Season 6: Info, Casting and Spoilers

[Mya Stone]

I hope they write him more like Book Blackfish and less like the crude, two-bit thug he’s been portrayed as on the show.

Well, honestly, the only time he's been kind of an asshole is in the drawbridge meeting with Jaime...so...I guess it wouldn't be awful.

And honestly, even then, I understood where he was coming from, even though it was infuriating (because we were in Jaime's head).

[cambridgeguy]

Show Blackfish actually has legitimate reasons for being an asshole now.  He might have survivor's guilt (good thing his bladder isn't extra large!) and his whole family was either brutally murdered or tossed in prison.  I'm not sure how widely known the Lannister role in the Red Wedding is but he seems like the type who could connect the dots so he'd probably be less than thrilled to see Jaime.

[nksarmi]

Well with the absence of Lady Stoneheart - maybe Blackfish is leading the BwoB against the Freys (I'm sure they can say the fighting has been going on for awhile but is only being addressed now because its gotten worse and Kevan is in charge and is better at ruling than Cersei). So Jamie gets sent to support Lannister allies, helping Freys in the Riverlands and eventually gets sent North to help the Boltons before he turns and supports Jon and helps defend the realm from the Others? Right?

[BlackberryJam]

Well, Los Siete Reinos earlier confirmed Nikolaj Coster-Waldau had been filming in Corbet and now they are confirming that Brienne will be at Riverrun.

 

http://lossietereinos.com/revelaciones-desde-belfast-y-la-recta-final-del-rodaje-en-almeria/

 

So...are their storylines not moving into Winds territory? Are we ending on that damn cliffhanger?

[Haleth]

I think it would be a mistake to introduce Stoneheart at this point. Way too much time has passed.

[nksarmi]

Since it sounds like Jamie and Ayra in Riverrun will come later in the season, Brienne might still be in the North for awhile before she heads back South.

 

I can think of a couple of reasons Brienne might go south to Riverrun even if her story initially crosses with Sansa (and please Santa let that happen for at least a couple of episodes!).  So once Brienne gets Sansa to a safe Northern Lord (oh how happy would I be if for some reason it was Howland Reed and that's where Osha took Rickon!!!) - maybe they hear of Ayra in the South and Brienne goes to find her. 

 

Or maybe Brienne becomes a true believer in Jon and when she hears of Jamie and a Lannister force in Riverrun, she goes to convince him to turn North and help Jon with the coming army of the undead.

 

Or maybe there is no damn good reason why Brienne goes South and the show is just bringing her and Jamie back together for disjointed reasons because they need to be together for book six and onward.  That would suck as I really want Brienne to meet wildlings who would appreciate her and be part of the army that defeats the Boltons (maybe even getting to kill Ramsey herself just because).

[BlackberryJam]

I don't think they need an actual LSH to end on a cliffhanger. I mean, it's enough that Jaime leaves the Lannister troops to go off with Brienne. And I've never really bought that she was going to actually lead him to slaughter. I think it's always been that she was going to lead him away, store him somewhere safe, or that LSH was already dead by the time she got to Jaime.

 

I want to know what happens to them after they leave Pennytree. 

[ElizaD]

I guess Sansa could tell Brienne to go find Arya (even though she's already refused to believe Brienne, so why would sending Brienne a second time make sense?) or, I dunno, spy on the siege of Riverrun, but this turns her Stark girl failures into even more of a joke. She abandons her duty to Cat/Sansa to pursue revenge for the death of crush #1 and then rejoins crush #2's plot? Her total usefulness to Sansa (already raped, broken and relying on Theon for her escape from Winterfell) will probably amount to killing disposable Boltons soldiers who've been sent to recapture her. Since the Vale lords and Littlefinger look like they'll be part of the big northern battle, I doubt Sansa will be going south with Brienne.

 

Glad to hear that Davos is with Jon. If Sansa goes to the Wall and tells Jon that Rickon is alive, maybe Davos gets a version of his TWOW fetch quest and arrives with Rickon/Umbers just in time for the big battle.

