Don't read if you don't want to know. Darn it.

I'm just avoiding all GoT threads on all boards cause I know some people just can't help themselves and want to share spoilers they read somewhere else.

For the record, I was just speculating, my work is having a death pool and wanted some outside thoughts.

Lol. I just made that sh*t up. I haven't even seen the trailer for next week's episode. I don't know anything.

You really think I'm going to post an actual spoiler on here?

If you see the "OT: HBO" thread, I posted a couple days ago that I was p*ssed that HBO released images from next week's episode, and that an entertainment publication I follow posted one of those images on Twitter.

okaydo said:

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Lol. I just made that sh*t up. I haven't even seen the trailer for next week's episode. I don't know anything.

You really think I'm going to post an actual spoiler on here?

If you see the "OT: HBO" thread, I posted a couple days ago that I was p*ssed that HBO released images from next week's episode, and that an entertainment publication I follow posted one of those images on Twitter.

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Okay, sorry I thought you were being serious.

wifeisafurd said:

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okaydo said:

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Lol. I just made that sh*t up. I haven't even seen the trailer for next week's episode. I don't know anything.

You really think I'm going to post an actual spoiler on here?

If you see the "OT: HBO" thread, I posted a couple days ago that I was p*ssed that HBO released images from next week's episode, and that an entertainment publication I follow posted one of those images on Twitter.

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Okay, sorry I thought you were being serious.

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Also, my spoiler didn't make sense, since Brienne swore an oath to Mama Stark.

okaydo said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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okaydo said:

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Lol. I just made that sh*t up. I haven't even seen the trailer for next week's episode. I don't know anything.

You really think I'm going to post an actual spoiler on here?

If you see the "OT: HBO" thread, I posted a couple days ago that I was p*ssed that HBO released images from next week's episode, and that an entertainment publication I follow posted one of those images on Twitter.

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Okay, sorry I thought you were being serious.

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Also, my spoiler didn't make sense, since Brienne swore an oath to Mama Stark.

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I suppose so if I remembered. I'm having enough trouble keeping everything straight...

I think Red Sonja should come out of rehab for a Death Match with Brienne.

How would spoilers get out before the episode has aired

GBear4Life said:

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How would spoilers get out before the episode has aired

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Tonight's episode was already made available in Germany earlier today.

Also, HBO makes episodes in advance to certain members of the media so that they could post their articles as soon as the episode is done airing.

Spoilers do get out.

One sports writer I follow already tweeted about the quality of tonight's episode.

What a let down of an episode.

I read all the episodes of season 8 were going to be 90-120 minutes, much more like movies.

Now that the second episode has been broadcast, I want to say I haven't seen better writing or better acting in the last five years of GOT. The episode was overwhelming!

Bear8 said:

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Now that the second episode has been broadcast, I want to say I haven't seen better writing or better acting in the last five years of GOT. The episode was overwhelming!

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I would say influenced by the Alamo movies where the lads wax philosophic in their conversations on the eve of eating copious amounts of Mexican lead, bayonet and cannon fire.

Wow, that was unexpected and unnecessary.

And how y'all turning off the internet? Is there a good app for blocking all GoT news.

Bear8 said:

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Now that the second episode has been broadcast, I want to say I haven't seen better writing or better acting in the last five years of GOT. The episode was overwhelming!

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I completely disagree.

The writing was extremely lazy. It used the same narrative device over and over and over again.

"What would happen if x saw y again"

What would happen if they saw each other at the fire.
What would happen if they saw each other at the blacksmith
What would happen if they saw each other on the watchtower
What would happen if they saw each other at the courtyard
What would happen if they saw each other at the weird ass tree

And don't tell me you have to have some character building before the big fight. There are way more interesting and creative ways of doing so than doing the same thing over and over and over again.

Compare this to how LOTR treated the night before the big fight in Two Towers. That's a way more realistic portrayal of what would actually happen the night before a battle. And not some Friends reunion special. (Oh yea, all the characters you want to see together just happen to gather around the fire all exactly at the same time?)

These faults would have been much more forgivable if the previous episode didn't do basically the same thing and if there were more than 6 episodes.

You can't waste an entire episode on lazy storytelling. The writers did nothing to challenge their audience. Every character interaction was predictable and pure fan service.

Tormund's explanation for how he grew up to be so strong were my favorite lines of the night although it did leave me with some disturbing mental imagery.

