wrong and she thinks it's actually Jon. Now this new Red Priestess thinks the same of Dany. I reckon at some point its both of them combined maybe, which would explain why one sees Dany and one sees Jon?

janjan, you pretty well summed up my feelings for me. A Girl's story is boring me to tears now and even Jacquen Hagar cannot interest me. Why O Why did Sansa allow Lf to live? Her speech to him was heartbreaking, and I just wanted Brienne to kill that asshole right then and there, but no, we have to deal with LF even longer. he is always lying his ass off, no way do I believe he was sincere in wanting to help Sansa take back Winterfell and get revenge on the little shithead (I am sick of writing that fuckers name so he is now the little shithead). Bran's story is also starting to bore me because any time I see those RiDICulous and very poorly done CGI zombonis I just laugh. I am scared to death of horror films and anything gorey so if they don't scare me, they aren't scary and/or they are poorly done. I said this end of last season after the Battle at Hardhome, whomever does those zombonis needs to be fired because those are a big fat FAIL. they are so campy that they take me out of A Show immediately. The loss of Hodor and Summer was incredibly sad and tragic and I am trying to figure it what it all means. Obviously "Hodor" means "Hold the Door", now we know. But it also seems to imply that somehow there is a time warp thingamajig going on here...which is what I alluded to recently, IIRC. there is seriously freaky magic going down now, and if Mel can birth a smoke baby assassin out of her cooch, then I think time travel of some sort is no longer that far fetched. I think to date most of the magic has been fairly benign overall, but now it's getting to another level that seems to be jumping the shark in silliness. Sol Bran is watching Wyllis have what looks like an epileptic seizure while yelling Hold The Door over and over, meanwhile whatshername is yelling to older Hodor to Hold The Door against the zombonis. I see the connection clearly but I don't understand it at all right now, someone please shoot a spitball my way....

Aye and hail to abcfsk, welcome back to the Spitball Wall my unsullied comrade! We have missed your voice! Our numbers are re emerging from hiding since S5...hear, hear! anothermi, I am loving your hypotheses right now. And abcfsk, thank you for distilling that Sansa and Jon scene into a crystalline elixir of hope...fleeing as it may be with A Show, hope it is...

Oh my! I can totally see that bird being Robyn's undoing now...LF tires of him and when it's time to do him in, something happens and the bird gets let loose and Robyn runs after it trying to catch it and well, he chases it without looking and learns to fly...hey, From A Viewer's lips to A Show's ears...

Damn fine recap of the LF goings on Pallas, thank you! LF is one busy bee, isn't he?

I hear you Llywela! So just because I am rather dense at times, or...A Show overwhelms with a myriad of story lines the likes of Sheharazadh, is the reason LF wants the Army of the Vale to "help" Sansa and Jon re take Winterfell simply so he can turn around and kill Jon and re take it for himself? God, I am also so tired of LF...seriously. I suddenly want him done too. actually, I would like all Sansa's abusers to die on one season.That would be satisfying as hell!

Robyn Aryn should die as soon as possible. He is a total idiot, but with enough brains to be dangerous to others. I wish he would try to fly...I fear he will get good folks killed, like that guy who was saddled with the dubious job of trying to teach a halfwit how to shoot a bow and arrow. That dude, I suspect, would be a good allie to the Starks if allowed to make his own decision, but instead he is now under the thumb of LF, and in a sense Robyn because LF could always defer to Robyn' default "make them fly" nonsense. He is one of the characters I wish to eliminate. Quickly, and this season. There, I said it.

I thought LF told Robyn that Sansa had escaped from Ramsey and needed their help, I must re watch that. This, times 1000!

This is starting to really worry A Viewer. Why? Because something in my head pinged when LF told Robyn that Sansa had left Ramsey. Sure, Robyn searched his inbred little peabrain and said, "she's my cousin...we should help her?" But in this world cousins marry cousins...and you all know where I'm going with this right? Jon and Sansa ask LF for help to defeat Ramsey and LF of course cant help using that as a bargaining chip - he will give them the Army of the Vale if Sansa marries Robyn. I know this is heading in this direction and I want to vomit on A Show if it does. NO MORE SHITTY PAIRINGS FOR SANSA, SHOW! I cant take any more of her being abused. Of course, if she sends Robyn on a flying trip on their wedding night I'd be okay with that...maybe she could pull that off now that she's grown some cajones? Someone amongst us thought up this spitball and I think it could happen if only to play out Cersei's prophesy from girlhood when the witch told her she's have 3 kids and lose them all. Maybe she loses Tommen in another way, not so literally as the other two. Perhaps he does turn on her and side with the Sparrow? Maybe he is the one who turns her back over to the Sparrow. Maybe he exchanges her for Margery, whom he appears to have genuine feeling for... That? Was one of the funniest scenes A Show has ever given us! I was cracking up at Tormund when he was checking Brienne out as she rode into the courtyard, but the dinner scene was off the hook funny. That's a match made in alternate universe heaven!