[BlackberryJam]

Well, Sansa isn't Brienne's story. Brienne's story is the conflict between honor and oaths, not "Sansa's loyal sidekick." As far as Brienne knows, Sansa might be dead. I don't think Sansa is, but Brienne might. Or she might just be going south because she gets word of the Blackfish and thinks he might want to know his nieces are alive and where they were last scene. There are a fuck ton of reasons Brienne could go south, but the important part of her story is that she meets up with Jaime and faces more conflicting oaths.

[blixie]

 

Glad to hear that Davos is with Jon.

 

 

He is?! I think I might cry, I love them both Jon could not hope for a better more loyal man in all the world, finally Davos will have a king/leader worthy of his service! 

[Happy Harpy]

Thought number 1: Jaime/Brienne reuniting ! I can't wait !

Thought number 2: Please don't kill them.

Bonus thought: If they end the season on the books cliffhanger, I'll be the one who dies.

 

 

He is?! I think I might cry, I love them both Jon could not hope for a better more loyal man in all the world, finally Davos will have a king/leader worthy of his service! 

Jon/Davos/Tormund is kind of my Northern OT3. But I wonder how Davos and Melisandre are going to coexist, since IIRC Carice Van Houten was spotted with filming with K.Harrington (or was it a lookalike?).

[blixie]

 

But I wonder how Davos and Melisandre are going to coexist,

 

Jesus poor Davos, I don't think they will have to co-exist for long. Perhaps they will give her some of the shadings that were in her POV chapter, but I really need to her die karmically at the hands of Davos by the order of Azor Ahai, morally complicated and good intentions be damned she fried a little girl at her capricious folly. Jon will not abide that.

[Skeeter22]

Sophie Turner is filming today in Northern Ireland. I guess the rumors that she was either done with filming, or wouldn't be filming until December were wrong after all.

[Happy Harpy]

And Edmure Tully is back, per WOTW.

[Winnief]

Sophie Turner is filming today in Northern Ireland. I guess the rumors that she was either done with filming, or wouldn't be filming until December were wrong after all.

 

Yeah those rumors always puzzled and disturbed me because they suggested Sansa wouldn't have much of a part this season, so I find this news reassuring.  ESPECIALLY since it looks like she's at the Northern set, AND rumor has it Kit's in town as well, so hopefully it's a Stark family reunion.  But of course Sansa's is the hardest story to predict at this point.

 

My theory is that Brienne drops Sansa off at the Wall with Jon (or maybe to Last HEarth with Rickon and the Umbers,) and having done so then goes off to the Riverlands via LF's teleporter to meet up with Jaime.  And with or without LSH, I'm very excited for the Riverlands, where let's not forget Arya is also destined to end u. 

[Lady S.]

Jon/Davos/Tormund is kind of my Northern OT3. But I wonder how Davos and Melisandre are going to coexist, since IIRC Carice Van Houten was spotted with filming with K.Harrington (or was it a lookalike?).

In the pic of Kitten and his man-bun on set for Snowbowl? Pretty sure that was just some lady in the crew.

Edited October 21, 2015 by Lady S.

[Happy Harpy]

In the pic of Kitten and his man-bun on set for Snowbowl? Pretty sure that was just some lady in the crew.

I think it was that one, thanks!

I really want Melisandre dead this season, but since she said to Arya they'd meet again, I'm not getting my hopes up. 

[Winnief]

Yeah, unless her meeting with Arya takes place via weirdwood net, I think we're stuck with Mel at least til Season Seven.  Though, I wonder if part of that won't be because other villains will be dropping left and right next season, and D&D want to keep around some characters we love to hate. 

 

Of course if Mel's with Jon up North and Sansa's there too and a family reunion is in store than we should be getting a Meeting of the Redheads...that could be interesting.  Wonder what Mel will have to say about Sansa's fate?!?  More importantly what will Sansa have to say about Mel?

 

"Dear Seven Jon, have you failed to notice how creepy that woman is?"
"I've noticed!  But you know she did bring me back from the dead."

"That doesn't mean we have to keep her around here forever!  Have you noticed she freaks everybody out?!? Besides she's getting so nosy about the family too."

"Nosy?  What do you mean?"
"Oh, about how the Starks were once Kings of Winter, how Robb called himself King of the North, and then she started stroking my hair which was gross and talking about how me, Bran, and Rickon were 'blessed' to share Robb's Kingblood..I mean what is with that?"

"And she and the Lord of Light are out of here."

