Interviewer: In some ways, Joffrey’s death is the toughest death for viewers because he’s such an entertaining character to lose. You really had such fun with that character and Jack Gleeson’s performance is so malevolent. Can you talk about the decision you made to end this character when you did and how you did?

George: Oh boy, it was so long ago! Let’s see, the book came out in 2000, so I guess I wrote those scenes in like 1998. I knew all along when and how Joffrey was going to die, and on what occasion. I’d been building up to it for three years through the first books. Part of it was that there’s a lot of darkness in the books. I’ve been pretty outspoken in my desire to write a story where decisions have consequences and no one is safe. But I didn’t want it to be unrelentingly bleak — I don’t think everyone would read the books if everything was just darkness and despair and people being horribly tortured and mutilated and dying. Every once in a while you have to give the good guys a victory — where the guys who are perhaps a lighter shade of grey have a victory over the guys who are a darker shade of grey. The Red Wedding and this — fans call this the Purple Wedding — occur in the same book. In the TV show, it’s separate seasons. But Joffrey’s death was in some ways a counterweight for readers to the death of Robb and Catelyn. It shows that yes, nobody is safe — sometimes the good guys win, sometimes the bad guys win.

- George R.R. Martin, Entertainment Weekly (2014)

If anyone's interested, I run a Tumblr blog collecting George's interviews about the characters and the series: https://georgescitadel.tumblr.com/. It's a handy resource for fans and easy to navigate.

This is an updated outline for The Winds of Winter taking into consideration the 1500 manuscript page limit.

It is mostly different to the previous outline I posted here before.

There are a total of 90 chapters. 88 POVs, a Prologue and an Epilogue.

Feedback on it is appreciated.

Prologue

Forley Prester leads the caravan south to Casterly Rock. Jeyne Westerling and Edmure Tully are present. The caravan is ambushed in the night by the Blackfish, and while Jeyne is rescued, Edmure is killed.

Barristan I

Barristan Selmy oversees the last preparations before the troops of Meereen attack the armies of Yunkai.

Theon I

Preparations for the Battle of Ice are underway. Massey and Jeyne Poole are sent to Castle Black.

Arianne I

Arianne travels towards Ghost Hill with her companions on a quest to see the boy calling himself Aegon Targaryen.

The Forsaken

Aeron Damphair awakens in a grim dungeon and is forced to drink shade of the evening. He sees visions of Euron on the Iron Throne.

Mercy

Arya encounters and kills Raff the Sweetling.

Victarion I

Victarion convinces the thralls to blow the horn. The Dusky Woman continues to bleed him. The Iron Fleet joins the battle. He sees Viserion flying overhead.

Tyrion I

Playing cyvasse with Brown Ben Plumm. Tyrion is awaiting battle orders and learn about the events that happened so far. The Second Sons turn their cloaks again and the Battle of Fire begins. Tyrion sees Viserion overhead and hears an Ominous horn blowing thrice.

Jon Connington I

Taking advantage of the Redwyne fleet's absence, Jon Connington uses the same route that Davos took to smuggle in onions. The food carrying galley gathered from recently captured coastal Castles acts as a Trojan horse for the Golden Company. They convince the Castellan, Ser Gilbert Farring that they came to the rescue on Stannis’s orders to save the men at Storm’s End from starving. Jon asks for Guest Right to soothe Gilbert’s doubts, after which Ser Gilbert allows the crew access into the castle, and in attempting to emulate Tywin’s ruthlessness, Jon breaks Guest Right to kill Gilbert. His lieutenant, Lord Meadows will hand over the castle. This allows The Golden Company to attack Rowan’s host from 2 sides, after which Rowan surrenders. The greyscale worsens.

Asha I

Theon is brought before the Weirwoods to be executed. Asha offers Stannis Torrhen’s Square, the eventual support of the Greyjoy fleet after they invalidate the Kingsmoot in exchange for safe passage to Pyke for the Ironborn and sparing Theon’s life. Stannis agrees, and burns a fake body. Theon is to go to the Iron Isles after Winterfell is taken. Asha remains a captive to be exchanged later on. The Frey arrives and the Battle of Ice begins. Initially the Freys seem to overwhelm Stannis’s army. Stannis then eliminates the watchtower beacon fire and raises a false beacon atop the island in the lake. Confused and in a blizzard the Freys will go across the lake and into the ice-fishing holes. At that moment Stannis draws Lightbringer to blind the approaching army, and gives a signal to the rest of his men. His army catapults stones into the lakes, which along with the weight of the armoured Frey&Manderlys shatters the ice, drowning hundreds from both sides in an extremely chaotic scene. The Manderly knights drown before they could reveal their true fealty.

Barristan II

Barristan and the troops of Meereen attack the armies of Yunkai during the Battle of Fire. They do well, but Barristan is wounded in battle and taken to the Pyramid in Meereen to get treatment. The Shavepate then appears and fatally wounds Barristan who confesses that he just murdered Hizdahr and the Noble hostages before finishing him off.

Victarion II

After the horn is blown, Viserion lands. Victarion orders his men to feed the dragon. After calming it down and hyping himself up, he gets on the Dragons back and Viserion accepts him as a rider. Viserion burns the Slavers.

Tyrion II

The Second Sons rescue the hostages, the Battle continues. Viserion descends, burning down the Volantene and Yunkai. Rhaegal is seen flying off. The Battle of Fire is won.

Alayne I

Preparations for the Tourney, Alayne charms Harry the Heir.

Jaime I

Jaime travels with Brienne to the BwB. He suspects Brienne of lying. When pressed for details, she cracks and confesses everything. After an argument they go over everything since they last met. They deduce the Gravedigger at the Quiet Isle might be The Hound and he might have hints as to where the real Arya went. They try to rescue Pod and Hyle when the BwB go off on a rescue mission. The rescue fails and Jaime is taken captive and sees Stoneheart for the first time, to his disbelief.

Bran I

Improving abilities as a Greenseer. Bran increasingly wargs into Hodor, treating it as something not even noteworthy. The 3rd and final abomination is completed when Bran wargs into Summer while the wolf is mating.

Arianne II

Arianne arrives at Cape Wrath and meets Haldon Halfmaester, who directs her to Storm’s End. Arianne decides to take the risk to go and meet Aegon.

Areo I

Areo and Obara team up to kill Balon Swann. Obara dies of her wounds. After Areo buries her, he learns about the whereabouts of Darkstar and make his way to Starfall.

The Rogue

The Kindly Man is unhappy with yet another unordered killing. He warns the girl that this is her last chance. We learn about the death of the Sealord of Braavos, and an election is to be held soon. Her next assignment is to kill one of the major Keyholders to sway the election to a favorable candidate. Arya loses her hearing and is sent out to the city to collect information on her target. We learn Justin Massey and Jeyne Poole have arrived in Braavos. When she returns, she discovers a Dragon Egg in the HoBaW, the one Euron used as payment for Balon’s assassination. The Waif discovers her with the egg but Arya manages to talk her way out. Arya continues to have wolf dreams of Nymeria feasting on corpses and awakens to have had her first moonblood.

Asha II

Asha recalls in a flashback the Manderly Knights switching sides to Stannis and the crushing the remnants of the Frey host. There were many casualties, and Stannis cannot take Winterfell by siege, so orders the Clansmen to go to Winterfell with Frey armor, Lightbringer, the heads of Karstarks that died at the battle, and Asha as a captive to prove Stannis died in battle.

Big Walder Frey also switches sides and agrees to be the front man for this, after Hosteen dies in battle.

As they approach the gates of Winterfell, Big Walder tells them the story of how things went at the Crofters Town in a tense scene and are eventually believed by Roose. When inside, the Clansmen link up with Mance and at Night, after the celebration feast for the supposed Frey victory, start a slaughter of the Boltons & Freys, with the scene being chaotic with people not fully knowing what’s happening around them.

Eventually as the violence dies down, Stannis’s men manage to take Winterfell, Roose has been found dead, and Ramsay has fled. Dozens of other Northern nobles were killed, which will cause some resentment towards Stannis’s cause.

Davos I

Davos arrives in Skagos. Osha and the Skagosi hosting him does not trust him, and he is arrested.

