Game of Thrones

[DMurphy]

Originally Posted by GDB

There's no episode this week, actually.

Goddammit.

[HayashiTakara]

Originally Posted by GDB

There's no episode this week, actually.

What...? FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF---------

Screw You HBO! Screw YOU!!!

[MrTerrorist]

If anyone is wondering why there is no Game of Thrones this Sunday, it's because this May 25th is Memorial Day in the US. If anyone remembers the Blackwater episode, that episode suffered a drop in ratings due to Memorial Day. So the 8th episode of season 4 will be airing next week.

In related news, parts of season 5 will be filmed in Spain in the Andalucia region. While HBO hasn't said anything, it's popular suggested Spain is being used as a backdrop as Dorne, the land where the Martells ruled. Source

Also, casting for Season 5 has begun and here are the roles HBO is looking for: Source

Prince Doran Martell – Doran is described as the major new player this year, appearing in multiple episodes. The fiftysomething prince uses a wheelchair, is reclusive and rules wisely. It appears the show is looking to continue the trend it started with Pedro Pascal, and cast Latino actors for the Martell clan.

Prince Trystane Martell – Trystane, the handsome fiance of Princess Myrcella, is being aged up to 18.

Areo Hotah - Doran's personal bodyguard will appear throughout the season, assisting the prince with his duties. The show is particularly looking for a black actor to fill the role.

Obara Sand – The eldest and most athletic Sand Snake will be having a major fight scene with a series regular character- not one who crosses her path in the books. This is an interesting change.

Nymeria Sand – Nymeria is described as "mixed race," with her father being the fairer Oberyn and her mother being darker skinned. The second oldest of these Sand Snakes, she's beautiful, emotional and very strong.

Tyene Sand - The youngest of the Sand Snakes that we meet uses her wits and seductive powers, and is less of a physical fighter than the other Sand Snakes. She is just as deadly as her sisters, however, but her weapon is poison.

High Sparrow - The books' pious head of a religious movement will be appearing in several episodes in season 5.

Septa Unella – The show is looking for a character actress to play the imposing and unrelenting septa who spends a lot of time with a major series character next year.

Maggy the Frog- A fortune teller in A Feast for Crows, she'll be in one episode next year.

Lollys Stokeworth – Just last week in "Mockingbird," Bronn announced his intention to marry Lollys, whom Tyrion considers "dimwitted." It looks like the sellsword will still be around next year.

Yezzan - A sleazy Meereenese slave owner.

The Waif – The strange child from the books that Arya encounters will likely be played by an older actress, one in her later teens, and we understand the show is specifically looking for a woman of East Asian descent for the part.

[Roger Rambo]

Prince Trystane Martell – Trystane, the handsome fiance of Princess Myrcella, is being aged up to 18.

Any reason for this? If I recall, in the books Myrcella and Trystane were similar in age.

[Kyero Fox]

Originally Posted by HayashiTakara

What...? FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF---------

Screw You HBO! Screw YOU!!!

This post is pointless too.

Mine how ever had The Hound in it... sigh

[MrTerrorist]

Originally Posted by Roger Rambo

Any reason for this? If I recall, in the books Myrcella and Trystane were similar in age.

Not sure. Possibly because the actress who played Myrcella is now older and they need an actor whose older as well?

[Guardian Enzo]

Originally Posted by MrTerrorist

Not sure. Possibly because the actress who played Myrcella is now older and they need an actor whose older as well?

They just like to age up characters generally. Sometimes to the detriment of the show, IMHO.

There are a couple of very prominent names I don't see on that list, and ones that surprise me too. But to say more, alas...

[Suzuku]

I finally get caught up and they go on a two week break. smh.

[DMurphy]

Wait, a two week break? Aw, man. I thought it was just one week.

[Guardian Enzo]

It is a one-week break - episode 8 is next Sunday.

[Reckoner]

The aging up of the characters is pretty jarring when we already see how young they were in the first place like Tommen and Myrcella. We saw her being sailed away in season 2, now all of a sudden she is 18? Oh god HBO.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by HayashiTakara

It's pretty obvious that she's being groomed to be the greatest female warrior to ever grace the seven kingdoms.

Arya - the Warrior Princess

Originally Posted by DMurphy

Arya's path is definitely very worrying, and she's on the verge of practically worshipping death and murder in a way that is - unlikely to end well. I actually think she might kill Clegane, at this point, when he's no longer useful to him.

depends on what you would consider end 'well' but when considering the world she live that is not a bad attitude to have.

