Knights & Knaves Alehouse

rogatny wrote:Three episodes left for the season. Anyone want to make any predictions about where things will stand heading into season 8?

My guesses:

Episode 5: an expository, set-up episode

Episode 6: Arya will kill Littlefinger. The final battle for King's Landing will begin.

Episode 7: Jamie will kill Cersei to prevent her from blowing-up King's Landing (rather like he killed the Mad King). Jamie will die doing so. Daenerys will take the Iron Throne to general acclaim. The episode will end with the White Walkers breaching the Wall, thus setting-up the final season to be the war between the White Walkers and mankind. Go dragons!

In the books the Night King is rumored to have a magic horn that will cause the Wall to collapse (actually, IIRC, Mance Rayder was falsely rumored to have it, so I assumed the Night King actually does). Ever since reading that I always figured the Wall collapsing would be the cliffhanger finale of the next-to-last season of the show. I can't remember if that's been mentioned in the show, but I'd still bet on it happening in episode 7.

Geoffrey wrote:Episode 5: an expository, set-up episode

Seems to me the formula this season is reunions and callbacks followed by a battle. Seems to me we’re headed for an Eastwatch-by-the-Sea battle next episode.

I’m sad if the writers’ strategy with the Lord Baelish character is just to make him so odious that the viewer simply can’t wait to kill him off and be done with it. I hope he has one more move to make and shows at least some semblance of his old chessmaster self.

T. Foster wrote:In the books the Night King is rumored to have a magic horn that will cause the Wall to collapse (actually, IIRC, Mance Rayder was falsely rumored to have it, so I assumed the Night King actually does). Ever since reading that I always figured the Wall collapsing would be the cliffhanger finale of the next-to-last season of the show. I can't remember if that's been mentioned in the show, but I'd still bet on it happening in episode 7.

It's possible the Night King won't need the horn. When he touched Bran in the vision he and the horde were able to cross the ring of fire keeping them out the the cave/tree thing.

The speculation is that Bran crossing The Wall broke the magic that kept the white walkers from breaching it. However, if there is such a horn, seeing it blown and The Wall tumbling down will be a fucking cool end of season cliffhanger.

Falconer wrote:I’m sad if the writers’ strategy with the Lord Baelish character is just to make him so odious that the viewer simply can’t wait to kill him off and be done with it.

That ship sailed a long time ago for some of us.

Falconer wrote:I hope he has one more move to make and shows at least some semblance of his old chessmaster self.

I admit I believed Littlefinger was destined to be the last (human) villain in the books, by holing up in the Vale and waiting until the other factions killed each other off and he could just walk into King's Landing. But that doesn't seem remotely possible on the show. The only way he could even take over the North at this point would be with Sansa's cooperation, and based on her attitude this season that doesn't seem likely. I think he's getting closer to a knife in the back than a throne. But who knows?

rogatny wrote: I think we're going to see the downfall of Cersei. She's increasingly seeming like a sideline character, less and less necessary to the plot. My guess is that Jaime is the one that takes her out right before she blows up the city with more wild fire.

I have suspected this for a couple of years; it is the most dramatic way for her to go. There is also still a possibility that he is the third head of the dragon, and Cersei the mad twin.

T. Foster wrote: In the books the Night King is rumored to have a magic horn that will cause the Wall to collapse (actually, IIRC, Mance Rayder was falsely rumored to have it, so I assumed the Night King actually does). Ever since reading that I always figured the Wall collapsing would be the cliffhanger finale of the next-to-last season of the show. I can't remember if that's been mentioned in the show, but I'd still bet on it happening in episode 7.

This seems quite likely. In the trailer we have seen Jon going north of the wall again this season, and the only motive I can think of is to recover the horn. His true heritage was already known to the Crannogmen, is now known to Bran, and as has been pointed out can be proven through fire. Unless something truly unexpected happens, we can reasonably expect Jon Snow to be the King of Westros by the end of the show. Although that seems far too happy an ending in the general context, it makes complete sense in the specific context of Jon.

