The Mountain that Cersei's Maester scientist guy turned into his Frankenstein. He introduces him but I think only once mentions his name is Robert Strong, and says he took a vow of silence. He's basically just Cersei's new war machine. So does she send him to Winterfell, Dorne, Mereen, or does he have purpose staying with her in Kings Landing???... I'd say Dorne is most likely unless Jamie and Bronn stay there to take care of business.
He's in the King's Guard, so he should be defending Tommen, but Tommen was not there. My guess is she will have him kill the high Sparrow and her nephew.
I'm surprised, amid all the minor complaints, that nobody has mentioned why Dany would go walkabout and leave her fire-breathing dragon behind? That is the ONLY protection you have right now. I thought the whole Dorne thing played out pretty well personally. It's something I didn't see coming, definitely tragic and assuredly sets other things in motion. I doubt Ellaria cared at all about the repercussions of what she did. She wants revenge and wants war with the Lannisters. She's emotionally unhinged, and typically that leads to short-sighted thinking. As for how long the poison takes effect. Well we don't know how much time passed between Bronn getting cut and sitting in jail. So it very could have been in the same amount of time that transpired from kiss to sea. It's good testament to the quality of the show that revenge scenes can be created around villains, characters you have been dying to see get their due, and you still feel a bit sympathetic toward them. Trant, surely got what he deserved, but my God that was a horrible and painful way to die. And Cersei, you know she only said what she needed to say, and during that whole walk she kept her eyes on the prize, making it back to Tommen. But they stripped her down good to the point where she broke down emotionally. And you have to start to wonder, despite all the horrible things she's done, did she deserve that punishment? Does anybody? And then she makes it to the castle, and you forget all that because the Mountain is there and you know she's going on a murderous rampage. And then Stannis. He does have some honorable attributes. We saw them on display at Castle Black. He's a man of his word. He offered Jon Snow Winterfell back. He's a capable commander. He dealt the final blow to the Wildlings and would have won at Kings Landing if not for Tyrion's plan. He's loyal. Daavos remaimed his "Hand" despite his betrayal. And he loved his daughter when others didn't (Selyse sure didn't show it). But again he is severely flawed because of his one-track mind that he HAS to be King. And that ultimately led to his downfall. And personally, despite the bad things he has done, it was a little sad to see. But I'm not so sure he's done yet. I wonder if Brienne spares him, thinking it be a far worse punishment to let him walk the earth alone. He seemed ready to die. Is that much of a revenge then? Kind of similar to the Hound. I'm so glad Tryion and Varys are back together. Among the best things about this series, which means of course one or both will die at some point. I hope Arya's storyline picks up a little now. I'd rather see her leave the house of black and white at some point. She still has her sword. But hopefully she uses this experience to stop thinking about petty revenge and think about something bigger, where her place is in the world. Sansa's path has been frustrating this season because they led us to believe she was becoming a strong, cunning, manipulative woman ready to be proactive in this world, only to fall quickly back into her old persona. (Why not use that corkscrew and shove it up Ramsay's bolt, then escape). And even at the end of this season, she needs Theon's help to be rescued. Good for Reek for finally coming to his senses and perhaps gaining a bit of redemption. Bad for Sansa that she still has not become a strong woman. And f*** the Night's Watch and the Wall. I truly hope Jon comes back at some point and takes a front row seat as the White Walkers eat some Crow. And if he doesn't come back, which as I've said, looks like a very real possibility (at least for next season), then that really does hurt the show going forward imo. The Wall had become one of the better storylines.
It seems to me that Dragons in fiction are kind of like Cats in a way but trainable Cats. Drogon was pretty beat down and just not having any of it. Dany could have just waited for Drogon to rest up and feel better, but without any food or whatever I think she was being proactive and at least looking for survival assets. I don't necessarily think she was just leaving him, and I don't think she has the training to force Drogon to do anything. its not a book spoiler cause it hasn't happened, but I think a bit part of Dany's conquest to Westeros will be learning to train her dragons. Right now its pretty obvious that she's oblivious in how to take care of them, and use them correctly, and they weren't bringing them into the show without them being consequential... good or bad. Other than her saving in the pits, the Dragons have actually been a detriment over the past 2 seasons.
