Katalina

Another couple of Arya jobs: oyster seller and pretend brothel worker (with Meryn Trant). On re-watch, I'm noticing Qyburn with the wight's severed hand. Davos takes it from Qyburn, and he and Jon burn it, and the look on Qyburn's face is kind of “why do you want to burn them?” Like a neat toy has been taken from him. Agree! In an odd way, action scenes tend to stop the story for a while. There's some advancement of story, but it's the interactions, the conversations, the plotting and intrigue, that show character development and really move the story. That was her brother Ned (a younger version!) with her right before she died.

Calamity Jane, please stay positive about being able to see the conclusion of the show. 2019 is indeed quite a while—I'll have to count down the months (like a prisoner to a release date!)

I keep watching this ep on HBO on Demand, just to catch LF's trial and execution. I keep shutting it off before the ice dragon destroys the wall, 'cuz that just creeps me out and upsets me. And yes, I think Tormund and Beric are still alive, because, well they just have to be... Does anyone have a date (or approximate date) of airing for the second installment of Season 7?

Not until they do a Tormund/Brienne series!

Thanks!

Schemers aren't all negative---Varys is a great schemer, smarter than Cersei, and not crazy! I KNEW those Stark girls weren't actually against each other. Great play, Starks! And SO glad to see LF go. I was over his endless shit-stirring several seasons ago. Thrilled to see Jamie leave Cersei. He's decided his word means something, so he's off to fight the good fight. Plus, finally sick of his sister and her megalomania. Make that a quadrangle---don't forget Jorah. The ice dragon was well done, and the blue ice/flame was well done. I really didn't know what was going to be up with a white walker ice dragon. All we can hope is that when he sees his mother, he'll turn on his new step-father. What reason would Euron have used for up and leaving if there hadn't been a wight?

I'm hoping that they're playing the “long con” on Littlefinger. They keep having their poisonous little spats pretty much in public, and loudly. For those who say that Tyrion is betraying Dany, even subconsciously, for his “family,” just what family would that be? Only Jamie at this point. I think Tyrion understands the need to get rid of Cersei and I think he's totally on board with killing her. He has affection, even love, for Jamie, but I don't see that he'd betray Dany. As for those comments on how the zombies had a chain, etc., I thought it was fun to notice that the undead actually dragging Visarion out of the water were noticeably heftier than the usual run of skeletal undead.

I thought Ned hid Jon's identity to keep Jon safe from being killed. I realize I'm bugged by something from the Gendry-hammering-guards scene: Davos didn't go back to retrieve his gold and a couple of good swords. FWIW, I don't think Cersei's actually pregnant---she could be lying to Qyburn to lend credence to her claim.

I agree with those who think Arya is letting LF know she's spying on him. Why else would she make such an incredible amount of noise while searching his room? It's the difference between two anonymous threatening guards, and two members of a ruling family who could potentially be allies.

Thanks for reminding of what happened CeeBeeGee---no doubt I simplified it too much!

As for the speculation that Tyrion may betray Dany for Jamie's sake---I think he, and Varys, may betray Dany because she may be a poor, and ego-driven, ruler, a mad Targaryen. What hints are there that Tyrion is part Targaryen? I've always assumed that Tywin's hostility to Tyrion was due to the fact that his wife died while giving birth to Tyrion. I love this idea. I too think Hodor may be among the army of the dead---no one went back to burn the body. Which is why I never gave a hot damn what happened to Ned---he was going to kill all the direwolves when they were first found, was prevailed on not to, then had a direwolf killed for nipping Joffrey. Adding, on Saturday, I love this thread. Reading through it throughout the week keeps me nicely in GoT mind until the new ep on Sunday.

Sorry, I have to disagree. I think Sansa has learned subtlety and patience from her miserable experiences, and she's also had much more experience of court life, and exposure to how things are done at the political level. Arya is a vengeance assassin, and useful, certainly, but doesn't have the background or personality for governing, IMO. 've occasionally wondered, does Dany train the other two dragons? Seems as if she should have done something with them. Three dragons are better than one, plus I really want to see Tyrion riding a dragon. I'm remembering something the Max Sydow version of the three-eyed-raven said---that Bran would never walk again but he might fly.

