In the two promo trailers that were released by HBO (so it shouldn't be a spoiler) there is definitely a battle in the North.

Right. It might be like in the Viper and the Mountain, where the verdict was one week but the trial was two episodes later. I would think this would be the week we see The Hound back. Then Hound v. Mountain maybe in week 9 if the alluded to battle between the Starks and Boltons doesn't take the full episode, or week…

My apologies!

In the trailer for this season, we see Lannister soldiers in the hall of the Twins celebrating. So I assume that means that Lannister intervention means a successful conclusion to the Blackfish situation. However, what I am hoping for is Jamie pulling a boss move and killing the Freys. It would give the Lannisters…

Osha sends her regards.

A very well known actor, especially to fans of Deadwood, was hired to do one episode of Game of Thrones. In an interview the actor, not only called it a show that is just "tits and dragons", but basically spoiled his part, saying he would be bringing back a character that people thought was dead.

Why not both?

I agree. I don't think I would argue that he's exactly the same. Jamie's gift was his swordsmanship. It allowed him to separate himself from everyone except Cersei, probably as an emotional defense mechanism. (We have a good feel for how Cersei dealt with her mother's death, but not Jamie. I'd bet that a lot of his…

That's not quite my point. The cost for the deed is high, but in relative not absolute terms. You want someone killed by a Faceless Man, they will take something from you that is extremely valuable to you and not easily replaceable for you. Like a perverse Gift of the Magi.

Remember the prices are relative to the status of the target and the person seeking the target.

But Jamie really hasn't changed, just our perception of him as changed. Jamie acts consistently to protect the ones he loves in the way that is most convenient for him, and how we react depends on how much we like the objection of his protection relatively.

I know our default is to snark, but watching the You Tube videos from Europe, this seems to be a very cromulent thing to go see. The snark feels lazy and fat (like we're being the Axls of snark.)

I had that Red Sox hat growing up. Also the link to Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers was just beautiful.

Shut up Pierre.

Rewatching, her facial expressions when the Tyrell forces arrive, and the cut between her looking at her grandmother are most interesting to me.

Viva PBS and viewers like us!

The Tarly's are Bannermen for the Tyrells, so Tarly forces would be part of a larger Tyrell army.

Also, for me it's not simply Dany rides Drogon. It's Dany is now able to control Drogon. A piloted dragon is a lot more dangerous than a Deus Ex Dragon.

All the footage from the download was old, except for Aerys II.

That was my read as well. Remember we have that scene with Mel and Arya from Season 3 as well. If the Many-Faced God is R'hllor or vice versa, I'm guessing Arya being Arya is more important than her being no one.