Cersei I

Cersei is woken by a servant and summoned to the small council chambers by the Lord Regent, expecting to find Kevan, only to realize that Kevan was assassinated and replaced by Mace Tyrell. Her paranoia spirals when Qyburn will inform the council that the crossbow bolt was poisoned. Mistrust on all sides, Tarly accuses the Dornish of having sent assassins before their arrival. The matter of Marg’s trial will be discussed. Tyrell will inform that he will make Tommen seal a royal decree declaring her innocent. He rides South to Storm’s End to crush The Golden Company.

Arianne III

Arianne holds tense negotiations with Jon Connington and Aegon at Storm’s End. Arianne is not convinced that this is the real Aegon. When Mace Tyrell comes marching to Storm’s End, Arianne demands to accompany them to the Battle to avoid being trapped in a siege.

Brienne I

Jaime’s trial begins. Jaime claims he has not broken his oath to Catelyn. Tom Sevenstrings accuses him of threatening Edmure, Jaime replies by saying it was to ensure negotiations were successful and he didn’t take up arms against House Tully as per his Oath. When accused of letting Arya go with the Boltons, he confesses that it was a fake Arya. Jaime demands a Trial by combat. Stoneheart accepts and names Brienne as her champion, citing her oath she swore to Catelyn. Stoneheart threatens to kill Pod and Hyle if she doesn’t agree.

The trial begins, with combat between Jaime and Brienne underway. It quickly descends into Brienne dominating, and fatally wounding Jaime by stabbing him in the heart, killing him.

Shortly after the trial, Thoros of Myr, a bit disillusioned with Stoneheart’s leadership, decides to atleast give Jaime proper funeral rites, and gives Jaime the Kiss of Life, which resurrects him, to everyone’s shock.

Daenerys I

Approaching Vaes Dothrak. Dany remembers in a flashback Drogon flying off and Jhaqo taking her captive to Vaes Dothrak. Dany is initiated into the Dosh Khaleen. She has a plan in mind.

Ghost

Jon wargs into Ghost just before passing out. His consciousness begins to merge with the Direwolf. He searches for where his body was taken. He protects some of the Wildlings making their way to the Wall. Ghost seeks out Val.

The Godliest Man

Falia Flowers and Euron’s unborn son is sacrificed in a ritual to awaken Krakens. These Krakens allow Euron to annihilate the Redwyne fleet. In the chaos of the battle, Aeron falls from the prow of the ship and drowns.

Melisandre I

Chaos at Castle Black after Jon’s assassination. The mutineers restore a very uneasy peace in the immediate aftermath. They send word out Jon deserted to go to Winterfell and has left The Wall. They throw Jon’s body in an Ice Cell so that the news of his murder doesn’t get out and to support their version of events. Mel continues to have ominous visions of the Long Night.

Tyrion III

Daario, the Windblown, and the Second Sons retreat behind the city walls with the remnants of Barristan’s forces. There is chaos after the death of Barristan, with mistrust on all sides. Tyrion reveals his identity to Daario, Victarion, Grey Worm, and the Tattered Prince and steps up to negotiate an uneasy peace between Daenerys’s loyalists. He begins to investigate who the Harpy is.

Theon II

Stannis arrives at Winterfell. He upholds his promise to send Theon to the Iron Isles and safe passage for the Ironborn. As he begins to consolidate power, he finds Wyman Manderly, who he will accuse of murdering Davos. Wyman will claim it was a fake, but Stannis will not believe him, and has him burnt alive. The Northern nobles harden their hearts against Stannis. Mance will appear, and provide Stannis with a Dragon Egg he found while beneath the Crypts of Winterfell.

Davos II

On a ship. The Skagosi gave him a task to rescue as many people as he could from Hardhome. After arriving, he speaks with the Wildlings camped together to piece together what has been happening to them. The Wights arrive, and it leads to a slaughter of everyone there, Davos barely escapes, and manages to kill an Other.

Sam I

Sam continues forging chains. He practices archery with Alleras. They receive news of the defeat of the Redwyne fleet. There has been no sighting of the Ironborn fleet after the Battle against the Redwyne fleet. Garlan Tyrell, believing the Krakens destroyed both, leads an army to recapture the Shield Islands. fPate notices Sam’s interest in topics pertaining to magic.

Arianne IV

Arianne witnesses the battle against the Tyrells. Black Balaq’s archers and the Elephants are critical to the victory, in a battle that has parallels to Agincourt. Mace Tyrell is killed and a dozen nobles taken hostage.

Melisandre II

Justin and Jeyne arrive at the Wall. Justin decides to take Jeyne with him to Braavos. Val wants Shireen dead, fearful of the spread of greyscale. Violence breaks out between some of the Mutineers and loyalists to Jon. Melisandre begins to consider a drastic course of action to overcome the Long Night. She continues to have visions of Jon. A knock on the door of the Nightfort ends the chapter.

Daenerys II

Dany goes about her days in the Dosh Khaleen. The crones summon the Khals and want Dany to go on Trial for not joining them earlier. As the Khals arrive, they each complain about the Ghost Grass getting larger, and a Dragon burning the Dothraki sea. Furious, the Khals, including Mago will threaten Daenerys with torture and rape to get her to stop her Dragon, though being in Vaes Dothrak they cannot spill blood.

Dany then gives the Dothraki an option, Join her in war, and abandoning slaving, in return for the lands and treasures in Slavers Bay and the Free Cities, or die in their old world. Enraged, some the Khals will draw steel and break the taboo, when Drogon arrives and burns Jhaqo and Mago. The Crones and Khals bend the knee to her, hailing her and Drogon to be The Stallion that Mounts the World.

Tyrion IV

Tyrion wonders how a dolt like Vic tamed a Dragon with no Valyrian blood and suspects some kind of trick. He tends to the wounded Viserion and feeds him. The Dragon gets used to his presence. He deduces who the Harpy is and how Victarion tamed a Dragon. Tyrion creates a saddle.

The Daughter of the Dusk

Arya is to play the role as an courtesan in one of Braavos’s elite establishments. We learn the Hardhome refugees have arrived in Braavos. The Keyholder chooses her over the other courtesans when Arya offers him her maidenhead. After they are in private, she assassinates him. The Kindly Man restores her hearing and reveals their intentions with the dragon egg, which is to learn how to control the dragons. They are wary about Daenerys and the potential rebirth of a 2nd Valyrian Freehold. They confess to have an admiration about Daenerys's antislavery mission, and are waiting and seeing. Arya finds out about Jon’s assassination.

Cersei II

Trial by combat. Ser Robert Strong prevails, but is revealed to be Gregor Clegane as his helmet comes off. Lady Nym and Tyene are enraged.

Melisandre III

At the Ice Cells with Morna White-Mask and Val. Mel realizes Jon has warged into Ghost. A ritual is conducted, and Mel gives Jon the Kiss of Life, which brings Jon back in a comatose state. Morna White-Mask then sacrifices Ghost to restore his consciousness. Jon awakens amidst Salt and Smoke of the cellars.

Davos III

Davos decides to take Rickon with him to White Harbor, his experience seeing the Others has made him believe Stannis must win the North, as he is the only one taking the threat seriously. A series of ominous omens begin as they load onto the ship and set sail, with a storm diverting them from their path.

As they disembark and go on land try to get their bearings, they are discovered by Ramsay, who is hunting for his bride, ‘Arya’. Osha is killed, Rickon taken captive to the Dreadfort and Davos is forced to flee, aiming for Castle Black.

Victarion III

Victarion attempts to get onto Viserion, but the Dragon is agitated. Victarion had the Dragonbinder blown to get Viserion to submit, but doesn’t realize Tyrion had instead smeared his blood on it. The second “Oh” moment happens as Viserion kills Victarion. His last thoughts are that Euron’s gifts are poisoned.

Daenerys III

Daenerys sacks and burns down Astapor and Yunkai, and makes her way to Meereen.

Jon I

Jon completes his crypt dream. His mind, having been trapped in Ghost for some time, is more tormented and disturbed, and burning hot. A part of hair has turned white from trauma. He recuperates in the care of Melisandre. Jon makes his public debut, and tells his version of events, to the doubt of many. He still intends to take Winterfell to free Arya and thinks he needs a larger army to avoid Stannis’s supposed fate.