I thought Jamie drank from one of them? However, I join you in hoping against hope that Olenna lives.

I kept saying “Dany, that's enough! Get out now!” Shades of Oberon's need to keep going...I'm sorry to see Drogon shot, and hope he's only wounded. I think Jamie's alive---wouldn't they keep around for more episodes? Sorry to see Bronn, whom I love as a character, was the one to shoot Drogon. But damn, that was some wipe-out battle! Arya and Brienne's sparring session was gorgeous, and Arya's answer to who taught her to fight like that was so true---- “no one” indeed! She learned the dodging from “no one” but surely the “water dancing” was from her first instructor? (can't remember his name). Those guards who denied Arya entrance are going to have to bow and scrape to her for a while... How did Jon know there were carvings at Dragonstone showing the children and men fighting the white walkers? Convenient exposition. I think we can guess that dagger is meant for LF.

Jon is the prince's son, and the king's grandson, although a bastard. But in the sense of bloodline, Dany still has a stronger claim, as the king's daughter. Or so it seems to me. I just have to comment on the aesthetics of the Dragonstone throne---a throne that actually makes the hideous iron throne look, not good, but not entirely awful. I hate that throne room, with it's big chunk of rock cutting off the light from the window behind it, and an uncomfortable-looking little cut out of a seat. Grotesque. My favorite new bro-mance, political subdivision. But there's that other political bro-mance, Tyrion and Varys. Hmm, has to be a three-way, then...

Lolz! I was assuming that they would just need to chip off bits of it and attach the bits to spear heads and arrow heads. Possibly a small amount would do to destroy a white walker. It seems to me that Varys' dedication to what's best for the most people has been mentioned twice this season. Is this a heads up that Varys would betray Dany if he thinks it's the best for the most people? This ties in nicely with her increasing ego-inflation and Targaryen crazy roots.

Well, after the viewing of last week's episode was delayed 6 hours due to a blackout, THIS weeks episode was unavailable due to problems with HBO in our area (central North Carolina). Annoying! Oh well, just got most of it, after midnight.... Yes, and her ever-lasting smuggery in reciting them yet again. But I do think she should take the dragons and destroy Euron's fleet. Not that I'm one to speak up for Cersei, but she did mourn Joffrey and Myrcella. Maybe by the time Tommen died, she'd become hardened to grief? Or had Tommen betrayed her too, by loving Maergery, and being under the sway of the sparrow? I kept hoping Varys would shove Melisande off the cliff... I really think the show may be setting up Dany to go nutz, like her father. I think the braggart power-mad Red Queen 'tude is foreshadowing. When Jon met Dany in the throne room, every time he made the slightest move, I was afraid he was actually going to kneel. Elated he didn't. I agree with those who suspect Sam's copying "punishment" will yield great info. For all that I think Elaria brought her fate on herself and her daughters, I found the scene of them straining to touch each other striking and moving. I think the Iron Bank is smart enough to back more than one side. And I think Cersei's just smart enough not to kill Euron—he's the commander of a huge fleet, and his men are loyal to him.

Yes, but not as identifiable! The shock value of the toe and toenail worked on me anyway....

I'm actually more concerned with the dragons than with Dany. To me, Dany is the point around which the dragons, Tyrion, and Varys revolve, but she isn't inherently interesting to me. I'm glad for that bracing little talk between Danaerys and Varys---it encapsulated so much of previous seasons, all the way back to season 1, that I'd forgotten. I wondered too. I'm the kind of show geek who has to make these details make sense. I figured she killed the sons, then removed a digit or two from each, and placed the digits in the pre-made pies. Much easier than, uh, “processing” two whole bodies. As for Cersei calling Lady Olenna a traitor, has Cersei guessed that Lady Olenna played a big part in Joffrey's death? How would a wight/white walker dragon work? Wouldn't it lose its ability to breathe out fire?