As for the other characters, their fates are far less clear. Littlefinger must have one last important role to play, or he would be dead already. Sansa and Arya too, not to forget the Brotherhood Without Banners, which otherwise could have been safely forgotten this season. The current Lannister faction seems likely to be crushed by the end of this season, along with Euron, but I would not place any bets on it. Cersei might end up being killed by Jamie just before the white walkers storm the city and she is about to light it up (rather than waiting for the dragons), for example.

I predict a battle occurs just south of the wall fairly early in season 8 (could be #6 this season), with the Brotherhood and the Hound arriving at the last moment (the same way that Littlefinger and the Valemen saved the day at Winterfell). They will sacrifice/redeem themselves, with the Hound saving Arya and/or Bran just before he dies. Jon and his men move south, to the swamps, where he learns of his heritage from Bran and the Reeds. There will be pitched battles in the snow throughout season 8, with the northerners slowly retreating. The final conflict occurs in and around King's Landing, where two dragons (one having been killed by scorpion shots) act as mounts for Daenerys and Jon.

[EDIT: Oh, and Sam's father gets melted by a dragon next episode. If I only had that valyrian steel sword...damn that fat neckbeard!]

The dragon which has been shot may already be doomed. Remember Qyburn is the master of poison. I think we can expect to see the Night’s King mounted on a dragon wight.

There’s a theory out there that Meera Reed could be Jon’s twin sister.

Matthew wrote: What was with the effects this episode? They seemed really cheap. Did any of you notice that, or am I imagining it? My verdict: Worst episode of the series so far.

Update: Apparently, I am not going crazy. There was a technical problem with the version of this episode distributed to Japan and it ended up being rebroadcast in "not naff" form.

Falconer wrote: The dragon which has been shot may already be doomed. Remember Qyburn is the master of poison.

Possible, but he would have to know how to poison a dragon, and have been able to ensure that all ammunition distributed was suitably poisoned. It makes dramatic sense, but it is a bit of a stretch for me.

Falconer wrote: I think we can expect to see the Night’s King mounted on a dragon wight.

That would be cool.

Falconer wrote: There’s a theory out there that Meera Reed could be Jon’s twin sister.

She does look a bit like him, I suppose, but Bran would surely know.

I think it's possible the season may end on an extremely downbeat note, with Jon missing beyond the Wall, Daenerys dead (from treachery?) or missing (possibly after having another dragon shot out from under her), Cersei still in control of the South, and Littlefinger (somehow) in control of the North. And the White Walkers coming for everybody...

There's only 10 episodes left. One (regular) season's worth. So things can't get too far afield if there's going to be any sort of resolution.

rogatny wrote:There's only 10 episodes left. One (regular) season's worth. So things can't get too far afield if there's going to be any sort of resolution.

People, armies and fleets are moving about so rapidly now that it appears that the show runners will be doing whatever they damn well please from here on out to finish this now wounded beast of a show.

rogatny wrote:There's only 10 episodes left. One (regular) season's worth. So things can't get too far afield if there's going to be any sort of resolution.

Well, I'm not saying those are the things I would like to see happen. I would like to see Arya gut Littlefinger and hang him from the battlements of Winterfell (I'm really sick of that guy) and I would like to see Cersei BBQ-ed by dragon (because I'm really sick of her too). But I know better than to expect this show to give me what I would like to see.

(More to the point, I personally doubt the show is going to wrap up the human drama this season, and have the last season be nothing but the living vs. the dead. I think at least some human villains are going to hang around and cause problems up until the end, or nearly so.)

As usual, a lot of reunions, and a lot of laughs.

I think Littlefinger is about to get blindsided and not by Arya but by Bran and Sansa. So far they playing up on how keenly aware of things Sansa has been this season. Not being a female version of Varys and Littlefinger but being generally on the ball about what needed to be done. I think something will click about Bran's visions and she will just ask Bran point blank what Littlefinger's deal is. And then we will see the shit go down.