Edited October 21, 2015 by Winnief

[SeanC]

Yeah those rumors always puzzled and disturbed me because they suggested Sansa wouldn't have much of a part this season, so I find this news reassuring.

It wasn't really a "rumour", it was something Sophie evidently said to a friend of hers.  Evidently something got lost in the communication, though.

[ElizaD]

He is?! I think I might cry, I love them both Jon could not hope for a better more loyal man in all the world, finally Davos will have a king/leader worthy of his service! 

 

It was in this post:

 

L7R reports that Davos Seaworth will be present at the big battle brewing in the North. This was suspected after Liam Cunningham was present at the wrap party the “Stark” battle extras threw, after completing filming on the big scene. It makes sense Davos would join Jon Snow; with Stannis gone, the Onion Knight will need to find new purpose in season 6.

 

Davos will probably assume that the Boltons killed Stannis/Shireen.

Edited October 21, 2015 by ElizaD

[Winnief]

Davos will probably assume that the Boltons killed Stannis/Shireen.

 

Well I think Davos realized something was wrong when Stannis wouldn't let him take Shireen back to WF with him, but even with Stannis's death he'd still prefer to think the best of him...and Mel might not be too eager to fess up to what went down.   Not just for fear of reprisal for burning Shireen but because it would mean admitting she got something so horribly and tragically wrong. 

 

I am glad for Davos that he has Jon to serve now, and I'm certainly glad that Jon will have the benefit of Davos's sage advice.  In fact, I could see Davos being the one to convince Jon it's time to leave the NW, and lead the Northern Rebellion.

 

"I know you took a vow to serve the Night's Watch until death my lord...but the thing is you *did* die.  It was your own so-called brothers who killed you!  You've already kept your word.  And even if what you say is true about what's Beyond the Wall and how that's what most important to you right now...well in all due respect to the Watch and Castle Black you'd probably be in a position to do more good by ruling the North or putting Rickon up to rule.  I mean can you really trust those damned Bolton's to protect the North from what's coming?!?  No lad, I'm afraid that staying neutral just won't cut it anymore." 

 

And of course if/when the truth about Jon's parentage comes out, Davos would be one of the first to argue the necessity of Jon taking up his claim for the greater good of the Realm.

[nksarmi]

I still kind of hope that it's Bran and the old gods who somehow resurrect Jon, but I can't deny the probability that it will be Mel.  I feel like the show doubled down on this when they showed her meeting up with the BWoB to show her that it's been done before.  She will probably justify Shireen's burning and Stannis' failure in her head as the LoL showing her to the true "messiah" but I too don't think she will talk about what happened with Davos and not many will be around to accuse her, so she will probably get away with it for awhile.

 

I do look forward to Jon and Davos interacting.  What a trio Jon, Davos, and Tormond would be as Jon has to find a way to unite the wildlings with the Northern Lords to take the north and prepare a force that can actually defend against the Others.  Plus I really can just picture Davos trying to convince Jon to rule...."You must my lord." "I don't want to and I'm a bastard born - it's not for me to rule."  "The fact that you don't want to is probably the thing that qualifies you the most to do it my lord." "Stop calling me lord." "Everyone who wants to rule seems very poorly fit for it.  You are the best hope for the realm of men and it appears it's your destiny."

[WearyTraveler]

Maybe when Jon comes back, he will do so with the benefit of having seen a lot of things that went on while he was "dead", including Shireen's death.  (she said, hoping against hope, perhaps)

[blixie]

I mean I guess I thought some of Stannis' men would end up at WF, so they tell the tale, but I suppose they could go the route of no one finding out just to royally piss me off.

[SeanC]

Alfie Allen was spotted in Belfast yesterday, and one of the comments on this post on his Instagram spoke about meeting him, Sophie and Liam earlier that night.  Hanging out isn't conclusive evidence of the three filming together, but I would venture a guess that the filming they were doing may have related to the escape from Winterfell early in the season.

[Winnief]

Hanging out isn't conclusive evidence of the three filming together, but I would venture a guess that the filming they were doing may have related to the escape from Winterfell early in the season.

 

Personally the thought of those three on screen together or Jon/Theon has me rubbing my hands.  Good thing Sansa will be on hand to testify Theon helped her otherwise Jon might just kill him altogether. 