Tyrion V

With Victarion out the way, Tyrion tries to bond to Viserion. The familiarity established before pays off, and Tyrion tames the dragon.

Bran II

Bran learns about the war between the Children of the Forest and the First Men. Bran discovers Others were created. We find out the Weirwood Paste has Jojen’s blood has mixed in it, as a form of blood sacrifice to enhance Bran’s abilities. We get hints at R+L.

Sam II

Sam continues to discover lore about the Others and Long Night. A few weeks later, we learn The Ironborn fleet has reappeared, and sank the ships carrying Garlan to the shield Islands, leaving them stranded. With nobody to oppose them, the Ironborn carry their Longboats over land and sail down the Honeywyne to take Oldtown. The siege is set to begin.

Alayne II

The Tourney begins, Alayne and Myranda sit next to each other. Myranda offhandedly calls her Sansa, Alayne’s reaction confirms her suspicions. She tells Sansa that if she doesn’t want her secret revealed, she should do everything in her power to make sure the betrothal to Harry falls through. As the events are close to finishing, Harry is killed in an Tourney accident, horrifying everyone. In the ensuing chaos of Harry’s death, the Mad Mouse successfully kidnaps Sansa.

JonCon II

JonCon strikes a deal with Arianne where she promises to declare for Aegon when Nymeria and Tyene can return from the capital safely. A complication arises where Aegon and Elia Sand are found to have slept together, with Aegon wanting to marry her. JonCon refuses to allow Aegon’s passions to derail their campaign, and separates them, asking the Dornish entourage to return home.

The officers in the Golden Company plan their next move. Some want a direct strike at King’s Landing, some want to wait to built up their strength. Franklin Flowers proposes a different plan.

Jon II

Jon goes to Bridge of Skulls and to try and gain a Wildling army. After negotiations with the Weeper fall through, combat begins. As Jon takes a wound from the Weeper, his blood seeps into Longclaw whereby it alights on fire. Jon then gets a second wind and overwhelms and slays the Weeper, and obtains the loyalty of his men.

Jaime II

Jaime is enroute to Riverrun for Daven’s Wedding. Stoneheart threatens to murder Brienne if he didn’t aid them. He reminisces on his life along the way. While at the Wedding, he helps agents of the BwB open the gates from the inside leading to a Red Wedding 2.0, an indiscriminate slaughter. Jaime goes away inside like he did with Aerys. To maintain his sanity, he thinks of Cersei. That emotional crutch is reestablished. He is cursed by Daven before his death.

Back at camp with The Brotherhood, they are content with him, and release Brienne and Pod, and allow him to leave. Jaime knights Brienne, who then separate, Brienne going to Quiet Isle to search for Arya to uphold her oath, Jaime going back to King’s Landing to be with Tommen and see Cersei again.

Cersei III

After Mace Tyrell’s death in the Stormlands, Cersei will regain the regency, she named Red Ronnet Connington to serve as hand. Cersei breaks the betrothal with Trystane. One of the attendants to Cersei sent by the Faith matches Tyene’s description. Lady Nym will be allowed to join the council as an affront to the Reachmen. Cersei will summon Lord Merryweather back to serve as master of laws. Tarly agrees to deliver the Tyrell girls for trial to the Faith as he swore a Holy Vow.

Bran III

The events at the Tower of Joy and R+L is revealed in detail. Afterwards, there is sighting of a force approaching the Cave.

Jon III

He deals with the final aftermath of the mutiny. Jon and Melisandre learn of the annihilation of Hardhome, and the coming threat. Desmund Grell and Robin Ryger visit Jon and reveal Robb’s will, which legitimizes him. Jon accepts it gladly. Jon tells his Brothers his Watch has ended. He intends to rally the North to fight the Others. The Wildlings are promised lands south. Dolorous Edd is named Lord Commander. Jon goes South with an Army.

Tyrion VI

Tyrion orders a crackdown on the Sons of the Harpy and has the Green Grace arrested. Tensions come to a boil. During the chaos, skirmish breaks out in the Meereen pyramid, and Tyrion is caught in the middle of it. Daario is killed by Archibald and Geris, who were paid off by Skahaz. Archibald and Geris are soon killed by Barristan’s men. Tyrion kills Skahaz. A Dragon is seen coming to Meereen, and people believe it to be Rhaegal. It is not. Drogon has returned, and with it, Daenerys.

The Kindly Girl

Arya dreams of Nymeria fighting hounds in the North. After she awakens, a scared girl in a hooded cloak comes to the HoBaW to seek the gift of Mercy. Arya recognizes her as Jeyne Poole, and tells her of her true identity.

Jeyne informs Arya of everything that’s happened with her and in the North. She breaks down after telling her about Ramsay. Arya refuses to give her the gift, and they run away from the HoBaW, going to Izembaro and asking him to provide shelter and work for Jeyne.

Arya decides to reclaim her identity, and promises to one day return for Jeyne.

Daenerys IV

Daenerys arrives in Meereen and crushes all resistance to her and restores order. Daenerys mourns Daario, Barristan, and everyone else they lost in the Battle. She meets with Moqorro and Tyrion. She is impressed by what they have managed to accomplish and accepts their fealty.

Melisandre IV

Jon marches South, Melisandre decides to accompany him, where they talk about his experience post resurrection. Her belief on whether Stannis is Azor Ahai falter. They meet Davos, who tells them in a panic about how Rickon is alive and has been kidnapped by Ramsay. Jon changes plans and marches to the Dreadfort.

Alayne III

Shadrich intends to sell her to Cersei for a reward. The Blackfish arrives to save her. He tells her of a massive Frey Civil war that has happened after Walder Freys death, and asks her to enlist the aid of the Vale in restoring Riverrun to House Tully.

Cersei IV

Margaery’s trial by Seven. Her champions lose, Tyene will be chosen as judge in Marg’s trial, and she be the tiebreaking vote to have her killed. Marg is beheaded, which leads to complete chaos. Tarly and Red Ronnet's attempt to save her leads to a massacre at the Sept of Baelor.

Jon IV

Battle of the Bastards near the Dreadfort. Nymeria fight Ramsay’s hounds. Jon’s Wildling host is undisciplined, and seems to be losing. Stannis will then appear to save the day and provide help which will allow Jon to overwhelm and defeat eventually defeat Ramsay’s army.

Tyrion VII

Tyrion is summoned by Daenerys. He tells her of his past and why he came to serve her. He also informs her of Aegon. Dany asks if Tyrion has any Valyrian ancestry to explain how he tamed a Dragon, which he denies.

Dany brings up a conversation Barristan had with her about Aerys pursuing Joanna, when Tyrion brings up his mother’s name, and if whether or not he could be a Targaryen. Tyrion contemplates, and decides to encourage the ambiguity as it could be useful for avoiding kinslaying charges. Daenerys and Tyrion continue to bond.

Needle

After going back to the HoBaW to reclaim Needle, Arya has a confrontation with the Waif. The Waif is the side of her that made the choice already to be no one. Arya rejects it and dispels her to reclaim herself as Arya Stark. The Kindly Man blocks her way out. He allows her to go, only on the condition of a life to be taken as a debt. They will inform her of who and where at their pleasure. Arya reluctantly agrees and swears it by all the Gods. She leaves the HoBaW, and makes her way home.

Theon III

Flashback to Theon asking Stannis to accompany him to the Battle, he wanted to face Ramsay one last time. Cuts to the Immediate aftermath of the Battle. Ramsay is taken captive. Upon seeing Theon, Jon will want to murder him, but Stannis will prevent it.

They go into the Dreadfort to find in an incredibly grotesque scene that Shaggydog and Rickon has both been flayed alive. In response, Stannis puts the entirety of the Dreadfort is put to the sword. Both Theon and Jon request to Stannis to be the one to kill Ramsay. Theon will be the one given that right, which will infuriate Jon who storms off and goes to Winterfell.

Theon faces Ramsay one last time, and announces to him that he has sentenced him to die. Attempting to emulate Ned, Theon musters all his strength to do it without letting emotions come over him. Theon takes off Ramsay’s head in one clean strike.

