Maximum Taco

Are there marriage certificates in this world? I don't remember Robb and Jeyne Talisa (urg), or Tyrion and Sansa, or Joff and Margaery, or Tommen and Margaery signing anything in their wedding scenes. Just vows in front of witnesses in the sept (or heart tree.) Also, we haven't really seen a lot of documentation as proof in this world have we? There's not like people whipping out contracts with signatures and seals. It seems like the written word is used mostly just to send messages, and to document ancient accepted history, not to prove things that happened in closed company. Also Ned's gonna just let a physical manifestation of Rhaegar's transgression (and Jon's legitimacy) just sit around in the Stark tombs where anyone could find it? Assuming that R+L=J, the whole reason Ned claimed Jon in the first place is he was afraid of what Robert would do if he knew there was a living Targaryen in his midst. I think its far more likely that Ned would burn such a thing. Ned's not concerned with Jon's legitimacy, he's concerned with his survival. Also a signed marriage certificate (if there is such a thing) may prove that Rhaegar and Lyanna were married, but it doesn't prove that Jon is their child. He's been publicly claimed by Ned, nobody questioned that because as Lord Baelish has said before it is impolite to pry into the matter of a man's natural children. But mysteriously and suddenly appearing trueborns are a different matter. Look at the scrutiny Aegon is facing in the books. There's a lot of holes in that theory is what I'm saying.

I was thinking the same thing. It's like "Dude, have you even ever seen a wildling? Why do you care so much?" But to be fair they did say they hosted the Umbers at one point, and the Umbers definitely would hate wildlings. Maybe it's a case of "Oh that really cool guy Greatjon Umber hates wildlings, they must be jerks."

It's possible that Rhaegar married Lyanna, but the question is who could prove that? Rhaegar's dead, Lyanna's dead, all of Aerys' Kingsguard is dead. I suppose Howland Reed could say something about what Ned/Lyanna told him, but that's still not the same as actually witnessing the marriage, as a Northern bannerman it could easily be seen as a ploy by him to get a Stark (or worse Stark Bastard) on the Iron Throne. I also suppose Bran could have a vision, but again, who's going to take that seriously? Even if anyone actually believed Bran has visions he has a pretty significant Jon Snow bias. The reason for a public wedding is to leave no doubt that they said the words, and consummated the marriage afterward. If nobody can prove it did happen, it didn't happen, and he's still a bastard. I suppose they could just invent a character "The Septon Who Married Them" or something, but that seems a little too neat and clean doesn't it?

To be fair, in the books Jon separates her from her baby. I know no mother who would not be absolutely devastated in the same position.

I don't know. I think Tyrion generally likes himself a lot, at least his personality. He might not have wanted to be "Tyrion Lannister, wanted Kingslayer" but he didn't want to change his identity (what makes him Tyrion.) He just wants to be treated better, or to not be a dwarf. This is similar to Jon, he likes who he is, he just wants to not be a bastard. This is different from Arya who was actively trying to divest herself from her name, desires, morality and dreams. And was willing to live on the street as a filthy blind beggar to do it.

She's gotten to the point where she no longer wants to be herself. I would argue that's even worse then Theon. On some fundamental level I think "Reek" always wanted to be Theon, Sansa has always wanted to be Sansa, Dany has always wanted to be Dany. Jon has always wanted to be Jon (he just wants to be Jon Stark). Arya's the only person who doesn't want to be herself. To get to that point I think you've had to lose yourself.

True lots of people come close, that's why it's called hardship. The strength of their convictions allowed them to go through while holding onto themselves. Nobody's lost themselves like Arya and Theon though. Questioning yourself is not the same thing as losing yourself IMO.

Most people haven't lose their sense of self. Least of all Dany, from Season 1, when she found her identity, onward she's been "Daenerys I Stormborn, Mother of Dragons, the Unburnt, Khaleesi of the Great Grass Sea etc." when has she ever not believed that is who she is? Sansa, in the show atleast, has never really questioned her Stark-iness. Tyrion has been adamant that he is a Lannister, "I am your son, I have always been your son" I think it's the opposite of what you are trying to say. Everyone on the show has very strong convictions about their own identity, except of course characters who are still searching for theirs (e.g. Tommen, Bran) Who on the show has tried to abandon their previous identity and sink into the nothingness of no one or someone else? Only Arya and Theon.

Arya lost her wolf, father, family, friends, sight and sense of self. That's no loss whatsoever?

I think the difference is it's not proportional. Some bad stuff happens to Dany definitely (namely Drogo's death, her miscarriage, and subsequent infertility), but she gets way too many rewards for it. After that she got 3 magic producing creatures that nobody else in the world has and a tiny pathetic khalasar. I was actually fine at this point, she has tiny dragons, useful for impressing people and definitely not nothing, but she's not gonna be setting off to westeros with hand sized dragons and a weak khalasar made up of the castoffs the other Khals didn't want. But then she gets an army of devoted slave soldiers, a city, and every khalasar, by losing pretty much nothing. Like what losses did she suffer between those successes? Rakaro died (who? exactly.) and Barristan and a few Unsullied. Meereen collapsing around her was the first hardship she faced since Drogo's death, and Tyrion just shows up to handle that for her. And she gets a brand spanking new army too! Jon and Sansa on the other hand go through just as much hardship (Sansa more) and go from having everything to being practically (and literally dead) and they currently have 2000 Wildlings, that Jon earned by DYING for them, and that's not even close to the number they need to face off with Ramsay. The success to hardship ratio is not even close to even. And I'm not saying it has to be, some people do get unproportionally rewarded and some people work really hard and get a royal screw job. But you can see why some people feel like Dany's successes are coming too easily.

