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Game of Thrones Book Spoiler Thread (Season Six)

After a first season that adhered fairly closely to the source material, Game of Thrones has increasingly moved away from absolute adherence to the structure of George R.R. Martin's books. Now that we’re in season six, we’ve reached the point at which the show is covering material that’s new even to us book-reading snobs.

That's both exciting and confusing for those of us who have read the books, as we still have a few exciting things to expect, but we also don’t know what might change from the books or go beyond them. And because we want the reviews to remain safe for those readers who haven't read the books, we need a place to talk about those changes.

This is that place: a discussion thread for those of us who have something to say about the changes, adaptations, alterations, and deletions in the sixth season of Game of Thrones.

The rules for this season are simple: anything in the books—any of the books—is fair game. So if you haven’t read A Dance with Dragons, beware the spoiler dragon who lurks below!

(We’ll provide a link to this thread in all of the Game of Thrones reviews this season.)

27 comments:

  1. I'll get the ball rolling by asking the question everyone is probably sick of hearing at this point. No, not is Jon Snow dead, but are they finally going to do Lady Stoneheart this season? Based on what I've seen in the trailers I'm inclined to say yes. I suspect the writers have held off introducing her this long because there would be very little for the character to do for two seasons besides hang Freys off trees (not that that wouldn't be immensely satisfying). With the end of the series getting nearer and nearer (bet you season 7 is a split final season) they can bring in Lady Stoneheart and have her do stuff (like hang Freys) without long periods of inactivity.

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  2. I think they may dispense with her entirely, especially if Jon comes back from the dead also and the character of Lady Stoneheart doesn't ultimately do much in the books. But I guess we'll see.

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  3. Crazy idea: Is it possible that Melisandre is Nissa Nissa? I don't mean a Nissa Nissa figure, I mean the actual, real very, very old Nissa Nissa.

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  4. A lot has been written about Ian McShanes character bringing back "someone you thought you would never see again". Could that be Lady Stoneheart or is it too obvious? I agree that Stoneheart doesn´t have that much to do in the books so they´d have to tie her to the rest of the story somehow for it to work.

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  5. In her youth Cersei received a prophecy from Maggy the frog that she would die at the hands of the "Valonqar", which is the word for "little brother" in High Valyrian. Throughout the books and the series she is convinced that this is Tyrion, and this is the main reason for her making his life miserable.

    But there are many "little brothers" in Westeros. One big theory is that Ian Mcshane is playing Septon Maribald, who Brianne meets in the books. The thoery is this guy finds and nurses Sandor Clegane back to health. In the books, Brianne sees a gravedigger who could be the Hound, in the service of Septon Maribald.

    The story is leading towards Cersei choosing trial by combat to decide her fate with the High Sparrow, and her champ is the now "Frankensteined" Mountain Gregor Clegane. In the endgame, the rumor is it will be the Hound who is chosen as the champion of the faith, Sandor will face Cersei's champion, and defeat him, destroying Cersei's life and fulfilling the Valonqar prophecy.

    -Mike

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  6. I don't think the "little brother" part of the prophecy has been mentioned on the show, has it? Personally I think it refers (in the books anyway) to Cersei eventually being killed by Jamie, because he was born after her and is therefore technically her "little brother".

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  7. Does anybody else think the northern houses are setting up the Boltons for a backstab? It would fit with some elements from the books. It's suspicious that nobody is actually swearing allegiance to Ramsay.

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  8. I think you may be on to something, Shadow. Everything about that scene with Smalljon Umber could be taken that way. "The Umbers are a famously loyal house... loyal to the Starks!" Smalljon blithely disregards this, citing Karstark's betrayal of the Starks; his father was indeed Robb's loudest, most loyal supporter. His motive with the wildlings is believable enough, but he praises Jon Snow while warning Ramsay of the threat he poses. It looked like he got a little pissed when Ramsay talks about displays of loyalty, and Smalljon brings up Roose's betrayal of Robb despite his proclaimed loyalty. Then there's the fact that Smalljon isn't even pretending to like, respect or fear Ramsay, and even enjoys needling him without repercussions. The Greatjon might still be alive. That wolf's head may not even be Shaggydog's. Please! I can dream, can't I? Haha.

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  9. Very interesting Shadow and Logan. Could very well be. Let's hope.

    I have a theory of my own concerning Tyrion. I think he'll die this season.
    Why? Because I get the feeling they're setting him up like they did the other Targaryen in the book (can't rememeber his name). You know, the one that got fried by the dragons in the end - after thinking he could handle them.

    I can't quite recall the actions that took place leading up to the point when he realized it was he, himself, that was on fire - but I get the feeling Tyrion has started down that path. Also because the Targaryen from the books is nowhere to be found in the TV-show.

    Your thoughts?

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  10. Henrik,

    It was actually a Martell, not a Targaryen. Quentyn Martell, one of Prince Doran's two elder children-not-appearing in this show, who got himself charbroiled trying to tame Dany's dragons.