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by Reckoner

The aging up of the characters is pretty jarring when we already see how young they were in the first place like Tommen and Myrcella. We saw her being sailed away in season 2, now all of a sudden she is 18? Oh god HBO.

I'm not a book reader, but some of the canon ages just seemed unrealistic and silly to me; especially Daenerys, Jon, and Rob. Young teens/kids as highly competent adult-acting characters is already a stretch to me in anime sometimes, it would feel completely wrong in GoT.

[Guardian Enzo]

I think many of the mistakes Robb, Dany and Jon make are a lot more understandable when they're the ages Martin wrote them as.

[oompa loompa]

Originally Posted by Reckoner

The aging up of the characters is pretty jarring when we already see how young they were in the first place like Tommen and Myrcella. We saw her being sailed away in season 2, now all of a sudden she is 18? Oh god HBO.

Do we know that myrcella is being aged up? It might just be her husband

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

I'm not a book reader, but some of the canon ages just seemed unrealistic and silly to me; especially Daenerys, Jon, and Rob. Young teens/kids as highly competent adult-acting characters is already a stretch to me in anime sometimes, it would feel completely wrong in GoT.

in the time period GoT is base on, the kids age would have made them adults. The recent teenage hood (13 to 21) of the mid-late 20th century is more of exception than historical norm.

[Reckoner]

Originally Posted by ChainLegacy

I'm not a book reader, but some of the canon ages just seemed unrealistic and silly to me; especially Daenerys, Jon, and Rob. Young teens/kids as highly competent adult-acting characters is already a stretch to me in anime sometimes, it would feel completely wrong in GoT.

Martin has expressed regret at some of the ages of his characters. The reason there was such a big delay between the 3rd and 4th books in his series was that he tried to put in a time skip and realized it wasn't going to work out because of too many flashbacks.

To a degree this is a significant flaw in his books. Certain characters probably should have been aged up a little bit. I think it would have been better for the for the story if for example Arya was a few years older. It's not quite clear why yet at this part of the TV series, but it will become much more obvious why in future seasons if they follow the books closely.

Originally Posted by oompa loompa

Do we know that myrcella is being aged up? It might just be her husband

I was just going off what I read here, I don't actually know myself if they're doing it. I'd find it a bit silly though, but it's not like they didn't already do something equally stupid with Tommen so there is a precedent. Fortunately most people in the audience probably don't remember seeing Tommen and Myrcella during that scene with Sir Dontos in season 2.

[ChainLegacy]

Originally Posted by Guardian Enzo

I think many of the mistakes Robb, Dany and Jon make are a lot more understandable when they're the ages Martin wrote them as.

They're all still young, though. For example, I'm 24, but I don't consider myself above making youthful mistakes, even though I'm an adult. I think all of their mistakes so far in the TV version have made sense. I never thought "he's too old for that!", anyways.

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

in the time period GoT is base on, the kids age would have made them adults. The recent teenage hood (13 to 21) of the mid-late 20th century is more of exception than historical norm.

I'm aware that societal perception of adolescence, teenage years, etc have changed, but neurochemistry hasn't. Also, society still viewed early teenagers as young, even if they weren't quite as pampered as they would be today. They would still be apprentices, not masters, or if they were a young king, a regent would usually rule until they were older because it was generally recognized, as today, that a teenager/child lacks experience and mental development.

Originally Posted by Reckoner

Martin has expressed regret at some of the ages of his characters. The reason there was such a big delay between the 3rd and 4th books in his series was that he tried to put in a time skip and realized it wasn't going to work out because of too many flashbacks.

To a degree this is a significant flaw in his books. Certain characters probably should have been aged up a little bit. I think it would have been better for the for the story if for example Arya was a few years older. It's not quite clear why yet at this part of the TV series, but it will become much more obvious why in future seasons if they follow the books closely.

That's good to hear. Martin strikes me as a very intelligent writer of fiction, so the wonky ages always raised an eyebrow for me.

[HayashiTakara]

Wasn't Denerys Stormborn, 13 in the beginning of the books?

[Guernsey]

Originally Posted by HayashiTakara

Wasn't Denerys Stormborn, 13 in the beginning of the books?

I believe she was 14 int he beginning but I could be wrong.