Game of Thrones

[Spain]

Fair point.  A few seasons/ couple of books ago the Iron Bank were made out to be THE institution you don't f**k with.  All we've had is A couple of episodes with Mark Gattiss.

 

Well the Crown was in pretty deep with them but Mace Tyrell (with Ser Meryn) were sent over to negotiate better terms. I don't think they were in the shit yet, just short - although maybe the Iron Bank would be one of Cirsei's next moves.

 

The ones that would have been in their crosshairs if they hadn't all died would have been the Baratheons. But with Stannis gone they've got nowhere to go to get their money... unless they hold Davos accountable.

[FairWeatherFan]

The point of the Iron Bank backing Stannis was to reclaim the debt already owed by the Crown. Maybe then they could turn to Daenerys for the same reason. Varys is up to something after all.

 

I did think Braavos was on the way to Dorne but isn't, so maybe not.

[WaffenThinMint]

Well the Crown was in pretty deep with them but Mace Tyrell (with Ser Meryn) were sent over to negotiate better terms. I don't think they were in the shit yet, just short - although maybe the Iron Bank would be one of Cirsei's next moves.

 

The ones that would have been in their crosshairs if they hadn't all died would have been the Baratheons. But with Stannis gone they've got nowhere to go to get their money... unless they hold Davos accountable.

 

Mace Tyrell completely arsed up the Braavos trip getting on the wrong side of the Iron Bank, particularly his "gamblers" analogy with them which showed a levity ill befitting the serious of the situation for the Westeros crown after King Robert's handiwork (exacerbated of course by Littlefinger for his own motives). The crown has only the gold to pay half the debt & is struggling with the interest as it was before he went over and confirmed their suspicions about the current King's Landing Clown Car collective without Tywin, Tyrion, Varys or Littlefinger.

 

The brutal murder of Ser Meryn Trant by Arya Stark in a brothel may ironically have served Braavosian purposes well in the original city of freed slaves where its seats of power (the Iron Bank, the House of Black & White, etc) are known to be more hand in glove than face value suggests. Nothing has been said about this episode since, but the uncommon gravity of Mace Tyrell on his return to King's Landing may have been more than merely over the imprisonment of Maegery & Loras - Cercei had insisted in her toadie Trant being Mace Tyrell's escort to Braavos because she "feared for his safety".

 

This of course was rubbish - Trant was there to spy on what Tyrell got up to over there for Cercei. But Arya's handiwork inadvertantly proved Cercei's insincere concerns "right", and may have been taken by both Tyrell and Lannister alike (in the absence of the truth without Varys worldwide network of "little birds") as a brutal warning of what to expect to happen at any time of their choosing if they think the Iron Bank can be fobbed off or cheated. After all, if the security chief of the delegation to the Iron Bank can be so easily butchered...

 

It may also of course suit the Braavosians in further sowing mistrust and fear between the Lannisters and Tyrells that united might yet have dared to defy them - (especially the Lannisters who have been keeping the big secret from everyone that they're really just about flat broke with their gold mines exhausted). When Arya was stalking Ser Meryn c**t on the night she got him, he slagged off the Tyrells in public and called them traitors to the Lannister soldiers with him. One brutal murder an hour later, who would blame any Lannister soldiers from muttering at barracks that it had to have been those sneaky ever side-changing Tyrells that were responsible?

 

I can't remember whether it was Varys to Ned Stark, Littlefinger or Tyrion, or if it was Ser Jorah Mormont to Daenerys Targaryen, but I'm sure (please correct me if wrong) that at one stage the comment had been made that the greatest failing of the Great Houses of Westeros was their disregard of the motives of the masses, the minor well-to-do, even their vassels; and the arrogant assumption only their own and that of other Great Houses "mattered": leaving them open to making rash judgements over events at great cost to those they purport to rule over. Indeed, it's something Littlefinger has been using against them all from day one. It's certainly something that cost the Starks everything at the Red Wedding.

 

As for Ser Davos, the Onion Knight is going to be otherwise preoccupied next episode to worry about the Iron Bank. b*****dbowl aside, one of the first trailers for this series was a brief shot of him standing in front of a pile of wood - it's pretty obvious he's going to find that wooden stag he made for Shireen there beside the funeral pyre at the old Baratheon camp & realise what really happened.

 

Back in episode four, Brianne of Tarth gave an indirect warning in front of Ser Davos to Melisandre that she knows straight from Stannis' own lips (which was a bluff, but it worked from the way both flinched) that she used blood magic to murder her beloved Renly (which of course a horrified Ser Davos witnessed the creation of her "shadow assassins" in the cave back in season 2) - "yes, that's in the past, that doesn't mean I forget - or forgive."