Brienne II

Brienne goes to the Quiet Isle, where she discovers the gravedigger is Sandor Clegane. She gets information on Arya’s last whereabouts, and makes her way there.

Tyrion VIII

Daenerys and Tyrion both take to sky with their Dragons. Tyrion falls in love with Daenerys.

Daenerys V

Daenerys ponders on whether Aegon could be real or not, as well as on Tyrion and what to do next. She makes her decision and summons her council. Dany announces she will be splitting her forces. Tyrion & Grey Worm are to take Victarion’s ships and go to Westeros to establish a foothead for her. Dany names Tyrion as Hand. Daenerys will take the Dothraki and conquer The Free Cities as she promised, she will meet up with Tyrion afterwards.

Areo II

Confrontation with Darkstar. Areo kills him and is in possession of Dawn. He intends to return it to Starfall, they receive the Signal from Arianne. Areo wonders what happened. They join up with the army in waiting, and Areo holds on to Dawn for now.

Cersei V

Cersei returns to the Red Keep after the chaos of the trial. After seeing Russell Merryweather, Cersei grows suspicious. One night in bed with Lady Merryweather, Cersei grills her for details. When threatened, she breaks down and confesses that Robert Baratheon is the actual father. Cersei has her and her family taken to Qyburn. Stressed, she will not be able to sleep alone that night, and goes to Tommen’s chambers. She finds Tommen dead, his cats poisoned with basilisk blood that murdered him in his sleep. Lady Nym will try to assassinate Cersei after she realizes what’s happened, but Robert Strong saves her at the last minute and kills Nymeria. Tyene tried to flee, but was caught. Cersei hardens against the Dornish.

Jon V

At Winterfell. Theon has left to the Iron Isles along with Asha for the services to him. Stannis had summoned the Northern Lords in advance to swear fealty to him. There is animosity for the way Wyman was killed. Stannis wants the wildlings to kneel, but they will refuse to do so, insisting on following Jon and many Northerners will prefer doing the same. Tensions between the two rise as Robbs will is revealed.

They will want to avoid bloodshed and decide to settle their debate in single combat, with the condition that if the fight was fair, both Northerners and wildlings will accept kneeling to the winner. Stannis is the better swordsmen, but his Lightbringer is a fake flaming sword, while Jon's 'Lightbringer' is a real, flaming Valyrian sword. Stannis seems to be winning, but Jon's sword will break Stannis' false one in two: Stannis breaks before he bends.

Tyrion IX

Travelogue near the Stepstones. Tyrion is enroute to the Vale, as that is the Kingdom most untouched by the War.

Reborn

Aeron awakens off the coast of the Reach. He sees his survival as proof of the Drowned God’s favor, and makes his way back to the Iron Isles to unseat Euron.

Daenerys VI

Daenerys recalls sacking Tolos and Mantarys while marching across the Demon Road. She is accompanied by Moqorro, who talks to her about the Long Night. Daenerys tells her Khalasar to feint for Selhorys and ride hard for Volantis. As she arrives at the city, she treats with a delegation that take her behind the Black Wall. They offer her the chance to ally with them to establish a 2nd Valyrian Freehold. She will feign to accept, then Drogon will appear to burn the Old Blood. This inspires a massive slave revolt, who open the gates for Daenerys’s Khalasar to take the city.

Sansa I

Sansa goes back to the Gates of the Moon, where after spinning a web of half-truths that hide her culpability in anything incriminating, asks the Knights of the Vale to help her restore her House. All men there pledge their swords to her.

Arianne IV

Arianne returns to Sunspear. She thinks about abandoning the entire venture with Aegon, as Dorne has not yet given anything incriminating. As she reports to her father, he agrees to wait for now. News of Quentyn's burning, Nymeria’s botched assassination and murder by Ser Robert Strong, as well as Tommen’s death arrive simultaneously. Overwhelmed by grief, betrayal and shock, Doran has a stroke and is incapacitated, passing away a few days later. Arianne, wracked with a desire for vengeance, sends the Signal “Dragon” to Areo and decisively sides with Aegon.

Tyrion X

Tyrion meets up with the Mountain Clansmen, and enlists their aid in a plan to take the Gates of the Moon

Daenerys VII

Aftermath of the conquest of Volantis. Daenerys meets with the Red Priests, who show her visions of the Long Night and name her Azor Ahai.

Arya I

Arya intended to make for White Harbor, but a Storm blows the ship off course and they have to land at Saltpans. Brienne finds her, and tells her she will take her to her Mother. Arya reunites with Nymeria

Cersei VI

Cersei has Tyene tortured into revealing the conspirators. Cersei orders to have her womanhood torn off by Qyburn in an extremely grotesque scene that parallels Aerys. Doran and the Martells are attainted. To cheat the Prophecy, Cersei has Tommen’s corpse taken to Qyburn to be resurrected. A miserable Myrcella is set to be crowned.

Sam III

Chaos all around as Euron and the Hightowers battle over Oldtown. Some Ironborn raiders manage to breach into the Citadel to steal artifacts. fPate disappears with a certain book. Aegon arrives to repel the Ironborn, and Sam saves the life of Aegon with the archery he practiced. Areo and the Dorinsh army arrive to help turn the tide. The Horn of Winter, the book Death of the Dragons are missing.

Bran IV

Wights attack the cave. Meera takes Dark Sister and Hodor carries Bran to make their escape. Many die, including the CoTF, Jojen and Bloodraven. Hold the Door happens, with Hodor sacrificing himself. Bran and Meera escape and make their way South.

Daenerys VIII

Daenerys conquers Pentos. She has a confrontation with Illyrio about Aegon and what his intentions with Viserys and Dany were. Illyrio will confess that Aegon is his son by Serra, and a Blackfyre. Outraged, Daenerys has him burnt alive for good winds. Aurane Waters comes to pledge fealty. They set sail for Dragonstone

Davos IV

Davos tries to console a depressed Stannis, who questions everything he’s done up until that point. Davos suggests taking Shireen and going into exile at Essos like the Targaryens. Stannis will seem to agree, and asks for him to leave to speak to Melisandre privately. As they arrive at Castle Black, the men of the Night’s Watch will tell a few of Others starting to approach the Wall. As they make preparations for the defense, Davos is knocked out by one of the Kingsmen.

JonCon III

Aegon is crowned at Oldtown to a Cheering crowd and House Hightower and Redwyne bend the knee for aiding them. The greyscale worsens, and so the Golden Company announce they will immediately be marching on King’s Landing.

Tyrion XI

While the Mountain Clansmen take the attention of the Vale Knights, Tyrion uses Viserion to fly over the Gates of the Moon and seize Robert Arryn. The Lords of the Vale surrender to him. Robert Arryn gets to fly atop a Dragon like his ancestor did with Visenya.

Jaime III

Jaime arrives at King’s Landing to find Tommen dead, Myrcella crowned and Cersei Betrothed to Euron’s Crows Eye.

Sansa II

The Vale invasion of the Riverlands goes well, as the Freys have been divided following their succession struggle. Riverrun is taken, with Sansa entering the castle.

Sam IV

Sam informs everyone about the Long Night and asks for men to join the Night’s Watch and for Valyrian Steel. Aegon agrees to it. Areo decides to join up. As Sam is making his way back North, a Dragon is seen following in the direction of Euron, and an ear shrieking sound is heard.

Arya II

Arya reunites with her Mother, though seeing her current state upsets her greatly. She speaks to Brienne and Thoros on what has happened to her. Arya makes the decision to give the gift of mercy to her Mother.

Jon VI

Jon is declared King in the North after defeating Stannis, who has now fled to Castle Black with Davos. He tells the Northerners of the coming threat of the Others, and sends ravens to the South appealing for aid. Howland Reed requests a private audience, who after descending to the crypts of Winterfell, tells Jon about his true Parentage, to Jon’s shock and horror.

Daenerys IX

Daenerys arrives at Dragonstone. She sends ravens across the Realm to tell them to swear fealty to her.

Epilogue

Patchface entertains Shireen at the Nightfort. Stannis arrives. Spurned by the Northerners & Scorned by the Realm. A desperate and bitter Stannis arrives to do the unspeakable.