He also gives new meaning to Benny Hill's classic line, "Now you're a big strong healthy girl, aren't you."

ducky23 said:

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Bear8 said:

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Now that the second episode has been broadcast, I want to say I haven't seen better writing or better acting in the last five years of GOT. The episode was overwhelming!

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I completely disagree.

The writing was extremely lazy. It used the same narrative device over and over and over again.

"What would happen if x saw y again"

What would happen if they saw each other at the fire.
What would happen if they saw each other at the blacksmith
What would happen if they saw each other on the watchtower
What would happen if they saw each other at the courtyard
What would happen if they saw each other at the weird ass tree

And don't tell me you have to have some character building before the big fight. There are way more interesting and creative ways of doing so than doing the same thing over and over and over again.

Compare this to how LOTR treated the night before the big fight in Two Towers. That's a way more realistic portrayal of what would actually happen the night before a battle. And not some Friends reunion special. (Oh yea, all the characters you want to see together just happen to gather around the fire all exactly at the same time?)

These faults would have been much more forgivable if the previous episode didn't do basically the same thing and if there were more than 6 episodes.

You can't waste an entire episode on lazy storytelling. The writers did nothing to challenge their audience. Every character interaction was predictable and pure fan service.

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I've read that this was a brilliant episode or a terrible episode. I thought it was fine. I just think it's hard to compare this to a film -- even Lord of the Rings -- which is a totally different animal. (I've never really been into Lord of the Rings, though I've seen all the movies.)

There seem to be 2 camps. There are people who just want a lot of action and deaths and there are those who want a lot of quiet moments. There have been a lot of articles before the season about how Game of Thrones moved away from the little moments in earlier season in favor of more action.

What would you have done differently?

Here's New York Times chief TV critic James Poniewozik:



Here's Gennifer Hutchinson, Emmy-nominated writer for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, who tweets a lot about the writing process.

okaydo said:

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ducky23 said:

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Bear8 said:

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Now that the second episode has been broadcast, I want to say I haven't seen better writing or better acting in the last five years of GOT. The episode was overwhelming!

---

I completely disagree.

The writing was extremely lazy. It used the same narrative device over and over and over again.

"What would happen if x saw y again"

What would happen if they saw each other at the fire.
What would happen if they saw each other at the blacksmith
What would happen if they saw each other on the watchtower
What would happen if they saw each other at the courtyard
What would happen if they saw each other at the weird ass tree

And don't tell me you have to have some character building before the big fight. There are way more interesting and creative ways of doing so than doing the same thing over and over and over again.

Compare this to how LOTR treated the night before the big fight in Two Towers. That's a way more realistic portrayal of what would actually happen the night before a battle. And not some Friends reunion special. (Oh yea, all the characters you want to see together just happen to gather around the fire all exactly at the same time?)

These faults would have been much more forgivable if the previous episode didn't do basically the same thing and if there were more than 6 episodes.

You can't waste an entire episode on lazy storytelling. The writers did nothing to challenge their audience. Every character interaction was predictable and pure fan service.

---

I've read that this was a brilliant episode or a terrible episode. I thought it was fine. I just think it's hard to compare this to a film -- even Lord of the Rings -- which is a totally different animal. (I've never really been into Lord of the Rings, though I've seen all the movies.)

There seem to be 2 camps. There are people who just want a lot of action and deaths and there are those who want a lot of quiet moments. There have been a lot of articles before the season about how Game of Thrones moved away from the little moments in earlier season in favor of more action.

What would you have done differently?

Here's New York Times chief TV critic James Poniewozik:



Here's Gennifer Hutchinson, Emmy-nominated writer for Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul, who tweets a lot about the writing process.

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I specifically wrote in my original post that my problem is NOT the lack of action (cause I knew someone would bring that up)

I understand that character development needed to happen. But you simply can't use the same narrative decive over and over and over again to drive that character development.

I could count at least 10+ times where the exact same thing happens. Character x hasn't seen character y for awhile, they meet, they talk, and conveniently and satisfactorily tie up any loose ends.

I'm a huge proponent of challenging your audience. Presenting your audience with difficult moral/ethical questions. Challenging your audience's expectations. This episode was spoonfed to the audience and gave people exactly what they wanted and expected.