 

What a trio Jon, Davos, and Tormond would be as Jon has to find a way to unite the wildlings with the Northern Lords to take the north and prepare a force that can actually defend against the Others.  Plus I really can just picture Davos trying to convince Jon to rule...."You must my lord." "I don't want to and I'm a bastard born - it's not for me to rule."  "The fact that you don't want to is probably the thing that qualifies you the most to do it my lord." "Stop calling me lord." "Everyone who wants to rule seems very poorly fit for it.  You are the best hope for the realm of men and it appears it's your destiny."

 

Agreed and I think the pressure from Davos will only accelerate if/when the truth about Jon's heritage comes out.  Now we all know, Jon would NEVER try to cheat Rickon of his claim to Winterfell, (though, I could see him fighting and leading an army in Rickon's name)  but he might just have to assert his claim to the IT, (whether he wants to or not,) in order to raise the forces necessary to protect the Seven Kingdoms.  I also think Mel's going to be pushing that angle as well.

[Lady S.]

Spain filming wrapped. The Dornish actors were only there for a few days, I'm hoping most of their scenes will be outdoors again this year, because that means they'll have a much smaller presence in s6. Otherwise, they could be filming others scenes in Belfast.

[Chris24601]

I also think Mel's going to be pushing that angle as well.

The only "push" I want associated with Mel is the one from Davos when she goes plummeting off the ramparts of Winterfell.

[blixie]

Yeah I just can't see killing off Stannis to give Jon the same story, of balancing between Mel/Davos when she's so fucking WRONG in both the literal and moral senses. The difference between Jon and Stannis is that he needs to morally reject Mel's ends justifies the means bullshit, especially to the extent she has taken it.

Edited October 26, 2015 by blixie

[Winnief]

Yeah I can't just see killing off Stannis to give Jon the same story, of balancing between Mel/Davos when she's so fucking WRONG in both the literal and moral senses. The difference between Jon and Stannis is that he needs to morally reject Mel's ends justifies the means bullshit, especially to the extent she has taken it.

 

Agreed.  I can see Mel being a temporary necessity to Jon for a time, (she's definitely going to be the one to resurrect him,) but eventually things come to a head when she asks something of him he just cannot or will not do...something related possibly to the fact that a case can be made that Rickon and Sansa are of Kingsblood being siblings to the King of the North and descendants of other Stark Kings...and however indebted Jon may feel to Mel, he would never allow *that.*  Hell I'd doubt he'd allow it for the likes of Theon and Asha, children of the King of the Iron Islands and he *despises* Theon.

 

Of course before we get to that point, we might have to endure Jon/Mel on screen...shudder. 

[nksarmi]

Ok but in the books Jon sends a baby and an old man away - like far far away - because he doesn't trust Mel.  On the show, he defied a king and put an arrow in a man to spare him the flames.  I don't think they CAN do a 180 on Jon and have him tolerate any talk of burning people from Mel.  Plus Jon needs the wildling army that is now leaderless a lot more than he needs Mel and she burned their leader alive on the show.  So yea, I don't think Mel is going to go around all cocky, talking Lord of Light shit like she did with Stannis. 

 

While Davos not knowing the truth might spare her for a little while, she still has a lot of enemies that support Jon.  And rumors of what happened to Shireen will eventually circulate when they get to Winterfell.  So even if her vision of walking the ramparts of Winterfell with the flayed man's banners burning, I don't think Mel is long for this story.  It's kind of just a matter of who kills her and when.  If reports that Ayra is returning to Westerous are true - Mel could still die this season.

[WearyTraveler]

I'm not fond of the theory that we need to repeat the story of Nisa-Nisa to temper Jon's sword, but, maybe, just maybe that's Mel's final role.  As the most devout follower of the Lord of Light, her body will be the ultimate sacrifice she can make to her God to atone for her mistakes and to help Azor Ahai forge his weapon.

 

Jon stabbing her with Longclaw and pulling Lightbringer out of her body would be satisfying, and true to the lore that Lightbringer will be pulled from the "fire".

Edited October 26, 2015 by WearyTraveler

[SeanC]

And rumors of what happened to Shireen will eventually circulate when they get to Winterfell.

How?  Nobody on the Boltons' side knows anything about it, as far as we know.