 

The moment he discovers Melisandre sacrificed Shireen, he is going to lose it major - and it's simply going to be a matter of whether it's Davos or Brianne that puts an end to her or whether it's the first duty expected of the new Lord of Winterfell, to carry out the sentence on the very one that brought him back to life in one final ironic but very GoT season plot twist.

 

The point of the Iron Bank backing Stannis was to reclaim the debt already owed by the Crown. Maybe then they could turn to Daenerys for the same reason. Varys is up to something after all.

 

I did think Braavos was on the way to Dorne but isn't, so maybe not.

 

The Varys business is a mystery. He's meant to be going to Westeros. But to whom?

 

Dorne does seem the obvious choice - the Martells and Targaryens were allied in marriage and unlike other Westeros great Houses they have no problems with a female ruler. Indeed with Ellaria Sand now in effective charge the timing could not be better. But the Sands exterminated the Martells in a treacherous palace coup - are crass, impatient, and only interested in revenge on the Lannisters. Who would trust them now, no matter how desperate they are for allies and a safe landing point for a large army?

 

The Iron Islanders? By the time Euron Hipsterbeard has his fleet sailing over, the smaller Yara and Theon fleet may already be a well established part of Danys' forces (especially if their fleet turn ups at the current largely maritime battle of Meereen to turn the tide - excuse the pun). Let's face it, Yara and Danys are destined to get on famously from the off.

 

One other complication for Euron - the Iron Islanders rely on slave labour from those captured on raids. You can imagine how well that will go down with the Breaker Of Chains. Yara and Theon's rebel Iron Islanders - with nothing left to lose but their lives - will have no qualms about pledging to junk pykey Ironborn "traditions" for new ones if it means retaking their homeland and a future without looking over their shoulders the rest of their lives.

 

There is of course one final remote possibility - Varys cutting and running, disillusioned with Tyrion making a deal with Lord of Light covenanters, perhaps intending to make a new life elsewhere (Braavos? Or even Pentos, where he once tried to bribe Shae to leave Tyrion for). The line in the sand for Varys has always been religious fanatics - especially ones for burning his privates in a brazier (which seems to indicate the sorcerer responsible was one of the Lord of Light followers). He may very well have decided that the Seven Kingdoms are doomed no matter who is in charge and resigned from the game. Let's hope not - for although he's been out of matters for a while, he was always one of the most interesting of characters in the show.

[RandomGuy.]

Yeah, Varys is a great character, and its a shame he seems to just have been wedged in to the show lately.  

[Musketeer Gripweed]

Just a wee reminder that the director of this week's episode is Miguel Sapochnik. The same guy who directed Hardhome. Personally, I cannot fucking wait.

 

My predictions for the big match :-

 

Davos gets killed doing something really heroic, like saving Sansa from Baelish.

 

The Umbers turn on Ramsay.

 

Jon obviously will kill Ramsay.

 

The episode will end with the white walkers overrunning Castle Black and heading south.

 

I will watch it at least three times on Monday.

[invergowrie arab]

The Knights of the Vale turn up under Baelish and join Ramsay.

 

The Blackfish turns up with the Tulley army after him and Edmure have butchered the Lannisters trapped inside Riverrun and destroy Baelish before the Knights of the Vale turn on the Boltons.

[Stellaboz]

Blackfish dead yall.

Mellisandre dies, Jon dies, Ramsay dies, Littlefinger seizes Winterfell.

[paul-r-cfc]

Yeah I think Davos is gonna off Melisandre

HBO's preview of the episode makes a mention of the role of luck in battle so maybe a lucky break will swing the battle either way....

Edited June 16, 2016 by paul-r-cfc

[Dazzle]

Jons army is losing badly then in helms deep style the Knights of the Vale turn up and help win the battle.

[RandomGuy.]

Can see Jon going for a 1v1 as advertised in the adverts, only for Ramsey to turncoat it at the last minute, I doubt he gives a f**k about "honour" or such things. I wouldn't be shocked if Littlefinger turns up after the battle tbh, and manages to persuade Sansa it was just a misfortune he never made it on time.

[paul-r-cfc]

Jons army is losing badly then in helms deep style the Knights of the Vale turn up and help win the battle.

Just can't see them going down that route. Seems too obvious

[WaffenThinMint]

Mashable got some of the GoT cast to play Two Truths and a Lie with them back in May.

 

Most were crap, but Sophie Turner's & Maisie Williams' lists clearly seems to be colluded between them.

 

 

 

It's the last one in both that's the giveaway: one has to be one of their lies, and Maisie's 1st & 2nd list predictions has apparantly already been proven as she was spotted moonlighting as a Dothraki in a crowd scene when Danys was still a prisoner of the Khals early on this series.

 

Arya's list as far as the TV series version of GoT is concerned?