Also hilarious that she watches the show, and yet doesn't get HBO/Sky. You would think that they could hook her up.

Pretty much. The other problem is despite all the advantages that Dany has handed to her, she has the least progression towards her goal. Jon and Sansa just established their goal of trying to retake Winterfell, and they are already further along in their goal that Dany is of her goal of claiming the Iron Throne, which she has been working towards for 5+ seasons.

That makes sense, while the Wall stands. But I think it's pretty clear that at some point the Night's King and the WW and their wights will move south, either by toppling the Wall entirely or finding some other way through. I expect the rules that govern them will also govern Benjen/Coldhands.

Maybe it's just me but I think Sam is going to keep it. The whole point behind the scenes at Horn Hill was that Sam is worthy of the sword and the seat of House Tarly. It hardly goes towards proving that point to steal the sword and be like "Oh I can't use this, here you take it." Also as he says to Gilly, it's not his father's sword, it's his family's sword, and that point taken a step further means it's not his sword either. It's not Sam's to give away, although it is his birthright. And as much as Sam dislikes his father, he does care for his family, I don't think he'd willingly hurt them by giving away an heirloom. I guess it's possible that someone might steal it, but I don't think so, in the end that would further highlight Sam's unworthiness to possess it. I hope he keeps it anyway.

Does it matter? If one of her dragons wants to kill her it hardly needs its breath. She's a little tiny pink thing. Do you need fire breath to step on a cockroach?

The Faceless Men never set a price so high that it is impossible to pay. The price is always high, but never impossible. Everyone can afford their services so long as they are willing to give everything they have (the Faceless Men might not ask for everything, but then again they might.) This could be money, or possessions, or someone's life, or their own life, or a task done, or a promise made. The young actress could've paid with a family heirloom that is practically worthless, but priceless to her. She could've paid with the life of a dear one. She could've paid with a promise. Or she might have paid with some savings. Remember she's not asking the Faceless Men to kill the Sealord of Braavos, or the King of the Seven Kingdoms, she's asking them to kill an actress. In the long run it's not a terribly difficult job and might not cost too much. I don't think this was a set up. The Faceless Men never kill without a contract, and they are dedicated to fulfilling a contract once it is accepted. If Lady Crane wasn't a contract there is no way they'd send Arya after her, even if they think she won't follow through, it's not worth the risk that she would. If Lady Crane is a contract they expect her (and only her) to be dead when they send an agent after her. Also remember that "Jaqen" isn't "Jaqen" he might not even care about Arya necessarily and is simply using the face to prey upon Arya's vulnerabilities.

Are we sure that she can? I mean the only time she did it, she went blind. She clearly doesn't know how to use the faces safely.

I don't see a scenario where the dragons live if Dany dies. And I don't see a scenario where a living Dany cedes the crown to Tyrion either.

"Why would he back Dany?" is the better question. Getting mixed up in Southron politics has only caused harm to the North. That's the whole reason they went and declared Robb King. Why should Jon even care who sits the Iron Throne? I'm sure he sees all monarchs as the same too, excepting maybe Stannis, he is after all the only one who came to the Night's Watch's aid when called upon. He's not really in a place to be picky over getting help to fight the WW, and I'm sure he'd readily accept Dany's help and dragons in that battle, but unless Dany threatens to set the North aflame if he doesn't swear fealty to her I see no reason for him to bow to Daenerys or commit the North to her cause.

Good effort Raps, great season full of a bunch of firsts, and we took it further then anyone thought possible. Everyone has to respect us now, because they've learned that when they don't they could be in for a surprise. We don't give up. Good series to the Cavs , they were the better team and they won. Good luck to them in the Finals. I hope they give the Warriors or Thunder a hard time, because it seems like everyone thinks the West is gonna win this. Go underdogs! As for the Raps, hopefully we can shock the world one more time and keep DeRozan, cause everyone seems to believe he's going to bolt to sunny LA.

Pens move on!!! What a game, Rust coming through as the hero when nobody expected it. Murray standing tall in net and not even letting the return of Stamkos faze him. Now comes the biggest test though. C'mon Pens! 4 more wins!!!

What makes you think that? Daario definitely doesn't seem trustworthy, but over money or any kind of profit he seems to side with the winners. And with a tenuously brokered peace in Meereen and an army of Dothraki, Dany definitely seems like the winning side over the Harpies.

They are very common hero tropes. Luke Skywalker is an orphan (could even be called a double orphan) who has a loving male role model who lies to him (or tells him the truth from a certain point of view) and dies, messy hair, long pointy magical weapon. In fact every Old Republic Jedi can be called an orphan with a magical pointy weapon and a loving role model. Frodo Baggins is an orphan, who has a loving male role model (two if you count Gandalf and Bilbo) who if not out and out lies to him definitely hides the truth for a time and "dies," dark messy hair, pointy magical weapon See? All Jon Snow and Harry Potter do is combine these tropes with the "Wicked Stepmother" trope and of course the obvious biblical allegory of a savior being resurrected (I wouldn't be surprised to see GRRM try to subvert this though.)

It didn't. It was in response to a question which asked whether any book POV addressed the children's feelings for Cat and her treatment of Jon.