Before we begin this year's prognistications for the next season of HBO's "Game of Thrones," let's how I did with last year's, shall we?
Daenerys Targaryen didn't stay in Qarth or become its Queen, but she did get several new possible s...
Before we begin this year's prognistications for the next season of HBO's "Game of Thrones," let's how I did with last year's, shall we?
Daenerys Targaryen didn't stay in Qarth or become its Queen, but she did get several new possible suitors to vie for her attention alongside Jorah Mormont, with Berristan Selmy, Grey Worm, and Daario Naharis all proclaiming their undying love and loyalty. Plus, at least one person who didn't meet her incredibly high standards was summarily extinguished by Drogon fire. (Accuracy: 50%)
Theon Greyjoy didn't acquire his own crew of jaunty seamen or sail anywhere near Dragonstone, because he didn't really do much of anything this season. But, at least I was right that his future goals would change -- by his unexpected emasculation -- and that his sister would eventually come to his rescue, with her band of jaunty seamen to boot. But is it too little, too late? (Accuracy: 25% and still possible)
Robb Stark, poor, doomed, stupid Robb Stark. It was easy to see that his marriage to Talisa would cause complications with both Roose Bolton and Walder Frey, but I never expected his entire army and his only known surviving family would perish alongside the King in the North. While his fate wasn't nearly as, er, lighthearted as I described, I came a lot closer to the truth than I'm comfortable with. (Accuracy: 50%)
Jon Snow did indeed have to face trials as a Wildling recruit: proving himself to Mance Rayder, delivering inside intel to the Giantsbane, surviving the Wall climb, and ultimately failing to kill that northern farmer. He doesn't get to stay with Ygritte, but he did become her "love slave" for a period. (Accuracy: 75%)
Bran and Rickon Stark may not have made it to Castle Black, but that was their intended direction for the season and Bran does, indeed, finally make it to the Wall. I suppose the only mysteries they solved were the vague meanings behind Bran's visions, but that was more or less served to them on a silver platter by the Reed siblings, Jojen and Meera. (Accuracy: 25%)
Arya Stark went in a completely different direction from King's Landing, and toward Rivverun, but she did join forces with the Hound for pretty much the reason I stated. To paraphrase myself and Sandor Clegane: "One Stark b*tch is as good as another." But, Jaime and Brienne did eventually make it back to the Westeros capital; and with nobody dying there recently, as well as the addition of the Tyrells and only Littlefinger leaving to marry the widow Arryn, the Red Keep is quite the "full castle." (Accuracy: 50%)
Altogether, that's not such a bad track record. You might quibble with my self-determined accuracy ratings, but they mathematically put me at just under 50% for the season. For somebody who hadn't read any of the books and avoided all spoilers beyond A Clash of Kings, but has seen a TV show before, I'm fairly proud of myself. I've still only read up to the second book and I'm not sure if I'll start the third, A Storm of Swords, before season 4 begins or wait until this section of the story is completely adapted before getting into it. (Any book readers' non-spoiler opinions on where to stop reading Storm would be greatly appreciated.) I'm still mostly unaware of what happens next, but because figuring out how a story arc ends is much different than predicting where the next story arc will begin, I'm probably going to go a little beyond where I think the next season can logisitically go in a few of these entries.
Like last year, if you've read George R.R. Martin's books, please do not spoil the HBO series for the rest of us by fawning over my precog abilities too much. That's what Joanna's posts are for. But a little fawning is fine and to be expected. First and foremost, enjoy!
Bran Stark
On their journey beyond the Wall, Bran, Hodor, and the Reeds will meet the three-eyed raven, who is actually the long lost Benjen Stark! Who is also a warg! Who escaped his dying body, just like Orell did in "The Rai