It's candy. And I don't think you waste one of your 6 episodes on candy. Again, this episode would've been whatever if you had a regular 10 episode season. But once you decide to make it 6 episodes, you raise the stakes on every remaining episode.

The implicit promise for shortening to 6 episodes was that every episode would be ridiculous. No filler.

So far, episode 1 just set stuff up. And episode 2 was pure fan service. Nothing of substance has happened yet.

My idea of brilliant writing is the last episode of Bodyguard.

Quote:

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It's candy. And I don't think you waste one of your 6 episodes on candy.

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Look, bash GoT all you want, but you start putting down candy and we're going to throw down.

ducky23 said:

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So far, episode 1 just set stuff up. And episode 2 was pure fan service. Nothing of substance has happened yet.

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Agreed.

LOL that the war between the Lannisters and the Starks will have taken more episodes than the fight against the White Walkers, which they have been setting up the whole storyline. Deus Ex Machina coming right up.

If Bran warged into a dragon and set the Night King on fire, that would make it worth it though.

The character and writing/dialogue to advance storylines have been weak for a while now. At this point I think most just want to hopefully see the 'good guys' win.

ducky23 said:

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Bear8 said:

---

Now that the second episode has been broadcast, I want to say I haven't seen better writing or better acting in the last five years of GOT. The episode was overwhelming!

---

I completely disagree.

The writing was extremely lazy. It used the same narrative device over and over and over again.

"What would happen if x saw y again"

What would happen if they saw each other at the fire.
What would happen if they saw each other at the blacksmith
What would happen if they saw each other on the watchtower
What would happen if they saw each other at the courtyard
What would happen if they saw each other at the weird ass tree

And don't tell me you have to have some character building before the big fight. There are way more interesting and creative ways of doing so than doing the same thing over and over and over again.

Compare this to how LOTR treated the night before the big fight in Two Towers. That's a way more realistic portrayal of what would actually happen the night before a battle. And not some Friends reunion special. (Oh yea, all the characters you want to see together just happen to gather around the fire all exactly at the same time?)

These faults would have been much more forgivable if the previous episode didn't do basically the same thing and if there were more than 6 episodes.

You can't waste an entire episode on lazy storytelling. The writers did nothing to challenge their audience. Every character interaction was predictable and pure fan service.

---

Nothing anybody really said or did that day on possibly the last night of their lives resembles anything remotely plausible IMO for many of the points you mentioned. This has been my main criticism of the show in general. I really don't think we needed much of it. Go over the battle plans, have some key interactions about life, and move on. Episodes 1 and 2 could have been condensed into one 75-80 minute episode to precede the war.

hopefully they don't blow their essential fluids on the penultimate episode.

Personally, I'm getting worried that the series is not going to end with someone capturing the throne. I have no inside knowledge, so I would speculate the opening of the Dany/Jon Snow reveal, the Sansa/Dany question, as well as the ongoing war with the dead and the war for the throne is going to be a lot to tie up in any satisfying way. I'm just nervous they either leave one of the main plotlines unresolved, rush one of the main conflicts or blitzkrieg through a series of 30 second clips to tie up everyone's story arc (unless of course everyone is dead). The only potential saving grace is that the ensuing episodes are supposed to be around 80 minutes give or take a few minutes.

golden sloth said:

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Personally, I'm getting worried that the series is not going to end with someone capturing the throne. I have no inside knowledge, so I would speculate the opening of the Dany/Jon Snow reveal, the Sansa/Dany question, as well as the ongoing war with the dead and the war for the throne is going to be a lot to tie up in any satisfying way. I'm just nervous they either leave one of the main plotlines unresolved, rush one of the main conflicts or blitzkrieg through a series of 30 second clips to tie up everyone's story arc (unless of course everyone is dead). The only potential saving grace is that the ensuing episodes are supposed to be around 80 minutes give or take a few minutes.

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We have 320 minutes left, or 5 hours and 20 minutes.

(Personally, I think ending with somebody capturing the throne would be too obvious. I'd be surprised if that happens.)



To put that in perspective, if you started at the beginning of Season 7, it would take you about halfway through Episode 6 to get to 320 minutes.