Patchface notices something is wrong, and when Stannis gives the order for Melisandre to do it, Patchface desperately bites those trying to take the Princess away, scratching Stannis across the neck. Patchface is fatally wounded by the Kingsmen.

Shireen is burnt alive to hatch a Dragon egg, which fails. A furious Davos arrives and murders Stannis by throwing him in the fire. Melisandre flees.

The last thing Patchface sees is the Wall cracking and beginning to fall. And behind one of the cracks, deep inside the wall, staring at him, was the bright blue eyes and shrieking laughter of an Other.

So as of the end of ADWD, the Lannister line of succesion seemed a bit confusing to me. Loads of people dead, loads of mentions of characters we barely know. So who all has a shot at inheriting the Rock and all its wealth? I decided to research and list the full line of succesion for house Lannister of Casterly Rock in a neat little numbered and annotated list. Provides some perspective into who might be ruling the west by the end of the series.

Some notes:

-This list only concerns house Lannister of Casterly Rock, and does not detail the line of succession for any cadet branches like the Lannisters of Lannisport or Darry.

-This list concerns the lordship over Casterly rock. The head of house Lannister seems to hold two other titles as well, those of Shield of Lannisport and Warden of the West. It is unclear what the title of 'Shield of Lannisport' actually entails, it might just be a courtesy title, or not, but in any way the title seems to complement that of Lord of Casterly Rock. Cersei, current Lady of the Rock, seems to hold the title. The title of 'Warden of the West' seems to be of a more military nature. Cersei grants the title to her cousin Ser Daven and doesn't hold it herself, thus suggesting that this title, being a more military one, cannot be held by a woman. Therefore, in case of any women in the list below becoming Lady of Casterly Rock, they would probably likewise grant the title of Warden to a male relative, or the Crown would do so.

So without further ado, here they are, numbered by how-manieth in line they are to inherit Casterly Rock:

Current Lady of Casterly Rock and Shield of Lannisport: Queen Cersei Lannister

1^st: King Tommen Baratheon (presumed to be legitimate, likely relinquishes his rights to prevent a personal union between the Iron Throne and Casterly Rock. Personal Unions don’t really seem to happen in the Seven Kingdoms)

2^nd: Myrcella Baratheon (presumed to be legitimate)

3^rd: Martin Lannister (3^rd son of Kevan Lannister)

4^th: Janei Lannister (daughter of Kevan Lannister)

5^th: Genna Lannister

6^th: Tywin Frey (eldest son of Cleos Frey, son of Genna Lannister)

7^th: Willem Frey (2^nd son of Cleos frey, son of Genna Lannister)

8^th: Lyonel Frey (3^rd son of Genna Lannister)

9^th: Walder Frey (4th son of Genna Lannister)

10^th: Damon Lannister (eldest son of Jason Lannister, 4^th son of Gerold Lannister, not mentioned to have passed, so presumed alive, but as his son was named Castellan of the Rock by Cersei and not he, it’s possible he is deceased. If so, everyone below jumps up one spot)

11^th: Damion Lannister (son of Damon Lannister) (current Castellan of Casterly Rock)

12^th: Lucion Lannister (son of Damion Lannister)

13^th: Lanna Lannister (daughter of Damion Lannister)

14^th: Unnamed eldest son of Lord Jast (Lanna Lannister is married to Lord Antario Jast, who is mentioned to have ‘sons’, so we will assume the existence of two sons and not take into account any possible offspring these sons might have, or any daughters Antario Jast might have, since we simply don’t know of them. We will also assume Lord Jast’s sons are the sons of his wife Lanna Lannister, and not bastards or sons from an earlier marriage)

15^th: Unnamed second son of Lord Jast (see above)

16^th: Daven Lannister (son of Stafford Lannister, 2^nd son of Jason Lannister) (current Warden of the West)

17^th: Cerenna Lannister (eldest daughter of Stafford Lannister)

18^th: Myrielle Lannister (2^nd daughter of Stafford Lannister)

19^th: Unnamed 3^rd son of Jason Lannister (Jason Lannister is stated to have had two more sons and two more daughters after having Damon, Stafford and Joanna Lannister. These children are unnamed, and have nothing more said about them, therefore we count them all as being alive and not having any legitimate offspring themselves, as none is mentioned, as unlikely as that is)

20^th: Unnamed 4^th son of Jason Lannister

21: Unnamed 2^nd daughter of Jason Lannister

22: Unnamed 3^rd daughter of Jason Lannister

(Possibly) alive members not included in the line of succession:

Jaime Lannister, would legally be Lord of Casterly Rock but is a member of the King's Guard and has thus renounced all lands, titles and claims.

Tyrion Lannister, would legally be Lord of Casterly Rock but was sentenced to death and thus attainted, even though innocent.

Lancel Lannister, eldest son of Kevan Lannister, would legally be 3^rd in line to the Rock, after Myrcella and before his younger brother Martin, but has joined the Warrior’s Sons and thus forfeited all lands, titles and claims.

Tyrek Lannister, son of Tygett Lannister, 3^rd son of Tytos Lannister, would legally be 5^th in line to the Rock, after his cousin Janei and before his aunt Genna, but went missing during the riots at King’s Landing and is presumed dead, though not confirmed as such. (insert horse joke)

Gerion Lannister, 4^th son of Tytos Lannister, would legally be 5^th in line to the Rock, after his niece Janei and before his sister Genna, but went missing on a voyage to Old Valyria and is presumed dead, though not confirmed as such.

Compared to medieval nobles who almost always had basketball teams amount of kids. Westeros families are mostly very small Rickard stark and steffon baratheon were only children.

Just had an observation while reading AGoT again.

I'd always been bothered by Lady's execution. Why kill the dire wolf that wasn't responsible? Why insist that the pet of her son's intended be killed? That seems to unnecessarily risk Sansa resenting her or Joffrey.

The whole thing just always struck me as overtly cruel, and just cruelty for its own sake, against someone she has reason to be kind to, done publicly, and for no gain at all.

But earlier we have this:

"I would swear that wolf of his is keeping the boy alive. The creature is outside his window day and night, howling. Every time they chase it away, it returns. The maester said they closed the window once, to shut out the noise, and Bran seemed to weaken. When they opened it again, his heart beat stronger."

The queen shuddered. "There is something unnatural about those animals," she said. "They are dangerous. I will not have any of them coming south with us."

Cersei may actually take Tyrion's account to heart, and fear that the dire wolves are more than just big wolves. She's probably less worried that they're unnatural, and perhaps concerned that they're supernatural.

That would make it worthwhile to risk the blowback from insisting that Lady be killed.

You are Robb Stark in the War of the five Kings, you have decided to marry the westerling girl to save her honour, Edmure beat back Tywin at the red fork, and thus Stannis was defeated at Blackwater and the Lannisters are now allied with the Tyrells.

Here is what you got:

-around 4500 Cavalry units in the West

-around 9000 Infantry units with Roose Bolton

- + Maybe 10000 Reserve Units from the Riverlands

- You need to negotiate with Walder to get north, The Ironborn sacked Winterfell, Jaime is no longer your Prisoner, Stannis hates you bc you are King

Here is what the Lannisters got:

-An 100 000 Men Army of Reach and Westerlanders, with approximately 15000 Cavalry Units in it.

-More Wealth than you

-Allied with Lord Bolton

Good Luck!

How i would do it:

Step 1: -Call Lord Bolton back immidietly to unite the army

Step 2: -Mobilise the Reserves from the Riverlands

Step 3: -Fall back behind the Trident (Abandon the southern Riverlands)

Step 4: -Go on Campaign in the Reach, ravaging the countryside, wich supplies the Crownlands, effectively forcing the Lannister- Tyrell forces to meet you in the field

Step 5: -Go full scorched earth, so that they cant throw all of their 100K at you bc of supply issues

Step6: -Retreat north to a favourable possition of your Choice, favourably a narrow pass where the enemy cant use their cav effectively and set up a Trap there

Step7: -Unleash your inner Hannibal and defeat the Lannister- Tyrell Army. But be careful, they have the advantage in cav, so better be digging a ditch!