 

Arya is rumoured to return to Westeros, but to the Riverlands, not the North.

[nksarmi]

How?  Nobody on the Boltons' side knows anything about it, as far as we know.

 

Arya is rumoured to return to Westeros, but to the Riverlands, not the North.

Well on the show we know that a crap ton of sell swords run like hell in the middle of the night.  I expect some of them stayed at local inns and told tales about what happened to the man that would be king's daughter.  So I think rumors are at least possible.

 

I said what I did about Ayra because it seems like some people think she has to meet up with Mel again for Mel to die.  I don't remember that scene exactly, but if that's true - I'm just saying that Ayra getting back to Westerous at least makes that more possible.

[SeanC]

Well on the show we know that a crap ton of sell swords run like hell in the middle of the night.  I expect some of them stayed at local inns and told tales about what happened to the man that would be king's daughter.  So I think rumors are at least possible.

 

I said what I did about Ayra because it seems like some people think she has to meet up with Mel again for Mel to die.  I don't remember that scene exactly, but if that's true - I'm just saying that Ayra getting back to Westerous at least makes that more possible.

I'd be pretty sure those sellswords are never going to be mentioned again.

 

The scene was in episode 306. Mel said that she and Arya would meet again.

[Chris24601]

The scene was in episode 306. Mel said that she and Arya would meet again.

Well, Mel is wrong about everything so it'd be fitting in a way if she's long dead before Arya's even back on the same continent. :D

[SeanC]

Well, Mel is wrong about everything so it'd be fitting in a way if she's long dead before Arya's even back on the same continent. :D

On the show, she's got an excellent track record with her flat pronouncements.  The only time she's been wrong, the show made a point of telling us exactly what she was basing her conclusion on, thus indicating that she had seen a correct vision but interpreted it (understandably) incorrectly -- that being, she saw herself walking the walls of Winterfell and saw the Boltons' banners cast down, and assumed that meant Stannis won.  Whereas with Arya she just outright said they would meet again.

[Winnief]

I agree that Mel will survive long enough to meet Arya again, which unless the meeting happens via some weirwood connection, (unlikely) means Mel is gonna survive the season...but that doesn't mean she'll necessarily be by Jon's side.  I can see Jon deciding he needs to be rid of her but since she did bring him back from the dead he wouldn't feel right about killing her, but would instead just send her away...or perhaps sensing a change in the way she'd leave on her own but try to be keeping a close eye on Jon. 

[SeanC]

I agree that Mel will survive long enough to meet Arya again, which unless the meeting happens via some weirwood connection, (unlikely) means Mel is gonna survive the season...but that doesn't mean she'll necessarily be by Jon's side.  I can see Jon deciding he needs to be rid of her but since she did bring him back from the dead he wouldn't feel right about killing her, but would instead just send her away...or perhaps sensing a change in the way she'd leave on her own but try to be keeping a close eye on Jon. 

I doubt that.  There's way more drama in keeping her around Jon as an advisor (not to mention, it's much easier, dramatically).  Jon has no reason to send her away, particularly after she brings him back to life and is the only person around who knows anything about magic. 

[Winnief]

I doubt that.  There's way more drama in keeping her around Jon as an advisor (not to mention, it's much easier, dramatically).  Jon has no reason to send her away, particularly after she brings him back to life and is the only person around who knows anything about magic.

 

I never said, I thought Jon would send her away *immediately*.  We know she'll be at Winterfell when the Bolton banners come down and I agree that it will, (for a time,) make sense for Jon to keep her as an advisor given the supernatural threats he's dealing with.  (Despite the fact that Davos will want nothing to do with her and Seven only knows what he'll do when he eventually finds out about Shireen-and one way or another he WILL find out.)  HOWEVER, I am sure there will come a point, when Jon will have to seriously reconsider whether it's a good idea to have her around, because again Jon being Jon, I just can't see him condoning burning people-even people who are due to be executed much less the perfect innocents Mel will at some point start asking for.

[ElizaD]

Winter is Coming:

 

Looks like the inside of Riverrun, complete with Tully trout emblems. Our source also gave a few details about the scenes being filmed in the area. It seems that Mark Mylod is the director on set, so these scenes are for episodes 7 or 8 (or both). This makes sense, as indications are that Jaime will be in King’s Landing until at least episode 6. Bryan Cogman was also on set, so it’s assume he wrote the episode as well.