So there will be two separate wars, one with the white walkers and one with Cersei. GOT does lavish battle scenes really well, so I'm expecting people are happy with next episode, and assuming the good guys win, then on to Danny/Snow against Cersei for the remaining episodes. Wife and I debated not only who dies, but also (at her insistence) who ends up a couple. She thinks Sansa and Theon and I think Sansa maintains her marriage with Tyrion and they become wardens of the North (it would seem more realistic if Sophie Tucker had not grown like 6 inches), she sees Tormund and Brienne (I don't see them both living). We both agree that Ayra falls for the Hound, and they start having lot's of puppies, Sam becomes the Hand and lives happily ever after with Gilly, and Grey Worm and Missande (this in not Canadian Bacon - we get some diversity at the end) hit the breach together. Since there must be a horny 14 year old boy advising to get all those gratuitous sex scenes, I think Yara Greyjoy makes Cersei her sex slave (wife disapproves). We both see Varys surviving, but not sure he connects with anyone for obvious reasons. Wife also has Melisandre making it back to connect with Davos, and I'm not buying that. And IMO, butt-kicking Lady Lyanna Mormont gets whoever she wants (which at her age may be a pet dire wolf). Pretty much everyone else is dead, because that happens on GOT.

okaydo said:

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golden sloth said:

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Personally, I'm getting worried that the series is not going to end with someone capturing the throne. I have no inside knowledge, so I would speculate the opening of the Dany/Jon Snow reveal, the Sansa/Dany question, as well as the ongoing war with the dead and the war for the throne is going to be a lot to tie up in any satisfying way. I'm just nervous they either leave one of the main plotlines unresolved, rush one of the main conflicts or blitzkrieg through a series of 30 second clips to tie up everyone's story arc (unless of course everyone is dead). The only potential saving grace is that the ensuing episodes are supposed to be around 80 minutes give or take a few minutes.

---

We have 320 minutes left, or 5 hours and 20 minutes.

(Personally, I think ending with somebody capturing the throne would be too obvious. I'd be surprised if that happens.)



To put that in perspective, if you started at the beginning of Season 7, it would take you about halfway through Episode 6 to get to 320 minutes.

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Interesting on the long running times. Sensing lot's of battle and long dying scenes.

wifeisafurd said:

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So there will be two separate wars, one with the white walkers and one with Cersei. GOT does lavish battle scenes really well, so I'm expecting people are happy with next episode, and assuming the good guys win, then on to Danny/Snow against Cersei for the remaining episodes. Wife and I debated not only who dies, but also (at her insistence) who ends up a couple. She thinks Sansa and Theon and I think Sansa maintains her marriage with Tyrion and they become wardens of the North (it would seem more realistic if Sophie Tucker had not grown like 6 inches), she sees Tormund and Brienne (I don't see them both living). We both agree that Ayra falls for the Hound, and they start having lot's of puppies, Sam becomes the Hand and lives happily ever after with Gilly, and Grey Worm and Missande (this in not Canadian Bacon - we get some diversity at the end) hit the breach together. Since there must be a horny 14 year old boy advising to get all those gratuitous sex scenes, I think Yara Greyjoy makes Cersei her sex slave (wife disapproves). We both see Varys surviving, but not sure he connects with anyone for obvious reasons. Wife also has Melisandre making it back to connect with Davos, and I'm not buying that. And IMO, butt-kicking Lady Lyanna Mormont gets whoever she wants (which at her age may be a pet dire wolf). Pretty much everyone else is dead, because that happens on GOT.

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Pretty sure Theon, Greyworm and Varys all have similar relationship "challenges". I guess if we can buy one we can buy the others.

I found this video interesting.

The oldest GoT actor was born in 1923. The youngest was born in 2003.

(And The Hound actor is 19 years older than his "older" brother, The Mountain.)

Sebastabear said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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So there will be two separate wars, one with the white walkers and one with Cersei. GOT does lavish battle scenes really well, so I'm expecting people are happy with next episode, and assuming the good guys win, then on to Danny/Snow against Cersei for the remaining episodes. Wife and I debated not only who dies, but also (at her insistence) who ends up a couple. She thinks Sansa and Theon and I think Sansa maintains her marriage with Tyrion and they become wardens of the North (it would seem more realistic if Sophie Tucker had not grown like 6 inches), she sees Tormund and Brienne (I don't see them both living). We both agree that Ayra falls for the Hound, and they start having lot's of puppies, Sam becomes the Hand and lives happily ever after with Gilly, and Grey Worm and Missande (this in not Canadian Bacon - we get some diversity at the end) hit the breach together. Since there must be a horny 14 year old boy advising to get all those gratuitous sex scenes, I think Yara Greyjoy makes Cersei her sex slave (wife disapproves). We both see Varys surviving, but not sure he connects with anyone for obvious reasons. Wife also has Melisandre making it back to connect with Davos, and I'm not buying that. And IMO, butt-kicking Lady Lyanna Mormont gets whoever she wants (which at her age may be a pet dire wolf). Pretty much everyone else is dead, because that happens on GOT.