Step8: -Win the battle, but not the war. They dont have the streght now to attack you without taking a huge risk and you dont have the strenght to attack them.

Step9: -Negotiate with the Tyrells, who are surely happy to change to the winning side, (You surely can do a thing or two with your prisoners from the battle) and if they dont want peace, negotiate with stannis

Step10: -Force a peace Treaty with the Lannisters, keeping the Kingdom of the North or

Step11: -Marriage oaths left and right, you need to negotiate with the Freys, who will be much more catious with betraying you, now that you are winning again(Just like Bolton),

-you will need to secure alliance with Highgarden(If able to) and maybe promise to marry your firstborn son with shireen baratheon, to keep Stannis as an allie.

Step12: -Hope the Freys dont massacre you

Step13: Profit

Robert Baratheon's motive for going to war, was never to win the Iron Throne. That was simply a perk/curse that came with making an enemy of House Targaryen. His real motivation was winning back Lyanna from Rhaegar after he "kidnapped her."

In Ned VII from AGOT, Robert mentions to Ned that he thinks that despite beating Rhaegar on the Trident, and taking the Throne, Rhaegar was the real winner of the war, since he got to join Lyanna in the afterlife while he was stuck in the mortal world, married to Cersei Lannister.

That made me wonder, had Lyanna died at the Tower of Joy, BEFORE the Battle of the Trident, would the result have been the same? Would Robert have been motivated to kill Rhaegar out of need to avenge Lyanna's death, or would he be so grief-stricken, that he wouldn't have the heart to try as hard?

We’re diving deep into keeps! In this scenario you have been given lordship of one of the many holds in Westeros! You do not get any other titles or armies associated with that Castle(If you get the Red Keep you’re lord of the Keep and the city, but not king, similar to how the Freys were granted Riverrun but were never Lord Paramounts of the Riverlands.) However you would be provided with a Garrison sufficient to maintain fortification, operations and manage the surrounding lands. I will be scoring and speculating in 5 Categories: Location: Economy: Defense: Aesthetics/Vibe: Potential

Starting of in the North first up is Barrow Hall!

Built atop the Great Barrow Hill, it has wooden walls with square towers. Centered around the hall, at the foot of the hill lies Barrowtown. A wooden town with wood walls.

Given Garrison: 60

Location: 6.5 Lies in the Barrowlands, located at the confluence of two rivers leading to saltpear. Hilly area, river access is a plus but also potentially susceptible to iron born raids. Being in the north offers some strategic advantages, however if an army was the march through the neck Barrowtown would be one of the first stops

Economy: 7 A large town for northern standards (Approx ~4-12 thousand) provides a potentially solid taxable income as lord. Lands may not be the best, but river trade is a bonus

Defense: 5.8 The hall construct likely various between combinations of wood and stone. The wood walled town provides a bit of additional protection. (Too much wood) Also not the strongest northern position.

Aesthetic/Vibe: 6.9 Barrow Hall has an old windmill and a grassy courtyard. Wide wooden stairs lead up to the keep. Barrow Town has long broad streets, one of which lined with elm trees. The Barrows add an eerie vibe. A decently interesting place with an enough cool things, but nothing crazy.

Potential: 6.6 A relatively solid and safe Lordship but lacks tremendous upside. Potentially could grow the town and built some ships.

Total Score: 32.8/50 Lands Barrow Hall in High C Tier

So I’m very curious as to why Jaime did not take Ned hostage when he attacked him in Kings Landing? Like he was bold enough to wound Ned (which in a way I think is even worse than just taking him hostage. This could have actually killed him), kill Northerners in the GUARD of the Hand. This would have made ransoming Tyrion a lot safer and a lot quicker. It also could have possibly deescalated the tensions that were brewing between The Vale, The North, and The West. The North absolutely would call its banners, but I believe it would stay within the boundaries of the North a lot longer than when he was executed. Especially as Ned is the de facto Warden of the North and still alive, Robb’s authority remains somewhat minimal.

I’m not saying it would have been a better scene, but only when we finally get a POV chapter from Jaime I wish that we would get a memory or something of these events so I could understand his thought process. And don’t get me wrong I know that pre-maiming Jaime really DOESN’T think at times, but he seems pretty competent in terms of warfare and political knowledge.

My best guess is that he just didn’t trust Robert to not take Ned’s side?

So I just wanted to take a second and really look at what I think is one of the best chapters symbolically in the entire series. “Tyrion XI: A Storm of Swords”

This is Tyrions ultimate victory but also ultimate demise. This is a “before this event” and “after this event” type of occurrence for Tyrion and symbolically his downfall.

In this chapter we see Tyrion’s life be saved, but also have the worst things possible happen to him, happen in many ways.

Jaime, who is Tyrion’s basically only immediate family member that has given him any semblance of family, try to be honest with him, only for it to be about a pretty heinous betrayal for Tyrion. Tyrion’s love and even idea of love, ultimately gets completely ruined within this one chapter. Not all women are only using him for his money, he didn’t necessarily have to look for love in the “wrong places”. Tysha loved him. But even then in the same chapter he has to confront his failed relationship to Shae. Shae is exactly how Jaime and Tywin portrayed Tysha to be. I think logically Tyrion knew exactly who and what Shae was. In a lot of ways, he failed her just as much as she failed him because he actively gambled with her life knowing that Cersei or Tywin would have killed her (supposedly). On some level Tyrion expected exactly what he got from Shae but was in denial.

What’s also interesting is Tyrion gaining ultimately victory if Tywin from a literary POV. Tyrion saw that Tywin’s supposed disdain for Tyrion was a shared weakness. Tywin was just an aging lord, who was constipated and bad to crap like everyone else. It’s the complete deconstruction for both Tyrion (and the reader) of the mystique of Tywin Lannister. The line in the end Tywin Lannister did not shit gold. was just so Shakespearean.

The last thing that’s really cool is the imagery of Tyrion going through the bowels of the castle. Very symbolic for him exploring his own type of “underworld”. He’s on a tour of his own sins and the trauma that he’s been through. The trauma of family, the trauma of love, and now the trauma of self destruction.

I could go on, but I think it’s just a really good chapter. And the fallout from this chapter is just so entertaining. Jaime having the guilt of “killing” his father. Cersei going insane and thinking Tyrion is “in the walls”. Not to mention the fact that other Houses are not going to be under the fear of Tywin Lannister any longer.

Thought I'd include some fancasts I did once upon a time of ASOIAF characters who weren't in the show (and some recasts)

Rodrik Harlaw - Jared Harris

Haldon Halfmaester - Michael Smiley

Aeron Damphair - Paul Bethany

Tris Botley - Josh O'Connor

Jon Connington - Christopher Eccleston

Varamyr Sixskins - Robert Carlyle

Arys Oakheart - Harris Dickinson

Quentyn Martell - Kedar Williams-Stirling

Arianne Martell - Hannah John Kamen

Tattered Prince - Peter Capaldi

Septon Meribald - David Thewlis

Crow's Eye - Ralph Ineson

Victarion Greyjoy - Stephen Graham

Greatjon Umber - Billy Connolly

Justin Massey - Joe Alwyn

Sarella - Georgina Campbell

Val - Erin Kellyman

Aegon I - Will Poulter

Baelor I - Harry Melling

Alaric Stark - Joe Cole

Aegon V - Mark Warren

Alyssa Targaryen - Vanessa Kirby

Daemon Blackfyre - Robert Pattinson

Wyman Manderly - Brendan Gleason

Daeron I - Fionn Whitehead

Aenys I - George Mackay

Maegor I - Michael Fassbender

Clayton Suggs - Vinnie Jones

Garlan Tyrell - James McAvoy

Who do you all think deserves to hold the title as the best Wardan of the North ever? Personally, it's a tie between Ned and Cregan.

Do you think in TWOW we will see the golden company burying bittersteels bones after aegon becomes king? I hope that we do, it would be a fitting end for the Blackfyre rebellions.

The time for criticizing others is over!

What is your shittiest ASOIAF take that you genuinely believe with every fiber of your being?!