Thanks for that---I'd been thinking it was just a nasty sibling quarrel. Marked indeed! Great observation--makes a lot of sense. Hope it plays out like that. Well, it's already Saturday evening, and coming to this forum throughout the past week has made the wait for ep. 2 much shorter. See you all tomorrow evening after the new episode!

Re: Jamie leaving Cersei: Yes! Join up with the sibling with brains, and take some Lannister soldiers with you. That way Ed Sheeran and Arya can fight on the same side. Maybe Cersei will have to be killed in a sort of “Orient Express” way: Arya, Olenna, Tyrion, Elaria and a couple of sand snakes, Brienne, Sansa, and who knows, even Jamie, will line up and each take a whack at her. I think it was important to see that Beric is cultivating the Hound for something other than his fighting skills. Why else would he consistently put up with the Hound calling everyone a c**t every other minute? He suspected the Hound has “sight.” Thanks for all the insights on how the wall could be breached. I remembered the episode when the 3-eyed raven told Bran that that's how the Night King could enter their sanctuary/tree/cave. Makes sense that the NK could now follow Bran south. Damn, everyone needs to get their act together NOW. (I still hope those spells Benjen mentioned work well enough to at least slow the dead army down.) Seems to me that while Sansa has returned home, the locals may think of her as something of an unknown quantity. After all, everyone doesn't know why she married Tyrion Lannister, then Ramsay Bolton. They only know she did marry them, and they may think of her as not trustworthy, or as a political game-player, rather than as a hostage/pawn. Last season, when Lady Mormont mentioned Sansa's marriages, Sansa said she did what she had to do, and the issue hasn't come up again on the show. But it seems likely there would be many northerners who are withholding liking and support for Sansa, until they know more about her past. I think Lady Mormont may have credibility due to her mother---didn't she mention (when Jon and Sansa were first petitioning her) that her mother had been a “great fighter”? She was raised to rule and is showing her training!

It occurs to me that the Christmas show should be seen in the light of "everyone does Christmas shows," rather than "The Alan Brady Christmas show." Christmas shows were expected, so many shows got into the holiday spirit and did them. It should perhaps be looked at as Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, et al doing a holiday show, rather than Rob and Laura Petrie doing a holiday show. Just a thought.

I want a T-shirt with her pic on it—just to remind me to be like her now and then. Here's hoping! Totally agree. She's a master plotter so I think we'll see her at her best in the Dany/Tyrion/Varys/Yara mix that's going to land on Cersei. Good times comin'. I think the Hound may no longer be on Arya's list—A Man smacked her a couple of times for lying when she said she hated the Hound. Her feelings may well have changed towards him. I hope so—what a fighting team they'd make. As for the two still-riderless dragons—I'd really like to see Tyrion riding one of them.

Well, the story moved along smartly this week! AFT. Damn, that was some annihilation program, but I will sorely miss Maergery. (I'm allowing myself an off-the-wall fan wank that Maergery got thrown clear of the explosion. Yes, I'm ridiculous that way sometimes, and am not ready to say goodbye to Maergery just yet.) It will be interesting to see how Lady Olenna revenges herself on Cersei. But alliances with the crazy killers of Dorne? Take great care, Olenna...And just how strong is support for Cersei as a ruler? Why, exactly, didn't Jon let Davos kill Melisandre? I kept hoping either Jon or Davos would rip off her necklace. I think he is—he looked at her so meaningfully when he said that Dario wouldn't be the last to fall in love with her. I know, right? Good shorthand though, for letting us know Varys is in with all the plotting. I'm interpreting it as “Now, how do I get rid of this duplicitous prick?” I saw Arya kill Frey, but missed the pie bit (letting dog out), so definitely need to watch again.

The Hound!!!!!! Ah-ooooooooooo (“Werewolves of London” sound effect). Me, too. Lyanna Mormont—Davos really knew how to talk to her, which made me think of how he loved Shireen. :(