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Pretty sure Theon, Greyworm and Varys all have similar relationship "challenges". I guess if we can buy one we can buy the others.

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I found this tweet pretty hilarious.

wifeisafurd said:

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So there will be two separate wars, one with the white walkers and one with Cersei. GOT does lavish battle scenes really well, so I'm expecting people are happy with next episode, and assuming the good guys win, then on to Danny/Snow against Cersei for the remaining episodes. Wife and I debated not only who dies, but also (at her insistence) who ends up a couple. She thinks Sansa and Theon and I think Sansa maintains her marriage with Tyrion and they become wardens of the North (it would seem more realistic if Sophie Tucker had not grown like 6 inches), she sees Tormund and Brienne (I don't see them both living). We both agree that Ayra falls for the Hound, and they start having lot's of puppies, Sam becomes the Hand and lives happily ever after with Gilly, and Grey Worm and Missande (this in not Canadian Bacon - we get some diversity at the end) hit the breach together. Since there must be a horny 14 year old boy advising to get all those gratuitous sex scenes, I think Yara Greyjoy makes Cersei her sex slave (wife disapproves). We both see Varys surviving, but not sure he connects with anyone for obvious reasons. Wife also has Melisandre making it back to connect with Davos, and I'm not buying that. And IMO, butt-kicking Lady Lyanna Mormont gets whoever she wants (which at her age may be a pet dire wolf). Pretty much everyone else is dead, because that happens on GOT.

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I find this absolutely horrific, and would rather see Cersei win the crown.

I think you guys over-estimate the number of people that will live, and Davos and Melisandre would never hook up, they hate each other, not too mention she is like a hundred years old.

KenBurnski said:

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hopefully they don't blow their essential fluids on the penultimate episode.

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golden sloth said:

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wifeisafurd said:

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So there will be two separate wars, one with the white walkers and one with Cersei. GOT does lavish battle scenes really well, so I'm expecting people are happy with next episode, and assuming the good guys win, then on to Danny/Snow against Cersei for the remaining episodes. Wife and I debated not only who dies, but also (at her insistence) who ends up a couple. She thinks Sansa and Theon and I think Sansa maintains her marriage with Tyrion and they become wardens of the North (it would seem more realistic if Sophie Tucker had not grown like 6 inches), she sees Tormund and Brienne (I don't see them both living). We both agree that Ayra falls for the Hound, and they start having lot's of puppies, Sam becomes the Hand and lives happily ever after with Gilly, and Grey Worm and Missande (this in not Canadian Bacon - we get some diversity at the end) hit the breach together. Since there must be a horny 14 year old boy advising to get all those gratuitous sex scenes, I think Yara Greyjoy makes Cersei her sex slave (wife disapproves). We both see Varys surviving, but not sure he connects with anyone for obvious reasons. Wife also has Melisandre making it back to connect with Davos, and I'm not buying that. And IMO, butt-kicking Lady Lyanna Mormont gets whoever she wants (which at her age may be a pet dire wolf). Pretty much everyone else is dead, because that happens on GOT.

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I find this absolutely horrific, and would rather see Cersei win the crown.

I think you guys over-estimate the number of people that will live, and Davos and Melisandre would never hook up, they hate each other, not too mention she is like a hundred years old.

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No cougar power for you. But yes, they do hate each other - I don't get it.

We basically considered anyone that is not ambiguous bits it other than Snow/Danny.
Khal Drogo's Ghost Dojo - SNL via @YouTube

And Sebsasterbear, as you may recall, Missandre is willing to be pleasured without penile penetration (one of those gratuitous scenes from the 13 year old writer), so it seems like Grey Worm, has been given the chance, assuming he survives.

Weird thing on Andy Samburg's SNL 13 year old consultant skit has been erased for the internet. SNL got hit with a cease and desist order for some copyright violation (not from GOT which loved the publicity) .