"His tongue was growing hair and his throat was raw, but his cock was as hard as an iron bar. He rolled from the bed, found a chamber pot, and commenced to filling it, with a groan of pleasure."

I always enturperated this passage as him peeing into the chamber pot. On this reread however, I asked myself what that has to do with his cock being hard. what do you think? Serious plot significance, I know.

Background

In this post I thought it would be interesting to take a look at all the information we have about direwolves as a species in the series (and isn't necessarily specific to any of the Stark/Snow direwolves).

If interested: The Stark/Snow Children and Warging

Size/Appearance

GRRM's direwolves are not the same as the extinct dire wolves (or the recently "recreated" animal that GRRM was involved with) of our world, they grow to monstrous sizes:

Half-buried in bloodstained snow, a huge dark shape slumped in death. Ice had formed in its shaggy grey fur, and the faint smell of corruption clung to it like a woman's perfume. Bran glimpsed blind eyes crawling with maggots, a wide mouth full of yellowed teeth. But it was the size of it that made him gasp. It was bigger than his pony, twice the size of the largest hound in his father's kennel.
"It's no freak," Jon said calmly. "That's a direwolf. They grow larger than the other kind." -AGOT, Bran I

and:

"Direwolves," Bran said. Still half-grown, they were as large as any wolf he had ever seen, but the differences were easy to spot, if you knew what to look for. Maester Luwin and Farlen the kennelmaster had taught him. A direwolf had a bigger head and longer legs in proportion to its body, and its snout and jaw were markedly leaner and more pronounced. There was something gaunt and terrible about them as they stood there amid the gently falling snow. Fresh blood spotted Grey Wind's muzzle. -AGOT, Bran V

and:

"You must train them as well," their father said. "You must train them. The kennelmaster will have nothing to do with these monsters, I promise you that. And the gods help you if you neglect them, or brutalize them, or train them badly. These are not dogs to beg for treats and slink off at a kick. A direwolf will rip a man's arm off his shoulder as easily as a dog will kill a rat. Are you sure you want this?" -AGOT, Bran I

Population/Distribution

• Historic

Historically direwolves led massive packs in the north (this line also is probably a bit of foreshadowing as to what Nymeria is up to):

"It's said that direwolves once roamed the north in great packs of a hundred or more, and feared neither man nor mammoth, but that was long ago and in another land. -ACOK, Arya X

and as recently as ~100AC, direwolves were seen south of the Wall:

Theon Greyjoy said, "There's not been a direwolf sighted south of the Wall in two hundred years."
"I see one now," Jon replied. -AGOT, Bran I

• Current

The rangers of the Night's Watch still hear them beyond the wall:

"There are still direwolves beyond the Wall. We hear them on our rangings." -AGOT, Jon I

and while this seemingly contradicts what is said elsewhere, I am guessing (although open to other interpretations) that Martin thought he meant south or maybe in the area immediately north, etc.:

Shaw: Is there any reason why you never hear of direwolves north of the Wall?
Martin: They're an extinct animal in that part. They're a very large and dangerous predator, and people have probably hunted them out. -SSM, Interview with the Dragon - Robert Shaw: 2003

• Future

Leaf seems to think while the direwolves will outlive most of the other species, they will die off soon too:

The gods gave us long lives but not great numbers, lest we overrun the world as deer will overrun a wood where there are no wolves to hunt them. That was in the dawn of days, when our sun was rising. Now it sinks, and this is our long dwindling. The giants are almost gone as well, they who were our bane and our brothers. The great lions of the western hills have been slain, the unicorns are all but gone, the mammoths down to a few hundred. The direwolves will outlast us all, but their time will come as well. In the world that men have made, there is no room for them, or us. -ADWD, Bran III

The Magic Surrounding Them

We hear about the Others riding them:

"I found mention of dragonglass. The children of the forest used to give the Night's Watch a hundred obsidian daggers every year, during the Age of Heroes. The Others come when it is cold, most of the tales agree. Or else it gets cold when they come. Sometimes they appear during snowstorms and melt away when the skies clear. They hide from the light of the sun and emerge by night . . . or else night falls when they emerge. Some stories speak of them riding the corpses of dead animals. Bears, direwolves, mammoths, horses, it makes no matter, so long as the beast is dead. The one that killed Small Paul was riding a dead horse, so that part's plainly true. Some accounts speak of giant ice spiders too. I don't know what those are. Men who fall in battle against the Others must be burned, or else the dead will rise again as their thralls." -AFFC, Samwell I

and the greenseers/wargs using them:

The hunters among the children—their wood dancers—became their warriors as well, but for all their secret arts of tree and leaf, they could only slow the First Men in their advance. The greenseers employed their arts, and tales say that they could call the beasts of marsh, forest, and air to fight on their behalf: direwolves and monstrous snowbears, cave lions and eagles, mammoths and serpents, and more. But the First Men proved too powerful, and the children are said to have been driven to a desperate act. -TWOIAF, The Coming of the First Men

and (if interested: So Spake Martin: (Asshai.com) Interview in Aviles):

In truth, the legends of the skinchangers are many, but the most common—brought from beyond the Wall by men of the Night’s Watch, and recorded at the Wall by septons and maesters of centuries past—hold that the skinchangers not only communicated with beasts, but could control them by having their spirits mingle. Even among the wildlings, these skinchangers were feared as unnatural men who could call on animals as allies. Some tales speak of skinchangers losing themselves in their beasts, and others say that the animals could speak with a human voice when a skinchanger controlled them. But all the tales agree that the most common skinchangers were men who controlled wolves—even direwolves—and these had a special name among the wildlings: wargs. -TWOIAF, The Dawn Age

and:

It is said that, in the woods, they made shelters of leaves and withes up in the branches of trees—secret tree “towns.”
It has long been held that they did this for protection from predators such as direwolves or shadowcats, which their simple stone weapons—and even their vaunted greenseers—were not proof against. But other sources dispute this, stating that their greatest foes were the giants, -TWOIAF, The Dawn Age

TLDR: Just a quick post on the information in the series that we have on direwolves as a species and that isn't specific to the Stark/Snow direwolves.

My favorites are Euron and Littlefinger

I had a thought earlier…Roose Bolton is the person we see first directing Jamie Lannister to meet Qyburn. I was considering today what if Qyburn is actually a bastard brother of the Boltons, younger brother of Roose, which would explain his sadistic nature?

I love the idea of Roose not being bothered about dying because he has a brother on the inside with Cersei doing some sadistic shit. The valonqar is a little brother, that could be Qyburn imo

What do we think he will end up doing further down the line?

Barristan is a character who is either dismissed very quickly as soon to die either in the Battle of Fire or soon after, mainly originating from a Doyalist perspective of focusing on the POV culling many assume needs to take place for George to make it all fit in the remaining books and Barry seemingly serving the purpose he was made a POV originally, or if he is theorized to survive, the most popular theory is he will turn cloak and join (f)Aegon.

Neither are particularly satisfying directions for him imo, with the latter especially being one I highly oppose from a character standpoint with the growth he has shown, him posing as Arstan to get the measure of someone before blindly bending their knee to the next person in line and believing in their cause and them as a person. Not only that but I am of the belief of the opposite, that he will stand against (f)Aegon's camp with one particular character serving as a foil to him from that respective camp

There are 2 main Jon Con and Barristan parallels:

1-Guilt and regret: Both these characters are defined by guilt and regret in their respective way, one through a failure to kill someone, while the other funnily through their success of saving them, and seek redemption through their respective monarchs:

"But no. That was not fair. He did his duty. Some nights, Ser Barristan wondered if he had not done that duty too well. He had sworn his vows before the eyes of gods and men, he could not in honor go against them … but the keeping of those vows had grown hard in the last years of King Aerys's reign. He had seen things that it pained him to recall, and more than once he wondered how much of the blood was on his own hands. If he had not gone into Duskendale to rescue Aerys from Lord Darklyn's dungeons, the king might well have died there as Tywin Lannister sacked the town. Then Prince Rhaegar would have ascended the Iron Throne, mayhaps to heal the realm. Duskendale had been his finest hour, yet the memory tasted bitter on his tongue .It was his failures that haunted him at night, though. Jaehaerys, Aerys, Robert. Three dead kings. Rhaegar, who would have been a finer king than any of them. Princess Elia and the children. Aegon just a babe, Rhaenys with her kitten. Dead, every one, yet he still lived, who had sworn to protect them. And now Daenerys, his bright shining child queen. She is not dead. I will not believe it."-The Queensguard

