A Game of Thrones (HBO)

[Scott]

Interesting on Stannis...didn't even cross my mind that he wasn't dead
Also interesting take on Bran, I could see him and the Children of the Forest saving Westeros from the White Walkers

My other thought after consideration, Dany storyline has suffered the most from Martin's change from 3 books to whatever the hell he ends up with.  She seems to be repeating herself and is winding up in the same spot as she was (now all she needs is a fleet to get her new Khalasar across the narrow sea)...whatever happened to Victarion?  All of the Greyjoys are sort of out of the story it seems (except for Theon)

I also don't think Jon is dead dead, I look to Melisandre to save Azor Ahai...I echo what Jeff said, it just seems like a huge waste of time and effort and speculation for nothing...

[Rob]

The Red Woman showing up just before he's killed is the only thing leaving the door open to me... we certainly all know by now that this series isn't afraid of killing off major characters, I'd assumed Snow would be different, but at this point who the hell knows, especially with the show having out run the books.

[BrentS]

Well after 7 snoozer episodes in my opinion the last 3 were outstanding.

The Red Woman showing up just before he's killed is the only thing leaving the door open to me... we certainly all know by now that this series isn't afraid of killing off major characters, I'd assumed Snow would be different, but at this point who the hell knows, especially with the show having out run the books.

I'm with you guys on Jon.  I can't believe he's Dead dead.  It seems very suspect that Melisendre just left Stannis's side because of the mutiny and getting shrugged off.  She needed to be back at the Castle Black for a reason (since she was still there in the books).  I'd be surprised if Jon doesn't get the Red God treatment... 

I also never thought for a moment that Sansa and Theon were dead.  If they wanted to commit suicide there were fair easier ways to do it... they were trying to get away. 

I didn't think about the Stannis angle...   Maybe he could still be alive. 

I assumed that Myrcella bought it... no reason to believe the poison wouldn't have killed her.

I also never considered that Dany may join with a new Khalasar.    Interesting to consider that though. 

Not mentioned yet... I loved Cersei's walk of absolution.   I heard that the showrunners got a lot of grief filming that scene from the local governments.

[Rob]

Here's where I'm at on everyone...

Jon:  Alive - but maybe not right away 
Sansa and Theon:  Alive - Landed in a huge pile of snow
Stannis:  Dead - Brienne isn't missing or not getting that revenge.
Myrcella:  Dead - Jamie didn't know about that poison or how it works or that there was an antidote, and there wasn't any antidote on that ship.

[BillCable]

Agree on all points.

[Nicklab]

After Brienne's past failures I cannot see her being merciful to Stannis.  She was devoted to and loved Renly, even if he would never return her overtures.  Only Brienne and Catelyn Stark saw the Shadow creature kill Renly.  She was the only one left alive who could attest to that.  Considering that she was suspected of killing Renly herself, I can totally see her finally keeping her oath to herself with Oathkeeper by finally dispatching Stannis.  And after all of the tragedy that has befallen Stannis because of his ambition?  The horrific death of his daughter Shireen, his wife Selyse taking her own life because of her overwhelming grief, followed by the annihilation of his army.  I think Stannis probably welcomed death.

The one point about Jon Snow that needs to be taken into account is just how much like Ned Stark he really is.  Jon came close to leaving the Night's Watch in that first season.  But he came to the realization that he was duty bound to the Watch.  Despite his mission to infiltrate the Wildlings, he's been devoted to the Night's Watch.  When Stannis offered to legitimize him so that Jon Snow might become Jon Stark and assist in the taking of Winterfell, Jon passed.  He stayed with the Watch to do his duty. 

If the speculation is true about Jon Snow and his true parentage, then it seems that he has a larger role to play.  And since he knows the secret of what Valyrian Steel can do to the White Walkers, he seems even more important now.  But Jon needed to be released from his vows to the Night's Watch.  And the only way that can happen is by his own death.

As for Dany and the Dothraki?  It's interesting.  The Dothraki largely abandoned her after the death of Drogo.  And only her blood riders remained.  I suspect that the Dothraki are not pleased with Danaerys.  But now that she's the Mother of Dragons?  I can see her winning over the Dothraki, perhaps with a little help from Drogon.

I have to wonder about why the story of the Ironborn was completely excised from the show.  Unless of course they're going to come into play next season in an effort to get Danaerys and her army across the Narrow Sea.

[Jesse James]

Geeze Louise...  This show and killing people you like.  Hah.

[Mikey D]

I agree that Myrcella is probably dead (part of Cersei's future told by the wood witch is that she'll outlive all her children, so at some point Myrcella and Tommen have to croak), but this show is known for twists and turns, so until we get confirmation, the slight chance she's still alive is there.

Stannis I don't know, I can see both sides of the argument.  Again, why not show the death if he's truly meant to be dead?  Could it be that the producers don't really know where Martin's going with Stannis in the books and they want to keep their options open?  What was shown is any easy out both ways when Stannis' fate is ultimately decided.  And yes, Brienne had an oath to Renly, but her current oath is to Catelyn and rescuing her daughters.  Christ, she spent the entire season looking at a ******* window waiting for a candle to be lit to rescue Sansa.  Maybe Pod sees the candle lit and stops Brienne from killing Stannis with that fact. 

[BillCable]

Again, why not show the death if he's truly meant to be dead?

Money.  Fake heads are expensive.  If you can get the same message across with a quick scene transition, it's a compelling option to showrunners.  Especially in an episode where they're already throwing a ton of money up on the screen.

[McMetal]

Good stuff.

I don't buy any death they don't show on screen, and not even all of them they DO show.

Except Meryn Trant. That ****** is dead, and how. 

Myrcella? Probably but you'd think the ship would have turned around or something. What are they supposed to do with Trystane now?

Stannis? I def don't think so, it would have been perfectly easy to provide closure on that but they obviously chose not to, as with the Hound. I suspect Brienne will try to use him as some kind of bargaining chit with the Boltons to get Sansa back.

I would speculate about Theon and Sansa going all Thelma and Louise but I don't care much about either of them at this point. I do seem to recall seeing a guy and a girl jump off a cliff into a snowdrift in FROZEN though, so i guess there is hope. 

As for Jon, I absolutely do not think he can be permanently dead. Not so much for any of the other reasons mentioned but simply for the fact that his parentage is such a huge mystery underpinning the whole backstory of the series. If he's dead, it becomes totally irrelevant whether his Mom was Lyanna or his Dad was Baratheon/Targaryen. And I just think that it's not irrelevant, it's the complete opposite. It has to matter. And it only matters if he's still alive in some way, shape or form. Just my two cents.

Was that a CGI body double for Cersei?

[Nicklab]

Count me in the camp that says Stannis is dead.  There have been plenty of things terrible things that have happened to main characters that didn't make it on screen.  Theons torture.  Sansas wedding night.  King Robert being killed by the boar.  I think this was an attempt to give Stannis some dignity in death after the horror he's been through. 

I did hear that there was a body double for Lena Headey during Cersei's walk of atonement.  And whatever hotness there was in that scene quickly disappeared because of the brutality of her having to walk all the way across Kings Landing through the angry mob. 

[BillCable]

It was a body double.  She was preggers at the time of filming.

[Jesse James]

It was an absolutely rockin body double.

[Matt_Fury]

I don't think Jon's dead.  I think the red witch will find him before he completely bleeds out and save him.  How he deals with the Night's watch is going to be interesting.  Only he and Sam truly know what danger is coming...it will be interesting.

****...is it April yet? 

[Nicklab]

Looks like Bran Stark will return for GoT season 6.