 

 

Only Cersei, Walder Frey, The Red Woman (Melisandre), Beric Dondarion (Brotherhood Without Banners), Thoros of Myr (ditto), Ilyn Payne, The Mountain and The Hound are still alive.

 

Ilyn Payne can be discounted as Wilko Johnson has not been asked back since leaving after his terminal illness that turned out not to be. The Hound also since Arya she thought him dead already (and so technically off), besides which she'd relented over him as her conversation about her "funny little list" with the Waif implied.

 

So who will be the unlucky three?

 

Beric is possible if Lady Stoneheart is returning - but that seems unlikely, especially as it means Ramsey survives, which I can't see happening (unless the unfortunate Brianne & Pod are destined to be captured by the BwB whilst trying to head north - & perhaps bumping off Thoros during the struggle).

 

That leaves us with Cersei, Walder Frey, The Red Woman (Melisandre), The Mountain.

 

Melisandre is definately doomed as we know Davos will find out about the murder of Shireen next week.

 

The other two? Walder Frey could be about to receive payback from Wimpy Tully after surrendering Riverrun and leaving (plus he's long overdue croaking it), but my money is on The Mountain going out in a blaze of wildfire stupidity and perhaps Cersei being murdered by an enraged Jaime after her wildfire lunacy kills their last born Tommin (or that latter one could be for next series).

[tintax]

Just thinking ahead to the 'Battle of the b*****ds.  Will a large part of the Bolton army not consist off the remainder of Rob Starks army?  I.e ( Stark men).  Just thinking of a scenario whereby parts of the Bolton's army upon seeing Starks across from them on the battlefield turn coat and join John.  

 

Can see the most likely scenario being one of the houses turning on the Boltons or the Knights of the Vale riding in to save the day.  Its the only way John wins.

[Dazzle]

I think we're in for a few deaths at this btw, Tormund, Ramsey, Davos and Brienne as far as biggish characters go. Mel and Pod could be done as well to start the trimming down.

[SpoonTon]

I expect episode 10 to start with Jon and Sansa's flayed bodies hanging on the walls of Winterfell. That's what I expect from Game of Thrones.

Soon after, Ramsey will be eaten alive by one of his own dogs. That's the way of things in Westeros - something brutally horrific happens to someone likeable, then the callously evil character rrsponsible is killed due to pushing things too far.

[milton75]

It's always hard to predict what'll happen, but looking at the different armies involved, and where the series is going, I thought I'd give it a shot.

 

Jon's army will be approaching Ramsey's army when a blizzard strikes, making the first real evidence that Winter is Coming. This will give Jon's army a tactical advantage being as the Wildings are well accustomed to such conditions. Many in Ramsey's army are not and panic begins in the ranks. Ramsey manages to hold things together though, and rallies his troops personally leading formation as they plough into the smaller force. At this point the Knights of the Vale turn up, but in the chaos of the blizzard they slaughter as many of Jon's army as they do Ramsey's. Suddenly the blizzard stops, and a dragon's roar is heard. Bran and his pals are framed against the sun, and everyone looks up above the castle battlements... however, they then see that Sansa is standing atop the battlements screaming. She has her dress pulled up over her head, and where her clunge should be, she is as bald and flat as an action man. She has no fud. This explains why Ramsey kept bumming her. Everyone drops their weapons in astonishment, and the battle peters out of its own accord. Optimus Prime becomes king.

Edited June 17, 2016 by milton75

[killienick]

 She has no fud.

 

[Kyle]

I saw that pre-edit.

 

Got caught out by the old 'John McVeigh is a tit' ditty

 

I believe that's all too far fetched tbqhwi. Bumble Bee will clearly be King - Optimus is too self centred IMHO.

[sergie's no1 fan]

I expect episode 10 to start with Jon and Sansa's flayed bodies hanging on the walls of Winterfell. That's what I expect from Game of Thrones.

Soon after, Ramsey will be eaten alive by one of his own dogs. That's the way of things in Westeros - something brutally horrific happens to someone likeable, then the callously evil character rrsponsible is killed due to pushing things too far.

 

Or ghost? 

[Quentin Taranbino]

I think Sansa will end up being the one that kills Ramsey. Jon will about to be killed and Sansa will slit his throat or something.

Tormund and the big giant will almost certainly die in battle.

Last we saw of melissandre she looked ready for death so once Davos finds out about Shireen she will sacrifice herself or something like that. I can't imagine Davos outright killing her.

Given the rate the direwolves are going, I think they will tease us that Ghost is dead. Ramseys dogs will attack him and it will cut away with him looking majorly outnumbered. Then at the end of the battle we will see a badly wounded Ghost emerge from a sea of dead Ramsey dogs. He may die from his wounds/get put down by Jon in episode 10.