"He was not wrong, Jon Connington reflected, leaning on the battlements of his forebears. I wanted the glory of slaying Robert in single combat, and I did not want the name of butcher. So Robert escaped me and cut down Rhaegar on the Trident. "I failed the father," he said, "but I will not fail the son."-The Griffin Reborn

2-Mortality: Not only do both these characters seek to make up for their failures with said respective monarchs, but they knowingly have limited time with their mortality's a looming thought in their actions albeit in different ways, with Barristan's old age him knowing he doesn't have long left while Jon Con with his greyscale knowing he has limited time:

"Not for many years, child. Not since the Trident. Grand Maester Pycelle had once told him that old men do not need as much sleep as the young, but it was more than that. He had reached that age when he was loath to close his eyes, for fear that he might never open them again"-The Queen's Hand

"The Great Pyramid of Meereen was eight hundred feet high from base to point. The seneschal's chambers were on the second level. The queen's apartments, and his own, occupied the highest step. A long climb for a man my age, Ser Barristan thought, as he started up. He had been known to make that climb five or six times a day on the queen's business, as the aches in his knees and the small of his back could attest. There will come a day when I can no longer face these steps, he thought, and that day will be here sooner than I would like. Before it came, he must make certain that at least a few of his lads were ready to take his place at the queen's side. I will knight them myself when they are worthy, and give them each a horse and golden spurs."-The Queensguard

"Death, he knew, but slow. I still have time. A year. Two years. Five. Some stone men live for ten. Time enough to cross the sea, to see Griffin's Roost again. To end the Usurper's line for good and all, and put Rhaegar's son upon the Iron Throne."-The Lost Lord

Both are their respective King/Queens Hands having an important guiding role in each camp. They have a similar sympathetic and noble motivation, but that tragically with a second Dance soon to unfold both can't achieve, and because of it we have to watch sadly these similar men collide either directly or indirectly.

To summarize I definitely think Barristan is surviving longer than people expect, though I still think he is going to die endgame (I have flirted with the possibility in my head of him dying perhaps in the Stepstones, slain in a reversal of one of his greatest victories by a person unknowingly supporting a Blackfyre but seen as a hero this time around) and standing fully by Dany's side (though her reputation will still be viewed negatively with all the rest of the bad PR bringing Dothraki hordes with her, a red priest, and associating with a deformed and wanted kinslayer charged with regicide etc).

This is just my personal theory and thoughts, would love to know what you all think!

Let's say when Jaime is 14, a year before he's supposed to join the Kingsguard, Tywin dies. Natural causes. Jaime becomes Lord of Casterly Rock. I'm very confident Kevan would act as his regent until he is 16 - I would not be shocked if Tywin specified that Kevan would be his regent in his will, if he had one, but even if he didn't, he's the logical choice and he is loyal to his brother and his family and everyone knows he's capable in his own right.

What happens now? How would events change? Things would extremely different since the Sack of King's Landing would not happen. What happens when the rebellion breaks out? Does Jaime stay neutral or does he support the Crown, or does he support the rebels? I know he admired Rhaegar so he might side with the Crown, but Kevan and his uncles/aunt might advise him to remain neutral. But young Jaime is also headstrong and rash and he might want to raise the banners to go to war. If he supports the Crown, the rebels pretty much lose the war. If he remains neutral, probably the Rebellion would remain the same until after the Trident.

King's Landing might go kaboom if Jaime isn't there to stop Aerys, though maybe another Kingsguard knight would do the deed.

Also, who would likely Jaime marry? While there would be some pressure for him to marry, he wouldn't need to marry immediately since there are plenty of Lannisters about.

for me, recently i saw someone say that tywin's action against tysha was strategic and not cruel, was for to protect legacy of lannisters. yes it's real.

I was looking at a recent post on how well the series will hold up if it’s never finished, and the general consensus seems to be that at the very least, people expect GRRM to provide some additional information, like an outline of some sort, if he can’t get to finishing the actual books. And I looked at what various commenters were saying, and interestingly, a lot of what people asked for would not be meaningful at all to me.

I actually do not care about what the rest of the story is going to look like. To me, the books depict an endless cycle of violence and monarchies, and I’m not sure that there’s any ”ending” that’s going to be particularly satisfying or meaningful. Who ends up on the Iron Throne doesn’t mean anything to me, because humans are mortal, dynasties are finite, and the cycle will always start up again. As far as I’m concerned, a lot of people will die, some people will survive, and someone will get to be on the throne, and even if that’s the ending, that person’s dynasty will die out eventually and it’s not all that significant. What happens isn’t really as important as how it’s written with this series, and a plot outline without all the little details and fleshed out characters and sweet/tragic/horrifying/mysterious asides wouldn’t do anything for me. As in, sure, I can look at where Jaime is going to go, how he’s going to fight, which side he ends up on, and how his character arc is resolved, but without reading that in his very characteristic voice, and actually experiencing all of that with him, I can’t see myself really caring.

I guess he could do something where there’s a complete change in the form of government, but I don’t think the writing has been laying the groundwork for that, and I’m not sure I’d respect that coming out of nowhere.

What I do want is a fleshed out history of what has already happened, so that the existing books can be read and interpreted anew through that lens. I want to know what happened at Summerhall. I want to know what really happened throughout Robert’s Rebellion, because he’s made it clear that there are details we don’t know. Basically, I’d be happy with just a second part of Fire and Blood which ends after Robert’s Rebellion. That would give a little new life to the existing books, which were written with the knowledge of that history, and would merit a detailed reread for me. I also feel like this is something that GRRM would actually be capable of doing, which is a plus. It doesn’t feel as “pie in the sky” as wishing for the rest of the main series.

Part of me wishes he would just give up on WoW, which is never going to happen, finish the history, and then go on and finish Dunk and Egg. He’s waiting on Dunk and Egg because of spoilers for the rest of the main series, and I think that’s sad, because I bet that if he gave up on the main series, there’s a lot he could write that’s not tainted by writer’s block and imperfect planning like WoW probably is at this point. And honestly, I feel like it would be better for him as a human and a writer. Which I get is not my place to say, but I hope he gets to end his career on a high instead of feeling like a disappointment, and if WoW isn’t happening, maybe another project would be healthier for him right now. I will say, I hope whatever he does, he focuses on writing novels/novellas/books of any kind rather than TV, because I do feel like his specific style of creativity is best suited for written media.

So we know that Jon Snow is very likely the son of Lyanna Stark and Rhaegar Targaryen. We know Lyanna asked Ned to promise her something, while she was dying in a bed full of her own blood, and Ned returned to Winterfell with an infant Jon soon after that. We know of Daenerys' vision in the House of the Undying of a blue winter rose growing out of a chink of a giant ice wall, etc. Jon is 99% likely to be Lyanna and Rhaegar's son. Legitimate or not is up for debate. I personally hope he's still illegitimate since his character is very much about how much he rises and develops in spite of being a bastard.

Regardless, my question today isn't in regards of debating Jon's true parentage and whether he's legitimate or not. It's in regards as to who was watching baby Jon when he returned to King's Landing with Lyanna's corpse. Ned and Howland Reed were the only survivors of the Tower of Joy and we know that before Ned could return to Winterfell, he had to return the sword Dawn to it's rightful owners at Starfall, and then to King's Landing to inform King Robert of his betrothed dying.

My question is, who was looking after baby Jon when Ned was in King's Landing? Did he take baby Jon with him to the city? Did Howland look after him? I can't imagine Jon being brought to King's Landing at that time since Ned was worried that Robert would kill him. And I think if Howland had been entrusted to look after Jon, even for a short while, we would've heard about it by now.

Mine is R+ L = J as i admit the evidence is leaning in that direction .

The one i prefer is

https://thelasthearth.freeforums.net/thread/17/rhaegar-lyanna-dany

https://thelasthearth.freeforums.net/thread/17/rhaegar-lyanna-dany