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  11. Of course! Thanks Logan.

    I got confused, but read up on it. Quentyn often spoke of having Targaryen blood, that's why.

    Anyhoo. Anybody else think that Tyrion is being set up to be Quentyn-ed?

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  12. I believe the likelihood of Tyrion, Daenerys, or Arya dying is very slim, at least until the very end. However, one of those characters getting killed off would be one of the few things that might be genuinely shocking at this point, so who knows? Maybe.

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  13. It's an interesting theory, and one that makes sense...except that I agree it'd be odd for the showrunners to kill such a fan-favorite at this point. Without Tyrion, Dany, or Arya to root for, who's left?

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  14. I know some people feel a big twist of the books/show is going to be that Daenerys will turn out to be the major villain. I don't know if that will actually be true or not, but there may be some evidence for this position. The fact that she's a small pretty woman (instead of a big gibbering man with Howard Hughes beard and nails)and the fact that she so far has mainly killed people who richly deserved it (slavers and rapists) may be obscuring the fact that she's a lot like her father. The Mad King probably didn't start out burning innocent women and children. He probably started out burning people just like Ramsay Bolton and the Rape Gang Khals. I bet everybody applauded, at first. And then...

    At the very least, I think we're meant to see the danger of Daenerys becoming her father - only armed with three dragons, a Mongol horde, and whatever Mamelukes haven't had their throats cut by hookers yet. Not a pretty prospect.

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  15. Shadow, I think you're right. This has been a fear of mine regarding Dany since Season One.

    If I know my ASOIAF lore, I'm pretty sure her father Aerys's first slaughter occurred after residents of a troublesome town killed his men, captured him, and threatened to kill him. He was saved by Ser Barristan, and then he ordered Tywin to kill everyone there. Not sure if he burned them all or had them "put to the sword", but all but one in the town were brutally killed (save Dontos Hollard, who Barristan begged be spared and who Littlefinger killed in S4). While no argued since the people there had openly betrayed the king, this was the point where people really started calling him the Mad King.

    Her actions last night, and her previous actions seem to indicate that she's not coming to Westeros simply as a conqueror, but a butcher. Hopefully, when she arrives home and sees that all the butchery has been done for her, she will refocus on healing rather than burning. Saving the realm instead of conquering it.

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  16. I've been rewatching the season so far, and I wonder if Cersei isn't setting the Tyrells up. "Storm the church against the King's wishes and I'll have your back tee hee." Not a good position for the Tyrells to be in. We never actually saw what the High Sparrow told Tommen, or what Tommen told Cersei, right? Maybe Loras confessed that his family murdered Joffrey, and this is Cersei's plan to get all their soldiers killed and their leaders arrested for treason. That would be some old school Game of Thrones, from before we had zombie hordes and time travel.

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  17. So, who's happy about Cold Hands?

    Anyone think we might see Lady Stoneheart after all?

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  18. I think if they're going to bring in the character of Lady Stoneheart, now would be the time. If we don't see her in the current Riverlands plot, I doubt we're going to see her at all.

    (To be honest, they may have left it too long already. So many resurrected Starks in such a short period of time might be giggle-inducing. But I guess we shall see...)

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  19. I'm glad that they didn't ue Lady Stonehart. The show seems to be correcting the many mistakes GRRM started doing in books 4 and 5. Beric and Thoros will be a lot more interesting especially if Thoros via a Lord of Light vision leads them north for the actual important stuff like fighting zombies.

    I also hope Varys is not going for Young Griff and that part of yet another character from the books resurrected will be also cut out. But it would be good to see his last scene in the books namely killing Kevan Lannnister.

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  20. Maybe instead of Lady Stoneheart we'll get a Lord Blackfish...Lord Blackstone...Lord Stonefish. Something to make the off-screen nature of his death make sense.

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  21. The Blackfish as Lord Stoneheart is an interesting idea. I was thinking Arya after she got stabbed, but it looks like she's going to be okay.

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  22. At the end of the last book, it seemed like the Brotherhood was infiltrating Riverrun. It would be interesting if that happens on the show and the Hound is involved. Some Freys might end up on the business end of an axe.

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  23. If they show the Tower of Joy via Bran visions in the finale either confirming or debunking R+L=J I'll consider this season a great success.

    The idea of Lord Blackstone is ingenious. Would be fun to see if thats true, but ressurecting him should be along with Beric not replacing him.

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  24. I'm going to be so annoyed if Arya ends up as Lady Stoneheart. I've read that theory several places now, and it seems like an enormous cop out to me. Worse than swapping Sansa in for Jeyne Poole.

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  25. One theory I saw on the Valonqar is that the language isn't gender-specific, so it could be a little sister rather than a little brother. And Cersei is very much on Arya's list. Though I do think Jaime is still the likeliest prospect and after the debacle in the final episode of season 6, maybe he could be pushed there.

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