I don't think Jon will stay gone long. I expect his coming back will be the finale of the 2nd or 3rd episode of next season. I am curious what they plan to do with Davos. It's unlike the show to simply spare a character because people like him. Spoiler In the books he is looking for Rickon Stark, so he is working with the Starks in a respect, although not directly. I could see him being steered in that direction on the show. Although I'm not sure how he would get the info on Rickon's survival.
How are they a detriment? Nobody would even bother with her if she didn't have them. They are the only reason people give her any respect.
I don't really know why the story needs to go there. The High Sparrow and the faith militant served their purpose in the story, and are a symbol of the power that the church has/had in the story, and from the mythology that GRRM is pulling from. Having one of our central characters essentially "beat" religion serves what purpose? Even if you kill the High Sparrow are you killing what he stands for, and the consequences of putting church ahead of state? I could see the Sparrow characters being much less substantial next season, but I think from a world building perspective it would be pretty lazy to just say "oh.. now this huge part of the world isn't important... Its taken care of".
Spoiler In the books he is looking for Rickon Stark, so he is working with the Starks in a respect, although not directly. I could see him being steered in that direction on the show. Although I'm not sure how he would get the info on Rickon's survival. [/QUOTE] Reek and Sansa?
Sure, but I think they've been a detriment because she tried to domesticate them. Dragons are essentially uncontrollable and she didn't understand that about them. Dragons don't apologize for being dragons, when they are hungry, they eat. Dragons see the rest of the world as food. Dany isn't there yet, and worse, she sided with the people over her dragons. I think eventually Dany becomes a true dragon, and rules with more of an iron fist than a bleeding heart.
I thought that the entire point of the Drogon sequence in episode 9 was that Danny learned how to summon him. She was afraid and closed her eyes for a second and he suddenly appeared. I don't think that was a coincidence. I expect her to call him back if she gets into any trouble with the Dothraki. I agree about your point regarding training her dragons. She has to learn to control Drogon more efficiently and she has to get the other 2 involved. We don't know exactly who the High Sparrow is yet. It's possible that the High Sparrow has some ulterior motivation and is just using the Faith to gain political power for himself or someone else. This would tie in with the history of the church IRL, and we know that GoT is based in medieval history. You're right that their purpose was basically stripping Cersei of her power and her poor decisions coming back to haunt her. but there could be more to their leader.
They are dangerous and only a means for violence, war, and destruction. It hurts her ability to be viewed as a politician/ruler that isn't seen as a threat to many. Even worse, they aren't even controlled dragons. They just sort of do what they want, and even kill children from time to time. In the future, if she wants to rule of a bigger scale, she will need to have better control of them in order to make them an asset... not a liability, and another reason for people to want to kill her, and especially said dragons.
After last night's episode, again, I cant see how this can possibly conclude in just 20 episodes. I could easily see the white walkers not appear at all next season. Unless the show picks up the pace dramatically I just can see it. Everything is a slow play and to me, there's no imminent conclusion in sight. If they end in 20 there's no way it wont feel like a rush job considering the show's current pace. If they end in 20 I feel like they aren't being true to the way the story has been handled over the past 5 seasons.
Based on what they say about Dany's ancestors Dragons had a very in depth process for training them and only certain people could do so. I think Dany's dragons are uncontrollable, but that's just because Dany doesn't know what she's doing with them. I think they've definitely set up Dany to have a story arch that leads her down parallel path of her ancestors that does side with the iron fist. I wouldn't say Mad King crazy, but much like her ancestor that was a conqueror. One of the things GRRM always does in his stories is has history repeat itself. I think in the end Dany is going to go down in a very "Targaryan like" way.
Can't believe you and me are the only people here thinking that. Seemed a tad obvious to me, someone probably killed or stopped Brienne in the last moment.
Well, none of this is reality. So in the same vein that Breaking Bad wasn't reality... Breaking Bad was also mostly negative, and had some of the same issues I presented, but also gave you people to root for. Watching Game of Thrones, and you just wonder how anyone not named Bronn or Ramsey hasn't just slit their wrists and taken care of it themselves yet.
She is still facing a trial with the church. A trial that could dethrone Tommen. She is the one that made the High Sparrow the High Septon and bestowed the power to carry-out justice. I don't think she will become a born again child of The Seven.