As we knew already, both Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jaime) have been in the area to shoot material. Apparently, they even share a scene in Jaime’s tent. Their conversation does not go well, and Brienne storms out. If I had to speculate, this may be due to Brienne siding with the Tullys (our source also says she’ll be sharing a scene with the Blackfish) while Jaime is, well, besieging them.

 

Jaime and Brienne aren’t the only pair who will reunite. As you may recall, their sidekicks, Bronn and Pod, also knew each other, and from the sounds of it, Bronn is pleased to see Pod again. Reportedly, the mercenary even sneaks up behind Pod in one scene and pretends to attack him. Somehow I think Pod might not like that.

Our source also noted a detail about what we’ve been calling “The Battle of The Six Armies,” the massive battle the production filmed in Saintfield, Northern Ireland for weeks on end. Sadly, that name is too clever (or two Hobbity) for the production to use. It seems people on the show are calling it “The Battle of the Bastards,” with Ramsay on one side and Jon Snow on the other. Makes sense. Ramsay may bear the Bolton name now, but once a Bastard, always a Bastard. It would be even cooler if Jon was donning the Stark name here, too, so it’s really the battle of the ex-bastards.

But there are details that suggest Jon Snow is not using the Stark name. Because if he was, the Karstarks and the Umbers would surely join him. However, our source heard that both families side with Ramsay, while Jon is supported by the wildlings. This is the detail that shocked me the most. I could believe that the Karstarks might side with the Boltons, as they do in A Dance with Dragons, but the Umbers? Is Ramsay using Sansa’s name to bring them to his side (despite Sansa, you know, not actually being there anymore)? Are they refusing to follow Jon because he is a Snow and not a Stark? Are they going undercover? Is this just a mistake? Also, where does that leave this Northern host? So many questions.

 

The Umbers have been hiding Rickon, their "support" is probably the show's version of Manderly backstabbing the Boltons.

[Winnief]

The Umbers have been hiding Rickon, their "support" is probably the show's version of Manderly backstabbing the Boltons.

 

 

My sentiments exactly-I can see a dramatic turning point, where the Boltons seemed assured of victory and then Umber's army switches sides at the last minute and that makes all the difference.

 

And if you haven't checked out the latest from Watchers on the Wall then for Seven's sakes do so!  STARK RE-UNION BABY!!!

[amanda5858]

Watchers on the Wall spoilers, Sophie is for sure filming with Jon in the north.  Yay,first happy reunion! However, major spoilers underneath, 

At least two known characters killed by Ramsey and put on crosses, speculation is Rickon and/or Asha, Shaggydog

Good god. That is completely speculation but it makes more sense than the other combinations. 

Edited October 28, 2015 by amanda5858

[ElizaD]

WOTW:

 

We can confirm that Sansa Stark will be there, and that Sophie Turner was seen filming alongside the battlefield. The battlefield has a few Starks, actually, if you count Jon.

Contrary to some rumors, our source did not see any White Walker performers filming or any sign that there would be White White action in the battle.

The battle will have real casualties and we’ll be saying goodbye to some characters.

Ramsay Bolton will be displaying at least two bodies upside down on X-crosses, burning during battle. They are known characters.

There will be more giant action- we mean an actual giant. Possibly Wun Wun, but who can tell when he’s not on set! Attack scenes involving a giant (that wasn’t there, of course) were filmed. The good old ball-on-the-stick was standing in for the giant on set.

 

I'm dreading Ramsay making rape jokes when he fights Jon, but at least Sansa will get to see his corpse.

 

Who are the known characters? My first thought was Tormund, but the wildlings need a character who can be their voice if they'll continue to have a role in the story. Maybe Edd follows Jon, but that would be oathbreaking. The other report says that Brienne and Pod go to Riverrun. Theon is going to the Iron Islands, why would he and/or Yara return? Melisandre must live and see Arya again. I guess Davos could be taken captive, but it would be such a shame if Jon lost a great Hand just when he's about to need to him. If GRRM created Rickon only so that he could be killed off in TWOW, what a waste; if the show had Ramsay crucify a Stark child in addition to changing the plot so that he can rape a Stark girl, that would just get ridiculous - is it really so impossible to give the Starks a genuine win and some of the luck/hype Tywin and Ramsay got?

 

Excited about giant action, though!

[SeanC]

Sue the Fury over on WOTW just confirmed that Rickon isn't one of the people burning on the crosses. I'm a bit surprised she said anything about it, honestly.

[amanda5858]

Thank god.  So now I'm just have to worry about Davos the rest of the season.  

[bunnyblue]

 

The Umbers have been hiding Rickon, their "support" is probably the show's version of Manderly backstabbing the Boltons.

 

I certainly hope so, otherwise I'll be pretty bummed out if this Bastard Bowl I've been eagerly anticipating turns out to be Jon and the Wildlings outnumbered and outmatched by the Boltons, Karstarks, and the Umbers.

 

 

Watchers on the Wall spoilers, Sophie is for sure filming with Jon in the north.  Yay,first happy reunion! 

 

Hmmm, I find it curious that the Northern lords or Jon would bring Sansa with them to the battle. My paranoia may be getting the best of me here but I fear that Ramsay may have recaptured Sansa at the beginning of S6 and he trots her out as a threat to Jon & his allies. While I was looking forward to a Stark reunion, I thought it would take place at the Last Hearth and Rickon & Sansa would remain there while everyone else goes off to the Bastard Bowl. Because, really, why would the Northern forces take her with them?

 

 

 However, major spoilers underneath, 

At least two known characters killed by Ramsey and put on crosses, speculation is Rickon and/or Asha, Shaggydog

Good god. That is completely speculation but it makes more sense than the other combinations. 

 

This news fills me with dread. So, Sue says it's not Rickon. I think Jon is safe for now. It can't be Brienne or Pod because by that point they're off in the Riverlands. I'm terribly afraid it's going to be Tormund and Davos. Or worse, Ghost. I will rage quit if Ramsay and his 20 good men get their fucking hands on  Ghost. I feel that it's going to be 2 people (or wolf) that the audience is emotionally invested in. That's why I don't think it'll be Smalljon Umber or the new Lord Karstark. Ramsay is going to inflict maximum pain before being killed (at least I hope he's finally going to die).

 

 

is it really so impossible to give the Starks a genuine win and some of the luck/hype Tywin and Ramsay got?

 

Excited about giant action, though!

 

Unfortunately, I think GRRM and D&D will never give the Starks a true win-win situation like they did for Tywin and continue to do for Ramsay. I still fume at the Blackwater episode when Tywin strides into the throne room and declares "we have won!". UGH. If a Stark ever did that they'd probably be immediately struck down by the Gods.

 

As for WunWun participating in the Bastard Bowl: hells yeah! I didn't think he'd be included so this is a nice surprise. 

[Winnief]

Nor is there a Stark equivalent to Tywin melting down Ice...but hey at least we'll get to see the Bolton banners come down. 

 

Crazy notion, but could it be one of the corpses Ramsay lights up will be from the Vale?!?  Maybe even Littlefinger-obviously that isn't how he's set to die in the books but D&D are going off books. 

[SeanC]

Hmmm, I find it curious that the Northern lords or Jon would bring Sansa with them to the battle. My paranoia may be getting the best of me here but I fear that Ramsay may have recaptured Sansa at the beginning of S6 and he trots her out as a threat to Jon & his allies. While I was looking forward to a Stark reunion, I thought it would take place at the Last Hearth and Rickon & Sansa would remain there while everyone else goes off to the Bastard Bowl. Because, really, why would the Northern forces take her with them?

No way does that happen.  What would be the point of, well, anything Sansa did toward the end of last season, and what would she do all season?

 

I agree that, at least in the abstract, Sansa going to the battlefield doesn't make much sense, but Catelyn went to the Whispering Wood.  Gotta get the characters to where the drama is.

[Winnief]

I agree that, at least in the abstract, Sansa going to the battlefield doesn't make much sense, but Catelyn went to the Whispering Wood.  Gotta get the characters to where the drama is.

 

She could be there to offer moral support for Jon or to help rally the troops, but yeah, mostly it will be for the drama.  D&D can't resist having as much interaction as possible between the main characters for such a pivotal moment.